Another Portrait of Our Depravity
April 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
As if Monday’s shootings at VA Tech weren’t enough of a reminder of how corrupt the human race is, I was really struck by what I just observed in going to CNN’s website. In the section on top stories, there are, as would be expected, several different articles about the killer, the victims, etc.
But I was amazed that right there with all those stories of horror and tragedy, in the top stories section, was this headline: “You-know-who finally gets boot on ‘Idol’.” Tucked in the midst of stories about the deadliest school shooting in US history is an article detailing the latest contestant to be voted off of American Idol.
Nevermind that I do not know who ‘You-know-who is — I have never seen an episode of American Idol in my life. What amazes me (and it really shouldn’t amaze me) is how deprave a society we could be. In the wake of 32 people being shot dead on a college campus, God is mercifully screaming to us that our day is coming soon, and we should be reconciled to our Maker. But instead of humbling ourselves, we still find fascination in the triviality of another American Idol in the making.
Father, have mercy on our hardness of heart. Humble us under Your mighty hand, and show us how destructive it is to deaden our souls to eternity by eating and drinking the trivial and irrelevant.
Larry
Remembering the Victims
April 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Here is a link from the New York Times with clickable profiles of the 32 victims of the Virginia Tech shooting. It is one thing to have a statistic that 32 people were killed; it is another thing to see their faces, and to read their stories.
May the contemplation of these stories make us weep with those who weep, and lead us to praise the Savior who has rescued us from death.
Larry
Thursday Morning Prayer
April 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
O Lord, the world is artful to entrap, approaches in fascinating guise, extends many a gilded bait, presents many a charming face. Let my faith scan every painted bauble, and escape every bewitching snare in a victory that overcomes all things. In my duties give me firmness, energy, zeal, devotion to Thy cause, courage in Thy name, love as a working grace, and all commensurate with my trust. Let faith stride forth in giant power, and love respond with energy in every act.
Puritan Prayer
John 6
April 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Thanks for keeping things rolling today. The next few Wednesdays and Thursdays are going to be tough for me to do much blogging, as I am involved in doing some training with the two Indian pastors who are visiting with us this month. Now I have to get translating a portion of John 6 for Greek tomorrow morning. Very simple Greek, and yet very profound theology! Here’s the passage I have to translate:
“35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
41So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”
What stands out to you there, brother? Let me know,
Larry
A Few Good Links
April 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Here is a good, brief article by Al Mohler on the Virginia Tech incident. Also, I would encourage everyone to check out his post from today. It is really striking. Apparently abortion doctors do not like to boast about their profession. Imagine that. It has led to less and less doctors being willing to do the procedure in England. Let’s pray the same thing happens in the United States and elsewhere throughout the world.
Until later,
Joe
Reflections on Virginia Tech
April 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Here are the promised reflections I mentioned yesterday.
I didn’t know of of the incident at Virginia Tech until first thing yesterday morning through an email I received. I had just rolled out of bed when I checked my email. That was definitely something to wake up to. Usually, I wake up to my own sin and apathy, but to be struck that morning with the depravity of mankind in that matter was definitely interesting. The thing that hits me looking back on that moment, however, was how not surprised I was by the news. I wonder, is that good?
I’m not convicted about it really. Indeed, I am usually quite the ‘dud’ first thing in the morning. I’m definitely not the ‘roll-about-of-bed-beaming-with-the -sunshine’ type of guy. That is for sure. But you know your worldview is revealed quite readily in those moments. And my worldview says, ‘Man is in really, really bad shape–indeed, worse off than he knows.’
Not only that, but America is in increasingly bad shape– though no one wants to admit it. God is marginal to put it mildly. More and more we see our culture slipping into complete secularism (or our dominant culture has already I suppose you could say). The power of darkness is real and most are given over. Knowing this, my thoughts often drift toward being surprised that we don’t see more heinous things such as these.
Of course, I don’t want to. No one does, but when God is ignored and belittled in our individual lives and all over mass culture and media (which people are consistently exposed to), I am not inclined to immediately wonder, ‘Why do such things happen?’ but instead, to wonder, ‘Why don’t more such things happen? Indeed, why don’t worse things than this happen everyday?’
