One of my favorite scenes in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (the book not the movie) takes place in the land of Rivendell after the hobbits, Frodo and Sam, almost lost their lives at the hands of those seeking to capture the ring of power and before they continued their dangerous journey to the fires of Mount Doom in order to destroy the ring. J.R.R. Tolkien writes:
Such was the virtue of the land of Rivendell that soon all fear and anxiety was lifted from their minds. The future, good or ill, was not forgotten, but ceased to have any power over the present. Health and hope grew strong in them, and they were content with each good day as it came, taking pleasure in every meal, and in every word and song (The Fellowship of the Ring, 287).
The good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ is of such a quality that the past, present, or imagined future, “good or ill, are not forgotten, but cease to have any power over the present.” We could write pages of application on this. If you are prone to worry about tomorrow, you need the gospel. If you tend to fear people or circumstances, you need the gospel. If you are paralyzed by regret or plagued by guilt, you need the gospel. Only the gospel can free us from these things.
One of the ways our family seeks to serve orphans is by praying for them at supper time. I’ve had the opportunity to travel to orphanages in China and Ethiopia. So I printed out pictures of orphans I’ve had the privilege of meeting on those trips and put them on our refrigerator. Each time we eat supper our children choose a different orphan to pray for. Once they’ve made their choice and have the picture of their orphan in hand, we talk about what it means for God to be a “father of the fatherless” and how He adopts us into His family. We then take turns praying for each of their orphans.
On Saturday our youngest (4) prayed for the little girl pictured in the middle of the far right column. Here’s what he prayed:
“Father, thank you for my wonderful family; and I love the orphan that I chose today. Give her a mommy and a daddy, some toys, a couch, and lots of food to eat for her tummy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Carolina Hope invites you to join us for an Ethiopia Orphan Benefit Dinner & Auction at Furman University (Greenville, SC) on Saturday, September 6, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
In addition to dinner, the fundraiser will feature…
» live musical entertainment
» a silent auction with jewelry, rounds of golf, clothing, home interior pieces, purses, spa treatments, a girls night out package, and more
“Grace is the ultimate act of empathy. It is possible on the human level only to the degree that we can imagine ourselves in other people’s shoes. Such an act of imagination is a story act. It is being able to see oneself as a character in another’s story, and acting in accordance with that imaginative perception in one’s own. Grace is more than empathy, but empathy is its starting point. Because I know keenly my own need for receiving better than I deserve, I can imagine your similar need and can use my freedom to fulfill that need.”
Steven Curtis Chapman and family were interviewed on Good Morning America today about the death of Maria Sue Chunxi Chapman. Watch the interview here(Note: Interview begins with a short clip of the interview, moves into a commercial, and then shows the full seven minute interview).
Registration for Together for Adoption Conference 2008 is now open! Please join us for this unique event as we explore what our adoption in Christ means for us and for orphans.
You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:
“Is there any word to me a backslider, a grievous revolter, that many times after vows have made inquiry? My promises and resolutions have been but paper walls before the fire of temptation? Are you afflicted with this and would have relief? ‘Behold,’ he says, Jer. iii.22, ‘Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.’ Hos. xiv.4, ‘I will heal your backslidings and love you freely. I will be as the dew of Israel.’ Hath he said so? Then let your heart say, Lord, ‘Do as thou hast said?’” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
The Gospel proclaims that at the cross Jesus became the backslider that we might be healed in him (2 Cor. 5:21). Praise be to God!
This is part five of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
I have lived long enough to learn from experience that if I am not actively finding my identity in the gospel, I will find it somewhere else. There is never a moment where I am not locating my identity in something. If I’m not locating it in God’s gospel, I will seek to be defined by something that was never meant to define me. We were not created in the image of vocational success, sexual fulfillment, money, or any other good yet created thing. No, we were created in the image of God and God alone; and although the image of God in man was profoundly defaced by sin, it is renewed in us by the power of the gospel. Only in the gospel is our God-given identity renewed and restored. Without the gospel we leave ourselves no other alternative but to live as if we were created in the image of some finite thing-something that ultimately has no life-stabilizing weight.
“Christ is the ALPHA and OMEGA of my life, the beginning and the end of it; the author and finisher of it; Christ is the principle of my life, from whom I live: Christ is the end of my life, to whom I live; Christ is the pattern of my life, according to whose example I live; Christ is the giver of my life, the maintainer of my life, the restorer of my life; after decays, he restores my soul, and makes me to walk in the paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake; Christ is the food of my life; I would die, if he did not feed me with his flesh, which is living bread and water to me; Christ is the medicine of my life; it is by renewed touches of the hem of his garment, and renewed application to him, that my soul is healed; for, there is healing under the wings of this Sun of righteousness; Christ is the ALL of my life: ‘For to me to live is Christ;’ he is my light, my strength, my righteousness. It is the glory of the believer to acknowledge Christ the ALPHA and the OMEGA, and the ALL of his spiritual life” (Ralph Erskine, The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2, “Law-Death, Gospel-Life,” 38-39).
