Got Joy? (A guest post)

 Caleb Whiteley taught a Bible study on joy from the book of Philippians several weeks ago. Below is a brief summary of the second lesson that he didn't get to teach in person. 

Got Joy?

by Caleb Whiteley 

How can we have true joy? The world constantly seeks meaning, hope, happiness, joy, and the world always falls short, reverting to short-term pleasures and godless conclusions. Looking through Paul’s prison letter to the Philippians, his joy overflows and one overwhelming focus shines forth from the pages. GOD! God is referred to 82 times in the 104-verse letter. Within this number, Paul references God as God, Christ, Spirit, Lord, or by pronouns referring to Him. Clearly, God is at the center of Paul’s life, and from this life-focus flows joy in every circumstance.

What is joy? True, biblical joy does not always walk hand-in-hand with good present conditions. Joy is not the same as fleeting happiness. As John MacArthur put it, “Happiness is a response to circumstance. Joy is a response to a relationship.” Paul said, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content”, and he did this not on his own strength but through God who gave him strength! (Phil. 4:11, 13) True joy is a multifaceted reality of peace in Christ, exultation towards Him, hope in His promises, and emotional and mental glorying in God, the gospel, and God’s work in others.

So, how do you become joyful? First, you must be saved. Without Christ as the foundation for your joy, you will be hopelessly wandering. When saved, God’s Spirit resides in you, and one of the fruits of this is joy! (Gal. 5:22). You must yield to the Holy Spirit, and He will produce this joy in you (Phil. 2:12-13). Focus on growing in Christ-centered joyfulness by pursuing unity in your relationship with other believers (Phil. 2:1-2). Prayerfully seek to recognize God’s providential provisions in life and trust His perfect purpose in trials (Jam. 1:2). Instead of worrying, pray to God with thanksgiving making request over your concern, and His peace will follow (Phil. 4:6–7). To be a joyful Christian, follow Christ’s humble example and live with an eternal perspective — looking heavenward! (Heb. 12:2)

Practical steps to focus your mind on Christ, in whom our joy is found:

Take time this week to highlight each reference to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in the letter to the Philippians to see the all-encompassing focus of Paul’s life. Listen to music that encourages you to look heavenward as you go throughout your day. Let the melody throughout the day call your minds to God’s truth, and your hearts to the affection of Christ with whom true joy is found!

“O God, My Joy”                                https://youtu.be/Bhp1hU433dk?feature=shared

A Bible Study on Repentance

This past Sunday, I preached on the Joy of Being Forgiven from Psalm 32. The joy of forgiveness is tied to our willingness to stop hiding our sin. When we confess and repent of sin (trust the Lord to free us from its guilt and power), we find he restores our joy. Since Psalm 32 and 51 are closely connected, I thought I'd share this Bible study I developed a long time ago on the topic of repentance. You might find it helpful to go through as an application of the sermon.

Click here to download a word document version

Below is a copy and paste of the worksheet. You could do one section a day for 7 days.

Repentance and Remorse Bible Study

 

Repentance is God’s gracious gift to us which produces freedom from guilt and a restoration of true happiness (Ps. 51, 32). Many times, however, we settle for feeling constant guilt and find ourselves unable to see sin patterns change because we fail to understand true repentance. This study is designed to guide you in the path to forgiveness and the first step in changing sin patterns.

 

1. Read Psalm 51

• What circumstance prompted David to write this Psalm according to the superscription above verse 1?  (If you are unfamiliar with this event read 2 Samuel 11-12.)

 

 

• In verses 1-2, what does David plea to God for?

 

• He wants God to treat him according to His _____________ and ______________ (v 1).

Ø  Why should knowing that God possesses these attributes cause you to be quick to confess sins to God?

 

• Who does David say his sin was ultimately against (v. 4)?

Do you realize that every sin you commit has an impact on your vertical relationship (with God) and horizontal relationships (with others)?  David teaches us that ultimately every sin is first and foremost an offense against a holy God.  Our sin is rebellion against God.  We cannot have a right relationship with God if our sins are not dealt with (v. 9).

 

• In verse 7, who does David ask to cleanse him? 

 

Ø  Do you try to cleanse yourself from sin by doing good things (going to church, reading your Bible, helping people, etc.)?  Explain.

 

Ø  Do those things cleanse you? (See Titus 3:5).

 

 

• What does David ask for in verse 10?
  David realized that the problem was deeper than his sinful behavior.  He needed to be changed and cleansed from the inside out.

 

• According to verses 16-17 what is God most interested in?

 

Ø  Does this mean that God doesn’t expect right behavior (read v. 18-19)?

 

• How can you apply this passage to your situation?  What are some key aspects of repentance you gleaned from it?
  
  

 

 

2. Read Psalm 32:1-5

• This seems to have been written by David after he penned Psalm 51.
• According to verses 3-4, what was David’s experience when he “kept silent” about his sin?

 

Ø  Have you experienced this? Describe it.

 

Ø  If not, why do you think you have not?

 

 

• Read verses 1-2 and then verse 5.

