Tried With Fire

It's the last day of 2012. God has been good every day this year and good in ways that go far beyond material blessings. Worry still creeps in tempting me to doubt His steadfast love, but by His grace, I am determined to remember past Ebenezers, trust Providence for the present, and look forward to eternity. Life is very different from what I imagined it would be. In some ways it is harder and in other ways so much better. But if Christ died to only give us our "best life now", we would be the most pitiful people on earth so I ain't buying what you're selling,  Mr. Osteen. (1. Cor. 15:19) Because of the gospel, we have something awaiting us that will more than make up for every earthly loss. So Ms. Worry, here's a good dose of eternity to send you packing: They don't sing, "You are worthy to open the scroll, because you always gave your children everything they ever asked for. You gave them nice houses and good jobs; you gave them good children, a...

he two great links between earth and Heaven are the two advents of our Lord, or rather, He is Himself, by His two appearings, the great bond of union between earth and Heaven. When the world had revolted against its Maker and the Creator had been defied by His own creatures, a great gulf was opened between God and man. The first coming of Christ was like a bridge which crossed the chasm, and made a way of access from God to man and then from man to God. Our Lord’s second advent will make that bridge far broader until Heaven shall come down to earth, and ultimately earth shall go up to Heaven. Here, too, is the place for us to build a grand suspension bridge by which, through faith, we ourselves may cross from this side to the other of the stormy river of time. The cross, at whose foot we stand, is the massive column which supports the structure on this side, and as we look forward to the glory, the second advent of our Lord is t...

M Y words & thoughts do both expresse this notion, That Life hath with the sun a double motion. The first  Is straight, and our diurnall friend, The   other   Hid and doth obliquely bend. One  life is wrapt  In flesh, and tends to earth: The other winds towards Him , whose happie birth Taught  me  to  live  here  so, That   still one eye Should aim and shoot at that which Is on high: Quitting    with   daily    labour   all    My   pleasure, To    gain    at    harvest     an    eternall     Treasure .

I know Christmas is over but... The 12 Days of Christmas with a twist:

My thankful list this week... ~ Quiet days to read. I forgot what it was like to spend an uninterrupted hour or two in a book. ~ The body of Christ and the love of the saints. ~ My daughter is back home! I'm also very thankful for traveling mercies through the heavy thunderstorms yesterday. ~ Reminders that God is absolutely, 100% in control of all events and decisions, every cell division, every electron changing its orbit around every single atom in the universe, no exceptions whatsoever. ~ Reminders that I am a child of God and no longer an orphan. My Father does not begrudge His love and care for me but has welcomed me with open arms because of my elder brother, Jesus Christ.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through Lost in the Middle: Midlife and the Grace of God by Paul Tripp.  This is the second book I've read by Tripp and it's very good and very convicting an d not just for the middle-aged. This quote is taken from the chapter 7  Painful Faith: God's Story and Suffering which references 1 Peter 1. What are trials? They are God's boiling pot. When we came to Christ we are dross corrupted Christians. We are carrying around inherent corruptions inside of us that rob us of our strength and beauty. So God, in the grandeur and faithfulness of redemptive love, boils us. The difficulties that come our way are not a sign of his unfaithfulness or inattention. No they are an indication of his love. He knows that we are not yet what we were meant to be.  He has dug us out of the mine, but we need to be refined. Now why is this so hard for us to deal with? I am convinced it is because we tend to live with a destination mentality. We want life to...

You, Your Family, and the Interne t by David Clark, Day One Publications, 2012, 128 pages. The Internet plays a huge role in our lives whether we like it or not. Given this fact, how should Christians use this technology wisely rather than having it use us? If you are looking for a set of rules to follow, this isn't the book for you. But if you want sound biblical guidelines to apply to your family, this is a great resource. You, Your Family, and the Internet begins with a brief history of computers and the rise of the Internet. It is very interesting to see how quickly they have become permanent fixtures in our homes, on our phones, in our cars, etc. Only 20 years ago, I was thrilled to have a 4800 baud modem to access my work computer from home. Now we have unlimited access to the worldwide web on our phones with a few taps on a touch screen and also a distraction that may demand constant attention. The author then discusses social media and its implications, privacy and...

