A Good Wound
The following quote hit me hard. I’ve had an experience of gospel grace, but pride remains. It needs to die.
Per Jonathan Edwards, Thoughts on the Revival (1742)
Spiritual pride is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of Christianity. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit, to darken the mind and mislead the judgment. It is the main source of all the mischief the devil introduces, to clog and hinder a work of God.
Spiritual pride tends to speak of other persons’ sins with bitterness or with laughter and levity and an air of contempt. But pure Christian humility tends either to be silent about these problems or to speak of them with grief and pity. Spiritual pride is very apt to suspect others, but a humble Christian is most guarded about himself. He is as suspicious of nothing in the world as he is of his own heart. The proud person is apt to find fault with other believers, that they are low in grace, and to be much in observing how cold and dead they are and to be quick to note their deficiencies. But the humble Christian has so much to do at home and sees so much evil in his own heart and is so concerned about it that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts. He is apt to esteem others better than himself.
Some who have pride mixed in with a heightened awareness of God’s glory and intense experiences of spiritual joy are apt to rebuke other Christians around them for being so cold and lifeless. But the humble, in their joys, are also wounded with a sense of their own vileness. When they have high visions of God’s glory, they also see their own sinfulness. And though they speak to others earnestly, it is in confession of their own sins. And if they exhort other Christians, they do so in a charitable manner. Pure Christian humility disposes a person to take notice of everything that is good in others and to make the best of it and to diminish their failings.
Do You Honestly Believe That God Likes You?
The following comes from Brennan Manning’s Reflections for Ragamuffins (p. 4). It spoke to me and I hope it does to you as well.
…..
Several years ago, Edward Farrell, a priest from Detroit, went on a two-week summer vacation to Ireland to visit relatives. His one living uncle was about to celebrate his eightieth birthday. On the great day, Ed and his uncle got up early. It was before dawn. They took a walk along the shores of Lake Killarney and stopped to watch the sunrise. They stood side by side for a full twenty minutes and then resumed walking. Ed glanced at his uncle and saw that his face had broken into a broad smile. Ed said, “Uncle Seamus you look very happy.” “I am.” Ed asked, “How come?” And his uncle replied, “The Father of Jesus is very fond of me.”
If the question were put to you, “Do you honestly believe that God likes you?” – not loves you because theologically he must – how would you answer? God loves by necessity of his nature; without the eternal, interior generation of love, he would cease to be God. But if you could answer, “The Father is very fond of me,” there would come a relaxedness, a serenity, and a compassionate attitude toward yourself that is a reflection of God’s own tenderness. In Isaiah 49:15, God says: “Does a woman forget her baby at the breast, or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you” (JB).
Christ’s Loveliness in All of Scripture
“The object of these pages is simple, clear, holy. It is to arouse attention to the blessed truth, that Christ pervades all Scripture. Christ pervades all Scripture, as salt all waters of the sea, as light the brightest day, as fragrance the garden of choice flowers.
To see this is my prime delight. To testify it is my happiest duty. Devoted loyalty to Him who is the first and last, the sum and substance of all Scripture, impels me. Earnest zeal for the undying souls of men constrains me. I know, and am intensely persuaded, that all peace, all joy, all salvation, are in Jesus. My eyes are widely open to the fact that men are blessed, and are blessings, just in proportion as they live, ever gazing on Christ, ever listening to His voice.”
Henry Law, Preface to the Gospel in Genesis
Are You In The Mood For Thanksgiving Yet?
HT: Ray Ortlund (Per Men’s Group @ Immanuel Church)
And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. . . . You shall not covet . . . anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:1-2, 17
…
The problem: Coveting
What might we covet about another man? His job, money, looks, brains, wife and kids, car, house, opportunities, influence, position, education, musical talent, promotions at work, sense of humor, friendships, etc. Our hearts are ungrateful, blaming, resentful, insecure, sulky, grasping, plotting, unhappy, defeated with selfishness. The Israelites murmured and complained their way right out of usefulness to God. And Paul says their story is a warning to us (1 Cor 10). At the bottom of it all, the human heart is unhappy with God, even angry. Our hearts are born in attack-mode toward God.
The antidote: Love from God
Romans 13:9-10 says the Ten Commandments boil down to this: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” for love fulfills the law. The generosity of heart called “love” frees us from craving what God has given to another man. Love frees us to rejoice with that guy. Love calms us into contentment with the life God has assigned us. We even go beyond contentment. We become generous. “The righteous give without sparing” (Proverbs 21:26). “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” (Acts 20:35, JB). How do we get into that happy place? “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). We can’t explain it, but we know it’s true: In giving, we receive. God is able to supply us with such inner fullness that we have something to give to all around.
Are You A Smuggler?
Answer: Yes, you are a smuggler.
…..
Psalm 62:2 says, “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
…..
He only…
If you are anything like me, and you are (because you are human), you do not fully believe that He only is your rock and salvation. We all smuggle something else into the equation. For example, I may say that He only is my rock and salvation, but really it’s He + me being a good dad. Or, it could be He + being able to pay my bills (+ knowing the future… + having a husband/wife… + having your dream job, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc). We are master smugglers. We smuggle in anything and everything into the He only equation, and thereby rob ourselves of experiencing the only great treasure – God Himself. So, if you recognize you are a smuggler, pray like David did in Ps. 61:2, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Repent of your additions and ask God to give you a heart that treasures Christ alone.
