Career Decision

I've been wrestling with a career decision. What thinking processes should Christians use in decision making?
http://www.ligonier.org/learn/qas/ive-been-wrestling-career-decision-what-thinking-p/

Unfortunately, in today’s Christian environment the whole idea of thinking has become suspect. It’s as if using our natural abilities of intellect—particularly in areas of career— somehow represents a lack of faith. The concept is that we’re supposed to entrust our career and our vocation to God, and God will do the thinking for us; God will show us through some kind of miraculous sign what he wants us to do.
I think the most significant thing we’re called to do when we’re seeking the will of God in our lives, whether it’s for our vocation or for our choice of a mate or where we’re to live, is to think. Now, how are we to think? In what way are we to think? The Bible tells us that we ought to make a sober analysis of our gifts and talents. We recognize in doing so that it is God who gives us the gifts. It is God who gives us the talent, and it is God whom we are trying to serve and whom we want to please. That’s why we want to discern what his will is for our vocation. How do we make a sober analysis of our gifts and talents? We have to think, and we have to think deeply and accurately. We can get some help in this process. We are encouraged by Scripture to seek the counsel of others because usually our gifts are recognized by the body of Christ. People in our church, in our family, and in our circle of friends have a tendency to call attention to the gifts we display. I also believe strongly in making use of those people who are highly skilled in helping us discern what our gifts and talents are. There are a lot of Christian vocational-counseling organizations available.
Sometimes we get forced into patterns of jobs or careers where we have the skills, we have the talents, but we really don’t have the desire or the motivation to apply ourselves 100 percent. I grant that it’s possible God could call us to a task we hate to perform, but God is a much better manager than that. For his jobs in this world, I think God likes to hire the people who not only have the gifts he gave them and the talent he gave them but who are motivated in those directions. Somehow, I think one of the great lies of Satan is to tell us that we are supposed to be unhappy with our labor. God has called you to be fulfilled in your labor, so it’s perfectly legitimate to ask yourself, What can I do that fulfills me?

2 Tim 1:2 To my beloved child....

To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Tim 1:2

Who is Timothy? He served alongside Paul in 2nd? and 3rd missions?

my beloved child: A greater intimacy is introduced in the description of Timothy as his dearly beloved son, and there can be no doubt that this young man was helf in the most affectionate esteem by the great apostle. (Guthrie)
Paul mentioned Timothy in all of his inspired epistles except Galatians, Ephesians, and Titus. (Constable)


Grace, mercy, and peace: Spurgeon used this verse, along with 1 Timothy 1:2 and Titus 1:4 to show that ministers need more mercy than other believers do. After all, in the beginning to his letters to churches in general, Paul only says grace and peace in his greeting (Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2). But when he starts writing the pastors – Timothy and Titus – he is compelled to say grace, mercy, and peace to him!

From W.Grudem's Systematic Theology pg 200 Chpt 12 Communicable Attributes of God

God's mercy, patience and grace may be seen as 3 separate attributes or as specific aspects of God's goodness. The definations given here show these attributes as special examples of God's goodness when it is used for the benefit of specific classes of people.

God's mercy means God's goodness toward those is misery and distress
God's grace means God's goodness toward those who deserve only punishment.
God's patience means God's goodness in withholding of punishment towards those who sin over a period of time

Ryan:

1) God is the ultimate giver of grace, mercy and peace.

2) Christ: It is interesting to note that Christ Jesus is mentioned 3 times within the first 2 verses of this letter. Goes to show the Christ-centered-ness of this letter and how much Paul wants Christ to be glorified in the midst of his suffering in the prison.

3) Also worthy of mention would be "my beloved child": Timothy is a trusted friend who sticks with Paul through thick and thin. Little surprise that Paul calls him as a beloved child ( NIV: my dear son). Are there such close relationships in your christian circle?

2 Passages On Pride

Dan 4:33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.
34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,

Luke18:13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

CS Lewis noted:

The Christians are right: it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. Other vices may sometimes bring people together: you may find good fellowship and jokes and friendliness among drunken people or unchaste people. But Pride always means enmity-it is enmity. And not only enmity between man and man, but enmity to God.

