The Master's "GRAND DESIGN"

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah ... (Isaiah 1:1)

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah ... (1:4-10)

"Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now and let us reason together," saith the LORD: "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword:" for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (1:16-20)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Yesterday I watched a particularly interesting episode of a British television show called "GRAND DESIGNS," which features ordinary British people on a quest to restore, to its original grandeur and even more, an historic old building that is currently derelict, decrepit and desolate because of years of neglect. Here's a few pics:

A British couple with 2 children bought this old, abandoned church in Ireland and their plan was to restore the building and transform the inside into a home where they could live. The church - built in 1835 - was struck by lightning and burned down in 1902, and had been left to rot and fall apart for more than 100 years.

This real-life restoration project gave me a visual illustration of what God was saying to the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah, and I want to share that with you.

1. We live in a "sinful nation," among a people "laden with iniquity" who have "forsaken the LORD" and "are gone away backward." It was somewhat surprising to me how so many people in the community loved the historicity of the old church in Ireland, but over 100 years there had been no one who was willing to work at fixing or maintaining it. It would have been a lot easier to fix the problems had the work begun years earlier. Yet, how much more saddening it is to realize that so many people have simply forsaken God and let their spiritual lives go to rot. We must be careful not to think that this cannot happen to us -- and if in some area we discover that we have forsaken what we know God wants for us, then we must deal with that before it becomes a monumental desolation in our spiritual lives.

2. A solid foundation (soundness) is crucial, but the structure will fall apart if the rest of it is not cared for properly. Since this is true for a building, how much more so is this true for us spiritually, since we are "the temple of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of God dwelleth in [us]?" (1 Corinthians 3:16) There was soundness in the stone used to construct the old church building in Ireland, but it definitely looked bruised and sore, and there were gaps and holes that had not been closed up or tended to. Storms of trial and temptation sweep through our lives, and there will be circumstances that cause sores, bruises and wounds, even though our faith is founded on the solid truth of God's Word and His love for us. These wounds must be "bound up" and "mollified with ointment" so that they can heal -- so that our faith does not fall apart like an abandoned building that has been beaten by the storms of life.

3. If one finds him/herself in this state, what are we to do then? Isaiah 1:16-20 has the answer. God invites us to "come and reason with Him," and He tells us that if we wash and cleanse ourselves (repentance) and cease from doing evil, that He will cleanse us from our sins -- "though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." And I love verse 19: "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." The cleansing and preparation of the old, decrepit church took much time and hard work -- especially the repairing of the massive amount of stonework -- but in order to transform it into a grand and beautiful building again, the cleansing and repair was required. So it is in our spiritual lives ... if we desire to be a beautiful "temple" and to reflect the character of our God who lives within us, we must put in the time and effort required for repentance and cleansing, so that God can do His purifying and rebuilding work.

And when we do this - when we 1) acknowledge our sins, 2) allow God to bind up and heal our wounds, and 3) repent and submit ourselves willingly and obediently to His restorative work - then we will eat the good of the land.

As we carefully maintain our outward appearance, even more so we must care for our spiritual condition so that we will be fit to reflect and display the glory of the One who has saved us and dwells within, because God has a GRAND DESIGN for us:

• We are chosen and predestined in love to be His children, pure and holy in His sight, to the praise of His glory and grace. (Ephesians 1:4-12)
• We are saved by His grace, reconciled through the cross, made fellow-citizens with the household of God; to be built as a holy temple to the Lord, with a firm foundation of faith and Jesus Christ as the cornerstone, a habitation of God through His Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:4-22)

May we, as Christ's church, continually strengthen our foundation in the Word of God, stay committed to His work of sanctification in us through the Holy Spirit, and seek His will in our lives so that we will be a reflection of His glory, a beautiful dwelling-place for the one true God and a testament to everyone around us of the marvelous love and grace that redeems sinners and reconciles them to Himself.

SACRIFICE - Good Friday Meditation

1 John 4:10 declares that God - because of His love for us - sent Jesus to be the "atoning sacrifice" or "propitiation" for our sins. It's incredibly humbling to realize once again that Jesus' purpose in coming to earth was to die for you and me.

