Great Quote
June 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Here is a good quote from Jerry’ Bridges.
Until later,
Joe
Marveling at His Providence
June 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
That is cool. I know you don’t have any clear answers regarding what to do with such a gift, but as you pointed out, the simple message of God’s faithfulness and His perfect timing are enough to make us marvel and rejoice. In particular, I love to reflect upon the Lord’s providential guidance, and the way He uses even our mistakes for our good and His glory.
I wonder, do we reflect upon this enough? If Romans 8:28 is true, that God is working all things out for our good, it seems wise to me to periodically reflect upon the things the Lord has done. Maybe even every few months, we set aside some times (even if just a few minutes) to note God’s particular and obvious providences. I say obvious, because the obvious ones are usually the only ones we can see. However, a record of those providences (particularly a written record) would go a long way to stimulating further thought and reflection and hopefully, greater marveling.
Imgaine it brother, every single detail of life is ordered by our sovereign and gracious God. Every detail! Our every encounter is a divine appointment. And though we know that that reality does not mean we should take no responsibility for our schedules, it does mean that we can rest when our schedules do not work out according to plan (which is everyday it seems!). What a joy it is to know that He has His sovereign and gracious hand upon us. He has a vision for our lives and He knows exactly how He is going to bring it to pass. And He has the power to carry it out with perfect precision! He is faithful brother. He is diligent. He is wise. He is sovereign. He is good.
I sometimes wonder how I ever made it through one day without the knowledge of these realities. For everything else is shifting sand. No security when the waves and winds begin to blow–or when the normal ‘random’ occurences of life happen. What a comfort it is to know that God’s promise to work all things out for our good and His glory is a resounding ‘Yes’ through Jesus Christ!
Let’s rejoice brother and give thanks for our awesome God. And let’s continually marvel more and more at His wise and gracious providence.
Seeking Him with you,
Joe
Sweet Providence
June 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
This morning I received two pieces of mail. The first was an invitation to the 2007 Desiring God National Conference. A few months ago Michelle and I had briefly talked about going out to Minneapolis, as the last conference we went to out there was back in 2004. But with our baby due in July, we thought this might not be an ideal time to go, especially because of the finances in going on such a trip. Michelle will be staying at home now, and so it may not be the best time to take a trip.
Well, when I got the invitation in the mail that desire to head out there for a few days came back to me. I knew if God wanted us there, He would find a way to get us there.
So I opened the second piece of mail, which came to us without a return address. I opened it and inside was a piece of paper that read:
Dear Larry, Michelle and Baby,
Enjoy, be blessed, and know that your work is appreciated.
Enclosed with the piece of paper was an anonymous check for $1,000.
I haven’t bought our plane tickets or anything, but I wonder if that is God’s way of saying, ‘Enjoy a few days in Minneapolis. You don’t deserve it, but I am a God who is gracious and merciful, and I supply My children with all that they need, and more.’
Humbled by God’s faithfulness,
Larry
Kauflin on Worship Songs
June 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
As you can probably imagine, I’m a bit behind today on sermon prep! So again I link to another valuable blog that I have linked to before, and am sure to link to again many times in the future. Bob Kauflin writes in this post about the content of our worship songs, specifically songs with a strong focus on ‘I’ and ‘me’.
After my trip to the Sovereign Grace leadership conference, I hold Bob’s thoughts on the subject of worship in high esteem. His humility and joy in the Lord were a great encouragement to me.
Larry
Friday Morning Prayer
June 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you!” (Psalm 41:4)
So often, Father, we do not cry out like this for Your grace, because we do not know the depths of our own sin. Help us this day, to see sin for what it is: infinitely ugly and offense to Your holy nature. Reveal to us our hidden iniquities, and open our eyes to the wonderful provision You have made for all of our sins to be wiped away by the Cross of our Lord Jesus. And having received that forgiving grace, may Your grace also transform our desires and joys so that we kill the sin that is remaining in us.
Nine Marks Blog
June 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
I’ve not exactly been a faithful blogger lately, have I? I am suffering from some ‘bloggers block’. Hopefully next week I’ll get things together a little better. But for now, I just wanted to let you and the rest of our faithful handful of readers know that Nine Marks Ministries has started a blog called Church Matters, which promises to be challenging and insightful.
Check it out when you have a chance,
Larry
Another Good Deal from DG
June 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The Desiring God blog reports that on June 27-28, all books from the Desiring God online store are available for $5.
