For all of you participating in the National Bible Bee this year, I'm sure that you agree that you've been hearing the Word a lot. We've all been studying it for hours on end. We've been memorizing it and getting into our minds constantly. What a great opportunity this has been! To think that we are able spend hours at a time just absorbing the very Word of God.
So yes, we've all been hearing the Word a lot recently. But we can't just be hearers of the Word - We have to be doing it. We have to be applying it to our every day lives.
This can sometimes be a struggle for me. I can sit down and study the Word - Recite verses and investigate passages for hours on end. But once I've checked it off my list, I've been living my life how I want to live it. I've been convicted of separating the Word from my daily life. Of course, I agree with the Word and its main principles. But I am truly applying it to my life? Am I letting it change my heart - not just my mind. When my mom asks me to help her with my siblings, do I truly do it with thanksgiving, rejoicing that I can serve? Or do I do it half-heartly with complaining because I'm not able to get my studying done. I can get so caught up in studying to get things checked off my list that I forget the ultimate purpose for studying in the first place. My ultimate goal should be to glorify and exalt the name of Christ, not to get my verses perfect or to know every greek word possible. My main goal should be to learn more about my great God and what He would want me to do, not to try to live up to men's expectations of me. My main goal should not be to know the Word in my mind, but to truly hide it in my heart that I might not sin against God. I need to be a doer of the Word not just a hearer. I cannot become complacent with just studying the Word and patting myself on the back for being in the Word. It means nothing unless I let it transform my life.
So the next time your mom asks you to help her and you still have two hours worth of Bible Bee study to complete, don't sigh and help only half heartedly. "And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men" (NKJV) We've all memorized it - but have we truly hidden it in our hearts? Or have we simply reviewed it enough to make sure that it's word perfect?
We must remember that doing the Word is just as important (if not more important) as studying it. All our studies will be useless if we don't let them impact our daily life. Let's be doers of the Word, not just hearers, that others may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Let's do it all for the praise and honor of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Happiness is...
People are always looking for happiness--where did they lose it?
Augustine said this about happiness in his book Confessions:
I hope your day is full of true happiness and joy!
Augustine said this about happiness in his book Confessions:
O Lord, far be it from the heart of your servant who confesses to you, far be it from me to think that whatever joy I feel makes me truly happy. For there is a joy that is not given to those who do not love you, but only to those who love you for your own sake. You yourself are their joy. Happiness is to rejoice in you and for you and because of you. This is true happiness and there is no other. Those who think that there is another kind of happiness look for joy elsewhere, but theirs isnot true joy. Yet their minds are set on something akin to joy.True happiness is not from things of this world–it’s from God. In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). We can only be happy when we are in God. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). Augustine goes on to say that all men want happiness; everyone desires to be happy. People often go to the wrong places for happiness. The way to find happiness is in God. If you desire Him, you will find true happiness. He is the Giver of joy and pleasure.
I hope your day is full of true happiness and joy!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Are you broke?
Recently, my sister was reading the forum board at a Christian college. Someone posted the question, "Why don’t we talk about sin in chapel?" Someone else posted back, "We do, but now we call ‘sin’ ‘brokenness.’ The word was changed back in 1979–you can check the chapel records."
Quick background information: This college always talks about the effects of sin (AIDS, poverty, racism, etc.) but often avoids talking about the cause of sin. So the question "Why don’t we talk about sin?" was really saying, "This world is subject to so many problems...let’s talk about them over coffee."
The answer to the question, though rather sarcastic, brought up a really good point. People today don’t want to talk about sin; they want to talk about brokenness. When you say the world is full of sin, what you’re really saying is that the world is full of sinners and you’re one of them. That’s not very nice; it hurts our self-esteem. But when you say the world is full of brokenness, then you become the victim of sin. We feel bad for you. We’re sorry that you’re suffering because of all the world’s problems.
Doesn’t that sound a little contrary to the Gospel? The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We aren’t innocent victims of sin–we’re sinners. Sin is a result of the Fall. After the Fall, there will be brokenness because there is sin. As Christians, we do need to go out in the world and care for the needy (James 1:27). However, we can’t fix what’s broken; only God can. Only God can take away sin, and until the root cause of sin is gone, there’s going to be brokenness. What we really need to talk about is the Gospel. People can see that there’s brokenness in the world; tell them the cause of the brokenness. Give them hope; Someone willingly took our sin upon Himself and gave us the promise of eternal life without sin if we remain faithful to Him during our time on earth. The world is full of sin, and we can’t escape what’s out there. But through God’s grace, what’s in each of our hearts can be fixed.
Quick background information: This college always talks about the effects of sin (AIDS, poverty, racism, etc.) but often avoids talking about the cause of sin. So the question "Why don’t we talk about sin?" was really saying, "This world is subject to so many problems...let’s talk about them over coffee."
The answer to the question, though rather sarcastic, brought up a really good point. People today don’t want to talk about sin; they want to talk about brokenness. When you say the world is full of sin, what you’re really saying is that the world is full of sinners and you’re one of them. That’s not very nice; it hurts our self-esteem. But when you say the world is full of brokenness, then you become the victim of sin. We feel bad for you. We’re sorry that you’re suffering because of all the world’s problems.
