reset.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

I must deny myself.

I must take up my cross each day.

I must follow Christ.

Preamble.

Before embarking on his journey to pursue holiness through seventy written goal statements, Edwards determined to set his course right at the outset.

Being sensible that I am unable to do any thing without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him, by his grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

Dr. Lawson, in his commentary on Edwards’ pursuit of holiness, “The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards,” summarizes the Preamble, dividing it into 5 themes.

• Personal Inability
• Divine Enablement
• Humble Submission
• Purest Motive
• Regular Review

Today, I want to focus in on Humble Submission.

Honestly, God amazes me in how He orchestrates my study decisions. I started out a month or so ago reading Mahaney’s book on humility. He suggested further study (and practical application) of humility through the study of the incommunicable attributes of God. That suggestion led me to A.W. Pink. I chose to start with God’s sovereignty (as you might have ascertained based on the themes of many posts over the last month. I am still striving to understand God more, particularly as His sovereignty is portrayed throughout the events of Scripture.) In addition to my study on God’s sovereignty, I picked up Dr. Lawson’s book on Edwards. (I recalled the many times I’ve heard godly teachers encourage me to rehearse God’s grace through reading good biographies on the lives of the great heroes of the faith.) Incidentally, Edwards was a man whose life was centered around the sovereignty of God. (This is my story in a nutshell – how I started in personal humility and ended up in the pursuit of holiness, lived out in the Resolutions of one man, Jonathan Edwards.)

Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

The Resolutions, not only for Edwards, but also for me, today, should not be an attempt to gain holiness without the Spirit’s work or for my own personal, God-less desires. Dr. Lawson writes of Edwards, “…the ‘Resolutions’ must be a humble attempt to submit himself to the will of God in all things, for God’s will rules. God had charted a course for his life, one that was ‘good and acceptable and perfect’ (Rom. 12:2), and he must submit to that divine plan in and through his ‘Resolutions.’”

In addition to my study of the sovereignty of God and Edwards and his Resolutions, I have also picked up a reading plan I followed earlier in the year. The plan (Prof. Horner’s Bible-Reading System – download) sets up 10 chapters throughout the Bible to read each day. The benefit of this system is that it gives the reader an opportunity to see God’s hand in the big picture. Today was a great example of seeing God for who He really is. He is like the flawless diamond in that there are so many facets (characteristics/attributes), each with a different colored beam of light. Today (Day 51) had me reading the following chapters of the Bible:

• Ecclesiastes 9 – God is sovereign; God is the source of wisdom.
• Psalm 51 – God afflicts, forgives, and restores sinners. (D.I. & N.I. wrote an awesome song speaking of blessing the name of the Lord, even through the tough times, the valleys. God is faithful to afflict AND faithful to forgive.)
• Proverbs 20 – God is righteous, hating sin; God is creator; God is Savior; God is sovereign and “ordains the steps of man”.
• 1 Samuel 2 – God is the provider of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17); God is our salvation; God is holy; God has the power to “kill and make alive”; God is creator; God is strong; God is the Protector of His chosen ones; God is Judge; God is worthy of honor and praise.
• Isaiah 51 – God is the Comforter; God is our salvation; God is righteous; God is strong; God is powerful; God performs mighty works, miracles in our eyes; God is our Maker; God is LORD; God is full of wrath against sin.

These are just a few of the observations that can be gleaned from the passages above. I am in awe. How can I stand before such an awesome and holy God? Were it not for His Son, Christ Jesus….

