Look who I found (actually we came together) at the conference!Saturday, September 26, 2009
One Foot Raised
Pastor Sam Storms brought a message tonight starting with this quote from the great reformer in a letter to a woman struggling with physical illness:Afflictions should serve as medicine to purge us, to remove what is superfluous…We ought to learn from our physical afflictions, in whatever form they may come, to live every day with one foot raised, ready for our departure into the presence of God.
The list of Calvin’s afflictions read like a medical journal. Headaches. Fevers. Gout. Colic. Hemorrhoids. Arthritis. Acute chronic inflammation of the kidneys. Gall stones. Violent fits of coughing that ruptured blood vessels in his lungs.
I never realized the man suffered from so many physical ailments. He managed to view them as momentary light afflictions (2 Cor. 4:16-18) by looking upon the invisible and contemplating the incomparably great weight of eternal glory that awaited him upon his death.
May all who name the name of Jesus do the same in good health and bad.
Friday, September 25, 2009
With Calvin in the Theater of God
I am posting this weekend from Minneapolis. The Desiring God National Conference this year focuses on the 500th anniversary of the great reformer's birth. Here is a picture of John Calvin.It has been a long day (see previous post). I have just come from session one by Julius Kim of Westminster West. He hammered home a theme from his talk I won't soon forget. Calvin was a faith-possessed pilgrim with a singular passion for knowing God and making Him known.
Three words worth remembering whether you are a giant reformer or a small church pastor: pilgrim, passion, and purpose. This world is not our home. We are all, as believers, aliens and strangers in a hostile world (1 Pet. 2:11). Zeal must characterize our lives and ministries (Rom. 12:11). And all must be done for the purpose of glorifying God (1 Cor. 10:31).
Dr Kim closed with thoughts about John Calvin's approach to suffering and how to attain the blessing of God in it. Two things, he said, formed the reformer's approach and counsel for getting blessing in suffering: pray and go to church. Prayer is the means of bringing God's blessing into a suffering saint's life. And God shows up in corporate worship through the preached word and the sacraments.
May we all be faith-possessed pilgrims with singular passion for knowing God through the means of grace and making Him known through our words and works. That's what makes for a life well-lived in the end result.
Red Lights, Rain Delays, & Exploding Catsup Bottles
Haven't posted for a while. September has been insane. All good stuff but intense. Thanks be to God for the mercy ministry outreach. Here's a picture of the finished house. Should have been a painting contractor. Not really. Took me two days to recover. I think I'll stick to writing sermons from behind a desk.But I did recover, thankfully, enough to write this post tonight from a hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Someone gifted me a trip to the Desiring God National Conference commemorating the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth. I do love this place. I treasure this ministry. I pray the viral contagion of Christian hedonism infects me and my ministry all the more from yet another exposure to the truths and passion of this work.
It was no picnic getting here, that's for sure. It was one of those days for teaching you the virtue of patience. Didn't sleep well the night before. Hit every red light, it seemed, on 436 between Casselberry and OIA. Sat for two extra hours in the Atlanta airport waiting for rain to clear at MSP. Waited interminably long, or at least it felt that way, in the Super Shuttle while a new mom tried to figure out how to install a ginormous car seat in the van for her baby. Hit rush hour traffic going downtown. And then to top it all off, at dinner, I go to open the catsup bottle and the thing erupts in an explosion of the red stuff all over my hands, shirt, and the only pair of jeans I've got with me for this trip. It was almost comical.
All was not for nought, though. The manager took pity on me and comped the meal. Sure glad I offered to buy. I left the server an extra big grat. My server son would have been proud. My Father, I think, was pleased that in my desire to get to Minneapolis for a conference that matters to me I didn't miss the bigger picture that today was a day for cultivating the virtue of patience, and it really didn't matter if the delays ate up the margin and if I walk around all weekend with catsup stains on my jeans. Perhaps I am learning something about what matters most after all these years.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Some Kind of Birthday Gift
I received this email from a fellow pastor friend today.