Doesn’t that sound a little contrary to the Gospel? The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We aren’t innocent victims of sin–we’re sinners. Sin is a result of the Fall. After the Fall, there will be brokenness because there is sin. As Christians, we do need to go out in the world and care for the needy (James 1:27). However, we can’t fix what’s broken; only God can. Only God can take away sin, and until the root cause of sin is gone, there’s going to be brokenness. What we really need to talk about is the Gospel. People can see that there’s brokenness in the world; tell them the cause of the brokenness. Give them hope; Someone willingly took our sin upon Himself and gave us the promise of eternal life without sin if we remain faithful to Him during our time on earth. The world is full of sin, and we can’t escape what’s out there. But through God’s grace, what’s in each of our hearts can be fixed.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Not unto us
Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.
Your voice alone, O Lord, can speak to me of grace;
Your power alone, O Son of God, can all my sin erase.
No other work but Yours, no other blood will do;
No strength but that which is divine can bear me safely through.
Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest, And set my spirit free.
I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear, each lingering shade of gloom.
I praise the God of grace; I trust His truth and might;
He calls me His, I call Him mine, My God, my joy and light.
’Tis He Who saveth me, and freely pardon gives;
I love because He loveth me, I live because He lives
("Not What My Hands Have Done," Horatius Bonar)
Psalm 115:1–Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth.
On our own, we can do nothing. We have not memorized a single verse in our own strength–everything we have learned has been by the grace of God. Let’s thank Him and give Him the glory this week at the 2011 National Bible Bee!
Not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.
Your voice alone, O Lord, can speak to me of grace;
Your power alone, O Son of God, can all my sin erase.
No other work but Yours, no other blood will do;
No strength but that which is divine can bear me safely through.
Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest, And set my spirit free.
I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear, each lingering shade of gloom.
I praise the God of grace; I trust His truth and might;
He calls me His, I call Him mine, My God, my joy and light.
’Tis He Who saveth me, and freely pardon gives;
I love because He loveth me, I live because He lives
("Not What My Hands Have Done," Horatius Bonar)
Psalm 115:1–Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth.
On our own, we can do nothing. We have not memorized a single verse in our own strength–everything we have learned has been by the grace of God. Let’s thank Him and give Him the glory this week at the 2011 National Bible Bee!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Help!
This is a continuation of last week's post
When someone asks you what your favorite subject in school is or what your hobby is, what do you usually say? For me, I generally answer that I really like math and that I’m a pianist. I enjoy both a lot and sometimes take just a little bit of pride in them. And anytime the word "pride" describes my attitude, you can be sure that trouble will soon come after. As Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Think about it for a second–when you fall off a chair, it hurts a little, but it’s not that bad. If you fell off a mountain, that would be a different story. A fall from pride is the same. When you have a little pride and God taps you off your pedestal, it hurts a little. When your pride "reaches to the heavens," it’s killing. You end up needing to shut the door of your room and pray that God will perform some serious heart surgery on you!
Inevitably, that fall will come. It either looks like the "C" on my calculus test or that awful memory blank at the concerto competition (you know–the one where you start a scale on page 5 and when you come down you realize that you somehow ended on page 25 and have no idea how you got there). I get so angry at myself when I fail! When I mess up really badly in one of my "strong" points, I want to give up in everything. After all, if I’m bad at what I’m good at, what does that mean about what I know I struggle with? It’s the whole identity theft problem all over again: I’m trying to live in an identity that doesn’t belong to me. But, as frustrating and embarrassing as those failures can be, they are a great time for me to take a step back and examine my heart. When you trust in your own abilities, you’re going to fail. People aren’t perfect. We can’t live our entire lives with a perfect record of anything. But, when you admit your imperfections to God and trust Him to make His strength perfect in you, then God can use you to do His work. It’s only when we recognize that our strengths are our weaknesses that He is able to take our weakness and make it His strength. If we could do something–anything–perfectly, we would become proud. When we mess up, it reminds us how imperfect we are...how much we need One who is perfect.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but for me, October and November tend to be the hardest months for me...with all the time spent studying Bible Bee, I feel like I’m spread a little thin over the rest of my work! It’s so easy to want to give up since I get discouraged and think I can’t do it all. Guess what–I’m right! I can’t do it all! But, by God’s grace, I can. Maybe we can’t do everything we want to do, but God will give us the strength to everything He has planned for us to do. Soli Deo Gloria!
2 Corinthians 12:9–And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
James 4:10–Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
1 Peter 5:10–But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
When someone asks you what your favorite subject in school is or what your hobby is, what do you usually say? For me, I generally answer that I really like math and that I’m a pianist. I enjoy both a lot and sometimes take just a little bit of pride in them. And anytime the word "pride" describes my attitude, you can be sure that trouble will soon come after. As Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Think about it for a second–when you fall off a chair, it hurts a little, but it’s not that bad. If you fell off a mountain, that would be a different story. A fall from pride is the same. When you have a little pride and God taps you off your pedestal, it hurts a little. When your pride "reaches to the heavens," it’s killing. You end up needing to shut the door of your room and pray that God will perform some serious heart surgery on you!
