Oh my! Oh my!

I enjoyed as much serenity of mind, and clearness of thought, as perhaps I ever did in my life; and I think my mind never penetrated with so much ease and freedom into divine things, as at this time; and I never felt so capable of demonstrating the truth of many important doctrine of the gospel as now. And as I saw clearly the truth of those great doctrine, which are justly styled the doctrine of grace; so I saw with no less clearness, that the essence of religion consisted in the soul's conformity to God, and acting above all selfish views, for his glory, longing to be for him, to live to him, and please and honour him in all things: and this from a clear view of his infinite excellency and worthiness in himself, to be loved, adored, worshiped, and served by all intelligent creatures. Thus I saw, that when a soul loves God with a supreme love, he therein acts like the blessed God himself, who most justly loves himself in that manner. So when God's interest and his are become one, and he longs that God should be glorified, and rejoices to think that he is unchangeably possessed of the highest glory and blessedness, herein also he acts in conformity to God. In like manner, when the soul is fully resigned to, and rests satisfied and contented with, the divine will, here it is also conformed to God.

I saw further, that as this divine temper, whereby the soul exalts God, and treads self in the dust, is wrought in the soul by God's discovering his own glorious perfections in the face of Jesus Christ to it, by the special influences of the Holy Spirit, so he cannot but have regard to it, as his own work; and as it is his image in the soul, he cannot but take delight in it. Then I saw again, that if God should slight and reject his own moral image, he must needs deny himself; which he cannot do. And thus I saw the stability and infallibility of this religion; and that those who are truly possessed of it, have the most complete and satisfying evidence of their being interested in all the benefits of Christ's redemption, having their hearts conformed to him; and that these, these only, are qualified for the employments and entertainments of God's kingdom of glory; as none but these have any relish for the business of heaven, which is to ascribe glory to God, and not to themselves; and that God (though I would speak it with great reverence of his name and perfection) cannot, without denying himself, finally cast such away.

The next thing I had then to do, was to inquire, whether this was my
religion..."

Plans

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD...

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I desire more intentionality. I find it when I gaze into your beauty and majesty and justice and mercy. All these things I see in Jesus. I love him, but I don't spend enough time with him. Please don't let anything else capture my vision.

Faeces.

I present my Undergraduate Thesis in 13 hours. The entire ordeal of University has been God's way of saying "TRUST ME!".

I think I've been there 6 years because I'm still no closer to learning that one lesson...

*sigh*

Trembling to the cross...

My flesh and my sin
Turn tail at the thought of the Cross.
My Saviour and my King,
For my sake walked boldly to the Cross.

The wages of sin is death,
And I know it to be true,
But the gift of God is life,
And the resurrection and the life is You.



Please, Lord Jesus, let me be found in you because I know I won't go to the cross unless I am in you. I won't have life if I'm not in you. I won't have forgiveness and freedom unless I am you. There is no life outside of you. Please bring me in by your Spirit again. For your sake and glory do not let this heart remain dead and hard. Thank you for all that you have done on the Cross.

Amen.

Godly Arrogance with Humility? (cont.)

Some quotes resembling the same thoughts as my last one.

Ray Ortlund's Post

As much as I'd like the confidence to believe that I am speaking the very Word of God, I would like the grace and humility to support my brothers and sisters as they speak it too :)

Godly Arrogance with Humility?

For The Love of God just finished 2 Samuel today and almost through Galatians.

2 Samuel 23:1-2
"These are the last words of David:
"The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
Israel's singer of songs :

"The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.

Galatians 1:1

"Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead"

Galatians 1:12

"I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."

Galatians 1:15-16

"But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles..."

Galatians 2:7-9

"On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me."

To me it seems arrogant to claim to speak the word of God. Not that I think it arrogance from King David or the Apostle Paul, but I think it from me. Theologically (although there are differences) I know it is true for me too since we have the same Spirit. Practically I can't believe it. And that is where I find the difficulty.

How do I connect what God's word says with how I live? To have a "godly arrogance" knowing his Spirit speaks through me and his words are on my tounge, with humility knowing I do not always speak his words.

I understand it's a growing process. But I want to grow!

Jesus, I my Cross Have Taken

Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shalt be:

Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition,
God and heav’n are still my own!

Man may trouble and distress me,
‘Twill but drive me to Thy breast;
Life with trials hard may press me,
Heav’n will bring me sweeter rest.

O ‘tis not in grief to harm me,
While Thy love is left to me;
O ‘twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Hasten on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith and winged by prayer;
Heav’n’s eternal days before me,
God’s own hand shall guide me there.

