A New Day Has Dawned

The LORD hath done great things for us; 

whereof we are glad.

Psalm 126:3

We are coming into the sunlight. 
Or is it that the sunlight has come to us?

Grandchildren are now living nearby. 

A gift far beyond our expectations. 

Which has meant less time at the keyboard. But it is so good of you to stop by. Do linger for awhile. I hope that some of my writing may be helpful to you as it has been for me to process some thoughts over the years, that it draws your heart Homeward. I find myself returning here upon occasion to reflect on ways that God has worked through the months and years. And to be reminded of the great things that He has done.

A new day has dawned, and we are glad. 

Image via Pixabay

The Guest He Took Home

Thus, on his cross, the Savior called a guest to the wedding feast. Finlayson puts it movingly, "He has a right to take a guest home with him without asking leave of any. He had the key to His Father's door in His pierced hand. He could open and no man shut. He could shut and no man open, and the guest He took home with Him to His Father's table that day was the first trophy of Calvary after the sacrifice had been finished.'

-Frederick S. Leahy, The Cross He Bore

Image via Pixabay

A Distinct Difference Between This and Myself

I had intended to sit down at my computer forty minutes ago. My mistake was walking past the table where I'm working on a jigsaw puzzle. Just one piece, and then I'd head upstairs. It didn't take me forty minutes to find one piece. But what it did take was forty minutes of my prime morning time.

I enjoy working on jigsaw puzzles. I like the coming together of scattered pieces to make a beautiful whole. The process of thoroughly examining each piece and what the pieces are to become brings their details into focus, those small-scale markings that at first may seem inconsequential when viewed as a whole. Yet, comparing the subtle difference in shape of the piece or shade of its hue, and where it belongs in the overall picture is an aha moment. It finds its proper place and becomes part of an emerging picture that shows beauty, artistry, cleverly placed objects, or maybe even in some way speaks to my soul.

I still have many pieces to add, but on the table are partially-finished cars, a few leaves on a tree, a couple of completed signs, the pieces of a white house along the side. I haven't found where one of the signs fits in the picture yet, but I know it will because of the image that it is to become. It's in process.

And so am I. As I work with each piece of the puzzle, bringing them together to conform to the image that it's becoming, I'm reminded that God is conforming me into the image of His Son. He knows that each piece fits and brings good from them all.

There is one distinct difference, however, between the puzzle and myself. It is passive, with pieces that will lie on the table until the end of time if they are not moved. It isn't expected to do anything, it has no personal responsibility to bring itself into conformity to the image on the box.

However, I do. God calls me (and all His children) to be conformed to the image of His Son through the transforming of the mind. How does the transformation happen? We pursue Him through the Word that we've been given, and the Holy Spirit uses it to conform us more and more to the image of the One we bear. This is a mysterious interplay between the providence of God and our own responsibility. We are not to be passive. We are to pursue.

And not be distracted with jigsaw puzzles that can sap prime time. So I tell myself once again that puzzles are for the evening hours when my body and mind are pretty well spent for the day. But I do hope to finish it soon to return it to my Dad. We swap puzzles every now and then.  :-)

When a Poor Decision Becomes the Richer One

I've been thinking and praying the past few weeks about what God would have me do about something that's been on my heart for awhile. I took a step into it yesterday, and it seems to be a positive move forward. Not all of my steps turn out positively, though. Some do not move forward at all. And some have tended to bring doubt and misgivings about God's leading, because some of my 'urgings' (aka ideas) just lead to nowhere or turn out disastrously.

I've at times thought that there must be something wrong with my spirituality, my connection with God, that I couldn't discern His will. There were times when this inability paralyzed me into doing nothing at all. I so very much wanted to be in the center of His perfect will. How more spiritual than that could I possibly be? Nothing else would do. I sincerely believed that all I wanted in my life was doing whatever God wanted, and without full assurance of that, I was not to take another step. "When in doubt, don't."

I've realized over time, though, that what I really wanted was to be all-knowing, not full of doubt. I've since accepted that that's one of God's attributes, and is not communicable to me. It's not one that I can strive after. It is His alone. There are some things that He simply is not telling me, for whatever purpose there might be.

