I just finished another book by Dale Cramer, one of my favorite fiction authors. The book is Levi's Will.
The book covers about 40 years in the life of an Amish man who left the fold. It shows the harshness of legalism, which we find in the church too unfortunately, and the freedom of grace and enjoying God's gifts, which is Amish family had learned.
Towards the end of the book his son makes a great observation. Comparing a character in a favorite book, who lived a life in excess, seeking whatever would bring him pleasure and in the end finding that none of it gave him life, and what he had just witnessed of the grace and simple trust of the Amish, he said of them, "They hold their God very high."
I pray that others will see this same quality in my. I want to "hold my God up very high," and live in simple faith and trust, and extravagant grace.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Breathing Grace
In his book, Breathing Grace, Dr. Harry Kraus gives a great definition of grace:
Grace is a positive characteristic that determines God's posture towards His children whereby He generously and freely loves, forgives, favors and exalts undeserving sinners into sonship.
He spends the book expanding on this idea using the medical idea of ABC. As a medical student he explains you learn the importance of A-airway, B-breathing, C-circulation in diagnosis; in the Christian life he compares this to A-acknowledging your weakness, B-believing God's word, and C-communication and uses these to help us understand our needs in learning to live moment by moment in grace.
He has a good thought of what faith is on pg. 55:
Faith is a conviction that the gospel is true and a way of thinking that stimulates action which places our lives in God's hands.
A conviction that the gospel is true is the recognition that we are not in control. We didn't earn it, work for it, or deserve it. So we rely on Christ. We lean on Him. And believing that the gospel is true brings grace into our lives.
Good things too ponder on and enjoy. He also uses some interesting examples of medical patients and situations he's been in to illustrate what he speaks of.
Grace is a positive characteristic that determines God's posture towards His children whereby He generously and freely loves, forgives, favors and exalts undeserving sinners into sonship.
He spends the book expanding on this idea using the medical idea of ABC. As a medical student he explains you learn the importance of A-airway, B-breathing, C-circulation in diagnosis; in the Christian life he compares this to A-acknowledging your weakness, B-believing God's word, and C-communication and uses these to help us understand our needs in learning to live moment by moment in grace.
He has a good thought of what faith is on pg. 55:
Faith is a conviction that the gospel is true and a way of thinking that stimulates action which places our lives in God's hands.
A conviction that the gospel is true is the recognition that we are not in control. We didn't earn it, work for it, or deserve it. So we rely on Christ. We lean on Him. And believing that the gospel is true brings grace into our lives.
Good things too ponder on and enjoy. He also uses some interesting examples of medical patients and situations he's been in to illustrate what he speaks of.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
On my first night in Glasgow I found my mind thinking on way too much, this is what my mind does when I can't sleep.
I found myself remembering, again, an incident that took place about 30 years ago. On a family vacation we had stopped of for a view and stretch. Jenny was a bit slow getting in the car, Tim started it up, and she thought we were leaving without her. She brought this up through the years as, "Remember the time you left me." I always assured her we would never have left her, but she wasn't assured.
It was just recently that I found out she remembers sitting on a ledge as the car started, I remember seeing her at the door of the car getting in. Two perceptions, both very real, but both can't be right, can they? Which is right?
This is so true in our perception of our lives and God's perception of them. His perception is obviously right but that doesn't always help us in viewing it. Our perception seems so real. That's where trust comes in. For some reason Jenny thought we'd leave her behind, she didn't trust in our goodness and love for her. How often is that the case with us? If I know my God and trust in His goodness and love I won't be anxious about situations or how things look, or hold on to seeming injustices.
This incident has turned into a good reminder to me of God's trustworthiness and to not trust in my perceptions.
I found myself remembering, again, an incident that took place about 30 years ago. On a family vacation we had stopped of for a view and stretch. Jenny was a bit slow getting in the car, Tim started it up, and she thought we were leaving without her. She brought this up through the years as, "Remember the time you left me." I always assured her we would never have left her, but she wasn't assured.
It was just recently that I found out she remembers sitting on a ledge as the car started, I remember seeing her at the door of the car getting in. Two perceptions, both very real, but both can't be right, can they? Which is right?
This is so true in our perception of our lives and God's perception of them. His perception is obviously right but that doesn't always help us in viewing it. Our perception seems so real. That's where trust comes in. For some reason Jenny thought we'd leave her behind, she didn't trust in our goodness and love for her. How often is that the case with us? If I know my God and trust in His goodness and love I won't be anxious about situations or how things look, or hold on to seeming injustices.
This incident has turned into a good reminder to me of God's trustworthiness and to not trust in my perceptions.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Long time no blog....
I'm reading "If God is Good" by Randy Alcorn. It's a great book. I love the following from pg. 60.
While God assures us that He will one day remove all suffering and sorrow, He will do so as a by-product of His highest purpose for us: "The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory" (Isaiah 60:19). If we come to see the purpose of the universe as God's long-term glory rather than our short-term happiness, then we will undergo a critical paradigm shift in tackling the problem of evil and suffering.
The world has gone terribly wrong.
God is going to fix it.
First, for His eternal glory.
Second, for our eternal good.
Amen!!!!
While God assures us that He will one day remove all suffering and sorrow, He will do so as a by-product of His highest purpose for us: "The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory" (Isaiah 60:19). If we come to see the purpose of the universe as God's long-term glory rather than our short-term happiness, then we will undergo a critical paradigm shift in tackling the problem of evil and suffering.
The world has gone terribly wrong.
God is going to fix it.
First, for His eternal glory.
Second, for our eternal good.
Amen!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)