Good ole' Spurgeon

I think I've talked about my favorite devotional here before; it's called Morning and Evening by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. I've read through it completely once and am working on my second time through it now; the passages are never old or redundant. Because Spurgeon was a 19th century preacher from London, his speeches/writings are not always the easiest to understand. Therefore, the version I have of the devotional uses updated language, revised by Alistair Begg (also from London, now based in Cleveland; a good modern-day preacher, as far as I know and have heard personally).

Anyhow, when I picked up the book this morning, I thought about how I would like to just re-read the morning passage from yesterday; it's my favorite in the entire book. (Crazy as it seems to me, I haven't posted on that passage specifically but have typed up others here and here.) I relented and moved forward, though, knowing that God has blessed this minuscule obedience many times by providing just the right word for me at just the right moment.

Today's passage was just what I had to hear today, especially after some stressful times yesterday and the great teaching I received last night in class. I thought I'd type it out for you today; put it out there and share it in case it brings some things to the surface for you or just reminds you of where true strength comes from. Enjoy!

Morning passage from November 4th

"For my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

A primary qualification for serving God with any amount of success, and for doing God's work well and triumphantly, is a sense of our own weakness. When God's warrior marches out to battle, strong in his own might, when he boasts, "I know that I will overcome - my own ability and my self-confidence will be enough for victory," defeat is staring him in the face. God will not enable the man who marches in his own strength. He who reckons on victory by such means has reckoned wrongly, for "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6) Those who go out to fight, boasting of their ability, will return with their banners trailing in the dust and their armor stained with disgrace. Those who serve God must serve Him in His own way and in His strength, or He will never accept their service. Whatever a man does, unaided by divine strength, God can never own. The mere fruits of the earth He casts away; He will only reap corn the seed of which was sown from heaven, watered by grace, and ripened by the sun of divine love. God will empty out all that you have before He will put His own into you; He will first clean out your granaries before He will fill them with the finest of wheat. The river of God is full of water; but not one drop of it flows from earthly springs. God will have no strength used in His battles but the strength that He Himself imparts. Are you mourning over your own weakness? Take courage, for there must be a consciousness of weakness before the Lord will give you victory. Your emptiness is but the preparation for your being filled, and you are being humbled to prepare you for being lifted up.

When I am weak then am I strong, grace is my shield and Christ my song.

Songs to Sing

What Matters More by Derek Webb
You say always treat people like you'd like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
About what you believe
Make you sound like a freak

'Cause if you really believed
What you say you believe
You wouldn't be so damned reckless
With the words you speak
You wouldn't silently consent
When the liars speak
Denying all the dying of the remedy

Tell me, brother what matters more to you
Tell me, sister what matters more to you

If I can see what's in your heart
By what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight
Is all it's about
It looks like being hated
For all the wrong things
Like chasing the wind
While the pendulum swings

'Cause we can talk and debate
Till we're blue in the face
About the language and tradition
That He's coming to save
And meanwhile we sit
Just like we don't give a shit 'bout
Fifty thousand people who are dying today

Tell me, brother what matters more to you
Tell me, sister what matters more to you

You Do Not Understand Now

It's a cool dreary day here in Dallas. I am extremely grateful for it. Though I'm a summer baby through and through, I also eagerly await late September through late November every year; there is something very refreshing about the hot muggy summer days being blown away by the cool dry winds of autumn.

That doesn't have much to do with my post today but I'm giving thanks for it this morning.

It was about three years ago that Lois, my counselor at the time, used a story of the apostle Peter to gently show me the harsh judgmental ways of my heart. I was describing a recent confrontation I'd had with a very dear friend who bluntly told me, "You're harsh." At the time, I was easily frustrated with other people, even my closest friends - either they did/said/believed things that I didn't agree with so I'd let them know (not in the kindest way, mind you), or they fell short of my expectations of who they should be so I'd bite at them or be extraordinarily rude. Deep down I knew this behavior was wrong - the Holy Spirit was showing me so - but I didn't understand why and when apathy set in, I didn't even try to understand what was happening. I thought that I had this weird way of seeing everyone else's junk way better than my own for a special reason, like I was supposed to declare some warning to everyone I know (believe me - pride will convince you of the stupidest things).

