Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
He is Deeper Still
“There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still.” This is the message of The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, a book set in Nazi occupied Holland during World War II. It is a story of God’s love conquering evil.
Corrie and her family are devout Christians who give refuge to Jews during the Nazi occupation. For years, Corrie leads an underground ring and safe house until a fellow Dutchman betrays her to the Gestapo. After a raid of their home, the Gestapo arrests the whole family along with 35 other underground workers. The Jews manage to reach the hiding place built into the wall of the Ten Boom house and, miraculously, are never discovered. Corrie’s father dies in prison ten days later, and after many months in solitary confinement, Corrie is reunited with her sister, Betsie, and both are sent to the Ravensbruck death camp in Germany.
It is at Ravensbruck that Corrie and Betsie experience a “pit so deep” and learn that their hiding place is the Lord Jesus. They trust God through it all never doubting His goodness. When Corrie witnesses the diabolical viciousness of the Nazis, she struggles with why God would allow such atrocities. She remembers a lesson her father taught her when she was young. While on a train trip together, Corrie asked him what “sexsin” was-a term she read in a poem at school. He didn’t say anything right away but turned, picked up his heavy suitcase and asked her to carry it for him. Corrie staggered under the weight, “But Father, it is too heavy for me!”
“Exactly, my child, and what kind of father would I be if I asked you to carry such a heavy burden? Some knowledge is too heavy for children as well. This knowledge I will carry for you until you are old enough to bear it.” Corrie never forgot what her father taught her that day and when she saw people brutally murdered, left to die, innocents suffering and the slaughtering of people like animals, she let her Heavenly Father bear the burden that was too heavy for her and would whisper, “Will you carry this too, Lord Jesus?”
Betsie taught Corrie to thank God for all things – even fleas – and to trust that God works all things for our good. When they discovered that their new quarters were infested with fleas, Betsie suggested thanking God for them. Corrie found herself doing as Betsie said, but in her heart she knew Betsie was wrong. How could God expect them to thank Him for fleas? But Betsie was adamant. “’Give thanks in all circumstances,’” she quoted. “It doesn’t say, ‘in pleasant circumstances.’ Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.” Later, Betsie and Corrie were given an opportunity to minister to the women of the camp and hold Bible studies while knitting socks for the Germans. They seemed to have almost no supervision and were free to share the gospel and many drank in the Words of Life. They would later find out that no guard was willing to come into the barracks because of the fleas!
Throughout the horrors of the camp, Betsie especially was convinced that when they were free, they were to tell people what they had learned there. “They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here.” Although Betsie does not survive Ravensbruck, Corrie is released because of a clerical error. She would later return to Ravensbruck and discover that all women in her age group were sent to the gas chambers one week later. Corrie takes Betsie’s message to all the hurting and scarred people in postwar Europe. “There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still.” In the ensuing years, she opens rehabilitation homes for those who suffered in the concentration camps, a place to find healing in their own time and way. She turned her home over to NSBers, Dutchmen who collaborated with the Nazis. Corrie believed they were now suffering their own hell and needed healing too. In an extraordinary gesture of love, Corrie traveled to Germany and transformed an old concentration camp into a rehabilitation home for homeless and starving Germans in need of love.
The Hiding Place demonstrates that God’s love is deeper than any wound or any circumstance; that a Sovereign God is in control no matter what it may seem. Their story encourages us to forgive, to love and to learn from our journey. It teaches us that, no matter how deep the pit, He is deeper still.
Corrie and her family are devout Christians who give refuge to Jews during the Nazi occupation. For years, Corrie leads an underground ring and safe house until a fellow Dutchman betrays her to the Gestapo. After a raid of their home, the Gestapo arrests the whole family along with 35 other underground workers. The Jews manage to reach the hiding place built into the wall of the Ten Boom house and, miraculously, are never discovered. Corrie’s father dies in prison ten days later, and after many months in solitary confinement, Corrie is reunited with her sister, Betsie, and both are sent to the Ravensbruck death camp in Germany.
It is at Ravensbruck that Corrie and Betsie experience a “pit so deep” and learn that their hiding place is the Lord Jesus. They trust God through it all never doubting His goodness. When Corrie witnesses the diabolical viciousness of the Nazis, she struggles with why God would allow such atrocities. She remembers a lesson her father taught her when she was young. While on a train trip together, Corrie asked him what “sexsin” was-a term she read in a poem at school. He didn’t say anything right away but turned, picked up his heavy suitcase and asked her to carry it for him. Corrie staggered under the weight, “But Father, it is too heavy for me!”
