James: Living Faith
Waiting and Waiting (James 5:7-12)
May 16, 2010
Like James’ Christian brothers, we suffer. Often suffering results from others’ sin against us, and often it seems unending. But how are we to approach those in our lives who are suffering, and how are we to respond to suffering in our own lives?
Tender Truth
James, like his brother Jesus, speaks the truth in love. Love meets a person in their suffering, and truth leads them out to Jesus. Truth without compassion fails to meet people. Compassion without truth results in empty emotional-jargon that meets people but fails to lead them to Jesus and therefore ultimately fails to be loving.
Waiting and Waiting and Waiting
Be patient. Three times James tenderly reminds his brothers to be patient in the midst of their suffering. Life is in between the “already” and the “not yet.” Like a farmer who awaits the harvest of his crops, the seeds of our salvation in Christ have already been planted. Our hope is secured, and though we have not yet received the harvest, we will see the precious fruit, our greatest treasure, Jesus Christ, if we establish our hearts in perseverance until the end.
Returning the Favor
When we sin, our tendency is to return the favor with sins of retaliation and sins of self-focus. Retaliation fails to leave vengeance to God and instead arrogantly attempts to be God and execute judgment in the place of Jesus. Self-focus ignores Christ’s work and instead attempts to look within for salvation rather than looking out to Jesus, our all-sufficient righteousness, hope and compassionate Savior.
Looking Back and Looking Forward
If you’re a suffering Christian, you’re in good company. Consider the prophets, Job, and ultimately Jesus Christ who stood firm on the promises of God. He is both Sovereign and good, working out all things together for the good of those who are called according to his purpose.
The question is not whether we will suffer, but whether we will suffer well.
May we be a people who remain steadfast and suffer well, like Jesus, for God’s glory and for the joy set before us, when we see the fulfillment of our compassionate and merciful Savior’s great purpose at His return.
Monday, May 17, 2010
James: Living Faith, Wisdom from Heaven
James: Living Faith
Wisdom from Heaven (James 4)
March 21, 2010
Our Greatest Enemy
Pride is our great enemy, taking our eyes off of the treasure of Jesus Christ and the great purpose for which he created and called us, and refocusing on ourselves and our kingdom. Martin Luther rightly said “pride is the mother of all sins,” because every sin from Genesis 3 on begins in a heart that seeks to be god rather than submit to God in humility. Though we are created to find our fullest joy in worshiping God, pride removes God from the picture and worships the god in the mirror. Because pride cannot exist near our Glorious God, it drives us away from God in a suicidal strategy of deafening our ears to rebuke, hardening our hearts to the Holy Spirit, and blinding our eyes to our own sin, giving us a high view of self and a small view of God.
James showed us earlier that the selfish ambition of a bitter jealousy of pride
When Christians embrace the systems and values of worldly kingdom building—boasting in selfish ambition and bitter jealousy to tear others down in an effort to exalt themselves—they are committing spiritual adultery and setting themselves up as enemies of an all-powerful God who opposes the proud.
God graciously calls proud Christians to radical repentance by humbly resisting pride from hell, drawing near to God, repenting of both the actions and the prideful heart from which they flow, and recognizing the weight of their double-minded adultery before their God.
In light of the goodness of God in extending grace to ill-deserving proud, people, James exhorts his brothers to leave the judging to our gracious God and not their own tongues
Wisdom from Heaven (James 4)
March 21, 2010
Our Greatest Enemy
Pride is our great enemy, taking our eyes off of the treasure of Jesus Christ and the great purpose for which he created and called us, and refocusing on ourselves and our kingdom. Martin Luther rightly said “pride is the mother of all sins,” because every sin from Genesis 3 on begins in a heart that seeks to be god rather than submit to God in humility. Though we are created to find our fullest joy in worshiping God, pride removes God from the picture and worships the god in the mirror. Because pride cannot exist near our Glorious God, it drives us away from God in a suicidal strategy of deafening our ears to rebuke, hardening our hearts to the Holy Spirit, and blinding our eyes to our own sin, giving us a high view of self and a small view of God.
James showed us earlier that the selfish ambition of a bitter jealousy of pride
When Christians embrace the systems and values of worldly kingdom building—boasting in selfish ambition and bitter jealousy to tear others down in an effort to exalt themselves—they are committing spiritual adultery and setting themselves up as enemies of an all-powerful God who opposes the proud.
God graciously calls proud Christians to radical repentance by humbly resisting pride from hell, drawing near to God, repenting of both the actions and the prideful heart from which they flow, and recognizing the weight of their double-minded adultery before their God.
In light of the goodness of God in extending grace to ill-deserving proud, people, James exhorts his brothers to leave the judging to our gracious God and not their own tongues
James: Living Faith, TRUE Religion
James: Living Faith
True Religion (James 1:19-2:13)
February 21, 2010
Two Births, Three Deceptions
James teaches us sin gives birth to death by deceiving us (v15), but God gives birth to living faith of his own good will by the Word of truth (v18). James then warns against three common deceptions of worthless religion, that sin will satisfy and God’s goodness changes with our circumstances (v17), that anger will produce righteousness in ourselves and others (v20, 26), and that simply hearing and knowing the truth without receiving and responding will save us (v22). He goes on to show in contrast what living faith accomplishes.
TRUE Religion
James teaches us true religion (v27)—or living faith in Jesus Christ (2:1):
Tames the tongue
“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart this person’s religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)
“Anger, even when directed against sin, fails to recognize that mere human reproach cannot change another person’s heart, and does not produce the righteousness of God.” (ESV Study Bible)
Reaches the afflicted
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction…” (James 1:27a)
lives Unstained
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)
Embraces indiscriminately
“My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory.” (James 2:1)
Although living faith produces good works, we must remember good works do not produce living faith—which comes only from God’s good grace alone (1:18), not our own works or effort. Therefore, we respond to God’s mercy and glory in worship and good works.
March 7, 2010: “Dead Faith” James 2:14-26
True Religion (James 1:19-2:13)
February 21, 2010
Two Births, Three Deceptions
James teaches us sin gives birth to death by deceiving us (v15), but God gives birth to living faith of his own good will by the Word of truth (v18). James then warns against three common deceptions of worthless religion, that sin will satisfy and God’s goodness changes with our circumstances (v17), that anger will produce righteousness in ourselves and others (v20, 26), and that simply hearing and knowing the truth without receiving and responding will save us (v22). He goes on to show in contrast what living faith accomplishes.
