The Vase

Imagine you are an artist, one who works with pottery and glass. As you lay in bed, you dream of a vase, a beautiful vase with deep blue floral designs on the sides, an unusually shaped mouth and a textured lower third. The design excites you. It is unique and truly beautiful to you. So, you begin to plan to create this vase. You choose the appropriate clay and paint and organize the tools necessary for it's sculpting. Then you begin to lovingly mold and shape the formless lump into that about which you have dreamed. You put the vase in the kiln to, in the heat, firm up your work so it is ready for use and display. In completion, it is exactly as you had planned. Striking, beautiful and pleasing to you. Because you dreamed of this vase's creation and then gave it life, it is dear to you, something at which you enjoy gazing and that you long to protect and to keep near by. This is a good word picture of how God feels about those he has saved. For those in Christ, God (the artist) thinks of you as this vase - planned, beautiful, pleasing, wanted and loved.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ -- by grace you have been saved --and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4-7

The Power Of God

I meditated on the power of God this morning in prayer. He is before all things, all being created by him. The laws of creation (gravity, thermodynamics, etc, etc) are all subject to him. He created them. He sustains them, and he can at any time suspend them. Miracles mainly are just a temporary suspension of the laws of God currently in force. They are surprising because the laws that govern our lives are so ingrained in us, we take them for granted. But imagine the miracle of gravity itself being created. God has made everything out of nothing, and everything is subject to him. There is nothing outside his control. There is nothing that thwarts his plans. He is an unmovable force achieving his purposes without concern (worry) for anything or anyone that might oppose him. Not only that but his power is sufficient to handle all opposing forces in combination. There is no comparison to make between the power of God and any created thing. It is all nothing when weighed in the balance in relation to him.

Sadness

It has been a troubling twenty four hours for me. Difficult times in a relationship with one I love have led me to great sorrow. That nagging ache sits in my heart as I long for God to make things right. I cannot. I have too little power, and I am too sinful and fallen to succeed. Yet I long so for a "righteous community" with my loved one. I have prayed for God's intervention vigorously, but not vigorously enough. It has been a long time waiting...waiting on God who can intervene in his lovingkindness. Lord, do not leave it this way. Not because of any righteousness on my part but because of your great mercy Save.

Silence

The discipline of silence is the price we must pay to get to know God." AW Tozer

Sin

Whoever is truly humbled — will not be easily angry, nor harsh or critical of others. He will be compassionate and tender to the infirmities of his fellow-sinners, knowing that if there is a difference — it is grace alone which has made it! He knows that he has the seeds of every evil in his own heart. And under all trials and afflictions — he will look to the hand of the Lord, and lay his mouth in the dust, acknowledging that he suffers much less than his iniquities have deserved.

John Newton, from his letters, Indwelling Sin And The Believer

The World

As the world is weary of me so am I of it. John Knox

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world-the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions-is not from the Father but is from the world.
And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17

If I Could Counsel Myself...

If looking back on life I could give counsel to myself regarding a walk with Jesus, some things I would recomend:

• read atleast one chapter in the Bible everyday
• focus on worship, listening, and meditating on scripture in prayer
• spend alone time with God in prayer everyday
• in addition to reading the Bible each day, get involved in a same sex small group Bible study that meets regularly and remain involved
• be involved in Christian community year round
• preach the gospel to self daily
• be vulnerable with others and merciful to others
• be charitable regarding nonessential theological issues
• get to know pastor and treat him like a normal human being
• memorize as much scripture as possible
• do not get into debt as it could influence your ministry direction in the future
• remember God is protector of reputation, provider and giver of every good gift

The Wilderness

"You will never find Jesus so precious as when the world is one vast howling wilderness." Robert M McCheyne

Right now I am having a wilderness moment. I feel I have failed in many ways as a father, in my profession and in being a light for Christ. My band of brothers in Christ seem distant and disinterested in striving for the kingdom in the way that seems right to me. So I feel rejected in a way. Yet in another group of brothers and sisters, I have failed to be consistent in doing community. I am on the verge of a funk as I sit on my couch pondering things. Sad. But from the wilderness I have always.....always been rescued by my beloved savior Jesus Christ. So here I will sit and wait on him.

Causes Of Spiritual Declension

• Formality in holy duties, under the constant outward performance of them.
• Vehement engagements in the affairs of life.
• An over valuation of sinful enjoyments.
• Growth on carnal wisdom.
• Neglect of daily mortification of such sins as men are naturally disposed to, with a secret influence from the prevalent temptation of the days in which we live.

--John Owen, The Glory Of Christ

Psalm 23:6

Surely goodness and love will follow me

    all the days of my life

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

    forever.  Psalm 23:6

Because of who the Lord is....goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Because God is

our father, we will dwell with him forever. David predicts the eternal life of the believer with the Almighty. 

What a great promise of God's goodness to us now and forevermore.

Wickedness

Failure is better than wickedness. The Lord hates evildoers and cannot dwell with evil (Psalm 5:4,5). Thank God for his grace that makes me righteous in his sight by Christ's work.

Love The Lord With All Your Strength

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your mind, and with all of your soul and with all of your strength. The greatest commandment according to Jesus. As I was lying in bed this morning, hitting my snooze button, I couldn't help be convicted that I was not loving God with all my strength. Am I using my strength to love God? Do I spend my self for him? Do I care enough about him to obey all of his commands? Is my energy focused on him? Is my life about service to him? This is very convicting to me. It got me out of bed this morning. Am I living for God or an extra half hour of sleep and a couple hours of watching tv at night?

Prayer

"No man is greater than his prayer life." Leonard Ravenhill

Believers in Jesus Christ have direct access to God in prayer at any time of day or night. God has limitless resources and has sovereign control over all things. The sun only rises at the order of the Almighty. In the word, the Lord says he hears our prayers, will grant us what we ask in his name for the right reasons and that we should pray without ceasing and about everything. If I want to be a man that is God obeying and honoring, can I really afford to pray for fifteen minutes a day?

Kindness

We are particularly required to be kind to the unthankful and to the evil; and therein to follow the example of our heavenly Father, who causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust. We are obliged, not only to be kind to them that are so to us, but to them that hate, and that despitefully use us. Jonathon Edwards ^1

I have failed miserably.

1 Jonathon Edwards, Works, vol. 2 (reprint, Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1974), 171.

An Overflowing Cup

 You prepare a table before me 
   in the presence of my enemies. 
You anoint my head with oil; 
   my cup overflows.  Psalm 23:5


Imagine the Lord of the universe preparing a table for you in the presence of your enemies. The loving kindness of God to us is really incomprehensible. What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him (Psalm 8:4)? For those who are purchased by the blessed blood of Christ, there is no end to the good things God has in store for us (1 Corinthians 2:9;  Matthew 7:11b; 1 Peter 1:4). We have been given even more than we need. Every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17). Our cups indeed overflow. 

