2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Observation: God loves a cheerful giver.
Problem: Don't like to give?
Solution: Don't be cheerful.
God likes only cheerful givers. He would never ask you to do something you didn't want to do, right?
WRONG.
God commands you to do all sorts of things you would not naturally desire to do. And thank God for it. His ways are not our ways and His thoughgts not our thoughts. But God does not simply tell you to do something without providing you a new heart by which to obey His commands. He gives what He commands. God may command you to give, but He delights in one who does so cheerfully.
If you don't give, it is likely because you simply don't want to. You shouldn't have to be coerced into giving by worldly guilt, or worse guilt in the variety of Law-Gospel-Law (specifically the 5th paragraph beginning with "but something..." although the whole article is worth your time and meditation). If you don't want to give, don't. Maybe you don't have a new heart. Maybe you're not regenerate or reborn.
Maybe? It is a possibility, isn't it?
Or you are a reborn, regenerated Christian who is struggling with the old man who still loves storing up in bigger barns and has yet fully to be broken into submission to Christ's call to generosity. But if you are a Christian, then wrestle with the old man - for Christ's and your own sake! Don't just let the old man lead you in this area. Don't rest in the assumptive, seductive draw of "someday."
Someday I will give more.
Someday I will do then what I know I am commanded to do now.
As long as "someday" remains an IOU to excuse present rebellion, "someday" will never come. You don't want it to.
Quality time is bred from quantity time. You cannot plan quality time. In the same way, perhaps cheerful giving is bred from thanfulness for what one has. You cannot plan on being cheerful about something difficult and pull it off honestly anymore than you can orchestrate quality time next Tuesday at 2 pm. It happens, unexpectedly, as a result of diligence and duty. Not merely plodding along in drudgery per se, but obediently performing the task that lay at hand if for no other reason than (1) "it lay at hand" and (2) you can do it.
Ask that God would give you a new heart to enjoy giving, seek opportunities to give, and be cheerful throughout the whole ordeal.
Decide in your heart what you will give.
If you have never done this, do this!
There is no mystery as to what Scripture is commanding you to do here.
The seeds of generosity are planted by gratitude and grow up to produce fruit in keeping with grace. Grace begets grace. It initiates the process and produces in its object that which it bestowed at the onset.
God loves when people love Him and from that compulsion give.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Social Mediocre
That is about right. I am a passionate guy when it comes to doctrine and the historical, orthodox, Christian faith. So it goes without saying that perusing "Christian" blogs periodically on the internet drives.me.bonkers!!!
I am wrong often as well and I pray you forgive me for that. I get zealous and speak in hyperbole for emphasis when my heart really isn't behind the weight of adrenaline pumping through my tongue (or my fingers speaking on behalf of my tongue on this blog).
Point being this however: someone on the internet IS actually wrong. If you have been online any amount of time, you know that the there is a site or blog for every opinion imaginable. And while you may be entitled to your opnion and you may be sincere, that does not equate to a currency of truthfulness or reality by necessity. You can be sincere AND wrong. Genuineness is not the ultimate arbiter. It is appreciated and virtuous, but not a trump card.
Be discerning young Christian as to whom you allow a passport to your soul in allowing another's thoughts to visit your mind. We should be sharpened and deepened by others. We are not islands. Be discerning however. "Bad company ruins good morals."
Some of those claiming to be light are all heat.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
OCCUPY: Proverbs
Proverbs 24:33-34
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
This is a repeated theme, worded verbatim in Proverbs 6:10-11
It is always easier to hit snooze than it is to get up right away. It is always harder to get up once you've set yourself down to relax.
God designed our bodies. We actually NEED sleep. To refuse to sleep and stay up working and toiling because we have so much to do is to defy God's design for who you are. It is not godly to stay up all night per se. It can be if you do so praying or assisting in a time of crisis, etc... But on a regular day - one not governed by the exception, but the rule - sleep is necessary. It is wise to go to bed early if you have to be up early. It is foolish to stay up late because you have "so much to do." Because you have so much to do, you should rest and allow your body and mind to refresh and recharge to tackle the tasks that lay ahead of you.
I know, I know. You're a night person, right? I do not deny that there is something exhilirating about freely staying up later than normal. It can be really fun. And I am not even saying it is wrong or sinful to stay up late (sometimes). It can be, however, if you completely live in defiance of how you were created and the One who created it that way. Furthermoe, we're all "night" people. We all love wasting time on stuff we like and putting off that which is imposing until tomorrow. Most of our "night" activities are nothing more than quadrant 4 activities. It would be different, in some regard, if one was diligently burning the midnight oil rather than burning off steam.
We defy Jesus' teaching of not worrying about tomorrow in making today's troubles tomorrow's by putting them off today. Say that five times fast! We often would not have to worry about tomorrow if we did today what we ought to have done.
Sleep easy Christian. Jesus is our rest.
Work hard Christian. Jesus wants your neighbor to see your labors.
