Here's a Good Visual of Repentance

“Repentance is the vomit of the soul”

Thomas Brooks (1608-1680) in Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1450539114/deyorestandre-20

Reposted from Kevin DeYoung, here:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/

A Prayer about Stuff and Contentment

by Pastor Scotty Smith here:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/scottysmith/2011/07/11/a-prayer-about-stuff-and-contentment/


"Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven."  Prov. 23:4–5

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."  1 Tim 6:6-8


Loving Father, we continue to live in a difficult economic season. Some of us who thought we’d be retired in a couple of years are now thinking it’s ten, if ever. Some of us have lost jobs, even homes. Some of us are selling stuff and downsizing out of necessity, not choice. Some of our marriages are being stressed to the point of breaking. Some of us are actually being tempted to steal for the first time. Lord, we need wisdom, we need a work of your Spirit, and some of us really do need jobs.

Father, we look to you. Give us the perspective and power of the gospel as we make hard decisions, and reflect on our relationship to money and “stuff.” Free us from an attitude of entitlement and place within us a Spirit of contentment. When did we first assume the right to excess? When did abundance get relabeled as need? Why did we think only first-century disciples of Jesus would ever actually have to pray for daily bread?

In our “iWorld” of new gadgets and cool widgets, help us ponder the fact that over half of the population on the earth exists on three of our American dollars, or less, a day. Free us to share with others from the much or little that we have. Help us to raise our children not to love money as much as we have. Don’t let us grow bitter, shame-filled or fearful.

Father, if we would wear ourselves out for anything, let it be to become rich toward you (Luke 12:20–21)—to have the gospel so penetrate our hearts that we cry out with spontaneous joy, “Who do I have in heaven but you, O Lord, and being with you I desire nothing on the earth . . . You are my portion, sovereign Lord.”

Lord Jesus, you who were immeasurably rich in all things became incomprehensibly poor for us, so that we, who were desperately poor in sin, might be made inconceivably rich in grace. We worship and adore, with humility and gratitude. We thank you for the daily bread of both wheat and the gospel. So very Amen we pray, in your holy and gracious name.

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

Jesus in John 12:32

Real, True, Eternal Freedom

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed

John 8:36

I read several blogs that are helpful to my soul.  Pastor Scotty Smith posts a daily prayer here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/scottysmith/.

Here is his prayer for July 4th:

Dear Lord Jesus, it’s the morning of the 4th of July, and I’m very thankful to be living in the “land of the free.” But I’m still not as free as you intend, nor as joyful, for that matter. Though you’ve already freed me from trying to earn my salvation by anything I do or am; though you’ve already liberated me from the illusion that I can earn more of God’s love by doing more goodness and less foolishness; though the chains of condemnation have already been obliterated and the fears of death, judgment day, and the future have been sent packing by your perfect love—I’m still not as free as you intend.

As I read the Scriptures and reflect on my relationships, I feel very much like a babe—a neophyte, a raw rookie in so many gospel freedoms. Only the gospel helps us see and own our sin, brokenness and bondage. Only your grace keeps us from going to shame and self-contempt as we do so. Hear my prayers and bring more grace.

Jesus, please free me for loving others as you joyfully and relentlessly love us. There’s no freedom more central and powerful for revealing your glory. Help me return kindness for coldness, pursuit for avoidance; gospel for gossip. I want to be less irritated more often with fewer people. Help me to use fewer words and more listening when talking with others. Please unshackle me from the illusion of control in my relationships and annihilate my commitment to a pain-free heart. To love well is to hurt often.

Jesus, please liberate me from thinking about the next thing, so I can be present in the current moment. Help me make better eye contact and heart connection with others. Please help me to be more intrigued with people that I don’t know and less standoffish around strangers.

Jesus, break even more of the shackles of my insecurities. Empty my closets of all fig-leaf coverings and clothe me in the garments of grace. Liberate me from grave-clothes of shame and feelings of incompetence. Unfetter me from thinking too much about what I’m not by showing me more of you and who I am in you.

Lord Jesus, grant me greater spontaneity, louder laughter, saltier tears, and quicker repentances. Hallelujah… it is for freedom you have set us free. So very Amen I pray, in your most compassionate and powerful name. Amen.

I HATE That This is so Convicting!

