Upon laying down the standards for the office of Deacon within a local church (1 Tim 3:8-12) the Apostle Paul tags a couple of promises on the end of the paragraph:
"For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus." 1 Tim 3:13
The deacons Paul is describing "gain a good standing...and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus" for "themselves" the text says.
Whether the "good standing" Paul refers to is how we are looked upon by others or by God is beside the point. For we all desire to be seen as respectable by other people and infinitely more so should we desire to be seen by God as worthy to be counted among His people.
The apostle is clearly talking to followers of Jesus in this passage. What legit follower of Christ in their right mind does not desire "great confidence" in their faith? It would be preposterous to think so for it would be marvelous to receive the gift of such a solid trust in the God of the universe.
May we not deprive ourselves! May we not sell ourselves short of such a wonderous blessing by chasing all sorts of other silly titles and positions. This one is God ordained and blessed of God.
So, what do deacons do? This seems to be a solid answer.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
I don't care who you are...
...this is thought provoking and hopefully convicting.
"This is no time to fight murder with murder (there is no time for that). But neither is this the time for pro-lifers to slacken in their efforts from fetus fatigue. Between 1973 and 2005 American women procured an estimated 48, 589, 993 abortions. The bloodiest single-day battle in American history was at Antietam in 1862, where 23,000 Americans lost their lives. It was an mind-boggling loss of life. Now imagine another Antietam every five or six days for 32 straight years. That’s how many unborn children died from 1973 to 2005. And they died not for the abolition of slavery, nor for the preservation of the Union, but for choice." Kevin DeYoung
"This is no time to fight murder with murder (there is no time for that). But neither is this the time for pro-lifers to slacken in their efforts from fetus fatigue. Between 1973 and 2005 American women procured an estimated 48, 589, 993 abortions. The bloodiest single-day battle in American history was at Antietam in 1862, where 23,000 Americans lost their lives. It was an mind-boggling loss of life. Now imagine another Antietam every five or six days for 32 straight years. That’s how many unborn children died from 1973 to 2005. And they died not for the abolition of slavery, nor for the preservation of the Union, but for choice." Kevin DeYoung
Friday, March 27, 2009
Finding "Future Grace"
"The aim of this book is to emancipate human hearts from servitude to the fleeting pleasures of sin...We sin because it holds out some promise of happiness. That promise enslaves us until we believe that God is more to be desired than life itself (Psalm 63:3). Which means that the power of sin’s promise is broken by the power of God’s." (p. 10)
These words are from the first few sentences in Pastor John Piper's book "Future Grace". For the past three weeks I have been walking through this book a chapter a day (conveniently it is set up to read a chapter a day and finish in a month). This book has not been just one more Piper book that I can soon claim to have read. It has offered a whole new perspective on how I wage war on the sin that remains in my flesh (1 Peter 2:11).
Sadly, it has taken me over three years after being born again before getting a book like this in my hands. I have spent a number of hours in Romans, 1 Peter, and other books that clarify the gospel or in wonderful, compelling apoligetics that defend the faith. All the while I have put up puny efforts to spearhead the fact that I have some serious sin remaining in my daily life. And not "good Christian" sins like not reading my Bible or praying or fasting or tithing enough. There is still some juicy stuff left: sexual immorality, lust, anger, malice, and I am just going general terms here. Something has got to be done.
That said, Pastor John's book is getting me off to a good start on grasping what it might look like to follow Jesus while I am in a mortal body and a fallen world in which Satan is referred to as the "prince of the power of the air."
One of the ways Future Grace is having an effect on me is the way in which I read Scripture. Specifically how I read commands that come from Scripture. In the quote above notice how Pastor John argues for what sin is and how its power is broken. Sin is believing a promise. A promise that porn, food, football, marijuana, alcohol, an attaractive man or woman, good grades, good pay, or anything is more satisfying than God. The power that these things hold on us comes from our faith in them to bring us joy, pleasure, peace, satisfaction. We defeat this power through hearing the promises of God's word and saying "Yes!" to them. Our faith shifts from one source of love to another. The key is faith, not moral might. The key is beholding God and embracing Him over and above whatever other pitiful pleasure I had before. Sin's promise is undone and God's promises propel us to joyful obedience.
How is this effecting my time reading from the Scriptures? Simply, I now see the connection between the action God is calling me to and the promise that is to be believed in order to fulfill the action.
This morning I am in my eigth day examining Psalm 130. Seriously, it is a keeper. I encourage you to take this one up soon. This writer is dealing with adversity and pain and the pit in a marvelously godly way. Anyway, here are the last couple of verses.
Why though? Why trust God? Why not any number of other things or people or gods? "For with [the LORD] there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquites."
One thing I know is I need to be loved. I love to be loved. To be listened to, to be prayed for, to have someone take interest in me, to be sacrificed for, to be honest with someone is something I long for. And here the psalmist declares "with [God] there is steadfast love."
Another thing I know is I need to be redeemed. I know something is wrong. My mind, my mouth, my body, my will are all corrupted beyond description. My own capacity to love is plagued by selfishness. My ability to do something as honorable as preaching the gospel is infected with pride. I need something outside of me to happen, and the psalmist declares "with him there is plentiful redemption."
