Fluency

Lord, help me to glorify you.

I am poor;
help me to glorify you by contentment.

I am sick;
help me to give you honor by patience.

I have talents;
help me to exalt you by spending them for you.

I have a heart to feel, Lord;
let that heart feel no love but yours,
and glow with no flame but affection for you.

I have a head to think, Lord;
help me to think of you and for you.

You have put me in this world for something, Lord;
show me what it is,
and help me to live according to your purpose.

- Charles Spurgeon

Thanks to Trevin Wax

The end of James 4 challenges not only our world view but the integrity of our world view.

There are basically two world views–at least two major categories.
A world view that excludes God–the universe/world is a closed system.
A world view that includes God–the universe is a system created by and controlled by God.

But many of us who claim that our world view is theistic or even monotheistic, can at times live as though there is no God.

This is the challenge of James 4:13-17.

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.  15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance.  All such boasting is evil. (ESV)

Several basic observations.

1. The statement in v. 13 is not a statement against planning or even making a profit.  What James will challenge is planning, even assuming the outcome–without a thought for God.
2. Verse 14 not only shows that man is temporal, with a limited time frame, but a limited perspective.
3. Verse 16 identifies the root issue–arrogance.  Here we could define arrogance as the assumption of independence from God.
4. Verse 15 gives us the antidote for this belief of autonomy–a willing submission to the will of God.

The passage ends with a great summary statement (probably a summary of James 3:1-4:16 at least).

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. (ESV)

Our lives are not independent from God.  We are not autonomous.  Therefore, since we know that God is involved, we must live with Him in clear view.  We are not simply to avoid active engagement in sin but we are to also be actively engaged in doing what is right.

James 1:13-18 includes two great truths about God that serve as bookend to one reality about us.

Context

First the context.  James wrote to exhort believers to mature conduct by demonstrating their faith and wisdom through godly living (holiness) in spite of their sinful desires and the influence of the world (testing and sin). James 1:2-4 sets the stage for the whole book.

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (ESV)

He identifies the challenge–”testing of your faith.”
God’s goal–”that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
And our desired response–joy and steadfastness.

Notice that what James is dealing with is “the testing of your faith” that “various kinds” of trial or circumstances produce.  He focus is not on the circumstances, the external forces, but the challenge to one’s faith.

Our faith is tested for strategic purpose–to make us perfect and complete, lacking nothing–as we remain steadfast.

The second part of the context is the first necessary response to the testing of our faith–the need for wisdom.

James 1:5–6 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. (ESV)

When our faith is tested and we are not sure how to respond, we are to ask God for wisdom.  Wisdom to respond in a way that we can remain steadfast so that God can make us perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The Character of God

When we don’t respond correctly to the trials of our faith, we tend to shift the blame from ourselves to others and to God.   (See Genesis 3, where Adam passes the blame to Eve and Eve to Satan.)

We may be tempted to ask, “Why is He doing this?”  ”Why is He causing this temptation?”  ”Why does He want me to fail?”

But notices James’ reminder of two great truths about God.

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. (ESV)

James 1:17–18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (ESV)

The first truth–There is nothing in God to which evil can appeal.  There is no evil in God, no evil motives.

The second truth–In contrast to any evil, God is a giver, a giver of good gifts.

Rather than doing evil to us or seeking to cause us to stumble so He can judge or punish–He is the giver of good and perfect gifts.

Even the trials are for our good.
Even the trials of our character are for our good.

How? Why?

Because His desire for us is not comfort or happiness, but to make us complete, perfect and lacking nothing.

God’s goal for us is what is best for us.

Our Reality

So when we stumble, we cannot blame God–there is nothing in Him motivated by evil.  When we stumble we must acknowledge that it is as a result of our own desires (the reality about us in this passage).

But we could argue, “He gave me the desires, it’s His fault.”

If He gave us the desires, than He can fulfill them the way He intended them to be fulfilled.  We must trust Him and His motives–for they can only be pure, good and holy.

