More Word, Less Work

So, I spent some time tonight with four other guys talking about our lack of desire to spend time in the Word. I've decided (somewhat legalistically) to start spending some time in the Word every day for the next week while praying Psalm 1 (that I would delight in the law of the Lord).

One of the guys tonight brought up Luke 14:26-35. This is where we are told to "consider the cost" of following Christ. I go into this week long commitment anticipating that my desire to follow Christ will cost me something. Compared to what others around the world suffer on a daily basis, I think I can accept the cost of a little less sleep or starting work a little bit later or possibly even missing a deadline so that I can spend time in the Word.

I'm honestly not sure just how 'legalistic' or even 'doctrinally' sound this approach will be... but this is how its going down for the next seven days... and I'm excited to spend the extra time in the Word.

Ironically, I just read my last post... from July 2008! Old priorities die hard I guess.

Paneling My House

I've had a hard time getting into the Word of God on a daily basis lately. This isn't a legalistic concern but a heart concern. When I don't spend time prioritizing the things that God prioritizes, I don't prioritize God.

It never sounds good coming out of my mouth (or typing it on the computer screen) but it is good for me to acknowledge: I don't prioritize God in my life.

Larry Trotter taught from Haggai this past Sunday. He started his message with a warning: "Having a conversation with the minor prophets is not that different than looking down the barrel of a shotgun." This has certainly been true of my experience with the first chapter of Haggai this week. I keep trying to look away but it's pretty well aimed at my heart this morning.

Haggai's message to the Jews was simple: You have neglected God's priority (rebuilding the temple) and have instead invested your time into "paneling your own houses". Haggai's audience had the same problem I've had lately: they believed that "the time has not yet come" to do that which the Lord has asked of them. This justification apparently existed so that they could invest in their own priorities and better their own standards of living.

I'm like Haggai's audience. I have plenty of excuses for why I haven't spent time in the Word or spent time talking to my Maker. I have excuses that justify my lack of concern for the lost, the divided attention I give to my family, and my ill concern for the poor, the widows and the orphans or our society. In a nutshell though, I'm too busy "providing" for my own well being.

I have to ask though: might all this "providing", all these excuses be in vain? I know the answer... it's obvious... but why do I continue in my sin? Why do I continue paneling my house while the Lord's temple lies in ruins?

Please pray with me as I seek to prioritize the Lord this week by prioritizing what He prioritizes.

Modeling a Godly Lifestyle

I have a good friend that has encouraged me in my walk with the Lord for some time now. We have tried multiple different methods of accomplishing this other over the couple of years that we've known one another - the classic accountability structure, phone calls, emails, prayer journals, etc. In the past, he's had to bluntly tell me that I needed to stop doing something... other times he's told me I needed to start doing something. I've always appreciated his encouragement and I know that there have been several dark periods in my life that would have carried on for a longer period of time if he hadn't been there to challenge or encourage me. Nonetheless, I have found that he encourages me to live a godly life the most when I see him living a godly life.

My wife and I recently had our second child (Meghan Colleen) and life has been somewhat hectic. I took a break from the chaos the other day and called up my friend to see if he wanted to go to a local coffee house and study together. I met him there as planned but before he began studying, I noticed that he was spending some time in the Word and journaling. I hadn't done so in a couple of weeks and, quite frankly, watching him spend time in the Word created a longing desire for me to do the same.

I think that this type of "accountability" or encouragement is one of the most affective means of leading others closer to God. While it will often be beneficial and necessary for me to exhort or confront my friends and family concerning our relationships and walks with the Lord, I think a godly lifestyle on my part will always resonate louder and give ample opportunity for the Holy Spirit to personally encourage or convict those around me.

I thank God for the believers He has placed around me.

Come, Let Us Return to the Lord

I found this beautiful response to God's judgment in Hosea 6 this morning. I thought I would share it:

"Come, let us return to the Lord.
For He has torn us, but He will heal us;
He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.
He will revive us after two days;
He will raise us up on the thrid day
That we may live before Him.
So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.
His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth."

I've been studying the book of Hosea for a while now and I'm amazed at how many references there are to the coming king. This morning, I praise God for His faithfulness to us in the midst of our unfaithfulness towards Him... "so let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn..."

Obedience to the Word of God

Yesterday I posted about my desire to wed my doctrine more securely to my life.

Last night I found an old friend's blog. He recently renamed it "The Champion of Truth (when it benefits me)". Previously it was only "The Champion of Truth." His reason for appending "when it benefits me" to his blog title can be found here. In short, he was convicted by the same "divorce" concept God has been teaching me about lately.

This morning, I began reading the Old Testament book of Hosea and noticed the obvious connection between verse two and verse three of chapter one. God told Hosea to take an adulteress wife (verse 2) and he did (verse 3). Chapter one records no hesitations by Hosea, no questioning God and no disobedience on his part. This is in stark contrast to the people of Israel who God has asked Hosea to rebuke on his behalf.

I'm thankful to God for His continual conviction in this area and hope that it will lead to a sincere change in my character for the good.

A Doctrine Divorced from Life

Found within the introduction to Bonhoeffer's Life Together is the following testimony to his life:

"For him, Christianity could never be merely intellectual theory, a doctrine divorced from life, or mystical emotion, but always it must be responsible, obedient action, the discipleship of Christ in every situation of concrete everyday life, personal and pubic. And it was this that led him to prison and death."

While I've opened this book with the intention to read it several times within the last five to six years, I have never made it through the first chapter. It seems that school or work always gets in the way. Though my work has by no means lessened, I am now free from school and look forward to reading more often.

This quote is important to me because it says what I'm searching for. In the course of my seminary education, I feel that I've somewhat divorced my intellectual studies from my life. I find myself constantly thinking about and questioning theology, but failing to live that which I study. If I were to study a theology that represents what I live, I am afraid to admit what the titles of the books might sound like or what the topics found within those books might be.

I look forward to reading Bonhoeffer because it is apparent that his life theology echoed his lectures and writings.

Does Heaven Limit Our Freedom?

I ran across this post from John Piper in my feed reader this morning... very interesting. I've never read the essay that he references, but I think I may take the time to do so in the near future.

In short, the question revolves around the lack of sin in heaven. Does God revoke our ability to sin or is the desire to sin simply overwhelmed by the presence of God? That may be excluding a middle somewhere... I'll have to read the entire essay and let you know. The essay is by Edwards (didn't see that one coming) and is quite long.