Everything but the Kitchen Sink: Heart matters

Everything but the Kitchen Sink: Heart matters
Please take the time to read this recent post on my wife's blog. It is sure to encourage and challenge us all to take our pursuit of holiness a bit deeper.

He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust!

“Therefore, . . . learn Christ and him crucified; learn to pray to him despairing of yourself, saying: Thou, Lord Jesus, art my righteousness, but I am thy sin; thou has taken on thyself what thou wast not, and hast given to me what I was not. Beware of aspiring to such purity that you will not wish to seem to yourself, or to be, a sinner. For Christ only dwells in sinners. For that reason he descended from heaven, where he dwelt among the righteous, that he might dwell among sinners. Consider that kindness of His, and you will see his sweetest consolation. . . .” Martin Luther, 1516

The Closed Canon and Spiritual Gifts

One of the most frequent objections to the continuation of certain Spiritual Gifts is that their presence would jeopordize belief in the closed canon of Scripture. There are many great explanations for why this is no problem, but Pastor Vincent does a wonderful job. I highly recommend his articles! I think you all will be thrilled by his commitment to King Jesus and Scripture.
Just click on the bold type above to be sent to his articles.
Oh! that his message would be truly heard by more people!

John Piper on Romans 8:28-32- A Must Read!

I hope you will click on the bold type above and read and re-read this wonderful, faith stoking sermon by Dr. John Piper. You will be so glad you did!

Congratulations to Geoff and Abi Cauble!

Welcome Evan Thomas Cauble

Abi is my wife's younger sister. She is married to Geoff Cauble who, along with his family, has been a precious friend to Faith and myself for a very long time! We rejoice with them as they welcome their first son.

Geoff and Abi, You know that Evan is a gift to you from Your Heavenly Father who loves you so very much! He has proved it by sending His Son for you and He continues to demonstrate that love by giving you a precious son. May God give you special wisdom in training Evan in the ways of the True God. May he give you understanding, patience, tenderness, firmness, relationship, discipleship, expressive love and everything else you will need to nurture Evan as Your Heavenly Father would nurture him, even as He is nurturing him through you! We love you!

Evan, you are precious and individual! You are made in the image of God Who formed you in your mother's womb. May you grow up to know the Covenant love of the True God who "keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. . . ." (Deut. 7:9). May the Lord uphold you and train you to be God's man in this world which doesn't know what masculinity is. May He teach you gentleness and meekness! May He shower you with His lovingkindness from the day of your birth to all eternity! May God bring you to personal faith in Jesus at a very young age so that, when you are old, and look back on your life, you will not remember a single day you weren't madly in love with King Jesus! God bless you!

Love,

Uncle Daniel

If it weren't in the Bible, I wouldn't believe it!

In John 17, we have the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus. This could also be called the real "Lord's Prayer." The entire chapter is incredibly revealing of God's heart for His people, but one verse in particular almost knocks me off my feet every time I read it. It is verse 26. Listen carefully:

"I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
Whatever else may and probably should be said from this verse, one thing is unmistakably clear. . . Jesus prays that His people feel loved by Our Father. Not only does He pray that we feel loved, but He prayed that we would experience the same love that He experiences from His Father. Wow!
(At this point, I have to disagree with several men who I hold in high regard (i.e., John Piper, Jack Deere, etc). These men see this verse, instead, as Jesus praying that Believer would have the same love and passion for Jesus that the Father has for Jesus. Though, this definitely is not unbiblical, I am not sure that's what this verse is promising. Jesus is talking about His work of revealing the Father and it seems more natural that He would then pray that Believers would come to know the fullness of the Father's love rather than abruptly change His orientation and request that Believers be given the same passion for Jesus as the Father has.)

If we want to understand something of this, we have to see how God the Father loves His Son.
*Jesus testifies in John 17:24 "you [the Father] loved me [Jesus] before the foundation of the world." God's love for His Son is eternal! If you ever wondered what God was doing prior to creation, it is this- He was loving His Son! He was delighting in His Son.
*Two times, during Our Lord's earthly ministry, His Father broke through the Heavens to declare His love for and delight in His Son. The first was on the Mount of transfiguration and the second at Jesus' baptism. Father God audibly spoke: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. . . ." If there was ever any doubt in anybody's mind who was present- GONE! "This is by BELOVED Son!" Father God wanted people to know how much He loves His Son and how sacrificially He was giving of Himself so that we sinners could come to know His love rather than His judgment! God didn't send us His step-child! He didn't send us the son He wish he never had. He sent us His BELOVED Son! His much loved son.
*John's Gospel records several times where Jesus boasts about being loved by the Father (3:35; 5:20). Father God loves Jesus so much and so expressively that Jesus can boast with certainty that His Father loves Him. There is no question in Jesus' mind. His Father's love is undeniable.
*Colossians 1:13 says "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, . . . ." The phrase "beloved Son" is also translated "Son of His love." The Father's love for Jesus is so compelling to the Apostle Paul that whenever he speaks of the Father's relationship to His Son, he must talk about LOVE! Sure, there is trust and respect and glory and joy and . . . . But love must be mentioned!

