Back in the Pastorate!

After 7 formidable years of growing and maturing in the Lord, I am happy to be back in the saddle again!  Or as you might say, "Back in Pastoral Ministry again."  Stay tuned for how the Lord has brought me to this place.  In the meantime, I need to get reacquainted with blogosphere!  More than that, I need grace and stamina to, "Fan into flame the gift of God (2 Tim. 1:6).  Stay tuned for more on that.

Back in the Pew

After a year and a half of vocational pastoral ministry in a most wonderful place called Delia, I have been planted back in the pew for a season. Although I am uncertain as to how long this season will last, I am rejoicing at the opportunity to sit under the preaching of some godly men. As Lynette, Dawson and I adjust to life in southern Alberta, our love and prayers go out to all those who encouraged us along the way both in Stettler and Delia.

After our first Sunday at Calvary Grace, we were glad to make some contacts with some quality folks that share a common desire to be rooted in the gospel and relevant in telling others about the person and work of Jesus Christ.

We are anticipating a fruitful ministry in and around the Calgary region. As God continues to magnify the riches of his mercy and grace in our lives, we trust that he will give us humble obedience to his will and ways. To God be the glory as we seek to please him in all respects.

"Grace: the most transformational word in Scripture...Grace will convince you of your unworthiness without ever making you feel unloved."

A great statement by Paul David Tripp

Iron Sharpeners

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."
Proverbs 27:17

In recent days I have undergone some much needed sharpening from men of influence in my life. As a man that is prone to dullness, I thought it would be fitting to express sincere thanks for three men in particular that put me back on the cutting edge. Although there are others that have ministered to me in different times and in different ways, God has used these three fellas in instrumental ways as of late. Interestingly enough, all three of these guys are currently serving in pastoral ministry with varied expressions of a similar call.

The first iron sharpener that I will comment on is the one I have known the longest out of the three. By his influence on my life I have been sharpened in matters concerning: godliness, sincerity, and instruction. As a young teenager I looked up to this cowboy preacher, as one who displayed a down-to-earth approach to living out the great truths he loved to proclaim. He and his wife have been involved with a church plant that has evidenced deep-biblical roots, and an increasing level of fruitfulness in gospel ministry.

The second iron sharpener is one that has had a great level of influence on me beginning with my college years. One of the ways that he has sharpened me is by convincing me that the key to understanding the New Testament is unlocking the Old Testament. As he took me through the Old Testament, I began to see more of Jesus in the typology of characters like Moses, and Joseph. In addition, this wise teacher seemed to help refine my passion for the sovereignty of God in such a way that is both worshipful and insightful to others.

The third iron sharpener is a peer that I have got to know over the past year. He has sharpened me in the area of diligence and commitment to finding out the meaning and implications on any given Scriptural text. Although he and I were raised on opposite sides of Canada, we have been brought near by a similar appreciation of the doctrines we love. Our mutual sharpening of one another made a sharp growth curve after travelling down to the Shepherd's Conference together in southern California.

I feel a sense of indebtedness to these men for their indispensable influence. I thank God through Christ for them.

Branding and the Holy Spirit

One of the great privileges of cowboy'n is being asked to rope calves at branding time. Brandings have become a great part of the social aspect of the cattle industry. Neighbours and friends meet to get a job done, talk about the weather, and tell tales of their spring calving experiences. Although some city slickers might argue that branding is all fun for the cowboy; yet all trauma for the calves, it is an important task that guarantees calf ownership come roundup in the fall.

I suppose branding was more of a necessity at the turn of the century when Allflex tags were not yet available. Besides, every cattle producer knows that the likelyhood of tags being ripped out is not an impossibility. In addition, if a rustler did happen to steal some calves, a tag could be easily cut out and replaced. There is no lying with the good old-fashioned branding iron. The iron leaves a permanent imprint that stays with the animal its entire life.

