A Good Sabbath Read
October 15, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Can be found right here. Another can be found here. They are different, but both are good.
A Thought on the Exodus
October 14, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Isn’t it interesting how we slack after such a good day of blogging? Such is the human condition I suppose. You get on the cover of Sports Illustrated and then have a string of bad games. Up and down. Up and down. And this, even after my post on diligence in Proverbs! Amazing–or maybe not.
Anyhow, I did have a few thoughts I wanted to get up here today. One concerns the nature of the exodus as described in the book of Exodus, which I am currently reading. Well, I read Exodus 5 this morning and was struck by something. As you might recall, Moses gives the first word to Pharaoh to let the people go. Pharaoh refuses and then makes the burden on the people all the worse. Apparently, up to this point the Egyptians supplied the straw for the people to make bricks. Well, after Moses’ visit, Pharaoh decides to make the people get their own straw. However, he still demands the same amount of bricks!
Now if you were a Hebrew slave at the time, I am thinking you would be pretty upset. Your work load just increased tremendously because this guy Moses walked into town and said he heard from God. Then he goes to Pharoah and makes matters worse! What’s with this guy? Naturally, the people get all bent out of shape at Moses; and Moses cries out to God and asks what in the world is going on. I mean, God promised deliverance didn’t He? Well, it never happens the way we would suppose.
What struck me was the reality that God many times prepares us for deliverance by making matters worse. Why? Well, to make the deliverance all the sweeter. And more so–to make Him look as great as He should! When Jesus was at the Pharisee’s house being anointed by the sinful woman, He said, “Those who are forgiven little, love little, but those who are forgiven much, love much.” So it is. The more miserable we are, the sweeter it is when we find release. And more so, the higher our thoughts of our deliverer!
This is true in salvation (of which the Exodus is a clear picture), but it is also true of a thousand other ‘deliverances’ in life–a certain sin you have been struggling with, the need for a job, etc. etc. Therefore, we should not be surprised in life when we seek the Lord for a certain blessing and come to find that the odds seem to get worse and worse. We might be praying for a certain thing, and in turn, find ourselves further and further from where we want to be. I don’t think we should stop praying, because that is exactly how God works. He ’stacks the deck’ against Himself, so to speak? Why? Simple: so He can receive the glory and honor that is rightfully His own.
I love this truth really Lar. Yet I forget it all the time! Adversity comes and I think I should stop. What nonsense! We should expect adversity as we follow after God, for that is the Lord at work–stacking the deck for our good and His glory. What a mighty God we seek and serve!
Basking in our Deliverer,
Joe
p.s. Lord willing, I am going to make up a book list. I have a few in mind to say the least.
Confession
October 13, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Since I’ve been slacking for a couple of days, I am trying to make up for my slacking with three posts in the last hour! Thabiti Anyabwile has a good post on his blog about the discipline of confession, and the need for it to be restored to our public worship. It is a bit lengthy but I found it worth the couple of minutes I took to read it.
Thabiti’s blog, called Pure Church, is definitely one to bookmark; he just about always has something perceptive to say. If I knew how to add to our blogroll, I would do it (that’s a subtle hint for you, Joe!).
Larry
Influential Books
October 13, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
I suppose you have seen that JT has solicited the help of some friends to amend Christianity Today’s List of the 50 most influential books over the last fifty years. On his blog he’s got posts from CJ Mahaney, Sam Storms and others who give their opinions.
I’m wondering what are the ten books that have most influenced you? I know that is a bit open-ended, but I trust you’ll be able to share some good ones. Maybe you could write a sentence about why each one was so meaningful. I’ll give some thought to that myself and look to post my thoughts on Monday.
Larry
A Lesson in Humility
October 13, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
I’m tempted to just stay off the blog since you have been doing a nice job of keeping us thinking about some diverse things. But I had been meaning to write this a couple of days ago and just didn’t get around to it. I just finished reading the new book by John Piper called What Jesus Demands of the World. I expected to learn a lot, and I was drawn into a deeper love and admiration for who Jesus is by meditating on what He has commanded.
