Coram Christo

We are Not our Gift

2010-02-09T07:55:00.000-05:00

This past Thursday in chapel, Dr. Russ Moore preached a very edifying, convicting, and encouraging sermon from 1 Kings 1

God's Love for us in Christ

2010-02-06T14:18:00.003-05:00

Yes, I'm starting my blog again...and I plan to update it at least twice a week (I'll try to post something every day, but we'll see...)

A wonderful quote from Richard Baxter's The Saints' Everlasting Rest on the love of Christ!

“Christian, believe this, and think on it: thou shalt be eternally embraced in the arms of that love which was from everlasting, and will extend to everlasting; of that love which brought the Son of God's love from heaven to earth, from earth to the cross, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to glory; that love which was weary, hungry, tempted, scorned, scourged, buffeted, spit upon, crucified, pierced; which did fast, pray, teach, heal, weep, sweat, bleed, die; that love will eternally embrace thee. When perfect created love and most perfect uncreated love meet together, it will not be like Joseph and his brethren, who lay upon one another's necks weeping; it will be loving and rejoicing, not loving and sorrowing. Yes, it will make Satan's court ring with the news that Joseph's brethren are come, that the saints are arrived safe at the bosom of Christ, out of the reach of hell for ever. Nor is there any such love as David's and Jonathan's, breathing out its last into sad lamentations for a forced separation. Know this, believer, to thy everlasting comfort, if those arms have once embraced thee, neither sin nor hell can get thee thence for ever. Thou hast not to deal with an inconstant creature, but with Him with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning. His love to thee will not be as thine was on earth to Him, seldom, and cold, up, and down. He that would not cease nor abate His love, for all thine enmity, unkind neglects, and churlish resistances, can he cease to love thee, when he hath made thee truly lovely? He that keepeth thee so constant in thy love to Him, that thou canst challenge tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword, to separate thy love from Christ, how much more will He himself be constant! Indeed thou mayest be ‘persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ And now, are we not left in the apostle's admiration: "What shall we say to these things?" Infinite love must needs be a mystery to a finite capacity. No wonder angels desire to look into this mystery. And if it be the study of saints here ‘to know the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge’ the saints' everlasting rest must consist in the enjoyment of God by love."

My pastor just began a series on the Fruit of the Spirit, and he is spending several on love. Here are the first two he's preached:

The Centrality of Love in Christianity

God's Love for Us

The Treason of Lost Love- Christ's Letter to the Church at Ephesus

2009-09-01T20:40:00.000-04:00

Of All the Million Precious Truths

2009-09-01T03:05:00.002-04:00

Of all the million precious truths
That You reveal to men,
Your Gospel does exceed them all-
Their center and their end.

It tells of Christ the spotless Lamb
From earth’s foundation slain
And points to Christ the risen Lord,
Who shall forever reign!

In spite of all our wretched sin
That spits in mercy’s face,
We marvel how a holy God
Would show to us such grace!

That we who are unworthy dust
Should know Your Gospel’s worth
And sinners who deserve to die
Should undergo new birth!

What greater hope could He us give?
What freer offer made?
For all who call upon the Lord,
These surely shall be saved!

And, Lord, by Your free grace alone,
My sins dark though they be,
When Jesus died upon the cross,
I know He died for me!

I am that son who wandered far
In self-sufficient ways.
I am that sheep the Shepherd found,
And now His name I praise!

Your Gospel gives me daily strength
And guides me on my course,
The truths that first led me to Christ
Its ending and its force.

Should I the Gospel set aside
Or find no longer sweet,
These lungs of mine forget to breathe,
This heart refuse to beat!

- Marie Peterson, ©2009

God's Grace is Sufficient!

2009-08-15T21:38:00.004-04:00

We all, as Christians, have those seasons where we feel our weakness keenly. Whether it's distress, fierce temptations, physical ailments, persecution, you fill in the blank, we cry out like Paul and ask God to take it away. But have we learned yet to rejoice in these things, as Paul learned to do, as they are platforms for Christ to become more glorious and precious to us? What Satan means for evil, God means for our good, and as painful as it may be, part of that good is making us humble like Christ. Very convicting and comforting sermon!

2 Cor. 12:7-10
7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself!
8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Spurgeon on Psalm 139:17-18

2009-05-10T22:43:00.002-04:00

Psalm 139:17-18- "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You."

Verse 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! He is not alarmed at the fact that God knows all about him; on the contrary, he is comforted, and even feels himself to be enriched, as with a casket of precious jewels. That God should think upon him is the believer's treasure and pleasure. He cries, "How costly, how valued are thy thoughts, how dear to me is thy perpetual attention!" He thinks upon God's thoughts with delight; the more of them the better is he pleased. It is a joy worth worlds that the Lord should think upon us who are so poor and needy: it is a joy which fills our whole nature to think upon God; returning love for love, thought for thought, after our poor fashion. How great is the sum of them! When we remember that God thought upon us from old eternity, continues to think upon us every moment, and will think of us when time shall be no more, we may well exclaim, "How great is the sum!" Thoughts such as are natural to the Creator, the Preserver, the Redeemer, the Father, the Friend, are evermore flowing from the heart of the Lord. Thoughts of our pardon, renewal, upholding, supplying, educating, perfecting, and a thousand more kinds perpetually well up in the mind of the Most High. It should fill us with adoring wonder and reverent surprise that the infinite mind of God should turn so many thoughts towards us who are so insignificant and so unworthy! What a contrast is all this to the notion of those who deny the existence of a personal, conscious God! Imagine a world without a thinking, personal God! Conceive of a grim providence of machinery!—a fatherhood of law! Such philosophy is hard and cold. As well might a man pillow his head upon a razor edge as seek rest in such a fancy. But a God always thinking of us makes a happy world, a rich life, a heavenly hereafter.

Verse 18. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand. This figure shows the thoughts of God to be altogether innumerable; for nothing can surpass in number the grains of sand which belt the main ocean and all the minor seas. The task of counting God's thoughts of love would be a never ending one. If we should attempt the reckoning we must necessarily fail, for the infinite falls not within the line of our feeble intellect. Even could we count the sands on the seashore, we should not then be able to number God's thoughts, for they are "more in number than the sand." This is not the hyperbole of poetry, but the solid fact of inspired statement: God thinks upon us infinitely: there is a limit to the act of creation, but not to the might of divine love. When I awake, I am still with thee. Thy thoughts of love are so many that my mind never gets away from them, they surround me at all hours. I go to my bed, and God is my last thought; and when I wake I find my mind still hovering about his palace gates; God is ever with me, and I am ever with him. This is life indeed. If during sleep my mind wanders away into dreams, yet it only wanders upon holy ground, and the moment I wake my heart is back with its Lord. The Psalmist does not say, "When I awake, I return to thee", but, "I am still with thee"; as if his meditations were continuous, and his communion unbroken. Soon we shall lie down to sleep for the last time: God grant that when the trumpet of the archangel shall waken us we may find ourselves still with him.

from The Treasury of David

God's Providence

2009-03-28T21:56:00.010-04:00

An incident happened this evening that reminded me of how God's providence is always wise and purposeful, even if it appears to be a nuisance to us at the time. I wonder, how many times has God saved our lives by what we saw as an annoying traffic jam or a misplaced wallet? Not all His reasons need be that dramatic, of course. And of course, He doesn't ever to reveal them to us, as it is our job to follow His Word and trust in Him in all circumstances. But I do know that many things that seem insignificant to us are very significant in the plan of God. And I marvel at those times when God reveals at least some portion of those reasons!

I was cooking some spaghetti, and I was draining it into the sink. Except that, somehow, the noodles slid out from under the strainer lid and into the disposal! I was a bit frustrated and decided not to make more noodles but just eat the other food I'd prepared. I was about to put the spaghetti sauce back in the fridge when I decided I'd throw it out, since there was only a little bit left and my goal was to use it up tonight. The reason I needed to use it up was that it was opened. Then it dawned on me..."I wonder if this would have been good to eat anyway?" The expiration date was this coming September, but, after doing a quick Google search, I realized I should have thrown it out several weeks ago! (Don't worry, I make sure the stuff I bring to church potluck is extra fresh...) I probably would have gotten sick off of it! (Well, ok, only God knows, but this is just my educated guess as to what might have been the reason).

I'm reminded of a story Mark Chanski cited in a blog article:

The legend says that Genghis Khan, the Mongol king of the 13th century, was out hunting one hot summer day with his favorite hawk perched on his wrist. Parched with thirst, the king sought out a source for a cool drink. At last, to his joy, he saw some water drop by drop trickling down over the edge of a rock cliff. The king leaped from his horse, took a little silver cup from his hunting bag, and held it so as to catch the slowly falling drops.

It took a long time to fill the cup; and the king was so thirsty that he could hardly wait. At last it was nearly full. He put the cup to his lips, and was about to drink, when all at once the air whirred, and the cup was knocked out of his hands, spilling the precious water on the ground. It was his pet hawk who’d spoiled his drink! It flew back and forth a few times and perched on some high rocks. The king picked up the cup and again held it to catch the trickling drops. When it was half full, the thirsty king lifted the cup to his mouth. But before it touched his lips, the hawk swooped down again and knocked it from his hands. Now the king was angry. He tried again, and for the third time the hawk kept him from drinking.

This enraged the king. “How do you dare act so?” he screamed. Then he filled the cup again, but before he tried to drink, he drew his sword, and when the hawk swooped down, the king struck his bird with the blade. “That is what you get for your pains,” shouted the king. But this time his cup had fallen out of reach between two rocks. So the king climbed up the cliff to drink right from the source. At last, he reached the top and beheld a pool of water. But what was lying in the pool, and almost filling it? It was a huge, dead snake of the most poisonous kind. The king stopped, forgot his thirst, and thought only of the dead bird lying on the ground below him. "The hawk saved my life!" he cried, "and how did I repay him? He was my best friend, and I have killed him."

Praise God that He is sovereign over all things, even down to the last detail!

The Devil Votes Christian Values: Why We’re Tempted to be Glorified Satanists Rather than Crucified Followers

2009-03-24T19:25:00.001-04:00

This past week, Dr. Russ Moore preached an excellent chapel message on Matthew 4:8-17.

Satan is not fearful of external conformity to rules. Not even of external conformity to the rule of Christ, provided there is no cross. Satan does not mind family values, as long as what you ultimately value is the family. Satan does not mind social justice, as long as you see justice as most importantly social. Satan does not tremble at a Christian worldview. He will let you have a Christian worldview, as long as your ultimate goal is viewing the world.

If Jesus will receive the kingdoms of the world, this crafty serpent thinks, then he can hand them to Him apart from the shedding of blood at the cross, apart from the overthrow of the demonic powers through the empty tomb, apart from a reconciliation between a holy God and a renegade humanity. If he can just bypass the cross and get to the Kingdom apart from the cross, then he will have everything that he wants.

Pastors, Satan doesn't mind if you preach on the decrees of God with fervor and passion every single week, provided that you do not ever preach the Gospel of the cross. Homeschooling moms, Satan does not mind if you teach your children all the books of the Bible and all the Ten Commandments and all of the Catechism, provided you do not teach them the Gospel of a bloody cross. He will let you, ministers of the Gospel, he will let you get what it is that you want, no matter what that is: sanctity of marriage, environmental protection, orphan care, all of these good and wonderful things. He will allow you to gain those things, provided you do not preach and proclaim and live through the power of a cross that cancels his power of condemnation. He so fears the Gospel, Christ crucified and raised from the dead, that he is willing to surrender his entire empire just to appease the threat of it.

Man's rebellion

2009-03-11T12:55:00.001-04:00

Judge questions mental state of Allen Twp. man who says he's "sovereign"

But how many who laugh do the same thing, only spiritually?

Sabbath meditations

2009-03-07T22:24:00.000-05:00

In his book The Ten Commandments, Thomas Watson gives four areas in which we should meditate on the Lord's Day:

Get upon the mount of meditation, and there converse with God. Meditation is the soul’s retiring within itself, that, by a serious and solemn thinking upon God, the heart may be raised up to divine affections. It is a work fit for the morning of a Sabbath. Meditate on four things.

(1) On the works of creation. This is expressed in the commandment. “The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea,’ &c. The creation is a looking glass, in which we see the wisdom and power of God gloriously represented. God produced this fair structure of the world without any pre-existent matter, and with a word. ‘By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.’ Psa 33: 6. The disciples wondered that Christ could, with a word, calm the sea, but it was far more astounding with a word to make the sea. Matt 8: 26. On the Sabbath let us meditate on the infiniteness of the Creator. Look up to the firmament and see God’s wonders in the deep.’ Psa 107: 24. Look into the earth, where we may behold the nature of minerals, the power of the loadstone, the virtue of herbs, and the beauty of flowers. By meditating on these works of creation, so curiously embroidered, we shall learn to admire God and praise him. ‘O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all.’ Psa 104: 24. By meditating on the works of creation, we shall learn to confide in God. He who can create, can provide; he that could make us when we were nothing, can raise us when we are low. ‘Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.’ Psa 124: 8.

(2) Meditate on God’s holiness. ‘Holy and reverend is his name.’ Psa 111: 9. ‘Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil.’ Hab 1: 13. God is essentially, originally, and efficiently holy. A11 the holiness in men and angels is but a crystal stream that runs from this glorious fountain. God loves holiness because it is his own image. A king cannot but love to see his own effigies stamped on coin. God counts holiness his glory, and the most sparkling jewel of his crown. ‘Glorious unholiness.’ Exod 15: 2: Here is meditation fit for the first entrance upon a Sabbath. The contemplation of this would work in us such a frame of heart as is suitable to a holy God; it would make us reverence his name and hallow his day. While musing; upon the holiness of God’s nature, we shall begin to be transformed into his likeness.

(3) Meditate on Christ’s love in redeeming us. Rev 1: 5. Redemption exceeds creation; the one is a monument of God’s power, the other of his love. Here is fit work for a Sabbath. Oh, the infinite stupendous love of Christ in raising poor lapsed creatures from a state of guilt and damnation! That Christ who was God should die! that this glorious Sun of Righteousness should be in an eclipse! We can never admire enough this love, no, not in heaven. That Christ should die for sinners! not sinful angels, but sinful men. That such clods of earth and sin should be made bright stars of glory! Oh, the amazing love of Christ! This was Illustre amoris Christi mnemosynum. Brugensis. That Christ should not only die for sinners, but die as a sinner! ‘He has made him to be sin for us’ 2 Cor 5: 21. He who was among the glorious persons of the Trinity, ‘was numbered with the transgressors.’ Isa 53: 12. Not that he had sin, but he was like a sinner, having our sins imputed to him. Sin did not live in him, but it was laid upon him. Here was an hyperbole of love enough to strike us with astonishment. That Christ should redeem us, when he could not expect to gain anything, or to be advantaged at all by us! Men will not lay out their money upon purchase unless it will turn to their profit; but what benefit could Christ expect in purchasing and redeeming us? We were in such a condition that we could neither deserve nor recompense Christ’s love. We could not deserve it; for we were in our blood. Ezek 16: 6. We had no spiritual beauty to tempt him. Nay, we were not only in our blood, but we were in arms against him. ‘When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son;’ Rom 5: 10. When he was shedding his blood, we were spitting out poison. As we could not deserve, so neither could we recompense it. After he had died for us, we could not so much as love him, till he made us love him. We could give him nothing in lieu of his love. ‘Who has first given to him?’ Rom 11: 35. We were fallen into poverty. If we have any beauty, it is from him, ‘It was perfect through my comeliness which I had put upon thee.’ Ezek 16: 14. If we bring forth any good fruit, it is not of our own growth, it comes from him, the true vine. ‘From me is thy fruit found.’ Hos 14: 8. It was nothing but pure love for Christ to lay out his blood to redeem such as he could not expect to be really bettered by. That Christ should die so willingly! ‘I lay down my life.’ John 10: 17. The Jews could not have taken it away if he had not laid it down. He could have called to his Father for legions of angels to be his life-guard; but what need for even that, when his own Godhead could have defended himself from all assaults? He laid down his life. The Jews did not so much thirst for his death, as he thirsted for our redemption. ‘I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished?’ Luke 12: 50. He called his sufferings a baptism; he was to be baptised and sprinkled with his own blood; and he thought the time long before he suffered. To show Christ’s willingness to die, his sufferings are called an offering. ‘Through the offering of the body of Jesus.’ Heb 10: 10. His death was a free-will offering. That Christ should not grudge nor think much of all his sufferings! Though he was scourged and crucified, he was well contented with what he had done, and, if it were needful, he would do it again. ‘He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.’ Isa 53: 11. As the mother who has had hard labour, does not repent of her pangs when she sees a child brought forth, but is well contented; so Christ, though he had hard travail upon the cross, does not think much of it; he is not troubled, but thinks his sweat and blood well bestowed, because he sees the man-child of redemption brought forth into the world. That Christ should make redemption effectual to some, and not to others! Here is surprising love. Though there is sufficiency in his merits to save all, yet some only partake of their saving virtue; all do not believe. ‘There are some of you that believe not.’ John 6: 64. Christ does not pray for all. John 17: 9. Some refuse him. This is ‘the stone which the builders refused.’ Psa 118: 22. Others deride him. Luke 16: 14. Others throw off his yoke. ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’ Luke 19: 14. SO that all have not the benefit of salvation by him. Herein appears the distinguishing love of Christ, that the virtue of his death should reach some, and not others. ‘Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.’ 1 Cor 1: 26. That Christ should pass by many of birth and parts, and that the lot of free grace should fall upon thee; that he should sprinkle his blood upon thee; ‘Oh, the depth of the love of Christ!’ That Christ should love us with such a transcendent love! The apostle calls it ‘Love which passeth knowledge.’ Eph 3: 19. That he should love us more than the angels. He loves them as his friends, but believers as his spouse. He loves them with such a kind of love as God the Father bears to him. ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.’ John 15: 9. Oh, what an hyperbole of love does Christ show in redeeming us! That Christ’s love in our redemption should be everlasting! ‘Having loved his own, he loved them unto the end.’ John 13: 1. As Christ’s love is matchless, so it is endless. The flower of his love is sweet; and that which makes it sweeter is that it never dies. His love is eternized. Jer 31: 3. He will never divorce his elect spouse. The failings of his people cannot quite take off his love; they may eclipse it, but not wholly remove it; their failings may make Christ angry with them, but not hate them. Every failing does not break the marriagebond. Christ’s love is not like the saint’s love. They sometimes have strong affections towards him, at other times the fit is off, and they find little or no love stirring in them; but it is not so with Christ’s love to them, it is a love of eternity. When the sunshine of Christ’s electing love is once risen upon the soul, it never finally sets. Death may take away our life from us, but not Christ’s love. Behold here a rare subject for meditation on a Sabbath morning. The meditation of Christ’s wonderful love in redeeming us would work in us a Sabbath-frame of heart.