Psalm 1:1 ¶ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Father, I want to thank you for Curt, as I am reminded of his birthday. Lord, I pray for him to be a blessed man. A man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; my prayer for Curt this coming year is that his full delight will be in the law of the LORD, and on Your law he will meditate day and night. Lord, I ask for you to make him like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Lord, I pray that in all Curt does this year he will prosper. Lord, thank you for keeping him from the influence of wicked men this past year. The wicked are not like the tree that prospers but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. But, Lord I pray that you will know Curt's way this upcoming year because he will be walking in righteousness. I also pray you will give him wisdom to avoid the way of the wicked that will perish. Thank you Lord, for Your faithfulness in Curt's life in the last year and I pray for your continued mercy and grace in the year to come. Amen & Amen.
Happy Birthday, brother. I treasure your friendship & partnership in ministry.
Few gifts have greater value than praying Scripture back to God for someone. I was hugely blessed and greatly encouraged by the gesture.
Happy birthday to me!
Psalm 1:1 ¶ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Father, I want to thank you for Curt, as I am reminded of his birthday. Lord, I pray for him to be a blessed man. A man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; my prayer for Curt this coming year is that his full delight will be in the law of the LORD, and on Your law he will meditate day and night. Lord, I ask for you to make him like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Lord, I pray that in all Curt does this year he will prosper. Lord, thank you for keeping him from the influence of wicked men this past year. The wicked are not like the tree that prospers but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. But, Lord I pray that you will know Curt's way this upcoming year because he will be walking in righteousness. I also pray you will give him wisdom to avoid the way of the wicked that will perish. Thank you Lord, for Your faithfulness in Curt's life in the last year and I pray for your continued mercy and grace in the year to come. Amen & Amen.
Happy Birthday, brother. I treasure your friendship & partnership in ministry.
Few gifts have greater value than praying Scripture back to God for someone. I was hugely blessed and greatly encouraged by the gesture.
Happy birthday to me!
Well Look Who Has a Blog!
Recognize this young lady? She has joined the blogosphere. Check it out here.
Reflections on Aging
Another birthday. I turn 57 today. Yikes. I can see 60 from here. Amazing. James is right. We are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes (4:14).
I suppose I feel all the more that way after my bout with head and neck cancer four years ago. Every day is a gift. I’m not really old, I don’t think, but after wondering if you might have died at age 53, things take on a different perspective the older you get.
For each of the years since finishing cancer treatment, I have acknowledged my birthdays with a different little ditty of my own making. Not sure why. Maybe it’s the significance of marking another year I didn’t know for sure if I would ever have.
Fifty-three was 53 and cancer free.
Fifty-four was 54 and ready for more.
Fifty-five was 55 and staying alive (OK, so I stole that one from the federal government).
Fifty-six, last year, was 56 and up to the same old tricks.
Fifty-seven is 57 and not ready for heaven – at least not as far as cancer seems to be concerned. You never know, but I do praise God for four years now where I remain cancer free and able to do my pastoral work for His glory and others’ joy.
How is this so? Why do I continue on?
Isaiah 46:3-4 answers these questions.
3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; 4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.
In contrast to idols of Babylon like Bel and Nebo (see v. 1-2), God doesn’t make burdens for His people; He bears His people and their burdens ALL THEIR LIVES.
He really wants us to get this. Listen to me, he says. The accumulation of verbs saying essentially the same thing jumps off the page. You have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.
Matthew Henry writes in his commentary on Isaiah:
As God began early to do them good (when Israel was a child, then I loved him), so he had constantly continued to do them good: he had carried them from the womb to this day. And we may all witness for God that he has been thus gracious to us. We have been borne by him from the belly, from the womb, else we should have died from the womb and given up the ghost when we came out of the belly. We have been the constant care of his kind providence, carried in the arms of his power and in the bosom of his love and pity.
Borne, carried, -- these words speak of God’s faithfulness in the past to his aging people, from the womb no less. Will carry, will bear, will carry, will save, -- these words speak of God’s ongoing promised faithfulness into the twilight years, should He grant length of days.
Again, Matthew Henry:
God has graciously engaged to support and comfort his faithful servants, even in their old age: "Even to your old age, when you grow unfit for business, when you are compassed with infirmities, and perhaps your relations begin to grow weary of you, yet I am he—he that I am, he that I have been—the very same by whom you have been borne from the belly and carried from the womb. You change, but I am the same. I am he that I have promised to be, he that you have found me, and he that you would have me to be. I will carry you, I will bear, will bear you up and bear you out, and will carry you on in your way and carry you home at last.’’
