My Portion...

Pete Enns is gone...

http://www.wts.edu/stayinformed/view.html?id=187

God's Trees Grow Slowly

I recently read this little reminder of one my heroes in the Faith, Horatius Bonar. It was a reminder to me that I need to be patient with people. Grace is always needed, God's wonderful grace. Here is the quote:

"God’s processes are not always rapid. His greatest works rise slowly. Swiftness of growth has been one of man’s tests of greatness; not so is it with God. His trees grow slowly; the stateliest are the slowest. His creatures grow slowly, year by year; man, the noblest, grows the most slowly of all. God can afford to take His time. Man cannot; he is hasty and impatient. He will have everything to be like Jonah’s gourd or like one of those fabled oriental palaces which magicians are said to call up by a word or a stamp out of the sand. He forgets how slowly the palm tree and the cedar grow. They neither spring up in a night nor perish in a night. He forgets the history of the temple; "Forty and six years was this temple in building." He insists that, because it is God’s purpose that His saints should be holy, therefore they ought to be holy at once.

"It is true that our standard is, and must be, perfection; for our model is the Perfect One. But the question is, "Has God in scripture anywhere led us to expect the rapidity of growth, the quick development of perfection in which some glory and because of the confessed lack of which in others they look down on these others as babes or loiterers? Is there in scripture any instance of a PERFECT MAN, excepting Him who was always and absolutely without sin?

"If Christian’s were perfect, where is the warfare, and the adversary, and the sword, and the shield? Are angels exposed to this warfare when they visit Earth? Or is it not our imperfection that in great measure produces this? And are we anywhere in scripture led to believe that we are delivered from "the body of this death," from the battle of flesh and spirit, from the wrestling with principalities and powers, till death sets us free or our Lord shall come? Yet we are called with a holy calling (II Tim. 1:9) and, as so called, are bound to take the highest standard for our model of life. The slowness nor the swiftness of the progress does not alter the standard nor affect our aiming at conformity to it."

p.s., internet access ends today. already the service is spotty... :(

The clock is ticking...

My baby is due any day now. I can't concentrate. Almost everything is in place for the baby, for the delivery. To my shame, my wife J did most of the work. I've been a slacker husband. Still struggling with constant fatigue during the day for almost a year and a half. Still unable to correct my circadian rhythm. Lately, I've have some bug bites that have produced some kind of allergic reaction in me. Sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, more fatigue.

My internet service is due to end on July 3. After that no internet. I have not placed an order for new service yet and the new/potential ISP sounds like it may be a huge mistake after finding some online reviews of the company. I did not realize this before I called my current ISP to discontinue service. God's providence. I will not complain. I still will have access to the internet through my "office" at church so that I could check my email. Until then, this will be my last entry for a while...

When You called my name...

Something that has been buzzing in my mind over the past year is summed up in this Newsboys song...

"When You Called My Name," Lyrics: Steve Taylor, Peter Furler

I want to preach the Word
They want massages
I check chapter and verse
They check their watches
I spy another yawn
I might as well be gone
Let's stand and say "Amen"
Some days I must admit
I still don't get this
Could be it's time to quit
When days get like this
I slip into the night
Then stumble towards the light
Wake up and try again

Chorus
When You called my name
I didn't know how far the calling went
When You called my name
I didn't know what that word really meant
When I recall Your call
I feel
So small

Could be I'm losing touch
Could be they don't care
Lord knows I don't know much
Lord knows I've been there
I trip toward my retreat
I fall down at Your feet
Get up and try again

Chorus
When You called my name
I didn't know how far the calling went
When You called my name
I didn't know what that word really meant
When I recall Your call
I feel
So small
Lord, what did you see
When you called out for me?

I start losing heart
And then
It comes again
Lifted from despair
By the prayers of someone
Lifted form despair
By the prayers of someone

Amy Carmichael

My daughter is reading this biography on Amy Carmichael by Elizabeth Elliot (A Chance To Die) and was very impressed by this godly missionary. While my girl was telling me about this missionary I remembered that I had this little book written by Amy Carmichael (If), which I thought may be good for her to read as well. As I leafed through that old book again, I was struck again of my own unholiness. And struck again by the glory of Christ and His great gift of salvation. Humbling indeed, but much needed as I struggle along with ministry in the Church. People want this and that in the church (they want to see "this" happen and "that" happen), yet people don't realize that God calls and uses people to do "those things," those ministries, in the church -- and these people do not lift a finger to help. It makes me wonder sometimes. Some drastic ideas have crossed my mind recently, but they may be needed. Oh well, need to pray more about it and seek wise counsel. All of this is humbling, so from a spiritual vantage point, all of these trials are good for my soul. No pain, no gain (Heb. 12:11). Here's a quote from Amy's book, If:

"If I have not the patience of my
Savior with souls who grow slowly;
if I know little of travail (a sharp
and painful thing) till Christ be
fully formed in them,
then I know nothing of Calvary love."

The well of Calvary love is deep. Let us all drink deeply of it every day...