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Following Jesus
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24)
Recent Posts
Testify!August 14, 2010
Why does the song "Amazing Grace" resound so in our hearts? Because it is giving credit to where credit is due. He is the God of all grace. And we are the grateful recipients.
It Is Necessarily So!
July 24, 2010
The Bible has always had its detractors, but for the last hundred years there has been an unprecedented attack mounted against it. The death blow has failed, but not for lack of trying.
Be Careful Where You Sit
July 19, 2010
Reading scripture plops us down into a world of faith, of trust, and a miracle-working God. Can some of that faith rub off on us? Hope so.
But By My Spirit
July 16, 2010
Jesus told his disciples that they would be better off when he left, because then they would benefit from the presence of the Holy Spirit. We cannot overestimate this gift.
When Heartburn Is A Good Thing
July 14, 2010
For the Christian, the danger is when the mind understands, but the heart does not follow. Certain death will follow if the situation is not remedied. But there is a remedy.
After The Bread And Cup
July 5, 2010
Communion is a privilege for the believer that has no parallel. It is impossible to plumb the depths of its significance, and expressing appropriate gratitude is daunting. Lancelot Andrewes helps us, with his gift for words.
A True Hymn
June 25, 2010
Our words count for eternity. One of the readers of what we write is the Lord Himself. And we will give an account someday.
Man In The Mirror
January 4, 2010
The mirror doesn't lie. Like, "I need to get in shape," we conclude, or "I gotta' do something about my appearance?" Spiritually speaking, it's important to look in the mirror of God's word, and make the changes accordingly, with the Holy Sprit's help.He was the John Piper of the 17th century. Carl Heinrich von Bogatzky (1690-1744) became an influential Lutheran. A pietist, Bogatzky maintained a dynamic relationship with God which influenced others to follow in his footsteps, including many in the Mennonite movement. The following is from his yearly devotional, GOLDEN TREASURY FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD....
A new scene of time now begins: put up your hosannas, O my soul, that the Lord may save, bless, and proper you; may he grant you a happy new year indeed!
For this purpose begin it with a dedication of yourself to God; your time, circumstances, and life are in his hands; implore his blessing and protection over the coming year.
Begin this and every following day with prayer; let God have the first thoughts in the morning, the impression they make will not be easily erased by worldly matters.
Grace is promised in the use of means, be diligent, then, and
1) punctual in the performance of them;
2) let your daily request be for an increasing knowledge of yourself, and Jesus Christ in his offices;
3) for a sense of pardoning mercy;
4) for a lively, vigorous faith;
5) for communion with the Father and the Son through the Spirit;
6) for true holiness in heart and life;
7) for strength and protection against thy spiritual foes,
8) and for preserving grace to the end.
9) Pray for the prosperity of Zion; they prosper that love her;
10) for thy friends and relations, begging the Almighty to take them into a covenant relation to himself;
11) for blessings on thy worldly affairs;
12) for a sanctified use of health or sickness, prosperity or adversity, as God shall be pleased to send.
Perhaps, O my soul, this may be the last year of the Lord's patience and your pilgrimage. Is your state safe? Are you a real believer in Jesus? Is the oil of grace in your vessel? If so, you are prepared for every emergency.
And now, my soul, another year
Of thy short life is past
I cannot long continue here;
And this may be my last.
Now a new scene of life begins;
Set out afresh for heaven;
Seek pardon for your daily sins,
In Christ so freely given.
With Books, New Is Not Always Better
July 27, 2009
If you buy into the concept of progress, then supposedly we are smarter than those who came before us. And if you believe that, I have some swamp land in Florida for sale....
"....the venerable dead are waiting in my library to entertain me..." Samuel Davies
In his introduction to Athanasius on the Incarnation, C. S. Lewis, apparently annoyed at the credibiity that new books received, got briefly sidetracked while trying to convince his readers of the value of old books:
This mistaken preference for the modern books and this shyness of the old ones is nowhere more rampant than in theology. Wherever you find a little study circle of Christian laity you can be almost certain that they are studying not St. Luke or St. Paul or St. Augustine or Thomas Aquinas or Hooker or Butler, but M. Berdyaev or M. Maritain or M. Niebuhr or Miss Sayers or even myself.
Now this seems to me topsy-turvy. Naturally, since I myself am a writer, I do not wish the ordinary reader to read no modern books. But if he must read only the new or only the old, I would advise him to read the old. And I would give him this advice precisely because he is an amateur and therefore much less protected than the expert against the dangers of an exclusive contemporary diet.
A new book is still on its trial and the amateur is not in a position to judge it. It has to be tested against the great body of Christian thought down the ages, and all its hidden implications (often unsuspected by the author himself) have to be brought to light. Often it cannot be fully understood without the knowledge of a good many other modern books.
If you join at eleven o'clock a conversation which began at eight you will often not see the real bearing of what is said. Remarks which seem to you very ordinary will produce laughter or irritation and you will not see why—the reason, of course, being that the earlier stages of the conversation have given them a special point.