***TANGENT ALERT***
Jesus calls disciples to empty themselves, not store up things outside of themselves in barns. We read the parable of the man and his bigger barns and think it alien and unlikely. But "barns" is just another word for what we call "closets" - and who doesn't love a big Master closet?
"Yeah baby! I want to be the master and commander of by big ol' closet."
Did you know some people actually build houses for their cars?
"Yeah, they're called garages."
***BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING***
Poverty comes quickly upon those who want. Rest comes gently to those who work.
Ecclesiastes 5:12
12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep.
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Book Review: Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
Buy it HERE.
At my church we have a ministry called D6 after Deuteronomy Chapter 6 where parents are instructed to teach their children about Yahweh whenever the opportunity presents.
This past semester we went through this book. One of the most central tenants of the book is that children are not born neutral. They are sinners and need guidance, instruction, and most importantly the Gospel of grace in Jesus Christ.
The book is extremely helpful and practical in applying very specific information and strategies for very specific ages and developmental stages of a child's life. It is a huge undertaking, but one I am excited to employ in concert with prayer routinely for patience, diligence, and forgiveness in its administration..
The book takes a very biblical approach and worldview regarding rearing, nurturing, disciplining, cherishing, and raising our children.
Most pressing however is the need for the parent to apply the same message to their own soul in keeping Christ the center of all we do and attempt to do and hope to do someday. It is so easy and such a poignant reflection of our fallness that we examine and study with dligence the best methods to raise and train someone else to love and worship Jesus and to become all of things we wish we were, but are not. These same principles upon which we marvel are the same we should be applying to ourselves and God as a good Father is faithful to apply to us. As parents, we have not escaped the need for a Father.
I recommend it particularly for families with young children or families hoping to someday have children. It provides a crucial framework that is much easier implemented on the front end than backfilled later. God's grace is sufficient to compensate for all of our failures and oversights whether we are prepared or become Christians late in the game after our children have already learned our bad parenting habits. His grace also covers parents who are Christian from the beginning and yet fall short of God's glory in their application of His Word. Either way, this book challenges the parent to return to a Biblical understanding of your parental role, your children, your soul, and your deepest need.
There is advice on teaching your children to know themselves as the person God has created, to know their God, and to know their neighbor. In understanding these through a Biblical worldview, we will appreciate and worship Jesus all the more.
The book mentions, comes back to, and points to the Gospel throughout. The best news in the world is the Good News of Jesus Christ. This book provides ample advice on how to prepare the soul of your child to embrace, understand, apply, and appreciate this Good News.
---
My children,
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Friday, July 13, 2012
The Rocket Summer's "Walls"
I was listening to this song on my iPod while working and was struck in particular by the post-chorus:
It reminded me of images of Christian in Pilgrim's Progress shedding that awful weight and burden that he carried prior to God meeting Him with the Good News of Jesus Christ! It also reminds me that the Good News is not just for the day you are found by the One willing to take on your heavy load and burden, but everyday being found in the One willing to carry you.
Listen to the song HERE.
Buy it HERE.
It reminded me of images of Christian in Pilgrim's Progress shedding that awful weight and burden that he carried prior to God meeting Him with the Good News of Jesus Christ! It also reminds me that the Good News is not just for the day you are found by the One willing to take on your heavy load and burden, but everyday being found in the One willing to carry you.
Listen to the song HERE.
Buy it HERE.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
It's as easy as 1... 2... 3 (if by that you mean work... field... house)
Proverbs 24:27
Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
All young men should consider whether they want to get married at some point. All young men should consider the right and Biblical way to pursue that desire.
You are to prepare your work outside prior to building your house.
In other words, do not drag some poor young lady into your life until you have figured out where you are going.
She will be asked to submit to you, to follow you, to honor you, and to respect you. The Bible makes it clear that these are her godly orientations toward you. Do her and yourself the favor of figuring out where you'd like to go, what you'd like to do, and how you'd like to do it. Too many Christian men think with their hormones and seek to get married because of what they are hoping to experience inside it. First of all, kudos to you hypothetical Christian boy for waiting until marriage to "be married." But secondly, marriage is much more than the physical expression of it. It is a fruit of it, but not the foundation of it.
Get everything ready for yourself in the field before you build your house.
Before you start a household, think about how the Bible informs your ideal house. Ponder these things and have them available for conversation with the young lady upon whom you set your affections. Do yourself the favor of discussing these with her at the appropriate time in your relational timeline. Not so late that you are already yoked to her in a way that would create great pain to seperate, but not so early that you make the first date a hypothetical promise ring.
In your reading of Scripture what should a home look like? How many children would you like? How soon into marriage would you like kids? Where do you want to live? How do you want to support your wife and children financially, spiritually, emotionally, physically? Who will raise the kids? Will your wife work? What will be taught? What will be expected? What traditions will be upheld? What traditions abandoned? What traditions begun?
