It's funny, I started out with some trepidation 'cause these are some hard truths and, ya gotta admit, this is not a world and we are not people accustomed to taking hard truths very well. But as I read I was soothed and encouraged, and am in the end left with nothing but Truth -- hard only if I resist it [reminds me of what Jesus told Paul at his conversion on the road to Damascus: "It is hard for you to kick against the goads."]
So here are the highlights for me from Chapter 3 (there's much, much more, but we'll be talking about it later I'm sure :-) These, though, I love. Thank you God!
Just here is a point on which many may err, and hence they fail of receiving the help that Christ desires to give them. They think that they cannot come to Christ unless they first repent, and that repentance prepares for the forgiveness of their sins. It is true that repentance does precede the forgiveness of sins; for it is only the broken and contrite heart that will feel the need of a Saviour. But must the sinner wait till he has repented before he can come to Jesus? Is repentance to be made an obstacle between the sinner and the Saviour?
The Bible does not teach that the sinner must repent before he can heed the invitation of Christ, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. It is the virtue that goes forth from Christ, that leads to genuine repentance...Christ is the source of every right impulse. He is the only one that can implant in the heart enmity against sin. Every desire for truth and purity, every conviction of our own sinfulness, is an evidence that His Spirit is moving upon our hearts. (p. 26)
The same divine mind that is working upon the things of nature is speaking to the hearts of men and creating an inexpressible craving for something they have not. The things of the world cannot satisfy their longing. The Spirit of God is pleading with them to seek for those things that alone can give peace and rest--the grace of Christ, the joy of holiness. Through influences seen and unseen, our Saviour is constantly at work to attract the minds of men from the unsatisfying pleasures of sin to the infinite blessings that may be theirs in Him. To all these souls, who are vainly seeking to drink from the broken cisterns of this world, the divine message is addressed, "Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Revelation 22:17...
We may have flattered ourselves, as did Nicodemus, that our life has been upright, that our moral character is correct, and think that we need not humble the heart before God, like the common sinner: but when the light from Christ shines into our souls, we shall see how impure we are; we shall discern the selfishness of motive, the enmity against God, that has defiled every act of life. Then we shall know that our own righteousness is indeed as filthy rags, and that the blood of Christ alone can cleanse us from the defilement of sin, and renew our hearts in His own likeness.
One ray of the glory of God, one gleam of the purity of Christ, penetrating the soul, makes every spot of defilement painfully distinct, and lays bare the deformity and defects of the human character. It makes apparent the unhallowed desires, the infidelity of the heart, the impurity of the lips. (pp. 28-29)
The drunkard is despised and is told that his sin will exclude him from heaven; while pride, selfishness, and covetousness too often go unrebuked. But these are sins that are especially offensive to God; for they are contrary to the benevolence of His character, to that unselfish love which is the very atmosphere of the unfallen universe. He who falls into some of the grosser sins may feel a sense of his shame and poverty and his need of the grace of Christ; but pride feels no need, and so it closes the heart against Christ... (p. 30)
Every act of transgression, every neglect or rejection of the grace of Christ, is reacting upon yourself; it is hardening the heart, depraving the will, benumbing the understanding, and not only making you less inclined to yield, but less capable of yielding, to the tender pleading of God's Holy Spirit...Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. Every sinful indulgence strengthens the soul's aversion to God. The man who manifests an infidel hardihood, or a stolid indifference to divine truth, is but reaping the harvest of that which he has himself sown. In all the Bible there is not a more fearful warning against trifling with evil than the words of the wise man that the sinner "shall be held with the cords of his sins." Proverbs 5:22. (pp. 33-34)
"Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart"--the human heart, with its conflicting emotions of joy and sorrow; the wandering, wayward heart, which is the abode of so much impurity and deceit. 1 Samuel 16:7. He knows its motives, its very intents and purposes. Go to Him with your soul all stained as it is. Like the psalmist, throw its chambers open to the all-seeing eyes, exclaiming, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139: 23, 24.
Many accept an intellectual religion, a form of godliness, when the heart is not cleansed. Let it be your prayer, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10. Deal truly with your own soul. Be as earnest, as persistent, as you would be if your mortal life were at stake. This is a matter to be settled between God and your own soul, settled for eternity. (pp. 34-35)
As you see the enormity of sin, as you see yourself as you really are, do not give up to despair. It was sinners that Christ came to save. We have not to reconcile God to us, but -- O wondrous love! -- God in Christ is "reconciling the world unto Himself." 2 Corinthians 5:19. He is wooing by His tender love the hearts of His erring children. No earthly parent could be as patient with the faults and mistakes of his children, as is God with those He seeks to save. No one could plead more tenderly with the transgressor. No human lips ever poured out more tender entreaties to the wanderer than does He. All His promises, His warnings, are but the breathing of unutterable love. (p. 35)
When Satan comes to tell you that you are a great sinner, look up to your Redeemer and talk of His merits. That which will help you is to look to His light. Acknowledge your sin, but tell the enemy that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" and that you may be saved by His matchless love. 1 Timothy 1:15...We have been great sinners, but Christ died that we might be forgiven. (p. 36)
You've been prayed for today...
J
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Am I Stuck Or Am I Free Indeed? ("Steps To Christ" Chapter 2)
So today's excerpt (from Chapter 2 of Steps To Christ) has some hard truths for us -- if we're willing to look. And that's a mighty big "if" -- you may have noticed that our society as a whole is not particularly enamored with taking hard looks and hearing hard truths. And oh-BTW, lest we get too smug, as denizens of this planet and this society specifically, we're at least a tad bit susceptible to that mindset, so heads up! We have to take James' admonition to heart:
"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."
James 1:22-25
So here we go, and remember: only in looking hard and seeing and accepting and incorporating Truth are we set free (John 8:36 says, "If the Son sets you free you are free indeed." I hear it say, "ONLY if the Son sets you free are you actually free. Anything else is temporary and unreliable; don't buy it!").
Here're Chapter 2's thoughts...
...Selfishness took the place of love. His nature became so weakened through transgression that it was impossible for him, in his own strength, to resist the power of evil. (p.17)
It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Job 14:4; Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness. (p.18)
[Reminds me of the words of Jeremiah:
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
'I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind...'"
Jer. 17:9-10]
In the apostasy, man alienated himself from God; earth was cut off from heaven. Across the gulf that lay between, there could be no communion. But through Christ, earth is again linked with heaven. With His own merits, Christ has bridged the gulf which sin had made, so that the ministering angels can hold communion with man. Christ connects fallen man in his weakness and helplessness with the Source of infinite power. But in vain are men's dreams of progress, in vain all efforts for the uplifting of humanity, if they neglect the one Source of hope and help for the fallen race. "Every good gift and every perfect gift" (James 1:17) is from God. There is no true excellence of character apart from Him. (pp.20-21)
Shall we not regard the mercy of God? What more could He do? Let us place ourselves in right relation to Him who has loved us with amazing love. Let us avail ourselves of the means provided for us that we may be transformed into His likeness, and be restored to fellowship with the ministering angels, to harmony and communion with the Father and the Son. (p.22)
Gonna not write and rather let that marinate for a while -- you?
