This week, I have the privilege of start a 3-week preaching series on Noah and the flood. I began a series from the book of Genesis back in September and have now come to Genesis 6 and the story of the flood. I am going to take 3-weeks to get through this story, which will work well in pointing to some important themes around the coming of Christ as a baby (Christmas celebration).
I loved the story of Noah and the flood. I can still remember the flannel-graph and picture book the Sunday school teacher would use in telling the story. The images of the animals all walking towards the gigantic ark or the pictures of Noah going from pen to pen in the ark feeding the animals. I can still see the image in my mind of Noah opening the window and releasing the dove that comes back later with an olive branch. The exciting and epic story of Noah building a boat over 120 years all while preaching to his society that was angry and persecuting him. The story of Noah was impactful on me as a child becasue of the whole boat with animals adventure that Noah went on to escape the flood.
The problem is, as a child, I missed the point of the story and loved what tradition taught, not what the Bible made clear. The story of the flood is not about Noah and his boat of animals. The story of the flood is about a just, perfect God dealing judgement on corrupt humans. The story of the flood is about God making a way in His grace to save a man (and his family by extension) from the perfect judgement they all deserved. The story of the flood is about the character, power, and actions of God. It is not really about Noah and the boat of animals.
I also, as a child, focused on all of the extra, traditional stuff, that is not in the Biblical text. No where in the Bible does it say it took Noah 120 years to make the ark. No where in the Bible does it say Noah preached the judgment of God and warned all the people to get on the boat. No where in the text does it even say that Noah was persecuted by the society he lived in. The only thing the Biblical text makes clear, is that Noah obeyed what God told him to make. That is it. Yet as a child, I held on to all the tradition that was added to the story over the years.
And this tradition verses the actual Bible is what I want to think about for a moment. This is the Christmas season. This is the time of year we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Do you know what tradition has added to the Christmas story? Here is a list of the things tradition has added to the Biblical story of Jesus birth...
-Jesus was born in a stable
-Jesus was placed in a wood box manger
-There were animals present around Jesus birth
-Mary and Joseph were alone at the birth of Jesus
-The shepherds brought sheep with them
-There were 3 wise men
-The birth of Jesus was at night
-The star was visible to the world the night Jesus was born
-And I could go on...
I list all of these traditions added to Christmas, just liked I listed the traditions we have added to the story of Noah to make a clear point. First, there is nothing wrong with any of these traditions. We must not fight over them, create battles and heartache over them, and be legalistic in how we approach any story in the Bible that has had tradition added to it. Church tradition added to the Biblical stories is not as series of an issue, in most cases, that people make it out to be. And most likely if fighting over the tradition verses the Bible is a problem, it is becasue very few people actually know what the tradition is that has been added to the story of the Bible.
Secondly, the point in this tradition verses Biblical text discussion is pointing to, a right knowledge and understanding of the Bible. We must know our Bibles better so we can distinguish between tradition and actual Biblical fact. That is the point. Do not fight over the tradition. Know the Bible. Do not be legalistic over what is added to the church Christmas play, know what the Bible actually says. Do not pick fights and hold people to the standard that we think the story is, rather get into the Word, dig deep, and know exactly what God is speaking in the story.
So this Christmas, keep your barn animals, 3 wise-men, and baby in a box. But more importantly, know exactly what God wants you to know from the Bible around the story of Jesus actual physical birth in the spring of 3 B.C. Do you know your Bible well enough to spot tradition that has been added???
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Imagination
As humans, we have great imaginations. With our imaginations we can create beautiful works of art, fantastic stories of heroism, and delicious meals that bring pleasure to the taste buds. Human imagination has designed beautiful architecture, built amazing devices that advance technology, and have created more games and sports that we can count for enjoyment. The human imagination is amazing and also endless in its dreams.
The human imagination is created and designed in us by God. God desired His human creation to worship Him. So God placed the imagination in humans so they could be being of worship better, in all the ways their imagination would lead them. God desired His human creation to worship Him by also being creators (as His image bearer) and using the imagination to create things that will bring praise and glory to the ultimate Creator. This is why humans can write stories that lead to worship of God. This is why humans can create magnificent meals that gather people to worship God and show Him gratitude for providing. This is why humans can create beautiful paintings and sculptures that reflect and bring God glory in His creative works. God gave humans their imagination so they could be creative beings themselves, that all reflects glory and praise back to Him.
All humans have an imagination. I remember as a young child playing in the back yard with my imagination, where animals could talk, monsters needed defeated, and the heroes (me as Captain America) would win. Last week I was making a meal for the kids and as I placed ingredients in the bowl, my imagination started to run and I began improvising and creating a meal from my mind. Just this morning, as I watched the newest movie trailer, my mind began to fill in the scenes of the trailer and imagine what the rest of the movie will be like next May. This is just a few ways my imagination was at work in my life. The rest of humanity is the same in how their imagination works. Tolkien used his imagination to create, "The Lord of the Rings". Pureflix, as a movie company, uses their imagination to create Christians movies that praise God. John Newton used his imagination to write the great hymn, "Amazing Grace".
So this leads to the question, do we as a human individual, use our imagination to bring God glory.
We all "day dream". We all create works of art in some form or another. We all use our minds, outside of reality, to think and create. But do we use our imagination to glorify God? We at creation were designed to use our imagination to give God His glory in being creative. But the fall and sin nature and the depraved state, has corrupted our imagination. This means we use our imaginations more that we would even imagination to sin and be self-absorbed. But as Christians we can and must use our imagination to glorify God. The question still remains, do we use our imagination to glorify God? Here are a few questions to ask ourselves to help discover how we use our imagination.
1)What do I think about when I am bored or daydreaming?
2)What was the last thing/food/song/art/toy/device/etc. that I created for God's glory?
