CONSIDERING GRACE!

“Abortion is as American as Apple Pie” — The Culture of Death Finds a Voice!

2012-01-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

Abortion is now one of America’s most common surgical procedures performed on adults. As many as one out of three women will have at least one abortion. In some American neighborhoods, the number of abortions far exceeds the number of live births.

Most Americans will pay little attention to the 39th anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wadedecision. In 1973, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that a woman has a constitutional right to arrange the killing of the unborn life within her. Since that decision was handed down, more than 50 million babies have been aborted, at a rate of over 3,000 each day.

One of the most chilling aspects of all this is the sense of normalcy in American life. Abortion statistics pile up from year to year, and each report gets filed. Moral sentiment on the issue of abortion has shifted discernibly in recent years, as ultrasound images and other technologies deliver unquestionable proof that the unborn child is just that — a child. Nevertheless, the larger picture of abortion in America is basically unchanged.

A middle position would require pro-lifers to accept that the deaths of some unborn children are acceptable, and abortion rights activists to accept that some decisions for abortion are wrong. Given the logic of their positions, there is no means of compromise.

In recent years, some on the pro-choice side of the controversy have called for abortion proponents to use language indicating that abortion is a painful and wrenching, but sometimes necessary procedure, and to accept that some reasons for abortion are just not sufficient. Nevertheless, this is received as a call for treason within the abortion rights movement, and these voices are regularly sidelined.

At the same time, there has been an effort to protect abortion with euphemism and evasion. Abortion rights activists speak of being pro-choice, not pro-abortion. The unborn child is reduced to a fetus, or a bundle of cells. Abortion clinics are described as women’s health centers.

There are some abortion activists who will not join that bandwagon. With chilling candor, they defend abortion as abortion, they defend the decision to abort as a morally superior decision, and they lament the evasiveness of their colleagues in the abortion rights movement.

Just recently, Merle Hoffman, a major voice in the abortion rights movement and founder of Choices, a major center for abortions in New York City, has written a memoir, Intimate Wars. In telling her story, Hoffman calls for her colleagues in the abortion industrial complex to defend abortion as a moral choice.

Abortion is the ultimate act of empowering women, she argues. “The act of abortion positions women at their most powerful, and that is why it is so strongly opposed by many in society,” she asserts.

A central portion of her memoir deals with the abortion rights movement’s attempt to defend abortion in the face of pro-life arguments that the fetus has a right to life.

“The pro-choice movement had to find a way to navigate these narratives,” she explains. “The simplest option was to negate the claims of the opposition. And so many pro-choice advocates claimed that the fetus was not alive, and that abortion was not the act of terminating it. They chose to de-personalize the fetus, to see it as amorphous residue, to say that it was only ‘blood and tissue.’”

As she explains, the pro-life movement thought that, if women really knew what abortion was — the killing of an unborn human being — they would decide to keep their babies. She rejects the argument.

Hoffman argues that women do know what an abortion is. Abortion does stop a beating heart and that it is not “just like an appendectomy.” Her conclusion is that women know that abortion is “the termination of potential life.”

She then makes this statement:

“They knew it, but my patients who made the choice to have an abortion also knew they were making the right one, a decision so vital it was worth stopping that heart. Sometimes they felt a great sense of loss of possibility. In the majority of cases, they felt a great sense of relief and the power that comes from taking responsibility for one’s own life.”

Rarely do we see abortion defended in such unvarnished terms — “a decision so vital it was worth stopping that heart.” Merle Hoffman goes on to explain how she can speak of abortion so directly. She has, she tells us, no conception that life is sacred.

“Abortion is as American as apple pie.” Hoffman made that statement in a recent interview about her book. She laments that abortion is the cause of shame in some women and that shame attaches itself to abortion in the larger culture, even now. In her view, if women would start talking more honestly and directly about their abortions, the shame would be removed and women would discuss their abortions like they speak of “a bikini wax.”

Is Merle Hoffman right? Is abortion “as American as apple pie?” To our great shame, she has a right to make that claim. How can it be refuted when abortion on demand has been legal in this country for almost forty years, when one out of three American women will have an abortion, when within some communities far more babies die by abortion than are born?

In Merle Hoffman, the Culture of Death has found a new voice. Almost forty years after Roe v. Wade, abortion remains a central part of the nation’s moral landscape. Over 50 million unborn children have been aborted within the span of just one generation.

A titanic clash of absolutes is taking place in full view, and this clash indicates just how much work remains to be done in the great effort to protect the dignity of every single human life. As those who contend for the sanctity and dignity of each human life try to reach the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens, others are at work as well. If they have their way, Americans will one day openly speak of abortion as nothing more shameful than a bikini wax.

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.,

The Goal of God's Love May Not Be What You Think It Is!

2011-12-20T18:16:00.000-08:00

Do people go to the Grand Canyon to increase their self-esteem? Probably not. This is, at least, a hint that the deepest joys in life come not from savoring the self, but from seeing splendor. And in the end even the Grand Canyon will not do. We were made to enjoy God.

We are all bent to believe that we are central in the universe. How shall we be cured of this joy-destroying disease? Perhaps by hearing afresh how radically God-centered reality is according to the Bible.

Both the Old and New Testament tell us that God's loving us is a means to our glorifying him. "Christ became a servant ... in order that the nations might glorify God for his mercy" (Romans 15:8-9). God has been merciful to us so that we would magnify him. We see it again in the words, "In love [God] destined us to adoption ... to the praise of the glory of His grace" (Ephesians 1:4-6). In other words, the goal of God's loving us is that we might praise him. One more illustration from Psalm 86:12-13: "I will glorify your name forever. For your lovingkindness toward me is great." God's love is the ground. His glory is the goal.

This is shocking. The love of God is not God's making much of us, but God's saving us from self-centeredness so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. And our love to others is not our making much of them, but helping them to find satisfaction in making much of God. True love aims at satisfying people in the glory of God. Any love that terminates on man is eventually destructive. It does not lead people to the only lasting joy, namely, God. Love must be God-centered, or it is not true love; it leaves people without their final hope of joy.

Take the cross of Christ, for example. The death of Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of divine love: "God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Yet the Bible also says that the aim of the death of Christ was "to demonstrate [God's] righteousness, because in the forbearance of God he passed over the sins previously committed" (Romans 3:25). Passing over sins creates a huge problem for the righteousness of God. It makes him look like a judge who lets criminals go free without punishment. In other words, the mercy of God puts the justice of God in jeopardy.

So to vindicate his justice he does the unthinkable – he puts his Son to death as the substitute penalty for our sins. The cross makes it plain to everyone that God does not sweep evil under the rug of the universe. He punishes it in Jesus for those who believe.

But notice that this ultimately loving act has at the center of it the vindication of the righteousness of God. Good Friday love is God-glorifying love. God exalts God at the cross. If he didn't, he could not be just and rescue us from sin. But it is a mistake to say, "Well, if the aim was to rescue us, then we were the ultimate goal of the cross." No, we were rescued from sin in order that we might see and savor the glory of God. This is the ultimately loving aim of Christ's death. He did not die to make much of us, but to free us to enjoy making much of God forever.

It is profoundly wrong to turn the cross into a proof that self-esteem is the root of mental health. If I stand before the love of God and do not feel a healthy, satisfying, freeing joy unless I turn that love into an echo of my self-esteem, then I am like a man who stands before the Grand Canyon and feels no satisfying wonder until he translates the canyon into a case for his own significance. That is not the presence of mental health, but bondage to self.

The cure for this bondage is to see that God is the one being in the universe for whom self-exaltation is the most loving act. In exalting himself – Grand Canyon-like – he gets the glory and we get the joy. The greatest news in all the world is that there is no final conflict between my passion for joy and God's passion for his glory. The knot that ties these together is the truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Jesus Christ died and rose again to forgive the treason of our souls, which have turned from savoring God to savoring self. In the cross of Christ, God rescues us from the house of mirrors and leads us out to the mountains and canyons of his majesty. Nothing satisfies us – or magnifies him – more. John Piper

May the glory of our God strengthen our hearts to treasure Him above all!!

Made Willing In The day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

A MONSTER DRINK FOR THE CHRISTIAN!

2011-11-26T17:48:00.000-08:00

1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Dear lover of Jesus in war,

The clarion call for every true disciple of Jesus is to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord! Our lives as born again believers is and unimaginable fight against remaining sin and the Love of this world- that is the predominant way this world basis their thinking.

Our hope is in the gospel alone! The foundation of all that we say and do is built upon the rock solid inspired God-breathed word of God. The Bible is the infallible Word of God with "Supreme Authority in All Matters of Faith and Conduct.

Dear Christian we are in a war! Our everlasting souls stand before eternity and so with that reality staring us right in the face the question that we must ask ourselves is—are we leaning on our own understanding concerning the meaning of life, or are we banking all our hope on the way this world says we should live in matters of faith and conduct? My hope for myself and all who read this exhortation is that with all that we have within us we are trusting in Jesus to whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Pro 3-23) (Col 2:3)

This is a question we must ask ourselves daily if not every minute. We do not have the luxury to be at ease with the philosophy of this present age or playing with sin as if it’s trivial. “We must be killing sin or sin will be killing us” John Owen. We must passionately fight against the tide to give in because the majority of Americans hold to this way of thinking and belief system. The system that places its hope in man or Government, its view of life, sexual orientation, etc… apart from the Bible.

And yes believe it or not this verse in our Bibles 1 John 2:15-17 stop loving the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

True Christianity will always be hated by this world. The proof lies in the realty of the blood stained cross. There were only a small group of people who followed Jesus and most tried to stone Him because Jesus never beat around the bush when it came to calling out sin or sinners whether religious or unconverted. Moreover, in the early Church, and in modern places like Sudan, China, Pakistan, etc.. Those who herald the truth of the gospel with unclenching determination to their risen lord you’ll find out their endings are not a bed of roses but martyrdom.

Why is this? The Bible is as clear as the nose upon our faces. The hearts of all men are born with a horrific debilitating disease called sin. This disease affects the whole of man. We are fallen creatures and right out of the womb there is an innate desire to sin and not only to sin but to love our sin! (Ps 51:5)

The man born with this disease will never love the Jesus of the Bible or His glorious gospel unless they are rescued by sovereign grace and the dominion and slavery of sin is broken by the High Sherriff of heaven, Jesus Himself!!!! (John 6:44-45) (John 1:12-13). God’s word is clear. The carnal mind is at enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. (Rom 8:7). Mankind is born spiritually dead and apart from saving grace our spiritual discernment is absolutely bankrupt! 1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

So, whatever we may do, we must not follow our hearts nor the philosophies of this present age because the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jer 17:9).

My burden for writing this exhortation is because when I look around at modern evangelicalism it is a downright embarrassment. Who would want to a Christian when we look and act so much like the world! We stand with our Bibles in our hands and raise our hands in our worship services and we cry Holy, Holy, Holy, but in reality there is no resemblance to holiness according to Jesus! It all looks like a charade to those outside!

We are shocked at the sexual destruction that plagues our society. We are shocked by the failure of marriages and homes. We are shocked by the rampant realty of gossip, lying, stealing etc, yet we eat it up on our televisions but we chalked it up to “it’s just entertainment”. We boast that we are pop culture junkies but what we can’t boast in is in Holiness because our lives drip of downright hypocrisy!

Every Christian is called to peruse holiness. (2Cor 7:1) (Eph 4:22-24) (1Thess 3:13, 4:4,7) (2 Pet 3:11) The gospel evangelist to the Hebrews even proclaims “that without holiness no one will see the Lord” and yet we play around with sin because it’s just entertainment while the world laughs at us and perishes in their sin. (Heb 13:8)

Where are the men and women of courage? Who will stand and take the battle right into the face of our enemy and confront the philosophies and passing pleasures of this world for what they really are—fool’s gold!!!

Where are those who will stand with the apostle Paul and say Philippians 3:8-10 indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

Satan’s ultimate desire is the obliteration of Biblical Christianity (John 8:44) (1John 3:8). Our stance upon the old truths of God’s eternal word will never be popular. Liberal theology, denial of the inerrancy of scriptures, Atheism boasting in there made up religion of self worship. Gainsayers mocking true Disciples of Christ and playing fast and loose with certain text of scriptures to prove or pacify there indulgences in sin etc..

Whatever the cost may be to be courageous for the gospel, remember it is always better to obey Jesus than man! (Acts 5:29). Remember we live in a crooked and perverse generation so contend for the faith by looking unto Jesus. (Phil 2:15) Regardless of the persecution that will arise if you take action remember the inspired words of Paul in 2 Timothy 3:12 ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Be prepared to meet great opposition but nevertheless don’t hesitate to share the truth of God’s glorious gospel for it is the only power to raise sinners from the dead and break the bondage of sin. Jesus said it very plainly in Matthew 10:34-40 ³⁴ " Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; ³⁶ "and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' ³⁷ "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. ⁴⁰ " He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

Remember, be gospel centered! Everything we do and say must find its focal point at the cross. Keep the plain things the main things. It’s easy to get hung up on the symptoms of sin whether it’s homosexuality, fornication, abortion, lying, stealing etc.. The bottom line is that Jesus has come to destroy the works of Satan and to completely abolish the oppression of reigning sin! (1 John 3:8)

Our hope is the gospel! The main thing is that men women, boys and girls need new hearts! We must be born again! (John 3:3) Oh! And bless God through the gospel He works a miracle of grace and transforms our hearts out of darkness and into His marvelous light! So, be courageous for the truth and tackle the monster called sin by the strength of the cross. And may our Great God be pleased to use us in gospel ministry to see heart transplants that even we received and experienced at the foot of the cross!!

I hope that when our day comes to stand before the lord Jesus we can say with a joyful confidence 2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, i have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Striving with you my friends in the fight for our souls and the gospel!

Casey Kirkman

“Godly sorrow brings repentance”

2011-11-23T16:55:00.000-08:00

"Godly sorrow brings repentance."

2 Corinthians 7:10 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Genuine, spiritual mourning for sin is the work of the Spirit of God. Repentance is too choice a flower to grow in nature's garden. Pearls grow naturally in oysters, but penitence never shows itself in sinners except divine grace works it in them. If thou hast one particle of real hatred for sin, God must have given it thee, for human nature's thorns never produced a single fig. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh."

True repentance has a distinct reference to the Saviour. When we repent of sin, we must have one eye upon sin and another upon the cross, or it will be better still if we fix both our eyes upon Christ and see our transgressions only, in the light of His love.

