The Taste It Leaves in My Heart

No book of evidence can be compared with that internal evidence which he obtains who daily uses the Word in the right way...The book satisfies and feeds his soul. A poor Christian woman once said to an infidel, "I am no scholar. I cannot argue like you. But I know that honey is honey, because it leaves a sweet taste in my mouth. And I know the Bible to be God's book, because of the taste it leaves in my heart."
~J.C. Ryle
Practical Religion

Morning Readings

The children and I just finished reading through James Smith's Daily Bible Readings for the Lord's Household.  These are short but very meaty devotions that we read together in the morning at breakfast.  It's a wonderful way to be meditating on the same Scriptures throughout the day.

We're now moving on to The Pastor's Morning Visit.  And, yes, I print out all of the readings.  It's worth the ink!

You can find more to choose from at Grace Gems.

With love,

The Comfort Known Only by Christians

Believers have comfort to live upon that the world knows nothing about.  We have the comfort of God's promises.  And what do you think is best, to live upon earthly pleasures, or upon the promises of God?  The earthly are yes and no, but the promises are yes and amen.  The earthly are deceitful, but the promises are sure and faithful.  The earthly feed but sense, but the promises fill the soul.  He that lives upon the promises, lives by faith, and the life of faith is the only safe and true life in the world. As the weak ivy secures itself by twisting about the great oak, so are we secure by cleaving to the great God.  The life of sense if full of disappointments like a deceitful brook.  To live on the promises of God is the only quiet life.

Faith fixes the soul upon God and is safe.  We are free from the burdens of sin and trouble.  Faith rests upon Christ's righteousness, and takes off the burden of care by resting upon God's providence.  Ah, my beloved, there is no comfort to be compared to the life of faith.  The life of faith proceeds from God and His never changing promises.  Our comforts may change, but Christ never changes.
~Matthew Mead, A Name in Heaven

The Memory Moleskine

This idea is brilliant!

 Timmy Brister came up with this concept a couple of years ago when committing to memorize the book of Ephesians.  Now there are thousands of Christians on board to memorize Philippians the first part of this year.

However, we're going to use these for all of our Scripture memory, which is usually a chapter at a time.

Last year the children (Reaches Up and up) memorized:
Proverbs 15, Ephesians 5, Psalm 8, Philippians 4, and Genesis 1 (the hardest of all).

We fell a bit short of our goals, but memorizing chapters definitely works best for our family.  (And the concept of the memory moleskine has even convinced me that my brain isn't too old to work alongside the children.  Neither is yours! :))

Right now, the memory work is Romans 5.

Scribe divided the chapter into sections over a period of 5 weeks.  On the page next to the Scripture, there's a place to tally how many times a day you review the passage as well as your thoughts and reflections .

In the front are pasted tips by Andy Davis about memorizing Scripture.

In the back are reasons written by John Piper as to why we should memorize Scripture.

The children are loving this approach, and it's helping all of them be more intentional with their Scripture memorization.

Go here to print out these inserts for your own memory moleskine.

Love,

The Power of the Word of God

My biggest concern is the way in which the post-modern mentality is seducing the church, even the Reformed church.  There seems to be a tacit assumption that...a constituent change took place in the nature of human beings, from the manner in which we were created.  Now life is no longer constructed on the basis of truth piercing the soul by way of the mind.  Since about 1970, we have adopted a "sensuous culture" that is all about feelings, about relationships, about everything subjective.  Even truth itself is regarded as subjective rather than objective.  Therefore, truth is whatever you want it to be.  This is the most narcissistic generation in the history of the human race.

Driven by these changes, churches are rushing to alter their approach to the culture, adopting the use of sound bites, entertainment, and that sort of thing.  They are forgetting that the power is in the Word of God, not in methods, and that the Word is addressed in the first instance to the mind.  The Word was intended by God to be intelligible, and only as we understand it does it get into our bloodstreams and into our hearts, and show up in changed lives.

~R.C. Sproul
The Truth of the Cross

How To Improve Your Memory

"This dulness of memory is a common spiritual disease among believers.  It prevails as widely now as it did in the days of the first disciples.  It is one among many proofs of our fallen and corrupt condition.  Even after men have been renewed by the Holy Ghost, their readiness to forget the promises and precepts of the Gospel is continually bringing them into trouble.  They hear many things which they ought to store up in their hearts, but seem to forget as fast as they hear.  And then, perhaps after many days, affliction brings them up before their recollection, and at once it flashes across their minds that they heard them long ago!  They find that they had heard, but heard in vain.


