Exalting Christ--What I've been learning and what spoke to me at the conference

I had the privilege of attending the Exalting Christ Conference in Vallejo with my husband. Basically, it was a couple of days of getting a lot of Scripture, theology, philosophy, conviction, and Christ-centered preaching blasted into my brain. Carl likened some of the preaching to a fire hydrant, and you open your mouth and hope to get a few drops. Some of it wasn't as intense, but every moment seemed like I learned and grew in a way God had already been preparing me for. So often I would think, "I just read that passage in the Bible recently" or "I just was thinking about that."

Chris Williams preached on 1 Cor. 15:58--definitely something I needed to hear. "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." He asked, "Do you know the risen Christ? Do you live in the resurrection hope?" Chris spoke of how our behavior must match our hope: be steadfast, be immovable, always be abounding in the work of the Lord. He quoted someone who said "Let me burn out for Christ" and a poem:
Only one life and soon it's past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.

Steve Lawson preached on Colossians 1:15-23 with "A Supreme Look at the Sovereign Christ." He asked 2 questions:
1. Who is Christ?
He answered that question by looking at Colossians 1:
Jesus is God (in attributes, works, names, worship, equality with the Father and Holy Spirit, and direct calling)
Jesus is Creator
Jesus is Sustainer
Jesus is LORD
and Jesus is Savior.

The other question was:
2. Do you know Him?

Mark Talbot primarily spoke on suffering. He is working on a book called Unsought Gifts, so much of what he shared was what he's been studying and working through. Suffering is a divine blessing (Psalm 119:67-68; 71-72; 75).The Bible uses a word for affliction that also stands for the attitude in such suffering--humble. Suffering changes how we stand before God. God uses affliction to humble and to lead us to maturity (Deut. 8:2, 3, 16). Otherwise, we enjoy rest and ease and risk forgetting God. Suffering encourages the love and fear of God and His ultimate sovereignty. We become less confident in ourselves and more open to God. Suffering corrects our sight.

I really liked the quote from Leon Bloy that "Man has places in his heart which do not yet exist and then into them enters suffering so that they may exist." I have felt that in my own heart. Talbot spoke about different degrees of suffering--basically that it disagreeably disrupts life's pleasantness (Heb. 12:1-13) and even robs our future joy (we start fearing what may happen). Much Scripture was shared--Ecc. 6:3, Eph. 2:1-10, Is. 35:10, Jer. 31:12-13, James 4:15, Luke 12:13-21, Acts 14;8-18, and 1 Peter 4:12.

Talbot quoted Robert Dabney, who had undergone profound suffering in losing his 5-year old Jimmy, his 6-year old Bobby, his favorite sister in 1862, and later his 5-year old Tom. Dabney wrote a poem entitled "Tried But Comforted" demonstrating that he could trust God though trembling.

Five summers bright our noble boy
Was lent us for our household joy;
Then came the fated, wintry hour
Of death, and blighted our sweet flower.

They told me, "Weep not, for thy gem
Is fixed in Christ's own diadem;
His speedy feet the race have run,
The foe have 'scaped, the goal have won."

I chode the murmurs of my breast
With this dear thought; and then addressed
My steps to wait upon the Lord
And with his saints to hear his Word.

Then, thus I heard their anthem flow:
"Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

But how, I said, can this sad heart,
In joyful praises bear its part?
It hath no joy; it naught can do
But mourn its loss and tell its woe.

And then I thought, What if thy lost
Is now among that heavenly host,
And with the angel choir doth sing,
"Glory to thee, Eternal King ?'

But is not this a hope too sweet?
Faith is too weak the joy to meet;
Oh! might my bursting heart but see
If true the blissful thought can be!

Oh! that for once mine ear might hear
That tiny voice, so high, so clear,
Singing Emmanuel's name among
Those louder strains, that mightier throng.

Oh! that but once mine eyes could see
That smile which here was wont to be
The sunshine of my heart, made bright
With Jesus' love, with Heaven's light.

Then would my burdened heart, 1 know,
With none but tears of joy o'erflow
But ah! when faith would strain her eyes
For that blest vision, there arise

The shadows of my deary home;
'Twixt Heaven and my heart there come
That dying bed, that corpse, that bier
And when I strive that song to hear,

Sad memory echoes but the wail
My love to soothe could naught avail;
I only hear his anguished cry,
I only see his glazing eye.

But yet be still, tumultuous heart,
And bravely bear thy destined part,
Yet will I say, stay there, my son;
And to my Lord, Thy will be done.

'Tis not for sight and sense to know
Those scenes of glory here below;
But be it ours to walk by faith,
And credit what our Saviour saith.