What a contrast God is to the idols of Babylon and the idols of our 21st century making! The latter bears us down with burdens unspeakably heavy; the former, our great God, Jehovah, through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, lifts (the Hebrew word for carried in the context literally means to raise) us up and bears us along through all of life, from womb to tomb as they say, rescuing us at every turn.
There is no god like our God from the moment of conception to the 57th birthday and beyond.
I wonder what rhymes with 58?
I suppose I feel all the more that way after my bout with head and neck cancer four years ago. Every day is a gift. I’m not really old, I don’t think, but after wondering if you might have died at age 53, things take on a different perspective the older you get.
For each of the years since finishing cancer treatment, I have acknowledged my birthdays with a different little ditty of my own making. Not sure why. Maybe it’s the significance of marking another year I didn’t know for sure if I would ever have.
Fifty-three was 53 and cancer free.
Fifty-four was 54 and ready for more.
Fifty-five was 55 and staying alive (OK, so I stole that one from the federal government).
Fifty-six, last year, was 56 and up to the same old tricks.
Fifty-seven is 57 and not ready for heaven – at least not as far as cancer seems to be concerned. You never know, but I do praise God for four years now where I remain cancer free and able to do my pastoral work for His glory and others’ joy.
How is this so? Why do I continue on?
Isaiah 46:3-4 answers these questions.
3 “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; 4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.
In contrast to idols of Babylon like Bel and Nebo (see v. 1-2), God doesn’t make burdens for His people; He bears His people and their burdens ALL THEIR LIVES.
He really wants us to get this. Listen to me, he says. The accumulation of verbs saying essentially the same thing jumps off the page. You have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.
Matthew Henry writes in his commentary on Isaiah:
As God began early to do them good (when Israel was a child, then I loved him), so he had constantly continued to do them good: he had carried them from the womb to this day. And we may all witness for God that he has been thus gracious to us. We have been borne by him from the belly, from the womb, else we should have died from the womb and given up the ghost when we came out of the belly. We have been the constant care of his kind providence, carried in the arms of his power and in the bosom of his love and pity.
Borne, carried, -- these words speak of God’s faithfulness in the past to his aging people, from the womb no less. Will carry, will bear, will carry, will save, -- these words speak of God’s ongoing promised faithfulness into the twilight years, should He grant length of days.
Again, Matthew Henry:
God has graciously engaged to support and comfort his faithful servants, even in their old age: "Even to your old age, when you grow unfit for business, when you are compassed with infirmities, and perhaps your relations begin to grow weary of you, yet I am he—he that I am, he that I have been—the very same by whom you have been borne from the belly and carried from the womb. You change, but I am the same. I am he that I have promised to be, he that you have found me, and he that you would have me to be. I will carry you, I will bear, will bear you up and bear you out, and will carry you on in your way and carry you home at last.’’
What a contrast God is to the idols of Babylon and the idols of our 21st century making! The latter bears us down with burdens unspeakably heavy; the former, our great God, Jehovah, through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, lifts (the Hebrew word for carried in the context literally means to raise) us up and bears us along through all of life, from womb to tomb as they say, rescuing us at every turn.
There is no god like our God from the moment of conception to the 57th birthday and beyond.
I wonder what rhymes with 58?
Friday, September 11, 2009
Why I Love Being a Pastor (4)
Yet two more special reasons, among some 200 others, I love being in covenant community with God's people in a local church.
Why I Love Being a Pastor (3)
Another brand new reason, among some 200 others, I love being a shepherd of God's people!
The Glory of God on Display Hubble Style
Dr. Mohler has a post about recent photos from the Hubble telescope and how they declare the glory of God in oh so fabulous fasion.Check it out here.
How Not to Blaspheme God as a Man
Some years ago, John Eldredge wrote a hugely popular book about men called Wild at Heart. Recently I have reread it along with a sequel, The Way of the Wild Heart. God worked uniquely in my life as a man on both counts. He contends this in the first book:
Christianity, as it currently exists, has done some terrible things to men. When all is said and done, I think most men in the church believe that God put them on the earth to be a good boy . . . a nice guy. . . . Now let me ask my male readers: In all your boyhood dreams growing up, did you ever dream of becoming a Nice Guy (p. 7)?
Whatever one may think about Eldredge’s treatise of masculinity, I can tell you what God wants men to pray about becoming as men in His church. He wants them to dream of becoming good men.