The true cure for a dull memory in religion, is to get deeper love toward Christ, and affections more thoroughly set on things above.  We do not readily forget the things we love, and the objects which we keep continually under our eyes.  The names of our parents and children are always remembered.  The face of the husband or wife we love is graven on the tablets of our hearts.  The more our affections are engaged in Christ's service, the more easy shall we find it to remember Christ's words."
~J.C. Ryle
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
Vol. 2

An Attentive Ear

"If an earthly king were to issue a royal proclamation, and the life or death of his subjects entirely depended on performing or not performing its conditions, how eager would they be to hear what those conditions were!  And shall we not pay the same respect to the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and lend an attentive ear to His ministers, when they are declaring, in His name, how our pardon, peace, and happiness may be secured?"

~George Whitefield

True Rest

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone!
(James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit")

"I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

There is no rest for the Christian in this world. There will be always something to disturb, perplex or distress him; it is an enemy's land.

But Jesus says, "I will give you rest." He does so by enabling us to . . .

rely on His Word,
recognize His hand,
submit to His will, and
trust in His perfect work.

He assures us . . .
that our sins are forgiven;
that we are safe in His keeping;
that His presence shall always be with us; and
that all things shall work together for our eternal good.

We can rest on His faithfulness--for He has been tried, and found faithful.
We can rest on His love--for He loves us to the uttermost.
We can rest on His power--for it is ever engaged on our behalf.
We can rest on His covenant--for it is ordered in all things and sure.
We can rest on His blood--for it speaks peace, pardon, and acceptance with God.
We can rest at His feet--for there we are safe, and can never be injured.

We cannot rest . . .

on our graces,
on our comforts,
on our friends, or
on our possessions.

We may rest on Jesus alone.

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken!" Psalm 62:5-6

Love,
 
   
Grace Gems is a wonderful resource for Puritan devotionals.

Your Family, God's Way

This is the best book I've read about communication in the family, as well as communication in general.  Wayne Mack's writings reflect His love for the Word and a desire to move his readers beyond knowing....he wants to help you actually apply what you're learning.  His writing is clear, and his suggestions at the end of each chapter are very practical.  You don't finish his books inspired and yet clueless about what to DO.  Most of that "doing" requires being in the Word and knowing what the Word says. 

Your Family God's Way is must reading for anyone desiring more Godly communication in the home and victory in taming the unruly tongue.

Chapters include:

**First Things First--The Maximum Husband and Father

**Something's Happened to Sally--The Fulfilled and Fulfilling Wife and Mother

**How to Grow Olive Plants--Insights into Parent-Child Relations

**I Hear What You Didn't Say

**How to Hear What's Not Being Said

**Small Talk:  The Silent Menace

**Enough is Enough and Too Much is Too Much

and many more.

There is no man-centered counsel going on here, and the book is so rich that it might be overwhelming to consider the many aspects of communication.  I simply read the book through the first time and will now go back through the chapters with more depth while completing the exercises suggested.

Here are just a few of the quotes that caught the attention of my trusty highlighter....

"Simply put, the fear of God is the inevitable response to a growing, Biblical understanding of and relationship with the true and living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ."

"Develop the attitude that God is speaking to you as you read the Scriptures.  Read them as you would a letter from your dearest friend...Receive what the Bible says as coming from your heavenly Father, your personal Savior and LORD, the great and awesome God of creation and redemption.  Don't regard its teachings as abstract rules about life--mere duties to fulfill...see everything in Scripture as an invitation to enter into a deeper relationship with your majestic, infinite Father and Redeemer."

"Real personal fulfillment is a by-product of a God-centered life in which a person becomes and does what is pleasing to God."

"The secret of her fruitfulness is not her dynamic personality, her strong will power, her physical beauty, her pleasant situation, her unusual resources, her good training, her natural gifts, or her exceptional husband or children.  Her admirable life stems from her vital and deep relationship with God."

"A God-fearing wife and mother is a family-oriented person.  Psalm 128 says she is a fruitful vine within the house.  Proverbs 31 emphasizes that this woman takes excellent care of her family."

"In your parenting, provide fences, not straitjackets."

"You can't know the needs of your children unless you give them your focused attention.  You've got to study them, listen to them, talk to them, play with them, think about them, and pray over them if you're going to know what provision they need from your table."

