Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Enemy Mine: Indwelling Sin

Here are some helpful words from John Owen

When we realize a constant enemy of the soul abides within us, what diligence and watchfulness we should have! How woeful is the sloth and negligence then of so many who live blind and asleep to this reality of sin.  There is an exceeding efficacy and power in the indwelling sin of believers, for it constantly inclines itself towards evil.  We need to be awake, then, if our hearts would know the ways of God.  Our enemy is not only upon us, as it was with Samson, but it is also in us.
John Owen, Sin and Temptation, pg. 7

Friday, September 28, 2012

Nine Years Ago Today

It was September 28th of 2003.  I was 25 years old.  I had been married for two years.  My wife and I had just found out that we were expecting our first child.  And my church family voted to make me their Pastor.  God is sovereign and accomplishes his will despite us and our opinions, but knowing what I know now, I would have never counseled myself to accept the position, because in my opinion (as Paul says, "I'm speaking foolishly as a man") I was not ready for the task.  

I was young, immature, and ignorant of all that Scripture required of me, but I held on to the promise that my Dad used to quote often, "God doesn't call the equipped, but He equips the called."  I'm pretty sure that was an original quote from the late Adrian Rodgers. 

Over the past nine years I have made many mistakes: person ones (I won't make this a confessional), in my family (often placing them second, third, or worse on my priority list), and in the church.  As I look back I note people I was called to Shepherd that I hurt because of my pride and ignorance.  I note people who whether intentionally or unintentionally hurt me with their words, or by walking away.  I have felt burdens for people, so strong that I couldn't sleep at night.  I have said goodbye to dear friends who left our little church to go, all across the globe, plant or lead their own ministry.  I have officiated funeral services for some of the most Godly widow ladies you could have ever met.  I have grown in the grace and knowledge of Christ passage after passage, right along with the congregation.  I have experienced joy so deep and full that words fail to describe it.  I have learned that God's word is indeed sufficient, not because a professor told me it was, but because I have watched it's truths change peoples lives - mine included. 

There is no good way to sum up nine years of ministry at Meadowview, there are so many faces, so many mistakes, so many memories, days of pain and days of joy.  But the one constant for the past 3,285 days (Sorry, I didn't figure for leap year) has been Christ - after all it is His church, not mine.  I am so thankful that in all the relationships, decisions, and circumstances that make up the past 9 years God has been gracious and faithful to accomplish His good purposes in our lives (Romans 8:28).  And to be honest I'm more than a little excited to see what He does with the next nine years. 

Praise be to Him!  


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Three Attitudes Towards Money & Possessions

There are three attitudes we can have towards money and possessions:
  • "What's yours is mine; I will take it."
  • "What's mine is mine; I will keep it." 
  • "What's mine is God's; I will share it."

Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace, pg. 91

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Radical Christian - a "reblog"

This year at Meadowview we are focusing on Radical Discipleship (Luke 9:23) and the other day I came across this blog post that I found both encouraging and challenging.  The blog is titled "Radical Christian."  To get to the original blog you can follow this link

John Stott said that what dominated the mind of Christ was not so much the living of His life but the giving of it. Which of these is your mind consumed by? Another thought provoking question.

It seems to me when I think about people I know over a broad spectrum of life that most of them are consumed by living life. There is of course nothing wrong with thinking about summer fun, and ballgames, and picnics, festivals and graduation celebrations. Many of these things are on my list of things to do as well. However, as I meditate upon what Stott said I have to ask what my life is made of. What am I about?

When I first became saved I was all about the living of life.  Things were very important to me, I spent my weekends at the mall, I had to be home to watch my favorite television shows. I think I had 60 pair of shoes! I was out for me, what I could get, and how I could live the best life possible.

When I began to grow in my faith I discovered a desire to serve. Sadly, that desire was still more about me and about being recognized than it was about God. After time, enough growth took place that I realized that was the wrong motive. I wish I could remember exactly when that switch was hit, and the change took place... I do remember thinking I would take the classes offered at church on theology. I wanted to be prepared for whatever God would want me to do.

