Before and After

Before

After - It took 2 hours, but I think he likes his new haircut. This should definitely keep him cooler on our runs around the lake.

Hastening the Coming of the Day of God

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, -2Pe 1:5

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
-2Pe 3:11-12

Again these verses are incredibly convicting about the kind of life I (and all Christians) should be living.

First, we're commanded to supplement faith with virtue. In light of all other Scripture, this is clearly not saying any other than faith is required for salvation. No, this text is written to those who already have faith and a right standing with God. This text is telling how to live after passing from death to life. It's telling us not to stop upon finding faith. Faith in Christ's righteousness is both the beginning and the end of salvation, but it is only the beginning of life! Any (so-called) Christian who says, "I have faith" but doesn't have actions deceives himself and his faith is useless. (Remind anyone else of James?)

Second, we need to have perspective. Everything in this world is going to burn up--except the work we do for the Lord. What a staggering fact! I could solve world hunger, find the cure for AIDS, stop global warming...but it's for nothing if people aren't coming to know the Lord. All those un-hungry people and AIDS victims will still die and spend eternity in hell if they don't know Christ. All global warming advances will be nullified when Christ comes and sets the world on fire.

So should I throw in the towel and stop doing anything because Christ will destroy it all? By no means, but I must be intelligent about what I do. Christ's return should motivate me to work for him, to spread his name and glory throughout the world. It should be my motivation to heal the sick and tell them of the Lord. And when I do my work, I should long for the day when I get to present my offering to the Lord. I should long for the day when he comes and sets the chaff ablaze, and the work I did endures like pure gold!

Titus and Good Works

their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, -Titus 1:1

They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. -Titus 1:16

a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. -Titus 2:14

insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. -Titus 3:8

And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works -Titus 3:14

These are a few snippets of the verses that jumped out at me today while I was reading Titus. Talk about convicting! I can sadly say that I am neither zealous for nor devoted to good works. Yes, I live a moral life for the most part, but it's sort of a passive morality. I try not to hurt people, but I certainly don't go out of my way to help people either. That is what is being commanded here. I sure hope I'm not included in 1:16 as "detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work."

500

After less than 6 months of blogging, I've hit the 500 view mark. Frankly, I'm quite surprised. Going in to this endeavor, I didn't think I would have much to say, let alone have much anybody else wanted to read.

Thanks for reading! I hope I have been an encouragement and a challenge to your walk with the Lord. I know this blogging experience has been good for me to put my thoughts down and have a little cyber-accountability.

Arctic Glass

I just stumbled upon this blog. I'm not terribly intrigued about the content--although she does blog a lot about cycling. What caught my attention were her pictures of Alaska. Breathtaking!

http://arcticglass.blogspot.com/

Naked and Exposed

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. - Heb 4:13

I read this verse in Hebrews this morning and thought it was worthy of reflection. My first thought was how humiliating that day will be. It will be like the infamous giving a speech buck naked dream. But this is even worse--it's being naked in front of God. It's not just physical nakedness, but spiritual nakedness too--all the shame of doing this bad deed, not doing this good deed, loving things more than God, etc. etc.

My second thought was much more encouraging. I remembered "And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed" (Gen 2:25). We Christians are Christ's bride! What bride is ashamed of her nakedness on her wedding night? We may experience many emotions, like nervousness, but we will not be experiencing shame. Oh how glorious will that day be when we actually enjoy our nakedness in front of the Lord.

Compellingly Beautiful

"We cannot love God apart from the revelation of Jesus who changes our hearts to know God so that we see him as compellingly beautiful. . .
"The reason I use the phrase "compellingly beautiful" is to stress two things. One is that loving God is not a mere decision. You cannot merely decide to love classical music or country western music, much less God. The music must become compelling. If you don't love it, something must change inside you. That change makes it possible for the mind to experience the music with a compelling sense of its attractiveness. So it is with God. You do not merely decide to love him. Something changes inside you, and as a result he becomes compellingly attractive. His glory--his beauty--compels your admiration and delight." -John Piper, What Jesus Demands From the World p 77-78

This is a major reason I am a Calvinist. I don't believe anyone can choose to change their desires from hating God to loving God. They can merely convert, having an intellectual understanding of God, even an appreciation of his works, and living an outwardly changed life. This is very similar to how I can listen to the Beatles and appreciate all they did for rock music, sing along with songs, even say they were a fantastic band, yet I still don't truly like them.

What is required to become a true Christian, however, is not conversion but transformation. This is an internal thing that cannot be forced by our own will. No matter how hard I try, I cannot make myself become a Beatles fan. On the other hand, there are other bands that I like, deep down, without any effort on my part, I just plain like them--like Toad the Wet Sprocket. I heard a CD and said "Yes! I like it."

(Hmmm, I'm thinking a reading of Green Eggs and Ham is in order....)

I think there's a lot more to say...I haven't been very clear. But it's time to go to work, so that's all folks.

Missionary Dating

While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. -Num 25:1-3

Here's the result of "missionary dating." Some unbeliever comes along, and we say "I'll go to her temple/mosque/shrine so I'm culturally relevant, to build a bridge." Next thing you know she's not interested in Christianity at all, and we've angered the Lord. Stupid stupid stupid.

Gather Into One

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish." He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
-John 11:49-52

Is this saying Caiaphas prophesied Jesus would die to gather all God's children? Or is it saying that Caiaphas only prophesied that he would die for Israel, and the rest of this is John's explanation of how much more valuable the death is? Of course, now that Caiaphas has been dead for 2000 years, it doesn't matter a whole lot to us because we know the truth of the whole statement, regardless of whether it was said by Caiaphas or John. Just a curiosity question--any comments?

