Filed under: Devotions
by Caleb Hancock
Listening to John Piper recently, I was struck with what he was sharing. He reminded me that I am commanded to find my joy in God. Let’s get something straight. Most everyone hates to be told what or what not to do. Many would do the exact opposite when commanded to do something, just to spite the commander. We picture an insecure and domineering spirit who wants to subject us to their influence and power unjustly, simply because they can; much like the drill sergeant pictured above to new recruits.
But is God relating to us like that? How do we know how he relates to us? Let’s turn to what John Piper found in the Bible, God’s Word to us to find the answer.
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 33:1 Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.
Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
“It’s commanded because what is at stake is not just our joy but the glory of God, the honor and reputation of God. If we do not rejoice in God – if God is not our treasure and our delight and our satisfaction, then he is dishonored. His glory is belittled. His reputation is tarnished. Therefore God commands our joy both for our good and for his glory.”
Do you find your joy in the Lord today? In the salvation that is wholly from Him, not based on what you have done, can, or ever will do? If not, remember that God, in His mercy and knowledge as our creator, knows that we will only be satisfied when we delight in Him, He commands us to rejoice in Him and in the gospel of Christ.
So, if you are a sinner that has been saved from what you deserve, if you have been covered with the righteousness of Christ based on grace and not on works, REJOICE IN GOD! HOW GOOD HE IS TO COMMAND US TO REJOICE IN HIM! HE IS WORTHY!
By Walt Alexander
For the past six weeks, I have been writing on courtship and this is the last post. This is the final – and perhaps – most important guideline to remember about courtship. Courtship is not about a set of rules. It is about pleasing God. We walk through guidelines and talk through criterion because we want to please God, not because we want to do everything right (according to the rules anyway!). That said, in every rule/criterion that I laid down, don’t look for perfection. Look for someone who is growing and you will find what you want!
So, in each of these six weeks (one, two, three, four, five, six)…
Is there anything I missed?
Is there anything you wished I had talked about?
Is there anything you were wondering about?
Have you been challenged by what we have talked about?
Filed under: Calling | Tags: am i called?, call to ministry, dave harvey, humility
by Mike Plewniak
For all the guys who attended our session with Bill at Vision Quest, I wanted to post some of the resources we mentioned.
First of all, here is the message by Dave Harvey about the difference between Godly ambition and selfish ambition.
Also, here is the booklet Dave wrote about the ministry and discerning the call to ministry. You can also download this book for free! Along with the book, here is the whole set of messages which I would encourage all you guys to listen to several times.
This booklet and messages walk thru: what it looks like to be a pastor, what the job of a pastor is, the character that is required for those desiring to be a pastor, the gifting that is required to be a pastor, and how to discern if this is something that God is calling you specifically to do. This material could not be more helpful for guys like you who feel something of this subjective call. Take advantage of these free messages and free book!
Finally, Bill highly recommended all of you read “Humility” by CJ Mahaney.
CJ writes: “The difference couldn’t be more stark. As sinfully and culturally defined, pursuing greatness looks like this: Individuals motivated by self-interest, self-indulgence, and a false sense of self-sufficiency pursue selfish ambition for the purpose of self-glorification. Contrast that with the pursuit of true greatness as biblically defined: Serving others for the glory of God. This is the genuine expression of humility; this is true greatness as the Savior defined it.”
Filed under: Thoughtful Thursday
“We are reminded yet again that an understanding of sin is preliminary to understanding the Gospel. The magnitude of our sin explains the necessary magnitude of Christ’s atonement.
As John Bunyan observed: ‘No sin against God can be little, because it is against the great God of heaven and earth; but if the sinner can find out a little God, it may be easy to find out little sins.’”
Dr. Al Mohler, discussing Cathy Lynn Grossman’s article “Has the ‘Notion of Sin’ Been Lost?”
Read Dr. Mohler’s thoughts on the article here.
Filed under: Coolness
By: Travis Evans
I found this video by Harvard Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Robert Lue that visualizes a lot of the inner workings of your body. Enjoy watching as these things take place in your body RIGHT NOW! (This is for all you science buffs!)
How many things can you identify? Isn’t it amazing what God has created?
If you want to know more, read this or watch this.
Filed under: Devotions
by Caleb Hancock
I don’t know if you’re like me, but when I go to the beach, I am frequently wondering what else is swimming out there with me. It gives me two feelings. One, is that I kind of get the heebie-jeebies when I get out over my head and can’t tell what’s under me. Second, is that there is so much about the oceans that we, as humans, will never know or be able to control. Think about how much water is in the ocean! Think about how deep and vast it is. Think about all the creatures that it supports!
