Especially for Parents

I often read the writings of Charles Spurgeon and so I catch myself quoting him an awful lot, too. Well, I'm just gonna do a whopping cut and paste job here today. The following is from Spurgeon's "Morning by Morning" devotional readings and is rich wisdom for parents:

Mark 9:19 "Bring him unto Me."
Despairingly the poor disappointed father turned away from the disciples to their Master. His son was in the worst possible condition, and all means had failed, but the miserable child was soon delivered from the evil one when the parent in faith obeyed the Lord Jesus’ word, “Bring him unto me.” Children are a precious gift from God, but much anxiety comes with them. They may be a great joy or a great bitterness to their parents; they may be filled with the Spirit of God, or possessed with the spirit of evil. In all cases, the Word of God gives us one receipt for the curing of all their ills, “Bring him unto me.” O for more agonizing prayer on their behalf while they are yet babes! Sin is there, let our prayers begin to attack it. Our cries for our offspring should precede those cries which betoken their actual advent into a world of sin. In the days of their youth we shall see sad tokens of that dumb and deaf spirit which will neither pray aright, nor hear the voice of God in the soul, but Jesus still commands, “Bring them unto me.” When they are grown up they may wallow in sin and foam with enmity against God; then when our hearts are breaking we should remember the great Physician’s words, “Bring them unto me.” Never must we cease to pray until they cease to breathe. No case is hopeless while Jesus lives.

The Lord sometimes suffers his people to be driven into a corner that they may experimentally know how necessary he is to them. Ungodly children, when they show us our own powerlessness against the depravity of their hearts, drive us to flee to the strong for strength, and this is a great blessing to us. Whatever our morning’s need may be, let it like a strong current bear us to the ocean of divine love. Jesus can soon remove our sorrow. He delights to comfort us. Let us hasten to him while he waits to meet us.

Grain Elevators, Water Towers and Church Steeples

Every time I drive across western Kansas and look out across the rolling seas of bluestem, beans, corn, wheat and milo, I remember something I once heard. Sometimes all you can see out on the prairie are three things marking the existence of some dusty little town: a grain elevator, a water tower and a church steeple. Each one of these structures contains something that mankind needs. I like that. I like how out in the vastness of the Great Plains, men have made their priorites known (quite unintentionally I'm sure) by the structures they have built, and revealed a great truth: to live, we need food, water and faith. Most of all, we need faith because it feeds the soul.

I really like how uncluttered the prairie is, and these little towns and their essential structures make me want to have an uncluttered kind of faith. I want to grow a simple faith in the simple Gospel that stands out and offers to people just exactly what they need.

To the Far Blue Mountains

My son Jack (#2) and I will be in Colorado most of this week and therefore the blog will be conspicuously lacking in new material. In the meantime, have a look at this older post to get an idea of what we're up to this week. While you're here, you should also check out the blogroll in the column to the right. Tryyyy it, you'll liiiike it! Of particular interest is The Soulproject Warehouse, which is where the teenagers from our youth group express their thoughts and creativity. Absolutely amazing entries of devotion, poetry and artful expression!

Peace!

Remembering A Ragamuffin

Listening to the radio this morning, I was reminded that it was eleven years ago today that Rich Mullins was killed in an automobile accident. His good friend and fellow writer and musician Mitch McVicker was seriously injured. Along with Bono, Rich remains one of my favorite musical poets. What's with the Irish, anyway?

Well, I gotta tell ya, I don't know how many times I've cried listening to Rich's music. How is it that a handful of words contain enough beauty to cause my emotions to swell and drip out my eyes?

"I can see the Covenant colors: The sun and the rain have woven against the blue of the sky."

That line just bowls me over every time I listen to "The Howling."

((Now, I understand this is my deeply personal opinion and experience I'm sharing here. You'll probably read some of these lines and say something like, "You know, I'm kinda hungry - where did I put my Cheez-Its?" Oh well, I'm sharing it all anyway!))

"In the west I see an evening, a scarlet thread stretched beneath the gathering dark, red as the blood on the hands of the Savior and rich as the mercy that flowed from His broken heart."

