God the Merciful

Well...I'm not really sure what to think right now. I just got finished doing a little meditation on the mercy of God and was looking for a good picture to display what I was thinking. When I googled "God the Merciful" in quotes and searched for images only, I was stunned at what I saw. The first and fifteenth images were pictures of deformed children with a caption of "God the merciful" underneath. Immediately I was saddened by what I thought I was seeing...is someone actually mocking God's mercy? Sure enough, if you go the website hosting those pictures, it is a very troubling site that does just that -- mocks the mercy of God by showing pictures of disgusting creatures as well as deformed children. Of course, it's an interesting but sad topic to discuss ... something like 'Why does God allow the innocent to suffer?' I'm not going to go into that tonight, but what I will go into is defending my God to the uttermost (not that he needs a defense), especially in the area of his great mercy.

A great place the start is usually the dictionary: mercy - compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence. In simpler words, how about withholding judgment on one who deserves it?

Too often, we the people of our day, tend to look at God incorrectly. And we definitely look at ourselves in a false light. We act as though God owes us something. We act as though we deserve whatever we want, we deserve to be happy, we deserve a perfect body and perfect health, we deserve to be loved not only by humans but by God himself. Well, that is simply not the case. Even with one sin against the Almighty (for that is who we sin against), we immediately become deserving on one thing: Hell. Does that sound unfair? It probably does to most, but that's the way it is...because God is holy and too pure to look upon evil, and we are certainly evil. But where does God's mercy come into play if he avenges his offenders by allowing us to suffer? Perhaps God isn't merciful at all, just holy and too good for us. Well I've got one response to that:

Oh! A perfectly innocent man taking the punishment for sinners of all nations! What I think we fail to understand sometimes is that this act is MUCH more than mercy. Sure, God could have been merciful and just gave us all a pass -- had compassion on our offenses. But, just as God is constrained by his holiness, he is also constrained by the fact that he is just. Our sins had to be punished. And God punished his own son for our iniquity. That's much more than mercy. So, to those who have the nerve to question God on his mercy and the audacity to mock it, know that even as you sin in doing so, that sin is paid for with the innocent blood of Christ.

I busted out a book I didn't know I had tonight, finding A.W. Tozer's The Knowledge of the Holy in my meditation of the mercy of God. Here are a few quotes that I wanted to share before I got off on this tangent.

We should banish from our minds forever the common but erroneous notion that justice and judgment characterize the God of Israel, while mercy and grace belong to the Lord of the Church.

He has always dealt in mercy with mankind and will always deal in justice when His mercy is despised.

If we could remember that the divine mercy is not a temporary mood but an attribute of God's eternal being, we would no longer fear that it will someday cease to be. Mercy never began to be, but from eternity was; so it will never cease to be.

Could our failure to capture the pure joy of mercy consciously experienced be the result of our unbelief of our ignorance, or both?

I implore you now... think for a second on the mercy that God has had on you. Why doesn't he just strike us down sometimes for the things we do? Why doesn't he empty his hand of us once we've despised him one too many times? How can he still give us great earthly and heavenly awards after all the selfish things we've done? Well, Christian, rejoice, for your record is spotless and trangressions paid for due to the mercy of God. Now, that's not really fair. But I'll take it.

Hymn Spotlight: "No Sweeter Subject"

Song Title: No Sweeter Subject
Artist: Red Mountain Church
Album: The Gadsby Project
Writer: John Newton

Now may the Lord reveal his face
And teach our stammering tongues
To make his sovereign, reigning grace
The subject of our songs.

Refrain:

No sweeter subject can invite
A sinner's heart to sing
Or more display the glorious right
Of our exalted King.

Grace reigns to pardon crimson sins,
To melt the hardest hearts;
And from the work it once begins
It never once departs.

Refrain

The world and Satan strive in vain
Against the chosen few;
Secured by grace's conquering reign,
They all shall conquer too.

Refrain

Twas grace that called our souls at first;
By grace thus far we've come;
And grace will help us through the worst,
And lead us safely home.

Audio Sample: HERE

Why This Hymn: Pretty simple really. I busted this song out for Thanksgiving. As I posted earlier tonight, I have a lot to be thankful for, but of all things, the grace of God in my life is the one thing I should be most thankful for. And to be honest, not only should the grace of God be the subject of our songs, but it should be the subject of our giving of thanks. No matter what you are thankful for, there's a pretty good chance the grace of God had a big part in it.

