Ever read one of those paragraphs...that you want to read aloud to whoever is in the room and it expresses a new way of thinking or a new way of understanding a complex thought? Sorta an "aha" moment.
Here is one:
I am reading Kevin DeYoung's book The Good News We Almost Forgot - Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism. Basically, Kevin takes the Heidelberg Catechism and applies the gospel found in it to modern day. Putting this hard to read or understand or even say in a fluid pattern - something in paragraph form and explaining it. Quite good. More of that later though.
"The Trinity matters for relationships. We worship a God who is in a constant and eternal relationship with Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Community is a buzz word in American culture, but it is only in a Christian framework that communion and interpersonal community are seen as expressions of the eternal nature of God. Likewise, it is only with a Trinitarian God that love can be an eternal attribute of God. Without a plurality of persons in the Godhead, we would be forced to think taht God created humands so that He might show love and know love, thereby making love a created thing (and God a needy deity). But with a biblical understanding of the Trinity, we can say that God did not create in order to be loved, but rather, created out of the overflow of the perfect love that had always existed among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who ever live in perfect and mutual relationship and delight." (p 52)
Love this. God didn't create us because He needed us. My friend, Sean Cordell, preached on this topic as well a few weeks ago at Treasuring Christ here in Raleigh: Pursuing Community. You can not know true community without the knowledge of the true Creator of Community.
We must know love and community only through an intimate relationship with the one who desires to be in community and sent Jesus to die to make that possible.
Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theology. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Book Review: Ware's Big Truths for Young Hearts
Most people would not pick up this book and think of a seminary text book on theology (for example: Grudem, Erickson) - but this book is just as potent - just in paperback form!
Having the opportunity to work with Dr. Ware at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was definitely a highlight for me during my time there. Seeing the humility and focus on the gospel in which he and his wife lived their lives was a light. The best part of the book, in a way, was the forward which was written by Ware's daughters. They provided insight into long road trips and family dinners they had with their Dad. Dr. Ware lives this theology book. He just doesn't teach it in the classroom or preach it from the pulpit; he and his wife model it for their children, even now as they are grown women. They have had a godly example from which to pattern their lives after and as they raise their children by teaching them Big Truths for Young Hearts.
There are multiple uses for this book (and no, one of them is not hand it to a 10 year old and have them give you a book report on it in a month):
1. Read it. Especially if you are a new believer, or know new believers, Dr. Ware puts many difficult theological concepts in terms and with illustrations to make them easier to comprehend.
2. If you are a Dad: read it, share it with your family - even a chapter a week - at family devotion time. It would be a source of encouragement and edification for you. Read the chapter (short 2-4 pages mostly), then have discussion. Makes family worship easier. The end of each chapter even has questions for discussion (so you don't have to come up with those on your own either). This would be a great tool for Family Worship.
3. Praise. Many times at the end of each chapter, Dr. Ware breaks into a doxology of sorts. The idea that he models here for his readers is that knowing who God is (and Christ, the Spirit, the Church, Man, Salvation, End Times) should warrant our utmost praise! Maybe even break into song!
What I loved about this book is that it gave me broad segments of theology, didn't try to cover everything, was readable, had Scripture within the text, and gave me many "pierce the heart" moments of conviction. Here are some:
"How foolish we are when we forget to read and study this book. But how wise and blessed we are when we go to this book constantly for instruction, guidance, correction, and help with living life as God wants." (p 23 - The Bible)
"A grumbling spirit is sinful, because it fails to recognize God's goodness and kindness in providing for us every good thing in life that we enjoy." (p 69 - God Provides)
"If our punishment is a small thing, then when we learn that Jesus took our punishment upon himself, we think little of this. But, when we see our punishment as the great and weighty and horrible thing that it is, then it becomes a wonder and a marvel to us that Jesus took that punishment upon himself for us." (p 99 - Punishment for Sin)
"The Spirit will have a great influence and will provide more direction in our lives as God's Word "dwells" more and more within us. Our reading of his Word, our time spend memorizing and meditating on Scripture, is one of the main tools that the Spirit uses to help us think, feel, speak, and act in ways that are more and more pleasing to Christ." (p 167 - Spirit)
"We love many things in this world that we shouldn't love, yet we don't love God as we should." (p 171 - God's Kindness and Wisdom)
Believe me, there are many other sentences and paragraphs underlined in my copy. Read it. May it be an encouragement to you and may it be a tool you can use to help lead your family in knowing God deeper.
Having the opportunity to work with Dr. Ware at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was definitely a highlight for me during my time there. Seeing the humility and focus on the gospel in which he and his wife lived their lives was a light. The best part of the book, in a way, was the forward which was written by Ware's daughters. They provided insight into long road trips and family dinners they had with their Dad. Dr. Ware lives this theology book. He just doesn't teach it in the classroom or preach it from the pulpit; he and his wife model it for their children, even now as they are grown women. They have had a godly example from which to pattern their lives after and as they raise their children by teaching them Big Truths for Young Hearts.
There are multiple uses for this book (and no, one of them is not hand it to a 10 year old and have them give you a book report on it in a month):
1. Read it. Especially if you are a new believer, or know new believers, Dr. Ware puts many difficult theological concepts in terms and with illustrations to make them easier to comprehend.
2. If you are a Dad: read it, share it with your family - even a chapter a week - at family devotion time. It would be a source of encouragement and edification for you. Read the chapter (short 2-4 pages mostly), then have discussion. Makes family worship easier. The end of each chapter even has questions for discussion (so you don't have to come up with those on your own either). This would be a great tool for Family Worship.
3. Praise. Many times at the end of each chapter, Dr. Ware breaks into a doxology of sorts. The idea that he models here for his readers is that knowing who God is (and Christ, the Spirit, the Church, Man, Salvation, End Times) should warrant our utmost praise! Maybe even break into song!
What I loved about this book is that it gave me broad segments of theology, didn't try to cover everything, was readable, had Scripture within the text, and gave me many "pierce the heart" moments of conviction. Here are some:
"How foolish we are when we forget to read and study this book. But how wise and blessed we are when we go to this book constantly for instruction, guidance, correction, and help with living life as God wants." (p 23 - The Bible)
"A grumbling spirit is sinful, because it fails to recognize God's goodness and kindness in providing for us every good thing in life that we enjoy." (p 69 - God Provides)
"If our punishment is a small thing, then when we learn that Jesus took our punishment upon himself, we think little of this. But, when we see our punishment as the great and weighty and horrible thing that it is, then it becomes a wonder and a marvel to us that Jesus took that punishment upon himself for us." (p 99 - Punishment for Sin)
"The Spirit will have a great influence and will provide more direction in our lives as God's Word "dwells" more and more within us. Our reading of his Word, our time spend memorizing and meditating on Scripture, is one of the main tools that the Spirit uses to help us think, feel, speak, and act in ways that are more and more pleasing to Christ." (p 167 - Spirit)
"We love many things in this world that we shouldn't love, yet we don't love God as we should." (p 171 - God's Kindness and Wisdom)
Believe me, there are many other sentences and paragraphs underlined in my copy. Read it. May it be an encouragement to you and may it be a tool you can use to help lead your family in knowing God deeper.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Francis Chan - 2 Things
Really like this guy more and more - as I read his stuff, listen to him preach (which I've been doing for a while) and just catching little glimpses of what he says.
One of the things he is big about is not having a lot of stuff (riches) and being the church (for savings, etc). Not hoarding but giving - being the local church as in Acts 2.
I've even experienced this this week in little ways. Money has been tight because I'm doing a lot of traveling in the month of August. I was having people over this week. Didn't want to waste gas or money to go buy bread to serve with the Turkey bbq I made. I then remembered that Panera Bread delivers their leftovers here to the seminary on Mondays. I ran down there right before it closed and got 3 french baguettes. Maybe not the bread I would have chosen first, but free and great with bbq. Then, I was looking in my fridge for a jalapeno I needed for the corn casserole (that I thought I had) and couldn't find it. But, I got an email the next day (I was just going to do without it) that a retired prof here at the school brought in many things from his garden - and jalapenos were on the list! :) God is good.
Here is a short 2 minute video from Francis Chan more on this topic. Love it.
http://www.joshharris.com/2009/08/francis_chan_praying_proverbs.php
One of the things he is big about is not having a lot of stuff (riches) and being the church (for savings, etc). Not hoarding but giving - being the local church as in Acts 2.
I've even experienced this this week in little ways. Money has been tight because I'm doing a lot of traveling in the month of August. I was having people over this week. Didn't want to waste gas or money to go buy bread to serve with the Turkey bbq I made. I then remembered that Panera Bread delivers their leftovers here to the seminary on Mondays. I ran down there right before it closed and got 3 french baguettes. Maybe not the bread I would have chosen first, but free and great with bbq. Then, I was looking in my fridge for a jalapeno I needed for the corn casserole (that I thought I had) and couldn't find it. But, I got an email the next day (I was just going to do without it) that a retired prof here at the school brought in many things from his garden - and jalapenos were on the list! :) God is good.
Here is a short 2 minute video from Francis Chan more on this topic. Love it.
http://www.joshharris.com/2009/08/francis_chan_praying_proverbs.php
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Ordered Life = Beauty (Part 2)
As human beings, we are created in the Imago Dei - the image of God. See Genesis 1.
How are we, daily, living as image bearers? One of the ways is to strive, by grace, to live out, display in our own lives, different characteristics of God. We need to be giving, patient, righteous (through the blood of Jesus), etc. You get the idea.
One of the coolest attributes of God is that He is a God of Order, or design, telos. I thought about this very fact yesterday morning as I was walking into work. When I looked up near the clock tower on Norton Hall - there was the moon. What? Its 830am, the sun is already up in full heat behind me, but look, there's the moon. Then I started thinking about how God set that all in motion during the Creation week. How God designed how the orbit of the sun and moon and earth and stars would work. Nothing gets out of whack or out of alignment. God, being a God of order and design, put it into motion. And being the God is holy - His design is apart from our design. We couldn't have designed the sun's ways.