We worship “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Our faith sees Him go from the manger to the cross, and from the cross right up to the throne; and there, where Jehovah dwells, amidst the ineffable glory of the Divine presence, stands the very same Person who slept in the manger at Bethlehem; there He reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords. Our souls worship Him. Thou art our Prophet; every word Thou sayest, we believe, and desire to obey. Thou art our Priest; Thy sacrifice hath made us free from guilt, we are washed white in the fountain of Thy blood. Thou art our King; give Thy commands, and we will obey them; lead Thou on, and we will follow. Thou art God, and we worship Thee.   ~ C.H. Spurgeon

od had made many visits to men before Christ’s Incarnation, but the most wonderful visit of all was when He came to tarry here, some three and thirty years, to work out our salvation. What but tender mercy, hearty mercy, intense mercy could bring the great God to visit us so closely that He actually assumed our nature. Kings may, for various reasons, visit their subjects; but they do not think of taking upon themselves their poverty, their sickness, or their sorrow. They could not if they would, and they would not if they could; but our Divine Lord, when He came hither, took upon Him our flesh... Our Lord so visited us as to become our Surety, our Substitute, our Ransom. He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, and the Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. This was wonderful tender mercy on His part; it excels all human conception and language. If, for the first time, you had heard of the visit o...

I threatened to observe the strict decree Of my deare God with all my power & might. But I was told by one, it could not be; Yet I might trust in God to be my light. Then will I trust, said I, in him alone. Nay, ev’n to trust in him, was also his: We must confesse that nothing is our own. Then I confesse that he my succour is: But to have nought is ours, not to confesse That we have nought. I stood amaz’d at this, Much troubled, till I heard a friend expresse, That all things were more ours by being his. What Adam had, and forfeited for all, Christ keepeth now, who cannot fail or fall. George Herbert

Here's a tentative list for my 2013 reading. It's tempting to skim  read lots of books for the sake of being a good reformed reader. But this year, I want to read with no pressure as to quantity, particular books, or finishing ones only for the sake of completion. I also hope to read books already on the shelf rather than buying new ones. We will see how well I can keep that last resolution... Daily Bible Reading/Devotional/Study: Finish the Bible Reading Program for Slackers and Shirkers Concentrate on Matthew possibly with D. A. Carson's commentary, Lloyd-Jones'  Studies in the Sermon on the Mount , and Pink's The Beatitudes and   The Lord's Prayer Joy! - Keri Folmar, a study on Philippians Voices from the Past - Richard Rushing, ed. To finish: God's Big Picture - Tracing the Storyline of the Bible - Vaughan Roberts (Finished!) God's Wisdom in Proverbs - Dan Phillips Lost in the Middle - Paul David Tripp (Finished!) Night of W...

ht: Cindy on FB ht: Craig on FB

I am thankful for: Fun and fellowship. We had our small group Christmas party and white elephant exchange last night. There was heavy competition for the Starbucks gift cards among the coffee drinkers, which is almost everyone in the group. I brought a book by A.W. Pink, definitely not a white elephant, and left with a Sweet Frog gift card.  Yum! Prayer. I'm so glad I can pour out my heart to God. I'm thankful His will is not dependent on whether I have prayed the right way or had enough faith.  I'm thankful He knows what is the best outcome and I can trust Him. The incarnation - a source of thoughtful joy. To those of us who are truly the people of God, the Incarnation is the subject of a thoughtful joy, which ever increases with our knowledge of its meaning, even as rivers are enlarged by many trickling brooks. The birth of Jesus not only brings us hope, but the certainty of good things. We do not merely speak of Christ’s coming into relation with...

 It's my turn to post at Out of the Ordinary today: "The world is still broken, and we long for the day when fear, conflict, and death will be things of the past. But where can we find this? Is peace possible through finding our better selves? The bumper sticker tells us to "Visualize World Peace", but even if every person on the globe obeyed, it wouldn't change things one bit. "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me" sounds nice, but it doesn't get to the root because the problem is you. The problem is me." Read more ...

