Living in Fear

Seeing

2011-07-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

"May the Holy Spirit, who is the Divine Revealer and Interpreter of Christ and His truth, impart to your heart a sober, spiritual and sanctifying receptivity of His Word — abasing self, and exalting Christ! May you see Christ unveiled in glory, beauty, and perfect fullness. And may you be overwhelmed by the personal realization of what Christ is to you...and of what you are to Christ." ~ Octavius Winslow

Our Greatest Fear

2011-07-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure,
but of succeeding at things in this life
that really don’t matter.”

~ Francis Chan

Persevering in Relationships

2011-07-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

I've been pondering this from James MacDonald all morning...

Genuine fellowship requires commitment.

Philippians 1:5 tells us, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer... because of your partnership (or fellowship; it’s the same word) in the Gospel from the first day until now.”

Notice,“from the first day until now.” Starting in a relationship is easy; continuing in relationship is difficult. There are no enduring relationships without forgiveness. And that requires commitment.

The greater glory goes to Jesus Christ—not when we take our marbles and go home because something didn’t work out the way we wanted it. The greater glory goes to Jesus Christ when we pursue and persevere in relationships in spite of the shortcomings that we see in one another.

It’s not about you or about me. It’s about growing in love together for the glory of Jesus Christ.

If it is truly about His glory then in relationships as well as all other facets of our our walk with Christ we must pursue and persevere. By God's grace may that be true in my life.

Motherhood Is A Calling

2011-07-15T18:49:00.000-07:00

I find this very thoughful and thought provoking. It was written by Rachel Jankovic, and I've included a link to the entire article at the end of this post.

Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.

Christian mothers carry their children in hostile territory. When you are in public with them, you are standing with, and defending, the objects of cultural dislike.

You are publicly testifying that you value what God values, and that you refuse to value what the world values. You stand with the defenseless and in front of the needy.

You represent everything that our culture hates, because you represent laying down your life for another—and laying down your life for another represents the gospel.

You can read the entire article here.

God and Man on the Scale

2011-06-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

J. I. Packer:

“I think of the two pans of an old fashioned pair of scales. If one goes up, the other goes down.

Once upon a time folks new that God was great and that man by comparison was small. Each individual carried around a sense of his own smallness in the greatness of God’s world.

However, the scale pans are in a different relation today. Man has risen in his own estimation. He thinks of himself as great, grand and marvelously resourceful. This means inevitably that our thoughts about God have shrunk. As God goes down in our estimation, He gets smaller. He also exists now only for our pleasure, our convenience and our health, rather than we existing for His glory.

Now, I’m an old fashioned Christian and I believe that we exist for the glory of God. So the first thing I always want to do in any teaching of Christianity is to attempt to try and get those scale pans reversed.

I want to try and show folks that God is the one of central importance. We exist for His praise, to worship Him, and find our joy and fulfillment in Him; therefore He must have all the glory.

God is great and He must be acknowledged as great. I think there is a tremendous difference between the view that God saves us and the idea that we save ourselves with God’s help.

Formula number two fits the modern idea, while formula number one, as I read my Bible, is scriptural.

We do not see salvation straight until we recognize that from first to last it is God’s work. He didn’t need to save us. He owed us nothing but damnation after we sinned.

What he does, though, is to move in mercy. He sends us a Savior and His Holy Spirit into our hearts to bring us to faith in that Savior. Then He keeps us in that faith and brings us to His glory.

It is His work from beginning to end. God saves sinners.

It does, of course, put us down very low. It is that aspect of the gospel that presents the biggest challenge to the modern viewpoint. But we must not forget that it also sets God up very high.

It reveals to us a God who is very great, very gracious and very glorious. A God who is certainly worthy of our worship.”

Note To Self - Fear

2011-06-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

By Joe Thorn

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! ~ Ps. 111:10

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ~ Ps. 10:28

Dear Self,

You often fear the wrong things.

For example, often you are fearful of conflict, suffering, or the loss of good things like respect or acceptance by certain kinds of people. It is understandable from a worldly perspective, for these things you are afraid of losing are themselves—worldly.

This does not mean they are bad, but they are temporal. So many of the things you value are good gifts from God; but they do not last, nor are they supposed to be something from which you find your identity and lasting hope.

The problem with this kind of worldly fear is that it will lead you to toe party lines instead of correcting and challenging the people you are close to.

It will compel you to try to live a safe life, free from risk or danger instead of being willing to make the hard and “risky” choice of following Jesus in a culture that rejects him.

It will lead you to so prize the good gifts of God that they mutate into idols that you are unwilling to let go of.

You don’t need to be afraid of anything, but you do need to fear your God with a holy reverence.

Such “fear” is an aspect of faith that responds to God’s holiness, sovereignty, and transcendence. This higher form of fear is that which leads to awe, adoration, and carefulness of life because of the intimate knowledge of your Maker and Redeemer.

What should you fear in life above a holy God who forgives the sins of unholy men like yourself? What can be taken from you?

Your possessions can go up in flames, but you have treasure in heaven and stand to inherit the kingdom. Your reputation may be sullied, but you are justified in Jesus. You may be rejected by those you admire, but you are accepted by God. You may be hated, but your Father in heaven loves you with an undying love.

What is there in this life to fear?

The fear you need to maintain and cultivate is a fear of God, for in it you will discover wisdom and develop strength that enables you to persevere in faith to the end.

Moth and Rust from the M.O.B. Society

2010-12-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

I found this post from the M.O.B. Society powerful and worth pondering on December 1st, 2010

Moth and Rust

By Brad

I have four little boys who really don’t know anything about Christmas. They have no clue that Americans spend over 200 Billion dollars per year on Christmas gifts. They don’t know that most of their peers families will spend $800-$1000 on gifts, whether they can afford it or not. They would not complain if we gave them one 99 cent hotwheels car, and that’s it. Its a beautiful thing. It’s not going to last.

Christmas is about our God sending us a Savior in the form of a baby boy 2000+ years ago. They do know that. They do know the words and hand motions for “Away in a Manger”. They also know that it’s not just about His birth, it’s because he came to die. Even at 3, they knows these essential truths.

The battle for Christmas will begin to intensify this year to keep the focus of Christmas where it ought to be. We are blessed to have a wonderful extended family who love and are loved by our children. Naturally, they will all purchase the boys toys, and I don’t fault them for doing so, we will too. However, my boys are sinful, they were born that way. (Eph. 2:3, Psalm 51:5) They won’t need to be taught to love material things, that will come naturally.

So what do we do? There are a number of things that can be done to help curb the materialism that is Christmas in the United States. We could quit buying things for them at Christmas all together. We could demand that our extended families also exclude our children from the gift tradition. I personally know a christian family who has opted out of Christmas gifts. It’s a legitament consideration.

What are we going to do? Personally, we are choosing to address the sin in their hearts instead of trying to shield them from the temptation. Why? Because I don’t think it’s realistic to think that we will successfully shield their hearts from the temptation of materialism by opting out of gifts. The issue will not be avoided in our culture, it must be dealt with.

How do we address this difficult sin?

Once all the gifts are opened and the wrapping paper is in the trash, we are going to teach our boys about moths and rust.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” Matt. 6:19

I plan to pile all of their new gifts in the center of the room and sit them down for a lesson. I am going to pick up that new dump truck they are drooling over and ask them where it will be when “they get big like daddy”. I will go get a broken toy from last years Christmas, one they no longer play with much, and show them that this old toy is now trash. I am going to use any tool I can think of to drill an essential idea into their little heads: “Do NOT store up treasures on earth…”

I want them to enjoy their new toys, and I will encourage them to thank God for the wonderful gifts they receive. But moms, our boys have got to realize that the things of this world are temporary. We don’t get to take any of it with us, not even the clothes on our backs. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there.”

Todd on Daniel

2010-09-21T23:01:00.000-07:00

A lot of Daniel will be familiar, and thus easy, for you [my son]. But parts of it are tough. Let me try to help you make sense of everything.

Those stories that you already know in chapters 1-6 are more than just entertainment for kids. They make a very important point: God will protect his people even when they are in exile. This is even more important when you understand the rest of the book.

The rest of the book (chs. 2 and 7-12) says this: you (Israel) are going to be in exile for a long time. It doesn’t tell us exactly how long, but it says that there are going to be four kingdoms (four parts of the statue in ch. 2 and four beasts in ch. 7). Only when the fourth kingdom arrives does God’s kingdom come and smash the kingdoms of earth.

The most important chapter of the book is chapter 7, because this is the “big picture” that makes sense of the rest of the prophecies. The two animals in chapter 8 are kingdoms #2 and #3 from chapter 7. The war described in chapter 11 is during the time of kingdom #3 and then at the end (v. 36) it jumps to #4 (and the key for this is given in chapter 7).

A lot of this is too much to take in when you’re reading quickly through the Bible, but one day you’ll want to come back and try to “crack the case.” It’s a lot of fun; perhaps you remember a few weeks ago when I seemed really happy. That was the week I was studying Daniel.

Todd Bolen

Letter to one hurting by A. W. Pink, 1886 - 1952

2010-09-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

My dear friend,

My heart goes out to you in sympathy in this dark hour, and I feel my helplessness to comfort you. The loss you have sustained is far greater than any human creature can make up--your suffering is too acute for any fellow-mortal to alleviate.

I may endeavor to pour into your sorely-wounded heart something of 'the balm of Gilead,' but only the great Physician can give any efficacy to the same. I can do little more than point you to Him who alone can 'bind up the broken-hearted'. Jesus is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. Unburden yourself to Him.

May divine grace be given you, so that you shall be enabled to meekly acquiesce unto whatever our all-wise God may appoint. It is in heart-submission to God's providential dealings with us, that true religion largely consists. Your acute sorrow is among the 'all things' which work together for good to those who love God. If the Spirit of God is pleased to sanctify this affliction unto you, it will prove a real blessing in disguise.

May I suggest several lines of meditation which, if pursued by you and blessed to you by God, will enable you to improve this affliction.

1. Learn anew the terribleness of sin. 'Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.' (Romans 5:12) Yes, had sin never entered this world, no graves would have ever been dug in it. Every funeral should be a forceful reminder to us of what the Fall has brought in! Every funeral ought to beget in us a deeper hatred of sin. It was sin which necessitated the death of God's beloved Son. Then how we should loathe it, seek grace to resist its evil solicitations, and follow hard after its opposite--holiness.

