Am I Ready...?

As most readers of this blog will be aware, K and I are awaiting the birth of our firstborn, Emma. Emma is proving to be a bit late like her mo..... as people sometimes are :) This week has entailed a good bit of walking and waiting for signs of her arrival. The fact that I am writing this blog is a sign that we are still waiting. One of the thoughts on my mind is "am I ready for this?" Emma is like a thousand questions rolled into one tiny little package. Right now the package resembles a large basketball, but I imagine it will take on a much more animate shape within the next few days. How does one raise their child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? What does it look like to shepherd a child's heart, helping him or her to be confronted by their sin and to see their need for the Gospel? What will it take to prepare them for the fierce attacks on their faith that are sure to come should they follow Christ? These are questions that are coursing through my mind.

I am reading a book by Alister McGrath called Heresy. The book offers a historical-theological examination of the concept of heresy as well as prominent examples of it. Essentially, McGrath is arguing that heresy develops within the context of faith, often from the desire to make the Christian faith intelligible to the contemporary culture in which one lives. (For those interested in the topic, I think you will find the book accessible even if you have had not had much exposure to church history. While it is extensively sourced, it reads on a popular level. McGrath does a good job of explaining the personalities and circumstances of those with whom he is interacting.)

In this book McGrath touches on the role of apologetics for building up or maintaining the faith of the faithful. To summarize this notion, McGrath includes a quote from a twentieth century theologian, Austin Farrer. I find Farrer's quote to be an excellent summary of what I feel to be the main function of apologetics, namely the preservation of faith:

For though argument does not create conviction, the lack of it destroys belief. What seems to be proved may not be embraced; but what no one shows the ability to defend is quickly abandoned. Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish.

It is important that we not confuse apologetics and evangelism. We cannot argue someone into faith; faith is the gift of God and comes through the proclamation and hearing of God's word about Christ (see Romans 10 and 1 Cor 1:18-2:16). As my pastor has said, "What you can argue someone into, someone else can argue them out of." This is a liberating distinction. Knowing that our call to evangelism is simply to share the Gospel and allow the Spirit of God to bring conviction, repentance, and faith. We need not be great orators, heady philosophers, or well-read theologians to participate in this mission. We simply need to know the Gospel and be faithful to share it (see Romans 3:10,20-26 or 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 for summaries of the Gospel).

That said, we are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, MIND, and strength. Part of this lifestyle worship includes thinking biblically about every aspect of life and considering the difficult questions that people may ask of us (believers and non-believers alike). We must recognize that we are called to prepare ourselves to give a defense for the hope we have in Christ:

"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15).

I invite you to ask the following questions along with me:
1. Am I spending consistent, daily time reading, listening to, memorizing, and meditating on God's Word?
2. Am I actively applying His word to my life?
3. Am I sharing His word (esp. the Gospel) with others?
4. Am I considering the questions that people are asking about the Christian faith and seeking out the answers?

With this new being called Emma poised to enter our everyday lives at any moment, I am more aware than ever that the Gospel and its defense are of the utmost importance. Her eyes will be looking and her ears will be listening to the testimony of mine and Karen's witness for Christ. She will know if our talk matches our walk. I pray we will be faithful to know and share the Gospel as well as prepared to offer a defense for the hope we find through it. What a privilege to be used of God to participate in the creation and preservation of faith in the lives of others (especially our children)! God grant Your grace that we all might walk faithfully in this calling.

Grace & Peace,

J

How long...?

Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Our pastor shared with us that the estimated number of Christians who lose their lives each year is 171,000 around the world. Research indicates that this number has been constant for each of the last 15 years (roughly 2.5 million total)!

The prayers being offered up today, according to the Voice of the Martyrs website, is not for the cessation of persecution, but rather, that those facing it will remain faithful.

"9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, a how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been" (Revelation 6:9-11).

May we be faithful to our Lord and to pray for our persecuted family members around the world. "Come Quickly, Lord Jesus!"

Grace & Peace,

J

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During the month of November ChristianAudio.com is offering Desiring God by John Piper as a free download audio book. I highly commend this work to you. Use the code NOV2009 to redeem this offer.

Grace & Peace

Jonathan

The Heart of Worship?

Imagine the following exchange: Someone walks up to you and says, "I just want to say 'thank you.'" "For what?" you reply. "For nothing...just 'thank you.'" This exchange really doesn't make sense does it? It is simply nonsense to say thank you to someone if there is nothing in view for which the thanks is being given. The act of giving thanks is dependent upon truth.

