Christian and Culture
May 30, 2008 | 1 Comment
Lar,
I’m really not trying to make this ‘link week’, but you will love this short post by Tullian Tchividjian, called ‘No Utopia Now.’ He is right on point in my opinion. Check it out.
Joe
A Heavy Punch
May 29, 2008 | 1 Comment
Abraham packs one here in only 22 words. Though convicting, I am very thankful for it.
Joe
The Pursuit of Wisdom
May 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
I’m thinking you will be MIA for most of the week, seeing that you are away and all. I will try to keep things going. Anyhow, during my time with the Lord this morning, I read Proverbs 2. The first eight verses read,
2:1 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.
I just love those verses. For you will notice that verses 1-5 more or less say that the pursuit of wisdom should involve every aspect of our being. It requires a diligent pursuit. Indeed, it speaks as if the pursuit of wisdom is entirely concerned with our own efforts. If we want wisdom, we need to pay the price to get it.
But then verse six makes plain that it is the Lord who gives wisdom. It’s a gracious gift of God, one we know that we are commanded to pray for (James 1:5).
The beauty of it is that those two realities by no means conflict. We must act as if it depends entirely on us, but we must do so with a heart of humility, a heart that recognizes that wisdom, no matter how hard we work, is a gracious gift of God. In the end, two people could do the same external actions in order to obtain wisdom, but one might dishonor the Lord while the other honors the Lord. For the one will work in dependence upon himself, while the other (the one honoring the Lord in his pursuit), will work in humble dependence upon the Giver of every good gift. “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”
Seeking to embrace both realities to the full,
Joe
Political and Cultural Change
May 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Here is a great short post from Tullian Tchividjian on the link between political and cultural change. You have probably already seen it, but I figured I would post it for everyone else!
Peace,
Joe
Bible Meditation is Good
May 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
I seem to continually be learning the same things. The lesson that makes up the title of this post is one I was reminded of this morning. For over the last few weeks of transition, I had simply been reading and praying through the Scriptures during my morning quiet time. But this morning, I was very dull and tired (partly from staying up too late reading my book on Maravich), so I decided it was time to start meditating on the Word with keyboard before me.
It resulted in a post on Joe’s Notes, but that is no big deal. I didn’t write anything profound, but my mind and heart benefitted most from the exercise. I tell people time and again that the most important practice of my life is reading the Word with either pen in hand or keyboard before me. When it comes to getting your mind and heart right, nothing can top that simple habit.
I say all this hoping to stir up someone by way of reminder.
Learning the same things (over and over),
Joe
God is Big
May 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment
From a Tim Keller sermon on Isaiah 6:
If the distance between the earth and sun (92 million miles) was reduced to the thickness of a sheet of paper, then the distance between the earth and the nearest star would be a stack of papers 70 feet high. And the diameter of the galaxy would be a stack of paper 310 miles high. And yet the galaxy is nothing but a speck of dust in the whole universe. And the Bible says that Jesus Christ upholds this universe together with the word of his power, His pinky, as it were.
Is this the kind of Person you ask into your life to be your assistant?
Functional Righteousness
May 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
On Monday you wrote,
So I ask our readers: ‘He who is righteous through _____ will die.’ What are the big words that could go in the blank for you, which you need to guard yourself from?
As I mentioned you yesterday, that was a great post–and one that was followed by yet another great post. But to pick up on that question, I have to say that a number of things come to mind. Diligence, victory (in hoops), success at work, faithfulness in the home. You get the picture.
The primary thing that came to my mind as I thought about that question was the incredible inclination within my heart to base my identity on anything but Jesus. This is life before coming glory. It’s a continual battle to base your functional identity in who Jesus is and what He has done.
Most of the time, we are inclined to base our identities in good things. After all, being a faithful husband, or having success at work, or being diligent with my responsibilities are all good things. But they are not ultimate things. They cannot be my ultimate foundation for how I see myself. For if they are, I am bound to be frustrated and discouraged.
So thank you for the reminder to continually fix my eyes on Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross.