"We must realize that we may misread the nonverbal communication of others.  It's one thing to grant that others err in understanding our actions.  But for some reason we are reluctant to take seriously our own potential for misjudging the actions of others.  All too often, we quickly and dogmatically assume that we have accurately heard what the other person didn't say."

"That's double-bind speech!  We slap people with one sentence and then turn around and cuddle them with the next.  The result is often confusion, frustration, and resentment."

"The person who wants their words to be like apples of gold in settings of silver will deliberate over the what (content), the why (motivation), and the when (timing) of their speech."

 Your Family God's Way encourages you to fix your eyes on Him, bringing honor to Him in all the ways you communicate, ultimately resulting in more communicative and peaceful families.  As always, be discerning.  There are a few areas in which Mack and I diverge, but that doesn't dilute his teaching about communication in any way.  I highly recommend this book, and it's already been added to our "You-Can't-Leave-Home-Until-You've-Read-This-Book" list that we have for our children.

These Earthen Vessels

We feel the weight of these earthen vessels daily....when we rejoice one moment and complain with the next breath, when we smile at the stranger but are unkind to our family.  The list goes on.

These are some of the many reasons our family is such a picture of His grace....truly without Christ we are and can do nothing.

Treasure in earthen vessels

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels."
2 Corinthians 4:7


Do not be surprised if you feel that in yourself
you are but an earthen vessel—if you are made
deeply and daily sensible of your frail body.

Do not be surprised . . .
if your clay house is often tottering;
if sickness sometimes assails your mortal tabernacle;
if in your flesh there dwells no good thing;
if your soul often cleaves to the dust; and
if you are unable to retain a sweet sense
of God's goodness and love.

Do not be surprised nor startled . . .
at the corruptions of your depraved nature;
at the depth of sin in your carnal mind;
at the vile abominations which lurk and work
in your deceitful and desperately wicked heart.

Bear in mind that it is the will of God that this
heavenly treasure which makes you rich for
eternity, should be lodged in an earthen vessel.

We have ever to feel our native weakness—and
that without Christ we can do nothing—that we may
be clothed with humility, and feel ourselves the
chief of sinners, and less than the least of all saints.

We thus learn to prize the heights, breadths,
lengths, and depths of the love of Christ, who
stooped so low to raise us up so high!
~J.C. Philpot

Spurgeon on Reading the Bible

"But what poor reading some of you give to your Bibles. I do not want to say anything which is too severe because it is not strictly true—let your own consciences speak, but still, I make bold to enquire,—Do not many of you read the Bible in a very hurried way—just a little bit, and off you go? Do you not soon forget what you have read, and lose what little effect it seemed to have? How few of you are resolved to get at its soul, its juice, its life, its essence, and to drink in its meaning. Well, if you do not do that, I tell you again your reading is miserable reading, dead reading, unprofitable reading; it is not reading at all, the name would be misapplied. May the blessed Spirit give you repentance touching this thing."

A Simple Reminder

I love Rev. M'Cheyne's reminder that the Scriptures read "both for family and private readings, would be greatly illuminated if they were preceded by a moment's silent prayer" of Psalm 119:18.

So, I made this very simple bookmark to help us each remember to cry out for understanding before we read as well as to remember the joy and the privilege of hearing God's voice first in the morning.

Scripture Memory for 2010

Here are the Scriptures we'll be working on hiding in our hearts this year (the children are much better at this than I am....) 

Jan-Feb~Romans 6:13,14 and Proverbs 15

March~Psalm 8, Psalm 5:11,12

April-May~Ephesians 5, Matt. 6:19-21

June-July~Philippians 4, Isaiah 5:20, 21

August-Sept.~Genesis 1, Joshua 1:8

Oct.-Nov~Romans 5, Psalm 119:9-16

Dec.~Deuteronomy 6, Psalm 119:97-104


What are your Scripture memory goals for this year?

Basic Christianity, Gender Neutrality, and Dumbing Us Down

Scribe and I are reading John Stott's Basic Christianity together this first term of the school year.  Because I like to mark in my books:), I bought a second copy.

However,  I got more than just an another copy of the book...I got a dose of gender-neutral language changes and well as a more "modernized" version of the original. 

Here's Mr. Stott's explanation:  "It was obviously necessary to udate the language....and to respond to sensitivities relating to gender."  Sensitivities? 

I had already started reading the original, and I wasn't in the least bothered by the use of "man" to refer to all of us.  In fact, I didn't really focus on it until I read the preface to the newer version explaining some of the changes made to the text and then thought of some recent comments I heard from Pastor Tim Bayly about the importance of using the word "man."