Soon shall close my earthly mission,
Swift shall pass my pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Little Christ's

"The word Christian means 'Little Christ's', and that's what we're supposed to be, little Jesus' running around." Keith Green

I had a horrible week, which was a culmination of long standing problems in the way that I think, and a desire for a kind of spiritual fruit that I may never see. I am thankful for just 2 days away with a dear friend where God taught me some helpful but hard lessons

I like that quote from Keith Green, if it is understood properly. We are supposed to be little Jesus. We are not supposed to be Jesus himself. Jesus walked on water. Peter walked on water a little. The other disciples didn't. They were no less little Jesus'.

Some faithful Christian people may NEVER see a soul converted because of their ministry. Sometimes the only fruit they will see is thankfulness (though even that may seem rarer than conversions at times). If you think about it, sinful people are not concerned with God nor thankful to him. If someone thanks you for what you did for Jesus, it is no small, unspiritual token. It is a grace and a fruit of His work in you.

I receive thank yous like water off a ducks back. Sin has crept in even to the way I respond to the response my service gets. What if thankfulness is the only fruit I will see? I'd best be transformed by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:1-2).

Servanthearted...

"The servanthearted will always be the brokenhearted. When your heart is wrapped up in the service of others in this broken world, you will either not be able to serve as completely as you want or it will not be received well."

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Psalm34:18

SEX!

I drive home from uni every day to see a billboard that says "WANT LONGER LASTING SEX?". I think, "I haven't had sex, nor do I see the situation for it in the near future, so I don't really have a desire for it to last longer."

For 3 weeks in a row I've heard about sex at church. This month's issue of Southern Cross (Anglican magazine) is entitled SEX.

FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH. Well it's a fall back flavour. I mean sex will start going out of fashion when people do.

I just pray that it is helpful for someone because I can tell you it's not so helpful for me currently. I just don't belong in this world if sex is all we have to talk about.

End rant.

Church Planter Video

I don't understand why you would use a "probably what happened" story to say something that is definitely happening. Maybe it's just me but I don't think that unevidenced stories are convicting especially when there is plenty of churches with the background. But there were a lot of interesting things in the video. One thing that stuck out to me:

"Every second of every day $3000 dollars is spent on pornography."

Just to put that in perspective http://www.takeawayhunger.org can provide 100 meals for every 6 dollars donated.

Quick maths says that if this money was spent on food rather than porn, every second of every day would provide 50 000 meals.

Every day would provide food for 4 billion 320 million meals.

Food for thought?

Why don't we HATE sin?

How marvelous it is that we do not hate sin more than we do! Sin is the cause of all the pain and disease in the world. God did not create man to be an ailing and suffering creature. It was sin, and nothing but sin, which brought in all the ills that flesh is heir to. It was sin to which we owe every racking pain, and every loathsome infirmity, and every humbling weakness to which our poor bodies are liable. Let us keep this ever in mind. Let us hate sin with a godly hatred. —J.C. Ryle

Marriage is a way off, but reality is not.

Marriage is not mainly about prospering economically; it is mainly about displaying the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his church. Knowing Christ is more important than making a living. Treasuring Christ is more important than bearing children. Being united to Christ by faith is a greater source of marital success than per- fect sex and double-income prosperity.

If we make secondary things primary, they cease to be secondary and become idolatrous. They have their place. But they are not first, and they are not guaranteed. Life is precarious, and even if it is long by human standards, it is short. “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring” (Prov. 27:1).

So it is with marriage. It is a momentary gift. It may last a lifetime, or it may be snatched away on the honeymoon. Either way, it is short. It may have many bright days, or it may be covered with clouds. If we make secondary things primary, we will be embittered at the sorrows we must face. But if we set our face to make of marriage mainly what God designed it to be, no sorrows and no calamities can stand in our way. Every one of them will be, not an obstacle to success, but a way to succeed. The beauty of the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his church shines brightest when nothing but Christ can sustain it.

Very soon the shadow will give way to Reality. The partial will pass into the Perfect. The foretaste will lead to the Banquet. The troubled path will end in Paradise. A hundred candle-lit evenings will come to their consummation in the marriage supper of the Lamb. And this momentary marriage will be swallowed up by Life. Christ will be all and in all. And the purpose of marriage will be complete.

To that end may God give us eyes to see what matters most in this life. May the Holy Spirit, whom he sends, make his crucified and risen Son the supreme Treasure of our lives. And may that Treasure so satisfy our souls that the root of every marriage-destroying impulse is severed. And may the marriage-watching world be captivated by the covenant- keeping love of Christ.

