Facebook entry from missionary friend in Japan:
Darwin Stoesz thought that it was very fitting to be listening to "I surrender all" on my iPod and being shoved around on a hot sweaty crowded Tokyo train. I surrender even my personal space to Him to eventually proclaim the Good News in Japanese to the Japanese people.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Precious Blood
Blessed Lord Jesus,
Before thy cross I kneel and see the heinousness of my sin,
my iniquity that caused thee to be 'made a curse,'
the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath.
Show me the enormity of my guilt by the crown of thorns,
the pierced hands and feet,
the bruised body, the dying cries.
Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God,
its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.
Infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price.
Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,
born in my birth, allive in my life,
strong in my character, dominating my faculties,
following me as a shadow, intermingling with my every thought,
my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul.
Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,
the air supply breath, the earth bear my tread,
its fruits nourish me, its creatures subserve my ends?
Yet thy compassions yearn over me,
thy heart hastens to my rescue,
thy love endured my curse,
thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.
Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation,
bathed in thy blood, tender of conscience,
triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.
From The Valley of Vision. . . A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions
Before thy cross I kneel and see the heinousness of my sin,
my iniquity that caused thee to be 'made a curse,'
the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath.
Show me the enormity of my guilt by the crown of thorns,
the pierced hands and feet,
the bruised body, the dying cries.
Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God,
its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.
Infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price.
Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,
born in my birth, allive in my life,
strong in my character, dominating my faculties,
following me as a shadow, intermingling with my every thought,
my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul.
Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,
the air supply breath, the earth bear my tread,
its fruits nourish me, its creatures subserve my ends?
Yet thy compassions yearn over me,
thy heart hastens to my rescue,
thy love endured my curse,
thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.
Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation,
bathed in thy blood, tender of conscience,
triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.
From The Valley of Vision. . . A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
When Believers Should Be Pitied
Paul has to remind the Corinthians of the Gospel because people in the church were trying to tweak it to fit the conventional wisdom of the day (i.e., there is no resurrection of the dead). Paul did not take a pragmatic approach to the problem -- "Well, even if there is no resurrection of the dead, being Christians will make the world a better place." Paul wrote: If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied (I Cor. 15:19). Consider the ramifications of his emphasis on the resurrection and its relationship to the ultimate purpose of the Gospel -- seeing and savoring God's glory forever:
Being loving, gentler, more patient -- a nicer person in this life because of Jesus -- most to be pitied. Jesus said too many strange things to be a good example of 'nice.'
Singing songs of worship to Jesus -- most to be pitied. What's the point? He's dead.
Going as or supporting missionaries to people groups who do not know Christ -- most to be pitied. Why, don't they have nice people to imitate?
Taking up one's cross, dying for the cause of Christ -- most to be pitied. Just exactly what is the cause?
If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
Consider a gospel by which God delivers up His Son to bring us to God - I Peter 3:18
Consider a gospel where the Son glorifies the Father to the point of death, even death on a cross so that sinners' minds, blinded by the god of this age and easily distracted by shiny trinkets, can be given sight to see the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus -- John 17, Philippians 2, II Corinthians 4.
Consider a gospel in which we purify ourselves in these mortal bodies because our hope is that one day we shall see Christ in his glorified state; we will be able to see Him just as He is because we shall be like Him -- I John 3.
Consider a gospel in which the Father has given all judgment to the Son and that at His voice, one day all people will be raised from the dead and the Son will make the judgment as to who receives a resurrection of life and who will receive a resurrection of judgment - John 5.
Consider a gospel in which the Son asks the Father that all whom the Father has given the Son would one day be with Him in order that they would see His glory - John 17.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. . . then comes the end when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and authority and power. . . Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord -- I Corinthians 15:20, 24, 58
-- TWMathis
Being loving, gentler, more patient -- a nicer person in this life because of Jesus -- most to be pitied. Jesus said too many strange things to be a good example of 'nice.'
Singing songs of worship to Jesus -- most to be pitied. What's the point? He's dead.
Going as or supporting missionaries to people groups who do not know Christ -- most to be pitied. Why, don't they have nice people to imitate?
Taking up one's cross, dying for the cause of Christ -- most to be pitied. Just exactly what is the cause?
If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
Consider a gospel by which God delivers up His Son to bring us to God - I Peter 3:18
Consider a gospel where the Son glorifies the Father to the point of death, even death on a cross so that sinners' minds, blinded by the god of this age and easily distracted by shiny trinkets, can be given sight to see the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus -- John 17, Philippians 2, II Corinthians 4.
Consider a gospel in which we purify ourselves in these mortal bodies because our hope is that one day we shall see Christ in his glorified state; we will be able to see Him just as He is because we shall be like Him -- I John 3.
Consider a gospel in which the Father has given all judgment to the Son and that at His voice, one day all people will be raised from the dead and the Son will make the judgment as to who receives a resurrection of life and who will receive a resurrection of judgment - John 5.
Consider a gospel in which the Son asks the Father that all whom the Father has given the Son would one day be with Him in order that they would see His glory - John 17.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. . . then comes the end when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and authority and power. . . Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord -- I Corinthians 15:20, 24, 58
-- TWMathis
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