“Exactly, my child, and what kind of father would I be if I asked you to carry such a heavy burden? Some knowledge is too heavy for children as well. This knowledge I will carry for you until you are old enough to bear it.” Corrie never forgot what her father taught her that day and when she saw people brutally murdered, left to die, innocents suffering and the slaughtering of people like animals, she let her Heavenly Father bear the burden that was too heavy for her and would whisper, “Will you carry this too, Lord Jesus?”
Betsie taught Corrie to thank God for all things – even fleas – and to trust that God works all things for our good. When they discovered that their new quarters were infested with fleas, Betsie suggested thanking God for them. Corrie found herself doing as Betsie said, but in her heart she knew Betsie was wrong. How could God expect them to thank Him for fleas? But Betsie was adamant. “’Give thanks in all circumstances,’” she quoted. “It doesn’t say, ‘in pleasant circumstances.’ Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.” Later, Betsie and Corrie were given an opportunity to minister to the women of the camp and hold Bible studies while knitting socks for the Germans. They seemed to have almost no supervision and were free to share the gospel and many drank in the Words of Life. They would later find out that no guard was willing to come into the barracks because of the fleas!
Throughout the horrors of the camp, Betsie especially was convinced that when they were free, they were to tell people what they had learned there. “They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here.” Although Betsie does not survive Ravensbruck, Corrie is released because of a clerical error. She would later return to Ravensbruck and discover that all women in her age group were sent to the gas chambers one week later. Corrie takes Betsie’s message to all the hurting and scarred people in postwar Europe. “There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still.” In the ensuing years, she opens rehabilitation homes for those who suffered in the concentration camps, a place to find healing in their own time and way. She turned her home over to NSBers, Dutchmen who collaborated with the Nazis. Corrie believed they were now suffering their own hell and needed healing too. In an extraordinary gesture of love, Corrie traveled to Germany and transformed an old concentration camp into a rehabilitation home for homeless and starving Germans in need of love.
The Hiding Place demonstrates that God’s love is deeper than any wound or any circumstance; that a Sovereign God is in control no matter what it may seem. Their story encourages us to forgive, to love and to learn from our journey. It teaches us that, no matter how deep the pit, He is deeper still.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Brave New World
Happiness has a high price tag. In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley explores exactly how high that cost is. The World State had established a society in which the people accepted the dictates of the government to gain happiness and stability. Huxley creates this "Brave New World" to demonstrate that the price of happiness and comfort is truth and beauty.
The World State asserts that “universal happiness keeps the wheels steadily turning,” and operates under this guiding principle. Huxley created a world where frugality was not encouraged and self-denial would upset mass production. Laborers were needed in this industrial world but not thinkers. Workers were produced in assembly line fashion out of test tubes, conditioned to accept their caste and satisfied with the least amount of mind-numbing work for the most gain. An industrial society that is focused on prosperity needs consumers bent on their own pleasure, indulging in their whims and fancies. The Apostle Paul speaks of this people in Philippians 3:19, “…their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” Truth and beauty cannot dwell in this kind of world. In fact, truth and beauty draw us away from thoughts of self to appreciate and admire something else for its own intrinsic worth and value and cause us to strive for excellence, something beyond ourselves.
While enlightening his listeners on the historic beginnings of the new world, the state’s Controller, Mustapha Mond, avers, “When the masses seized political power, then it was happiness rather than truth and beauty that mattered.” Quite prophetically, Huxley alludes to the countless revolutions when nations were unstable, poverty ruled and people were willing to allow totalitarian governments to form in order to obtain happiness and stability. The people turned their backs on truth and beauty, on right and wrong. One year after Brave New World was published, Hitler would rise to power in Germany. The masses looked the other way and closed their eyes to the truth so long as they were prospering, so long as happiness prevailed in their life. For “the good of the German people,” Hitler took away the right to free speech, free press and the right to gather publicly. Who cared when they had jobs and food on their tables? Hitler later organized book burnings of literature he had deemed threatening to the Third Reich. But what did that matter when he had stabilized the economy? The Reverend Martin Niemoeller, a church leader who opposed the Nazi government was asked by a student how such a horror could have happened in Germany. He replied, “First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionsts, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak for me.” Happiness and stability are expensive.
