Filed under John Piper …

Jun 13 2012
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Beth Moore, C.S. Lewis, Calvinism, Christianity, Doctrine, Francis Chan, Gospel of the Kingdom, Hearing God, Holy Spirit, Intimacy with Christ, John Piper, Leadership, Ministry, Miracles, N.T. Wright, Revelation, Scripture, Truth

Glossalalia

For those who come down on the side of cessation, meaning the miraculous gifts – particularly (for this post) the gifts of praying or speaking in tongues – died with the last apostle, they might want to reconsider using the example of our Lord not speaking in a heavenly language. Sorry, but He did. He even said He did.*

The Rabbi from Heaven said “I do not come using My own words, but the Words of My Father Who is in heaven.” He declared that He never said anything unless the Father told Him what words to use.

Such was the revolutionary impact of this aspect of Jesus’ ministry that when He spoke, the people marvelled. They were astonished. Blown away. Left scratching their heads.

Who is this Man?

What are these words?

Rabbis in Jesus’ day – and in preceding and succeeding centuries – never spoke truth directly from God the Father. They only quoted from the patriarchs and their ancient rock star priests and respected lineage of famous rabbis. To deviate was heresy, so all church leaders played it safe and, well, predictable.

Their sermons may as well have been in quotation marks because they were deaf and dumb to what God was saying and wouldn’t know an original thought if one hit them in the mouth. So they quoted the old guys. They held to tradition. They stuck to the party line. And the people yawned.

Along comes a dusty-sandaled preacher who expounds to the people,

“You’ve all heard it before, many times over, ad nauseum, but those teachers and priests of the Law do not know the Lawgiver. I know Him. Indeed, I have been sent by I AM to declare these things to you. These are the words of My Father, not My own. If you have ears to hear, then you will understand and find Life everlasting. Those who refuse to hear will only hear gibberish and will die in their sins.”

Did you hear what He just said?

We’ve never heard such language!

He’s a drunk and a glutton! He spends his time with publicans and sinners! It’s just slurred speech from wine and spirits!

But He told me everything about my life!

He just spoke a word and thousands of demons released me! I’m free!

Then he’s working for the devil!

What?!?!

But it wasn’t only Jesus who spoke the words of His Father, His followers could blurt out a phrase of heavenly language here and there on occasion. SCENE: Early First century. Mountain. Northern Galilee. An array of men are gathered with their spiritual Leader. They are standing in the middle of an outdoor temple of pagan gods and the Leader – Who is God enfleshed – quizzes His men: am I one of many gods? Am I an important historical figure? Am I a prophet risen from the dead? Who am I?

Then an unglazed, unfazed, purely lucid Peter moves with an “I’ll take this” bravado.

“YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.”

Glossalalia.

Jesus breaks into an impossibly large and gleaming smile. I recognize that language, He says to Himself, I speak it all the time.

He blesses Peter for yielding to the God of Heaven and speaking Kingdom truth, previously unlearned. “You didn’t learn those words at your daddy’s knee, Simon. You just spoke the words the Father gave you, from Truth He showed you!”

Then our Lord probably added: “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” (but only if the Father told Him to say it)

Quoting Kingdom truth from other heroes of the faith is not this glossalalia. This only comes from personally spending time with the Author of our faith, not some best-selling author who’s the hottest name in the Christian market.

Where is the conversation that is fraught with downloaded revelation? But way too often we quote from Chan or Giglio or Beth Moore or Keller or Piper or Murray, Lewis, Calvin, Tozer and Chambers. These servants of the Most High are great and holy and, because we quote them, clearly download(ed) Kingdom truth for themselves…from the Source.

We do a lot of quoting because we have forgotten the words, or are too lazy or prideful to learn them.