Ø  What is the connection between forgiveness and confessing sin?

 

Ø  Verse 2 indicates the blessing of forgiveness comes to those in whose spirit there is “no deceit.” In light of verse 5, what do you think he means when he says “no deceit?”

 

 

Ø  What was his experience when he confessed to the Lord and was forgiven (verse 1-2)?

 

 

• How does this passage motivate you to confess and repent of your sin?

 

 

 

3. Read Proverbs 28:13

• The one who obtains mercy must _______________ and _______________ sins. 

 

• To confess is to agree with God’s judgment of your sinful thoughts and behavior- to call them what he calls them (rebellion against his loving rule in your life).

 

• To forsake is to turn away from something and leave it behind.

 

• Is confessing your sins the same as repentance?  How are they related?

 

 

• How can you apply this passage to your life today?

 

 

4. Read Joel 2:12-13

• The word “return” is used here to refer to repentance.  The same word is used in Ezekiel 14:6, “Thus says the Lord: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.”  In both passages it means to turn from sin to God.

 

• What does verse 13 say the people should rend/tear?

 

• Rending garments in biblical times was an outward way of showing the inward reality of a broken heart.  Is it possible for someone to do outward actions that show a broken heart while not really having a broken heart over sin?  Give some examples.

 

 

5. Read 2 Corinthians 7:8-11

• Paul had sent the Corinthians a letter to confront some of their sins (v. 8).  How did they respond to the letter according to verse 9?

 

 

• In verse 10, Paul says there are two types of grief or sorrow over sin.  What are they?

 

 

• What is the difference between these two types of sorrow?

 

 

• Is feeling guilty or sorry over sin the same thing as repentance?

 

 

• The word “salvation” here does not just refer to a person being able to enter into heaven one day.  It refers to a Christian’s current spiritual vitality/walk with God and future eternal life.

 

 

• Read what one commentator had to say about the difference between these two types of grief:

 

Being sorrowful as God intended is feeling the deep grief that comes from knowing that our attitudes and actions have harmed our relationship with God.  ‘Godly sorrow’ feels bad because it is missing out on God … Worldly sorrow is the grief that comes about because one’s actions result in missing out on something the world has to offer.  Worldly sorrow feels bad because it wants more of the world (Hafmann, NIV Application Commentary: 2 Corinthians, 312).

           

• Which type of sorrow do you usually have?  How can you tell?

 

 

• In verse 11, Paul goes on to list 7 qualities or attitudes that are seen as fruit that proves that the Corinthians actually repented.  Read Luke 3:8 and Acts 26:19-20.  Should we expect to see right thoughts and behavior flow out of true repentance? Why or Why not?

 

 

• In your situation, what type of fruit (new behavior and thoughts) do you think should flow out of your repentance?

 

 

6. Examples of Sorrow over Sin

• Read Matthew 27:1-5. 

Ø  This event occurred after Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. 

Ø  Judas felt sad (remorse).  Does Judas exemplify worldly or godly sorrow?  Explain your answer.

• Read Matthew 26:69-75 and John 21:15-17. 

Ø  Peter also failed Jesus. Peter also felt sorrow over his sin. 

Ø  Does Peter exemplify worldly or godly sorrow?  Explain your answer.

• Godly sorrow comes from a heart that sees sin as rebellion against God, and it leads to a decisive turnaround from sin to God.  Worldly sorrow feels the same pain, but it is caused because of unwelcomed consequences (feelings of guilt, fear of punishment, or difficult circumstances) and does not lead to a true turning from sin to God.  It may lead a person to turn from a particular sin (to avoid more consequences or as a form of trying to pay for his or her sin), but it will not bring true repentance or lead to God.  Which type of sorrow do most often experience and how do you know which one it is?

 

 

7. Summary- Repentance involves the following ingredients:

1. Recognizing your sin and seeing it for what it is: Rebellion against God.
2. Sorrow over your sin.  This may involve literal tears, but it does not have to.  What is important is that your heart is broken over your sin because you know it has dishonored God and affected your relationship with Him.
3. Confessing your sin to God in prayer (agreeing with God that you have sinned and that the sin has affected your relationship with Him and other people).  Be specific and name the sin.
4. Asking for God’s mercy to cleanse you.  Jesus died to pay for your sin.
5. Turning from the sin towards God (both in your heart and behavior).  

This Summer: Pick a Fight with Your Sinful Tendencies

This is part of the series "Summer is a Stewardship." 

1. Introductory post, 
2. First post. 

Pick a Fight with Your Sinful Tendencies

Our ultimate goal is to love God more and look more like our Savior. Unfortunately, our sin gets in the way of these desires by clouding our vision of God and causing us to not live in line with our new identity. Thus, every Christian wants to put his or her sin to death (John 14:21). We sin, but we hate it and repent of it. 

So, pick a fight with at least one of your sinful tendencies this summer. 

