We Are Not What We Will Be (to the Christian)

We know that we are not what we will be, but that God is purifying a Bride for Christ- - right this minute, in each of you—in order to perfect us on that Great and Glorious Day when Jesus shall return for his people (Eph. 5:25ff; cf. Phil. 3:12-21). (The Wrath of God: An Encouragement for His People and A Warning to His Enemies Charles R. Biggs)

I look forward to transformation even though I know that it is often a painful process. I take great comfort in the thought that I am not what I will be. We all want to change something about ourselves. We have all tried to change something and failed. The hope I have for change is not in presidents or rifles... it is in Jesus.

No one is like Him; yet we are made like Him. No one can see Him; yet our eyes are opened to see Him. Everyone is deaf; yet our ears are opened to hear the sound of His voice. We are His sheep. The church is His bride. We have been brought into the Church (if indeed we are in Him). We are His people.

Praise God for what He is doing in us. We are not what we will be.

Quote of the Week XXXV

I must not fear; fear is the mind-killer... (Frank Herbert, from Dune

"Christmas Eve" ... a Silent Night

I began the delayed Christmas celebration this evening. It is amazing the effect that being surrounded by people you love and who love you has on you. I feel like I should say something... but for once, my heart is still.

Quote of the Week XXXIV

“Since our hearts cannot, in God’s mercy, either seize upon life ardently enough or accept it with the gratefulness we owe, unless our minds are first struck and overwhelmed by fear of God’s wrath and by dread of eternal death, we are taught by Scripture to perceive apart from Christ, God is, so to speak, hostile to us, and his hand is armed for destruction; to embrace his benevolence and fatherly love in Christ alone” ("Institutes of the Christian Religion II.XVI.ii)

Christmas

I wish you all a merry Christmas. Cheers.

Christmas Eve

I have never been comfortable with holidays... never been psyched about gifts- perhaps something in me was broken long ago and remains unrepaired- perhaps not. Regardless of why, the holidays have always made me feel terrible. We rarely ever treat the days as holy- and I hardly understood what that even meant.

It's not that I have not gotten gifts that I treasure more than words can describe- I was just playing an acoustic guitar, in fact, and it reminds me of certain people every time I play it. I like that. It is not that I have not enjoyed giving gifts on occasion- sometimes they are well received and enjoyed. Who doesn't enjoy making someone's day and doing good to them? But still I always feel awkward on Christmas.

When people give me nice gifts I often feel obligated rather than over-joyed. And I hardly feel worth the effort (and that particular feeling has little to do with reality- it just is). And of course it is worse if you cannot give them what you perceive as an equal gift.

On this eve of a certain holiday I brace myself for awkwardness and regret. I will not likely feel closer to Jesus when it is over. But that is not so important- what is important is will I be closer to Jesus when it is over.

God of Wrath Our Beautiful Savior

Oh beautiful Saviour
Thou long-expected God of wrath
We long for you our God
The real and whole divinity.

We do not seek to make
A false and soothing deity
But wait upon your light
Shine upon your people oh Lord.

With a sword in your mouth
And a robe soon dipped in their blood
Let us watch and wait now
Come now long-expected Jesus.

When the Heart Rules

I find that sometimes when I'm the loneliest... I do the stupidest things. It is amazing how fast one can become so very very weak...

I remember Tim Johnson speaking at my high school graduation telling everyone to follow their hearts... I have listened to that little piece of advice. It has gotten me to some great places... and some terrible ones. The heart is deceitful above all things. I am not really sure why I thought it would be a good idea to take that little tidbit seriously... alas, now we are here.

God gave us all hearts and we should not ignore them. That does not mean, however that our feelings should rule us.

On Mercy

The Lord is faithful when we are not. This is a sobering thought. It makes me afraid mostly. I mean, how is it that one is supposed to respond to the suspension of justice in the world? I think fear is appropriate. Mercy is a powerful thing. The whole bit about explaining away "the fear of the Lord" as something less than fear not only is terribly wrong- but it also allows us all to continue in all sorts of evil- both evil done to us, and evil we do.

Justice, however, is not really suspended, is it... that is why Jesus was crucified. How quickly we forget. Let us not forget that when the consequences of our actions are withheld for a time. Jesus really did pay a price... and there really will be a judgment.

Desire = ?

Have you ever felt disqualified for something that you really wanted? You know, something deep-seated and burning... something you did not want to let go of. When I think things like that I do sometimes wonder if I have a right to think that just because I have the desire that it is ok for me to pursue whatever it is that I want.

