Exhort Your Soul (Psalm 103)

I've been reading through Psalms lately and as usual find myself so encouraged by the observations and practical biblical worldview of the Psalmists. In the following post, Ryan Griffith at Desiring God echos the biblical insights Martyn Lloyd-Jones offered in his book, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes & Cures. [see related post] May Griffiths' words help you gain a God-honoring, soul-satisfying perspective.

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Do you talk to yourself? 

I don’t mean when you’re wrestling through your taxes or walking through your to-do list. But do you talk yourself, really? When you are fearful, do you command your soul to trust in the Lord?  When your affections are low, do you command your heart to bless the Lord? As Paul Tripp is fond of saying, “no one is more influential in your life than you are because no one talks to you more than you do.” 

In the particularly difficult moments of the day, how do you talk to yourself? How do you specifically exhort yourself to hope in God? 

Psalm 103 has been immensely helpful for me as a pattern for commanding my soul in seasons of low affection. The Psalm begins (Ps.103:1-2) and ends (Ps.103:20-22) with David’s exhortation to his own soul to bless the Lord. While there is much to draw out of this rich text, I’d like to highlight two observations:

1. Remind yourself of what the Lord has done

Sin, pain, or sorrow can blind us to God’s present working and, occasionally, even the miraculous ways He's worked in our lives in the past. And while we might argue with our journal or with our memory, God’s work in redemptive history is unassailable. David helps us by reminding himself (and us) of God’s irrevocable work for His people in history:

The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the people of Israel.

David takes us (and himself) back to the most pivotal event he can think of. And it's not in the valley of Elah with five smooth stones in his hand and a sling by his side. In fact, it's not even an event from his lifetime. Instead, David brings us back to Sinai (Ex.6:6-9). He brings us back to the moment when the Lord worked powerfully and victoriously and decisively to redeem His people out of Egyptian bondage. He brings us back to the moments when God demonstrated His covenant-keeping love.   

In the fight to command our souls to bless the Lord, we not only call to mind the things in general that are true about the Lord (Ps.103:3-5), we follow David’s example to get our arms around concrete, unassailable realities of His work in redemptive history. We lift our gaze above our own circumstances and fix it upon the Lord’s acts of provision and deliverance in the past. We tell ourselves what God has done — in history, for us.  

2. Hold fast to a specific truth about the Lord

 

David does something very instructive next. Having reminded himself of who God is and what God has done in redemptive history, he latches on to a particular text, specifically Psalm 103:8. 

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

David is quoting Exodus 34:6. At the heart of David’s self-exhortation, he has a particular text in mind — one frequently recalled by Old Testament authors in the midst of sin (Joel 2:12), sorrow (Lam.3:21–23), and pain (Psalm 86:15).

David, Moses, Jonah, Jeremiah, Joel, Nehemiah, and Hezekiah — they all went here for help (Jonah 4:2; Neh.9:16; 2Chron.30:9). And David, directing his mind to this text, begins to think through all its implications — God’s anger does not last forever, sin has been cast as far as the east is from the west, God’s compassion will not fail because David is His (Ps.103:9–19). 

David is moved. A heart that was faltering is now soaring. A deeply wrought gratitude now swells up to expression. He cannot keep it in: “Bless the Lord, O my soul” (Psalm 103:20–22).

When you’re talking to yourself, are you reminding yourself of what God has done for you in Christ Jesus? Do you have specific texts with which you exhort your soul? When the days are darkest, don’t let your flesh take command. Summon your soul to bless the Lord.  Find specific texts by which you can fight the fight of faith — perhaps some short ones like these: Mt.28:20; Heb.13:5–6; Isa.41:10 and long ones: Romans 8:26–39; John 10:7–18; Psalm 103!

"May the word of Christ dwell in you richly. . ." (Colossians 3:16).

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]

"Comfort One Another"

What do you think of when you hear the word "comfort"? The English word means to "soothe, console or reassure, bring cheer to." So when we read that believers are to "comfort" one another, that is naturally what comes to our mind. But the meaning of the original language goes so much deeper than that. The Greek word is variously translated "comfort", "exhort", "encourage", "urge". It's related to the word "Comforter", which Jesus uses to describe the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Most of us don't have a problem with the idea of being comforted/encouraged in the English "I'm OK/You're OK" sense. But we might balk at the idea of being comforted/encouraged/exhorted by another believer if it involves having to change our way of thinking or our direction in life in order to line up more closely with biblical truth. And yet, just as the Holy Spirit exhorts/encourages us to holiness, so there are times when the most loving thing you can do is to exhort/encourage a fellow follower of Christ to greater holiness. Paul did so frequently in his letters to the churches.