Let patience work till we be meet
To dwell in bliss at Jesus' feet;
Then death, once dreaded, friendly come,
And bear us to our lost one's home.

Then shall that glorious hour repay
The woes of all that dreary way,
And I shall hear forever more
My seraph boy his God adore.

Yea, he shall teach this voice to raise,
As angels taught him, Heaven's lays;
And I, who once his steps did lead,
Shall follow him to Christ, our Head.

One missionary (I forgot his name but he's serving in Honduras) preached on being humble (a common theme for my thinking/study lately...wonder why?!)

Brian Shealy preached on Romans 15:14-18 focusing on the 4 ways to boast in Christ Jesus instead of trying to validate yourself in other ways. Learn to brag about Jesus Christ:
1. Boast in Christ for the maturity that He has grown in other believers (full of goodness, filled with knowledge, able to instruct/admonish one another)
2. Boast because of the grace He gives you--mention was made of having a "reminding ministry" towards others
3. Boast that the Holy Spirit is offering converts for Gospel ministry through the preaching of the Gospel
4. Boast in Jesus Christ because He works through you
The question at the end was what is Christ doing in your ministry, in your church, in you? Can you boast in Him?

It was really great to hear from both Brian and his wife, Myra Shealy. Myra did a seminar for the wives entitled "The Gracious Life of a Graced Wife." She spoke about when trouble comes, because sinful people are instruments and objects of Christ's ministry and there is the potential for conflict in EVERY relationship. She encouraged us not to become distracted by conflict. "Love God and people, make disciples to exalt and proclaim Christ." She said her prayer is, "Teach me how to love graciously." Myra went on to flesh out how ministry and conflict go hand-in-hand. We have a personal enemy--the Devil. We live in a sin-cursed world, we will suffer persecution whenever lovingly calling others to Him (2 Tim 3:12), we will be hated just like Christ (Matt. 24:9), and it is God's will for us to be sanctified...which is a painful process as our sin is revealed (1 Thes. 4:3). In all of this we have confidence because we belong to Christ.

Myra took a look at David, Paul, and Jesus, as they all had so much conflict in their lives. She reminded us to keep our eyes firmly fixed on Christ and grace others as we have been graced. (Luke 7:37-48; Ps. 103:8). Here Myra shared so honestly about how God sent her children (she has 8) to show her how impatient she is, and how easily angered. She mentioned that she never knew beforehand what an angry person she was :) She pointed out that when we think of the Gospel we are humbled (Eph. 2:2-7) so that we don't think so much about how we are being treated but what God is doing. We are just like others before a holy God. We are lovers of the sovereignty of God and believers of His promises. When little pockets of unbelief pop up, remember 2 Cor. 12:8, Matt. 28:20, Matt. 6:33, Is. 41:10, Is. 55:11, and 2 Pet. 1:3-4. Respond with grace as a devoted worshiper of the Worthy Lord Jesus. In the Q & A time, she shared that in discipleship we should stand beside someone and love them--not be so selfish but find things that would be helpful to them. She quoted from a book in which the author wrote, "How dare we think that we can choose our own friends." She also encouraged us to have the skin of a rhinoceros and the heart of a dove, mentioning times in ministry where her husband's character was attacked. I was really encouraged by Myra's humility and honesty in sharing...especially seeing how God used her despite her notes disappearing the morning before her talk.

Steve Fernandez spoke as well. I had a really hard time focusing for the first talk he gave (I had reached saturation level, it was the last sermon of the day, as well as just being in a lot of knee pain from my still healing ACL surgery) but was so blessed by his message on Acts 20:17-38. Multiple times during the conference the phrase "in Christ" or "of the Lord" were pointed out. It was convicting, as often we just glaze over those phrases and take them for granted (in speaking on Col. 1--Lawson pointed this out). How crucial to remember that I am in Christ and a servant of God--not myself! That is how Paul viewed himself. When speaking with the Ephesian elders he was "serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials...I did not shrink fro declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Paul pursued needs without expecting anything in return, with Christ's purpose, not his own. Paul refused to be aloof in ministry. He wasn't just Sunday until next Sunday, but in homes. Accept mistreatment. Expect nothing.
Stay involved.
Stay low (before God).
Stay tender.
Stay focused.
Your purpose? "To testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Again, the reminder was that it is not your church--but the church "of God."

We sang different hymns and songs with great fervor. Ever since the conference, this song keeps going through my head:

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.

I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will.
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.

And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.

Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose.
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.

The line that I keep hearing over and over is:

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life.

So true! May it be so true!