Inevitably, that fall will come. It either looks like the "C" on my calculus test or that awful memory blank at the concerto competition (you know–the one where you start a scale on page 5 and when you come down you realize that you somehow ended on page 25 and have no idea how you got there). I get so angry at myself when I fail! When I mess up really badly in one of my "strong" points, I want to give up in everything. After all, if I’m bad at what I’m good at, what does that mean about what I know I struggle with? It’s the whole identity theft problem all over again: I’m trying to live in an identity that doesn’t belong to me. But, as frustrating and embarrassing as those failures can be, they are a great time for me to take a step back and examine my heart. When you trust in your own abilities, you’re going to fail. People aren’t perfect. We can’t live our entire lives with a perfect record of anything. But, when you admit your imperfections to God and trust Him to make His strength perfect in you, then God can use you to do His work. It’s only when we recognize that our strengths are our weaknesses that He is able to take our weakness and make it His strength. If we could do something–anything–perfectly, we would become proud. When we mess up, it reminds us how imperfect we are...how much we need One who is perfect.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but for me, October and November tend to be the hardest months for me...with all the time spent studying Bible Bee, I feel like I’m spread a little thin over the rest of my work! It’s so easy to want to give up since I get discouraged and think I can’t do it all. Guess what–I’m right! I can’t do it all! But, by God’s grace, I can. Maybe we can’t do everything we want to do, but God will give us the strength to everything He has planned for us to do. Soli Deo Gloria!
2 Corinthians 12:9–And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
James 4:10–Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
1 Peter 5:10–But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Identity Theft
Several days ago, I took the PSAT. It’s only offered once a year, and it only counts towards a scholarship when you take it as a junior in highschool. Needless to say, I was nervous. That scholarship would help so much! And it looks so good on an application to say you’re a National Merit Scholar...
That made me start thinking about who I am. How do you define yourself? Do you let test scores and competitions define who you are? It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of winning and being known for how great you can do something...that competitive spirit wants to be #1 in everything so that the world–or at least your friends–will know just how great you are. But that is not what life is about! It’s about how great God is! All those trophies, scholarships, and titles you win won’t make a bit of difference when you stand before God after you die. When God asks you why He should let you go to Heaven, are you going to list off all your accomplishments? No way! The only way we can go to Heaven is by realizing that all our "accomplishments" are nothing at all! They are, as Paul says in Philippians 3, rubbish. They are something to be thrown away. Defining ourselves by anything temporal is useless. It doesn’t matter if it’s a test score, a piano competition, or even winning Bible Bee–none of that is going to matter at all for eternity.
So where do you find identity if not in what you’ve done in this world? Our identity is in Christ. We boast only Christ’s righteousness. We don’t have any righteousness on our own; imputed righteousness is all we can brag about. Seriously, when you think about it, bragging about what we can do is pretty wimpy sounding. When you view all our mighty works compared to what the Creator and Savior of the world has done, nothing we do is great. Boasting that Christ has taken our sin upon Himself to us His righteousness is all we can say. Galatians 6:14–But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
No test score or competition really matters. All that stuff is going to fade away. "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the LORD endures forever." (1 Peter 1:24-25) Don’t let your identity in Christ be stolen by a false identity in something else. Every other "identity" we have is fake, and when we stand before the Lord, all those false identities will be stripped away. The only identity that matters is that of Christ.
That made me start thinking about who I am. How do you define yourself? Do you let test scores and competitions define who you are? It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of winning and being known for how great you can do something...that competitive spirit wants to be #1 in everything so that the world–or at least your friends–will know just how great you are. But that is not what life is about! It’s about how great God is! All those trophies, scholarships, and titles you win won’t make a bit of difference when you stand before God after you die. When God asks you why He should let you go to Heaven, are you going to list off all your accomplishments? No way! The only way we can go to Heaven is by realizing that all our "accomplishments" are nothing at all! They are, as Paul says in Philippians 3, rubbish. They are something to be thrown away. Defining ourselves by anything temporal is useless. It doesn’t matter if it’s a test score, a piano competition, or even winning Bible Bee–none of that is going to matter at all for eternity.
So where do you find identity if not in what you’ve done in this world? Our identity is in Christ. We boast only Christ’s righteousness. We don’t have any righteousness on our own; imputed righteousness is all we can brag about. Seriously, when you think about it, bragging about what we can do is pretty wimpy sounding. When you view all our mighty works compared to what the Creator and Savior of the world has done, nothing we do is great. Boasting that Christ has taken our sin upon Himself to us His righteousness is all we can say. Galatians 6:14–But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
No test score or competition really matters. All that stuff is going to fade away. "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the LORD endures forever." (1 Peter 1:24-25) Don’t let your identity in Christ be stolen by a false identity in something else. Every other "identity" we have is fake, and when we stand before the Lord, all those false identities will be stripped away. The only identity that matters is that of Christ.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Cooking lessons
I love when the seasons change...leaves turning colors, crisp fall breezes, fires flaming in the fireplace...and, best of all, pumpkin pie. My family loves pumpkin pie. So the first cool week in September, my mom and I made a double recipe of pumpkin pie. She rolled out crusts on one end of the kitchen while I mixed the filling on the other. It brought back memories of when we made the pies last September, and I carelessly flipped open the can of pureed pumpkin. My mom ended up finishing that pie since I promptly wrapped my finger in lots of band-aids. It wasn’t a big cut, but it was deep–deep enough for me to see a scar on my knuckle when I opened the can this year.