I think glossalalia – whichever side you fall down on – has to also be understood in the light of Kingdom Truth learned FIRST-HAND, not acquired through the natural means of our eyes or ears. The mysteries of the Kingdom can only be known spiritually, that is, when it is deposited into a man or woman’s spirit first, not one’s natural mind. There are so many more words! There are many undiscovered-as-yet mysteries! If we think we’ve exhausted the alphabet of the Alpha and Omega, we are deceived!

It is the glory of God to conceal things…but the glory of kings is to search things out.
(Proverbs 25:2)

This requires spending time, not with devotional books and other helps, but with the open Scriptures, an accessible heart and a teachable will. Do this and you’ll be speaking in a heavenly language in no time.

Now, my reader, where have I missed it?
_________________________________________

*John 5:19,20; 14:10
**John 5:38,39

Mar 14 2012
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Answered Prayer, Christianity, Church, Church History, Consecration, George Whitfield, Holy Spirit, Intimacy with Christ, Jesus Christ, John Piper, John Wesley, Joy, Ministry, Miracles, Renewal, Theology, Truth

This Is That

When’s the last sermon you’ve heard on the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

I’ll wait.

Can’t remember the last time? Why is it that the church is so ill-equipped with this precious and powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit? Have our doctrines become iron gates so as to occlude our entering in to the secret place where divinely inestimable treasures are kept?

These treasures are for us – for our employment and our enjoyment.

Martin Lloyd-Jones described himself as a Calvinistic-Methodist, influenced both by the unadulterated exposition of Whitefield and Wesley’s ministry of the burning heart. He preached a subsequent work of the Holy Spirit for any of God’s children who ask (see Luke 11:11-13), which may or may not be accompanied by phenomenon we see in Acts. For the record, I am in his tribe.

Here is how the venerable Lloyd-Jones describes this amazing love-gift from God:

Alluding to the teaching of Puritan Thomas Goodwin, Lloyd-Jones said,

A father is walking down the road with his son’s hand in his own and the child is enjoying the presence of his father and knows that he is loved. Then, without the child doing anything special, moved only by the father’s love, the father reaches down and scoops his son off his feet and up into his arms. He hugs the child tightly, showers him with kisses, tells him he loves him more than life itself and sets him down again. The child already knew his father loved him, there was no doubt. But oh the added measure of assurance, the joy of knowing that love is not based on anything you have done but simply flows out of the heart of the father. That is what it means to have God near.

*

John Piper, citing this reference, said,

I think this is basically what happened at Pentecost. And has happened again and again in the life of the church.
— John Piper: You Shall Receive Power, 1990

Are we so afraid that our people can’t handle this added measure of love from God?

This is criminal, if you ask me. During the Middle Ages, Catholicism deemed it illegal for the common person to have access to Bibles. Catholic apologists say it was to stem the tide of heresy, but their own practices were heretical! Wittenberg Door, anyone? So committed to their laws were they that the scriptures were actually chained to the pulpits!

Is this like that?

I am grateful for this subsequent work of the Spirit for life and ministry. For the life of me, I don’t know where I would be without His sweet bathings. Let’s not memorialize Pentecost as if it was a one-time event never to be reproduced, when the truth is, there have been many fillings and (oh, let’s just say it) baptisms, with many yet to come!

D.L. Moody said of his own experience,

I was crying all the time that God would fill me with His Spirit. Well, one day, in the city of New York — oh, what a day! — I cannot describe it, I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name. Paul had an experience of which he never spoke for fourteen years. I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand.

Are you hungry?

Thirsty?

Ask – with a pure heart, yes – but do ask.

And get ready to be swept up in the arms of grace.

__________________________________________________

*Joy Unspeakable, David Martyn-Lloyd Jones

May 31 2011
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Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Church, Cross, Doctrine, Gospel, Heaven, Hell, Jesus Christ, John Piper, Leadership, Ministry, Repentance, Rick Warren, Salvation, Sovereignty of God

Fly On The Wall

John Piper and Rick Warren, two of the most influential pastors of our day, sit down to a small round-table and have an hour and a half chat. Piper does the asking, and, according to his stated purpose (pun intended?), desires (another pun?) some clarification from Pastor Warren regarding the doctrines he is most known for, made popular in his book, The Purpose-Driven Life:

My aim in this interview is to bring out and clarify what Rick Warren believes about these biblical doctrines. In doing this my hope is that the thousands of pastors and lay people who look to Rick for inspiration and wisdom will see the profound place that doctrine has in his mind and heart.