The Book of Romans
June 21, 2007 | 3 Comments
Lar,
Lord willing, I’ll post a lengthier one later today, but for now, here’s another quote from Knowing God.
“Paul’s letter to Rome is the high peak of Scripture, however you look at it. Luther called it ‘the clearest gospel of all.’ ‘If a man understands it,’ wrote Calvin, ‘he has a sure road opened for him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.’ Tyndale, in his preface to Romans, linked both thoughts, calling Romans ‘the principal and most excellent part of the New TEstament, and most pure Euangelion, that is to say glad tidings and that we call gospel, and also a light and a way in unto the whole Scripture.’ All roads in the Bible lead to Romans, and all views afforded by the Bible are seen most clearly from Romans, and when the message of Romans gets into a person’s heart there is no telling what may happen.”
In light of that quote, I want to challenge us with two questions: How well do you know the book of Romans? And what are doing right now to know it better?
Memorization. Meditation. Simply reading it through. Listening to a sermon series. Reading a commentary on the book. There are many options. Maybe we can discuss some in the next few days. Either way, I would venture to say that, in light of that quote (and practical experience), we are wise to make it a priority to know the book of Romans. For it will surely serve as a gateway into greater understanding of the rest of Scripture.
Seeking Him with you,
Joe
Some Valuable Advice
June 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Check out this link for some wise advice from Ed Welch via Justin Taylor.
Welch is so right; in this day and age, our God is far too small. Job 38-42 will help God’s people restore the sense of wonder and awe at God’s majesty that ought to be there every day.
Larry
Wednesday Morning Prayer
June 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment
4 “O Lord, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in you.”
Psalm 39:4-7
Knowing God
June 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
House projects do take a lot of attention and energy don’t they? I love them though! The picture of redemption really is sweet. After all, God takes beat up dudes like ourselves and works (over the long haul) to make us useful and beautiful in His kingdom. I am hoping my back steps can serve as a picture of that soon. Maybe I will write on that sometime later. For now, here is another quote from J.I. Packer, one that expresses my burden to a ‘T’.
“From current Christian publications, you might think that the most vital issue for any real of would-be Christian in the world today is church union, or social witness, or dialogue with other Christians and other faiths, or refuting this of that ism, or developing a Christian philosophy and culture, or what have you. But our line of study makes the present-day concentration on these things look like a gigantic conspiracy of misdirection. Of course, it is not that; the isues themselves are real and must be dealth with in their place. But it is tragic that, in paying attention to them, so many in our day seem to have been distracted from what was, is, and always will be the true priority for every human being–that is, learning to know God in Christ.”
May the Lord grant us the grace to spend the rest of our lives focused on the main thing–Himself.
Seeking Him with you,
Joe
Tuesday Morning Prayer
June 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:18-22)
This is tough love, Father. Tough because You call a man to renounce even his most valuable of earthly goods. The one who follows You may have no place to lay his head. The one who follows You may be called to forsake his earthly family. This is hard, even for the most committed of disciples. But this is love, because in forsaking all else, You call us to follow You. And You are the One in whose presence is fullness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures forevermore. Help us, Father, to taste and see that You are good, and more to be desired than every earthly good we have. And being freed by that joy in You, help us to follow You down the narrow road that leads to everlasting joy, no matter what it costs us in this life.
Trials and Temptations
June 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
I trust I am not alone, but I still find myself being surprised when things don’t exactly go as I would like and/or life just isn’t easy! Foolishness I realize, because the Bible is so plain. The Lord loves us enough to make sure nothing is overly easy. These words from John Newton capture life–most of it for the Christian–well.
I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.
’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part.
Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.
Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
“’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.
These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”
Upcoming Book on Abortion
June 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
This looks like a book that you would certainly enjoy, and a valuable resource for those who want to speak to others about abortion.
Larry
Believe What?
June 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
I’ve been reading John Ensor’s book The Great Work of the Gospel and took note of this quote on the meaning of faith. In the Church we are often prone to talking about belieiving, but we are often vague and unsure of what it actually means to believe. I liked Ensor’s concise statement:
“The faith we are to place in God is a glad willingness to trust that He will provide for us everything that will truly make us happy in the long run.”
May we never forget that ultimately, the greatest source of happiness that God gives us is Himself. ‘Whom have I in heaven but You, and on earth there is nothing I desire besides You…’
Thankful that Christ has brought me near to God,
Larry
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