The Light Keeper's Journal

RIck's Daily Devotional: Hating Sin

2011-06-28T18:19:00.005-04:00

My friend Rick sends me daily devotionals each day by email. He likes to pick up on themes, words and doctrine of the Christian faith. I find that the studies are a great means of moving forward, growing, maturing and reinforcing our Faith. I look forward to them. I am very thankful for his friendship, wisdom and willingness to share his faith. From time to time I will try to share some of them on the blog.

Regeneration is defined as a New birth, being born again the spiritual change wrought in man the Holy Spirit.

One of the changes that takes place in a person who has been born again of God is a hatred of Sin.

1Jn 3:9
(9) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

1Jn 5:18
(18) We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

Do we exhibit a hatred of sin that is in line with a child of God?

Heavenly Father, I thank you for your Holy Spirit and the New Birth. Your Word promises that we are protected by your Son and that the devil can not touch us. Christ not only purchased forgiveness on the Cross but has given to us His Righteousness. Enable us to honor your Son and to please you by living Holy and pure lives. When we fail you are there to lift us up and carry us on as a father helps their child up after he has fallen. Thank you for your Love and Mercy and the forgiveness of the Cross. May our hearts be saddened and sensitive to recognize our own sin and to be washed in the Blood of Calvery. Let us be forgiving of others when they sin and to help one another fight the good fight always pointing to your Word for guidance and your Cross for deliverance. AMEN

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

2011-06-27T20:39:00.002-04:00

We begin with the first of our posts on the Attributes of God that is part of our series on the Corner Stones of the Christian faith.

The Nicene Creed states the core Christian belief about the Trinity.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
The only-begotten Son of God,
Begotten of Him before all ages,
God of God, Light of Light,
Very God of Very God,
Begotten, not made,
Being of one substance with the Father,
By whom all things were made.

I believe in the Holy Spirit
The Lord and giver of life,
Which proceedeth from the Father and the Son,
Who with the Father and Son together
Is worshipped and glorified.

I found a fairly concise summary of the Christian belief of the Trinity:

• The whole Bible teaches and assumes that there is one Creator God ,
whose majesty and glory necessarily exceed our greatest human capacities
to understand. The knowledge of God revealed in the Bible is true, but
all of those truths lead us to an awe-filled mystery before the uncreated
greatness of the Most High.
• In the Bible, especially in the New Testament, we encounter three distinct,
fully divine persons, all of whom are worthy of our praise and worship.
• These three persons in the one God relate to one another in the fullness of
eternal love.
• The three persons have differing and distinctive roles and works in achieving
the salvation of sinners.
• Despite these differing functions, to encounter one person in relationship
is to encounter each of the other two divine persons (usually referred to as
divine perichoresis). [Excerpt from FAITH, VISION, Edited by Thomas L. Trevethan
April 15, 2008 Seven Discussion Guides for Bible Study; page 9]

Scriptural Proofs:

There is one Creator God
Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 44:6– 45:25
Mark 12:29-30; 1 Cor. 8:4; Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:5

The three persons of the Trinity in the NT
Rom. 8; Eph. 1:3-14; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:2

The Son
John 20:28-31; cf. 1:18; Acts 7:59; Rom. 9:5; 10:9-13; 2 Cor. 12:7-9; Phil. 2:5-6; Col. 1:15-17; 2:9; Heb. 1:1-12; 1 Pet. 3:15

The Holy Spirit
John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15; Acts 5:3-4

The Trinity
Matt. 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 1:4-5

Distinct roles in God’s plan of grace
John 3:1-15; note especially vv. 3, 5-8, 13-15

Each one of these books will further your understanding of the foundational principals that we are studying in this series. Suggestions For Further Reading:
Excerpt from Concise Theology by J. I. Packer
Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
Knowing God by J. I. Packer
Know The Truth by Bruce Milne
The Holy Spirit, Contours of Christian Theology by Sinclair Ferguson for an easy to understand treatment of the Holy Spirit.

Sanctification

2011-06-27T20:22:00.004-04:00

Sanctification is a state of separation unto God; all believers enter into this state when they are born of God.

Sanctification is the same Greek word as holiness, “hagios,” meaning a separation. First, a once-for-all positional separation unto Christ at our salvation. Second, a practical progressive holiness in a believer’s life while awaiting the return of Christ. Third, we will be changed into His perfect likeness—holy, sanctified, and completely separated from the presence of evil.

Saints are 'Sanctified ones'.

Psalm 4:3 But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.

2Co 6:17-18
(17) Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
(18) and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."

God sets us apart with a promise that He will be our father and we shall be His sons and daughters. We should live in obedience as those set apart for service unto Him.

Essential Core Christian Beliefs

2011-06-22T21:58:00.002-04:00

Ask yourself if you affirm the following core Christian beliefs? Hopefully this list should not be too controversial to you.

About God:
• God is Triune (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)
• God is eternal
• God is Holy
• God is Unchanging
• God is Impassable
• God is Infinite
• God is All-Powerful
• God is Everywhere –present
• God is All-wise
• God is All-Knowing
• God is Self-Existent
• God is Spirit
• God is Just
• God is Merciful
• God is Jealous
• God is Sovereign

About Jesus Christ:
• Christ is fully man and fully God
• The virgin birth of Jesus Christ
• Christ died on the cross and rose bodily from the grave for our sins (1 Cor 15:3-4
• Faith in Christ is necessary (John 3:16). Justification is through faith alone on the basis of Christ alone
• The future second coming of Christ
Regarding Scripture (The Bible):
• Inspiration and authority of Scripture
• Scripture alone has ultimate and final authority on all matters of faith and practice
• The canon of Scripture made up of 66 books (excluding the Deuterocanonical books)

Regarding salvation
• Eternal punishment of the unredeemed
• Christ is the only way to a right relationship with God.
• Belief that you are a sinner in need of God’s mercy (1 John 1:10)

In later postings we will begin to take a look at these key beliefs of the Christian Faith.

The road to an ineffective ministry

2011-06-20T21:34:00.008-04:00

While faced with ever decreasing attendance and a serious need to regain vitality the Church of Sweden seems to have forgotten the purpose of the church of Christ. A recent news post in The Local (Sweden's News in English) states that 'only 15 percent of members of the Church of Sweden say they believe in Jesus and an equal number claim to be atheists.' Another 25% of those church members surveyed claim to be agnostic.

"It's not very high," Jonas Bromander, an analyst with the Church of Sweden who was responsible for the study, told The Local in reference to the figure.
"It's not really a problem; rather, it’s a byproduct of the secularisation in Swedish society which has taken place over many years."

The article continues to describe the dismal state of this European church where only a little over 6% of the roughly 6.6 million members attend a service at least once a month.

According to the survey, 90 percent of church members have a weak relationship with the Swedish Church, forcing the church to ponder whether or not it remains a relevant institution in Swedish society.

Those who performed the study have concluded that the means for this church to regain its relevancy is in more success in addressing social causes.

The purpose of the study was to learn more about what sort of expectations people have for the church and to see how the church "can be relevant to people's lives in contemporary society".

According to the study, if the church succeeds in providing assistance to the poor, elderly, and other marginalised groups, it can expect its members to view belonging to the church as more valuable.

"For many the church is a religious organisation and they want it to be one, even if they don't believe in Jesus themselves," said Bromander, adding that members see their membership as a way to support what the church does.

When does a church cease to be relevant? Is it time for our churches to become more hip? More in touch with today's youth? Should they seek to accommodate a broader demographic and appeal to larger audiences with diverse beliefs? Do they need to refrain from doctrinal issues and concentrate on the issues that relate to a more modern, secularized, diverse society? How should churches deal with decreasing attendance and membership? Perhaps the answer is becoming a more effective agent in tackling social issues such as poverty and homelessness and assisting the marginalized of society? Will efforts to aid the poor and other marginalized groups be hindered unless they tone down their religious message? Should the gospel message be compromised in order to cooperate with other groups in the noble endeavor of aiding the poor and the elderly and other social causes?

Don’t get me wrong, the church should and must be actively involved in helping its communities, especially the poor, elderly and underprivileged. But there is a lesson here in this survey from the Church of Sweden that all churches and denominations should pay heed to. A church is no longer relevant to society when the God that it has a mission to serve, honor and obey is no longer relevant to it.

By definition it is no longer a Christian church and no longer does it have a relevant purpose when Jesus Christ is no longer exalted, praised and worshipped. It may be a pseudo religious organization but it is not a Christian church.

Irrelevance begins as a subtle inroad of secularism. Little by little the gospel message is watered down. Doctrine is then considered controversial in lieu of accommodating a minority. Soon the majority begins to dwindle and the minority having been accommodated loses interest as well. All that is left is a dying church that compromised its core rots from the inside out. When the mission to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ in all the world is no longer number one for a church, there is nothing that remains that is relevant no matter how noble the efforts to be an agent for social change.

Don’t be naïve, many American churches have started down the road to secularism and emphasizing social service over Gospel message or preaching a gospel lite that has been toned down to be less offensive to the masses that they want to come through their doors. A church could have high numbers in attendance but if the members don’t know Jesus Christ as Savior they will still be destined to hell. God did not establish the church as a social club or primarily as a charitable organization. We must go forth to serve our communities but we must make sure that we serve them first with the message of the Gospel. No other service that we do for them is relevant without that. If you find yourself serving community but have compromised the gospel in order to do so then you need to step back and ask if the focus of your efforts is off track.

The answer is to the Church of Sweden’s problem is the opposite of the direction that they have taken. They need more of the Gospel, not less. They need more preaching and more teaching and a heart for Biblical truths. Not compromise and lack of foundational values, but a return to the supremacy of Jesus Christ as one worthy of praise and honor and all authority. What do you think? Should the Church of Sweden focus on social issues to make itself relevant in Swedish society? Should they return to the Gospel of Christ?

Glorify Jesus as God, Evangelize, preach, make disciples, teach, reach, Love, serve and care.

No Fishing With Nets

2010-12-29T19:13:00.006-05:00

We had some unusually warm weather for the end of December today. So nice that a thaw was visible as the cold made way for the warmer tempatures. It may be only a temporary peek at the coming release from the winter cold, but it is a great reminder that though the days are cold and dreary, yet soon the spring will reappear and we will be liberated from the icy chill.

I sit in my car during lunch often, many times in the same spot. Today this sign posted beside the pond caught my attention. It said 'No Fishing With Nets'. I had probably saw this sign dozens of times before and paid no particular attention. Today, this sign's words seemed to capture my heart.

The warm weather had begun to thaw things out. The ice was breaking on the pond. Somehow my heart too was thawing after an overly long period of icy coldness. Months had past without a prayer, without a desire to hear the Gospel preached, without a desire to worship and praise God with my church family. Never has there been such a long, cold, spiritual freeze in my life. There did not even seem to be an ember in my heart for the Savior or the Gospel. Prayer! Glorious commune with the Father. Joy at the sermon on my car radio. And guilt and sadness over the lost time with God and the joy that I missed while my heart was frozen. God thawed my cold heart. Christ still loves me. Joy is still found in the Gospel.

Now, what about the sign? In the depths of my own spiritual deep freeze, the joy had gone out of my heart and my desire to tell others of the wonderful saving work of Christ was lost. I had not cast a net into the water to fish for the soul of another for so long now. But cast the net I must do. It is my Savior's command. It is my privilege. It's time to take the sign down and throw out the nets. Fishing for men. The gospel is the net and the duty to work and serve is ours. Tell men and women everywhere of God's love for sinners and the Grace and mercy that is found in Jesus Christ.

Luk 5:1-11
(1) On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,
(2) and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
(3) Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
(4) And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."
(5) And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."
(6) And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.
(7) They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
(8) But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
(9) For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,
(10) and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."
(11) And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

I Looked For Love In Your Eyes- From Tim Challies blog

2010-12-26T18:29:00.002-05:00

As the 1 year anniversary of this blog has come and gone I am reflecting on the past year. After much time without a post... I have been wasting time on fruitless endeavors... I am sad about the loss of time and the many opportunities to serve Christ that have been squandered. This poem found on Tim Challies web site brought tears to my eyes. I realized that there are many avenues of service and many sins to be fought, in my own life and in the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I do not normally post whole articles from other sites, but this one is worth your reading whether you are a wife, mom, dad, son, daughter or friend of another who has struggled or may struggle with the sin of lust in their lives.

I Looked For Love In Your Eyes Tim Challies
12/18/10
68
A few days ago I received an email from a reader of this site, a woman who was responding to some of the articles I’ve written on the subject of pornography. She shared a poem, a bit of free verse she had written in the midst of her husband’s addiction. I wish I could say it was the only email I’ve received from such a woman. Sadly it’s not; not by a long shot. That same day I received another email from another woman looking for resources for dealing with the wife’s response to a husband’s sin (rather a gap in the available literature right now, I think).

Anyway, I thought I would share this poem. It’s a little bit graphic, but only so far as it needs to be. I think it’s particularly heartbreaking in drawing out the clear connection between pornography and violence. And it’s just a realistic look at how so many men are damaging and destroying their wives and families. It’s reality.

So here it is, “I Looked For Love in Your Eyes.”

I saved my best for you.
Other girls may have given themselves away,
But I believed in the dream.
A husband, a wife, united as one forever.

Nervous, first time, needing assurance of your love,
I looked for it in your eyes
Mere inches from mine.
But what I saw made my soul run and hide.

Gone was the tenderness I’d come to know
I saw a stranger, cold and hard
Distant, evil, revolting.
I looked for love in your eyes
And my soul wept.

Who am I that you cannot make love to me?
Why do I feel as if I’m not even here?
I don’t matter.
I’m a prop in a filthy play.
Not an object of tender devotion.

Where are you?

Years pass
But the hardness in your eyes does not.
You think I’m cold
But how can I warm to eyes that are making hate to someone else
Instead of making love to me?

I know where you are.
I’ve seen the pictures.
I know now what it takes to turn you on.
Women…people like me
Tortured, humiliated, hated, used
Discarded.
Images burned into your brain.
How could you think they would not show in your eyes?

Did you ever imagine,
The first time you picked up a dirty picture
That you were dooming all intimacy between us
Shipwrecking your marriage
Breaking the heart of a wife you wouldn’t meet for many years?

If it stopped here, I could bear it.
But you brought the evil into our home
And our little boys found it.
Six and eight years old.
I heard them laughing, I found them ogling.

Hands bound, mouth gagged.
Fisheye photo, contorting reality
Distorting the woman into exaggerated breasts.
The haunted eyes, windows of a tormented soul
Warped by the lens into the background,
Because souls don’t matter, only bodies do
To men who consume them.

Little boys
My little boys
Laughing and ogling the sexual torture
Of a woman, a woman like me.
Someone like me.

An image burned into their brains.

Will their wives’ souls have to run and hide like mine does?
When does it end?

I can tell you this. It has not ended in your soul.
It has eaten you up. It is cancer.
Do you think you can feed on a diet of hatred
And come out of your locked room to love?

You say the words, but love has no meaning in your mouth
When hatred rules in your heart.
Your cruelty has eaten up every vestige of the man
I thought I was marrying.
Did you ever dream it would so consume you
That your wife and children would live in fear of your rage?

That is what you have become
Feeding your soul on poison.

I’ve never used porn.
But it has devastated my marriage, my family, my world.

Was it worth it?

James Taylor The Water Is Wide

2010-10-01T11:20:00.000-04:00

Andrew Peterson - Dancing in the Minefields (Official Video)

2010-10-01T10:46:00.000-04:00

Rich Mullins & Mitch McVicker - Brother's Keeper, live acoustic on The E...

2010-09-07T21:59:00.001-04:00

Roby Duke - Right On Time

2010-09-07T21:51:00.001-04:00

New Parish Psalms - Great new hymns

2010-08-28T21:51:00.003-04:00

I am interested in this new CD featuring modern compositions of the Psalms of David.

My Cry Ascends Greg Wilbur from Compass Cinema on Vimeo.

My Cry Ascends is a graceful collection of new Psalms and hymns for the church composed by Greg Wilbur. The music is recorded in a folk tradition with elements of Celtic style and southern harmony. Listeners will enjoy the hardy musical instrumentation: piano, viola, flutes, tin whistle, acoustic guitar, mandolin, bagpipe, hammer dulcimer and percussion. Rich biblical texts and expressive tunes feature the singing of Michael Card, Steve Green, Wes King, Katy Snow, Nathan Clark George and Bruce Carroll. The songs were written with congregational singing in mind, and it is our hope that this CD will bring these wonderful pieces into wider familiarity as an appropriate offering to the Most High God as He calls His people into worship.

Keith & Kristyn Getty "In Christ Alone"

2010-06-24T21:13:00.000-04:00

Here is perhaps one of my favorite songs. It packs so much truth in such a beautiful tune.

Your Name - Paul Baloche - Acoustic Set

2010-06-22T20:53:00.000-04:00

An Urgent Letter. - Mike T.

2010-06-07T21:54:00.000-04:00

Rom 1:1-7 ESV
(1) Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
(2) which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
(3) concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh
(4) and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
(5) through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,
(6) including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
(7) To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Have you ever sat down to write a letter to a friend or a relative or even a prospective employer? There is a purpose, a reason, an objective to your effort. What you mean to say is important and needs to be heard clearly and persuasively. There is a struggle to find just the right words, just the right argument, just the right thoughts. You want the one you are sending the letter to understand you clearly and favorably respond to your proposal or your request or point of view. Your heart agonizes in the struggle to find the perfect words and sentences to obtain the reader’s attention and win their favor or commitment or support.

And have you ever received a letter like that written from the heart and addressed personally to you by one who loved you or desperately wanted to gain your support or favor or commitment? The words can be compelling and forceful and draw you in. You find your opinion changing or your heart breaking or melting at the author’s plea.

Paul set out to write just such a letter to the Christians in Rome. It is from his heart and full of compassion and concern and he really desired to compel them to believe his words. He wanted them to know what he knew and to move them to a commitment to his message. Like any letter where the writer pours their heart and soul into this letter to the Romans couldn’t help but elicit a response from the ones who received it. It is packed with truth after truth and rich with meaning.

As I began to read it this evening I was captivated. I wanted to understand this Paul’s message and why he was so passionate about this gospel message. If only I could write with such passion and with such a heart for those I have written to or will write to in the future. This book of the Bible which is this letter that the apostle Paul wrote the Christians in Rome contains truth and salvation and I want my family and friends and any one else I can tell to understand its message.

Paul most likely dictated this letter. He addressed it to the Christians in Rome who he had longed to see face to face, but circumstances kept him from traveling to them. He was driven to tell them this message and to persuade them to believe what he had to tell them. As I read it today, the urgency of his words strikes me. What did he have to say that was so important? So necessary?

He had so much to say, but he started out magnificently, packing in the first seven sentences an opening statement that lays the foundation for all that he wants to say to these people, some no doubt he knew personally and others he desired to encourage and foster their faith. What he says had to draw them in and make them desire to hear more.
Today as I read these same words, translated to the English language, the message that he wrote those Roman Christians still holds meaning and urgency though separated by more than two thousand years of changes in culture and environment and circumstances. Paul’s message is timeless and its truths and power remain forceful, meaningful and life changing.

