The Good Portion

Today is the day I would usually post an overview of our latest reading in Charity and Its Fruits, but illness in our Chico study group (keep Rachel in your prayers as she's been in bed for days now) has led to the cancellation our study for this week.  But rather than leave this page blank, I'd like to take this opportunity to elaborate on a discussion we had during our last meeting. In the doctrine portion of Lecture Two, one of Edwards' points is that though the "extraordinary gifts" (what we would call spiritual gifts or charismata, particularly prophecy, tongues, miracles and the like) are great privileges, the ordinary influence of the Spirit (the fruit of the spirit, which are summed up in love) is far more excellent.  In explaining the reasons for this superiority, he made a point which some of us found difficult to wrap our minds around and which led to a fairly lengthy discussion:  Unlike extraordinary gifts, the "This blessing of the saving gr...

In the five years since my conversion, I've listened to countless lectures and read many articles and books rehearsing the lives of "heroes" of the faith, some of whom died martyrs, others who lived for Christ and died natural deaths. Lectures and shorter writings in particular tended to highlight great accomplishments, moments of agonized bravery, and unmistakable turns of divine providence - inspiring and motivational fare. Early on in my Christian life I would listen to such lectures one after another, amazed by great works accomplished and great influence achieved, wondering all along if such godliness and success could come out of my life, if there was anything in the lives of these notable figures that I could hope to emulate. Eventually I moved on to reading full biographies and was faced with something I seemed by-and-large to have missed before - these men were really sinners.  These great ones of the faith sometimes made horrible decisions based upon sinful a...

(This week we continue our reading together of the Jonathan Edwards' classic, Charity and Its Fruits. We have just concluded the reading of the "Doctrine" portion of Lecture Two. We will continue with the "Application" portion of Lecture Two in next week's reading. This is the pattern we will be using for the entirety of the reading. The notes below will follow Edwards' own outline directly, with all direct quotes from the text in italics. My goal is to make each post edifying on its own, even for those who are not reading along with us. I will welcome your questions or comments in the form below.)  Charity and Its Fruits Lecture II. Part One Charity More Excellent Than the Extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all fa...

It Is Well With My Soul You likely know this well-beloved hymn, but here's the story behind it . __________________________________________ Look Who's a Believer Now Whatever you do, don't give up on your atheist friends.  Love them. Talk about your faith, if they are willing.  Pray for them.  My husband was once an atheist.  Many other Christians were too:   "They came to realize that they could only tear down and thus were left intellectually with no habitable place to live. John Henry Gordon, who held the only full-time, salaried secularist lecturer position in England, came to believe that secularism was a creed of "mere negations." Read more of atheists who go on to believe in God here . ___________________________________________ Archaeological Evidence Found that Luther Was Indeed A Mere Mortal Here's a strange little archeological find. On the historic site of the home of Martin Luther, renovations were being made.  You'll n...

Just a little something I can't get out of my head I'll share it with you before I go to bed.   Nearer My God to Thee Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me; Still all my song shall be nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! Chorus Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, Darkness be over me, my rest a stone; Yet in my dreams I'd be nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! Chorus There let the way appear steps unto heav'n; All that Thou sendest me in mercy giv'n; Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! Chorus Then with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise, Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise; So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee! Chorus Or if on joyful wing, cleaving the sky, Sun, moon, and sta...

Perhaps you'll recall from a previous post that I'm currently reading Elisabeth Elliot's book, Through Gates of Splendor , the story of the mission and martyrdom of her husband Jim and his co-workers in Ecuador in 1956.  In that entry I shared a quote from Jim Elliot.  Today I'd like to share some thoughts from his fellow missionary, pilot Nate Saint. At the age of thirteen, during the forced inactivity of a bout of osteomyelitis, the young Christian first wondered if perhaps God was calling him to be a missionary. Upon recovery and renewed vitality, however, it appears that notion fell by the wayside as he pursued his other passion -  flight, eventually becoming an Air Force cadet.  Nate was on course to be an Air Force pilot until, on the eve of his first day of flight instruction, once again his osteomyelitis grounded him. His dream of becoming a military pilot would never be realized.  His new position was that of maintenance crew chief.  In his de...