It was spiritually and emotionally freeing when I realized that more than being fearful of missing God's will in a matter, I was fearful of making a mistake, fearful of failure, fearful of where my failure might lead me. What I was doing was living my life in fear rather than in robust faith.

I've learned that being in God's will is not really about the doing. It's not about knowing what I should do every step along the way, although seeking wisdom in decisions is always prudent. God's will is rather about my being as decisions are made. Not what does God want me to do? But who does God want me to be? It's possible to make what seems to be the best choice in a decision, but if that decision is made out of fear or avoidance, what glory does that bring to God?

It's not about making better decisions, but about who I am becoming in whatever decision is made. The doing is often ambiguous. The being is clearly shown in God's Word. I am to be conformed to the image of Christ, transformed into His likeness, becoming like Him. A life lived in trust, knowing that in all my decisions, whether perfect or not, God will work them for good according to His purpose. And often in making a poor decision, I've learned much more about His love and care through its consequences. He is my provider, my sustainer, my sufficiency. He leads me in the paths of righteousness.

Yes, it's more than a little prudent to make wise decisions. Our decisions move us along a path through life.

But sometimes the poor decision can turn out to be the richer decision.

Image ~ Destiny, John William Waterhouse, 1900

public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Pushing Back

I try to keep only a few balls simultaneously in the air. Juggling life can at times be problematic. Am I moving too far forward? Am I keeping a proper distance in the height? Am I consistent with each throw? One miscue and they all come tumbling down. So blogging has been at a standstill this past month. Classes are on pause for awhile, and now my attention is turned once again to here. It's been a month since I've posted, and I hope to share along the way some of the things that I've learned--which is always the purpose, isn't it, to pass on whatever we've learned to whoever will listen.

I was able to rejoin our women's Bible study yesterday. This is a group who dig into God's Word and freely share what they've learned with one another. Some of them know a lot, some of us learn a lot, but whichever end of the spectrum we're on, we all learn and encourage one another in our faith.

You've probably experienced that no matter how many times you've read a passage of Scripture that something new is always to be gained from it. That happened to me yesterday in the passage about Paul and Silas being put in jail without a trial as Roman citizens, which was unlawful. When the mistake was recognized by those in authority, they wanted Paul and Silas to leave quietly. Paul said no way! He wanted the council to come and release them in person.

I've always wondered why Paul was so insistent about that. I would have gone out post haste, but Paul was thinking of more than himself. I tend to think about myself in disagreeable situations, but Paul was thinking how slipping away quietly would reflect on the newly formed church. The council had shamed him because he was talking about Jesus, whom they didn't approved. To slither out of jail was to accept the shame that was put on Jesus' name and, therefore, the believers there in Philippi.

It brought to mind some of what is going on in America today in regard to Christianity. We're told that our beliefs are disapproved, even damaging to our nation. There's an attempt to shame us, to quiet us, to jail us, to keep us from being heard. I'm thankful for those who are pushing back and saying no way!

There was a time in America's recent past when turning the other cheek was expected to be the Christian's response. I believe that response was misconceived, misdirected and taken advantage of by those who manipulate their own political and perverted agendas.

Christians are now pushing back. The Apostle Paul exercised his freedom as a Roman citizen, lest the church be found insignificant in his day. Christians must exercise our freedom as American citizens, lest the church be found insignificant in our day.

It's a spiritual struggle in which we are engaged. May God be merciful and strengthen us.

Image via Pixabay

Love, But Not for These Things in Themselves

If thou must love me, let it be for nought
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
 

If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
'I love her for her smile—her look—her way
Of speaking gently,—for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day'—
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,—and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,—
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity. 

Image ~ Childhood Sweethearts
Frederick Morgan, 1847-1927
public domain 

On Belittling

A classmate's question to the professor reminded me how we need to instruct the children in our lives: "I'm wondering where I can find the requirements for cover pages for our papers? In the first class I took with you I didn't meet the requirements, but I never found out what they were."
 
While this student has the maturity to ask for clarification, children typically don't. When we fail to give requirements for a task before it's begun, we set our children up for failure. And when the task isn't completed to our liking, it's not necessarily the child's fault but, rather, our failure to be explicit as to expectations for the task.