Here are some thoughts from the Bible and some theologians about God being a God of order and design:
Thomas Oden - The Living God - "Careful observation of plant and animal life, physical elements, centrifugal forces, stellar movements yeild that overwhelming conviction of orderliness" (p 143).
Psalm 8.3-4:
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him."
Thomas Aquinas in his arguments for the existence of God:
"In the world we find that things of diverse natures come together under on eorder, and this is not rarely or by chance, but always of for the most part. There must therefore be some being by whose providence the world is governed. This we call God."
Gen 1.1-3:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
So, what does this have to do with us living an ordered life? If we are to display God in our lives - this is one area that it must happen in.
If we live our lives haphazardly and dysfunctional - what does that say about the God who made us?
Let us strive to be more like our Maker. Live ordered lives, ones that please our Maker and Savior. We'll see more how to do this in later posts.
How are we, daily, living as image bearers? One of the ways is to strive, by grace, to live out, display in our own lives, different characteristics of God. We need to be giving, patient, righteous (through the blood of Jesus), etc. You get the idea.
One of the coolest attributes of God is that He is a God of Order, or design, telos. I thought about this very fact yesterday morning as I was walking into work. When I looked up near the clock tower on Norton Hall - there was the moon. What? Its 830am, the sun is already up in full heat behind me, but look, there's the moon. Then I started thinking about how God set that all in motion during the Creation week. How God designed how the orbit of the sun and moon and earth and stars would work. Nothing gets out of whack or out of alignment. God, being a God of order and design, put it into motion. And being the God is holy - His design is apart from our design. We couldn't have designed the sun's ways.
Here are some thoughts from the Bible and some theologians about God being a God of order and design:
Thomas Oden - The Living God - "Careful observation of plant and animal life, physical elements, centrifugal forces, stellar movements yeild that overwhelming conviction of orderliness" (p 143).
Psalm 8.3-4:
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him."
Thomas Aquinas in his arguments for the existence of God:
"In the world we find that things of diverse natures come together under on eorder, and this is not rarely or by chance, but always of for the most part. There must therefore be some being by whose providence the world is governed. This we call God."
Gen 1.1-3:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
So, what does this have to do with us living an ordered life? If we are to display God in our lives - this is one area that it must happen in.
If we live our lives haphazardly and dysfunctional - what does that say about the God who made us?
Let us strive to be more like our Maker. Live ordered lives, ones that please our Maker and Savior. We'll see more how to do this in later posts.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Who God is For Us in Psalm 103
Yesterday's reading (which I did today) was Psalm 103 (and Judges and Proverbs). I have been trying to make a list of who God is in these Psalms as I read them. Today is chocked full of descriptives of God's character. Then, we have our part:
1. God forgives all my iniquities (even my binging last night)
2. God heals all my diseases (even in light of the Swine Flu - or colds, or cancer, or whatever).
3. God redeems my life from the pit (when I'm down, discouraged, hurt, wrecked, exhausted, spent, lost, clueless, worrisome, burdened for others, questioning, etc)
4. God crowns me with steadfast love and mercy (I love the word steadfast - it is a picture of His covenant grace and character - it can't change). I need mercy every day in my life.
5. God satisfies me with good (man, I need to claim that even when I don't get what I want when I want it).
6. God works righteousness (in a world that is full of so much wrong, we can REST in knowing that whatever God does is right).
7. God is justice for the oppressed (when we get dished out something we don't deserve, don't turn away - rest in his justice).
8. God reveals Himself to us (thankful for the Word, the Spirit, creation, music, and any other avenue God chooses).
9. God is merciful (see number 4).
10. God is gracious (the story of the gospel).
11. God is slow to anger (even experienced this last night, He is so patient with me).
12. God is abounding in steadfast love (see #4)
13. God will not always chide (see #10).
14. God will not keep his anger forever (His wrath, through Jesus, has been turned away from us).
15. God does not deal with us according to our sins (Christ' righteousness has been imputed - given, put on - us).
16. God does not repay us according to our iniquities (see #15).
17. God shows great steadfast love to those who fear in Him.
18. God removes our sin (study the uniqueness and gloriousness of the cross).
19. God shows fatherly compassion on his children (He knows what we are going through)
20. God shows compassion to those who fear Him.
21. God knows our frame, that we are dust (He created us)
22. God shows everlasting love to those who fear him (see #4)
23. God's righteousness is to generations (part of his eternal unchanging nature).
24. God established (forever) his throne in the heavens (above all earthly powers).
25. God's kingdom rules (see #24).
Our job:
1. Bless the Lord
2. Fear Him
3. Keep His covenant
4. Remember His commands
5. Forget not all His benefits
So, when you are feeling "blue" or down or wondering what in the world life holds or what is coming next or you can't find your way out of a paper bag - know that God is unchanging. All these things He was to the Psalmist - He is for us.
1. God forgives all my iniquities (even my binging last night)
2. God heals all my diseases (even in light of the Swine Flu - or colds, or cancer, or whatever).
3. God redeems my life from the pit (when I'm down, discouraged, hurt, wrecked, exhausted, spent, lost, clueless, worrisome, burdened for others, questioning, etc)
4. God crowns me with steadfast love and mercy (I love the word steadfast - it is a picture of His covenant grace and character - it can't change). I need mercy every day in my life.
5. God satisfies me with good (man, I need to claim that even when I don't get what I want when I want it).
6. God works righteousness (in a world that is full of so much wrong, we can REST in knowing that whatever God does is right).
7. God is justice for the oppressed (when we get dished out something we don't deserve, don't turn away - rest in his justice).
8. God reveals Himself to us (thankful for the Word, the Spirit, creation, music, and any other avenue God chooses).
9. God is merciful (see number 4).
10. God is gracious (the story of the gospel).
11. God is slow to anger (even experienced this last night, He is so patient with me).
12. God is abounding in steadfast love (see #4)
13. God will not always chide (see #10).
14. God will not keep his anger forever (His wrath, through Jesus, has been turned away from us).
15. God does not deal with us according to our sins (Christ' righteousness has been imputed - given, put on - us).
16. God does not repay us according to our iniquities (see #15).
17. God shows great steadfast love to those who fear in Him.
18. God removes our sin (study the uniqueness and gloriousness of the cross).
19. God shows fatherly compassion on his children (He knows what we are going through)
20. God shows compassion to those who fear Him.
21. God knows our frame, that we are dust (He created us)
22. God shows everlasting love to those who fear him (see #4)
23. God's righteousness is to generations (part of his eternal unchanging nature).
24. God established (forever) his throne in the heavens (above all earthly powers).
25. God's kingdom rules (see #24).
Our job:
1. Bless the Lord
2. Fear Him
3. Keep His covenant
4. Remember His commands
5. Forget not all His benefits
So, when you are feeling "blue" or down or wondering what in the world life holds or what is coming next or you can't find your way out of a paper bag - know that God is unchanging. All these things He was to the Psalmist - He is for us.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Great Work of the Gospel - John Ensor
My first trip to Wheaton earlier this year produced this book being added to my library. I had just been introduced to John Ensor in 2007 with Doing Things Right in Matters of the Heart. So, scoping out the clearance shelf - I saw this book. It was great. It has been a read that I have picked up, put down, etc. The subtitle for this book is "how we experience God's grace".
"Grace...it produces a radical joy and a strong faith, one that can endure great suffering and yet trust that, in the end, God's plan will lead to our joy and his glory." (13)
"It is that we feel alienated from God's goodness and love because of what we have done. It is not that we do not want his blessing. We would gladly receive it. It is that down deep, we fear that God is justified in withholding it. On this we should trust our feelings. For the painful truth is, we feel alienated from God because we are alienated from God." (34) Our sin separates us from God!
So many times in psychology and counseling circles - you will hear "you need to forgive yourself." This is how Ensor rightly handles this idea: "If we admit that God forgives us but we do not forgive ourselves, are we not insulting his judgment and exalting our own, as if we have a higher standard of justice then he does?" (114)
"The grace that brings salvation goes on to train us to live a godly life. A sanctified life is not optional to salvation; it is standard equipment. Other things may be called grace, but they are not saving grace." (125)
"Another place I see the goodness of God is in his sovereignty. The more I see it, the more I delight in it. The more I see it, the more I can trust him when the circumstances call his goodness into question." (147)
This book is saturated with God's character, the Word, our condition and condemnation - oh, but the Work of the Cross. Let's celebrate it!
"Grace...it produces a radical joy and a strong faith, one that can endure great suffering and yet trust that, in the end, God's plan will lead to our joy and his glory." (13)
"It is that we feel alienated from God's goodness and love because of what we have done. It is not that we do not want his blessing. We would gladly receive it. It is that down deep, we fear that God is justified in withholding it. On this we should trust our feelings. For the painful truth is, we feel alienated from God because we are alienated from God." (34) Our sin separates us from God!
So many times in psychology and counseling circles - you will hear "you need to forgive yourself." This is how Ensor rightly handles this idea: "If we admit that God forgives us but we do not forgive ourselves, are we not insulting his judgment and exalting our own, as if we have a higher standard of justice then he does?" (114)
"The grace that brings salvation goes on to train us to live a godly life. A sanctified life is not optional to salvation; it is standard equipment. Other things may be called grace, but they are not saving grace." (125)
"Another place I see the goodness of God is in his sovereignty. The more I see it, the more I delight in it. The more I see it, the more I can trust him when the circumstances call his goodness into question." (147)
This book is saturated with God's character, the Word, our condition and condemnation - oh, but the Work of the Cross. Let's celebrate it!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Night - Elie Wiesel
This book was a long time coming for me. I have wanted to read it for a while, picked it up about a year ago, and it finally went on the summer reading list. I started it this morning in the housing office and finished it at Cherokee Park this afternoon.
