I want to want You…

“I want to want You Jesus…” what a thought.  Do I really want Jesus?  Do I have the “want to” to want Jesus?  Where does this “want to” come from?  A.W. Tozer has a beautiful prayer that I came across today.  I love what it says…

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God , the triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I  thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I  pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, “Rise up, my love, my fairs one, and come away.”  Then give me  grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A. W. Tozer

God, change my “want to” so that I will do what You want.

The Highest Good

God,

Create in me a heart that desires you as the highest good in life.

Amen

God is the highest good of the reasonable creature; and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied … To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here.  Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun. These are but streams; but God is the fountain. These are but drops; but God is the ocean.

Jonathan Edwards

Psalm 63 A Psalm of David, ^swhen he was in the wilderness of Judah.

¹ O God, you are my God; ^tearnestly I seek you;

^umy soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

as in ^va dry and weary land where there is no water.

² So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,

beholding ^wyour power and glory.

^s [2 Sam. 16:14; 17:2, 29]

^t Ps. 78:34; Isa. 26:9

^u See Ps. 84:2

^v Ps. 143:6; Isa. 32:2

^w Ps. 78:61; [Ps. 27:4]

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Ps 63:1-2). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

That which leads to joy…

Delight in God cannot occur in an intellectual vacuum.  Our joy is the fruit of what we know and believe to be true of God.  Emotional heat such as joy, delight, and gladness of heart, apart from intellectual light (i.e. the knowledge of God) is useless… The experience of heaven’s inhabitants confirms that our knowledge of God (education) is the cause or grounds for our delight in him (exultation), which blossoms in the fruit of his praise and honor and glory (exaltation).

What this tells us is that the ultimate goal of theology isn’t knowledge, but worship.  If our learning and knowledge of God do not lead to joyful praise of God, we have failed.  We learn only that we might laud, which is to say that theology without doxology is idolatry.  The only theology worth studying is a theology that can be sung!  (Sam Storms, One Thing, page 82)

When one gets right down to it, the ultimate goal of all of life is worship… isn’t it?

Why I appreciate Sam Storms…

A reader of this blog inquired about my frequent references to Sam Storms.  Sometimes an individual or ministry resonates greatly with me.  Both the person of Sam Storms and his ministry – Enjoying God - are encouragements to my soul.  What makes Sam so unique is that by his own admission, he is a mix of theology and practice that haven’t traditionally gone together too well in the past.  As he puts it, he is a Charasmatic Calvinist.  He has even written a book on the subject entitled Convergence:  Spiritual Journeys of a Charismatic Calvinist.  I have read parts of the book but have listened to the seminar he did on the same topic at Bethlehem Baptist several times.  I greatly appreciate his irenic and biblical disposition when it comes to speaking to the divergent camps.

As Sam mentions on his website: 

One doesn’t often hear of someone defending the centrality of Scripture and the sovereignty of God, on the one hand, and the importance of the spiritual gift of prophecy and the affections of the heart, on the other. Sam unashamedly embraces both and demonstrates from Scripture and his own spiritual journey how their convergence is essential for Christian living today.

Over the past several years, I have moved from being a cessassionist to believing that the gifts are still for today and that it is not at all wrong to want to be biblical and fulfill the desire of Paul who states in I Corinthians 14.1:

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. (ESV)

I can’t say that the Holy Spirit has permitted me to speak in tongues, prophesy, or even know something about someone that had been concealed.  But I have been around enough Christians to know that these kinds of things are still happening today.  I do believe that a God supernaturally involved in the lives of believers and using supernatural gifts (even the “extraordinary” ones) to accomplish His purposes in His people is the biblical model and find it tragic that many believers have come to the conclusion that God simply can’t and won’t work that way in the life of the church today. 

I am a firm believer in the sufficiency of Scripture as well as its inerrancy and inspiration but believe that there is a misunderstanding amongst some believers when they say that because the Scriptures are sufficient that God will never speak and communicate with His people through immediate means.  At the root, I think this diminishes the kind of relationship we can have with God.  I also think it weakens the biblical expressions where the soul is said to experience God.  I talked about this in a previous post.   Of all the people who should believe in the ongoing expression of all the gifts, I believe theologically and biblically it ought to be Calvinists.  This is in part because the keystone doctrine of the sovereignty of God and the fact that all that happens and transpires in this world is due to His providential hand moving mightily through the Spirit to accomplish His purposes. 

In Sam Storms, I have found a guide, a mentor to help me better understand the convergence of Word and Spirit. (I could mention other individuals as well).  I find him to be very balanced, extremely biblical, and he works very diligently not only to embrace sound doctrine but to reveal how sound doctrine informs sound practice.  I’m not saying that Dr. Storms is infallible, just that of all the people I read or listen to, he consistently makes much of God while distilling the truth whether one side or the other agrees entirely. 