If we don't realize the underlying problem and then begin to belittle our children, their spirit can be bruised, and eventually our relationship with them is harmed. Resentment may settle in on our children for being belittled or on ourselves for thinking they are being obstinate. Children can also begin to feel that they fail at every turn or that we can never be pleased. This is not the way to train up a child in the way he should go.

Children begin to understand themselves from those who nurture them. They are valued by God and need to feel valued by us. If we sense that our children are feeling devalued or insecure, we need to check how we're communicating our expectations. Even though each child may respond differently, the impact of belittling is felt in their hearts even if it doesn't show on their faces. Many of us have grown up with scarred hearts that often take years to heal, if they even do.

Whether it's our children or our grandchildren, expectations need to be clear. When we show that our expectations are not met over and over again, children learn not to expect that anything they do will be acceptable to us. And it will be a downhill spiral between the two of us.

Some suggestions to keep good vibes flowing between us and within the child's own spirit:

- Be clear as to our expectations. Does she understand what we want her to do?

- Be realistic in our expectations. Can he actually do what we want him to do?

- Be affirming as we instruct. Telling them what not to do implies that we assume that they'll do it wrong before they even begin. Not: "Don't just throw your shoes in a pile in the closet." Instead, "Put your shoes on the rack in the closet."

And if they break something in their feeble attempts, we need to let it go if it wasn't intentional. What's a broken dish compared to a broken spirit? Our reactions at times such as this will stay with our children for a long, long, long time. Some of us still hear the echoes.

Belittling isn't training. It isn't discipline. It's Shaming. It's rejection. It hurts.

Image ~ Just An Accident

Philippe Francois Sauvage, 19th century

public domain

On Lending Books

I pulled a book from the bookshelf today that was lent to me over fifty years ago. No, it's not one that I forgot to return, although I've done that upon occasion (and have lost a few myself the same way). This book is dear to me because it was lent when I was a relatively new believer in my late teens. I didn't ask to borrow it, but the person who lent it knew I needed it, and so offered it to me.

I was eager to read its pages as I began to study the Scriptures with more than a cursory reading. I still pull it off the shelf occasionally when I read through the gospel of John, which is the title of the book from the bookshelf--The Gospel of John by Henry A. Ironside. It's a collection of sermons that he preached as pastor of Moody Memorial Church of Chicago, first published in 1942 during World War II. As he says in the preface, it isn't a scholarly book but, rather, meant for the masses who came to hear him preach or listened over the radio. Difficult times send people searching for the truth.

This book is not only dear to me because it was the first commentary sort of book that I had read, but it was lent to me by My Beloved's father who passed from this life to his heavenly one twenty-one years ago this month. We were the recipients of the books from his bookshelf that he used in preparation for the adult Sunday School class that he taught for many years.

Each time I hold this 1956 edition in my hands, I'm reminded of the importance of speaking into the lives of fellow Christians by lending our books to them, even if they haven't asked. Or better, by buying them a copy and giving it to them so they can ponder its pages without the time pressure of returning it. They may not read it, but then again, they might. I gave such a book to a new friend who had just become a widow. She then purchased 25 copies to give away herself!

Whether they're young believers or those who have walked with the Lord for several years, or even fifty years, it's a way of encouraging one another to spiritual growth and understanding. A book can also be a tremendous comfort in time of emotional need.

Oh, and I did return the book to my not-then father-in-law. Little did I know then that I would marry his son and would pull the book from our own bookcase fifty years later.

To Endless Years the Same

Before the hills in order stood

or earth received its frame,

from everlasting Thou art God,

to endless years the same.

-Isaac Watts, 1719
from O God, Our Help in Ages Past

 Image~Pixabay 

The Need to Be Alert

Writing briefly as I think through a point on spiritual warfare from a lecture in reference to the three sources of temptation--the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

Although Satan with his demons and evil spirits is, indeed, a great force of deceit to be reckoned with, he is too often seen as the cause of our sin (sometimes our own blame-shifting maneuver), but our flesh is often our own worst enemy. 