As I got to thinking about branding, I began to reflect upon a key privilege of all those who have responded in faith to the unsurpassable grace of God through Jesus Christ. In the book of Ephesians (which happens to be one of my favorite Pauline letters) the apostle praises God for the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in salvation.

The blessing of the Father's free and sovereign grace in choosing us before the foundation of the world is ours according to the purpose of his will (Eph. 1:3-6). Furthermore, we have redemption through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of tresspasses according to the riches of his grace (Eph. 1:6-12). Lastly, but not least of these is the spiritual blessing of being sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14). Of this blessing of the Holy Spirit we turn our attention.

In the same way cattle ranchers brand their cattle, God through Christ sets His seal of ownership on all those who believe in Christ in a personal and saving way. This seal of ownership is the Holy Spirit. He is the guarantee of our inheritance. In theological terms, the seal of the Holy Spirit is an inward mark of God's ownership of His people. In cattlemen's terms the brand of the Holy Spirt guarantees that God has vested interest in that critter.

What is more, as the guarantee of our inheritance, the Spirit of God is the down payment of our full and complete redemption. That is, the foretaste of eternal joy in God's presence! This is a glorious blessing for those who hang their hat on Christ alone for full and complete salvation. The savior's of our time, things like money, prestige, and possessions, seal our fate as we flounder around from one temporary pleasure to the next. Our great Savior, Jesus Christ, is the grounds of being branded, as it were, by the Spirit of God. This is a most excellent privilege for the believer. While branding is an outward imprint of temporary ownership, the Spirit's seal is an inward reality of eternal ownership to God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All this is said to be, "to the praise of His glory." Glorifying God is our appropriate response to all the spriritual blessing that are ours!

Thoughts Concerning Meditation

Last night, at our weekly prayer meeting, I shared some thoughts concerning meditation. With the help of some Puritan minds, I found some practical advice on the subject of meditation, which led into a reflection on the first sixteen verses of Psalm 119.

Thomas Manton once wrote,
"Meditation is a middle sort of duty between the word and prayer, and hath respect to both. The word feedeth meditation, and meditation feedeth prayer; we must hear that we be not erroneous, and meditate that we be not barren. These duties must go hand in hand; meditation must follow hearing and precede prayer."

Thomas Watson defines meditation as,
"a holy exercise of the mind whereby we bring the truths of God to remembrance and do seriously ponder upon them and apply them to ourselves."

Watson concludes,
"A Christian without meditation is like a soldier without arms, or a workman without tools. Without meditation the truths of God will not stay with us; the heart is hard, and the memory is slippery, and without meditation all is lost."

Edmund Calamy said,
"A true meditation is when a man doth so meditate of Christ as to get his heart inflamed with the love of Christ, so meditate on the Truths of God, as to be transformed into them, and so meditate of sin as to get his heart to hate sin."

Calamy further instructs that,
"Meditation must enter three doors: the door of understanding, the door of the heart and affections, and the door of practical living."

By way of exhortation, Calamy commands,
"Thou must so meditate of God as to walk as God walks; and so to meditate of Christ as to prize him, and live in obedience to him."

(These great Puritan quotes and others can be found in Joel Beeke's Puritan Reformed Spirituality).

Perhaps my favorite place for meditation is on my rawhide lazy-boy. It is in the saddle that I often ponder the wonder of God's handiwork. From Meadowlark's to Crocus's I witness first hand God's wisdom and creativity in what he has made known to all mankind through general revelation. What's more, I reflect upon the excellencies of Christ and his once for all sacrifice for sin. I consider where I might be in life were it not for God's grace, his faithfulness, and his loving-kindness. Often times, like a cow chewing her cud, I bring up truths that are partially digested like the supremacy of God in all things. When I think upon God's sovereign rule over all things: from dust particles, to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, to the circumstances of life, I often respond in prayer and praise for all that God is for me in Christ.