So many emotions went through my mind as I read this today. There were tears as I read about the emotions and torments that this then teenager went through at the hands of Hitler and his puppets. One can understand why Elie and other were mad at God as they tried to figure out why they should still praise the One who is allowing all of this to happen - how He he isn't there for His people, He's not the Messiah during WW2. How are Jews still supposed to praise the One who allowing this slaughter of His people to occur.
The last main emotion was near the end of the story, after all his family had died, he tells of the Americans coming in and stopping the torture. I was so proud to be an American. If we have the resources - shouldn't we protect the ones who are being slaughtered or tortured by those in control over them? Shouldn't we fight on their behalf - whether they are "Americans" or not - because all men and women are created in the image of God - we are all equal in worth.
Anyway, this is a great read - and a fast one - just because you really don't want to put it down. If you have any interest in WW2, Hitler's regime, the story of pain in another person - read this book. No wonder Oprah had it on her "list".
So many emotions went through my mind as I read this today. There were tears as I read about the emotions and torments that this then teenager went through at the hands of Hitler and his puppets. One can understand why Elie and other were mad at God as they tried to figure out why they should still praise the One who is allowing all of this to happen - how He he isn't there for His people, He's not the Messiah during WW2. How are Jews still supposed to praise the One who allowing this slaughter of His people to occur.
The last main emotion was near the end of the story, after all his family had died, he tells of the Americans coming in and stopping the torture. I was so proud to be an American. If we have the resources - shouldn't we protect the ones who are being slaughtered or tortured by those in control over them? Shouldn't we fight on their behalf - whether they are "Americans" or not - because all men and women are created in the image of God - we are all equal in worth.
Anyway, this is a great read - and a fast one - just because you really don't want to put it down. If you have any interest in WW2, Hitler's regime, the story of pain in another person - read this book. No wonder Oprah had it on her "list".
Monday, June 16, 2008
Movies and Theology
This weekend I was housesitting, so I spent the time watching movies and playing fetch with the dog, Palmer. Movies are a great way for me to do nothing - I love it. But, as I was watching them (as I usually do), I try to think critically about them (Bruce Ashford taught me this and then Jason Wilson taught a really good Life class on this very subject at FBCOC).
So, here are some of my thoughts:
Italian Job: I love this movie. Why? Who knows? As I talked with my friend Lindsay - we both love "stealing" movies. Why is this? Anyway...one of the lines that both Donald Sutherland and Charlize Theron use is: "I trust everyone, just not the devil inside them". What does this say about the doctrine of original sin? This would presume that men are basically good and that we "give in to the dark side" of Satan and his schemes - and that's what makes us bad. This goes against Romans in this way: (Romans 5.12 - Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.)
Also in this movie...we cheer on the bad guys. We want them to succeed in sinning. They steal the bricks of gold and we cheer for them. Then they have to steal it back from the guy who stole it from them. Handsome Rob sleeps with the cable lady to get her key. They hire hit men to finish their job at the train station. We laugh when Napster buys the speakers he really wants that "blows women's clothes right off". Why do we laugh and cheer on the sin that people do in these movies.
I mean think about some of your fave movies: the couple that sleeps together before they get married (we think its so sweet, ok the girls do at least), we more than likely want the affair to really last because her husband wasn't as nice to her as the new guy. Get my point...
Another serious thought and another of my fave movies: Minority Report. The question of predestination. DC creates "Pre-Crime" - those murders or other crimes seen by the pre-cogs and so they get stopped right before they happen. Did they happen? No. Were they going to? Yes? What about the ball that was going drop but got caught - then it didn't drop, so was it really ever going to drop? This provides good food for thought: Is God's preknowledge (predestination, foreknowledge) causal? I'll let you ponder that for a while. Also, in the simulation shop where the guy meets Agatha - he bows to her like she is a god because she can foresee the future. Yet, when some people think of God's Absolute and real foreknowledge - they don't like it because it restricts them in some way? Do you see where I'm going with this "thinking and engaging"?
So where should our line be in watching movies/tv shoes? To engage the culture what are we willing to watch. This thought was on www.boundless.org as they were discussing Sex in the City. Why would Christian reviewers even need to worry about this movie: we know what it is about and we know what we are going to see. So, do I even need to watch it? I would say no.
My main point in this blog is to hopefully encourage you to engage your mind while watching movies, tv shoes, reading books. Engage the Culture!
So, here are some of my thoughts:
Italian Job: I love this movie. Why? Who knows? As I talked with my friend Lindsay - we both love "stealing" movies. Why is this? Anyway...one of the lines that both Donald Sutherland and Charlize Theron use is: "I trust everyone, just not the devil inside them". What does this say about the doctrine of original sin? This would presume that men are basically good and that we "give in to the dark side" of Satan and his schemes - and that's what makes us bad. This goes against Romans in this way: (Romans 5.12 - Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.)
Also in this movie...we cheer on the bad guys. We want them to succeed in sinning. They steal the bricks of gold and we cheer for them. Then they have to steal it back from the guy who stole it from them. Handsome Rob sleeps with the cable lady to get her key. They hire hit men to finish their job at the train station. We laugh when Napster buys the speakers he really wants that "blows women's clothes right off". Why do we laugh and cheer on the sin that people do in these movies.
I mean think about some of your fave movies: the couple that sleeps together before they get married (we think its so sweet, ok the girls do at least), we more than likely want the affair to really last because her husband wasn't as nice to her as the new guy. Get my point...
Another serious thought and another of my fave movies: Minority Report. The question of predestination. DC creates "Pre-Crime" - those murders or other crimes seen by the pre-cogs and so they get stopped right before they happen. Did they happen? No. Were they going to? Yes? What about the ball that was going drop but got caught - then it didn't drop, so was it really ever going to drop? This provides good food for thought: Is God's preknowledge (predestination, foreknowledge) causal? I'll let you ponder that for a while. Also, in the simulation shop where the guy meets Agatha - he bows to her like she is a god because she can foresee the future. Yet, when some people think of God's Absolute and real foreknowledge - they don't like it because it restricts them in some way? Do you see where I'm going with this "thinking and engaging"?
So where should our line be in watching movies/tv shoes? To engage the culture what are we willing to watch. This thought was on www.boundless.org as they were discussing Sex in the City. Why would Christian reviewers even need to worry about this movie: we know what it is about and we know what we are going to see. So, do I even need to watch it? I would say no.
My main point in this blog is to hopefully encourage you to engage your mind while watching movies, tv shoes, reading books. Engage the Culture!
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Presidential Voting Come November
What should be the determining factor on why we should vote for a President?
I heard David Horner, pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, say "its all about me - what can you do for me" as the question most people use to mark their ballot. Is that why we should vote?
With Obama winning the Democratic nominee (whatever that means) last night, I have seen many blogs that state how that is such a great news. All based on the fact that he is African-American (along with many other backgrounds) and that he is now running for president. On a purely racial standpoint - I think that is great. I don't think it should be a matter of skin color if you get in Office or not. But - is that a reason to vote for a president?
No.
Now, if an African American is running and he is better qualified than the other candidates - I'll vote for him. But, I'm not going to vote for him primarily on skin color. That is what I fear many will do come November. And based on Obama's age.
Is McCain older - yes. That is a given fact. But, he has years more experience than Obama. I'm not arguing that his experience is great - but he has more of it. .
It seems like we want a president who can be our pal and do things we want - even while killing babies and raising taxes.
What should the goal of the president be? Some, but not all, should be: to make America better (both now and in the future), to allow Americans to make an impact on the world, to lead a people who is diverse and multi-cultural/racial/religious, etc.
I know there will always be taxes, issues with health care, problems with wars in the world - it is all part of the world we live in.
I want to know 2 main things when I go to the voting precinct in November: who will allow babies to be born - is there a candidate who will put an end - or head in that direction - to abortion. And who has the better character? Character is not told in their tax history, their income, their stance on war...
And this year - those two questions might not be able to be answered. This is honestly the first year I remember where I do not believe we have a good candidate running for President.
But, what does that mean I do.
It means:
1. Vote anyway - make the most educated decision I can.
2. Pray for whoever wins. Romans 13 and Psalm 2 say that God is Sovereign even over the kings (our President) and has placed all government in place.
3. Do not "bad-mouth" whoever wins. I can not poke fun at, join in on jokes, slander, or anything on whoever is my next president. That is questioning the Sovereignty of God.
4. I must remember that God is ultimately in charge of this country and world. I obey Him.
Start thinking now as to how God would have you vote in November. This is going to be an election for the history books.
I heard David Horner, pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, say "its all about me - what can you do for me" as the question most people use to mark their ballot. Is that why we should vote?
With Obama winning the Democratic nominee (whatever that means) last night, I have seen many blogs that state how that is such a great news. All based on the fact that he is African-American (along with many other backgrounds) and that he is now running for president. On a purely racial standpoint - I think that is great. I don't think it should be a matter of skin color if you get in Office or not. But - is that a reason to vote for a president?
No.
Now, if an African American is running and he is better qualified than the other candidates - I'll vote for him. But, I'm not going to vote for him primarily on skin color. That is what I fear many will do come November. And based on Obama's age.
Is McCain older - yes. That is a given fact. But, he has years more experience than Obama. I'm not arguing that his experience is great - but he has more of it. .
It seems like we want a president who can be our pal and do things we want - even while killing babies and raising taxes.
What should the goal of the president be? Some, but not all, should be: to make America better (both now and in the future), to allow Americans to make an impact on the world, to lead a people who is diverse and multi-cultural/racial/religious, etc.
I know there will always be taxes, issues with health care, problems with wars in the world - it is all part of the world we live in.
I want to know 2 main things when I go to the voting precinct in November: who will allow babies to be born - is there a candidate who will put an end - or head in that direction - to abortion. And who has the better character? Character is not told in their tax history, their income, their stance on war...
And this year - those two questions might not be able to be answered. This is honestly the first year I remember where I do not believe we have a good candidate running for President.
But, what does that mean I do.