This passage from the Octavius Winslow website reveals the SOURCE of our "comfort/encouragement/exhortation" to one another.  Real "comfort" is found only in God's promises as revealed in His Word. If you want to "comfort/encourage" another believer, point them to the truths of Scripture. Only there can true and eternal "comfort" be found.

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To comfort the saints is one important end of the Scriptures: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4) And thus the exhortation runs — ”Comfort the fainthearted.” (1Thess.5:14) “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (1Thess.5:11) “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1Thess.4:17-18) Thus has the Holy Spirit testified to this subject, and thus is it clear that it is the will, and it is in the heart, of God, that His people should be comforted.

The Spirit comforts the believer by unfolding to his eye the near prospect of the coming glory. Heaven is near at hand. It is but a step out of a poor, sinful, sorrow-stricken world, into the rest that remains for the people of God. It is but a moment, the twinkling of an eye, and we are absent from the body, and are present with the Lord. Then will the days of our mourning be ended, then sin will grieve no more — affliction will wound no more — sorrow will depress no more, and God will hide Himself no more.

There will be the absence of all evil, and the presence of all good; and they who have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, shall take their stand before the throne of God, and shall “serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." (Rev.7:14-17)  Why, beloved in the Lord, let us comfort one another with these words, and with this prospect.

"The Last Enemy"

Sinclair B. Ferguson wrote in The Christian Life...

"...in Scripture, death is regarded as part of the curse of sin.  Death is not what we sometimes mistakenly suggest it is --- a blessing, a release, a peaceful end. All of these may be found by the Christian in and through death, but they are in fact contrary to the true nature of death.  For death is disintegration.  It is the breaking of a union which God created.  In and of itself it is an ugly, destructive thing --- it is 'the last enemy'. How is this so?  Because death severs us from those we love.  It breaks the cords that have joined us physically, mentally, spiritually to others. . . .

While all that we have said is true and biblical, it is not, at least for the Christian, the whole truth. For the Christian does not contemplate death in itself.  He now sees it, as he sees all things, 'in Christ'.  In itself it is an experience from which to turn completely.  But in Christ the necessity of death takes on a new perspective.  That is why in the New Testament when we read of death it is usually of its defeat.  It is this which explains the triumph of the martyrs in the face of death, and the equanimity with which Christians great and small have faced it."

For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 Corinthians 15:53-57)

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.


 

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.


 

How to Articulate a Christian Worldview in 4 Easy Steps

As Easy as 1 .. 2 ... 3 ... 4

[Kevin DeYoung offers a 4 point synthesis of the Christian worldview based upon God's revelation...]

One God. We worship one, personal, knowable, holy God. There are not two gods or ten gods or ten million gods, only one. He has always been and will always be. He is not a product of our mind or imagination. He really exists and we can know him because he has spoken to us in his word.

Two kinds of being. We are not gods. God is not found in the trees or the wind or in us. He created the universe and cares for all that he has made, but he is distinct from his creation. The story of the world is not about being released from the illusion of our existence or discovering the god within. The story is about God, the people he made, and how the creatures can learn to delight in, trust in, and obey their Creator.

Three persons. The one God exists eternally in three persons. The Father is God. The Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is God. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Father and the Son, is also God. And yet these three—equal in glory, rank, and power—are three persons. The doctrine of the Trinity helps explain how there can be true unity and diversity in our world. It also shows that our God is a relational God.

For us. Something happened in history that changed the world. The Son of God came into the world as a man, perfectly obeyed his Father, fulfilled Israel’s purpose, succeeded where Adam failed, and began the process of reversing the curse. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world. He rose again from the dead on the third day. By faith in him our sins can be forgiven and we can be assured of living forever with God and one day being raised from the dead like Christ.

[Kevin DeYoung's original post]

Is It Remorse or Repentance?