TRUE Religion
James teaches us true religion (v27)—or living faith in Jesus Christ (2:1):
Tames the tongue
“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart this person’s religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)
“Anger, even when directed against sin, fails to recognize that mere human reproach cannot change another person’s heart, and does not produce the righteousness of God.” (ESV Study Bible)
Reaches the afflicted
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction…” (James 1:27a)
lives Unstained
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)
Embraces indiscriminately
“My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory.” (James 2:1)
Although living faith produces good works, we must remember good works do not produce living faith—which comes only from God’s good grace alone (1:18), not our own works or effort. Therefore, we respond to God’s mercy and glory in worship and good works.
March 7, 2010: “Dead Faith” James 2:14-26
James: Living Faith, Life from the Word
James: Living Faith
Life from the Word (James 1:18)
February 14, 2010
Birth of Sin
James explains that temptation comes from our own deceitful desires within, which convince us God is holding back on us. When these desires conceive, they give birth to sin which always brings forth death. James reminds us every good and perfect thing comes from God who never changes like shifting shadows—or our shifting desires—and sin is not from God; therefore, it’s not good. Sin at its root is deceptive unbelief, and can be fought by replacing deceitful desires by the superior truth of God.
Birth of Life
James then describes a new birth that comes not from sin, but from God. Just as our will brings forth death through deceit, God’s will brings forth life through the truth of the gospel.
1.) Who accomplishes the new birth?
“Of His own will, He brought us forth…”
2.) How is the new birth accomplished?
“Of His own will, He brought us forth by the Word of Truth…”
“According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)
“In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, we’re sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13)
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17)
3.) What is the result of the new birth?
“Of His own will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
This knowledge gives us indestructible hope for our city, for new birth is accomplished not by me--my efforts, my church programs, my sense of fashion, or my persuasion--but by God’s sovereign grace opening hearts to receive the word of truth through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore we seek to put ourselves in the way of the word of truth, know the word of truth, and speak the word of truth in love. Our great God will accomplish the rest.
Feb. 21, 2010: “True Religion,” James 1:19-26
Life from the Word (James 1:18)
February 14, 2010
Birth of Sin
James explains that temptation comes from our own deceitful desires within, which convince us God is holding back on us. When these desires conceive, they give birth to sin which always brings forth death. James reminds us every good and perfect thing comes from God who never changes like shifting shadows—or our shifting desires—and sin is not from God; therefore, it’s not good. Sin at its root is deceptive unbelief, and can be fought by replacing deceitful desires by the superior truth of God.
Birth of Life
James then describes a new birth that comes not from sin, but from God. Just as our will brings forth death through deceit, God’s will brings forth life through the truth of the gospel.
1.) Who accomplishes the new birth?
“Of His own will, He brought us forth…”
2.) How is the new birth accomplished?
“Of His own will, He brought us forth by the Word of Truth…”
“According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)
“In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, we’re sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13)
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17)
3.) What is the result of the new birth?
“Of His own will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
This knowledge gives us indestructible hope for our city, for new birth is accomplished not by me--my efforts, my church programs, my sense of fashion, or my persuasion--but by God’s sovereign grace opening hearts to receive the word of truth through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore we seek to put ourselves in the way of the word of truth, know the word of truth, and speak the word of truth in love. Our great God will accomplish the rest.
Feb. 21, 2010: “True Religion,” James 1:19-26
James: Living Faith, Temptation from Within
James: Living Faith
Temptation from Within (James 1:13-17)
January 24, 2010
James begins by encouraging his brothers to rejoice when they face trials on account of their faith, because their trials come from God to strengthen their faith and mold them more into the image of their perfect Savior, Jesus Christ. For those lacking wisdom to understand God’s work in their life through their trials, James says to ask God for wisdom, not doubting with their fingers crossed, but with faith in their loving, Sovereign Father God.
Two Trials: Poverty and Riches
James then addresses two trials, poverty and riches. In a culture where wealth is seen as blessing and poverty as a curse, Scripture teaches us that both poverty (“God where are You?”) and riches (“God, I don’t need You”) can test our faith. There are two prevalent errant perspectives on poverty and wealth in America, the poverty gospel and the more prominent prosperity gospel. The prior assumes that if you’re poor, you’re inherently closer to God and that the wealthy are evil. The latter assumes if you love God it will be evident by red Cadillacs in your garage, green bills in your wallet, and golden toilets in your bathroom. The Bible teaches us there are righteous poor as well as unrighteous poor and there are righteous rich as well as unrighteous rich. What matters is not your level of wealth, but rather that your hope is in Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross and not your 401K.
Temptation
Where does temptation come from? Though we would like to think temptation and evil come from “out there”—God, Satan, the world, or an opposing political party—James teaches us temptation comes first from within, not from God or outside forces. Our desires are deceitful, and when followed lead to death with all of the pain and horror of an expecting mother delivering a stillborn child.
Battling SinHow then do we fight sin? How do we destroy deceitful desires?
Errant Strategies
Willpower Legalism - Willpower religion attempts to white-knuckle our sin into submission, but fails to address the heart. The end result is discouragement and depression (“I can’t do it, I’m a failure”) or arrogance and pride (“I did it, yay for me, I’m awesome”).
Death of Desire Stoicism - Stoicism labels all desire as evil and therefore attempts to kill all passion, desire, and excitement, forgetting our God created us with desires to be ultimately fulfilled in Him (Psalm 37:4). Stoicism addresses the heart, but seeks to quench it rather than allowing God to renew it. The end result is lifeless religion that fails to delight in God, attempting rather to serve solely out of duty.
Facing the true enemy
Deceptive Desires - The problem is not desire, the problem is deception. Our hearts are deceived into thinking our broken cisterns will satisfy us when we were created to drink in the Fountain of living water (Jeremiah 2:13). We were created for highest joy, and our hearts sell us short, deceiving us into settling for temporary, lesser pleasures of sin.
Unbelief - Our sin is the result of our failure to believe God’s promises are superior to Satan’s lies; therefore, the fight against sin is ultimately a fight against unbelief.
Biblical Battle Plan
A Transformed Heart - Our need is not simply for behavior modification, but rather heart transformation. We need a Savior who will destroy our deceitful desires, and ultimately replace them with passionate desires for an all-satisfying Christ.
Cultivate an Appetite - You fight deceitful desires by replacing them with true, superior, life-giving desires of the Word of God, as the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to behold truth.
Battle to Believe - “The life that I now live [as a Christian], I LIVE BY FAITH in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20) The battle against sin is a fight of faith, to believe that God is as good as He truly is, and that sin is as destructive as it truly is.
