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Archive for January, 2012

Going to see some radicals

Posted in News on January 21, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Lord willing, I’m either in transit or actually in Oregon when you read this.  I’m going to see some crazy people – most people do not know what to do with radicals like these!

They don’t look like radicals, do they?

God has made Craig and Susan (on the left) into pretty amazing people.

Their story is interesting.  The way they tell it, they were good-hearted, nice church people – then God moved on them to change their lives in ways they never could have expected.

Susan started a program to serve young mothers a few years ago – they’ve served more than 1,500 women and children!  All with volunteers and all with donations of clothes and baby items.  And every woman hears the gospel.  Here’s a five minute video that tells the story much better than I can.

Maybe the most telling comment is this one from Susan: A few years ago all my friends were basically like me.  Now my best friends have criminal records and tattoos!

They moved across the street from this ministry, which is located in a poor part of town.  God planted more dreams, and Craig responded in faith.  Most men don’t consider a radical shift from a professional career into the ministry at his age, but that’s what he’s doing.

They aren’t ‘nice’ people at all – joy-filled, hospitable, smart, kind, hard working – but not nice.  There is a tenacious clinging to Jesus for joy that is special.   Satan knows how dangerous they are.

So, I’m going to happily hang out with them for a few hours as they celebrate the launching of their new church that Craig will be leading.

Then I’ll drive down to Bend to spend time with more dangerous people.  Justin (the fellow on the right above) gave up a good business to work full-time on The Elisha Foundation, which is entirely dedicated to making Jesus known to families like ours through retreats, respite nights, and reaching out beyond the boundaries of the United States.  My family has experienced their God-centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-filled hospitality – as have dozens of others.  This kind of pouring out of one’s life – looking the suffering of disability squarely in the eye and proclaiming the sovereignty and goodness of God – isn’t easy or simply.  But it is wonderful to experience.

I’m grateful to God for these people and how he has made them and sustains them.  I’m grateful to God for my wife’s generosity in releasing me for these three days as that is no simple thing either.  And I’m grateful to God for Desiring God posting (Lord willing) Pastor John’s message on Monday, as I won’t be in Minnesota to hear him deliver his annual pro-life message which God has used to change how I think about unborn life and the goodness and sovereignty of God.

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Do not treat God’s supreme creation with contempt, any of them.

Posted in commentary, Quotes, Sermons on January 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »

From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;

What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?

Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!

Psalm 8:2-5 NASB

Some argue that rationality and self-awareness are necessary for a human being to be considered a person.  That leaves out all kinds of people with certain kinds of disabilities.

Pastor John points out something a little different – human dignity is not granted based on rationality, but granted by the one who created them!  And though this is not specifically about little ones with disabilities, the connection is clearly evident:

Why is it that what comes out of the mouth of these little humans has such strength that it can overcome the enemies of God? I think the answer is, at least in part, given by verse 5—these little ones are made by God. Job said in Job 31:15, “Did not he who made me in the womb make him [my servant], and the same one fashion us in the womb?” Little infants and sucking babes are each made by God in the womb.

Moreover they are made in the womb, like no other being, a little less than the angels, and they are made in the womb by God and crowned with glory and majesty. In other words, their supreme place in creation under God (or the angels) is so profound even at the stage of being sucklings that when they open their mouth to cry or to coo or to babble as a human being, they are bearing witness to their unspeakable dignity in creation and therefore to the majesty of God’s name in all the earth. God does not wait until a sucking babe is rational and independent to ascribe to him the glory and majesty of verse 5—he doesn’t have to be a NASA scientist. When the suckling opens his mouth, God is praised, strength is established by the sheer truth that a human creation in the image of the majestic God is here.

Let all the adversaries of God take note and tremble. If they treat God’s supreme creation with contempt, they will lose. They will be silenced.

And so I appeal to you, do not join with the adversaries of God in killing unborn children or scorning any race of human beings. Because the truth of this text stands sure: You cannot worship and glorify the majesty of God while treating his supreme creation with contempt.

John Piper, What Is Man?, delivered January 16, 1994.

