A Very Christmas/Gospel Message

Christmas. The thought of this holiday brings many thoughts to mind. Family , frineds, food, lights, trees, angels, shepherds, a manger, and most importantly a baby, called Jesus, Emanuel, God with us. We creatures do not deserve this attention that God has bestowed upon us.


We often think of the baby Jesus this time of year and forget that this babe wrapped in rags is God. This Child who was placed in a food trough to sleep is the beginning of last chapter of the Gospel. This infant was born to die, to conquer sin and death for a broken humanity. Such humility as Philippians 2 explains so well.


Born to die a terrible death at the hands of man. Born to be placed in the hands of Satan to do his worst. Born to suffer the wrath of His Father for the sins of men. What kind of love is that?


It is easy to dwell on the suffering of Christ, but what about that of the Father? I am a father. I have a son. I love my son dearly, but no where near the perfect love that the Father and the Son shared. I could not bear to watch my son suffer and die for a dirty, rotten, selfish scoundrel. Yet this is what God did. For you. For me.

Let us remember not only the birth of Christ this season, let us contemplate the Gospel as it is taught throughout scripture. Let us remember that this Gospel is all about God and Him reaching out to dirty rotten selfish scoundrels that are not worthy of this Babe who was born to die so that we, his chosen, may live.

Peace and blessings

More from Hebrews

Read Hebrews 10 this morning. Here are verses 22-31. Either my copy paste feature is broken or I'm not smart enough to use it properly, thus I will be forced to type it out word for word. At least I don't have to write it by hand!

"...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love the good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversafies. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son Of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of Grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Soft gospel? Pray a prayer? Universalism? I think not.

A Short Goodbye

I lost a friend this week. A friend who told everyone he knew about Jesus and many he didn't know too. He had a passion for sharing the Gospel with anyone who would listen. I just heard that the local secular school had a moment of silence in honor of this godly man. He touched the lives of many.

As a Christian, the loss hurts, but knowing the joy, the complete joy he is experiencing now is nothing short of Awesome. I look forward to that complete joy someday!

Peter, I will miss you but I will see you again!
Praise God you are with your Savior!

1 Peter 5:6-11

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by you brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Well, I have been thinking again. Concern and discouragement often cause that to happen.

I was raised very Arminian. I now praise God for the Doctrines of Grace that through His word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, I know to be true. Scripture is the picture of God reaching out to man, not the other way around! If it were not for His Amazing Grace, I shudder to think of the state of fallen man. Were it not for his Sovereign omnipotence, or his infinite wisdom, where would we be?

I used to be a die hard 1 or 2 point Calvinist. I could not see myself as totally deprived, there had to be some good in there somewhere! Unconditional election? Come on! There is no way God picks and chooses! I had, what I thought to be a very biblical understanding of these things. I look back now and see that what I had, was a very man based understanding of what man had created to make him feel more comfortable with who he thinks he is.

OK, OK, so what does this have to do with the above scripture?

Many people have different theology then I do. This difference in theology often makes me uncomfortable. I guess you could say that I allow a ''barrier'' to be built between myself and anyone who may think differently then I do. I think it is safe to assume that there are others like me! I also think that we can agree that this is not a proper response to our differences, especially considering these are fellow believers! We need to humble ourselves, cast our cares on Him because he cares! (v6-7) We need to be sober-minded and watchful in order avoid the schemes of the devil, we need to resist him and be firm in our faith! (v8-9)Take that wall down and live the Gospel!

There can be an is great danger here without the Gospel. Differences whether theological, personality, gender, or color can all tear apart. This cannot be allowed to happen in the church of God!

I don't know that I could call this suffering, as verse 10 states, it is certainly concern though!

We are his children, we are His church. We are here for His glory, let us live that way.

None of this is to say that I have perfect theology, perfection is unobtainable here on earth. You show me through scripture that I am wrong, I will change. I am saying I am human and I struggle, like we all do, with sin. I do indeed look forward to being restored, confirmed, strengthened, and established by my God through Christ! (v10)

To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Lets Do Church

Part 1
I have been spending quite a bit of time lately thinking about how we do church. The worship. The offering. The Bible reading. The prayer. The songs. The evangelical outreach. We all have specific ways we like our church services to be run. You like traditional, you like contemporary, and you like a mix of both.