Biblical Weaponry
Faith – Faith is not only in the past grace of God, but also in the present and future grace that is to come. Faith is not working hard to be holy and “pay Jesus back” for dying for me. Faith is being confident in what the life and work of Christ has accomplished and also being confident that God’s way is better than sin, his promises are superior to Satan’s lies, and His love is more satisfying than the deceitfulness of sin.
By the Spirit - Romans 8:13 says if BY the SPIRIT you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Fighting the deceitful desires of sin is about fighting for faith in the superior promises of God by the Sword of the Spirit.
Through the Word - The Word of God holds the bullet aimed for the heart of every abominable, deceitful desire. When we fill ourselves with the Word, God’s superior promises take root in our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit and give birth to new desires, that long for and enjoy Jesus Christ above all the empty promises of sin.
Additional Resources:
“How People Change,” by Paul David Tripp
“When I Don’t Desire God,” by John Piper
Temptation from Within (James 1:13-17)
January 24, 2010
James begins by encouraging his brothers to rejoice when they face trials on account of their faith, because their trials come from God to strengthen their faith and mold them more into the image of their perfect Savior, Jesus Christ. For those lacking wisdom to understand God’s work in their life through their trials, James says to ask God for wisdom, not doubting with their fingers crossed, but with faith in their loving, Sovereign Father God.
Two Trials: Poverty and Riches
James then addresses two trials, poverty and riches. In a culture where wealth is seen as blessing and poverty as a curse, Scripture teaches us that both poverty (“God where are You?”) and riches (“God, I don’t need You”) can test our faith. There are two prevalent errant perspectives on poverty and wealth in America, the poverty gospel and the more prominent prosperity gospel. The prior assumes that if you’re poor, you’re inherently closer to God and that the wealthy are evil. The latter assumes if you love God it will be evident by red Cadillacs in your garage, green bills in your wallet, and golden toilets in your bathroom. The Bible teaches us there are righteous poor as well as unrighteous poor and there are righteous rich as well as unrighteous rich. What matters is not your level of wealth, but rather that your hope is in Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross and not your 401K.
Temptation
Where does temptation come from? Though we would like to think temptation and evil come from “out there”—God, Satan, the world, or an opposing political party—James teaches us temptation comes first from within, not from God or outside forces. Our desires are deceitful, and when followed lead to death with all of the pain and horror of an expecting mother delivering a stillborn child.
Battling SinHow then do we fight sin? How do we destroy deceitful desires?
Errant Strategies
Willpower Legalism - Willpower religion attempts to white-knuckle our sin into submission, but fails to address the heart. The end result is discouragement and depression (“I can’t do it, I’m a failure”) or arrogance and pride (“I did it, yay for me, I’m awesome”).
Death of Desire Stoicism - Stoicism labels all desire as evil and therefore attempts to kill all passion, desire, and excitement, forgetting our God created us with desires to be ultimately fulfilled in Him (Psalm 37:4). Stoicism addresses the heart, but seeks to quench it rather than allowing God to renew it. The end result is lifeless religion that fails to delight in God, attempting rather to serve solely out of duty.
Facing the true enemy
Deceptive Desires - The problem is not desire, the problem is deception. Our hearts are deceived into thinking our broken cisterns will satisfy us when we were created to drink in the Fountain of living water (Jeremiah 2:13). We were created for highest joy, and our hearts sell us short, deceiving us into settling for temporary, lesser pleasures of sin.
Unbelief - Our sin is the result of our failure to believe God’s promises are superior to Satan’s lies; therefore, the fight against sin is ultimately a fight against unbelief.
Biblical Battle Plan
A Transformed Heart - Our need is not simply for behavior modification, but rather heart transformation. We need a Savior who will destroy our deceitful desires, and ultimately replace them with passionate desires for an all-satisfying Christ.
Cultivate an Appetite - You fight deceitful desires by replacing them with true, superior, life-giving desires of the Word of God, as the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to behold truth.
Battle to Believe - “The life that I now live [as a Christian], I LIVE BY FAITH in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20) The battle against sin is a fight of faith, to believe that God is as good as He truly is, and that sin is as destructive as it truly is.
Biblical Weaponry
Faith – Faith is not only in the past grace of God, but also in the present and future grace that is to come. Faith is not working hard to be holy and “pay Jesus back” for dying for me. Faith is being confident in what the life and work of Christ has accomplished and also being confident that God’s way is better than sin, his promises are superior to Satan’s lies, and His love is more satisfying than the deceitfulness of sin.
By the Spirit - Romans 8:13 says if BY the SPIRIT you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Fighting the deceitful desires of sin is about fighting for faith in the superior promises of God by the Sword of the Spirit.
Through the Word - The Word of God holds the bullet aimed for the heart of every abominable, deceitful desire. When we fill ourselves with the Word, God’s superior promises take root in our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit and give birth to new desires, that long for and enjoy Jesus Christ above all the empty promises of sin.
Additional Resources:
“How People Change,” by Paul David Tripp
“When I Don’t Desire God,” by John Piper
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
who are your peers?
it would be a grave, common mistake to compare your life only with those immediately around you.
when examining your life, it may be possible to elevate yourself to the level of "okay," "average" or even "pretty good" when your line of sight is no further than your culture or even your time in history.
do not limit yourself by the maturity and passion and dreams of your peers.
do not limit yourself by the current culture's expectations of a "good" life, or the American "dream."
make friends with Charles Spurgeon, George Mueller, Martin Luther, Jonathon Edwards.
examine your life with a peer-group of William Wilberforce, William Carey, and the apostle Paul.
then test your holiness, test your passion, test the works of your life against those God-honoring, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated lives.
the life of Spurgeon and Mueller have convicted me to the core and left my longing for that kind of faith, that sort of indwelling of His Spirit, that deep of a passion for His supremacy in all things for the joy of all people.
so i would recommend reading biographies.
when examining your life, it may be possible to elevate yourself to the level of "okay," "average" or even "pretty good" when your line of sight is no further than your culture or even your time in history.
do not limit yourself by the maturity and passion and dreams of your peers.
do not limit yourself by the current culture's expectations of a "good" life, or the American "dream."
make friends with Charles Spurgeon, George Mueller, Martin Luther, Jonathon Edwards.
examine your life with a peer-group of William Wilberforce, William Carey, and the apostle Paul.
then test your holiness, test your passion, test the works of your life against those God-honoring, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated lives.
the life of Spurgeon and Mueller have convicted me to the core and left my longing for that kind of faith, that sort of indwelling of His Spirit, that deep of a passion for His supremacy in all things for the joy of all people.
so i would recommend reading biographies.