Paul begins telling them that what is first and foremost of importance to him is that he is a bond slave of the Lord Jesus Christ. He valued this above being a Roman citizen and his credentials and everything else. And he describes himself as one set apart for the gospel. It is equally important for us to understand what we are for as well. We are for two things… to come to Christ and submit to His Lordship and to go for Christ to take the message of the gospel into the world. As he addresses his audience and sends his greetings to them he provides a quick encapsulation of the message to come in verses 2 to 6. In these 5 short opening verses he gets right to the heart of the matter with a brief outline of the gospel message to come in the rest of his letter.

• The gospel is not a novelty. Paul talks about its advance preparation. This gospel is not plan B. The gospel is plan A from the very beginning. God had established the gospel and proclaimed it through the Old Testament prophets. He says that it is woven throughout all of the scriptures.
• Jesus, the Son Of God is the center of the gospel. The eternal Word took our frail flesh upon himself as the form of a servant and the likeness of men. Paul describes both the humanity and the divinity of Jesus Christ. He says that Christ was born of the seed of David. Appointed to be the Son of God in Power by the Resurrection from the dead. Jesus uniquely fulfills the promise of God in scripture and the resurrection for the dead clearly demonstrates its truth.
• Then Paul says that the goal of the gospel is to produce the obedience of faith. The indication that the gospel is mine is that I have been brought to obey the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s not my profession, it’s not my words, it’s not my ability to explain the gospel. The gospel changes lives and brings me to the obedience of faith.
• The Gospel is for everyone. Because it is for the sake of Christ name among all the nations we should be compelled to want to share its message. Called to belong to Jesus Christ. Jesus established the church on earth having prepared and appointed the apostles for the purpose sending forth this message of grace and hope.
• Its effect is that I belong to Christ and in Him belong to God.
• Its motivation is for the sake of His name. Paul knew what he was for. This one thing can transform your life through all of its changes and difficulties. Simply knowing that you are for the sake of His name.

In a nutshell Paul wrote Roman’s to tell us of the wonderful plan of God promised and woven throughout the Bible’s great message of hope that God came to earth and took on human form, rose from the dead in power to triumph over death and sin bearing the wrath due to all mankind that we might belong to Him in faith and obedience as the One who saved us for His glory. How can one not want to read the rest of Paul’s letter to learn more of this Gospel message. It is a message of hope and grace and mercy. It is a message for everyone. To belong to a loving redeemer, king and to praise His wonderful name, for His name sake. AMEN.

Jesus Loved The Unlovable - by Mike T.

2010-06-04T22:34:00.000-04:00

Some time ago I wrote an article on Jesus's encounter with Zacchaeus. The compassion of Jesus and His love for the lowly, unrespected, imperfect amazes me everytime I read about it. I love this story. How thankful I am that the Gospel is for sinners. Remember what you were when you were saved and the mercy and grace of Christ freely given while you were still a sinner. Then be sure to bring that same grace and mercy to others in need.

Do you remember the day you were saved?
If you are a Christian, do you remember the day when you were saved? Does it rate up there among the most memorable days of your life? Perhaps the most important day ever? What happened to your heart that day? Were you changed forever? Does it still hold significance for you? Was your life changed on that blessed day? Do you still feel the same? Do you rejoice with the Psalmist saying, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Ps 42:1-2)? Do you share the Psalmist’s refrain shouting “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (PS 73:25-26)? Did your decision to follow Jesus cost you anything? Did it change your heart?

A Man’s Memorable Encounter with the Savior
Luke tells us the story of a man who surely remembers the day that He accepted Christ as Savior. This is a simple story about an encounter with the living God… the God who saves. A man came to see a prophet along the roadside. His heart was fertile. The Savior came along and called to him and his life was changed forever. He became a new man inside and out. Is this your own story as well?

We are told that Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. He was a very rich man and in charge of the tax collectors for the region. Tax collectors had an extremely bad reputation with the Jewish population. They were notorious for ruthlessness and using extreme measures to obtain the taxes. They were given a quota that they were required to collect and anything in excess of that amount that they collected they were able to boast to their profit. Because they obtained their wealth by extracting the profit from their fellow Jews, they were seen as traitors to their own people. A verse from Mathew shows that tax collectors were held with the lowest regard. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector” .MT 18:17 Luke also shows that tax collector’s ranked at the bottom of society’s barrel.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and `sinners'?" LK 5:27-30

Tax Collector’s and Pharisee’s
Because of that notorious reputation, the tax collector is represented in the Bible as an example of those that the Jews, particularly the Pharisees and teacher’s of the law regarded as outside the Kingdom of God. The Jewish leaders saw themselves as righteous because of their religious lifestyles and they labeled as “sinners” those who were not Jewish and those who were guilty of gross transgressions of the law like the tax collectors. Careful review of the texts where a tax collector is labeled a “sinner” it is interesting that it is the tax collector who comes out as righteous. The Bible turns everything around on its head.

The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' Lk 18:11-13

The Bible on numerous occasions uses the illustration of the Pharisee’s self-righteousness and the tax collector’s humility and repentance before God to drive home the point of the sinner’s need for a Savior. Just such an illustration becomes evident in our scriptural text from Luke 19. The Lord Jesus calls upon Zacchaeus the tax collector and draws criticism from the mostly Jewish crowd. Those who rely upon their own efforts and religious activity for access to God are given a lesson that true righteousness does not depend upon effort, but upon a Savior that changes hearts.

A Fertile Heart
Jesus had developed quite a following at the point that Luke relates the story of Zacchaeus. No doubt word of the miracles He performed and His teaching had spread. He had healed the lepers and recently a blind man’s sight was restored. A large crowd followed Him wherever He went. We are told that Zacchaeus was a short man and that he wanted desperately to see Jesus. So much so that he ran ahead of the crowd on the road that Jesus was on and climbed a sycamore-fig tree. This wealthy man with the notorious reputation had a desire to see this prophet that was passing by. Why Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, the story does not tell us. We can’t speculate too much about why he was there, but we could probably imagine a few reasons why we might have been there along that road to catch a glimpse of Jesus ourselves. Perhaps there might be simple curiosity to see what all the commotion about Jesus was about? Maybe even it could have been possible we heard Jesus speak on a previous occasion and want another opportunity to hear him again? Perhaps others had been talking about Jesus and the words they shared with us were intriguing? Perhaps even a very real misery exists in our own hearts. We might know that there is something wrong with the way we are living. Maybe we met another who was forever changed by this Jesus of Nazareth who couldn’t stop talking about how He forgave their sins? It is even possible that we have been very religious all of our lives and faultless in observing and following all of the traditions and rules. Perhaps we never miss church and we tithe 10% and we are sure to try and live a good life? We might know that we harbor wicked thoughts in our minds and despite of all our religious activities we are still empty inside and really don’t know God? This Jesus was known to cut through to people’s hearts and remind them that they need a personal relationship with God to save them and not a religion. Perhaps as Zacchaeus clung to the branch of that tree and waited on Jesus to come down the road he also hoped that something about this prophet who attracted such a following really could liberate him from this miserable guilt and sin?

No Time For Excuses
Whatever it was that drove Zacchaeus to the tree along that road, he was ready when Jesus called him. Zacchaeus’s heart was fertile for the gospel. Jesus passed by, stopped and looked up and called Zacchaeus by name. God uses a variety of circumstances and people to get us to the place and time where he calls us by name. He sometimes uses trials and difficulties to drive us to our knees. He may bring the witness and testimony of others to soften our hearts. The most powerful tool is the preaching of His Word and the Gospel message to tell us the truth about our sin and the salvation offered by the cross of Jesus Christ. The witness of the Holy Spirit is working constantly to call people unto the Savior. Jesus told Nicodemus this truth in the book of John.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8

To put it simply, the Holy Spirit is mysteriously, perhaps invisibly, active in the world calling hearts to God. The Spirit’s activity is clearly visible as God’s saving grace is manifest and people are saved by the call of the Gospel. We know that the Spirit is present and active not because we know who or where or how God saves, but that in fact sinners are indeed being saved. Zacchaeus answers just such a personal call. When Jesus calls, He calls each of us personally. Though Zacchaeus was there in that tree, it was Jesus who initiated the encounter. Jesus told Zacchaeus to come down immediately while stating that He must stay at Zacchaeus’s house that evening. There was no hesitancy on Zacchaeus’s part regarding the forthright request that Jesus made. Luke says that Zacchaeus came down and at once and welcomed Jesus to his house gladly. He could have offered excuses. “The house is really quite a mess. Maybe another time after we get a chance to clean up a little?” “No, I don’t think you really want to be seen with me. Don’t you know what others will think?” “Love to have you, but really my wife doesn’t like it when I bring home strangers without calling ahead.” Zacchaeus offers no such attempts to put off the Lord’s demands. He offers immediate hospitality and does so graciously and with joy.

Has the Lord called your name? Did you receive Him immediately with joy? Or did you begin looking for excuses why now wasn’t a good time? Did you put off His call to come to you? Did you have more pressing matters? Did you want more time to prepare? Did you want to wait for a better time? Did you ask Him to come back later? Were you afraid that He would find what you were trying to hide from Him? Were you afraid of what might be exposed if you let Him into your life? Could it be that you were afraid that He might not like the company you keep? If you chose the excuses over His call, when will you heed His voice and come to Him? Is your heart fertile? Has His Word penetrated its stony depths? Are you ready to come quickly? Do you know that Jesus is your Lord and Master? Are you ready to serve Him? Do you desire to honor Him? Do you seek to please Him? Zacchaeus was such a person. He heard the Master’s call and came quickly and served Him joyfully. This was day to remember in Zacchaeus’s life.

Reaching the Unreached - by Tim Chester

2010-05-28T19:43:00.000-04:00

Tim Chester shares some notes he took at the second Reaching the Unreached conference on his blog today. The last part of the article chimes in well with a theme I have been hearing over and over again lately. It is part of the passion that drives me to continue my own blog. I keep coming back to Zacchaeus the tax collector and the other gospel stories where Jesus heart for the lost was right there having dinner with them and talking with them and showing compassion for their needs. You can read the whole article at Tim's site but I am sharing the conclusion here for those not inclined to follow links.

Implication: the Missionary Heart of God

Nothing of this is new to us. But what are the implications?

1. There is one gospel for all people

Peter said: ‘“Can anyone keep these people from being baptised with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.’ (Acts 10:47-48) What happened to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem in Acts 2 has happened to Gentiles here in Acts 10. It is the same gospel for a respectable corporate lawyer, a hard-working single mother, a teenager toying with petty crime and so on.

2. The gospel is made for outsiders

In Luke-Acts there is a disproportionate number of people who are outsiders: Gentiles, prostitutes, tax-collectors, lepers – people who sins and failures go before them. The people who would attract ‘tuts’ in many churches. Jesus takes outsiders and brings them in and says, ‘Look what I’m going to do with you.’ Jesus is not the Messiah that the world wants. He did not use his power for his own ends. He gave it away so he could help those who are weak. He saves by serving and losing his power. And I get his salvation not by being strong or pure or accomplished, but by admitting I have none of these things.

If our churches do not communicate this then we are not being revolutionary enough. If outsiders do not feel welcome then we are mis-communicating the grace of God.

3. The gospel is not too hard for anyone

Many people in our area do not want to come through the church door because they view it has self-improvement. The first time one friend came to church he would not go inside. The next week he sat in the entrance lobby. The third week he sat by the door. It took four weeks to get him to sit in a pew.

Many people in our area look at the church and say, ‘I can’t be like them.’ They have understood a message, but it is not the gospel. If they hear the message of grace then they will think, ‘I can do that!’

Sibbes on relationships among christians

2010-05-18T20:25:00.000-04:00

In the last place, there is something for private Christians, even for all of us in our common relations, to take notice of: we are debtors to the weak in many things.

1. Let us be watchful in the use of our liberty, and labour to be inoffensive in our behavior, that our example compel them not. There is a commanding force in an example, as there was in Peter (Gal. 2). Looseness of life is cruelty to ourselves and to the souls of others. Though we cannot keep those who will perish from perishing, yet if we do that which is apt of itself to destroy the souls of others their ruin is imputable to us.

2. Let men take heed of taking up Satan's office, in misrepresenting the good actions of others, as he did Job's case, `Doth Job fear God for naught?' (Job 1:9), or slandering their persons, judging of them according to the wickedness that is in their own hearts. The devil gets more by such discouragements and reproaches that are cast upon religion than by fire and faggot. These, as unseasonable frosts, nip all gracious inclinations in the bud, and as much as in them lies, with Herod, labour to kill Christ in young professors. A Christian is a hallowed and a sacred thing, Christ's temple; and he that destroys his temple, him will Christ destroy (1 Cor.3:17).

3. Among the things that are to be taken heed of, there is among ordinary Christians a bold usurpation of censure towards others, not considering their temptations. Some will unchurch and unbrother in a passion. But ill humours do not alter true relations; though the child in a fit should disclaim the mother, yet the mother will not disclaim the child.

There is therefore in these judging times good ground of James's caveat that there should not be `many masters' (James 3:1), that we should not smite one another by hasty censures, especially in things of an indifferent nature; some things are as the mind of him is that does them, or does them not; for both may be unto the Lord.

A holy aim in things neither clearly right nor wrong makes the judgments of men, although seemingly contrary, yet not so much blamable. Christ, for the good aims he sees in us, overlooks any ill in them, so far as not to lay it to our charge. Men must not be too curious in prying into the weaknesses of others. We should labour rather to see what they have that is for eternity, to incline our heart to love them, than into that weakness which the Spirit of God will in time consume, to estrange us. Some think it strength of grace to endure nothing in the weaker, whereas the strongest are readiest to bear with the infirmities of the weak.

Where most holiness is, there is most moderation, where it may be without prejudice of piety to God and the good of others. We see in Christ a marvelous temper of absolute holiness, with great moderation. What would have become of our salvation, if he had stood upon terms, and not stooped thus low unto us? We need not affect to be more holy than Christ. It is no flattery to do as he does, so long as it is to edification.

The Holy Ghost is content to dwell in smoky, offensive souls. Oh, that that Spirit would breathe into our spirits the same merciful disposition! We endure the bitterness of wormwood, and other distasteful plants and herbs, only because we have some experience of some wholesome quality in them; and why should we reject men of useful parts and graces, only for some harshness of disposition, which, as it is offensive to us, so it grieves themselves?

Grace, while we live here, is in souls which, because they are imperfectly renewed, dwell in bodies subject to several humours, and these will incline the soul sometimes to excess in one passion, sometimes to excess in another. Bucer was a deep and a moderate divine. After long experience he resolved to refuse none in whom he saw aliquid Christi, something of Christ. The best Christians in this state of imperfection are like gold that is a little too light, which needs some grains of allowance to make it pass. You must grant the best their allowance.

We must supply out of our love and mercy that which we see wanting in them. The church of Christ is a common hospital, wherein all are in some measure sick of some spiritual disease or other, so all have occasion to exercise the spirit of wisdom and meekness.

So that we may do this the better, let us put upon ourselves the Spirit of Christ. There is a majesty in the Spirit of God. Corruption will hardly yield to corruption in another. Pride is intolerable to pride. The weapons of this warfare must not be carnal (2 Cor. 10:4). The great apostles would not set upon the work of the ministry until they were `endued with power from on high' (Luke 24:49). The Spirit will only work with his own tools. And we should think what affection Christ would carry to the party in this case. That great physician, as he had a quick eye and a healing tongue, so had he a gentle hand, and a tender heart.

And, further, let us take to ourselves the condition of him with whom we deal. We are, or have been, or may be in that condition ourselves. Let us make the case our own, and also consider in what near relation a Christian stands to us, even as a brother, a fellow member, heir of the same salvation. And therefore let us take upon ourselves a tender care of them in every way; and especially in cherishing the peace of their consciences. Conscience is a tender and delicate thing, and must be so treated. It is like a lock: if its workings are faulty, it will be troublesome to open.

The Gospel Vs. Religion- from Buzzard Blog

2010-05-18T20:02:00.000-04:00

Buzzard Blog has been a treasure chest lately. Here is another great posting.

PDF Verson at Buzzard Blog

The Mercy Spiller

2010-05-17T19:57:00.000-04:00

I found this post about mercy on Buzzard Blog. Praise God that he does not withhold mercy from us!

Once in a while a sentence of Scripture stabs your heart and wakes you up to realities you hadn’t quite felt before.

This morning I sat on my porch reading and praying through a few psalms. Eventually I came to a sentence, Psalm 40:11. I’m sure I’ve read this sentence many times. This time the sentence read me.

As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;

Seriously?

I restrain mercy. I hold back mercy, grace, and love from other people, even the people I say I love the most. My mercy-giving has a limit.

And, other people restrain mercy. Other people have restrained mercy from me. Instead of receiving mercy, I’ve received judgment, punishment, and shunning. My mercy-receiving also has a limit.

But a relationship with the Lord has an entirely different operating system.

His mercy-giving has no limit. He doesn’t restrain his mercy from his children. He never runs out of mercy! There’s an eternal supply! He doesn’t hold back and conserve his mercy, the Lord spills his mercy all over me.

This means my mercy-receiving has no limit. Because the Father spilled all his wrath on Jesus, he can spill mercy all over me every single day of my life, even on my days of greatest failure. So far, today has been a big day of failure for me.

Guess what? News Flash. This just in: At approximately 9am this morning in the San Francisco Bay Area, there was an oil spill of God’s mercy, poured out all over Justin. You should see the spill. It’s beautiful.

God isn’t in the mercy-restraining business, he’s in the mercy-spilling business.

This is so, so hard for me to believe. I’m so used to a life of limiting the mercy I give to others and rationing the mercy others give to me. I’ve been so afraid of running out of mercy. I’ve been a Mercy Miser.

I don’t want to be a Mercy Miser.

Miser

Function: noun. Etymology: Latin miser miserable

a mean grasping person; especially : one who is extremely stingy
I want to be a Mercy Spiller.

Read more on Buzzard Blog

Resonating Worship - by Mike T.

2010-05-14T19:45:00.001-04:00

I have been thinking about what the Christian family should be like. Is the connection as good as it should be in our churches and among our brothers and sisters? What came to mind is this illustration from a childhood Physics lesson. In grade school they demonstrated resonance with two tuning forks on a sound box. When one tuning fork was struck with a hammer the vibration from the first would cause the second to begin to vibrate too. Since the incoming sound waves share the same natural frequency as the second tuning fork, the tuning fork easily begins vibrating at its natural frequency. This is an example of resonance - when one object vibrating at the same natural frequency of a second object forces that second object into vibrational motion. To me that seems like a perfect analogy for the effect one Christian should have upon another. I was created to resound with praise for God. This is the natural response of the Christian. When Christians come together at church or share time together should they not naturally cause one another to sound forth praise. At times it feels like I am a lone tuning fork and I strike a note of praise for Christ in hopes that others will pick up the tune and begin to resonate as well. But it is dispappointing that there is so little response to the note of praise. Oh that we would all resonate a chord of praise and a song of joy for what Christ has done for us.

