There are a few things that happen this time of year in my world. While most may be figuring out what gifts to get, how to get them and stay within a budget (or ignoring the budget all together), others are planning parties and juggling schedules, and all the rest of the holiday happenings, I find myself if bodily present (pun intended) in some of these activities mentally thinking about two or three other topics.
The first is something I started doing in college. This time of year I start planning the following years spiritual journey and areas I hope to grow in throughout the next year. This includes bible reading plans, books I hope to read, topics I want to study, classes I want to take, relationships I want to either build or carve out of my life for one reason or another. So I'm spending time looking at the future and making some mental plans, writing down spiritual goals, setting up time lines for the new year, and so on and so forth. So really, this time of year always has me looking ahead.
Another activity I find myself engaging in is looking behind me. Not necessarily looking at my rear behind, but looking into the past. I pull out my planner pages, I review my journals, I think about what experiences I've had with job, family, friends, God and I try to think through what principles I've learned. I look to see if I've applied what God has taught me. I think of areas of my life that need some working and I assess if I am teachable in those areas or if I am simply ignoring God's work to bring those areas under the control of the Holy Spirit.
To be honest, I like the planning part of the year better than the reviewing part.
Time for another cup of coffee.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Distance
July to August = 1 month; August to September = 2 months; September to October = 3 months. Not exactly to the day, but really, it has been too long. I've missed you too. I don't think a solitary soul is even glancing at this blog; I do enjoy my anonimoty. Yet I guess in the back of my heart I wish I could share this with someone. There is a feeling of solitude that brings freedom, and a feeling of solitude that brings lonliness; the hopeless kind of longing lonliness. Knowing my relationships are not only scattered, but shallow enough I can't share brings a weird sense of lonliness.
I've been feeding my brain on God's Word lately. There is this new trick of writing out a verse or two on an index card and as I lay in bed at night trying to drift off to sleep I memorize the verse and meditate on it as the light is turned down. The dreams that come, the peace through the night, the refreshing feeling a body has at daybreak has been invigorating.
With this blog it needs to be figured out how to upload pictures into the post, to change colors if desired, to link to different sites, etc. There is much to do, that can be done, to keep one from being bored with mild musings.
I've been feeding my brain on God's Word lately. There is this new trick of writing out a verse or two on an index card and as I lay in bed at night trying to drift off to sleep I memorize the verse and meditate on it as the light is turned down. The dreams that come, the peace through the night, the refreshing feeling a body has at daybreak has been invigorating.
With this blog it needs to be figured out how to upload pictures into the post, to change colors if desired, to link to different sites, etc. There is much to do, that can be done, to keep one from being bored with mild musings.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Sanctification = God+me+God
This article is, by far, the most encouraging and enlightening comment on the subject of sanctification I've yet to read, courtesy of J.I. Packer.
"Regeneration was a momentary monergistic act of quickening the spiritually dead. As such, it was God's work alone. Sanctification, however, is in one sense synergistic - it is an ongoing cooperative process in which regenerate persons, alive to God and freed from sin's dominion (Rom. 6:11, 14-18), are required to exert themselves in sustained obedience. God's method of sanctification is neither activism (self-reliant activity) nor apathy (God-reliant passivity), but God-dependent effort (2 Cor. 7:1; Phil. 3:10-14; Heb. 12:14). Knowing that without Christ's enabling we can do nothing, morally speaking, as we should, and that he is ready to strengthen us for all that we have to do (Phil. 4:13), we "stay put" (remain, abide) in Christ, asking for his help constantly - and we receive it (Col. 1:11; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 1:7; 2:1)."
"Regeneration was a momentary monergistic act of quickening the spiritually dead. As such, it was God's work alone. Sanctification, however, is in one sense synergistic - it is an ongoing cooperative process in which regenerate persons, alive to God and freed from sin's dominion (Rom. 6:11, 14-18), are required to exert themselves in sustained obedience. God's method of sanctification is neither activism (self-reliant activity) nor apathy (God-reliant passivity), but God-dependent effort (2 Cor. 7:1; Phil. 3:10-14; Heb. 12:14). Knowing that without Christ's enabling we can do nothing, morally speaking, as we should, and that he is ready to strengthen us for all that we have to do (Phil. 4:13), we "stay put" (remain, abide) in Christ, asking for his help constantly - and we receive it (Col. 1:11; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 1:7; 2:1)."
Poems, Prayers & Promises
My friend at "Doctrine Matters" (see link) posted some great early church prayers and songs. Be blessed in the Savior.
May none of God's wonderful works keep silence
May none of God’s wonderful works keep silence,
night or morning.
Bright stars, high mountains, the depths of the seas,
sources of rushing rivers:
may all these break into song as we sing
to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
May all the angels in the heavens reply: Amen! Amen! Amen!
Power, praise, honour, eternal glory to God, the only Giver of grace.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
(Third-Century Hymn, A. Hamman, ed., Early Christian Prayers (Chicago, Henry Regnery, 1961, pg. 69)
and
Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see, evermore and evermore!
O that birth forever blessed, when the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving, bare the Savior of our race;
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face, evermore and evermore!
O ye heights of heaven adore Him; angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him, and extol our God and King!
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert sing, evermore and evermore!
(Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, Corde Natus Ex Parentis [348-413])
May none of God's wonderful works keep silence
May none of God’s wonderful works keep silence,
night or morning.