We often confuse remorse with repentance. Without realizing it, we can find ourselves holding to cultural attitudes we've absorbed rather than relying upon God's revealed truth. There is a huge difference between mere remorse and biblical repentance! The language of forgiveness we choose to use can reveal our basic heart attitude. Are you more likely to say, "I'm sorry" or do you confess (Greek: homologeō, literally, "to say the same thing" as God does about it, agree with His view of your sin)  and turn from it, saying, "I was wrong to _____ , will you forgive me"? One requires humility before God and others. The other does not. One is biblical. The other is not. One leads to spiritual growth. The other does not. Let's be very careful how we approach this issue in both our homes and our churches.

Pastor Stephen Davey gives a clear presentation of the difference in his new book, In Pursuit of Prodigals: A Primer on Church Discipline and Reconciliation. While aimed at the level of the local assembly, these biblical truths also apply on an interpersonal level. Our homes are where these God-honoring truths are first learned and practiced! 

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Should the discipline of a prodigal accomplish its divine goals, he will publicly and consistently exhibit the evidences of true confession and repentance. Repentance is a change of direction: a confession of sin, followed by the desire to make restitution, rebuild relationships and, in general, make everything right. The evidences of repentance will be:

• Acknowledging his sin honestly (Ps.51:2-3; 1Jn.1:9);
• Discontinuing the sinful behavior which initiated the discipline (James 5:19-20);
• Seeking biblical counsel, if needed, to gain victory over sinful patterns of behavior (Acts 26:20);
• Making financial restitution, if necessary (Luke 19:8);
• Initiating confession and asking forgiveness from all parties involved (Matt 5:23-24);
• Exhibiting a spirit of humility and brokenness, revealing a true work of God’s Spirit (Ps.51:17).

REMORSE	REPENTANCE
Short term	Long term
Involves emotions	Involves emotion and will
Distressed by the consequences	Distraught by his actions
Makes vague resolutions	Makes specific restitution
Wants public attention	Humbly accepts obscurity
Desires immediate return to positions of ministry/authority	Recognizes need to rebuild trust over time
Makes external displays of contrition	Displays internal development and change
Finds fault in how he is treated in the process of discipline	Exhibits submission to the humbling process of discipline
Hesitates to follow counsel in relation to reconciliation/restitution	Initiates action toward restoring broken relationships and making restitution

[via Counseling One Another & Vitamin Z blogs]
[Painting: Rembrandt's The Return of the Prodigal; click on the photo for a closer look.]


 

How to Become a Better Reader

Do you read with your mind? You may be convinced that reading speed is the priority ... after all, there are so many books you want to read! Some may seek sheer, mindless entertainment, not considering that every piece of writing comes from a particular world-view which affects your thinking whether you realize it or not. Better to recognize it and be able to analyze it!

"'Every person carries in his head a mental model of the world - a subjective representation of external reality,' writes Alvin Toffler in Future Shock. This mental model is, he says, like a giant filing cabinet. It contains a slot for every item of information coming to us. It organizes our knowledge and gives us a place from which to argue. As E.F. Schumacher says, 'When we think, we do not just think: we think with ideas. Our mind is not a blank, a tabula rasa. When we begin to think, we can do so only because our mind is already filled with all sorts of ideas with which to think.' These "more or less fixed ideas" we think with constitute our mental model of the world - in other words, our world view." [James Sire]

I've read many books about how to be a discerning reader.  One of the best outcomes, I've realized, is that these skills have also helped me to become a better reader of God's Word. I'm currently rereading James Sires' The Joy of Reading (quoted above). Sadly, it's out of print. You may find a used copy on line, but be aware the binding will give way as soon as you start reading it. I've demolished two copies thus far. It's worth keeping it all together with a big rubber band, however! He does have a newer book covering the same ground, How to Read Slowly.

I thought I'd share a few of his recommendations to help get you on the road to becoming a more thoughtful, discerning reader. If you can't bear the thought of marking up a book, hopefully you will enjoy keeping a journal as you read. I've found both methods incredibly useful. One advantage to journaling is that you are able to refresh yourself to the main points of the book long after you've read it. Whether you hand write your observations & favorite quotes in a journal (I prefer spiral binding, which keeps it lying flat.) or use your laptop (easier on arthritic thumbs) ... why don't you give it a try! Remember ... it's not how fast or how many books you read, it's how well you read. These practices may slow you down considerably at first, but with a little practice they become second nature.

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1. Do not try to read fast; read at your normal rate - or more slowly. Speed reading may be of value for some things, but not for reading world-viewishly.