Ever since that pie last year, I have been very careful to follow my mom’s instructions when I’m cooking. Instead of opening and dumping cans as if I was competing in the international Rubik’s cube championship, I very carefully pry the lid open. That scar is enough to remind me not to be careless with sharp edges. I used to think my mom’s warnings were a little too cautious...after all, you can slide a finger over the sharp edge of a can without getting cut, so why waste time opening a can so slowly? But once I actually felt the consequences of being careless, I understood the importance of slowly working with sharp objects.
Isn’t it funny how we are so prone to thinking that we’re the ultimate authority on everything? Like Liesel said in Sound of Music: "I’m sixteen years old and I don’t need a governess!" Even respectful Christian teenagers can unintentionally get that attitude. It’s not that we’re trying to be disobedient, but we just assume we know more than our moms and dads do. And, what’s worse, we sometimes act–not that we would ever say this–like we know more than God does. No, we’re not out murdering and stealing in our free time, but what about getting angry at siblings or thinking we inherently deserve the biggest slice of pie? Our anger is not righteous indignation, and if you think you deserve anything–! We just don’t get it. When God gives us commandments, it’s for our own good! He doesn’t make up rules for the sake of rules; God gave us commandments that our for our good and His glory. But then, when we act like we’re smarter than He is, God sends us a reminder that He is infinitely wiser than our little finite minds. He sends us pain as the consequences of our foolishness. Now we remember that He knows better. As C. S. Lewis said once said in The Problem of Pain, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
If we would only listen to those whispers in the pleasant times, we could avoid so much pain! But God is sovereign, and He plans our pains to make us grow.
Revelation 3:19–As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
Ever since that pie last year, I have been very careful to follow my mom’s instructions when I’m cooking. Instead of opening and dumping cans as if I was competing in the international Rubik’s cube championship, I very carefully pry the lid open. That scar is enough to remind me not to be careless with sharp edges. I used to think my mom’s warnings were a little too cautious...after all, you can slide a finger over the sharp edge of a can without getting cut, so why waste time opening a can so slowly? But once I actually felt the consequences of being careless, I understood the importance of slowly working with sharp objects.
Isn’t it funny how we are so prone to thinking that we’re the ultimate authority on everything? Like Liesel said in Sound of Music: "I’m sixteen years old and I don’t need a governess!" Even respectful Christian teenagers can unintentionally get that attitude. It’s not that we’re trying to be disobedient, but we just assume we know more than our moms and dads do. And, what’s worse, we sometimes act–not that we would ever say this–like we know more than God does. No, we’re not out murdering and stealing in our free time, but what about getting angry at siblings or thinking we inherently deserve the biggest slice of pie? Our anger is not righteous indignation, and if you think you deserve anything–! We just don’t get it. When God gives us commandments, it’s for our own good! He doesn’t make up rules for the sake of rules; God gave us commandments that our for our good and His glory. But then, when we act like we’re smarter than He is, God sends us a reminder that He is infinitely wiser than our little finite minds. He sends us pain as the consequences of our foolishness. Now we remember that He knows better. As C. S. Lewis said once said in The Problem of Pain, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
If we would only listen to those whispers in the pleasant times, we could avoid so much pain! But God is sovereign, and He plans our pains to make us grow.
Revelation 3:19–As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
Monday, September 19, 2011
A Christian's praises
O God, my exceeding joy,
singing Thy praises uplifts my heart,
for Thou art a fountain of delight,
and dost bless the soul that joys in Thee.
But because of my heart’s rebellion
I cannot always praise Thee as I ought;
Yet I will at all times rest myself
in Thy excellencies, goodness, and loving-kindness.
Thou art in Jesus the object of inexpressible joy,
and I take exceeding pleasure in the thought of Thee.
But LORD, I am sometimes Thy enemy;
my nature revolts and wanders from Thee.
Though Thou hast renewed me,
yet evil corruptions urge me still to oppose Thee.
Help me to extol Thee with entire heart-submission,
to be diligent in self examination,
to ask myself
whether I am truly born again,
whether my spirit is of Thy children,
whether my griefs are those that tear repenting hearts,
whether my joys are the joys of faith,
whether my confidence in Christ works by love
and purifies the soul.
Give me the sweet results of faith,
in my secret character, and in my public life.
Cast cords of love around my heart,
then hold me and never let me go.
May the Savior’s wounds sway me more than the scepter of princes.
Let me love Thee in a love that covers and swallows up all,
that I may not violate my chaste union with the beloved;
There is so much unconquered territory in my nature,
scourge out the buyers and sellers of my soul’s temple,
and give me in return pure desires,
and longing after perfect holiness.
(This prayer was in my church bulletin; there is no name after it, but I think it is from the Valley of Vision or another Puritan prayer book)
singing Thy praises uplifts my heart,
for Thou art a fountain of delight,
and dost bless the soul that joys in Thee.
But because of my heart’s rebellion
I cannot always praise Thee as I ought;
Yet I will at all times rest myself
in Thy excellencies, goodness, and loving-kindness.
Thou art in Jesus the object of inexpressible joy,
and I take exceeding pleasure in the thought of Thee.
But LORD, I am sometimes Thy enemy;
my nature revolts and wanders from Thee.
Though Thou hast renewed me,
yet evil corruptions urge me still to oppose Thee.