Shirley Logan - Beautiful Music

2010-05-14T19:10:00.000-04:00

Here is a favorite post from an earlier time. Shirley's Music has always inspired me. I particularly like her songs "Water", "Baby Jane" and "Like A Father". They are deeply moving and quite beautiful.

I encourage you to check out her web pages and blog.

I was excited to hear from Shirley regarding the post. I encourage you to check out her music.
http://thelightkeepersjournal.blogspot.com/2009/11/shirley-logan-and-other-music-to-soothe.html

You can find her blog here.

Don't Keep People At Arms Length - by Dave Dorr

2010-05-11T20:56:00.000-04:00

Don

Dave Dorr:

Another way that we keep God at a distance is to hold people at arms length. And this keeping people at arms length is a behavior that is constantly reinforced culturally.

We feel that it is not spiritual to experience God in a community. For us the essence of spirituality is private religious experience. To have our spiritual experience weighed by a community of people seems to limit our freedom and calls into question our authenticity.

This is seen when we utter the words “organized religion.” It sounds about as appealing, and maybe even as sinister as “organized crime.” If religion is organized, then, to us Americans, it seems like something is taken away from a relationship with God, not added.

But God will not have it this way. His people are his way of speaking to us, his way of touching us. What else does it mean when God says that we are his body? If we are his body then, through people, God will make his will known to us.

And that is why keeping people at a distance, and not being part of an “organized” community, is so devastating to someone who wants to draw near to God. Because the true God dwells amongst his people, with all our problems, foibles, and sins. By dwelling among his people he hides from the arrogant, but draws near to those who have godly community.

Forgetting, Forgiving, Loving and Sharing Christ With Others - By Mike T.

2010-05-06T21:22:00.000-04:00

I am a forgetful person. I forget to do things that I have told others I would do. I forget why I went to the kitchen. I forget where I put my keys. And there are times when I forget that I too am a sinner saved by grace by the goodness and loving kindness of God. I am justified not by what I have done or don't do but by what Christ did on the cross. When I withhold mercy from others I am forgetting that mercy that God gave freely to me in Christ when I was deserving of wrath instead. Don't begin to think of yourself as matured beyond certain sins especially if it makes you seperate yourself from the unbelievers who need the Gospel. And don't wall off certain Christian brothers and sisters who are still struggling with sin and need discipleship, exhortation and mentoring. Above all allow for the fact that people sin and some have more notorious pasts than others. We never take a light view of sin because God takes it seriously we must as well. But we must remember that God forgives sinners and gives us grace and mercy. If he forgives the vilest repentent sinner then we can do no less ourselves. There are those who have seen me do things in the past that I know that they can not look beyond. In spite of evidence to the contrary that those things are in the past they hold a low view of me. Probably always will and a cold shoulder from them is likely to continue indefinitely. But you know what, we are called to carry the gospel to sinners. That's right those who steal, cheat, lie, murder, perform evil acts, and to violent offenders, drug adicts, alcoholics, profane, wife beaters, rapists, deviants, depraved, lazy, selfish, rude, hipocrites, excons, prisoners, homeless, rich, poor, greedy, double-minded, idol worshippers, new agers, democrats, repubilicans, communists, dictators, tax collectors, pharasees and Christians who don't like us. There are unbelievers in need of Christ and there are believers in need of encouragement, exhortation, discipleship, fellowship and teaching. We miss the whole meaning of the mercy of God when we exclude taking and living that message out before all men. We never did or didn't do a thing to be saved in Christ. In fact everyone was a sinner when Christ saved them. And He calls us to tell others of this Grace. Paul reminds us of these things in Titus.

3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. Titus 3:1-8

As Paul stated 'we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by othes and hating one another.' He makes sure we know we are justified by his grace to this eternal life that we have. From there he reminds them of these things:
1. submit to those in authority. 2. be obedient. 3. Eager to help. 4. Not spreading gossip. 5. To avoid fighting. 6. To be kind to one another. 7. And a tall order to be courteous to all people. No exclusions are given based upon past sins, race, religious affiliation, political leanings, current sins, etc. The list is endless... ALL PEOPLE. He closes the reminder saying that they are to 'insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.

LORD help me to live up to these reminders to be courteous to all people. Don't let my pride stop me from reaching out to others with the message that salvation is in no one else but Christ. Thank you for your mercy and grace and your Holy Spirit which helps me to live obediently to your Word and to serve you and others. Put aside my prejudices, my reluctance to serve you wherever and for who ever you call me to tell of the wonder of Christ. Help me to pray for those who are are struggling with sin and its power. Help me to love my brothers and sisters in Christ when they fail and to forgive and encourage them toward maturity and faith. Help me to share your Son with them. AMEN.

Are You A Real Friend (Part 2)

2010-05-05T22:16:00.001-04:00

The second part of a good post from "Every Square Inch" I have included the first bit of this excellent article. You can follow the link at the bottom to read the rest. Make the effort to begin to challenge your friends and to be willing to listen to their challenges. Accountability, exhortation, discipleship, forgiveness, humility and grace will help us all serve Christ with more joy.

Are You a Real Friend? Part 2

If you are going to have the kind of friends that the Bible says that we all need, then you're going to have to wrestle with the counter intuitive nature of Christianity. So much of the Christian life is out of step with the way the way world works or how we naturally think on our own. It even seems to run against what we might call "common sense."

For example, both our own nature and the wider culture affirm the one who gains the world while Jesus affirms the one who loses their life. Or we are repeatedly told that the road to greatness is paved in fairly traditional and self-serving ways but Jesus teaches that greatness is attained through servanthood. It's a huge step of faith in God to find your life by losing it or to serve your way to greatness.
Read the rest.

Are You A Real Friend

2010-05-05T22:11:00.000-04:00

A good post from "Every Square Inch". Well worth the read of this and its follow up (part 2). This is a subject that has been on my mind lately. I currently don't seem to have a friend like this in my life. Seems to me that every Christian should have a good biblically grounded friendship. Proverbs 27:17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Two things stand out from this verse. 1) Iron upon iron has a mutual effect that both pieces get sharpened. So two both friends grw and encourage one another. 2) The sharpening of the iron does require contact. Sparks will fly. Likewise we need to be willing to generate some friction and sparks in a friendship for there to be a mutual sharpening.

Few of us have the kind of friends that the Bible says that we need. That's because what passes for friendship today is often a cheap imitation of the real thing.

I'd guess that there are all kinds of reasons that meaningful friendship is harder to find in the modern world. There are the usual culprits such as busyness and technology ranging from HD televisions that make everything fun to watch to text messaging.

But I think that there are deeper reasons that are more interesting.
Proverbs 27:6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.According to this verse we often get our friends and enemies confused. Sounds weird doesn't it? Who would be dumb enough to think that their friend is an enemy and their enemy a friend? Well I guess most (or all) of us at one time or another.

According to the book of Proverbs, a true friend will occasionally wound you. Now think about that for just a moment. A wound hurts. It isn't pleasant. It might take some time to recover from. No one wakes up in the morning and says, "I sure hope that I get wounded today!"

Read the rest

All I Have Is Christ

2010-05-03T19:24:00.000-04:00

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.

I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will.
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.

And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.

Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose.
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI), by Jordan Kauflin

Christ Centered Evangelism

2010-04-29T20:22:00.000-04:00

Ever heard a presentation of the Gospel that went something like this? Or perhaps you have approached evangelism this way yourself?

“We all know who God is don’t we? He’s the Big Guy and you’ve been avoiding Him haven’t you? Allow me to latch onto some guilt feelings you’ve experienced. Let me call that ‘conviction of sin’. And now let me promise relief from those feelings if you’ll only return to the Big Guy and bring this speech with you. I guarantee it’ll work (becausetherewasthisthingcalledthecrosswhichyoudon’tneedtoknowaboutnow butIneedtocrowbaritinbecausethesewordsaremagic). Anyway, the ball is now in your court. It’s all down to you. If you’re up to the challenge, carefully repeat this prayer after me…” The whole paradigm is one in which “God” is taken for granted, Jesus is a helpful mechanism to fix the guilt problem but the real Name above all names is Decision before Whom all must bow in self-willed surrender. Almighty Decision towers above you, are you equal to His call?

I stumbled upon this blog post on Christ The Truth. I am convinced that evangelism is a responsibility of every Christian. The presentation of the Gospel message with a heavy handed call to a quick decision often sounds like a Tommy Mayes sales pitch for Oxyclean or Miracle Wax. There are some good reasons for changing our methods besides the obvious that they often turn people away from our message. And besides if we are successful that way are we really drawing people to Christ or simply creating a temporary fix for the twinge of guilt that we suggested?

When we focus instead on Christ and who he is there are some major advantages.
"Decision is dethroned. We don’t so much tell the world to believe in Jesus. Far more than this, we tell the world about Jesus such that they do believe (Steve Holmes). Because faith is a response to contemplating Christ. The spotlight does not fall on the listener and their willingness to summon up the necessary response. The spotlight falls on Christ Himself."

Read the post here on Christ The Truth
http://christthetruth.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/christ-centred-evangelism/

Discouragement is the sorrow of loving self- Encouragement the joy of giving love to others - By Mike T.

2010-04-22T19:56:00.000-04:00

Recently I was in one of those really dark moods where everything seems hopeless and my faith in others turned to disdain. I could not see anything positive or joyful about life and no reason to trust or desire the company of others. While my mind considered low thoughts of family and friends I really began to doubt that God cared about my sorrows or needs and for sure most others were too self absorbed to care if I was hurting. My stomach turned sour, my thoughts jumped around, my heart beat loudly, and loneliness crept in and covered me like a thick blanket. What began to turn things around was the prayer list. My wife brought the bulletin back from church. I had been too depressed and discouraged to go that Sunday. As I wallowed in pity and even anger I restlessly scanned the bulletin. Pretty much the same old stuff and little hope that the church would offer any opportunities to pick up my spirits. Then I saw it... a prayer request for someone with cancer. And another with cancer and another with a serious health concern. Talk about conviction. I was being discouraged but maybe my reasoning for being so was less commendable than I believed it to be. Loneliness and dejection were some pretty good reasons to feel down a moment ago. But here God was showing me that I was focused too much on self and not enough on the others that my sorrow preferred to blame my misery. The people listed in the prayer requests needed encouragement and to know that others cared about their burdens and trials. To intercede on behalf of the sick and hurting is an opportunity for joy. To offer a hand to the needy, to visit those in jail or write a letter of encouragement is to delight in the grace of God. I felt ashamed to have been so focused on my self. The worst thing about loneliness is that it brings us to sorrow for self love. Discouragement is the sorrow of self love. Encouragement is the joy of giving love to others. Reach out when you feel down. Help a neighbor who is sick. Visit an elderly shut-in. Bring some groceries to someone without transportation. Send a note to someone in prison. Call up someone on the prayer list and let them know that you are praying for them. Tell a coworker about the Love of God demonstrated by Christ's bearing sin on the cross.

2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [1] 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, [2] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's [3] proven worth, how as a son [4] with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. Phil 2:1-30

You are Christ's, and Christ is God's 1 Cor 3:1-23 - By Mike T.

2010-04-20T19:56:00.000-04:00

I read 1 Corinthians 3 today. The following prayer arose from this meditation and continues the series on praying through 1 Corinthians.

Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. Each will receive his wages according to his labor. Lord, we often grumble and complain and want to be recognized for the labor that we have done for your kingdom. Though we do good and the Gospel is proclaimed and advanced we forget that it is by your grace that it goes forth. We want to be first, we want to be given accolades for our service, to be patted on the back and to take credit for the growth. This attitude our Lord condemned in his parable from Mathew 20. We should not expect rewards and recognition for the service we render unto the kingdom. Our Lord has called us and makes us worthy by the blood of Christ. It is all of grace and we can not boast. Whether we labor for 12 hours or only the last hour we owe it all to Christ. It is a priviledge to serve the King for His glory, not for our sakes. Let us put aside jealousies and self and work with humility and love to serve the Gospel that others will be brought into fellowship by Christ's good grace to serve and honor and glory God alone.

Let us remember that the church is yours and it is called to holiness. We must serve you as your holy people and put aside the strife and conflicts and self ambition. Lord we pray that you will remind us who's we are... for we are Christ's and Christ is God's. That is the security we have. Not in men and wise doctrine or fancy presentations or inspirational music or comfortable pews. Can we be content to be yours meeting in your presence while sitting on a hard log in a hot open space but with surrounded by your children and those who worship and love and serve you. May the foundation of our churches (your church) and our hope be Christ. May we not build a gospel on anything else. AMEN!

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
(1Co 3:1-23 ESV)

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.' And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' So the last will be first, and the first last."
(Mat 20:1-16 ESV)

The Message Of The Gospel Is Not Behave

2010-04-20T19:23:00.000-04:00

Check out this post on 'The Gospel Driven Church' which hits the nail right on the head. This is as close as I will ever get to a political topic on this blog. I think you will see why. Because I agree with the author of this post. Christ crucified is the message that the Christian church must proclaim.

The message of the gospel is not "Behave!"

But that is the message American evangelicalism -- Southern and Northeastern, and most other places -- has been proclaiming. It is at its heart pharisaical.

We are called to preach not moralism but Christ crucified, foolishness to American culture and a stumbling block to American Christians.

http://gospeldrivenchurch.blogspot.com/2010/04/message-of-gospel-is-not-behave.html

A Christian Looks at Depression

2010-04-19T20:48:00.000-04:00

A couple of video posts on clinical depression from "The Parchment and the Pen". Christians don't like to talk about this problem but many experience it and must learn how to deal with it. Spurgeon, Cowper, Luther all went through bouts of depression. So you are not alone. "It is a joyless black hole" and those going through it need our help and prayers. The author of the blog is currently experiencing this dark and frightening period of life. Please pray for C. Michael Patton and others like him.

http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2010/04/a-christian-looks-at-depression/

Pray Without Ceasing - (Puritan Ezekiel Hopkins on Prayer)- By Mike T.

2010-04-19T18:32:00.000-04:00

I have been reading a puritan devotional entitled 'Voices From The Past'. Today's reading was based upon Ezekiel Hopkins sermon from 1 Thes 5:17. I have posted a little piece of this writing as it appears online. I have modified it somewhat for length and readability. I hope you enjoy it.

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thes 5:17

To pray without ceasing is not always to be actually engaged in this duty of prayer; either orally, verbally, or mentally: it is not that all other duties shall be swallowed up and give place unto prayer. Yea, although prayer be so spiritual and so heavenly a duty, yet we are not to neglect the duties of our particular callings, only that we may have the more time for prayer: God hath divided out the work, and hath given unto every thing its season, in which alone it is beautiful. Prayer makes melody in God's ears, then only when it is well timed: when we justle out one duty by another, beside the sinful omission of what we should perform, that, which we do perform, becomes unacceptable, because unseasonable. Neither can we hope that that prayer will prevail with God, which appea;s before him guilty of the death and murder, if I may so phase it, of other duties. This, therefore, cannot be the meaning of it, that we should do nothing but pray. That may be said to be done without ceasing, which is done constantly, and at set times and seasons.

To pray without ceasing, is to pray with all importunity and vehemency. So, in Acts xii. 5. the Church is said to pray for St. Peter without ceasing: that is, they were very earnest and importunate, and would give God no rest until he heard them.

To pray without ceasing, is to take all occasions, at every turn, to be darting up our souls unto God in holy meditations. And this we may and ought to do, when we hear or read the word, or whatever duty of religion we are engaged about: per,
this we may and ought to do, in our worldly employments.

If your hearts and affections be heavenly, your thoughts will force out a passage, through the crowd and tumult of worldly businesses, to heaven. For there is a holy mystery in pointing our earthly employments with these heavenly arrows, as men point their writings sometimes with stops ; ever now and then shooting up a short mental prayer unto heaven : such pauses as these are you will find to be no impediments to your worldy affairs. This is the way for a Christian to be retired and private, in the midst of a multitude; to turn his shop or his field into a closet; to trade for earth, and yet to get haven also into the bargain. So we read of Nehemiah 5.4. that, while the king was discoursing to him of the state, of Judea, Nehemiah prayed unto God: that is, he sent up secret prayers to God, which, though they escaped the king's notice and observation, yet were so prevalent as to bow and incline his heart.

And that is this : we may then be said to pray without ceasing, when we keep our hearts in such a frame, as that we are fit at all times to vent ourselves before God in prayer. When we keep alive and cherish a praying spirit and can, upon all opportunities, draw near to God, with full souls and with quick and vigorous affections: this is to pray without ceasing.

And this I take to be the most genuine, natural sense of the words, and the true hope of the Apostle here; to have the habit of prayer, inclining them always freely and sweetly to breathe out their requests unto God, and to take all occasions to
prostrate themselves before his Throne of Grace.

Now those, who would maintain this praying temper, must be especially careful of Two things. That they do not too much engulf themselves in the Businesses and Pleasures of this life. For this will exceedingly damp and deaden the heart to this holy duty. As earth, cast upon the fire, puts it out; so the world, when it is spread over the affections, must needs stifle and extinguish that holy flame, which should ascend up to heaven. How hard is it for a man, who oppresseth himself with a heap of businesses, to raise his heart uhto God under all that load! How hard is it for those, who let out their hearts thus to and fro, a thousand ways, to summon them in the next moment to attend upon God, with that awful and serious frame which becomes all those who appear before him! When we come to prayer reaking hot out of the affairs of this world, we find our hearts subject to manifold distractions and discomposures; and our thoughts scattered like bees, still flying from one flower to another, still bringing some intelligence from worldly objects, even then when we are about divine employments.

If you would maintain a praying temper of soul, be careful not to fall into the commission of any known, presumptuous Sin. The guilt of sin lying upon the conscience, will exceedingly deaden the heart to prayer. Alas how can we go to God with any freedom of spirit; how can we call him Father, with any boldness and confidence ; while we are conscious to ourselves, that we have daringly provoked him by some wilful offence? I may appeal to your own experience in this: do not your consciences fly in your faces? do they not take you by the throat and even choke your speech, while you are praying, with some such suggestions as these? "What! can I pray for the pardon of sin, who frequently commit that, which I know to be sin. Shall I dare to lift up unclean hands before his pure and holy eyes, or to speak to him in prayer, when as those sins, which rankle and fester in my conscience, must needs make my breath unsavory and noisome to him? Will the Lord hear such prayers, or, if he doth hear them, will he not accouut them an abomination?" You now, whose consciences thus accuse you, do you not find such reflections as these to be great deadenings to your hearts, great damps to duty, and clippings of the wings of the Spirit of God and takings-off of the wheels of the soul, so that it drives on but slowly and heavily in the performance of that duty? Certainly, guilt is the greatest impediment to duty in the world: for it takes off from the freeness and filialness of our spirits ; and fills us with distrust, diffidence, and a slavish fear of coming before God, rather as our Judge than as our Father. And therefore we find, that, as soon as Adam had sinned against his Maker, he hid himself from him: yea, and we may observe in ourselves, what a slavish dejectedness and deadness seizeth upon us, when we come to God ip duty, after we have wronged him by any known sin: how doth this make us come with such misgiving fears, as if we would not have God to take notice that we were in his presence ; making us to be continually in pain until the duty be done!