I've not heard of anyone who can craft a metaphor of such grandeur and sublimity! (If you know of someone, don't tell me...)

The one song that I absolutely can't sing without being overwhelmed by the weight of it is "The Love of God." I did a cover of this song with a friend of mine once at an outdoor concert and managed to get through it, but crooning along in the car by myself - no way - pile of tears.

I don't want to ramble, though I easily could, so I'll just say that the music of Rich Mullins has influenced me in many profound ways and touches a place in my soul that no other musician/poet has been able to do.

Beauty versus Evolution

It happened yesterday morning. The sun had risen in the East and directly opposite of it was the moon setting in the West. They were perfectly facing each other. For me, this is one of the most sublime moments to experience in the natural world. It's just so cool.

Have you ever considered that the sun and the moon appear to be the same size in the sky? Well, they do take up approximately (almost exactly) the same amount of space in our field of vision. Although the sun is about 400 times the diameter of the moon, it is also about 400 times farther away from earth than the moon. Pretty nifty.

I don't believe in evolution. I believe science actually proves the impossibility of it. Now, we must not confuse evolution with natural selection. Certainly natural selection occurs and is observable. Certainly minute changes can and do occur within species. However, so much in science militates against macro-evolution, e.g., whales slowly turning into land dwelling creatures and vice versa. From DNA to the laws of physics to the idea of irreducible complexity to observable evidence, the facts seem clear that Darwinian evolution is nothing but pseudo-scientific shenanigans. But I am beginning to digress.

The existence of "beauty" is great evidence for a Creator. Read the quote below at least twice and really think about it:

Beauty is pervasive in the natural world, from subatomic particles to crystals to biochemical pathways to butterflies to tropical jungles to the planets to the universe.
If beauty were the result of chance, it would be extremely rare.
If beauty were the result of necessity, why would we be soothed by bird songs used to attract mates, establish territories, and threaten enemies?
It seems reasonable to assume that we appreciate the beauty in nature because we have a mind patterned after the intelligence that is responsible for the beauty.

http://www.northave.org/MGManual/creation/creatn3.htm

I might add (and will) that such an abstract concept as "beauty" would have no sensible place in an evolutionary universe.

In a sense, beauty is truth, or perhaps more appropriately, beauty reveals truth. Of course, the ultimate source of truth and beauty is Christ.

Colossians 1:15-17

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Solus Christus!

Absolute Madness!

Charles Spurgeon wrote, "May infinite wisdom cure us of the madness of self-confidence." Indeed.

The only confidence any of us can have in ourSELVES is that when we step out in our own strength, we will fail, sin and generally mess things up. Don't get me wrong, I'm not discounting human initiative or any achievement people might attain. I mean, hey, we went to the moon, right?

What I'm saying is that in matters of our spiritual lives, we must depend wholly upon God.

~It is madness to believe that we can do anything to merit God's mercy.

~It is madness to believe that we can resist sin without the Holy Spirit's power.

~It is madness to believe that we are saved by any other means than grace.

~It is madness to grasp at any glory for ourselves in our work for God.

~It is madness to imagine that ANY gift or talent we have is something we have created ourselves.

This axiom also has great merit in matters that are not-so-spiritual. Humility has value in all arenas of life and does NOT exclude confidence; confidence and humility can definitely co-exist. The important thing is in what or Whom the confidence is rooted. The disaster comes when "self" is appended to the "confidence."

There really is GREAT confidence to be had when we live in the realization that, indeed, God has gifted His people specifically and mankind in general with outstanding abilities, and that these abilities have their source in His creative, eternal mind and they all show forth His glory.

Ora et Labora!

Peanut butter and jelly. Bert and Ernie. Fish and chips. Fred and Ginger. Some things just belong together. King Hezekiah knew this, and the Bible attributes his success as a leader and reformer to the motto "ora et labora", or, "pray and work."

In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:21

Of course we are to pray - all kinds of prayers and requests for all kinds of people and situations. I may be misquoting, but I believe it was Smith Wigglesworth that said, "I never pray more than fifteen minutes, but I never go more than fifteen minutes without praying."

Prayer for the Christian should be like breathing.