"This Momentary Marriage" - John Piper

The Colossae Manifesto

I found this page that I wrote ages ago. I think it would be helpful to write it out again here :)

"So then, just as you received Christ as Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." Colossians 2:6-7

What are some ways to achieve this? By no means definitive, but by God's mean's achievable:

1. Always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you pray (1:3)
2. Seek to find out about people's faith and love (1:4)
3. Look for places the gospel is bearing fruit and growing. Look for places it should be but is not (1:6)
4. Pray that God will fill people with knowledge of his will with all spiritual wisdom and understanding (1:9)
5. Walk (live) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God (1:10)
6. Pray that people will be strengthened with God's mighty power so that may endure and be patient with joy (1:11)
7. Give thanks to God who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints (1:12)
8. Give thanks to God for rescuing us from the dominion of darkness by the Cross of Christ, in whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sin (1:13-14)
9. Think of Jesus as the image of God and how to imitate him (1:15)
10. Think of what it means that all things were created through and FOR Jesus (1:16)
11. Think of Christ as the head of the church and what that looks like in practice (1:18)
12. Think of what it means for the fullness of God to have dwelt in Christ Jesus, and what it means for us to have the Holy Spirit (1:19)
13. Consider often that you were alienated from God by your hostile mind BUT NOW you are reconciled and blameless (1:22)
14. Continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel (1:23)
15. Rejoice in sufferings (1:24)
16. As a servant of God, present the fullness of God's word (1:25)
17. Proclaim, correct and teach with all wisdom with the single aim of presenting everyone perfect in Christ (1:28)
18. In all things labour in God's strength and not our own as only he can accomplish this (1:29)

As you can see, I didn't get passed Chapter 1... but even those 18 things will be helpful to remember. I am such a crap Christian.

Through the Gates of pearly splendour...

I just finished reading "Through the Gates of Splendour" by Elisabeth Elliot. Perhaps not the wisest use of time with all the things I have to write, but it was helpful.

Last night I thought that this bit by Roger Youderian was interesting.

A missionary plods through the first year or two, thinking that things will be different when he speaks the language. He is baffled to find, frequently, that they are not. He is stripped of all that may be called "romance". Life has fallen more or less into a pattern. Day follows day in unbroken succession; there are no crises, no mass conversions, sometimes not even one or two to whom he can point and say: "There is a transformed life. If I had not come, he would never have known Christ." There will be those among the Indians who say they accept Christ, but what of the forsaking of heathen custom and turning from sin to a life of holiness? The missionary watches, and longs, and his heart sickens.

At this point he was pretty ready to pack up and head home.

The reason it struck me was because I think that this is how most Christians (western at least) live. The exception is that we don't have the one to two year period to learn the language. We long for the same results but without the hope that in two years we will speak in a language they will understand.

And I guess there is a couple of encouragements from this example.

1. Overseas mission is not different from home ministry. Missionaries feel the same, and sinners respond the same. Do not seek it if all you want is to see "better" results. The beginning of the book clearly presents the missionaries as people who were perfectly suited for ministry at home, but their driving force was that they could not stay home when other places needed to hear the gospel. We have a lot of spiritual resources at our fingertips, and overseas mission should spring from the desire to see the "gospel poor" have access to the same.

2. If you are seeking to live for Jesus and speak to others about Jesus, there is NO truth in thinking that others would know Christ if you had not come. I was encouraged at Scripture this week to remember that we are God's mouth piece. The very fact that I am here is a sign from God that he is not silent to you. I don't feel any different, but feelings are unhelpful when they distract us from the truth. The truth is 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."

Come, Lord...

Hasten, Lord, the glorious time
When, beneath Messiah’s sway,
Every nation, every clime,
Shall the Gospel call obey.
Mightiest kings His power shall own,
Heathen tribes His Name adore;
Satan and his host o’erthrown,
Bound in chains, shall hurt no more.

As when soft and gentle showers
Fall upon the thirsty plain,
Springing grass and blooming flowers,
Clothe the wilderness again;
So Thy Spirit shall descend,
Softening every stony heart,
And its sweetest influence lend,
All that’s lovely to impart.

Then shall wars and tumults cease,
Then be banished grief and pain,
Righteousness and joy and peace,
Undisturbed shall ever reign.
Bless we, then, our gracious Lord,
Ever praise His glorious Name;
All His mighty acts record;
All His wondrous love proclaim.

I want Jesus to come back. Sometimes it's because I feel the wait of suffering more than others. Sometimes it's because I feel the wait of others suffering more. This is one of those times.

I am thankful for the reminder, when I see my fellow Atlases carrying the weight of the world, to give my dear brothers and sisters to the Saviour of the same.

WHY?!

"Why would God want to stop two people who love each other?"

The bell went and everyone left the Year 10 Scripture class, so I could not answer. Nor did I have an answer. They knew the gospel. They'd heard it all before. But now, in their last Scripture lesson ever, they got to the heart of the black bead (green = creation, white = life in relationship as God created, black = sin stuffing up our relationship, red = Jesus dying on the cross for our sin, yellow = eternity in a right relationship with God because of Jesus).

Why should I do what God desires over what I desire?

I have been a Christian for many years now. If I can't answer that question, then what hope is there for people who have knowledge about God, but no knowledge of God.

There is an answer. I didn't know it then, but there is an answer. It is a truth long applied to my heart by the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to the Father's desire for my salvation over and above my own desire.

