Tried With Fire

105. Q. What is God's will for you in the Sixth Commandment? A. I am not to belittle, insult, hate, or kill my neighbor - not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds - and I am not to be party to this in others; rather, I am to put away all desire for revenge. I am not to harm or recklessly endanger myself either. Prevention of murder is why government is armed with the sword. 106. Q. Does this commandment only refer to killing? A. By forbidding murder, God teaches us that He hates the root of murder; envy, anger, vindictiveness. In God's sight all such are murder. 107. Q. Is it enough then that we do not kill our neighbor in any such way? A. No. By condemning envy, hatred, and anger, God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to be patient, peace-loving, gentle, merciful, and friendly to them, to protect them from harm as much as we can, and so do good even to our enemies. "I'm all for passion and righteous indi...

Our acquittal is in this that the guilt which made us liable to punishment was transferred to the head of the Son of God (Is. 53:12). We must specially remember this substitution in order that we may not be all our lives in trepidation and anxiety, as if the just vengeance which the Son of God transferred to himself, were still impending over us. Accordingly, faith apprehends acquittal in the condemnation of Christ, and blessing in his curse. Hence it is not without cause that Paul magnificently celebrates the triumph which Christ obtained upon the cross, as if the cross, the symbol of ignominy, had been converted into a triumphal chariot. For he says, that he blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross: that “having spoiled principalities and powers he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it,” (Col. 2:14, 15). Institutes of the Christian Religion  2.16.5 & 2.16...

Don't take yourself too seriously...    ht: Reformed Humor on FB

Butterfly on blue mist flowers I'm thankful for: ~ Used book sales. ~ A repaired furnace before cooler weather sets in and a home warranty to help cover the cost. ~ Hearing my daughter speak of her love for our church family. ~ Laughter and private jokes. ~ Being reminded that even with the many wonderful temporal blessings God has given us, Jesus is off the chart by comparison. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith .  Philippians 3:7-9

It's my turn to post at Out of the Ordinary : Appearance is a big issue for young women. From preschool onward, there's an unspoken rule that the prettiest, best dressed, and coolest girl moves to the top of the pecking order. This rule “tells girls that how you look is more important than how you feel. More that that, it tells them that how you look  is  how you feel as well as  who you are .”  1 But if you think this is something women outgrow when they reach middle age, think again. There are nearly 500  Forever 21  stores, but you've probably never heard of  Forever 52 . Why not? Because it doesn't exist in a culture where “... girls are now simultaneously getting older younger  and  staying younger older. It also explains why the identical midriff-baring crop top is sold to eight-year-olds, eighteen-year-olds, and forty-eight-year-olds. The phases of our lives have become strangely blurred as girls try to look like adult women and ...

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; Wisdom and discipline, dense people belittle. (Prov. 1:7 DJP) The fear of Yahweh is not a concept without a context, hanging on nothing. It is not a vibration, not a virus. We don't catch it, and it doesn't happen either outside of us, or to us. It is an attitude. It is a mindset. More, it is a worldview; it is the grid through which we perceive, arrange, understand, interpret, and interact with the world. And what is a worldview without a viewer? ... [E]ach of us must make personal application of what we learn here. True, we may well learn something of help to a friend or relative. Still, we should think primarily in terms of how we can learn and personally apply the fear of Yahweh in  our own lives. It is I who must learn to fear Yahweh, myself. And so must you. No one can or will do it for us, as our substitute - not even the Holy Spirit. God's Wisdom in Proverbs , Dan Phillips, Kress, 2011, pp. 66-67.

[This is a post that's been simmering on the back burner for some time. I'm revisiting it having been inspired by our new Sunday school series on applying the gospel in a fallen world.] I listened to Voddie Baucham's talk from the 2012 Shepherd's conference and heard the most beautiful and compelling argument for purity I have ever heard. (Audio here , video here - start listening around 24:00.) He does a little pretend dialogue with his son regarding abstinence and the one flesh union solely within the bounds of marriage. Baucham then says, "It is awesome because this is a picture of Christ and His bride, the church, and you should no more illegitimately unite yourself physically with a woman outside of marriage than Christ should unite Himself with one who is not His own. " Why is this so powerful? It's not a "carrot and stick" approach - obey the rules and God will bless you, disobey and you'll be stricken with a loathsome disease a...