Satan isn't the only one that is deceitful. Our own heart is deceitful; who can know it? And certainly the world's system is deceitful and beguiling, so we face deception from all vantage points. 

Which is why we must be alert and gain wisdom and discernment of good and evil through the diligence of studying God's Word, with dependence on the Holy Spirit to teach us all things.

Don't Sell It Short--Immediate or Extended

"The family is wonderful, but unless we understand the family in the context of the triune God who is magnifying and manifesting His glory in the world and painting the picture of it through this union that we call the family, then we are selling it short and we are not seeing it for what it really is and we are limiting our capacity to enjoy it and our capacity to glorify God through it as well."

- Voddie Baucham 

 Grace Quotes Personal Interview, 2016

Logic on Fire: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones

I put aside the books this evening to watch Logic on Fire: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, and I highly recommend it to you. The documentary chronicles how Lloyd-Jones came to faith, his transition from the medical field to theology and the pastorate at Westminster Chapel in London.

His emphasis on keeping Christ central in the church is a much needed admonition even today. It tells the story of how he impacted those who sat under his preaching as well as the influence he has had on many who were interviewed for the filming, some who knew him personally.

Lloyd-Jones is shown as a caring pastor as well as a beloved father and grandfather, with interviews with his daughters and grandchildren as they talk about his home life and his personal, familial side.

When his younger daughter Ann married, they all bought a big house together and lived there until he died. Martin and his wife Bethan (who was also a doctor) helped with the grandchildren as they were growing up. In return, Ann helped care for her parents when they grew older. A sweet story of family love and care. So unlike today as many evangelical pastors preach to "hate your father and mother and children" so you can serve God alone. To Martin Lloyd-Jones, his family was part of his ministry and he served God by serving them as well as his congregants. Not one or the other, but both and.

We watched Logic on Fire on Amazon Prime, or you can purchase the DVD. If you click on the image, it will take you there. Or you can go to the Logic on Fire homepage where you can watch a couple of trailers and read about some of the contributors to the documentary who sat under Dr. Lloyd-Jones ministry or whose ministries have been influenced by him, as well as some extra interview coverage.

Then Go Rescue and Restore

Sharing some thoughts from my quiet time today.

"He who is without sin, let him be the first to cast a stone." Or, as I sometimes say, "I'd be the last one qualified to accuse someone of forgetting to ____," meaning that as forgetful as I am, I certainly have no grounds to stand in judgement of another's forgetfulness. But there's more to these words of Jesus than my ready remark.

I think that as Christians we often take this verse from the passage in John 8 and give it a broad sweep that goes far beyond its context. We are too often reticent to speak up about sin in each other's lives. We've come to believe that we're hypocritical if we do, that we have no qualification or right to do so because "we're all sinners saved by grace," and that "but by the grace of God there go I." All of which can be true, but not necessarily.
 
As I was reading John 8:1-12 today (the passage of the woman caught in adultery), Jesus' writing on the ground arrested my attention. As the passage tells us, the scribes and Pharisees brought the woman as a trap for Jesus, another one of their schemes for gaining grounds to accuse Him. No one in our day knows exactly what He was writing, but it apparently meant something to the scribes and Pharisees, which is why they all turned and left one by one. Some suggest that He may have been writing something about them personally, or at least something that they recognized as exposing them in something just as sinful or illegal. This was probably the case.

They had failed to take into account that having caught the woman "in the act" meant that they had also caught her partner "in the act" as well. The scribes and the Pharisees were guilty of breaking the law themselves (Lev. 10:0; Deut. 22:22) because they let the man go.

Perhaps Jesus had written that requirement of the law on the ground, and they knew that if they pushed the issue, it would be turned on their own heads.  He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her (8:7). They were all guilty, and they knew it. That meant something to them.

This passage is often used to disarm someone who is about to speak in regard to someone else's sin, meaning that those who have no sin of their own are the only ones qualified to speak into a sinful situation. That, of course, should shut all of our mouths, which is often the intent. But we cannot take this verse out of its context and apply it as a general axiom to anyone who needs to call someone out in regard to their sin.