3)Have I ever thought about what I think about?
4)Have I ever realized I am a creative being?
5)What have I done today, to give God His glory and did it come from me?
The human imagination is created and designed in us by God. God desired His human creation to worship Him. So God placed the imagination in humans so they could be being of worship better, in all the ways their imagination would lead them. God desired His human creation to worship Him by also being creators (as His image bearer) and using the imagination to create things that will bring praise and glory to the ultimate Creator. This is why humans can write stories that lead to worship of God. This is why humans can create magnificent meals that gather people to worship God and show Him gratitude for providing. This is why humans can create beautiful paintings and sculptures that reflect and bring God glory in His creative works. God gave humans their imagination so they could be creative beings themselves, that all reflects glory and praise back to Him.
All humans have an imagination. I remember as a young child playing in the back yard with my imagination, where animals could talk, monsters needed defeated, and the heroes (me as Captain America) would win. Last week I was making a meal for the kids and as I placed ingredients in the bowl, my imagination started to run and I began improvising and creating a meal from my mind. Just this morning, as I watched the newest movie trailer, my mind began to fill in the scenes of the trailer and imagine what the rest of the movie will be like next May. This is just a few ways my imagination was at work in my life. The rest of humanity is the same in how their imagination works. Tolkien used his imagination to create, "The Lord of the Rings". Pureflix, as a movie company, uses their imagination to create Christians movies that praise God. John Newton used his imagination to write the great hymn, "Amazing Grace".
So this leads to the question, do we as a human individual, use our imagination to bring God glory.
We all "day dream". We all create works of art in some form or another. We all use our minds, outside of reality, to think and create. But do we use our imagination to glorify God? We at creation were designed to use our imagination to give God His glory in being creative. But the fall and sin nature and the depraved state, has corrupted our imagination. This means we use our imaginations more that we would even imagination to sin and be self-absorbed. But as Christians we can and must use our imagination to glorify God. The question still remains, do we use our imagination to glorify God? Here are a few questions to ask ourselves to help discover how we use our imagination.
1)What do I think about when I am bored or daydreaming?
2)What was the last thing/food/song/art/toy/device/etc. that I created for God's glory?
3)Have I ever thought about what I think about?
4)Have I ever realized I am a creative being?
5)What have I done today, to give God His glory and did it come from me?
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Every Verse
God gave us a large Bible. God spoke a lot of words to His people over a long period of time. The beauty of the Bible and all of its words from God, is that it is all different. The Bible has poetry, parables, commands, stories, songs, vision, symbols, and even lists of peoples names. The Bible has stories that are fast and move along and it also has stories that are slow and take a long-time to finish. The Bible has parts that are fun and exciting and it also has parts that are boring and seem dull. The Bible has colorful images and it also has bland average stories. The Bible has parts that are easy to understand and it also has parts that are challenging and mysterious. Yet, Jesus Himself tells us, in the Bible, that every word, comma, or period is important in the Bible. This is why Jesus and every other speaker and writer in the Bible makes it clear, we as God's people are to read every single verse in the Bible.
Yes, reading the Bible, obeying the command to read the Bible, and living in the will of God, requires the reader to read every single verse in the Bible. There are verses in the Bible that are easy to understand and those that are harder to make sense of and apply. There are verses in the Bible that are more enjoyable to read and verses that are a chore to get through. And there are verses in the Bible we like to read and there are verses that we do not want to read. Yet, to obey God, we must read every single verse in the Bible and grow in our understanding of God and the right Christian life from every single verse, regardless of how we feel about the verse. That is the true challenge of the Christian life. Lets see a few examples of verses we enjoy and verses that we do not like to read.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
Romans 8:28
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
These are some of the verses that we enjoy reading. They bring us comfort, happiness, and good thoughts. These verses are the type of verses we are attracted to and enjoy reading all the time. Usually if we have time and we sit down to open our Bible to spend time with God (without some sort of structured plan) these are the types of verses we gravitate to.
Genesis 6:5
"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
John 6:44
"No one can come to me [Jesus] unless the Father who sent me draws him"
Romans 3:11-12
"No one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."
These are some of the verses we do not like. When we come to these verses, we skip over them, read through them fast, or just plain out reject them. These are the types of verses we will never come to on our own, unless we are pushed, by outside sources to dig deeper into the Word. These are the type of verses we do not like at all.
Yet, this is the point of this post. Yes, reading the fun, easy, enjoyable verses is a good thing and very important. But as Christians, we also need to read, spend time studying, and even grow in our faith, from verses that we do not like or enjoy. To truly mature and grow in Christ and godliness, we as Christians must read the verses we do not like as much as we read the verses we enjoy and love. Let us grow in Christ by reading "all" of the Bible, especially the verses that are harder to swallow.
Yes, reading the Bible, obeying the command to read the Bible, and living in the will of God, requires the reader to read every single verse in the Bible. There are verses in the Bible that are easy to understand and those that are harder to make sense of and apply. There are verses in the Bible that are more enjoyable to read and verses that are a chore to get through. And there are verses in the Bible we like to read and there are verses that we do not want to read. Yet, to obey God, we must read every single verse in the Bible and grow in our understanding of God and the right Christian life from every single verse, regardless of how we feel about the verse. That is the true challenge of the Christian life. Lets see a few examples of verses we enjoy and verses that we do not like to read.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
Romans 8:28
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
These are some of the verses that we enjoy reading. They bring us comfort, happiness, and good thoughts. These verses are the type of verses we are attracted to and enjoy reading all the time. Usually if we have time and we sit down to open our Bible to spend time with God (without some sort of structured plan) these are the types of verses we gravitate to.
Genesis 6:5
"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
John 6:44
"No one can come to me [Jesus] unless the Father who sent me draws him"
Romans 3:11-12
"No one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."
