Lust

Here's an interesting article on lust from a Catholic website.

Matthew 4:1-11

I just read Matthew 4:1-11 and then checked out this commentary. Two interesting things stuck out:

1. First read James 1:14- "But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust." But Jesus had no sin nature, so He couldn't be enticed by His own lust. The Devil had to show up and tempt him personally.

2. Jesus answered temptations with "it is written." Strength of will and determination are litte protection from temptation, we need to stand firm on the Word of God.

Brown City Camp

July 31 - August 10 was Brown City Camp. Because I had to be in Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, I did not get to make it until August 6. But, for what I was there for, the teaching/speakers were excellent. I tried taking basic notes at night, so I'll see what I can post in the next few days.

Glory

Here's something that was pointed out at church on Sunday. Take a look at Mark 10:35-39:

James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You."

And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

They said to Him, "Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory."

But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"

They said to Him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.

Now look what happens to John when he actually sees Jesus in his glory, Revelation 1:17-18:

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

Now, John was as close a friend as Jesus had on earth, and he still clearly didn't get it. It would seem he thought of Jesus to some extent as his "buddy", but when he saw His glory, bam, down on his face. So what should our response be?

One more thought: How would we live if we really believed that the being described by John in Revelation 1 loved us?

An MVP Dad

Notes from Pastor Bob Bressert's at Grace EFC on 6/15/08. (I admit to being somewhat distracted during the beginning of the sermon because Pastor Bob, a Cardinals fan, used a picture of David Eckstein hoisting the World Series trophy circa 2006 to illustrate what an MVP is. That was tough on a Tigers fan.)

This Father's Day, did, I challenge you to be that MVP your family needs.

1. Hit for average! Jeremiah 35:1-19
The main point here was to make contact every time you step into the batter's box. Luckily for us, in spiritual matters God provides the ablility to make that contact. This has a lasting impact. The sons of Jonadab (who we'll look at in point #2) were still following his example 240 years later.

2. Hit for power. 2 Kings 10:15-31
Jonadab was put in a position here where he had to come through in a big way, and he did. The verses note he was even more faithful than his king. Most of the time moving the runners is enough, but sometimes God will expect us to knock one out of the park. Again, thankfully for us, God provides the strength to do the job, we just need to stay in the box and swing.

3. Hit for the team.
A. Sometimes a bunt is just as important as a homerun! Jeremiah 35:1-7
Jonadab set an example and left commands for his sons to remind them who they were. Doing the little things kept them on the right path.

B. Sometimes moving the runners into scoring position wins games. Jeremiah 35:8-19
Jonadab's example, and his the obedience of his sons, led to this remarkable promise from God: "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to (AG)stand before Me always." As long as men live on the earth, a son of Jonadab will be faithfully serving God. Now that's a legacy.

Stupified

I've been reading Jonathan Edwards on Knowing Christ, a collection of sermons by Jonathan Edwards, and came across this passage from the sermon "God Makes Men Sensible of Their Misery":

There is much in your own heart, which tends to stupify you. It is the natural tendency of sin and lust, to stupify the conscience. And as corruption is reigning as yet in your heart, it will ever be ready to exert itself in such acts, as will have a great tendency to drive away your convictions. And Satan is doubtless diligently watching over you, striving in all ways to abate, and to take off, your convictions. He joins in with the sloth and lusts of your heart to persuade to negligence, and to turn your mind to other things. And the world is full of objects, which tend to take off your mind from the soul’s concern, and are constantly, as it were, endeavouring to take possession of your mind, and to drive out the concerns of another world.

Now the context of this passage deals with unbelievers coming to Christ and how they are distracted and pulled away by various things, but it struck me how applicable it is to Christians too. Two points I see worth dwelling on:

1. Sin deadens your spiritual senses, leaving you to walk blind and deaf in the world. The Spirit is unlikely to be heard when you've stopped up your ears because of sin.

2. There are lots of good (or not bad) things in this world that can distract us from the important matter of spiritual growth. I've found this many times myself lately when I feel I should be studying or reading something, but choose to watch TV instead. We can turn a "good" thing into a "bad" thing if we choose it instead of the things we know God want us to do.

Sightings

On Sunday, pastor Bob asked if anyone would like to share how God has been in control when you thought there was no other way. I don't have the wording right, but you get the idea. He was looking for people to share some recent events where God was working behind the scenes or provided in unexpected ways. It didn't even have to be recent. Just SHARE darn it! So he passed the mic around. I was actually trying really hard to think of something, because I knew there had been, but it wasn't coming to me. And, I didn't want to go with some stupid baseball story, even thought sports analogies can be easy slam dunks. Oops, I just used a sports analogy.