Are you as convinced of the Father's love for you as Jesus is? When was the last time you openly boasted about being loved by God? Do you know that Father God loved you before He even created the world? Do you know that when the Father thinks of you, He smiles so huge that the sun rises! Listen carefully, you can hear Him singing over you in love in songs of rejoicing! Do you know that God is not embarrassed by you? He broke through the Heavens and declared His love for Jesus. If you will listen carefully, you can hear the Holy Spirit shouting out the declarations of love for you from the Father! He knows your face. He calls you by name. And He loves you!

As if that weren't enough, Jesus then commits Himself to being "in" us as Believers. In other words, He wants us to know the fullness of the Father's love and He Himself wants to be near us which He is by His Spirit, Who also pours Father God's love into 0ur hearts. Do you get the feeling that Jesus just isn't satisfied with us knowing about the Father's love?! He wants us to experience the Father's love! He wants us WOWed at His love. He wants us so convinced of the Father's love that we can face the worst human experience without questioning the love of the Father. So take time to simply ask Father God what He thinks of you. Then, listen! Take time and listen. Don't be surprised when he starts telling you. He may even show you how he created a certain flower which you love just to show you that He loves you.

God bless you, Beloved of the Father!

How to deal with those who differ with us

Click the bold type above to read an outstanding article by Roger Nicole on how to deal Christianly with people with whom we disagree. I wish every Christian would read and take to heart what he has to say.

Blessings

Missing Categories

God is incredibly devoted to convincing His children of His passionate Father-love for each of us!
I grew up without a "Dad" in the home. In fact, I've not had any contact with my biological father for over 24 years. My Mom was great! She could throw any ball with the best of them and talk sports or whatever, but she wasn't and couldn't be a Father. I didn't know it at the time, but I was learning about Fathering from my "fatherless" experience." Later in life, the Lord showed me that I had no perception of the fulness and kind of love and care that He intended to communicate through His Word when He speaks of Himself as my "Father." When I read verses having to do with His Father-love, I accepted it like I would accept the statement that "the grass is green." I recieved it as a fact, but it had no lasting impact on me- I felt nothing when I heard that. I probably had more of a question mark in my mind than anything. I had a vocabulary in my head, for which there was no category in my heart!
This is something that every father needs to understand.
Every child learns what it means to be a Father and be loved by a Father from their earthly father. Whether your father was absent, disinterested, cruel, abusive, caring, sensitive, work-aholic, gentle, or whatever; we impose that understanding of Fatherhood on God. Dad's be ware! What are we teaching our children about God in how we show them Father-love? If I am distant and always criticizing my children, that's how they will grow up to think of God as Father. How blasphemous! If I am absent (from divorce or work-aholism) I rob my children of the substance of the meaning of Father-love. My children will relate to God as if He were distant and they will undoubtedly, constantly feel undue condemnation! That will rob them of the joy God intends them to receive from their relationship to Him. Dads, we are theology professors whether that is our vocation or not! If you have children, you are teaching them something about God. What is it?
God's creative lessons in my life
Nearly a year ago, the Lord started me on a "Father's Love Track." He is jealous that I understand and sense what He means when He says He loves me as a Father. The Lord, My Father, began to open my ears to hear Him speaking through my children. I have learned so much about my Heavenly Father through watching and listening to my little girls relate to me.
*One Sunday, I was feeling dry and God seemed distant. I struggled all day to communicate that to God in prayer and ask Him to give me a greater sense of His nearness. I prayed what I could articulate and I prayed in the Spirit, but still felt like I hadn't quite been able to nail it. Then, came nap time and my little girl, Emily, asked me as I was putting her to bed, "Daddy, do you have to go to work?" "No." I said. "I get to stay home with you all day!" Then she said, "Daddy, I love it when you're home!" That's it! That's what I had been trying to communicate to my Heavenly Father all day! "Abba, Papa, Father, Daddy, I love it when You're home!
*My oldest daughter is now 4 1/2 years old and not as light as she used to be, but her favorite thing of all is to sit my lap or have me hold her. She just loves it when I am near. We don't have to be doing anything, she just enjoys me. I can relate to that, and it challenges me constantly to never grow out of climbing into Father God's lap and just being with him. For that reason, if for no other, I will probably be holding my little girl when she is twelve!
*The front steps to our house are widely spaced and uneven. This has caused many a fall and scraped knee for my little girls. One day, we were walking to the van, and Emily was standing at the top of the stairs, rather timid about making her way down. No doubt she was wondering if this would be another time that she would end up flat on her face at the bottom with tears flowing. I came behind her and offered my hand which she accepted. The timidness was gone! She trecked down all the stairs as if she were six feet tall and had been scaling those stairs for years and years! Her confidence came from being in the grip of her Daddy. There is no way I would let her fall! Once again, My Father pulled back the veil and let me see the fulness of confidence and lack of fear that I am supposed to know because of being in relationship with Him.
*One of the best examples of My Father's sweet communication came through a very special time with my girls during one of our favorite activities- DANCING! That's right- Dancing! Someone coined the phrase "Caucasian Rhythmic Disorder." I have tested positive for that one! But we have a great time. We turn the music up loud and go wild all over the living room. Sometimes I hold up to two girls and whirl and jump and whatever else I can get my tired body to do. One such time, I had my oldest (Beth) standing on my toes and we were dancing our hearts out! At first it was the music that got me moving, but after only a short while, I was dancing out of love for my little girl. She had such a huge smile and was giggling like only a beautiful little girl can. All of a sudden, it was no longer me dancing with Beth, but it was Father God dancing with me, His son. It was Zephaniah 3:17 in living illustration.
"The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;he will exult over you with loud singing."
Maybe you have struggled with feeling the reality of what God communicates in His Word about His Father love for you. I don't want to sound formulaic, but I want to offer just a couple of pieces of help. Please simply ask God to give you a sense of His Father Love for you. It is one thing to know that God is a Father. It is another thing to see your face as that of the child sitting in His lap having his face cuddled and his hair being stroked. May I also recommend a few resources that have helped me sense more of the Father's pleasure and delight? 1) Experiencing Father's Embrace by Jack Frost; 2) The Singing God by Sam Storms; 3) The PAPA Prayer by Larry Crabb; and 4) The Pleasures of God by John Piper.

