Some more on work…

Have you ever heard of William Wilberforce? Born in 1759, Wilberforce was a tireless opponent of slavery in England. He succeeded in abolishing the British slave trade in 1807, and his efforts helped more forward the abolition of slavery in the entire British empire.

There is a lot for us to learn from William Wilberforce. As an adult, he was a tireless worker for social justice, persevering through challenging political difficulties and failing health. He was a chronically joyful and optimistic man, known for regularly singing hymns to himself. He delighted in children, and savored a child-like faith.

If you’d like to read more about William Wilberforce, I recommend John Piper’s brief introduction to his life in The Roots of Endurance. Dr. Piper explains that while Wilberforce made some terrific accomplishments with his life, it wasn’t always that way. Converted in the winter of 1785 at the age of 26, Wilberforce lamented his wasted young adult years:

“By October he was bemoaning the “shapeless idleness” of his past. He was thinking particularly of his time at Cambridge–”the most valuable years of life wasted, and opportunities lost, which can never be recovered.” He was so ashamed of his prior life that he wrote with apparent overstatement, “I was filled with sorrow. I am sure that no human creature could suffer more than I did for some months. It seems indeed it quite affected my reason.” (Piper, The Roots of Endurance, 126)

He explained further:

“No man has a right to be idle. Where is it, that in such a world as this, [that] health, and leisure, and affluence may not find some ignorance to instruct, some wrong to redress, some want to supply, some misery to alleviate?” (Piper, The Roots of Endurance, 119)

The question for us is not: “am I idle?”, but: “in what ways am I idle?” Given our incredible health, leisure, and affluence, there is much that we and should do for the kingdom. Let’s get to work.

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
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Here are the quotations from Saturday’s message:

“Present ease is all [the sluggard] calculates on, all he provides for. The future he carefully keeps out of sight, to be provided for, like the present, when it comes. Thus life runs to waste.” Charles Bridges, Proverbs, 61.

“The wise man will learn while there is time. He knows that the sluggard is no freak, but, as often as not, an ordinary man who has made too many excuses, too many refusals, and too many postponements. It has all been as imperceptible, and as pleasant, as falling asleep.” Derek Kidner, Proverbs, 43.

“What we are to learn from this, of course, is that work is an appointed part of a godly life… Therefore, we reflect the character of God in caring for others, in producing things, in being purposeful in our actions.” Mark Dever, The Message of the Old Testament, 513.

And some other quotes on the topic that I like but wasn’t able to use:

“The sluggard is pretty easy to recognize. You can recognize him, first, by his failure to take advantage of his present opportunities… You can recognize a sluggard by his inordinate love for sleep… You also can recognize a sluggard by his failure to ever finish what he starts.” Mark Dever, Promises Made, 513.

“When we ask him (6:9, 10) ‘How long…?’ ‘When…?’, we are being too definite for him. He doesn’t know. All he knows is his delicious drowsiness; all he asks is a little respite: ‘a little… a little… a little…’. He does no commit himself to a refusal, but deceives himself by the smallness of his surrenders. So, by inches and minutes, his opportunity slips away.” Derek Kidner, Proverbs, 42.

“First a thing is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.” Bob Schultz, Created for Work, 25.

“Always, therefore, look at sloth, not as an infirmity, but as a sin, affecting the whole man: growing upon us with unperceived power. Allow it therefore no rest, no time to root itself. Resist it in all its forms—bodily, mental, spiritual: indulgence of sleep and appetite: self-pleasing in all its subtle and plausible workings. Live by rule. Have your time strictly arranged. Be employed in early work for God. Store the mind with useful knowledge; ever reserving the first place for an industrious and prayerful study of the book of God.” Charles Bridges, Proverbs, 62.