Ponder these things. Study them out. Then resist the temptation to yoke yourself too soon to someone with whom these have not been discussed. Much of this is adiaphora. It is not a matter of sin. It is a matter of preference. You will save yourself many trials and pains in finding someone who finds the same foundations in Scripture upon which you desire to build. In this, you have the security of relying on the other's devotion to God and His Word rather than their opinion at the moment (or what they think is least confrontational and most agreeable to you at the moment of inquiry).
Lastly, a young man should pursue a woman without delegating to her the weight of the risk. Ask a woman to marry you. Do not ask a woman what she would say if you happened to ask her to marry you? Respect her enough to ask her for her hand only once you're ready to take it, guide it, cherish it, and covenantally bind yourself to it. Do not run mock engagements to get a better feel for the real trials and triumphs of marriage. Do not have a dress rehearsal. Be a man. Nut up. Cast off cowardice and ask her to marry you if that is what you are wanting to do.
I heard Mark Driscoll once say, "a man MUST choose what and who he loves; then he MUST love his choice."
By asking her what she would say if you happened to maybe propose someday you only bait the line with a promise you have not yet committed to keeping.
***Note I have placed the label adiaphora on this post. While I feel strongly that there is good Biblical wisdom and evidence to suggest that these views are fully supported, I do recognize that on some points, my preferences may be pushing my pen. Some of thise advice could be ignored without the ignoring party having done so sinfully or for sinful reasons. We all often choose lesser hills than Calvary on which to die. There are some hills on which it is worthy to die and in lieu of surrendering all grounds on the basis that it may not be the right ground, I seek to be humbled and taught by God in His Word and through His teachers to know the difference between mole hills and high ground.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Book Review : "The Stranger" by Albert Camus
In speaking with my pastor recently he mentioned that on the Gospel Coalition blog, a segment was starting where Christians were going to read the classics. It began with this book.
Read the introductory blog HERE and the full synopsis HERE.
Buy the book HERE.
I checked out the audiobook from our library and listened to it on the way to and home from work on my morning/evening commutes. The audiobook was only roughly 3 1/2 hours and the book itself is only roughly 130 pages.
This fiction novel is a very unusual read. The main character, Meursault is seemingly void the normative sociological/psychological constructs which formulate and define typical human experience.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part introduces us to the main character and shows us the world through his eyes and communicates the basic premises of the worldview espoused by the author, Camus. Meursault does many normal things, but it's the way or the manner in which he engages in them which is most jarring or disjointed so to speak. He is detached from the details and experiences with which you would expect a person to be engaged and conversely engaged in details about which most of us normally think very little.
The second part is the trial of Meursault. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention in the first part he kills a man. I bring it up in this casual fashion because it is nearly that random and casually committed by Meursault and reported by Camus. It is almost incidental. That is the cadence you can expect in reading this book. The trial does not focus on his having killed the man as that is not a point of contention. It is conceded. The trial, rather, focuses on the type of person he was and is now as a result of the murder. The lack of remorse, the casual manner in which life and death were/are treated, the resistance to meaning, etc...
It is an interesting book for Christians to read in that it portrays a worldview often not assumed by most Christians. When we picture a man who attaches no regular or spectacular meaning to anything, we aassume the result would be a hatred of life and likelihood of suicidal tendencies. However, Meursault (via Camus) bucks this trend by stating the only way to truly enjoy life and live with zeal is when one abandons a search for meaning. In Camus' worldview, the search for meaning oppresses life and thriving. It is only when Meursault abandons fully and finally all attempts of hope and meaning that he is truly free to live life. Most of us assume this final abandonment of hope and meaning would lead to helplessness and suicidal tendencies. I found this an insightful peek into a humanistic vantage point and a much better apologetic for worldliness than is often espoused or at least assumed by Christians in dealing with their counterparts.
Camus' depiction of Christianity (or at least the messengers thereof introduced in this novel) seem as though they would be quite satisfied to merely hear him utter the words or ascent to their assertions. This is probably more accurate in its assessment of the contemporary church's approach than we would like to admit. Saying the sinner's prayer, walking that aisle, standing up at that retreat, etc... are all often seen as a Christian finish line of responsibility of sorts (both for the teller and the hearer). Discipleship is often disregarded and we settle for winning a mental arm-wrestling contest. It is sad to see Christianity so caricatured (especially when the bite of realizing it is more accurate than we desire to believe).
I obviously do not prescribe to the worldview portrayed in this novel, but give kudos to Camus for articulating it well and choosing the right medium by which to tell the tale. Art is such a potent medium and can so deeply affect the observer. Art can carry a message in a particularly gifted way. Many Christians have taken advantage of this by putting into story tenets of the Christian faith (a la Chronicles of Narnia and the Space Trilogy by C. S. Lewis or Pilgrim's Progress by Bunyan). It does concern me to ponder on how many have been artistically influenced and persuaded toward life in the essence of Camus' Muersault however.
It is worth the read and I would check out the audiobook if you have the chance. It is a well done production of the book. I listened to it twice. I am now actually reading the copy which arrived from Amazon to put eyes on the words I have now heard twice (plus it gives me the chance to make notes and underline stuff that has stood out to me).
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