Life's End

The seed of faith

Aaron Radke — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The seed of faith is wrapped up into the greatest gifts of all. Even when I feel I have no joy or longing for God, the longing for the longing is a joy itself. If I don't have the longing, I have the sadness that I don't long. Thank God for this gift that will not let us go. Stop and take wonder. Let this properly build a confidence.

First, I would say that a Christian, no matter how dark the season of his sadness, never is completely without joy in God. I mean that there remains in his heart the seed of joy in the form, perhaps, of only a remembered taste of goodness and an unwillingness to let the goodness go. This is not the "joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory" ( 1 Pet. 1:8). It's not the joy that we have known at times and fight to regain. But it is a fragment of such joy—like a man who sits in prison and pulls out a tattered picture of his wife, or a paralyzed victim of a car accident who watches a video of the day he could dance. Or, even more fragmentary, the joy may only lie there in the cellar of our soul in the form of penitent sadness that we cannot desire God as we ought. Inside that sadness is the seed of what we once knew of joy. ¹

¹ John Piper, When the Darkness will not Lift:Doing what we can while we wait for God-and Joy, http://www.desiringgod.org/media/pdf/books_bdnl.pdf , Crossway Books, 2006

Longing for Transformation

Aaron J. Radke — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

This week I have been longing for freedom. Groping for some truth and joy in the "freedom of Christ", I have been reading the Humility ¹ book by C.J. Mahaney. I came to a section which described the pervasive and destructive nature of our pride. He went on to describe the wonders of Christ's ransom paid for our sin for our freedom. At this point I put the book down to think. I was glad but not satisfied. Why? I am longing for some freedom now, some transformation. I don't feel free. I thought, is this longing taking precedence over valuing the cross? Then in a sublime moment, I realized I may never change the way I would want in this life. I may always struggle deeply and have to fight vigorously and fall many times in this life. Transformation that I feel may only be a greater recognition of my need for the ransom. It is disheartening that there may always be a fight. But if that struggle and fight keeps me with a continued display of my dependence on the ransom and it my only real assurance and my only real hope of glory, then so be it. So be it, but God keep me for that purpose alone.

Sure as anything, I want to change. I don't want to sit satisfied where I am. Yet, I feel it is crucial that I dwell and glory in the cross here a little this way. To really be able to stand when Satan says, "Your messed up and you will never change" and I say back to him "maybe, but that is why the ransom is worth so much". I think he may like it when I "defend myself" that I am changing. I am way to prone to see my ease as my good works. If I am not struggling I may not see a need for a ransom.

Picking up the book again, the next few pages talked about transformation! Transformation happens after seeing this need for the ransom. Seeing this ransom is what transformed James and John from emphatically not laying down their lives to humbly serving!

In closing, there is nothing like listening afresh to a long lost doctrinally rich song from youth. I sang it then for the catchy tune, but today I find wonder in the truth. It gives me this profound wonder that God is still at work in my life. I didn't see the depth or wonder of the lyrics before but now I gladly do. Here is one that stumbled across this morning:

Please allow me to introduce me.
Half of me slave, the other half free.
Righteous and sinful,
Both at the same time.
Iniquity and purity
Fill up the same mind.
And out of the same mouth,
The holy and profane.
I curse all my brothers,
Then I bless Christ's name.
I hang in the balance,
But still Im secure.
Im leaning towards evil,
But striving to be pure.

I stand between the saint and
Sinner, chasing after holiness, close
Enough to grasp, but still its just
Beyond my reach.
Who I am is in between,
What I wanna be and what I am.

Pulling from both sides,
Humility and pride.
One seeks to give,
The other to be gratified.
In any case, however,
I know Im in need.
Two appetites in me,
Which one do I feed?
Running fast as I can
After elusive perfection.
No Im not there yet,
But sure Im in the right direction.
Cuz I see me at the end
And I look glorified.
Justified safe inside,
So I seek to be sanctified ²

¹ C.J. Mahaney, Humility: True Greatness, Multnomah, September, 2005
² Supertones, In Between, Chase the Sun, Emi Cmg Distribution, 1999

Fighter Verses

Aaron Radke — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 12:55:48 +0000

Word

Blessed is the man ...
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.( ps1:1-2)

The word of our
God will stand forever.( Is40:8)