I would heartily recommend some books of his that I have read.  Convergence I have already mentioned.  I would also include Chosen For Life (one of best treatments on election I have read), One Thing: Developing a Passion for the Beauty of God (my favorite of his books), and Signs of the Spirit (a great treatment of J. Edwards’ classic, The Religious Affections.)

My own spiritual journey is just that… a long trip in which God has brought people and circumstances into my life to challenge me, rebuke me, remind me that His purposes are greater than my own.  I even have found that like Jacob, I have been wrestling with God, and He has graciously set my hip out of joint so that He could get me to stop struggling and rest in Him.  I am over 40 years old now.  I want to increasingly find that my life is a movement from independence to dependence on Jesus… that I am growing more and more to understand what it means to serve a Sovereign God… that in my every day life I am expecting God to show up and use me as He sees fit… that even though I am not where I thought I would be at 40 (nor doing what I thought I would be doing) that I can be o.k. with that because God has worked to get me to this point…

So, I appreciate Sam Storms because he seems to care more about what God thinks of him rather than what others think of him.  I’m sure he has his days where he’d rather not relive them – but overall, I think he lives in light of the fact that a relationship with God is irresistibly pleasurable and because of that Sam is “devoted to the pleasure of reveling in Him and all He has done.”  

May Sam’s pleasure in the Lord increase greatly!

Summertime Reading

Since I have a little extra time on my hands, I have been able to increase my reading quotient.  In the morning when I get up, I have been reading two books as I eat breakfast.  The first is a book by Sam Storms entitled, Signs of the Spirit – an interpretive work on Jonathan Edward’s book, Religious Affections.  As you might well imagine, this is not an easy read, but it is perhaps one of the most valuable books I have read in the last 4 years about the Christian life and what true conversion looks like.  I wish I would have had the spiritual impetus in high school to read this book and then to read it periodically after that (perhaps every 6 to 8 years).  I will definitely read it again, probably as soon as I finish it… there is just so much there.  I may share some of the contents with you in future blog entries.

 

The second book is simply entitled, Bruchko.  It is the story of a 19-year-old youth who sets off on his own to minister to Stone Age Indians in South America and ends up being used by God to bring many from the Motilone Tribe into the kingdom of God.  Quite simply, my review of this book is “Wow.”  I read this book when I was in 10^th grade (many moons ago), I read it again in seminary, and now find myself wrapped up in the story, sucking every ounce of enjoyment and amazement I can from its pages before I am done with it.  It is a story like something out of the life of Paul on his journeys, or Peter preaching at Pentecost, or perhaps more closely, Jesus. 

 

Al Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has said, “We read biographies because worthy portraits of our fellow human beings help us to make sense of the world.”  A gentleman on Amazon.com wrote about his Christian biography list:  “I want them (his children) to know that we aren’t guaranteed a cozy American suburban existence, nor is that what Christianity is all about. I cannot easily remove them from this place and time, but I can read to them about the struggles of others to prepare them spiritually and intellectually for whatever God has in store for us.”  I find that Bruchko fits the bill nicely on both accounts. 

 

For my part, when I read Bruchko, many things stir in me, but primarily I find two realities at work.  1.  I am convicted as I read its pages.  I find myself asking, “What are you doing Trenton for the kingdom of God?”  Of course, not everyone is called to savage and violent tribes in South America – risking life and limb for the spread of Christ’s fame and the glory of His name.  I am however, called to live out the life of Christ wherever I find myself, and in the course of a day to ask myself, “Did I live in such a way that Jesus was made to look good, that people understood more of the wonder and awe of Christ?  Did I make the most of every opportunity to give the reason for the hope that I have?”  2.  I am encouraged as I read its pages.  It is an inspiring story that reminds me that God uses everyday people who are faithful to use the gifts God has given them and who listen to and obey His leading.    

 

Read them/don’t read them… that’s your decision.   I would encourage you though; read something of substance this summer.  Obviously the Bible is the best place to start.  Perhaps read one of the books you haven’t read in a while, or perhaps haven’t understood very well in the past, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight into it.  After that, find at least one book that will challenge you spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, culturally, psychologically, etc (you get the picture).  And, as a personal favor to me (I used to tell my students something like this when they went to the movies or listened to music)… don’t read just for amusement.  The enemy would like nothing better than to find our brains in neutral, not really thinking but just passively accepting.  (consider for a moment the word “amuse.”  The negative “a” meaning “not” and the root word “muse” meaning “to think or ponder”).  I had a teacher that encouraged me to always try to engage myself in whatever it was that I was reading or watching.  I guess I have become like him in that regard – make it a point to find at least one thing you can “chew on” and savor.  For example, consider the worldview that is being presented, or the theological assumption that undergirds the author’s view on things like human nature, God, sin, or death.  (sorry, that’s the teacher coming out in me)  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not anti-entertainment.  I’m just not for checking one’s brains at the door. 

