Lessons learned from the first week of having my son
1. Not everyone is born the same way. Some come naturally. Some have to be urged and encouraged, and then some have to be extracted. In salvation, no two births will look the same. Some will be saved at a revival; some will be saved in the shower. Some will carry a great sense of guilt of their sin; some will fall madly in love with Jesus. Some will say a prayer; some will “ask Jesus into their hearts.” Others will just decide in their hearts. None of these are wrong, or more preferred over the other. However, we must not boil away the necessities of salvation. Even though our stories differ, there will always be common denominators in all true conversions. Sin recognized; sin confessed and repented of; faith, belief, love for Jesus and a bowing of the knee to him.
2. Babies will chew or suck on anything. That does not mean they are being nourished. Proper supervision and direction must be given to babies so that they will be nourished properly. A baby may be satisfied for a moment with a pacifier, but in the long run it will leave the baby frustrated and empty. Sanctification does not happen automatically. It must be sought after; it must be fed in order to grow. There are good places to aid you in the growth of your sanctification, as well as resources that will leave you frustrated and empty.
3. Evangelism should be a lot like natural child birth, and not so much a c-section. If you have read Pilgrim’s Progress, then you are familiar with the character The Evangelist. He shows up in the story when Christian gets off track. Evangelist didn’t force Pilgrim to a decision. He simply guided Christian.
4. Doctors are smarter than the average couple. There should be people in your life who can guide you to wise decisions. A discipler should not be dictators.
5. My love for my son comes nowhere close to God’s love for me.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
Jack's Lullaby
He cries. But oh, how I adore it! For it is a song of ardent desperation.
Each lyric of want thunders within my chest to provide for him loving preservation.
He has thus only brought me the purest of joy, and no offense to speak of.
So how then can my soul not race to console him, my tiny newest Love?
Yet a father’s affection for his child, compared to the One’s above Dare not come close to tell. For He loved us even though we warred against Him, Condemning ourselves to hell.
‘Twas in the darkness there, another song was sung, though a different kind of desperation.
It was sung by a royal voice, Whose melody hath brought forth creation.
Each refrain spoke of the redemption story
while the chorus echoed, “’Tis only for the Father’s glory”.
So cry, my baby, cry tonight. I shall delight in your song. Know this: my deepest longing is to one day sing with you aside the heavenly throng. And this music has no end.
written with the help of Jenni
Each lyric of want thunders within my chest to provide for him loving preservation.
He has thus only brought me the purest of joy, and no offense to speak of.
So how then can my soul not race to console him, my tiny newest Love?
Yet a father’s affection for his child, compared to the One’s above Dare not come close to tell. For He loved us even though we warred against Him, Condemning ourselves to hell.
‘Twas in the darkness there, another song was sung, though a different kind of desperation.
It was sung by a royal voice, Whose melody hath brought forth creation.
Each refrain spoke of the redemption story
while the chorus echoed, “’Tis only for the Father’s glory”.
So cry, my baby, cry tonight. I shall delight in your song. Know this: my deepest longing is to one day sing with you aside the heavenly throng. And this music has no end.
written with the help of Jenni
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Thank You Biblical Training!
Biblical Training.org has made available several different courses on theology and scripture. New to the list is Dr. Bryan Chapell's course lectures on preaching. To all those who stand in the pulpit, please go to this website and download this course. Dr. Chapell wrote an amazing book entitled Christ-Centered Preaching, and we could all benefit from his lectures. Thank you to biblical training.org for making available these nuggets of gold.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
The Persuaders
There was a great PBS Documentary Tuesday night on advertising. Go to this PBS website to get informed on what was said. It was very eye-opening and if you have some spare time you should watch it streamed over the net.
Tara Connor being Trumped
Today Donald Trump did the unexpected--instead of "you're fire," he uttered different words. He gave Tara Connor, the reigning Miss USA, a second chance at keeping her crown. Allegations have run wild over the last few days suggesting that Connor was a partier, drug user, and all out playgirl. So why did the Donald give her another chance after her crown had been tarnished? As we all know, any publicity is good publicity, so this whole ordeal has brought the spotlight on the Miss USA pageant and on Donald himself as to how he will handle this whole thing. Some may think that Mr. Trump showed grace to Tara because he truly believes she is a "good person." Others may be a bit more cynical and surmise that Mr. Trump only did this to show a softer side to himself, or to keep a good public image of himself.
Whatever the reason, I cannot decide if I think this was a good decision or a bad one. On one hand, this is grace in action. Donald owns the crown and had very good reason to strip Connor of the crown and hand it over to the runner up. Yet, he chose to be merciful. On the other hand, does this leniency send a message to a bunch of young ladies that discipline is always put off until "next time"? Will the integrity of the position of Miss USA remain, or will it plummet just like the position of the presidency has over the last 15 years?
Whatever you may think about this particular situation, it does provide good fodder for illustrating what mercy and grace are. Every day we receive new mercies from the Father of mercies, and are flooded with the underserved grace of the Most Holy God. We are all Tara Connor's and should ball our eyes out just like she did with respect to what God has done for us.
Whatever the reason, I cannot decide if I think this was a good decision or a bad one. On one hand, this is grace in action. Donald owns the crown and had very good reason to strip Connor of the crown and hand it over to the runner up. Yet, he chose to be merciful. On the other hand, does this leniency send a message to a bunch of young ladies that discipline is always put off until "next time"? Will the integrity of the position of Miss USA remain, or will it plummet just like the position of the presidency has over the last 15 years?