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Victory! Up next, Paradise!

Posted in Quotes on January 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Paul successfully swallowed a large pill the other day, and has taken them without much complaint ever since.  You might recall Hannah got him to swallow a small pill some months ago.  This one was at least four times larger.

The first success wasn’t easy or pretty.  Dianne had to work carefully to get the pill positioned in such a way as to encourage him to swallow, without at the same time getting bitten.  He may not chew anything, but his teeth work just fine.

He managed to work it out of his mouth a couple of times.  Then he swallowed.

We rejoice in small victories like that, especially when the medicines in those pills might actually help him!  We don’t take too much for granted with him.  And we long for it to be better for him, and for us.

For some reason, that reminded me of Pastor John’s closing to Momentary Marriage.  This investment in Paul is worthwhile because God made him and gave him to us as he is.  But it also isn’t going to last for very long.

So it is with marriage. It is a momentary gift. It may last a lifetime, or it may be snatched away on the honeymoon. Either way, it is short. It may have many bright days, or it may be covered with clouds. If we make secondary things primary, we will be embittered at the sorrows we must face. But if we set our face to make of marriage mainly what God designed it to be, no sorrows and no calamities can stand in our way. Every one of them will be, not an obstacle to success, but a way to succeed. The beauty of the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his church shines brightest when nothing but Christ can sustain it.

Very soon the shadow will give way to Reality. The partial will pass into the Perfect. The foretaste will lead to the Banquet. The troubled path will end in Paradise. A hundred candle-lit evenings will come to their consummation in the marriage supper of the Lamb. And this momentary marriage will be swallowed up by Life. Christ will be all and in all. And the purpose of marriage will be complete.

To that end may God give us eyes to see what matters most in this life. May the Holy Spirit, whom he sends, make his crucified and risen Son the supreme Treasure of our lives. And may that Treasure so satisfy our souls that the root of every marriage-destroying impulse is severed. And may the marriage-watching world be captivated by the covenant-keeping love of Christ.

John Piper, This Momentary Marriage, p. 178.

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Shameful history. Joy-filled eternity!

Posted in News, Scripture on January 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

For my most recent blog post at Desiring God I spent time reviewing some of the shameful history of the church in the eugenics and abortion movements.  Similar to the church’s history with slavery, Dianne had to listen to me wonder how the religious proponents of eugenics at the turn of the 20th century and their theological children who support abortion in the 21st century could have been and are so unaware of the evil they were and are promoting.

And it makes me tremble to consider what evil I’m still clinging to that will be considered shameful in a hundred years.

Thankfully, J.C. Ryle gave me a shot of something strong and good and pure in the midst of a life that ‘may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful . . .”:

Faith is life. How great the blessing! Who can describe or realize the gulf between life and death? “A living dog is better than a dead lion.” (Eccles. ix. 4.)

And yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful, trying, anxious, weary, burdensome, joyless, smileless to the very end. Assurance is more than life. It is health, strength, power, vigour, activity, energy, manliness, beauty. . .

Blessed, thrice blessed are they that believe! They are safe. They are washed. They are justified. They are beyond the power of hell. Satan, with all his malice, shall never pluck them out of Christ’s hand.

But he that has assurance does far better–sees more, feels more, knows more, enjoys more, has more days like those spoken of in Deuteronomy, even “the days of heaven upon the earth.” (Deut. xi. 21.)

J.C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots, p. 190.

The argument from those who promote aborting unborn children with disabilities is that the parents don’t want the children to suffer and the parents themselves don’t want to suffer through their children’s suffering.  Somehow, this prior knowledge of suffering grants the right to rid ourselves of it, no matter the cost to a little human being.

Jesus had prior knowledge of his suffering, and he also had prior knowledge of something else:

. . . who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 ESV

Let us live in this knowledge – joy is coming!  God will help us endure to the end.

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Let us look clearly at the power of Jesus Christ

Posted in Quotes on January 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

It is good for all men to have clear views of the Lord Jesus Christ’s power.

