The importance of self!
We have been in Princeton now for roughly a year and a half. Time after time I see evidence of God using me, using us, to minister to people. This is not the stuff of news headlines, or maybe even local gossip. Yet as time marches on we see the image of Christ in ourselves and others growing more and more glorious.
I often think, in situations in which I 'feel' that I have been able to provide some light or an answer or speak an appropriate word, “Hey, this is larger than myself. God is at work here!” Given the frailties of our heart, and it propensity towards deception, I know that feelings are not always trustworthy guide. Yet, I would stand firm that God is working in our midst. And, amazingly, God is working in and through me.
Certainly, one should not blow his own horn. There are Biblical warnings against doing that; however, there is also Biblical support for recognizing who and what God is making a person into, where He is placing him and for what purposes. As pastor of a small flock of believers this must mean that I embrace the responsibilities, the authority and the humility of such a calling.
What I am saying is that grappling with and embracing one's calling is not an expression of sinful selfishness, rather to avoid the calling of God is selfishness. However, along with this awareness of stepping up to the plate one must have a growing conviction that it is God who is a work in ME. (Phil. 2:12,13)
Therefore, if in the end, I would be desirous of being able to say: “I have run the race!” I must now say: “By the grace of God I am running the race!”
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
One week from today is Christmas! But what is Christmas? Most believers recognize that Christ was most likely born on a different date, even in a different time of the year.
I am convinced that if God had wanted us to make a big deal out of the birth of His Son He would have included a few more pertinent details, such as a date. But moving on to my own history, I remember as a kid having a tree glowing with lights, stacked with gifts, accompanied by notes of Christmas music floating in the air, and trips to grandparents – long trips from northern Maine (then later central Maine) to southern Maine – more gifts, more relatives and lots more food. As time progressed some of you entered found a place in my memory. But one may have these memories without having anything directly related to the birth of the Messiah. And so, over my life time, and I am sure that this trend started long before that, we have been witnessing, and may even have had a part in, the secularization of this holiday.
In some ways, I am pleased that more non-believers are opting out of saying “Merry Christmas” and that our secular schools are not doing Christmas any more. (Though the extremes that we are witnessing of emptying our schools of all historical memories of our heritage and traditions is a grave and tragic error.) The secular American may observe 'whatever' or not as they wish too, spend as much money or not, and decorate profusely or not.
Likewise, we believers should not be tied too tightly into our American way of doing Christmas, for Christ is far bigger than any American tradition. And over the years that is what has been occurring in my own heart, and I think to some extent in my family as well, that the trappings are free to come and go because the entrance of God into the world as a human being moves us to awe and worship each and every day of the year.
Lastly, God never encourages us to make a big deal over the birth of Christ because without his death, according to the Scriptures, and his burial, and resurrection, according to the Scriptures all would be empty, meaningless! Leaving us with the option of eating, drinking and making merry for tomorrow we die! However, since this unique Son of God – come in the flesh as man – did happen, we look forward to grace and judgment upon his return. While we wait we worship, and rejoice with joy inexpressible, filled with glory, on any day.
This year I believe I celebrate with perhaps more worship and joy than I ever have. We also have fewer decorations. These two do not necessarily go together. I desire most to worship well, with Joy and Hope, so that others might see and that they too might someday have this same Hope and Joy that comes from the King of kings and Lord of lords.
I close with a couple of verses from Hebrews: Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (7:25 ESV) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (11:6 ESV)
I am convinced that if God had wanted us to make a big deal out of the birth of His Son He would have included a few more pertinent details, such as a date. But moving on to my own history, I remember as a kid having a tree glowing with lights, stacked with gifts, accompanied by notes of Christmas music floating in the air, and trips to grandparents – long trips from northern Maine (then later central Maine) to southern Maine – more gifts, more relatives and lots more food. As time progressed some of you entered found a place in my memory. But one may have these memories without having anything directly related to the birth of the Messiah. And so, over my life time, and I am sure that this trend started long before that, we have been witnessing, and may even have had a part in, the secularization of this holiday.
In some ways, I am pleased that more non-believers are opting out of saying “Merry Christmas” and that our secular schools are not doing Christmas any more. (Though the extremes that we are witnessing of emptying our schools of all historical memories of our heritage and traditions is a grave and tragic error.) The secular American may observe 'whatever' or not as they wish too, spend as much money or not, and decorate profusely or not.
Likewise, we believers should not be tied too tightly into our American way of doing Christmas, for Christ is far bigger than any American tradition. And over the years that is what has been occurring in my own heart, and I think to some extent in my family as well, that the trappings are free to come and go because the entrance of God into the world as a human being moves us to awe and worship each and every day of the year.
Lastly, God never encourages us to make a big deal over the birth of Christ because without his death, according to the Scriptures, and his burial, and resurrection, according to the Scriptures all would be empty, meaningless! Leaving us with the option of eating, drinking and making merry for tomorrow we die! However, since this unique Son of God – come in the flesh as man – did happen, we look forward to grace and judgment upon his return. While we wait we worship, and rejoice with joy inexpressible, filled with glory, on any day.
This year I believe I celebrate with perhaps more worship and joy than I ever have. We also have fewer decorations. These two do not necessarily go together. I desire most to worship well, with Joy and Hope, so that others might see and that they too might someday have this same Hope and Joy that comes from the King of kings and Lord of lords.
I close with a couple of verses from Hebrews: Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (7:25 ESV) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (11:6 ESV)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Okay, I haven't blogged for a while – I living in a small town and sometimes there is not much happening!! (Disclaimer – I am exaggerating some and this blog is not strictly tied to what is or what is not happening in Princeton!).
Over the last couple of weeks I have been preparing for the next topic in our Adult Sunday School class, which will be the decrees of God and his sovereignty. I spent some time over several days getting familiar with a view known, among other names, as Open Theism. In someways this was a delightful exercise, but one that also left me with sadness. This is an excellent example of poor theology leading to bad theology. I will not rehash the whole thing but share some brief comments.
This is a teaching that speaks of God's relationship with his creation, claiming that there is much, regarding future events, that God knows only as possibilities. God knows all possibilities, and being infinitely intelligent he has the ability to to be prepared to respond to any and all combinations of possibilities. While God has the broad outline of history fixed there are many 'little' steps along the way that God is willing to take risks as to how his creatures will respond to himself as well as to events in their lives.
From my admitted limited exposure, I suggest the following poor theological points allows for even more glaring positions to be embraced. Many of the proponents are Arminian in their theology, thus they already hold that a spiritually dead person may chose life, that God is doing all that he can do to save everyone, and that God knows future events because he foresees (looks ahead) to see what we will do. Problems exist with these position yet the Open Theism proponents, while recognizing some errors, will use these as platforms to build an even shaker house. Scriptures does not seem to be the number one building tool for this theory, rather the mind is. While I argue that many of us do not love God with enough of our mind, human thinking is full of faulty presuppositions, and therefore, must not be relied upon exclusively, or even chiefly.
The Holy Spirit, and He alone, through the Scriptures, is the teacher of Truth. Yet we do have responsibility to hear, learn and build upon the truth. The following is repeated seven times in Revelation chapters two and three: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev 2:7 ESV) If our starting point is something learned because we have not been listening, where will our ending point be?
Over the last couple of weeks I have been preparing for the next topic in our Adult Sunday School class, which will be the decrees of God and his sovereignty. I spent some time over several days getting familiar with a view known, among other names, as Open Theism. In someways this was a delightful exercise, but one that also left me with sadness. This is an excellent example of poor theology leading to bad theology. I will not rehash the whole thing but share some brief comments.
This is a teaching that speaks of God's relationship with his creation, claiming that there is much, regarding future events, that God knows only as possibilities. God knows all possibilities, and being infinitely intelligent he has the ability to to be prepared to respond to any and all combinations of possibilities. While God has the broad outline of history fixed there are many 'little' steps along the way that God is willing to take risks as to how his creatures will respond to himself as well as to events in their lives.
From my admitted limited exposure, I suggest the following poor theological points allows for even more glaring positions to be embraced. Many of the proponents are Arminian in their theology, thus they already hold that a spiritually dead person may chose life, that God is doing all that he can do to save everyone, and that God knows future events because he foresees (looks ahead) to see what we will do. Problems exist with these position yet the Open Theism proponents, while recognizing some errors, will use these as platforms to build an even shaker house. Scriptures does not seem to be the number one building tool for this theory, rather the mind is. While I argue that many of us do not love God with enough of our mind, human thinking is full of faulty presuppositions, and therefore, must not be relied upon exclusively, or even chiefly.
The Holy Spirit, and He alone, through the Scriptures, is the teacher of Truth. Yet we do have responsibility to hear, learn and build upon the truth. The following is repeated seven times in Revelation chapters two and three: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev 2:7 ESV) If our starting point is something learned because we have not been listening, where will our ending point be?
Monday, November 02, 2009
A letter to a friend who is for homosexual marriage.
I noticed your post the other day encouraging people to vote, and your expression of hope that this issue (the homosexual one) will not divide friendships.
Yes, I think this issue will divide friendships. But here is how I am handling this issue, or hope to anyway. Not all of my friends on FB or otherwise are Christians, and even then not all think like I do. So from the start I know that differences exist, and I expect them to show up. I hope to have room in these relationships to debate and even persuade (or try to) some of these friends.
Regarding this issue of homosexuality and marriage. I have wondered, and even asked, but have gotten no direct answer to the following question. The Christian worldview has largely played a role in defining marriage as one man and one woman. If marriage is being redefined what than is the world view (religion or philosophy) that is replacing Christianity's place in Maine's moral playing field?
Several letters to the editor have suggested Nature, saying that homosexual activities and relationships exist in nature so it is a good thing and ought not to be 'discriminated against. I view this as a legitimate replacement, but also a very scary one, for the following reasons. Homosexuality is not the only sexual relationship displayed in the world of nature, and I know of no animals who desire to be married, i.e. get a license. So I see inconsistency in this argument. Further, what else do animals do that we have laws prohibiting us humans from doing? Those using the 'nature' argument should not complain one bit if their neighbor eats them or their family (literally) for lunch.
