Those who sing this should see themselves as the heirs of [Moses'] generation, seeking like them the blessing of God so that they can carry out their mission (ESV Study Bible Notes).

That generation had seen the awful results of sin and disobedience firsthand (“For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed” vs.. 7) Now they faced a challenge and test of obedience. They stood before the Jordan River, ready to enter the Promised Land. Would they fare any better than their parents?

To enter the land, and enjoy the fulfillment of God’s promise would require trust in God (faith). Read from this perspective, the Psalm seems to come alive. While you, God, are eternal, we are not (vss 1-11). Our lives are like the grass of the field that sprouts up, glistens, and then withers away (vss 5-10).

Will anything last from our years here on earth? Will we finish the mission God has given us to accomplish? Will we pass on anything to the next generation? That’s what the second half (vv 12-17) of the Psalm is about.

Moses’ prayer in this section asks God for three things: Wisdom (vs. 12), Joy in God (vs. 13-15), and God’s blessing on our Work (vs. 16-17).

So what about us? Are we singing this song, and praying this prayer as “heirs of Moses” generation?

• Are we asking God to give us a heart of wisdom that comes from numbering our days? (cf. Col 1:9, “asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding”)
• Are we praying for God go make us so satisfied in his steadfast love that we are filled with rejoicing and gladness of heart? (cf. Col 1:10,12, “growing in the knowledge of God… joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light”)
• Are we asking God for his favor – that he would “establish the work of our hands” that that our children would see evidence of his “work” and “glorious power”? (cf. Col 1:11, ” [living] a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work”)

In this series of postings, I’m slowly working my way through Charles Bridges’ classic book Christian Ministry.

Christian Ministry (Charles Bridges) – Chapter 7b

In Chapter 7 Bridges writes about preparation for leadership of God’s people.  Chapter 7 in his book is longer than the previous six chapters combined.

Bridges bases this chapter on the proposition that

A season of preparation – employed in storing the mind with Scriptural doctrine and in directing it to devotional and practical purposes, – in habits of self-communion and converse with God and in the exercise of active godliness, will turn to most profitable account throughout the course of a protracted ministry (pg 44).

Bridges identifies four aspects of preparation as important and devotes a section of chapter 7 to each of these aspects: Habits of General Study (pg 44-67), Special Study of the Scriptures (pg 68-80), Habits of Special Prayer (pg 81-85) and Employment in the Cure of Souls (pg 85-89).  In this posting I summarize his second section.

Special Study of the Scriptures
In the previous section Bridges wrote about study in general. Here he turns his attention to the importance for those who lead God’s people of developing ongoing habits of the study of Scripture, or, as he puts it, “the enlightened and fruitful study of the word of God.” He notes insightfully,

The intellectual excitement of literary or theological study needs much watchfulness lest it should deaden the freshness of our mind to the more spiritual study of the Scriptures (pg 68).

By study, Bridges means close, detailed study. He quotes from a biography of Matthew Henry to make his point,

Men get wisdom by books, but wisdom towards God is to be gotten out of God’s book; and that by digging. Most men do but walk over the surface of it, and pick up here and there a flower. Few dig into it. Read over other books to help you understand that book. Fetch your prayers and sermons from thence. The volume of inspiration is a full fountain, every overflowing , and hath always something new (footnote 1, pg 68).

Special study of the Scriptures involves both close, detailed study and continual reading of large portions of Scripture,

While continuing the study of Divine truth, it is also of vast moment to keep up the daily reading of considerable portions of the pure word of God and so to keep Scriptural truth (as it has been observed) continually revolving in the mind. It will be the only effective preservative against the taint and deterioration, which the mind might otherwise receive from reading human authors (pg 69).

The proper attitude toward Scripture is important as we study it. Bridges describes it as “the patient investigating spirit of the miner, digging into hidden treasure.” We are to “read Scripture with such exactness as to weigh every expression, and the connexion, as if I were about to preach upon every verse; and then to apply the result to my own case, character, experience and conduct, as if it had been directly addressed to me” (quoting Scott).

