Tick-Tock

As I head ever-closer to eternity, I often find myself contemplating time. I think about how little time I may have left to use the spiritual gifts God has so graciously given me to use for His glory. (Not that He necessarily needs me, mind you. He's quite capable of raising up another to take my place!)  My grandchildren are growing up quickly and I realize how little time I may have to build memories, to interact with them and shine God's truth into their lives. I think of those I teach... the bi-weekly women's Bible study, my 5th/6th Sunday School class, the women I do one-on-one studies with, and my driving desire to transmit to them all the necessary "how-to's" for studying God's Word for themselves, that they may personally know Jesus Christ at an ever-increasing, life-changing depth. The passing of time also leads me to consider how much of it I waste in useless, worthless pursuits. I recall my daughter pointing out once how we all have the same amount of hours in a day. It's how we choose to use them that makes the difference.

Kevin DeYoung (The Gospel Coalition) recently posted a quote from Peter Drucker's The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done. Though not a Christian book, Drucker does offer useful considerations about time applicable to all of us. He writes...

The supply of time is totally inelastic. No matter how high the demand, the supply will not go up. There is no price for it and no marginal utility curve for it. Moreover, time is totally perishable and cannot be stored. Yesterday’s time is gone forever and will never come back. Time is, therefore, always in exceedingly short supply.

Time is totally irreplaceable. Within limits we can substitute one resource for another, copper for aluminum, for instance. We can substitute capital for human labor. We can use more knowledge or more brawn. But there is no substitute for time.

Everything requires time. It is the one truly universal condition. All work takes place in time and uses up time. Yet most people take for granted this unique, irreplaceable, and necessary resource. Nothing else, perhaps, distinguishes an effective executive as much as their tender loving care of time.

You may not be as old as me. You may think you have all the time in the world ahead of you. You need to realize that age may have absolutely nothing to do with the amount of time you'll spend here. None of us knows which day will be our last! That should lead us to carefully consider our own use of this commodity called time. Don't allow yourself to get caught up with the notion that "someday when I have more time I'll study God's Word  ... someday when I have more time I'll live for Christ ... someday when I have more time I'll get serious about prayer ... someday when I have more time I'll tell others the good news of the gospel". Your "some day" might not arrive.

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-- yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. [James 4:13-14]

Guard Your Mind, Increase Your Joy

John Piper...

I think that much exposure to sensuality, banality, and God-absent entertainment does more to deaden our capacities for joy in Jesus than it does to make us spiritually powerful in the lives of the living dead. Sources of spiritual power—which are what we desperately need—are not in the cinema. You will not want your biographer to write: Prick him and he bleeds movies.

If you want to be relevant, say, for prostitutes, don’t watch a movie with a lot of tumbles in a brothel. Immerse yourself in the gospel, which is tailor-made for prostitutes; then watch Jesus deal with them in the Bible; then go find a prostitute and talk to her. Listen to her, not the movie. Being entertained by sin does not increase compassion for sinners.

One more smaller concern with TV (besides its addictive tendencies, trivialization of life, and deadening effects): It takes time. I have so many things I want to accomplish in this one short life. Don’t waste your life is not a catchphrase for me; it’s a cliff I walk beside every day with trembling.

TV consumes more and more time for those who get used to watching it. You start to feel like it belongs. You wonder how you could get along without it. I am jealous for my evenings. There are so many things in life I want to accomplish. I simply could not do what I do if I watched television.

Commenting on the absence of a TV in the Piper home, Sam Storms writes in For the Fame of God's Name (a collection of essays in honor of Piper's ministry)...

[Piper's] decision to rid his home of the influence of television was not from a disdain for pleasure, but an expression of his radical pursuit of it. What John regards as the banal and mind-numbing distractions of TV serve only to diminish his capacity to enjoy the one preeminent delight that never fails to satisfy, namely, the mind-expanding and ever-fascinating knowledge of God as revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

 [via Andy Naselli]

Blessed Are the Underappreciated

Here's an interesting little excerpt from a post Tim Challies wrote back in 2006. It's a reminder we need in the midst of our self-promoting culture. The believer's goal is faithfulness to God, not recognition by others.
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As I have pondered underappreciation, I have come to see that this is exactly where Christians ought to be. Yet far too often we seek to raise ourselves or other people to a level that is simply too high. It would be interesting to know how some people become popular within Christian circles. Sometimes we look at the men leading huge churches or massive, international ministries and can only wonder how they achieved such a position. So often it seems that they have forsaken the gospel and sound theology, yet somehow have been propelled to great heights. Surely there are people with greater talent, greater gifting and more holy lives laboring throughout the kingdom. They may preach from the pulpits of tiny churches far from the lights and the cameras. They may labor overseas as missionaries in near-total isolation. They may drive the buses or taxis you took to work this morning.

Jesus taught us “blessed are the meek.” The meek are the humble, those who show humility and submission before God. They are the underappreciated, yet those who know that in reality they are overappreciated. They have nothing to offer God, but have been accepted by Him. They are aware of the signifance of the gift that has been given them.

Blessed are the underappreciated.

[Challies blog can be found here.]

Christian Resolutions

The beginning of a new year turns our thoughts to resolutions. It can be a good time to evaluate where we've been and start fresh on the path to where we would like to be. Nathan Busenitz offers the following observations about what New Years resolutions ought to look like from the perspective of a follower of Christ. [His entire post can be found here.]  

And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." (Mk.8:34)

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... Even a quick glance at a typical “Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions” is enough to see that it contains no major surprises. As expected, the things our world values most — such as finances, fitness, family, friends, and food — consistently top the list of popular self-made promises.

But shouldn’t there be something more to the resolutions we make as Christians? I certainly think so.

