This is taken from the preface of the book God's Pursuit of Man by A. W. Tozer.
"Perhaps a word of warning would not be amiss here: It is that we beware the common habit of putting confidence in books, as such. It takes a determined effort of the mind to break free from the error of making books and teachers ends in themselves.
The worst thing a book can do for a Christian is to leave him with the impression that he has received from it anything really good; the best it can do is to point the way to the Good he is seeking. The function of a good book is to stand like a signpost directing the reader toward the Truth and the Life. That book serves best which early makes itself unnecessary, just as a signpost serves best after it is forgotten, after the traveler has arrived safely at his desired haven. The work of a good book is to incite the reader to moral action, to turn his eyes toward God and urge him forward. Beyond that it cannot go."
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I Have Returned With A Thought
My beautiful wife and I have finally moved into our townhome. She has turned it from a somewhat stinky and semi-rundown place into a relaxing place to call home. Next week, we will have internet up and running in our home, which will reconnect us with the world!
It really has been 'detrimental' to be removed from the internet. So much of our lives center around technology in this age, it really has a huge impact when it disappears. But now, we will have contact with the outside world via the internet once again - I am hoping to return to the blogging world somewhat consistently during this school semester.
Which reminds me... I wanted to share something I read this morning in A. W. Tozer's God's Pursuit of Man. It was simply in the preface, but powerful nonetheless. I will summarize...
Tozer warned against treating his book as a revelaion in and of itself - warned against taking what a preacher or a book said and treating it as the end of it. Rather, he described his book as an outflowing of what God had done in him, and hoped it served as a signpost - not a destination. For the signpost only helps point you in the right direction, and when you've arrived, which has greater value? The signpost, or the destination? The signpost points towards the valuable, and the destination is the value.
Having read that, I've pondered it much today - and hope to ponder it more. But for now, I will remember the wisdom in the preface. Preachers, teachers, and books can only do so much in ones life - the real change happens when the individual takes the journey for himself/herself. That is when it becomes real - that is how it has happened in my life. Freedom came when I experienced Jesus for myself. Hearing and reading how Jesus changed others - that was a great signpost. But now I have met Him, and long to know Him more.
As the scriptures say (paraphrased), "We run the race to gain the prize" - and the prize at the finish line is Christ Himself. He is the destination, and there is nothing greater.
More to come later!
It really has been 'detrimental' to be removed from the internet. So much of our lives center around technology in this age, it really has a huge impact when it disappears. But now, we will have contact with the outside world via the internet once again - I am hoping to return to the blogging world somewhat consistently during this school semester.
Which reminds me... I wanted to share something I read this morning in A. W. Tozer's God's Pursuit of Man. It was simply in the preface, but powerful nonetheless. I will summarize...
Tozer warned against treating his book as a revelaion in and of itself - warned against taking what a preacher or a book said and treating it as the end of it. Rather, he described his book as an outflowing of what God had done in him, and hoped it served as a signpost - not a destination. For the signpost only helps point you in the right direction, and when you've arrived, which has greater value? The signpost, or the destination? The signpost points towards the valuable, and the destination is the value.
Having read that, I've pondered it much today - and hope to ponder it more. But for now, I will remember the wisdom in the preface. Preachers, teachers, and books can only do so much in ones life - the real change happens when the individual takes the journey for himself/herself. That is when it becomes real - that is how it has happened in my life. Freedom came when I experienced Jesus for myself. Hearing and reading how Jesus changed others - that was a great signpost. But now I have met Him, and long to know Him more.
As the scriptures say (paraphrased), "We run the race to gain the prize" - and the prize at the finish line is Christ Himself. He is the destination, and there is nothing greater.
More to come later!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Only Your Mercy
Here's the lyrics to another song that has been echoing in my soul lately. "Echoing in my soul..." It almost sounds dramatic, but it has been nothing less than reality. It paints the picture of what the Lord has made abundantly clear to me lately, that it is only by His grace that I am saved. I have added nothing to His finished work on the cross - it was sufficient for my salvation.
All He required of me was faith - to believe and trust in the sacrificial love of Jesus, to believe that His blood shed on the cross would pay the debt of all my sin. And by those wounds I have been made right with God - by His wounds I have been healed.