Why I Like It: For starters, it's yet another beauty sung by Ashley Spurling of Red Mountain Music. If you have never heard her sing, please check out the audio sample above. All the Red Mountain stuff is pretty good, but her songs in particular grab my attention and therefore my deepest thoughts. Talk about some moving lyrics! John Newton may be famous for 'Amazing Grace,' but I must say that I think this song is better. There's just something about the words that make me want, if only for a moment, nothing else but to reflect on the grace that has been given to me. When we truly take a step back and a moment to reflect on the wonders of God's grace, it's not hard to see why it should be the subject of our songs.

Related Scripture: Philippians 1:4-7, Acts 12:11, 1 Corinthians 15:10, 1 Peter 5:10

Favorite Line: Oooh. Too much to choose from. I have to go with a line from the chorus. "No sweeter subject can invite a sinner's heart to sing." That is what moves me when I hear this song. Note why the sinner (me) is invited to sing. It's not because the music is upbeat nor because it makes me feel good nor because it has catchy lyrics nor because I need to sing about how much I love Jesus -- NO -- none of these things. The BEST motivation for a sinner's heart to sing is a true reflection on the grace of God. There is no second place. And I must say that I am deeply troubled when I catch myself singing because of some other reason. This song, and this line in particular helps me remember.

Final Thoughts: 2 Corinthians 4:15 - " All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God."

A Lot to be Thankful For

So...in just over an hour, it will officially be Thanksgiving 2006. My 25th Thanksgiving. I have a ridiculous amount of things to be thankful for, more so than I could possibly list. Things that come to the top of my mind...I have a beautiful and fantastic wife to come home to every day, my own home (even though I own so little of it), a job that I like, parents that love me, a large & diverse group of friends, pretty good health...and the list can go on and on. There are certainly days when I take these things for granted, sometimes all at once. It's a shame. But the thing in life I'm most thankful for is the grace that has been given to me by God through the death of his only Son -- and as a result, I no longer have to fear death, for it is powerless against my soul. God could have allowed both of my lungs to collapse (instead of just the one) that day on the football field a little over 8 years ago and could have allowed me to die right there -- a self-righteous teenager who had never lived a day in his life for the glory of God. But no, instead, I was given life and a victory like no other. And for that, I am truly thankful.

Isaiah 25:8-9 - "He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.""

Hosea 13:14 - "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?

1 Corinthians 15:54-58 - "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

The bottom line is that God has done what he said he would. He has swallowed up death forever, ransomed me from the power of the grave, and redeemed me from death. Death, you truly have no victory and no sting. Christ has the victory, and he shares it with me. How do I know this? Because I can sit with confidence tonight saying "Surely this is my God; I trusted in him, and he saved me. This is the LORD, I trusted in him; let me rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Why did I stop trusting in myself and start trusting in God? Well, for starters, I must deny all credit and completely bow to the grace of God working in my life. And also, what human holds the keys to life and death? Not me. Not you. Not anyone. Only God. And he has paved the way to eternal life with the blood of his own Son. Let us trust that love and truly be thankful when we receive it.

Thoughts from Old Dead Guys Part 2

From Saint Augustine - "The Confessions" (Book 9)

"O Lord, I am thy servant; I am thy servant and the son of thy handmaid. Thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving." Let my heart and my tongue praise thee, and let all my bones say, "Lord, who is like unto thee?" Let them say so, and answer thou me and say unto my soul, "I am your salvation."
Who am I, and what is my nature? What evil is there not in me and my deeds; or if not in my deeds, my words; or if not in my words, my will? But thou, O Lord, art good and merciful, and thy right hand didst reach into the depth of my death and didst empty out the abyss of corruption from the bottom of my heart. And this was the result: now, I did not will to do what I willed, and began to will to do what thou didst will."
But where was my free will during all those years and from what deep and secret retreat was it called forth in a single moment, whereby I gave my neck to thy "easy yoke" and my shoulders to thy "light burden," O Christ Jesus, "my Strength and my Redeemer?" How sweet did it suddenly become to me to be without the sweetness of trifles! And it was now a joy to put away what I formerly feared to lose. For thou didst cast them away from me, O true and highest Sweetness. Thou didst cast them away, and in their place thou didst enter thyself -- sweeter than all pleasure, though not to flesh and blood; brighter than all light, but more veiled than all mystery; more exalted than all honor, though not to them that are exalted in their own eyes. Now was my soul free from the gnawing cares of seeking and getting, of wallowing in the mire and scratching the itch of lust. And I prattled like a child to thee, O Lord my God -- my light, my riches, and my salvation.

