Bunyan on part of one's devotional life

I recently found a wonderful quote by John Bunyan pertaining to the habit every Christian should develop thoroughly: reading Scripture, knowing Scripture better than you know yourself.

Read the Bible, and read it again, and do not give up on understanding something of the will and mind of God, though you think they are locked up tight from you. And don't trouble your heads if you don't have commentaries and expositions; pray and read, and read and pray, for a little from God is better than a great deal from human writers. Besides, human ideas are uncertain, and are often lost and tossed around, but what is from God is as securely placed as a nail in a hard board. Nothing remains with us so well as what we receive from God; the reason why Christians today are so lacking when it comes to some things, is because they are content with what comes from human mouths, without searching and kneeling before God to ask Him the truth about things. Things that we receive from God's hand come to us in mint condition; though old in themselves, yet they are fresh to us. Old truths are always new to us, if they come to us with the smell of heaven on them. (Barbour, The Riches of Bunyan, 1998, p. 46)

I have tried to develop in myself this habit so eloquently stated by Bunyan for the past third of my life and have been relatively successful. However, no matter how many times I make it through all of Scripture, there are each time new treasures, new barbs at my pride, new angles to use in my own life and exhortations to others. Try it. You'll like it.

Chasing after God's heart

Normally I do not blog Bible studies much anymore, but this one is a gem, spiritual meat and wine. Enjoy.

1 Samuel 13:14

• God seeks "a man after His own heart."
• The judges turned evil (Samuel's sons), so God gave Israel a king.
• Saul was physically imposing. However, this did not make him worthy to be king; God added a transformation and a new heart (1 Samuel 10:6, 9) before anointing him king.
• Saul's reign fell because he turned after his own heart, not seeking God. God's Spirit vacated him because of lack of trust and unwillingness to wait on the LORD.
• Why was David pre-anointed (a king-elect)? Preparation/apprenticeship. He increased trust (cf. dealing with Goliath), humility, and obedience to God (i.e. did not try to remove Saul himself).

Ezekiel 34:15-16. God will shepherd His flock = He chases us.
1 Corinthians 12:3. We cannot confess Christ except by the Spirit's indwelling = He chases us.
Ephesians 2:4-5. God resurrected us by grace = He chases us.

But. . .

Matthew 6:33. We are told to seek His kingdom and righteousness = we chase Him.
Matthew 11:28. We take up His yoke, coming to Him for rest = we chase Him.
Matthew 16:24. We take up our crosses in order to follow Christ = we chase Him.

Revelation 3:20. Christ knocks, entering when we open = BOTH chase each other. So He chases us, then inviting us to follow and serve Him. Tying it all together, we see that God always perfectly chases us while we imperfectly chase Him.

What is the chasing person like?

David

• Before kingship, he waited patiently, was humble (we are not God!), trusted in God, and obeyed Him.
• After kingship, his arrogance led to lying, adultery, and murder. Yet God works through these "warty," sinful humans. Just look at Hebrews 11!
• Psalm 40: patient waiting, trust in the LORD, proclaiming the Gospel.
• Psalm 51: God makes a clean heart, a steadfast spirit, an indwelling of the Spirit, joy of salvation. Passion to find out God's will for us.

Jesus

• Matthew 8:23-26. Christ slept in the storm, fearlessly rebuking it. Complete trust.
• Matthew 9:36; John 11:32-38. He had compassion for the crowd's need. Compassion (lit. "with emotion") means concern for someone else's welfare leading to action. Weeping for the friends of Lazarus evidenced love. He released emotions along with faith because both, going together, are a gift from God!
• Matthew 18:2-4. With childlike humility, put your entire spiritual care in His hands.
• Matthew 26:39. Grief, surrender, deep obedience. Thy will be done, O LORD.
• Mark 10:45. Chasing = service, giving His life as our ransom.
• John 19:25-27. Dying, Jesus Christ protected His mother. He had utter concern for others above Himself.

Us: trust, humility, surrender, compassion (emotion leading to action), serving others. How? Live in the Word (wherein are God's heart and His Spirit!); daily confession and joy's work; worship and service with other Christians; see Jesus in the eyes of the poor (Mother Teresa); Sacraments; prayer.

Soli Deo gloria.

On Lent

Patrick, of Wit and Whim, has an excellent post, quite eloquent, on a Lutheran rationale for fasting. Go read it.