The link does not include pictures or descriptions of the night before soup dinner, the flag football game, or the other meals and late evening discussions, but it does include details on things that I directly participated in and could take pictures of. I went hard at the flag football game and have the sore muscles to prove it. I realized that I am the last of my generation to be playing, the next oldest being in his early 40’s. I am thankful to have an active life. Check out my pictures and commentary at “Active Thanksgiving.”
Archive for November, 2023
Thanksgiving 2023 Reflections
Posted in Blessing, Exercise, Family, Grandchildren, Nature, Outdoors, Photo, Thanksgiving, tagged Family, Grandchildren, Hike, Nature, Outdoors, Thanksgiving 2023 on November 28, 2023| 2 Comments »
“R” Theology
Posted in Doctrine, General, Obedience, Piety, Sanctification, theology, tagged God's Word, Repentance, Restoration, Revival, theology on November 11, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The elder preached from Nehemiah 8 last Sunday. Ezra read the book of the Law to all Israel. They and we need it regularly read and preached to us because we dismiss or diminish its authority and efficaciousness (1) in our lives. He further pointed out that this passage is very frequently used to promote and instruct on expositional preaching. To read, explain, and exhort with the Word is the pattern for expository preaching. The passage also speaks of God’s people’s 1) need of the Word, 2) requiring the leadership to read the Word, 3) requirement to obey the Word, 4) need to speak with a unified voice from preachers, teachers, to all church members and parents on the truth of the Word, 5) need to understand the Word, and 6) response to the Word.
It was on the sixth point that my mind started musing as he unpacked it. In good preacher language, he proceeded to alliterate the process of God returning His people to Himself in “r’s”. The “r’s” caught my attention for two reasons. Firstly, I have been ruminating on the very idea for quite some time. Secondly, he said one minor thing that I disagreed with based on that rumination, namely that rejoicing is the endpoint. To be fair, when I asked him about it afterwards, he agreed with me, saying that it was effectively an intermediate endpoint since he could not preach the whole of Nehemiah in one sermon. So, his sermon helped me to complete the following diagram which had a few holes beforehand.
A continuing reverence for God and His Word will not prevent the need for repentance but it will reduce the depth of repentance needed as you keep short accounts and avoid presumptuous, chronic, and devastating sins. Also, as regular disclaimer for my diagrams, this is not the only way God may draw you back to Himself. It may be in a different order with additional or less steps. These are merely major signposts of restoration (2). Without spoiling the diagram by over-explanation, I offer this one clarification. One, saved or unsaved, may recognize (3) the message of revelation to their heart but not repent. He/she may never or just delay repentance as he/she resists the work of the Holy Spirit. So with all of the steps, the time across the arrows may vary greatly. May God bless us as we seek to draw nearer to the burning center (4) of His presence.
- efficaciousness- successful in producing a desired or intended result; effectiveness- the degree to which something is successful in producing a desired result; success
- That could have been the title!
- We call it conviction (of sin).
- Allusion to “The Burning Center” by John Piper
Wisdom, Part 1
Posted in General, Wisdom, tagged Experience, Knowledge, Observation, Prudence, Teachability, Understanding, Wisdom on November 10, 2023| Leave a Comment »
There is a certain cyclic nature to my thinking, that is, I think on a thing for a time, lay it aside for reasons of being busy, getting stuck in progress, or overwhelmed with how to proceed (1). Then at a later date, I return to the subject out of need or random reminder, pushing it forward with further insight procured from the Source through various secondary agents (2).
October 31st, 2023 was the 506th Reformation Day Celebration. I wrote as follows in my journal:
Reformation Day”! We are always in need of reformation though the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. I am musing on how wisdom is acquired. Certainly a right worldview is precursory (Proverbs 1:7) and the Scripture is the source text (John 17:17), but Proverbs and Christ and others point to perspective and procedures for acquiring wisdom. I have some preliminary thoughts, which I hope to later support with references to Scripture.
One must be teachable which requires humility. You can learn from anyone. Jesus references the sons of this age and their prudence. He does not condone their evil, but He does point out that their ways regarding certain issues are instructive. One should be observant, a practiced skill which should be challenged regularly as to how it is done in order to increase perceptiveness. Hone the skill. Gain knowledge, and with it understanding which is knowing what the knowledge means. This gain will involve much time in Scripture, prayer, fellowship, and listening to deep preaching for the purpose of developing discernment. Discernment is beyond understanding in that it enables the discerning to perceive what motives and origins undergird attitudes and actions and what the ramifications of choices may be. From these one may take experiences and wisdom which is the awareness of what right actions and reactions are applicable to circumstances of life and then act accordingly with prudence.
In my preliminary look at the subject these nine perspectives and procedures are the tools of wisdom. Have I left anything out? Might several of them be combined into one?
- https://creatorworship.net/2020/08/18/wisdom-part-0/
- You know, the Scriptures, the folly or wisdom of others, observation of nature or people, reading, etc.
The Channels VA
Posted in Beauty, General, Hike, Nature, Outdoors, Photo, tagged Hike, Nature, Outdoors, The Channels on November 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Yesterday, I went along with four young people to hike to and explore The Channels just north of Abingdon, VA. It was a beautiful day in every sense. Check it out at “The Channels“.
CreatorWorship 