2. Read with a pen or pencil in hand: underline passages and terms and allusions which the author seems to be most interested in. This will come in handy as you attempt to find the thesis statement and the structure of the argument.

3. If you are reading a book other than an article or essay, read the preface and any other introductory material. This will often tell you what the author thinks he is doing and may give you valuable insight into his presuppositions, the methods he employs, and so forth.

4. Use a dictionary [dictionary.com] or other reference works [wikipedia.com] for all words and concepts you do not understand. One way to increase your vocabulary is to write the definition that applies above the word itself. (Here is a side benefit: You will learn to write small!) [I highly recommend Zebra F-402 pens!]

5. Underline [or highlight] major organizational words such as first, second, etc. This will help you understand the structure of the argument. You may wish to write numbers in the margins alongside important turns in the argument so that later you can grasp the organizational flow. 

6.  After reading the essay or chapter, immediately review it and locate the thesis. Most essays or chapters contain one sentence or paragraph or brief section which says in a nutshell what is going to be discussed or has been discussed. Usually this will be either near the beginning or near the end... Underline this section(s) and write thesis in the margin.

7.  Construct and note in the margin a crude outline of the entire essay or chapter. This is to help you see the way the author argues. It may lead you to discern how he thinks and why he believes his reasons are valid... With a book it is often helpful to study the Table of Contents. Some give an elaborate breakdown of the flow of the argument.

8.  Determine the genre of the piece you are reading. Ordinarily this is easy... You know you are reading an essay, a poem, a novel, a drama and so forth... Literary forms which cross the boundaries of fiction and history, such as historical fiction novels and fictionalized history force you to ask questions about what is fact and what is imagination. [It has been my experience that the more you know about an historical period, the less you will enjoy fictionalized accounts of it. Which, I suppose, should be a warning when I read fiction about time periods I do not know so well!] You also need to be sure that you have correctly identified the writer's relation to his material. Is he being facetious, satiric, humorous or straight? The stance of the author may vary through the piece, and it's important to note any shifts in approach.

9.  Consider if and how the author has achieved his purpose. What kind of evidence does he draw on? What authorities does he cite? Which does he criticize? Why? What objections does he take into consideration? Does he refute them? How?


 

William Wilberforce

The church history website christianity.com has a short overview of the life of William Wilberforce written by Dan Graves. (See below.) Many of you may have seen the film, but don't stop there! Films are notorious for twisting facts and glossing over spiritual issues. Read a good biography such as Hero for Humanity by Kevin Belmonte. [There's a copy in the FBC Library.] Christian biographies are an excellent way to learn how believers through the ages have persevered to the end, living out their lives to the glory of God. What an encouragement to our own Christian walk!  "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith..." (Heb.12:1-2)
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No man fought harder to abolish slavery than William Wilberforce. A member of Parliament, he introduced antislavery measures year after year for 40 years until he retired in 1825. On ... July 26, 1833, as he lay dying, word was brought him that the bill to outlaw slavery everywhere in the British empire had passed in Parliament. The dream for which he had struggled for decades was now within sight of fulfillment!

Wilberforce had not always been a serious opponent of slavery. As a youth he was a witty, somewhat dissipated man about town who had misspent his time at Cambridge. He was invited to every party.
A friend of William Pitt (who became Prime Minister) and a member of Parliament, Wilberforce seemed assured of a bright political future. And then in 1784, after winning his election in Yorkshire, he accompanied his sister to the Riviera for her health. Isaac Milner, a tutor at Queen's College Cambridge and acquaintance from college days was asked along. Isaac agreed.

Milner had become a deep and evangelical Christian. He began to persuade Wilberforce to commit his life to Christ. Wilberforce had always thought himself a Christian. Now he saw that total commitment to Christ was needed. He struggled in anguish for several months. During that time he read Philip Doddridge's The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. Here was a faith far deeper than anything he had known. Gradually he yielded.

At once he began to wonder if it was proper for him to hold a seat in government. He confided in Pitt. Pitt, wanting Wilberforce as an ally, urged him to remain. Unsettled in his conscience, Wilberforce spoke to the rector John Newton. Newton, best remembered as the author of the hymn "Amazing Grace," had been converted while a blasphemous sailor and slaver. He counseled Wilberforce to remain in politics and champion good causes.

