Comments on: Keeping a Diary: Church History Spotlight Part 2: G.Whitefield http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/ "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you...” Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:04:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: Thomas Twitchell http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1186 Thomas Twitchell Fri, 26 Oct 2007 06:30:03 +0000 http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1186 <blockquote>Completely miss or ignore God’s providence in teaching us through our experiences. </blockquote> I've looked at these lists before, and wow- it ain't ever gonna happen in my life.... When I run into men and women who are uniquely gifted in this way, I often wonder what it is that drives others to try to be like them? It takes me hours to compose a simple essay on the puter, if I had to hand write it, besides having to have a cryptologist decode it for me, by the time I had written my sins down it would be bed time and I would have sinned by missing everything else that day. It is the same with any and all talents. It takes me a tiny fraction of the time to complete some tasks compared to my wife. And no matter the number of times I explain my methods and reason she doesn't get it, always. But, I want to discusse the quote above. How do I know what the lesson is from my experiences? I know what the Word teaches me, and I do learn naturally common sense wisdom, but how do I know what spiritual significance any particular instance has for me. I am specifically thinking about Solomon's quest to find this knowledge, and it stumped him. The same thing happens to both, but one prospers, and the other dies, kind of thing. One man eats and is satisfied living long, another eats the same and dies of a massive coronary from cholesterol build-up. The only thing that I can take away from my experiences is the that God will be glorified. Take this for instance. Inevitably, if I a diligent to repair and maintain my vehicle consistently, something unforseen, or even well maintained will go out. On the other hand, somethings that I should have maintained, seem to never wear out. Why does it rain on the righteous as well as the wicked, and why does the wicked prosper and the righteous man just get poorer? I know why I get poorer, I am wicked, but should I sin all the more so that I might get rich? To me this mystery of experiencing God's providence and understanding what it means to me exceeds my little pea brain.

Completely miss or ignore God’s providence in teaching us through our experiences.

I’ve looked at these lists before, and wow- it ain’t ever gonna happen in my life…. When I run into men and women who are uniquely gifted in this way, I often wonder what it is that drives others to try to be like them? It takes me hours to compose a simple essay on the puter, if I had to hand write it, besides having to have a cryptologist decode it for me, by the time I had written my sins down it would be bed time and I would have sinned by missing everything else that day.

It is the same with any and all talents. It takes me a tiny fraction of the time to complete some tasks compared to my wife. And no matter the number of times I explain my methods and reason
she doesn’t get it, always.

But, I want to discusse the quote above. How do I know what the lesson is from my experiences? I know what the Word teaches me, and I do learn naturally common sense wisdom, but how do I know what spiritual significance any particular instance has for me. I am specifically thinking about Solomon’s quest to find this knowledge, and it stumped him. The same thing happens to both, but one prospers, and the other dies, kind of thing. One man eats and is satisfied living long, another eats the same and dies of a massive coronary from cholesterol build-up. The only thing that I can take away from my experiences is the that God will be glorified. Take this for instance. Inevitably, if I a diligent to repair and maintain my vehicle consistently, something unforseen, or even well maintained will go out. On the other hand, somethings that I should have maintained, seem to never wear out. Why does it rain on the righteous as well as the wicked, and why does the wicked prosper and the righteous man just get poorer? I know why I get poorer, I am wicked, but should I sin all the more so that I might get rich? To me this mystery of experiencing God’s providence and understanding what it means to me exceeds my little pea brain.

]]> By: davide_palmer http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1188 davide_palmer Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:33:07 +0000 http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1188 Nathan, Thank you for the post. It was truly blessed me and convicted me. Nathan,

Thank you for the post. It was truly blessed me and convicted me.

]]> By: Nathan White http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1189 Nathan White Sat, 27 Oct 2007 04:37:07 +0000 http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1189 <strong>Thomas said: </strong> <blockquote>How do I know what the lesson is from my experiences? I know what the Word teaches me, and I do learn naturally common sense wisdom, but how do I know what spiritual significance any particular instance has for me.</blockquote> I would recommend a puritan paperback to you, John Flavel's Mystery of Providence. I posted on this book <a href="http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/07/27/providence/" rel="nofollow">here</a>. But certainly there is no real objective way to determine *exactly* what we are to learn from Providence. However, that does not mean that we shouldn't reflect on what God has done, and consider what He might be teaching us. Scripture says that even Jesus "learned obedience through what he suffered". Thus, we ourselves, if we look at Providence with not simply the eyes of secular maturity (what can I learn from this), but with the eyes of faith (what scriptural principles can I learn from this), then I would submit that the Lord has a wealth of knowledge stored up in these reflections. The fact remains is that God ordains every aspect of our lives, but does so do the good of those who are called. So I find great comfort in looking back at where I've come from and how God has gotten me here, and thus rejoice in His infinite wisdom in doing so. Thomas said:

How do I know what the lesson is from my experiences? I know what the Word teaches me, and I do learn naturally common sense wisdom, but how do I know what spiritual significance any particular instance has for me.