It means:
1. Vote anyway - make the most educated decision I can.
2. Pray for whoever wins. Romans 13 and Psalm 2 say that God is Sovereign even over the kings (our President) and has placed all government in place.
3. Do not "bad-mouth" whoever wins. I can not poke fun at, join in on jokes, slander, or anything on whoever is my next president. That is questioning the Sovereignty of God.
4. I must remember that God is ultimately in charge of this country and world. I obey Him.
Start thinking now as to how God would have you vote in November. This is going to be an election for the history books.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Legacy of Sovereign Joy - John Piper
Hands down - these (the swans are not silent series) are my favorite Piper books. 4 books contained 3 biographies each of church father, pastors, authors, theologians, etc who have set the bar high for us doing in ministry in the 21st Century. This is the first one written, but it is the only one I hadn't read in the series. This one is about St. Augustine, Martin Luther, and John Calvin.
St. Augustine - Yes, I love the city - but this is about the church father who lived in the 400s.
"Loving God is being so satisfied in God and so delighted in all that He is for us that His commandments cease to be burdensome. We need...to recover the root of all Christian living in the triumphant joy in God that dethrones the sovereignty of laziness and lust and greed." (58) One can see much of Piper's thoughts in this statement.
"The key to Christian living is a thirst and a hunger for God. And one of the main reasons people do not understand or experience the sovereignty of grace and the way it works through the awakening of sovereign joy is that their hunger and thirst for God is so small." (63) This reminds me of the Lewis quote that goes something like this: we settle for playing in the mud...
"We need to make plain that total depravity is not just badness, but blindness to beauty and deadness to joy." (73) We are sinful - and without the grace found in the cross and blood of Jesus - that God planned before time (Acts) - then we would never be able to see the beauty of God in a special revelation way - that leads to salvation.
"Or are we in bondage to the pleasures of this world so that for all our talk about the glory of God, we love television and food and sleep and sex and money and human praise just like everybody else? If so, let us repent and fix our faces like flint toward the Word of God." (74) - This is a daily thing for me. Continual sanctification.
Martin Luther - one of the leaders of the Reformation in the 1500s.
"A sense of mysterium tremendum, of the holiness of God, was to be characteristic of Luther throughout his life. It prevented pious routine from creeping into his relations with God and kept his Bible studies, prayers, or reading of the mass from declining into a mechanical matter of course: his ultimate concern in all these is the encounter with the living God." (85) Wow - this so isn't true of my life. So many times I come to Scripture because I have to read it - not living out that this WORD is the very Words of God - the breath of the Holy.
I asked a youth pastor one time what he liked to read - who were his favorite authors...he said, I don't really have any favorites because I like to read the Word - once I have read and studied that, I may turn to get more insight from somewhere else. This statement goes well with what Luther did: "to elevate the biblical text itself far above the teachings of commentators or church fathers." (93)
If you (or I) think we already read Scripture enough, here this: "In truth, you cannot read too much in Scripture, and what you read you cannot read too carefully, and what you read carefully you cannot understand too well, and what you understand well you cannot teach too well, and what you teach well you cannot live too well." (101)
John Calvin - whoever says they don't want to be "calvinist" - this man in this book is all about the Word of God - do we think we are above the infallible Word of God?
This is what I see happening in a lot of churches (even good ones) today: "I also saw that quite a lot of evangelical Christianity can easily slip, can become centered in me and my need of salvation, and not in the glory of God." (118)
St. Augustine - Yes, I love the city - but this is about the church father who lived in the 400s.
"Loving God is being so satisfied in God and so delighted in all that He is for us that His commandments cease to be burdensome. We need...to recover the root of all Christian living in the triumphant joy in God that dethrones the sovereignty of laziness and lust and greed." (58) One can see much of Piper's thoughts in this statement.
"The key to Christian living is a thirst and a hunger for God. And one of the main reasons people do not understand or experience the sovereignty of grace and the way it works through the awakening of sovereign joy is that their hunger and thirst for God is so small." (63) This reminds me of the Lewis quote that goes something like this: we settle for playing in the mud...
"We need to make plain that total depravity is not just badness, but blindness to beauty and deadness to joy." (73) We are sinful - and without the grace found in the cross and blood of Jesus - that God planned before time (Acts) - then we would never be able to see the beauty of God in a special revelation way - that leads to salvation.
"Or are we in bondage to the pleasures of this world so that for all our talk about the glory of God, we love television and food and sleep and sex and money and human praise just like everybody else? If so, let us repent and fix our faces like flint toward the Word of God." (74) - This is a daily thing for me. Continual sanctification.
Martin Luther - one of the leaders of the Reformation in the 1500s.
"A sense of mysterium tremendum, of the holiness of God, was to be characteristic of Luther throughout his life. It prevented pious routine from creeping into his relations with God and kept his Bible studies, prayers, or reading of the mass from declining into a mechanical matter of course: his ultimate concern in all these is the encounter with the living God." (85) Wow - this so isn't true of my life. So many times I come to Scripture because I have to read it - not living out that this WORD is the very Words of God - the breath of the Holy.
I asked a youth pastor one time what he liked to read - who were his favorite authors...he said, I don't really have any favorites because I like to read the Word - once I have read and studied that, I may turn to get more insight from somewhere else. This statement goes well with what Luther did: "to elevate the biblical text itself far above the teachings of commentators or church fathers." (93)
If you (or I) think we already read Scripture enough, here this: "In truth, you cannot read too much in Scripture, and what you read you cannot read too carefully, and what you read carefully you cannot understand too well, and what you understand well you cannot teach too well, and what you teach well you cannot live too well." (101)
John Calvin - whoever says they don't want to be "calvinist" - this man in this book is all about the Word of God - do we think we are above the infallible Word of God?
This is what I see happening in a lot of churches (even good ones) today: "I also saw that quite a lot of evangelical Christianity can easily slip, can become centered in me and my need of salvation, and not in the glory of God." (118)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Doctrine of Original Sin
Ok - folks, I need some feedback.
In a fall I would like to teach a short segment to lay women about the doctrine of original sin. What are your thoughts? good books? questions?
Thanks in advance for any help!
In a fall I would like to teach a short segment to lay women about the doctrine of original sin. What are your thoughts? good books? questions?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
A Divine and Supernatural Light - Jonathan Edwards
This sermon was preached in New England in 1734. It was applicable then, it was informative to strike at heresies in the early church, and it is still applicable today re: the doctrine of regeneration and anonymous Christianity.
(On Jesus' statement to Peter, Matt 16.17)
"Thou art an happy man, that thou art not ignorant of this, that I am Christ, the Son of the Living God. Thou art distinguishingly happy." This thought - that we are able to know that Jesus is Who He says He is, only because of the grace of God, should make us happy. We have hope in this!
"But in the renewing and sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost, those things are wrought in the soul that are above nature, and of which there is nothing of the like kind in the soul by nature, and they are caused to exist in the soul habitually, and according to such a stated constitution or law, that lays such a foundation for exercises in a continued course, as is called a principle of nature." Or in other words: these revelations about Christ are not innate in us (special revelation, not general revelation) - they are given to the ones He has chosen to give them to through the Holy Spirit.
"But this spiritual light that I am speaking of, it reveals no new doctrine, it suggests no new proposition to the mind, it teaches no new thing of God, or Christ, or another world, not taught in the Bible, but only gives a due apprehension of those things that are taught in the Word of God." So, if anyone comes to you saying they have a "word from the Lord" and groundings for that truth cannot be found within the inerrant Word of God - you can dismiss it - because the Spirit will not work contrary to the Truth found in Scripture.
"He doesn't merely rationally believe that God is glorious, but he has a sense of the gloriousness of God in his heart." There is a difference between saying "I believe in Jesus" and having salvation. Satan believes there is a man named Jesus, he believes there is God - no way Satan is going to Heaven. Some evangelists will say "some people go to hell by the length of a ruler" - meaning a lot of people "know" Jesus, but not all those who know KNOW.
Ps 119.18 and 25.14 are good examples of this Edwardian thought. Romans 1 too.
So what...
"This doctrine may lead us to reflect on the goodness of God, that has so ordered it, that a saving evidence of the truth of the gospel is such, as is attainable by persons of mean capacities, and advantages, as well as those that are of the greatest parts and learning." This would help defeat gnosticism in the early church era. And I'm glad that I don't have to comprehend everything Jonathan Edwards ever wrote in order to go to heaven. God saved me not due to anything I could comprehend, but for His glory alone.
(On Jesus' statement to Peter, Matt 16.17)
"Thou art an happy man, that thou art not ignorant of this, that I am Christ, the Son of the Living God. Thou art distinguishingly happy." This thought - that we are able to know that Jesus is Who He says He is, only because of the grace of God, should make us happy. We have hope in this!
"But in the renewing and sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost, those things are wrought in the soul that are above nature, and of which there is nothing of the like kind in the soul by nature, and they are caused to exist in the soul habitually, and according to such a stated constitution or law, that lays such a foundation for exercises in a continued course, as is called a principle of nature." Or in other words: these revelations about Christ are not innate in us (special revelation, not general revelation) - they are given to the ones He has chosen to give them to through the Holy Spirit.
"But this spiritual light that I am speaking of, it reveals no new doctrine, it suggests no new proposition to the mind, it teaches no new thing of God, or Christ, or another world, not taught in the Bible, but only gives a due apprehension of those things that are taught in the Word of God." So, if anyone comes to you saying they have a "word from the Lord" and groundings for that truth cannot be found within the inerrant Word of God - you can dismiss it - because the Spirit will not work contrary to the Truth found in Scripture.
"He doesn't merely rationally believe that God is glorious, but he has a sense of the gloriousness of God in his heart." There is a difference between saying "I believe in Jesus" and having salvation. Satan believes there is a man named Jesus, he believes there is God - no way Satan is going to Heaven. Some evangelists will say "some people go to hell by the length of a ruler" - meaning a lot of people "know" Jesus, but not all those who know KNOW.