Friends suggested that the young man take up the slavery issue. Pitt also requested it. After many doubts, Wilberforce decided it was what God wanted. He also felt he must tackle causes which would raise the standard of life and morals in England. The friends who gathered around him became known as the Clapham sect because most lived in the village of Clapham.

Rarely in history have so many owed so much to so few. These dozen or so Clapham men and women not only fought against slavery but also against every sort of vice. Many were wealthy. They employed their worldly goods in behalf of godly causes. Education of the masses, support of Bible societies, private charity, protection of chimney sweeps, creation of Sunday Schools and orphanages--these and dozens of other causes received their attention. But it is the abolition of slavery which remains their greatest achievement.

  

 

Expectations

In Letter 30 of The Screwtape Letters (C.S. Lewis), the high-ranking demon, Screwtape, counsels his young protege, Wormwood, with this bit of advice for tempting men away from God and into sin: "Whatever men expect, they soon come to think they have a right to." One difficulty we face as we live out the Christian life is that we've synthesized our expectations concerning what this life should be like, our "world view" if you will, from any number of sources ... not all of them biblical. The more time we personally spend in God's revelation, the more aware we become of areas in our thinking where we need to change our view of reality and truth. That's what it means to "renew your mind." (Eph.4:22-24).

Though it was more than 40 years ago, I can clearly recall the high expectations everyone had for the members of my graduating high school class.  Our class song was "The Impossible Dream"... 1968 was the beginning of the you-can-be-whatever-you-want-to-be, you-can-have-it-all movement. That's not true, of course. It's really an unkindness to even make such promises. It didn't take long for things to fall apart... bad behavior, bad circumstances, bad health, bad luck. In similar fashion, many begin the Christian life with equally impossible expectations. Often it comes down to one question ... Why did you start the Christian walk? Was it in the expectation of having an easier life? Was it in the expectation of having a support system of people to help smooth your path through life? Was it in the expectation of having a life crisis resolved? Or was it because you saw the beauty and value of Jesus Christ, and came to understand that His worth, His excellence was such a treasure, you were willing to suffer any insult, any want, any deprivation, any difficulty or unpleasantness if you could only follow Him, love Him, serve Him?

Jesus told us to consider the cost of following Him ... "And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." [Lk.9:23] Luke uniquely adds that one interesting little word to Jesus' call to those who follow Him ..."daily". Today ... and tomorrow ... and every single day after that until you're home. Are you willing to deny "self" daily... i.e. are you willing to have your toes stepped on, willing to be ignored in ministry, willing to suffer illness, mistreatment, discomfort, criticism, pain, insult, willing to have things not go your way? Are you willing to graciously submit to the authority He has placed over you, willing to live for Christ's glory, not your own, willing to completely entrust yourself to Him, to deny your will for His will? That is what Jesus asks of His followers.

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul offered believers great insight from his own walk before the Lord. Few, if any, of us can say we have followed our Lord as faithfully and single-mindedly as Paul did. And what did he get for his life of faithfulness? Ease? Respect? Appreciation? Safe travels? No pain? No trials? No discomfort? He lists his earthly struggles in 2 Cor.11:23-27. 

... in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  

Yet, to the church at Philippi he wrote, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." [Phil.4:11] How did he do that? Well, he says it was something he "learned," which means God allowed him ample opportunities to practice being content in Christ, to find his joy and contentment in his relationship with Him. Secondly, we see in other portions of this letter that Paul set his expectations upon the right goals for his earthly life, God-honoring goals, ones that were impervious to any circumstance he might face. Read through Philippians and find them. He made it his goal to magnify Christ [Phil.1:20]. He made it his goal to pour out his life in Christ-honoring service to others [Phil.2:17]. He made it his goal to know Christ [Phil.3:8]. Philippians 1:21 sums it all up, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Make THAT your goal in life and you will be content, no matter the circumstance, no matter the trial, no matter the pain, no matter the grief. Develop an eternal perspective to life and like Paul, though you may grieve, though you may suffer, though you may be mistreated or maligned ... you will be content.

Is Your Mind In the Battle? (Part 2)

  'Do not let your heart be troubled; 

you believe in God, believe also in Me.'  (John 14:1)

"Why is it so hard to just find some peace of mind? Well, peace is hard to come by when you live in a warzone. And like it or not you are in a war — a very serious one. This war is cosmic in its proportions. It involves God, humans, angels, demons, principalities, powers, nations, and antichrists.