Huxley painted a very clear portrait of a people enslaved by happiness. The Controller conceded, “Happiness is a hard master – particularly other people’s happiness. A much harder master, if one isn’t conditioned to accept it unquestioningly, than truth.” Truth does not always bring happiness and comfort. Therefore, if happiness is the desired goal, truth must be concealed. One must work very hard to elude the truth. They must keep themselves occupied; pleasant vices must abound. Silence and solitude are enemies. Truly, if this world is all there is then we ought to pursue our happiness. Paul said, “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’”(1 Corinthians 15:32) But this world is not the end. Jesus has redeemed us and set us free. He has bought us out of the slave market with His own blood. We, through faith, are citizens of a different kingdom and all of our present sufferings are “preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)
Mustapha Mond, Controller of the World State, believes that society is better off with happiness and stability, even if the cost is liberty, even if it means suppressing truth and beauty. He rationalized, “It hasn’t been very good for truth, of course. But it’s been very good for happiness. One can’t have something for nothing. Happiness has got to be paid for.” The main character, John, realizes the poisonous nature of the “civilized” world and tells the Controller, “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.” He wanted the choice. The message Huxley sends to our materialistic society is timely. We must consider our leaders and their actions. We must not compromise on moral issues because our pocketbooks are full. We must examine the liberties that are being taken from us “for our good.” Let us speak out now against all injustice and immorality so that we never hit a point where there is no one left to speak for us.
The World State asserts that “universal happiness keeps the wheels steadily turning,” and operates under this guiding principle. Huxley created a world where frugality was not encouraged and self-denial would upset mass production. Laborers were needed in this industrial world but not thinkers. Workers were produced in assembly line fashion out of test tubes, conditioned to accept their caste and satisfied with the least amount of mind-numbing work for the most gain. An industrial society that is focused on prosperity needs consumers bent on their own pleasure, indulging in their whims and fancies. The Apostle Paul speaks of this people in Philippians 3:19, “…their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” Truth and beauty cannot dwell in this kind of world. In fact, truth and beauty draw us away from thoughts of self to appreciate and admire something else for its own intrinsic worth and value and cause us to strive for excellence, something beyond ourselves.
While enlightening his listeners on the historic beginnings of the new world, the state’s Controller, Mustapha Mond, avers, “When the masses seized political power, then it was happiness rather than truth and beauty that mattered.” Quite prophetically, Huxley alludes to the countless revolutions when nations were unstable, poverty ruled and people were willing to allow totalitarian governments to form in order to obtain happiness and stability. The people turned their backs on truth and beauty, on right and wrong. One year after Brave New World was published, Hitler would rise to power in Germany. The masses looked the other way and closed their eyes to the truth so long as they were prospering, so long as happiness prevailed in their life. For “the good of the German people,” Hitler took away the right to free speech, free press and the right to gather publicly. Who cared when they had jobs and food on their tables? Hitler later organized book burnings of literature he had deemed threatening to the Third Reich. But what did that matter when he had stabilized the economy? The Reverend Martin Niemoeller, a church leader who opposed the Nazi government was asked by a student how such a horror could have happened in Germany. He replied, “First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionsts, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak for me.” Happiness and stability are expensive.
Huxley painted a very clear portrait of a people enslaved by happiness. The Controller conceded, “Happiness is a hard master – particularly other people’s happiness. A much harder master, if one isn’t conditioned to accept it unquestioningly, than truth.” Truth does not always bring happiness and comfort. Therefore, if happiness is the desired goal, truth must be concealed. One must work very hard to elude the truth. They must keep themselves occupied; pleasant vices must abound. Silence and solitude are enemies. Truly, if this world is all there is then we ought to pursue our happiness. Paul said, “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’”(1 Corinthians 15:32) But this world is not the end. Jesus has redeemed us and set us free. He has bought us out of the slave market with His own blood. We, through faith, are citizens of a different kingdom and all of our present sufferings are “preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)
Mustapha Mond, Controller of the World State, believes that society is better off with happiness and stability, even if the cost is liberty, even if it means suppressing truth and beauty. He rationalized, “It hasn’t been very good for truth, of course. But it’s been very good for happiness. One can’t have something for nothing. Happiness has got to be paid for.” The main character, John, realizes the poisonous nature of the “civilized” world and tells the Controller, “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.” He wanted the choice. The message Huxley sends to our materialistic society is timely. We must consider our leaders and their actions. We must not compromise on moral issues because our pocketbooks are full. We must examine the liberties that are being taken from us “for our good.” Let us speak out now against all injustice and immorality so that we never hit a point where there is no one left to speak for us.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Response to Literature - The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
“How does a china rabbit die?” Edward Tulane asks himself that question as he sinks to the ocean floor. Although Edward endures many trials and hardships, they change him into a compassionate and loving companion. Edward begins his life with Abilene. Everything about Edward is elegant; his long furry rabbit ears, his exquisite china head and his dapper wardrobe of the finest quality. Abilene adores Edward and – to him – rightly so. Why shouldn’t an elegant rabbit such as himself receive such consideration? Yet Abilene’s love is unrequited. Edward, bored by all those around him never listens. He takes umbrage at every perceived slight. When Abilene and her family take Edward on a ship and he is tossed overboard by a group of rude boys, his miraculous journey begins.
