Ancient Irish hymn, possibly from the 8th Century, tr. by Mary E. Byrne (Which is probably why I love this song so much!)
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
1 Peter 2:9 - "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
1 Corinthians 1:22-25 - "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
John 1:1 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Ephesians 2:22 - "In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."
Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight,
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight.
Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower.
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Ephesians 6:10-20 - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak."
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
1 Peter 1:3-5 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
Luke 18:22 - "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”"
Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
Revelation 11:15 - "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”"
1 Corinthians 15:57 - "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Monday, 26 May 2008
Camping at My Favourite Campsite
Saturday began as a work day, with Mom, Daniel, Elena, Tiana, Patrick, Christopher and I working on the pond in our front yard. We emptied it out (it was overdue) and got rid of all the little piddly rocks that used to make up the rock hill that the water ran down. 
Then, we got all the gunk that had collected over the years on the bottom, got rid of it, and finally the pond was empty. Then, Daniel brought bigger rocks and we set them up very prettily. It looks way better than the little rocks ever did. Then we filled it up! Hooray! We were very tired by the end of it. But, the fun was just beginning.
We packed up and headed over to Adeena and Jeff's house, where they have set up THE BEST campsite ever!! Creekside, here we come!
It's always fun camping with family, but the extra bonus is that we camp with family and nobody else, because it's a private, home-owned and operated campsite. Woo hoo!
They've set up the campsite in a nice little pasture, with a creek (Check out Adeena's blog) and a gorgeous old willow tree that just will not give up, no matter how many times it falls over. Seriously. It has about six trunks that have re-rooted, and it lives! It still lives!
I had a blast with nieces and nephews, who are always cute and always fun (they're never bad - they're angels. They are, after all, related to me. >:)) And when Heather showed up, it just made it all the better.
We also went exploring, and found a hidden meadow on their property, and a small waterfall that wound around an old tree. Then we went back through the field behind their house and saw their "creek flats". It was absolutely gorgeous! It is hopefully the future camping ground. We walked down a slight hill and came to the bottom of the flats. It was a meadow with a river running through it, with tall trees shading the whole area. Some of the family (not me, sigh) were able to see a deer run by at the top of the hill in the distance. It was completely quiet except for us, with all of our talk of cleaning up the old tree branches and leaves on the ground and making it a suitable, hidden campsite. Adeena wants to make sure it doesn't flood in the spring, or if it does, how badly. It truly was gorgeous. (Adeena and Jeff, you have a gorgeous property. But you knew that, of course. :))
So, all in all it was a fun family time, getting together, chatting, sitting around the campfire, playing with the kids, and just over all having a great, relaxing time. The only bad thing was that it ended so soon. But, we're going again in a couple of weeks, so we can look forward to that. :)
Then, we got all the gunk that had collected over the years on the bottom, got rid of it, and finally the pond was empty. Then, Daniel brought bigger rocks and we set them up very prettily. It looks way better than the little rocks ever did. Then we filled it up! Hooray! We were very tired by the end of it. But, the fun was just beginning.We packed up and headed over to Adeena and Jeff's house, where they have set up THE BEST campsite ever!! Creekside, here we come!
It's always fun camping with family, but the extra bonus is that we camp with family and nobody else, because it's a private, home-owned and operated campsite. Woo hoo!
They've set up the campsite in a nice little pasture, with a creek (Check out Adeena's blog) and a gorgeous old willow tree that just will not give up, no matter how many times it falls over. Seriously. It has about six trunks that have re-rooted, and it lives! It still lives!
I had a blast with nieces and nephews, who are always cute and always fun (they're never bad - they're angels. They are, after all, related to me. >:)) And when Heather showed up, it just made it all the better.
