Mountain Musings

Charles on...

... Prayer -

"And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." {Luke 6:12}

"If ever one of woman born might have lived without prayer, it was our spotless, perfect Lord, and yet none was ever so much in supplication as he! Such was his love to his Father, that he loved much to be in communion with him: such his love for his people, that he desired to be much in intercession for them. The fact of this eminent prayerfulness of Jesus is a lesson for us--he hath given us an example that we may follow in his steps. The time he chose was admirable, it was the hour of silence, when the crowd would not disturb him; the time of inaction, when all but himself had ceased to labour; and the season when slumber made men forget their woes, and cease their applications to him for relief. While others found rest in sleep, he refreshed himself with prayer. The place was also well selected. He was alone where none would intrude, where none could observe: thus was he free from Pharisaic ostentation and vulgar interruption. Those dark and silent hills were a fit oratory for the Son of God. Heaven and earth in midnight stillness heard the groans and sighs of the mysterious Being in whom both worlds were blended. The continuance of his pleadings is remarkable; the long watches were not too long; the cold wind did not chill his devotions; the grim darkness did not darken his faith, or loneliness check his importunity. We cannot watch with him one hour, but he watched for us whole nights. The occasion for this prayer is notable; it was after his enemies had been enraged--prayer was his refuge and solace; it was before he sent forth the twelve apostles--prayer was the gate of his enterprise, the herald of his new work. Should we not learn from Jesus to resort to special prayer when we are under peculiar trial, or contemplate fresh endeavours for the Master's glory? Lord Jesus, teach us to pray."

(From "Morning and Evening" by Charles H. Spurgeon)

~ Tom

A Bit of Spurgeon

"I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made." -- Isaiah 57:16

Our heavenly Father seeks our instruction, not our destruction. His contention with us has a kind intention towards us. He will not be always in arms against us. We think the Lord is long in his chastisements, but that is because we are short in our patience. His compassion endureth for ever, but not his contention. The night may drag its weary length along, but it must in the end give place to cheerful day. As contention is only for a season, so the wrath which leads to it is only for a small amount. The Lord loves his chosen too well to be always angry with them.

If he were to deal with us always as he does sometimes we should faint outright, and go down hopelessly to the gates of death. Courage, dear heart! the Lord will soon end his chiding. Bear up, for the Lord will bear you up, and bear you through. He who made you knows how frail you are, and how little you can bear. He will handle tenderly that which he has fashioned so delicately. Therefore, be not afraid because of the painful present, for it hastens to a happy future. He that smote you will heal you; his little wrath shall be followed by great mercies.

(From "The Cheque-Book of the Bank of Faith" by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Pilgrim Publications, 1975)

~ Tom

A Visit with Cyber Friends

It started with discovering, reading, and posting comments on one another's blogs. Then followed getting acquainted at the Vision Forum History of the World Mega-Conference in Hampton, Virginia, - a shared meal, a field trip together, and chatting between sessions. A new friendship started.

Then, a month later, we received "the email"...

The Serven Family (known as the Serven Clan in the blogosphere) hails from the Midwest, where they moved a little over a year ago to be a part of a family-integrated church and where the dad, Marcus, is serving as presiding pastor. These folks love the Lord Jesus and one another. They have a sweet, joyful demeanor which makes us feel very at ease and encouraged just to be around them.

And they are a pretty awesome bunch - they travel all over the place and know loads of people; they produce 4-part psalm-singing CDs, refurbish houses, devour books (especially history with stories), write articles, encourage and counsel the saints, shoot guns (even the girls), produce films, minister with hospitality, play multiple musical instruments, work on Eagle Scout rank, grow gardens, keep up a couple of web sites - whew - all for the glory of God. (They are probably blushing a bit at all these accolades, but we are most blessed by their Christlike character and kindred spirit.)