Jesus told the woman at the well (Jn 4), Christian worship is worship in Spirit and in TRUTH. As we worship God individually and corporately, that worship must be centered on God's truth and, specifically, the truth about who He is and what Has done in Christ as revealed in Scripture. Only insofar as we do this can we truly express thanks to God. It boils down to this: no truth, no thanks, no worship.

Paul writes, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16 ESV). It is significant that the singing of "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" is connected to letting the "word of Christ dwell"in us. Paul goes on to connect the attitude of thankfulness to this truth-filled worship.

Our church is blessed to have a very dynamic worship leader, Gary Brumley. Gary does as good a job of integrating biblical truth and quality music as anyone I know. The music portion of our worship services involve a variety of elements, including corporate Scripture reading and songs that focus on biblical truth. I am appreciative of his approach because by putting God's truth at the center of our worship, we as a congregation are encouraged to dwell deeply upon God's truth and return thanks to Him for His great person and work.

Gary has put the words of 1 Timothy 1:17 to music. I recommend that you check it out. Lyrics, sheet music, and a demo can be found on his website: http://www.newmonikermusic.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143&Itemid=124.

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible,
The only God, eternal, immortal, invisible
Be honor and glory, honor and glory,
Forever and ever, Amen,
Forever and ever, Amen.

Lyrics: 1 Timothy 1:17
by Gary Brumley © 2009 New Moniker Music.
www.newmonikermusic.com

Grace & Peace,

Jonathan

A Must Hear...

Today in chapel, my PhD supervisor, Dr. Jason Lee, presented a sermon on Ephesians 6:1-4.

"1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 'Honor your father and mother' (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 'that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.' 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Eph 6:1-4)

This sermon is one of the best I've ever heard on the issue of parenting. What is the aim of biblical parenting? In what ways are parents models of the Gospel to their children? What does it mean for children to obey "in the Lord"? What is at stake with this matter? Dr. Lee addresses these questions and more.

I strongly urge you to listen to this at your earliest convenience. I believe that regardless of one's marital or family status that the content of this sermon will be of great value to you now or in the future.

May God grant us His grace to honor and obey Him in order that He alone may receive glory and honor and praise.

Jonathan

Vatican Creates New Structure to Convert Anglicans, Episcopalians

This is an event with momentous implications for the course of Church History. Check it out:

Vatican Creates New Structure to Convert Anglicans, Episcopalians

Evangelism Defined

This week, my Pastor, Tim Presson, preached a sermon on the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). If you would like to listen to the sermon in its entirety, you can do so by clicking here. In that sermon he cited what I feel is one of the best definitions for evangelism I have ever heard from a man named William Temple. The definition is as follows:

Evangelism focuses on Christ, depends upon the power of the Holy Spirit for results, and seeks to make disciples of Jesus who recognize His lordship in all of life (every part without distinction) and plant themselves in the fellowship of a local church. I pray that everyone who reads this blog has become a disciple (or follower) of Christ. However, I realize that there will be some who have not.

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ involves coming to Him in faith and repentance. In faith, one must believe to the point of trusting and staking one's life upon the fact that Jesus is who He said He was, that is, the Christ, the Son of the living God (cf. Matthew 16:13-17), the only way to reconciliation of humans to God (John 14:6). It also means affirming that He did what He said He would do and which his followers and the Scriptures gave witness. All of what one must believed about Christ is summarized in one word--the "Gospel" (or "Good News"). The Apostle

Paul summarizes the Gospel as follows: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” (1Corinthians 15:1-8 ESV)

Believing this truth also involves believing another one, namely that all humans are sinful by nature, condemned before God, and unable to reconcile themselves to God (cf. Romans chapter 3, esp. vv. 10-26). True discipleship also involves repentance--a turning away from sin and self and a turning to God in faith and obedience. Jesus said that those who love Him will keep his commandments (John 15). Our works do not improve our standing before God. On the contrary, God saves us by His own mercy. However, in view of God's mercy, we offer our lives as living sacrifices to God for His purposes (cf., Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Matthew 5:16).

The Apostle Paul summarizes these points well: “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works...” (Titus 3:3-8 ESV).

