Blog Archives - IRONSTRIKES

Sunday Meditation

11/20/2016

Natural Faith vs. Religious Faith

Natural faith, as we have already had occasion to see, is faith arising naturally on its appropriate natural occasions, directed to its appropriate natural objects, and sustained by the operation of natural causes. Religious faith, if we have a right understanding of it, may be regarded as in some respects a state of mind the same with that of natural faith; that is to say, it may be regarded as the same state, psychologically or mentally considered; but it differs from natural faith in the particulars, that it is directed to religious objects, or those objects to which religious feelings are appropriate; that it is called into exercise on its appropriate religious occasions; and is sustained by religious influences. It is obvious, therefore, that the difference between natural faith and religious faith is a marked and a great one; and that it would tend to great perplexity and error, if they should be confounded together. At the same time it is evident, I think, that in a number of particulars there is a resemblance or analogy existing between them, which it is not only interesting to contemplate, but which may aid in the better understanding of religious faith.

— edited from The Life of Faith (1852) Part 1, Chapter 3 by Thomas Cogswell Upham. His blog is managed by Craig L Adams and can be found here: http://thomascupham.blogspot.com

Active waiting

11/19/2016

Waiting is essential to the spiritual life. But waiting as a disciple of Jesus is not an empty waiting. It is a waiting with a promise in our hearts that makes already present what we are waiting for. We wait during Advent for the birth of Jesus. We wait after Easter for the coming of the Spirit, and after the ascension of Jesus we wait for his coming again in glory. We are always waiting, but it is a waiting in the conviction that we have already seen God's footsteps.

Waiting for God is an active, alert - yes, joyful - waiting. As we wait we remember him for whom we are waiting, and as we remember him we create a community ready to welcome him when he comes.

For further reflection...

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." - Psalm 27: 13, 14 (NIV)

This devotional was written by Henri Nouwen.
You can find his website here: henrinouwen.org

The changed life

11/18/2016

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. --2 Corinthians 5:17

What understanding do you have of the salvation of your soul? The work of salvation means that in your real life things are dramatically changed. You no longer look at things in the same way. Your desires are new and the old things have lost their power to attract you. One of the tests for determining if the work of salvation in your life is genuine is— has God changed the things that really matter to you? If you still yearn for the old things, it is absurd to talk about being born from above— you are deceiving yourself. If you are born again, the Spirit of God makes the change very evident in your real life and thought. And when a crisis comes, you are the most amazed person on earth at the wonderful difference there is in you. There is no possibility of imagining that you did it. It is this complete and amazing change that is the very evidence that you are saved.

What difference has my salvation and sanctification made? For instance, can I stand in the light of 1 Corinthians 13 , or do I squirm and evade the issue? True salvation, worked out in me by the Holy Spirit, frees me completely. And as long as I “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7), God sees nothing to rebuke because His life is working itself into every detailed part of my being, not on the conscious level, but even deeper than my consciousness.

This devotional was written by Oswald Chambers

What is that to thee?

11/16/2016

Lord, what shall this man do?…What is that to thee? Follow thou Me. --John 21:21,22

One of our severest lessons comes from the stubborn refusal to see that we must not interfere in other people’s lives. It takes a long time to realize the danger of being an amateur providence, that is, interfering with God’s order for others. You see a certain person suffering, and you say — “He shall not suffer, and I will see that he does not.” You put your hand straight in front of God’s permissive will to prevent it, and God says — “What is that to thee?” If there is stagnation spiritually, never allow it to go on, but get into God’s presence and find out the reason for it. Possibly you will find it is because you have been interfering in the life of another; proposing things you had no right to propose; advising when you had no right to advise. When you do have to give advice to another, God will advise through you with the direct understanding of His Spirit; your part is to be so rightly related to God that His discernment comes through you all the time for the blessing of another soul.

Most of us live on the borders of consciousness — consciously serving, consciously devoted to God. All this is immature, it is not the real life yet. The mature stage is the life of a child which is never conscious; we become so abandoned to God that the consciousness of being used never enters in. When we are consciously being used as broken bread and poured-out wine, there is another stage to be reached, where all consciousness of ourselves and of what God is doing through us is eliminated. A saint is never consciously a saint; a saint is consciously dependent on God.