So, we received "the email" from them a couple of weeks ago, saying they were traveling to a wedding in NC and suggesting a visit with us on the way. We said SURE, come on, we'd love to have you! So, after driving all day last Thursday, they arrived at our home in the Valley that night. Even though they were kind of tuckered, we enjoyed a couple of hours around a meal and blessed conversation.

The next morning was filled with a leisurely breakfast, more visiting, a look at our garden and the surrounding mountains (ooooh, aaaaah), and guy conversation about history, books, and alternative means of education.

Then, the time came when they had to get back on the road to fit in an afternoon tour of Lexington, Virginia, before heading to NC that evening. They graciously invited us along with them to Lexington, and we toured the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery and Lee Chapel together before we had to leave and let them go on their way.

Joel, the youngest Serven, placed a tribute to Traveler, horse of General Robert E. Lee, outside Lee Chapel & Museum.

THANKS very much, Serven Clan, for being who you are and for sharing a slice of your life with us Easterners!

~Tom

Motivational Memories

We so easily get wrapped up in the urgent minutia of everyday demands that we forget the larger purpose of our life on earth - to enjoy God and glorify Him. Our primary focus should be on following the Lord's wisdom in order to please Him and to receive His "well done, good and faithful servant" at the end of our fleeting days. And under that, we should desire that those people whom the Lord has brought into our lives, particularly our children, should remember our love for Jesus Christ after we are gone and be moved to love Him also.

I was reminded of this recently when we were visiting Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery in Lexington with the Serven family, and I saw this monument:

"As a memorial of grateful love and veneration to our parents, James and Susanna S. McDowell, who, having lived lives of piety, virtue, and honored usefulness, died in the faith of Jesus Christ and in the glorious hope of His gospel, this monument is erected by their surviving children in the year of our Lord 1854."

~ Tom

Some More Thoughts on the Family

Lately, we have been preparing a web site that will tell local area folks about who we are and our desire to find like-minded families who might consider forming a church.  To that end, we have been writing short descriptions of some of our beliefs regarding family, church, doctrine, etc.

Here is an excerpt from one of the sections about Scriptural ideas about the family. We are definitely far from perfect in our family relationships and glorifying God through them.  But we are very grateful to the Lord for awakening and growing our hearts and for giving grace in this area of our lives. We hope it is edifying for you!

Family Relationships: Important to God

In the Scriptures, God gives us many commands, exhortations, urgings, examples, teaching, etc. about how we are (and are not) to conduct our earthly family relationships. We must place the same degree of importance upon our family relationships as God does. Some reasons: (1) we must trust and obey our loving Father; (2) He uses these relationships as a means of blessing to us; (3) He uses these relationships as a means of growth; (4) He uses these relationships to be a light to a lost world, to attract people to Jesus Christ as they see Him in us. (Genesis 2:18-25; Proverbs 1-7; 10:1; Ephesians 5:22-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1Timothy 3:1-13; 5:3-16; 2Timothy 1:5; 3:14-15; Titus 1:5-6; 2:2-5; 1Peter 3:1-7)

Hearts for One Another

God wants the hearts of parents and children to be turned toward one another. We should pursue this with the strength and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. It is God’s will for this relationship to be mutually loving and respectful. In spite of what we hear (including from many Christians), it is not God’s norm for sons and daughters to despise, be embarrassed about, or rebel against their parents. Closeness between parents and children should not be supplanted or undermined by an unscriptural over-emphasis upon age-peer friends. (Proverbs 4:3-4; 4:20-21; 6:20-21; 7:1-3; 23:24-26; Malachi 4:5-6; Luke 1:16-17; Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:20-21)

~ Tom

Some Thoughts on the Family

God's Idea

The idea of family and fatherhood is not a human invention. It has its source in God Himself.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name …” Ephesians 3:14-15 NASB

"Paul was not saying that God is the Father of all but rather that He is the Prototype of all fatherhood. “Father” is derived from God, not man. He is the first Father, the only One with “underived” fatherhood. Thus every human family derives its name, that is, exists as a family with a father, because of Him." (Walvoord, John F., and Zuck, Roy B., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, Inc.) 1983, 1985)