I would recommend a puritan paperback to you, John Flavel’s Mystery of Providence. I posted on this book here.

But certainly there is no real objective way to determine *exactly* what we are to learn from Providence. However, that does not mean that we shouldn’t reflect on what God has done, and consider what He might be teaching us. Scripture says that even Jesus “learned obedience through what he suffered”. Thus, we ourselves, if we look at Providence with not simply the eyes of secular maturity (what can I learn from this), but with the eyes of faith (what scriptural principles can I learn from this), then I would submit that the Lord has a wealth of knowledge stored up in these reflections.

The fact remains is that God ordains every aspect of our lives, but does so do the good of those who are called. So I find great comfort in looking back at where I’ve come from and how God has gotten me here, and thus rejoice in His infinite wisdom in doing so.

]]> By: Thomas Twitchell http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1191 Thomas Twitchell Sat, 27 Oct 2007 14:46:41 +0000 http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1191 Yes, thanks. I do review life script like a reverse map seeing where I turned here and there, where then I came to. And, also, those unforseen popups and the like that determined outside my actions the course of the day. We are currently studying providence at church, and I fully expect to be there two weeks from now barring the narrowing of the way and an angel with a flaming sword preventing me from getting there. The Scripture tells us to "Remember the Lord in the days of our youth." And, there is a now looking forward aspect of this, but then there is a retrospective aspect also which begs us to see how good the Lord was. This is like the marker stones of the Israelites that showed them where they came from and also set boundaries for them, or like the philacteries, and teaching of the children the stories of the great things God has done. Which is interesting, because, the commandment is to taste and see that the Lord is good. Thanks, tt Yes, thanks. I do review life script like a reverse map seeing where I turned here and there, where then I came to. And, also, those unforseen popups and the like that determined outside my actions the course of the day. We are currently studying providence at church, and I fully expect to be there two weeks from now barring the narrowing of the way and an angel with a flaming sword preventing me from getting there. The Scripture tells us to “Remember the Lord in the days of our youth.” And, there is a now looking forward aspect of this, but then there is a retrospective aspect also which begs us to see how good the Lord was. This is like the marker stones of the Israelites that showed them where they came from and also set boundaries for them, or like the philacteries, and teaching of the children the stories of the great things God has done. Which is interesting, because, the commandment is to taste and see that the Lord is good.

Thanks,

tt

]]> By: Pooyan Mehrshahi http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1195 Pooyan Mehrshahi Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:12:35 +0000 http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1195 Thank you brother for your notes about keeping a diary. I was very much challenged. Thank you brother for your notes about keeping a diary. I was very much challenged.

]]> By: JP http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1215 JP Sat, 03 Nov 2007 23:19:11 +0000 http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/22/keeping-a-diary-church-history-spotlight-part-2-gwhitefield/#comment-1215 Hi Nathan, I just started reading through Dallimore's Biography Volume 1. Whitefield is certainly an interesting character, and Dallimore is an excellent writer of biographies. I too think it is not accidental that the great and the good of Church history have frequently been journal keepers of one sort or another....they used their diaries not as a sort of social history, or navel gazing introspection, but for sanctification purposes....to ascertain whether indeed they had fulfilled 1 Cor. 10:31 or not, and to correct where they had failed tomorrow. <blockquote>An objective look at how we have served the Lord in the day</blockquote> I just read Whitefield's "list" tonight before checking your blog and thought it to be a remarkably useful thing (if applied) for this purpose. I also thought it would be extremely useful to review that list on completion of morning devotions, sort of to set the agenda for the day. I also thought his reasoning concerning the move to Georgia was a good example of using Providence as a guide, he was not mystical, rather he prayed much and having prayed much, sought to understand where God had him providentially and how differing potential futures might either assist or hinder him in a selfless glorifying of God. Good stuff. JP Hi Nathan,

I just started reading through Dallimore’s Biography Volume 1. Whitefield is certainly an interesting character, and Dallimore is an excellent writer of biographies.

I too think it is not accidental that the great and the good of Church history have frequently been journal keepers of one sort or another….they used their diaries not as a sort of social history, or navel gazing introspection, but for sanctification purposes….to ascertain whether indeed they had fulfilled 1 Cor. 10:31 or not, and to correct where they had failed tomorrow.

An objective look at how we have served the Lord in the day

I just read Whitefield’s “list” tonight before checking your blog and thought it to be a remarkably useful thing (if applied) for this purpose. I also thought it would be extremely useful to review that list on completion of morning devotions, sort of to set the agenda for the day.

I also thought his reasoning concerning the move to Georgia was a good example of using Providence as a guide, he was not mystical, rather he prayed much and having prayed much, sought to understand where God had him providentially and how differing potential futures might either assist or hinder him in a selfless glorifying of God.

Good stuff.

JP

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