When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, He used one phrase that makes me squirm uncomfortably.
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
--Matthew 6:12
Am I really supposed to ask God to forgive me the same way I forgive others? Considering my skills as a forgiver, that is a request I would never want to make.
Just last week, I found myself re-battling a wound someone had inflicted over a year ago. I felt bitterness, as though the offense had happened earlier that day. Yet a year ago, when it actually happened, I had decided to forgive.
Why does my "forgiveness" allow my resentment to lie dormant for extended periods of time, only to burst out of the ground like some hideous weed? I sprayed the weed-killer last year. My sidewalk cracks have been bare and now, for no apparent reason, this monster has burst out once again.
If God forgives me like I forgive others, I'm done for. That would mean a week or a year or a decade after my conversion, He would take it all back on a whim and leave me out in the cold.
Thank God, His forgiveness is forever. No one can snatch me out of His hand. I can't lose my salvation.
But still. He chose to use this phraseology. He chose to make my forgiveness of others a condition for His forgiveness of me. Why?
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
--Ephesians 4:32
No matter what, God's forgiveness comes first. God's forgiveness is best. He will always "one-up" me in whatever forgiveness I offer to others.
But when I forgive, I represent the gospel. I forgive because He did! So I want to forgive like He did.
Please, Lord, make me a faithful forgiver, so that I show the nature of Your love.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Thought Armor
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
--1 Peter 1:13
Since therefore Christ suffered in the the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.
1 Peter 4:1-2
A lot is at stake in the way we think.
Yet our thought life can be so uncontrollable. Even if you believe that it has drastic effects on the rest of life, it can be hard to see a way to get it into some semblance of order. Inevitably, our minds travel down roads we never gave them permission to. Often, these uncontrolled thoughts result in words and actions we never dreamed we'd engage in.
A lot is at stake in the way you think. For this reason, a battle is going on for your mind every day.
How do we overcome the forces of evil that prevail on our minds? God's word tells us that there is armor we can use. Just like you can put on a helmet to protect your physical skull and brain, you can use a "way of thinking" as armor to protect your mind.
The way of thinking we need to follow is the "same" way of thinking that Jesus had when he was suffering on the cross. Jesus "endured the cross, despising the shame"--"for the joy set before Him."
Just as the end result of Jesus' suffering on the cross was a seat at the right hand of God, we too will receive a reward when we endure the suffering of standing up to the temptations that confront our minds daily. "Whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin."
When sinful thought patterns threaten to invade your mind, arm yourself as Jesus did when He was on the cross.
But while Jesus looked to His coming exaltation above every name on earth, we look to a different promise.
"Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Look to Jesus. Fill your mind with the coming of the One who was not defeated by temptation. Jesus was a warrior on the cross. He stood fast so that we can stand fast. Set your hope fully on His grace.
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Day of the LORD: Religious Hypocrisy
"I will utterly sweep away everything
from the face of the earth, declares the LORD.
I will sweep away man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds of the heavens
and the fish of the sea,
and the rubble with the wicked.
I will cut off mankind
from the face of the earth," declares the LORD.
--Zephaniah 1:2-3
The first words to come out of God's mouth to Zephaniah could hardly have been more shocking and frightening. This isn't a statement of "I can" destroy everything. This is a promise--"I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth."
God got my attention here. I started reading Zephaniah just because it is one of the few books of the Bible that I can never remember reading. But once I got through the first couple of verses, I realized that I couldn't just read this one through. God was very intentional about making this an attention-getting and alarming introduction. Besides that, He always means what He says.
So I wanted to look into what God was refering to when he mentioned "the wicked." We get two contrasting answers here in the first chapter.
Religious Hypocrisy
"I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal
and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,
those who bow down on the roofs
to the host of the heavens
those who bow down and swear to the LORD
and yet swear by Milcom,
those who have turned back from following the LORD,
who do not seek the LORD or inquire of Him."
--Zephaniah 1:4-5
The first kind of wickedness that is mentioned is religious wickedness.
Have you ever been guilty of "worshiping" God and something else at the same time? Sometimes I feel like my heart is in an almost constant state of dividedness. God hates this. Some people may be fooled when you are friendly to their face and malicious behind their back. But God doesn't have a back to go behind. He is incapable of being shocked when His people cheat on Him with idols. He sees, and His anger burns.
What else does God hate about religious people? When they stop seeking Him. Well that sure doesn't sound like us! Oh wait...how often do we make decisions without any reference to God's will? How often do we willfully choose to do something that we know He doesn't approve of? More than daily, at very least. God is angry when we do not seek Him or inquire of Him.
God wants us to take religious sins seriously. But there are other kinds of wickedness mentioned in this chapter...and the joy of forgiveness later on.
Part 2 coming soon: The Day of the LORD: Worldly Complacency
from the face of the earth, declares the LORD.
I will sweep away man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds of the heavens
and the fish of the sea,
and the rubble with the wicked.
I will cut off mankind
from the face of the earth," declares the LORD.
--Zephaniah 1:2-3
The first words to come out of God's mouth to Zephaniah could hardly have been more shocking and frightening. This isn't a statement of "I can" destroy everything. This is a promise--"I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth."
God got my attention here. I started reading Zephaniah just because it is one of the few books of the Bible that I can never remember reading. But once I got through the first couple of verses, I realized that I couldn't just read this one through. God was very intentional about making this an attention-getting and alarming introduction. Besides that, He always means what He says.
So I wanted to look into what God was refering to when he mentioned "the wicked." We get two contrasting answers here in the first chapter.
Religious Hypocrisy
"I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal
and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests,
those who bow down on the roofs
to the host of the heavens
those who bow down and swear to the LORD
and yet swear by Milcom,
those who have turned back from following the LORD,
who do not seek the LORD or inquire of Him."
--Zephaniah 1:4-5
The first kind of wickedness that is mentioned is religious wickedness.
Have you ever been guilty of "worshiping" God and something else at the same time? Sometimes I feel like my heart is in an almost constant state of dividedness. God hates this. Some people may be fooled when you are friendly to their face and malicious behind their back. But God doesn't have a back to go behind. He is incapable of being shocked when His people cheat on Him with idols. He sees, and His anger burns.
What else does God hate about religious people? When they stop seeking Him. Well that sure doesn't sound like us! Oh wait...how often do we make decisions without any reference to God's will? How often do we willfully choose to do something that we know He doesn't approve of? More than daily, at very least. God is angry when we do not seek Him or inquire of Him.
God wants us to take religious sins seriously. But there are other kinds of wickedness mentioned in this chapter...and the joy of forgiveness later on.
Part 2 coming soon: The Day of the LORD: Worldly Complacency
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Day of the LORD
"I will utterly sweep away everything
from the face of the earth," declares the LORD."
"Be silent before the Lord GOD!
For the day of the LORD is near;
the LORD has prepared a sacrifice
and consecrated His guests."
"The great day of the LORD is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter;
the mighty man cries aloud there."
"Neither their silver nor their gold
shall be able to deliver them
on the day of the wrath of the LORD.
In the fire of His jealousy,
all the earth shall be consumed;
for a full and sudden end
He will make of all the inhabitants of the earth."
--Zephaniah 1: 2, 7, 14, 18
from the face of the earth," declares the LORD."
"Be silent before the Lord GOD!
For the day of the LORD is near;
the LORD has prepared a sacrifice
and consecrated His guests."
"The great day of the LORD is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter;
the mighty man cries aloud there."
"Neither their silver nor their gold
shall be able to deliver them
on the day of the wrath of the LORD.
In the fire of His jealousy,
all the earth shall be consumed;
for a full and sudden end
He will make of all the inhabitants of the earth."
--Zephaniah 1: 2, 7, 14, 18
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Lamp in a Dark Room
No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.
--Luke 8:16-18
Do you go to a good, Bible teaching church like I do? These verses hit people like us kind of hard. Week in and week out, I am blessed with the privilege of sitting under God's word taught rightly. Not only do I hear from His truth in Sunday morning sermons, but I have Sunday school and on top of that one to three weekly Bible studies where I am challenged by more mature believers.
If anyone in the world has been given much from the store of God's treasures, it is me.
Take care then, Carly, how you hear!
Am I a light shining brightly, passing on the deep truths I take in to other people? Or am I merely concerned with my own life? Do I internalize everything to the point that every study group I go to is just a chance for me to be fed? Am I a sponge that never squeezes out the wealth of God's blessing to other needy people?
Don't be this way! Be careful how you hear! As you weekly enjoy God's word being fed to you, don't stop there. Take it in and be encouraged. But realize that God doesn't teach you just for you. God wants His truth to spread to more people, like the lamp held high in the middle of a previously dark room.
Some ways to avoid being the jar that hides the light:
-If you have something to share in Bible study that you know would encourage somebody else, don't let shyness or nervousness keep you silent! God wants other people to see His light through you.
-When you are with people who don't know Jesus, don't keep the Light of the world all to yourself! Speak up. God could change a life through you.