Poor In Spirit

"Blessed are the poor in spirit...." Matthew 5:3

It means a complete absence of pride, a complete absence of self-assurance and self-reliance. It means a consciousness that we are nothing in the presence of God. It is nothing, then, that we can produce; it is nothing we can do in ourselves. It is just this tremendous awareness of our utter nothingness as we come face to face with God. That is to be poor in spirit.

Martyn Lloyd Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount

The Shadow of Death

 Even though I walk 
       through the valley of the shadow of death, 
       I will fear no evil, 
       for you are with me; 
       your rod and your staff, 
       they comfort me. Psalm 23:4


We all will walk through the valley of the shadow of death. The place where death hovers over us, looming large and dark, quietly over our shoulders. I have been there. Nothing makes one consider life's ultimate import more than facing it's loss. Death comes to everyone. Death is the consequence for our sin (Genesis 3:3). It wasn't always set up to be that way. God will make all things new for those who love him (Revelation 21:5). But even so we as believers will all walk through the valley of the shadow of death (unless Christ comes early in our lives).  God has allowed physical death for a time for his children, but not forever.  He promises to never leave or forsake us, so evil can do nothing (Hebrews 13:5). Neither evil from demonic forces, nor evil from sinful man, nor evil from flawed creation can touch us as we walk with our Lord unless he allows it . And he promises to only allow it if it is in our best interest (Romans 8:28). His rod is present to dispense wrath towards the forces which would destroy us. His staff is there to shepherd us through difficult times and to comfort us with a reassurance that he is present and strong. What a wonderful thing to know that God loves me and that I am his son! Let me never forget all his benefits (Psalm 103:2).

Predestination Is Compatible With The Free Will Of Man

If God knows what I will choose in the future and allows me to make that choice, then my choice is free and it is predestined by God (because he does not intervene to change the outcome of that choice). This is true in regards to salvation. God at any point can intervene and cause his will to be done in regards to salvation over riding the free will of man. For example, Paul had revelation from God that was over powering, indisputable and salvation producing. This is not the norm but the exception. God's will is always done. God therefore can accomplish his purposes completely and sovereignly, controlling all things, without man doing anything accept believing based on his calling and revelation. As faith is not a work, salvation is completely accomplished by God by the work of Jesus Christ and the drawing of God the Father. In this way, God is sovereign and all powerful, controlling all things, and man is free to believe or refuse to believe (in most cases eg Paul's example above).

Diamond In The Rough

I have been thinking about diamonds today, specifically the fact that diamonds are mined out of the dust of the earth in unchiseled form. Their beauty evident but raw and only partially revealed. The jeweler takes the unfinished stone and cuts it into a symmetric glistening gem with great value. How similar to diamonds we are as God's children. We are buried and blinded from light released by God who comes searching for us. We are valuable to him (why I don't know). He begins to chip and cut at our rough form to shape the beauty underneath. He often uses the community of believers as his instruments in this chiseling, or the occurences of life. Either way he refines and polishes us until we eventually become the creation he desires. How often we try to clean ourselves up in our pride while we are in our uncut state, wanting to be the "controllers" of what we become. We believe our worth is dependent on our own endeavers at polishing the dirt away, and we cringe and writhe when God or others, as instruments in his hand, work at our flaws...not realizing that we cannot become diamonds except in the deliberate hands of the Almighty.

A Meditation

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O LORD, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. Ps. 130:3,4

T: No one can stand before God based on their own righteousness (lack of sin). It is by God's mercy we are forgiven. Mercy is NOT giving to us what we deserve (punishment). We fear God because we recognize that it is only by his will that we are saved. We therefore honor, worship and submit to him. (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8).

A: Lord I adore you for your mercy to me. My sin is an unliftable weight, crushing me to the ground. Yet you have considered me in your great love and kindness and placed the load on Jesus. Bearing the wrath for my sin. I am forgiven. I worship you for your love, for your kindness to me, for enduring the torture and punishment I deserve. Praise be to your glorious name. (Romans 3:25).

C: Lord you know my sin. It has driven me to my bed in despair this week. I cannot even pray without sinning. I confess I am a miserable wretch, incapable of any good except by the working of the Spirit in my life. I repent. Forgive me.

T: Thank you Lord Jesus for saving me! Thank you for bearing my sin and crediting to me your righteousness! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

S: Lord, restore unto me the joy of my salvation. Let me please, honor and serve you well today by your power. (Psalm 51:12).

Amen.

Jesus Wept

Jesus wept. John 11:35

Lazarus, a friend of Jesus and brother to Mary and Martha, had died. Jesus came after he had been dead for four days and raised him back to life. But before this, Jesus wept. The creator and sustainer of the universe wept. God Almighty wept. Two questions come to me as I consider this fact. Why? And, what does this mean? First of all, Jesus would not have been weeping simply due to Lazarus death. He knew he could and planned to raise him back to life. So, I can see two possibilities for the "why" of Christ's sorrow. First, Jesus could have been saddened by the effect of sin on mankind and creation. The groaning of creation is never seen more clearly than when someone dies. It was not meant to be. Sin, sickness and death could have been the impetus for Jesus sadness. The second possibility, and the most likely option in my opinion, is that Jesus was responding to the sorrow of those he loved, especially Mary and Martha. Two verses preceding 11:35 the text says:  "When Jesus saw her (Mary) weeping and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled."  Jesus was moved to weeping after seeing Mary weeping.

What does this mean?
1) God experiences sorrow.
2) God loves those who are his so much that he is "deeply moved" and "greatly troubled" when we suffer.
3) Suffering is necessary for God's purposes for a time, even though God dislikes it. (John 16:33)

Satan And The Mind

How much control if any does Satan have over a believer's thoughts? Does he have any influence at all?
How does Satan tempt the Christian? Certainly, we are tempted by our own flesh and our own sinful desires. But Satan can have an influence. How does this happen? The Bible says that Satan has the ability to blind the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4).  It also speaks of unbelievers following Satan (Ephesians 2:2) via some influence presumably to the person's intellect. Does he have the same access to believers? If he is able to tempt it must be through some mental influence within the subject being tempted. What other mechanism is there to our temptation from outside ourselves? So it seems Satan can bring thoughts into our minds from outside of ourselves that are unwanted or uninvited. All of us have experienced ideas and images popping into our heads unwanted. Not that these all are from the "prince of the power of the air." Our flesh also I believe can bring this about. So the scripture says we are to "take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)." Why? Because thoughts which arise, either spontaneously or through Satan's influence, can be disobedient to Christ. We do not have control over every thought that pops into our heads, but we have control over what we dwell on mentally. And temptation is not sin....although Satan would like us at times to believe otherwise.

Some thoughts I found from other believers on the subject:

These thoughts, if you hate them, are none of yours, but are injections of the Devil, for which he is responsible, and not you. If you strive against them, they are no more yours than are the cursings and falsehoods of rioters in the street.  C. H. Spurgeon

Amongst all the devices that Satan makes use of, there is none by which he grieves the children of God worse, than his troubling you with blasphemous, profane, unbelieving thoughts; and sometimes to such a degree, that they are as tormenting as it is to be physically tortured. G. Whitefield

Let me just see if I can clarify it now. We believe that Satan is not omniscient. He does not know everything. I believe he is subject to the revelation of God, and he is subject to objective observation within whatever objective means within his sphere. He can perceive what is going on, but I don't think there is anything in the Bible to indicate he is omniscient. He is infinitely intelligent, tremendously intelligent. But, intelligence is a capacity that is fed by revealed information. Do you know what I mean by that? God is omniscient in the sense that He intrinsically knows everything, and it does not have to be any information. But, Satan knows what he knows because God has revealed that to him within the framework of his intelligence. So, I don't think there is anything to indicate that Satan can read your mind. But, Satan can influence your mind. But, I think, primarily, it is by external things that may trigger thought patterns. But, it is also true that demons can come in and Satan can come in. And if they can come into a believer, there is a sense in which they must be able directly to affect the thinking process somehow, but that is for one who is given over to Satan to some extent.  John MacArthur

From The Gospel Coaltion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqzj_TKosG8

Fearless

The Lord challenged us to suffer persecutions and to confess him. He wants those who belong to him to be brave and fearless. He himself shows how weakness of the flesh is overcome by courage of the Spirit. This is the testimony of the apostles and in particular of the representative, administrating Spirit. A Christian is fearless.
--Tertullian

The Mind

Our wills control our minds. At times, thoughts pop into our heads seemingly from out of nowhere and from outside of our control. Yet what we mentally dwell on requires personal volitional consent. In other words, we have the ability to focus our minds on what we will.  So, where do our thoughts come from? Sometimes they are developed purposely at the direction of our will and sometimes they originate without invitation placed by our fleshly state or God himself or even Satan. We therefore do not have power to prevent thoughts from initiating within our minds, but we do have the power (with the help of the Spirit} to control whether those thoughts persist. God tells us to "take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) and to "set our minds on things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:2). John Owen (The Glory of Christ) says that we become transformed into what we think about and so, when we think continually about the things of the world, we become transformed into the image of the world "becoming earthly, carnal and vain"  (Pg. 77, 2008 edition). Contrast this with the idea of beholding the glory of the Lord and "being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (2 Corinthian 3:18). It appears we are transformed into the image of that upon which we meditate. Thoughts can be divided into three major categories: first, thoughts about God and his glory and his kingdom; second, thoughts that are worldly but not overtly sinful, such as regarding plans for the next day of work; and third, sinful thoughts, such as lustful contemplations, covetous ideas etc. The first category is obviously good and beneficial, and the last is obviously wrong.  The second category however is the most convicting to think about for me. The reason is that the majority of my time is spent in thinking about the things of this world that are not necessarily sinful, but that are not prosperous from a spiritual standpoint. Some examples of this would be surfing the internet news for an hour or watching American Idol.  These mental activities can draw us toward a worldly state and away from God insidiously, without us even recognizing it. We must remember the scripture says "to throw off all that hinders AND the sin that so easily entangles..." (Hebrews 12:1 NIV).  All that hinders is anything that draws us to the world and away from God.  So let us practice the presence of God, thinking about him, speaking with him all the day long. Let our idle time be set on him mentally to his glory.

Knowledge Without Obedience

[W]e can often forget that a knowledge of Scripture alone is not sufficient. Of course, James won’t let us forget that we must “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). This verse tells us that apart from obedience, knowledge can be deceptive. This puts an interesting twist on some of the favorite activities of good evangelical pastors: attending ministerial conferences, listening to sermons, and reading doctrinally sound books. All such activities afford us the opportunity for serious progress in personal godliness and ministry effectiveness. Yet each one can also be an instrument of progressive self-deception. 

. . . please understand: according to James, if you consume truth without applying truth, you risk the false and dangerous impression that spiritual growth was achieved without application. But it never is—never. We must be ever wary of the self-deception of which James speaks. Let’s recognize limitations of sound doctrine, and make the practice of truth a daily priority. Never stop watching your life.

—C. J. Mahaney, Preaching the Cross (Crossway, 2007), 120–121.

Two things strike me when considering the above. First, the importance of self examination in relationship to one's walk and second, the importance of community in living out an obedient life. We should regularly (daily?) examine ourselves to see if we are acting in disobedience to Almighty God. One method, which I have not done consistently as of yet, is to nightly review the day for disobedient acts or failures of omission with repentance and resolve to change. Community is necessary for accountability, love and spiritual fullness of growth. We cannot hold ourselves to the highest standard that God demands locked in our rooms reading books. The application of truth can only occur in a real sense in the arena of daily life surrounded by those God puts into our circle of influence.

A Prayer

Lord, you are wonderful.
Forgive me for my sinfulness.
You are almighty. All powerful. Creator and sustainer of heaven and earth.
Who am I that you consider me?
You are majestic, dazzling, beautiful and terrifying. High and lifted up. Enthroned above all you have created.
Yet your love for me is steadfast.
You are pure. White hot sinlessness. Without the smallest hint of imperfection.
You have made a way for my incredible mess to be yours.
Your are eternal and transcendent of time and space.
I am a dot on an endless beach of time and people.
Yet you know me by name. You look at my heart and see my thoughts.
O how great is your mind O God, infinite in it's capabilities.
And sometimes, in my folly, I presume that I know something about you.
Even as I seek you I sin.
How can you O great God put up with me?
It is only by the righteousness you have given me in Christ, by his blood.
Jesus is my Lord, savior, God, brother, hope and salvation.
I have done nothing.
O give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His steadfast love endures forever.
I am loved because of who God is and not because of who I am.
Lord you are my help and my shield, my strength and my hope.
What can I possibly desire that is more worthy that you?
You are the pearl of greatest price. You are priceless. All the riches, glory and pleasure in the world are dung in comparison to you.
Why? Why do I seek dung?
Forgive me O Lord.
To be with you is to experience the eternal shalom; the way "it" should be.
To be without you is to experience anti-shalom. Cursed ground and life with death.
O Lord let me be with you. Show me your glory. I can do nothing. I am nothing.
You are everything!
I love you O Lord.
Amen.