Paul tells Titus in 2:14 that Jesus gave himself for us . . . to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus gets a commission from Paul in this pastoral letter. He tells his ward to go hard after teaching and preaching that promotes a lifestyle of good works. He describes what that looks like in three spheres: the church (chapter one), the home (chapter two), and the world (chapter 3).
God cares greatly whether or not we excel in goodness as men, just as he does women, as the rest of the context in Titus 2 bears out. The Lord charges Titus to teach what accords with sound doctrine (2:1). The aim of such teaching is plain -- that the believers on Crete would take care to devote themselves to good works (3:8).
But the ultimate motivation for such teaching and resultant devotion comes into focus clearly in chapter two in three different verses making the same point.
Verse 5 – that the word of God may not be reviled.
Verse 8 – so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
Verse 10 – so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
In every instance the concern remains the same. We must calculate the impact of the lifestyles we live in terms of the way they reflect upon the faith we profess before the critical eyes of a watching, unbelieving world.
Men, we can act in such a way so as to blaspheme God. We can cause His word, the Christian faith, to come under reviling, blasphemous scorn. We can act in such a way so as to set unbelievers off saying all sorts of unflattering things about Christians. We can act in such a way so as to appear to be wearing anything but the doctrine of God our Savior.
May God give us grace to act like men of God so that the name of God may be glorified in us.
Christianity, as it currently exists, has done some terrible things to men. When all is said and done, I think most men in the church believe that God put them on the earth to be a good boy . . . a nice guy. . . . Now let me ask my male readers: In all your boyhood dreams growing up, did you ever dream of becoming a Nice Guy (p. 7)?
Whatever one may think about Eldredge’s treatise of masculinity, I can tell you what God wants men to pray about becoming as men in His church. He wants them to dream of becoming good men.
Paul tells Titus in 2:14 that Jesus gave himself for us . . . to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus gets a commission from Paul in this pastoral letter. He tells his ward to go hard after teaching and preaching that promotes a lifestyle of good works. He describes what that looks like in three spheres: the church (chapter one), the home (chapter two), and the world (chapter 3).
God cares greatly whether or not we excel in goodness as men, just as he does women, as the rest of the context in Titus 2 bears out. The Lord charges Titus to teach what accords with sound doctrine (2:1). The aim of such teaching is plain -- that the believers on Crete would take care to devote themselves to good works (3:8).
But the ultimate motivation for such teaching and resultant devotion comes into focus clearly in chapter two in three different verses making the same point.
Verse 5 – that the word of God may not be reviled.
Verse 8 – so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
Verse 10 – so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
In every instance the concern remains the same. We must calculate the impact of the lifestyles we live in terms of the way they reflect upon the faith we profess before the critical eyes of a watching, unbelieving world.
Men, we can act in such a way so as to blaspheme God. We can cause His word, the Christian faith, to come under reviling, blasphemous scorn. We can act in such a way so as to set unbelievers off saying all sorts of unflattering things about Christians. We can act in such a way so as to appear to be wearing anything but the doctrine of God our Savior.
May God give us grace to act like men of God so that the name of God may be glorified in us.
Bless You Cancer (18)
How does one battle discouragement in prolonged suffering?
My journal entry from 9.11.05 filled only five lines.
Again there is no change in my condition, except that my lip is nearly healed. I continue to make mucous, especially at night. If I swallow any, it gets thrown up at some point - violently. The amount of mucous is staggering. It is difficult not to be discouraged. Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you (Psa. 55:22).
Take this massive promise to the vault of heaven and cash it in over and over again from the endless resources of God's care.
That's how to battle discouragement in prolonged suffering.
My journal entry from 9.11.05 filled only five lines.
Again there is no change in my condition, except that my lip is nearly healed. I continue to make mucous, especially at night. If I swallow any, it gets thrown up at some point - violently. The amount of mucous is staggering. It is difficult not to be discouraged. Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you (Psa. 55:22).
Take this massive promise to the vault of heaven and cash it in over and over again from the endless resources of God's care.
That's how to battle discouragement in prolonged suffering.
More Puritan Power for the LB
I marvel at the timing of God in the concurrence of Conciliation Anniversary Sunday and this stream of articles from William Gurnall. This today:
Now if the Gospel will not allow us to pay our enemies back in their own coin, returning anger for anger, then certainly it forbids a brother to spit fire into the face of another brother. When such embers of contention begin to smoke among Christians, we can be sure Satan planted the spark; he is the one great kindle-coal of all strife.
