ListenDaily - 12 January 2010: That one thing…
That one thing…
Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly,
what that one thing in me is,
which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God;
and to direct all my forces against it.
So goes one of Jonathan Edwards’ 70 resolutions*. So then, what might that “one thing” (or more than one thing) be, that causes us to doubt that God loves us, or that His love is sufficient to cover us in all circumstances?
There is no way to print an exhaustive list; everyone has their points of weakness. They might include fear, embarrassment, shame, circumstances (past or present), or any of a myriad of things that keep us from receiving all God would give us.
Jonathan Edwards says that he resolved to figure out which it was for him, and then to “direct all my forces against it”. An honorable idea, which I think each of us, should consider. But remember one thing: our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 6:12)
Friends, whatever that “thing” is, that causes you to doubt, that prevents you from receiving, or that stands between you and God, remember, it is nothing compared to the power, authority, and love of God. The enemy uses our fears as a portal for his lies; he will rush around us and whisper in our ears that the “one thing” is too big, too bad, too awful, or too ugly for God to get around. Is it? Is anything too hard for the LORD? (Gen. 18:13)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you ever felt that God couldn’t love you?
2. Have you ever felt that God’s love couldn’t overcome your fear?
3. What then, is your next step?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
Many of our fears are tissue-paper-thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them.
Brendan Francis
LINKS:
* http://www.apuritansmind.com/christianwalk/ResolutionsOfJonathanEdwards.htm
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
ListenDaily - 05 January 2010: Doubt
Happy New Year! So then, moving on from yesterday's In the beginning...God...
For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
I had lunch with my good friend and brother, Pastor Jeff Collins of Christ Memorial Baptist Church*, here in Dover, Delaware, John Groth, of PriorityOne**, and a few other men. Jeff presented us with a list of resolutions made by one of the American fathers of the faith and a key figure of the Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards***. One of those resolutions reads:
Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
I had an initial, knee-jerk reaction to this -- I don't doubt the love of God, so let's move on it is a long list of resolutions!) But the conversation (as conversations with these guys tend to do) began to go deeper, and I have continued to think about it since.
Do I ever doubt God's love? Do you? Are you as convinced as the Apostle Paul of the fullness of God's Love?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. For God so loved the world... what does that mean? 2. Are you certain of His love for you? 3. What might it look like to doubt His love?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays." Andrew Murray
"Beware you are not swallowed up in books! An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge." John Wesley
"If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all we wanted to say,
every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they loved them." Christopher Morley
"Love is the great conqueror of lust." C.S. Lewis
LINKS:
* http://www.christmemorialbaptist.org/
** http://priorityone.org
*** http://www.jonathan-edwards.org/
For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
I had lunch with my good friend and brother, Pastor Jeff Collins of Christ Memorial Baptist Church*, here in Dover, Delaware, John Groth, of PriorityOne**, and a few other men. Jeff presented us with a list of resolutions made by one of the American fathers of the faith and a key figure of the Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards***. One of those resolutions reads:
Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
I had an initial, knee-jerk reaction to this -- I don't doubt the love of God, so let's move on it is a long list of resolutions!) But the conversation (as conversations with these guys tend to do) began to go deeper, and I have continued to think about it since.
Do I ever doubt God's love? Do you? Are you as convinced as the Apostle Paul of the fullness of God's Love?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. For God so loved the world... what does that mean? 2. Are you certain of His love for you? 3. What might it look like to doubt His love?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays." Andrew Murray
"Beware you are not swallowed up in books! An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge." John Wesley
"If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all we wanted to say,
every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they loved them." Christopher Morley
"Love is the great conqueror of lust." C.S. Lewis
LINKS:
* http://www.christmemorialbaptist.org/
** http://priorityone.org
*** http://www.jonathan-edwards.org/
In the beginning... l
ListenDaily - 04 January 2010: In the beginning...
Happy New Year!
After a much longer break than I ever imagined, the ListenDaily study is back online. I have a whole bunch of whiny excuses, but I digress.
"Happy New Year!" Here we are on the first (for most of us) work day of 2010. It's a new beginning. Have you made any resolutions? Broken any yet? Whenever I think of New Year's resolutions, I always think of the Apostle Paul's resolution (1 Cor. 2:2); For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Paul obviously knew other things, I think he was saying that he was resolving to see Christ in everything and everyone, nothing -- no one -- apart from Christ. I can't help but wonder if Paul was thinking over the creation story -- "In the beginning, God..."
What a great thought for the beginning of a new year -- "In the beginning, God..."
What a great thought for the beginning of a new day -- "In the beginning, God..."
What a great thought for the beginning of a new job, a new semester, a new family -- "In the beginning, God..."