Many prayers that his desire and his Spirit will bear fruit in class tomorrow.

Finding wood, leaving marble...

"It was claimed for Augustus Caesar that he found Rome a city of wood, and left it a city of marble. The pastor who succeeds in changing his people from a prayerless to a prayerful people, has done a greater work than did Augustus in changing a city from wood to marble. And, after all, this is the prime work of the preacher. Primarily, he is dealing with a prayerless people - with people whom it is said, "God is not in all their thoughts (Psalm 10:4)." Such a people he meets everywhere, and all the time. His main business is to turn them from being forgetful of God, from being devoid of faith, from being prayerless, so that they may become a people who habitually pray, who believe in God, remember him, and do his will. The preacher is not sent merely to induce men to join the church, nor merely to get them to do better. It is to get them to bray, to trust God, and to keep God ever before their eyes that they may not sin against him."
E.M. Bounds

Self-discipline, Sin and Community

"Every act of self-discipline by a Christian is also a service to the community. Conversely, there is no sin in thought, word, or deed, no matter how personal or secret, that does not harm the whole community. When the cause of an illness gets into one’s body, whether or not anyone knows where it comes from, or in what member it has lodged, the body is made ill. This is the appropriate metaphor for the Christian community. Every member serves the whole body, contributing either to its health or to its ruin, for we are members of one body not only when we want to be, but in our whole existence. This is not a theory, but a spiritual reality that is often experienced in the Christian community with shocking clarity, sometimes destructively and sometimes beneficially."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

It was interesting looking at Life Together in bible study this term, and also cool that Tim Chester is providing more quotes from the book.

I don't think I realise how much my sin hurts the body of Christ, nor do I realise how much my righteousness helps it. While Jesus will always be the goal to be aimed for, I think understanding how I lives affect His body is a sober reminder to press on more zealously towards that goal :)

Today may be dark but tomorrow will not.

For the Love of God!

I haven't been disciplined with reading this year, so I've jumped on the For the Love of God bandwagon. It's been good. Encouraging and reminding me that I love reading the Bible.

"Shout for joy, O heavens;
rejoice, O earth;
burst into song, O mountains!
For the LORD comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones."
Isaiah 49:13

David Brainerd

My soul blessed God for what he is in himself, and adored him, that he ever would display himself to creatures. I rejoiced that he was God, and longed that all should know it, and feel it, and rejoice in it. Lord, glorify thyself,' was the desire and cry of my soul. Oh that all people might love and praise the blessed God; that he might have all possible honour and glory from the intelligent world!

For a long time now I've been reading The Life of David Brainerd. I'm almost done. I don't think I've found anyone more challenging to my objections against going on mission.

Ordination

One of my friends gets ordained at church on Sunday. He was struck by the enormity of the laying on of hands. Every single person who puts their faith in God throughout history gives you the charge - Preach the Word! From Abraham of Ur, to Abraham Piper. All Christians everywhere call you to minister faithfully, trusting fully in the Saviour.

Here's some words from past Christians that have encouraged me:

"You… strengthened me saying "that Christ died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died". See, Lord, I cast my cares upon You that I may live and "see wonderful things in Your law". You know my lack of knowledge and my infirmities; teach me, and heal me. He, Your only Son, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge", has redeemed me with His blood. "Let not the arrogant oppress me", because I meditate on my redemption and eat and drink and share it…" - St Augustine of Hippo

"Two things I remember; I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Saviour!" - John Newton

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." - C.S. Lewis

"I repent of ever having recorded one single song, and ever having performed one concert, if my music, and more importantly, my life has not provoked you into Godly jealousy or to sell out more completely to Jesus!" - Keith Green

Missions is bidding the Nations "Sing with us!"

How are you going to say that... if you're not singing?

All the money needed to send and support an army of self-sacrificing, joy-spreading ambassadors is already in the church. But we are not giving it.

In 1916, Protestants were giving 2.9% of their incomes to their churches. In 1933, the depth of the Great Depression, it was 3.2%. In 1955, just after affluence began spreading through our culture, it was still 3.2%. By 2000, when Americans were over 450% richer, after taxes and inflation, than in the Great Depression, Protestants were giving 2.6% of their incomes to their churches.

Moreover, “If members of historically Christian churches in the United States were giving an average of 10% in 2000, there would have been an additional $139 billion a year going through church channels.”

Don't Waste Your Life - John Piper

If I get the job I'm going for, they said the salary is $62500. 10% of that is $6250. That leaves $56250 dollars. That is still better than most people's whole salary! When you look at it like that, it seems ridiculous not to give at least 10%.

Granted I don't have my own house, my own bills, my own lady friend or my own kids like many Christians do. But I have been overseas, and that cost me about $6000 just to go. $6250 is not too much of God to ask of me.

I'm writing this down in the hopes that I'll remember this truth if I do get the job.

