Paul David Tripp, in his book, Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, has termed the following words, penned by Martin Luther, as the description of the normal Christian life:
This life, therefore, is not righteousness but growth in righteousness,
not health but healing,
not being but becoming,
not rest but exercise.
We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it;
the process is not yet finished but it is going on;
this is not the end but it is the road.
All does not yet gleam in glory but all is being purified.
There is no such thing as instantaneous perfection! Boy, that frees me up! But may we be diligently and intentionally learning how to think and act like Jesus Christ in every situation!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The Gospel and the Election
How should a follower of Jesus Christ view today's election? Follow this link http://shepherdpress.com/?p=1249 to see!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Disturb us, O Lord!
Recently, Shepherd Press posted on their blog, the following prayer of English navigator and seaman, Sir Francis Drake (circa 1542-1598), who penned the prayer in 1577, while on his voyage around the world.
"Disturb us, O Lord, when we are too pleased with ourselves, when our dreams come true because we dream too little; when we have arrived in safety because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, O Lord, when with the abundance of the things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life; when having fallen in love with time, we have ceased to dream of eternity, and in our efforts to build the new earth, have allowed our vision of the new heaven to grow dim. Stir us, O Lord to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms shall show thy mastery and, when losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hopes and invited the brave to follow, even the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord."
"Disturb us, O Lord, when we are too pleased with ourselves, when our dreams come true because we dream too little; when we have arrived in safety because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, O Lord, when with the abundance of the things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life; when having fallen in love with time, we have ceased to dream of eternity, and in our efforts to build the new earth, have allowed our vision of the new heaven to grow dim. Stir us, O Lord to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms shall show thy mastery and, when losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hopes and invited the brave to follow, even the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord."
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Discussion Questions from Bro. Matt's A.M. Message on October 18
As usual, Bro. Matt posted discussion questions on his blog to "further our thinking" on the text from the messages Sunday. I have pondered each of them and revised the questions and added a couple more, from the morning message, for specific application to my life and I thought they might be beneficial for other ladies as well. Prayerfully consider each, asking the Lord to show you the areas in your life that need to be transformed by Christ.
"Why Are You A Christian?" (Luke 20:45-47; 21:1-4)
1. Does your husband, children, and closest friends know why you are a Christian?
2. If someone asked your husband, children, and closest friends, would they say without hesitation that there is evidence in your life that you have a new, genuine affection for God?
3. Do you serve your husband and children with joy and in genuine love?
4. What evidence is there in your life when you're at work, standing in line at the grocery store, paying bills, getting a pedicure, eating out, or taking a walk in the neighborhood, that you have a new, genuine love for people and a desire for serving them?
5. What evidence is there in your life, when you're shopping for a home, decor, furniture, a car, clothes, shoes, jewelry, and Christmas gifts, that you see money as something God has given you in order to be a blessing to others and something to give away so you can enjoy more of the presence of God?
6. Are you teaching your children to see money as a gift from God in order to be a blessing to others and something to give away?
7. Have you discussed with your husband about how the upcoming Christmas season and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering can be a means by which your family can demonstrate your affections for money have shifted?
"Why Are You A Christian?" (Luke 20:45-47; 21:1-4)
1. Does your husband, children, and closest friends know why you are a Christian?
2. If someone asked your husband, children, and closest friends, would they say without hesitation that there is evidence in your life that you have a new, genuine affection for God?
3. Do you serve your husband and children with joy and in genuine love?
4. What evidence is there in your life when you're at work, standing in line at the grocery store, paying bills, getting a pedicure, eating out, or taking a walk in the neighborhood, that you have a new, genuine love for people and a desire for serving them?
5. What evidence is there in your life, when you're shopping for a home, decor, furniture, a car, clothes, shoes, jewelry, and Christmas gifts, that you see money as something God has given you in order to be a blessing to others and something to give away so you can enjoy more of the presence of God?
6. Are you teaching your children to see money as a gift from God in order to be a blessing to others and something to give away?
7. Have you discussed with your husband about how the upcoming Christmas season and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering can be a means by which your family can demonstrate your affections for money have shifted?