Why? Well, for starters, our purpose on this earth is totally different. While those in the world discipline themselves for physical gain, we are to discipline ourselves for godliness (1Tim.4:7–8). While they relegate sobriety to a designated driver, we are to be constantly sober in spirit for the purpose of prayer (1Pet.4:7). While they pursue the various lusts of this passing age (1Jn.2:16–17), we are to pursue holiness, in keeping with our holy calling (1Thess.4:7). They have a temporal perspective, we are to have an eternal one; they live for their own personal success, we are to live for God’s glory (1Cor.10:31); they conduct themselves however they see fit, we are to love God and keep His commandments (Mk.12:30). From our allegiance to our attitudes to our actions — we are totally different than the world around us … or at least we’re supposed to be. That’s why Peter calls us “aliens and strangers” (1Pet.2:11), "sojourners" in this foreign land called earth (cf. Heb.11:13).

So as you make your New Year’s resolutions for 2012, don’t be content with merely planning to drop a few pounds or save a few pennies. Instead remember that, as a believer, to live is Christ (Phil.1:21) and to follow Him is to deny yourself and daily take up your cross (Mk.8:34). He is to be the supreme object of all our aims and affections. He is the One we are to please; He is the One we are to praise; and He is the One we are to pursue. Everything else, in comparison, is nothing more than rubbish (cf. Phil.3:7–8)...

If that’s the case, then what kinds of resolutions should we be making?

The seventy resolutions of Jonathan Edwards serve as a wonderful example to us in this regard. Amazingly, Edwards penned these resolutions when he was only in his late teens and early twenties. Moreover, the commitments he made were lifelong pursuits; they were not limited to just the next year (as our New Year’s resolutions often are).

  

Here are the primary areas in which Jonathan Edwards was resolved:

1. To live for God’s glory

2. To make the most of this life, in terms of eternal impact 

3. To take sin seriously

4. To become theologically astute 

5. To be humble

6. To exhibit self-control in all things

7. To always speak with grace and truth

8. To constantly develop an eternal focus

9. To be a faithful Christian, in prayer and dedication

10. To daily pursue a fervent love for Christ

As we consider the resolutions that we make for 2012, we can definitely learn something from the man widely recognized as America’s greatest theologian. Even when Edwards resolved to use his time wisely, to eat properly, or to maintain healthy relationships with others — resolutions that seem to coincide with the secular “top ten” list — his resolve flowed out of a God-focused perspective that was eternal in its scope. Thus his resolutions were not merely temporal lifestyle adjustments designed to solve a perceived bad habit. Instead, they were earnest spiritual decisions made for the purpose of combating sin and living a God-glorifying life.

Moreover, Edwards did not solely rely on his own willpower or clever scheming to stay true to his resolutions. To be sure, his resolutions required a tremendous amount of personal discipline and hard work. Yet, unlike the self-made commitments of the world, Edwards ultimately relied on God’s grace to help him accomplish what he knew to be humanly impossible (cf. Phil.3:12–13). In the preamble to his resolutions, he wrote: “Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.”

So what kind of resolutions will you make this year? Will they be those that reflect biblical priorities? Will they be those that necessarily depend on divine grace to accomplish? Will they be those that accord with the will of God and the glory of Christ?

If not, then what makes our resolutions any different than the good intentions of the unbelieving world? But, if our perspective is eternal and our priorities are biblical, than our resolutions will be categorically different — even if our list includes things like better time management, greater self-discipline, and more love for others.

After all, as a Christian, good intentions aren’t enough … only godly intentions will do.

[from Nathan Busenitz, Cripplegate blog]
[Related Post: Eyes on God, A Lesson from Edwards]

Tips for Writing "Apples of Gold"

Reading through notes written to encourage my daughter Beth during her recent cancer treatments left me very thankful for those able to write an encouraging note from the heart. They included truth from God's Word and gently reminded her of who God is and of His love for her. For the most part, they were written by women who had a deep understanding of what it meant to be a child of God and a solid knowledge of His Word. They left me with a desire to be equally encouraging when I have the opportunity to write such notes. I recently came across a post at the Counseling One Another blog dealing with this very issue.

"Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances."  Proverbs 25:11

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"How to Write a Good Sympathy Card"

Since my mother’s death ... I have radically altered the way I write in sympathy cards. I now know more fully the pain that death brings into our lives and, having received so many impacting words of comfort from others, am convinced I will never write in a card the same way I did before...

 As I read them over, four words came to mind. I offer them to you, along with examples of what others wrote to our family, as suggestions for you to apply in order to become a more effective “minister of comfort” to those who grieve (2 Cor 1:4).

Permission: Give them permission to grieve or be shocked. Use words that communicate freedom to experience and release pain. 

The pain of your loss is greater when your heart has been touched deeply and your life affected more profoundly by the one you have loved. We are never prepared for the loss of a loved one, but God’s grace and mercy are new every morning. He is faithful in times of grief and He, with His Word and His children, will strengthen you in the days ahead.

Honesty: If you don’t know what to say then admit it. Don’t feel pressured to come up with some profound word that does not represent the real you. Include brief Scripture quotations of comfort. Remember, the one thing Job’s “comforters” did right is they sat with him for one week w/o saying a word (Job 2:13). Your unspoken presence will mean the world to those who grieve.

If we knew what to say, we would not know how to say it. We are asking God to give grace running over as you and your family deal with this difficult hour.

Empathy: Show them you understand without actually saying, "I understand what you are going through."

I was deeply saddened to hear of your mother’s death. I lost my own mother in a similarly unexpected way and I well remember the sense of shock. I pray the comfort of the Spirit of Christ will be with you and your family, especially your little ones who will be without their grandmother at Christmas.

Assistance:  Open your ears to listen to them and your heart to serve them. [Here's a very valuable comment from a reader: "If you offer to help in any way, reach out to the grieving person. They probably won't call you but if you call and say 'let's get a cup of coffee' they will probably take you up on it. When you go be ready to listen."]

Spiritual Insight from Isaiah's Vision of God

Below is an excerpt from an article by Rev. Ian Hamilton, pastor of Cambridge Presbyterian Church, UK, reflecting on Isaiah's vision in Isaiah 6:1-8. [The article may be found in its entirety here.]
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In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."  [Isaiah 6:1-8]

The Insight Isaiah Gained by Seeing God...

