Good Morning John:
I have some questions about the parts of your message noted in red which are:
1. How does one "use the bad times?"
I am really suggesting that we use the deep disappointment of hard times, that we view "hopelessness" so often felt in these times as a spring board to contrition. If I appraoch the Lord broken and needing -- aware of needing His counsel and partnership, well, it is a growth time for me. And when I involve myself in worship, congregational or personal, the fFilling has a better opportunity of leaving its mark on my heart.
I recently prayed out of some frustration this one word -- and it may sound rather silly but all I could come up with was "whatever." I was struck with the fact of my need AND the fact that He already knew. I knew that He was already joined to me -- so, :"whatever, Lord" was all I could come up with.
2. What state did David see the value of and does he articulate this clearly in Ps 51?
What has done me some good is to compare Psalm 7 and Psalm 51. They are so different. In the first, David is confident of his own sense of rightousness, and this confidence allows him to say "if I have done this, if I have returned evil to a friend, stomp me into the ground ..." (Smithson translation). After David is brought to his knees, after his sense of self righteousness is condemned and he aceepts that condenation, he prays "Lord have mercy on me a sinner." You should read both Psalms. An interesting contrast.
3. Is correct NT scripture and church dogma synonamous?
What I mean to include is the dogma of the "right church." I was writing that to a someone on a Church of Christ list. "True Church" dogma is a part of some on that list. Being right about the "correct" time we observe Communion has nothing to do with our sorrow and frustration. That was the context of the remark. \
4. How would one define a good person?
Perhaps a good person is one who cares and provides for others. Whether his goodness has anything to say about his destiny is a matter for the Lord ( Ro 2). Being good and being joined to the Lord are two different things, to me.
These questions are also relevant to a disturbing book a friend sent that I have been reading.
Book title ????
a brother, John
judyt
Hi Kalena. I am suggesting that we use the bad times in our walk with God rather than reject them out of hand. Psalm 51:16,17 would be a good source passage here. Fallow ground is that which is not broken, un-disturbed, placid, if you will. Before the seed can be planted, this fallow ground must be broken. And when brokennes is handed to us in the form of some present distress, perhaps it is God's willingness to work in that sadness, bringing us closer to Him, that should ackowledged. That is not saying that He caused the problem. It's just that those things that the Evil One throws at us, well, in those things God often does His best service.
David was responsible for his circumstance, of course, but in that very terrible sin, because of David's turn to God, in his grief and contrition and brokenness, David saw the value of this state.
Belonging to the right church, believing in the right doctrine (one cup, music, plurality of elders, et al) has precious little to do with how we live our
everyday lives .... much as the teaching of sacrifice. David is not saying that sacrifice is unimportant, but that contrition and brokenness go to
a very different aspect of our lives. Being correct in the teachings of New Testament scripture is important, but when we rest in the correctness of
church dogma, we run the risk of missing the greater lesson of spiritual blessing.
Why do bad things happen to good people? They (the bad things) help to break up the fallow ground in our lives. God can use these bad things to prepare us for a closer and richer walk with Him, and in this "doing," He alone can counter the evil intentions of hard times.
John
