Ran out of time two days in a row to record my thoughts. I'm chewing on Psalm 113 and 114. Keep thinking about the word "forever" in relation to how long we are to praise the Lord. That made me think of how NOTHING on this earth is forever. Everything always comes to an end eventually - and no person, no matter how powerful, has a forever rule. In fact, most people who do end up in a ruling/leadership position don't even get praised for a short lifetime. And many are deserving of more than just criticism. Yet, God is so great, so perfect, that it is completely appropriate to praise him ALL the time, FOREVER.
What's more - the rest of Psalm 112 goes on to talk about his gracious, loving character... how he exalts the humble and helps the poor and needy.
I love that we can praise God forever - and that His character is such that our praise for Him will never be undeserved. He is, was, and always will be worthy of our praise!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Good Reading on the Dangers of Subjectivism
I've been reading a couple of good books recently. One is called "Running Against the Wind" by Brian Flynn (http://www.lighthousetrails.com/runningagainstthewind.htm) - a former New Age medium who shares the story of how God saved him, and warns the Church about the New Age practices and doctrines he sees creeping within its walls. The second book, which I am presently working on, is called "The Other Side of the River," written by Kevin Reeves (http://www.theothersideoftheriver.com). Once again, it is written from the perspective of one who used to be in the movement (The River Movement, a.k.a., The Third Wave, The Latter Rain) and who has seen the dangers firsthand.
As I've contemplated both movements (New Age and The River), I have noticed a fundamental similarity between them. They both want people to move away from the authority of the written Word of God and into the realm of the subjective experience. New Age leads people to find help from the demon world to cure sickness, predict future events, and "feel a sense of peace." The River Movement leads people to accept the authority of their pastor and his revelations over everything else, and uses scare tactics to keep people from asking honest questions about what they see as unscriptural practice and teaching.
Nor are these two groups alone. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, I'm told, have a similar practice - exalting the teachings of an individual over the Word of God (e.g. Joseph Smith, C.T. Russell) and refusing to read any literature that would be contrary, not to the Word of God, but to the man-made teachings of their group!
Sadly, some Christians are following suit... locking into a teaching/practice/way of thinking that was handed down by their denomination or pastor rather than searching the Scriptures to see if these things are true. Shame on us!
I am grateful for the opportunity I had to attend Northwest Baptist Seminary (www.nbs.edu) to pursue a Master's degree in Theological Studies. At NBS, the professors made me think and taught me how to ask questions! They even (gasp) gave me articles from opposing viewpoints in order to challenge me to get back into the Scriptures and think beyond the limitations of my untested preconceived notions. They weren't afraid that I'd disagree with them if I studied the Bible. Rather, they gave me the tools to sift through the cultish smokescreens to truth (subjective experience) and look at what the biblical authors had to say to their original audiences.
I'm still learning to correctly apply the tools to the study of the Word of God, and I'm still working on the discipline to dig into the Word daily and let God use it to challenge and refine me... but this one thing I am convinced of - the Lord does not change and He has given His written Word so that we may come to know Him as He is. Our relationship with Him is not based on our feelings or subjective experience, or on the feelings or experiences of another. Our relationship with Him is based solely on the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ - the God-Man, who through His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection from the dead, paid the penalty for our sins so that we may, through faith in Him, receive eternal life and dwell with God.
There is NO OTHER WAY to know God. Jesus has declared it - "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me. If you really knew me, you would now my Father also" (Jn. 14:6-9).
As I've contemplated both movements (New Age and The River), I have noticed a fundamental similarity between them. They both want people to move away from the authority of the written Word of God and into the realm of the subjective experience. New Age leads people to find help from the demon world to cure sickness, predict future events, and "feel a sense of peace." The River Movement leads people to accept the authority of their pastor and his revelations over everything else, and uses scare tactics to keep people from asking honest questions about what they see as unscriptural practice and teaching.