These are some of the verses we do not like. When we come to these verses, we skip over them, read through them fast, or just plain out reject them. These are the types of verses we will never come to on our own, unless we are pushed, by outside sources to dig deeper into the Word. These are the type of verses we do not like at all.
Yet, this is the point of this post. Yes, reading the fun, easy, enjoyable verses is a good thing and very important. But as Christians, we also need to read, spend time studying, and even grow in our faith, from verses that we do not like or enjoy. To truly mature and grow in Christ and godliness, we as Christians must read the verses we do not like as much as we read the verses we enjoy and love. Let us grow in Christ by reading "all" of the Bible, especially the verses that are harder to swallow.
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
A Thanksgiving thought
Tomorrow, we as Americans celebrate the holiday called Thanksgiving. This can be an important holiday for Christians, becasue we are called to be people of thanksgiving (enter His gates with thanksgiving) and we are commanded in Scripture to have thankful hearts (give thanks to the Lord for He is good). But recently, I have seen a growing trend in Christians that is very troubling when it comes to thanksgiving and having a thankful heart. Let me explain the problem first with an illustration.
Every Christmas we give gifts to each other. Maybe it is your family exchanging gifts. Maybe it is you and a friend giving gifts to each other. Just maybe if your blessed, you receive a gift from your employer. But during the Christmas season, gift exchanges are a common thing. You probably remember as a kid, that one toy or gift you wanted from your parents. Finally, on Christians Day, you opened the present and there it was, that new doll, new video game, or new Lego set. You got excited when you got what you want at Christmas. As kids the joy, excitement, and even thanksgiving of getting that one gift you have wanted for weeks. And if your like me, your parents reminded you to say, "thank you" to the person that gave you the gift you wanted. Your parents reminded you to say thanks becasue you were so consumed with the gift, the joy of the gift, the pleasure the gift will bring, and being able to now go and play with the gift. As a kid, you were truly thankful for the gift, but that was it, your thanks extended to the gift itself.
As mature adults at the holiday season, we exchange gifts, get our loved ones gifts, and open presents from those we love, but we understand it differently. Yes, we enjoy and like the gift. But as mature adults we are thankful for the person who gave us the gift. We understand the gift is just an extension of their love for us. So we open the gift, look at the giver, and declare our thanksgiving for the gift becasue truly we like the gift but are thankful for the giver of the gift.
At some point in our maturation process, we go from being thankful for the gift itself, to being thankful for the giver of the gift. As selfish, childish, immature human beings we are excited for the gift, joyful for what the gift brings us, and full of thanksgiving for the gift itself. In this state we can't look very far beyond what the gift is to us. As loving, mature adults, we get to the point where the gift is nice, but we are excited, joyful, and full of thanksgiving for the giver of the gift, understanding the gift is just a simple extension of the giver of the gift to us. As mature adults we are thankful for the giver of the gift, not the gift itself (if we have actually matured in our understanding and thinking).
Yet in Christian circles today, all we hear more than ever is people being thankful for the gift. I have recently heard so many testimonies of people being thankful. But the witness of thanksgiving from people who have been redeemed by God, is thanksgiving of the gift. I can go down the list. Christians are declaring their excited, joyful, exuberance for things like Christian music, health, family, the church, a job, their Bibles, a new vehicle, their plans going according to the way they want, and a great year of God blessing them with so much of what they wanted. This list goes on and on. Christians praise and declare their thanksgiving for the gifts. Yet they never once declare their thanksgiving for who God is and the giver of the gifts. God is gracious. God is holy. God is sovereign. God is loving. God is faithful. God is loyal. God is full of mercy. God is the King. God is the creator. God is the all-powerful one. God is the redeemer. God is the sanctifier. God is the victorious warrior. God is all of these things and so much more, in His very nature. God is all of these things, so God extends gifts (He never has to) to His people in multiple ways daily. Yet Christians declare loudly their thanksgiving for the gifts or worse the amazing things they could do with the gift and never for what is actually behind the gift. This is the sad trend growing among the people of God. As the psalmist says, "God is better than life itself". Yet when a Christian has nothing more than life, they seem to never be thankful.
Why have Christians focused so much on the gift and not very much on the giver when they are thankful? It is becasue of what the illustration early shows. Christians who declare their thanksgiving for the gift (or sadly selfishness in the way they use the gift), never mentioning or focusing on the Giver and the nature of the Giver, are immature childish Christians. A mature believer knows the gifts really do not matter in the end. The gifts are nice. But the declared witness of thanksgiving must talk about, declare the glory of, and praise the nature of the Giver alone. We as a church today must mature up. We must focus on the Giver, the Sustainer, the all sovereign Lord of all things with our thanksgiving. Yes the gifts He gives us are nice. But they are simply gifts, extensions of His great character to us. The Lord's great character is what we must be thankful for. The Lord's great attributes is what God's people must witness about. The Lord's awesome, magnificent being, is what Christians must raise their voices in thanksgiving to. So let us mature as God's people today to be thankful for and declare to others this thanksgiving, not for the gifts, but for the Giver of the gift, the Lord God All-Mighty.
Here is a Psalm I have been reading a lot lately as I think about true worshipful thanksgiving to God.
Psalms 104...
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2 covering yourself with light as with a garment,
stretching out the heavens like a tent.
3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
he rides on the wings of the wind;
4 he makes his messengers winds,
his ministers a flaming fire.
5 He set the earth on its foundations,
so that it should never be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they fled;
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
to the place that you appointed for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass,
so that they might not again cover the earth.
10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
they flow between the hills;
11 they give drink to every beast of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
they sing among the branches.
13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.