2. See the great importance of holding all God's temporal mercies with a light hand. The best of them are only loaned us for a season, and we know not how early we shall be called to relinquish them. It is the part of wisdom for us to recognize and remember this while they are in our hands: not to grasp them too tightly, nor to look upon them as ours to enjoy forever in this perishing world. Holy Writ bids us to 'rejoice with trembling', for that which delights my heart this morning may be taken from me before the shadows of night fall. The more I live with this fact before me, the less shall I feel the loss when it comes!

3. Endeavor to get your heart more weaned from this perishing world. 'Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.' (Col. 3:2) But we are slow to heed this exhortation, and often God has to use drastic means to bring us to a compliance with it. It is for our own good as well as His glory, that we do so. It is only heavenly things which abide; then let us seek grace to have our hearts more and more set upon them.

4. Seek to demonstrate the reality of true religion. Only the real child of God is enabled to say, 'The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.' Earnestly seek supernatural help from above, dear brother, that you may be enabled to manifest the sufficiency of Divine grace to strengthen and support--to show you do have a peace and comfort which the Christless are strangers to. Sorrow not as others do, who have no hope. Doubt not the Lord's goodness. "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will support you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." Psalm 55:22

Yours by God's abounding mercy,

A. W. Pink

This is the Grand Need for the Day

2010-05-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

Today I printed out the e-book The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit by Winfield Bevins. It is available in PDF format free on the Resurgence web site. I love that! I'll be using this study for my personal devotions for the next while and am very excited to get started.

I have been captivated today pondering the quote in the front of the book from J.C. Ryle:

"Pray daily for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church and on the world. This is the grand need for the day - it is the thing we need far more than money, machinery, and men. The "company of preachers" in Christendom is far greater than it was in the days of Paul; but the actual spiritual work done in the earth, in proportion to the means used, is undoubtedly much less.

We need more of the presence of the Holy Spirit - more in the pulpit, and more in the congregation - more in the pastoral visit and more in the school. Where He is there will be life, health, growth, and fruitfulness. Where He is not - all will be dead, tame, formal, sleepy, and cold.

Then let everyone who desires to see an increase of pure and undefiled religion, pray daily for more of the presence of the Holy Spirit in every branch of the visible church of Christ."

P.S. Two other favorite books of mine on the Holy Spirit are: Forgotten God by Francis Chan, and The Holy Spirit by Bill Bright.

Jesus in My place

2010-04-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

Picture Christ on the cross and ask yourself: What’s He doing up there? Answer: He’s subbing for you. He’s taking God’s wrath for your sin. He’s satisfying the just demands of a holy God. He’s paying the price that God’s holiness requires so that you and I can be forgiven.

Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ” and 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

What’s Jesus doing up there on the cross? He’s substituting: Jesus in my place. My heart overflows with gratitude when I think of Jesus Christ taking upon Himself the penalty that was mine to bear! God demonstrated such love that “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” Romans 5:8.

James MacDonald

Value

2010-01-31T15:14:00.000-08:00

"I will place no value on anything I have or may possess except in relation to the Kingdom of God." David Livingstone

Piper challenged me today with this quote he posted on Twitter.

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

2010-01-24T10:10:00.001-08:00

by Randy Alcorn

This Sunday, January 24, is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday; marking the 37th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade on January 22, 1973. There is a great spiritual warfare associated with the issue of abortion. Killing children is Satan's way of striking out at the very heart of God. If he cannot kill God, the next best thing is killing those created in God's image. He is killing God in effigy.

Today our churches must, once and for all, dispel the illusion that showing grace means not talking about hard issues. Every time the subject of abortion is brought up, some people get offended, others get hurt. But what is the alternative? Not bringing it up, thus offending God and setting up people to follow the lies of culture, which ends up hurting them far more than telling the truth?

Our doctrine of grace has been distorted by our culture's dogma of tolerance. Many Christians and even some pastors have told me, "It's cruel to bring up the subject of abortion." But by talking about abortion in our churches—with grace and truth—we will prevent abortions and offer forgiveness and healing to women and men who are suffering in silence. The greatest kindness we can offer them is the truth. Women who’ve had abortions and the men who’ve participated in an abortion decision can find help and healing through their local Pregnancy Resource Centers. (Also see the article Finding Forgiveness after an Abortion.)

Last weekend, along with my son-in-law Dan and good friend Diane Meyer, I spoke at my home church, Good Shepherd, about the sanctity of life. Listen to the audio from the service. (By the way, the Eternal Perspective Ministries website has lots of prolife resources for pastors, including two PDF handouts that can be downloaded for free, Biblical Perspectives on Unborn Children and How Can I Help the Unborn and Their Mothers?)

As we go through this weekend, I would ask believers to remember and pray for prolife ministries and victimized mothers and babies. If the darkness of child-killing is to be overcome with the light of truth and compassion, it will require spiritual warfare, fought with humble and consistent prayer (Ephesians 6:10-20).

I’ll close with these heartbreaking statistics from the The Liberty Counsel, which are a profound reminder of the devastating effect abortion has had on our country:

Since that time [the 37 years since Roe v. Wade], approximately 50 million innocent and helpless children have been killed by abortion. About 1 in 5, or 20 percent, of our nation’s youth have had their lives ended by abortion. Minorities have also been hit hard by abortion. African-Americans account for about 12 percent of the population, but 37 percent of the 1.3 million abortions each year. Latinos make up about 15 percent of the population, yet account for about 22 percent of the annual number of abortions.

In all the wars in American history combined, from the Revolution to the War on Terror, we have lost approximately 910,000 people. However, in 37 years we have lost about 50 million children to abortion. We lose more children to abortion each day than we lost in all the tragedies on September 11, 2001. About 98 percent of abortions are done for convenience unrelated to health. Less than 2 percent of abortions are done for serious health reasons, rape or incest.

The youth of our nation under the age of 35 are more pro-life than any other generation. A majority of all Americans oppose abortion. Last Monday, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, about 15,000 people, mostly youth, gathered in Houston, Texas to protest Planned Parenthood’s 78,000 square-foot abortion facility scheduled to open in April in the midst of a minority community comprised of Hispanics and African-Americans. [Read more about Planned Parenthood's first "big box" abortion store in America.] One of the youth held a sign saying, "We survived Roe. Roe will not survive us."

Our Song Is Our Evangelism

2010-01-02T22:11:00.000-08:00

Psalm 40: 1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;
He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.

And what about the secular city, the nations, the people who do not rejoice in God and do not know his salvation through Christ? Does our mission free the future for them?

The answer is found in verse 3: "He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord."

There they are. Our joy, our gladness in God is the great mirror in the telescope for the nations and for the neighbors.

God saves me from the miry clay. He makes me secure. He puts a new song in my mouth. He makes himself the feast of my joy.

And what happens: "Many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord."

Our song is our evangelism. Our passion for God is our persuasion for the nations.

When we are satisfied in God, he will be magnified in others. That's exactly what David says. We will sing and many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.

So our joy in God is both our worship and our evangelism. Our mission is to be a Christian Kitt Peak Observatory at the center of the city. We are called to seek God—to see him in the telescope of his Word. And we are called to rejoice and be glad in what we see—to have a new song of praise to our God—that's worship.

And out of that worship flow missions and evangelism as we show the power and love and wisdom of God, and welcome the nations and the neighbors to join us in our joy.

John Piper

The Peace of God

2009-12-26T10:57:00.000-08:00

“Let the peace of God guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

The peace of God; it’s an awesome thing to think about.

And it’s not with God, it’s not from God, this is the peace of God.

It’s the calm assurance that what God is doing is best. It doesn’t matter what comes in the mail today, it doesn’t matter what comes from the doctor, it doesn’t matter who rings my phone, it doesn’t matter what comes my way today, I have something guarding my heart.

Like sentinels on the wall around the city, the peace of God guards your heart, you see it there?

“And the peace of God which surpasses understanding,” you just can’t even imagine this peace. It didn’t matter what news came, it didn’t matter what happened. There’s a peace that comes from God that is such an awesome protection.

You can get off the emotional rollercoaster and let this peace guard your heart and nothing can penetrate that except that you open the door yourself and that’s the peace of God.

Please pray this prayer, wherever you are this Christmas:

“I pray Lord, for Your peace to guard my heart. I see how quickly the details of life can penetrate my experience and cause me to live apart from what I know to be true. I reach out to You by faith that You would grant to me Your peace which passes all understanding. Amen.”

May His peace be with you this Christmas.

James MacDonald

Merry Chrstmas...Because of Jesus!

2009-12-25T20:43:00.000-08:00

Joy to the world ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ the Lord is come ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Let earth receive her King ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Let every heart prepare Him room ♥ ♥ ♥ And Heaven and Nature sing ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ And Heaven and Nature sing ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪...And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing!♪♫•*¨*•..........¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Perspective on Dirt

2009-12-08T10:01:00.000-08:00

Last nite the joy level in my home rose significantly when our kids from Little Rock came home for an extended visit before moving to Australia. What joy to have them here with us for this short window of time!

It's funny to me that in anticipating their visit my perspective on dirt changed considerably. I actually viewed it differently, even intentionally looking for it.

I looked for it. I saw it. Suddenly it was "not ok", and I dealt with it.

This morning I opened my washing machine and right away noticed a blob of detergent spilled on the top, and a ring of dirt that had built up around the inside of the door. Where had that come from?

It had obviously built up over time and I had not even noticed. Today, in the light of my guests who will be using my washer during their stay, I noticed...and it was NOT ok.

As I grabbed a cloth to clean my washer it struck me that I had used my washer several times yesterday and never noticed it was dirty. Why?

I realized that my perspective on dirt changed when I saw it thru the eyes of others.

Sin can be a lot like dirt. I can miss or even ignore it in my life till something provides perspective.

The dirt in my washer has caused me to ponder my perspective on my sin today. How skewed is it? How tolerant am I with my sin? Am I even watching for it, let alone dealing with it consistently?

I have much to learn as a housekeeper and child of the King. I am asking God to help me to be much more alert. To see my sin thru His eyes...and that it NOT be ok with me at all.