There are plenty of good things in life that would be bad for some people to do under some circumstances. I wonder sometimes at the things I was taught when I was young. People would tell me things like, "the world is your oyster- you can be anything you want to be." Well that was just not true- I can want vocations that I have no aptitude for. I wanted to be a fighter-jet pilot. I've had glasses as long as I can remember and I can't always read the coffee menu if I'm at the back of the line (and wearing my glasses). I cannot be anything I want to be. I cannot have anything I want to have just because I desire it. I cannot go anywhere I want to go. Life has never been like that. It is not looking like life will be like that anytime soon.

So what do you do when you really want something but you are not sure it is ok for you to have it?

Lamentations 3:22,23

22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;[a]
his mercies never come to an end;
23they are new every morning;
(C) great is your faithfulness.(Lamentations 3:22,23 ESV)

A Pause

I woke early this morning. This is something I do not do very often (It was before five in the morning). I put on some clothes, put some left-over pizza in the oven to heat up, and went outside to start the car to let it warm up.

It was so serenely beautiful outside at five in the morning. It was dark- but not pitch black, because of all the snow. It was warm (for the area, anyways). There was a light dusting of snow all around and in the air- and it was quiet. A peaceful, beautiful, wonder-inspiring stillness that shakes the soul. I looked over to see the mountains that were hiding in the clouds like ghosts so very far away. I couldn't see them, but I knew they were there and I smiled.

I just had to sing a quiet song to Jesus.

Patience...

"Patience is a virtue," that is what they used to tell us. The quicker ones realized that the only way to gain patience was to have your patience tried. Not many of us had a real strong desire for that sort of experience.

As things try my patience these days I remember what my friends and I were told as children. It is hard having your patience tried. It is hard to think of the fruit that God will produce when you are undergoing trial. I am reminded of this passage in James:

12(U) Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive(V) the crown of life,(W) which God has promised to those who love him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15Then desire(X) when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and(Y) sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Am I patient under trial? I pray the Lord to lead me.

In Brief, Daydreams

Have you ever had a really depressing day dream? You know you are just sort of sitting around doing nothing and your mind starts to wander and you begin to imagine something... but then it all ends badly. I find it odd sometimes how I can work myself into an emotional state just by day-dreaming. I think that sometimes when you are thinking of dark things you find yourself in a dark place without ever traveling.

I am not a fan of positive thinking, however. Pretending is not how you make things better... but why is it that pretending can make things feel so much worse?

Quote of the Week XXXIII

What the hand is to the lute,
What the breath is to the flute,
What is fragrance to the smell,
What the spring is to the well,
What the flower is to the bee,
That is Jesus Christ to me.

What's the mother to the child,
What the guide in pathless wild,
What is oil to troubled wave,
What is ransom to the slave,
What is water to the sea,
That is Jesus Christ to me.
- C.H. Spurgeon

Trial- a Sermon Series (Part 1)

If the video is giving you trouble or you simply just want to listen to the audio on your mp3 player- click here or on the post title. For future sermons in this series just click on the post title and it will take you to a page where you can download the audio-only. Cheers.

Hanukkah

I just came from a bit of a Hanukkah ceremony. It was not at a jewish home and we did our jelly doughnuts were not fried- but we did tell the story, light the first candle and answer the children's questions. I love ceremonies that teach you things about God and give children another time to ask questions which gives adults time to pass on what was passed on to them. It really can be quite beautiful. In fact, rather than having an aversion to religious tradition... I actually have a deep love for it. I practice the faith that was handed down to me by faithful men. They received it from faithful men. And this gives us all a connection to our past. This connection leads us all the way back to Jesus' incarnation. Christians did not come from nowhere and they are not going nowhere. We pass on what was passed on to us. So I have to say that I really appreciate Hanukkah. God has provided for His people in the past and He will provide for me today. To Him alone be the glory.

Au Revoir Guy

Guy Lacelle has died in an avalanche in Hyalite Canyon during the Bozeman Ice Festival. He will be sorely missed.

Rock and Ice Magazine: Guy Lacelle Dies

Rock and Ice Magazine: Guy Lacelle Dies

Providence

I'm always amazed at the timing of things. You know sometimes things just go south when you thought they couldn't get any worse. And sometimes they just turn around in a day when you thought there was no real hope. Sometimes the things you thought would be best turn out to be a nightmare. Sometimes you see the worst things in your life bear fruit for God. In all things, He has perfect timing.