But while reading I learned a lesson on humility in a rather unexpected way. Piper writes a couple of chapters on Jesus’ demand that what God has joined together, let no man separate. He describes God’s design for marriage as an unbreakable covenant and takes the position that all remarriage is outside the will of God, no matter the situation. This is a departure from what many evangelical Christians believe, and I don’t intend to take up a discussion of the strength or weakness of Piper’s argument.
I mention it because in communicating his position, he expresses disagreement with the position that Andreas Kostenberger takes in his book God, Marriage and Family, saying that he is “puzzled” why so many commentators (Kostenberger being one of them) understand Luke 16:18 as they do.
What struck me at this point was that I remembered reading an endorsement on the back of What Jesus Demands… from none other than Andeas Kostenberger. He writes that What Jesus Demands… is now his favorite book by John Piper, that it changed his life and will certainly change the reader’s life. He writes that it is “a must-read for every true follower of Christ.”
It takes a humble man to glowingly recommend a book in which the author explicitly argues against your commentary on a particular passage, and tells the world that he is puzzled by your interpretation. I know it is a “non-essential” issue (that is, it’s not like they’re disagreeing on the deity of Christ or the substitutionary atonement of Christ), but I think I would have a tough time giving praise to a book where I knew the author had said that he was puzzled by my explanation of a passage of Scripture.
Then what struck me is that on the back of Kostenberger’s book which Piper disagreed with, there is an endorsement from John Piper. He says that the special value of Kostenberger’s book is in its “pervasive exposition of Scripture”, and that he plans to give it to his grown children.
That too was a lesson, that on the essentials of the Christian faith we must contend earnestly for the faith and not budge from the truth, but in areas that are less clear we ought to have charity and see the value of the work of others, even when we do not agree with every word. These two men don’t see eye to eye on whether a divorced person can remarry, yet they both publicly commend one another’s writings to others.
Perhaps that doesn’t hit anyone the way it hit me, but I was thankful for the way God used such a small thing to teach me a lesson on something (namely, humility) that He greatly esteems.
Seeking the blessing that comes from meekness,
Larry
How About This?
October 13, 2006 | 1 Comment
I came accross this quote today by David Sarnoff while doing my Telecommunications work. David Sarnoff was the president of RCA when radio first became big (in the 1920’s). In fact, he was a main reason why it became big at the time. Well, in 1964 he said this,
“The computer will become the hub of a vast network of remote data stations and information banks feeding into the machine at a transmission rate of a billion or more bits of information a second. Laser channels will vastly increase both data capacity and the speeds with which it will be transmitted. Eventually, a global communications network handling voice, data and facsimile will instantly link man to machine–or machine to machine–by land, air, underwater, and space circuits. [The computer] will affect man’s ways of thinking, his means of education, his relationship to his physical and social environment, and it will alter his ways of living… [Before the end of this century, these forces] will coalesce into what unquestionably will become the greatest adventure of the human mind.”
This might not seem incredibly interesting to you, but think about that prediction. With the information available to you at that time, would you have predicted the same? Not only that, but what else might come in the next 40 years? I find it interesting to think through and gain some foresight on. Not simply for foresight’s sake, but for the sake of the gospel. For the technologies we take for granted are in the end, all about Jesus Christ and the cause of the gospel and the coming of the New Heavens and New Earth that will surely involve in some respect these human advancements. The Lord is working through these incredible mediums (ones we take for granted now, yet they were unthinkable to almost everyone in the whole of human history) to bring about the glorious end of filling the earth with the knowledge of His glory as the waters cover the sea. Pretty sweet. What will He do next?