A fisherman discovers him in his net and Edward is grateful for the first time in his life. He feels happy just to be alive and to feel the sun on his face. He finds himself listening to the fisherman’s wife as she speaks about the pain of losing her little boy. When their daughter cruelly throws him in the garbage, Edward feels pain in his heart. Yet again Edward finds a home and love with a hobo and his dog, Lucy. For seven happy years, a once refined Edward lives the life of a hobo. Then, once again he is ripped from his family and his heart aches.
Edward’s next owner shows him how to love. Sarah Ruth is a sick little girl living in squalid conditions with only a brother to love her. Instead of Edward receiving all the attention and care, he finds himself watching over Sarah Ruth. He and her brother Bryce tenderly care for her until she dies. Edward wonders how he can go on living without Sarah Ruth. Shortly thereafter, Edward’s head is smashed and, bereft of Sarah Ruth, he yearns to leave this cruel world and be with her. But Edward’s time here is not yet over. A doll mender puts him back together and he sits on a shelf in a small but exclusive doll shop for many years sinking into despair and hopelessness. That is, until an old doll comes to sit next to him on the shelf.
Visible cracks in the old doll’s head tell the story of a life full of hardships. Edward confides he is done with loving. It is much too painful. The old doll understands but she tells him he must have courage and above all, hope. Someone will come. When someone does come for the old doll, Edward believes and hope is born. Although Edward must wait many years, he never loses the glimmer of hope that someone will come. And someone does - Abilene. But now she owns a wholly different rabbit. He might not be handsome on the outside, but he is beautiful on the inside. Each crack, each hurt taught Edward to love.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5
A fisherman discovers him in his net and Edward is grateful for the first time in his life. He feels happy just to be alive and to feel the sun on his face. He finds himself listening to the fisherman’s wife as she speaks about the pain of losing her little boy. When their daughter cruelly throws him in the garbage, Edward feels pain in his heart. Yet again Edward finds a home and love with a hobo and his dog, Lucy. For seven happy years, a once refined Edward lives the life of a hobo. Then, once again he is ripped from his family and his heart aches.
Edward’s next owner shows him how to love. Sarah Ruth is a sick little girl living in squalid conditions with only a brother to love her. Instead of Edward receiving all the attention and care, he finds himself watching over Sarah Ruth. He and her brother Bryce tenderly care for her until she dies. Edward wonders how he can go on living without Sarah Ruth. Shortly thereafter, Edward’s head is smashed and, bereft of Sarah Ruth, he yearns to leave this cruel world and be with her. But Edward’s time here is not yet over. A doll mender puts him back together and he sits on a shelf in a small but exclusive doll shop for many years sinking into despair and hopelessness. That is, until an old doll comes to sit next to him on the shelf.
Visible cracks in the old doll’s head tell the story of a life full of hardships. Edward confides he is done with loving. It is much too painful. The old doll understands but she tells him he must have courage and above all, hope. Someone will come. When someone does come for the old doll, Edward believes and hope is born. Although Edward must wait many years, he never loses the glimmer of hope that someone will come. And someone does - Abilene. But now she owns a wholly different rabbit. He might not be handsome on the outside, but he is beautiful on the inside. Each crack, each hurt taught Edward to love.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Kevin's Birthday!
Kevin turned 10 on Thursday and we had a Patriot's party for him. Mimi and Papa, Grammy and Granpa and James were there. Grammy and Granpa gave him a Tom Brady football shirt which I think was his favorite gift since he hasn't taken it off for 3 days. He's so happy to be in the double digits.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Immigrant/Inventions Celebration
After reading about immigrants and the many inventions and overall progress in science, we celebrated our learning with family and friends.
Haley focused her display board on immigrants. She wrote a report on immigration detailing the causes of emigration, passing through Ellis Island, and life in America for immigrants. She graphed the number of immigrants by decade and found pictures of Ellis Island and immigrant life. She also wrote a report on the Statue of Liberty.
Kevin especially loves science so his display board was all about inventors. He wrote reports on Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers and made a timeline of some of the more important inventions of the day. He also displayed a model he built of the Wright brothers' flyer and all of our scientific experiments from SL4 science. He had everyone vote on the best invention - the electric motor (from SL4 science) won!
We tried to include as many of the larger immigrant nationalities as we could when planning our menu. We started with Meatball soup (Italians), Hungarian Goulash, Perogies (Polish), Challah Bread (Jewish), sweet potatoes (sold on city streets), and ended with Banana Splits, which were invented in 1905 in the USA. While the adults sipped Irish coffees, they watched a street play performed by Haley and Kevin. They acted out poems which included: My Shadow, Ooey Gooey, Roger the Dog, Godfrey Gordon Gustavus Gore, and Antonio, Antonio.
