Praying for Endurance

In writing about the pervasive theme of endurance throughout the Scriptures, John Piper comments on how regularly various biblical writers pray for it in some form or fashion. He cites four such examples in the Psalms that neatly form the acrostic pattern IOU'S:

Incline my ear to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain. (Psalm 119:36)

Open my eyes that I might behold wondrous things in your law. (Psalm 119:18)

Unite my heart to fear your name (Psalm 86:11 - as in unite it from all of the various allegiances and distractions that threaten to distract and divide it).

Satisfy me in the morning with you steadfast love. (Psalm 90:14)

This strikes me as a very practical and useful structure for prayer, which I suppose is why I'm summarizing it here.

(John Piper, "The Roots of Endurance," page 24)

Do we need the atonement?

"People are not concerned about an atonement. They are basically convinced they have no need for it... If anything has been lost from our culture, it is the idea that human beings are privately, personally, individually, ultimately, inexorably accountable to God for their lives... If people understood that there is a holy God and that sin is an offense against that holy God, they would break down the doors of our churches and ask, 'What must I do to be saved?'"

-- RC Sproul, The Truth of the Cross, 8-9

Wisdom for Prayer from Ecclesiastes

 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.  Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

(Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 ESV)

This passage really begins to challenge how we think about prayer. Is prayer too often a one way street - marked by constant talk to God about things great and small rather than a desire to listen? Do I come to God to persuade Him to see my side of things or to be persuaded by His will? Does I suffer from a sort of verbal diarrhea in prayer - blabbering on about things without reflection or thought regarding to whom and about what I'm speaking? Is God a cosmic Santa Claus or vending machine? You get the idea.

The writer here seems to be arguing that what pleases God most is to be desired for Himself. Think about it. Are you more honored by someone who comes to talk to you about themselves or by someone who seeks your input, your counsel, your view of things? By someone making demands or by someone submitting to you?

There's a strong admonition here. "Guard your steps" means "Be careful," implying there's potential danger here. We must take care to approach the God of the universe appropriately, not cavalierly. The Teacher seems to be saying that to go into God's presence to prattle on without regard for who He is and who you are, is literally to do evil without realizing it!

Surely we may approach God boldly because of Christ, but we must balance that with a proper view of His character and holiness. We must not tread lightly.

Offensive vs. Defensive Parenting

William Farley writes about the difference between offensive and defensive parenting:

"Either we focus on preparing our children to enter the world and conquer it, or we can concentrate on protecting our children from the world. A  defensive mindset worries about the evil influences of Halloween, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or non-Christians on the Little League team. Although parenting always involves some protection, this should not be the main focus for biblical parents"

He compares "fear based parenting" with a football team that plays an infamous "prevent defense" that is more concerned with not losing (not giving up the big play) than it is with winning. In many instances, such an approach is rooted in legalism.

- William Farley, Gospel-Powered Parenting, 23

The Second Adam

"Had he been 'in Adam', however, under that first head, he would have been norn a sinner as all other children of Adam are, in a state of enmity towards God. He would have been unfit for any atoning substitution. But because of his personal pre-existence, he did not depend totally on Adam, he did not owe his individual existence to Adam, and so he was not in Adam. He did not fall under Adam's headship. his birth could mark a new beginning in the life of humankind. He could become a new head, a second and final Adam (1 Cor. 15:45ff). Knowing no sin and yet truly joined to Adam's posterity, he could freely take upon himself the communal guilt of his fellow humans.

"Jesus Christ accomplished the work of redemption as the new Adam, as the head for the body, as the pioneer, the path opener whom the others follow and who, as their leader, can freely take responsibility for those who belong to him. This was brought to light on the 'the first day of the week', that is, the eighth day of craetion, the day the new creation dawned. he rose again as the pioneer of life, the firstfruits of his own conquest over sin and death, the Adam of the new creation... The same structure which was effecti e in Adam's case still operates, but  for salvation, and this is why we enjoy the freuit of his death and resurrection only when we are members of his body."

Henri Blocher, Original Sin, 132-133