We also went exploring, and found a hidden meadow on their property, and a small waterfall that wound around an old tree. Then we went back through the field behind their house and saw their "creek flats". It was absolutely gorgeous! It is hopefully the future camping ground. We walked down a slight hill and came to the bottom of the flats. It was a meadow with a river running through it, with tall trees shading the whole area. Some of the family (not me, sigh) were able to see a deer run by at the top of the hill in the distance. It was completely quiet except for us, with all of our talk of cleaning up the old tree branches and leaves on the ground and making it a suitable, hidden campsite. Adeena wants to make sure it doesn't flood in the spring, or if it does, how badly. It truly was gorgeous. (Adeena and Jeff, you have a gorgeous property. But you knew that, of course. :))
So, all in all it was a fun family time, getting together, chatting, sitting around the campfire, playing with the kids, and just over all having a great, relaxing time. The only bad thing was that it ended so soon. But, we're going again in a couple of weeks, so we can look forward to that. :)
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Are Children a Blessing, or Not?
(Warning: this might be a rant*)
I don't know. Maybe I'm biased, coming from a family of twelve kids. Maybe I'm prejudiced, having so many beautiful nephews and nieces. Call me crazy, but I love 'em. I love 'em all.
God loves children too.
Psalm 127:3-5 - "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Maybe it's just me, but I think that verse states pretty clearly that God loves children, that God created children to be a blessing to a couple. The words describing them are
1) A Heritage (from the Lord, not just anybody),
2) A reward,
3) Arrows in the hand of a warrior,
4) A blessing ("blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them".)
So, in one verse we see pretty clearly God's stand on children.
My question then is, Why do God's people not see this the same way? I mean, there are countless people who do view children as blessings, but I have seen many times that these same people who say children are blessings also limit the number. If you have more than three kids, whoa! It becomes less of a blessing and more of a burden, even a joke. What!?
God didn't put a number on children. That verse up there does not say "Behold, less than four children are a heritage..." What it actually says is "blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them"! Do you know how many arrows it takes to fill a quiver? They're pretty small, and quivers are usually pretty big.
When did children become a burden rather than a heritage from the Lord? When did they become a problem rather than a reward? When did they become a nuisance instead of a blessing? When did they become wet noodles in the hand of a warrior, instead of arrows?
The Church is failing. We ought to be standing up and proclaiming the Truth to the world, and instead we side with the people who mock our very values, claiming that they're right! What is happening? Don't we see it?
I can understand when some secular single person who comes face to faces with our entire family in the grocery store would laugh and exclaim with surprise at the many kids - "Are they all yours?" They ask my Mom. That's fine. We laugh and answer and go on our merry way, not affected in the least.
But when Christians do it, I'd say it's almost a sin, and it certainly is deeply offensive. We ought to bless the families with many children. God does.
We Are God's Children
1 John 3:1-3 - "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."
God loves us so much that he calls us His children; what a great blessing to us! Our view of children on this earth is awful and contemptible, considering how God views children: so highly that that's what He calls us!
Every time we consider a child a nuisance, we ought to stop and remember that they are images of what we are to God; only God deals with us with much more grace and love than we could ever muster. What if God had the same opinion of children that we did? "That's enough; I can't handle any more. My grace is depleted!" No; He says "my grace is sufficient for you."
Romans 8:14-17 - "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."
We come to God and call Him Father because He allows us to - he has adopted us, made us His own. It's not just a master-slave situation, it's a Father-child one. He loves us; He cares for us. We belong to Him, and He provides us with our every need. Sort of like a parent to their child, only with God it's perfect. This is something we ought to strive for. We could begin by cutting the mockery out. By considering children as blessings from God instead of hindrances on our fun lives.
This is it: We are God's children. We on earth have been blessed with children. We ought to follow the best example we can find. Can you find a better example than God's? He never ceases to love us, never ceases to care for us. If someone calls upon Him, he graciously saves them and adopts them as His own.
Where do we get the idea that children are less than a blessing? I'm gonna say we get the idea from the anti-God. From our own wicked hearts that wish to spit in God's face and reject His gifts.
*I realize I rant quite a bit, and there are reasons for this.
1) There are a lot of let's say "silly" people out there, and they drive me up the wall with their "silliness".