And the funny story about President Lincoln:

“One day . . . I got into a fit of musing in my room and stood resting my elbows on the bureau. Looking into the glass, it struck me what an ugly man I was. The fact grew on me and I made up my mind that I must be the ugliest man in the world. It so maddened me that I resolved, should I ever see an uglier, I would shoot him on sight. Not long after this, Andy [naming a lawyer present] came to town and the first time I saw him I said to myself: “There’s the man.” I went home, took down my gun, and prowled around the streets waiting for him. He soon came along. “Halt, Andy,” said I, pointing the gun at him, “say your prayers, for I am going to shoot you.” “Why, Mr. Lincoln, what’s the matter? What have I done?” “Well, I made an oath that if I ever saw an uglier man than I am, I’d shoot him on the spot. You are uglier, surely; so make ready to die.” “Mr. Lincoln, do you really think that I am uglier than you?” “Yes.” “Well, Mr. Lincoln,” said Andy deliberately and looking me squarely in the face, “if I am any uglier, fire away.” Charles Osgood, Funny Letters From Famous People.

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
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Last night, we had part 5 of our Drivers Ed Series, “Road Work Ahead: Proverbs on Work.”

We looked at Proverbs 6:6-11, and saw that God is telling us two things:

1. Go and look.
2. Go and do.

In particular, there are a couple lessons for us to learn from the ant.  First, the ticket to not being labelled a sluggard is to take initiative.  To go through life eyes wide open, doing what needs to be done.  Even if it’s not convenient.  Even if no one sees you do it.

Second, God is calling us to make wise use of our time.  Most young people have more time right now than they will ever have.  So what are you doing with your time?  Are you being wise, doing the right thing at the right time.  Why is it bad to fritter our time away on the wrong things?  Keep reading the verses…

Solomon also warns us that sleep can be dangerous.  Sleep is healthy, necessary, and a gift from God.  But inordindate love for sleep can lead to destruction.  These verses explain that you can waste your life in small bits if you aren’t careful.

God is calling us, through these verses, to work hard for Christ.  Working hard is hard work, but working hard as a Christian is working hard for Christ.  Check out Colossians 3:23-24 to understand this better…

More to come.

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
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An encouraging report about Dr. Mohler by Russ Moore:

I was at the hospital this afternoon with President Mohler. His first question was, “What is going on in the world?” I briefly entertained the possibility of smuggling his dog Baxter into the hospital to see him, but I doubt the resulting hospital restraining order against me would be worth it.

RAM is looking stronger than he did yesterday. The doctors report that the situation is under control and they are pleased with his progress. He is thankful to all of you for your prayers. I know many churches and families have had special prayer meetings in recent days for him. He and all of us here are deeply appreciative for that.

Please continue to pray. God has been gracious. RAM is ready to be back in his study, behind his microphone, and in the pulpit. Pray that his recovery is quick and that he is home soon.

UPDATE: More encouraging news.

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This announcement was posted on Dr. Mohler blog a short while ago, requesting prayer on his behalf:

Dr. Mohler’s health has sustained a setback. Over the past 36 hours Dr. Mohler has suffered from unrelenting pain. This unusual degree of pain signaled concern for the attending physicians and prompted additional tests this afternoon. In the past hour these tests have revealed that Dr. Mohler is suffering from pulmonary emboli in both lungs. His condition is quite serious and he has been moved to the intensive care unit of Baptist East Hospital in Louisville, KY for immediate treatment.

Please make this a matter of urgent prayer. Thank you once again for your concern and support during these days.

If you didn’t know Dr. Mohler was in the hospital, here is a little background, posted yesterday:

Dr. Mohler continues to recuperate from abdominal surgery at Baptist East Hospital in Louisville, KY. Daily he is gaining strength and making progress, but he still has a good deal of recovery before him. Please continue to pray for his complete and expedient recovery and for the Lord to grant him abundant grace during this time of convalescence.

Dr. Al Mohler is a friend to Sovereign Grace Ministries, and we have been very well served by his teaching and writings.  Please pray that God would miraculously intervene, and that He would work through the common grace of medicine to restore Dr. Mohler to full health.

