Read this:
“But that’s precisely what the church is missing. AA and the like are organized toward the one objective of radical transformation. Lives depend on it. The church, generally, is not so singularly focused or seriously devoted.”
Intrigued?
See more HERE at Patheos.com
Ascribe to the Lord Glory
A PSALM OF DAVID
Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
[2] Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
[3] The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over many waters.
[4] The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
[5] The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
[6] He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
[7] The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
[8] The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
[9] The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
[10] The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
[11] May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!
(Psalm 29 ESV)
Barnacles attach themselves to a ship and must be scrapped off. If not the ship will be slowed down as it journeys. As the barnacles grow and are joined by others the ship is not only slowed down but the surface can begin to corrode and lasting damage occurs. The vessel then must go to a dry dock for cleaning, repairing and painting.
Our idols are like barnacles. They lead us from God and into sin. The longer we co-exist with these idols and the sins that so easily beset us, the harder the going through life.
Paul called us earthen vessels, clay pots (chamber pots even?) and that we are cracked at that. We have barnacles that need scraping off.
One reason Paul told Corinth to examine themselves before coming to the Lord’s table is to scrape off barnacles. When your church celebrates communion, the Eucharist, the Lord’s supper, be sure, even if the leader doesn’t remind you, to consider Paul’s words to Corinth. Examine yourselves. Scrape the barnacles.
God told us to have sabbath. As part of your sabbath, be sure you are scraping barnacles. Since you can’t see all your barnacles, be sure you have a fellow disciple that you can be real with and that will point to barnacles that you missed. Perhaps he will even tug at one to help you see it.
In this way, your vessel can sail with less friction.
Smooth sailing!
Piper gives some helpful cautions for lots of us, not just the “new Calvinists” …he urges biblical balance… to listen CLICK HERE
“Repentance, the first word in Christian immigration, sets us on the way to traveling in the light.” (p. 33)
Perhaps you can see the ways that I resonate with this passage. But as a traveler, who advocates for traveling light, I’d like to add a word…
Repentance, the first word in Christian immigration, sets us on the way to traveling light in the light.
kingdom travelin' 