14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
15 and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 In them the birds build their nests;
the stork has her home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;
the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night,
when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
21 The young lions roar for their prey,
seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they steal away
and lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work
and to his labor until the evening.
24 O LORD, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the sea, great and wide,
which teems with creatures innumerable,
living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships,
and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.
27 These all look to you,
to give them their food in due season.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works,
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke!
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Praise the LORD!
Every Christmas we give gifts to each other. Maybe it is your family exchanging gifts. Maybe it is you and a friend giving gifts to each other. Just maybe if your blessed, you receive a gift from your employer. But during the Christmas season, gift exchanges are a common thing. You probably remember as a kid, that one toy or gift you wanted from your parents. Finally, on Christians Day, you opened the present and there it was, that new doll, new video game, or new Lego set. You got excited when you got what you want at Christmas. As kids the joy, excitement, and even thanksgiving of getting that one gift you have wanted for weeks. And if your like me, your parents reminded you to say, "thank you" to the person that gave you the gift you wanted. Your parents reminded you to say thanks becasue you were so consumed with the gift, the joy of the gift, the pleasure the gift will bring, and being able to now go and play with the gift. As a kid, you were truly thankful for the gift, but that was it, your thanks extended to the gift itself.
As mature adults at the holiday season, we exchange gifts, get our loved ones gifts, and open presents from those we love, but we understand it differently. Yes, we enjoy and like the gift. But as mature adults we are thankful for the person who gave us the gift. We understand the gift is just an extension of their love for us. So we open the gift, look at the giver, and declare our thanksgiving for the gift becasue truly we like the gift but are thankful for the giver of the gift.
At some point in our maturation process, we go from being thankful for the gift itself, to being thankful for the giver of the gift. As selfish, childish, immature human beings we are excited for the gift, joyful for what the gift brings us, and full of thanksgiving for the gift itself. In this state we can't look very far beyond what the gift is to us. As loving, mature adults, we get to the point where the gift is nice, but we are excited, joyful, and full of thanksgiving for the giver of the gift, understanding the gift is just a simple extension of the giver of the gift to us. As mature adults we are thankful for the giver of the gift, not the gift itself (if we have actually matured in our understanding and thinking).
Yet in Christian circles today, all we hear more than ever is people being thankful for the gift. I have recently heard so many testimonies of people being thankful. But the witness of thanksgiving from people who have been redeemed by God, is thanksgiving of the gift. I can go down the list. Christians are declaring their excited, joyful, exuberance for things like Christian music, health, family, the church, a job, their Bibles, a new vehicle, their plans going according to the way they want, and a great year of God blessing them with so much of what they wanted. This list goes on and on. Christians praise and declare their thanksgiving for the gifts. Yet they never once declare their thanksgiving for who God is and the giver of the gifts. God is gracious. God is holy. God is sovereign. God is loving. God is faithful. God is loyal. God is full of mercy. God is the King. God is the creator. God is the all-powerful one. God is the redeemer. God is the sanctifier. God is the victorious warrior. God is all of these things and so much more, in His very nature. God is all of these things, so God extends gifts (He never has to) to His people in multiple ways daily. Yet Christians declare loudly their thanksgiving for the gifts or worse the amazing things they could do with the gift and never for what is actually behind the gift. This is the sad trend growing among the people of God. As the psalmist says, "God is better than life itself". Yet when a Christian has nothing more than life, they seem to never be thankful.
Why have Christians focused so much on the gift and not very much on the giver when they are thankful? It is becasue of what the illustration early shows. Christians who declare their thanksgiving for the gift (or sadly selfishness in the way they use the gift), never mentioning or focusing on the Giver and the nature of the Giver, are immature childish Christians. A mature believer knows the gifts really do not matter in the end. The gifts are nice. But the declared witness of thanksgiving must talk about, declare the glory of, and praise the nature of the Giver alone. We as a church today must mature up. We must focus on the Giver, the Sustainer, the all sovereign Lord of all things with our thanksgiving. Yes the gifts He gives us are nice. But they are simply gifts, extensions of His great character to us. The Lord's great character is what we must be thankful for. The Lord's great attributes is what God's people must witness about. The Lord's awesome, magnificent being, is what Christians must raise their voices in thanksgiving to. So let us mature as God's people today to be thankful for and declare to others this thanksgiving, not for the gifts, but for the Giver of the gift, the Lord God All-Mighty.
Here is a Psalm I have been reading a lot lately as I think about true worshipful thanksgiving to God.
Psalms 104...
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2 covering yourself with light as with a garment,
stretching out the heavens like a tent.
3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
he rides on the wings of the wind;
4 he makes his messengers winds,
his ministers a flaming fire.
5 He set the earth on its foundations,
so that it should never be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they fled;
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
to the place that you appointed for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass,
so that they might not again cover the earth.
10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
they flow between the hills;
11 they give drink to every beast of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
they sing among the branches.
13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.
14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
15 and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 In them the birds build their nests;
the stork has her home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;
the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night,
when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
21 The young lions roar for their prey,
seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they steal away
and lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work
and to his labor until the evening.
24 O LORD, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the sea, great and wide,
which teems with creatures innumerable,
living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships,
and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.
27 These all look to you,
to give them their food in due season.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works,
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke!
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Praise the LORD!
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Pilgrims
In just a few days, we will celebrate the American holiday, Thanksgiving. There are so many things that mark Thanksgiving or are traditions as part of the holiday celebrations. Whether it is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, the pounds of turkey consumed, football games that are watched, or long afternoon naps, we have many traditions that are part of the Thanksgiving holiday. When we think of Thanksgiving, many of these things jump to the front of our minds. Maybe other parts of the holiday or the traditions that surround it, jump to our minds. Pilgrims and the people that came across the ocean on the Mayflower are part of the thoughts that might come to our minds, when we think of Thanksgiving.