I would also mention one more thing. Another reason why it is worth having some foresight on is because a good deal of kingdom resources can be wasted on a medium that might end up wearing out. This is why, in my humble opinion, it is a good idea to gain a knowledge (a working knowledge I mean) of computers–not for technology’s sake, but for the sake of the gospel–because that is where things are increasingly being consolidated.
Anyhow, back to work. The Lord’s wisdom is awesome!
Joe
The Book of Conviction
October 13, 2006 | Leave a Comment
I am referring to the book of Proverbs. I have found myself describing this book with those words time and again. And anytime I go back to read it, I believe all the more that those words are apt. Well, this time around, the Lord is convicting me on the area of diligence. Diligence in what you ask? Well, diligence in everything really. There is nothing I can think of that diligence wouldn’t be necessary, that is, if I want to do it well.
The reality is that I have been frustrated with my ‘output’ in every area of my life. Am I making the best use of my time because the days are evil, or do I find myself on something of a cruise-control day by day, going through the motions, doing what I want to do (and a little of what I have to do), but not with great effort and quality? That’s no way to live–at least for God. Life is too short. My soul is too small. Too many people are lost.
I have many things I want to do, but few things that I actually get done and get done well. Diligence and discipline are the need. I would suspect that I am not alone. You might have a few areas of your life where you are diligent, but I offer these verses from the book of Proverbs for your careful reflection. Where is the Lord calling you to be more diligent? Is your heart lukewarm? Then maybe it’s in your private pursuit of God. Is your office/home a mess? Then maybe it’s with organization. On and on we could go. I would just encourage you to go there! It’s not easy, but what is worthwhile that is?
We all have our ‘untouchable’ areas. My pray is that these verses would expose them and make them ‘untouchable’ no longer. If we want to live for God, we’re going to have to train ourselves for the purpose of godliness. That means training ourselves in the whole of life.
“A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” (Proverbs 10:4)
“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied” (Proverbs 13:4)
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5)
“In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” (Proverbs 12:23)
“Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth” (Proverbs 12:27).
“Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense” (Proverbs 12:11)
Usually the harder the work, the greater the reward. Such is the case with diligence and discipline. The life of true joy is found while we beat our bodies and make them our slaves in order to most fully enjoy the Prize (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). With that being said, let us not settle for being diligent in some areas of life, while being lazy in others. It’s just not worth it. The cost is too high.
Pray for me. I need grace. May the Lord grant it as we seek Him!
Seeking to make the most of my days with you,
Joe
A Question for the Question
October 12, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Well, I suppose this isn’t really to you, but to my wonderful wife who posed the question, but because this is ‘promoted’ as a conversation between two friends, I’ll address you. Anyhow…back to Psalm 41.
It was interesting that Psalm 41 was one of my chapters for reading today. It reminded me to get this post up. I do have a few thoughts. My first one is that if you want to know what is going on and want to read a really good answer to Erin’s question, see Larry’s last post. It’s money. Mine won’t be as good. Second, I think we need to entertain the possibility that David, in the verse in question, (”By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.”) really had in mind the temporal triumph of his enemies. From what I read about David in the Bible, this does seem quite likely.
With that being said, I do think that the next verse points out something significant–as you pointed out Lar. However, I’m not sure if it is conclusive. It seems to me that David looked to God for deliverance–temporal deliverance–time and time again, and in fact, received it from the Lord time and time again. The psalms are filled with his longing for God’s judgment upon those who opposed him. And his confidence in God’s fighting for him was also constant. The reality is, the Lord didn’t let him down. He fought for David time and again. The Lord was his Warrior God, fighting for the one who hoped in Him.
Now I know we are in a different age and everything, and God does not change, however, with the coming of Jesus Christ–the One who died for His enemies–I think verses like this do throw and little wrinkle into our thinking. We have a clearer revelation of God–a fuller revelation–and such a revelation sometimes makes it harder to put all the pieces together and see how they fit. Of course, maybe they don’t ‘fit’ as we might think. I suppose we have to be prepared for that as well.
