What is "solid" ?

I've noticed that when other Christians talk about other Christians they say things like: " he's solid... or she's solid." What does that mean ? What does it mean to be a solid Christian ?

1. It means that they can handle the word of God accurately.
2. It means they can be relied upon to keep their word.
3. It means that they are so substantial that they don't fear man.
4. It means that they prefer God's holiness to friendship with the world.
5. It means they can viewed as an ally in the battle against sin and the world.
6. It means that they know how to lead and make wise decisions.

I have certain desires for our church here in El Paso. Today I was struck by a staggering thought. It came from the biography of Jonathan Edwards that I am currently reading. The chapter was called: " breaking the spirit of slumber." How does genuine revival come to a church ? One of the things that the chapter pointed out was that to have true preaching that convicts, awakens, stirs, confronts, and motivates... the preacher himself must be intimately acquainted with the Holy Spirit in his own life. In order for those truths to sink deep into the lives of the hearers... they must first be internalized and lived out by the one delivering the message. I read alot of books... fragments of books. Sometimes, I read so much that I don't take the time to process what I'm reading. I end up being a parrot of what others taught instead of extrapolating the truths and really owning them for myself. At the beginning of this blog I almost reached for the book about Edwards and planned to quote from it extensively and that would have been good... but then I thought: " why can't you just relate what you learned from it ... without quoting it ? " Are the truths I learned this morning fresh in my head and heart or are they just words on a page ( that I think would sound good ) ? I have always been concerned that truth flow through me like water through a tree branch instead of water through a pipe. I want the truth to effect me and change me. It's dangerous to be a speaker/ pastor/ teacher... because you can end up passing the truth on without being effected by it. I do want to be a solid person. I want to be a person of substance that has wisdom for those moments and can help guide people looking to find their way on this journey. I have been helped by so many and I have a desire to make disciples. I do remember something ( from memory) that has stuck with me all these years. Charles Spurgeon said: " it will be in vain for me to stock my library ... if I neglect the culture of myself.... " In other words, if I have a big library but don't cultivate my soul in a daily quiet time, then my efforts are meaningless. My spiritual life is a great weapon in the pilgrimage.
If you want to be a solid Christian, you must nourish your soul on the words of the faith. God's word is the only thing in this world that will make it off the planet. Everything else is destined to perish. What will it take to get you in the word ?

CD

just talked to a buddhist

I got dizzy watching old family vhs tapes ( past Christmas experiences) ... the camera man couldn't hold the camera steady. So, I went for a walk around the block to clear my head and look at the stars. I saw another figure approaching and smoking a cigarette. I felt a strong urge to talk to this person and find about more about them. I had no idea who it was but I sensed he had no particular place to go and so we struck up a conversation about Kurt Cobain ( former lead singer of Nirvana). The guy was wearing a Nirvana shirt. I discovered he was a buddhist and was only 16 years old. I asked where he learned all this stuff and he said: " my mom." We talked about Jesus being the only way to God and how the gentiles' sacrifices were sacrificed to demons. Even though his cell phone rang 3 times, he never answered it. He said he was really interested in our conversation. If you went out for a walk tonight, would you be ready to defend your faith against Buddhism ? I had to go find some books and rediscover the religion. It basically means this:
1. God is irrelevant because you create your own destiny
2. Nirvana is the goal ( a state of enlightenment)
3. Sins are the cravings you have and can be dealt with by self effort
4. Buddhists have noble goals ( the eightfold path) however... what are the motives behind those behaviors ?
* see " So what's the difference ? " by Fritz Ridenour

This guy's name is Ben Lewis and lives down the street from me so I am hoping to talk to him again. I think he would listen and I am praying that God will open his eyes to the beauty of Christ. I Peter 3:15 says we are supposed to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us. Are you ready ?
By the way, I came home and we had real interesting discussion about world religions at our house.

Update

We have a backyard which has become a magnet for the neighborhood children. We will often have 5-10 kids back there jumping on the trampoline and using our new basketball court. I have made some attempts to share the gospel with some of the kids and have found that they are willing to talk and honest about their lives. I am hoping that the trampoline mat holds up because we have tested its limits on many occasion.
One of the outcomes of these kids in the backyard is the piles of trash ... cups, candy wrappers, etc. I asked Josh and Matthew to go clean it up a few days ago and Josh said: " Wait, Dad... that's your mission field..." Implication ... I was supposed to clean it up. I set him straight on that one. Actually... one of the encouraging things that happened to me ( from a dad's perspective) recently was a conversation I had with Adrian ( a neighborhood 5th grader). I was sharing the gospel with him and Josh was listening in to the conversation. Adrian's younger brother kept trying to distract us and Josh really wanted me to keep the conversation focused on the gospel. I was encouraged that Josh cared and was engaged as to what was happening.

So ... my encouragement to you is... share the gospel. Even if there are others around, take that step because you never know who might be listening and your courage might motivate others to share their faith.

those who have gone before

Jonathan Edwards still has books in print almost 300 years after his death. He is remembered as one of America's greatest pastors and theologians.... and here in his diary I find comfort:


( after his move to Yale)

" This week has been a remarkable week with me with respect to despair, fears, perplexities, multitudes of cares, and distractions of mind... I have now abundant reason to be convinced of the troublesomeness and vexation of the world, and that it will never be another kind of world."

( Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography by Iain Murray page 59-60)

I think its interesting that he had these thoughts and I find comfort in knowing that other people have these same difficulties.

6:42 am

When I get up in the morning, I am hit with thoughts of inadequacy, fear about the day, apprehension and many other negative emotions. I battle with these thoughts by making myself sit down at the kitchen table and read sequentially through some book of the Bible ( currently Ezekiel). After some time there, I walk out into the desert just to find some space and have an opportunity to talk out loud to God. It is here that these fears and feelings are dealt with and put to rest. I can not imagine living without this time of the day.

Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all of my fears.

Kids in church ?

Children’s church

When it comes to the idea of a children’s church … ( having the children excused from the main worship service to have their own service…) here are some thoughts:



* This was written in the 1700’s by Jonathan Edwards ( Vol 1 page 393)


“ What has more especially given offense to many, and raised a loud cry against some preachers, as though their conduct was intolerable, is their frightening poor innocent children with talk of hell fire and eternal damnation. But if we believe that all of us are by nature children of wrath .. and lost without Christ, then this complaint reveals a great deal of weakness and inconsideration. Why should we conceal the truth from them ? Will those children who have been dealt tenderly with in this respect and lived and died insensible of their misery till they come to feel it in hell, ever thank parents and others for their tenderness, in not letting them know their danger ?

A child that has a dangerous wound may need the painful lance, as well as grown persons; and that would be a foolish pity, in such a case, that should hold back the lance and throw away the life --- I have seen the happy effects of dealing plainly and thoroughly with children in the concerns of their souls, without sparing them at all, in many instances; and never knew any ill consequences of it, in any one instance.”