May we trust His character.

Just hear this song for the first time today in the car.  I was struck with its simplicity and clear message.  So I looked the lyrics up online (see below). Even though the title is “Song of Jabez” it should not be equated with the popular book by a similar title.

By the way, John Waller is the artist who wrote While I’m Waiting from the movie Fireproof.

The only place I found it to post is as the background for this video--focus on the song.

Song of Jabez

lyrics by  John Waller and Scott Johnson
music by  John Waller

According to Your will
According to Your will
I’m praying, I’m praying.
According to Your word
According to Your word
You hear me, yes You hear me.
According to Your heart
According to Your heart
You answer, when I pray

Father bless me indeed
You’re all that I need
Expand my horizons beyond what I see
Put Your hand upon me,
and keep me from evil today
This is what I pray

According to Your plan
I’m waiting
Yes I’m waiting
According to Your hand
You lead me
You lead me
According to Your love
You seek me
When I stray

Father bless me indeed
You’re all that I need
Expand my horizons beyond what I see
Put Your hand upon me,
and keep me from evil today
This is what I pray

The only blessing that I seek
Is to know You’re using me

So Father bless me indeed
You’re all that I need
Expand my horizons beyond what I see
Put Your hand upon me,
and keep me from evil today
Father bless me indeed
You’re all that I need
Expand my horizons beyond what I see
Put Your hand upon me,
and keep me from evil today…

According to Your will
According to Your will
I’m praying.

This is a repost–but since I posted reading plans, I thought I would also pass this along as a good summery to keep the big picture in mind as you read through the Bible.

Bruce Waltke’s Summaries of the Stages of Redemptive History
by Justin Taylor

I recently came across some old syllabus notes tucked into a book, and among them were Professor Bruce Waltke’s summaries of the major chapters in the storyline of Scripture. Professor Waltke was kind enough to grant permission for me to post these, with the hope that they’ll help you in reading through the Bible this year. You can print out the summaries as a PDF. I’m also including them below—first with a chart showing his titles and where they are found, followed by his summaries.

For more on Waltke’s approach, see his magisterial Old Testament Theology.

Creation by Word Genesis 1 and 2
The Fall Genesis 3
First Revelation of Redemption Genesis 4–11
Abraham Our Father Genesis 12–50
Exodus: Our Pattern of Redemption Exodus 1–15
New Life: Gift and Task Exodus 16–40; Leviticus
The Temptation in the Wilderness Numbers; Deuteronomy
Into the Good Land Joshua; Judges; Ruth
God’s Rule in God’s Land 1 and 2 Samuel; 1 Kings 1–10; 1 Chronicles; 2 Chronicles 1–9
The Fading Shadow 1 Kings 11–22; 2 Kings
There Is a New Creation  Jeremiah; Ezekiel; Daniel; Esther
The Second Exodus  Ezra; Nehemiah; Haggai
The New Creation for Us  Matthew; Mark; Luke; John
The New Creation in Us Initiated Acts
The New Creation in Us Now New Testament Epistles
The New Creation Consummated The New Testament

Creation by Word
Genesis 1 and 2
In the beginning God created everything that exists. He made Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden of Eden. God spoke to them and gave them certain tasks in the world. For food he allowed them the fruit of all the trees in the garden except one. He warned them that they would die if they ate of that one tree.

The Fall
Genesis 3
The snake persuaded Eve to disobey God and to eat the forbidden fruit. She gave some to Adam and he ate also. Then God spoke to them in judgment, and sent them out of the garden into a world that came under the same judgment.

First Revelation of Redemption
Genesis 4–11
Outside Eden, Cain and Abel were born to Adam and eve. Cain murdered Abel and Eve bore another son, Seth. Eventually the human race became so wicked that God determined to destroy every living thing with a flood. Noah and his family were saved by building a great boat at God’s command. The human race began again with Noah and his three sons with their families. Sometime after the flood a still unified human race attempted a godless act to assert its power in the building of a high tower. God thwarted these plans by scattering the people and confusing their language.