An Illustration

In the Scriptures, God uses earthly family relationships (parents to children; husband/bridegroom to wife/bride) to illustrate His relationship with us as believers in Jesus Christ. This indicates the large importance God places upon conducting our earthly family relationships in a godly, righteous, loving, and affectionate manner. (Deuteronomy 1:31; Isaiah 61:10; 62:5; Hosea; Matthew 7:7-11; 25:1-13; Mark 2:18-20; Luke 15:11-32; John 3:29; Romans 7:1-4; Ephesians 5:22-33; Hebrews 12:4-11; James 1:17; Revelation 19:7-9)

~ Tom

Clinging to the Lord

“Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king.  He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.  He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.  He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.  He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him.  For he clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.”

2 Kings 18:1-6

Key Words:

right (yashar):  straight, level, correct, pleasing, straightforward, just, fitting, proper

trusted (batach):  to have confidence, be bold, secure, feel safe

clung (dabaq):  stick, stay close, cleave, join together, overtake

2 Kings could be one of the more depressing passages of Scripture, describing the decline of God’s people as they drifted farther and farther from their Lord. After the glory days of King David, the leaders and the people gradually and steadily accepted more of the ways and heart of the unbelievers around them. Small compromises grew into big ones; worship turned toward self-gratification and fake deities; horrible cruelties and sensualities resulted, along with just plain weird, syncretistic practices.  The kingdom split into two pieces, the northern kingdom of Israel leading the way into evil, with the southern kingdom of Judah not far behind. Down they went until they crashed and burned.

“So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah.  Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the customs which Israel had introduced.  The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight.”  (2 Kings 17:18-20)

But out of the darkness pops Hezekiah, king of Judah and a beacon of light.

Commentators figure, from the dates given in Scripture, that Hezekiah probably co-reigned as king along with his dad, Ahaz (a wicked king) for about 13 years. Then, as soon as his dad died, Hezekiah showed himself to be a good and righteous king. The passage at top states that “He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.” And that is said about very few people in the Bible. From where did this quality of spirit and life come? Obviously it is from the sovereign grace of God. But through what means? Certainly not from his dad, unless from a reaction against him. Perhaps from his mother Abi, or one of God’s prophets?  Whatever it was, we are grateful that God did it.

2 Kings (as well as 2 Chronicles 29-31) tells about Hezekiah’s important works of reform with his people and the worship of God. But what caught my attention in this passage were a few statements about the overall quality of his spirit.

The passage says that “He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him.” Hezekiah was so at rest in the goodness, holiness, and power of God that he did not fear the reactions of people when he took charge to turn things around and point them back to the Lord. His confidence was in His God, not himself nor the false gods revered for years. When Assyrian king Sennacherib threatened to overthrow Hezekiah & Jerusalem, Hezekiah tore his clothes, consulted with the prophet Isaiah, then prayed before the Lord. Go to 2 Kings 19:14 to read that prayer – wonderful! He primarily extols God as being the sovereign King over all kings, and asks Him to deliver them from Sennacherib’s hand so that the whole world would recognize the real God. He threw himself upon his Lord.

The passage also says that Hezekiah “clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments.” The same Hebrew word is used in Genesis 2:24 where it says that a man shall leave his parents and cleave to his wife. David also uses that word to describe his devotion to God in Psalm 63: “O God, Thou are my God: I shall seek Thee earnestly… My soul clings to Thee; Thy right hand upholds me.” A picture that comes to my mind is someone who has his arms desperately and tightly wrapped around a small tree below the edge of a cliff, knowing that, if he lets go, his life is over. Such was Hezekiah’s devotion and dependence upon God. Notice also that, hand-in-glove with this heart-devotion was obedience to God in his practice.

