The Failure of All Things

    I've taken a break from reading The Doctrine of Repentance. Well, honestly, I just haven't finished it (put your stones down). I have, however, continued on reading Every Good Endeavor by Keller. Mainly, because I have much accountability in doing so (found in the form of godly men at Crema every Thursday a.m.) Praise God for that in my life! Anyway, Keller quoted something from a guy named Al Wolters' book Creation Regained that I am going to re-quote, give a thought I have, and then leave you to ruminate on its simple profoundness, too.

Here is what Wolters says:

The whole world is fallen. There is no aspect of the world affected by sin more or less than any other. For example, are emotion and passions untrustworthy and reason infallible? Is the physical bad and the spiritual good? Is the day-to-day world profane but religious observances good? None of these are true; but non-Christian story lines must adopt some variations of these in order to villanize and even demonize some created thing instead of sin.

The whole world is going to be redeemed. Jesus is going to redeem spirit and body, reason, and emotion, people and nature. There is no part of reality for which there is no hope.

A Thought:

    I so often put my hope in some aspect of the world which is fallen. I play that grass is greener game. Or, I bargain with God attempting to get the thing I so desperately "need" to be able to make it here on earth. While attempting the consumption of those fictional needs, I've become acquainted with the failure of all things that Wolter writes about above. But here is the true need: Jesus. 

    Here is my challenge to you dear reader: When you are faced with the thing that has been bothering you for this season in life don't pursue the anti-gospel, pursue Jesus. He is the hope; even in unclarity (or even clarity), he is the true hope.

Let the rumination begin... Comments?

Repentance, The Doctrine of (part 2)

I'm still in the tale end of chapter 3 heading into chapter 4. I'm reading about confession's place in repentance. Here is my first thought toward this passage, with many more following:

Confession is a true friend's task

Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. Proverbs 27:9

I have had several good friends. People I just enjoy being around. People that laugh at my stupid jokes, and understand my unique way of venting conflicts. They just like the way I currently am and are patient with me while I become like Him. I bet you, dear reader, have had some of these relationships, too. Life giving, soul refreshing, breaths of life. Cling to these guys and be close so sin won't be. My point: a good friendship will have the elements of light so deeply ingrained in it that there is no shadow in which to hide. Confession will be a part of living life in community with men you trust and love. Page 37 drills this idea home.

Back to the Book
"They who will not confess their sin as David did, that they may be pardoned, shall confess their sin as Achan did, that they may be stoned." (pg. 32) I think this is what will happen on the last day during that "Every knee shall bow..." celebration. Honestly, in my misunderstanding, I always wondered how someone could confess Christ then be sentenced to eternity in Hell. The root of my failed logic lies in my thinking of salvation as a recipe: 2 parts "Jesus is Lord", 2 parts "Jesus is savior" and presto... Christian Lasagna. Watson, I think, is attacking this simplistic view of salvation as well. Not that its complicated, but it is. Make sense? Oh Jesus, help us...

Sin
Katie, like Eve, is responsible for all my failings...Sorry, babe.
In my mind, I extenuate my sins.
I blame shift, mainly towards God.
And I'm a damn good complainer!
I don't speak
My eyes often darken my soul.
I need the light and confession helps it shine through.

I love Watson's usage of gross similes. Confession is like: lancing an abscess, letting out bad blood from a vein, and opening a dung gate.

Confession of sin is agreeing with truth. I can't deny or justify my sin. I can't explain why it happened. There is no logic. Sin is insane; to rationalize it only wounds the victims more, confuses the thinker, and makes a fan of modern psychology. Being a sinner (one who sins) is needing Christ.

I love the promises associated with confession on pages 35&36. If I confess God will be faithful and just to forgive.
"...draw up an indictment against yourself and plead guilty, and you shall be sure of mercy."

Auricular...That's another cool word.

Ok, I hope you worship Christ more through reading this. Thanks, friends.

In Christ Alone,

David

For Katie:

"I love you," said Katie.
"And I love you," replied David, as they snuggled as deep in the covers as they are in love. All of David's days are lovely because of his wonderful wife. He doesn't know how gracious God really has been to him by loaning her to him. All of their troubles are kind of worth it, in the right lighting, and together.

The Doctrine of Repentance

Thomas Watson wrote a bunch of good stuff. Really he did. At Katie's prodding, I started looking for a book for us to devour. Nolan, my bro-in-law, was reading The Doctrine of Repentance and Facebooked about it. I took the bait when I considered how difficult it is to weigh true repentance in my life.

I just feel like so many modern authors just aren't as thought provoking as some of these old dead guys. I love that I have to harass my dictionary app while reading most pages. You know... I'm pretty sure his education would have been double of any given modern doctorate degree. Something else: he didn't have TV. Which, through my many hours of observation, has convinced me it is the devil's box. 

On to Repentance

My goal in writing this blog is to re-communicate some of the things I'm learning through this book. And secondly: because I mainly learn from regurgitating information.