Actually, another couple of lines from this chapter really leapt out at me (then we can let the marination begin):
"People who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means." 1 Corinthians 2:14
Overarching it all for me, though, was this idea:
"The heart of God yearns over His earthly children with a love stronger than death."
That's who He is, that's what He's about. Praise God.
Shall we not regard the mercy of God?
What more could He do?
You've been prayed for today.
J
"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."
James 1:22-25
So here we go, and remember: only in looking hard and seeing and accepting and incorporating Truth are we set free (John 8:36 says, "If the Son sets you free you are free indeed." I hear it say, "ONLY if the Son sets you free are you actually free. Anything else is temporary and unreliable; don't buy it!").
Here're Chapter 2's thoughts...
...Selfishness took the place of love. His nature became so weakened through transgression that it was impossible for him, in his own strength, to resist the power of evil. (p.17)
It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Job 14:4; Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness. (p.18)
[Reminds me of the words of Jeremiah:
“The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
'I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind...'"
Jer. 17:9-10]
In the apostasy, man alienated himself from God; earth was cut off from heaven. Across the gulf that lay between, there could be no communion. But through Christ, earth is again linked with heaven. With His own merits, Christ has bridged the gulf which sin had made, so that the ministering angels can hold communion with man. Christ connects fallen man in his weakness and helplessness with the Source of infinite power. But in vain are men's dreams of progress, in vain all efforts for the uplifting of humanity, if they neglect the one Source of hope and help for the fallen race. "Every good gift and every perfect gift" (James 1:17) is from God. There is no true excellence of character apart from Him. (pp.20-21)
Shall we not regard the mercy of God? What more could He do? Let us place ourselves in right relation to Him who has loved us with amazing love. Let us avail ourselves of the means provided for us that we may be transformed into His likeness, and be restored to fellowship with the ministering angels, to harmony and communion with the Father and the Son. (p.22)
Gonna not write and rather let that marinate for a while -- you?
Actually, another couple of lines from this chapter really leapt out at me (then we can let the marination begin):
"People who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means." 1 Corinthians 2:14
Overarching it all for me, though, was this idea:
"The heart of God yearns over His earthly children with a love stronger than death."
That's who He is, that's what He's about. Praise God.
Shall we not regard the mercy of God?
What more could He do?
You've been prayed for today.
J
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Welcome [Back]! ("Steps To Christ" Chapter 1)
Welcome (and welcome back, some of you) to the (woefully neglected) RST blog, and especially welcome Bonita Valley Adventist Church folks who are reading Steps To Christ this quarter. As Sharon said, we'll post here early in the week (well, it'll be "early" starting next week -- this week, not so much :-) Feel free to jump in, comment on these or any posts (or the emailed questions), wander through the archived RSTs, whatever, make yourselves at home. Alrighty then -- here we go! Here's what really jumped out at me from Chapter 1 (as you'll notice, most posts are much shorter than these so don't panic).
God has bound our hearts to Him by unnumbered tokens in heaven and in earth. Through the things of nature, and the deepest and tenderest earthly ties that human hearts can know, He has sought to reveal Himself to us. Yet these but imperfectly represent His love. Though all these evidences have been given, the enemy of good blinded the minds of men, so that they looked upon God with fear; they thought of Him as severe and unforgiving. Satan led men to conceive of God as a being whose chief attribute is stern justice--one who is a severe judge, a harsh, exacting creditor. He pictured the Creator as a being who is watching with jealous eye to discern the errors and mistakes of men, that He may visit judgments upon them. It was to remove this dark shadow, by revealing to the world the infinite love of God, that Jesus came to live among men...In describing His earthly mission, Jesus said, The Lord "hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." Luke 4:18. (pp. 10-11)
I'm always struck, when I allow myself the time/space to think about deeper things, by the relentlessness of God's pursuit of me, of His immeasurable love for me and His unflagging drive to make me aware of His actual, literal, tender affection and mercy toward me. He's not mad; He loves me, yes, tenderly, and fiercely, but mostly irrevocably. Turns out He's crazy about me.
And then I'm also struck by the flip side: the relentlessly malevolent, angry, and bitter assault of the Adversary. He is the Father of Lies, and lie about God he does. Too many of us buy it, too. Before you think about it too much, take a quick inventory and see: do you feel like God is warm and affectionate and darned-near mushy crazy about you? Or does He feel cold, hard, distant, judgmental, vindictive? Read Jesus' own words above from Luke 4 (reading about Himself from Isaiah 61). That's what He said He was about; why do I (sometimes? often?) believe otherwise about Him?
Jesus did not suppress one word of truth, but He uttered it always in love. He exercised the greatest tact and thoughtful, kind attention in His intercourse with the people. He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure human weakness. He spoke the truth, but always in love. He denounced hypocrisy, unbelief, and iniquity; but tears were in His voice as He uttered His scathing rebukes ... His life was one of self-denial and thoughtful care for others. Every soul was precious in His eyes. While He ever bore Himself with divine dignity, He bowed with the tenderest regard to every member of the family of God. In all men He saw fallen souls whom it was His mission to save. (p.12)
I love how Christ did the consistent living-out of who He was and what was written about Him in scripture (like the passage from Isaiah above). He truly exemplified for us CHRISTians what The Way looks like. Now for the pointy end of the stick: how am I doing living out my credo? Do I look like Him, or do I just say I do?
The more we study the divine character in the light of the cross, the more we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice, and the more clearly we discern innumerable evidences of a love that is infinite and a tender pity surpassing a mother's yearning sympathy for her wayward child. (p. 15)
Yep. That about covers it; it takes effort, and a little faith, to see beyond the deception the Adversary crafts and sells so effectively. God is love. No, seriously; God is so loving He actually is love. I just have to look around at the "innumerable evidences" and remember.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Friday, May 4, 2012
Your "Armor of God" -- nice and shiny?
Here's one that had been saved in an old email folder since 2007. It's based on thoughts by Jim Weidmann, a VP at Promise Keepers.
I enjoyed playing football at the Air Force Academy. I’d pass by the full length mirror on the way to warm ups and feel pretty impressed with myself; decked out in my football armor of helmet, pads, and a bright white and blue uniform emblazoned with lightning bolts. I soon became aware there was an unwritten rule of being on the squad: DO NOT return to the locker room wearing a uniform as clean as when you went out! The proof that you had engaged the adversary on the football field was seen in coming back with a “well used uniform” containing grass and blood stains. Ending the game in a clean-as-new uniform proclaimed to everyone that you hadn’t even made it off the bench and onto the field.