One of the results of this kind of thinking is that we're not admonishing one another toward righteous living. We see the results of that in our churches today. Most people in the general culture have no moral code governing their lives, and Christians often live as if we don't either. But Jesus calls us to moral as well as faith living. We're letting each other go down our own sinful paths, when what we really need is rescue.

Yet as we do so, we also need to bring Matthew 7:5 to bear upon our admonition: "First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." We cannot be blinded by our own sin, cannot be biased by our own sinful ways, cannot be self-righteous.

Some will bring up Matthew 7:1--"Do not judge so that you will not be judged...." Typically the recitation ends there, but the next verse says, "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you." We don't want anyone else to judge us, so we recalibrate and look away. It's not that we have no right to judge anyone, but that we need to be careful in doing so. As John 7:24 tells us, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

My takeaway: Don't pick out fragments of verses and hide behind them to avoid involvement. Get the facts of the matter straight first and be sure I know biblically and can explain why I'm judging as I am. Then go rescue and restore with grace and kindness.

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

 ~ Fanny Crosby

Image ~ Gabriel Schachinger, 1886

public domain via WikiMedia Commons

How Do We See It?

If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things. It is we, of course, to whom things look 'little' or 'big'. 

–Elisabeth Elliot

Image via Pixabay

 

 

Weekend Daybook

My Weekend Daybook is intended to offer brief glimpses of my simple life, thinking that my dear grandchildren may one day be interested in knowing little tidbits about Nana.


Outside My Window...
A mother out for an early morning walk with her little baby and big black labrador retriever. In the summer her other two children walk with her. She walks each morning. I offer a prayer for her little family and their unfolding day.







Noticing the sound of...
David Tolk's CD, In Reverence, playing on Spotify as I write. Peaceful instrumental music with piano, acoustic guitar, string quartet, oboe. Collection of inspirational hymns and original compositions.



Looking forward to...
My nephew's wedding next weekend in a little country church. It's been awhile since we've attended a wedding after our move here. I miss going to the weddings of children of longtime friends after being a part of their growing up years. Weddings are becoming more special to me because fewer couples are committing to marriage in these darkening days.

Thankful...
That Joseph and Stephanie have chosen to begin their marriage with their wedding ceremony in the church. Such a fitting beginning to a lifetime together.

Thinking...
That I don't understand how New York can celebrate killing a baby growing in the mother. It's, indeed, A Dark Day in New York State. How did New York and much of America get to this diabolical point? As Richard Phillips writes, it's the consequence of ideas.

"One essential answer is that attitudes and behaviors are formed from ideas. And behind the gleeful celebration of the slaughter of pre-born babies is the idea that there is no God. The chief doctrine of secular humanism - embedded in the very expression - is that life does not originate as the creation of a personal and moral deity. The consequence of this denial of God is not only the rebellious egocentricity by which men and women would terminate their own children for the sake of convenience but also the loss of the very idea of humanity.... As we witness the brutalization of our culture and tearfully wonder how our fellow citizens can celebrate such slaughter, the Christian response must include a commitment to speak truth fearlessly from God's Word."

Brought a smile...
Two little twins about 18 months old in the booth next to us as we were at our favorite pizza place last evening. Brother and sister, with a new bundle of joy waiting in their mommy's belly soon to join them. Brother and I exchanged greetings over My Beloved's shoulder. They seemed to me like a precious little family with much joy ahead of them.

In the Sewing Room...
Finished Anna's dress from the fabric she chose and added tulle as a border. Six-year-old Anna loves fancies. She likes to use my scarves as dress-ups when she comes to visit. :-)




Around the house...
He will cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you will find refuge.
Psalm 91:1


Learning...
Biblical hermeneutics as I read in preparation for the upcomimg class. Most of it is new to me, so I have to stay focused.
(on my bookshelf) ...



Reading...
Biblical Hermeneutics by Corley, Lemke and Lovejoy
Required reading for the class.


Interesting so far, and I'm learning much in its 400+ pages. In our SS class last week, the question was posed as to why most of us don't study the Old Testament as much as we do the NT. My thought was that we are no longer under law but under grace. However, the following clarification is percolating now in my thoughts.

