TopekaStew

I don't know. Maybe. But I do know two things: 1) There is no "self" in Christian self-control. I mean that literally. The Greek word ( egkrateia ) translated as "self-control" does not include the word "self."* So, as I make my plans to live out my resolution in 2009, I need to think about exercising self-control not by my own power, but by the power of the Spirit of God. 2) God might not be inclined to help those who help themselves, but He clearly says that he helps those who wait on him: "From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him." ~ Isa. 64:4 "The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." ~ Lam. 3:25 May God give us strength to wait on him for help in 2009. - Chris *Philip Kenneson suggests that an alternate translation, one that carries slightly less baggage in our culture of self help, would be "continence." ...

Yesterday I talked about the biblical call to a ferocious faith: "Strive ( agonizomai ) to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." ~ Lk. 13:24 - "Fight the good fight of faith ( agonizou ton kalon agona ). Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called...." ~ 1 Tim. 6:12a "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell." ~ Mt. 5:28-30 This morning John Piper reminded me of this truth in his blog post, "Swords Are for Killing." Swords, Piper suggests, are not made for digging, or for whittling. Swords are made for killing. So, when I pick up the "sword of the Spirit" (Eph. 6:17), what am I to do with it? Whittle? Dig? Or kill? And if Piper is right that I'm to wield the Bible to kill, who am I to kill? Paul gives the answer in his letter to the Romans: ...

I want to be more like this in 2009: "Many a night I woke to the murmur of paper and knew [Dad] was up, sitting in the kitchen with frayed King James--oh, but he worked that book; he held to it like a rope ladder. I remember creeping out once... and there he was, holy Bible on the table top and himself bent to it, his back cupped as a weasel's; when I tapped his arm he sat up straight, his breath seizing a moment as if the motion hurt." (Leif Enger, Peace Like a River , p. 103) I want to grow increasingly thirsty for God and his word this year. - Chris

The other day I read the following and I wondered if it was a recipe for defeating our accuser: "And they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death." ~ Rev. 12:11 Seems to me there are three ingredients to this recipe: 1) The blood of the Lamb 2) The word of my (our) testimony 3) A spirit that is sold out, 100%, all in So, my role, our role in this struggle is lean on the finished work of Christ, to speak up about it, and to sell out. Not an easy cake to bake. - Chris

The other day I got up for my time with God but quickly gave in to the temptation to check my email. I was distracted for a while. Time growing short, I then rushed through my daily Bible reading and started to write a prayer. I started to write a guilty apology to God, telling him that once again I had not encountered him in my not-so-quiet time. But I stopped myself after one sentence. I realized that my expectations for an "effective" quiet time were very me-centered. I stopped, let go of the guilt, acknowledged that any quality time I have with God will be because he reveals himself to me, not because I discover him. I started to reflect on the fifteen minutes of Bible reading I had just finished. I began to realize that God had broken through after all, giving me a glimpse of himself as I read. I felt peace. I celebrated, in a small way, grace. It was good. That's all. - Chris

"Satisfy us this morning with your unfailing love that we might sing for joy and be glad all my days" - Ps. 90:14 I prayed for us this morning. For the past several years I've been trying to develop a morning routine. I awake to the screaching buzz of my alarm, click it off, and then bent over, hands on knees, I pray for myself so that I might remain upright and get moving in a Godward direction: "Satisfy me this morning with your unfailing love that I might sing for joy and be glad all my days" (Ps. 90:14, adapted). Yesterday, however, as I prepared a sermon about cultivating joy in Christian community, I was reminded that Moses's original prayer was not for an individual, but for the community of believers. Moses prayed "Satisfy us... that we might sing...." So, when the alarm screeched this morning, I prayed for us . And that really changes things. - Chris