Both our coming to faith in Christ and our living the remainder of our lives in faith and obedience to Christ are the gracious work of God. He alone is worthy of glory for saving us in spite of ourselves (Romans 11:33-36). The Scriptures tell us that those who place their faith and trust in Christ will have eternal life and fellowship with God, but that those who do not believe will be condemned (John 3:16-21). I pray that we will all recognize His glory and reflect that glory in the grateful sacrifice of our lives to Him. If you have never placed your faith, hope, and trust in Jesus Christ as your sole means of reconciliation with God, repented of your sins, and cast yourself upon God's mercy, I beg you to do so without delay.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner,"

Jonathan

Repost: No "Except That"

One of the elders at my church, Dale Stonecipher, sends out a weekly e-mail in which he reflects on Scripture and makes application. They are devotional in nature and I cannot remember reading one from which I failed to draw encouragement. God has truly blessed our body with his service, a gift for which I am truly grateful.

This week's e-mail was especially challenging/encouraging and I wanted to share it with you. Thanks be to God for the ways He uses others to encourage and lift us up through His Word. I pray that we will not be characterized the the phrase "except that."

Soli Deo Gloria,

J
---------------------
Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

I am listening to the blessing of the rain from our gracious God as I write this. How many ways He blesses us!

As I was reading from 1 Kings this morning, two words jumped out at me. Those words were "except that." The passage is regarding Solomon's being established as king of Israel after the death of King David. Scripture states that Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places. The "except that" is the problem in that sentence.

The "high places" had been pagan worship sites and the Israelites had been told to destroy those sites and build their own for the worship of the Lord. Others before Solomon had built altars for the worship of God prior to the construction of the Tabernacle.

Solomon apparently continute worship at the established high places thinking it was not a big issue and would not lead to any problems. In the previous verses, we are told he also married Pharaoh's daughter and made a treaty with her father, probably a political move, but still marrying a foreign woman rather than one of Israel. These might seem to be small things at the time, but later Solomon's heart was turned from God and he even built high places for the worship of pagan gods for his other wives.

This tragic story of Solomon made me question my own life and what I allow in my life that I might consider to be small issues, but which are not pleasing or acceptable to God. Might if be said of me that I love the Lord, "except that".......

Even sins we might consider to be small are a big deal to a holy God. Indulging in sin, even those we consider small, is an offense against our God.

It is scary to think of small allowances we might make and where they might lead. Might an issue that we think is not a big deal lead to a turning away of our hearts later, as did Solomon's. God calls His people to "be perfect", an impossible task, of course, but nevertheless a goal for which we strive.

May God give us grace to remove the "except that" from our lives and love Him with our whole hearts.

Dale

Calvin on "the anchor" of Faith

Excellent quote by Calvin on the nature of faith. Commenting on the phrase "anchor of the soul" in Hebrews 6:19 (“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain"), Calvin writes:

"It is a striking likeness when he compares faith leaning on God’s word to an anchor; for doubtless, as long as we sojourn in this world, we stand not on firm ground, but are tossed here and there as it were in the midst of the sea, and that indeed very turbulent; for Satan is incessantly stirring up innumerable storms, which would immediately upset and sink our vessel, were we not to cast our anchor fast in the deep. For nowhere a haven appears to our eyes, but wherever we look water alone is in view; yea, waves also arise and threaten us; but as the anchor is cast through the waters into a dark and unseen place, and while it lies hid there, keeps the vessel beaten by the waves from being overwhelmed; so must our hope be fixed on the invisible God. There is this difference, — the anchor is cast downwards into the sea, for it has the earth as its bottom; but our hope rises upwards and soars aloft, for in the world it finds nothing on which it can stand, nor ought it to cleave to created things, but to rest on God alone. As the cable also by which the anchor is suspended joins the vessel with the earth through a long and dark intermediate space, so the truth of God is a bond to connect us with himself, so that no distance of place and no darkness can prevent us from cleaving to him. Thus when united to God, though we must struggle with continual storms, we are yet beyond the peril of shipwreck. Hence he says, that this anchor is sure and steadfast, or safe and firm. It may indeed be that by the violence of the waves the anchor may be plucked off, or the cable be broken, or the beaten ship be torn to pieces. This happens on the sea; but the power of God to sustain us is wholly different, and so also is the strength of hope and the firmness of his word." (Calvin's Commentary on Hebrews)

Father, may the anchor of our faith be securely grounded on You and the truth of Your Word.

