Links to Help You Think

While these links share no particular subject, they are excellent "thought provokers" and encouragements to maturity.  Enjoy.

Matt Walsh writes a great post on one cultural decline: "Chivalry is Out of Style."

Anyone have kids' schedules that are crazy?  Is it spiritually healthy?  Check this article's conclusions and links:  Busy All the Time: Overscheduled Children and the Freedom of the Gospel."

Want to more about both the unfinished task of missions and the diminishing task?  Resources are aplenty at these two sites, so start digging:  The Joshua Project and The U.S. Center for World Mission.

Still love print books?  You are not alone.  Here's the latest data: "Books Are Not Dead. Long Live Books."

Al Mohler gives a great evaluation of the recent decision that removed restrictions on polygamy in Utah, and what it may or may not mean for those who want all "morals" laws to disappear:  "The End of Morality Laws? Not Exactly."

For those interested in Israeli history and the significance of the death of Ariel Sharon, Joel Rosenberg's piece for National Review is a great summary of the life and complexities of  "Israel's Warrior."

LATE ADDITION:
Here is a link to a blog post by a friend and missionary, Amy Medina, whose blog is worth reading anytime.  Her post, entitled "Toxic Charity," is a home run on the problems of unintended consequences that accompany many compassion efforts.

Celebrating Epiphany Today?

You may not be aware that today (January 6) is celebrated by many Christians as the Feast of Epiphany.  The name is from the Greek work "epihanos"--which means "manifestation, showing forth" as in the Lord Jesus being manifested to the world.  While the meaning is agreed upon, what the day marks is differs, depending on what historic tradition your church comes from.

It is called Twelfth Day or Twelfth Night as it is the last of the 12 days of Christmas.  On the church calendar, Epiphany is not just a day, but the season of the calendar up to Ash Wednesday, which begins Lent.  Between his birth and the days leading up to his death, Christ was manifesting himself to the world.

It is sometimes called "Three Kings Day" in the Western/Roman/Anglican Christian world, and is a celebration of the arrival of the wise men to the home of the baby Jesus in Bethlehem.  This was the manifestation of Jesus to the Gentile world of the magi, not just as the Savior of the Gentiles.

In the Eastern/Orthodox Christian churches, the manifestation is of Jesus at his baptism, when then Holy Spirit comes upon him and the Father speaks from Heaven.  This was Jesus being publicly manifested to people through the power of the Spirit and the Father.  Because Eastern churches follow the old, Julian calendar, their Epiphany falls on January 19--thirteen days behind the Gregorian calendar we use.

Many of those who celebrate Epiphany also commemorate the first miracle of Jesus, which manifested him to his disciples--the turning of water into wine at Cana, in Galilee.

It is a great idea to celebrate Jesus being made manifest to the world in these moments of his life.  But today, the manifestation of Jesus to the world is us--the Church.  We are his Body, and if the world wants to see Jesus, they are to look and see him in us.

So, if you celebrate Epiphany, make sure you honor the manifested Savior my letting people see him in your life!

Rewriting Edwards' Resolutions for 2014

I've been moved by reading Jonathan Edwards' 70 resolutions, and I've decided to write them out a a means of personal devotion, but to do so in a way that makes them more "contemporary" in tone so that I can apply them even more practically, and they may perhaps be of help to others.  I have altered some that might not apply as clearly to circumstance or situations today.

Preface: "Realizing I am unable to do anything without God's help, I humbly ask him, by his grace, to enable me to keep these resolutions, as long as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake."

1. Resolved, that I will do whatever I think is most to God's glory and my own good, profit, and pleasure, my whole life, without considering the time involved; to do my duty and whatever I think does the most good for all people, however difficult it may seem to be.

2. Resolved, to continually find new ways and means to promote the activities I mentioned above.

3. Resolved, whenever I fail and grow lazy and neglect these resolutions, to repent of every failure I remember when I return to right thinking.

4. Resolved, never to do anything in thought or deed except that which seeks God's glory, nor allow such a thing if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, Never to waste a moment of time, but to improve it in the best way I can.

6. Resolved, To live with all my might, as long as I live.

7. Resolved, Never to do any thing I would be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, To always behave, in word and actions, as if no one has been any worse than I have, as if I am guilty of the same sins, faults, and failings; and I will let my knowledge of their failing promote conviction in me, leading to confession of my own sins and failures to God.

9. Resolved, To think often, on all occasions, of my dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to remember the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

11. Resolved, when I think of any theological question to be dealt with, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances allow it.