2) Rants are sometimes the only way to get people to understand that you really are serious, that this is really a problem, and that maybe they should think about it.
3) Rants sometimes get people arguing, which is always good. I'm always up for proving someone wrong. ;)
I don't know. Maybe I'm biased, coming from a family of twelve kids. Maybe I'm prejudiced, having so many beautiful nephews and nieces. Call me crazy, but I love 'em. I love 'em all.
God loves children too.
Psalm 127:3-5 - "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Maybe it's just me, but I think that verse states pretty clearly that God loves children, that God created children to be a blessing to a couple. The words describing them are
1) A Heritage (from the Lord, not just anybody),
2) A reward,
3) Arrows in the hand of a warrior,
4) A blessing ("blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them".)
So, in one verse we see pretty clearly God's stand on children.
My question then is, Why do God's people not see this the same way? I mean, there are countless people who do view children as blessings, but I have seen many times that these same people who say children are blessings also limit the number. If you have more than three kids, whoa! It becomes less of a blessing and more of a burden, even a joke. What!?
God didn't put a number on children. That verse up there does not say "Behold, less than four children are a heritage..." What it actually says is "blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them"! Do you know how many arrows it takes to fill a quiver? They're pretty small, and quivers are usually pretty big.
When did children become a burden rather than a heritage from the Lord? When did they become a problem rather than a reward? When did they become a nuisance instead of a blessing? When did they become wet noodles in the hand of a warrior, instead of arrows?
The Church is failing. We ought to be standing up and proclaiming the Truth to the world, and instead we side with the people who mock our very values, claiming that they're right! What is happening? Don't we see it?
I can understand when some secular single person who comes face to faces with our entire family in the grocery store would laugh and exclaim with surprise at the many kids - "Are they all yours?" They ask my Mom. That's fine. We laugh and answer and go on our merry way, not affected in the least.
But when Christians do it, I'd say it's almost a sin, and it certainly is deeply offensive. We ought to bless the families with many children. God does.
We Are God's Children
1 John 3:1-3 - "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."
God loves us so much that he calls us His children; what a great blessing to us! Our view of children on this earth is awful and contemptible, considering how God views children: so highly that that's what He calls us!
Every time we consider a child a nuisance, we ought to stop and remember that they are images of what we are to God; only God deals with us with much more grace and love than we could ever muster. What if God had the same opinion of children that we did? "That's enough; I can't handle any more. My grace is depleted!" No; He says "my grace is sufficient for you."
Romans 8:14-17 - "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."
We come to God and call Him Father because He allows us to - he has adopted us, made us His own. It's not just a master-slave situation, it's a Father-child one. He loves us; He cares for us. We belong to Him, and He provides us with our every need. Sort of like a parent to their child, only with God it's perfect. This is something we ought to strive for. We could begin by cutting the mockery out. By considering children as blessings from God instead of hindrances on our fun lives.
This is it: We are God's children. We on earth have been blessed with children. We ought to follow the best example we can find. Can you find a better example than God's? He never ceases to love us, never ceases to care for us. If someone calls upon Him, he graciously saves them and adopts them as His own.
Where do we get the idea that children are less than a blessing? I'm gonna say we get the idea from the anti-God. From our own wicked hearts that wish to spit in God's face and reject His gifts.
Blessings On Children
Blessings on the blessing children, sweetest gifts of Heaven to earth,
Filling all the heart with gladness, filling all the house with mirth;
Bringing with them native sweetness, pictures of the primal bloom,
Which the bliss for ever gladdens, of the region whence they come;
Bringing with them joyous impulse of a state with outen care,
And a buoyant faith in being, which makes all in nature fair;
Not a doubt to dim the distance, not a grief to vex thee, nigh,
And a hope that in existence finds each hour a luxury;
Going singing, bounding, brightening--never fearing as they go,
That the innocent shall tremble, and the loving find a foe;
In the daylight, in the starlight, still with thought that freely flies,
Prompt and joyous, with no question of the beauty in the skies;
Genial fancies winning raptures, as the bee still sucks her store,
All the present still a garden gleaned a thousand times before;
All the future, but a region, where the happy serving thought,
Still depicts a thousand blessings, by the winged hunter caught;
Life a chase where blushing pleasures only seem to strive in flight,
Lingering to be caught, and yielding gladly to the proud delight;
As the maiden, through the alleys, looking backward as she flies,
Woos the fond pursuer onward, with the love-light in her eyes.