The Love of Pleasure

2009-11-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

By J. R. Miller, via Grace Gems:

Is the love of pleasure growing upon you, gaining the power and the ascendency over you? Is it dulling the keenness of your zest for spiritual pleasures?

Is it making Bible-study, prayer, communion with Christ, meditation upon holy themes–less sweet enjoyments than before? Is it making your hunger for righteousness, for God–less intense?

Is it interfering with the comfort and blessing you used to find in worship services, or in Christian work?

If so, there is only one thing to do–hasten to return to God, cut off the pleasure which is imperiling the soul, and find in Christ the joy which the world cannot give, and which ever enhances the life.

We must test all our pleasures and amusements by this rule–Are they helping us to grow into Christ-likeness and spiritual beauty?

How to Help Your Pastor

2009-09-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

by John Catanzaro

Understand: The first way to help your pastor is to develop understanding and sensitivity to the stress and demands of a pastor's work.

Pray: Secondly, pray for your pastor. A very active prayer ministry to support the pastors in their evangelical work is fundamental to the health of pastors and the church at large.

Grow: Thirdly, mature in the faith. Grow and work to preserve the work of God in your sphere. Do not contribute to confusion, gossip and bitter attitudes. Get involved in action, service, and financial contribution, which are all vital to the health of the Christian mission of proclaiming Christ in your community and the world.

Lead: Finally, faith in action is serving others above what you want in support of the ministry of the church. Don't just get involved in ministry; actively work with the leadership to provide healthy momentum in ministry and to become a personal preacher of the ways of Christ!

Spurgeon

2009-09-05T12:01:00.000-07:00

"Down on my knees have I often fallen, with the hot sweat rising from my brow under some fresh slander poured upon me; in an agony of grief my heart has been well-nigh broken;

...This thing I hope I can say from my heart: If to be made as the mire of the streets again, if to be the laughing stock of fools and the song of the drunkard once more will make me more serviceable to my Master, and more useful to his cause, I will prefer it to all this multitude, or to all the applause that man could give."

The Dream

2009-09-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

By Scott Thomas

I dream of a body that loves the Lord, loves His word, loves the church, and loves the calling from God to be instruments of righteousness in their community.

I dream of a people who practiced spiritual holiness, rather than judging others for their lack of adherence to man-made rules.

I dream of marriages that visibly demonstrated the relationship of Christ and the church.

I dream of homes that were led by the Holy Spirit, by godly heads of households and by the Scriptures.

I dream of a church that had influence in its community: spiritually, morally, evangelistically, and socially.

I dream of a church that served willingly and enthusiastically according to their spiritual gifts, passions, and God-given abilities.

I dream of a church body that had a burning passion to share the gospel in their city, their state, their nation, and their world and to be a vital link for the establishment of churches all across the world.

I dream of a body that had an insatiable thirst to encounter God in a real, personal, and intimate way.

Praying For Isaac

2009-09-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

I met Issac for the first time in June, but have know of him for years. Actually he lives right down the road from me and I know his mom Laura.

Issac offered to help me carry some bulky items out to my car when he saw me struggling with them. I discovered who he was as we walked out to my car together.

I had heard that Isaac had a very specific and unusual career/ministry goal which he confirmed as we walked and talked.

God has purposed in Isaac's heart that he is to serve our country as a Navy SEAL - quite a calling on a young man's life to be sure.

What fascinated me is how very real and clear this call from God is on his life. Isaac KNOWS this is what he is to pursue. He is focused like a laser on his duty and has prepared himself in every way possible to face this challenge.

I did pondered what it would be like as a Mom to have a child with that particular calling, knowing what they would face and endure. Navy SEALs complete some of the most dangerous U.S. military missions imaginable. Their training is beyond intense, and demands the brightest and the best.

After meeting Isaac I have no doubt he is SEAL material.

Before I got in my car I asked Isaac if I could pray for him, and I placed my hand on his shoulder and committed him to our heavenly Father's care. It was such an honor to meet him and to pray over him just days before he left.

Isaac's family has been sending me short updates on Isaac so I can be praying very specifically for him. Last week I received this update which brought tears to my eyes. Isaac's Chaplain had written this note to his family:

"Know that your son is attending to his relationship with our Heavenly Father with all sincerity.

He is a good witness for the Lord among his fellow mates...I am convinced that the work that the Lord has begun in him will bear much fruit as time goes by."

And I know it is true because I have met Isaac and heard his testimony. His goal is to bring honor and glory to Christ. Please pray for Isaac!

Piper on Humility

2009-09-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

Humility is glad that God gets all the credit for choosing us so that we boast only in him and not man.
Humility happily admits that everything we have is a free gift from God, so that we can’t boast in it.
Humility is glad to affirm that God sovereignly governs our heartbeats and safe arrivals, or non-arrivals.
The root of Christian humility is the gospel that Christ died for our sins. That’s how sinful I was. That’s how dependent I am.
Humility gives itself away in serving everyone, rather than seeking to be served.
And humility is glad to affirm that this service is true greatness.

The Mission Field We Like To Ignore

2009-09-01T14:13:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Least Religious States (Human Events)

1. Vermont 42%
2. New Hampshire 46%
3. Maine 48%
4. Massachusetts 48%
5. Alaska 51%
6. Washington 52%
7. Oregon 53%
8. Rhode Island 53%
9. Nevada 54%
10. Connecticut 55%

God's Word My Authority

2009-08-31T14:38:00.000-07:00

To be a biblical Christian, I must not simply affirm the inspiration of God's Word (that is necessary, but not sufficient).

I must consciously critique everything else in light of Scripture (otherwise all else will unconsciously conform my mind to the world, the flesh and the devil).

I must make a conscious effort to evaluate all my beliefs and my lifestyle preferences in the light of God's Word.

I must commit myself to making an examination, no matter how painful, of all my dearly-held beliefs (e.g. a loving God cannot send people to an eternal hell).

And whenever they do not stand up to Scripture, I must abandon those beliefs.

If I do not, then despite whatever I may profess to the contrary, my true authority is not the Bible, but my background, upbringing, peer group, the media, and schools that have influenced me.

In short, I make myself and my culture (the flesh and the world) my authority.

Randy Alcorn

I'm Being Watched

2009-08-13T20:04:00.000-07:00

I just found out I'm being watched.

I was alerted to a blogger who is following what I write and post. She then takes it and posts it on her blog along with some of her own commentary about me and what I do. She also posts my name, my picture (not sure where she grabbed that one from), my families pictures, and links to my blog, Twitter and web page.

I must say it was rather odd to see my words reprinted in someone else's blog. She didn't post it because she agrees with me, but because she opposes what I believe and what I do.

Some of her colorful commentary on my posts were mocking of me, and some were actually aggressive towards me. All of it was meant to incite a negative response towards me from her readers.

At first I was a bit unnerved by all this and not quite comfortable. I'm being watched!

But I am ALWAYS being watched, and being aware of that is a good thing. What I do and what I say is being seen by others all the time.

Being more conscience of being watched is good for me because being watched is always an opportunity - even to those who are offended by what I believe.

I've been thinking of this verse today and asking God to help me to walk worth of the Gospel of Christ in everything I do...and post. I want to make the most of every opportunity.

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents."

~ Philippians 1:27 & 28a

Stubborn and Blind = The Deadly Character Combo!

2009-08-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

By James MacDonald

I have a lot of people in my life, and have had for a long time. A LOT! And because of that I have had countless opportunities to observe a deadly character combo: two traits that on their own are bad enough, but together are crushing to any real chance at Christ likeness. In fact if both these things are true of you, life transformation will never be more than a mirage. Wanna know what they are?

There are two character traits that make life transformation difficult if not impossible.

1) Blindness: Not physical blindness but spiritual blindness. Another term would be lack of self-awareness. None of us perceive ourselves perfectly but some people have a large gap (think grand canyon) between who they perceive themselves to be and who they actually are. Like the guy I just heard about who is trying out for American Idol even though he didn’t even pass the audition to sing on our worship team. Or the person who is sowing discord in the church right now because he can’t have the personal relationships he wants with the main leaders. (If you can’t join them criticize them? weird huh?). Or the family I know that was barely holding it together here in America yet claimed that God was calling them to a very difficult part of the mission field. They refused the warnings of others and invested themselves in a 10 year ministry of ’survival.’ Such a waste, all because of a blindness to their true condition. Ever wonder about the problem with the preacher who keeps firing away for almost an hour each Sunday, unable to see that every single person jumped off the ‘pay attention’ train at the first stop? Why is our church shrinking? Hello, hello, are you really unable to see that you are talking peoples faces off and boring them into the bottomless pit? Answer: Yes, I am unable to see that. It’s called blindness!

Now blindness by itself is not that deadly because there will always be an army of people lined up to tell you how incredibly clueless you are about the way you come across. If you have even a shred of humility you will benefit from the input of others. You will listen and learn as loved ones guide you by the hand to the life transformation you desperately need but couldn’t see. That has happened for me more times than I can possibly count. But what if you won’t let other people do that for you? This leads to deadly character flaw number two:

2) Stubbornness: Some people are flat out stubborn. No I’m not, you say! YES YOU ARE YOU! Need some evidence? OK! a) you argue with everyone who tries to tell you anything, b) you keep making the same mistakes over and over, and c) you think that your way of seeing things is the best way, the right way, the only way. Yes you do!! . . . You just can’t admit it because you are . . . ____________ (fill in the blank, hint: it’s starts with ’st’).

OK, so nothing so bad about being stubborn or blind, but together they form the deadly character combo. People who are blind and stubborn are impossible to lead, difficult to follow and painful to be in relationship with. Are you blind and stubborn?

Pr 26:12 “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

Blindness and stubbornness; I have seen it in elders who gave up everything rather than let someone shine a light down the dark hole of their own arrogant unawareness. I have seen it in husbands who refuse to even consider that they ARE part of the problem. I have seen it in young people whose immaturity and naivety is massively multiplied because they can’t see the problem and won’t let anyone connect the dots on their behalf. And worst of all, YES I have seen the combo in the mirror and it has terrified me. Are these deadly twins lurking in the corridor of your character? If in doubt, ask the people who know you best: “Hey, am I stubborn, and are there things you think I need to change that I might be unable to see?” Ask a few people who know you well . . .
Then count to a million outloud before responding to their answer.

