Piper: On Grace in Marriage (and Relationships)

Grace Bent Outward:

Then, having shown us the basis of God’s forgiveness in the cross, Paul says in Colossians 3:13b,

“As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

In other words, take the grace and forgiveness and justification that you have received vertically through the death of Christ and bend it out horizontally to others. Specifically, husbands to wives and wives to husbands.

Why the emphasis on forgiving and forbearing rather than, say, an emphasis on romance and enjoying each other?

1. Because there is going to be conflict based on sin, we need to forgive sin and forbear strangeness, and sometimes you won’t even agree on which is which;

2. Because the hard, rugged work of forgiving and forbearing is what makes it possible for affections to flourish when they seem to have died;

3. Because God gets glory when two very different and very imperfect people forge a life of faithfulness in the furnace of affliction by relying on Christ.

To hear more of this click HERE

What is Sin?

When Paul describes the sins of his own people in Romans 2:24, the climax of the indictment is this: "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

What makes sin, sin, is not first that it hurts people, but that it blasphemes God. This is the ultimate evil and the ultimate outrage in the universe.

The glory of God is not honored.
The holiness of God is not reverenced.
The greatness of God is not admired.
The power of God is not praised.
The truth of God is not sought.
The wisdom of God is not esteemed.
The beauty of God is not treasured.
The goodness of God is not savored.
The faithfulness of God is not trusted.
The promises of God are not relied upon.
The commandments of God are not obeyed.
The justice of God is not respected.
The wrath of God is not feared.
The grace of God is not cherished.
The presence of God is not prized.
The person of God is not loved.

The infinite, all-glorious Creator of the universe, by whom and for whom all things exist (Rom. 11:36) - who holds every person's life in being at every moment (Acts 17:25) - is disregarded, disbelieved, disobeyed, and dishonored by everybody in the world. That is the ultimate outrage of the universe.

John Piper - The Greatest Thing in the World

God: The Composer

Interesting:

You Don't Have to Understand to Believe

You do not have to understand all God's ways of dealing with you. He does not expect you to understand them. You do not expect your children to understand everything you do -- you simply want them to trust you. And someday you too will see the glory of God in the things you do not understand.

Single & Looking for Love Online?

Consider becoming an atheist:

"Mentioning most religious views pays off positively, but going godless pays off most handsomely. Dropping the words "atheist," "Allah" or "Jesus" are good; mentioning "God" has a negative effect."

Read the Article Here

Seeing God in Everything

Verse of the Day - 1 Sam. 3:18

“Seeing God in everything is the only thing that will make me loving and patient with people who annoy and trouble me. Then I will see others as the instruments God uses to accomplish His tender and wise purpose for me, and I will even find myself inwardly thanking them for the blessing they have become to me. Nothing but seeing God will completely put an end to all complaining and thoughts of rebellion”

~ Hannah Whitall Smith

The Lost Wisdom of Proverbs

In a CNN.com article today a study (cough-- cough) has found that spanking is detrimental to children.

In our feelings-based culture I am not surprised to read this. California has already adopted legislation which makes polices the role of parents in the discipline of their children and I have to think that studies like this will do more to make this a wide-spread trend. It's a shame that people can't see the larger picture. If something 'hurts feelings' it is no longer acceptable, regardless if the end justifies the means.

I hope I don't go to jail for being a bible-respecting God-honoring parent. (Prov. 13:24)

Abortion is about sin.

In response to this post from DesiringGod.org

Abortion is about sin. At it's root. Fornication is a sin and one consequence of this sin is "unplanned pregnancy". The government may not have the right to prevent people from fornication, but they should have the right to prevent sinners from murdering a human life.

Pro-choice = Pro-sin without the consequences.

Jack Black is Back

Just in case any of you needed anymore reasons to avoid the God-mocking fool Jack Black.

Read Article Here

Some People's Kids!

Out of the mouth of babes....or 16 year olds....come some pretty hateful words....

"I can see someone spitting on him or punching him, but shooting him is pretty stupid"

16-year-old Curtis Wisterman on the Shooting of Pro-life activist James Pouillon.

Seriously dude? You can honestly say that it's OK to spit or punch someone if you disagree with their beliefs? That is very interesting. From the mouth of the future leaders of this world. Scary!!!


Some peoples kids!

Is This Going to Be News?

