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Dear fellow worrier. . .

November 19, 2012 by John Knight

One of the great benefits of the disability conference was having several friends travel to Minnesota.  Dr. Paul Tautges, pastor, author of a bunch of books, and a fellow dad, is one of those friends who I hardly ever get to see.  It was a joy to spend even a few minutes with him.

And he highlighted one of my most difficult sins in a blog post he wrote last Friday.  So I’m copying his entire post here, and commending his blog to you.  Thank you, Paul!

Dear fellow worrier,

If you are a regular reader of this blog then you know that one of my ongoing battles with indwelling sin is in the area of anxiety. As I continue to seek the Lord for sanctifying help in this much-needed area there are a number of thoughts that are proving to be helpful, albeit the progress I make in application is usually slower than I desire.

The following thoughts come on the heels of a discussion I had yesterday with another pastor whom God is using to help me apply biblical truth in order to grow in trusting God rather than myself. I pass them on in simple list form and trust they will be of benefit to you as well.

  1. Anxiety is fear, which is the opposite of trusting God. I need the psalmist’s resolve (Psalm 56:3).
  2. Anxiety is the desire to know what we cannot know and to control what we cannot control. This is why it is accurate to say that anxiety is the opposite of faith (Matt 6:34).
  3. At the moment in which the emotion of anxiety seeks to take control of me I must rehearse trust-building truths about God. God has given me the ability to control my emotions.
  4. When I let anxiety control me then it hinders my obedience to God in other areas, such as Romans 12:10.
  5. God’s prescription for anxiety is thankful prayer (Phil 4:6-7). When I choose to be thankful to God—and look for, and name, specific reasons—my focus is directed to God and, therefore, away from myself.

Posted in Helpful things | 1 Comment »

“Disability says ugly things to me. . . God says beautiful things to me. Listen!” Krista Horning

November 18, 2012 by John Knight

The first video from the conference is online!  The DG media team picked a good one to work on first: Krista Horning’s testimony.

Krista Horning – Testimony of God’s Good Design from Desiring God on Vimeo.

Posted in Scripture, Special Events | 10 Comments »

“He weaves all the grief and sadness into all the joys, and makes them something beautiful. . .”

November 17, 2012 by John Knight

The Desiring God media guys told me that more than 1000 unique devices watched our disability conference live on the web last week.

One of those devices was at a North Carolina church, where about 40 people gathered!

Their pastor is leading that church, Alliance Bible Fellowship, through a series on thanksgiving.  This video is an interview of one of their members.  Though made before our conference, you will hear one of Pastor John’s main points from his conference message in the video below (which, Lord willing, will be available next week):

Thank you, Pastor Burns, for encouraging your people to watch our conference and for blessing me with this video from your church!

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Patience – the videos are coming!

November 16, 2012 by John Knight

Our video team has had more on their plates than normal, but they are working hard to get the videos from Desiring God’s conference, The Works of God: God’s Good Design in Disability, available on the web.

I am grateful for the many emails and direct messages asking about them.  I’m ready to share them myself!  It could be as early as later today.  If that’s the case I’ll post again here and on twitter.

In the meantime, Pastor John tweeted an interesting quote that got me looking for its context:

“There are hard texts in the works, as well as the word of God.” Flavel

It comes from John Flavel‘s book, Divine Conduct; or The Mystery of Providence, first published in 1678.  The section below comes from pages 155 and 156. Emphasis in bold is mine:

Pry not too curiously into the secrets of Providence, nor suffer your shallow reason to judge and censure its designs.

There are hard texts in the works, as well as in the word of God. It becomes us modestly and humbly to reverence, but not to dogmatize boldly and positively upon them. “When I thought to know this,” says Asaph, “it was too wonderful for me.” “I thought to know this;” there was the arrogant attempt of reason, there he pryed into the arcana of Providence; but “it was too wonderful for me,” it was a useless labor. He pryed so far into that mystery, the afflictions of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked, till it begat envy towards them, and despondency in himself; and this was all that he got by summoning Providence to the bar of reason.

I know that there is nothing in the word or in the works of God which is repugnant to sound reason; but there are some things in both, which are opposite to carnal reason, as well as above right reason; and therefore our reason never shows itself more unreasonable, than in summoning those things to its bar, which transcend its sphere and capacity. Manifold are the mischiefs which ensure from this practice. By this we are drawn into an unworthy suspicion and distrust of the faithfulness of God in the promises. Hence comes despondency of mind, and faintness of heart under afflictive providences. Hence flow temptations to deliver ourselves by indirect and sinful means.

Beware, therefore, that you lean not too much to your own understanding. Nothing is more plausible, nothing more dangerous.

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The Lord says, ‘Do not fear!’