Ps 119.18 and 25.14 are good examples of this Edwardian thought. Romans 1 too.
So what...
"This doctrine may lead us to reflect on the goodness of God, that has so ordered it, that a saving evidence of the truth of the gospel is such, as is attainable by persons of mean capacities, and advantages, as well as those that are of the greatest parts and learning." This would help defeat gnosticism in the early church era. And I'm glad that I don't have to comprehend everything Jonathan Edwards ever wrote in order to go to heaven. God saved me not due to anything I could comprehend, but for His glory alone.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Psalm 40
Some people probably think I only read the Psalms. I want to assure you that it isn't true. But, if you want to listen to some good sermons on the psalms - Josh Harris at CovLife in Gaithersburg is currently preaching a series on them. There is so much life and theology in the psalms. One can find out so much about God's character and how we, as His children, are to interact with Him.
Even as I sent a prayer request to some folks this morning and used some of Ps 40 in my prayer - it made me so quickly reevaluate my prayer life (or the lack thereof). So, here we go...
Ps 40 (man, now that I've looked at it even more - I love it even more - I love the WORD)
1. David was waiting on the LORD. Period. How my prayers often work is I tell everyone else about the prayer request and my little brain thinking is - well, that works as me saying the prayer too. WRONG! I need to first and foremost look to my LORD as my audience for prayers. He is the only one who can answer, the only One to offer relief. And the answer came. Yes, there is biblical commands for intercession and community of prayer - but never should we forgo taking our requests to God first!
2. "He drew me up" - God is working on our behalf. It is not a we thing. It is a God only thing.
3. I love this verse! Praise! Praise to our God - I think also of Romans 11.33-36 (see I do read other books of the Bible). All of our praise is due Him and no other - this is where it all comes from. And for what purpose is our praise: (one of them) is that people will "see and fear and put their trust in God." One of the reasons God answers our prayers is so that people will see HIM (not just the answer).
4. "who makes the Lord his trust, and does not turn to the proud" - concentrated gaze on God!
5. "You have multiplied your thoughts toward us" I love the idea of that - God thinks about me. HIS very Words (God-breathed) says that - and God doesn't lie. There is thankfulness and praise as a result of answered prayers.
6. I like this in light of Ps 50 (see next blog entry).
7-10. Declaration of our immediate obedience. Delight to do your will, law is within my heart, told the glad news of deliverance, I have not restrained my lips.
10-11. David extols the character of God that he declares: deliverance, faithfulness, salvation, steadfast love, faithfulness (again), mercy, steadfast love (again), and faithfulness (yet, again). These are so important characteristics when we have waited and waited and waited to see God work in an area of our lives - and finally (or maybe not yet) have seen the movement of God.
13. He takes joy to deliver me! But the deliverance may not come in how we think it will come. But, God is so WISE (as I have definitely learned over the last month)!
16-17. "But may all who see you, rejoice and be glad in you, may those who love your salvation, say continually Great is the Lord! As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer, do not delay, O My God!" This is David's resounding confidence - not in the answer - but in the Answerer! (Ps 16.11)
Matthew Henry, great theologian that he was, said this: "From God he (David) expected relief, and he was BIG with expectation. Not doubting but it would come in DUE time. And resolved to continue believing, and hoping, and praying till it did come."
Even as I sent a prayer request to some folks this morning and used some of Ps 40 in my prayer - it made me so quickly reevaluate my prayer life (or the lack thereof). So, here we go...
Ps 40 (man, now that I've looked at it even more - I love it even more - I love the WORD)
1. David was waiting on the LORD. Period. How my prayers often work is I tell everyone else about the prayer request and my little brain thinking is - well, that works as me saying the prayer too. WRONG! I need to first and foremost look to my LORD as my audience for prayers. He is the only one who can answer, the only One to offer relief. And the answer came. Yes, there is biblical commands for intercession and community of prayer - but never should we forgo taking our requests to God first!
2. "He drew me up" - God is working on our behalf. It is not a we thing. It is a God only thing.
3. I love this verse! Praise! Praise to our God - I think also of Romans 11.33-36 (see I do read other books of the Bible). All of our praise is due Him and no other - this is where it all comes from. And for what purpose is our praise: (one of them) is that people will "see and fear and put their trust in God." One of the reasons God answers our prayers is so that people will see HIM (not just the answer).
4. "who makes the Lord his trust, and does not turn to the proud" - concentrated gaze on God!
5. "You have multiplied your thoughts toward us" I love the idea of that - God thinks about me. HIS very Words (God-breathed) says that - and God doesn't lie. There is thankfulness and praise as a result of answered prayers.
6. I like this in light of Ps 50 (see next blog entry).
7-10. Declaration of our immediate obedience. Delight to do your will, law is within my heart, told the glad news of deliverance, I have not restrained my lips.
10-11. David extols the character of God that he declares: deliverance, faithfulness, salvation, steadfast love, faithfulness (again), mercy, steadfast love (again), and faithfulness (yet, again). These are so important characteristics when we have waited and waited and waited to see God work in an area of our lives - and finally (or maybe not yet) have seen the movement of God.
13. He takes joy to deliver me! But the deliverance may not come in how we think it will come. But, God is so WISE (as I have definitely learned over the last month)!
16-17. "But may all who see you, rejoice and be glad in you, may those who love your salvation, say continually Great is the Lord! As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer, do not delay, O My God!" This is David's resounding confidence - not in the answer - but in the Answerer! (Ps 16.11)
Matthew Henry, great theologian that he was, said this: "From God he (David) expected relief, and he was BIG with expectation. Not doubting but it would come in DUE time. And resolved to continue believing, and hoping, and praying till it did come."
Friday, April 18, 2008
Willow Creek: Kimball and McLaren
Which is more important: social justice or eternity? I think Jesus makes that perfectly clear in the gospels: Matthew 6:19-21 - "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Dan Kimball and Brian McLaren, both leaders of the emerging church movement, both had some thoughts to say about these two subjects: life on earth and eternal life. They both spoke at a conference earlier in April at Willow Creek in Illinois. My quotes are coming from three articles published in the Baptist Press today (4/18/08). I actually agree with Brian McLaren some and agree with Dan Kimball definitely more than Brian. But, some of McLaren's thoughts are absotively against Scripture. Here we go:
"The emphasis Christians place on the traditional Christian doctrines of hell and the second coming of Jesus inhibits believers from living effective lives of services in this world" - BM. This can be contradicted by Matthew 5.14-16.
"The problem isn't the Bible. The problem is modern rings that we put around the Bible. And what we need to do - some of us in our thinking - is to find the courage to snip the ring so that our faith can really have a future." - BM. So, if we believe in the traditional thoughts (Bible is God's infallible Word) - then we need to usurp that authority and step out of the "modern ring" and become God - basically. (hint: sarcasm)
"The doctrine of hell need radical rethinking. People who believe in hell may be inclined to dominate and take advantage of people, rather than help them." - BM. Is he trying to bring up the crusades or the radicals who take the Bible out of context?
"Jesus will return at a future date and forcefully conquer all His enemies also needs rethinking." - BM. Se Matthew 24, 1 Thess 5, and most of Revelation (and other passages in the NT). What exactly does BM mean when he says "rethink"?
I chuckled at this one (again, sarcasm): "The book of Revelation does not actually teach that there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but that a new way of living is possible within the universe if humans will follow Jesus' example." - BM. Its all in how good we are - yeah, that's Biblical. Eph 2.8-10, Rev 20
Here is where I actually agree with McLaren: "humans have turned the quest for prosperity into a religion; repent doesn't mean just feel guilty...it means you realize that your entire way of seeing things is misguided and wrong; a life of care for others...is ultimately more fulfilling than a life of seeking wealth and security..."
Dan Kimball had this to say at the same conference: "Christians must never focus on conditions in this world so much that they fail to tell people about the eternal life available through Christ." - GO DAN!
An SBCer had this comment: "When McLaren questions the existence of hell and the hope of the second coming - he is a not a 'new kind of Christian'. Such things are neither new nor Christian."
This is what is being taught to some of the youth in our churches. And we wonder what the future of our local churches will be like in a few decades?
Dan Kimball and Brian McLaren, both leaders of the emerging church movement, both had some thoughts to say about these two subjects: life on earth and eternal life. They both spoke at a conference earlier in April at Willow Creek in Illinois. My quotes are coming from three articles published in the Baptist Press today (4/18/08). I actually agree with Brian McLaren some and agree with Dan Kimball definitely more than Brian. But, some of McLaren's thoughts are absotively against Scripture. Here we go:
"The emphasis Christians place on the traditional Christian doctrines of hell and the second coming of Jesus inhibits believers from living effective lives of services in this world" - BM. This can be contradicted by Matthew 5.14-16.
"The problem isn't the Bible. The problem is modern rings that we put around the Bible. And what we need to do - some of us in our thinking - is to find the courage to snip the ring so that our faith can really have a future." - BM. So, if we believe in the traditional thoughts (Bible is God's infallible Word) - then we need to usurp that authority and step out of the "modern ring" and become God - basically. (hint: sarcasm)
"The doctrine of hell need radical rethinking. People who believe in hell may be inclined to dominate and take advantage of people, rather than help them." - BM. Is he trying to bring up the crusades or the radicals who take the Bible out of context?
"Jesus will return at a future date and forcefully conquer all His enemies also needs rethinking." - BM. Se Matthew 24, 1 Thess 5, and most of Revelation (and other passages in the NT). What exactly does BM mean when he says "rethink"?
I chuckled at this one (again, sarcasm): "The book of Revelation does not actually teach that there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but that a new way of living is possible within the universe if humans will follow Jesus' example." - BM. Its all in how good we are - yeah, that's Biblical. Eph 2.8-10, Rev 20
Here is where I actually agree with McLaren: "humans have turned the quest for prosperity into a religion; repent doesn't mean just feel guilty...it means you realize that your entire way of seeing things is misguided and wrong; a life of care for others...is ultimately more fulfilling than a life of seeking wealth and security..."