Monday, March 16, 2009
why i love donald miller...
from his website biography:
this pretty much made my whole day better...Of his new book, Don says: “It might be the greatest book ever written. I
don’t think anybody is going to read a book again after they read my new one. I
think God is proud of me. I am going to make a killing off this thing and I’m
going to use the money to go to space.”
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Testing God
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.
Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room
enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in
your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the
nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the
LORD Almighty.
--Malachi 3:10-12
"You can't outgive Me! The more you give, the more lavishly I will bless you."
It's like a raging waterfall pouring into a flask... close the flask, and store your 20 ounces all to yourself, or open the flask and allow the rushing downpour to unceasingly fill the flask, and splash over onto all those around...
Safe and stupid: "Ooh! My flask is full! I'd better protect what's mine! Who knows when the water might stop running!" (as soon as the flask closes off from the waterfall, it is cut off from the infinite source and limited its own finite supply)
Jesus: poured out.
Blessings are given to those who do not cling tightly to them. Or positively stated, blessings are given to those with open hands.
Safe and stupid is... stupid.
Test God.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
What Paris Hilton, Jennifer Aniston and I all have in common
Paris Hilton just dropped $280,000 for a diamond encrusted dashboard for her Bentley...
Jennifer Aniston unloaded $50 grand for a month of $2,000 haircuts...
Does this make your stomach sick?
It should.
We are *really* good at pointing out sin in others' lives and then feeling alot better about ourselves. I dared to browse through the comments, and amid the usual "OMG F OBAMA STUPID PREISADENT GOD WIL JDGEU US KNOW!!11!1!@" comments, I found a rather insightful and convicting statement:
Instead of ranting about others' materialism, self-absorbtion and apathetic avoidance of their neighbors, I want to realize that *I* am the problem.
Where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.
If I look at my credit card statement, I *really* think that my standard of living is more important than others living.
I skated by the homeless on the Mon River Trail and dropped $12 bucks on dinner last night. Had I driven five more miles, I could have eaten at home for less than $5. What happened? I *really* wanted chinese. I *deserve* it. I've *earned* it. Right?
I. I. *I*. My tastes, my entitlement, my life, my kingdom.
That's what I was created for, right? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
God calls us to lay down our lives for His Kingdom...
... sometimes I can't even lay down my taste for Chinese food.
Paris Hilton, Jennifer Aniston, and I all love our lives, our kingdoms, our happiness.
He who loves his life in this world, will lose it (John 12:25).
Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. (Matthew 25:45)
How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. (Luke 18:24)
Jesus have mercy on us.
May we trade our selfish desires and materialism for the all-satisfying sufficiency of Christ. May we *live* sacrificially and *give* lavishly.
I do not want to stand before the Creator of the Universe, who emptied himself in humility and gave his love, his riches, his life, his all for his children with nothing but Chinese food receipts.
Jennifer Aniston unloaded $50 grand for a month of $2,000 haircuts...
Does this make your stomach sick?
It should.
We are *really* good at pointing out sin in others' lives and then feeling alot better about ourselves. I dared to browse through the comments, and amid the usual "OMG F OBAMA STUPID PREISADENT GOD WIL JDGEU US KNOW!!11!1!@" comments, I found a rather insightful and convicting statement:
"for the people who are complaining about other people losing jobs and that she
should have given the money to poor people in Africa... ...maybe you should
think about giving up that Ipod, or plasma TV, or extra pair of high heels you
were going to splurge on and give the money to charity. In all honesty, I'm sure
starving children would probably look at us with our materialistic lifestyle in
the way we are looking at Paris Hilton with all her diamonds right now."
Instead of ranting about others' materialism, self-absorbtion and apathetic avoidance of their neighbors, I want to realize that *I* am the problem.
Where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.
If I look at my credit card statement, I *really* think that my standard of living is more important than others living.
I skated by the homeless on the Mon River Trail and dropped $12 bucks on dinner last night. Had I driven five more miles, I could have eaten at home for less than $5. What happened? I *really* wanted chinese. I *deserve* it. I've *earned* it. Right?
I. I. *I*. My tastes, my entitlement, my life, my kingdom.
That's what I was created for, right? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
God calls us to lay down our lives for His Kingdom...
... sometimes I can't even lay down my taste for Chinese food.
Paris Hilton, Jennifer Aniston, and I all love our lives, our kingdoms, our happiness.
He who loves his life in this world, will lose it (John 12:25).
Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. (Matthew 25:45)
How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. (Luke 18:24)
Jesus have mercy on us.
May we trade our selfish desires and materialism for the all-satisfying sufficiency of Christ. May we *live* sacrificially and *give* lavishly.
I do not want to stand before the Creator of the Universe, who emptied himself in humility and gave his love, his riches, his life, his all for his children with nothing but Chinese food receipts.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Christ & Crossroads in the Dominican Republic
Remember Reggie from "Lady in the Water?" This guy devoted all of his time to working out... but only his right arm. His right arm looked like "Ah-nold," but his left arm was a stick. Twenty members of the body of Christ at Crossroads are embarking on a mission trip to break ground on our first of many feeding centers in the Dominican Republic. This blog is a challenge for the rest of us. The question is "as 1/5 of our body is sent out on this great mission to grow in strength and service, what is our responsibility?" What is *our* mission? I would like to challenge you to pick one person on the Crossroad's Dominican Missions team and pray and fast for them for the entire week they are gone.
Pray...
Pray that God disturbs their hearts, changes their lives, and brings back a passion that grows like wildfire in Morgantown. Pray for Christ to be made much of in Dominican Republic. Pray against satan, demons, and temptation in their life. Pray that the way they serve will show Christ as supremely valuable. Pray for the kids they will impact and the families they will serve. Pray for Francesco and the other Pastors serving in Dominican to bring the Kingdom of God. Those are just some ideas to get you started.
Fast...
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"
--God, Isaiah 58:6-7
I challenge you to take $32 out of your food budget for the week (for many of us this will not be more than giving up two dinners during the week) and sponsor a child living in the Dominican Republic through compassion.com. If you can give more; do it. I don't know what it will look like for you to fast radically. It may be 2 dinners this week, it may be seven dinners, or it may be seven days completely.
$32 will provide a child with food, water, medical treatment, education, and the opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ. This is not a nebulus, disconnected act of giving. This is a relationship. You will receive pictures and notes from the child you support, and be able to send them notes of encouragement, prayers, and greetings.
