Hey!
Here are five things from the week worth sharing.
Enjoy,
MK
1. 35 for 35: What I’ve Come to Believe
Tanner Olsen is sharing reflections upon his birthday. I enjoy lists like these. Here’s one sentiment that resonated with me:
But I am beginning to see the simple life is the good life.
What a thing it is to see that when you don’t have much, you still have it all.
If you’re looking for permission, let me give it to you:
It is more than okay to live a small, simple life.
2. Romans 9 Changed My Life
I’m working on a newsletter for the coming weeks, and in my writing I’ve been reflecting on my sophomore year at Texas A&M, where 8 of us walked through Romans and listened to John Piper’s series on the text. When we got to Romans 9, I wondered if before I showed up late that week they had all drunk kool-aid. The idea of God’s sovereignty in my salvation rattled me, and I think I left the study for a few weeks.
The Spirit of God didn’t leave me alone in those weeks. He let me know I could either smooth the text to ease my conscience, or I could accept the text to embrace God’s reality.
It was the first time after annual summer camp rededications, being baptized multiple times, and saying the sinners prayer every night for a year in high school that the Spirit of God help me see God’s love and action toward me, and I wept tears of gratitude for his grace.
Here’s Dr. Piper sharing how this chapter has impacted his life:
3. Fight the Good Fight of Faith
Knowing the history of your faith helps you understand the line of sound doctrine (belief), way of life, and greater story you are a part of. Learning doctrine helps you see God rightly, choose rightly, and belong to his people rightly. If you think it’s just about feeling or experience, the cost of sin seems small, and self-control seems unnecessary.
A great amount of the New Testament (and the Old) would suggest differently. The cost of even small sins is great, and self-control is a way to offer our attention to God in greater degrees, prizing what He says over what our feelings tell us we need.
________
[11] But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
[12] Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
[13] I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
[14] to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[15] which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
[16] who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
1 Timothy 6:11–16 (ESV)
4. A Bulwark Never Failing
In studying from my PhD comps, I’ve spent the last few weeks in the 1200-1600’s and The Age of Reform. I’ve now passed into the Enlightenment / Modern era, and I find myself returning to Martin Luther’s lyrics in the hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God.
A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God's own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever!
5. Crossing The Jordan Was A Miracle
I’m teaching Joshua 3-5 this Sunday/Tuesday, and in studying I’ve been trying to visualize what the crossing must have been like for at least 40,000 men of war.
I’ve found aerial drone footage of the Jordan River Valley, but the river is nothing compared to what it was in history, as it has been dammed, depleted, and diverted over the centuries.
I came across a map and have been sitting with it for a few days. 100 feet deep, 2 miles wide, and the text says that God made the waters stand up in a heap so his people could cross on dry land.
The waters stopped ~20 miles upstream, and 40K+ went down into the valley, down 100 ft into the river, crossed miles of the river bottom, and then climbed back out while carrying battle gear, food, and tents.
It’s a chapter in the text, but a miracle that stands in the memory of God’s people because He provided for them.
Go read Joshua 3-5. Look at how many times the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned, and how it is God’s presence the people looked to as He stopped the waters of the Jordan and provided entrance into the promised land he promised back in Genesis 12.
Here’s the map (isn’t the internet helpful at times!?)
Thanks for reading!
If someone forwarded this to you, I write two kinds of emails: one on any given Tuesday about life with God and the other every Friday, where I share things I’ve found during the week. The latest two months of posts are accessible to all, and paid subscribers get the full archive. If you want to subscribe but can’t afford it, email me, and I’ll take care of it—no questions asked.
I live in Flower Mound, TX, with my wife Carly, our three kids, and our chocolate lab. I pastor, teach, and lead at The Village Church, serving as an Elder and the Executive Director of Discipleship. In my spare time (ha!), I’m working on a Ph.D. in Church History, studying Jonathan Edwards and character formation. Also, I’ve written A Short Guide to Spiritual Disciplines: How to Become a Healthy Christian.
Thank you for reading and supporting my work as I seek to shepherd with compassion and wisdom, equipping people to embody God's truth for all of life.
Talk soon,
Mason