Phrisbee Phellowship

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2008-09-29T09:19:00.002-05:00

Go to Facebook and request to join Phrisbee Phellowship discussion group.

Book 3, Chapter 6: Christian Marriage

2008-04-09T12:54:00.003-05:00

This chapter is full of marriage (or premarital or pre-engagement) counseling and ought to be required reading for all married people, for all who think they may one day marry and for anyone will ever know someone who is married. Consider how profound this one statement is: “Let the thrill go—let it die away.” I consider this an important statement on several levels. I’ll list three of them for you and see how you respond.

First, by this statement Lewis combats “shacking up” and other forms of intentionally arousing sexual passion in someone to whom you are not married. People who believe they are “in love” may set aside responsibility because the feelings of being in love are so intense. People who love their boyfriend or girlfriend rather than being in love with them know that stirring passions that cannot be satisfied righteously is unloving. They should “let the thrill go” because they are dooming the future of something God created to be enjoyed in its proper context to a guilty pleasure. Lewis effectively illustrates with food. When we want the thrill without the responsibility, we are like bulimics who binge and purge to avoid the natural consequences of overeating. Sexual experimentation outside marriage is relational bulemia. It makes the “feast” of marriage a guilty pleasure instead of a motivation to bless the Lord who gave it to us.

Next, by this statement Lewis combats the divorce problem. The biblical teaching on marriage is not first and foremost good because it helps marriage. It is good because it is marriage that helps us see the relationship God has with his people. God is not “in love” with us. He loves us. And it is not being in love with someone that prepares you for the commitment required for a 50-year (lifetime) marriage. It is loving someone even when the original feeling has waned. Loving someone makes you to keep the contract and, yes, even savor the sweetness of the contract. People who love each other can have productive disagreements because they quarrel with a resolution in mind rather the end of the relationship. The idea of going their separate ways is off the table because they honor the contract more than they honor the thrill. People who are merely in love quarrel selfishly, fearing the loss of the feeling and the person who brings it.

Finally, by this statement Lewis combats the controversy over biblical marital roles. It is not the thrill of being in love that makes a man love and lead his wife or moves a wife to joyfully follow her husband. Loving headship and joyful submission are not for the benefit of the male sex but for the stability of the world that is founded on the family order. The thrill that Lewis says needs to die rarely produces situations that require loving leadership or joyful submission (please read that twice). For example, that young man who is such a good leader in deciding which movie to attend on Friday night should also be evaluated by the way he acts when he is required to inconvenience himself to serve others. That picture of feminine charm may look good on your arm at the movie theater or at a concert but what is her attitude when it is her turn to deal with screaming babies in the church nursery? This is why I urge young believers to identify potential mates by observing them in situations that require unselfish service and even stressful problem-solving. He needs to show his love by humbly accepting the responsibility that comes with leadership. She needs to love by joyfully serving under the authority of another. Some couples get along great so long as there are dating diversions to keep them from addressing real life. Long-term relationships run in orderly ways that transcend difficult relational trials because more is at stake than the thrill.

What did you harvest from this chapter?

Book 3, Chapter 5: Sexual Morality

2008-03-27T16:41:00.003-05:00

Don't you love the way this guy puts words together? An example to summarize the chapter:

For there are two things inside me, competing with the human self which I must try to become. They are the Animal self, and the Diabolical self. The Diabolical self is the worse of the two. That is why a cold, self-righteous prig who goes regularly to church maybe far nearer to hell than a prostitute. But, of course, it is better to be neither.

I would expect this chapter and my comments on it will be read by more of you than normal. I'm not offended. Few biblical subjects grab our attention more than this one. I'll let you ruminate on why that is.

The statements of the Bible regarding where "the fence" has been place are very clear. The boundary surrounds a man and a woman married until death. Maybe most of us have been able to stay physically inside the fence (If you have not, aren't you glad for a Rescuer with whom is forgiveness and the power to change?). I think Lewis is making a very important observation about human nature here. The question may be more than, "Are you staying inside the fence?" Maybe in the center of our being we are not satisfied with where God has placed the fence and we find ourselves constantly standing at the edge of the boundary rattling the fence and looking into the neighbor's yard (perhaps looking at a mutton chop).

