Leading in the Christian world is not about doing everything. You do not lead by doing the brunt of the work. You lead by getting other people involved. You call on other jersey numbers and entrust real ministry to them.
Remember that and you'll be fine.
Ephesians 4:11-13
God gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
When we try to do everything, others do not grow up and we wear ourselves out.
When we all do our own parts, everyone grows in maturity as we bear each other up.
Sunday, June 7, 2020
Saturday, June 6, 2020
day no. 15,202: better to be accused with Him by culture than acquitted by culture and condemned by Him
"Then there are Christians who are acutely sensitive to any charges the world might level at them, however absurd. The last thing in the world they would ever want to be called is a racist, and so the world steers these Christians where they “ought to be” by threatening to call them racists. They tremble at the thought of being called homophobic, so the world draws itself up to full height and calls them homophobic. These Christians are full of cowardice. The fear flows over the lip of their emotional cup, and they are standing in the slop. They have ceded complete authority to the world to define righteousness and unrighteousness for them. This is how it can come to pass that after Jesus picks a fight with the respected religious leaders of the day in John 8, the response of the contempo-Christian is to call such behavior un-Christlike. Fine. Folly is identified by her children, and all of them are pretty ugly and really stupid." - Douglas Wilson, Same-Sex Mirage: Phantasmagoria at the Altar & Some Biblical Responses
There are good reasons to be called a racist, a homophobe, sexist, etc... There are obviously bad reasons to be labeled or accused of being any of these, but it isn't necessarily a statement on your standing before God to be called any of these. It all depends on who is calling you that and why.
If you declare the God grants dignity to all men regardless of their color, this may land you labeled a racist by those who insist that whiteness be included in Paul's laundry list of sins in Romans 1:29-32.
If you declare that God defines morality and marriage, including which parts go where, with whom and how often, you may be called homophobic by those who insist that two screws can turn into each other without turning into something else and that two nuts, if rubbed together, can become one mechanism.
If you declare that God made men and women in His image, but made one from the ground for the ground and one from the man for the man, this may get you shrieked down as a toxic masculinity mongering sexist by those who insist man made himself out of the muck and can become whatever he so determines by might.
In those circumstances, deal me in with the racist, homophobic misogynists. If by those definitions, God is declared racist, homophobic, and chauvinistic, then count me in His company. Better to be found in Him accused of that than acquitted by a culture under His condemnation.
There are good reasons to be called a racist, a homophobe, sexist, etc... There are obviously bad reasons to be labeled or accused of being any of these, but it isn't necessarily a statement on your standing before God to be called any of these. It all depends on who is calling you that and why.
If you declare the God grants dignity to all men regardless of their color, this may land you labeled a racist by those who insist that whiteness be included in Paul's laundry list of sins in Romans 1:29-32.
If you declare that God defines morality and marriage, including which parts go where, with whom and how often, you may be called homophobic by those who insist that two screws can turn into each other without turning into something else and that two nuts, if rubbed together, can become one mechanism.
If you declare that God made men and women in His image, but made one from the ground for the ground and one from the man for the man, this may get you shrieked down as a toxic masculinity mongering sexist by those who insist man made himself out of the muck and can become whatever he so determines by might.
In those circumstances, deal me in with the racist, homophobic misogynists. If by those definitions, God is declared racist, homophobic, and chauvinistic, then count me in His company. Better to be found in Him accused of that than acquitted by a culture under His condemnation.
Friday, June 5, 2020
day no. 15,201: anything you can do, I can boo better
"Feminists have come full circle and are now the shrinking violets that their great-grandmothers despised." - Douglas Wilson, Same-Sex Mirage: Phantasmagoria at the Altar & Some Biblical Responses
There was a time when the feminized winds chimed, "We can do anything! Just watch us!" Nowadays its asthmatic gasps chirp about trigger warnings and micro-aggressions. It looks for excuses to melt before the heat of its granite counter tops.
Yesterday's feminists receive a tip of the free corporate logo cap from today's snowflakes who applaud them in the principle, but the content of yesteryear’s effeminatti would certainly offend the senses of today’s. In fact, it would probably register more like toxic masculinity for those occupying safe-space modernity.