12. Resolved, if I delight in something in order to satisfy pride or vanity, immediately to give it  up.

13. Resolved, to work to discover proper objects for generous giving.

14. Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.

15. Resolved, never to allow anger to develop toward animals.

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of any one, that would bring dishonor to him in a great or small way, unless there is real good to be accomplished by it.

17. Resolved, that I will live always in the way I will have wished to live when my time to die comes.

18. Resolved to live in the way I think I should when I am most devoted to God, and when I have the clearest thoughts on the importance of the gospel and of the future life.

19. Resolved, never to do anything I would be afraid to do if I knew the Lord would come in one hour.

20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest moderation in eating and drinking.

21. Resolved, never to do anything that, if seen in another, would make me despise or think less of him.

22. Resolved, to work hard to gain as much reward in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, strength, vigor, energy I can exert and in any way I can think of.

23. Resolved, regularly to take some common action or habit that seems unlikely to bring glory to God, and to think back to the reasons behind it, and if I cannot find how it can bring glory to God, to give it up.

24. Resolved, whenever I do any action I know to be evil, to trace it back to find its roots in my heart, and then carefully to work to never do that action again, and to fight and pray with all my might against the cause.

25. Resolved, to think carefully to discover what things in me that cause me in any way to doubt God's love for me, and to direct all my energies against them.

26. Resolved, to rid myself of every action and way of thinking that lessens my assurance of my salvation.

27. Resolved, never to fail to do something I should do, unless not doing it is for the glory of God, and to frequently examine what I choose not to do.

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so regularly, constantly, and frequently that I find it obvious that I am growing in my knowledge of them.

29. Resolved, never to consider myself to have prayed or made a request if I cannot confidently hope that God will answer it, or to have confessed unless done in a way I can be sure God will accept it.

30. Resolved, to strive every week to grow in my personal devotion and in my experience and manifesting of grace, than I was the week before.

31. Resolved, never to say anything against anyone, unless it can be done with the highest degree of Christian honor and love to people, with true humility and a sense of my own faults and failings, and in line with the golden rule; to test such statements about others against this resolution.

32. Resolved, to be so firm in my faithfulness, that Proverbs 20:6 "Who can find a faithful man..." will not be asked because of me.

33. Resolved, to do whatever I can towards making, maintaining, and preserving peace, whenever it can be done without creating greater problems in other respects.

34. Resolved, in recounting matters, never to speak any thing but the pure and simple truth.

35. Resolved, whenever I doubt if I have done my duty, so that my peace of mind is disturbed, to make a note of it, think it through, and then to note how I answer the question.

36. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone unless I have some particularly clear and God-honoring reason for doing so.

37. Resolved, to evaluate every night as I am going to bed, how I have been negligent in my duties, how I have sinned, and how I have followed God's will.  I will do this also at the end of each week, month, and year.

38. Resolved, never to say any thing that is frivolous in my times of worship.

39. Resolved, never to do any thing I am doubtful is right, but also to consider the rightness or wrongness of the failure to do it.

40. Resolved, to consider every night whether I have been faithful in my eating and drinking.

41. Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month, and year, how I could, in any respect, have done better.

42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, made at my baptism and committed to when I joined the church, and which I solemnly re-make today.

43. Resolved, never, from now on until I die, to act as if I belong to myself, but am entirely and altogether God’s.

44. Resolved, that nothing other than true faith shall influence my actions; and that no action shall be motivated by something else.

45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, total or partial affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, to be mine unless it promotes my faith.

46. Resolved, never to allow worry about my father and mother's well being or their opinions of me; or those whom I might be prone to wish to think well of me; nor to allow such concerns to alter my relationships with my family.

47. Resolved, to do all I can to overcome whatever hinders a good, universally sweet,benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented, easygoing, compassionate, generous, humble, meek, submissive, obliging, diligent, industrious, charitable, balanced, patient, moderate, forgiving, and sincere attitude; and to do what such an attitude would lead me to; and to examine weekly whether I have done so.

48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost care and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to examine the state of my soul, that I may know with assurance if I truly have a relationship with Christ or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any uncertainty or deficiency in this to repent of.

49. Resolved, that I shall never live in such a way to compromise my assurance.

50. Resolved, that I will act in the way that I believe I will have thought best when I come into the future world.

51. Resolved, That I will always act in the way I would have wished I had if I were to discover that I was condemned to Hell.

52. I often hear older people say they wished they had lived differently: Resolved, that I will live in the way I think I will wish I had done if I live to an old age.

