It's Probably Time to Grow Up
Sad to say...the conference is over; such things are not made to last for long periods of time. The entire thing was nothing short of amazing. There were many things learned about shepherding and preaching that I'm sure will prove invaluable in the future. It was especially nice to watch the four hosts (Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, Al Mohler, and CJ Mahaney) and the three guests (RC Sproul, John Piper, and John MacArthur) on the panel discussion times. They were completely at ease and goofy at times, life-and-death serious at others, and very genuine. It proved true that they were mere sinners who have been mercifully justified by faith before the Father. Each of them has been gifted and they have poured their lives into using those gifts for the Kingdom.
As far as an overall lesson learned: I need to grow up. Big shocker. I realize sanctification is a process, but watching these men made me look at the fruit of discipline in my life and notice the lack of it. Perhaps this feeling culminated the second afternoon/evening with Sproul and Piper, and continued on into hearing about MacArthur's 40 years as a faithful minister of God's word. The weight they feel as souls are in the balance is something we should all taste. There is indeed a call for men to submit to the Father in discipline and living by faith. This is a very weighty, but encouraging thing to feel. After all, the Lord disciplines those he loves. I would encourage guys to check out the mp3's of the sermons when they appear on the TogetherfortheGospel site.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
We are here...finally. After 16-17 hours of driving through fluctuating temperatures, rain, hail, and sleepiness, we have reached our destination of Louisville, KY. The Galt House is crazy fancy...I feel out of place...yet it is good to be here with my brothers and enjoy fellowship with them. The ride up was real fun; I drove a total of about 9 and a half hours and the Lord was good to provide energy for that as well as sustain me until now. We are fixing to check in to the conference at 1:45 and then go to Southern's campus to check out a smaller meeting on "blogging to the glory of God" which will be sweet. Then we will be headed back to the Galt to get hoppin' at the conference at 7:00. It should be really sweet and a definite learning experience. Please pray for Jesus-centered thinking and enduring lessons...also, that the Lord would do a mighty humbling work in all the men here. It's so easy to be puffed up at things like this.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Jesus Teaches Through Termination: Part II
I think I briefly mentioned in my last post that I wondered whether or not Joseph worried about what everyone else thought about his arrest and imprisonment for something he did not do. And it is exactly this that I wish to address in this post. Losing my job at a bank could look quite bad to people looking in on the situation, considering that I worked with money. I pondered what people might be thinking: Did he steal money? Was he doing something illegal? These thoughts weighed upon me at first. Would I be looked down upon, pitied, for being seemingly incapable of holding a job?
However, I consider it divine sovereignty that I was/am going through the book of John when this all went down. Scope out these verses:
"I do not receive glory from people." - Jn. 5:41
"How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?" - Jn. 5:44
When I read this stuff, I felt Hebrews 4:12 in a very real way, for the Word of God proved itself "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and the intents of the heart." My heart was laid bare and my sin was brought out into the open. I realized that I had a serious problem with seeking glory from people. And this is no small issue according to Jesus, for he sees a glaring contradiction between people-pleasing and faith. This is why he says, "How can you believe?" One who seeks glory from people in everything does not come to faith in Christ. And a Christian who seeks glory from people will not believe God's promises for him/her. Faith and people-pleasing hate each other. The Lord was good to remind me of His promises littered throughout scripture and wage war on my mind's battle.
Simply put, Jesus is who we will be staring at with awe for eternity, not any other. We must not live like humans are the ones we desire glory from. Jesus is zealous for his name and he will not allow his children to chase after "broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jer. 2:12-13). To learn this was worth being fired, if for no other reason at all.
I think I briefly mentioned in my last post that I wondered whether or not Joseph worried about what everyone else thought about his arrest and imprisonment for something he did not do. And it is exactly this that I wish to address in this post. Losing my job at a bank could look quite bad to people looking in on the situation, considering that I worked with money. I pondered what people might be thinking: Did he steal money? Was he doing something illegal? These thoughts weighed upon me at first. Would I be looked down upon, pitied, for being seemingly incapable of holding a job?
However, I consider it divine sovereignty that I was/am going through the book of John when this all went down. Scope out these verses:
"I do not receive glory from people." - Jn. 5:41
"How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?" - Jn. 5:44
When I read this stuff, I felt Hebrews 4:12 in a very real way, for the Word of God proved itself "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and the intents of the heart." My heart was laid bare and my sin was brought out into the open. I realized that I had a serious problem with seeking glory from people. And this is no small issue according to Jesus, for he sees a glaring contradiction between people-pleasing and faith. This is why he says, "How can you believe?" One who seeks glory from people in everything does not come to faith in Christ. And a Christian who seeks glory from people will not believe God's promises for him/her. Faith and people-pleasing hate each other. The Lord was good to remind me of His promises littered throughout scripture and wage war on my mind's battle.