Glory

Who has measured the waters
in the hollow of his hand? ( Is40:12)

whatever you do,
do to the glory of God. ( 1Cor10:31)

Have you not heard? The
LORD is the everlasting God ( Is40:28)

I created you...
for my glory. ( Is43:7)

And the glory of the
Lord shall be revealed. ( Is40:5)

Salvation

You were darkness,
but now light in the Lord. ( Eph5:8)

Trust in the Lord
God, an everlasting rock. ( Is26:4)

Awe

The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable. ( Is40:28)

Sanctification

...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ( 2pt3:14)

Focus

...preparing your minds for action ... set your hope fully on the grace ... at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ( 1pt1:13)

Power in weakness

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy ( Col1:11)

Children

I have no greater joy than
to hear that my children walk in truth. ( 3Jn 1:4)

Anxieties

Fear not, strength comes from God

you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, "You are my servant,
I have chosen you and not cast you off";
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ( is41:9-10)

Some of the references for these verses on anxiety come from ¹.

Decisions

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.( ps32:8)

Future

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ( Jeremiah 29:11)

Welfare of loved ones

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!( mt7:11)

sickness

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.( ps34:19)

Death

For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. ( rm14:7-9)

Falling away from faith

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. ( ph1:6)

Facing opponents

what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ( rm8:31)

Old age

even to your old age I am he,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save. ( is46:4)

Weak for work

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ( 2cor12:9)

Over ministry

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. ( is55:11)

Listen

Hear my voice,
Listen and hear my speech. ( Is28:23)

if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts (Heb3)

If anyone has
an ear, let him hear. ( Rev 13:9)

Listen to Me ...
You who seek the LORD ...
Look to the rock ... ( Is. 51:1)

Listen to Me, ...
And give ear to Me, ... ( Is. 51:4)

Listen to Me ...
in whose heart is My law
you who know righteousness, ( Is. 51:7)

you who fear God,
_Listen_

Charge to wage war

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.( mk14:38)

Triumph over sin

Not perfect in this life

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.( phl3:12)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. ( 2cor3:18)

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ( rm7:24)

Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, ( 1tm1:6-12)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ( 2tm4:7)

Sovereignty

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. ( 2ths1:11-12)

Glory to chirst

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. ( hb13:20-21)

whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ( 1pt4:11)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
our efforts are not finally decisive ( gal5:22-23)

complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. ( ph2:2-13)

God creates obedience

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ( jer31:31-33)

And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. ( dt30:6)

And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. ( ez11:19-20)

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. ( ez36:26-27)

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. ( jer32:40)

How to pray with our will power

and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, ( 1th3:12)

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. ( phl1:9-11)

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. ( phl2:12-13)

¹ Steve Halliday, John Piper, Future Grace: The purifying power of living by faith in future grace, http://desiringgod.org , Multnomah, Inter-varsity press, 1995

Mathematics and the embodied mind for awe

Aaron Radke — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 01:52:37 +0000

"Where mathematics comes from" ¹ is a perfect example of brilliant authors who take awe, but have no proper place to consummate that awe. The only logical conclusion is sought in ourselves.

The authors overflow with awe, longing to share and express wonder beyond mere proofs and into the beautiful meaning behind equations. The wonder is incredible. The clear explanations of mathematics connected with the linguistic conceptual metaphor is awe inspiring. Through this book these authors paint a clear picture of fundamental awe behind mathematics.

How are we able to speak of beauty and awe and glory come from when it is rooted in ourselves? Awe and beauty is beholding the big outside. We do not travel to Niagara falls to be filled with awe that we constructed, but rather to be lost in the expanse. Here are two questions to keep in mind when reading this book. What is the source of awe, and what is the purpose and meaning of awe itself?