I vividly remember when I realized a deep and yearning desire to give and serve. This was not a snap decision nor was it a lightweight thing. I sat on the steps alone, and prayed asking God to reveal to me if this weight I was experiencing was the call to serve, the call of ministry. It was a time of heavy contemplation and much prayer.

That is when I am conscious of my life becoming about giving instead of living. I began to realize what the life of Christ was about, and it was service. The Gospels came alive in a new way as I understood that to be about serving was sacrifice. It was not about being thanked and recognized or appreciated, it was about hard work and invisibility.

Life that is Christ-centered is about giving. The giving is to be as complete on our end as it was on Christ's. So often the words of Philippians 2:1-8 come to mind:

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

When you and I reach the level of giving that costs us our lives then we have done enough.

 So, are you living life or giving life?  

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Dealing with Guilt

Jerry Bridges in The Discipline of Grace offers this helpful counsel on dealing with our guilt.
Justification is a completed work as far as God is concerned.  The penalty has been paid and His justice has been satisfied.  But it must be received through faith and must be continually renewed in our souls and applied to our consciences every day through faith.  There are two "courts" we must deal with: the court of God in Heaven and the court of conscience in our souls.  When we trust in Christ for salvation, God's court is forever satisfied.  Never again will a charge of guilt be brought against us in Heaven.  Our consciences, however, are continually pronouncing us guilty.  That is the function of conscience.  Therefore, we must by faith bring the verdict of conscience into line with the verdict of Heaven.  We do this by agreeing with our conscience about our guilt, but then reminding it that our guilt has already been borne by Christ. (The Discipline of Grace, 54)

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

A Stirred Up Spirit

This morning while reading through Ezra 1 I was struck by this phrase:
"...the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia..."
Then a few verses later it reads,
"...everyone whose spirit God has stirred to go up..." 
In the context the work that God was stirring Cyrus and Israel to do was to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. But, I like that phrase, "the LORD stirred."  Do you like it?  You see this is what I need; this is what you need; this is what Meadowview Baptist needs - we need the LORD to stir our spirits.

We need the Lord to stir us to continue growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18); But another big area is in our disciple-making.  We need the Lord to stir us to preach the gospel and make disciples (Matthew 28-18-20).  Would you pray with me that God would stir us (like He stirred Cyrus and Israel) to be about our duty of making disciples?

Reminder: we are having a prayer meeting this Friday night from 7-8 in the auditorium.  Here we will pray this prayer and I hope to see you there!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

The Gospel

In his book The Discipline of Grace, Jerry Bridges outlines seven truths that we need to clearly understand if we want to understand the gospel.  Bridges derives these truths from Romans 3:19-26.
  1. No one is declared righteous before God by observing the law (19-21)
  2. There is a righteousness from God that is apart from law (21)
  3. This righteousness from God is received through faith in Jesus Christ (22)
  4. This righteousness is available to everyone on the same basis, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (22-23)
  5. All who put their faith in Jesus Christ are justified freely by God's grace (24)
  6. This justification is "through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (24)
  7. God presented Jesus as a Sacrifice of Atonement, through faith in His blood (25)
What a message! And what a Savior!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Grace Is Sufficient

This morning in my reading I read these powerful words from 2 Corinthians 12,
...A thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 
Therefore (Paul speaking) I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
As I read through these words it brought to mind a song by Shane & Shane titled "Grace Is Sufficient." So I thought I would share the lyrics with you.  As you read through this passage and these lyrics remember that whatever you face today: health struggles; relationship struggles; grief; another typical Monday at the office; another bill; difficult decisions - whatever it is remember that HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT! 
What are you gonna do
When the doctor comes
Into the waiting room
Puts his hand on you
And says I'm sorry?

What are you gonna say to God
When all you do is pray to God
To take the thorn away?
And all you hear Him say is:

My grace, My grace
My grace is sufficient
My grace is sufficient

What are you gonna do
When your neighbor walks
Into your living room
And you to tell him
Who could deliver them
Like He delivered you?

What are you gonna say to God
When all you do is pray to God
For them to know His name
And all you hear Him say is:

My grace, My grace
My grace is sufficient
My grace is sufficient

It's all you need

What are you gonna say to God
When everything you prayed to God
Came your way but you forgot to thank Him?
And all you hear Him say is
My grace

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

What Does Love Look Like?