That should be a springboard, if we view it rightly, to think of how awesome and mighty God is.
And the best part is that he didn’t just make it and leave it, but he is sovereign over it today. He wills it to exist and sustains everything about it, from the largest of tsunami’s to the smallest ripple off of a clown fish’s dorsal fin. Our God is not impotent to create, and thankfully for those who have sinned, nor is he powerless to save.
So the next time that you are in a situation where you feel small, let that motivate you to think about how infinitely BIG God is, and yet he regards you!!!
Psalm 95:1-5
1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
By Walt Alexander
Again, though we have spent weeks talking about this subject, I thought it might be helpful to walk through it once again.
So, who shouldn’t we court?
This is a somewhat random list of thoughts.
1. We shouldn’t court a non-Christian. Because we – as Christians – are forbidden by Scripture to marry a non-Christian (2 Cor 6:14-15), we should not court one. Again, this is a no-brainer.
2. We shouldn’t court someone who is stagnant in their love for and pursuit of God. Court someone who will challenge you to grow in godliness and will not be dead weight. Court someone who is continually growing in their knowledge of the Lord. You know who they are. They are the ones who stand out in a crowd. They are the ones who do not follow the patterns and the norms of this world and culture; they are far more passionate for another world. They rise early to be with the Lord and prioritize all things around the Lord.
3. We shouldn’t court someone who is a drifter. Drifters are people with many, shallow relationships who are uncommitted to a church. They are people who shirk at relational and church commitment. The problem, ultimately, is not merely that they are drifters but that their wandering, sinful hearts (like all of ours!) need the sturdy ground of the church. Left to themselves, they will drift and wander to their demise. Do you want to go with them?
4. We shouldn’t court someone whose life is not adorned with fruit. Now, yes, all people are sinners – including Christians – but do not court/marry someone who isn’t growing. Oftentimes – blinded by lust – we will overlook the lack of fruit in someone’s life. Do not do this! Run from them. You should love them and befriend them, but you should not court them.
5. We shouldn’t court someone who we merely like. Like is somewhat important but it is not ultimate. Like must be submitted to God’s rule. Properly submitted to God’s Word, we should be open and willing to court someone who we would not normally like but who is a Christian, growing in godliness, serving the church, and mature enough for marriage. Otherwise, many men, like myself, would not be married!
by Bill Kittrell
“And that (fishing) be fit for the contemplation of the most prudent, and pious, and peaceable men, seems to be testified by the practice of so many devout and contemplative men as the patriarchs and prophets of old; and of the apostles of our Saviour in our latter times,—of which twelve, we are sure, he chose four that were simple fishermen,—whom he inspired, and sent to publish his blessed will to the Gentiles; and inspired them also with a power to speak all languages, and by their powerful eloquence to beget faith in the unbelieving Jews; and themselves to suffer for that Saviour whom their forefathers and they had crucified; and, in their sufferings, to preach freedom from the incumbrances of the law, and a new way to everlasting life: this was the employment of these happy fishermen. Concerning which choice, some have made these observations:—First, that he never reproved these for their employment or calling, as he did the Scribes and the Money-changers. And, secondly, He found that the hearts of such men, by nature, were fitted for contemplation and quietness; men of mild, and sweet, and peaceable spirits, as indeed most anglers are…”
I sure love to fish and my best friends are fisherman. My love for fishing – and fly fishing in particular – led me to check out Sir Izaak Walton’s ‘The Compleat Angler’ (written in 1653). It is a fascinating read. But…I’m not sure even I can go as far in commending fisherman as Sir Izaak did!
And I think he is taking the verse used on the title page out of context a bit:
“Simon Peter said, I go a fishing: and they said, We also will go with thee.” John 21.3.
Peter and the disciples were discouraged. The Lord had been crucified and they were headed back to their old jobs despairing! This was no frolicking fishing outing with James and John.
I am struck, though, by Sir Izaak’s apparent respect for Scripture, the Savior, the disciples, etc. I can’t say for sure what kind of Christian he was, if he was a Christian at all, but it is obvious he lived during a time that was vastly different than our own.
Every where I turn in our culture seems to be against my most cherished beliefs and convictions. The media, music, politics, education, etc., no longer are supportive or even respectful of the Christian faith. If our culture wants to flatter a fisherman it just isn’t going to say Jesus found their heart ‘fitted’ in any way!
So, what does that mean for a man in the 21st century? It means there is a war on. It means there are enemies of the faith. Men today have to be vigilant and not just for their own souls. They have families and friends to lead. And the church needs men of courage who will keep the faith while they live in a hostile world.