Why is it that we have these preferences? Are we not at church to commune with our God? Don't we go to church to glorify and magnify His name?

Seems to be lots of folks out there would prefer to glorify themselves. I want this or I want that. How about ''I want God. I am here for Him. I owe Him so much more then I could ever repay. I am here for my God, as much of him as he will allow, I am here for God.'' Everything else should pale.

Part 2
We are not needed by God to do his good works. There is no need for music playing softly in the background to convince sinners they need a savior. There is no need for ''every head bowed and every eye closed''. If God is going to save someone none of these things will help persuade them! It is not an eloquent delivery or a disarming smile. It is the Gospel.

I remember attending services as a young man where my emotions were played on. I remember making emotional decisions and promises that were not led by the Holy Spirit but by men, men who seemed to care a little too much about numbers and not enough about life altering decisions. It only takes a simple prayer, a secret look at the evangelist, the raise of a hand, or a quick jaunt down the Isle. Lifestyle afterwards? That matters little, see here, on this little card in the front of my dusty bible is the date the sinners prayer was prayed. It seems that there are many churches and Christian organizations out there who have these techniques down to a science.

All this stuff man thinks he has to do to get folks saved just gets in the way. God is sovereign. He chose each and every believer before the foundations of the world! (Eph. 1).

I can't find one instance in scripture where a musical prayer, or a raised hand was required for salvation. I don't remember Paul praying the sinners prayer and signing and dating a piece of paper for proof of salvation. What was (and is and always will be) needed? The Gospel, period.

Sorry about the rant folks. This is something I am passionate about. God can and does use these things to change peoples lives. They are not the means though. The Gospel is.

Devout and Righteous

We spent some time last night in church reading scriptures about the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. I will admit that I had a hard time paying attention, and was easily distracted. I few things did sink in though. These things were not what was taught but things that stuck in my mind as Luke was being read. Two names-Simion and Anna the prophetess. Simion was described as devout and righteous. These are terms, in today's American churches, reserved for pastors elders and the like, not common folk. Anna, is what would be referred to today as a freak. Luke 1:37 says that she ''...did not depart from the temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer day and night''.

Scripture is full of people like this. Men and women of whom this world is not worthy. Crazy folks who do not care what others think. The world looks at these people as being a few fries short of a happy meal. This is what real Christians are supposed to look like, never mind what the world or even those you attend church with might think.

Easy believeism will tell you all it takes is a prayer. Live however you want, you have your fire insurance! Easy believeism makes those folks who make fun of those who are devout and righteous.

These ''hero's'' of scripture were not easy believers. Theses were the bread and butter of what it means, what it looks like to be a real Christian. Remember, the gate is narrow and few there are that find it.

Make your calling and election sure. Examine yourselves. Let us be crazy freaks who are devout and righteous, because of all that God did for all of us who do not deserve anything other then the fires of hell.

Be Simion. Be Anna.

When Tempted

[The Temptation of Jesus]
[4:1] Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. [2] And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. [3] And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” [4] But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

[5] Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple [6] and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

[7] Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” [8] Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. [9] And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” [10] Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”

[11] Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
(Matthew 4:1-11 ESV)

I have a tendency to read this section of scripture and think to myself, "This is God being tempted here, how hard could it have been." God cannot be tempted, right? I tend to forget that this God who come to earth to destroy death and sin was also a man. I don't know about you but I have a hard time understanding what exactly the God\man is.

I am thankful (though not thankful enough) for what this God\man accomplished for me on the cross! I am thankful that He was tempted. I am thankful that He was victorious over sin, and temptation! I am thankful that He can relate to me!

[14] Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, [15] and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. [16] For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. [17] Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. [18] For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
(Hebrews 2:14-18 ESV)

The Very Word of God

Scripture. Breathed out by God so that we, men and women of God my be competent and equipped to do every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16.)

Scripture. Living, active, convicting, life altering, sharp, pointing, discerning. (Heb.4:12)

Scripture is God's very word to a world that is lost. It is the history of God reaching out to his people. It is the gospel, the good news that Jesus the God/man, lived, died, rose again to conquer sin and death!

Yet, we have a tendency to soften what it says. 1 Pet. 1:15b that we are to be holy in all of our conduct. I tend to think sometimes that I am OK in the area of holiness, especially when I use the world as a lens to interpret this scripture. When faced with a holy God who hates sin, my mind quickly turns to the wretch that I am!