And do you know where the front of the battle is? It’s in your head. Here is how Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Where is the battle raging? Where your thoughts are. What are the strongholds that spiritually imprison people? Arguments and opinions.

And arguments are not merely strongholds, they are weapons of mass destruction. Adam and Eve (and all of us with them) fell because of an argument. They believed the serpent’s argument and stopped believing God.

That is the deadly essence of sin: not believing God. To not believe God is to ally with Satan, whom Jesus said is “a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth… for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).  You don’t want Satan as an ally. He’s treacherous. He’s out to murder you with lies.

Watch your emotions. They are signals of arguments. Your emotions, which can land on you like vague impressions or moods, are usually responses to an argument. Moods don’t come out of nowhere. When we are angry, discouraged, depressed, anxious, self-pitying, fearful, or irritable, it is likely because we are believing something very specific.

To battle sin is to battle unbelief—or destroy arguments. And in order to battle unbelief effectively, we must press doubts and temptations into specific arguments. What specifically is being asserted or promised to us? Only then can we destroy the enemy’s false arguments with true ones.

The devil does not want us to think clearly about sin. He wants to keep things vague so he can imprison or disarm us. But Jesus wants us to think clearly. He wants us to know the truth because the truth brings freedom:

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31-32)

So as freedom fighters let’s fight against “unbelieving hearts” by exhorting one another every day (Hebrews 3:12-13) to live in the freedom—and peace (John 16:33)—of the truth."

[From: Jon Bloom, "We Destroy Arguments"]

(Earlier post: Is Your Mind in the Battle? (Part 1) can be found here.)

Preview: "Uneclipsing the Son"

I've started reading Rick Holland's debut book, "Uneclipsing the Son." Too many settle for "Christianity" rather than delighting in the glory of Christ. Holland compares it to settling for the aura around the sun seen during a total eclipse, instead of basking in the full radiance of the sun itself. It's an apt metaphor that will get you thinking ... and growing! This is a short book with a dull cover... that may help you discover what it means to have joy in Christ. Here's a taste...
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"Love craves knowledge of its Beloved. It is impossible to overstate how important the knowledge of Christ is to loving Him. The less we know about Him, the less air flows into the lungs of our souls. The more we inform our minds with truth about Jesus, the more captivated we become with wonder of the God-man. Knowledge of the Savior provides an authentic, rational encounter with divine majesty...

Peter (2 Peter 1:2-3) understood that the reception and experience of grace and peace are the consequences of the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. Beyond that, this knowledge grants us all, everything we need for living life and being godly. Everything our soul desires comes from understanding Jesus.

Sometimes - too often - we want other things, but Peter gives us a clear hint that if our souls recognize the spiritual needs that the knowledge of Jesus meets, then He will become the object of our desire. The truth is, what you want and what you need is Jesus, but you won't know that until you know Him. The more intensely He becomes the focused centrality of our faith, the more His worth overshadows all other joys...

The whole reason you have affections is to enjoy Christ. And everything recorded about Christ in Scripture was specifically put there to draw out your affections, to discover His attractiveness, to make your love more deep and intimate. What does it look like when our love for Jesus controls our affections? He Himself will be the object and focus of our love; our hopes will long for Him; our desire will be for Him; our hate and anger will be directed at sin because it offends Him. All the powers and aspirations of the heart will look to Him. Thoughts of Him will be our favorite thoughts. Remembrances of Him will be our most precious memories. Our consciences will be tuned to His heart. Every sense and ability will be at His disposal:

eyes to see His glory, 

ears to hear His word,

tongues to proclaim His praise,

feet to serve His mission,

awareness to give Him attention.

Our gifts will be used for Him, our talents displayed for His glory. Our resources will all be at His disposal. every relationship will be regulated by our greater love for Him. Every moment of life will be about Jesus. He will come to have first place in everything. (Colossians 1:18)"


 

One Savior, One Life

"for the sake of Christ"

What motivates the Christian life?  Some desire personal recognition, appreciation, perhaps even admiration from others.  Some approach the Christian life as "duty".  Others spend their lives compiling long lists of  "dos" and "don'ts", fostering a critical spirit towards those who don't live up to their man-made requirements.  Some pamper and pet their spiritual gift, becoming the divas of the Christian world ... disconnected loners who come to think of the church as their "stage".  And some just long for a place to belong, make friends, develop a social life and have all their personal needs met.  The best way to help all of these people grow spiritually is to encourage them to turn their eyes off of self and onto their Savior.

