Soma

I’m currently reading The Godly Man’s Picture by Thomas Watson and was convicted and challenged by this section on humility.  I thought it may bless you too:

If humility is the inseparable character of a godly man, let us test our hearts by this touchstone.  Are we humble?  Alas, where does their godliness appear who are swollen with pride and ready to burst?  But though men are proud, they will not confess it.  This bastard of pride is born but none are willing to father it.  Therefore let me ask a few questions and let conscience answer:

1.  Are not those who are given to boasting proud?

2.  Are not those who have a high opinion of their own excellencies proud?

3.  Are not those who despise others proud?

4.  Are not those who trumpet their own praise proud?

5.  Are not those who take the glory due to God to themselves proud?

6.  Are not those who are never pleased with their condition proud?

…You may as well call him who lacks discretion a prudent man, as him who lacks humility a godly man.

David Powlison (in my opinion) is one of the greatest thinkers the church has alive today in the area of personal ministry and practical theology.  I would strongly suggest his books, and in addition, Sovereign Grace Ministries has gathered together a number of resources they created on their blog over the past few months that are definitely worth checking out.  I have been very influenced by Powlison’s thought and would suggest you listen to/read some of his stuff.  In a world (and even a church) that is very confused when it comes to understanding people, why they do what they do, and how to help each other, Powlison is a uniquely clear thinker who provides some much needed Biblically founded clarity.

Check out the index at Sovereign Grace here.

So, I’m back in the LA Superior Courthouse in Santa Monica.  About an hour after I published my last post on serving jury duty we were informed that we could postpone our service if there was some reason we could not serve on a 7-day trial.  I figured that moving in three days was a valid excuse, so I postponed my service…that is…until today.

So here I am (Oh horror of horrors!) in an air-conditioned jury waiting room with my own personal desk, free wi-fi and Starbucks coffee.  Again, I will reiterate my lack of right to complain in a situation like this.  I am reminded again of Paul’s encouragement to the Romans (13:1):

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

How are you viewing your governing authorities this morning?

I just ordered a book from Monergism Books for the first time.  In the box that the book came in was a pamphlet entitled “A Readers Guide to the Christian Life.”  You can view the book recommendations that the guide suggests here, but what made me stop was the mini-article on the back of the pamphlet.  I don’t know who wrote it, but it ministered to me, so I thought I’d share:

I am one person in one place at one time.  My experiences and perceptions are limited and colored by the environment in which I live.  Therefore, it would be profoundly arrogant of me to think that I  can best grow in the knowledge of God through Scripture by myself.

Certainly the Holy Spirit is graciously given to all God’s children to enable us to comprehend and be conformed to the truths of the Bible.  Nevertheless, one of the primary means of grace God uses in the process of our transformation is the universal-historical community of believers.  Within that community, God graciously provides leaders of few and leaders of many to equip the saints for the work of ministry.

It is a humbling thing for me to read a book.  Most books take at least several hours of combined time to process, and I have to forsake other distractions in order to focus and benefit from what I am reading.  Most of all, I can’t talk back.  I am forced to just listen, patiently follow and receive, to think another man’s thoughts after him.

One of the new desires placed into the heart of every believer is the desire to think God’s thoughts after him.  Let’s pursue humility by receiving the thoughts of those who have led us and spoken the word of God to us in the most enduring of all earthly mediums: the book.

This week I have been re-reading A.W. Tozer’s The Pursuit of God.  If you haven’t read it, I would highly suggest it (it’s a quick read at just over 100 pages), and if you have read it, you know you would be blessed by picking it up again…I sure have been.

Here’s a taste of the mastery of words and deep spiritual understanding that Tozer possessed.  Even meditation on this simple paragraph ought to make your your morning, your day, and the tenor of your life different if you take the time to listen carefully:

The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.  Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness.  Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight.  Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever.

As Jesus said (Mark 8:34-35):

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it

Unfortunately, this is no joke.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has been an important part of my life.  I grew up in an ELCA church, was baptized (as an infant) and confirmed there, became a Christian at an ELCA church, and went to Cal Lutheran (an ELCA university)…where I met my wife.  As a result, this week I have been following the Lutheran Assembly’s voting as it pertains to the issue of homosexuality in the church.  Yesterday, the church voted to “agree to disagree” on the issue of practicing homosexuality in the life of a Christian.  They decided to leave up to “conscience” something that is clearly stated as sin throughout Scripture.  The fact that this is even a debate within the church is a symptom of the disregard for the authority of Scripture which was the reason I ended up leaving the ELCA in college.  The even bigger vote on whether or not churches may call a pastor who is practicing homosexuality is scheduled for Friday.  But, that is not the only thing that happened in Minneapolis on Thursday afternoon.  An unexpected tornado swept through downtown Minneapolis at the exact same time the debate regarding homosexuality was raging.  It touched down right where the meeting was happening, at the convention center, and broke off the top of the steeple of the ELCA church across the street.  This imagery speaks for itself:

It is easy to over-spiritualize an event like this, but I am afraid that it is even easier to under-spiritualize it.  I would strongly suggest reading this post from John Piper for a helpful, Biblical interpretation.  His conclusion ought to be heeded by us all (because if it is not this sexual sin, for far too many of us it is sexual sin of a different kind):

The tornado in Minneapolis was a gentle but firm warning to the ELCA and all of us: Turn from the approval of sin. Turn from the promotion of behaviors that lead to destruction. Reaffirm the great Lutheran heritage of allegiance to the truth and authority of Scripture. Turn back from distorting the grace of God into sensuality. Rejoice in the pardon of the cross of Christ and its power to transform left and right wing sinners.

Update: This post was (unfortunately) auto posted to Facebook and before I could delete it from that format (as I was hoping to do) it was commented on by a couple of old friends who didn’t appreciate it.  However, it is intended to be thought about by the people in our church.  A decision on homosexuality by a church did not necessarily cause a tornado…however God is not mocked and He uses many things in creation and in our world to grab our attention.

Justin Taylor’s words are helpful:

The world is divided into those who are sobered by such possibilities, and those who giggle and roll their eyes. If you’re tempted to do the latter, I’d encourage you to read Piper’s post carefully and prayerfully.

The International Justice Mission (IJM) does some pretty incredible work with human trafficking all over the world.  It is definitely an organization that you ought to be familiar with.  Check out the trailer to the documentary they are releasing this fall:

Just in case you weren’t aware…for those of you who know Jeff Lau, IJM is who he is serving with this summer for his law school internship.

Well, we finally have internet at the new house, so I can get back to blogging…hopefully a little more regularly.

This article was fascinating to me. I wonder what this means for our global ministry.  I wonder what this means for the call of the church as these different areas explode with population.  I wonder what the call on each of our individual lives.  Here are some highlights:

The world’s population is forecast to hit 7 billion in 2011, the vast majority of its growth coming in developing and, in many cases, the poorest nations, a report released Wednesday said.

A staggering 97 percent of global growth over the next 40 years will happen in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

By 2050, India is projected to be the world’s most populous nation at 1.7 billion, overtaking current leader China, which is forecast to hit 1.4 billion. The United States is expected to reach 439 million for No. 3 on the list.

God is the source of true compassion.  Real comfort is more than thinking the right things in times of trouble.  It involves having my identity rooted in something deeper than my relationships, possessions, achievements, wealth, health, or my ability to figure it all out.  Real comfort is found when I understand that I am help in the hoolow of the hand of the One who created and rules all things.  The most valuable thing in my life is God’s love, a love that no one can take away.  When my identitiy is rooted in him, the storms of trouble will not blow me away.

Paul Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands

So, after returning from vacation on Saturday, I was just beginning to catch up on responsibilities and relationships when I found out that I was called to serve jury duty today.  That’s right, in the 7 days between vacation and moving our entire family into a new house, I get to spend an entire day at the LA Superior Courthouse in Santa Monica.

But, please don’t get me wrong…there are no complaints here.  It seems easy and normal to complain about jury duty, but as I got up this morning, picked up my coffee and headed to the courthouse I was struck by two thoughts:

1.  God has incredibly blessed me by allowing me to live in a country where we have a program such as jury service.  Many people all over the world do not have to be inconvenienced by the call of jury service, but they are also not allowed to participate in their governments or justice systems at all.  How incredible is it that instead of some grand fiat from on high, our justice system is run (by in large) by the decisions of average citizens like me.

2.  SInce God is sovereign, to complain about jury service seems to fall into the same category as complaining about paying my taxes: it is an afront to God who placed the authority in power.  As a husband, pastor, elder and father there are very few authorities in my life that I have the chance to willingly (and joyfully) submit to.  However, the government is one such authority.  Therefore, since they are not asking me to sin and aren’t even acting unjust towards me, I ought to respond to this opportunity with joyful service, not begrudged anxiousness.  Check out what Romans 13:1-7 says:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.  For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.  Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.  For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.  Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

And, in addition, I’m writing this blog entry while sitting in the jury room!  Free wifi!  How in the world can I complain about jury service when they give me a desk, a plug and free wifi?!

Those are my thoughts for this morning.  No complaints from me.  But, I also wouldn’t complain if you would pray that I don’t get placed on a long trial…because as joyfully as I respond to this opportunity…I’d still rather spend my work hours being your pastor.