Anxiety in my eyes ... a blessing in disguise?

This economy is affecting everything. I've been worried sick for the last few weeks wondering if I'm going to have a job in the near future. I know for a fact that it's going to come down to one of two people .. one of them is me, and one is a veteran.

I don't know how this company is in regards to loyalty, and if that's their only stipulation, then I'm the next one to go. But if they take bang for the buck, then the wise choice would be to keep me. They know this, too, so it will be clear which way they lean when the decision's made. And if they keep Jack, I would respect that. Loyalty to a company's employees is a virtuous thing.

The blessing in disguise from all this is that the Lord has revealed to me where my own loyalties lie. I've been so anxious over this because I don't truly believe that the LORD is my provision. I believe it is my job -- and more specifically, my own labor. I've prayed for forgiveness from this sin, and know that He is faithful and just to forgive me of this sin and cleanse me from it (1 John 1.9). So in a sense, I'm grateful for this. I don't know if this lesson is going to be enough, or if God has more to reveal to me through a layoff, but I'm willing to suffer through it, if it will yield the fruit of righteousness.

This morning, I read a Grace Gem that was perfectly timed (I act surprised ...), and I'm going to share it here. While I believe this letter from John Newton to be speaking more of physical affliction, mental afflictions are just as precarious. And God can sympathize with the weaknesses of our flesh (Hebrews 4.15), for He Himself became flesh and made His dwelling with men (John 1.14). Praise God for His faithfulness!

Then they hiss and spit their venom!

(Letters of John Newton)

"I know, O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me!" Psalm 119:75

"God disciplines us for our good--that we may share in His holiness." Hebrews 12:10

In Scripture, we read much concerning the emptiness, vanity and uncertainty of the present world.

When our minds are enlightened by the Holy Spirit--then we receive and acknowledge what His Word declares to be truth. Yet if we remain long without changes and trials, and when our path is very smooth--we are for the most part but faintly affected with what we profess to believe. But when some of our dearest friends die, or we ourselves are brought low with pain and sickness--then we not only say, but feel that this world must not, cannot be our rest!

We know by experience, that though afflictions in themselves are not joyous--but grievous--yet in due season they yield the peaceful fruits of righteousness. Various are the blessed fruits which afflictions produce:

By affliction, prayer is quickened--for our prayers are very apt to grow languid and formal in a time of ease.

Affliction greatly helps us to understand the Scriptures, especially the promises; most of which are made to times of trouble. We cannot so well know their fullness, sweetness and certainty--as when we have been in the situation to which they are suited, have been enabled to trust and plead them, and found them fulfilled in our own case.

We are usually indebted to affliction--as the means or occasion of the most signal discoveries we are favored with--of the wisdom, power, and faithfulness of the Lord. These are best observed by the evident proofs we have--that He is near to support us under trouble, and that He can and does deliver us out of it.

Likewise, many of our graces cannot thrive or manifest themselves, without trials--such as resignation, patience, meekness and long-suffering. Strength of grace is not ordinarily acquired by those who sit still and live at ease.

Afflictions do us good likewise, as they make us more acquainted with what is in our own hearts, and thereby promote humiliation and self-abasement. There are abominations which, like nests of vipers, lie so quietly within our hearts, that we hardly suspect they are there--until the rod of affliction rouses them! Then they hiss and spit their venom! This discovery is indeed very distressing--yet, until it is made, we are prone to think ourselves much less vile than we really are, and cannot so heartily abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes.

I must write a sermon rather than a letter--if I would enumerate all the good fruits which, by the power of sanctifying grace, are produced from this bitter tree of affliction!

While we have such a depraved nature, and live in such a polluted world; while the roots of pride, vanity, self-dependence and self-seeking, are so strong within us--we need a variety of sharp afflictions to keep us from cleaving to the dust!

"Before I was afflicted I went astray--but now I obey Your Word." Psalm 119:67

Defeating Calvinism For Dummies

Don't Waste Your Life

God of gods

The Nature of Apostasy

This book by John Owen has an interesting subtitle. Read for yourself:

THE NATURE OF APOSTASY FROM THE
PROFESSION OF THE GOSPEL AND THE
PUNISHMENT OF APOSTATES DECLARED,

IN

AN EXPOSITION OF HEBREWS 6:4-6;

WITH

An Inquiry Into The Causes And Reasons Of The Decay Of The
Power Of Religion In The World, Or The Present General
Defection From The Truth, Holiness, And Worship Of The Gospel;
Also, Of The Proneness Of Churches And Persons Of All Sorts
Unto Apostasy.