Abraham Our Father
Genesis 12–50
Sometime in the early second millennium BC God called Abraham out of Mesopotamia to Canaan. He promised to give this land to Abraham’s descendants and to bless them as his people. Abraham went, and many years later he had a son, Isaac. Isaac in rum had two sons, Esau and Jacob. The promises of God were established with Jacob and his descendants. He had twelve sons, and in time they all went to live in Egypt because of famine in Canaan.

Exodus: Our Pattern of Redemption
Exodus 1–15
In time the descendants of Jacob living in Egypt multiplied to become a very large number of people. The Egyptians no longer regarded them with friendliness and made them slaves. God appointed Moses to be the one who would lead Israel out of Egypt to the promised land of Canaan. When the moment came for Moses to demand the freedom of his people, the Pharaoh refused to let them go. Though Moses worked ten miracle–plagues which brought hardship, destruction, and death to the Egyptians. Finally, Pharaoh let Israel go, but then pursued them and trapped them at the Red Sea (or Sea of Reeds). The God opened a way in the sea for Israel to cross on dry land, but closed the water over the Egyptian army, destroying it.

New Life: Gift and Task
Exodus 16–40; Leviticus
After their release from Egypt, Moses led the Israelites to Mount Sinai. There God gave them his law which they were commanded to keep. At one point Moses held a covenant renewal ceremony in which the covenant arrangement was sealed in blood. However, while Moses was away on the mountain, the people persuaded Aaron to fashion a golden calf. Thus they showed their inclination to forsake the covenant and to engage in idolatry. God also commanded the building of the tabernacle and gave all the rules of sacrificial worship by which Israel might approach him.

The Temptation in the Wilderness
Numbers; Deuteronomy
After giving the law to the Israelites at Sinai, God directed them to go in and take possession of the promised land. Fearing the inhabitants of Canaan, they refused to do so, thus showing lack of confidence in the promises of God. The whole adult generation that had come out of Egypt, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, was condemned to wander and die in the desert. Israel was forbidden to dispossess its kinsfolk, the nation of Edom, Moab, and Ammon, but was given victory over other nations that opposed it. Finally, forty years after leaving Egypt, Israel arrived in the Moabite territory on the east side of the Jordan. Here Moses prepared the people for their possession of Canaan, and commissioned Joshua as their new leader.

Into the Good Land
Joshua; Judges; Ruth
Under Joshua’s leadership the Israelites crossed the Jordan and began the task of driving out the inhabitants of Canaan. After the conquest the land was divided between the tribes, each being allotted its own region. Only the tribe of Levi was without an inheritance of land because of its special priestly relationship to God. There remained pockets of Canaanites in the land and, from time to time, these threatened Israel’s hold on their new possession. From the one–man leaderships of Moses and Joshua, the nation moved into a period of relative instability during which judges exercised some measure of control over the affairs of the people.

God’s Rule in God’s Land
1 and 2 Samuel; 1 Kings 1–10; 1 Chronicles; 2 Chronicles 1–9
Samuel became judge and prophet in all Israel at a time when the Philistines threatened the freedom of the nation. An earlier movement for kingship was received and the demand put to a reluctant Samuel. The first king, Saul, had a promising start to his reign but eventually showed himself unsuitable as the ruler of the covenant people. While Saul still reigned, David was anointed to succeed him. Because of Saul’s jealousy David became an outcast, but when Saul died in battle David returned and became king (about 1000 BC). Due to his success Israel became a powerful and stable nation. He established a central sanctuary at Jerusalem, and created a professional bureaucracy and permanent army. David’s son Solomon succeeded him (about 961 BC) and the prosperity of Israel continued. The building of the temple at Jerusalem was one of Solomon’s most notable achievements.