There are the promises: love and redemption. Better yet, steadfast love and plentiful redemption. Do I believe this? Will I trust these promises? Will I bank on God's promises of the future grace of love and redemption. This question is what will make or break my ability to "hope in the LORD" as the psalmist calls for.
These words are from the first few sentences in Pastor John Piper's book "Future Grace". For the past three weeks I have been walking through this book a chapter a day (conveniently it is set up to read a chapter a day and finish in a month). This book has not been just one more Piper book that I can soon claim to have read. It has offered a whole new perspective on how I wage war on the sin that remains in my flesh (1 Peter 2:11).
Sadly, it has taken me over three years after being born again before getting a book like this in my hands. I have spent a number of hours in Romans, 1 Peter, and other books that clarify the gospel or in wonderful, compelling apoligetics that defend the faith. All the while I have put up puny efforts to spearhead the fact that I have some serious sin remaining in my daily life. And not "good Christian" sins like not reading my Bible or praying or fasting or tithing enough. There is still some juicy stuff left: sexual immorality, lust, anger, malice, and I am just going general terms here. Something has got to be done.
That said, Pastor John's book is getting me off to a good start on grasping what it might look like to follow Jesus while I am in a mortal body and a fallen world in which Satan is referred to as the "prince of the power of the air."
One of the ways Future Grace is having an effect on me is the way in which I read Scripture. Specifically how I read commands that come from Scripture. In the quote above notice how Pastor John argues for what sin is and how its power is broken. Sin is believing a promise. A promise that porn, food, football, marijuana, alcohol, an attaractive man or woman, good grades, good pay, or anything is more satisfying than God. The power that these things hold on us comes from our faith in them to bring us joy, pleasure, peace, satisfaction. We defeat this power through hearing the promises of God's word and saying "Yes!" to them. Our faith shifts from one source of love to another. The key is faith, not moral might. The key is beholding God and embracing Him over and above whatever other pitiful pleasure I had before. Sin's promise is undone and God's promises propel us to joyful obedience.
How is this effecting my time reading from the Scriptures? Simply, I now see the connection between the action God is calling me to and the promise that is to be believed in order to fulfill the action.
This morning I am in my eigth day examining Psalm 130. Seriously, it is a keeper. I encourage you to take this one up soon. This writer is dealing with adversity and pain and the pit in a marvelously godly way. Anyway, here are the last couple of verses.
[7]O Israel, hope in the LORD!The command is for Israel, and he says, "Hope in the LORD!" A very simple command. Trust God.
For with him there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
[8]And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquites.
Why though? Why trust God? Why not any number of other things or people or gods? "For with [the LORD] there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquites."
One thing I know is I need to be loved. I love to be loved. To be listened to, to be prayed for, to have someone take interest in me, to be sacrificed for, to be honest with someone is something I long for. And here the psalmist declares "with [God] there is steadfast love."
Another thing I know is I need to be redeemed. I know something is wrong. My mind, my mouth, my body, my will are all corrupted beyond description. My own capacity to love is plagued by selfishness. My ability to do something as honorable as preaching the gospel is infected with pride. I need something outside of me to happen, and the psalmist declares "with him there is plentiful redemption."
There are the promises: love and redemption. Better yet, steadfast love and plentiful redemption. Do I believe this? Will I trust these promises? Will I bank on God's promises of the future grace of love and redemption. This question is what will make or break my ability to "hope in the LORD" as the psalmist calls for.
Friday, January 9, 2009
The Beginning of the End of "Those Many Days"
23] During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24] And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25] God saw the people of Israel--and God knew. Exodus 2:23-25
In Genesis 12 God had given Abraham what has come to be known as the Abrahamic covenant. The covenant promises were then passed down through his son Isaac, Isaac's son Jacob, and then Jacob's twelve sons. Through a series of dramatic events involving a housewife trying to hook up with her pool boy, a dude's brothers tossing him into a well and then selling him into slavery, and one of Jacob's sons having sex and conceiving twins with his pretend-hooker daughter-in-law, the whole family ended up in Egypt. That is how Genesis ends.
Exodus begins years later with Abraham's descendants having multiplied like Bama fans when they finally get out of the cellar. There was hundreds of thousands of Israelites in the foreign country. The present king is freaked out and starts intensely persecuting and oppressing them in fear that they may outgrow the Egyptians and take them over.
Enter Moses....aaaaaand before you know it Moses exits. He kills a man (yep, Moses the murderer) and is forced into exile.
Verse 23 of chapter 2 refers to the time after Moses's exile as "those many days." And apparently they were not a many good days. Affliction and pain continued, and the man who was to lead them was pulling into 80 years old and about to retire from a forty year career of shepherding; and he was in exile. Yes, it was to be Moses.
However, (aha!) this is where we come to Ex. 2:23-25. These few short verses are the turning point of the whole narrative in which God will sovereignly liberate and redeem His people for His glory. Even in respect to the chapter these verses belong to they are short, but even more so in comparison to the whole book of Exodus. Still, they carry with them huge implications for how God works to save His people. His means (or one of His means) of how He will move in that age and our own is revealed to us in a powerful way.
