Fear Not! Death & The Afterlife From A Christian Perspective

I just finished reading this book by Ligon Duncan, and I have to say that I believe this is THE book to give to someone who is in the process of dying or to give to their loved one.  It is so clear and concise as he brings you to the hope in the resurrection, while answering some very fundamental questions about dying and what happens to us when we die.  Very, very good!  It is a small book and a very easy read, while it helps the reader plumb the depths of this issue.

"My God Is True!" A Journey Down Cancer's Dark Road

In the last couple of years I have been reading a steady diet of books on the topic of suffering.  There are a lot of books on the topic, but not all of them are very helpful.  Here is a book that I would say is THE book to give to a fellow believer who is walking through the dark news of cancer.  It is written by a pastor who went through cancer a couple of years ago - it is part memoir and part theological instruction addressing the spiritual issues and concerns one goes through during this time.  It is a very, very helpful book, and there is much in the way of teaching that could be applied to many issues of suffering in one's life.

Family Reading "The Hedge Of Thorns"

Last night we just got finished reading a book that we have read several times as a family, the book, "The Hedge of Thorns" published by Lamplighter Publishing based on the true story of John Carroll written back in 1611. It is an absolute must read, re-read and re-read for the entire family!  It is a small book that can be read in a couple of settings, it is handsomely bound and is a great addition to the family library.  It teaches on the Providence of God in the midst of suffering, sickness & affliction and how we are to trust in God's care and kindness over our lives as He does put "hedges" in our lives for our own ultimate good.  Below is the publisher's description:

"Based on a true story, here is a gripping account of a young boy who learns the hard way that the choices we make can harm those we love the most. Because he desperately wants to know what is on the other side of a hedge of thorns, he puts his little sister in great danger. From his experience, we learn that God places boundaries in our lives because He loves us. "

Rachel's Story - Death Is Not Dying

Dear friends I would highly recommend you stop what you are doing, gather the family around and listen to this precious woman's story - Rachel - she is a Christian, she is a wife and a mother of young children and she is dying of cancer. Gather the family around to listen to her compelling message, "Death is not dying: A Faith That Saves." Take some time with this to discuss with your entire family. Click here to watch the video...of an Unchanging, Loving God Who saves by grace.

Our Knowledge of God's Sovereignty Linked To Our Thanksgiving, Worship and Prayer To Christ - John Calvin

Wow - this guy was smart! (Pregnant pause). I know that was a dumb statement to post on a blog...but consider the source. As I read chapter 2 of his Book I of his "Institutes" one cannot help but be both blown away and sent into a place of worship as Calvin speaks to the knowledge of God's sovereignty over all things...and its promotion of prayer, thanksgiving and worship!

"We must be persuaded not only that as he once formed the world, so he sustains it by his boundless power, governs it by his wisdom, preserves it by his goodness, in particular, rules the human race with justice and judgment, bears with them in mercy, shields them by his protection; but also that not a particle of light, or wisdom, or justice, or power, or rectitude, or genuine truth, will any where be found, which does not flow from him, and of which he is not the cause; in this way we must learn to expect and ask all things from him, and thankfully ascribe to him whatever we receive...For until men feel that they owe everything to God, that they are cherished by his paternal care, and that he is the author of all their blessings, so that naught is to be looked for away from him, they will never submit to him in voluntary obedience; no unless they place their entire happiness in him, they will never yield up their whole selves to him in truth and sincerity."

Oh Lord may our entire happiness be in you Jesus!

"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?"

This is a question that God asks of Job, as Job is seeking to work out his theology in the midst of his own personal and very real suffering. And to answer that question, "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" The answer to that question would without a doubt be me, far too often. I cringe as I remember too many times I have been quick to speak and slow to listen. Quick to "tidy up a theology" with a nice neat bow on top of it, rather than living in the sovereignly ordained messiness of it, knowing that God Himself is sovereignly at work. These thoughts come to me after reading Andree Seu's article from World magazine entitled, "Letters To God: Cluelessness never stopped the clay advising the potter." It is a thoughtful article, written by an author who is aware of her own failings, written to inspire us to walk on the "unkept roads" with one another through a life that is far from the idealized "perfect life" trusting in our Sovereign Lord. Pour yourself a cup of coffee...read this article...read Psalm 88 and the see who the Lord calls you to pray for today. Take care ~M

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"Susanna got in the way of my having a perfect life. It's nothing she did; it's something that was done to her. Worse than that, it's something that God did to her.

Five and a half years ago, Susanna's three sons, hale men in their 20s, died in a boating mishap on the same day. Her husband and she were already divorced. Her Christian daughter subsequently renounced her faith—and her mother.

I happened to be in the home of a friend of a friend of Susanna's when the news of the accident came that spring. But I didn't know the woman. Didn't want to know her. Our paths finally crossed last month at a retreat.