-When God blesses you with rich fellowship with Him, don't be the only one to benefit. Tell your friends awesome things about God that He has shown you--so that they can be encouraged and so that God will be lifted higher in their eyes.
And here is the best part. Unlike money or mints that vanish away when people mooch off you, God's truth actually multiplies when it is shared. Telling someone God's truth will solidify it in your own heart. There is a great irony in that teaching can be the best way to learn something yourself.
The more that you tell, the more that you have! And the more that you have, this verse says, all the more will be given to you. So shine the light of God's truth to everyone you know.
--Luke 8:16-18
Do you go to a good, Bible teaching church like I do? These verses hit people like us kind of hard. Week in and week out, I am blessed with the privilege of sitting under God's word taught rightly. Not only do I hear from His truth in Sunday morning sermons, but I have Sunday school and on top of that one to three weekly Bible studies where I am challenged by more mature believers.
If anyone in the world has been given much from the store of God's treasures, it is me.
Take care then, Carly, how you hear!
Am I a light shining brightly, passing on the deep truths I take in to other people? Or am I merely concerned with my own life? Do I internalize everything to the point that every study group I go to is just a chance for me to be fed? Am I a sponge that never squeezes out the wealth of God's blessing to other needy people?
Don't be this way! Be careful how you hear! As you weekly enjoy God's word being fed to you, don't stop there. Take it in and be encouraged. But realize that God doesn't teach you just for you. God wants His truth to spread to more people, like the lamp held high in the middle of a previously dark room.
Some ways to avoid being the jar that hides the light:
-If you have something to share in Bible study that you know would encourage somebody else, don't let shyness or nervousness keep you silent! God wants other people to see His light through you.
-When you are with people who don't know Jesus, don't keep the Light of the world all to yourself! Speak up. God could change a life through you.
-When God blesses you with rich fellowship with Him, don't be the only one to benefit. Tell your friends awesome things about God that He has shown you--so that they can be encouraged and so that God will be lifted higher in their eyes.
And here is the best part. Unlike money or mints that vanish away when people mooch off you, God's truth actually multiplies when it is shared. Telling someone God's truth will solidify it in your own heart. There is a great irony in that teaching can be the best way to learn something yourself.
The more that you tell, the more that you have! And the more that you have, this verse says, all the more will be given to you. So shine the light of God's truth to everyone you know.
Friday, June 3, 2011
I Don't Deserve This.
According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:3-9
Just really think about these verses for a minute. I know it is kind of a big chunk of scripture, but if you take the time to think through it, I think you will see with the same thing I was hit with yesterday.
I don't deserve this.
Not the various trials that grieve me for a while. Not the death, sickness, confusion, pain, and hurt that I cross paths with from time to time.
I don't deserve an eternal inheritance so wonderful that my first second of it will outweigh anything bad I've ever experienced. I don't deserve the opportunity to bring glory to my Savior Jesus Christ, who has given me everything and to whom I can offer practically nothing. I don't deserve inexpressible joy. And I most definitely don't deserve salvation.
We don't deserve this. But, praise God, it's all ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Peter 1:3-9
Just really think about these verses for a minute. I know it is kind of a big chunk of scripture, but if you take the time to think through it, I think you will see with the same thing I was hit with yesterday.
I don't deserve this.
Not the various trials that grieve me for a while. Not the death, sickness, confusion, pain, and hurt that I cross paths with from time to time.
I don't deserve an eternal inheritance so wonderful that my first second of it will outweigh anything bad I've ever experienced. I don't deserve the opportunity to bring glory to my Savior Jesus Christ, who has given me everything and to whom I can offer practically nothing. I don't deserve inexpressible joy. And I most definitely don't deserve salvation.
We don't deserve this. But, praise God, it's all ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
What Problems?
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7
How comforting and challenging, convicting and consoling these verses are!
Do you think your problems are big? I do. They seem enormous. Just last night I was thinking about something that worried me quite a bit. Sometimes our worries can keep us awake deep into the night.
Thankfully, God's word doesn't leave much room for that. Look how this passage is laid out:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice
Be reasonable
Jesus is coming back
Don't be anxious, but give your worries to God (with thanks)
God will bless you with a peace so great you can't understand it
Sandwiched by the idea of joy in God and the idea of incomprehensible peace are a two more commands: be reasonable, and don't worry. And at the heart of it all is a promise: "the Lord is at hand!"
I think that the bigness of how we see our problems is part of why God chose to frame this passage the way He did. Our anxieties and our unreasonableness (lack of peace with ourselves or others) are not allowed room to be as huge as we think they are. My problems are not the focal point of this picture. They aren't even the frame around the picture. The centerpiece, in all its glory, is the return of Christ. And the frame, which is just as thick as the picture itself, is made up of joy and peace in our Heavenly Father. Our unreasonableness and worry are relegated to a thin little mat between picture and frame--a little "do not" buttressed by some of the most amazing promises in Scripture.
I can't imagine if Christ's return took place during one of my times of worry. My "huge" problems would be swallowed up in the vast weight of my Savior's glory. The peace that passes understanding and the joy that conquers all sadness would become my eternal reality. My "problems" would be revealed for what they are: embarrassingly small. Lord, give me this perspective. Surround my problems with the fortress of your joy and peace. And let Your Son's return be at the center of my mind.
Philippians 4:4-7
How comforting and challenging, convicting and consoling these verses are!
Do you think your problems are big? I do. They seem enormous. Just last night I was thinking about something that worried me quite a bit. Sometimes our worries can keep us awake deep into the night.
Thankfully, God's word doesn't leave much room for that. Look how this passage is laid out:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice
Be reasonable
Jesus is coming back
Don't be anxious, but give your worries to God (with thanks)
God will bless you with a peace so great you can't understand it
Sandwiched by the idea of joy in God and the idea of incomprehensible peace are a two more commands: be reasonable, and don't worry. And at the heart of it all is a promise: "the Lord is at hand!"
I think that the bigness of how we see our problems is part of why God chose to frame this passage the way He did. Our anxieties and our unreasonableness (lack of peace with ourselves or others) are not allowed room to be as huge as we think they are. My problems are not the focal point of this picture. They aren't even the frame around the picture. The centerpiece, in all its glory, is the return of Christ. And the frame, which is just as thick as the picture itself, is made up of joy and peace in our Heavenly Father. Our unreasonableness and worry are relegated to a thin little mat between picture and frame--a little "do not" buttressed by some of the most amazing promises in Scripture.
I can't imagine if Christ's return took place during one of my times of worry. My "huge" problems would be swallowed up in the vast weight of my Savior's glory. The peace that passes understanding and the joy that conquers all sadness would become my eternal reality. My "problems" would be revealed for what they are: embarrassingly small. Lord, give me this perspective. Surround my problems with the fortress of your joy and peace. And let Your Son's return be at the center of my mind.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Just Ask
Matthew 7:7-11
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The Proverbial Serpent
One time not too long ago I was sitting in my bed reading something. One member of my family came in, just to say "hi." A nice thing for a brother to do, right? The problem was, I was pretty thirsty at the time, but just hadn't gotten up to get some water because I was also quite comfortable. So instead of saying, "Hi, nice to see you, how are you doing?" I said, "Hi, can you get me some water?" My brother left without saying anything, so I thought maybe he wouldn't get it for me. But about 5 minutes later, he came back with a glass of ice water. "Thank you so much!" I said, and he just smiled. I took a big sip of the cold water. And then I realized the truth--I had asked for a fish, and been given a snake. What I was drinking wasn't ice water, but ice water plus Taco Bell medium sauce. Apparently my brother isn't my servant--how come nobody told me that in all these years?
You have probably been in this situation before, when you asked for something and were given something else. More likely than not, you have found yourself in this situation not with a person, but with God. Finding that your prayers have not been answered just as you prayed them can be as shocking as that first gulp of Rylie's taco cocktail. I asked God to bless me, and look at this. He didn't come through after all.
These verses from Matthew 7 have challenged me greatly. The more I think about them, the more I become convinced that the way I ask, and the way I expect to be answered, don't line up with God's will. So when I think I've been given a serpent, chances are the problem was with me all along.
A Truly Good Gift
First of all, I need to realize how absolutely certain it is that God will bless me with wonderful gifts. These verses in Matthew, and many others (i.e., Eph. 1:3, Phil. 2, James 1:17, 1 Pet. 1:4, 2 Pet. 1:3) tell us that God wants to and does give us good gifts.
Scripture is clear about what God sees as a good gift. Just look in the Bible for the things that God describes as good or perfect. Here are just a few:
-Fruitfulness (Luke 6:43)
-The news of the Gospel (Luke 3: 18)
-Obedience (Romans 2:10)
-Everything God does in the life of a believer (Romans 8:28)
-Christlikeness (Romans 8:29)
-God's will (Romans 12:2)
God's word also describes plenty of non-spiritual blessings as good; for example: food, wine, money, singleness, and marriage. But there is one good gift that rises far above the rest. Jesus said, "No one is good except God alone (Mark 10:18)." The best gift that God can give anyone is Himself!