Consider his points:

"One day I realized that when God named the human race "adam," He used the same Hebrew word that Genesis records as the name of the first man.  So when we see this same Hebrew word, "adam," used by the Holy Spirit throughout the Old Testament to refer to Adam's descendants, the whole race of them, if I were committed to the plenary verbal inspiration of Scripture--that every single word of Scripture is inspired by God and useful--I would name the race as He did.  And that meant, of course, that I would repent of my scrupulously neutered habits of speech."


"Through His words and Word, God is training us to think Biblically about the Fall, but also about the authority of our Heavenly Father that is resident in early fatherhood, starting with Adam and coming down to us today.  God could have decreed that it be otherwise, that Eve represent the race with Adam, but He didn't.  And every single time the Holy Spirit speaks in Scripture about the distinction between the sexes, reinforcing the Edenic truth that creation is neither matriarchal nor egalitarian, but patriarchal--that God is the Father from Whom all fatherhood gets its name--we need to listen up, believe, and then confess this glorious truth with our actions and words."


"Over a hundred words are in the English language because early translators like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale knew they'd need to bring Hebrew and Greek usage in, coining new words and phrases in English in order to assure the proper communication of the Word of God.  So today, why are we allowing feminists and their willing helpers to strip usages common in the English language for centuries out of our vocabularies?  Are we really so naive that we don't know they're doing this because they hate the Biblical concepts communicated through that usage?"

So, not only is the new Basic Christianity full of "human race" instead of "man," it's also updated to make it "easier" to understand.  Sadly, "modernized" often simply means "dumbed down" and politically correct.

Consider the differences in the old and new versions.  Is the old version truly too difficult to understand?

"He is altogether beyond our comprehension.  Therefore our minds, though wonderfully effective instruments in the empirical sciences, cannot immediately help us here." (original)

"He is altogether beyond our understanding.  Therefore our minds, wonderfully effective instruments though they are when it comes to scientific investigation, cannot immediately help us here." (modernized)

"We are not concerned primarily to discuss the nature of His philosophy, the value of His system, or the quality of His ethic.  Our concern is fundmentally with the character of His person.  Who was He?" (original)

"We are not concerned primarily with the effect He has had on the world, important though that is.  Our concern is basically with the man Himself.  Who was He?" (modernized)

"That Jesus did in fact claim this intimate relation to God is further confirmed by the indignation which he aroused in the Jews." (original)

"That Jesus did in fact claim this very close relationship with God is further confirmed by the indignation that He aroused in the religious leaders who opposed Him."  (modernized)

(hmm....why didn't they just keep the word "Jews.")

In some cases, modern translations can be very helpful, but truly, the original of this book is not written in such a sophisticated fashion as to have the reader scratching his head wondering what has just been said.   
The original is just fine..."man" and all, and if we're challenged by the language, isn't that a good thing?

So, all of that said, Scribe and I will be sharing the original version.  Because, especially with books, old is often much better than new.

Pressing On,
Queen Mom

Reaches Up Recites Psalm 19

Lord, Keep Us

Morning & Evening by C.H. Spurgeon is probably one of the most thought-provoking and influential devotionals I have read. The author, who is referred to as the"Prince of Preachers", often takes passages from God's Word which I had never really paid much attention to, and delves into them, providing incredible insight, and giving the reader a greater sense of just how deep and unfathomably rich every part of the Bible is. You can read the Scriptures as much as you want, you can go through it verse by verse, and bring out all the commentaries on your bookshelf, but you still won't glean all that you can from it. You will always be learning something new from it as long as you live.

I have here an excerpt from one devotional that particularly stood out to me. I think it gives us a beautiful and humbling view of just how utterly helpless and wretched we sinners are without our Lord to keep and to guide us, and how much we must entirely depend upon Him in everything...