Jerry Bridges in his book The Discipline of Grace takes 1 Corinthians 13 (The great love chapter) and writes out verses 4 and 5 as action statements, encouraging the reader to "Ask yourself how your doing in your day to day practice of love."
  • I am patient with you because I love you and want to forgive you. 
  • I am kind to you because I love you and want to help you. 
  • I do not envy your possessions or your gifts because I love you and want you to have the best. 
  • I do not boast about my attainments because I love you and want to hear about yours. 
  • I am not proud because I love you and want to esteem you before myself. 
  • I am not rude because I love you and care about your feelings. 
  • I am not self-seeking because I love you and want to meet your needs. 
  • I am not easily angered by you because I love you and want to overlook your offenses. 
  • I do not keep a record of your wrongs because I love you, and "love covers a multitude of sins."  
So how is your love?

Monday, August 13, 2012

Laughing At the Mercy of God

This morning in my Bible reading I was struck by a particular line I found in 2 Chronicles 30:10.  Before I get to that line let me set up the context a bit. Hezekiah is king in Judah and is calling on not only Judah to repent and turn back the Lord, but all of Israel.  So Hezekiah sends out letters inviting all of Israel (Ephraim and Manasseh included) to come to Jerusalem for Passover.  In verse 7-8 he exhorts them to avoid being faithless and stiff-necked like their fathers and grandfathers so that they may avoid the judgment and wrath of God.  Then in verse 9 he writes,
For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land.  For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away His face from you, if you return to Him.
So in verse 10 we read of the couriers traveling from city to city delivering this message of repentance and mercy, and here is where the text becomes troubling.  In verse 10 it says that they traveled to Ephraim and Manasseh, and even as far as Zebulun, but when they delivered the message the people "laughed them to scorn and mocked them."  Did you get that?
 ...they laughed them to scorn and mocked them.
Hearing about the grace and mercy of God they laughed and mocked. It is important to point out according to verse 11 that some of the people did humble themselves, but the greater populous laughed at the mercy of God.  How wicked! How rebellious! How evil it is to laugh at God's merciful call to repentance!

BUT (you probably knew that was coming) aren't we all guilty of taking lightly God's merciful's calls to repentance in our lives?  Sure we may not openly mock during the response time on a Sunday and we may not scornfully laugh after personal or family time in Scripture - but doesn't our indifference really communicate the same thing? Doesn't our lack of repentance make us just like them? Doesn't our lack of "doing" the word reveal that we don't really take God or His words seriously? 

Just something to consider. 


Thursday, August 9, 2012

The Discipline of Grace

This morning I picked up a book that I haven't looked at in a couple of years - The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges.  One of the bloggers that I follow, Tim Challies chose this book to read through, inviting his readers to join him (he does this a couple times each year).  So I decided to join in on this read and wanted to share a few thoughts with you.

In chapter one (titled How Good is Good Enough?) I was reminded once again of this truth that I so often forget - THIS LIFE IS NOT ABOUT ME; SALVATION IS NOT ABOUT ME.  Meaning it's not about my sins and failures, or the guilt that I experience when I sin and fail.  Rather it's about God's grace in forgiving my sins and failures.  Nor is it about my good works, rather it's about God's grace working through me to accomplish good.   Here is how Bridges summarized this point: 
Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace.  And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace (19)
Bridges goes on unpacking what he means throughout the chapter, and I thought these lines offered a helpful explanation.