His experience resonates with that of many believers, who have also “experienced the almost ineffable release of being transported from despair or illness or catastrophic defeat or a sense of alienated distance from God, to a height of safety or health or victory or spiritual intimacy with our Maker and Redeemer” (D.A. Carson)

The writer “captures the heart and the imagination” with vivid contrasts. Take a look at some of these contrasts in the following table:

anger for a moment	favor for a lifetime
weeping for a night	joy comes with the morning
morning	dancing
clothed with sackcloth	garments of gladness
death/pit/ dust…silence	life…praise / giving thanks / telling of his faithfulness

The story behind the Psalm is not complicated.  It falls into five parts:

1.  Life is good, the future looks bright
David was spiritually complacent, “I said, in my prosperity, I shall not be moved” (vs.. 6).

2.  Suddenly, the bottom falls out of life
David faced a life-threatening illness, probably in response to his sin (vs.. 5 – “your anger”) and was terrified he would die (vs.. 7 – “dismayed”).

3.  David cried out to God, pleading for mercy
He prays, “to you, O Lord, I cry and… plead for mercy” (vs.. 8-9).

4.  God wonderfully answered David’s plea and healed him
David describes it like this:  “you have healed me… you restored me to life” (vs.. 2-3).

5.  David extols God
He “sings for joy” (vs.. 1) at what he has done (vs.. 12), and calls others to do the same (vv. 4-5).

It’s not hard to draw out lessons for our walk with God from this Psalm.  I’ll highlight two.

Lesson 1
We can learn from David’s attitude when things were going well for him.  He felt almost invincible (”I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved” vs.. 6).

“It is easy… for God’s people to trust in themselves for continued well-being,”  forgetting that our “prosperity” comes from God’s and his favor, not from our skill, hard work and cleverness (”By your favor, O LORD you made my mountain stand strong” vs. 7).  One commentator noted, “Instead of confiding in the Giver, he trusted in the gift, as though it had been his own work.”

Lesson 2
Another lesson, one more central to the emphasis of the Psalm, lies in the ground of David’s plea for mercy.

David’s prayer was not just for “the mere prolonging of earthly days, precious as that is” but that he might live and publically praise God for his faithfulness.  He wants his experience with God to motivate others to put their trust God as their “helper” and have a similar experience of his faithfulness.

The emphasis here is God centered (God did this, and this, and this…praised be God!) rather than David centered (I did this, I did that, … I trusted, I prayed, etc).

I’ve mentioned the importance of God-centered motives, the need to stay cross-centered in our lives and ministry, and the challenge we face to become Bible-centered in our lives and service for God.

Today I end this series with a closing challenge.

A Closing Challenge

In Scripture, only a portion of those who led God’s people finished their ministry well. Professor Clinton, whose research I mentioned yesterday, claims that the number is around 30%. That means that 70% of those involved in spiritual leaders did not finish well in their lives and ministry. That is a very sobering statistic. It causes us to ask – How will my service for God end? It is something worth pondering.

To a large degree, the answer to that question depends on my “guarding my heart.” The quality of my relationship with God is linked with the quality of my service for him.

Several years ago I read the testimony of a Christian worker serving in the Middle East. It’s one of those stories that lodged itself in my mind and I often find myself thinking again about what he wrote. He’s just a short excerpt from his story,

I tried to analyze those who had been successful evangelists in our context. Something about them was attractive to non-believers, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

First, I notice they were people of the Bible. They loved their Bibles and when someone asked them a question, they instinctively opened their bibles and gave them the answer. Second, others experienced them as men or women of God. Their life with God was an integral part of their entire life.

I knew however, that there was something else, a third characteristic they all had in common but I couldn’t figure out what it was. An older brother helped me find the missing piece. He told me, “I’ll tell you what makes all of them fruitful in ministry… It is the cross. Look once more at the life stories of each of those people you are examining. You will find that each of them passed through some sort of crisis that broke them – an experience where their only hope was in God, an experience that caused them to die to themselves… He was right. I began to understand that what made them attractive to unbelievers was the presence of God in their lives. And for that to happen, God had to break them.[1]

[1] Roland Miller, “The ” in MMC: The Messenger, the Message and the Community. 2006. www.rmuller.com

In this series of postings, I’m slowly working my way through Charles Bridges’ classic book Christian Ministry.