This devotional was written by Oswald Chambers

Emotions

11/16/2016

Do you know that God cares deeply about your emotions? Your heavenly Father longs for your life to be marked by emotional joy, fulfillment, satisfaction, and peace. He longs for your emotions to be rooted and grounded in his steadfast love and goodness. Our God is an emotional God. He is not void of feelings. We feel because he feels. We have emotions because we are made in his image.

For much of my Christian life I thought my emotions had to be based on my circumstances. I felt happy or sad based on others' opinions, the pressures of life, and opportunities I had or didn't have. As a result I was on a constant emotional roller coaster following the ups and downs of this shaky world. I found myself controlled by the things of the world rather than the foundation of love laid before me by the sacrificial love of Jesus.

Scripture continually describes a link between emotional health and trust. Isaiah 26:3-4 says, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." Psalm 56:3-4 says, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" And Psalm 33:21 says, "For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name."

We are robbed of having our emotions rooted in God whenever we take on more pressure than we are meant to carry. Our emotional health is directly linked to our level of trust. We feel pressure at work when we look to our job and co-workers for our provision, identity, purpose, and fulfillment. We feel pressure in our relationships when our worth isn't based on God's perspective but the opinions of others. We are robbed of peace when we try and plan our own steps rather than following our Good Shepherd into the green pastures and still waters.

In John 14:27 Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." God's heart is to fill you with peace. He longs for you to have all the fruit of the Spirit dwelling within you. He has consistent, constant peace available to you. But you must trust him in every area of your life. You must hand over the reins of your relationships, job, identity, and plans to your Good Shepherd. You must trust that he will guide you perfectly into an abundant life.

Look to your heavenly Father for peace. Find rest in his abundant love. Find your self-worth in the fact that God so desired relationship with you that he laid down his own life to have it. Your Father counts you worthy of the death of his only Son. Trust him today. Place your entire life in his capable hands. And experience abundant life in the area of your emotions, rooting and grounding yourself in his unconditional, available love. May your life be marked by increasing emotional health as you grow in trust.

This devotional was written by Craig Denison. You can find his site here: http://www.first15.org

How long, O Lord?

11/14/2016

There is recorded in Scripture an event that takes place in the future: believers in Christ are martyred for their faith and they ask God: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (Rev. 6:10 NASB) Some imagine that they are seeking revenge, albeit vengeance proper belongs to the LORD (Rom. 12:9), but I think they are asking for justice. They were unjustly murdered by overt God-haters merely for trusting in Jesus Christ. They had committed no crime and no injustice. Does not even our own judicial system seek justice for those who are wrongfully offended or hurt or killed?

Their question reminds me of the Psalmist's cry: "How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?" (Ps. 13:1 ESV) No doubt, some do feel forgotten by God, thinking that He will not come to our aid, not rescue us from our particular situations, or never return and set things straight. But remember why Jesus is delayed: "The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise [to return and establish justice], as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." (2 Pet. 3:9 NLT) Christ's delay is gracious, merciful, and loving. But the appointed time will arrive and that is certain.

The apostle Peter continues: "But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief." (2 Pet. 3:10) A thief, however, does not grant signs of his approach; whereas Jesus teaches that there will be signs of His soon return (cf. Matt. 24:1-51). For whom, then, will the return of Christ appear as a thief? For the unbelievers and the disobedient the return of Christ will happen by surprise. The apostle Paul teaches: "For you know quite well that the day of the Lord's return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. . . . But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night." (1 Thess. 5:2, 4, 5, emphasis added) Still, from a heart that longs for His return, to see Him face to face and to be delivered from the effects of the Fall, we ask, How long, O Lord, until Your return?

This post was written by William Birch

The time that I have...

11/14/2016

One discipline I have been attempting to practice regularly lately is reflection in silence. I realize that frightens many people. They fear silence, the quiet, thinking that boredom will set in quickly and divert their attention. I also realize that, for many, reflection is painful. They tend to revisit negative moments from the past. But reflection in silence does not have to be negative.

By reflection, I do not mean revisiting the past, so you do not have to fear negative memories. By reflection I merely mean appreciating the moment, the day or night, the time in which you exist. I have thanked the Lord, both today and yesterday, for the amazing weather we have been experiencing in my area. Humidity has been low, a nice breeze has blown through my windows, and there has been no need of a noisy air conditioner. I have been able to sit outside, to enjoy time, and express to God my appreciation for grace, mercy, forgiveness, a great family, my church, my friends, my job, my truck, my house, all that God has graciously allowed me to enjoy.