How about Romans 13:14, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires". I don't know about you but sometimes I like to change that ''no provision" to ''a little provision is OK''. I know that is not what scripture says, I'm born again, how bad can a little provision be anyway!?

I have been singing to myself "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". I love that song just a little more then I hate it. "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love". That's me. Scripture comands me to be holy, to make no provision for the flesh. Fail, flee, hide.

Hebrews 2:1, "Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it."

We (I) need to pay closer attention to what scripture says and not so much to what the world says we (I) may or may not need.

Divine Parentheses

This morning as I was reading in Galations I was struck by a verse that is bookended by parentheses. "Odd.", I thought to myself. Usually, when I use parentheses, I use them to enclose an afterthought. I don't know if this is the proper use of them or not, I was never very good in English (just don't tell my son! (see, an afterthought)). I am not sure that the parentheses used here by Paul are an afterthought or not. I am sure that it does not matter because these parentheses are contained in the word of God and therefore, true.
I was very encouraged and excited once again to be spoken to by the word of God! Galations 2:8 says

(for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles).


That same ''he'' is also working in modern day believers! That same ''he'' is working in you Christian! Let us live that way! I praise God for his triune ministry to us as believers, for He who has began a good work in us WILL complete it! (Phil. 1:6)

A test we cannot fail

This week I finished 2 Corinthians.
13:5 says,
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"

These are hard words for me to swallow sometimes. I find it much easier to look at others. My examination of them often makes me feel better about myself. "My sin isn't that bad!"

I know it's not true. My sin is that bad and worse. It is my sin that put Christ on the cross. It is my sin that I need to deal with. It is my sin that keeps me awake at night. It is me that I am told to examine.

Christianity is not easy. I praise God that he tells me that, His divine power has given me everything I need, and His grace is sufficient for me, and that I can do all things through Him!

It is this testing of ourselves that reveals to us who we really are. Let us not fail to meet the test!

Now That We Are Men (and Women!)

I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 this morning. I would like to share verses 11-13.
Often when reading the ''Love Chapter" I get so caught up in the first 10 verses that I miss all the rest. What a great promise!


When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Let us be men and live for that time when we will know fully and rejoice that have been, are and, always will be fully known.

Epic Fail

''Epic fail'' has become a trendy term for failure. There are web pages and TV programs dedicated to the failure of others. These pictures and shows are designed to be humerus (for the most part) at the expense of the one failing.

I would like to take a moment to point out that there is a book (the Bible) that does this as well though not in a humerus way. It points out that we as humans are an epic failure. The failures are different for the saved then they are for the lost but failures none the less.

I had one of those epic fail moments today while reading Phillipians 2:14. It says,
"Do all things without grumbling or questioning.''

Strong medicine eh? There are things in my life that almost require me to grumble! Oh wait...this text says all things are to be done without grumbling. Hard words for me to listen to today! I want to grumble! I want to complain! I want to question!

Thank God for this book that is living and active! Thank God that I am being changed by his Word. Yes, I continue to be an epic failure. I will continue to fail (sin) until glory. I look forward to that. No more sin. No more problems with self, or pride, or lust, or grumbling, or questioning, or..........

Be-attitudes

The beatitudes. Talk about conviction! A friend of mine recommended that I use Lloyd Jones' commentary as we together wade through the Sermon on the mount. Our latest study spoke of the meek. Matthew 5:5 says, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Meek, a short little word with a very complicated definition. Part of that definition is, ''an emptying of self''. A realization that life is not about me. It's about God. There are many great examples of this in scripture and one in particular I would like to bring to your attention. Our Lord Jesus is spoken of by Paul in his book to Philippi as humbling himself, making himself nothing in order to glorify God.

Phillipians 2:4-8
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

There is a lot of nourishment to be had from this short section of scripture! What an example we have here of what it means be meek! The creator of everything became nothing (human)! Talk about denying yourself! I have a hard time giving up the nothing that I am! Because of his awesome example God highly exalted his son. We are also promised a reward for being he meek, we shall inherit the earth! Thankfully, it is not this sin tarnished earth that will be ours but a new earth. I can not even begin to imagine what that will be like.


This short study on the word meek has humbled me, broken me, caused me to examine myself and see that I am a wretch. I am not worthy of His great love. I deserve nothing, but, because of His great love I have been redeemed! There is little pride in that statement, wonder, worship, and praise yes, but pride? I have nothing to be proud of. The glory belongs to God alone.

