“Let Us Not Cease”

Sometimes I feel my progress as a Christian has been painfully slow. There are times when I feel the only way I’d be able to measure my growth in certain areas is with a real powerful microscope. I’ve written a lot on it here and most likely will continue to do so. In an odd way, I feel that writing about it helps me and is part of the growth.

Today I read a good word on this process. I started John Calvin’s short book “Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life”. On page 19, Calvin offers up this encouragement and asks us to view the process a little more patiently:

Let us not cease to do the utmost, that we may incessantly go forward in the way of the Lord; and let us not despair because of the smallness of our accomplishment.

Though we fall short, our labor is not lost if this day surpasses the preceding one.”

The pursuit of holiness. Each day that God grants us hopefully brings us closer…

 

Just One Verse

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” - 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

This week I’ve been camped out in 2nd Chronicles and reading again through the stories of the kings. The above verse is what God spoke to Solomon after he had completed building the temple. I’ve been going over this verse quite a bit the last few days and thinking about the four commands that God has given to Solomon (and us) here:

• humble ourselves
• pray
• seek His face
• turn from our wicked ways

In going through this long parade of mostly bad kings, I think of how different things would have been for Saul if he had kept these commands. Or Ahab. Or Jeroboam. Or {insert name}…

But now though, I’ve realized that I should instead turn this focus on myself. How much different would things be for me if I started each day with these commands in mind ? Staying humble, consistent in prayer, looking to God at the first sign of trouble, and doing a 180 when confronted with sinful behavior.

Just one verse, but a lot to think about…

 

One Without The Other

“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” - Romans 7:24 (NKJV)

Pride. That old enemy resurfaces and keeps showing his face.

Last week Amy asked me to help her with something that should have taken no more than five minutes. She wanted help bringing the plants inside so they wouldn’t freeze that night. Instead I complained as I helped and basically hinted that I would have done it differently, and bought them later on in May so we wouldn’t run into this. And of course, turned something into an issue that just shouldn’t have been one. That’s me…I always know better ! And I hate myself for being that way.

I was having dinner with one of the pastors last week and explained this situation to him. I said, “Pastor, I just don’t get it. I continually think to myself, ‘Next time, I’ll be more patient and handle things differently.’ But then I wind up doing the same thing all over again.”

I then said I sometimes feel like Paul in Romans 7. “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” - Romans 7:15 (ESV). It’s at these times I feel that I can’t possibly ask God for more grace in these things, that I’ve wrung it all dry. I’ve asked and prayed about it too many times.

That’s when Pastor Jay jumped in. He said, “Joe, you can’t do that. Don’t give me Romans 7 without also giving me Romans 8. You can’t have one without the other.”

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” - Romans 8:1-2 (ESV)

I think this is another area where pride comes in for me too…that I can make myself feel better by beating myself up over how sinful I am (?). I recently came across a quote from C.J. Mahaney’s book “The Cross Centered Life” about how wrong-headed this kind of thinking is:

“Don’t buy the lie that cultivating condemnation and wallowing in your shame is somehow pleasing to God, or that a constant, low-grade guilt will somehow promote holiness and spiritual maturity.

It’s just the opposite! God is glorified when we believe with all our hearts that those who trust in Christ can never be condemned. It’s only when we receive his free gift of grace and live in the good of total forgiveness that we’re able to turn from old, sinful ways of living and walk in grace-motivated obedience.”

This is a very difficult concept for me to get a handle on. I think sometimes that if I let go of the “wallowing”, as C.J. puts it, then I’ll fall into the “I’m a good person” mentality, and everything will swing back the other way. I know that grace is there, but I feel better holding onto the awareness of how sinful I am.

But…you can’t have one without the other. I thank God that through his Word, and through brothers and sisters around me, that I’ve been reminded again of that.

 

Reflecting on Psalm 69

The Bible reading plan I’m following this year mixes in three Psalms periodically throughout the year, so you would just be reading them on 50 days of the year. I’ve found that I haven’t taken in as much from them this way, just reading three together and then moving on to the next Scripture reading in the plan. So I’m going to try to read one Psalm every morning from here on out. I think it will allow me to focus more and think more deeply about that Psalm’s message, without being put together with others in a bunch.

Anyway, on Saturday the next one up in my plan was Psalm 69. I’ve been thinking hard about verses 30-32, particularly verse 30. Here is the ESV version of these verses:

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.
When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.”

I’ve also been reading through John Calvin’s commentary on this Psalm. This is part of his commentary on verse 30:

“God is here said to be magnified by our praises; not because any addition can be made to his dignity and glory, which are infinite, but because by our praises his name is exalted among men.”

