A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.
A place of Honest searching, reflection and conversation.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Radical Christian Sacrifice
All I have to say is, if you dont take a couple minutes (9 to be exact) to listen to this message..........you're missing quite a blessing.
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Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
II Corinthians 4..............Encouragement for Followers of Christ
This passage was given to me this night by Greg, my son-in-law for encouragement............I share it with you.
The Light of the Gospel
1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.Treasure in Jars of Clay
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Pastor Peter Bisset
http://www.arlingtonbaptist.org/Downloads/collections.htm
I found this inventory of my childhood pastor in Baltimore, Md. Peter Bisset preached at Arlington Baptist Church for nearly 50 years. He wa a true champion of God's word. I hope you enjoy his Scottish accent.
I found this inventory of my childhood pastor in Baltimore, Md. Peter Bisset preached at Arlington Baptist Church for nearly 50 years. He wa a true champion of God's word. I hope you enjoy his Scottish accent.
Shaper than any Two-edged Sword......
I am by nature a ravenous reader. I simply can't get enough. It is rare indeed that I won't have at least 4 or 5 books on my desk being simultaneously read and cross-referenced. Occaisionally my hunger takes me to books of History and Political Science, but by and large, my readings are primarily religious studys. And as most avid readers, I have my favorites. For me that includes the writings of men like Spurgeon, Tozer, Luther, Jonathan Edwards, C.S.Lewis, and more recently, Chan, Keller, Packer, and David Platt. And who can study the Word of God without the resources of men like Matthew Henry, Barclay, Clarke and Calvin.
Now don't get me wrong in what I'm about to say, because there is great value in the readings of the works of these men of God. I am not about to throw my Library away, nor do I recommend any one else to do such. But as I was studying this morning, a thought came to me. Actually it was more than just a thought......more like a clear visual picture in which I believe the Holy Spirit was revealing to me an important, critical message.
What I envisioned was a small body of believers in a far away third world country huddled around the Word of God. A group of believers filled with the Holy Spirit and on fire for God in the face of great persecution. Not unlike the same picture you would get if you imagined the early churches at Ephesus, Thessalonica or any where in Galatia. And if I were to come upon them during one of their all-night, secretly held Bible Studies and ask if they had read the life-changing Book "Radical" by David Platt, or "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan.....well, you can imagine the inquisitive looks I would recieve. But I have to believe, that for a body of believers who are experiencing the life changing work of the Holy Spirit through their earnest and diligent study of the word of God......I would quickly and politely be brushed aside so that they could continue in the Word. You see, for them........His Word is sufficient.
I'm afraid that many Christians in the Western World today have not fully grasped that reality......that God's Word is sufficient for us. Or at best, we have indeed forgotten it. That it is mighty, and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. That it.............without human help, clarification and explanation can, does and will transform lives. Yet in our attempts to know God more, in a personal life-changing way, how many of us are satisfied to read only a one page devotional each morning that consists of one single verse from God's Word, than a human story or analysis of the meaning. Or instead of studying God's word during the week, we are content with a specialist giving us a 30 minute synopsis of one or two verses on a Sunday Morning.
The Life of a Christian is by nature relational in all aspects. God, through the redemptive work of Christ is our Father, and we His adoptive sons and daughters. Our salvation, as described in John 17 is the process of "Knowing God." Knowing Him in a deep, intimate and personal way. Knowing Him more............not less each and everyday. It is impossible in any relationship, human or spiritual, to get to know someone intimately without constant, ongoing communication. Our Father's communication to us is His Word.
When your child goes away from home for an extended period, maybe to camp or to college, and writes a very personal loving letter to you.....are you statisfied only by having your spouse tell you what was in the letter and how beautiful it was. Sure there might be some value in that............but there is nothing that can replace reading and savoring the words yourself. Only when you read it for yourself do you experience the richness and tenderness of the words written for you. And in doing so, your relationship expands and grows.
My commitment today, is not that I am going to destroy my library of great works of men, but that I am renewing my passion to Know God better and in an intimate personal way. And that must begin with a renewed hunger and thirst for His Word and His Word alone.
Now don't get me wrong in what I'm about to say, because there is great value in the readings of the works of these men of God. I am not about to throw my Library away, nor do I recommend any one else to do such. But as I was studying this morning, a thought came to me. Actually it was more than just a thought......more like a clear visual picture in which I believe the Holy Spirit was revealing to me an important, critical message.
What I envisioned was a small body of believers in a far away third world country huddled around the Word of God. A group of believers filled with the Holy Spirit and on fire for God in the face of great persecution. Not unlike the same picture you would get if you imagined the early churches at Ephesus, Thessalonica or any where in Galatia. And if I were to come upon them during one of their all-night, secretly held Bible Studies and ask if they had read the life-changing Book "Radical" by David Platt, or "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan.....well, you can imagine the inquisitive looks I would recieve. But I have to believe, that for a body of believers who are experiencing the life changing work of the Holy Spirit through their earnest and diligent study of the word of God......I would quickly and politely be brushed aside so that they could continue in the Word. You see, for them........His Word is sufficient.