1 Peter 5:8-9: “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith.”
“Satan…knows…all sin comes from failing to live by faith in future grace…Which means that the number one aim of Satan is the destruction of faith…Satan wants to catch us at a time when our faith is not firm, when it is vulnerable…The way to thwart the devil is to strengthen the very thing he is trying most to destroy.” John Piper
In the 21st century we can still ‘go a fishin’ like Sir Izaak and we can even cast a fly for a wary trout! But we cannot expect our culture to admire us because Jesus has inspected our hearts and likes what he sees. We don’t live in a world that will encourage our faith but, in fact, seems to be throwing everything possible at us to destroy it.
So, men, enjoy a great day on the stream…but be on the alert.
By Walt Alexander
Now, it may seem redundant at this point to continue walking through who we should court – after spending last week talking about maturity – but I think oftentimes we focus on the wrong things and allow the right things to slide.
So, who should we court?
This is a somewhat random list of thoughts.
1. We should court a Christian. Because we – as Christians – are forbidden by Scripture to marry a non-Christian (2 Cor 6:14-15), we should not court one. This is a no-brainer. If you are courting/dating a non-Christian, break up with them.
2. We should court someone who knows and treasures God. We should not court people who do not know God and treasure God. Now, this does not mean everyone has to be John Piper, but it does mean they should treasure God and be content in Him. Look for what they delight in and you will discover what they treasure.
3. We should court someone who is pursuing humility (by the grace of God). No one is humble, so don’t look for perfection. But do look for humility. Court someone who is pursuing humility – someone who is accountable to friends and their pastors, someone who follows the wisdom of their parents and care group leader, someone who is patient, etc.
4. We should court someone who we see God at work in. Now – because we are often blind by lust – we tend to look at externals (appearance, weight, personality, etc.) but fail to look at what counts (1 Tim 4:7-8). So court the individual who is growing in godliness. If you marry someone for externals, that is what you get. So be wise and look for fruit. Guys, look for the Proverbs 31 woman and, girls, look for the Mark 10:43-45 man!
5. We should court someone who is committed to a local church. This may seem quite logical and simple, but it is not often found in young people! We tend to be individuals. But it is in the church that we experience the fullness of blessing in the Christian life. It is where we receive invaluable instruction from God, plug into God-glorifying relationships, and serve God’s people. Therein, someone truly committed to a local church will be growing in godliness and will be accountable to others. Furthermore, if they are committed now, they will be when they get married as well, and vice versa.
6. We should court someone who is personally mature. We should court someone who has their life in order! If they don’t have it in order now, they will not have it in order when you marry them. Court someone who is faithful, organized, and self-controlled.
7. We should court someone we like? Should this even be here? I think oftentimes this is elevated to number one. We oftentimes will not court someone unless they are someone we hang out with, someone we could see ourselves with, someone who is “cool” (whatever that means), someone who we’ve been thinking about, etc, and we decide all this before we even court them!! This should not be. We must get back to what God requires of a man or woman and submit our criterion to God’s Word! This means we must be willing to court someone who may not the person we have dreamt of but who is a godly man or woman. Dreams and romantic ideals are deceitful, but God’s Word is true! Again, if you court/marry someone for externals, that is exactly what you will get – all externals (Pro 31:30).
Filed under: Masculinity
by Mike Plewniak
Dr. Mohler posts about a recent Boston Globe article about the “proliferation of “man” terms indicates a confusion over manhood and masculinity.”
Mohler’s thoughts:
“This really does get to the heart of the issue. Men should not expect to be comfortable with an understanding of masculinity that is not based in these roles and responsibilities. When manhood is not defined in these normative terms, confusion necessarily follows — complete with a new and confusing vocabulary.
In a biblical perspective, manhood is defined in these roles and responsibilities. A man is defined in terms of who he is and what he does in obedience to God. A society that rejects or sidelines these roles and responsibilities — that does not honor fatherhood and hold it out as expectation — will sow seeds of disastrous confusion. The damage to our language is among the least of our problems.
While the Bible clearly honors men who forfeit the blessings of wife and children for the sake of the Gospel (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 7:7-9, 32-28), the history of the Christian church indicates that these represent a minority. The normative expectation is that a young man will mature to take on the role of “father/protector/provider” that Peters correctly sees as “not considered as necessary or desirable as it once was” within the secular culture. Those men who are faithfully living out these responsibilities are not likely to be too concerned about finding true masculinity. They are living it.
When this expectation is no longer normative, it should be no surprise that men struggle to define masculinity. The focus shifts from family to fashion accessories. Our language betrays our confusion, but the confusion reveals a larger betrayal.
We lie to ourselves if we believe that we can hold onto a healthy masculinity without honoring true manhood.”