What does “I will magnify him with thanksgiving” mean to you ? How do you see that playing out in your own life today, this week, this month, etc. ?

 

A Potential Problem

And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.” - 1 Samuel 15:35 (NIV)

One of my favorite days in sports happens this weekend: the NFL Draft. The 32 NFL teams select college football players that they hope will really improve their team. For a fan, it’s a nice oasis in the middle of the very long NFL offseason, where the Super Bowl is a few months gone by and the new season is still a long ways away.

There is one word that you’ll hear this weekend from the draft commentators more than any other: potential. “Boy this guy has the potential to be a great running back.” - “He’s got the potential to be the next Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.” But many players selected in the draft don’t turn into superstars. They have all the measurable things that teams look for (size, speed, strength, etc.) but for some reason it never comes together for them. I remember a commentator asking a coach about a player’s potential once, and the coach answered back, “Potential just means you ain’t done it yet !”

So flash back about 3,000 years. Saul sure had potential, didn’t he ? In 1 Samuel 9, he’s described as an “impressive young man without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the others.” On top of that, he was anointed as Israel’s first king. But it soon became clear that, while Saul had all the “measurables”, he lacked a heart for God. Not long after, he improperly offered burnt offerings to God while waiting for Samuel. Then he disobeyed God’s command to completely destroy the Amalekites in battle, and instead spared some of them. Samuel let Saul know that God was not pleased and asked him, “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD?” (1 Sam 15:22). It didn’t take long for Saul to get off on the wrong foot. And finally, Saul became obsessed with David over what seemed to be a trivial issue - that David had killed thousands more in battle than Saul did. All of these factors and more led to Saul’s own destruction and foreshadowed a long line of disobedient and evil kings in both kingdoms. Saul appeared to have it all, but squandered it.

Saul’s life after becoming king is a clear example of how not to follow God. Disobedience and jealousy are sins that can lead to our downfall. Saul certainly had great potential. But his unfaithful response to God’s calling is unfortunately his legacy.

 

Riding The Waves

Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.” - Mark 6:51 (NIV)

Jimmy Johnson, the former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, offered some words of motivation to his team before they played the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII. His message to the team was on staying focused and how important it would be to keep distractions to a minimum while playing the game:

“I told them that if I laid a two-by-four across the room, everybody there would walk across it and not fall, because our focus would be that we were going to walk that two-by-four. But if put that same two-by-four 10 stories high between two buildings, only a few would make it, because the focus would be on falling. Focus is everything.”

Johnson’s pep talk seemed to sink in. The Cowboys beat the Bills, 52-17, to win the Super Bowl. Sorry for the reminder Pastor Bill.

For some reason, I thought about Johnson’s words yesterday after our pastor’s sermon and tracked down Johnson’s quote after Googling it. Continuing in the Gospel of Mark, our pastor preached on Mark 6:45-56 on Sunday, and the account of Jesus walking on water. A parallel account in Matthew’s Gospel goes into a bit more detail. Jesus had dismissed his disciples and gone up to the mountainside to pray. Afterwards, as the disciples were in the boat and out in the water, Jesus begins to walk towards them on the waves. After reassuring the disciples not to be afraid, Peter answers, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matt. 14:28, NIV). Jesus calls to Peter to start walking and he does. But not long after, Peter sees the wind around him, becomes afraid, and starts to sink. He then cries out, “Lord, save me !”

As He catches him, Jesus replies, “You of little faith, why did you doubt ?”

Peter’s trouble here is something that’s common for many of us. It’s an example of what happens when distractions enter our lives. We may have our hearts and minds set totally on God on Sunday, after worship and the sermon concludes. But then the realities of the work week set in. Like Peter, we begin to notice the winds around us and start to sink. By Wednesday or Thursday, the two-by-four is no longer on the ground, but 10 stories high, and we wobble across it while trying to keep fellowship with God. We can lose focus, and even worse, we can lose faith. It is at that point that we need to dig a little deeper into God’s Word, to seek out fellowship with brothers and sisters around us, and to pray that much harder. And it is exactly at those moments that we must remember the words of Our Savior, as he reassured His disciples on that boat:

“Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

 

The ESV Study Bible

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” - John 17:17 (ESV)

Although I’ve built up a nice collection of study Bibles without having to spend a boatload of money (thank you Amazon and Ebay ), there’s news today of a new study Bible that I may have to start saving for. Desiring God and the ESV Bible Blog have previews of the new ESV Study Bible. This looks like a must-have.

My only problem is the release date. October 15th ? You mean we have to wait six more months ?

 

Around The Horn - April 2008

What follows is some of the blogs and sites that I’ve found recently that I really enjoy. I’ve tried to do this kind of roundup once a month, but haven’t quite done it on schedule.

