Live your daily life in the full consciousness of being righteous in God's sight, an object of delight and pleasure in Christ. Connect every view you have of Christ in His other graces with this first one: of God, He is made to you righteousness. This will keep you in perfect peace. Thus, you will enter into, and dwell in, the rest of God, So will your inmost being be transformed into being righteous and doing righteousness. In your heart and life it will become manifest where you dwell; abiding in Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, you will share His position, His character, His blessedness: "Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath annointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" (Ps. 45:7). Joy and gladness above measure will be your portion.
From Abide in Christ
By Andrew Murray
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
On Being Aliens and Strangers
I am currently leading a small group for the One Month to Live (OMTL) program at our church. When we met last Wednesday evening to discuss the week's lesson, one of the series of questions that was posed was as follows:
The fundamental principle for Bible study is for scripture to interpret scripture. Using this principle, another verse that must be included in this discussion is Ephesians 2:19:
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
In this context and in the passages mentioned above, an alien is someone who lives in a place without the rights of citizenship. Practically speaking, what does this mean? If you or I went to say, Paris, and we got into legal troubles there, where would we turn? We would call or go to the American Embassy, the place where our government can provide representation for us in a foreign land.
Likewise, as aliens on earth and citizens of heaven. whom do we ultimately call on for help, and from where are we ultimately governed? God, and heaven! We don't have to rely merely on mortal men to meet our needs. Psalm 33:20 says, "Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield."
Unfortunately, most of us live our daily lives as if our citizenship is right here on earth. We strive and worry and plan and maneuver and manipulate. Citizens of heaven bring their cases before the Lord and have Him mediate and operate on their behalf. In fact, I John 2:1 tells us that Jesus Christ is our advocate. It's as if we had our own personal legal counsel seated at the right hand of God!
Having confidence in our citizenship and understanding who we are in Christ and that His Spirit dwells in us sets us free to live on this earth in a way that only citizens of God's kingdom can live. We can love those who don't love us. We can forgive because we are forgiven. We are able to keep no record of wrongs. We can treat people the way we want to be treated rather than as they treat us. We can repay evil with good. Christians who really live in accordance with the teachings of Christ will stand out and be different and demonstrate that their citizenship is indeed in heaven.
Read Philippians 3:20 and I Peter 2:11. Discuss what these passages say about the true home of all believers. Why are words like "citizenship," "aliens." and "strangers" used? What implications does this have on how we spend our lives here on this earth? In light of our heavenly citizenship, how are we to conduct ourselves as residents on this earth?In my attempt to make the question relevant, I used an illustration that got us off track, and I was ultimately dissatisfied with how I handled the discussion. Therefore, I would like to clarify myself here rather than spend additional time on the topic next week. I think the discussion can be of benefit to those of you who are not in my OMTL group, as well.
The fundamental principle for Bible study is for scripture to interpret scripture. Using this principle, another verse that must be included in this discussion is Ephesians 2:19:
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
In this context and in the passages mentioned above, an alien is someone who lives in a place without the rights of citizenship. Practically speaking, what does this mean? If you or I went to say, Paris, and we got into legal troubles there, where would we turn? We would call or go to the American Embassy, the place where our government can provide representation for us in a foreign land.
Likewise, as aliens on earth and citizens of heaven. whom do we ultimately call on for help, and from where are we ultimately governed? God, and heaven! We don't have to rely merely on mortal men to meet our needs. Psalm 33:20 says, "Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield."
Unfortunately, most of us live our daily lives as if our citizenship is right here on earth. We strive and worry and plan and maneuver and manipulate. Citizens of heaven bring their cases before the Lord and have Him mediate and operate on their behalf. In fact, I John 2:1 tells us that Jesus Christ is our advocate. It's as if we had our own personal legal counsel seated at the right hand of God!
Having confidence in our citizenship and understanding who we are in Christ and that His Spirit dwells in us sets us free to live on this earth in a way that only citizens of God's kingdom can live. We can love those who don't love us. We can forgive because we are forgiven. We are able to keep no record of wrongs. We can treat people the way we want to be treated rather than as they treat us. We can repay evil with good. Christians who really live in accordance with the teachings of Christ will stand out and be different and demonstrate that their citizenship is indeed in heaven.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
New Bible Reading Plan
I was doggedly making my way through the Old Testament, and had gotten through I Samuel, when I discovered a new Bible reading plan last week. I couldn't wait to try it, so I plunged in a few days ago. I planned to share it with you after I had put some more time into it, but I'm so excited about it, I couldn't wait, so here it is.