Dan Kimball had this to say at the same conference: "Christians must never focus on conditions in this world so much that they fail to tell people about the eternal life available through Christ." - GO DAN!
An SBCer had this comment: "When McLaren questions the existence of hell and the hope of the second coming - he is a not a 'new kind of Christian'. Such things are neither new nor Christian."
This is what is being taught to some of the youth in our churches. And we wonder what the future of our local churches will be like in a few decades?
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Packer on Owen's Death of Death
I was told once in seminary that I might have some books on my shelf that I will never read cover to cover. You may just read one chapter of this one, one chapter of another - and that is ok. You don't have to read every word of every book.
My friend Brad suggested that I read an introduction of a book. How often do I just skip over the introductions to most books. I am so glad I finally read this - having started it back in August. It is amazing. Oh, which intro am I talking about?
J I Packer on John Owen's Death of Death in the Death of Christ. You can find the entire thing here.
John Owen was a brilliant theologian in the 1600s. Packer is a brilliant theologian now. One man's writings greatly influenced the other. As CS Lewis says - we usually only read books written by people in our generation - I mean - look at the Christian book section of your nearby superstore or grocery. Its called Chronological Snobbery! Don't fall victim to it! Read outside the 20th century. One of the most difficult books I've read was John Owen's Mortification of Sin.
The main reason I like this work by Packer is because it looks at Calvinism from a standpoint other than the 5 Points. Most people - when you say, I am a Calvinist - get all defensive and say how we never evangelize and we don't do missions and we don't like people. Packer makes a case that Calvinism isn't solely about soteriology - or the work/process of salvation - but it is a worldview that permeates all of life. I mentioned that to a friend the other day. I hope the longer I live, by the grace of God, that people will not have to ask which "camp" I'm in - they will see it in how I live, how I teach the Word (to women), how I think and pray and worship.
Packer looks at two different gospels: new and old.
"The new gospel conspicuously fails to produce deep reverence, deep repentance, deep humility, a spirit of worship, a concern for the church." I see this so often, not only in my own life, but in many many churches (sadly).
"Calvinism is something much broader than the “five points” indicate. Calvinism is a whole world-view, stemming from a clear vision of God as the whole world’s Maker and King. Calvinism is the consistent endeavour to acknowledge the Creator as the Lord, working all things after the counsel of His will. Calvinism is a theocentric way of thinking about all life under the direction and control of God’s own Word. Calvinism, in other words, is the theology of the Bible viewed from the perspective of the Bible—the God-centred outlook which sees the Creator as the source, and means, and end, of everything that is, both in nature and in grace. Calvinism is thus theism (belief in God as the ground of all things), religion (dependence on God as the giver of all things), and evangelicalism (trust in God through Christ for all things), all in their purest and most highly developed form. And Calvinism is a unified philosophy of history which sees the whole diversity of processes and events that take place in God’s world as no more, and no less, than the outworking of His great preordained plan for His creatures and His church. The five points assert no more than that God is sovereign in saving the individual, but Calvinism, as such, is concerned with the much broader assertion that He is sovereign everywhere." I love this! Thanks Packer!
"God saves sinners. God—the Triune Jehovah, Father, Son and Spirit; three Persons working together in sovereign wisdom, power and love to achieve the salvation of a chosen people, the Father electing, the Son fulfilling the Father’s will by redeeming, the Spirit executing the purpose of Father and Son by renewing. Saves—does everything, first to last, that is involved in bringing man from death in sin to life in glory: plans, achieves and communicates redemption, calls and keeps, justifies, sanctifies, glorifies. Sinners—men as God finds them, guilty, vile, helpless, powerless, unable to lift a finger to do God’s will or better their spiritual lot." How amazing is this thought that it is not up me.
The main thought in the book by Owens is preaching against Universal Atonement (vs Limited Atonement). Packer defends "L" by saying that if Christ's work on the cross was for all - and not everyone believed - then his work was ineffective.
"The new gospel, by asserting universal redemption and a universal Divine saving purpose, compels itself to cheapen grace and the Cross by denying that the Father and the Son are sovereign in salvation; for it assures us that, after God and Christ have done all that they can, or will, it depends finally on each man’s own choice whether God’s purpose to save him is realised or not."
And ending thought by Packer: "And to the further question still: how am I to go about believing on Christ and repenting, if I have no natural ability to do these things? it answers: look to Christ, speak to Christ, cry to Christ, just as you are; confess your sin, your impenitence, your unbelief, and cast yourself on His mercy; ask Him to give you a new heart, working in you true repentance and firm faith; ask Him to take away your evil heart of unbelief and to write His law within you, that you may never henceforth stray from Him. Turn to Him and trust Him as best you can, and pray for grace to turn and trust more thoroughly."
Thanks Brad! Any more introductions you would like me to read and then be convicted?
My friend Brad suggested that I read an introduction of a book. How often do I just skip over the introductions to most books. I am so glad I finally read this - having started it back in August. It is amazing. Oh, which intro am I talking about?
J I Packer on John Owen's Death of Death in the Death of Christ. You can find the entire thing here.
John Owen was a brilliant theologian in the 1600s. Packer is a brilliant theologian now. One man's writings greatly influenced the other. As CS Lewis says - we usually only read books written by people in our generation - I mean - look at the Christian book section of your nearby superstore or grocery. Its called Chronological Snobbery! Don't fall victim to it! Read outside the 20th century. One of the most difficult books I've read was John Owen's Mortification of Sin.
The main reason I like this work by Packer is because it looks at Calvinism from a standpoint other than the 5 Points. Most people - when you say, I am a Calvinist - get all defensive and say how we never evangelize and we don't do missions and we don't like people. Packer makes a case that Calvinism isn't solely about soteriology - or the work/process of salvation - but it is a worldview that permeates all of life. I mentioned that to a friend the other day. I hope the longer I live, by the grace of God, that people will not have to ask which "camp" I'm in - they will see it in how I live, how I teach the Word (to women), how I think and pray and worship.
Packer looks at two different gospels: new and old.
"The new gospel conspicuously fails to produce deep reverence, deep repentance, deep humility, a spirit of worship, a concern for the church." I see this so often, not only in my own life, but in many many churches (sadly).
"Calvinism is something much broader than the “five points” indicate. Calvinism is a whole world-view, stemming from a clear vision of God as the whole world’s Maker and King. Calvinism is the consistent endeavour to acknowledge the Creator as the Lord, working all things after the counsel of His will. Calvinism is a theocentric way of thinking about all life under the direction and control of God’s own Word. Calvinism, in other words, is the theology of the Bible viewed from the perspective of the Bible—the God-centred outlook which sees the Creator as the source, and means, and end, of everything that is, both in nature and in grace. Calvinism is thus theism (belief in God as the ground of all things), religion (dependence on God as the giver of all things), and evangelicalism (trust in God through Christ for all things), all in their purest and most highly developed form. And Calvinism is a unified philosophy of history which sees the whole diversity of processes and events that take place in God’s world as no more, and no less, than the outworking of His great preordained plan for His creatures and His church. The five points assert no more than that God is sovereign in saving the individual, but Calvinism, as such, is concerned with the much broader assertion that He is sovereign everywhere." I love this! Thanks Packer!
"God saves sinners. God—the Triune Jehovah, Father, Son and Spirit; three Persons working together in sovereign wisdom, power and love to achieve the salvation of a chosen people, the Father electing, the Son fulfilling the Father’s will by redeeming, the Spirit executing the purpose of Father and Son by renewing. Saves—does everything, first to last, that is involved in bringing man from death in sin to life in glory: plans, achieves and communicates redemption, calls and keeps, justifies, sanctifies, glorifies. Sinners—men as God finds them, guilty, vile, helpless, powerless, unable to lift a finger to do God’s will or better their spiritual lot." How amazing is this thought that it is not up me.
The main thought in the book by Owens is preaching against Universal Atonement (vs Limited Atonement). Packer defends "L" by saying that if Christ's work on the cross was for all - and not everyone believed - then his work was ineffective.
"The new gospel, by asserting universal redemption and a universal Divine saving purpose, compels itself to cheapen grace and the Cross by denying that the Father and the Son are sovereign in salvation; for it assures us that, after God and Christ have done all that they can, or will, it depends finally on each man’s own choice whether God’s purpose to save him is realised or not."
And ending thought by Packer: "And to the further question still: how am I to go about believing on Christ and repenting, if I have no natural ability to do these things? it answers: look to Christ, speak to Christ, cry to Christ, just as you are; confess your sin, your impenitence, your unbelief, and cast yourself on His mercy; ask Him to give you a new heart, working in you true repentance and firm faith; ask Him to take away your evil heart of unbelief and to write His law within you, that you may never henceforth stray from Him. Turn to Him and trust Him as best you can, and pray for grace to turn and trust more thoroughly."
Thanks Brad! Any more introductions you would like me to read and then be convicted?
Friday, March 21, 2008
Re-reading the Cross Centered Life
At Easter - I like to focus my reading. I have picked up this little book ever since it came out - some point during the Easter season - The Cross-Centered Life by CJ Mahaney - it came out in 2003. I have different colored highlights or pen scribblings for each time I have read it. This time the writing and underlining is in hot pink - because that is only pen I have near me. This is how God spoke to me through the reading of this book this afternoon (yes, it is an 85 page book you can read in one sitting):
DA Carson writing of the apostle Paul says this: "He cannot long talk about Christian joy, or Christian ethics, or Christian fellowship, or the Christian doctrine of God, or anything else without finally tying it to the cross. Paul is gospel-centered, he is cross centered." (p 11) So many times I love to talk about what God has done for me and ministries I am involved in and what God is doing those - how many times do I focus on the cross...
"Legalism claims that the death of Jesus on the cross was either unnecessary or insufficient." (p.25) I don't think any of us would ever say this - but how often does my life reflect it? JD usually points this out too - that we come to worship (on Sunday mornings) based on how we performed during the week - this is legalism.