I'm afraid that many Christians in the Western World today have not fully grasped that reality......that God's Word is sufficient for us. Or at best, we have indeed forgotten it. That it is mighty, and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. That it.............without human help, clarification and explanation can, does and will transform lives. Yet in our attempts to know God more, in a personal life-changing way, how many of us are satisfied to read only a one page devotional each morning that consists of one single verse from God's Word, than a human story or analysis of the meaning. Or instead of studying God's word during the week, we are content with a specialist giving us a 30 minute synopsis of one or two verses on a Sunday Morning.
The Life of a Christian is by nature relational in all aspects. God, through the redemptive work of Christ is our Father, and we His adoptive sons and daughters. Our salvation, as described in John 17 is the process of "Knowing God." Knowing Him in a deep, intimate and personal way. Knowing Him more............not less each and everyday. It is impossible in any relationship, human or spiritual, to get to know someone intimately without constant, ongoing communication. Our Father's communication to us is His Word.
When your child goes away from home for an extended period, maybe to camp or to college, and writes a very personal loving letter to you.....are you statisfied only by having your spouse tell you what was in the letter and how beautiful it was. Sure there might be some value in that............but there is nothing that can replace reading and savoring the words yourself. Only when you read it for yourself do you experience the richness and tenderness of the words written for you. And in doing so, your relationship expands and grows.
My commitment today, is not that I am going to destroy my library of great works of men, but that I am renewing my passion to Know God better and in an intimate personal way. And that must begin with a renewed hunger and thirst for His Word and His Word alone.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Thoughts About Church
What is CHURCH? Ask the average professing Christian this vague, open-ended question and you are bound to get an amazing variety of responses. Before I proceed, take a moment and formulate your own answer. If you're like most, your search for an answer is likely to be based partially, if not fully on your own understanding and experience. When it comes to the subject of Church, believers tend to ask all the wrong questions; What Church do you go to? How big is your Church, Where is your Church? What denomination is your Church? Who is the Pastor of your Church? What kind of music do you have at your Church? Much easier questions to deal with aren't they?
For the better part of a year now, some friends of mine and myself have been following a clear calling from the Lord to break free from our established church homes, that we dearly love, and take the message of the Kingdom of God directly into the community in which we live. I hate being tagged with labels, they usually do more harm than good, but for the purpose of giving you a clearer mental picture.....we are moving towards a "missional community work", or a "House Church Ministry", or an "Incarnate Church" or "Organic Church." See..........that's what I mean, the minute you use a label people's minds are distracted away from the point. Let's just say that we are earnestly trying to follow Christ by the guiding presense and power of the Holy Spirit, as a spiritual family, to zealously pursue in loving obedience His mission on this earth for the Glory of God. And herein, is a pretty good answer to my original question.....What is Church? Our small group has been struggling with the same question now for months, mainly because we have spent far too much time reflecting on our previous knowledge and experience. We find ourselves distracted by what it should look like, what time of the day it should be, what the program will consist of, do we have music, how should we pray, and a multitude of other distracting questions. In a nutshell, we find ourselves drawn to the same question that most established churches are similarly distracted to, namely, What can we do to make our "church" more appealing to the people in our community? And as harmless as that may sound....it is not the question that our group, or any other church organization for that matter, should be focused on. What we need to be asking ourselves, and asking it every day is this: Is Jesus here, in total control, and at work in our midst?
Not too long ago a Korean pastor who made a tour of Churches in the United States summarized his observations by saying, "It's amazing what you people can do without the Holy Spirit." A sobering reflection on the plight of many of our organized churches today. We have the beautiful buildings, the dynamic preacher, the best music, the creative programs......and most importantly of all, the rich cushioned seats. But do we have Jesus in our midst? Is the Holy Spirit in charge of programming? Tozer once announced that if the Holy Spirit were removed from all churches in America on Saturday, most would go on the next day as if nothing had changed.
I pray earnestly that as our group continues to follow the Lord's leading, that our questions will never be distracted with the Hows, Whats, Whens and Whys.....................but will always begin and end with the question WHO. Church always begins and ends with the Person of Jesus Christ.
(this piece is taken in part from Neil Cole's book, "Organic Church." I recommend it highly)
For the better part of a year now, some friends of mine and myself have been following a clear calling from the Lord to break free from our established church homes, that we dearly love, and take the message of the Kingdom of God directly into the community in which we live. I hate being tagged with labels, they usually do more harm than good, but for the purpose of giving you a clearer mental picture.....we are moving towards a "missional community work", or a "House Church Ministry", or an "Incarnate Church" or "Organic Church." See..........that's what I mean, the minute you use a label people's minds are distracted away from the point. Let's just say that we are earnestly trying to follow Christ by the guiding presense and power of the Holy Spirit, as a spiritual family, to zealously pursue in loving obedience His mission on this earth for the Glory of God. And herein, is a pretty good answer to my original question.....What is Church? Our small group has been struggling with the same question now for months, mainly because we have spent far too much time reflecting on our previous knowledge and experience. We find ourselves distracted by what it should look like, what time of the day it should be, what the program will consist of, do we have music, how should we pray, and a multitude of other distracting questions. In a nutshell, we find ourselves drawn to the same question that most established churches are similarly distracted to, namely, What can we do to make our "church" more appealing to the people in our community? And as harmless as that may sound....it is not the question that our group, or any other church organization for that matter, should be focused on. What we need to be asking ourselves, and asking it every day is this: Is Jesus here, in total control, and at work in our midst?