Pilgrims and their first Thanksgiving with the Native Americans are part of the Thanksgiving holiday, both in the history of it and in the American traditions that surround it. Earlier this year, we celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. This was a celebration of the event where Martin Luther posted his 95 problems with the church. What we might not know is that the Pilgrims are connected to Martin Luther and the Reformation. Let me explain the connection so we can understand how a Thanksgiving celebration can also be a celebration of God bringing reform to His church.
On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 problems and call for reform to the church, on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany. This event was a match that sparked a fire all across Europe. This action by Martin Luther led to reform and the Reformation event. The church from this date forward was changed. Many different men (John Calvin, John Knox) and people groups (Huguenots, Puritans), joined Luther in calling for and bringing reform to the church. One of the men involved in reform was King Henry VIII of England. King Henry wanted to divorce his wife, Catherine, but the Pope would not allow it. So as a response to the Pope and in joining with Luther and Calvin, Henry broke away from the church and began his own church in England as part of the Reformation. This event began the Church of England (Anglican).
But the church of England was not much different than the church of Rome. The Anglican church under Henry still practiced many of the same actions as the church of Rome and believed much of the same doctrines as the church of Rome. This caused a problem for many people in England who were aligning themselves with Luther, Calvin, and Knox. There were many people all across England who called for a greater reform to the church than Henry brought with the Church of England. These individuals were called Puritans and Separatist. These people began their own churches in England and for many decades the church of England and the Puritan/Separatist church existed side by side with not many problems. But then in the 17th century, the church of England began to persecute and punish the Puritan/Separatist churches.
This persecution and punishment by the Church of England against those calling for more reform resulted in many people leaving England. During the 17th century, many Puritans and Separatist left England for mainland Europe. But as the New World was being discovered, more opportunity came for the Puritans and Separatist (Pilgrims) to venture across the ocean to the New World to find their religious freedom. One of the very first trips of the Pilgrims escaping persecution in England was the trip of the Mayflower across the Atlantic Ocean. The Pilgrims set sail from Plymouth, England to find religious freedom in the New World and created it in their new colony, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Thus, the Pilgrims that landed in the New World and celebrated the first Thanksgiving a year later, were reformers in England calling both for reform like Luther against the Catholic church and calling for reform against the Church of England. These Pilgrims were reformers who fled England for the safety and religious freedom they desired in the New World.
This means, things you will not hear about the Pilgrims, but are very important to know. The Pilgrims were Calvinist. They believed in the sovereignty of God. In fact, the first Thanksgiving was a celebration of the sovereignty of God with those He alone provided (the Native Americans) to keep them safe and healthy and carry them through the first winter. The Pilgrims started the colony of Plymouth becasue they wanted a place where they could have the freedom to worship God under the teaching of Calvin and Luther without fear of persecution from other Christians. The Pilgrims were grounded in the authority of Scripture alone and celebrated that first Thanksgiving becasue the Scriptures taught them to be thankful in all things. The Pilgrims believed in salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone told by Scripture alone. Yes, the Pilgrims had the first thanksgiving and we have all heard and know this. But we will never hear, the first Thanksgiving was founded to celebrate and be thankful for the sovereign nature of God in the working of His children. Yet that is what true thanksgiving is.
So as we celebrate together on Thursday and as we hear or see the Pilgrims pointed to in commercials or a Charlie Brown cartoon or in a book. Let us join the Pilgrims in being thankful for the provision of God alone in the salvation and security of His people grounded in His sovereign nature. That is how the Pilgrims are connected to Martin Luther and that is how the Pilgrims point us to the nature of an amazing God and a true faith filled thankful response.
Pilgrims and their first Thanksgiving with the Native Americans are part of the Thanksgiving holiday, both in the history of it and in the American traditions that surround it. Earlier this year, we celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. This was a celebration of the event where Martin Luther posted his 95 problems with the church. What we might not know is that the Pilgrims are connected to Martin Luther and the Reformation. Let me explain the connection so we can understand how a Thanksgiving celebration can also be a celebration of God bringing reform to His church.
On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 problems and call for reform to the church, on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany. This event was a match that sparked a fire all across Europe. This action by Martin Luther led to reform and the Reformation event. The church from this date forward was changed. Many different men (John Calvin, John Knox) and people groups (Huguenots, Puritans), joined Luther in calling for and bringing reform to the church. One of the men involved in reform was King Henry VIII of England. King Henry wanted to divorce his wife, Catherine, but the Pope would not allow it. So as a response to the Pope and in joining with Luther and Calvin, Henry broke away from the church and began his own church in England as part of the Reformation. This event began the Church of England (Anglican).
But the church of England was not much different than the church of Rome. The Anglican church under Henry still practiced many of the same actions as the church of Rome and believed much of the same doctrines as the church of Rome. This caused a problem for many people in England who were aligning themselves with Luther, Calvin, and Knox. There were many people all across England who called for a greater reform to the church than Henry brought with the Church of England. These individuals were called Puritans and Separatist. These people began their own churches in England and for many decades the church of England and the Puritan/Separatist church existed side by side with not many problems. But then in the 17th century, the church of England began to persecute and punish the Puritan/Separatist churches.
This persecution and punishment by the Church of England against those calling for more reform resulted in many people leaving England. During the 17th century, many Puritans and Separatist left England for mainland Europe. But as the New World was being discovered, more opportunity came for the Puritans and Separatist (Pilgrims) to venture across the ocean to the New World to find their religious freedom. One of the very first trips of the Pilgrims escaping persecution in England was the trip of the Mayflower across the Atlantic Ocean. The Pilgrims set sail from Plymouth, England to find religious freedom in the New World and created it in their new colony, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Thus, the Pilgrims that landed in the New World and celebrated the first Thanksgiving a year later, were reformers in England calling both for reform like Luther against the Catholic church and calling for reform against the Church of England. These Pilgrims were reformers who fled England for the safety and religious freedom they desired in the New World.