.

Christian Ministry (Charles Bridges) – Chapter 7c

In Chapter 7 Bridges writes about preparation for leadership of God’s people.  Chapter 7 in his book is longer than the previous six chapters combined. Bridges bases this chapter on the proposition that

A season of preparation – employed in storing the mind with Scriptural doctrine and in directing it to devotional and practical purposes, – in habits of self-communion and converse with God and in the exercise of active godliness, will turn to most profitable account throughout the course of a protracted ministry (pg 44).

Bridges identifies four aspects of preparation as important and devotes a section of chapter 7 to each of these aspects: Habits of General Study (pg 44-67), Special Study of the Scriptures (pg 68-80), Habits of Special Prayer (pg 81-85) and Employment in the Cure of Souls (pg 85-89).  In this posting I summarize his third and fourth section.

Habits of Special Prayer
Bridges then moves on, in his description of the key areas of preparation for a leader of God’s people to the matter of prayer. “The greatest and hardest preparation,” writes Bridges, “is within” (pg 82). We need to learn to pray well because of the tendency of our hearts toward disappointment, discouragement and despondency – a problem than can only be overcome “by prayer and fasting.”

Entrance into this great work without the spirit of prayer, would be to go into “a most fearful warfare at our own charges.” The kingdom of Satan would have little to apprehend from an attack of literature, or from any systematic mechanism of external form. The outworks might be stormed, but the citadel would remain impregnable…

Bridges stresses the link between prayer and faith,

The Christian Ministry is a work of faith; and that it may be a work of faith, it must be a work of prayer. Prayer obtains faith, while faith in its reaction quickens to increasing earnestness of prayer. Thus spiritual, enlightened, and encouraging view of the Ministry flow from the habit of diligent waiting on God (pg 84).

During this time a preparation for leadership of God’s people, it is important that a person develop habits of regular prayer as well habits of… “Retirement consecrated to the sole purpose of contemplating the work and separating himself to its service.” A “man of special prayer,” writes Bridges, “will be a man of special faith and faith is the power which enables “the worm to thresh the mountains” (Isaiah 41:14,15).

Employment in the Cure of Souls
Habits of study and prayer are foundational, but by themselves are not enough. A person also must learn how to help others spiritually during the period of preparation for ministry. The ministry is not, he observes, "a work of contemplation but of active, anxious, devoted employment" (pg 88).  Bridges uses the metaphor of exercise to develop this point,

The want of exercise is as hurtful to the spiritual as to the bodily system; nor will studious habits circulate with beneficial influence, unless their results are operative in Christian activity.

This is gained, argues Bridges, through involvement in ministry that "exercises the natural capacities of the young probationer, increases his store of experience and imparts considerable benefit to the church and reciprocal advantage to himself" (pg 86).  It is only in this way that a person gains,

Insight into the real condition of the future subjects of the parochial ministration and the acquaintance with their modes of expression, their peculiar difficulties and temptations, the causes of their ignorance, the wisest and most successful avenues of approach to them (pg 86).

Bridges makes several suggests that flow out of his context – a person can gain experience through working in a Sunday School, through instruction of the poor, and through visitation of the sick (pg 86-87).  He suggests a person begin with ministry to his own family, then neighbors and friends.  Let God, he writes, "expand the circle of influence and field of opportunity."

What Bridges describes is often neglect and instead there occurs a "very rapid transition from the studies of the University to the services of the Sanctuary."  This "does not often appear desirable" – surely "some interval of active retirement is needed to divert the mind from its former course into a more observant and consecrated habit of action."  If this is not possible, he suggests, "an interval of inspection or initiation into the routine of the work under the superintendence of a judicious and experienced Pastor (pg 89):

Converse with experienced and exercises Christians would offer many advantages.  The habit of religious conversation would contribute, even more than private study, to the enlargement of the mind; and much would be acquired in this field of observation and incipient engages which no other medium could adequately supply.

