Christian Depression

A friend gave me a book that I have started reading. Spiritual Depression by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. This topic is near to my soul and the book has been a challenge to me and I just started. Here is a snippet from the book that impacted me.

“But there is another and more important reason, which is that we must face this problem [depression and Christians] for the sake of the Kingdom of God and for the glory of God. In a sense a depressed Christian is a contradiction in terms, and he is a very poor recommendation for the gospel. We are living in a pragmatic age. People today are not primarily interested in Truth but they are interested in results. The one question they ask is: Does it work? They are frantically seeking and searching for something that can help them. Now we believe that God extends His Kingdom partly through His people, and we know that He has oftentimes done some of the most notable things in the history of the Church through the simple Christian living of some quite ordinary people. Nothing is more important, therefore, than that we should be delivered from a condition which gives other people, looking at us, the impression that to be a Christian means to be unhappy, to be sad, to be morbid, and that the Christian is one who ’scorns delights and lives laborious days.’”

Understanding depression is an immense task. Feeling overwhelmed with a cloud of darkness and despair which debilitates the senses and causes the spirit to suffer in quiet anguish is not helped by glib responses like “get over it” or “don’t worry, be happy.” But I thank God that His Word is not trite nor glib, but truly provides answers to our fleshly depression. Depression for the Christian is just that, it is not the result of the Holy Spirit or the renewed life, but the remnants of the fallen flesh and sin nature. God save us from ourselves! I pray that God will teach me through this book which is really a sermon series by the late D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

A Worthy God

“If a man would be used greatly, God must hurt him deeply.” -Dr. Les Ollila

I often wonder why God would count me worthy placing me into the ministry; and the only answer I can think of is that God chooses the weak to confound the wise. I feel a lot like Peter, always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. But, I am so encouraged by the life of Peter. God still told him to feed his sheep. Why did God choose Peter to be leader? Why not Andrew or Bartholomew? Why Peter over John and James? I know God used them as well, but why confront Peter with the job of feeding his sheep; he was the least likely? Why has God placed me in the position of under-shepherd? Many times I think that God’s sheep would be better served by a more talented, less sinful, more sensitive, less faulty shepherd.

But I suppose I would miss out on being broken by God and truly seeing what it means to say, “Whom have I in heaven but Thee, and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God, you are the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” One thing I know, that if the ministry God has lead me to is ever successful; all glory,praise, honor, and value must be assigned to God alone-I can share none of it.

What A God!

What a God, that he would give
His only son that we might live.
What tender mercy, unending love;
Amazing grace from heaven above.

What a Man, that he should be
Perfect, sinless, united Deity.
What life he lived and death he gave
To ransom souls, from sin to save.

What a Savior pure and blessed;
Died the death, secured our rest.
Now dwells above to intercede
Before the throne his righteous plea.

What a Lamb, born to die,
“Finished” is his Mercy cry.
Justice met for our crimes he paid,
Grace abounding will never fade.

8 Years and Counting

Tuesday, my lovely wife and I celebrated 8 years of wonderful marriage. Of course, we have had struggles and trials, but we have had them together; and it has been 8 beautiful years. Our marriage is not perfect and I confess we have had some selfish actions and disagreeable attitudes along the way; however, as we looked back, we could honestly say that we have drawn each other closer to God and to each other over the years.

I asked my wife to think about three practical reasons that our married life has been so pleasant (Circumstances have not always been pleasant, but our relationship has been consistently so). Meanwhile I thought of the same question and waited to see if our answers matched up. I suggested to her to avoid general answers like “communication” or “love for God” and to be really practical. Our three answers were the same and by God’s grace, we will have many more wonderful years as we continue to grow in these areas.

3. A commitment to our own and the other’s spiritual growth. Frankly put, we desire to put God first. Instead of asking ourselves what is good, what is pleasant, what is comfortable. . . we desire to ask ourselves “What is holy, and right, and Godly?”

2. A commitment to solving our disagreements and reconciling quickly. When we were first married we chose to take the proverb literally that says, “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” I remember there have been times when we got little sleep because we were up into early morning hours reconciling and seeking understanding in disagreement. We have learned (and still are learning) to allow the other to reconcile in his/her timing. And we have been learning for 8 years what it means to “not look on our own things, but to look on the things of others.”

3. A commitment to “we” with openness and honesty. Before our anniversary, my wife commented that if I could keep the events I had planned for her secret, it would be the first time. I can keep secrets, just not from my wife, and I view that as a compliment. I don’t want to keep secrets from her. I want to tell her everything. I want to rejoice with her and I want to weep with her. We have nothing separate. Nothing is mine and nothing is hers, it is ours-and ultimately we recognize it is God’s on loan to us for stewardship purposes. Of course we are not perfect, we struggle with selfishness, but by God’s glorious grace he has enabled us (and I pray it will continue) to have a level of honesty and openness so that I feel I could speak freely for my wife and she for me. We have shared sins, struggles, disappointments, blessings, joys, and everything else because we are “two becoming one.”

I was very happy to have my wife say the same answers I did and vice versa. I love the woman God has given me and I pray that God would increase our love for him and each other as long as we both shall live.

Dogmatic Theology

“Christian theology differs from every other branch of knowledge, by being the outcome of divine revelation. Consequently the interpretation of Scripture is the very first work of the theologian. When man constructs a system of philosophy, he must look into his own mind for the data; but when he constructs the Christian system he must look in the Bible for them. Hence the first procedure of the theologian is exegetical. The contents and meaning of inspiration are to be discovered. Christian dogmatics is what he finds, not what he originates.” [emphasis mine]

-William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology pg. 11; 1888 first printing.