In the same way sentences in a modern book which look quite ordinary may be directed at some other book; in this way you may be led to accept what you would have indignantly rejected if you knew its real significance.
The only safety is to have a standard of plain, central Christianity ("mere Christianity" as Baxter called it) which puts the controversies of the moment in their proper perspective. Such a standard can be acquired only from the old books.
It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.
Matthew Henry (18 October 1662 – 22 June 1714), was an English non-conformist pastor and had this note in his annotations on 2 Kings 2....
“There are remains of great and good men, which, like Elijah’s mantle, ought to be gathered up, and preserved by the survivors - their sayings, their writings, their examples; that as their works follow them in the reward of them, they may stay behind in the benefit of them.”
Not that our faith is to stand in the wisdom of men - the Bible alone is the standard of truth; and there we are bid to go by the footsteps of the flock, and to keep the paths of the righteous.
There is a strange itch in the minds of men after novelties; and it is too common a case, that they who are for striking out something new in divinity, are ready to pour contempt on the valuable writings of those who are gone before them; and even the most learned, peaceable, and pious men, shall not escape their unrighteous censures. This is notorious in the conduct of those who embrace the new scheme.
If we inquire of the former age, we shall find there flourished in it some of the greatest and best of men; for whose printed works many acknowledge they have abundant cause to bless God to eternity.
Among these, the writings of Dr Owen shine with a peculiar lustre, in the judgment of judicious Christians; and I am persuaded they who peruse them with the spirit of love and of a sound mind, will be as far from asserting that, in his manner of maintaining the doctrine of faith, his right arm appeared to be weakened, as from saying that his right eye was darkened, and unable to discern the object of it.
In his introduction to Athanasius on the Incarnation, C. S. Lewis, apparently annoyed at the credibiity that new books received, got briefly sidetracked while trying to convince his readers of the value of old books:
This mistaken preference for the modern books and this shyness of the old ones is nowhere more rampant than in theology. Wherever you find a little study circle of Christian laity you can be almost certain that they are studying not St. Luke or St. Paul or St. Augustine or Thomas Aquinas or Hooker or Butler, but M. Berdyaev or M. Maritain or M. Niebuhr or Miss Sayers or even myself.
Now this seems to me topsy-turvy. Naturally, since I myself am a writer, I do not wish the ordinary reader to read no modern books. But if he must read only the new or only the old, I would advise him to read the old. And I would give him this advice precisely because he is an amateur and therefore much less protected than the expert against the dangers of an exclusive contemporary diet.
A new book is still on its trial and the amateur is not in a position to judge it. It has to be tested against the great body of Christian thought down the ages, and all its hidden implications (often unsuspected by the author himself) have to be brought to light. Often it cannot be fully understood without the knowledge of a good many other modern books.
If you join at eleven o'clock a conversation which began at eight you will often not see the real bearing of what is said. Remarks which seem to you very ordinary will produce laughter or irritation and you will not see why—the reason, of course, being that the earlier stages of the conversation have given them a special point.
In the same way sentences in a modern book which look quite ordinary may be directed at some other book; in this way you may be led to accept what you would have indignantly rejected if you knew its real significance.
The only safety is to have a standard of plain, central Christianity ("mere Christianity" as Baxter called it) which puts the controversies of the moment in their proper perspective. Such a standard can be acquired only from the old books.
It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.
Matthew Henry (18 October 1662 – 22 June 1714), was an English non-conformist pastor and had this note in his annotations on 2 Kings 2....
“There are remains of great and good men, which, like Elijah’s mantle, ought to be gathered up, and preserved by the survivors - their sayings, their writings, their examples; that as their works follow them in the reward of them, they may stay behind in the benefit of them.”
Not that our faith is to stand in the wisdom of men - the Bible alone is the standard of truth; and there we are bid to go by the footsteps of the flock, and to keep the paths of the righteous.
There is a strange itch in the minds of men after novelties; and it is too common a case, that they who are for striking out something new in divinity, are ready to pour contempt on the valuable writings of those who are gone before them; and even the most learned, peaceable, and pious men, shall not escape their unrighteous censures. This is notorious in the conduct of those who embrace the new scheme.
If we inquire of the former age, we shall find there flourished in it some of the greatest and best of men; for whose printed works many acknowledge they have abundant cause to bless God to eternity.
Among these, the writings of Dr Owen shine with a peculiar lustre, in the judgment of judicious Christians; and I am persuaded they who peruse them with the spirit of love and of a sound mind, will be as far from asserting that, in his manner of maintaining the doctrine of faith, his right arm appeared to be weakened, as from saying that his right eye was darkened, and unable to discern the object of it.
Minding Our Own Theological Store
July 9, 2009
The Gospel message gets distorted. That's Church History 101. And we are to be vigilant, for sure. But spotting error and calling it out is dangerous business, and carries with it certain unexpected side effects. John Newton has come good advice.