Vision - Lead by Example

2009-07-24T21:54:00.001-07:00

What I am pondering today...

There is a lot of talk about “vision” and how it relates to the church, specifically for Pastors/leaders and their role in leading God’s people. I think one of the biggest mistakes leaders make is to assume that a statement or a program or a long range plan equals vision. It absolutely does not. Vision is something you live.

In my mind it is similar to love. Just because you write out a plan to love your spouse doesn’t meant that you actually love them. On the contrary, if you truly love your spouse, having a plan for putting that love into action is a natural outflow in your life. Vision is much the same.

True vision comes from deep down. True vision finds a way to come out. True vision is something that is so much a part of who you are that you find yourself talking about it in all kinds of settings to anyone that will listen. If someone has to remind you to talk about the “vision” then it is no vision at all - at least not for you. It might be a good idea. It might be a good plan. It might even be a great strategy for the Kingdom, but if you do not live it and breathe it, then it is not a vision.

This morning as I was reading through my Bible I came across a great example of vision:

1 Chronicles 29:3 and following - David says to a huge gathering of leaders
“And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of God, I am giving all of my own private treasures to aid in the construction...Now then, who will follow my example? Who will give himself and all that he has to the Lord?”

The crazy thing about this vision is that David already knew that he would not be the one to build the Temple. That privilege would go to his son, Solomon. But the vision David had for building a Temple took over his heart and life so much that he collected materials and even donated his own private treasures to be sure everything was ready for Solomon to finish the vision. He was so sold out to it that he even invited others to follow his example and give everything he had to contribute to the vision.

It grieves my heart how many leaders in churches create programs for their people that they have no evidence of living out in their own lives. As a staff member, I have been guilty of it, and I’ve seen it happen over and over again. Please, do yourself and your people a favor: go spend time figuring out what consumes you. What is it that you would be willing to give up your own personal treasures to see happen? What is it that you believe so strongly in that you would invite everyone around you to do the same?

Make that your vision. Make that your life. Make that the thing you stand before your congregations and say, “This is what we are going to be about as God’s people.” It doesn’t have to be groundbreaking or cutting edge, but it does need to be something that comes from deep within you.

Don’t just try a new marketing strategy or add another event to the already crowded schedule. Figure out what God has laid on your heart and then live it with all you’ve got.

One of the most interesting things about living in Tucson is the interaction I’ve been able to have with lots of different types of church plants. The variety is amazing, but the ones that are seeing God move all have one thing in common - leaders with vision. Leadership strategies are completely different, preaching styles vary greatly, makeups of congregations change dramatically from place to place, but these leaders have done what David did. They have given everything to be part of seeing God accomplish His will in people’s lives.

I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not really what the package looks like, it’s the heart that wrapped the package that matters.
The great thing about this process is that these leaders will see and are seeing the same kinds of results that David did when he put out the call. In 1 Chronicles 29:9, the passage goes on to say:

“Everyone was excited and happy for this opportunity of service, and King David was moved with deep joy.”

There is nothing more moving than when God shows up in fulfillment of the vision He has given to a leader that has given all for Him. Verses 10-22 of that chapter recount the worship service that broke out following that moment.

I am praying for the city of Tucson with that kind of desire and want to do anything I can to see God move in a mighty way. How about you?

~ Paul Ingram, Worship and Arts Pastor at Revolution Church in Tucson, Arizona.

The Acts 11:26 Question

2009-06-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

Isn't it interesting that in Acts 11, at the end of verse 26, it says, "The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."

What I find interesting is the simple thought that the Christians didn't name themselves. But rather, they were called (or named) Christians" by those watching their lives.

I wonder if it would be the same today?

Could someone look at your life or look at my life and name me a Christian? A humbling question for sure.

~ Chris Tomlin, from the forward of the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Jon & Kate Plus Grace

2009-06-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

A thot to ponder as we read and watch the marriage struggle of Jon & Kate Gosselin:

When we say, "They got what they deserved" we forget that we didn't.

Did Jon and Kate introduce new risks and rewards into the structure of their family when they invited television cameras and millions of viewers into their home? Without a doubt.

Does fame and celebrity come with consequences that are often toxic? Without a doubt.

Did Jon and Kate get what they deserve? I don't know. I've seen other Christians express this opinion but I don't know Jon and Kate.

I know me. And I didn't get what I deserved. I got grace.

I got forgiveness. I got Christ. I got rescued from the ruins of a life that seemed beyond redemption. I got a second chance and a 10th chance and a 300th chance.

I didn't get what I deserved.

And when we say that someone, "Got what they deserved," whether we're talking about a reality TV couple, our relatives or our neighbors, we lose sight of grace, which is the undercurrent of our entire faith and a gift we do not deserve.

[Prodigal Jon]

Notice Where the Guard is Posted

2009-05-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

“‘Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips’
Psalm 141:3

“. . . Notice where the guard is posted. Not at the ear—to protect us from being hurt by words we might hear, or at the heart—to shield us from the wounds that are sometimes caused by what others do.

Rather, the Psalmist asked God to post a sentinel at his own mouth knowing that the greatest danger he faced was not what others might do to him, but rather, what he might say that would harm others...”

From Nancy Leigh DeMoss The Power of Words,

A Transforming Difference

2009-05-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

I watched this and now I am pondering this:

Our difference from the world,
not our similarity to it sets us apart.

But even though Christ followers
are called to be different,
we’re also called to
transform the world.

Here lies the tension.

We can’t be so far removed from the world
that we lose contact,
and we can’t be so much like the world
that we’re no different from it.

~ Kary Oberbrunner

I Want the Whole Gospel

2009-05-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

By James MacDonald

I Want the Whole Gospel

Every single ounce of truth; give it to me straight just like it is in the Bible.

I want the whole gospel:

Don’t dilute the living water—it might not quench my thirsty soul.

I want the whole gospel:

Turn on the light of Jesus Christ and don’t shield my view—I need every beam of His radiant glory to dispel the darkness in me.

I want the whole gospel:

Don’t block the door, or I might not get through.

I want the whole gospel:

I need an accurate map to the narrow road, because only a few are finding it.

I want the whole gospel:

Because I am wholly lost, God’s verdict is wholly just, and my damnation is wholly certain.

My heart is wholly depraved and my sin is wholly mine.

My efforts are wholly futile and my escapes are wholly hopeless.

I need a whole Savior, whose whole suffering, wholly satisfies a holy God.

Please, please don’t cut the corners. It’s appointed unto man once to die and I have to be sure I get it right.

I have to have the whole gospel—give it to me straight. Nothing else will do!

Yes…God help us, let’s give the whole gospel.

Just For Fun

2009-04-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

OK, there is nothing particularly edifying about this post, it just cracked me up.

22 Essential Words for Writing Cheesy Christian Pop Songs:
by Joshua Harris

1. Mountain
2. Love
3. River
4. Ocean
5. Amazed
6. Imagine
7. Valley
8. Believe
9. Waves
10. Running
11. Deep
12. Shout
13. Stillness
14. Moment
15. Arms
16. Tears
17. Walk
18. Hills
19. Reaching
20. Waters
21. Joy
22. Peace

The Difference is Jesus!

2009-04-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

The difference between the hell I deserve and the grace I enjoy is Jesus Christ.
He is God.
He did die for sinners.
He did rise in victory.
He is alive ruling from his throne today.
He is still at work in the world.
He will be with us forever.
And, one day we will rise to be with him, for him, and like him forever as all that will remain is to enjoy his grace together forever.

Mark Driscoll

Not Clever, But Clear

2009-04-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

Pastor Mark Driscoll on preaching Easter:

My encouragement to all Christian preachers is to not get too fancy on Easter.

It is the day we want to be incredibly clear about the death of Jesus for our sins and the resurrection of Jesus for our salvation.

We do not need to be clever. We need to be clear.

And we need to add to that clarity a fitting and authentic excitement for the victory of Jesus Christ over Satan, sin, death, hell, and the wrath of God while calling sinners to be saved.

We Need A Savior

2009-04-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

Last week Isaiah sent me a wonderful palm branch he made out of construction paper at Cubbies. On it was a very sweet note that made me cry. It just doesn't get any easier living so far away from each other.

I hung it in my kitchen right above Taryn's Picasso cow art project. :-) Every time I see it I smile....and think of Isaiah.

This week we had a flu bug hit us hard. I am now behind on everything, but most of all in preparing my heart for Easter. Today Isaiah's palm leaf made me think of Palm Sunday so I started some reading on it. I thot this was an interesting perspective:

"The truth must essentially be regarded as in conflict with this world; the world has never been so good, and will never become so good that the majority will never desire the truth." Soren Kierkegaard

On Palm Sunday, the Truth rode into Jerusalem on a donkey’s back. Although the crowds cheered the Truth, beneath the surface a conflict raged. The majority did not want the Truth that day, nor have they wanted the Truth on any day since that day. ~ Dr. R Pritchard

A sad thot - but what blessed me was Jesus example. To ponder that Truth went humbly yet confidently into their world - right among them - risking everything, because Truth in love brought their only hope.

Truth is not always winsome. It confronts where it enters, not necessarily by what it does but by the nature of what it is. But Truth must go there.

It takes courage to bring Truth into the center of our world today. It is still not welcomed but often confronted and rejected. But Truth must go there.

Truth is desperately needed because we all desperately need a Savior.

Passion Week

2009-04-06T21:06:00.000-07:00

I just found this post by Todd Bolen, one of Taya's college professors when she studied in Israel. I am excited to incorporate this into my week...and to tuck it away for future reference.

A few years ago I went through and tried to pick the “fullest” account of each event and I created a list (doc). You can read through each day’s events either in a regular Bible or in a gospel harmony.

On Preaching by Mark Driscoll

2009-03-31T07:33:00.000-07:00

The following excerpt on preaching is from Vintage Church pages 90 and 104:

Jesus' ministry included feeding the hungry, healing the sick, loving the outcast, and befriending the sinner. But we must never forget that Jesus' ministry began with preaching.