Crossroads' goal is to ultimately eradicate extreme poverty in the Dominican Republic. This vision has begun with the feeding center. Let's make it personal. Let's change the Dominican with one child at a time.
God *will* take care of the poor. He *will* feed his children. His Kingdom *is* coming through His body. The question is: will *you* be a part of it? We are the Body of Christ, and Jesus should *not* look like Reggie.
$32 will provide a child with food, water, medical treatment, education, and the opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ. This is not a nebulus, disconnected act of giving. This is a relationship. You will receive pictures and notes from the child you support, and be able to send them notes of encouragement, prayers, and greetings.
Crossroads' goal is to ultimately eradicate extreme poverty in the Dominican Republic. This vision has begun with the feeding center. Let's make it personal. Let's change the Dominican with one child at a time.
God *will* take care of the poor. He *will* feed his children. His Kingdom *is* coming through His body. The question is: will *you* be a part of it? We are the Body of Christ, and Jesus should *not* look like Reggie.
p.s. I recommend reading all of Isaiah 58, it's some soul-rending stuff.
p.p.s. this is just a suggestion for a bare minimum way we can grow and serve together. Service and love are the defining characteristics of a Christian (1 John, yes, the whole book). Buy some pizzas after church Sunday and go share your dinner and your story with the homeless, volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, take a cooler of sodas to the kids at the skatepark, offer free chauffering for crazy-drunk, frat guys on Friday night, baby-sit for a single-mom, spring clean for the elderly or tutor some kids in their homework... be creative, and pray about what God wants you to do to serve, but whatever you do, let's DO something. (James 4:17)
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
...the right way to be rich
All the airplane magazines say, "You've earned it! Buy a La-Z-Boy!"
What does that mean? It means that the chair you sit in should look like what you make. And my answer is, "No it shouldn't. No it shouldn't. It should look like Jesus is valuable, more valuable than chairs. That's what it should look like."
So you say to rich people, "Be rich in good deeds (1 Timothy 6:18)," which means you start doing as many good deeds as you can and on the way there you live a kind of life that would make Jesus look like your treasure.
Now on the other end, should you ever want to go there (and Paul is just crystal clear), "Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into many senseless and hurtful temptations that bring the soul into ruin" (1 Timothy 6:9). Wanting to be rich is dangerous.
--Excerpt from The Right Way to Be Rich, yesterday's "Ask Pastor John"
Friday, February 27, 2009
it's safer to bleed through the pen of another man's words
How long, my Lord, how long must we sing this song?
Friday, February 20, 2009
...quotable
The problem with a lot of attractional churches is not their missiology, but their ecclesiology. Church is seen as a meeting. Attracting means attracting people to an event or even a performance. But biblical mission is about a community life, ordinary life, lived under God’s Word that attracts people to God.
--Tim Chester, from today's Resurgence Blog
Making sense of Bob Marley, Mother Teresa, and God’s redemptive plan in history…
Jesus was explaining in his metaphorical, parabolic way, the Kingdom of God to his disciples. He tells them the Kingdom "...is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."
I ignored this passage at best for many years, then as God reupholstered my understanding of Him two years ago, I began to scour the words and life of Jesus, seeking to develop an authentic relationship with Him and in turn, His Father. During this time the passage perplexed me.
As I began to understand God’s heart for the poor and the oppressed, the words of Mother Teresa began to inform my thinking and my ambitions, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”
Through this lens, Jesus words about the Kingdom came to life with vibrant passion. Without delving into too much eschatology—for the sake of brevity--Isaiah 65:17-25 & Revelation 21:1-4 share a piece of what we are seeking when we pray “Your Kingdom Come,” no hunger, no tears, perfect justice, perfect shalom with God, each other, the earth, and ourselves…
As we fervently pray for this Kingdom to come, we arduously labor to make His Kingdom a present reality.
As we pass by a homeless man starving in the cold, we feed him, because in the Kingdom, no one will be hungry. And the Kingdom of God crashes into earth through the Body of Christ, being broken and poured out on behalf of others for the glory of the Father.
As we pray with a hurting father mourning his delinquent son, and healing comes, heaven crashes into earth, and the Kingdom of God comes through the body of Christ, being broken and poured out on behalf of others, for the glory of the Father.
As we repent of our sin, and receive a new heart, in the Kingdom, God is worshiped alone, all our idols fall away, supremely, eternally, as the sole object of our affection, the treasure which we give up everything in our great joy to obtain. And heaven crashes into earth, through the Body of Christ, bringing glory to the Father.
The Kingdom comes through the Body of Christ, bringing about redemption and resurrection, in the smallest of ways
through the greatest of love—to lay your life down, for others (John 15:13).
The starving homeless man, the single mom, the hurting father, they are all waiting for Jesus to pass by. For the Body of Christ to pass by.
People look at the suffering in the world and ask “where is God?” One child every 13 seconds will die today from starvation, where is God? Somewhere, at your school, there is an awkward teenager, ridden with insecurity, bullied and abused, questioning whether life is worth living any longer, where is God? Innumerable homeless children and adults are freezing to death tonight, where is God? An abusive, alcoholic father is screaming at his children, where is God? And God, looks at the church and says: Where. Are. YOU? (Isaiah 1:17)
WE. Are. HIS. Body.
Allow that to sink in.
When the incarnate body of Christ passed by, what happened?
The same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is within us (Ephesians 1:18-20) to empower us to love the way he loved us, to serve the way he served, to give the way he gave (John 14:12)… Christ’s body was broken and poured out for the healing of the nations, for the salvation of His people, for the healing of the sick, for the liberation of the captive, for the freedom of the oppressed…
It is through the body of Christ, broken and poured out, that redemption comes. As we, His Body, take on the same mind that was in Christ, and humble ourselves, becoming broken and poured out, on behalf of others, God raises us up and produces the fruit of the Kingdom. Christ put it this way, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies? It produces much fruit.” (John 12:24)
Christ says that it is through these small seeds of love, the cedar trees of the Kingdom are grown.
This is a Kingdom that comes not by might, not by strength, not by strategic business plans and ambitious marketing goals, but by brokenness, humility, weakness and love.
The great theologian, Bob Marley, put it this way: “If you are a big tree, we are the small axe.”