This, of course, is taught in our public school systems, while a great deal of effort and cost is incurred in attempts to keep the students from being just one of the animals on the evolutionary chain. Kind of ironic?
Though it has a lot of supports I do not view the 'Christian' support for homosexual as seriously as the above mentioned 'nature' argument, because it is a pick-and-choose-from-the-Bible religion based upon man. This type of Christianity, while popular at times, does not distinguish itself from none Christian thinking, and as in Europe, this Christianity here in the US will become a minor player.
Also, the Bible, taken as the Word of God is to be taken the way God gave it rather than for us to sit in judgment over it: accepting or rejecting this part or that teaching. If love, from the Bible is to govern us, than we must start with the first command: to love God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind. Christ said to love him is to keep his commands. To pick and choose which commands we like or don't like is not loving God.
Yes, marriage is in a pretty sad state here in Maine. Yet redefining marriage to allow homosexual marriages is to move it to an even worse state. God has defined marriage as between a man and a woman, largely for reproduction sake. (Read the first several chapters of the Bible.) Unfaithfulness, divorce and remarriage, or just living together are all failures on man's part to live up to God's standard, however, they are all within the Biblical model of man-woman sexual relationship. Homosexuality is regarded by God as an abomination because it breaks that model. Man to man or woman to woman, without any hope of fruitfulness, i.e. to have children. It is like trying to attach two pieces of equipment with two nuts or two bolts. It just does not take the place of the combination of a nut and a bolt.
Further, much that contributes to the failure of marriage can be linked to the hardness of our hearts and also our willingness to pursue our lusts and desires over the self control needs to maintain faithfulness in marriage. Heterosexuals need to control their sexual desires, so do homosexuals. Let's accept that the argument that homosexuals are born that way may be true. Christianity presents the framework for the individual to have freedom from his or hers lustful desires. This is true for the homosexual, as well. We do not have to follow that desire.
If marriage is re-defined, here is what I expect will happen. The people pushing for this will continue to push for a national definition of marriage which will include homosexual relationships. They will push this as politically correct speech, and will seek to silence any opposing viewpoints, for after all homosexuality will be legal and to speak against it will to hate the homosexual, and will therefore be a hate crime. Schools and eventually churches will all have to be politically correct. The homosexual world wants their sin to be endorsed universally.
This will to some degree have an impact on my heterosexual marriage. It will be more work to teach/train children that heterosexual marriage is the right way to go. I suspect voicing an opinion as such publicly may cost me my job, position, etc, and friends. Regarding my own marriage, I don't expect this to add to or take away from how we view our marriage now.
The consequences are larger than the secular world thinks. If the God of the Bible is real - his views are expressed in Romans 1:18 through the end of the chapter – he must be taken seriously. Will God bring wrath upon us if we adopt homosexual marriage? Our adoption of such is an indication that he already has given us over to wrath. Therefore, the only safe course is to repent, individually and corporately as a state or nation, forsaking our rebellion against our Maker, to forsake those things God defines as sin, and to seek his mercy in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Some friends may hate me for holding to this position. I expect this as well.
I noticed your post the other day encouraging people to vote, and your expression of hope that this issue (the homosexual one) will not divide friendships.
Yes, I think this issue will divide friendships. But here is how I am handling this issue, or hope to anyway. Not all of my friends on FB or otherwise are Christians, and even then not all think like I do. So from the start I know that differences exist, and I expect them to show up. I hope to have room in these relationships to debate and even persuade (or try to) some of these friends.
Regarding this issue of homosexuality and marriage. I have wondered, and even asked, but have gotten no direct answer to the following question. The Christian worldview has largely played a role in defining marriage as one man and one woman. If marriage is being redefined what than is the world view (religion or philosophy) that is replacing Christianity's place in Maine's moral playing field?
Several letters to the editor have suggested Nature, saying that homosexual activities and relationships exist in nature so it is a good thing and ought not to be 'discriminated against. I view this as a legitimate replacement, but also a very scary one, for the following reasons. Homosexuality is not the only sexual relationship displayed in the world of nature, and I know of no animals who desire to be married, i.e. get a license. So I see inconsistency in this argument. Further, what else do animals do that we have laws prohibiting us humans from doing? Those using the 'nature' argument should not complain one bit if their neighbor eats them or their family (literally) for lunch.
This, of course, is taught in our public school systems, while a great deal of effort and cost is incurred in attempts to keep the students from being just one of the animals on the evolutionary chain. Kind of ironic?
Though it has a lot of supports I do not view the 'Christian' support for homosexual as seriously as the above mentioned 'nature' argument, because it is a pick-and-choose-from-the-Bible religion based upon man. This type of Christianity, while popular at times, does not distinguish itself from none Christian thinking, and as in Europe, this Christianity here in the US will become a minor player.
Also, the Bible, taken as the Word of God is to be taken the way God gave it rather than for us to sit in judgment over it: accepting or rejecting this part or that teaching. If love, from the Bible is to govern us, than we must start with the first command: to love God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind. Christ said to love him is to keep his commands. To pick and choose which commands we like or don't like is not loving God.
Yes, marriage is in a pretty sad state here in Maine. Yet redefining marriage to allow homosexual marriages is to move it to an even worse state. God has defined marriage as between a man and a woman, largely for reproduction sake. (Read the first several chapters of the Bible.) Unfaithfulness, divorce and remarriage, or just living together are all failures on man's part to live up to God's standard, however, they are all within the Biblical model of man-woman sexual relationship. Homosexuality is regarded by God as an abomination because it breaks that model. Man to man or woman to woman, without any hope of fruitfulness, i.e. to have children. It is like trying to attach two pieces of equipment with two nuts or two bolts. It just does not take the place of the combination of a nut and a bolt.
Further, much that contributes to the failure of marriage can be linked to the hardness of our hearts and also our willingness to pursue our lusts and desires over the self control needs to maintain faithfulness in marriage. Heterosexuals need to control their sexual desires, so do homosexuals. Let's accept that the argument that homosexuals are born that way may be true. Christianity presents the framework for the individual to have freedom from his or hers lustful desires. This is true for the homosexual, as well. We do not have to follow that desire.
If marriage is re-defined, here is what I expect will happen. The people pushing for this will continue to push for a national definition of marriage which will include homosexual relationships. They will push this as politically correct speech, and will seek to silence any opposing viewpoints, for after all homosexuality will be legal and to speak against it will to hate the homosexual, and will therefore be a hate crime. Schools and eventually churches will all have to be politically correct. The homosexual world wants their sin to be endorsed universally.
This will to some degree have an impact on my heterosexual marriage. It will be more work to teach/train children that heterosexual marriage is the right way to go. I suspect voicing an opinion as such publicly may cost me my job, position, etc, and friends. Regarding my own marriage, I don't expect this to add to or take away from how we view our marriage now.
The consequences are larger than the secular world thinks. If the God of the Bible is real - his views are expressed in Romans 1:18 through the end of the chapter – he must be taken seriously. Will God bring wrath upon us if we adopt homosexual marriage? Our adoption of such is an indication that he already has given us over to wrath. Therefore, the only safe course is to repent, individually and corporately as a state or nation, forsaking our rebellion against our Maker, to forsake those things God defines as sin, and to seek his mercy in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Some friends may hate me for holding to this position. I expect this as well.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like in the days of some of the Old Testament people when there were numerous false prophets, and sometimes but one or two true prophets of God? I believe we have not further to look that our present times. Maine is holding a vote in a few days on the issue of homosexual marriage. A number of clergy have spoken, often emphasizing love, in favor of redefining marriage to include homosexual relationships. They are thus saying, as they frequently quote the Bible, that "thus says the Lord ..."
Yet they speak a message that is not from God for they do not speak of loving God first and then loving our neighbor, in the manner God has spoken of. They speak words that sound good: "Do this thing that is a sin, and feel good about doing it!"
What do these people look like, and sound like? Often times they look and speak respectfully? They have people listening to them, and wondering at their words. They do not look evil? Nor, dangerous.
Beware, test all thing by God's Word. Test the spirits of the prophets to see if what a man says is true.
Yet they speak a message that is not from God for they do not speak of loving God first and then loving our neighbor, in the manner God has spoken of. They speak words that sound good: "Do this thing that is a sin, and feel good about doing it!"
What do these people look like, and sound like? Often times they look and speak respectfully? They have people listening to them, and wondering at their words. They do not look evil? Nor, dangerous.
Beware, test all thing by God's Word. Test the spirits of the prophets to see if what a man says is true.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Unfaithfulness and other possible traps.
From time to time one hears of marriages that are torn apart due to unfaithfulness displayed in online relationships.
I will confess that I am a member of, and regular user of Facebook (FB), that I exchange messages with, chat with and check “like” on postings made by men, women and children, other than those posted by my own family. What may one use as safe guards to prevent these 'friendships' from developing into something that may destroy a marriage (or two) and that would prevent the name of my God to be blasphemed?
Other lists may be out there, but here is my own non-legalistic list.
Honor God in all that you are doing, on or off the internet. The more this is ingrained in my character the less likely I will fall into something that would dishonor God.
Honor my marriage. Again, like the above statement, but I would also add the following. Let other people know, through conversations, maybe pictures, etc. that you are married and that your spouse – well, other than God, is your life. Post positive things about your spouse and your relationship. Don't allow yourself to start complaining or have a pity party regarding your spouse with another person on line.
Have a joint account, where available, with your spouse. While there may be times for a private conversation with someone (like ordering an birthday gift, etc. from a woodturner friend of yours) what should we hide from our spouse. And are not husband and wife one?