In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that-and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison- you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.

That raises a terrible question. How is it that people who are quite obviously eaten up with Pride can say they believe in God and appear to themselves very religious? I am afraid it means they are worshiping an imaginary God. They theoretically admit themselves to be nothing in the presence of this phantom God, but are really all the time imagining how He approves of them and thinks them far better than ordinary people: that is, they pay a pennyworth of imaginary humility to Him and get out of it a pound’s worth of Pride towards their fellow-men. I suppose it was of those people Christ was thinking when He said that some would preach about Him and cast out devils in His name, only to be told at the end of the world that He had never known them. And any of us may at any moment be in this death-trap.

Luckily, we have a test. Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good-above all, that we are better than someone else-I think we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil. The real test of being in the presence of God is that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object. It is better to forget about yourself altogether.

It is a terrible thing that the worst of all the vices can smuggle itself into the very center of our religious life. But you can see why. The other, and less bad, vices come from the devil working on us through our animal nature. But this does not come through our animal nature at all It comes direct from Hell. It is purely spiritual: consequently it is far more subtle and deadly. For the same reason, Pride can often be used to beat down the simpler vices. Teachers, in fact, often appeal to a boy’s Pride, or, as they call it, his self-respect, to make him behave decently: many a man has overcome cowardice, or lust, or ill-temper by learning to think that they are beneath his dignity-that is, by Pride. The devil laughs. He is perfectly content to see you becoming chaste and brave and self-controlled provided, all the time, he is setting up in you the Dictatorship of Pride-just as he would be quite content to see your chilblains (similar to frostbite) cured if he was allowed, in return, to give you cancer. For Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.

http://www.shaneduffey.com/2009/03/cs-lewis-on-pride/

Lesson Topic: How to Listen to God (I Samuel 3:1-21)

Icebreaker: How do we know the voice of God?

Ministering and worshipping the Lord makes us receptive to hear a word from God (v.1). When you spend time with God, God will spend time with you. The bible says that if you draw closer to Him, he will be drawn closer to you. We are not merely to speak to God, but speak WITH God. God wants to speak into your life direction, correction and edification.

God is known for speaking to unlikely people at unlikely seasons of their lives (v.1). When you least expect it, God can speak to you. God is not bound by anything, other than his word. He will never contract his word.

Like the boy Samuel, we will encounter times in our lives having difficulty discerning the voice of the Lord (v. 4-8). If you are not used to hearing the voice of the Lord, you may find it difficult to discern when God is speaking to you. When in doubt, check to see if it matches the word of God. Jesus did say that “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

At times you will find the message to difficult to receive or give it (v. 15-17). It may first taste sweet to your mouth, but then turn bitter in your stomach when you have to share it.

But be assured that if the message is from God, it always has a purpose (v. 19-21). It not only has a purpose, but God will make sure that his word comes true (Jeremiah 1:12). The good news is that God’s blessings come upon those who listen to his voice (v. 19-21).

So how does God speak to us?
When the situation is not right, but God says “no”. We do not like it when God says “no”, but when he says “no”, he has a better way and something better for you that aligns with his will. We would be in a lot of trouble if God were to say “yes” to every prayer we have ever prayed.

When you are not right, God says “grow”. There are things God wants to give us, but he can’t until we grow in maturity and responsibility. Some blessings can be a curse if we are not able to handle it. Once you are ready for the blessings, God will give you what you need. Like a father, he wants to do what is needed with you.

When the time is not right, God says, “Go slow”. Remember, delay is not denial. Often God’s time clock is calibrated different than our impulsive, “I got it have it right now” attitude”. God is seldom early but NEVER late. Learn to be patience. When you move at God’s speed, you will always reach your destination on time!

When everything is right, God says “Go”. The God that you serve will open doors that no man can shut. Nothing can give a man or woman of God more confidence than when they know they making every decision based on what God says.

Discussion Question:
1. What has God been speaking into your life lately? How are you responding to what he is telling you? Does it match the word of God?
2. Which of the four of God’s responses is the most difficult for you to do? Why?