Observations

I think it is important to note that there is nothing in the Christian life that is an equation. I could conceivably follow every step Watson lays out and never repent. Or I could feel terribly about my sin and again never repent. But, nevertheless, Watson gives an excellent starting point for the deep, soul saving half-act of repentance. The other half is faith in Christ, Amen!

This is probably oversimplified, but I'm thinking repentance is aligning our spiritual vision to view our actions as Jesus views them. Then calling them what they are: sin. Leaving these sin then for the hand of Jesus. Trading dust for living water. 

"The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out." (Proverbs 20:5) I'm still learning what this means, but I think it can be said of one who is trying to truly repent.

Chapter 1

12: I love that he isn't going to dive into the "What came first?" argument, and in a short sweet paragraph says what many have said in verbose books. Of course, Watson probably has read all those books. On page 14, he kind of restates this in his two points on how repentance is wrought. 

13: "Repentance is a pure gospel grace... The law required personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience." 

Chapter 2

16: 

    It is a great matter to leave a sin. Then Watson says many people would leave a child before some sins. I thought, "No way! I would give anything for AK and Spero!" Then I thought to the times I have failed to perpetual struggles throughout the years. I can see his point. Another thought: How many people in the world have left families and loved ones to chase after romance (lust), money, power, etc. Yeah, we people choose sin first. This is more evidence that page 12 is correct. 

"An old sin may be left to entertain a new..." Yeap, this is why many a smoker quits and gains 50 lbs. (I wonder why I have and extra 50 lbs. then!?) 

Seriously though, the path is wider on the edge of hell than at the start of life. 

17: "True leaving of sin is when the acts of sin cease from the infusion of a principle of grace, as the air ceases to be dark from the infusion of light."

Chapter 3 

"Sin must first be seen before it can be wept for." Jesus said it this way, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Lord Christ, will you give us holy sight to see our sin like you see it?

19:

    "A woman may as well expect to have a child without pangs as one can have repentance without sorrow." Katie went naturally with Spero. No Tylenol,  no epidural, no morphine. Just pressure, pain, and a little screaming. "IT HURTS!" is specifically what she demanded everyone know while Spero was crowning. 

Repentance will have sorrow like Katie had Spero.

22: 

    Fiducial. I like that word. Say it out loud. It means: having the nature of trust. Godly sorrow that leads to repentance has the nature of trust. Sorrow is sorrow, not repentance. Repentance is a mixture of part sorrow, some other good stuff, and part trust in Christ. 

    Ok, so this is a stretch and a little random, but follow me here. Trust is being sure what you hope in is going to be there, is unchanging, and is powerful enough to be trusted. Therefore you, dear reader, cannot have true trust in something that is not committed, right? You cannot have trust in something that is not powerful, right? This is my point: Marriage has been given these qualities: Commitment and Love based on the truth of the Gospel (Power). And should be a safe place for godly sorrow, then confession, and then repentance to take place without the fear of rejection. Matthew 18 is the standard I'm thinking of here. 

That's enough for now! Much love to my singular, soul, at home with the kids while I'm at work typing this, blog follower: Katie.

-David

WSJ, stop making me think... I'm enjoying my Kool Aid

Friends take a look at this article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303505504577406603829668714.html

Ok, so, MY biggest problem with education is that all knowledge begins with God.

My second is America's seeming denial of the logical fact that our most intelligent men and women in history were not always products of our current public educational system. Really!? Multiple choice test scores mean smart kids? Where did all the classical education models go?

Yeah I know engineers are tested via multiple choice tests, but do you want all their education to be all knowledge and regurgitation? No projects? Just auto-cad?

What about your doctor?

To the Teachers and Administrators:

If I can't get students to do well on a test that means, as a teacher I failed? Hummm... What about thinking logically? What about moral social interaction? What about firing the ancients and understanding that "years of experience" isn't the same as "wise."

High Test Scores don't mean we'll educated.

Please can we take the education system and revolt so old people, who can't even debate right (I'm looking at you RomneyBama) aren't making the decisions for educating the kids? Who put government in charge of educating all the kids in the US anyways?

I know this is a seemingly bitter rant, but that doesn't negate the fact that there is a big problem in our public daycare system... uhh I mean Public Education System.

What's the goal?

Compete with the world? That's our goal? So 'Merica can compete? Then we need to not educate every one that can't pay for it. Don't worry I want to teach everybody... I just don't want to compare my education apple to education oranges. Hey Globalization isn't bad, by the way! Pretty soon Universities are going to be full of foreigners watching via Skype (or something).

What if our goal was to train parents to individually care for their kid's educational path? What if we took each kid to their level plus one? Or to their maximum by the end of school? What if we focused on their strengths, while shoring in their weaknesses, in an attempt to drill down deep into a interested strength?

Drop the testing folly. Or at least change it to something that really tells people how their doing.

End of rant. Post your thoughts below!

United... Wonderings from Psalm 52

United 'til death do we meet him who saved us by his faith.
Not for me, but for He who died upon the tree. I exist: a being who is only righteous by decree from the Lamb who is and is to come.
What is?
Anything that is: awoke, by the powerful words perfectly, quietly (or loudly) spoke.