The feminists began by attempting to mimic their male counterparts, but now they attempt to mimic despair at any whiff of disagreement. Feminists used to bully by brawn and now they bully by blame. What a tangled web we weave when first we practice instead of conceive.
Thursday, June 4, 2020
day no. 15,200: the tail of two mortars
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
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, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Words are mortars. They are weapons. They are destructive. They are meant to bring down the high-minded.
Words are mortar. They are building materials. They are constructive. They are meant to build up the lowly.
By our words, we wage war. We speak the words of God and the world is etiolated and the church is animated.
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, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Words are mortars. They are weapons. They are destructive. They are meant to bring down the high-minded.
Words are mortar. They are building materials. They are constructive. They are meant to build up the lowly.
By our words, we wage war. We speak the words of God and the world is etiolated and the church is animated.
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
day no. 15,199: conviction is combustible
“The secret of preaching is not mastering certain techniques but being mastered by certain convictions” - John Stott, The Challenge of Preaching, p. 12
Conviction is combustible. It preaches better than charisma. Charisma may assist a preacher boldly proclaim his convictions, but without convictions, he isn't preaching, at best, he's entertaining.
In order to preach, a man must know what he believes and why he believes it. He must, like Ezra, study the word, do what it says and then, and only then, urge others to do the same.
Conviction inspires and sets fire to words in a way that technique can only accentuate. Techniques are not accelerants. You cannot pour technique onto a pile of wood and expect any light or heat to spontaneously combust. Techniques cannot create a fire. They can only steer or aim an existing fire.
Conviction is the spark. It will set things on fire, which is why so many preachers avoid it and why so many churches end up flame retardant.
If you don't know what you're talking about, it doesn't matter how good you are at talking about it. A good speaker is a good man speaking well. Speaking well, if not from a deep well of conviction, is not an asset, but a liability. It lulls and dulls convictions rather than awakening and sharpening them. Since it does not come from a place of passionate belief, it dispenses only dispassionate amusement resulting in disposable applause.
Conviction is combustible. It preaches better than charisma. Charisma may assist a preacher boldly proclaim his convictions, but without convictions, he isn't preaching, at best, he's entertaining.
In order to preach, a man must know what he believes and why he believes it. He must, like Ezra, study the word, do what it says and then, and only then, urge others to do the same.
Conviction inspires and sets fire to words in a way that technique can only accentuate. Techniques are not accelerants. You cannot pour technique onto a pile of wood and expect any light or heat to spontaneously combust. Techniques cannot create a fire. They can only steer or aim an existing fire.
Conviction is the spark. It will set things on fire, which is why so many preachers avoid it and why so many churches end up flame retardant.
If you don't know what you're talking about, it doesn't matter how good you are at talking about it. A good speaker is a good man speaking well. Speaking well, if not from a deep well of conviction, is not an asset, but a liability. It lulls and dulls convictions rather than awakening and sharpening them. Since it does not come from a place of passionate belief, it dispenses only dispassionate amusement resulting in disposable applause.
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
day no. 15,198: flipping the script and flipping off heaven
1 Corinthians 15:10
His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.
"The way we continually talk about our own inability is an insult to the Creator. The deploring of our own incompetence is a slander against God for having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining in the sight of God the things that sound humble before men, and you will be amazed at how staggeringly impertinent they are. 'Oh, I shouldn’t like to say I am sanctified; I’m not a saint.' Say that before God; and it means – 'No, Lord, it is impossible for You to save and sanctify me; there are chances I have not had; so many imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn’t possible.' That may sound wonderfully humble before men, but before God it is an attitude of defiance.
Again, the things that sound humble before God may sound the opposite before men. To say – 'Thank God, I know I am saved and sanctified,' is in the sight of God the acme of humility, it means you have so completely abandoned yourself to God that you know He is true. Never bother your head as to whether what you say sounds humble before men or not, but always be humble before God, and let Him be all in all." -- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
We have turned humility and pride on their heads. What we call, "humble," God calls, "proud," and what we call, "proud," God calls, "humble."
Isaiah 5:20-21
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
and shrewd in their own sight!