True sorrow for sin is eminently practical. No man may say he hates sin, if he lives in it. Repentance makes us see the evil of sin, not merely as a theory, but experimentally--as a burnt child dreads fire. We shall be as much afraid of it, as a man who has lately been stopped and robbed is afraid of the thief upon the highway; and we shall shun it--shun it in everything--not in great things only, but in little things, as men shun little vipers as well as great snakes. True mourning for sin will make us very jealous over our tongue, lest it should say a wrong word; we shall be very watchful over our daily actions, lest in anything we offend, and each night we shall close the day with painful confessions of shortcoming, and each morning awaken with anxious prayers, that this day God would hold us up that we may not sin against Him.

Sincere repentance is continual. Believers repent until their dying day. This dropping well is not intermittent. Every other sorrow yields to time, but this dear sorrow grows with our growth, and it is so sweet a bitter, that we thank God we are permitted to enjoy and to suffer it until we enter our eternal rest. Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

For a great sermon upon what biblical grief look likes you can read Spurgeon's sermon upon this subject here-- http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols46-48/chs2691.pdf

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

WHAT IS TRUE REPENTANCE?

2011-10-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

Mark 1:15 "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

We live in a day when most of modern Christianity is viewed as a scam. So many professed believers proclaiming love for Jesus and yet they are still wedded to this present world. Many professed believers in Christ professed to be saved but they have no idea what they are really saved from. Christianity in America is a million miles wide but only an inch thick!!!

I was reading Spurgeon and came across these very sobering words on repentance. So, as you read through these words from Spurgeon ask the Lord as the Psalmist did in Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. Indeed this very uncommon in the day in which we live but it's Biblical. May Jesus convict, instruct, and comfort us as we long for that glorious day when we will never have to repent again!!!

"There must be a true and actual abandonment of sin and a turning unto righteousness in real act and deed in every day life. Repentance, to be sure, must be entire. How many will say, Sir, I will renounce this sin and the other...but there are certain darling lusts which I must keep and hold? Oh, sirs, in God's name let me tell you, it is not the giving up of one sin, nor 50 sins which is true repentance. It is the solemn renunciation of every sin. If thou dost harbor one of those accursed vipers in thy heart and dost give up every other, that one lust like one leak in a ship will sink thy soul. Think it not sufficient to give up thy outward vices, fancy it not enough to cut off the more corrupt sins of thy life, it is all or none which God demands. Repent, says He, and when He bids you repent, He means repent of all thy sins otherwise He can never accept thy repentance as real and genuine. All sin must be given up or else you will never have Christ. All transgression must be renounced or else the gates of heaven must be barred against you. Let us remember then that for repentance to be sincere, it must be entire repentance. True repentance is a turning of the heart as well as of the life. It is the giving up of the whole soul to God to be His forever and ever. It is the renunciation of the sins of the heart as well as the crimes of the life."

Made Willing In The Day Of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT TO LIVE BY FAITH TODAY!

2011-09-05T07:52:00.000-07:00

Living by faith.

Galatians 3:11

Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."

"Faith is the great sustaining energy when you are under trials, difficulties, suffering, or hard labor. The Holy Spirit implants an active, operative faith in the Christian. It is sent to sustain you during trials, and it is a riddle that we cannot explain. Divine purpose eternally fixes everything; nevertheless, the prayer of faith moves the arm of God. And though the mystery cannot be explained, the facts cannot be denied.

My brothers and sisters may think me fanatical, but it is my firm belief that in ordinary matters, such as obtaining your living, educating your children, and running your household, you are to depend on God as much as in the grand matter of salvation. “The very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30), so go to God with your trifles. Not a sparrow falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will (Mathew 10:29), so throw your minor trials on the Lord. Never think that anything is too little for your heavenly Father’s love. He who rides the whirlwind (Is.65:15) also walks in the garden in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8). He who shakes the avalanche from its mountain (Ps. 46:3) also makes the autumn leaf twinkle as it falls from the aspen. “He has stretched out the heavens by His understanding” (Jer. 51:15). He guides each grain of dust that is blown from the summer’s threshing floor.

Confide in Him for the little as well as for the great. You will find that He does not fail. He is the God of the hills as well as the God of the valleys." C.H. Spurgeon

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

What is the Gospel?

2011-08-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

What is the Gospel? by C. J. Mahaney

1) What is the gospel?

"No question is more important, and biblical clarity in response to this question is critical. Sadly, confusion about the gospel is quite common among professing evangelicals today. I find Graeme Goldsworthy’s comment all too relevant: “The main message of the Bible about Jesus Christ can easily become mixed with all sorts of things that are related to it. We see this in the way people define or preach the gospel. But it is important to keep the gospel itself clearly distinct from our response to it or from the results of it in our lives and in the world.” So here is my attempt to heed the counsel of Dr. Goldsworthy and keep the gospel “clearly distinct.”

The following definition of the gospel, provided by Jeff Purswell, the Dean of our Pastors College, seeks to capture the substance of the gospel: “The gospel is the good news of God’s saving activity in the person and work of Christ. This includes his incarnation in which he took to himself full (yet sinless) human nature; his sinless life which fulfilled the perfect law of God; his substitutionary death which paid the penalty for man’s sin and satisfied the righteous wrath of God; his resurrection demonstrating God’s satisfaction with his sacrifice; and his glorification and ascension to the right hand of the Father where he now reigns and intercedes for the church.

“Such news is specific: there is a defined ‘thatness’ to the gospel which sets forth the content of both our saving faith and our proclamation. It is objective, and not to be confused with our response. It is sufficient: we can add nothing to what Christ has accomplished for us--it falls to us simply to believe this news, turning from our sins and receiving by faith all that God has done for us in Christ.”

I find this definition of the gospel faithful to the presentation of the four Gospels—they present the person and work of Christ as the good news. In the Apostle Paul’s concise summation of the gospel, he focuses more particularly on Christ’s death and resurrection as the core of his proclamation:

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures….” 1 Cor 15:3-4

Focusing more specifically still, the apostle encapsulates the work of Christ by focusing on the cross: “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Cor. 2:2

So that is the gospel: God’s saving work in and through Christ. And the cross is the pinnacle of that work. Knox Chamblin helpfully notes this emphasis in Paul’s writing and ministry: “His gospel is ‘the word of the cross’ (1 Cor. 1:17-18); nowhere is there a comparable reference to ‘the word of the resurrection.’ In I Corinthians 1:23-24 it is ‘Christ crucified’ who is identified as ‘the power of God and the wisdom of God,’ not as we might have expected (especially in the case of ‘power’), Christ resurrected…. Both the cross and the resurrection are ‘of first importance’ in Paul’s gospel (I Cor. 15:3-4). Unless Christ has risen from the dead, the preaching of the cross (and of the resurrection) is a waste of time (15:14); but once the resurrection has occurred, the cross remains central.”

And the centrality of the cross isn’t temporary. The cross remains on center stage even when we receive a glimpse of eternity in the New Testament’s final book: “One is taken aback by the emphasis upon the Cross in Revelation. Heaven does not ‘get over’ the cross, as if there are better things to think about; heaven is not only Christ-centered, but cross-centered, and quite blaring about it.” Jim Elliff

There is nothing more important than getting the gospel right. Years ago, John Stott made the following frightening observation of the evangelical church when he wrote, “All around us we see Christians relaxing their grasp on the gospel, fumbling it, and in danger of letting it drop from their hands altogether.”

May the Lord help us to be richly planted in the gospel!

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

3 Simple Rules For Listening to a Sermon!

2011-08-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

It is not enough that we go to Church and hear sermons. We may do so for fifty years, and be nothing better, but rather worse. “Take heed,” says our Lord, “how you hear.” Would any one know how to hear properly? Then let them lay to heartthree simple rules.

1) We must hear with FAITH, believing implicitly that every word of God is true, and shall stand. The word in old time did not profit the Jews, since it was “not mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Heb. 4:2).

2) We must hear with REVERENCE, remembering constantly that the Bible is the book of God. This was the habit of the Thessalonians. They received Paul’s message, “not as the word of men, but the word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13).

3) We must bear with PRAYER, praying for God’s blessing before the sermon is preached, praying for God’s blessing again when the sermon is over. Here lies the grand defect of the hearing of many. They ask no blessing, and so they have none. The sermon passes through their minds like water through a leaky vessel, and leaves nothing behind.

► Summary:

Let us bear these rules in mind every Sunday morning, before we go to hear the Word of God preached. Let us not rush into God’s presence careless, reckless, and unprepared, as if it mattered not in what way such work was done. Let us carry with us faith, reverence, and prayer. If these three are our companions, we will hear with profit, and return with praise.~ J.C. Ryle

Made Willing In The Day Of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

PRAYING FOR THOSE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST!

2011-07-27T05:40:00.000-07:00

Dear friend, I don't believe their can anything more heartbreaking than to have a loved one or a close friend who is not a Christian. Many of us feel deeply with the apostle Paul when he said in Romans 9:3 "For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh."

We feel helpless because we can't make them believe! We must trust in the tender mercies of God to work in their heart to show them their desperate need of His Son. But in the meantime we have lot's of work to do. Just because God is the author of salvation that doesn't mean we have no work to do. We have lot's of work to do and our heavenly Father bid's us to work with dividends of eternal worth!

God has chosen to use human instruments to bring about His saving work in the heart of sinners. The gospel truth must be at the heart of this endeavor! No need to shave off the rough edges or candy coat the gospel message for God has promised to bless our endeavors if it is accompanied by his truth.

So while we trust God to bless His truth we must remain vigilant in holiness, godliness, faithfulness, love and many good works. Yet, I've left off till last the most important aspect of our work that we must be engaged in if we are to see sinners saved and that is prayer! So much can be said but let me leave you with these words from Mr. Spurgeon to help fuel our hearts in seeing sinners saved!!!

"We ought to make it a rule of our life to bear the sorrows of other people. If sinners will not repent, we cannot repent for them. If they will not believe, we cannot believe for them. True religion can never be a matter of sponsorship, but we can do this for sinners—we can say to the Lord, “O Lord, these sinners will not feel their sin, but we feel it! It grieves us and cuts us to the heart! O Lord, will You not give them repentance? Will You not cause these sinners to believe in You? We confess their iniquity before You, for we know the guiltiness of their hearts in rejecting You. We weep and mourn that they will not admire Your beauty and will not yield their hearts to You, but, dear Savior, do win their hearts in answer to our prayer. They are far away from God by their wicked works—bring them nearby Your precious blood.” That is what I mean. And if

you can do this, appropriating, as it were, the sins and sorrows of mankind to yourself, you will be showing your sympathy with them in the best possible way."

May Christ give us the strength in this most noble endeavor!

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

The Immutability of God!

2011-07-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

The Attributes of God
by A.W. Pink

The Immutability of God

This is one of the Divine perfections which is not sufficiently pondered. It is one of the excellencies of the Creator which distinguishes Him from all His creatures. God is perpetually the same: subject to no change in His being, attributes, or determinations. Therefore God is compared to a rock (Deut 32:4, etc.) which remains immovable, when the entire ocean surrounding it is continually in a fluctuating state; even so, though all creatures are subject to change, God is immutable. Because God has no beginning and no ending, He can know no change. He is everlastingly "the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (Jas. 1:17).

First, God is immutable in His essence. His nature and being are infinite, and so, subject to no mutations. There never was a time when He was not; there never will come a time when He shall cease to be. God has neither evolved, grown, nor improved. All that He is today, He has ever been, and ever will be. "I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal. 3:6) is His own unqualified affirmation. He cannot change for the better, for He is already perfect; and being perfect, He cannot change for the worse. Altogether unaffected by anything outside Himself, improvement or deterioration is impossible. He is perpetually the same. He only can say, "I am that I am" (Ex. 3:14). He is altogether uninfluenced by the flight of time. There is no wrinkle upon the brow of eternity. Therefore His power can never diminish nor His glory ever fade.

Secondly, God is immutable in His attributes. Whatever the attributes of God were before the universe was called into existence, they are precisely the same now, and will remain so forever. Necessarily so; for they are the very perfections, the essential qualities of His being. Semper idem (always the same) is written across every one of them. His power is unabated, His wisdom undiminished, His holiness unsullied. The attributes of God can no more change than Deity can cease to be. His veracity is immutable, for His Word is "forever settled in heaven" (Ps. 119:89). His love is eternal: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love" (Jer. 31:3) and "Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end" (John 13:1). His mercy ceases not, for it is "everlasting" (Ps. 100:5).

Thirdly, God is immutable in His counsel. His will never varies. Perhaps some are ready to object that we ought to read the following: "And it repented the Lord that He had made man" (Gen. 6:6). Our first reply is, Then do the Scriptures contradict themselves? No, that cannot be. Numbers 23:19 is plain enough: "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent." So also in 1 Samuel 15:19, "The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for He is not a man, that He should repent." The explanation is very simple. When speaking of Himself. God frequently accommodates His language to our limited capacities. He describes Himself as clothed with bodily members, as eyes, ears, hands, etc. He speaks of Himself as "waking" (Ps. 78:65), as "rising early" (Jer. 7:13); yet He neither slumbers nor sleeps. When He institutes a change in His dealings with men, He describes His course of conduct as "repenting."

Yes, God is immutable in His counsel. "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Rom. 11:29). It must be so, for "He is in one mind, and who can turn Him? and what His soul desireth, even that He doeth" (Job 23:13). Change and decay in all around we see, may He who changeth not abide with thee. God’s purpose never alters. One of two things causes a man to change his mind and reverse his plans: want of foresight to anticipate everything, or lack of power to execute them. But as God is both omniscient and omnipotent there is never any need for Him to revise His decrees. No. "The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations" (Ps. 33:11). Therefore do we read of "the immutability of His counsel" (Heb. 6:17).

Herein we may perceive the infinite distance which separates the highest creature from the Creator. Creaturehood and mutability are correlative terms. If the creature was not mutable by nature, it would not be a creature; it would be God. By nature we tend to nothing, as we came from nothing. Nothing stays our annihilation but the will and sustaining power of God. None can sustain himself a single moment. We are entirely dependent on the Creator for every breath we draw. We gladly own with the Psalmist Thou "holdest our soul in life" (Ps. 66:9). The realization of this ought to make us lie down under a sense of our own nothingness in the presence of Him "in Whom we live and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

As fallen creatures we are not only mutable, but everything in us is opposed to God. As such we are "wandering stars" (Jude 13), out of our proper orbit. The wicked are "like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest" (Isa. 57:20). Fallen man is inconstant. The words of Jacob concerning Reuben apply with full force to all of Adam’s descendants: "unstable as water" (Gen. 49:4). Thus it is not only a mark of piety, but also the part of wisdom to heed that injunction, "cease ye from man" (Isa. 2:22). No human being is to be depended on. "Put not your trust in princes, in the son of man, in whom is no help" (Ps. 146:3). If I disobey God, then I deserve to be deceived and disappointed by my fellows. People who like you today, may hate you tomorrow. The multitude who cried "Hosanna to the Son of David," speedily changed to "Away with Him, Crucify Him."

