Bryan is taking our youth ministry through the book "The Dangerous Duty of Delight" by John Piper and it has been a deep, beautiful look into what it truly means when the Psalmist says to "Delight yourself in the Lord".
Let me quote some of chapter 3 and then I'll comment on it: "Many people try to define true Christianity in terms of decisions and not affections. Not that decisions are unessential. The problem is that they require so little transformation. Mere decisions are no sure evidence of a true work of grace in the heart.People can make "decisions" about the truth of God while their hearts are far from Him." (Kristin insert: reminds me of Bryan's post about Judas!)
1 Peter 1:8 says, "Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory." And in regards to this verse Jonathan Edwards says, "true religion, in great part, consist in the affections."
Okay, if it didn't all make sense, read it over again...and again! Joy and delight in Christ should mark the believers life, plain and simple!!! And these truths cause me to fall on my knees before God asking for great wisdom when it comes to parenting. As a parent, it can be so easy for me to want/ask/wait for a decision from my kids...for an act of obedience or a response of respect without ever caring about where their hearts are. Without ever probing to see if there is a God ward transformation taking place. Without shepherding their hearts to LOVE God and to DELIGHT in obeying Him.
And I cannot parent this way until I am, first of all, living a life of genuine affection for my King. Until my delight in Him is so full that it spills over and cannot help but flood the hearts of my kids! And Piper had some great words of encouragement for what to do when the feelings of joy are just are not there. He says:
1)Confess the sin of joylessness.(Psalm 61:2)
2)Pray earnestly that God would restore the joy of obedience. (Psalm 40:8)
3)Go ahead and do the outward demension of your duty in the hope that the doing will rekindle the delight.
Above all, we need to remember that though there are days where joy seems impossible and our feelings are anything but full of delight...God promises that His grace is sufficient and His power is perfected in our weakness...and God always keeps His promises!
Let me quote some of chapter 3 and then I'll comment on it: "Many people try to define true Christianity in terms of decisions and not affections. Not that decisions are unessential. The problem is that they require so little transformation. Mere decisions are no sure evidence of a true work of grace in the heart.People can make "decisions" about the truth of God while their hearts are far from Him." (Kristin insert: reminds me of Bryan's post about Judas!)
1 Peter 1:8 says, "Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory." And in regards to this verse Jonathan Edwards says, "true religion, in great part, consist in the affections."
Okay, if it didn't all make sense, read it over again...and again! Joy and delight in Christ should mark the believers life, plain and simple!!! And these truths cause me to fall on my knees before God asking for great wisdom when it comes to parenting. As a parent, it can be so easy for me to want/ask/wait for a decision from my kids...for an act of obedience or a response of respect without ever caring about where their hearts are. Without ever probing to see if there is a God ward transformation taking place. Without shepherding their hearts to LOVE God and to DELIGHT in obeying Him.
And I cannot parent this way until I am, first of all, living a life of genuine affection for my King. Until my delight in Him is so full that it spills over and cannot help but flood the hearts of my kids! And Piper had some great words of encouragement for what to do when the feelings of joy are just are not there. He says:
1)Confess the sin of joylessness.(Psalm 61:2)
2)Pray earnestly that God would restore the joy of obedience. (Psalm 40:8)
3)Go ahead and do the outward demension of your duty in the hope that the doing will rekindle the delight.
Above all, we need to remember that though there are days where joy seems impossible and our feelings are anything but full of delight...God promises that His grace is sufficient and His power is perfected in our weakness...and God always keeps His promises!
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