Oh! the happy life in children, still restoring joy to ours,
Making for the forest music, planting for the way-side flowers;
Back recalling all the sweetness, in a pleasure pure as rare,
Back the past of hope and rapture bringing to the heart of care.
How, as swell the happy voices, bursting through the shady grove,
Memories take the place of sorrows, time restores the sway to love!
We are in the shouting comrades, shaking off the load of years,
Thought forgetting strifes and trials, doubts and agonies and tears;
We are in the bounding urchin, as o'er hill and plain he darts,
Share the struggle and the triumph, gladdening in his heart of hearts;
What an image of the vigor and the glorious grace we knew,
When to eager youth from boyhood, at a single bound we grew!
Even such our slender beauty, such upon our cheek the glow,
In our eyes the life and gladness--of our blood the overflow.
Bless the mother of the urchin! in his form we see her truth:
He is now the very picture of the memories in our youth;
Never can we doubt the forehead, nor the sunny flowing hair,
Nor the smiling in the dimple speaking chin and cheek so fair:
Bless the mother of the young one, he hath blended in his grace,
All the hope and joy and beauty, kindling once in either face.
Oh! the happy faith of children! that is glad in all it sees,
And with never need of thinking, pierces still its mysteries,
In simplicity profoundest, in their soul abundance blest,
Wise in value of the sportive, and in restlessness at rest,
Lacking every creed, yet having faith so large in all they see,
That to know is still to gladden, and 'tis rapture but to be.
What trim fancies bring them flowers; what rare spirits walk their wood,
What a wondrous world the moonlight harbors of the gay and good!
Unto them the very tempest walks in glories grateful still,
And the lightning gleams, a seraph, to persuade them to the hill:
'Tis a sweet and loving spirit, that throughout the midnight rains,
Broods beside the shuttered windows, and with gentle love complains;
And how wooing, how exalting, with the richness of her dyes,
Spans the painter of the rainbow, her bright arch along the skies,
With a dream like Jacob's ladder, showing to the fancy's sight,
How 'twere easy for the sad one to escape to worlds of light!
Ah! the wisdom of such fancies, and the truth in every dream,
That to faith confiding offers, cheering every gloom, a gleam!
Happy hearts, still cherish fondly each delusion of your youth,
Joy is born of well believing, and the fiction wraps the truth.
William Gilmore Simms
Filling all the heart with gladness, filling all the house with mirth;
Bringing with them native sweetness, pictures of the primal bloom,
Which the bliss for ever gladdens, of the region whence they come;
Bringing with them joyous impulse of a state with outen care,
And a buoyant faith in being, which makes all in nature fair;
Not a doubt to dim the distance, not a grief to vex thee, nigh,
And a hope that in existence finds each hour a luxury;
Going singing, bounding, brightening--never fearing as they go,
That the innocent shall tremble, and the loving find a foe;
In the daylight, in the starlight, still with thought that freely flies,
Prompt and joyous, with no question of the beauty in the skies;
Genial fancies winning raptures, as the bee still sucks her store,
All the present still a garden gleaned a thousand times before;
All the future, but a region, where the happy serving thought,
Still depicts a thousand blessings, by the winged hunter caught;
Life a chase where blushing pleasures only seem to strive in flight,
Lingering to be caught, and yielding gladly to the proud delight;
As the maiden, through the alleys, looking backward as she flies,
Woos the fond pursuer onward, with the love-light in her eyes.
Oh! the happy life in children, still restoring joy to ours,
Making for the forest music, planting for the way-side flowers;
Back recalling all the sweetness, in a pleasure pure as rare,
Back the past of hope and rapture bringing to the heart of care.