Philippians 2:8 says that Jesus Christ became obedient to death when He went to the cross for us. I believe this means that by acting in obedience to the will of His Father, He was compelled to die on the cross. He knew that this was the only way to reconcile sinful man to God, and though - in His humanity - He didn't want the torture and pain, He submitted Himself to the suffering for our sake.

Surely He has borne our griefs a

nd carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken, s

mitten by God, and afflicted.

⁵ 

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

A

nd by His stripes we are healed.

 

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief.

When You make His soul an offering for sin,

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,

And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

¹¹ 

He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,

For He shall bear their iniquities.

~ Isaiah 53:4-6, 10-11 ~

2 Corinthians 5:21 says that "God made Him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

It is sobering and saddening to remember on this day that it was because of my sin that Jesus had to go to the cross. But this is GOOD Friday, and there is reason to rejoice. Why? Because of Jesus' perfect sacrifice, we have forgiveness and reconciliation with God, despite our sinful choices - marvelous grace!

Thank You, Jesus, for taking the punishment for my sin, for bearing the suffering and pain that I deserved. Thank You for being willing to be my sacrifice and for reminding me again of Your great love for me.

Once again I look upon the cross where You died;

I'm humbled by Your mercy and I'm broken inside;

Once again I thank You, once again I pour out my life.

(Because You poured Yours out for me.)

CELEBRATING ADVENT: Joy

REALIZATION

Was it in the moment when Mary first heard the news?

Or when angels announced the birth of the long-awaited King of the Jews?

Imagine their exceeding great joy when they saw at last

The fulfillment of prophecy from long ages past.

And our hearts can all be filled with joy, still today,

In realizing God's greatest gift of salvation and grace.

~ Darlene Koop, Dec. 31-2012 ~

...and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary, His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. ~ Matthew 2:9b-11a ~

And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant...For He who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation." ~ Luke 1:46-48a, 49-50 ~

I am happy and I have joy in my heart.
For some people, those two words -- happiness and joy -- are synonymous, but there is a difference between them. And many people say that they want to be happy, when the real and deepest desire of their hearts is to find a true joy that lasts.

Friends, the message of the Christmas season brings us that joy that our world is searching for -- but it is not always realized or recognized because of the way in which God revealed it.

People look for happiness and joy in things they can see and touch, but those things will always disappoint. Happiness can be found in circumstances, but is usually temporary -- joy comes from knowing a truth that will not change, no matter what happens in our lives or the world around us.

So what is the joy that we celebrate at Christmas? Certainly, the birth of Jesus Christ. But if we stop there, we miss what Christmas is really all about.

The miraculous thing about true joy is that it continually increases and satisfies our hearts in a way nothing else can. The exceeding great joy that the wise men felt as they saw and worshiped the King of Kings that first Christmas was because they realized WHO HE WAS and WHY HE HAD COME.

And we, too, can experience that joy in ever-increasing measure, because of what happened after that wonderful, holy night just over 2000 years ago. I don't know if the people who were living on the earth at that time fully comprehended the reason for Christ's birth...that may be what Jesus meant when He said to Thomas, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).

This world is not all there is -- and though this is where life begins, it does not end here. Jesus Christ is coming again, and for we who have believed although we have never seen Him, there are no words to describe the joy that we will know on that day.

The Savior of the world came - into the dark, smelly shadows of a stable on a night that was perhaps cold and dreary - and His first advent brought a joy and hope that people had never known. But the plan was not complete with His birth, or even His death and resurrection...for behold, He is coming again!! And His second advent will be even greater than the first -- for "every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11).

Then will we realize in fullness who He really is...and so until that day, let us continually find our joy in the only One who can satisfy our hearts -- Jesus Christ, our Savior, Lord, and King!