"The people of Israel groaned...and cried out for help."
Wow...that's it. They "groaned"? They "cried"? What about fasting? What about just praying? Or just asking God for help? Groaning and crying seems so...unholy and weak spirited. It must have been the kind of thing King David would speak of years later when he said "The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite hear, O God, you will not despise."
And this is clearly what they did to communicate to God as vs. 24 says "God heard their groaning." So it was prayer, but is it much like my own? Or ours as the church? Do I "groan" to God longing for the liberation of His elect? Do I "cry out" to God for the salvation of the unbelieving? Or even my own sanctification, even my own battle to put to death the misdeeds of my body. Do I long to put those things away with this kind of angst?
I guess you can tell this text has impressed upon me the frailty, the superficiality, the futility, the thoughtlessness, the convictionlessness of much of what I consider prayer. Especially in praying for the freedom of those now dead in there sins that are all around me alive in the body.
Where is hope for this perverted sense of what prayer is? Where is hope for those not under the saving grace of God?
I think it is not merely that God answers prayer or that He hears prayer. For it is our prayers that are already demented. Even if I pray, "God help me pray in a pure God-honoring way," that prayer could be sinfully distorted in some way.
I think hope is to be found only in one phrase of this text.
"There cry for rescue from slavery came up to God."
"Up to God." I do not believe one can have any sort of Judeo-Christian view of God and think that this phrase does not have implications. God is above. God is over what is happening in Egypt with Israel. God is orchestrating all things. This situation does not outreach God's dominion. God is sovereign.
Was their pain real? Yes. Will Pharoh be held accountable? Yes. Does any human being have the capacity to say, "I have nailed down the reality of God's sovereignty?" No. As the strict defender of God's absolute sovereignty, A. W. Pink, said, "I often re-learn the sovereignty of God." And I do too not mean to boast in what I believe to have been revealed to me regarding what the Scriptures teach on the sovereignty of God, but rather to boast in the sheer, pure, glorious, free grace of God in the gospel of Christ.
And that is why I post this. That our eyes may be opened, that our hearts may be crushed before the God that "apart from [Him] we can do nothing"!!!
"I tell you the truth, if anyone is to see the kingdom of God (and be liberated from sin)he must be born from above(sovereignly)." Jesus Christ (parentheses mine)
Let's pray.
Friday, November 21, 2008
"Great Sorrow and Unceasing Anguish" and a Date With a Friend
This is an email I sent to a friend recently. We had met the previous
night, and I was not acting myself. Maybe it will be clear in the
message.
I am speaking the truth in Christ--I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit--that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
Paul wrote this to the church in Rome in chapter 9 verses 1-3.
"I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart." What a description of desperation, pain, and frustration in the deepest part of who Paul was, and he says this feeling is constant. Yesterday I believe my feelings matched what Paul felt. Though I do not claim to have the depth of brokennes he had for the lost, however, it is real and I was feeling it. Sometimes it is hard to remember that this is a real feeling. I will feel this way and somewhat forget that it is biblical. The feeling turns into discouragement because I think on my inadequacy to speak and live out the gospel. I think it is a good thing, perhaps a necessary thing, that I really feel the depth of my inadequacy, however, I must trust in the power and sovereignty and grace of God. That is what must follow days like yesterday. Thoughts that God is mighty to save. Meditating on the reality of the gracious, redeeming, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Thoughts on God's kindness that leads us to repentance. Then putting that together with the truth that we are this God's people. He is with us. We have been raised with Him in His resurrection. We are alive in Christ. We are His ambassadors. We are His mouthpiece. We are His bride.
I had not gotten full circle with these thoughts so I was down and I acted like a fool. I tried to hold myself together when we met, but it did not work that well. Praise God for the work He is doing in my heart in giving me a longing to see my workplace and my family and other friends redeemed. However, I need your mercy on the kind of days like yesterday. I thank you for your love and patience, and may God continue to transform our hearts to be more like Jesus. Remember when He wept over Israel. His heart was broken for the lost, too, and then He saved you and me 2,000 years later. How amazing!?
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The Double Edge Sword of Cultural christianity
This is an email I recently sent to the leader of my small group at The Church at Brook Hills.
--------
Exodus is quickly becoming my favorite book in the Bible (As will the next book that we study.) Thank you for leading us bro.
This book(Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community) has remained in my mind over the last month or so to propose to you and see what you think. And according to your thoughts and feelings we could then speak to the group about it or not.
The book's title tries to capture its message. "Total Church" tries to relay the message that the church is not something we do on Sunday morning or Tuesday evening. It is a group of people who are always the Church. Every aspect of life is an instrument to glorify God as His Church. Everything we are apart of, work, relationships (secular and Christian), recreation, hobbies, meals, exercise, etc. is all ministry, it is all outreach, it is all worship, it is all disciple making, it is all affected, transformed, redeemed by who we are as the Church. I think these authors' attempt to direct God's people into this kind of community could be helpful for us.