It is called Professor Grant Horner's Bible Reading System. You can read it here, and you can download it here. There is also a Facebook group here with more than 9,000 members! Horner is a literature professor at The Masters College near Los Angeles. He began reading his Bible daily as a new believer in 1983, and he gradually developed this system. Even if you have a plan you are happy with, you should read his plan for the testimony alone. However, I still encourage you to give it a try. Horner says to try it for thirty days, and he guarantees that you will see that you have been starving yourself for the Word of God.
Don't let the thought of reading ten chapters a day scare you! It takes me less than thirty minutes to read ten chapters, so if you are a slower reader, it shouldn't take you more than 45 minutes or so. Horner says it should take an hour at the most. If any of you care to join me, leave a comment so we can encourage each other in our journey together!
It is called Professor Grant Horner's Bible Reading System. You can read it here, and you can download it here. There is also a Facebook group here with more than 9,000 members! Horner is a literature professor at The Masters College near Los Angeles. He began reading his Bible daily as a new believer in 1983, and he gradually developed this system. Even if you have a plan you are happy with, you should read his plan for the testimony alone. However, I still encourage you to give it a try. Horner says to try it for thirty days, and he guarantees that you will see that you have been starving yourself for the Word of God.
Don't let the thought of reading ten chapters a day scare you! It takes me less than thirty minutes to read ten chapters, so if you are a slower reader, it shouldn't take you more than 45 minutes or so. Horner says it should take an hour at the most. If any of you care to join me, leave a comment so we can encourage each other in our journey together!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Why We Eat the Lord's Supper
This evening, our church is observing the Lord's Supper. This morning in class, we are going to discuss this ordinance, its establishment, its significance, and how to prepare for it. Following are some resources from John Piper you will find helpful.
Why We Eat the Lord's Supper, Part I
Why We Eat the Lord's Supper, Part II
Why We Eat the Lord's Supper, Part III
Why We Eat the Lord's Supper, Part I
Why We Eat the Lord's Supper, Part II
Why We Eat the Lord's Supper, Part III
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Ministry of Rebuke
The following posts relate to our recent class discussion on confronting sin within church.
The Ministry of Rebuke: Part I
The Ministry of Rebuke: Part II
The Ministry of Rebuke: Part III
The Ministry of Rebuke: Part I
The Ministry of Rebuke: Part II
The Ministry of Rebuke: Part III
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
A Thirteen Year Lesson in Humility
I started walking with God in the autumn of 1994. Nearly three years later in August 1997, my husband and I, who had been married for two years, went on a mission trip with a group from our church to Mexico City. Our primary purpose was to assist a small evangelical church in Milpa Atla with a construction project. In addition, the pastor who was leading the trip asked us to select a passage of scripture to study and meditate upon while we were there. I chose Philippians chapter two, and I brought along the book, Humility, by Andrew Murray. I was going to focus on humility.
In retrospect, it's hard for me to believe that I even recognized my need for it at that point in my life. It was clearly by the grace of God. I also know now that an intellectual understanding of humility cannot possibly produce it. It is borne out of experience. Thirteen years later, after experiencing unhappy work circumstances, two miscarriages, motherhood and all its challenges, depression, and much heartache, I am finally in the position to learn humility. The prerequisite appears to be to have been broken times beyond measure.
All of this has become clear to me upon reading Humility: True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney. I completed it on Sunday evening, and it is one of the best, most practical books on Christian living I have ever read. I really want you to read it for yourselves, so I don't want to give too much of it away, but among Mahaney's suggestions for weakening pride and cultivating humility is for you to begin your day by acknowledging your dependence upon God and your need for God. This is something I had already been doing for some time, and not just in the morning but all throughout the day as well.
One thing I have learned beyond a shadow of a doubt in the 13 years since I first undertook the study of humility is that without Christ, I can do nothing (John 15:5). I am under no delusion that there is anything good in me or that I can accomplish anything of value apart from Him. I know now that the cross of Christ alone makes my life possible and knowing God, serving God, and growing in my relationship with Him are the only ultimate goals worth pursuing.
This is not to imply that I have arrived spiritually. In fact, the remainder of this post is not what I originally wrote in my journal. After I finished the entry last evening, I began reading Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller, and I was nailed by God for the blatant idolatry in my life. Looking back now over what I had written appears super-spiritual and disingenuous. According to Mahaney, humility is "honestly assessing ourselves in light of God's holiness and our sinfulness." He also makes the case that God is drawn to humility, that it "draws the gaze of a sovereign God." Far be it from me then to give the appearance of thinking more highly of myself than I ought (Romans 12:3).
It all boils down to this. I have been saved from hell and the penalty of sin. On top of that I have been given spiritual gifts and the opportunity to serve God in ministry—in spite of being completely undeserving. I have also been blessed with material wealth in excess of what the vast majority of the people in the world have been given. I have a faithful, loving husband who is a good provider. And I have two beautiful, healthy, intelligent children. I have godly friends who listen to me and encourage me in my walk with Christ. To think that what I have been given isn't enough is the height of arrogance. Lord, forgive me for my ungrateful heart and for not trusting in Your provision. I long for your gaze upon me.