Now That's A Headstone!!
June 20, 2009
King Jehoram passed away at age 32 "to no one's regret." Ouch. The Puritan John Owen not only left thousands of pages of passionate theology behind, his life inspired one of the world's wordiest epitaphs on his grave marker. It is worth our attention.
What Would Moses Think?
June 4, 2009
In sports, debate rages as to whether some great team from a certain era could defeat a powerful team from another decade. What if we applied the same test to faith matters? How would this generation fare, when compared to the faithful of the past?
Richard Dawkins, Meet Blaise Pascal
April 17, 2009
Paul tells us that the god of this world blinds the hearts of unbelievers. So their conclusions about eternal things further Satan's cause. Others, like Pascal, see with God-given perception, and truth is advanced, for those who have ears to listen.
The Problem With Puddles
March 28, 2009
It rains, and they appear. Want-a-be lakes, they show up and are gone. Puddles are a nuisance more than anything - good for nothing, really. How do we keep our lives from being the equivalent?
Thank God For Lancelot Andrewes
February 6, 2009
Who? In the 1500's in England, Lancelot Andrewes compiled for his own use "Private Prayers," which formed the structure he used to poured out his heart to God. Why reinvent the wheel? How might his "method" help us in the 21st Century?
Saintly Resolutions: GEORGE BOWEN
January 1, 2009
Who? It was said of him,"He was all soul, and you can't photograph the soul nor describe it as you know it to exist." Missionary, scholar, mystic, saint. Quite a resume. So what advice does he give us at the turning of a new year?
Saintly Resolutions: HENRY MARTYN
December 29, 2008
Shaped by the pastoring of Charles Simeon at Cambridge, Henry Martyn burned bright for God in India until his early death at age 31. From an entry in his journal on the first day of 1807, we get a wonderful glimpse of his heart for God.
The Only Authentic Truth Syrum
December 25, 2008
Your truth, my truth. That doesn't work very well, does it. God has a truth, and it is the word of God, scripture, the Bible, the holy book. No matter what you call it, it is his word to us. And we need it now more than ever.
Stay On The Main Road
November 25, 2008
Jesus said that he and he alone is the way, truth and the life. No one could get to the Father except through him. But many try alternate routes. It is only an exercise in futility.
Feeling Our Way Through Life
November 24, 2008
Feelings have become the new end all, the criteria that governs our actions. At the same time, self-discipline is frowned upon as inauthentic and artificial. Worship often loses out, when it is our means to health and wholeness.
Making A Difference
November 13, 2008
We all want our lives to matter, to count for something. How can we be sure we are not throwing our life away? What will count for eternity? This much we know. Giving ourselves to Kingdom of God work is never wasted effort.
Redeeming Time
November 12, 2008
Jesus may have participated in small talk ("Wow, it's way hot!) but given the nature of his mission and his short stay, he seems to have made every minute count for eternity. Every encounter seems to be in dead earnest. So what is our take away?
Satisfaction Guaranteed
November 6, 2008
The mere presence of these two words on the packaging admits that the product may not deliver. With God, there is no risk. We are offered a relationship of the most magnificent possibility, with the absolute certainty that He will never disappoint.
Cheaper Chicken
October 29, 2008
What are you shooting for? Is your life being lived myopically, with self-interest as the bottom line? Or do you have the grand purposes of God propel you? Choose carefully. Each of us gets one go-around.
A Pastor After God's Own Heart
October 22, 2008
The shift from pastor as shepherd to pastor as CEO has had devastating effects on the "sheep." They've wandered off. So what are the pastoral basics again, and how do we become "retro?"
Detecting Slippage
October 21, 2008
This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word. Isaiah 66:2
The Company We Keep
October 10, 2008
You've heard the phrase "in the world, but not of the world." How do we associate with unbelievers, without being molded by their perspective on life, and losing our zeal and spiritual fervor?
Speaking Of Saints....
October 8, 2008
The book of Hebrews lets us know that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. And that very fact should spur us on to greater faith and perseverance. What can be learned from those who ran well? How much time do you have?
Anybody Seen My Bible?
October 3, 2008
We can read anything and everything before we sit down and read the one source of truth that doesn't lie - God's word, the Bible. Which is crazy, because only scripture gives us the spiritual nutrients we need to run the race of faith.
Physician, Heal Thyself
September 3, 2008
Pride causes us to "tisk, tisk" everyone else, and to never turn the eye inward. To stay in that state is misery and death. Just how can pride be "put in its place?"
Pride
September 3, 2008
Thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought provides the fertile soil for all sorts of mayhem.
The World Was Not Worthy Of Him
July 7, 2008
Heaven will be filled of saints who lived here on earth as if there was a home elsewhere waiting for them - an eternal home. George Bowen of Bombay was such a follower of Christ.