I need to have a strong confidence that God will bless me with Himself anytime I ask!
No More Apathy
This begs the question, why don't I ask more?
I don't know if you are like me in this, but when I find myself doing poorly spiritually, I'll often just feel discouraged and leave it at that. I find I'm constantly confessing sin, but with little change. My quiet times are weak. My relationships with others are strained, stressful, or just shallow. I'm not finding joy in my spiritual walk, so I start looking for happiness in entertainment, comfort, and company. I don't find happiness, so I get even more down. And in all my searching for a cure, I neglect the one solution that God has promised will work.
Everything I am missing out on in my spiritual walk is something that God promises to give me, if I'll just ask for it!
As Christians we can and should be 100% confident that God will give us these good gifts when we ask. But it can be so easy to forget that chooses to base much of His giving on the condition of our asking. I think that this is why oftentimes we slip into spiritual dry spots. When we stop asking, we stop receiving. Does God have to wait for our permission or request before He can bless us? Of course not! And He often doesn't. But His word also makes it clear that sometimes it is His will to bless us specially and extraordinarily when we ask for a good gift.
Do you think that if you earnestly ask God to enliven your spiritual walk, show you amazing things about Himself, and give you a closer relationship with Him, He'll say no? There's no chance! God isn't asking you to get godly on your own. He isn't asking you to discover the secret formula for a perfect life. All He wants is for you to ask Him for His help.
Ask earnestly. Ask purposefully. Ask diligently. Ask over and over if you have to. Whatever you do, don't stop asking. Because He promises that He won't fail to give you the good and perfect gift of Himself.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The Proverbial Serpent
One time not too long ago I was sitting in my bed reading something. One member of my family came in, just to say "hi." A nice thing for a brother to do, right? The problem was, I was pretty thirsty at the time, but just hadn't gotten up to get some water because I was also quite comfortable. So instead of saying, "Hi, nice to see you, how are you doing?" I said, "Hi, can you get me some water?" My brother left without saying anything, so I thought maybe he wouldn't get it for me. But about 5 minutes later, he came back with a glass of ice water. "Thank you so much!" I said, and he just smiled. I took a big sip of the cold water. And then I realized the truth--I had asked for a fish, and been given a snake. What I was drinking wasn't ice water, but ice water plus Taco Bell medium sauce. Apparently my brother isn't my servant--how come nobody told me that in all these years?
You have probably been in this situation before, when you asked for something and were given something else. More likely than not, you have found yourself in this situation not with a person, but with God. Finding that your prayers have not been answered just as you prayed them can be as shocking as that first gulp of Rylie's taco cocktail. I asked God to bless me, and look at this. He didn't come through after all.
These verses from Matthew 7 have challenged me greatly. The more I think about them, the more I become convinced that the way I ask, and the way I expect to be answered, don't line up with God's will. So when I think I've been given a serpent, chances are the problem was with me all along.
A Truly Good Gift
First of all, I need to realize how absolutely certain it is that God will bless me with wonderful gifts. These verses in Matthew, and many others (i.e., Eph. 1:3, Phil. 2, James 1:17, 1 Pet. 1:4, 2 Pet. 1:3) tell us that God wants to and does give us good gifts.
Scripture is clear about what God sees as a good gift. Just look in the Bible for the things that God describes as good or perfect. Here are just a few:
-Fruitfulness (Luke 6:43)
-The news of the Gospel (Luke 3: 18)
-Obedience (Romans 2:10)
-Everything God does in the life of a believer (Romans 8:28)
-Christlikeness (Romans 8:29)
-God's will (Romans 12:2)
God's word also describes plenty of non-spiritual blessings as good; for example: food, wine, money, singleness, and marriage. But there is one good gift that rises far above the rest. Jesus said, "No one is good except God alone (Mark 10:18)." The best gift that God can give anyone is Himself!
I need to have a strong confidence that God will bless me with Himself anytime I ask!
No More Apathy
This begs the question, why don't I ask more?
I don't know if you are like me in this, but when I find myself doing poorly spiritually, I'll often just feel discouraged and leave it at that. I find I'm constantly confessing sin, but with little change. My quiet times are weak. My relationships with others are strained, stressful, or just shallow. I'm not finding joy in my spiritual walk, so I start looking for happiness in entertainment, comfort, and company. I don't find happiness, so I get even more down. And in all my searching for a cure, I neglect the one solution that God has promised will work.
Everything I am missing out on in my spiritual walk is something that God promises to give me, if I'll just ask for it!
As Christians we can and should be 100% confident that God will give us these good gifts when we ask. But it can be so easy to forget that chooses to base much of His giving on the condition of our asking. I think that this is why oftentimes we slip into spiritual dry spots. When we stop asking, we stop receiving. Does God have to wait for our permission or request before He can bless us? Of course not! And He often doesn't. But His word also makes it clear that sometimes it is His will to bless us specially and extraordinarily when we ask for a good gift.
Do you think that if you earnestly ask God to enliven your spiritual walk, show you amazing things about Himself, and give you a closer relationship with Him, He'll say no? There's no chance! God isn't asking you to get godly on your own. He isn't asking you to discover the secret formula for a perfect life. All He wants is for you to ask Him for His help.
Ask earnestly. Ask purposefully. Ask diligently. Ask over and over if you have to. Whatever you do, don't stop asking. Because He promises that He won't fail to give you the good and perfect gift of Himself.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
C.S. Lewis and Hope
C.S. Lewis is undoubtedly one of the most famous and influential Christian authors of all time. I just finished reading his "Mere Christianity" last month. This book is philosophically brilliant, clear, and persuasive. It also contains several things that many Christians, myself included, don't agree with.
But this blog post isn't to talk about problems with C.S. Lewis. I want to talk about the good influence his work has had on me, and it's important role in my life.
When I was little, the Voyage of the Dawn Treader was one of my favorite books. I read the whole Narnia series lots of times, but something about Voyage fascinated me more than the others. Never mind that for years I thought it was pronounced "Dawn Tree-der" (I was better at reading than speaking, apparently), and I alternated thinking C.S. Lewis was a man or a woman (thanks to those ambiguous initials). But though I wasn't able to understand Lewis' work as well as an adult could, I think I understood it as he intended--in the way only a child could.
I held my breath as Lucy explored mysterious hallways in the magician's house. I felt a dawning sense of horror when a man from the land where dreams come true told its seekers, "Fools! Do you hear what I say? This is where dreams -dreams, do you understand, come to life, come real." I remembered with a shudder "dreams I had had - dreams that made me afraid of going to sleep again."
But there was more than just fear and suspense. What drew me most to his books was the sense of wonder that I felt every time I opened one up. And it wasn't just because the stories took place in some magical world. Fantasy stories are well and good, but there was something else. Every book was shot through with hope from cover to cover.
From the expectant Narnians in the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe waiting for their kings and queens, to the father in The Horse and His Boy waiting for his lost son to come home, to the long awaited end of all days in The Last Battle, the world of Narnia was a world of hope.
Treader, more than any of the others, captured my imagination in anticipation. As the title ship traveled farther and farther east, the sea became sweeter and more beautiful. Aslan's country was near, and I shared the excitement of the characters. When they finally got to the distant shore, the beauty of expectation made my eyes sting. Because even when I was little, I yearned for heaven. I had the desire that everyone who ever lives has felt--the desire for something more, something we don't even know. The ironic thing is, when I first read the book, I didn't realize that "I was made for another world." What I did realize was that heaven was beautiful, and it was infinite. I loved trying to push to the ends of infinity with my mind, and I loved coming up short every time. And I loved reading about the far country in C.S. Lewis' books. Not because I wished I could live in an alternate reality, but because they gave me a small taste of the mysterious, mind-blowing, wonderful beauty of heaven.
As I wrapped up Mere Christianity this week, I again caught a glimpse of this hope. Just as with Treader, the best part was the end. This hope, though, is something both deeper and more understandable for me. Here, Lewis describes the hope of the "new self"--of the coming reality of losing this twisted, sin-marred personality and embracing my new, perfect identity in Christ.
I am indebted to C.S. Lewis for showing me a little glimpse of the future I look forward to. From the time I was little, his writing has whetted my appetite for God and for the world to come.
But this blog post isn't to talk about problems with C.S. Lewis. I want to talk about the good influence his work has had on me, and it's important role in my life.
When I was little, the Voyage of the Dawn Treader was one of my favorite books. I read the whole Narnia series lots of times, but something about Voyage fascinated me more than the others. Never mind that for years I thought it was pronounced "Dawn Tree-der" (I was better at reading than speaking, apparently), and I alternated thinking C.S. Lewis was a man or a woman (thanks to those ambiguous initials). But though I wasn't able to understand Lewis' work as well as an adult could, I think I understood it as he intended--in the way only a child could.
I held my breath as Lucy explored mysterious hallways in the magician's house. I felt a dawning sense of horror when a man from the land where dreams come true told its seekers, "Fools! Do you hear what I say? This is where dreams -dreams, do you understand, come to life, come real." I remembered with a shudder "dreams I had had - dreams that made me afraid of going to sleep again."