Pharisee-type believers unconsciously think they have earned God's blessing through their behavior.  Guilt-laden believers are quite sure they have forfeited God's blessing through their lack of discipline or their disobedience.  Both have forgotten the meaning of grace because they have moved away from the gospel and have slipped into a performance relationship with God. (22)
In other words Bridges is saying it's not about what WE did or do...it's about what CHRIST did through His death and resurrection - the Gospel!  But then the question comes if I cannot use "duty" or "guilt" to motivate myself and others to follow Christ, what should I use?  Bridges addresses this too:
We believers do need to be challenged to a life of committed discipleship, but that challenge needs to be based on the gospel, not on duty or guilt.  Duty or guilt may motivate us for awhile, but only a sense of Christ's love for us will motivate us for a lifetime.  (25)
So Christ's love for us should motivate us to lives of Radical discipleship...that's good stuff!  It's not to late to join in on the read.  If you are interested click here to see how it all works.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Take Up Your Cross

In Luke 9:23 Jesus instructs His disciples to "take up their cross," these words by the nineteenth century minister and hymn writer Walter Chalmers Smith capture well that command. 

But all through life I see a cross
Where sons of God yield up their breath;
There is no gain except by loss,
There is no life except by death,
And no full vision but by faith,
Nor glory, but by bearing shame,
Nor justice, but by taking blame;
And that Eternal Passion saith:
Be emptied of glory, right and name.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Great Leaders?

I've been reading Called To Lead by John MacArthur and I (being the sinner that I am) greatly appreciated this reminder. 
The greatest of all leaders in Scripture were fundamentally flawed.  Abraham gave in to his fears and shamefully lied (Genesis 12:13; 20:2).  Moses freely acknowledged that he was "slow of speech and slow of tongue" (Exodus 4:10).  He also had repeated problems with a fiery temper (Exodus 2:11-12; Numbers 20:11-12).  David committed adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11).  Elijah succumbed to fear and depression (1 Kings 19:3-10).  Isaiah confessed that he had a dirty mouth (Isaiah 6:5).  Jonah tried to flee his prophetic commission because he hated the people to whom God called him to minister (Jonah 4:1-3).  Most of the Twelve whom Christ appointed were crude fishermen.  On the night of Christ's betrayal , they all "forsook Him and fled" (Matthew26:56).  Peter, their leader and spokesman, had repeatedly embarrassed himself by saying and doing impetuous things. Then on that terrible night, he verbally denied Christ with cursing and oaths (Matthew 26:69-74).  Peter himself confessed that he was a sinful man (Luke 5:8).  The apostle John and his brother, James in the spirit of Jonah, wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy people whom Christ had come to save (Luke 9:54-56).  James and John (in blatant display of sinful pride) also conspired with their mother to ask Jesus to grant them thrones in the kingdom on Christ's right and left hands (Matthew 20:20-24).  All of these were fragile, imperfect men of clay.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Idolatry


“An idol is anything apart from God that we depend on to be happy, fulfilled, or secure.  In biblical terms, it is something other than God that we set our heart on (Luke 12:29; 1 Corinthians 10:19), that motivates us (1 Corinthians 4:5), that masters and rules us (Psalm 119:133; Ephesians 5:5), or that we trust, fear, or serve (Isaiah 42:17; Matthew 6:24; Luke 12:4-5).  In short, it is something we love and pursue more than God (see Philippians 3:19)” 
Ken Sande. The Peacemaker, 104

Monday, March 5, 2012

J. C. Ryle on Indwelling Sin

In my reading this morning I came across this great paragraph on sin written by J. C. Ryle, the 19th century English pastor.
...I am convinced that the greatest proof of the extent and power of sin is the pertinacity with which it cleaves to man even after he is converted and has become the subject of the Holy Ghost's operation. To use the language of the Ninth Article, 'this infection of nature doth remain - yea, even in them that are regenerate.' So deeply planted are the roots of human corruption, that even after we are born again, renewed, 'washed, sanctified, justified,' and made living members of Christ, these roots remain alive in the bottom of our hearts, and, like the leprosy in the walls of the house, we never get rid of them until the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved. Sin, no doubt, in the believer's heart, has no longer dominion. It is checked, controlled, mortified, and crucified by the expulsive power of the new principle of grace. The life of a believer is a life of victory and not of failure. But the very struggles which go on within his bosom, the fight that he finds it needful to fight daily, the watchful jealousy which he is obliged to exercise over his inner man, the contest between the flesh and the spirit, the inward 'groanings' which no one knows but he who has experienced them - all, all testify to the same great truth, all show the enormous power and vitality of sin. Mighty indeed must that foe be who even when crucified is still alive! Happy is that believer who understands it, and while he rejoices in Christ Jesus has no confidence in the flesh; and while he says, 'Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory,' never forgets to watch and pray lest he fall into temptation!
Ryle, Holiness, pg. 6

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Possible Reasons Why God Allows Trials and Suffering

Sunday morning we talked through 11 possible reasons that God would bring suffering and trials into our lives. I wanted to post those 11 reasons here for those who missed Sunday and also for those who weren't able to write faster than I was talking. Use these truths to strengthen your own faith, but also to encourage the faith of others who are going through trials.