It brought to Isaiah first a deep felt awareness of his sinfulness – “woe to me… I am ruined…”!! When Isaiah ‘saw’ God as he is, he was not left standing – he was not left proud and dispassionate – he was deeply humbled! There is little doubt that Isaiah already was a believing servant – but a stranger to the pulse-quickened sense of God’s ineffable greatness – Isaiah was seeing himself as God saw him.

Second, it brought Isaiah a new sense of Israel’s corruption (v.5) – his encounters with “the King” caused him to see through the façade of Israel’s religion (cf. 1:10ff). – onlookers would have complimented Israel on the ‘healthy state’ of its religion – but when a man has had a sight of the majesty of God, he sees not only his own sinfulness, but the sinful state of his own generation.

Third, it brought to Isaiah a deep, personal awareness of God’s forgiving grace – as he is overwhelmed by his sinful uncleanness and un-doneness, God mercifully sends an angel to bring him God’s forgiving grace – a live coal from the altar of sacrifice – a coal which becomes the symbol of the basis on which God forgives sinners – touches Isaiah’s lips – inner pain, but “Behold… your guilt is taken away...”

To the forgiven sinner, ‘forgiveness’ is a humbling, overpowering, captivating word. Nowhere is this more highlighted in our Lord’s encounter with the “sinful woman” in Luke 7:47. The extravagance of her devotion to the Lord acutely embarrassed Simon the Pharisee, Jesus’ host. Jesus’ response is one that ought to humble all of us: “He who is forgiven little, loves little”. The depth of our love to the Savior is in proportion to the depth of our experience of and appreciation of his forgiving grace.

Fourth, it brought Isaiah to yield his life unreservedly to God! “Here am I…” – no cajoling, no pleading – the response of a man to whom inexplicable, sovereign grace has come. Grace costs us nothing, but it demands everything (Matthew 8:18-22; 10:37-39). Here is the reflex action of a man who has ‘seen’ the Lord and felt the power of his presence and grace.

Living in the Light of the Cross: Puritan Writing

Joel Beeke offers nine ways reading Puritan literature aids Christian spiritual growth. (See excerpt below.) Many, many of these works are now available in reprint and a number have been updated to modern English. I previously posted a recommendation for the modern English version of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Several of you borrowed or purchased it and have since mentioned to me how valuable it proved to be as both an evangelistic tool and as a spur to your own spiritual walk. Take advantage of these modern language versions if the original language is more than you care to handle! 

Beeke has co-authored a guide to Puritan literature called Meet the Puritans. It offers biographical and background information to various Puritan authors and their works, as well as a list of what is currently available, with a synopsis of each book. [Reformation Press is offering it at almost half price for a limited time! Just click on the above title.]

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 1. Puritan writings help shape life by Scripture. 

The Puritans loved, lived, and breathed Holy Scripture. They relished the power of the Spirit that accompanied the Word. Their books are all Word-centered; more than 90 percent of their writings are repackaged sermons that are rich with scriptural exposition. The Puritan writers truly believed in the sufficiency of Scripture for life and godliness. If you read the Puritans regularly, their Bible-centeredness will become contagious.

2. Puritan writings show how to integrate biblical doctrine into daily life.

• First, they address your mind. In keeping with the Reformed tradition, the Puritans refused to set mind and heart against each other, but viewed the mind as the palace of faith. “In conversion, reason is elevated,” John Preston wrote. The Puritans understood that a mindless Christianity fosters a spineless Christianity. An anti-intellectual gospel quickly becomes an empty, formless gospel that never gets beyond “felt needs,” which is something that is happening in many churches today.

• Second, Puritan writings confront your conscience. The Puritans are masters at convicting us about the heinous nature of our sin against an infinite God. They excel at exposing specific sins, then asking questions to press home conviction of those sins.

• Devotional reading should be confrontational as well as comforting. We grow little if our consciences are not pricked daily and directed to Christ. Since we are prone to run for the bushes when we feel threatened, we need daily help to be brought before the living God “naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb.4:12-13).

• Third, the Puritan writers engage your heart. They excel in feeding the mind with solid biblical substance and they move the heart with affectionate warmth. They write out of love for God’s Word, love for the glory of God, and love for the soul of readers.

3. Puritan writings show how to exalt Christ and see His beauty. 

The Puritan Thomas Adams wrote: “Christ is the sum of the whole Bible, prophesied, typified, prefigured, exhibited, demonstrated, to be found in every leaf, almost in every line, the Scriptures being but as it were the swaddling bands of the child Jesus.” Likewise, the Puritan Isaac Ambrose wrote, “Think of Christ as the very substance, marrow, soul, and scope of the whole Scriptures.” If you would know Christ better and love Him more fully, immerse yourself in Puritan literature.

4. Puritan writings reveal the Trinitarian character of theology. 

The Puritans were driven by a deep sense of the infinite glory of a Triune God. When they answered the first question of the Shorter Catechism that man’s chief end was to glorify God, they meant the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Puritans teach us how to remain God-centered while being vitally concerned about Christian experience, so that we don’t fall into the trap of glorifying experience for its own sake.

5. Puritan writings show you how to handle trials. 

Puritanism grew out of a great struggle between the truth of God’s Word and its enemies. As Robert Leighton wrote, “Affliction is the diamond dust that heaven polishes its jewels with.” The Puritans show us how God’s rod of affliction is His means to write Christ’s image more fully upon us, so that we may be partakers of His righteousness and holiness (Heb. 12:10–11).

6. Puritan writings explain true spirituality. 

The Puritans stress the spirituality of the law, spiritual warfare against indwelling sin, the childlike fear of God, the wonder of grace, the art of meditation, the dreadfulness of hell, and the glories of heaven.