God desires to make new creations of us all. (Consider all the Scriptures about new birth, and "create in me a clean heart".) Is there anything changing in your life? Anything you want to change? Go back to the beginning. "In the beginning, God."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you made any resolutions? 2. What is God's place (not religion, not church) in those resolutions? 3. What would it mean for you to put God in the beginning of your resolutions?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God." Charles Finney
Happy New Year!
After a much longer break than I ever imagined, the ListenDaily study is back online. I have a whole bunch of whiny excuses, but I digress.
"Happy New Year!" Here we are on the first (for most of us) work day of 2010. It's a new beginning. Have you made any resolutions? Broken any yet? Whenever I think of New Year's resolutions, I always think of the Apostle Paul's resolution (1 Cor. 2:2); For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Paul obviously knew other things, I think he was saying that he was resolving to see Christ in everything and everyone, nothing -- no one -- apart from Christ. I can't help but wonder if Paul was thinking over the creation story -- "In the beginning, God..."
What a great thought for the beginning of a new year -- "In the beginning, God..."
What a great thought for the beginning of a new day -- "In the beginning, God..."
What a great thought for the beginning of a new job, a new semester, a new family -- "In the beginning, God..."
God desires to make new creations of us all. (Consider all the Scriptures about new birth, and "create in me a clean heart".) Is there anything changing in your life? Anything you want to change? Go back to the beginning. "In the beginning, God."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. Have you made any resolutions? 2. What is God's place (not religion, not church) in those resolutions? 3. What would it mean for you to put God in the beginning of your resolutions?
INTERESTING THOUGHT:
"A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God." Charles Finney
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
ListenDaily - 28 July 2009: Unrecognizeable
ListenDaily - 28 July 2009: Unrecognizeable
Greetings from Merci Mission, NC! The readings this week may be short and sporadic, I am on a mission trip and get pc access when I can!
When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
Job 2:11-13 NIV (find any passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
"When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him."
How bad was Job's condition, that his friends could hardly recognize him? They were going to his home, they knew where he was, and yet his condition was such that he looked like a stranger to them. Granted, his physical condition was terrible -- and that was a significant part of the problem.
But I think there was more...Job's suffering had caused a change in his countenance. We admire Job for not cursing God, but there is no record, thus far, of him crying out to God for help. After his 'first test' we are told that Job fell to the ground in worship. There is no similar response after his 'second test'. What might have been different if Job not only refused to curse God, but continued to worship?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What are your thoughts? 2.How does this passage make you feel? 3. Who is God to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"God, who foresaw your tribulation,
has specially armed you to go through it,
not without pain but without stain."
C.S.Lewis
Greetings from Merci Mission, NC! The readings this week may be short and sporadic, I am on a mission trip and get pc access when I can!
When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
Job 2:11-13 NIV (find any passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
"When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him."
How bad was Job's condition, that his friends could hardly recognize him? They were going to his home, they knew where he was, and yet his condition was such that he looked like a stranger to them. Granted, his physical condition was terrible -- and that was a significant part of the problem.
But I think there was more...Job's suffering had caused a change in his countenance. We admire Job for not cursing God, but there is no record, thus far, of him crying out to God for help. After his 'first test' we are told that Job fell to the ground in worship. There is no similar response after his 'second test'. What might have been different if Job not only refused to curse God, but continued to worship?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What are your thoughts? 2.How does this passage make you feel? 3. Who is God to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"God, who foresaw your tribulation,
has specially armed you to go through it,
not without pain but without stain."
C.S.Lewis
Monday, July 27, 2009
ListenDaily - 27 July 2009: Bad theology; good practice
ListenDaily - 27 July 2009: Bad theology; good practice
Greetings from Merci Mission, NC! The readings this week may be short and sporadic, I am on a mission trip and get pc access when I can!
So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
Job 2:7-11 NIV (find any passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
"Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Job was unaware of the repeated discourse between God and Satan. He did not know that Satan was directly the cause of his troubles; therefore attributed them to God. True, God allowed Satan to act, but nothing evil comes from God.
"In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." And yet, with his misunderstanding, he did right.
We may have misunderstandings in some of the finer points of theology; yet God is always right, always loving us -- so let us not sin in what we say or do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What are your thoughts? 2.How does this passage make you feel? 3. Who is God to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"God, who foresaw your tribulation,
has specially armed you to go through it,
not without pain but without stain."
C.S.Lewis
Greetings from Merci Mission, NC! The readings this week may be short and sporadic, I am on a mission trip and get pc access when I can!
So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
Job 2:7-11 NIV (find any passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
"Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Job was unaware of the repeated discourse between God and Satan. He did not know that Satan was directly the cause of his troubles; therefore attributed them to God. True, God allowed Satan to act, but nothing evil comes from God.