It would melt us in tears for our spiritual unkindness, that we should sin against so sweet a Saviour; that we should be no more affected with his love, but requite evil for good; that like the Athenians, who, notwithstanding all the good service Aristides had done them, banished him out of their city, we should banish him from our temple; that we should grieve him with our pride, rash anger, unfruitfulness, animosities, and strange factions. Have we none to abuse but our friend? Have we nothing to kick against but the bowels of our Saviour? Did not Christ suffer enough upon the cross, but we must needs make him suffer more? Do we give him more ‘gall and vinegar to drink?’ Oh, if anything can dissolve the heart in sorrow, and melt the eyes to tears, it is unkindness offered to Christ. When Peter thought of Christ’s love to him, how he had made him an apostle, and revealed his bosom-secrets to him, and taken him to the mount of transfiguration, and yet that he should deny him; it broke his heart with sorrow; ‘he went out and wept bitterly.’ Matt 26: 75. What a blessed thing is it to have the eyes dropping tears on a Sabbath! and nothing would sooner fetch tears than to meditate on Christ’s love to us, and our unkindness to him.

Meditating on a Lord’s-day morning on Christ’s love, would kindle love in our hearts to him. How can we look on his bleeding and dying for us and our hearts not be warmed with love to him? Love is the soul of religion, the purest affection. It is not rivers of oil, but sparks of love that Christ values. And sure, as David said, ‘While I was musing the fire burned’ (Psa 39: 3), so, while we are musing of Christ’s love in redeeming us, the fire of our love will burn towards him; and then the Christian is in a blessed Sabbath-frame, when, like a seraphim, he is burning in love to Christ.

(4) On a Sabbath morning meditate on the glory of heaven. Heaven is the extract and essence of happiness. It is called a kingdom. Matt 25: 34. A kingdom for its riches and magnificence. It is set forth by precious stones, and gates of pearl. Rev 21: 19, 21. There is all that is truly glorious; transparent light, perfect love, unstained honour, unmixed joy; and that which crowns the joy of the celestial paradise is eternity. Suppose earthly kingdoms were more glorious than they are, their foundations of gold, their walls of pearl, their windows of sapphire, yet they are corruptible; but the kingdom of heaven is eternal; those rivers of pleasure run ‘for evermore.’ Psa 16: 11. That wherein the essence of glory consists, and makes heaven to be heaven, is the immediate sight and fruition of the blessed God. ‘I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.’ Psa 17: 15. Oh, think of the Jerusalem above!

This is proper for a Sabbath. The meditation of heaven would raise our hearts above the world. oh, how would earthly things disappear and shrink into nothing, if our minds were mounted above visible things, and we had a prospect of glory! How would the meditation of heaven make us heavenly in our Sabbath exercises! It would quicken affection, would add wings to devotion, and cause us to be ‘in the Spirit on the Lord’s-day.’ Rev 1: 10. How vigorously does he serve God who has a crown of glory always in his eye!

When I Consider Your Heavens

2009-03-07T12:31:00.004-05:00

When Dr. Hughes Oliphant Old mentioned the title of his second Mullins lecture, I was greatly intrigued. Knowing that the majority of SBTS students do not hold to the Lord's Day as the Christian Sabbath, I wondered what would be said. I really wish the audience questions had been recorded, since I would have loved to hear them. But, as they say, "somebody's gotta work!"

The lecture was honestly different than what I anticipated, though. I had never really heard someone discuss the Sabbath as remembering and appreciating God's physical creation. It makes total sense, but I think this is because Christ's saving work, resurrection, and the new creation are the predominant themes in the Bible and in apostolic preaching. But then again, we aren't gnostics. God does give us all things richly to enjoy (1 Tim. 6:17). God's creation is a good thing (Gen. 1:31), and we can see His power and majesty displayed in it (Rom. 1:20). As Dr. Old pointed out, many of the Psalms glorify God for His handiwork and call upon all things to glorify God. Sure, Christ's redemption is obviously going to be the primary focus of our minds and hearts, but, like the Psalmist, I can also consider creation and ask, "Who are we, Lord, that You are mindful of us?" (Psalm 8).

Perhaps this has never been so true in my own life as on a Lord's Day while on the Alpha & Omega apologetics cruise to Alaska several years ago. We were headed through the Northwest Passage, and, as is common, it was stormy. After we met for worship, I decided to go and get some fresh air by walking around the outer deck of the ship. The ocean was slate gray, and the choppy waves went as far as the eye could see. It caused me to meditate upon how small the ship was, and how small I was on it. God's majesty was displayed in the wind and the waves and the sea, but God's mercy and love was also displayed by the fact that I was standing there glorifying Him for all of it! To think that God had all of creation to praise Him (He didn't even have to create that, since He had the fellowship of the Son and the Spirit!), and yet He chose to redeem a remnant of fallen man, who had placed a curse upon the creation that God made!

This reminds me of the excellent sermon Pastor James preached last Lord's Day on Romans 8:18-25: Longing For Deliverance

Mullins Lectures: Hughes Oliphant Old

2009-03-06T23:30:00.001-05:00

Hughes Oliphant Old, professor of Reformed Worship at Erskine Seminary, taught three lectures for Southern Seminary's Mullins Lectures series. Here are the mp3s. If you only have time for one, listen to the one on Preaching as Communion!

Preaching as Telling the Story of God’s Mighty Acts of Redemption

Preaching as Remembering the Sabbath to Keep it Holy

Preaching as Communion

(The second lecture deserves some comments, but I will write a separate post for that...)

Compelled to Share

2009-02-24T18:30:00.002-05:00

Dr. Tim Beougher, dean of the SBTS school of evangelism and missions, preached an challenging message in chapel today from 1 Cor. 9:16-23. No, this wasn't a message on contextualization, which was very refreshing! I have so often heard this text used (and misused) in this way that I'd missed what it is actually about: Paul's passion for seeing others won to faith in Christ and his determination to not live for his own rights but to live for the sake of the Gospel!

Pastor Jim preached another convicting sermon this past Lord's Day on obeying God rather than men (Acts 5:27-29). You can listen to it here. Most convicting to me was the truth that the issue for most of us is not obeying God over against the voice of ungodly national leaders but obeying God over against our own sinful flesh!

Gospel Clarity and the Call to Suffer

2009-02-18T18:02:00.000-05:00

Denny Burk, dean of Boyce College, preached
an excellent chapel message on Matthew 16:13-20!

The Year of Living Dangerously

2009-02-17T19:45:00.000-05:00

You can listen to the entire message here.

Designer children???

2009-02-16T22:15:00.002-05:00

Al Mohler spoke on his radio program about a frightening article in the Wall Street Journal on "designer babies." Scary stuff! It shows how much our culture has sold its own soul to the gods of individualism, consumerism, greed, and self-satisfaction.

In stark contrast to the mindset of our culture stands God's Word and His reasons for rearing children. Have they even considered what God seeks? Last evening, Pastor Jim preached an excellent sermon on Malachi 2:13-15. May the church show this generation, and many generations to come, what it means to raise children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and seek for God to give them that which genetics and medicine never can: a new heart and a new life in Christ!

Ten questions to ask

2009-02-07T22:00:00.009-05:00

Dr. Don Whitney has written an excellent article entitled "Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year or On Your Birthday." And I happened to run across it...several days before my birthday! Besides, I have an oversight meeting coming up, and I trust this will aid in preparing my thoughts for that!

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

Well, there are many things, but the one that sticks out in my mind is prayer. And prayer not only to start and end the day but prayer throughout the day, just as Nehemiah shot up "arrow prayers" as the walls were rebuilt. In my own experience, I have the most enjoyment of God and assurance of His provision when I am living as if God really hears me and really is the one who is establishing the work of my hands.

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

More than ever, I see that "humanly impossible" covers a lot of territory, so it's a little hard to narrow down! Actually, I don't need to narrow it down... The most humanly impossible thing I will ask God to do is to grant me the grace to mortify my sin and to conform me into the image of Christ. After all, what do I have that I have not received? Yes, I am responsible to use the means of grace that God has provided, but without God's Spirit nothing will come of it. And the question comes "Do I REALLY believe this?"...

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

The number one best thing I can do is pray for the salvation of unsaved family members! I can also look for opportunities to serve them and show my concern and love for them. While I certainly want to speak of Christ as God gives me opportunity, I also know that they've heard numerous times and that there is a theology of wiping the dust off one's feet. I need wisdom to know the whereabouts of that fine line!

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

I want to make progress in the memorization of Scripture. I have made flash cards to put in my purse so I can take them out while on the bus or waiting in a long line. It is a great way to redeem the time! I have gotten out of doing it recently, so I should get back in to it again! It is amazing how God has used the very passage I am memorizing for either my own or someone else's encouragement or admonishment!

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

Hmmm...well, I could say the Internet, and that is what I would have said several years ago. God has mercifully helped me to overcome much of that! But the main thing that sticks out to me, due to some lessons the Lord has taught me lately, is the time-waster of worrying! It's amazing I still have to learn that lesson! Jesus really did mean it when He said none of us could add an inch to our height by worrying. The Lord has made my mind so that I am always thinking through things, which can be a real blessing, but a common temptation I have is to try and figure out all the ways a situation could turn out in situations where it causes me to worry or to be presumptuous. I know that God lavished grace upon me as He gave me great peace during the lay-offs at work. I pray that will more and more be the experience of my life!

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

I don't know about "new" but I do know that I should continue in the ways begun! Because I am single, I have more time to devote to the Kingdom of God, and a major ministry God has given me is praying for my church. I make it my practice to pray through the church directory in prayer at least once a week. I make a special effort to pray for the young people in my church, as they are the Reformed Baptist Church of Louisville of tomorrow. I was especially moved by a sermon Pastor Jim preached recently on Acts 4:36-5:2. I want to more and more be like Barnabas and encourage and think the best of my brethren. I have some ideas on how I can practically encourage them, but I won't post it because I want it to be a surprise.

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

My sister Julie's! That didn't take even a nanosecond to think about! I have had her as a burden upon my heart recently. I think it's particularly because of her upcoming marriage in 2010. I actually have had dreams about her conversion, which shows how much I have been thinking about and praying for her! So she is the one God has laid upon my heart in a special way at the moment.

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?

Honestly, if I grew spiritually this year as much as I did last year, then I would be very, very pleased! Of course, I don't want to fall into a rut, and that's always the danger, so I will again continue in the path begun and pray that I will grow more and more in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I endeavor to do this by remembering the lessons I learned last year...focus on the Gospel, pray each day to be filled with the Spirit, work and live each day before the face of God, meditate on Scripture and ponder its application, consider the deceitfulness of my own heart but even more than that consider the grace and mercy that has been lavished upon me in Christ. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results...I do the same thing over and over and expect better and more results!

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

I can be more specific in my prayers for other people. To do this, I will ask others how I can pray for them, even when I don't know of some struggle they are facing or some event that is about to happen in their lives. It's good and right to pray, for example, that a friend will be given the grace to resist temptation, but it is even better to be able to pray that my friend would be able to resist the sin of covetousness if that is something they are struggling with at the moment. I haven't done a study on this, but it seems to me that the vast majority of prayers in Scripture are dealing with particulars rather than generalities. Besides, asking someone "How can I best pray for you?" is a great encouragement to others!

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

This is a hard question because we often don't know the impact that certain events and decisions in our lives have upon ourselves and others. Eternity is the most important question to ask, and I would say that spreading the Gospel and praying for souls is very important. It may be the thing that matters in 10 years as well, since we don't know how much longer we will have to spread the Gospel as freely as we do now! Personally, I know that seeking the Kingdom and God's righteousness is most important in my daily life, and I know that will deeply impact my life here and in eternity! As for Christians corporately, I think we would do well to become more Gospel-focused and Scripture-focused. We need to pray for revival in our churches so we don't lose Christ as our First Love. The world has so much to entice us to take our eyes off Christ and Heaven! Related to this, we need to be good stewards of our possessions and use them for the Kingdom and not use them selfishly or frivolously.

A Race Run Well

2009-02-07T10:17:00.002-05:00

I recently blogged a sermon by Dan Cummings, a pastor who battled for a year with cancer. I just learned last night that he has gone to receive his reward (or, more appropriately, as one Puritan put it, gone to receive mercy!) As it is with any Christian, it is a time of both grief and rejoicing. Grief that someone who we love dearly is separated from us (for a time) but joy that he is in the arms of our merciful, loving Lord Jesus! Please join me in praying for the Cummings family and for the people of Five Points Community Church. May Christ draw near to them and comfort them, reminding them of the same trust their dear pastor had in the goodness and sovereignty of God in all things. Tomorrow will be hard for them, no doubt, but God will be the faithful shepherd of His flock and give them comfort and raise up another man to lead them on their pilgrimage home!

Some thoughts on the Ice Storm of '09

2009-02-06T13:27:00.004-05:00

Well, God did teach me some things during this past ice storm, though not as dramatically as at other times! Although, far be it from me to assume that I know even the tip of the iceberg, if you will, of all that God intended! He certainly taught me about serving others and thankfulness! And I read Robert L. Peterson's (no relation that I know of) book Robert Chapman: Apostle of Love. I can tell why Spurgeon called him the "saintliest man" he had ever known! Also, there was a sin issue that God dealt with in my life (suffice it to say it had to do with presumption and pride). I had more time to pray and think through it, and for whatever reason God had not answered my prayers about it until this past week. Appropriately enough (as it always is), Pastor James preached this past Lord's Day on our conflict with sin (Romans 7:14-25).

Brian Owens, a student at SBTS, wrote an excellent blog entry that echoes many of my own thoughts:

These are some thoughts I had from Job 37 regarding the events of this past week.

Did you hear God speak this week? You should have. Elihu says in Job 37:2 “Listen closely to the thunder of His voice, And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.” God showed us much this week when He sent the winter storm. Yes, God sent the winter storm. We need to recognize the fact weather doesn’t “just happen.” If you believe God created everything but stepped back and lets things just happen you are holding to an agnostic point of view which is not compatible with biblical Christianity. God is in control of everything, including the weather.

You may not like it or even agree with it, but that doesn’t change the truth of God’s Word and Scripture plainly teaches that God is sovereign over all things. Charles Spurgeon rightly said that “No doctrine in the whole Word of God has excited the hatred of mankind more than the truth of the absolute sovereignty of God.” We can’t stand the thought of God taking our hands off the situation!

Since we have established that God is sovereign over it all, think about this – any time we complain about it being too cold, or too hot, or too much rain, or not enough rain - when we complain about the snow and ice what we are in effect saying is that “God, you don’t know what you are doing!” Now, how blasphemous is that? Now let me be clear, I don’t shout for joy when snow and ice move in, but I can honestly say when I see that the temperature drops to single digits or when there is an inch of ice on the ground, “Thy will be done.”

That’s how the Christian is to respond. Job 37:3 says “Under the whole heaven He [God] lets it loose, and His lightning to the ends of the earth.” Don’t you think if He does it He has good reason for it? God does nothing on a whim, it is all for His purpose and His glory.

Job37:7 says “He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work.” That word translated “seals” literally means “ties up.” Our hands have been tied this past week! Why is that? So we will know His work. God does everything with the purpose of making His glory known. Matthew Henry once said “When we are, upon any account, disabled from following our worldly business, and taken off from it, we should spend our time rather in the exercises of piety and devotion (in acquainting ourselves with the works of God and praising him in them) than in foolish idle sports and recreations. When our hands are sealed up our hearts should be thus opened, and the less we have at any time to do in the world the more we should thereby be driven to our Bibles and our knees.”

How often did you read your bible this past week? Did you pray that much more? We should have. That is part of the reason that God sent the storm. Sometimes we just need to be slowed down so we can hear Him (Psalm 46:10).

Job 37:10 says that "From the breath of God ice is made, and the expanse of the waters is frozen.” Now, we get an education on meteorology 101 every evening on the news (honestly, I wish they would just tell me the forecast and be done with it!). We know what causes the rain and the snow and so on. Basically, Elihu is saying “Hey, the ice comes from God. He speaks and it happens.”