This means, things you will not hear about the Pilgrims, but are very important to know. The Pilgrims were Calvinist. They believed in the sovereignty of God. In fact, the first Thanksgiving was a celebration of the sovereignty of God with those He alone provided (the Native Americans) to keep them safe and healthy and carry them through the first winter. The Pilgrims started the colony of Plymouth becasue they wanted a place where they could have the freedom to worship God under the teaching of Calvin and Luther without fear of persecution from other Christians. The Pilgrims were grounded in the authority of Scripture alone and celebrated that first Thanksgiving becasue the Scriptures taught them to be thankful in all things. The Pilgrims believed in salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone told by Scripture alone. Yes, the Pilgrims had the first thanksgiving and we have all heard and know this. But we will never hear, the first Thanksgiving was founded to celebrate and be thankful for the sovereign nature of God in the working of His children. Yet that is what true thanksgiving is.
So as we celebrate together on Thursday and as we hear or see the Pilgrims pointed to in commercials or a Charlie Brown cartoon or in a book. Let us join the Pilgrims in being thankful for the provision of God alone in the salvation and security of His people grounded in His sovereign nature. That is how the Pilgrims are connected to Martin Luther and that is how the Pilgrims point us to the nature of an amazing God and a true faith filled thankful response.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Revelation
In this class on the Prophetic Literature from the Bible, I have also had to cover a little reading and writing on the book of Revelation. I have come to 4 important conclusion after just a few weeks of hard study from the book.
First, if you think you really know a lot of the book of Revelation, you are fooling yourself and arrogant. Revelation is, I think, the hardest book in the Bible to understand. There are so many images, symbols, and contextual issues that only John's readers would understand. Mix in all of these challenges with the fact that the book is speaking for a portion, about the end times (the eschaton), the book becomes even more complicated. Yes, the first 5 chapters of Revelation are more understandable to gain insight and spiritual growth from. But from chapter 6 on, the book is very hard to make sense of. So if I have the galls to say I know and understand much from Revelation, I am fooling myself and arrogant. This goes for anyone who claims to have a great understanding or full knowledge from Revelation.
Second, Revelation is a letter written to seven churches in the 1st century. I have to treat Revelation as I do any other Epistle in the New Testament. This means I have to understand the context, think through the audience, grapple with the purpose, and know my history of the 1st century. To even begin to crack Revelation, I have to come at the book as it is a letter from one man to seven churches he loved. Revelation is clearly a letter.
Third, Revelation is a prophetic letter. John was acting as a prophet of God when he wrote the letter of Revelation. Jesus gave John a specific vision, put His Words right in his mouth, and told John to speak (write down in letter form) what he was seeing. John as a prophet was acting very similar to elements of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, and Zechariah. This means I must also come at Revelation like I would any of the Old Testament prophets. I must think through the original context and understand how they would have taken the image or symbol or message. Getting a better grasp on interpreting the book of Isaiah will ultimately help me understand Revelation a little better. Revelation is clearly a prophetic text.
The fourth truth, is that Revelation is an apocalyptic document. This means that Revelation uses images, symbols, numbers, and crazy words to drive home the point. Revelation as an apocalyptic document is what makes it a challenge to understand. This is a very unique style of writing and a very weird type of literature. This fourth piece of the Revelation puzzle it what makes it so that no human can be fully confident in their understanding of Revelation. Yes, we must study and grow from Revelation. Yes, we must put the hard work in digging deep through the book. Yes, working through Revelation must bring us confidence in God and a comfort He has the future in His hands. Yes, Revelation is about Jesus. And yes, Revelation is a story about Jesus wins. But because of the apocalyptic nature of the book, we as Christians must remain humble and a learner when we handle the book of Revelation.
First, if you think you really know a lot of the book of Revelation, you are fooling yourself and arrogant. Revelation is, I think, the hardest book in the Bible to understand. There are so many images, symbols, and contextual issues that only John's readers would understand. Mix in all of these challenges with the fact that the book is speaking for a portion, about the end times (the eschaton), the book becomes even more complicated. Yes, the first 5 chapters of Revelation are more understandable to gain insight and spiritual growth from. But from chapter 6 on, the book is very hard to make sense of. So if I have the galls to say I know and understand much from Revelation, I am fooling myself and arrogant. This goes for anyone who claims to have a great understanding or full knowledge from Revelation.
Second, Revelation is a letter written to seven churches in the 1st century. I have to treat Revelation as I do any other Epistle in the New Testament. This means I have to understand the context, think through the audience, grapple with the purpose, and know my history of the 1st century. To even begin to crack Revelation, I have to come at the book as it is a letter from one man to seven churches he loved. Revelation is clearly a letter.
Third, Revelation is a prophetic letter. John was acting as a prophet of God when he wrote the letter of Revelation. Jesus gave John a specific vision, put His Words right in his mouth, and told John to speak (write down in letter form) what he was seeing. John as a prophet was acting very similar to elements of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, and Zechariah. This means I must also come at Revelation like I would any of the Old Testament prophets. I must think through the original context and understand how they would have taken the image or symbol or message. Getting a better grasp on interpreting the book of Isaiah will ultimately help me understand Revelation a little better. Revelation is clearly a prophetic text.
