What we as men should value

Here's a link to Ray Ortlund's blog.
His son Dane spoke at Cornerstone a few years back.
I remember being very impressed.
What's the saying - the apple doesn't fall far from the tree?
I mean that in the best sense.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2012/02/24/what-kind-of-men-does-god-use/

While teaching 2 Corinthians this quarter in Sunday School, I am painfully reminded how far our lives are from reflecting the labor and suffering of the early apostles. Hear the Apostle Paul in 2 Cor. 11:24-33.

"Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands."

As I read so much material in the Christian internet world - of mission statements, vision, leadership roles, and church growth boasts - I am reminded from Paul's letters, that service to our Lord Jesus Christ most likely will result in suffering, both mentally and physically.

1 Thess.3:1 "Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain."

The early Apostles, the Reformers like Luther, the leaders of the Great Awakening, all of them did not look forward to the suffering. In fact, just like Paul in Damascus, they did everything they could, for the most part, to escape suffering. But suffering followed them.

We live in strange times. I will turn 58 tomorrow. Married 30 years this June. Saved by grace for almost 34 years. The Christian churches seem to have lost direction. Our country seems to have lost it's moral compass also. Our economy is the worst in my lifetime. The world and it's wars are endless and evil seems to have the upper hand.

I'm reminded of the old hymn - "...and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

Strangely dim indeed.

Maybe we should take Paul's words to the Thessalonians more to heart today. We WILL suffer affliction if we choose to serve Jesus. It might mean suffering in our wallet, our marriage, our relationships, our body, our psyche. But read again #2 from Ray Ortlund's blog:

2. They are bent on success: “As warriors, they set their hearts on victory and fought with the believing anticipation of triumph, under the guidance of such a Captain as their head.”

This blog post is a reminder to myself -

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

And I give permission to anyone reading this blog post to remind me of it again and again as necessary.

Can't buy me love

I love the story of Martin Luther.

What I like best about him was his willingness to stand up for what he believed the bible teaches and to courageously face opponents - even to the point of being threatened with death.

Here's an excerpt from an article in Christianity Today:

In his seminal Luther: Man Between God and the Devil (English edition Yale, 1989), Reformation scholar Heiko Oberman renders Luther's speech like this:

"Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason-for I can believe neither pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves-I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one's conscience is neither safe nor sound. God help me. Amen."

Being threatened with death for our biblical beliefs is not something we face in America today. At worst, we risk being slammed on the internet for posting our beliefs on a blog. Or a courageous athlete risks being made fun of in the media for expressing publicly his or her's faith in the Lord Jesus.

But this link isn't about that aspect of Martin Luther, it's about how he lived his life as a leader of the church.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/02/16/hospitality-and-generosity-in-the-luther-home/

Martin and Katie Luther - you gotta love em!

Why is there a basket under my chair at church anyway?

Here's an interesting article.

http://religiousaffections.org/articles/hymnody/thanks-but-ill-keep-my-printed-hymnal/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+ReligiousAffectionsMinistries+(Religious+Affections+Ministries)

I like how the author expresses both his love for truth, and a love for the history of music in the church.

Aaron G had a class with the youth on teaching the hymns. I'm sure it was helpful. An old guy like me questions the benefit of our youth never having held a hymnal in their hands.

I still remember the first hymn that affected me. God revealed Himself to me while I was working in Milwaukee in the mid 70's. The church I visited sang, Have Thine Own Way, Lord. Remains a favorite of mine to this day.

And here is a hymn that I have for years hoped would be sung at my funeral. This isn't morbid thinking - just a desire that such truth as found in the hymn would be heard by those who have never heard the gospel.

Be Still, My Soul
By: Catharina von Schlegel

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; your best, your heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; your God will undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and wind still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul; though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then you will better know his love, his heart,
Who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears.
Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay
From his own fullness all he takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.