Here is a pivotal paragraph from this book:

Mathematics as we know it is human mathematics, a product of the human mind. Where does mathematics come from? It comes from us! We create it, but it is not arbitrary--not a mere historically contingent social construction. What makes mathematics non-arbitrary is that it uses the basic conceptual mechanisms of the embodied human mind as it has evolved in the real world. Mathematics is a product of the neural capacities of our brains, the nature of our bodies, our evolution our environment and our long social and cultural history. ²

Contrast this quote with one from John Piper:

Most people don't go the Grand Canyon to enhance their self-esteem because there is an echo of the image of God on our souls that we were made to enjoy making much of God forever, not made to be made much of forever..
We were made to enjoy mirroring the glory of God, and when people go to the Grand Canyon there is something that happens in the human soul standing on the edge of that expanse that draws them out of themselves and in a moment, there is a precious gift of self-forgetfulness in which they swell with wonder.
That's why they're made and they all need positive echoes of it and they go to big crazy movies and they buy big books to put on their coffee tables with pictures of mountains and rivers because they know that their joy really comes from outside themselves and not by standing in front of a mirror. You were not created to find joy in a mirror no matter what you see there. ³

¹ George Lakoff, Rafael E. Nunez, Where mathematics comes from: How the emodied mind brings mathematics into being, Basic Books, 2000
² Ibid.
³ John Piper, Let the Nations be Glad, 2nd, Baker Academic, July, 2003

Neurons of Worship

Aaron Radke — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:37:49 +0000

The IBM Blue Brain Project is providing stunning research in cognitive intelligence. With a massive super computer parts of the neocortex are modeled and simulated. The neocortex makes up the largest portion of the human brain. Here, complex patterns are stored and conceptual thoughts are connected.

Jeff Hawkins started Numeta, a company promoting software patterned on the hierarchal storage and processing power of a collection of neurons in the neocortex.

Both Numeta and IBM are revealing fascinating features of our brains. Information is stored by continually presenting it with material. Overtime, the hierarchal pattern of neurons in the neocortex is trained to store essential features of interest. Repeating a wide variety of material provides a highly accentuated set of neurons that contain common essential patterns while deciphering from non important aspects. As an adult of varied experiences, an ornate victorian sofa and a bland wood stool both light up neurons associated with sitting. Two conclusions are:

A wide range of experiences from many vantage points should be explored
Care is required regarding what is fed to the brain; it shapes how the world is seen

At first, these conclusions appear to be diametrically opposed to each other. Choosing a limited set of experiences goes against experiencing all. A combined understanding comes from the concept of value.

Neurons are a distinct opportunity to encode value. Spending time on a topic or activity records value in neurons. Worship is a display of value. All of life is a display of value. All of life is worship.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ( Philipians4:8)

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. ( Romans8:5-7)

A physical battle for belief in order

Aaron Radke — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 13:29:00 +0000

I got up with a traditional bowl of Total with sprinkled raisins from the Amish country and a douse of soy milk. I thanked God he always provides food and life despite my hundreds of rebellions through the previous day. But an additional, different and new consuming thought flashed across my mind this morning.

Over the past number of months I have wrestled with the seemingly paradoxical balance of the spiritual and physical realm. I enjoy the worshipful wonder in the predictable order of the physical. The spiritual seems to allow this order to be tossed aside. "Redeeming Science" ¹ offered a satisfying answer. The physical world is the actual manifestation of God's Word spoken into existence. The world's physical order is in place and sustained by the commitment God has in his own power and logic. The joy in predictable order is the steadfast order and perfection of God himself. This understanding frees me to know that spiritual interactions with the physical world, that may alter physics, are still part of God's order and even in a greater way.

This morning, I realized the food I was eating was an expression of God's word spoken into being. The laws of physics that hold the protons, electrons and neutrons together and make up of Total follows the order of God's spoken word. I have food because God sustains me and holds my being together also. I want to continue developing this incredible frame of view.

But the next thought shocked and warned me into a need to see a deeper reality. As I munched and thought about the ramifications, I immediately thought of friends with painful illness and people in countries dying from a lack of provisions. How would these people view the physical order of the world? Food is not a commodity. To them, bodies that have physical order to hold them together are a harsh reality that provisions are not being met. The hourly pain, dry throat, cracked lips, sleepless nights, dreams of food, and goal reducing weakness on a physical body is a constant glaring scream that order is not in place. How is this discrepancy of order and disorder reconciled in my mind? How would I view God when my physical needs are not being met? It is easy to think of lofty ideas of theology and wonder when your needs are met, but finding wonder in God when needs are not met is a deeper reality. If wonder is still found, then a deep God is seen to be worth over life itself. He is glorified greater because he is seen as a greater prize.

