Lessons

I'm usually the kind of person who likes to downplay spiritual attacks. It seems like every bad thing that happens to us is blamed on Satan, and I think he gets too much credit for stuff.

With that being said, Satan has been unleashing hell on me the past few months. I don't know if I am nearing the end of it, but I think I am. Every area of life has been attacked, and while I value the lessons I have learned throughout this time, I really want a bit of a break.

Throughout this time I have learned and been reminded of a few valuable things.

1) Satan attacks leaders... hard. I stepped into leadership, and all of a sudden I have been attacked in ways that I have never been attacked before.

2) If Satan's attacks can be compared to a fire, God's Word is the water to put that fire out. I spent a considerable amount of time in the Word today, and I feel stronger than I have in weeks.

3) The more that's required of you, the more you need Jesus, and the more you should spend time on your knees in prayer. Pretty self-explanatory.

4) Nothing could teach you about leadership as well as leadership itself. In the past year, I have read three books on leadership, and I'm reading a fourth one right now. I have learned more in the past few months than I possibly could have by reading those books.

5) Bitterness must be dealt with and extinguished by any means possible. You will either go two ways in life as you get older... you will either become more humble, gentle, and generous, or your personality will calcify. The former is far better than the latter. Fortunately I haven't learned this lesson the hard way as I have allowed no room for bitterness to develop in my heart.

6) The parachurch is dangerous. It has the potential to allow all sorts of lawlessness into the Church. I could right a 5,000 word blog about this point, but maybe I'll save that for another time.

7) I'm weaker and more frail than I ever thought possible. Thank God for His preservation of my soul.

The New England Patriots

God hates sin.

My obsession with the New England Patriots is sinful.

God didn't ordain the outcome of this game just for me...
He didn't plan Tom Brady's knee injury just for me...
He didn't plan that they would go 18-0 and then lose a game that is far worse than any loss I had ever experienced in my life just for me...
And He didn't plan the 2006 season's AFCCG just for me...

...but God hates sin, and crushing the sin in my heart brings me closer to Him and makes both of us happier.

There's nothing wrong with being a fan of a certain sports team, but there is something wrong when that takes insane amounts of your attention, and way too big a piece of your heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm being completely serious when I say this. There is nothing good about loving sports. If the New England Patriots went 8-8 every year and never won a Super Bowl or even made the playoffs, I would be a happier person than I am right now.

Do you know how long I was happy after the Patriots won their three Super Bowls? If I were to guess, I would say a week... total.

Do you know how long it took me to recover from the loss in Super Bowl 42? Me neither, because I'm not over it yet. Yeah, I'm a happy person, but this just makes life a little less happy.

There's a bit of an imbalance there. Why doesn't it even itself out? I don't know... maybe Ecclesiastes has something to say about it.

Five Marks of the Holy Spirit

I really like this... it scares me too though.

“I place these five grand marks of the Spirit’s presence before my readers, and confidently claim attention to them. I believe they will bear inspection. I am not afraid of their being searched, criticized, and cross-examined.

1) Repentance toward God.

2) Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

3) Holiness of heart and life.

4) Habits of real private prayer.

5) Love and reverence toward God’s Word.

“These are the real proofs of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in a man’s soul. Where He is, these marks will be seen. Where He is not, these marks will be lacking.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Old Paths, “The Holy Ghost”, 285.

Calvin

Book IV Ch. XV Section 21. (On Baptism)

"What the custom was before Augustine's day is gathered, first from Tertullian, who says, that a woman is not permitted to speak in the Church, nor yet to teach, or baptise, or offer, that she may not claim to herself any office of the man, not to say of the priest. Of the same thing we have sufficient witness in Epiphanius, when he upbraids Marcian with giving permission to women to baptise. I am not unaware of the answer given by those who take an opposite view--viz. that common use is very different from an extraordinary remedy used under the pressure of extreme necessity- but since he declares it mockery to allow women to baptise, and makes no exception, it is sufficiently plain that the corruption is condemned as inexcusable on any pretext. In his Third Book, also, when he says that it was not even permitted to the holy mother of Christ, he makes no reservation."

Star Wars v. Simpsons

Both Star Wars and the Simpsons have created entire universes with hundreds of characters who have more than a little known biographical information. Which universe do you know the best?