Fellow fire-spitters, let us be given to Colossians 3:12-17 graces through the power of the Gospel unleashed in our lives.
Now if the Gospel will not allow us to pay our enemies back in their own coin, returning anger for anger, then certainly it forbids a brother to spit fire into the face of another brother. When such embers of contention begin to smoke among Christians, we can be sure Satan planted the spark; he is the one great kindle-coal of all strife.
Fellow fire-spitters, let us be given to Colossians 3:12-17 graces through the power of the Gospel unleashed in our lives.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Bless You Cancer (17)
This from my journal of 9.9.05:
We saw my oncologist yesterday. His summary? "You've been to hell and back." Now he's looking for me to rebound because there is no more treatment to do - at least until we get the PET scan results in November/December. It should get better every day.
It did get better, but ever so slowly.
For those who wait, remember Isaiah 40:31 -
But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
We saw my oncologist yesterday. His summary? "You've been to hell and back." Now he's looking for me to rebound because there is no more treatment to do - at least until we get the PET scan results in November/December. It should get better every day.
It did get better, but ever so slowly.
For those who wait, remember Isaiah 40:31 -
But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
More Puritan Power for the LB
As Conciliation Anniversary Sunday approaches at OGC, here is a trio of statements from William Gurnall that speaks to the matter of biblical peacemaking:
The less progress the Gospel has made in our hearts to mortify lust and strengthen grace, the weaker the peace and love among us.
As grace strengthens, and the gospel prevails in the hearts of Christians, love and a spirit of unity increase with it.
This pair of graces thrive and grow together; a Christian who has abundant faith will also have abundant love.
Oh for saints strong in Gospel graces that peace and love might abound among us!
The less progress the Gospel has made in our hearts to mortify lust and strengthen grace, the weaker the peace and love among us.
As grace strengthens, and the gospel prevails in the hearts of Christians, love and a spirit of unity increase with it.
This pair of graces thrive and grow together; a Christian who has abundant faith will also have abundant love.
Oh for saints strong in Gospel graces that peace and love might abound among us!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Getting Stupid Over Football
Brett Bradley beat me to it. Way to go, man.
He posted a portion of an interview with Pastor Matt Chandler about what stirs his affections for Christ and what dulls them.
His comment about college football hit a bit too close to home, but needs to be said to silly blokes like me.
Check it out here.
He posted a portion of an interview with Pastor Matt Chandler about what stirs his affections for Christ and what dulls them.
His comment about college football hit a bit too close to home, but needs to be said to silly blokes like me.
Check it out here.
Words from the Fire
Did You Know?
According to Global Prayer Digest:Orissa (a state in India) is home to about 1.3 million Khandayats, the single largest caste in the state. There are no known believers. According to the Joshua Project, they are 100 percent Hindu.
Pray today for God to raise up a church among the Khandayats.
More Puritan Power for the LB
This from Obadiah Sedgwick (1600-1658):True Christians must not only sweep the door, but wash the chamber also. My meaning is this: We are not only to come off from sins that lie open in the conduct, but also labor to be cleansed from sins and sinning that remain secret and hidden in the spirit and inner disposition.
Sweep and wash away, dear ones, through the power of the Gospel and the Spirit of God.
No Spiritual Jackrabbits
Joseph Stowell wrote an excellent article for the Summer edition of Heartcry! journal entitled Why Tell the Truth?
In it he asks how can we fortify ourselves against the temptation to misjudge and pass along false information about others in a spirit of beguilement that reaches false conclusions about others and even shares false assumptions about them with others.
He offers five safeguards to this sin:
In it he asks how can we fortify ourselves against the temptation to misjudge and pass along false information about others in a spirit of beguilement that reaches false conclusions about others and even shares false assumptions about them with others.
He offers five safeguards to this sin:
- A patient spirit that suspends judgment until sufficient facts are verified (Gal. 5:22).
- A love that believes the best until facts prove otherwise (1 Cor. 13:6-7).
- A faith that prays the situation into the courts of heaven, where an all-knowing God promises to judge all men righteously (1 Pet. 1:17).