7. Puritan writings show how to live by wholistic faith. 

The Puritans apply every subject they write about to practical “uses”―as they term it. These “uses” will propel you into passionate, effective action for Christ’s kingdom. Their own daily lives integrated Christian truth with covenant vision; they knew no dichotomy between the sacred and the secular. Their writings can assist you immeasurably in living a life that centers on God in every area, appreciating His gifts, and declaring everything “holiness to the Lord.”

8. Puritan writings teach the importance and primacy of preaching. 

To the Puritans, preaching was the high point of public worship. Preaching must be expository and didactic, they said; evangelistic and convicting, experiential and applicatory, powerful and “plain” in its presentation, ever respecting the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit.

9. Puritan writings show how to live in two worlds. 

The Puritans said we should have heaven “in our eye” throughout our earthly pilgrimage. They took seriously the New Testament passages that say we must keep the “hope of glory” before our minds to guide and shape our lives here on earth. They viewed this life as “the gymnasium and dressing room where we are prepared for heaven,” teaching us that preparation for death is the first step in learning to truly live (Packer, Quest, 13).

[Beeke's entire post may be found here.]

A Look at Real Faithfulness

I am not a very faithful being. I intend to do something, but the days fill up and pass by and I have trouble finding an empty Saturday. I vow I'll visit my shut-in friends ... and don't seem to do it nearly enough. I say I'll bring a book for someone ... and forget who it was or which book it was they wanted. (Never feel bad about reminding me!) I'll have endless ideas for preparing classes & self-tutorials & powerpoint lessons & devotionals, yet can't seem to find the time to execute them all. (Sorry, Julie ... I really WILL finish the one you're waiting for!) I intend to write encouraging notes and letters to college students, but few make it to their intended recipients. My desires & intentions are limited by my lack of time ... my lack of ability ... my aging memory ... my lack of power to actually accomplish it all.

I don't think I'm alone in these struggles. I've noticed there's actually an acceptable phrase now for telling people you have great intentions, but you're not going to actually DO anything. We say, "I'm thinking of you." and feel we've accomplished something. We could be regularly raising up prayers before the throne of God on their behalf. We could be helping them out with a physical need. We could send them a note with an encouraging passage from Scripture or an edifying book or a small gift to lift their spirits. We could be there listening to their grief, their pain, their frustration and giving real encouragement or needed admonishment from God's Word. We could be doing so many things ... but we settle for "thinking" of them. 

I'm so glad God IS a faithful being. He keeps His promises. His every intention is brought to fruition because He makes it happen. It's His character to be faithful, true and trustworthy. He CAN be relied upon. He is not limited by time, nor by ability, nor by memory, nor by power. Unlike me, He can be totally relied upon.

"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Num.23:19)

"... the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Rom.11:29)

"God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1Cor.1:9)

"No temptation/trial has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted/tried beyond what you are able, but with the temptation/trial will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." (1Cor.10:13)

"Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right." (1Pet.4:19)

"Your Godly Ones Shall Bless You"

Thankfulness should permeate the heart/mind of the redeemed. As we study God's Word and the Holy Spirit illumines our minds so that we may know God at an ever-increasing depth, such knowledge should manifest itself in the depth of our thankfulness to Him. Yesterday my son gave a devotion following Thanksgiving dinner. He raised a good question ... how is the thankfulness of the believer different from that of the unbeliever? What makes the thankfulness of a regenerated soul different? 

I've been thinking about his question ever since and concluded one difference is the object of our thanks. Believers are not "generally" thankful, but "specifically" thankful to God. They are able to see His hand working in their lives and able to trust Him in all circumstances because of their position "in Christ" and because of God's goodness.

Secondly, the believer has a lifestyle of thanksgiving. He realizes his daily dependence upon God and looks to Him as the author of all good things (James 1:17). A third difference should be the depth of our thankfulness. Those who have a knowledge of how much they have been forgiven are able to respond to God's amazing grace in their lives with deep thankfulness.

A fourth difference is that a thankful heart offered up to God in praise honors Him and reflects His glory in our lives. The psalmists call upon God's people to "give thanks" some 100 times in the Book of Psalms! They certainly understood the connection between thankfulness and praise.

I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.  (Ps.7:17)

So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture Will give thanks to You forever; To all generations we will tell of Your praise. (Ps.79:13)

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Ps.107:1)

This post looks at a fifth difference - believers receive blessings as a result of having a heart/mind that dwells in thankfulness to our God and Savior.

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Thankfulness forces us to focus on what we have rather than what we want. 

In our materialistic culture, we can succumb to a consumerism of the soul that reduces our prayers to shopping lists. Thankfulness looks outward, not inward. It realigns our lives so that they revolve around God instead of trying to make God revolve around us.

Thankfulness highlights grace.  

To give thanks is to admit that you are dependent, to say, "I couldn't have done this on my own, but you helped me." Thanksgiving removes the temptation to boast and strengthens the only basis on which we can relate to God: that of accepting our own unworthiness and God’s free grace in Jesus Christ.

Thankfulness develops hope for the future.  

Looking backward to the past with thanksgiving actually helps us to look toward the future with anticipation.

Thankfulness regularly ensures that gratitude will spill over into every area of our lives.  

We cannot thank God for difficult colleagues, relatives, or neighbors for long before finding that we express a positive attitude toward them. Grumpiness and irritability do not grow well in a climate of gratitude. Those who regularly give thanks to God find they are ready to give to others. Gratitude and generosity go hand in hand.

Living in Light of the Hope (Part 3)

Paul Tripp's latest book, Forever: Why You Can't Live Without It explores how believers are meant to live out  their earthly lives in view of eternity. In his sermon on the mount, Jesus stressed the importance of having 20/20 spiritual vision (Mt.6:22-23). Tripp writes, "The unshakable promise of the future grace of eternity does more than give you hope for the future. Embedded in the promise of a future is the guarantee of grace for what you're facing right here, right now. You see, the God of eternity enters your story in the here and now, or he couldn't guarantee your future. And that makes all the difference in the world."