Calvin's Commentary - Philippians 1:27-30

I've discovered I like commentaries on Philippians 1 a lot more than I do on Philippians 2. Perhaps it's just my experience as I don't know/read many. It just seems to me that they lose momentum coming into chapter 2. They make beautiful encouragements about salvation at then end and *bam* hit the wall of focusing on (dis)unity.

Oh! If you only knew how joyous unity is IN salvation! Perhaps you could then sing the hymn of praise Paul sings to Christ in verses 5-11. But that assumes I have a grasp on it, which I certainly do not. Please help me to not lose sight of Jesus, Father!


Here is some of the beauty though (Calvin's thoughts on 1:29):

'To you,' he says, 'it is given, not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for him. Hence even the sufferings themselves are testimonies of the grace of God; and, since it is so, you have from this source a token of salvation.' Oh, if this conviction were fixed in our minds, that persecutions are to be reckoned under god's benefits, what progress would be made in the doctrine of godliness! And yet, what is more certain than that it is the highest honour of the Divine grace, that we suffer for His name either reproach, or imprisonment, or miseries, or tortures, or even death, for in that case he decorates us with his insignia. But more will be found who order God and His gifts to be gone rather than to embrace the cross readily when it is offered to them. Woe, then, to our stupidity!

Philippian Comfort

"For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ." Philippians 3:18

Groaning for salvation (understanding it to be for those unsaved and saved). With tears weeping for a dear Brother. Free him from slavery to sin. So unite him with Christ that his sin is dead on the Cross. Raise him anew so that his life is hidden with Christ. Give him eyes to see the joy of salvation and who he is in Christ. Make him pure and blameless as he walks with you for your glory and honour and praise.

Preaching next Sunday. I am anxious for attacks to come. I am so weak. I'm worried about arrogance because I'm so full of pride. I'm worried that I will not speak your words as clearly and joyfully as I could.

In both cases there is a word...

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

Matthew Henry on Philippians 1:27-30

Those who profess the gospel of Christ, should live as becomes those who believe gospel truths, submit to gospel laws, and depend upon gospel promises.

What sound does a man in a hood at the back of church make?

Jesus, in my weakness
I forget to emulate your meekness,
And I speak
When I should remain speechless.

Exodus 3:5-6
"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God."

This is sometimes my experience of meeting with God. Tonight it was. He was real again. He was beautiful again. So was my sin. So was my hardness of heart. So was the knowledge that He knew ALL of it.

Through the tears and through the shame,
I turned my face when I heard Your name.
When my eyes were fixed on the ground,
My ears hear your sweet Word resound:

Exodus 3:7-8
"The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people... I have heard them crying out ... and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them..."

A Flowery Song

Beautiful day, wonderful feeling,
this reason to sing, psalms meaning songs singing praises all day long.
Joy fills the weak, joy makes us strong.
Filled 'till we burst, songs of praise to the God of the Universe.

Despite our selfish selves, despite all loss of hope,
despite our lack of faith, despite our stony hearts,
despite the waning moon,
despite the ebbing tide of how we think this world should be.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
praise Him all creatures here below,
praise Him above ye heavenly host,
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Gray rainy day, down in the mud for us.
Don't feel I can sing, songs to the God in control of the seasons.
But what's good and bad, flow from the hands,
of the God with the perfect plan.
Filling us with joy, all of this will glorify.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
praise Him all creatures here below,
praise Him above ye heavenly host,
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

I love FIF :)

Young Man, there's a place you can go...

Tonight we looked at Titus 2. It was encouraging to look at what we can learn and what we can teach by our lives as Christians. Particularly lovely was the response of the boys who looked at the young men section.

"Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."
Titus 2:6-8

Please pray that we would be self controlled in everything: In the way that we pray, in the way that we use our time, in the way that we relate to each other, in the way that we relate to girls, in the way we drink alcohol. Please pray that we will set a good example, and that we will do what is good. Pray that we will have integrity in what we say, will be mature in the way we speak and speak in a way that builds others up and not use our mouths to talk crap. Please pray that we will be able to stand firm under opposition and that those who oppose us will come to know Jesus as their Saviour by our blameless lives.

Something along those lines anyway. I think it's good to pray these things for young men. As one myself, I know I need it prayed for me. As a leader I know I need to pray it.

You're welcome?

Recently we've been getting a few people from other churches visit our church. A lot of them are my friends, so it's nice to see them. It does pose a problem though. It's easy to welcome people you know and to forget that there are other people. Scary people that you don't know. People for whom the act of welcoming is a sacrifice because they might think you're crazy, or that you will invest love into and they won't come back again.

Is welcoming a social problem? Or is it a spiritual problem? I'm inclined to think it's the latter (though the former can't be ignored!). Some people, often people who need most to feel the warmth of Christ's love through Christians, sit invisible at churches.

