An Edwards Minute

"Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life."

In the movie "Last Holiday" the main character played by Queen Latifah is told that she has days maybe weeks to live. She like most people figure that if I'm going to go I might as well party like a rock star on my way out. A friend of mine from work once told me that his philosophy of living is to party while I'm here, because you just don't know when you are going to go. I want to say that I wouldn't do the same. In fact, I have often wondered if I went to the doctors office today and he were to tell me I have so many days to live would I change the way I act? Would I change the way I talk? Would God have more importance in what I do and say? I think if we were real with ourselves for a minute we would realize that there are things we would change. For those of us who live in Southern California or the United States for that matter, would you change your philosophy on sharing the Gospel message with those around you? Would we take another look at our actions in the workplaces, the classroom and in the home? Would we look to see if our actions matched the words we speak?

Edwards in this resolution poses this question to himself. He states here that no matter what day it is, no matter what time it is, whether he is fully alive or on his death bed, he should be about the Gospel. Just because we are dying we should not gain boldness. It's almost like most Christians feel that "I'm going to die in a few days anyways, so it really doesn't matter if people are offended by what I have to say." In actuality we should be thinking to ourselves all the time about how we can get the Gospel message to as many as possible. Our desire should be to see people die with the knowledge of who Christ is and what he did for them on the cross. Our desire should be to prosper the Gospel message. I know for some there is fear involved and for some we rest in our shyness.Could you imagine if the person who shared the Gospel with you was afraid or to shy?

Biblically we should act like today is our last day anyways. Look at Matthew 24:44, we are called to be ready because we do not know  the day in which our Lord will be coming back. Luke 12:35 tells us to keep our lamps burning and to stay dressed for action. The idea in behind these two verse is that we do not know when the end is coming. The idea here is that no matter what age you are, teen or adult, 20 something or 60 something, young or old, single or married, rich or poor, we do not know when the end is coming. I believe that at the young age of 16 when Jonathon Edwards wrote this he fully grasped this text and tried to live out the implications of this text. Can we say the same?

As I sit here and meditate on this resolution I am asking myself these questions. Am I ready for the end? If I knew the end was coming is thee anything I would change in my life? Do my actions match my words right here, right now? Am I afraid to share life with those who are dying around me? Is my fear keeping me from sharing the Gospel?

Peace!

Verse and a Quote

Verse: Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” (Psalm 118:2-4)

Quote: “Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.” C.S. Lewis


In a world in which you can not bank on anything, in a world where athletes break contracts daily, in a world where most people do not honor their word and in a world where people see love as ........well as Janet Jackson so aptly put it, "What have you done for me lately" we can rest assured that God's steadfast love abides. Our culture has misinterpreted love for this emotional feeling that gives you butterflies in the stomach and roses every other week. Our culture has taken love to be something measured by what people do for you, instead of what you do for them. Love has become something we fall in to and out of just like a person may change his clothes. I am so thankful that God is not that way.


Our God is described as having a "steadfast" love. The word steadfast here means enduring, long suffering and continual. God is described as having a love that forgives our sins. God is described as having such a great love that He sent His son to die for us. God is described as waiting for us to come to Him, He loves us that much.


As I meditated on this thought of steadfast love I couldn't help to think if I model my heavenly Father in that same steadfast love. Am I the type of person that forgives when people do not understand what I say and get angry? Am I the type of person that loves no matter what is going on in a persons life? Am I the type of Christian that loves sinners, hates sin and models Christ before those around me? For you see if I had this steadfast love that god is described to have in the above Psalm, the answer would be a resounding "Yes!"  As I meditated on these words that the psalmist wrote I couldn't help to feel like my love is deficient. I couldn't help to feel that I expect others to show love first so that I can return the favor. I couldn't help to think about what it would be like if our God loved the same way.


I pray that my love would emulate my father. I pray that my love would emulate Christ. I pray that my love would not shame the Gospel message.


Peace!

Early Marriage: Are Christians Missing the Point?

Last week I read an article by Mark Regnerus from Christianity Today titled "The Case for Early Marriage". When I read this article my initial response was, "It's about time!" I have long thought that Christians put to much emphasis on the age you get married at instead of looking at the couples spiritual maturity and can they financially make it work. Now in that I want to clarify a few things that most Christians would say prove the point that these young couples should wait to get married.

First, by spiritual maturity I mean that the couple is growing in their relationship with our Lord and Savior, both individually and together. I mean that they both are active participants in the local church. They both are being discipled and are seeking to disciple those younger than them. In other words, they are walking the walk.

Second, by financial well being I do not mean the ability to purchase a home or condo. I do not mean the ability to afford a new car. I mean that they can support themselves and that they have a financial plan in place. I would be looking for their ability to think realistically about future events such as a baby, completing a degree or career plans than their ability to buy the perfect home in the perfect neighborhood.

My wife and I married when I was 20 and she was 21 and because of the grace of God and not the ages at which we got married, because of the grace of God and not our financial standing and because of the grace of
God and not someones fears about early marriage we will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary on August 5th. I believe that many believers take God out of the equation of marriage and insert their experience or personal belief into the mix. We as believers need to look realistically at marriage and it's intent. We as believers need to be realistic with our children and the youth of our churches and realize we may be harming them more than helping them in making them wait till they are older to get married.

Another good article on this topic was published today by Dr. Albert Mohler, titled "The Case for (Early) Marriage". I hope more people see this topic in a new light.

Peace!

Verse and a Quote

Verse: "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3)


Quote: "To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.” Benjamin Franklin


Humility the one thing that once we think we have it, we have lost it. The whole idea of humility is to act in a way that sees others as more significant than ourselves. This is an area of the Christian walk I believe quite a few believers struggle. When we get criticized, our first reaction may be to defend ourselves or to act in anger like "that person knows nothing about they are talking about." Many people think, "if only you could spend one day in my shoes, boy, then your outlook would be different."

There are other places that humility is seen though, like, when we serve at church, do we see certain duties below us? Do we think that cleaning the bathrooms and taking out the trash is something that a new convert or someone who is new to the church should be doing? Do we think of ourselves as having ascended to a position that affords us ability to only serve in the choice positions at church?

How about in our homes? How do we model humility before our family, husbands, wives or roommates? Do we clean the house without being asked? Do we clean the dishes even if they are not ours? Do we take out the trash when it is full? Do we do all these things with a humble heart, not counting how many times we have done it in the past?

Humility is the act of putting all others above yourself. Humility is the ability to see a need and fill that need irregardless of your position at church or in the family or how much rent you pay. I find myself many times thinking to highly of myself and questioning why I have to be he one to do things. I tend to justify my thoughts by my position, my knowledge or if the act itself is below me. Humility can be a midst in our lives. In the morning before the sun hits it, it's everywhere, but when the sun comes out it burns off quickly. I pray that humility in my life would be evident to all around me and not evident to me.

Peace!