But there was more than just fear and suspense. What drew me most to his books was the sense of wonder that I felt every time I opened one up. And it wasn't just because the stories took place in some magical world. Fantasy stories are well and good, but there was something else. Every book was shot through with hope from cover to cover.
From the expectant Narnians in the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe waiting for their kings and queens, to the father in The Horse and His Boy waiting for his lost son to come home, to the long awaited end of all days in The Last Battle, the world of Narnia was a world of hope.
Treader, more than any of the others, captured my imagination in anticipation. As the title ship traveled farther and farther east, the sea became sweeter and more beautiful. Aslan's country was near, and I shared the excitement of the characters. When they finally got to the distant shore, the beauty of expectation made my eyes sting. Because even when I was little, I yearned for heaven. I had the desire that everyone who ever lives has felt--the desire for something more, something we don't even know. The ironic thing is, when I first read the book, I didn't realize that "I was made for another world." What I did realize was that heaven was beautiful, and it was infinite. I loved trying to push to the ends of infinity with my mind, and I loved coming up short every time. And I loved reading about the far country in C.S. Lewis' books. Not because I wished I could live in an alternate reality, but because they gave me a small taste of the mysterious, mind-blowing, wonderful beauty of heaven.
As I wrapped up Mere Christianity this week, I again caught a glimpse of this hope. Just as with Treader, the best part was the end. This hope, though, is something both deeper and more understandable for me. Here, Lewis describes the hope of the "new self"--of the coming reality of losing this twisted, sin-marred personality and embracing my new, perfect identity in Christ.
I am indebted to C.S. Lewis for showing me a little glimpse of the future I look forward to. From the time I was little, his writing has whetted my appetite for God and for the world to come.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Even Now
The Lord utters His voice
before His army,
for His camp is exceedingly great;
He who executes His word is powerful.
For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome;
who can endure it?
--Joel 2:10-11
These verses come after one of the passages in the Bible that genuinely frightens me. "The day of the LORD" that is talked about here is a day when a fiery army scales the wall of the city and creeps into the house windows like thieves. "Before them people are in anguish; all faces grow pale." If the thought of God's judgement doesn't make us go pale, it's only because we aren't full aware of what that means.
I realize that I am mostly clueless when it comes to God's future plans. When I read this chapter, God surprised me again. After a harrowing description of coming judgement, God's word takes a turn.
"Yet even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments."
Return to the LORD your God,
for He is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and He relents over disaster.
--Joel 2:12-13
Yes, God's anger is terrifying. And yes, God is gracious, merciful, and slow to anger. While God is still calling from the pages of the Bible, "repent, return with all your heart," shouldn't we be calling out the same thing? We all know people who are destined for destruction because of their rejection of God. But He hasn't destroyed them yet, has He?
"Even now, return to me."
Because of the terror of God's wrath and His unashamedly shocking mercy, we need to be bold in sharing Him.
Read Joel 2 in it's entirety for an amazing depiction of God's wrath and mercy together.
before His army,
for His camp is exceedingly great;
He who executes His word is powerful.
For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome;
who can endure it?
--Joel 2:10-11
These verses come after one of the passages in the Bible that genuinely frightens me. "The day of the LORD" that is talked about here is a day when a fiery army scales the wall of the city and creeps into the house windows like thieves. "Before them people are in anguish; all faces grow pale." If the thought of God's judgement doesn't make us go pale, it's only because we aren't full aware of what that means.
I realize that I am mostly clueless when it comes to God's future plans. When I read this chapter, God surprised me again. After a harrowing description of coming judgement, God's word takes a turn.
"Yet even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments."
Return to the LORD your God,
for He is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and He relents over disaster.
--Joel 2:12-13
Yes, God's anger is terrifying. And yes, God is gracious, merciful, and slow to anger. While God is still calling from the pages of the Bible, "repent, return with all your heart," shouldn't we be calling out the same thing? We all know people who are destined for destruction because of their rejection of God. But He hasn't destroyed them yet, has He?
"Even now, return to me."
Because of the terror of God's wrath and His unashamedly shocking mercy, we need to be bold in sharing Him.
Read Joel 2 in it's entirety for an amazing depiction of God's wrath and mercy together.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Still Childish
A (very) humbling thought from John Owen's The Mortification of Sin:
Notwithstanding all our confidence of high attainments, all our notions of God are but childish in respect of his infinite perfections. We, for the most part, but lisp and babble, and say we know not what, in our most accurate (as we think) conceptions and notions of God. We may love, honor, believe and obey our Father; and therewith He accepts our childish thoughts, for they are but childish. We see but His back parts; we know but little of Him.
We may suppose that we have attained here great knowledge, clear and high thoughts of God; but alas! when He shall bring us into His presence, we shall cry out, we never knew Him as He is; the thousandth part of His glory, and perfection, and blessedness, never entered into our hearts.
Notwithstanding all our confidence of high attainments, all our notions of God are but childish in respect of his infinite perfections. We, for the most part, but lisp and babble, and say we know not what, in our most accurate (as we think) conceptions and notions of God. We may love, honor, believe and obey our Father; and therewith He accepts our childish thoughts, for they are but childish. We see but His back parts; we know but little of Him.
We may suppose that we have attained here great knowledge, clear and high thoughts of God; but alas! when He shall bring us into His presence, we shall cry out, we never knew Him as He is; the thousandth part of His glory, and perfection, and blessedness, never entered into our hearts.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Obedience: Round Two
Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, do you have any fish?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So thy cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.
--John 21:4-8
I want to be like the Peter that is depicted here. I already am like the Peter shown just a couple of chapters earlier--the Peter who denied Jesus. I may not have used words to say, "I don't know Him," but I have denied that He is everything to me every time that I have sinned against him. How quick I am to say that Jesus is my life. And how dreadfully quick I am afterwards to act as though He is nothing to me.
How great is our Savior's forgiveness. For we are not destroyed when we sin against him. Instead, we are given another day, another chance to throw ourselves into the sea after Him. Another opportunity to sacrifice. Another situation where we can obey in a big way.
When you feel the pangs of failure, don't give up hope of future success. Our God is faithful to let us do things for him, even great things, regardless of our past shortcomings. The man who forsook Jesus when He was at death's door would later be the man to give his own life for the sake of his Savior.
Keep your eyes open for the second chance.
--John 21:4-8
I want to be like the Peter that is depicted here. I already am like the Peter shown just a couple of chapters earlier--the Peter who denied Jesus. I may not have used words to say, "I don't know Him," but I have denied that He is everything to me every time that I have sinned against him. How quick I am to say that Jesus is my life. And how dreadfully quick I am afterwards to act as though He is nothing to me.
How great is our Savior's forgiveness. For we are not destroyed when we sin against him. Instead, we are given another day, another chance to throw ourselves into the sea after Him. Another opportunity to sacrifice. Another situation where we can obey in a big way.
When you feel the pangs of failure, don't give up hope of future success. Our God is faithful to let us do things for him, even great things, regardless of our past shortcomings. The man who forsook Jesus when He was at death's door would later be the man to give his own life for the sake of his Savior.
Keep your eyes open for the second chance.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
First Breath
Jesus' resurrection is a source of endless fascination to me. My mind can't fully grasp it, but loves to feel out the idea and try to picture it. I simply can't fathom the miracle of God that happened that day.
Try to picture the scene. Picture the hands taking Jesus off the cross. Picture the fearful pharisee secretly arranging with Pilate to take care of the body. Picture those lifeless arms and legs being wrapped up in cloth like a mummy, with seventy-five pounds of expensive spices stuffed in. The body that had been alive just hours before was laid to rest in a tomb and sealed off. It was a customary burial, to honor the body and allow it to decompose in peace out of sight and smell of anyone who survived Him.
Now picture what it was like in that tomb. Just imagine you could see inside. For three days, absolute stillness. Not a whisper of air, not a flicker of light, not a sound. And then--motion.
The mouth takes in air. Dead lungs fill with oxygen. Blood once again flows through the veins. The man sits up, takes off his face cloth and folds it off to the side. This is no longer a dead body; this is the living God.
Jesus' resurrection changed everything.
When the first person saw Him alive, Jesus said to her, "Go to my brothers and say to them, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Brothers. Father. Jesus welcomed us into His family by becoming a part of ours. The last barrier between Him and us was broken when He became like us in death. His Father is our Father! Even more amazing, our God is His God.
Because He became like us in death, reconciling us to the Father, we who are in Christ now become like Him in a new kind of death. A death like His death. Temporary.
You will die someday. The last gasp of air will escape your lips and will not be replaced by another. Your heart will stop pumping blood. Your body will be moved and handled and redressed and, probably, put in a coffin, as is the custom. And the lid will be closed and a hole will be dug and dirt will be sprinkled over you. Then shoveled and dumped and smoothed out over the top, and marked with a stone.
