How to Be Filled

Found this gem of a book in dad's office. "How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit." It's from AW Tozer's "Pulpit Series." It's 60 pages of gold. Here's what he says on the assurance of salvation,

"Jesus Christ wanted to take the religion out of the external and make it internal and put it on the same level as life itself, so that a man knows he knows God the same as he knows he is himself and not somebody else."

Prior to coming to faith, I was entirely external behavior no internal life. God continues to remind me that my solitude is my religion - who I am when I'm alone. "Man looks at outer appearance but God looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

All Star interview

A few nights ago at the All Star Game in St. Louis, President Obama was interviewed during the 3rd inning. One of the commentators was referring to the disparity between the AL and NL and asked President Obama if the NL could potentially receive a bailout jokingly and he said "no we're out of money." The NL team got a hit at that moment, subject changed. The next day I read of his adamant support of a health care bill for over a trillion dollars of money we don't have.

There are glaring discrepancies with Obama's actions over the last six weeks. I don't presume to have the answer and if you want to view discrepancies in anyone, come spend a day with me. I am merely trying to understand the irresponsible spending. I think the bill should be stopped in it's tracks until we can figure out how to operate with just an iota of fiscal discipline.

"How the Mighty Fall"

Finishing up "How the Mighty Fall" by Jim Collins, which has been a good intermittent relief from the density of Augustine. Notice what he says about companies who face turbulence:

"Beware, if you get caught in the stages of decline during turbulent times - if you succumb to hubris, overreaching, denial, and grasping for quick fixes - your fall will be faster and more violent than in stable times...if you've fallen get back into solid management disciplines now."

I recognize that this is a book on companies - how they fall or succeed, but principally its not a stretch to relate this to the operation of a country. We are in tough (turbulent) times, ok, we all recognize this and hear about it daily. Even more clear, the US is entrenched in hubris, overreaching, denial, and grasping for quick fixes. Why is it so necessary that Obamacare pass in two weeks? It's a perceived quick fix, that will lead to further decline. The Cap and Trade bill that will reduce global temperature by .1 degree over the next 100 years. Wow. Why is that so pressing to get through? It's overreaching and denial that makes Biden says, "we had no idea it was this bad."

If we don't have discipline especially in spending, the market will never correct itself and my Madeline's children will have a ball and chain of taxes attached to them.

Augustine on Properity

Prosperity, not a bad thing, obviously, but how is it used?

"For certainly your desire for peace, prosperity, and plenty is not prompted by using these blessings honestly, that is to say with moderation, sobriety, temperance, and piety; for your purpose rather is to run a riot in an endless variety of sottish pleasures, and thus to generate from your prosperity a moral pestilence which will prove a thousandfold more disastrous that the fiercest enemies."

Noticing...

What I'm beginning to notice from reading CoG - two things:

1. Augustine has something to say about every subject I ever wanted to know about - not to mention plenty to say on issues I've never considered deeply or even cared to know anything about.

2. As I read, the more I say, "Oh, I guess that was Augustine that originated that phrase, not CS Lewis, Jonathan Edwards, or Luther. So that's who that came from." And his ideas flowed from God's Word after scripture was canonized.

Augustine on Suffering

"When He exposes us to adversities, it is either to prove our perfections or correct our imperfections; and in return for our patient endurance of the sufferings of time, He reserves for us an everlasting reward." Augustine

God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.

Finally a reward that doesn't cease. I have plenty awards from sports growing up - I'm not talking about the "thanks for your participation" trophies they give out now to every kid because you played the sport and have too thin skin to not get a trophy kind of rewards. They're more the put in the center of my room somewhere when I'm growing up and polish awards. But just as any reward, the recognition dissipated and the rewards tarnished or broke. An "everlasting reward" that cannot be touched or tainted is worth endurance not for rewards sake but for Christ's sake.

Augustine: "God can move without moving"

"Our God is everywhere present, wholly everywhere; not confined to any place. He can be present unperceived and absent without moving."

Blogging through City of God

Considering it took me about an hour to get through 15 pages tonight this could get interesting. But I'm learning so much over the little I'm actually getting through. It's a slow but robust read (kind of like a good cigar or cup of coffee). I thought I'd share a few thoughts about Augustine as I plow through.

As Tim Keller described, Augustine was a pretty vehement womanizer in his twenties. Recently after he came to faith in Christ he was visiting a town where one of his old women approached him to embrace him and rekindle a former affair. He passed by her, literally shrugging her off. The woman thinking he merely didn't recognize her, approached him again saying, "Augustine, Augustine it is I!" He turned to her and replied, "Yes, but it is no longer I."

I read an aged sermon Piper gave on Augustine and it stirred up in me a desire for further research and even gave me motivation to read The City of God. So here goes...

Christ in Daniel

So many similarities to the true and perfect Daniel, he foreshadows Jesus. Daniel, on trial for his life is tossed to be devoured by lions. Observe the comparison from Daniel 6:

- Daniel was betrayed for not violating the law. Daniel had no fault with him according to the law but he praised his God not the king. This infuriated the nobility so they convinced King Darius to create a law setting a trap for Daniel.

- Darius found no fault in Daniel. Just like Pontius Pilot washed his hands before he hands Jesus over to His death without fault.

- Daniel went silent to his death sentence. He didn't say a word before his accusers. On Jesus, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth" Isaiah 53.

- A large stone was rolled over the den where Daniel was fed to lions. On the tomb of Jesus, "And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large." Mark 16:4

- God delivered him from the lions causing them to slumber. "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead" 1 Corinthians 15:20

On the cross an innocent Jesus was forsaken by His Father accomplishing the jaws of death to fall asleep. He took on the sin of humanity that through faith in Him eradicates death.