Thus, preaching is the first priority of ministry that leads God's mission, which is accompanied by various other ministries that support, supplement, and sustain the preaching of God's Word in truth with passion....

There is an ongoing debate as to the purpose of the sermon and whether it should focus on converting the lost or maturing the saved.

The apparent conflict between preaching for seekers and preaching for believers is resolved simply by noting that both need to repent of sin and trust in Jesus to live a new life empowered by the Spirit.

Therefore, a sermon can and should effectively communicate to both audiences, and it will if the preacher is able to go after the root of sin and explain Christian jargon in order to speak the "tongue" of the hearer. This includes saying the name of Jesus and making him known.

Ouch!

2009-03-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is an "ouch" you gotta see.

Surrendered and Sanctified

2009-03-17T16:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was catching up on some tweets on Twitter, and I noted one from Amy which said "Reflecting on how God has sanctified me, one year after my surgery" with a link to her blog.

My first thot was, I didn't know she had had surgery, and my second thot was a curiosity at how she perceived Gods work in her life during that experience. So I went to Amy's blog and was so blessed.

She is an amazing writer, reader, thinker, and follower of Jesus. I learned much about this last year of her life both - physically and spiritually - thru that one post. I loved her transparency, and could so relate to a year of lessons learned thru various life experiences and trials.

But it is in times of reflecting over sections of life that we view God's hand and work in our lives best. As time passes and I am pulled back a bit from situations I've journeyed through, I have better perspective and a clearer view of God's work in me.

Warren Wiersbe talks about turning trials into triumphs of Gods grace in our lives. He says there are four essentials for victory in trials: a joyful attitude, and understanding mind, a surrendered will, and a heart that wants to believe.

Looks good on paper but how hard it can be in the real moments of my life. Yet I know it is His work, and that God's purpose for me is perfect and can be trusted.

Amy closed her post by offering the opportunity readers to learn more about "this uniquely Christian concept of Godly suffering which leads to sanctification (personal growth, becoming more like Jesus)" by listening to a recent Sunday message from her Pastor on trials which she linked to.

I would like to post that link as well. It is a powerful message called “Submission to UnGodly Authority”.

May God walk closely by your side and mine as we are surrendered and sanctified to Him.

Name the Lie, Insert the Truth

2009-03-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

The battleground for spiritual warfare is in one word: truth.

As an angel of light, Satan lies to God's people. The battle is going on right now in the mind of every person reading this.

We get victory by following Jesus' example in battling Satan. In Matthew 4, Satan tempted Christ with lies. Make these stones into bread... (v.3). Cast Yourself down from the temple... (v.6).

In response to each taunt, Jesus named the lie and inserted the truth. Jesus said, you say this, but God says this.

~ James MacDonald

Although Satan is powerful, he's a weakling when faced with Scripture. He's unimpressed with our incantations or the clever things we say, but he'll run from God's Word that lives and abides forever.

It's God's truth that sets you free.

Here's the goal: when Satan lies to you about spiritual issues that undermine your confidence and security in Christ Jesus, name the lie and insert God's truth.

Balance

2009-03-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

Balance is essential.

My life has always been a tug of war between one thing and another. Sovereignty and free will, grace and truth, leading and submitting, acting and waiting, doing and being, compassion and conviction, the list could go on but I have never found a lot of blessing in the extremes.

When I have gotten out on one edge or the other I have always struggled. The only place I have experienced true power is in the balance.

While some seem content to focus on one or the other I find myself sometimes torn or even tortured by the need for balance.

Extreme is easy, balance is hard.

Jesus said, “these things you ought to have done without leaving the others undone” (Luke 11:42). I hope my family will know in me a measured man who knew no extremes other than “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:2).

- James MacDonald

“‘I Will Not Be a Velvet-Mouthed Preacher!’

2009-02-12T08:13:00.000-08:00

John Piper’s latest biographical sermon is now available (audio, text). His subject was George Whitefield and his title was “‘I Will Not Be a Velvet-Mouthed Preacher!’ The Life and Ministry of George Whitefield: Living and Preaching as Though God Were Real (Because He Is).”

Revelation Song

2009-02-08T21:41:00.000-08:00

It has been an incredible weekend, and it's taken me a bit of time to process our worship today. Describing it challenges me.

Our choir joined the worship team, and then shared Revelation Song. I've been anticipating this all week because this song has captured me. I have loved it from the first time I heard it.

This song proclaims powerfully the majesty of who God is, and then joins the heavenly chorus of Revelations - "And they do not rest day or night, saying: ' Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!'…"

As we prepared for our first service Saturday nite we were told of the death of seven year old champion whose name is Tyler. Our church has walked beside Tyler and his family thu the diagnosis of a brain tumor right up to Tyler's journey home to Jesus yesterday.

On this weekend our pastors were walking wounded. I watched them press hard on the One who is still good and still worthy of praise, and from that posture faithfully lead the church in the truth that even "death has no final word" because our God "hold the keys of life" and "is a God who saves".

Then following worship our choir sang Revelation Song - the song that heaven sings - and powerful worship happened at CTK.

On Saturday nite people rose to their feet singing and worshiping with the choir thru the final chorus and into a powerful verse of the traditional hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy".

Then on Sunday morning, in the first of our three services, people actually came out of their seats into the aisles and on their knees before the Lord in worship:

"Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. With all creation I sing praise to the King of Kings. You are my everything, and I will adore You"

Witnessing this from stage I was completely undone. God was so present, so worthy, so worshiped. As a choir we wept, and then we prayed together that people would see Jesus...in this place...on this day...for who He is - Worthy.

Worthy in life and worthy in death.

And I am still singing this song.

Pondering....

2009-01-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

This is what I am pondering today:

The kingdom of God is real. At this very moment Jesus sits in the seat of cosmic authority. He is now the supreme ruler of the world. He stands over the governments of this world. He is King.

The Premier of the Soviet Union must answer to Him. The Dalai Lama of Tibet must answer to Him. The Prince of Morocco must answer to Him. The President of the United States must answer to Him.

But there is one big problem. His kingdom is invisible. Not everyone knows about it. All over the world people are living as if Jesus were not King.

Some people believe that there is no God. Others say that there are many gods. Some folks believe that man is supreme. Others believe that man is worthless.

Many people believe there is a God, but they live as if there were no God.

Some ask, "What difference does it make?"

Where Christ is invisible, people perish. Where His reign is unknown or ignored, people are exploited. They are demeaned. They are enslaved. They are butchered. They are aborted. They are raped. They are casualties of war. They are robbed. They are slandered. They are oppressed. They are cheated in marriage. They are cheated in their wages. They are left to go hungry, naked, and unsheltered. They are consigned to loneliness. They are ridiculed. They are frightened..

That, and a whole lot more, is what difference it makes.

~ R.C. Sproul

Keep On!

2009-01-01T01:05:00.000-08:00

By James MacDonald

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us . . . Hebrews 12:1

My son Luke and I were on the computer a while back when I asked for his password. He answered, "It's 'Keep on.'" I told him that was a great password and he said, "Oh Dad, that's my password for everything."

Keep on. Keep on. Keep on.

For sure he'll change his password now, but I hope he'll never change his perspective. These two words are critical to success in life and in the Christian life. The biblical word is endurance or perseverance--the ability to keep on doing the things you have committed yourself to doing when you feel like it and when you don't. Nothing is more essential to success in the Christian life than perseverance. Faith gets you started; perseverance keeps you going.

This matter of perseverance is so critical to the Christian life that James 1 tells us that above all other human traits, perseverance is the characteristic that God is trying to build into your life and mine. The ability to keep on going. Keep making and keeping the commitments of life.

It's easy to start the race. All kinds of people get up in the morning and put their jogging suit on and begin to run. But when the miles click past and the muscles start to fatigue and life isn't easy anymore, what do they do?

What do you do?

It's easy to put on a white dress or a tuxedo and get to the front of the church; everybody knows that. But to have a happening marriage--not for five--but for 15 or 40 years, that takes perseverance!

It's easy to conceive a child and, by comparison, it's easy to birth a child, but to keep on training and raising those kids day in and day out, following through on what you have said and taught--that takes commitment!

Might I say in addition to that, it's easy to pray a prayer and walk an aisle; it's easy to confess faith in Christ. But to keep on following Christ--even when the pressure is on--that takes staying power. "My brothers, consider it pure joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the trying of your faith produces perseverance."

Staying power! Did you know that if God could get that one thing into your life, He could give you everything else? James 1 goes on to say, "But let perseverance have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (v.4).

This week we stand on the hinge between two years--2008 and 2009. How will these two years mark your life? Look back on 2008 for a moment. If your year was like mine, you can see some pretty significant peaks and valleys. Praise God for them. Praise God that at this year's end, you can stand before Him in faith and humility and say, "No matter what is behind me, I finish this year strong in Christ." Like Paul in Philippians 3:13-14 "but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" I press on--that's perseverance.

Now look ahead to 2009. You don't know what the year will bring, but you can be sure of this, God is faithful. His mercies will be new every morning of every day of the new year. There's power in the day when you start it with faith in God and a commitment to perseverance.

Keep on--it's a great password for 2009.

Suffering's Goal

2008-11-17T18:56:00.000-08:00

There is no distinction between suffering in the sense of persecution for your faith and suffering in general.

Regardless of the kind of suffering, Satan’s goal is always to destroy your faith and God’s goal is always to strengthen your faith.

Tom Bosworth
Notes from Desiring God Conference

God Is The Issue

2008-11-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

"We can trace all our human problems to our view of God." ~ Bill Bright

I just discovered a link to a wonderful resourse for every believer. Bradley Brights book God Is The Issue is now available to be downloaded for free at discovergod.com

I encourage you to that advantage of this incredible opportunity. His writing is very powerful, and very needed by every believer.

Trying to suppress cultural symptoms apart from the larger context of God's identity has proven futile. It's like patching the surface cracks in the walls of a house while ignoring an unstable foundation. The cracks will return unless the foundation is repaired.

Too often we find ourselves reacting to symptoms such as abortion and same sex marriage, instead of recognizing the real problem–our view of God. We must stop reacting and begin to reframe just as the Apostle Paul did in Athens.

Making God the issue is the only issue on which all the others issues stand or fall. If we win the battle over who God is, we will win all the other battles. If we lose the battle over who God is we will lose all the other battles. This is the pivotal choice of our time.