But there will be no three days waiting for you, friend. There will be no three days of dark stillness. For your last breath will be followed by your first. Heaven will surround you, fill you. Your life will begin just as soon as it ends.
And there, in heaven, we will see our Savior. We will see the scars, the wounds, the lips that breathed the same oxygen we did. We will behold our brother, our God. And forever we will live with Him.
Try to picture the scene. Picture the hands taking Jesus off the cross. Picture the fearful pharisee secretly arranging with Pilate to take care of the body. Picture those lifeless arms and legs being wrapped up in cloth like a mummy, with seventy-five pounds of expensive spices stuffed in. The body that had been alive just hours before was laid to rest in a tomb and sealed off. It was a customary burial, to honor the body and allow it to decompose in peace out of sight and smell of anyone who survived Him.
Now picture what it was like in that tomb. Just imagine you could see inside. For three days, absolute stillness. Not a whisper of air, not a flicker of light, not a sound. And then--motion.
The mouth takes in air. Dead lungs fill with oxygen. Blood once again flows through the veins. The man sits up, takes off his face cloth and folds it off to the side. This is no longer a dead body; this is the living God.
Jesus' resurrection changed everything.
When the first person saw Him alive, Jesus said to her, "Go to my brothers and say to them, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Brothers. Father. Jesus welcomed us into His family by becoming a part of ours. The last barrier between Him and us was broken when He became like us in death. His Father is our Father! Even more amazing, our God is His God.
Because He became like us in death, reconciling us to the Father, we who are in Christ now become like Him in a new kind of death. A death like His death. Temporary.
You will die someday. The last gasp of air will escape your lips and will not be replaced by another. Your heart will stop pumping blood. Your body will be moved and handled and redressed and, probably, put in a coffin, as is the custom. And the lid will be closed and a hole will be dug and dirt will be sprinkled over you. Then shoveled and dumped and smoothed out over the top, and marked with a stone.
But there will be no three days waiting for you, friend. There will be no three days of dark stillness. For your last breath will be followed by your first. Heaven will surround you, fill you. Your life will begin just as soon as it ends.
And there, in heaven, we will see our Savior. We will see the scars, the wounds, the lips that breathed the same oxygen we did. We will behold our brother, our God. And forever we will live with Him.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Bigger Than My Life
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
--Psalm 36:5
Here's a thought. A little thought, but a comforting one. God's love extends to the edge of the universe. I extend to 5 feet and 6 inches off the ground. Do you think there's enough room for me in there?
Sometimes the most important things in life are the ones you can't see. I can't see God's love for me like I can see a storm or or a shadow or the inside of my eyelids--but it is far, far bigger than any of those things.
Sometimes Jesus' word literally is all I have to look to. But that isn't so bad. He says He loves me. He says He loves me with a love that is bigger than all the world. I am more than happy to just go by that.
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
--Psalm 36:5
Here's a thought. A little thought, but a comforting one. God's love extends to the edge of the universe. I extend to 5 feet and 6 inches off the ground. Do you think there's enough room for me in there?
Sometimes the most important things in life are the ones you can't see. I can't see God's love for me like I can see a storm or or a shadow or the inside of my eyelids--but it is far, far bigger than any of those things.
Sometimes Jesus' word literally is all I have to look to. But that isn't so bad. He says He loves me. He says He loves me with a love that is bigger than all the world. I am more than happy to just go by that.
Monday, March 7, 2011
The Real Cure
Have you ever prayed like this?
O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather.
--Psalm 39:4-6
Words like that don't often constitute my morning prayer. "God, remind me of how short my life is. Amen." Why would someone pray for a reminder like that?
When he spoke these words, David was in a time of personal trial, physically and spiritually. But in this particular trial, his prayer wasn't "comfort me, God," but "humble me."
God's prescription for David's trial was a humble perspective.
So often when we face disappointment, our prayer is that we get what we want. We identify the sadness we feel as being caused by something we wanted that we didn't get, so we identify the cure as getting that thing back, or gaining it for the first time. But our diagnosis, like all earthly thinking, is only skin deep. David saw past this. He saw that all of his "getting" was ultimately futile. His possessions wouldn't last long, and were easily lost--and so was the happiness they provided. So instead of trying to remedy his disappointment with more getting, he decided to remedy his attitude that thought getting was the answer.
Oh that we would be quicker to come to this point! How many trials, how many disappointments does it take for us to realize that getting what we want will not make us happy? The very frequency of these disappointments ought to remind us that more are coming. We will never be free from loss--not on this side of heaven. So all we can do is pray, as David, that we will be freed from a mindset in which gain is god and loss is devastation.
David was disappointed, and he refused to hope in an earthly remedy. That hope, he knew, was pointless. So at the point of emptiness, he prayed this:
"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?"
Not to get back what I lost.
"My hope is in You.
Deliver me from all my transgressions."
They, not the loss, are my real trial.
"Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
for it is You who have done it."
I won't instruct You to do what I think will make me happy.
--Psalm 39:7-9
I want to respond to pain the way that David did here. That earthly blessing didn't, doesn't, wouldn't make me happy. God did, does, and will. Remind me, Father, of my transience and how short-lived all earthly blessings are. And be the one thing I truly hope in.
O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather.
--Psalm 39:4-6
Words like that don't often constitute my morning prayer. "God, remind me of how short my life is. Amen." Why would someone pray for a reminder like that?
When he spoke these words, David was in a time of personal trial, physically and spiritually. But in this particular trial, his prayer wasn't "comfort me, God," but "humble me."
God's prescription for David's trial was a humble perspective.
So often when we face disappointment, our prayer is that we get what we want. We identify the sadness we feel as being caused by something we wanted that we didn't get, so we identify the cure as getting that thing back, or gaining it for the first time. But our diagnosis, like all earthly thinking, is only skin deep. David saw past this. He saw that all of his "getting" was ultimately futile. His possessions wouldn't last long, and were easily lost--and so was the happiness they provided. So instead of trying to remedy his disappointment with more getting, he decided to remedy his attitude that thought getting was the answer.
Oh that we would be quicker to come to this point! How many trials, how many disappointments does it take for us to realize that getting what we want will not make us happy? The very frequency of these disappointments ought to remind us that more are coming. We will never be free from loss--not on this side of heaven. So all we can do is pray, as David, that we will be freed from a mindset in which gain is god and loss is devastation.
David was disappointed, and he refused to hope in an earthly remedy. That hope, he knew, was pointless. So at the point of emptiness, he prayed this:
"And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?"
Not to get back what I lost.
"My hope is in You.
Deliver me from all my transgressions."
They, not the loss, are my real trial.
"Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
for it is You who have done it."
I won't instruct You to do what I think will make me happy.
--Psalm 39:7-9
I want to respond to pain the way that David did here. That earthly blessing didn't, doesn't, wouldn't make me happy. God did, does, and will. Remind me, Father, of my transience and how short-lived all earthly blessings are. And be the one thing I truly hope in.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Joy in the Morning
I will extol You, Oh Lord, for You have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to You for help,
and You have healed me.
O Lord, You have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
Sing praises to the Lord, O you His saints,
and give thanks to His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment,
and His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes in the morning.
--Psalm 30:1-5
We believe in a God who brings joy in the morning. A God who hears us when we cry out to Him from a place of brokenness. A God who does not let us stay incapacitated, but who draws us up from the mire. Our enemies--sin, death, the devil--will not be allowed to rejoice over us, as they surely would if we stayed dejected forever. Instead, God heals us, and equips us to again wage war against the adversaries we face.
So praise Him! If you believe in Him, and You have witnessed His healing firsthand, as I have, then give thanks to His holy name. He does not stay angry with us, but lavishes His favor and forgiveness. And though we may weep for a night, there is always a joyful morning beyond the horizon.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Plans
Planning is a part of human nature. Much of this tendency comes from God. He created us in His image, and gave the first two people a hopeful plan for accomplishing much with their lives. Many of our plans involve creative and exciting ways to carry out His mandate.
But there is a darker side of our tendency to plan. Because of the fall, human planning cannot be perfect. In fact, it is profoundly imperfect--as far from perfect as the post-sin earth is. For one thing, now that sin is our nature, sin is in our plans. We contrive darkly creative schemes to carry out our wrong desires. But even if our plans themselves are not sinful, living in an imperfect world means we are sure to be disappointed. This is something that we can count on every day. You won't get everything that you want. No matter how much time, energy, and hope we invest in these plans, our future is ultimately not in our hands.
The penniless and the powerful have this in common:
This is the truth, no matter how much we curse the fall and rage against it. Many of our plans will come to nothing. How sad.
But there is good news. For while all our greatest desires have been affected by the fall, there is One who remained unchanged.
And this is emphatically good news for a frustrated, disappointed people.
God has chosen us as His heritage. And I'll tell you one reason He didn't. God didn't look at me or anyone else and think, "Wow, I could really use someone with that kind of vision. Carly's ability to think ahead will really be an asset in my continued world-leadership." What a joke would that be! When God chose me to be His heritage, you want to know what I had to offer Him? A heart in love with sin. Plans to sin more. Plans to try and sin without being caught by people, with no thought to the God who would see it all. Plans to promote myself at any cost. Plans to indulge in every pleasure possible.