Help me to extol Thee with entire heart-submission,
to be diligent in self examination,
to ask myself
whether I am truly born again,
whether my spirit is of Thy children,
whether my griefs are those that tear repenting hearts,
whether my joys are the joys of faith,
whether my confidence in Christ works by love
and purifies the soul.
Give me the sweet results of faith,
in my secret character, and in my public life.
Cast cords of love around my heart,
then hold me and never let me go.
May the Savior’s wounds sway me more than the scepter of princes.
Let me love Thee in a love that covers and swallows up all,
that I may not violate my chaste union with the beloved;
There is so much unconquered territory in my nature,
scourge out the buyers and sellers of my soul’s temple,
and give me in return pure desires,
and longing after perfect holiness.
(This prayer was in my church bulletin; there is no name after it, but I think it is from the Valley of Vision or another Puritan prayer book)
Monday, September 12, 2011
Apathy?
BUSY busy busy busy BUSY busy busy busy
Have you ever watched The Widow’s Might? If you have, you probably can hum along the melody to the "Busy" song. Soon after the townspeople beginning whispering "busy" and listing off their chores that must be done, the lone cowboy comes riding up. And then he sings (I forgot to mention–it’s a musical) the "Apathy" theme.
That is a bad description of the song, but it should give you the idea.
Business often leads us to apathy. You get so busy, you just don’t care too much about anything other than your busyness. Lately, I’ve been going around hearing "BUSY busy busy busy" in my head, while I’m going through a mental checklist: Write the paper and do the reading. Solve the problem and practice piano. Learn the verses and study 2 Peter. And then, the little cowboy (who I normally call my conscience), comes on stage and starts saying, "Apathy!" And I sigh, and try to get my priorities straightened out. I’m doing lots of good things; it’s not that I’m busy wasting time! But you can be apathetic even while you’re studying the Bible. You know how the conversation goes. It’s been a long day of school and you just sat down to study, and then your mom comes in and says,
"Are you busy right now? Can you help me in the kitchen for a few minutes?" You groan inwardly and attempt to smile outwardly. It’s a rhetorical question. Yes you are busy, and yes you will help.
"Um, sure...I was just reviewing a bunch of verses before I finish my homework." You try to say it cheerfully, but somehow a mildly sarcastic edge creeps in.
And I do help her for as long as she needs your help, and then, I dash back to the cards. Do you get the picture? I’m giving my mom the minimum. That’s apathy. I’m busy keeping up with everything else, so something is going to fall by the wayside.
By now, we’re all trying to keep up with a full school schedule, music or sports, church activities, and additional Bible Bee material. Talk about being busy! Maybe you’re even working part time and watching even more time get eaten up. You try so hard to do everything, but you just can’t keep up. Family time and helping around the house slips by unnoticed as the "busy apathy" sets in.
The purpose of the blog is to encourage each other and keep each other accountable in our studying...don’t get so busy with your studying that you become apathetic to your family!
Colossians 3:23-24–And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
P.S. I know I have written several similar posts about busyness recently, but it is something with which I struggle. I apologize if my writing is somewhat repetitive!
Have you ever watched The Widow’s Might? If you have, you probably can hum along the melody to the "Busy" song. Soon after the townspeople beginning whispering "busy" and listing off their chores that must be done, the lone cowboy comes riding up. And then he sings (I forgot to mention–it’s a musical) the "Apathy" theme.
That is a bad description of the song, but it should give you the idea.
Business often leads us to apathy. You get so busy, you just don’t care too much about anything other than your busyness. Lately, I’ve been going around hearing "BUSY busy busy busy" in my head, while I’m going through a mental checklist: Write the paper and do the reading. Solve the problem and practice piano. Learn the verses and study 2 Peter. And then, the little cowboy (who I normally call my conscience), comes on stage and starts saying, "Apathy!" And I sigh, and try to get my priorities straightened out. I’m doing lots of good things; it’s not that I’m busy wasting time! But you can be apathetic even while you’re studying the Bible. You know how the conversation goes. It’s been a long day of school and you just sat down to study, and then your mom comes in and says,
"Are you busy right now? Can you help me in the kitchen for a few minutes?" You groan inwardly and attempt to smile outwardly. It’s a rhetorical question. Yes you are busy, and yes you will help.
"Um, sure...I was just reviewing a bunch of verses before I finish my homework." You try to say it cheerfully, but somehow a mildly sarcastic edge creeps in.
And I do help her for as long as she needs your help, and then, I dash back to the cards. Do you get the picture? I’m giving my mom the minimum. That’s apathy. I’m busy keeping up with everything else, so something is going to fall by the wayside.
By now, we’re all trying to keep up with a full school schedule, music or sports, church activities, and additional Bible Bee material. Talk about being busy! Maybe you’re even working part time and watching even more time get eaten up. You try so hard to do everything, but you just can’t keep up. Family time and helping around the house slips by unnoticed as the "busy apathy" sets in.
The purpose of the blog is to encourage each other and keep each other accountable in our studying...don’t get so busy with your studying that you become apathetic to your family!
Colossians 3:23-24–And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
P.S. I know I have written several similar posts about busyness recently, but it is something with which I struggle. I apologize if my writing is somewhat repetitive!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Earth into Heaven
Have your heart right with Christ,
and he will visit you often,
and so turn weekdays into Sundays,
meals into sacraments,
homes into temples,
and earth into heaven.