Yours for making GOD the issue,

Brad Bright

Bradley R. Bright is President & CEO of the Bright Media Foundation, and the National Director of DISCOVER GOD, a strategy with the goal of changing the way Americans view God - first in the Church and then throughout the culture.

I Believe!

2008-11-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Enjoy "Creation Calls" by Brian Doerksen.

Raising the Dead to Life

2008-10-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

“Christianity isn’t merely about making good people better; it’s about raising the dead to life.”

~ Robert Capon

The dead spots in all of our lives are precisely the ones Jesus tends to aim his full focus, for while they remain in us, we can’t be whom we were meant to be. For Jesus wants us whole, and as CS Lewis said in Mere Christianity, He is not going to finish with us until the whole work is done.

When we are willing to come face to face with our individual, unique blind spot, holding our Lord’s hand while we summon this courage, we can find that our worst problem has been trying to tell us something important—as all pain does.

But once we listen to what it has to tell us, willing at last to accept God’s power within us to change it, then the dark cloud over that part of our lives can lift, revealing the brightest of sunshine.

~ Stephen Reed

On Worship

2008-10-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

Worship is the believer’s response of all that they are – mind, emotions, will, body – to what God is and says and does.

~ Warren Wiersbe, Real Worship, p. 26

I've been pondering worship today. I participated in worship this weekend - four services in all - and it had an incredible impact on me.

I was profoundly affected by the truths we were singing. Much of what we sang was directly taken from Scripture. All of it was truths about God, His character and His greatness.

Expressing truth thru music and worship has such a way of capturing hearts. I feel it happen in my own heart. My eyes are taken off however I am feeling or anything I have brot with me emotionally to church, and is directed to the only One who is worthy of praise.

I see it in other members the worship team and choir. I see the tears on the faces around me, hear the emotion in voices as the Word move deeply in hearts softened by worship. Words seem to be sung more passionately with each service because they are set deeper in our hearts each time we sing them. That is, at least, what I feel.

There are even moments we can't sing. Twice this happened to Jared this morning. Instead of leading in the next verse he had to simply take a moment and lift his hands to the Lord, as the musicians continuing playing till he could sing again.

I see it in a director that is so moved by the Truth of the words she stops directing the choir in the middle of a song and raised her hands in worship. I have never seen or experienced this type of directing before.

And I see it in the church body as they sing with us. I can't even describe what it is like to see glimpses of what is happening in hearts during worship, but it's amazing, incredible and powerful. I am so blessed to be a tiny part of such a powerful work of God. How great is our God!

Click and enjoy a moment of worship in your day!

How Great is our God

The splendour of the King, robed in majesty

Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice

He wraps Himself in light, and darkness tries to hide

And trembles at His voice, trembles at His voice

How great is our God,

Sing with me, how great is our God

And all we see how great....how great is our God!

And age to age He stands, and time is in His hand

Begining and the end, begining and the end

The Godhead three in one - Father, Spirit, Son

The lion and the lamb, the lion and the lamb

Here's another definition of worship I like:

Christian worship is the response of God’s redeemed people to His self-revelation that exalts God’s glory in Christ in our minds, affections, and wills, in the power of the Holy Spirit.” ~ Bob Kauflin

Christian worship…is different from every kind of worship because it has been made possible through Jesus Christ. Revelation 5:9-10

Is the response…God has already done something outside of us and inside of us that enables us to worship Him. We are not the initiators of worship; God is. Acts 17:24-31

Of God’s redeemed people…Just as God delivered the nation of Israel from Egypt to worship Him Exodus 8:1, so He has redeemed us as a holy nation to declare His praises. 1 Peter 2:9 Worship of God is intended to be corporate, not simply personal.

To his self-revelation…we can’t know God apart from Him revealing Himself to us. He has shown Himself to us in creation, His Word, and ultimately His Son. Romans 1:20

That exalts…the essence of worship is exalting - raising up, lifting high, submitting to, magnifying, making much of, honoring, reverencing, celebrating – the triune God. Psalm 71:19

God’s glory in Christ…Moses asked God to show him his glory and God passed before him and proclaimed his nature. Exodus 34:6-7. God has enabled us to see His glory in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

In our minds…worship involves thinking, meditating, reflecting, processing, evaluating, understanding what God has revealed to us of Himself. Romans 12:1-2

Affections…true worship involves the heart as well as the head. We worship what we love and value the most. (Mt. 22:37-38)

And wills…If we are truly worshipping God, we will truly be transformed. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Our choices will reflect our profession that God is supreme in our lives. Romans 12:1-2

In the power of the Holy Spirit…We are those who worship by the Spirit of God, Philippians 3:3, and depend on His leading and enabling.

Contentment

2008-10-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

How can we learn contentment?

~ J. R. Miller, "The Hidden Life" 1895

"I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." Philippians 4:11

How can we learn contentment?

One step toward contentment, is patient submission to unavoidable ills and hardships. No earthly lot is perfect. No mortal ever yet in this world, has found a set of circumstances without some drawback.

There are . . .trials which we cannot change into blessings, burdens which we cannot lay down, crosses which we must continue to carry, thorns in the flesh which must remain with their rankling pain.

When we have such trials, why should we not sweetly accept them as part of God’s best way with us?

Discontent never made . . . a rough path smoother, a heavy burden lighter, a bitter cup less bitter, a dark way brighter, a sore sorrow less sore.

It only makes matters worse! One who accepts with patience, that which he cannot change–has learned one secret of victorious living.

Another part of the lesson, is that we can learn to moderate our desires. "Having food and clothing," says Paul again, "let us be content with these." Very much of our discontent arises from envy of those who seem to be more favored than ourselves.

Many people lose most of the comfort out of their own lot–in coveting the finer, more luxurious things which some neighbor has. Yet if they knew the whole story of the life they envy for its greater prosperity, they probably would not exchange for it their own lowlier life, with its more humble circumstances. Or if they could make the exchange, it is not likely they would find half so much real happiness in the other position, as they would have enjoyed in their own.

Contentment does not dwell so often in palaces–as in the homes of the humble. The tall peaks rise higher, and are more conspicuous–but the winds smite them more fiercely than they do the quiet valleys. And surely, the lot in life which God makes for us–is always the best which could be made for us for the time. He knows better than we do–what our true needs are.

The real cause of our discontent is not in our circumstances; if it were, a change of circumstances might cure it. It is in ourselves, and wherever we go–we shall carry our discontent heart with us. The only cure which will affect anything–must be the curing of the fever of discontent in us.

A fine secret of contentment, lies in finding and extracting all the pleasure we can get from the things we have–the common, everyday things; while we enter upon no mad, vain chase after impossible dreams. In whatever state we are in–we may find therein enough for our need.

Laminin

2008-09-22T18:59:00.001-07:00

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

I dare you to watch this!

"For by Him (Christ) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.

All things were created through Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and in Him all things are held together."

~ Colossians 1:21

FIREPROOF

2008-09-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

There is a new movie coming out September 26 I hope you'll make an effort to see. It's called FIREPROOF.

FIREPROOF is the third feature film from Sherwood Pictures the creators of FACING THE GIANTS and FLYWHEEL. Described as a hope-filled, heartfelt storytelling from the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church.

Here's a glimpse of the plot:

At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules.

Growing up, Catherine Holt always dreamed of marrying a loving, brave firefighter...just like her daddy. Now, after seven years of marriage, Catherine wonders when she stopped being "good enough" for her husband.

Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks.

As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment: "The Love Dare."

Wondering if it's even worth the effort, Caleb agrees-for his father's sake more than for his marriage. When Caleb discovers the book's daily challenges are tied into his parents' newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened.

You can visit their web site to view the trailer...and here's a great article from Family Life's Dennis Rainey "Nine Steps To Fireproof Your Marriage."

Vitamins For Your Marriage

2008-09-16T22:58:00.000-07:00

I really had to laugh when I read Beth Moore's oldest daughter Amanda describe this book as being "like vitamins for your marriage", but it's so true!

I too, highly recommend "Devotions For A Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas.

Here's a marriage vitamin for your day:

"Personal worship is an absolute necessity for a strong marriage. It comes down to this: If I stop receiving from God, I start demanding from others.

Instead of appreciating and loving and serving others, I become disappointed in them. Instead of cherishing my husband, I become aware of his shortcomings. I take out my frustrations with a less-than-perfect life and somehow blame him for my lack of fulfillment.

But when my heart gets filled by God's love and acceptance, I'm set free to love instead of worrying about being loved. I'm motivated to serve instead of becoming obsessed about whether I'm being served. I'm moved to cherish instead of feeling unappreciated."

A Soul Filled With God - Pg 9

P.S. I'm looking forward to an afternoon seminar by Gary Thomas at my Church - Bellingham CTK - on October 12.

His Bigness...My Smallness

2008-09-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

I've been following Dr Del Tackett's trip to the Grand Canyon on his personal blog. He traveled there with other scholars and professionals to examine the geographical evidence as it relates to the Great Flood. It is a fascinating read.

Having spent some time in the canyons these past two summers I have truly enjoyed following his experiences and insights.

He recently posted his "final reflections" and this was his closing comment.

"I learned a lot of lessons in the Canyon. The biggest was my smallness…the ultimate smallness of man in the face of an infinite, holy and just God. The unthinkable might and power of God as He uses the physical elements of His creation in contrast to my own personal smallness and weakness.

Jesus said that apart from Him, we can do nothing…we are nothing.

Funny, isn’t it? It was there in the book all the time."

So true! I have felt it.

As the Hurricane Approaches

2008-09-12T22:34:00.000-07:00

By: Jon Bloom

Like many of you, we have relatives and friends that live directly in the path of this storm. Events like this remind us that “here we have no lasting city” (Heb. 13:14). Everything can shake. Everything can be destroyed. We are very small and not in control.

The Lord wants us to remember those in distress and pray for them. He loves to answer prayer. We don’t want to fail in doing that.

And he also wants us to take shelter in his massive sovereignty. Here is what I wrote this morning to a dear friend who lives in the path of the storm’s eye:

The Lord of every storm and every rain drop and every wind gust and every house and every street and every tree and every power line and every car and every life will “never leave you nor forsake you. Therefore we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not fear, what can man [or nature] do to me’” (Heb 13:5-6).