Piper On The Centrality Of Scripture

We are a people of the Book. We know God through the Book. We meet Christ in the Book. We see the cross in the Book. Our faith and love are kindled by the glorious truths of the Book. We have tasted the divine majesty of the Word and are persuaded that the Book is God's inspired and infallible written revelation. Therefore, what the Book teaches matters…

There is no salvation from sin and guilt and condemnation and hell apart from faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; Romans 10:13-17; 1 John 5:12). And there is no other authority besides the Scriptures to show you who Christ is and to give you his Word. So don't leave the Bible, children. Don't leave the Bible, young people. Don't neglect the Bible, dads and moms. Don't ignore the Bible, single people. Under God, the "sacred writings," the Scriptures, are the greatest treasure in the world. They alone make us wise unto salvation through Christ. O don't neglect this Book!

John Piper on the centrality of scripture.

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2525_essential_piper_the_centrality_of_scripture/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+DGBlog+(DG+Blog)

Riches

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”  Revelation 3:14-22

Observations:
1. Jesus knows our works. (Hebrews 4:13)
2. Anything less than full commitment to Jesus disgusts Him. (Luke 14:27)
3. Wealth* can blind us to our real position and circumstances. (Matthew 6:24)
4. The appropriate response from the Laodicean position is to be zealous for Christ and repent.
5. We are called to seek treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21), righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:12,13) and revelation from God (Ephesians 1:18). [Revelation 3:18]
6. We need to listen for Christ's voice and respond to commune with him.
7. There are unspeakable riches for those who overcome.

* I would define wealth as having few needs. Most people in the US are wealthy.

Excuses

Anytime you excuse/rationalize your sin, you commit an act of gospel irrationality - why work to excuse what Christ has already forgiven?  Paul Tripp (from Twitter)

Wealth and Reputation

Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. (1 Ch 29:12 ESV)

Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’  You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth... (Dt 8:17,18 ESV)

Observations:

1. Wealth, if one has it, is from God.  Let one never suppose that what one has monetarily and/or materially is deserved or of one's own doing. 

2. Power, if one has it, is from God.  Let one never suppose that the position one has is deserved or because of one's intrinsic greatness.

3. Reputation is from God. He is the provider and protector of what others think of us. Seek not to protect one's own reputation but entreat God as your protector to act when one is wrongly accused. (This does not mean to not act justly when it is in our power to do so).

4. One's wealth, power and reputation are not indicators of one's position with God.


See 1 Samuel 2:7 also.

Steadfast Love

I have been praying through the Psalms and have noticed with great joy the frequency with which God's love for his people is described as steadfast. Steadfast to me implies a love that remains in spite of the behavior of it's object. It is a love that is dependent upon the person doing the loving entirely. It is loyal, enduring, and persistent. In the Psalms God is described as loving his people with a steadfast love in 123 different verses! The Hebrew word for this is hesed. The Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible describes hesed in this way:  


For this strong, unselfish love the OT usually employed another word, almost untranslatable, hesed, rendered sometimes “loyalty” (2 Sm 22:26 RSV), more often “steadfast love” (Gn 39:21) or “kindness.”
The connotation of this significant word is clear in Hosea 2:19, 20: “I will betroth you for ever … in righteousness … justice … steadfast love … faithfulness”; in Job 6:14, 15, where kindness is compared with treachery; and in 1 Samuel 20:8, which speaks of covenanted kindness. This unshakable, steadfast love of God is contrasted with the unpredictable, capricious moods of heathen deities. Hesed is not an emotional response to beauty, merit, or kindness, but a moral attitude dedicated to another’s good, whether or not that other is lovable, worthy, or responsive (see Dt 7:7–9).1


What an amazing thing to realize that God's love for me is steadfast!

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, 
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him
Ps 103:11 (ESV)

1 Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (1357). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House.

Where Do You Live?

"Some want to live within the sound
   Of church or chapel bell;
I want to run a rescue shop
   Within a yard of Hell."
--C.T. Studd

Theology And My Sin

One sin I consistently struggle with is pride over knowing a fair amount of scripture.  I love the Word of God and read it often. And sometimes in my flesh, I begin to believe there is something better about me than others, because I have read more. This obviously is pretty ridiculous. First of all, I don't really know much.  Second, anything I understand has been given to me by God and as such is no credit to me. Most importantly, the Word that I love teaches that I should not think of myself more highly than I ought. So there I am....a mess.  Unfortunately, it seems to me that there are a lot of people who are similar to me in this regard in the Christian world. I read many blogs online and books and it often occurs in my opinion that knowledge about God is elevated above knowledge of God. Theology is elevated above discipleship and love. The argument for this position is that truth is not negotiable. I agree with this argument, but often the application is not done in love and is over disputable matters (ie things in scripture which are unclear and peripheral to the gospel). In light of the above, this week I was thinking about the apostles. It struck me that Jesus did not pick one theologian to be among the twelve .....and there were plenty around.  You might argue that possibly the greatest apostle Paul was a theologian, and I think that argument would be correct.  But Paul had the wrong theology! He was transformed not by what he knew but by who he knew. So what does this mean?

My observations:

1) Christianity is about a relationship to the living God, knowing him, not just about him;
2)  The Word is the Spirit's revelation of who God is and who we are in relation to him. We are called to be disciplined in studying, reading and meditating on the Word. It is a means by which we can know God personally;
3)  Our position is based on who we know not what we know;
4)  There are indisputable matters (eg the gospel) and disputable matters within scripture for the Christian.  The former are not negotiable. The latter should be discussed in love and charity within the body of Christ.
5)  Comparison of myself with anyone but God is sin. Pride is therefore never righteous for the human.
6)  Jesus isn't impressed by what we know.

Grace

Our worst days are never so bad that we are out of reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that we are not in need of God's grace.   Jerry Bridges

The Inerrancy Of Scripture

Old Testament

The Israelites saw Scripture as historical information (Ps. 105,  Ps. 106)
God selects men as prophets to speak His Word (Deut. 18:18)
God instructed the prophets to preserve His Word (Isa. 30:8)
God instructed the prophets to record His Word (Isa. 8:1)

New Testament

The NT authors claim they wrote the words of God (1 Cor. 14:37)
God inspired all Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16)
The NT authors acknowledge the truthfulness of OT prophecy (Acts 1:16)
The NT authors accepted OT prophecy concerning Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:22–23)
The NT authors accepted OT people and events as factual (1 Tim. 2:13)

Jesus

Jesus uses the OT to resolve issues (Matt. 4:4)
Jesus says that all OT prophecy will come to pass (Matt. 5:17–18)
Jesus taught that the OT prophesied of Him (Luke 24:27)
Jesus says that Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35)
Jesus certifies the inerrancy of the soon-to-be-written NT (John 14:26; 16:13)
Jesus referred to OT events and people as factual history (Matt. 12:38–41; Luke 17:26–30)

Excerpt From...
Story, D. (1997). Defending your faith (61). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

You Are Faithful My God

My heart aches for you my God.
My soul waits for you my God.
I've come far to find you here.
In this place will I draw near.