The Fading Shadow
1 Kings 11–22; 2 Kings
Solomon allowed political considerations and personal ambitions to sour his relationship with God, and this in turn had a bad effect on the life of Israel. Solomon’s son began an oppressive rule which led to the rebellion of the northern tribes and the division of the kingdom. Although there were some political and religious high points, both kingdoms went into decline, A new breed of prophets warned against the direction of national life, but matters went from bad to worse. In 722 BC the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the power of the Assyrian empire. Then, in 586 BC the southern kingdom of Judah was devastated by the Babylonians. Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed, and a large part of the population was deported to Babylon.

There Is a New Creation
Jeremiah; Ezekiel; Daniel; Esther
The prophets of Israel warned of the doom that would befall the nation. When the first exiles were taken to Babylon in 597 BC, Ezekiel was among them. Both prophets ministered to the exiles. Life for the Jews (the people of Judah) in Babylon was not all bad, and in time many prospered. The books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel indicate a certain normality to the experience, while Daniel and Esther highlight some of the difficulties and suffering experienced in an alien and oppressive culture.

The Second Exodus
Ezra; Nehemiah; Haggai
In 539 BC Babylon fell to the Medo–Persian empire. The following year, Cyrus the king allowed the Jews to return home and to set up a Jewish state within the Persian empire. Great difficulty was experienced in re–establishing the nation. There was local opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple. Many of the Jews did not return but stayed on in the land of their exile. In the latter part of the fourth century BC, Alexander the Great conquered the Persian empire. The Jews entered a long and difficult period in which Greek culture and religion challenged their trust in God’s covenant promises. In 63 BC Pompey conquered Palestine and the Jews found themselves a province of the Roman empire.

The New Creation for Us
Matthew; Mark; Luke; John
The province of Judea, the homeland of the Jews, came under Roman rule in 63 BC. During the reign of Caesar Augustus, Jesus was born at Bethlehem, probably about the year 4 BC. John, known as the Baptist, prepared the way for the ministry of Jesus. This ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing began with Jesus’ baptism and lasted about three years. Growing conflict with the Jews and their religious leaders led eventually to Jesus being sentenced to death by the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. He was executed by the Romans just outside Jerusalem, but rose from death two days afterward and appealed to his followers on a number of occasions. After a period with them, Jesus was taken up to heaven.

The New Creation in Us Initiated
Acts
After Jesus had ascended, his disciples waited in Jerusalem. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon them and they began the task of proclaiming Jesus. As the missionary implications of the gospel became clearer to the first Christians, the local proclamation was extended to world evangelization. The apostle Paul took the gospel to Asia Minor and Greece, establishing many churches as he went. Eventually a church flourished at the heart of the empire of Rome.

The New Creation in Us Now
New Testament Epistles
As the gospel made inroads into pagan societies it encountered many philosophies and non–Christian ideas which challenged the apostolic message. The New Testament epistles shows that the kind of pressures to adopt pagan ideas that had existed for the people of God in Old Testament times were also a constant threat to the churches. The real danger to Christian teaching was not so much in direct attacks upon it, but rather in the subtle distortion of Christian ideas. Among the troublemakers were the Judaizers who added Jewish law–keeping to the gospel. The Gnostics also undermined the gospel with elements of Greek philosophy and religion.

The New Creation Consummated
The New Testament
God is Lord over history and therefore, when he so desires, he can cause the events of the future to be recorded. All section of the New Testament contain references to things which have not yet happened, the most significant being the return of Christ and the consummation of the kingdom of God. No clues to the actual chronology are given, but it is certain that Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. The old creation will be undone and the new creation will take its place.

For those setting goals for 2010, here are a number of Bible reading plans.

If you have ever tried to read through the whole Bible, got behind and gave up—or you have children and you want to encourage them to read through the Bible, you may want to try the Essential 100.

6 options for reading the ESV, many of which will come to you to make it easy to keep up and have built in reminders.

• web (a new reading each day appears online at the same link)
• RSS (subscribe to receive by RSS)
• email (subscribe to receive by email)
• iCal (download an iCalendar file)
• mobile (view a new reading each day on your mobile device)
• print (download a PDF of the whole plan)

If you have read through the Bible before and want a different plan, check out YouVersion, I believer there are 10 different reading plans.  YouVersion is also something you can take with you where ever you go (if you have a smart phone).

