"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I'm doing a little reading on the first Beatitude. I thought I'd share a few quotes.
C.S. Lewis said he enjoyed the sermon on the mount as much as he enjoyed being hit in with a sledgehammer. No doubt these quotes make plain that emotion.
"The question in heaven's kingdom is not, "Are you a peer?" but , "Are you poor in spirit?" Those who are of no account in their own eyes are of the blood royal of the universe. These alone have the principles and qualifications for the heavenly kingdom." C.H. Spurgeon
“Pride based on genuine virtues has the greatest potential for self-deception.” D.A. Carson
"If one feels anything in the presence of God save an utter poverty of spirit, it ultimately means that you have never faced Him." Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones
Rock of Ages - Augustus Toplady
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.
8/12/10
Relentless
Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. Exodus 32:14
The verse above comes from the story of the children of Israel making a golden calf from the earrings they had been given by the Egyptians after they escaped Egypt. Moses had been away for several weeks and the people became impatient. They told Aaron, Moses' brother and co-leader, they didn't think Moses was coming back, so they needed a new God. Instead of calling a summit of leaders or suggesting they wait a little longer, Aaron asked the people for their gold and molded a golden calf. After the calf was made, the people threw a party and shouted thanks to their new god, even giving it credit for rescuing them from Egypt.
There were times before the party when the Israelites had complained to and cursed the real deliverer. Time and time again they had wanted to turn around and go back to the slavemasters, but not this time. Dancing around the metallic statue, they found thankfulness and praised the idol for their deliverance.
Moses heard the shouts from the mountain and heard God's voice from heaven. God told him to go down and see what the people were doing. God told Moses to leave the people alone so he could destroy them and start over with Moses. Moses prayed for the forgiveness of the people. Then the Bible says, "God relented."
Instead of wiping out the nation and beginning again with Moses, God had Moses melt the golden calf and the people drank the liquid golden god.
Over a thousand years later God came to this world in a body. The one in whose image we were made became an image bearer himself. Jesus showed the world what life was intended to be. The only person to never worship any type of idol (no golden calves, no idols of pretense, no compromising of any kind) was treated like an idolater. After honoring and glorifying the Father with every breath he ever drew, the beloved Son experienced the relentless punishment of a holy God. The relenting that was given to the rebellious Israelites was poured out on Jesus. They drank some melted gold. Jesus begged the night before his death to be spared drinking the cup of God's wrath that was waiting for him the next day.
I'm thankful tonight for God's relentless grace. I'm thankful for a Savior who willingly drank the cup of God's righteous anger so I would never have to. I'm thankful for the good news that tells me God's grace will never relent because his judgment was relentlessly poured out on the Son. I'm thankful for the gospel.
The verse above comes from the story of the children of Israel making a golden calf from the earrings they had been given by the Egyptians after they escaped Egypt. Moses had been away for several weeks and the people became impatient. They told Aaron, Moses' brother and co-leader, they didn't think Moses was coming back, so they needed a new God. Instead of calling a summit of leaders or suggesting they wait a little longer, Aaron asked the people for their gold and molded a golden calf. After the calf was made, the people threw a party and shouted thanks to their new god, even giving it credit for rescuing them from Egypt.
There were times before the party when the Israelites had complained to and cursed the real deliverer. Time and time again they had wanted to turn around and go back to the slavemasters, but not this time. Dancing around the metallic statue, they found thankfulness and praised the idol for their deliverance.
Moses heard the shouts from the mountain and heard God's voice from heaven. God told him to go down and see what the people were doing. God told Moses to leave the people alone so he could destroy them and start over with Moses. Moses prayed for the forgiveness of the people. Then the Bible says, "God relented."
Instead of wiping out the nation and beginning again with Moses, God had Moses melt the golden calf and the people drank the liquid golden god.
Over a thousand years later God came to this world in a body. The one in whose image we were made became an image bearer himself. Jesus showed the world what life was intended to be. The only person to never worship any type of idol (no golden calves, no idols of pretense, no compromising of any kind) was treated like an idolater. After honoring and glorifying the Father with every breath he ever drew, the beloved Son experienced the relentless punishment of a holy God. The relenting that was given to the rebellious Israelites was poured out on Jesus. They drank some melted gold. Jesus begged the night before his death to be spared drinking the cup of God's wrath that was waiting for him the next day.
I'm thankful tonight for God's relentless grace. I'm thankful for a Savior who willingly drank the cup of God's righteous anger so I would never have to. I'm thankful for the good news that tells me God's grace will never relent because his judgment was relentlessly poured out on the Son. I'm thankful for the gospel.