Charity and Its Fruits (This week we continue our reading together of the Jonathan Edwards' classic, Charity and Its Fruits. We have just concluded the reading of the "Application" portion of Lecture 1. We will continue with the "Doctrine" portion of Lecture Two in next week's reading. This is the pattern we will be using for the entirety of the reading. The notes below will follow Edwards' own outline directly, with my commentary inserted in green. My goal is to make each post edifying on its own, even to those who are not reading along with us. I will welcome your questions or comments in the form below.) Application In the application of this subject , we may use it in the way of self-examination, instruction, and exhortation. And, 1. In view of it, let us examine ourselves, and see if we have the spirit which it enjoins.... "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves who...

I've recently begun reading Elisabeth Elliot's book, Through Gates of Splendor , the story of the mission and martyrdom of her husband Jim and his co-workers in Ecuador in 1956.  Less than 50 pages in, I can already say that I'm finding myself impressed and inspired.  I may find more to share here in the future, but for now I'd like to leave you with just one quote. In 1950 Jim came to the conclusion that God was calling him to Ecuador, to bring the Gospel to the Aucas, a tribe dreaded by all who knew of them, and who had murdered the last missionary who had dared approach them - 200 years prior.  Upon learning of his decision, concerned family and friends hoped to convince him that he might be of better use here in the United States, "where so many know so little of the Bible's real message." To these objections he replied: "I dare not stay home while Quichuas perish.  What if the well-filled church in the homeland need stirring?  They have the ...

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door, And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime; Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor Old hammers, worn with beating years of time. “How many anvils have you had,” said I, “To wear and batter all these hammers so?” “Just one,” said he, and then with twinkling eye, “The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.” And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word, For ages skeptic blows have beat upon; Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard, The anvil is unharmed – the hammers gone. Author Unknown (Thanks for sharing this, Andy. )

In my previous meditation in this series I began examining the reasons, from the perspective of Scripture, that "the testimony of creation, as overwhelming and magnificent as it is, has not proven sufficient to bring people to God," asking, "Why has creation not proven a testimony sufficient to elicit praise for God from all mankind?"  I chose to focus on what I consider to be the two over-arching reasons - the glory of God, and the sin of mankind - and began with the more obvious of the two - the sin of man. Within a day or two of publishing those thoughts this question was posed by a friend of mine on Facebook: "How would you answer a seeker's question: Why didn't God make humans perfect to start with?"  My first thought, of course, was "He did".  But it seemed fairly obvious that was not really what he was getting at. Rather what he seemed to be asking was the bigger question, "Why did God make man capable of sin?"  Hoping ...

A few days ago I happened upon a statement about biblical inerrancy in Bob Godfrey's little book, An Unexpected Journey, Discovering Reformed Theology , which has left me somewhat puzzled.  I've read it over several times and yet find myself with more questions than answers: "Today that attack on the full trustworthiness of the Bible comes in many forms.  Some see the Bible as simply a record of human religious experience from which one may or may not learn something useful.  Others believe that the Bible contains the Word of God in the midst of other human thoughts that are not true.  Still others believe that the Bible is the Word of God, although flawed with a few errors.  All of these approaches to the Bible require that we as students become the judges of Scripture, separating truth from error.  But God has revealed his Word to be the judge of our thinking and living.  His Word is completely true and shows us the errors in our lives.  For s...

"Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing." Isaiah 40: 21-26 At some point in a future meditation I intend to explore the philosophical notion tha...

Due to circumstances beyond my control, our study of Charity and Its Fruits was canceled this evening. Lord willing, we will continue where we left off next Monday evening. If you're behind, this is a great chance to catch up. If you're caught up, I hope you will use this time to process and practice what we've learned so far. As no doubt you've already noticed, our progress will be slow but (mostly) steady. That said, I'd love to use this little interval as an opportunity to expand a bit on a concept Edwards touched on briefly in this chapter, but which is a rather dominant theme in his theology and thought - light and heat. In our reading this past week we came across this passage: " If persons have the true light of heaven let into their souls, it is not a light without heat. Divine knowledge and divine love go together . A spiritual view of divine things always excites love in the soul, and draws forth the heart in love to every proper object. True disc...