Honestly brother, do we realize how heinous our own sin really is? No. The answer is simply no. None of us really understand how far-reaching and heinous sin really is. Indeed, none of us really understand how heinous we are apart from the grace of God. Incidents like this give us a glimpse not simply into the heart of another, but into our own hearts. They expose our inner depravity, and the possibilities for every human being apart from the grace of Almighty God.
Do we wonder why anyone would do this? There is a place for that, yes. But we should also be wondering why everyone isn’t doing it. Even more, we should wonder, ‘Why not I?’
The old saying rings very true Lar, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
Humbled by His sovereign grace,
Joe
Wednesday Morning Prayer
April 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“1O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. 3Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. 4So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. 5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 8My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” (Psalm 63:1-8)
Incline our hearts, Father, to seek You with a whole heart. We are too rebellious and stubborn to seek You in our own strength. You must draw us with Your lovingkindness. Even our longings for You are small compared to how immeasurably great You are. Fill our hearts this day, with affections that are worthy of such a glorious God.
Larry
The ‘Money’ Chest-Past Jumper
April 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Your last post was phenomenal brother. I totally enjoyed reading that, even though I’m not quite sure what game of P-I-G you are referring to. Somehow it has conveniently slipped my memory! I will say though, that although your jumper might not be ‘textbook’ the ‘chest-pass-set-shot’ (as we liked to call it) does go in for you. You can shoot some hoops Lar! You might not be able to get it off with the defender right in your face, but if you are left open, I do think you can knock it down with some good consistency. Maybe you should be signing up for the church bball team!
That was good. Anyhow, it is late for me today and I don’t have much to say. Ok, so that comment was absolute ridiculous, for there is never a time when I don’t have plenty to say! Much has been on the heart as of late. Probably as is the case with most everyone in this country (and much of the world for that matter), the shootings at Virginia Tech are on my heart. There is a great deal to say.
And I have said it. I just wrote out a lengthy post for tomorrow. It is a reflection on the shooting at Virginia Tech. I could have posted it here, but it just didn’t seem to fit, so manana it will be. Until then brother, keep shooting those hoops!
Knocking down jumpers with you (or at least shooting them!),
Joe
Not Just the Manager
April 17, 2007 | 2 Comments
Joe,
Here’s another little anecdote from the conference in Gaithersburg that you might enjoy. When we got there on Wednesday afternoon, the registration was happening in a gym inside Covenant Life Church. There were snacks and fun things to keep people occupied as they checked in. One of those ‘fun things’ was a chance to win a free book if you could make five foul shots in a row. The book was called ‘Pistol Pete’, a biography of Pete Maravich.
So the two Indian pastors who are visiting with us went first, and had a nice time shooting some shots. Then as we were getting ready to leave, the guy who was running things (I think someone from the book’s publisher) asked me to give it a try. I didn’t want to, but everyone in our group was telling me to do it. So I caved into the peer pressure.
I took a couple of dribbles and launched my first shot, and it rimmed out. ‘No problem, that’s your practice shot,’ said the guy from the publisher. I took the next shot and knocked it down. And the next. And the next. And the next. And the next. That’s right, five straight shots from the PSU water-boy, and I took home a free book. It reminded me of the time when I beat you and Jon in P-I-G at Madison Square Garden. You know I’ll never let you forget that one!
Never bet against the manager!
Larry
The Failure of Earth’s Joys
April 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
As I wrote yesterday, I had a wonderful time in Gaithersburg at the Sovereign Grace leadership conference. What a refreshing time of worship through song and the Word and the fellowship of God’s people! One thing that was evident to me throughout the three days (and especially in the singing) is that Sovereign Grace is truly a ministry that is committed to head and heart in the worship of God. You would have loved it, brother.
At the end of the weekend, when we returned home on Saturday night, I felt a feeling that reminded me of how I felt after attending the 2004 Desiring God national conference. It was not a pleasant feeling. It had been a few marvelous days (both in 2004 and this past week), full of great worship and fellowship. The conference was everything I hoped it would be, and much more. Yet as I came home, I felt this disillusionment that even something so wonderful which surpassed my expectations, was now over. It was back to the ‘weekly grind’ of message preparation, meetings and such.