Pastor Scotty Smith is the founding pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN.  His daily blog is a prayer I receive on my newly acquired "smart" phone (as opposed to the "dumb" phone I had in Italy!).  This is today's prayer

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/scottysmith/

A Prayer for Those of Us Easily Annoyed

"Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult."  Prov. 12:16

Jesus, of all the prayer-worthy things I can think of, “annoyance” has never made it onto my supplication list, until now. Through the convicting work of your Spirit, I see and grieve that I’m way too easily annoyed. Free my foolish, fretful, fitful spirit. How can I possibly reveal the beauty of the gospel when I’m showcasing the ugly of my annoyance? Have mercy on me, Lord, and change my arrogant heart.

I’m annoyed by the guy who races me when two lanes are becoming one. I’m annoyed when the bar code reading machines in the self-checkout lanes can’t read my items. I’m annoyed when the gas pump trickles way too slowly. I’m annoyed by waiters who fish for a bigger tip. I’m annoyed by fish that won’t bite. I’m annoyed by humidity when I want to jog. I’m annoyed when I can’t get a wifi signal. I’m annoyed when I take my dogs for a walk and every three steps they stop and sniff.

I’m annoyed by low talkers and loud talkers. I’m annoyed at people easily annoyed. I’m annoyed when there’s not enough milk for a late-night bowl of cereal. I’m annoyed when I have to repeat myself. I’m annoyed at whiners, so much that I start whining. I’m annoyed at people preening in front of mirrors at the YMCA, as though I never peek. I’m annoyed when people use too many and too big of words to say something very simple, as though that’s not me.

I’m annoyed at ever having to wait in line for anything. I’m annoyed by people who turn up the three sub-woofers in their car so loud it vibrates my car at an intersection. I’m annoyed by anything breaking before it should. I’m annoyed at any box that has the words “requires some assembly” written on it. Oh, Jesus, if only those were the only things that annoyed me!

My prayer? Gentle my heart with your kindness and grace. Grant me much quicker repentances. Help me to slow . . . way . . . down. Help me to live in the moment and not simply live to get somewhere on time or get something done. Let me see people with your eyes and respond to them with your heart. There are no ordinary people around me. Everybody matters. Everybody has stories of heartache, foolishness, fear, and longing, just like me. Jesus, thank you that you died for all of my sins, including my “annoyability.” I love being loved by you. I have no greater hope than knowing one day I will love like you love. So very Amen, I pray in your gracious and patient name. Amen.

Evangelism @ 35,000 Feet

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom
Psalm 90:12

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time
Colossians 4:5

The flight from Portland to OC was not full. My usual back-of-the-plane-on-the-aisle seat was screaming, “Nap”! Exhausted, my bobbing eyelids were ready to settle in the down position when I heard, “Are you a good talker?” Stunned into wakefulness, I saw the young woman’s hand stretched out to shake mine.

Admittedly, my first thought was fleshly, as my body really, really didn’t want to exert the effort of conversation.

“Yes, I am”, escaped from my mouth, as more of a question than a statement, as I reached for her hand of greeting. As I stood to allow her to get to her window seat, it was obvious she had been drinking.

“I’m just really nervous and afraid to die. Can you help me? Can you talk to me?”, was her desperate plea. Let’s call this young woman Frieda.

Holy Spirit, please fill me again to do Your bidding in this conversation, was my quick but ardent prayer.

Long story short, our conversation went ‘round and ‘round as we discussed her “goodness”, God’s grace, sin, love, judgment, heaven, hell, etc. No matter how many times I tried to convince Frieda that her “goodness” wasn’t the point – that she needed perfection – she kept coming back to how good she was compared to others she knew. Frieda was also weeping uncontrollably and speaking very loudly, as ethanol took control of her brain.

As I looked into her glazed eyes, I recalled a couple of Scriptures from 1 Cor. 1 and 2:

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Cor. 1:18

and

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:14

No matter how many times I stuck to the essence of the Gospel:

Substitution - Jesus’ death on the cross satisfies the wrath of God for all those who would place their trust in Him

and

Imputation - Jesus imputes (or, gives) His righteousness to all those who would place their trust in Him…

Frieda kept insisting on her “goodness” as meritorious of heaven.

The things of the Gospel are spiritually discerned, writes the inspired Paul. Unless and until the Holy Spirit enables spiritual discernment, the Gospel is folly. This fact does not release us from trying to persuade (2 Cor. 5:11) for the Gospel.

Finally, near the end of our flight, Frieda asked quite loudly with tears (i.e., so everyone within 5-6 rows could easily hear her), “So, what you’re saying is, if I don’t turn from my current lifestyle and believe/receive that Jesus died for my sins, I’m going to hell?”