104. Q. What is God's will for you in the Fifth Commandment? A. That I honor, love, and be loyal to my father and mother and all those in authority over me, that I obey and submit to them, as is proper, when they correct and punish me; and also that I be patient with their failings - for through them God chooses to rule us. "Sadly with the reign of youth-ism comes a disrespect for older generations. Instead of thinking, "This person is older and probably has something to teach me that I don't know yet," we figure, "This person is old and out of date and funny looking and weak and is best ignored." Older folks deserve better, especially Mom and Dad. Even into old age we must honor our parents. We should visit them, listen to their advice, and see they are well cared for later in life. Honor for parents has no statute of limitations." "I doubt that many of us regularly feel convicted by the Fifth Commandment, but we probably should. How a...

A nother principal part of our reconciliation with God was, that man, who had lost himself by his disobedience, should, by way of remedy, oppose to it obedience, satisfy the justice of God, and pay the penalty of sin. Therefore, our Lord came forth very man, adopted the person of Adam, and assumed his name, that he might in his stead obey the Father; that he might present our flesh as the price of satisfaction to the just judgment of God, and in the same flesh pay the penalty which we had incurred. Finally, since as God only he could not suffer, and as man only could not overcome death, he united the human nature with the divine, that he might subject the weakness of the one to death as an expiation of sin, and by the power of the other, maintaining a struggle with death, might gain us the victory. Those, therefore, who rob Christ of divinity or humanity either detract from his majesty and glory, or obscure his goodness. On the other hand, they are no less injurious to men, undermini...

For receiving intelligent discipline - righteousness, and justice and uprightness. Proverbs 1:3 (DJP) So ask yourself this: Why would Solomon write a book to give us something we could get easier and better by mystical channels? If the formula for wisdom is "Just add prayer and mystical openness, and pop! wisdom!" - then why waste all the quills and papyrus? Just tell us to go mentally limp, and you will save a few trees... or, rather reeds. This "intelligent discipline" will not come to the intellectually lazy.  Intelligent discipline becomes ours only as we diligently apply ourselves to obtaining what Yahweh has objectively given, once for all time, in Scripture. To access it, we must open up, bear down, and accept instruction. God's Wisdom in Proverbs , Dan Phillips, Kress, 2011, pp. 46-47.

I'm thankful for the week-end conference with Nancy Guthrie. It was interesting listening to her talks on this side of my trial. Her words brought back many memories, but these were ebenezers, not painful remembrances. Her words reinforced the truth of God's sovereignty, faithfulness, and love when our hearts ache and circumstances don't make sense. So I'm thankful for a God who glorifies Himself through the suffering, for His unchanging character, for the truth of His Word, and for His grace to look back and see that it was all worth it. The Spirit of God working in us to give us a spirit of acceptance and even joy in the midst of tremendous sorrow has produced nothing less than a miracle. Hope and peace beyond our human capacity to generate and maintain have shown us that God is at work in us and through us in a way we can't explain or take credit for. To experience and exude peace when life is crashing down around you, to have the lightness of joy when th...

 I just started reading A Little Book for New Theologians by Kelly M. Kapic.  I was interested because he addresses the false dichotomy between theology and living. This idea of "either-or" not "both-and" is alive and well and something I have been trying to dispel from my own life. On one side of the aisle is the life of the mind - how we think and what we think upon. On the opposite side are our feelings, experiences, and daily living. We can see the good on either side, but we often lean one way and perhaps minimize the other. Sometimes we think the subjective is "real life". Sure it helps to read the Bible to get an emotional boost, but what good is theology in the day-to-day grind? Conversely we can get engrossed in the intricacies of what we believe without bearing any fruit of sanctification.But regardless of which way we list, we're all theologians. Any time we speak about God, we are engaged in theology.So according to the author, it beho...

When Anxiety is Not Sin, My Journey Through Panic Disorder : Diane's testimony which is well worth reading. Pleased to meet you. Hope you guessed my name by Carl Trueman: "Frankly, in a couple of years it will not matter how much urban ink you sport, how much fair trade coffee you drink, how many craft brews you can name, how much urban gibberish you spout, how many art house movies you can find that redeemer figure in, and how much money you divert from gospel preaching to social justice: maintaining biblical sexual ethics will be the equivalent in our culture of being a white supremacist." Two views of Genesis 3:16 from Claire Smith and Wendy Alsup at The Gospel Coalition Blog. (I'm with Wendy on this one.) Why you don't want to parent in fear   from Kim. "Ultimately, we have to stop looking at raising a child as producing a product and understand that we are raising a soul."