And your Spirit soars me.
To the highest heights.
From where I'll not look back.
I'll keep trusting you.

For I know you are faithful my God.
For I know you are faithful my God.

From the land of the barren.
We will cry out for rain.
Fill our hearts God.
I'll keep trusting you.

For I know you are faithful my God.
For I know you are faithful my God.

Your Spirit inside me holds me close.
In your wonderful presence, I let go.
I cleanse my hands.
You burn my heart.
I cry out for love.
You set me apart.

And your Spirit soars me.
To the highest heights.
From where I'll not look back.
I'll keep trusting you.

For I know you are faithful my God.
For I know you are faithful my God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ-Er29je74

Right Paths

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalm 23:3b

I cannot on my own do any righteous act (Romans 3:10). I am totally depraved. My flesh constantly leans toward sin. But God will not leave me to my own devices. He wills my sanctification (Phillipians 1:6). He disciplines me because he loves me (Hebrews 13:6). There are two reasons for this:  first, he is my Father in heaven and wants good for me (Romans 8:28), but more importantly, as I am an ambassador for him, he wills my actions to be righteous so that he is glorified. So, it is guaranteed that I will be sanctified because of God's word and because of God's glory. I can rest in the fact that God will guide me in paths of righteousness. Yet if I purposefully stray, the hand of God is to be feared for he will not leave me there for long. His name is too glorious to allow that to happen.

Moody's Experience of the Holy Spirit

. . .Well, one day, in the city of New York, oh what a day, I cannot describe it, I seldom refer to it.  It is almost too sacred an experience to name.  Paul had an experience of which he never spoke (for) fourteen years.  I can only say, God revealed Himself to me and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand.  I went out preaching again, the sermons were no different and I did not present any new truths and yet hundreds were converted.  I would not be placed back where I was before that blessed experience.

Rebellion

"We cannot enter into the presence of God while we are rebelling against God." A W Tozer


Rebelling sounds purposeful, loud and obvious, but there is a rebellion which is a withholding of a part of oneself knowingly from God. This is where I struggle. This is usually not visible to the watching world. It may even seem insignificant if it were discussed with a spiritually astute friend. Yet I have found that anything withheld from God influences our experience of him. It doesn't influence our position from a salvation standpoint, but affects our communion with him. He who knows the good he ought to do, but doesn't.... sins.

Restore My Soul.

He restores my soul. Psalm 23:3a

O Lord my soul is empty. Fill it up again. Give me your Holy Spirit. The world sucks the life from me. The weight is too great. Yet your yoke is easy and your burden light. O Lord forgive my sin against you. Against you and you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Lord I pray that you would lift my head up. Give me assurance of your love. Show me your glory. My soul is restored as I see your majesty, power, holiness and love. Fill up my soul with the fullness of you.

Edward's Experience of The Holy Spirit

As I rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737, having alighted from my horse in a retired place, as my manner commonly has been to walk for divine contemplation and prayer, I had a view, that was for me extraordinary, of the glory of the Son of God as mediator between God and man and His wonderful, great, full, pure and sweet grace and love, and meek and gentle condescension.  The grace that appeared so calm and sweet appeared also great above the heavens, the person of Christ appeared ineffably excellent and an excellency great enough to swallow up all thoughts and conceptions, which continued, as near as I can judge, about an hour, which kept me a greater part of the time in a flood of tears and weeping aloud.  I felt an ardency of soul to be what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied and annihilated, to lie in the dust and to be full of Christ alone, to love Him with a holy and a pure love, to trust in Him, to live upon Him, to serve Him, and to be perfectly sanctified and made pure with a divine and heavenly purity.

Still Waters

He leads me beside still waters. Psalm 23:2

The Lord said to the storm, "Peace, be still." Then silence. This same Lord that quieted the storm in the boat with his disciples is my shepherd. He has control over the elements and all other things. There are many places he could lead me and does lead me. But, often it is to a place of rest. He provided the Sabbath for us because we are an anxious people. Peace be still he says to me. Be still and know that I am God. What can man do to me? Whom shall I fear? God is the giver of my peace.

Green Pastures

He Makes me lie down in green pastures.
Ps23:2a

My shepherd leads me into green, lush pastures. He provides for my needs, food in this case. Not only food but the "pastures" are green...ripe and good to eat. Nourishing. So, satisfied am I with his provision that I lie down because I am full. There is an excess. He provides his grace in torrents. We receive more than enough. I can lie down not only because I am satisfied with his provision but because I am safe in his presence. He protects me from all things and watches over me with a never tiring eye. The shepherd gives his flock peace.

I Shall Not Want

...I shall not want.
Ps. 23:1

I shall not want, because the Lord is my shepherd. It is the LORD's personal characteristics that secure the fact that I shall not want. To want in this case is to lack something necessary. We will never lack what we need because our shepherd is sufficient. He has infinite resources. He has sanctified himself completely for us (John 17:19). That is, his entire self has been set aside since eternity to make sure we are completely saved and sanctified to him. What will he withhold from his beloved? His affection is for ME! He is my shield, my fortress, my rock, my shepherd. Who will harm me? Who will bring accusation against me? The word "shall" points to the future. God has provided for me, is providing for me and shall provide for me. He will provide in five minutes and he shall provide forever, and ever, and ever. I shall not want. Amen

My Shepherd.

The LORD is my shepherd...
Ps. 23.1

The LORD is my shepherd, that is, the great I AM. Yahweh is the one who is my shepherd. The all knowing, eternally existent one. All powerful. He who is called "love" by John the disciple. He is the shepherd to me. A shepherd watches over his flock and cares for each individual sheep. He knows each sheep by name (John 10:3) and by the sheeps unique qualities. He has always known me. When I wander, he goes in search for me, bringing me back to the flock. When a "wolf" approaches, he protects me, sacrificing himself for my safety. He is my protector and provider. I listen to his voice and follow him. God is my shepherd. He is the good shepherd that lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).
  

Seeing God's Glory

"Beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being changed from one degree of glory to the next," Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:18. And we see the glory of the Lord, as he says five verses later, in the knowledge of the gospel of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Tools and Idols

All that we own is either a tool to be used or an idol.

