From "Waking the Dead"...
The heart is the connecting point, the meeting place between any two persons. The kind of deep soul intimacy we crave with God and with others can be experienced only from the heart. I know a man who took his daughter to dinner; she was surprised, delighted. For years she had been hoping he would pursue her. When they had been seated, he pulled out his Day Timer and began to review the goals he had set for her that year. “I wanted to burst into tears and run out of the restaurant,” she said. We don’t want to be someone’s project; we want to be the desire of their heart. Gerald May laments, “By worshiping efficiency, the human race has achieved the highest level of efficiency in history, but how much have we grown in love?”
We’ve done the same to our relationship with God. Christians have spent their whole lives mastering all sorts of principles, done their duty, carried on the programs of their church . . . and never known God intimately, heart to heart. The point is not an efficient life of activity—the point is intimacy with God. “You will find me,” God says, “when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). As Oswald Chambers said, “So that is what faith is—God perceived by the heart.”
What more can be said, what greater case could be made than this: to find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear his voice, you must listen with your heart. To love him, you must love with all your heart. You cannot be the person God meant you to be, and you cannot live the life he meant you to live, unless you live from the heart.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Chandler Article
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100131/ap_on_re/us_rel_the_pastor_s_cancer_1
John 9:1-3: 1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
John 9:1-3: 1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Worth Posting
"Prayers are powerful and effective not because they alter God's providential plan but because they are a part of it."
What Harvard once was:
From the “Rules and Precepts Observed at Harvard College”, dated September 26, 1642:
“Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3) and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning. And seeing the Lord only giveth wisdom, let every one seriously set himself by prayer in secret to seek it of him (Proverbs 2, 3).”
What Harvard once was:
From the “Rules and Precepts Observed at Harvard College”, dated September 26, 1642:
“Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3) and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning. And seeing the Lord only giveth wisdom, let every one seriously set himself by prayer in secret to seek it of him (Proverbs 2, 3).”
Friday, January 15, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Sorrowful Yet Always Rejoicing
I find it spiritually enriching to hear a man of God talk about what God is teaching him and saying to him in the midst of a physical battle. Piper's comments regarding his time with cancer were a great teaching tool and now Matt Chandler is undergoing surgery, chemo and radiation for a brain tumor. On January 2nd he preached his first sermon since the diagnosis and surgery. I think it is worth a listen.
http://denton.thevillagechurch.net/sermons
http://denton.thevillagechurch.net/sermons
Friday, January 8, 2010
Grace
Would we ever hear this word in our daily lives if it wasn't for the Bible and Godly preaching? OK, we might hear a form of it, like when Elaine from Seinfeld says, "I like to think that I have a little grace." To which her job interviewer replies, "You can't have some grace. You either have grace or you don't."
Isn't that the truth when it comes to our relationship with God? We are either completely covered by His grace by being born again or we are completely without it. But I think so many of us, myself most certainly included, struggle with the concept of God's grace because it is so utterly foreign in the context of this world. A more fitting phrase for our society is, "You get what you deserve." You break a law, you go to prison. You don't do your job well, you get fired. You are nice to someone and what do you expect? That they be nice back to you, right?
There are causes and effects. There are consequences to our actions. The ripples in the pond extend outward and impact our lives and the lives of others. It all seems so interconnected and logical. Then we are given a concept like "grace" and we try to make sense of it given what we see and experience every day. We like the concept when we hear it...sounds good. Undeserved love. Which of us doesn't want that? Don't answer that so fast. My initial inclination was to type that everyone wants that but I don't think that's right. We all want "deserved love". That is, if we treat a person well we want them to reciprocate. I respect you so I want you to respect me. I care about you so I expect you to care about me. Makes sense to our logical brains.
But undeserved love doesn't sit well with a lot of us. Isn't this where the elder brother stumbled? The father opens his arms and prepares the fattest calf for the return of his wayward son. The elder son looks at this and says, "Ummm...excuse me here Dad. I have done everything you have asked. Where is my party? I DESERVE your love and affection. Little bro doesn't." He puts a higher value on love that he feels has been earned rather than the love freely given to his younger sibling. Do we do the same thing?
I find myself reluctant at times to ask for God's forgiveness immediately after sinning even though I have been convicted by the Spirit and am wanting to be washed clean again. Why? Yes, there is probably some Satan in there, knowing what I need most at that moment is grace and restoration and wanting to talk me out of seeking it. But it's also me getting in the way. I feel like I let God down...betrayed Him...so who am I to come to Him and ask Him to make me whole when I just chose sin over Him a moment ago? I am so cognizant of falling into "cheap grace" that I feel guilty about turning to Him after just turning away a minute earlier. Do I really mean it? It feels so...duplicitous (thinking Paul here). But I am sincere in heart. It's just that I don't feel like I DESERVE God's forgiveness.