The real issue, of course, is not sex but desire. What do you really want? Like the older brother of the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable, some of us in our "animal self" would never cross the lines outwardly, but our "diabolical self" wishes desperately that God had drawn the lines elsewhere. If your heart is saying, "If only I could go outside the fence and get away with it, I would satisfy an important need," you are the illustration Lewis is talking about in this chapter. When we think this way we are saying that God does not know what we really need. We are listening to the serpent's lie to Eve: "God knows that in the day you eat of it..."

This shows up in a lot of ways in our lives, not the least of which involves spending time and money on things that bring us to desire what is outside the fence ("want to watch a movie tonight?"). As Lewis says, “There are people who want to keep our sex instinct inflamed in order to make money out of us. Because, of course, a man with an obsession is a man who has very little sales-resistance."

Young, unmarried disciple of Christ, please listen: the only way to keep your vessel sanctified (see 1 Thessalonians 4) is to conform the desires of your heart to those of God's heart. Translation: learn to like what God likes. As David said in Psalm 16:6: “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”

What are your words of counsel for others reading this chapter and joining our discussion?

Book 3, Chapter 4: Morality and Psychoanalysis

2008-02-27T08:58:00.002-06:00

Don’t be too hard on Lewis’s favorable assessment of Jung and psychology. We have been given 65 years more than Lewis had to evaluate the offspring conceived in the illicit affair between the Church and psychology. The real point, anyway, is that there is something fundamentally wrong in us that needs changing. Even secularists agree on that point. The difference is not in diagnosing a problem but finding a cure. Lewis is, I think, doing the same thing in this chapter that Paul did in Romans 1-3. He is classifying the covetous Sunday Schoolers with the pagan thieves; the lustful preachers with the premeditated rapists. Some of us have our fundamental wrong-ness coming out in socially destructive ways. That segment of society may end up in prison or dying prematurely. Others of us contain the ticking time bomb of pride or anger or lust that permits us to kill and commit adultery in our hearts innumerable times and never be “caught.” Where does that leave you and me? Can you see why this brings us to a “Cross-Centered Life”?

Book 3, Chapter 3: Social Morality

2008-02-05T15:33:00.000-06:00

Which presidential candidate do you support? Would you consider it morally wrong to support certain candidates from either major party? With those thoughts in mind, consider the two things Lewis says we need to get clear about “Christian morality.”

1. Christ did not come to preach any brand-new morality.
2. Christianity has not, and does not profess to have, a detailed political program.

Rather than staking out his political positions (I have my guess as to how C. S. Lewis would vote these days), Lewis reminds us that our Savior did not die to set up a kingdom that is “of this world.”

Okay. Most of us conservative evangelicals vote the same way these days. But the way conservative evangelicals apply obedience to the gospel in this decade is very different than the way our parents applied it or how our children (if by God’s grace they still care) will apply it. I think Lewis is trying to say that Christianity is timeless. Rather than trying to find the Christian party or the Christian candidate we should first be living as Christian people.

The party that appears very compassionate today may have policies that will one day encourage sloth and dependency. The party today that calls people to take personal responsibility may have policies that will one day victimize middle-class working people. But Jesus never changes. The first and second great commandments transcend political systems.

The challenge here is not to become apathetic toward public affairs. It is to shun the idea that you are pleasing God when you step over the top of the homeless guy in the street to get into the polling place to vote for Righteous Ralph.

What do you think?

Corner Blitzer Wannabee

2008-01-15T11:47:00.000-06:00

Book 3, Chapter 2: The “Cardinal Virtues"

2008-01-15T11:43:00.000-06:00

Do you have to be a great defensive player to steal the football from Brett Favre's hand? During an unsuccessful Packer attempt to defeat Cincinnati on October 30, 2005, the Bengals defense picked off Brett five times. In the Packers’ final drive a fan rushed the field, prompting officials’ whistles and the unwitting number four to hand the ball over to a crazed Bengals fan (Brett thinking he was a referee). The guy danced toward the endzone with the ball and a confidence that would make Al Harris envious.