~Charles H. Spurgeon
Doesn’t that sound lovely? Having ever earthly thing turn into its heavenly counterpart? If your heart is right with Christ, it will happen–earth becomes heaven! When your heart is sanctified (1 Peter 3:15), your life will become sanctified. Jesus’ set-apartness will change the common into the holy.
Have you ever felt that Sundays are the best day of the week, and that Communion Sunday was filled with an even more special joy? Sometimes when we walk into a friend’s home, we sense a certain peace and joy that overflows onto us. That is the kind of home that is filled with Christ’s love. We can have all of that by keeping our hearts right with Christ!
and he will visit you often,
and so turn weekdays into Sundays,
meals into sacraments,
homes into temples,
and earth into heaven.
~Charles H. Spurgeon
Doesn’t that sound lovely? Having ever earthly thing turn into its heavenly counterpart? If your heart is right with Christ, it will happen–earth becomes heaven! When your heart is sanctified (1 Peter 3:15), your life will become sanctified. Jesus’ set-apartness will change the common into the holy.
Have you ever felt that Sundays are the best day of the week, and that Communion Sunday was filled with an even more special joy? Sometimes when we walk into a friend’s home, we sense a certain peace and joy that overflows onto us. That is the kind of home that is filled with Christ’s love. We can have all of that by keeping our hearts right with Christ!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Rejoice!
1 Samuel 2:1–And Hannah prayed and said:"My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
Psalm 16:11–You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 35:9–And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
Habakuk 3:18--I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Philippians 4:4–Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, Rejoice!
Have you ever been reviewing a verse, and suddenly started smiling and laughing, rejoicing in the message of the verse? Some verses seem to demand that you stop for a moment and praise God. Psalm 139–You know my thought afar off..there is not a word on my tongue but, behold, O LORD, You know it altogether...Where can I go from You spirit, or where can I flee from your presence? Philippians 2–Christ humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. How can you read that without rejoicing? Our God is amazing!! And, in His perfect holiness and justice, He took our punishment and saved us from the death that we deserve. He knows our every thought, and yet He still saved us! What could give us greater joy than that? God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
My soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation!
Psalm 16:11–You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 35:9–And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
Habakuk 3:18--I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Philippians 4:4–Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, Rejoice!
Have you ever been reviewing a verse, and suddenly started smiling and laughing, rejoicing in the message of the verse? Some verses seem to demand that you stop for a moment and praise God. Psalm 139–You know my thought afar off..there is not a word on my tongue but, behold, O LORD, You know it altogether...Where can I go from You spirit, or where can I flee from your presence? Philippians 2–Christ humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. How can you read that without rejoicing? Our God is amazing!! And, in His perfect holiness and justice, He took our punishment and saved us from the death that we deserve. He knows our every thought, and yet He still saved us! What could give us greater joy than that? God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
My soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Give Me the Faith
Give me the faith which can remove
And sink the mountain to a plain;
Give me the childlike praying love,
Which longs to build Thy house again;
Thy love, let it my heart overpower,
And all my simple soul devour.
And sink the mountain to a plain;
Give me the childlike praying love,
Which longs to build Thy house again;
Thy love, let it my heart overpower,
And all my simple soul devour.
I want an even strong desire,
I want a calmly fervent zeal,
To save poor souls out of the fire,
To snatch them from the verge of hell,
And turn them to a pardoning God,
And quench the brands in Jesus’ blood.
I want a calmly fervent zeal,
To save poor souls out of the fire,
To snatch them from the verge of hell,
And turn them to a pardoning God,
And quench the brands in Jesus’ blood.
I would the precious time redeem,
And longer live for this alone,
To spend and to be spent for them
Who have not yet my Savior known;
Fully on these my mission prove,
And only breathe, to breathe Thy love.
And longer live for this alone,
To spend and to be spent for them
Who have not yet my Savior known;
Fully on these my mission prove,
And only breathe, to breathe Thy love.
My talents, gifts, and graces, Lord,
Into Thy blessed hands receive;
And let me live to preach Thy Word,
And let me to Thy glory live;
My every sacred moment spend
In publishing the sinner’s Friend.
Into Thy blessed hands receive;
And let me live to preach Thy Word,
And let me to Thy glory live;
My every sacred moment spend
In publishing the sinner’s Friend.
Enlarge, inflame, and fill my heart
With boundless charity divine,
So shall I all strength exert,
And love them with a zeal like Thine,
And lead them to Thy open side,
The sheep for whom the Shepherd died.
With boundless charity divine,
So shall I all strength exert,
And love them with a zeal like Thine,
And lead them to Thy open side,
The sheep for whom the Shepherd died.
"Give Me the Faith" by Charles Wesley
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Mark 11:22-23
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Be still
Have you ever made yourself a schedule and told yourself that you were going to follow it? Occasionally, I find myself writing them in fifteen-minute increments in notebooks to make sure a single minute isn’t wasted. I stick them on my bookshelf. My message board has lists of friends I want to email and phone numbers I need to call. My booklist is a large stack of dusty books sitting under the list on my bookshelf. There is so much to do and so little time!
Be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).
Be still...be still...be still...