* William Petruzzo - lots of good thoughts and many book reviews on this site. Lately he’s been reading Puritan literature and commentaries, including this one on Ephesians. A good place to stop if you’re looking to add books to your reading list. Check it out !

* Hope Road - Anna has recently posted on “How To Start A Blog” and “The Discipline of Daily Devotions“. She also has a review posted on the new ESV bible, for those of you who enjoy that translation. Good stuff !

* A Heart Set On Pilgrimage - Amy writes some of the most heartfelt posts I’ve found anywhere. See this one on “Cognitive Christianity“. Bookmark this site !

Just wanted to give these sites a tip of the cap. Hope you enjoy them

 

Have Faith

“Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.” - Mark 11:23 (ESV)

The last couple of weekends, our pastors have preached through Mark 5:21-43 and 6:1-29. What I find so interesting is that these passages, placed back to back in Mark’s Gospel, each give startling contrasts of the tremendous power of faith, and also, the unfortunate lack of it as well.

Mark 5:25-34 gives the account of the unclean woman. Think about her circumstances. She has been dealing with a blood discharge for twelve years. During that time, she’s gone through many doctors, all of her money, and in addition to her physical issues, she’s regarded as an outcast where she lives. Leviticus 15 outlines the law surrounding her physical problems. So it’s probably not a stretch to say she’s reached the end of her rope. She’s desperate. But apparently she’s also connected enough to society to hear the great stories of Jesus’ healing. A glimmer of hope has appeared for her in her struggle. She figures that if she can just get close enough to touch him, it’ll be enough to get healed.

What do you think was going through her mind as she got closer to Jesus ? I wonder if she knew in advance that he would be traveling through her area that day. Can you imagine if she did ? Waking up with that kind of excitement ? “Today, finally, I have a chance to be clean. After 12 long years !” She must have been so nervous as she approached him, but probably unable to contain her excitement. You also get the sense that she wanted to touch Jesus, be healed and then fade away, not wanting to trouble him. She didn’t answer immediately when Jesus asked, “Who touched my clothes ?” And although she was afraid, he persisted in having her come forward, so that others in the crowd could see her faith. “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (5:34)

I love this story.

On the other hand, Mark 6:1-6 explains how the folks in Jesus’ hometown disregarded him and his ministry. “Is not this the carpenter ?” they asked. The jealousy and envy was all around him, right outside his home. It’s here that Jesus declares he is a “prophet without honor”. But what he thinks of them is verse 6 is devastating.

“And he marveled because of their unbelief.”

Compare the hometowners with the unclean woman. Can you get more opposite in faith ? The hometown people’s own sinful and envious ways kept them from acknowledging the Savior right in front of them. And yet the unclean woman ventured out into society, knowing she was an outcast, but with such faith that she scrambled just to lay a hand on him, to be healed and made clean.

This woman sets quite an example for us. We should scramble every day just to get closer to Him, to fellowship with Him, to live out His Word. To be healed.

Heavenly Father, I pray that you never “marvel at my unbelief”.

 

Say Anything

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” - Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV)

John MacArthur has been doing a series on Grace To You radio called “Taming The Tongue”. Since I’ve been reading through James over and over this month, I was particularly interested in what Pastor John would have to say on this topic.

One point he emphasized is how critical it is to watch what we say at all times - to build others up with our words instead of tearing down. One of the reasons he gave was that we (unfortunately) have the ability to sin by saying anything at any time, as opposed to other forms of sin, which need circumstances to be in place (theft, for example) before the sin can be committed. Because we have that ability, it’s that much more important that we are in a position to harness what words we use, as James explains. Pastor John then gave a list of the unflattering ways the tongue is described in the Bible (Proverbs for example) and added this humorous, but sobering declaration - “No wonder God put your tongue in a cage, behind your teeth, walled in by your mouth !”

Heavenly Father, please help me to choose my words carefully, and be “quick to hear, and slow to speak” (Jas 1:19).

 

Minnesota

This week I’ve been out in Minneapolis for a library conference. Minneapolis is a nice city, but it is cold out here, at least for late March. Doesn’t seem to bother the locals all that much though, as I saw some folks eating outside at one of the local restaurants the other day in low 40s temperatures. Other than the conference, I’ve gotten to see the Mall of America, and the very cool Minneapolis Public Library ,where I found some new books to add to my reading list. I also visited the Westminster Presbyterian Church and attended one of their adult education classes on Old Testament leadership.

On the down side, I was really hoping that I would get to hear John Piper preach while I was out here. Unfortunately the schedule didn’t work out, as Pastor John is out at the Don’t Waste Your Life conference in California this week. I’m hoping and praying that I will get to hear him preach in person some other time in the future. What a treat that would be.