The Psalm opens and closes with reference to the LORD (vs.. 1, 6). He is the one who cares for me during crisis times. Enjoyment of his presence (“in the house of Lord”) is life’s richest experience.

The second metaphor, the Lord as Host, pictures the Psalmist (i.e. Psalm 23, we found ourselves in his place) invited to be the honored guest at a great banquet. When he arrives, his “head is anointed” with expensive, perfumed oil. Anointing of one’s and face in that day and age triggered memories of other festive, joyful occasions. Similar associations are present in Psalm 104:15,

“wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart”

The metaphor locates this banquet “in the presence of my enemies” – a “sign that all those who have threatened the psalmist have now been proved to be wrong”. The believer can enjoy the banquet in peace, knowing he has nothing to fear from those enemies.

In spite of all that might have marred his life, the psalmist is declaring that in the presence of God he experiences a richly satisfying and joy-filled life (Davidson, The Vitality of Worship.)

At this point (vs.. 6), the psalmist points us to the future. Now and again, as believers, we experience an overflowing joy in God’s presence. Fear and worry are taken away and worship comes alive. God is present and we are filled with joy. This, the Psalm tells us, is what we have to look forward to.

Yes, difficulties lie ahead. God will lead us through the dark valleys of life as a caring shepherd. Surely good and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.

But God is more than just a Good Shepherd.  Up ahead, beyond all the “days of my life” lies something even greater. I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever!

That joy we experience, from time to time, in God presence, will be unbroken. We will see him “face to face.” How can we help but echo John’s words in Revelation 22:20, Amen, Come, Lord Jesus!

From my reading . . . 

Every man should aim to do one thing well. If he dissipates his attention on several objects, he may have excellent talents entrusted to him, but they will be intrusted to no good end.

Concentrated on his proper object, they might have vast energy; but dissipated on several, they will have none. Let other objects be pursued indeed; but only so far as they may subserve the reader’s purpose.

By neglecting this rule I have seen frivolity and futility written on minds of great power; and by regarding it, I have seen very limited minds acting first rank of their profession. I have seen a large capital and a great stock dissipated; and I have seen a small capital and improved to great riches.

“Guarding our hearts” in ministry helps insure we will finish our life and ministry well and not “disqualify” ourselves. I’ve already written about the need for "God-centered" motives in ministry and for "cross-centered" living. Today I’m looking at a third way of “guarding our hearts” as we lead God’s people – that of living in God’s Word.

3. Is the Word of God "dwelling richly in me"?

Professor J. Robert Clinton and his students carried out a comprehensive study of over 1,200 spiritual leaders. As they examined the results of this research, one things was clear: Those spiritual workers who finished their ministry well were people whose ministry was grounded in Scripture. Dr. Clinton writes,

The Word of God is true and last’s forever (Isaiah 40:8). It equips me to lead God’s people (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If I work to become a Bible-centered leader who uses God’s word in ministry with confidence, then I can be sure that my service for God will have lasting results.[1]

I think one of the greatest challenges in ministry, especially in parts of the world where the work goes ahead slowly, is that of holding on to hope in God and confidence in the message entrusted to us (i.e. the gospel). This is especially difficult when we don’t see many visible results in ministry. Being "filled with hope" is possible, in such cases, only through faith and trust in God. But where does such faith come from?

Faith, when what we are trust God for is not visible, is based on God’s promises. And God’s promises are found in our Bibles. This is one of the reasons why life in God’s Word is so important for those who lead God’s people. We guard our harts when we find nourishment for our souls in the Bible.

[1] J. Robert Clinton, Having a Ministry that Lasts. Barnabas Publishers. 1997. A sampling Clinton’s writings are available for download at: http://www.bobbyclinton.com/articles/

In this series of postings, I’m slowly working my way through Charles Bridges’ classic book Christian Ministry.

.

Christian Ministry (Charles Bridges) – Chapter 7a

In Chapter 7 Bridges writes about preparation for leadership of God’s people.  Chapter 7 in his book is longer than the previous six chapters combined. Bridges bases this chapter on the proposition that

A season of preparation – employed in storing the mind with Scriptural doctrine and in directing it to devotional and practical purposes, – in habits of self-communion and converse with God and in the exercise of active godliness, will turn to most profitable account throughout the course of a protracted ministry (pg 44).

