My work is loving the world.  Here, the sunflowers, there the hummingbird - equal seekers of sweetness. - Mary Oliver

Interpreting Biblical Instructions - Dr. Robert Spinney

"When we consider any teaching text in the Bible, we interpret it with one of two initial presuppositions (or assumptions).

Presupposition A: We assume the passage under consideration does not apply to Christians today and was binding only upon its original listeners. We place the burden of proof upon the position that claims this instruction is binding upon us (or is applicable) today. In other words, we assume the rationale for the instruction is cultural in nature or is dictated by peculiar cultural factors, which means it is binding only upon its original listeners. When we approach a commandment or instruction with this presupposition, we must be convinced by strong evidence before we decide this instruction is binding upon (or is applicable) to Christians today.

Presupposition B: We assume the passage under consideration does apply to Christians today and was binding upon both its original listeners and all future listeners. We place the burden of proof upon the position that claims this instruction is not binding upon us (or is not applicable) today. In other words, we assume the rationale for the instruction is transcultural in nature or is dictated by timeless and eternal principles, which means it is binding upon all men everywhere. When we approach a commandment or instruction with this presupposition, we must be convinced by strong evidence before we decide this instruction is not binding upon Christians today.

Presupposition B is more sound. This is the assumption we normally use when we interpret the Bible. For example, pastors do not begin sermons on "children obey your parents in the Lord" by proving that such instruction is applicable to Christians today. We all assume (correctly) that such teaching passages are applicable unless we have strong biblical reasons for believing otherwise." 

A Prayer for Resurrection Sunday

Reposted from Daily On My Way to Heaven

 

The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection by Eugène Burnard

God of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of Glory, give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I may fully know Jesus. Enlighten my eyes that I may know what is the hope to which You have called me, what are the riches of this glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of Jesus' power toward me and my brothers and sisters, toward us who believe, according to the working of the great might that worked in Christ when you, Father, raised Him from the death and seated him at your right hand in heavenly places.

Thank you for your grace, for your rich mercy, and the great love with which you have loved us. Thank you because you made us alive with Christ! Just like today we remember and rejoice that the tomb is empty, that death was conquered, so today we rejoice that we are alive in Him! We are no longer dead, because of the power of the Resurrection, we are alive in Christ! Oh what a Glorious Grace that brings life through death! What a glorious Grace that conquers sins and through the power of the Resurrection gives us victory over the sin that once enslaved us!

Thank you because you have raised us up with Jesus and seated us with him and in Him in heavenly places. I pray that we may be a grateful and obedient people that proclaims a risen Christ and the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us, sinners.

Father help me live as you have taught us, knowing that my sinful nature has been crucified with Christ, that it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. Thank you, because now, by grace I can live a life by faith in Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me.

I praise you Conquering King!

In Jesus' name,

Amen

  

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A prayer based on Ephesians 1: 15- 23; 2:1-10, and Galatians 2: 20-21

Love Lustres at Calvary

My Father,

Enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips,

supply words that proclaim "Love lustres are Calvary."

There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on thy Son,

made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;
There the sword of thy justice smote the man, thy fellow;
There thy infinite attributes were magnified, and infinite atonement was made;
There infinite punishment was due, and infinite punishment was endured.
Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
cast off that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell's worst that I might attain heaven's best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might be healed,
athirst that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.
My Saviour wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live.
O Father, who spared not thine only Son that thou mightest spare me,
All this transfer they love designed and accomplished;
Help me to adore thee by lips and life.
O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise,
my every step buoyant with delight, as I see my enemies crushed,
Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,
sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood,
hell's gates closed, heaven's portal open.
Go forth, O conquering God, and show me the cross,
mighty to subdue, comfort and save.

-- The Valley of Vision

The Struggle

Just broken people

I've been watching and crying over videos of the Houghton College Choir tonight. This video describes just a little of what it was like.

My heart breaks with missing these people.