Grace & Peace,

Jonathan

Al Mohler Blog Post - International Blasphemy Day

Al Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, has blog that offers excellent cultural commentary and theological insight. I highly recommend it to you. Today I was struck by the post linked below. It offers a good example of the kind of issue Mohler frequently examines and the solid biblical approach he brings to such an issue. The topic is sincerely disturbing, but the wisdom he offers is equally encouraging.

http://www.albertmohler.com/2009/09/25/why-do-the-heathen-rage-international-blasphemy-day/

I pray that we will engage the culture in which we find ourselves with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace,

J

Reflections on a Life Cut Short

Today I learned that a co-worker's wife lost her baby. This news is always sad, but I find myself sympathizing with them more than I often do. The past few weeks Emma has been growing stronger and stronger, kicking more and more. The realization that God has formed a new life within Karen is washing over me daily. As I place myself in this co-workers shoes, I am drawn to tears at the loss he and his family must be experiencing. Life is indeed a frail and temporary gift from God.

Jonathan Edwards offers some vivid insight on this issue. He writes, "The world tries to prove that a man is not on the very brink of eternity, and that the next step will not be into another world, but to no avail. The unseen, unthought-of ways and means by which people suddenly go out of the world are innumerable and inconceivable. Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are countless places in this covering that are so weak that the covering will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen. The arrows of death fly unseen at midday; the sharpest sight cannot discern them" ("Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God").

Life is a trust. It is an opportunity to recognize our Creator and Redeemer and live lives for Him and His purposes. He has granted us a few years in which to live for His glory and to declare His glory to everyone we know.

Father, grant Your peace and comfort for this grieving family. May they place the faith and hope in You and Your goodness in the midst of their pain. Help us to recognize that we constantly walk "on the brink of eternity." Help us to see that life is a gracious gift and not an entitlement we receive by virtue of some inherent good in us. May we be good stewards of these few days together. May we never throw a day away as though we will have a million more. May we urgently share the good news of the Gospel of Your grace in light of the bad news of ours/others sinfulness and condemnation apart from that grace. May we fear and honor You and be found in Christ when he comes or You call us home.

Grace and Peace,

J

ho apseudeœs theos - The God Who Never Lies

Our pastor is preaching a ten-part series on the core values of our church. This morning's sermon was on the importance of doctrine and one of the key texts was Titus 1:1-2.

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began” (Titus 1:1-2 ESV).

Over the last 4-6 months I have been drawn to the book of Titus. In three brief chapters Paul lays forth one of the clearest explanations of the gospel and its implications for good works, relationships, and worship. Today I was reviewing the verses from the sermon cited above and was struck by the great hope that is contained in the title Paul ascribes to God: ho apseudeœs theos - "the God who never lies."

God is worthy of our worship simply by virtue of his position (i.e., creator of the universe and the ground of all being). However, it is wonderful to know that God's character is worthy of praise and honor as well. We are able to honor Him for His goodness as well as His position!

This thought finds great contrast when I think of the limited amount of authority God has given me in the workplace. Those who work under that authority are called to respect that authority by virtue of my position. However, I am weak and fleshly and often fail to lead with clarity, vision, gentleness, etc. (the list could go on and on). In short, there is a disconnect between the honor owed to my position and the honor warranted by my character, person, and work. For God the honor owed His position is synonymous with that owed to His character, person, and work. He is worthy of infinite honor and worth, a worthiness that exceeds our ability to express in its fullness.

He is the God who never lies and who has promised eternal life to all who are in Christ. What He promises will surely come to pass. May we praise Him for his character and for the great work of salvation He has accomplished through Christ and given to all who place their faith and trust in Him.

Grace and Peace,

J

A Timely Reminder...

The Friday before the first week of classes is typically the busiest day of the year for the housing office. Normally, ten to fifteen leases is a busy day for us, but on this day we usually have thirty to thirty-five leases. Further, this is also the day on which the school typically schedules its mandatory all-employee meeting for the last two hours of the day. This year was typical in this regard. So on a day in which we have almost three times the number of people to process than any other day in the year, we have two less hours with which to do it. Lest this turn into a gripe session, let me move on to the real reason for which I am posting.

I woke up this Friday morning with stress all over me and in many ways dreading the headaches that I knew would come as the day wore on. I took the two minute commute from my house to the parking lot in front of the Memorial Building where I work to say a short prayer and listen to forty-five seconds of a Jack Johnson CD (my standard go to on stress-filled days). As I got out of my car I saw something that melted the stress that was already building...a rainbow.



After taking in the site for a few moments I walked into work with a renewed sense of God's presence, faithfulness, and goodness.

Thank you Father for this timely reminder in the midst of life's busyness. Help us to fix our eyes on Your goodness, rest in the security of Your faithfulness, and walk in the peace of Your Spirit each day.