Wow. Nice words there Augustine. That's all I got tonight.

Thoughts from Old Dead Guys Part 1

From Jonathan Edwards - "Observations on the Facts and Evidences of Christianity, and the Objections of Infidels"

There are these things remarkable in Christ's raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11) that he called upon God, before he did it, to do it for him; and thanked him that he heard him; and told him, that he knew that he heard him always; and when he spake to him he called him Father; and told him that he spake to him for that end, that others stood by, when they should see that what he asked of him, was granted in such an extraordinary thing, might believe that he sent him. Now; can it be imagined, that God would thus hear an impostor?

I think not.

Things to Pray For

Wow, it got late in a hurry tonight! I've been Christmas shopping online for almost 2 hours now. Anyway, what was going to be a well thought out post has turned into a copy and paste special -- and since I'll be out of town this weekend, this might be all I have for a few days. Perhaps I can persuade my millions of readers to check out some of the links to the right --->

Anyway, the Desiring God 'Taste and See' email that was sent out on November 10th was an especially good one and was quite convicting -- a list of what the early church prayed for and what we should be praying for. I must admit that I fall woefully short when it comes to prayer, but using this list, I hope to be a changed man by the time the new year hits. For the full article, go here.

1. Pray that God would exalt his name in the world. (Matthew 6:9)

2. Pray that God would extend his kingdom in the world. (Matthew 6:10)

3. Pray that the gospel would speed ahead and be honored. (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

4. Pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 11:13; cf. Ephesians 3:19

5. Pray that God would vindicate his people in their cause. (Luke 18:7)

6. Pray that God would save unbelievers. (Romans 10:1)

7. Pray that God would direct the use of the sword. (Ephesians 6:17-18)

8. Pray for boldness in proclamation. (Ephesians 6:18-19, Acts 4:29)

9. Pray for signs and wonders. (Acts 4:29-30, James 5:17-18)

10. Pray for the healing of wounded comrades. (James 5:14-15)

11. Pray for the healing of unbelievers. (Acts 28:8)

12. Pray for the casting out of demons. (Mark 9:29)

13. Pray for miraculous deliverances. (Acts 12:5, 12, Acts 16:25-26)

14. Pray for the raising of the dead. (Acts 9:40)

15. Pray that God would supply his troops with necessities. (Matthew 6:11)

16. Pray for strategic wisdom. (James 1:5)

17. Pray that God would establish leadership in the outposts. (Acts 14:23)

18. Pray that God would send out reinforcements. (Matthew 9:38, Acts 13:2-3)

19. Pray for the success of other missionaries. (Romans 15:30-31)

20. Pray for unity and harmony in the ranks. (John 17:20-21)

21. Pray for the encouragement of togetherness. (1 Thessalonians 3:10)

22. Pray for a mind of discernment. (Philippians 1:9-10)

23. Pray for a knowledge of his will. (Colossians 1:9)

24. Pray to know God better. (Colossians 1:10; cf. Ephesians 1:17)
    

25. Pray for power to comprehend the love of Christ. (Ephesians 3:14, 18-19)
    

26. Pray for a deeper sense of assured hope. (Ephesians 1:16, 18)
    

27. Pray for strength and endurance. (Colossians 1:11; cf. Ephesians 3:16)
    

28. Pray deeper sense of his power within them. (Ephesians 1:16, 18-19)
    

29. Pray that your faith not be destroyed. (Luke 22:32, Luke 21:36)
    

30. Pray for greater faith. (Mark 9:24; cf. Ephesians 3:17)
    

31. Pray that you might not fall into temptation. (Matthew 6:13, Matthew 26:41)
    

32. Pray that God would complete your good resolves. (2 Thessalonians 1:11)
    

33. Pray that you would do good works. (Colossians 1:10)
    

34. Pray for the forgiveness of your sins. (Matthew 6:12)

35. Pray for protection from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13)

Man, that took a long time to make the Bible verse links --- so please look at least one verse up!

Song Spotlight: "Where I Began"

Song Title: Where I Began
Artist: Caedmon's Call
Album: 40 Acres
Writer: Aaron Tate

The grass looked greener on the other side
So I tried to, snatch myself from your hand
Caught a boat to anywhere but Nineveh
And, well you know, I got spit back on dry land.