WITH REMEDIES AND MEANS OF PREVENTION.

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES — JOHN 5:39.

To say nothing of the hilarious fact that the title is nearly a half page in itself (in typical Puritan fashion), I find the lowercase paragraph to be of utmost interest. It was written in 1676. I wonder what he'd say if he were alive today. He would probably say the second coming was imminent. And I would probably agree with him.

But that's just idle speculation ...

PS: A link to this book is in my Top Reads list to the right.

If you ever question the validity of a God who would suffer, ponder this;

I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. The only God I believe in is the One Nietzsche ridiculed as “God on the cross.” In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? ... [The God I worship is] that lonely, twisted, tortured figure on the cross, nails through hands and feet, back lacerated, limbs wrenched, brow bleeding from thorn-pricks, mouth dry and intolerably thirsty, plunged in God-forsaken darkness. That is the God for me! He laid aside his immunity to pain. He entered our world of flesh and blood, tears and death. He suffered for us. … There is still a question mark against human suffering, but over it we … stamp another mark, the cross, which symbolizes divine suffering.

--John R.W. Stott, in his book The Cross of Christ

Tim Keller quote

"A looming crisis for all American evangelical churches is that they cannot thrive outside of the shrinking enclaves of conservative and traditional people and culture. We have not created the new ministry and communication... models that will flourish and grow in the coming post-Christian very secular Western world. Our vision should be to develop campus ministries, new churches, Christian education/discipleship systems that are effective in those fields in North America." - Tim Keller

A conversation about the article "The Coming Evangelical Collapse"

I recently read this article, which has made it's rounds not only in the Christian world, but also in several political areas including the Hugh Hewitt show and the Drudge Report. I shared it with my pastor and asked him for his take on it. Here's the email conversation we had:

Hey Jim,

I read this article earlier this week and immediately thought of your own predictions of our Christian future. I'd like to hear your take on what this article says. It seems pretty relevant and "prophetic" in a sense. It's been making its rounds pretty rapidly. I'm hearing it referenced on secular talk radio (Hugh Hewitt) and seeing it on political websites (Drudge).

...

Hi John,

Thanks for passing along to me this excellent article. I had not seen it yet, but Olsie came across it yesterday and read it to Juli. The guy sounds like an echo. Although I have my doubts about some of his predictions (he agrees some will prove wrong), I think he is spot-on about evangelicalism coming unglued and agree in the main with his analysis of the reasons. One of the biggest causes, however, he slides by. It is not only that so-called evangelicals today are abysmally ignorant of their faith, but a huge part of the problem (related to the former) is that only a minority are radically living it. The difference between those 'out there' and those 'in here' is not obvious. Morally and ethically, the lines are too blurred.

Anyway, I personally think the 'collapse' is already in motion.

Thanks again, John . Will reprint this article for staff et al.
Jim

...

Thanks Jim. I think you're right about the not living it aspect, but why do you suppose so many aren't? I think it's because of the lack of sound doctrinal preaching and the seeker sensitivity of the more prominent churches (Rick Warren, Joel Osteen etc).

I actually think that the church universal won't collapse (the gates of hell will not prevail, right?) but the pretenders will be sifted out as things get tougher. To me, this article points to a purifying of the church, something that is long overdue from my human perspective. It encourages me to some degree, tho I have to admit I worry for my children what kind of world they'll grow up in. I worry about a return of Nero ... tho the persecution will be more legal than physical, I imagine (especially with the new administration). I have to remind myself to lean on the sovereignty of God.

Thanks again for looking that article over and getting back with me.

...

Right on all counts, I think, John. The answer to the underlying rot is complex.
First, the pervasiveness of 'easy believism'. It is and has been rampant in evangelical churches. Otherwise known as 'cheap grace' wherein people believe that because we are not saved by works, but by grace, they are free to live as they please. They do not understand that genuine faith is an obedient faith...it is not faith plus works, but a grateful faith that works (out of love).