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:3-4

the real reason

HOLY CHILD WHO CHOSE THE HEARTS OF MEN

Holy Child who chose the hearts of men
To be His favoured home
Leaving heaven’s gates for Bethlehem
God came to call His own
Now to us the highest King is born
Behold the Royal Son
Glory kneels to mend all that is torn
The promised Child has come

Joy and pain as man He knew on earth
No place to lay His head
As a servant He embraced this world
And on a cross He bled
Having borne the deepest grief of man
He rose to heaven’s throne
Now I’m sheltered in the Father’s hand
I stand by grace alone

May the gift of God amaze us still
The triumph of all time
As His child I kneel to Heaven’s will
To make His purpose mine
Though this road be scarred with trial and pain
It’s paved with lavish grace
Knowing Him will be my greatest gain
My hope the Saviour’s face

Keith & Kristyn Getty
Copyright © Thankyou Music 2004

I’m immensely encouraged by this doctrine-packed hymn for the Christmas season. It is truly a celebration of the incarnation. Not merely focusing on the physical birth of Christ, the hymn writers point to the real reason for the incarnation – Why did Christ come to earth? To die. To sacrifice His life. He took my place.

I hope you are encouraged by this Christmas hymn as I was. The following are just a few notes on observations I made from the lyrics to this Christ-honoring hymn:

The first verse makes a great emphasis on the sovereignty of God and on His faithfulness in keeping His word. The Old Testament is full of prophecies of the coming Messiah. Christ fulfilled every single one!

The second verse shows Christ’s manhood and servant heart. The sacrifice He paid on my behalf is immeasurable. He “bore the wrath reserved for me. Now all I now is grace.” (All I Have is Christ, by Sovereign Grace) The lyrics also point to assurance and security. Nothing can take me from the Father’s hand. I am forever His child. His great love will never go away. (Romans 8) Grace alone – Sola Gratia! (Incidentally, this is the topic for the next Sola Conference at my home church. Follow the link to see a preview of coming attractions: 2010 Sola Conference. Go to the media section to view a short film portraying the doctrine of grace alone.)

The third verse points to how believers should live in light of Christ’s birth and death.

I am no longer mine. I am here to do the will of God.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ Luke 9:23

As hard as life may seem, I will never suffer as much as Christ did. He grants me the grace each day to live for Him. Life is short; so make the most of every moment of time, to the glory of God. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Every moment of my life needs to be focused on Christ. (Hebrews 12:1-3) I want my strongest desire to be Christ – to know Him more, to walk as He walked (1 John 2:5-6), to rest in His promises.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:7-11

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Philippians 3:20-21

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18

don’t waste your life

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

When I evaluate my daily walk, I find I waste time on unprofitable things…a lot of time. These are moments I cannot redeem. They are lost forever.

Lose the regret & make a change!

I so much want to use my time wisely and spend the precious moments God has gifted me in a profitable manner.

Paul told the believers in Ephesus to “look carefully….” I am to be discerning in how I conduct my daily life. I am called to walk as the wise man and to make the most of the time given me.

So much can be said here….but I must postpone to a later time when I can devote more time to the study and writing on said subject. Also, this subject ties in quite well with a few of Edwards’ Resolutions.

The infamous tag line shall be placed below :

TO BE CONTINUED

Personal (and Corporate) Conviction

In my study of Jonathan Edwards, I came across a biographical section where the town he ministered in experienced a “mini” revival. Edwards wrote:

“The town seemed to be full of the presence of God; it never was so full of love, nor so full of joy….There were remarkable tokens of God’s presence in almost every house…everyone [was] earnestly intent on the public worship.”

I know I’m far from perfect; even my worship is tainted with sin and selfishness. I also know that God is not finished with me.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

Sanctification is a process. I want to do my part, as Edwards pursued in his Resolutions, to strive for holiness.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Maximum Human Effort (MHE)!

With this post, I’m still setting the groundwork for my study of Edwards’ Resolutions. When I came across the quote I posted above, I instantly felt a void in my own life and worship. Unfortunately, I also see it around me in the corporate setting.

The question is: What am I going to do about it?

…it never was so full of love, nor so full of joy….everyone [was] earnestly intent on the public worship.

I don’t want my life to be described as unloving, without joy, or spiritually comatose.

Where is my love – for God, for my brothers and sisters in Christ, for the lost, for the Word of God?

Where is my joy – in Christ’s resurrection, in my salvation, in the living hope & inheritance I have been promised, in Christian fellowship?

Where is my worship – intense, vibrant, true, spiritual, holy, sanctified?