Nancy Guthrie's 2nd session dealt with hearing Jesus speak to us when it seems God has broken His promises. What do you do when there is a conflict between what the Bible says and your experience? Jesus was willing to heal the leper in Mark 1, but He seems unwilling to respond in your case. Psalm 91 relates God's protection over His people, but what do you do when you or a loved one was left unprotected? We need to remember that the primary focus of Jesus' ministry was not physical healing but spiritual healing. Leprosy is a picture of an even more fatal disease, sin, which has infected all of us. Jesus came to rid us of a disease that kills the soul, not just the body. Yes, Jesus did heal people while on earth, but they eventually died. The healing He gives from sin is not partial but permanent which we will experience forever in eternity. If this leaves us disappointed, it shows that we really don't think sin is that big of a deal. Jesus came to protect us but not...

103. Q. What is God's will for you in the Fourth Commandment? A. First, that the gospel ministry and education for it be maintained and that, especially on the festive day of rest, I regularly attend the assembly of God's people to learn what God's Word teaches, to participate in the sacraments, to pray to God publicly, and to bring Christian offerings for the poor. Second, that every day of my life I rest from my evil ways, let the Lord work in me through His Spirit, and to begin already in this life the eternal sabbath.  "Sabbath rest is about making Jesus Christ the center of who we are and relying on Him alone for our salvation. It means ceasing to find approval and righteousness in our deeds. It means we stop doubting God's promises and start trusting that our spiritual vitality is found only by resting in Him. Keeping the Sabbath means we give up on ourselves and give ourselves over to God, letting the Lord work in us through His Spirit, "and so beg...

We were blessed to hear Nancy Guthrie speak last night at Sovereign Grace, Chesapeake. Her first talk was on suffering and hearing Jesus speak through the Word when the pain can't be prayed away. I'm hoping to decipher my notes and post more, God willing, but here are a few quotes. Sometimes God glorifies Himself by delivering us from the suffering  But oftentimes, He glorifies Himself by delivering us through the suffering. Faith is not measured by our ability to manipulate God to get what we want. Faith is measured by our ability to submit to what God wants. Jesus responded by not giving Paul the healing he asked for, but He gave Him more of Himself. His grace will be delivered in the form, timing, and quantity in which it is needed.  Looking forward to learning more today....

History of Whistling: 26 songs, 98 years.... (Warning: A bad word around 2:30.)

I'm thankful for: ~ Days in the 70's and nights in the 60's. Cooler weather also means yummy things like pumpkin pudding (for breakfast!) and sausage and kale soup. ~ Little things such as getting my wireless keyboard to finally sync this morning. ~ Changes in visitation that give my daughter longer uninterrupted time at home. ~ Oneness in Christ because of the gospel and healthy give-and-take on secondary issues. ~ The opportunity to hear Nancy Guthrie speak this week-end. ~ The good news of Jesus Christ and letting that shape how we live.

My first post is up at Out of the Ordinary : One of my less-than-fond memories of childhood is let's-scare-you-into-the-kingdom evangelism. I remember those colorful comic book tracts depicting the end times in lurid detail, all the better to scare you with. I was too young, but my big sister had the pleasure of viewing that high water mark of Christian cinema,   A Thief in the Night . Her description was enough to give me nightmares which did not help an already anxious young girl. Afterwards when my parents would run errands that took much longer than anticipated, I would run to the window and check to see if the moon or sun had turned to blood for fear that they had been raptured without me. I hadn't grown out of this as an adult although I internalized my fear. You can imagine how I reacted to Y2K, 9/11, or any turmoil in the Middle East. I avoided the TV news and wouldn't even glance at the front page of a newspaper. I kid you not. That's how bad it was...   ...

Congratulations to Rebecca and Becky for winning the gospel infographic print. Thanks to everyone who entered. Lord willing, there will be more giveaways in the future.

No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked are filled with trouble.  Proverbs 12:21 (NAS) Taken on face value as if it were prose, this verse voices a sentiment that Job's friends would have heartily "Amen-ed, " and which they would have used to further club him over the head as with a frozen meat chub. Job's three wretched comforters reasoned that misery, "harm," is always caused by sin. Then these men noted that "harm" had befallen Job. He was "filled with trouble." Conclusion, Job could not be "righteous" and his misery must have been caused by some personal sin. Or, again, those ignoring the genre might seize upon Proverbs 22:4 - "The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life." Armed with this verse, they might observe; "you aren't rich... so that means you are arrogant and godless." So we are learning that Proverbs both teaches wisdom and requires  wisdom. f...

