To be a
Christian is not only to believe the teaching of Christ, and to practice it; it
is not only to try to follow the pattern and example of Christ; it is to be so
vitally related to Christ that His life and His power are working in us. It is
to be "in Christ," it is for Christ to be in us. Martyn
Lloyd-Jones
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Occupy Me
Jan Johnson Wisbit - July 2013 A Simpler Way to Live www.JanJohnson.org
For a class I teach, my students get to read Jeremy Taylor’s 19 rules for humility. You may think: Rules? Ugh. Humility? Any shred of humility is near-miraculous, who wants rules?
I thought that at first, but then I looked at them in light of Andrew Murray’s idea that humility is being occupied with God instead of being occupied with self.
That takes a lot of the confusion and burden out of humility. It now
sounds logical and likeable. Maybe it’s even in my best interest. So to
help my students (and myself), I rewrote them for today’s reader and
added a prayer to each in italics. I’m soaking in them, which usually
results in an organic, natural sort of obedience. Here are a few of my
faves below:
I don’t think better of myself because of some outward circumstance that happens to me.
I’m grateful to you, but I understand that I didn’t earn this.
I’m grateful to you, but I understand that I didn’t earn this.
Humility is not about criticizing myself, but about being realistic about myself.
I have blind spots, and You and I are working on them.
And there are many You have not yet revealed to me.
I have blind spots, and You and I are working on them.
And there are many You have not yet revealed to me.
It’s OK that others are realistic about my faults.
Others can see my blind spots--more easily than I do!
Others can see my blind spots--more easily than I do!
Doing good things in secret where no one else can see what I do is an adventure in being with God.
As I do those things, I will be grateful to partner with You. This can be fun!
As I do those things, I will be grateful to partner with You. This can be fun!
When praise is given to me, I will rejoice that God is blessed.
I am grateful to You that You use me well. I want You to be glorified most of all.
I am grateful to You that You use me well. I want You to be glorified most of all.
When I am slighted or undervalued, I will accept it instead of harboring resentment.
I look only to You for love and value. I am learning to be content with whatever I have.
I look only to You for love and value. I am learning to be content with whatever I have.
Listening to little whispers of pride about how well I’m doing will trip me up.
I will stay preoccupied with You, O God.
I will stay preoccupied with You, O God.
I will enjoy actively praising others.
It’s fun to see how well You work through people!
It’s fun to see how well You work through people!
I can be content when others do well (even if I don’t).
The goal is that You are praised, that the Kingdom is manifested and advanced.
The goal is that You are praised, that the Kingdom is manifested and advanced.
I will stop comparing myself with others.
Comparisons and judgments are silly and irrelevant.
Only You know all the facts. I’m not omniscient so I don’t judge.
Comparisons and judgments are silly and irrelevant.
Only You know all the facts. I’m not omniscient so I don’t judge.
Confessing sin straightforwardly keeps me from harboring blind spots and playing games with deceit.
Help me always to speak forth my mistaken words, actions and motives.
Help me always to speak forth my mistaken words, actions and motives.
I can be thankful for weaknesses, faults and imperfections because they help me see that we are all human.
My mistakes make me so much more merciful to others!
My mistakes make me so much more merciful to others!
Exposing others’ weaknesses is not caring. And I don’t need to congratulate myself when I do things better than others.
It’s not my role, O God, to point out others’ shortcomings.
Besides the fact that I could be wrong, I’m judging and condemning,
which is something only You do well.
It’s not my role, O God, to point out others’ shortcomings.
Besides the fact that I could be wrong, I’m judging and condemning,
which is something only You do well.
Surrender to God involves enduring whatever comes, being content in any state and being ready for every change.
The only way I can fully surrender is to lean on You every moment.
Then I can persevere, return to a state of contentment,
and be flexible as the way ahead curves.
The only way I can fully surrender is to lean on You every moment.
Then I can persevere, return to a state of contentment,
and be flexible as the way ahead curves.
Living this way is easier and simpler. I stop sweating what other people think. I live to an Audience of One.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Radical or just plain Real?
"Live a life of steady goodness," from James 3:13.
"Daily discipleship is not a new revolution each morning or an agent of global transformation every evening; it's a long obedience in the same direction." Matt Pease
It's a tension, am I to go about trying to manufacture the "radical Christian life," or am I to live radically in whatever state God puts me in? He's a God of the ordinary and mundane as well as the the extraordinary.
Thoughts to consider:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/march/here-come-radicals.html?paging=off
http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/glory-plodding
"Daily discipleship is not a new revolution each morning or an agent of global transformation every evening; it's a long obedience in the same direction." Matt Pease
It's a tension, am I to go about trying to manufacture the "radical Christian life," or am I to live radically in whatever state God puts me in? He's a God of the ordinary and mundane as well as the the extraordinary.
Thoughts to consider:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/march/here-come-radicals.html?paging=off
http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/glory-plodding
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)