1. Unconfessed sins - 1 Corinthians 11:30; 2 Kings 5:15-27

2. To chasten His children - Psalm 119:67; Hebrews 12:5-11

3. God wants to increase our usefulness ("pruning process") - John 15:2; 2 Corinthians 1:3-9; 2 Peter 1:5-8

4. To help us realize this isn't heaven and we live in a fallen world - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Romans 8:22-24

5. To allow us to reap what we sow (a natural consequence to our own choices) - Galatians 6:7-8; Proverbs 5:22

6. To teach us about our own weakness and cause us to depend on God - 2 Corinthians 1:8-9; 12:7-10

7. To have us realize that we have placed our hope somewhere else or have spread it out between God and self/circumstances/other people/possessions. Our hope is to be squarely fixed upon God alone and His promises - 1 Peter 1:13; Hebrews 6:19

8. To enlarge our appreciation of His sufficiency - 2 Corinthians 4:7; 12:7-10

9. To test and strengthen our faith - 1 Peter 1:6-7; 4:12

10. To develop Christlike character - James 1:2-5; Romans 8:28-29

11. To drive us to God's Word - Psalm 119:67, 71, 75

This information was adapted from adapted from a seminar taught by Pastor Brad Bigney, Grace Fellowship Church in Florence, KY.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Leviticus and Our Sin (part 2)

Yesterday I briefly wrote on the Seriousness of Sin as observed in the book of Leviticus. Today I want to share with you a second challenge/encouragement.

2. Sin is Costly. Because sin is serious Leviticus also teaches us that it is costly. In other words there is a price to be paid for sin. In Leviticus we find that a persons sin would cost them a beast of the field, a bird of the air, or some grain (in the case of the poor). But beyond the material cost there was the humiliation of a public confession. Not that the sinner would announce to everyone the specifics of his sin (though he probably did to the priest), but just walking that animal to the tabernacle was probably considered a "walk of shame" because everyone knew that you or someone in your house had broken one of God's perfect commandments.

Because we tend to make light of sin we also tend to forget how costly sin is. We often take for granted the sacrifice of Christ, never considering the high price He paid for our salvation. Also, because we tend to make light of sin we often fail to humble ourselves by confessing our sin to God and even more so to others.

Take some time today and consider the cross; consider the high price that Jesus paid for your sin. Take time to humble yourself and confess your sins to God and to others (certainly those you have offended).

Leviticus and Our Sin

For those who are following the Scripture reading plan we are now 8 chapters into the book of Leviticus. In these first eight chapters we read of sin, animal sacrifice, blood, alters, priests, guilt, and much, much more.

As I have been reading there are three truths that have challenged/encouraged me and that I hope might challenge/encourage you as you consider Leviticus.

1. Sin is Serious. In Leviticus God takes the sin of His people very seriously, even the sins that they have committed unknowingly (5:14). In Leviticus we see our Holy God demanding justice for those who would violate His perfect commands. This is important for us to understand, because we live in a culture that treats God's perfect commands and our violation of those perfect commands (sin) as a joke; a punchline on a prime time sitcom. Sin is no joke. Sin is rebellion against God. Sin destroys people, families and churches.

If there is one lesson we must learn from Leviticus it is that sin is serious and we must treat it as such. Where are you prone to make light of sin? What do you find non-offensive (maybe even funny) that God finds offensive? Are you giving more attention to Scripture (where we learn of the perfect commands of our Holy God) or the media (where they treat God's commands as a joke)?

More to come tomorrow....

Friday, February 17, 2012

Leviticus - How Were the Hebrews Distinct?

