You Better Ask

It's been well over two months since I've posted an entry in this blog. I guess you can say that I've been busy these past months. But it's a new year, and I'm determined to write a little more about what I've been reading. What better day than today? Too busy? Sure I am. Got stuff to do today? Sure I do. Some major stuff to attend to? You betcha! But I still need to take time to get into the Word and also into some good books.

As a Christmas present from my dear wife-to-be (oh, did I mention that I'm getting married in less than ten hours from now?), I got Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening." It's a perfect transition from "Morning By Morning," which I got a long time ago. This looks like it's gonna be a good devotional book for both mornings and evenings.

Yes, today is gonna be a busy day, but I wanted to comment on one thing that I read this morning. "Dost thou want nothing? Then, I fear thou dost not know thy poverty." Think you have it all? Think you don't need anything? Oh, how we need more of Jesus! Even if we think that we have all our physical needs met, we'll never be at a point, this side of heaven, where we have all that we think we need - physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc. Sure, God has given us everything we need for life and godliness, but He also commands us to pray to Him and to ask of Him. Oh, how dependent we are on God! But how prideful we are as well that we try to do everything on our own and for to ask for provision from our loving Father, who gives beyond measure.

This year, whether you (and I'm speaking this to myself as well) have it all or not, you better ask.

(If you don't know, you better ask somebody...)

Ideal?

Per a recommendation from a brother, I started getting into a new book - "Christian Living In The Home," by Jay Adams. I know it has the word "Home" in the title, but even after reading just the first chapter, I know that this book will have application beyond the home. It will have application to the home, family, children, singles, etc. I'm looking forward to the chapters to come.

Chapter one talks about a Christ-centered home. We're reminded that Christians aren't perfect. The same can be said about Christian households. "Conditions are far from ideal." Just because you're living in a Christian home, doesn't mean that everything is perfect. And the reason things aren't perfect is sin. Yes, you're living in a home with Christians, but Christians sin too, so you're living in a home where there are sinners. However, there is a difference between a home of Christians and a home of unbelievers.

Christians admit their sins. We know that we're not perfect and that we do sin. We can anticipate it happening and prepare for it to happen. Not that we look forward to it nor are pleased when we do it; we do know that it will happen and it should not completely surprise us when it does happen. Therefore, we can be open and honest about it - admit it and not cover it up (but I'm not saying that we flaunt it). When we do sin, we call it what it is - sin - and we try not rationalize it or defend it, but we confess it. With confession and repentance comes forgiveness. Yes, Christians are sinners, but what separates us from unbelievers is that we deal with our sins. We look to the commands and examples of Scripture, and we find out what we're to do. Yes, we sin and we fail, but by God's grace, we learn from it, progress out of it, and grow in Christ. This is the lifelong process of sanctification.

Sparks

(Someone once joked about this in reference to Sparks, Nevada: It's the closest to Hell that you want to be - Hell, of course, being Reno. Anyway, that's not the point of this post.)

"It only takes a spark to get a fire going..." As I'm reminded of this old youth group song, I'm reminded of the brothers and sisters up at youth summer camp this week, along with all of the students. But this spark was also something that was mentioned in today's selection from Spurgeon's "Morning By Morning." Unlike the aforementioned song "Pass It On," the spark referred to here isn't referring to the spark of God's love that gets a fire going that you want to pass on to others. (I'll refrain from quoting the rest of this campy youth song.)

"A covenant must be made with our eyes not even to look on the cause of temptation for such sins only need a spark to begin with and a blaze follows in an instant." I was camping a couple weeks ago, and we had our fire going in our fire pit. (Smores are yummy... anyway...) The fire, as long as it was contained in that pit, was under control; outside of those confines, however, that fire could spread, devour, and cause much destruction. So it is with sin and temptation. (I know that this isn't the perfect example, but bear with me.) As long as that temptation is contained, it will cause little damage. Add another log to the fire and stoke it, and it will continue to grow. Continue to do this and will grow even further. Overdo it, and it may escape its containment and cause much damage - burn down your campsite; burn down the whole forest.

The point here is not to feed the fire and continue to stoke it to see how high and how hot it can get before it gets out of control. The point I want to get at is that all it takes is a little spark to get the fire going. If there's some wood and some kindling set, all it takes is a spark to get it going. Strike some stones together or use some flint to generate a spark, and whoosh you have a fire. Feed it, and it'll burn everything in its path.

Spurgeon's encouragement here is to not even mess around with that spark. Don't even look on that temptation. With reference to the eyes, I've been told this in the past: looking once isn't sin; continue looking, and it becomes sin. Temptation will happen; it's inevitable. How we respond to temptation is the key. If we continue to feed it, that temptation can and most likely will grow into sin. We need to head the other direction and flee from it. Like Joseph with Potiphar's wife in Genesis 39:12, "...he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside."