Quiet your heart and seek His presence in the still. Don’t be so worried about putting in enough hours studying Bible Bee that you forget to listen to His voice. Have you ever waken up while it’s still dark and begun to pray? Sometimes God speaks in the smoke and earthquake (Exodus 19), but other times it’s the still, small voice you hear only when you are still and listening (1 Kings 19:12). When you are the only one awake in your house, and the only other noise you can hear is the gentle pattering of summer rain on the roof, can you quiet your heart enough to hear Him? Are you so busy studying that you forget to listen?
Some days, studying feels like a complete mental exercise. I feel burned out and overwhelmed. I quickly flip through every card in the stack and say them till the words jumble together. I’m not listening. Slow down and be still.
Mark 1:35 “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”
Jesus knew to seek God in the quiet solitude and there commune with Him. We need to follow His example. Quiet your heart and be still. Know that He is God.
Be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).
Be still...be still...be still...
Quiet your heart and seek His presence in the still. Don’t be so worried about putting in enough hours studying Bible Bee that you forget to listen to His voice. Have you ever waken up while it’s still dark and begun to pray? Sometimes God speaks in the smoke and earthquake (Exodus 19), but other times it’s the still, small voice you hear only when you are still and listening (1 Kings 19:12). When you are the only one awake in your house, and the only other noise you can hear is the gentle pattering of summer rain on the roof, can you quiet your heart enough to hear Him? Are you so busy studying that you forget to listen?
Some days, studying feels like a complete mental exercise. I feel burned out and overwhelmed. I quickly flip through every card in the stack and say them till the words jumble together. I’m not listening. Slow down and be still.
Mark 1:35 “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”
Jesus knew to seek God in the quiet solitude and there commune with Him. We need to follow His example. Quiet your heart and be still. Know that He is God.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Is the Word in you?
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”(that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:8-9).
Does that passage excite you? We hear the second verse quite frequently, but what about the first verse–have you ever thought twice about it?
The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. That’s the reason we are doing Bible Bee! Why else bother memorizing hundreds of verses? If we simply wanted to exercise our brains over the summer, we could put together a challenging book list or take an extra course for school. The Bible would still be very accessible to us. All we have to do is enter a key word on http://biblegateway.com/ and come up with 273 answers, some of which are more relevant than others. As helpful as it is to have every verse reference of the word “love” come up with one click (there are 494 in the NKJV), I would rather have just one of those written in my heart.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:10-11
Skimming over that verse and copying here didn’t change me. I want to have that verse near me; I want it in my heart! That verse is life-changing! God loves me, and He sent His Son to save me! Because of His love to me, I need to love others. I want to be able to answer yes to Paul–to say “Yes! The word is near me, it is in my mouth and in my heart!”
We are now officially past the 1/4 point in our Bible Bee studies. It’s about the time when that little voice in you head starts saying, “What?! Still 75% to go? Maybe next summer I’ll take a break from Bible memory and actually get my life back!” Please remember why we are studying! God’s Word has the power to change lives, but you must have it near you–in your heart–before it will change your life!
If you are getting discouraged and feel like you’re wasting time memorizing Bible verses, may I ask you a question? If Jesus died for you, don’t you think you ought to live every minute of your life to Him?
Does that passage excite you? We hear the second verse quite frequently, but what about the first verse–have you ever thought twice about it?
The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. That’s the reason we are doing Bible Bee! Why else bother memorizing hundreds of verses? If we simply wanted to exercise our brains over the summer, we could put together a challenging book list or take an extra course for school. The Bible would still be very accessible to us. All we have to do is enter a key word on http://biblegateway.com/ and come up with 273 answers, some of which are more relevant than others. As helpful as it is to have every verse reference of the word “love” come up with one click (there are 494 in the NKJV), I would rather have just one of those written in my heart.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:10-11
Skimming over that verse and copying here didn’t change me. I want to have that verse near me; I want it in my heart! That verse is life-changing! God loves me, and He sent His Son to save me! Because of His love to me, I need to love others. I want to be able to answer yes to Paul–to say “Yes! The word is near me, it is in my mouth and in my heart!”
We are now officially past the 1/4 point in our Bible Bee studies. It’s about the time when that little voice in you head starts saying, “What?! Still 75% to go? Maybe next summer I’ll take a break from Bible memory and actually get my life back!” Please remember why we are studying! God’s Word has the power to change lives, but you must have it near you–in your heart–before it will change your life!
If you are getting discouraged and feel like you’re wasting time memorizing Bible verses, may I ask you a question? If Jesus died for you, don’t you think you ought to live every minute of your life to Him?
Monday, June 6, 2011
I am a...
“I am a vile, polluted lump of earth.” I often wonder what Mrs. Watts must have thought when her young son showed her an acrostic of his name beginning with that line. Have you ever felt like that–vile and polluted? When you open your Bible and start memorizing verses, have you felt horrified at how dirty you are compared to how holy God is? The past few days, I have been convicted about what a sinner I am. All those verses we’re learning about our holy and righteous God, a God who cannot abide wickedness–and then here am I: A vile, polluted lump of earth. How can I–a sinner–commune with Him? He cannot look on wickedness (Habakkuk 1:13).
Yet His grace is sufficient. I am a great sinner, but Christ is a greater Saviour (John Newton). Christ’s blood washes away my dirty sin. Because of Him, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that we are forgiven! Knowing His forgiveness toward us changes our fear to love. Instead of fearing the God who destroys the wicked, I can love the Man who saved me.
