Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Edward's Resolutions
In the January edition of Tabletalk Magazine, there is an excellent article on the young life of Jonathan Edwards (considered by most people to be the greatest Theologian and Scholar America ever produced).
Since this article came out at the beginning of a New Year, it's not surprising that the focus was on Edward's resolutions, and what we can learn from how he lived his life.
Listen to these wise words of the then 19 year-old Edwards on his life's resolutions:
Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humble entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake:
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
40. Resolved to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking.
42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to god, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly remade this twelfth day of January, 1723.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure of grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all , nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion.
57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it, and let the event be just as providence orders it. I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty, and my sin.
67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.
1. Resolved, that I will do whatever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.
56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
33. Resolved, to do always, what I can towards making, maintaining, and preserving peace, when it can be done without overbalancing detriment in other respects.
48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Tough Love
This week's episode of The White Horse Inn is a must-hear for everyone who is serious about bringing Christ's Kingdom to bear on earth. It's titled, Immorality in the Church, and its focus is on the Biblical instruction of church discipline.
Kristin and I continue to hear heart-breaking stories of friends we have known and loved our entire lives that have hardened their hearts toward the words of God and stubbornly have decided to live their lives according to their own desires. We fear for many of these friends, that God may "[give] them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done (Romans 1:28)."
As heart-breaking as this has been, we probably have been even more shocked by the obvious lack of church discipline that may have been able to steer some of these friends toward repentance and reconciliation to God.
We all have images of what we think church discipline looks like. This week's White Horse Inn talks about what church discipline is and what it isn't. It compares the church in Corinth to the American church today and allows us to learn from the Biblical warning of sin and its consequences. This week's episode is full of helpful information like this quote from Michael Horton:
The goal of church discipline is always absolution and reconciliation. It's not penance. It's not, 'after you've jumped through these hoops, and proved you're really, really sorry, and you've made amends, then you will be absolved.'It's a great lesson and well worth the 30 minutes it takes to hear. You can click here to listen to the lesson right on your computer.
There is a difference between repentance - which is changing your mind - and the fruit of repentance. We're always inconsistent in bearing the fruit of repentance. But if you're not repentant, you're not a Christian. If you think you have the right to live how you want to live, and believe what you want to believe, you're not a Christian.
It's another reminder for us that the only thing worse than being caught in our sin, is not being caught in our sin. We pray that if, in a season of rebellion, our hearts are hardened in our sin, that our church will love us enough to discipline us and come get us.
Aren't you thankful that we belong to a God who doesn't leave us on our own when we're in over our heads? Our God is a wonderful God, indeed.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Another Sighting
Now really people.... Look at the picture above and tell me what you see.
Apparently, thousands of people have flocked to the small French island of Reunion, to see this - the face of our Savior Himself, appearing in the wrinkles of a church seat cushion. Pleeeeeeaassssee people!
I sure wish we could link an earlier post we wrote to their website!
So, here goes. From one of the many media sources covering the story:
SAINT-DENIS, Reunion (AFP) — Thousands flocked to a Roman Catholic church on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion Saturday after believers said they saw the "face of Christ" in the pleats of a church cushion.
Church officials limited access to the Jesus-Misericordieux church in eastern Saint-Andre's Cambuston district to a few minutes per visitor as traffic in the area ground to a halt.
Believers and curious onlookers pulled out cameras to take pictures of the cushion attached to the priest's chair.
Antoinette, an 82-year-old parishioner, said the face was a "divine phenomenon" as tears welled up her eyes.
"This church is a holy site," added Lise-May, another worshipper.
"This is not a miracle, it's a sign of God," said parish priest Daniel Gavard.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Evangelical Jungle
The Christian Science Monitor published a paper in this month's edition titled,
"The Coming Evangelical Collapse."
It was an opinion on how the Evangelical church in America is going to enter into an
It was an opinion on how the Evangelical church in America is going to enter into an
anti-Christian chapter in its history, resulting in the collapse of the Evangelical church
as it is known today.
Why is this going to happen? The author cites five main reasons:
This article is only an opinion, but I received an e-mail from a missionary friend of mine who also agreed that this author, sadly, makes a lot of sense. We both think that there is getting ready to be a strong persecution against 'Christians' that this generation has never seen. It will be interesting to see how American believers respond.
About 15 years ago, there was a popular book called The Frog in the Kettle. Many of you probably remember reading it. It seems that it's the people in American churches today who find themselves in the soup.