Whatever you may think about this particular situation, it does provide good fodder for illustrating what mercy and grace are. Every day we receive new mercies from the Father of mercies, and are flooded with the underserved grace of the Most Holy God. We are all Tara Connor's and should ball our eyes out just like she did with respect to what God has done for us.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Merry Christmas to...
all those who are now receiving emails to update you on when a new blog has been posted. Visit often; enjoy the links on the side; and leave comments when you so desire. Hope you find this to be of encouragement, and a source of good information.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Cry for Revival by MCheyne
"Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee?" Psalm 85:6.
It is interesting to notice the time when this prayer was offered. It was a time of mercy. "Lord, thou hast been favorable unto thy land." It was a time when God had led many to the knowledge of Christ, and covered many sins. "Thou has forgotten the iniquity of thy people." It was now they began to feel their need of another visit of mercy — "Wilt thou not revive us again?"
The thing prayed for. "Revive us again," or literally, return and make us live anew. It is the prayer of those who have received some life, but feel their need of more. They had been made alive by the Holy Spirit. They felt the sweetness and excellence of this new, hidden, divine life. They pant for more — "Wilt thou not revive us again?"
The argument presented. "That thy people may rejoice in thee." They plead with God to do this for the sake of His people, that their joy may be full; and that it may be in the Lord — in the Lord their righteousness — in the Lord their strength.
Continue here
It is interesting to notice the time when this prayer was offered. It was a time of mercy. "Lord, thou hast been favorable unto thy land." It was a time when God had led many to the knowledge of Christ, and covered many sins. "Thou has forgotten the iniquity of thy people." It was now they began to feel their need of another visit of mercy — "Wilt thou not revive us again?"
The thing prayed for. "Revive us again," or literally, return and make us live anew. It is the prayer of those who have received some life, but feel their need of more. They had been made alive by the Holy Spirit. They felt the sweetness and excellence of this new, hidden, divine life. They pant for more — "Wilt thou not revive us again?"
The argument presented. "That thy people may rejoice in thee." They plead with God to do this for the sake of His people, that their joy may be full; and that it may be in the Lord — in the Lord their righteousness — in the Lord their strength.
Continue here
Friday, December 08, 2006
Sunday, December 03, 2006
True Revival by Horatius Bonar
The world is still sleeping its sleep of death. It has been a slumber of many generations; sometimes deeper, sometimes lighter?yet still a slumber like that of the tomb, as if destined to continue till the last trumpet sound; and then there shall be no more sleep.
Yet God has not left it to sleep on unwarned. He has spoken in a voice that might reach the dullest ears and quicken the coldest heart. Ten thousand times has He thus spoken and still He speaks. But the world refuses to hear. Its myriads slumber on, as if this sleep of death were the very blessedness of its being.
Yet in one sense the world's sleep has never been universal. Never has there been an age when it could be said there is not one awake. The multitude has always slept, but there has always been a little flock awake. Even in the world's deepest midnight there have been always children of the light and of the day. In the midst of a slumbering world some have been in every age awake. God's voice had reached them, and His mighty power had raised them, and they walked the earth, awake among sleepers, the living among the dead.
Continue here
Yet God has not left it to sleep on unwarned. He has spoken in a voice that might reach the dullest ears and quicken the coldest heart. Ten thousand times has He thus spoken and still He speaks. But the world refuses to hear. Its myriads slumber on, as if this sleep of death were the very blessedness of its being.
Yet in one sense the world's sleep has never been universal. Never has there been an age when it could be said there is not one awake. The multitude has always slept, but there has always been a little flock awake. Even in the world's deepest midnight there have been always children of the light and of the day. In the midst of a slumbering world some have been in every age awake. God's voice had reached them, and His mighty power had raised them, and they walked the earth, awake among sleepers, the living among the dead.
Continue here
Friday, December 01, 2006
Preach to the inner man
There is a Great Need to Learn How to Preach to the Inner Man.
As preachers we are in need of a “fresh anointing.” We need to be reinvigorated and empowered anew (Ps 92:10-15). God’s anointing is needed because we are called to a ministry that is impossible apart from divine enablement – we are called to make a vital connection between the Word of God and our hearers.
Our preaching is intended by God to connect two worlds; the world of the Bible to the world of our listeners. In order to do so, it must impinge upon our hearers where they are.
So often we fall short of making this connection. There is a kind of preaching that is clear and perspicuous, faithful to the narrow and wider context of the canon, doctrinally accurate, BUT inadequate at reaching the inner man.
Continue reading here
As preachers we are in need of a “fresh anointing.” We need to be reinvigorated and empowered anew (Ps 92:10-15). God’s anointing is needed because we are called to a ministry that is impossible apart from divine enablement – we are called to make a vital connection between the Word of God and our hearers.
Our preaching is intended by God to connect two worlds; the world of the Bible to the world of our listeners. In order to do so, it must impinge upon our hearers where they are.
So often we fall short of making this connection. There is a kind of preaching that is clear and perspicuous, faithful to the narrow and wider context of the canon, doctrinally accurate, BUT inadequate at reaching the inner man.
Continue reading here
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