Some have suggested that we should view the Old Testament as a book of law and the New Testament as a book of grace. However, such a characterization is a gross misrepresentation of the nature of the testaments. In reality, the Old Testament has a great deal to say about God's grace, and the New Testament is very concerned that the followers of Christ keep his law. Part of the misunderstanding comes from the fact that Judaism in the days of the New Testament had perverted the law. The Jewish legalism which Paul speaks against in Romans and Galatians is a corruption of the notion of law presented in the Old Testament. 

The Old Testament never construes the law as a means of establishing a relationship with the Lord or of achieving "salvation." The passages in Exodus which introduce the Sinaitic covenant make it clear that the law was based on the grace which God had already expressed to Israel.

.... The law communicated God's will for his people, and as such was a great act of divine grace.... As we attempt to interpret specific Old Testament laws, it is essential that we not lose the "big picture" provided by this canonical perspective. The basis of every law was divine grace, and the goal of every law was relational.

-from Biblical Hermeneutics in chapter 17 on "Interpreting the Law" by Robert R. Ellis

Not in The Least Bit Inconsequential

Recently, Tim Challies has been calling for bloggers to continue their personal blogs or to pick up and try again if they've given up. He posted some comments today from readers with their reasons for continuing, or having given up, why they were drawn back to it. While many of the comments are from those who blog on ministry sites, Challies encourages all of us to write for the sake of the gospel.

I'm one of those who started for a year, gave up for several years, then began again a few years ago. Sometimes consistently. Most often not. One of the reasons for inconsistency or even giving up is that writing is work and takes time. Words do not come easily to me, although thoughts are constantly bouncing around in my head. I don't always have the time to sit and focus on those thoughts, to bring them from my mind through my fingertips onto the keyboard in coherent discourse. It's definitely a discipline much like exercise and too often left unattended.

Adding to the time issue is the feeling that there are many other bloggers out there saying things in a much more compelling way than I possibly could. Their experiences seem so much more alive and interesting than my own. Yet, I know, too, that what is familiar and perhaps mundane to ourselves can be new and interesting to others. Perhaps it's the turn of words, the slight nuance that helps someone see things in a slightly different light, or the connection of one's life to another's experience.

My thoughts may be simple, but I've been reminded that if anyone is reached with the truth of the gospel, if anyone is encouraged by thoughts that are eventually formed into sentences and paragraphs with gospel meaning, then I have at least had a small (but never insignificant) part in encouraging the call to Kingdom life.

And that is not in the least bit inconsequential.

Exegetical Fallacies, A Brief Review

D.A. Carson's book, Exegetical Fallacies (2005 ed.), exposes word-study fallacies, grammatical fallacies, logical fallacies, presuppositional and historical fallacies that often lurk in exegetical sermons and writing. The purpose of the book is to enable the student of the Word to identify, avoid, and correct such fallacies.

It was a challenging read because I found myself in the dictionary page after page. The book is required reading for a hermeneutics class, so I couldn't just skip over words when the context didn't enlighten me as to possible meaning. In order to write the paper, I needed to thoroughly understand its contents. So it was a pretty slow trudge.

I understand now why pastors engage in devotional reading beyond their study for a sermon. Carson encourages distanciation coupled with caution. Distanciation is defined as: to establish or create a mental or emotional distance. This approach tends to detach us from spiritual interaction with the passage being studied and could be why many scholarly theologians lose sight of their faith. Study can become cerebral with little actual engagement. As Carson states, "It is difficult and sometimes costly."

In realizing the far-reaching impact of fallacies, one could become overly self-critical and discouraged in attempting an exegesis of any passage, becoming concerned with leading listeners or readers into error. However, gaining more awareness and skill is intended to benefit, not harm. Mindfulness should be the approach.

Strengths of the book would be that it presents a vast array of fallacies to be considered so that students of the Bible can handle it more accurately. The book is arranged in such a way that it is easy to locate a type of fallacy according to category: word-study, grammatical, logical, presuppositional, historical. One could run thoughts about a passage through the grid of listed fallacies.

