Psalm 138

I haven't written anything in awhile. My devotions and personal studies seems to be taking up most of my time. Besides, I unashamedly admit I simply do not have the brain power to take on too many projects. The Lord has not gifted me in this way.  It’s not an excuse, it is just the way I am. As the apostle Paul wrote, ‘I am want I am by the grace of God’.

Anyway, I thought I might post this brief psalm by King David.

 

Lately God has blessed me with encouragement and has caused me to praise Him through his word.

You know, I sometimes think about these so called “New Age, Pop Psychologist Gurus” who seem to have it all together. They go around the country and preached “self-help” or “self-improvement” seminars. People pay a lot of money for their books and to hear what they have to say.  I suppose it’s not all bad. I’m sure in some things they can offer some good, practical advice.

However, when it comes to real joy and things needful to the soul, I cannot think of anything more gratifying than the word of God. 

In the Westminster Confession of Faith, in sec. 1.5 it says: 

1:5 We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to a high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. 1Tim 3:15.  And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. (Isa 59:21; John16:13, John16:14;1Co2:10-12; 1Jn2:20, 1Jn2:27).

Other Christian authors may write they will about God, the doctrine of salvation, of sin, or maybe even a good commentary, but it is the Holy Spirit which takes the things of God and reveals them to our hearts. It is the Spirit which causes us to rejoice, or if need be, to tremble at its threatening that we may be warned or chastised for our own good. I prayed last night before bed that the Lord would encourage me. I believe He honored my request this morning by this psalm. I pray it does the same for you. 

                         1  I will praise thee with my whole heart:

Before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

                         2  I will worship toward thy holy temple,

And praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth:

For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

                         3  In the day when I cried thou answeredst me,

And strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

                         4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord,

When they hear the words of thy mouth.

                         5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord:

For great is the glory of the Lord.

                         6 Though the Lord be high, yet ⁱhath he respect unto the lowly:

But the proud he knoweth afar off.

                         7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me:

Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies,

And thy right hand shall save me.

                         8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me:

Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: Forsake not the works of thine own hands.

^[1]

   

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^[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ps 138:1–Ps 139). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Biblical Iliteracy

We don't need more "how to books" dealing with anxiety or troubled marriages. We need a revival in the Reformed Evangelical Church.  A revival which places the Bible at the center of our thinking. A revival of content which transforms the heart of believers. It's not a enough to learn how to quote verses or tell others about about the emotional connection we have with Jesus Christ. We need to be able to explain our faith, and to give sound reasons as to why we believe the Bible is true.

Maybe Biblical illiteracy is expected in secular society today, but with the abundant resources we have available, quite literally at our finger tips, it should not be expected in the church.  David R. Nienhuis, explains in his essay, "The Problem of Evangelical Biblical Illiteracy -- A View from the Classroom" the issues involved and possible solutions. You can read the essay here: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy

A Book Review by Pastor K.G of David P. Murray --Christians Get Depressed Too

Pastor K.G wrote a positive review of Murray's book. For those of you who suffer from depression it might be worth checking out. You can read his review here: Book Review: David P. Murray- Christians Get Depressed Too

Francis Schaeffer and The Line of Despair

Reflections on Francis Schaeffer and The God Who Is There

Writer’s Note
All I know about Francis Schaeffer is what I remember from The God Who Is There, and a comment from a friend who gave me the book as a Christmas gift. Beyond that, I’ve never really looked into his overall doctrinal views or denominational background. When I opened the book for the first time, I found this inscription below Schaeffer’s dedicatory to his wife:

"Brother, as you continue your exploration of Christian thought and philosophy, you will eventually want to do business with Francis Schaeffer. Dr. Schaeffer was one of the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century. This book is a pretty good introduction to his thought…"

Regardless of where you might place him doctrinally or denominationally, Schaeffer did not dismiss the importance of sound doctrine or subscribe to a faith emptied of biblical content:

“…people in our culture in general are already in process of being accustomed to accept nondefined, contentless religious words and symbols, without any rational or historical control. Such words and symbols can be filled with the content of the moment. The words, Jesus and Christ are the most ready for the manipulator. The phrase Jesus Christ has become a contentless banner which can be carried in any direction for sociological purposes. In other words, because the phrase Jesus Christ has been separated from true history and the content of Scripture, it can be used to trigger religiously motivated sociological actions directly contrary to the teaching of Christ.”
— Francis Schaeffer, The God Who Is There, p. 110

Below is a brief essay I wrote in 2012, inspired by Schaeffer’s work. At the time, I had intended to write a critical analysis, but I didn’t feel up to the task. Honestly, I still don’t. Yet, Schaeffer wrote a few things that pierced my heart—particularly his call to communicate the gospel in a way that connects with people in our time and culture, a skill I’ve never really developed.

