M O O D Y B I B L E I N S T I T U T E ‘ S T TOODD.. AAYY IINN THTHEE WOWOAUGUSTRR 2004DD I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29 GODLY LEISURE—THE WISDOM OF OUR TIME TODAY WITH PRESIDENT STOWELL ARE YOU SLEEPY? Having trouble concentrating? Maybe it’s time for rest, for He “blessed the seventh those sleepless nights. Experts have dis- day and made it holy” (3). covered that too little sleep impairs our ability That is not to say that too much rest to concentrate. Our brain, without adequate cannot be dangerous. Scripture speaks of sleep, can be so depleted in energy that it fails rest as both a blessing and a curse. to make important connections. Research has Proverbs 6 warns, “How long will you lie also shown that deep sleep helps release there, you sluggard? When will you get up important growth hormones in from your sleep?” (v. 9). On the other hand, children and young teens. For Ecclesiastes 5:12 concludes, “The sleep of a people of all ages, sleep has laborer is sweet.” proven vital to both memory In the New Testament, Jesus tells us, and learning. “Come to me, all you who are weary Not surprisingly, ABC’s news and burdened, and I will give you rest” magazine show 20/20 reported (Matt. 11:28). Revelation 14:13 says, that “tens of millions of “They will rest from their labor, for their Americans” suffer from severe deeds shall follow them.” sleep deprivation. Scientists There is the rest of those who have have found that the results of liv- died, the rest of a job well done, the ing on five or six hours of sleep much-anticipated rest of a vacation, and the a night are “shocking.” The United States, they spiritual rest of a weary soul. say, is becoming “a nation of chronic short This month in Today in the Word we sleepers.” will study Scripture to see what God thinks The verdict is in: we need more rest. of our leisure. We will ask why rest is As believers, we can be guilty of believing important, how God can be the focus of that “rest” equals “laziness.” Much like our rest, and how we can enjoy rest as Martha, who prided herself on her industri- God intended. ousness, we fail to value our need to set aside We live in a culture that values speed our daily cares “to get apart and rest awhile” and busyness, where every minute counts. as Jesus did. We rush from one activity to the next— From the very beginning, God chose to waking with our alarm, hurrying off to our create a day of rest. In Genesis, we know that day’s work, and squeezing errands into our on the seventh day of Creation, God rested! spare moments. What a good idea to focus “By the seventh day God had finished the work on getting the rest that we need. In the he had been doing; so on the seventh day he midst of this busy world, Jesus invites us to rested from all his work” (2:2). Surely God slow down, to take the time to enjoy His was not tired, right? Yet, He saw value in this rest, and to rejuvenate our souls. by John Koessler ATTRIBUTES OF GOD Goodness A popular worship chorus declares: “God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He’s so good to me.” The divine attribute of goodness refers primarily to who God is and only secondarily to what He does. Of course, the two are related— God does good because He is good. God does not measure up to the standard of goodness. He is the standard. This helps us to understand the surprising response to the man who fell on his knees before Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone” (Mark 10:17). This man’s view of goodness was too limited. He treated it as if it were merely a matter of personal achievement, a standard independent of God to which he might attain, if he tried hard enough. Jesus makes it clear that all goodness is derived from God. Since no one is good but God, no one can be good apart from God. Jesus is good because He is God. We can be good only through our relationship with Him. Why Theology Matters It might be said that goodness is really the quality of “godness.” It is moral character that is a reflection of all that God is and does. God’s goodness can be imitated only when it is the product of the Holy Spirit’s ministry (Gal. 5:22). It is the “fruit of the light,” a reflection of the new life that has come to us through Christ (cf. Eph. 5:1–10). For Further Reading To learn more about how God’s goodness affects our moral behavior, read The Goodness of God: Theology, the Church, and Social Order by D. Stephen Long (Baker). MBNEWS OF PEOPLE AND EVENTSI TAT MOODYoday BIBLE INSTITUTE AUGUST 2004 “Unlocking the Bible” Moody Broadcasting, Moody Publishers, and Chicago’s Largest Bible Study By Lisa Ann Cockrel ast winter over five thousand people participated in what was dubbed Chicago’s Largest Bible Study. LUsing Ten Keys for Unlocking the Bible, a book and video series authored by Colin S. Smith and published by Moody Publishers, over 800 groups spent ten weeks deep- ening their understanding of Scripture. The program was developed in the Chicago suburbs at Arlington Heights Evangelical Free Church where Colin Smith serves as senior pastor. Moody Bible Institute recog- nized the powerful potential of this series to help people understand the main stories and themes of Scripture. Both publishing and broadcasting divisions jumped on board to Colin S. Smith, author of a book and video series Ten Keys for Unlocking the Bible The 10 Keys for Unlocking the Bible is a perfect format for Bible study in the marketplace. Over forty people attended each week during the lunch hour. The seekers were particularly impressed by the fact that the more mature believers were still learning and gaining new insights about God and the Bile through the study. I highly recommend this study for marketplace ministry. BILL—Sears, Roebuck and Co. CONTINUED ON PAGE 39 August 1 SUNDAY Read: James 3:13–18 TODAY IN THE WORD social enjoyment. We’ll begin by Our materialistic examining the importance of Who is wise culture is setting off rest, then move on to founda- and under- alarms about our tional concepts, including bibli- values even in the cal perspectives on beauty, plea- standing secular world. One recent book, sure, and creativity. We’ll finish Affluenza: The All-Consuming with a focus on practical princi- among you? Epidemic, based on a pair of ples and criteria for making PBS documentaries, describes decisions about leisure in our Let him show the personal, social, economic, daily lives. and environmental costs of out- Today’s reading frames it by his of-control consumerism. The our study with a contrast: good life. authors picture it as a disease, earthly wisdom results in evil “a painful, contagious, social- actions, while godly wisdom is JAMES 3:13 ly-transmitted condition of over- characterized by purity, peace, load, debt, anxiety and waste and other virtues. Leisure resulting from the dogged pur- should be part of the “good life” suit of more . the urge to that is wisdom in action (v. 13). splurge continues to surge.” Our expectations for lei- Leisure and entertainment sure may not usually extend choices are one major area in beyond self-gratification. But as which the siren song of Ameri- a dimension of our spiritual can consumerism is an ongoing lives, leisure requires spiritual temptation for Christians. It’s all purpose and thought. “Oh no,” the more important, then, for us you’re thinking, “that sounds to understand how godly wis- like work!” Let’s spend the dom applies to godly leisure. month seeing what Scripture Consistent discipleship includes saysTODAY on the ALONG subject. THE WAY our downtime, so there must be ways of pursuing it that bring TODAY ALONG THE WAY God glory and make us more Have you read any like Christ. Finding, consider- books on godly lei- TODAY AT MOODY ing, and applying these ways is sure? Heard any ser- the purpose of our month’s mons? Discussed it Robert Neff, study. How can we enjoy leisure, in your small group? What Vice President of pleasure, and beauty as we were Scripture passages or biblical Broadcasting, invites made to do? How can we doctrines seem relevant? Take you to praise God with redeem these ideas and activi- some time to think through or him for Moody Radio’s ties from the sinful forms they write out your current under- ministry around the often take in a fallen world? standing of this area of life. world and to pray for The scope of our topic If nothing comes to further increase of includes any free time activity, mind—and this is quite possible, ministry partnership including hobbies, sports, arts, since current Christian teaching with our listeners in and interactions with nature— on leisure is rather sparse— spreading the good anything we do for relaxation, resolve to give extra attention to news about Christ. entertainment, recreation, or this month’s study.