Been reading through Ephesians in the morning with Peggy and it has been a sweet time.
Been thinking on how "rich" God's truth really is. What does Paul mean when he uses the phrase "riches" 5x in Ephesians? It is used in:
1:7- "in accordance with the riches of God's grace"
1:18- " riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints"
2:7- "incomparable riches of his grace"
3:8- "unsearchable riches of Christ"
3:16- "out of his glorious riches, he may strengthen you with power..."
I looked up the definition of rich in the dictionary: one of them was: "having great worth or value" How valuable is Christ! Without Him and his atonement we would all be still (2:1)- dead in transgression and out own self-righteousness... BUT In 2:7- it says that in the coming ages, God will show the incomparable riches of his grace... how? expressed In his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Amazing. Also in thinking about 3:16 : here in NIV: 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being...
I can think that God's riches really are all bought by Christ's blood. Apart from the Cross, we would have no inclination to Scripture , or rather no inclination to delight in obeying it. Christ is the culmination of all of God's riches. Our union with Christ is what strengthens us, or rather, our knowledge and apprehending of this truth brings strength. (Genuine belief in the gospel brings power and life ! (Rom 1:16, Rom 8:11)). Not only is this strengthening for faith, but maybe in 1:18, his glorious inheritance in the saints is also strengthening as we dwell on heaven and "things above" (Col 3:1-2) , or in this case our glorious inheritance.
Not sure if this is making any sense at all, but my main thought was that: how God strengthens by directing us to the infinite worth and value of His son Jesus Christ!
Man, I feel inadequate to even grasp a hint of this truth, as these riches are "unsearchable!"
Chris
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Cleaning out my old stuff
So I spent last night cleaning out an old closet and bookshelf of old books, tapes, and clothes at my parents house. I thought that: "Man, I havent seen this thing in 10 years!" -- and "I wont ever look at this again in another 10 years!"
I wondered why I was so quick to hold on to my old "stuff" and not donate, or recycle it. I had some old tapes from my highschool days when I played guitar for a band called Jivation. I think I'll hold onto that to show my kids when they are older so they can get a good laugh!
I threw out some old Pearl Jam tapes and mixes though...
I also had old shirts that reminded me of certain occasions, trips, tennis tournaments, etc... I liked keeping stuff like this, but dont get much functional use out of them!
I realized that all of these old school papers, textbooks and clothes were probably not helpful in that it takes so much time to organize them! Kind of like...organizing stuff/junk that I dont know if I'll ever use... I'd rather read, or do something more productive than put all of this stuff in boxes in my garage--waiting to be dumped/recycled in another 10 years!
I was excited however, to finally get my parents closet cleared and the bookshelf emptied, so my dad could use it for his stuff.
It's funny, b/c as I was leaving, my dad was cleaning the garage out of his old stuff! I wonder when will the cleaning/organizing ever end!?
Chris
I wondered why I was so quick to hold on to my old "stuff" and not donate, or recycle it. I had some old tapes from my highschool days when I played guitar for a band called Jivation. I think I'll hold onto that to show my kids when they are older so they can get a good laugh!
I threw out some old Pearl Jam tapes and mixes though...
I also had old shirts that reminded me of certain occasions, trips, tennis tournaments, etc... I liked keeping stuff like this, but dont get much functional use out of them!
I realized that all of these old school papers, textbooks and clothes were probably not helpful in that it takes so much time to organize them! Kind of like...organizing stuff/junk that I dont know if I'll ever use... I'd rather read, or do something more productive than put all of this stuff in boxes in my garage--waiting to be dumped/recycled in another 10 years!
I was excited however, to finally get my parents closet cleared and the bookshelf emptied, so my dad could use it for his stuff.
It's funny, b/c as I was leaving, my dad was cleaning the garage out of his old stuff! I wonder when will the cleaning/organizing ever end!?
Chris
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Introduction and Purpose
Hello! I'm attempting to make this blog something that might be helpful in some way to you as you read... First of all: Why this title?
1)I have found that there is an unsurpassed joy that comes from knowing God and His Word (see Psalm 19:8- and multiple verses in Ps 119 that tie in joy and Scripture).