Grace and Peace,

J

John Stott on the Proper Understanding of God, man, and the Atonement

I often struggle to remember the greatness of God's majesty and the ugliness of my sin for which Christ died, was buried, and rose again (Rom 5:6-11). I find in the quote by John Stott below a wonderful explanation and reminder of this truth.

"All inadequate doctrines of the atonement [i.e., the covering and removal of human sin by Jesus Christ] are due to inadequate doctrines of God and man. If we bring God down to our level and raise ourselves to his, then of course we see no need for a radical salvation, let alone for a radical atonement to secure it. When, on the other hand, we have glimpsed the blinding glory of the holiness of God, and have been so convicted of our sin by the Holy Spirit that we tremble before God and acknowledge what we are, namely 'hell-deserving sinners,' then and only then does the necessity of the cross appear so obvious that we are astonished we never saw it before.

The essential background to the cross, therefore, is a balanced understanding of the gravity of sin and the majesty of God. If we diminish either, we thereby diminish the cross. If we reinterpret sin as a lapse instead of a rebellion, and God as indulgent instead of indignant, then naturally the cross appears superfluous [i.e., unnecessary]. But to dethrone God and enthrone ourselves not only dispenses with the cross; it also degrades both God and man. A biblical view of God and ourselves, however, that is, of our sin and of God's wrath, honours both. It honours human beings by affirming them as responsible for their own actions. It honours God by affirming him as having moral character."--John Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downer's Gove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1986), 109-10.

J

Repent Again?

"When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said 'Repent', He called for the entire life of believers to be one of penitence."--Martin Luther

The first of Martin Luther's 95 theses has been a reoccurring thought to me this year. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that it is true. Repentance is not merely the event whereby one crosses over from death into life (i.e., is converted). While it is certainly that, it is not only that. Repentance is both initial AND ongoing in the life of the believer. One might say it is to be a lifestyle. Anytime the believer finds himself or herself outside of the way of obedience they are called to repent.

In his book Disciplined by Grace Jerry Bridges quotes a passage that gives a wonderful summary of what biblical repentance looks like:

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up* as by the heat of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalms 32:1-5 ESV).

Father, help us to humble ourselves before you in daily repentance. Let not our hearts grow hard from the deceitfulness of indwelling sin. Surround us by Your people who have Your Word ready upon their lips. Lead us by Your Spirit to avoid the sin that so easily entangles us. Help us to live by Your grace without abusing it.

J

P.S.--For the few people I know read this blog, I wanted to invite your comments and/or reflections here. Some of my posts will not be worth your time. Hopefully, some will be used to provoke some thoughts, applications, or additional insight. Please feel free to share. I plan to continue posting regardless of comments. However, I was told the other day that I don't write in such a way as to invite comments. If you have insights into how I might do that better I welcome those too. Thanks for being apart of the ongoing conversations I am having with myself and with the Lord. I pray God uses it for His glory.

Greater love...Greater hate

"The more sanctified the person is, the more conformed he is to the image of his Savior, the more he must recoil against every lack of conformity to the holiness of God. The deeper his apprehension of the majesty of God, the greater the intensity of his love to God, the more persistent his yearning for the attainment of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, the more conscious will he be of the gravity of the sin which remains and the more poignant will be his detestation of it."--John Murray, Redemption--Accomplished and Applied (London: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1961), 144-45; as quoted by Jerry Bridges in The Discipline of Grace, (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2004), 104.

Praying that our love for God and hatred for sin increases each day,

Jonathan

Meditating on the Cross

The following quote is from Living the Cross Centered Life (C. J. Mahaney):

"What was your spiritual focus [this past week]? Was it on the spot where God most reveals His personal love for you--the cross? Or was it on your own circumstances, your own condition, your own concerns? Was your preoccupation with your personal pursuit of godliness? Growth in godliness must be pursued, but never apart from joyful gratitude for the cross. . . . Let there never be a length period of time where you aren't receiving inspiration and instruction related directly to the cross, since that is where we find a fresh, sustaining conviction of [God's] personal love" (106-07).