Suffering a Sign of Christ

"And he calls us to follow him in his sufferings because this life of joyful suffering for Jesus' sake (Matt. 5:12) shows that he is more valuable than all the earthly rewards that the world lives for (Matt. 13:44; 6:19-20). If you follow Jesus only because he makes life easy now, it will look to the world as though you really love what they love, and Jesus just happens to provide it for you. But if you suffer with Jesus in the pathway of love because he is your supreme treasure, then it will be apparent to the world that your heart is set on a different fortune than theirs." - John Piper, What Jesus Demands from the World, p 71

How do we show that our lives are different from unbelievers'? It's through various sufferings. As this excerpt points out, that includes self-inflicted suffering or denial. This is a comforting thing for me to read since I have to admit my life does not have much external suffering or persecution. But I do know that my family's denial of an overly expensive home, no new cars, and simply living frugally does mean something significant. Oh they're not the same as being beheaded for the faith, but they do tell us that we're on the right path, albeit the first steps of the path, to true obedience. They tell me that Christ truly is our treasure and that our confessions of faith are not mere lip service. Honestly, I'm not looking forward to greater persecutions, but if it brings more glory to my Lord, then so be it!

Scatter or Gather

"Therefore, when he demands that we follow him, he means that we join him in that task of gathering: 'Whoever does not gather with me scatters' (Luke 11:23). There are no neutral followers; we either scatter or gather. Following Jesus means continuing the work he came to do--gathering a people in allegiance to him for the glory of his Father." - John Piper, What Jesus Demands from the World, p 70

Ouch. Do I really gather? Does my complacency in sharing Christ really mean I'm a scatterer? That's what Jesus' words say, so I guess I know the answer. Oh Lord change me! Turn my heart and disposition to serve you by gathering people!

Enemies

And to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? - Heb 1:13

Christ has enemies. This is such an obvious statement, but so hard for me to reckon. Of course he has enemies, and of course that means I as a little Christ (IE, Christian) should have little enemies too. Why is it so hard to grasp that and embrace it as a part of life? Why do I still, after almost 12 years of being in Christ, try to live my life without being offensive?

This, by the Lord's grace, is my 30-year-old resolution. I will stop being a people-pleaser. I will follow Christ even to the point of having enemies. Note, however, that my goal is not to have enemies. My goal is to follow Christ. In the process, I will inevitably offend and irritate people. Oh well. I would rather have my Lord tell me "well done good and faithful servant" than have people applaud me for my political correctness and inoffensiveness.

Amazing Wife

My wife is amazing. She knows me so well. A couple weeks ago, she bought me a birthday present, of course without my knowledge. Last week, completely innocently, I went out and bought some coffee beans because I was almost out. How was I to know that she was getting me coffee beans for my birthday? OK, she knows I like coffee. But how do you explain that I went to Dunn Brothers and bought a pound of Columbia and a pound of Sumatra...exactly what she did too! Yes, there are circumstances that contributed to this...like Dunn Bros is the only place we both know of to buy unroasted beans for my new hobby, and when I went to buy my beans all they had were those two origins in decaf. But still, she got me exactly what I would have gotten (did get)! She knew all those things--like I love coffee, drink decaf, want to roast the beans myself, want two pounds total, and want a little variety in there. Nicely done!

Intentional Sin

"But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him." - Num 15:30-31

What a frightening word! Just after telling the people how their unintentional sins can be forgiven, Moses delivers this message about intentional sin. There's a lot in this passage worthy of reflection.

Three statements about the character/heart of the intentional sinner:

1. He reviles the Lord
2. He despises the word of the Lord
3. He has broken his commandment

Two consequences:

1. He shall be cut off from the people
2. His sin remains on him

Oh how we Christians need to take heed of this passage. This tells us that God has always seen a difference between intentional and accidental sin. Why would that change with Christ? The distinction he would make will actually be greater. For now we don't merely despise his ministers and a sacrificed goat, but we trample the Son of God underfoot when we sin. Hebrews 6:6 calls this "crucifying once again the Son of God." I do not want to be one who crucifies Christ a second time.

Jesus Commands The Emotions

"Jesus does command the feelings. He demands that our emotions be one way and not another. . .If a feeling is proper to have, Jesus can demand it. The fact that I may be too corrupt to experience the emotions that I ought to have does not change my duty to have them. . .My moral inability to produce it does not remove my guilt; it reveals my corruption." - John Piper, What Jesus Demands of the World, pp 52 - 53

Wow. I (and probably 99% of people) assume my feelings just happen and that I'm not responsible for them. If I'm in a lousy mood, I'm responsible to treat people respectably, but I don't have to worry about my mood itself. WRONG! I am commanded to rejoice. The word "rejoice" is found 202 times in the ESV, and a quick skimming of them shows the vast majority are commands to rejoice ("You shall rejoice", "Rejoice in the Lord always" ), not a mere statement of observation ("And Jethro rejoiced"). My inability/unwillingness to control my emotions is yet another sign of my utter need of Christ.

Love Righteousness and Hate Wickedness

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions. - Heb 1:9

What is the secret to gladness? Loving righteousness and hating wickedness. This is not a natural rule though, because all the wickedness in the world would naturally make us sick. This is a supernatural rule. God sees our love for righteousness and blesses us with incomprehensible and otherwise inexplicable gladness. How can it be that one who loves righteousness can find joy in this wicked world? It's because his joy is not in the world but in God! His joy is in the him who rules forever and ever with the scepter of uprightness (v7), who loves righteousness and hates wickedness (v8). It's not earthly gladness; rather, gladness beyond earth.