This is a marvelous dialogue; it allows us the chance to be flies on the wall as these men pick each other’s brains about such matters as Larry King (24:14), Election (27:00), the Gospel (38:53), and Hell (61:03). For my dollar, Piper’s charge to Warren at the end is priceless and insightful (88:10).

For the entire interview (98 minutes), click here. Here’s a sampling:

May 30 2007
15 Comments
Christianity, Consecration, Discipleship, Encouragement, Humility, Intimacy, John Piper, Kingdom of God, Loving God, Reign of Christ, Sacrifice, Surrender, U2, Worship

Play It Loud

ipod.jpg

If you took a listen to my IPOD today, you’d find an eclectic mix of Christian music with artists like SCC, Michael W. Smith, Derek Webb, Avalon, Jaci Velasquez, Jeremy Camp, Brooklyn Tab, Lincoln Brewster, Mark Schultz, Matthew West, Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Michael Card, Steve Camp, NewSong, Passion, Petra, Steve Green (only time you’ll see the last two in the same sentence!), “Voice” (thank you, John Piper) and Wayne Watson. There’s even a smattering of Josh Groban (one song) and Mandy Moore (one song). I suppose the most heady music I have is some downloaded songs off U2′s “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.”

Yeah, that kinda baffles me, too.

I have to say, however, that I can really worship to some of the stuff on this album, especially “Yaweh.” Just peruse these lyrics and tell me there’s not solid Truth in them. Yeah, Bono and The Edge are ‘out there’ and their lyrics can be artsy, methaphorical and layered with meaning, but I believe I have picked up on a not-as-subtle surrender ballad here. Think of it as a “Take My Life And Let It Be” for the postmodern generation.

Take these shoes
Click-clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes and make them fit.

Take this shirt
Polyester white-trash, made in nowhere
Take this shirt and make it clean.

Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul and make it sing.

Yaweh, Yaweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yaweh, Yaweh, still I’m waiting for the dawn.

Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands, don’t make a fist.

Take this mouth
So quick to criticize
Take this mouth, give it a kiss.

Yaweh, Yaweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yaweh, Yaweh, still I’m waiting for the dawn.

Still waiting for the dawn…sun is coming up
Sun is coming up on the ocean
This Love is like a drop in the ocean
This Love is like a drop in the ocean.

Yaweh, Yaweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yaweh, Yaweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn?

Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city if it be Your will.

What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break

I know it’s a style, a method of communicating, but I like it a whole lot better when I don’t have to read between the lyrics to find out where someone’s faith lies. Gleaming cities on hills are pretty evident to everyone, not at all vague or opaque. They’re loud, too. Lives lived in the key of heaven tend to be noticed and the residents of such a city like to rock the house and wake the neighbors.

A city should be shining on a hill, indeed.

 

 

Mar 20 2007
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Christianity, Culture, Discipleship, Humor, Jesus Christ, John Piper, Ministry, Psalms, Worship

No ‘Gangsta’ In This Rap

curtisallenvoice.jpg

When David called for the singers and instrumentalists to make a joyful noise to the Lord in the Temple, I’m not so sure he had in mind the rapping and scratching of hip-hop in the House Band. For that matter, I’m not sure Paul envisioned the felt-needs-based, market-driven, seeker-friendly ministries emerging all over the modern landscape either. But, hey, I’ve been wrong before.

Which is why this post: when I happened upon this jaw-dropping testimony of a modern-day Christian rap artist, I had to rethink the David thing. The sweet singer of Israel may have given this guy a go on his worship team after all. Believe it or not, one of today’s most respected conservative pastors did.