Would we only welcome some people if we were praying for all people?

http://matthiasmedia.com.au/briefing/library/1645/

I'd be interested to know how the church in the above post has gone after almost 20 years.

Got Zeal?

“Zeal in religion is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. It is a desire which no man feels by nature, which the Spirit puts in the heart of every believer when he is converted, but which some believers feel so much more strongly than others that they alone deserve to be called “zealous” men.
This desire is so strong, when it really reigns in a man, that it impels him to make any sacrifice, to go through any trouble, to deny himself to any amount, to suffer, to work, to labour, to toil, to spend himself and be spent, and even to die, if only he can please God and honour Christ.

A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies, whether he has health, or whether he has sickness, whether he is rich, or whether he is poor, whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offense, whether he is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish, whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise, whether he gets honour, or whether he gets shame, for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God’s glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it, he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach, and work, and give money, he will cry, and sigh, and pray. Yes: if he is only a pauper, on a perpetual bed of sickness, he will make the wheels of sin around him drive heavily, by continually interceding against it. If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua, he will do the work of Moses, Aaron, and Hur, on the hill. (Exod. xvii. 9-13.) If he is cut off from working himself, he will give the Lord no rest till help is raised up from another quarter, and the work is done. This is what I mean when I speak of “zeal” in religion.”

J.C. Ryle

Why is 3 afraid of 4?

Last night at Bible Study we looked at Titus chapter 1. One of the things we thought about was what happens when, as a leader, you don't understand the heart of the gospel.

E1: "Why is six afraid of seven? Because seven eight (ate) nine!"
E2: "Why is three afraid of four? Because four five six!"

The logic for the joke is the same, but E2 didn't get what made the joke. So many people in Crete had similar logic, but missed the truth and beauty of the gospel. Godly leadership protects from error by making Jesus the focus of everything.

Elders/Overseers/Leaders in general should be:

• Blameless
• Faithful to their spouse
• Able to lead their family well
• Hospitable
• A lover of good
• Self-controlled
• Holy
• Upright, and
  
• Disciplined.

An elder/overseer/leader in general must not be:

• Overbearing
• Quick tempered
• Given to drink too much
• Violent
• Greedy
• A talker and deceiver
• Devoted to myths and controversies
  
• Someone who claims to know God but does not live like they do.

My personal opinion is that everybody leads somebody, no matter how uninfluential you think you might be. We can all learn from Paul's instruction to Titus and we should be praying for good leadership (both in ourselves and others).

Lord, at Thy mercy seat, humbly I fall;
Pleading Thy promise sweet, Lord, hear my call;
Now let Thy work begin, oh, make me pure within,
Cleanse me from every sin, Jesus, my all.

Tears of repentant grief, silently fall;
Help Thou my unbelief, hear Thou my call;
Oh, how I pine for Thee! ’Tis all my hope and plea:
Jesus has died for me, Jesus, my all.

Still at Thy mercy seat, Savior, I fall;
Trusting Thy promise sweet, heard is my call;
Faith wings my soul to Thee; this all my song shall be,
Jesus has died for me, Jesus my all.

I like hymns that make me cry :)

Bonhoeffer on Separation

"I should like to say something to help you in the time of separation which lies immediately ahead. There is no need to speak about it's difficulties, but as I have learnt something about it myself during the last nine months, having been separated during that time from all those I love, I should like to pass it on to you.

Firstly, nothing can fill the gap when we are away from those we love, and it would be wrong to try and find anything. We must simply hold out and win through. That sounds very hard at first, but at the same time it is a great consolation, since leaving the gap unfilled preserves the bonds between us. It is nonsense to say God fills the gap: he does not fill it, but keeps it empty so that our communion with another may be kept alive, even at the cost of pain. Secondly, the dearer and richer our memories, the more difficult the separation. But gratitude converts the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy. The beauties of the past are not endured as a thorn in the flesh, but as a gift precious for it's own sake. We must not wallow in our memories or surrender to them, just as we don't gaze all the time at a valuable present, but get it out from time to time, and for the rest hide it away as a treasure we know is there all the time. Treated in this way, the past can give us lasting joy and inspiration. Thirdly, times of separation are not a total loss, nor are they completely unprofitable for our companionship- at least there is no reason why they should be. In spite of all the difficulties they bring, they can be a wonderful means of strengthening and deepening fellowship. Fourthly, it has been borne in upon me here with peculiar force that a concrete situation can always be mastered, and that only fear and anxiety magnify them to an immeasurable degree beforehand. From the moment we awake until the moment we fall asleep we must commend other people wholly and unreservedly to God and leave them in his hands, transforming our anxiety for them into prayers on their behalf.

'With sorrows and with fears,
Let EVERYTHING be taken to God.'

This was written to Bonhoeffer's dear friend who was about to be sent off to fight in the war for Germany. I'm sure it must have been difficult to have to leave a country and the people you love, fight for a dictator you hate and tried to dispatch, and also serve Jesus fight against people you don't know. "That sounds very hard at first...", no?