Hezekiah was not a perfect man, but he was a man after God’s heart. The Lord  placed the account of his life in the Scriptures not just as a piece of history, but for our edification: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)

~ Tom

Scriptural Principles of Music

Those of you who do not buy into today's typical mind-numbed, entertainment- and pleasure-focused approach to music might appreciate the thoughtfulness and scripture-based views posted on the Kara Ministries Weblog. Click on this link to read Scott Aniol's "Toward a Systematic Theology of Music" post. I recently discovered this site, and so far I've only read a few articles so I can't make any general recommendations. But I have enjoyed what I've seen.

Music affects our spirit so deeply that it is very easy for us to get defensive when someone even gently questions whether or not our music is good. It's almost as if we "become our music" and that a challenge to our music is a personal affront. Relying upon God's Scriptures and truly seeking the Lord's heart and wisdom (without clinging to our own will and desires) will help grow our objectivity in this area.

Hope this is refreshing and edifying for you.

~ Tom

Posting a Military Guard

“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life… Let your eyes look directly ahead, and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established… For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and smoother than oil is her speech.”

Proverbs 4:23,25-26; 5:3

Key Words:

Watch over (natsar):  guard from danger, guard with fidelity, watch, keep, preserve, blockade

Heart (leb):  inner man, mind, will, heart, conscience, seat of appetites/emotions/passions

Diligence (mishmar):  place of confinement, prison, jail, guard post, observation

Directly ahead (nokach):  against, before, in front of, directly

Be fixed straight (yashar):  to be right, straight, level, smooth, upright, straightforward

Watch (palac):  to weigh, make level, smooth, ponder

Path (magal):  entrenchment, track, trench, ways, path

Lips (saphah): lips, bank, brim, edge, language

Adulteress (zuwr):  stranger, foreigner, enemy, loathsome breath, prostitute, harlot, alienated

Solomon was a man greatly blessed by God with wisdom and understanding. But this wisdom apparently was not applied very well to one area in his life: desire for women. And this ultimately led to his downfall (cf 1Kings 11; Ecclesiastes 2:8-11). It appears that, after having learned some bitter lessons, Solomon the father really wanted to warn his sons about this danger and spare them the deadly consequences of sin. His Proverbs contain several passages, including the one above, that address this.

Heart, eyes, feet, words – these are a few of the ways that men can be vulnerable to temptation, and particularly to sexual impurity. None of these venues can be isolated from the others. They all contribute to and influence the other – the inner man to the behavior, the external observations to the heart. The Lord wants control of the whole man, both inner and outer.

Put a military prison guard upon our heart (mind, will, seat of passion) to keep it from spiritual danger. Ask the Spirit of God to examine it regularly. “Examine me, O Lord, and try me; test my mind and my heart.”  (Psalm 26:2) If He presses anything upon my conscience, root it out by confession, repentance, and asking Him to renew my heart. If I play with sinful thoughts instead of guarding against them, then eventually they will bear fruit externally.

The eye gate: an especially troublesome thing for a man. Men seem to be easily captivated by pleasurable sights.  Job had to specially purpose to not let his eyes gaze upon a lovely maiden and thus feed fuel to the fire in his heart. Nowadays, a man has to be on constant alert and to exercise self-control on his eye-gate just driving down the road or reading a newspaper or magazine.

The word “path” indicates a well-worn track or trench, a habitual way of behavior from which you almost have to try to break out. I remember an account a friend of mine told about overcoming a temptation. He had to walk every day to work in a city. The shortest route took him right past a store which sold pornography and displayed some of the wares prominently in a window. He struggled with trying to keep his eyes off of that display but couldn’t seem to resist.  Finally, he decided to take a significantly longer route that avoided walking past that store. It meant spending more time, but it was a way of watching the path of his feet that helped him avoid a situation that made him stumble. “…make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” Romans 13:14

Flattering words can subtly and gradually lure a man’s heart into sensual thoughts and acts. The process can start with just a sweet friendliness that gets his attention. Then it can graduate to mild flirtation, followed by physical invasions of personal space, and it’s all downhill from there. You can see it happening all around us in the world. Once captivated by flirtatious words, a man’s mind performs the most ridiculous gymnastics to justify his thoughts and behavior and to shout down the yells from his Spirit-led conscience. Proverbs 7:21-23 “With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him. Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, until an arrow pierces through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it will cost him his life.”