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith...may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and glory, receiving the end of your faith  - the salvation of your souls. ~ 1 Peter 1:6-7a, 8-9 ~

EXPECTATIONS, LETTING GO and TRUST

This blog post has been a draft for about a month now. I knew that I needed to write it, but I needed to experience a few more situations first...and now I'm ready. Sometimes putting my feelings and thoughts into words gives me courage for the challenges ahead, so here goes:

Living here in Ukraine and trying to adapt to the culture and the challenges of studying seems to bring out both the best and the worst in me, and that's a good thing, although it doesn't always feel like it. When God in His grace redeemed me and called me to Himself, He began a process called "sanctification." Sometimes I forget this, and then my Heavenly Father lovingly chastens me and reminds me that the goal is to change and transform me to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. There are times along the way when I may receive unexpected encouragement or glimpses of the miraculous changes that He is bringing about, but it is important to remember - especially when it's hard - that He will complete the work He started in me because it is all about Him.

"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..." (Philippians 1:6)

EXPECTATIONS -- sometimes we realize that we have them, and sometimes we don't. In both cases, there is often disappointment and hurt and a wide range of emotions. But there is also great opportunity for grace. I think probably one of the hardest aspects of understanding expectations is acknowledging that some of them are not important and truly desiring to change the way I respond to circumstances. I will never be free of expectations in this life, but I am so thankful that in His mercy God understands my weakness.

LETTING GO -- once I have honestly faced my expectations I must move to the next step - learning to release my grasp on them and the emotions attached to them. This is really a shift in perspective, because in order to let go I have to be willing to change. Too often I find myself thinking, "Why is this so hard? Why can't I just do it the way I want to or have done it for so long?" This is stinking pride -- the root of it is that I want to feel knowledgeable or important or that I have been able to achieve something, and so instead of being willing to learn from others and looking for the positives, I gripe and complain about how difficult it is to change.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Galatians 2:20-21)

Were it not for this truth, for the reality that Christ lives in me and is working in me, it would feel hopeless. But I can press on because I know that this is true.

TRUST -- it is a daily challenge to trust that God's plan truly is the best and to translate that into how I build relationships and respond to circumstances that come my way. I have to trust that there is a reason, even if I cannot see it now and I must trust that if my heart is truly willing, my Father will enable me to do what feels impossible to me at the moment.

These insights have come out of my experiences in learning to live in close quarters with people I don't know who think and act differently than I do, and in studying a language and culture that is in many ways foreign to me. I want to relate to the people in my life and to build relationships with them, and in order to do that I have to be willing to develop new ways of thinking and acting, but the old ways must go first.

I appreciate your prayers and encouragement on this journey -- God is at work and I want to joyfully accept what He brings into my life and allow Him to transform me into the person I need to be. I am in the service of the King and He must be Lord of all.

GIVING THANKS...

   Just before I left Thunder Bay, a friend gave me a book to read...it's called ONE THOUSAND BLESSINGS, by Ann Voskamp. It is a different writing style than I am used to, so it took me a little while to get into the book, but once I did, the truths that it contained gave me a new perspective, or lens, to see life through, one that has completely changed the way I interact with day-to-day life.

   And just as she did, so I began a "One Thousand Blessings" dare of my own...to write down 1000 blessings -- even the things that might not at first glance seem like a blessing. I'm more than halfway there, and every day I find myself giving thanks for God's gracious hand in EVERYTHING.

   It really is a change in perspective, and it is the beginning of true joy -- to give thanks. I want to share with you just a few insights from the book that have impacted me and I hope that they speak to you in some way as well...

Is the height of my chara joy dependent on the depths of my eucharisteo thanks?

As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible. Joy is always possible. The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak experience. The joy wonder could be here! Here, in the messy, piercing ache of now, joy might be - unbelievably - possible! The only place we need see before we die is this place of seeing God, here and now.

Charis. Grace.

Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving.

Chara. Joy.

Sozo means salvation. It means true wellness, complete wholeness. To live sozo is to live the full life. Jesus came that we might live life to the full; He came to give us sozo. And when did the leper receive sozo - the saving to the full, whole life? When he returned and gave thanks.

Our very saving is associated with our gratitude. If our fall was the non-eucharisteo, the ingratitude, then salvation must be intimately related to eucharisteo, the giving of thanks. Jesus counts thanksgiving as integral in a faith that saves.