How, as swell the happy voices, bursting through the shady grove,
Memories take the place of sorrows, time restores the sway to love!
We are in the shouting comrades, shaking off the load of years,
Thought forgetting strifes and trials, doubts and agonies and tears;
We are in the bounding urchin, as o'er hill and plain he darts,
Share the struggle and the triumph, gladdening in his heart of hearts;
What an image of the vigor and the glorious grace we knew,
When to eager youth from boyhood, at a single bound we grew!
Even such our slender beauty, such upon our cheek the glow,
In our eyes the life and gladness--of our blood the overflow.
Bless the mother of the urchin! in his form we see her truth:
He is now the very picture of the memories in our youth;
Never can we doubt the forehead, nor the sunny flowing hair,
Nor the smiling in the dimple speaking chin and cheek so fair:
Bless the mother of the young one, he hath blended in his grace,
All the hope and joy and beauty, kindling once in either face.
Oh! the happy faith of children! that is glad in all it sees,
And with never need of thinking, pierces still its mysteries,
In simplicity profoundest, in their soul abundance blest,
Wise in value of the sportive, and in restlessness at rest,
Lacking every creed, yet having faith so large in all they see,
That to know is still to gladden, and 'tis rapture but to be.
What trim fancies bring them flowers; what rare spirits walk their wood,
What a wondrous world the moonlight harbors of the gay and good!
Unto them the very tempest walks in glories grateful still,
And the lightning gleams, a seraph, to persuade them to the hill:
'Tis a sweet and loving spirit, that throughout the midnight rains,
Broods beside the shuttered windows, and with gentle love complains;
And how wooing, how exalting, with the richness of her dyes,
Spans the painter of the rainbow, her bright arch along the skies,
With a dream like Jacob's ladder, showing to the fancy's sight,
How 'twere easy for the sad one to escape to worlds of light!
Ah! the wisdom of such fancies, and the truth in every dream,
That to faith confiding offers, cheering every gloom, a gleam!
Happy hearts, still cherish fondly each delusion of your youth,
Joy is born of well believing, and the fiction wraps the truth.
William Gilmore Simms
*I realize I rant quite a bit, and there are reasons for this.
1) There are a lot of let's say "silly" people out there, and they drive me up the wall with their "silliness".
2) Rants are sometimes the only way to get people to understand that you really are serious, that this is really a problem, and that maybe they should think about it.
3) Rants sometimes get people arguing, which is always good. I'm always up for proving someone wrong. ;)
How Did You Die?
Edmund Vance Cooke (1866-1932)
How Did You Die?
Did you tackle that trouble that came your way
With a resolute heart and cheerful?
Or hide your face from the light of day
With a craven soul and fearful?
Oh, a trouble's a ton, or a trouble's an ounce,
Or a trouble is what you make it,
And it isn't the fact that you're hurt that counts,
But only how did you take it?
You are beaten to earth? Well, well, what's that?
Come up with a smiling face.
It's nothing against you to fall down flat,
But to lie there -- that's disgrace.
The harder you're thrown, why the higher you bounce;
Be proud of your blackened eye!
It isn't the fact that you're licked that counts,
It's how did you fight -- and why?
And though you be done to the death, what then?
If you battled the best you could,
If you played your part in the world of men,
Why, the Critic will call it good.
Death comes with a crawl, or comes with a pounce,
And whether he's slow or spry,
It isn't the fact that you're dead that counts,
But only how did you die?
How Did You Die?
Did you tackle that trouble that came your way
With a resolute heart and cheerful?
Or hide your face from the light of day
With a craven soul and fearful?
Oh, a trouble's a ton, or a trouble's an ounce,
Or a trouble is what you make it,
And it isn't the fact that you're hurt that counts,
But only how did you take it?
You are beaten to earth? Well, well, what's that?
Come up with a smiling face.
It's nothing against you to fall down flat,
But to lie there -- that's disgrace.