And, thus, you see -what it is to pray without ceasing. It is to pray constantly, at set times and seasons: it is to pray importunately and vehemently: it is, upon all occasions, to be sending up holy petitions unto God: and, especially, to keep alive and sherish a praying frame of heart; which whosoever would do, he must beware of immerging himself in the, world, and of committing any known and presumptuous sin.

Ezekiel Hopkins; Works Volume 4; pp. 503-506

Dealing with Doubt

2010-04-17T19:53:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple of articles that I picked up on today. I am currently experiencing a great level of doubt about faith and spiritual matters. I can honestly say that I hope that something happens to turn it around. I am not one to take such things lightly and am reading two books right now that I had hoped would help. "Spiritual Depression (its causes and cure)"-by Martin Lloyd Jones which is a classic work in this area. The other book is "The Reason For God" by Tim Keller.
Above all the prayers of others may help. I can't pray myself at this time.

View the Parchment and Pen series of articles on doubt.

http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2010/04/memorize-these-two-verses-and-call-me-in-the-morning-or-dealing-with-doubt-part-2/

http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2010/04/help-for-christians-dealing-with-doubt-1/

Won or Lost on Saturday Night

2010-04-10T22:05:00.000-04:00

Won or Lost on Saturday Night

This quote on TakeYourVitaminZ by his guest blogger Darryl Dash raises the bar back where it belongs for the night before the Sabath. This generation of Christians is rather lazy when it comes to spiritual preparation. I find it very challenging and worthy of consideration.

Good advice from J.I. Packer in A Quest for Godliness:

Preparing the heart is the most important matter of all, for the Lord's Day is pre-eminently "a day for heart-work." From this point of view, the battle for our Sundays is usually won or lost on the foregoing Saturday night, when time should be set aside for self-examination, confession and prayer for the coming day. Richard Baxter's young people's fellowship used to spend three hours each Saturday evening preparing together for the Sabbath in this way. "If thou wouldst thus leave thy heart with God on the Saturday night," Swinnock assures us, "thou shouldest find it with him in the Lord's-day morning." The last rule for preparation comes from the supremely practical mind of Richard Baxter: "Go seasonably to bed, that you may not be sleepy on the Lord's Day."

Dealing With Disappointment in the Church (3)

2010-04-10T21:41:00.001-04:00

Here is the third part of Kevin DeYoung's series on "Dealing with Disappointment In the Church". This time from the perspective of the individual members. This is perhaps the most useful section for me as I am just a member of my local church. Disppointment happens. I have experienced. I have heard others express it. Fact is that we are not perfect and can not be in this life. Others disppoint us and we disappoint others. If I look at it from the pastor's perspective I would say that there must be time they shake their heads in disbelief that 'these people just don't get it. Didn't they hear the sermon last Sunday?' Much the same as Jesus dealing with the dim witted apparent slowness of his disciples who had in Him right there in their midst and often blew it. Thank God for His Grace.

Dealing With Disappointment in the Church (3)

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Dealing With Disappointment in the Church (2)

2010-04-10T21:40:00.001-04:00

Here is the second part of Kevin DeYoung's series on 'Dealing with Disappointment In the Church". This time reflecting on the questions leadership should ask in dealing with this subject.

Dealing With Disappointment in the Church (2)

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Dealing With Disappointment in the Church (1)- Kevin DeYoung

2010-04-07T20:20:00.001-04:00

Here is a new series by Kevin DeYoung that I am interested in seeing where it goes.

This is a problem I myself struggle with and recognize that there are two sides to every situation.

Dealing With Disappointment in the Church (1)

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1 Co 2:1-5 Nothing Except Jesus Christ and Him Crucified- Mike T.

2010-04-06T20:20:00.001-04:00

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
(1Co 2:1-5 ESV)

These recent posts reflect the prayers that I have shared with the Lord as I have been reading 1 Corinthians. The study has been rich with new understanding and hope.

I pray for the ministers of the gospel. They have been called and purposed by God to do as the apostle Paul. Lord, please lift up these men and women that they be of a singular heart; that the center and focus of their work and ministry be on Jesus Christ and him crucified. The faith of the Christian is founded in Christ and the apostle always recognized the cross. The Lord Jesus and the cross go hand-in-hand. May they faithfully witness and proclaim the majesty of a saviour who did in fact die on the behalf of our sins to make atonement. Help the leaders of your church to not be afraid to proclaim the gospel in all of its splendor. In this gospel message God by his spirit saves the lost. May they not rely on their gifts and education and popularity and esteem but humbly proclaim simply Jesus and him crucified for the power of God becomes evident not in the eloquent delivery or the perfect blend of music and atmosphere but in the work of the spirit as the word goes out. Let us focus on our saviour and His work and let that be our message. Subdue our pride and our desire to rely on our wisdom and gifts. Help us to be like Paul to speak the words you called us to proclaim. Get rid of all the stuff we try to add to it.

Lord when we are faithful to your calling as the apostle Paul grant that your spirit would go forth and open the ears, eyes and hearts of those who so deperately need a saviour. As we are faithful to this message of Jesus Christ and him crucified you will act 'in demonstration of the Spirit and of power' to the conversion of sinners from among all classes, ages, and conditions when by all human estimate nothing could be done; that your saints will find peace, joy and happiness as their lives are transformed; that will we see the changes as they become different people - in making the drunkard sober, the thief honest, the pervert pure, the profane reverent, the lazy industrious, the harsh kind, the anxious peaceful. All this is the effect of the Gospel message; the work of Christ; the cross. When we rely on God and his power and not in our efforts then God is glorified and his power demonstrated. The gospel has thus evidenced from age to age that it is from God. Every converted sinner furnishes such a demonstration; and every instance where it produces peace, hope, joy, shows that it is from heaven.
AMEN!!!

1 Cor 1:13-31 A prayer for all who believe they are wise - Mike T.

2010-04-04T20:06:00.000-04:00

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
(1Co 1:13-31 ESV)

Lord Jesus we pray for the pastors of your church. Be with them that they would have the same heart as Paul and not be concerned with establishing a legacy, a building, a large congregation, accolades but that the gospel be preached to the lost. Today we look at our neighbors, collegues, friends, relatives and all those we come in contact with. For there are two classes of individuals in this world. Those who believe and are saved by the work of Jesus and those who do not believe and are perishing. We are called to proclaim to all men the grace of the gospel message and some will find it foolishness and reject its claim that the death of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection has provided an atonement for their sins. Some will embrace this gospel and be saved. In all of the work of saving men and women's souls it is God's work through and through. Not the work of men, not because of their eloquent words and slick arguments, but the Spirit of God that works to open their eyes and ears to this which before would sound foolish. Lord open our eyes and ears to your Gospel that we would embrace Jesus as our savior and redeemer; as King and our righteousness. May we not succumb to the foolish arguments of men who have their senses dulled and can not see or discern your marvelous grace and mercy that has been give to those in Christ Jesus. And above all let us boast only in Christ for we in and of ourselves have contributed nothing to our salvation which has been bought entirely and wholey by the blood of Jesus Christ. AMEN

1 Corintians 1:1-12 A Prayer For All Who Call On The NAME Of The Lord Jesus

2010-04-03T21:14:00.000-04:00

Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge-- even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ."
(1Co 1:1-12 ESV)

What distinguishes the Christian church from any other institution is the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wrote this letter specifically to the church in Corinth but he had in mind all those who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus in worship and unto salvation. We find fellowship with other saints throughout the world and in our own corner of the world because we all share in the worship and devotion to Jesus.

Lord it is a comfort to know that throughout this world, in China, Ethiopia, Iraq, Korea, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, North America and in all places there are those who you have called and set aside and made holy by the precious work of Jesus Christ our Savior. You have established your church with Christ as the head and adopted a people who though they were sinners you have sanctified and made them saints in Christ and you promise us that you will bring us to the end, guiltless in the day of the Lord Jesus. You have given us your word that is spoken and as a testimony to the marvelous grace that is in Jesus Christ and you have made us knowledgeable of these great truths found in the Gospel. Oh that we would honor you with our testimony and by our actions. Unite us in purpose that others may be told of this Gospel, that there is no other name that we may be saved but the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. All other ways, all other efforts, all other gods, all other roads are false and lead only to destruction. Save us unto life and bring us to know and worship the true God. Lord you are faithful and you will sustain your holy people. Your saints will face hard times and trials and suffering for your sake but you are a faithful and righteous God and in you we trust. Thank you for your church and the body of believers that we share fellowship with Jesus. Let us worship in reverence and joy and remember the grace by which you established us as your saints and your possession for all eternity. AMEN.

Joining Tim Challies in 'Reading Through The Classics Together'

2010-04-01T20:39:00.000-04:00

On Challies.com he is doing the Thursday 'Reading the classics together' again with a new book. This time the book is The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes. I am planning on joining in the discussion. I have seen some of Richard Sibbes in the devotional that I started this year entitled 'Voices from the Past'. If you want to have fun and grow in your Christian walk join Tim Challies and the rest of the readers as we tackle this wonderful book. It is available for free online or you can pick it up for less than 5 bucks. I downloaded a PDF copy that is part of The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes Vol 1. Hope to see you there!

Why I Don't Like "Once Save Always Saved" by C. Michael Patton

2010-03-29T17:41:00.000-04:00

In his blog "Parchment and the Pen" C. Michael Patton provides a thought provoking story about the misunderstanding of the doctrine of eternal security. In his article he describes an unusual race. We can do people more harm than good in their growing faith if we don't follow through completely in discipling new believers so that they know that they are saved. Read the whole blog by clicking here.

“In a town of ultimate boredom called Mundane, there was a great announcement. It was the announcement of a race. A great race that all could enter. A race that would rescue them from boredom. Most people did not believe that such an event would be held in Mundane so they scoffed. Others immediately prepared with great enthusiasm and joy.

Both the scoffers and the enthusiasts arrived at the appointed place on the day of the race. The scoffers sat and watched while the others prepared to run by stretching and making sure their shoes were tied. They lined up looking ahead with the intensity, fear, and excitement that accompanied such an event.

The gun sounded and off they went. Yet something very curious and unexplainable happened. They all stopped running after they had passed the starting line. Not only this, but they acted very peculiar. One person fell on his knees crying, thanking God that he crossed the starting line. Others gave each other high fives and hugs shouting, “Hooray, we are now race runners, we are now race runners.” Some shook hands and congratulated each other. One group relaxed and complemented one another on how well they crossed the starting line. Five or six others all gathered together and formed a prayer circle. They prayed that others would cross the starting line as they had.

Many others wanted to experience this joy so they decided to start the race as well. They were immediately stopped by the well-wishers who had started before them. They decided to stay as well. After a few days, there were people handing out pamphlets along with a certificate to all those who crossed the starting line. The pamphlet told them that once they had started the race they were guaranteed to finish. The certificate was to recognize their achievement in finishing the race even before they finished. It became very high on the agenda of all the race runners to make sure that people who had started knew of their assurance of completion. So much so that there was a printing press built right at the starting gate which produced millions of the pamphlets.

After a few months, there were so many who had crossed the starting line that they decided to build a town right there. They called this town “Starting Line Village.”

The spectators were confused. “I thought a race had to be finished,” they said to one another. They interviewed the people of Starting Line Village. “Why did you start the race and not continue?” they would ask. This made the people of Starting Line Village very uncomfortable. They would immediately show their certificate saying that they were guaranteed to finish. When people would encourage them to run the rest of the race, they would be ridiculed for not trusting the pamphlet. They were called legalists and were accused of trusting too much in their own ability to finish the race rather than the words on the pamphlet.

Please visit Parchment and Pen for C. Michael Patton's article and more on this parable.

"Take Words With You"

2010-03-27T19:46:00.000-04:00

Free little book on scriptural promises available. This little book is a neat little guide for your prayer life.

If you struggle to find the words when you pray try this little book to give you some ideas.

Visit the link above where you can find more about the book and down load a copy of it.

Church matters

2010-03-23T20:52:00.001-04:00

For a man to argue, "I do not go to church; I pray alone," is no wiser than if he should say, "I have no use for symphonies; I believe only in solo music."

George A. Buttrick

PSALM 12 - Mike T.

2010-03-19T22:51:00.000-04:00

Psa 12:1-8 ESV

I. THE WORDS OF THE WICKED
(1) To the choirmaster: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. There are times when those who love God and want to be faithful to him really do feel alone.
(2) Everyone utters lies (empty words/ insincere words/ irresponsibile words )to his neighbor; The times are so bad that everyone’s words can no longer be trusted. There is no integrity with flattering lips They flatter/words with false motives and pretenses and a double heart they speak. Literally ‘they speak with a heart and a heart’ a Hebrew way of saying they talk out of both sides of their mouth.
(3) May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, They boast.
(4) those who say, "With our tongue we will prevail, the philosophy that winning justifies deceit our lips are with us; the idea that they have the right to say anything they please who is master over us?" A denial of any higher standard or accountability

II. THE WORDS OF THE LORD
(5) "Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise," says the LORD; "I will place him in the safety for which he longs." The Lord will not allow justice to be perverted forever. In spite of the boasts of the wicked there is a higher standard and accountability
(6) The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. "The Bible has passed through the furnace of persecution, literary criticism, philosophic doubt, and scientific discovery, and has lost nothing but those human interpretations which clung to it as alloy to precious ore. The experience of saints has tried it in every conceivable manner, but not a single doctrine or promise has been consumed in the most excessive heat." – Charles Spurgeon The Biblical standards reflect the words of God, not man and are proven to be trustworthy.

THE RESPONSE OF THE PSALMIST
(7) You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. God’s Word ensures that He will keep his own.
(8) On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man. The wicked are still freely strutting about. Lying, flattery, deceit and boasting have not ceased. 'vileness is exalted' see Rom 1:21-31. What has changed is the Psalmist. He has heard God’s answer that regardless of what others do, he can rely on the word of the reliable God.

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I continue to read James Boice's commentary on Psalms. Tonight I looked at Psalm 12. Above are my notes based upon Boice's exposition. This Psalm is how one might pray when reading through Romans chapter 1. Lord help us to trust your unfailing, pure, reliable and Holy Word. When those around us deny that they are accountable to you remind us that your Word speaks for you and all people whether they acknowledge you in their speech or their actions will one day be held to your righteous standards. Help us to turn to Christ our saviour who on account of His perfect obedience has made us righteous in your sight. Praise God the defender of the needy and the oppressed, who guard generations forever. Help us to glorify you in our own words and deeds. Wash us clean from the filth that pollutes our lives and make us Holy to serve and honor you in this fallen and depraved world. Thank you for your grace. AMEN.

Random Notes of the Day

2010-03-17T19:51:00.000-04:00

Continue to pray for Christians in Nigeria where a masacre left 100's dead.

Finished a pretty good book called "The Cross Gardener" by Jason F. Wright. I couldn't put it down. Just a nice work of fiction that stirs up some emotions and thoughts about the process of healing after losing a loved one.

Reading through the Psalms and accessing some commentaries along the way such as James Montgomery Boice's volume one on Psalms. I currently finished Psalm 8 last night. I can't fathom how so many can look at the creation around them and not come to give glory to God. He placed us here as stewards over a most wonderful and amazing creation. In the grand scheme of creation we received a special honor of authority over the beasts of this world. And in it all we are purposed to praise and glorify our creator. How insignificant I feel in relation to the one who placed the stars in the sky with His fingertips. So no, I am not shaken by stories of fossil records of apelike ancestors or rocks that are carbon dated to be eons old. Suns don't expel light and heat and exert gravity and planets don't revolve in perfect synchronization by random cosmic forces. Cells don't develop self sustaining production mechanisms from lifeless inorganic materials. No one can conceive a rational thought just because some chemicals arranged themselves in such a way as to store, process, and retrieve information. And what of emotions, feelings, love, art and creativity? Are they the mere consequence of a sporadic evolutionary process that simply benefited the selection process? I find such ideas absurd and evidence of blindness. Science that denies the existence of God will one day be found to be based upon false theories and incomplete understanding of the facts. The scientist who accepts random chaotic processes can create a complex organized universe will one day find that they might as well been trying to play an impossible game of Concentration. A small piece of a large puzzle is revealed in that game and one has to guess based upon the revealed clues what is behind the blocks that hide the rest. The scientist will find out that he only had a couple of microscopic glimpses of a bigger picture that spanned infinitely in all directions. When the puzzle is finally revealed he will find out that what he thought was the jawbone of an ancient ancestor of man was actually the posterior of something else. I accept the Psalmist's assertion that 1) A majestic God created all things. 2) God created and placed mankind purposely in this creation and established him on earth in the highest position below his creator, a place of special significance and benefit and responsibility. 3) There is an established order and hierarchy and man ranks subbordinate to God and subject to Him. 4) Man can only be amazed that God granted him this place in this marvelous and most beautiful world. Why God loved us and bestowed this world to us is an obvious question. It made the Pslamist break out in praise. What else can the wise do? In the end I believe that the truth will be shown that there is truly a God and all will say how majestic is His name!

Psalm 8- Mike T.

2010-03-17T18:22:00.000-04:00

Psa 8:1-9 ESV
(1) To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
(2) Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
(3) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
(4) what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
(5) Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
(6) You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,
(7) all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
(8) the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
(9) O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Sometimes I am astonished that anyone can look around at creation and resolve that there is an another explanation besides God. Psalm 8 describes man's rightful place in the universe as a creature, beautifully made in God's image.

Don't ask about our meetings

2010-03-11T18:38:00.000-05:00

The following post by Tim Chester makes a good point...
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For many Christians church is an event. It is a meeting you attend or a place you enter. Churches may talk about being a family, but most of their resources go into the Sunday morning event. Acquiring a building. Preparing the sermon. Producing the bulletin. Equipping a venue with sound and light. Planning the show. Practicing the band. That’s were their money and their staff time go. We talk about being family and community, but when you look at how we spend our time and money it becomes clear that in practice we view church as an event.

People often ask me about our meetings. ‘When do you meet? Where? What do you do when you meet together?’ But if you ask those questions then you have completely missed the point! We’re not advocating a new way of doing meetings. Actually our meetings are not good! The music is poor and the teaching is nothing you’d go out of your way to hear. What matters to us is our shared life: sharing our lives, doing ordinary life with gospel intentionality.

