Cowboy and Horse (God and Man) Become One

Last night I saw a great message by Todd Pierce of Riding High Ministries at the Crossing Church, in Macomb, IL.

A horse ring was set up in the (large) Quincy Crossing Church. Todd was given a horse, which had never been ridden. His task was to get the horse (named Patrick) so that he would take a rider. Throughout the amazing performance he explained what was going on and and compared it to the Gospel.

Todd was actually sharing the Gospel with us. The untamed horse represents the unsaved person. The horse trainer represents God.

Here are some things he said: (Throughout, I will not always point out the metaphor. Remember, the trainer is God and the horse is a man.)

  • His goal was to teach the horse to learn to surrender to the Master (and more).
  • The horse comes in confused.
  • Up to this point, the horse only knew how to get safe and comfortable. He had learned to get by.
  • One the trainer (God) started working with him (us) there was a lot of new information coming in and something was going on inside the horse (us).
  • The horse has to choose Him (the trainer) or his own way.
  • If the horse chooses to trust the trainer (that is, give authority to the trainer), he’ll have to things he didn’t want and things unfamiliar to him. In particular, have someone on he back!
  • Our understanding of authority comes from our culture. This authority is different from the authority of Jesus.
  • Before training the horse has instincts to run, bite, and kick.
  • The trainer is willing to fall off and he keeps doing it to nurture a relationship (trust) with the horse.
  • The trainer keeps inviting the horse into new things.
  • Information isn’t wisdom yet (actually confusing). It takes time.
  • Once the horse comes to trust the Master and give authority to Him.
    • The Master will provide food, water, and a safe and comfortable place and way to live.
    • The instincts to run, bite, and kick are released. Potential released.
    • He’ll learn how to run fast, not know where he’s going.
  • The goal is that the cowboy and horse become one.
    • It is a partnership.
    • Together they can accomplish much.
    • Still some learning to do, once a rider is taken. After the resurrection, the disciples went back to the Sea of Galilee and went fishing. Then afterwards, they spread the word and grew churches.
    • This is what life will look like from now on: the cowboy on top of the horse. The cowboy doing most of the directing activities/decisions and the horse doing most of the physical work.
  • Todd Pierce, the trainer, spent quite a bit of time kneeling down in front of the horse.
  • Todd was able to get on the horse (bareback) and initially he got bucked off, but eventually he could stay on. Then a saddle was put on. Again he got bucked off, but eventually he could stay on. The horse did come to trust the trainer.

Hyssop

Hyssop (a plant/herb) is associated with purification and cleansing from sin in the Bible. A few examples:

  • At the Passover, the Israelites used hyssop to put the blood of the sacrificial lamb on the door (shortly before the Exodus).
  • God commanded the Israelites to use hyssop in ritual sprinklings and cleansings (Leviticus 14:4-6, 49-52).
  • David used hyssop after committing adultery with Bathsheba to seek forgiveness.
  • When Jesus was on the cross,  the stalk of a hyssop plant was used to give Jesus wine vinegar because of His thirst.

More details of this can be found here or here.

Brother Lawrence

About as down to earth–and the pure truth–as you can get.

The Practice of the Presence of God is a short book (of 4 conversations and 15 letters) by Brother Lawrence, born Nicolas Herman), a 17th-century Carmelite friar, compiled by Father Joseph de Beaufort. More details here.

Available online (PDF, Kindle, etc.) here.

Available as audio reading (two forms) here.

The Faith and Service of Jimmy Carter

This is a collection of stories and videos on the life of Jimmy Carter. He was an amazing man of faith and we can learn much from him.

Bible Gateway Reference Tagging Tool

Check out this video. In this video I show how to transform all plain-text Scripture references on a webpage into hyperlinks to the appropriate Bible passage from BibleGateway.com. That is, when the user hovers on the Bible reference, a tooltip pops up, showing the Bible passage. Here is the information page at BibleGateway.com.

For a demo, hover on the passage: Philippians 2:3.

Site has been updated

This website faith.drjimo.net has been recently updated. It should be stable again. I have a few new pages and posts. If something doesn’t work on this site, please let me know so I can fix it.

Fruit of the Spirit – two mnemonics

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Here are two mnemonics for the nine Fruits of the Spirit using the ESV version (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). The second breaks the 9 into three groups of three, making it manageable—and suggesting Paul’s possible intent.

1. Verbal Mnemonic: “Let Jesus Plant* Kind Grapes For God’s Sake.” (*Note: P has to be used twice.)

  • Love
  • Joy
  • Peace
  • Patience
  • Kindness
  • Goodness
  • Faithfulness
  • Gentleness
  • Self-control

2. Visual Mnemonic: The Fruit Tree with Three Branches.

Imagine a tree with three clusters of fruit on three branches:

1. First Branch – Internal Qualities (Relationship with God):

  • Heart-shaped Love
  • A sunburst for Joy
  • A dove for Peace

2. Second Branch – Relational Qualities (How You Treat Others):

  • An hourglass for Patience
  • A gift box for Kindness
  • A golden apple for Goodness

3. Third Branch – Personal Virtues (Inner Strength):

  • A shield for Faithfulness
  • A feather for Gentleness
  • A locked treasure chest for Self-control

Draw or visualize this tree, labeling each branch with the respective fruits.