And God saved me, and gave me the awesome hope that I am His heritage, His child, forever. And He gave me a new set of plans--to honor Him. To bring Him glory by any means. He gave me creative plans to spend my life on Him in a thousand little ways. And I've never, from the beginning, carried out a single one of those plans perfectly. But His choosing of me never depended on that anyways. It was His plan all along, quite independent of mine.
And what about those other plans and desires (unsinful) that I want, and don't get? There is no easy way to convince someone (yourself included) that not getting what you want is a good thing. Yet there is some comfort to be found in this:
But there is a darker side of our tendency to plan. Because of the fall, human planning cannot be perfect. In fact, it is profoundly imperfect--as far from perfect as the post-sin earth is. For one thing, now that sin is our nature, sin is in our plans. We contrive darkly creative schemes to carry out our wrong desires. But even if our plans themselves are not sinful, living in an imperfect world means we are sure to be disappointed. This is something that we can count on every day. You won't get everything that you want. No matter how much time, energy, and hope we invest in these plans, our future is ultimately not in our hands.
The penniless and the powerful have this in common:
The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
But there is good news. For while all our greatest desires have been affected by the fall, there is One who remained unchanged.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
the plans of His heart to all generations.
And this is emphatically good news for a frustrated, disappointed people.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom He has chosen as His heritage.
God has chosen us as His heritage. And I'll tell you one reason He didn't. God didn't look at me or anyone else and think, "Wow, I could really use someone with that kind of vision. Carly's ability to think ahead will really be an asset in my continued world-leadership." What a joke would that be! When God chose me to be His heritage, you want to know what I had to offer Him? A heart in love with sin. Plans to sin more. Plans to try and sin without being caught by people, with no thought to the God who would see it all. Plans to promote myself at any cost. Plans to indulge in every pleasure possible.
And God saved me, and gave me the awesome hope that I am His heritage, His child, forever. And He gave me a new set of plans--to honor Him. To bring Him glory by any means. He gave me creative plans to spend my life on Him in a thousand little ways. And I've never, from the beginning, carried out a single one of those plans perfectly. But His choosing of me never depended on that anyways. It was His plan all along, quite independent of mine.
And what about those other plans and desires (unsinful) that I want, and don't get? There is no easy way to convince someone (yourself included) that not getting what you want is a good thing. Yet there is some comfort to be found in this:
The Lord looks down from heaven;
He sees all the children of man;
from where He sits enthroned He looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
He who fashions the heart of them all
and observes all their deeds.
God sees. God knows. He knows when our hearts are broken. He knows when our plans come to nothing and we get so disappointed we can hardly speak. And He intimately knows exactly what it is that we desire--because He fashioned our hearts. It feels good when you have pain just to remember that God knows.
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him
on those who hope in His steadfast love.
When your plans come to nothing, you can count on this: God's eye is on those who fear Him, and those who hope in His love. So let your new plans revolve around that love. The one constant in an unpredictable world is God's character. And His love is steadfast. So whatever your plans are today, just remember--they can fall apart, but God's love will always hold you together.
Psalm 33:10-15, 18
Psalm 33:10-15, 18
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Undiscouragement
This post is kind of personal. What I am writing about is something that God has been working in my own heart. My prayer is that this is encouraging to you, although it applies specifically to me. Thanks to a great friend for encouraging me to write this out :).
Discouragement. It sinks in from time to time. Regardless of the cause (there could be any number of culprits)--the feeling is the same. You feel sad, weak—possibly even useless or unappreciated. This last week discouragement sunk in with me in a worse way than it had for some time. But God never leaves me to drown. He is far too good for that. And His purposes are good—good enough that I wouldn't want to escape the trials He lets into my life. Not even if I could.
Through a godly believer, God gave me a spark of encouragement. I believe this spark has not only caught on, but is slowly burning away the discouragement I've been feeling. The spark came from a man I don't personally know, but admire quite a bit. On page 124 of my copy of John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life I read these words:
“For your tomorrow, I gave my today. Not just for your tomorrow on earth,
but for the countless tomorrows of your ever increasing gladness in God.”
but for the countless tomorrows of your ever increasing gladness in God.”
These two sentences express what Piper believes should be every believer's attitude towards the other people on earth. I agree with him. Why would I want to spend a single “today” or even a “this minute” on feeling sorry for myself when all around me are people whose “tomorrows” are in question? While I am feeling discontent, and wishing for things I want and don't have, there are people all around me who will never, ever get the happiness they truly want because they will never hear about Jesus. And it isn't wrong to feel sad sometimes. But what about the awesome joy of being glad in God, and watching as through your influence others find that gladness for themselves?
Oh magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt His Name together!
These words from Psalm 34 speak the desire of my heart. And in this I find escape from discouragement and sadness. The only thing more exciting than magnifying the Lord is magnifying Him to and with others so that they see Him bigger than they ever have—and then they magnify Him on their own and with more people in turn.
This is big. It's something that will take a lifetime. And it's something I've neglected before out of laziness, apathy, or feelings of insufficiency. It's also something that I'll never quite perfect.
But what better time than now to try? I have free time, energy, youth, singleness, Christian friends, non-Christian friends, a church, a school, a workplace, a car I can drive, and some spending money. I have a Bible and a God who hears me when I pray. Astoundingly, I have the Holy Spirit inside of me who directed me to this truth and who through Christ strengthens me to do all things.
So long discouragement. I think I'm due for a few exciting, useful, encouraging todays.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
A Kingdom Not of this World
So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to Him,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about Me?"
"Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You over to me. What have You done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
Pilate (just like every person who is alive today) had a fundamental problem with believing in Jesus. Because of his mind's compulsive acceptance of the way the world was (and is), he was irreconcilable to Jesus' awesome power. People are just like that today.
Pilate heard "king" and thought "Caesar." He thought of power, and the accolades of men--himself included in the worshipers. He thought of the military might that was able to subject an entire people group to Roman control.
And what he thought of didn't match up with what he saw. A man in plain clothing--supposedly possessed of great healing power, yet now helpless to His captors' every whim. A man who had been bound up, led away, and struck in the face. No armies of loyal followers fighting for his release. Just an ordinary, weak, normal man. This could be no king.
Then the King spoke: "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
This where Pilate and a whole lot of us get lost. Because we as people are fighters. Nobody has anything worth having who didn't have to fight for it. We have these desires and urges that control us, and so we fight. Desperately, madly, we will fight to get our way.
But we serve a God who doesn't need to struggle. God speaks, and it is done. He forms substance out of nothing. He can open up canyons from flat ground to swallow His enemies. He can bring the entire sea down on armies that rage against Him. When Jesus said His servants would be fighting, He is assuming the kind of power that Pilate thinks of as power. The people kind of power; the struggle and get what you can kind. The true power that our God possessed was far greater than some servants with swords.
Yet on this night, our King did not open up a chasm to swallow the soldiers. He didn't rain down fire from heaven to consume the wicked. Tonight, the power Jesus showed was the awesome, terrible power of submission. Because He did not fight back. He didn't struggle. He let the weak and helpless fighters of this earth whip Him, hit Him, drive nails through His hands and feet.
And power was displayed. The King and His kingdom shone in radiant glory that night like they had on no other. Because our King showed that in His otherworldly strength He was mighty to die. Mighty to sacrifice. Mighty to save.
This is our King. And our kingdom is not of this world.
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about Me?"
"Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You over to me. What have You done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
Pilate (just like every person who is alive today) had a fundamental problem with believing in Jesus. Because of his mind's compulsive acceptance of the way the world was (and is), he was irreconcilable to Jesus' awesome power. People are just like that today.
Pilate heard "king" and thought "Caesar." He thought of power, and the accolades of men--himself included in the worshipers. He thought of the military might that was able to subject an entire people group to Roman control.
And what he thought of didn't match up with what he saw. A man in plain clothing--supposedly possessed of great healing power, yet now helpless to His captors' every whim. A man who had been bound up, led away, and struck in the face. No armies of loyal followers fighting for his release. Just an ordinary, weak, normal man. This could be no king.
Then the King spoke: "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
This where Pilate and a whole lot of us get lost. Because we as people are fighters. Nobody has anything worth having who didn't have to fight for it. We have these desires and urges that control us, and so we fight. Desperately, madly, we will fight to get our way.
But we serve a God who doesn't need to struggle. God speaks, and it is done. He forms substance out of nothing. He can open up canyons from flat ground to swallow His enemies. He can bring the entire sea down on armies that rage against Him. When Jesus said His servants would be fighting, He is assuming the kind of power that Pilate thinks of as power. The people kind of power; the struggle and get what you can kind. The true power that our God possessed was far greater than some servants with swords.