"In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." And yet, with his misunderstanding, he did right.
We may have misunderstandings in some of the finer points of theology; yet God is always right, always loving us -- so let us not sin in what we say or do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What are your thoughts? 2.How does this passage make you feel? 3. Who is God to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"God, who foresaw your tribulation,
has specially armed you to go through it,
not without pain but without stain."
C.S.Lewis
Friday, July 24, 2009
ListenDaily - 24 July 2009: Who suffers?
On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."
The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." Job 2:1-5 NIV (find any passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
As we read what happens to Job, it is tempting to see God's action here as cruel. Then I think of the account in Luke 22, where Jesus tells Peter that Satan has asked to sift through the disciples "as wheat" , which God also allows, and it could almost reinforce that notion.
But then I think of Jesus; then I think of you - and of me.
"For God so loved the world, that He sent His only begotten Son" for you - and for me. And how it must have hurt Him to send Jesus to suffer the abuse, humiliation, agony, and death - for you and for me. He loves us so much that He accepted that pain.
I don't understand why God allowed Satan to torment Job, but this I do know; as much as Job suffered, God suffered more. And my guess is that the whole reason Satan goes after any of us is to hurt our Father. Whatever we go through, the pain is magnified for Him. And when we choose to sin, how much that must pain God and please the enemy.
This stuff in Job gets pretty intense, and difficult to understand. But you know something? A three year old child does not comprehend why reaching up to touch a hot stove might result in a swat on the behind. And in that moment, he is being denied something he wants terribly, has received what he perceives to be devastating pain, and in his mind this does not add up to love.
But we know better.
And God, our loving Father, knows better than we do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What are your thoughts? 2.How does this passage make you feel? 3. Who is God to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"God, who foresaw your tribulation,
has specially armed you to go through it,
not without pain but without stain."
C.S.Lewis
The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." Job 2:1-5 NIV (find any passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
As we read what happens to Job, it is tempting to see God's action here as cruel. Then I think of the account in Luke 22, where Jesus tells Peter that Satan has asked to sift through the disciples "as wheat" , which God also allows, and it could almost reinforce that notion.
But then I think of Jesus; then I think of you - and of me.
"For God so loved the world, that He sent His only begotten Son" for you - and for me. And how it must have hurt Him to send Jesus to suffer the abuse, humiliation, agony, and death - for you and for me. He loves us so much that He accepted that pain.
I don't understand why God allowed Satan to torment Job, but this I do know; as much as Job suffered, God suffered more. And my guess is that the whole reason Satan goes after any of us is to hurt our Father. Whatever we go through, the pain is magnified for Him. And when we choose to sin, how much that must pain God and please the enemy.
This stuff in Job gets pretty intense, and difficult to understand. But you know something? A three year old child does not comprehend why reaching up to touch a hot stove might result in a swat on the behind. And in that moment, he is being denied something he wants terribly, has received what he perceives to be devastating pain, and in his mind this does not add up to love.
But we know better.
And God, our loving Father, knows better than we do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What are your thoughts? 2.How does this passage make you feel? 3. Who is God to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"God, who foresaw your tribulation,
has specially armed you to go through it,
not without pain but without stain."
C.S.Lewis
Thursday, July 23, 2009
ListenDaily - 23 July 2009: Skin for skin? e
ListenDaily - 23 July 2009: Skin for skin?
Job's Second Test
On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." Job 2:1-5 NIV (find any passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
As I read this encounter,, I am trying, with great difficulty, to imagine all the 'skin for skin' -- all the times man has been stricken in his flesh and bones.
Every case of Alzheimer's.
Every child that ever starved to death..
Every person who has died in war.
Every act of street violence.
Every spouse ever abused.
Every disease.
Every injury.
All caused by Satan who wishes to ruin us for no reason.
Should that not send us all running into the loving arms of God?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What are your thoughts? 2. How do you see the war against our 'flesh and bones'? 3. Who is God to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Blessed Be Your Name
by Matt Redman
Hear it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL3NFhmxQxs
Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
Job's Second Test
On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." Job 2:1-5 NIV (find any passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
As I read this encounter,, I am trying, with great difficulty, to imagine all the 'skin for skin' -- all the times man has been stricken in his flesh and bones.
Every case of Alzheimer's.
Every child that ever starved to death..
Every person who has died in war.
Every act of street violence.
Every spouse ever abused.
Every disease.
Every injury.
All caused by Satan who wishes to ruin us for no reason.
Should that not send us all running into the loving arms of God?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. What are your thoughts? 2. How do you see the war against our 'flesh and bones'? 3. Who is God to you?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Blessed Be Your Name
by Matt Redman
Hear it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL3NFhmxQxs
Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
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