Confession and Repentance

The first step in initiating the fight is to call the sin out and side with God against it. This is confessing (that is, agreeing with God that it is wrong, foolish, and terrible). The second step is to ask God to help you fight the sin. The third step is to repent of it. This is to actively turn away from the sin and what tempts you towards it. It involves not just changes in action but in your heart. To help you do this, you might listen to this sermon by Bruce Ware on how a renewed affection for God pushes out old affections for sin. Or you could read Thomas Chalmer's sermon "The Expulsive Power of a New Affection" (click here for a pdf version for free, or buy a book version from the bookcase in the fellowship hall). Finally, part of repentance involves finding biblical truth that replaces the wrong thinking and desires and memorizing it. If you need help with this, enlist the help of a Christian friend. 

Develop New Habits

One more thing that will help in this fight. Begin new habits that will help you. Our habits are the things we do without much thought because it is what we've always done. This can be good when the habit helps you pursue Christ (for example, daily Bible reading). But, when it is something that often opens the door for sin (like laziness, overindulgence in entertainment, or checking social media incessantly), that habit hinders godliness. What habits are not helping you put on Christlike thinking and living? What habits are making provision for your enemy? "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14). Developing habits takes time and consistency. Ask a friend to keep you accountable and find a way to track how you are doing in developing the new habit. 

Fight While You Have Time

So, you should fight sin vigorously this summer. Don't struggle through the summer and come back expecting to not struggle when school starts. The reality is you will likely still struggle and be pressed for time when the semester begins. And you need time to think and develop godly plans and habits. So, pick a fight with one of your sinful tendencies this summer. 

Growing in Contentment

We recently discussed the problem we face when we ask "Why am I so unhappy?" Below is an outline that you might find helpful as you face this common problem (of discontentment). 

 I.      What is Contentment?

A.         “Contentment is that condition of consciously enjoying God’s goodness, whatever your circumstances. It is the ability to live a satisfied, God-pleasing life in any situation.”^[1]

 

B.         Illustrations and Lessons in Contentment

1.        Psalm 131 - Contentment is valuing God above all else so that you are happy in him rather than demanding.

2.        Philippians 4:10-13 - Contentment is learning to face every circumstance with joy by relying on the strength of Christ.

 

C.         What is some of the fruit of contentment?

1.        “calmed/quieted soul”—One that is not pridefully looking to the next thing all the time.

2.        Resting confidently in God’s strength (cf. anxious, angry, bitter, complaining, greedy).

 

 

II.    How Do We Grow in Contentment?

A.         Discern the roots of your discontentment (the idolatrous desires)

“What would need to happen for me to become content?” If your answer involves some change of circumstance or some improved relationship, then realize that this very thing is now functioning as your source of contentment. You think that if you have it, you will be happy, and that if you lack it, you will be sad. You are a yo-yo on its string; this thing has you in its grasp and can raise you up and down at will. It is an idol that functions as your god. For example, if your contentment hinges on finding a spouse or getting married, then it is not based on Christ. If your contentment will come only if your spouse or friend treats you better, or if you receive some financial blessing or physical healing, then it is not Christ-based contentment. You are building your life on shifting sand. God never meant for you to find lasting joy in anything other than Christ Himself.”[2]

a.      Monitor your actions … where do I see grumbling, self-pity, anger, bitterness?

b.      Monitor your thoughts…where do I see thoughts that are discontent? What is that “If only xyz, then I could be happy” thought?

 

B.         Rest in God’s providence and character

1.        God’s Character. A few areas to focus on: Sovereignty, goodness, wisdom.

2.        God’s Providence (Phil. 4:19)

 

C.         Curate God’s kindness

1.        Develop a museum (notebook) of God’s goodness. Mentally walk through it and be humbled / thankful.

2.        Psalm 103 is a good example of curating God’s kindnesses – he blesses the Lord for his kindnesses to him.

 

D.        Guard yourself from comparing and greed as well as setting your hope on the things of this world

1.        Don’t compare or get greedy (Luke 12:15, see also the Corinthians believers re spiritual gifts).

2.        Don’t set your heart on things that will fade (Ps 62:10).

 

E.         Realize there are needs around you and give and serve to meet the needs of others (2 Cor. 9:8)

 

F.         Set your mind on things above – have an eternal perspective (Col. 3:1-2, Matt. 6:19-20)

---

[1] Robert Jones “Learning Contentment,” Journal of Biblical Counseling Fall 2002, 61.

[2] Jones “Learning Contentment,”, 60.

"Laziness Ruins Happiness"

Here is a link to a helpful article by Jon Bloom, over at Desiring God, called "Laziness Ruins Happiness." Don't be lazy. Take some time to listen to it or read it.

A few quotes:

diligence is a “heavenly virtue” because it is a means of cultivating godliness — increased capacities to deeply delight in God and his gifts. 

how we behave, over time, reflects what we believe; what we do reflects what we desire; our labors reflect our loves. 

When Scripture commands us to “be all the more diligent” (2 Peter 1:10), God is calling us to work hard toward the right ends (growing in godliness), in the right ways (what God commands), for the right reasons (love). 