“No, Freida, that what Jesus is saying, and he’s God.”

I reviewed these verses with her:

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Peter in Acts 4:12

Please pray with me that Frieda will receive the materials I’ll get to her through a mutual friend (small world), and actually read/view them. Pray also that the Words of God do their soul piercing work (Heb. 4:12).

Also, I WOULD LOVE to hear your stories of personal evangelism! If you have a chance, jot a comment here, or if you prefer privacy, email a story of two to me. I’m certain others would be helped to hear other stories of Christ’s ambassadors making God’s appeal for reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:20).

Pressing on, together for the Gospel,

mark

The Main Thing

An old friend from my days @ The Center for Sports & Wellness @ Mission Hospital posted this image on her Facebook page. I'm not sure what she meant by it, but this image gripped me for the Gospel. The Gospel IS the Main Thing. If we don't get the Gospel, nothing else really matters. The Apostle Paul kept The Main Thing, The Main Thing when he wrote:

"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." 1 Tim. 1:15

Pretty clear. Jesus was born to save sinners. That's you and me.

Lots of folks want to sell the Jesus that will improve your marriage, or make your kids obey, or provide you with health, wealth, and happiness. The line is: "add Jesus to your life and everything will be just fine". The problem with that 'gospel' is

1. Everything is not fine, and



2. An improved life in not the Main Thing

So, what's the Main Thing, Mark? Thanks for asking...

Rather than typing a bunch of statements and Bible verses for you to read here, I'll invite you to click here http://sharetheumbrella.org/ to view and listen to a 4-minute animated "Main Thing" presentation. It's called the Umbrella Analogy, and was created by our pastor @ http://www.compasschurch.org/. Simple. Succinct. Serious.

If any of you ever want to talk about the Main Thing with me, I'm always available. I will speak the truth in love, your job is to decide what you're going to do with The Main Thing.

Get Dressed, Christian!

Being from So. Cal., I'm a casual kinda guy. I prefer shorts, T-shirt, and flip flops to slacks, button downs, and loafers. During our time in Italia, we've noticed that folks here like to dress up a tad. This, of course, means nothing to me, but the girls have enjoyed following this Italian suit (ha!).

So, as I've been studying Paul's letter to the Colossians, this text has struck me. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Apostle says,

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Col. 3:12-17

Turns out, San Paolo likes to use this phrase, "Put on". For example:

"The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." Rom 13:12

"For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality." 1 Cor. 15:53

"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Gal. 3:27

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." Eph. 6:11

I like to recommend to "be filled" before you "put on". Meaning: "...but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." Eph. 5:18-21.

So, I say we all be filled with the Holy Spirit and get dressed with compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, and love so we can:

• Bear with each other


• Forgive each other


• Have Christ's peace


• Be thankful


• Have the Word of God dwell in us richly


• Teach and admonish each other


• Sing songs of thanksgiving to God with each other

So that,

"whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." v. 17

Amen?

Patience

by Leslie

Living in Italy without a car definitely has its perks... One is that I don’t have to spend time looking for parking. It also gives me the opportunity to get a lot of exercise as I walk from place to place. The best part though, is how God uses it to teach me patience… and to go with the flow.

Today was a perfect example of this… Our friend, Jessica, (who the girls helped with the army base junior highers in the fall) lives in Pisa and invited us to come for lunch under her beautiful mimosa tree that is in glorious bloom at the moment.

underneath the mimosa tree

We wanted to get there by 11:30 so we could lunch and then have time to see the ocean before we headed back to Florence. From here to Pisa is supposed to be about a 45 minute drive, but on public transportation it’s about 2 hours (this includes two buses and a train). So, we were going to get on the 9:35 bus to get started.

When we got to the bus I realized I forgot my eye drops (needed for dry eyes). I had 5 minutes to get them… so off I dashed, back to the house. I was home and back by 9:32 and the bus was still at the stop! Or so I thought – the bus that was there wasn’t the same bus!! It was the next bus that wasn’t scheduled to leave for another 20 minutes! And the one carrying my family had left THREE minutes early. Course, now I was sweating in my wool sweater, down coat, and scarf (it was under 40 degrees this morning…) and I was mad that the guy had left early. EARLY!! Really?? In Italy?? Unheard of!

