And again He taught them

And again, as was his custom, he taught them. (Mk 10:1)

It is interesting to me that in a "throw away" transitional sentence, Mark, by the inspiration of God, both communicates volumes about Jesus' earthly ministry and calls us to learn, really, deeply, repeatedly learn from Him as well. It brings to mind a statement I read just a few days ago. It is God's Word itself that teaches us. And, Mark 10 is an awesome resource for calling us to follow hard after Christ.

First, we are called to have deeply dependent faith. Men and women who follow Jesus are exhorted to have a faith as dependent as a child, How often do we look to God like that? Simply trusting that He is always on our side. Somehow knowing that everything will be o.k. Not worrying if we've outrun His love. Not concerned that we will wake up tomorrow and find that He is gone.

Next we are challenged to get our priorities straight. One can always meet an external code, especially one that is man-centered (or worse yet, man-made). But one can never meet the internal requirements of God. Please note that Jesus loved the young man (and us) enough to keep pressing the issue until his heart was revealed. He will do the same for us, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear and a child-like faith to trust that He can save us out of the mess we've created for ourselves.

Beyond this, Jesus underscores by lesson and by personal testimony, that true faith does not terminate on ourselves. The primary terminus is God, who deserves all praise, but out of the gratitude and worship that our salvation generates comes a service to others that is beyond comparison. Mark 10:45 is the epitome of this truth. But we must not leave it simply in Christ's repertoire. He has called us to imitate Him in this.

The chapter is closed out by an example of the child like faith described at the beginning. The blind beggar will not be kept from Jesus and simply asks for what he needs most: his sight. Oh, if we could drop our pretense before God and "barge into His presence" and ask for the deepest aches and needs of our hearts.


I now send forth this post with a deep sense of its many defects; but with an earnest prayer that it may do some good. (JC Ryle)

To God Alone be the Glory

A Life of Day-in and Day-out Consistency

"We feel the presence of God around us when we pray, yet we are only momentarily changed. We tend to keep going back to our everyday ways and the glory vanishes. A life of faith is not a life of one glorious mountaintop experience after another, like soaring on eagles’ wings, but is a life of day—in and day—out consistency; a life of walking without fainting (see Isaiah 40:31). It is not even a question of the holiness of sanctification, but of something which comes much farther down the road. It is a faith that has been tried and proved and has withstood the test." - Oswald Chambers

Maybe this is why Christianity, true Christianity, is so hard. Following Jesus isn't just a ticket to heaven or a "get out of Hell free" card. Following Jesus is a life long commitment to do things his way. Everything.  The big things (no murder, no adultery) and the "little" things (love your neighbor, serve rather than be served).

But, let's face it. These things are not sexy. Even writing a blog about them seems, well, boring. This is just ordinary stuff. The "just do it" kind of things. Yet, in the end, that what makes all the difference. As you read the parable at the beginning of Matt 25, what is the perception of both groups of people? Neither group realized they were either helping or neglecting Christ. So it is with us. Everyday, every decision, every action either glorifies or denigrates our Savior. Sobering thought, isn't it?

Thankfully there is hope.  First, we have a savior who gave up his life for us while we were yet sinners. Seccond, we have a merciful and faithful high priest that is ready to forgive those who come to him. Third, we have a victorious king who is seated at the right hand of the Father and is interceding for us. Fourth, we have the Holy Spirit, who is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, but is also the source of our power and strength, so that we can, in fact glorify God in everything we do.

To God Alone be the Glory

Our Frail Tenure

"Let us recollect the frail tenure upon which we hold our temporal mercies." C.H. Spurgeon

"What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." Jm 4:14

There are some cliches (good cliches, mind you) about the shortness of our lives, the importance of making use of every opportunity and our complete dependence on God. "Don't waste your life" "Redeem the times" "Treat every day like its your last" There is nothing wrong with these thoughts and phrases. Each has their place and their purpose.

But my question is do we really believe it? Do we really believe our life is a mist and that we could easily be blown away by wind? Do we really believe that our true joy is not bound up in this life but is bound up with life with Christ? Do we really believe that not only is our life short, so is our neighbor's and are our friends'?

I'm asking these somewhat provocative questions because they are personally pressing on me. Would I be focusing on the same ministries if I had terminal cancer? Would I conduct myself the same way at work if I knew that my life would end next week? How would my teaching change? How would my loving change? How would my compassion change? How would my heart for God and for man change?

Unfortunately, there is no good answer, save one, at least for me. I need to work toward a heart and attitude like Paul had as he wrote Philippians. "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ "

But I hear me carefully. It is so easy to read words, even hard words, acknowledge them, swallow hard, commit to do better and move on. I do not want that to be the case for me. I am asking God to make these words stick. Allow these thoughts to penetrate below the hard packed surface and down into the soil of my heart. And, when the day (maybe its today) comes, I pray this can be said in honesty: "I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God."

To God Alone be the Glory

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

First, a testimony to God, then His gift via Oswald Chambers.

In an effort to present here what God wants presented here, I have begun to pray, even before opening my Bible or reading any blogs or devotionals, "Father, bring to mind and resonate in my heart, the thoughts and words You want expressed today". I share this because this morning I was antsy to get to this blog. So after my time in the Bible and reading one devotional, I fired up my browser to write...my words. Yet, (dramatic pause) once the browser launched I thought "maybe a quick read of My Utmost before the blog". And there God laid out the words and the thoughts and the heart of what He wanted to be shared via this blog today.

To God Alone be the Glory.

Today's full My Utmost for His Highest devotional can be found here.

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

How many of us are willing to spend every bit of our nervous, mental, moral, and spiritual energy for Jesus Christ? That is what God means when He uses the word witness. But it takes time, so be patient with yourself. Why has God left us on the earth? Is it simply to be saved and sanctified? No, it is to be at work in service to Him. Am I willing to be broken bread and poured-out wine for Him? Am I willing to be of no value to this age or this life except for one purpose and one alone— to be used to disciple men and women to the Lord Jesus Christ. My life of service to God is the way I say “thank you” to Him for His inexpressibly wonderful salvation.