Weaknesses would include the lack of giving definition to many of the terms used throughout the book. Reading was often interrupted by the need to understand what a word meant to the context. If the book had not been required reading, I would have laid it aside early on.

Another weakness is the apparent tone in which the author writes (although I realize that without emojis perceived tone in written work is often surmised). I, personally, found the tone to be rather haughty as he points out examples of fallacies from the works of other authors, pastors, scholars, etc.. The impression I was left with is that Carson considers himself the authority, that these other people are in error, and that caution should be taken in reading their works. This set a negative response reaction in my mind as I read. Far better, in my opinion, would have been examples of fallacies without such negative references.

Nevertheless, Exegetical Fallacies brings to light common fallacies of exegesis and is a ready reference. Carson urges diligence in studying and interpreting the Scriptures. He introduces the book with the hope that the reader will aspire to more correctly interpret the Word of God.

Not Even His Brothers

I've often heard it said that family members are the most difficult ones to witness to about their need for Jesus. They know us too well is often the lament. This may reveal the fact that we're often hypocritical or that our old nature too often is on display. We surely need to give attention to our walk and our talk.

But we are not the only stumbling blocks in drawing others to Jesus. Just as some of us may have been before we came to faith in Him, we tripped over ourselves. We did not (would not) believe. While the door is always open to whosoever will come, we cannot come unless we are drawn by the Holy Spirit. We err when we think we hold the key to the decisive moment of entrance.

As I was reading today, I came to John 7:5, "for not even His brothers were believing in Him." Here is the Christ Himself who lived for 30 years in the same house with His brothers, and He is perfect. He always walked His talk. They knew Him very well as a brother, so there is more to it than the supposition of thinking family "knows us too well."

While our purpose is to glorify God in all we do, only God can draw people to Himself. And so we pray to that end. Jesus' brother James believed only after His resurrection, which is the foundation of the Christian faith. That was the pivotal point for James. That's when He understood fully his own need and the scope of redemption through Jesus.

We don't know what the pivotal point may be for a family member. But it is surely that they must understand their need and see Jesus as their redemption. We, ourselves, must walk in a manner worthy of our own calling in the meantime. And lest we think it's about us, know that it's about being an ambassador for Him.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

~ 2 Corinthians 5:20 

Image ~ A Close Game

Harry Brooker, 1848-1940

public domain

Come and See

Sharing an excerpt from my reading today.

There are those who choose to reject Jesus because some of his followers are hypocrites. But this makes no sense. Many people don't live consistently with what they profess to believe. Christians don't own the monopoly on hypocrisy.

There are plenty of humble and lovable Christians. But often the attention falls on false Christians or loudmouths or hypocrites. The gospel is all about Jesus. The Jesus that Christians believe is good, even when his followers violate his teachings.

The Bible never says you have to believe in Christians to be saved. It says you have to believe in Jesus. He's the One we're invited to come and see (John 1:46), and the only One who can save and transform us.

- Randy Alcorn 

Face to Face with Jesus: Seeing Him as He Really Is

Nathanael said to him, 

“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” 

Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 

- John 1:46

~ Image, An Afternoon Read
Louis-Charles Verdee,  1832-1882
public domain via Wikimedia Commons

The Spotlight Is On...

I've begun the new year in the book of John and pondering today the passage where Jesus talks with the woman at the well (4:1-45). He has told her things that only Someone who sees into the heart and mind can know, and she realizes that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah people have been waiting for. When she tells others about Him, they also believe.

The Scripture says that "many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, 'He told me all the things that I have done.' '' So they went to Jesus and heard what He Himself had to say. The Samaritan woman is, of course, an example to us to tell others about Jesus. They believe because it is evident that Jesus is more than mere mortal.

What struck me today is that they believe because of the word of the woman. It isn't who she is that draws others to Jesus. It is Jesus Himself. The important point is that she is astonished at what Jesus knows about her, amazed at what He says to her, affected by who He is. And she tells others.

But it isn’t about her. She pointed to Him. The people who came to Jesus then heard Him and believed, and told the Samaritan woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world."

The spotlight goes on Jesus and who He is, not on us and who we are. We have no life-changing power, but we can point others to the One who does.

