About Me

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I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Let's Compare What?


"For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves.  But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise"  (2 Cor. 10:12, NKJV).

Paul advises against us comparing ourselves with each other (2 Cor 10:12)--Jesus is the one to compare ourselves to, e.g., goody-two-shoes Pharisees were proud that they fasted twice a week and could conduct long public prayers, but they were hypocrites. God wants "unfeigned," not perfect faith. It isn't the amount--but the object. We could compare fasting, witnessing, Bible studying, offerings, tithes, alms, or worship, and any other form of piety. To be called pious is not necessarily a compliment.

We all have areas were we need improvement and areas of strength. One cannot assume that because someone prays 1 hour every day he is more righteous or holy than someone that prays six times during the day for ten minutes The Bible merely mentions praying (persistently) without ceasing, not for any specified time. Muslims think they are holy praying five times daily, but that isn't "in the Spirit" as we are commanded to do. Daniel prayed three times a day and it was common for the Jews to pray at 9:00 AM, noon, and at 3:00 PM (the hours of prayer). Martin Luther prayed for three hours each day and if he was busy he prayed more. But many of us are not in his league and we need to set realistic goals. We can emulate others but Christ is the standard of perfection.

Prayer is where it's at (the action). "We should pray as we can not as we can't." "God takes our prayers as seriously as we do." "The goal of prayer is prayer (communion)," not to see what we can get out of God. It's not changing Him, but us! When I was in the Army I was very pious and zealous and would often pray over my lunch hour for an hour, but now I have learned to pray continually (always in an attitude of prayer and ready for it is sensitive to the inner voice). One thing I learned from the Navigators was to pray the Word! Psalms is almost all prayer (the first 72 are the prayers of David). Prayer is so important that it is not to be looked on as merely a duty, but a glorious calling.
   Soli Deo Gloria!
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