I highlighted this in yellow as well a few years ago: "We may justly condemn ourselves as the greatest sinners we know because we know more of the folly of our own heart than we do of other people's." (p.44) How sad but true this is. No one, not any one in any relationship, will know you better than you know yourself. We usually try to put our best foot forward. God didn't care about our "best foot" when He sent Jesus to the Cross. He saw our ugly sin, his righteousness, and sent Jesus for us and His glory.
"Rom 3.23-26: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus...this was to show God's righteousness." (p.58) I love the simplicity. We fell short - yet we are justified by Christ as a gift to show God's righteousness.
"Regardless of your relationship to others, whether you are single or married, a husband or a wife, a father, a mother, or a grandparent, your faithfulness and effectiveness in your relationships are directly tied to your understanding of the cross. 'Be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.'" (p 80) I have learned so much about forgiveness - and grace in relationships.
And the thing found in this book that has become something big...Preach the gospel to yourself every day! I am a sinner standing in need of God's grace daily - not just once on the cross - Justification and Sanctification.
Live in the grace and stand in the shadow of the glorious cross!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
50 Reasons Part 1
This is a perfect book to read 50 days before Easter. Seeing that Easter came earlier this year, I didn't get the adequate jump I needed on it. So, I am cranking out more than one each day. But, with this Piper reading you can do just that. Each "chapter" is 2 pages long. It is an easy read, but a harder read to comprehend and live by. So, here are my thoughts on 1-25.
To absorb the wrath of God: "We have all loved other things more. This is what sin is - dishonoring God be preferring other things over him, and acting on those preferences. Therefore, sin is not small, because it is not against a small Sovereign." Oft times I think I am better than some other people because I haven't done a particular sin or two. But, oh what I must remember is that any sin is the same because the sin is against the same God.
To Learn Obedience and Be Perfected: "But His heart was perfectly in love with God, and He acted consistently with that love." That is my problem - I am not perfectly in love with God - I am in love with other things that don't give me that complete joy - and I act consistently with that love - and it leaves me empty - it brings no complete joy.
To Show the Wealth of God's Love and Grace For Sinners - "The measure of His love for us increases still more when we consider our unworthiness." Only God's grace is big enough to cover me. It wasn't for me - it was God's rich grace.
To Become a Ransom for Many - "Yet not everyone will be ransomed from the wrath of God. But the offer is for everyone. There is one mediator between God and men - the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all. No one is excluded from this salvation who embraces the treasure of the ransoming Christ." - This is where the proclamation of the gospel and the duty of man to do just that comes in. Some people say Calvinists - or reformed people - don't witness as much. I've heard it just the opposite - we should witness more. Because we compelled to know that it isn't us - it is a much bigger God - and He can save whomever He chooses.
For the Forgiveness of Our Sins - "Oh, how precious is the news that God does not hold our sins against us." I love the word Oh! It is so descriptive and so little. This reminds me of the verse is Lamentations 3 where it says that His mercies are new every morning.
To complete the Obedience that Becomes Our Righteousness - "Let us admire him and treasure him and trust him for this great achievement." The treasure part to me is important in the negating of sins. If I treasured Christ the way I should - I wouldn't harbor sins and love sin the way I do.
To Take Away our Condemnation - "Condemnation is gone not because there isn't any, but because it has already happened." Piper is referring to Rom 8.1 here. I realized when I read this line today that I often say and use Rom 8.1 so flippantly when it comes to the Christian life. Oh, how horrible I am that I would make such light of the death of Jesus. He took our condemnation for us - its not like there never was any - its just already been paid. May I be mindful of this.
To Bring Us To Faith and Keep Us Faithful - "Jer 32.40 - I will make with them an everlasting covenant...I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me." I wrote at the bottom of the page - do I not know the fear of God when I sin (and I listed specific sins to me)? Oh, that it would do me good to remember this every minute of every day and to live in the Spirit in order to be killing sin (as Owens would say).
To Make Us Holy, Blameless, and Perfect - "One of the greatest heartaches in the Christian life is the slowness of our change." One would think that the longer you've been a Christian the less you would sin. As I was discussing with my friend the other day - I think I sin more. But, as a wise Greek scholar from Southeastern put it - the more we walk with Christ the more we will be aware of our sin and therefore we will be more mindful of it and be more appalled by it as well. I say that if a day goes by without me being convicted of sin then something is wrong - its not that I am perfect - but I must not be in tune with the Spirit to hear Him convict.
To Obtain for Us All Things That Are Good for Us - My favorite verse - Rom 8.32 - "What then does it mean that because of Christ's death for us God will certainly with him graciously give us all things? It means that he will give us all things that are good for us. All things that we really need in order to be conformed to the image of his Son. All things we need in order to attain everlasting joy." Then I could probably list everything this verse doesn't mean as well. This is not the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel - this is the conforming to the image of Christ and his death gospel.
To Bring Us To God - "If our best joy comes from something less, we are idolaters and God is dishonored. Turn from the fleeting pleasures of sin and come to pleasures forevermore. Come to Christ." I think of the Cameron Crazies or any other fanatical sports people - like me. I can get so excited about many sports events. Oh, that I may get even more excited about the work and person of Christ.
Come back later for 26-50 (as you can see, there aren't 25 here, and I doubt there will be 25 in the Part 2). Just giving you a taste to see what you are missing if you haven't read this.
To absorb the wrath of God: "We have all loved other things more. This is what sin is - dishonoring God be preferring other things over him, and acting on those preferences. Therefore, sin is not small, because it is not against a small Sovereign." Oft times I think I am better than some other people because I haven't done a particular sin or two. But, oh what I must remember is that any sin is the same because the sin is against the same God.
To Learn Obedience and Be Perfected: "But His heart was perfectly in love with God, and He acted consistently with that love." That is my problem - I am not perfectly in love with God - I am in love with other things that don't give me that complete joy - and I act consistently with that love - and it leaves me empty - it brings no complete joy.
To Show the Wealth of God's Love and Grace For Sinners - "The measure of His love for us increases still more when we consider our unworthiness." Only God's grace is big enough to cover me. It wasn't for me - it was God's rich grace.
To Become a Ransom for Many - "Yet not everyone will be ransomed from the wrath of God. But the offer is for everyone. There is one mediator between God and men - the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all. No one is excluded from this salvation who embraces the treasure of the ransoming Christ." - This is where the proclamation of the gospel and the duty of man to do just that comes in. Some people say Calvinists - or reformed people - don't witness as much. I've heard it just the opposite - we should witness more. Because we compelled to know that it isn't us - it is a much bigger God - and He can save whomever He chooses.
For the Forgiveness of Our Sins - "Oh, how precious is the news that God does not hold our sins against us." I love the word Oh! It is so descriptive and so little. This reminds me of the verse is Lamentations 3 where it says that His mercies are new every morning.
To complete the Obedience that Becomes Our Righteousness - "Let us admire him and treasure him and trust him for this great achievement." The treasure part to me is important in the negating of sins. If I treasured Christ the way I should - I wouldn't harbor sins and love sin the way I do.
To Take Away our Condemnation - "Condemnation is gone not because there isn't any, but because it has already happened." Piper is referring to Rom 8.1 here. I realized when I read this line today that I often say and use Rom 8.1 so flippantly when it comes to the Christian life. Oh, how horrible I am that I would make such light of the death of Jesus. He took our condemnation for us - its not like there never was any - its just already been paid. May I be mindful of this.
To Bring Us To Faith and Keep Us Faithful - "Jer 32.40 - I will make with them an everlasting covenant...I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me." I wrote at the bottom of the page - do I not know the fear of God when I sin (and I listed specific sins to me)? Oh, that it would do me good to remember this every minute of every day and to live in the Spirit in order to be killing sin (as Owens would say).
To Make Us Holy, Blameless, and Perfect - "One of the greatest heartaches in the Christian life is the slowness of our change." One would think that the longer you've been a Christian the less you would sin. As I was discussing with my friend the other day - I think I sin more. But, as a wise Greek scholar from Southeastern put it - the more we walk with Christ the more we will be aware of our sin and therefore we will be more mindful of it and be more appalled by it as well. I say that if a day goes by without me being convicted of sin then something is wrong - its not that I am perfect - but I must not be in tune with the Spirit to hear Him convict.
To Obtain for Us All Things That Are Good for Us - My favorite verse - Rom 8.32 - "What then does it mean that because of Christ's death for us God will certainly with him graciously give us all things? It means that he will give us all things that are good for us. All things that we really need in order to be conformed to the image of his Son. All things we need in order to attain everlasting joy." Then I could probably list everything this verse doesn't mean as well. This is not the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel - this is the conforming to the image of Christ and his death gospel.
To Bring Us To God - "If our best joy comes from something less, we are idolaters and God is dishonored. Turn from the fleeting pleasures of sin and come to pleasures forevermore. Come to Christ." I think of the Cameron Crazies or any other fanatical sports people - like me. I can get so excited about many sports events. Oh, that I may get even more excited about the work and person of Christ.
Come back later for 26-50 (as you can see, there aren't 25 here, and I doubt there will be 25 in the Part 2). Just giving you a taste to see what you are missing if you haven't read this.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The X Factor
I've been in a thinking and writing mood - so that is what brings about so many blogs.
The X Factor (not talking about high school math) - the Unknown Factor...why does it scare me so...why are so many people afraid of it...
I wanna talk about why so many are afraid of the unknown - fearing a life that can be any different than the one they are living now. What if God really worked in the way they wanted Him to? What if God worked in the way that I really wanted Him to?
Trust. Faith. No Fear. Reliance. Faithful. Sovereign.
So, on the ipod right now I've got songs that have to do with trust, faithful, etc. Some of them are the same songs (Tis So Sweet) and then some just have the same themes.
Smalltown Poets, Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, etc...
I want to trust in a God so big that He is able to fulfill all my desires just as I would want them. That means that my will must be lost in His - I must be dead.