2) There is an exhortation in Colossians 3:1-2 to "set our minds on things above" which we do most notably when we think, ponder, and treasure Scripture. This pondering is not something that is done in a mechanical and reluctlant way, but with thankfulness and wholehearted joy as a response from God's great regenerating work.
3) There is such a push from our surrounding culture to pursue joy in other things than Christ and His Word. Most of these "things" pass away, but in Matthew 24:35:"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."
Also: 1John 2: 15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh andthe desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17And( the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
4) There is a sinful nature component of me that is not done being saved (the process of sanctification- or being made more and more like Christ). This sinful nature, or flesh does not delight in God's Word , and actually gravitates toward a suppression of God's Truth as my "old self" did in Rom 1:18. Check out the drastic contrast in Rom 7:22: "For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members."
So, therefore I need the constant reminder of great promises from the Lord like
Isa 26: 3:
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
5) I would love to be characterized as a man who takes great joy in God's Word. Or, if I was if at my funeral, and my children were required to give an eulogy in describing their father, they would say something to the extent of the man in
Psalm112:1
Praise the LORD. [b]
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands."
Wow. I know that I am far from this man the Psalmist is describing, as my wife can easily testify. But I love and long to be like this. Think about it. Fearing the Lord... Taking great delight in God's Word.
-Fear of the Lord: Check out Prov 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
-Also: Taking great delight in God's Word: Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
I remember a friend and I in Graduate School were talking through things, and we were thinking:"Can't Scripture and joy almost be put in a graph where it is in a linear fashion?" As if: the more we know and live God's Word, the more joy we actually experience in Him. It may not always be a joy manifested in what the world would call as joy (i.e. financial prosperity and fame). After all, God lead Paul and Silas into a Roman Dungeon. But if we could just have a touch of their joy as they sang in that dungeon, wouldn't the world somewhat stop and think: What is their joy all about?
There are so many other points to make concerning a delight in Scripture. Any thoughts? Or Comments?
Chris
1)I have found that there is an unsurpassed joy that comes from knowing God and His Word (see Psalm 19:8- and multiple verses in Ps 119 that tie in joy and Scripture).
2) There is an exhortation in Colossians 3:1-2 to "set our minds on things above" which we do most notably when we think, ponder, and treasure Scripture. This pondering is not something that is done in a mechanical and reluctlant way, but with thankfulness and wholehearted joy as a response from God's great regenerating work.
3) There is such a push from our surrounding culture to pursue joy in other things than Christ and His Word. Most of these "things" pass away, but in Matthew 24:35:"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."
Also: 1John 2: 15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh andthe desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17And( the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
4) There is a sinful nature component of me that is not done being saved (the process of sanctification- or being made more and more like Christ). This sinful nature, or flesh does not delight in God's Word , and actually gravitates toward a suppression of God's Truth as my "old self" did in Rom 1:18. Check out the drastic contrast in Rom 7:22: "For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members."
So, therefore I need the constant reminder of great promises from the Lord like
Isa 26: 3:
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
5) I would love to be characterized as a man who takes great joy in God's Word. Or, if I was if at my funeral, and my children were required to give an eulogy in describing their father, they would say something to the extent of the man in
Psalm112:1
Praise the LORD. [b]
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands."
Wow. I know that I am far from this man the Psalmist is describing, as my wife can easily testify. But I love and long to be like this. Think about it. Fearing the Lord... Taking great delight in God's Word.
-Fear of the Lord: Check out Prov 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
-Also: Taking great delight in God's Word: Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
I remember a friend and I in Graduate School were talking through things, and we were thinking:"Can't Scripture and joy almost be put in a graph where it is in a linear fashion?" As if: the more we know and live God's Word, the more joy we actually experience in Him. It may not always be a joy manifested in what the world would call as joy (i.e. financial prosperity and fame). After all, God lead Paul and Silas into a Roman Dungeon. But if we could just have a touch of their joy as they sang in that dungeon, wouldn't the world somewhat stop and think: What is their joy all about?
There are so many other points to make concerning a delight in Scripture. Any thoughts? Or Comments?
Chris
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