This week he recited aloud verses from 2 Timothy.
I inquired, "Is that one of the verses we were supposed to learn for youth group?"
"No," he said, "I just read it today and wanted to memorize it."
(Okay...)
At just 14 years of age, he has read the entire Old Testament - every last book - and all but the final 12 books of the New.
All I could say to myself was Holy cow! I haven't even read the whole Old Testament yet, and I'm 17.
This 14-year-old is a young man who inspires me.
His name?
Aaron Whitfield Ross...
He's my brother.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Resolutions on Scripture, Assembly, and Prayer
I RESOLVE...
To possess by the Holy Spirit an undying love for the word of God and a daily devotion to read it and to walk accordingly. I acknowledge that no other book, philosophy, theology, or methodology has the power for life and godliness which lies in the living and active word of God, and I deny that any other wisdom or literary creation has the power to regenerate or cleanse lost souls.
To meet with brothers and sisters in Christ on a weekly basis and to encourage them day by day. I deny that technology or any other means of communication from a withdrawn location can replace the importance of meeting together, and I affirm that it is necessary for the sanctification, purity, and holiness of each believer to greet and exhort the brethren.
To pray on a daily basis, bowing my knees before the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance, adoration, thanksgiving, and supplication. I affirm that prayer is crucial in the spiritual lives of all believers; furthermore, I affirm the necessity that each disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ confess sin on a regular basis and pray constantly. I deny that prayer is solely a means by which desires are met and needs are filled or that prayer is unimportant.
27 July 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
22 Ways to Love God and to Grow
I find that loving God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength is the greatest yet hardest pursuit in life. While I always long to passionately pursue Christ and have an unstoppable zeal for good works, I find that I often find myself unable to generate the power to have those desires. So I made a list.
Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that loving God is self-generated. Of course it is the Holy Spirit that imputes the life of Christ into us. This list isn't an attempt to deny that; it's an attempt to use that. So know that the following will be of no benefit to you if you do not have God living in you.
1. Remember the gospel and its promises for you every day. Christ has taken all of your wrath, O Christian. We are free, and He loves us! (Romans 8:1-2).
2. Study God's word every morning and every afternoon (Psalm 1).
3. Pray on your knees (or lifting up your hands) at least once a day - especially when you don't feel like it (Psalm 63:4; Daniel 6:10).
4. Listen to solid exegetical preaching. (Suggestions: John MacArthur, John Piper, David Platt, Chuck Swindoll, Al Mohler, Ligon Duncan, C.J. Mahaney, and your own pastor).
5. Memorize God's word and say it aloud (Psalm 119:11).
6. Busy yourself with fruitful work (1 Thessalonians 4:11).
7. Fellowship at least three times a week (Acts 2:46; Hebrews 10:25).
8. Share the gospel with someone (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15).
9. Read books that will help you grow (2 Timothy 4:13).
10. Sing the gospel (Ephesians 5:18-19).
11. Make goals and plans (1 Corinthians 16:5-9).
12. Focus on the needs of others (Philippians 2:1-4).
13. Meet with or talk to your mentor on a regular basis (Acts 9:27). (If you don't have one, get one).
14. Regularly confess your sin (1 John 1:9; James 5:16).
15. Make others laugh (Philippians 2:3-4). There are only a few examples of this in Scripture that I can think of, but if you are so self-focused and/or serious so as not to allow humor to temper certain times, you are or will soon be depressed. A man walked into a bar - ouch!
16. Avoid extensive eating and Internet time (Ephesians 5:15-16). (Insert your personal time-waster here).
17. Create a project that will help your local church (Hebrews 10:24).
18. Find hobbies and invest in them (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). This is mainly for those who struggle with boredom.
19. Listen to music that carries gospel-centered themes.
20. Clean (1 Corinthians 14:40).
21. Call and encourage a friend (Hebrews 10:24).
22. Invest time, resources, and energy into a ministry in your local church (1 Corinthians 9:23).
Now get busy and live quietly. =)
Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that loving God is self-generated. Of course it is the Holy Spirit that imputes the life of Christ into us. This list isn't an attempt to deny that; it's an attempt to use that. So know that the following will be of no benefit to you if you do not have God living in you.
1. Remember the gospel and its promises for you every day. Christ has taken all of your wrath, O Christian. We are free, and He loves us! (Romans 8:1-2).
2. Study God's word every morning and every afternoon (Psalm 1).
3. Pray on your knees (or lifting up your hands) at least once a day - especially when you don't feel like it (Psalm 63:4; Daniel 6:10).
4. Listen to solid exegetical preaching. (Suggestions: John MacArthur, John Piper, David Platt, Chuck Swindoll, Al Mohler, Ligon Duncan, C.J. Mahaney, and your own pastor).
