The Building Series - Building on the Word (Embracing the Action of Faith)

   

"Today, as we continue our “building series,” the title is “Building on the Word – Embracing the Action of Faith.”  What I am trying hard to communicate today is that if we are to be true “believers” – if we are to build strong Christians, strong marriages, strong children, strong relationships, and a strong church – we must do more than assent to the truth with our heads.  We must do more than accept the truth in our hearts.  We must actually live the truth of the Word in our lives.  We must “put our money where our mouth is."

Book Review - Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography

Book: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, as contained in The Harvard Classics, Volume 1, as part of The Five Foot Shelf of Books, © P.F. Collier & Son 1909, 1937, and printed in its 56^th Printing by P.F. Collier & Son Corporation, New York, 1965.

Author: Benjamin Franklin

Reading Completed: 20150415

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As I read this autobiography penned by Mr. Franklin in two separate periods of his life, I developed a better understanding of how this man by determination, diligence, focus, frugality, sagacity, and cunning rose from poverty to a position of means, influence, and popularity among his peers, before the public, and in service to his nation. 

Mr. Franklin was very successful in most ventures to which he put his hand, displaying ingenuity, creativity, and a willingness to go above and beyond his peers to achieve the goals he desired.  He was widely read, opinionated, and relatively wise.  However, he was also egotistic and proud, and thought rather highly of himself, though it could be argued that he did relatively well managing this vice compared to what other men might have done in his stead.  He did greatly admire virtue, the ability to think and reason, and knowledge to be gained through reading, experience, observation, experimentation, and conversation.

Mr. Franklin was not a devout Christian, though he professed a deep faith in a sovereign God and a belief that His hand was at work in our world.  He regularly supported the church of his choosing and went often to hear sermons though not always pleased by their structure, content, or presentation.  He seemed to imply a longing for a church that was practically engaged in the matters of the world rather than one that spoke only of dry and distant concepts that were not anchored to practical reality.  Mr. Franklin also developed his own prayers and once conceived of beginning his own sect which he never actually pursued.

Mr. Franklin began many organizations or practices that endure even to the present time including public libraries, volunteer fire companies, and what is today the University of Pennsylvania.  He was instrumental in bringing printed money into common use in the colonies and was deeply involved in influencing public opinion on many matters by his writing and printing.  In my observation of his own accounting of some of these matters, it seemed to me that sometimes he worked very hard to advance what he believed to be in the common good even if it might in some instances trample on what we would today term a “right.”  Of course, in context, it is true that he was operating in a monarchical environment and the democratic republic of the United States had not yet been born.  Thus, it may be argued that he was not at fault for endeavoring to better his fellow men, even if it was not as advanced as the environment in which we now understand ourselves.  

One point upon which he was very keen was equity.  He constantly strove to ensure the common people were treated with equity in comparison to the “proprietaries” of the province and that those in positions of power were treated the same as the common people in reference to the law especially in particular regard to equitable taxation. 

Two lessons stood out most strongly to me from his account:

1.      Speak always with grace and equity and remain self-deprecating even in the face of those you oppose.  Not only will this cause men to regard you with good will when you propose an opinion, but it will often save unnecessary embarrassment if one is found to be in the wrong.  It may also often take an opponent off guard and possibly allow coherent conversation to occur in the place of bombastic denunciations.  In this way I think the merits of an idea may be better judged on their own integrity when they are not obfuscated by the personality or the presentation of their proponent.  In the words of Jesus, “The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth.”

2.      Spend every opportunity to work hard, labor with diligence, commit to frequent regular study, and listen well to the perspectives of others.  This formula will go a long way toward contributing to the success of the person who follows it.

Finally, as a pastor, I found great interest in Mr. Franklin’s perspective of ministers.  Though often profoundly influenced by his interactions with the Quakers and the Moravians and even though he developed a personal friendship with the great George Whitfield, he was officially a Presbyterian.  However, he found the dry dogmatic theology-based sermons expounded by these men to be un-stimulating and impractical.  He much preferred the preaching of men who extolled people to live practically virtuous lives connecting Bible truths with life as people lived it.  He implied that he thought Christianity should also lend to making men good citizens.  When it did not contribute to this end, Mr. Franklin was frustrated.  In my opinion he would probably have been greatly intrigued by intellectual articulate Christians of our time such as Os Guinness and Ravi Zacharias.

Overall, though this book was dry reading at times, I enjoyed it very much and have a new-found respect for Mr. Franklin and the context in which he lived and served.

STARVING CHRISTIANS

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Close

What does it mean to live close to God?  Often we think of this idea as applying to someone else.  We think of it in terms of great saints and Bible characters.  We tend not to think of it as applying to ourselves. 

Yet, this is exactly what God desires and what His Word commands.  We are commanded to “Be holy,” “Live righteously,” “Walk in the Light,” and “Walk by faith.”  All of these things demand that we live close to the Lord.

When we understand this, our natural reaction is to try harder to read our Bibles and pray more, but we soon tire of this just as we do of diets and New Year resolutions.  Why?  Because we are trying to create spirituality in our own strength. 

While Bible reading and prayer are certainly elements of drawing closer to God, these exercises are only part of it.  The most important part is time: time spent in His presence; time just talking to Him; time spent thinking and meditating and learning to know His voice; because He promised if we would draw near to Him, He would draw near to us.

So the real key is not the drawing near that we do, but the drawing near He does: for it is in the secret of His presence where we may abide and in the shadow of the Almighty where we may find rest (Psalm 31:20, & 91:1).

        This week I challenge you to seek out the presence of the Lord.  It may not happen right away, but read that Bible and spend time to draw near to the Lord.  He will honor it!