“…pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”  (James 5:16)

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Heads up folks: We’ve got a five15 BIG MEETING Saturday. This is for all high school and middle school students and their parents.

If you’d like to begin preparing your heart for Driver’s Ed, Part 5–Road Work Ahead: Proverbs on Work, you can read Proverbs 6:6-11. Please pray that we would experience the full range of the Holy Spirit’s work in our meeting: illumination of God’s Word, conviction of sin, serving one another through spiritual gifts, and so on.

Please consider coming early to pray with Zach and the others. 6pm, Room B01. Other than the preaching of God’s Word, there will be nothing more important happening on Saturday night than this.

As usual, pizza & ping-pong at 5:15pm, the meeting starts at 6:30pm. See you there!

Categories: Announcements, five15 blog
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A New Year is often the birthplace of good intentions but rarely the cradle of lasting change. How many of us have made resolutions, some monumentous, some silly, some we never intend to keep? It’s almost a reflex: we ask each other about our New Years Resolutions, simply assuming that we’re all making them together.

I think there is something in us that inately recognizes that the New Year is a good time to evaluate our lives, to measure ourselves by the standard of God’s Word, and make changes towards a preferable future. I spent an hour or two yesterday thinking about my life: what is going well and where God is calling me to grow. I used the questions Mark handed out on Sunday by Donald Whitney: “Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year.” Very helpful.

1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV) says “Watch your life and doctrine closely.” If we’re going to take this verse seriously, we do have to stop from time to assess where we are, where God is calling us to be, and how we’re going to make progress in that direction.

This year, why not skip the dramatic resolutions and instead spend some time evaluating your life, and asking God for direction for the New Year?

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Yesterday, I was reminded of how fast I forget stuff. Mark preached his message “Christ Our Access” from Hebrews 10:19-22. Though I heard this message just a few months ago on the five15 Retreat, I felt like I was hearing it all for the first time. In fact, I found it even more encouraging and provocative, perhaps because that was my second time through it! (May this be a lesson for all of us: never assume that hearing it equals mastering it!)

So Mark explained that you can’t be in Fairfax and at the beach at the same time, but you can be in two places at once: we can go to heaven today! Mark explained it like this: Every Christian can draw near to God now through Christ. Since we have Christ, let us go to heaven!

These verses explain that we have confidence to enter (holy places = heaven), and we have a great high priest (that would be Jesus!), so we can draw near to God in private, in the church, and in all of life. Given that today is the first of the year, it’s a good time for us to think about what it means to draw near in private. Mark explained that this happens primarily through our personal devotions: Bible reading and prayer.

If you haven’t created a plan for your Bible reading and prayer for the new year, it’s not too late to do so, but don’t wait any longer! Any plan will do, so long as you are reading Scripture and praying every day! We talk to God when we pray, He talks to us when we read His Word. This is how we abide in Him:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Personally, I am a huge fan of the M’Cheyne reading plan that can be found with commentary in D. A. Carson’s For the Love of God. Three chapters of the Bible a day (15 minutes if you take your time), and you’ll get through the entire Bible in a year. Add a fourth chapter each day, and you’ll get an extra lap through Psalms and the New Testament. You can start today by reading Genesis 1, Ezra 1, and Matthew 1.

The ESV website lists a number of different formats for reading through the Bible in a year, most of which are available via RSS. I also think this “visualization” of the various formats is interesting. Getting your chapters via email or RSS is kind of cool, but I like sitting in front of an actual Bible with–call me old-fashioned–paper.

Enjoy! And let’s get reading, since…

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

What is your Bible reading plan like this year?

Categories: Monday Matters, five15 blog
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Thanks for your patience. Nicole and I are back from a short vacation with friends. Our vacation spot was mercifully primitive: no internet access! But the blog is back in 2007.

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