Application of this is not just limited to temptation in regards to lust. It goes beyond to all areas of life in which God can be replaced by our idols. Yes, flee from sin, but also free from the temptations that can cause those sins.

On The Road Again

"...This is the reason He allows His people to experience straits and difficulties. Being made conscious of their own folly and weakness, they will be fit to behold the majesty of God when He comes forth to work their deliverance... Among the huge waves of bereavement, poverty, temptation, and reproach, we learn the power of Jehovah because we feel the littleness of man. Thank God, then, if you have been led by a rough road."

I read this a couple of days ago from Spurgeon's "Morning by Morning," and I was greatly encouraged. He references Deuteronomy 5:24, which speaks of God showing us His glory. As we experience life's difficulties, we get discouraged and run down. However, it's through life's trials and difficulties where we see God's glory and majesty. I was sharing this with a brother yesterday. God reveals to us our inability, inadequacy, and "littleness," and He shows us His power, sufficiency, and greatness. If life were such a smooth road, we would have room to boast and trust in ourselves; but when we experience the bumps along the way, God shows us more of Himself. Our view of ourselves diminishes (and rightfully so), and our view of God becomes much greater (again, rightfully so).

Thank God for the rough roads of life, and thank Him for navigating us through them.

Separation

"If divine grace does not eradicate all sin from the believer, how do you hope to do it yourself? If God love His people while they are yet vile, do you think your vileness will prevent His loving you?" Spurgeon asks these rhetorical questions in today's passage from "Morning By Morning." The answers to these questions are simple.

How do you hope to eradicate sin? It's impossible. You can't do it. Apart from God's grace, you can't get rid of your sin. Only by God's strength and only through Christ's work on the cross can we be freed from sin. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death."(Romans 8:2)

Can our vileness prevent God from loving us? No Way! Sure God detests sin and is not pleased when we sin, but if we put our faith in Christ, He is our substitute. God sees Christ in the place of our ugly sin. God loves us in spite of our sin. Our sin, no matter how vile, cannot separate us from His love. "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 8:38-39)

Sunrise, Sunset

"Praise the Lord for the sun of joy when it rises and for the gloom of evening as it falls... Believe that the night is as useful as the day." Funny how I was just talking about sunsets in my last post and here in Spurgeon's "Morning By Morning," he makes reference to sunrises and sunsets." Spurgeon here is equating them to joys and trials - the sunrises and sunsets of life. We should praise God when all is good and we're experiencing the joys of life. And also when we're going through the struggles and sorrows of life, we're to praise God for them too. God uses both of them. He shows us His goodness and graciousness when we experience our joys. And He shows us His comfort, care, and sustaining hand as He takes us through our trials.

Strange

"Why should we complain as though some strange thing had happened to us?... The idea of strangeness in our trials must be banished at once and forever." This is from today's selection of Spurgeon's morning by morning. He's speaking here of the commonness of our trials. He refers to 2 Samuel 15:23 where King David passed over the brook Kidron into the wilderness - just like all the other people. David was the Lord's anointed, yet he still had to pass through the wilderness and through affliction.


Why is it that sometimes when we go through trials, we feel like that we're the only one going through it or that we're the only who it has ever happened to? What makes us any different? Nothing. Our trials are nothing new. God has taken people through them times and times before. He was and is faithful to rescue and deliver. "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."(1 Corinthians 10:13) Our trials are common - nothing new; it may be new for us, but it isn't new for God. God will take us through. We have Christ as our example. He was tempted in all ways and yet did not sin. "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted."(Hebrews 2:17-18) God sent His Son to be like us (yet without sin), thus, He experienced all the pain and suffering that we may experience. We have Someone who's gone before us and God delivered Him. He'll do the same for us as well. So instead of complaining or worrying about feeling like we're the only one going through a particular trial, we need to look to Christ and see that the Father sustained Him in His trials, and He'll do the same for us.

Just A Little

"A great sin cannot destroy a Christian, but a little sin can make him miserable." This is one of the quotes from this morning's selection from Spurgeon's "Morning By Morning." This is such a great reminder that no matter how far we sin - no matter how great in magnitude - as a Christian, God's grace is even much more greater to forgive. (Don't worry. I'm not saying that I've committed some great horrific sin or anything like that.) Of course, this doesn't give us license to sin. "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"(Romans 6:1-2) But God is faithful to forgive us of our sin, no matter how great. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(1 John 1:9)

The second part of Spurgeon's quote is just as strong as the first part. "A little sin can make him miserable." He refers to it as "the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards."(Song of Solomon 2:15) Even just the little nagging sins that remain from the remnant of our sin nature can bring misery and sadness. Those things that are small in significance can hinder your fellowship with Christ. It can be a distraction in your ministry and in your fellowship with the brethren. Oh how we need to guard ourselves from "great" sin and rid ourselves of the "small" sins. "...let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us."(Hebrews 12:1)