As we read through Leviticus it is easy to note that there are some strange cultural differences between our world and the world of the ancient Hebrews - ritual purification, animal sacrifice, priestly classes, and temples are for the most part foreign terms and concepts to us. But what seems foreign to us was quite common to the Hebrews and to their world. The Hebrews lived (at this point wandered) in a world filled with various religions - Canaanite religions and there were some similarities regarding things such as ceremonial purification and animal sacrifices. But despite the similarities that might have existed the Hebrew religious system (as described in Leviticus) remained distinct (remember the key word in Leviticus is "Holy") from other ancient Near Eastern religions. Here are a few differences:
-The idea of direct divine revelation and theophany. (the presence of God)
-The concept of strict monotheism. (belief that there is only One True God)
-The understanding of the origin and impact of human sin. (the Genesis account)
-The highly ethical and moral nature of Hebrew religion in contrast to the Canaanite fertility cult.
-The holy and righteous character of Yahweh in contrast to the capricious behavior of the pagan deities.
-The prohibition of human sacrifice.
Hill & Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament, pg. 103

Leviticus

Over the years I have had many conversations about the difficulty of reading through certain portions of the Bible. And it is true that some books are more difficult to read, interpret, and apply than others. This week Meadowview will be reading through what I consider to be one of the more difficult books in the Old Testament - Leviticus. So I thought it might be helpful to provide some insight into the book before we dive in. And since I typically run low on helpful insight I will defer to Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton's book A Survey of the Old Testament. Here is what they wrote regarding the overall purpose and message of the book:
The central teaching of the book is summarized in the command to "consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy..." (Leviticus 11:44-45). The first part of Leviticus outlines the requisite procedures for worshiping Yahweh (chaps. 1-10), and the second section prescribes how the covenant people of God are to translate the idea of holiness into daily living (chaps. 11-27). Leviticus is basically a manual or handbook on holiness designed to instruct the Hebrew community in holy worship and holy living so that they might enjoy the presence and blessing of God (cf. Leviticus 26:1-13). The laws and instructions were to transform the former Hebrew slaves into a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (cf. Exodus 19:6).
Hill & Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament, pg. 104.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Killing Pride & Cultivating Humilty (part 4)

This is the final post regarding killing pride and cultivating humility.

8. Laugh at yourself with others. When you are the object of humor if you cannot laugh at yourself with others pride is normally the root issue. Terry Lindvall writes, "Laughter is a divine gift to the human who is humble. A proud man cannot laugh because he must watch his dignity; he cannot give himself over to the rocking and rolling of his belly. But a poor and happy man laughs heartily because he give no serious attention to his ego" (Surprised by Laughter, pg. 130-131).

9. Cultivate the habit of gratitude. Michael Ramsey writes, "Thankfulness is a soil in which pride does not easily grow." We must discipline ourselves to show gratitude to God and to others. Mahaney writes, "We also want to continue throughout the day expressing gratefulness for the innumerable manifestations of God's grace. It's as if God is placing sticky-notes in our lives as daily reminders of His presence and provision...how perceptive of them are you? An ungrateful person is a proud person" (Humility, pg. 71).

In closing remember the glorious promise of Scripture, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).

Killing Pride & Cultivating Humilty (part 3)

Today we are going to look at 3 more ways to kill pride and cultivate humility. But before we do I wanted to share this quote from Richard Baxter:
"Pride is a deep-rooted and a self-preserving sin; and therefore is harder to be killed and rooted up than other sins. It hinders the discovery of itself...It will not allow the sinner to see his pride when he is reproved; neither will it allow him to confess it if he sees it; nor...to loathe himself and forsake it....even when he recognizes all of the evidences of pride in others, he will not see it in himself...If you would go about to cure him of this or any other fault, you shall feel that you are handling a wasp or an adder; yet when he is spitting the venom of pride against the reprover, he does not perceive that he is proud; this venom is a part of his nature and therefore is not felt as harmful or poisonous..."
5. Invite and pursue correction. How consistently and aggressively do you PURSUE and INVITE correction in your life? Would your spouse and others who are close to you say you are easy to entreat and that you are approachable? If there was something God wanted to tell you through another, could He do it? Proverbs 10:17 says, "He is in the way of life that keeps instruction: but he that refuses reproof errs (also see Proverbs 15:31-32; 29:1)

6. Use unflattering illustrations of yourself in the home and at work.

7. Recognize your relative unimportance and prepare to be replaced. The truth we often fail to realize is that we are dispensable. Charles DeGaul once wrote, "Graveyards are filled with indispensable men." Psalm 103 reminds us of this truth: "For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more" (14-16).