As Night Follows Day

I was reading the Prayer Book Society of America's blog when I stumbled upon this essay:

Article reprinted from Cross†Way Issue Autumn 2009 No. 114
(C)opyright Church Society; material may be used for non-profit purposes provided that the source is acknowledged and the text is not altered.
AS NIGHT FOLLOWS DAY?
By David Phillips

My personal tutor at theological college was Michael Vasey. Michael was, I believe, opposed to the ordination of women as presbyters (priests). But when the General Synod voted in favour of this he is reported to have said that if the Church could do so despite the teaching of Scripture then it must follow that it could not object to homosexual practice. Accordingly in his book ‘Strangers and Friends’ published three years later he set out to argue from Scripture that the Church should
change its mind.

In a similar vein in 2003 the then Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, argued in an article in the Daily Telegraph that “The Church has got it wrong in the past - there's no doubt about it. I think you can take the view that, just as the Church eventually abolished slavery, so they ended up in favour of votes for women, so they voted for the ordination of women, and this is just one more issue where the Church has got it wrong.” His argument was that the Church had got it wrong on homosexual conduct.

There are many who sincerely believe that it is right for the Church to ordain women as presbyters, and wrong for it to endorse homosexual practice. Although some have argued this distinction forcefully I am convinced that the acceptance of one almost inevitably leads to the acceptance of the other. Some will find this conclusion offensive but I find it rather obvious.

The same argument?
First then, are the cases different? Some argue that the ordination of women is a ‘second order’ issue because it concerns church order whilst sexual conduct is a ‘first order’ issue because it concerns salvation. I am far from comfortable with this distinction because I believe that the ordination of women as presbyters is contrary to Scripture and I am not willing to suggest that it is therefore unimportant or less important. Nevertheless, I do think many see the two issues as
differing in degree. The distinction of first and second order is also not shared by those in favour of both. They see both as fundamental matters of justice and of the openness of the gospel. They therefore consider both to be first order issues and they are not going to rest having achieved one without achieving the other.

Some do argue the case as to why the Bible supports one and not the other, but I find the arguments badly lacking. I simply cannot see that the passages to which they plead actually support what they claim. For example some use the long list of women who are engaged in the Lord’s work in Scripture to claim that women should be involved in the Lord’s work, but none of these roles are as presbyters. The jump to say that they should be presbyters, when the Bible itself confines it to men
is unwarranted.

Others sadly seem to set up a straw man. They argue as if only Anglo-Catholics are against women priests and because Anglo-Catholics have a defective view of ministry then the opposition to women as presbyters must be wrong. This conveniently but disingenuously ignores the fact that evangelicals argue from Scripture that women should not be presbyters. It is also unfair to Anglo- Catholics many of whom do also argue from Scripture that women should not be presbyters (priests).

But is it fair to argue that the acceptance of one will lead to the acceptance of the other? What grounds are there for asserting this?

First, there are the facts of history. There are now too many cases to ignore – national denominations which have embraced the ordination of women which then went on to embrace homosexual practice. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the US is the most recent casualty which in August voted to permit sexual immorality amongst its clergy.

Secondly, the shift seems inevitable because unbiblical innovation necessarily leads to division. When pretty much all of Christendom has been united in saying that the Bible says one thing and then people start arguing that it says something different there are bound to be some who disagree. Some inevitably will feel unable to remain when a Church seeks to legitimise what they believe to be error. It is well known that more than 20 members of the General Synod left the Church of England after the 1992 decision to ordain women as priests. In total more than 500 clergy left although some later returned and a few may have used it as an excuse to get out with compensation. There were not a few members of Church Society among them. What was left was therefore weaker and more liberal. The same things happened years ago in the US Episcopal Church. Indeed most of the protestant, reformed, evangelicals left a generation or more ago often turning to Presbyterianism. Things are different in the Church of England because it is our national and established church so fewer people have left over recent decades but the general point is valid, the ordination of women in the Church of England has weakened the ‘conservative’ voice. Furthermore, the women so appointed are more likely to be liberal because a woman who accepts the classical evangelical or Anglo-Catholic position is not going to seek such a role.