For 11 weeks, the women in our church have been studying hermeneutics, guidelines for interpreting Scripture. This was almost a mini-seminary course as Pastor Ryan had taught the same material at Gaba Bible Institute in Uganda this summer. It was very challenging but also very helpful.  After we walked through the final exam, Pastor Ryan said he would consider the class a success if the women in the church are ever so slightly less intimidated by the Word and ever so slightly more faithful in our interpretation. I pray and hope in faith that this will be the case.  I came away with a greater conviction that the Word is the sole authoritative way God reveals Himself. If I profess to love and follow Him, how can I do that unless I know who He is? And how will I know who He is unless I learn through the means He has chosen to reveal Himself? I will still read plenty of books, but they can't be primary. There is no substitute for digging in the Bible. Much is way bey...

[W]hen Jesus came into the world, God let down a plumb line. If someone is building a wall he needs to make sure that wall is straight. So he allows the plumb line to drop. It is absolutely straight. Once it appears, then you can see how straight the wall is - not just by looking at it, but by measuring it against something that is truly straight. Jesus comes among men, the light of the world, and, in the light of his utter glory and splendour and perfection and light, you see the utter depravity of the human heart. If you want to get the true measure of yourself, you must stand side by side with Jesus. It is no use standing side by side with another sinner, not even a religious sinner, or someone in the church, not even the minister, or elder, or deacon, or any office-bearer. To see what you really are in your own heart, you need to stand next to Jesus. The test is not what we are like in comparison with other people, no matter how religious they are. The test is what we are like...

A  broken   A L T A R,  Lord,  thy  servant  reares, Made  of  a  heart,  and  cemented  with   teares: Whose  parts are as  thy hand did frame; No workmans tool hath touch’d the same. A   H E A R T alone Is such a   stone, As    nothing   but Thy pow’r doth cut. Wherefore each part Of  my   hard   heart Meets in this frame, To praise thy Name; That, if  I  chance  to  hold  my   peace, These stones to praise thee may not cease. O  let  thy  blessed   S A C R I F I C E   be  mine, And sanctifie  this   A L T A R   to   be   thine. George Herbert (1593-1633) The manger of Bethlehem. was big with glory; in Christ’s Incarnation was wrapped up all the blessedness by which a soul,...

No Calvin today. This poem by George Herbert  dovetails well with tomorrow's sermon on Mark 15 and fits my sober frame of mind after yesterday's tragedy in Connecticut. It's long but I hope you will read the whole thing. It's worth it. O H all ye , who passe by, whose eyes and minde To worldly things are sharp, but to me blinde; To me, who took eyes that I might you finde: Was ever grief like mine? The Princes of my people make a head Against their Maker: they do wish me dead, Who cannot wish, except I give them bread; Was ever grief like mine? Without me each one, who doth now me brave, Had to this day been an Egyptian slave. They use that power against me, which I gave: Was ever grief like mine? Mine own Apostle, who the bag did beare, Though he had all I had, did not forbeare To sell me also, and to put me there...

The Skinny Jeans song:

What amazing condescension is it that God, who made all things, should assume the nature of one of His own creatures, that the Self existent should be united with the dependent and derived, and the Almighty linked with the feeble and mortal! In His Incarnation, our Lord Jesus Christ descended to the very depths of humiliation, by entering into alliance with a nature which did not occupy the chief place in the scale of existence. It would have been marvelous condescension for the infinite and incomprehensible Jehovah to have taken upon Himself the nature of some noble spiritual being, such as a seraph or a cherub. The union of the Divine Creator with any created spirit would have been an immeasurable stoop; but for God to become one with man, is far greater condescension... Yet, to realize in it something that is still more remarkable, remember that the creature whose nature Christ took was a being who had sinned against Him. I ca...

I'm thankful for: ~ Sunday's sermon on Jesus' trial and Peter's denial. I can relate to Peter, which makes me so thankful for forgiveness and restoration in Christ.  Jesus' words, "I have prayed for you", are so comforting. ~ This season which brings more opportunities for fellowship with the saints. ~ The opportunity to have lunch with some ladies I haven't seen in 4 years. So much has changed in that time. I hope that I can share a little of my journey with them for the glory of God. ~ God's sovereignty over everything including the little irritations and problems of this broken world. This is a safe and secure place to rest.