As recently as yesterday I was speaking with one of the guys in our group. He had said some very encouraging words to me, and I tried to encourage him back by saying, "Thank you for your words. Your ministry encourages me so much. Thank you for your faithfulness." He then asked me, "What ministry?" I replied back, "Your ministry. Your ministry encourages me." He still sounded somewhat dumbfounded. And I gave him some shpeal about how we are all ministers of the gospel bla bla bla you know how that goes. Then he said, "Well, it is nothing I would put on a resume."
I have to admit I was shocked and deeply saddened he would say that. However, here is the truth. I struggle with this, too. I have this mindset in me, too. Sunday worship is sacred. Tuesday night meeting is sacred. Saturday with Family Connection(a government run shelter we spend time at with teens) is sacred. Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 5:00PM is secular. My spare time, secular. Our cultural christianity doesn't just produce nominal christians. It also plagues the real deal with this mindset that real ministry is not ministry unless it is vocational. It is not ministry unless we are all wearing t-shirts or name tags representing our Ministry.
So, let's pray and fast and cry out for the Spirit of God to help us. And then let's think about this book. Let me know.
[Some info on Total Church]
http://theresurgence.com/Total_Church_Conference_Video (This link has all the audio from a conference they did on the book.)
http://www.crossway.org/product/9781433502088 (This is a link to buy the book from Crossway. Very expensive at 16.99. I think we can get it cheaper, but you can look at this link to get info about the book.)
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/1433502089/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 (This has three customer reviews to read, and the price is much cheaper 10.87)
--------
Exodus is quickly becoming my favorite book in the Bible (As will the next book that we study.) Thank you for leading us bro.
This book(Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community) has remained in my mind over the last month or so to propose to you and see what you think. And according to your thoughts and feelings we could then speak to the group about it or not.
The book's title tries to capture its message. "Total Church" tries to relay the message that the church is not something we do on Sunday morning or Tuesday evening. It is a group of people who are always the Church. Every aspect of life is an instrument to glorify God as His Church. Everything we are apart of, work, relationships (secular and Christian), recreation, hobbies, meals, exercise, etc. is all ministry, it is all outreach, it is all worship, it is all disciple making, it is all affected, transformed, redeemed by who we are as the Church. I think these authors' attempt to direct God's people into this kind of community could be helpful for us.
As recently as yesterday I was speaking with one of the guys in our group. He had said some very encouraging words to me, and I tried to encourage him back by saying, "Thank you for your words. Your ministry encourages me so much. Thank you for your faithfulness." He then asked me, "What ministry?" I replied back, "Your ministry. Your ministry encourages me." He still sounded somewhat dumbfounded. And I gave him some shpeal about how we are all ministers of the gospel bla bla bla you know how that goes. Then he said, "Well, it is nothing I would put on a resume."
I have to admit I was shocked and deeply saddened he would say that. However, here is the truth. I struggle with this, too. I have this mindset in me, too. Sunday worship is sacred. Tuesday night meeting is sacred. Saturday with Family Connection(a government run shelter we spend time at with teens) is sacred. Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 5:00PM is secular. My spare time, secular. Our cultural christianity doesn't just produce nominal christians. It also plagues the real deal with this mindset that real ministry is not ministry unless it is vocational. It is not ministry unless we are all wearing t-shirts or name tags representing our Ministry.
So, let's pray and fast and cry out for the Spirit of God to help us. And then let's think about this book. Let me know.
[Some info on Total Church]
http://theresurgence.com/Total_Church_Conference_Video (This link has all the audio from a conference they did on the book.)
http://www.crossway.org/product/9781433502088 (This is a link to buy the book from Crossway. Very expensive at 16.99. I think we can get it cheaper, but you can look at this link to get info about the book.)
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/1433502089/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 (This has three customer reviews to read, and the price is much cheaper 10.87)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Confessions of a Hypocritical Voter
So…I was trying to think of something to write about the whole election, and I decided to write about some of the things that bother me. One can hear stuff all day about people who voted for Barack or McCain based on or not based on race. And the point is that what does it matter? If we as Christian are sent to live a life based on Love for God and Love for others why do we even ask these questions?
There are statistics that show separation in voters based on their race, but who cares? If 100% of all black voters voted for Obama and 100% of all white voters voted for McCain what does it matter? Each person is entitled to their vote, and whether or not I agree with it or whether or not that person didn’t make an educated decision isn’t for me to decide. But that isn’t what really bothers me. This is just a small aspect.
People all over are saying that Obama is black or no he is mixed or no he is this or no he is that. Why do we say this? Barack Obama’s race should have nothing to do with his capabilities, and we can’t say that people shouldn’t vote on uneducated reasons then turn around and question his race. That is a reason for why or why not to vote for him. Whether or not he is black, white, mixed or anything has no effect on his presidential capabilities. None. But again that isn’t what really bothers me.
What bothers me is to see people hypocritically chastise voters, and for people to neglect to accept responsibility. I will explain.