I feel the following Scripture reflects Mahaney's words above:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

There is a temptation in the Christian life to move beyond the Gospel to "deeper" things (for a brief description of the Gospel see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This notion is ultimately flawed in that the entirety of the Christian life is a pursuit of understanding and application of the Gospel. It is the Gospel that the Holy Spirit uses to bring us to faith in Christ and repentance before God, and it is the Gospel that the Spirit uses to lead us through the Christian life. How should I react to my obnoxious co-worker? Answer: just as God has dealt with me, in mercy, grace, and forgiveness. What should determine the ways I spend my time, money, and energy? Answer: Since I have been redeemed by Christ, my life is not my own, I have been bought with a price (cf. 1 Cor 6:19-20; 2 Cor 5:15). Further, the Gospel tells me that Christ will come again to receive His own and to judge the world. My time is to be spent in light of the immanent return of Christ (also a facet of the Gospel). As believers our responses are grounded in the love God has demonstrated to us in Christ's death in our place, taking upon himself the wrath of God that we rightly deserved and the present hope of His immanent return.

I pray that I do not "move past" the Gospel, but rather center my gaze each day upon the work of Christ on the cross, His vindication by God in His resurrection, and the hope of His imminent return. As we seek to encourage one another, we should keep the Gospel (i.e., the person and work of Christ) at the center of that encouragement. I pray that all who read this post know and are submitted to Him. If you do not know Jesus in the manner described above, please let me know. I would love to talk through any questions you might have. Please do not delay in responding to God's call to repent and believe (Mark 1:15).

Jonathan

Karen + Jonathan + Baby = Family

Well, it has been some time since I last posted a blog. As you might have surmised from the title, we have a lot going on these days . . . Karen is 16 weeks pregnant!!

This is something for which we have prayed for about four years. However, God in His infinite wisdom did not see fit to answer our prayers until His timing was complete.

We could not be happier and are excited about the prospects and challenges of parenthood. What an overwhelming responsibility! We know that it will only be by God's grace that such a task can be faithfully undertaken.

We have shared this news with many, but there are many others with whom we have not had time or opportunity to tell. We wish we could talk to each of our friends and family directly and share this news in person, but there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Most likely we will begin a separate blog just for family updates. I will post a link here once that is up and running, so please keep checking in on us.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. . . . Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” (Psalms 127:3-5). God of heaven and earth, You are the giver of every good and perfect gift. There is no shadow or indication of unfaithfulness toward us. You are a God who can be trusted and to whom we must entrust ourselves. We give you praise, adoration, and honor for Your merciful and gracious gift of this pregnancy. Help us to believe when we are weak and forgive us when we follow our flesh and become anxious. Let us not presume upon tomorrow, but rest in You each day. Your mercy is more than we deserve. Our hearts, our lives, our family is Yours. Be the center of our home. Amen.

J

Eyes to See and Ears to Hear

Karen and I are reading (slowly) through the book of John. The slowness is more a result of our sporadic reading than of careful study. Nonetheless, we recently read chapter 5. In this chapter Jesus heals a paralytic on the Sabbath. Upon healing the man Jesus commands him to take up his bed and walk. The Pharisees observe the man carrying his bed on the Sabbath (i.e., "working") and question him about it. When they found out it was Jesus who had healed him and told him to carry his bed on the Sabbath it became an occasion for the Pharisees to oppose Jesus. To make matters worse in their eyes, Jesus refers to God as His Father, thus, as John notes, "making himself equal with God" (5:18). Though they saw that work (i.e., healing by Jesus and bed carrying by the ex-paralytic) was being done on the Sabbath, the Pharisees failed to recognize that Jesus was doing the works of the Father. The remainder of the chapter is Jesus' response/explanation of the works that He is doing and how He is doing them, namely, the Father is doing them through Jesus.

An important observation in Jesus' response is His emphasis upon hearing (i.e., listening to Him and believing). Jesus states, "Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. . . . An hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live" (Jn 5:24-25). NOTE: Jesus here has the spiritually dead in view. Those who receive eternal life by believing Jesus' testimony will also be raised when Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead at the end of the age (1Th 4:13-17; 2 Tim 4:1).

A significant part of Jesus' reply deals with the witnesses that testify of who Jesus is (cf. Jn 5:30-47). Though the Pharisees were looking for the Messiah in the Scriptures (v.39) they were failing to see that Jesus was the fulfillment of those Scriptures. Jesus concludes, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?" (Jn 5:46-47). It seems evident that Jesus here has the following prophecy in mind:

“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [i.e., Moses] from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:15-19 ESV).