53. Resolved, to use every moment when I am in the best state of mind to the fullest extent by casting myself wholly into a deeper pursuit of the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust him, to dedicate myself afresh to him, and in this to gain greater assurance of my security in him alone as my Redeemer.

54. Resolved, whenever I hear others commended for something, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, to seek to imitate it myself.

55. Resolved, to strive to act like I would if I had already seen the happiness of heaven and hell's torments.

56. Resolved, never to give up or slacken my efforts against my sin,  however unsuccessful I may be.

57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversity, to examine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it and let results be as Providence orders it. I will, as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but doing my duty and fighting my sin.

58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, worry, or anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness, and gentleness.

59. Resolved, when I am most aware of being provoked to irritation and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly and at such times, to manifest good nature.

60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of sorts and uneasy, I will examine myself carefully for the reason.

61. Resolved, that I will not give in to the laziness that relaxes my mind from being fully set on pursuing the knowledge of God, whatever my excuse may be.

62. Resolved, to always do my duty willingly, cheerfully, as to The Lord and not to men, knowing that I will receive my reward from The Lord (Eph. 6:6-8).

63. Resolved, if I were to suppose that there were only one person on earth living the life of a true Christian completely to the glory of God, that I would strive to be that person during my lifetime.

64. Resolved, when I find myself longing for God with "groanings that cannot be spoken" mentioned by Paul in Romans 8, that I will seek to promote them and never weary of seeking to express my desires earnestly to God.

65. Resolved, to diligently open my life to God--my ways, sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and everything in me.

66. Resolved, that I will always work to keep a kind attitude and way of acting and speaking, in all places, and in all companies, unless duty requires otherwise.

67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire how I have been made better through them; what good I have gained by them; or what I might have gotten by them.

68. Resolved, to confess honestly to myself, all that I find in me, either weakness or sin; and, if it concerns true devotion to God, also to confess the whole matter to God, and beg for his needed help.

69. Resolved, Always to do the things I would wish I had done when I see others do it. 

70. Let there be some kindness in all that I say.

For 2013, Forget the Columns

On this last day of 2013, I have already seen (on the news) retrospectives that either celebrate or recount with sadness events of 2013.  There are those retrospectives that capture the "funny" or the "historic" or the "oddest" moments.  There are the montages of the famous or significant (or both) people who passed away during the year.   There are the sports highlights and lowlights, and the look at the year's statistics (prices, employment, economics, and so on).

Kathy just raised the question of whether we should think of 2013 as a good year or not.  For us, personally, it has been a year with many more highs than lows and joyful times of travel and reunion. But, as she pointed out, we have had front row seats as many more of our friends/family/church family have been through extremely difficult times over the last 12 months.

So, do we put 2013 in the "good" or "bad" column?  The answer is, "forget the columns."

In 2013 we rejoiced with those who rejoice.  We wept with those who wept.  Every good we experienced was a taste of the future hope of all believers to live in a good world with the Good King, free from the effects of evil.  But those tastes are temporary, passing, and mixed today.  Every evil we experienced was a reminder of the Fall and its effects, our world's and our own brokenness and the pull toward sin that still lurks in us.  It deepens the longing that grows in us for the return of Jesus.

In all ways and in everything, God's sovereign power was at work, even if at times his presence could not be discerned by those seeking to find him, and even if his purposes were not always clear.  He continues to move history toward its appointed end, and we know what that is, even though we can't quite (!) figure the timing of it all.  Judgment is coming, and so is deliverance.  Every year has and will contain reminders of both.

So, I thank God for 2013--for the undeserved good I have experienced, the mercy I have received, the bad things that temper any overzealous optimism about our world, the disappointments and sadnesses that make me long for the "something better" that is coming, and the many ways that being a part of God's family and my family mean that none of us need to go through any of this alone.

I am excited to move toward 2014; but more than that, I'm so blessed to know that, sinner that I am, I am forgiven, freed, and on my way to a much bigger future than just another year.  It was captured in the song we sang last Sunday:

When I wake up in the Land of Glory

And with the saints I will tell my story

There will be one Name that I proclaim

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, just that Name.

[If you want to listen to whole song, you can go here.]

One Hour of Prayer

A number of you have asked for the assignment I give my Spiritual Formation class on praying for one hour. Here it is.