- A willingness to protect others by encouraging those who are sharing false accusations to reserve judgment until sufficient facts are gathered (1 Cor. 13:4).
- A boldness to go directly (if necessary) to those involved to clarify the facts (Matt. 18:15).
He concludes: The alternative is to become spiritual jackrabbits who jump to all the wrong conclusions, leaving in our trails broken lives and relationships that we could have protected and healed.
May we be our brother's and sister's keepers and no spiritual jackrabbits. This is a good word from a good man for a good church for Conciliation Anniversary Sunday.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
President's Speech to School Children
Desiring God National Conference
Only 17 more days and I get to go to Minneapolis for this! Learn more here. Please pray for God to speak to me with power that I might be a better man of God and pastor for Him.
Why I Love Being a Pastor (2)
Two more reasons among a couple of hundred! Happy anniversary to you both!
Whom Will You Worship?
Ed Welch writes in his book Addictions: Banquet in the Grave:
The story of the Bible is entitled, "Whom Will You Worship?" The story of our lives has the same title. And ultimately the idols we worship are shaped by our own desires (p. 127).
Whom will you worship today? May it be said of all of us, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).
The story of the Bible is entitled, "Whom Will You Worship?" The story of our lives has the same title. And ultimately the idols we worship are shaped by our own desires (p. 127).
Whom will you worship today? May it be said of all of us, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).
Praying for the Flock this Week
Here is the text I am praying for the families of our fellowship by name this week - Phil. 1:9-11:
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
What passage of Scripture has God put on your heart to use as a basis of prayer for your brothers and sisters in Christ at OGC this week?
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
What passage of Scripture has God put on your heart to use as a basis of prayer for your brothers and sisters in Christ at OGC this week?
Puritan Power for the LB
This from William Gurnall today:
Just as the Gospel lays the axe to strife and digs it up by its bitter roots, so it fills the hearts of men who embrace it with principles leading to peace and unity. Some of these tenets are self-denial, long-suffering, and gentleness. Self-denial prefers that another be honored before himself. Long-suffering prefers that which makes one not easily provoked. And if gentleness is pushed by a wrong, it holds the door open for peace to come in again.
May Gospel graces abound at OGC as we approach the 7th anniversary of Conciliation Sunday this coming Lord's Day. Praise God for the corporate peace and unity He has granted us these last several years.
Just as the Gospel lays the axe to strife and digs it up by its bitter roots, so it fills the hearts of men who embrace it with principles leading to peace and unity. Some of these tenets are self-denial, long-suffering, and gentleness. Self-denial prefers that another be honored before himself. Long-suffering prefers that which makes one not easily provoked. And if gentleness is pushed by a wrong, it holds the door open for peace to come in again.
May Gospel graces abound at OGC as we approach the 7th anniversary of Conciliation Sunday this coming Lord's Day. Praise God for the corporate peace and unity He has granted us these last several years.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Handbreadths
Job 39:5 says,
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!
Some handbreadths are briefer than others - a mere five days.
This is worth your time. My thanks to Timmy Brister.
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!
Some handbreadths are briefer than others - a mere five days.
This is worth your time. My thanks to Timmy Brister.
Bless You Cancer (16)
This from 9.06.05's journal:I know I'm not, but I felt abandoned last night. I kept praying as I turned off the lights, "Please don't abandon me, God." It wasn't a good day. I was more tired than usual. Slept until 1:00 PM. Felt nauseous most of the day. Threw up around dinner time. Tongue is still sore. Mouth is still sore. Cheeks are swollen. Lip is still scabbing. It just goes on forever. Mucous still forming. What a routine of drudgery. When will relief come? Lord, have mercy!
I am rebuked by Bonhoeffer's final letter to his wife or betrothed. He never felt abandoned for all the support he had. I feel ashamed.
During treatment I read Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Letters & Papers from Prison. I highly recommend it to anyone traversing the twists and turns of the road called suffering.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Give Me That Pure & Undefiled Religion Redux
I first posted this on my blog several weeks ago. I repeat it here now because the window of service opportunity has reopened and it's time to get in gear. See details at the end of the post if you want to jump on board.
The old gospel tune went like this: "Give me that ole time religion, give me that ole time religion, give me that ole time religion, it's good enough for me."