It was a hit!
Haley focused her display board on immigrants. She wrote a report on immigration detailing the causes of emigration, passing through Ellis Island, and life in America for immigrants. She graphed the number of immigrants by decade and found pictures of Ellis Island and immigrant life. She also wrote a report on the Statue of Liberty.
Kevin especially loves science so his display board was all about inventors. He wrote reports on Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers and made a timeline of some of the more important inventions of the day. He also displayed a model he built of the Wright brothers' flyer and all of our scientific experiments from SL4 science. He had everyone vote on the best invention - the electric motor (from SL4 science) won!
We tried to include as many of the larger immigrant nationalities as we could when planning our menu. We started with Meatball soup (Italians), Hungarian Goulash, Perogies (Polish), Challah Bread (Jewish), sweet potatoes (sold on city streets), and ended with Banana Splits, which were invented in 1905 in the USA. While the adults sipped Irish coffees, they watched a street play performed by Haley and Kevin. They acted out poems which included: My Shadow, Ooey Gooey, Roger the Dog, Godfrey Gordon Gustavus Gore, and Antonio, Antonio.
It was a hit!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
He Learned Obedience
In Deuteronomy 8, Moses told the Israelites that the Lord God had led them in the wilderness for 40 years and that there was a purpose to it. It was so that He might humble them and that their hearts would be revealed. Would they keep His commandments or not? The Israelites were to know by experience that, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” How did God teach them this? He let them hunger. Then He fed them with manna, which they had never experienced before, but only enough to feed them for the day. They learned by experience that the Lord God was faithful. Every morning his mercies were new. They experienced their clothing and shoes preserved. They were to know by experience the discipline of their God.
The ultimate purpose for the discipline of the Lord is holiness. They would then obey His commandments, walk in His ways and fear Him. The writer of the Hebrews echoes this thought when he wrote, “he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb.12:10-11 ESV)
There are many similarities between the Israelites experience and that of the temptation of Christ. The Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for 40 days and there was also purpose to it. The Israelites were humbled by God, but the Lord Jesus humbled Himself. Through His humbling, His perfect heart was revealed and His perfect obedience seen. He was a perfect man and the joy of His Father’s heart yet He allowed Him to hunger. The Lord Jesus at any time could have met His need but He didn’t. He humbled Himself under His Father’s hand. “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered.” (Heb. 5:8 ESV) J.M Flanigan in "What the Bible Teaches", points out that the Lord Jesus did not learn to be obedient. He learned obedience. What a contrast! We who are disobedient learn to be obedient through our sufferings and trials, but the Lord Jesus learned, or came to know by experience, obedience. He who was from the glory, whom angels worshipped, and by whom the worlds and everything in them were created, experienced submission.
We who are weak would stop our suffering and our trials and meet our own needs if we could. When the Lord Jesus was tempted by Satan to make the stones bread, He said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4) He became obedient even to death, even to the shameful death on a cross. (Phil. 2:8) He humbled Himself. That should humble us and encourage us. Let us not grow weary in our trials. It is for holiness. “Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Heb. 12:3)
And what was the ultimate purpose for His experiencing obedience? He was found to be completely fit to be our Savior, “and being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” (Heb. 5:9 ESV)
Praise the Saviour, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him
All we are and have.
Jesus is the Name that charms us,
He for conflict fits and arms us;
Nothing moves, and nothing harms us
When we trust in Him.
Trust in Him, ye saints, for ever;
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him.
Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving
To thyself, and still believing,
Till the hour of our receiving
Promised joys in heaven.
Then we shall be where we would be,
Then we shall be what we should be,
That which is not now, nor could be,
Then shall be our own.
The ultimate purpose for the discipline of the Lord is holiness. They would then obey His commandments, walk in His ways and fear Him. The writer of the Hebrews echoes this thought when he wrote, “he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb.12:10-11 ESV)
There are many similarities between the Israelites experience and that of the temptation of Christ. The Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for 40 days and there was also purpose to it. The Israelites were humbled by God, but the Lord Jesus humbled Himself. Through His humbling, His perfect heart was revealed and His perfect obedience seen. He was a perfect man and the joy of His Father’s heart yet He allowed Him to hunger. The Lord Jesus at any time could have met His need but He didn’t. He humbled Himself under His Father’s hand. “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered.” (Heb. 5:8 ESV) J.M Flanigan in "What the Bible Teaches", points out that the Lord Jesus did not learn to be obedient. He learned obedience. What a contrast! We who are disobedient learn to be obedient through our sufferings and trials, but the Lord Jesus learned, or came to know by experience, obedience. He who was from the glory, whom angels worshipped, and by whom the worlds and everything in them were created, experienced submission.