What is so humbling for me is Job 37:13 which says “Whether for correction, or for His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.” These are other reasons God sends weather such as we had this past week. John Gill writes that God does this “for the reproof and chastisement of men for their sins, by suffering such quantities to fall as wash away, or corrupt and destroy, the fruits of the earth: or "for a tribe" as the word sometimes signifies; the rain is sent, and comes only to a particular part or spot of ground, to one city and not to another…” Amos 4:7 says “Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you While there were still three months until harvest. Then I would send rain on one city And on another city I would not send rain; One part would be rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up.” And Jesus Himself tells us in Matt 4:45 that “He [God] causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” If God is chastising us we better listen up!

So Elihu says that God speaks in the weather. So what else did he say this week? Aside from reminding us that He is in control, I think God said:

(1) We need to be taught patience. Our hands were tied! It goes without saying that we stay too busy and go so fast so often we miss God.

(2) We need to be reminded of our total dependence upon God. Remember where our resources come from – not KU, not Bluegrass Energy, but from God Almighty.

(3) To be inconvenienced for a day a week or a month should cause us to cry out to God. Did you?

(4) We rely too much on worldly pleasures and creature comforts. Electricity isn’t a bad thing, but we often forget God has the right to circumvent our technology.

(5) When we complain about the weather, we are in effect telling God that He doesn’t know what He is doing.

(6) Times like this bring out Christ-likeness in many people. Who did you check on that you normally wouldn’t have? The common grace of God abounded this week!

(7) Times like this reveal our depraved nature. How much have you complained about the time it takes to get your power turned back on? Did you notice how people try to take advantage of others?

(8) God is sovereign over life and death. For some this storm was a means of God taking them home to be with Him, for others it was a means of exercising His judgment on them for their sins.

(9) Thank God for what you have and don’t take what you have for granted. We don’t appreciate that light in the bathroom till we have to find our way in the dark. We don’t appreciate a working refrigerator till you have to throw out everything in it when it goes bad! To have been blessed with so much, we take so much for granted.

(10) If you spent the week in a shelter, thank God for the new friendships that were made. If you spent time with family thank God for the time you had to be with them!

(11) Remember this, God reserves the right to interrupt our schedules any time He chooses for any reason He chooses. So when He does, thank God for it as you know it is ultimately for our good and for His glory.

(12) We could go on for a while, but let me say one more thing – when the weather is beautiful and the power is on and all is well, remember, that is God’s work too!

Don't Waste Your Ice-Storm

2009-01-27T19:51:00.005-05:00

I'm sitting here at home because there is a bad ice/snow storm outside, and the weathermen are predicting it will get even worse tomorrow. I read through my old journals earlier, which was a very edifying experience, though I should have written more often! I also did some chores around the house, exercised my mind with Jeopardy, and will read Spurgeon on Christ in the Old Testament or maybe a book on John Newton before bed.

What do you do during an ice-storm? If you have kids, do you play in the snow with them? Do you spend the time curled up beneath the covers with a missionary biography or study on the attributes of God? Do you get those things done around the house that you always meant to do but never got around to it? Do you spend extra time in prayer or in singing praise to the Lord?

There are many good things that need to be done and that can be done while snowed in, but sometimes God uses them to grab our attention in a way that He might not have otherwise. I'm not saying that every snowstorm leads to some spiritual breakthrough (like Job, I haven't seen God's snow-storehouses), but in my own life this has happened two times in a very significant way.

The first was around the time of my conversion. It was 15 years ago this past week. In January of 1994, there were 16 inches of layered ice and snow. It kept the schools closed and Louisville citizens snowed-in for the entire week. While I do not know the exact date the Lord saved me, I remember that God showed me two main things that week. First, He showed me His greatness, in that I was truly awestruck by the terrifying beauty of the weather God sent. On the one hand, it was enjoyable and on the other it interrupted the lives of myself and others. I also saw, as the week wore on, my own impatience as well as the impatience of others. I learned the definition of "stir-crazy." I had the time to think about my own impatience and how it was a sin against the God who commands us to be anxious for nothing. I always prided myself in not falling into the "gross sins" but then the law of God, as the Psalmist put it, appeared to me as exceeding broad. That month, I was to start a class that, in the Presbyterian church, we called "confirmation class." A week or so after the snowstorm, I was in that class, and my youth-leader drew two lines on the board, one representing earth and the other heaven. She then started drawing a line to connect the two and told us tell her to stop where we thought we stood. I remember telling her later (I didn't want to do it in class because of my pride, I guess) that I knew God's standard was perfection and that it didn't matter how good I was because I knew anything less of perfection deserved Hell. That's why I needed Jesus to bridge that gap for me by His obedient life and sacrificial death!

The second ice-storm that God used was in February of 2003. First of all, it came just over a month after the murder of my aunt and uncle, which I blogged about here. Plus, my grandfather had died the weekend before (he had ALS, or Lou Gehrig's, for all the Yankees fans). So my mind was already thinking of the Gospel and God's holiness and our frailty. There were three specific areas that I needed to come to terms with (the myth of the carnal Christian, the sovereignty of God in salvation, and the role of women in the church). But they could all be placed under one overarching theme. I remember specifically praying at one point in my studies that week, "Lord, these things are hard for me to come to terms with, but if it is what your Word says, then I must submit to what your Word says. And I trust you will give me the heart to do so." Even as one who, at the beginning of the week, would have called herself an Arminian, I knew it was God who held my heart in His hands and who would turn it whichever way He pleased. I remember thinking about how, if God could shut down the whole city of Lexington with frozen water, He most certainly would display His power for the good of those who trusted in Him. And I thought about Elijah being fed by the ravens, as I too was in a spiritually dry place (University of Kentucky grad school- lots of people antagonistic to the Gospel there). The pastor of the church I attended there preached from Isaiah 6 the Sunday after the storm, and I could say that is what happened to me the week before. In the words of Spurgeon, God showed me myself and then showed me Himself!

So whenever I am snowed in because the roads are impassable, I know that it's because God might be wanting me go a few more miles down the pathway of righteousness!

Evaluating our Assurance

2009-01-12T22:51:00.004-05:00

In Sunday School yesterday, Pastor Jim explained four standards that we ought to use when we examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. Simple and yet so true and so edifying! I strongly encourage you to listen to it here!

1. Am I believing on and trusting in Jesus and His work on behalf of sinners?

2. Am I bearing the fruit of new life in Christ?

3. Do I have the witness of the Spirit of adoption by which I know I am a child of God?

4. Am I persevering in the Way?

The "good" part of motherhood?

2009-01-09T19:43:00.003-05:00

You have to watch this to believe it.

The owner of Reborn said this in an interview: "What's so wonderful about Reborns is that, um, they're forever babies," said Moore, who has grown children and grandchildren. "There's no college tuition, no dirty diapers... just the good part of motherhood," she added.

The good part? Um, yeah, uh huh... How could any mom say that? Disturbing!

Of Whom the World was Not Worthy

2009-01-09T09:20:00.000-05:00

Am I a soldier of the cross,
A foll'wer of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own his cause,
Or blush to speak his Name?

Must I be carried to the skies
On flow'ry beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign:
Increase my courage, Lord;
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by thy Word.

Thy saints, in all this glorious war,
Shall conquer, though they die;
They view the triumph from afar,
And seize it with their eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all thine armies shine
In robes of vict'ry through the skies,
The glory shall be thine.

- Isaac Watts

The Sovereignty of God and Suffering

2009-01-05T22:43:00.002-05:00

Please listen to this sermon by Dan Cummings, a pastor who is dying of cancer and still is preaching the Gospel and trusting in our sovereign, wise, good, loving, and gracious God! Sometimes God gives pastors great illustrations, other times He MAKES them great illustrations...

A New Creation in Christ

2009-01-02T10:11:00.000-05:00

Jeremy Walker on "Looking to become a new and better you?"

Trusting in God's Strength in the New Year

2009-01-01T13:39:00.000-05:00

After a lengthy time without updating my blog (December was very busy and flew by very fast!), I wanted to post a few things that have been an encouragement to me, and I hope for you as well.

The first is a sermon my pastor recently preached from Acts 4:21-31. How often do we rely on the feeble arm of mortal man instead of relying upon the all-sufficient arm of our Sovereign Lord! May we be found this coming year looking more and more to the hand of our Master before we do anything else, coming to His throne of grace in time of need with confidence and assurance!

This led me to think about the hymn "Our God Our Help in Ages Past":

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the same.

A thousand ages in thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downward by thy flood,
And lost in following years.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

Comforting and convicting at the same time!

The Other Side of the World- Rich Mullins

2008-12-06T21:29:00.002-05:00

I did a search on what language the children were singing in the beginning, and it is a song Rich Mullins heard while he was in Thailand. All I could find in the way of a translation was a very rough one:

Pray to God, until you find peace;
Pray to God, until you find peace;
I invite you to come, I invite you to come and taste and see,
please come, taste and see;
Pray to God, until you find peace.

Jesus, where’er Thy people meet

2008-12-06T19:31:00.003-05:00

Jesus, where’er Thy people meet,
There they behold Thy mercy seat;
Where’er they seek Thee, Thou art found,
And every place is hallowed ground.

For Thou, within no walls confined,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring Thee where they come,
And, going, take Thee to their home.

Dear Shepherd of Thy chosen few,
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here to our waiting hearts proclaim
The sweetness of Thy saving Name.

Here may we prove the power of prayer
To strengthen faith and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all Heav’n before our eyes.

Lord, we are few, but Thou art near;
Nor short Thine arm, nor deaf Thine ear;
O rend the heavens, come quickly down,
And make a thousand hearts Thine own!

- William Cowper, 1769

A parable about "gay marriage"

2008-12-01T09:40:00.001-05:00

Pyromaniac Dan Phillips wrote an excellent, spot-on parable dealing with the insanity of "gay marriage." Enjoy!

Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamations

2008-11-27T13:25:00.003-05:00

I think these speak for themselves...

General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

A Proclamation

The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

Found By Jesus, and Finding Jesus- C. H. Spurgeon

2008-11-21T23:00:00.001-05:00

Philip accepted Christ as the Messiah. Do you ask, "What am I to do that I may find the Saviour?" Well, what you have to do is practically this, accept him. If you were sick, and the doctor stood before you, with the medicine ready prepared, you would not say, "What am I to do with this medicine, sir? Am I to rub my hand on the outside of the bottle?" You know very well that there are certain directions as to how much is to be taken, and how often. What you have to do with the medicine is to take it. "But I cannot make that medicine work for my restoration." Who said you could? All you have to do is to take it. It is just this that you have to do with Christ; take him, accept him, receive him. Remember the twelfth verse of this chapter out of which our text is taken: "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." That is it, you see, receive him, believe on his name. "But surely I am to do some good works." Certainly, you will do good works after you have received Christ; but for your soul's salvation, you are to do no good works, but simply to receive Christ. "Oh, but I must lead a holy life!" Yes, and you will lead a holy life after you have received Christ; but in order to the leading of a holy life you must have a new heart, and to get a new heart, you have to receive Christ. He will change you, he will renew you, he will make you a new creature in himself. What you have to do is to receive him, and to believe on his name. O my dear hearers, I do trust that I am speaking to some this evening who will understand what I am saying. I fear that I am addressing many who will not believe, though I may put the truth as plainly as it can be preached. You know that you may hold a candle right against a blind man's eyes, and yet he will not see even then. The Holy Spirit must open your eyes to see what is meant by this receiving Christ, or else you will not understand what you are to do. You are not to give anything to Christ; you are to take all from him. You are not to give anything to Christ; you are to take all from him. You are not to bring anything to Christ; you are to come to him just as you are, and he will bring to you everything that you need. Then, when you have accepted him by the simple act of faith, you will say with Philip, "We have found Jesus." That is the convert's description, and a very good one, too: "We have found Jesus."

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And when you yielded yourself up to Christ, when you believed in Jesus, and found salvation, where did that faith come from? Is it not always the work of the Spirit of God? Is not faith the gift of God, and do you not confess that it is so in your case? Once, when I was a little child, I thought I saw a needle moving across the table; and I should have been wondering who made the needle march as it did, but I was old enough to understand that somebody was moving a magnet underneath the table, and the needle was following the magnet which I could not see. Thus the Lord, with his mighty magnet of grace, is often at work upon the hearts of men, and we think that their desire after God, and their faith in Christ, are of themselves. In a sense, the desire and the faith are their own; but there is a divine force that is at work upon them, producing these results. It is Jesus finding Philip, though Philip does not know it. Philip thinks that he is finding Jesus, but behind the veil it is Jesus finding Philip. This was the previous work.

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Please to notice also that Philip was found by Christ in a very different way from the other disciples. Two of them had been found through the teaching of John the Baptist; but Philip had apparently had no teaching. Another of the little company had been found through the private call of his brother; Philip may not have had any relative or friend to speak to him, but the Saviour just said to him, "Follow me," and he followed him. Dear friends, do not begin comparing your conversion with somebody else's. If the Lord Jesus Christ calls you, and says to you, "Follow me," and you follow him, if there never was another soul converted in exactly the same way, it does not matter at all. If you have come to him, if you have trusted in him, you are saved.

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The pith of all that I have to say is this. Do not get worrying yourselves, as some of you do, about God's eternal purpose, and about the secret working of the Holy Spirit, and about how this can be consistent with your following Christ when he bids you. They are perfectly consistent. Some persons have asked me at times to reconcile these two things; and I have said to them, "Very well, tell me the difficulties, and I will reconcile them." It would be quite as easy to state them as to meet them, for in fact there are none. "Oh, but," says one, "you tell me to believe in Christ, and yet you constantly preach that faith is the work of the Spirit of God." I do. "And yet you say that men are to choose Christ?" I do. "Well, how do you reconcile those two things?" Show me that there is any difficulty about the two things, and then I will reconcile them. You imagine the difficulty, for there is none in reality, there does not exist any in practical life. I believe that God has predestinated whether I am going down to the Lord's supper at the close of this service; but I shall go down as well as my legs can carry me. "Oh!" say you, "you make it out to be a matter of your own free will?" Yes, I do. "And yet you believe it to be God's eternal purpose?" Yes, I do. "Well, then, reconcile the two things." Again I say that there is no difficulty in the case, there is nothing to be reconciled, for both statements are true. You might as well ask me to reconcile the land and the water, or to reconcile the dog star, Sirius, and a farthing rushlight. There is no quarrel between them, and I have no time to waste on needless argument. Come you to Christ; and if you do, it will be because the Holy Spirit draws you. If you find the Saviour, it will be because the Saviour first found you. Perhaps, in heaven, you may see some difficulties, and get them explained; down here, you need not see them, and you need not ask to have them explained. Salvation is all of God's grace, from first to last; yet is it true that the grace of God leads men to do what Moses did, according to our subject this morning,*—to make a choice and to choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. God grant that you may make an equally wise choice!

But I Know Whom I Have Believed

2008-11-21T08:00:00.008-05:00

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

- Daniel W. Whittle

I love how the portraits of God saving people in the Scriptures show both God's perspective and the human perspective. I know I love God because He first loved me! I know I laid hold of Christ because He first laid hold of me! And I know that God's Spirit drew me effectually and yet I was not "dragged kicking and screaming into the Kingdom" but accepted/received/came to Christ willingly (ironically it was an Arminian who used the phrase "dragged kicking and screaming" of his own conversion...)!

You can listen to my brother Rick Kelley's excellent sermon on the beginnings of spiritual life in the heart of the Samaritan woman at the well here.

It is the third part to an exposition of the steps Jesus took the woman through in saving her. Rick plans on adding more!

The Samaritan Woman
The Samaritan Woman, Part 2

Who's running the government?

2008-11-14T20:33:00.000-05:00

This past Lord's Day, I had the rich blessing of worshiping with the brethren at Covenant Baptist Church in Lumberton, NJ. I am thankful for the many kind brothers and sisters I met, plus the teaching was exactly what I needed for my encouragement and edification! The text for the AM preaching was the following, which I posted on my blog the prior Wednesday.

Isaiah 9
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

You can listen to the sermon here. Here are my sermon notes:

1. The Government
- the government of God's nation- "rule" or "dominion"

1 Chronicles 29
10 Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said:
Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever.
11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
And You are exalted as head over all.
12 Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.
13 “Now therefore, our God,
We thank You
And praise Your glorious name.
14 But who am I, and who are my people,
That we should be able to offer so willingly as this?
For all things come from You,
And of Your own we have given You.

- there is only one "superpower" since God rules over all!
- this is opposed to the "local gods" of history and of today
- we have "local gods" today when we know and believe our Bibles but do not love it or apply it to our entire lives, when we only take in as much Bible as we can tolerate- the world only wants the salt and pepper of religion and God to them means "Guaranteed Overnight Delivery"

Psalm 47:2- "For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth."

Psalm 83:18- "That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, are the
Most High over all the earth."

Psalm 103:19- "The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all."

Psalm 115:3- "But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases."

Psalm 135:6- "Whatever the LORD pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places."

