From One Degree to Another

If you’ve been married for an hour, criticism is something that you will inevitably encounter. I have been so greatly helped by Alfred Poirier’s article, The Cross and Criticism. Often we fail to embrace criticism as a means to make us holy. We view it as a full out attack on what we hold dear, namely, ourselves. Through this article, which points to a deep understanding of God’s work on the cross as a means to receiving criticism, we can walk in obedience to God. Furthermore, we may at times feel the need to offer constructive criticism to our spouse or others and wonder how to do this. Again, this article comes to our help. Take up and read!

Abraham Piper insightfully writes how you can’t conquer pride by discarding what you are proud of:

Arrogance is entirely me deceiving me.

Self-approval enables pride—and self-approval follows me no matter what outward sources of esteem I flee.

This thought is very helpful as we engage ourselves and the pride which does, indeed, lie beneath the surface.

The Heidelberg Catechism answers: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.

I think most of us would probably answer, well, my comfort that I’m close to God today comes from the fact that I had a quiet time this morning, or I went to church this week (Wed PM even), or that I try to do good to other people, or blah, blah, blah. Do, do, do. Me, me, me. Our practical comfort isn’t in Christ, it’s in what we can do. That is why we are emotional roller coasters in living the Christian life. I hope this weekend, in our worship services, Christ can be uplifted in such a way that all rival comforts will be leveled to the dust. May Jesus Christ be praised as our ONLY comfort in life and death.

This morning, on the elliptical, I really enjoyed the community driven application found in this message from Paul Tripp on James 5:13-18. Tripp, the author of such outstanding books as Relationships: A Mess Worth Making, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, and The Quest For More, currently serves on the pastoral team at 10th Pres. in Philadelphia.

At the Desiring God website, they have host of helpful articles on parenting. You might go there for further info…

I thought we had a great weekend here at the church. The messages will soon be posted online. I hope you are encouraged to instruct your children and realize that much of that instruction comes from your example.

Have hope for parenting in the Gospel.

Over at Pulpit Magazine (ministry of John MacArthur’s Shepherd’s Fellowship), there are some helpful posts on parenting. Worth your time to ponder and read.

This week, in prepping to speak on parenting this weekend, I have really benefitted by the following books:

Shepherding A Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
Instructing a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
Hints for Parents by Gardiner Spring
Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp

(Some will be given away this Friday at HomeWord)

For this week’s free audio and thinking about Parenting, I would highly recommend these messages by C.J. Mahaney entitled, Gospel-Centered Parenting.

This essay by J.C. Ryle entitled The Duties of Parents (available free online) would be well worth your attention if you are looking for ideas to stimulate your parenting. I commend it to you for tomorrow’s Marriage Monday column.

Here’s an interesting post from Mark Altrogge (author of Give Me One Pure and Holy Passion) on what to do when your pastor offends you (and he will, since he is simply a sinful human being being a tool in God’s hands).

Among the suggestions:

1) Pray
2) Ask, “What does this offense reveal about my heart?”
3) Ask, “Is this one of the “multitude of sins” love covers or a serious sin or pattern of sin that God wants to help him with?”
4) If you can’t cover it in love, go to him. But before you go, ask, “What are my motives for going to him?”
5) Try to believe the best.
6) Forgive him in advance.
7) Go humbly.