Why blog? Why Tweet?

I asked myself a couple of questions recently.
#1. Why do I enjoy reading blogs so much?
#2. Why is Twitter so fascinating?
#3. Why do I blog and why do I Tweet?

Most of the blogs I follow are Christian men that I have learned to respect because they point me to the cross, the same can be said for the folks I follow on Twitter. The answer therefore to questions 1 & 2 is that through these blogs and tweets I am forced to think about and dwell on topics and doctrines that make me grow and give me a desire to draw closer to my King through the study of his word.

My third question is a little more complicated because it tends to get all wrapped up in the fact that I have a sin nature. Why do I blog? Why do I tweet? Well, I guess that I want to share some of what my God has done and is doing for me and hopefully encourage those who read my blog (and tweets) to think about and dwell on topics and doctrines that will help them grow and have a desire to closer to their King through the study of his word. My spirit wants that. My flesh however tends to desire the praise of man.

I was reading in Matthew the other day the Sermon on the Mount. 6:1 says, ''Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.''

If written with the wrong motives I know that the praise of man is the only reward that I will receive. I want more then that! I want to honor my God and give Him the glory for the work he has done. I know that I need to be careful to write with the correct motives. I need to practice righteousness to and for my King, not for you, and not for me.

Love

My son and I used to have this ongoing battle. I would tell him that I love him and he would immediately blurt out, ''I love you more!'' I started telling him that until he could define what love is he can never prove to me that he loves me more (not that he ever could ;). Over the years this has turned into many great teachable moments. Often we turn to 1 Cor. 13 and read it together, or we talk about the gospel or any other scripture that may be relevant at the time. Now when I ask Ty to define what love is he says, ''I want what is best for you''. While that is probably an over-simplification, I believe he is beginning to grasp what love is.

While it is often much easier for me to see the shortcomings of others in this area of love I have to force myself to look in the mirror and I often have difficulty seeing my own face because of the tree I have sticking out of my own eye. Like all of you I have difficult people in my life. Do I picture them dying and agonizing death at my own hands or do I really want what is best for them? Do I brush them off because I ''don't have the time'' or do I want what is best for them? Am I to selfish to share with them the Gospel or evangelize them or do I turn and go my merry way.

If asked, I am sure that I would be able to explain to you what love is or at least what my understanding of what love is. If watched, I pray that I will also be able to show you through my actions what love is. I am continually aware of the two 13 year old eyes that are watching me constantly. As Paul told Timothy to watch his life and doctrine carefully, I need to do the same. We need to do the same. The world is watching. Will they be able to see in our lives that we love, or will they see instead that we just don't have the time.

Wretched Worms

Worms. When I think of worms I think of fishing. I think of hooking a worm several times and then sending that insignificant little critter to the depths to hopefully entice a fish to end up on my dinner plate. Worms are easy to find if you know where to look and if you don't well then they are relatively cheap to purchase at the nearest bait shop or convenience store. Worms are the old stand-by. If nothing else works lob a worm out there and chances are you will catch something. Worms are expendable. I don't know of many folks who would swerve their car to miss hitting a worm, or feel to badly about loosing a couple while fishing, maybe even end up staying a little to long in moms fridge. To our human perspective worms are just not that important in the scheme of things.


Thankfully our God's perspective is a little different! In Isaiah 41:14, ''Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.'' Not only does God refer to Jacob as a worm but He also declares that He is one who helps Israel, and He is their Redeemer!


The next time I am fishing I will be sure to look at that worm and think of myself, wretched worm that I am. I may still think that worm on my hook is not very significant but I will praise God that he sent his son to die for this insignificant worm that is me.

Tozer

This quote is taken from ''The Pursuit of God''. He is speaking of men who seem to love God more then most, men who God uses mightily.

They were prophets, not scribes, for the scribe tells us what he has read, and the prophet tells what he has seen. The description is not an imaginary one. Between the scribe who has read and the prophet who has seen there is a difference as wide as the sea. We are overrun today by orthodox scribes, but the prophets, where are they? The hard voice of the scribe sounds over evangelicalism, but the Church waits for the tender voice of the saint who has penetrated the veil and has gazed with inward eye upon the wonder that is God.

