Here's a Can of Worms

Predestination. I believe it. Reading 1 Peter the other night reminded me how encouraging it is.

"According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1:3-5

I had a conversation about it the other day. He said that it's encouraging to us because we (the two of us, since we both believe predestination) had nothing to do with our salvation. Well, we had something to do - without our sin, salvation would not be necessary; we wouldn't need to be saved from anything. It's enraging to Arminianists, I would assume, although I have not discussed this passage with one, because it says we had nothing to do with our salvation.

This argument of free will versus predestination made me think about the Israelites. They were God's chosen people. God chose them and did not choose a lot of other people in the world. I've never heard arguments about that. How would it be any different God choosing people today that are His people and choosing others not to be?

Lord of the Ring Quote

Came across this quote while halfway through the trilogoy. The context is that Frodo and Sam have just come across Gollum following them on their trek to Mordor. Frodo flashes back to a conversation had before:

Deserves death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some die that deserve life. Can you give that to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.

Pain Is a Good Thing

As I have had time to reflect on a three week span of quite a bit of emotional and physical pain, I have come to a conclusion - pain is a good thing.

What first got me thinking this way was my broken finger. I injured my finger one Saturday while working on building a barn. I kept working, even long after the injury happened. When I finished for the day, I removed my glove to find a swollen and purple pinky. I thought something was probably wrong.

Sunday it was still hurting. A doctor or two even told me I should have it x-rayed soon. So Monday morning, I went and had an x-ray taken of my ailing appendage. It was definitely broken. I knew that, and I'm far from being anything close to even resembling a doctor.

I realized that without pain, I would never have known that something was wrong with my finger. The same thing goes for pain that is less physical. The death of a loved one - no matter how the death comes about - causes pain. We feel it because we know somewhere that something is wrong. The original plan was not one of death. Something went wrong, and now we must all face the pain of death.

Sin causes pain as well. Why does sin hurt us? It is not the intended plan. We choose to do something wrong, and later we feel the pain it causes. The pain might come instantaneous or it might come long down the road. Pain is coming, and it serves to remind us that somewhere along the way, something went wrong. Thank God for that reminder - that I have done something wrong, but He has done right enough to pay the price.

Respecting Authority

An anonymous comment I received earlier today got me thinking about authority. It is a topic that has been common in my life recently - both authority I have been given and authority to which I must submit.

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Romans 13:1).

I have been known to lean more towards the "goodie-two-shoes" side in my life. I will generally follow the rules. I have not had a hard time submitting to authority. However, I know others who have struggled in this area. The fact remains, God has instituted authoritative figures in our lives - pastors, presidents, bosses, police, Sunday school teachers, coaches. Whether we like a person or not, we are to submit.

Yes, there are exceptions. On numerous occasions, God leads His people to resist what authoritative figures have set in place. Moses, as a baby, was hidden when all male babies were to be killed. Even Jesus was hidden in a similar situation. Peter was ordered to stop preaching the Gospel, to which he replied, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). We, as Christians, are to submit to authority except when the authority contradicts what God has commanded, even if we don't like it.

I have been given authority over some. It will not always be to the liking of those I lead. There are others to whom I must submit that keep me in check that my leading does not contradict what God commands. With power comes responsibility, and it is my responsibility to lead well and in accordance with God's commands and to follow those who are charged with leading me.

Being the Best

There's something deep, deep inside me that wants to be the best. Not necessarily for self-gratification or self-glorification. I was made to live in perfect relation with God. Choosing sin came and ruined that idea. I want to be the best because that was what I was made to be.

I'm not going to lie - I'd also love to be the best so I can show off and get some recognition. Every motivation of mine is tainted by sin, no matter how much I try.

I want to be the best. I know it's what I'm supposed to be, and it's what I want to be. Enough writing, time to start practicing. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.

Bradley and Daniel

First, I want to talk about me. Please don't start singing that awful Toby Keith song. I've noticed the last couple days just how much the Spirit fights for my soul. Along comes temptation, and I'm ok with giving in, until the Spirit uses my easily-distracted disposition to its advantage and takes me down a rabbit trail, away from the trap. Haha! Praise Him!

Secondly, our church has been spending time in the book of Daniel. We just started the Fiery Furnace bit last week, and we've been in Daniel since Christmas. For those of you keeping track, yes, it has taken us 2 months to go through 2 chapters. This could take a while, but I'm perfectly ok with that.

Not too long ago, we experienced a "Nashville Blizzard." This means we only had a couple inches of snow, but thanks to no infrastructure in place for events like this, ours was the only church in the county (I think) that still had services. Due to the poor attendance (though I hold it against no one), I was relieved of my normal worship-leading duties in the Junior High group. I decided to go to Big Church...a second time. It was a good day to hear the message again. To sum it up, God accepts us. He loves who we are. What is so scary, in light of that? He has given each and every one of us gifts and talents. Use them. Just do it. And recognize that it is because He gave them to us that we have any gifts and talents at all.

WSC 59 and 60

59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly Sabbath?
From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the Sabbath, and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath.

60. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?
The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreation as are lawful on other days, and spending the whole time in public and private exercises of God's worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.