Bright stars, high mountains, the depths of the seas,
sources of rushing rivers:
may all these break into song as we sing
to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
May all the angels in the heavens reply: Amen! Amen! Amen!
Power, praise, honour, eternal glory to God, the only Giver of grace.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
(Third-Century Hymn, A. Hamman, ed., Early Christian Prayers (Chicago, Henry Regnery, 1961, pg. 69)
and
Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see, evermore and evermore!
O that birth forever blessed, when the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving, bare the Savior of our race;
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face, evermore and evermore!
O ye heights of heaven adore Him; angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him, and extol our God and King!
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert sing, evermore and evermore!
(Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, Corde Natus Ex Parentis [348-413])
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Daily7
I had started a blog w/ Xanga but for some reason just found it difficult to maintain. Not necessarily maintain how it looked, although that was confusing at times, but maintain logging in and actually adding substance of any kind. A friend of ours has a blog with this site and seems to do fairly well keeping up with it; so I thought I would model after him. We'll see how this goes.
I've a week before I take the ordination exam in Wadsworth. I've studied and worked very hard. I've taken two college level courses and I'm in the middle of another (which I'm terribly behind in). I'm finding the courses to help me with studying for ordination. It's forming me and molding me; I like it in some ways and in others I'm quite bothered. I find I like the discipline it's cultivating to get through this process. The material studied so far has been good and beneficial to a life poured out in ministry and service to God and His people.
I guess the part I've liked least is how few "normal" folks in vocational ministry there are. It's really bizarre how many unoriginal folks who fancy themselves cutting edge, creative, engaging, relevant (YIKES) and original. I'm sorry, but put yourself back in the wrapper and wait awhile before we unwrap your sorry self. It proves stereotypes exist for a reason and there IS a reason why so many find the church irrelevant, intolerable, needlessly boring, and yes, sadly, selfish and cruel. I'm watching who is leading our churches and it not so much repulses me as much as disgusts and disheartens me.
Although, I have met a few that are truly gifted, excited, passionate, authentic, truly in love with Jesus, doctrinal balanced, theologically solid, intelligent, relevant . . . blah blah blah. So, let's not give up all hope. Besides, it's not my church; it's not my body; these aren't my children; they're God's church, body, children. He calls and anoints whom he wants.
I like what A.B. Simpson writes: "Christ has overcome for us every one of our four terrible foes: Sin, Sickness, Sorrow, Satan. He has borne our sin, and we may lay all, even including our sinfulness itself, on Him. He has borne our sickness, and we may detach ourselves from our old infirmities and rise into His glorious life and strength. He has borne our sorrows, and we should not even carry a care, but rejoice evermore and even glory in tribulations. And He has conquered Satan for us, too, and left him nailed to the cross, spoiled and dishonored, a shadow of himself. And now we need only claim His full atonement and assert our victory, and so [overcome] him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). Beloved, are we overcoming sin? Are we overcoming sickness? Are we overcoming sorrow? Are we overcoming Satan? Fear not, though the strife be long; Faint not, though the foe be strong; Trust thy glorious Captain's power; Watch with Him one little hour, Hear Him calling, "Follow Me, I have overcome for thee." It's not about what we look like or our particular personality; it's about Jesus doing the work through us as we abide in Him and His ways.
I've a week before I take the ordination exam in Wadsworth. I've studied and worked very hard. I've taken two college level courses and I'm in the middle of another (which I'm terribly behind in). I'm finding the courses to help me with studying for ordination. It's forming me and molding me; I like it in some ways and in others I'm quite bothered. I find I like the discipline it's cultivating to get through this process. The material studied so far has been good and beneficial to a life poured out in ministry and service to God and His people.
I guess the part I've liked least is how few "normal" folks in vocational ministry there are. It's really bizarre how many unoriginal folks who fancy themselves cutting edge, creative, engaging, relevant (YIKES) and original. I'm sorry, but put yourself back in the wrapper and wait awhile before we unwrap your sorry self. It proves stereotypes exist for a reason and there IS a reason why so many find the church irrelevant, intolerable, needlessly boring, and yes, sadly, selfish and cruel. I'm watching who is leading our churches and it not so much repulses me as much as disgusts and disheartens me.
Although, I have met a few that are truly gifted, excited, passionate, authentic, truly in love with Jesus, doctrinal balanced, theologically solid, intelligent, relevant . . . blah blah blah. So, let's not give up all hope. Besides, it's not my church; it's not my body; these aren't my children; they're God's church, body, children. He calls and anoints whom he wants.
I like what A.B. Simpson writes: "Christ has overcome for us every one of our four terrible foes: Sin, Sickness, Sorrow, Satan. He has borne our sin, and we may lay all, even including our sinfulness itself, on Him. He has borne our sickness, and we may detach ourselves from our old infirmities and rise into His glorious life and strength. He has borne our sorrows, and we should not even carry a care, but rejoice evermore and even glory in tribulations. And He has conquered Satan for us, too, and left him nailed to the cross, spoiled and dishonored, a shadow of himself. And now we need only claim His full atonement and assert our victory, and so [overcome] him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). Beloved, are we overcoming sin? Are we overcoming sickness? Are we overcoming sorrow? Are we overcoming Satan? Fear not, though the strife be long; Faint not, though the foe be strong; Trust thy glorious Captain's power; Watch with Him one little hour, Hear Him calling, "Follow Me, I have overcome for thee." It's not about what we look like or our particular personality; it's about Jesus doing the work through us as we abide in Him and His ways.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)