8/11/10
8/4/10
Henry Twells
And none o Christ have perfect rest,
for none are wholly free from sin;
and they who wish to serve you best,
are conscious most of wrong within.
O Savior Christ, you too as we;
You have been troubled, tempted, tried;
Your kind but searching glance can see
The very wounds that shame would hide.
Henry Twells
for none are wholly free from sin;
and they who wish to serve you best,
are conscious most of wrong within.
O Savior Christ, you too as we;
You have been troubled, tempted, tried;
Your kind but searching glance can see
The very wounds that shame would hide.
Henry Twells
8/3/10
Better than a Dream
Earlier this year two events took place that you need to be aware of for this post to make sense. Nashville and it's surrounding areas experienced a tragic and devastating hundred year flood. Secondly, the greatest television series ever, LOST, ended it's six year run. Now to the post...
Three nights ago I was walking alongside a road. Behind me there were three or four men who were laughing hysterically. I didn't know exactly why, but I was laughing as well. We had played a practical joke on somebody. I wasn't sure who, but for some reason I couldn't stop laughing. The joke was played on a group inside a building and the victims began walking out one at a time. The first was Kate Austen. She seemed to appreciate the joke and looked at me with a grin. The second person to leave the building seemed to have been upset by the joke and walked by me with disgust. I never saw the third woman, but I know her father was appalled, because he grabbed one of the men and slammed him into a fence before climbing into his black limo and speeding off. The man thrown into the fence was Desmond Hume and the driver of the limo was Hugo Reyes. But I don't think it was the real Hugo Reyes, because he was wearing a black suit. As I turned to my left I saw the real Hugo Reyes running into a field. I think he was the real Hurley because he was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.
Then I was invited into another black car with Christian Shepherd. Over the car-phone speaker, I heard a voice say we needed to drive to the Midwest (pretty vague) to pick up Jack. Christian turned on the radio and a Spanish station was playing. He looked at me and sarcastically whispered, "Por Favor."
Then I heard, "Danny. Danny." And I woke up.
"Yeah?"
"It's raining. Do you think you should move your car off the drain and into the driveway?"
It was the sweet voice of my best friend and wife of 8 years today.
All this to say, I don't know of a dream I'd rather have than being a LOST cast member. I was thoroughly enjoying my dream. I laid in bed for an hour wondering how I could get back to the island or LAX or wherever Christian and I were driving that day. But in the end, I had a simple thought that has stayed with me all week. There's no dream I wouldn't want Rebecca to wake me up from. Being her husband and friend, raising a family with her, and simply living life together each day is better than any dream in the world.
Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart. I'm so thankful you're mine.
Three nights ago I was walking alongside a road. Behind me there were three or four men who were laughing hysterically. I didn't know exactly why, but I was laughing as well. We had played a practical joke on somebody. I wasn't sure who, but for some reason I couldn't stop laughing. The joke was played on a group inside a building and the victims began walking out one at a time. The first was Kate Austen. She seemed to appreciate the joke and looked at me with a grin. The second person to leave the building seemed to have been upset by the joke and walked by me with disgust. I never saw the third woman, but I know her father was appalled, because he grabbed one of the men and slammed him into a fence before climbing into his black limo and speeding off. The man thrown into the fence was Desmond Hume and the driver of the limo was Hugo Reyes. But I don't think it was the real Hugo Reyes, because he was wearing a black suit. As I turned to my left I saw the real Hugo Reyes running into a field. I think he was the real Hurley because he was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.
Then I was invited into another black car with Christian Shepherd. Over the car-phone speaker, I heard a voice say we needed to drive to the Midwest (pretty vague) to pick up Jack. Christian turned on the radio and a Spanish station was playing. He looked at me and sarcastically whispered, "Por Favor."
Then I heard, "Danny. Danny." And I woke up.
"Yeah?"
"It's raining. Do you think you should move your car off the drain and into the driveway?"
It was the sweet voice of my best friend and wife of 8 years today.
All this to say, I don't know of a dream I'd rather have than being a LOST cast member. I was thoroughly enjoying my dream. I laid in bed for an hour wondering how I could get back to the island or LAX or wherever Christian and I were driving that day. But in the end, I had a simple thought that has stayed with me all week. There's no dream I wouldn't want Rebecca to wake me up from. Being her husband and friend, raising a family with her, and simply living life together each day is better than any dream in the world.
Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart. I'm so thankful you're mine.
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