Moses' message is simple: "God will raise up a prophet greater than me. Listen to Him." Jesus, as the only begotten Son of God, knows God like no other prophet (Jn 1:18) and has delivered to us the words of life (Jn 6:68). The Pharisees failed both to recognize the works of God and to hear the testimonies of Scripture. It is ironic that on the Sabbath, a day set aside for the remembrance of God's mighty acts of salvation (Deut 5:12-15), their focus on their own legalistic rules to preserve the Sabbath led them to overlook the work that God was doing before their very eyes. In these works God was showing Jesus to be the prophet who was greater than Moses. Nonetheless, they failed to heed Moses' command and did not listen.

I pray that God will give us eyes to see and recognize Christ for who He is and ears to hear His words of life and embrace them in faith. May we accept the demands of these words and joyfully live them out in eager anticipation of our great Savior's return!

Grace and Peace,

J

We are Beggars...

"We are beggars! That is true."--Martin Luther, February 16, 1546 (2 days before his death)

This quote came to mind tonight as I conclude an evening of study. Reflecting at the end of his life, Luther, who spent practically his entire adulthood pouring over and proclaiming the Scriptures, recognized how feeble his understanding truly was. All of us (even the greatest theological and philosophical minds of all time) are in need of God's gracious lisp as Calvin put it. Our minds are too feeble to understand the infinite depth of God's character nor can we fathom His purposes from start to finish. While he has truly revealed Himself by His Word and Spirit, we cannot wrap our minds or our words around the breadth of His being. Our infinite and eternal God exhausts the ability of our frail and finite minds to contemplate. He is incomprehensibly bigger than us.

Christians throughout history have acknowledged that the more we know about God, the more we realize how little we know (a.k.a., "the cloud of unknowing"). What a helpful reminder for us when we ever feel we have arrived or are "getting close." Such thoughts actually reveal quite the opposite: we are getting farther away rather than closer. True understanding of God leads to humility and worship of Him for who He is and what He has done. If our study of God results in pride and self-worship, we have missed the mark miserably.

Father, grant us humility and meekness in our learning. Take the feeble words that we speak and write about you and use them for Your glory and the spreading of Your Gospel. We thank You that it is in our weaknesses that You demonstrate your strength. Help us to humble ourselves before You, to rely solely upon You, and to lead others to know You and make You known. We look forward to the day when Your Son will return and we will no longer "see in a mirror dimly, but [rather] face to face," no longer only "know in part" but rather "know fully, even as [we] have been fully known” (1 Cor 13:12).

Declaring God's Glory...Together

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:1-6).

This week in our Care Group meeting we discussed the nature of Christian fellowship. Since our meeting I read the passage above. It reflects much of what we discussed.

1. God has called all his children (i.e., those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior--Matth 16:16) to consider each other and how we might edify ("build up") each other (Phil. 2:1-4).
   
2. As with all areas of the Christian life, Christ is our model. The Son of God humbled himself, leaving the glory of heaven, to seek and save those who were lost (cf. Phil 2:1-11).
   
3. God in His providence has supplied us with His Word written--the Holy Scriptures. As we are led by His Holy Spirit in reading and hearing this Word, we be convicted of sin and led in paths of righteousness (ways that please God) (cf. Jn 16).
   
4. As we, by the power of the Holy Spirit, humbly seek God and seek to live in the humility of Jesus Christ, God will produce a unity among His children. This unity and fellowship will lead us to a particular mission.
   
5. Our mission as a people called by God is to "glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ [with one voice]." This is our great calling, to adore and declare the glory of our great, holy, loving, and gracious God.

Paul's prayer for the Romans is my prayer for you: "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

J

An Inspiring Aspiration...

“And thus I [Paul] make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, 'Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.'” (Romans 15:20-21 ESV)

I came across these verses last night and have been thinking about them all day. My mind and heart has been directed to friends--brothers and sisters in Christ--who are living in North Africa, Egypt, and Malaysia for the sake of Christ and His Gospel. They are being obedient to God's call to "Go and make disciples of all nations..." (Matt. 28:19-20).

Father, protect these dear saints. Encourage their faith and their families. Strengthen their marriages. May their children grow up in your ways and be protected from bitterness and rebellion. Meet their needs with your provident grace. Use them to bring the light of Your Gospel to the darkness of these lands. Amen.

J

Bringing them together...

Today I've been reflecting on how difficult it is to bring and keep the inner life of faith together with outer life of faith. By the inner life of faith, I mean prayer and yieldedness to Christ. By outer life of faith, I mean obedience. On the one hand, if the inner life is greater than the outer life, the result is spiritual selfishness and or deadness (i.e., failing to return to God proper praise for His good gifts). For me this means reading, meditating, and musing over the great truths of God's Word and failing to act upon them or resisting the Holy Spirit's use of these truths in me. I guess a failure to allow these truths to produce good fruit simply demonstrates that my "inner life" is simply one of contemplation and not of faith.