The harder you're thrown, why the higher you bounce;
Be proud of your blackened eye!
It isn't the fact that you're licked that counts,
It's how did you fight -- and why?
And though you be done to the death, what then?
If you battled the best you could,
If you played your part in the world of men,
Why, the Critic will call it good.
Death comes with a crawl, or comes with a pounce,
And whether he's slow or spry,
It isn't the fact that you're dead that counts,
But only how did you die?
Tuesday, 6 May 2008
"I obey the law of Christ, not the OT Law."
I believe whole-heartedly in grace. I believe that the state of my salvation has everything to do with God, and nothing to do with me. I could not possibly have any part in my salvation, since I was dead in my trespasses and sins - dead! That means I could not reach out to the Hand that saved me. I believe in grace.
But, just because I believe in grace does not mean I do not believe in the Law of God.
Too many people hold on to grace and fall into antinomianism. And on the other extreme, people fall into the Law and become legalists. Where is the balance?
I think the first question to ask is, Can the Law save us? And in order for us to answer that question, we have to ask another: Even if the Law can save us, can we keep it?
The Bible says something about that:
James 2:10 "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it."
Where have I failed? Certainly in more than one point! I am a transgressor of the law, accountable for breaking all of it. So, how could it possibly save me? It is what condemns me!
Romans 2:1 "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things."
Remember the Old Testament: Moses, the representative of the Law, could not enter the Promised Land. The Law can bring us to the foot of the cross, but it cannot save us.
Our God is a God of the inward thoughts, not outward actions. He wants the heart, mind, and soul, not just our tainted law-keeping actions.
So. Does this mean we must throw away the Law, because it is of no use to us? Well, I didn't say that it was no use to us; only that it had no ability to save us. What is the Law good for?
1) It reminds us of our complete and utter state of deadness. We cannot save ourselves, because we cannot keep perfectly what the Law requires.
2) It shows us what God wishes us to do; we ought to strive for holiness. Jesus said, "Be holy, as I am holy."
3) While God sees the inward, men see the outward. We can witness through good works to others, showing them that yes; we are different. Yes; Christ means everything to me.
The Law is not a ladder to Heaven. We can't do certain things and scratch them off the list, claiming we're a little bit holier today than yesterday. The Law is a tool to confess our sins and receive Christ as our Lord and Saviour. It's all of Christ. He's the personification of the Law.
He kept the Law. This shows us of Christ's perfect righteousness; our need of His righteousness; Christ's righteousness imputed to us; and it shows us that we ought to give thanks for Christ, who graciously saved us out of our wretched state.
Grace. God's Riches at Christ's Expense.
"This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners, for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ's, and Christ's righteousness is not Christ's, but ours." - Martin Luther
"We believe, that the work of regeneration, conversion, sanctification and faith, is not an act of man's free will and power, but of the mighty, efficacious and irresistable grace of God." - Charles Spurgeon
Yes. I believe in God, Who created the universe and sustains it. I believe He loved me so much that He died for me when I did not deserve it - rather deserved eternal damnation. I believe that Christ is the Redeemer, that He gave me His righteousness because I had none of my own.
I believe in Grace. And since I cannot say it well enough on my own, I'll leave you with these quotes:
"If Christ cannot supersede the Law, then I am lost, and lost for ever." - Catherine Booth
"The law works fear and wrath; grace works hope and mercy." - Martin Luther
Titus 2:11-14: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."
But, just because I believe in grace does not mean I do not believe in the Law of God.
Too many people hold on to grace and fall into antinomianism. And on the other extreme, people fall into the Law and become legalists. Where is the balance?
I think the first question to ask is, Can the Law save us? And in order for us to answer that question, we have to ask another: Even if the Law can save us, can we keep it?
The Bible says something about that:
James 2:10 "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it."
Where have I failed? Certainly in more than one point! I am a transgressor of the law, accountable for breaking all of it. So, how could it possibly save me? It is what condemns me!
Romans 2:1 "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things."