Herein is solid comfort. Human nature cannot be relied upon; but God can! However unstable I may be, however fickle my friends may prove, God changes not. If He varied as we do, if He willed one thing today and another tomorrow, if He were controlled by caprice, who could confide in Him? But, all praise to His glorious name, He is ever the same. His purpose is fixed, His will stable, His word is sure. Here then is a rock on which we may fix our feet, while the mighty torrent is sweeping away everything around us. The permanence of God’s character guarantees the fulfillment of His promises: "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee" (Isa. 54:10).

Herein is encouragement to prayer: "What comfort would it be to pray to a god that, like the chameleon, changed color every moment? Who would put up a petition to an earthly prince that was so mutable as to grant a petition one day, and deny it another?" (S. Charnock, 1670). Should someone ask, But what is the use of praying to One whose will is already fixed? We answer, Because He so requires it. What blessings has God promised without our seeking them? "If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us" (1 John 5:14), and He has willed everything that is for His child’s good. To ask for anything contrary to His will is not prayer, but rank rebellion.

Herein is terror for the wicked. Those who defy Him, break His laws, have no concern for His glory, but live their lives as though He existed not, must not suppose that, when at the last they shall cry to Him for mercy, He will alter His will, revoke His word, and rescind His awful threatenings. No, He has declared, "Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them" (Ezek. 8:18). God will not deny Himself to gratify their lusts. God is holy, unchangingly so. Therefore God hates sin, eternally hates it. Hence the eternality of the punishment of all who die in their sins.

The Divine immutability, like the cloud which interposed between the Israelites and the Egyptian army, has a dark as well as a light side. It insures the execution of His threatenings, as well as the performance of His promises; and destroys the hope which the guilty fondly cherish, that He will be all lenity to His frail and erring creatures, and that they will be much more lightly dealt with than the declarations of His own Word would lead us to expect. We oppose to these deceitful and presumptuous speculations the solemn truth, that God is unchanging in veracity and purpose, in faithfulness and justice. (J. Dick, 1850).

Made Willing In The Day Of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

The Kind of Revival We Need by Charles H. Spurgeon

2011-07-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

It is good for us to draw nigh unto God in prayer. Our minds are grieved to see so little attention given to united prayer by many churches.How can we expect a blessing if we are too idle to ask for it? How can we look for a Pentecost if we never meet with one another, in one place, to wait upon the Lord? Brethren, we shall never see much change for the better in our churches till the prayer meeting occupies a higher place in the esteem of Christians.But now that we have come together, how shall we pray? Let us not degenerate into formality, or we shall be dead while we think we live. Let us not waiver through unbelief, or we shall pray in vain. Oh, for great faith with which to offer great prayers!We have been mingling praise and prayer together as a delicious compound of spices, fit to be presented upon the altar of incense through Christ our Lord; may we not at this time offer some special far-reaching petition? It is suggested to me that we pray for a true and genuine revival of religion throughout the world.

A Real and Lasting Revival

I am glad of any signs of life, even if they should be feverish and transient, and I am slow to judge any well intended movement, but I am very fearful that many so called revivals in the long run wrought more harm than good. A species of religious gambling has fascinated many men, and given them a distaste for the sober business of true godliness.But if I would nail down counterfeits upon the counter, I do not therefore undervalue true gold. Far from it. It is to be desired beyond measure that the Lord would send a real and lasting revival of spiritual life.We need a work of the Holy Spirit of a supernatural kind, putting power into the preaching of the Word, inspiring all believers with heavenly energy, and solemnly affecting the hearts of the careless, so that they turn to God and live. We would not be drunk with the wine of carnal excitement, but we would be filled with the Spirit. We would behold the fire descending from heaven in answer to the effectual fervent prayers of righteous men. Can we not entreat the Lord our God to make bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the people in this day of declension and vanity?

Old-fashioned Doctrine

We want a revival of old-fashioned doctrine. I know not a single doctrine which is not at this hour studiously undermined by those who ought to be its defenders. There is not a truth that is precious to the soul which is not now denied by those whose profession it is to proclaim it. To me it is clear that we need a revival of old-fashioned gospel preaching like that of Whitefield and Wesley.The Scriptures must be made the infallible foundation of all teaching; the ruin, redemption and regeneration of mankind must be set forth in unmistakable terms.
Personal GodlinessUrgently do we need a revival of personal godliness. This is, indeed, the secret of church prosperity. When individuals fall from their steadfastness, the church is tossed to and fro; when personal faith is steadfast, the church abides true to her Lord.It is upon the truly godly and spiritual that the future of religion depends in the hand of God. Oh, for more truly holy men, quickened and filled with the Holy Spirit, consecrated to the Lord and sanctified by His truth.Brethren, we must each one live if the church is to be alive; we must live unto God if we expect to see the pleasure of the Lord prospering in our hands. Sanctified men are the salt of society and the saviours of the race.

Domestic Religion

We deeply want a revival of domestic religion. The Christian family was the bulwark of godliness in the days of the puritans, but in these evil times hundreds of families of so-called Christians have no family worship, no restraint upon growing sons, and no wholesome instruction or discipline. How can we hope to see the kingdom of our Lord advance when His own disciples do not teach His gospel to their own children?Oh, Christian men and women, be thorough in what you do and know and teach! Let your families be trained in the fear of God and be yourselves "holiness unto the Lord"; so shall you stand like a rock amid the surging waves of error and ungodliness which rage around us.

Vigorous, Consecrated Strength

We want also a revival of vigorous, consecrated strength. I have pleaded for true piety; I now beg for one of the highest results of it. We need saints. We need gracious minds trained to a high form of spiritual life by much converse with God in solitude.Saints acquire nobility from their constant resort to the place where the Lord meets with them. There they also acquire that power in prayer which we so greatly need. Oh, that we had more men like John Knox, whose prayers were more terrible to Queen Mary than 10,000 men! Oh, that we had more Elijahs by whose faith the windows of heavens should be shut or opened!This power comes not by a sudden effort; it is the outcome of a life devoted to the God of Israel! If our life is all in public, it will be a frothy, vapoury ineffectual existence; but if we hold high converse with God in secret, we shall be mighty for good. He that is a prince with God will take high rank with men, after the true measure of nobility.Beware of being a lean-to; endeavour to rest on your own walls of real faith in the Lord Jesus. May none of us fall into a mean, poverty-stricken dependence on man! We want among us believers like those solid, substantial family mansions which stand from generation to generation as landmarks of the country; no lath-and-plaster fabrics, but edifices solidly constructed to bear all weathers, and defy time itself.Given a host of men who are steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, the glory of God's grace will be clearly manifested, not only in them, but in those round about them. The Lord send us a revival of consecrated strength, and heavenly energy!Preach by your hands if you cannot preach by your tongues. When our church members show the fruits of true godliness, we shall soon have inquiries for the tree which bears such a crop.Oh the coming together of the saints is the first part of Pentecost, and the ingathering of sinners is the second. It began with "only a prayer meeting", but it ended with a grand baptism of thousands of converts. Oh that the prayers of believers may act as lode stones to sinners! Oh that every gathering of faithful men might be a lure to attract others to Jesus! May many souls fly to Him because they see others speeding in that direction."Lord, we turn from these poor foolish procrastinators to thyself, and we plead for them with thine all-wise and gracious spirit! Lord, turn them and they shall be turned! By their conversion, pray that a true revival has commenced tonight! Let it spread through all our households, and then run from church to church till the whole of christendom shall be ablaze with a heaven-descended fire!"

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey kirkman

THE MOST NOBLE OF CAPTAINS!

2011-07-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has walked with Jesus for any length of time must confess to how wonderful a master and friend He is! Jesus is absolutely precious! He is so full of tender mercies and His faithfulness truly reaches to the Heavens. I'm not worthy in the least bit to be acquainted with Him but yet through faith in Him He has become the closest of friends.

I love Him and He has made my life worth living beyond words! I'm speechless and I truly can't find words to really express how precious my Jesus is to me. With all my heart I wish I could live for Him more, serve Him more, and give my life in what ever way for the spread of His fame and His gospel!

Jesus has been the Capitan and Savior He's promised to be. My life, my heart are His and I commend Jesus to all who do not know Him as precious.

A lot of people reject Christianity because of the Blatant hypocrisy that flows from the lives of so many professed followers Jesus. Yes, I must confess, many who profess Christ have made a mockery of His saving grace. But, nevertheless, men will always let you down. Men should never be followed but the Lord Jesus is always worthy to be followed. He has never let anyone down who in humble repentance and faith has come to Him!!

All that have come to Him must confess as the apostle Peter did in--1 Peter 2:7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious;

As I read these last words of Spurgeon that he preached my heart melted within me concerning the preciousness of Jesus. So, may the Lord encourage your heart as you consider the precious grace of our God through the Lord Jesus Christ!

The closing words of Mr. Spurgeon’s last sermon on June 7th, 1891, were characteristic of the man, as follows:

“What I have to say lastly is this: How greatly I desire that you who are not yet enlisted in my Lord’s band would come to Him because you see what a kind and gracious Lord He is.

Young men, if you could see our Captain, you would fall down on your knees and beg Him to let you enter the ranks of those who follow Him. It is heaven to serve Jesus. I am a recruiting sergeant, and I would rejoice to find a few recruits at this moment.

Every man must serve somebody: we have no choice as to that fact. Those who have no master are slaves to themselves. Depend upon it, you will either serve Satan or Christ. Either self, or the Savior. You will find sin, self, Satan, and the world to be hard masters; but if you wear the uniform of Christ, you will find Him so meek and lowly of heart that you will find rest unto your souls.

He is the most noble of captains. There never was one like Him among the greatest of princes. He is always to be found in the thickest part of the battle. When the wind blows cold He always takes the bleak side of the hill. The heaviest end of the cross lies ever on His shoulders.

These forty years and more have I served Him, blessed be His name! and I have had nothing but love from Him. I would be glad to continue yet another forty years in the same dear service here below, if so it pleased Him.

His service is life, peace, joy. Oh, that you would enter on it at once. God help you to enlist under the banner of Jesus even this day. Amen.”

- Charles Spurgeon

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

A brief encouragement to run hard for Christ glory!!!

2011-06-29T06:11:00.000-07:00

When you have thus believed, believe in Him as Man. Believe the wondrous story of His Incarnation; rely upon the testimony of the Evangelists who declare that the Infinite was robed in the Infant, that the Eternal was concealed within the Mortal; that He who was King of Heaven became a Servant of servants and the Son of Man! Believe and admire the mystery of His Incarnation, for unless you believe this, you cannot be saved.

Then, especially, if you would be saved, let your faith behold Christ in His perfect righteousness. See Him keeping the Law without blemish, obeying His Father without error, preserving His integrity without flaw. All this you are to consider as being done on your behalf. You could not keep the Law—He kept it for you. You could not obey God perfectly—His obedience stands in the place of your obedience—by it you are saved! But take care that your faith mainly fixes itself upon Christ as dying, and as dead.

View the Lamb of God as dumb before His shearers; view Him as the Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief; go withHim to Gethsemane, and behold Him sweating drops of blood. Mark, your faith has nothing to do with anything within yourself—the Object of your faith is nothing within you—but a something outside you. Believe on Him then, who on yonder tree with nailed hands and feet pours out His life for sinners!

There is the Object of your faith for Justification; not in yourself, nor in anything which the Holy Spirit has done in you, or anything He has promised to do for you, but you are to look to Christ, and to Christ Jesus alone! Then let your faith behold Christ rising from the dead. See Him—He has borne the curse, and now He receives the Justification. He dies to pay the debt; He rises that He may nail the handwriting of that discharged debt to the Cross! See Him ascending up on high, and behold Him this day pleading before the Father's Throne. He is there pleading for His people—offering up, today, His authoritative petition for all who come to God by Him! And He, as God, as Man, as living, as dying, as rising, and as reigning above—He, and He alone, is to be the Object of your faith for the pardon of sin!" C.H. Spurgeon.

Dear friends we have no reason to not give our lives for His service, for indeed He gave us His!!.. Bless be the glorious name of Jesus. May the Lord use this brief exhortation to look to Christ alone and do battle with remaining sin!!!!!!!!!

Made Willing In The day of His Power!!

Casey Kirkman

What is a Biblical Christian part 4?

2011-06-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

What is a Biblical Christian part 4?

by Albert N. Martin

4. A TRUE CHRISTIAN IS A PERSON WHO MANIFESTS IN HIS LIFE THAT HIS CLAIMS TO REPENTANCE AND FAITH ARE REAL

Paul said that he preached that men should repent and turn to God and do works meet for, answering to, consistent with, repentance [Acts 26.20]. ‘By grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God before ordained that we should walk in them’ [Eph 2.8-101. Paul says in Galatians chapter 5, that faith works by love. Wherever there is true faith in Christ there will always be implanted genuine love to Christ and where there is love to Christ there will be obedience to Christ. True faith always works by love, and what does it work? A life of obedience! ‘He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me. He that loves me not, keeps not my sayings’ [John 14.21-24]. We are not saved by loving Christ, we are saved by trusting Christ, but a trust that produces no love is not real. True faith works by love, and that which love works is not the ability to sit out on a beautiful starlight night writing poetry about how exciting it is to be a Christian. It works by causing you to go back into that home and to obey your father and your mother as the Bible tells you to do, or back to that university campus to take a stand for truth and righteousness against all the pressure of your peers. True faith makes you willing and prepared to be counted a fool and crazy, willing to be considered anachronistic, because you believe that there are eternal, unchangeable, moral and ethical standards. You are willing to believe in the sanctity of human life, and to take your stand against pre-marital sex and the murdering of babies in mothers’ wombs. For Jesus said, ‘Whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels’ [Mark 8.38]. What is a Bible Christian? Not merely one who says, ‘Oh, yes, I know I am a sinner, with a bad record and a bad heart. I know that God’s provision for sinners is in Christ and in his cross, adequate, freely offered to all, and I know it comes to all who repent and believe’. That is not enough. Do you profess to repent and believe? Then can you make that profession stick, not by a life of perfection but by a life of purposeful obedience to Jesus Christ? ‘Not everyone who says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven’, Jesus said, ‘but he who is doing the will of my Father who is in heaven’ [Matt 7.21]. In Hebrews 5.8 we read, ‘He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him’ I John 2.4, ‘He that says, I know him, and keeps not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.’

Can you make your claim to be a Christian stick from the Bible? Does your life manifest the fruits of repentance and faith? Do you possess a life of attachment to Christ, of obedience to Christ and confession of Christ? Is your behaviour marked by adherence to the ways of Christ? Not perfectly — No! every day you must pray, ‘Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who trespass against us’. But you can also say, ‘For me to live is Christ’, or

Jesus I my cross have taken
All to leave and follow thee.