God really talked to me about that one night because my self-introspection would usually stop there. God said, "Take that one step further. You are saying there are times where you don't feel you deserve My forgiveness. So that must mean there are times that you DO feel as though you deserve My forgiveness." Ouch...that was an eye opener. Pride slips in so easily and chokes the gift of grace. I'm a good person and did some pretty good things today so of course God will forgive me for those minor transgressions that occurred along the way. I don't actually have that thought but that line of reasoning must be in there somewhere.
So, it makes me take a step back and ask myself if I really understand God's holiness and my utter dependance on Him. I think I used to get out of balance when I was so fixated on being a miserable sinner and the clay and the wretch out of "Amazing Grace" (thank you LCMS ;) ). Now am I getting out of balance with too many thoughts being placed on being a co-heir of Christ, holy in God's sight and being glorified by God?
I am only glorified because I have been justified. That is the ultimate definition of grace. While I was still God's enemy, Christ died for me. I can spout off the verses but my prayer is that my head knowledge regarding grace would permeate my heart more deeply that I would have a new and more intimate understanding of what it means to be loved for the sake of being loved. Doesn't that just speak to you? To be loved for the sake of being loved. Unconditional love. If you have really good parents like I do you have an earthly taste of that. If you have a wonderful spouse you may have an idea. But every earthly example pales in comparison for the love God has for us.
I think one of the reasons that we struggle in allowing God to be the source of our joy, is that we just don't really get what grace means. If we did we would want to bask in it all the time. Our hearts would leap out of our chests. Our joy would be irrepressible. But we treat grace like it's only reserved for special occasions or we just don't really believe in it even though we may say we do. Or maybe...just maybe...we don't want grace because it means we are admitting that there is nothing we can do to earn God's favor, and if that is the case, than all the good things that we are doing to gain God's favor are actually being done for the wrong reason...and that is a conclusion that will turn our behavior motivations upside down.
"Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who you are"
I've sang it a hundred times but the meaning in those words has yet to sink in fully. "Not because of what I've done but because of who You are." Words that are indeed counter cultural.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (Prov. 3:5)
Isn't that the truth when it comes to our relationship with God? We are either completely covered by His grace by being born again or we are completely without it. But I think so many of us, myself most certainly included, struggle with the concept of God's grace because it is so utterly foreign in the context of this world. A more fitting phrase for our society is, "You get what you deserve." You break a law, you go to prison. You don't do your job well, you get fired. You are nice to someone and what do you expect? That they be nice back to you, right?
There are causes and effects. There are consequences to our actions. The ripples in the pond extend outward and impact our lives and the lives of others. It all seems so interconnected and logical. Then we are given a concept like "grace" and we try to make sense of it given what we see and experience every day. We like the concept when we hear it...sounds good. Undeserved love. Which of us doesn't want that? Don't answer that so fast. My initial inclination was to type that everyone wants that but I don't think that's right. We all want "deserved love". That is, if we treat a person well we want them to reciprocate. I respect you so I want you to respect me. I care about you so I expect you to care about me. Makes sense to our logical brains.
But undeserved love doesn't sit well with a lot of us. Isn't this where the elder brother stumbled? The father opens his arms and prepares the fattest calf for the return of his wayward son. The elder son looks at this and says, "Ummm...excuse me here Dad. I have done everything you have asked. Where is my party? I DESERVE your love and affection. Little bro doesn't." He puts a higher value on love that he feels has been earned rather than the love freely given to his younger sibling. Do we do the same thing?
I find myself reluctant at times to ask for God's forgiveness immediately after sinning even though I have been convicted by the Spirit and am wanting to be washed clean again. Why? Yes, there is probably some Satan in there, knowing what I need most at that moment is grace and restoration and wanting to talk me out of seeking it. But it's also me getting in the way. I feel like I let God down...betrayed Him...so who am I to come to Him and ask Him to make me whole when I just chose sin over Him a moment ago? I am so cognizant of falling into "cheap grace" that I feel guilty about turning to Him after just turning away a minute earlier. Do I really mean it? It feels so...duplicitous (thinking Paul here). But I am sincere in heart. It's just that I don't feel like I DESERVE God's forgiveness.
God really talked to me about that one night because my self-introspection would usually stop there. God said, "Take that one step further. You are saying there are times where you don't feel you deserve My forgiveness. So that must mean there are times that you DO feel as though you deserve My forgiveness." Ouch...that was an eye opener. Pride slips in so easily and chokes the gift of grace. I'm a good person and did some pretty good things today so of course God will forgive me for those minor transgressions that occurred along the way. I don't actually have that thought but that line of reasoning must be in there somewhere.