A retreat, imagine. She asked to come to my room and chat. Just before that, a woman in the last session had raised her hand and asked how we can be joyful when we're always "waiting for the other shoe to drop."

I offered sound theology: "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise" (James 5:13). Someone else did better: "Life is like a fairy tale where a lot of bad things happen in the middle, but the ending is happy. Think about the ending."
Sitting in my room with Susanna, I gave up all thought of saying a helpful word, though that's why she had come. I was scandalized myself. I felt like David when God struck Uzzah because he touched the ark. "David was angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah. . . . And David was afraid of the Lord that day" (2 Samuel 6:8-9). God had killed the hapless cart man in the middle of a worship dance to the accompaniment of "songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals."

Susanna does not fit in my theology. She is like Psalm 88, a chapter of the Bible that you always hope won't be there next time you open it. Some other Psalms start poorly but have soaring endings. Psalm 88 has no ray of hope.

At one point in the retreat I had read selections from Children's Letters to God:
"Dear God, In school they told us what you do. Who does it when you're on vacation? Erin"
"Dear God, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones why don't you just keep the ones you got now? Jane"
"Dear God, If you let the dinosaur not extinct we would not have a country. You did the right thing. Jonathan"
"Dear God, If you give me a genie lamp like Alladin, I will give you anything you want except my money or my chess set. Raphel"

What makes the letters cute is that the kids are clueless and yet they're giving God advice.
I went home and read all of Job.

God gave Job no answers. Nor did He apologize. He is God, He does as He pleases. We are all clueless, like children, and yet would give Him advice. He tells us that He is good. There is nothing to do with that but accept it or reject it. Job's wife rejected it, as did Susanna's daughter: "Curse God and die," they said. That's a choice.

I told two of my friends, independently of each other, the story of Susanna, thinking I would rattle their faith too, thinking I was presenting them with a theological Gordian Knot. I thought we would do a little hand-wringing together and flirting with doubts. They surprised me and said, in effect, "It all comes down to trusting Him."

Writer Anne Lamott tells the story of a little boy locked in his room and afraid. But his mother reaches under the door and finds his fingers, and he is consoled enough to wait for the locksmith who's coming in a while. This is the best we will do with Susanna: God's presence and His promise.

"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" (Job 38:2). That would be me, Lord.

"I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know" (Job 42:2-3).

Click here for a link to the actual article: Copyright © 2007 WORLD MagazineDecember 15, 2007, Vol. 22, No. 46

"The Roots Of Endurance" by John Piper

I cannot recommend this book more highly! Of course this is written by Dr. Piper, and what has this man written that can't be recommended? If you are looking for a great set of biographies, his "The Swans Are Not Silent" series is outstanding. I have only read a couple of excerpts from other books in this series, but through the recommendation of my dear friend, Ron Boomsma from the Sovereign Grace Church of Pasadena, I have found this to be true "medicine" for my soul. I personally love to read good biographies, (one of my favorites is on the life of Jonathan Edwards, written by Iain Murray, published by Banner of Truth) however, oftentimes one can find that some biographies can be somewhat long and burdensome for the average reader. Dr. Piper has done us a great service through these series of books, by giving us much shorter biographical stories, while putting them under particular headings, revealing what he personally has learned from their lives. As this particular one, which is book 3 in the the series on the topic of endurance and perseverance. Let me just the introduction is worth the price of the book, because in those few pages there is enough "cultural shattering" material to apply to one's own heart that would take a life time to walk out. Dr. Piper points out that we live in such a day when men can be so weak emotionally and in their character, that few can be given the title of "one who endures." These three men's testimonies of endurance and perseverance under much trial speaks volumes to us. If you are looking for some good Fall reading, please pick up a copy! Here is a quote from one review about this book:

"John Newton. Charles Simeon and William Wilberforce suffered lifelong opposition and endured for the causes of gospel truth, missionary zeal and political justice. They found, in solid doctrine and joy the roots for habitual tenderness in response to their adversaries-without doctrinal or moral flinching. They are examples of remarkable grace. Here are the lives of three great men and focuses on not only how they endured great opposition, but that they did so without bitterness."

May we all!

Sickness Sanctified To The Saint, part 4

Ok, for those of you who might be "sick" of these blogs about sickness...this one is for you. Though there is much more that can be said on this topic (and I might say more at a later date), I wanted to share with you the words of the Puritan pastor, Mr. Lewis Bayly again, but this time on what do when you are well. I, personally found this to be very helpful, because all too often, when I am sick, I will find myself crying out to God, but then when I am fully recovered, I find my heart once again directed back at myself again.