 

God’s Glory in Us – huh?

The Puritan prayer, titled “Year’s End,” ends with the words, “Only glorify thyself in me whether in comfort or trial, as a chosen vessel meet always for thy use.” (“Meet” means prepared and appropriate for.)

Before addressing the meaning of God being glorified in us, let us first look at.

God’s Foremost Goal

According to theologians, what is God’s first and foremost goal? I’ve chosen 4.

R. C. Sproul

R. C. Sproul would likely answer that God’s first and foremost goal and desire is His own glory. Sproul frequently emphasized that God’s ultimate purpose in creation, redemption, and all things is to display His glory and make Himself known. He rooted this view in Scripture, citing passages like Isaiah 43:7 (”…whom I created for my glory”) and Romans 11:36 (“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.”).

Augustine

For Augustine, God’s primary goal would also center on His own glory and the ordering of all things toward Himself as the highest good. Augustine argued in works like The Confessions and The City of God that God’s desire is to be glorified through the love and worship of His creation. Augustine famously stated, “You have made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You,” emphasizing that God is the source and end of all desire.

Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards would affirm that God’s ultimate goal is His own glory in the display of His excellencies. In The End for Which God Created the World, Edwards argued that God’s glory is fully expressed in the happiness and joy of His creatures in Him. He saw God’s purpose as the harmonious union of God’s self-glorification and the joy of His people, with these two aims being inseparably linked.

John Piper

John Piper, heavily influenced by Edwards, would say that God’s chief end is to glorify Himself by being most satisfied in Himself. Piper often phrases this as “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” This view emphasizes that God’s goal is to magnify His worth and beauty by inviting humanity into a joyful relationship with Him, where His glory and our joy converge.

Each of these theologians, though varied in expression, focuses on God’s glory as His ultimate goal, with nuanced emphases on how that glory is revealed and experienced.

Now we can move to the main question:

God Being Glorified in Us

The phrases “God is most glorified in us” and “Only glorify thyself in me” express a profound theological idea: that God’s glory is not just something external to us but can be revealed and magnified through our lives. Let’s unpack these ideas.

What Does It Mean for God to Be Glorified in Us?

To glorify God means to display or reflect His greatness, worth, and beauty. When we say “God is glorified in us,” it implies that:

1. Our Lives Reflect His Character

God’s glory is revealed when His attributes—love, holiness, wisdom, and power—are reflected in our actions, attitudes, and decisions. For instance, when we love sacrificially, forgive generously, or serve humbly, others see a glimpse of God’s character in us (Matthew 5:16).

2. Our Joy in God Shows His Worth

John Piper emphasizes that when we are deeply satisfied in God—when we treasure Him above all else—we demonstrate to the world that He is supremely valuable. This satisfaction glorifies God because it communicates that He is not just a means to an end but the ultimate end itself (Psalm 73:25-26).

3. Our Dependence on God Displays His Sufficiency

When we rely on God in trials, trust Him for provision, and seek Him in prayer, we acknowledge that He is our source of strength and sustenance. This dependence magnifies His power and faithfulness.

4. Our Transformation Testifies to His Work

As God changes us through the work of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18), we become living testimonies of His grace and glory. Our transformation points others to the power of God’s redeeming love.

What Does “Only Glorify Thyself in Me” Mean?

This phrase from the Puritan prayer expresses a heartfelt desire for one’s entire life to be used for God’s glory. It conveys:

1. Submission to God’s Will

The prayer acknowledges that our purpose is not self-centered but God-centered. To glorify God in us means yielding to His plans, trusting that His ways are higher and better than our own (Isaiah 55:8-9).

2. A Request for God’s Work in Us

It’s a plea for God to work in and through us so that His glory is evident. This could include granting us grace to live righteously, strength to endure trials, and love to serve others.

3. A Desire for Purity of Motive

The prayer also reflects a longing for pure motives—that all we do, whether in worship, work, or relationships, is done for God’s honor and not for personal gain or recognition (1 Corinthians 10:31).

The Convergence of God’s Glory and Our Joy

Both Piper’s theology and the Puritan prayer highlight the beautiful truth that God’s glory and our joy are not at odds but are deeply intertwined. When we find our greatest delight in God, we naturally glorify Him because our satisfaction in Him declares to the world that He is our highest good. Similarly, when God is glorified in us, we experience the joy of living according to our created purpose.

In essence, these ideas challenge us to live in such a way that every aspect of our being—our desires, actions, and affections—points others to the greatness and goodness of God.