We who are weak would stop our suffering and our trials and meet our own needs if we could. When the Lord Jesus was tempted by Satan to make the stones bread, He said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4) He became obedient even to death, even to the shameful death on a cross. (Phil. 2:8) He humbled Himself. That should humble us and encourage us. Let us not grow weary in our trials. It is for holiness. “Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Heb. 12:3)
And what was the ultimate purpose for His experiencing obedience? He was found to be completely fit to be our Savior, “and being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” (Heb. 5:9 ESV)
Praise the Saviour, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him
All we are and have.
Jesus is the Name that charms us,
He for conflict fits and arms us;
Nothing moves, and nothing harms us
When we trust in Him.
Trust in Him, ye saints, for ever;
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him.
Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving
To thyself, and still believing,
Till the hour of our receiving
Promised joys in heaven.
Then we shall be where we would be,
Then we shall be what we should be,
That which is not now, nor could be,
Then shall be our own.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Zechariah's Prophecy
"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:76-79 ESV)
I enjoyed this morning that the Lord Jesus was the sunrise that dawned upon the world. The world sat in darkness and death loomed so close as to cast its shadow upon it. Except for this Great Light we would still dwell in deep darkness. There would be no morning for us, no warmth, no life - only "a darkness to be felt." Not one looked for Light, not one recognized their own darkness. Yet, "because of the tender mercy of our God", the Light of the World spread His glow from the east to the west. The Warmth of God has "shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." The feet that were "swift to shed blood" have been guided by the Light "into the way of peace."
"A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!"
What a holy night it must have been when into the darkness came the holy Son of God.
"He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name." (Luke 1:49 ESV)
I enjoyed this morning that the Lord Jesus was the sunrise that dawned upon the world. The world sat in darkness and death loomed so close as to cast its shadow upon it. Except for this Great Light we would still dwell in deep darkness. There would be no morning for us, no warmth, no life - only "a darkness to be felt." Not one looked for Light, not one recognized their own darkness. Yet, "because of the tender mercy of our God", the Light of the World spread His glow from the east to the west. The Warmth of God has "shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." The feet that were "swift to shed blood" have been guided by the Light "into the way of peace."
"A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!"
What a holy night it must have been when into the darkness came the holy Son of God.
"He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name." (Luke 1:49 ESV)
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Narnia Projects
We are reading through the Chronicles of Narnia in Literature this year. We are learning about setting so Haley and Kevin made displays of two settings. Haley chose The Wood Between the Worlds and she wrote a descriptive paragraph. Kevin chose Charn and wrote a cinquain.
The Wood Between the Worlds, by Haley
You might be wondering why it is called "The Wood Between the Worlds." You are probably saying to yourself, "What other worlds are there?" Well, I will tell you. It is a very pleasant place. It is so silent that you can almost hear the trees growing. The funny thing about it is that when you first go there you feel as if you had been there your whole life. The trees grow so close together that you can't even see the sky. You know there is a very strong sun in the sky because there is a green light coming from the trees. One very strange thing is there are pools as far as your eyes can see. And this is why it is called, "The Wood Between the Worlds," for every pool is a door to a different world. Digory and Polly, the main characters in The Magician's Nephew, went to two other worlds. One of them was Narnia and the other was Charn, the desolate city destroyed by the evil queen, Jadis, when she spoke the Deplorable Word. You will find out all about it in The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis.
Charn, by Kevin
City
Destroyed, desolate
Terrifying, horrifying, frightening
Makes blood run cold
Town
The Wood Between the Worlds, by Haley
You might be wondering why it is called "The Wood Between the Worlds." You are probably saying to yourself, "What other worlds are there?" Well, I will tell you. It is a very pleasant place. It is so silent that you can almost hear the trees growing. The funny thing about it is that when you first go there you feel as if you had been there your whole life. The trees grow so close together that you can't even see the sky. You know there is a very strong sun in the sky because there is a green light coming from the trees. One very strange thing is there are pools as far as your eyes can see. And this is why it is called, "The Wood Between the Worlds," for every pool is a door to a different world. Digory and Polly, the main characters in The Magician's Nephew, went to two other worlds. One of them was Narnia and the other was Charn, the desolate city destroyed by the evil queen, Jadis, when she spoke the Deplorable Word. You will find out all about it in The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis.
Charn, by Kevin
City
Destroyed, desolate
Terrifying, horrifying, frightening
Makes blood run cold
Town
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Yet
A small word, yet big truths. I think the prophet Isaiah would agree. Each time we find the word “yet” in Isaiah 53 it is a cause for worship.