Sanctification must follow Justification

1 Corinthians 1:24
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:30
And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Alister McGrath's Encountering Biblical Spirituality

http://metamorpha.com/tabid/75/xmmid/445/xmid/59/xmview/2/Default.aspx

*Excerpts

Many have read Daniel Defoe’s great novel Robinson Crusoe. The book is set on a desert island, on which Robinson Crusoe has been shipwrecked. He believes that he is utterly alone. He begins to face the challenge of loneliness, and prepares to cope with all the difficulties that he knows must lie ahead. Then something happens which changes his entire perspective on his situation. While walking along the shoreline, he notices a human footprint in the sand. Suddenly, everything is changed. Someone else is there. Crusoe is not sure whether to be frightened or delighted!

So often we try to get on with the life of faith as if we were hermits, struggling on our own. Perhaps we are too proud to admit that we need help; more likely, we have simply failed to realize that others are accompanying us. Every step of the long kingdom road has been graced by the presence of others before us, and moistened with their tears, whether of joy or sorrow. We may learn from what they have already experienced, just as we may find reassurance in the knowledge that they have been through the wildernesses of this world before us. We may take comfort from the presence of others who even now are making that journey alongside us.

And - finally! - we may rejoice in sure knowledge that one day we shall join them in the New Jerusalem, our journeying finally ended, as we raise our voices together in praise at the glorious sight of our Lord and Saviour, and eat and drink with him in the kingdom of God. The journey will then have ended; something else more wonderful will have begun.

1 Samuel 18: Bitterness

ONE OF THE darkest times in my life was when I allowed bitterness to root and grow in my heart. I was hurt. I refused to forgive or to risk being hurt again. My whole person was becoming engulfed by this monstrous plant that was growing inside of me. Others were defiled by it. If I had continued to disobey God in this way, I would have been destroyed.

Saul, ancient Israel's first king, knew those feelings. They were directed toward David, a young man from the hill country. David had changed the course of a forty-day stand-off with the Philistine army by singlehandedly killing their giant leader. Suddenly, all the people were praising this boy from the sheep pastures. Rumor had it that David would someday be king.

Warming Up to God
How do you usually respond when you are afraid that someone or something important to you will be taken away?

Read 1 Samuel 18. »
Discovering the Word

What causes can you find for Saul's hostile feelings?

Often, if not always, behind anger is fear. What specifically was Saul afraid of (vv. 8,12, 15, 28)?

How was Saul affected by the bitterness that he allowed to grow within himself?

What do you think is the difference between anger and bitterness?

What evidence is there that the problem became not only an emotional but a spiritual battle (vv. 10, 12, 28)?

What warnings do we get from this passage about the destructive nature of bitterness?

Applying the Word
Think about a time when you were bitter. What were you afraid of?

How was your relationship with others affected?

How was your relationship with God affected?

Responding in Prayer
Ask God to help you recognize the fears and/or anger in you that could lead to bitterness. Ask him to make you sensitive to those fears in others.

HOW TO SPEND THE DAY WITH GOD

RICHARD BAXTER (1615-1691)

A holy life is inclined to be made easier when we know the usual sequence and method of our duties - with everything falling into its proper place. Therefore, I shall give some brief directions for spending the day in a holy manner.


Sleep

Measure the time of your sleep appropriately so that you do not waste your precious morning hours sluggishly in your bed. Let the time of your sleep be matched to your health and labour, and not to slothful pleasure.


First Thoughts

Let God have your first awaking thoughts; lift up your hearts to Him reverently and thankfully for the rest enjoyed the night before and cast yourself upon Him for the day which follows.

Familiarise yourself so consistently to this that your conscience may check you when common thoughts shall first intrude. Think of the mercy of a night's rest and of how many that have spent that night in Hell; how many in prison; how many in cold, hard lodgings; how many suffering from agonising pains and sickness, weary of their beds and of their lives.

Think of how many souls were that night called from their bodies terrifyingly to appear before God and think how quickly days and nights are rolling on! How speedily your last night and day will come! Observe that which is lacking in the preparedness of your soul for such a time and seek it without delay.