We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if not with thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is the manifestation of our Yes! to His grace. Thanksgiving - giving thanks in everything - prepares the way that God might show us His fullest salvation in Christ.

She quotes from Alexander Schememan:

"Now, in the Bible a name...reveals the very essence of a thing, or rather its essence as God's gift...To name a thing is to manifest the meaning and value God gave it, to know it as coming from God and to know its place and function within the cosmos created by God. To name a thing, in other words, is to bless God for it and in it."

And then she writes her own thoughts:

In naming that which is right before me, that which I'd otherwise miss, the invisible becomes visible. I name. And I know the face I face. God's! God is in the details; God is in the moment. God is in all that blurs by in a life - even hurts in a life.

This act of naming grace moments...moves beyond the shopping list variety of prayer and into the other side. And I see it now for what this really is, this dare to write down one thousand things I love. It really is a dare to name all the ways that God loves me. The true Love Dare. To move into His presence and listen to His love unending and know the grace uncontainable. This is the vault of the miracles.

Jesus embraces the not enough...He gives thanks...and there is more than enough! Eucharisteo always precedes the miracle. And who doesn't need a miracle like that every day? The real problem in life is never a lack of time. The real problem of life - in my life - is lack of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving creates abundance; and the miracle of multiplying happens when I give thanks - take the just one loaf, say it is enough, and give thanks - and He miraculously makes it more than enough.

Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on me!!!

LORD, I NEED REVIVAL

July 22, 2011 - Sunset on East Loon Lake, ON

This beautiful sunset was a reminder to me of the way that God revives His world as he brings each day to a close and brings a new beginning in the morning.

This weekend I had the privilege of spending some time with friends at their camp on the lake, and it was refreshing to body, mind and spirit in a number of ways. Work has been trying at times this week, and I was exhausted from the heat and the busyness of life, so the time at the lake was a welcome reprieve.

Yet I am reminded, especially as I think on the words of Ephesians 5, that we as believers in Jesus Christ are called to live not by the ways of this world or solely influenced by our circumstances, but in a way that brings glory to God.

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma...Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord."

Pastor Kevin spoke on Sunday about how change in our lives and in our relationships begins in our own hearts, not with others. I know this to be true, but we need the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and His grace in order to change this. And I was reminded this week how much I need His revival in my heart so that I live daily setting my "mind on things above, not on earthly things," doing all things "in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (Colossians 3) and not living "for myself, but for Him who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2)

I wrote the following poem on May 2, 2005 after a Sunday morning sermon, and I think it is a very important and appropriate reminder of the perspective I need to have as I seek to grow in my Christian walk. I hope this is an encouragement to you as well.

"REVIVAL" (By Darlene Joy Koop

The tears begin to flow as I survey my world,

A place of forgotten beauty and hope.

People are searching for fulfilment and purpose,

While their lives fall apart and they cannot cope.

Disaster, death and fear prevail,

There seems to be no escape from the pain.

"Why can't they see?" my heart cries out,

"There is life and peace if they'll call on Your Name."

We need a revival right across this land;

Freedom from corruption and sin.

How long will it take for the truth to break through?

Then I realize it starts from within.

My own life, I know, often seems darkened

And from struggles I long to be freed.

But when I listen, God speaks to my heart;

For revival to come, it must start with me.

I need to choose daily to serve my God

And allow His work in my life.

I must seek, above all, His ways and His will

And let Him take away the sorrow and strife.

I cannot change the world in which I live,

But I have an opportunity each day

To let Christ's love shine through me -

"Lord, send a revival," I pray.

BY HIS GRACE

It's been almost a month since I wrote on my blog, and I'm a little disappointed in that, truthfully. But, as someone once wisely said, "You can't go back, but you can go forward." And that's exactly what I'm going to do.

I'm a writer, and poetry comes quite easily to me, so here's a new poem that's been cogitating in my mind for a little while now - I just didn't quite know how to begin it until today.

"By His Grace"
Written by Darlene Joy Koop, March 22/2011

My Lord is so faithful, so merciful and kind,
He has given new sight to me, who once was blind.
He speaks to my heart so tenderly
And, by His grace, enables me to believe.