God IS love

‘Love is not what Christ does and suffers but what Christ does and suffers. Love is always Jesus Christ himself. Love is always God himself. Love is always God’s revelation in Jesus Christ.’ - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Having not slept enough, this is a confusing but beautiful thing to get my head around.

Does it make a difference? I think it does... maybe in time I'll work out how to articulate it :)

Bonhoeffer on Church

In his book, Ethics, Bonhoeffer talks a bit about church. I haven't read it, but found this on another blog and thought it was a super.

‘The space of the church is not there in order to fight with the world for a piece of its territory, but precisely to testify to the world that it is still the world, namely, the world that is loved and reconciled by God.’

‘Where that witness [to the world] has become silent it is a sign of inner decay in the church-community, just as failure to bear fruit is a sign that a tree is dying.’

‘The church-community is separated from the world only by this: it believes in the reality of being accepted by God—a reality that belongs to the whole world—and in affirming this as valid for itself it witnesses that it is valid for the entire world. The body of Jesus Christ, especially as it is presented to us on the cross, makes visible to faith both the world in its sin and in its being loved by God, and the church-community as the company of those who recognize their sin and gratefully submit to the love of God.’

Titus

Titus is super encouraging and so simple. Sound doctrine, holy living. It was really interesting to think about what we can learn from it about the context. We asked a few simple questions and got this awesome Wordle like creation.

What did the congregation look like?

What can we learn about their history?

What was the character of Cretans?

How did they come to Christ?

What threats were they facing?

I don't know much about Mark Driscoll, but he was who I pictured as a modern day Titus. A big, rough looking character who speaks some harsh but necessary truths to a people who "claim to live for God but deny him by their actions." Just a random thought, not to be taken too seriously :)

Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face,
Would not hearken to His calls,
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.

I have spilt His precious blood,
Trampled on the Son of God,
Filled with pangs unspeakable,
I, who yet am not in hell!

I my Master have denied,
I afresh have crucified,
And profaned His hallowed Name,
Put Him to an open shame.

Whence to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above!
See the cause in Jesus’ face,
Now before the throne of grace.

Jesus, answer from above,
Is not all Thy nature love?
Wilt Thou not the wrong forget,
Permit me to kiss Thy feet?

If I rightly read Thy heart,
If Thou all compassion art,
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow,
Pardon and accept me now.

Jesus speaks, and pleads His blood!
He disarms the wrath of God;
Now my Father’s mercies move,
Justice lingers into love.

Kindled His relentings are,
Me He now delights to spare,
Cries, “How shall I give thee up?”
Lets the lifted thunder drop.

Lo! I still walk on the ground:
Lo! an Advocate is found:
“Hasten not to cut Him down,
Let this barren soul alone.”

There for me the Savior stands,
Shows His wounds and spreads His hands.
God is love! I know, I feel;
Jesus weeps and loves me still.

Pity from Thine eye let fall,
By a look my soul recall;
Now the stone to flesh convert,
Cast a look, and break my heart.

Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Now my foul revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

"An ac­tress in a town in Eng­land, while pass­ing along the street, heard sing­ing in a house. Out of cur­i­o­si­ty she looked in through the open door and saw a num­ber of peo­ple sit­ting to­ge­ther sing­ing this hymn. She list­ened to the song, and af­ter­wards to a sim­ple but ear­nest pray­er. When she went away the hymn had so im­pressed her that she pro­cured a co­py of a book con­tain­ing it. Read­ing and re-read­ing the hymn led her to give her heart to God and to re­solve to leave the stage. The man­a­ger of the the­a­ter plead­ed with her to con­tin­ue to take the lead­ing part in a play which she had made fa­mous in other ci­ties, and fi­nal­ly he per­suad­ed her to ap­pear at the the­a­ter. As the cur­tain rose the or­ches­tra be­gan to play the ac­com­pa­ni­ment to the song which she was ex­pect­ed to sing. She stood like one lost in thought, and the band, sup­pos­ing her em­bar­rassed, played the prel­ude over a se­cond and a third time. Then with clasped hands she stepped for­ward and sang with deep emo­tion:

“Depth of mercy, can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?”

This put a sud­den stop to the per­for­mance; not a few were im­pressed, though many scoffed. The change in her life was as per­ma­nent as it was sin­gu­lar. Soon af­ter she be­came the wife of a min­is­ter of the Gos­pel."

Sovereignty and Sin

I thought I'd maybe be more proactive about Blogging while I can.

Here's two videos of John Piper that I think are helpful together:





Perhaps there's better explainations of Sovereignty and Sin, but I don't believe there is any better or more helpful application a Christian can offer than in the second video :)

Be interested in your thoughts if anybody reads/watches this.