The difference between this athlete wannabee and a real football player illustrates the difference between someone who can act virtuous and a virtuous person. I think this is what C. S. Lewis is saying in this chapter. The question at hand is: are you virtuous or merely offering a cheap, public imitation of virtue? Take a look at the four virtues:

· Prudence tells even the mass murderer to take his finger off the trigger and run for cover. It is not morally neutral. You need not have advanced intelligence in order to be prudent, but you cannot be prudent without thinking good thoughts.
· Temperance calls the drunk to be "responsible," step away from the bar and call for a designated driver. Even pagans recognize the need to say no to yourself. Lewis's comments may disturb you if you are a "teetotaler," but you cannot argue with him as he compares intemperance with alcohol to intemperance with golf or your dog (or Halo or the next episode of 24).
· Justice moves crackheads and other criminals to take to the streets and riot when a jury fails to condemn an officer accused of racial profiling and using excessive force.
· Fortitude allows a basketball star who cannot control his gambling habit to lead his team to victory, scoring 38 points even though he is terribly sick with the flu.

Maybe the real issue in all of this is that recognizing the virtues and having the capacity to display them are two different things. Our sinfulness moves us to muster enough flesh to display one or two of the virtues so we can condemn others who haven't arrived. Condemnation serves as camouflage for the lack of virtue in other areas.

What do you think? How does a person know whether he or she is in the “game” and not just putting on a show?

Book 3, Chapter 1: The Three Parts of Morality

2007-12-07T16:21:00.000-06:00

C.S. Lewis compares directing human behavior to directing a fleet of ships. In the first place, the ships must get along with one another. In the second place, the ships must be mechanically operable. Finally, they must be directed by a noble commander.
We see how profound this illustration is when we apply it to our lives in God's world. The civilized world spends most of its time trying to get the first part in order. We point the ships in the direction we want them to go and assume all is well. For instance, organizations like the United Nations would have us lay down our arms and just be nice. Since most of us do not like killing, this purpose seems noble. Lining the ships up so they don't collide seems sufficient until we see that people continue to kill each other even after they have promised not to. This is what takes us to the second part of Lewis's illustration.
People get along well with each other when they share a common purpose—that is—the internal driving force is a shared one. If you want the ships in your fleet to stop running into each other, their engine rooms and steering mechanisms must be properly tuned. When working with people we might agree with Paul and say that they need to be "one in spirit and purpose."
But more information shows us why this stool needs a third leg. What if you successfully keep the ships from colliding by uniting them in purpose (parts one and two) but find that their purpose is directed by an evil leader intent on destroying every other fleet of ships in the ocean? It really does make a difference who owns the ships. We wrongly assume that our vessels are independent of all the others and that our own behavior makes no difference as long as we allow the other ships to stay afloat. But this is not the case if we are owned by another. Lewis puts it this way: "If somebody else made me, for his own purposes, then I shall have a lot of duties which I should not have if I simply belonged to myself."
Here is why I think this chapter is very relevant you. You are at the point in your life when you are making decisions about relationships with the opposite sex, establishing standards for your personal entertainment and setting priorities for the use of your time, treasure and talents. It is very difficult to have other people tell you what kind of standards to set, but you must remember that you are not your own. Be patient with parents and institutions who apparently want to control your life. Is it possible that they have a better picture than you of where the Admiral wants his ships to go (or not go)? Our Great Commander designed the ships and not only knows how they should run, he knows where the mission will take them. As I told a friend who was destroying his life: "You were built for better purposes."

What do you think?

Book 2, Chapter 5: The Practical Conclusion

2007-11-05T12:47:00.000-06:00

This may be one chapter in which you will find disagreement with C. S. Lewis (sacramental view of baptism and communion). Please don't throw the rest of the chapter out, however. He roars back like a fiery, Calvinistic evangelist and says this: "[The Christian] does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a greenhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it." Notice the warning Lewis gives at the end of the chapter: "When the author walks on to the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you're on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream..." The question for discussion: When, in our desire to win a person to Christ, does it become necessary to warn them about hell?

Book 2, Chapter 4: The Perfect Penitent

2007-10-23T16:08:00.000-05:00

In this chapter Lewis is answering the two crucial questions answered first in the Gospels: "Who is Jesus Christ?" and "What did he do?" On the first reading it looks like Lewis is downplaying theology. Quite the opposite is true. While he is hesitant to dig deep (remember his target audience), his bare-bones presentation calls the reader to embrace the death of Christ on his own behalf. That is theology. A chapter summary would have to be what Lewis calls "the catch." He says: "Only a bad person needs to repent: only a good person can repent perfectly. The worse you are the more you need it and the less you can do it. The only person who could do it perfectly would be a perfect person—and he would not need it.” Two questions for you: First, how does this knowledge that we are calling sinners to do what they have no power to do affect our theology? And, second, how does this affect our attitude when we seek to evangelize lost people?