Daniel 4:35- "All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'"

- the government is in the hands of God
- these times are testing our faith in this truth

2. The Governor
- continuity of government depends on a son

Psalm 72
1 Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
2 He will judge Your people with righteousness,
And Your poor with justice.
3 The mountains will bring peace to the people,
And the little hills, by righteousness.
4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people;
He will save the children of the needy,
And will break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear You
As long as the sun and moon endure,
Throughout all generations.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing,
Like showers that water the earth.
7 In His days the righteous shall flourish,
And abundance of peace,
Until the moon is no more.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him,
And His enemies will lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles
Will bring presents;
The kings of Sheba and Seba
Will offer gifts.
11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him;
All nations shall serve Him.
12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries,
The poor also, and him who has no helper.
13 He will spare the poor and needy,
And will save the souls of the needy.
14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence;
And precious shall be their blood in His sight.
15 And He shall live;
And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him;
Prayer also will be made for Him continually,
And daily He shall be praised.
16 There will be an abundance of grain in the earth,
On the top of the mountains;
Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon;
And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure forever;
His name shall continue as long as the sun.
And men shall be blessed in Him;
All nations shall call Him blessed.
18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,
Who only does wondrous things!
19 And blessed be His glorious name forever!
And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

- the entire government is literally upon the back of the Son; it is the one truly "glorious burden"
- Christ's names tell of His qualifications to bear the world as His glorious burden
- Wonderful Counselor- He has no cabinet apart from the Trinity; we give no counsel to our Governor, but He counsels us by His Spirit
- Mighty God- He is God, through whom the world was created, and He worked miracles
- Everlasting Father- not that He is the Father, but He runs it in the spirit of a father
- Prince of Peace- He came preaching the gospel of peace and established His Kingdom

3. The Future
- verse 7- toward abundance and soundness
- means "in the direction of"- the spread of His Kingdom won't be automatic but in the progress of history over time
- we should never be discouraged by one event or one period of time- 1 Corinthians 15:24- "Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power."
- we don't have to fear because no government can get in the way of Christ's Kingdom- Matthew 28:18- "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."
- the early church, and we, must preach Christ as the living Savior and Prince of Life- Acts 2-3

4. The Promise
- that we have the power of the resurrection
- we see this power throughout church history: ex. the Reformation, growth through persecution
- Jesus' victory will be a landslide!
- He is called "the Lord of Hosts"- He has the majority
- He always has a remnant- Elijah was told God had 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal
- the zeal of the Lord- God will never give up on redeeming His chosen people from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation
- you can't argue with the cross, for it is the love and grace of God toward sinners

More Thoughts on Giving Thanks for Barack Obama

2008-11-13T22:24:00.000-05:00

John Piper writes the following:

How does the Bible instruct us to pray for “all who are in high positions”? It says,

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:1-4).

A few observations:

1. Giving thanks “for kings” is hard when they are evil.

And, as Calvin said on this passage, “All the magistrates of that time were sworn enemies of Christ.” This shows us that anarchy is a horrible alternative to almost any ruler.

We should give thanks for rulers because “non-rule” would unleash on us utterly unbridled evil with no recourse whatever.

Again Calvin: “Unless they restrained the boldness of wicked men, the whole world would be full of robberies and murders.” The better we understand the seething evil of the human heart that is ready to break out where there is no restraint, the more thankful we will be for government.

2. The effect we pray for is “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly, and dignified in every way.”

Dignified means “serious and reverent,” not stuffy. I suspect what Paul means is not that we can’t live godly and serious lives during times of anarchy. We can. I suspect he means that peaceful and quiet lives, which are the opposite of anarchy, are often wasted in ungodly and frivolous actions.

So he is praying for a government that would give peace and quiet (not anarchy), and that Christians would not fritter away their peaceful lives with the world, but would be radically godly and serious about the lost condition of the world and how to change it.

3. Using our peace for radical godliness and serious action will lead to more effective evangelism and world missions.

This last observation is confirmed by the hoped-for outcome Paul mentions. Paul says that the reason God delights in such peaceful, Godward, serious action is that he “desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

More people will be saved if our government restrains the horrors of anarchy, and if Christians use this peace not to waste their lives on endless entertainment, but seriously give their lives to making God known.

Giving Thanks for Barack Obama

2008-11-13T08:00:00.004-05:00

My co-worker Robb Brunansky wrote an excellent entry that expresses some of my own thoughts:

While I am deeply grieved as I consider the prospects for the unborn over the next several years, perhaps decades, as a result of the past election, in another sense, part of me is thankful Obama won. Now, before you castigate me as a turncoat, a post-conservative, post-evangelical, post-whatever pseudo-Christian, let me explain. A couple days following the election, Dr. Mohler (whom I respect more and more the more that I see his leadership and biblical thoughtfulness) was interviewed by ABC news. In the interview, he made this comment: “It [The election outcome] just ought to remind many Christians we have placed too much confidence in the political process in the first place.” A few days earlier, my former professor, Pat Howell, encouraged Christians to pour as much energy into the Great Commission as they do the United States elections. I think these two comments are a great complement to one another. I think these two comments are a great complement to one another, and I do not believe their relationship would have been seen clearly like it is today if Obama had lost.

As American Christians, we have placed far too much faith in the political process. The Bible clearly tells us not to trust in princes, in whom there is no salvation. We know that the world system lies in the power of the evil one, and that the nations rage against God and against His Messiah. Peter reminded us not to be surprised when we undergo intense persecution, and Jesus Himself told us not to be surprised if the world hates us. If you go to the ABC news website and read comments by readers about Mohler’s interview, or about other election issues, the animosity toward Christians is palpable. Of course, there are people who profess to be Christians that do not help our reputation any with the world, but nevertheless, many times it is not so much individuals that are attacked but the biblical standard of truth and righteousness. The more time one spends outside the Church, the more it becomes clear that America is not becoming non-Christian, but anti-Christian in many respects. I think this election is a signal of this shift, though I would argue (not extensively here) that this shift is not complete or final, yet. The reason this shift is occurring is not ideological or cultural but spiritual. While admittedly some pagans within our culture embrace certain norms of righteousness delineated in the scriptures because the law of God is written on their hearts, everyone outside of Christ is by nature hostile toward God and toward His law. Fortunately, that hostility does not manifest itself in America like it does in, say, Saudi Arabia. However, I think that fact has deceived us into thinking that people in our culture are rational, moral, upright, and reasonable. It has led us to believe against everything we know from Scripture that we can impose a biblical morality on culture apart from that culture being transformed by the gospel. We have put too much trust in the political process because we have forgotten the basics of the gospel, with the first point being that man is totally depraved, dead in sin, hostile toward God, and unable to please God. I am thankful Obama won because we now have a stark and necessary reminder of these truths that will, I hope, shift our attention to where the true war is waged, a war with far more at stake than an earthly nation. The victory that can be won in this war would far outweigh the political battle (important though it was) that was lost on November 4.

My prayer for the next four years will be that Pat Howell’s exhortation becomes a reality, that believers will spend the vast majority of their time and energy and money spreading the glory of Christ in the gospel rather than fighting Obama and his administration with fleshly weapons. Fleshly weapons (read: the political process) are the butter knives, brothers and sisters; the real sword that will win the battle is the Word of God, which is able to demolish strongholds. None of this is to say that we stop fighting for the lives of the unborn, or that we neglect the biblical teaching regarding marriage and passively allow homosexual “marriage” to become permissible in our nation, or that we condone the inhumane treatment of Chinese citizens by their unjust government, or that we neglect the impoverished of the world while we enjoy our prosperity. I’ll talk about some of these things and the way they shine forth the Gospel in upcoming posts. What I am saying is that the most powerful weapon we have in our fight against these evils and all others is the Gospel. If Obama, Pelosi, and Reid were converted, along with millions of Americans across this land, abortion would end, marriage would be rightly understood as a picture of Christ and His bride, the Church, and we would give generously to the poor and needy, especially those in Christ, all over the globe. Brothers and sisters, let’s pour everything we have into the gospel, and the world will be turned upside down.

Last night in prayer meeting, my pastor brought some of these same encouragements and truths to our attention. While we certainly do not want to rejoice in nor condone evil things (Prov. 2:14), we are to give thanks for the leaders God has placed over us, and that includes Obama. 1 Tim. 2:1-2 "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."

Remember that these words were probably written when Nero was ruler of the Roman Empire.

And we must remember that Romans 13 says:

1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Daily Bread

2008-11-07T13:35:00.002-05:00

This past week, there was a discussion on the Reformed Baptist Discussion List on daily devotions/quiet times. You would not think such a topic would cause controversy. Now, some of the controversy was due to issues of semantics. Some on the list said they had a set time for prayer but it was not a "quiet time." But I think the whole point of the issue was being missed. And I say this from my own experience and from what I have heard from others over and over again: we must not confuse "fruit issues" with "root issues."

The Christian walk is a supernatural one. We cannot live a day, an hour, of our Christian life apart from God's grace and Spirit. In my thinking, the question is not "am I explicitly commanded in the Scriptures to have a time set apart each day in God's Word and in prayer?" Rather, the question is, "How can we survive without setting aside time to spend with God? And why would we not want to? Do we hunger and thirst for God's Word? And if not, why not?" Granted, sometimes we don't feel like it, but then again sometimes we don't feel like being patient or feel like denying ourselves. And it's those times that I don't feel like doing my quiet time that I most need to do it!

In light of that discussion, here is an excellent lesson my pastor taught on the topic:

The Importance of Daily Bible Reading

Hardly could be called "legalism," could it?

Jesus Still Reigns

2008-11-05T11:45:00.002-05:00

Isaiah 9
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Psalm 2
1 Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Some more thoughts on our duty as Christians

2008-11-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

My brother Bryan Wiley posted some very level-headed thoughts pertaining to what we as Christians are called to do now:

We pray for him and our country. And personally I strongly recommend sharing your faith in Christ more frequently and loudly. If persecution should start, I can testify my boldness for Jesus and willingness to endure hardship for him increases with my willingness to verbally identify with him.

Whether or not the country as a whole ever returns to Jesus en mass is unknown. If persecution arises, we can consider ourselves blessed in order to more clearly manifest Christ's glory while we endure.

Also, pray for out pastors for boldness and a detachedness from worldly care as they preach about things that may incur the sword of Caesar.

America Has Chosen a President

2008-11-05T10:05:00.003-05:00

Dr. Al Mohler wrote a very thought-provoking blog entry:

The election of Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States came as a bang, not a whimper. The tremors had been perceptible for days, maybe even weeks. On Tuesday, America experienced nothing less than a political and cultural earthquake.

The margin of victory for the Democratic ticket was clear. Americans voted in record numbers and with tangible enthusiasm. By the end of the day, it was clear that Barack Obama would be elected with a majority of the popular vote and a near landslide in the Electoral College. When President-Elect Obama greeted the throngs of his supporters in Chicago's Grant Park, he basked in the glory of electoral energy.

For many of us, the end of the night brought disappointment. In this case, the disappointment is compounded by the sense that the issues that did not allow us to support Sen. Obama are matters of life and death -- not just political issues of heated debate. Furthermore, the margin of victory and sense of a shift in the political landscape point to greater disappointments ahead. We all knew that so much was at stake.

For others, the night was magical and momentous. Young and old cried tears of amazement and victory as America elected its first African-American President -- and elected him overwhelmingly. Just forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, an African-American stood to claim victory as President-Elect of the nation. As Sen. Obama assured the crowd in Chicago and the watching nation, "We will get there. We will get there." No one hearing those words could fail to hear the refrain of plaintive words spoken in Memphis four decades ago. President-Elect Obama would stand upon the mountaintop that Dr. King had foreseen.

That victory is a hallmark moment in history for all Americans -- not just for those who voted for Sen. Obama. As a nation, we will never think of ourselves the same way again. Americans rich and poor, black and white, old and young, will look to an African-American man and know him as President of the United States. The President. The only President. The elected President. Our President.

Every American should be moved by the sight of young African-Americans who -- for the first time -- now believe that they have a purchase in American democracy. Old men and old women, grandsons and granddaughters of slaves and slaveholders, will look to an African-American as President.

Regardless of politics, could anyone remain unmoved by the sight of Jesse Jackson crying alone amidst the crowd in Chicago? This dimension of Election Day transcends politics and touches the heart of the American people.

Yet, the issues and the politics remain. Given the scale of the Democratic victory, the political landscape will be completely reshaped. The fight for the dignity and sanctity of unborn human beings has been set back by a great loss, and by the election of a President who has announced his intention to sign the Freedom of Choice Act into law. The struggle to protect marriage against its destruction by redefinition is now complicated by the election of a President who has declared his aim to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. On issue after issue, we face a longer, harder, and more protracted struggle than ever before.

Still, we must press on as advocates for the unborn, for the elderly, for the infirm, and for the vulnerable. We must redouble our efforts to defend marriage and the integrity of the family. We must be vigilant to protect religious liberty and the freedom of the pulpit. We face awesome battles ahead.

At the same time, we must be honest and recognize that the political maps are being redrawn before our eyes. Will the Republican Party decide that conservative Christians are just too troublesome for the party and see the pro-life movement as a liability? There is the real danger that the Republicans, stung by this defeat, will adopt a libertarian approach to divisive moral issues and show conservative Christians the door.

Others will declare these struggles over, arguing that the election of Sen. Obama means that Americans in general -- and many younger Evangelicals in particular -- are ready to "move on" to other issues. This is no time for surrender or the abandonment of our core principles. We face a much harder struggle ahead, but we have no right to abandon the struggle.

We should look for opportunities to work with the new President and his administration where we can. We must hope that he will lead and govern as the bridge-builder he claimed to be in his campaign. We must confront and oppose the Obama administration where conscience demands, but work together where conscience allows.

Evangelical Christians face another challenge with the election of Sen. Obama, and a failure to rise to this challenge will bring disrepute upon the Gospel, as well as upon ourselves. There must be absolutely no denial of the legitimacy of President-Elect Obama's election and no failure to accord this new President the respect and honor due to anyone elected to that high office. Failure in this responsibility is disobedience to a clear biblical command.

Beyond this, we must commit ourselves to pray for this new President, for his wife and family, for his administration, and for the nation. We are commanded to pray for rulers, and this new President faces challenges that are not only daunting but potentially disastrous. May God grant him wisdom. He and his family will face new challenges and the pressures of this office. May God protect them, give them joy in their family life, and hold them close together.

We must pray that God will protect this nation even as the new President settles into his role as Commander in Chief, and that God will grant peace as he leads the nation through times of trial and international conflict and tension.

We must pray that God would change President-Elect Obama's mind and heart on issues of our crucial concern. May God change his heart and open his eyes to see abortion as the murder of the innocent unborn, to see marriage as an institution to be defended, and to see a host of issues in a new light. We must pray this from this day until the day he leaves office. God is sovereign, after all.

Without doubt, we face hard days ahead. Realistically, we must expect to be frustrated and disappointed. We may find ourselves to be defeated and discouraged. We must keep ever in mind that it is God who raises up nations and pulls them down, and who judges both nations and rulers. We must not act or think as unbelievers, or as those who do not trust God.

America has chosen a President. President-Elect Barack Obama is that choice, and he faces a breathtaking array of challenges and choices in days ahead. This is the time for Christians to begin praying in earnest for our new President. There is no time to lose.

It is Well With My Soul!!!!!

2008-11-04T08:34:00.001-05:00

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And has shed his own blood for my soul.

It is well with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul.

My sin—O the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more;
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul.

O Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;
"Even so"—it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul.

- Horatio G. Spafford

Do Not Worry About Tomorrow

2008-11-03T22:44:00.000-05:00

Pastor George McDearmon of Ballston Lake Baptist Church preached two excellent and encouraging sermon from Isaiah 40-41!!! They are particularly appropriate in light of the election tomorrow. Whatever happens, we as believers are safe in Christ! We have been foreknown/predestined and justified, and we will be glorified!!! Will anything separate us from the love of Christ? NO!!!! Keep your eyes on Jesus, and trust in God's providential care, casting all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us!

Comfort, O Comfort My People
A Second Promise in Isaiah

Pastor Jim's sermon from John 10, preached before the Lord's Supper, was also very edifying and sweet!

Jesus, Our Good Shepherd

Semper Reformanda

2008-10-31T00:00:00.004-04:00

Some mind-provoking thoughts:

The Reformation is actually a proper noun. It denotes a movement of the past. However, I’m arguing that those who are "truly Reformed"…should not consider their reformation as a noun as much as we should think of it actually as a verb. Namely, a call to further action. A call to constantly, constantly, uncomfortably, realign our lives, our churches, with the Word of God. I truly, genuinely feel that for some the concept of being Reformed is that outwardly, and even creedily, it is sufficient to adopt the values and the doctrines of the Reformation or the Reformers. And once those things are in place, then there’s no need to think ever again about changing, and any change proposed would naturally be the beginnings of apostasy, or decline at the least. In the faith, the Reformers were not men who looked back to a point in history and found a time from the past that they sought to duplicate. That wasn’t what the Reformers were about…They could appreciate and love the doctrine that those men set forth, but they did not seek in any way to duplicate what was done in the days before. Instead, they looked to the Word of God, and they wrestled with how they could be men who lived out and who represented God and His truth in their day. One of the underlying burdens of the Reformers was to ensure the Gospel and the truth of God was communicated to the people of their age…It would not therefore be in the spirit of the Reformers to look at them and to want to mimic them today. That’s not what reformation’s about. That’s not what they did. They didn’t look to previous reformers. They didn’t look into history and try to mimic. They went to the Bible, and they wrestled through the issues that they were facing in their day from the Bible, and they sought to address the people of their age from the Scriptures. Rather, it’s in the best spirit of those faithful men to search the Scriptures and then for us to seek to bring its message to the people of our day without changing the message…But change is a reality. It might be uncomfortable, but change is a reality… Should the church, should we, refuse to interact with cultural shifts, claiming that they must all be bad, we’re in great danger of confusing preferences for inspiration. We’re in great danger of failing to fulfill the Great Commission, which we have as going to the world with the Gospel, and I am sure that that means more than simply the globe, the geographical world. Rather, it means take the Gospel to the peoples, the different peoples who populate different parts of the world, who live in different ages. Our job is not to lift culture by ensuring that we confront them with the riches of the past. We should not be on a cultural crusade… We are the church, and the church is commissioned to live in our culture and face our culture with the Gospel. When our distinctive is counter-cultural in the sense that we are insisting a culture of the 17th century or the 19th century or whatever is “better,” we’ve lost our way…But we are counter-cultural in the sense that we get alongside the lost and tell them of their sin and tell them of the Savior.