KYCK 10 - Life Under the Sun

I live by faith, but I am a cynic. I am emotional, but I am logical. I am purchased by the blood of a God who is far bigger than I, yet my view of him is so small. I am a bit complex and I don't make any sense. For all these reasons my thoughts on KYCK 10 probably won't make my sense. But hopefully they will have some helpfulness to them.

I'll just deal with what I like and the talks, if you want other thoughts you can ask me. I'm thankful for a loving rebuke about introducing others to my cynicism. One of the sad things about being a youth leader is seeing sins passed on to those you lead when they clearly should have died in you.

The thing I like most about KYCK is realising how big God is. God can get 6000+ young people from all over to come to three weekends to hear the gospel. It's encouraging to see people getting out of their comfort zone and talking to people NOT FROM THEIR GROUP! Seeing people love and get encouraged by things that I don't like and that confuse me (read: God shows me things can be helpful even if I don't like them, so I should appreciate them). Sweet moments when the band is silent and 2000+ voices behind me fill a hot stuffy room singing "All that really matters is You" (still encouraging despite the super-ambiguous intro and skipping of "Jesus, it's You" every time). Seeing people putting their faith in Jesus who "died on the cross, in their place, for their sins"!

Talk 1, Ecclesiastes 1:

Everything is "meaningless"/Hebel/fleeting/breath. Creation has no gain/profit/impact. Likewise people have no gain/profit/impact. You will never know everything, and you will not be remembered. This is not a negative message ("You will never make a difference so don't even try."), but positive ("You are so small! Don't think of yourself more highly than you ought.").

People who talk lots never have time to listen to their Creator (Romans 1:21) so let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2). Are we talkers or trusters?

Talk 2, Ecclesiastes 2:

What does a man gain? You can enjoy being rich and famous, but in the end wealth and fame are hebel. You can enjoy wisdom and knowledge, but in the end the same fate awaits both the wise and the fool - death. The person who chases gain/profit/impact is a sinner because those who chase it neglect God. Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth. Do not worry!

Seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. Receive gifts FROM GOD and BE THANKFUL! Joy should be the practical outworking of a godly life. We should be thankful people! Pursue joy and don't waste the time or the gifts you have been given. Are we open handed or are we snatchers?

Talk 3, Ecclesiastes 3:

Life seems like "Lost". You're born and you die and all these random events occur in between. God has made everything beautiful in it's time, so we should enjoy the moment (even hard moments), but it IS a burden. God has set eternity in our hearts, and has made us safe and secure with Jesus for eternity. We can't fathom it, but God has it in his hand. We can plan, but we're not in control. God is! Does it worry you that you are not in control? What does that say about your trust in God?

Wise living is to be happy and DO GOOD. Everything God does endures forever (I thought of Ephesians 2:10), so that men will revere him.

Talk 4, Ecclesiastes 4-8:

Everything sucks. We should respond by crying, but also by crying out because God has answers. Do not be surprised by injustice. We see it every day (poverty, wrongly exocuted etc.) Why doesn't somebody do something? Why don't I do something? Because I'm too small and I'm fleeting, I need God to... but am I prepared for him to come in justice?

We are part of the problem because we all sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Each one of us is pursuing gain and not God. We live our life our own way without him. So we need to cry out for justice, but also for mercy. How?

Jesus on the cross. God HAS done something. He sent the innocent in place of the guilty. Jesus died in our place for our sin (the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God - 1 Peter 3:18)!

Why still injustice? Because his patience means salvation. God is allowing you time to come to him because there will be a day when he deals with the injustice of sin once and for all. Your ONLY hope is to come to Jesus. Nothing in this fleeting life is better than living for him :)

Talk 5, Ecclesiastes 11:

Creation tells you that God is at work, and that we are not in control. The more we know about stuff, the more we realise how little we know. The foolish life, the gain chasing life, is characterised by arrogance and laziness. The wise life is to trust God and do good things. Live generously, trusting Jesus with tomorrow. Just as you cannot put off growing old, you should not waste the time you have with the ability to do good.

Where are the risk takers? People willing to succeed or fail in the safety of Jesus' hands? In everything try and live for Jesus - this is the path to joy. Remember that God will judge EVERYTHING (even the things you DON'T do). He is not looking to punish, but to make sure you have life to the full (John 10:10). Choose life, not laziness or selfishness.

Talk 6, Ecclesiastes 12:

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth. These are formative years, so form your habits with your Creator in mind. When tempted, remember the God who made you. Remember that we will all grow old and die. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel (2 Timothy 2:8).


All in all it was an encouraging weekend. I loved Sounds of Light playing on Sunday, and the large moshpit that formed and still kept singing even though the tech crew cut the power :P

Thankful for time spent with our crew and seeing them grow and wrestle with the word. Pray for them as they try to do Ecclesiastes at school this term. Pray that they learn to make it simple and that they won't try to do too much with their "hebel" time.