As I talked and vented about my frustrations, Lois listened and pulled out her Bible. She asked me to do the same and turn to John 21. I thought she was going to point to Peter's denial of Christ after the rooster crowing. Instead, she told me how she thought some people overlooked Peter's journey of faith and how her study of him throughout the Bible meant so much to her daily walk. This is the passage where Peter professes his love for Jesus three times. She asked me to read verses 15-17 out loud.

Verse 15: When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

Verse 16: He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

Verse 17: He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

When I was finished, she asked if I loved Jesus. My immediate response was yes, of course. If you're familiar with this passage in John 21, you know what happens next. I am almost sure that I'd read this passage but as I sat there with Lois, my pride kept my vision so hazy; I didn't know what Lois was getting at. I thought to myself, "What does this have to do with being judgmental or recognizing sin?" She asked me to continue reading at verse 20.

Verses 20-22: Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?”  When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”  Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

I couldn't say those last three words out loud; my throat was tight and the tears flowed. Though I loved the Lord, I spent all my energy looking at everyone else. To borrow a metaphor from my pastor, it's as if I stood next to the cross, with my back to it, pointing at everyone else and demanding that they humble themselves. It was a major revelation to me - to begin to see myself more realistically before the cross was a new experience. And, as if the moment couldn't be any more revelatory, Lois sat and cried with me. She got that this was a big mind/heart-shifting thing for me. She showed extreme compassion and grace to me in that moment.

Please don't hear me say that I'm not judgmental and I'm cured! I still battle the green monster in me and my pride overwhelms me sometimes. I'm still a little rough around the edges. I get very passionate when someone dismisses issues that they don't understand with a "I don't struggle with that" statement, meaning they don't make an effort to avoid temptation in that realm (which, by the way, is the biggest load of horsecrap that I've ever heard! It's exactly what evil wants you to believe!). I genuinely do not want others to fall into traps that I've fallen into myself. I don't want to be harsh but I also do not want to willingly stand by as people walk into the furnace. In fact, one of the reasons I asked to be a part of my church's Lay Counseling class is so that I can learn to speak the truth in love.

Anyhow, I think I got off on a tangent.

I am often reminded of that session with Lois and the words "You follow me!" whenever I read or hear anything about the apostle Peter, like this post by Jon Bloom at Desiring God. Peter really did love the Lord but he had a very tough time letting go of the Pharisaic and cultural routines/beliefs. He also had a lot of pride, something I think I've proved I can resonate with. Peter missed the mark - a lot - when trying to figure out what Jesus was doing in His ministry. Jon uses the first part of John 13 to show Peter's confusion and near-unwillingness to be a part of Jesus's radical new covenant. I can't choose one good quote in the article, I like the entire thing, so go check it out for yourself.

I don't have this thing figured out. I do get overwhelmed occasionally; sometimes it seems like I've taken one step forward only to take two steps back. I do not understand now what the Lord is accomplishing in me, in my friends, in my family, in this city, in this world. However, grace and comfort sweeps in with that bold statement, "You follow me!" I don't have to figure the purpose out. I trust in His ways. I know He is victorious in the end. I know He is good.

If you take anything from this too-long post, take these three words: God is good. A countless number of my nights have been illuminated with those three words. Though you may wrestle to understand what they mean to you, He is faithful and will not fail to be good even if/when you don't fully grasp this truth.

If the world were a village of 100

I stumbled upon some really interesting and cool designs regarding world population statistics. I'd be interested to know where the stats come from; in any case, though, the designs are striking. I find them even more intriguing as someone who is visually-oriented; I comprehend facts much more quickly when they're presented in a chart or graph or one of these awesome pictures.

Check them all out using this link. Enjoy!

(HT: Life2gether Blog)

Songs to Sing

In the Shadow of the Glorious Cross 
by Brooks Ritter & Rebecca Bales

In the shadow of the glorious cross
Compelled by grace to cast my lot
I'll discard the loss and bear Your name
Forsaking all for Your own fame

Your hymn of grace sung over me
Abounding forth in glorious streams
My thirst is quenched by You my Lord
Sustained am I redeemed restored
Sustained am I redeemed restored

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

When death's dark shadow's at my feet
When I am plagued by unbelief
You place my hands into Your side
By precious blood identified
By precious blood identified

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

These crowns I've clenched with fisted hands
I cast them down before the throne
Of Christ my God the Worthy Lamb
Christ crucified the great I AM
Christ crucified the great I AM
Christ crucified the great I AM

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! (4x)

*Use this link to download this song for free, sung by Sojourn Music.