day no. 16,671: in concert with Christ or incoherent without Him

Ephesians 1:9-10

For He has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of His will, according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Progress is either in concert with Christ or it is regress. 

Every bridge will either be Crossed when we get there or burnt behind us.

All things are either going forward in the Lord or nowhere quickly.

Advances are either in concert with Christ or incoherent without Him.

day no. 16,670: coming to their Head or coming to their end

"Because we do not trust the Spirit’s intricate work in the womb of the world, we think to take over the process. We don’t take it over successfully, obviously, or thwart it, but we do retard it. Because we have become worldly in this way, we have refused to become earthy... The work of God is thereby reduced to the management of a tiny ecclesiastical and doctrinal circle, with the gospel right at the center of it. The gospel is right where it ought to be, right at the center, but it is not doing what it was intended to do, which is to transform the world. Because, for the faithful, there is nothing in the world that is allowed to be outside the circumference." — Douglas Wilson, The Great Gospel-Centered Crack-Up

Keeping the Gospel central is often a catch phrase used to keep it at the periphery. The Gospel is advocated as the center of some miscellany on the perimeter or the axle of some wheel that is not connected to the rest of the car. Yes, we insist, it must be central. But central to what? Is it the Center of everything or just the one thing? Is the Gospel central in its own lane or is it the center of all lanes? The error of western evangellyfish is in insisting that the Gospel be the center of a small, off-to-the-side sphere, one with very little, if any, overlap with the large circle in which we live, move, and have our being. They still insist on it being the center of something which assuages their consciences. They are Gospel-centered after all. It should be central somewhere. But what this misses is everything else. Jesus is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. He is the Center of every other system. All things are coming to their head in Him or coming to their end by His hands.

Colossians 1:17-18

And He (Christ) is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.

Ephesians 1:9-10

For He has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of His will, according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.

1 Corinthians 15:24–26

Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

day no. 16,669: running from rumors

Hebrews 10:39

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Christians do not fade to black, they march ahead. 

Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: 

but the righteous are bold as a lion.

The wicked run from rumors. 

The righteous face their fears.

Do not skedaddle on spec; battle in broad daylight.

Do not retreat from possibilities; run toward realities.

day no. 16,668: a kinder, gentler authoritarianism

"Modern intelligence won't accept anything on authority. But it will accept anything without authority." — G.K. Chesterton, The Man Who Knew Too Much

Authority is inescapable. The modern mind hates this fact and wars against it by embracing any authority that opposes the appearance of the old authorities. Nevermind that it can only do so based on a new authority. On what basis do you remove the ancient landmark? On whose authority do you supplant it? By what standard do you forsake it? By the standard that having standards is old-fashioned, and on the authority of those who despise our elders, and on the basis of the ancient world being so unrepentantly unmodern. By this we attempt to remake the world in our own image. The modern world redefines authority to mean anything that used to hold sway so that when they grasp for power and cast them aside, it isn't by "authority" that they do so, at least in its traditional sense. How could it be when by its definition "authority" is the order it is overturning? And thus we get the new kinder, gentler authoritarianism. 

"For the modern world will accept no dogmas upon any authority; but it will accept any dogmas upon no authority. Say that a thing is so, according to the Pope or the Bible, and it will be dismissed as a superstition without examination. But preface your remark merely with 'they say' or 'don’t you know that?' or try (and fail) to remember the name of some professor mentioned in some newspaper; and the keen rationalism of the modern mind will accept every word you say." — G.K. Chesterton, The Superstition of Divorce

The backslidden West despises definite authority. Cite a specific Source and the impulse is resistance. The apostate post-moderns do, however, receive indefinite authority. If some study has found something or someone online said or you saw something somewhere, it is assumed to be authoritative.

day no. 16,667: the wedding vows of Adams

The first Adam’s wedding vows were:

Genesis 2:23

This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.

The second Adam’s wedding vows were:

This at last is blood of my blood

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Christian,

because she was taken out of Christ.

Matthew 26:26-29

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

day no. 16,666: flee or fight, the fear still awaits

“A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it.” — J.R.R. Tolkien

While people may differ in how they respond to fear, with some wanting to flee from it and others wanting fight it, they cannot differ in having to eventually meet it. Fear is inescapable and fleeing from it only guarantees that you will meet it on its terms. Facing your fears is confronting them on your terms. It is deciding to fight instead of being forced to it.  Whether you flee or fight it, the fear still awaits.

Matthew 10:28

Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Fear is inescapable. You will be afraid of someone for some reason. And no one can escape facing their fears. Running from them is running into them. Is is compounding the problem. It is adding fear to fear. It is water at a flood. It is tossing kindling at a fire. 

Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Fear is inescapable. However, the one who fears God alone need not fear any other. Those who flee to the Fear of Isaac (Gen 31:42) need not flee from anything else.

day no. 16,665: a defeatist attitude is defiance

"The Christian warriors chant the war song, and prepare for to-morrow's fight. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.” — Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Morning and Evening 

It is not prideful to believe that in Christ, we can win. It is prideful to disbelieve it. A defeatist attitude is defiance. It is resisting the blessing of God and refusing to hear what He has said. He is in you and it is the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). He is greater than what opposes you. So, if you are a Christian, chant this war song and fight the good fight.

Be willing to lose, but expect to win. Fight like that for which you are fighting is worth your best effort. Believe in Him and in His promises. And then get out there and get after it.

1 John 4:4

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.