After a pondering breakfast, I read the following. It is a story about a man who had everything and then lost everything:

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. ( Job1:20-22)

I believe I am in a massive time of plenty. I just pray that I would not see this time as normative and even shape my theology from it. Making a time of plenty as normal improperly shapes my view of who God is and how he interacts with me.

As usually, I think a massively bigger picture of God needs to be grasped. Much of faith is wrapped up in believing God has order to everything, even when the order, to us, seems failing. Why are there many promises and exhortations to

not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ( Matt6:25)

and

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." ( Prv3:5)

or to believe that

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will ( Eph1:11)

and learn to say

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ( Phl4:12)

Each verse is getting at a desire for order and meaning. Each is rooted in believing the promises that God has a massive order of glorifying himself. The wonder for us is inclusion! He already gave us his son, how much more will he include us? ( Rm8:32) Do we believe it? Lord I believe, just help my unbelief ( Mk9:24).

¹ Vern S. Poythress, Redeeming Science:A God-centered approach, Crossway Books, 2006

What makes love holy?

Aaron Radke — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 16:09:07 +0000

Love is holy because it is like grace--the worthiness of its object is never really what matters. ¹

My discomfort and unease with Robinson's quote is revealing much of my view of grace and love. Many questions are contained in this short sentence and thrust together into a simple summarizing statement. What is love? What is holiness? What is grace? What is worthiness?

Pondering the essence of love has kept philosophers occupied for countless centuries. Care is needed, because I know little about giving and receiving both love and grace. I also realize there are many different manifestations and facets of love ². Another cause of caution is the audacity to think I can reduce a massively deep and complex part of life into a little box. Big issues are often big because of complexity even if complexity arises out of simplicity. Under these cautions, this defense of my discomfort with this quote is meant to explore a fascinating facet of love.

Robinson's quote is encouraging for primarily two reasons. First, it captures our feeling when we daily receive unmerited grace from a benevolent and loving Father. If love requires worth how could God ever love us? Second, it spurs us on to love others without merit. Holding back care until you find merit in others has a sinister flair.

Despite these encouraging aspects, I have some serious concerns about a quote that removes a connection between love and worthiness. The concern comes from a subtle path that diminishes the worth of a big God. What about God's love for his son? The mercy and justification we receive is dependent on the worthiness of this object. What about God's love for himself? The pleasure God has in his own worthy perfection is the visible foundation that his promises will be upheld ³. Furthermore, is it possible to love someone while simultaneously thinking they are worthless?

At first it appears there may be different types of love at work. Maybe one is an amorous worthiness love and another is a merciful unconditional love. One is associated with worthiness and the other is not. Although effects takes on various forms from different perspectives, I think both the amorous and mercy love we receive are rooted in the same dependence: worthiness of God Himself displayed in his Son.

There may be a few major arguments against a view of necessary worthiness. I think these arguments are rooted in the two, previously mentioned, encouraging aspects: grace from God and grace to others without merit.

For the first argument, the defense needs to answer the question: "If love requires worth, how could God love us?". The answer reveals love vehemently requires worth. Jesus, the perfect worthy sacrifice, died for us.

If it is true that worthiness is required for love, then what holy love and energy actively moves to bridge the great gap between absolute perfection and considerable imperfection? I propose even this movement of love lies in the worthiness of an object. By making this awesome move of loving redemption, and relying on the worth of His Son, God loves to display the worth of His own name. It is all about the worth of God whether it be worth of God the Son, worth of God the Father or worth of God the Spirit.

In the second argument, although love by worthiness may be true of God, what about the unconditional love men should have for each other? It seems understandable, created as rational beings, we should follow God's rational for love also. If God loves people by the worth of His own name, then men should love people by the worth of His name. When we love others we love them by seeing the worth of God in them, and incredible weight of glory ⁴. This understanding is awesome, freeing and a source of great affection.

There is a great example of love I have witnessed. It came observing a man on the top of a hill. The man brought a child with a disfigured face up the hill with her hand in his. He sat on a rock and she stood eye level. In the slight breeze and beaming sunlight, she reflected back a beaming, confident smile into the camera he pointed at her. She laughed and cocked her head in different positions as he clicked away. It was awesome. He loved her and, by no means, had to climb over worthlessness. Instead he was displaying worthiness in what really mattered. This child has a heart and a mind with a capacity to be filled with the Spirit of God. Displaying the worth of God, glorifying God, is awesome.