- from a sermon by Robert Elliott

The Gospel, No Strings Attached!

2008-10-28T23:39:00.011-04:00

So I'm sitting at my computer, thinking about blog topics, when I get this phone call. Right off, I knew what kind of call this might be because my caller ID said "unknown," and there was no immediate voice on the other end when I picked up. A voice-recording urged me "Don't hang up!" and then happily announced that I was the "first-place winner of a free luxury cruise" and that I should press 9 on my phone to receive my prize!

Now, obviously, this was some company trying to sell a cruise to a gullible consumer (I hope I spelled gullible right, since it's not in my dictionary!) But it got me thinking...there are many who view the Gospel this way! They think that God's offer of salvation is too good to be true or that it has some sort of strings attached. Then I thought, what would I say to someone who viewed the Gospel in this way? How should I give a ready answer to the hope within me, done of course with gentleness and reverence? Here is what I came up with:

1. The Gospel is authoritative. The reason I doubted this call from the start was the lack of phone number on my caller ID. There was not even a name listed! The Gospel, on the other hand, is a promise made by the Creator of the universe, the One who has all power and all authority. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Acts 3:22-23 says, "For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.'"

2. The Gospel is accessible. Without a name or phone number, I had no way of reaching the callers should I desire to speak with them further. The caller did not reveal the name of their company nor where they were located. But Acts 17:27 says God's revelation is "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being." Jeremiah 29:13 says, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Romans 10:17-21 says, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: 'Their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.' But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: 'I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.' But Isaiah is very bold and says: 'I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.' But to Israel he says: 'All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and contrary people.'"

3. The Gospel is personal. The caller on the phone was not a real person but an automatic voice message. I was also not addressed by my own name. But the Gospel is different. John 1:14 says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 20:21 says, "So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.'" Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

4. The Gospel is well-meant. I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but this is a true difference. I got the feeling that the company calling was not hoping that I would have a wonderful time on a cruise. More than likely, they knew that there were gullible folks out there who would bring them some cash. But Ezekiel 33:11 says, "Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'" 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God."

5. The Gospel is straight-forward. The prospect of a free cruise often has strings attached. It is a way to scam people out of their money. They claim it is free, but it really isn't. But the Gospel comes from Christ, who Himself is the Truth (John 14:6). Jesus says in John 8:32, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Those who preach the Gospel are to be upfront about it: yes, it is by grace through faith and not of ourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). And yet the Christian life is one of taking up our cross daily and denial of self (Luke 9:23).

6. The Gospel is simple. If I had listened to the whole spiel, I imagine there would have been much talk of service charges and mandatory fees and travel regulations and various other stipulations. But thankfully, the Gospel is simple. Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, "For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." The answer given to the Philippian jailer as to how he could be saved was "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:30-31).

7. The Gospel is gracious. The caller probably had a long list of do's and don'ts for me to follow, and I would have to sign a bunch of forms and do a lot of work for the company to be pleased enough to give me my "free" vacation. But what about the Gospel? As mentioned before, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10). Romans 3:21-26, "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

8. The Gospel is exclusive. There are many places I could go to buy a cruise. I don't need to risk falling prey to a scam. I could always go somewhere else, to one of many travel agencies or to an online site like Expedia. But not so with Jesus! This has already been alluded to in several passages. John 14:6, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" Acts 3:23, "'And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.'" Acts 4:12, "'Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.'"

9. The Gospel is satisfying. Whether through phone or television or email, people are trying to sell you the thing that will bring you happiness or comfort or satisfaction. Whether it is a fitter body or longer life or a fuller wallet, there are promises galore. But how many of these promises prove to be genuine? On one website, I saw that one company's "free cruise" was a one-day trip from one Florida port to another. Even if the cruise was a nice one, it only lasts so long and then all you gain is some pictures, mementos, memories that will fade away, and a few more pounds. But Jesus promises in John 6:35, "'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'" He says in Matthew 11:28, "'Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'" And Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:20, "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us."

10. The Gospel is life-changing. As fun as a cruise would be, I doubt it would be life-changing. The type of cruise this company wanted to give me in and of itself would have no consequences for me spiritually and probably not even here in this life. But the Gospel has consequences for both our life here and throughout eternity! Titus 2:11-14 says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." John 11:25 says, "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.'"

11. The Gospel is reputable. In my Google search of phone calls pertaining to free cruises, I have yet to find one satisfied customer. Where are the testimonies of people having a great time on a cruise set up by the company that called me? And yet the Gospel has ample testimony! In 1 Corinthians 15:5-8, Paul says that "He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time." Not only this, but the Old Testament prophets testify to Christ as well: "'These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me'" (Luke 24:44); "Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days" (Acts 3:24).

12. The Gospel is indestructible. I highly doubt that the people who own and work at these companies would risk their lives for what they do. If someone threatened them with monetary fines or prison or death, I think they'd close up shop pretty quickly. But those who love and declare the Gospel are eager, yes compelled and even required, to count their lives as nothing for the sake of Christ and His Gospel. Acts 4:18-20 says, "So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.'" 1 Corinthians 9:16, "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!" Matthew 16:18, "and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Revelation 12:10-11 says, "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.'"

Love Lustres at Calvary

2008-10-25T22:46:00.002-04:00

My Father,
Enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips,
Supply words that proclaim "Love lustres at Calvary."
There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on Thy Son,
made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;
There the sword of Thy justice smote the man, Thy fellow;
There Thy infinite attributes were magnified,
and infinite atonement was made;
There infinite punishment was due,
and infinite punishment was endured.

Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
cast off that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy
that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell's worst
that I might attain heaven's best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I mighted be healed,
athirst that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.

My Saviour wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
bowed His head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
closed His eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live.

O Father, who spared not Thine only Son
that Thou mightest spare me,
All this transfer Thy love designed and accomplished;
Help me to adore Thee by lips and life.
O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise,
my every step buoyant with delight, as I see
my enemies crushed,
Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,
sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood,
hell's gates closed, heaven's portal open.
Go forth, O conquering God, and show me the cross,
mighty to subdue, comfort and save.

Arthur Bennett, ed. Valley of Vision (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), 42-43.

Two Sermons on the Power of the Word

2008-10-21T15:06:00.003-04:00

Wow...has it really been a full week since my last blog post??? Where has the time gone? Resolved: Never let that happen again (Lord willing, of course)!

Here is a link to an excellent sermon I heard in chapel several weeks ago on not emptying the cross of its power by relying on our own power instead of God's Word:

"Power in Preaching: Decide"- Dr. Raymond Ortlund, Jr.

1 Cor. 2:1-5 "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

I was reminded of this sermon when my own pastor cited these verses last Lord's Day. A great reminder from Acts 4:1-4 that God's Word does not return void, that it accomplishes what it was sent to do, and that whenever it is preached, everyone who hears does indeed respond, either with rejection or reception!

"Christ, Rejected and Received!"- Jim Savastio

Acts 4:1-4 "Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand."

Great is Thy Faithfulness

2008-10-15T10:47:00.006-04:00

As Christians, we often talk about having a "life verse." A "life verse" is some Scripture that God tends to use over and over as we face trials, learn new lessons, and grow in our Christian walks. Like many Christians, I have more than one life verse, and it is rather hard for me to single it down to one.

In my first year of following Christ, I remember that God used the words of Luke 12:11-12 "'Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.'" I knew that, if Christ promised the Holy Spirit's help to the disciples when they went before magistrates and were tortured, surely I did not need to fear telling my classmates and family about Christ! Another verse God has used was John 14:6- "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" I spent a few years of my Christian life in a Disciples of Christ church, and I was having to take a stand before my family as I explained why I could not stay in a church that did not hold to the exclusivity of Christ. When I come across those verses today, my mind invariably runs back to how God used these verses practically in my life.

I also know that many of us have "life hymns." There is one hymn in particular that God has used over and over in various situations and trials, and that hymn is "Great is Thy Faithfulness":

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Words: Thomas O. Chisholm
Music: William M. Runyan
Words & Music © 1923, Ren. 1951 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.

God has used this hymn, and every time I sing it or hear it, I remember specific trials God has brought me through. I remember, while in college and grad-school, desiring to work at the Southern Seminary library full-time but wondering how God would work out my living situation and transportation. I would sing this hymn every day, and I trusted that if God wanted me to work at the Seminary, God would work out everything I needed. The evening I was offered my current job, I sang that hymn to God with great joy in my heart! It turns out that I was able to buy a condo on the street I considered the best place for me to live. It was for a reasonable price, right on the bus routes, and, right before I bought it, it was announced that a grocery was to be built on my street, the lack of which was the only drawback I saw.

Earlier, while a freshman in college, I had a liberal religion professor who was telling my class that the Bible was not completely inerrant because the Gospels contradicted one another. This actually caused a time of doubt in my mind, which greatly troubled me because I did not know how to respond to these accusations. At church that Sunday, we sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and, as I prayed through the texts in question, I was either able to see the professor's misunderstandings right away or I found some commentary that cleared up the issues.

This past summer, my wallet was stolen from my purse as I got off the bus. Guess what we song we sang the next Lord's Day? And then there was late last year, when God ripped what had become an idol out of my hands. Yes, we sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" both in church that week and in Seminary chapel! Then there was the recent Wednesday night that we sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" at prayer meeting, and the next morning was one of those "everything is going wrong that can go wrong" mornings. Not only did this song keep my focus on things above and keep things in proper perspective, but providentially this post was posted over on the Reformed Baptist Fellowship blog that very morning. Then there are times when I start to complain inwardly about something in God's providence, and immediately after I hear this song. It is used not only to encourage me but to humble and convict me as well!

As Pastor Jim said in a sermon recently, we need to focus on the "Who" and not the "why" (or the "how.") This song reminds me of that very truth!

Jesus, With Thy Church Abide

2008-10-10T00:15:00.002-04:00

Jesus, with thy church abide,
Be her Saviour, Lord and Guide,
While on earth her faith is tried:
We beseech thee, hear us.

Keep her life and doctrine pure;
Grant her patience to endure,
Trusting in thy promise sure:
We beseech thee, hear us.

May she one in doctrine be,
One in truth and charity,
Winning all to faith in thee:
We beseech thee, hear us.

May she guide the poor and blind,
Seek the lost until she find,
And the brokenhearted bind:
We beseech thee, hear us.

Save her love from growing cold,
Make her watchmen strong and bold,
Fence her round, thy peaceful fold:
We beseech thee, hear us.

May her lamp of truth be bright,
Bid her bear aloft its light
Through the realms of heathen night:
We beseech thee, hear us.

Arm her soldiers with the cross,
Brave to suffer toil or loss,
Counting earthly gain but dross:
We beseech thee, hear us.

May she holy triumphs win,
Overthrow the hosts of sin,
Gather all the nations in:
We beseech thee, hear us.

- Thomas Pollock, 1871

I was meditating upon the words of this hymn, and one truth really stuck out to me, one I know I can stand to focus on more when I sing it! When I sing this song, I am not merely praying for the church at large, a particular group of like-minded congregations, or even my local congregation in general. I am praying for individuals! I am praying for my brothers and sisters in my church, whom I care for and love dearly! It is like I am singing, "Jesus, with Pam abide" or "grant Betty patience to endure." When I ask for the Lord to make her watchmen strong and bold, I am not merely talking about the elders of churches in general, but I am asking Jesus to keep Jim, James, Bob, Charlie, and John strong and bold. And when I sing the words "may her lamp of truth be bright," I am asking, among other things, that Bryan be a good witness to his dad and that Donna will reflect Christ to her sister. When I sing, "winning all to faith in Thee," I am thinking not only of those in the utmost ends of the earth but those who are unsaved in my own Jerusalem! When I pray that she may "one in doctrine be, one in truth and charity," I envision the faces of those in my local church, and it adds an earnestness and concern that just doesn't come with envisioning churches "somewhere out there." It isn't just praying for Christ to reconcile differences between Presbyterians and Baptists. It's asking Christ that there be nothing that will break the unity of the congregation of which I am a part! And the phrase "while her faith on earth is tried" becomes much more poignant when I think of the struggles that my own congregation has been going through, particularly lately: anxiety, depression, finances, health issues, lost loved ones, to name a few.

Of course, I should also take this song one step further because I am in no way exempt from needing to pray this for myself! I need this wisdom, guidance, and sanctification in the truth as much as my brethren do! While I know how much of a footnote my own life and my local church is in church history, it does not negate the fact that church history is made up of individual names who bore responsibility to love one another and serve one another in truth! Last Sunday afternoon, some of my sisters, who are part of the "younger crop" that God has reaped this year, were singing "The Power of the Cross," and I couldn't help but meditate on how good God has been to my church! Now, I know that things like this will touch me even more when I am middle-aged...they are only 15 years younger than I am...but still, it was very touching! It reminded me how I see the power of the cross not in the abstract but personally, in my own life and in the lives of those that I know and love.

I remember one of my Christian Education teachers in high-school saying that the church is always one generation away from extinction. Although I know that Jesus promised this will not ultimately happen, it makes me watch and pray and speak the truth in love all the more because a church falls when individual members aren't watching and praying and proclaiming the Gospel!

"The Power of the Cross"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought,
Ev'ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God— slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Tempooraily alive, pre-viable life?

2008-10-08T12:00:00.006-04:00

Read this article on "The Obama Debate Every American Should See"

Then read this more recent article on the aftermath of the Rick Warren interview.

Scary stuff! Especially when you realize that we *all* are, resurrection notwithstanding, "temporarily alive"...

HT: Tom Ascol (does a post on Facebook merit a hyperlink?)

Words of Wonder: What Happens When We Sing?

2008-10-02T22:30:00.003-04:00

This message by Bob Kauflin was just posted to my church fellowship list, and I wanted to post it to my blog:

Words of Wonder: What Happens When We Sing?-

video

audio

If for nothing else, listen to hear Bob Kauflin sing Come Thou Fount to various (and in varying degrees of effectiveness) melodies. :-) Or "Joy" to the World" to a dirge :-(

Outline:

- the Bible contains over 400 references to singing, and 50 of these are direct commands
- the longest book of the Bible is the book of Psalms
- in the NT, we're commanded twice to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs whenever we meet
- God exults over His people with loud singing (Zeph. 3:17)
- Jesus sang hymns with His disciples, and Jesus sings in the midst of His congregation (Heb. 2:12; Psa. 2:22)
- one of the fruits of being filled with the Spirit is singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to one another(Eph. 5)
- we worship a Triune God who sings!

2 extremes
- some think that music supersedes the words in both significance and effect; for them, words are not only helped by the music but dependent on it
- others think that music undermines the words because they fear the power it has over the people, so they restrict its use

How does music serve the words?

1. Singing can help us remember words.
- We should use melodies that are effective- it works like a mnemonic device; thus it should not be complicated and instead easy to remember
- We should sing words God wants us to remember- Gordon Fee said, "Show me a church's songs, and I'll show you a church's theology"
- It is the Word of Christ that dwells in us richly when we sing, not musical experiences or emotional highs (Col. 3:16)
- The lyrics that we sing should represent the broad range of themes in the Scriptures
- We should seek to memorize songs- we tend to suffer from SDD (Screen Dependency Disorder) or HDD (Hymnal Dependency Disorder); Kauflin, even when using a hymnal, will look at a few lines and look up and sing it and repeat

It works! I am motivated by Carolyn Truitt, a sister at church who is blind and who plays the piano on Wednesday night. If she can remember the notes for a song, surely I can remember the words! Of course, the shorter ones are easier, but we have sung "How Sweet and Awful is the Place" so many times I have it memorized now!

Also, I encourage you that, if you haven't, click on the link on the right of my blog to buy Jim Orrick's CDs, particularly the Psalms CDs. Every time we read through those psalms in church, without fail the melodies are going through my head. Especially since the CDs are in the NKJV, which we use at church.