Photo Credit: Alex Masi

The Morning Prayer

"The prayer of the morning will determine the day. Wasted time, which we are ashamed of, temptations that beset us, weakness and listlessness in our work, disorder and indiscipline in our thinking and in our relations with other people very frequently have their cause in neglect of the morning prayer. The organization and distribution of our time will be better for having been rooted in prayer, The temptations which the working day brings with it will be overcome by this break-through to God.."

-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

If God is mine...

Life Quote

Like many people, I have life verses - scriptures that shape the way I think about things and encapsulate the way I want to live. But I also have a life quote, which is this:

"Wherever we go - we should try to leave a blessing, something which will sweeten another life or start a new song or an impulse of cheer or helpfulness in another heart. Then our very memory, when we are gone - will be an abiding blessing in the world." - J.R. Miller

O Day Full of Grace

One of my most precious memories from my time with the Houghton College Choir is this song. Unfortunately, it's not us singing in the video.

O day full of grace, which we behold now gently to view ascending,
Thou over the earth thy reign unfold, good cheer to all mortals lending,
That children of light in every clime may prove that the night is ending!

How blest was that gracious midnight hour when God in our flesh was given,
Then flushed the dawn with light and power that spread o'er the darkened heaven,
Then rose o'er the world that sun divine which gloom from our hearts hath driven.

Yea, were every tree endowed with speech, and every leaflet singing,
They never with praise his worth could reach, though earth with praise be ringing.
Who fully could praise the light of life who light to our souls is bringing?

With joy we depart for our fatherland,
And there we shall walk in endless light!

-- based on a poem by Nicolai F.S. Grundtvig

The Study of God

It has been said by someone that "the proper study of mankind is man." I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God's elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.

There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, "Behold I am wise." But when we come to this master science, finding that our plumbline cannot sound its depth, that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass's colt; and with solemn exclamation, "I am but of yesterday, and know nothing." No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God...

But while the subject humbles the mind, it also expands it. He who often thinks of God, will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around his narrow globe... The most excellent study for expanding the soul, is the science of Christ, and Him crucified, and the knowledge of the Godhead in the glorious Trinity. Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity.

 - C. H. Spurgeon, 7 January 1855

I could not live properly any longer

"First of all, I will confess quite simply - I believe that the Bible alone is the answer to all our questions, and that we need only to ask repeatedly and a little humbly, in order to receive this answer. One cannot simply read the Bible, like other books. One must be prepared really to enquire of it. Only thus will it reveal itself. Only if we expect from it the ultimate answer, shall we receive it. That is because in the Bible God speaks to us. Of course it is also possible to read the Bible like any other book, that is to say from the point of view of textual criticism, etc; there is  nothing to be said against that. Only that that is not the method which will reveal to us the heart of the Bible, but only the surface, just as we do not grasp the words of someone we love by taking them to bits, but by simply receiving them, so that for days they go on lingering in our minds, simply because they are the words of a person we love; and just as these words reveal more and more of the person who said them as we go on, like Mary, 'pondering them in our heart,' so it will be with the words of the Bible. Only if we will venture to enter into the words of the Bible, as though in them this God were speaking to us who loves us and does not will to leave us alone with our questions, only so shall we learn to rejoice in the Bible...

If it is I who determine where God is to be found, then I shall always find a God who corresponds to me in some way, who is obliging, who is connected with my own nature. But if God determines where he is to be found, then it will be in a place which is not immediately pleasing to my nature and which is not congenial to me. This place is the Cross of Christ. And whoever would find him must go to the foot of the Cross, as the Sermon on the Mount commands. This is not according to our nature at all, it is entirely contrary to it. But this is the message of the Bible, not only in the New but also in the Old Testament...

And I would like to tell you now quite personally: since I have learnt to read the Bible in this way - and this has not been for so very long - it becomes every day more wonderful to me. I read it in the morning and the evening, often during the day as well, and every day I consider a text which I have chosen for the whole week, and try to sink deeply into it, so as really to hear what it is saying. I know that without this I could not live properly any longer." 

---  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in a letter to his brother-in-law Rudiger Schleicher