This is why it's so important to make sure that your family is regularly attending church where the Bible is being taught and the gospel is being proclaimed each Sunday. If there is a generation that needs to be saved - It's us!
Have a good Lord's Day tomorrow!
Why is this going to happen? The author cites five main reasons:
1. Evangelicals have identified themselves with political conservatism and the cultural war. They increasingly will be seen as a threat to cultural progress, with public leaders seeing Christians as bad for education, children and society.
2. The Evangelical church has failed to pass on an orthodox form of faith to its young people (knowing biblical doctrine). We have produced a generation of young people who know nothing about their faith, except how they feel about it.
3. There are now three predominant types of evangelical churches in America: consumer-driven megachurches, dying churches and new churches whose future is fragile.
4. Christian education has not produced a generation that can withstand the rising tide of secularism.
5. Even in the Bible-belt, we will find a great inability to pass on to our children a vital confidence in the Bible and the importance of the faith.
The author said Americans can expect "evangelicalism to look more like the pragmatic, therapeutic, church-growth oriented megachurches that have defined success. Emphasis will shift from doctrine to relevance, motivation, and personal success - resulting in churches further compromised and weakened in their ability to pass on the faith."
This article is only an opinion, but I received an e-mail from a missionary friend of mine who also agreed that this author, sadly, makes a lot of sense. We both think that there is getting ready to be a strong persecution against 'Christians' that this generation has never seen. It will be interesting to see how American believers respond.
About 15 years ago, there was a popular book called The Frog in the Kettle. Many of you probably remember reading it. It seems that it's the people in American churches today who find themselves in the soup.
This is why it's so important to make sure that your family is regularly attending church where the Bible is being taught and the gospel is being proclaimed each Sunday. If there is a generation that needs to be saved - It's us!
Have a good Lord's Day tomorrow!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Best Birthday Present Ever!
Psalm 113
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
2 Let the name of the LORD be praised,
both now and forevermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
4 The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
6 who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
8 he seats them with princes,
with the princes of their people.
9 He settles the barren woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A Week in Pictures
Nicholas started basketball skills class this week. He insisted on wearing his head and wrist bands to class. He looked like a character from The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh. The picture above is his best attempt at looking like a tough post player, but for all of you who know him, you know he's fighting back a big smile...
Maddox and I had a Daddy-Daughter date last week. I didn't take a picture of us that night, so I'm borrowing this one from another day. We had a great date and ended up sitting side-by-side on the playroom floor watching her favorite movie, The Sound of Music.
We had our good friends, the Leagues, over for dinner last week. For a hostess gift, they brought their new daughter, Ava Grace, and let Kristin hold her all night long. She may be one of the prettiest babies we've ever seen.
Lastly, in an art class last week, Kristin taught the kids about "wood-cut prints." This is where you carve designs into a block of wood, press the wood into paint and press it onto a canvas for a masterpiece. Notice how their mother has taught them the importance of safety goggles!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Bible Donate
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. -Isaiah 55:10-11
An uncle of ours recently started a ministry called BibleDonate.org. It's a place where believers around the world can request a free copy of the Bible to be sent to them through the mail. The requests come from absolutely everywhere around the world (mostly, where Bibles are next to impossible to obtain).
When the website went up, our uncle was overwhelmed by the number of requests that poured in each day. Through word of mouth, he has been enlisting the help of families and local churches to fulfill these requests. Bibles typically are donated by Christian families who have an extra copy laying around their home or are bought and donated.
This request came in this morning by a group of new believers in Ghana. The words are misspelled, but the message comes through clear:
Dear sir,Our family wants to send the Bibles that these believers requested and thought others of you might be interested, too. If you're interested, let us know and we'll forward you one of the requests. It's a great thing to do as a family.
Greetings of peace, love and joy be with you and your ministry in the name of our risen lord and savior Jesus Christ.
We are writing this letter jointly to testify that the lord is good to us Because He has done a new thing in our lives by saving our souls.We are formerly disbeliver's but when the lord Jesus christ transformed our lives from darkness to light,as a result of listening to bible programes on the radio and Tv stations and we realized we were on the wrong way ,that Jesus is the way, the truth and the live. He is the only way to salvation. We thank God, Because our lives are now no longer the same any more. As new converts, please help as to grow by providing us copies of the complet Bibles to our new church. which is leaded by (name removed).