Well, since I haven’t said anything, I am going to leave it like that for now and do some more thinking on the matter (and consult some commentaries). I could be wrong, but it’s worth checking out. Until then….peace.
Joe
Stott Quote
October 11, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Here’s a good one by John Stott,
“Much that we take for granted in a civilized society is based upon the assumption of human sin. Nearly all legislation has gorwn up because human beings cannot be trusted to settle their own disputes with justice and without self-interest. A promise is not enough; we need a contract. Doors are not enough; we have to lock and bolt them. The payment of fares is not enough; tickets have to be issued, inspected and collected. Law and order are not enough; we need the police to enforce them. All this is due to man’s sin. We cannot trust each other. We need protection against one another. it is a terrible indictment of human nature.”
Answering Erin
October 10, 2006 | 1 Comment
Joe,
I trust you will have a nice answer for Erin’s question as well, but I guess it’s my turn to go first and give my thoughts on her question. For those of you who are wondering what the question is, you can look at the comment she left in my ’sermon overflow’ post a couple posts below this one.
Her question relates to how this verse in Psalm 41 is a comfort to those who are suffering at the hands of others: “11By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.” What does this mean, when our enemies do shout over us in this life? Does it mean that God does not delight in us? Surely there are clear Scriptures which show that God’s people will indeed suffer at the hands of men, and they will no doubt think that they have gotten victory over God’s people.
Jesus said, “You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (Luke 21:16-17). In Romans 8 Paul quoted from Psalm 44 to say, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered” (Rom. 8:36). God’s people will most certainly suffer, and suffer at the hands of men.
So what do we do with this verse in Psalm 41? How does it bring comfort to a person suffering at the hands of the unrighteous? Erin’s suggestion was that perhaps this is a reference to eternity when God’s enemies will no longer be able to hurt us. Our enemies may triumph over us in the present, but not eternally. I think there is a clue in the very next verse that Erin is right in making that eternal application. The next verse says, “But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.”
Our enemies will not shout in triumph over us, because the worst that they can do to us is to kill us; which is really to bring us into Paradise! Apart from repentance and faith in Christ, those enemies who have persecuted us will be eternally condemned and subjected to God’s holy wrath, while we are set in the presence of Jesus Christ forever and ever. In His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). So who will be shouting in triumph then?
I think the same idea as in Psalm 41 is expressed by Paul in Romans 8. A little before he said that God’s people were being killed like sheep all day long, he said, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (v.31). Well, a lot of people can be against us; he’s about to tell us that some are killing us like sheep! But the point is that they cannot be against us so as to decisively remove our position and standing with God. While some people may look at the hostility they are facing and think that God has forsaken us, the Scriptures repeatedly remind us that nothing — not even God’s enemies handing us over to death — can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
It is in that way that no one can be against us, and I believe in the same way that our enemies will not shout in triumph over us. They may kill us, but in the end they will be humbled, and we will be exalted. Our light and momentary affliction (suffered at their hands) is working for us an eternal weight of glory that far surpasses all the pain that they inflict (2 Corinthians 4:17). Therefore, we can lovingly, gently encourage those who are bearing reproach (and we should all be bearing reproach, 2 Timothy 3:12) to look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen (their being glorified with Jesus because of their suffering with Him, Rom. 8:17). For what is seen (our enemies’ triumph) is temporary; but what is unseen (their everlasting torment for making war on God’s elect, and our everlasting joy for bearing reproach with Him) is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).
I wonder if any of that made sense! The short answer to Erin’s question is, I think she’s right. Maybe I should have just left it at that! But hopefully what I have said does make sense, and that it leads to the praise of God’s infinite wisdom, who appoints suffering into the lives of His children so that we can display His infinite worth and share in His eternal glory.