God's Multi-faceted Love Is Demonstrated Love
Romans 5:8 tells us that God "shows" us His love by sending His Son to die for us even while we were still enemies of God. He continues to demonstrate His love for us by placing us in this world which He created, beautified by His love and infinite creativity. Even more, Romans 5:5 says that God's love has been "poured into" our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Also, Romans 8:15, 16 says "you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,. . . ." Which means that the Holy Spirit is the one Who is convincing me of and teaching me about the Father love of God. Thank you, Holy Spirit! Thank you, Father, God! Thank you, Jesus!

You may be asking "What does this have to do with Reforming Reformed?" Well, you know we Reformed types are known for formulating precise theological definitions and clarifying distinctions, but sometimes, that's what we settle for. May we never be satisfied with knowing that God is a Father to somebody somewhere! God is Your Father, if you trust in Jesus alone for your acceptance into His favor. Jesus has completely satisfied all the requirements of God's Justice and law on your behalf, so we can celebrate the reality of Romans 8:1 that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." When God sends His Spirit to make a spiritually dead man alive, He sends Him to reside within the one to whom He has just given life. This Spirit, Romans 8:15 tells us, is the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry "Abba, Father!"
We claim to know more fully the Covenant love of the Sovereign God to Hell-deserving sinners like us. (I glory in the bright grace that floods my soul from the wonderful revelations we call Reformed Theology!) But, knowing more of the contours of that love and the depth of our unworthiness, let us worship louder than the angels! Why do the Arminians have so many more good songs to God celebrating His love! May we know and may we press on to know and feel the love of Father God!

Maybe you have other resources which have helped you with the same things. Please leave a comment and mention those! Also, maybe God speaks to you through your children and you have some favorite special times to share, please share those as well!

May Father God bless you with more of a sense of His love for YOU!

The Local Church a Training College?

Some question whether a man could be duly equipped for Pastoral Ministry without formal Seminary training. I question whether a man could be duly equipped for Pastoral Ministry with ONLY Seminary training. In fact, I have known men who were disqualified from ministry (on Biblical basis) because all they had was a seminary education. I have had several friends who graduated from Seminary, were installed into their first pastorate and still were convinced they didn't know what they were doing. Not all Seminarians feel this way or necessarily are this way, but I think we ought to at least consider alternatives. This link is to a short-ish artice by a Pastor who advocates local churches training ministers. Any thoughts after reading it?