Part 1 looked at the first benefit of living life in view of eternity: The resurrection of Jesus and the hope of forever tell us what is really important in life.

Part 2 covered a second benefit: The resurrection of Jesus and the hope of eternity have the power to radically change the way you approach the responsibilities, difficulties, and opportunities of your daily life. The third benefit is presented below.

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The resurrection of Jesus and the hope of eternity teach you delayed gratification.

Western culture is not a waiting culture. We sigh when we get to Starbucks in the morning and there's a bit of a line. ...We hate even the thought of being stuck in traffic. We are an instant culture. But the hope of forever calls us to a different worldview.

In God's plan, waiting is not an interruption or obstruction of the plan; waiting is part of the plan. As we are waiting for the forever that is the promise of God's grace, we are not just marking time. From an eternal perspective, waiting is about becoming. When Adam and Eve disobeyed, God immediately put in place a process that would result in redemption and restoration. God is progressively transforming us into what he created us to be, and he is preparing us for the eternity that is to follow. By his grace, every moment of waiting is, in his hands, an efficient tool for personal restoration and preparation.

Isaiah 61:3 beautifully captures this process: "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD, for the display of his splendor." ...[His plan is] that you and I would be as strong and as durable through the seasons and storms of life as the mighty oak tree is. The things that the oak endures season after season are the things that contribute to its grandeur and strength. Oak trees don't sprout up and mature overnight. It takes scores of years to bring a mighty oak to maturity, but when it is mature, it lives with a strength and splendor that few plants in God's creation have.

Notice that the prophet Isaiah didn't write that God was working to make us toadstools of righteousness. A toadstool sprouts up overnight, but you can uproot it with a flick of your fingers.  God is calling us to live through seasons of ... process so that we will be people of enduring strength and character whose lives point to God's glory and who are ready for the forever that he has promised to his children.


 

The Rebel's Guide to Joy - Fanny Crosby

Living in Light of the Hope (Part 2)

Paul Tripp's latest book, Forever: Why You Can't Live Without It explores how believers are to live out  their earthly lives in view of eternity. Jesus stressed the importance of having 20/20 spiritual vision (Mt.6:22-23). Tripp writes, "The unshakable promise of the future grace of eternity does more than give you hope for the future. Embedded in the promise of a future is the guarantee of grace for what you're facing right here, right now. You see, the God of eternity enters your story in the here and now, or he couldn't guarantee your future. And that makes all the difference in the world."

"If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Cor. 15:12-21)

Part 1 looked at the first benefit of living out your life with an eternal perspective: The resurrection of Jesus and the hope of forever tell us what is really important in life. Below Tripp offers a second benefit.

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The resurrection of Jesus and the hope of eternity have the power to radically change the way you approach the responsibilities, difficulties, and opportunities of your daily life. "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1Cor.15:58)  What Paul is essentially saying is that eternity takes the vanity out of your living in the here and now.

So how can that knowledge change our approach to life? It means we have reason to continue. That's what it means to be steadfast. We don't continue because we can see that our efforts are bringing us success or because we are being affirmed by others. We don't continue because we  can see how our problems will be solved. We don't continue because continuing is pleasurable. We continue because we get the plan. We continue because we know that grace has given us a life beyond this life, and the forever that is before us makes the things we do in the here and now meaningful and consequential. ...This means that, in the here and now, we had better have a grander motivation when we get up in the morning than the hope that our day will be predictable, easy, and relatively free of hassle. Eternity gives us just that kind of big-picture motivation.

Now, all the things you do that are shaped by your belief in forgiveness now and for eternity are infused with new purpose, new meaning, and new hope. You are freed from wondering what in the world is going to happen to you and where in the world your life is going. You have been rescued from trying to control what you cannot control. You are delivered from tying all of your deepest hopes and dreams to temporary and dysfunctional situations and relationships. You no longer have to search for identity in things that were never designed to give you identity. The resurrection of Jesus, its guarantee of final resurrection to come and the forever that will follow, defines who you are, what you need, what your life is about, and where you are going. Now everything you do is connected to a radically different present and a guaranteed future. And all the things that are unsure in your life are not connected to things that are sure. ...Eternity changes the whole game.

Living in Light of the Hope (Part 1)

I have been thoroughly enjoying Paul Tripp's latest book, Forever: Why You Can't Live Without It. If you're a believer and you don't know the how's and why's of what it means to live out your daily life in view of eternity, this is a great place to start wrapping your mind around these biblical truths! In our Ladies' study of the Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 5-7, we've listened to Jesus talk about the importance of having 20/20 spiritual vision (Mt.6:22-23). This is exactly what Tripp addresses in his book. Here is the first of his reflections on the difference the hope of forever makes. 

"If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who
                                     have fallen asleep."  (1 Corinthians 15:12-21)

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Our hope for the future depends on the actual point-in-time historicity of a past event, on the actuality of the resurrection of Jesus. If there was no empty tomb, then there is no hope of life after death. Life with God forever guarantees our final deliverance from all that sin has broken and life forever with the Lord. ...Here is the first specific way the resurrection makes a difference in the here and now:

The resurrection of Jesus and the hope of forever tell us what is really important in life. Many of us have lost sight of what is truly important. Consider these examples:

• Sarah lost it yesterday morning when her son spilled his cereal for the third day in a row.
• Sam silently cursed the weather that had created the traffic jam that he didn't want to be in.
• Mary didn't seem to be able to quit obsessing over the fact that Susan hadn't asked her to be in her wedding.
• Frank struggled with being bitter that as a father of four he had little time for himself anymore.
• Jeanna was tired of having to pick up after her roommate.

When circumstances rise to levels of importance way beyond their actual importance, they exercise more control over us than they should. Success is not the most important thing in life. Pleasure is not the most important thing in life. The degree to which others appreciate us and accept us is not the most important thing in life either, nor is the degree of our control over people and circumstances or the size of our pile of possessions.The resurrection of Jesus and the hope of forever give us a sense of priority and proportion.