 

Happy reading.

 

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages

“Tony Snow, Former White House Press Secretary and FOX News Anchor, Dies at 53.”  So reads the headline on Fox News’ website.  I was impressed by this man who lived well through his ordeal with cancer, or as he called it in an essay published by Christianity Today – a blessing.  I don’t know if the link will come through from Christianity Today as it was released in July of 2007.  I encourage you to read it… I think it will do your heart good.  I have read this essay twice, once when it was released, and then yesterday as I went back and read it again. 

The Lord has a way of getting my attention when He wants to arouse my soul from its slumber and focus my attention on Him.  Even today in church, Jesus was gently probing and prodding my heart to consider that my circumstances are never a reason to doubt His goodness, but rather a prism by which to see that God is at work in multifaceted and various ways throughout my life – especially during difficult times.  Our Lord’s promise in Hebrews 13.5 - “I will never leave you nor forsake you” -  is the anvil upon which the Christian can beat into plowshares the painful and often demoralizing arrows of life. 

I’m grateful for men like Tony Snow who have their lives tied into The Anchor that holds:

“What is man that Thou art mindful of him?  We don’t know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place—in the hollow of God’s hand.”

If you have a moment today, pray for Tony’s family.  If you don’t, journey on in the hand that always holds, that never leaves nor forsakes…

A Moving Experience

My family and I have just finished moving from Mansfield, OH to Greenville, SC.  If this is my last move ever, I’m o.k. with that.  Between the sweat and tears… the grunting and groaning… the furniture and fast food… the hellos and the goodbyes - I’m exhausted.  Emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually, moving has taken it out of me (whatever “it” is).  In the midst of all of this though, I have been able to read a book I started by Sam Storms called Signs of the Spirit.  The book gives his interpretation of Jonathan Edwards’ historical and essential work, Religious Affections.  I am only half-way through the book but can heartily recommed it if you are interested in an excellent treatment of what impact the saving work of the Spirit has in an individual’s life. 

As I was reading today, I was struck once again with the realization that true believers are moved by God’s revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ to such a degree that a person’s conduct will of necessity be changed.  Such is the power of the glory of Jesus Christ.   Over and over the Bible informs us that not only will there be a change in conduct, but there will also be a commensurate movement in conviction and persuasion of the Truth in the hearts of believers. 

Matthew 16.15-17 – ¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

John 6.68-69 – ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, ⁶⁹ and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

II Corinthians 4.11-18 -  ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death is at work in us, but life in you. ¹³ Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, ¹⁴ knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵ For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. ¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

II Timothy 1.12 – But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.³

I John 4.13-16 – ¹³ By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.  God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

These and other verses like these point to the fact that those who have been regenerated (given new life) by the Spirit have an overwhelming confidence/assurance/conviction, of the truth of the glory of the gospel.  This understanding does not come by reason or brilliance.  It does not come through years of education and hard work.  It comes because of the movement of God in the heart and soul of a person. 

“God has made it possible for a person to attain full assurance of the truth of the gospel apart from arguments related to ancient traditions and history and other evidences… Those who eventually lost their lives as martyrs of Christ, perhaps most of whom lacked formal education, ‘declare their assurance of the truth and divinity of the gospel, having had the eyes of their minds enlightened, to see divinity in the gospel, or to behold unparalled, ineffably excellent, and truly divine glory shining in it, which is altogether distinguishing, evidential, and convincing, so that they may truly be said to have seen God in it, and to have seen that it is indeed divine.”  (Storms, Signs of the Spirit, 106)

This kind of sight produces awe, awe produces humility, and humility produces child-like faith.  In the words of Christ, it is not self-sufficiency toward greatness that brings one into the kingdom of Chist, but rather humility toward radical dependence on Jesus that grants one entrance into His kingdom and indeed makes one truly great. 

Matthew 18.1-4  At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³ and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

For my part, every day there needs to be a packing up of my pride and prejudices, and an unpacking of the kind of humility and trust that a child has.  This move to South Carolina has reminded me once again that I could have never done it on my own.  I needed so many other people to come alongside and do what I couldn’t.  And when it comes to the Christian life, it is no different.  I must have a moving experience – everyday - continually – with the Spirit of God moving in me to do what I can’t do myself.  I need the fellowship and support of other brothers and sisters encouraging me onward.   I need my wife and children to interact together for the purpose of living humbly as a family.  I take heart because I know that Christ can bring all of this and more to pass…

Philippians 1.6  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.