Mere Christianity, Book 2, Chapter 3: "The Shocking Alternative"

2007-10-18T09:43:00.000-05:00

I forgot to blog this last week for all of you non-Facebook people. Sorry. Here it goes:

Lewis gets to the heart of idolatry: men trying to "invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God." It is easy to throw stones at the list of consequences Lewis gives that result from trying to find substitutes to happiness in God: "money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery." I think I should be more concerned about the consequences of my own God substitutes. When I think happiness is bound up in people liking me, I am controlled (and often crushed) by the opinions of others. When I seek joy in things I am convinced I am "way good at," I get depressed when people fall asleep during the sermon or when my Hebrew instructor humbles me with my own ignorance. The answer, then, is found in the "shocking alternative." If I merely admire his teachings I can add Jesus to my shelf full of idols. If he is Lord and God, my joy in him is complete no matter how I perform in the pulpit, the classroom or in front of my peers.

I will try to post Facebook or e-mail comments.

Book 2, Chapter 1: The Rival Conceptions of God

2007-10-02T13:14:00.000-05:00

Something I like about this chapter is that, in classic Mere Christianity form, Lewis makes "good" the standard and "bad" the perversion. In other words, even the unspeakable evil around us points us to redemption. God is in the process of making everything right. Be humbled if you are part of the army God is using to rescue captives from the kingdom of darkness. Be humbled if you are having a hard week because your Redeemer is faithful and true. He is going to straighten it out—perhaps using your uncomfortable week as his hammer. "If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning." What do you think?

Mere Christianity, book 2, chapter 1: "The Rival Conceptions of God"

2007-09-26T12:20:00.000-05:00

Let's work on this book in bite-sized chunks. I will raise one item for discussion and see how many of you respond. This is a short chapter:) Here's my thought for your response: You have to bless God because you are one of a handful out of 7 billion people on the planet who can comprehend what Lewis is talking about in this chapter. We know what injustice is because we know what justice is. We know what crooked is because we know what straight is. We know what wet is because we know what dry is. We know all this because we claim to know this personal God of absolutes, who rules absolutely. Here is where I have to squirm. I've been complaining this week about all the meaningless tasks I have to do. Counsel me. Why is my attitude inconsistent with the contents of this chapter?

Old study; new venue

2007-09-04T15:23:00.000-05:00

Welcome back! Since it is very difficult to get all of you together in a brick-and-mortar establishment, our MC discussions will primarily be electronic discussions this year. Facebook (search "Phrisbee Phellowship" and ask to join the group) will be our primary venue, although I hope to share content between this blog and that one.

To make things easy, our first set of discussion questions will cover all of Book 1 in Mere Christianity. This will be review for some of you, but will allow others to catch up. Participate as you are able. You'll get as much out of it as you put in.

Some atheists and agnostics get very uncomfortable around people who talk about morality in absolute terms. You don't even have to mention the name of Jesus to be accused of shoving "religion" down people's throats. That is where Lewis is taking us as we approach Book 2. He wants to make us uncomfortable. He has not yet gotten to an introduction of Jesus Christ as a remedy for man's problems and already, as a former atheist, he anticipates the impatience of his detractors.

It is that very impatience which serves to prove a point Lewis has been trying to make. Our discomfort with the thought of having a judge watching us shows that we are "haunted" by the idea of a sort of behavior we ought to practice. There must be some explanation for this universal uneasiness and an explanation for why we continue to do what makes us feel uneasy. The anger some people express when they perceive they are being judged is evidence that their conscience is already judging them.

Here we go:

We have all known people who are "doctrinally pure" but have no passion for Christ. The Emerging Church movement is urging people to seek a more experience-based Christianity as a reaction. In reading the preface to Mere Christianity, do you think Lewis would agree that doctrine is a substitute for a real relationship with God? Why or why not?