Thankful for my identity in Christ,
Joe
Steven Curtis
May 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
I’m not sure if you saw this or not, but apparently, Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest daughter (age 5) was struck and killed by a car driven by one of their sons…in their own driveway. Here’s a summary.
Having had the privilege of meeting him and his family and spending time at his home, this is a tough one. Not to mention the fact that Abigail is now 4 years-old. I just can’t imagine the various emotions and difficulties that arise during a time like this. But we know for sure that it is a difficult time and that we can support their family through prayer. I am also confident that Romans 8:28 is true for him, as it is for all who believe, and that the Lord will use even or especially something like this to strengthen their faith in Him and to bring glory to His name.
Praying accordingly,
Joe
Gospel Incarnation
May 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Many church leaders today speak of something called Gospel incarnation. What they mean is that in order to be Christ’s ambassadors in this world, in addition to proclaiming the verbal message of Christ crucified and risen for sinners, we also need to live out in our daily lives the love, compassion and servanthood of Jesus. As Jesus is God-incarnate, God in flesh, displaying the eternal glory of the invisible God, so also Christians are called to put Christ’s glory on display not only with our words, but with our lives. When our attitudes and conduct are consistent with the character of Jesus revealed in the gospel, then we are ‘incarnating’ the gospel to those around us.
This past Sunday we heard a sermon from Acts 9 on the conversion of the Apostle Paul. One thing that our pastor did not call much attention to (since it was a sermon on Paul) was the gospel-incarnating activity of Ananias. As we discussed the text last night in our life group, the Lord impressed upon me the staggering nature of Ananias’ gospel incarnation.
For me it’s all summed up in the two words, ‘Brother Saul’. The Lord had appeared to Ananias, telling him to go and find Saul, and lay his hands on this persecutor of Christians so that he could receive back his sight.
Ananias was incredulous: ‘Lord, I have heard the reports of this man, and how he has been seeking to destroy Your Church, and how he has come on this journey to arrest those who call upon You. How can I go and serve him?’
But the Lord persisted, “Go Ananias, for I have big plans for this hater of My glory’.
So Ananias went. And in going, I see an awesome display of gospel incarnation. He comes to the place where Saul was staying and says, ‘Brother Saul…’
Brother Saul! He calls this enemy of Christ, this man who had sought to arrest and persecute the believers in Jesus, a brother. In calling Saul ‘brother’, he incarnates a radical kind of love to Paul, a love that demonstrated the unmerited, astonishing love of Jesus for sinners. I can’t help but think that Ananias was empowered to do this because his own heart had been melted by the grace of God, so that he knew that Paul was no worse a sinner than he was.
Who are the people in your life who are hard to love? May God remind us all of richness of His undeserved love for you and me, that we might incarnate that love to those who we deem ‘unlovable’. For in reality, they are no more difficult to love than we are!
Larry
A Sermon to Myself
May 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
A.J. Gordon wrote in his book, The Holy Spirit in Missions, pp. 139, 140:
It was seven years before Carey baptized his first convert in India; it was seven years before Judson won his first disciple in Burma; Morrison toiled seven years before the first Chinaman was brought to Christ; Moffat declared that he waited seven years to see the first evident moving of the Holy Spirit upon the Bechuanas of Africa; Henry Richards wrought seven years on the Congo before the first convert was gained at Banza Manteka.
I have only been a believer for 8 years, and only in full-time pastoral ministry for six weeks. Should I feel surprised that the work of ministry is often slow, burdensome and full of temptation to despair? ‘You have need for endurance, young man, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.’ (Hebrews 10:36). Press on, and be faithful, and keep your eyes on the promise.
Larry
Fleeing from Yourself
May 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Two great posts today. I plan on interacting with them (especially the first) tomorrow. For now, I wanted to offer this short post from Abraham Piper. It’s a good reminder for us all. For it seems to me that we often flee from a thing and in turn, think we have conquered it. But we can never really flee from ourselves. And we are the problem. That’s a healthy and humbling reality to embrace.
Catch you more tomorrow,
Joe
Foretastes
May 19, 2008 | 2 Comments
Joe,
Last night after I preached Michelle needed me to run to Shoprite for a few things, and when I got out of the car I was treated to a nice sunset. Maybe it wasn’t as sweet as this picture, but it was certainly an echo of glory.