The church will never out perform TV shows and music videos. But there is nothing like the community life of the church. There is nowhere else where diverse people come together. There is nowhere else were broken people find a home. There is nowhere else when grace is experienced. There is nowhere else where God is present by his Spirit.

Read the original link

Community and exhortation - Tim Chester

2010-03-11T18:30:00.000-05:00

This is a pretty good post on Church discipline by Tim Chester.
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We need to think of church discipline not simply as a final act of excommunication, but as a lifestyle of discipleship.
If I’m moaning, I need someone to challenge me to find joy in Christ. If I’m anxious, I need someone to exhort me to trust in my heavenly Father’s care. If I’m ashamed, I need someone to comfort me with the grace of God. It might be a leader; it might be a new Christian. It might be in a scheduled meeting; it might be as we tend someone’s garden together.

Click here to read the whole post.

An Evening Prayer - Mike T.

2010-03-09T21:56:00.000-05:00

Psa 4:1-8 ESV
(1) To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
(2) O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
(3) But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.
(4) Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
(5) Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.
(6) There are many who say, "Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!"
(7) You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.
(8) In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

There is obvious real distress that has caused David to turn to God in prayer. This seems to be likely due to men of influence who press some false accusation, some effort to call into question David’s character. He recognizes that relief comes from God. He comes asking God to be gracious. This is a humble and expectant hope that God will hear and answer his prayer like He has done in the past. He recognizes that before God he is a sinner in need of mercy. It is almost as David turns to prayer before God that he speaks to his enemies, to call out to them that they would know what David knows. The believer knows that the Lord sets apart the godly for himself. He can rest confidently and securely knowing that God having called him will not abandon him. There is a two fold understanding of God’s righteousness that David acknowledges. One is that the godly are secure and protected and can rely upon their God while the ungodly and their plans will surely be defeated. God is just and righteous. He will always prevail against His enemies and uphold the righteous who are His own. This promotes peace and confidence for the believer’s heart. But it also causes the believer to desire to call the unrighteous toward repentance. We must pray for our enemies and desire that they would too acknowledge the righteous God. David tells them to stand in awe (tremble) before God and do not sin. Those who do not know God find such a statement absurd. They fill their days seeking their own pleasure and the destruction of others. They deny the existence and/or the authority of God to call them to righteousness. If they would tremble before His might they might be silent and see that their hearts are opposed to God’s rule and authority. While preoccupied with sin and pursuit of their own passions they drown out the voice that would allow them to stop and listen to the one who made them. It is a restless journey and the one on it does not want to slow down or quiet the sounds which hide the soul from the heart. To stop is to face God who they rebel against. If they face this God who instills fear they must stop moving away from Him. That noise and activity that drowns out the heart must be quieted in order to lay bare the sin that hides within. All men are in need of reckoning of their sin, to be silent and stop and ponder. A failure to be still and be quiet is one way many avoid coming to repentance. If the mind is busy and the soul is never quiet the sounds of the heart are drowned out by the incessant noise. One must take time to make silent the noises and distractions of the day and to let the pour soul speak to your heart before you seal its fate for all eternity.
When the soul is quiet and the heart is laid bare then the ways of the past are exposed and can be replaced with a desire to be made right with God once more. In David’s time the sinner sought atonement via sacrifice, a picture of salvation to come in Christ. The believer today relies upon the atonement provided by Jesus on the cross. Then there is joy, peace, security for the soul. Enemies are no longer a threat for those who serve a righteous God. He has rescued us from the greatest enemy that of our own sin. He has bought and redeemed us with His blood. We trust in a mighty God and Savior. David desired that his enemies would turn to God and trust in Him that they would know the joy and peace and security that bless the godly and that they would bring glory to God. We can go to bed tonight confident that the things that trouble us can be given to God, that He will deal with the unrighteous and uphold the godly. Yesterday and tomorrow are in His hands.

“Sinner, is thy heart at rest?
Is thy bosom void of fear?
Art thou not by guilt oppress'd?
Speaks hot conscience in thine ear?
Can this world afford thee bliss?
Can it chase away thy gloom?
Flattering, false, and vain it is;
Tremble at the worldling's doom!
Think, O sinner, on thy end,
See the judgment-day appear,
Thither must thy spirit wend,
There thy righteous sentence hear.
Wretched, ruin'd, helpless soul,
To a Saviour's blood apply;
He alone can make thee whole,
Fly to Jesus, sinner, fly!”

Psalm 3

2010-03-08T20:36:00.000-05:00

BuzzardBlog posting on Psalm 3

Psalm 3 Post

Grace Unmeasured, Bob Kauflin

2010-03-08T20:20:00.001-05:00

Grace unmeasured, vast and free
That knew me from eternity
That called me out before my birth
To bring you glory on this earth
Grace amazing, pure and deep
That saw me in my misery
That took my curse and owned my blame
So I could bear your matchless Name

Grace, grace, grace, paid for my sins
And brought me to life
Grace, grace, grace, clothes me with power
To do what is right
Grace, grace, grace will lead me to heav’n
Where I’ll see your face
And never cease to thank you for your grace

Grace abounding, strong and true
That makes me long to be like you
That turns me from my selfish pride
To love the cross on which you died
Grace unending all my days
You give me strength to run this race
And when my years on earth are through
The praise will all belong to you

Please Pray for Christians In Nigeria

2010-03-08T18:59:00.000-05:00

In our relatively easy and prosperous lives we often have a warped perspective of what hardship is. Hundreds of Christian brothers and sisters around the world suffer persecution and even death for their faith. Please take some time to get familiar with the plight of those in Nigeria who are being killed for their faith. Over 500 were killed in violence aimed directly at those of Christian faith were attacked, many of whom were women and children. Reports indicated that women and children were caught in animal traps and nets and hacked to death with machetes.

The death toll was initially put at a little over 100 but then shot up. The information ministry said pregnant women were among those killed and around 200 people were being treated in hospital.

"We have over 500 killed in three villages and the survivors are busy burying their dead," said state information commissioner Gregory Yenlong.

"People were attacked with axes, daggers and cutlasses -- many of them children, the aged and pregnant women."

Survivors wail as children, women buried in Nigeria

Much of the violence was centred around the village of Dogo Nahawa, where gangs set fire to straw-thatched mud huts as they went on their rampage.

Read more

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Thabiti on community

2010-03-03T19:53:00.001-05:00

Thabiti Anyabwile, from his post, The Redundancy of “Radical Discipleship”:

I think my walk with Christ took a step in a more radical direction when I began to live actively in a church community. When the local church really became a family I was committed to, nominalism simply ceased to be a viable option. You can’t walk together with other saints, commit yourself to the cross-carrying “one anothers” of Scripture, and remain a lukewarm disciple.
(HT: Doug Wolter)

2010-02-25T19:06:00.001-05:00

O How the Grace of God Amazes Me

O how the grace of God
Amazes me!
It loosed me from my bonds
And set me free!
What made it happen so?
His own will, this much I know,
Set me, as now I show,
At liberty.

My God has chosen me,
Though one of nought,
To sit beside my King
In heaven’s court.
Hear what my Lord has done
O, the love that made him run
To meet his erring son!
This has God wrought.

Not for my righteousness,
For I have none,
But for his mercy’s sake,
Jesus, God’s Son,
Suffered on Calvary’s tree—
Crucified with thieves was he—
Great was his grace to me,
His wayward one.

And when I think of how,
At Calvary,
He bore sin’s penalty
Instead of me,
Amazed, I wonder why
He, the sinless One, should die
For one so vile as I;
My Savior he!

Now all my heart’s desire
Is to abide
In him, my Savior dear,
In him to hide.
My shield and buckler he,
Covering and protecting me;
From Satan’s darts I’ll be
Safe at his side.

Lord Jesus, hear my prayer,
Your grace impart;
When evil thoughts arise
Through Satan’s art,
O, drive them,
King of my heart.

Come now, the whole of me,
Eyes, ears, and voice.
Join me, creation all,
With joyful noise:
Praise him who broke the chain
Holding me in sin’s domain
And set me free again!
Sing and rejoice!

Listening - Four part series

2010-02-20T15:06:00.001-05:00

Four part series from Pure Church is excellent.
Filtered Listening: True or False

Filtered Listening, 2: Source

Filtered Listening, 3: Applications

Filtered Listening, 4: Feeling or Thinking

Spurgeon on the icy heart

2010-02-11T19:06:00.000-05:00

The following excerpt from a sermon by Charles Spurgeon caught my attention today. Probably because it has been so cold outside. I have to admit that my heart grows a little colder this time of year. I shorten only to conserve space here, but you may read the entire sermon at The Spurgeon Archive.

A Sermon
(No. 456)
Delivered on Sunday Evening, May 25th, 1862, by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington

"I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh."—Ezekiel 36:26.
...
"Can aught beneath a power divine
The stubborn will subdue?
'Tis thine, eternal Spirit, thine,
To form the heart anew.
To chase the shades of death away
And bid the sinner live!
A beam of heaven, a vital ray,
'Tis thine alone to give."

But while such a thing would be impossible apart from God, it is certain that God can do it. Oh, how the Master delighteth to undertake impossibilities! To do what others can do were but like unto man; but to accomplish that which is impossible to the creature is a mighty and noble proof of the dignity of the Creator. He delighteth to undertake strange things; to bring light out of darkness; order out of confusion; to send life into the dead; to heal the leprosy; to work marvels of grace and mercy, and wisdom, and peace—these, I say, God delighteth to do; and so, while the thing is impossible to us, it is possible to him. And more, its impossibility to us commends it to him, and makes him the more willing to undertake it, that he may thus glorify his great name.

According to the Word of God, man's heart is by nature like a stone; but God, through his grace, removes the stony heart and gives a heart of flesh. It is this prodigy of love, this miracle of grace, which is to engage our attention to-night. I trust we shall speak now, not of something that has happened to others only, but of a great wonder which has been wrought in ourselves. I trust we shall talk experimentally, and hear personally, and feel that we have an interest in these splendid deeds of divine love.
Two things we shall talk of to-night. First, the stony heart and its dangers; secondly, the heart of flesh and its privileges.
I. Some few words upon THE STONY HEART AND ITS DANGERS. Why is the heart of man compared to a stone at all?
1. First, because, like a stone it is cold. Few persons like to be always treading upon cold stones in their houses, and hence we floor our habitations; and it is thought to be a part, of the hardship of the prisoner if he has nothing to sit down or rest upon but the cold, cold stone. You may heat a stone for a little season if you thrust it into the fire, but for how short a time will it retain its heat; and though it glowed just now, how very soon it loses all its warmth and returns again to its native coldness. Such is the heart of man. It is warm enough towards sin; it it grows hot as coals of juniper, towards its own lusts; but naturally the heart is as cold as ice towards the things of God. You may think you have heated it for a little season under a powerful exhortation, or in presence of a solemn judgment, but how soon it returns to its natural state! We have heard of one who, seeing a large congregation all weeping under a sermon, said, "What a wonderful thing to see so many weeping under the truth!" and another added, "But there is a greater wonder than that—to see how they leave off weeping as soon as the sermon is over, concerning those things which ought to make them weep always and constantly." Ah, dear friends, no warmth of eloquence can ever warn the stony heart of man into a glow of love to Jesus; nay, no force of entreaty can get so much as a spark of gratitude out of the flinty heart of man. Though your hearts renewed by grace should be like a flaming furnace, yet you cannot warm your neighbour's heart with the divine heat; he will think you a fool for being so enthusiastic; he will turn upon his heel and think you a madman to be so concerned about matters that seem so trivial to him: the warmth that is in your heart you cannot communicate to him, for he is not, while unconverted, capable of receiving it. The heart of man, like marble, is stone-cold.
2. Then, again, like a stone, it is hard. You get the hard stone, especially some sorts of stone which have been hewn from granite-beds, and you may hammer as you will, but you shall make no impression. The heart of man is compared in Scripture to the nether millstone, and in another place it is even compared to the adamant stone; it is harder than the diamond; it cannot be cut; it cannot be broken; it cannot be moved. I have seen the great hammer of the law, which is ten times more ponderous than Nasmyth's great steam hammer, come down upon a man's heart, and the heart has never shown the slightest signs of shrinking. We have seen a hundred powerful shots sent against it, we have marked the great battery of the law with its ten great pieces of ordnance all fired against the heart of man, but man's heart has been harder even than the sheathing of the iron-clad ships, and the great shots of the law have dropped harmlessly against a man's conscience— he did not, he would not feel. What razor-edged sentence can cut your hearts? What needle-warning can prick your consciences? Alas, all means are unavailing! No arguments have power to move a soul so steeled, so thoroughly stony, hard, and impenetrable. Some of you now present, have given more than enough evidence of the hardness of your hearts. Sickness has befallen you, death has come in at your windows, affliction has come up against you, but like Pharaoh, you have said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? I will not bow my neck, neither will I do his will. I am my own master, and I will have my own pleasure and my own way. I will not yield to God." O rocks of iron and hills of brass, ye are softer than the proud heart of man!
3. Again, a stone is dead. You can find no feeling in it. Talk to it; it will shed no tears of pity, though you recount to it the saddest tales; no smiles will gladden it, though you should tell it the most happy story. It is dead; there is no consciousness in it; prick it and it will not bleed; stab it and it cannot die, for it is dead already. You cannot make it wince, or start, or show any signs of sensibility. Now, though man's heart is not like this as to natural things, yet spiritually this is just its condition. You cannot make it show one spiritual emotion. "Ye are dead in trespasses and sins," powerless, lifeless, without feeling, without emotion. Transient emotions towards good men have, even as the surface of a slab is wet after a shower, but real vital emotions of good they cannot know, for the showers of heaven reach not the interior of the stone. Melancthon may preach, but old Adam is too dead for him to quicken him. Ye may go down into the grave where the long sleep has fallen on humanity, and ye may seek to revive it, but there is no power in human tongue to revive the dead. Man is like the deaf adder which will not be charmed, charm we never so wisely. Tears are lost on him; threatenings are but as the whistlings of the wind, the preachings of the law, and even of Christ crucified—all these are null and void and fall hopelessly to the ground, so long as the man's heart continues what is by nature—dead, and hard, and cold.
...

II. Secondly, and briefly, A HEART OF FLESH AND ITS PRIVILEGES. "I will take away the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." In many—very many who are present to-night my text has been fulfilled. Let us join in praying for others whose hearts are still stony, that God would work this miracle in them, and turn their hearts to flesh.
What is meant by a heart of flesh? I means a heart that can feel on account of sin—a heart that can bleed when the arrows of God stick fast in it; it means a heart that can yield when the gospel makes its attacks—a heart that can be impressed when the seal of God's word comes upon it; it means a heart that is warm, for life is warm—a heart that can think, a heart that can aspire, a heart that can love—putting all in one—a heart of flesh means that new heart and right spirit which God giveth to the regenerate. But wherein does this heart of flesh consist; wherein does its tenderness consist? Well, its tenderness consists in three things. There is a tenderness of conscience. Men who have lost their stony hearts are afraid of sin, even before sin they are afraid of it. The very shadow of evil across their path frightens them. The temptation is enough for them, they flee from it as from a serpent; they would not dally and toy with it, lest they should be betrayed. Their conscience is alarmed even at the approach of evil, and away they fly; and in sin, for even tender hearts do sin, they are uneasy.; As well might a man seek to obtain quiet rest on a pillow stuffed with thorns, as the tender conscience get any peace while a man in sinning. And then, after sin—here comes the pinch—the heart of flesh bleeds as though it were wounded to its very core. It hates and loathes and detests itself that ever it should have gone astray. Ah, stony heart, you can think of sin with pleasure, you can live in sin and not care about it; and after sin you can roll the sweet morsel under your tongue and say, "Who is my master? I care for none; my conscience does not accuse me." But not so the tender broken heart. Before sin, and in sin, and after sin, it smarts and cries out to God. So also in duty as well as in sin, the new heart is tender. Hard hearts care nothing for God's commandment; hearts of flesh wish to be obedient to every statute. "Only let me know my Master's will and I will do it." The hearts of flesh when they feel that the commandment has been omitted, or that the command has been broken, mourn and lament before God. Oh! there are some hearts of flesh that cannot forgive themselves, if they have been lax in prayer, if they have not enjoyed the Sabbath-day, if they feel that they have not given their hearts to God's praise as they should. These duties which hearts of stone trifle with and despise, hearts of flesh value and esteem. If the heart of flesh could have its way, it would never sin, it would be as perfect as its Father who is in heaven, and it would keep God's command without flaw of omission or of commission. Have you, dear friends, such a heart of flesh as this?
I believe a heart of flesh, again, is tender, not only with regard to sin and duty, but with regard to suffering. A heart of stone can hear God blasphemed and laugh at it; but our blood runs cold to hear God dishonoured when we have a heart of flesh. A heart of stone can bear to see its fellow creatures perish and despise their destruction; but the heart of flesh is very tender over others. "Faith its pity would reclaim, and snatch the firebrand from the flame." A heart of flesh would give its very life-blood if it might but snatch others from going down to the pit, for its bowels yearn and its soul moves toward its fellow sinners who are on the broad road to destruction. Have you, oh, have you such a heart of flesh as this?
Then to put it in another light, the heart of flesh is tender in three ways. It is tender in conscience. Hearts of stone make no bones, as we say, about great mischiefs; but hearts of flesh repent even at the very thought of sin. To have indulged a foul imagination, to have flattered a lustful thought, and to have allowed it to tarry even for a minute is quite enough to make a heart of flesh grieved and rent before God with pain. The heart of stone says, when it has done great iniquity, "Oh, it is nothing, it is nothing! Who am I that I should be afraid of God's law?" But not so the heart of flesh. Great sins are little to the stony heart, little sins are great to the heart of flesh—if little sins there be. Conscience in the heart of stone is seared as with a hot iron; conscience in the heart of flesh is raw and very tender; like the sensitive plant, it coils up it's leaves at the slightest touch, it cannot bear the presence of evil; it is like a delicate consumptive, who feels every wind and is affected by every change of atmosphere. God give us such a blessedly tender conscience as that. Then again, the heart of flesh grows tender of God's will. My Lord Will-be-will is a great blusterer, and it is hard to bring him down to subject himself to God's will. When you have a man's conscience on God's side, you have only half the battle if you cannot get his will. The old maxim—

"Convince a man against his will
He's of the same opinion still."

is true with regard to this as well as regard to anything else. Oh! there are some of you that know the right, but you will do the wrong. You know what is evil, but you will to pursue it. Now, when the heart of flesh is given, the will bends like a willow, quivers like an aspen leaf in every breath of heaven, and bows like an osier in every breeze of God's Spirit. The natural will is stern and stubborn, and you must rend it up by the roots; but the renewed will is gentle and pliable, feels the divine influence, and sweetly yields to it. To complete the picture, in the tender heart there is a tenderness of the affections. The hard heart does not love God, but the renewed heart does. The hard heart is selfish, cold, stolid. "Why should I weep for sin? Why should I love the Lord? Why should I give my heart to Christ?" The heart of flesh says—

"Thou know'st I love thee, dearest Lord,
But oh! I long to soar
Far from this world of sin and woe,
And learn to love thee more."