In the next post we should finish up the suggestions...like I wrote yesterday feel free to leave your comments and/or questions.

Killing Pride & Cultivating Humilty (part 2)

Picking up where we left off yesterday here are suggestion 3 & 4 for killing pride and cultivating humility.

3. Study and apply the doctrine of sin to your own life. Romans 1-3 is a revealing set of chapters on the subject of our sinfulness. The Enemy Within is a great book written by Kris Lungaard (it is actually a modern synopsis of John Owens classic work The Temptation and Mortification of Sin). But more important than learning about your sinfulness is doing something about it. Here are some questions you should be asking yourself as you apply the doctrine of sin to your own life: Are you specifically confessing sins to the appropriate individuals, as well as your present temptations? Are you confessing sin specifically? Are you confessing your sin fully? Or is your confession selective and partial (which means that ultimately it is misleading)? Remember that pride works to blind us from our sin (1 Corinthians 10:12) and it's consequences (Numbers 32:23). Start fully confessing your sin because God resists the proud (the non-confessors) and gives grace to the humble (the confessors).

4. Consistently practice the spiritual disciplines. Practicing the spiritual disciplines of Scripture meditation, prayer, and Bible memorization makes a huge statement: "GOD I NEED YOU!" It is a statement of my need for Him and my dependence upon Him, which kills pride and cultivates humility. But if you turn the tables and avoid the spiritual disciplines you are saying by your actions: "GOD I DO NOT NEED YOU!" And that is the essence of pride.

Tomorrow we will introduce 3 more suggestions...feel free to post comments and/or questions.

Killing Pride & Cultivating Humilty

On Sunday morning at Meadowview we talked about the danger of harboring pride in our lives. I believe it was John Stott who said that pride is our greatest enemy and humility is our greatest friend.
Several years ago I attended a conference where one of the breakout sessions was on the subject of Killing Pride & Cultivating Humility. That session was worth the entire conference, and over the next few days I want to share with you some practical suggestions for killing pride and cultivating humility. I must give credit where credit is due so I'll mention that this information was taken from C. J. Mahaney's tremendous book titled Humility: True Greatness. So without further ado, here is suggestion one:

1. Study the attributes of God. You see the more aware we become of the infinite distance that exists between us and God, the more humility we will experience and express. This distance is created by God's Holiness (purity, and also what I sometimes define as His 'differentness' - see Psalm 50:21) and our lack thereof. So the suggestion is to study the Scriptures and be humbled by the greatness of God. One of my favorite texts that I would encourage you to consider reading is Isaiah 40:9-31. Beyond scripture there are some great books: The Knowledge of the Holy (Tozer); Knowing God (Packer); The Pleasures of God (Piper); Gripped By the Greatness of God (MacDonald) also most Systematic Theology books have a section on the attributes of God (I recommend Wayne Grudem for this particular subject).

2. Every day survey the cross on which the Prince of Glory died. As was stated on Sunday, it is hard to be arrogant standing close to the cross. When we are close to the cross our own sin and need for forgivness is evident, therefore we are more apt to extend forgivness and grace to others. Apart from the gospel accounts of Jesus death here are some great passages to read: 1 Corinthians 1:8; Galatians 6:14; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 12:2-3; Isaiah 53:4-5, 10-11. Beyond scripture there are some fantastic books: The Cross of Christ (Stott); Living the Cross Centered Life (Mahaney); The Cross He Bore (Leahy); The Murder of Jesus (MacArthur).

Let's chew on these suggestions for today and I will provide 2 more tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Psalm 9:9-10

"The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you."