James speaks of a kind of religion good enough for God. "Religion that is pure and undefiled BEFORE GOD, THE FATHER, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (James 1:27, emphasis added). The only brand of religion good enough for you and me ought to be the kind that God judges with superlatives like "pure" and "undefiled."
The writer leaves no doubt. Two things mark religion good enough for God: merciful treatment towards the down and out and godly behavior unstained by worldliness and sin.
The down and out include orphans and widows - those who have lost their normal means of family support and now left to themselves. We are to VISIT them. That doesn't just mean drop by the orphanage or house and say hello. It means to bring to bear resources and help that contribute to the alleviation of their misery. The same concept occurs in the Old Testament when it says God visits His people with salvation (Psalm 106:4). The term "visit" has massive implications for a robust Christianity that moves into the lives of those the world often deems as insignificant and unworthy of attention.
I have been praying for some time now that the Lord would open the door to practice some measure of this brand of priceless religion with my neighbor across the street. Darlene lost her husband to cancer a couple of years back. Months ago OGC offered to paint her house as a mercy ministry project. It didn't work out at the time, but recently she asked me if the offer still stood. I checked with the leadership team at our last meeting and they assured me it did. Here's is a picture of her place.
It desperately needs a paint job. My vision is to "visit" this house with an extreme makeover cosmetically speaking in two to three weeks time. I intend to canvas the neighborhood for volunteers so that some of them will prep and paint along side some of the good folks from OGC.
The plan is to prep on 9/12 and paint on 9/19 from 8:00 AM to Noon. You can sign up this Sunday at OGC using the insert in the bulletin.
ANYBODY GOT AN ADDITIONAL PRESSURE WASHER OR TWO WE MAY USE?
May the Lord allow us to let our light shine before others, so that they might see our good works and give glory to our Father who is in heaven (Matt. 5:16).
The old gospel tune went like this: "Give me that ole time religion, give me that ole time religion, give me that ole time religion, it's good enough for me."
James speaks of a kind of religion good enough for God. "Religion that is pure and undefiled BEFORE GOD, THE FATHER, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (James 1:27, emphasis added). The only brand of religion good enough for you and me ought to be the kind that God judges with superlatives like "pure" and "undefiled."
The writer leaves no doubt. Two things mark religion good enough for God: merciful treatment towards the down and out and godly behavior unstained by worldliness and sin.
The down and out include orphans and widows - those who have lost their normal means of family support and now left to themselves. We are to VISIT them. That doesn't just mean drop by the orphanage or house and say hello. It means to bring to bear resources and help that contribute to the alleviation of their misery. The same concept occurs in the Old Testament when it says God visits His people with salvation (Psalm 106:4). The term "visit" has massive implications for a robust Christianity that moves into the lives of those the world often deems as insignificant and unworthy of attention.
I have been praying for some time now that the Lord would open the door to practice some measure of this brand of priceless religion with my neighbor across the street. Darlene lost her husband to cancer a couple of years back. Months ago OGC offered to paint her house as a mercy ministry project. It didn't work out at the time, but recently she asked me if the offer still stood. I checked with the leadership team at our last meeting and they assured me it did. Here's is a picture of her place.
It desperately needs a paint job. My vision is to "visit" this house with an extreme makeover cosmetically speaking in two to three weeks time. I intend to canvas the neighborhood for volunteers so that some of them will prep and paint along side some of the good folks from OGC.
The plan is to prep on 9/12 and paint on 9/19 from 8:00 AM to Noon. You can sign up this Sunday at OGC using the insert in the bulletin.
ANYBODY GOT AN ADDITIONAL PRESSURE WASHER OR TWO WE MAY USE?
May the Lord allow us to let our light shine before others, so that they might see our good works and give glory to our Father who is in heaven (Matt. 5:16).
Bless You Cancer (15)
This from my journal of 9.2.05:
It is hard not to get discouraged. Last night my tongue felt swollen and sore. Fears swept over me. Will I be able to speak again, eat again, drink again? I seem trapped in the last third of this process with no ultimate relief in sight. I remain shut in by the Lord dependent upon His mercy to heal.
Discouragement is such a formidable foe! Calculating God's sovereignty in the season sustained me but not without huge lows long the way.
It is hard not to get discouraged. Last night my tongue felt swollen and sore. Fears swept over me. Will I be able to speak again, eat again, drink again? I seem trapped in the last third of this process with no ultimate relief in sight. I remain shut in by the Lord dependent upon His mercy to heal.