Remember the Old Testament: Moses, the representative of the Law, could not enter the Promised Land. The Law can bring us to the foot of the cross, but it cannot save us.
Our God is a God of the inward thoughts, not outward actions. He wants the heart, mind, and soul, not just our tainted law-keeping actions.
So. Does this mean we must throw away the Law, because it is of no use to us? Well, I didn't say that it was no use to us; only that it had no ability to save us. What is the Law good for?
1) It reminds us of our complete and utter state of deadness. We cannot save ourselves, because we cannot keep perfectly what the Law requires.
2) It shows us what God wishes us to do; we ought to strive for holiness. Jesus said, "Be holy, as I am holy."
3) While God sees the inward, men see the outward. We can witness through good works to others, showing them that yes; we are different. Yes; Christ means everything to me.
The Law is not a ladder to Heaven. We can't do certain things and scratch them off the list, claiming we're a little bit holier today than yesterday. The Law is a tool to confess our sins and receive Christ as our Lord and Saviour. It's all of Christ. He's the personification of the Law.
He kept the Law. This shows us of Christ's perfect righteousness; our need of His righteousness; Christ's righteousness imputed to us; and it shows us that we ought to give thanks for Christ, who graciously saved us out of our wretched state.
Grace. God's Riches at Christ's Expense.
"This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners, for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ's, and Christ's righteousness is not Christ's, but ours." - Martin Luther
"We believe, that the work of regeneration, conversion, sanctification and faith, is not an act of man's free will and power, but of the mighty, efficacious and irresistable grace of God." - Charles Spurgeon
Yes. I believe in God, Who created the universe and sustains it. I believe He loved me so much that He died for me when I did not deserve it - rather deserved eternal damnation. I believe that Christ is the Redeemer, that He gave me His righteousness because I had none of my own.
I believe in Grace. And since I cannot say it well enough on my own, I'll leave you with these quotes:
"If Christ cannot supersede the Law, then I am lost, and lost for ever." - Catherine Booth
"The law works fear and wrath; grace works hope and mercy." - Martin Luther
Titus 2:11-14: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."
Sunday, 4 May 2008
Too tired to think of an exceptional title.
I love history. As such, I love the sermons preached on Sunday with history within them; it shows how God has worked, and how He is working now, through events that have already passed.
Today's history lesson was about the tribes of Israel. The kingdom divided after Solomon passed away, ten tribes in the north and two in the south. Israel slipped into apostasy. God sent prophets in His mercy, to instruct them and warn them, but Israel refused to listen, and so was demolished, completely wiped out, its people taken into slavery.
God raised up "Reformer kings" in Judah, returning to true worship of the Living God. But even so Judah began to slip as well, falling into sin. God used Babylon to judge them. They were sent into exile. Even there, God, in his mercy, sent prophets to them: Daniel, who was a prophet to kings and lords and wise men, and Ezekiel, who was a prophet to the people, the lowly.
Babylon itself is judged by God, and the Persian Empire takes over, becoming the greatest empire in the world, ruled by Cyrus the Great.
This is where Haggai comes in. The prophet who calls out: Get building!
Haggai 1
The Command to Rebuild the Temple
1:1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” 3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”
The People Obey the Lord
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord's message, “I am with you, declares the Lord.” 14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
Can you imagine? The people of God were told to rebuild the temple. And for a while, they did. But then, their selfish interests got in the way. They began to work on their own homes, their own crops, their own lives, forgetting God in the process. The temple was on hold for SIXTEEN years!
This is all really a picture of our lives today, as well as being history. We may not be building a temple, but we are building lives - souls - for the glory of God. Have we slowed? Have we lost the vision, and turned to our own selfish ways and desires?
Pastor Bob asked, "What are our priorities?" Is God on the back burner, while we take care of what's "really important"?
God says, "Consider your ways." This means Look at yourselves! Think about this! Listen up! I am God, and you've turned your back on me.
Our life priority should be the kingdom of God. If we are God's bondservants, we ought to be working diligently with every breath to glorify God and further His kingdom.