Thirdly, the pressure from outside the Church increases. My experience, and I think that of others too, is that it is often outsiders who spot the flaws in our cherished ideas. Media interviewers are particularly good at this. Some in the church have elaborate arguments as to why Scripture does not say what it appears, but interviewers cannot see how this differs from arguments about sexual conduct, they are quick to see the gaps and pounce. In contrast when we stick doggedly with what the Bible actually teaches they may think we are mad (though they don’t usually say so on air) but they also see that we are being consistent. Moreover, they can see that whatever else might be said Christians through history have held both issues to be wrong.

Fourthly, as Michael Vasey demonstrates, evangelicals are not immune to misreading Scripture in order to conform to their own desires or to the spirit of the age. There are increasing numbers of people claiming to be evangelical who are arguing publicly that the Bible has been misunderstood and it really supports homosexual conduct. Whatever the details we have seen an apparent instance of this over the summer. A Vicar of a church in Chelmsford Diocese who after only a few months left his apparently evangelical parish after the uproar when he preached that homosexual practice is wrong. Likewise when Jeffrey John was appointed as Dean of St. Albans we found that some who claimed to be evangelical were not only unconcerned but apparently welcoming of the fact that he teaches that homosexual practice is acceptable. For myself I think the matter is so clear that anyone who can read the Bible as permitting such sin is not an evangelical because they have a distorted
way of approaching Scripture.

Fifthly, the nature of the arguments used in favour of both are disturbingly similar. I have already mentioned the trumpeting of justice and equality. It ought to be sufficient to say that it cannot be just to encourage people to disobey the Word of the Lord, but apparently our ideas of justice trump His. Others argued that the ordination of women is a ‘gospel imperative’ and in the last few weeks this has been articulated again amongst the largest of the break-away Anglican churches in the US which now wants to ordain women and so follow the same disastrous route as the body they left. The argument is that without this change the gospel we preach will not be taken seriously. Not only is this nonsense, it suggests that the gospel is not the power of God unto salvation and it is exactly the same argument some use in favour of accepting homosexual practice.

Then there are spurious arguments about words. The interpretation of the word ‘head’ is the most celebrated. People became convinced that ‘head’ did not mean what Christians had previously thought it meant. Indeed I have heard it said that those of us who read it as such are ‘uneducated’. The ‘educated’ view is apparently that there are a couple of readings in ancient Greek where it means something different and therefore these must be the meaning in the Bible. I find it hard to credit that people can take such an argument seriously yet it seemed to sweep all before it. Now we are seeing the same thing with arguments about words in Romans or Leviticus concerning sexual immorality. Many seem convinced that the real sin of Sodom was anything but Sodomy. The arguments can sound clever, even bamboozle people, but they are feeble and so devoid of any real evidence that unless people were obsessed with proving their argument it is hard to see why they would give them any credence, but alas they do.

I believe the same can be said of other arguments. For example it is argued that Mary Magdalene was sent by Jesus to tell the disciples of the resurrection. She was thus sent and so can be called an Apostle (which means one sent). Therefore women can be presbyters. This is a string of non sequiturs; they do not follow logically from one another. Moreover, it ought to be obvious that the argument is wrong because it reaches a conclusion that is contrary to what Scripture actually teaches. If this sort of argument can be allowed it is hardly surprising to find others saying that David and Jonathan were homosexual lovers and therefore homosexual practice is acceptable. The premise is wrong, the logic is wrong and the conclusion is wrong, but who cares so long as we can make the Bible say what we want it to say? The damage has been done because people have been encouraged to mishandle the Word of Truth.

Therefore, recognising that many will be far from pleased with the conclusion, I am forced to say that the acceptance of the presbyteral ministry of women within a Church more or less inevitably leads to the acceptance of homosexual practice. I hope this is not so, but I fear it will be. Nevertheless there is still hope, hope that some will see the mistakes and that enough remain to argue the case. But, if other churches are anything to go by, without the Lord’s intervention the
outlook is bleak.

David Phillips is General Secretary of Church Society

This is interesting. Few evangelicals have made as concerted an effort to maintain unity in the body as the Anglicans. This has lead to some stunningly clear thinking and writing on the issues of morality, the authority of scripture, and (not surprisingly) the unity of the body. Now I agree with David Phillips on these issues. What surprised me, though, is the connection he made between the interpretation of scripture, the ordination of women, and homosexuality. I think that this connection would not have been made so clearly and simply if the Anglicans as a whole had not been making such a strong effort to maintain the unity of the body. In striving to be faithful in one area- light has been poured upon several other areas that might have remained dark in our time. God, again has His way with things.