Give me purity and give me continence
But oh no, not yet.
Like a coin hiding in the corner
Trying not to be swept
And I was trying not to be swept.

Kicking against these goads
Sure did cut up my feet
And didn't your hands get bloody
As you washed them clean (you washed them!),

Chorus:
Here I am again, back where I began
Try as I may I can't get away from you
And all of these roads lead me to roam,
Bring me back home.
Here I am again, back where I began.

Verse 2:
So you have yourself your ninety nine (ninety nine),
Isn't that enough for you?
Still you followed me to the shadowed valley
Carried me on your shoulders too.

I've done the work of Sisyphus
Thinking that I could get over this hill
But the one thing I can't get over now...(is the)
Is the force of your will.

Chorus x2

Why This Song: Let me start by saying this: if I was to pick one song to best describe my life thus far, I think I would pick this one. The funny thing about this song is that I probably listened to it dozens of times a few years ago without really knowing the lyrics -- I could sing along to about 75% of it or so and coast through the rest. Then, after finally looking up the lyrics and looking some of the lyrics up in the dictionary, I immediately identified with the song, as it finally had meaning -- and what a meaning it has! I picked this song today for no particular reason, but I heard it recently and recalled how much I love it.

Why I like it: The part I like the most is obviously how well I indentify with it. Also, this little song is soaked with Scripture -- and I definitely enjoy when the songs I sing are filled with the very words of God, directly or indirectly. I like the music with it as well, a fast-paced upbeat song. Finally, I have to admit I had to look some words up in the dictionary. And I like that.

Dictionary Time: 1.) contience (noun) - self-restraint or abstinence, esp. in regard to sexual activity; temperance; moderation......2.) goad (noun) - a long stick with a pointed end used for prodding animals......3.) Sisyphus (noun - Classical Mythology) a son of Aeolus and ruler of Corinth, noted for his trickery: he was punished in Tartarus by being compelled to roll a stone to the top of a slope, the stone always escaping him near the top and rolling down again.

What This Song is not About: Let's not get confused and take things too literally. This song does not describe a 'Christian' who is fighting with all his might to abandon the faith completely, only to be stopped over and over by the force of God.

What I Believe This Song is About: Well, since I've said it describes my life, I hope I can figure this out. I think it describes the Christian life wonderfully. Sometimes we catch ourselves living in a way or acting in a way that we shouldn't, way more often than we probably care to admit, and it is as though we are actually running from God! We'll go back to this sin or this behavior or this attitude over and over again, but somehow we end up back underneath the cross ready to accept the forgiveness already given to us -- all by the grace of God. How often do we try and take ourselves out of the hand of the Father when he has promised that no one can take us out? Jonah fought like crazy to not do what God wanted him to do -- and in the end, he did what God wanted him to . Oh, how we want purity! And then the next day we don't! God doesn't stop loving us when we are hiding or running but instead fights all the more to get us to come back....see the parable of the prodigal son and the lost coin and the lost sheep. And finally, haven't we all done the work of Sisyphus, trying so hard to do the impossible by our own power - over and over again? God will keep his children coming back to him again and again no matter what we do to lose our way, and I thank my God for his wonderful grace on a wretch like me.

Related Scripture: Luke 15, John 10:27-30, Jonah

Favorite Line: " And all of these roads lead me to roam, Bring me back home" -- I have to admit that's pretty creative, so I like it, since I'm not very creative myself. But is it true? Just because the song says so or I agree doesn't mean that it is. Something to think about.

Stoplights & Slow People

Does this picture look somewhat familar? Well, for me, the location doesn't, but the stoplights do. it looks like a dreary fall day, probably right about 5:00. The best time to be on the road! Or not. You'll have to let me be a little transparent here -- as I'm about to bear all in front of my millions of readers.

I grew up in a small rural town in Southern Illinois. Traffic was rarely an issue, and when it was, I simply drove faster -- and around it. College wasn't much of a problem either, mainly because I spent so much time studying there wasn't time to drive in traffic. When I first came to Huntsville, I lived about a mile from work. Little did I know how awesome that was -- a 3 minute drive to and from work every day. Then a year ago, we moved. Now the drive to work is probably 10 miles, and it has taken me anywhere from 13 to 39 minutes to get to work (and yes, I time it 4/5 days). What started as minor annoyances (stoplights, 4-way stops with long lines, slow people in fast lanes, slow people in slow lanes, people who don't use turn signals, people who refuse to tap the accelerator when the light turns green, people who pull out in front of me and then drive 10 MPH below the speed limit)...has become my downfall. It's probably been about 8 or 9 months that I've been struggling with sin while driving.