2. Singing can help us engage emotionally with words.
- Music can come alongside words and heighten their emotional impact in a way we may not have perceived with words alone.
- Singing can help us take more time to reflect on the meaning of words.
- We need a broad emotional range in our songs: reverence, awe, repentance, grief, joy, celebration, freedom, confidence.
- We must differentiate between being emotionally moved and spiritually enlightened; music can move our emotions, but it can't speak propositional truth
- Singing should be an emotional event- Jonathan Edwards explained that the affections we feel are religious affections, more than emotional highs but a response from the center of our being and from our entire being; and we won't always be moved the same way o to the same degree every time we sing
- Passionless singing is an oxymoron- as John Wesley wrote, "Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half-dead or half-asleep. But lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice nor more ashamed of its being heard than when you sung the songs of Satan."
- The problem is not emotions; it's emotionalism; emotionalism pursues feelings as ends in and of themselves; it's wanting to feel something with no regard to how it is produced or its ultimate purpose; emotionalism can also assume that heightened emotions are the infallible sign that God is present
- Emotions in singing are supposed to be a response to the truths we are learning about God and the feelings we have toward God- doctrine and devotion
- But, we can also sing praise to Christ and by our lives contradict what we say

3. Singing can help us demonstrate and express our unity.
- Singing together tends to bind us together
- Singing enables us to spend periods of time communicating the same thoughts, the same passions, and the same intentions
- The predominant place of singing of Scripture involves the congregation of believers expressing their convictions together
- "Revelation reveals that Jesus didn't die to redeem individual soloists. He died to redeem a universal choir."
- "The question isn't, do you have a voice? The question is, do you have a song? Do you have a song? And if you're a Christian, if you've turned from your sins and trusted in the finished work of Christ, been forgiven and reconciled to God, you have a song! It's a song of the redeemed, of those who have been rescued from the righteous wrath of God through the cross of Jesus Christ and are now called His friends. Once we were not a people, but now we are the people of God and our singing together, every voice contributing, is one way we express it!"
- We should sing songs that unite rather than divide the church; we can appreciate the different styles and generations and genres God has given, but the church is not to be "something for everybody"; there should be a unifying musical center that speaks to most of the individuals in the church while occasionally introducing new songs
- "The purpose of instruments is to support Gospel-centered, faith-filled, passionate singing"- it is human voices that unite the church, not a particular style
- Musical creativity in the church has functional limits- "God did not assign us the task of singing the most radical, cutting edge creative music possible"
- We need creativity that unites the church around Gospel-centered truth rather than dividing the church over musical innovation
- We must be clear that it is the Gospel and not the music that unites the church; the church divides and tarnishes her witness when we gather around musical preferences and not Christ
- Eph. 2:14 "For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility."
- Rev. 5:9-10 "And they sang a new song saying, 'Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God. And they shall reign on the earth.'"
- "The Bible didn't come with a sound-track!"
- We can act as if God accepts our offerings of music because of skill, our efforts, practice, or sincerity. Harold Best- "All of our offerings are at once humbled and exalted through the one offering of Jesus Christ." We join in on Christ's glorious, perfect song of praise, and God receives our singing as though Christ Himself were singing instead of us!
- Our singing should more and more resemble the singing we see in Revelation 5:9-10
- Allen Ross- "If we even begin to comprehend the risen Christ in all His glory, or faintly hear the Heavenly choir that surrounds the throne with their anthems of praise, or imagine what life in the presence of the Lord will be like, then we can never again be satisfied with worship as usual"
- When we sing, we are anticipating the New Heavens and the New Earth, which is what singing was made for; there, it will be perfectly glorious, perfectly passionate, perfectly clear, no more sin, no more distractions
- The mystery is that, as we focus on the glory of the Lord, the Spirit changes us from on degree of glory to another so that our singing becomes more than simply a musical event; potentially, it is life-changing (2 Cor. 3)

The Free Offer AND the Emotivity of God

2008-09-29T19:40:00.012-04:00

This sermon touches on two of the issues I have blogged on recently.

Bob Gonzales, an elder at the Covenant Reformed Baptist Church of Easley, SC, provides an excellent lesson on The Free Offer of the Gospel: Does God Desire the Salvation of All Men? Yes. He also includes some helpful practical implications of this belief. The main implication is that we reflect the heart of God by earnestly desiring to see those we speak with to be saved. Gonzales notes that certainly we are not to presume that everyone is elect, but we are to certainly WISH that they all were elect!

And I love the D. A. Carson quote he uses: "It is no answer to espouse a form of impassibility that denies that God has an emotional life and that insists that all of the biblical evidence to the contrary is nothing more than anthropopathism. The price is too heavy. You may then rest in God’s sovereignty, but you can no longer rejoice in his love. You may rejoice only in a linguistic expression that is an accommodation of some reality of which we cannot conceive, couched in the anthropopathism of love. Give me a break. Paul did not pray that his readers might be able to grasp the height and length and breadth and depth of an anthropopathism and to know the anthropopathism that surpasses knowledge (Eph. 3:14-21)."

(Found in The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God

To those in #pros: Yes, he left out "your children" when he quoted Matthew 23:37, but it isn't as if he did so to change the meaning of the text! I think that there is reason to believe the text is soteriological but talking about the revealed will of God rather than the decretive will of God.

Here is a sermon on the parallel in Luke: Pleading for Jerusalem- Jim Savastio

I agree with this quote Gonzales uses from Spurgeon: "My love of consistency with my own doctrinal views is not great enough to allow me knowingly to alter a single text of Scripture. I have great respect for orthodoxy, but my reverence for inspiration is far greater. I would sooner a hundred times over appear to be inconsistent with myself than be inconsistent with the word of God. I never thought it to be any very great crime to seem to be inconsistent with myself; for who am I that I should everlastingly be consistent? But I do think it a great crime to be so inconsistent with the word of God that I should want to lop away a bough or even a twig from so much as a single tree of the forest of Scripture. God forbid that I should cut or shape, even in the least degree, any divine expression."

Salvation By Knowing the Truth

Joy

2008-09-28T08:51:00.001-04:00

O Christ,
All thy ways of mercy tend to and end in my delight.
Thou didst weep, sorrow, suffer that I might rejoice.
For my joy thou hast sent the Comforter,
multiplied thy promises,
shown me my future happiness,
given me a living fountain.

Thou art preparing joy for me and me for joy;
I pray for joy, wait for joy, long for joy;;
give me more than I can hold, desire, or think of.
Measure out to me my times and degrees of joy,
at my work, business, duties.
If I weep at night, give me joy in the morning.
Let me rest in the thought of thy love,
pardon for sin, my title to heaven,
my future unspotted state.

I am unworthy recipient of thy grace.
I often disesteem thy blood and slight thy love,
but can in repentance draw water
from the wells of thy joyous forgiveness.
Let my heart leap towards the eternal sabbath,
where the work of redemption, sanctification,
preservation, glorification
is finished and perfected for ever,
where thou wilt rejoice over me with joy.

There is no joy like the joy of heaven,
for in that state are no sad divisions, unchristian quarrels,
contentions, evil designs, weariness, hunger, cold,
sadness, sin, suffering, persecutions, toils of duty.
O healthful place where none are sick!
O happy land where all are kings!
O holy assembly where all are priests!
How free a state where none are servants except to Thee!
Bring me speedily to the land of joy.

Arthur Bennett, ed. Valley of Vision (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), 162.

Andrew Fuller Conference: Benjamin Keach's Doctrine of Justification- Tom Hicks

2008-09-24T16:58:00.001-04:00

Neonomian controversy- was much like the New Perspective on Paul

(Sadly, it became apparent in the Q&A period that one of the presenters who was attending was a New Perspectivist. A VERY interesting conversation ensued after between him, Tom Nettles, my newly-found friend Jade, and myself. I wish I could have recorded it. His arguments were scary but also easily answered by Scripture. Especially when he said things that were complete opposites of specific verses in Romans 4. His statement that he couldn't see the Gospel in Genesis was more than a little disturbing too. And yes his comment of "whoever wrote Genesis" was ignored, simply because we didn't want to get too far off topic.)

Keach said that justification by faith alone is necessary for humbling sinners, comforting saints, and glorifying God

gave sermons on Romans 4-5 to answer neonomians
- all works (both legal and Gospel) are excluded from justification
- justification is by the free grace of God
- neonomianism is the opposite of the Gospel because it lowers the standard of obedience while saying our obedience to this easier law justifies us before God
- based on this error, neonomianism denies the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer
- Keach said, "We do not tell you be holy and then believe in Jesus Christ but believe in Jesus Christ and you will be holy"

justification by faith alone is founded in the covenant of grace
- just as the covenant of grace comforted David on his deathbed, so it does with every believer
- the covenant of grace is the covenant of redemption
- two distinct parts of one covenant: covenant with Christ, covenant with the elect
- it is a covenant of works with Christ but a covenant of grace with the elect

justification by faith alone glorifies the Trinity
- God sends Christ in accordance with His plan
- Christ secures redemption
- the Spirit draws and empowers the saints

justification by faith alone upholds God's holiness
- the law is never watered down, it is eternal
- God decree and character are fixed

justification by faith alone motivates godly living
- God is not capable of approving evil or condemning good because He is intrinsically holy and pure

Christ's sacrifice merited representative justification for the elect, but this righteousness is imputed in time when men grasp it by faith

the believer loves and obeys Christ because of free grace, not for it

Phil Johnson on the Nature of the Atonement

2008-09-20T09:26:00.007-04:00

Modern Calvinist circles seem to be filled with guys who insist that Christ’s death had no benefit whatsoever for anyone other than the elect and God’s only desire with regard to the reprobate is to damn them period. Too many Calvinists embrace the doctrine of limited atonement, they finally see the truth of it but then they think, “Oh that’s that.” Christ died for the elect and in no sense are their any universal benefits in the atonement, so the atonement is limited to the elect in every sense and it has no relevance whatsoever to the non-elect. I think that’s an extreme position and it’s not supported by many of the classic Calvinist theologians and writers if you read carefully what Calvinists have said throughout history. I want to encourage you read Andrew Fuller and Thomas Boston. Read what people like Robert L. Dabney and William G. T. Shedd and B. B. Warfield and Charles Hodge wrote on the subject of the atonement. Read John Owen too, but don’t imagine that John Owens’s book The Death of Death in the Death of Christ represents the only strain of Calvinist thought on the issue. It doesn’t. In fact, far from it.

If you begin to study this issue in depth you will quickly discover that the classic Calvinist view on the extent of the atonement is a lot less narrow and a lot less cut and dried than the typical seminary student Calvinist on the Internet wants to admit. Historic Calvinism, as a movement has usually acknowledged that there are universal aspects of the atonement. Calvin himself had a view of the extent of the atonement that was far more broad and, and far more extensive than the average Calvinist today would care to recognize. And I’ll show you some of that if time allows.

...............

I would argue that if the atonement Christ offered is substitutionary, then it had to be of infinite value for two reasons:

1. One, in the words of the Synod of Dordt, “because the person who submitted to the punishment on our behalf was not only really man and perfectly holy but also the only begotten Son of God, the same eternal, and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit.” In other words, the person who died on the cross was infinite in His glory and His goodness and therefore it was an infinite sacrifice. That’s the first reason.

2. Second, the price of each person’s sin is infinite wrath. And if the price of atonement is infinite than the atonement itself in order to be accepted had to be of infinite value. In other words, if you had to suffer the price of your own sins you would spend eternity in hell and still you would not exhaust the infinite displeasure of God against sin. There’s an infinite punishment for sin. And that infinite wrath is the very thing Christ bore on the cross. So if Christ’s death was not sufficient to atone for all, then it wasn’t sufficient to atone for even one. Because atonement for sin even for one person demands an infinite price. Now again the overwhelming majority of Calvinists would agree with that. That is exactly what the canons of the Synod of Dordt say. That is mainstream historic Calvinism.

So the real debate between Calvinists and Arminians is not about the sufficiency of the atonement. The real issue under debate is the design and the application of the atonement. And the question we are asking is not merely, for whom did Christ die? The real question is for whom did God ordain the atonement? In other words, the real issue in the extent of the atonement debate comes down to the very same issue as election itself. Did God purpose to save specific people or was He trying indiscriminately to save as many people as possible? What was His intent? What was His design? And if you accept the truth of election I can’t understand why you would balk at the truth that the atonement had specific people in view. So that’s the real question not was Christ’s death sufficient to save all but what was the design and the goal of the atonement? What did God intend to do through it? Did He intend to save specific people through Christ’s work on the cross? And if you answer that question, yes, you’ve affirmed the principle behind the Calvinistic position.

Here’s an even more important question. Will all of God’s purposes for sending Christ to die ultimately be accomplished? Did God intend something by the atonement that will not come to pass? Is there any purpose in Christ’s dying that will ultimately be frustrated? And if you ask those questions it puts the importance of the whole issue in a totally different, clearer light. And I believe that Christ’s atoning work on the cross ultimately accomplishes precisely what God designed it to accomplish, no more no less. If you believe God is truly sovereign you must ultimately come to that position. The fruits of the atonement are no less than what God sovereignly intended. God is not going to be frustrated throughout all eternity because He was desperately trying to save some people who just could not be persuaded. If that’s your view of God than your God isn’t really sovereign. Pharaoh fulfilled exactly the purpose God raised him up to fulfill. God is not wringing His hands in despair over Pharaoh’s rebellion and unbelief.

But on the other hand, Christ’s atoning work accomplishes no more than God intended it to accomplish. If benefits accrue to non-believers, reprobate people, because of Christ’s death, than it is because God designed it that way. If Christ’s dying means that the whole, the judgment of the whole world is postponed, than unregenerate people reap the blessings and the benefits of that delay. They reap the benefits and the blessings of common grace through the atonement. And if that’s the case than that is exactly what God designed. It didn’t happen by accident. And for that very reason it is my position and the position of most Calvinists throughout history that some benefits of the atonement are universal and some benefits of the atonement are particular and limited to the elect alone.

...............

So, to sum up, unbelievers receive a number of benefits from the atonement: Delayed judgment, All the blessings of common grace, The free offer of salvation through the Gospel. Those are universal effects of Christ’s atoning work and that is why Charles Hodge, the great Calvinist theologian said this, “There is a sense therefore in which Christ died for all. And there is a sense in which He died only for the elect.” Curt Daniel suggests that Calvinists ought to say, not that Christ died only for the elect but rather that He died especially for the elect. I agree and I think we would all prefer the words of 1 Timothy 4:10, “He is the Savior of all men, specially of them that believe.”

Spurgeon on 2 Cor. 5:20

2008-09-20T08:57:00.005-04:00

NOTE: Yes I know that Spurgeon believed in particular redemption. But he certainly, if I am understanding him correctly, believed in the old phrase "sufficient for all, efficient for the elect"

So now, gathering all up, I have to close with the second part of the text, which is not teaching, but the application of teaching,—A GREAT ARGUMENT. "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

Oh, that these lips had language, or that this heart could speak without them! Then would I plead with every unconverted, unbelieving soul within this place, and plead as for my life. Friend, you are at enmity with God, and God is angry with you; but on his part there is every readiness for reconciliation. He has made a way by which you can become his friend—a very costly way to himself, but free to you. He could not give up his justice, and so destroy the honour of his own character; but he did give up his Son, his Only Begotten, and his Well-Beloved; and that Son of his had been made sin for us, though he knew no sin. See how God meets you ! See how willing, how anxious he is that there should be reconciliation between you and God to-day it is not from want of kindness on his part; it is from want of willingness on yours. The burden of your ruin must lie at your own door: your blood must be on your own skirts.

Now observe what we have to say to you to-day is this: we are anxious that you should be at peace with God, and therefore we act as ambassadors for Christ. I am not going to lay any stress upon the office of ambassador as honourable or authoritative, for I do not feel that this would have weight with you: but I lay all the stress upon the peace to which we would fain have you reconciled also. I once knew him not, neither did I care for him. I lived well enough without him, and sported with trifles of a day, so as to forget him. He brought me to seek his face, and seeking his face I found him. He has blotted out my sins and removed my enmity. I know that I am his servant, and that he is my friend, my Father, my All. And now I cannot help trying in my poor way to be an ambassador for him with you. I do not like that any of you should live at enmity with my Father who made you; and that you should be wantonly provoking him by preferring evil to good. Why should you not be at peace with one who so much wants to be at peace with you? Why should you not love the God of love, and delight in him who is so kind to you? What he hath done for me he is quite willing to do for you: he is a God ready to pardon. I have preached his gospel now for many years, but I never met with a sinner yet that Christ refused to cleanse when he came to him. I never knew a single case of a man who trusted Jesus, and asked to be forgiven, confessing his sin and forsaking it, who was cast out. I say I never met with one man whom he has restored to purity, and drunkards whom he has delivered from their evil habit, and with men guilty of foul sins who have become pure and chaste through the Lord Jesus. They have always told me the same story—"I sought the Lord, and he heard me; he hath washed me in his blood, and I am whiter than snow." Why should you not be saved as well as these?

Dear friend, perhaps you have never thought of this matter, and this morning you did not some here with any idea of thinking of it; but why should you not begin? You came just to hear a well-known preacher; I pray you forget the preacher, and think only of yourself, your God and your Saviour. It must be wrong for you to live without a thought of your Maker. To forget him is to despise him. It must be wrong for you to refuse the great atonement: you so refuse it if you do not accept it at once. It must be wrong for you to stand out against your God; and you do stand out against him if you will not be reconciled to him. Therefore I humbly play the part of an ambassador for Christ, and I beseech you believe in him and live.

Notice how the text puts it: "We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us." This thought staggers me. As I came along this morning I felt as if I could bury my head in my hands and weep as I thought of God beseeching anybody. He speaks, and it is done; myriads of angels count themselves happy to fly at his command; and yet man has so become God's enemy that he will not be reconciled to him. God would make him his friend, and spends the blood of his dear Son to cement that friendship; but man will not have it. See the great God turns to beseeching his obstinate creature! his foolish creature! In this I feel a reverent compassion for God. Must he beseech a rebel to be forgiven? Do you hear it? Angels, do you hear it? He who is the King of kings veils his sovereignty, and stoops to beseeching his creature to be reconciled to him! I wonder not that some of my brethen start back from such an idea, and cannot believe that it could be so: it seems so derogatory to the glorious God. Yet my text saith it, and it must be true—"As though God did beseech you by us." This makes it awful work to preach, does it not? I ought to beseech you as though God spoke to you through me, looking at you through these eyes, and stretching out his hands through these hands. He saith, "All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people." He speaks softly, and tenderly, and with paternal affection through these poor lips of mine, "as though God did beseech you by us.