Anyone want to make a friendly wager on if this will be MSM news?

Read Here

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Followup: Here is 1 news story on it from FOX - Read Here
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Followup #2: Here is another news story on it from CNN - Read Here
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Followup #3: The final follow-up. This has not been a silent issue anywhere.
I'm happy to see the MSM is not afraid to show both sides on
this issue. - Read Here
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Jason

And This is Where Things Turn Sour.

Read this article and tell me how this school will defend their actions?

The outcry surrounding President Obama talking to our nation's school children is still something I don't understand. I know that many people do not agree w/ this administrations actions (I am one of those people) but like it or not, Mr. Obama is still our President and still holds the responsibility of the President of the United States of America. There will be many addresses to this nation coming from this President and I'm afraid that the outcry against Mr. Obama speaking to our children does more harm than good to the state of our nation. I think the TX school that made the decision to decline the Obama speech made a big mistake and here's why I feel this way.

Parents hold the responsibility to ensure their children are being raised with an understanding of right and wrong. No 30-minute speech from Obama or Bush should be able to mold or shape our children's mind in a way that has any long standing effect on them. If it does, then we are not doing our job as parents. This entire situation has become a political one. Children were caught in the middle of a statement by parents about their regard for our President and his policies. Those parents who don't like the politics of Mr. Obama don't want their children to be anywhere near the man...problem is, he is our President. I remember way back with G.W. was in office...driving down the highway and seeing those stupid bumper stickers that read, "W" Not my President....Umm, well, yeah actually he was your President...and like it or not Obama is our President too and deserves the same respect we demanded for Bush when he was in office.

You see, I honestly think this entire situation does more damage to our children than good. What are we protecting them from? Propaganda? They'll get that the other 200+ days their in school anyway, so what do you honestly think your saving them from? Queue the damage...here's what you're not saving them from. By making this choice as a parent, you have now made a statement to your child regarding their need to respect the authority of those appointed over them. This may seem like a little thing, but what happens when that "lesson" is used against you? What happens when our choice to allow our children the freedom of contempt against authority turns to their God? Unfortunately the harm of this seemingly small decision has the potential to haunt this nation and our children for a long time to come.

My prayer is that as parents, we will make good Godly decisions and not simply react to our emotions in any situation. President Obama needs our support and our prayers and we can only hope that God will soften his heart and humble him and the other leaders of this nation. This can be accomplished (I'm not saying it will) but it will only be accomplished through our prayers not our politics.

Just a Thought,

Jason

I Never Made a Sacrifice

"For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay? Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice"

Statement by African missionary David Livingstone, Cambridge University, December 4, 1857.

The Glory of God - True Love

John 11 – Lazarus’ Death (Why did it happen)

Is it possible for us to comprehend that Jesus allowed Lazarus to die because he loved him?

Read John 11:5-6 – Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

He loved them so he stayed? This miracle worker who healed the sick with his touch was given a warning by Lazarus’ sisters about his approaching death and because he loved him he stayed? How is this love?

The statement Jesus made by his choice to stay:

Lazarus, Mary and Martha. I love you. And because I love you, I'm not going to save you from death right away. Because I love you, I’m not going to spare you from the heartache of losing your brother. In fact, I'm going to arrange for you to experience his death twice, for a much greater purpose then you have the capacity to understand right now…And that purpose is, LOVE.

By his actions, Jesus is saying that even though you don’t understand it. The truth is that revealing my Glory (God's glory) to you is more loving then sparing your brother from death or you from the heartache of that death. In your mind, you have only one understanding of how I can show love in this situation; by saving Lazarus from death. But what you will soon understand is that it is more loving for me to show you the eternal blessing of God’s glory then it is to save you from the momentary pain and suffering of your brother’s death.

An application for our own lives:

With suffering, God says to us, I love you, and since I love you I will let really 'hard' things happen to you in your life, because through them you will see more of me and my glory then if I spared you from these hard things. Therefore love is the display of God's glory, not the escape from harm, pain, suffering or even death.

The God's Love Test:

If you want to test God's love for you in a biblical way, don't ask the question:

Is he keeping me out of harms way

Instead, ask these questions:

- Am I able to see more of His sustaining grace through this pain?

- Am I (like Paul) being weaned off the reliance’s of this world?


What a Mighty God we serve,


jason