How is Your Summer Going? Advice for Redeeming Your Break

 Not everyone gets a summer break. But for those on break, I wanted to check in and ask how your summer is going. Are you stewarding the gift well? Are you growing in your love for Christ, his people, and your neighbors? Are you serving your family well and with a cheerful heart? 

I wanted to offer some counsel to those who might have noticed that their summer is flying by without much progress in spiritual growth or fruitfulness. You might have started out with many big goals, but you have found that not much has happened to meet those goals. Here is some advice.

1. Realize that goals are good to have, but developing habits is the key to obtaining those goals. In other words, your goal will only be met if you set up new habits to help you travel towards the goal. 
2. Develop habits of Bible reading and prayer. If you are a Christian, you want to be more like Christ. This goal will only happen as you learn from God's word and ask him for help (communion with God). So, if your goal is growth, develop the habit of a particular time of day and location for Bible reading and prayer. The goal isn't to the routine, but the goal won't be achieved without it. 
3. Develop habits of serving others. When you find yourself tempted to veg out with a screen, first ask if there is someone you can do good to in your home or church. Meet a physical need (wash the dishes) or a spiritual one (pray for a friend or send an encouraging text). 
4. It's not too late to start! You might be thinking you've wasted your summer. It's not over! Developing habits now will help you this summer and in the Fall. 

I'm praying for you. May you labor and rest to the glory of God this summer. 

Are We Too Busy for The Spiritual Disciplines?

It is a common excuse - I've used it myself many times: "I'm just too busy right now to spend time reading the Bible, meditating on the Bible, or praying." While we are busy, and some weeks are busier than others, we know that excuse is weak. 

We know it is an excuse because people eventually make time for what they see as a priority. You might be busy for a season while rearranging priorities, but, eventually, you make time for what you see as a priority. Eating might not be at the top of the list today, but it will be soon . . . because you can't live without food. We know this, so we know that our excuses about a lack of time are mostly empty. 

I say "mostly" because we do encounter times of greater busyness, and faithfulness to God might require less time devoted to the Word or prayer for a brief period of time. However, if we really see God's Word as spiritual food and prayer as access to our Heavenly Father's ear, then we will find a way to engage in the spiritual disciplines in some capacity and begin making adjustments to allow for more time for them soon. 

So, if busyness is a real problem, but it's not a good excuse, where can I trim time so that I can add time for the spiritual disciplines? Here is a paraphrased quote from William Bridge that points us in the right direction.

"Oh," you say, "I would spend time thinking about God with all my heart, but that is a work that takes time, it will cost time, and I have no time; my hands are so full of business . . . I have no time for this work." If that is you, mark what [the psalmist] says in Psalm 119, "Lord incline my heart unto Thy testimonies," how so? "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity." The way to have one's heart inclined to the testimonies of God, is to turn away one's eyes from vanities.1 

"Vanities" refers to empty things or things that are short-lived. So sinful wastes of time would be the first place to cut in order to free up time for meditating. But, what if that doesn't free up enough time? Then, you might also look to other things that are not wrong in and of themselves, but that are short-lived pleasures and escapes. Television, social media, and other media would be a good place to start. But maybe you have done that, and you are still "too busy." If that is you, I suggest talking to a mature Christian brother or sister who can help you evaluate things. This is a great way to have others build you up in the faith. Don't be too busy for that. 

1 Found in Don Whitney's book  Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (page 61-62). I paraphrased it into modern English.

Facing Fear Biblically Part 2- Trusting God’s Faithful Care

Click here to see the last post in this series, “Facing Fear Biblically Part 1 – Our best life isn’t now”

Click here to see the post prior to that: “Returning to Church During COVID – Understanding Fear”

While walking with my boys yesterday, I heard the birds singing in a grand chorus. Their unrehearsed song testified to the caring provision of God. Though I could not listen to their testimony undisturbed (my four boys were with me, and rarely did a second go by in which no one was talking), I couldn’t help but remember God’s faithful care. This is exactly what Jesus wants us to reflect on when we listen to the birds, but we must have ears to hear it.

My goal in this post is to help us develop such ears – the ears of faith. I want to encourage us to trust God because he cares for us. We need to see God’s loving and sovereign care and deal with our own weak faith if we would face fear biblically. To help us with this, I’ll look at the principles found in Matthew 6:19-34.

In verse 25, Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life.” He tells them not to be anxious about things that are central to sustaining their lives – food, drink, and clothing. We might think that isn’t a big deal because the grocery store is usually stocked (except for toilet paper and handsanitizer). But we must recognize we are dependent when it comes to our basic needs too. Furthermore, the principle applies to our modern concerns like the Corona Virus. “Do not be anxious about your life, how you will avoid getting sick.”

God’s Sovereign Love and Wisdom

We trust a person because of his or her character and our knowledge of that character. If my neighbor is a thief, I won’t trust him in my house. If the person I pass in a grocery store aisle is honest, but I don’t know her, I won’t ask her to house sit for me. A person’s character and our knowledge of that person is the foundation for trust.

