We’re all familiar with the Apostle’s charge in 1Cor 11.1, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” It’s a call to follow him in so far as he follows Christ. He actually says the same thing in several places. E.g. “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us,” (Phil 3.17). The Epistle to the Hebrews echoes this sentiment with, “[be] imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises,” (6.12); and with “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith,” (13.7). Today I’d like to introduce you to a Christian brother worthy of imitation… Continue reading “How far have we come?”
Living to die well
Everybody wants to get the most out of life, to make sure that nothing good passes them by. They want to live to the full, to make every day count, to move closer to their dreams every day. But is this why we have the short breath of our lives given to us–to fill it to the brim with stuff and busyness? That would be like reducing a race to the mere steps along the way and caring nothing for the finish line. Who enters a race with no thought of actually finishing, and finishing well? Shouldn’t we stop and think about how we plan to end this thing called life? Shouldn’t we consider what kind of living would ensure that we die well? Continue reading “Living to die well”
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Check out our family blog!
Hello everyone! I’m sorry for the silence… the Doctor’s been out of the office for a few weeks. The weeks leading up to my sabbatical were crazy busy with the matters of preparing for Presbytery and doing everything I could to leave things in order for the Elders and Rev. Malkus during my sabbatical. And the weeks after my sabbatical began (May 1) have been taken up with work, a cold, and preparations for our trip to WA and back.
But now that our family sabbatical has begun, I’ve started a new blog dedicated to it: labellesonwheels.com. You’ll want to subscribe to it so you can stay up to date on our whereabouts and whatabouts. If everything goes as planned–and I’m sure it won’t!–it’ll prove to be an exciting and fulsome adventure for us all.
In the midst of it all, I’m on my own spiritual journey during this sabbatical. I’m fervently praying and diligently striving, by the grace of God, through reading, study, and holy communion, to grow in grace and conformity to Christ, to grow in the love of God, and to grow in Spirit-filled holiness. Thank you for your prayers for us all, even as we daily pray for you all.
I hope to occasionally blog on this site with food for the soul, sharing some of the things I’m learning and studying, but be sure to keep up with the family blog, which will be updated more regularly.
Warmly,
In Christ,
Dr. J
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Second Day of Presbytery
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Hosting Presbytery at PCCC!
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Meditations on Jesus Christ
I’ve told you before of my great appreciation for Private Thoughts on Religion by Thomas Adam. Today I would like to share with you some of the entries in his chapter on Jesus Christ. Read these thoughtfully, a few times over, and let the depth of what he’s saying reach your heart. Mull it over in your mind until it impresses you in the way it’s meant to. Meditation–deep, prayerful thinking with an eye to change–is a forgotten and neglected means of grace and Christian growth. We would do well to recover it. Continue reading “Meditations on Jesus Christ”
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Forgiving in light of eternity
I posted yesterday about forgiving those who wrong us. It was a call to forgive as we’ve been forgiven. And while that call applies equally to those outside the church and to those inside the church, there’s a further, very powerful dynamic in play when it comes to forgiving fellow believers. Continue reading “Forgiving in light of eternity”
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Forgiving as we’ve been forgiven
Some people have hurt us so badly that we can hardly think of them without thinking of the wrong they did us–though a long time ago, and feeling like it was just yesterday. We say we’ve forgiven them, but our being unable to think of them without recalling the injury and without having the heat of anger, bitterness, or resentment arise in our hearts all over again, reveals that we’ve not yet forgiven them as we’ve been forgiven, Eph 4.32. We’ve not yet forgiven them as a Christian should and can. Continue reading “Forgiving as we’ve been forgiven”
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Living by God’s promises in affliction, Part 7
God promises to faithfully grow us by our afflictions. One of the most beloved verses in all of Scripture is Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” What this means for us in our afflictions is this: God promises that our afflictions are remedial and sanctifying. They are sent by Him to bring blessing to us, to try and reveal what is in us in order to purge us of sin and to quicken our graces. Continue reading “Living by God’s promises in affliction, Part 7”
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Living by God’s promises in affliction, Part 6
Besides promising to prevent afflictions which would undo us, and to be with us to protect us from ruin in those afflictions which we do face, the Lord also promises to use our afflictions for our eternal good. This is because we undergo trials, not as an enemy of God, but as a child of God by virtue of our saving relationship to Christ. To those without Christ, earth’s trials are foretastes of their coming judgment; but to all who are in Christ, earth’s trials are remedial and mediated by God’s eternal grace and love. Continue reading “Living by God’s promises in affliction, Part 6”