Trying to prepare for my day of suffering,
Larry
The Zoo
October 9, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
There’s a creative title for a post huh? I thought you would really be engaged. Well, maybe not, but that is where we spent the most of our morning with the Deloach crew. It was sweet. Of course, lunch at Cracker Barrel was up there as well, but I don’t think a post on that would be as engaging. I am capable of giving a detailed analysis of Momma’s Pancake Breakfast (maybe they should call it morning feast), however, I will spare you. I will say that is was quite good though. But not better than the fellowship.
Anyhow, back to the zoo. It wasn’t a full zoo really, but it was zoo enough for me today. I’m not a huge animal guy really. Actually, it’s probably better to say that I’m not much of an animal guy at all. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed it or not, but they smell. Other than that they are interesting, but they definitely smell. Maybe I’m a little sensitive to it (or just plain pathetic), but the smell is a big deal to me I suppose. It must be a result of the fall.
In my suburban comfort, I probably find it easier to check out the animal encyclopedia (which might have to be a book recommendation actually–and one that I have to get) than to go to the zoo. Not to mention, the book gives you more insight and makes you marvel at the glory of our wise God in all His creative genius. Also, it is worth mentioning that the books don’t smell, but we have already covered that. However, with all that said, there is just nothing like seeing a variety of animals up close and personal. And notice that I said ’seeing’ not touching, but ’seeing.’
The zoo we went to had a variety of monkeys. Well, I suppose that most of them weren’t called monkeys, but fortunately for me, Abigail is only two. I call them all monkeys and she thinks I am a genuis. But there were definitely differences between the various kinds. And it just got me to thinking–what an awesome God we serve! The Lord in His infinite wisdom creates thousands of different species and sub-species to populate the earth and make known His glory. Not to mention, He did it all in a day (if you hold to the six day creation deal). All in a day! He spoke these animals into being, the porcupine, the monkeys (I just don’t know all the different names–even after the zoo), the camel, the giraffe with his nasty old tongue, the llama, the pig (who is just nasty altogether) and all the other ones I saw today. And even more importantly, all the millions of others that I didn’t see today!
And maybe I shouldn’t call them nasty. They are the Lord’s work. I’ll stick to the gym and the office, but I do want to appreciate the diversity and glory of the Lord’s work in creation. And a good trip to the zoo will help that every once in awhile. Maybe I’ll opt for the discovery channel most of the time or a good informative video, but still, there really is nothing like the real thing–the smell and all.
Let’s marvel brother. And let’s marvel not only at the animal kingdom, but let’s look out the window and marvel at a tree. Let’s look up into the night’s sky and feel the fullness of our insignificance and God’s greatness. It truly is a joy looking out isn’t it? I can’t wait until I get to heaven and can fully appreciate it all. I also can’t wait for the ‘zoo’ in heaven. I think I will be more apt to go, not simply b/c of the glorified bodies, but b/c of the glorified smell. But I suppose I have mentioned that enough.
Looking out and up with you,
Joe
p.s. A weekly sermon overflow from you is welcomed by all at Blog Nation.
p.s.s. Next up for the blog is an answer to a question posed by my wonderful wife. It’s on the comment section of your last post. Alright, peace.
Sermon Overflow
October 8, 2006 | 1 Comment
Joe,
A big ‘Amen’ on the How Great Thou Art post. I am sure that is one of life’s greatest joys. Perhaps I will one day share in that blessing. It is the Lord’s perfect will that will decide.
It’s been a busy couple of days, as you know, but before I head over to church I thought I would just post a part of tonight’s sermon manuscript. I am beginning a series tonight on the Sermon the Mount, and what I want to convey tonight is the greatness of the One who “opened His mouth and taught” us on the mountain 2000 years ago (Matt. 5:2). So here are ten reasons why I stand in awe of Jesus, flowing out of some reflection on Hebrews 1:
Ten Reasons to Marvel at Jesus Christ
1. Jesus is the heir of all things: “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things…” (v.2) Centuries before His coming in flesh and blood, it was prophesied of Christ, “I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (Psalm 2:8). But Christ owns not just the earth; He says at the end of Matthew’s gospel, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” There is not a square inch in the entire universe over which Jesus Christ does not say ‘Mine’! And that’s good news when He says to us, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Only the heir of all things can make good on a promise like that.