December 7, 2012

Skepticism may have been addressed in the 17th century with the establishment of at least one fundamental truth: no rational person can deny his own existence. Yet self-awareness alone is unlikely to satisfy the modern skeptic. Press him on the question of certitude and he may admit he is a thinking, rational being who necessarily exists. Still, that admission won’t be enough to convince him that truth can be known with any reasonable certainty. When he says “there is no truth,” what he really means is that he doesn’t believe in a unified, coherent system of truth.

In the first chapter of Francis A. Schaeffer’s The God Who Is There, he offers a summary of major thinkers in philosophy, art, music, and theology—and places them under what he calls the line of despair. He doesn’t mean these men were gloomy or walked around in constant sorrow:

“…let us note that when we speak of being under the line of despair, we do not mean that these people necessarily sit and weep, but that they have given up all hope of achieving a rational, unified answer to knowledge and life.” (p. 43)

These thinkers failed to discover a system of knowledge or a set of universals that would satisfy life’s ultimate questions. Schaeffer warns that if you seek meaning in some grand, mystical experience devoid of content—or depend on man alone to figure out life’s problems—you’re doomed. You are, in Schaeffer’s words, “the destroyed ones.”

What I appreciate about Schaeffer is that he took the implications of these ideas seriously—both for the intellectual elite and for ordinary people who had unknowingly absorbed their influence. He didn’t simply write them off as false and beat them down with a figurative baseball bat. He had compassion. He sought to communicate the life-giving message of the gospel in terms people could relate to—without ever compromising the truth of the biblical Jesus and His work on the cross.

If Christians are to speak meaningfully about The God Who Is There, Schaeffer argues, they must understand their culture. You have to meet people where they are.

That, in part, is what I took from the first chapter. And really, is it so different from what the apostle Paul said? “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Cor. 9:22).

On a personal note: I often beat myself over the head. I have failed—sometimes miserably—in the area of communication. It’s ironic. I’ve been trained over the years to read and study using the very rules of communication that I now struggle to apply when speaking. Somehow, I’ve managed to study well but say very little. Maybe I don’t have the gift of witnessing.

And yet, communicating the right path shouldn’t be difficult. Most of the work is already done. Man knows intuitively that he has fallen short of perfection. It is up to those who are gifted to help the skeptic see where—and how far—he has fallen. Only then will it be possible for him to rise above the line of despair and know The Truth.

A Sermon by: John Calvin

 Armed for the Fight Against Grave and Serious Error

We have been warned that if God’s truth is being undermined, or if any are turning from the simplicity of the Gospel, we are to spare nothing and no one. Even if the whole world were to crumble as a result, we must maintain God’s cause with unshakeable constancy, without bending for anyone in any way. – from the sermon.

The editor’s note begins, “Note how apropos this sermon is for today.” Click on the title above to read the sermon.

John Calvin’s sermon is not only relevant, it speaks precisely to many of the problems we face in our time. Compromising the truth for fear of what others might think of us is just one example. Tolerating the errors of some for the sake of “peace” or a false sense of Christian unity is another. 

It is not just the Biblical exposition which is apropos, it is the attitude Mr. Calvin reveals in his sermon that is exactly the kind of boldness pastors and church leaders need. It has been a long time since I have heard a sermon with this kind force and seriousness. 

A Joy Unexpected

 June 28, 2013

I came out of the trail onto the main path. As I headed around the last stretch, Mozart’s Piano Sonata No.16 began to play on my Ipod. After the intro I lifted my head and saw a brood of kids with their moms blocking the path. When I cleared the other side I noticed a girl, maybe 3 or 4 years old with curly blonde hair, running and skipping along the berm on my right. I thought nothing of it and continue on with Mozart. 
 
Then something unexpected happened.
 
She stepped in front of me and held up a bottle of water. I stooped down and said, “Is this for me?” With sky blue eyes and the cutest face I ever saw she said, “Would you like a bottle of water?” I took it, and with a smile said, “God bless you and keep you!” She giggled and ran back to the group. 
 
I was filled with joy! I praised God and asked Him to bless her one hundredfold in return. Imagine, a small token of kindness having that kind of impact. It was exactly what I needed at the time.
 
A little further along the path I found another surprise. On the pavement written in chalk and in all kinds of colors I read: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 
 
Each word had its own color: one blue, the other red, and so on. They were stacked and spaced, one after another, spanning almost the entire sidewalk and went on for about 25 feet. I laughed, and with Joy continued praising the Lord until I got back to the car.
 
People do acts of kindness all the time. You see a stalled truck at an intersection and help push. Someone might have a couple items at the checkout so we let them cut in front of us. It’s just the little things people do.
 
But the Bible tells us in so many words that every good thing we receive is of the Lord. In Him we live, move, and have our being. (Acts) He is the cause of all things, and the world is sustained by Christ through the word of his power. Nothing happens by chance. 
 
That child who gave me the bottle of water caused me to praise and give thanks to the Lord, and I know by the word of God it was ultimately a gift from Him. 
 
“For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.” – Mark 9:41