And if you want to listen to the Bible this year, let me recommend these podcasts (they will open up to iTunes)
ESV
ESV Chronological

This is a repost from “Thoughts on life, Leadership and Technology”

If you work or volunteer on a church ministry team, you are not immune to the spiritual dangers that others face. In fact, probably just the oppposite – you are even MORE AT RISK! There are many stories of well known ministry (and even secular) leaders who have suffered from public moral failures. We need to always be on guard – don’t become “lion food” (1 Peter 5:8).

Earlier this past week, Geoff Surratt (@GeoffSurratt) spoke at the All-Staff Meeting for Seacoast Church. He outlined 10 steps all ministry leaders need to do to help prevent a shipwrecked life. I’ve summarized them below, but I encourage you to watch the session for yourself (watch on vimeo ).

Seacoast Church; All Staff, Geoff Surratt from Seacoast Church on Vimeo.

As 2009 comes to the end and 2010 dawns on the horizon–I’m finding, again, the need to evaluate and set purposeful goals.  In this process, the noise of the world can get in the way.

Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church,  Seattle, Washington provides these great self-reflecting questions.  After reading the post and the questions.  You may want to join me in adapting the questions and finding a quite place to answer them before God as you think forward.

This the last post in a series by Pastor Mark where he helpfully lays out the importance of silence and solitude, as well as how he approaches and utilizes the time. We hope it has been helpful for you as you grow in your faith in Jesus.

Journaling

The following is a copy of the template I created for myself to organize my days of silence and solitude for the purpose of journaling. I offer it knowing that you can and should change it to fit your life. This is not Scripture, it’s not perfect, and I don’t claim it is. Rather, it is a simple tool for you to adapt as you need. For me, I keep notes in my Moleskine throughout the week, and sit down to answer these questions on my laptop in a Word document. This keeps it simple for me and allows me to see God’s work in my life over time.

Ideally, every Christian would do a modified version of this plan every week as an act of worship, taking around an hour to answer a few of the questions that are most pressing for them. In addition, it is wise to take at least one full day a month in silence and solitude to answer all the questions without being rushed, leaving time to open your Bible, pray, repent, worship, and ponder.

Silence and Solitude Journaling Template

“. . . the report about him [Jesus] went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” — Luke 5:15–16

Date:
Modified or Full Plan:
Note: Here I am making note if it’s one hour or one day for silence and solitude.
Place and Conditions:
Note: I am someone for whom space deeply matters. On a nice day I sit outside by a river or at the beach in a beautiful spot. I don’t like coffee shops (too noisy and crowded) or the office (too much distraction). I like to be up high with a view, crave fresh air, love the sun, and cannot relax where it’s loud, busy, ugly, stinky, disorganized, poorly designed, uncomfortable, or too hot or cold, and yes, I am picky. So, I note where I was and that helps me keep a record of nice spots for silence and solitude days. I borrow friends’ vacation homes, have spots I like outside of town in the mountains, and so forth.

Part 1 – Recent Evidences of God’s Grace

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” — 2 Thess. 2:16–17

Note: To have good words and works, we need hope and comfort by seeing and savoring evidences of God’s grace. I start with this topic to get me into a mode of worship. I can be quite a gloomy and moody person, so this gets me going in the right direction for my time with God. I often take an hour on this topic alone and make a long list, thanking God and praying as I go.

Part 2 – Deep Questions

“The purpose in a man’s mind is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” — Prov. 20:5 (RSV)

Note: These are my questions and you can make your own or change mine. I don’t include Bible reading and study because they are like breathing to me, but you may want to add them. In question four I’m talking about my wife, Grace. I list each of my kids in question five because with a big family it’s too easy to treat the kids as a herd rather than knowing and pastoring each one. I put my work last, figuring that if the rest of my life is in order, work will go well. I rate every question on a scale so that I can be honest about how I’m doing and track progress over time. The prayer points are things I pray about as I’m journaling and things to put on my prayer list that week. The action items go on my calendar. Lastly, I share a lot of this with my wife, kids, friends, and others, and a lot of my blogs and ministry training are simply sharing what comes out of my journaling on days of silence and solitude.