The world behind me, the cross before me, I have decided to follow Jesus. That is what a true Christian is. How many of us are real Christians? I leave you to answer in the deep chambers of your own mind and heart. But, remember, answer with an answer that you will be prepared to live with for eternity. Be content with no answer but that which will find you comfortable in death and safe in the day of judgment.

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

What is a Biblical Christian part 3?

2011-06-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

What is a Biblical Christian part 3?

by Albert N. Martin

3. A BIBLE CHRISTIAN IS ONE WHO HAS WHOLEHEARTEDLY COMPLIED WITH THE DIVINE TERMS FOR APPROPRIATING THE DIVINE PROVISION

The divine terms are two — repent and believe. That is what Jesus preached, ‘At that time Jesus came preaching, Repent and believe the gospel’ [Mark 1.15, 16]. It is what Paul preached. He says, ‘I testified to Jews and Greeks wherever I went, repentance toward God, faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ’ [Acts 20.21]. This is the Gospel that Jesus told his own to preach [Luke 24.45, 46]. He opened their minds to understand the Scripture and told them it was necessary for Christ to die, and to be raised again from the dead the third day, that repentance unto remission of sins should be preached in his name among all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

What are the divine terms for obtaining the divine provision? We must repent, we must believe. Now because we have to speak in terms of one word following another, or preceding another, we must not think that this repentance is ever divorced from faith or that this faith is ever divorced from repentance. True faith is permeated with repentance, true repentance is permeated with faith. They inter-penetrate one another so that, whenever there is a true appropriation of the divine provision, there you will find a believing penitent and a penitent believer. The one will never be divorced from the other.

What is repentance? The definition of the Shorter Catechism is an excellent one: ‘Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of (that is, a laying hold of) the mercy of God in Christ, does with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavour after, new obedience’.

Repentance is the prodigal down in the far country coming to his senses. He left his father’s home because he could not stand his father’s government. Everything about his father’s will and ways irritated him. It was a constant block to following the desires of his own foul, wretched, sin-loving heart. The day came when he said he wanted what was due to him. He went into the far country. When he left he had a notion of his father, of his government and of his ways, which was entirely negative, but the Scripture tells us in Luke 15 that down in the far country he came to himself: ‘And when he came to himself he said, I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you, and am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants’. And then the Scripture says he did not sit there and think about it, and write poetry about it and send telegrams home to his Dad. It says, ‘He rose up and came to his father’. He left all those companions who were his friends in sin; he loathed and abominated and abhorred everything that belonged to that life-style. He turned his back on it. And what was it that drew him home? It was the confidence that there was a gracious father with a large heart and with the righteous rule for his happy, loving home. And he said, ‘I will arise and go to my father’. He did not send a telegram saying, ‘Dad, things are getting rough down here; my conscience is giving me fits at night; won’t you send me some money to help me out and come and pay me a visit and make me feel good?’ Not at all! He did not need just to feel good, he needed to become good. And he left the far country. It is a beautiful stroke in our Lord’s picture when he says, ‘While he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran, and threw his arms around him and kissed him’. The prodigal did not come strutting up to his father, talking about making a decision to come home. There is a notion that people can come strutting into enquiry rooms and pray their little prayer and so do God a favour by making their decision. This has no more to do with conversion than my name is ‘Abraham Lincoln’. True repentance involves recognizing that I have sinned against the God of heaven, who is great and gracious, holy and loving, and that I am not worthy to be called his son. And yet, when I am prepared to leave my sin, to turn my back upon it and to come back haltingly, wondering if indeed there can be mercy for me, then — wonder of wonders! — the Father meets me, and throws the arms of reconciling love and mercy about me. I say it, not in a sentimental way but in all truth, he smothers repenting sinners in forgiving and redemptive love.

But note, the father did not throw his arms around the Prodigal when he was still in the hogpens and in the arms of harlots. Do I speak to some whose hearts are wedded to the world, who love the world’s ways? Perhaps in your personal life, or in relationship to your parents, or in your social life where you take so lightly the sanctity of the body, you show what you are. Maybe some of you are involved in fornication, in heavy petting, involved in looking at the kind of stuff on television and in the cinema that feeds your lust, and yet you name the name of Christ. You live in the hog-pens and then go to a house of God on Sunday. Shame on you! Leave your hog pens, your haunts of sin. Leave your patterns and practices of fleshly and carnal indulgence. Repentance is being sorry enough to quit your sin. You will never know the forgiving mercy of God while you are still wedded to your sins.

Repentance is the soul’s divorce from sin but it will always be joined to faith. What is faith? Faith is the casting of the soul upon Christ as he is offered to us in the Gospel. Forsaking All I Take Him. That is faith! ‘As many as received him, to them gave he the right to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name’ [John 1.12]. Faith is likened to drinking of Christ. In my soul-thirst I drink of him. Faith is likened to looking to Christ. Faith is likened to following Christ, fleeing to Christ. The Bible uses many analogies and the sum of all of them is this, that in the nakedness of my need I cast myself upon the Saviour, trusting him to be to me all that he has promised to be to needy sinners.

Faith brings nothing to Christ but an empty hand by which it takes Christ and all that is in him. And what is in him? Full pardon for all my sins! His perfect obedience is put to my account. His death is counted as mine. And the gift of the Spirit is in him. Adoption, sanctification and ultimately glorification are all in him, and faith, in taking Christ, receives all that is in him. ‘But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, whom God has made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption’ [1 Cor 1.30].

What is a biblical Christian? A biblical Christian is a person who has wholeheartedly complied with the divine terms for obtaining the divine provision for sin. Those terms are repentance and faith. I like to think of them as the hinge on which the door of salvation turns. The hinge has two plates. One that is screwed to the door and the other screwed to the door jam. They are held together by a pin and on that hinge the door turns. Christ is that door, but none enter through him who do not repent and believe, and there is no true hinge made up only of repentance. A repentance that is not joined to faith is a legal repentance. It terminates on yourself and on your sin.

A professed faith that is not joined to repentance is a spurious faith, for faith Is faith in Christ to save me, notin but from my sin. Repentance and faith are inseparable and except you repent you will perish. He that believeth not shall be damned.

Made Willing in The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

What is a Biblical Christian part 2?

2011-06-18T05:40:00.000-07:00

What is a Biblical Christian? by Albert N. Martin

2. A BIBLE CHRISTIAN IS ONE WHO HAS SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED THE ONE DIVINE REMEDY FOR SIN

In the Bible we are told again and again that Almighty God has taken the initiative in doing something for man the sinner. The verses some of us learned in our infancy underscore divine initiative in providing a remedy or sinful man: ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son . . .’; ‘Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent us Son to be the propitiation for our sins’; ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us. . .’ [John 3.16; 1 John 10; Eph 2.41. You see, the unique feature of the Christian faith is that it not a kind of religious self-help where you patch yourself up with the aid of God. Just as surely as it is a unique tenet of the Christian faith that Christ is a Saviour for sinners, so it is also a unique tenet of the Christian faith that all of our true help comes down from above and meets us where we are. We cannot pull ourselves up by our own boot-strings. God in mercy breaks in upon the human situation and does something which we could never do for ourselves. Now when we turn to the Scriptures we find that the divine remedy has at least three simple but profoundly wonderful focal points:

(a) First of all, that divine remedy is bound up in a Person. Anyone who begins to take seriously the divine remedy for human sin will notice in the Scriptures that the remedy is not in a set of ideas, as though it were just another philosophy, nor is it found in an institution, it is bound up in a Person. ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son’. ‘Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save. . .’ He, himself, said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me’ [John 14.6]. That one divine remedy is bound up in a Person and that Person is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ — the eternal Word who became man, uniting to his Godhead a true human nature. Here is God’s provision for man with his bad record and his bad heart, a Saviour who is both God and man, the two natures joined in the one Person for ever. And your personal problem of sin, and mine, if it is ever to be remedied in a biblical way will be remedied only as we have personal dealings with that Person. Such is the unique strand of the Christian faith — the sinner in all his need united to the Saviour in all the plenitude of his grace, the sinner in his naked need and the Saviour in his almighty power, brought directly together in the Gospel. That is the glory of the Gospel!

(b) It is centred in the cross upon which that Person died. A cross that leads to an empty tomb, yes! And a cross preceded by a life of perfect obedience, yes! And when we turn to the Scriptures we find that the divine remedy in a unique way is centred in the cross of Jesus Christ. When he is formally announced by John the Baptist, John points to him and says, ‘Behold the Lamb of God who is bearing away the sin of the world’ [John 1.29]. Jesus himself said, ‘I did not come to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give my life a ransom for many’ [Matt 20.28], and true preaching of the Gospel is so much centred in the cross that Paul says it is the word, or the message of the cross. The preaching of the cross is ‘to them who are perishing foolishness, but unto us who are being saved it is the power of God’ [1 Cor 1.18], and this same apostle went on to say that when he came to Corinth — that bastion of intellectualism and pagan Greek philosophy with its set patterns of rhetorical expertise — ‘I came amongst you determined to know nothing save Jesus Christ and him as crucified’ [1 Cor 2.2].

You see, God’s gracious remedy for sin is not only bound up in a Person, it is centred in the cross of that Person — not the cross as an abstract idea, nor as a religious symbol, but the cross in terms of what God declares it to mean. The cross was the place where God heaped upon his Son, by imputation, the sins of his people. On that cross there was substitutionary curse-bearing. In the language of Galatians 3.13, ‘God made him to be a curse for us’; ‘God made him to be sin for us’ [2 Cor 5.2] — the one who knew no sin. It is not the cross as some nebulous, indefinable symbol of self-giving love, it is the cross as the monumental display of how God can be just and still pardon guilty sinners; the cross where God, having imputed the sins of his people to Christ, pronounces judgment upon his Son as the representative of his people. There on the cross God pours out the vials of his wrath, unmixed with mercy, until his Son cries out, ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? why have you forsaken me?’ [Psa 22.1; Matt 27.46]. There in the visible world at Calvary, God, as it were, was demonstrating what was happening in the invisible spiritual world. He shrouds the heavens in total darkness to let all mankind know that he is plunging his Son into the outer darkness of the hell which your sins and my sins deserved. Jesus hangs on the cross in the place of an undefended guilty criminal; he is in the posture of one for whom society has but one option, ‘Away with him’, ‘Crucify him’, ‘Hand him over to death’, and God does not intervene. There in the theatre of what men can see, God is demonstrating what he is doing in the realm where we cannot see. He is treating his Son as a criminal, he is causing him to feel in the depths of his own soul all of the fury of the wrath that should have been vented upon us.

(c) A remedy that is adequate for and offered to all without discrimination. Before we have any felt consciousness of our sin, about the easiest thing in the world is to think that God can forgive sinners. But when you and I begin to have any idea at all of what sin is — we, little worms of the dust, we creatures whose very life and breath is held in the hands of the God in whom ‘we live and move and have our being’ [Acts 17.28] — when we begin, I say, to take seriously that we have dared to defy Almighty God who holds our breath in his hands, the God who, when angels rebelled against him, did not wait to show mercy but consigned them to everlasting chains of darkness with no way of mercy ever planned or revealed to them,then our thoughts are changed. Once we take seriously the truth that it is this holy God who sees the effusions of the foul, corrupt human hearts which are yours and mine, then we say, ‘O God, how can you be anything other than just; and if you give me what my sins deserve, there is nothing for me but wrath and judgment! How can you forgive me and still be just? How can you be a righteous God and do anything other than consign me to everlasting punishment with those angels that rebelled’. When you begin to take your sin seriously, forgiveness becomes the most knotty problem with which your mind has ever wrestled. It is then that we need to know that God has provided in a Person, andthat Person crucified, a remedy that is adequate for and offered to all without discrimination. When God begins to make us feel the reality of our sin, if there were any conditions placed on the availability of Christ we would say, ‘Surely I don’t meet the conditions, surely I don’t qualify’, but the wonder of God’s provision is that it comes in these unfettered terms: ‘Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; he who has no money, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do you labour for that which does not satisfy’ [Isa 55.1 -2]. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Him that comes unto me I will in no wise cast out’ [Matt 11.28; John 6.37].

Oh, the beauty of the unfettered offers of mercy in Jesus Christ! We do not need to have God step out of heaven and tell us that we, by name, are warranted to come; we have the unfettered offers of mercy in the words of his own Son, ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’.

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

What is a biblical Christian part 1?

2011-06-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

What is a Biblical Christian? by Albert N. Martin

There are many matters concerning which total ignorance and complete difference are neither tragic nor fatal. I believe many of you are probably totally ignorant of Einstein’s theory of relativity and if you were pressed to explain it to someone you would really be in difficulty. Not only are you ignorant of Einstein’s theory of relativity, you are probably quite indifferent, and that ignorance and indifference is neither fatal nor tragic. I am sure there are few of us who can explain all the processes by which a brown cow eats green grass and gives white milk. It does not keep you from enjoying the milk. But there are some things concerning which ignorance and indifference are both tragic and fatal and one such thing is the Bible’s answer to the question I am about to set before you.

‘What is a biblical Christian?’ In other words, when does a man or woman, a boy or girl, have the right to take to himself or herself the name Christian, according to the Scriptures?

We do not want to make the assumption lightly that you are true Christians. I want to set before you four strands of the Bible’s answer to that question.

1. ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE A CHRISTIAN IS A PERSON WHO HAS FACED REALISTICALLY THE PROBLEM OF HIS OWN PERSONAL SIN

Now one of the many unique things about the Christian faith is this —unlike most of the religions of the world, Christianity is essentially and fundamentally a sinner’s religion. When the angel announced to Joseph he approaching birth of Jesus Christ, he did so in these words, ‘Thou halt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins’ [Matt 1.21]. The apostle Paul wrote in I Timothy 1.15, ‘This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’. He came into the world to save sinners. The Lord Jesus Christ himself says in Luke 5.31-32, ‘Those that are healthy do not need a doctor but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’. And the Christian is one who has faced realistically this problem of his own personal sin.

When we turn to the Scripture and seek to take in the whole of its teaching on the subject of sin, right down to its irreducible minimum, we find that the Scripture tells us that each one of us has a two-fold personal problem in relation to sin. On the one hand, we have the problem of a bad record and, on the other, the problem of a bad heart. If we start in Genesis 3 and read that tragic account of man’s rebellion against God and his fall into sin, then trace the biblical doctrine of sin all the way through the Old Testament, and on into the New, right through to the Book of Revelation, we shall see that it is not over-simplification to say that everything that the Bible teaches about the doctrine of sin can be reduced to those two fundamental categories — the problem of a bad record and the problem of a bad heart.