At Bible study the other night, I admitted my problem to many (though my accountability group had known for awhile). So for the last week I fought like crazy to avoid yelling at people who couldn't hear me, yelling or even flipping birds to inanimate stoplights, cursing in the middle of singing praise songs, etc. Satan surely tempted to think "A son of the living God, don't you have better things to concern yourself with than little things that no one really knows about -- like praying for your fellow brother or your neighbor or giving to the poor or some scripture memory?" But that is trap -- trying to cover up sin with more 'good things.' Or, one better, like Derek Webb says in his "I Repent" song: "By trading sins for others that are easier to hide." For after all, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)"

To make a long story even longer, this week was a good one -- not perfect, but much better, focusing on mind AND PRAYING that I not be a road-rage guy. I really think humbling myself and praying that God deliver me from this seemingly trivial sin (that is really quite serious) was the key to fighting, for trying to do these things alone is difficult and most of time impossible. Friday topped it off, as I got in the mail a CD from Desiring God ministries, "Battling the Unbelief of Impatience," a sermon by John Piper - a gift to all in the Phillipian Fellowship. Honestly, I chuckled when I read the title and hardly even needed to listen to it -- first, the root of my problem is unbelief, and I am suffering from impatience, which is really doubting God's timing. More than that, I have been cursing God's timing in my heart, and I repent. How about that timing in sending me a CD on impatience? Gotta love it.

Veteran's Day Salute

Friday is Veteran's Day. We are at war, and I'm sitting at home in a nice comfortable house doing whatever I please because I live in a country like America. Though this country is way too secular and rooted in sin, it is still under God and still stands for freedom. Without permission, I would like to post an email I received a couple of weeks ago from a soldier in Iraq. He is supposed to be on his way home now. I don't know the guy, but I know his wife's parents (and hence how I got the email). I have bolded the parts of the email I found particularly moving. If you are reading this, please pray for Jason to arrive home safely -- and thank a veteran if you can.

15 OCT 06
Less than a month left to go here. It is hard to think of anything other than going home. We are all very eager to be done with this tour. It is like waiting for Christmas--the closer it gets, the slower time seems to pass.

It has been a long year. It is weird to say that...a year. Have I really been gone that long? It has been way too long.

The "fresh fish" are beginning to show up. It is nice to see the new patches around the FOB. It is just another reminder that this tour is almost done.

This "journal" of mine has grown quite long over the last year. I just spent over an hour reading back through it, reminiscing. Many of you reading this journal now have been reading these entries since the beginning of my deployment. Thank you for your interest. Thank you for your always encouraging words.

Because you have shared some of this journey with me through my journal, I felt obligated to write one last time to close out the books. I know I haven't written in awhile, so I wanted to let you know where we stand.

We are preparing to hand the baton off to the next unit who will be replacing us. We are feeling the struggle the rest of Iraq is feeling. The road this country has begun traveling down is a long difficult road. I am not going to mince words: it has a long way to go. Even our area, which is doing relatively well, has a long way to go. We have improved the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police tremendously in our area. Their performance has dramatically improved during our tenure. But it has a long way to go still. It is frustrating sometimes because the steps they take are so small. They are getting better, but so slowly. Our area has successfully had a democratic election this year, but we are still fighting the corruption that is deeply ingrained in this country's way of doing things. We have improved life for the cities: opened a large tractor factory for employment, stood up 3 agricultural unions for the rural areas, emplaced strategic water purification units in areas that have not seen clean water ever, fixed the electricity shortages for thousands, and provided the security forces with better equipment and training. While many civic projects are improving quality of life, we are still fighting the terrorists and militias that try to disrupt the stability.

Many good things happened this year. Many areas of Iraq are on the right track like ours, but there are many that are a mess like Baghdad. The problem is that fixing the mess will take a long time, because like I said before, the Iraqis are taking baby steps toward improvement. Nothing will resolve itself quickly here. It is what it is.

Whether this war is right or wrong, it has been an honor serving my country for this year. Like I said in a journal entry awhile ago, I will gladly spend 10 years here if it means that the terrorists are tied up fighting us here rather than at home. Knowing my family sleeps safe at night is enough of a reason for me. I know what it is like not to have that luxury.