So, it makes me take a step back and ask myself if I really understand God's holiness and my utter dependance on Him. I think I used to get out of balance when I was so fixated on being a miserable sinner and the clay and the wretch out of "Amazing Grace" (thank you LCMS ;) ). Now am I getting out of balance with too many thoughts being placed on being a co-heir of Christ, holy in God's sight and being glorified by God?
I am only glorified because I have been justified. That is the ultimate definition of grace. While I was still God's enemy, Christ died for me. I can spout off the verses but my prayer is that my head knowledge regarding grace would permeate my heart more deeply that I would have a new and more intimate understanding of what it means to be loved for the sake of being loved. Doesn't that just speak to you? To be loved for the sake of being loved. Unconditional love. If you have really good parents like I do you have an earthly taste of that. If you have a wonderful spouse you may have an idea. But every earthly example pales in comparison for the love God has for us.
I think one of the reasons that we struggle in allowing God to be the source of our joy, is that we just don't really get what grace means. If we did we would want to bask in it all the time. Our hearts would leap out of our chests. Our joy would be irrepressible. But we treat grace like it's only reserved for special occasions or we just don't really believe in it even though we may say we do. Or maybe...just maybe...we don't want grace because it means we are admitting that there is nothing we can do to earn God's favor, and if that is the case, than all the good things that we are doing to gain God's favor are actually being done for the wrong reason...and that is a conclusion that will turn our behavior motivations upside down.
"Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who you are"
I've sang it a hundred times but the meaning in those words has yet to sink in fully. "Not because of what I've done but because of who You are." Words that are indeed counter cultural.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (Prov. 3:5)
Friday, January 1, 2010
Out With The Old...
I don't think there is a lot to say about 2009. My life didn't have any dramatic changes. The professional challenges that went with enduring the end of the worst market decline since the Great Depression and the subsequent setbacks to our small firm were met about as well as could be expected. My personal account was up 140% this year, which sounds really good, until one realizes that I was up 200% at the end of September and found a way to lose money each of the last 3 months of the year. My motto of "Finish Strong" which I first learned in high school cross country, and which translates nicely into my faith walk, was not experienced in my trading. 2010's goal is to be up 200%.
I had echoes of my original Mt. Calvary spiritual upheaval with my involvement in their Evangelism team early this year. Fortunately, another round of active interference and seeming indifference (one would think they would be mutually exclusive) from the pastor did not hurt my relationship with God. In fact, as I write this, I don't think my faith and my thirst for God has ever been stronger. It's nice to know that my sanctification is moving in the right direction as that has certainly not always been the case.
I think I have had a positive impact for Christ in more people's lives in 2009 than ever before. I am thankful for those opportunities and for finding my meaning and purpose in those moments. There is a lot more to do in that area and I think God will provide all I can handle in 2010.
I've got 4 goals written down for 2010. One was mentioned above. Others include reading the Bible cover to cover as I now have my new ESV Study Bible. I also have a physical fitness goal and am going to make a concerted effort to learn to play the guitar this year. I definitely want to keep simplifying my life and devoting my energy to those things that are truly meaningful. So far, I am off to a good start. Just 364 days to go.
As far as being 37 and single, I really just rest on a song that I sang as a young lad in our Midweek church choir practice:
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Allelu, Alleluia
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”- 2 Corinthians 5:17
I had echoes of my original Mt. Calvary spiritual upheaval with my involvement in their Evangelism team early this year. Fortunately, another round of active interference and seeming indifference (one would think they would be mutually exclusive) from the pastor did not hurt my relationship with God. In fact, as I write this, I don't think my faith and my thirst for God has ever been stronger. It's nice to know that my sanctification is moving in the right direction as that has certainly not always been the case.
I think I have had a positive impact for Christ in more people's lives in 2009 than ever before. I am thankful for those opportunities and for finding my meaning and purpose in those moments. There is a lot more to do in that area and I think God will provide all I can handle in 2010.
I've got 4 goals written down for 2010. One was mentioned above. Others include reading the Bible cover to cover as I now have my new ESV Study Bible. I also have a physical fitness goal and am going to make a concerted effort to learn to play the guitar this year. I definitely want to keep simplifying my life and devoting my energy to those things that are truly meaningful. So far, I am off to a good start. Just 364 days to go.
As far as being 37 and single, I really just rest on a song that I sang as a young lad in our Midweek church choir practice:
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Allelu, Alleluia
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”- 2 Corinthians 5:17
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