That is the way the world’s joys are, even spiritual joys. It is not only the pleasures of sin that are fleeting, but also spiritual pleasures in this world are fleeting. The conference was great, and I have this kind of childlike desire to be able to do a time-warp and just replay the last week again and again, to enjoy it all over again. But I can’t do it. As great as the joy was, it is over. Sure, the memory is still there, and the fruit from the conference can certainly be enduring for years to come. I hope it will be. But the truth is, even the high of a Christian conference cannot last forever.
But in the midst of that frustration, I was filled with a great hope. For the delight of a conference like the one I attended was a mere foretaste of a joy to come, a joy that will never end. The worship of heaven will be a billion times more satisfying than it was last week in Gaithersburg, and it will last for eternity. There will be no long, three hour car ride home with only the memory of a sweet time, and a growing frustration that things will soon return to ‘normal’. Heaven is eternal, ever-increasing joy in God multiplied for the ages and ages to come. I cannot fathom it!
So I am grateful to God for my time away last week, and for the present joy that it brought me. And as I have thought about my frustration in the fleeting nature of that joy, I am also thankful to God that our pleasures in this life (even the God-glorifying pleasures) do not satisfy us ultimately. They whet the appetite for our future home, when the joy will never fade, but will increase throughout all eternity!
Marantha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Larry
Tuesday Morning Prayer
April 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“1Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2but 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. 3He 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. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Hebrews 1:1-3)
We praise You, Father, that You are not silent. You are a God who loves to communicate with Your people in many times and in many ways. In these last days You have spoken to us by Your Son, the heir of all things, the Creator of the world, the radiance of Your glory and the exact imprint of Your nature. What a revelation we have from You in the Person of Your Son! Help us, Father, to listen and give heed to the words of Christ. Forbid that we should ever accuse of You of not being willing to speak to us. In history You have shown decisively that You are a God who speaks, and if we do not hear You it is because of a problem with our ears, not Your Word. So open our ears, Father, and grant us to hear the words of Your Son today with fresh love and delight.
Larry
Quote from Bruce Ware
April 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
To finish off the day, here’s a quote from Bruce Ware that I read on Bob Kauflin’s blog:
Many Christian people will one day stand before the Lord aware as never before that they spent too little time getting to know the depth and the wonder of who God really is—including his revelation of himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the one God over all.
By the way, one of the highlights of the conference in Gaithersburg was meeting Bob and getting to talk with him for a few minutes on Friday morning. What a humble brother in the Lord he is, and it was a delight to be led in worship by him on all three nights of the conference. His love for the Savior is evident, and it is refreshing to see a man so committed to both head and heart in the worship of our great and glorious God.
I’ll check back in with you in the morning, Lord willing,
Larry
Understanding our Opponents
April 16, 2007 | 4 Comments
Joe,
Thanks for getting the ball rolling this week, and for picking things up for me all last week. You have definitely left some work for me to do in getting caught up on all that!
I had an excellent week, first spending a few days in Cape May with Michelle, and then at the Sovereign Grace leadership conference in Gaithersburg, Maryland. I hope to fill you in on my experience there either later today or tomorrow, but first I thought I would respond to what you wrote earlier today about Jerry Falwell’s comments regarding those who hold to the doctrine of ‘limited atonement’.
I thought the two points you made were excellent, and to them I think I would add just one thing. It is essential that we understand our opponents, and seek to understand their arguments charitably. I can’t help but think that if Jerry Falwell were to give a definition of the doctrine of ‘limited atonement’ which he so despises, we would probably find that we also reject his definition. Too often when we disagree with people on theological issues, we tend to stereotype their viewpoints and end up making them say something that they do not even believe.
Often when I have spoken to people about the doctrine of unconditional election, they are revolted that I would suggest that human beings do not have a choice in their salvation. The problem is that they take my words and stretch them to end up putting words in my mouth that I do not mean. Though I believe that God has chosen before the foundation of the world a group out of all humanity whom He would bring to faith and save, my saying that does not mean that people do not have a choice when it comes to their salvation.