How do people reveal that they believe in moral absolutes even when they say they do not? How does this demonstrate the claim of Romans 2:14-16?

Why is discomfort a good thing when you are searching out ideas that are new to you?
"Christianity tells people to repent and promises them forgiveness." Describe how Christians offer an explanation for how we got into our present state of hating goodness and loving it?

Good Discomfort (Mere Christianity, chapter five)

2007-05-17T09:41:00.000-05:00

Our "live" discussion will take place at the Svendsen home on Saturday night at seven o'clock (note the change of days). For those of you who wish to comment from "afar," feel free to post comments beyond the discussion questions listed here. For local purposes, we will stick to chapter 5 (the end of book 1).

Some atheists and agnostics get very uncomfortable around people who talk about morality in absolute terms. You don't even have to mention the name of Jesus to be accused of shoving "religion" down people's throats. That is where Lewis is taking us in chapter five. He wants to make us uncomfortable. He has not yet gotten to an introduction of Jesus Christ as a remedy for man's problems and already, as a former atheist, he anticipates the impatience of his detractors.

What are the two bits of evidence in the third paragraph of chapter 5 about the "Somebody"?

Why is looking only at the universe Somebody made cause for us to conclude that this Somebody is quite merciless and no friend to man?

If we are left with two options, the universe is either governed by an absolute goodness or it is not, why is either option a hopeless one for people like us?

Why is discomfort a good thing when you are searching out ideas that are new to you?

"Christianity tells people to repent and promises them forgiveness." Describe how Christians offer an explanation for...

How did we get into our present state of hating goodness and loving it?

How can God be an impersonal mind at the back of the moral law, and yet also a person?

How can the demands of this law, which you and I cannot meet, be met on our behalf?

How can God himself become a man to save men from the disapproval of God?

Mere Christianity, Lewis' Preface

2007-03-29T14:50:00.000-05:00

We're back! Now meeting at the UWBC commons area in Meggers Hall at noon on Mondays, we will soon wade deeply into Mere Christianity. After meeting informally on Monday, April 2, we will jump into the preface, "The Law of Human Nature" and ""Some Objections" on April 9. In discussion questions I will plan to identify the section I was reading by book number (four books) and chapter number (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2...) rather by page since we do not all have the same edition of the book.

Here is a discussion agenda to get you started:

(preface) Why does Lewis call his series "mere" Christianity?

(preface) Do you think Lewis assigns any value to the doctrinal areas where Christians disagree?

(1.1) How do people reveal that they believe in moral absolutes even when they say they do not? How does this demonstrate the claim of Romans 2:14-16?

(1.1) Is it necessary to know what is right in order to claim something is wrong?

(1.2) What is more powerful than both the "herd instinct" and the "instinct for self-preservation"?

(1.2) Why is following a love for humanity "at all costs" a dangerous guide that can make us into "devils"?

How do you see this discussion fitting both Nazi-era England and our own nation in 2007?

DWTL, Chapter Nine

2007-01-22T11:15:00.000-06:00

Whether you fall into the category, "Passionate about Missions" or you come to this chapter "With No Interest or Knowledge" regarding missions, it is great to consider the texts presented in chapter nine:

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations will worship before You. For the kingdom is the LORD'S And He rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:27-28)

Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness And guide the nations on the earth. Selah. (Psalm 67:3-4)

Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples...Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity." (Psalm 96:3, 10)

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20).

And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man's foundation; but as it is written, "THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND." (Romans 15:20-21).

And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth." (Revelation 5:9-10).

Questions for discussion:

Having read these texts, what do you think should be the great motivation to participate in global missions?

What, then, is the reason most of us are not active at home and abroad?

Why do stories of missionaries like Adoniram Judson have such an impact on Christians?

Why might some people be afraid to write a letter like the one Judson wrote to Ann Hasseltine's father (page 158)?

Picture yourself in ten years in the vocation you currently think you will occupy at that time. How can that role fit God's bigger plan for missions and mercy?

We will not be meeting again until February 19 to wrap up DWYL discussing chapter ten and to prepare for the new study. You locals, particularly from UWBCC, need to get your eye on a campus meeting place. Calling people to higher satisfaction in Christ starts at UWBCC (or where'er you may roam). I plan to order some extra copies of Mere Christianity, assuming you have some friends to invite.