God is trustworthy because of who he is. Is he in control of all that we face? Does he love us as his children? Is he wise, not wasting one ounce of suffering in training us? The answer is yes to all! Therefore, when we find ourselves anxious, we must refocus our attention on the reality of who God is. We must set ourselves to the task of knowing who he is. Jesus provides two object lessons about God’s faithful and sovereign care to help us do just that.

God Feeds the Birds

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (v. 26).

We have a bird feeder, and there are bird traffic jams when it is full of seed. When it is empty (due to a pesky squirrel), we don’t see as many birds swing by the fly-thru. But, I still hear the birds chirping in the trees. God continues to provide for them, and compared to a person, made in his image, a bird is not valuable. If God shows such care to the insignificant bird, how much more will he show care towards you? If God sovereignly provides for birds (they don’t even plan ahead much), won’t he provide for you?

God Clothes the Lilies

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you (vv. 28-30).

When you look at a field of wildflowers, you are seeing God’s kindness. He didn’t have to make creation beautiful (seeds could have been designed to come by other means). Yet, he clothes the grass with beautiful lilies – which are more wonderful than a garment fit for a king. Furthermore, this elaborate goodness pops up in fields where lawnmowers will run the next day. If God has that attention to detail regarding short-lived flowers, surely he controls the details of your life and will cloth you with what you need.  

Jesus’s point is not that we don’t have real physical needs or that we won’t experience hardship or death. He says that our Father knows we need food and drink and breath (v. 32). The point is that God is sovereign, good, and wise. Therefore, he is trustworthy.

Why We Are Anxious: Little Faith

Our problem is that we have “little faith” (v. 30). We get so focused on situations that we forget who God is and that he cares for us. One cause of this is a failure to think rightly about who God is (hopefully the above section helps with that).  But another reason exists – our misplaced priorities. Jesus’s command to not be anxious is based on him calling us to value God above all else.

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious (vv. 24-25 italics added).

Money is a major contender for our attention because of what it can provide – comfort, protection, and enjoyment. Money isn’t a bad thing, but it isn’t our ultimate priority. God does not share the throne with money or any other good gift that he gives.

This is true even of our physical lives. “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (v. 25b). Food and clothing are essentials in life, but our life is about more than even that. It is about knowing God.

If we lose sight of that priority, we will have a lot to be anxious about because everything else will eventually fade. Money can disappear in a stock market crash, and the illusion of health can vanish with a diagnosis or car crash. One day, everything except for God will leave us because death removes any hope of continuing in this fallen world forever.

Therefore, if I serve good health or money as if it is my ultimate source of happiness and life, I will not serve God, and I will be anxious. On the other hand, if I value God more than even my own physical life, I can enjoy his gifts and still be content when he chooses not to give me those gifts. To battle anxiety and trust God, we must “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (v. 33).

Growth Assignment

God’s trustworthiness and our increased trust in him result in lives that glorify God and which have less anxiety. However, we are in the habit of forgetting God’s character and valuing (trusting in) other things more than him.

Here are a few things you can do over the next week to cultivate a growing faith in God.

1. Read Matthew 6:19-34 each day for five days and note five things that stand out to you each time. You might also try to think of other passages that reinforce or illustrate the principles you see in Matthew 6.  
2. Go for a walk once a day and look at the birds and plants. Pray to thank God that if he cares for the birds, he will certainly care for you. Such a mindset helps us “not be anxious about tomorrow” (v. 34).
3. Begin a “God’s care for me” list. Write out a couple of things from your past when God showed his care in clear ways (for you or others). Don’t forget the spiritual provision. Sometimes we focus only on physical needs and forget that our greatest needs are spiritual.
4. Write out and think over Matthew 6:27 - “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” Try to call that to mind when you are anxious and then direct your mind to God’s care. 

Facing Fear Biblically Part 1 – Our Best Life Isn't Now

In the last post in this series, I mentioned that our goal in facing fear is to honor God. We might not be able to remove the feeling of fear, but we can grow in trusting God and obey him. In these next few posts, I plan to address how we can trust God when we face fear.

Today, we will think about the need to live as a people who know that our best life isn’t now. Rather, we must live in constant hope of our resurrection. Essentially, we must remember where we live in redemptive history.

Remember Where You Live in the Biblical Storyline.

We live in a fallen world – so we should not expect “our best life now.” 

Sin, sickness, and death all remain until the new Heavens and new Earth. So, we should be realistic about our expectations. We don’t live in a time and place free from danger and risk to our physical lives. In fact, your chances of death are 100% (unless the rapture happens first). I know this sounds gloomy, but it is where we live. Even as God’s people, we are not exempt from suffering (read the Psalms, Job, Daniel, Acts). The Bible doesn’t hide the hardships of life in this fallen world, but that’s not all it says.

We also must remember that we live after the first coming of Jesus – when he came to die in our place. 