2. Jesus is the Creator of all things: “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” You might read that Jesus is the heir of all things and think, “Jesus was a man like us and was chosen to be God’s heir—after all it says, He was ‘appointed’ heir!” But the writer won’t allow us to make that mistake, so He says that the whole world was created through Christ. It’s stated even more clearly in verse 10: “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” Paul says, “By him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
3. Flowing from that truth is that Jesus Christ is eternal. There has never been a time when Jesus Christ did not exist in all His glory: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” If all things were made through Him, and nothing has been made that was not made by Him, then surely He was not made. From eternity past, Jesus Christ is.
4. Jesus is the perfect image of His Father’s glory: “3He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature…” When we look at the sun, we are not really seeing the sun; we are seeing beams streaming out from the sun that left the sun 8 minutes earlier. Those beams are of the very same essence as the sun, they are just the shining forth visibly of what we can’t see with our eyes. So it is with the Son of God. He is the radiance – the streaming out – of His Father’s glory, so that when we look at Jesus we are looking at God. “No one has ever seen God; the only God [Jesus], who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (John 1:18). Jesus is the image of the invisible God, and He told His followers, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
5. Jesus upholds and sustains the entire universe: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (v.3). Flying in an airplane at five hundred miles per hour, in order to arrive at the star that is closest to earth, it would take six million years to get there! Some stars are so massive in size that one teaspoonful of their matter weighs six trillion pounds! With one whisper of His almighty voice, Christ is even now upholding the sun, moon and stars. He is upholding atoms and nuclei and protons and neutrons. He is upholding the clouds and all weather patterns. He is upholding mountains and trees and flowers. He is upholding the skin on our backs and the stand that is holding my notes and the paper that made the Bible you are looking at. He is upholding all birds and elephants and insects crawling around us. He is upholding politicians and governments. And If He stopped speaking, the world and all it contains would disappear from existence in an instant.6. All the angels of heaven are commanded to worship Jesus: “When he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him’” (v.6). I was just reading in Matthew 28 the other day about when the angel of the Lord appeared at the tomb of Christ to announce His resurrection, the guards trembled from fear and became like dead men. But as mighty and powerful as the angels are, they are given divine command to bow down and worship before the greatness and splendor of God’s Son.
7. Jesus is God: “But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom” (v.8). If what I said earlier about Jesus being the streaming out of God’s glory and the image of God did not clearly communicate the divinity of Jesus, then this verse does it. “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.” Jesus is God, and the throne of His Kingdom is forever and ever.
8. Jesus is the most joyful Being in the Universe: “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” There is an unshakeable foundation for the joy of Jesus Christ: His perfect communion and intimacy with His heavenly Father. Verse 3 says Christ “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” and He is seated there even now. It is the right hand of the Father of which David wrote, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore,” (Psalm 16:11)Peter applies those words to Jesus (see Acts 2:25-28). Because He dwells in perfect fellowship with His Father, Jesus is full of gladness in His Father’s presence. So the writer of Hebrews says of the Son, “God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” Jesus is the happiest being alive. Jesus opened His mouth and spoke so that His unfathomable joy could become ours (John 15:11).9. Jesus is unchangeable: “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end” (v.10-12). Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever. The same Jesus who created the world and existed eternally with the Father and who spoke the Sermon on the Mount is the same Jesus who speaks today. And He will be the same ten thousand years from now as on the day that He spoke this famous sermon.
10. Jesus will be triumphant over all His enemies: “To which of the angels has he ever said, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?” (v.13) Those who spend their lives in ignorance and rebellion of this supreme Christ will one day be made a footstool for His feet as He sits majestically on His throne. For all eternity Christ is and will be seated “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named…so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Eph. 1:21, Phil. 2:10-11). Every human being will bow, or be buried underneath His feet as His eternal footstool.