Let me know if you already own one.

DWYL, Chapter Eight

2007-01-15T09:53:00.000-06:00

This chapter is vital for college students because college is, in part, a preparation for a career. Your life work has to be more than a means to purchase all the things you want or your life will be wasted. This chapter sets your work in a biblical framework.

Read 1 Corinthians 10:31. What does "glory" mean? (see DWYL page 32).

What does it mean to do something "to the glory of God?"

According to this chapter, where is the war of the Christian life being fought?

Explain why "secular vocations" are strategic in this war.

Put into your own words each of Piper's six ways to make your life count in your workplace.

DWYL, Chapter Seven

2006-12-04T13:21:00.000-06:00

We barely got into chapter seven today, so we will plan to study the balance on Monday, December 11. I told the local group that if you have read nothing of this book so far, read chapter seven! This chapter puts in biblical language what Piper started out saying in chapter one.

If most American Christians hope in the same things American non-Christians do (and I think he is right in saying this) then it is no wonder people rarely ask the reason for the hope that we have. If I value the same things as my unbelieving neighbors it is not because the Bible is unclear about what it means to follow Jesus.

I am particularly burdened by this chapter because I have too often fallen into what Piper calls an "avoidance ethic." I ask "What's wrong with it?" instead of "How will this help me treasure Christ more?"

Rather than answering my discussion questions, I prefer to play off of the things you underline or highlight in this chapter. Please mark up your books, especially noting the things that make

you uncomfortable.

Loving People and Glorifying God, DWYL chapter six

2006-11-20T14:45:00.000-06:00

In this book you have gone from finding the ultimate purpose in life to glorifying God in trials to risking loss for Christ. Now the focus turns to the way finding joy in God affects the way you treat others. Think about these questions and comments for our November 27th discussion:

What are some of the things you personally enjoy about God?

How can you help others enjoy those things with you?

What are the best reasons you should forgive people who have hurt you?

List some bad reasons to forgive someone who has hurt you.

Think about the Robert Murray McCheyne quote on page 102. How is showing mercy related to being a Christian?

Is it possible to be a Christian and hateful?

How does 1 John 2:9 support your answer to the last question?

DWYL, Chapter 5

2006-11-13T13:24:00.000-06:00

We are enjoying our study, but could use some new blood in the discussion. Any takers? Let's try to polish off chapter five for next Monday (11-20). If you are behind, just jump ahead and join us in chapter five. We'll look forward to seeing some of you in church Thanksgiving week.

Why is uncertainty about personal prosperity and safety a good thing for us?
How would you distinguish between the risk of gambling at a casino and the risk of planting a seed in the ground? Where does motivation enter into the picture?
You have your dream job, your dream spouse, your dream house, your dream church and your dream family. You are all healthy and life is good. At what point do these blessings get in God's way?
List some of the apparent risks involved in doing loving deeds for others.
Consider Piper's discussion of Israel's refusal to take the land right away. When is it riskier to refuse to take risks? Compare what Israel worried about (Numbers 14:3) with what actually happened because they refused to take the risk (Numbers 14: 31-33).
How can God keep his promise to "supply all your needs" and to not let a hair of your head perish when some people who have claimed those promises starve or get martyred?

We are half-way through DWYL after this chapter. Looking ahead to January, we will be starting Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and possibly changing our meeting place to one that is "riskier."

DWYL, chapter 4

2006-11-01T17:11:00.000-06:00

Chapter four messes with your comfort zone. Think about these discussion points:

Read Exodus 6:1-9; 7:1-7; 9:13-16. Why did God allow Israel to remain in slavery under the Egyptians?

How does learning to die make you "ready to live" (68-69)?

How does Piper's definition of faith on page 70 differ from others you have heard?

Explain the difference between sacrifice and suicide (74-75). How did John Bunyan recommend we decide whether to run or fight?

You are John the Baptist awaiting your execution at the hands of Herod Antipas. What counsel do you have for Christian college students struggling with personal sins?

DWYL, chapter 2.75

2006-10-16T13:37:00.000-05:00

O.K. So you're busy. No comments on the last post as of this afternoon. Try again this week. Those of you who feel Left Behind (not the fiction series) are blessed that we did not finish chapter two, so there is time to catch up.