Image ~ A Girl Reading, Charles Edward Pergini, 1870

public domain via WikiMedia Commons

We See Things Differently

I'm slowly reading and pondering Speak the Truth: How to Bring God Back Into Every Conversation by Carmen LaBerge. To bring God back into the conversation is first to get ourselves mindful of Him, then to stay in the conversation ourselves so we can bring His truth to bear. Sharing a brief excerpt with you from the chapter--"Yes, It's Personal (and You Should Take It That Way)."
 

Part of the freedom that comes with the Gospel is the freedom to be selfless. Secure in the knowledge of who we are, whose we are, where we're going, and what we're promised. Christians are liberated in ways the world simply does not comprehend. We can rejoice in suffering. We can accept adversity. We expect persecution. We see things differently.

Children of God are sons and daughters of the King, citizens of the Kingdom, co-heirs with Christ of glory.  That totally reshapes how we view our role and time on earth. We're not trying to make a name for ourselves so much as make the name of Jesus known to others. We're not living for ourselves so much as offering our lives as living sacrifices for God to use as He wills. We're not living for the accumulation of wealth so much as we're seeking for our time, talent, and resources to be spent by God in ways that advance the Gospel

I know, it sounds a little crazy and I suspect that is part of the point.

- Carmen LaBerge in Speak the Truth:
How to Bring God Back Into Every Conversation

You can read more of what Carmen has to say on bringing God back into our conversations by clicking on the image. It will take you to her post on “How to Lead and Love in the Face of Animosity.”

Image ~ Untitled, Haynes King, 1831-1904

public domain via WikiGallery

Empowered or Equipped?

Empowered to do what? And, exactly, what does empowering itself mean for a woman?

According to the Oxford dictionary: "Make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights."

There are articles and lists of ideas abounding of how to empower women. Most of those things are what most people seek, men and women alike. But it's only politically correct to empower women. Empowering seems to be rather gender-specific. Or discriminatory. Or anything but equitable.

Personally, I want to be equipped, not empowered. Equipped to fulfill responsibilities in my sphere of influence, in my marriage, in my home, toward my extended family, in my community of faith, toward my friends and those who need the touch of God's love and drawn to Him who are on the outside looking into the life of one who lives for more than this world and its achievements can offer.

I don't need (nor want) to be empowered to claim my own rights, to rise above others, to have my own dreams fulfilled at the expense of others, to have them pushed aside so I can get ahead, or to have position or rank or wealth or opportunity handed to me simply because I am a woman of the 21st century and he's a man. I don't want the freedom to be non-committal in relationships, to walk away when I feel the urge, nor to be open-ended in decisions. I don't need empowerment to prove myself. I see the desire for empowerment as empty and self-aggrandizing.

Give me, rather, opportunity to become equipped for whatever role I may be called to fill. No role is small. There are circumstances when I may be called elsewhere, but the home is central to life itself, to the welfare of a nation, certainly to the welfare of the children. We are seeing the results of a generation raised without their mothers, mothers who are themselves confused about who they are. We are living in an age of confused identity and suicide is at its height because of it. People are killing themselves because they see no hope in the vortex of present-day ideology.

Where is their guidance? Who is confusing and leading the children away? The Pied Piper, and he isn't after the rats. He is the rat. Who is home to even know he is whispering and shouting detrimental philosophies and dark thoughts and perversion into developing ears and minds and hearts? Mothers are at the office, on the construction crew, anywhere the paycheck is, while the children are trained by the philosophies of this present world system.

Women have been empowered, and as she says, Santa Baby, she doesn't need your stuff because she can buy it all herself. And do it all herself with just a little help from her friend empowerment.  Or so she's been led to believe. Until one day when she says, "What has happened to me?"

No, don't empower me. Equip me and encourage me to fulfill my responsibilities, to develop and strengthen my abilities and capabilities in order to benefit and support others and in that glorify God, with the freedom to be who I am and who I need to be. And with that equipping, enabled by the Holy Spirit to be God-confident, not self-confident. To be selfless, not self-actualized.

Image ~ Young Woman Before a Mirror

William Merritt Chase, 1887

public domain via Wikimedia Commons