“Ruminations”
June 6, 2010 | 
Author It’s not funny . . .
I had heard of this video (Click here) that is on desiringgod.org. I know that Justin Taylor has blogged about it, as well as many others. You need only to listen to about the first 8 minutes to get it.
My curiosity took the better part of me to look it up, not just because I am a ridiculously curious person, although I am, rather it was because I have experienced this all too often. Here, it is on video with John Piper. Here, it is clear that something is wrong. Here, it is a caricature – a cliche – because these are counselors – so-called, Christian, counselors. This reminds me of some of the conversations I listened to as a young pastor when the older guys would “let their hair down.” I have had to learn how desperately we all need grace, especially those of us that the Lord allows to sit so close to watch Him work – that is pastoral ministry after all, front-row seats to see Him work.
The video tagged above illustrates something I have wanted to say, but have never found/taken the opportunity to say it AS I WAS EXPERIENCING it, for fear of crushing or disproportionately rebuking those I was teaching, or sitting with while another was teaching – or listening with as others were confessing, or reading with as God’s Word was speaking. This is the great anesthesia of the Enemy – to make light of that which matters most and much of that which matters little. We need to wake up, listen – be sober and vigilant – to watch and pray, for our laughter betrays us.
The reality is:
Sin – it’s not funny.
The lost going to hell – it’s not funny.
The heresy of a wolf – it’s not funny.
A sinner getting caught and punished – it’s not funny.
The wrath of God – it’s not funny.
The sacrifice of Christ – it’s not funny.
The weakness of our flesh – it’s not funny.
The tears of a brother – it’s not funny.
In Ezekiel, God, speaking of the greatness of His name and the greatness of Israel’s sin, often asks, “Is it too slight a thing? . . . ”
Is it?
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Tags: Deception, God, Pride, Religious Affections, Sobriety, Truth | 
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Endurance – One of the many amazing products of Grace
The following devotional was put together by my wife and I for her to deliver at the women’s retreat for our Sunday School class this weekend. I also shared it with those who did not go on the retreat, so husbands could hear it too. See attached at the bottom for the actual Word Doc.
Endurance
Hebrews 12:1-13
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, 12:2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 12:3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up
Endurance means living by grace through Faith
- The meaning of endurance is to stay the course (What)
- The means for endurance is grace (How)
- The mission of endurance is God – our author, support and prize (Why)
Flow of thought:
- James tells us that trials bring endurance and endurance maturity
- The author of Hebrews calls trials and discipline a race to endure
- The most important thing about running the race is staying on course
- We cannot endure ourselves
- We need God’s strength to endure
- We receive His strength by grace
- Without faith – trusting God – we cannot see His grace and do not rest in His grace
- Christ ran before us, so He is the example of the running and the end – for the Father rewarded Christ with Himself
- We endure for God, with God, by God’s strength and to God as our prize
Intro: James says that trials bring about endurance and endurance maturity or completeness. Here, the writer of Hebrews calls it a race – a race we must endure. This is a wish that we all have. When money is tight, we want to endure. When there are marital problems, we want to endure. When our children are sick and no one has the answer, we want to endure. We want to do this, but what does it really mean to endure? How do we do it? WHY do we endure?
Posted in "Ruminations", Lessons Repository, Papers and Articles | Tags: Dependency, Endurance, Grace, Piper | No Comments »
We want Shepherds like Him, but not Him . . .
Throughout the Old Testament, the most common themes are:
1. God is Sovereign and our provision and joy in life
2. Mankind wants to condescend Him and pervert His nature to be like us . . . recognizable and iconic
3. God alone is faithful
4. Mankind cannot be faithful
One of the most telling and horrifying – even defining passages of the Old Testament is 1 Samuel 8:7
The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. NAU1 Sa 8:7
The deception that our mother, Eve, fell for still rings in our ears – go your own way. We want a king like us, for us, from us . . . the heart of idolatry is always self-worship.
I am indebted to some brothers for continually introducing me to more edifying music. Andrew Peterson is one of those musicians. This song is very enlightening. I hope you see it that way, too.
Posted in "Ruminations", Lyrical Theology | Tags: Christian Hedonism, God, Humility, Idolatry, Israel, Sovereignty, Weakness, Worship | No Comments »
Dare You to Move – Switchfoot
This one could be taken a few variant ways, I suppose. This particular Album, The Beautiful Letdown, is great. Lots of cool stuff here and perspectives that really get to the big picture. Dare You to Move is not about lifting yourself up by your boot straps and living in self-help, Stuart-Smalley-isms. Rather it is rooted in forgiveness and weakness. We are constantly being beat down and the call is to get back up.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. (2 Cor. 4:7-10)
Welcome to the planet Welcome to existence Everyone's here Everyone's here Everybody's watching you now Everybody waits for you now What happens next? What happens next? I dare you to move I dare you to move I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor I dare you to move I dare you to move Like today never happened Today never happened before Welcome to the fallout Welcome to resistance The tension is here The tension is here Between who you are and who you could be Between how it is and how it should be I dare you to move I dare you to move I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor I dare you to move I dare you to move Like today never happened Today never happened Maybe redemption has stories to tell Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell Where can you run to escape from yourself? Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go? Salvation is here I dare you to move I dare you to move I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor I dare you to move I dare you to move Like today never happened Today never happened Today never happened Today never happened before