In his book Studies on the Sermon on the Mount, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes, "The Christian's life is controlled and dominated by Jesus Christ, by his loyalty to Christ, and by his concern to do everything for Christ's sake ... the whole object of the Christian should be to live for Christ's sake and no longer to live for his own. ... That is something which you find everywhere in the New Testament.  The Christian, being a new man, having received new life from Christ, realizing that he owes everything to Christ and His perfect work, and particularly to His death upon the cross, says to himself, "I am not my own; I have been bought with a price."  He therefore wants to live his whole life to the glory of Him who has thus died for him, and bought him, and risen again.  So he desires to present himself, 'body, soul and spirit', everything to Christ.  This, you will agree is something that was not only taught by our Lord; it is emphasized everywhere in all of the New Testament Epistles.  'For Christ's sake' is the motive, the great controlling motive in the life of the Christian.  Here is something that differentiates us from everybody else and provides a thorough test of our profession of the Christian faith.  If we are truly Christian, our desire must be, however much we may fail in practice, to live for Christ, to glory in His name and to live to glorify Him."

Well Done, Mary Gardner

Most of you probably heard about the bombing in Jerusalem this past week.  Its victim will never gain the worldwide celebrity Elizabeth Taylor generated upon her death, yet from an eternal perspective she will be honored in a much greater way.  Mary Gardner, a 55 year old British believer serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators, had been living in West Togo, West Africa for the past 20 years as she translated the Bible into the local Ifé language. She was in Jerusalem taking a course in Hebrew. [Interestingly, she had been staying at Yad HaShmonah, where Tim & Rachel and other IBEX students spend their semester in Israel.]

A British news website reports:
"Eddie Arthur, executive director of Wycliffe, said: "I cannot tell you how highly regarded she was. She was an extremely gutsy person, highly intelligent, with huge drive and the ability to stick with the project for 20 years in far from comfortable conditions. It must have been incredibly isolating at times. But she was completely dedicated to her work, and to the Ifé people."  [See the complete article here.]

She had "the ability to stick with the project for 20 years in far from comfortable conditions." May her example encourage and motivate her brothers and sisters in Christ to faithfully persevere in service to their Lord and Savior. May we seek to learn about these fellow-workers, esteem them highly and fervently uphold them in prayer.

"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'"   [Mt.25:23]

Eternal Perspective: On Being an Invalid in God's Hospital

[Excerpted from Rediscovering Holiness, J.I. Packer]

"We are all invalids in God's hospital. In moral and spiritual terms we are all sick and damaged, diseased and deformed, scarred and sore, lame and lopsided, to a far, far greater extent than we realize. Under God's care we are getting better, but we are not yet well. The modern Christian likes to dwell on present blessings rather than future prospects. We need to realize the spiritual health we testify to is only partial and relative, a matter of being less sick and less incapacitated now than we were before. Measured by the absolute standard of spiritual health that we see in Jesus Christ, we are all of us invalids in the process of being cured. The church is God's hospital. No Christian, and no church, ever has the clean bill of spiritual health that would match the total physical well-being for which today's fitness seekers labor. To long for total spiritual well-being is right and natural, but to believe that one is anywhere near it is to be utterly self-deceived. It is not always easy to grasp that one is ill. Pride and complacency blind us to this reality. We decline to be told when we are slipping; thinking we stand, we set ourselves up to fall, and predictably, alas, we do fall.

In God's hospital the course of treatment that the Father, Son and HS, the permanent medical staff, are giving to each of us with a view to our final restoration to the fullness of the divine image, is called sanctification. It is a process that includes medication and diet (biblical instruction & admonition coming in various ways to the heart) and tests and exercises (internal & external pressures, providentially ordered, to which we have to make active response). The process goes on as long as we are in this world, which is something that God decides in each case. "How come it's taking me so long to get better?" is often our heart-cry to God. The truth is that God knows what He is doing, but sometimes, for reasons connected with the maturity and ministry that He has in view for us, He makes haste slowly. That is something we have to learn humbly to accept. We are in a hurry; He is not."