Devotional Thoughts vol. 1
“In LOVE He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will...” (1:4-5)
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the GREAT LOVE with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved...”(2:4-5)
“For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:14-19
how to be full of God in suffering: pray to the Father for strength through The Spirit to know and meditate on the love of Christ
Rest then obey then have abundant joy.
“Weeping is the eloquence of sorrow. Let us learn to think of tears as liquid prayers...”-Spurgeon on Psalm 6:8.
Guilt. Grace. Gratitude.
Apply the law. Apprehend the work of JC. Appreciate the Lord.
We don’t trust in doctrine. We trust in JC. Our doctrine leads us to rest in Him.
Colossians 3:1-5
•To kill sin:
-DON’T “try harder”
-DO Realize the Reality of your Redemption in Christ.
•How is this done?
-By Seeking Christ (3:1)
-Setting your mind on Christ (3:2)
-Savoring your union [relationship] with Christ (3:3-4)
The Bible: Think. Feel. Do.
Orthodoxy. Orthopraxy. Orthopathos.
Head. Hands. Heart.
Reform yourself.
Faith. Freedom. Farming. Fun.
Holiness. Household. Homeland.
God. Family. Nation.
Faith. Family. Nation.
Christians should run a state in the best interests of the nation. And should do so honestly, ethically, and in keeping w Christian principles as possible. But not at expense of the nation. Bc God established the nations. Citizen: what you identify w. And where your genuine allegiances lay.
Shape. Or be shaped.
Bear the weight of existence // Suffer well. Conquer.
Cigar smoke is to thought is what gas is to a car.
I know the meaning of existence. It is to live in honor of The Creator. Anything less brings shame and dishonor to yourself-a wasted life.
Honesty is the best policy.
Do what's right.
Paul is a trophy of the sovereignty of God.
One meaning, with many summaries and many more applications.
Original meaning/literal meaning of the text=grammatical historical meaning of the text.
It takes the original words of the author, & their original intention, to the original reader’s context while paying attention to the different genres in Scripture & acknowledges figures of speech (poetry, metaphors, similes & hyperbole).
You can’t learn the law during the LSAT. So it is with our suffering. We must know God and His Gospel before suffering so that we might get thru and grow in suffering.
John 12:36
Believe on the light (which is Christ the Son of God) [justification]
Become sons of the light (children of God) [adoption]
Bare the light (walk/live as Christ lived by the enabling of the indwelling Holy Spirit) [sanctification]
Behold the light of God for all eternity (enjoy His literal presence in Heaven) [glorification]
We are secure in the love of God throughout all sin, suffering, and salvation. Because it is God who graciously justified us. His salvation is all of grace. Romans 8:26-39.
When going thru books of the Bible think disciples and devotionally. Discipleship is married to the Church-the Church under the authority of God’s word. Doxology and devotion. Pastor/teacher think how does this text make me more of a faithful follower/worshipper of Christ. There are theological and ethical elements to this. Thus this shall build well-rounded believers.
Either take your text and make a B line for the cross. OR take the Cross and make a B line for the text.
Repentance is the fruit of grace. Not the other way around.
Hear the word. Heed the word. Honor the word.
Moralist therapeutic deism or the Gospel. Pick one.
Reading is the exposure to scripture. Mediation is the absorption of Scripture.
What is a Sermon?: Eph 4:11, Col 3:1-7, 16, 1 Tim 1:4-5, Deu 6:4-5.
Sanctification is God working in us as we live our daily life of faith. It is you giving yourself away, fully and freely, for Him to do with you as He wills. We obey thru His grace, and by reliance on Him, not our own strength.
In teaching: eat the same bread you are serving them.
Though sin resides in our heart, it uses our body to war wage against our soul.
In parenting a teenager: the relationship is more important than rules.
Our body is a temple. The first temple was a garden. Therefore our body is more like a garden, like the eastern view, than a machine, like the western view.
You shall also take the bull for the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the house, outside the sanctuary...and I will accept you, ‘says the Lord God.”
— Ezekiel 43:21, 27
For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
— Hebrews 13:11-13
Christ, in taking on my sin, was made unacceptable before God that I would be made acceptable before the holy, perfect, and just God.
“Suffer whatever you must to fight the battle of lust”-Piper
“Biblical Christianity goes a whole lot deeper than do’s & don’ts...Are we doing because we are? Well, that’s good. Or are we hoping to be because we do? There’s a huge difference there.”-I’ll Be Honest
Masculinity is having and knowing and fulfilling your purpose. And not b******* about it along the way.