1. How accurate is my view of God lately?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

2. How are my joy in the Holy Spirit and corresponding hope?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

3. What temptations and sins are most ensnaring?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

4. How is my connection with my wife {husband}?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

5. How is my connection with each of my children?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

6. How is my health (e.g., weight, diet, exercise)?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

7. How is my sleep (e.g., bed time, quality of sleep, length of sleep)?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

8. How is my energy level?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

9. How is my dominion over my technology (e.g., cell phone, laptop, email, text)?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

10. How is the stewardship of my wealth (e.g., finances, possessions, property, investments)?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

11. How is my social life with friends and extended family?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

12. Who or what is filling my tank lately?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

13. Who or what is draining my tank lately?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

14. Who has sinned against me and how am I responding?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

15. Who do I need to confide in and where should I seek wisdom?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

16. Are there any warning signs that I am burning out?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

17. Am I successfully getting out of the river onto the bank enough through silence, solitude, study, and Sabbath?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

18. What do I need to stop doing, do less of, or hand off to someone else?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

19. How are my self-deception and truth suppression?
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

20. How is my writing (e.g., books, blogs, papers)? {How is my communication with others?}
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

21. How is my preaching (preparation and results, in and out of Mars Hill)? {How is my personal ministry?}
• Scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high)
• Prayer Points
• Action Items

Matthew 7:24-29, the final instruction of the Sermon on the Mount provides a wonderful challenge to go beyond hearing to doing.

Jesus makes it clear that listening to Him or even agreeing with Him is not enough.  The wise build the foundation of their lives on the reading/hearing and doing of the Words of Jesus.

And most Christians would say–”Yes, that is my desire, to know and do the words of Jesus.”  So, why don’t we?  Because desire is not enough.  We need more than intentions, will and desire to do the Words of Jesus.  We need more than intentions, will and desire to overcome bad habit and to produce good habits.  Will power itself is not enough.  More knowledge in itself is not enough.

So how do we really “live out” the Words of Jesus?  How do we truly do what we say we believe about what He has said?

The conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:28-29) sheds light on the focal point.  The crowds were “amazed.”  They were amazed with who Jesus was, how He taught and what He taught.  This sense of amazement should not just be an emotional response–but a deep amazement that leads to transformation.

When we are in love, we notice all the details.  We gaze into the eyes of the one in whom we find delight.  As we see their likes and dislikes, we want to meet their needs.  The same is true of deep-seated/core transformation–it is motivated by and propelled by an ever increasing image/vision of Jesus.

So, as we begin the Advent Season, may we gaze at Jesus.  Not the postcard version, but the biblical image.  And may our gazing at Jesus lead to honoring Him in every area of our lives.

To assist your gazing, below is a list of some of the name of Jesus with explanation.  But let me also encourage you to meditate and contemplate Jesus in these key passages:

Colossians 1:13-20 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (ESV)

Hebrews 1:1-4 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (ESV)

Lord indicates two things about Christ Jesus

1. Jesus is Master or Sovereign Lord over all things.  Acts 10:36; Rev. 19:16; Jn. 13:16
2. Deity  Jn. 20:28
3. Lord is used as corresponding to Adonai, a title of absolute deity.  Acts 2:34 (quotes Ps. 110:1); Jn. 9:38 (Lord—worship)
4. It is related to Yahweh and at times is used in Old Testament quotes containing Yahweh (LORD).  Acts 2:34, 36, 3:22; Rom. 10:9; 1 Cor. 12:3.

Jesus is His human and historical name.  (He did not have it before His incarnation  Matt. 1:21).  The name means “Yahweh saves.”  Indicates that He is the Savior of man.  Ps. 45 (cf. Heb. 1:8, 9).

