Memorizing Update

As I've said before I'm really working on memorizing more scripture this year. Here is my progress so far (I'm not looking at a Bible or anything to help me remember while I am writing this):

Psalm 103:1-4
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me bless His Holy Name. Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not His benefits. He who forgives all your iniquities, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from destruction, and crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies..."

Jeremiah 9:23-24
"'Let not the wise glory in their wisdom, let not the rich glory in their riches, let not the mighty glory in their might, but let him who glories glory in this, that he knows and understands Me. That I am the Lord, exercising judgement, righteousness, and loving kindness throughout the earth.' Thus says the Lord."

Romans 8:28
"For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose."

and now I'm trying to memorize a large passage of scripture, Colossians 3:1-17. This is what I have so far:

"Therefore since you were raised with Christ set you hearts on thing above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will be raised with Him in Glory."
That's through verse 4. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Robinson Crusoe's Text

I'm currently reading Desiring God, by John Piper. An excellent book on how to live life for the joy that comes from following Christ. A book of extreme power that will surely change the way you think about your life with Christ; a book I highly recommend you read. Here is a passage from the book where Piper talks about the two-way nature of prayer:

"Charles Spurgeon once preached a sermon on this very topic (prayer to glorify God) and called it 'Robinson Cursoe's Text.' He began like this:

'Robinson Crusoe has been wrecked. He is left on the desert island all alone. His case is a very pitiable one. He goes to bed, and he is smitten with fever. This fever lasts upon him long, and he has no one to wait upon him-none even to bring him a drink of cold water. He had been accustomed to sin, and had all the vices of a sailor; but his hard case brought him to think. he opens a Bible which he finds in his chest, and he lights upon this passage, "Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." That night he prayed for the first time in his life, and ever after there was in hope in God, which marked the birth of the heavenly life.'*

Robinson Crusoe's text was Psalm 50:15. It is God's way of getting glory for Himself-Pray to Me! I will deliver you! And the result will be that you will glorify Me!
Spurgeon's explanation is penetrating:

'God and the praying man takes shares...First here is you share: "Call upon me in the day of trouble." Secondly, here is God's Share: "I will deliver thee." Again, you take a share-for you shall be delivered. And then again it is the Lord's turn-"Thou shalt glorify me." Here is a compact, a covenant that God enters into with you who pray to him, and whom he helps. He says, "You shall have the deliverance, but I must have the Glory..." Here is a delightful partnership: we obtain that which we so greatly need, and all that God getteth is the glory which is due unto his name.'

A delightful partnership indeed! Prayer is the very heart of Christian Hedonism. God gets the glory; we get delight. He gets the glory precisely because He shows Himself full and strong to deliver us into joy. And we attain fullness of joy precisely because He is the all-glorious source and goal of life.
Here is a great discovery: We do not glorify God by providing His needs, buy by praying that He would provide ours-and trusting Him to answer."**

Again, the book is "Desiring God", by John Piper. I highly, highly recommend it.

*Charles Spurgeon, Twelve Sermons on Prayer (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1971), 105.
**John Piper, Desiring God (Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2003), 162-163.

Success in Ministry

I was recently driving and listening to a podcast (I'll be writing soon about podcasts I subscribe to) of a conversation between John Piper and John MacArthur. Something John MacArthur said really resonated with me, he said that in ministry, he only worries about the depth and not the breadth of his ministry. Now that you are all confused I will explain further. MacArthur explains it with some of my favorite illustrations, sports. In football, for instance, you cannot control the outcome of a game by yourself. There are eleven guys on the opposite side of the ball who are trying to stop you from doing what you want to do, and there are ten other guys on your side who have to do things right for you to be able to do the thing you want to do. You might have to read that sentence a few times to understand what I'm trying to say, but basically it is simply that all things are not always in your control. This is not a fun pill to swallow for some, but if your pride allows you to swallow it, then this fact is extremely freeing. God is in control of everything, you are not! MacArthur's specific application of this fact in ministry is that you cannot control your successes. You are not the one who is responsible for your success. All you can account for is effort; just like in sports. Just as in the middle of a football game all you can do is try your best to tackle the man with the ball, all you can do in ministry is do your best, and God takes care of the rest. This includes making sure you are close to God in you personal life, that you are following God in your family, in your marriage, that you are painstakingly checking your messages for truth. That you are giving the best effort, that you are putting yourself fully into ministry. The harvest of that effort is completely up to God. Worry about the depth, not the breadth of your ministry.

Time for God

A real quick observation that I had of myself, thought I might share and see what you guys think. I find that it is easier for me to find time for personal devotions, that is, a specific time to study and pray over God's Word, in a full schedule than an empty schedule. I know it sounds slightly contradictory but let me explain. For me, I see the importance* of this time when my day is full. Whether with classes, work, or friends I know the always present fact that my day will be evermore joyful and eternally productive when I am "meditating day and night" on what I've learned in God's Word, as the Psalmist would say. Yet, when my day is empty, when I feel that I have nothing to do i seem to postpone this most important time, till it becomes completely absent on some days. On these days however is when I feel I have missed some supreme purpose and I find myself hoping that I had more time in the day.

*Let me make this perfectly clear when I word it like this; it is always important to have sincere time with God. Whether you feel like it or not, this is most pivotal in the life of a Christian.

John Piper Interview

A clip from a great John Piper interview in which he answers some tough questions. This particular clip addresses the idea that we should only worship with what is specifically mentioned in the Bible (i.e. no instruments in the Bible?, etc.) Also watch all related videos, which have Piper answer other tough questions



or go straight to youtube to watch it.

Do You Agree?

A few thoughts on a question we should never ask ourselves and why.


or watch it here on youtube.