This is hugely profound. The world and its empire of corporate flesh, is currently the kingdom of satan, his empire reigns through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the boastful pride of life, the exploitation of the marginalized—all things that are anti-Kingdom, anti-Christ. When we see the suffering, the sin, the curse of the world, it threatens to overwhelm the remnant of God’s people… But as a small axe, overthrows even the tallest of trees in the hands of a skilled, persevering laborer, so our small acts (wit!) in the hands of God, will overthrow the Kingdom of Darkness.
Jesus is the light of the world (John 9:5), we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Therefore, we seek out the darkness. We redeem and we resurrect. Bringing light where darkness was. Bringing healing where hurt was. Bringing hope where there was none. Bringing fruit where sin was. Bring the Kingdom of God where the kingdom of satan was.
Last night, continuing my study through Ezekiel, God revealed to me what every good Jew in Jesus’ audience would have grasped immediately:
"'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.
" 'I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.' " (Ezekial 17:22-24)
This is virtually the same promise. The first listeners would have known immediately Jesus was speaking of this passage. This was their hope. This was their promise. How does the vine grow? How does the cedar reach its fullness? I will plant it. It will produce branches and bear fruit, but how will it accomplish this? I the LORD will make it grow. I make the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.
We work with all hope and passion, confident of the final result, because it is God himself who is working in us to will and to do His good will, we do not faint, we do not grow discouraged, because we are promised the Kingdom, The Lord has Spoken, and He will do it.
The vine grows. And the Lord grows it.
100% God. 100% vine.
We plant the seeds. And the Lord increases.
100% the Body of Christ submitting to the Head of Christ (Father), by the Spirit of Christ (Spirit), made possible by the work of Christ (Jesus) on the cross. The crux, climax, and point of EVERYthing.
Every command compels us to *hope* and to *act*.
Not a pithy, useless hope grounded in “positive thinking” and “human intiative.”
A rock solid, gutsy hope, grounded in the promised outcome of the God-breathed, inerrant words of Scripture.
We do not sit back and say “God’s got this, I’m tapping out.”
We do not freak out and say “I’ve got so much to do, I’m freaking out!”
God *is* doing it. Through His Body.
God has no need of us, but in his great goodness, he has chosen to use broken, clay vessels to contain the greatest treasure (2 Corinthians 4:7). So the clay rejoices and praises God for the grace that he has given them to speak through them and save them and use them for his Glory. And the lives that are impacted through the clay rejoice and praise God for the grace he has given them through the clay.
Therefore we have great confidence (2 Corinthians 4:1), God’s success is sure. His Kingdom will come. Victory has been secured.
Therefore, we work and labor and struggle and fight with all of the strength we have.
We wrestle. And we rest.
Those that wait on the Lord renew their strength, they mount up on wings as eagles, they run and do not faint (Isaiah 40:31)…
Because the Lord is strong. They run. Not by their strength, only by their legs.
Because the Lord does not faint, we fly. Not by our lift, only by our wings.
God causes the grass to grow (Psalm 104:14). And the grass grows (photosynthesis, sunlight, water, nutrients).
God feeds the hungry. When His Body feeds the hungry.
May we labor for the Kingdom with an intensity that is driven by the sureness of its coming. His Kingdom will come. His people will be saved. He will receive His Glory. And His Body will be broken and poured out to accomplish this end.
I ignored this passage at best for many years, then as God reupholstered my understanding of Him two years ago, I began to scour the words and life of Jesus, seeking to develop an authentic relationship with Him and in turn, His Father. During this time the passage perplexed me.
As I began to understand God’s heart for the poor and the oppressed, the words of Mother Teresa began to inform my thinking and my ambitions, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”
Through this lens, Jesus words about the Kingdom came to life with vibrant passion. Without delving into too much eschatology—for the sake of brevity--Isaiah 65:17-25 & Revelation 21:1-4 share a piece of what we are seeking when we pray “Your Kingdom Come,” no hunger, no tears, perfect justice, perfect shalom with God, each other, the earth, and ourselves…
As we fervently pray for this Kingdom to come, we arduously labor to make His Kingdom a present reality.
As we pass by a homeless man starving in the cold, we feed him, because in the Kingdom, no one will be hungry. And the Kingdom of God crashes into earth through the Body of Christ, being broken and poured out on behalf of others for the glory of the Father.
As we pray with a hurting father mourning his delinquent son, and healing comes, heaven crashes into earth, and the Kingdom of God comes through the body of Christ, being broken and poured out on behalf of others, for the glory of the Father.
As we repent of our sin, and receive a new heart, in the Kingdom, God is worshiped alone, all our idols fall away, supremely, eternally, as the sole object of our affection, the treasure which we give up everything in our great joy to obtain. And heaven crashes into earth, through the Body of Christ, bringing glory to the Father.
The Kingdom comes through the Body of Christ, bringing about redemption and resurrection, in the smallest of ways
through the greatest of love—to lay your life down, for others (John 15:13).
The starving homeless man, the single mom, the hurting father, they are all waiting for Jesus to pass by. For the Body of Christ to pass by.
People look at the suffering in the world and ask “where is God?” One child every 13 seconds will die today from starvation, where is God? Somewhere, at your school, there is an awkward teenager, ridden with insecurity, bullied and abused, questioning whether life is worth living any longer, where is God? Innumerable homeless children and adults are freezing to death tonight, where is God? An abusive, alcoholic father is screaming at his children, where is God? And God, looks at the church and says: Where. Are. YOU? (Isaiah 1:17)
WE. Are. HIS. Body.
Allow that to sink in.
When the incarnate body of Christ passed by, what happened?
The same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is within us (Ephesians 1:18-20) to empower us to love the way he loved us, to serve the way he served, to give the way he gave (John 14:12)… Christ’s body was broken and poured out for the healing of the nations, for the salvation of His people, for the healing of the sick, for the liberation of the captive, for the freedom of the oppressed…
It is through the body of Christ, broken and poured out, that redemption comes. As we, His Body, take on the same mind that was in Christ, and humble ourselves, becoming broken and poured out, on behalf of others, God raises us up and produces the fruit of the Kingdom. Christ put it this way, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies? It produces much fruit.” (John 12:24)
Christ says that it is through these small seeds of love, the cedar trees of the Kingdom are grown.
This is a Kingdom that comes not by might, not by strength, not by strategic business plans and ambitious marketing goals, but by brokenness, humility, weakness and love.
The great theologian, Bob Marley, put it this way: “If you are a big tree, we are the small axe.”
This is hugely profound. The world and its empire of corporate flesh, is currently the kingdom of satan, his empire reigns through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the boastful pride of life, the exploitation of the marginalized—all things that are anti-Kingdom, anti-Christ. When we see the suffering, the sin, the curse of the world, it threatens to overwhelm the remnant of God’s people… But as a small axe, overthrows even the tallest of trees in the hands of a skilled, persevering laborer, so our small acts (wit!) in the hands of God, will overthrow the Kingdom of Darkness.
Jesus is the light of the world (John 9:5), we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Therefore, we seek out the darkness. We redeem and we resurrect. Bringing light where darkness was. Bringing healing where hurt was. Bringing hope where there was none. Bringing fruit where sin was. Bring the Kingdom of God where the kingdom of satan was.
Last night, continuing my study through Ezekiel, God revealed to me what every good Jew in Jesus’ audience would have grasped immediately:
"'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.
" 'I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.' " (Ezekial 17:22-24)
This is virtually the same promise. The first listeners would have known immediately Jesus was speaking of this passage. This was their hope. This was their promise. How does the vine grow? How does the cedar reach its fullness? I will plant it. It will produce branches and bear fruit, but how will it accomplish this? I the LORD will make it grow. I make the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.
We work with all hope and passion, confident of the final result, because it is God himself who is working in us to will and to do His good will, we do not faint, we do not grow discouraged, because we are promised the Kingdom, The Lord has Spoken, and He will do it.
The vine grows. And the Lord grows it.
100% God. 100% vine.
We plant the seeds. And the Lord increases.
100% the Body of Christ submitting to the Head of Christ (Father), by the Spirit of Christ (Spirit), made possible by the work of Christ (Jesus) on the cross. The crux, climax, and point of EVERYthing.
Every command compels us to *hope* and to *act*.
Not a pithy, useless hope grounded in “positive thinking” and “human intiative.”
A rock solid, gutsy hope, grounded in the promised outcome of the God-breathed, inerrant words of Scripture.
We do not sit back and say “God’s got this, I’m tapping out.”
We do not freak out and say “I’ve got so much to do, I’m freaking out!”
God *is* doing it. Through His Body.
God has no need of us, but in his great goodness, he has chosen to use broken, clay vessels to contain the greatest treasure (2 Corinthians 4:7). So the clay rejoices and praises God for the grace that he has given them to speak through them and save them and use them for his Glory. And the lives that are impacted through the clay rejoice and praise God for the grace he has given them through the clay.
Therefore we have great confidence (2 Corinthians 4:1), God’s success is sure. His Kingdom will come. Victory has been secured.
Therefore, we work and labor and struggle and fight with all of the strength we have.
We wrestle. And we rest.
Those that wait on the Lord renew their strength, they mount up on wings as eagles, they run and do not faint (Isaiah 40:31)…
Because the Lord is strong. They run. Not by their strength, only by their legs.
Because the Lord does not faint, we fly. Not by our lift, only by our wings.
God causes the grass to grow (Psalm 104:14). And the grass grows (photosynthesis, sunlight, water, nutrients).
God feeds the hungry. When His Body feeds the hungry.
May we labor for the Kingdom with an intensity that is driven by the sureness of its coming. His Kingdom will come. His people will be saved. He will receive His Glory. And His Body will be broken and poured out to accomplish this end.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Redeeming depression
Lunch break thoughts:
Sometimes I wake up with a gut-wrenching sense of guilt and depression. This used to bother me because I thought I was helpless to control my feelings/emotions. One of the greatest lessons I’ve ever learned is to submit my emotions to the Truth. Simply because I “feel” very strongly a certain way, does not make it true. I can feel rather strongly that I am a poached egg, but fortunately my emotions do not create reality. If I preach the truth to myself “you are not a poached egg,” it will be much easier to get out of the “pit” than if I go on feeling that way and accepting it as reality simply because my emotions have projected it.
I guess that would be a defensive tactic. As of late, I’ve taken a more offensive approach to dealing with depression, redeeming it for the Glory of God and my benefit. When I wake up and feel the least bit depressed, my first thought is, “is this conviction, guilt, or just undiscernable depression?” I believe guilt comes only from people, satan, and the past. God brings only constructive conviction, a loving, sanctifying means of demonstrating His Grace, Fatherly Love, and Mercy.
Satan’s aim is that I waste my morning, day, and life depressed and feeling sorry for myself, but instead I can use the depression for my benefit by finding a legitimate cause for it, and then proceeding to resolve that cause. I try to use the time as a moment to reflect on any sin in my life that I may have been hiding or ignoring. Any that is uncovered, I proceed to confess and repent of. I am now free to stand on the finished work of Christ on the cross and his imputed righteousness as my joy. Any sin has been forgiven 2000 years ago, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, I am counted fully righteous in Christ, so I’m free to rejoice in my Creator unashamed, guilt-free, by the cross, and for His Glory.
Sometimes I wake up with a gut-wrenching sense of guilt and depression. This used to bother me because I thought I was helpless to control my feelings/emotions. One of the greatest lessons I’ve ever learned is to submit my emotions to the Truth. Simply because I “feel” very strongly a certain way, does not make it true. I can feel rather strongly that I am a poached egg, but fortunately my emotions do not create reality. If I preach the truth to myself “you are not a poached egg,” it will be much easier to get out of the “pit” than if I go on feeling that way and accepting it as reality simply because my emotions have projected it.
I guess that would be a defensive tactic. As of late, I’ve taken a more offensive approach to dealing with depression, redeeming it for the Glory of God and my benefit. When I wake up and feel the least bit depressed, my first thought is, “is this conviction, guilt, or just undiscernable depression?” I believe guilt comes only from people, satan, and the past. God brings only constructive conviction, a loving, sanctifying means of demonstrating His Grace, Fatherly Love, and Mercy.