If you've had an old physical injury, there are times when you feel a twinge even though the damage was done years ago. I wonder if this is the case when you've gone through a trial? God mends broken hearts. You go on by His grace. But like an old war wound, the pain can be triggered unexpectedly. I was listening to an audiobook this week-end when a plot twist brought so many memories to mind, painful ones that I thought were laid to rest. I was surprised because I didn't expect to feel such sadness again. God's grace has healed so many hurts, but there's a grief for the brokenness of this world that may not go away in this life. Even though God has put joy in my heart once more, I don't think I can stop mourning for the sin that tramples over so many lives. But maybe these war wounds are a good thing. Our past experiences change how we pray for those in similar circumstances. Sympathy becomes empathy, and we can comfort with the comfort wherewith we were ...

101.Q. But may we swear an oath in God's name if we do it reverently? A. Yes, when the government demands it, or when necessity requires it, in order to maintain and promote truth, and trustworthiness for God's glory and our neighbor's good. Such oaths are approved in God's Word and were rightly used by the Old and New Testament believers. 102. Q. May we swear by saints or other creatures? A. No. A legitimate oath means calling upon God as the one who knows my heart to witness to my truthfulness and to punish me if I swear falsely. No creature is worthy of such honor. "Since God alone can know the heart and God is the one who will hold us accountable for matters of the heart, swearing by any other besides Him is an affront to His authority. If you swear "on my mother's grave," you're calling on your mother to vouchsafe for your truthfulness and judge you if you lie. But your mom, no matter how special, is not the searcher of hearts and she...

Where, on the other hand, is the great stability of the saints, who, as David complains, are not only disturbed, but everywhere utterly bruised and oppressed? It is here. He set before his eyes not merely the unstable vicissitudes of the world, tossed like a troubled sea, but what the Lord is to do when he shall one day sit to fix the eternal constitution of heaven and earth, as he in another place elegantly describes: “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” “For he sees that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish. This their way is their folly: yet their pos...

This week, I'm thankful for: ~ A good start to our last year of homeschooling. The early bird gets the worm and is much more productive when it comes to school and work. I'm thankful God is merciful to redeem past mistakes and for strength to keep going during trials. ~ The positive response to our group blog, Out of the Ordinary . I am humbled by the recommendations and enthusiasm of my sisters in Christ. But whether we have many readers or just a few, I pray we would encourage each other to be abide in the truth and let that shape our lives.

Apocalyptic romance, that is. I had never heard of the phrase "apocalyptic romance" until Tim Keller mentioned it in this interview . The term comes from The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker who proposed that "When you take God out of the culture, you have got to put something in His place. Apocalyptic romance was one of the ways people aspire to transcendence. So instead of salvation, romance is going to solve everything." Although I would never have owned that romance was going to solve everything, I believed and practiced it. It's easy to do if you over-romanticize the analogy between Christ's relationship with the church and marriage. Omitting the whole counsel of God on subjects like human depravity and progressive sanctification also helps to foster this pie-in-the-sky view. I would have continued in this vein, until my marriage exploded as a result of this self-fueled time bomb. Initially, it's intoxicating to believe you've found the o...

Out of the Ordinary officially begins today with this great post by Kim . Hope you will visit our new blog.

It's September and time for another giveaway. I'll be giving away two copies of "What is the Gospel?", an infographic art print designed by my friend, Amanda Franks, an amazingly talented graphic designer and photographer. More details on the print here . These are 8 x 10" in size. To enter the giveaway, fill out the form below. Two providential winners will be chosen on September 11th US and Canadian addresses only. Thanks for entering, and many thanks to Amanda for donating one of the prints for the giveaway! (The giveaway has ended.)

To kick off our new group blog, we're giving away Joy! by Keri Folmar, a women's inductive study of Philippians published by Cruciform Press . Details here .

99.Q. What is God's will for us in the third commandment? A. That we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths, nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders. In a word, it requires that we use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess Him, pray to Him, and praise Him in everything we do and say. 100. Q. Is blasphemy of God's name by swearing and cursing really such serious sin that God is angry also with those who do not do all they can to help prevent it and forbid it? A. Yes, indeed. No sin is greater, no sin makes God more angry than blaspheming His name. That is why He commanded the death penalty for it. "The Third Commandment forbids taking the Lord's name in vain. God does not want us to empty His name of its meaning or use it in a careless or wicked way. "[T]he Third commandment speaks to more than just foul language. Of course, it speaks to this iss...

For the gospel does not confine the hearts of men to the enjoyment of the present life, but raises them to the hope of immortality; does not fix them down to earthly delights, but announcing that there is treasure in heaven, carries the heart thither also. For the preaching of the gospel declares nothing more than that sinners, without any merit of their own, are justified by the paternal indulgence of God. It is wholly summed up in Christ. Institutes of the Christian Religion  2.10.3, 2.10.4, John Calvin, translated by Henry Beveridge, Hendrickson, pp. 274-275.