"...if the grace of God should leave the best Christian, there is enough sin in his heart to make him the worst of transgressors. If left to yourselves, you who are the warmest for Christ would cool down like Laodicea into sickening lukewarmness: you who are sound in faith would be white with the leprosy of false doctrine; you who now walk before the Lord in excellency and integrity would reel to and fro, and stagger with a drunkeness of evil passion. Like the moon, we borrow our light; bright as we are when grace shines on us, we are darkness itself when the Sun of Righteousness withdraws Himself. Therefore let us cry to God never to leave us. 'Lord, take not Thy Holy Spirit from us! withdraw not from us Thine indwelling grace! Hast Thou not said, I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day? Lord, Keep us everywhere. Keep us when in the valley, that we murmur not against Thy humbling hand; keep us when on the mountain, that we wax not giddy through being lifted up; keep us in youth, when our passions are strong; keep us in old age, when becoming conceited of our wisdom , we may therefore prove greater fools than the young and giddy; keep us when we come to die, lest, at the very last, we should deny Thee! Keep us living, keep us dying, keep us laboring, keep us suffering, keep us fighting, keep us resting, keep us everywhere, for everywhere we need Thee, O our God!'"

The Psalmist often said the same in his many songs to Jehovah. He often prayed God to keep him, to preserve him in his Almighty care and love. We must do so as well.

One beautiful and well known hymn goes as following:

"I need Thee every hour,

Most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine

Can peace afford.

(Chorus)

I need Thee, O I need Thee,

Every hour I need Thee;

O bless me now, my Saviour,

I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour;

Stay Thou near by;

Temptations lose their power

When Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour,

In joy and pain;

Come quickly and abide,

Or life is vain.

I need Thee every hour;

Teach me Thy will,

And Thy rich promises

In me fulfill.

I need Thee every hour,

Most holy One;

O make me Thine indeed,

Thou blessed Son."

Without Christ, we are nothing. Nothing. It is only by His Almighty, loving and everlasting grace that we are called Sons of God; it is only by His unmerited mercy and forgiveness that we are anything at all. We must ever remember this, and continually pray, "Lord, Keep us! Keep us, O our God!"

Persevero,

Scribe

Checklist for Sons

I am studying a challenging course on Biblical manhood called Plants Grown Up. One of my assignments was to write up a checklist of qualities which godly young men should strive to exhibit. Of course, my list is not exhaustive, for one could go on and on about the standards for godly manhood, but these are just a few qualities I came up with.

(1) Be quick to recognize and repent of sin (Psa. 32:5; 38:18; 69:5)

(2) Study the Scriptures (Psa. 1:2)

(3) Keep a diligent watch over your heart and mind (Psa. 19:14; Prov. 4:23; Rom. 12:2)

(4) Love your fellow men (especially your siblings) (1 Cor. 13:1-8, 13; Rom. 12:10)

(5) Die to Self (1 Cor. 10:24; Phil. 2:4)

(6) Flee temptation (Prov. 27:12; Matt. 26:41; James 4:7)

(7) Be forgiving, and do not repay evil with evil (Luke 11:4; Rom. 12:17-18, 19-21)

(8) Be courageous in the strength of the Lord (1 Cor. 16:13; 2 Tim 1:7; Heb. 13:6)

(9) Strive to deal peaceably with your fellow men (Psa. 133:1; Romans 12:180

(10) Have patience and self-control (Prov. 14:29; 16:32; James 1:19-20)

(11) Have faith in God, His Word, and His sovereignty (James 1:2-3; Rom. 8:28)

(12) Control your tongue (Prov. 12:22; 17:27; 21:23; Psa. 34:13; James 3:5-12)
- speaking only the truth
- speaking with praise and encouragment
- do not speak tearing down words
- do not slander
- speak with courtesy, modesty, and consideration

(13) Be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19:20)

(14) Do your best in everything, persevere in your tasks, and be diligent (Prov. 12:24; 21:5; 30:25; Ecc. 9:10)

(15) Be obedient and respectful to all in authority, as far as God's Word allows (Heb 13:17; Eph. 6:1-3; 1 Pet. 2:17)

(16) Justly judge (John 7:24)

(17) Protect, defend, and show honour to those weaker than yourself (Matt. 12:29; 1 Pet. 3:7; 5:8)

(18) Be a godly example (especially to your siblings) (1 Tim. 4:12; Titus 2: 7-8)

(19) Fellowship with the brethren (Psa. 119:63; Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:24-25)

(20) Share the gospel, and be a godly witness for Christ (Matt. 10:32; 1 Pet. 3:15)

I know that I fail often in these areas, but nevertheless, we must persevere in our walk with Christ, and it helps to outline different qualities to strive for as a young man. And now for some practical points of how to use this list:- pray, and ask God to enable you to work towards these as goals
- give a copy of this list to a family member or friend, and ask them to keep you accountable to it
- study God's word diligently, and hide these scriptures in your heart
- examine yourself every day, and at the end of every week, to see if you have progressed in any of these areas.

Persevero,

Scribe