O may God give us a tenderness of affection, that we may love God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves.
Now, the privileges of this renewed heart are these. "'Tis here the Spirit dwells, 'tis here that Jesus rests." The soft heart is ready now to receive every spiritual blessing. It is fitted to yield every heavenly fruit to the honour and praise of God. Oh! if we had none but tender hearts to preach to, what blessed work our ministry would be. What happy success! What sowings on earth! What harvests in heaven! We may indeed pray that God may work this change if it were only that our ministry might be more often a saviour of life unto life, and not of death unto death. A soft heart is the best defence against sin, while it is the best preparative for heaven. A tender heart is the best means of watchfulness against evil, while it is also the best means of preparing us for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall shortly descend from heaven.
Now, my voice fails me, and in your hearts I certainly shall not be heard for my much speaking. Great complaints have been brought against somebody's sermons for being too long, though I hardly think they could have been mine. So let us be brief, and let us conclude; only we must press this enquiry home—Has God taken away the heart of stone and has he given you the heart of flesh. Dear friend, you cannot change your own heart. Your outward works will not change it; you may rub as long as ever you like outside of a bottle, but you could not turn ditch-water into wine; you may polish the exterior of your lanthorn, but it will not give you light until the candle burns within. The gardener may prune a crab tree, but all the pruning in the world won't into an apricot; so you may attend to all the moralities in the world, but these won't change your heart. Polish your shilling, but it will not change into gold; nor will your heart alter its own nature. What, then, is to be done? Christ is the great heart changer. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be be saved." The Holy Spirit gives faith, and then through faith the mature is renewed. What sayest thou, sinner? Dost thou believe that Christ is able to save thee? Oh, trust him then to save thee, and if thou doest that thou art saved; thy nature is renewed, and the work of sanctification which shall begin to-night, shall go on until it shall come to its perfection, and thou, borne on angel's wings to heaven, "glad the summons to obey," shalt enter into felicity and holiness, and be redeemed with the saints in white, made spotless through the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

My Brother's Keeper- Mike T.

2010-02-09T19:19:00.000-05:00

A few days back I was feeling the way we all do from time to time when someone we care about lets us down. Sometimes it's easy to idolize or put upon a pedestal those we admire and look up to. When we do we will eventually come to the realization that they are simply human and sinners, no different than our selves. In this case the disappointment led to discouragement and doubt and mistrust and feelings of animosity. As I drove to work I put on a CD and tried to return to the sure source of strength and hope and security, Jesus Christ. The songs played and slowly my spirit began to warm. Then a song called "My Brother's Keeper" started. I had heard these words a hundred times before, but this time the words struck me somehow in a fresh way. Friendships are yet another means by which God helps to stir us to Love and Glorify Him. Frail people with faults, sins, hang-ups, weaknesses, selfish motives, hypocritical actions and all the crazy things that make up each one of us are joined together as a family under Christ.

"Now the plumber's got a drip in his spigot
The mechanic's got a clank in his car
And the preacher's thinking thoughts of the wicked
And the lover's got a lonely heart
My friends ain't the way I wish they were
They are just the way they are

And I will be my brother's keeper
Not the one who judges him
I won't despise him for his weakness
I won't regard him for his strength
I won't take away his freedom
I will help him learn to stand
And I will ~ I will be my brother's keeper

Now this roof has got a few missing shingles
But at least we got ourselves a roof
And they say that she's a fallen angel
I wonder if she recalls when she last flew
There's no point in pointing fingers
Unless you're pointing to the truth

And I will be my brother's keeper
Not the one who judges him
I won't despise him for his weakness
I won't regard him for his strength
I won't take away his freedom
I will help him learn to stand
And I will ~ I will be my brother's keeper

I will be my brother's keeper
Not the one who judges him
I won't despise him for his weakness
I won't regard him for his strength
I won't take away his freedom
I will help him learn to stand
And I will ~ I will be my brother's keeper"

Written by: A Beaker; Richard Mullins

The Bible reminds us of the unique bond that all who are part of the church experience. One of my favorite passages is found in Colossians. There Paul outlines the key tools for the members of Christ's body to hold to. It is important to notice that he starts by reminding us that we have been created in a new image and we should aspire to look like our Father and no longer behave in the way we used to. It begins by learning who we are (being renewed in knowledge) so that we know the attributes and characteristics of Christ. To know them we have to be familiar with Christ and with His Word. As we learn about Him we will recognize those things that His children should grow in. Summed up God's children recognize that they are part of the same family and all share the common experience of being called, chosen and reborn by God who made them holy and part of His beloved family. There is no need to dwell on ethnic backgrounds, skin color, social status, heritage and circumstances for all come into God's family by the calling of God who creates this new life in them. This should lead our hearts to be filled with compassion, kindness, humility, patience and forgiveness. Thanksgiving and a desire to share Christ with one another and worship Him are the natural effect on the members of His family. Teaching and admonishing one another in wisdom learning more about Him and growing in maturity and reflecting Him.

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:9-18 ESV)

It all comes down to recognizing that you and I, each member of the church are indeed brothers and sisters adopted and called into a family, reborn to a new life. It is this calling and this faith that we share in Christ that uniquely defines who we are. In this capacity we lock arms to serve, worship and reflect Christ for God's glory. This life is a battle full of snares, trials, tribulations and a thousand things that divert us from the goal. I can do nothing more important than help my friends to stand up, press on and serve the Master. When I get diverted to pointing my finger at them when they are down or help to knock them down I contribute to the enemies cause. When my friend falls, I must pick him up and even carry him on in the battle. He will do the same for me. God desires that and gave us one another to carry the load for His glory and praise. AMEN!

Christians are like several flowers ... Bunyan

2010-02-08T19:57:00.000-05:00

Christians are like the several flowers in a garden that have each of them the dew of heaven, which, being shaken with the wind, they let fall at each other's roots, whereby they are jointly nourished, and become nourishers of each other.

John Bunyan
Online Library

Technology and Church Attendance

2010-02-05T21:11:00.000-05:00

Can we replace actual church attendance with a quick sermon download from the Internet? Can't we fellowship on FaceBook? Does technology pose a danger to the church?
Technology and Church Attendance

Being Thankful For The Christian Life with Other Christians- Mike T.

2010-02-05T20:44:00.000-05:00

The more I come to study this topic the more I am convicted that we do not thank God enough for our church family. It is certainly one of the major blessings and signs of His grace on the lives of His children to be able to gather together as a body of believers. The fellowship we share in Christ can never be taken for granted.

To fail to associate ourselves in a lasting and committed way with the Head of the church by joining his body is surely a sign of ingratitude, whether from an uninformed or a dull heart. We who have the privilege of living in countries where we may freely join a local church should keep this admonition from Dietrich Bonhoeffer in mind:

“It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God’s Word and sacrament. Not all Christians receive this blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the Gospel in heathen lands stand alone. They know that visible fellowship is a blessing. They remember, as the Psalmist did, how they went ‘with the multitude . . . to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday (Ps. 42:4) … Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living in common Christian life with other Christians praise God’s grace from the bottom of his heart. Let him thank God on his knees and declare: It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren. Note 1

Footnote: 1) What Is A Healthy Church Member by Thabiti M. Anyabwile, pp. 70-71

Better is One Day In Your House - Mike T.

2010-02-02T17:32:00.000-05:00

The words of a worship song, "Better is One Day In Your House, than Thousands Elsewhere" come to mind as I read this little excerpt from a Discourse of Delight in Prayer by Stephen Charnock. I will share more from this wonderful work in future posts. I can not say anything that will add to this... Do we find delight in prayer itself.

A Christian’s heart is in secret ravished into heaven. There is a delight in coming near God, and warming the soul by the fire of his love.
The angels are cheerful in the act of praise; their work is their glory. A holy soul doth so delight in this duty, that if there were no command to engage him, no promise to encourage him, he would be stepping into God’s courts. He thinks it not a good day that passeth without some intercourse with God. David would have taken up his lodgings in the courts of God, and regards it as the only blessedness, Psalm 65:4. And so great a delight he had in being in God’s presence, that he envies the birds the happiness of building their nests near his tabernacle. A delight there is in the holiness of prayer; a natural man under some troubles may delight in God’s comforting and easing presence, but not in his sanctifying presence. He may delight to pray to God as a store-house to supply his wants, but not as a refiner’s fire to purge away his dross. “Prayer, as praise, is a melody to God in the heart,” Eph. 5:19. And the soul loves to be fingering the instrument and touching the strings.

If you want to find the whole work go to Fire and Ice at PuritanSermons.Com.

More from the author of Introverts in the Church

2010-01-30T17:06:00.000-05:00

An interview with author Adam McHugh of "Introverts in the Church"

Book - Introverts In The Church

2010-01-30T16:50:00.000-05:00

Found on Reformation 21
I plan on checking this book out. I didn't know anyone else could have related to this issue.

The author makes this comment that I understand completely.

Is there an assumption that people who tend to be quiet and alone are sad?
“In many cases, yes. Many extroverts assume that introverts need to be constantly 'drawn out,' and that if we are alone, we are just waiting for someone to come over and chat us up, because we are languishing in self-pity and isolation. But in truth, we may be relishing our solitude and savoring our times of reflection. Some of my most joyful times come in a quiet moment of thought or prayer. One of the hallmarks of introverts is that we find energy from solitude, and that even though we may enjoy social interaction, those experiences drain us. We need to be restored into shape through time alone. So, even though people may assume I’m sad and lonely when I’m alone, I’m actually gaining energy during that time, not losing it. Extroverts wilt through too much time alone, but introverts are lifted by it.”
Introverts in the church
Posted by Sean LucasShareThisAs a confirmed INTJ (that's Myers-Briggs personality speak for introvert, intuitive, thinking, judgment), I've struggled at time with my personality. For example, my wife loves to entertain large groups of people at our home; I prefer to have one other couple over for the evening. I find that I don't do well in large group events; I much prefer having lunch with someone where we can have a conversation. I find myself drained after a full day with people (like Sunday) and need a day following such a busy time to recharge. One week of vacation doesn't help me much; I find that two or three weeks back-to-back enables me to recharge.

At first, I thought that this was just my own quirkiness. After spending some time reading on personality types, I found that I was perfectly normal (well, that's debatable) or at least that I have lots of company. In an extroverted world and church and married to an extroverted spouse, there are simply personality differences that are like being left-handed in a right-handed world; not wrong, just different. The challenge becomes learning how to manage myself in the light of how God made me and in view of the calling God has given me.

That is where Adam McHugh's book, Introverts in the Church: Finding our Place in an Extroverted Culture, is quite helpful

As Iron Sharpens Iron- By Mike T.

2010-01-28T20:32:00.000-05:00

I am definitely experiencing the depths of despair. A long 11 hour work day and a dreary cold wintery day have worked their affects upon my soul. I know that the place to turn is to the arms of my Father, but sometimes it's hard to even go where there can be comfort and a balm for the weary spirit. The heart can ache without one even knowing why. It can be difficult to even open up to prayer. I know that Christ is there when I feel alone. That is the most important relationship that I know of. I can fully say that I know that experience of intimacy with Christ. At times though what I miss is the care of brothers and sisters. I know I am part of a family in Christ but this is where my faith is least able to find confirmation. I feel neither needed nor able to find experience the fellowship that the Bible speaks of.

The Psalms speak of the effect that one friend can have upon another. Neither is sharpened without contact and with contact both become sharper. That is the plan that God has for his children, that we would mutually sharpen and encourage each other in growth and maturity.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
(Pro 27:17 ESV)

"As to the importance of the children of God opening their hearts to each other, especially when they are getting in a cold state, or are under the power of a certain sin, or are in especial difficulty; I know from my own experience how often the snare of the devil has been broken when under the power of sin; how often the heart has been comforted when nigh to be overwhelmed; how often advice, and great perplexity, has been obtained, - by opening my heart to a brother in whom I had confidence. We are children of the same family, and ought therefore to be helpers one of another."

George Muller
George Muller Foundation

And Colossians describes how those in God's family should behave. The Word of Christ should find a home among God's people and they should find a common bond there that drives them to teach, admonish, grow in wisdom, sing and rejoice and experience thankfulness of heart. This helps us reflect the image of God which glorifies Him.

"Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
(Col 3:11-17 ESV)

Aloneness can lead to loneliness. God's preventative for loneliness is intimacy - meaningful, open, sharing relationships with one another. In Christ we have the capacity for the fulfiling sense of belonging which comes from intimate fellowship with God and with other believers.

Neil T. Anderson
Freedom in Christ Ministries

I feel alone because it feels that I have no family in the spiritual sense. My brothers and sisters seem far off and I feel to be an outcast. Oh to know and experience the joy of having and giving as God intended within this family He has bought with His blood. To see the sparks fly and to watch as God hones his people to his image by bringing them together as they share in His Grace.

Visit the Sick

2010-01-28T19:41:00.001-05:00

Visit the Sick

Posted using ShareThis

Why Churches Stall

2010-01-28T19:35:00.000-05:00

Why Churches Stall

How to Meditate On God's Word

2010-01-28T19:31:00.000-05:00

How To Meditate On God’s Word
Written by Stephen Altrogge
Topics: Bible reading
The word ‘meditation’ is a pretty cool word these days. Everybody is in to meditation. A lot of productivity websites say that when you feel burned out it’s really helpful to take a ‘meditation break’. Recently on the Oprah Winfrey Show (yeah, yeah I was watching Oprah) a guy named Dr. Oz (no relation to the wizard) said that meditation can significantly lengthen your life. Meditation isn’t just for Tibetan monks wearing burlap robes that chafe their armpits. No, everybody loves meditation

Read the rest

Wrong Reasons To Love the Church

2010-01-24T16:40:00.000-05:00

Posted on Pure Church

Wrong Reasons to Love the Church

From Josh Harris:

•Don’t love the church because of what it does for you. Because sooner or later it won’t do enough.
•Don’t love the church because of a leader. Because human leaders are fallible and will let you down.
•Don’t love the church because of a program or a building or activities because all those things get old.
•Don’t love the church because of a certain group of friends because friendships change and people move.

Love the church because of who shed his blood to obtain the church. Love the church because of who the church belongs to. Love the church because of who the church worships. Love the church because you love Jesus Christ and his glory. Love the church because Jesus is worthy and faithful and true. Love the church because Jesus loves the church.

The Christian Life Is Not A Private Affair - Mike T.

2010-01-20T19:33:00.000-05:00

I am a loner by nature. I have always been shy and reserved. Social interaction for me is actually not easy. It is just part of my make up of who I am. As I have been doing this study on the church I have begun to recognize the importance of fellowship within the body of believers, more specifically within a local church. The Bible makes it so clear that we were designed by God to need one another. In the past I have always been content to accept living on the fringes of the church fellowship. My relative shyness makes it hard for me to interact and relate with others. It takes a long time for me to get to know them. As such I developed a theology that allowed me to only get involved where I have been confortable. I grew in Christ through private worship and devotion. Rarely did I want to be involved in Sunday School or other activities if it involved meeting and interacting with others. I am finding this increasing more difficult. I knew the benefits and blessings of the church family and longed for them, but I knew not how to overcome my social anxieties. Now I pray to God that He will enable me to more freely partake of the gracious blessings that exist to those who are adopted into His family. To serve others and help others grow in Christ and to build up and support the Body that proclaims this precious Gospel.

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
(Rom 12:4-17 ESV)

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1Pe 2:9 ESV)

"The Christian life is not just our own private affair. If we have been born again into God's family, not only has he become our Father but every other Christian believer in the world, whatever his nation or denomination, has become our brother or sister in Christ. But it is no good supposing that membership of the universal Church of Christ is enough; we must belong to some local branch of it. Every Christian's place is in a local church, sharing in its worship, its fellowship, and its witness."

John R. W. Stott
John Stott Ministries

"Super Sunday" - by Mike T.

2010-01-19T22:25:00.001-05:00

Ever tried to get seats for a hot commodity like a college or pro football game? To gain access you often need to know someone with some inside pull. Same thing might be true for a seat at a concert by the latest superstar. It can be next to impossible to get access to the event unless you have an inside connection. You simply don’t have any hope of getting near the stage or the stadium. No amount of effort on your part or money alone can score a ticket to such an event. It takes the aid of someone who has access to offer their help if you are to ever get inside and be present for the event. When a friend comes through on your behalf and you get tickets then you can hardly wait for the day to come. You will be on the 50 yard line for watching the Super Bowl or in the artist’s circle only a few feet from your favorite performer. You look forward with excitement. You mark the days off on your calendar.

And yet if you are a Christian do you look with such eagerness towards the Sunday morning worship time?

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
(Heb 10:19-25 ESV)

Hebrews reminds us that we gather together as a church each week able to gain access to God the Father. It is a great privilege made possible through what Christ has done in the Gospel and His priestly ministry on our behalf. We owe no small debt of gratitude for what He has done in this way. We could never gain access to God. Because of Christ we are granted fellowship with the Creator of the universe, the Almighty King and Ruler of All. Such an audience with God was impossible if it were not for Jesus Christ seeking and procuring and paying the price to obtain it. Through the finished work of Christ on the cross we can come into God’s presence.

Do you look forward to Sunday morning with awe, anticipation, with joy? Do you recognize the blessing of gathering in the Lord’s presence? Does the priestly work of Christ on your behalf cause you to respond in worship? Are you rejoicing that God has made a way into His presence? Are you filled with the desire to proclaim the mercies of God or to sing of his majesty? Or do you simply go through the motions, mechanically and casually? Let you heart respond to this Gospel, this grace, this Savior and be moved to WORSHIP. You can not draw near to Him on your own. You need access through a mediator. God has provided a way that we may come to Him and be refreshed and glorify (reflect) our Creator.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken--that is, things that have been made--in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
(Heb 12:22-29 ESV)

As the church gathers together here on earth it reflects the great communion of saints called for all eternity. It is a manifestation of the entire span of the generations of the people of God. The worship draws us near to Him, it is a festive occasion, a representation of all those who will one day meet in heaven. Let us be grateful we are a part of a kingdom that can not be shaken and let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Reasons to go to church

2010-01-16T21:46:00.001-05:00

Some go to church to take a walk; some go there to laugh and talk.
Some go there to meet a friend; some go there their time to spend.
Some go there to meet a lover; some go there a fault to cover.
Some go there for speculation; some go there for observation.
Some go there to doze and nod; the wise go there to worship God. - Charles Spurgeon

Jeff Allen on Underwear

2010-01-15T22:47:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's ok to take a break and simply laugh. God made us with a sense of humor. Enjoy.

Tim Hawkins - Things you don't say to your wife (simply funny)

2010-01-15T22:28:00.001-05:00

I will probably be in trouble for this one. Oh well. I couldn't resist a little break from the studies on the church to simply have a chuckle.

Does Your Church Look Like This?

