Month: May 2010

Job

We all know the story of Job, but I found this interesting. The beginning of the book of Job describes Job like this:

He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.
Job 1:1

Later on in verse eight God describes Job himself as “the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Now we know the rest of the story God allows Satan to test Job and in doing so Satan kills his farmhands, kills all his sheep, steals all his camels, and  kills his sons and daughters. Distraught, he does what we all should do at a time like this he praises God. He remains true to his God. Then he gets his second test, Satan takes his health, making him really miserable. Even his wife encourages him to curse God, but Job remains true. After this we get into long debates with Jobs friends, probably more of Satan’s tests to try and get him to speak against God. What I want to focus on is the end of Job:

1 Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
Job 42:1-6

Look at what he says, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes”. How crazy is it that a man that even God described as what we would call a “Godly man” or a “Good Christian”, a man that didn’t fail even in the face of many painful trials, but still a man that only had a referential experience of God? Maybe this is the reason that God allowed Job to go through what he did, to take him from knowing about God to knowing God.

James says it the best.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:2-4

Our trials and troubles, there just might be more to them than life sucking, God might be using them to grow us and our relationship with him. That fills me with a lot of hope.

(PS: This reminds me of Fathered By God)

The changing of a man

“That the tide of sin, which before did run so strong — should be so easily turned; that the sinner who, a little before was sailing hellward, and lacked neither wind nor tide to carry him there—should now suddenly alter his course, and tack about for heaven—what a miracle is this!

To see . . .

an earthly man become heavenly,
a carnal man become spiritual,
a loose man become precise,
a proud man become humble,
a covetous man become liberal, and
a harsh man become meek, etc.,
is to behold the greatest of miracles!”

– Thomas Brooks, The Crown and Glory of Christianity

Via: First Importance

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. – 1 Peter 2:1

Radical

Here’s a book I’m looking forward to reading: Radical by David Platt

Brent @ Holiday at the Sea summarizes the book like this:

Always pointing to Jesus, Platt reminds us that, what we now call “radical” is simply what Jesus expects of all of His followers. The answer is not to try harder but draw closer to Jesus. The book culminates in what Platt calls the Radical Experiment, calling people to one year of:

  1. Pray for the entire world
  2. Read through the entire Word
  3. Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose
  4. Spend your time in another context
  5. Commit your life to multiplying community

While this list initially seems like quite a bit for most people, closer examination simply reveals it to be biblical living. If that’s what the world now calls “radical,” then so be it. But it’s time that we realize that there is no other way of living if we truly desire to follow Jesus. Here is Platt introducing the book:

Via: Holiday at the Sea

What Did You Sign Up For?

Ernest Shackleton’s 1907 ad in London’s Times, recruiting a crew to sail with him on his exploration of the South Pole:

Wanted. Men for hazardous journey.
Low wages. Bitter cold.
Long hours of complete darkness.
Safe return doubtful.
Honor and recognition in the event of success.

Sounds like another ad:

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (LK 9.23-24)

We didn’t sign up for easy lives.  But afterward there will be glory.

Copied from The Blazing Center

In times like these, it helps to remember that I’m to die daily to my self and my desires, and follow after Jesus. It’s not easy and I don’t see a future where it gets easier, this journey is arduous and it’s supposed to be (with varying levels of difficulty), because it’s supposed to prepare me for an eternal life with my King. In the end victory will come, my flesh, my pride, my own derived self worth, will all be vanquished, and all that will be left will be Him, His Word and His love.

The Manly Campout

This past weekend, the men of Living Waters had a great time camping outside like the mighty (modern) woodsmen that God created us to be (thanks to Pastor Joe for your constant support and for the awesome tents).

We had the best Bar-B-Q ribs (thanks to our chef Angel) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ok I might have exaderated a bit, but they were darn good ribs.

Our fire was roaring (thanks to Ron) and there might have even been a bit of jumping over the fire to prove once and for all just how manly we were.

Our conversations had depth (thanks to Pastor Jay) and plenty of laughs (thanks to a single night of camping six years ago).

We had the pleasure of introducing one of our brothers to the wonders of camping plenty (thanks to David’s new wife for allowing him to come).

Our day was filled with time on the water, floating down a lazy river, for some much need rest and relaxation  (thanks to Jeff for always being ready to get wet).

Even in the midst of the fun and the food, we were challenged (thanks to Scotty) to seek God through quiet time or long walks through the tick infested woods. And he spoke to us….

He called us out, telling us that we are calling ourselves kings without actually acting like them.

He raised the bar, telling us to throw off the dunce caps the world had given us, and put on the crowns that he was giving us.

Then he crowned us with new crowns, not crowns of our own making or some old crown we just picked up off the ground, but a new crown that God created.

From here on out, the world will be different because there will be ten Godly men ruling and reigning the way God intended them to.

Thank you, Lord, for the great out doors that you created for us to explore, and for the beauty and power therein that draws us closer to you.  Thank you, Lord, for keeping us safe (even from ourselves). Thank you, Lord, for speaking to us.

Thank you, Lord, for loving and understanding wives and families.

Thank your, Lord, for good friends and strong brothers.

More Pics here…