My wife is not on line. So I verbally pass on information gleaned from my worldwide contacts, also, her friends have learned to pass messages on to her through me. However, that is not my main point, which is be open in your communication on line. I have daughters, a daughter-in-law, and various other near and far relatives as well as people in the church in my friends list. So far I have not restricted my conversations or formed select lists of friends. I believe and hope that if some of the above named people saw conversations/responses that were not honoring God and that might be dishonoring to my marriage that they would confront me with this. And also, should not I do the same thing?
Limit your private conversations. I am not trying to be legalistic here by banning all private conversation, but I am aware of several things:
1. other marriages have been ruined due to 'friendships' that were not maintained as such.
2, Even though I am getting old, and am married, I have not found that the emotional mechanism that enables one to 'falling in love' has stopped working, therefore, I need to be aware if and when emotions kick in.
3, I am married, have I mentioned this yet?
Here is a thought I'll share, in closing. If it were God's will that my wife should pass away and I pursue marriage with one of my 'friends' on FB, or otherwise, would she know from personal experience or observation that I had flirted, etc, while married and thus that she might have cause for concern if she were to married me? Or would she know that her marriage was safe?
Pray for one another; the flesh is weak. Flee temptation.
From time to time one hears of marriages that are torn apart due to unfaithfulness displayed in online relationships.
I will confess that I am a member of, and regular user of Facebook (FB), that I exchange messages with, chat with and check “like” on postings made by men, women and children, other than those posted by my own family. What may one use as safe guards to prevent these 'friendships' from developing into something that may destroy a marriage (or two) and that would prevent the name of my God to be blasphemed?
Other lists may be out there, but here is my own non-legalistic list.
Honor God in all that you are doing, on or off the internet. The more this is ingrained in my character the less likely I will fall into something that would dishonor God.
Honor my marriage. Again, like the above statement, but I would also add the following. Let other people know, through conversations, maybe pictures, etc. that you are married and that your spouse – well, other than God, is your life. Post positive things about your spouse and your relationship. Don't allow yourself to start complaining or have a pity party regarding your spouse with another person on line.
Have a joint account, where available, with your spouse. While there may be times for a private conversation with someone (like ordering an birthday gift, etc. from a woodturner friend of yours) what should we hide from our spouse. And are not husband and wife one?
My wife is not on line. So I verbally pass on information gleaned from my worldwide contacts, also, her friends have learned to pass messages on to her through me. However, that is not my main point, which is be open in your communication on line. I have daughters, a daughter-in-law, and various other near and far relatives as well as people in the church in my friends list. So far I have not restricted my conversations or formed select lists of friends. I believe and hope that if some of the above named people saw conversations/responses that were not honoring God and that might be dishonoring to my marriage that they would confront me with this. And also, should not I do the same thing?
Limit your private conversations. I am not trying to be legalistic here by banning all private conversation, but I am aware of several things:
1. other marriages have been ruined due to 'friendships' that were not maintained as such.
2, Even though I am getting old, and am married, I have not found that the emotional mechanism that enables one to 'falling in love' has stopped working, therefore, I need to be aware if and when emotions kick in.
3, I am married, have I mentioned this yet?
Here is a thought I'll share, in closing. If it were God's will that my wife should pass away and I pursue marriage with one of my 'friends' on FB, or otherwise, would she know from personal experience or observation that I had flirted, etc, while married and thus that she might have cause for concern if she were to married me? Or would she know that her marriage was safe?
Pray for one another; the flesh is weak. Flee temptation.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
I was asked the following question the other day: “Please tell me more about why you think that Christianity and its work ethic is being thrown out?”
My thoughts are that Christianity is being thrown out of our culture and thus various aspects of Christianity, such as its work ethic, are being thrown out as well, though perhaps all are not being discarded evenly.
How would one define a Christian work ethic? First one must define what would be Christian (Christianity) in general. While there are many out there who make some claims on defining these terms the Bible, in 1 John, gives us several parameters. The first item is a belief and confession that Jesus is the Son of God come in the flesh. This includes his pre-existence, his conception, his teaching and miracles, his death on the cross, his burial and his resurrection, concluding with the understanding that he is now ruling the universe until he should return again as judge of all mankind. This is the hope of the believer, every part of it. The believer believes that Christ is the only way and the only hope of any one ever approaching and being accepted by God. Christ is what each individual needs to stand approved before God.
Holiness or obedience is the second aspect. God is described in 1 John as light. Since he is light we have fellowship with him only if we are also walking in the light. Further, if one is claiming to know God yet is not walking in the light he is a liar and does not know God. This is a bit complicated because no believer is ever perfectly obedient. So what is looked for is: 1) the power of sin has been broken in a person's life. He or she is no longer a slave to sin. And 2) the power of God is seen in a person's life in producing real and true obedience to God's Word.
Both of the above elements are essential. It is true that some might do deeds that appear to be obedient to the Bible. Yet if these deeds are not done accompanied by the confession in Christ, than one is not a believer, not a Christian. Part of the reason for this is that even our obedience is tainted with sin. Our confession is that Christ is what we need to be pleasing to God.
A third point that is mentioned in 1 John is that of loving other believers. This is far deeper than a person having a Christian for a neighbor and being neighborly to this Christian. Believers' love for each other is to be like that of Christ's love for his people. Needs of fellow believers are to be put ahead of one's own interests and desires. If this is not seen in one's life than John declares that one does not love God. Here again no believer will love perfectly as Christ loves his people, yet nevertheless, love for fellow believers will be in the true believers life.
Therefore, we must conclude that many people who claim an interest in Christianity are probably lacking because they are falling short in one or more of these areas. There are some, however, who do stand as true believers. None of these people will have a work ethic that is perfectly Christian, but there should be some effort on the part of the believer to think about this issue of work and then to apply Biblical teaching to the work place.
God himself is our first example of one doing work. (See Genesis 2:2,3 as well as 5 and 15) God worked over a period of six days to create everything that is-not-God. He is seen as working efficiently, consistently and well because in the end he was pleased with it. God expected man, as a being in his own likeness, to be a worker. The above verses mentioned this work. One should note that this work was spoken of before sin had any mark upon man or the world. After the entry of sin than work is seen as being necessary and also encumbered with much hardship.
The New Testament teaching regarding slaves serving their masters has a great deal of input for our topic. I will summarize.
Work first and foremost to please God.
Complaining in not to accompany work, and neither is sloth.
Honesty is of great importance, including the use of one's time, for all that is done casts a reflection on the God we claim to serve.
One is to seek the betterment of his employer.
Work is not solely for one's own profit. Support of oneself and family is good, but work is to be done so as to share one's own income and profit with those in need. (I would point out that this is a far different scenario than one in which the government taxes income and funnels it into a government run, or even private run, charity.)
Here are some questions one might explore as indicators of the influence of Christianity in general upon and in our culture.
Poll elementary aged students, or college students or adults, regarding the following:
Which holiday is the most important: Christmas, Easter or Halloween or 'other'?
(Christian answer: Easter)
Which holiday do you enjoy the most: Christmas, Easter or Halloween or 'other'?
(Easter)
Who were our first parents?
(Adam and Eve, made directly by God.)
Where did sin come from?
(Adam disobedience)
If someone doesn't work what should they eat?
(Nothing)
If one has family members in need who should take care of them?
(The family, then a neighbor)
To whom is one accountable?
(God: our Creator and Judge)
Who is Jesus Christ?
(The eternal Son of God come in flesh.)
Of what importance is Christ's death on the cross?
(It fulfills prophecy in the manner he died and also in that he appeased God's wrath by dying for God's people and then credited these people with his own obedience. God would be approached through the death of His Son, and only this way.)
Why is Easter so important?
(Without the physical resurrection of Christ all other points of Christian faith are null and void.)
Do you plan to retire, and if so, how do you envision yourself during these years?
(I would desire to always serve God, rather than to just seek my own pleasure, even when I start to get old and slow down.)
While such Christianity has not disappeared from America it is becoming less known. There is a pseudo Christianity claiming great tolerance in the name of love for other 'belief systems', life styles and anything that is not absolute. This willingness to grant validity to both the high road and the low road is actually a display of great hatred against the one way that God has provided.
Our culture is showing specific hatred against the God-who-is as it adopts other policies than ones based upon his revelation. Why work? Why do our work in a certain manner? What motivates our work? What shapes our policies respect non-workers? Who supports them and why? Is the Bible the authority our lawmakers turn to for light respecting the issues before them?
Even many Christians do not think about work as a service unto God, it is just something we have to do to support ourselves so that we can have fun at other times. The God of Christianity places demands for absolute serve, along with demands for absolute contentment and trust, upon each of us for He is our Creator and our Judge.
Americans would be pleased to find another god(s) who will serve us.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17 ESV)
My thoughts are that Christianity is being thrown out of our culture and thus various aspects of Christianity, such as its work ethic, are being thrown out as well, though perhaps all are not being discarded evenly.
How would one define a Christian work ethic? First one must define what would be Christian (Christianity) in general. While there are many out there who make some claims on defining these terms the Bible, in 1 John, gives us several parameters. The first item is a belief and confession that Jesus is the Son of God come in the flesh. This includes his pre-existence, his conception, his teaching and miracles, his death on the cross, his burial and his resurrection, concluding with the understanding that he is now ruling the universe until he should return again as judge of all mankind. This is the hope of the believer, every part of it. The believer believes that Christ is the only way and the only hope of any one ever approaching and being accepted by God. Christ is what each individual needs to stand approved before God.
Holiness or obedience is the second aspect. God is described in 1 John as light. Since he is light we have fellowship with him only if we are also walking in the light. Further, if one is claiming to know God yet is not walking in the light he is a liar and does not know God. This is a bit complicated because no believer is ever perfectly obedient. So what is looked for is: 1) the power of sin has been broken in a person's life. He or she is no longer a slave to sin. And 2) the power of God is seen in a person's life in producing real and true obedience to God's Word.