Satan’s aim is that I waste my morning, day, and life depressed and feeling sorry for myself, but instead I can use the depression for my benefit by finding a legitimate cause for it, and then proceeding to resolve that cause. I try to use the time as a moment to reflect on any sin in my life that I may have been hiding or ignoring. Any that is uncovered, I proceed to confess and repent of. I am now free to stand on the finished work of Christ on the cross and his imputed righteousness as my joy. Any sin has been forgiven 2000 years ago, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, I am counted fully righteous in Christ, so I’m free to rejoice in my Creator unashamed, guilt-free, by the cross, and for His Glory.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Utter Completion of Eternal Companionship
For as through one man's transgression sin was wrought upon all man
So by one Man's crucifixion were His killers purged of sin
As one solitary rose of crimson blooms from poison earth
The morning star arises in a heart devoid of mirth
May Your luminance shine forth upon this barren land
And pour through shattered cisterns cradled gently in Your hand
Incision of the sternum which no mere man couldst survive
Casualties doth not exist when patients ne'er were live
If e're i start to speak I pray remoove breath from my lungs
The only words to grace this vessel's lips must be Your own
Engrafted heart of flesh, replaces what was stone
Notwithstanding solitude i'll ne'ermore be alone
//cp
So by one Man's crucifixion were His killers purged of sin
As one solitary rose of crimson blooms from poison earth
The morning star arises in a heart devoid of mirth
May Your luminance shine forth upon this barren land
And pour through shattered cisterns cradled gently in Your hand
Incision of the sternum which no mere man couldst survive
Casualties doth not exist when patients ne'er were live
If e're i start to speak I pray remoove breath from my lungs
The only words to grace this vessel's lips must be Your own
Engrafted heart of flesh, replaces what was stone
Notwithstanding solitude i'll ne'ermore be alone
//cp
proverbs
greatly unrefined thoughts on lunch break (i wish i had time to polish them up, but alas here's my ramblings):
my buddy Andrew and I have been reading through the book of proverbs.... one thing I have noticed is that Proverbs calls people what they are. the loud, defiant woman? she's a fool. the man who takes a nap instead of working? he's a sluggard. This comes as a huge shock at first because our culture refuses to call people what they are, choosing rather to excuse them, victimize them, or classify their folly as an alternative lifestyle.
I believe Proverbs calls people what they are so that we know the way they are living is not an option.
When a young man in highschool meets a scantily-clad girl who is loud, defiant, hates her parents, and makes advances, he should say to himself “Proverbs 7:10 says you are a prostitute, I’m looking for a godly wife who is a gift from the Lord, not a whore who leads me to hell, no thank you.”
When a godly woman hears the loud, undisciplined women on Oprah spewing forth advice without knowledge like water from a toilet, she should say to herself “Proverbs 9:13 says those women are fools, I don’t want to be a fool, I want to be wise.”
Some of you will freak out, “that’s not nice! we can’t call people those terrible things!” The Bible does. So maybe we should too.
“My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, "You are my sister,"
and call understanding your kinsman;
they will keep you from the adulteress.”
There is a huge blaring assumption in every Proverb. These Proverbs were written to keep us from becoming fools, sluggards, whores, and to shape us into wise men, diligent workers, good wives. In order to keep your teens from an adulteress, they need to be able to recognize who is an adulteress. In order to stay away from corrupt fools, we need to be able to spot them and call them out. Proverbs was written to children. They were meant to be taught through experience, as life is lived out. Your hanging out with your kids and they ask "why did this girl text me and ask to send filthy pics to me?" Because she's a whore, not a chaste, virtuous woman. "Why are the guys in my class avoiding their homework?" Because they are sluggards and not diligent workers. "Why are the guys at my job talking crap about management?" Because they are fools, not wise, lovers of discipline.
This does not mean that we do not love them. We still love them, pray for them, and preach the gospel to them with faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ to cut through their hardened hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit and grant them repentance of their folly and trust in Jesus Christ, the only Wise God.
I love the practical wisdom of the Proverbs.
Ultimately, we should love proverbs because Jesus is the primary author. All of Solomon’s wisdom came from Jesus Christ, the only Wise God. He declared to the foolish Pharisees that He is the One greater than Solomon. We seek wisdom because we seek Jesus, we love Jesus, we want to be like Jesus. In Christ Jesus are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
my buddy Andrew and I have been reading through the book of proverbs.... one thing I have noticed is that Proverbs calls people what they are. the loud, defiant woman? she's a fool. the man who takes a nap instead of working? he's a sluggard. This comes as a huge shock at first because our culture refuses to call people what they are, choosing rather to excuse them, victimize them, or classify their folly as an alternative lifestyle.
I believe Proverbs calls people what they are so that we know the way they are living is not an option.
When a young man in highschool meets a scantily-clad girl who is loud, defiant, hates her parents, and makes advances, he should say to himself “Proverbs 7:10 says you are a prostitute, I’m looking for a godly wife who is a gift from the Lord, not a whore who leads me to hell, no thank you.”
When a godly woman hears the loud, undisciplined women on Oprah spewing forth advice without knowledge like water from a toilet, she should say to herself “Proverbs 9:13 says those women are fools, I don’t want to be a fool, I want to be wise.”
Some of you will freak out, “that’s not nice! we can’t call people those terrible things!” The Bible does. So maybe we should too.
“My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, "You are my sister,"
and call understanding your kinsman;
they will keep you from the adulteress.”
There is a huge blaring assumption in every Proverb. These Proverbs were written to keep us from becoming fools, sluggards, whores, and to shape us into wise men, diligent workers, good wives. In order to keep your teens from an adulteress, they need to be able to recognize who is an adulteress. In order to stay away from corrupt fools, we need to be able to spot them and call them out. Proverbs was written to children. They were meant to be taught through experience, as life is lived out. Your hanging out with your kids and they ask "why did this girl text me and ask to send filthy pics to me?" Because she's a whore, not a chaste, virtuous woman. "Why are the guys in my class avoiding their homework?" Because they are sluggards and not diligent workers. "Why are the guys at my job talking crap about management?" Because they are fools, not wise, lovers of discipline.
This does not mean that we do not love them. We still love them, pray for them, and preach the gospel to them with faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ to cut through their hardened hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit and grant them repentance of their folly and trust in Jesus Christ, the only Wise God.
I love the practical wisdom of the Proverbs.
Ultimately, we should love proverbs because Jesus is the primary author. All of Solomon’s wisdom came from Jesus Christ, the only Wise God. He declared to the foolish Pharisees that He is the One greater than Solomon. We seek wisdom because we seek Jesus, we love Jesus, we want to be like Jesus. In Christ Jesus are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
where.i'm.at/where.i'm.going
First week of January, we were in Clarksburg
Second week, Lost Creek.
Third week, Charleston.
Fourth week, Thomas
February
1st week United Summit
2nd week, Clarksburg
3rd week, Blacksburg, VA
4th week - March 15
Corporate Tax Returns
March 15 - April 15
Individual Returns
April 15?
Rejoining humanity.
If the transformation is not complete...
Second week, Lost Creek.
Third week, Charleston.
Fourth week, Thomas
February
1st week United Summit
2nd week, Clarksburg
3rd week, Blacksburg, VA
4th week - March 15
Corporate Tax Returns
March 15 - April 15
Individual Returns
April 15?
Rejoining humanity.
If the transformation is not complete...
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