The challenge: Take 10 minutes and type out the names of every Star Wars character you could think of. Then take 10 minutes to type out the names of every Simpsons character you could think of. Whichever list has the most names wins.

Star Wars.

Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa, Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, R2D2, C3P0, Anakin Skywalker, Shmi Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, General Grievous, Count Dooku, Plo Koon, Kit Fisto, Aagen Kolar, Shaak Ti, Asaaj Ventress, Chewbacca, Even Piell, Coleman Trebor, Qui-Gon Jinn, Padme Amidala, Lando Calrissian, Boba Fett, Jengo Fett, *cough* Jar *cough* Jar *cough* Binks *cough*, Jax Pavan, Admiral Ackbar, Bail Organa, Jabba the Hut, Darth Maul, Darth Sidious, Darth Bane, Darth Plageuis, Stormtroopers, Droidekas, Clone Troopers, Ewoks, Jacen Solo, Aayla Secura. (43)

Simpsons.

Bart Simpson, Homer Simpson, Lisa Simpson, Marge Simpson, Patti, Semla, Maggie Simpson, Abe Simpson, Apu Nahasapemapetalan, Moe, Barney, Edna Crapable, Mrs. Hoover, Principal Skinner, Superintendent Chalmers, Martin, Ralph, Groundskeeper Willie, Smithers, Montgomery Burns, Comic Book Guy, Duff Man, Disco Stu, Troy McClure, Millhouse, Chief Wiggam, Krusty the Clown, Sideshow Bob, Itchy, Scratchy, Poochy, Ned Flanders, Mod Flanders, Rod Flanders, Tod Flanders, Lenny, Carl, Mayor Quimby, Dr. Hibbert, Dr. Nick, Nelson, Reverend Lovejoy, Santa's Little Helper, Snowball. (43)

Wow! I did not intend on that happening!

Right Beliefs v. Right Action

I have been trying (and failing) to memorize two Bible verses a day over the past few days with the logic that I could memorize the entire book of Titus in only three weeks. In my attempts at Scripture memorization, I was struck by the very first verse of Paul's letter. It says the following.

"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness." Titus 1:1 (emphasis mine)

I was struck by this verse because of it's timing in my life.

Here's what I take from it. The increase of our faith + the increase of our knowledge of the truth = the increase in our godliness. The key word here is the word "accords." Faith + knowledge of the truth accords with godliness. In other words, right beliefs are congruent with godliness. The closer you are to a correct knowledge of the true Word of God, the more godly you will be.

Before I continue though, one thing should be made clear...

If I believe all of the right things, and you believe almost all of the right things, I'm definitely not saying that I am automatically more godly than you. However, I am saying that the more our beliefs are in step with the Word of God, the more we will grow in godliness. To take it from a different perspective, our works will be more selfless and God-honoring the more we pursue and obtain truth.

This is very significant to me.

In the first chapter of Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis," he bemoans the idea that so many people feel like they have to be right about their beliefs, and he implores the reader to not worry as much about right beliefs as they should worry about their actions.

I agree that unnecessary walls of pride are built up as people argue their beliefs, but I have to disagree with him here (what a surprise!). It seems clear to me that right beliefs matter. Our beliefs affect our actions, and our actions are a direct result of our beliefs. The more our faith, and our knowledge of the truth grows, the more God will use us to make a difference in people's lives.

There are a few applications I can think of from this verse...

First, it is possible to have nothing wrong with your belief system, but still have a pressing need to increase your faith, and knowledge of the truth. If you only believe in the essentials for salvation, but you have not yet weighed the non-essentials, then your faith has the potential to remain shallow.

Second, we will never fully understand the Gospel. This is what I love about it! The more we realize how little we understand the Gospel and its effects in our lives, the more we will realize how much we can increase our knowledge of the truth, and the more godly we will become!

My challenge for anyone reading this is to pursue the truth with your whole heart. Be a reader. Study, study, study! Have a book in every room in the house. Have the Word on your heart so that it can easily come to your mind when you face temptation, and your lips when you need to encourage another believer.

Pursue the truth at all costs, and watch as your actions become more honoring to God.

Derek Webb, I want to be on your home page...

Testing.