When Helping Hurts

I recently finished reading this book, although not as quickly as I would have liked, but needless to say, I finished! Rather than give a summary, I would like to share some quotes/thoughts that really stood out to me. I will say the main idea of this book is defining poverty, identifying the cycles of poverty, and discussing how we as Christians can help to alleviate poverty without further hurting the poor and ourselves. Here are some excerpts.

• "Being made in God's image, human beings are inherently relational...God has established four foundational relationships for each person: a relationship with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of creation...when these relationships are functioning properly, people are able to fulfill their callings of glorifying God by working and supporting themselves and their families with the fruit of that work."
  
• Understanding that we are/were broken in these relationships, the authors write: "Until we embrace our mutual brokenness, our work with low-income people is likely to do far more harm than good."
• "Each Christian has a unique set of gifts, callings, and responsibilities that influence the scope and manner in which to fulfill the biblical mandate to help the poor."
• "Americans spent $1,600,000,000 on short-term missions in 2006 alone" (Yes, that's $1.6 billion, not a typo) "And we complain about wasteful government spending! The profound stewardship issues here should not be glossed over."
  

This is just the tip of the iceberg of "When Helping Hurts." I would encourage you to read it and dig deeper into learning more about the biblical truths of poverty. Also, most importantly to see where your heart is as it relates to loving and reaching the poor.

Psalm 20:7-8

"7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8 They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright."

This passage was just another reminder of where my trust needs to be. Just as the accumulation of chariots and horses gave the ancient nations a sense of security so does my bank account, my relationships, my insurance policies and my achievements. The truth rings out very clear in verse 8; they (those who put their trust in chariots and horses) collapse and fall, but we (those who trust in the name of the Lord our God) rise and stand upright. Praise God for being a gracious God and guiding our hearts back to trust in His name alone. Praise Him for drawing those who are called His children back before we collapse and fall. His name alone is all we need!

I guess it's official...

So, the other day I got my name plate after being at the new job for a little over one month. I guess this cube is officially mine!

Westminster Bookstore

Last night, my wife and I decided to buy the ESV Study Bible. We have heard so many tremendous things about this resource, but when we went into a particular Christian bookstore a month or two ago (that will remain unnamed) we were in disbelief at the cost. $90 for a Bible is a bit steep wouldn't you say?? Nevertheless, I remembered a website that I bought my Reformation Study Bible from several years ago, www.wtsbooks.com. From this website my wife and I BOTH ordered new ESV Study Bibles. The total cost + shipping was only $69.00! That's right, $68.00 for two ESV Study Bibles and only $1.00 for shipping. So, if you are in the need for a new study bible check this website out to save a A LOT of bucks! In particular, check out the ESV Study Bible.

Used Book Store

Over the New Year's weekend we went down to Raleigh, NC to visit some good friends of ours. Two of my friends and their wives bought their first homes and we were finally able to see them both. During our trip we were taken to a used bookstore one of my friends discovered. They had a pretty good sized section on Christian literature, theology, and philosophy. I walked out the door only spending $16.00 and was able to grab three great books: Augustine's City of God, Immanuel Kant's Logic, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship. I was very happy to have found The Cost of Discipleship as I just finished reading Tim Keller's The Reason for God who used it as a reference in one of his chapters. Thanks guys for showing us this hidden treasure!!

Side Reading...

Over the month of December I managed to read a few books apart from my assigned schoolwork. Two of these books were by R.C. Sproul and were deeply encouraging. They have have helped further my affection for the Reformed Theological view but most important my affection for Christ. The two books were, "Chosen By God" and "The Holiness of God."

In Chosen By God, Sproul makes sense of the five points of Calvinism (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints). Although he butchers the TULIP acrostic, as he himself admits, I think his changes provide a clearer and deeper understanding of this theological belief. I have had many a conversation with unbelievers and Christians who just can't seem to understand how God can choose who will or will not be "saved." This book offers great illustrations and most importantly Scriptural references to defend perhaps this greatest aspect of God's sovereignty.

In The Holiness of God, Sproul's depiction of just how great God's holiness is will have you constantly pushing the 'pause' button for times of reflection. He begins by describing how amazing it is that when we begin to experience God's presence we tremble in fear but yet God in an instant can bring us to complete calmness. There were two areas of this book I particularly liked. The first was his explanation on God's holy justice. He shows that the God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament and because He is holy, His holiness demands justice. He deals with tough Biblical accounts of justice on people like Nadad and Abihu (Lev. 10) as well as Uzzah (2 Sam. 6) and shows us the Old Testament Law is one of astounding grace. The other aspect of this book I liked is how Sproul shows how God's holiness further proves how unholy we are. He points out that our generation is "an up-beat generation with the accent on self-improvement and a broad-minded view of sin." After I finished reading this book I turned to my wife and said, "If only Christians picked up books like this instead of books like 'Your Best Life Now...'" As we both exhaled in "righteous" frustration I realized because our generation has a broad-minded view of sin we think we are more holy than we really are. Just as the Pharisees were offended at Jesus calling them hypocrites, our generation would not want to read a book that points out they may not be as holy as they think. And if there ever was such a book, this would be the one.

2011

A new year brings a lot of new things, one of which for me is to get on this blog more regularly. This first week of 2011 has been very busy but I have been able to reflect a little today on things I wish to resolve this new year.
I resolve this year to...