What do I mean by ‘the problem of a bad record’? I am using that terminology to describe what the Scripture sets before us as the doctrine of human guilt because of sin. The Scripture tells us plainly that we obtained a bad record long before we had any personal existence here upon the earth: ‘Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned’ [Rom5.12]. When did the ‘all’ sin? We all sinned in Adam. He was appointed by God to represent all of the human race and when he sinned we sinned in him and fell with him in his first transgression. That is why the apostle writes in 1 Corinthians 15.22, ‘As in Adam all die’. We passed our age of accountability in the Garden of Eden and from the moment Adam sinned we were charged with guilt. We fell in him in his first transgression and we are part of the race that is under condemnation. Furthermore, the Scripture says, after we come into being at our own conception and subsequent birth additional guilt accrues to us for our own personal, individual transgressions. The Word of God teaches that there is not a just man upon the face of the earth who does good and does not sin [Eccles 7.20], and every single sin incurs additional guilt. Our record in heaven is a marred record. Almighty God measures the totality of our human experience from the moment of our birth by a standard which is absolutely inflexible; a standard that touches not only our external deeds but also our thoughts and the very motions and intentions of our heart; so much so, that the Lord Jesus said that the stirring of unjust anger is the very essence of murder, the look with intention to lust as adultery. And God is keeping ‘a detailed record’. That record is among ‘the books’ Which will be opened in the day of judgment [Rev 20.12]. And there in those books is recorded every thought, every motive, every intention, every deed, every dimension of human experience that is contrary to the standard of God’s holy law, either failing to measure up to its standard or transgressing it. We have the problem of a bad record — a record in which we are charged with guilt; real guilt for real sin committed against the true and the living God. That is why the Scripture tells us that the entire human race stands guilty before Almighty God [Rom 3.19].

Has the problem of your own bad record ever become a burning, pressing personal concern to you? Have you faced the truth that Almighty God judged you guilty when our first father sinned, and holds you guilty for every single word you have spoken contrary to perfect holiness and justice and purity and righteousness? He knows every object you have touched and taken contrary to the sanctity of property and every word spoken contrary to perfect, absolute truth. Has this ever broken in upon you, so that you awakened to the fact that Almighty God has every right to summon you into his presence and to require you to give an account of every single deed contrary to His law, which has brought guilt upon your soul?

Certainly we have the problem of a bad record but we have an additional problem — the problem of a bad heart. We not only are pronounced guilty in the court of heaven for what we have done. The Scripture teaches that the problem of our sin is one that arises not only from what we have done, but from what we are.When Adam sinned he not only became guilty before God, but defiled and polluted in his own nature. The Scripture describes it in Jeremiah 17.9, ‘The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?’ Jesus describes it in Mark 7.21, ‘From within, out of the heart of man, proceed...’and then He names all the various sins that can be seen in any newspaper on any day — blasphemies, pride, adulteries, murder. Jesus said that these things rise out of this artesian well of pollution, the human heart. Notice carefully that he did not say, ‘For from without, by the pressure of society and its negative influences, come forth murder and adultery and pride and thievery’. That is what our so-called sociological experts tell us. It is ‘the condition of society’ that produces crime and rebellion. Jesus says it is the condition of the human heart. For from within, out of the heart, proceed these things — lies, selfishness, self-centredness, total pre-occupation with my feelings and my desires and my plans and my perspectives.

We have hearts that the Scripture describes as ‘desperately wicked’ — the fountain of all forms of iniquity. To change the biblical imagery, Romans 8.7 reads, ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be’. Paul says that the carnal mind, that is, the mind that has never been regenerated by God, is not reflective of some enmity; he calls it enmity itself. ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God’. The disposition of every human heart by nature can be visually pictured as a clenched fist raised against the living God. This is the inward problem of a bad heart — a heart that loves sin, a heart that is lie fountain of sin, a heart that is at enmity with God. And such is the problem that every one of us has by nature.

Has the problem of your bad heart ever become a pressing personal concern to you? I am not asking whether you believe in human sinfulness in theory. Oh, there is such a thing as a sinful nature and a sinful heart. My question is: Have your bad record and your bad heart ever become a matter of deep, inward, personal, pressing concern to you? Have you known anything of real, personal, inward consciousness of the awfulness of your guilt in the presence of a holy God? — the horribleness of a heart that is ‘deceitful above all things and desperately wicked’?

A Bible Christian is a person who has in all seriousness taken to heart us own personal problem of sin.

Now the degree to which we may feel the awful weight of sin differs from one person to another. The length of time over which a person is brought to the consciousness of his bad record and his bad heart differs. There are many variables, but Jesus Christ as the Great Physician never brought his healing virtue to any who did not know themselves to be sinners. He said, ‘I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ [Matt 9.13]. Are you a Bible Christian, one who has taken seriously your personal problem of sin?

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

THE SWEET DRIPPINGS OF GOD'S GRACE!

2011-06-14T20:00:00.001-07:00

There is absolutely nothing that can compare as to living under the mighty grace of God! Our sins would crush us daily if the sweet drippings of God 's grace were not our portion on a moment by moment bases. Each night we lay upon our beds we recall the sad failures and our weak faith in our pursuit of holiness and loving Christ ! But, nevertheless, it's the battle with and against sin that I find my savior to be so precious.

My hope isn't founded upon my performance but solely upon the performance of my Capitan, The Lord Jesus! He bids me to enter His army. He counsels me to count the cost. He warns me the battle will be severe and brutal. Yet, He tells me all the while His grace will be absolutely sufficient to meet my every need!

We have no excuses to shrink away or to throw our hands up and not fight. Dear friends may these words strengthen us in our fight to find our ultimate joy in loving Christ and serving Him!!!

2 Peter 1:3-4 "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises"

Johnathan Edwards felt the weight of wanting to love Christ above all when he said,

"If nothing else will do to sever me from my sins, Lord, send me such sore and trying calamities as shall awake me from earthly slumbers. It must always be best to be alive to thee, whatever be the quickening instrument."

"Life itself is vanishing fast. Make haste for eternity."

"Do everything in earnest--if it is worth doing, then do it with all your might. Above all, keep much in the presence of God. Never see the face of man till you have seen his face who is our Life, our All."

May these words from John Piper be a means of grace to help us realize life is vanishing and we need to make haste for eternity.

"In April 2000, Ruby Eliason and Laura Edwards were killed in Cameroon, West Africa. Ruby was over eighty. Single all her life, she poured it out for one great thing: to make Jesus Christ known among the unreached, the poor, and the sick. Laura was a widow, a medical doctor, pushing eighty years old, and serving at Ruby’s side in Cameroon. The brakes failed, the car went over a cliff, and they were both killed instantly. I asked my congregation: Was that a tragedy? Two lives, driven by one great passion, namely, to be spent in unheralded service to the perishing poor for the glory of Jesus Christ—even two decades after most of their American counterparts had retired to throw away their lives on trifles. No, that is not a tragedy. That is a glory. These lives were not wasted. And these lives were not lost. “Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35).

I will tell you what a tragedy is. I will show you how to waste your life. Consider a story from the February 1998 edition of Reader’s Digest, which tells about a couple who “took early

retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30 foot trawler, play softball

and collect shells.” At first, when I read it I thought it might be a joke. A spoof on the American Dream. But it wasn’t. Tragically, this was the dream: Come to the end of your life—your one and only precious, God-given life—and let the last great work of your life, before you give an account to your Creator, be this: playing softball and collecting shells. Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: “Look, Lord. See my shells.” That is a tragedy. And people today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream. Over against that, I put my protest: Don’t buy it. Don’t waste your life."

Life is vanishing dear friends and the old saying "Only one life soon will pass; only what is done for Christ will last" is ever true!. Oh! Jesus do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, quicken our hearts that we might truly live for you!!! May we not waste our lives!

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

A Prayer for the Lord’s Day!

2011-06-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

The following Puritan prayer is taken from the “Valley of Vision.”

O Lord My Lord,

This is thy day, the heavenly ordinance of rest, the open door of worship, the record of Jesus’ resurrection, the seal of the sabbath to come, the day when saints militant and triumphant unite in endless song.

I bless thee for the throne of grace, that here free favour reigns; that open access to it is through the blood of Jesus; that the veil is torn aside and I can enter the holiest and find thee ready to hear, waiting to be gracious, inviting me to pour out my needs, encouraging my desires, promising to give more than I ask or think.

But while I bless thee, shame and confusion are mine: I remember my past misuse of sacred things, my irreverent worship, my base ingratitude, my cold, dull praise.

Sprinkle all my past sabbaths with the cleansing blood of Jesus, and may this day witness deep improvement in me. Give me in rich abundance the blessings the Lord’s Day was designed to impart; May my heart be fast bound against worldly thoughts or cares; Flood my mind with peace beyond understanding; may my meditations be sweet, my acts of worship life, liberty, joy, my drink the streams that flow from thy throne, my food the precious Word, my defence the shield of my faith, and may my heart be more knit to Jesus.

Made Willing In The Day Of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

AN EXHORTATION FROM THE PRINCE OF PREACHERS!

2011-06-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

The believer did not always live to Christ. He began to do so when God the Holy Spirit convinced him of sin, and when by grace he was brought to see the dying Saviour making a propitiation for his guilt. From the moment of the new and celestial birth the man begins to live to Christ. Jesus is to believers the one pearl of great price, for whom we are willing to part with all that we have. He has so completely won our love, that it beats alone for him; to his glory we would live, and in defence of his gospel we would die; he is the pattern of our life, and the model after which we would sculpture our character.

Paul’s words mean more than most men think; they imply that the aim and end of his life was Christ–nay, his life itself was Jesus. In the words of an ancient saint, he did eat, and drink, and sleep eternal life. Jesus was his very breath, the soul of his soul, the heart of his heart, the life of his life. Can you say, as a professing Christian, that you live up to this idea? Can you honestly say that for you to live is Christ? Your business–are you doing it for Christ? Is it not done for self- aggrandizement and for family advantage? Do you ask, "Is that a mean reason?"

For the Christian it is. He professes to live for Christ; how can he live for another object without committing a spiritual adultery? Many there are who carry out this principle in some measure; but who is there that dare say that he hath lived wholly for Christ as the apostle did? Yet, this alone is the true life of a Christian–its source, its sustenance, its fashion, its end, all gathered up in one word–Christ Jesus. Lord, accept me; I here present myself, praying to live only in thee and to thee. Let me be as the bullock which stands between the plough and the altar, to work or to be sacrificed; and let my motto be, "Ready for either." Charles Haddon Spurgeon

May the glory of Christ be our portion!

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

WE SERVE THE GREATEST KING, WE HAVE THE BEST MESSAGE, WE HAVE THE BEST MOTIVE!

2011-06-06T07:26:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 5:20

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

In light of Pastor Andy’s sermon concerning the reality that we are ambassadors of Jesus Christ, my heart is still burning with this question, “What can I do for Jesus?” The truth is that we are ambassadors of the King in everything we do. Whether it is going to the grocery store or preaching the gospel in a hostile environment we are on a mission for the King of Glory!

Randy Alcorn said,

“It would upset us, but would we think it unloving if a doctor told us we had a potentially fatal cancer? And would the doctor not tell us if the cancer could be eradicated? Why then do we not tell unsaved people about the cancer of sin and evil and how the inevitable penalty of eternal destruction can be avoided by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ?”

Do we really believe that sinners are perishing? We, as servants of Christ, WE SERVE THE GREATEST KING, WE HAVE THE BEST MESSAGE, WE HAVE THE BEST MOTIVE!

We serve the greatest King! Our service for Him is not about us or our gifts, our aspirations, our faithfulness. We proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Jesus is our anthem, Jesus is our hope, and we ought to joyfully stand and proclaim this good news! He is our Captain and with Him there is no danger of being shipwrecked! There is no greater privilege, for he stood in our place! Yes! Even on the housetops we cry Jesus is the great King, there is no one like the Lord our God!

We have the greatest message! The message is that God has provided a way for sinners to be reconciled! Jesus loves to save wretched, hell-bent, ruined sinners. The worst of the worst are those that He loves to make into trophies of grace! 1 Timothy 1:15 ¹⁵ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. ”Our sins have separated us from God and we desperately need a Savior, and the bottom line is that God has provided the best, His only begotten Son. Romans 5:6-9 "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

We have the greatest motive, the King’s work and workers cannot fail. The cross was not a fool’s errand. For all that Jesus shed His blood for will never perish! When Jesus said it was finished, indeed it was! John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. ³⁰I and the Father are one."

And what makes the redeeming mercies of God so beautiful is that he wants to use those who have tasted of His sweet grace as instruments to reconcile others to His Son! We are like brands plucked from the fire! Oh, what beautiful motive! The gates of Hell cannot prevail, the adversary is a defeated foe, the machinations of man are of no avail because we serve the victor and no weapon formed against us can stand!

May our hearts burn with Spurgeon’s as we consider the hopeless plight of the lost.

“If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and un-prayed for.”

Let us today, friends, enter into the King’s service with joy! For indeed we serve the risen King!!!

May these words from the Bishop Liverpool fuel our hearts as we serve King Jesus today!

“Let us strive to know more and more, every year we live, our need of a mediator between ourselves and God. Let us seek more and more to realize that without a mediator our thoughts of God can never be comfortable, and the more clearly we see God the more uncomfortable we must feel. Above all, let us be thankful that we have in Jesus the very Mediator whose help our souls require, and that through Him we may draw near to God with boldness, and cast fear away. Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire. In Christ, He is a reconciled Father.”

Thank you pastor Andy for this reminder!

Made Willing In The Day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

City on a Hill: Reclaiming the Biblical Pattern for the Church in the 21st Century

2011-05-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

City on a Hill: Reclaiming the Biblical Pattern for the Church in the 21st Century

(Moody Publishers Chicago, Illinois 2003)

Reviewed By Casey Kirkman

What a refreshing read! The book entitled City on a Hill is a must-read for all who are aspiring or who are presently laboring as shepherds in the church! With a plethora of books on this topic concerning the nature of the New Testament church, the book City on a Hill: Reclaiming the Biblical Pattern for the Church in the 21st Century seeks to do what most of the recent books fail to do and that is to ask ourselves, “What does the Bible say about church?”

Phillip Ryken begins this book with a sobering look at where the church is in the 21st century. He notes,

“There was a time when America was a Christian nation, at least in several important respects. There was time when the leaders of this new world sought to establish a “city on a hill,” a community for Christ and His kingdom. It seems evident that the Bible has played a fundamental role in the shaping of our laws as a nation and even its public institutions and its leading universities.”

The author isn’t arguing that America was a Christian nation, but in some respects the God of Heaven was pleased to give light and grace at its commencement. Even though grace was given in the past, the church has experienced great blows from nominal Christianity and heresies within her walls from the beginning.