November 15, 2012 by John Knight

I came across one reference to ‘do not fear’ and looked for others. Here are two that encouraged me as many of us are facing hard things in our families:

“I called on your name, O LORD,
from the depths of the pit;
you heard my plea, ‘Do not close
your ear to my cry for help!’
You came near when I called on you;
you said, ‘Do not fear!’
“You have taken up my cause, O Lord;
you have redeemed my life.
(Lamentations 3:55-58 ESV)

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:4-7 ESV)

Posted in Scripture | 1 Comment »

“The most helpful thing you can do is pray without ceasing.” Jeff and Erin Miller

November 14, 2012 by John Knight

I’m reading through a little book handed to me at the disability conference last week and came across several prayers like this one (emphasis in bold is mine):

How to Pray for Your Spouse

If you are the wage earner and your spouse is doing much of the caretaking, the most helpful thing you can do is pray without ceasing. Lift this spouse up in prayer constantly. . . Thank God for your spouse’s willingness to take care of your family while you are away. Be thankful for this partner.

Jeff and Erin Miller, Forever & Always, No Matter What: A Story of Marriage, Autism and God’s Glory, pp. 41-42.

Amen!

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)

I’m still working my way through this book, mostly because they caught my attention right on the first page of introduction: “This book is written primarily to help you face autism in a way that glorifies God.”

Now that’s a good reason to write a book!

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Live-chat Wednesday at 4 pm (Eastern) on why churches should welcome families like ours

November 13, 2012 by John Knight

The Inclusion Fusion web disability summit includes opportunities to ‘chat’ with the speakers online.

I signed up for 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Wednesday, November 14 on my topic: why churches should welcome families like ours.

Because it is run through their website, you need to register and then login.  Click on the little button at the bottom of the page labeled ‘Shoutbox Pro’ and you are in.

Lord willing I’ll show up as well, and then we’ll see what God might have for us to talk about.

 

 

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She sent me on a journey – Dr. Michael Beates on his disabled daughter’s impact on his life

November 13, 2012 by John Knight

This week Key Ministry is conducting their second annual web disability summit: Inclusion Fusion.

Their theme this year is close to my heart: why church ministries should include people with disabilities.

All of their videos, live-chats and tweet chats are free; simply register and you will have access to videos from more than 30 different speakers.

I was particularly excited to see that Michael Beates, author of Disability and the Gospel, would be participating.  I have read everything I could find that Dr. Beates has published, but had never heard him speak.

There are other friends who are participating, and some folks who are new to me.

I was happy to provide a short presentation on why churches should want families like mine, particularly directed at leaders.

Please pray that God would use this web summit to make much of his name, give courage to churches thinking about this issue, and encourage families like ours!

Posted in Special Events | 1 Comment »

The godly are bettered by the worst of things

November 12, 2012 by John Knight

As the wicked are hurt by the best things, so the godly are bettered by the worst. — William Jenkyn

Are the godly really bettered?

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)

(Thank you to my sweet sister Arlene for pointing to the Jenkyn quote)

Posted in Quotes, Scripture | Leave a Comment »

For he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV)

November 11, 2012 by John Knight

It is a great comfort to know that God is for us and that we are never alone in our struggles:

Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of my life.
(Psalm 54:4 ESV)

God is also merciful to bring people into our lives. We’ve experienced that many times, at just the right time.

Desiring God’s disability conference brought numerous opportunities for even more encouragement. Here are just a few of the examples of God moving:

    • Two seminary professors are developing a doctor of ministry course on disability, the Bible and suffering to complement the undergraduate and master’s level courses they have already created and delivered. Another man I know and respect indicated his interest in doing the same at the doctoral level. Slowly but steadily, liberal seminaries no longer ‘own’ this issue exclusively.
    • Two men from Joni & Friends International told me about a new international effort they are initiating for pastors in 18 countries.
    • The exhibitors at the conference were swamped all day (frequently that isn’t the case when they exhibit!). Two exhibitors indicated the questions had a qualitative difference from the usual conferences they attend. Normally, people are interested in how to introduce the programs they provide. These two exhibitors said they received questions about how to address the culture of their churches in positive ways. That’s a wonderful and important change we need to encourage in this movement.
    • I met a pastor of a church of 12 (that’s correct – 12, not 120 or 1,200) who fathers a disabled child. I was encouraged just to be in his presence!
    • I heard more stories of the so-called ‘weaker’ member changing families and churches for the better than I can remember.
    • The suffering is real, and for some people there is still not even a hint of joy. We must persevere in prayer and acts of love for those who do not yet see God’s help and goodness in all things.
    • Stories help. The kindness and perseverance of Karl and Gerilyn Kanowitz in our lives has spread. Bread and soap (not soup) makes a difference (see page 36 in the ebook Disability and the Sovereign Goodness of God for what that means).

I could go on!

Krista Horning touched on one of Satan’s greatest lies in her speech – that we are entirely alone and nobody cares. God is always with us and cares more deeply about us than we can comprehend. The gathering on Thursday introduced me to a lot more of what God is doing through and for his people.

Let us pray for exponential growth, wisdom and love in our local churches for the sake of all those who feel alone and abandoned because of disability. There is still so much to do and so many who do not know the God who made them for a great purpose.  May God help us proclaim who he is!

I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have known the distress of my soul. . .
(Psalm 31:7 ESV)

Posted in Special Events | 1 Comment »

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