Curtis (a.k.a., “Voice”) Allen, itinerant preacher and rapper, has found a way to propagate his Calvinist theology with the thumping baselines of hip-hop. One of the lyrics he belts is, “I been exposed to bright lights, the doctrines of grace, I’m elected, imputed perfected, becuz of the power of God resurrected and his gift of faith, that when we see his face we’re not rejected.”

And you thought you’d heard it all…

Don’t judge a book and all that, because Mr. Allen’s (‘scuse me: Voice) true heart for Christ is seen all over this article he wrote for Boundless Webzine. I may just become a fan of the rap genre after this. “I’m a get-down preacher and a true God seeker, rollin’ with my wife cuz you know that I need her, been paralyzed for twenty-five years but ain’t no lie that He’s always been here…”

Am I white, or what?

Okay, okay, I won’t give up my day job…or maybe I’ll tackle the Arminio-Calvin genre of heavy metal, or bluegrass…yeah, bluegrass…

(if you want to see some of the actual performance at Piper’s church, with a cameo of Piper introducing Voice, go here)

 

Mar 17 2007
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John Piper, Parenting, Suffering

A Warrior’s Final Battle

Take a moment and read this entry in John Piper’s journal that narrates his father’s recent passing. It is quite moving…you might want to have a hankie handy…

HELLO, MY FATHER JUST DIEDbill_piper_and_jp_2.jpg

Tuesday, March 6, 2007. 2 a.m.

The big hospital clock in room 4326 of Greenville Memorial Hospital said, with both hands straight up, midnight. Daddy had just taken his last breath. My watch said 12:01, March 6, 2007.

I had slept a little since his last morphine shot at ten. One ear sleeping, one on the breathing. At 11:45, I awoke. The breaths were coming more frequently and were very shallow. I will not sleep again, I thought. For ten minutes, I prayed aloud into his left ear with Bible texts and pleadings to Jesus to come and take him. I had made this case before, and this time felt an unusual sense of partnership with Daddy as I pressed on the Lord to relieve this warrior of his burden.

For the rest of John Piper’s journal entry, click here.

*photo courtesy of Josh Harris’ website

Feb 19 2007
4 Comments
Confession, Hypocrisy, John Piper, Purity

What Good Are Clothes?

I gleaned this from one of the blogsites I frequent and thought I would pass it along. It is quite good and gives an interesting perspective on why we don’t endorse going around naked in public—aside from the fact that some of us ought NEVER, and I do mean never, be naked!

You can also catch the entire sermon in transcript or audio format here:

By John Piper © DesiringGod.org

What does it mean that God clothed [Adam and Eve]? Was he confirming their hypocrisy? Was he aiding and abetting their pretense? If they were naked and shame-free before the Fall, and if they put on clothes to minimize their shame after the Fall, then what is God doing by clothing them even better than they can clothe themselves? I think the answer is that he is doing something with a negative message and something with a positive message.

Negatively, he is saying: You are not what you were and you are not what you ought to be. The chasm between what you are and what you ought to be is huge. Covering yourself with clothing is a right response to this—not to conceal it, but to confess it. Henceforth, you shall wear clothing, not to conceal that you are not what you should be, but to confess that you are not what you should be. One practical implication of this is that public nudity today is not a return to innocence but rebellion against moral reality. God ordains clothes to witness to the glory we have lost, and it is added rebellion to throw them off.

And for those who rebel in the other direction and make clothes themselves a means of power and prestige and attention getting, God’s answer is not a return to nudity but a return to simplicity (1 Timothy 2:9-10). Clothes are not meant to make people think about what is under them. Clothes are meant to direct attention to what is not under them: Arms and hands that serve others in the name of Christ, “beautiful” feet that carry the gospel to where it is needed, and the brightness of a face that has beheld the glory of Jesus.

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