Steadfast

To hold fast the word of promise, to maintain a hatred of sin, to go on steadfastly in the path of duty, in defiance both of the frowns and the smiles of the world, when we have but little comfort, is a more certain evidence of grace, than a thousand things which we may do or forbear when our spirits are warm and lively.


John Newton
January 11, 1777
Feelings vs. Spiritual Well-Being

Christ's Absences

When he is with me, all goes on pleasantly: when he withdraws, I find I can do nothing without him, I need not wonder that I find it so; for it must be so of course, if I am what I confess myself to be, a poor, helpless, sinful creature in myself. Nor need I be over-much discouraged, since the Lord has promised to help those who can do nothing without him, not those who can make a tolerable shift to help themselves. Through mercy, he does not so totally withdraw, as to leave me without any power or will to cry for his return. I hope he maintains in me at all times a desire of his presence; yet it becomes me to wait for him with patience, and to live upon his faithfulness, when I can feel nothing but evil in myself.

John Newton

May 4, 1773

Christ's Absences--Spiritual Experiences

Our Utmost

Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest--our best for His glory?                                --Oswald Chambers

Consider that my failures to endure; my failures in sin; rob God of glory that is rightfully His.  What I mean by this is that worship of God is less in me and others when I do not give my utmost for Him. He is not less glorious, but less worship and less glory are attributed to Him by the watching world. Can I give less than my best for Him?

Opposition

John Owen Quote:

"'There is no duty we perform for God that sin does
not oppose.  And the more spirituality or holiness
there is in what we do, the greater is its enmity to
it.  Thus, those who seek the most for God experience
the strongest opposition.'"

But If From There You Seek....

God is omnipresent and his word says he will never leave us or forsake us. His promises to us are never in doubt. Yet in the life of a Christian there are periods of exquisite closeness with the Lord and times of dryness where there seems to be a merciless distance. Why is this? Obviously, only God knows his reasons for the ebb and flow of the presence of God in our lives. Certainly, sin drives a wedge between us. But one wonders whether the nature of faith itself requires periods of distance to be tested and approved. To draw near to God we must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Heb 11:6). If he was ever constantly experientially present, faith would be unnecessary. So, there seems to be something to the idea of seeking him. God wants us to seek him. Seeking him is only necessary if there is a perception of distance between us and him. Those who love God seek him because they see his glory and experience his presence and long to have more. But it is easy to drift into the world, our worries and cares, our "false gods." The Lord is gracious and says that if from there we seek him, we will find him if we look with all our heart (Deut 4:29). We are called by God to consistently, continually seek him. So, how practically do we do this? " Both the Old and New Testaments say it (continual seeking of God) is a “setting of the mind and heart” on God" (Piper, see below reference). We are to by an act of the will focus our minds, thoughts and affections of the Almighty (Col 3:1,2; 1 Chron 22:19). Thoughts can arise out of nowhere. Choosing to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor 10:5) and purposing to meditate on the Lord and not worthless things takes some work. Mainly mental focus and a willful choice. Piper goes on to say that we must seek God to experience him: "Nevertheless, there is always something through which or around which we must go to meet him consciously. This going through or around is what seeking is. He is often hidden. Veiled." There are roadblocks everywhere to our seeking and finding God. These obstacles may be "good things" from a worldly perspective.  They can be disguised as even ministry.  We must ruthlessly flee these spiritually dulling obstacles (also Piper's words).  Accepting things that draw us away from God is not acceptable. God promises if we seek him we will find him. He is the reward above all rewards and infinitely valuable, satisfying and joy producing.  Why do I constantly accept less?

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2009/4163_What_Does_It_Mean_to_Seek_the_Lord/

The Centrality of the Gospel

Excerpts from Tim Keller's The Centrality of the Gospel


The Christian life is a process of renewing every dimension of our life by thinking, hoping, and living out the "line" or ramifications of the gospel. The gospel is to be applied to every area of thinking, feeling, relating, working and behaving.

The main problem in the Christian life is that we have not thought out the deep implications of the gospel, we have not "used" the gospel in all parts of our life.

The key to continual and deeper spiritual renewal and revival is the continual re-discovery of the gospel.

The Glory of God

Thoughts for me to ponder regarding the glory of God from John Piper on The Centrality of the Glory of God here.


--The glory of God is the infinite worth of God made manifest.
--God's glory is the out-streaming of his infinite value.
--God is glorious because he is the perfect unity of his beauty, greatness and all of the totality of his manifold and glorious perfections. 
--The glory of God is the beauty and the greatness that exists without origin, without comparison, without analogy, without being judged or assessed by any external criterion. It is the all-defining absolute original of greatness and beauty. All created greatness and beauty comes from it, and points to it, but does not comprehensively or adequately reproduce it.
--We were made to find our deepest pleasure in admiring what is infinitely admirable, that is, the glory of God.
--Inconsolable human longing is the evidence that we were made for God's glory.
--The glory of God is the goal of all things (1 Cor 10:31, Isa 43:6-7).
--Seeing the glory of God is our ultimate hope (Rom 5:2, Jude 24, Rom 9:23, 1 Thes 2:12,Tit 2:13).
--Jesus is the ultimate revelation of the glory God (Heb 1:3, John 17:24).
--Sharing in the glory of God is our hope (1 Peter 5:1, Rom 8:21, 1 Cor 2:7, 2 Cor 4:17, Rom 8:30).

O How He Loves Us

He is jealous for me.
Loves like a hurricane.
I am a tree.
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and  mercy.

When all of  a sudden I am unaware
Of these afflictions eclipsed by glory.
And I realize just how beautiful you are,
And how great your affection is for me.

O how he loves us so.
O how he loves us.
How he loves us so.

We are his portion,
And he is our prize.
Drawn to redemption by the grace in his eyes.
If his grace is an ocean,
We're all sinking.

Heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest.
I don't have the time to maintain these regrets.
When I think about.....the way.....

He loves us...
O how he loves us.
O how he loves......

David Crowder Band
How He Loves Us

Edwards On God's Glory

So God glorifies himself towards the creatures also two ways: (1) by appearing to them, being manifested to their understandings; (2) in communicating himself to their hearts, and in their rejoicing and delighting in, and enjoying the manifestations which he makes of himself. They both of them may be called his glory in the more extensive sense of the word, viz. his shining forth, or the going forth of his excellency, beauty and essential glory ad extra. By one way it goes forth towards their understandings; by the other it goes forth towards their wills or hearts. God is glorified not only by his glory's being seen, but by its being rejoiced in, when those that see it delight in it: God is more glorified than if they only see it; his glory is then received by the whole soul, both by the understanding and by the heart. God made the world that he might communicate, and the creature receive, his glory, but that it might [be] received both by the mind and heart. He that testifies his having an idea of God's glory don't glorify God so much as he that testifies also his approbation of it and his delight in it. Both these ways of God's glorifying himself come from the same cause, viz. the overflowing of God's internal glory, or an inclination in God to cause his internal glory to flow out ad extra. What God has in view in neither of them, neither in his manifesting his glory to the understanding nor communication to the heart, is not that he may receive, but that he [may] go forth: the main end of his shining forth is not that he may have his rays reflected back to himself, but that the rays may go forth.