The fourth truth, is that Revelation is an apocalyptic document. This means that Revelation uses images, symbols, numbers, and crazy words to drive home the point. Revelation as an apocalyptic document is what makes it a challenge to understand. This is a very unique style of writing and a very weird type of literature. This fourth piece of the Revelation puzzle it what makes it so that no human can be fully confident in their understanding of Revelation. Yes, we must study and grow from Revelation. Yes, we must put the hard work in digging deep through the book. Yes, working through Revelation must bring us confidence in God and a comfort He has the future in His hands. Yes, Revelation is about Jesus. And yes, Revelation is a story about Jesus wins. But because of the apocalyptic nature of the book, we as Christians must remain humble and a learner when we handle the book of Revelation.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Prophecy
The class I am currently in, is a class on exegesis and application of Prophetic Literature in the Bible. During this class we have had to translate passages in Isaiah, exegetical outline passages from Daniel, and teach and apply passages from Micah, among others. This class has been rewarding, fulfilling, and taught me much about God and His Word. One of the biggest takeaways from the class is a realization that prophecy is fun and still very important for the church today.
Many Christians find prophecy to be scary and they never enter it becasue of fear. This type of literature in the Bible can be hard to understand. There are many different images, poetic symbols, and figures of speech that can be daunting. Combine the use of language with the prophetic nature and apocalyptic thoughts, most Christians avoid books in the Bible like Isaiah, Daniel, and Joel. In fear, many Christians barely read, let alone spend time in, the Prophetic Books of the Bible.
Then there are other Christians who go to Prophetic Literature and think everything, every symbol, word, picture, and image, is important. These Christians chase after every fulfillment, every relevant picture, and think that most of the prophetic literature is still going to be fulfilled. These Christians take the newspaper and the TV news program and compare it to their Bible, thinking this is the end times we are living in now. These Christians love prophecy, not for what it says about their heart for God, but becasue they treat it like a road-map or a timeline of the future. Sadly, these Christians also deal with Prophetic Literature out of fear, just fear of the future and the unknown.
I have found very few Christians that live in the middle ground. Very few Christians live in the Bible and understand the Prophets as they are intended by God to be understood. The Prophets are still very relevant and useful today becasue they are God's messengers to His sinful people. The Prophets preached messages of repentance, idolatry, social action, and future hope. The Prophets came to God's people to point out their sin, tell them to stop living like the world, and point them to a God that will solve all of their problems. The Prophets need to be heard today, not becasue of the fulfillment they might bring, but becasue of the heart of God's people they are confronting.
This class has taught me; I need to understand, drink deeply, and apply the prophetic message to my life, so that I can live for the glory of God and repent of the sin that grabs my heart. Understanding the need of the Prophets, here are 3 important stats about the prophets to keep in mind. 2% of Old Testament prophecy is messianic. 5% of prophecy specifically describes the new-covenant age. 1% of prophecy concern events yet to come in our time. All three of these percentages make clear. The Prophets exist to deal with the heart of God's people in lives of repentance and obedience to Him. We still need to here the Prophets today and apply them to our lives becasue we are still idolatrous and sinful people of God.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Genealogies
This past Sunday, I had the privilege to preach Genesis 5. Genesis 5 is the first genealogy or list of names in the Bible. Genesis 5 links Adam, the first human created, to Noah, the man who lived during the great flood and survived by God's grace on a large boat. Most of Genesis 5 is a list of names, 10 generations of names beginning with the dad Adam and working its way down to the final Dad, Noah. This chapter can be a challenge to understand. And even much harder a challenge to grow in faith from. Which means it is also a challenge to preach and teach through. But I have found 3 ways to understand and teach from the genealogies in the Bible.
The first helpful way to work through and learn from a genealogy is to notice and dig deep into the extra words that a genealogy adds. Many genealogies in the Bible, add a sentence o two around a particular name on the list. In the case of Genesis 5, this genealogy adds important points about image to Adam, truths about walking with God to Enoch, and a piece of dialogue to the birth of Noah. Catching these extra words to the list of names is very important for the theology of the passage. In the case of Genesis 5, the passage wants the reader to catch the flow of the image through the generations, the righteous life in a world of death and the hope that is to come from the generation of Noah. A few of the genealogy list in the Bible add extra words or descriptors like Genesis 5. This is the first helpful tool in understanding the value and theology the list of names are supposed to produce.
The second way to dig deeper into a list of names, is to study a particular person in the list of names. Many of the genealogy list in the Bible include people that have stories about them recorded in other places. For example, if I was going to teach from the genealogy list in Matthew 1 (Abraham to Jesus), I would focus and teach on the 4 women who are listed in the chapter. Thinking about each of these 4 women (all of whom have stories in the Bible about them) would be a good place to find the theology of the passage. In Mathew 1 the 4 women have sin issues, are poor, broken and hurting, are Gentiles, and all need redemption. These 4 women point to the type of person that Jesus came to save and all 4 of these women were in the line and genealogy of Jesus. Understanding the life of these 4 woman can help point to the truths the list of names is getting at. Why are these particular names included?, is a great question that helps the list of names come alive. A second way to find deep theology then from a list of names in the Bible, going form one person to the next, is to study a particular person or a group of people from the list.
A third way to find the deep theology of a genealogy in the Bible, is to find the 2 people the genealogy connects. For example, the genealogy in Genesis 11 is an important genealogy becasue it links Shem to Abram. Shem is the son of Noah and thanks to Genesis 5, we know Noah is a son (many generations removed) of Adam. The final name in Genesis 11 is Abram. Abram is the man God chose from among the pagans to fulfill his plan of redemption. Abram is the father of God's people and the one who ultimately leads to the life of Jesus. Genesis 11 links Adam, through Shem down to Abram. This linking is critical to understand because it reflects on God's choice and the human nature in that choice. So understanding the Genealogy in Genesis 11 can be found in understanding the importance of the link between Adam/Shem to the man chosen by God, Abram. Working through this link, digging deeper into the connection and the importance of the connection, and then tracing the theological argument in the connection, helps bring to the surface the importance and thrust of the genealogy. This third tool of linking people in a list of names can be done in many of the genealogy list in the Bible (and doing so with many of the list will begin to point to a pattern of God's choice and the nature of man).