The rise of the Roman Empire was due in no small part to the well-equipped Roman soldier, so much so that the Apostle Paul uses the Roman soldier's armor as a visual example to describe the Armor of God. In Ephesians 6:10-18 we are told to put on this whole Armor of God — powerful both on defense and offense — so we "can take our stand against the devil’s schemes." We are instructed to put it on with the intention and understanding that IT WILL BE USED; and by the way, nowhere are we told to take it off.
Christians, we forget that God’s armor equips us for battle with our very real, relentless, powerful, malignant enemy. If we are making a difference for the Kingdom (and thus making inroads into Satan's dominion), we can expect many skirmishes with that enemy. By the time we reach the end of the day we should expect our armor to be dinged, dented and “well used.” Coach Mac, PK’s co-founder, once asked: "We are at war, but have we been *in* the war?" Put on your armor and engage the enemy in your sphere of influence – and remember that the fight comes to you whether you are ready for it or not. What you do with it is up to you. Will you stand? Or will you cave?
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."
(Ephesians 6:10-18)
So, following Paul's exhortation:
You've been prayed for today.
J
I enjoyed playing football at the Air Force Academy. I’d pass by the full length mirror on the way to warm ups and feel pretty impressed with myself; decked out in my football armor of helmet, pads, and a bright white and blue uniform emblazoned with lightning bolts. I soon became aware there was an unwritten rule of being on the squad: DO NOT return to the locker room wearing a uniform as clean as when you went out! The proof that you had engaged the adversary on the football field was seen in coming back with a “well used uniform” containing grass and blood stains. Ending the game in a clean-as-new uniform proclaimed to everyone that you hadn’t even made it off the bench and onto the field.
The rise of the Roman Empire was due in no small part to the well-equipped Roman soldier, so much so that the Apostle Paul uses the Roman soldier's armor as a visual example to describe the Armor of God. In Ephesians 6:10-18 we are told to put on this whole Armor of God — powerful both on defense and offense — so we "can take our stand against the devil’s schemes." We are instructed to put it on with the intention and understanding that IT WILL BE USED; and by the way, nowhere are we told to take it off.
Christians, we forget that God’s armor equips us for battle with our very real, relentless, powerful, malignant enemy. If we are making a difference for the Kingdom (and thus making inroads into Satan's dominion), we can expect many skirmishes with that enemy. By the time we reach the end of the day we should expect our armor to be dinged, dented and “well used.” Coach Mac, PK’s co-founder, once asked: "We are at war, but have we been *in* the war?" Put on your armor and engage the enemy in your sphere of influence – and remember that the fight comes to you whether you are ready for it or not. What you do with it is up to you. Will you stand? Or will you cave?
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."
(Ephesians 6:10-18)
So, following Paul's exhortation:
You've been prayed for today.
J
Friday, August 6, 2010
"Mightier than the breakers of the sea"
Hey, Y'all,
A few days ago we had church at the beach and we discussed Psalm 93 (thanks, Pastor, for the reminder) -- here are a few verses to chew on...
Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.
The seas have lifted up, O LORD,
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea--
the LORD on high is mighty.
Been thinking about the many different coastlines I've been fortunate enough to visit over the years: some cold and others tropical, some rocky and others sandy -- from black to sugar-white, with waters ranging from grey to green to deepest blue. Invariably they draw me, almost magically, (siren song?) and alternately hypnotize and humble, strengthen and soothe, energize and awe...
Why is that exactly? Is it the oceans' inscrutable depths? The neverending horizons? Or is it the seemingly unlimited variations on "Green" and "Blue"? Or the comforting constancy of the breeze, with its clean, briny scent? Is it the pounding thunder of the breakers? Or the hisssss as they recede back down the sand? What about the sound of utter silence interrupted only by the soft lapping of gentle waves on the shore (or against the side of a gently rocking boat) while enjoying the sheer bliss of eyes-closed-warm-sun-bare-skin?
What is it about the ocean?
What is it about us?
What is it about God?
You've been prayed for today...
J
A few days ago we had church at the beach and we discussed Psalm 93 (thanks, Pastor, for the reminder) -- here are a few verses to chew on...
Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.
The seas have lifted up, O LORD,
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea--
the LORD on high is mighty.
Been thinking about the many different coastlines I've been fortunate enough to visit over the years: some cold and others tropical, some rocky and others sandy -- from black to sugar-white, with waters ranging from grey to green to deepest blue. Invariably they draw me, almost magically, (siren song?) and alternately hypnotize and humble, strengthen and soothe, energize and awe...
Why is that exactly? Is it the oceans' inscrutable depths? The neverending horizons? Or is it the seemingly unlimited variations on "Green" and "Blue"? Or the comforting constancy of the breeze, with its clean, briny scent? Is it the pounding thunder of the breakers? Or the hisssss as they recede back down the sand? What about the sound of utter silence interrupted only by the soft lapping of gentle waves on the shore (or against the side of a gently rocking boat) while enjoying the sheer bliss of eyes-closed-warm-sun-bare-skin?
What is it about the ocean?
What is it about us?
What is it about God?
You've been prayed for today...
J
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
What Is God Like? He rejoices over you...
This is what Zephaniah 3:17 says, little Lea...
The LORD your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
You've been prayed for today.
(Thanks mon frere Mike R. for the reminder) .
J
The LORD your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
You've been prayed for today.
(Thanks mon frere Mike R. for the reminder) .
J
Monday, March 8, 2010
"The Influence of Grace"
Hey, y'all,
Have had this sitting in my "on-deck circle" of RSTs for months -- seems like a good place to talk about it.
"...No man who has the true ideal of what constitutes a perfect character will fail to manifest the sympathy and tenderness of Christ. The influence of grace is to soften the heart, to refine and purify the feelings, giving a heaven-born delicacy and sense of propriety...
"A religion that leads men to place a low estimate upon human beings, whom Christ has esteemed of such value as to give Himself for them, a religion that would lead us to be careless of human needs, sufferings, or rights, is a spurious religion...
"It is because men take upon themselves the name of Christ, while in life they deny His character, that Christianity has so little power in the world."
—E G White, Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 135-137
A couple of 'ouches' there:
Can't say I haven't (on a regular basis, good grief!) failed to "manifest the sympathy and tenderness of Christ" -- but I'm sure it's probably just me :-). And that's pretty potent stuff there at the end: "It is because men take upon themselves the name of Christ, while in life they deny His character, that Christianity has so little power in the world." How true is that?!? And how significant exactly is my contribution to that depressing little equation?
Interesting how grace isn't described as some namby-pamby soft-and-fuzzy little nothing; it's characterized as having powerful, transformative power. Thus, if I'm not being consistently changed by my acceptance of God's grace (manifested as a vital, life-altering relationship with Him), how authentic was the 'grace experience' really?