Bridges identifies four aspects of preparation as important and devotes a section of chapter 7 to each of these aspects: Habits of General Study (pg 44-67), Special Study of the Scriptures (pg 68-80), Habits of Special Prayer (pg 81-85) and Employment in the Cure of Souls (pg 85-89).  In this posting I summarize his first section.

Habits of General Study
A time of concentrated study is useful preparation for a lifetime of ministry both for knowledge gained through that study and for the habits formed during the course of study. Bridges writes,

Even when the pursuit of academical distinctions is passed by, the daily exercises of regularity, discipline, and self-denial, furnish an effectual safe-guard against the detrimental influence of mental and possibly also religious dissipation (pg 48).

Bridges singles out the study of Scriptural doctrine, Church history and especially Pastoral Theology as crucial subjects of study in preparation for leadership of God’s people. In urging the importance of study on younger potential Christian leaders, Bridges uses the apostle Paul as an example. Disciplined study, notes Bridges is important, not just in preparation for ministry but as an ongoing practice in ministry, "It is of great moment, that the habit of study as far as possible, be maintained through life. For the most part, the ground work only has been laid – "If we live only on old stores, we shall never enlarge our knowledge" (pg 65). Bridges commends President Edward’s advice to us:

My method of study from my first beginning the work of the Ministry, has been very much by writing; applying myself in this way to improve every important hint, pursuing the clue to the utmost, when anything in reading, meditation or conversation has been suggested to my mind that seemed to promise light in any weighty point; thus penning what appeared to me my best thoughts on innumerable subjects, for my own benefit. The longer I prosecuted my studies in this method, the more habitual it became and the more pleasant and profitable I found it.

Bridges ends this section with a great quote,

Not to read or study at all is to tempt God; to do nothing but study is to forget the Ministry; to study only to glory in one’s knowledge is a shameful vanity; to study in search of the means to flatter sinners, a deplorable prevarication; but to store one’s mind with the knowledge proper to the saints by study and by prayer, and to diffuse that knowledge in solid instruction and practical exhortations – this is to be a prudent, zealous and laborious Minister (pg 67).

He had tried to serve God. Yes, he had made some foolish mistakes, but he had tried to serve God. And God had rewarded his efforts. He’d lived long enough to see that – almost 60 years.

A cry for help
But now, things had suddenly taken a turn for the worse and he was scared. This was the greatest test of all.

The challenge he faced was overwhelming. And he didn’t know what to do. He was afraid. So he gathered his people together, proclaimed a fast and prayed. We have a record of what Jehoshaphat actually said when he prayed …

“O Lord God of our ancestors,” he prayed, “you are the God who lives in heaven and rules over all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess strength and power; no one can stand against you… Our God… we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us! We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help!” (2 Chronicles 20, NET Bible).

Another cry for help
Psalm 20 was written before Jehoshaphat’s prayer.  Nearly 200 years earlier.  The situation, however, is similar. David is leader over God’s people, their King. The nation is in trouble – facing a much stronger enemy. Before the battle the people were gathered. Their King stands before them, he offers a sacrifice and prays silently. Psalm 90 records, not of the prayer of their King, but the people’s prayer for the King standing in front of them.

“May God answer our King’s prayer,” they prayed. “May he send help.” May his plans succeed” (vs. 1, 2, 5).

Someone, perhaps a Levite in the ceremony, speaks up in verse 6. He announces a word of assurance:

Yes, God will help his anointed King (i.e. his Messiah). He will act, because our trust is in him, not in our mighty army… Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright (vs. 7-8)

Our cry for help
We live in a very different world. Two things, however, remains the same:

1) We also face overwhelming problems – problems much bigger than our strength, skills and resources can handle.

2) We also follow an anointed King – one much greater than David.

This prayer is for us. God is calling us to turn to him in our need, to put our trust in him. “He will answer us when we call to him for help” (vs. 8).