It is only by His doing that I am who I am - a sinner transformed into a saint. Not meaning I am perfect, but that I belong to Him. I am His beloved bride He gave His life for, and in return I have given Him mine. He has proven Himself trustworthy; He withheld nothing in order to purchase my freedom from sin, not even His own life.
It was His life and death that freed me from sin; this song reminds me that it was all because of Him. "We love Him because He first loved us."
(p.s. - this one too sounds much better with music, but the words still speak to me)
Only Your Mercy
Only Your mercy, only Your grace
Only Your Spirit, brings us to faith
O what a wonder that You chose us first
Not by our merit but Your perfect work
Only Your goodness, only Your love
Only Your pardon, poured out in blood
Your righteousnes exchanged for our sin
Oh what a Savior oh what a friend
Jesus we long to worship You
And give You all glory and praise
All that You are
All that You have
We have received by faith
All He required of me was faith - to believe and trust in the sacrificial love of Jesus, to believe that His blood shed on the cross would pay the debt of all my sin. And by those wounds I have been made right with God - by His wounds I have been healed.
It is only by His doing that I am who I am - a sinner transformed into a saint. Not meaning I am perfect, but that I belong to Him. I am His beloved bride He gave His life for, and in return I have given Him mine. He has proven Himself trustworthy; He withheld nothing in order to purchase my freedom from sin, not even His own life.
It was His life and death that freed me from sin; this song reminds me that it was all because of Him. "We love Him because He first loved us."
(p.s. - this one too sounds much better with music, but the words still speak to me)
Only Your Mercy
Only Your mercy, only Your grace
Only Your Spirit, brings us to faith
O what a wonder that You chose us first
Not by our merit but Your perfect work
Only Your goodness, only Your love
Only Your pardon, poured out in blood
Your righteousnes exchanged for our sin
Oh what a Savior oh what a friend
Jesus we long to worship You
And give You all glory and praise
All that You are
All that You have
We have received by faith
Friday, July 24, 2009
At the Foot of the Cross
Here are the lyrics to a song from high school - it has always stuck in my memory, but I could never remember the lyrics. More than that, I could never find them when I searched for them. I had an inclination, and went searching one last time, and I found them. Here they are... (It sounds better with music, but I still love the words)
At The Foot of the Cross
Beneath the cross of Jesus, Lord, I would spend my days
In the shadow of the One who ransomed me
May I not become familiar with its marvelous good news
But live my life with it always in my view, oh
At the foot of the cross, Lord I bow down and worship
Overcome by so great a love
At the foot of the cross I will cherish all Your mercy
All Your goodness, Your wisdom, Your pow’r
At the foot of the cross.
Upon the cross of Jesus, Lord, I would fix my eyes
For it always will remind me of these truths
My iniquity seems endless yet greater still your grace
And I will glory in the cross throughout the ages, oh
At the foot of the cross, Lord I bow down and worship
Overcome by so great a love
At the foot of the cross I will cherish all Your mercy
All Your goodness, Your wisdom, Your pow’r
At the foot of the cross.
At The Foot of the Cross
Beneath the cross of Jesus, Lord, I would spend my days
In the shadow of the One who ransomed me
May I not become familiar with its marvelous good news
But live my life with it always in my view, oh
At the foot of the cross, Lord I bow down and worship
Overcome by so great a love
At the foot of the cross I will cherish all Your mercy
All Your goodness, Your wisdom, Your pow’r
At the foot of the cross.
Upon the cross of Jesus, Lord, I would fix my eyes
For it always will remind me of these truths
My iniquity seems endless yet greater still your grace
And I will glory in the cross throughout the ages, oh
At the foot of the cross, Lord I bow down and worship
Overcome by so great a love
At the foot of the cross I will cherish all Your mercy
All Your goodness, Your wisdom, Your pow’r
At the foot of the cross.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Psalm 121
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
=====================================================================================
(By the way, I wish I could have heard David and the other psalmists play these songs. Wouldn't that be amazing.)
Just like David confesses in Psalm 124, the author of this song declares the Lord is the source of help. The first line, "I lift my eyes up to the hills," is the physical portrait of the psalmists need. In desperation the psalmist is pondering, wondering, searching the skies as he is searching his own heart. In need of help, where can the psalmist turn?