"Meditations For One That Is Recovered From Sickness" - Lewis Bayly

"If God has of his mercy heard thy prayers, and restored thee to thy health again, consider with thyself:

1. That thou hast now received from God, as it were, another life. Spend it therefore to the honor of God, in newness of life. Let thy sin die with thy sickness; but live thou by grace to holiness.

2. Be not more secure, that thou art restored to health, neither exult in thyself, that thou escaped death; but rather think, that God seeing how unprepared thou wast, hath of his mercy heard thy prayer, spared thee, and given thee some little longer time of respite; that thou mayest both amend thy life, and put thyself in a better readiness against the time that he shall call for thee, without further delay, out of this world. For though thou hast escaped this, it may be, thou shalt not escape the next sickness.

3. [Hold fast to Christ because] thou knowest not how near [the end] is at hand [for you]. [Use this sickness and] be so fairly warned, be wiser.

4. [If sin was the cause of your sickness...] Return not now, with the dog, to thine own vomit, nor like the washed sow, to wallow again in the mire of they former sins and uncleanness; lest being entangled and overcome again with the filthiness of sin, which thou has escape, [and] thy latter end prove worse than the first beginning. Twice, does our Lord give the same cautionary warning to healed sinners, First, to the man cured of thirty-eight years' disease - "Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing fall upon thee." Secondly, to the woman taken in adultery - "Neither do I condemn thee; go thy way and sin no more." Teaching us, how dangerous a thing it is to relapse and fall again into the former excess of roit. Take heed, therefore, unto thy ways, and pray for grace, that thou mayest appy thy heart unto wisdom, during that small number of days which yet remain behind; and for thy present mercy and health recieved, imitate the thankful leper, and return to God in thanksgiving."

Now, with Mr. Bayly's words, I would like to add another meditation for when you recover:

5. Let your former fervor and crying out to God be your present fervor and desire. I would encourage you to think about your desparation in times of sickness and pain and how you were crying out to God then...use that, as a living parable for how desparately we always need His active saving presence in our lives. Let this preach to yourself of how greatly we need Christ in doing battle against the "cancer" of our souls - sin. As you laid down in your sickness hating the illness that came over you, let that preach to you of the distain we are to have, and need to have for our present levels of tempting sins.

6. Give yourself sometime of thanking God for your healing. Make this an active aspect of your worship and meditation to God, thinking upon His goodness.

7. Testify to others what God has done! This takes humility on our parts as well, which is good for our souls, to stop and engage with others concerning what God Himself in His undeserving kindness and mercies has done for you!

I am sure there are many more, but *cough* *cough* until next time.

Sickness Sanctified To The Saint, part 3

Through this series of blog entries I came across a particular puritian writer of the 17th century, Lewis Bayly. As I read the puritians I am forever humbled by how they sought to use every situation as an opportunity to pursue, long for and love Christ. They, like Mr. Bayly were spiritual giants. I trust that this entry will provoke you in the midst of trial, sickness or affliction to pursue Christ and to grow in your savoring of our Glorious Savior as we grow in the school of affliction.

Below is an excerpt from his book, "The Practice of Piety." In some places, I have changed some of the wording to make it more readable. For a full original copy of this you can contact, "Soli Deo Gloria Publications."

Meditations for the Sick - By Lewis Bayly

Whilst thy sickness remain, use often, for thy comfort, these few meditations:

1. (If your afflictions are due to your sin) By afflictions God may not only correct our sins past, but also work in us a deeper loathing of our natural corruptions, and so prevent us from falling into many other sins, which otherwise we would commit. Like a good father, who suffers his children to allow them to be scorched by the smallest of candles, that the child may rather learn to beware of falling into a greater fire: so that the child of God may say with David, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy statues; for before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word." ...For God, like a skillful physician, seeing the soul to be poisoned with the settling of sin, and knowing that the reigning of the flesh will prove the ruin of the spirit, ministereth the bitter pill of affliction, whereby the relics of sin are purged, and the soul more soundly cured; the flesh is subdued, and the spirit is sanctified. O' the odiousness of sin, which causeth God to chasen so severly his children, whom otherwise he loveth so dearly!

2. God sends afflictions to wean our hearts from too much loving this world and worldly vanities; and to cause us the more earnestly to desire and long for eternal life [with Him.] As the children of Israel, had they not been ill-entreated in Egypt, would never have been so willing to go towards Canaan; so, were it not for the crosses and afflictions of this life, God's children would not so heartily long for and willingly desire the kingdom of heaven. For we see many [people] that would be content to forego heaven, on condition that they might still enjoy their earthly pleasures; and having never tasted the joys of a better, how loath are they to depart this life? Whereas the Apostle that saw heaven's glory tells us, that there is no more comparison between the joys of eternal life, and the pleasures of this world, then there is between the filthiest dung and the pleasantest meat...so God mixes sometimes affliction with the pleasures and prosperity of this life, lest, like the children of this generation, they should forget God, and fall in too much love of this present evil world; and so by riches grow proud; by fame insolent; by liberty, wanton; and spurn with their heel against the Lord.