Furthermore notice that next line, which if possible has even more force in it: "We pray you in Christ's stead." Since Jesus died in our stead we, his redeemed ones, are to pray others in his stead; and as he poured out his heart for sinners in their stead, we must in another way pour out our hearts for sinners in his stead. "We pray you in Christ's stead." Now if my Lord were here this morning how would he pray you to come to him? I wish, my Master, I were more fit to stand in thy place at this time. Forgive me that I am so incapable. Help me to break my heart, to think that it does not break as it ought to do, for these men and women who are determined to destroy themselves, and, therefore, pass thee by, my Lord, as though thou were but a common felon, hanging on a gibbet! O men, How can you think so little of the death of the Son of God? It is the wonder of time, the admiration of eternity. O souls, why will you refuse eternal life? Why will ye die? Why will ye despise him by whom alone you can live? There is one gate of life, that gate is the open side of Christ; why will ye not enter, and live? "Come unto me," saith he; "Come unto me." I think I hear him say it: "Come unto me all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." I think I see him on that last day, the great day of the feast, standing and crying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." I hear him sweetly declare, "Him that cometh to me I will no wise cast out." I am not fit to pray you in Christ's stead, but I do pray you with all my heart. You that hear my voice from Sunday to Sunday, do come and accept the great sacrifice, and be reconciled to God. You that hear me but this once, I would like you to go away with this ringing in your ears, "Be ye reconciled to God." I have nothing pretty to say to you; I have only to declare that God has prepared a propitiation, and that now he entreats sinners to come to Jesus, that through him they may be reconciled to God.

We do not exhort you to some impossible effort. We do not bid you do some great thing; we do not ask you for money or price; neither do we demand of you years of miserable feeling; but only this—be ye reconciled. It is not so much reconcile yourselves as "be reconciled." Yield yourselves to him who round you now the bands of a man would cast, drawing you with cords of love because he was given for you. His spirit strives with you, yield to his striving. With Jacob you know there wrestled a man till the breaking of the day; let that man, that God-man, overcome you. Submit yourselves. Yield to grasp of those hands which were nailed to the cross for you. Will you not yield to your best friend? He that doth embrace you now presses you to a heart that was pierced with the spear on your behalf. Oh, yield thee! Yield thee, man! Dost thou not feel some softness stealing over thee? Steel not thine heart against it. He saith, with a tone most still and sweet. "To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." Believe and live! Quit the arch-enemy who has held thee in his grip. Escape for thy life, look not behind thee, stay not in all the plain, but flee where thou seest the open door of the great Father's house. At the gate the bleeding Saviour is waiting to receive thee, and to say, "I was made sin for thee, and thou art made the righteousness of God in me." Father, draw them! Father, draw them! Eternal Spirit, draw them, for Jesus Christ thy Son's sake! Amen.

The Heart of the Gospel

Thawing Out the Frozen Chosen

2008-09-19T23:00:00.000-04:00

NOTE: I was going to post this before Phil Johnson's excellent recent post on the love of God, so this isn't in response to his comment in the combox about impassibility. But, as cool as Phil is, I must disagree with him on this one issue. Maybe he will listen and change his mind :-)

I'd been meaning to post these for awhile...

The first deals with God's emotivity and what it means for us. The second focuses on the place of the emotions in conversion, witnessing, worship, and sanctification.

The Emotivity of God= James Williamson

The Place of the Affections= Jim Savastio

God is sovereign, and yet man is responsible and not to be passive!

2008-09-16T21:43:00.002-04:00

Repent and Be Converted!- Jim Savastio

Pressing into the Kingdom- Jim Savastio

Striving to Enter at the Narrow Gate- Jim Savastio

I think all vestiges of hyper-Calvinism are now bled from my body...and I am thankful my pastor preaches the text and is not afraid to ~~tell~~ plead with! the unconverted to obey the Gospel and repent and believe!

Christ the Word

2008-09-13T23:02:00.005-04:00

My Father,
In a world of created changeable things,
Christ and his Word alone remain unshaken.
O to forsake all creatures,
to rest as a stone on him the foundation,
to abide in him, be borne up by him!
For all my mercies come through Christ,
who has designed, purchased, promised, effected them.
How sweet it is to be near him, the Lamb,
filled with holy affections!
When I sin against thee I cross thy will, love, life,
and have no comforter, no creature, to go to.
My sin is not so much this or that particular evil,
but my continual separation, disunion, distance from thee,
and having a loose spirit towards thee.
But thou hast given me a present, Jesus thy Son,
as Mediator between thyself and my soul,
as middle-man who in a pit
holds both him below and him above,
for only he can span the chasm breached by sin,
and satisfy divine justice.
May I always lay hold upon this mediator,
as a realized object of faith,
and alone worthy by his love to bridge the gulf.
Let me know that he is dear to me by his Word;
I am one with him by the Word on his part,
and by faith on mine;
If I oppose the Word, I oppose my Lord when he is most near;
If I receive the Word I receive my Lord wherein he is nigh.
O thou has hast the hearts of all men in thine hand,
form my heart according to the Word,
according to the image of thy Son,
So shall Christ the Word, and his Word be my strength and comfort.

Arthur Bennett, ed. Valley of Vision (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), 17.

Tetherball in the Laundry Room

2008-09-09T23:08:00.004-04:00

I am marveling at the goodness and grace of God as I write this. A few hours ago, I started this blog post after listening to the first of these three sermons by my pastor on the central theme of the Bible and the Christian life-- that is, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

I had to take a break to do some laundry, and it turns out that God had something more in mind. I ran across Chris, a man who lives in my building who is unconverted. I had gotten to speak to him several times before, but this evening I especially felt the presence and aid of the Spirit as I spoke to him. Chris is one of those who thinks he is a "good person" who "tries hard," and that this is what he says he will say when he appears before God. Pray he would stop comparing himself with other people and compare himself against God's holiness! And pray that he will see the beauty of Christ and His righteousness and Person!

One interesting thing that happened was when he asked about why there was so much evil in the world if there really was a good God. I replied that the question we really should be asking is why a holy and just God is so patient and cares for any of us at all. Why do good things happen to bad people? He said he never thought about it that way before. He also asked how it was fair that the thief on the cross got forgiven of his sins, since God has to punish sin. I said that the thief's sins were punished...in the death of Christ on the cross! All sin will be punished. The question is, how will they be paid for? By us in hell or by Christ on the cross? Chris fell silent for a moment and then had to leave, and I urged him to think about all we had talked about. I gave him a Bible earlier, so pray he reads it and that Christ opens his understanding!

The tetherball reference is an illustration my pastor used for the centrality of the Gospel in the Christian life. Basically, we never get more than 4 feet or so from the Gospel. Just as the goal of the game is to wrap the ball around the post as close as possible, so too we must keep the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the center of the church, our witness, and our daily lives. Granted sometimes the ball will be wrapped around the post tighter than others, but you get the picture. Although Chris tried a few times to unwrap that ball from around the post, by the grace of God I was able to bring it back to Christ and Him crucified.

The Heart of Christianity (Part 1)
The Heart of Christianity (Part 2)
The Heart of Christianity (Part 3)

Jesus, keep me near the cross;
There a precious fountain,
Free to all—a healing stream—
Flows from Calvary's mountain.

In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Shed its beams around me.

In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o'er me.

In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross I'll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand
Just beyond the river.

In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

- Fanny Crosby

Calvary's Anthem

2008-09-07T08:22:00.002-04:00

Heavenly Father,
Thou hast led me singing to the cross,
where I fling down all my burdens and see them vanish,
where my mountains of guilt are levelled to a plain,
where my sins disappear, though they are the greatest that exist,
and are more in number than the grains of fine sand;

For there is power in the blood of Calvary
to destroy sins more than can be counted
even by one from the choir of heaven.
Thou hast given me a hill-side spring
that washes clear and white,
and I go as a sinner to its waters,
bathing without hindrance in its crystal streams.
At the cross there is free forgiveness for poor and meek ones,
and ample blessings that last for ever;
The blood of the Lamb is like a great river of infinite grace
with never any diminishing of its fullness
as thirsty ones without number drink of it.

O Lord, for ever will thy free forgiveness live
that was gained on the mount of blood;
In the midst of a world of pain
it is a subject of praise in every place,
q song on earth, an anthem in heaven,
its love and virtue knowing no end.
I have a longing for the world above
where multitudes sing the great song,
for my soul was never created to love the dust of earth.
Though here my spiritual state is frail and poor,
I shall go on singing Calvary's anthem.
May I always know
that a clean heart full of goodness
is more beautiful than the lily,
that only a clean heart can sing by night and by day,
that such a heart is mine when I abide at Calvary.

Arthur Bennett, ed. Valley of Vision (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), 173.

Andrew Fuller Conference: Benjamin Keach and the Protestant Cause Under Persecution- Austin Walker

2008-09-04T21:42:00.002-04:00

- fear of a "Popish plot" led to the persecution of dissenters (1678)
- 1680s- Keach wrote against the persecution of Protestants in the UK and Europe and advocated liberty of conscience
- wrote two poems in which he expresses his grief over the persecution of the church

- the fear of Catholicism must be put into a Reformation/Counter-Reformation context- they remembered Bloody Mary, Elizabeth I, the Irish Catholics, the Rye House Plot, the Monmouth Rebellion
- there was a universal belief that the Pope was the Antichrist and Rome was Babylon
- they saw William and Mary as God's instruments in the overthrow of the Antichrist

believed in freedom of conscience in matters of religion but not in what today is called "religious liberty"
- it was like the fire shut up in Jeremiah's bones
- it was forthright and passionate
- it was grounded in God's truth

- Keach lamented not only over the worldliness of his society but over the "Romish remnants" in the church
- he was also concerned with division in the churches and the lack of Gospel success
- he was a Protestant apologist, so this brought him into many conflicts

- but he was confident that Christ would comfort and keep His church and vindicate His cause and Name
- had a strong trust in Christ's Kingdom being established and in God's providence in all things
- was unquestionably a man of prayer
- he waited on the Lord and soon had cause for rejoicing

- the duty of each Christian is to pray that God will prosper the cause of the church and establish her and do her good as He conforms her to Christ
- we are in need of patience, courage, and perseverance- historians are surprised and enamored by the perseverance of the dissenters

- Keach advocated non-violence but not non-resistance
- Romans 13 tells us to plead with God and patiently wait for God

Hebrews 12:1-4 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin."

Hold the Ropes!

2008-09-02T18:46:00.003-04:00

Our brethren from halfway around the world covet our prayers...

Pyromaniacs: Pray for India

Pyromaniacs: Burned Alive: Some Background on the India Violence

HT for the video: Jonathan Christman

Hindi Song Translation: Tera Pyaar He Mahan (Your Love is Great)

Verse 1) your love is great, your love is the world to me, for I used to be dead, but you have put life into me

Verse 2) why then should I not sing you praises Praises, praises, for all you have done for me

Verse 3) My face was distorted and my heart was empty, but you have cleansed them with your blood so that I am now living

More Love to Christ

2008-08-31T22:38:00.002-04:00

I wanted to share this sermon! The Spirit truly exalted Christ through my pastor in a powerful way in this message! Or, in other words, Christ preached peace by the human instrument of my pastor (this is a truth that has been expounded multiple times from the pulpit recently, and I find it fuels my prayers both for the preacher and us as hearers)!

From Romans 5:20-21, the preeminence of loving Christ and the superabundance of God's grace over sin... Samuel Rutherford's letter read at the end brought me to tears...

More Love to Christ- James Williamson

Andrew Fuller Conference: Thomas Wilcox and His A Choice Drop of Honey From the Rock Christ- Stephen Yuille

2008-08-30T16:27:00.000-04:00

The Christocentric Piety of Thomas Wilcox

- little known about him except for what we know from the sermon at hand- he could say with John the Baptist, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30)
- this is not the same Thomas Wilcox who addressed the British Parliament and was imprisoned in the 16th century
- Wilcox was known to preach to and alongside a broad range of Christian believers
- was grieved by the wind of doctrine in his day that would add to the righteousness of Christ

- a call to examine oneself
- a call to battle despair
- a call to look to Christ

- examine if one is self-sufficient and looking to one's own righteousness
- "Christ is a Rock who stands higher than righteousness and sin, and hony drops from Him that satisfies one's soul"
- a heart is humbled and bruised by the Spirit applying the law to sinners
- when a heart is bruised, it is ready for faith as the Spirit shows him his need for Christ and causes him to look to Christ for pardon, grace, and salvation
- "Nature's spinning must be unraveled before Christ's righteousness can be put on"

- despair because of doubt causes people not to close with Christ
- it is Christ's entrance into God's presence that promises a sinner may enter into forgiveness
- sanctification, while helpful in analyzing one's faith, should never become one's foundation for assurance

3 potential misapplications of the Puritan doctrine of assurance
- introspection- can become a gloomy self-evaluation
- despair- anxiety can be thought of as a sign of piety
- moralism- God's grace can become trivialized and forgotten

call to consider Christ
- applying Christ's blood
- seeking Christ's presence
- prizing Christ's righteousness
- contemplating Christ's priesthood

- "Keep not sin in the conscience but apply Christ's blood immediately"
- two-fold value of Christ's blood: justification before God and sanctification by application
- Christ is in union with His people by indwelling them by His Spirit
- two part of Christ's priesthood: oblation and intercession
- Christ's intercession in heaven is the promise that all the things gained by Christ's death and resurrection are ours
- "Rejoice in the ruins of thine own righteousness"

PDF's of the entire text of Wilcox's sermon are found here:

A Choice Drop of Honey from the Rock Christ #1
A Choice Drop of Honey from the Rock Christ #2

Andrew Fuller Conference: FREE mp3s now available!

2008-08-29T17:33:00.003-04:00

I will still type up my notes, but here is a link to the free mps3s!!!

Enjoy!

Andrew Fuller Conference: The English Calvinistic Baptists of the 17th Century, An Overview- Dr. Malcolm Yarnell

2008-08-29T13:30:00.005-04:00

although Baptists are a people of the Book, we must look at their history to see their context among congregations

those who would become General and Particular Baptists came to an understanding of believer's baptism while in communion- then the separation took place over Reformed theology (which wasn't a clean break)

Exemplar: Christopher Blackwood (1605-1670)

-was a Conformist early on
-left the parish church for a General Baptist church after his conversion to Baptist views on baptism
- became a pastor at that church but left when his co-pastor declared that he believed in universal redemption

- in his treatise on divine worship ("The Storming of Antichrist"), he explained that believer's baptism is worship after the commands of Christ
- argued that Presbyterians, Independents, and Congregationalists could learn from one another without compromising on baptism
- lived in Ireland during the persecution, though he cried out for his persecuted brethren in England
- pure worship, liberty of conscience, importance of the local church were his main concerns

Blackwood's 6 marks of a Christian church ("6 Marks Ministries"...?):
- regenerate church membership
- agreement and covenant
- right dispensing of the Word and sacraments
- profession of the faith
- ministry (faithful oversight)
- church discipline

- said paedobaptism tears down the difference between church and the world
- held a Calvinistic understanding of the Lord's Supper
- held a Biblical view of church discipline, which was for the benefit of both the disciplined and the church

- the use of the 5 points in finding how "Calvinistic" a 17th Century Baptist was is very difficult (I would have liked to hear more about why this is the case)
- was primarily a pastoral theologian who had an invitational and duty-faith/duty-repentance way of preaching
- was not as concerned with the ordo salutis as he was in preaching grace and salvation in Christ alone
- affirmed predestination of both salvation and reprobation, although his view was different than Calvin's (I would have liked to have known more about the differences)
- was ultimately motivated to exhort Christians to proclaim the Gospel rather than the 5 points
- free proffers of grace and well-meant offer of the gospel exhorted men to come to Christ

(It was interesting to have Dr. Yarnell as the first speaker, and his presence there was encouraging. I certainly benefited from his contribution! He must have learned a lot about how Particular Baptists were concerned about both the glorification of God and evangelism! Yarnell is the one who wrote about Calvinists in the SBC back in 2006. Tom Ascol gave some helpful critiques on his blog, and there was a brotherly interchange. Yarnell was also alongside Dr. Ascol as they sought the passing of a resolution on regenerate church membership at the SBC annual meeting this year; it passed but was weaker than they had hoped. And no, Yarnell didn't wear a cowboy hat to the conference...)

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

2008-08-28T07:25:00.008-04:00

While Jerry Vines and I would disagree on some important issues, there is one important truth that he brought out in his chapel message on John 3:16 that has been a cause of much meditation and praise, especially over the past few months.

He brought out that God's love for sinners is unfathomable, and we cannot plumb the depths of it. The distinction between God's general, benevolent love and God's particular, redeeming love notwithstanding, I don't think any person holding to the Doctrines of Grace would disagree with Vines' statement (I can't really fathom God's benevolent love either...). Who can fathom God's love for sinners? That Christ should leave the glories of heaven and die for the guilty and vile, actually procuring the salvation of God's elect? And He did it all such that nothing in our hands we bring, only to His cross we cling! And He didn't have to do it! Nothing in us could ever commend ourselves to Him! What love! What amazing love!

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross
My guilt upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no powr's, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

©1995 Kingsway's Thankyou Music
Words and Music by Stuart Townend

(For a Reformed Baptist exposition of John 3:16, listen to this one by James Williamson).

History of the Reformation

2008-08-25T17:58:00.001-04:00

Austin Walker of the Maidenbower Reformed Baptist Church in Crawley, England delivered a series of lectures this past weekend on the History of the Reformation. I heartily recommend these to you!

Scripture: The Final Authority
Justification by Faith Alone
Calvinism and the Worship of God
The English Reformers and the Church of England
The Anabaptists and the Radical Reformation

A Minister's Bible

2008-08-23T22:06:00.006-04:00

(I was about to say something about the title of this Valley of Vision prayer being too narrow, but then I remembered this post by Dan Phillips.)

