Living With An Eternal Perspective

Phil Ryken quoted a friend of his who is dying. These are very powerful and needed words for those seeking a home whose architect is God.

“In recent years, God has taught me not to hold on to my life so dearly. For what we cling so desperately to, we soon begin to fret and worry about. Fretting and worry lead to fear; fear results in poverty–poverty of spirit and heart and hope. I have been struck this week with the thought of living life generously, of spending my life like the wealthy man that I am because we cannot hoard our days in a bank account or investment. This week I have been writing letters of encouragement, writing furiously in the journals I am leaving to my boys (I’m up to page 115 for each), and pretty much praying without ceasing. As always, I have lavished attention on my sons, but I’ve looked for every opportunity to praise or give hope to those around me.

“I encourage you to do the same. Spend life generously. If you’re a child of God, you are wealthy. Don’t grip your life so tightly that you shrink inward and become impoverished and a miser of your days. Move forward today and every day with boldness and laughter and generosity and hope and the power of God’s Spirit.”

What are Creeds?

An excellent reminder by Sean Lucas on the purpose of creeds. Check it out here.

God’s Bigness Brings Us Joy

Psalm 95:1-5

“Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.”

The Sovereignty of God

I love, embrace, believe, enjoy, revel, trust, and find soul-satisfaction that God is sovereign over all events.

Lately, it seems like our lives have been tossed all around by different events and circumstances. It’s as if we are the ball in a pinball machine.

Today, our lives took another turn.

When I look back through a year-long maze of events that took place to get us where we are today, it doesn’t make sense. You see, I love, embrace, believe, enjoy, revel, trust, and find soul-satisfaction that God is sovereign over all events, but I don’t understand the means He uses to give me the good from all the events in my life (Romans 8:28).

The beauty of all this: I don’t have to fully understand it! I don’t have to fully get it! I don’t fully understand how all the clouds form, but I enjoy them. I don’t fully understand how each rose develops, but I enjoy them. I don’t fully understand how God knits together children in their mother’s womb, but I enjoy them.

I revel in the doctrine of God’s sovereignty; what joy it brings! And for the one who has eyes to see, he doesn’t have to fully get it in order to love the God who orchestrates the events of life in perfect harmony out of His infinite wisdom.

Isaiah 42:8-9 “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his promise.”

How God Motivates

I found this brief blog entry by John Piper very helpful in thinking through how God uses different motivations for us to do God’s will.

Possible Thesis Studies for 17th Century

Here is a great list of possible thesis studies for the 17th century. Whether doing a thesis or not, these would make a great study for anyone.

(HT: Michael Haykin)

Thomas Chalmers on Hard Work

Thomas Chalmers on what it takes to enjoy real excellence (quoted in The St. Andrews Seven). This is what we all need to study the Word of God.

It is by dint of steady labour–it is by giving enough of application to the work, and having enough of time for the doing of it–it is by regular painstaking and the constant  assiduities–it is by these, and not by any process of legerdemain, that we secure the strength and the staple of real excellence.

May we all labor diligently in God’s Word to get the meaning right!

Christianity and Youth

Here is an excellent quote by William Orme on the affects of religion on youth. William Orme was a Congregationalist minister in Perth, Scotland in the late 1700’s and 1800’s. He also wrote a biography on 17th century Puritan, John Owen. This quote is found in The St. Andrews Seven by Stuart Piggin and John Roxborogh, published by Banner of Truth Trust.

“Few things in the history of religion are more interesting than the commencement and progress of Christianity on a young, an ardent, and a highly cultivated mind…It presents to such an individual a new world, teeming with objects of intense interest, and calling forth his deepest sympathy, and his noblest ambition.”

In order to see vital Christian life in our youth, we must give them the living Word of God; only life produces life! We must not expect to see the life of Christ in those to whom we don’t preach the life of Christ. Only spiritual means with spiritual goals will accomplish spiritual life. It doesn’t matter the age, give them Christ!

Let us labor as Paul did until Christ is formed in the people we serve. Yes, that includes youth!

Sustaining a Pastor’s Soul by CJ Mahaney

If you are discouraged in the ministry listen to CJ’s sermon “Sustaining a Pastor’s Soul” at T4G 2008. This sermon needs to be heard, especially for those contemplating quitting the ministry or leaving their current ministry. Excellent message and needed medicine!

Haykin on Patristics

Michael Haykin gives helpful advice on “Where to Start in Reading Patristics” here.

Take a look at his other blog entry “What To Read of the Fathers” here.

T4G 2008 Audio

You can access T4G 2008 audio here.

ESV Study Bible

Check out the new ESV Study Bible website.

Dying Physically

I spent all morning visiting people in the hospital. One visit was for a routine out-patient surgery. The other was to spend time with a lady from our church as she watches her husband physically die. She is blessed in that she is surrounded with so many family members who love and support each other. This man is saved, and is leaving quite a remarkable legacy behind to his children and grandchildren.

As I listened to family talk about him, I couldn’t help but hope that when it comes my time to pass from this life to the next that people would be able to talk about my faith in Christ, my hard work, my integrity, my loyalty, etc. as they did of him. As much as I want to hear that from the people I serve as their under-shepherd, I need to hear it from my family; i.e. those who know me best.

Today God gave me an opportunity to examine my life to see if I am planting the right seeds. I once heard it put this way: think of yourself sitting, at the end of your life, on your front porch: what do you wish you would have done differently? What regrets do you have? What did you do you shouldn’t have done or didn’t do you should have done? How did you serve Christ? Your wife? Your kids? Your neighbor? Seek God’s help in answering these questions, and then respond accordingly.

Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

Worship

“To worship God we must know who God is, but we cannot know who God is unless God first chooses to reveal Himself to us. God has done this in the Bible, which is why the Bible and the teaching of the Bible need to be central in our worship.” James Montgomery Boice in Give Praise to God, A Vision for Reforming Worship.

Lloyd-Jones Audio

You can now access audio sermons of Martyn Lloyd-Jones here; you can sign up for podcast.