We are citizens of the greatest country in the World. America land of the FREE. That means although one votes in a specific fashion. He can’t criticize a fellow citizen for exercising their right in a different way. No not everyone makes the most educated decision. Most times personal convictions and exterior circumstances effect the way we vote for candidates. Whatever is the case you must respect people’s opinions even if they are based on the most trivial things. I can think of people that vote in a specific fashion just to follow the crowd and to go against the crowd. It is on both sides. Jesus says to love your enemies. Not just your friends or people that shares your views but your enemies. You think back to the story of the Good Samaritan. Was it easy for the Samaritan to help the Jew? No they were enemies. So realize that however hard it is to be around certain people you are called to love them no matter their actions.
Neglecting responsibility. Wow this seems like I am going against people in power, but that is not what I mean. Too often we as voters say “I am voting for McCain because he is against abortion” or “I am for Obama because he is helping out the poor.” But other than cast that vote once every four years what else do we do? We push that responsibility to fix thing off on some candidate that we barely know that has numerous other responsibilities, and then we sit back and complain. See if you are against abortion or social injustice Do Something! Christ said, “what you have done for the least of these you have done for Me.” So don’t just sit there and expect someone in Washington to fix all the problems. Take some initiative and get out and serve these causes.
I struggle with both of these so much and just writing them out makes me think of numerous faults I have. I mean I talk about serving the poor, and I have given away less than $20 to the poor this year. I spent $20 on cereal yesterday. My priorities seem so skewed and they constantly point back to me. Which is why I end this in the only fashion that I know which is to thank God for the Grace that He has given me because as I live and go through life and realize these iniquities in my life I see His mercy and grace more and more and more.
There are statistics that show separation in voters based on their race, but who cares? If 100% of all black voters voted for Obama and 100% of all white voters voted for McCain what does it matter? Each person is entitled to their vote, and whether or not I agree with it or whether or not that person didn’t make an educated decision isn’t for me to decide. But that isn’t what really bothers me. This is just a small aspect.
People all over are saying that Obama is black or no he is mixed or no he is this or no he is that. Why do we say this? Barack Obama’s race should have nothing to do with his capabilities, and we can’t say that people shouldn’t vote on uneducated reasons then turn around and question his race. That is a reason for why or why not to vote for him. Whether or not he is black, white, mixed or anything has no effect on his presidential capabilities. None. But again that isn’t what really bothers me.
What bothers me is to see people hypocritically chastise voters, and for people to neglect to accept responsibility. I will explain.
We are citizens of the greatest country in the World. America land of the FREE. That means although one votes in a specific fashion. He can’t criticize a fellow citizen for exercising their right in a different way. No not everyone makes the most educated decision. Most times personal convictions and exterior circumstances effect the way we vote for candidates. Whatever is the case you must respect people’s opinions even if they are based on the most trivial things. I can think of people that vote in a specific fashion just to follow the crowd and to go against the crowd. It is on both sides. Jesus says to love your enemies. Not just your friends or people that shares your views but your enemies. You think back to the story of the Good Samaritan. Was it easy for the Samaritan to help the Jew? No they were enemies. So realize that however hard it is to be around certain people you are called to love them no matter their actions.
Neglecting responsibility. Wow this seems like I am going against people in power, but that is not what I mean. Too often we as voters say “I am voting for McCain because he is against abortion” or “I am for Obama because he is helping out the poor.” But other than cast that vote once every four years what else do we do? We push that responsibility to fix thing off on some candidate that we barely know that has numerous other responsibilities, and then we sit back and complain. See if you are against abortion or social injustice Do Something! Christ said, “what you have done for the least of these you have done for Me.” So don’t just sit there and expect someone in Washington to fix all the problems. Take some initiative and get out and serve these causes.
I struggle with both of these so much and just writing them out makes me think of numerous faults I have. I mean I talk about serving the poor, and I have given away less than $20 to the poor this year. I spent $20 on cereal yesterday. My priorities seem so skewed and they constantly point back to me. Which is why I end this in the only fashion that I know which is to thank God for the Grace that He has given me because as I live and go through life and realize these iniquities in my life I see His mercy and grace more and more and more.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Stop...Look...Listen
Stars are a very interesting thing would you agree? They consists of burning gases and element that are contained within some kind of vortex. At least I think that is what they consists of. To be quite honest though I don’t know much about stars and what they are made of. I know they are bright, I know they are distant, and I know that there position in space is relatively constant in some planes. But they are so much more than that. A few weeks ago I was visiting a friend in Beatrice, Alabama and right before I started winding down for the night I started looking up at the stars. Now I know this sounds cheesy, and other things that aren’t typically characteristic of male feelings…..but it was beautiful. I saw so many stars…and as I was standing there in awe of how many there were and their magnitude…I realized that I take them for granted every single night.
How often do we stop and look around? How often do we look at nature and stars and just say wow? Once, twice…maybe three times a years. I mean being completely honest I would say on average I watch 3 sunsets a year, 0 sunrises, and I look up at constellations maybe 15 times a year. That is sad. What am I looking at instead? What is dominating my eyes, ears, and time? I think we can all answer that question with a number of different things…..stuff like girls, sports, electronics, girls, current events., school, work, parties, and girls. Why is it that we are so consumed with being in the moment? We ask what can you do for me now? And I am not saying that I am exempt from these feelings. I wish I spent more times looking at things like flowers and sitting in the woods….but in our culture today we are bombarded from every single direction by things. Do we not have time for nature? I heard someone say once don’t ever say you don’t have enough time in the day because you have the same amount that Helen Keller, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jesus had.