But the silence is what I have treasured the most during this time. Even now, as I write this on Tuesday evening, there is a gentle breeze blowing through my windows, as curtains fly softly back and forth, and the frogs and the crickets and the birds talk to each other, or sing their songs, or pray their prayers to their Maker. These are the only sounds I hear and they are a gift of God. There is no traffic, no fussing, no arguing, no cussing, no great sobbing, no loud machines, no planes, no sirens, no guns, no screams for help -- just nature at its best. I suppose by "silence," then, I really mean the absence of strife or industry or unnatural sounds.

This peace, this utter serenity, is priceless. Tourists who visit my small town often ask me where I vacation in the winter. I tell them that I do not have to vacation. Where I live is my vacation, my peace, my get-away. I would not trade this place, this time that I treasure, for any other place short of heaven itself. This quiet and peaceful place has taught me how to appreciate and highly value the discipline of reflective and contemplative silence -- this wealth of simplicity.

I hope you have a space, a slice of reality, where you can be quiet, reflective, and appreciative to the Lord for God's goodness, grace, mercy and compassion. I would not trade this simplicity for all the money in the world, not for fame, not for royalty. That would be like trading my soul for mud. Richard J. Foster teaches us that simplicity is freedom, that it brings joy and balance,1 and he is spot on. He then quotes Solomon, who writes, "See, this alone I found: God made human beings straightforward [or simple (JB), upright, pleasing], but they search for many complications." (Ecclesiastes 7:29 CEB) The time that I have left on earth will not be spent searching for complications, drama, trouble, arguments, debates, strife or the like. I live intentionally.

You see, none of us should live accidentally, or carelessly. Foster writes: "The Christian Discipline of simplicity is an inward reality that results in an outward life-style. Both the inward and the outward aspects of simplicity are essential. We deceive ourselves if we believe we can possess the inward reality without its having a profound effect on how we live." 2 You may think that you cannot live without your Facebook contacts, or your Twitter updates, but I promise you that a simpler way of living is not only a better way to live but an immensely rewarding, even addicting, way to live. You may initially fear simplicity but I beg you to disregard that fear.

When one reads of simplicity he or she may imagine an Amish lifestyle or, perhaps, that of a monk. Those are exaggerated examples of living simply. While a Kardashian lifestyle is a good example of what simplicity is not, we need a good example, so as to avoid misrepresentation. Can one who is living a simple life maintain a Facebook account? Yes, but he or she does not allow Facebook to govern one's time, meaning that Facebook is not to maintain you. I have known a few very godly men and women on Facebook who know how to manage their time and their content without the same managing them. Sadly, however, too many in our culture lack "the inward reality and the outward life-style of simplicity." 3 This we see examples of on Facebook, Twitter, TMZ and other social outlets. With the click of a switch -- TV, PC, Smartphone -- a million calls for your time and attention compete every second of every day of every month of every year.

What you may not yet realize is that you are in control of those calls for your attention. You do not know how much time you have left. People every day die at 23 years old, or 38 years old, or 52 years old or 67 years old. Do you really want your time, your energy, your very soul to be manipulated by fickle fads and contrary opinions and fashion demands and schemes and drama and stress and heartache and rejection? You, truly, do not need that $65,000 car or that $2,000 phone or that $800,000 house or that $7,000 watch or that $4,000 dress or that $6,000 piece of jewelry. You really can live simply, peaceably, and be inwardly happy, content, and at peace -- at peace within yourself, with others, and with God by grace through faith in Christ.

There have been countless people who had it all -- money, boats, cars, houses, fashion, jewelry, whatever they wanted -- and were inwardly miserable. That is, simply, because material objects cannot make us happy and grant us inward peace and contentment. St Paul writes: "If we have food and clothing then we will be content with that." (1 Tim. 6:8) Chasing after more than what is basic for our sustenance is like chasing the wind. My ultimate hope for you, friend, is that you receive the gift of God, Jesus Christ Himself, and experience God's saving presence and rich relationship. After that, my hope is that you value the time you have in this existence, and discover the unfathomable reward of reflective silence within a context of simplicity.