You've been prayed for today...
J
Have had this sitting in my "on-deck circle" of RSTs for months -- seems like a good place to talk about it.
"...No man who has the true ideal of what constitutes a perfect character will fail to manifest the sympathy and tenderness of Christ. The influence of grace is to soften the heart, to refine and purify the feelings, giving a heaven-born delicacy and sense of propriety...
"A religion that leads men to place a low estimate upon human beings, whom Christ has esteemed of such value as to give Himself for them, a religion that would lead us to be careless of human needs, sufferings, or rights, is a spurious religion...
"It is because men take upon themselves the name of Christ, while in life they deny His character, that Christianity has so little power in the world."
—E G White, Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 135-137
A couple of 'ouches' there:
Can't say I haven't (on a regular basis, good grief!) failed to "manifest the sympathy and tenderness of Christ" -- but I'm sure it's probably just me :-). And that's pretty potent stuff there at the end: "It is because men take upon themselves the name of Christ, while in life they deny His character, that Christianity has so little power in the world." How true is that?!? And how significant exactly is my contribution to that depressing little equation?
Interesting how grace isn't described as some namby-pamby soft-and-fuzzy little nothing; it's characterized as having powerful, transformative power. Thus, if I'm not being consistently changed by my acceptance of God's grace (manifested as a vital, life-altering relationship with Him), how authentic was the 'grace experience' really?
You've been prayed for today...
J
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Faith? (Part 2)
Following up the last post...
"Faith is seen in the substance of a life lived in service to others." [True religion is not] "...a cheap, disposable faith that says nothing, costs nothing, does nothing, risks nothing, and speaks not of God, but only of the grubby, temporal perspectives and fears of ground-bound women and men."
That's the hard question you need to ask yourself right there: what is your faith, your religion (or lack thereof), actually doing, how is it working on your mind, your soul, to motivate you to improve the lot of all of God's children here below? Not just your spouse, or your children, or your friends, not just the deserving (whatever that means to you), but the wretched, the most vulnerable, the least lovable.
Is your "faith" simply a warm, comfortable little 'something' that you take once a week (or less) to feel better? Is church just a social club where you pat yourselves on the back while saying tsk-tsk at what you see in the world around you?
Does it speak "only of the grubby, temporal perspectives and fears of ground-bound women and men?" Does it encourage you to turn away, holding your nose while looking beyond this present reality, focusing instead on your "eternal reward?" Or does it soften you to the plight of others, does it inspire you to serve, to give, perhaps even painfully, expecting nothing in return?
The crux of the matter is this: it matters not how much "truth" your religion lays claim to; it matters even less that you think you're right about this, that, or the other. Real faith is not cheap, it is not static nor weak; true religion is in fact costly, it is powerful, it works. If your beliefs do not move you toward service and even self-sacrifice, then they merit reconsideration--and perhaps outright rejection.
The inescapable truth is that any belief system that does not result in service to others is indeed "a cheap, disposable faith that says nothing, costs nothing, does nothing, risks nothing, and speaks not of God."
You've been prayed for today...
J
"Faith is seen in the substance of a life lived in service to others." [True religion is not] "...a cheap, disposable faith that says nothing, costs nothing, does nothing, risks nothing, and speaks not of God, but only of the grubby, temporal perspectives and fears of ground-bound women and men."
That's the hard question you need to ask yourself right there: what is your faith, your religion (or lack thereof), actually doing, how is it working on your mind, your soul, to motivate you to improve the lot of all of God's children here below? Not just your spouse, or your children, or your friends, not just the deserving (whatever that means to you), but the wretched, the most vulnerable, the least lovable.
Is your "faith" simply a warm, comfortable little 'something' that you take once a week (or less) to feel better? Is church just a social club where you pat yourselves on the back while saying tsk-tsk at what you see in the world around you?
Does it speak "only of the grubby, temporal perspectives and fears of ground-bound women and men?" Does it encourage you to turn away, holding your nose while looking beyond this present reality, focusing instead on your "eternal reward?" Or does it soften you to the plight of others, does it inspire you to serve, to give, perhaps even painfully, expecting nothing in return?
The crux of the matter is this: it matters not how much "truth" your religion lays claim to; it matters even less that you think you're right about this, that, or the other. Real faith is not cheap, it is not static nor weak; true religion is in fact costly, it is powerful, it works. If your beliefs do not move you toward service and even self-sacrifice, then they merit reconsideration--and perhaps outright rejection.
The inescapable truth is that any belief system that does not result in service to others is indeed "a cheap, disposable faith that says nothing, costs nothing, does nothing, risks nothing, and speaks not of God."
You've been prayed for today...
J
Friday, February 19, 2010
Faith? (Part 1)
Hey, Y'all,
Ran across this in a column by Leonard Pitts; found it interesting because he is not an overtly christian writer, but mostly it really resonated with something Evonne and I (and our church as a whole) have been thinking about and discussing lately...
We specialize in cheesy expressions of faith here in God's favorite country. Indeed, you could build a tower unto heaven itself out of all the roadside Jesuses, prayer cloths, Ten Commandments rocks, and other trinkets of a cheap, disposable faith that says nothing, costs nothing, does nothing, risks nothing, and speaks not of God, but only of the grubby, temporal perspectives and fears of ground-bound women and men.
Last November, the University of Chicago published a study quantifying the blazingly obvious: people tend to create God in their own image, to ascribe to the deity their own opinions, interests and beliefs. But is that really faith, when you reduce God to a bigger version of you?
Mother Teresa's faith drove her to foreswear material riches and spend half a century working to uplift the wretched poor of Calcutta.
Martin Luther King's faith drove him to gamble his very life in a dangerous campaign to win human and civil rights for African-American people...
The point is not that we can do what Martin Luther King did or be who Mother Teresa was -- we all suffer in that comparison. Rather, faith is seen in the substance of a life lived in service to others, lived as if God were not in fact one's personal echo chamber in the sky.
(More to follow).
You've been prayed for today...
Ran across this in a column by Leonard Pitts; found it interesting because he is not an overtly christian writer, but mostly it really resonated with something Evonne and I (and our church as a whole) have been thinking about and discussing lately...
We specialize in cheesy expressions of faith here in God's favorite country. Indeed, you could build a tower unto heaven itself out of all the roadside Jesuses, prayer cloths, Ten Commandments rocks, and other trinkets of a cheap, disposable faith that says nothing, costs nothing, does nothing, risks nothing, and speaks not of God, but only of the grubby, temporal perspectives and fears of ground-bound women and men.
Last November, the University of Chicago published a study quantifying the blazingly obvious: people tend to create God in their own image, to ascribe to the deity their own opinions, interests and beliefs. But is that really faith, when you reduce God to a bigger version of you?