Let the sinner know that the merciful Saviour to whom he is urged to flee, and in whom he is invited to trust, is nothing less than the Almighty, and has power over all flesh to eternal life. (Rev. i. 8; John xvii. 2.)

Let the anxious inquirer understand that if he will only venture on Jesus, and take up the cross, he ventures on One who has all power in heaven and earth. (Matt. xxviii. 18.)

Let the believer remember as he journeys through the wilderness, that his Mediator, and Advocate, and Physician, and Shepherd, and Redeemer, is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and that through Him all things may be done. (Rev. xvii. 14; Phil. iv. 13.)

J.C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots, pp. 209-10.

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Someday, justice will reign for all the babies

Posted in commentary, News on January 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »

It seems right on this national Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday to recognize that someday little black babies and little brown babies and little babies with disabilities of all colors will no longer be subject to the horror of abortion.

It is a focused horror.  I’ve covered the issue of abortion and babies with disabilities many times before, but it isn’t limited to disability.  Black babies are also targeted (thank you to The Radiance Foundation for this video):

It also seems right to warn those who would destroy them because they are black or brown or disabled or poor that this injustice will not stand, and it won’t be human judges who make the verdict:

For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:30-31 ESV

Jesus can cover this sin of abortion.  Isn’t that what we want – more people clinging to Jesus?  And that doesn’t just turn people away from doing horrible things to babies, but leads to joy!

And that’s the kind of justice I think we all want:

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36 ESV

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Where we can all point the blame for our sin

Posted in commentary, Helpful things on January 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »

God used Paul Tripp to protect me from myself, again.  It doesn’t really matter what the circumstance was, I was letting a situation dictate a growing scoffing, sneering, dismissive attitude.

Then I read this:

I still need to be rescued from me because as long as sin remains I’ll be drawn to desire, think, say and do what God names as evil.

Quickly followed by this:

It’s my heart that’s the problem. People, locations and situations don’t cause me to sin, they’re where the sin of my heart gets revealed.

Paul Tripp, via @PaulTripp, Friday, January 13, 2012.

APTAT!

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As Christians, knowing isn’t necessary (and it’s ok to ask)

Posted in commentary, Scripture on January 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »

This past week, two men who pastor churches – one a veteran, the other in his first years – sent out information about their children.  The little girl’s multiple issues are still a mystery, but probably genetic in nature.  The little boy has an unknown and as yet undiagnosed issue that causes him to vomit multiple times a day.

Both men (and their wives) want answers, and are actively pursuing answers.  Yet both are living with a serenity in the sovereignty of God that is beautiful and convicting.

Paul Tautges, the father of the little girl, wrote this on his blog last November:

Biblical faith does not require answers. Our daughter’s neurologist has gone out of his way to request a secondary funding source (genetic array costs a minimum of $20,000) not because we cannot live without answers, or because our faith in God is threatened. On the contrary, our faith in the sovereignty and goodness of God is surer than ever. Our confidence in Christ and the eternal hope of the gospel is richer now than if our lives had been free from having children with physical disabilities.

Trusting God doesn’t mean we are passive.  On the contrary, having the foundation that God will strengthen us for the task he has given provides impetus to act!

We’ve all been there at some point – not knowing what is really going on in our children.  Dianne repeated something last night we’ve said to each other a hundred times: not knowing is much harder than knowing, even when the knowing is devastating.

So I pray for these families, that God would grant them the knowledge that would help them serve their children.  I know they are praying earnestly for it!

And if he chooses not to reveal it, we can still rest in this: God knows it all, he is the eternal source of love, he designed those children with a purpose, and nothing can stop him, for his glory and for our good.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 ESV

 

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Bitter or angry? APTAT

Posted in commentary, Sermons on January 13, 2012| 6 Comments »

Dianne to me: the doctor’s office called and he wants to increase Paul’s meds to 8 ml morning and evening.

Me: you’ve got to be kidding.  What are they thinking?

Backstory: Paul’s medications have helped control his seizures, until a recent five-day span when he had multiple seizures every day.  Dianne has been trying to get some answers and possible changes.  This particular medicine makes him sleepy.  We’ve already seen what happens when we increase this medication – the sleepiness just gets more pronounced.  We don’t want to lose any more time with him!