"My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." How sure is the psalmist of this help? Listen to this...
"He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Nothing occurs to which the Lord is oblivious to. He takes no break from watching over us; he takes no naps and no coffee breaks. He is constantly watching, keeping in tune with out situations.
Again, "The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night." All twenty four hours in the day are protected by God. Nothing escapes his view, and nothing is out of his reach. As Isaiah 59:1 "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear." Twenty four hours of the day, we have a God who knows our situations and deepest needs - and His arm is not too short to save. Anything is possible for our God.
Here's a note from the New Spirit Filled Life Bible - "The Hebrew word for keeps (preserves) is used six times in this song, dramatically emphasizing the care of God (see Jude 24)." The translation I posted here uses the word "watches" instead of keeps or preserves. But the point is still made. The Lord is constantly watching out for his people, to keep and preserve them. "The Lord is my shepherd," David writes in the 23rd Psalm. His aim is to protect and preserve.
Lastly, the Lord's eye is on us forever more. "The Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore." As the children of God, we have a lifetime, even eternal, shepherd who guards our lives. If only we would lift our eyes up to the hill of the Lord and ask for help, and then it would be given freely! His eye is constantly on us; why don't we simply ask for him to intervene on our behalf. If we thought we needed his help, then surely we would.
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
=====================================================================================
(By the way, I wish I could have heard David and the other psalmists play these songs. Wouldn't that be amazing.)
Just like David confesses in Psalm 124, the author of this song declares the Lord is the source of help. The first line, "I lift my eyes up to the hills," is the physical portrait of the psalmists need. In desperation the psalmist is pondering, wondering, searching the skies as he is searching his own heart. In need of help, where can the psalmist turn?
"My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." How sure is the psalmist of this help? Listen to this...
"He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Nothing occurs to which the Lord is oblivious to. He takes no break from watching over us; he takes no naps and no coffee breaks. He is constantly watching, keeping in tune with out situations.
Again, "The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night." All twenty four hours in the day are protected by God. Nothing escapes his view, and nothing is out of his reach. As Isaiah 59:1 "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear." Twenty four hours of the day, we have a God who knows our situations and deepest needs - and His arm is not too short to save. Anything is possible for our God.
Here's a note from the New Spirit Filled Life Bible - "The Hebrew word for keeps (preserves) is used six times in this song, dramatically emphasizing the care of God (see Jude 24)." The translation I posted here uses the word "watches" instead of keeps or preserves. But the point is still made. The Lord is constantly watching out for his people, to keep and preserve them. "The Lord is my shepherd," David writes in the 23rd Psalm. His aim is to protect and preserve.
Lastly, the Lord's eye is on us forever more. "The Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore." As the children of God, we have a lifetime, even eternal, shepherd who guards our lives. If only we would lift our eyes up to the hill of the Lord and ask for help, and then it would be given freely! His eye is constantly on us; why don't we simply ask for him to intervene on our behalf. If we thought we needed his help, then surely we would.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Psalm 124
Psalm 124
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 If the LORD had not been on our side—
let Israel say-
2 if the LORD had not been on our side
when men attacked us,
3 when their anger flared against us,
they would have swallowed us alive;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
6 Praise be to the LORD,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
out of the fowler's snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
=====================================================================================
I love how David begins this song saying, "If the Lord had not been on our side," and then interjects, "let Israel say - if the Lord had not been on our side."
David knew who was fighting for him, but he longed that Israel would know and declare it for themselves. He knew where his help was, but just because he knew it didn't mean Israel knew the fullness of God's protection over them.
David, however, understood just much God involved himself in their lives. When it came to battles, David declares "when men attacked us ... they would have swallowed us alive." The numerous enemies of Israel surely would have destroyed them, but the Lord was on their side. When it comes to dealings with other humans, we prevail because the Lord is on our side. As it says in Romans 8:31, "When, then, shall we say ... If God is for us, who can be against us?"
What about the flood mentioned? My first reaction was circumstances out of our control. But then I remembered the flood, Noah's flood. What was Noah's flood? It was the consequences of sin upon the earth. Because the sins of men had become so great upon the earth, the Lord sent a flood to eradicate sin and mankind. But the Lord in his mercy found Noah, a man of faith, and through his line preserved mankind.