I love to read. As I read I need to be careful that this knowledge that I am gaining is not empty but full of the wonder of God. I can share with you what I have read, but without conviction, my words are empty like that of the scribes. I pray that as I grow as a Christian I will see God as he is, not just read. I thank God for this gentle reminder this morning!

Hebrews 4:14-16

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

What a mystery! What a blessing! What a promise! What a mighty God we serve!

Scripture vs. Scripture

It has been very interesting for me as of late to watch those around me interpret, speak, and sometimes teach what they believe scripture has to say. There are so many folks from so many different backgrounds thinking and teaching so many different things. The problem here is that it does not matter what we think scripture says or feel what scripture says, what matters is what scripture is actually saying. There is after all only one truth. The easiest way for me to think about and relay this difficult situation is to talk about salvation and the different ways it is interpreted through scripture. For example, is it ''once saved always saved'' or ''perseverance of the saints''? Can we loose our salvation? Are we chosen for salvation or do we choose it on your own? On what do we base these decisions? Is this what we have always believed because this is what we have always been taught? Do we use just one scripture to show our position, or many different verses, or do we base our decision on these issues on the whole of scripture systematically?

We all bring ''baggage'' to the table with us when it comes to looking at scripture and trying to decipher what God is trying to tell us. We all have very different experiences that tend to tint how we view the truths of scripture. For example: Do you us feelings when reading scripture? Perhaps it is just what you have always believed or have been taught by your parents or schooling? I went to bible school and at the time I believed everything I was taught. A bible school could not be wrong. Could they? Maybe it is tradition, or a particular denomination that we unpack scripture with. Our goal when it comes to bible study should be to bring as few of these pieces of ''luggage'' with us as possible. We need to pray that God will enable us to read his word with a clear mind, that his Spirit will enable us to understand his Word. Remember, there is only one truth! I do believe we are, by Gods grace, able to see and know many truths in scripture. It is important though to interpret scripture with scripture and not with the ''baggage'' we carry. My point here is that we need to know Gods word. Know what it says, know what it means before we open our mouths! Be faithful to the teachings of scripture, not to what we feel, or have been taught. Make it your own and be able to back it up with truth.

Lamenting Lip Service

If you have been following my blog at all as of late you know that I have been reading books such as Jonny Mac's ''The Jesus you Can't Ignore'' or ''Truth War'' and I just started Matthew Meads ''The Almost Christian Discovered''. Very convicting books that are often times not very comfortable to read but at the same time outstanding because of growth through the Refiners fire. One of the hardest truths I have been forced to come face to face with through all of this is that I am a very stubborn sinner. Probably obvious to those of you who are close to me! I have been spending time as of late in Isaiah and read a couple of verses this morning that really hit the nail on the head.

Isaiah 29:13-14a-
And the Lord said:
because this people draw near with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far away from me
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.
therefore, behold, I will again
do wonderful things with these people,
with wonder upon wonder...

Too often I am guilty of just giving the Lord lip service. Too often I fear God because that is what I am supposed to do. Last night I had a bit of an awakening through something wonderful that Lord has done and is doing. I had a conversation of sorts with my x wife and I told her that I wanted to be a family again. This is something that Ty and I have been praying about for a long time. I know that others have too and I thank God for your prayers. While she didn't say, ''Yeah! Lets do it!'' She was not opposed to the idea and said that she sometimes feels the same way. She said she is not ready for it now but is open to the possibility of getting together and talking about it sometime in the future. I encouraged her to pray about it and she promised me that she would. I believe that the Lord is working in both of our lives and I know that He will continue to do so. We may never be a family again and I am OK with that. I can't help but think that someday we will though. I praise God for doing a wonderful thing in my life last night in spite of the lip service I sometimes offer to Him. I am humbled before my great and sovereign God. Soften this heart of mine so I can be more usefull to you.