Rebels Rescued: A Student's Guide to Reformed Theology by Brian Cosby, CF4K, 2012, 112 pages. Are you looking for a good book that teaches reformed theology to teens? Your search may be over. Rebels Rescued by Brian Cosby is a concise, enjoyable, and easy-to-read overview of the main doctrines of reformed theology. The author unpacks key doctrines such as depravity, election, particular redemption, irresistible grace, and the Five Solas. Using scriptures and examples, these topics are clearly explained without any dumbing down. Each chapter ends with reflection questions for further thought. As a parent of a teen, I would highly recommend Rebels Rescued to parents looking for a solid theological resource for their kids.  This would be great for a parent/teen read-together or a youth group/Sunday school setting. While the examples seem to be geared toward the high school and upper middle school bracket, younger adults new to the Doctrines of Grace could benefit from this ...

Here is a list of my favorite completed books for 2012 (with one exception). They are listed in no particular order: Total Truth: Liberating Christianity From Its Cultural Captivity  by Nancy Pearcey - This book uncovers why we think the way we do, where we've gone wrong, and how to get back to a Christian worldview. I loved Pearcey's chapter on the gender wars. It highlighted, at least to me, the danger of promoting moralism rather than the gospel. Reformation: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow  by Carl Trueman - This is a little book that packs a punch. The cross of Christ, the preaching of the Word, and assurance of salvation were vital to the Reformation and just as important to the church today. Have we lost these essentials? Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It)  by Robert P. Lupton - Are we enabling dependence or rehabilitating towards healthy self-sufficiency? If you give to charities, read this. If you care about me...

The quote I posted yesterday by Kevin DeYoung hit me like a ton of bricks. Even with a greater awareness of the gospel, I still fall back into legalism so easily. There's still a "I need to get it right before I can [fill in the blank]". We're almost finished the women's hermeneutics class. It's been very, very helpful, and it's raised my awareness of the importance of interpreting the Word correctly. Unfortunately, the "I need to get it right" is raising it's ugly head again. To quote my astute daughter who nailed it on the head, "You're afraid to presume, so you're afraid to trust His promises." As much as I hate the prosperity gospel, there's an outcome-based view of God that still lurks deep in my heart. Pray right and God will answer my prayers. Read the Word and believe His promises correctly, and then good will happen. Now there's nothing wrong with praying open and honestly about the burdens on my heart. ...

125. Q. What does the Fourth Request mean? A. "Give us this day our daily bread" means, Do take care of all our physical needs so that we come to know that You are the only source of everything good, and that neither our work or our worry nor Your gifts can do us any good without Your blessings. And so help us to give up our trust in creatures and to put our trust in You alone. "Too often our struggle with prayer is that we focus on the wrong things. We focus on praying better instead of focusing on knowing better the one to whom we pray. And we focus on our need of discipline rather than our need for God. So many of us want to pray more but our lives seem too disordered. But God wants us to see that our messy, chaotic lives can be an impetus to pray instead of an obstacle to prayer. "You don't need discipline nearly as much as you need a broken heart and faith. You don't need an ordered life to enable prayer; you need a messy life to drive you to pra...

Moreover, that repentance is a special gift of God, I trust is too well understood from the above doctrine to require any lengthened discourse. Hence the Church extols the goodness of God, and looks on in wonder, saying, “Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life,” (Acts 11:18); and Paul enjoining Timothy to deal meekly and patiently with unbelievers, says, “If God per adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil,” (2 Tim. 2:25, 26). God indeed declares, that he would have all men to repent, and addresses exhortations in common to all; their efficacy, however, depends on the Spirit of regeneration. It were easier to create us at first, than for us by our own strength to acquire a more excellent nature. Wherefore, in regard to the whole process of regeneration, it is not without cause we are called God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has ...

Last night, we had the opportunity to hear Andrew Peterson and friends perform "Behold the Lamb of God". I'm terrible at estimating people, but my guess is at least 600+ attendees were at the sold-out concert. The first half was a round table performance by the various artists on the tour. In addition to Peterson, Andrew Osenga, Matthew Perryman Jones, Ben Shives, Andy Gullahorn, and Jill Phillips each sang twice. This was an unexpected treat as we had only expected to hear the songs from "Behold the Lamb of God". I especially enjoyed the songs from Andrew Peterson's latest album, Jill Phillips' new version of the hymn Man of Sorrows, and from the opposite end of the spectrum, Andy Gullahorn's (who is Phillips' husband) satirical song about skinny jeans. The second half was "Behold the Lamb of God". Although some of the instrumentation was different from the recording, it was even better live.  The voices and instruments dovetailed...