Anyway, as I was enjoying the nice sunset I headed toward the door and caught a glimpse of a big ashtray with a bunch of smelly cigarette butts in it.
Within just a few seconds, I was reminded of both the immense potential for beauty in God’s creation, and the manifold ways in which we humans have marred God’s good creation by exchanging His glory to pursue our happiness in lesser things.
Both in the displays of glory and the displays of corruption, God is giving us foretastes of the massive, cosmic scope of the redemption that has been purchased by the death and resurrection of Jesus. The sunset reminds me that even now visible manifestations of the Kingdom of God are all around us. The ashtray reminds me of the multitude of ways in which the creation is still groaning, eagerly awaiting its freedom from bondage to decay.
In a thousand ways every day, God is whispering to us about the awesome transformation of all things that He will work at the return of Jesus. May both the foretastes of glory and the reminders of corruption increase our longing for what Jesus called ‘the regeneration’ (Matthew 19:28), the new world in which all that is now marred by sin will be made new.
Readers: Where have you seen foretastes of glory and reminders of corruption around you today?
Larry
Where is Your Righteousness
May 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Joe,
Last night I preached for the first time in a month or so, on Matthew 7:13-14. I am never fond of preaching after a break that long; I feel like it takes me a sermon or two to remember ‘how to preach’. While I trust that people are always edified when the Word of God is proclaimed, last night was another of those instances where I just didn’t quite feel right up there. Though you haven’t done a ton of preaching, I’m sure you can think of some times where you really sensed that ‘unction’ from the Lord, and other times where you didn’t have it. Well, last night was one of those times when I didn’t ‘have it.’
Though I’ve not always felt this way, I am actually glad for those times now. They are a reminder that my righteousness is not found in being a good preacher, but solely on the merits of Christ’s perfect obedience.
After I was done preaching, I was reminded of something I’ve heard Tim Keller share with pastors. He was commenting on Romans 1:17, which can be translated somewhat woodenly, ‘The one who is righteous through faith shall live’. Keller said that as he was meditating on those words, the Spirit warned him with these words, ‘And the one who is righteous through preaching shall die.’
A great word for me when sermons go poorly, and when they go wonderfully. If I use preaching as a way of gaining God’s favor, or if I feel great when the sermons go well and miserable when they go less than wonderful, it is probably because I am placing a sinful, idolatrous hope in the quality of my preaching. That is a road that leads to death, no matter how righteous it might appear on the outside. From a distance, preaching looks a lot more godly than drug abuse, but both will end in death if they are the things that the human heart looks to in order to affirm one’s worth.
It is good to be reminded that ‘he who is righteous through preaching will die.’ I wonder in what ways our other readers are tempted to place their hopes of righteousness in other things.
So I ask our readers: ‘He who is righteous through _____ will die.’ What are the big words that could go in the blank for you, which you need to guard yourself from?
Grateful that God made Him who knew no sin to be sin in my behalf, that in Him I might becomes the righteousness of God,
Larry
Oil for My Head?
May 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Lar,
Thanks for keeping things rolling during the past week. It has been quite an adventure traveling back home with the three kids. The Lord granted much grace, but of course, it was by no means easy!
I also saw that post you linked to by Abraham Piper and was going to point everyone there as well. Interestingly enough, I read this verse this morning in Psalm 141,
“Let a righteous man strike me– it is a kindness;
let him rebuke me–it is oil for my head;
let my head not refuse it.” (v. 5)
I wonder, do we really feel this way?
Seeking to mean the words quoted above,
Joe
p.s. I will look to post some personal reflection on the last part of my season and some adventures in traveling next week.
Real Accountability, Short and Sweet
May 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Well, as I write Joe is on his way back from Turkey, to take up residency across the driveway from me here in Pitman (or Glassboro, depending on whether you’re talking about the mail or the garbage collection…weird).
In 22 words, Abraham Piper gives us a good challenge on having true accountability. And he uses a couple of great pictures to compliment his challenge.
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