Is it possible to love someone while simultaneously thinking they are worthless? Love appears to be quite opposite. Instead love seems to be an expression of worthiness. ⁵ The minute you think someone is worthless you cease loving them. ⁶ What appears to be a simple encouraging quote could be a dangerous view that distorts love itself and accordingly the very essence of God. Instead, Love is holy because God is love. Love is a display and overflow of this worth, supremely in God!

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.( 1jn4:7-21)

¹ Marilynne Robinson, Giliad: A Novel, Reprint, Picador, January, 2006
² C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves, Geoffrey Bless, London, 1958
³ John Piper, The Pleasures of God: Meditations on God's delgiht in being God, Multnomah, March, 2000
⁴ C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory", Theology, http://www.doxaweb.com/assets/doxa.pdf , November, 1941
⁵ In this respect love is a big part of worship: a display of what you think is really important. What you love is what you worship. It is a demonstration of your end.
⁶ Simply glimpsing a return from lost affection finds joy in a spot of special worth.

The resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 06:06:10 +0000

Edward's Introduction

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything 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. ¹

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

The resolutions

Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, 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 to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.
Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.
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.
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 avoid it.
Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
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. July 30.
Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
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.
Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.
Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.
Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.
Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.
Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
Resolved, to live so, at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.
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.
Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance, in eating and drinking.
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. (Resolutions 1 through 21 written in one setting in New Haven in 1722)
Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.
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 4th Resolution.
Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.
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 to direct all my forces against it.
Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.
Resolved, never willfully to omit any thing, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.
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.
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.
Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.
Resolved, never to say any thing at all against any body, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, 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 anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.
Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that, in Proverbs 20:6, "A faithful man who can find?" may not be partly fulfilled in me.
Resolved, to do always, what I can towards making, maintaining, and preserving peace, when it can be done without overbalancing detriment in other respects. Dec. 26, 1722.
Resolved, in narrations never to speak any thing but the pure and simple verity.
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.
Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.
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.
Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord's day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.
Resolved, never to do any thing of which I so much question the lawfulness of, 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.
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.
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.
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 twelfth day of January, 1722-23.
Resolved, never, henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God's; agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12, 1723.
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. January 12, 1723.
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.
Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting 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.
Resolved, to endeavor, 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 lead me to; and to examine strictly, at the end of every week, whether I have done so. Sabbath morning. May 5, 1723.
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.
Resolved, that this never shall be, if I can help it.
Resolved, 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.
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.
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.
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.
Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it. July 8, 1723.
Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if, I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments. July 8, 1723.
Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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, etc. May 21, and July 13, 1723.
Resolved, never to do anything but duty, and then according to Ephesians 6:6-8, 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 he receive of the Lord." June 25 and July 13, 1723.
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 luster, 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. January 14 and July 13, 1723.
Resolved, when I find those "groanings which cannot be uttered" ( Romans 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those "breakings of soul for the longing it hath," of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be weary of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23, and August 10, 1723.
Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this, all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness, of which I am capable of, 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 27th Sermon on Psalm 119. July 26, and Aug.10 1723.
Resolved, that I will endeavor 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.
Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what am I the better for them, and what I might have got by them.
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.
Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. August 11, 1723.
Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak. August 17, 1723.

¹ Sephen J. Nichols, Jonathan Edwards, Jonathan Edwards' Resolutions: And Advice to Young Converts, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/works1.i.iii.html , P & R Publishing (July 2001), 1722-1723

Life's End

The seed of faith

The Seed of Faith

Longing for Transformation

Longing for Transformation

Fighter Verses

Fighter Verses

Word

Glory

Salvation

Awe

Sanctification

Focus

Power in weakness

Children

Anxieties

Fear not, strength comes from God

Decisions

Future

Welfare of loved ones

sickness

Death

Falling away from faith

Facing opponents

Old age

Weak for work

Over ministry

Listen

Charge to wage war

Triumph over sin

Not perfect in this life

Sovereignty

Glory to chirst

God creates obedience

How to pray with our will power

Mathematics and the embodied mind for awe

Mathematics and the Embodied Mind for Awe

Neurons of Worship

Neurons of Worship

A physical battle for belief in order

A Physical Battle for Belief in Order

What makes love holy?

What Makes Love Holy?

The resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Edward's Introduction

The resolutions