Your biggest difficulty is not outside of you, it is inside of you. The Bible names it: sin. ...It is the universal and unavoidable disease. It is the one thing we cannot rescue ourselves from. It destroys our spirituality as it robs us of our humanity. If you are living for all those other things and are ignoring your sin, you are ignoring the single most significant problem of your existence. ...Sure all those relational, situational, and physical things you worry about are important in some way, but they must not be viewed as the essence of what life is about. ...The resurrection guarantees the progressive defeat of sin in the here and now and the final deliverance from it in eternity.

[In reference to a believer named Scott, who found himself weighed down by family and work responsibilities and felt as if life had passed him by, Tripp writes...] He was confused about what God was doing, and because he was, he lived with unrealistic expectations, which resulted in disenchantment with his faith. What Scott failed to understand was that the life that God promised him and was delivering to him was not the good life of an easy, predictable marriage, compliant children, and a satisfying job. God promised to work on Scott. Every day Scott was the recipient of patient, forgiving grace. Every day he was given the power to defeat temptations that he could not defeat on his own. In situation after situation, God was using the difficulties of life to grow, change, and mature Scott. ...All of those promises that Scott doubted were being fulfilled daily, but not in the way he expected or in the places he looked. ...The most important gift of all, the defeat of sin, was being delivered to Scott, but he didn't see it. Scott was being given the good life, yet day after day he awoke to the disappointment of believing that the good life had passed him by.

[When Scott came to understand these biblical truths, his view of life changed. He was able to say...] "I know my marriage isn't all that it could be, my children are difficult at times, and my job isn't always fulfilling, but I have reason to be thankful and encouraged. ...Today, because of the resurrection, I am given forgiveness for my wrongs, power to face temptation, and the hope that one day my battle will be over. And I also know that when things are tough, God is not absent, but using hardship to make me a man who quits looking for life where it can't be found and who starts celebrating the life he has already been given and the life that is to come." Because Scott  now gets what God is doing, he approaches his marriage, parenting, and job with peace of heart and confidence in the presence and help of the resurrected Jesus.


 

Are You Adding to the Gospel Now That You're Saved?

From Ed Stetzer's interview with Tullian Tchividjian, Pastor at Coral Ridge and author of Jesus + Nothing = Everything...

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Ed Stetzer:  You talk about how Christians like to add to the Gospel ("Christianity and ..."). What does it mean to add to the Gospel?

Tullian T:  Protestants have always embraced that we are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in the finished work of Christ alone--that our good works don't save us or merit favor with God. But once we're saved, we fall into the trap of adding a lot of things to the gospel. It's always Jesus + Something = Everything.

Remember C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters. As the high-ranking demon Screwtape trains his protégé Wormwood in satanic strategies against Christians, he discusses how (in Screwtape's words) "to keep them in the state of mind I call 'Christianity And.'" Screwtape gives a few examples (reflecting some fads from Lewis's time, the mid-twentieth century): "Christianity and the New Psychology, Christianity and the New Order, Christianity and Faith Healing," and even "Christianity and Vegetarianism." These were all various manifestations of the urgent, Devil-fostered temptation believers face to add something else to Jesus and the gospel--all because of those deficiencies we sense in our own experience.

Today, Screwtape's list would doubtless look different. The currently tempting formulas might include "Christianity and success," "Christianity and self-affirmation," "Christianity and self-improvement," "Christianity and personal progress," or "Christianity and spiritual formation." There's a host of causes that might crop up: "Christianity and environmentalism," "Christianity and home schooling," "Christianity and social justice," "Christianity and diversity and tolerance," not to mention an abundance of "Christianity and political action" variations--liberal, conservative, libertarian, hope-and-change, take-back-America, whatever.

Besides those, there are plenty of extras that have timeless appeal for any and all generations: "Christianity and popularity," "Christianity and power," "Christianity and social status," "Christianity and reform," even "Christianity and tradition." It could even get more personal: "Christianity and my family", "Christianity and people liking me", "Christianity and feeling important."

The way I get at this in my own heart is to ask myself: What is the one thing, or things, that if God were to take away from me, I'd feel like I don't want to live anymore? What am I functionally depending on to make me feel like I matter?

That's the something that I'm enslaved to -  the something that might be ok to enjoy, but not to worship.

[Complete interview found here.]
[via Vitamin Z blog]

Another Look at Loving the Singles in Your Church

The previous post on this subject drew such interest I thought I would pass on highlights from another view of the subject. My daughter recommended Carolyn McCulley's post on the desiring god website entitled, "How to Serve the Singles." Below is the introduction and several of her main points. __________________________________________________

When I was a single woman in my mid-thirties, I invited the elders of my church and their wives to a formal holiday dinner as a way of expressing my thanks to them for their care and ministry. As I served the standing rib roast on a table set with china and crystal, one man remarked, “Wow. I never would have done this when I was single. It would have been pizza for everyone!”

This pastor offered this comment as an expression of thanks and I received it that way. But I did ponder it afterward, realizing that for many people the link between youthful inexperience and singleness is inextricably linked. In my early 20s, I too would have served pizza on paper plates, if indeed I had thought at all about offering hospitality...

I have a list of insights about single adults that I'd like to offer to church leaders. The hope here is that these ideas will foster a stronger connection between unmarried people and their local congregations.

 

Marriage is not the ultimate prize.

While I believe all churches should prize marriage and family, I also believe we have to be careful about the unintentional messages potentially conveyed about marriage and family. Both are gifts for this life alone. The one relationship that survives eternally is the one we have as the Bride of Christ to our beloved Savior. The relationships that we all have as brothers and sisters in Christ are the ones that will not end—and these need to be cultivated as much as family life is cultivated. Additionally, single adults need to be reminded that God has not withheld his very best from them if they remain unmarried.

 

The Singles are actually unmarried men and women.