Nor are these two groups alone. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, I'm told, have a similar practice - exalting the teachings of an individual over the Word of God (e.g. Joseph Smith, C.T. Russell) and refusing to read any literature that would be contrary, not to the Word of God, but to the man-made teachings of their group!
Sadly, some Christians are following suit... locking into a teaching/practice/way of thinking that was handed down by their denomination or pastor rather than searching the Scriptures to see if these things are true. Shame on us!
I am grateful for the opportunity I had to attend Northwest Baptist Seminary (www.nbs.edu) to pursue a Master's degree in Theological Studies. At NBS, the professors made me think and taught me how to ask questions! They even (gasp) gave me articles from opposing viewpoints in order to challenge me to get back into the Scriptures and think beyond the limitations of my untested preconceived notions. They weren't afraid that I'd disagree with them if I studied the Bible. Rather, they gave me the tools to sift through the cultish smokescreens to truth (subjective experience) and look at what the biblical authors had to say to their original audiences.
I'm still learning to correctly apply the tools to the study of the Word of God, and I'm still working on the discipline to dig into the Word daily and let God use it to challenge and refine me... but this one thing I am convinced of - the Lord does not change and He has given His written Word so that we may come to know Him as He is. Our relationship with Him is not based on our feelings or subjective experience, or on the feelings or experiences of another. Our relationship with Him is based solely on the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ - the God-Man, who through His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection from the dead, paid the penalty for our sins so that we may, through faith in Him, receive eternal life and dwell with God.
There is NO OTHER WAY to know God. Jesus has declared it - "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me. If you really knew me, you would now my Father also" (Jn. 14:6-9).
Monday, August 6, 2007
The Beginning
I want to start this blog so that I can be more consistent with recording the things God is teaching me from the Word. It is my hope that as I am encouraged and admonished, anyone else who reads this will be too.
I am currently reading through the gospel of Mark and the Psalms. This morning, I read from Psalm 112 and was struck by verse 7, "He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." The "he" in this verse refers back to the man introduced in verse one, "How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments." Elsewhere in the passage, it describes him as "righteous."
I was thinking how often people speak of peace in Christ and a love for Him and His Word... until something bad/tragic happens. All of a sudden, people react as though the entirety of their previous faith was badly grounded. And perhaps it was... if it was grounded in the idea of everything going well for them. But the point is, we are to be grounded in the fear of the LORD, abiding in Him and obeying His commands. If our grounding is in Christ and not our expectation of what Christ will do to make our lives as we want them to be, we will be steadfast - even when we get bad news.
Lord - I want to be a woman who fears you always - not just when things are peaceful in my life, but even when bad news comes. I believe you are sovereign over everything and everyone. You know every bit of news that will ever come my way - and it will not come to me by accident. May my grounding be in YOU, and YOU alone... not in my expectations of what life ought to be like.
Thank you for your Word and the fellowship I can have with you because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. May He be glorified in my life today.
I am currently reading through the gospel of Mark and the Psalms. This morning, I read from Psalm 112 and was struck by verse 7, "He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." The "he" in this verse refers back to the man introduced in verse one, "How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments." Elsewhere in the passage, it describes him as "righteous."
I was thinking how often people speak of peace in Christ and a love for Him and His Word... until something bad/tragic happens. All of a sudden, people react as though the entirety of their previous faith was badly grounded. And perhaps it was... if it was grounded in the idea of everything going well for them. But the point is, we are to be grounded in the fear of the LORD, abiding in Him and obeying His commands. If our grounding is in Christ and not our expectation of what Christ will do to make our lives as we want them to be, we will be steadfast - even when we get bad news.
Lord - I want to be a woman who fears you always - not just when things are peaceful in my life, but even when bad news comes. I believe you are sovereign over everything and everyone. You know every bit of news that will ever come my way - and it will not come to me by accident. May my grounding be in YOU, and YOU alone... not in my expectations of what life ought to be like.
Thank you for your Word and the fellowship I can have with you because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. May He be glorified in my life today.
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