All in all it’s been a good trip and I’d like to see more of Minnesota in warmer temperatures. For now, it’s back to balmy Connecticut.

 

“An Inconvenient Experience”

But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” - Deuteronomy 4:29 (ESV)

This week I started reading John Stott’s Basic Christianity. I’m a few chapters in and have stopped to think about the main theme of his first chapter, on seeking God. Stott explains that, “We must cast aside apathy, pride, prejudice and sin, and seek God in scorn of the consequences” (p. 18). I’ve been thinking about the “consequences” part of this quote and how true it was in my own life before I became a follower of Christ. When I would have conversations with friends and others over the years about seeking God, it was those “consequences” that played a part in holding me back. I’m sure it wasn’t “apathy”, but “pride, prejudice and sin” all played a major role for me.

In one of his sermons, James Merritt talked about those times when he presents the gospel to others and described what was the number one objection that he heard from others - “I just don’t think I can live up to the Christian life”. Dr. Merritt would then respond, “I’ve got news for you. You’re right ! You can’t !” To realize you can’t possibly live up to that perfection in this life, to disregard the consquences, and instead set your heart, mind and soul to following Christ anyway, is the greatest decision you can ever make. It certainly has been in my case.

Stott then explains that many don’t seek because they know they won’t find. In this way, they won’t have to stand face-to-face with the consequences of a radical change in life. I can see myself in that also, before becoming a Christian. What would I be giving up ? Am I ready for that ?

Here’s how Stott so beautifully puts it - “We know that to find God and to accept Jesus Christ would be a very inconvenient experience. It would involve the rethinking of our whole outlook on life and the readjustment of our whole manner of life.” (p. 1

I thank God for that rethinking and readjustment. I could not imagine life any other way now. I look forward to more from John Stott and what’s been a wonderful book so far.

 

The Same Opening

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works ?” - James 2:14 (ESV)

I’m not sure there’s another book in the Bible that causes us to look at the fruits of our faith like James. My plan this month has been to try to read through James every day, as I’ve done with other short NT books in January and February. Going through James this way has caused me to examine what my faith looks like on the outside, both to those who know me well and those who don’t.

Here’s an example: I remember a while back a co-worker asked me to recommend a computer to buy for home. I didn’t know this co-worker all that well, but spent quite a bit of time on a bunch of sites researching possible options. I sent an email to the co-worker all of the options I found and off they went. So I did my best to go above and beyond for someone I barely knew. But I think it was that same night I came home and my wife began to ask me a few computer questions. And I started to think to myself, with typical impatience, “Honey, I just don’t have time for this right now.“

Can someone explain that to me ? Why do we at times treat those we love the most in such a careless way ? How does a helpful spirit turn impatient so quickly ? Or as James puts it, “Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water ?” What good is all of my inward faith if it doesn’t produce a humble spirit that’s ready to serve others, and particularly those I love the most ?

Jesus, please help me to demonstrate my faith from the inside out.

 

You Want It, You Got It

Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” - 1 Samuel 8:9 (ESV)

Chris over at Awaken Me recently posted his observations on the long line of kings in the Bible from Saul on down. I’m right around that point now in my reading of the Old Testament and have just finished 2 Samuel. As we read in 1 Samuel, Samuel’s sons, Joel and Abijah “did not walk in his ways” (v.3) so they were probably not likely candidates to succeed their father as ruler or “judge” over Israel. The elders of Israel and the people themselves picked up on this and wanted someone else to rule over them, as Samuel was an elderly man at this time. But there was probably a bigger reason at work here. The Israelites wanted to be like their neighboring nations and seemed envious of the rulers these nations had. The elders and Israelite people confirmed this by demanding to Samuel, “Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” (1 Sam 8:5, ESV).

I think “like all the nations” is the key phrase there. The Israelites’ demand of a king had two fatal errors. One was their belief that the “grass is always greener on the other side”. They assumed that they would be ruled and judged fairly by a king. Samuel then warned them extensively about what they would be in for under a king’s rule (v. 10-18). But you could just picture the Israelites with their arms crossed and shaking their heads as Samuel spoke. They ignored his warnings and pleaded again for a king after the elders had also made their request.

I think the other fatal error is a lack of faith. As Jesus tells Thomas in John 20:29, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (ESV). The Israelites seemed to want someone they could physically see, which was basically a continuation of their complaints when they were first brought out of Egypt. After the Exodus, they quickly forgot the hardship they were under there, (maybe because they couldn’t see God ?), complained constantly to Moses, and were afraid of the unknown as God’s chosen people. In a sense, Samuel’s warnings were basically a retelling of the oppression they were under in Egypt. But they ignored him and Saul was eventually chosen as their first king.