O God of Truth,
I thank thee for the holy Scriptures,
their precepts, promises, directions, light.

In them may I learn more of Christ,
be enabled to retain his truth
and have grace to follow it.

Help me to lift up the gates of my soul that he may come in
and show me himself when I search the Scriptures,
for I have no lines to fathom its depths,
no wings to soar to its heights.

By his aid may I be enabled to explore all its truths,
love them with all my heart,
embrace them with all my power,
engraft them into my life.

Bless to my soul all grains of truth garnered from thy Word;
may they take deep root,
be refreshed by heavenly dew,
be ripened by heavenly rays,
be harvested to my joy and thy praise.

Help me to gain profit by what I read,
as treasure beyond all treasure,
a fountain which can replenish my dry heart,
its waters flowing through me as a perennial river
on-drawn by thy Holy Spirit.

Enable me to distil from its pages faithful prayer
that grasps the arm of thy omnipotence,
achieves wonders, obtains blessings,
and draws down streams of mercy.

From it show me how my words have often been unfaithful to thee,
injurious to my fellow-men,
empty of grace, full of folly,
dishonouring to my calling.

Then write thy own words upon my heart and inscribe them on my lips;
So shall all glory be to thee in my reading of thy Word!

Arthur Bennett, ed. Valley of Vision (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), 190.

It's the Gospel, stupid!

2008-08-22T13:30:00.002-04:00

I ran across this interesting article this morning:

Young evangelical backs out of convention prayer

There is a lot there to discuss: Should Christians lead prayer in an interfaith environment? Would Strang's presence really be an endorsement of Obama? What is the relationship between a Christian and politics? Is there room for any sort of Christian co-belligerence?

But the one thing that struck me was how, at least in the reporter's view, religious topics were focused on issues like abortion, political party, the environment, and other so-called "shared values." Missing was the truth that what makes Christians different is the Lord who owns and empowers us. We believe that God the Son came to dwell among us as a man, died on the cross for sinners, rose from the dead on the third day, now rules and reigns in heaven, will one day return to judge the living and the dead, and the only way a sinner can be made right with God is to repent and believe in Christ alone for salvation. And that's the power of God unto salvation!

I am not saying we as Christians should be unconcerned about things like abortion. James 1:27 says, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." Pastor James is going through James in Sunday School (no he didn't write it...), and he just taught an excellent lesson on this verse.

That being said, I was especially reminded of the centrality and power of the Gospel in two recent sermons.

At Southern Seminary's opening convocation, Dr. Mohler preached an excellent message entitled The Year of Living Dangerously.

And I have linked to this one by Pastor Jim already, but in case you haven't yet heard it... The Early Church's Influence on Society:

The world is at times afraid of us, but they are afraid of us for all the wrong reasons. The world's afraid of certain religions. They're certainly afraid of fundamentalism right now. They're afraid of Islam because Islam might kill them. They're afraid of us because they're afraid we're going to take away their so-called political or social liberties. They're afraid of Pat Robertson and Dr. Dobson not because they see God is with them but because they perceive them as anti-this and anti-that and pushing their morality upon others. They have unfounded fears that if Christians have their way, we'll lock everybody up that disagrees with us, etc., etc. You've heard it all.

But brethren, I'm asking when was the last time that our gatherings produced in a soul that sense that God is real and powerful and active and on the move in the lives of God's people. Somebody has the experience that we read about in 1 Cor., where an unbeliever comes and the secrets of his heart are exposed and he falls down and says, "God is of a truth among you." When was the last time that happened in church? When was the last time something like that came close to happening in our midst?

...

Is your expression of Christianity easily explained away? A cultural, pleasant, acceptable, costless form of Republican Christianity. You may read the Bible on occasion, listen to some Christian music, quote Jesus every now and then, have a Jesus poster up. That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking has your heart ever been pierced? Have you ever come under a conviction of your sin? Have you ever cried out, "What must I do?" Have you ever repented? Have you ever clung to Jesus the way a drowning man clings to a life preserver? Have you ever committed yourself to a group of God's people? Are you devoted to God's doctrine and worship, to prayer, to the breaking of bread? Have you ever parted with your goods, denying yourself for the sake of the kingdom of God and the people of God? And if not, why not?

Well I'll tell you why not. Most likely you have a religion of your own making. You may have turned over a new leaf, but you've never been converted. It's what you've done and what you want, and that's what your Christianity's all about. And, my friend, it produces no wonder, it produces no awe, it produces no fear. It produces no awe or wonder in you, it doesn't produce any in your family, it doesn't produce any in the church, it doesn't produce any among the people of the world. They see you, and you're just like them!

Seeing the Elephant (of Kettering)

2008-08-20T12:19:00.008-04:00

And it won't cost me blood, toil, tears, and sweat either (well, at least not literally).

I have not read much in the way of Andrew Fuller, but I decided to take advantage of a great deal on a set of his complete works and give him a read! I bought this three-volume set for $63.59 from the Lifeway bookstore on the Southern Seminary campus. You can also buy it for $66.99 from CVBBS. Spurgeon called him the greatest theologian who ever lived, so I am looking forward to it!

Better to go to the house of mourning...

2008-08-12T21:03:00.007-04:00

I was checking my email and ran across this Yahoo headline. Besides the fact that this article deals with the Unreached People Group of the Day, I was struck by something else, something much more personal.

My uncle, aunt, and two cousins spent a great deal of their lives in Peshawar, the town in which this attack took place. My aunt and uncle worked with relief organizations, such as Mercy Corps and Afghan Aid, in various countries throughout their lives, including Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Haiti, East Timor, and Kiribati. I have always loved to learn about other countries, and I would look forward to the times when they would return to the States and bring with them pieces of the cultures they lived in: clothing, purses, rugs, toys. Their modest farm in Knifley, KY (pop. 150) could easily have been mistaken for an art gallery or international museum, including both treasures from overseas and artwork created here in Kentucky by relatives. While they were living in the States, my aunt taught at a nearby college and helped with some local history projects. Their involvement in both worlds also expressed itself in their ability to cook for us a fragrant, spicy meal of curries as well as hearty venison sausage or squirrel stew (yes, I liked it a lot...) I also have memories of the family coming to my school to do presentations. I have fond memories of times we traveled together to New Jersey to visit family and of a trip my dad and two aunts and grandmother took to Seattle. I even have a video from when I was 12 where my cousin (on my mom's side) and I had made my bedroom into a library and my aunt was visiting at the time (I've always been a librarian at heart...)!

But there is the sad side of this story. On Dec. 8, 2002, my younger cousin (then just a few weeks shy of 18) shot and killed my aunt and uncle at their farm here in Kentucky. It is ironic, as they had been in some of the most dangerous parts of the world, and here it was that the greatest danger came to them at home and from their own son. There is a complex number of reasons of why this happened, many of them emotionally charged, but it boils down (very strikingly so) to the neglect of Eph. 6:4- "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." While they showed the outward appearance of being religious (they went to church, would attend my family's church when they visited, sent their kids to Bible camp), in the home they acted differently. Unfortunately, they taught my cousins that there were no absolutes, that we must be "tolerant" of all religions and philosophies, and that it is through experience and not through rules that we find the best pathway of life.

The real tragedy is that, for all my aunt and uncle did, for all the humanitarian efforts they made, for all the places they traveled to, they lived and died without Christ. I remember once, before I was converted, looking at a collage of pictures and photos and seeing a rendering of (what men think looked like) Jesus. Even then, I wondered why they had a picture of Him when they never really talked about Him.

Th Lord gave me many opportunities to witness to my aunt and uncle and cousins. While the church the family attended was PCUSA, I got the impression that they were far more liberal than their church. I remember praying for them fervently and seeking to be a witness in both word and deed. I was sharpened theologically and spiritually as I would interact with them and study on my own such things at the exclusivity of Christ, the authority and inerrancy of the Bible, and faith in Christ versus works righteousness. After my aunt and uncle were murdered, as my family and I stayed at a long-time friend's house in case my younger cousin came for us too, I asked myself, "Did I say enough? Why weren't they converted?" While I had not yet grasped the truth of God's sovereign election, I knew two things, and they were what comforted my soul in those dark, cold weeks of mid-December: 1. I couldn't convert them. It was my job to pray for them and be a witness. 2. I had done my job.

Eccl. 7:2-3 says, "Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better."

This was true in my case. I took note that outward religion divorced from a living, breathing relationship with Christ is meaningless. I saw that one can be moral before the eyes of society and yet in the secret of one's home live a completely opposite life. I learned the importance of redeeming the time and speaking to others about Christ and eternity, for life is but a vapor. And I experienced the loss of unconverted loved ones, something I will have to face in the future, unless God does an amazing work.

I will leave them to God, but that does not take away the sadness I feel upon occasion when something reminds me of my aunt and uncle. I have had multiple opportunities to witness to my cousins. The younger is in prison for life without possibility of parole until 2028. The older is cynical, confused, undisciplined, and worldly. But my heart goes out to them, and I pray that they will turn to Christ, for He alone can satisfy their souls and save them from eternal destruction. They are not outside of God's reach...

Two Books Coming Soon from Calvary Press

2008-08-04T13:45:00.001-04:00

The first book is entitled From the Garden of Eden to the Glory of Heaven: God's Unfolding Plan and How it Relates to Christians Today by James Williamson. This is an excellent book written from a Reformed Baptist perspective on the covenants of Scripture and how they fit together and point to their ultimate fulfillment in Christ and His Kingdom. And if that sounds like a shameless plug, that's because it is one! The author happens to be one of my pastors! Seriously, it is a book that is written in such a way that both seminarians and non-seminarians alike will greatly benefit from reading it.

The second book is Womanly Dominion: More than a Gentle and Quiet Spirit by Mark Chanski. Apparently, the real title was forgotten: Womanly Dominion: In a Passive Pink-Powder-Puff World. But I think that will be my only disappointment with this book! I had the rich blessing of attending the conference he taught on the subject, which I have linked to before and is found here.

Lord, How I Long to Live My Life

2008-07-30T13:23:00.006-04:00

Acts 2:43- "Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles."

(to the tune of St. Columbia- "How Sweet and Awful is the Place")

Lord, how I long to live my life
That all the world may see
The awesome power of Your might,
Your Spirit's work in me!

I have not heard the rushing wind
Or seen the tongues of flame;
I have not by You raised the dead
Or healed the blind and lame.

Yet these are not the greatest deeds
Performed by those You save:
We die to self and live to You
Who rose up from the grave!

We know Your Spirit’s wondrous work
Of overcoming sin
And through our trials know the calm
Of peace You give within.

To us, You open up the Word,
And we behold Your face.
You grant us strength in time of need
Before Your throne of grace.

Above all these, the Gospel borne
By Your strong Spirit’s might
Unites the hearts of all Your own
And makes the darkness light!

Ignite the zeal to love You more
And treasure You as dear!
Lord, wean our souls from this cold world
So all may stand in fear!

- Marie Peterson, 2008.

Andrew Fuller Conference- The English Baptists of the 17th Century

2008-07-29T09:34:00.004-04:00

Conference Description

The theme of this year’s conference is “The English Baptists of the 17th Century”. Featured speakers include: R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Barry Howson, Larry Kreitzer, Tom Nettles, Jim Renihan, Austin Walker, and Malcolm Yarnell. Other up and coming Baptist History scholars will be presenting papers as well. The conference will be held on the campus of SBTS on the dates of Monday, August 25 and Tuesday, August 26. The regular registration rate is $80.00 (which includes five meals: two breakfasts, two lunches, and one dinner). There is also a special student rate available at $40.00.

Click here for more information

Any conference with Austin Walker and Jim Renihan has to be good, not to mention all the other speakers. This is something a church history aficionado like me just can't pass up!!!

To Thy temple I repair

2008-07-27T08:35:00.003-04:00

I was singing some songs about worship this morning from the Trinity Hymnal, and this one really gripped me:

To thy temple I repair;
Lord, I love to worship there,
When within the veil I meet
Christ before the mercy-seat.

While thy glorious praise is sung,
Touch my lips, unloose my tongue,
That my joyful soul may bless
Thee, the Lord my Righteousness.

While the prayers of saints ascend,
God of love, to mine attend;
Hear me, for thy Spirit pleads;
Hear, for Jesus intercedes.

While I hearken to thy law,
Fill my soul with humble awe,
Till thy gospel bring to me
Life and immortality.

While thy ministers proclaim
Peace and pardon in thy Name,
Through their voice, by faith, may I
Hear thee speaking from the sky.

From thy house when I return,
May my heart within me burn,
And at evening let me say,
"I have walked with God today."

Jams Montgomery, 1812

Please Pray for Tom Ascol

2008-07-19T17:15:00.004-04:00

HT: Timmy Brister

Dr. Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL and director of Founders Ministries, is having health issues after getting hit by lightning recently. Please pray the Lord would bring the sanctification and lessons He intends in this (to take a cue from John Piper, that he wouldn't waste his lightning!), draw near to him and sustain him, and heal his body so he may continue the work of the ministry with renewed zeal and vigor. I am truly thankful for God's work in and through this brother, having had the opportunity to meet him in person on several occasions as well!!!

Seek the Lord while He may be found

2008-07-15T19:43:00.005-04:00

Back in August of 2005, after hearing a sermon by Robert Martin of Emmanuel Reformed Baptist Church in SeaTac the Lord's Day before the AOMin apologetics cruise, I remember remarking to a fellow cruiser that I was uncomfortable hearing a Reformed pastor preaching such an "Arminian sounding" sermon.

I was trying to remember the sermon text, and I wanted to listen to it again because of my recent consideration of God's declarations of the Gospel as being freely offered and well-meant. Well, today I looked and, lo and behold, it has since been uploaded to their website! The text was Isaiah 55, one I have heard referenced quite a bit recently (this last Lord's Day was one, actually). And far from being "Arminian," it is a wonderful sermon that upholds the true Gospel and the nature of true repentance and faith! Enjoy (and share it with any unconverted friends who are around...)!

An Urgent Call to Seek the Lord

Heritage Baptist Church Missions Conference 2008 mp3s

2008-07-15T19:29:00.000-04:00

There are already online mp3s from the HBC Missions Conference!

click here

When this passing world is done

2008-07-14T20:06:00.006-04:00

When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o'er life's finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

When I hear the wicked call
On the rocks and hills to fall,
When I see them start and shrink
On the fiery deluge brink,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne,
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see thee as thou art,
Love thee with unsinning heart,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

When the praise of heav'n I hear,
Loud as thunders to the ear,
Loud as many waters' noise,
Sweet as harp's melodious voice,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,
Wakened up from wrath to flee,
Hidden in the Saviour's side,
By the Spirit sanctified,
Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
By my love, how much I owe.

- Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Providentially enough, a sister and I had been thinking upon this song over the last week, and the two of us sang it together yesterday afternoon. In both of our lives, the Lord has been working on showing us our pride and sin and then showing us the sufficiency of our great Savior.

For both of us, and I am confident for all believers, the anticipation of not sinning is probably one of the things we most look forward to (second only to seeing our Lord Jesus face to face!) I can't imagine what it will be like not to sin! No more pride, no more discontentment, no more faithlessness, no more jealousy.

But today I was pondering another aspect of this truth. I will not only never sin against God Himself, but I will never sin against my brethren! No more putting my own interests above theirs. No more comparing myself with them and thinking I am more spiritual. No more getting on their nerves, or they on mine. No more doubting the Spirit's work in their lives. No more fear of hurting my brethren with unneeded words, and no more hurting them by withholding my words.

It will be a wonderful thing to converse with the Old Testament saints and with the disciples and with people like Luther and Spurgeon and Edwards and Ryle. It will be a sight to see when I stand among the millions of blood-bought children of God, having known and befriended some in my lifetime. But much more do I look forward to standing among the brothers and sisters that I meet with Lord's Day by Lord's Day and prayer meeting by prayer meeting. They are the ones I've cried with, laughed with, rejoiced with, confided with, sung with, prayed with, read Scripture with, heard preaching with, broke bread with, and fellowshipped with. They are also the ones whom I've had disagreements with, who I've sinned against, and who have sinned against me. And to stand there in Heaven, rejoicing that we've made it, that the good fight of faith was not in vain! And I have a feeling that there won't be anything a simple, hearty "I love you [fill in name here]!" won't forgive.

One sister will be telling about how the first thing she ever saw with her eyes was the face of her Savior. Another will be telling about how she no longer has back pain or medication to hinder her worship. Yet another will speak of how she no longer battles depression and how she's never experienced such joy. And there are those who no longer have to deal with the sadness and trials of unconverted spouses or unconverted children or unconverted family members (hopefully we will be rejoicing that they've been converted!). We will also have no more anxiety, no unrighteous anger, no discontentment, no more pride, no temptations to be man-pleasers.

Praise God for the family I call my local church. We are not perfect, but we have a perfect Savior and Shepherd over us! Come quickly, Lord Jesus...

The Power of the Gospel

2008-07-13T23:30:00.000-04:00

Ok, first blog post on my new blog...

Great message on the power of the Gospel preached tonight by one of my pastors! Very, very encouraging indeed...

I was struck by the truth that, as important as it is for the whole counsel of God to be preached, the Gospel is central, and we must never lose sight of it. Whenever we speak God's truth to the unconverted, other issues may be the starting point, but we should strive to get to the Gospel as soon as possible, since that is this world's greatest need! How sweet and comforting it is to meditate upon the fact that I am saved not by doing the works of the Law but by Christ's perfect obedience to the Law on my behalf and His shed blood on the cross to cover all my sins!!!

The Power of the Gospel- John Grevious