As I contemplate my response to these questions, I realize I have an opportunity even now to practice love, joy, and worship. In the personal setting which I find myself currently, I can implement the following actions, attitudes, and goals:

• Love:
  • Prayer – for lost family members and friends; for my brothers and sisters in Christ; for the sick, hurting, and dying; for church and government leadership; for missionaries spreading the gospel across the globe.
    • For my brothers and sisters in Christ – for their growth in love for the Lord and each other; for their sanctification; for their needs, spiritual and physical.
  • Personal application – studying the attributes of God (producing not only a greater love for Christ, but also a deeper humility in my heart as I live Coram Deo); rehearsing God’s grace in my salvation and sanctification; thanking the Lord for “every good thing given and every perfect gift.” (James 1:17)
• Joy:
  • In salvation – recognizing God’s grace and mercy; praising God for His love for me; thanking God for His choosing me.
  • In fellowship – giving thanks to God for His blessing me with the fellowship of like-minded believers; praying that their joy may be made full.
  • In hope – finding joy and peace in my eternal future with Christ.
• Worship:
  • Prayer – seeking to apply the various focuses of prayer: praise, adoration, thanksgiving, confession, and supplication; asking God for wisdom (James 1:5); pursuing God’s will and desiring Him above all else (Psalm 37:4-5).
  • Bible Study – observing the big picture, taking in all of God’s inspired Word, both Old and New Testaments; striving to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus; seeking ways to apply what I learn in my daily walk.
  • Meditation – taking my study of the Bible and thinking over it throughout the day; recalling everything the Lord has done for me; praising and praying from memorized Scripture.
  • Music – orally and/or audibly, praising and thanking God through Christ-honoring music; surrounding myself with lyrics that promote sanctification and the giving of thanks and praise to God.

I find myself with the opportunity to practice these things corporately tomorrow evening at Bible study. I hope my striving for greater love, joy, and worship will be evident & contagious! I pray that God would use me as an instrument of grace in His hand to edify my brothers and sisters and to spur them on to love and good deeds!

I want to share my musings on Edwards’ Resolutions soon, but for now, I will merely post the text from the First Resolution:

1. Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved, to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved, so to do, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Resolved!

I’m taking on a challenge.

“The beauty of Christianity is the beauty of holiness.” David Vaughan

My problem: I see my life lacking in the pursuit of holiness.

My inspiration: Jonathan Edwards.

My goal: To glorify God with my life. (The ultimate desire of every believer should be the glory of God.)

My action plan: To study and put into practice Edwards’ 70 Resolutions. (As a result of my studies, I plan on jotting down a few thoughts about each resolution; particularly as each one relates to Biblical application, exhortation, and wisdom.)

What I am NOT trying to accomplish:

• Works-based salvation. (I have been saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone! My efforts in this challenge are meant only to shape me more into the image of Christ.)
• Painting a pretty picture about myself. (I am a wretched sinner, albeit saved by grace. My intent is to find the many areas in my life that I can improve in. I recognize God’s sovereignty and I am deeply humbled by the standard found in Christ’s perfect, sacrificial life.)
• Daily checking off a moral to-do list. (The resolutions are not intended to be “completed” like a list of short-term goals. Holiness (Christlikeness) is a life-long pursuit. My intent is to become more disciplined in my pursuit of Christlikeness throughout my daily Christian walk.)

What I AM trying to accomplish:

• Compile a written record of knowledge gained, joy experienced, difficulties undergone, hope and faith established, etc.
• Establish an informal accountability. (My intent in posting my thoughts publicly is, in a way, accountability. For those who know me in person, I would hope you would approach me when I am not living up to the clear commands of Scripture. Much of what I post I realize may never be read by another person. My goal is certainly not to impress anyone with my words. If anything, I pray any readers will be encouraged and/or exhorted to pursue holiness and the glory of God.)
• Provide a resource for other believers to be edified and spurred on to pursue Christ every day.
• Present a venue for readers to post relevant thoughts and comments pertaining to the pursuit of holiness.