One Hour of Prayer

(Taken from the book, The Hour That Changes the World, by Dick Eastman, with slight revision)

    “What, could you not watch with Me one hour?  Watch and pray…”

                                                                                                            --Jesus, Matthew 26:40, 41

Get alone where you can pray without distraction.  Taking 5 minutes for each of the following number points below, you can pray extensively for one hour. You may use a timer to keep yourself moving through the hour, unless you hope to spend more time.  Before you begin, have a Bible handy, with a passage you will want to look at in section 4.  Have a notebook handy to record any actions you become aware of that you need to take in response to this time of prayer, especially section 11. A  hymnal or iPod may be helpful for section 9.  Do not be discouraged if some parts of this time are difficult to fill--especially the first time you try this.  Don't be surprised is some parts move very quickly and five minutes have passed well before you are ready to move on.

1. Praise—Divine Adoration
1. Select a specific theme of praise
2. Declare all that God is, related to this theme.
3. Expand the theme as much as possible, and on into related themes. 

2. Waiting—Soul Surrender
1. Bring the mind to complete silence to the world
2. Think only thoughts of God the Father, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit.
3. Any voiced words should be toward God concerning his love or the desire for his presence
4. Concentrate on the love of God for you.

3. Confession—Declared Admission
1. Ask God’s Spirit to search your heart for any unconfessed sin.
2. Mentally examine recent activities to discover possible areas of spiritual warfare.
3. Confess any specific sins you may be guilty of, either against God or others.
4. Confess your need for specific guidance and supernatural empowerment.

4. Scripture Praying—Faith Appropriation
1. Ask God to bless His Word to your spiritual life, just as food is blessed to the body.
2. Examine a passage of the Word.  Look carefully for ways to apply each verse to prayer.
3. Ask what petition this passage prompts you to make, or what promise it offers.
4. Develop a prayer based on the thoughts and phrases of the passage.

5. Watching—Mental Awareness
1. Seek to become spiritually alert.  Watch for ways Satan may try to hinder your walk today.
2. Claim power to defeat Satan in each of these areas.
3. Recall various current events that deserve special prayer related to God’s kingdom purposes.
4. Ask the Spirit to reveal further aspects or needs of these events to pray about.

6. Intercession—Earnest Appeal
1. Pray for God’s work around the world
2. Ask for greater compassion so that you will reach out to the lost with genuine concern.
3. Ask for more laborers for the harvest, open doors for workers, and finances for their work.
4. Endeavor to include specific countries and their leaders in your prayers.

7. Petition
1. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you claim only those desires that will bring honor to the Lord.
2. Make a mental list of specific needs for that day and offer each to God
3. Enlarge each petition carefully; take time to lay out why you desire an answer for the request.
4. Examine your motives for asking a petition.  Be sure they are pure in God’s sight.

8. Thanksgiving
1. Begin by thinking about all God has given you in recent days.
2. Offer specific thanksgiving for spiritual material, physical, and external blessings.
3. Thank God in advance for blessings you expect and are asking Him to give you in the future.
4. Thank God for at least one particular blessing you have not thanked Him for previously.

9. Singing
1. Sing a specific song or songs to the Lord
2. Select a specific theme for your songs, such as praise, thanksgiving, or favorite scriptures.
3. Choose songs that are addressed to God. 

10. Meditation
1. Select a theme for full attention to that specific area of spiritual thought.
2. Allow your mind to wander within the framework of your chosen theme.  Ponder all aspects of it.
3. Ask questions about the theme that might lead to deeper mental study of the subject.
4. Bring Scripture into all phases of meditation, since it is the foundation of all spiritual thought.

11. Listening
1. Ask God very specific questions about difficult problems or situations.
2. Search Scripture for specific answers to these questions.
3. Mentally evaluate all circumstances that relate to each question or situation.  Ask God to show you His plan through these circumstances.
4. Be prepared to write down any ideas God may bring to mind concerning the details of solving a problem.

12. Praise
1. End with specific praise concerning God’s greatness.  Focus on His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence.
2. With the psalmist let us “praise God because He has done it.”  Look back at this hour and praise God for hearing each request.
3. Let your spirit rejoice for a few moments at the close of prayer.
4. Let your “amen” be strong—an affirmation that you believe God is trustworthy and can and will do these things in accordance with His will. 

 I also recommend getting the book by Dick Eastman, which takes a chapter to explain each section and offers a wealth of resources on each subject of prayer.  This new edition is available with an Foreward by Joni Eareckson Tada.  Click on the link below to get it at Amazon.com, or to purchase the Kindle version.

