Family, Ministry and Musings

There are so many decisions to make in this life:

• Where should I go to school?
• What job should I pursue?
• Who should I marry?
• Where should I live?

All of these are valid questions, but often we tend to over-spiritualize them. We wait on a “clear word from the Lord,” when in reality, we should make decisions based on the wisdom that He has already given us in His Word!  I don’t want to minimize the importance of prayer, Godly counsel and seeking God’s face…all of these should be done according to His Word.  But so often, we put off making decisions until everything falls into place.  We pray that God would “open a door” or “close a door” when in reality that closed door could be a problem to overcome and the open door could be a temptation!  At some point, we have to make decisions based upon wisdom, and Just Do Something! That’s the title of a book by Kevin DeYoung that I’ve just finished reading.  I believe it’s the best, and most practical, book I’ve ever read on finding God’s will.  Too often Christians are so concerned with God’s perfect will that they fail to accomplish anything for Him!  Please don’t take me wrong – its important to seek God’s will, but I love the way Kevin summarizes his book:

So the end of the matter is this: Live for God. Obey the Scriptures. Think of others before yourself. Be holy. Love Jesus. And as you do these things, do whatever else you like, with whomever you like, wherever you like, and you’ll be walking in the will of God.

I wish I had been given this advice many, many years ago.  Please don’t waste your life – Just Do Something!

• The Bible
• Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt
• On Church Leadership by Mark Driscoll
• Creating Community: Five Keys to Building a Small Group Culture by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits
• Church Planter by Darrin Patrick
• Brothers, We Are Not Professionals by John Piper
• Crucible of Power: A History of American Foreign Relations from 1897 by Howard Jones

I’ve been reading the book Church Planter by Darrin Patrick, and he has some challenging questions for us to help expose our idols:

• What do I worry about most?
• What, if I failed or lost it, would cause me to feel that I did not even want to live?
• What do I use to comfort myself when things go bad or get difficult?
• What do I do to cope? What are my release valves? What do I do to feel better?
• What preoccupies me? What do I daydream about?
• What makes me feel the most self-worth? Of what am I the proudest? For what do I want to be known?
• What do I lead with in conversations?
• Early on what do I want to make sure that people know about me?
• What prayer, unanswered, would make me seriously think about turning away from God?
• What do I really want and expect out of life? What would really make me happy?
• What is my hope for the future?

If you honestly answer these questions, you’ll find what you have elevated to the place of God in your life.

Are you guilty of idolatry?

The words of the hymn ring true still today:

And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Savior’s blood!
Died He for me? who caused His pain!
For me? who Him to death pursued?

He left his Father’s throne above
(so free, so infinite His grace!).
Emptied Himself of all but love,
and bled for Adam’s helpless race.

Amazing love! How can it be
that thou my God shouldst die for me?

I doubt that my mortal mind will ever fully comprehend the depth of love that my Creator has for me!  The Creator of Heaven and Earth loved me so much that He willingly gave His life for a wretch like me!

Why was such a great sacrifice required?  Because of the seriousness of the crime!  We excuse our sin as minor when compared to the sins of others like Hitler and Stalin.  But we have all sinned against a holy and righteous God, and our sins are just as grievous when they are laid against His standard.  Many believe that God should simply excuse or forgive their sin without penalty, yet, if an earthly judge excused sin, we would call him unjust, and demand his impeachment.  A crime justly deserves punishment.  Because of my sin, I deserve punishment.  That’s where the amazing part comes in.  While God is just, He is also merciful.  He provided the answer through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus emptied himself of all that He had a right to.   He had a right to receive glory and honor and power.  Yet, he left the splendor of heaven to come to earth and live as a mortal man.  While He was here, He lived a sinless life, and then willingly shed His blood as a payment for my sin.

We must never forget the depth of the sacrifice that was paid for our sin.  Before Jesus returned to heaven, he established an ordinance to be practiced as a reminder, as a proclamation, of His death.  In 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, the Apostle Paul writes, For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” The word broken means that He was made bankrupt…in other words, He emptied Himself. In verse 25, Paul continues, In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” Scripture makes it very clear that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sin.  Through the shed blood of Christ, we can have forgiveness of sin…not based on our righteousness or goodness, but based on Him alone!

Amazing love!  How can it be that thou, my God, should die for me?

The sound of fireworks out my window is a fitting reminder of “the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air.”  We enjoy the beauty of the fireworks; we enjoy the freedom of assembly; we enjoy freedom because others endured the fighting, the battles, the wars and the suffering.  Let us never forget the cost of freedom as we enjoy its benefits.  And be careful not to become too complacent – our future freedom is not guaranteed.  There are enemies still trying to chip away at our liberties…many within our own country and our own government.  Enemies who believe that God has no place in government.  Enemies who would sacrifice liberty for so-called security.  As a member of the United States Air Force, I swore to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.  Apparently, those who wrote the oath knew that danger to liberty not only comes from without, but also from within.  Be vigilant…stand for truth…stand for freedom…whatever the cost.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

The title of this post tells a little bit about me.  In recent years, I’ve tried to talk less and listen more, and I’ve learned an awful lot by doing so.  This blog is just a little spot to share some of what has been shared with me…what I’ve learned from others.  Much won’t be original with me, but it will be those things that have been meaningful to me.  Feel free to comment!

Tim