Mother Teresa's faith drove her to foreswear material riches and spend half a century working to uplift the wretched poor of Calcutta.
Martin Luther King's faith drove him to gamble his very life in a dangerous campaign to win human and civil rights for African-American people...
The point is not that we can do what Martin Luther King did or be who Mother Teresa was -- we all suffer in that comparison. Rather, faith is seen in the substance of a life lived in service to others, lived as if God were not in fact one's personal echo chamber in the sky.
(More to follow).
You've been prayed for today...
J
Monday, November 2, 2009
"I am not saved by believing..."
Hey, Y'all,
Nearly 6 weeks since our last post--crazy how time passes, especially when you're trying to keep up with a perpetually awake (by which I mean utterly alive, observing, absorbing everything, and growing like a weed) 4-month-old, moreso in the context of being sick as a dog for over a week (piggy flu, anyone?) and starting the process of moving back home, to say nothing of working on buying a home--sweet! Can't believe our year-long sojourn is almost done...
At any rate, kind reader, here's the thought du jour. Ran across it October 28 in the devotional "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. Give it a read, then stop for a second and read it again, slowly. Some spiritual writings are too profound for a mere cursory reading, so I'll slow it down, even read it aloud, and very often find that bit of extra lingering over the words lets them wash over and through me in a way I'd otherwise miss. So give it a try--see if God doesn't meet you (more than) half way :-)
I am not saved by believing--I simply realize that I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me--repentance is only a sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus.
The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died for me.
When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God's grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what He has done.
The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know I am saved, even though I don't know how it was accomplished.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Nearly 6 weeks since our last post--crazy how time passes, especially when you're trying to keep up with a perpetually awake (by which I mean utterly alive, observing, absorbing everything, and growing like a weed) 4-month-old, moreso in the context of being sick as a dog for over a week (piggy flu, anyone?) and starting the process of moving back home, to say nothing of working on buying a home--sweet! Can't believe our year-long sojourn is almost done...
At any rate, kind reader, here's the thought du jour. Ran across it October 28 in the devotional "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. Give it a read, then stop for a second and read it again, slowly. Some spiritual writings are too profound for a mere cursory reading, so I'll slow it down, even read it aloud, and very often find that bit of extra lingering over the words lets them wash over and through me in a way I'd otherwise miss. So give it a try--see if God doesn't meet you (more than) half way :-)
I am not saved by believing--I simply realize that I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me--repentance is only a sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus.
The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died for me.
When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God's grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what He has done.
The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know I am saved, even though I don't know how it was accomplished.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
"Listening to your life"
Hey, Y'all,
I was looking in my (ironically-labeled, I now realize, as some of these are a couple of years old) "future RST" folder and found this quote whose citation I've apparently lost. Here it is...
I received word recently of the passing of a 68-year-old woman who was a mom and a grandmother--she was involved in an automobile accident which left her in a coma from which she never recovered. In the words of a family friend, she was "just a normal housewife whose family was her career." When they spoke at her funeral, they all spoke about a remarkable woman who had a profound influence on their lives by "merely" being there and being faithful to God.
Here's a truth among truths: there's no substitute for the power of a steady life of faith. It may not hit you over the head, but over time, the reality of a loving life takes hold and you cannot shake it. We often hear about the more glamorous stories of radical change faith can produce, and these are indeed thrilling and inspiring stories, but the real examples are often unclaimed until someone is suddenly taken from us, or we are given time to listen to the silence of someone's life. And that silence can speak volumes.
Think of all the unsung heroes like her who will shine like stars in Heaven. It's not always--no, in fact, it's almost never the convincing argument or the riveting miracle that changes lives. It's much more often the quiet power of a steady faith that leaves the deepest impression and can win over the hardest heart.
If someone listened to your life today, what would they hear? Anxiety, fear, confusion, hurry? Or love and a faith that is bigger than all those things? What speaks loudest in your life? It's a sobering thought and I, for one, have to say I am not real pleased with the results of my own self-assessment in this regard. Good thing we've all got a little more time by the grace of God. Live well today, live well every day. You never know who'll be listening to your life.
You've been prayed for today...
J
I was looking in my (ironically-labeled, I now realize, as some of these are a couple of years old) "future RST" folder and found this quote whose citation I've apparently lost. Here it is...
I received word recently of the passing of a 68-year-old woman who was a mom and a grandmother--she was involved in an automobile accident which left her in a coma from which she never recovered. In the words of a family friend, she was "just a normal housewife whose family was her career." When they spoke at her funeral, they all spoke about a remarkable woman who had a profound influence on their lives by "merely" being there and being faithful to God.
Here's a truth among truths: there's no substitute for the power of a steady life of faith. It may not hit you over the head, but over time, the reality of a loving life takes hold and you cannot shake it. We often hear about the more glamorous stories of radical change faith can produce, and these are indeed thrilling and inspiring stories, but the real examples are often unclaimed until someone is suddenly taken from us, or we are given time to listen to the silence of someone's life. And that silence can speak volumes.
Think of all the unsung heroes like her who will shine like stars in Heaven. It's not always--no, in fact, it's almost never the convincing argument or the riveting miracle that changes lives. It's much more often the quiet power of a steady faith that leaves the deepest impression and can win over the hardest heart.
If someone listened to your life today, what would they hear? Anxiety, fear, confusion, hurry? Or love and a faith that is bigger than all those things? What speaks loudest in your life? It's a sobering thought and I, for one, have to say I am not real pleased with the results of my own self-assessment in this regard. Good thing we've all got a little more time by the grace of God. Live well today, live well every day. You never know who'll be listening to your life.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Sunday, September 13, 2009
"Pour out your heart...Lift up your hands" (Part 2)
Hey, Y'all,
Wow, a week already -- good grief! OK, on to Part 2.
So I was reading Psalm 128 again as I periodically do (it's one of my favorite passages, but that's another RST for another time :-) when I decided to also read Psalm 127 (it's funny how often I'll run across something useful or thought-provoking when I read a chapter before and/or after; you should give it a try and see if the Lord doesn't use that little bit of initiative to speak to you in a shockingly clear voice).
At any rate, I'd forgotten that Psalm 127 starts out, "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain."
That's striking a pretty profound chord in me these days.
It then continues, "Don't you see that children are God's best gift, the fruit of the womb His generous legacy?"
Hmmm. Yeah. That one also found its mark. Funny how that works. I guess for me this RST is a call to action, the culmination of thoughts and conversations Evonne and I have been having recently. It's a reminder that even though much has been written about God and the Bible, and much of it is in fact worthwhile, nothing can take the place of actually opening The Book and communing with its Author directly. As we've said here before, He actually seeks us out, He relishes His time with us, His children. He knows our lives, He knows our needs; that's why the invitation woven throughout scripture -- His eternal message to us -- is to stop, even for a just moment, and be refreshed and filled, our characters refined and ennobled:
"The Lord called to the man--as He still does--and said, 'Where are you?' Come now, let us reason together. Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Whoever is thirsty, let them come; and whoever wishes, let them take the free gift of the water of life." (from Genesis 3, Isaiah 1, John 4, and Revelation 22).