We have accrued woe for ourselves. In flipping the script, we have flipped off heaven.
His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.
"The way we continually talk about our own inability is an insult to the Creator. The deploring of our own incompetence is a slander against God for having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining in the sight of God the things that sound humble before men, and you will be amazed at how staggeringly impertinent they are. 'Oh, I shouldn’t like to say I am sanctified; I’m not a saint.' Say that before God; and it means – 'No, Lord, it is impossible for You to save and sanctify me; there are chances I have not had; so many imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn’t possible.' That may sound wonderfully humble before men, but before God it is an attitude of defiance.
Again, the things that sound humble before God may sound the opposite before men. To say – 'Thank God, I know I am saved and sanctified,' is in the sight of God the acme of humility, it means you have so completely abandoned yourself to God that you know He is true. Never bother your head as to whether what you say sounds humble before men or not, but always be humble before God, and let Him be all in all." -- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
We have turned humility and pride on their heads. What we call, "humble," God calls, "proud," and what we call, "proud," God calls, "humble."
Isaiah 5:20-21
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
and shrewd in their own sight!
We have accrued woe for ourselves. In flipping the script, we have flipped off heaven.
Monday, June 1, 2020
day no. 15,197: abandoned cartography and compasses
"The great need of the hour is for Christians in North America to get a map in their heads, a map that has an X on it." - Douglas Wilson, Same-Sex Mirage: Phantasmagoria at the Altar & Some Biblical Responses
"'That’s the worst of girls,' said Edmund to Peter and the Dwarf. 'They never carry a map in their heads'” - C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian
America has lost its way. Literally. It has been feminized to the point of being lost in the woods. It keeps seeing the same tree, but thinking it's seeing new growth. It has lost its spatial ability and doesn't know where or how to find them. It has abandoned the cartography in its head and thrown away its compass. It has suppressed its knowledge and rejected any outside assistance insisting rather that its inner light can guide it home. But if the light be darkness, how great is the darkness. America is lost and removing ancient landmarks in a confused attempt to find the road again.
"The Lord Jesus rules all of history. This means that our folly is His righteous judgment on us and not our successful revolt against Him." - Douglas Wilson, Same-Sex Mirage: Phantasmagoria at the Altar & Some Biblical Responses
Progress must always be measured by a standard. Progressing toward what? Progressing out of what? How far are we from where we were? How close are we to where we want to go? In other words, wandering is merely evidence of lostness. If you don't know where you're going, you can't congratulate your progress. You don't fix an error in calculation by plowing ahead. You must go back to where the error took place and chart a new course from that fixd point. If we merely march on, we are not brave adventurers, we are rebellious adulterers. We can only spin our advance downhill as "progress" so long before we hit rock bottom.
We don't slip up. We slip down. And slipping isn't upward mobility.
"'That’s the worst of girls,' said Edmund to Peter and the Dwarf. 'They never carry a map in their heads'” - C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian
America has lost its way. Literally. It has been feminized to the point of being lost in the woods. It keeps seeing the same tree, but thinking it's seeing new growth. It has lost its spatial ability and doesn't know where or how to find them. It has abandoned the cartography in its head and thrown away its compass. It has suppressed its knowledge and rejected any outside assistance insisting rather that its inner light can guide it home. But if the light be darkness, how great is the darkness. America is lost and removing ancient landmarks in a confused attempt to find the road again.
"The Lord Jesus rules all of history. This means that our folly is His righteous judgment on us and not our successful revolt against Him." - Douglas Wilson, Same-Sex Mirage: Phantasmagoria at the Altar & Some Biblical Responses
Progress must always be measured by a standard. Progressing toward what? Progressing out of what? How far are we from where we were? How close are we to where we want to go? In other words, wandering is merely evidence of lostness. If you don't know where you're going, you can't congratulate your progress. You don't fix an error in calculation by plowing ahead. You must go back to where the error took place and chart a new course from that fixd point. If we merely march on, we are not brave adventurers, we are rebellious adulterers. We can only spin our advance downhill as "progress" so long before we hit rock bottom.
We don't slip up. We slip down. And slipping isn't upward mobility.
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