We are also expected to work, to put our hands to the plow, to be laborers, to scatter seed and to finish the race. And all of this should be done wholeheartedly. I think that if we are praying, and God isn't stirring us into action as a result of that prayer, it is possible that we are praying incorrectly.

The essence of prayer is aligning our will with that of the Father and learning from Him. Prayer is about transformation. So, when prayer works, we begin to work.

Hezekiah's spiritual reforms led to a rebirth of worship, devotion to the Word of God, prayer and work. Our lives should follow the same pattern as we grow in Christ, with maturity increasing as we go from strength to strength.

Certainly Not Perfect, But Pretty Good

Seven years ago this morning I was sick in bed. The morning news was on and the unbelievable images on the television arrested my heart and mind. What in the world was happening? It was absolutely unreal.

This morning I was thinking about our nation. I thought also of Europe and all of Asia: Post-Christian in the truest sense. At least here there is still some essence of Biblical morality. There is obviously a growing global disdain for America. I'm not going to use this space to go into the ins and outs of that issue. I simply want to state what I feel in my heart today, September 11th: America is great nation, full of problems, but still a great nation.

We are, at this time in history anyway, a place of hope for the world. Though our time as a superpower may be a blip on the historical radar screen, the time is now and I'm glad that even though we are powerful, we are also compassionate. The video below is from U2's Rattle and Hum film and features the song Bullet the Blue Sky. It is profound for those who can appreciate it. My apologies to those who won't. :) Also, please excuse the profanity of Adam Clayton at the beginning of the vid if you choose to watch it.

Rekindle

In these United States, one must be at least 35 years old in order to be eligible to run for President. In ancient Israel, there was no such age restriction on becoming king. So, as history records it, a young man of 25 became king of Judah 2,723 years ago. His name was Hezekiah. In Second Chronicles 29 is the way cool story of how Hezekiah enacted religious reform - no, that word isn't quite right - religious renewal as soon as he took office.

The first thing he did was to open the doors of the temple because, as he said:

"Our fathers were unfaithful; they did evil the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook Him. They turned their faces away from the LORD's dwelling place and turned their backs on Him. They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel."

2 Chronicles 29:6-7 (emphasis added)

Reading that description is like going to a funeral. There is a feeling of rude finality in what the people had done in regard to their relationship with God. It's just plain awful. The wonderful counterpoint is provided in verse 3:

"In the first month of the first year of his reign, [Hezekiah] opened the doors of the temple and repaired them."

Now, it gets even better when we apply this story as an illustration of our modern day individual lives. It's a call to personal renewal. Certainly we have all found ourselves at a place where we have let the fires of God and the light of His presence burn low in our souls - even all the way out. We've become sour and choked and closed up. We have ceased at times to burn the fragrant incense of prayer and have failed to surrender ourselves as living sacrifices. We have turned our backs and our hearts have turned to stone.

Mercifully, God is patient and gracious and waits as the father of the prodigal for the rebellious ones to turn around (In fact, His Holy Spirit is an agent in that quickening and preserving - even more amazing grace!). In that moment of repentance, there is relief and rest and refreshing. Reform. How many of us need that today? Open the doors, repair them, and let worship, prayer and surrender begin again!

Awaiting Orion

Autumn is closing in; the quiet season is right around the corner. There is nothing like the advent of cooler days and frosty nights with skies as clear as crystal. It's exciting to watch the winter constellations begin to emerge, and Orion is one of best. He rules the fall and winter skies at night, and is a symbol of the conquering Christ.

In Robert Frost's "The Star Splitter", he describes Orion in a familiar, homespun fashion:

You know Orion always comes up sideways.

Throwing a leg up over our fence of mountains, and rising on his hands,

he looks in on me busy outdoors by lantern-light with something

I should have done by daylight, and indeed, after the ground is frozen,

I should have done before it froze,

and a gust flings a handful of waste leaves at my smoky lantern chimney

to make fun of my way of doing things,

or else fun of Orion's having caught me.

One of the brightest and most easily discerned nebula in the night sky is M42, the Orion Nebula, located below Orion's belt. My rather poor photograph of it is below, but a better one can be seen here.