So men, learn from this old father Solomon. Put a guard on our hearts. Or, as Paul exhorts in 1Corinthians 16:13, “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

~ Tom

A Graceful Wreath

“Hear, my son, and accept my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; and if you run, you will not stumble. Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.”

Proverbs 4:10-13

Key Words:

Hear (shama):  hear with attention or interest, hearken, heed, listen to, obey, publish, understand, obedient, diligent

Accept (laqach):  take possession of, receive, fetch, bring, lay hold of, seize, buy, snatch, take in marriage

Directed (yarah):  teach, shoot, archers, cast, throw

Wisdom (chokmah):  skill, wisdom, shrewdness, prudence

Led (darak):  tread, march forth, bend a bow (archer), lead, walk, lead forth, guide

Take hold (chazaq):  strong, repair, hold, strengthen, harden, prevail, courage, firm, resolute

Let go (raphah):  feeble, fail, weaken, slack, faint, abate, sink, relax, let drop, abandon, forsake

Guard (natsar):  keep, preserve, guard from danger, watchman, keep close, blockade

God’s Word is full of exhortations, commands, and examples of what a blessed thing it is to follow the wisdom of our parents. And the words used in these Scriptures make it clear that I should not just pat myself on the back for letting my parents have their say and then go ahead and do whatever I please.  The ”hearing” enjoined means to treasure their instruction so highly that I grab hold of it like my life depends on it, and then obey it, trusting results to God.

Now, obviously, all of the input into our lives should be checked out against the principles in God’s Word. If we are told to do something that would clearly mean disobeying God, then we must obey God first.  However, barring an issue like that, we should strive to honor our parents by following their words. That is not always easy, especially considering that our parents are not perfect.  But then neither are we, even if we consider ourselves very spiritually minded and close to the Lord. This is a step of faith, and it teaches us that God chooses to work through imperfect people to accomplish His will.

I grew up in a religious home with loving parents who taught me the best they knew how. I did not know the Lord until I had left home to go to engineering school. While growing up, I guess I was known as a “nice kid” and was not the nastiest rebel in the neighborhood.  But I still did not treasure my parents’ instruction, and I did what I wanted. After coming to Christ later, it wasn’t long before the Lord pressed on me to be thankful to my Dad and Mom for all they had done for me through life.  And ever since then, continuing to today, the Lord has opened my eyes more and more to appreciate what they have said and done to bring me up.  My main regret is that this appreciation came late, after I was no longer living with them. God is very gracious to cover my sin, but still they and I have missed many of the blessings He promises for honoring them while growing up.

Rebellion is natural, normal, and OK, you might say, for a typical teen? Maybe it looks that way by observing how most people in the world operate.  But that is not God’s way, and He gives the power to do otherwise to those who know Him. What Christians must realize is that we have bought into the modern world’s view when we think that a youth despising his parents is OK and is a necessary part of life. Question this mindset; be a Berean. Take a fresh look at what the Scriptures really say regarding this relationship.  Then be willing to put on the new man.

“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching; indeed,they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck.”

Proverbs 1:8-9

“My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.”

Proverbs 2:1-5

“My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.”

Proverbs 3:1-2

“Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding, for I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my instruction. When I was a son to my father, tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live; acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.””

Proverbs 4:1-5

“My son, observe the commandment of your father, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother; bind them continually on your heart; tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; and reproofs for discipline are the way of life.”

Proverbs 6:20-23

“Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who sires a wise son will be glad in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her rejoice who gave birth to you.”

Proverbs 23:22-25

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.”

Ephesians 6:1-3

“Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.”

Colossians 3:20

~ Tom