Pastor Ryken also notes that in the age we live in there is a new barbarism and it is wreaking havoc on the church! We are exhorted in this book to “look at the cold, hard statistics: the breakdown of marriage and family, the rise in crime and violence, the decline in community involvement and the callous disregard for life in the womb and at the nursing home.”

Just a brief glance into our culture in the day in which we live is a stark reminder of the darkness that covers this great land! This new barbarism he notes in the words of Charles Colson,

“Is not hairy Goths and vandals, swilling fermented brew and ravishing maidens; they are not Huns and Visigoths storming our borders or scaling our city walls. No, this time the invaders have come within. We have bred them in our families and trained them in our classrooms. They inhabit our legislatures, our courts, our film studios, and our churches. Most of them are attractive and pleasant; their ideas are pleasant and subtle. Yet these men and women threaten our most cherished institutions and our very character as a people.”

Our culture is consumed with materialism. It drives our markets, the news headlines, and has poisoned the sphere in which our young people are now living. And if those realties aren’t humbling enough, the author calls our attention face the hard reality that we are probably living in the first post-Christian era.

In seeking to explain what this new barbarianism looks like, the author seeks to drive home two thoughts which not only shape the way our culture and world think but have also infiltrated the minds and hearts of church-goers as well!

The first is relativism. Relativism is a radical skepticism which rejects the idea that there can be any absolute truth. This teaching has made monumental inroads in our culture. Pastor Ryken explains,

“The troubling result of relativism is the erosion of traditional ethical and intellectual standards for science, law, medicine, journalism, and the use of technology. And when it comes to theology, relativism means that no religion can claim to be superior to any other faith.”

The second thought is narcissism. The author defines it this way:

“Narcissism is radical individualism, or infatuation with the self. In ancient Greek mythology, Narcissus was a beautiful youth who fell in love with his own reflection. As he sat beside the pool, gazing lovingly at his own image, he wasted away and died, and was transformed into flower. There has always been a narcissistic tendency in American culture, but we are now entering an era of radical selfishness and unbridled individualism.”

The author labors these points because even in the church these concepts are not considered hideous but welcomed and are encouraged. Mega-churches have filled stadiums, building the premis of their teaching and church practice around these teachings.

In light of these truths, the author asks the readers this most important question, “Now how shall we live?” In a day when relativism and narcissism have taken the front row in our culture and in the pew, how can the church seek to stay relevant and win the never-dying souls of men? Should the church continue the approach of pragmatism? Should modern evangelicalism continue to try to market Christianity and water down the gospel message so that those who never step inside the doors of a church will run to its meetings? Do we really need to find a new way of doing church? In light of these things I believe the question of how we shall live is paramount, and I believe Phillip Ryken has hit the nail on the head. This book thrusts upon its readers that now is the time for evangelicalism to rise to the occasion and to stop embracing the world’s theology and methods.

City on Hill exhorts its readers not to stay in the past nor look only to the future with regards to how the church should be conducting itself in this present world but,

“What we should do instead is live in the present, learn from past, and anticipate the future, while always looking to the Bible.”

Phillip Ryken begins to answer this question at the same place we all need to begin, and that is with the Bible in hand. For when we look to the Bible we see very clearly that God has a plan for His church at all times and in all places. The first century church is great place to start. The first century church was founded upon the gospel and the author seeks to draw attention to the methods which they used in a sin cursed world with very similar problems. According to Acts 17:6 these methods turned the world upside down!

The methods in the first century church resulted in phenomenal results. Mr. Ryken notes four features, found in Acts 2:42-47, that flow from this first century church.

The first feature which colored the ministry of these early Christians was their devotion and commitment to the teaching of the apostles. (v-46) It is noted that they were a teaching church. Doctrine was critical to the well-being and makeup of this first century church. “The first century church was hungry for biblical and theological instruction.”

The second feature of this church, as defined in Acts 2:42, is that they were a worshiping church. They devoted themselves to “the fellowship, breaking of bread and to prayer.” They simply did not just do church but church impacted their very way of life. The author notes, “the reason worship is at the center of church life is that in worship God is placed at the center of our attention.” Therefore, the first century Christians would have it no other way.

The third feature of the first century church was that they were a caring church. The author notes , “The charter members of the first church in Jerusalem were a remarkable group of men and women. Not only did they worship together, but there was a genuine love which went beyond mere lip service. In verse 45 we read, “And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.”

The fourth feature of the first century church was that they were a growing church. In verse 47 we read, “They were praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Real success in a sinful world demands that we not look to the wisdom of this world but to the God of the Bible who alone adds those who are being saved.

In the rest of the book, City on A Hill, pastor Ryken seeks to flush out the practical out-workings of a church which is committed to the apostles’ doctrine, to the worship of God, to caring for one another, and to the success of the gospel. God’s plan for His church cannot and will not be ultimately thwarted. Christians must be persuaded that success is not built upon pragmatism, but when God’s people humbly follow the biblical pattern that He has put forth in His word it will not return to Him void. Therefore, those who seek to follow God’s plan for His church will be a city on a hill upon which the gates of hell cannot prevail.

I can whole heartily recommend this book. This book has once again giving me a love for the unadulterated power of God to save sinners. God does not need us in his plan to save sinners and build His church, but in His infinite mercy

He has chosen to use weak, sinful men. Real biblical success for our churches is found in the Bible alone!

Made Willing In The Day of His power!

Casey kirkman

RELENTLESS RESTORATION

2011-05-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

Psalm 51:12

"Restore to me the Joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit"

I read a quote by Robert Murray M’Cheyne this morning and it gripped my heart and it made me consider this question. Am I really doing all that I can to increase my love for Christ and battle remaining sin? So, here’s the quote and a few thoughts to help us as we daily seek the relentless grace of God to be our portion!

“Some of you have truly been brought by God to believe in Jesus. Yet you have no abiding peace, and very little growth in holiness. Why is this? It is because your eye is fixed anywhere but on Christ. You are so busy looking at books, or looking at men, or looking at the world, that you have no time, no heart, for looking at Christ stead. No wonder you have little peace and joy in believing. No wonder you live so inconsistent and unholy a life. Change your plan. Consider the greatness and glory of Christ, who has undertaken all in the place of sinners, and you would find it quite impossible to walk in darkness, or to walk in sin. Oh, what low, despicable thoughts you have of the glorious Immanuel! Lift your eyes from your own bosom, downcast believer - look upon Jesus. It is good to consider your ways, but it is far better to consider Jesus. Oh, believer, consider Jesus. Meditate on these things. Look and look again, until your peace flows like a river.” - Robert Murray M’Cheyne

The bottom line for us as believers in Jesus is that we need daily restoration. We cannot remain complacent concerning were we are at in our present walk with Christ. We must do whatever it takes to move our hearts in the direction of treasuring Christ more than ever! For Jesus made it clear, He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Another words, leave all excuses behind, for each and every day we need the relentless restoring grace of God to saturate our heats! So, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.(Heb12:1)

David was a man after God’s own heart but he needed the relentless restoring grace of God on a daily basis! We are no different, sin is real, Satan is real and we are in a fight for our very souls. Did not Jesus remind us in Matthew 24:13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Until we see that being united to Christ means war; warring against the flesh and the constant bombardment of this world to forsake Christ and love its passing pleasures there will be no great strides in holiness. Treasuring Christ, treasuring good theology, treasuring a biblical church, treasuring the lost etc…will always be on the back burner!

So today, let’s cry out with David, Restore OH! Lord the joy of seeing you as my great redeemer and friend! And uphold me Oh! Lord by your relentless restoring grace! Its hard work but we rejoice in this great truth. John 4:4 “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Made willing in the day of His Power!

Casey Kirkman

# 2 Encouragements to bolster our hope in believing and sharing of the gospel!

2009-12-18T05:46:00.000-08:00

# 2 Encouragements to bolster our hope in believing and sharing of the gospel!

Psalm 78: 4 "We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generati the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done."

Not only are there blessed promises that God makes to our own children but also to the coming generation. What a stimulant this should be to us in our preaching and evangelism, that God is absolutely committed to saving sinners in all generations. This Psalm doesn’t give us any room for excuses when it comes to sharing the wonders of the One True and Living God! So, what shall we say to these thing? Lets strengthen our resolve and be encouraged to persevere in this blessed labor of the service of the King of Kings!

Our shearing of the gospel should be peppered with the reality that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. Our evangelistic success in winning sinners isn’t because of our winsomeness or our ability to share the gospel but is based on the power God in the proclamation of His truth! We don’t save men, the gospel does!

"It is not your weaknesses that will get in the way of God's working through you, but your delusions of strength. His strength is made perfect in our weakness” (Author unknown)

The Triune God of the Bible is The God of all Hope!! This is true of the sinner and saint alike!

What is biblical hope?
The Biblical understanding of our idea of hope is very different from our normal thinking about hope. We might say to someone: I Hope that your favorite team wins the game tonight? And they say: I don't know; I hope so. In other words, hope, as we typically think about it, is a desire for some future thing which we are uncertain of attaining. That is not the way Paul or Peter, or the rest of the Scriptures’ thinks about hope. And so, that’s not how you and I ought to thing about hope. When Paul says May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing," he does not mean we should desire it and be uncertain of it.

The promises of Christ are a matter of complete confidence for all the writers in the Old & New Testament alike. ( 2 Corinthians 1:20-21 “ For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.)

Every promise that we uncover in the scriptures should boom within our hearts with a never ending amen!!!!

As we consider the staggering evidence that leaves us no room to doubt, let us run the race with endurance and keep our eyes fully upon Him who is the essence of all of our hope and stay in the present world and the world to come!!

Jesus Christ is worthy that we should place our hope fully upon Him and that is the bottom line. For apart from him there is and can be no hope. (John 14:6)

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ”

ENCOURAGEMENTS TO BOLSTER OUR HOPE IN THE TRIUNE GOD!

2009-12-14T18:34:00.000-08:00

Encouragements to bolster our hope in the Triune God!
Psalm 78

This is one of my favorite Psalms. The words contained in this Psalm are a healing balm and for many weary pilgrims has been a blessed assurance to their hope in God for mnay generations! In his Psalm the Gospel is laid out before us clearly and very convincingly. This Psalm was written as a reminder to God’s chosen people and to those throughout every generation to place the full weight of their hope in the God Jacob, the God whose mercies are from ever lasting to everlasting!

It’s an encouragement to bolster our hope in The God whose covenant love will triumph thru all generations because; He is the God of Jacob! It’s and encouragement to bolster our hope in the omnipotent hand of Sovereign God whose power has no limits, in order that we should never; never for one moment forget His works. It’s and encouragement to place our hope steadfastly on the display of the enormous love and longsuffering of God toward His people. For, He is full of compassion and in spite of all our floundering and sometimes week embarrassing faith; He remembers that we are but flesh.

This Psalm is like a musical instrument with a hundred strings ready to play a thousand sermons from its beautiful text but my purpose is to just pluck a few strings from this Psalm to help encourage and bolster our hope and faith. Today we will just pluck one string.

1. Let’s be encouraged in our commitment to the gospel of God which is our hope.
Psalm 78:1-8
Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, 3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; 6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, 7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments; 8 And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

In verses 1-8 God sets before us a gracious command. We are commanded to take those things which we have heard and known and declare it to our children and to the coming generation.

We should be encouraged for what God has commanded He is committed to bless. Oh! how this should strengthen our love for the gospel! The commandments of God should never be grievous to us, but are given to us for our greater good! When God instructed Adam and Eve not to partake of tree of knowledge of good and evil it wasn’t that God was withholding something from them but it was the exact opposite. His command was for there ultimate and eternal good.

How much despair and anguish could we be free of if the commandments of God would become to as us as they were to the Psalmist in Psalm 119:26-32 "My soul clings to the dust;give me life according to your word!26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;teach me your statutes! Make me understand the way of your precepts,and I will meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away for sorrow;strengthen me according to your word! Put false ways far from meand graciously teach me your law!30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;I set your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandmentswhen you enlarge my heart!

May these truths in these verses encourage us to never lose sight of the blessed promises God makes to us as we declare and teach the gospel to our children. Let us be committed in teaching our children His glorious deeds, His might, and His wonders. Dear Christian lets take this verses with us each time we go to family worship or seek to instruct our children.

May the exhortation from Moses the man of God in Deuteronomy be used in union with

Psalm 78.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 " And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Family worship can be difficult at times, but let’s not lose heart for the God Jacob knows our hearts! Brothers, let this gracious command fuel our hearts toward the conversion of our children and pray Proverbs 22:6 daily for our children. “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”

May our heavenly Father be pleased to use our children and our childrens childrens for genertions come to until the clounds are rolled back as a scroll

“CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!!”

2009-07-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

John 5:24

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life."

These are words that almost everyone is familiar with. The 2007 political campaign of the Democratic nominee used this saying as a key-note phrase in its march to the White House. In all likelihood you are reading this blog because the title of this familiar phrase caught your eye.

Well, I hope that I don’t let any of you down who are reading this blog. My intention is not to discuss politics or discuss whether or not the democratic nominee who won the White House is truly carrying out his campaign promises.

For, if we are all honest, no matter what political party we are affiliated with, at the end of the day men and women will always let us down. The best man with the best intentions will fall short and in the end we will be disappointed in the decision that was made.

My purpose is to set before us one who will never let us down, who will never make a wrong decision, and will never lead us into any danger. The One I’m referring to is Jesus. When Jesus promises change, this is change that we can hang our hats upon, or we could use a biblical phrase, Jesus is the anchor of the soul! (Heb 6:19).

Men offer change. We have all had someone who has let us down, and we have had some who have let us down big-time. And to our shame we could all list many times that we have not been faithful in a promise and have let some one else down!

The faithfulness of Christ is absolutely amazing! The God-man came to this earth and the very ones He created refused to worship, or to love Him, yet thrust Him upon a cross.

So, with that in view, let’s take a few moments to look at an event which powerfully presents to us the unrelenting love of God, which gives us the confidence to say, “Jesus does provide for us change we can believe in!”

The testimonies of scripture are too numerous to mention, so I will just highlight one here and seek to glean from others later. The woman of Samaria is one who is well worth noting. John, the gospel evangelist, records for us the meeting of Jesus and the Samaritan woman in Chapter Four. Jesus and His disciples are on their way from Galilee to Judea, and upon there travels Jesus tells His disciple that He must pass thru Samaria. In other words what Jesus was saying is that He had some real change to accomplish in this city!