You've been prayed for today...
J
Wow, a week already -- good grief! OK, on to Part 2.
So I was reading Psalm 128 again as I periodically do (it's one of my favorite passages, but that's another RST for another time :-) when I decided to also read Psalm 127 (it's funny how often I'll run across something useful or thought-provoking when I read a chapter before and/or after; you should give it a try and see if the Lord doesn't use that little bit of initiative to speak to you in a shockingly clear voice).
At any rate, I'd forgotten that Psalm 127 starts out, "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain."
That's striking a pretty profound chord in me these days.
It then continues, "Don't you see that children are God's best gift, the fruit of the womb His generous legacy?"
Hmmm. Yeah. That one also found its mark. Funny how that works. I guess for me this RST is a call to action, the culmination of thoughts and conversations Evonne and I have been having recently. It's a reminder that even though much has been written about God and the Bible, and much of it is in fact worthwhile, nothing can take the place of actually opening The Book and communing with its Author directly. As we've said here before, He actually seeks us out, He relishes His time with us, His children. He knows our lives, He knows our needs; that's why the invitation woven throughout scripture -- His eternal message to us -- is to stop, even for a just moment, and be refreshed and filled, our characters refined and ennobled:
"The Lord called to the man--as He still does--and said, 'Where are you?' Come now, let us reason together. Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Whoever is thirsty, let them come; and whoever wishes, let them take the free gift of the water of life." (from Genesis 3, Isaiah 1, John 4, and Revelation 22).
You've been prayed for today...
J
Sunday, September 6, 2009
"Pour out your heart...Lift up your hands" (Part 1)
Hey, Y'all,
Happy Labor Day weekend! It's been sweet, hope you too are taking a little breather, I know I needed one. Ran across this text in an excerpt from Max Lucado's new book -- Fearless -- that really touched me (don't remember ever having read it before; but then considering it's found in the book of Lamentations it's probably not that strange):
"Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children."
Lamentations 2:19
Nice; really love the imagery, so vivid, so clear it's nearly heart-rending. Now here's the excerpt (for some reason this is all resonating with me a little more than it previously might have :-)
Jairus...begged Jesus to come to his home (Luke 8:41). The father wasn’t content with long distance assistance; he wanted Christ beneath his roof, walking through his rooms, standing at the bedside of his daughter. He wanted the presence of Christ to permeate his house. My wife displays this same longing. I will someday ask God, “Why were you so good to my daughters and me?” and he will answer by pointing to Denalyn. “She just kept talking about you and your kids.”
Denalyn takes regular prayer walks through our house, stepping into each bedroom and living area. She pauses to pray for her daughters and husband. She takes full advantage of the invitation of Lamentations 2:19: “Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children” (Lam. 2:19).
Yeah, I'm starting to understand the enormity of that need, the depth of that feeling. Now, before I lose those of you without children of your own, I'll say this: I realized a while ago that I was responsible for "my" children long before I had my first. What am I talking about?
First and most important, I realized that my walk with God was not something I would just be able to "flip on" when the time came; it's something that takes consistent, persistent effort on my part, not because God's that hard to find but because I'm that easy to distract. That's why I like to think of it as my "walk" with God; slow, rich, constant, life-long.
Secondly, I realized that I was (and am) Uncle Juan, and Tio Cacalos, and The Godfather, to more than a few little ones who watch everything I do and listen to every word I say. Am I showing them properly what a good man, a Godly man, looks like?
That's why I want -- no, why I need -- "Christ beneath my roof, walking through my rooms, standing at the bedside of my daughter. I want the presence of Christ to permeate my house," [starting with me].
More on this next post, but in the meantime...
You've been prayed for today.
J
Happy Labor Day weekend! It's been sweet, hope you too are taking a little breather, I know I needed one. Ran across this text in an excerpt from Max Lucado's new book -- Fearless -- that really touched me (don't remember ever having read it before; but then considering it's found in the book of Lamentations it's probably not that strange):
"Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children."
Lamentations 2:19
Nice; really love the imagery, so vivid, so clear it's nearly heart-rending. Now here's the excerpt (for some reason this is all resonating with me a little more than it previously might have :-)
Jairus...begged Jesus to come to his home (Luke 8:41). The father wasn’t content with long distance assistance; he wanted Christ beneath his roof, walking through his rooms, standing at the bedside of his daughter. He wanted the presence of Christ to permeate his house. My wife displays this same longing. I will someday ask God, “Why were you so good to my daughters and me?” and he will answer by pointing to Denalyn. “She just kept talking about you and your kids.”
Denalyn takes regular prayer walks through our house, stepping into each bedroom and living area. She pauses to pray for her daughters and husband. She takes full advantage of the invitation of Lamentations 2:19: “Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children” (Lam. 2:19).
Yeah, I'm starting to understand the enormity of that need, the depth of that feeling. Now, before I lose those of you without children of your own, I'll say this: I realized a while ago that I was responsible for "my" children long before I had my first. What am I talking about?
First and most important, I realized that my walk with God was not something I would just be able to "flip on" when the time came; it's something that takes consistent, persistent effort on my part, not because God's that hard to find but because I'm that easy to distract. That's why I like to think of it as my "walk" with God; slow, rich, constant, life-long.
Secondly, I realized that I was (and am) Uncle Juan, and Tio Cacalos, and The Godfather, to more than a few little ones who watch everything I do and listen to every word I say. Am I showing them properly what a good man, a Godly man, looks like?
That's why I want -- no, why I need -- "Christ beneath my roof, walking through my rooms, standing at the bedside of my daughter. I want the presence of Christ to permeate my house," [starting with me].
More on this next post, but in the meantime...
You've been prayed for today.
J
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Things To Tell Lea About God--A Continuation
Dear Lea,
As I write this you are reclined in your rocker, cooing and wiggling and listening to lullabies. It’s hard for me to imagine that you will ever experience any fatigue (like me at the moment) or depression, financial hardship, poor health, anxiety, loss… (I could go on).
All you have to do is trust us for your every need--it is, in fact, your only option. We’ll do our best not to let you down, but later on in life people you trust might; or all your own good intentions may come to nothing. One day you will be asking yourself: “Is there something wrong with God, or is it just me?”
I don’t know what the pain in your life will be, but we all have some. There are always other ways to cope and struggle along, but oddly enough, the only answer that I have found is to return to a level of trust that some might call infantile.