It’s important that unmarried men and women are discipled as men and women and not a generic lump of singleness. From my perspective, Scripture’s emphasis is on being made a man or a woman in the image of God, with a secondary emphasis on how that looks in the various roles and seasons of life. Unmarried men and women are no less masculine or feminine because of being single.

Single men need leadership responsibilities.

Put 1 Corinthians 7 to work in your churches by showing that the church actually needs unmarried adults who are devoted to the Lord, especially single men. What this looks like will be different in various churches. But when church leaders ask unmarried men to take on significant responsibilities, they demonstrate a belief that godly singleness is a tremendous asset to the Body of Christ.

 

Single adults are not workhorses.

Conversely, unmarried men and women are not the church’s workhorses. ...Even though I am unmarried, I still need to make my home and my home church priorities. I need time to receive care from close friends and also to return that nurturing.

 

Understand the challenges of endless opportunity.

One wise pastor once told a group of single adults that he was sympathetic to the challenges of endless opportunity. Because he was a pastor, father, and husband, the boundaries of his day were fairly well-defined from the moment he woke up. He knew his responsibilities and the priorities given to him by God and he didn’t have to spend a lot of time deciding what he was supposed to do.

But single adults can think they don’t have those same clear priorities and can be tempted to drift through their days. But we actually do have many of the same boundaries and priorities in working faithfully as unto the Lord, in building up our local churches, in reaching out to non-Christians, in praying for others, in caring for the family members and friends we have (especially as single parents), in offering hospitality, and so forth. Though some of the most intimate relationships may be different, we all share a basic set of priorities and we often need to be reminded of that.

 

It’s not self-improvement, it’s others-improvement.

Too often our advice to unmarried adults stems from worldly thinking that infects us all. We give advice to improve and equip the unmarried adult to attract better relationships, rather than reminding them they are stewards of whatever relationships they have been given.

As John Piper wrote in This Momentary Marriage, "The meaning of marriage is the display of the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his people." Though it is not on display in exactly the same way in the lives of unmarried adults, we are part of the Bride of Christ and recipients of his faithful covenant love. Therefore, how we care for others who are also Christ's beloved speaks volumes to a watching world, to the praise of his glory.

[Carolyn McCulley is the author of Did I Kiss Marriage Good-bye?: Trusting God with a Hope Deferred and Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World ]

Loving the Single Woman in Your Church

A single friend of mine once asked why I never post anything for single Christian women. It may be because my own experience is in the sphere of marriage and children.  A strong memory of my own struggles starting out as a newly saved young wife and mother has made me sensitive to women in similar situations. In addition, I studied Scripture for some time with a group of young moms. I still tend to think about them and pray for them. Therefore, my radar is ever tuned towards encouraging moms! On the other hand, I do offer many posts applicable to ALL women. In fact, many of the posts are applicable to Christians in general.

But now I am pleased to say I have come across a post written by a single Christian woman advising the rest of us what NOT to say to someone in her position. Though said with the best of intentions, such comments are neither encouraging nor edifying and often quite hurtful. Taking a step back to look at the biblical picture, we need to remember that God is sovereign over every situation and circumstance in a believer's life. Sometimes when we offer comments such as these, we don't involve God in the picture at all! Let's be on guard against any attitude that erases God from the quotient! Here is her advice about what NOT to say to the single Christian woman. My guess is that my single friends have probably heard a few of these...
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“I keep praying for someone to come along for you.” Thanks for your prayers. I hope someone comes along too. Instead of praying for that, why don’t you pray that I would be growing in Christlikeness so that if Mr. Wonderful walks into my life, I would be better suited to be a helpmate for him.

“I don’t know why no young man hasn’t scooped you up and carried you off yet.”  I know this is supposed to be a compliment and that the intention of the kind woman is to tell me that she thinks I’m worth marrying. I appreciate that you think so highly of me. Unfortunately when you say this I immediately try to answer the question of why no one has carried me off. Am I too much of one thing and not enough of another? Do I not look right? Am I too soft spoken or too loud? What do I need to change about myself since obviously something is wrong with me if I haven’t been taken off the market? Maybe I should go read Proverbs 31 again to figure it out.

“You should move somewhere where there are more young men, or maybe go to a church with more single people.” There is some merit to having a community that you can feel comfortable with, but comments like this aren’t helpful for several reasons. First, it makes it seem like the goal of going to church or moving somewhere is to find a spouse. That’s not why you go to church. Second, it feeds the controlling nature of most women to want to put their matrimonial future into their own hands instead of trusting God. It’s a slippery slope that is all too easy to find yourself on. What woman wouldn’t want to go to a church filled with thousands of single men just waiting to find a wife? You could just ask them all to fill out applications and have a screening process. It could be the church version of The Dating Game. Third, some women don’t have the option of moving, so pointing out to them that there might be “greener pastures” on the other side of the fence doesn’t help them be content in their current situation. It can be a daily struggle for some women to be ok with where they are at in life, and indirectly telling them that their life would be better somewhere else doesn’t help.

“Have you ever thought about online dating?” Many, many wonderful Christian people have met and married through online dating. It’s the wave of the future without a doubt. But it is still something that brings embarrassment to the person. It can sometimes feel like the question is really saying “I see that you’ve completely failed at attracting anyone in your physical world so have you tried to do it in an online world?” It reminds me of being kicked off the varsity team and ending up on the bench for the JV.

“Don’t you want to get married and have children?” This is usually in response to a statement about being content in my current state. Being content is not the same as having no desire for something. Yes, I do want to get married and have children, but there’s not a whole lot that I can do about it. I don’t have a lot of control over who I come across and whether they would like to ask me out. And although I would like these things, my life is not somehow a failure if I do not achieve them. I would love to be able to have the blessings that come with marriage and children, but it should not be more than my desire to have the blessings of a relationship with Christ.