My current resources:

• “The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards,” by Dr. Steven J. Lawson
• The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (provided by Desiring God Ministries) – Resolutions

I hope God will bless this practical journey toward holiness. To any readers out there, I hope you’ll be encouraged by this challenge I am undertaking. May God also bless your pursuit to be more like Christ!

thankful…for God’s sovereignty

“Since God is God, who dare challenge His prerogative? To murmur against Him is rank rebellion. To question His ways is to impugn His wisdom. To criticize Him is sin of the deepest dye. Have we forgotten who He is?” A. W. Pink, The Sovereignty of God

I am thankful that God is God. He is the Potter and I am merely clay. I am being fashioned by His omnipotent hand into whatever tool He wants me to be for His glory.

speechless yet again

Disclaimer: I’m keeping the title the same, but I will have you know I had no intent of posting so many words when I started this article! I am not trying to mislead anyone through some “form of cruel irony.” (Movie reference?)

This post finds its roots in a book I was reading on humility. The author suggested an avenue of further study: the incommunicable attributes of God. What a great way to learn humility – being humbled by the knowledge of a great and powerful God!

The first attribute I chose to study is God’s sovereignty.

[Sovereignty = Supreme power, authority, and/or excellence]

God’s sovereignty is unique. He alone is sovereign over all things.

I’m not writing to present a fancy theological viewpoint on God’s sovereignty…that has already been done by several learned godly men and I know I wouldn’t present the topic as well as them. My main purpose here is to post a few comments about an article I read by Barnhouse on the sovereignty of God.

Much of Barnhouse’s article discusses God’s sovereignty in light of His choosing certain people to save. We were all enemies of God…equally wicked and lost in His sight. He chose to save some and condemn others. It is by nothing we were or could be that He chose to save us.

Another major theme throughout the article was God’s sovereignty over health and diseases. God has a plan and a reason for bringing trials into the lives of His children. One of the best Biblical examples Barnhouse uses is the man who was blind from birth. The disciples ask Christ, “‘Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?’ and the Lord Jesus said, ‘Neither: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.’” Barnhouse continues, “Do you mean, you say, that God Almighty let a man be blind for thirty or forty years so that Jesus could perform a miracle on him? Certainly.”

For reasons outside of our finite knowledge, God chooses to allow some people to go through severe trials. I know a few brothers and sisters who are going through very difficult and painful health issues. I pray that God will give them the grace and strength to allow these trials to stretch their faith in Him. As easy as it would be to grumble and complain about the “unnecessary difficulty” added upon this already complicated life on earth, God truly deserves honor and praise for the trials He places in our lives. We are to trust in Him with all our hearts. (Proverbs 3:5-6) He is our sovereign; we are His slaves.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:18-39

How is THAT for perspective?! I need to be reminded of this constantly.

I am very grateful for the health God has given me. I recognize that it is a gift from His gracious hand. But God owes me nothing. Should He choose to take away my good health tomorrow morning, He would be completely right to do so. May I always remember Job’s response to the Lord’s work in his life:

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1:21

One final remark – God is sovereign over the direction of my life.

At this stage of my life there is a lot of uncertainty.

I don’t know what career I want. I don’t know if I want to stay where I am. I don’t know whether I should remain single or not. I don’t know what tomorrow holds.

The trouble with these statements: “Ah! Pronoun trouble.” (Looney Tunes, anyone?)

I find a huge relief in being reminded that God is in control…He is sovereign. I’m not here for me. I’m a slave of Christ…I’m here to serve Him. I am to deny myself, take up my cross daily, and follow Him!

What is required of us is that we be so yielded to God that we can understand the nature of the place where He has put us, the nature of the assets He has put at our disposal; and that we should say to Him, “Lord, I would be faithful as I am, where I am, for Thee.” (Barnhouse, “The Sovereignty of God”)

Wisdom

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6

I read Proverbs 8 this morning and I thought to myself, “Self – I believe I’m missing out on something very important in life.” I haven’t been pursuing wisdom. I want to be characterized by God’s wisdom. He gives of His wisdom freely to those who ask in faith. I had better start asking for it!

Praise God for another beautiful day to live for Him!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24