 

Following Jesus Together

I want to recommend a site to those of you who are journeying on with Christ and seeking to understand just what it means to be a Christ-follower…

My friend Brian Onken has started a blog that deals with just that.  It is somewhat new but his discussions and insights are well worth the read.  The site is called Summathetes.  As Brian explains in his blog: 

…So this blog is about this simple (yet profound and captivating!) idea: following Jesus together. “Summathetes” is the English transliteration of the Greek word that means “fellow-disciple.” And my desire is to think out loud with others who have a passion for Jesus what it means to be His follower.

Click here to visit Brian’s website. 

Everybody Has to Live for Something

I have been reading from Tim Keller’s book, The Reason for God.  I would strongly recommend it if you are looking for a book that will help you interact with folks who are asking the “BIG” questions of life (how can a good, all-powerful God permit evil, where did everything come from, why am I here, is there such a thing as truth, don’t all roads lead to God – and so on).  I would also recommend this book if you are a believer who wants to think well about mankind, sin’s effect on mankind, and God’s power in rescuing mankind.   While I think it is a wonderful book, there are areas that I don’t find total agreement, but the overall message is compelling and thought provoking.  What I really want to do in this entry is simply share a few paragraphs that I found very encouraging and caused me to want to make much of God.  I thought I would share them with you…

“Remember this – if you don’t live for Jesus you will live for something else.  If you live for career and you don’t do well it may punish you all of your life, and you will feel like a failure.  If you live for your children and they don’t turn out all right you could be absolutely in torment because you feel worthless as a person.

“If Jesus is your center and Lord and you fail him, he will forgive you.  Your career can’t die for your sins.  You might say, ‘If I were a Christian I’d be going around pursued by guilt all the time!’  But we are all being pursued by guilt because we must have an identity and there must be some standard to live up to by which we get that identity.  Whatever you base you life on – you have to live up that that.  Jesus is the one you can live for who died for you – who breathed his last breath for you.  Does that sound oppressive?

“You may say, ‘I see that Christianity might be just the thing for people who have had collapses in their lives.  But what if I don’t fail in my career and what if I have a great family?’  As Augustine said, if there is a God who created you, then the deepest chambers of your soul simply cannot be filled up by anything less.  That is how great the human soul is.  If Jesus is Creator-Lord, then by definition nothing could satisfy you like he can, even if you are successful.  Even the most successful careers and families cannot give the significance, security, and affirmation that the author of glory and love can. 

“Everybody has to live for something.  What that something is becomes ‘Lord of your life,’ whether you think of it that way or not.  Jesus is the only Lord who, if you receive him, will fulfill you completely, and, if you fail him, will forgive you eternally.”  (page 172, The Reason for God)

Just something to think about…

Lookin’ Good

I remember an advertising slogan by Vidal Sassoon that said, “If you don’t look good, we don’t look good” (actually my friend Jill helped me remember who said it). Aren’t we a culture that is obsessed with looking good? Everywhere we turn, we see opportunities to make ourselves look good by improving our image, style and personality. We want people to think we’ve got it together and have the world by the tail. Self-promotion is at the very root of American culture. Do you remember when you first learned to put a resume together? Or interview for a job? The goal was to present yourself in a manner that makes you the preferred candidate. Let me be clear, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to present yourself well. How we look, act and talk give people a perspective of who we are and how we live. But we can become so engrossed with how we look that a good intention turns into narcissism.

Sam Storms, founder of Enjoying God Ministries, does a great job of putting this paradigm into perspective this way: “When people see you, does God look good?” Below are a few questions from his article so titled.

When you pray, do people comment on your eloquence or God’s excellency? 

When you intercede in a corporate gathering, are those present impressed with your godliness or God’s goodness? 

When people see how I spend money, do they conclude that God is a priceless treasure, exceedingly valuable above all worldly goods?

When people observe my relationship with others, are they alerted to the power of Christ’s forgiveness of me that alone accounts for my forgiveness of them?

When we open our mouths and speak of others in public (or private), are they made to think of Jesus in whose mouth no “deceit” was found (1 Peter 2:22), the one who, when reviled, “did not revile in return” (1 Peter 2:23)?

If I am complimented for some accomplishment, does the way I receive it drive onlookers to give thanks to the Lord?

Is my use of leisure time or devotion to a hobby or how I speak of my wife the sort that persuades others that my heart is content with what God is for me in Christ? 

Does my reaction to bad news produce in you doubt or fear, or does it inspire confidence to trust in God’s providence? 

When I feel disappointment or experience a shattered dream, is your trust in his promises diminished or enhanced?

Does my reaction to suffering inspire your comfort in him?

These are piercing questions. I encourage you to read Pastor Storms entire article, “When People See You, Does God Look Good?”. The Apostle Paul gives us some insight in how God is made to look good through our lives.

¹²Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-17 ESV)

So let’s go make God look good today!

Peace!