He died to rescue us from the one truly irreversible calamity, namely the catastrophe of dying in our rebellion against God and facing his just wrath. Jesus died to redeem us from sin and the judgment we deserve, and he rose from the dead to guarantee our resurrection life. Thus, God has demonstrated his love for us by giving his own Son to redeem us (Romans 8:32).

Beyond that, we must remember that we live in anticipation of being resurrected. 

Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we too will be raised to dwell with God in the new Heavens and new Earth forever (Rom. 8:11)! There will be no more sin, sickness, or death (Rev. 21).

Two Results of Remembering Where You Live

Two good fruits blossom in our lives when we remember that we live in a fallen world, after the first coming of Christ, and in the hope of our resurrection. First, we know that God loves us. We have no reason to doubt his love when we face temporal dangers because he has secured our eternal joy and salvation by sending his Son.

Second, it teaches us that all our afflictions, as severe as they can be, are “light and momentary” (2 Cor. 4:17).  That is what Paul said, and he faced beatings, natural disasters, and times of as he served God.  He wasn’t sadistic. He just saw the bigger picture. He knew even hard suffering worked ultimate good for him. After all, if God is for us, who or what can ultimately prevail against us (Rom. 8:31)? Not even death will have the last say in our lives because its sting has been removed by Jesus’s work (1 Cor. 15:55-56).

Live as Those Who Have Resurrection Life

So, the first way to fight against fear is to reflect on our dangers in light of the gospel’s unshakable hope. In other words, we must live as those who believe in a resurrection and who believe that our best life is not in this fallen world.

This doesn’t mean we fail to value life here and now (1 Tim. 4:4). It doesn’t mean we live recklessly (we are not to test the Lord). It just means we factor more into the equation than unbelievers. They focus only on what is seen – physical life and temporal comfort. We consider what is seen but give greater weight to the unseen and eternal. Therefore, we don’t count it as a net loss to obey God even if we might lose our physical comforts, possessions, or life.  

This way of calculating will enable us to make wise investments of our God-given lives. We are stewards of our lives for God’s glory. So, if gathering to worship God is a good investment of our lives (Heb. 10:24-25), then in a time of pestilence or persecution, we will seek to mitigate risk based on the information God allows us to have and move forward in trusting obedience.

Renewing Our Minds and Imaginations

Let me close by giving you a growth assignment to help reinforce this mindset (because it is not natural to you or me). It takes work to renew our minds. It only happens as we saturate our minds with the truth of God’s Word (Rom. 12:1-2). So, here is a suggestion for how to renew your mind in this area:

1. Pick a verse about heaven (Rev. 21), the resurrection (1 Cor. 15), the light and momentary nature of affliction when compared to eternity (2 Cor. 4:16-5:9), or the fact that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ (Rom. 8).
2. Write out 20 observations and implications of the passage on a sheet of paper (maybe do 5 a day until you get to 20).
3. Daily think over the glorious realities by reviewing a few things from your list of observations. This will help you retrain your imagination to conjure up your hope-filled future rather than all the anxious “what ifs” of short-sighted living.
4. Memorize a verse or two from the passage (write it on a notecard and carry it with you and review it regularly).
5. Pray to thank God for the truths you are seeing. Truth has not fully impacted our soul if we have not given God genuine thanks for it.

How to Plan a Four-Hour Personal, Spiritual Retreat

In my last post, I described the benefits of carving out 3-4 hours for spending time with the Lord and caring for your soul. You might feel apprehensive as you consider such a “long time” alone. You might think, “I have trouble staying awake for my 20 minute quiet time each morning.” I want to help with that concern by providing a sample schedule and some practical advice. But first, I need to describe the various elements you should consider including in your plan.

Elements of a Personal Retreat

Worship in Song – Jonathan Edwards used to ride his horse the woods surrounding his town, dismount, and walk through the woods singing out to God. Maybe you will sit in your closet or your car or walk around a greenway. And perhaps you’ll use your phone to play some praise music (so it isn’t just you trying to carry a tune). I encourage you to use Together for the Gospel’s live albums for this purpose.

Bible Reading – If you are going to fellowship with the Lord, you need to hear from his Word. Maybe you should pick one epistle to read through like Titus or Colossians. After all, the New Testament letters were meant to be read in one sitting.

Meditation – Take a smaller section of Scripture and spending time thinking about its meaning and then making an application to your life. You might pick a verse that relates to a current need in your life, or you might pick a theme from your Bible reading.

   

Praying – Not only do we need to hear from God, but we also need to speak to him.  It is natural for a child to talk to his loving father. Maybe you get distracted while you pray. Consider praying through a Psalm. For example, read one verse of Psalm 23 and pray what comes to mind. When you run out of things to pray, move to the next verse. You might also consider walking while you pray.

Devotional reading – Pick a good Christian book and try to get a good start on it during this time. You might not be able to finish the whole thing, but you can get a running start that will help you finish it out later.

Journaling – Journaling is helpful because it aids the process of thinking, evaluating, and remembering.  What sort of things should you journal about?

• A list of things you thank God for.
• Evaluating your life in light of what you read in your Bible. List how you are doing and what you need to work on improving.
• Write out a prayer
• Write as you meditate on a verse (kind of like your own commentary and application).