But there I sat, on the 9:50 bus…and this driver didn’t leave until EXACTLY 9:50. On the way down the hill I was listening to praise music, trying not to be anxious about missing the 10:28 train to Pisa. Grace was calling to keep me posted on what platform the train was on, and what car they were in.

The normal 20 minute ride to the transfer spot was taking longer than usual…. And of course, I was on the bus that needed to switch drivers – sitting in the seat near the front, I had to keep myself from huffing loudly as the two drivers exchanged pleasantries. “Lord… maybe I’m going to miss this train because you want me to be alone today…” But, as we pulled to the stop, my next bus was sitting in front of us and I was able to jump on - 10 minutes before my train was to leave… Standing on the swaying bus, I thought that this was just God’s hand, gently teaching me to just “relax”! (How many of you just love to hear someone say, “relax” when you’re all wound up??)

Somehow, the voice of God actually does help me to relax. So many times in this strange and wonderful country, there is just nothing one can do to change a situation… might as well just go with it. Of course, we hit every light on the way to Santa Maria Novella train station and I leapt off the bus with 3 minutes to get to the train. Oh yeah… it was on the farthest track from the bus stop. As I walk-jogged trough the terminal, I was thankful for the freezing temperatures that occupy the place. I boarded the train with just one short minute to spare. Whew!!

So, our little foursome is back together… sitting in our little quad-seat section, facing each other. Mark and Em have assumed their normal train positions of dozing while Grace and I talk quietly. The conductor comes in to check our tickets and when we hand them to him he looks at them for a long time – always a signal that something is not quite right. Then he asks why we have a 20% discount on our tickets… since I wasn’t there when Mark bought the tickets, I have no idea. So, I wake up Mark and he says, “Well, the ticket booth machine gave me the option of a 20% discount and I thought, ‘Sure!’” The Trenitalia guy tells us that the discount is for persons under 25 who have a special card and that we have to pay the difference at the station before we make our return trip. Do I not look under 25??

All Aboard

We arrive on time to Pisa and have a lovely time with Jessica. While the air is quite cool, the sun is shining! I have learned to be thankful for the weather in So. Cal., but that’s another blog!

After lunch Jessica drops Mark and me off at the beach to walk along the water. It’s crowed with other people looking to soak up a little sun on this nice day. We have a general idea of where to catch a bus back to the train station, but don’t know exactly. I only have to ask for directions once and we find the stop. Miraculously, the bus pulls up only a minute after we get there.

When we get to the station we have to exchange those troublesome tickets so we jump in line. We see that we have about 10 minutes til the next train to Florence leaves. We finish our transaction there with only 2 minutes to spare and take off running for track #4. We leap onto the train just as the whistle blows and as we sit down we give each other a victory knuckle bump! Im thinking to myself that except for this morning, the day has gone off without a hitch.

Then the train starts to move…. In the WRONG direction!! We look out the window and see track #4 right across from us and figure out we are going to La Spezia… Well, Mark starts the laugh attack that lasts us almost to the next stop. We decide to get off and take the next train back in the other direction.

the deserted station, in the wrong direction!

The station is completely deserted and in a very sketchy part of town. But we look on the screen and see that a train will be by on track 2L in about 6 minutes. We discuss the fact that our track says #2, but since the station is so tiny we figure we must already be on #2L. We stand there and watch a train (that looks more like a long bus) pull by a track about 100 yards away and wonder what that little train is. Then Mark uses his eagle-eye vision to see that the train just left track 2L…. another laugh attack!! Now I am thanking God for such a wonderful, go-with-the-flow husband. Many men I know of would have been furious.

To put you out of your misery, I will just tell you that we finally arrived BACK in Pisa exactly one hour after we left. The rest of the journey home was, for the most part, seamless. And yours truly has more patience and stamina than I did 24 hours ago.

So much of this Italian journey seems to include God’s hand helping me to trust Him even more in the little things – to not try to put my own agenda before His; to let God be God in my life rather than my feeble attempt to control my own life. I thank Him for today!!

And, I will thank Him when I get back to the USA and get to drive myself around!!