Larry
How Great Thou Art!
October 7, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
This is a short one of course. It’s been a long day and I still have to get a few things together for my sermon tomorrow morning (at Trinity United Methodist Church–in Clayton if anyone wants to come). Anyhow, I just wanted to share my joy in Jesus.
After a long day, I had the opportunity to tuck Abigail into bed tonight. This isn’t overly rare, but it was all me, as Erin was out. I got her to bed a little later than I would have liked (which is normal for me), but the joy comes when she asks to sing, “How Great Thou Art” (3 times). Well, we only sang it twice, but I have to tell you that my heart was overly with thanksgiving for the Lord’s marvelous mercy. I hope that the Lord grants you the grace one day, but to sing this hymn with my little girl is such a pleasure. This is her favorite right now and she knows almost every word. Not only that, but she sings it!
I was struck in the midst of it by what a pleasure it is to pass on your passion to the next generation. I just don’t think there can be many things greater than showing your kids and helping your kids come to know and love and praise God. When you hear a little voice that you invest into day after day, it makes it all worth while. I am sure Erin can testify to that even more. In fact, you (Erin) really are doing a wonderful job with this little girl. It is so easy to get bogged down in the details and hum-drum of everyday life. But when a little heart loves to sing praises to the Lord, it’s all worth it!
Well, enough for now. Maybe all that will make you want to have some kids!
Seeking to see and savor and sing praises to the Savior,
Joe
Encouraged
October 7, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Can’t argue with that recommendation. That’s for sure. Of course, I would be very surprised if I ever was to argue with a recommendation from you brother! Anyhow, you may have already read this article, but I had to share it with everyone. It truly was an encouragement to me as I read it. Our inclination to compare ourselves with others is so strong. May the Lord grant us the grace to be us–ourselves, who He created us to be–for His glory and His honor among His people!
As you (meaning anyone here) read that article, I would encourage you to reflect upon your own struggle with making comparisons and to plead for the grace to see clearly what the Lord has called you to do and who He has called you to be. I think it is worth reminding ourselves that in the end, the Lord will reward us according to our faithfulness, not necessarily our fruitfulness. The dude with 2 talents who made 2 more received the same greeting in Matthew 25 as the dude who doubled his five. That speaks volumes. Let’s be faithful with our one!
A worthless servant seeking grace,
Joe
Book Recommendation
October 6, 2006 | Leave a Comment
It’s almost Saturday (and we’re so good at holding to giving recommendations on Saturdays!), so I thought I’d mention a book worth checking out. In fact, it’s a book worth pouring yourself into. Justin Taylor and John Piper have recently edited Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, a book that was built around 2005’s DG National Conference of the same title. There are chapters from Piper, David Powlison, Joni Eareckson Tada, Steve Saint, among others. That is, these are meditations on suffering from people who have suffered. Here’s a quote that sums up why a book like this is so helpful for the Church in this day and age:
The church has not been spending its energy to go deep with the unfathomable God of the Bible. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, much of the church is choosing, at this very moment, to become more light and shallow and entertainment-oriented, and therefore successful in its irrelevance to massive suffering and evil. The popular God of fun-church is simply too small and too affable to hold a hurricane in his hand. The biblical categories of God’s sovereignty lie like landmines in the pages of the Bible waiting for someone to seriously open the book. They don’t kill, but they do explode trivial notions of the Almighty.
Sometimes I am asked why I make so much of the sovereignty of God; here is one reason why: I don’t know a bigger barrier to people’s faith in God than how a good, loving, all-powerful God could allow the world to exist with such evil. Biblical answers are needed to give an answer for the hope that we have. This book is a collection of biblically-saturated, pastorally-sensitive meditations on God’s role in human suffering.
Larry
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