Thank you all for thinking of me and for praying for me. I am glad I am coming home. I know that I am fortunate. We have lost many soldiers. Why the guy next to me died and I lived is a mystery to me, but for whatever reason, I am coming home and I am not complaining about it. I look forward to reuniting with my wife and reminding my son who his father is.

Application Time: 1.) Thank a veteran on Friday. Let's not take for granted what we have been blessed with in America. 2.) Pray for our soldiers. They be way over on the other side of the world, but God is still a protector and still in charge. 3.) Know that your soul is at war every day if you are a Christian. Fight, brother. Fight, sister. Bring out the big guns and be obedient under pressure.

Hymn Spotlight: "Abiding City"

Song Title: Abiding City
Artist: Sandra McCracken
Album: The Builder and the Architect
Writer: Sandra McCracken (inspired by Thomas Kelly)

O sweet home of love and peace
Where pilgrims tired and troubled rest
Into the hope of Zion lean
Where in Jesus' arms we will fall at last

Oh lift up your head
For the day is near
We have no abiding city here

Addiction's empty promises
This broken world cannot satisfy
A sweeter song, redemption's bliss
Is sealed for us in paradise

Oh lift up your head
For the day is near
We have no abiding city here

Spirit heal our neighborhood
Until your kingdom work is done
Teach us what is just and good
As we look for the city yet to come

Oh lift up your head
For the day is near
We have no abiding city here

A city filled with gold and light
God the builder and the architect
When our faith is turned to sight
Oh I cannot imagine it

Oh lift up your head
For the day is near
We have no abiding city here

Audio sample plus words from Sandra: Here

Why this hymn: It's simply really. Everytime I hear this song I think of The Pilgrim's Progress. Perhaps it's the word 'pilgrims' in the second line that does it or the constant stressing that we do not have an abiding city here but long for a city that is yet to come -- similar themes I found in the book reviewed just yesterday. So why not name this hymn as the unofficial theme hymn of a dead guy's book?

Why I like it: First of all, it's on my favorite CD, and a line from this song is where The Builder and the Architect may well get its name. Sandra once again does a fantastic job of singing. The hymn as a very clear yet simple feel to it -- things in this world won't satisfy us, and we should be awaiting paradise. And we should live as though there is more to life than what this world has to offer. It also offers up a delightful view of heaven I think, speaking of things such as 1.) being in the arms of Christ, 2.) looking for a city that is yet to come that is better than what we see now, 3.) not being able to imagine the sight of this city that God has built -- Let us, therefore, lift up our heads despite what may bring them down and press on to the end so that we may arrive one day at the Celestial City that Christian and Christiana longed for so much in The Pilgrim's Progress.

Related Scripture: Hebrews 12:22-28, 1 Peter 2:11, Revelation 21:21-22

Favorite Line: "Addiction's empty promises, This broken world cannot satisfy" -- Isn't it good to be reminded that addictions and sin in general promise things they can't fulfill? We really can't be satisfied by the things of this world, no matter how much we try. No amount or level of food or money or power or fame or lust or excitement or victory can truly satisfy a lost soul -- or even a found soul for that matter. Only Christ can satisfy -- through the bliss of redemption that is sealed for us in paradise.

Book Review: "The Pilgrim's Progress"

Since Blogger has evidently lost my blog posting from last night (and I know it was on here because I found four mistakes and changed them one at a time), I will attempt to duplicate what I wrote, for I don't want to waste that hour.

So I spent the weekend with my in-laws. The company was pleasant, and the food was outstanding as usual. Sometime on Saturday, in between sneaking bites of chocolate-covered cashews, I was able to get away and finish up The Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan. Like I mentioned last week, I had started an Old English version of the book while in college, got about half way through, and never finished it. This past year in our Monday night Bible study, we studied the first part of the book, but this time I bought a version written in modern English (pictured). A little easier to read it was.

For those who might not know, the book is basically a story of two pilgrimages, the first by a man named Christian, who left all to follow Christ. The second part of the book is about the pilgrimage of Christian's wife, Christiana, as she later decided to follow the same Christ. I don't really want to give a summary of the book, mainly because it took me so long to read through it all, and summaries are generally boring, something you can find on the back of a book. So what I wanted to do was to post the top 10 things I'm taking with me from this book (not necessarily in order, but I'll try). Here it goes.