Both of the above elements are essential. It is true that some might do deeds that appear to be obedient to the Bible. Yet if these deeds are not done accompanied by the confession in Christ, than one is not a believer, not a Christian. Part of the reason for this is that even our obedience is tainted with sin. Our confession is that Christ is what we need to be pleasing to God.
A third point that is mentioned in 1 John is that of loving other believers. This is far deeper than a person having a Christian for a neighbor and being neighborly to this Christian. Believers' love for each other is to be like that of Christ's love for his people. Needs of fellow believers are to be put ahead of one's own interests and desires. If this is not seen in one's life than John declares that one does not love God. Here again no believer will love perfectly as Christ loves his people, yet nevertheless, love for fellow believers will be in the true believers life.
Therefore, we must conclude that many people who claim an interest in Christianity are probably lacking because they are falling short in one or more of these areas. There are some, however, who do stand as true believers. None of these people will have a work ethic that is perfectly Christian, but there should be some effort on the part of the believer to think about this issue of work and then to apply Biblical teaching to the work place.
God himself is our first example of one doing work. (See Genesis 2:2,3 as well as 5 and 15) God worked over a period of six days to create everything that is-not-God. He is seen as working efficiently, consistently and well because in the end he was pleased with it. God expected man, as a being in his own likeness, to be a worker. The above verses mentioned this work. One should note that this work was spoken of before sin had any mark upon man or the world. After the entry of sin than work is seen as being necessary and also encumbered with much hardship.
The New Testament teaching regarding slaves serving their masters has a great deal of input for our topic. I will summarize.
Work first and foremost to please God.
Complaining in not to accompany work, and neither is sloth.
Honesty is of great importance, including the use of one's time, for all that is done casts a reflection on the God we claim to serve.
One is to seek the betterment of his employer.
Work is not solely for one's own profit. Support of oneself and family is good, but work is to be done so as to share one's own income and profit with those in need. (I would point out that this is a far different scenario than one in which the government taxes income and funnels it into a government run, or even private run, charity.)
Here are some questions one might explore as indicators of the influence of Christianity in general upon and in our culture.
Poll elementary aged students, or college students or adults, regarding the following:
Which holiday is the most important: Christmas, Easter or Halloween or 'other'?
(Christian answer: Easter)
Which holiday do you enjoy the most: Christmas, Easter or Halloween or 'other'?
(Easter)
Who were our first parents?
(Adam and Eve, made directly by God.)
Where did sin come from?
(Adam disobedience)
If someone doesn't work what should they eat?
(Nothing)
If one has family members in need who should take care of them?
(The family, then a neighbor)
To whom is one accountable?
(God: our Creator and Judge)
Who is Jesus Christ?
(The eternal Son of God come in flesh.)
Of what importance is Christ's death on the cross?
(It fulfills prophecy in the manner he died and also in that he appeased God's wrath by dying for God's people and then credited these people with his own obedience. God would be approached through the death of His Son, and only this way.)
Why is Easter so important?
(Without the physical resurrection of Christ all other points of Christian faith are null and void.)
Do you plan to retire, and if so, how do you envision yourself during these years?
(I would desire to always serve God, rather than to just seek my own pleasure, even when I start to get old and slow down.)
While such Christianity has not disappeared from America it is becoming less known. There is a pseudo Christianity claiming great tolerance in the name of love for other 'belief systems', life styles and anything that is not absolute. This willingness to grant validity to both the high road and the low road is actually a display of great hatred against the one way that God has provided.
Our culture is showing specific hatred against the God-who-is as it adopts other policies than ones based upon his revelation. Why work? Why do our work in a certain manner? What motivates our work? What shapes our policies respect non-workers? Who supports them and why? Is the Bible the authority our lawmakers turn to for light respecting the issues before them?
Even many Christians do not think about work as a service unto God, it is just something we have to do to support ourselves so that we can have fun at other times. The God of Christianity places demands for absolute serve, along with demands for absolute contentment and trust, upon each of us for He is our Creator and our Judge.
Americans would be pleased to find another god(s) who will serve us.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17 ESV)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Luck: or reasons for a pessimistic view of life.
Knock on wood! A saying that goes back in time to … perhaps a game or other expressions of safety, or, luck or in some case, bad luck? I am currently reading How the Irish Saved Civilization: the untold story of Ireland's heroic Role from the fall of Rome to the rise of medieval Europe, by Thomas Cahill. In this account pessimism seems to be the overwhelming world view of the early Irish: if something could go wrong, it would. At every cross road, literally and figuratively there were spirits and other beings waiting to snare them. The forces of bad luck and failure were so stacked against them that they had no hope of success. This did have it's positive side: one would not have to face disappointment because he knew all along that he would not do well in any given endeavor.
On the other hand with the arrival of the Gospel through St. Patrick the believing community seems to have changed their tune. Nature was still very animated, but now with smiling angels who might prevail over the forces of evil. One's fate was not so wrapped up in the capriciousness of which ever spirit was near by; no, now the will and the power of God permeated all.
What attitude to do we, the people of God, have regarding luck? What do we do to ward off 'bad luck”? Whom, or what, do we credit for not having bad luck in the past?
The God of the Bible makes some grand claims regarding his ability to do good to his people. Think of “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV) If this is true than what sort of person ought I (you) to be? How quickly should I label something as “bad luck”, or should I not use the phrase at all? God has told his people that “all things work together for good” so I must understand this to mean both the circumstance that I might be inclined to call “bad”, i.e. experience hurts, pain, sorrows and tears, as well as the circumstance in which I would rejoice. Since God is controlling all events than I must rejoice in Him in all things.
I'll close with the words of Joseph: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Gen 50:20 ESV)
Knock on wood! A saying that goes back in time to … perhaps a game or other expressions of safety, or, luck or in some case, bad luck? I am currently reading How the Irish Saved Civilization: the untold story of Ireland's heroic Role from the fall of Rome to the rise of medieval Europe, by Thomas Cahill. In this account pessimism seems to be the overwhelming world view of the early Irish: if something could go wrong, it would. At every cross road, literally and figuratively there were spirits and other beings waiting to snare them. The forces of bad luck and failure were so stacked against them that they had no hope of success. This did have it's positive side: one would not have to face disappointment because he knew all along that he would not do well in any given endeavor.
On the other hand with the arrival of the Gospel through St. Patrick the believing community seems to have changed their tune. Nature was still very animated, but now with smiling angels who might prevail over the forces of evil. One's fate was not so wrapped up in the capriciousness of which ever spirit was near by; no, now the will and the power of God permeated all.
What attitude to do we, the people of God, have regarding luck? What do we do to ward off 'bad luck”? Whom, or what, do we credit for not having bad luck in the past?
The God of the Bible makes some grand claims regarding his ability to do good to his people. Think of “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV) If this is true than what sort of person ought I (you) to be? How quickly should I label something as “bad luck”, or should I not use the phrase at all? God has told his people that “all things work together for good” so I must understand this to mean both the circumstance that I might be inclined to call “bad”, i.e. experience hurts, pain, sorrows and tears, as well as the circumstance in which I would rejoice. Since God is controlling all events than I must rejoice in Him in all things.
I'll close with the words of Joseph: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Gen 50:20 ESV)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Priorities
The following comes from Table Talks, July 9, 2009.
Feeding the Lord's people a steady diet of truth through the faithful proclamation of His Word is the pastor's chief job. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for the Christian's spiritual health (2 Tim. 3:14-17), and so the pastor is to make sure his flock learns to hear the Word rightly and apply it practically. This involves the public reading of Scripture in worship as well as exhortation (1 Tim. 4:13), which is the process of explaining the sense of the text and drawing practical applications for the people. Customarily, this is done through the preaching of expository sermons, a practice with a biblical precedent (Neh. 8:8). Finally, pastors are to engage in teaching how the diverse portions of Scripture fit together into one stream of unified doctrine (1 Tim 4:13).
We will be headed for disaster if we ever think biblical teaching is insufficient for our sanctification. Let us never tire of the meat of God's Word, and let our pastors never think that they are able to plumb fully the depths of the Scriptures. John Chrysostom says, “It is not possible … ever to exhaust the mind of the Scriptures. It is a well which has no bottom.” (ACCNT, vol. 9, p. 193).
Without even knowing it, our expectations can be part of the problem in the church's lack of focus on teaching in our day. When we choose churches based simply on their youth activities or the style of music, we are implicitly saying that the quality of our teaching and the faithfulness of the pastor to biblical preaching are not all that important. Whatever we expect of our preacher, let us expect him first of all to feed us the Word of God.
The following comes from Table Talks, July 9, 2009.
Feeding the Lord's people a steady diet of truth through the faithful proclamation of His Word is the pastor's chief job. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for the Christian's spiritual health (2 Tim. 3:14-17), and so the pastor is to make sure his flock learns to hear the Word rightly and apply it practically. This involves the public reading of Scripture in worship as well as exhortation (1 Tim. 4:13), which is the process of explaining the sense of the text and drawing practical applications for the people. Customarily, this is done through the preaching of expository sermons, a practice with a biblical precedent (Neh. 8:8). Finally, pastors are to engage in teaching how the diverse portions of Scripture fit together into one stream of unified doctrine (1 Tim 4:13).
We will be headed for disaster if we ever think biblical teaching is insufficient for our sanctification. Let us never tire of the meat of God's Word, and let our pastors never think that they are able to plumb fully the depths of the Scriptures. John Chrysostom says, “It is not possible … ever to exhaust the mind of the Scriptures. It is a well which has no bottom.” (ACCNT, vol. 9, p. 193).
Without even knowing it, our expectations can be part of the problem in the church's lack of focus on teaching in our day. When we choose churches based simply on their youth activities or the style of music, we are implicitly saying that the quality of our teaching and the faithfulness of the pastor to biblical preaching are not all that important. Whatever we expect of our preacher, let us expect him first of all to feed us the Word of God.
