May 14th, 2008
by kblock
In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, "I am pregnant." - 2 Samuel 11:1-5 (ESV)
Three phrases came to mind when I read this… “Apathy ‘atrophies’ me, Boredom betrays me, and Curiosity crushes me.” David’s apathy, boredom and curiosity all led to a situation that tempted David, in which he was deceived that led to despair and destruction.
Instead of being engaged in life—fighting as a king, he was apathetic (no passion) with respect to his calling. Instead of battling the enemy, he invited the enemy of his soul to betray him. Instead of charging ahead in the things of God, he wondered into the field of compromise that crushed him.
To remain…to not make progress…to coast…to become complacent…is deadly. Too much unaccountable free time on my hands is a recipe for disaster.
May 5th, 2008
by jwittrup
Pastor Kevin delivered a great message yesterday on Philippians 2:11-18. I was really challenged by this passage:
Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. - Philippians 2:14-15
I must confess, I am a grumbler and a questioner. Neither of these qualities are the marks of a joyful follower of Jesus Christ. So, I have something to work on (imagine that). I see two major reasons why I grumble and question.
Reason #1. I also fail to see that all things come from God and are for my good, even the trials and sufferings (small as they usually are). I fail to believe the promise of Romans 8:28 which Christ's death and resurrection purchased for me:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
If I really believed this moment by moment, I would recognize that even my little trials and sufferings are from the hand of God intended to bring about good for me.
Reason #2. I think that I deserve to have things better than I do at any given moment. I lose sight of the fact that God has lavished his mercy and grace upon me in sending his Son to die for my sin and save me from eternal hell. I don't deserve things to be better; in fact, I deserve things to be much, much worse. If only I had John Newton's perspective every minute of the day, "I am a great sinner, but Christ is a great savior." I used to regularly respond with the phrase "Better than I deserve" whenever anyone asked me "How's it goin'?" or something similar. I have fallen out of habit and have resorted back to the typical non-answer "Good." I think the former answer helps shape my perspective that because of Jesus I have all that I need to be happy and I deserve none of it. So why grumble or question?
Not to mention, the response "Better than I deserve" is often met with "Huh?" or "What do you mean by that?" which gives you the perfect opportunity to testify to the grace and love of God in Jesus Christ 
Just try it.