We are praying for your ministry for God of Heaven to continue to mightily bless you in all your endeavors ... we hope any amount that you will send to us will be a great thing to you when the holy king returns.the bible also says that blessed are the mercyful and for they shall obtain mercy so we pray that the lord will have mercy on you for the mercy you will show us amen.
We are yours in christ thank you Hopping to hear from you soon. GHANA.
Also, if you have a minute, click over to the BibleDonate.org and read some of the requests that have come in. It's amazing how many believers around the world don't have access to a Bible. Let's change that!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Some Spring Gardening
Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
-Luke 13:6-9
I'm getting to the end of John Bunyan's book, The Barren Fig-Tree. Definitely a book for your Sanctification. It's been a journey, to say the least. If you like Bunyan, you really need to read this book.
Page after page forces you to examine the true fruit in your life (not the pretend stuff that you can fool the world, church and yourself with, as Bunyan continually reminds you). There is a chapter towards the end, that not only reminds us of the hope we have in Christ's care for us, but also gives us an incredibly insightful look into the measures that God sometimes uses to bring about fruit in our lives.
Does it not seem true that when we, or friends, experience difficulties in our lives, we're quick to come up with some kind of knee-jerk response to usher them out of the difficulty as quickly as possible. As if hardships are punishments instead of blessings. Oh how shallow my wisdom really is!
Well, as spring is just around the corner, I'm going to reflect on one thing more. As I'm pruning back our Crepe Myrtles (and I mean really pruning them back - you know, so they'll really blossom in July), I'm going to reflect on how the Master Gardener is pruning me and when the cuts are uncomfortable, I'm going to remember the thoughts of my friend, John Bunyan. And I'm also going to pray that the bad earth will come away from my roots - and FAST!
The great thing about all of this is that God is continually at work in bringing about fruit in our lives that is pleasing to Him. He's pruning. He's fertilizing. He's removing the clay. If the end result of pleasing fruit were left up to me, I'm afraid He would be greatly disappointed.
" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
-Luke 13:6-9
I'm getting to the end of John Bunyan's book, The Barren Fig-Tree. Definitely a book for your Sanctification. It's been a journey, to say the least. If you like Bunyan, you really need to read this book.
Page after page forces you to examine the true fruit in your life (not the pretend stuff that you can fool the world, church and yourself with, as Bunyan continually reminds you). There is a chapter towards the end, that not only reminds us of the hope we have in Christ's care for us, but also gives us an incredibly insightful look into the measures that God sometimes uses to bring about fruit in our lives.
'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.'
In a generation where self-help, prosperity-focused, man-centered Christianity is rampant (and if you don't believe this, just walk through Mardels and look at the book titles on the best-sellers shelf), it's quite a reminder that the Lord Himself, uses hardships in our lives to 'take bad earth from our roots and to loosen our roots from the earth.' I think of the many times I've tried to thwart God's care for me by preventing this from happening!Lord, I will loose his roots, I will dig up this earth, I will lay his roots bare; my hand shall be upon him by sickness, by disappointments, by cross providences; I will dig about him until he stands shaking and totering; until he be ready to fall; then, if ever, he will seek to take faster hold.
Thus, I say, deals the Lord Jesus ofttimes with the barren professor; he diggeth about him, he smiteth one blow at his heart, another blow at his lusts, a third at his pleasures, a fourth at his comforts, another at his self-conceitedness.
Thus he diggeth about him; this is the way to take bad earth from his roots, and to loosen his roots from the earth. Barren fig-tree, see here the care, the love, the labour, and the way, which the Lord Jesus, the dresser of the vineyard, is fain to take with thee, if haply thou mayest be made fruitful.
Does it not seem true that when we, or friends, experience difficulties in our lives, we're quick to come up with some kind of knee-jerk response to usher them out of the difficulty as quickly as possible. As if hardships are punishments instead of blessings. Oh how shallow my wisdom really is!
Well, as spring is just around the corner, I'm going to reflect on one thing more. As I'm pruning back our Crepe Myrtles (and I mean really pruning them back - you know, so they'll really blossom in July), I'm going to reflect on how the Master Gardener is pruning me and when the cuts are uncomfortable, I'm going to remember the thoughts of my friend, John Bunyan. And I'm also going to pray that the bad earth will come away from my roots - and FAST!
The great thing about all of this is that God is continually at work in bringing about fruit in our lives that is pleasing to Him. He's pruning. He's fertilizing. He's removing the clay. If the end result of pleasing fruit were left up to me, I'm afraid He would be greatly disappointed.