Unfortunately, what I wanted to share didn't pop into my head until halfway through his sermon. At that point, I was really hoping I could get a second shot but figured that opportunity was over, until next time. So, that got me to thinking. I really need to keep some type of God Sightings log to help remember better. So, here goes:

Sometime in February or March I started to hear a loud noise coming from the hood of my car when I'd be driving down the road, especailly above 55 mph. It kind of concerned me, but it had been going on for some time and nothing had happened. Finally one night I decided to have my car buddy who has done some work in the past on my car take a look, more like a listen, while the car was running. I knew Mandy and my family were going to be using my car for the weekend to drive up to Boyne for some skiing. It was going to be at least a 3 hour drive. This was a Thursday night and I asked him, "What if, hypothetically speaking, we were to drive this car for the weekend...oh, I don't know, 3 hours and then back, what would happen?" To me, the sound of "things" in the engine made me nervous to travel a long distance, let alone 3 hours to the middle of nowhere up north, so I wanted his opinion. He thought it was the alternator going bad.

Nathan: "John, do you think the alternator will make it, or should we keep the car home?
He said what many mechanics probably say: "Sure." In other words, who knows!

Well, we made the trip back on Sunday and didn't have a single problem. And yes, the engine didn't sound any better. What a miracle. (Maybe because it was Easter weekend?!?!)

Fast forward to Wednesday morning of that week (three days later). Fritz, Barrigar, Ross and I were all doing our usual men's breakfast at McDonalds at 7am. It was getting time to go so I started my car and wanted Ross and Fritz to take a look at the engine. The engine was not sounding very good that morning and I wanted their thoughts on what the problem could be. They were convinced it was the alternator.

I got in the car and started to pull away. All of a sudden my car started smoking. White smoke was coming out of the hood! I pulled back into my parking space and Matt emphatically suggested I shut off the car. We popped the hood and the alternator had gotten so hot, it burned the fan belt next to it and snapped it like a rubberband.

My car died. At McDonalds. (This is the second time I've had a car die on me at the McDonald's in Cass City.)

Certainly I was frustrated at first. But then it hit me: This is exactly what I expected to happen, but definately didn't want to happen while we were 3 hours away from home in the middle of nowhere. God was absolutely watching and it was all in His timing. I've got nothing to complain about because it would be a much worse situation stranded up north. Whew!

Age of Reptiles

I am made of parts that freeze and ligaments that atrophy
Though they look they'll never see
They don't know something's wrong with me
And just as well, I'll never tell what's underneath the scales
I've worn too thin to honor you, my every effort fails
Bury me with Israel and cover up my tracks
Leave not a trace of what I was, I'm never coming back
And if your mercy falls upon he whose blood is cold
Unearth me with your hands of love and never break your hold

The world is full of ones like me
Who need to see the truth
But the truth is never truth indeed
The truth is only You

Jesus bless the crocodiles, forgive the cobras and all the snakes
Open up your arms to carry all of our mistakes
Suck the venom from every bite and vomit every drop
Some of us may bite your hand but some of us will not
And every knee will bow before you, each forked tongue confess
My selfishness will rot in me and I will seek your rest
Still some lizards flee from you, ashamed of all they've been
So Jesus take myself from me, never bring it back again

The world is full of ones like me, who need to see the truth
But the truth is never truth indeed, the truth is only You
The world will soon become extinct, the age will pass away
And all will know that you are God, hallowed be your name

Jesus bless the crocodiles, forgive the cobras and all the snakes
Open up your arms to carry all of our mistakes
Forgive the basilisk, forgive the moccasins and adders too
Have mercy on each alligator that never lived for you
I myself hatched from an egg, no white light from above
Just another ancient serpent that never earned your love
But still you find me underneath the rocks and in the ground
I cowered there just short of air and never made a sound
It's true that I'm in love with you, and even in my shame
You wipe away the imperfections and take away the pain
You wrap your loving arms around this wretched thing called me
Your love is all I'll ever need, your love has set me free

The truth is only You.

Quote of the Day

It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick.
-C.S. Lewis

Quote of the Day

"I've wasted so much time
coming up with questions.
Asking 'Why?' has never answered much for me.
And really who am I,
to never feel the weight of burden?
When was I promised simplicity?"
-Stavesacre, "Reason to Believe"

Quote of the Day

There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done."
-C.S. Lewis