As Ephesians 3:12 says, we have access with confidence through faith in Him. Having confidence in His love, we cannot help but seek Him. Aren’t you looking forward to a whole summer of intense study of the Bible?
Psalm 119:10–With my whole heart I have sought You...
For those who are interested...here is Isaac Watts' whole acrostic:
"I" - I am a vile, polluted lump of earth
"S" - So I've continued ever since my birth
"A" - Although Jehovah, grace doth daily give me
"A" - As sure this monster, Satan, will deceive me
"C" - Come therefore, Lord, from Satan's claws relieve me.
"W" - Wash me in Thy blood, O Christ
"A" - And grace divine impart
"T" - Then search and try the corners of my heart
"T" - That I in all things may be fit to do
"S" - Service to Thee, and Thy praise too.
Yet His grace is sufficient. I am a great sinner, but Christ is a greater Saviour (John Newton). Christ’s blood washes away my dirty sin. Because of Him, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that we are forgiven! Knowing His forgiveness toward us changes our fear to love. Instead of fearing the God who destroys the wicked, I can love the Man who saved me.
As Ephesians 3:12 says, we have access with confidence through faith in Him. Having confidence in His love, we cannot help but seek Him. Aren’t you looking forward to a whole summer of intense study of the Bible?
Psalm 119:10–With my whole heart I have sought You...
For those who are interested...here is Isaac Watts' whole acrostic:
"I" - I am a vile, polluted lump of earth
"S" - So I've continued ever since my birth
"A" - Although Jehovah, grace doth daily give me
"A" - As sure this monster, Satan, will deceive me
"C" - Come therefore, Lord, from Satan's claws relieve me.
"W" - Wash me in Thy blood, O Christ
"A" - And grace divine impart
"T" - Then search and try the corners of my heart
"T" - That I in all things may be fit to do
"S" - Service to Thee, and Thy praise too.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Having a heart for people
I've been reading through the book of 1 Corinthians in my devotions this past week. I've been learning so much - I could share a lot ;). One of the many things that has stuck out to me is Paul's heart for people. He heart's desire was that the Gospel would be proclaimed and that people would be saved. He wanted to edify, strengthen, and build up Christians. This theme was very clearly portrayed in chapters 9 and 10. In chapter 9 verses 1-23, Paul shares how he put others and their need for salvation and spiritual growth before his own personal needs. He willingly gave up his "rights" so that the Gospel could go forth more effectively. He humbled himself and had no regard for his own standing but was always reaching out to every type of person so that he might win them for the Gospel. In chapter 10 and verses 23-33, Paul tells that, in order that people would grow spiritually and be built up, he did not participate in some activities; even though they were lawful activities. Paul's heart's desire was for people. He didn't seek his own profit, but the profit of others (10:33).
Wow! I mean, Paul really had it all together in this area! So, what does this mean for me? The application is found in chapter eleven verse one: "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." Here are some things that I found that I need to apply to my own life:
- I need to be seeking the benefit, growth, edification, and salvation of others. Do I truly look for ways that I can bless and build up those around me? Do I genuinely search for ways that I share the Gospel with unbelievers? Do I intentionally seek to strengthen believers in their walk with the Lord?
- Even if a certain activity isn't wrong for me to do, I need to consider how it will edify and be helpful. "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being" (chapter 10:24). Do I do what I do just because I want to? Just because I can? or Do I sincerely seek other people's well-being and how I can edify and strengthen them?
- My heart's desire needs to be "How can I edify and build up others?" not "How can I serve and make myself more happy?"
- In witnessing, I need to humble myself and not worry about what how funny or foolish I might appear. I need to "lay down my guard" and give up my "rights" so that I can effectively share the Gospel. For me, I know that I struggle with worrying about what other people will think about me. "Will they think that I'm not 'cool'? "Will they think that I'm foolish?" I need to love people more and fear people less. I need to cultivate true compassion for the lost. I need to care more about their souls than what they think about me. What really matters; their souls? or my status?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Psalm 9:1-2
"I will praise you O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."
Several things strike me about these verses:
1. "With my whole heart" - wow! Our hearts are so desperately wicked, we don't even know the depths of our own sin. And yet, God sees our desires, He sees Jesus' righteousness credited to our account. My desire is that my whole heart praises God, but there is so often a rebellious part of it that wants my own way. May we beg God every day to purify our hearts!
2. "I will" - sometimes you have to make yourself do it:) "I will praise You" - even when I'm discouraged. "I will praise tell of Your marvelous works" - even when I don't understand what You're doing. "I will be glad and rejoice in You"- even when the world's pleasures are tempting. "I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High" - because no matter what I'm facing YOU ARE THE SAME, YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE PRAISED!
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."
Several things strike me about these verses:
1. "With my whole heart" - wow! Our hearts are so desperately wicked, we don't even know the depths of our own sin. And yet, God sees our desires, He sees Jesus' righteousness credited to our account. My desire is that my whole heart praises God, but there is so often a rebellious part of it that wants my own way. May we beg God every day to purify our hearts!
2. "I will" - sometimes you have to make yourself do it:) "I will praise You" - even when I'm discouraged. "I will praise tell of Your marvelous works" - even when I don't understand what You're doing. "I will be glad and rejoice in You"- even when the world's pleasures are tempting. "I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High" - because no matter what I'm facing YOU ARE THE SAME, YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE PRAISED!
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