We all have a choice. But because of our deep corruption inherited from the fall, nobody chooses God. We all are at war with God, and apart from sovereign grace, we will continue choosing to reject Him until we are finally destroyed in hell. But in mercy, God changes the hearts of some people, raising them to spiritual life, and giving them a new heart, one that wants God. So all who are saved are saved because they see Christ as irresistably attractive and choose to follow Him. But our choice is dependent, and made possible, by God’s choice. If only people would listen to what I really believe, instead of shutting their ears and making their own conclusions about what I believe, attempts to understand one another would be much more successful. That way I will not hear people summarize the doctrines that I supposedly believe in and shudder at how I reject them!
I wonder, what does Jerry Falwell mean when he says limited atonement? Does he mean a teaching that says we should not preach Christ to all people without exception, since Christ did not die to offer the gift of salvation to all people? If that is what he means by limited atonement, then it is dead wrong, and I oppose it with him. Because when the Bible says Christ died for all, I take that to mean that He died so that a genuine offer of salvation could be to made to any person in the world, that if they would believe in Christ, they would not perish but have eternal life.
As I have sought to understand the people who oppose ‘limited atonement’, I have found that often times I am not that far from what they believe. So I encourage our readers, do not reject the doctrine of limited atonement without first hearing from people who hold to it explain what it means, and why biblically they believe it. And to those who hold to limited atonement, do not say that those who hold to universal atonement are heretics, without first hearing what they believe and why biblically they believe it.
If we would all do that, we may find that our beliefs are a lot closer than we realize. And when we don’t agree, we will be able to disagree respectfully, and without making rash judgments about those who oppose us.
Seeking to be humble about orthodoxy,
Larry
Are we Heretics?
April 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
I could have made that title more provoking, but figured it might send the wrong message. Something like “News Flash: We are Heretics!” might catch a person’s eye, but it probably wouldn’t fit best (though I typed it first!). Anyhow, you may have already seen this, but apparently, Jerry Falwell said something to the effect that those who believe in Limited Atonement are heretics. You can check it out here.
Considering the fact that we just discussed this topic a few weeks ago, I figured it would be good to link to it. A few lessons from his comments can also be drawn.
First, we need to be very careful about what we say. Of course, everyone knows this (at least intellectually), but I’m quite sure that none of us really feel the full impact of our words. Proverbs 18:21 reads, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Now that is saying something! But do I really believe this? Sure, I say I do, but I can be quite flippant, I dare say, most of the time. I mean, come on Solomon, are you serious or just using this for effect?
I think he is serious, dead serious. The words we speak do have that kind of power, maybe not immediately, but eventually. Think about the various comments that you have made that people hold onto and remember and impact them (whether they confess that or not). You know this happens in marriage often. The slightest of words can sink down deep. And sadly, it seems that the harsh words often stay closest to the forefront of our minds!
So, we need to be careful. Even though our blog isn’t exactly the most read on the World Wide Web, it is on-line for everyone to see. That is a big deal and I want to feel the proper weight of it. This post is helping me to do so I suppose.
The second lesson we can draw here (among others of course) is that we need know what ‘heresy’ actually is. I trust that Jerry Falwell does (considering his position), but maybe he had a temporary lapse in judgment or whatever. After all, we all have those! But heresy is something that, if believed or counted upon as doctrine, will keep us from everlasting life. That is to say that it is a doctrine that, if held, keeps you from true saving life in Jesus. This is a very big deal. Therefore, we should not use the term lightly.
Of course, I am sure you are already thinking that I am convicting myself. Well, you are right. I have used that word for almost anything that I disagree with (including goofy things galor!). That isn’t right. I’m not a dull dude (at least in my own estimation–keep the comments to a minimum por favor!), but death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat of its fruit. I am sure you are with me here, but I like my fruit to be sweet and satisfying!
Enough for now Lar. And, of course, on the issue, no, we are not heretics. And neither is Jerry Falwell, even though he is wrong. For this is not a doctrine that is necessary to belief for eternal life (thankfully).
Thankful for God’s work in Christ,
Joe
Monday Morning Prayer
April 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“3The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.” (Psalm 126:3)
Help us this day, Father, to call to mind those great things which You have done for us. Each day brings innumerable blessings from Your gracious hand, none of which we are deserving of. Help us to remember Your past faithfulness, so that our faith might be strengthened to trust Your promises of future grace. ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not, along with Him, graciously give us all things?’ (Romans 8:32). Make us glad in Your great works, Lord, so that our hope would not be in the things of this world but in You, the Giver of every good thing.
Larry
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