Monday, July 06, 2009
On trucks and such things.
April ended quietly. The lack of truck traffic spoke volumes in silence from late April until just a week or so ago.
Yes, trucks are noisy! Even the tire noise from a truck just cruising through Princeton is easily distinguished from that made by cars and light truck. To some extent start up noises, the sounds of a driver checking various components, empty rigs passing over bumps, engines under a load, of drivers moving up through the gears and, of course, Jake Brakes - all pollute our town with noise. Distracting noise!
Yet there is a sense of relief and gladness now that these sounds once again are heard. Though one might not like the noises, these sound symbolizes work/employment; the very life blood of this region.
Yes, there are many occupations that we don't necessarily hate, we just don't want them to be around us. Also, how many couples do not have children simply because children are a 'nuisance'? They make noise, spill things, require attention and time. Therefore, often a house without them is quieter, cleaner and perhaps more peaceful than one with one or more running around. Yet does not God refer to children as a blessing which he bestows?
We enjoy peace and quiet, clean smells and an idyllic setting. Yet God calls mankind to be productive, and often, in this present age, being productive involves a certain amount of messiness.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Pro 14:4 ESV)
April ended quietly. The lack of truck traffic spoke volumes in silence from late April until just a week or so ago.
Yes, trucks are noisy! Even the tire noise from a truck just cruising through Princeton is easily distinguished from that made by cars and light truck. To some extent start up noises, the sounds of a driver checking various components, empty rigs passing over bumps, engines under a load, of drivers moving up through the gears and, of course, Jake Brakes - all pollute our town with noise. Distracting noise!
Yet there is a sense of relief and gladness now that these sounds once again are heard. Though one might not like the noises, these sound symbolizes work/employment; the very life blood of this region.
Yes, there are many occupations that we don't necessarily hate, we just don't want them to be around us. Also, how many couples do not have children simply because children are a 'nuisance'? They make noise, spill things, require attention and time. Therefore, often a house without them is quieter, cleaner and perhaps more peaceful than one with one or more running around. Yet does not God refer to children as a blessing which he bestows?
We enjoy peace and quiet, clean smells and an idyllic setting. Yet God calls mankind to be productive, and often, in this present age, being productive involves a certain amount of messiness.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Pro 14:4 ESV)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Do unto the least of these.
This is a reflection of a recent situation which God placed before us. At this point I can not say if we did well or not, but I thought some reflection might be helpful.
Briefly, during the first week of May this year two of the men in our church, along with about 300 others, lost their job due to a mill closing. I had not inquired as to the financial security of these men and their families. But let me ask, “What did I assume?” And, “How did I respond to this assumption?”
Time went by. Was I growing more concerned in my prayers? And did I do anything to provide comfort or relief to these families? Or did I even remember or care?
We praise the Lord that both men are working again in preparation of the mill once again coming back on line next week.
Did we learn anything? Would we respond the same way again? Or, slower? Or, sooner?
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."" (Joh 13:34-35 ESV)
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1Jo 3:17 ESV)
Are my eyes any keener to perceive needs that a brother might have?
This is a reflection of a recent situation which God placed before us. At this point I can not say if we did well or not, but I thought some reflection might be helpful.
Briefly, during the first week of May this year two of the men in our church, along with about 300 others, lost their job due to a mill closing. I had not inquired as to the financial security of these men and their families. But let me ask, “What did I assume?” And, “How did I respond to this assumption?”
Time went by. Was I growing more concerned in my prayers? And did I do anything to provide comfort or relief to these families? Or did I even remember or care?
We praise the Lord that both men are working again in preparation of the mill once again coming back on line next week.
Did we learn anything? Would we respond the same way again? Or, slower? Or, sooner?
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."" (Joh 13:34-35 ESV)
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1Jo 3:17 ESV)
Are my eyes any keener to perceive needs that a brother might have?
Friday, May 29, 2009
Life goes on.
Pastoring a small church in a small town is not the most 'exciting' job in the world. Funerals are even few and far between, as are weddings, births of new babies (though one is in development) and major crisis that get the pastor out of bed during the middle of the night are mainly limited to his mother-in-law thinking that it is time to get up, a bit early.
There is a sense of predictable-ness, settled-ness, that to some, I am sure, would led them to find a church where more was going on, yet on the other hand, this could be a great attraction for others. Yes, I like it here. However, ministering in small churches in small towns may not lack excitement if one may see the hand of God at work.
I have been here a little over a year now. Time has allowed me to see who I am ministering to and with, but do we know each other well? We are working on it. This is a long term, God willing, assignment.
What is really exciting is to see God changing lives, mine and others and, corporeally, the whole body together, into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. How does one know that this is happening? The halos of the saints shine brighter as they become holier, haven't you noticed? Well, it is not that easy. Interest in and participation in the life of a church does not make one a saint, yet these may be encouraging signs. Comments made of understanding the Bible better may warm a pastor's heart. Testimonies of reading the Scriptures and applying them to one's life are encouraging. Seeing evidences of love for one another, or, hearing of a saint taking a stand for the Lord, are other bits of evidence.
Perhaps none of these things are, of themselves, a clear, convincing, sign of God working, but as they accumulate over the years they make a pastor's heart and soul glad. (Phi 4:1 ESV) "Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved."
Pastoring a small church in a small town is not the most 'exciting' job in the world. Funerals are even few and far between, as are weddings, births of new babies (though one is in development) and major crisis that get the pastor out of bed during the middle of the night are mainly limited to his mother-in-law thinking that it is time to get up, a bit early.
There is a sense of predictable-ness, settled-ness, that to some, I am sure, would led them to find a church where more was going on, yet on the other hand, this could be a great attraction for others. Yes, I like it here. However, ministering in small churches in small towns may not lack excitement if one may see the hand of God at work.
I have been here a little over a year now. Time has allowed me to see who I am ministering to and with, but do we know each other well? We are working on it. This is a long term, God willing, assignment.
What is really exciting is to see God changing lives, mine and others and, corporeally, the whole body together, into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. How does one know that this is happening? The halos of the saints shine brighter as they become holier, haven't you noticed? Well, it is not that easy. Interest in and participation in the life of a church does not make one a saint, yet these may be encouraging signs. Comments made of understanding the Bible better may warm a pastor's heart. Testimonies of reading the Scriptures and applying them to one's life are encouraging. Seeing evidences of love for one another, or, hearing of a saint taking a stand for the Lord, are other bits of evidence.
Perhaps none of these things are, of themselves, a clear, convincing, sign of God working, but as they accumulate over the years they make a pastor's heart and soul glad. (Phi 4:1 ESV) "Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved."
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Blame?
May we, the Christian community, lay all of the blame regarding Maine's legalization of homosexual marriage on to the secular community, or is there also room for us to shoulder some of the responsibility for this change as well?
I suggest that in two areas the Church has failed. First, we have often abandoned the political arena as being too secular; while on our part we continue to expect these secular politicians to behave as believers. They will pursue a secular agenda just as a believer ought to pursue an agenda based upon a Christian worldview.
The second area is within marriage itself.
Here, I believe, we have fallen short in two areas. The first, often our own marriages are not examples of what God has commanded. Christians have affairs, suffer unfaithfulness and divorce; we do have hard hearts.
Secondly, a huge component of marriage is, by God's will, children. Sadly, the Christian community has followed the world's thinking by regarding children as an expense and burden, so we have only our 1.6 or so children. Some of these children do not believe, some are religious but live as practical atheists, while a portion, but not a large enough portion to sustain a Christian culture, believes and follows the Lord.
Therefore, we have conceded to the world the political arena through our deliberate failure to have children – contrary to God's command to be fruitful and multiply. Further, we have the audacity to be upset with the world.
Other factors are involved in the process which led to this, certainly, and ultimately, God is the one who sits upon the throne, controlling not only individual hearts but the political arena as well.
May marriage be once again defined as the union of a man and a woman? Maybe, but we will continue to lose the war by our own laxness in these two areas. The Church must dig its roots deeper into the Word while raising up political leaders. Our marriages must shine brightly, not just with love, but, with the man reflecting Christ's love for his bride and the woman portraying the Church's submission to her head. While with God's blessing lots of children ought to be welcomed into our families.
May we, the Christian community, lay all of the blame regarding Maine's legalization of homosexual marriage on to the secular community, or is there also room for us to shoulder some of the responsibility for this change as well?
I suggest that in two areas the Church has failed. First, we have often abandoned the political arena as being too secular; while on our part we continue to expect these secular politicians to behave as believers. They will pursue a secular agenda just as a believer ought to pursue an agenda based upon a Christian worldview.
The second area is within marriage itself.
Here, I believe, we have fallen short in two areas. The first, often our own marriages are not examples of what God has commanded. Christians have affairs, suffer unfaithfulness and divorce; we do have hard hearts.
Secondly, a huge component of marriage is, by God's will, children. Sadly, the Christian community has followed the world's thinking by regarding children as an expense and burden, so we have only our 1.6 or so children. Some of these children do not believe, some are religious but live as practical atheists, while a portion, but not a large enough portion to sustain a Christian culture, believes and follows the Lord.
Therefore, we have conceded to the world the political arena through our deliberate failure to have children – contrary to God's command to be fruitful and multiply. Further, we have the audacity to be upset with the world.
Other factors are involved in the process which led to this, certainly, and ultimately, God is the one who sits upon the throne, controlling not only individual hearts but the political arena as well.