In retrospect, it's hard for me to believe that I even recognized my need for it at that point in my life. It was clearly by the grace of God. I also know now that an intellectual understanding of humility cannot possibly produce it. It is borne out of experience. Thirteen years later, after experiencing unhappy work circumstances, two miscarriages, motherhood and all its challenges, depression, and much heartache, I am finally in the position to learn humility. The prerequisite appears to be to have been broken times beyond measure.
All of this has become clear to me upon reading Humility: True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney. I completed it on Sunday evening, and it is one of the best, most practical books on Christian living I have ever read. I really want you to read it for yourselves, so I don't want to give too much of it away, but among Mahaney's suggestions for weakening pride and cultivating humility is for you to begin your day by acknowledging your dependence upon God and your need for God. This is something I had already been doing for some time, and not just in the morning but all throughout the day as well.
One thing I have learned beyond a shadow of a doubt in the 13 years since I first undertook the study of humility is that without Christ, I can do nothing (John 15:5). I am under no delusion that there is anything good in me or that I can accomplish anything of value apart from Him. I know now that the cross of Christ alone makes my life possible and knowing God, serving God, and growing in my relationship with Him are the only ultimate goals worth pursuing.
This is not to imply that I have arrived spiritually. In fact, the remainder of this post is not what I originally wrote in my journal. After I finished the entry last evening, I began reading Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller, and I was nailed by God for the blatant idolatry in my life. Looking back now over what I had written appears super-spiritual and disingenuous. According to Mahaney, humility is "honestly assessing ourselves in light of God's holiness and our sinfulness." He also makes the case that God is drawn to humility, that it "draws the gaze of a sovereign God." Far be it from me then to give the appearance of thinking more highly of myself than I ought (Romans 12:3).
It all boils down to this. I have been saved from hell and the penalty of sin. On top of that I have been given spiritual gifts and the opportunity to serve God in ministry—in spite of being completely undeserving. I have also been blessed with material wealth in excess of what the vast majority of the people in the world have been given. I have a faithful, loving husband who is a good provider. And I have two beautiful, healthy, intelligent children. I have godly friends who listen to me and encourage me in my walk with Christ. To think that what I have been given isn't enough is the height of arrogance. Lord, forgive me for my ungrateful heart and for not trusting in Your provision. I long for your gaze upon me.
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Difference Between Knowledge and Wisdom
I noticed that several of you have been asking for prayer to be faithful to be in God's Word on a regular basis. I'm so encouraged by that! Here's a great short post on wisdom and knowledge and renewing your mind.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
More Insight on I Corinthians 5
In class Sunday, we had a good discussion on I Corinthians 5, and we briefly tried to hash out what it means to judge rightly within our fellowship. Yesterday, I found this article, which gives additional insight as to why judgment is necessary in the first place. We do ourselves a disservice by not being accountable to other believers who we know love us and want us to grow in our relationship with Christ.
Monday, August 9, 2010
To Serve is to Suffer
I read this article in Christianity Today and felt compelled to share it with you. We have such unrealistic expectations as to what our Christian lives in this world should be like!
Radical Revisited
On Sunday, June 13, I posted my Radical Plan, and in the weeks that followed, I didn't live up to the standard I set for myself. Therefore, I decided to read the book again and start over. I finished the book yesterday, and I am as committed to it as ever. However, the past several weeks have demonstrated that it is going to be harder than I thought it would be. Not for lack of enthusiasm, but due to ingrained habits and patterns of thinking and behaving that will take a good bit of prayer and effort to overcome. In those weeks, the challenges that were hardest for me were giving up luxuries and praying for the nations on a daily basis.
What is a luxury?
I kept asking myself that question, and as I did I rationalized several purchases that I should have forgone. By the world's standards, my whole life is luxurious. Therefore, I had to determine what is a luxury for me. What makes it even harder is that I don't have that many indulgences any more—at least not compared to most women in my demographic. I'm not a shopper; I had already committed to not making any more hobby-related purchases; And the only personal care luxury I occasionally indulged in was a pedicure. I'm not ready to consider a decent haircut a luxury, and I gave up coloring my hair months ago.
When I need clothing, I like to buy good quality items that I can wear for a long time. I'm not overly fashion conscious. (Been there. Done that.) I could spend less on my clothing, but then I would have to shop more frequently, so I feel like from a financial standpoint, it balances out. It is a rare occasion when I go out and buy I new outfit for an "event." I didn't even buy a new dress for my twenty-year reunion a few years ago!