Jonathan Edwards [1722], The "Miscellanies": (Entry Nos. a-z, aa-zz, 1-500) (WJE Online Vol. 13) , Ed. Harry S. Stout [word count] [jec-wjeo13].

What Is The Gospel?

Notes from What Is The Gospel? By Tim Keller

http://sermons.redeemer.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=18160&ParentCat=6

A Worldview

Gospel means good news. So what is the gospel? The gospel is a worldview. It is a grid through which we view all other things in life. It is not something that we believe once for all time to "get into Christianity" and move on in our lives trying our best to be morally right in our actions. It is not a moralistic worldview; one that believes we gain favor with God by our good actions and lose favor by our failures. This is the worldview of the elder brother in Luke 15 who does "what is right" but looks down on his younger brother who repents and turns from his tremendous sin. This is the worldview of the Pharisees of Jesus time who compared themselves to others with less tarnished lives thinking themselves superior. The gospel has a fullness of meaning which can only be described by breaking it down into it's parts or aspects and understood by combining those aspects into a worldview. Each aspect of the gospel describes part of the truth but gives only a part. Christian churches themselves can fail because they stress one aspect of the gospel without acknowledging the other aspects. There are three main aspects of the gospel.

I. Historical/Doctrinal Aspect

The gospel is news about what Jesus has done not primarily advice on how to live. It is good news, not good advice (primarily). Good news salvation is that we are saved by what Jesus has done. Good advice salvation is that we are saved by following the teaching that is given to you. The truth is that God came down and inserted himself physically into the world in history in order to live a perfect life, die a sacrificial atoning death and rise in victory in the body. We are saved by what he has done, not what we do. It is dependent on the fact that Christ lived, died and rose in history for our sins. It is not primarily advice on how to live, although it does teach us this, but the declaration of what God has done. Why because you are saved by grace.

Nutshell: Jesus lived the life I should have lived and died the death that I should have died (as my substitute), so that God can receive me not for my record and my sake, but for Jesus' record and for Jesus' sake.

II. Identity Aspect

The gospel is a status we receive now not just primarily a reward we will receive later. The gospel establishes our status now as sons and daughters of the Father in heaven. Righteously seen by God because Christ's righteousness is credited to us and our sin is laid on Jesus at the cross and paid for (2 Corinthians 5:21). We are dearly loved by God for the sake of Christ. Our salvation is not dependent on maintaining sinlessness after conversion as if we are being given a second chance, but on God's love for Jesus and us because of what Jesus has done. We therefore are assured of our salvation because we are the children of God now and our persistence as children is not dependent in any way on our actions after we believe. We do right things because we love God not because we need to to maintain our position with God. Why because we are saved by grace?

Nutshell: You are more wicked and flawed than you ever dared believe but you are more loved and accepted than you ever dared hope at the same time. Simultaneously both just and sinful.

III. Kingdom Aspect

The gospel is a complete reversal of values in our daily lives leading to an establishment of the kingdom of God in part here on earth to be perfected in eternity. It is not just a new strength to live the life you had before faith according to the world's system and values. The gospel is received by admitting our spiritual bankruptcy not by what good we bring. It is only when we give up the right to determine our own life that we get the power of God. Jesus, the King of kings, came to earth as a baby in a manger. The gospel is received, achieved and reunites in ways that are in reverse of what you would expect. The first shall be last. Those who serve shall be greatest. God loves to work through the weak, the marginal, and poor.

Nutshell: The way up is down, the way to real power is to give up coercive power and serve others, the way into God is to go to the margins in repentance and faith.

The Core of the Gospel

The thread that runs through the three aspects and ties them together is that we are saved by grace. All three are necessary to understand the gospel and apply it to our lives and the glue is God's grace.

Meditation

What is the reason there is so much preaching and so little practice? For want of meditation.... Constant thoughts are operative, and musing makes the fire burn. Green wood is not kindled by a flash or spark, but by constant blowing.
—Thomas Manton

Proof

“The proof that Christ came into the world should be that His followers are holy! Let their character be blameless and harmless, their conduct so devoted and so full of self-sacrifice that it shall be a constant memorial of that Redeemer whose name they profess.”

Charles Spurgeon

Work

Does God want us to be successful in our occupations? Should business success be one of our goals? What is success and does it look differently to the christian versus the secular person? I submit that Christ calls us to discipleship. This is all consuming. A leader in the church of Jesus Christ is a follower of Him. The cost of discipleship is forsaking all things, hating those around us in comparison to Him and being willing to die for Him (Luke 14:26-33). He is the provider of all that we have here and in eternity. He is the protector of our reputation and the giver of our earthly positions. He sets up kings and tears them down. We are called to work at everything as if working for the Lord and not for men (Col 3:23). That means every activity, every thought, and every moment is to be His...set apart to Him and sacred. We are to do our best ...not to achieve or gain material wealth or prestige but because he calls us to do our best. Success is obedience to God. Obedience to God and discipleship may lead us to a life with riches and tremendous influence and earthly responsibility or it may lead us to the life of a pauper who labors in obscurity. Both are successful based on the scriptures.

The Converted Ones

An Essential Mark of a Sound Conversion
by Joseph Alleine

We turn from our own RIGHTEOUSNESS. Before conversion, man seeks to cover himself with his own fig-leaves, and to make himself acceptable with God, by his own duties. He is apt to trust in himself, and set up his own righteousness, and to reckon his pennies for gold, and not to submit to the righteousness of God. But conversion changes his mind; now he counts his own righteousness as filthy rags. He casts it off, as a man would the verminous tatters of a nasty beggar. Now he is brought to poverty of spirit, complains of and condemns himself; and all his inventory is, 'I am poor, and miserable, and wretched, and blind, and naked!' [Rev 3:17]. He sees a world of iniquity in his holy things, and calls his once-idolized righteousness but filth and loss; and would not for a thousand worlds be found in it!
Now he begins to set a high price upon Christ's righteousness. He sees the need of Christ in every duty, to justify his person and sanctify his performances; he cannot live without Him; he cannot pray without Him. Christ must go with him, or else he cannot come into the presence of God; he leans upon Christ, and so bows himself in the house of his God. He sets himself down for a lost undone man without Him; his life is hid in Christ, as the root of a tree spreads in the earth for stability and nourishment. Before, the gospel of Christ was a stale and tasteless thing; but now—how sweet is Christ! Augustine could not relish his once-admired Cicero, because he could not find in his writings the name of Christ. How emphatically he cries, 'O most sweet, most loving, most kind, most dear, most precious, most desired, most lovely, most fair!' all in a breath, when he speaks of and to Christ. In a word, the voice of the convert is, with the martyr, 'None but Christ!'