5. Memorize God's word and say it aloud (Psalm 119:11).
6. Busy yourself with fruitful work (1 Thessalonians 4:11).
7. Fellowship at least three times a week (Acts 2:46; Hebrews 10:25).
8. Share the gospel with someone (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15).
9. Read books that will help you grow (2 Timothy 4:13).
10. Sing the gospel (Ephesians 5:18-19).
11. Make goals and plans (1 Corinthians 16:5-9).
12. Focus on the needs of others (Philippians 2:1-4).
13. Meet with or talk to your mentor on a regular basis (Acts 9:27). (If you don't have one, get one).
14. Regularly confess your sin (1 John 1:9; James 5:16).
15. Make others laugh (Philippians 2:3-4). There are only a few examples of this in Scripture that I can think of, but if you are so self-focused and/or serious so as not to allow humor to temper certain times, you are or will soon be depressed. A man walked into a bar - ouch!
16. Avoid extensive eating and Internet time (Ephesians 5:15-16). (Insert your personal time-waster here).
17. Create a project that will help your local church (Hebrews 10:24).
18. Find hobbies and invest in them (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). This is mainly for those who struggle with boredom.
19. Listen to music that carries gospel-centered themes.
20. Clean (1 Corinthians 14:40).
21. Call and encourage a friend (Hebrews 10:24).
22. Invest time, resources, and energy into a ministry in your local church (1 Corinthians 9:23).
Now get busy and live quietly. =)
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
I Am Not Second
This week I have the joy of working with my hands by cleaning at home, reading a book, memorizing more verses from Romans 8, studying Hebrews, and listening to sermons. All of these have created a sense of rest as the week is more laid back than any have been so far this summer.
Though I could speak of several experiences, I would like to single out one meditation that came today from hearing a verse. As I was listening to John Piper preach from Hebrews 2:1-4, there was a mentioning of how Christ "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
As I thought about what Christ was saying, my mind was continually in awe. The Son of God - the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world - came to serve? Wow! Jesus' purpose wasn't to conquer an oppressive Roman empire. It wasn't just to do a bunch of miracles; it wasn't to win crowds to Himself. It wasn't to do the coolest trick, to join the circus, to give out candy, to heal every sickness, to cure every blind man, to save the trees, to talk politics, or to fix every hurting family. It was to serve.
He came to wash feet. He came to die.
In a letter I received this week, my friend asked me who I wanted to become. I replied in saying that I long to be a person who loves God and people so much that he would die for them. And such was Jesus. Now I understand a little more. Now I long to be the person who loves and shows that love in service. I long to clean the toilet and wash the dishes, to feed the dog and run to the convenience store - even when it's not convenient at all.
I run hard to be a loser in this life. Paint the X on my back. Brand my arm with an S. Pierce my ear with an awl. Clothe me in rags. Yeah, it's sounds cool in a paragraph, doesn't it? Everyone wants to be like Jesus in the upper room washing feet. Everyone wants to repeat Isaiah's cry: "Here am I, LORD; send me!" But who wants to take the time to talk to irritable children? Who wants to speak the message that God promised everyone would reject? Who likes to go do street/sidewalk evangelism to a city who is lukewarm, to a bunch of people who have already been "saved" and don't need to do that Jesus thing again? Who wants to go down to the local homeless shelter and volunteer to hand out dinner trays? Who will clean that dirty shower?
Are you still saying, "Here am I; send me!"
There's nothing pretty about a slave. I sure don't like grabbing a rag, taking of my socks, and climbing into that shower to scrub the walls. When I think that I want to wash someone's feet, I typically don't picture the kind of feet Jesus washed - covered in dust, blisters on the soles, dirt under the toenails, maybe a few scabs and some dead gnats or something. Cleaning up the cat poop on the porch isn't pretty. Burying a dead cat is worse. Burying a beheaded cat is almost too much for a person sitting in a air conditioned, spacious log cabin on five acres of Indiana soil and trees - laptop working, Internet up, blog updated.
But we're still challenged to the dirty work. I've mentioned a lot of nasty things, but all pail in comparison to a cross painted red, a back torn to shreds, a beard ripped out, a tongue glued to the mouth's roof - and the Son of God experiencing punishment for sin, begging His Daddy why He, the agonizing Son, was forsaken. That was the cost His life's ransom.
Maybe mine will be running in front of a bus to save a stranger some day. But until that happens, my calling is nasty toilets, angry children, stained showers, smelly dogs, and dirty rooms. Because if the Son of God came to serve, I exist to serve and resolve this day to live my life as a ransom for others.
Though I could speak of several experiences, I would like to single out one meditation that came today from hearing a verse. As I was listening to John Piper preach from Hebrews 2:1-4, there was a mentioning of how Christ "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
As I thought about what Christ was saying, my mind was continually in awe. The Son of God - the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world - came to serve? Wow! Jesus' purpose wasn't to conquer an oppressive Roman empire. It wasn't just to do a bunch of miracles; it wasn't to win crowds to Himself. It wasn't to do the coolest trick, to join the circus, to give out candy, to heal every sickness, to cure every blind man, to save the trees, to talk politics, or to fix every hurting family. It was to serve.