God rebuked the Israelites back then, and He rebukes us now, in differing ways. But, there is always a promise. "I am with you," declares the LORD.
God is always merciful. He is always with us. The steadfastness of the Lord is...well, steadfast! It will not falter and it will not change.
We are the holy dwelling place of God. There is no physical temple anymore. It is not necessary; Christ made it unnecessary.
He has chosen us, washed us in His blood, and adopted us as His children. We have His mark upon us. Therefore, wherever we go, we're representing God. Are we doing a good job? How do we know we're doing a good job except through the Word of God? We can't know God except through the Word, and we can't know His laws and His ways without knowing Him.
We are temples that are built through evangelism, by God's word. Therefore we must live holy lives, expecting and looking forward to eternity! What a beautiful God we serve.
So. What are we doing today that works toward the glory of God? What thoughts are we thinking? What proceeds out of our mouths? What sights do we take in? What do we listen to? It all matters. Every last bit. I would venture to say, if it isn't glorifying God, we should stay away from it. And when we fail, we should fall at the feet of our Ever-merciful God and Saviour, who will never leave us nor forsake us.
Today's history lesson was about the tribes of Israel. The kingdom divided after Solomon passed away, ten tribes in the north and two in the south. Israel slipped into apostasy. God sent prophets in His mercy, to instruct them and warn them, but Israel refused to listen, and so was demolished, completely wiped out, its people taken into slavery.
God raised up "Reformer kings" in Judah, returning to true worship of the Living God. But even so Judah began to slip as well, falling into sin. God used Babylon to judge them. They were sent into exile. Even there, God, in his mercy, sent prophets to them: Daniel, who was a prophet to kings and lords and wise men, and Ezekiel, who was a prophet to the people, the lowly.
Babylon itself is judged by God, and the Persian Empire takes over, becoming the greatest empire in the world, ruled by Cyrus the Great.
This is where Haggai comes in. The prophet who calls out: Get building!
Haggai 1
The Command to Rebuild the Temple
1:1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” 3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”
The People Obey the Lord
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord's message, “I am with you, declares the Lord.” 14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
Can you imagine? The people of God were told to rebuild the temple. And for a while, they did. But then, their selfish interests got in the way. They began to work on their own homes, their own crops, their own lives, forgetting God in the process. The temple was on hold for SIXTEEN years!
This is all really a picture of our lives today, as well as being history. We may not be building a temple, but we are building lives - souls - for the glory of God. Have we slowed? Have we lost the vision, and turned to our own selfish ways and desires?
Pastor Bob asked, "What are our priorities?" Is God on the back burner, while we take care of what's "really important"?
God says, "Consider your ways." This means Look at yourselves! Think about this! Listen up! I am God, and you've turned your back on me.
Our life priority should be the kingdom of God. If we are God's bondservants, we ought to be working diligently with every breath to glorify God and further His kingdom.
God rebuked the Israelites back then, and He rebukes us now, in differing ways. But, there is always a promise. "I am with you," declares the LORD.
God is always merciful. He is always with us. The steadfastness of the Lord is...well, steadfast! It will not falter and it will not change.
We are the holy dwelling place of God. There is no physical temple anymore. It is not necessary; Christ made it unnecessary.
He has chosen us, washed us in His blood, and adopted us as His children. We have His mark upon us. Therefore, wherever we go, we're representing God. Are we doing a good job? How do we know we're doing a good job except through the Word of God? We can't know God except through the Word, and we can't know His laws and His ways without knowing Him.
We are temples that are built through evangelism, by God's word. Therefore we must live holy lives, expecting and looking forward to eternity! What a beautiful God we serve.
So. What are we doing today that works toward the glory of God? What thoughts are we thinking? What proceeds out of our mouths? What sights do we take in? What do we listen to? It all matters. Every last bit. I would venture to say, if it isn't glorifying God, we should stay away from it. And when we fail, we should fall at the feet of our Ever-merciful God and Saviour, who will never leave us nor forsake us.
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