Christ is the Greek and New Testament term for Messiah.  Means “Anointed One.”  Jn. 1:41 – He is the One specially anointed to do God’s work and to accomplish God’s purpose for world history.  He is the fulfiller of Old Testament Messianic prophecies.

Immanuel Matt. 1:23.  Means “God with us.”  Jesus was God dwelling in the midst of the people of Israel (Jn. 1:14).  His deity is clearly stated.

The Son of God Jn. 1:34.  “The” unique Son of God.  Title implies three things:

1. Deity—has same nature as the Father.  Jn. 10:36
2. Equality—in the Hebrew usage of Son, it is understood that the Son is all that the Father is (cf. Jn. 10:33, 5:16-18).  Jesus is equal to the Father.
3. He is a separate person from God the Father.

The Son of Man Lk. 9:22, 58.  His humanity as having the same nature as man.  “The” unique offspring of man.  The only man who can accomplish the victory of humanity over its enemies  Heb. 2:14-16.  (It is also likely that this is a Messianic title relating to Christ as descendant of David.)

The Last Adam 1 Cor. 15:45.  The counterpart of the first Adam (Rom. 5:12-21).  The first Adam brought sin (made a mess of things).  Jesus, as the last Adam, purchased redemption.

The Word Jn. 1:1,14.  Just as words are the outward expression of invisible thoughts, so Jesus was the outward, visible expression of the invisible God.  God is invisible  Jn. 1:18, Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17.  Jesus was the expression of God  Jn. 1:18, 14:8-9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3.

The Light of the World Jn. 8:12, 1:7-9.  It is the function of light to uncover hidden things.  Therefore, this title indicates several things concerning Jesus:

1. He is the revealer of God and God’s holiness  Jn. 14:9.
2. Jesus looks inside every human being to uncover his innermost being, to expose him for what he is  Jn. 1:9.  Jesus did this to Nathanael (Jn. 1:47-48), the crowd of people (Jn. 2:23-25), the Samaritan woman (Jn. 4:16-19), the scribes and Pharisees (Lk. 6:6-8), the disciples (Lk. 9:46-47).
3. Jesus exposes the deeds of people Jn. 3:19-20.

The Lamb of God Jn. 1:29.  “The” Lamb that God provides.  The Jews were required to offer many lambs to God, but those lambs could not take away sin.  God offered His Son as a Lamb for man.  This one Lamb took away sin  Heb. 10:11-12; Rev. 5:6, 9, 10, 12.  Jesus was God’s sacrifice for the sin of the world  Rev. 13:8.

The King of Israel Jn. 1:49.  The One who will establish the Millennial Kingdom and will rule over the nation of Israel  Lk. 1:32-33.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19:16; 1 Tim. 6:15.  The one who is sovereign.  The one who will establish the Millennial Kingdom and will rule over the whole world and all of its rulers.

The Teacher Jn. 11:28.  “The” unique teacher.  He uniquely explains who God is, what God is like, what God expects.

The Chief Shepherd 1 Peter 5:4; Ps. 24.  He is the ultimate shepherd or pastor, the ultimate feeder and caretaker of believers.  He is over all other elders or pastors.

The Good Shepherd Jn. 10:11; Ps. 22.

The Great Shepherd Heb. 13:20; Ps. 23.

In the last six months or so I’ve been involved in planning several different sessions (lessons and gatherings) for men, to challenge men to pursue purity.  The theme verse for all these evens has been

2 Timothy 2:22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

We have focused on three key aspects: Flee, Pursue, With.

Purity in a visual saturated society is always a challenge. In order to keep the challenge of pursing purity rather than passively acquiescing or actively engaging in impurity, I want to recommend the reading of a series of post by Tim Challies. I’m including the link and a brief quote from each post.  They are appropriate for any man, good for young married men, and should be particularly help to young unmarried men who one day hope to be godly husbands.