Samuel was rightfully upset at this, but God assured him that it was not Samuel that the people had rejected, but God Himself. He seemed to be telling the Israelites, “OK, you want it, you got it.” To be fair, there were a handful of good kings, even after the kingdom divided between Israel and Judah. But the kingship of Saul, and the many evil kings that came after him, were key factors in the Israelites’ slow descent toward the exile hundreds of years later.

The lessons I take from the Israelites’ demand for a kingship are that sometimes the grass isn’t greener. And a lack of faith can have grave consequences. We must be careful what we wish for.

 

The Storms of Life

Well, I left my soul out in the rain,
Lord, what a price I’ve had to pay.
The storms of life are washin’ me away.” - Randy Travis

Currently our church is doing a series on the gospel of Mark. Our pastor is basically taking us through Mark verse by verse - the series started in January and ends in August. Last week he preached on the last seven verses of chapter 4, where Jesus calms the storm.

One point that our pastor made really struck me and is something I’ve thought about often since becoming a Christian. When I’ve struggled with sin or something else that I’ve been dealing with for years, there’s a part of me that thinks, “Hey wait a minute. This isn’t right. I’m a Christian and I shouldn’t have to deal with this anymore.” He tried to make it clear to all of us that we’re not exempt from the storms of life as Christians. “We seem to reason that, if God is in this, then this ‘bad’ would not be happening right now,” said our pastor. The thing is that, I’m not sure that I think of it that way. I
know God is in all of this. I just look inward and wonder what I’ve done to bring on this storm and why I’m failing at that moment.

The storms of life are not washing us away. They are brought about so that when God brings us through them, His Glory is put on display. There may be times when we become like the disciples in the boat and ask, as in Mark 4:38 (NIV), “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown ?”. Our pastor gently reminded us last Sunday that the answer to that question can be found in Romans 5:8 (ESV):

“But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

Reading through James

Yesterday I began reading the book of James, which I plan on doing each day throughout the month of March, in addition to my Old Testament reading. I was thinking of a short book to go through this month, and started with Philippians and Colossians before settling on James. James is such a practical book. I’m going to try to post my questions and observations from this book as I repeatedly go through it.

James reminds us early on (ch.1, v. 3 and 4) that we should be glad when faced with trials throughout our daily lives as Christians as it produces “steadfastness”. I suppose these trials could mean the questioning of our faith by friends, co-workers, family members and others. Or it could mean those daily trials that Satan puts us through (and the way he works through others as well).

This reminded me of what’s found in 1 Peter and how Peter discusses the necessity of these trials “…so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7, ESV).

As James suggests, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God…” (v. 5). The wisdom that is found in God’s Word, and returning to it each day, provides us the ability to be steadfast to deal with these trials.

What does “steadfastness” mean to you in your daily life ?

 

Blessings For Today - 3/7/08

Daily Blessings is posting things she is thankful for every Friday and encouraging her readers to do the same. As she puts it, “We can all find reasons to highlight the negative as it happens every day, but God gives us so much to be thankful for if we only look for it.” She asked if I’d post mine, so here’s just a few I’ve been thinking about lately.

* Most importantly, as Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (1:3, ESV)

* After reading John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life, I have a deeper gratitude for just the ability to get up and work every day. As Pastor John puts it, “One way to enjoy God’s presence and fellowship is through thankful awareness that your ability to do any work at all, including this work, is owing to his grace.”

* I’ve been blessed to “meet” some wonderful people online over the last few months. It’s amazing the ways that God puts others in our path to encourage us in our journey, even if we’re separated by many miles. A particular note of thanks to my blogger friends Amy, Micey, and Michele. Thank you sisters !

* And on a side note, I’m also thankful that my wife is patient with my attempts at cooking. We both love seafood and I tried to surprise her with a fish dinner last weekend (mahi mahi). I made a sauce with it that I found at a cooking site online. When Amy took a bite of it, she scrunched her face and said it “tasted like tobacco”. She was right. Oh well…maybe I’ll just stick with old reliable lemon, garlic and olive oil for the next fish dinner By the way, after eight months I’ve finally gotten around to scanning some of our wedding photos and putting them up online. You can see them by clicking here or on the link to the right under “Photos”.

That’s my very abbreviated list of blessings for today

 

No Place For Truth

“For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world–to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” - John 18:38-39 (ESV)

I was listening to a recent series by Ravi Zacharias on the absence of truth in today’s society — what’s good for one may not be good for another. After all, it’s all relative. And traveling throughout the world and speaking at many college campuses and universities, Dr. Zacharias feels that many pride themselves on the fact that after much studying, we can’t really be sure of anything. He then related this amusing, but sad, story:

“Most of my time is spent dialogging with those that are hostile to the gospel. So we get to the best of these arenas and I hear the most startling of comments.