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
While the Lord Jesus was suffering on the cross there were those passing by who derided Him. They shook their heads and were full of scorn for the One who claimed He would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. Here he was, they thought, shamefully hanging on a cross unable to save Himself. “Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save.” All along He was bearing our griefs and our sorrows. It was because of our sins He was hanging on that cross. He did not save Himself so that He could save us. “Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
“He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth.”
When I think about that appalling scene where a whole battalion of Roman soldiers is gathered around the Lord Jesus, I am awed at His silence. They stripped the holy Son of God, put a purple robe about Him, fashioned a crown of thorns for His head and placed a reed as a scepter in His hand. Thus arrayed, they bowed before Him in mockery saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they took the reed and beat the crown of thorns into His head. They spit on Him and beat Him and scourged Him. Then they crucified Him.
The words the Lord Jesus said to Peter come to mind. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and He shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” “Yet he opened not His mouth.”
“He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.”
The Lord Jesus was not dying for His own sin, but for ours. No one that he came into contact with could bring one accusation against Him. The Jews brought false witness after false witness before the tribunal in order to find some charge to condemn Him. “But they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.” Three times over in Luke 23, Pilate stated that He didn’t find any guilt in the Lord Jesus and neither did Herod. One of the criminals hanging beside Him railed at Him. “But the other rebuked him, saying, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.” Even a Roman centurion who witnessed the death of the Lord Jesus confessed, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” Heaven itself opened up on more than one occasion to declare, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased.”
Yet, this One who “always did those things that pleased the Father,” was the One that it pleased the Father to bruise. It was the will of the Lord to “put Him to grief.” Not me, but Him. My soul can only sing in some heavenly language that I cannot fully comprehend. There are no earthly words – no earthly language – that could express the worship due Him. But let us try.
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
While the Lord Jesus was suffering on the cross there were those passing by who derided Him. They shook their heads and were full of scorn for the One who claimed He would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. Here he was, they thought, shamefully hanging on a cross unable to save Himself. “Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save.” All along He was bearing our griefs and our sorrows. It was because of our sins He was hanging on that cross. He did not save Himself so that He could save us. “Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
“He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth.”
When I think about that appalling scene where a whole battalion of Roman soldiers is gathered around the Lord Jesus, I am awed at His silence. They stripped the holy Son of God, put a purple robe about Him, fashioned a crown of thorns for His head and placed a reed as a scepter in His hand. Thus arrayed, they bowed before Him in mockery saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they took the reed and beat the crown of thorns into His head. They spit on Him and beat Him and scourged Him. Then they crucified Him.
The words the Lord Jesus said to Peter come to mind. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and He shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” “Yet he opened not His mouth.”
“He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.”
The Lord Jesus was not dying for His own sin, but for ours. No one that he came into contact with could bring one accusation against Him. The Jews brought false witness after false witness before the tribunal in order to find some charge to condemn Him. “But they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.” Three times over in Luke 23, Pilate stated that He didn’t find any guilt in the Lord Jesus and neither did Herod. One of the criminals hanging beside Him railed at Him. “But the other rebuked him, saying, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.” Even a Roman centurion who witnessed the death of the Lord Jesus confessed, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” Heaven itself opened up on more than one occasion to declare, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased.”
Yet, this One who “always did those things that pleased the Father,” was the One that it pleased the Father to bruise. It was the will of the Lord to “put Him to grief.” Not me, but Him. My soul can only sing in some heavenly language that I cannot fully comprehend. There are no earthly words – no earthly language – that could express the worship due Him. But let us try.
Monday, September 17, 2007
The Power of God
The theme of power runs throughout the book of Ephesians. There are five words used to describe power, strength, might, authority or the effectual working of it in the Greek language. All five of these words are found over 20 times in the short book of Ephesians. Four of these words are contained in one verse of chapter one where Paul prays that the saints may know “the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” Paul first shows us what the power of God has done for us, then what it is presently doing in us, and, finally, what it enables us to do – all to the praise of His glory.
In chapter one, the apostle Paul sets forth all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ Jesus; chosen to be holy, predestined for adoption, redemption through His blood, and an inheritance sealed with the Holy Spirit. The only thing that could accomplish this for us is the immeasurable power of God, the same power that “He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.”
Paul recalls to our minds what we once were in Ephesians two. Dead in our trespasses and sins, we were separated from Christ and without God in this world. We followed after the prince of the power of the air and fulfilled the lusts of our flesh. In short, we were utterly depraved and without hope. Does it surprise us then that it would take the power of God, the very power that raised Christ from the dead, to give us life, seat us in heavenly places with Christ, and make it possible that children of wrath should walk in good works? This power has brought those that are far near, united Jew and Gentile into one new man, given us access to the Father through the Spirit and made us “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”
Not only has the power of God brought all this about for us in the past through the work of the cross, but in chapter three Paul declares that even at the present time this power is at work in us, strengthening the inner man so that we may know and understand the immeasurable love of Christ and “be filled with all the fullness of God.” Let’s rethink that a moment. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is now, this moment, working in us for the express purpose of revealing the vast and unfathomable love of Christ so that we may be filled with the virtues and excellencies of Christ. Oh, if only we could be here, drinking this truth in moment by moment. This can only be a foretaste of heaven.