2010-01-14T21:04:00.001-05:00

From Thabiti Anyabwile's blog 'Pure Church' five related articles on how mere the church was and yet so full of power.

Does Your Church Look Like This?

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The Mereness of Church: Life Together

2010-01-14T21:00:00.001-05:00

From Pure Church read The Mereness of Church: Life Together

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The Mereness of Church: Her Singing

2010-01-14T20:59:00.003-05:00

From Pure Church another excellent article The Mereness of Church: Her Singing

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The Mereness of Church: Its Mission

2010-01-14T20:59:00.001-05:00

From Pure Church I found this article on a subject that has been near and dear to my heart of late. I continue to be concerned and pray for today's church. The Mereness of Church: Its Mission

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The Mereness of Church: Preaching

2010-01-14T20:57:00.001-05:00

The Mereness of Church: Preaching

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He Was No Fool

2010-01-11T18:40:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite missionary biographies is the story of Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian who were martyred in Ecuador, killed by the Wadoni Indians (then known as the Auca Indians). January 8th was the 58th anniversary of this incident. The story of how the Auca (Wuaorani) indians later responded to the Gospel is wonderful demonstration of God's power. The stories by both Elisabeth Elliot and Steve Saint are compelling and marvelously inspirational reads. If you want to read a riveting historical account of a true missionary story these books and the videos based upon them will definitely bless you. Pick them up at your favorite book store or look for them at your public library.

You may want to read:

Through Gates of Splendor - by Elisabeth Elliot (the widow of Jim Elliot) or Beyond Gates of Splendor by Steve Saint (the son of Nate Saint) or The End of The Spear by Steve Saint.

More about Jim Elliot can be found in this post from Justin Taylor- He Was No Fool

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Quote of the day

2010-01-10T15:59:00.000-05:00

Since God gives grace and strength
through fellowship, without fellowship you will be a spiritual
weakling, fantasizing in private about your spiritual prowess, but
powerless when it really counts.” (Donald Whitney - Spiritual Disciplines Within The Church p. 153).

A Good Mystery- By Mike T.

2010-01-08T19:00:00.000-05:00

I love a good mystery. A good writer will craft a story that cleverly shares little by little the pieces of a puzzle and brief glimpses of some hidden truth. They keep you seeking more clues and guessing till the end when the truth is finally revealed. They finally tie together all of the fragments that by themselves could only lead to speculation and guessing and a partial deduction of the actual truth. In the end the mystery is revealed and it all makes perfect sense.

In a similar vain the Old Testament presented a mystery. God revealed Himself through the Old Testament prophets. But in some ways a carefully crafted story was being presented and brief glimpses and foreshadows laid the foundation for what one day would be fully explained. In the New Testament what could not be fully understood is fully tied together. The mystery is revealed and makes perfect sense.

It is the answer to this great mystery that works its way out in the pages of the Bible that the church exists to tell. There is a message that it is charged to deliver, to preserve and hold dear. Paul takes this message seriously. In Colosians he states that God assigned him to be a steward of this truth. He struggled and toiled with all his energy for this very message.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
(Col 1:24-29 ESV)

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
(1Ti 3:14-16 ESV)

At the center of this message is how Jesus Christ makes it possible for God's people to be presented mature, holy and godly. It is here that the church often fails to recognize and proclaim what is most basic and important. We must remember that godliness is only possible for sinful people through the intervention of God through the Cross. Why is so much of what we proclaim to the world have nothing to do with this message? We have a great truth. The mystery has been revealed and all of the pieces fit together. There is no other means that the church can present people that will be mature and holy. It all goes back to what God has done for us on our behalf in Christ on the cross of calvary. A living God has worked out a great plan through all of eternity and established the church to be a pillar and buttress of the truth. Simply put that means to support and hold up and bear the load and weight of the gospel. We must make sure that our message to the world begins and ends in this great mystery. Then we will begin to see people changed and respond to the Gospel.

Family of God and Prayer

2010-01-03T13:45:00.001-05:00

This week I have witnessed God working first hand to answer prayer. In my own life I have seen a prayer answered in an unexpected way as God clearly opened up a door that had been closed for a long while. Today at church a young man gave testimony to the power of the Gospel to give us strength during trials. God never walks away from us even when we try to walk away from Him. Jesus Christ still changes lives and the Gospel still turns sinners from sin.

As I have been reflecting on the church this week the concept of the church as the household of God kept appearing in my studies. The great and marvelous fact that God has adopted us into His marvelous family with Jesus Christ as the head and we his sons and daughters. The church is indeed a family and like a family must care for and support one another. When one hurts, all hurt. When one rejoices, all rejoice. Today we have rejoiced together celebrating the blessing of a young man who has returned to his family. The church is a family. Let us continue to pray for one another. God hears the prayers of his children and answers them. Praise God!!!!

The Church's Great Message - By Mike T.

2010-01-02T17:36:00.000-05:00

I have been blessed today with a study of the Church that has brought to light many common themes that appear in Scripture. Some of what I learned today is:

* Christ established the church with His blood. The church is His Bride and Treasure.
* The Church is the assembly of the Living God where He is present.
* The Church is the household of God.
* The Church is charged with preserving and proclaiming the Gospel.
* God has placed us in this family. He has chosen and adopted us as sons and daughters to an inheritance in Christ.
* God is present and we meet Him in the church.
* Christ is the head, builder, foundation and sustainer of the Church.
* The Church is to proclaim the truth of God that is the Gospel which is the Treasure of the Church.
* The Church calles the people of God to holiness.

The theme that I want to commend to you today is the church's message as found in scripture. 1 Peter reminds us that the church is responsible to 'proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness." That is Jesus Christ.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1Pe 2:9 ESV)

Some other New Testament verses with a similar theme include Eph 3:10, Col 1:24-29 and 1 Tim 3:14-16. All these verses emphasize that the church has a unique and special truth that no other institution can offer. This truth, this message, this Gospel that the church proclaims and witnesses to is that by which we are saved and become the assembly of the LIVING GOD.

so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Eph 3:10 ESV)

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Col 1:24-29 ESV)

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
(1Ti 3:14-16 ESV)

Take some time to study the message of the church proclaimed in these and other New Testament verses. Then begin to look at the other themes that were found at the top of this post.

The Dearest Place On Earth

2009-12-31T10:44:00.000-05:00

“Give yourself to the Church. You that are members of the Church have not found it perfect and I hope that you feel almost glad that you have not. If I had never joined a Church till I had found one that was perfect, I would never have joined one at all! And the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect Church after I had become a member of it.
Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us… All who have first given themselves to the Lord, should, as speedily as possible, also give themselves to the Lord’s people. How else is there to be a Church on the earth? If it is right for anyone to refrain from membership in the Church, it is right for everyone, and then the testimony for God would be lost to the world!"

–Charles H. Spurgeon, “The Best Donation,” (No. 2234), in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 37, an exposition of 2 Corinthians 8:5 preached at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England, on April 5, 1891.

The Highest Possible Resolution - by Mike T.

2009-12-30T09:34:00.000-05:00

As a tech guy I sometimes have a different perspective on things. Allow me to put a unique spin on the New Year’s Resolution. When I hear the word ‘resolution’ the first thing I think about has to do with the image detail for displays, cameras and televisions. Simply put the higher the resolution the finer detail of a picture that can be displayed. Wikipedia defines this as the pixel resolution.

Below is an illustration of how the same image might appear at different pixel resolutions, if the pixels were poorly rendered as sharp squares (normally, a smooth image reconstruction from pixels would be preferred, but for illustration of pixels, the sharp squares make the point better).

An image that is 2048 pixels in width and 1536 pixels in height has a total of 2048×1536 = 3,145,728 pixels or 3.1 megapixels. One could refer to it as 2048 by 1536 or a 3.1-megapixel image. (Note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/image_resolution#resolution_of_digital_images)

In digital photography to print a decent 4x6 photo requires 3 MP. But enlargements such an 11x14 require 4 MP, while an 20x30 requires 8 MP. For televisions and computer monitors the higher the resolution the clearer the image. As the resolution gets higher the more details that will be visible. In a lot of cases the higher the resolution, the more expensive the equipment can be. To get greater detail and clarity requires an investment.

How does this relate to the New Year’s Resolution? For this coming year, rather than making a resolution, use the highest resolution possible. Invest in what it takes to get greater detail and clarity. Make that your effort and goal. Like cameras and displays require more pixels for a clearer image, seek more of God’s Word to get a more detailed perspective on the Savior and yourself. The more of God’s Word that is used the more in focus the picture of Christwill become. Take the time this year to drill down and focus on the images that are presented in the Scriptures. You will learn so much about Jesus Christ that you have missed before. You will see more about yourself and your own sinfulness and need for a Savior as you let God’s Holy Word make the pictures clearer. Get as much resolution as you can and take time to notice the nuances and details that you missed before.

Focus on the Savior. Have you seen all there is of His righteousness, love, compassion, divinity, meekness, power and purpose? Have you missed something of the joy of loving Him with your whole heart and mind and strength?

And as you read allow the Bible to help you focus on a better picture of yourself. Would more clarity help you see some things that were hidden before? Are there idols that take your focus off of Jesus as Lord? Do you have sins that you might have not been able to see before at a lower resolution?

Take advantage of the highest resolution possible this next year. When you look at yourself you find some things that ruin the picture. When you look at the Savior in greater detail you will spot some things you missed before.

Finally Alive

2009-12-29T22:15:00.000-05:00

When looking for new reading material I often browse the web to see what others are reading. At the top of several 2009 book lists I noticed Finally Alive by John Piper. So I begun reading it. While only 3 chapters into this book, I am greatly impressed and encouraged by its message. This book talks about regeneration: what it is and why it is important.

I have always been a fan of John Piper's works and this is one of his finest efforts. It is excellent reading for both mature and young Christians.

Sample Finally Alive and many other of John Piper's works for free at http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/. I have always admired the ministry of Desiring God which makes its many fine resources available at no cost to those who can not afford them. They show a true trust and committment to share God's Word.

New Look

2009-12-29T21:55:00.001-05:00

The Light Keeper's Journal has taken on a new look and a new committment to posting articles and links that will be of interest to Christians who are interested in growing and finding joy in Jesus Christ.

I am looking for other dedicated believers who want to share interesting links, articles and stories of interest to build up believers and reach others for Christ. If you want to become a partner posting on this blog about matters of faith, witness, prayer, worship, fellowship, humor, news and other information please contact me.

Just the Facts

2009-12-16T21:09:00.000-05:00

Today we begin a series of short studies on effectively witnessing the Gospel to unbelievers.

JUST THE FACTS
Where should you begin when witnessing to others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ? The approach that is tried a lot of times is to try and convince others that they need Christ because of what He can do for them. The offer that ‘Jesus can mend a broken heart’ or that ‘He makes things right’ or "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness." We might even begin by telling someone that without Jesus that they will go to Hell. Often times we mix this with the testimony of our own experience as to what Jesus has done for us. All of these approaches fail to help the other person understand who Jesus is.

Think about where the others that you might try to witness to are coming from. Most will carry into the conversation some sort of understanding of religious notions and ideas. For the majority of individuals will attest to some sort of religious beliefs. The backgrounds will vary. Some will profess faith in another god, perhaps Buddha or Allah. Others will attest to some sort of pseudo Christian beliefs or have rejected the idea of a ‘higher power’ altogether. They will have already established faith in something or someone. They may be content or even restless and unsure of their beliefs and their faith. They have tried religion and expressed faith. But as yet they do not in fact know the Jesus of the Bible.

The opportunity to effectively witness then exists in not offering them another option on their religious menu but to lead them to know Jesus as Christ, God in the flesh who died on the cross and rose again to save His own. When they learn who Jesus really is they can begin to realize how worthless their faith in any thing else actually is.

Remember as you witness that it is not your words or your approach that saves others, but God who changes hearts of sinners and opens their eyes and ears to the Gospel. Until the Holy Spirit works in the heart of another the Gospel remains ‘foolishness’ to them. In the Book of Acts Philip witnesses to an Ethiopian official.

God will open up the opportunity. You be obedient and willing to do the work.

But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert. And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship; and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. Acts 8:26-29

When the opportunity arises- jump at it
As we stated earlier most people you get the opportunity to witness to will already have an established faith and religious experience. Here Philip met an Ethiopian official who worshipped God and read the Scriptures. However, the true meaning of the words he read eluded him. No doubt that God had a hand in this encounter. Philip responded by leading this man to an understanding of who Jesus is.
And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. Acts 8:30-31

Witness with the Word of God (just the facts)

The only tool you need to witness is the Word Of God. In it you will find all you need to explain who Jesus is to others.

Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other? Acts 8:32-34

Preach unto them – JESUS

The scriptures tell us about Jesus. That is the focus of the Gospel message. Rely on this message and not on the needs of others or your own personal experiences. Jesus did not come to mend broken hearts, bring peace, joy and lasting happiness. He came to Glorify God. Those who do not know Him as God, Savior, Redeemer and King only need to know this one important fact.

And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached unto him Jesus. Act 8:35

The Gospel Saves
As you witness to others and share the Word of God others will come to see Jesus as Savior, Lord, King, Redeemer. Philip opened up the scriptures and an Ethiopian official came to know Jesus. This led to the man’s conversion and the request to be baptized.

And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
(Act 8:26-40 ASV)

Jesus did not come to mend broken hearts, bring peace, joy and lasting happiness. He came to Glorify God. Those who do not know Him as God, Savior, Redeemer and King only need to know this one important fact. It is in Jesus Christ and no one else that they will find Salvation.

Spiritually and Physically preparing for Sunday Worship

2009-12-08T19:19:00.000-05:00

Ever struggled to stay awake at Sunday School or church? I often joke with my friend Floyd about the need for us to help one another stay awake for the sermon. Though it is a running joke between us and 'mostly' we are just having fun, this article on Being a diligent listener I found today makes an excellent point worth waking up for. No reflection on our Pastor, the fault usually lies with my own failure to get enough sleep.

How much more we could get out of and give back to our church family if we came refreshed spiritually and physically to hear God's Word.

Being a diligent listener- by Tim Challies

Zacchaeus Remembers the Day He Was Saved - by Mike T.

2009-11-24T19:11:00.000-05:00

Do you remember the day you were saved?
If you are a Christian, do you remember the day when you were saved? Does it rate up there among the most memorable days of your life? Perhaps the most important day ever? What happened to your heart that day? Were you changed forever? Does it still hold significance for you? Was your life changed on that blessed day? Do you still feel the same? Do you rejoice with the Psalmist saying, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Ps 42:1-2)? Do you share the Psalmist’s refrain shouting “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (PS 73:25-26)? Did your decision to follow Jesus cost you anything? Did it change your heart?

A Man’s Memorable Encounter with the Savior
Luke tells us the story of a man who surely remembers the day that He accepted Christ as Savior. This is a simple story about an encounter with the living God… the God who saves. A man came to see a prophet along the roadside. His heart was fertile. The Savior came along and called to him and his life was changed forever. He became a new man inside and out. Is this your own story as well?

We are told that Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. He was a very rich man and in charge of the tax collectors for the region. Tax collectors had an extremely bad reputation with the Jewish population. They were notorious for ruthlessness and using extreme measures to obtain the taxes. They were given a quota that they were required to collect and anything in excess of that amount that they collected they were able to boast to their profit. Because they obtained their wealth by extracting the profit from their fellow Jews, they were seen as traitors to their own people. A verse from Mathew shows that tax collectors were held with the lowest regard. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector” .MT 18:17 Luke also shows that tax collector’s ranked at the bottom of society’s barrel.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and `sinners'?" LK 5:27-30

Tax Collector’s and Pharisee’s
Because of that notorious reputation, the tax collector is represented in the Bible as an example of those that the Jews, particularly the Pharisees and teacher’s of the law regarded as outside the Kingdom of God. The Jewish leaders saw themselves as righteous because of their religious lifestyles and they labeled as “sinners” those who were not Jewish and those who were guilty of gross transgressions of the law like the tax collectors. Careful review of the texts where a tax collector is labeled a “sinner” it is interesting that it is the tax collector who comes out as righteous. The Bible turns everything around on its head.

The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' Lk 18:11-13

The Bible on numerous occasions uses the illustration of the Pharisee’s self-righteousness and the tax collector’s humility and repentance before God to drive home the point of the sinner’s need for a Savior. Just such an illustration becomes evident in our scriptural text from Luke 19. The Lord Jesus calls upon Zacchaeus the tax collector and draws criticism from the mostly Jewish crowd. Those who rely upon their own efforts and religious activity for access to God are given a lesson that true righteousness does not depend upon effort, but upon a Savior that changes hearts.

A Fertile Heart
Jesus had developed quite a following at the point that Luke relates the story of Zacchaeus. No doubt word of the miracles He performed and His teaching had spread. He had healed the lepers and recently a blind man’s sight was restored. A large crowd followed Him wherever He went. We are told that Zacchaeus was a short man and that he wanted desperately to see Jesus. So much so that he ran ahead of the crowd on the road that Jesus was on and climbed a sycamore-fig tree. This wealthy man with the notorious reputation had a desire to see this prophet that was passing by. Why Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, the story does not tell us. We can’t speculate too much about why he was there, but we could probably imagine a few reasons why we might have been there along that road to catch a glimpse of Jesus ourselves. Perhaps there might be simple curiosity to see what all the commotion about Jesus was about? Maybe even it could have been possible we heard Jesus speak on a previous occasion and want another opportunity to hear him again? Perhaps others had been talking about Jesus and the words they shared with us were intriguing? Perhaps even a very real misery exists in our own hearts. We might know that there is something wrong with the way we are living. Maybe we met another who was forever changed by this Jesus of Nazareth who couldn’t stop talking about how He forgave their sins? It is even possible that we have been very religious all of our lives and faultless in observing and following all of the traditions and rules. Perhaps we never miss church and we tithe 10% and we are sure to try and live a good life? We might know that we harbor wicked thoughts in our minds and despite of all our religious activities we are still empty inside and really don’t know God? This Jesus was known to cut through to people’s hearts and remind them that they need a personal relationship with God to save them and not a religion. Perhaps as Zacchaeus clung to the branch of that tree and waited on Jesus to come down the road he also hoped that something about this prophet who attracted such a following really could liberate him from this miserable guilt and sin?