Christianity is where we rest in the finished work of JC on our behalf and do good works bc we know that our end/future is secure in God.
When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.”
— Luke 21:9
The Boog (and other rumors of war) is a blessing for the Beloved bc it reminds us 1) the truthfulness of the word 2) the certainty of the savior's return 3) the soon-ness thereof. When we hear of war we should not think so much of the war but of the nearness of the King to us.
The ABCs of Christianity:
Atonement of Christ
Belief on Christ
Community in Christ
The 4 G’s of Christianity:
God
Gospel
Good works
Go
Heaven: A cure for Anxiety. Our anxiety is caused by musing too much on tomorrow. We don’t look far enough. We should look further into the future and muse on our blessed, sure salvation-Heaven.
Grace: receiving that would you don’t deserve
Mercy: not receiving that which you deserve
Much of Godly living is embracing duty when it conflicts w our desires.
It is impossible for sin to bring happiness. It has only ever brought misery.
Want to be a hard man? Be ready to live hard.
Exercise your muscles-disciple your body.
Exercise your morals-disciple yourself to live morally well with masculine virtues.
Exercise your mind- to think reasonably
and clearly instead of emotionally and reactively.
Be ruled by principle, reason, and the word of God.
Be ready, willing, and able to speak boldly.
Care little for the opinion of man or comfortable life.
Sacrifice for the truth.
Hard men speak plain truth with conviction and courage.
Speak hard truth in your marriage-lead her, to your children- model Christ’s love and God’s grace to them, and work-don’t be passive-aggressive to your boss-face to face.
A man’s purpose is to be fruitful with his wife-to enjoy her and have babies with her. And to have dominion. A warrior and a worker. To fight, build, create. Men are like arrows-you must not dull them but aim them at the right target.
The best men are dangerous men. Only dangerous men have the capacity for masculine virtue. Meekness is exercising God’s strength under God’s control. Make your mind dangerous-know your stuff, your body-be strong and ready to defend always.
Your wife is a helper. She is not the mission. Lead her in the mission to life and glorify God forever.
Plan. Do. Don’t tell/or ask permission.
Your mission is in God and redeeming the world. Not girls-including your wife.
To live in obedience to your sex is to get married and have and raise children.
Fatherhood: Establishing order in a world of chaos thru the word of God. If your house is out of order it is your responsibility to order it/bring it into submitting to God.
Take care of your morals, health/muscles, and studies. Exercise regularly to work hard.
Fatherhood: first and foremost raising your children to follow JC. The student becomes like the teacher.
Raise your son as a Christian man in such a way where he will grow up to raise his son Christians. Learn to live (financially) lean so that you can home school your kids.
“Give no quarter to your feelings. Give no quarter to your fears. Give no quarter to your anxieties.”- Stonewall. Focus on the duty. And the grace to do that duty. With faith in the promises, you can succeed. Order all of your house in accord w the word of God. Prioritize the essentials. Invest in quality time spent teaching your kids. Take full responsibility for everything in your life. Deal and confess your sins fully. Get used to saying “I’m sorry and I have failed you” & “I forgive you as JC forgives me”. The manliest thing you can do is deal with your own sin. Fear cannot rule you as a man. Failure is essential for growth. Embrace danger for God with serious joy and faithful courage. Fail early, often, and fail forward. You need hobbies to rest your mind, body, and soul by engaging them in something awesome for you. Be tough AND tender. Don’t compromise to keep her desire for you. She needs you more than you need her. Always look out for yourself first and foremost. Communicate non verbally too; to allow her to come to the proper conclusion- AKA Speak without Speaking.
How Jesus Dealt With Life’s Interruptions in Matthew 14:12-23.
Jesus, hurt by the news of the death of John the Baptist, goes away to pray (14:23). He is interrupted by the crowd and yet still shows them God's glory even in His heartbreak. Why?
-Because He trusted God’s foreordination of all things
-He trusted God’s love toward Himself in all things
-He knows God's chief purpose in His life is growing in holiness/righteousness.
Thus, whenever the providential opportunity came His heart, knowing these things, was full of compassion (14:14) on the crowd
Being apart of the local church is hard, holy, heavenly.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
"16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word."
He bestowed, supplied, granted His love to us in giving Himself for us so that He could continuously give us His never-ending aid/encouragement and good advantage of future certainty by His own unmerited, enabling, loving-kindness so that He could refreshingly strengthen our hearts in all our good/loving works (outward) and words (inward because they arise from within).