Encouragement Needed In Paradise

Being in Hawaii for the last couple of days and enjoying the sun, sand, water, weather, activities, relaxing, etc, you wouldn't think that one would be in need of encouragement... yet here I am. I'll be vague in regards to what this suffering is, but I praise God that it's not suffering for the sake of sin, nor temptation. "For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong."(1 Peter 3:17)

Again, I'm thankful for Spurgeon's "Morning By Morning." Yesterday's selection was a great encouragement and was something that I really needed to hear. "You may be poor or suffering, but for encouragement take a review of your 'calling' and the consequences that flow from it. Especially that blessed result spoken of here." And the passage that Spurgeon was referring to was from Romans 8:30: "and these whom He justified, He also glorified." Even amidst all your troubles and sorrows and sufferings, think of heaven. Dwell on Christ. Look ahead to what's to come. Whether you're living in paradise or whether you're suffering (or hahaha... whether you're in both at the same time), rejoice not only in the fact that Christ has declared you righteous but that He is also sanctifying you, keeping you, and transforming you.

Down the Aisle

5/27/08


As I look down the aisle across from me, I see my parents, my brother and his girlfriend and my sister and her boyfriend, and that feeling of anxiety rises up again, and once again God calms my heart as I read through Spurgeon's "Morning By Morning." The passage for today (ok, it was yesterday's, but I didn't get around to reading it) was Psalm 55:22: "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." What a reminder to just lay my burdens at His feet and to trust in Him. Our burdens are heavy to us, but to Him it is light and easy. "We labor to take on ourselves our weary burden, as if He were unable or unwilling to take it for us." He is more than able to carry our burdens, and He gladly carries them for us. "He who cannot calmly leave his affairs in God's hand is very likely to be tempted to use wrong means to help Himself." We try and find our own way - figure it out in or own, and thus forsake God and not trust in His provision and His means. Lord, forgive me of this and draw me even closer to Yourself. "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."(Isaiah 26:3)

(On a side note, as I write this, the in-flight movie that's playing right now is "27 Dresses." God sure has a sense of humor, doesn't He?

Pilot

"The ship left by the pilot drifts at once from her course." I read this this morning in Spurgeon's "Morning By Morning." This obviously speaks of us needing God at all times. We not only need Him when times are tough, but we need to draw close to Him even when times are well. "There is no moment of our life, however holy, in which we can do without His constant upholding." He holds us up even when we think we're managing to hold ourselves up pretty well. If He were to let go, we would be like that ship eventually drifting off course - we'd lose track of where we're going and would be in danger of running into an iceberg or something like that. Ok, enough with the analogy.

The passage for the morning was Psalm 38:21: "Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God, do not be far from me!" Again this should be our prayer not only during our trials but also when we are at peace. Spurgeon prays this: "Father, do not forsake me in my joys, lest they absorb my heart. Do not forsake me in my sorrows, lest I murmur against you." Oh, how easy it is when all is well for us to forget to God. When things are comfortable and we're riding on auto-pilot, we can easily lose sight of the path before us - the goal at the end - the prize - Christ. We need to have God in our sights and we need to draw close to Him. And on the opposite end, when the road is bumpy and when we hit the lows, it is easier for us to see our need of Him. But if we're stubborn and try to manage on our own, we struggle and struggle but get nowhere. And this leads to our murmuring and striving against God and questioning Him. Oh how we need to draw near. Even if the trials were to get harder, our God has more than enough grace to carry us through. "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."(Hebrews 4:16)

Smooth Sailing

I'll take a brief break from commenting on this past retreat to share a little bit from today's selection from Spurgeon's "Morning By Morning." The key verse is Jeremiah 42:17: "Thou art my hope in the day of evil." He talks about struggling through the dark moments of life. "At certain periods, clouds cover the believer's sun, and he walks in darkness and sees no light... No Christian has enjoyed perpetual prosperity..." We know that all believers will go through trials. God uses them to test us and refine us - to make us more like Himself. He uses them so we would exercise our faith and trust in Him - to lean on Him. He provides for us the trial, and He also provides us with the means to go through them.

This last quote got me: "Perhaps the Lord allotted you a smooth and unclouded path at first because you were weak and timid. Now that you are stronger in the spiritual life you must enter on the rougher experience of God's full-grown children." Wow. Maybe our paths haven't been that rough at all. Maybe it's been smooth sailing. And now maybe God is taking you through a trial that's difficult - maybe seemingly impossible. Spurgeon says here that maybe you didn't experience those trials in times past because you weren't able to endure it; you were weak and couldn't handle it. But now God has grown you and matured you and now He's ready to take you through it. What's your response gonna be? "Lord, I don't want this"? "Lord take me out of this"? Or, "Lord I'm ready, take me through, cause growth, and use this for your glory"? I pray that it's the latter.

And this post isn't just for you, the reader; it's especially for me, the writer. Lord, thou art my hope.