They made time for important things in life. And not saying that girls, sports, and hobbies are bad time fulfilling options I am just saying when viewed in a self-serving and chief importance kind of way---they are. All things are created by God and for God, and sometimes you have to come to the understanding of whether or not you are using his gifts strictly for your own pleasure or not. And personally I think that coming to an understanding that you have these problems can easily be seen when you are in the middle of nowhere looking up at the stars. You see things that show of a more powerful reason for living. You see things that are truly amazing. You see things that make your egocentric actions completely visible.
I guess what I am trying to say is look up at the stars, watch sunrises, stop and smell the roses. These are gifts from the almighty God. These are things that show His power, grace, and beauty. Make much of God.
How often do we stop and look around? How often do we look at nature and stars and just say wow? Once, twice…maybe three times a years. I mean being completely honest I would say on average I watch 3 sunsets a year, 0 sunrises, and I look up at constellations maybe 15 times a year. That is sad. What am I looking at instead? What is dominating my eyes, ears, and time? I think we can all answer that question with a number of different things…..stuff like girls, sports, electronics, girls, current events., school, work, parties, and girls. Why is it that we are so consumed with being in the moment? We ask what can you do for me now? And I am not saying that I am exempt from these feelings. I wish I spent more times looking at things like flowers and sitting in the woods….but in our culture today we are bombarded from every single direction by things. Do we not have time for nature? I heard someone say once don’t ever say you don’t have enough time in the day because you have the same amount that Helen Keller, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jesus had.
They made time for important things in life. And not saying that girls, sports, and hobbies are bad time fulfilling options I am just saying when viewed in a self-serving and chief importance kind of way---they are. All things are created by God and for God, and sometimes you have to come to the understanding of whether or not you are using his gifts strictly for your own pleasure or not. And personally I think that coming to an understanding that you have these problems can easily be seen when you are in the middle of nowhere looking up at the stars. You see things that show of a more powerful reason for living. You see things that are truly amazing. You see things that make your egocentric actions completely visible.
I guess what I am trying to say is look up at the stars, watch sunrises, stop and smell the roses. These are gifts from the almighty God. These are things that show His power, grace, and beauty. Make much of God.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Pilgrim's Regress, Part 2 "Complicatingly Simple and Seriously Honest Confession"
Here is the second submission for what I have labeled "Pilgrim's Regress". The idea for this came out of my own struggles with my 'indwelling sin' or 'remaining sin'. Because of this I assure you that I am preaching to myself.
-----------
David's glorious opening lines give our context for the entire psalm: sin and its forgiveness. Before he gives his testimony and instruction he trumpets the blessedness of God releasing one from the burden and guilt of sin. Words that Paul would later quote as he argued for faith in Christ as the means by which one is justified from sin before God.
Then in verse 3 begins David's testimony. The testimony of a time when the fullness of God's forgivness had yet to reach him. Why is this the case? Why are his "bones wast[ing] away"? Why is he 'groaning all day long"? Why is his "strength sapped as by the heat of the summer"? What is the sovereign hand of God squeezing out of him that it is "heavy upon him"?
Notice the first words of verse 3, "For when I kept silent". There is something he is not speaking that is causing groaning and bones to waste away and strength to be sapped. Through David's grief God is going to wrench words out of this man's heart to his lips that will bring life to his soul, harmony to his relationship with God, and forgiveness for his sins.
Bada bing. There it is. He confessed. He "acknowledged [his] transgressions." He "did not cover [his] iniquity." He "poured out his heart to [God]."(Psalm 62:8) He "cast all [his] anxiety on the Lord."(1 Peter 5:7) And there are so many other terms and phrases to capture that which is simple and honest: confession.
"I acknowledged my transgression" - Simple
"I mean that is it? Really?"
Really. He acknowledges his transgression. He says, " I know I have transgressed against You, God. I know there is blood on my hands, I know there is lust in my heart, I know there are idols I am bowed to, I know there are addictions I feed on, and I know it is all against Your law."
Acknowledgement is the opposite of what Adam does when God comes to him after the fall.
[11]And God said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?' [12]The man said, 'The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.'" Gen 3:11-12
The first man would not simply acknowledge his disobedience, and we fail today still.
I must go on a tangent and mention that just because confession is simple does not mean it is simply done or it has simple effects.
Obviously it is not simply done. Adam struggled with it, David struggled with it, and I struggle with it. And look at the length by which God goes to bring this confession out of David. He is ripping this man up to lead him to confession.
Nor, is confession just a breathing out of some words along the lines of "Yes, I am a sinner." There is a broken heart that these words flow out of and there is a transformed heart that follows.
Therefore, I submit and end the tangent by saying confession is a simple expression from a complex, powerful work of God that wroughts deeper faith and desperate repentance. It is simple, it is not simple.