Single people have a responsibility as well to not be overly sensitive. Singleness can be a deep trial, but making little things into big deals because someone unintentionally prodded that hurt isn’t the way to go. Single people need to extend grace, knowing that the intentions of people are good and out of their love for them.

[Full post may be found on Kevin DeYoung's blog here]
[Related post: Another Look at Loving Singles in Your Church]

Our Responsibility to One Another

From: One-to-One Bible Reading: A Simple Guide for Every Christian, David Helm...

Christians are also called to encourage one another [parakaleo -  literally: to call alongside; to exhort, encourage, comfort, beseech one another with biblical truth] and build up one another.

1Thess.5:11 "Therefore encourage [parakaleo] one another and build one another up..."

Hebrews 3:12-13 "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort [parakaleo] one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

Eph.4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

They are called to instruct one another, to speak the truth to one another, to teach and admonish one another with the wisdom of Christ's word, and to stir up one another to love and good works.

Rom.15:14 "I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another."

Eph.4:15 "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ..."

Col.3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing (noutheteo, from which we get "nouthetic") one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Heb.10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

In his first letter, Peter says the Word that saved us is the same Word that strengthens us in our faith. He writes: 'long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.' (1Pet.2:2) In another place, the apostle Paul describes the usefulness and versatility of the Bible, declaring it to be 'profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.' (2Tim.3:16) Christians are called to live together as Christians, loving those around them and spreading God's truth to them.

Scripture Memory Tips

Susan Heck offers a little 21-page booklet named, A Call to Scripture Memory. In it she gives 6 tips to help us with Scripture memory. There are a few things I have personally learned about memorization of Scripture. It's much, much easier to memorize when you're young. So I encourage everyone to memorize as much as they can before it becomes more difficult to do so. Secondly, like most things, the ability to memorize improves with practice. If you do it regularly, you will discover it becomes easier. And lastly, it is easier to memorize passages rather than isolated verses. You can get the context with a passage, allowing for a logical progression of thought, and you can remember passages for a greater length of time. I have Scripture memorized 30 years ago still rattling around in my brain and surfacing just when I need it! Susan's common sense tips are as follows:

• Work on memorizing when you are mentally alert & free of distractions.
• Stick to the same Bible translation until you master the passage.
• If you are having trouble with a certain verse or passage, put it to music.
• Another helpful tip is to try to teach the verses to your children or to other children.
• Remember you are not just memorizing words, but God's words!
• Lastly, if you find yourself leaving out portions or phrases, ask yourself, "What logically would come next here?

She offers several outstanding historical examples of believers who devoted themselves to Scripture memory. I've certainly read many stories about modern day Christians imprisoned for their faith in Christ, notably in China, who were able to tap into the Scripture they had memorized, using it to encourage themselves to persevere in their faith, despite horrendous circumstances. Though I may never approach the level of these faithful believers, I have found my own mind recalling Scripture during those times in the night when I wake up and my mind becomes flooded with concerns, as well as when I am witnessing or encouraging another believer. Memorized Scripture is also essential to meditation upon God's Word. "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) If you want to serve God well and live a victorious Christian life, put God's Word into your mind!

Even as the New Testament church progressed, according to church history, many Christians cherished God’s Word much more than we do, and would memorize great portions of it. Tertullian (160-220 A.D.), an early Christian apologist devoted his days and nights to Bible reading, so much so that he even memorized much of its punctuation.... Thomas Cramer (1489-1556 A.D.), a leader of the English Reformation could repeat the entire New Testament from memory. Theodore Beza (1519-1605 A.D.), a French theologian who played an important role in the early Reformation could repeat all of Paul’s letters in Greek at age 80. Finally, Frances Havergal who wrote my favorite hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be” memorized the entire New Testament, the Psalms, and Isaiah, in her teenage years, and in her later years she memorized the Minor Prophets. She died at the age of 43, and had already committed 12, 935 verses to memory.

[via Counseling One Another]

The Basis of Christian Unity

 God's truth is the basis for Christian unity. "God is spirit and 

those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24)

A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God:

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow.

So one hundred worshippers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become “unity” conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.

[via Justin Taylor]

Book Preview: "Forever: Why You Can't Live Without It"

Paul David Tripp has a new book out called Forever: Why You Can't Live Without It which examines the Christian life lived out in view of eternity. Certainly in the West our focus tends to be upon enjoying this earthly life, to the extent that having a "full life", a "satisfying life" becomes our expectation, our perceived right. We surround ourselves with everything we think we need to bring it to pass, yet remain so dissatisfied. Always seeking and never finding. And when things like illness and disability intrude, we feel we've been short-changed. We may even find ourselves questioning and challenging God because He has not delivered "the life" we've come to expect. Even the minor vagaries of life are considered road blocks keeping happiness just out of our reach. In contrast, when my son spent a summer ministering in Uganda he was surprised to discover that eternity was their main topic of interest. At the time he was there life expectancy in Uganda was 47 years old. Wherever he traveled in the country to preach and teach, men asked to hear what the Bible teaches about eternity.

Tripp takes a different approach than the one we might expect. Instead of viewing eternity as something that intrudes into our earthly lives, he explores the biblical revelation that this life is, in fact, our preparation FOR eternity. In his review of the book, Stephen Witmer [The Gospel Coalition] writes,

The book hangs on two key pastoral insights, First, God calls Christians to live with a preparation mentality rather than a destination mentality. This life is not intended to be our final destination. Rather, it is God's intended means of preparing us for eternity in His presence. This preparation occurs in and through the imperfections and disappointments of this present life. We often miss God's grace because we're expecting it to show up as deliverance from troubles rather than the character-refining troubles themselves.

Second, God's promise to believers of an eternal future in heaven carries with it the implicit guarantee that He will guard us until we arrive safely at the future He has promised. In Tripp's  moving penultimate chapter ("My Forever Story") he shares the major importance of this realization in his own life. "When I realized that the promises of forever meant guarantees for me along the way, my life began to change."

[The entire review can be found here.]