Lea, my hope for you is that you come to know this as the truest truth of all about yourself and God:
“You, oh God are all I [really] have,
and you give me all I [really] need…”
Psalm 16:5
For now, keep on playing, and don’t worry about the future. Come to think of it, you already get this concept of trust don’t you? I guess that’s why He said,
“…Let the little children come unto me and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God. Unless you receive the Kingdom of Heaven like a child you will never enter it.”
Mark 10:14, 15
Love,
Mama
As I write this you are reclined in your rocker, cooing and wiggling and listening to lullabies. It’s hard for me to imagine that you will ever experience any fatigue (like me at the moment) or depression, financial hardship, poor health, anxiety, loss… (I could go on).
All you have to do is trust us for your every need--it is, in fact, your only option. We’ll do our best not to let you down, but later on in life people you trust might; or all your own good intentions may come to nothing. One day you will be asking yourself: “Is there something wrong with God, or is it just me?”
I don’t know what the pain in your life will be, but we all have some. There are always other ways to cope and struggle along, but oddly enough, the only answer that I have found is to return to a level of trust that some might call infantile.
Lea, my hope for you is that you come to know this as the truest truth of all about yourself and God:
“You, oh God are all I [really] have,
and you give me all I [really] need…”
Psalm 16:5
For now, keep on playing, and don’t worry about the future. Come to think of it, you already get this concept of trust don’t you? I guess that’s why He said,
“…Let the little children come unto me and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God. Unless you receive the Kingdom of Heaven like a child you will never enter it.”
Mark 10:14, 15
Love,
Mama
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Already Done
Hey, Y'all,
Our brother Chris sent this text out a couple of weeks ago, been percolating in the back of my mind ever since. Funny how you see different facets of texts at different times...Thanks for the reminder, brother! Here we go:
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
Today for some reason the fact that He has already overcome the world jumped out at me. Soothing thought. He isn't someday maybe-in-the-distant-future going to overcome the lord (usurper) of this world. He's already done it. Bank on it; it's "bruised His heel, crushed his head" definitively done.
"Take heart!"
It is finished.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Our brother Chris sent this text out a couple of weeks ago, been percolating in the back of my mind ever since. Funny how you see different facets of texts at different times...Thanks for the reminder, brother! Here we go:
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
Today for some reason the fact that He has already overcome the world jumped out at me. Soothing thought. He isn't someday maybe-in-the-distant-future going to overcome the lord (usurper) of this world. He's already done it. Bank on it; it's "bruised His heel, crushed his head" definitively done.
"Take heart!"
It is finished.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
What is God like? Reeds and Wicks
Hey, Y'all,
It occurs to me that one of these days Lea is going to ask her dad what God is like. Been thinking about the answer; get the feeling this could take a while :-) So here's the first in a series...
This is what God is like, little Lea:
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
Isaiah 42:3
How 'bout you? What is God like?
You've been prayed for today.
J
It occurs to me that one of these days Lea is going to ask her dad what God is like. Been thinking about the answer; get the feeling this could take a while :-) So here's the first in a series...
This is what God is like, little Lea:
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
Isaiah 42:3
How 'bout you? What is God like?
You've been prayed for today.
J
Sunday, July 26, 2009
"Not Of This World"
Hey, Y'all,
Today's (somewhat crankified :-) RST is a follow-up to the "Flocks and Fields" one, but the funny thing is that it actually preceded and helped crystallize it. So anyway, here we go...
Observed the other day (for the nth time) a giant sticker in a car window stating in oversized pseudo-goth wannabe-hardcore font: "Not Of This World."
Muttered under my breath (for the nth time): "Not Of This World!" (yes, I did do the sarcastic 'air quotes' -- ask Evonne). "Not Of This World? Not of any use whatsoever!"
Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Before I get thirty e-mails explaining the concept using really small words, it's OK, Mr. Grumpypants gets it: "in" and not "of" blahbittyblah, I get it. I'm just sayin'.
It's the too-often seen underlying sentiment that perturbs me--you probably know what I'm talking about. It goes a little like this:
"Not Of This World."
I'm a little bit better than you.
I have more Light. I have The Truth.
I need to stay away from you lest you soil me because
(wait for it)
I am not of this world; I'm just holding my nose and waiting for the next one.
So why does that sticker aggravate me? Because it seems to me that that is not how we're supposed to live. Even a casual glance at the gospels shows us that Christ was very much of this world. And before I get those thirty e-mails again, let me just remind you: He is the Son of God but He also repeatedly calls Himself the Son of Man. Jesus got His hands dirty--touching lepers, making mud with which to cure blind men, relishing interaction with all manner of questionable characters (you and me chief among them, I might add :-).
And just in case it wasn't completely clear, in His "opening manifesto" (The Sermon On The Mount recorded in Matthew 5, 6, and 7) He pointedly states, "You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world." Salt in the shaker is of no use whatsoever; neither is a light that won't shine.
So how 'bout it: are you "of this world" or not?
You've been prayed for today...
J
Today's (somewhat crankified :-) RST is a follow-up to the "Flocks and Fields" one, but the funny thing is that it actually preceded and helped crystallize it. So anyway, here we go...
Observed the other day (for the nth time) a giant sticker in a car window stating in oversized pseudo-goth wannabe-hardcore font: "Not Of This World."
Muttered under my breath (for the nth time): "Not Of This World!" (yes, I did do the sarcastic 'air quotes' -- ask Evonne). "Not Of This World? Not of any use whatsoever!"
Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Before I get thirty e-mails explaining the concept using really small words, it's OK, Mr. Grumpypants gets it: "in" and not "of" blahbittyblah, I get it. I'm just sayin'.
It's the too-often seen underlying sentiment that perturbs me--you probably know what I'm talking about. It goes a little like this:
"Not Of This World."
I'm a little bit better than you.
I have more Light. I have The Truth.
I need to stay away from you lest you soil me because
(wait for it)
I am not of this world; I'm just holding my nose and waiting for the next one.
So why does that sticker aggravate me? Because it seems to me that that is not how we're supposed to live. Even a casual glance at the gospels shows us that Christ was very much of this world. And before I get those thirty e-mails again, let me just remind you: He is the Son of God but He also repeatedly calls Himself the Son of Man. Jesus got His hands dirty--touching lepers, making mud with which to cure blind men, relishing interaction with all manner of questionable characters (you and me chief among them, I might add :-).
And just in case it wasn't completely clear, in His "opening manifesto" (The Sermon On The Mount recorded in Matthew 5, 6, and 7) He pointedly states, "You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world." Salt in the shaker is of no use whatsoever; neither is a light that won't shine.
So how 'bout it: are you "of this world" or not?
You've been prayed for today...
J
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Taste and See
Hey, Y'all,
Happy Sabbath, again -- man, time flies when you're having fun (and sleeping intermittently :-) Today for no particular reason woke up feeling (aside from a mite groggy) all kinds of profound contentment; deep joy; sweet peace. I keep hearing this text in my head:
Taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 34:8
You know what? I am blessed. Without measure.