Sexual Detox I: Pornifying the Marriage Bed

Pornography is inherently violent, inherently unloving. It is a perversion of sexuality, not a true form of it, and one that teaches violence and degradation at the expense of mutual pleasure and intimacy. It is about conquests, about conquering. It is the very opposite of God’s intention for sex.

Sexual Detox II: Breaking Free

God is infinitely more willing to deal with your sin than you are to commit your sin. You may love this sin and be committed to it, but if you are a Christian, God is more willing than you are to overcome it and destroy it. He will grant grace for you to put sin to death. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

What you need to do is to borrow God’s eyes and to look at your wife through that lens, through that filter. You need to replace lies with truth. And God has given you the Bible so you can do just that. Through the Bible we are able to borrow God’s eyes and to see the world as he sees it. And so in the next article in this series we will form a Theology of Sex, seeking to understand the purpose of sex, of purpose of sexual desire and even the purpose of unequal sexual desire.

Sexual Detox III: A Theology of Sex

God gives us sex because it has unique power in drawing a husband to his wife and a wife to her husband. He knows this because he is the one who invented it! He made it so that it is far more than the sum of its parts. We could describe sex in terms of body parts and hormones, but we would not be any closer to understanding it than if we were to describe a cake only in terms of its ingredients—flour and milk and eggs (or if we were to describe the Lord’s Supper making reference only to eating bread and drinking wine). Sex goes far beyond merely the physical and instead extends to the emotional, the spiritual. It is through sexual union that two are made one, that they are bound together; there is a mystery to it that can only really be compared in impact to the union of God’s people to God as they are grafted into him.

The purpose of sex, then, is to provide a unique means through which a husband and wife can know one another, serve one another, express vulnerability before one another, give and receive. No other area in marriage offers so much to gain and so much to lose. No other area in marriage so closely grafts the couple together. And no message could be further from what is shown in pornography!

Yet sexual desire, the appetite for sex, is not given in equal measure. It is typically given in greater part to men. Why is this? The answer, I’m convinced, goes right to the heart of the husband-wife relationship. God commands that men, husbands, be leaders. Men are to take the leading role while women are to follow. God intends that men take leadership even in sex and, therefore, he gives to men a greater desire for it. This way men can lead their wives, taking the initiative, taking care to love their wives in such a way that they wish to have sex with their husbands. Generally speaking, a man finds intimacy and acceptance through sex while a woman needs to first experience intimacy and acceptance before she can be prepared to enjoy sex. And so God gives the man a sexual appetite so he can in turn provide for his wife’s needs before she provides for his. His sexual appetite cannot be separated from his leadership.

Sexual Detox IV: Detoxification

Sex is not primarily about you. Wives may well testify that they have a better understanding of this concept than do their husbands. Yet even then, sex is not ultimately about your spouse. Sex is about God. While a husband may be motivated by desire to pursue his wife and have sex with her, he should be motivated ultimately by an obedience to God’s command that a husband and wife enjoy sex frequently.

Sexual Detox V: Freedom

The first of these is one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. Proverbs 5:18-19 says, “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.” I love the sweetness of this passage. It calls a man to always find joy and satisfaction and intimacy in the wife God has given him. It calls him to recall the delight he had in the days when he and his bride were newly married and to live out of that delight. He has no right to go elsewhere, no right to “drink from another cistern,” to use Solomon’s terminology. And why would he ever want to? The verse both celebrates the gift of sex and the exclusivity of it.

My encouragement to you is to find a biblical basis for purity, a biblical basis for avoiding pornography. Some men can turn away from pornography by an act of the will. Some can do it by constructing walls of legalism and forcing themselves to live within those boundaries. But it is best, I’m convinced, to find freedom through the Word of God. We need to fight sin with God’s truth; we need to replace the lies we want to believe with what God says is true. Perhaps some of the verses that God used in my life will help you; perhaps he will help you find others. But in any case, go the Bible and find there both the foundation for purity and the wisdom that can help you moment-by-moment.

Sexual Detox: Recommended Resources

List of books and websites