Prayer

Let prayer by yourself alone (or with your partner) take place before the collective prayer of the family. If possible let it be first, before any work of the day.


Family Worship

Let family worship be performed consistently and at a time when it is most likely for the family to be free of interruptions.


Ultimate Purpose

Remember your ultimate purpose, and when you set yourself to your day's work or approach any activity in the world, let HOLINESS TO THE LORD be written upon your hearts in all that you do.

Do no activity which you cannot entitle God to, and truly say that he set you about it, and do nothing in the world for any other ultimate purpose than to please, glorify and enjoy Him. "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31.


Diligence in Your Calling

Follow the tasks of your calling carefully and diligently. Thus:

(a) You will show that you are not sluggish and servants to your flesh (as those that cannot deny it ease), and you will further the putting to death of all the fleshly lusts and desires that are fed by ease and idleness.

(b) You will keep out idle thoughts from your mind, that swarm in the minds of idle persons.

(c) You will not lose precious time, something that idle persons are daily guilty of.

(d) You will be in a way of obedience to God when the slothful are in constant sins of omission.

(e) You may have more time to spend in holy duties if you follow your occupation diligently. Idle persons have no time for praying and reading because they lose time by loitering at their work.

(f) You may expect God's blessing and comfortable provision for both yourself and your families.

(g) it may also encourage the health of your body which will increase its competence for the service of your soul.

Temptations and Things That Corrupt

Be thoroughly acquainted with your temptations and the things that may corrupt you - and watch against them all day long. You should watch especially the most dangerous of the things that corrupt, and those temptations that either your company or business will unavoidably lay before you.

Watch against the master sins of unbelief: hypocrisy, selfishness, pride, flesh pleasing and the excessive love of earthly things. Take care against being drawn into earthly mindedness and excessive cares, or covetous designs for rising in the world, under the pretence of diligence in your calling.

If you are to trade or deal with others, be vigilant against selfishness and all that smacks of injustice or uncharitableness. In all your dealings with others, watch against the temptation of empty and idle talking. Watch also against those persons who would tempt you to anger. Maintain that modesty and cleanness of speech that the laws of purity require. If you converse with flatterers, be on your guard against swelling pride.

If you converse with those that despise and injure you, strengthen yourself against impatient, revengeful pride.

At first these things will be very difficult, while sin has any strength in you, but once you have grasped a continual awareness of the poisonous danger of any one of these sins, your heart will readily and easily avoid them.


Meditation

When alone in your occupations, improve the time in practical and beneficial meditations. Meditate upon the infinite goodness and perfections of God; Christ and redemption; Heaven and how unworthy you are of going there and how you deserve eternal misery in Hell.


The Only Motive

Whatever you are doing, in company or alone, do it all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Otherwise, it is unacceptable to God.


Redeeming The Time

Place a high value upon your time, be more careful of not losing it than you would of losing your money. Do not let worthless recreations, television, idle talk, unprofitable company, or sleep rob you of your precious time.

Be more careful to escape that person, action or course of life that would rob you of your time than you would be to escape thieves and robbers.

Make sure that you are not merely never idle, but rather that you are using your time in the most profitable way that you can and do not prefer a less profitable way before one of greater profit.


Eating and Drinking

Eat and drink with moderation and thankfulness for health, not for unprofitable pleasure. Never please your appetite in food or drink when it is prone to be detrimental to your health.

Remember the sin of Sodom: "Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food and abundance of idleness" - Ezekiel 16:49.

The Apostle Paul wept when he mentioned those "whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame -- who set their minds on earthly things, being enemies to the cross of Christ" - Philippians 3:18-19. O then do not live according to the flesh lest you die (Romans 8:13).


Prevailing Sins

If any temptation prevails against you and you fall into any sins in addition to habitual failures, immediately lament it and confess it to God; repent quickly whatever the cost. It will certainly cost you more if you continue in sin and remain unrepentant.

Do not make light of your habitual failures, but confess them and daily strive against them, taking care not to aggravate them by unrepentance and contempt


Relationships

Remember every day the special duties of various relationships: whether as husbands, wives, children, masters, servants, pastors, people, magistrates, subjects.