I just thought this was an interesting reminder that all Christians are to be theologians, yet they must be exegetically driven theologians; discovering theology first and foremost from the proper and clear interpretation of the Biblical texts within its context.

Talent. . . need I say more?

A Breath of Fresh Air

It may be that I am lazy recently but I have seen so much good writing on some other blogs, that I don’t have much to say.  I was turned toward the blog reformation 21 by Dave Doran’s Glory and Grace (see side links).  Carl Trueman has an excellent (albeit lengthy) post on the new tool of post-modern debaters called “hurt mail.”  He builds an excellent case that our post-modern world’s (and Christian’s) obsessing about how they have been hurt or victimized by opposing views demonstrates that they have lost the debate and have personalized that which was never personal.  In so doing, they have taken a step further in making truth appear relative.  We live in a culture and age where it seems “being hurt” takes precedence over truth.  Take the time to read Carl’s post “Is Hurt Mail the New Hate Mail” It will challenge you as it did me.

Here are some points Mr. Trueman makes regarding this emphasis of feelings over substance:

“The impact of all this feeling of hurt and processing of pain is twofold.  First, as noted above, it transforms arguments from debates about truth into debates about taste; and that is lethal for Christian orthodoxy.”

“The second area of impact is the way in which this ‘hurt’ and ‘pain’ cheapens the language and leads to trivialization of all things serious.”

“Reformed evangelicals are not like other men, this is not just a monopoly of the church on the left of the evangelical spectrum; some of the biggest whiners, mewlers and pukers out there are among the professed advocates of the old school approach to things.  Thin-skins, absurd senses of entitlement and a bizarre conviction that all criticism of ideas is really a personally intended affront to those who hold them are not the exclusive preserve of any one theological party.”

“This new tactic also involves a fundamental change in the whole moral landscape.  Let’s face it: pain, as an abstract concept, is not in itself evil or a sin. . . Pain in itself is not bad; rather, it is the cause or the purpose of the pain that provides the good or the evil involved.  Thus, to complain that somebody has hurt you is, as noted above, to put an aesthetic category where a moral category should be.  The question to ask is not ‘Do I feel pain?’  but ‘What has this person done that has caused me pain?’ “

Excuses

I has been a while since I posted something.   For my faithful readership, thanks for sticking with it (you two are a blessing).  I can give lots of excuses for the delay in writing. . . like that we went on a backpacking adventure down to Zion National Park to hike the Narrows, the world’s longest slot canyon; or that we went to family camp up at Camp UTIBACA in mid-Utah.  Not to mention that things are pretty busy here at the church.  But really, all excuses are just that excuses.

In all seriousness, I wonder what kind of excuses we all give for why we don’t walk with Jesus Christ closer every day.  Or what are the excuses for not seeking first the Kingdom of God?  What excuses keep us from preaching the Gospel to those we know or don’t know?  We make a lot of excuses (at least I do); however I just finished reading “Dispatches from the Front” a newsletter of Frontline Missions International.  This mission agency is trying to minister to the persecuted church across the world.  I encourage each one of you to go to frontlinemissions.info and read the latest “dispatches.”  It will move your heart for God’s people around this world, and humble us in our lack of devotion to the spread of the Gospel.  I have so much and I need to stop making excuses for my apathy and self-inflated sense of persecution, and to be reminded of why I am here on this earth.  God give me a greater heart for the lost of this earth,  a deeper understanding of your amazing grace that reaches every kindred, tongue, people and nation for your glory, and a fuller commitment to be a servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Good Perspective

Dave Doran over at Glory & Grace presents a good perspective on the current debates and ramblings going on in American Christianity and reminds us to focus on what really is important.  That was a good reminder!

Devilish Pride!

Pride is so easy!  Is there a one of us that can say that this devil does not rise within us beating us down in our Christian walk?  Oh how I loathe my pride, but what I loathe more than that, is my inability to conquer this most destructive of behaviors.  I weep with David in Psalm 51 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:  according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.   Against thee, thee only, have i sinned, and done this evil in thy sight:  that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”  I weep with Peter after that rooster crowed and Christ looked at him.  I cry with Paul in Romans, “The things that I desire I do not and the things that I desire not, that I do. . . O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?!”  Oh how I hate pride, but I am most blind to that which I hate in my own self.  O Jesus, the killer of pride who thought nothing of yourself but laid upon yourself the reward of my pride, have mercy upon me.  Oh holy God seated upon the great and mighty throne, surrounded by the flaiming Ones,  have mercy upon me a man of unclean lips and one who dwells in the midst of unclean people. With Job, I question you, yet when I hear and see the Creator, even in the days of my youth, I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.  Oh, Christ, you who turned and asked if they too would leave You, I echo what your disciples said, “To whom shall I go, you have the Words of Life!”  Grant my Your power to live a life for You and kill this wretched pride! If idleness is the devil’s workshop as some bards say, then the great work being done by the devil’s lathe is pride.  He has built it and honed and finely finished it and he has worked it in my heart and I did not even recognize it.  But praise be to you O Lord, who multiplies joy in my sorrow, who banishes darkness from light.  You are the Light of the world, the Living Word, and the quickening Spirit.  You are my hope and confidence and I yearn to know You, to escape this vile flesh and feast my eyes upon Your glory.  Come quickly Lord Jesus, but until then teach me what it means to humbly obey You, my God and King.