Thinking!

In the course of my preaching, I often remind people that God gave them a brain that He intends for them to use. Thinking is not in conflict with faith. This quote, used by Ravi Zacharias in his book The Real Face of Atheism, has a great element of truth to it:

"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you: but if you really make them think, they'll hate you."

Don Marquis

Bear in mind Paul's instruction to every Christian, lifted from Romans 12:2: "Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." Let's think for the glory of Jesus!

Thoughts from Jonah/Part 5

Jonah 2 contains the prayer of a truly helpless man; we must remember that we are as helpless as Jonah, a people completely dependent on God's loving provision. One commentator, writing about this scene, recalled a child's Bible storybook that he read as a young boy. The illustrator of the book portrayed Jonah calmly seated at a table while drinking coffee and reading a newspaper, all while inside the fish. This commentator observed that even as a young child he knew this probably wasn't quite accurate. Make no mistake; God certainly has Jonah's attention! He is cramped in the belly of the great fish, uncertain as to which breath might be his last. The gastric juices from the fish are bleaching his skin. The stench of digesting food is unavoidable. And the temperature is approximately 100-110 degrees F. All of this for three days and nights. From these circumstances, Jonah prays. He pours out his heart to God. But prayer isn't a one-sided conversation. God also speaks to Jonah, and in this frame of time Jonah's heart is touched by the grace of God. The climax of the prayer is found in Jonah 2:9: "Salvation is of the Lord!" Jonah recognized what we often miss: only God can save. Therefore our reliance is not on self, religion, or any other of the countless makeshift plans, schemes, and systems devised by the human heart. Our hope is only in the Lord. Jonah came to this realization in the belly of the fish. As we will see later, he didn't grasp the implications of such a declaration. But at this point, he is willing to go to Nineveh. So, at God's command, the fish safely vomits Jonah onto dry land. Next stop: Nineveh! But maybe a shower first...

A Great Read from Dave Harvey

If you haven't yet read Dave Harvey's Rescuing Ambition, don't hesitate to purchase a copy. Dave skillfully addresses the delicate subject of ambition, leading the reader to a God-centered application of what most Christians would consider a dirty word. The Tuesday, August 17, 2010 entry is from Harvey's writing. Here is another small excerpt from his book:

"If church history were a dojo, the English Puritans would all be black belts. Seriously, they had some staggering insights into the Christian life. But when you read them, you have to wonder: did these guys get paid by the word? Long words, long sentences, long paragraphs, long books. Even the abridgements to their books are long. But in combing through all that Puritan writing, you'll inevitably stumble on a statement that's crisp, clear, and short enough to make you think for a long time: 'If we have not what we desire, we have more than we deserve.' In this brief sentence from his classic book The Art of Divine Contentment, Thomas Watson sketches the portrait of a saint at peace. On its face, contentment seems at odds with ambition, doesn't it? But for us to be rescued from selfish ambition, the warm colors of godly contentment must be mixed with the bright colors of godly ambition...When we don't have what we desire, it's important to acknowledge that. We would be foolish to ignore it. If what we lack becomes our primary focus, ambition becomes contaminated with self. If you want an ambition that screens out self and shrinks discontentment, mull over this idea: we already possess far more than we deserve."

Dave Harvey, Rescuing Ambition

Thoughts from Jonah/Part 4

This has been VBS week at our church. Each evening features a Bible story brought alive on stage by volunteer actors from our congregation. Wednesday's drama centered on Jonah, complete with boat, a big fish, and great sound effects. While it was more Monty Python than Cecile B. Demille, the kids enjoyed the skit and learned some important lessons. Although this story plays well to a young audience, we must remember that it is actually very adult in its content. Divine commandments. Human rebellion. Displays of God's sovereignty. Anguished prayers. Preaching and repentance. The darkness of the sinner's heart. The light of the Gospel. It's all there, packed neatly into four short OT chapters. Let's be careful not to reduce Jonah to only a juvenile influence; God intends for readers of all ages to learn from its pages.

Quick Thoughts...and Spurgeon, too!

I served as evangelist at one youth camp last week and am about to begin my second stint as evangelist at another. Your prayers would certainly be appreciated. After this week , I will return to a frequent schedule of posting, which will include more in the Thoughts from Jonah series. Until then, a thought or two from Spurgeon:

"Faith...hears God say 'Stand still'; keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, 'Go forward'."

C.H. Spurgeon

Thoughts from Jonah/Part 3

Jonah 1 brings several thoughts to mind. Among the considerations from the first chapter:

1. We cannot flee from the presence of the Lord. It is impossible. We may make various types of life changes, but none of them will resolve the issue of rebellion. Repentance is absolutely necessary.

2. Our obedience/disobedience always involves other people. We do not live life in absolute isolation. Jonah's initial disobedience prolonged the horrible living conditions in Nineveh; the Ninevites gave no regard to God and his laws, thus human life was assigned little worth. And Jonah's disobedience jeopardized the lives of the pagan sailors.

3. Although God does use us in spite of our disobedience, as in the case of the sailors coming to faith in the God of Israel, we should never mistake this as meaning we are in fellowship with God.
Sinclair Ferguson writes, "There are times in our lives when the Lord will employ us in his service despite our disobedience, to demonstrate that the grace, the fruit, and the glory are entirely his...But it is also a warning to us, lest we be deceived by what God is able to do into a false sense of fellowship with him." Addressing this subject, John Newton once wrote, "Beware, my friend, of mistaking the ready exercise of gifts for the exercise of grace."

4. God is in control...of everything. He sent the storm. He sent the fish. According to Paul, this God is for us and not against us because of Jesus! Let us learn to rest in the power of the sovereign God that loves us with a perfect love.

Thoughts from Jonah/Part 2

"Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah...But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord."

Jonah 1:1,3

God spoke clearly to Jonah concerning his desire for the people of Nineveh to hear the message of repentance. But Jonah refused to obey. The reason for Jonah's refusal is found in Jonah 4:2, voiced by Jonah himself: "...for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster." Jonah will not heed the command of God because he does not want the hated Ninevites to receive grace and mercy! While we might be quick to condemn Jonah for his blatant disobedience, we have to confess our own acts of rebellion concerning taking the word of God to those in need. Consider the parallel of God's word to Jonah and the words of Jesus found in the Great Commission. Our disobedience is just as disturbing as Jonah's. Jonah tried to flee; we often do, too. But we know we cannot flee from the presence of God. His word remains true and binding regardless of our location or surroundings. But rebellion makes us out to be fools. When we refuse to obey God, we think foolishly, we speak foolishly, and we act foolishly. The manifestation of this foolishness is not a matter of "if", but rather a matter of "when". Jonah's rebellion made him look like a fool; ours will as well.