My greatest indulgence at this point in my life is books, and I know better than to attempt a moratorium on book buying. Therefore, my goal is to only allow myself to purchase books that will contribute to my spiritual growth, and to purchase them only if they are not available from the library OR if I think it is likely that I would want to share them or read them again. No novels, biographies, or cookbooks! I can get all of those from the library. Besides, I have plenty at home that I haven't even read yet!
I've given up professional pedicures, and I'm going to spend more conservatively on cosmetics and personal care items. I'm going to try not to purchase clothing. However, I've been losing weight, so I've already had to buy a few items, but from now on, I'm going to try to have as many items as possible altered. Finally, I'm going to eat out much less frequently. I could write a whole post on that one!
In addition to all of this, as I have time, I'm going to go through each room in our house and purge as much as possible. Emotionally this isn't that hard for me, as it is something that I tend to do anyway on a regular basis, and I am not sentimental. At this stage in my life, finding the time will be the challenge. I did manage to clean out my daughter's room last week while she was away at my mother's house, and it was very satisfying. We all have so much, and it is such a waste!
Finding Time to Pray More
The second area that I failed in during the first weeks of my Radical Experiment was praying for the nations. I ordered the Operation World prayer guide, and I love reading through it, but sitting down every day for the time it takes for me to pray through an entry is extremely challenging for me. I have already for some time been burdened by the desire to pray more for extended periods of time and to intercede on behalf of my brothers and sisters in Christ, not to mention my own family, so adding an additional prayer focus area makes me feel overwhelmed. A morning "quiet time" is not enough. I'm lifting this up to the Lord and asking Him for direction. For now, I'm leaning towards scheduling for myself a weekly extended prayer time, but I don't yet know when or where it will be.
So there you have it—my heart and my struggles so far in following my Radical Plan. My hope is that this doesn't discourage you from attempting it, but rather, that it would spur you on as you see that by God's grace it can be done. In fact, that is the only way it can be done and the only reason that there is for doing it.
What is a luxury?
I kept asking myself that question, and as I did I rationalized several purchases that I should have forgone. By the world's standards, my whole life is luxurious. Therefore, I had to determine what is a luxury for me. What makes it even harder is that I don't have that many indulgences any more—at least not compared to most women in my demographic. I'm not a shopper; I had already committed to not making any more hobby-related purchases; And the only personal care luxury I occasionally indulged in was a pedicure. I'm not ready to consider a decent haircut a luxury, and I gave up coloring my hair months ago.
When I need clothing, I like to buy good quality items that I can wear for a long time. I'm not overly fashion conscious. (Been there. Done that.) I could spend less on my clothing, but then I would have to shop more frequently, so I feel like from a financial standpoint, it balances out. It is a rare occasion when I go out and buy I new outfit for an "event." I didn't even buy a new dress for my twenty-year reunion a few years ago!
My greatest indulgence at this point in my life is books, and I know better than to attempt a moratorium on book buying. Therefore, my goal is to only allow myself to purchase books that will contribute to my spiritual growth, and to purchase them only if they are not available from the library OR if I think it is likely that I would want to share them or read them again. No novels, biographies, or cookbooks! I can get all of those from the library. Besides, I have plenty at home that I haven't even read yet!
I've given up professional pedicures, and I'm going to spend more conservatively on cosmetics and personal care items. I'm going to try not to purchase clothing. However, I've been losing weight, so I've already had to buy a few items, but from now on, I'm going to try to have as many items as possible altered. Finally, I'm going to eat out much less frequently. I could write a whole post on that one!
In addition to all of this, as I have time, I'm going to go through each room in our house and purge as much as possible. Emotionally this isn't that hard for me, as it is something that I tend to do anyway on a regular basis, and I am not sentimental. At this stage in my life, finding the time will be the challenge. I did manage to clean out my daughter's room last week while she was away at my mother's house, and it was very satisfying. We all have so much, and it is such a waste!
Finding Time to Pray More
The second area that I failed in during the first weeks of my Radical Experiment was praying for the nations. I ordered the Operation World prayer guide, and I love reading through it, but sitting down every day for the time it takes for me to pray through an entry is extremely challenging for me. I have already for some time been burdened by the desire to pray more for extended periods of time and to intercede on behalf of my brothers and sisters in Christ, not to mention my own family, so adding an additional prayer focus area makes me feel overwhelmed. A morning "quiet time" is not enough. I'm lifting this up to the Lord and asking Him for direction. For now, I'm leaning towards scheduling for myself a weekly extended prayer time, but I don't yet know when or where it will be.
So there you have it—my heart and my struggles so far in following my Radical Plan. My hope is that this doesn't discourage you from attempting it, but rather, that it would spur you on as you see that by God's grace it can be done. In fact, that is the only way it can be done and the only reason that there is for doing it.
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