Yet on this night, our King did not open up a chasm to swallow the soldiers. He didn't rain down fire from heaven to consume the wicked. Tonight, the power Jesus showed was the awesome, terrible power of submission. Because He did not fight back. He didn't struggle. He let the weak and helpless fighters of this earth whip Him, hit Him, drive nails through His hands and feet.
And power was displayed. The King and His kingdom shone in radiant glory that night like they had on no other. Because our King showed that in His otherworldly strength He was mighty to die. Mighty to sacrifice. Mighty to save.
This is our King. And our kingdom is not of this world.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Magnify the Lord With Me
I want to praise the Lord, all the time. I want to be that person who can't stop talking about Him.
I want Him to be the only thing I boast in. Then I will be truly humble, and encourage others in humility.
I want to make God seem huge and present, not vague and distant, to the world. And I want to influence those who are not of the world to exalt Him with me.
Because every time I've called ought to Him, He answered me. Every time I've been afraid and have sought Him, He's given me confidence.
Any person who looks to God will never be ashamed.
God hears, saves, delivers, protects.
Taste and see that He is good.
Psalm 34:1-8
I want Him to be the only thing I boast in. Then I will be truly humble, and encourage others in humility.
I want to make God seem huge and present, not vague and distant, to the world. And I want to influence those who are not of the world to exalt Him with me.
Because every time I've called ought to Him, He answered me. Every time I've been afraid and have sought Him, He's given me confidence.
Any person who looks to God will never be ashamed.
God hears, saves, delivers, protects.
Taste and see that He is good.
Psalm 34:1-8
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
God's Delight
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
Nor His pleasure in the legs of a man,
But the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His steadfast love.
--Psalm 147:10-11
I am so thankful that I don't follow a God who is as easily awed as I am. A strong person, a famous person, an able or talented person can easily turn my head. In contrast, God does not delight in human strength. Instead, He takes pleasure in people who revere His strength. The humble, fearful servant is God's delight. The one who hopes fully in Him is a pleasure for Him to know.
I want to be a humble, hopeful, God-fearing human being--a person who God is happy to know.
Nor His pleasure in the legs of a man,
But the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His steadfast love.
--Psalm 147:10-11
I am so thankful that I don't follow a God who is as easily awed as I am. A strong person, a famous person, an able or talented person can easily turn my head. In contrast, God does not delight in human strength. Instead, He takes pleasure in people who revere His strength. The humble, fearful servant is God's delight. The one who hopes fully in Him is a pleasure for Him to know.
I want to be a humble, hopeful, God-fearing human being--a person who God is happy to know.
Monday, January 31, 2011
The Contradiction Man
Sin makes people into walking contradictions. You know people who are kind to you, but you see them tearing others up. People are capable of feeling both love and hate for the same thing, or the same person. We can be proud by being self-effacing. We can lie by omitting something from the truth. We are sinful, and thus we are inconsistent.
One of the most poignant examples of man's inconsistency was named Peter. He was a follower of Christ, who loved his Savior deeply. He was also completely flawed from the inside out. John 18 provides a moving narrative of Peter's denial of Christ. It showed us how the most vocal defender of Jesus became a timid liar in the face of opposition.
As John MacArthur notes in his message on this passage, "Jesus' Trial, Peter's Denial," the arrangement of John 18 is truly creative. Verses 12-27 involve both the beginning of Jesus' several trials, and Peter's denial of His Savior. But instead of laying the two stories side by side in self contained sections, God's word has permanently interwoven them to give anyone who reads it a pair of contrasting narratives. The contrast is fourfold, according to MacArthur. It serves to: a.) emphasize the glory of Christ and the sinfulness of man; b.) show why Christ's atoning death was necessary by showing sinfulness in the both Jesus' unregenerate persecutors and in a true believer; c.) to contrast faithfulness with faithlessness; and d.) to exalt Jesus Christ by comparison of Him to a shameful sinner.
The irony of the story is that it doesn't just contrast Jesus with Peter; it contrasts Peter with himself. This man had earlier said "Why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you (Jn. 13:37)!" But Jesus knew Peter far better than He knew Himself. "Will you lay down your life for me?" He asked. "Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied Me three times (Jn. 13:38)."
And in John 18, the denial happens. What a curious combination of self-confidence and crippling fear! Peter followed Jesus as far as the outer ring of the courtyard, obviously intending to do something to stand up for His Master. Yet He wasn't even brave enough to tell a servant girl that He knew who Jesus was.
Do you see yourself in this? Do you have great desire to tell others about Jesus--but not the strength to compromise your social standing for His Name? Don't be discouraged. This passage contrasts a man like us with Jesus for the precise reason that we can see the difference. We are faithless; He is faithful. We are inconsistent; He never changes.
The God who died for you knew your weakness before He even came to earth. He knew all of your inconsistencies--better than you or anyone else ever could. And He loves, and forgives, time after time. Whether you have denied Christ by silence or with swearing, whether you've denied Him 3 times or 300 times, He is faithful to forgive. Confess your faithlessness, and take heart. Just like with Peter, Jesus still has a plan for you. He will make you bolder--just wait and see.
2 Timothy 2:13
If we are faithless, He remains faithful--for He cannot deny Himself.
"Jesus' Trial, Peter's Denial" http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/sg1571.htm
One of the most poignant examples of man's inconsistency was named Peter. He was a follower of Christ, who loved his Savior deeply. He was also completely flawed from the inside out. John 18 provides a moving narrative of Peter's denial of Christ. It showed us how the most vocal defender of Jesus became a timid liar in the face of opposition.
As John MacArthur notes in his message on this passage, "Jesus' Trial, Peter's Denial," the arrangement of John 18 is truly creative. Verses 12-27 involve both the beginning of Jesus' several trials, and Peter's denial of His Savior. But instead of laying the two stories side by side in self contained sections, God's word has permanently interwoven them to give anyone who reads it a pair of contrasting narratives. The contrast is fourfold, according to MacArthur. It serves to: a.) emphasize the glory of Christ and the sinfulness of man; b.) show why Christ's atoning death was necessary by showing sinfulness in the both Jesus' unregenerate persecutors and in a true believer; c.) to contrast faithfulness with faithlessness; and d.) to exalt Jesus Christ by comparison of Him to a shameful sinner.
The irony of the story is that it doesn't just contrast Jesus with Peter; it contrasts Peter with himself. This man had earlier said "Why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you (Jn. 13:37)!" But Jesus knew Peter far better than He knew Himself. "Will you lay down your life for me?" He asked. "Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied Me three times (Jn. 13:38)."
And in John 18, the denial happens. What a curious combination of self-confidence and crippling fear! Peter followed Jesus as far as the outer ring of the courtyard, obviously intending to do something to stand up for His Master. Yet He wasn't even brave enough to tell a servant girl that He knew who Jesus was.
Do you see yourself in this? Do you have great desire to tell others about Jesus--but not the strength to compromise your social standing for His Name? Don't be discouraged. This passage contrasts a man like us with Jesus for the precise reason that we can see the difference. We are faithless; He is faithful. We are inconsistent; He never changes.
The God who died for you knew your weakness before He even came to earth. He knew all of your inconsistencies--better than you or anyone else ever could. And He loves, and forgives, time after time. Whether you have denied Christ by silence or with swearing, whether you've denied Him 3 times or 300 times, He is faithful to forgive. Confess your faithlessness, and take heart. Just like with Peter, Jesus still has a plan for you. He will make you bolder--just wait and see.
2 Timothy 2:13
If we are faithless, He remains faithful--for He cannot deny Himself.
"Jesus' Trial, Peter's Denial" http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/sg1571.htm
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
I AM--Jesus
What use are men and lanterns and torches and weapons against the Most High God? He spoke these men into being, yet now they challenge Him with a few scraps of metal and little plumes of flame?
Jesus is mighty, and He showed the men that much. When Judas' band of soldiers first approached, He asked them an obvious question.
"Whom do you seek?"
"Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.
And Jesus said to them, "I am He."
Do you hear the echo of Exodus 3 in Jesus words? "I AM WHO I AM" was the Name for Himself that God revealed to Moses from the burning bush. Here in John 18, the same God speaks His identity from a human mouth. "I am He."
God's holiness in Exodus shone like fire from the bush and compelled Moses to remove His shoes. When Jesus Christ spoke His Name, the band of soldiers "drew back and fell to the ground." John even makes a point of telling us that "Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them"--and when God's holiness bowled them over, Judas too fell on his face.
At this point, the soldiers had to be very afraid. Sure, Jesus didn't look as terrifying or mysterious as an unconsumed bush glowing with flames. He was the same Jesus of Nazareth whom they had seen before, walking their streets and eating among their people. But God's power was clearly present with this man. The soldiers and Judas were still lying prone in the shock of Divine power when Jesus asked them again,
"Whom do you seek?"
Again they replied, "Jesus of Nazareth."
Note the difference between the two statements of Christ's identity. "I am He"--bursting with the power and holiness of God. "Jesus of Nazareth"--commonplace and chock-full of basic humanity.
Yet Jesus of Nazareth was the Jesus who remained, and the Jesus who would breathe his last later that night. After revealing His awesome power, Jesus has a different response to their second statement of His Name.