What does this tell me? If the Lord had not been on our side, the consequences of sin would have swept us away. If the Lord had not been on my side, I would still be dead in my sins. But God demonstrated his love for us in this way: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. While I was in sin, Jesus Christ gave his life that I could be free and made new. The consequence of sin is death, and the Lord gave His life that I could have life, and live in freedom from sin.
The Lord's acts of love towards us are very intentional; it is not by accident. David said, "We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken and we have escaped." The snare has been broken. By who? By the Lord. How was this done? "Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." It was by the power of His name that be broke the snare of sin, or any other snare we find ourselves in.
Just to clarify, whose name is it that we call upon to break the snare? The Maker of heaven and earth. It is only by the name of Jesus that we are freed, as it is written, "For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." (Colossians 1:16) Jesus is the creator, and it is only in his name that we have freedom from sin.
David wrote in another Psalm, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." The truth is that Jesus Christ is the only answer, and Jesus will come to save you if you would only call on him. He will break the snare of sin and the power of sin in your life, if you would only call on His name and believe. Jesus Christ gave up his life as a ransom for the world, and only requires that you call on Him, believe Him, and follow Him. Confess your sins to Jesus, and he will not only forgive you, but restore you. He will make you a new creature; as it is written, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to hismelf through Christ... God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
If the Lord had not been on our side, we would not know salvation. But it is freely given to those who believe. Praise the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth!
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 If the LORD had not been on our side—
let Israel say-
2 if the LORD had not been on our side
when men attacked us,
3 when their anger flared against us,
they would have swallowed us alive;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
6 Praise be to the LORD,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
out of the fowler's snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
=====================================================================================
I love how David begins this song saying, "If the Lord had not been on our side," and then interjects, "let Israel say - if the Lord had not been on our side."
David knew who was fighting for him, but he longed that Israel would know and declare it for themselves. He knew where his help was, but just because he knew it didn't mean Israel knew the fullness of God's protection over them.
David, however, understood just much God involved himself in their lives. When it came to battles, David declares "when men attacked us ... they would have swallowed us alive." The numerous enemies of Israel surely would have destroyed them, but the Lord was on their side. When it comes to dealings with other humans, we prevail because the Lord is on our side. As it says in Romans 8:31, "When, then, shall we say ... If God is for us, who can be against us?"
What about the flood mentioned? My first reaction was circumstances out of our control. But then I remembered the flood, Noah's flood. What was Noah's flood? It was the consequences of sin upon the earth. Because the sins of men had become so great upon the earth, the Lord sent a flood to eradicate sin and mankind. But the Lord in his mercy found Noah, a man of faith, and through his line preserved mankind.
What does this tell me? If the Lord had not been on our side, the consequences of sin would have swept us away. If the Lord had not been on my side, I would still be dead in my sins. But God demonstrated his love for us in this way: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. While I was in sin, Jesus Christ gave his life that I could be free and made new. The consequence of sin is death, and the Lord gave His life that I could have life, and live in freedom from sin.
The Lord's acts of love towards us are very intentional; it is not by accident. David said, "We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken and we have escaped." The snare has been broken. By who? By the Lord. How was this done? "Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." It was by the power of His name that be broke the snare of sin, or any other snare we find ourselves in.
Just to clarify, whose name is it that we call upon to break the snare? The Maker of heaven and earth. It is only by the name of Jesus that we are freed, as it is written, "For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." (Colossians 1:16) Jesus is the creator, and it is only in his name that we have freedom from sin.
David wrote in another Psalm, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." The truth is that Jesus Christ is the only answer, and Jesus will come to save you if you would only call on him. He will break the snare of sin and the power of sin in your life, if you would only call on His name and believe. Jesus Christ gave up his life as a ransom for the world, and only requires that you call on Him, believe Him, and follow Him. Confess your sins to Jesus, and he will not only forgive you, but restore you. He will make you a new creature; as it is written, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to hismelf through Christ... God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
If the Lord had not been on our side, we would not know salvation. But it is freely given to those who believe. Praise the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Some Food For Thought
Galatians 5:6
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."
Galatians 5:13-14
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Matthew 22:36-40
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Philippians 2:3-4
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."
Galatians 5:13-14
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Matthew 22:36-40
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Philippians 2:3-4
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
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