Thanks for jumping into the local group today at the RLBC Starbucks, Dani T.

Thanks for the French Press so we could savor our Starbucks, Lil' Rabbi.

For next Monday (10-23-06) we will discuss pages 36-41. Do not be afraid to mark up your book. Here are some thoughts to prime your pump:

Read Romans 8:18-21 and note the first paragraph under the heading Are You Being Used? on page 36. Give some examples of what God might need to do to liberate you from the "bondage of self regard."

With that in mind, what is the reaction that most glorifies God when you fall prey to hard times or evil people in this world? How does understanding Romans 8:29 help you react in ways that focus the telescope on God?

Ponder the art gallery illustration on pp. 36-37. What are some examples of the "paintings" we should be admiring? What are examples of distractions that keep you from enjoying the "paintings" and make you bored with the gallery?

Look again at the last half of page 39. Consider all the non-Christians around you and how many Postmodern Christians have sought to appease them by flattering them and admiring their religions. Put yourself back in "the gallery." What is the most loving thing you can do for those who stand there as bored with the paintings as you used to be? Consider Paul's words on Mars Hill in Acts 17.

I understand that the Phellowship is invited to the Lancaster farm (pharm?) for the Christian Combat youth activity at 6:00 P.M. on Friday (10-20-06). Taking the younger kids into the "paint gallery" has rewards that outweigh losing a Friday night, right?

See you online or in church.
Sls

DWYL, chapter two

2006-10-07T17:51:00.000-05:00

You'll need your Bible next to your book for this discussion. Two questions I asked last week about evaluating worldviews were:

Is it based on objective truth?
Does it produce lasting joy?

This time we are talking about that joy. That the Bible makes the offer of happiness cannot be argued (Revelation 20:4; 1 Peter 1:8-9; 1 John 1:4; 2 Corinthians 1:23-24; John 15:11; 6:35; Matthew 5:11-12).

Discuss these texts. Does God really want us happy? What is the difference between what these texts teach and the "name-it, claim-it," prosperity gospel?
Discuss what you think of Jonathan Edwards' resolution #22 on page 29. Is it biblical? Could you live by that resolution?
Examine Psalm 90:14. What does Moses ask to be satisfied with? How long does he expect it to last?
Examine Psalm 16:11. Where does David say joy can be found? What is the extent of that joy?
Examine Psalm 43:3-4. Who is "exceeding joy" according to the psalmist?
If you know the first question and answer to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, call that to mind. Now you know where they got it. Praise him.

We may need more than a week on this chapter, but make sure you you enjoy it!

DWYL, chapter 1.75

2006-09-25T13:11:00.000-05:00

We have met twice at the RLBC coffee shop with 100% local attendance (Meg, Steve, Ian, Ande, Alex and me). We are looking forward to comments from "abroad." Because we did not get through chapter one yet, I will ask you to consider and comment on pages 18-22 (starting with the heading "The Man Who Taught Me to See") for our October 2 meeting (noon power lunch).

Here are some thoughts to reflect (or comment) on from this section:

From John Lennon to C.S. Lewis, what is Piper arguing to be an essential and foundational step in not wasting your life? Don't blow this question off. Think about it.
How does "realness" (objective truth, p. 19) change the way you look at the exams you are preparing for and the pile of writing assignments that are due next week? How does it affect the way you treat roommates, classmates, siblings and parents?
Examine your own worldview. Does it offer lasting happiness? Is it based on objective truth? Apply these two questions to "existentialism."
What value, if any, is there in investigating worldviews that are in opposition to a Christian worldview?

Here is a link to a website maintained by two young men (twin brothers) who are not wasting their lives: http://www.therebelution.com/

Don't Waste Your Life, chapter one

2006-09-12T17:10:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our study. This blog gives us some interaction beyond Barron County. At this point we are "leaving the doors open" for any who want to post comments.

I plan to use some study guide material from Piper's website and my own observations as we work our way through this book. If you have asked me for DWYL but do not have it yet, you can read it online.

Chapter one gives us some of Piper's background (and dates him), but also lays the foundation of the book. Simple "trolling" question to get us started:

Considering the C.S. Lewis quote on page 20, what in your opinion are some specific examples of things in our world that need to be "seen through" and what is "real"?