I'm thankful for time to reflect on the Incarnation through reading, sermons, and reflection. I'm thankful for the opportunity to hear Andrew Peterson this evening. I'm prepared for the tears to flow when he sings "Behold the Lamb of God." I'm thankful God is constant and that His character doesn't vary with my experiences or perceptions of Him, good or bad. I'm thankful He receives me for Christ's sake. I'm thankful Jesus included me in His prayer in John 17. I'm thankful He is still interceding for me. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that th...

Charles Spurgeon is guest posting from the grave at Out of the Ordinary   today. "Jesus Christ did not come into the world to help you to forget your sin. He has not come to furnish you with a cloak with which to cover it. He has not appeared that He may so strengthen your minds (as some men would have you believe,) that you may learn to laugh at your iniquities, and defy the consequences thereof. For no such reason has the Son of God descended from Heaven to earth. He has come, not to lull you into a false peace, not to whisper consolation which would turn out to be delusive in the end, but to give you a real deliverance from sin by putting it away, and so to bring you a true peace in which you may safely rejoice." Read more. ...

I Am... Exploring the "I am" sayings of John's Gospel by Iain D. Campbell, EP Books, 2012, 121 pages. There's a chorus from an old hymn that says, "Turn your eyes upon, Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face." Those lines would perfectly describe this book by Dr. Iain Campbell.  In I Am , the author unfolds the beauty of the person and work of Jesus Christ as seen in the seven "I am" sayings unique to the Gospel of John - the bread, the light, the door, the shepherd, the resurrection, the way, and the vine. Each chapter focuses on one "I am" saying with numerous scriptures to unpack its meaning. While the content is theologically rich, this book is not intimidating in the least. The writing is very clear. The tone is warm and pastoral. I was blessed by reading this because I can never meditate too much on Jesus Christ and what He has done.  I Am would be a wonderful book to use as a devotional for believers at any stage in their w...

1. Our tree is fake and oh so easy to set up. 2. Most of the ornaments are plastic. A few, a very few are handmade. 3.  I'm not a decorator type the remaining 364 days of the year, so other than tinsel garland on the mantle, the tree is it for decorations. 4. We have a tree because it's pretty, not for any Norse rituals as my ancestors came from a different continent. 5. We skip the gifts to each other and give elsewhere. 6. We have no holiday traditions (gasp!) probably because there was a long gap in my life not celebrating Christmas. My parents had convictions about not holding one day above another, and my ex- and I continued in the same vein. There was a certain amount of smug superiority (in me, not my parents) for being spiritual enough to not celebrate Christmas. That changed when we started attending Grace and the gospel was recovered in my life. Which leads to... 7. My main reason for celebrating Christmas is to reflect on the Incarnation and the gos...

122. Q. What does the Third Request mean? A. "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" means, Help us and all people to reject our own wills and to obey Your will without any back talk. You will alone is good. Help us one and all to carry out the work we are called to, as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven. "[N]o one deserves to have his will followed no matter what. No one except for God. When we pray, "Your will be done." we are confessing our confidence that God knows best, that His plans are good, that His way is always the right way. The Good News We Almost Forgot , Kevin DeYoung, Moody Publishers, 2010, pp. 226, 228.

Christ came to call sinners, but to call them to repentance. He was sent to bless the unworthy, but by “turning away every one” “from his iniquities.” The Scripture is full of similar passages. Hence, when God offers forgiveness of sins, he in return usually stipulates for repentance, intimating that his mercy should induce men to repent. “Keep ye judgment,” saith he, “and do justice: for my salvation is near to come.” Again, “The Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob.” Again, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him.” “Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” Here, however, it is to be observed, that repentance is not made a condition in such a sense as to be a foundation for meriting pardon; nay, it rather indicates the end at which they...