Along with that goes pastors and church leaders who are more interested in building empires than making disciples, growing churches than growing people into conformity to Christ. They are totally Americanized in the sense that it is all about the marks of 'success' (usually gauged in statistical terms). So we spent all our leadership energies building and massaging the numbers rather than building up the saints.
The outcome of that is we have become so successful as religious entrepreneurs that we are skillful at getting the world into the church, but powerless in getting the world out of the church.
Then, too, our people are ignorant because our pastors and leaders not only are driven by a sorry value system, but, as fish rot from the top, pastors as a whole are not a whole lot ahead of their flocks in their own grasp of theology and biblical understand. They may use the Bible but they are generally speaking utterly inept at teaching it in meaningful way.
Underlying that liability is the fact that (I would guess) not even half (being generous) of the men who occupy our pulpits have ever known the call of God. I base that assessment on long experience and knowing the evidences of God's call. Besides, except for a precious few, the seminaries (and Bible colleges) are unfit for their task. Their mission is spelled S-U-R-V-I-V-A-L and finances trump convictions as they try to spread their tent pegs as wide and possible. On top of that, way too many of their teachers are a waste and do their students far more damage than good. I see it all as a sign of the judgment of God on the American church. Thank God for the few still drawing their lines in the right places.

Another big subverter (as I ramble on) is our cultural prosperity and influence. Prosperity (and political power) historically have always deadened and corrupted the saints and their institutions more than persecution. See Deuteronomy 8 where Moses expressed his fear of their prosperity in the land---one well based as it turned out.

Well, I could go on and on but these are some of the factors in play in our corruption and beginnings of implosion. We are being marginalized fast. Our enemies are coming out of the closet and getting bolder and bolder in their hostility. I am not looking forward to the hard times, but I fear we need it and it will help to some extent to clear the decks and separate hard core believers from all these make believers and militant churches from merely social or clubby churches that can't draw blood, only a largely carnal crowd.

Jim

...

Looks like we're cut from the same bolt, Jim. This last reply is a home run. Do you mind if I "publish" this conversation in my blog? It's pretty insightful.

...

That's OK, John. However, not very well written. Just shot it off 'stream of consciousness', you know. Jim

For a guy who just throws this off his 'stream of consciousness', you've got to admit the wisdom shows. He certainly has a grasp on the times we live in (much like Mike Spencer who wrote the article that spawned this conversation). I think the best line in here is this one:

"The outcome of that is we have become so successful as religious entrepreneurs that we are skillful at getting the world into the church, but powerless in getting the world out of the church."

He's right on the money. To be clear (for my Arminian brethren :P) the first "world" is unbelievers, while the second "world" is the world system.

Anyway, I thought someone might enjoy another supporting view

My friend, Tara's story

I just learned how to create my own video player of all my videos!

Here they are!



For all two of you who ever visit my site, this is a bit of my life.

God bless!

Are You Safe From God?

Got kids?

This is a kid-safe search engine. I threw in a few "adult" topics to see what would happen and got an "oops! try again" error message. Then I tried some real grown up topics (like science and monergism and John Calvin) and got good results. Looks promising!

http://www.kidrex.org/

Good for anyone with kids that use the net to do homework or anything else. Or if you just don't wanna run across smut in your own searches on the net. Bookmark it!

Matt Chandler

I've found my new favorite speaker. Matt Chandler of The Village church. This guy is spot on and knows how to put it in such a way .. well, listen for yourself. These messages are a must listen for any man/husband/father.

The Role Of Men

Pt1-Defining Masculinity

Pt2-Men As Husbands

Pt3-Men As Fathers

Click here to go to the original download page.

Incidentally, I heard him first at the 2009 Desiring God conference (which you can listen to by clicking here). Piper spoke on the life of George Whitefield. An excellent lesson.

God bless!

Some Thoughts from Luther on Galatians 1:4

Who gave himself for our sins.

Note especially the pronoun "our" and its significance. You will readily grant that Christ gave Himself for the sins of Peter, Paul, and others who were worthy of such grace. But feeling low, you find it hard to believe that Christ gave Himself for your sins. Our feelings shy at a personal application of the pronoun "our," and we refuse to have anything to do with God until we have made ourselves worthy by good deeds.

This attitude springs from a false conception of sin, the conception that sin is a small matter, easily taken care of by good works; that we must present ourselves unto God with a good conscience; that we must feel no sin before we may feel that Christ was given for our sins.

This attitude is universal and particularly developed in those who consider themselves better than others. Such readily confess that they are frequent sinners, but they regard their sins as of no such importance that they cannot easily be dissolved by some good action, or that they may not appear before the tribunal of Christ and demand the reward of eternal life for their righteousness. Meantime they pretend great humility and acknowledge a certain degree of sinfulness for which they soulfully join in the publican's prayer, "God be merciful to me a sinner." But the real significance and comfort of the words "for our sins" is lost upon them.