The Insufficiency of Scripture-- a short article by T. David Gordon

Please click on the Bold Title above in order to read an article written a few years ago which spurred quite a discussion. Please don't be put off by the title. It is worth the read. What do you think?

What this blog is about

" Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. " Colossians 3:16

This blog is dedicated to . . .
stirring up discussion on various topics which relate to the Church's responsibility to keep the Reformation Spirit as a present, on-going reality in all areas of life and belief. The 16th century ushered in the Protestant Reformation wherein the ultimate authority of Christ through the Scriptures was recovered and with it, Justification by Faith Alone. Some say that this was also a rediscovery of Christ and, surely, there is truth in that claim, but it all began as the Holy Spirit illumined the minds of certain men who were enabled to see certain things in the Scriptures and to sound the Watchman's call for the Church to come into alignment with what the Scriptures clearly taught all along. Certainly, ignorance and illiteracy played a large part in keeping the "Dark Ages" dark, but the darkness was also thickened and prolonged by an unwillingness to judge all things against the standard of the Word of God and hold fast that which was good. This also grieved the Holy Spirit, which quenched His sweet illuminating work. Today, we don't have the same excuse of illiteracy, but I wonder how much of the struggle of the American Church is really due to not bringing all things under the scrutiny of Christ through His Word and Spirit.
ReformingReformed?
The Protestant Reformation was not designed to be an historical event, but, rather, a call to a way of life. Hence, one of the cries of the Reformation was Sempre Reformanda (always reforming). The Reformers knew that in order for the Church to reach full maturity she would have to maintain a posture of continually weighing all things by the standard of the Scriptures (honestly interpreted) while pursuing the ministry of the Holy Spirit. They knew too, and demonstrated for us, that maintaining this posture would incur sharp criticism and even persecution. Reformation is not for the "spineless." Sadly, generally speaking, this posture has not been maintained. With various pressures, the Church has become domesticated rather than a bondslave, wildly in love with Christ Who bought us with His own blood. There are examples and ramifications in our life as a universal presence of the Kingdom of God, in our local expressions of that Kingdom, and in our family and individual lives. We will discuss some of these and hopefully, at least, get some of these issues on the table of discussion.
DeformedReformed!
When most people hear the word "Reformed", what do they think of? Most people I have heard comment on this, have mentioned things like: doctrine police, passionless, rationalists, cold, ingrown, superior, prideful, all-talk-and-no-stuff, and like comments. Those are just from people who have some idea (good or bad) of what "Reformation Theology" is. The first impressions of people who have never before heard of "Reformation Theolgy" are more comical than critical. Sadly, and I say this as an insider, we have earned the criticism! For far too long, to be Reformed has been synonymous (in popular opinion) with Deformed. Ouch! The Reformed voice has been muted by misrepresentations. Our arguments have been defanged by the general lack of charity. "Purer Theology" has been polluted by pride and intellectualism (which we know is different from intelligence). But those criticisms do not even belong in the same sentence with the names of such men as: John Owen, John Calvin, John Knox, John Bunyan, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, John Piper (notice a lot of John's?), among others. What has happened? Truthfully, these examples which disprove the popular idea are far too few and far between! There is no heart like a heart set aflame with the glory and promise of Reformation Theology! It has been well-said that the worst enemy of true religion is not irreligion, but false-religion. So, I add, the best advocate and defense for true religion is true religion- incarnational, Biblical, impassioned, articulate, responsive!
ReclaimingREFORMED
With that said, the purpose of this blog is not to blast anyone or even to overly indulge in self-criticism. Instead, we will discuss issues and suggest a way forward which, having learned from the past generations, progresses to more fully "take captive" every thought which sets itself up against the true knowledge of Christ. We want to reclaim, not re-invent, what it is to be Reformed- God-addicted, Covenantal, Bible-soaked, Charitable, pioneering, Spirit-Empowered, Gospel-tapped! I will also place personal meditations on Scripture and the glory of being a Christian on this blog. I welcome your ideas, comments, and even criticisms (graciously offered)! Please do come back and visit often. We'll look at such topics as: the Sufficiency of Scripture, the Sacraments, Spiritual Gifts, Community, Preaching, Worship, Evangelism, and others. All criticism will be received with grace and prayer. All are encouraged to comment, even if you severely disagree with my views! If you have ideas of other areas of life and ministry which we should consider together, I invite those ideas as well.

God bless you!
Daniel