Simply put, Jesus is who we will be staring at with awe for eternity, not any other. We must not live like humans are the ones we desire glory from. Jesus is zealous for his name and he will not allow his children to chase after "broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jer. 2:12-13). To learn this was worth being fired, if for no other reason at all.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Jesus Teaches Through Termination: Part I
If you are wondering what the title means, see the previous blog. Otherwise, I'll move on to the first thing I learned in being fired.
The day it happened, I came home in shock...mostly due to the fact that I had never been fired before. Soon the shock turned into despair and confusion and a - happy to say - short lived depressed feeling. I had no clue what had just happened and began looking on myself with disgust. The voice of the accuser was hot on my neck and I was listening to his lies. And I wish I could say that I dumped the despair that night. However, it was not until the next morning (Ps. 30:5; Lam. 3:22-23) that the Lord mercifully delivered me by showing me what I was truly concerned with. I had this deep fear of what I was going to have to tell everyone who knew I was working there and what others would think about me. Now, this is ridiculous, because I'm surrounded by a church body at Living Hope that I know - for a fact - loves me. Yet I was still scared and the Lord revealed my sin in this: I have always sought the approval of people much more intensely than I have sought the approval of God. This is a serious problem. In fact, Jesus says that seeking glory from men is something that hinders belief (Jn. 5:44). And this proved true because in the midst of my desire to look flawless, I was unable to believe God's promises of his sovereignty and his own love for me.
I was reminded of the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. He was sold into slavery, proclaimed to be dead by his backstabbing brothers, and thrown in jail for something he did not do. And all the while God is sovereign in these things which eventually lead to his becoming 2nd in command in Egypt. At the end of Genesis he says this to his brothers: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." Joseph saw the sovereign hand of God in all of it...including his wrongful imprisonment. And I can't help but wonder if he dealt with wondering what the outside world thought of the accusations against him. I wonder if the accuser also made him worry about what others would think.
Yet, like I said, the Lord mercifully delivered me. And I praise him for it!! For we have been freed from the judgment of mankind. We need not feel misplaced shame any longer. If we seek righteousness, then we must not listen to the condemnation of the evil one. I am so glad to be learning this lesson in such a strong way. I desire for it to be gone completely and to only seek Jesus' sweet, beautiful face.
If you are wondering what the title means, see the previous blog. Otherwise, I'll move on to the first thing I learned in being fired.
The day it happened, I came home in shock...mostly due to the fact that I had never been fired before. Soon the shock turned into despair and confusion and a - happy to say - short lived depressed feeling. I had no clue what had just happened and began looking on myself with disgust. The voice of the accuser was hot on my neck and I was listening to his lies. And I wish I could say that I dumped the despair that night. However, it was not until the next morning (Ps. 30:5; Lam. 3:22-23) that the Lord mercifully delivered me by showing me what I was truly concerned with. I had this deep fear of what I was going to have to tell everyone who knew I was working there and what others would think about me. Now, this is ridiculous, because I'm surrounded by a church body at Living Hope that I know - for a fact - loves me. Yet I was still scared and the Lord revealed my sin in this: I have always sought the approval of people much more intensely than I have sought the approval of God. This is a serious problem. In fact, Jesus says that seeking glory from men is something that hinders belief (Jn. 5:44). And this proved true because in the midst of my desire to look flawless, I was unable to believe God's promises of his sovereignty and his own love for me.
I was reminded of the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. He was sold into slavery, proclaimed to be dead by his backstabbing brothers, and thrown in jail for something he did not do. And all the while God is sovereign in these things which eventually lead to his becoming 2nd in command in Egypt. At the end of Genesis he says this to his brothers: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." Joseph saw the sovereign hand of God in all of it...including his wrongful imprisonment. And I can't help but wonder if he dealt with wondering what the outside world thought of the accusations against him. I wonder if the accuser also made him worry about what others would think.
Yet, like I said, the Lord mercifully delivered me. And I praise him for it!! For we have been freed from the judgment of mankind. We need not feel misplaced shame any longer. If we seek righteousness, then we must not listen to the condemnation of the evil one. I am so glad to be learning this lesson in such a strong way. I desire for it to be gone completely and to only seek Jesus' sweet, beautiful face.
A New Series of Blogs: Jesus Teaches Through Termination
Recently, I lost my job working at The Fargo (lost it?...sounds like I misplaced something). I know, I know...you want to know how? If you so desire to know the unlikely details, I will fill you in over the phone or in person. However, the purpose of the next few blogs will be to write about what Jesus has taught me through me being fired. Many people like to claim that unfortunate events are not from the hand of the Lord...the Bible disagrees. And he has indeed shown me that there was divine purpose and action behind the whole shebang. So, stay tuned for real-life application of what the Bible says about unexpected, seemingly negative events, and how Jesus is sufficient for joy right smack-dab (oh yes...smack-dab) in the middle of them.
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