Earlier on this year I was at the University of Florida at Gainesville. Do you know what the opening student actually said ? He actually stood up and said he did not even know if he existed ! He couldn’t be too sure. I asked him if he could be sure that I existed. “No” came the answer.

How do you deny your own existence ?“

I’ve been thinking about this topic lately, and how there seems to be so little regard for truth these days. I’ve also been wondering if, as Dr. Zacharias explains in regard to college campuses, perhaps the reason that many come to the conclusion that they can’t really be sure of anything is that they’ve come face-to-face with the truth and just don’t want to believe it. Probably just doesn’t line up with their own version of it.

Disregarding truth is also helpful when you need to explain away sinful behavior. I saw a woman on TV a few weeks ago who said that if you’re married, and then fall in love with someone else and end the marriage, that’s not really wrong. She probably shrugs her shoulders, as Pilate did, and thinks “What is truth ?”

As believers though, we can be certain of truth. We can open our Bibles every day and let it pour into us. And praise God for that !

 

A Concert of Prayer

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

At the end of January, our church held a Concert of Prayer. I wasn’t able to attend, but the following Sunday our pastor remarked, to the 300 or so in attendance at the service, that about 30 or 40 people had attended the Concert of Prayer the previous Thursday and that it was a wonderful event.

“I guess the rest of you didn’t need to pray ?” he asked.

That question stuck with me the whole month of February. The church scheduled another event this past Thursday and this time I made sure I was there. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. There were a few songs at the beginning, then a brief message from our pastor. At that point, we broke into pairs and prayed for each other’s needs. Then we got into groups of about four or five and prayed for the church, the surrounding region, and then world leaders and missionaries. The event closed with a few more songs of praise.

What a blessing it was to pray with others this way ! As I’ve mentioned several times here, I have really struggled with prayer as a new Christian. But being able to pray with and for others, instead of just my own concerns for a change, was so important. It was great to hear what was on other people’s hearts and to be able to join with them in bringing our requests to God. And it was also nice to meet a few new friends and bond with them in this way.

 

Monday, Monday

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…” - Colossians 3:23 (ESV)

Another workweek begins today. Yep, another Monday. Those weekends go by fast, don’t they ? Sometimes starting another five-day workweek looks a little overwhelming. Another long commute, feeling overwhelmed at the office, possibly hope for a better job elsewhere. Unless you’re in your perfect job now, it can be tempting to discount today and keep looking forward to something better in your career. However, as James reminds us, “…yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.” (Jas 4:14, ESV).

I’d like to think I have a good attitude towards my work situation…or at least I hope I do. I realize that doing computer tech support isn’t helping to save lives, but it has provided my wife and I the opportunity to own our own place, pay for health insurance and graduate coursework, and to travel, among other things. But here’s a question. Am I fully aware that just being able to work and do these things everyday is a real blessing ?

I’m currently reading John Piper’s book “Don’t Waste Your Life” and am now at Chapter 8. Pastor John calls this chapter “Making Much of Christ from 8 to 5″. He suggests that maybe a greater spirit of gratitude on our part can help us better appreciate the work that God has called us to do at this time in our lives.

“One way to enjoy God’s presence and fellowship is through thankful awareness that your ability to do any work at all, including this work, is owing to his grace…All your faculties of sight and hearing and touch, all your motor skills with hands and legs, all your mental acts of observing and organizing and assessing, all your skills that make you good at this particular job — all these things are God’s gifts.” (p. 136-137)

As usual, Pastor John makes you sit up straight when you read his books or hear him preach. Our ability to do “any work at all, including this work, is owing to his grace.” Amen to that. Thank you Pastor John for this great reminder.

 

Stories of Inspiration

“Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love…” - Hosea 10:12 (NIV)

My dear friends Bill and Cherie have just returned from a five-day trip to Guatemala. Please take some time and read about the wonderful work God is doing through them. You can read all about their trip here.

 

Asking The Wrong Questions

‘Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?’ they asked. ‘Hasn’t he also spoken through us?’ And the LORD heard this.” - Numbers 12:2 (NIV)

Ah, poor Moses. There are very few characters in the Old Testament that I sympathize with more than him. In Numbers 11, he has heard more grumbling from the Israelites and complaints of how they have “lost their appetite” from eating manna. God became angry with them and struck them with a plague for wanting a change in their diet. At that point, Moses might have figured he could at least count on his family for support and to keep their complaints to themselves. But as we can see from their questions in the verse above, his own brother and sister failed him.