In chapter four, five and six this power enables us to live with our brethren in unity and equips us with spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. It is the strength needed to turn from our wicked works and walk in the light. It is the power needed for a wife to submit to her husband, for a husband to sacrificially love his wife, for a child to obey his parents, and for a slave to obey his master as he would Christ.
Paul wraps up his letter with three power words in one sentence. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” The efficacy of His power is so complete that we can withstand the principalities and powers and the rulers of darkness that work against us. Outfitted in the whole armor of God, we are able to stand before Satan himself.
I can only say with Paul, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
In chapter one, the apostle Paul sets forth all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ Jesus; chosen to be holy, predestined for adoption, redemption through His blood, and an inheritance sealed with the Holy Spirit. The only thing that could accomplish this for us is the immeasurable power of God, the same power that “He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.”
Paul recalls to our minds what we once were in Ephesians two. Dead in our trespasses and sins, we were separated from Christ and without God in this world. We followed after the prince of the power of the air and fulfilled the lusts of our flesh. In short, we were utterly depraved and without hope. Does it surprise us then that it would take the power of God, the very power that raised Christ from the dead, to give us life, seat us in heavenly places with Christ, and make it possible that children of wrath should walk in good works? This power has brought those that are far near, united Jew and Gentile into one new man, given us access to the Father through the Spirit and made us “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”
Not only has the power of God brought all this about for us in the past through the work of the cross, but in chapter three Paul declares that even at the present time this power is at work in us, strengthening the inner man so that we may know and understand the immeasurable love of Christ and “be filled with all the fullness of God.” Let’s rethink that a moment. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is now, this moment, working in us for the express purpose of revealing the vast and unfathomable love of Christ so that we may be filled with the virtues and excellencies of Christ. Oh, if only we could be here, drinking this truth in moment by moment. This can only be a foretaste of heaven.
In chapter four, five and six this power enables us to live with our brethren in unity and equips us with spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. It is the strength needed to turn from our wicked works and walk in the light. It is the power needed for a wife to submit to her husband, for a husband to sacrificially love his wife, for a child to obey his parents, and for a slave to obey his master as he would Christ.
Paul wraps up his letter with three power words in one sentence. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” The efficacy of His power is so complete that we can withstand the principalities and powers and the rulers of darkness that work against us. Outfitted in the whole armor of God, we are able to stand before Satan himself.
I can only say with Paul, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
Monday, September 10, 2007
Accountability
I just had a moment of enlightening. It doesn't happen too often so I'm writing it down so I can see it in black in white. I have been reading a book called, "The Pursuit of Holiness" by Jerry Bridges. He commented that often, when we sin, we say things like, "I failed," or "I was defeated by that sin," and thereby place blame on something outside of ourselves. This rang a bell for me. It sounds so much better than, "I disobeyed God," which would shift the responsibility where it ought to be - on me. Sin cannot defeat me any longer. I choose to sin. I don't think this is semantics. This is how I hold on to those sins that I lament so loudly over. I hear a convicting voice saying, "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." I need to hold myself accountable for my sin and remember that Jesus suffered for it so that I don't take it lightly. And then rest in His amazing grace.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
My New Purchase
I just hit the "order now" button for Teaching Textbooks 6. I am so excited. I think it will be another resource (albeit an expensive one) for Haley in reviewing multiplication and division and learning fractions and decimals. She needs to be more independent next year so this will get her ready to make a smooth transition to TT7. I did major spring cleaning in my desk area today. There is such satisfaction sitting at my desk and surveying my organized and uncluttered desktop. We start back full-time tomorrow - adding in our history and literature.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Peanutus Sumus!
We made birthday invitations in Latin using Minimus. It's a fun introduction which everyone is enjoying. It's amazing how much we understand.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
A New Year
August 6, 2007 - Our first day back to school! I made Schultute cones (a German tradition) and filled them with the coolest school supplies I could find at Staples - a label maker, art markers, highlighters and pens. And, of course, books. It was like Christmas morning. I wouldn't let them come downstairs until I had the breakfast table set with everything to make ice cream sundaes. Later, we transferred this picture onto T-shirts and underneath it we ironed on the letters, "Home'scool." It was a special day.
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