  

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards was, perhaps, the greatest Christian thinker ever produced in North America.  But equally marvelous is the record of his personal devotion.  As a New Year is upon us, let me share with you the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards.  These, taken from his writings, are a set of 70 resolutions that he created and re-read every week for over 35 years.  With each resolution, you will a date that it was written or edited.  What a list it is, yet notice how he begins--acknowledging that no good thing can be done without God's help.  Thus, he asks the Lord to help him achieve what he sets out to do for God's glory.

The following Resolutions are quoted in their entirety from volume one of The Works of Jonathan Edwards.

“Being sensible that I am unable to do any thing without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him, by his grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved, to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general.Resolved, so to do, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

2. Resolved, To be continually endeavouring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the forementioned things.

3. Resolved, If ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, Never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God, nor be, nor suffer it, if I can possibly avoid it.

5. Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, To live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, Never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, To act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings, as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. Vid. July 30.

9. Resolved, To think much, on all occasions, of my dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

11. Resolved, When I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder.xxi

12. Resolved, If I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. Resolved, To be endeavouring to find out fit objects of liberality and charity.

14. Resolved, Never to do any thing out of revenge.

15. Resolved, Never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

16. Resolved, Never to speak evil of any one, so that it shall tend to his dishonour, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. Resolved, That I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, To live so, at all times, as I think is best in my most devout frames, and when I have the clearest notions of the things of the gospel, and another world.

19. Resolved, Never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour before I should hear the last trump.

20. Resolved, To maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.

21. Resolved, Never to do any thing, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him.

22. Resolved, To endeavour to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigour, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

23. Resolved, Frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs, and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God’s glory, to repute it as a breach of the fourth Resolution.

24. Resolved, Whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavour to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

25. Resolved, To examine carefully and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and so direct all my forces against it.

26. Resolved, To cast away such things as I find do abate my assurance.

27. Resolved, Never wilfully to omit any thing, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

28. Resolved, To study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive, myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

29. Resolved, Never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession which I cannot hope God will accept.

30. Resolved, To strive every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

31. Resolved, Never to say any thing at all against any body, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of christian honour, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said any thing against any one, to bring it to, and try it strictly by, the test of this Resolution.

32. Resolved, To be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that, in Prov. xx. 6. ‘A faithful man, who can find?’ may not be partly fulfilled in me.

33. Resolved, To do always what I can towards making, maintaining, and preserving peace, when it can be done without an overbalancing detriment in other respects. Dec. 26, 1722.

34. Resolved, In narrations, never to speak any thing but the pure and simple verity.

35. Resolved, Whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.

36. Resolved, Never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call to it. Dec. 19, 1722.

37. Resolved, To inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent,—what sin I have committed,—and wherein I have denied myself;—also, at the end of every week, month, and year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722.

38. Resolved, Never to utter any thing that is sportive, or matter of laughter, on a Lord’s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.

39. Resolved, Never to do any thing, of which I so much question the lawfulness, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not; unless I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.

40. Resolved, To inquire every night before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723.

41. Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better. Jan. 11, 1723.

42. Resolved, Frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism, which I solemnly renewed when I was received into the communion of the church, and which I have solemnly re-made this 12th day of January, 1723.

43. Resolved, Never, henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God’s; agreeably to what is to be found in Saturday, Jan. 12th.Jan. 12, 1723.

44. Resolved, That no other end but religion shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it. Jan. 12, 1723.

45. Resolved, Never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion. Jan. 12 and 13, 1723.

46. Resolved, Never to allow the least measure of any fretting or uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved, to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eye; and to be especially careful of it with respect to any of our family.

47. Resolved, To endeavour, to my utmost, to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented and easy, compassionate and generous, humble and meek, submissive and obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable and even, patient, moderate, forgiving, and sincere, temper; and to do, at all times, what such a temper would xxiilead me to; and to examine strictly, at the end of every week, whether I have so done. Sabbath morning, May 5, 1723.

48. Resolved, Constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of. May 26, 1723.

49. Resolved, That this never shall be, if I can help it.

50. Resolved, That I will act so, as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 1723.

51. Resolved, That I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned. July 8, 1723.

52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, That I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age. July 8, 1723.

53. Resolved, To improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.

54. Resolved, Whenever I hear anything spoken in commendation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, that I will endeavour to imitate it. July 8, 1723.

55. Resolved, To endeavour, to my utmost, so to act, as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven and hell torments. July 8, 1723.