10.) A Christian's Life Directly Impacts Others - This wasn't a main theme of the book but seemed to surface here and there, mainly in the second part. There are several examples of how the later pilgrims recalled what Christian had done, and I loved when they recalled what Faithful had done at the Vanity Fair. Also, the pilgrims were consistently impacted by each other as they went along on their journey.

9.) Christians Should Live as Though Earth is Not Their Home - Of course, this book was somewhat figurative, but I enjoyed the picture of how a pilgrim would have to leave it all to follow Christ - his town, his job, and sometimes even his family. The reason this was done was that nothing could hold them back on the way to the Celestial City where the King resided - their true home.

8.) Christians Need Help along the Way - Help from God, help from fellow believers, and even help from nonbelievers, it comes in a variety of ways, and help is completely necessary for we cannot do it alone. Of course, the help from God is the most common and perhaps the most powerful, but no pilgrim in this book would have made it to the Celestial City without help from a fellow believer. Christiana had a much easier time of things in her pilgrimmage than Christian did, mainly because of her stud guide, Mr. Great Heart.

7.) Be Careful when Listening to Others - There are liars everywhere. There are those who are ignorant of the truth everywhere. And they all want to give us advice and tell us how things are. You could also call this point Know Your Bible because it's sometimes very difficult to distinguish between a sheep and a wolf in sheep's clothing without knowing what the Scriptures say. The book was full of people who were either deceived themselves or just plain deceivers -- all in a way trying to throw the piglrim off his path.

6.) Christians Should Give God the Glory - This is related some to #8, but I believe the point is made clear in this book -- give God the glory for not only your salvation but your perseverence as well. I dare say that no pilgrim got to the very end and thought that he had gotten there by himself. No sir. God made the whole thing possible to begin with and will prove to be the chief sustainer in any pilgrimage.

5.) Deliverance is Sweet - One of my favorite parts of the book is when Christian realizes that his burden has been lifted and that he has been delievered from the sin that plagues him -- through the blood of him who was slain. The way he handles it all truly displays a sweetness that I wish I could experience every day -- and I should.

4.) Christians Will Suffer - We all won't suffer the same amount or in the same ways, but I think the Bible and the book makes this quite clear - all Christians must suffer. There are going to be valleys, times of despair, times of darkness, and perhaps times of backsliding (or getting off the path). But God is faithful and ordains these times for our good and even calls us to have joy while facing trials. The book does a fantastic job of not painting Christianity as a fluffy-everything-is-beautiful religion that it's not -- it relays the truth that there are going to be times of suffering.

3.) Each Christian Pilgrimage is Different - Christian and Faithful were a great pair while they voyaged together. They were tempted in different ways, struggled in different ways, suffered in different ways, even rejoiced in different ways. But what I loved the most was how they helped one another when a brother was struggling. We should remember their example before judging others who might have different experiences than us.

2.) Spiritual Warfare is Real - This has to be a main theme in the book. Satan's demons and demon-like manifestations are everywhere along the path and certainly off the path. I'm not sure I fully realize all the spiritual warfare that my soul endures each and every day. There are certainly demons trying to destroy me or even knock me off my path just a little bit -- every day and every hour. We should be aware. From personal experience, I can say that the war gets tougher and tougher the closer we get with God --- for if we are already acting like a devil, why should they bother us?

1.) CHRISTIANS MUST PERSEVERE TO THE END - I would fancy that Bunyan himself would call this the main theme of the book. If he doesn't agree, let him speak from the grave! Anyway, it's the number one thing I'm taking with me and will always remember the book for -- and what better thing to always remember? Throughout the book, there were pilgrims who would start a pilgrimage and quickly give up or go about half way and get discouraged and turn around or get about half way and try to take a short cut (by avoiding the Gate) or would even get close to the end and get scared and turn around or even be at the doorstep of the Celestial City and get distracted. We can't assume any of them made it to the Celestial City, for they didn't persevere. The Pilgrim's Progress as well as the book of Hebrews makes it painfully clear -- if you don't persevere to the end, then you will not get through the heavenly gates. I'm glad we don't have to do it alone -- as God himself aids us in persevering, but it should be on our minds every day that people turn away. Christianity is a fight -- a daily fight for life and death, and we should treat it that way.

Where did my book review of The Pilgrim's Progress go?

BLOGSPOT! Where is my book review that I posted last night? That took an hour! My millions of readers are in an uproar!