1. Be further transformed into the image of Christ: The Christian walk should be a continual process of transformation (i.e. sanctification). My resolve is to grow deeper in my relationship with God to give Him the utmost glory but also to known as a man who loves and lives for his Savior. This also means growing into a better husband. As I learn more of how Christ loves His church, this will guide me into loving and caring for my wife more deeply.

2. Be patient in God's calling for my life: This one will be a challenge. I have been so eager to serve the Lord these past few years and long for the day when it can be my full vocation. I am thankful to have a Pastor who recognizes this calling and gives me opportunities to serve our church body. My prayer is to use this time to learn all that I can for when the time comes.

3. Take better care of myself: I know this is probably the most common new year's resolution of all time, but this year is the first year I will have to use it. As I approach my 25th birthday this year and my metabolism slows down, I resolve this year eat healthy portions and devote myself to moderate exercise.

We All Fall Short

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”
– Romans 3:23-25a

Ever hear the term, the “American dream?” Well, the idea of this “dream” is to provide yourself or your children with a better lifestyle than what your parents gave you. The idea is pretty much if you work hard and are determined you can be prosperous and achieve success. Unfortunately, this idea seems to creep into our Christian walks as well, often more than we would like. I wanted to illustrate the fact that the bar is set extremely high to be considered “righteous” before God, and no level of hard work or determination by ourselves can get us any closer, we need something outside of ourselves. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying, there is nothing wrong with hard work and determination, many times hard work and determination will payoff in our respective careers. But, if we think hard work and determination have any significance to where our souls will be for eternity, we are seriously mistaken. There is only one work that determines this, and it is not a work we have done or are even capable of doing.

This one work is the work of Jesus Christ. Notice how we are justified, it is “by his grace as a gift.” What do we need to do to receive a gift? Absolutely nothing. Yet so many times we think to receive this gift of grace we must do something to please God. Consider this, if we do something to earn a gift it is no longer a gift, it is an exchange or a purchase. Therefore, if we had to work to earn God’s grace then theoretically God would owe us a wage or payment, and we know this is not the case(see Romans 6:23). Someone had to pay for this gift though and this passage affirms that Christ was our substitute (“propitiation” literally the satisfaction of God’s wrath) who redeemed our sinful debt. If you want to do something to please God, simply accept his gift of grace! If you have already accepted it, rest in it, reflect on it, repeat it to yourself and others, and let your works be simply for His glory!

Mid-Week Encouragement

“Moved with pity, he (Jesus) stretched out his hand and touched him (the leper) and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.”
Mark 1:41-42

This week’s encouragement is going to be short and sweet. These two verses should really be read in context with the entire passage, Mark 1:40-45, in which Jesus heals a leper who begs to be made clean. Leprosy came in a variety of ways infecting the skin. An individual suffering from leprosy would be deemed “unclean” and society would refrain from any interaction with those infected. It was an entirely different life once you were diagnosed. This first chapter in the gospel of Mark moves fast. We see John the Baptist’s ministry, Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation, Jesus beginning his ministry and calling his disciples, as well as healing and preaching, all in 45 verses! (I would urge you to read this entire chapter.)What stuck out and really encouraged me is this interaction Jesus had with the leper. This was an individual nobody would touch, but Jesus looked right at him, touched him, and immediately he was made clean. With a single touch, Jesus changed this man’s life forever. So much so, all this former leper could talk about was how Jesus changed him. Isn’t it funny how many individuals in the gospels Jesus heals who are basically told to say nothing? But every one of them is so radically changed their mouths cannot cease to share about his work, thus increasing Jesus’ popularity. Remember, our work earns us no higher standing because Christ has already done the work for us!


Two things to reflect on:
1. Has Jesus touched your life in a life changing way? Have you allowed him to re-new you?
2. When is the last time you “touched” somebody with the life changing gospel of Christ, increasing His popularity?

Mid-Week Encouragement

Out with the old…in for eternity

Colossians 3:1-4
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

We are given here in Colossians a great picture of what happens to us when we put all our trust in Jesus Christ. Paul had just finished in chapter two of Colossians discussing how once we put out trust in Christ we are no longer held captive to man-made rules concerning our spiritual well-being. This is why Paul says “If then” at the start of chapter three. He is reminding his readers once again that if you believe in Christ, you have been raised with Christ. Charles Spurgeon (prominent pastor of the 1800’s) reminds us, “The ‘if’ is used logically, not theologically: by way of argument, and not by way of doubt.” The truth is we are now free to focus on things that are above, where He, Christ, is. Paul goes on to say we are to seek things where Christ is. Rather than pursue things of this world which we cannot take with us, seek things that are heavenly and eternal.

We are also told to set our minds on things that are above. As new creatures raised with Christ, our minds should be focused on the things He is focused on. We should be setting our minds on holiness, evangelism, and bringing glory back to God. God desires all these things, even glorifying Himself. Lest you think it wrong for God to glorify Himself, what would it say about His character if He glorified something else? He can desire His own glory because He is the one true God above all other things. If we are free to desire that which is above all things in this world, why not earnestly pursue these things? Without Christ we have no idea what these marvelous things are because we are separated from God. But because of Christ’s death, we have access to our Creator and can see Him and these things that are above.

The best part of it all is that when Christ returns, we who have been raised with him will appear with him in glory. We who were once separated from Him because of our sins will get to be with Him in glory. Seek things that are above! Set you minds on things that are above! And rest knowing that if you have accepted Christ you are risen!