56. Resolved, Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

57. Resolved, When I fear misfortunes and adversity, to examine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it and let the event be just as Providence orders it. I will, as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty and my sin. June 9, and July 13, 1723.

58. Resolved, Not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness, and benignity. May 27, and July 13, 1723.

59. Resolved, When I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times. May 12, July 11, and July 13.

60. Resolved, Whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination. July 4 and 13, 1723.

61. Resolved, That I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it—that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, &c. May 21, and July 13, 1723.

62. Resolved, Never to do any thing but my duty, and then, according to Eph. vi. 6-8. to do it willingly and cheerfully, as unto the Lord, and not to man: knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall be receive of the Lord. June 25, and July 13, 1723.

63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true lustre, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, To act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time. Jan. 14, and July 13, 1723.

64. Resolved, When I find those ”groanings which cannot be uttered,“ of which the apostle speaks, and those ”breathings of soul for the longing it hath,” of which the psalmist speaks, Psalm cxix. 20. that I will promote them to the utmost of my power; and that I will not be weary of earnestly endeavouring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23, and Aug. 10, 1723.

65. Resolved, Very much to exercise myself in this, all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness of which I am capable, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him, all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance, according to Dr. Manton’s Sermon on the 119th Psalm,. July 26, and Aug. 10, 1723.

66. Resolved, That I will endeavour always to keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking, in all places, and in all companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.

67. Resolved, After afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them; what good I have got by them; and, what I might have got by them.

68. Resolved, To confess frankly to myself, all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help. July 23, and August 10, 1723.

69. Resolved, Always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. Aug. 11, 1723.

70. Let there be something of benevolence in all that I speak. Aug. 17, 1723.”

Advent and Christmas: Waiting and Welcoming

                Advent is all about the wait—we have considered together various themes; in our own celebration they have been “hope, peace, joy, love.”  We rehearse and remember all the ways in which Jesus’s birth was predicted and prophesied.  We think about all the expectations (some correct, others not) that were associated in people’s minds with the coming of the Messiah.  And we try to remind ourselves of all the importance that is attached to Jesus’s being born as both fully man and fully God—the biblical truths that he embodies.

                All of this has been preparation during our waiting for Christmas.  Tonight marks the end of our waiting.  Advent officially ends this evening, and we mark that end by lighting the center candle in our wreaths, the Christ Candle.  It reminds us that in the coming of Jesus to that manger in Bethlehem, the waiting of generations for the Messiah to come has come to an end.  Tomorrow is no longer Advent, the season of waiting, but Christmas the Day of Welcome.  “Coming” becomes “came.”  Advent yields to arrival.

                Waiting is only worthwhile if we know what we are waiting for, and if what we are waiting for is worth it.  I enjoy celebrating Advent, but it would be pretty pointless if there wasn’t a Christmas to follow, wouldn’t it?

                We celebrate the Advent season because we want to drink deep of all the truth and hope we find in Jesus Christ.  The anticipation is made powerful for us because we know that Jesus came.  Unlike all those characters of the various Bible stories leading up to Christmas but who didn’t see its fulfillment, we know what they and we were waiting for.  Every year, we proceed through Advent, and get to move on to celebrate Christmas.  Advent becomes our time to get our thinking straight on what Christmas should mean.

                But as I was thinking about all the blessings we will celebrate tomorrow because Christmas has come, something in my mind said “not so fast.”  The coming of Jesus, so long anticipated, took place.  Jesus came, lived, died, and rose again.  He accomplished our redemption.  He paid the price for our sin.  He conquered death.

                However, that was not the end of the story.  He said we was going to His Father, but he would come back.  He ascended, and when he did, angels told his followers he would return in the same way he went away.  And in Titus 2:11-13, we are told that, once again, God’s people (us) are waiting.  We are looking for Jesus to come—for his second Advent to draw near.  So, as one Advent now comes and goes, another continues…

                If we really grasp the meaning of Christmas, then we understand that the story of Christmas, of Good Friday, and even of Easter, Ascension Day, and Pentecost is all a part of a larger “Advent season” a greater season of waiting and anticipation.  Our celebrations tomorrow can and should be joyful, but they are only a small taste of what that final “welcoming” will mean when our waiting is all done.  When you are with loved ones tomorrow, or open that especially meaningful gift, or experience some moment of sheer bliss, thank God for it, and realize that it is just a taste, a tiny hint of what will one day be yours in never ending supply when Jesus comes back for his own, as he promised. 

                Welcome Christmas Day! But as you welcome it once again, don’t forget what, or Who, you are really waiting for!