I trust that meditation upon the living Word (Jesus), and the written Word (the Scriptures) will launch you into deeper intimacy with God, and growth in the knowledge of his character and ways. May the Spirit of God assist you and I both concerning the practice of meditation.

Confronting Anger

At this point I would ask that you permit me to make a confession. As of late, I have noticed a personal propensity toward outbursts of anger. Such blow-ups have come in times I feel: done wrong, disappointed, discouraged, or depressed. Although I have not recently punched any holes through walls, spontaneously combusted due to increased pressure, or started throwing things around, I need to wage war on this besetting sin in my life. If my anger were to be compared with a thermometer, the mercury has reached dangerous levels.

Fueled by impatience, selfishness, and lack of self control, my anger is clearly sin, and must be killed. The anger that rises up within me, is not righteous anger; but rebellion toward God. Not only does my anger grieve the Holy Spirit, it acts like rottenness in my bones, poison in my belly, and backed up sewer in my soul. This anger is relationship damaging, dishonoring to God and a poor example of Christ like ministry.

Outside the heart exposing truths of the Bible, I have found two sources that have served as ointment to my infection. The first was written by an English Puritan from the the 17th century named Richard Baxter called Anger Management. The second was written by a contemporary American Counselor named David Powlison called Anger: Escaping the Maze. By way of commenting, I will begin with the later, and conclude with some practical directions from the former.

Using the illustration of a traffic jam, Powlison determines that the motivations of anger are often: pride (my will be done as opposed to Thy will be done), fear of man ("What will people think of me if I am late"), and the lusts of the flesh ("I want" such and such - which may or may not be material worship). Powlison determines that when cravings or false beliefs rule my life they produce anger. He goes on to say, "If God ruled my life, I might feel disappointment, but I wouldn't be floundering in the swamp." At this point, when I experience a propensity toward anger I do well to ask myself, "What is ruling my heart at this time?" Is it God, me, others, animals, or stuff? The quicker I can evaluate what is ruling my heart, the quicker I will extinguish anger. In this way, I will fight anger by prizing the promises of God in Jesus Christ.

Richard Baxter also provides some great insights concerning anger. Here are 16 practical directions against sinful anger set out by the great Puritan writer himself.

1. The principal help against sinful anger lies in accustoming the soul to right attitudes.
2. Be careful to keep a humbled soul that does not think too highly of itself, for humility is patient and does not exaggerate injuries.
3. Be careful to avoid a worldly and covetous mind.
4. Put a stop to your anger early, before it goes too far.
5. Take control of your tongue, hands, and countenance, even if you cannot at the moment quiet or command your passion.
6. At the very least, keep silent until reason has had an opportunity to speak and you have had a chance to think.
7. If you do not find it easy to quiet your anger or restrain yourself, then leave the place and company that have provoked you.
8. Make it your habit to avoid talk and dispute with angry men, so far as you can do so without neglecting your duty.
9. Do not meditate upon past injuries or things that have provoked you when you are alone.
10. Keep your minds in lively thoughts of the exemplary meekness and patience of Jesus Christ.
11. Live as in the presence of God; and when your passions grow bold, repress them with the reverend name of God, and remind yourself that God and his holy angels are watching you.
12. Look at others in their passion, and consider how unlovely they make themselves.
13. When anger rises, confess your sin without delay to those around. Take the shame to yourself. Shame the sin and honour God.
14. If you have allowed your passion to break out and to offend or wrong others, by word or deed, freely and speedily confess it to them for forgiveness.
15. As far as circumstances allow, go immediately to God in prayer for pardon, and grace against this sin.
16. Make a covenant with a faithful friend to watch over you and rebuke your passions as soon as they begin to appear. Promise him that you will take it thankfully and in a proper spirit.

Here is some wisdom from the Scripture itself which cannot lie.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 - "Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools."

Proverbs 16:32 - "Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."

Proverbs 15:18 - "A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention."

Proverbs 19:11 - "Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense."

Perhaps these words of wisdom will help us all as we seek to confront anger together.