3. Affliction works in us pity and compassion toward our fellow-brethern that be in distress and misery; whereby we learn to have a fellow-feeling of their calamities, and to walk with them. And for this cause Christ himself would suffer and be tempted in all things like unto us, yet without sin that we might not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness.

4. By afflictions God makes us conformable to the image of Christ his Son, who being the captain of our salvation, was made perfect through sufferings. Therefore he first bare the cross in shame, before he was crowned with glory; he did first take gall; before he did eat the honeycomb; and was the derided King of the Jews, by the soldiers in the High Priest's hall, before he was saluted King of glory, by the angels in his Father's court. [We press on having this hope] that when we have for a time borne his likeness in his sufferings, and fought and overcome, we shall be crowned by Christ; and with Christ, sit on his throne...and shall make us shine like Christ forever in his glory."

Sickness Sanctified To The Saint, part 2

"Treasures are concealed in the great depths." This is a line from the quote listed below by Charles Spurgeon. I wanted to continue this series of blogs on sickness/affliction and God's sovereign hand at work in His people. I trust your soul will not only be fed by it, but also envisioned for the work that He is presently doing in you.

"Deep water conceals great treasure. Pearls lie there, and masses of precious things that make a miser's eye gleam like a star. Down deep are the wreaks of old Spanish galleons lost centuries ago. There they lie, huge mines of wealth. So it is with the deep judgements of God (Ps. 36:6). Wisdom is concealed there, treasures of love and faithfulness. If we could only understand that there is as much wisdom in some of God's deep afflictions as there is in the creation of the world. God afflicts His people artistically. His is never a random blow. Only marvelous skill lies in the Lord's chastening. Thus we are told, "Do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction" (Prov. 3:11).

Treasures are concealed in the great depths. We do not receive or even perceive the present and immediate benefit of some of our afflictions. Affliction in our youth may be intended for the ripening of our old age. Today's affliction may have no meaning today; it may be designed for circumstances fifty years ahead.

Why then will you not let the Lord have time? Why are you in a hurry? Why do you perpetually ask, "Explain this now, and show me the present motive and reason." "A thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night" (Ps. 90:4). The mighty God takes mighty time to work out His grand results. Therefore, be content to let the treasures lie at the bottom of the deep. Everything that is stored in the great deep of eternal purpose belongs to you. Rejoice in it. Let it lie there until God chooses to raise it for your spiritual enrichment."

-Charles Spurgeon

Sickness Sanctified To The Saint

Sickness can often times viewed as something to "just get through." However, if you are struggling with more long term sickness, disease and pain, those seasons can be particularlly discouraging, and with them there can be times of just feeling hopeless and alone. With that, I wanted to just send you a note of encouragement, hope and help as you might find yourself upon your bed.

A year ago when I was sick for a prolonged period of time with pnemonia, I found myself, by God's grace praying, "Lord, use this...use this time, sanctify it for my good." In that I found comfort in knowing that this was not something that was outside of God's providential care for me, but instead that He has brought this to my door, ultimately to make me more and more like Himself, working this for my good (Romans 8:28). In that, and through also the great witness of my wife, who has been through far more health difficulties than my own...and knowing that many of you might also be struggling with physical sickness, or the like, I wanted to bring to you the words of Mr. Charles Spurgeon to help bring encouragement, health and strength to your own soul. I pray that this may minister to you and for you to know God's active care and presence to take your sickness and sanctify it to the eternal betterment of your own soul.

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His Bed Of Illness -by Charles Spurgeon

"The Lord sustains him on his sickbed" -Psalm 41:3

"The Holy Peace of God's suffering child is one of the finest sermons that can ever be preached. A sick saint is often used by God far more than the most eloquent preacher. When people see how willingly you submit to the divine will, how patiently you endure painful operations, and how God your Maker gives you songs in the night (Job 35:10), you are greatly used. I visit people who have been bedridden for years, whose influence extends over the entire parish. They are known as poor holy women or as old Christian men. I get more from talking with these people for har an hour than I derive from all the books in my library. Yet these saints thought they were doing nothing. Look at your situation in this light. You can praise God on your bed; you can make your room as vocal for God as any pulpit. Let true religion be your life, and then your life will be true religion. This is how it ought to be. "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). As the streams of your common life flows obscure and unobserved, be holy and coureageous, and you will find that "they also serve who only stand and wait." You, who can do no more than simply sit at Jesus' feet and listen to His words, will not be neglected or overlooked." -Charles Spurgeon

Remember "the Lord sustains him on his sickbed." Take care and may He sanctify your sickness to your soul.