No Time For Excuses
Whatever it was that drove Zacchaeus to the tree along that road, he was ready when Jesus called him. Zacchaeus’s heart was fertile for the gospel. Jesus passed by, stopped and looked up and called Zacchaeus by name. God uses a variety of circumstances and people to get us to the place and time where he calls us by name. He sometimes uses trials and difficulties to drive us to our knees. He may bring the witness and testimony of others to soften our hearts. The most powerful tool is the preaching of His Word and the Gospel message to tell us the truth about our sin and the salvation offered by the cross of Jesus Christ. The witness of the Holy Spirit is working constantly to call people unto the Savior. Jesus told Nicodemus this truth in the book of John.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8

To put it simply, the Holy Spirit is mysteriously, perhaps invisibly, active in the world calling hearts to God. The Spirit’s activity is clearly visible as God’s saving grace is manifest and people are saved by the call of the Gospel. We know that the Spirit is present and active not because we know who or where or how God saves, but that in fact sinners are indeed being saved. Zacchaeus answers just such a personal call. When Jesus calls, He calls each of us personally. Though Zacchaeus was there in that tree, it was Jesus who initiated the encounter. Jesus told Zacchaeus to come down immediately while stating that He must stay at Zacchaeus’s house that evening. There was no hesitancy on Zacchaeus’s part regarding the forthright request that Jesus made. Luke says that Zacchaeus came down and at once and welcomed Jesus to his house gladly. He could have offered excuses. “The house is really quite a mess. Maybe another time after we get a chance to clean up a little?” “No, I don’t think you really want to be seen with me. Don’t you know what others will think?” “Love to have you, but really my wife doesn’t like it when I bring home strangers without calling ahead.” Zacchaeus offers no such attempts to put off the Lord’s demands. He offers immediate hospitality and does so graciously and with joy.

Has the Lord called your name? Did you receive Him immediately with joy? Or did you begin looking for excuses why now wasn’t a good time? Did you put off His call to come to you? Did you have more pressing matters? Did you want more time to prepare? Did you want to wait for a better time? Did you ask Him to come back later? Were you afraid that He would find what you were trying to hide from Him? Were you afraid of what might be exposed if you let Him into your life? Could it be that you were afraid that He might not like the company you keep? If you chose the excuses over His call, when will you heed His voice and come to Him? Is your heart fertile? Has His Word penetrated its stony depths? Are you ready to come quickly? Do you know that Jesus is your Lord and Master? Are you ready to serve Him? Do you desire to honor Him? Do you seek to please Him? Zacchaeus was such a person. He heard the Master’s call and came quickly and served Him joyfully. This was day to remember in Zacchaeus’s life.

The Real Article
But there is more to the story of Zacchaeus the wee little man who climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus. The lesson continues and we learn the meaning of true and genuine salvation. A group criticizes Jesus for going to Zacchaeus’s house because he is a “sinner”. There are those who are quick to judge, to point fingers at others and find fault with them. They themselves are self-confident about their own righteousness. They compare themselves to others and on the basis that they are more religious and don’t do certain things that they can somehow be justified before God. They rely upon their abstaining from certain behaviors and doing certain good works as the basis for their acceptance into God’s kingdom. Such were those who criticized Jesus for going to the house of tax collector. Luke in our passage again shows the error of such thinking. But first consider briefly what Paul told the Ephesians.

EPH 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, [2] in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. [3] All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. [4] But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, [5] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. [6] And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, [7] in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- [9] not by works, so that no one can boast. [10] For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Justifying oneself before God by comparing our performance to that of others is seen to be futile. Paul tells us in verse 3 that every one of us without exception were dead in our transgressions and sins and that as a consequence were objects of God’s wrath. That means that without Christ we are destined to hell and there is no one no matter how religious or good they perceive themselves to be that can change that on their own merit. Paul also explains that God, in Christ has made us alive and saved us by grace alone. We offered nothing, and could offer nothing in a dead state as verse 6 tells us. It can’t be said any better than verses 8-10 “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” All human effort and self-righteous religious effort have no merit in salvation.

The High Cost Of Following Jesus
To return to the story from Luke 19 now, Zacchaeus stands and makes a remarkable profession.

LK 19:8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

A very wealthy man was willing to outright give half of his possessions to the poor and to make restitution of four times the amount if he cheated anybody out of anything. This represented an extremely high personal cost. It was not a trivial amount that Zacchaeus offered to give up. Are you willing to truly give half of your net worth to the poor? If you have a home worth 100,000 dollars and 50,000 dollars in an IRA and savings are you willing to sell the house and give half of the money from the sale to the needy and half of your retirement nest egg too? Think about it. Zacchaeus was exceedingly wealthy. He knew his statement would be costly. And it was much more than a statement. This was a sincere proclamation of faith. The Savior transformed Zacchaeus’s life. He was willing to commit to great personal sacrifice. He was willing to go to extreme, to surrender the wealth, and undoubtedly his job and means of making a living would be greatly affected by such a transformation. He gave up more than money. He gave up the corruption that accompanied the money he had acquired and in effect would no longer be effective in his position as chief tax collector. This was a great personal sacrifice. The change in his heart was the real deal… the genuine article. What cost are you willing to pay to follow Jesus? Is He real to you? Does He mean more to you than just someone you sing about on Sunday morning? Jesus own words tell us that there is a price to pay for following Him.

MT 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? [27] For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
MT 8:21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."[22] But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

LK 9:59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." :60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

Have you left the things of the world behind to go after Jesus? What is holding you back? Have you given Him your all? He wants your entire devotion, not some half-hearted effort. He doesn’t want only an hour on Sunday morning and maybe Sunday night and Wednesday as well. He wants your complete devotion each and every moment of your life. Have you been willing to give that to Him?

Sin/Repentance/Works and Grace
Zacchaeus reminds us that there is a high cost for following Jesus Christ. However, his statement was not meant to impress those who were listening. It was not intended to draw attention to himself and look good in front of others. On the contrary, Zacchaeus spoke and in doing so he demonstrated genuine repentance and good works out of the overflow of a heart transformed by the grace of God. His encounter with Jesus Christ caused a dramatic change. Old lifestyles have to be left behind. We can not hold onto our past sins and our old ways. Genuine faith in Christ will drive us to repent of our sins. We will desire to please God and to obey Him. There is a genuine change in our hearts. True faith in Christ unto salvation will result in repentance and good works. We no longer have the same affection for sin that we had before we were in Christ. We will be driven to repentance when we sin. If you find yourself compromising with sin you may want to question your salvation. The Bible makes it clear that sin is not to be tolerated in the believer’s life.

Lots of Bells and Whistles and Flashy Lights Don’t Make A Good Show
We can’t miss a vital point that we touched on earlier. Remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector from Luke 18 that we discussed earlier? The Pharisee relied upon his Jewish religious performance for Salvation while the tax collector simply beat his breast and recognized that he was a sinner before God. Fact is we can either have faith in ourselves and the things we do or we can have faith in God. If we have in faith in our own efforts we delude even ourselves and think that everything is ok, when in fact it is not. We can never please God, nor earn our own salvation. Works and religious activity without a genuine faith in Christ are nothing more than an external show. Salvation takes place in the heart and is genuine when it begins and ends with Jesus. It is this faith that Jesus recognized when he declared that Zacchaeus was a true son of Abraham.

To God Be The Glory
The cost is high and our hearts are transformed. But it is God who gets the glory. Jesus responds to Zacchaeus’s faithful proclamation by declaring that salvation has come to this house.

LK 19:9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. [10] For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Zacchaeus faith was expressed in true repentance and genuine desire to good works. It was not the good works or the repentance that saved him. Zacchaeus did not earn his salvation by repentance or good works. God in His marvelous grace called Zacchaeus out of a life of sin. He was God’s workmanship through and throughout , created in Christ, to do good works which God prepared in advance. Zacchaeus is not able to boast about his transformed heart. He only responded by the faith that God put in his heart.

The Shepherd and the Flock
We conclude with verse 10 which I believe sums up the whole of the book of Luke in a single sentence.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. LK 19:10

Christ called this miserable wealthy man from a life of sin and transformed his life. Each of us before Christ is in the same desperate condition, without hope and without God in this world. Sin has wrecked our lives and separated from God. Why do you think that Jesus makes the statement that he does here? What does He mean to seek and save the lost? This is what God does. Because we are dead in our sins, we no longer desire to come to Him. The Gospel of Luke like no other book of the Bible shows us that God comes to man to restore a broken relationship. A relationship between a Holy God and mankind was severed by sin. The penalty for sin is death and eternal separation from God. Yet God Himself provides restoration through Jesus Christ. God seeks to call us back into a relationship with Him. That is the reason Jesus came, taught, healed and bore our sin on the cross. He paid the penalty of death to satisfy God’s just requirement so that we would not have to. Jesus seeks sinners. When you get a chance read Luke Chapter 15 and the three parables that Jesus told. A couple of key verses will help clarify what it means that Jesus has come to seek and save the lost.

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ Luke 15:4-6

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ LK 15:8-9

For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. LK 15:24

There is hope for a fallen people and God has provided the means of restoration for a broken relation in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. God goes to extremes to restore us to fellowship with Him. These stories tell us that our Father, our Shepherd is not far off. He seeks us out. He pursues us. He brings us home. He nutures and preserves us. His mercy and forgiveness is inexhaustible. He holds us in esteem. We are valuable to Him. We have worth to Him through Christ Jesus who redeems us by His blood. Have you considered the depths to which he will go for you? To save and restore you to fellowship with Him? Do you follow your shepherd? Do you hear his voice? Are you obedient? Or do you stray off, turning your eyes and ears away from his guidance? Come near to the Great Shepherd. He cares for you and will protect you.

The Almighty Will Be Your Gold
Genuine salvation delights in Jesus above all else. Zacchaeus’s heart was transformed and he gave up his wealth and sinful ways instead seeking to treasure Jesus Christ as Lord and his Savior above all else.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent
and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.
Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
When men are brought low and you say, `Lift them up!' then he will save the downcast.
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands." JOB 22:23-30

The sign that Jesus is indeed your gold and choicest silver, the treasure of the highest esteem in your heart is to be found in a changed life. Do you exhibit the fruit of a heart that is changed and lives to serve Jesus joyfully and with your whole being all of your day? Have you repented of your sin? Do the sins that used to afford you pleasure no longer make you happy? You see your heart and your outlook on life is never the same after you have truly met the Savior. Have you had a day as memorable as the one Zacchaeus had the day Jesus called him out of the sycamore tree? If not, the Son Of Man has come to seek and save what is lost. Anyone who does not believe in the name of God’s one and only Son stands condemned already. But God has provided a way unto salvation. He came to earth to seek the lost and to save. Heed His precious voice and go unto Him and live.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:17-21 Emphasis added

Shirley Logan and other music to soothe the soul.

2009-11-13T19:01:00.000-05:00

A good book is always a good way to relax. A good song can also do wonders for the heart. Today I was blessed with some inspirational tunes from Shirley Logan. Though Shirley is not well known, her music is some of the finest I have heard in years. Her songs "Baby Jane", "Water", "Like a Father" and "Kiss Me Slowly" are four of my favorites. Shirley brings a mix of inspirational lyrics that deal with love, life, spiritual and heart tugging themes. The first song I encountered was "Baby Jane" which looks beyond the grief from the loss of a child to the knowledge that one day we will be reunited with them again. Life is in fact eternal and there is a great reunion and a time to rejoice with Jesus and our dear ones on that great day when we meet Him in the sky. This song is a great comfort for those who may have lost a child to a miscarriage or too early in this life. Another song she does is called "Water" and it reminds us that God is in fact so dear and precious to us as life giving water. We can trust His promise to care and guide us through this life and even the storms and thorns of this life He uses to draw us to trust in Him more. And there is "Kiss Me Slowly" a sensual and passionate song of longing love and desire. Turn to Itunes and sample some of her music. I downloaded the whole album about a year ago and find it a blessing every time I listen to it.

Some links to Shirley Logan on the web:

Shirley Logan's Myspace page for more about her and to sample her music.

Shirley Logan on CD Baby to try or purchase her music album.

She would probably also like to hear from new fans.

Besides Shirley's music I have become such a great fan of Phil Keaggy over the past several years. Phil has some Podcasts that will simply blow you away. The September 2008 podcast here has some great stuff that is simply just phemomenal. Check it out you won't regret it. And it's free. His fans will love the songs. If you haven't yet heard them and you enjoy rock and acoustic guitar sounds this is great. He also introduces some new artist's music.

Turn off the TV and read some good books!

2009-11-11T17:48:00.000-05:00

I would classify myself a TV addict. Since I was a small kid I came home from school and watched television. I spent hours repeating reruns of Gilligan's Island, Brady Bunch, Munsters, Andy Griffith, Flintstones, F Troop and a host of other sitcoms and kids fair. As I grew older I graduated to Mash and Taxi and other shows. Even today I come home from work and chill out to Bob Newhart reruns and even enjoy a few of the prime time network and cable shows. I do read more and more these days however. I encourage you today to turn off the TV and open up a good book. Read something aimed at learning more about Christ and His work. There are many good books. Some of my favorite authors these days are C J Mahanney, Sinclair Ferguson, John MacArthur, Jerry Bridges and James Montgomery Boice. I also read classic works by Puritans and other early Christians. Over the years I have developed a list of favorite authors and classics that have been favorites of others. The benefit of this time devoted to learning more about Christ and the Bible far exceeds the effort and beats watching the usual fare on TV. I read commentaries on books of the Bible, surveys of the Old Testament, theology, discipleship, evangelism, witnessing. The goal of my reading is to grow in faith and understanding and the ability to relate more about the Gospel to others.

I am finishing up a book by Sinclair Ferguson called "Deserted by God?" which uses the Psalms as a basis for lessons on dealing with spiritual depression. I am not sure what will be next but I have at least a half dozen choices sitting on the shelf waiting for an opportunity to pick up too.

Turn off the TV with your remote and relax with a good book. Learn more about the Gospel, build your faith and understanding of the Bible and become more confident in your witness to others. Need a good book recommendation I can point you towards a few titles that may spark an interest.

Here I am to tweet you? Can we praise God with Twitter.

2009-10-14T17:14:00.000-04:00

Some churches have begun to turn to technology as they try to reach out to today's youth. Now the congregation is not asked to turn off or put on vibrate their cell phones but rather to take them out and tweet comments to a screen behind the Pastor during the service. I am not opposed to modern technology and its use to spread the Gospel, but have we gone too far?

The Houston Chronicle reported that Woodlands Church in Houston, TX has begun to integrate twitter with the Sunday service. The Chronicle reports "The nondenominational church recently started a new service encouraging parishioners to tweet their thoughts, reflections and questions in 140 characters or less via Twitter, the popular microblogging social network.
Using the real-time messaging tool in church is gaining some steam nationwide and in Houston as some pastors look to make church more interactive, draw in new faces and appeal to younger demographics. Some see it as a diversion, but others — especially in contemporary services — are bringing smart phones to the pews and tweeting away." See http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6662287.html for the whole article.

While they are at it why don't they ask the congregation to cast their votes now for the sermon topic or do a poll to find the meaning of the sermon text? Perhaps the worship songs could be changed to "Here I am to tweet you, here I am to serve you, here I am to show you are my God?" What ever happened to just good old fashioned preaching the Word of God under the annointing of the Holy Spirit? In our effort to accomodate new demographics we have forgotten what the church is actually supposed to be doing. Church leaders need to get rid of the books with terminology like demographics and read their Bibles instead. What are your thoughts on this? Check out Woodland's tweet site http://twitter.com/woodlandschurch to see what it is all about.

Reaching the Unchurched- by Mike T.

2009-10-10T14:59:00.000-04:00

Welcome to LKJ (Light Keeper's Journal). The purpose of this blog is to encourage believers in Christ to get out and proclaim the light of God's truth to the lost.

The fact is that life is getting scary. Crime is running rampant in the streets and the neighborhoods and even in our schools. You don't have to go to Chicago to find shootings, drugs and fights. It's in the small towns all across the country, even the small sized town where I live the newspaper is full of stories of violence, murder, drugs. An increasing number of the perpetrators are juveniles or young adults. Recently in our locale alone an 18 year old was arrested for shooting a police officer and his dog. In another even smaller town a juvenile committed a murder of a woman. I have watched the tragic stories unfold and the consequences of these actions affect not only the victims, but also the families of the young people who committed these crimes.

But I ask who is to blame for this? Is it the parents of these kids who failed to raise them properly? The schools? The kids themselves? What is going wrong? Why do these kids go bad? It's not easy to come up with an honest answer. And I really don't think there is much hope that things will change for the better any time soon.

I know of another one of these stories. An 18 year old who now sits in state prison for theft. This guy had been a friend of my daughter and attended her school. And he had a long history of trouble with the law and unruly behavior. He spent time in juvenile detention at least twice, one for nearly a year for another theft. And it culminated in drug addiction and a trail that led ultimately to his incarceration now for 2 years. Yes he was a trouble maker and a rebel and lived for himself without care for the consequences. He was prone to lie and to steal and to foul language and behavior. Many will say he got what he deserved. Ironically there is another side. He was raised in a Christian home with parents who were involved in ministry. He was polite at times and friendly and likeable. He attended church and visited youth groups. We found he was arrested once on a Sunday morning while my daughter waited for him to come to pick her up for church. The call we got said that he was in jail instead. He spent a year in detention that time. I didn't want my kids near him. Like many we wanted to be done with his association. He came home and fell back into trouble very soon now as an adult he faced more severe punishment. Now even his parents turned their back on him.

I am writing this today as a plea to all those who still care not to give up hope. There is something that we can do to make a difference. You see that no one believes this young man anymore that he can change his life. Even the church seems to have written him off. What do I mean? Well when he got arrested and was in county jail I sought help for him and his parents. I tried my own church and called many individuals for guidance and assistance to see if someone could share the Gospel with him. I had a radical and foolish idea it seems. Most thought I was crazy. "You are probably just wasting your time" was the typical response when I said that I wanted to help this young person. To me that is the biggest problem we face. Not the rotten kids who have taken the wrong direction in their life and reaping what they sow, but the so called nice people who would rather it be that way. To be honest there were some who cared and offered assistance. I made some contacts that went to minister to him in the jail. And others who prayed sincerely for this kid. But where were the others? Why did they not do something? Are all kids like this not worth our time and effort? Can God not still change lives? Do we somehow have a judgemental spirit that somehow takes pleasure in the tragedy of others sin? Do we truly want to see lost souls be saved? Do we want them in our churches? Our youth groups? Or do we just want the "good" people in our churches? I hope that we welcome the sinners too, because I believe that is the answer to turning around this downward spiral.

You see the problem for this young man and others like him is the same problem that we too face if we are honest. And the problem is sin. We have turned our backs on God and gone our own way. And sins consequences are tragic and ultimately lead to death. But God did not turn his back on us in our sin but reached out in Love to save us through His son Jesus Christ who died to cover those sins and to provide his righteousness that we can live and not die. The hope for this man and all like him, that includes me and you, is to be found in the gospel of Christ. We have to reach out to those who are lost and share the Good News that Jesus save sinners. We must not hide in our houses and churches and stay to ourselves. We must go to the jails and to the schools and to our neighborhoods and share Christ with them. I don't know what is yet to come for the young person I have witnessed to. But I know that God can and does still save sinners. But we must be obedient to his Word and "Go Forth and Make Disciples". I urge you to pray each day for those like this youth and to come out of your comfort zones and touch their lives. Offer them hope and advice and wisdom that can break the bondage of drugs and alcohol and sin. If you don't then you don't have anything to complain about while it just gets worse out there.