The disciples are unaware of the purpose of this stop, but the Son of Man was on a mission to bring real change in the heart of a woman living in adultery and others living in that town as well. Jesus sits down beside the well in anticipation of the Samaritan woman who is on her way. She arrives, and Jesus explains to her that He is the living water and all who drink of Him and look to Him will have everlasting life. John 4:14 “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

At first the woman was not convinced that the change this Jewish man was speaking of to her could bring change she could believe in. But upon the prophetic words of her adulterous lifestyle and the fact that Jesus knew that she had five husbands and the one that she was presently living with was not her husband was a shell-shocker.

The woman perceives that Jesus is a prophet, but He explains to her that He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of Sinners and that thru Him only true worship can take place.

I love the account of her wonderful response. John 4:28-29 “So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"

“Change you can believe in” was her testimony! She went thru the whole town declaring the news about Christ. What is fascinating is that upon her word the whole town went to see this man who promised such great change. Her excitement about this man sparked others’ great excitement. Surely the people thought that there was no hope for this woman. She’d been living in slavery to sexual immorality for years what in the world could cause such excitement?

What is even more astonishing is that the people of the town, upon hearing the words of Him who is the fountain of life, were convinced that in Him there was change they could believe in! These words reveal to us the change that took place. John 4:39-42 “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."

The same change that Jesus offered to the woman at the well is the same change that He is offering to all who are reading this blog right now. The only way that real change that we can believe in can take place is that there must be a real faith and trust put in Him who alone can save ruined sinners. Saving faith came as the people of Samaria believed the words of Christ. The scripture teaches us that saving faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

This day believe in Him who offers real change. Trust Him with all your heart and believe His word and He will not only be the Savior of the world, but today He can be yours!

YOU'VE STOLEN MY HEART!

2009-07-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 24:7

'Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart."

Some may ask, "What does a stolen heart have to do with being a Christian?" to which I reply, "Everything." The Bible is a book which details for us the amazing work and love of God who transforms hearts!

The gospel is the good news that God is all about the transformation and radical reformation of the heart of man! Luke 5:31-32 Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Jesus describes the new birth this way in Matthew 13:44-46 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 " Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 "who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

This is the essence of what it means to be a Christian - Jesus steals our hearts! How does he do this? Jesus primarily does this thru the preaching of His word, the sharing of the gospel! Mankind suffers from a condition known as bad heart syndrome! All men and women without exception have this disease. Some may say, "No, not I," but an honest dealing with the true inner workings of your heart will reveal that your heart is exactly the way the Job describes it in, Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? "

So, Jesus steals our hearts! He describes it as a man who found a great treasure hidden in a field. This is how the gospel saves men, women, boys and girls. They are brought to see that Jesus Christ is of infinite worth! They recognize thru the supernatural work of God, thru the gospel, how precious Jesus is! They feel the eternal weight of His cross and go and relinquish all ties to this world with joy, because there is nothing in this world which can compare to knowing and being united to the King of Glory!!

Our hearts are stolen in a most gracious way! We don’t deserve our hearts to be stolen, but He who searches our hearts (Rom 8:27) loves to rescue ruin sinners! His mission is to save His people from their sins, which in realty is freedom from the bad heart syndrome. There is only one who can steal our hearts and cause them to love righteousness and holiness as never before, and that is simply - Jesus!

If you have time, pick up the Bible and read of all the hearts that were stolen for His glory, be amazed at the transformations, and long for your heart to be transformed as well!

I love these words which describe for us the beauty of what takes place when our hearts are stolen for His glory!
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.”

Let us pray that these words found in Psalm 110:3 will be our testimony. “Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.” Enjoy this song which highlights the glorious grace of God in transforming our hearts!

GLORIOUS FREEDOM = GREAT GRACE!

2009-05-12T19:08:00.001-07:00

John 8:36
"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

Glorious Freedom

For a prisoner of war or anyone who has suffered under the hand of an evil taskmaster these are the words he or she longs to hear-freedom, glorious freedom. What exuberance must fill the soul of who has been held in bondage for days or possibly decades!

The sunrise and sunset will hold a peculiar beauty as never before. The stars that fill the heavens will burn brighter than ever. Every relationship which this horrific slavery has severed will be reunited with unfettered joy. No matter how strained or difficult the relationship was prior to the slavery, all wrongdoing and ill-will will be lost and seem absolutely minuscule at that very moment.

I’ve never been a prisoner of war or been held in slavery under human authority upon this earth and, therefore, I cannot adequately explain the utter joy that true freedom will bring to the individual that has been set free from these awful conditions.However, I can speak on slavery and being under the sway of an evil taskmaster. I am one who has been set free and liberated from the wages of sin and the one who held me captive for almost 20 years. In this bondage I tasted many things that the prisoner of war and slave tasted.

Yet there is one difference between sin’s stranglehold on the sinner and the enslavement of prisoners and slaves. The prisoner of war or slave never doubted for one second that they were being held in utter slavery.The scriptures speak clearly about the condition of every human being to ever take a breath upon this earth.

Humanity’s condition is bondage and slavery to sin. And what makes this bondage and slavery 100 times worse than the P.O.W. or slave is that this spiritual bondage actually deceives man into thinking that his or her condition of being in bondage and slavery to sin actually does not exist.

There are two crucial texts which poignantly teach this reality. Jesus, the Son of God, God of very God, speaks to this condition in John 8:34. “Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”And the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:1-3 said, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

”Humanity is all in the same boat. We all have the same condition. We all suffer from the same disease. Before anyone’s eyebrows are raised to this accusation, just look around at all the devastation around us. Everyone we know has some blemish, even the ones we hold in high esteem have skeletons in the closet. If we’re truly honest with ourselves we know deep within our heats that we are greater sinners than anyone could ever imagine or think that we are. In honestly dealing with ourselves, each and everyone of us would have to confess that the prophet Jeremiah was indeed right when he spoke these words concerning the heart of humanity. Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?" Even our best days are tainted! Our best offerings are as filthy rags.

Come on! Let’s be real. We live in a day that hates to be real. We are always looking for some way to pass the buck. Let’s call a spade a spade and deal with the sin which reigns in the heart of us all.Jesus said in Matthew 15:17-19 “Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”

All of these things are absolutely true concerning the plight and condition of our hearts. What we need most of all are new hearts. We don’t need to turn over a new leaf. We don’t need to paint the outside of the house when the inside remains a pig-sty. What we need are new hearts, hearts given by King Jesus who came with full and resolute determination as the ultimate heart surgeon. Jesus said in Luke 5:31-32 “Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." In Christ there is real freedom-freedom from what we need most. The bondage and dominion of sin have been overthrown by Him conquered death, hell and the grave!

Great Grace

Bondage, slavery, and freedom are what the gospel is all about. Man’s condition is utterly horrific. His plight and destination is an eternity separated from a Holy God who demands peerless perfection! But none of us have peerless perfection. In the words of Paul, “No one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:11-12; 23)

The great question we must ask ourselves is, “Who can deliver me from this heart that is in bondage and slavery to sin?” Praise God there is a glorious answer! There is deliverance! We read about it in these verses.1 John 3:8 "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."John 10:10 "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."John 8:31 "So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."Jesus came to save sinners.

One of the greatest deceptions in the world that men often claim is, “I’m too bad to be saved. If you only knew how bad I’ve been then you can fully understand why Jesus could never save me.” These words are a cop-out. What unconverted men and women fail to understand is just how bad they actually are. We are greater sinners than we could ever image and that’s why we need a great savior. Jesus left His throne in glory to save rotten, hell deserving sinners from the fury of God’s wrath. Praise God He sent such a One!!

So, dear friends, without delay put all pride away and run to Him and Him alone who can free us from the bondage of sin! Let us plead for new hearts. Let us pray to see the true state of our souls and let us pray that we might be given the grace say with Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

HOLD FAST! PREVAILING UNDER MIGHTY GRACE!

2009-04-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

Corinthians 9:24-26

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."

Fight, run, wrestle, and strive with all your might! What comes to mind when you hear these words? These are words used to describe the DAILY activity of the true child of God. Christians are in a great fight. A tremendous battle is raging inside and out!! If you profess to be a follower of Jesus, here is a stone-cold fact, you are in an intense battle for the eternal well-being of your never-dying soul!

The daily activities mentioned above are not the works of religious fanatics hoping to gain God’s heaven and smile by good works. These daily activities flow from an earnest heartfelt passion to live every breathing moment of our lives before the eye of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us, in adoration of His atoning sacrifice! In Romans chapter twelve the apostle Paul defined it as “our reasonable service.”

There are many topics that people, even Christians, disagree on. However, there are teachings in the scriptures that are clear as a crystal bell, and one of those teachings is the doctrine of HOLDING FAST. Theologians have called this “the perseverance of the saints.” One of the greatest things about the teaching of the Bible is that God requires us to be real. There is no way to be fake and have honest dealings with your Bible.

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus, time and time again pointed out Rank hypocrisy. In Matthew’s gospel Jesus said if you are not willing to leave father or mother to follow me you are not worthy of me. Also in John’s gospel Jesus said to the rich young ruler, if you are not willing to sell everything that you have in order to follow me you cannot be my disciple.

To be a Christian is to be real. That means that the crux of biblical Christianity is not based on what Jesus would do but what Jesus has done! This should be the philosophy of all Christians. We can do all things through Him who strengthens us! The cross has proved victorious, the grave has been overwhelmed, and Jesus is alive and seated at the right hand interceding for the ones for whom His blood was shed!

So, Christian, if God be for us, who can be against us? There are no excuses that we can offer to be lazy, cold or indifferent in our pursuit of Christ and His word. So, let us run, fight, wrestle and strive daily to lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (Heb 12:1)

May these words of exhortation quicken our hearts to flee cold, dead religion!

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain.”

Colossians 1:21-23 “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight - if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

Hebrews 3:14 "For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end."

Now is a good time to stop and consider the topic that is before us. Are we holding fast to Jesus Christ and His gospel? The question is not, “Do you have good thoughts about Jesus? or “Do you believe the Bible to be true?” The question that the scriptures set before us is, “Are we holding fast?”

The words hold fast means to prevail, so are you prevailing in your walk with Christ? Is sin being defeated? Are you growing in your love for holiness and righteousness? Is there a deep hunger to feed upon the word that is a light and lamp unto your feet? Can you say the following along with the Psalmist? Psalm 19:7-10 “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”

These words leave us with the question, “Who is sufficient for these things?” The answer is, “No one!” There is no Christian on the face of this earth who can, in and of his own strength, run, fight, wrestle or strive without falling flat upon his face. All of our success comes solely as we prevail under the mighty grace of God.

We are a people who, from the very beginning to the very end of our lives, are totally dependent upon grace. We are called to run, wrestle, fight and strive, but at the end of the day we must say along with Paul in Romans 9:16 "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy."

The prince of preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said,
“Perseverance is the badge of true saints. The Christian life is not a beginning only in the ways of God, but also a continuance in the same as long as life lasts. It is with a Christian as it was with the great Napoleon: he said, “Conquest has made me what I am, and conquest must maintain me.” Today, let us plead for mercy, that we may be given feet to run, arms to wrestle, a willingness to fight, and a renewed mind to strive and seek first His kingdom.

HOLD FAST! There is coming a day when all running, fighting, wrestling and striving will be no more, but until that day comes let us continue to look unto Him who is the author and finisher of our faith!

Jeremy camp eloqeunty sings of this in his new song.

# 6 "JOY" THE RIPEST FRUIT OF GRACE!

2009-04-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

Psalm 16:11

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

What do you find the most joy in? Our lips may quickly spout out one thing but would our hearts tell a different story? What proceeds from our lips is very important, but the real passion of our hearts is of monumental importance. Jesus made these two statements that should grab our attention. The first is, "There are people who draw near to me with their lips but their hearts are far from me (Matt 15:18)." And secondly, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt 6:21)."

The bottom line is this. The grace of God makes all the difference in the heart and soul of the believer, even in their affections.This is especially seen in the Christian's life when the things he or she once sought after become as nothing and the seeking of Him and His righteousness becomes center stage. When this happens the Christian experiences true joy. It is then that the real meaning of life explodes, and our life's new disposition is dominated by joy in the Holy Ghost!

I agree with Mr. Spurgeon that joy is the ripest fruit of grace. Joy is the trademark of our Christian experience. It is etched in the heart of every true child of God. In Galatians chapter 5 Paul list certain marks that should be conspicuous and radiating from the believer. They are identified as the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT! The fruits are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

If someone were to ask you what it means to have biblical joy, how would you respond? Do we define Christian joy as someone just being excited or giddy?

Our text before us mentions that the joy that is alive and well, indwelling within the heart of the believer, is fullness of joy! It is a joy that is rooted and grounded in the awesome love of the Savior, a Savior who has broken into our lives, removed us from the path of eternal destruction, commanded light to shine out of darkness, and has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6).

Christian joy springs from our new life in the risen, glorified lamb of God! The Psalmist notes that it is sweet communion with the Triune God of heaven that explodes the fullness of joy in the heart of the believer.

"In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

John Piper defines what the essence of Christian joy is.

"The Gospel is the good news of our final and full enjoyment of the glory of God in the face of Christ. That this enjoyment had to be purchased for sinners at the cost of Christ’s life makes his glory shine all the more brightly. And that this enjoyment is a free and unmerited gift makes it shine more brightly still. But the price Jesus paid for the gift and the unmerited freedom of the gift are not the gift. The gift is Christ himself as the glorious image of God - seen and savored with everlasting joy."

Christian joy arises from a heart that has found its supreme satisfaction in the living, dying and Resurrection of the God-man! My heart breaks when I see people trying to find joy in cars, houses, or anything that this passing world offers instead of seeking to find that supreme satisfaction that can only be found in Christ!

If our joy in Christ is going to burn white hot it must be cross centered, saturated and running over, with daily endeavors to know Him and the power of His resurrection. This sounds wonderful doesn't it? If this is what is promised to the believer, why don't we experience this at all times? For way too many of us our joy ebbs and flows with the ocean's tides, and time and time again we have cry out with the apostle Paul,

Romans 7:24

"O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"

We must remember we have a great enemy! He is real and he is out to steal, kill and destroy everything, and that includes your joy in Christ! It would be naive to think that the enemy of our faith in Christ doesn't want to demolish every trace of joy in Jesus. If joy in Christ is to be our daily portion we must fight, run, and do whatever it takes to drink from its life-giving sustenance. We must keep these precious words of our Savior in front of us at all times.

John 10:10

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

What does it mean to have life more abundantly? The word in the Greek means to have something over and above, more than is necessary -to have something exceeding abundantly,something further, more, much more than all, more plainly more superior, more extraordinary, more surpassing, more uncommon, more eminent, more remarkable, more excellent, beyond measure.

Wow! That is what Jesus came to do and will do in a Christian's heart. To have life more abundantly is to have real solid joy in who Jesus is and what He has made us to be! Surly this is why Nehemiah exhorted the people with these words,

Nehimaih 8:10

"Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

To sustain a healthy joy in the God of our salvation we must cast ourselves upon the rock of ages,who is the fountain of all our joy! He is a anchor for our joy. He is the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Joy is a gift just as grace is and we must seek Him daily to fill our hearts. Let us cry out with David,

Psalm 51:12

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit!

Dear brothers and sisters, it is only for now we see in a mirror dimly, but there is coming a day when we will see face to face. At this present, we only know in part; But one day when we ALL shall KNOW the JOY of knowing Him FULLY! OH! May God give us the grace to drink deeply upon the river of His pleasures!!

So much can can be said on this topic. One of my favorite books of all times is John Piper's book "How to fight for Joy, When I don't desire God". It's a must read and Lord willing in the future we may cover the themes of his book. It's my purpose in this blog entry to wet your appetite to ascertain real lasting joy in the one who loved us and purchased us with His own blood!

REGENERATION: GRACE'S ULTIMATE GOAL

2009-03-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

John 3:3
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Regeneration. How familiar are we with this word? If we are united to the Lord of Glory we ought to be able to define what regeneration is. Regeneration is the essence of the gospel and exclusively what Jesus came to do in the heart of sinners! This is what the cross of Jesus Christ is all about, rescuing, delivering and truly saving sinners from sins, vices, and chains!!

Regeneration separates Christianity from all other religions, especially when it comes to reaching man's final destination! Without regeneration there is no hope of gaining heaven! The gospel is about good news, and the good news is that Jesus has come to make us new. Regeneration is the work of God, a supernatural work by which God, through the cross and the implanting of the Holy Spirit into the life and soul of the believer, RADICALLY transforms the unbeliever's life!!

Here is a good time to stop and ask yourself this eternal question. Is my life radically different than my neighbor's who does not profess Christ to be his deliverer? Is the same power that raised Christ from the dead alive and at work within your very own soul (Romans 6)? To be wrong about this issue is absolutely no joke! Eternity hangs in the balance.

Christianity is not a feel good religion, however, there is no greater joy and peace than to be saved by Christ! Salvation (regeneration) is not based upon what man can do but is totally dependant upon what JESUS HAS DONE. Hallelujah! The work of Christ is finished! We must remember that the one who claims to have been regenerated (born again) by the Holy Spirit has a peculiar phrase attached to his or her new identity as a Christian. Regeneration means to be IN CHRIST! Over 6o times this identity is attached to the one who has been regenerated. "In Christ" is who and what we are!!

While we acknowledge that a large amount of the people who claim to be Christians live and act no differently than those outside of Christ, this reality should cause us to ask a most important question. Where does the fault lie? Is the power of the gospel deficient in it's ability to transform the sinner? No way! To say that the gospel is deficient, is to say that God is not omnipotent. The prophet Jeremiah clears this issue with these words found in

Jeremiah 32:17-19

"Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 'You show loving-kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them -- the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 'You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings."

The work of regeneration, in which God calls a sinner out the dominion and slavery of sin, is a power which liberates the believer!! The gospel is the power of God unto Salvation (Rom 1:21). So, to say the gospel can't transform or has the inability to do the job is to call into question the omnipotent power of the One True and Living God, which is ludicrous! The scriptures are absolutely clear about regeneration. The apostle Paul presents this truth in

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Can we say with honesty that we are a new creation? The question is not are you are a perfect Christian, because there are none, but is our life largely lived out with Jesus Christ being our most treasured possession? May Him who came to redeem move within our hearts to consider the solemn call to forsake all to follow Him who is worthy of our every affection! Praise God we can rejoice with Paul in

1 Timothy 1:15 15

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

Regeneration. Are you in Christ? Is that grace which God chiefly gave in the giving of His Son, living and active within your heart?

# 4 THE PINNACLE OF MERCY! THE FREE OFFER OF GRACE!

2009-03-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

What would you consider to be the greatest act of mercy? There are many acts of mercy all across this globe that could be mentioned. For the sake of time I would like to consider with you, the greatest act of mercy that has ever taken place in the universe. Some have pinned the pinnacle of God's gratuitous love as "sinners receiving the matchless love of God at Christ expense". This act of mercy is beyond our ability to comprehend or fathom, yet according to the Scriptures we are invited to revel in the awesome love of God!

Paul used words like these to encourage the believers in Ephesians. Ephesians 3:16-19 "that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

If we are to be grounded in the surpassing love of God for sinners we must be willing to take valuable time to consider the breadth, length, height and depth of God's love. Real progress in this arena can take place and we ought to be encouraged to be a people to not just have lip religion. Real heartfelt adoration for the stupendous love God begins when we truly seek a genuine, daily, relationship with Jesus, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Col 2:3)

So, now we come to consider the pinnacle of grace! The free offer of God's love in the gospel of Christ! How can we define the free offer of God's grace? The free offer of God's grace is that incredible love which reaches and extends to all humanity, to have there sins forgiven and washed in the precious blood of His only begotten Son! All throughout the gospel, when this theme is preached men were moved to great bliss and holy joy. The apostle Paul was willing to have his life cut short, just to preach the free offer of grace to those who have never heard of God's mercy in Christ (Rom 15:20)! And ultimately in the end Paul did die a martyr.

Let's take just a moment to meditate on a few verses which highlight this reality. One of the most famous verses every quoted is John 3:16. Yet, to get the full weight and meaning of this beautiful verse it must be followed by verses 17,18. John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18.Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

Also we read in, 1 John 4:9 "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

And lastly, 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

Many things run through our minds when we read such startling and amazing words as we have just read. We must ask ourselves, how can this be? How can God love those who nailed His Son to a tree. How can God love those who for years and most of their lives lived in rebellion and hatred toward Him! What could move such a Holy and Just Creator to humble Himself, and take the form of a servant. To be born in the likeness of men, to be found in human form, to become obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:7-8)?

Only grace!!! For God has demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet still living in gross sin and rebellion, He chose death, so we who believe might have life! The hymn writer nailed it when these words were pinned- "Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon And cleanse within. Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater Than all my sin.

Dear friends, come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Revel and marvel at the free offer of grace and may we all with all that is within us run to that great Fountain that is filled with blood!

May we sing with the hymn writer-

"There was nothing in us to merit esteem,
Or give the Creator delight.
'Twas 'Even so, Father!' we ever must sing,
Because it seem'd good in thy sight."

For further study read Spurgeon's sermon- http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0233.htm

# 3 The foundation of Grace: Its built upon a ROCK!

2009-03-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

Psalm 18:2

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

When you think of a rock what do you think about? A small stone that you find in your drive way? Or do you thing of a rock sitting in a field? If we are thinking biblically, when the word rock is mention we should be drawn to one of the attributes of the one true and living God of the bible! The word rock is attributed to our God conspicuously throughout the scriptures.

So, what does grace have to do with God being a Rock? According to the scriptures it matters a lot. In a world in which things pass away like the morning dew, what significance is it to the Christian that our God be a Rock? To properly understand why God would choose to be acquainted with a rock we must understand what kind of rock we are talking about. We are not talking about some rock that someone can pick up and Skip across a lake. We are not talking about a rock that is sitting in some field. When we think of God as a rock we need to be thinking "UNMOVEABLE" "IMPENETRABLE".

A good focus point would be to think of Mount Augustus in Australia. This is the largest rock in the entire world! It is absolutely immovable. No machinery could move this massive rock. Indeed that rock is there to stay. So is our God! All those who are truly saved and indeed have tasted that Jesus Christ is precious can rejoice that our God is indeed our rock. Our salvation is secure because the rock of our salvation has procured it for us by His grace! When trials come we can say with the Psalmist in Psalm 62:2 "He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken." We can also stand on this solid reality that God is guiding our every step. For the Psalmist recites, Psalm 31:3 "For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me."

God is our rock for His namesake!! It is for His glory that He has chosen to pull undeserving sinners out of a life dominated and ruled by sin. We ought to praise God that indeed He is our ROCK! The prophet Isaiah's exhortation is one that we should seek to follow- "Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock."(Isaiah 26:4)

Jesus in the rock of our salvation. Matthew 16:18 "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Roman Catholicism totally misses the meaning of this text. They make the rock to be Peter. But Peter is no rock. Peter is not immovable. Peter is a mere man who is trusting in the rock which is Jesus Christ of Nazareth! The foundation of Christianity is built upon the back of the Man of Sorrows. Jesus is the one that built the gate that Satan cannot penetrate, (HALLELUJAH!!). He's the only one that can bring sinners into a right relationship with God! But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.(Eph; 2:13)

Let us seek to build upon that rock which the whole foundation of Christendom is built upon and drink deeply into that rock who is Christ Jesus! Ephesians 2:18-22, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."

Praise be to our Rock, our foundation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE FOUNDATION OF GRACE! # 2

2009-03-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

Is your house on a good foundation? If a severe flood were to ravish your neighborhood could your house sustain its force? We all hope so! If we did not build our house or supervise the installation we would have to depend on the builder or architect who built our homes.

As Christians one of the aspects of our faith that should cause us to rejoice is that the foundation of our faith does not rise or fall based on our doings or building. Praise God we can rejoice that indeed He is the great master builder! The Psalmist declares this truth in, Psalm 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

The essence of this passage is grace, marvelous grace! It's the Lord that builds the house. The Lord of glory did not ask our permission to build. The giving of His only begotten Son and the building of His Chruch originated in the grace and love of a sovereign God! The apostle Paul reflecting on the insurmountable task of his apostleship was overwhelmed that not only did God call him to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ but that any and all success comes from Him from whom all blessings flow! For we read in 1 Corinthians 3:6-11 "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

The foundation of grace is to be found in the love of God before the foundation of the world.
Ephesians 1:3-6 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." As Christians if we miss the mark in our understanding concerning the foundation of grace every aspect of our Christian life and ministry will be skewed by seeking to please God and endeavor to build His Church in our own strength, with man being the main emphases (the center of the stage).

At this point take a quick look at your christian experience and see if the grace of God is its main feature, or are we leaning on our efforts or His, which cannot fail! (Proverbs 3:5) It is absolutely critical for the proper maintenance of our souls that we get grace right!!! Its God's grace and only God's grace that will and can sustain us when the sorrows and trails of this world come our way. If God's grace is flowing through our souls we can say with Job even when disaster destroys all that he held dear in this world in Job 19:24-27 "Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me"
Or with the Psalmist in Psalm 73:26 26 "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever"

Surly we should sing with John Newton with great fervor, Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch like me.I once was lost but now am found,Was blind, but now I see.

Next Post: The foundation of Grace: Its built upon a ROCK!

THE FOUNDATION OF ALL THAT IS CHRISTIAN! # 1

2009-03-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

Romans 5:2

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

If someone where to ask you what separates Christianity from all other religions how would respond? There are many ways to respond but there is one thing that places real biblical Christianity in a league of its own when placed beside all other religions and that is GRACE! Anything that says it is Christian and is based on mans ability's, or places its trust outside of Christ merit and worth is absolutely foreign to the teaching that is found in the inspired Scriptures!

Grace was preached by the Apostle Paul as the very foundation of Christianity. Grace is the key element in each of the thirteen Epistles of the New Testament which includes evidence of authorship by Paul, from the very first word of the body of each letter, "Grace to you," to the final, "Grace be with you." The very gospel that Paul preached is called "the gospel of God's grace" in Acts 20:24! If we say we have all from his fullness received, grace upon grace we ought to live with this being the center piece of all we say and do! (John 1:16)

It is my intention in this blog to highlight the grace of God in every aspect of christian living! Anyone that is a regular attender of church should know the definition of grace. Grace is UNMERITED FAVOR! Grace is the mercy of God by which He gave His only begotten Son to save, rescue, ruined sinners. Or we could define God's grace by quoting from 1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. The love and grace of God by no means finds any merit in man but is based totally on God choosing to love for the praise of glorious grace!

If grace is unmerited favor why do so many professing Christians live out their daily life and evangelize with man being the center and God's grace ending up in the background? Do we conduct our church life, our married life the raising of our children, and every thing we do as Christians according to this wonderful reality! The apostle Peter was convinced that we should! 1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

May our Heavenly Father increase our understanding of His wonderful grace. Let us seek the grace to be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom we desire to shine as lights in the world. (Philippians 2:15)

Next post: Building on the foundation of grace!

CONSIDERING GRACE!

“Abortion is as American as Apple Pie” — The Culture of Death Finds a Voice!

RELATED POSTS

The Goal of God's Love May Not Be What You Think It Is!

A MONSTER DRINK FOR THE CHRISTIAN!

“Godly sorrow brings repentance”

WHAT IS TRUE REPENTANCE?

A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT TO LIVE BY FAITH TODAY!

Living by faith.

What is the Gospel?

What is the Gospel? by C. J. Mahaney

3 Simple Rules For Listening to a Sermon!

PRAYING FOR THOSE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST!

The Immutability of God!

The Attributes of Godby A.W. Pink

The Immutability of God

The Kind of Revival We Need by Charles H. Spurgeon

THE MOST NOBLE OF CAPTAINS!

A brief encouragement to run hard for Christ glory!!!

What is a Biblical Christian part 4?

What is a Biblical Christian part 4?

by Albert N. Martin

What is a Biblical Christian part 3?

What is a Biblical Christian part 3?

by Albert N. Martin

What is a Biblical Christian part 2?

What is a Biblical Christian? by Albert N. Martin

What is a biblical Christian part 1?

What is a Biblical Christian? by Albert N. Martin

THE SWEET DRIPPINGS OF GOD'S GRACE!

A Prayer for the Lord’s Day!

AN EXHORTATION FROM THE PRINCE OF PREACHERS!

WE SERVE THE GREATEST KING, WE HAVE THE BEST MESSAGE, WE HAVE THE BEST MOTIVE!

City on a Hill: Reclaiming the Biblical Pattern for the Church in the 21st Century

RELENTLESS RESTORATION

# 2 Encouragements to bolster our hope in believing and sharing of the gospel!

ENCOURAGEMENTS TO BOLSTER OUR HOPE IN THE TRIUNE GOD!

“CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!!”

YOU'VE STOLEN MY HEART!

GLORIOUS FREEDOM = GREAT GRACE!

HOLD FAST! PREVAILING UNDER MIGHTY GRACE!

# 6 "JOY" THE RIPEST FRUIT OF GRACE!

REGENERATION: GRACE'S ULTIMATE GOAL

# 4 THE PINNACLE OF MERCY! THE FREE OFFER OF GRACE!

# 3 The foundation of Grace: Its built upon a ROCK!

THE FOUNDATION OF GRACE! # 2

THE FOUNDATION OF ALL THAT IS CHRISTIAN! # 1

The Attributes of God
by A.W. Pink