Jesus @ the Gym

by Mark

It killed me to join the gym here in Firenze! In the U.S., 24-Hr. Fitness costs me $49/yr…and I can go to any of hundreds of their gyms across the U.S. as I’m traveling. My Florentine gym, StillNuovo, costs me 50 Euro/mo (which, at today’s exchange rate is $67). Everyone here says it’s a great deal. I disagree, but still joined. Of course, I justified this expense by thinking this is a great ministry opportunity…

The first guy I met was the cleaning guy, Arnold. He has Jesus all over his countenance, as he works at his job as unto the Lord (c.f., Col. 3:23) so I said, “Buon Giorno”. It was the later part of the afternoon, so Arnold replied, “Buona Sera”. (Ooops, wrong greeting Mark! Greetings are day 1, hour 1 of beginning Italian school…Geeesh, what was I thinking?! ). Arnold followed up with, “You are American?”. I was surprised that English came out of a Pilipino dude living in Italy. Turns out Arnold speaks 6 languages – including English – so we have delightful conversations about God’s goodness in our lives. Arnold shares Jesus with the members of the gym regularly, and tells me which ones he’s invited to his church.

Luca is by far the fittest looking guy in the place. He looks like a really fast runner, but his upper body is ripped too. His English is better than most, so last week I ask him if he competes in races. “Yes, this Sunday I will race 21km in Scandici.” Luca looks to be around 40-ish, so I’m thinking he’s shooting for 1:30 to 1:45-ish. “What kinda time are you hoping for?”, thinking even though I don’t look as fit as him, I could probably kick his butt! “I would like 1 Hour 17 minuti…how do you say seventeen?”. Jaw on the floor, I said, “Just like that, Luca, seventeen…you got it…how old are you?”. “I am not old. I have 44 years”. I wished Luca well on his race, fully expecting he would report back with a time closer to 1:30.

I saw Luca yesterday and asked if he ran his 1:17. “No, I run 1:16, but only 10th spot…you say spot?”. Once again, not quite speechless, I muster the wind to respond, “No, we say place…10th place in English. Wow, Luca that’s really great!” “Oh, thanks you. The first five, um, places were African”, as we chuckled together, knowing how Africans dominate distance running these days.

BTW, the 44-year old Luca raced at 5:46/mile pace for all you math majors…

Into the locker room strolls Xavier. He is mid-40’s, effeminate, and dresses the part. Seriously, dancer’s booty shorts, a spaghetti strapped tank top, all on a hairy Italian guy with flowing blonde hair…c’mon, dude, there are women and children here!

Xavier’s English is excellent and wants to speak to me while lifting weights. On a previous occasion Xavier asked about my work…then faith…then wanted to talk about the 70’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar. I think that was his way of getting into my world…

But yesterday, in the locker room, just after I congratulated Luca on his stellar half marathon, Xavier blurts out in perfect English, “So, what about Jesus?”

I love this gym…mosquitoes and all!

“Well Xavier, I’m not sure where to begin, or what your interest is”. We were interrupted by a flurry of Italian speak, and so ended that particular conversation. Xavier was off to the shower and I was off to the bike, thinking to myself, “What the…?”

Last anecdote from another day in the life of this gym rat. An American man, I now know as Robin, walks into the gym wearing a Pepperdine University sweatshirt looking confused. Being the helpful guy I am, I asked, “Are you really from Pepperdine in Malibu, CA?” “Yes, I am”, he responded curious as to why I would take an interest in him. We exchanged pleasantries about what we are each doing in Firenze. Turns out Robin and his wife Cindy are here teaching the Study Abroad students from Pepperdine this semester. It wasn’t long before Robin invited us to come share with all their students about our work with Maddalena. Pretty sure this is going to be both informative and a Gospel opportunity.

OK, one more…this is hilarious.

I take the cycle spin class on Tuesday and Friday. There are usually 4 or 5 middle-aged women, one old guy, the 30-something female teacher, and me. It’s fun, but she barks her instructions in Italian, so I’m always just a bit behind in following her lead. If you know me, you know I sweat a small pond beneath the bike after an hour’s effort. I think the teacher appreciates the effort, and wants to try to speak English occasionally to encourage me to ‘feel part of the class’.

Quick language side note: The terms bellisimo and bellisima literally mean ‘beautiful’ and are used in a variety of contexts depending on the ‘gender’ of the word it modifies. The words are used in contexts that we would normally not say beautiful. For example, Italians speak of a ‘beautiful pizza’ or ask about what ‘beautiful thing’ you did today. We would say, ‘that was a great pizza’ or ‘what did you do today’?

So, in wanting to speak English and encourage me in my effort (and to come back to class!), the teacher literally shouts out, “Mark, you are beautiful!” instead of “Good work Mark!”

Awkward!

Would you pray with me that I have Gospel opportunities with Luca, Xavier, the students from Pepperdine, and the spin class?