The genius of Christianity takes the words of Paul "who gave himself for our sins" as true and efficacious. We are not to look upon our sins as insignificant trifles. On the other hand, we are not to regard them as so terrible that we must despair. Learn to believe that Christ was given, not for picayune and imaginary transgressions, but for mountainous sins; not for one or two, but for all; not for sins that can be discarded, but for sins that are stubbornly ingrained.

Practice this knowledge and fortify yourself against despair, particularly in the last hour, when the memory of past sins assails the conscience. Say with confidence: "Christ, the Son of God, was given not for the righteous, but for sinners. If I had no sin I should not need Christ. No, Satan, you cannot delude me into thinking I am holy. The truth is, I am all sin. My sins are not imaginary transgressions, but sins against the first table, unbelief, doubt, despair, contempt, hatred, ignorance of God, ingratitude towards Him, misuse of His name, neglect of His Word, etc.; and sins against the second table, dishonor of parents, disobedience of government, coveting of another's possessions, etc. Granted that I have not committed murder, adultery, theft, and similar sins in deed, nevertheless I have committed them in the heart, and therefore I am a transgressor of all the commandments of God.

"Because my transgressions are multiplied and my own efforts at self-justification rather a hindrance than a furtherance, therefore Christ the Son of God gave Himself into death for my sins." To believe this is to have eternal life.

Let us equip ourselves against the accusations of Satan with this and similar passages of Holy Scripture. If he says, "Thou shalt be damned," you tell him: "No, for I fly to Christ who gave Himself for my sins. In accusing me of being a damnable sinner, you are cutting your own throat, Satan. You are reminding me of God's fatherly goodness toward me, that He so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. In calling me a sinner, Satan, you really comfort me above measure." With such heavenly cunning we are to meet the devil's craft and put from us the memory of sin.

St. Paul also presents a true picture of Christ as the virgin-born Son of God, delivered into death for our sins. To entertain a true conception of Christ is important, for the devil describes Christ as an exacting and cruel judge who condemns and punishes men. Tell him that his definition of Christ is wrong, that Christ has given Himself for our sins, that by His sacrifice He has taken away the sins of the whole world.

Make ample use of this pronoun "our." Be assured that Christ has canceled the sins, not of certain persons only, but your sins. Do not permit yourself to be robbed of this lovely conception of Christ. Christ is no Moses, no law-giver, no tyrant, but the Mediator for sins, the Giver of grace and life.

Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians (1535)
by Martin Luther

CrossTV videos

This is a youtube playlist of 98 CrossTV videos. These videos by Mark Keilar hammer the theological head of the nail.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=348B16F84EA1D84F

http://www.crosstv.com/ <-- home page for the series if you would like to purchase them at full length. Added bonus: Here's a link to the full length video on decisional regeneration.

A partial exegesis of Romans 12

A while ago, on the way home from work, I was praying and found myself getting very distracted and unable to focus on anything to pray about. Then I remembered that praying Scripture back to God is a wonderful tool. Well, driving isn't the best time to be reading Scripture, so I decided to play the mp3's I have during the drive and pray them back to God. The one that stuck out to me was Romans 12. I thought "I'll pray Romans 12:1-2 back to God!" and as I was listening, I realized that there are more than TWO requests in that chapter .. there are over thirty! It is my intention to break that chapter down here. It is only a partial exegesis because my intention is to simply extract the imperatives from this chapter and reword them into prayers.

Romans 12.1-21

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

• Lord, by Your mercy I will present my body as a living sacrifice
• Lord make me holy and acceptable to you
• Lord, teach me to worship You in Spirit and in Truth (cf. John 4:24)
  

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

• Lord, help me not to conform to this world
• It is my desire to be transformed FROM the ways of this world.
• Lord, bring me opportunity and open my eyes to sound biblical teaching in order that I can renew my mind.
• Lord, open my eyes and ears to discern Your will.
• Show me what is good, acceptable and perfect in Your sight.
  

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

• Give me a spirit of humility in order that I will not think more highly of myself than I ought to think.
• Lord, grant me sober judgment.
• God, I thank You for the measure of faith which You have given me. I pray that You would increase my faith in the fullest.
  

4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

• Father, thank You for Your Son, Jesus.
• Father, thank You for the Church Universal and my home church specifically.
• Father, grant me grace to see those in the Body as they are -- in Christ -- and not as they merely appear to my own eyes -- imperfect and sinful -- that I may honor You and build up the Body of Christ in His Church.
  

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

• O Lord, thank You for the gifts You have given to Your children. I ask that in whatever way You desire I would be used to edify the Church to make the best use of the gifts given to me.
• Father, be glorified in my acts of exhortation; in my efforts to encourage and strengthen those around me, may Your Spirit work through them to Your ultimate purpose.
  