Some of my most profound moments with God are when I'm bundled up and flat on my back, outside on a crystal night, with binoculars in my hands.

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4

The astonishing thing is that God is mindful of me. He created wonder after wonder in this broad, unfathomable universe but His favorite thing is relationship with the hearts of those He has redeemed. That is such a weighty thought when it's truly considered and not just passed over matter-of-factly, that it brings new life, confidence and assurance to anxious hearts.

Hope Now

I like Addison Road. The "All That Matters" song is just . . . it's just so . . . it just makes me feel good! I posted it here.

Below is another vid, from their On-the-road Podcast. Beautiful, simple worship.

The full version of the song is here, if you wanna check it out. :)
Peace.

Iran, 539 BC

History is an amazing teacher, and in today's crazy world climate there are lessons from the past that can give us confidence that Someone is still in control.It was around 605 B.C. when a powerful ruler named Nabû-kudurri-uṣur (better known as Nebuchadnezzar) swept through the land of Israel and, over the next several years, destroyed Jersualem, deposed King Jehoiakim and eventually deported a sizable portion of the population off to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was simply being a king bent on conquest. What he didn't realize was that his exploits were guided by the will of an truly Sovereign King. The people of Judah had turned their backs on God for long enough, and drastic measures were needed to turn their hearts in the right direction again. In order to discipline them, God allowed them to witness the destruction of their temple and capital city, two things from which they drew their identity as a people. In addition, they were torn from their homeland and carried hundreds of miles away to be ruled by a foreign king.

Fast forward almost 70 years, and a new conqueror is on the scene. In 539 B.C. a Persian (Persia: modern day Iran) ruler named Cyrus captures the city of Babylon (in a brilliant military move, his army diverted the water of the Euphrates so they could march right into the city) and arrests Nabonidus, then ruler of Babylon. The Jewish captives were still living in Babylon and were perhaps by now a little more tender hearted toward the One True God. History tells us that one of Cyrus' first acts in office was to issue and order releasing these people to return to their homeland. The words of this story that really shine are "the LORD moved the heart of [king] Cyrus."

Once again, the Sovereign hand of God is revealed, working in the lives of men to accomplish His will and His purposes. It's no different today. He is no less powerful, no less in control. From world events to our own personal lives, circumstances can whorl and swirl and seem rather random, but I believe that God at the helm, and all things are working together for the good of those who love Him. Soli Deo gloria!

The Earnest

Francis Schaeffer wrote a very readable commentary on the first half of Romans called "The Finished Work of Christ." I highly recommend it. Schaeffer was one of the last century's greatest Christian thinkers and apologists. Below is an excerpt from the book, expounding on Romans 8:23:

"In English law,it used to be the custom that when a portion of land was purchased, the person who was selling the land handed . . . a handful of his soil to the person who was buying it. That handful of soil was the "earnest," or promise, that the whole had been purchased. When you and I are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, this is an earnest of the fact that the whole has been purchased by the blood of the Lamb. The earnest is already ours. He dwells within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. He is the proof that the whole has been purchased. And what is the whole? The whole is the redemption of our bodies. Because the Spirit indwells us, we can be sure that the Lord has purchased our whole being, and the He will one day claim it by raising us from the dead."

In life we endure all sorts of physical trials, from being fatigued to migraines to the painful wasting of dreaded diseases. Ailments are immediate, that is, they directly confront our senses, and therefore factor largely in our day to day life. There are two facts, however, that can (hopefully) somewhat dull the edge of physical suffering.

First, if we are true followers of Christ, the most important healing has already taken place. What good is a healthy body with a sick and withered soul separated from God? How much better to have, through faith in Christ, a soul that is well, forgiven and at peace. Whether we are hale or frail, our salvation is the most important thing.

Second, those who are Christ's can be assured, as Schaeffer's quote explains, that there certainly WILL come a time of healing for the body as well. And not just a healing, but a re-making. Redemption doesn't end with our soul's salvation. Redemption's work is completed when we are united with Christ and our mortal bodies are reworked and remade into immortal bodies. Cool. In Christ, pain is temporary, peace is forever.