"I did not cover my iniquity" - Honest
David's words testify that before his confession he did attempt to cover his iniquity. Our first parents are again a witness that this is our sinful tendency and bad 'strategery' as well.
"Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden." Gen 3:8
I mean really, what a couple of goobers this couple is. Seriously? Hide from God? However, this is the same way David handled his failure to confess, and the same way I do often.
Anyone with any kind of belief in God surely will not deny that God knows when we have sinned, and if one believes the Bible with any conviction then surely he would agree with Moses, "You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of Your presences." Psam 90:8 All too often, however, this is not how I respond when I stumble into sin. I like, David and Adam, cover my iniquity and suffer much in communing with God. (I am not saying that we stop communing with God if we are true Christians, we just suffer while we do.)
So, may we with psalmist from Psalm 103 freely cry out "[23]Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. [24]See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."
To help us in confessing our sin God has given us some wonderful examples from His word Daniel 9 and Psalm 51 are accounts of two men ridiculously close to God who are seriously lifting up there hearts and crying out for mercy and repentance. The rest of Psalm 32 is also wonderfully helpful to find instruction from.
-----------
[1]Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are
covered.
[2]Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in
whose spirit there is no deceit.
[3]For when I kept silent my
bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
[4]For day and night
Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as by the heat of the
summer.
David's glorious opening lines give our context for the entire psalm: sin and its forgiveness. Before he gives his testimony and instruction he trumpets the blessedness of God releasing one from the burden and guilt of sin. Words that Paul would later quote as he argued for faith in Christ as the means by which one is justified from sin before God.
Then in verse 3 begins David's testimony. The testimony of a time when the fullness of God's forgivness had yet to reach him. Why is this the case? Why are his "bones wast[ing] away"? Why is he 'groaning all day long"? Why is his "strength sapped as by the heat of the summer"? What is the sovereign hand of God squeezing out of him that it is "heavy upon him"?
Notice the first words of verse 3, "For when I kept silent". There is something he is not speaking that is causing groaning and bones to waste away and strength to be sapped. Through David's grief God is going to wrench words out of this man's heart to his lips that will bring life to his soul, harmony to his relationship with God, and forgiveness for his sins.
Verse 5: "Then I acknowledge my transgressions and I did not cover my
iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and you
forgave the iniquity of my sin."
Bada bing. There it is. He confessed. He "acknowledged [his] transgressions." He "did not cover [his] iniquity." He "poured out his heart to [God]."(Psalm 62:8) He "cast all [his] anxiety on the Lord."(1 Peter 5:7) And there are so many other terms and phrases to capture that which is simple and honest: confession.
"I acknowledged my transgression" - Simple
"I mean that is it? Really?"
Really. He acknowledges his transgression. He says, " I know I have transgressed against You, God. I know there is blood on my hands, I know there is lust in my heart, I know there are idols I am bowed to, I know there are addictions I feed on, and I know it is all against Your law."
Acknowledgement is the opposite of what Adam does when God comes to him after the fall.
[11]And God said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?' [12]The man said, 'The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.'" Gen 3:11-12
The first man would not simply acknowledge his disobedience, and we fail today still.
I must go on a tangent and mention that just because confession is simple does not mean it is simply done or it has simple effects.
Obviously it is not simply done. Adam struggled with it, David struggled with it, and I struggle with it. And look at the length by which God goes to bring this confession out of David. He is ripping this man up to lead him to confession.
Nor, is confession just a breathing out of some words along the lines of "Yes, I am a sinner." There is a broken heart that these words flow out of and there is a transformed heart that follows.
Therefore, I submit and end the tangent by saying confession is a simple expression from a complex, powerful work of God that wroughts deeper faith and desperate repentance. It is simple, it is not simple.
"I did not cover my iniquity" - Honest
David's words testify that before his confession he did attempt to cover his iniquity. Our first parents are again a witness that this is our sinful tendency and bad 'strategery' as well.
"Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden." Gen 3:8
I mean really, what a couple of goobers this couple is. Seriously? Hide from God? However, this is the same way David handled his failure to confess, and the same way I do often.
Anyone with any kind of belief in God surely will not deny that God knows when we have sinned, and if one believes the Bible with any conviction then surely he would agree with Moses, "You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of Your presences." Psam 90:8 All too often, however, this is not how I respond when I stumble into sin. I like, David and Adam, cover my iniquity and suffer much in communing with God. (I am not saying that we stop communing with God if we are true Christians, we just suffer while we do.)
So, may we with psalmist from Psalm 103 freely cry out "[23]Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. [24]See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."
To help us in confessing our sin God has given us some wonderful examples from His word Daniel 9 and Psalm 51 are accounts of two men ridiculously close to God who are seriously lifting up there hearts and crying out for mercy and repentance. The rest of Psalm 32 is also wonderfully helpful to find instruction from.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Pilgrim's Regress, Part 1 "Fight Death with Life"
In 1678 while in prison for preaching the gospel John Bunyan wrote what has become one of the most well known books in all of English literature, Pilgrim's Progress. Since the book's first edition was printed over 300 years ago there has never been a time that Pilgrim's Progress has not been in print. I heard somewhere that until recently it was the most widely owned book outside of the Bible until an adventurous magician named Harry Potter was published and outsold it. Pretty impressive credentials.