He came to wash feet. He came to die.
In a letter I received this week, my friend asked me who I wanted to become. I replied in saying that I long to be a person who loves God and people so much that he would die for them. And such was Jesus. Now I understand a little more. Now I long to be the person who loves and shows that love in service. I long to clean the toilet and wash the dishes, to feed the dog and run to the convenience store - even when it's not convenient at all.
I run hard to be a loser in this life. Paint the X on my back. Brand my arm with an S. Pierce my ear with an awl. Clothe me in rags. Yeah, it's sounds cool in a paragraph, doesn't it? Everyone wants to be like Jesus in the upper room washing feet. Everyone wants to repeat Isaiah's cry: "Here am I, LORD; send me!" But who wants to take the time to talk to irritable children? Who wants to speak the message that God promised everyone would reject? Who likes to go do street/sidewalk evangelism to a city who is lukewarm, to a bunch of people who have already been "saved" and don't need to do that Jesus thing again? Who wants to go down to the local homeless shelter and volunteer to hand out dinner trays? Who will clean that dirty shower?
Are you still saying, "Here am I; send me!"
There's nothing pretty about a slave. I sure don't like grabbing a rag, taking of my socks, and climbing into that shower to scrub the walls. When I think that I want to wash someone's feet, I typically don't picture the kind of feet Jesus washed - covered in dust, blisters on the soles, dirt under the toenails, maybe a few scabs and some dead gnats or something. Cleaning up the cat poop on the porch isn't pretty. Burying a dead cat is worse. Burying a beheaded cat is almost too much for a person sitting in a air conditioned, spacious log cabin on five acres of Indiana soil and trees - laptop working, Internet up, blog updated.
But we're still challenged to the dirty work. I've mentioned a lot of nasty things, but all pail in comparison to a cross painted red, a back torn to shreds, a beard ripped out, a tongue glued to the mouth's roof - and the Son of God experiencing punishment for sin, begging His Daddy why He, the agonizing Son, was forsaken. That was the cost His life's ransom.
Maybe mine will be running in front of a bus to save a stranger some day. But until that happens, my calling is nasty toilets, angry children, stained showers, smelly dogs, and dirty rooms. Because if the Son of God came to serve, I exist to serve and resolve this day to live my life as a ransom for others.
Mark 10:45
Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Less Blogging, More Joy: Knowing God, Loving Friends, and Thinking of Butterflies
I couldn't even remember what font I typically write in. Yes, it has been a long time. And perhaps no one has even noticed. Perhaps not too many people read this blog. Okay, I'll be honest - very few people read this blog. This is just a place where I ramble on and on about my feelings and pretend like people hear me.
You can hear the difference, can't you? This isn't your typical Jon Ross type of blog post is it? It's not normal for me to be away from the Internet.
Yes, things have changed. One of the greatest lessons I learned while I was at CYIA was that I just need to get over myself and find the greatest joy possible in the gospel. And that is exactly what has been happening these past couple weeks. I've gotten to know people who have changed my life. I'm memorizing Scripture, reading a book that is unlike any other (and I would recommend it; it's called Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl by N.D. Wilson), laughing like I haven't in years, thinking happier thoughts than I ever thought were possible to think - and so on and so forth.
The struggles I faced last year and earlier this year were very real. But the joy I was missing is more real.
So for now -
less blogging,
more fellowship,
more Scripture,
more laughter,
more thinking about butterflies,
more ministry,
more lame jokes,
and a greater desire to know Christ and to make Him known among the nations of this lost and dying world.
Do you want something real? Stop staring at this computer screen and start reading Scripture. Share it with everyone.
God is real.
You can hear the difference, can't you? This isn't your typical Jon Ross type of blog post is it? It's not normal for me to be away from the Internet.
Yes, things have changed. One of the greatest lessons I learned while I was at CYIA was that I just need to get over myself and find the greatest joy possible in the gospel. And that is exactly what has been happening these past couple weeks. I've gotten to know people who have changed my life. I'm memorizing Scripture, reading a book that is unlike any other (and I would recommend it; it's called Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl by N.D. Wilson), laughing like I haven't in years, thinking happier thoughts than I ever thought were possible to think - and so on and so forth.
The struggles I faced last year and earlier this year were very real. But the joy I was missing is more real.
So for now -
less blogging,
more fellowship,
more Scripture,
more laughter,
more thinking about butterflies,
more ministry,
more lame jokes,
and a greater desire to know Christ and to make Him known among the nations of this lost and dying world.
Do you want something real? Stop staring at this computer screen and start reading Scripture. Share it with everyone.
God is real.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)