• I pray that I would see the fullness of the gifts You have given me, and that I would come to use them frequently by the power of the Spirit.
  

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

• Father, take away any pretense in my love. Help me to be genuine and sincere with others.
• I pray that ALL evil would be completely forsaken in my life and in my heart.
• Remind me to hold fast to what is good.
• Father, teach me to love others with brotherly affection.
• And in honor of the brethren, help me to excel.

11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

• Lord, keep me full of life and passion.
• Embolden my spirit to serve You, Lord.
  

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

• May I rejoice in the hope I have in You, Lord Jesus.
• Grant me both the patience to endure tribulation and the tribulation itself, according to Your divine purpose, for the testing of my faith produces steadfastness, which Your Word promises will make me perfect(mature) and complete (James 1:2-4).
  

13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

• Lord, make me generous and willing to open my house and life up to those who are in need.
  

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

• Father, I am grateful that by Your Spirit I am able to do this. Let my light shine before men as a testimony to Your grace.
  

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

• Lord, may my compassion be strong and help me to live out Your word in 2 Cor 1.3-7
  

16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

• Father in Heaven, may peace pervade my spirit. Please help me to abide in Christ in order that I may bear the fruit of the Spirit.
• Lord, remind me of the quote from CS Lewis; "Christian humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less," and help me to live it with those around me.
  
• Lord, always keep me humble. Remind me that everything I've received, be it knowledge or strength or wisdom, are all gifts from You, the Giver of all good things (James 1.17)
  

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 20 To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."

• Father, I trust that You, O Lord, are the Just One and that any injustice I receive will be dealt with by You.
  
• I pray for a forgiving heart that overlooks the faults of others.
• Thank You that you have saved me by Your grace, for in thinking on that, I realize that I am no better than another, for their evil done to me I have also done to You (in spades), and You forgave that debt of me. I also forgive the debts of others against me.
• Lord, I pray for eyes to see the opportunities You present to me where I can help others. I likewise pray for the willingness and selflessness to act when I see these opportunities.
• In all things, may You receive full credit and all glory for any of these offerings of service by me.
  

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

• Lord, I ask that Your Spirit would empower me to overlook all offenses and respond to them with the kindness, humility and love that Christ showed to His persecutors.

As I said, this is a partial exegesis (clearly!). I hope and pray that this will perhaps show someone how to pray Scripture back -- at least one way. I sure hope this gives you some good ideas to roll with! If you've got any feedback or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment.

Blessings in Christ,
John

Puritan Devotional

A short five minute mp3 that could dramatically change your perspective on work.

Nothing which is done for Christ is lost!

10 Quotes Worth Mentioning

Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.
-- John Owen

God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world ... Do you think such an exalted Lamb paid merely a small price with a meager sacrifice for our sins? Pray hard for you are quite a sinner.
-- Martin Luther

Ye have enemies? Good, good- that means ye've stood up for something, sometime in thy life....
-- Elminster of Shadowdale

Christian humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.
--C.S. Lewis

Those who hear not the music, think the dancers mad.
--Author Unknown

Those who understand the gospel cannot possibly look down on anyone, since they were saved by sheer grace, not by their perfect doctrine or strong moral character.
--Tim Keller

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.
--Thomas Paine

Sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
--Paul, Romans 6.14

The devil is a better theologian than any of us and is a devil still.
--A.W. Tozer

No verse of Scripture yields its meaning to lazy people.
--Arthur Pink

Overview sermons of the bible

I've been listening to this guy, Mark Dever, who put together an overview of the entire bible, the OT, the NT and each book in the bible.

And as he puts it, there are some things you can get from a greater height that you don't necessarily see up close. Well worth the investment of time, if you ask me.

Click me for the OT sermons

Click me for the NT sermons

May the LORD bless you as you study.

Self Denial

I don't know about you, but I am a very selfish person. I don't mean that I won't share my stuff or I won't share my money, or any other 'things'. I mean I don't share my TIME. In that very phrase there is incrimination .... MY time. I pray the LORD will deliver me from this insidious sin.

I read a very insightful and convicting sermon this morning. I've never heard of Richard Baxter, but he nails it on the head with this short sermon:

http://www.reformedsermonarchives.com/bax1.htm

The home page has many wonderful sermons to read. (their home page link is broken, so click here) I've not read them all (there are over 300) but the one's I've read are very good indeed.