For I am sure that neither tribulation nor distress nor persecution nor famine nor nakedness nor sword nor death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:35, 38-39).

Ike is no match for Jesus Christ. Even the winds and water obey his commands (Luke 8:25). All his disciples are safe in his boat, even as the winds rage and the waves slap over the sides.

Spiritual Stirrups

2008-09-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

The quote I have pondered today:

"Luther said the devil doesn't care which side of the horse we fall off of—as long as we don't stay in the saddle. A saddle has two stirrups. To stay in the saddle, the church needs to mount the horse with one foot solidly in the stirrup of truth, and the other solidly in the stirrup of grace."

From Randy Alcorn's "The Grace And Truth Paradox"

A Treasure!

2008-08-26T10:36:00.001-07:00

I just found the link to an amazing web site - the complete English Standard Version Bible is available on-line. You can read is, browse it, search it, compare it, print it, study it...and even hear it! I just listened to Ephesians 1.

Described as " a new, essentially literal translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty and readability".

This is an incredible resource for every believer. I am so excited! Check it out and see what you think.

http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/

“The ESV satisfies the preaching, memorizing, studying, and reading needs of our church, from children to adults. We are building all of our future ministry around it.” ~ John Piper

“After twenty years of teaching God’s Word and changing translations I have found at last, by God’s grace, a translation that is easy to read and immensely accurate. The ESV is the new first choice for serious students and careful communicators of God’s unchanging Word.”
~ James MacDonald

“Having now read through the ESV several times in my personal devotional life, I have adopted it as the primary text for my teaching and writing ministry. My hope is that the ESV will draw millions of people into the reading and study of God’s Word and into a more intimate relationship with the God of the Word.”
~ Nancy Leigh DeMoss

“Retaining the majesty of language with the clarity of thought, the English Standard Version is a grand accomplishment.”
~ Dr. Ravi Zacharias

“The ESV represents a new level of excellence in Bible translations—combining unquestionable accuracy in translation with a beautiful style of expression. It is faithful to the text, easy to understand, and a pleasure to read. This is a translation you can trust.”
~ Dr. R. Albert Mohler

I Choose to Trust

2008-08-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

This post is for anyone who needs to know today that you can trust your God. He is near.

"Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10

"Trust is the antidote to anxiety; it's the resolution of worry and the destruction of fear.

Trust is the act of my will to give my burdens to God. It's like a muscle--as you exercise it, trust gets stronger.

Trust is walking forward moment by moment, having rolled your burden onto God. You've no doubt said, "I gave it to God once, but here it is again in my grip." When you sense that you've taken it back again, get back on your knees, get the burden back on God, get on your feet again, and continue to trust.

Trust means you anchor your heart in the reality of God's awareness of your situation. He sees more than you can ever see.

God, who loves you and is committed to you, will not disappoint you now or in the future if you put your weight fully on Him."

~ James MacDonald

I wonder.....

2008-08-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is a random post, but thot I would just get it out there, cause I've been wondering about this for nearly three weeks now:

I was holding my Bible in church a few weeks ago, slowly paging thru it, enjoying all the familiar verses, words and phrases on each page, when suddenly I wondered how much of the Bible I have actually read....and how much I have missed?

Wouldn't it be interesting if everything in the Bible that I have ever read would be suddenly be highlighted in yellow so I could see exactly what parts I have read...and missed.

And then it occurred to me: I have never ever actually, physically, deliberately, succinctly read thru the entire Bible.

Wow, that really hit me hard. I grew up in the church, had 12 yrs of Christian education, have studied and taught the Word ever since then...I absolutely know I have read most of the Bible....but I am also absolutely sure I haven't read it all....and that is a very hard thot for me.

In fact, this has nearly consumed thinking. Oh...what have I missed?

I am now making it my goal to read completely thru the Bible....this year, and I can't wait. Anyone willing to join me?

Quote to Ponder

2008-08-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

"As long as we are finite and fallen, Christian faith will mean both delighting in the (past) incarnation and desiring the (future) consummation.

It will be both contentment and dissatisfaction. And the dissatisfaction will grow directly out of the measure of contentment that we have known in Christ."

~ John Piper
A Hunger for God, p. 43.

What Impresses God

2008-08-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Thot I would pass on this recent post from Mark Altrogge:

Last week I caught part of the opening ceremony of the Olympics, reportedly planned and rehearsed for 5 years, and costing $300 million to stage.

It featured 15,000 Chinese performers. 33,866 fireworks were fired off – almost as many as our local Indiana County Fair on July 4th. It was probably the largest and most expensive show ever produced. Especially cool was the performance of 2000 drummers in playing in perfect synchronization. Obviously, China wanted to impress.

But China’s government is not impressive.

“They hung me up across an iron gate, then they yanked open the gate and my whole body lifted until my chest nearly split in two. I hung like that for four hours.”

This is how Peter Xu Yongze (age 61), describes how he was treated during one of five jail sentences in China because of his belief in Christ. Christians are not allowed to evangelize in China, and it’s against the law to worship in any group or home outside state sanctioned churches. To do so is to risk fines, imprisonment, torture and even death.

While he was in prison, one of the jailers told Mr. Xu the only way to avoid breaking the law would be if he prayed under the covers in bed.

“A believer was praying, so a jailer made other prisoners lift him up to the ceiling and drop him to the ground many times until he died,” Mr. Xu said. (BBC News, Nov 9, 2004)

House church leader Zhou Heng, who manages a state registered bookstore, was arrested on Aug. 31, 2007, for receiving 3 tons of Bibles that had been donated by South Korean churches and intended for free distribution to local Christians. The government only allows state churches to print and distribute a limited number of Bibles yearly. It is reported that in prison Zhou was beaten severely by both guards and inmates. He was still in prison as of this past February. (The Christian Post, Feb.7, 2008)

The Lord who spoke the worlds into existence is not impressed by our pomp and technology and fireworks. But he is impressed by his people glorifying him despite persecution by a wicked government. His eyes are on his precious sheep singing his praises behind closed doors of their homes or praying under their prison covers.

When you watch the Olympics this week, lift up a prayer for the persecuted saints in China. Ask Jesus to have mercy on them, fill them with his joy and give them the grace to persevere. Ask Jesus to bring his kingdom, the most impressive kingdom of all, to earth.

Worth More Than Gold

2008-08-09T23:22:00.000-07:00

As the eyes of the world focus on China during the Olympic games, may the heart of God's people focus on prayer for China.

More than 1.2 billion Chinese - nearly one-fifth of the world population - do not know Christ! Many have never even heard.

Will you intercede? Will you join me in praying for China.

Praying...for the glory of God

2008-08-07T22:48:00.000-07:00

This summer I have undertaken an intense study of the Lord's Prayer inspired by a powerful message Pastor Jason Hubbard presented on Fathers Day. It changed me.

Tonite I was reading thru a sermon by John Piper and found this on mature prayer. I challenge you to ponder it with me. Enjoy!

We all know the difference between immature prayer and mature, God-centered prayer. We know we are in a different atmosphere—a higher one—when we hear someone pray with the priorities that Jesus teaches. It sounds something like this:

"Father, we long to see you honored more and more in our church and our city. Cause your name to be hallowed among us. Magnify your worth and your glory in our midst. And let your kingdom come. Take up your kingly rule more and more fully over our church and our lives and our families and our city. And hasten the day of Christ's final appearing. Meet our physical needs we pray, so that we can press on with joy in the work you call us to for your name's sake. Forgive us, O Lord, where we have sinned and fallen short of your glory. And keep us from entangling temptations that will trip us up and bring reproach upon your name. Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen."

There are a thousand ways to say that. My plea is not that you use my words, but that you have Jesus' priorities and that you express them in your praying, namely, that the Father's name be hallowed and that his kingdom come.

If this feels foreign to you, if you never plead for the name of God to be hallowed or the kingdom of God to come, don't be content today to stay stuck at that immature level of praying. Instead say in a fresh, new way to God this week: Father, hallow your name IN MY LIFE, IN MY PRAYING this year as never before.

The promise that will encourage you in following Jesus' direction on this first point comes from Ezekiel 36:23, "I will vindicate the holiness of my great name . . . and the nations will know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes." God's name WILL be vindicated among all the nations as true and glorious. But he has decreed that we will have a hand in this triumph through prayer.

So make the glory of God the center of your prayers. Pray again and again, with as many different words as you can think of, "Father, let your name be hallowed and let your kingdom come!"

Brokenness

2008-08-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been broken? Brokenness is empty-handedness before God. It has no demands; it make no requests. It is falling into the embrace of your loving Father and finding Him to be enough. It is not just saying, “God, I need You,” but “God, You are all I need.”

~ James MacDonald

Meditation

2007-07-02T23:24:00.000-07:00

The Christian Soldier by Thomas Watson, 1669

Meditation is a holy exercise of the mind; whereby we bring the truths of God to remembrance--and seriously ponder upon them and apply them to ourselves. It is a work which cannot be done in a crowd. A Christian must retire from the world, to have serious thinking upon God.

It is not a few transient thoughts that are quickly gone;but a fixing and staying of the mind upon heavenly objects.

As the bee sucks the honey from the flower--so by meditation we suck out the sweetness of a truth.

It is not the receiving of food into the mouth, but the digesting of it, which makes it nutritious. Just so, it is not the receiving of the most excellent truths in the ear, which nourishes our souls--but the digesting of them by meditation.

Satan does what he can to hinder this duty. He is an enemy of meditation. The devil does not care not how much we read--so long as we do not meditate on what we read. Reading begets knowledge--but meditation begets devotion. "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long." Psalm 119:97

Holy meditation quickens the affections. The reason why our affections are so cold to heavenly things--is because we do not warm them at the fire of holy meditation. As the musing on worldly objects makes the fire of lust burn; and as the musing on injuries
makes the fire of revenge burn; just so, meditating on the transcendent beauties of Christ, would make our love to Christ flame forth.