In Addition

Here is a devotional, titled, “The Glory of God through Man.” The devotional ends with a Coram Deo thought. R. C. Sproul emphasized that we are to love Coram Deo. This closely related to the idea of God’s glory being in us.

Who is H. B. Charles?

H. B. Charles Jr. is a well-known pastor, author, and speaker recognized for his commitment to biblical preaching and pastoral leadership. He serves as the pastor-teacher of the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Charles is celebrated for his Christ-centered preaching, his emphasis on expository preaching, and his passion for equipping other pastors and preachers.

Key Contributions:

1. Expository Preaching:

Charles emphasizes the importance of faithfully explaining and applying Scripture in its context, letting the text guide the sermon rather than imposing personal ideas onto it.

2. Pastoral Ministry:

With years of pastoral experience (he began preaching at age 11 and pastoring at 17), Charles has written and spoken extensively on the practical and spiritual aspects of shepherding a congregation.

3. Writings and Resources:

He has authored several books, including:

• On Preaching: Personal & Pastoral Insights for the Preparation & Practice of Preaching

• It Happens After Prayer: Biblical Motivation for Believing Prayer

• The Difference Jesus Makes

Memorable Quotes and Ideas:

Here are some quotes and key ideas attributed to H. B. Charles Jr.:

1. On Preaching:

• “The goal of preaching is not to say something new, but to say something true.”

This reflects his belief that faithful preaching is not about novelty but about accurately presenting God’s Word.

• “The text has one meaning, but it has many applications.”

This encourages preachers to stay rooted in the primary meaning of Scripture while addressing diverse life situations.

• “Expository preaching is the message of the text, shaped by the text, and delivered for the benefit of the listener.”

This highlights the centrality of Scripture in sermon preparation and delivery.

Big picture: “It is the will of God, that the spirit of God, use the Word of God, to make the people of God, look like the son of God.”

2. On Prayer:

• “When we work, we work; but when we pray, God works.”

This underscores the power of prayer and reliance on God rather than human effort.

• “Prayer is our declaration of dependence upon God.”

A reminder that prayer reflects humility and trust in God’s sovereignty.

3. On Ministry:

• “Faithfulness is its own reward.”

Charles emphasizes that the ultimate goal of ministry is to be faithful to God, regardless of visible results.

• “Preaching is not a performance; it’s a proclamation of the truth that leads to transformation.”

A challenge to preachers to prioritize substance over style and focus on the spiritual growth of their congregation.

4. On Leadership:

• “Leadership is not about how many people follow you; it’s about how faithfully you follow Jesus.”

This encourages leaders to focus on their personal relationship with Christ rather than seeking popularity.

5. On Christian Living:

• “You cannot be fruitful if you are not faithful.”

Faithfulness in one’s relationship with God and obedience to His Word is essential for spiritual growth and impact.

Influence:

H. B. Charles Jr. has had a significant impact on pastors and preachers worldwide through his conferences, workshops, and books. His focus on the centrality of Scripture and his practical, down-to-earth wisdom have made him a trusted voice in the areas of preaching, prayer, and pastoral ministry.

Who was Asaph in the Bible?

Q: Who was Asaph in the Bible?

A: Asaph is an important figure in the Bible, particularly in the context of worship and music. He is mentioned primarily in the Old Testament and is associated with the Psalms and the worship practices of ancient Israel. Here are key details about him:

1. Levitical Musician:

Asaph was a Levite and one of the chief musicians appointed by King David to lead worship in the tabernacle. He played a prominent role in organizing the music for temple worship (1 Chronicles 6:31-39, 1 Chronicles 15:16-17).

2. Psalmist:

Asaph is credited with writing several psalms in the Bible, specifically Psalms 50 and 73–83. These psalms often focus on God’s justice, the struggles of the righteous, and His ultimate sovereignty.

3. Leader of a Guild:

Asaph founded a guild or group of temple singers, known as the “sons of Asaph,” who continued his musical legacy (1 Chronicles 25:1-2). This group played a significant role in the worship practices of Israel for generations, even after the Babylonian exile (Ezra 2:41; Nehemiah 7:44).

4. Prophetic Role:

Asaph is described as a “seer” or prophet in some contexts (2 Chronicles 29:30). This suggests that his musical and poetic contributions were inspired by the Spirit of God and served as a form of prophecy.

5. Themes of Asaph’s Psalms:

• Psalm 50 focuses on God’s judgment and the importance of true worship.

• Psalms 73–83 wrestle with themes like the prosperity of the wicked, the suffering of the righteous, God’s faithfulness, and His deliverance of Israel.

6. Legacy:

Asaph’s legacy as a musician, worship leader, and prophet highlights the significant role of music and poetry in the spiritual life of Israel. His contributions continue to inspire worshippers through the psalms attributed to him.

Asaph’s life exemplifies the integration of worship, artistry, and faithfulness to God.