growth in grace | Stray Thoughts

Some of the thought-provoking reads found this week:

The Heavens Are Still Declaring–and Not Just to Astronauts, HT to Challies. “What seems to happen for the astronauts is that they gain enough distance from the distractions that it interrupts their internal suppression. They move far enough away from the static of everyday life that God’s signal can once again be heard with clarity. And what they hear profoundly changes them.”

Don’t Skim the “Minor” Bible Stories. “While the amount of ‘real estate’ given to a particular story in the Bible is worth noting, it doesn’t give us license to ignore or rush past the little moments. All of it is included for our ‘teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work’ (2 Tim. 3:16–17). This truth opens the door for the ‘smaller’ (and sometimes more confusing) stories to come alive.”

When Christian Formation is Tough, What Will Keep You Going? HT to the Story Warren. “Walk long enough with believers who are seeking the Lord through prayer, Bible reading, and service in the church, and you’ll hear comments like this. Words of weariness. Fragments of discouragement. Maybe you’re there right now—demoralized by division in your church, disillusioned by unanswered prayers, disinclined to open God’s Word when carving out time already feels impossible. What will keep you praying in circumstances like this? What will keep you going to God’s Word? What will keep you in the church?”

6 Arguments Satan Uses to Tempt You and 6 Responses to Use When He Does, HT to Challies. “We often want to change the consequences of sin but not the sin itself. We want to do something about the guilt, the fear, the damaged relationships. These outcomes can be a strong motive for seeking help, but in our heart of hearts, we still desire the sin itself.”

Once a Promiscuous Woman, Always a Promiscuous Woman, HT to Challies. “Tell me you don’t understand the gospel without telling me. I really wish this was a niche belief . . . It seems there are a lot more Christ-proclaiming men and women who don’t understand how far the grace of God can reach. They don’t understand how far it had to reach to save them, too.”

Nothing to Hide: Encouraging Transparency in our Relationships. “Here I was, a biblical counselor, helping others with their problems, and yet I was struggling, too. Should I share this with the women at the study? The study I was leading? What would they think of me? Or should I push through, pretending to be someone I was not? I stayed with my conviction to confess these things from my heart.”

Christians must make dating great again, HT to Challies. “In response to the excesses of ’90s hookup culture, many well-meaning parents and churches told their children to ‘kiss dating goodbye.’ The intention was good: avoid sexual sin, take relationships seriously, aim for marriage. But the unintended consequence was that many young adults stopped dating altogether.” I think the advice here is good not just due to lower birth rates, as seems to be the author’s main emphasis, but to encourage young people in their relationships and to help counteract some of the wrong advice from the past.

“I Just Want You to Be Happy” and Other Things I Don’t Tell My Single Friends. “Proverbs 27:6 says, ‘The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.’ An enemy, literally ‘one who hates,’ may appear to be a friend because she doesn’t offer criticism or rebuke. Yet, ironically, a true friend is more loving because she is willing to offer wise correction, even if it stings in the moment or isn’t what the other person wants to hear. That’s why I’ve stopped using these three statements with my single friends.”

Look for the Light. “My children carefully observed all that was going on that day. They saw my grandmother’s frailty and despite her inability to connect, they loved her without condition. Then, they generously shared their joy with another man they barely knew. How can one not see God at work there?”

“The name of Jesus Christ is hell’s terror, heaven’s delight, and earth’s hope.”– Charles Spurgeon

I have a fairly long list of good online articles discovered this week. Perhaps a few will be of interest to you.

Gone Are the Dark Clouds, HT to Challies. “If communicating the gospel appears daunting, remember that Christ commissions and accompanies us. Through Jesus’s work on the cross we are reconciled to God, not abandoned. We can talk about this with genuine care and love for people.”

Why Does God Say No to Good Things, HT to Challies. “We understand why God would reject requests contrary to his revealed will (e.g., for provisions to rob a bank successfully) or purely materialistic requests (e.g., to win the lottery). But why would God say no to something good—seemingly consistent with his desires?”

Satan Loves Social Media. “Every other video on the internet seems to be trying to convince women to be dissatisfied with their lives. I’m not just talking about people displaying gorgeous homes and inspiring jealousy. I’m not even talking about the vast array of ads and influencer posts that convince us we aren’t allowed to age or sport any type of physical imperfections. I’m talking about reel after reel of men and women explaining to women specifically and in great detail why we should be unhappy.”

Great Gifts but Little Faithfulness. “I have known Christians who have great gifts but low faithfulness. God has given them much and it is apparent that they are making little of it. . . . I have also known men who have few gifts but great faithfulness. God has given them little and it is apparent that they are making much of it.”

No Little People. No Little Places, HT to Challies. “As Francis Schaeffer would say, ‘No little people, no little places.’ Everything God gives us to do is big and beautiful and of eternal significance. So let’s not miss out on the chances God gives us every single day to make a difference to someone.”

I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow, but He doesn’t always answer in the ways we expected. HT to Challies.

A Key Discipline: Observe Without Judgment. “It can be jarring to worship in a church that adheres to an unfamiliar tradition. Customs may be strange and patterns may differ from what I am accustomed to. And it is at the point of such differences that I immediately find myself tempted to pass judgment.”

Stretching Joy: 10 Ways to Notice God’s Everyday Mercies, HT to Challies. “I’ve been considering lately how to amplify singular moments of joy or beauty that God gives me. I want them to be longer-lasting, more durable experiences of thanksgiving that coexist with ongoing hardship, sorrow, or struggle with sin.”

The Glory of Good Work, HT to Redeeming Productivity. “Watching someone do good work brings joy. So does hearing someone talk about how they do something difficult that’s worth doing for the good and enjoyment of others. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” God made us to enjoy seeing people who are good at their work.”

Grace and Peace in an Election Year. “In an election year, loving our politically-other neighbor may feel more costly than airfare with an extra baggage fee! Our toughest cross-cultural assignment may be extending grace to a colleague or fellow church member whose opinions seem incomprehensible to us.”

“If we really want God’s will to be done and His kingdom to come, the chances are pretty good that my will is going to have to be undone every once in a while.” –Elisabeth Elliot