As you can see, journaling brings together the other elements I’ve already mentioned.

Sample Schedule

Below is a sample schedule that reflects 4 hours. However, you could adjust it down to 2-3 hours if needed. The point of a schedule is to help you avoid wasting time (wondering what to do next). However, don’t feel like you have to stick to your plan blindly. If you find your time of prayer or reading is having a powerful effect on your soul, then keep at it. If you find you are growing weary, then move to the next thing.

:15       Worshiping the Lord in song (perhaps while playing an instrument or listening to music)

:30       Bible reading

:30       Praying the Bible, perhaps while walking.

:30       Journaling

:30       Devotional reading (an edifying Christian book you’ve wanted to read)

:20       Praying the Bible, perhaps while walking.

:30       Meditation on Scripture

:15       Journaling

:20       Praying the Bible, perhaps while walking.

:20       Worshiping the Lord in song (as above) and/or devotional reading (as above)

(This is taken from Dr. Don Whitney’s syllabus for Spiritual Disciplines in the Minister’s Life, Winter 2020).

Practical Advice

On mistake people often make, according to Dr. Whitney, is that they remain in one position (seated) for too long. Too much consecutive time in the chair can have a dulling effect. So, get up and walk while you meditate or pray. Stand to sing. Kneel to pray.  

A second piece of advice, put a retreat on the calendar. It’s like anything else in life – if you don’t schedule and plan for it, it will probably not happen (despite your best intentions). I am not sure if the Corona Virus has given you more discretionary time or not. If it has, now is a great time to do a personal retreat. Maybe you are just as busy as ever. Either way, get it on the calendar.

One more piece of advice. If you are married with young kids, plan to give your spouse time for this too. Maybe one Saturday morning you watch the kids, and a couple of weeks later, he or she watches them. It will take coordination, but it is worth it.

If you want to learn more about this topic, read chapter ten on silence and solitude in Don Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. 

Spend Extended Time Alone with God – The Value of "Short" Personal Retreat

Have you ever considered spending several hours alone for fellowship with the Lord and to grow spiritually? That might sound daunting to you. We live in a culture in which 10 seconds of silence is unnerving. Three or four hours of silence and solitude, away from other people, might sound wearying. I can assure you, however, that it does not have to be.

About six or so years ago, I began trying to have a pastoral retreat. This consisted of going out of town for about 2 or 3 days to spend time in the Word, prayer, listening to sermons, and working on long-range planning. I used some of the time to evaluate how I was doing in my vocations (as Christian, husband, father, pastor, friend). I read a good Christian book. I sang songs of praise to God. I always found clarity about what matters most as I fellowshipped with the Lord in prolonged solitude. I also found it spiritually refreshing.

Fast forward to this past December. I was taking a class with Dr. Don Whitney on the spiritual disciplines in the minister’s life, and one of the assignments opened up a new way to benefit more regularly in this area. This assignment called for me to spend four consecutive hours of silence and solitude (voluntarily withdrawing to privacy for spiritual purposes). To my surprise, I found even just four hours to be greatly refreshing to my soul and helpful to my walk with the Lord.

The new thing I learned was that one does not have to spend 2-3 days to gain this benefit (though that isn’t bad either, and I still recommend it). More specifically, I realized that this could be a more regular practice in my life and a gift I could give to my wife.  We couldn’t carve out two days very often, but we could do a few hours once a month.

Now, all this might seem like too much for you. You have work, the lawn, and kids to care for. It might be hard to make this a priority. It is true that we might not have this privilege in each season of life (like when you have a newborn). However, let me encourage you to try it (maybe once a year at first or once a quarter). We make time for what we most value and prioritize. So, make this a priority if at all possible.

The other reason you might be apprehensive about trying it is that you are afraid it will be boring. The thought of sitting for 3 hours with your Bible sounds wearying, and you don’t know what to do with 3-4 hours of solitude. So, what I want to do is give you some practical advice and a sample schedule.

Tune in to the next post for that.

Prayer to Glorify God in Your Work

Last night we looked at the two ditches of laziness / procrastination and anxious toil. We said God calls us not so much to balance but to faithfulness in all the areas of life he has given us responsibility in. Here is a portion of a prayer from Calvin that you might make your own today as you try to apply what we learned:

O grant that we may bear in mind our office and our calling, and sincerely devote ourselves to Thy service, and so present to Thee our efforts and our labors that they name may be truly glorified in us, and that it may really appear that we have been engrafted into the body of Thine only begotten Son.

Lifting up Our Hearts: 150 Selected Prayers from John Calvin, Ed. by Dusting W. Benge, pg. 211. In the context he is praying that we would fulfill our royal as a "royal priesthood" of believers who represent God and serve him.

Resources for Meditating on Scripture

When I preached on Psalm 1 this past Sunday I mentioned the importance of meditating on Scripture. To use Thomas Brooks' illustration again:

It’s not the bee’s touching of the flower which gathers honey—but her abiding for a time upon the flower, which draws out the sweet. It’s not he who reads most—but he who meditates most, who will prove the choicest, sweetest, wisest, and strongest Christian.