So whether you focus on a particular person in the genealogy. Or whether you connect the people who are linked by the genealogy. Or whether you study the extra words and phrases that are added to the genealogy. A genealogy and list of names in the Bible is a place that truth and theology can be discovered. The many different list of names throughout the Bible are not passages we can just throw away or skip over. As Jesus states, "Ever single word in the Bible is important and must be studied". This means that even a list of names and genealogy can be important for our faith and life in Christ. So what have you learned from the many different genealogies in the Bible?
The first helpful way to work through and learn from a genealogy is to notice and dig deep into the extra words that a genealogy adds. Many genealogies in the Bible, add a sentence o two around a particular name on the list. In the case of Genesis 5, this genealogy adds important points about image to Adam, truths about walking with God to Enoch, and a piece of dialogue to the birth of Noah. Catching these extra words to the list of names is very important for the theology of the passage. In the case of Genesis 5, the passage wants the reader to catch the flow of the image through the generations, the righteous life in a world of death and the hope that is to come from the generation of Noah. A few of the genealogy list in the Bible add extra words or descriptors like Genesis 5. This is the first helpful tool in understanding the value and theology the list of names are supposed to produce.
The second way to dig deeper into a list of names, is to study a particular person in the list of names. Many of the genealogy list in the Bible include people that have stories about them recorded in other places. For example, if I was going to teach from the genealogy list in Matthew 1 (Abraham to Jesus), I would focus and teach on the 4 women who are listed in the chapter. Thinking about each of these 4 women (all of whom have stories in the Bible about them) would be a good place to find the theology of the passage. In Mathew 1 the 4 women have sin issues, are poor, broken and hurting, are Gentiles, and all need redemption. These 4 women point to the type of person that Jesus came to save and all 4 of these women were in the line and genealogy of Jesus. Understanding the life of these 4 woman can help point to the truths the list of names is getting at. Why are these particular names included?, is a great question that helps the list of names come alive. A second way to find deep theology then from a list of names in the Bible, going form one person to the next, is to study a particular person or a group of people from the list.
A third way to find the deep theology of a genealogy in the Bible, is to find the 2 people the genealogy connects. For example, the genealogy in Genesis 11 is an important genealogy becasue it links Shem to Abram. Shem is the son of Noah and thanks to Genesis 5, we know Noah is a son (many generations removed) of Adam. The final name in Genesis 11 is Abram. Abram is the man God chose from among the pagans to fulfill his plan of redemption. Abram is the father of God's people and the one who ultimately leads to the life of Jesus. Genesis 11 links Adam, through Shem down to Abram. This linking is critical to understand because it reflects on God's choice and the human nature in that choice. So understanding the Genealogy in Genesis 11 can be found in understanding the importance of the link between Adam/Shem to the man chosen by God, Abram. Working through this link, digging deeper into the connection and the importance of the connection, and then tracing the theological argument in the connection, helps bring to the surface the importance and thrust of the genealogy. This third tool of linking people in a list of names can be done in many of the genealogy list in the Bible (and doing so with many of the list will begin to point to a pattern of God's choice and the nature of man).
So whether you focus on a particular person in the genealogy. Or whether you connect the people who are linked by the genealogy. Or whether you study the extra words and phrases that are added to the genealogy. A genealogy and list of names in the Bible is a place that truth and theology can be discovered. The many different list of names throughout the Bible are not passages we can just throw away or skip over. As Jesus states, "Ever single word in the Bible is important and must be studied". This means that even a list of names and genealogy can be important for our faith and life in Christ. So what have you learned from the many different genealogies in the Bible?
Thursday, November 2, 2017
William Burns
I was recently reading a short biography of the 19th century Scottish Evangelist William Chalmers Burns. This was a young man who began preaching the Gospel in the church at the tender age of 24. After spending a few months traveling around Scotland declaring the Gospel, he left for 2 decades of Gospel ministry in China. He died at the age of 53 in China, giving his life (health) for the sake of God's glory and the spread of the Gospel. Reading the small biography many different quotes hit home. This man had a passion for the glory of God. He had a passion for the preaching of salvation by faith alone in God's grace alone, produced by the works of Christ alone. He also had a strong passion to see the "unbelieving" converted by God to faith in Christ. These passions he gave his life for.
But one quote hit home. One day, he was standing in the market in Glasgow, Scotland, and he was taking in the hustle and bustle of the people. Burns declared, "Just now I was overcome with the sight of the countless crowds of immortal beings eagerly hustling hither and thither, but all posting onwards towards the eternal world, that I could bear it no longer, and turned in here to seek relief in quiet thought".
Burns was emotionally hit that day with the countless souls tramping onward to their eternal destination of God's wrath. His emotions were so overcome watching the lost go about their lives, he had to take a moment to gather his grief and pray. After reading this quote, I have to ask myself, "am I this overcome with grief for lost souls, that I have to take a moment in my thoughts to pray"?
But one quote hit home. One day, he was standing in the market in Glasgow, Scotland, and he was taking in the hustle and bustle of the people. Burns declared, "Just now I was overcome with the sight of the countless crowds of immortal beings eagerly hustling hither and thither, but all posting onwards towards the eternal world, that I could bear it no longer, and turned in here to seek relief in quiet thought".
Burns was emotionally hit that day with the countless souls tramping onward to their eternal destination of God's wrath. His emotions were so overcome watching the lost go about their lives, he had to take a moment to gather his grief and pray. After reading this quote, I have to ask myself, "am I this overcome with grief for lost souls, that I have to take a moment in my thoughts to pray"?
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