The One Jesus Who Is Greater Than All

When I wake up in the morning and I do not want to get out of bed... I get up because of Jesus. When the morning makes me want to scream and give up... I drink another cup of coffee and go to work for Jesus. When I can't seem to find the rhythm of the day and everything seems harder than it should be... it is because I did not commune with Jesus. When I fail and do not do what I should, or do what I should not do... I feel miserable because I know that people connect me to Jesus and I have made him look bad. When I succeed and do well or do right... I thank Jesus and I give praise to Jesus because it is His grace that has made it so. When I say harsh or vulgar words, I am ashamed because I know that Jesus has not spoken in vain and His word will stand forever and I am not a perfect man but He is a perfect God. When I am too tired to go on, I pray to Jesus who is the source of all my strength. When I have a question I ask Jesus because He is the truth and a fear of Him is the beginning of all knowledge. When I am in trouble I go to Jesus because he is my deliverer. When I am sick I go to Jesus. When I am healthy I go to Jesus. When I am perplexed I go to Jesus. When I am confident I go to Jesus. When I have money I go to Jesus. When I am poor I go to Jesus. When I see the way I give thanks to Jesus. When I am in the fog I beg for the mercy of Jesus. In all things and in all ways I can only go to Jesus. He is my savior. He is my Lord. He is my rock. He is my Judge. He is my deliverer. Jesus brought me into this world and Jesus will lay me down in the grave that He has chosen and prepared for me. His rebuke is better than all the blessings of mine enemies. His name, the name of Jesus, is greater than all names. No one is like Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. He has never left me nor forsaken me- though I was a scoundrel and a shame to His holy name. Let all praise and glory and honour be unto my Lord Jesus. The war I fight, the war with myself, will be won and is being won by Jesus. Amen.

So Many Questions...

Have you ever wondered why the earth was so beautiful? Have you ever looked out at a landscape and thought, "that is just extravigant." Have you ever wondered why there was so much beauty? Sometimes... it seems a bit much.

Some people look out at the earth in front of them and they think, "that is just how things turned out." Other people see something in nature and proclaim (rightly so) there must be a creator! But why is it so shockingly amazing? Why is the world so beautiful? I think this tells us something about the creator... but what exactly?

Trust and Comfort

Sometimes, situations that seem scary, uncomfortable, or otherwise unpleasant can grow to be comfortable. You get used to them. You begin to understand them. You become familiar with them. Things you thought you could never do become old hat.


It's funny the places you can grow comfortable in. I wonder sometimes what kind of places and situations the Lord is molding me to be comfortable in.

Funny Things

A dream is a funny thing. I have a dream. You probably have a dream. Maybe we all have more than one. Who am I to say? Only the Lord and you know that. Sometimes a dream is a source of hope and motivation... sometimes it is more like a Langston Hughes poem.

Dream Deferred

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

-Langston Hughes

Whatever it happens to be, though, a man's dream goes strait to the heart of him. Laugh at his dream and he will never trust you (no matter how polite he is to your face). Despise his dream and he will despise you. Fail to understand that what he speaks of is his dream and you are on dangerous ground. People long for something and by the time that something gets categorized as a dream, it has woven itself around the very soul of a man and it is not safe to crush it.

I pray that God would guide and shape my dreams Himself. Let him place within me what I cannot create in myself.

Waiting for Answers

Have you ever waited for answers for a really long time? Have you ever had a short wait for an answer to something seem like an eternity? Have you ever wondered whether or not you had any reason to expect an answer for some burning question on your heart and mind? Sometimes not knowing seems like the hardest thing you have ever done.

It may make you laugh a little because you are not really doing anything. None the less, waiting for an answer can fray your nerves, test your patience, and drive you to distraction. Yet everyone waits for answers. At some point you cannot search anymore. At some point things are out of your hands. It may be waiting for a doctor or test, it may be that you have to wait for a decision from a friend, or it may be that you are waiting on an answer to prayer from the Lord. Whatever it is, everyone must wait for answers at some point.

Where does knowledge come from, though? How do we obtain it? In all my waiting I am reminded of one thing:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.-Proverbs 1:7

I was not taught to fear God as a child. He was my buddy. You know, the guy with the thumbs up, pointing and smiling at you. The one who saved you, the one who is your friend. There was no fear. This explains why I know so little- and why waiting is so hard.

This Day

Now I know how it has come
To this and that which has transpired
And though I wish to know still more
I have seen my heart grow tired.

And all that I have longed for here
I find to be far far away
And not within my power to reach
And I cannot quite see the way.