Goodness and our consumer society

Looking good and feeling good have replaced being good and doing good.

- Stuart McAlister, "The Gospel in a consumer society, Part 3 of 4" << link to FREE DOWNLOAD

Listen to Just Thinking, a radio broadcast of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM).

Tradition & Traditionalism

Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.
Tradition is the living faith of the dead.

- Stuart McAlister, "The Gospel in a consumer society, Part 3 of 4" << link to FREE DOWNLOAD

Listen to Just Thinking, a radio broadcast of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM).

Philippians 1:21 - Life Verse

NASB

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

11/6/2008 - The book of Philippians is probably my favorite book of the Bible, mainly due to the impact that "Basics for Believers" by Don Carson has had on me.

Psalm 4:4 - NASB

NASB

Tremble, and do not sin;
Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.
Selah

Oh no, I'm confused about the real meaning of this verse given the ESV translation.

Loving God Too Little

He loves Thee too little, who loves anything beside Thee, which He loves not for Thy sake
(Gotta double-check exact wording)

- St. Augustine

Psalm 4:1

ESV

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

11/5/2008 (midnight) - The exclamation points speak to me as I plead for wisdom about summer camp. O Lord, be gracious to me and hear my prayer. Help us, help me, deliver us!

Why does David choose the word "righteousness" in addressing God here? "O God of my righteousness"

Psalm 5:7

ESV

But I, through the abundance of Your steadfast love,
will enter Your house.
I will bow down toward Your holy temple
in the fear of You.

11/5/2008 (midnight) - I love this reminder on the "how" part: through the ABUNDANCE of Your STEADFAST LOVE. Let me take that in piece by piece. Your love. Your steadfast love. Through the abundance of Your steadfast love. (happy) SIGH! How amazing it is that You love me. If not through the ABUNDANCE of Your steadfast (unchanging, firm, strong and dependable, still there after I've failed You a million times) love, how could I hope to enter Your house? As verses 4-6 indicate, evil may not dwell with You.

"But I, through the abundance of Your steadfast love,
will enter Your house"

11/5/2008 - "in the fear of You"
O God, I believe in having a healthy fear of You which is lacking in many of us who regard You as our "dad" and friend and forgiving Savior. God, many people might shun this doctrine, saying that we make you unapproachable, but I believe in the fear of God.

You are my loving, and yet, holy God. You are my approachable Friend and unapproachable King. We must live with this tension. You are my Father. You are my master.

Please open our eyes and lift Yourself up in our hearts. Give us a healthy dose of fear and reverence and cause us to tremble appropriately as we enter Your presence.

Psalm 4:4

ESV

Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your bed,
and be silent. (Selah)

11/4/2008 - This is a good verse to remember when somebody (or something) angers me. Just read a Christian barista's post about a very difficult, griping customer. Good to remember this verse if/when I find myself in a similar situation.

Notice the verse says 2 things in the 1st line:
1) Affirmative - Be angry
2) Negative - Do not sin

Yeah, you feel angry when you suffer injustice and are treated unfairly. You're not made of stone, the other person was really wrong, so fine, be angry.... but do not sin. Actually, the ESV version says "AND" do not sin. Worth noting.

11/5/2008 - (midnight in Manila) "ponder in your own hearts on your bed," I wonder what we are supposed to ponder in our hearts. I don't know if the context limits the things we need to ponder based on this verse, but the first thing I thought of was: my own shortcomings and sins. This will certainly drive me to silence, i.e. make me stop grumbling about the injustices I've had to bear.

Another thing to ponder on: God's ability to save me, God's trustworthiness. I think this matches the context (in verse 1, the psalmist cries, "Answer me when I call... You have given me relief when I was in distress...". in verse 5, he reminds himself, "put your trust in the LORD.") Why should I be angry and frustrated when things don't go as planned, when I am treated unfairly? Isn't the Lord able to deliver me out of this distress also? Isn't He able to work things out for good to those who love and fear Him? Why should I be bothered at all?

Psalm 3:5

ESV

I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.

(note: put picture related to sleep here)

Psalm 3 - of David when he fled from his son Absalom

11/4/2008 - This verse strikes me because I've been having such a hard time waking up. I get 10 hours of sleep but it still doesn't feel like enough. I am tired all the time.