Listen Well!
For moms of children and teens, you might find this article http://shepherdpress.com/?p=1150 beneficial as you attempt to serve your child well by listening well!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Apartheid - Noel Piper's Reflections and Comments
Please follow the link to this interesting article by Noel Piper. Noel and her husband, John, and daughter, Talitha, are spending some time in South Africa and recently visited the Apartheid Museum. By God's grace, we've come a long way in mending racial differences, but we've got a long way to go in America and abroad! May God forgive us and help us!
http://noelpiper.com/2010/10/15/apartheid/
http://noelpiper.com/2010/10/15/apartheid/
Beliefs
I am so thankful I picked up a book this afternoon that caused me to think long and hard about my faith (or may I sadly confess, lack thereof) in the Christ I follow. I had no intention of reading Paul David Tripp's book, Broken-Down House: Living Productively in a World Gone Bad, but merely began to glance through it and I ran across a simple quote that caused me to sit in stunned silence and after I contemplated the vast truth in these eleven words and several more that followed, I could only ask the Lord to forgive my unbelief.
Tripp says this: "'Beliefs' not lived are 'beliefs' that have not been truly believed."
Oh, my!
I've said with my lips that my God is sovereign (and He is, according to Ephesians 1:11-14!), but I've moaned and groaned and complained over circumstances that were difficult to bear. I've said with my lips that God is providentially in control of all things (and He is, according to Job 23:10 and Ps. 107:23-31!), but I've lived like the issues of my life are controlled by other human beings or events. I've said with my lips that my God, who is the Creator of the universe, is able to do more than I could ask or imagine (and He is, according to Ephesians 3:20!), but sadly, I've lived like my God is powerless and puny. I've said with my lips that the Gospel is for all men (and it is, according to John 3:16!), but I've found it difficult to extend that love, grace, mercy and forgiveness to others.
Tripp sums it up by saying, "We may carry around a well-crafted, theologically precise, and biblically consistent worldview. But against the tug of daily living, that professed worldview does not always exercise the pull that it should. At the street level of daily life, the way we actually live reveals what we truly believe." (Emphasis mine.)
I don't want to have just a head knowledge of Christ that speaks of His attributes. I am desperate for God to give me a heart knowledge that knows and trusts and truly "believes" His sovereignty, His goodness, His power, His grace, His tender mercy and forgiveness, His providence, His love, His faithfulness, His sufficiency, His righteousness, His judgments, and His trustworthiness! The kind of heart knowledge that grounds the way I live my life and what His purpose...His story...means for my life!
Tripp says this: "'Beliefs' not lived are 'beliefs' that have not been truly believed."
Oh, my!
I've said with my lips that my God is sovereign (and He is, according to Ephesians 1:11-14!), but I've moaned and groaned and complained over circumstances that were difficult to bear. I've said with my lips that God is providentially in control of all things (and He is, according to Job 23:10 and Ps. 107:23-31!), but I've lived like the issues of my life are controlled by other human beings or events. I've said with my lips that my God, who is the Creator of the universe, is able to do more than I could ask or imagine (and He is, according to Ephesians 3:20!), but sadly, I've lived like my God is powerless and puny. I've said with my lips that the Gospel is for all men (and it is, according to John 3:16!), but I've found it difficult to extend that love, grace, mercy and forgiveness to others.
Tripp sums it up by saying, "We may carry around a well-crafted, theologically precise, and biblically consistent worldview. But against the tug of daily living, that professed worldview does not always exercise the pull that it should. At the street level of daily life, the way we actually live reveals what we truly believe." (Emphasis mine.)
I don't want to have just a head knowledge of Christ that speaks of His attributes. I am desperate for God to give me a heart knowledge that knows and trusts and truly "believes" His sovereignty, His goodness, His power, His grace, His tender mercy and forgiveness, His providence, His love, His faithfulness, His sufficiency, His righteousness, His judgments, and His trustworthiness! The kind of heart knowledge that grounds the way I live my life and what His purpose...His story...means for my life!
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