So, my first response started me down a very bad path, which I don’t say out loud but is rather intensely going on inside: they aren’t paying attention; we’ve gone down this path before; they really don’t care at all about him; what if there’s no real help for him; what is God thinking in adding to our. . . . . . . . . . . .

Then God spoke:

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 ESV

Time to refocus and engage:

APTAT (from Pastor John’s sermon of this past Sunday, The Word of God Is at Work in You):

Admit – Lord, I hate this and I’m angry.  And I know this could swallow me up whole; I can’t beat it.

Pray – Lord, we need a good answer for Paul and I don’t believe this is it.  Please provide a better course to help him.  Please give us wisdom to do the right thing – what if this is the right thing? And please don’t let me turn my anger into doubting your goodness; I hate that I used to do that and I never want to go back to that.

Trust -But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children. . . Psalm 103:17 ESV  He has not stopped loving Paul or me. Whatever he wants to do, he can do and will do.

Act – Dianne reminded the doctor about the sleepiness and asked for another course. He has prescribed yet another medication, and we are investigating it for ourselves before starting.  We are inclined to pursue this course of action.

Thank – Lord, thank you for 1) helping the doctor to hear Dianne’s concern and thinking through another course, and more importantly 2) reminding me that you did not spare your own son, which immediately reoriented my heart.  Even before I asked for help, you were already providing it.

And here is APTAT in Pastor John’s own words in less than four minutes:

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Sentiment won’t win the day, but it helps!

Posted in commentary on January 12, 2012| 1 Comment »

The response from Tuesday’s post on teaching the Bible to our severely cognitively impaired family members has been encouraging.

And sobering.  We really do live in a different reality than people who don’t know God through Jesus Christ.  The idea that there is a supernatural joy given as a gift, among many gifts, from a super-capable God just doesn’t make any sense outside of actually knowing this God and experiencing his love.

We all know parents who do not embrace Jesus who are doing their best for their children with disabilities and who love them intensely.  They stand as examples of the common grace God grants, both to the parents and to the children.

But we do something extra – we attach meaning to this life that is full of hard things:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV)

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV)

We define our experiences in light of God’s word and his sure promises, even when we need to fight to do so. The delight we have in God is because of who God is and how purposeful he is in all things – and that magnifies the delight we have in our children even as we grieve the suffering.  It is not mere parental sentiment at work, but God at work on our behalf to increase our joy.  And it is worth fighting for.

And that’s the sobering part.  People will see our delight and be genuinely happy for us.  They will understand that delight in the midst of hard things is a precious thing.

But they won’t attach it to anything beyond our own sentimental attachment to our children, not seeing the divine handiwork behind it.  Or worse, they attach it to some good in us!  Who among us hasn’t heard, “God only gives you what you can handle,” as though we were somehow just waiting for all the mess associated with disability to be given to us.  I know it is meant well, but how foolish!  Even the parents I know who have adopted one or lots of children with disabilities (thus actually choose this life, in one sense), don’t believe themselves to be anything special – and desperately need God’s help every day.

Not attaching our joy in hard things to God’s work in our lives leads to our cultural schizophrenia about people with disabilities.  I’m using the definition of schizophrenia that means “a state characterized by the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements.”

On the one hand, as a culture we want to alleviate suffering and promote the development of the gifts of those with disabilities, thus the myriad of governmental, church and non-profit programs that exist to provide services for those living with disabilities of all kinds.  This is what ‘good people’ do.  On the other, the abortion rate of children with disabilities suggests we really don’t want them around.

Only God can win this day because only God can transform hearts.  From the comments on Tuesday’s post, he has already done that miracle in a lot of people’s lives, including mine.

And I know God has used my son to pierce dark hearts, and sometimes it is a testimony of joy that God uses.

So let us not neglect to tell our stories when we can, but also not be too surprised when the real story – God’s magnificent, overwhelming love and power – isn’t understood or shared.  God knows what he’s doing for his glory, and for our joy.

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