Jesus answered, "I told you that I am He. So, if you seek Me, let these men go."
No fight in these words. The God who threw a band of strong men on their faces with only the words of His mouth now submitted as they bound him and led Him away. Even when His disciples tried a vain attempt at insurrection, Jesus forbade it.
Jesus of Nazareth, the Great I AM had His mind made up from the beginning of time.
"Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?"
It was for you and for me that He drank this cup. It was the cup of God's wrath--the cup of death. And so that we would not die but live, the Great I AM became confined to the lifespan of a finite person.
His death was possible because He was Jesus of Nazareth. Your forgiveness is possible because He died.
His resurrection was possible because this man was the Great I AM. And because the Man Who Is God rose from the dead, we can have eternal life!
We worship Jesus in wonder, for He is the I AM who is a man.
Jesus is mighty, and He showed the men that much. When Judas' band of soldiers first approached, He asked them an obvious question.
"Whom do you seek?"
"Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.
And Jesus said to them, "I am He."
Do you hear the echo of Exodus 3 in Jesus words? "I AM WHO I AM" was the Name for Himself that God revealed to Moses from the burning bush. Here in John 18, the same God speaks His identity from a human mouth. "I am He."
God's holiness in Exodus shone like fire from the bush and compelled Moses to remove His shoes. When Jesus Christ spoke His Name, the band of soldiers "drew back and fell to the ground." John even makes a point of telling us that "Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them"--and when God's holiness bowled them over, Judas too fell on his face.
At this point, the soldiers had to be very afraid. Sure, Jesus didn't look as terrifying or mysterious as an unconsumed bush glowing with flames. He was the same Jesus of Nazareth whom they had seen before, walking their streets and eating among their people. But God's power was clearly present with this man. The soldiers and Judas were still lying prone in the shock of Divine power when Jesus asked them again,
"Whom do you seek?"
Again they replied, "Jesus of Nazareth."
Note the difference between the two statements of Christ's identity. "I am He"--bursting with the power and holiness of God. "Jesus of Nazareth"--commonplace and chock-full of basic humanity.
Yet Jesus of Nazareth was the Jesus who remained, and the Jesus who would breathe his last later that night. After revealing His awesome power, Jesus has a different response to their second statement of His Name.
Jesus answered, "I told you that I am He. So, if you seek Me, let these men go."
No fight in these words. The God who threw a band of strong men on their faces with only the words of His mouth now submitted as they bound him and led Him away. Even when His disciples tried a vain attempt at insurrection, Jesus forbade it.
Jesus of Nazareth, the Great I AM had His mind made up from the beginning of time.
"Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?"
It was for you and for me that He drank this cup. It was the cup of God's wrath--the cup of death. And so that we would not die but live, the Great I AM became confined to the lifespan of a finite person.
His death was possible because He was Jesus of Nazareth. Your forgiveness is possible because He died.
His resurrection was possible because this man was the Great I AM. And because the Man Who Is God rose from the dead, we can have eternal life!
We worship Jesus in wonder, for He is the I AM who is a man.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Boast in Who You Know
Through the sermon this Sunday, I was drawn back to some of my favorite verses, Jeremiah 9:23-24: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me."
Wisdom: knowledge of the Bible, ability to give good advice, having the right answers
Might: being known as spiritually strong, being a leader among your friends
Riches: possessing gifts you didn't earn, but have been blessed with--gifts like money, friends, popularity, family, influence, etc
Before I was saved, confidence in these "spiritual" things hindered me from accepting the gospel. And now that I am saved, I continue to struggle with turning God's gifts into an excuse for arrogance.
Join me in going over this truth in your heart--I am not wise. I am not mighty. I am not rich.
God is omniscient. God is omnipotent. God is the giver of all good things. Beyond this, He practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things He delights. And God wants us to know Him, and to be proud of knowing Him. Let that be your boast today...anything else is just stupid.
To know and love the one who is wise, mighty and rich beats out any counterfeit of wisdom might and riches that we could ever dream up.
Wisdom: knowledge of the Bible, ability to give good advice, having the right answers
Might: being known as spiritually strong, being a leader among your friends
Riches: possessing gifts you didn't earn, but have been blessed with--gifts like money, friends, popularity, family, influence, etc
Before I was saved, confidence in these "spiritual" things hindered me from accepting the gospel. And now that I am saved, I continue to struggle with turning God's gifts into an excuse for arrogance.
Join me in going over this truth in your heart--I am not wise. I am not mighty. I am not rich.
God is omniscient. God is omnipotent. God is the giver of all good things. Beyond this, He practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things He delights. And God wants us to know Him, and to be proud of knowing Him. Let that be your boast today...anything else is just stupid.
To know and love the one who is wise, mighty and rich beats out any counterfeit of wisdom might and riches that we could ever dream up.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
"To Die Is Gain"
Philippians 1:23 shows why dying is gain for Paul: "My desire is to depart [that is, to die] and be with Christ, for that is far better." That is what death does: It takes us into more intimacy with Christ. We depart, and we are with Christ, and that, Paul says, is gain. And when you experience death this way, Paul says, you exalt Christ. Experiencing Christ as gain in your dying magnifies Christ. It is "far better" than living here.
Really? Better than all the friends at school? Better than falling in love? Better than hugging your children? Better than professional success? Better than retirement and grandchildren? Yes. A thousand times better.
The single, all-embracing passion of my life [is] to magnify Christ in all things whether by life or death.
--John Piper. Don't Waste Your Life. Pg. 67-68
Really? Better than all the friends at school? Better than falling in love? Better than hugging your children? Better than professional success? Better than retirement and grandchildren? Yes. A thousand times better.
The single, all-embracing passion of my life [is] to magnify Christ in all things whether by life or death.
--John Piper. Don't Waste Your Life. Pg. 67-68
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Weakest One
I can't fast for a few hours without my knees shaking and my fingers drooping on the keyboard.
I can't run 4 miles without a side ache or at least sore legs afterwards.
I can't run 6 miles.
I can't go a day without sinning.
I can't go 2 hours without sinning.
I can't go one minute without being a sinner.
I am weak.
God has chosen to glorify Himself through me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
If only I would admit my weakness every day, instead of waiting for it to be proven to me and everyone else in glaring colors by my failures. If only I would stop trying to be powerful! Then I would see that His power is perfected in me. Then I would say with pride,
"I am the weakest person I know,
and my Jesus is Strong."
I can't run 4 miles without a side ache or at least sore legs afterwards.
I can't run 6 miles.
I can't go a day without sinning.
I can't go 2 hours without sinning.
I can't go one minute without being a sinner.
I am weak.
God has chosen to glorify Himself through me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
If only I would admit my weakness every day, instead of waiting for it to be proven to me and everyone else in glaring colors by my failures. If only I would stop trying to be powerful! Then I would see that His power is perfected in me. Then I would say with pride,
"I am the weakest person I know,
and my Jesus is Strong."
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Pray-er I Know
A prayer warrior uses prayer as a lethal weapon against sin, taking in hand the victory that is ours in Christ.
A prayer warrior prays faithfully, day after day, even if answers are months or years in the coming.
A prayer warrior fights on others' behalf in prayer--rejoicing in answers that affect others, not her.
A prayer warrior brags about God's answers, not her prayerfulness.
A prayer warrior is more effective than the millions who try to accomplish the same things without prayer.
A prayer warrior is intensely aware of the Spirit's presence where others don't even look for Him.
A prayer warrior has real faith.
A prayer warrior is personally holy.
A prayer warrior is heartrendingly selfless, without admitting it.
A prayer warrior is a friend you want to have.
A prayer warrior knows and believes God's word.
A prayer warrior receives the least attention from man but the most blessing from God.
A prayer warrior moves mountains.
A prayer warrior loves others deeply, pouring out tears and begging earnestly for the souls of those who will never say thank you.
A prayer warrior has a better grasp on the immeasurable power of God than I do.
A prayer warrior has a front row seat to miracles.
A prayer warrior is following in the footsteps of Jesus.
A prayer warrior prays faithfully, day after day, even if answers are months or years in the coming.
A prayer warrior fights on others' behalf in prayer--rejoicing in answers that affect others, not her.
A prayer warrior brags about God's answers, not her prayerfulness.
A prayer warrior is more effective than the millions who try to accomplish the same things without prayer.
A prayer warrior is intensely aware of the Spirit's presence where others don't even look for Him.
A prayer warrior has real faith.
A prayer warrior is personally holy.
A prayer warrior is heartrendingly selfless, without admitting it.
A prayer warrior is a friend you want to have.
A prayer warrior knows and believes God's word.
A prayer warrior receives the least attention from man but the most blessing from God.
A prayer warrior moves mountains.
A prayer warrior loves others deeply, pouring out tears and begging earnestly for the souls of those who will never say thank you.
A prayer warrior has a better grasp on the immeasurable power of God than I do.
A prayer warrior has a front row seat to miracles.
A prayer warrior is following in the footsteps of Jesus.
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