Miriam helped save Moses’ life while he was a baby, after their mother placed him in a basket in the Nile to protect him from Pharaoh. Aaron was called by God to help when Moses was afraid to speak to the Israelites and lead them out of slavery and to confront Pharaoh. Miriam and Aaron each had gifts of their own from God. But to them, it wasn’t enough. They instead took a “woe is me” approach and were punished for it. Miriam was then struck with a skin disease, Aaron asked for Moses’ forgiveness, and Moses pleaded with God to heal her, which He did. But Miriam first had to remain outside the camp for seven days. I wonder what she thought about while she was confined, of how foolish she was.

Miriam and Aaron are a reminder that sometimes we can ask the wrong questions. Instead of wondering why someone appears to have a greater blessing than us and asking God why this is, we should turn the questions inward. In what ways has God blessed me ? And more importantly, what ways can I use that blessing to His Glory ?

 

The Third Book

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” - Leviticus 17:11 (ESV)

This is quite an understatement, but reading through the Bible for the first time last year was a life-changing experience for me. To really hear the voice of God for the first time in my life is not something I can describe easily. I remember those first couple of weeks and how I simply could not get enough of God’s Word (and still can’t !). The stories of creation, the patriarchs, the flood, and on and on…I was overcome by the messages that God was giving me as I was reading through Genesis and Exodus.

And then I got to Leviticus.

I can remember thinking to myself, “OK, I think I’ve missed something…” Why couldn’t I understand the meaning behind the burnt offering, the sin offering, the grain offering ? What’s God trying to tell me here ? All of these meticulous laws and regulations that were so detailed, I just couldn’t get my head around it. I finally came to the conclusion that God’s message in Leviticus is that there is a proper way to worship Him that we all need to understand and follow. But was that it ? I mean, this is God’s Word. It’s not a book to just “get through” and then move on to Numbers. What was I missing ?

As I was about to start Leviticus this time around, I decided that God didn’t want me to do what I did last year, and just read this difficult book and move on. Then somehow I came across a review for a book that came out just last year. It’s called “The Beauty of Holiness” by Philip H. Eveson. The subtitle of it is “The Book of Leviticus Simply Explained”. I read a sample chapter online and ordered it that day from Amazon. I’m now about halfway through it, and Mr. Eveson has helped me to understand what I was missing the first time around. Here’s an example:

“The things that happened to Israel in God’s providence are symbolic pointers to the wonderful salvation we have begun to enjoy in Christ.” (p. 15)

It’s this major theme that I couldn’t put together until now. God is calling us to a life of holiness. The animal sacrifices offered at that time were an effort to cleanse from the impurity of sin. But the blood that was shed then has been surpassed now by the blood of Christ. Only His blood can purify us !

Mr. Eveson has many gems throughout his book that I hope to share as I continue reading. A great aspect of his teaching in this book is that he continually points to a New Testament equivalent for many of these offerings and sacrifices. I’m now starting to have a much greater appreciation for the message of Leviticus. Thank you God for helping me to grow in this way and closer to you each day !

 

“The Spirits In Prison”

About a month ago, I mentioned that my plan for reading the Bible this year was to read through the Old Testament chronologically and then try to go through a short book every day for a month (as suggested by John Macarthur in his study Bible). In January, I read through 1 John nearly every day and John Macarthur is right- it really helps you to understand the message when you review it like that so often. For February, a friend and I decided we’re going to read through 1 Peter every day (or just about every day) and then compare notes. We met up a couple of weeks ago and talked a little about 1 Peter and were discussing one passage in particular. I have seen this passage referenced in regards to this line in the Apostles’ Creed: “He descended into hell”.

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison…” - 1 Peter 3:18-19 (NIV)

Who exactly were these spirits ? I’ve seen several different commentaries and interpretations on this, but am not sure which is correct (if we can know for sure).

What’s your interpretation of this passage from 1 Peter ?

 

Around The Horn - February 2008

I have quite a few blogs in my RSS reader that I like to follow. Some are just news or sports sites, others are for school. But here are some of those that I look to first, ones that I get excited about when the RSS reader lets me know they’ve written something new. I’ve mentioned some of them before, but it’s time to give them all another tip of the cap.

1) Beyond Words - Kathy has been writing about “How the Church is Training Consumers instead of Disciples.” Unfortunately, I see some of that in myself as I’m still on my own search to find a church home. Check out her post on it here.

2) Thoughts and Confessions of A Girl who Loves Jesus - Micey has been writing about her life story and what finally brought her to Christ a couple of years ago. Set aside some time to read through it…remarkable story !

3) Awaken Me - Chris discusses why church is not just a physical place - “What I don’t understand is when you fully believe church is the physical place and have almost no connection with anyone there.” Read more of Chris’ recent post on this here.

