I picked this book up as the result of the recommendation at a pastor's conference I attended. I am glad that I did. This book was an excellent reminder of the need for holiness in our lives and the constant watch-care and toil that is required to allow God to grow us in holiness.
Although the book is address to young men I would say that most of the points within are applicable to people of all ages and to both genders. I think that anyone with a desire to grow in Christ would read this and be benefited. Essentially, he calls people into awareness. The recognition that holiness does not just appear, but that it is a coordinated effort on our part to work to allow God to work. It is a call to remember our own sinfulness and tendencies and fight to replace them with God-given tendencies.
This process involves both the internal and the external. There are certainly things that we must do - such as understand our sin and grow in our desire to avoid it. But there are also things external - like binding ourselves to a group of believers. Or making sure that our friends have our same goals in mind. There are clear things that can be done to help our growth.
The one downside to the book is that it is written (as an older book) in an older English and can be difficult to work through at times. The work is however immensely worth the toil!
I highly recommend the book to anyone desiring to pursue God, and particularly those who have young men!
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Praise the Lord
There are certain people in life who have an indelible impact upon you and whose absence will be meaningful. Sometimes those people would not want to be mentioned by name and would not want to distract anyone from the glory that rightfully belongs to God. In such a case I think it fitting to write in memory of the legacy that they leave behind.
"Praise the Lord."
I learned recently just how critical it is to say this on a daily - moment by moment- basis. We are never guaranteed tomorrow. You could be sitting and watching TV in one moment and in the next slumped over as a result of some medical incident.
I have known a lady whose first response to any greeting was "Praise the Lord." As I attempt to recall any moment in which she was not smiling it amazes me that I cannot think of a single moment. I have tried to remember a single complaint registered. I have tried to remember a single moment when the cares of life outweighed the response of "Praise the Lord." I cannot remember a single one. In fact, although I know that at times prayers and concerns weighed heavily, the unshakable commitment to the ongoing work of God in her life always overcame any other concern.
Amazingly, the consistency of her trust in God was an ongoing and daily commitment. In the midst of health struggles it stayed. In the midst of difficulty, it stayed. In fact, as this lady crossed the pearly gates I know (as close to for a fact as one can get) that she said to whomever she met, "Praise the Lord."
In honor of this dear nameless saint, I wish to call us all to a daily reminder, "Praise the Lord."
"Praise the Lord."
I learned recently just how critical it is to say this on a daily - moment by moment- basis. We are never guaranteed tomorrow. You could be sitting and watching TV in one moment and in the next slumped over as a result of some medical incident.
I have known a lady whose first response to any greeting was "Praise the Lord." As I attempt to recall any moment in which she was not smiling it amazes me that I cannot think of a single moment. I have tried to remember a single complaint registered. I have tried to remember a single moment when the cares of life outweighed the response of "Praise the Lord." I cannot remember a single one. In fact, although I know that at times prayers and concerns weighed heavily, the unshakable commitment to the ongoing work of God in her life always overcame any other concern.
Amazingly, the consistency of her trust in God was an ongoing and daily commitment. In the midst of health struggles it stayed. In the midst of difficulty, it stayed. In fact, as this lady crossed the pearly gates I know (as close to for a fact as one can get) that she said to whomever she met, "Praise the Lord."
In honor of this dear nameless saint, I wish to call us all to a daily reminder, "Praise the Lord."
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
God's Desire for My Well-being
When we come to a passage like Psalm 121 it is easy to read that God will protect me and think that it means that God will do whatever he can to make sure that my good is his highest goal. When we combine this with Romans 8:28 we become convinced that God is all about making sure that I am happy and all my needs are met. This is the foundation of the prosperity gospel. So what biblical truths make this position untenable?
1. God is not about my good but His glory. From the opening pages of Genesis where we are made in His image, to the conclusion where it is all about what God is accomplishing, the whole of Scripture makes it very clear that my life is not about me, but about serving the God who made me. In other words, I am here for God and not God here for me!
2. God does promise me good, but with the long view in mind. In other words, the good that God promises me, the protection and even the freedom from harm is not a promise in each and every moment, but a promise for what God WILL provide. This is consistent with how he handles His prophets, His people, and even His Son. The promise of good does not mean good continually, but the eventual good!
3. The future promise of good things includes the ultimate good! Here we see that the temporal does not compare to the eternal. If I promised you that if you sacrificed 10 thousand dollars today for guaranteed millions in 10 years, would you cry about losing 10 thousand dollars? When we have the eternal perspective of what we know is coming, the suffering we might face this side of Glory is so worth it!
4. The promise of good does not negate the truth that sometimes harm comes to those that follow God and sometimes blessing comes to those who do not - in the present, but not for eternity!
Our hope is that we are not bound to this moment only, but to a God who sees from beginning to end. The question becomes are we willing to trust when the moment does not look like the end that He has promised?
1. God is not about my good but His glory. From the opening pages of Genesis where we are made in His image, to the conclusion where it is all about what God is accomplishing, the whole of Scripture makes it very clear that my life is not about me, but about serving the God who made me. In other words, I am here for God and not God here for me!
2. God does promise me good, but with the long view in mind. In other words, the good that God promises me, the protection and even the freedom from harm is not a promise in each and every moment, but a promise for what God WILL provide. This is consistent with how he handles His prophets, His people, and even His Son. The promise of good does not mean good continually, but the eventual good!
3. The future promise of good things includes the ultimate good! Here we see that the temporal does not compare to the eternal. If I promised you that if you sacrificed 10 thousand dollars today for guaranteed millions in 10 years, would you cry about losing 10 thousand dollars? When we have the eternal perspective of what we know is coming, the suffering we might face this side of Glory is so worth it!
4. The promise of good does not negate the truth that sometimes harm comes to those that follow God and sometimes blessing comes to those who do not - in the present, but not for eternity!
Our hope is that we are not bound to this moment only, but to a God who sees from beginning to end. The question becomes are we willing to trust when the moment does not look like the end that He has promised?
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