Excerpt from Alarm to the Unconverted by Joseph Alleine, 1671

From Monergism site post here: http://www.monergism.com/alleineconversion.html

The Ethiopian Eunuch

Last night I was reading in Acts about the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40) and was overwhelmed with a recognition of the love of God for those who want to know him. The eunuch was the treasurer of the queen of Ethiopa, and he had gone up to Jerusalem to worship God. On the road back home, the Spirit directed Phillip to go first on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza and then up to the chariot where the eunuch was reading the book of Isaiah. Phillip climbed into the chariot and explained the gospel to the seeking Ethiopian who then requested to be baptized. Notice the eunuch left his home to worship. He was willing to sacrifice his time and comfort to meet the living God. Notice the eunuch studied the scriptures seeking to know the Almighty. It was not a token acknowledgment of the existence of God but a planned, dedicated seeking of Him. Most meaningful to me, notice God's great love for this man who sought him. God caused the needed events occur for the seeking man to be reconciled to Him by faith. He proactively sought and secured the Ethiopian's salvation. O how he loves us!

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and all your soul. (Deut 4:29).

Mighty Warrior?

Gideon was the first of Israel's judges. He was the least of his family from the weakest clan of the line of Manasseh, the son of Joash the Azeirite. The Midianites had been opressing the Israelites to the point where Gideon was threshing wheat in a wine press to get food in hiding from his enemies. Just then the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, "the Lord is with you, mighty warrior." Gideon questions the Angel about the Lord's presence in light of Israel's oppression, and the LORD says, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” And then, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.” Judges 6:1-14

Observations:
1) God sees not only who Gideon is but who he will be. He does not address him as an oppressed young man in a weak clan and family but as a mighty warrior. In the same way, he sees us as we will be, as we are meant to be. He sees us as his adopted sons and daughters, righteous before him in Christ.
2) God uses the weak to do great things. Gideon's position before his time of leadership makes his success all the more glorifying to God. Therefore, our weakness and failures are never reasons to believe God will not do great things through us. On the contrary, our weakness increases the potential for God to use us...for where we are weak, he is strong (2 Cor 12:9).
3) God is the power and cause behind Gideon's (and Israels') success against the Midianites. We should always look to the Almighty God as the source of all things whether material, positional, or spiritual. He deserves all the glory.
4) The Angel of the Lord appears in bodily form and is called the LORD suggesting this is a preincarnate appearance of Jesus.
5) God saves the Israelites when they cry out to him in their oppression after sinning against him for a period of time. God says if we seek him from a place of sin, we will find him if we search for him (Deut 4:29). Although he is sovereign over all and can do whatever he wills, he allows man to seek whom and what he wishes.

Is God calling you to something great?

Redeeming The Time

Place a high value upon your time, be more careful of not losing it than you would of losing your money. Do not let worthless recreations, television, idle talk, unprofitable company, or sleep rob you of your precious time.

Be more careful to escape that person, action or course of life that would rob you of your time than you would be to escape thieves and robbers.

Make sure that you are not merely never idle, but rather that you are using your time in the most profitable way that you can and do not prefer a less profitable way before one of greater profit.

From How to Spend the Day With God

adapted and updated from Richard Baxter (1615-1691) by Mathew Vogan

link http://www.puritansermons.com/baxter/baxter5.htm

Practicing The Presence Of God

Reading Practicing The Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. It is a good reminder of what my life should be like. The book speaks of a 15th century christian who lives in a monastery as a cook. It is the true story of a man who gave every moment to Christ. Some "take aways" for me have been:

1. Communion with God for the believer can be experienced on a moment by moment basis by focusing one's mind and heart (Col 3:1,2) on Him constantly (with the help of the Holy Spirit). This is in a sense an ongoing conversation with our everpresent Lord.
2. Immediate obedience and repentence is stressed in this book. Failures are confessed, repented of and then forgotten.
3. Even mundane activities can be done for God's glory if done with this intent. (In Brother Lawerence's situation it was kitchen work).
4. Joy is not based on circumstances but on the "possession" of God in our lives. The more he is present, the more we will be joyful.
5. Communion with God does not happen passively. Of course, God can do anything, but generally our effort is required in seeking Him.

Take home message to myself:
-Seek to spend each moment in communion and dialogue with God.
-Do all for the love of God.
-Do not dwell on failure. I am forgiven.
-Prayer should be constant.

The Pretender

I have struggled a lot the last two weeks for many reasons. I awoke yesterday and got ready to pray. As I was brushing my teeth, out of the blue, the lyrics at the end of a song from my adolescent years broke into my mind. They have sat there for the last 48 hours....O that they would not be true of me....nor of you.

"Are you there...?
Say a prayer for the pretender
Who started out so young and strong
Only to surrender...."

Jackson Browne

Heirs

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:16-17

Can you believe this? It seems inconceivable that the above verses are true! But, they are God's word, and it is impossible for him to lie. Rub your eyes and gaze at these words. Drink in their meaning. Meditate on what kind of glorious creator, full of love would give this to us?!

Observations:
1) Believers are adopted sons/daughters of God. We are in his family, and he looks upon us with love and wants good for us. When we fail, he doesn't crush us. He teaches us and disciplines us in love. When we are obedient he rejoices in us and with us. We rejoice in him and thereby bring him glory.
2) Believers are heirs of God. God cannot die, but we will receive Him. He shall be ours. We shall see him, enjoy him, commune with him and eternally learn and be amazed by him.
3) Believers are co-heirs with Christ. We shall receive what he receives. We will reign with him (2 Tim 2:12). We shall be honored and glorified (2 Cor 4:17, 2 Cor 3:18, Rom 8:21, Rom 8:30). (I feel uneasy typing this but it is the word of God).
4) This inheritance is fulfilled in the future (1 Pe 1:4, 2 Cor 4:17, Rom 8:21).
5) Life now includes patient endurance and suffering (Rom 8:18, Jn 16:33). This suffering comes from three places:
1. Persecution for being a christian (2 Tim 3:12)
2. Suffering in mortifying the sin within us by the power of the Spirit (Romans 8:13, Heb 12:7)
3. Suffering in relation to creations subjection to "death" because of Adams sin (Romans 8:18-23)