Not too long ago a Korean pastor who made a tour of Churches in the United States summarized his observations by saying, "It's amazing what you people can do without the Holy Spirit." A sobering reflection on the plight of many of our organized churches today. We have the beautiful buildings, the dynamic preacher, the best music, the creative programs......and most importantly of all, the rich cushioned seats. But do we have Jesus in our midst? Is the Holy Spirit in charge of programming? Tozer once announced that if the Holy Spirit were removed from all churches in America on Saturday, most would go on the next day as if nothing had changed.
I pray earnestly that as our group continues to follow the Lord's leading, that our questions will never be distracted with the Hows, Whats, Whens and Whys.....................but will always begin and end with the question WHO. Church always begins and ends with the Person of Jesus Christ.
(this piece is taken in part from Neil Cole's book, "Organic Church." I recommend it highly)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Solid Food for Breakfast
Thought some of you might enjoy a little "solid food" for breakfast.....so how bout a little Jonathan Edwards, from his Treatise on Religious Affections:
"Such is man's nature, That he is very inactive, any otherwise than he is influenced by either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear or some other affection. These affections we see to be moving springs in all the affairs of life, which engage men in all their pursuits; and especially in all affairs wherein they are earnestly engaged, and which they pursue with viguor. We see the world of mankind exceedingly busy and active; and their affections are the springs of motion: take away all love and hatred, all hope and fear, all anger, zeal and affectionate desire, and the world would be, in a great measure, motionless and dead: there would be no such thing as activity amongst mankind, or any earnest pursuit whatsoever. It is affection that engages the covetous man, and him that is greedy of worldly profits; it is by the affections that the ambitious man is put forward in his pursuit of worldly glory; and the affections also actuate the voluptuous man, in his pleasure and sensual delights. The world continues from age to age, in a continual commotion and agitation, in pursuit of these things; but take away affection, and the spring of all this motion would be gone; the motion itself would cease. And as in worldly things, so in religious matters, the spring of their actions are very much religious affections; he that has doctrinal knowledge and speculation only, without affection, never is engaged in the business of religion. That religion that God requires, and will accept, does not consist in weak, dull, and lifeless wishes, raising us but a little above a state of indifference. If we be not in good earnest, in religion, and our wills and inclinations be not strongly exercised, WE ARE NOTHING. The things of God are so great, that there can be no suitableness in the exercises of the hearts, to their nature and importance, unless they be lively and powerful. In nothing is the vigour in the actings of our heart inclinations so requisite, as in religion; and in nothing is lukewarmness and complacency so odious. True religion is evermore a powerful thing, and the power of it appears, in the first place, in its exercises in the heart, its principal and original seat."
"Such is man's nature, That he is very inactive, any otherwise than he is influenced by either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear or some other affection. These affections we see to be moving springs in all the affairs of life, which engage men in all their pursuits; and especially in all affairs wherein they are earnestly engaged, and which they pursue with viguor. We see the world of mankind exceedingly busy and active; and their affections are the springs of motion: take away all love and hatred, all hope and fear, all anger, zeal and affectionate desire, and the world would be, in a great measure, motionless and dead: there would be no such thing as activity amongst mankind, or any earnest pursuit whatsoever. It is affection that engages the covetous man, and him that is greedy of worldly profits; it is by the affections that the ambitious man is put forward in his pursuit of worldly glory; and the affections also actuate the voluptuous man, in his pleasure and sensual delights. The world continues from age to age, in a continual commotion and agitation, in pursuit of these things; but take away affection, and the spring of all this motion would be gone; the motion itself would cease. And as in worldly things, so in religious matters, the spring of their actions are very much religious affections; he that has doctrinal knowledge and speculation only, without affection, never is engaged in the business of religion. That religion that God requires, and will accept, does not consist in weak, dull, and lifeless wishes, raising us but a little above a state of indifference. If we be not in good earnest, in religion, and our wills and inclinations be not strongly exercised, WE ARE NOTHING. The things of God are so great, that there can be no suitableness in the exercises of the hearts, to their nature and importance, unless they be lively and powerful. In nothing is the vigour in the actings of our heart inclinations so requisite, as in religion; and in nothing is lukewarmness and complacency so odious. True religion is evermore a powerful thing, and the power of it appears, in the first place, in its exercises in the heart, its principal and original seat."
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