When I stumble and feel oh, so weak,
By His grace He gives strength as I kneel at His feet.
I'm learning to rely on my Lord day by day,
In Him I'm protected and cared for always.

Sometimes this life seems so weary and long,
And I feel like I have lost the song.
Then God reaches out by His grace to me,
And breaks the chains, setting my heart free.

My future is uncertain and fog oft obscures my way,
Yet by His grace the Lord teaches me to trust and obey.
And though I still have such a long way to go,
Each day I can see how He helps me to grow.

Jesus has promised to never leave us alone,
And He loves us like no other could ever have shown.
He called me and chose me to bear His Name,
And by His grace, I will never be the same.

ALL ABOUT HIM

I've been a little slack in my blog-writing, so today while I have a few quiet moments, I decided to amend that. Sometimes coming up with an accurate title for what I want to share is a challenge, so I decided for this note to follow the theme of the last one. (Not About Me...All About Him)

I'm overwhelmed (in a good way) by God's love and care for me and the way that He guides my steps - I hope I never lose the joy and wonderment of that realization.

I've been so encouraged the last few weeks by the children in my Sunday School class. They have risen to the challenge of learning their memory verses and it's exciting to see that they are remembering what has been taught them about God's promises! It's been a challenge for me as well, to adapt my style of teaching to a more active group of children, but I am a creative person, so I've begun to enjoy the challenge of finding new ways to make the lesson more interactive for the children.

This last week's memory verse was 2 Corinthians 12:9a - "...My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." How timely this was - considering that I would succumb to a throat infection on Friday and find myself physically weak and needing to literally rely on His strength! I claimed this promise and held to His hand and He provided in His grace just what I needed.

Ahead of me this week are some meetings and discussions about my future, and although the details are still uncertain to me and I don't really know what to expect, I know that I can trust God to work out His perfect plan. The chorus of a gospel song says it like this: "Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand; but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand."

Here a few verses that speak to my heart - there's nothing better than meditating on the wonderful truths in God's Word.

Job 23: 10

"But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me I shall come forth as gold."

Isaiah 26:3

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You."

Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God...I will be exalted in all the earth."

I'll close this note with the powerful words of a worship song that echo the declaration of Isaiah 46:9 - "Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me."

There is no rock, there is no god like our God, no other name worthy of all our praise.

The rock of salvation that cannot be moved, He's proven Himself to be faithful and true; there is no rock, there is no god like ours.

Rock of Ages, Jesus is the Rock. Rock of Ages, Jesus is the Rock. Rock of Ages, Jesus is the Rock. There is no rock, there is no god like ours!

NEW BEGINNINGS - 2010

Well, we're officially halfway through the month of January and this is my first post...
I am committed to posting regularly - it's just taken me awhile to get back into a consistent, regular routine.

     On my first day back at work on January 4th, I literally had a new, "fresh" beginning - I had been able to get caught up on the workload at the end of December and it was delightful to have a clean desk. Of course, this only lasted for a day before it returned to normalcy.
     Thankfully, I have a new perspective on my job as well - over the last few months God has, by His grace, been giving me a new outlook, particularly in regard to my job. I am so thankful for the freedom and peace that comes from doing just what is given to me each day and not worrying about things I can't control. I pray that this continues even as the workload and pressure continues to grow.

     On the home front, since last summer I have gradually neglected to consistently put things away in my little house, which has developed into a cluttered space (not dirty, but definitely a far cry from my neatly organized desk at work). So at the beginning of this year, I looked at this space in which I live and I decided that something needed to be done.
     Have you ever realized that you need to do something but you've been procrastinating for so long that it seems almost insurmountable to begin the good habit? Well, I knew that I needed some kind of motivation, so I bought myself 2 new books with a Christmas gift certificate and I resolved that I would not open or begin reading them until I get a decent part of my house in order. This is a big discipline for me, because I absolutely love reading!!
     However, I am making progress...and now will come the discipline of developing the good habit of putting things away instead of letting things pile up.

That's just a glimpse - I'm sure there will be more new beginnings this year and I look forward to sharing them with you, and I hope your new year is beginning with promise as well.