On the other hand, if the outer life is greater than the inner life, the result is spiritual hypocrisy and emotionalism. For me this looks like manufacturing responses to corporate worship or private conversations that look like they arise from a vibrant relationship with God but in reality do not.

In the end, there is really only one life of faith. It is not possible to have a truly vibrant inner life (i.e., faith and yieldedness) that fails to produce good fruit in the outer life (i.e., properly motivated obedience). Conversely, it is not possible to have a truly vibrant outer life (i.e., properly motivated obedience) that is sourced in anything other than a heart filled with faith. Genuine faith cannot be divided into inner and outer parts--one being good and the other being bad. True faith issues forth in a singular life; one that is not infatuated with truth for truth's sake (mere contemplation) or distracted by what anyone but God sees (emotionalism and hyposcrisy). Bringing the inner and outer facets of our lives together in sigularity is not something we accomplish with the glue of our wills. Singluarity only happens when we fix our gaze upon the One who has redeemed us, the One to whom we belong, the only One worthy of such a worshipful gaze--Jesus (Heb. 12:1-3). Singularity is a fruit produced by God's Spirit when Christ--not singularity, spiritual vibrancy, or sophistication--becomes our ultimate aim and goal.

Father, grant us vibrant communion with You, through your Son, and by Your Spirit. Let our lives be singular; may we serve You and only You. Help our worship to arise from hearts overjoyed at who You are and whose we are in Christ. May we never manufacture false demonstrations of spirituality, but rather fill us with true hearts of faith that worship and obey in Spirit and in truth.

Make War | Make Peace

Well, it's 2009 and it's been a while since I last posted. I always find the breaks between semesters difficult. I get lazy and undisciplined on nearly every level. However, God has used several brothers to encourage me recently and it seems to be having some fruit.

This past weekend I attended a men's seminar at my church: Make War | Make Peace. The theme was taken from Hebrews 12:1-17 and captures two main thoughts of the passage: make war (on self and sin) and make peace (with others). These messages were challenging to me because on the one hand I realize how little I have striven against sin in my own life and on the other hand how weakly I have striven for peace with others.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood" (Heb. 12:1-4).

The conference began with an audio clip from John Piper on making war against sin and self. Key thought: My primary enemy is not someone or something else; my primary enemy in the battle against sin is me (James 1:13-15). How easy it is to pass the blame to anything or anyone other than myself!

Sin is the enemy of all that we are called to be and do as believers. This truth is easy enough to swallow. However, it is also true that sometime valid plans, activities, and desires become weights that slow us from the pursuit of God's purposes and His glory. It is entirely possible that virtues themselves can become vices that distract us from the main thing (i.e., fixing our eyes on Jesus). For example, if I become infatuated with an act of love, compassion, giving, humility, etc. it becomes a vice to me (incidentally, this is an awkward sentence for me to write because I am so slow to do these things or to do them at all). In this sense, humility can be a source of pride (C. S. Lewis depicts this well in his Screwtape Letters).

"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). In one of the discussion groups in which I participated it became clear that "striving for peace with everyone" ( means more than simply making peace with my enemies (although that is a major part), but it also means seeking and praying for reconciled relationships (vertically and horizontally). Those who have become God's children by faith in Christ are called to consider one another in such a way as to ensure that "no one fails to obtain the grace of God" and "that no 'root of bitterness' springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy..." (Heb. 12:15-16a). I should be concerned that friends, family, and acquaintances be at peace with God (vertically) and with each other (horizontally). This concern is not a peace-at-any-cost kind of concern, but rather, it is a concern centered in the Gospel. The Gospel is a message of peace at the highest cost...the life of God's only Son at the hands of sinful humanity (John 3:16).

I am grateful for the encouragement I received this past weekend; for Christian brothers who are faithful to speak truth into my life and to live it out in front of me. God has truly used them to "lift my drooping hands and strengthen my weakened knees" (cf. Heb. 12:12). I pray that I will be diligent this year to make both war and peace in the manner spoken above. I pray that I will be vigilant and aware of the spiritual war in which we are situated. I long for the day in which the victory (which is already ours in Christ) is realized fully. Father, grant us the grace to strive faithfully against sin and self and compassionately for peace with everyone to the end.

J