on a day set aside for reconciliation...

there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that has the power of reconciliation like the message of the gospel!

"remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. for He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing hostility. and He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. for through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. so then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. in Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." Ephesians 2:12-22

"we implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20

the power of context

in and of itself, Proverbs 26:12 is pretty pointed:

"do you see a man who is wise is in own eyes? there is more hope for a fool than for him."

however, when taken with the first 11 verses of the chapter, it becomes more like a sledgehammer!!!

"like snow in the summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.
a whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.
answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.
answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
like a lame man's legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool.
like a thorn in that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.
do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? there is more hope for a fool than for him."

*** o Lord, protect me from the dangerous pride of being wise in my own eyes!

praying for revival

a couple of weeks ago, as we were reading the 'resh' section of Psalm 119 (vs. 153-160) responsively in the morning worship service, the repetition of the phrase "revive me" stuck out to me.

we use the nkjv in worship, but when i went back to look at it later and read it in the esv, i noticed that it is translated there, "give me life..." what a marked contrast to several local billboards whose slogan reads: "we bring church to life." (they have rubbed me the wrong way ever since i first saw them!) here is the true answer - a plea to our God to give us life!!!

what follows is a look at the various ways that the psalmist offers up this prayer throughout Psalm 119.

"my soul clings to the dust, give me life according to Your word!" Psalm 119:25

"turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in Your ways." Psalm 119:37

"behold, i long for Your precepts; in Your righteousness give me life!" Psalm 119:40

"in your steadfast love give me life, that i may keep the testimonies of Your mouth." Psalm 119:88

"i am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to Your word!" Psalm 119:107

"hear my voice according to Your steadfast love; O Lord, according to Your justice give me life." Psalm 119:149

"plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to Your promise!" Psalm 119:154

"great is Your mercy, O Lord; give me life according to Your rules." Psalm 119:156

"consider how i love Your precepts! give me life according to your steadfast love." Psalm 119:159

O Lord, may Your Word be used to inform and instruct my prayer life! O God, GIVE US LIFE!

a strange kind of transplant...

my heart was moved
800 miles today
she took it with her
when she went away
although i knew
she wasn't gonna stay
i can't help feeling
a little blue
because of you
now that you're gone

a good refresher of a camp theme

so i read the following this morning in Living Water by brother yun:

the kingdom of God does not advance in this world through human endeavor. it advances through the life of Jesus Christ flowing through His servants who have died to themselves and their own desires. peter explained, "since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. as a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God." (1 Peter 4:1-2)
the will of God should be the primary focus of all Christians. to glorify Him should be our greatest honor and privilege. all else is a waste of time, and this world is perishing while too many Christians live out fleshly lives full of compromise and selfishness.
the good news is that our Lord is loving and merciful, and He will forgive all who come to Him in humility and meekness. He can take your life and make you as bold as a lion and bring your days as a timid Christian to an end. are you willing to submit to this process of being daily shaped and molded by the Holy Spirit?
if you are, you will not regret it.

sometimes i need a shake up/wake up

it generally comes in threes - the hearing or reading about a concept or idea that stirs my brain, (kinda like the way i have someone read a verse to me three times in the memorization process) and then i guess the telling or the blogging is just the next natural step (like the repetitive quoting to make it stick).

have you ever put off doing the things your mom left on a to-do list because she wouldn't be back for quite some time? or have you ever been in "mad cleaning" mode because someone was coming to the house? i guess my thinking's sort of along those lines... but in a much grander, eternity type serious mode...

the sermon last night came from 1 Peter 4, and the part that really struck me was verse 7: "the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers." (nkjv) the point which the pastor emphasized was how very different our prayer lives would look if the impending end of the world was in our view! too many times we can become like the people before the flood, or of sodom and gomorrah, or worse, like the scoffers of 2 Peter 3:3-7. Jesus himself warns in Luke 17:26-30 that the last days will be full of oblivious people. too often, i am that oblivious one... WITH NO EXCUSE FOR MY STATE.

this morning, i listened once again to the online preview of listener's new album, and was struck by the closing lines:

"there is something coming, and everything matters. guard your heart, and watch the wind."

finally, i was rereading over thomas watson's "heaven taken by storm" in preparation for sunday school and was gripped by these words on the way we listen to the preaching of the Word of God:

"it may be the last time that God will ever speak to us in His Word; it may be the last sermon that we shall ever hear; we may go from the place of hearing to the place of judging. if people would think thus when they come into the house of God... with what devotion would they come! how would there affections be all on fire in hearing!"

as i think on these things, may i take peter's admonitions to heart:
1. being self-controlled and sober minded in prayer (1 Peter 4:7)
2. living a life of holiness and godliness (2 Peter 3:11)
3. being diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish and at peace (2 Peter 3:14)
4. taking care not to be carried away by lawless error (2 Peter 3:17)
5. growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)

what's it worth to ya?

"my son, if you

RECEIVE my words
and TREASURE up my commandments with you,
making your ear ATTENTIVE to wisdom
and INCLINING your heart to understanding;
yes, if you CALL OUT for insight
and RAISE YOUR VOICE for understanding,
if you SEEK it like silver
and SEARCH for it as for hidden treasures,

then

you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God."

Proverbs 2:1-5