You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:
Go to God and say, O “do as thou hast said.” Consider what he hath said, and take him at his word, and put him to it, that he would do to you accordingly. Whatever your care be, surely there is some word relative to it…
“Is there any word to me, that am such a filthy monster, such a polluted creature in heart and way, that am stinking, as it were, in the grave of sin? He hath said, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, ‘From all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you.’ Zech. xiii. 1, ‘There is a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.’ Is there a promise of cleansing? Then take him at his word, and cry, Lord, ‘Do as thou hast said.’” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
The Gospel proclaims that at the cross Jesus became that filthy creature for us that we might become the beauty of God’s righteousness in him (2 Cor. 5:21). Praise be to God!
This is part four of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:
Go to God and say, O “do as thou hast said.” Consider what he hath said, and take him at his word, and put him to it, that he would do to you accordingly. Whatever your care be, surely there is some word relative to it…
But, says another, is there any word from God concerning me, that am compassed about with such strong corruptions and conquering lusts, that sin gets the mastery of me? Would you be delivered? Hear what he says; Mic. vii. 19, ‘He will subdue our iniquities, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.’ Rom. vi. 14, ‘Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.’ Isa. lxiii. 4, ‘The day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my Redeemer is come.’ Hath he promised to take vengeance on your lusts? Then take him at his word, saying, O ‘do as thou has said.’” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
The Gospel proclaims that Jesus has taken vengeance on our lusts in his life, death, and resurrection. Praise be to God!
This is part three of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
You may not agree with Ralph Erskine on every point of interpretation in this series of posts, but he serves us very well by providing wonderful instruction on how to preach the gospel to ourselves whatever our faith-struggles may be:
Go to God and say, O “do as thou hast said.” Consider what he hath said, and take him at his word, and put him to it, that he would do to you accordingly. Whatever your care be, surely there is some word relative to it…
But is there any word from God, concerning my case, that find my conscience challenging me for prodigious guilt; that there was never such a guilty person on the face of the earth? Are you groaning under guilt? Hear what he says, Heb. viii.12, ‘I will be merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sins and iniquities will I remember no more.’ Isa. xliii.25, ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgression for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ O then, take hold of his word, wherein he proclaims indemnity, and put him to it, saying, Lord, ‘do as thou has said.’ (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
The Gospel proclaims that Jesus has decisively dealt with our prodigious guilt in his life, death, and resurrection. Praise be to God!
This is part two of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
Here is some wonderful instruction from Ralph Erskine about how to preach the gospel to yourself whatever your faith-struggle may be:
Go to God and say, O “do as thou hast said.” Consider what he hath said, and take him at his word, and put him to it, that he would do to you accordingly. Whatever your care be, surely there is some word relative to it.
Some may be thinking, alas! God hath said nothing to me, that I may put him to his word. Why, man, if the gospel, that is in this Bible, be preached to you, and if there be any word of grace therein suitable to your case, then put not away the word from you, but take it, and plead upon it, that God would do as he hath said. If you can see any word of promise suited to your case and to your need, then put to your hand by faith, and lay hold upon his word.
O, say you, is there any word from God about my case, who am a poor needy creature, like to starve for want of a spiritual meal and a hearty draught of the living waters that go out from Jerusalem? What hath God said, or hath he said anything concerning me? Yea, he hath said, Isa. xli. 17, 18, “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in dry places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry lands springs of water.” Hath he said so? Then take him at his word, and put him to it, saying, Lord, “do as thou hast said” (Ralph Erskine, “Faith’s Plea Upon God’s Word,” The Works of Ralph Erskine, vol. 2).
This is part one of a 20 part series. Many, many more gems to come.
“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this” (C.S. Lewis).
Please take a few minutes to read and prayerfully consider this urgent request from John Fonville, blogger at Gospel Driven Blog, regarding the Frase family. My family has the privilege of eating dinner with them tonight. We are especially looking forward to meeting the Frase’s son Joshua.
“Now Christ is the only food of our soul, and therefore our Heavenly Father invites us to Christ, that, refreshed by partaking of him, we may repeatedly gather strength until we shall have reached heavenly immortality” (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4.17.1).
“Christians often find it difficult to believe that God’s unfailing love is real. This is where the knowledge and increasing assurance that we are children of God is a refuge and shield against the attacks of Satan. Just as part of his plan of action in his temptation of Jesus included the issue of whether he was really the Son of God (compare Matt. 4:3, 6), so a parallel issue arises with us. Satan will cast up to us the sins of both the past and the present; he will allure us with temptations to sin to which we may fall in the future, and then lead us to question the reality of our relationship to God. Can we be God’s children after all, when such thoughts lurk in our minds, and such deeds lie in our past?
“What is the answer to this kind of temptation? It is, at least in part, the recollection that we are not children of God by worth and merit, but by free, gracious adoption. God has chosen us. Our status is not a matter of our worthiness, but of his love” (Sinclair Ferguson, Children of the Living God, 30).
One of my favorite scenes in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (the book not the movie) takes place in the land of Rivendell after the hobbits, Frodo and Sam, almost lost their lives at the hands of those seeking to capture the ring of power and before they continued their dangerous journey to the fires of Mount Doom in order to destroy the ring. J.R.R. Tolkien writes:
