How Many Kings Would Do This?

Christmas time... a great time of year, yet the most misunderstood time of year.. We Christians rail about the secular takeover of Christmas, but aren't we just as guilty of that? So many "things" take our attention away from the fact that God became Man   ... Christ came into the world to save sinners 

(1 Timothy 1:15)  ... Are you one of the sinners He has saved? If you are, we need God to call us back to the real meaning of this day. The birth of Jesus Christ, our sin - bearer. We died that we might live! Make sure.. really sure, that you celebrate Christmas everyday by remembering that God emptied out Heaven to come and rescue you. Some key passages to meditate on are:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

                                                                                              (2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV)

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-10 ESV)

          The Christmas song, "How Many Kings?" illustrates these verses so well:                                                                                              

 How many kings step down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart
How many fathers gave up their sons for  me?                                                                         

Let's see another King do that? ....  Have a blessed Christmas!

"Nunc Dimittis" Luke 2: 22-35

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
  “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
  And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”  (Luke 2:22-35 ESV)

What a day that had to be for faithful Simeon... He got to see and hold (and behold!) the LORD'S salvation: Jesus Christ... God promised Simeon that he would not die until he saw the One who would bring (consolation) salvation for His people. Isaiah 40 speaks of the comfort the Messiah would bring. Simeon knew the passage well, but imagine the impact as he actually HOLDS the One Isaiah spoke of hundreds of years before! Simeon bursts into song - in the Latin it is called the "Nunc Dimittis" because it is a song of dismissal. Simeon could now die knowing that God keeps His promises.
Believe it or not, it works the same way with us; We BEHOLD our salvation when we see and receive the Lord's salvation... Jesus Christ. We can now die in peace... Knowing our salvation is here! The comfort, consolation, and salvation that God promises is right there before you... His name is Jesus. Turn to Him and be saved.

Jesus Burned for You

"I’m a little like the duck hunter who was hunting with his friend in a wide-open barren of land in southeastern Georgia. Far away on the horizon he noticed a cloud of smoke. Soon, he could hear the sound of crackling. A wind came up and he realized the terrible truth: a brush-fire was advancing his way. It was moving so fast that he and his friend could not outrun it. The hunter began to rifle through his pockets. Then he emptied all the contents of his knapsack. He soon found what he was looking for–a book of matches. To his friend’s amazement, he pulled out a match and struck it. He lit a small fire around the two of them. Soon they were standing in a circle of blackened earth, waiting for the brush fire to come. They did not have to wait long. They covered their mouths with their handkerchiefs and braced themselves. The fire came near–and swept over them. But they were completely unhurt. They weren’t even touched. Fire would not burn the place where fire had already burned." 

The law is like the brush-fire. I cannot escape it. But if I stand in the burned-over place, where law has already burned its way through, then I will not get hurt. Not a hair of my head will be singed. The death of Christ is the burned-over place. There I huddle, hardly believing yet relieved. Christ’s death has

disarmed the law. “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Paul Zahl 

Jonathan Edwards on Spiritual Pride

“Spiritual pride is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of Christianity. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit, to darken the mind and mislead the judgment. It is the main source of all the mischief the devil introduces, to clog and hinder a work of God.
Spiritual pride tends to speak of other persons’ sins with bitterness or with laughter and levity and an air of contempt. But pure Christian humility rather tends either to be silent about these problems or to speak of them with grief and pity. Spiritual pride is very apt to suspect others, but a humble Christian is most guarded about himself. He is as suspicious of nothing in the world as he is of his own heart. The proud person is apt to find fault with other believers, that they are low in grace, and to be much in observing how cold and dead they are and to be quick to note their deficiencies. But the humble Christian has so much to do at home and sees so much evil in his own heart and is so concerned about it that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts. He is apt to esteem others better than himself.”
Jonathan Edwards, Works (Edinburgh, 1979)

Reformation Day ... oh yeah, it's also Halloween!

October 31, 1517 - The day observing Martin Luther nailing his 95 Thesis on the Whittenberg door. A declaration that salvation is found outside of man. Our only hope is an "alien righteousness" ... Salvation and the Christian life is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. The key verse for Luther was Romans 1:17, which is an Old Testament quotation from Habakkuk 2:4... "... the Righteous (Just) shall live by faith..."  Luther said when he finally understood what this meant, it was ".. like the heavens opened up.."   .   The just SHALL live by faith. Faith is Christ alone.. It is the only way we'll see heaven. 

Justification by faith is an answer to the greatest personal question ever asked by a human soul: “How shall I be right with God? How do I stand in God’s sight? With what favor does He look upon me? There are those, I admit, who never raise that question.  There are those who are concerned with the question of their standing before men but never with the question of their standing before God. There are those who are interested in what “people say”  but not in the question what God says. Such men, however, are not those who move the world. They are apt to go with the current. They are apt to do as others do. They are not the heroes who change the destinies of the race. The beginning of true nobility comes when a man ceases to be interested in the judgment of men and becomes interested in the judgment of God.”
                                                                    J. Gresham Machen, 1881 - 1937

A Wonderful Puritan Prayer

Father of mercies,
Hear me for Jesus' sake.
I am sinful even in my closest walk with thee;
it is of thy mercy I died not long ago;
Thy grace has given me faith in the cross
by which thou hast reconciled thyself to me and me to thee,
drawing me by thy great love,
reckoning me as innocent in Christ though guilty in myself.
Giver of all graces,
I look to thee for strength to maintain them in me,
for it is hard to practice what I believe,
Strengthen me against temptations,
My heart is an unexhausted fountain of sin,
              a river of corruption since childhood days,
                flowing on in every pattern of behavior; 
Thou has disarmed me of the means in which I trusted,
   and I have no strength but in thee. 
Thou alone canst hold back my evil ways,
   but without thy grace to sustain me I fall.
Satan's darts quickly inflame me,
   and the shield that should quench them 
       easily drops from my hand;
Empower me against his wiles and assaults.
Keep me sensible of my weakness,
     and of my dependence upon thy strength. 
Let every trial teach me more of thy peace,
                                     more of thy love. 
Thy Holy Spirit is given to increase thy graces,
      and I cannot preserve or improve them
           unless he works continually in me. 
May he confirm my trust in thy promised help,
      and let me walk humbly in dependence upon thee,
             for Jesus' sake. 
* The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions
Edited by Arthur Bennett 

Grace and Peace

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Romans 1:7 ESV) 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:3 ESV)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:2 ESV)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, (Galatians 1:3 ESV)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:2 ESV)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:2 ESV)

To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
                                                                                                                               (Colossians 1:2 ESV)

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. (1 Thessalonians 1:1 ESV)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:2 ESV)


To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (1 Timothy 1:2 ESV) 
To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (2 Timothy 1:2 ESV)

To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.  (Titus 1:4 ESV)


Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philemon 1:3 ESV)

... according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 
                                                                                                                                     (1 Peter 1:2)
 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
                                                                                                                                 (2 Peter 1:2 ESV) Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.  (2 John 1:3 ESV)  

In the New Testament we are told over and over again... "Grace" is the basis or our salvation, and "Peace" is the benefit...   REJOICE IN THIS TRUTH TODAY!! BECAUSE OF GOD'S GRACE WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD (Romans 5: 1) 
                                                                                 

Wonderful quote from Spurgeon

I will help you.”  Isaiah 41:10

“Let us hear the Lord Jesus speak to each one of us: ‘I will help you. It is but a small thing for me, your God, to help you. Consider what I have done already. What! not help you? Why, I bought you with my blood. What! not help you? I have died for you; and if I have done the greater, will I not do the less? Help you! It is the least thing I will ever do for you. I have done more, and will do more. Before the world began I chose you. I made the covenant for you. I laid aside my glory and became a man for you, I gave up my life for you; and if I did all this, I will surely help you now. In helping you, I am giving you what I have bought for you already. If you had need of a thousand times as much help, I would give it to you; you require little compared with what I am ready to give. ‘Tis much for you to need, but it is nothing for me to bestow. Help you? Fear not! If there were an ant at the door of your granary asking for help, it would not ruin you to give him a handful of your wheat; and you are nothing but a tiny insect at the door of my all-sufficiency. I will help you.’
O my soul, is not this enough? Do you need more strength than the omnipotence of the United Trinity? Do you want more wisdom than exists in the Father, more love than displays itself in the Son, or more power than is manifest in the influences of the Spirit? Bring here your empty pitcher! Surely this well will fill it. Haste, gather up your needs, and bring them here – your emptiness, your woes, your needs. Behold, this river of God is full for your supply; what can you desire beside? Go forth, my soul, in this your might. The Eternal God is your helper.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Style updated.

Romans

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,  which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,  concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh  and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
                                                                                           (Romans 1:1-7 ESV)
I getting ready to preach through Romans in September, so I've been reading this incredible piece of literature a great deal... The book of Romans is compelling.. refreshing .. convicting. I can see Paul deep in prayer and in thought as he writes this.. Probably in Corinth.. In a quite room.. He and the Lord. I pray that God will teach me and strengthen me as I study and teach it.. Even more I want Him to change me. Pray this happens. 
There are many ways to explain the purpose of Romans in a concise statement, but from what I've read so far, Christopher Ash has said it best: "The purpose of Romans is the glory of God seen in a united missionary church humbled together under grace."  Christopher Ash, Romans, Vol.One,  Proclamation Trust, Scotland, Great Britain, 2009 pg. 37

What is true of Christ is more important to me than what is true of me

“God has provided for your perfect deliverance from sin in Christ. Everything needed for this purpose was finished by him on the cross. He was your surety. He suffered for you. Your sins were crucified with him and nailed to his cross. They were put to death when he died, for he was your covenant-head, and you, as a member of his body, were legally represented by him and are indeed dead to sin by his dying to sin once.
The law has now no more right to condemn you, a believer, than it has to condemn him. Justice is bound to deal with you as it has with your risen and ascended Savior.”
William Romaine, The Life, Walk and Triumph of Faith (Cambridge, 1970), page 280.

Funeral of a Friend

I was honored yesterday to conduct the funeral service of a great friend of mine for many years.
I am overjoyed that I will see her again and this time with no affliction! This quote from Peter Kreeft put things in perspective for me:

 “Now suppose both death and hell were utterly defeated.  Suppose the fight was fixed.  Suppose God took you on a crystal ball trip into your future and you saw with indubitable certainty that despite everything — your sin, your smallness, your stupidity — you could have free for the asking your whole crazy heart’s deepest desire: heaven, eternal joy.  Would you not return fearless and singing?  What can earth do to you, if you are guaranteed heaven?  To fear the worst earthly loss would be like a millionaire fearing the loss of a penny — less, a scratch on a penny.”
Peter Kreeft, Heaven (San Francisco, 1989), page 183.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God - This song still gets me...

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing: For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; His craft and pow’r are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same, And He must win the battle. And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us; The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him. That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth; Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever..  1529 - Martin Luther

Listen and Believe

Great quote from Gerhard Forde from Ray Ortlund's blog :

“We are justified freely, for Christ’s sake, by faith, without the exertion of our own strength, gaining of merit, or doing of works.  To the age-old question, ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ the confessional answer is shocking: ‘Nothing!  Just be still; shut up and listen for once in your life to what God the Almighty, creator and redeemer, is saying to his world and to you in the death and resurrection of his Son!  Listen and believe!’”
Gerhard O. Forde, Justification by Faith (Philadelphia, 1983), page 22.

From Monergism Books Website -

The importance of the Bible (OT & NT) is that it testifies about

Jesus Christ (John 1:43-45, Acts 3:18, Acts 17:2-3, 2 Tim 3:14-

15,1 Pet 1:10-12, Rom 1:1-3, 16:25-27, Luke 24:25-27 & 44-46).

Jesus never condemned a Pharisee for taking Moses too

seriously. They take him far less seriously than they should. For

Jesus says, "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for He

write of Me. But if you don't believe His writings, how will you

believe My words. Your accuser is Moses." (John 5:46).

Thankful for the hope of Christ!

"Any man who thinks he deserves Heaven is not a Christian. But for any man who knows he deserves Hell, there's hope."    - D. Martyn Lloyd - Jones

Got to love Chuck!

When the devil throws our sins up to us and declares that we deserve death and hell, we ought to speak thus: 'I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? Does this mean that I shall be sentenced to eternal damnation? By no means. For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction in my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Where he is, there I shall be also.

He Became Sin for Us ... 2 Corinthians 5:21

“He was the truth who would become the world’s most inveterate liar. He who was too pure to look upon a woman with lust  would become the world’s most promiscuous adulterer. The only man to love with pure selflessness would become the most despised villain in God’s universe.  He would become a racist, a murderer, a gossip, slanderer, thief, a tyrant. He would become all of this, not of Himself, but as the sin-bearing substitute… His hell gained our Heaven; His curse became our blessing; His incalculable grief brought us immeasurable joy.”  (Michael Horton)

B.B. Warfield - God's Jealous Love

From a sermon by B.B. Warfield: 

See us steeped in the sin of the world; loving evil for evil’s sake, hating God and all that God stands for, ever seeking to drain deeper and deeper the cup of our sinful indulgence.

The Spirit follows us unwaveringly through all.

He is not driven away because we are sinners. He comes to us because, being sinners, we need Him.

He is not cast off because we reject His loving offices. He abides with us because our rejection of Him would leave us helpless.

He does not condition His further help upon our recognizing and returning His love. His continuance with us is conditioned only on His own love for us. And that love for us is so strong, so mighty, and so constant that it can never fail.

When He sees us immersed in sin and rushing headlong to destruction, He does not turn from us, He yearns for us with jealous envy.

It is in the hands of such love that we have fallen.

And it is because we have fallen into the hands of such love that we have before us a future of eternal hope.

When we lose hope in ourselves, when the present becomes dark and the future black before us, when effort after effort has issued only in disheartening failure, and our sin looms big before our despairing eyes; when our hearts hate and despise themselves, and we remember that God is greater than our hearts and cannot abide the least iniquity; the Spirit whom He has sent to bring us to Him still labors with us, not in indifference or hatred, but in pitying love.

Yea, His love burns all the stronger because we so deeply need His help: He is yearning after us with jealous envy.

The Controlling Power of the Cross

From Sam Storms: 

What gets you going in the morning? Aside from an alarm clock and the prospect of being fired from your job should you choose to remain in bed, what energizes you to face each day? How do you account for your decision to press on in life when there seem to be so many reasons to quit? 
Do you find yourself coerced by an external force, perhaps a threat, a promise, or the hope of winning the lottery (that's not an endorsement to purchase a ticket)? Is your life defined by the expectations of others or the fear of what may befall you should you choose to renege on your obligations? 
The apostle Paul was a driven man, a man with seemingly endless energy, a man who gave every appearance to those who knew him of being impelled by an unseen power. How else do we explain his life, especially as it is portrayed in the book of 2 Corinthians? 
I ask this question today in view of Paul's own explicit word of testimony concerning the driving force of his daily existence. Read it closely: 
"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2 Corinthians 5:14-15; emphasis mine). 
Quite clearly love is the power that accounts for Paul's remarkable life and willing sacrifice for the church and the glory of God. But whose love, and for what? You don't need to understand Greek to see that the phrase in question can be interpreted in one of two ways. Paul is either referring to his love for Christ or to Christ's love for him (and some would argue that both are in mind!). I'm glad the ESV has chosen not to interpret the phrase for us. In my opinion, that is the task for the student of Scripture. 
Although Paul's personal love for the Lord Jesus Christ is passionate and unquestioned, I don't think that is what he has in view. There are at least two reasons why I'm convinced that Paul is referring to the love and affection that Christ has for us. 
First, in virtually every other instance where Paul uses this particular construction (a personal genitive [in this case, "of Christ"] after the word "love" [Greek, agape]), it refers to the love which that person has or demonstrates or manifests. Thus, when we read about "the love of God" in Romans 5:5 or "the love of Christ" in Romans 8:35 or "the love of the Spirit" in Romans 15:30, it is the Father's love, the Son's love, and the Spirit's love for sinners that Paul has in view. 
Second, and perhaps even more important, is the context. Clearly Paul has in mind Christ's death for us (he "died for all") as the preeminent expression of his love. As Paul reflects on the unfathomable sacrifice Christ made for sinners such as himself, he is gripped yet again with "the breadth and length and height and depth" (Eph. 3:18) of divine affection for hell-deserving transgressors. This, then, is the single reality that shapes and sustains and empowers his every breath, every decision, as well as every sacrifice he made. 
The word translated control (ESV) or constrain literally means "hemmed in". It is as if Paul says, "I'm on a road where I can veer neither to the right nor left. I can't even retreat! I'm pushed forward by the transforming power of knowing that Jesus loved me to such an extent that he would give his life in my place on the cross." 
The water that flows in a river has no choice but to follow the direction set by its banks on the right and left. Such is how Paul feels. Thus the idea is far more than that of mere "moral influence" or "persuasion." It's as if Paul says, "If ever I should be tempted to think first of my own welfare, the love of Christ at the cross takes hold of my heart and liberates me from myself and for the service of others. If ever I should use my suffering as an excuse to slow down or back off or withdraw altogether, Christ's willingness to endure the wrath of God on my behalf lights a flame in my soul that no amount of earthly comfort or promise of man's praise can extinguish!" 
Perhaps this doesn't resonate with us as it did with Paul because we don't understand the magnitude of what was entailed in Christ's death for us. If that is true, let James Denney shed light on the significance of that powerful preposition translated "for": 
"Plainly, if Paul's conclusion is to be drawn, the 'for' must reach deeper than this mere suggestion of our advantage: if we all died, in that Christ died for us, there must be a sense in which that death of His is ours; He must be identified with us in it; there, on the cross, while we stand and gaze at Him, He is not simply a person doing us a service; He is a person doing us a service by filling our place and dying our death!" 
This, says Paul, accounts for all that I am, all that I do, everything I endure, and everything for which I hope and live. Were it not for the amazing grace and undying love of Christ as manifest in his dying my death, I would degenerate into a self-absorbed solipsist. When I feel self-pity rising up in my heart, I'm reminded of the love of Christ and thereby empowered to slay it. When I find bitterness taking root in my soul, I'm reminded of the love of Christ and thereby impelled to renounce it. And when indifference threatens my commitment, the cross of Christ's love ignites a zeal that sustains me through every trial. 
Here is what controls, constrains, and impels me, says Paul: It is that Jesus chose not to hate me (though I was hateful), but to love me (though I was unlovely), and gave himself for me that I might now live for him. 
Does the love of God revealed in the cross exert a similar power in your life, or in mine? 
When long-held dreams are shattered against the rock of unexpected reality, do you find strength in the knowledge that he died your death so that you might live in the power of his resurrection life? 
When others betray or abandon you, are you sustained by the assurance that the cross is the measure of his commitment to you and the pledge, in blood, that he will never leave you or forsake you (cf. Hebrews 13:5)? 
Does the reminder that "he who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for" your sake (Romans 8:32) prove adequate in times of despair and depression and confusion? 
I ask you today (as I ask myself): What "constrains" your choices? What "controls" your mind? What animates your affections? What empowers your relationships? I pray that, together with Paul, you can say it is the glorious and incomparable assurance that he "loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20b).

From Joe Thorn's new book

Jesus’ death should lead to your own daily dying. Yes, Jesus died as a substitute for sinners, and that work is your hope of salvation. But Jesus did not die only to justify the wicked. His death is also designed to lead you in your own daily dying and living.

Peter says that Jesus died for our sins so that we would die to our sins. Jesus died for our sins by suffering the wrath of God in the place of sinners. By his wounds we are healed. Through the suffering of the righteous one, the wicked are justified. You, Christian, are justified. But his death should lead you in dying, as well. You die to your sins and live to righteousness through the ongoing work of faith and repentance.

What is it to die to sin?

• To die to sin is to deny its influence and to recognize that sin is powerless over you.
• To recognize your corruption and identify your temptations while resting in the deliverance God has provided through the sacrifice of Jesus.
• To know you are no longer a slave, and sin is your master no more.
• As you die to sin (recognizing and living in the reality that Jesus has set you free) you can live to righteousness. To live to righteousness is to follow Christ in holiness and to grow in grace.

The death of Jesus is not just what cleanses you of guilt, but it is also the means by which you experience transformation. Your progress in the faith, your sanctification, is not a result of will power or education, but the consequence of Christ’s atoning work. That is your confidence and hope. You can die to sin because he has died for your sin. You can live unto righteousness because Jesus has risen from the dead and in him you are now truly alive! Today is a day to die and to live.

Excerpt modified from Note to Self by Joe Thorn

Great Post from Ray Ortlund

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
This is practical guidance for experiencing our free justification through the cross. There is a continuous outflow from Christ into our hearts. Here is where we find it:
But if we walk in the light
Walking in the light is being honest when God convicts our hearts of sin. We lie to ourselves in many ways: “But this is my personality. But my wife isn’t the girl I thought I was marrying. But look how life has wounded me. But what the Bible says is too demanding. But I can’t change, etc.” This is walking in the darkness. But our hearts start cracking open when we call our sin what God calls it: sin. No softening it.
Walking in the light means we no longer need to look better than we really are. Our needs are too intense, and only God will suffice.
As he is in the light
It isn’t about rules; it’s about God himself. If we are walking in hiddenness, we cannot experience him. He is out there in the light of truth.
We have fellowship with one another
When we start walking in the light before the Lord, we discover one another at a deeper level. We stop playing at church; we enter into fellowship. We find how much we have in common. The sympathy flows back and forth with joy.
And the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin
This is more than a human support group. The sacred blood of Jesus is here. And we bring no sin which his blood cannot cleanse away: “. . . all sin.” That sin weighing most heavily on your conscience – that is the sin Jesus bled for. Step out into the light, as the Holy Spirit nudges you. Then take the next step after that, then the next – a new person walking in the light day by day, continually cleansed. No more hiding. You’re free.
Here is the price we pay: putting our pride away and admitting the truth, moment by moment, as we walk together in the light of the Lord.

It ain't over till the fat lady sings....

Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 24:36 that no one knows what day or hour that He will return. Only the Father knew. Why then do we continue to try to predict the end of human history? Make no mistake. The Bible is clear that Christ will return... How and when there is much debate about. The latest prediction of the rapture and judgement is May 21, 2011. The people that make such predictions are obsessed with codes and secret knowledge. This is not new... Most cults get started this way: A date set for Christ's return obtained by one of a few persons by special revelation. The Bible does indeed speak, but will never undermine itself. The Bible assumes God's authority. Man's problem is that we try to make the Bible say what WE want it to say. When we impose on the Scripture we are on dangerous ground. Many well meaning people have set dates for Christ's return in order for mankind to repent and believe the good news of Christ's salvation. The tactics of fear are seldom helpful. God is a God of mercy. He is also a holy God who has been offended by our sin. He put the punishment that our sins deserve on His own Son. Jesus Christ bore the wrath of God in our place. We should trust in this and live for God and let God handle the events for the future.... after all, it is God's world. Only God has the right to know when He returns. All we need to do is be ready at all times. Throw codes and speculations and astrological signs away and simply trust God to do His will when He wants to. It's a whole lot easier to believe God and simply live for Him. It is the height of arrogance to believe something God said we could not know. From the rebellion of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, mankind has continued to trust in himself rather than trust in and obey God. Bottom line; this is idolatry. Our sin is pride. The desire to worship ourselves (the creation) rather than God (the Creator), Romans 1:18-25.
This date, May 21, 2011 will pass... Unless for some reason God has fixed this day as the day of Christ's return, be assured it is not because some man says so...We should still be looking for His appearing, but never cease to live each day for Him and telling others about Him. Jesus will return: There is much debate about whether there is a rapture or whether it is resurrection language used. Whether the Church is removed from the earth while God executes justice, or whether God has been executing and continues to be execute justice throughout all of human history from the resurrection of Jesus until His Second Coming, is entirely God's business. We are foolish to get swept up in end time hysteria... It makes us ineffective in this life. The Church is about God's kingdom rule right now AND at a time of God's own choosing when His Son returns.
GOD DECIDES WHEN THE FAT LADY SINGS!

 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3: 15 - 17 

The passage is much more than just what the Word of God does for us individually. As verse 15 tells us that the peace of God is to "rule of hearts  (plural)... not heart (singular). This is written to a church . We are to grow in God's word together . We were "called in ONE BODY" .  If it is good for all of us collectively, AND it's good for us singularly. 

Here's what  I mean: 

1) The Word planted in you ("let the word of Christ dwell in you richly") 

2) The Word taught to others (" teaching and admonishing ONE ANOTHER

    in all wisdom")

3) The Word sung back to God ("singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, 

    with thankfulness in your hearts TO GOD.") 

4)  The Word directing all my response to life ("whatever you do, in word or deed, 

     do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus..." 

This is God's Word... Do you love it and live it? .. And does it live (dwell) in you? 

Thank God for Moms!

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. What a calling motherhood is... My wife is the best mom I know. She's a wonderful mom to four grown children. She's about to hit her 52nd birthday (May 19th), and she is more beautiful today than the day I married her! What a blessed man I am!
 My own dear mother passed away on May 16, 1986 at the age of 60.. I miss her. I think of her everyday. She's with the Lord, so I will get to see her again. I take a great deal of comfort in this.
I'm also blessed to have a wonderful Mother -in- Law who has now known me longer than my own mother got to know me. It's hard for me to believe, but it's true. She's more than a Mother - in - Law to me... She's my mom. I love her very much, and she has been abundantly good to me. I thank God for these three special ladies in my life: my wife, my mother, and my mother in law. 
To all you moms; Happy Mother's Day! Y!ou deserve more than a one day a year celebration. You deserve your lifetime's worth of gratefulness!  Blessings on your day

Despised and Rejected... Wounded for My Transgressions

13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; 
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
14 As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
15 so shall he sprinkle  many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which has not been told them they see,
and that which they have not heard they understand.
53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? 
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows,  and acquainted with grief; 
and as one from whom men hide their faces 
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief; 
when his soul makes  an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, 
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.      Isaiah 52: 13 - 53:12 

I read this passage ... a lot... I can't get it out of my mind. I pray this is always the case. I never want to forget what Jesus, The Suffering Servant did for me. All throughout the Bible we are told that our sin separates us from God and we stand condemned. A holy God has been offended. Our sinful nature and our sinful choices put us at war with God. We are like the people in this passage. Looking upon one who is so badly beaten and bruised that He doesn't even resemble a human. One who is despised by us and rejected. But He dies for us- in our place,  anyway.  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).  

My sin put Him on that cross... If I was going have any hope for this world and the next, someone had to die for me... someone perfect... someone holy - because I am neither.  As we celebrate Good Friday tomorrow, keep in mind it should have been YOU on that cross.... It should have been ME. 

Lord Jesus; Thank you! Thank you for dying in my place. Thank you for living in my place. A perfect sacrifice was required, and YOU Lord Jesus, were that man .. that God .. that Sacrifice.. 

If I live a thousand lifetimes and could make up for all the wrongs I have done, I'd just live another day and wrong you again. I thank you that you don't treat me as my sins deserve.. you have NOT dealt with me according to my sins (Psalm 103:10), but instead have clothed me in YOUR righteousness! I have died and my life is now hidden in you (Colossians 3:3), and I will be with you in glory (Colossians 3:4) . I have already died (Galatians 2:20) , crucified WITH YOU. I have resurrected WITH YOU, and I am already in heavenly places WITH YOU (Ephesians 2:6)  One day you will resurrect my old, dying, earthly body and give me one LIKE YOURS ( 1 Corinthians 15). What more could I ask for? Why should I seek another? You are everything I will ever need for all of time and eternity! Forgive me for thinking FAR too often that you are not enough... Lord Jesus - with eyes filled with tears, I proclaim that you are both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:35) - and that you are EVERYTHING! 

Up From the Grave He Arose

From Justin Holcomb at The Resurgence: 



A defense of the resurrection must give evidence for the historical validity of the events described in the New Testament, and it must show how the resurrection of Jesus provides the best explanation for this historical data. In this post we will focus on the empty tomb of Jesus Christ.


One of the easiest parts of the resurrection data to establish is the fact that the tomb is empty. Because the location of Jesus’ burial was known to those living in Jerusalem, it would have been unlikely that they would have believed the Apostolic preaching of the resurrection of Christ if there was not an empty tomb. Jesus’ burial is widely attested in early, independent testimonies, both biblical and extra-biblical.
Furthermore, as is often noted, women were not considered reliable witnesses in first century Jewish culture, so it would have been foolish for the authors to have fictionally constructed an account involving women in order to gain credibility.
“The person who wishes to deny the resurrection of Christ is left with the unexplained mystery of the empty tomb that existed three days after his death.”
Matthew 28:11–15 speaks of a myth that was spread among the Jews concerning the body of Christ. Apparently the Jews were saying the disciples stole the body of Christ. This is significant because the Jews did not deny the tomb was empty, but instead sought an alternative explanation to the resurrection. The emptiness of the tomb is a widely attested historical fact.
Just because the tomb of Christ was empty does not necessarily mean the resurrection happened. Indeed, there have been four alternative hypotheses to resurrection that have been advanced over the years.

First, some offer the conspiracy hypothesis, which says the disciples stole the body of Christ and continued to lie about his appearances to them. On this account, the resurrection was a hoax.
This hypothesis is not commonly held in modern scholarship for several reasons:

1. This hypothesis does not take into account that the disciples believed in the resurrection. It is highly unlikely that numerous disciples would have been willing to give their lives defending a fabrication.
2. It is unlikely that the idea of resurrection would have entered the minds of the disciples, as such an event was not connected to the Jewish idea of a Messiah. The scholar William Lane Craig writes, “If your favorite Messiah got himself crucified, then you either went home or else you got yourself a new Messiah. But the idea of stealing Jesus’ corpse and saying that God has raised him from the dead is hardly one that would have entered the minds of the disciples.”
3. This hypothesis cannot account for the post-resurrection appearances of Christ.

The second hypothesis attempting to explain away the resurrection is the apparent death hypothesis. This view says Jesus was not completely dead when he was removed from the cross. Once in the tomb, Jesus was revived and escaped, thus convincing the disciples of his resurrection.
This view is difficult to hold for a few reasons:

1. It is unlikely that a half-dead man would have been capable of even getting up to walk, much less moving the stone that sealed the tomb, over-powering Roman guards, and fleeing from sight.
2. This theory cannot account for the disciples’ attribution of resurrection to Christ, for if they had seen him after he was revived, they would have merely thought he had never died.
3. It is also foolish to think the Romans, who had perfected the art of killing people, would have let one slip by without ensuring he was dead.
4. Finally, given the physical torture described in the Gospel accounts, it is highly unlikely that Jesus could have survived.

Third, the wrong tomb hypothesis suggests the women had gotten lost on their way to the empty tomb and accidentally stumbled upon the caretaker of an empty tomb. When the caretaker said, “Jesus is not here,” the women were so disoriented they fled, their story later being developed into a resurrection myth.
Like the other theories, virtually no one holds to this view. There are at least three reasons:

1. First, this theory does not explain the post-resurrection appearances, and it is spurious to think that such a simple mistake would have led a first-century Jew to think a resurrection had happened.
2. In light of the early evidence that is available concerning the location of Jesus’ tomb, it is almost impossible that the women would have confused its location.
3. This hypothesis emphasizes that the caretaker of the tomb said that Christ was not there, but it passes over the next phrase: “He is risen!”

Fourth, some propose the displaced body hypothesis to explain Jesus’ resurrection. This theory says Joseph of Arimathea placed Jesus’ body in his own tomb but later moved it to the criminal’s graveyard. The disciples were not aware that Jesus’ body had been moved and therefore wrongly inferred that he had risen from the dead.
Because of the spurious nature of this theory, virtually no modern scholars hold to it:

1. This theory cannot account for the post-resurrection appearances of Christ or the origin of the Christian faith.
2. It is uncertain why Joseph would not have corrected the error of the disciples by simply showing them where he had moved the body of Jesus.
3. The criminal graveyard, most likely, was quite close to the crucifixion site, so it would have made little sense why Joseph would not have simply buried Jesus there in the first place. In fact, it was against Jewish law to allow a body to be moved after it had already been buried.

In light of these failed hypotheses that attempt to disprove the resurrection, the person who wishes to deny the resurrection of Christ is left with the unexplained mystery of the empty tomb that existed three days after his death.

A Kingdom Not of this World

33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. 39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

     As we have entered into Holy Week, we should be continually drawn into the passion narratives in the Gospels. I've always been intrigued by Jesus being on trial before Pontius Pilate. The Roman governor asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews... Probably a tongue in cheek question. I have no doubt Pilate took part in mocking Jesus.. at least until his interrogation led him nowhere. "I find no guilt in Him."  If he was convinced Jesus was innocent, why did he have Him beaten? His political maneuvering is evident to all. He had to keep the Jewish leaders happy. He still tries to make an exchange.. Barabbas would surely deserve the punishment. He was a bad guy.. Jesus was a good guy. Certainly these people were not THAT determined for Jesus to die.. were they?  Unbelievably, when given a choice as to which prisoner would go free they chose Barabbas. None of this catches God by surprise... He planned this long ago. Jesus would die for sinners. The illustration is obvious... WE are Barabbas. We are the bad guys. We deserve death as much as Barabbas did. We're the criminals... Just as Jesus took Barabbas' place, He takes our place as well. The innocent dies for the guilty.  This theme runs throughout the Bible. Only God would come up with this plan. 

    Something else is important in this narrative: Pilate asks about truth .. What does this mean? The truth that Jesus testifies to is the truth about Himself . He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). Pilate asks this question, but does He really want to know? ... Jesus is an inconvenient truth to Pilate... And to all who refuse to believe Who He is. He's the substitute for sinners. Pilate and all other unbelievers don't see this...That's the greatest truth in the world... Jesus died for sinners... Are YOU one?  

The Resurrection Changes Everything

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.  Revelation 1: 17 - 18 
Jesus is : 
1) "The first and the last"  (Alpha and Omega - Rev. 1:8) - He is eternal.. past, present, future. There has never been a time when He hasn't "been" -  "Before Abraham was 'I Am' " .  -  I Am is the name God used when He revealed Himself to Moses. 


2) " The Living One" - He is the Author of life, the bread of life, the resurrection 
and the life.  Our very existence is dependent on Him. 

3) " He died and is alive evermore"  - He rose from the dead to NEVER die again... everyone else who was raised from the dead, rose only to die again. 


4) He has the keys of Death and Hades"  - His resurrection conquered death, which is the wages of sin.. Our sin demands our death. - Romans 6:23 -  By Christ dying in our place, we died with Him and rose with Him - Ephesians 2: 4 - 6 . Hades is the place of the dead.... He holds the keys to who gets into the kingdom of God and who doesn't.

The resurrection changes everything... If Jesus did not rise from the dead we 
have no hope - 1 Corinthians 15: 12 - 17. 


BUT! ... Jesus HAS risen from the dead.... Our response to this truth should be the same as John's response at the revelation of Christ. He fell at His feet as though he was  dead - So should we!  We should fall dead at His feet, offering our life in order to have His.  


"No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From a life?s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand"
        - From "In Christ Alone" - words and music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend

Are These the End Times?

(ABP) -- Japan's prime minister calls the March 11 earthquake and tsunami his country's worst crisis since World War II. More than 12,000 are dead or missing, a number which will continue to grow. Nuclear reactors have been damaged catastrophically. It will take years for the world's third-largest economy to recover fully.
Add the tragedy in Japan to the ongoing revolution in the Arab world and global economic distress, and people begin asking if these are the "end times." What did Jesus predict? Are his prophecies coming to fulfillment in our day?
It was Tuesday of Holy Week. After Jesus predicted the destruction of Herod's massive temple (Matthew 24:1-2), his disciples asked him, "what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (v. 3). Jesus responded with six "signs," each of which has been fulfilled to a remarkable degree in the last century:
False religions would "deceive many" (v. 5). The 20th century witnessed a significant rise in the popularity of world religions and alternative spiritualities.
"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars" (v. 6). More than 39 million people died in World War I, 51 million in World War II, and 16 million in the 150 wars since. The 20th century was the bloodiest in history.
"There will be famines" (v. 7). More than 70 million people died in famines during the 20th century, the most ever.
"There will be earthquakes" (v. 7). The National Earthquake Information Center tells us that the number of quakes is not increasing today, but they are far more catastrophic as populations in earthquake zones escalate.
"You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death" (v. 9). More than 25 million Christians died for their faith in the first 19 centuries after Christ; more than 45 million have died for Jesus in the 20th century.
"This gospel of the kingdom must be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (v. 14). Communication technology will soon make it possible to reach the entire planet's population with the gospel.
Do these facts indicate that we are in the "end times"? Yes and no.
Jesus was clear: "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (v. 36). No human should claim to know more than Jesus. The Lord could delay his return by a decade, a century, or a millennium. At the same time, Jesus taught us to be prepared for him to return today: "keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come" (Matthew 24:42). We are one day closer to eternity than ever before in human history.
In biblical terms, we have been living in the "last days" for 20 centuries. According to the Jewish worldview, the "former days" would precede the Messiah; the "last days" would follow his ministry on earth. And so John could write, "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour" (1 John 2:18).
For 20 centuries, Christians have been awaiting our Lord's return. If we live each day as though it were our last, one day we'll be right. And each day we'll make Jesus our Lord and King.
Consider one of my favorite paragraphs by C. S. Lewis:
 "The Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown in'; aim at earth and you will get neither."

At what are you aiming today?
- Jim Denton, Associated Baptist Press