I picked up Bunyan's classic a couple of weeks ago and it did not take long for me to realize something seemingly contradictory. It was that as the main character, whose name is Christian, goes along on his allegorical pilgrimage towards the Celestial City there was not always progress. At one point on his journey he takes nap (symbolizing Christians' tendency to get complacent about the gospel), at another point he is deceived by Worldy Wiseman to try to climb Mount Sinai (which represent the law) to salvation, and there are other sidetracks along the way that seemingly don't always present Chirstian as progressing.
The past week for me has been such a case for myself. There have been those weeks in the past and there will be more in the future. The testimonies of struggling saints are saturated in Scripture, and nothing in Scripture indicates that pilgrims will never fall into sin (or be persecutad or get sick. And in some cases quite the opposite.).
Now I put forth question "What are we to do?". I say, "I have become a Christian, I have been born again, I have trusted Christ, the old is gone, the new has come, etc., etc., etc. But I still struggle with sin. My mind starts to lose control. My eyes and hands wander. My mouth blurts out. I still struggle with sin." And so I ask, "What am I to do?"
Before I make any attempt to answer this question I must say that others have already put forth better and definitely more complet answers. Namely: Future Grace by John Piper, Whiter Than Snow by Paul Tripp, and The Mortification of Sin by John Owen.
Here is my first submission for saints in the midst of their battle against their sin:
"Fight Death with Life"
"The wages of sin is death" Rom 6:23, "After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." James 1:15, "You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Gen 2:17. Simply put sin equals death.
Recently I have been meditating on the portion of Psalm 119 that contains these verses.
Did you catch that in verse 44? “Give me understanding that I may live.” So, there is an “understanding” that comes from God that causes us to “live” which is the opposite of death.
And elsewhere:
Darkened, futile thinking equals seperated from life. It equals death.
Let's see if Paul leaves us hanging.
Paul mentions, "the truth that is in Jesus." And also he says, "to be made new in the attitude of our minds." I submit: this is what the psalmist spoke of when he begs of God, "Give me understanding that I may live."
"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
Lord God, give us understanding that we may live. Understanding that will move us to delight in You and not deceitful desires. Have mercy and draw us near, Lord Jesus.
C.T.
I picked up Bunyan's classic a couple of weeks ago and it did not take long for me to realize something seemingly contradictory. It was that as the main character, whose name is Christian, goes along on his allegorical pilgrimage towards the Celestial City there was not always progress. At one point on his journey he takes nap (symbolizing Christians' tendency to get complacent about the gospel), at another point he is deceived by Worldy Wiseman to try to climb Mount Sinai (which represent the law) to salvation, and there are other sidetracks along the way that seemingly don't always present Chirstian as progressing.
The past week for me has been such a case for myself. There have been those weeks in the past and there will be more in the future. The testimonies of struggling saints are saturated in Scripture, and nothing in Scripture indicates that pilgrims will never fall into sin (or be persecutad or get sick. And in some cases quite the opposite.).
Now I put forth question "What are we to do?". I say, "I have become a Christian, I have been born again, I have trusted Christ, the old is gone, the new has come, etc., etc., etc. But I still struggle with sin. My mind starts to lose control. My eyes and hands wander. My mouth blurts out. I still struggle with sin." And so I ask, "What am I to do?"
Before I make any attempt to answer this question I must say that others have already put forth better and definitely more complet answers. Namely: Future Grace by John Piper, Whiter Than Snow by Paul Tripp, and The Mortification of Sin by John Owen.
Here is my first submission for saints in the midst of their battle against their sin:
"Fight Death with Life"
"The wages of sin is death" Rom 6:23, "After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." James 1:15, "You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Gen 2:17. Simply put sin equals death.
Recently I have been meditating on the portion of Psalm 119 that contains these verses.
"[143]Trouble and anguish have exposed me, but in Your commandements I
delight
[144]Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I
may live."
Did you catch that in verse 44? “Give me understanding that I may live.” So, there is an “understanding” that comes from God that causes us to “live” which is the opposite of death.
And elsewhere:
"[17]So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer"Don't live like Gentiles (or unbelievers)," Paul says. What is wrong with unbelievers that they live as they do? "The futility of their thinking." He goes on to say their understanding is "darkened...and seperated from the life of God."
live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. [18]They
are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God
because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their
hearts." Ephesians 4:17-18
Darkened, futile thinking equals seperated from life. It equals death.
Let's see if Paul leaves us hanging.
"[19]Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to
sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for
more. [20]You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. [21]Surely you
heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in
Jesus. [22]You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put
off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; [23]to
be made new in the attitude of your minds" Ephesians 4:19-24
Paul mentions, "the truth that is in Jesus." And also he says, "to be made new in the attitude of our minds." I submit: this is what the psalmist spoke of when he begs of God, "Give me understanding that I may live."
"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
Lord God, give us understanding that we may live. Understanding that will move us to delight in You and not deceitful desires. Have mercy and draw us near, Lord Jesus.
C.T.
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