__________

1 Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (New York: HarperOne, 1998), 79.

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid., 80.

This post was written by William Birch

Sunday meditation

11/12/2016

The Contemplative State

The mind, in the state of union with God, is disposed to indulge in subdued and affectionate acts of contemplation, rather than in examinative and discursive or reasoning acts. It is undoubtedly the case, that the mind may remain fixed upon God and and may be in a certain sense united to him, in what may variously be called a perceptive, reflective, or discursive manner; that is to say, engaged in a perceptive or speculative view of him, occupied in the critical examination of his various attributes, his justice, wisdom, and goodness, or something of the kind. But something more than this kind of union is implied in the state of mind, which we are now speaking of. The examinative or discursive state of the mind implies the presence of God to the intellect merely; the contemplative state, although not altogether excluding an intellectual view, implies his presence to the heart. And it is on this ground that we make the remark, that the mind in the state of divine union, is rather contemplative, than perceptive and examinative.

I have sometimes supposed, that something like the unitive state of mind, which it is so difficult to describe, might perhaps exist in the case of a blind child, who has an attentive and affectionate father. The child, being blind from birth, has visually and perceptively no distinct knowledge of his father. But he knows there is an object present to him though unseen; and that this outward and unseen being is ever beneficent and ever active in securing his happiness. He has but an indefinite and obscure notion of his form; and is not capable of any accurate analysis of his character; but his mind rests in the general complex idea of an ever present being; who, although he is unseen, and in many of his attributes is essentially unknown, is nevertheless the precise object, which of all others is the most fitted to secure, and is the most worthy of his love. It is thus, contemplatively rather than discursively, that his father is ever present to his thoughts, and is ever the object of his almost adoring affections.

edited from The Interior or Hidden Life (2nd edition, 1844) Part 3, Chapter 13 by Thomas Cogswell Upham. His blog is managed by Craig L Adams and can be found here: http://thomascupham.blogspot.com

The authority of compassion

11/10/2016

The Church often wounds us deeply. People with religious authority often wound us by their words, attitudes, and demands. Precisely because our religion brings us in touch with the questions of life and death, our religious sensibilities can get hurt most easily. Ministers and priests seldom fully realize how a critical remark, a gesture of rejection, or an act of impatience can be remembered for life by those to whom it is directed.

There is such an enormous hunger for meaning in life, for comfort and consolation, for forgiveness and reconciliation, for restoration and healing, that anyone who has any authority in the Church should constantly be reminded that the best word to characterize religious authority is compassion. Let's keep looking at Jesus whose authority was expressed in compassion.

For further reflection...

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." - Ephesians 5: 1,2 (NIV)

This devotional was written by Henri Nouwen.
You can find his website here: henrinouwen.org

Talking while doing

11/10/2016

Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was (Acts 18:3).

Our best conversations sometimes happen while we’re doing something else. It can be awkward to say, “Tell me about your deepest joys and fears.” But such important topics as these can arise naturally while we’re traveling together, building a shed, or even washing dishes. The task somehow helps us converse more freely. Perhaps we’re less stressed because we’re not focused solely on the conversation.

This may be part of the reason why God commands parents to talk about His ways with their children “when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up” (Deuteronomy 6:7). And it may be what Jesus had in mind when He commanded us “to make disciples” as we are going about our daily business (Matthew 28:19).

This disciple-making approach was modeled by the apostle Paul. He supported himself as a leatherworker—sewing together tents and shoes. When he arrived in a town carrying his knives and awls with him, he either set up his own shop or went to work within a preexisting business. When Paul came to Corinth, he found the leatherworking shop of Aquila and Priscilla, and he hired himself out to them (Acts 18:1-3).

For the next year and a half Paul taught these friends about Jesus as they labored together (Acts 18:11). Can you see Paul hunched over a table, making a straight cut as he expounded on the nuances of the gospel? His teaching stuck, for when Priscilla and Aquila met a passionate but uninformed Apollos, they were equipped to take “him aside and [explain] the way of God even more accurately” (Acts 18:26).

Do you need to have a meaningful or difficult conversation with someone? Do something with them, and see if the hard talk becomes a bit easier.

This post was written by Mike Wittmer of Our Daily Bread. You can find their website here: odb.org