May marriage be once again defined as the union of a man and a woman? Maybe, but we will continue to lose the war by our own laxness in these two areas. The Church must dig its roots deeper into the Word while raising up political leaders. Our marriages must shine brightly, not just with love, but, with the man reflecting Christ's love for his bride and the woman portraying the Church's submission to her head. While with God's blessing lots of children ought to be welcomed into our families.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Today marks another demonstration of the changing theological mindset of Mainers. There is a public hearing in Augusta on a bill which would legalize homosexual marriage. Once proposing such a bill would have been unthinkable. Across all of New England there has been a memory lose of our Christian roots. Many rejoice over this. Psalm 2 accurately portrays our present day's culture as “raging” against God, this is accompanied with an endeavor to throw off the fetters (God's law) that binds us. God is said to laugh at our attempts to be rid of him. He may laugh because He has installed His own Son as King, giving to him all the nations of the earth.
One day the Son will smash, as an iron rod would smash a clay vessel, all who rebel against God. In the meanwhile, an invitation is issued to the kings of the earth, to kiss the Son, to humble themselves under his rule, before the time of mercy is over and it is too late.
Unless God is pleased to change the thinking of a lot of people I believe that one day our state will adopt such sinfulness. The Scriptures tell us plainly in Romans 1 that homosexuality is one of the signs that shows that God has given a people over to their own desires, that God has abandoned us. While this might sound like we are getting exactly what we want, there is a price to pay: eternal condemnation away from any and all of the blessings of God. There will be no joy.
Romans 1 ends with this statement: (Rom 1:32 ESV) "Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” So today as well, we have a number people who, while they do not practice homosexual behavior, seem to be very eager to give approval to what God has declared to be an abomination.
If our region is running rapidly away from any memory of its Christian roots what will take the place of Christianity in defining who we are individually and collectively. Will the Maine legislature state definitively that we no longer stand upon a Christian foundation? Will they state what we do now stand upon? Will one theology/worldview fill the vacuum or will we all do what is right in our own eyes?
The question is not limited to: “What will we wisely adopt as our defining statement?” It is also: “To what will God give us over?” Further, will we be able to live with consistency within this new and better world?
(Heb 10:31 ESV) "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
One day the Son will smash, as an iron rod would smash a clay vessel, all who rebel against God. In the meanwhile, an invitation is issued to the kings of the earth, to kiss the Son, to humble themselves under his rule, before the time of mercy is over and it is too late.
Unless God is pleased to change the thinking of a lot of people I believe that one day our state will adopt such sinfulness. The Scriptures tell us plainly in Romans 1 that homosexuality is one of the signs that shows that God has given a people over to their own desires, that God has abandoned us. While this might sound like we are getting exactly what we want, there is a price to pay: eternal condemnation away from any and all of the blessings of God. There will be no joy.
Romans 1 ends with this statement: (Rom 1:32 ESV) "Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” So today as well, we have a number people who, while they do not practice homosexual behavior, seem to be very eager to give approval to what God has declared to be an abomination.
If our region is running rapidly away from any memory of its Christian roots what will take the place of Christianity in defining who we are individually and collectively. Will the Maine legislature state definitively that we no longer stand upon a Christian foundation? Will they state what we do now stand upon? Will one theology/worldview fill the vacuum or will we all do what is right in our own eyes?
The question is not limited to: “What will we wisely adopt as our defining statement?” It is also: “To what will God give us over?” Further, will we be able to live with consistency within this new and better world?
(Heb 10:31 ESV) "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Friday, April 03, 2009
Does the size of a bowl determine its worth?
Along with being a pastor I also do some wood turning. A wonderful variety of items may be formed on a lathe; however, let's consider bowls for a few minutes. Hypothetically, let's place two bowls before us, which I, of course, turned. One is about 6 ½ inches across while the other is 16 inches. Now for the really hard part. Today I am not going to give you one of these bowls, rather you are interested in purchasing one from me, thus I have to decide what I will charge you. Many factors play a role in arriving at a price, including, what type of wood they are made of, is there anything special about the figure of the wood, does the shape add to the value or not, is it finished well, how does it feels when you pick it up, etc., and of course, its size. Do you expect to pay the same price for the smaller bowl as you would for the larger one? Many bowls are priced by the inch, with credit being given, plus or minus, for other features. Others however, argue the value of the bowl as an item turned by a particular turner ought to be the same regardless of the size. Thus when you inquire as to why both bowls cost $300, I respond with the following: “Each of my bowls are a labor of love and skill. That skill has been developed over years. The knowledge of what is a good and pleasing bowl shape has been refined over years. Now each bowl that I turn reflects not just the time that it took to turn and finish it, but years of learning about bowls, and above all they reflect something about me. With each piece of wood I form the best bowl that I can. Though some bowls have darker color than others, some bowls are taller while others are flatter, and yes, others are larger, but each one is a bowl made my ME.”
Does God place value according to size? Weight? Color? Or shape? Is a tree of more value than a spider or a fish or a man?
Mediate on the following: ESV Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
ESV Matthew 12:12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
And again Christ's words in the following passage: (Mar 8:35-38 ESV) "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.""
Yes, it is clear, Man is special. His soul is of great value. Yet is the soul of each human of equal value? When does it start to have this value? Is its value in anyway connected with the size, color and configuration of the physical vessel in which it dwells?
We humans tend to look at the outward shape/appearance of the vessel. Assessments of value are made according to our perceptions. God, on the other hand, sees the full value of the soul, something that no man can fully grasp, at least during this life.
I believe God looks at each of us, valuing the soul – saying to each, “I have made you, formed you, in my likeness. I don't value you by the inch or pound, but by what I put into you.”
Therefore, how should we think of ourselves? Of others? And will I sell my bowls by the inch or by their value as a reflection of the work of one made in the likeness of his Creator?
My bowls? I hope to continue to sell my bowls to the average person, not just to collectors!
Along with being a pastor I also do some wood turning. A wonderful variety of items may be formed on a lathe; however, let's consider bowls for a few minutes. Hypothetically, let's place two bowls before us, which I, of course, turned. One is about 6 ½ inches across while the other is 16 inches. Now for the really hard part. Today I am not going to give you one of these bowls, rather you are interested in purchasing one from me, thus I have to decide what I will charge you. Many factors play a role in arriving at a price, including, what type of wood they are made of, is there anything special about the figure of the wood, does the shape add to the value or not, is it finished well, how does it feels when you pick it up, etc., and of course, its size. Do you expect to pay the same price for the smaller bowl as you would for the larger one? Many bowls are priced by the inch, with credit being given, plus or minus, for other features. Others however, argue the value of the bowl as an item turned by a particular turner ought to be the same regardless of the size. Thus when you inquire as to why both bowls cost $300, I respond with the following: “Each of my bowls are a labor of love and skill. That skill has been developed over years. The knowledge of what is a good and pleasing bowl shape has been refined over years. Now each bowl that I turn reflects not just the time that it took to turn and finish it, but years of learning about bowls, and above all they reflect something about me. With each piece of wood I form the best bowl that I can. Though some bowls have darker color than others, some bowls are taller while others are flatter, and yes, others are larger, but each one is a bowl made my ME.”
Does God place value according to size? Weight? Color? Or shape? Is a tree of more value than a spider or a fish or a man?
Mediate on the following: ESV Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
ESV Matthew 12:12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
And again Christ's words in the following passage: (Mar 8:35-38 ESV) "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.""
Yes, it is clear, Man is special. His soul is of great value. Yet is the soul of each human of equal value? When does it start to have this value? Is its value in anyway connected with the size, color and configuration of the physical vessel in which it dwells?
We humans tend to look at the outward shape/appearance of the vessel. Assessments of value are made according to our perceptions. God, on the other hand, sees the full value of the soul, something that no man can fully grasp, at least during this life.
I believe God looks at each of us, valuing the soul – saying to each, “I have made you, formed you, in my likeness. I don't value you by the inch or pound, but by what I put into you.”
Therefore, how should we think of ourselves? Of others? And will I sell my bowls by the inch or by their value as a reflection of the work of one made in the likeness of his Creator?
My bowls? I hope to continue to sell my bowls to the average person, not just to collectors!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Should believers feel terror or awe or fearful in the presence of Christ?
I am reading RC Sproul's “The Holiness of God” as part of on going self educational advancement program. He suggests that if we understand the holiness of God, and in particular as we get to know the three persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that there is a line, with comfort, peace and joy on the one side and terror on the other side. He is correct?
Let us consider, very briefly, several passages.
"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." (Rev 1:17-18 ESV)
The verse follows a description John, the beloved disciple, seeing Christ in glory. He was not able to, nor did he want to, lean back upon him to engage in a comfortable conversation. John was terrified at the sight of his Lord
Mark record a time when Christ was sleeping in a boat in which his disciples were attempting to cross the sea. A storm arose, so severely that these seasoned fishermen, were afraid of drowning. They awoke Christ, though the account does not give us their reason for waking him. We do not know what they expected of him.
"And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?"
41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?""
(Mar 4:39-1 ESV)
The disciples were perhaps more afraid of Christ after he calmed the wind and sea than they had been in the face of the storm. "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" They were wondering what kind of man, of being, this man was. He was not ordinary man, that was for sure.
One last consideration. Jesus has power to forgive sin. In the incident of the man being let down through the roof in order for Christ to heal him. When Christ saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." (Luk 5:20 ESV) The religious leaders questioned in their hearts: "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (5:21) Christ went on to heal the man “that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”. (5:24)
Does Christ have to forgive any particular person of sin? Is the prerogative to forgive in his hands? Therefore, he ought to be feared. He may not forgive! There is something about him that is bigger, more wonderful, more . . . awesome . . . than we are. If one has come to the real Christ, there is real reason to feel an uneasiness in our hearts. We are in the presence of God who does according to His will at all times.
I am reading RC Sproul's “The Holiness of God” as part of on going self educational advancement program. He suggests that if we understand the holiness of God, and in particular as we get to know the three persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that there is a line, with comfort, peace and joy on the one side and terror on the other side. He is correct?
Let us consider, very briefly, several passages.