If meditating is new to you, let me suggest visiting Dr. Don Whitney's website and downloading his handout on methods of meditating. Your goal is to deeply consider the meaning and application of God's word to your life. Often it results in memorizing what you are meditating on. Start small. Meditating is done with small portions of Scripture.

Click here to download his Meditation Methods handout (select it from the first list).

Plan a Spiritual Retreat for the Break

What is a Spiritual Retreat?

A spiritual retreat is not a mystical, "me and Jesus" moment. It is a planned  time to set aside the normal distractions of work and daily life to have solitude - time to meditate on the Lord's Word, to pray in a longer and more focused time, to seek spiritual refreshment through reading a solid Christian book, and a time to evaluate the direction of spiritual growth and life in general.

For our college students, a semester break is a great time to PLAN to have a one or two day retreat. To be clear, you don't actually have to "get away," but you would want to be able to remove your self from the normal distractions (housework, school work, friends who want to hang out).

Planning for a Retreat

This will probably not be a very useful time if you do not spend a bit of time planning for it. Otherwise, you will be alone and then wonder what to do. I suggest using a planner or excel spreadsheet or online calendar to block out what you plan to do with each 30-minute to 1-hour increment of time during your retreat (you can include eating, exercising, etc.).

What might it look like?

Here is a sample of what you might do:

1 hour of Bible meditation and prayer. 

Pick a passage to read slowly, to make observations from the text, and to think over its meaning and application to your life. Integrate times of prayer (responding to to what you see, repenting where the passage exposes your sin, asking for help to walk in the Lord's ways). 

30 Minutes of evaluating how you are doing in your God-given responsibilities

Journal how you are doing - seeing God's grace at work, seeing areas you need to grow in. Specifically in your God given-roles. Perhaps that would be

• Church member

• Son/Daughter

• Student

• Roommate

This might require thinking about what the Lord requires of you in each of these roles. 

30 minutes of reading a book specifically for your soul

Pick a book and plan to get a good start on reading it during the retreat. Here are a few you might consider
Puritan / older books (a bit more work to read, but rich)

• The Godly Man's Portrait by Thomas Watson

• Holiness by JC Ryle

Modern books

• Desiring God by John Piper

• The Pleasures of God by John Piper

• Future Grace by John Piper

• Knowing God by Packer

• The Holiness of God by RC Sproul

• Tempted and Tried: Temptation and the Triumph of Christ by Russell Moore

• A good Christian Biography (Piper has a series called "the Swans are not Silent", but there are other good biographies too. In the Shadow of the Almighty is a good one about Jim Elliott). 

45-minute walk / Sermon audio

Go on a walk and listen to a sermon. There are tons of great resources out there from conferences. Here are a few (note, I have not listened to anywhere near all of these...I just know they are probably good):

• Together for the Gospel Conferences (Chandler, Piper, MacArthur, Dever, etc.)

• "Live to Die: A Leader Who Suffers Well" (great Piper sermon. Actually had a big impact on me as we were finalizing our decision to move towards pursuing adoption). 

• The Cross Conference (coming up this Jan 2-5th will be live streamed)

• Other John Piper Conference Messages

• Countryside Bible Churches conferences (last year was on marriage and singleness)

30 Minute lunch and Read more in your book. 

20 minute power nap (no long naps). 

30 Minutes praying for your church family

Perhaps pray for fellow college students, for the pastors, for older brothers and sisters. 

30 Minutes using "10 Questions to ask at the beginning of a new year" 

1 hour planning for next year  

Think in terms of your God given responsibilities. Examples might include:

• Personal Walk with the Lord

• Church

• Vocation (work / school)

• Family/Friends/Roomates

• Neighbors/classmates (evangelism, hospitality). 

Then come up with a one-line statement of what God would desire of you in those areas - a goal (ex. "Fellowship with God so that I am happy in him, know his ways, and have the strength to walk in obedience"). 

Then come up with specific things you'll do to pursue those goals. (Ex. I will study the word for 20 minutes in the morning and pray. I will attend Sunday school and Bible study etc.). 

You might also gather or plan resources for what this will look like. So, you might select a plan for Bible reading or a devotional book to use in the new year.
I can email you a sample of this in more detail if you'd like (ben@gcot.org). 

45 Minute Walk to pray or listen to another sermon

1 hour reading your book

At the end of your time

Pray. Then right out a list of key "take aways" or "actions" you will take to implement things. For example, you realize an area of ongoing struggle with a sinful attitude (pride, or fear of what others think, etc.). Then plan what your next step will be (seek accountability or find a book to help, or a verse to memorize and meditate on). Or maybe you realize you need to plan to attend Sunday school as part of your plan to grow this year and to fellowship. Then think of what changes you need to make to develop this new habit. Tell someone about your plan so you have accountability. 

Questions

If you would like to do this but have questions, shoot me an email and I can help you think through it.