Remember every relationship has its special duty and its advantage for the doing of some good. God requires your faithfulness in this matter as well as in any other duty.


Closing the Day

Before returning to sleep, it is wise and necessary to review the actions and mercies of the day past, so that you may be thankful for all the special mercies and humbled for all your sins.

This is necessary in order that you might renew your repentance as well as your resolve for obedience, and in order that you may examine yourself to see whether your soul grew better or worse, whether sin goes down and grace goes up and whether you are better prepared for suffering, death and eternity.

May these directions be engraven upon your mind and be made the daily practice of your life.

If sincerely adhered to, these will be conducive to the holiness, fruitfulness and quietness of your life and add to you a comfortable and peaceful death.

Adapted and updated for the web from the Baxter's English Works (Soli Deo Gloria) by Matthew Vogan

Sample Pages

Winter

Too Busy Not to Pray...

Hearing God by Dallas Willard

This is my first Dallas Willard book, picked it up 2 days after knowing that my dad is dying from cancer. And this book blew me away. He deals with the issue of divine guidance thoroughly. Even JI Packer quotes from this book in Packer's latest Guard Us Guide Us. (see review there)

Though it is a good book, i disagree on some application points found towards the end of the book. For example, for those whose doors are open to a few choices, WIllard mentions that God's may not have a certain will for them; the outcome may rest upon the choices they make. Another idea that i'm not comfortable with is that God may not have a will for exactly who you will marry- go if you have peace in your heart. I felt a tiny weeny bit disappointed to be taken through the highs of the many chapters in front- just to discover that God allow me to 'will' who to marry at the end.

Still, i will still recommend this book for study on divine guidance. Check out other books in IVP Formatio series.

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, 20th Anniversary Edition
By: Eugene H. Peterson

I become a big fan of Eugene Peterson after reading Running with Horses. I followed up on that one with A Long Obedience. It wows me time and again. There are so many chapters in this book worth talking about. Apart from some difficult quotes by some famous old folks, i think the rest of the book is unbeatable. A long obedience tracks the Song Of Ascents of Psalms( Psalm 120 to 134). These are the pilgrims' songs (Plenty of description of heights and depths- a contrast between the journey to Jerusalem for the festivals and the emotional well being of a devotee).

I felt the chapter on psalm 121 is worth all the money spent. It is inductive, instructive , yet reflective. Eugene Peterson managed to bring the audience as close as what the original audience felt, then apply the psalm to our modern life. There are several more chapters with one-paragraphs that are simply breath-taking. (eg. ps 144 of this special edition copy that talks about hope; cf ps 130)

I read many chapters on train and in hospital, so i had memories of reading this book. I re-read many parts as and when i felt prompted to. Highly recommend to a slightly more matured audience.

A side question :Am i against the Message? No! (in fact i loved it), but i felt Peterson did right to use RSV on some parts in the book. I am aware of people who are against him to paraphrase the bible, but kudos to him for trying to recapture the shock and intensity of first century listeners. I am not for using the message as the bible (i would still encourage people to read either the NIV or ESV); but to use The Message for reflection studies? - it is a bliss!!! - that is all i can put it. Bono of U2 uses the Message for his song writing platform; in fact he read the message to his dying father while at his death bed.

Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry

By: Ruth Haley Barton



Product Description
Using the biblical model of Moses, Ruth Haley Barton, guides leaders to place where the spiritual and ministerial meet. Her intent is to help leaders to lead from a place of spiritual transformation, but first to find that place for themselves. Ms. Barton is the cofounder and president of The Transforming Center.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 By: W. Phillip Keller

Product Description
It's been thirty five years and two million copies since W. Phillip Keller gave us A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, and it continues to encourage and inspire Christians with its classic insights into the heart of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Page by page, Keller reveals new facets of the Shepherd of Psalm 23 and his tireless, devoted care of His sheep. In these pages you will discover an uplifting expression of Christ's love for those that trust him as their protector, guide, provider and faithful keeper