Let me give up myself, my heart, my desires and trust in a God that has the BIGGER PICTURE in His sight - His Glory.
But, tonight I don't want to use God's glory or His Sovereignty as a cop-out. Please don't hear that. I want to be able to pour out my willing heart to a God who loves me infinitely more than I could ever love Him back.
How God is going to work in our lives though is still an unknown factor. Think of Abraham leaving his land. Think of Moses passing through the Red Sea on dry ground (not even soggy). Think of Paul going to Rome. Think of John the isle of Patmos. Think of Isaiah going to a people who weren't even really going to hear what he had to say. Think of David facing Goliath - not knowing for sure if that rock was going to hit him with enough force.
I just read this on CJ's blog from an Ed Welch book: (Running Scared)
With this in mind, his words should sound attractive, and we should be more and more inclined to listen. We should still like to abolish anxieties quickly, but we are learning that God values strong foundations and gradual growth, and such foundations are established as we feed on him and his words. As we meditate on Scripture and make it our own, we should anticipate slow but steady change. Worriers should be experts in a handful of passages. (p. 147)
How I've proved him over and over - lyrics from Tis So Sweet - Precious Jesus - give me grace to trust you more.
Ps 37.5, 7a: Commit your way to the Lord;trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. He will act - that is a promise!
Ps 40.4a: Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust!
Ps 56.3-4: When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
Ps 62.8: Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
*****Ps 143.7-8: Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Is 12.2-6: Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song,and he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord,call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!"
*****Dt 7.9: Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.
Is 25.1: O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
Its not that my trust is so great - because I cry out - Jesus, help my unbelief and my uncertainty - but that my trust is in a GREAT SAVIOR - one who is eternally faithful and true to Himself - and He can NOT change!
The X Factor (not talking about high school math) - the Unknown Factor...why does it scare me so...why are so many people afraid of it...
I wanna talk about why so many are afraid of the unknown - fearing a life that can be any different than the one they are living now. What if God really worked in the way they wanted Him to? What if God worked in the way that I really wanted Him to?
Trust. Faith. No Fear. Reliance. Faithful. Sovereign.
So, on the ipod right now I've got songs that have to do with trust, faithful, etc. Some of them are the same songs (Tis So Sweet) and then some just have the same themes.
Smalltown Poets, Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns, etc...
I want to trust in a God so big that He is able to fulfill all my desires just as I would want them. That means that my will must be lost in His - I must be dead.
Let me give up myself, my heart, my desires and trust in a God that has the BIGGER PICTURE in His sight - His Glory.
But, tonight I don't want to use God's glory or His Sovereignty as a cop-out. Please don't hear that. I want to be able to pour out my willing heart to a God who loves me infinitely more than I could ever love Him back.
How God is going to work in our lives though is still an unknown factor. Think of Abraham leaving his land. Think of Moses passing through the Red Sea on dry ground (not even soggy). Think of Paul going to Rome. Think of John the isle of Patmos. Think of Isaiah going to a people who weren't even really going to hear what he had to say. Think of David facing Goliath - not knowing for sure if that rock was going to hit him with enough force.
I just read this on CJ's blog from an Ed Welch book: (Running Scared)
With this in mind, his words should sound attractive, and we should be more and more inclined to listen. We should still like to abolish anxieties quickly, but we are learning that God values strong foundations and gradual growth, and such foundations are established as we feed on him and his words. As we meditate on Scripture and make it our own, we should anticipate slow but steady change. Worriers should be experts in a handful of passages. (p. 147)
How I've proved him over and over - lyrics from Tis So Sweet - Precious Jesus - give me grace to trust you more.
Ps 37.5, 7a: Commit your way to the Lord;trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. He will act - that is a promise!
Ps 40.4a: Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust!
Ps 56.3-4: When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
Ps 62.8: Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
*****Ps 143.7-8: Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Is 12.2-6: Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song,and he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord,call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!"
*****Dt 7.9: Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.
Is 25.1: O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
Its not that my trust is so great - because I cry out - Jesus, help my unbelief and my uncertainty - but that my trust is in a GREAT SAVIOR - one who is eternally faithful and true to Himself - and He can NOT change!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Meditating on Scripture
I don't really know how to describe my recent times in the Word. Sometimes I think I'm doing well by how much I read or how much I journal. Lately I haven't done much of either one - but I think my times in the Word have been real rich. I seem to (only by the grace of the Holy Spirit) be meditating on, claiming, and memorizing more of Scripture.
Here is what I mean. I just randomly started reading 1 Corinthians the other day at the dining room table (I love having a dining room table, partly for that reason). The last two verses really caught my eye - and I've been re-reading and meditating on them ever since. Just really soaking them in. Here they are: (1.30-31)
And because of him (God) you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
So: Christ Jesus is my wisdom (I have known of it on my own), my righteousness (I have no good thing or good works on my own, my sanctification (He continually makes me more into His image, one that is pleasing to His Father), and He is my salvation (Praise God!). Then - Paul has to kind of rub it in my face - really clarify what He is saying (I love Paul!) - Hey you - Jesus is all that for you - it is nothing you can do - so don't even start your boasting in yourself.
What does it look like for Christ Jesus (Messiah, human, perfect, Lord) to be my wisdom, perfectness, holiness maker, and Redeemer? I am not any of these in myself - none of it. I am worthless without Christ.
Then, I heard these verses read aloud tonight at a women's event I attended. I love hearing the Word read. To be honest - I want to hear it read with some excitement. The hearing of the word, the preaching of the Word, the proclaiming of the Word, should not be boring. I get that from my Young Life days - it is a sin to bore a kid with the gospel - how true. The gospel is our LIFE! Anyway, I digress:
Ps 145.15-19:
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.
Here is what these verses are saying: (and the you is God) - You give food, You open your hand, you satisfy, you are righteous, you are kind, you are near, you answer, you fulfill desires, you hear, you save. God does all these things for us - His children. He loves us! He loves me. He wants me to be intimate with Him. He wants me to cry out to Him. He wants me. He loves me. Have I said that enough? I'm saying it because I am need of hearing it. God is so good. God loves me. God loves me. God loves me. God loves me. God fulfills my desires - God cares for me - God is my perfection when I fail and mess up and fail again. When you think you don't believe - tell Satan to get away from you and repeat things to yourself: God loves me, God loves me. God loves me! This should make us excited! This should make us want to love Him in return and to love other people and to obey His Word and to tell others and to sing and cry out to Him even more.
I say what I type in my head -its really funny. Some of my girls say, I can hear you saying that. I can hear myself saying this and I love hearing those words but it is so hard to hear sometimes. It is so hard to believe. How arrogant of me that I think I'm too good for the love of God - or too bad for the love of God. God's arm is not too short that it can't save. JD always reminded me of that passage.
Here is what I mean. I just randomly started reading 1 Corinthians the other day at the dining room table (I love having a dining room table, partly for that reason). The last two verses really caught my eye - and I've been re-reading and meditating on them ever since. Just really soaking them in. Here they are: (1.30-31)
And because of him (God) you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
So: Christ Jesus is my wisdom (I have known of it on my own), my righteousness (I have no good thing or good works on my own, my sanctification (He continually makes me more into His image, one that is pleasing to His Father), and He is my salvation (Praise God!). Then - Paul has to kind of rub it in my face - really clarify what He is saying (I love Paul!) - Hey you - Jesus is all that for you - it is nothing you can do - so don't even start your boasting in yourself.
What does it look like for Christ Jesus (Messiah, human, perfect, Lord) to be my wisdom, perfectness, holiness maker, and Redeemer? I am not any of these in myself - none of it. I am worthless without Christ.
Then, I heard these verses read aloud tonight at a women's event I attended. I love hearing the Word read. To be honest - I want to hear it read with some excitement. The hearing of the word, the preaching of the Word, the proclaiming of the Word, should not be boring. I get that from my Young Life days - it is a sin to bore a kid with the gospel - how true. The gospel is our LIFE! Anyway, I digress:
Ps 145.15-19:
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.
Here is what these verses are saying: (and the you is God) - You give food, You open your hand, you satisfy, you are righteous, you are kind, you are near, you answer, you fulfill desires, you hear, you save. God does all these things for us - His children. He loves us! He loves me. He wants me to be intimate with Him. He wants me to cry out to Him. He wants me. He loves me. Have I said that enough? I'm saying it because I am need of hearing it. God is so good. God loves me. God loves me. God loves me. God loves me. God fulfills my desires - God cares for me - God is my perfection when I fail and mess up and fail again. When you think you don't believe - tell Satan to get away from you and repeat things to yourself: God loves me, God loves me. God loves me! This should make us excited! This should make us want to love Him in return and to love other people and to obey His Word and to tell others and to sing and cry out to Him even more.
I say what I type in my head -its really funny. Some of my girls say, I can hear you saying that. I can hear myself saying this and I love hearing those words but it is so hard to hear sometimes. It is so hard to believe. How arrogant of me that I think I'm too good for the love of God - or too bad for the love of God. God's arm is not too short that it can't save. JD always reminded me of that passage.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Friends Who Remind Me
I am so thankful for friends and Scripture. I am grateful that God has given me friends here, in NC, in FL, in TX, and in my other places that remind me of God's goodness and faithfulness even when things don't always go the way you want them to go.
I love friends who say "I'm praying for you, or remember, God is good and faithful and full of mercy." Those are ones I love.
Tonight...
I was reminded of:
2 Cor 10.5 - We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.
Lam 3.22ff - The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,“therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietlyfor the salvation of the Lord.
And again of my fave verse this past year - and continuing into this year:
Ps 84.11 - For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
I love friends who say "I'm praying for you, or remember, God is good and faithful and full of mercy." Those are ones I love.
Tonight...
I was reminded of:
2 Cor 10.5 - We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.
Lam 3.22ff - The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,“therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietlyfor the salvation of the Lord.
And again of my fave verse this past year - and continuing into this year:
Ps 84.11 - For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
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