"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." (Rev 1:17-18 ESV)
The verse follows a description John, the beloved disciple, seeing Christ in glory. He was not able to, nor did he want to, lean back upon him to engage in a comfortable conversation. John was terrified at the sight of his Lord
Mark record a time when Christ was sleeping in a boat in which his disciples were attempting to cross the sea. A storm arose, so severely that these seasoned fishermen, were afraid of drowning. They awoke Christ, though the account does not give us their reason for waking him. We do not know what they expected of him.
"And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?"
41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?""
(Mar 4:39-1 ESV)
The disciples were perhaps more afraid of Christ after he calmed the wind and sea than they had been in the face of the storm. "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" They were wondering what kind of man, of being, this man was. He was not ordinary man, that was for sure.
One last consideration. Jesus has power to forgive sin. In the incident of the man being let down through the roof in order for Christ to heal him. When Christ saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." (Luk 5:20 ESV) The religious leaders questioned in their hearts: "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (5:21) Christ went on to heal the man “that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”. (5:24)
Does Christ have to forgive any particular person of sin? Is the prerogative to forgive in his hands? Therefore, he ought to be feared. He may not forgive! There is something about him that is bigger, more wonderful, more . . . awesome . . . than we are. If one has come to the real Christ, there is real reason to feel an uneasiness in our hearts. We are in the presence of God who does according to His will at all times.
Monday, March 02, 2009
10 days without a wife.
I am fair sized, maybe past my prime, but hopefully not too far over the hill. My mind can still remember most things. She is small, and growing smaller, frail and can not remember things. The two of us have been together for a number of years now. She is my mother-in-law.
Her daughter, the one I married, is off visiting one of our daughters, playing the role of grandmother to their two young daughters.
First, I am very pleased that my wife can make this visit. A friend of hers who was driving to Virginia wanted a passenger.
Secondly, while the above is true, this visit has give me an opportunity to care for my mother-in-law. While physically healthy she is frail, her mind can not retain current events or even much of the past. While she might remember past accommodation she can not hang onto the information that she now lives in our house with us. She remembers being helpful while not remembering that she can not do even the simplest tasks now without constant supervision.
Therefore, while my wife has been away I have moved from the church office to our living room. I am here to care for her. While not physically demanding, this task does call for patience, love, thoughtfulness and gentleness. These virtues are not all naturally occurring in me. I do testify that if these have been in my life this week, as at any time, they are there because of the God who is working His work in me. (Eph. 2:10)
There have been time when I just wanted to . . . However, at the same time, my companion has been relatively easy to care for. There has been but one major mishap to clean up, there could have been many more. I must give praise and credit to the Lord for providing, in his grace and providence, a pleasant time.
As I have aged, i.e. gotten wiser, I have come to realize that doing all to the glory of God does not necessarily mean that I will be assigned big heroic jobs to do for God one after another. More likely, I might be assigned to care for an elderly lady who will provide me with numerous opportunities to do things, conscientiously, for God's glory. These opportunities might easily be missed if I am just waiting for that big moment to serve God, while growing impatience with the constant repetition of questions or statements, uncertainty of purpose for the moment, and the slowness of movement through even the simplest of tasks.
I would like to report that I have done all things perfectly for God's glory. However, that would be a lie. What I can do is testify that God's grace has been sufficient for the moment. Yes, I have struggled, but thanks be to God, I have overcome, by the blood of the Lamb.
I am fair sized, maybe past my prime, but hopefully not too far over the hill. My mind can still remember most things. She is small, and growing smaller, frail and can not remember things. The two of us have been together for a number of years now. She is my mother-in-law.
Her daughter, the one I married, is off visiting one of our daughters, playing the role of grandmother to their two young daughters.
First, I am very pleased that my wife can make this visit. A friend of hers who was driving to Virginia wanted a passenger.
Secondly, while the above is true, this visit has give me an opportunity to care for my mother-in-law. While physically healthy she is frail, her mind can not retain current events or even much of the past. While she might remember past accommodation she can not hang onto the information that she now lives in our house with us. She remembers being helpful while not remembering that she can not do even the simplest tasks now without constant supervision.
Therefore, while my wife has been away I have moved from the church office to our living room. I am here to care for her. While not physically demanding, this task does call for patience, love, thoughtfulness and gentleness. These virtues are not all naturally occurring in me. I do testify that if these have been in my life this week, as at any time, they are there because of the God who is working His work in me. (Eph. 2:10)
There have been time when I just wanted to . . . However, at the same time, my companion has been relatively easy to care for. There has been but one major mishap to clean up, there could have been many more. I must give praise and credit to the Lord for providing, in his grace and providence, a pleasant time.
As I have aged, i.e. gotten wiser, I have come to realize that doing all to the glory of God does not necessarily mean that I will be assigned big heroic jobs to do for God one after another. More likely, I might be assigned to care for an elderly lady who will provide me with numerous opportunities to do things, conscientiously, for God's glory. These opportunities might easily be missed if I am just waiting for that big moment to serve God, while growing impatience with the constant repetition of questions or statements, uncertainty of purpose for the moment, and the slowness of movement through even the simplest of tasks.
I would like to report that I have done all things perfectly for God's glory. However, that would be a lie. What I can do is testify that God's grace has been sufficient for the moment. Yes, I have struggled, but thanks be to God, I have overcome, by the blood of the Lamb.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The State vs God's Word.
Our state, local and Federal governments, while never perfect, were at one time built upon an understanding of God's law. As time has progressed we are defining right and wrong more from our own understanding than from God's Word, and thus we are departing severely from where we first stood, in many cases.
Believers are faced with the issue of which to follow: the State or the Lord? For some of us, as long as we are good citizens of our state, read our Bibles some and are in church fairly often then we believe all is well between ourselves and God. Likely this is not so!
Here is one example: the issue of divorce and remarriage. Our state a divorce is easy to obtain. Once the divorce is finalized a new marriage is permitted. We, believers, are happy when we or our children are doing things legally. Yet, if one settles for the standard that is given by our State, we would do well to realize that we often are falling short of God's standard. Does this possibility disturb us? Christ's teaching on remarriage was so sever that it brought about this response from his disciples: "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." (Mat 19:10 ESV) The situation that led to this response by the disciples began with the Pharisees asking Jesus: “"Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" (Mat 19:3 ESV) Christ points out that in the beginning God had made male and female. Then Christ makes this statement: “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." (Mat 19:6 ESV) This is followed by the revelation that it is because of the hardness of our hearts that divorce was permitted, not commanded. Therefore, Christ continues, (to paraphrase) remarriage except in the case of our spouse committing adultery is a sin because upon remarriage we ourselves are committing adultery, for in God's sight, our first marriage was not broken.
Are there other issues out there in which the Christian community is patting itself on its back because they are following legal guidelines, yet completely missing the clear Word of our God? I fear that this might be so.
The Lord's Church must not settle for conformity to the state. Rather we must proclaim: “We are the Lord's body.” ""Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." 18 "For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." 19 "Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-19 ESV)
Our state, local and Federal governments, while never perfect, were at one time built upon an understanding of God's law. As time has progressed we are defining right and wrong more from our own understanding than from God's Word, and thus we are departing severely from where we first stood, in many cases.
Believers are faced with the issue of which to follow: the State or the Lord? For some of us, as long as we are good citizens of our state, read our Bibles some and are in church fairly often then we believe all is well between ourselves and God. Likely this is not so!
Here is one example: the issue of divorce and remarriage. Our state a divorce is easy to obtain. Once the divorce is finalized a new marriage is permitted. We, believers, are happy when we or our children are doing things legally. Yet, if one settles for the standard that is given by our State, we would do well to realize that we often are falling short of God's standard. Does this possibility disturb us? Christ's teaching on remarriage was so sever that it brought about this response from his disciples: "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." (Mat 19:10 ESV) The situation that led to this response by the disciples began with the Pharisees asking Jesus: “"Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" (Mat 19:3 ESV) Christ points out that in the beginning God had made male and female. Then Christ makes this statement: “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." (Mat 19:6 ESV) This is followed by the revelation that it is because of the hardness of our hearts that divorce was permitted, not commanded. Therefore, Christ continues, (to paraphrase) remarriage except in the case of our spouse committing adultery is a sin because upon remarriage we ourselves are committing adultery, for in God's sight, our first marriage was not broken.
Are there other issues out there in which the Christian community is patting itself on its back because they are following legal guidelines, yet completely missing the clear Word of our God? I fear that this might be so.
The Lord's Church must not settle for conformity to the state. Rather we must proclaim: “We are the Lord's body.” ""Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." 18 "For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." 19 "Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-19 ESV)
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The art of giving a good speech
or
Teaching the Word
As a pastor/teacher (Eph. 4:1,12) I am sent by our Lord to teach His word to His people, and to others as well. Paul instructions to Timothy and Titus contain the words: teacher, teach and teaching(s). While I believe those of us called to teach ought to strive by God's grace and gifts to do the best job that we are able to do, we are not called to give good speeches. I would distinguish between a speech and a teaching along these lines. A teacher is first interested in teaching something. While a speaker might be interested in teaching, the impact or impress of his speaking, his style, his use of illustrations and many other factors move to the fore front of his task. Paul tells the Corinthians that he did not come to them with persuasive words of wisdom, (1 Co. 1:17,24,30; 2:1,4ff,13) in other words, Paul thought there was something of higher importance than being known as a top notch speaker.
A teacher of God's Word would lay the foundation of Christ and build upon this, while trusting in His gracious God to build His house. In this light a teacher of God's Word is not much different from a teacher of math or language. This teaching would be done by patiently going over the material, re-enforcing it and building upon the basics. This very process of teaching has a higher priority than anything else, other than being true to the Word.