Meditation has a transforming power in it. The reading of the Word may affect us--but the meditating upon it transforms us. Meditation stamps the impression of divine truths upon our hearts. Bymeditating on God's holiness, we grow holy. While by meditation we look upon God's purity--we are changed into His likeness.
Meditation produces reformation. "I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes." Psalm 119:59. If we would spend but one quarter of an hour every day in contemplating heavenly objects, it would leave a mighty impression upon us!

A Rare Grace

2007-06-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

from Thomas Brooks "The Legacy of a Dying Mother"

"Whoever humbles himself like this child is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 18:4

Humility is a rare grace. Whoever is little in his
own account--is always great in God's esteem.
A humble person looks upon himself . . .
as "not worthy of the least mercies," with Jacob, Gen. 32:10;
as "dust and ashes," with Abraham, Gen. 18:27; and
as "a poor worm," with David, Psalm 22:6; and
as "less than the least of all saints," with Paul, Eph. 3:8.

The more high in spiritual worth a person is--the more
humble in heart that person is. God delights to pour
grace into humble hearts. Humility makes a person . . .
peaceable among brethren,
fruitful in well-doing,
cheerful in suffering,
constant in holy walking,
precious in the eyes of God.

Be humble Christians. As ever you would be holy
--be humble. Humility is of the essence of the "new
creature." He is not a Christian--who is not humble.

The more grace--the more humble. Those who have
been most high in spiritual worth--have always been
most humble in heart. Humility does not only entitle
to happiness--but to the highest degree of happiness.
Humility is that Jacob's ladder--which reaches from
earth to heaven.

"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward
one another, because God opposes the proud but
gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5

Don't Miss This Opportunity!

2007-06-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

Just found that Piper has posted the full presentations of speakers from the New Attitudes Conference held in Kentucky May 2007. Piper, Mahaney, Mohler, Harris....some of my all time favorite speakers are available at this link. Wow!! Don't miss this.

http://www.newattitude.org/conference/

Ruth Bell Graham

2007-06-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

1920-2007

Ruth Bell Graham, wife of evangelist Billy Graham, died yesterday at the age of 87. Ruth had been bedridden at home, suffering from degenerative osteoarthritis of the back and neck. Billy Graham said all that can be said of this remarkable woman:

“Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team. No one else could have borne the load that she carried. She was a vital and integral part of our ministry, and my work through the years would have been impossible without her encouragement and support. I am so grateful to the Lord that He gave me Ruth, and especially for these last few years we’ve had in the mountains together. We’ve rekindled the romance of our youth, and my love for her continued to grow deeper every day. I will miss her terribly, and look forward even more to the day I can join her in Heaven.”

The daughter of missionary doctor L. Nelson Bell, she was born in 1920 in Qingjiang, China, where her father directed the Presbyterian hospital founded by the father of author Pearl Buck. She grew up in China and at age 13 went to boarding school for three years in Pyongyang, presently North Korea.

She met Billy Graham while they were students at Wheaton College, an evangelical liberal arts school near Chicago.

Ruth initially thought she was called to become a missionary but after struggling in prayer over her future, she married Billy in Montreat Aug. 13, 1943. The couple eventually moved to Montreat, in the mountains of western North Carolina, to be near her parents while Billy spent many days on the road. She raised ftheir ive children.

On Fathers and Fidelity

2007-06-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

It is worth your every effort to promote and preserve healthy, intact marriages and families. ~ me

Fatherhood: Facts and Fiction

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

Father’s Day has been observed for about 100 years, and its inspiration was Mother’s Day, which has been celebrated in one form or another since the 16th century. It has always seemed fitting to me that we honor mothers, but odd that we honor fathers, for as any devoted husband and father can attest, there is no greater responsibility or reward than the blessing of children, no greater privilege than the blessing of fatherhood.

The good news is that there is a resurgence of men who are honoring their wives and children as responsible husbands and fathers. Unfortunately, there are too many men who will never know that reward because they have abdicated their responsibility as fathers.

Marriage is the foundation for the family, which in turn, serves as the foundation for society. In 295 BC, Mencius wrote, “The root of the kingdom is in the state. The root of the state is in the family. The root of the family is in the person of its head.” Broken marriages lead to broken families, which lead to broken societies. The most successful fathering is rooted in a healthy marriage. Thus, to be good fathers, we must first be good husbands.

Dr. Jim Lee, a pastor and director of Living Free ministries writes that the Christian marriage paradigm is built on a foundation of five principles: First, God is the creator of the marriage relationship; second, heterosexuality is God’s pattern for marriage; third, monogamy is God’s design for marriage; fourth, God’s plan for marriage is for physical and spiritual unity; and fifth, marriage was designed to be permanent.

When this paradigm is broken, the exemplarity for children is broken, and the consequences are staggering. Consequently, the greatest affront to the Body of Christ is the most common injury to the family of man—marital infidelity and divorce. Divorce, which typically results in the absence of fathers from their headship role within the family, is the single most significant common denominator among all categories of social and cultural entropy.

“Maturity does not come with age, but with the accepting of responsibility for one’s actions,” writes Dr. Edwin Cole, a fatherhood advocate. “The lack of effective, functioning fathers is the root cause of America’s social, economic and spiritual crises.”

Currently, only one in three children—and only one in five inner-city children—is in a home with a mother and father. Nearly 25 million children live absent or apart from their biological fathers. “Children who grow up with their fathers do far better—emotionally, educationally, physically, every way we can measure—than children who do not,” notes family researcher David Blankenhorn. “This conclusion holds true even when differences of race, class and income are taken into account. The simple truth is that fathers are irreplaceable in shaping the competence and character of their children... The absence of fathers from family life is surely the most socially consequential family trend of our era.”

Indeed it is.

Here are some sobering statistics: According to the Center for Disease Control, Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services and the Bureau of the Census, the 30 percent of children who live apart from their fathers will account for 63 percent of teen suicides, 70 percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions, 71 percent of high-school dropouts, 75 percent of children in chemical-abuse centers, 80 percent of rapists, 85 percent of youths in prison, 85 percent of children who exhibit behavioral disorders, and 90 percent of homeless and runaway children. In fact, children born to unwed mothers are ten times more likely to live in poverty as children with fathers in the home.

The causal link between fatherless children and crime is “so strong that controlling for family configuration erases the relationship between race and crime and between low income and crime,” notes social researcher Barbara Dafoe Whitehead. More to the point is the following comment from a counselor at a juvenile-detention facility in California, which has the nation’s highest juvenile-incarceration rate: “[If] you find a gang member who comes from a complete nuclear family, I’d like to meet him... I don’t think that kid exists.”

Concerns about marital infidelity, and the consequences for children, are not new. As Founding Father John Adams wrote in his diary on 2 June 1778, “The foundation of national morality must be laid in private families... How is it possible that Children can have any just Sense of the sacred Obligations of Morality or Religion if, from their earliest Infancy, they learn their Mothers live in habitual Infidelity to their fathers, and their fathers in as constant Infidelity to their Mothers?”

On this Father’s Day, all of us who have been blessed with children should pause not only to count our blessings, but also to commit ourselves to honoring those attendant obligations every day. We should examine the job we are doing as husbands first, then fathers. As my friend, Father Ted Hesburgh, observed early in his pastorate, “The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”

Patriot Post, Vol. 07 No. 24 Digest 15 June 2007

Ponder the Line in Your Life

2007-06-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed becoming familiar with James MacDonald, pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows, IL. He also has a radio ministry called Walk in the Word. Gary was given a series of messages he has called Downpour based on verses in Hosea 6:1-3. It is a very powerful presentation. He describes it like this: "God longs to pour water into every dry place - refreshing, reviving, drenching you in all that He is - if only you will return to Him." If you have a chance, listen to all six messages.

Since then I have become a regular visitor to his website enjoying his daily radio messages, Sunday sermons, articles and blog. I hope you will check out www.walkintheword.com regularly.

His most recent Wisdom for Your Walk article is really good and thot I would pass on the link for your edification. Let me know what you think. Blessings as you ponder the line in your life!

http://www.walkintheword.com/WeeklyWalk.aspx

Prone to Wander...

2007-06-04T15:40:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm going to admit that I am struggling. I have discovered that I have a very strong bent within me to become irritated. It doesn't seem to be my fault b/c people and circumstances can push my buttons while I'm simply minding my own business.

Now I can say that I have experienced some victory in holding my tongue when my buttons are pushed, and will admit that I have been somewhat proud of gaining even a bit of self control in this most transparent area. BTW, it is most certainly a work (or should I say war) of God in me, for I must admit that I have regrettably fought it oh so hard for oh so long.

But recently I have been forced to take an even closer look, by the Holy Spirits prompting, and now recognize that what my tongue has not said my heart has often harbored, I'm ashamed to say.

Does this matter? Does this count?

He who sees my heart has shown me that it does. It is sin, and that it must be dealt with. Oh, this was not a pleasant discovery...and it is not an easy admission to make.

I am now striving to line my heart up with Truth and crucify this disease that would ravage me from the inside out robbing me of the joy of a pure heart. Isn't God good to us in exposing our sin?

May I willingly and actively call sin in me sin, and walk in truth even in the hidden places of my heart.

Robert Morrison - Missionary to China

2007-05-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

I have been fasinated with John Pipers account of Robert Morrison, the first Protestant missionary to China. Two hundred years ago, on May 12, 1807, he left his home in obedience to Gods call on his life. I hope you will inspired and challenged as I have been.

Robert Morrison was born in 1782 in Scottland and brought up in the Scottish Presbyterian Church. Being saved at age 16 he began to dream of being a missionary. His mother made him promise not to be a missioary while she was alive. She died in 1804 and he applied to the London Missionary Society. In 1807 he was appointed to China where he served faithfully for 27 years with only one furlough home.

Seven years after his arrival in China he baptized his first Chinese believer and prophetically wrote in his personal journal this prayer, "May he be the first fruit of a great harvest, one of millions who shall come and be saved for the day of wrath to come."

Piper writes "Give thanks to God for the triumphs of His grace in the lives of ordinary men and women who, by His grace have done amazing things for the glory of Christ. Pause now and be willing to say yes to the stirrings of God in your heart to be a missionary. If He calls, do not stoop to be the CEO of Microsoft or the President of the United States."

How true!

When Robert Morrison was once asked if he expected to have spiritual impact in China he answered, "No sir, but I expect that God will."