Discouragement is such a formidable foe! Calculating God's sovereignty in the season sustained me but not without huge lows long the way.
Why Build on Maitland Ave?
If you missed Sunday's congregational meeting, here is a summation of Chuck Mitchell's framing of the building committee presentation.
It outlines the rationale among the elders for their unanimous consensus for building a facility on our property as opposed to some other destination location such as a shopping center, closed auto dealership, etc.
May the Lord continue to give us wisdom as we proceed with the process of building a facility for the glory of God as He enables us to do so.
It outlines the rationale among the elders for their unanimous consensus for building a facility on our property as opposed to some other destination location such as a shopping center, closed auto dealership, etc.
- We have explored numerous alternative options in the past by God’s leading and He has closed the door every time and feel it is important to delay a definitive direction no longer.
- We greatly value the prospect of being located in the center of a highly residential area as opposed to a commercial one for the purpose of enabling outreach to our community.
- Our property lies at the center of what has been the target area for our church from its outset.
- A facility will give us a visible, permanent, strategic base of operations making us more viable as a church entity to households in the community as well as facilitating a breadth of ministry options now problematic to impossible to entertain for lack of a facility.
- The numerical growth, Lord willing, that a facility will help generate, will enhance our capacity, increasing resources over time to continue our impact in the area of global missions.
May the Lord continue to give us wisdom as we proceed with the process of building a facility for the glory of God as He enables us to do so.
Cut Something Out
Chapter Seven of A Call to Spiritual Reformation deals with "Excuses for Not Praying." The first is I am too busy to pray. D. A Carson offers this hard-hitting advice:
It matters little whether you are the mother of active children who drain away your energy, an important executive in a major multinational corporation, a graduate student cramming for impending comprehensives, a plumber working overtime to put your children through college, or a pastor of a large church putting in ninety-hour work weeks: at the end of the day, if you are too busy to pray, you are too busy. Cut something out (p. 114).
Amen and amen.
It matters little whether you are the mother of active children who drain away your energy, an important executive in a major multinational corporation, a graduate student cramming for impending comprehensives, a plumber working overtime to put your children through college, or a pastor of a large church putting in ninety-hour work weeks: at the end of the day, if you are too busy to pray, you are too busy. Cut something out (p. 114).
Amen and amen.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Digo Land Video
If you missed this on August 23 when our team reported on their trip to Kenya, here's a chance to see some fantastic work by a gifted young lady in our church. Check it out! Note: Double click on the video and it will take you to the full size version - a must.
Bless You Cancer (14)
Several days have passed since blog posts. How pastors who do it every day keep up with it, I'll never know.
The gist of my journal entries from the last week of August '05 sound very much alike. The last chemo blast took a huge toll. The worst of it came with my bloated, bloody, scab covered lower lip. I looked so terrible that we didn't allow our three grandchildren to come back to the bedroom to see me while they visited for the youngest's birthday party.
This from 9.1.05:
I doubt few things will ever rival this healing process for its seemingly endless nature. Another long night. Scabs all over my swollen lower lip. None seem to want to loosen without bleeding. I think I still have radiation sores in my mouth. If anything should teach me patience, this process should. [And it did.] I watched "The Passion" for the second time. A reminder that my suffering is minimal compared to what my Savior endured for me. I continue to take comfort in the fact that each calendar day that passes puts me one step closer to return to a normal life - assuming cancer is gone. What a huge question that is! Only God has the answer. My times are in His hands.
The gist of my journal entries from the last week of August '05 sound very much alike. The last chemo blast took a huge toll. The worst of it came with my bloated, bloody, scab covered lower lip. I looked so terrible that we didn't allow our three grandchildren to come back to the bedroom to see me while they visited for the youngest's birthday party.
This from 9.1.05:
I doubt few things will ever rival this healing process for its seemingly endless nature. Another long night. Scabs all over my swollen lower lip. None seem to want to loosen without bleeding. I think I still have radiation sores in my mouth. If anything should teach me patience, this process should. [And it did.] I watched "The Passion" for the second time. A reminder that my suffering is minimal compared to what my Savior endured for me. I continue to take comfort in the fact that each calendar day that passes puts me one step closer to return to a normal life - assuming cancer is gone. What a huge question that is! Only God has the answer. My times are in His hands.
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