Maybe if I were a conference speaker or someone showing up to 'preach' once at a church I might think about making a 'speech'. Hum, but if I did what would be my goal? However, I'm building a church, which is to grow in the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, if God would so blesses.
or
Teaching the Word
As a pastor/teacher (Eph. 4:1,12) I am sent by our Lord to teach His word to His people, and to others as well. Paul instructions to Timothy and Titus contain the words: teacher, teach and teaching(s). While I believe those of us called to teach ought to strive by God's grace and gifts to do the best job that we are able to do, we are not called to give good speeches. I would distinguish between a speech and a teaching along these lines. A teacher is first interested in teaching something. While a speaker might be interested in teaching, the impact or impress of his speaking, his style, his use of illustrations and many other factors move to the fore front of his task. Paul tells the Corinthians that he did not come to them with persuasive words of wisdom, (1 Co. 1:17,24,30; 2:1,4ff,13) in other words, Paul thought there was something of higher importance than being known as a top notch speaker.
A teacher of God's Word would lay the foundation of Christ and build upon this, while trusting in His gracious God to build His house. In this light a teacher of God's Word is not much different from a teacher of math or language. This teaching would be done by patiently going over the material, re-enforcing it and building upon the basics. This very process of teaching has a higher priority than anything else, other than being true to the Word.
Maybe if I were a conference speaker or someone showing up to 'preach' once at a church I might think about making a 'speech'. Hum, but if I did what would be my goal? However, I'm building a church, which is to grow in the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, if God would so blesses.
Monday, February 02, 2009
There has been a gap between this blog and the last one. My wife and I went away for 3 days, all by ourselves. We had an enjoyable time together.
Pastors are people just like everyone else. Time with my wife is important for both of us. Our mornings were spent reading and studying, while in the afternoons we window shopped and visited the exercise room. (We actually did spend a little money here and there.) We also visited art galleries, a woodworking school and other points of interest. Bobbi sat at my feet some of the time, actually, she was a yard or two away, braiding a rug. I just happened to be sitting near her. I did, however, give her feet some kind of treatment. She had this tube of stuff to be followed by several other tubes of who knows what! Now she has the softest feet around!
We watched a few movies, and listened to a story on tape. I enjoyed listening to her laugh.
Mom went to a respite home for the time while some friends stayed with Lydia, interrupting her schedule.
Now we are all back together.
This was a nice 'break', for which we praise the Lord!
Pastors are people just like everyone else. Time with my wife is important for both of us. Our mornings were spent reading and studying, while in the afternoons we window shopped and visited the exercise room. (We actually did spend a little money here and there.) We also visited art galleries, a woodworking school and other points of interest. Bobbi sat at my feet some of the time, actually, she was a yard or two away, braiding a rug. I just happened to be sitting near her. I did, however, give her feet some kind of treatment. She had this tube of stuff to be followed by several other tubes of who knows what! Now she has the softest feet around!
We watched a few movies, and listened to a story on tape. I enjoyed listening to her laugh.
Mom went to a respite home for the time while some friends stayed with Lydia, interrupting her schedule.
Now we are all back together.
This was a nice 'break', for which we praise the Lord!
Monday, January 19, 2009
On Being a Happily Married Man.
The other day someone commented, “You are a happily married man”.
I've been thinking about this some. Yes, I believe this statement is true, and I would offer the following regarding how this may have come about.
First of all, without any negative reflection upon any one else, I find my happiness, or contentment in the Lord. This comes about because God in His grace has owned me as His Own and turned my heart towards Him through Christ, to own Him as My God. The last commandment, “You shall not covet . . .”, rephrased as, “find contentment in God and what He give us”, is key to my happiness. Along with this is a line which Christ quotes from the OT, ESV Mat 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, "' Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
As I do not practice the above to perfection, the happiness of my heart is often in fluctuation. In other words, I am not perfectly, absolutely happy. This is a confession of my sinfulness and of my lack of finding fulfillment in my God and Savior.
A second point, contributing to my happiness, is my wife. For her I am greatly thankful. Now she too is subject to the same weaknesses that I expressed in point number one. My reason for saying this is simply to express that she is not absolutely happy all the time either. With the blessing of the Lord she makes a major contribution to my happiness as she too seeks to walk with the Lord. She is, however, not my happiness.
Third, in general my children and grandchildren add to my happiness. Some of our children walk with the Lord, while others do not. This does effect my happiness, yet the more I find God, as the all-that-I-need-one, the less I find other people influencing the state of my heart. Again, moment by moment I do have my ups and downs. Without going into any details, both my wife and I agree that what struggles and hurts we have been handed have been for our good.
Fourth, God's Word say (Philippians 2:12,13) “to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you . . .” In my heart, I have had to work and work, lest sin and the flesh overwhelm me. Being a happily married man has not been a natural occurrence or an accident, but is the fruit of a deliberate walk with the Lord and of His blessing.
Almost lastly, I am finding, praise be to the Lord, that I am maturing spiritually over time. There has been more unhappiness in the past, and the struggle is not over. While, to some minor degree others may have played some part regarding my lack of happiness, as I reflect upon these situations, I must confess that my heart was not upon the Lord. I would even think to blame him from time to time. There is not happiness there.
And now, lastly, as a human being I do not know what the rest of this day will hold. I am supposed to pick up some milk on the way home, a certain brand and a certain percent milk. Will I? Will I be able to? Will I have a wife and family to go home to? There are many other what-if's. Therefore, I will say, “The Lord willing”. That is my joy and happiness. The Lord.
The other day someone commented, “You are a happily married man”.
I've been thinking about this some. Yes, I believe this statement is true, and I would offer the following regarding how this may have come about.
First of all, without any negative reflection upon any one else, I find my happiness, or contentment in the Lord. This comes about because God in His grace has owned me as His Own and turned my heart towards Him through Christ, to own Him as My God. The last commandment, “You shall not covet . . .”, rephrased as, “find contentment in God and what He give us”, is key to my happiness. Along with this is a line which Christ quotes from the OT, ESV Mat 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, "' Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
As I do not practice the above to perfection, the happiness of my heart is often in fluctuation. In other words, I am not perfectly, absolutely happy. This is a confession of my sinfulness and of my lack of finding fulfillment in my God and Savior.
A second point, contributing to my happiness, is my wife. For her I am greatly thankful. Now she too is subject to the same weaknesses that I expressed in point number one. My reason for saying this is simply to express that she is not absolutely happy all the time either. With the blessing of the Lord she makes a major contribution to my happiness as she too seeks to walk with the Lord. She is, however, not my happiness.
Third, in general my children and grandchildren add to my happiness. Some of our children walk with the Lord, while others do not. This does effect my happiness, yet the more I find God, as the all-that-I-need-one, the less I find other people influencing the state of my heart. Again, moment by moment I do have my ups and downs. Without going into any details, both my wife and I agree that what struggles and hurts we have been handed have been for our good.
Fourth, God's Word say (Philippians 2:12,13) “to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you . . .” In my heart, I have had to work and work, lest sin and the flesh overwhelm me. Being a happily married man has not been a natural occurrence or an accident, but is the fruit of a deliberate walk with the Lord and of His blessing.
Almost lastly, I am finding, praise be to the Lord, that I am maturing spiritually over time. There has been more unhappiness in the past, and the struggle is not over. While, to some minor degree others may have played some part regarding my lack of happiness, as I reflect upon these situations, I must confess that my heart was not upon the Lord. I would even think to blame him from time to time. There is not happiness there.
And now, lastly, as a human being I do not know what the rest of this day will hold. I am supposed to pick up some milk on the way home, a certain brand and a certain percent milk. Will I? Will I be able to? Will I have a wife and family to go home to? There are many other what-if's. Therefore, I will say, “The Lord willing”. That is my joy and happiness. The Lord.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Pastoring
Pastoring is shepherding. Shepherding implies at least two things.
First, the sheep can not make it on their own. They need help and a portion of help comes in the form of a shepherd. One must remember that it is the Lord who both declares that there is a need and also supplies the fix. While it might be humbling to acknowledge not just that the church is needy but that I have a need, we ought to be comforted in understanding that we all share Adam's nature.
The need is met in and through the Lord providing a shepherd. The Scriptures define this shepherd as an under-shepherd of the Chief Shepherd who is none other than Christ the Lord. An humbling point for the shepherd to remember is that he too is a sheep, and as a sheep he too share in human weakness and must also follow the Shepherd as well. Doesn't our Lord do things in an interesting manner? Yet, he also supplies the shepherd with the gifts that he needs to shepherd other sheep. If there is good shepherding going on, we must first, and above all, give thanks to the Lord.
A problem arises when the sheep see the weakness of the shepherd and despise him. A solution that is offered in Scripture is to pray for one another, to admonish and encourage one another. This includes praying for our under-shepherd. Obedience, not blind obedience to the shepherd, but cheerful, trusting obedience to The Shepherd, on the part of the sheep is something of great encouragement to the under-shepherd.
ESV Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
ESV 3Jo 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
ESV Luk 22:26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
Pastoring is shepherding. Shepherding implies at least two things.
First, the sheep can not make it on their own. They need help and a portion of help comes in the form of a shepherd. One must remember that it is the Lord who both declares that there is a need and also supplies the fix. While it might be humbling to acknowledge not just that the church is needy but that I have a need, we ought to be comforted in understanding that we all share Adam's nature.
The need is met in and through the Lord providing a shepherd. The Scriptures define this shepherd as an under-shepherd of the Chief Shepherd who is none other than Christ the Lord. An humbling point for the shepherd to remember is that he too is a sheep, and as a sheep he too share in human weakness and must also follow the Shepherd as well. Doesn't our Lord do things in an interesting manner? Yet, he also supplies the shepherd with the gifts that he needs to shepherd other sheep. If there is good shepherding going on, we must first, and above all, give thanks to the Lord.
A problem arises when the sheep see the weakness of the shepherd and despise him. A solution that is offered in Scripture is to pray for one another, to admonish and encourage one another. This includes praying for our under-shepherd. Obedience, not blind obedience to the shepherd, but cheerful, trusting obedience to The Shepherd, on the part of the sheep is something of great encouragement to the under-shepherd.
ESV Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
ESV 3Jo 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
ESV Luk 22:26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
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