Potency-I will wait
Glory-for your name
Defining- for it is good
United- in the presence of the godly.

Because you have done it.
Because you have done it.
Because you have done it.

Mercy, not Sacrifice...

In Matthew Chapter 12, Jesus rebuked the pharisees perfectly by telling them God desires mercy, not sacrifice. It's brilliant really, which I guess I shouldn't be surprised by because it is Jesus talking after all. It's brilliant, though, because of the implications this has for performingly religious people.

Just speaking for myself, I am naturally prone to want sacrifice from others. What I mean is: I want them to perform to get my approval. Sacrificing their time to serve me. Sacrificing thier differences in personality. Sacrificing something to show themselves worthy of my respect. Yeah, I know I suck...but if you think that I suck are you desiring me to sacrifice to get your approval? (I'm just sayin'...)

This idea is really a plague in our world. In all religions and demographics people require performance (AKA sacrifice) for approval. Think about when you see some rich guy walk by... what's your first thought? Do you require something from that guy to give your approval to him? Maybe him to share his wealth? Or think about the beggar at the traffic light. 'Nough said, right? Or, if you were a Muslim, looking at a Non-muslim what would you tell them they had to perform to be in the good graces of Allah?

When we Christians are in the mind set of earning approval (making sacrifices), or making other's make sacrifices to get closer to God, there is no difference between this kind of Christian religion and the other world religions.

Thankfully, that is not true Christianity.


Hosea 6:6, "For I desire steadfast [mercy] and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."

Psalm 51:16-17, "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
                you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
                    The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
                a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

Matthew 12:7, "And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

John 6:28-29, "Then they said to him, 'What must we do, to be doing the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.'"

Here is true Christianity: our righteousness comes from Christ, because there is where God's mercy is most found, in his performance. It must be this way. If I think I can perform to bring me closer to God, I am really saying this action of performance will bribe God to overlook the transgression for which I am responsible. God is Just and must punish that transgression, and either I face that punishment, or I faith in Jesus' work of mercy on the cross.

How does this apply to my life? I need not be critical of others, for they are on their own journey and God is doing a work in their lives. Katie, my wife, Alex Kate, my daughter, and Spero, my son, don't have to preform to receive God's grace, nor should they perform to receive mine. My Christian family doesn't have to be perfect. They don't have to act like me, dress like me, or watch UFC.

Here is the main point: If I see God as making me and others sacrifice to get closer to him; I will also make people sacrifice to get closer to me. This is the way the world works... I hate the world; I love Jesus, and he loves me. Performance-less, perfect, Gracious, overlooking love.

Lord Christ, help me love like you and give much mercy, not sacrifice.

JOBLESSNESS (not hopelessness)

I found out Friday, June 29 that I wasn't going to be rehired for the next school year at ACMS. The reason: It's complicated, but essentially the test scores say I suck at teaching. I'm not sure if I do or not, but the truth I can say: this thing is of God. This last Friday, July 6 we moved out of our apartment in Athens. We're chillin' with los padres in Oliver Springs job hunting. Our junk is on a trailer awaiting orders.

I'm not a Diest; God actively brought this about for our good. I'm not a practical atheist; I cannot trust in pulling hard on my boot straps.

I'm a follower of Christ: I drink his blood and I eat his flesh. 

This is the story, the one I'm living, the one he brought about and is going to walk through with me. I'm emotional right now. (Yeah, I know I'm a man saying this...) I drift from anger to excitement, from faith to faithlessness. I can't figure out what I'm good at; its not obvious right now. I want to be a (blank) at any given moment. Identity struggles are hard, but I know I'm his. I'm thankful for the rock in the storm. 

Last week:

I had an interview at Apple. I was so excited about getting in there! Then I got the email (after 3 meetings) and I didn't get it. Which was hard, because I think too highly of myself. 

This week:

I have a phone call with an admissions counselor today at 3ish. I've been thinking of getting my master's in counseling from Biblical Seminary up in PA. Actually, we were planning on going there, but I decided to take the path of least resistance and stay in Athens, which apparently wasn't the right path. But this path has it's difficulties, too. Spero is coming in late September. 30k-ish total after 2 years in debt. No job (seems to be a theme). Maybe the Apple retail store in PA wants to hire a washed-up teacher with no clear strengths, except eating and losing hair. (It's ok you can laugh.) 

Maybe Nashville will have an opportunity. We're going there for a week (or forever) to apply at some Christian Schools. (If you have any connections leave a comment :) Ray Ortlund here we come! Maybe...I've been using that word a ton recently. 

Here is the end of the matter: One day we will be worshipping Jesus in heaven, our journey will be over. I will hold my wife's hand and praise his name forever! and ever. and ever. Until then, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  John 3:8

Pray for us:

Health Care

Good job 

Clarity, Wisdom, Discernment

Faith in Christ

Grace and Patience while we are in between housing

Resilience in our souls

Thanks friends... 

-David