And He is very good.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Happy Sabbath, again -- man, time flies when you're having fun (and sleeping intermittently :-) Today for no particular reason woke up feeling (aside from a mite groggy) all kinds of profound contentment; deep joy; sweet peace. I keep hearing this text in my head:
Taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 34:8
You know what? I am blessed. Without measure.
And He is very good.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Saturday, July 4, 2009
InDependence
Hey, Y'all,
Happy Sabbath, and happy 233rd birthday, America. I'll admit it: I'm a patriot. I love this country, utterly...although admittedly these days it's more the ideal of this country that I love. So I thought that for starters I'd share one of my favorite quotes with y'all (if I remember right I owe this one to Linden--thanks man!). Samuel Adams, one of the founding fathers, said:
"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!”
Righteous...
OK, so on a completely different tack...Had a not-entirely-random thought most ironical this morning (wait, what am I, Yoda?!?). Anyway, it occurred to me--today being Independence Day and all--that we as a nation have always valued (or at least paid a great deal of lip service to) independence: "Do it yourself." "He pulled himself up by his bootstraps." "I did it my way." Sounds good; noble; right.
Thus couldn't help but feel anew the tension inherent in trying to reconcile that mentality (or, more correctly, that work ethic) with the completely contrasting idea put forth by Christ: that dependence on God is the only path to rest, and peace, and significance.
You can race around frantically trying to achieve, to fix it (whatever "it" is), to do all the stuff you have to do. To take care of it yourself. To do it yourself. Unfortunately, it's an utter fallacy. The only thing you achieve is complete bone weariness and worn-out frustration.
Here are the verses that kept bookending my ruminations:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:5
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Philippians 4:12,13
May we come to see that striving for so-called independence from God is a sure way to run yourself ragged and find yourself wholly thwarted; that only in dependence can true meaning and real peace be found.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Happy Sabbath, and happy 233rd birthday, America. I'll admit it: I'm a patriot. I love this country, utterly...although admittedly these days it's more the ideal of this country that I love. So I thought that for starters I'd share one of my favorite quotes with y'all (if I remember right I owe this one to Linden--thanks man!). Samuel Adams, one of the founding fathers, said:
"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!”
Righteous...
OK, so on a completely different tack...Had a not-entirely-random thought most ironical this morning (wait, what am I, Yoda?!?). Anyway, it occurred to me--today being Independence Day and all--that we as a nation have always valued (or at least paid a great deal of lip service to) independence: "Do it yourself." "He pulled himself up by his bootstraps." "I did it my way." Sounds good; noble; right.
Thus couldn't help but feel anew the tension inherent in trying to reconcile that mentality (or, more correctly, that work ethic) with the completely contrasting idea put forth by Christ: that dependence on God is the only path to rest, and peace, and significance.
You can race around frantically trying to achieve, to fix it (whatever "it" is), to do all the stuff you have to do. To take care of it yourself. To do it yourself. Unfortunately, it's an utter fallacy. The only thing you achieve is complete bone weariness and worn-out frustration.
Here are the verses that kept bookending my ruminations:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:5
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Philippians 4:12,13
May we come to see that striving for so-called independence from God is a sure way to run yourself ragged and find yourself wholly thwarted; that only in dependence can true meaning and real peace be found.
You've been prayed for today...
J
Monday, June 29, 2009
Flocks and Fields
Hey, Y'all,
No, your eyes are not deceiving you: RSTs are back! You'll notice a couple of new things (including a space below for your responses/thoughts) and there's more yet to come. But for now, welcome back!
So, how do we kick off the new-and-improved RSTs blog? Funny you should ask. This particular idea has been simmering for some time now, but a few days ago I ran across this thought that I'd saved a while back. It's funny 'cause I'd just been thinking that we're at the Christmas Equinox (at least that's what I'm calling it) -- the day in the year at which point we are farthest from Christmas. I'd been listening to Christmas music--sounded really sweet and seemed to make the summer heat less oppressive...At any rate, that essay by Jon Walker of PurposeDrivenLife.com referenced this text that finally crystallized the not-entirely-random spiritual thought for today:
“The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.”
Luke 2:20 (NLT)
I love that. Now read the text again, slowly; see anything interesting?
These shepherds heard the angels; they saw the Christ child. What did they do in response? Did they run off and ensconce themselves in a monastery somewhere where they could preserve the purity of their experience and not be "soiled" by the common?
Nope. They went back to their flocks and fields. Glorifying and praising God, but they went back. They went back to work. They went back to school. They washed the dishes and took out the garbage and did their laundry and paid their taxes. They went back to their flocks and fields.
So too must we. If we are to be of any use in this world we must always return to our flocks and our fields. Christ's life, our chief example, illustrates this principle over and over. The Sermon on the Mount in fact states it explicitly--we are the light of the world (of no use whatsoever if covered up), we are the salt of the earth (of no use whatsoever if safely in the saltshaker).
So: you know that in one way or another angels have sung in your life and you've seen God; what flock has God placed in your hands to tend? What field has He given you to work?
You've been prayed for today...
J
No, your eyes are not deceiving you: RSTs are back! You'll notice a couple of new things (including a space below for your responses/thoughts) and there's more yet to come. But for now, welcome back!
So, how do we kick off the new-and-improved RSTs blog? Funny you should ask. This particular idea has been simmering for some time now, but a few days ago I ran across this thought that I'd saved a while back. It's funny 'cause I'd just been thinking that we're at the Christmas Equinox (at least that's what I'm calling it) -- the day in the year at which point we are farthest from Christmas. I'd been listening to Christmas music--sounded really sweet and seemed to make the summer heat less oppressive...At any rate, that essay by Jon Walker of PurposeDrivenLife.com referenced this text that finally crystallized the not-entirely-random spiritual thought for today:
“The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.”
Luke 2:20 (NLT)
I love that. Now read the text again, slowly; see anything interesting?
These shepherds heard the angels; they saw the Christ child. What did they do in response? Did they run off and ensconce themselves in a monastery somewhere where they could preserve the purity of their experience and not be "soiled" by the common?
Nope. They went back to their flocks and fields. Glorifying and praising God, but they went back. They went back to work. They went back to school. They washed the dishes and took out the garbage and did their laundry and paid their taxes. They went back to their flocks and fields.
So too must we. If we are to be of any use in this world we must always return to our flocks and our fields. Christ's life, our chief example, illustrates this principle over and over. The Sermon on the Mount in fact states it explicitly--we are the light of the world (of no use whatsoever if covered up), we are the salt of the earth (of no use whatsoever if safely in the saltshaker).
So: you know that in one way or another angels have sung in your life and you've seen God; what flock has God placed in your hands to tend? What field has He given you to work?
You've been prayed for today...
J
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