All Is Grace
Brennan Manning’s Ragamuffin Gospel profoundly impacted me when I was in college. Manning’s honesty was refreshing and his emphasis on grace was life-changing. In almost every Brennan Manning book I’ve read over the years, his message is the same: “God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be.”
I came across a review of his most recent book – All Is Grace – last night, and wanted to share an excerpt from that review. I’m very excited to read this book and be surprised again at just how great the grace of God really is.
Regarding Manning… Per Mark Yaconelli
An abusive mother, an alcoholic father, a friendless childhood, a life-long addiction to alcohol—all help to hollow out Brennan’s soul with a gaping yearning to be loved, to be liked, to be known and accepted. This primal ache drives him into the military, the Catholic priesthood, communities of prayer and poverty, marriage, and life as a celebrated speaker and author, yet none of these settings answers the deep ache to be known. It’s only what Brennan calls the “vulgar” grace of God that from time to time relieves him of his endless hunger for approval.
The book is sparse and at times dark. This seems to have caused great discomfort and anxiety for the publishers who felt compelled to stuff the opening and ending pages with testimonies from friends and appreciative Christian celebrities, asserting Brennan’s gift as a spiritual leader. I’m not sure why the publishers felt it necessary to collect and print these letters. Was it to extend the book’s page count? Was it to counter Brennan’s confessions of sin? For me, these testimonials read like a kind of cover-up that only detracts from the central message of the book, which Brennan states as, “God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be.”
The Subtle Sin
I was reminded of ‘the subtle sin’ as I listened to Tim Keller’s sermon on the prodigal sons (if you have never listened to it, please do! you can access it here). In Luke 15, both the younger brother (guy who likes to party) and the elder brother (guy who looks down on the guy who likes to party) are both using their father. Neither of them want their father. Instead, they want the father’s things.
So often, I think that I’m living for God, but instead I’m actually trying to use him for other things. For example, I think that I’m living for God when I seek his help in loving my wife and kids, but in reality my strength is dependent on what my wife and kids think of me. The examples could continue on and if you want me to share some more, I’d be happy to.
I’m writing this quick post to say that we use God all the time to try and get the gifts, and… I don’t think we even realize we’re doing that most of the time. God is the gift that we truly need, have, and must pursue.
The Gospel is Distinct from Our Response to It
The following comes from Graeme Goldsworthy’s According to Plan (p. 81-83). I found these quotes to be particularly helpful as it reminds us that the gospel is not our response to the gospel. I think that we often confuse the gospel (what Christ did for us and who he is for us) with a proper response to the gospel (belief, faith, confession, etc.). May we lift up Christ repeatedly, showing to one another and the world his beauty. As we increasingly see him, we will fall more and more in love with him and act accordingly.
…..
The main message of the Bible about Jesus Christ can easily become mixed with all sorts of things that are related to it. We see this in the way people define the gospel or preach it. But it is important to keep the gospel itself clearly distinct from our response to it or from the results of it in our lives and in the world. If our proper response to the gospel message is faith, then we should not make faith part of the gospel itself. It would be absurd to call people to have faith in faith! While the new birth bears a close relationship to faith in Christ, it is a mistake to speak of the new birth as if it were itself the gospel. Faith in the new birth as such will not save us…
Related to the gospel event are other important aspects of God’s work which are not themselves the gospel. If we believe the gospel we will probably also believe these, but they are not the focus of our trust the way that the saving work of Jesus is. We do not preach them as the heart of our message to unbelievers….
We note that what you or I do in response to the gospel is not itself the gospel. You cannot say that repentance and faith are the gospel. They are what the Holy Spirit enables us to do about the gospel. If you tell unbelievers that they should trust Christ, believe the good news, or confess their sin, these things are undoubtedly true, but they are not the gospel. We must tell them what it is about Christ that they should trust, what the good news is so that they can believe it and why sins should be confessed.
On Mine Arm They Shall Trust
The following comes from Spurgeon’s Morning by Morning (per Aug. 31st):
“On mine arm shall they trust.” – Isaiah 49:5…..In seasons of severe trial, the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust to, and is therefore compelled to cast himself on his God alone. When his vessel is on its beam-ends, and no human deliverance can avail, he must simply and entirely trust himself to the providence and care of God. Happy storm that wrecks a man on such a rock as this! O blessed hurricane that drives the soul to God, and God alone! There is no getting at our God sometimes because of the multitude of our friends; but when a man is so poor, so friendless, so helpless, that he has nowhere else to turn, he flies into his Father’s arms, and is blessedly clasped therein! When he is burdened with troubles, so pressing and so peculiar that he cannot tell them to any but his God, he may be thankful for them; for he will learn more of his Lord then than at any other time. Oh, tempest-tossed believer, it is a happy trouble that drives thee to thy Father! Now that thou hast only thy God to trust to, see that thou puttest thy full confidence in Him. Dishonor not thy Lord and Master by unworthy doubts and fears; But be strong in faith, giving glory to God. Show the world that thy God is worth ten thousand worlds to thee. Show rich men how rich thou art in thy poverty when the Lord God is thy helper. Show the strong man how strong thou art in thy weakness and when underneath thee are the everlasting arms. Now is the time for feats of faith and valiant exploits. Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord thy God shall certainly, as surely as he built the heavens and the earth, glorify Himself in thy weakness, and magnify His might in the midst of thy distress. The grandeur of the arch of heaven would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the carnal eye. May the Holy Spirit give you rest in Jesus this day.
It's a Beautiful Gospel 