4) I’m a Teacup, NOT a Sledgehammer - My friend Michele gives a wonderful example of God’s faithfulness. You can read it here and then stay and check out the rest of her site for more great resources.

5) Amy Letinsky - One of my favorite bloggers, Amy hilariously describes her attempts to get more info for her upcoming vacation. Read all about “Dear Quambolo” here.

Have a great weekend

 

Am I Bringing Enough ?

So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work and said to Moses, ‘The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.’ ” - Exodus 36:4-5 (NIV)

Continuing along in the book of Exodus today during lunchtime, I stopped at the above verses. The tabernacle is now being built, after God has appointed Bezalel and Oholiab to do a lot of the skilled work here (engraving, cutting stones, embroidery, etc.). And now the Israelites are bringing their offerings to help in the construction. And they bring more offerings…and more offerings. Finally, Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other craftsmen basically tell Moses, “That’s it…we’ve got all we need !” Moses sent the word out to the people that their offerings could stop. There was enough material now to do the job and build the tabernacle.

What’s interesting is the note that these were “…freewill offerings every morning” (36:3, ESV). That verse made me stop and think. What am I giving freely to God each day ? Am I giving my time to those who need it ? Am I listening enough when I need to ? Am I giving my best at work ? Do I prayerfully study His Word each day the way I should, without just reading quickly through the passages in my reading plan ?

What are my “freewill offerings” ? Am I bringing enough ?

 

Another Set of Eyes

Moses’ father-in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good.’ ” - Exodus 18:17 (NIV)

During the week, I work in an IT department doing desktop computer support. Sometimes the problems that come up are fairly simple…a printer is jammed or someone’s having trouble with email, and the issue is taken care of pretty quickly. Other times, it’s a different story. I’ll work on a computer for hours trying to figure out what the exact problem is. And I think I’ve tried everything. Still no luck. That’s when I finally stop and ask a co-worker in the department to take a look.

“Joe, have you tried this ?”
“Ummmm, no…hadn’t even thought of that.”
“Let’s see…there you go, problem solved !”

There are times where you can look at a problem up, down and sideways, and you’ll never come to a resolution on your own. Or at least find a way to make the situation more bearable.

After the Exodus, Moses was getting hit from all sides by his fellow Israelites. There was a rough stretch where the Israelites grumbled to Moses that they didn’t have enough food or water, and were worried about starving to death. They even went so far as to say they wish they could have stayed in Egypt, if they knew what would happen to them afterwards. You can sense this nagging was wearing on Moses.

“So they quarreled with Moses and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’

Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me ? Why do you put the LORD to the test ?’ ” (Exodus 17:2, NIV)

Right about this time, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro arrives on the scene with Moses’ wife and sons to visit him in the desert. It didn’t take long for Jethro to realize that something was wrong. Moses was being stretched too thin. He was serving as judge for all the people’s disputes, with no help from anyone else. With all the bickering he had to put up with, Moses probably didn’t have two minutes to himself, and certainly not enough time to figure out how to manage the growing issues among his people. Jethro was wise enough, and detached from the problem enough, to realize that Moses needed to step back and delegate. He needed to find men to handle the trivial matters and leave the big issues to Moses.

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.” (Ex 18:24, NIV)

Sometimes we need another set of eyes. We need someone to look objectively at our struggles each day, whether they’re big (like Moses’) or small (like my computer issues), and give us sound advice. Of course, we should all look to God first, but in addition, we could all use a Jethro in our lives.

 

Worldliness

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.” - 1 John 2:16 (ESV)

Today I finished reading James Cantelon’s book Theology For Non-Theologians. I’d give it a thumbs-up, definitely worth checking out. I agreed with a lot of what he said in the book, disagreed with some of it, and don’t fully understand other parts of it, as I mentioned in my post about sovereignty and providence. In the last chapter, Cantelon discusses the problem of Gnosticism in today’s world and Satan’s role in regard to “worldliness” in this way:

“People are giving too little credit to themselves as creatures of God and too much credit to Satan, as though he were not himself a creature but an equal of God…he can’t make your choices for you. You make your choices for you. Satan is a defeated foe. Jesus made sure of that.” (p. 256)

I’m sorry if this sounds really naive, but here goes…my question is, how much of a role does Satan play in the type of world that John talks about in the above verse ? Are we giving him too much credit ? How responsible are we for the choices we make and this type of “worldliness” that’s created ?

 

On To XLII !

Not sure how many more of these games I can take ! Wow….what a season this turned out to be. Who knows if they’ve got a chance against the Patriots, but it’ll be a fun couple of weeks…

Go Big Blue !