A church or The Church

I would like to take some time to tackle an issue that has been heavy on my heart for some time now.

Cultural relevance.

This question of cultural relevance can be seen everywhere. People are coaxed into our nations many Church's by any number of things: music, shock value, lights, camera, action, even sex and the marriage bed. Nothing is sacred. If it will draw people in it has the potential to be used to do just that. The real reasons, the Gospel and worship seem to take a back seat to all of this man made hype.

It is not your pastors personality or preaching style. It is not whether you have a contemporary or traditional worship service. It's not the friendly smiling faces that may greet you at the door. It not the size, location, or architecture of your building, it does not matter if it's a new church, old church, house church, or rented out space church. It's the Gospel.

Martin Lloyd Jones in his book "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" while speaking about the Poor in Spirit, has this to say, "There is a tendency rather to exalt a certain aggressiveness and self assurance and to justify a mans making use of himself and his own personality and trying to put it forward... The advertisements that are being increasingly used in connection with Christian work proclaim this tendency very loudly. You read the old records of the activities of God's greatest workers, the great evangelists and others, and you observe how self effacing they were. But, today, we are experiencing something that is almost a complete reversal of this. Advertisements and photographs are being put into the foreground.

If someone has been chosen by God to be saved none of these things will bring salvation. It's not as if God needs us. Men dream up many things to bring people into their churches. The Gospel does not need men to make it look more attractive. The Gospel needs God. The Gospel is not about mans glory but Gods.

I am not saying that all of these things are worthless. I am saying that when these things become who we are or what we fight for or rely on they become worthless. Man has no power to save the lost. That power belongs to a far greater God. Rom. 1:16 speaks of the Gospel as being THE power of God for salvation.

Once a church becomes more interested in numbers then they are about worship and the Gospel they are coming dangerously close to being more of ''a church'' then The Church.

The book of 1 John talks much of self examination. Self examination is important for The Church as well. Is it all about Vanity Fair and the wisdom of man to attract people or is it all about the Gospel and real worship? Are we trying so hard to look like a church that we are in danger of missing the point?

We serve a great God. It is all for His glory. Let us never forget this all important fact!

Col. 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Phil. 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Churching the Unchurched

A friend of mine shared this quote with me the other day. I had to borrow it from the ''Truth Matters'' blog to share here.

What do we need besides the gospel to attract the lost to the cross? Nothing. This job belongs to only One.

"Churching the unchurched is an absolute fallacy – it is like purposing to let the tares in. It is absolutely bizarre to want to make unsaved people feel comfortable in a church. The church is not a building – the church is a group of worshiping, redeemed, and sanctified people among whom an unbeliever should feel either miserable, convicted and drawn to Christ, or else alienated and isolated. Only if the church hides its message and ceases to be what God designed the church to be, can it make an unbeliever comfortable."

John MacArthur

The God Sense

I had a bit of time the other day and decided that it would be well spent on a river in search of some trout for my fry pan. It was truly a wonderful day. Though I did catch some trout I was further blessed by beauty of Gods creation. I could hear the birds singing to each other in their many different languages, beautiful songs, but songs I could not understand except for to praise God along with them. I could hear and feel the rumble of the fast moving water as it was slowly changing the landscape it flows through, around, over and in. I could smell a fresh breeze swirling around me; it brought with it the scents of spring, wild flowers mostly but occasionally an almost discreet odor of decay would intrude as if to remind me of the fallen world I live in. The colors I could see were stunning. The blues and whites of the sky and rushing water, the many different greens of the trees, grasses, moss, and bushes were staggering. The yellows, blues, oranges, violets, whites, and reds of the wild flowers and blossoms that were scattered around me could almost take ones breath away.

Take just one sense of the five God had given us and it was beautiful. All five and it was awesome. I was surrounded by the beauty of Gods creation. All this beauty in a fallen world. Imagine what awaits us in glory!

I was blessed that day to see, and feel, and smell, hear, and taste what it is that God has created. We as Christians have been blesses with a ''sixth sense'' as well. That is the ability to recognize the presence of God in all things. He is present in all of our lives. He is the creator and sustainer of all that we are aware of (all the we are not aware of too). In our busy lives all of this can be so easy to miss. Slow down and pay attention. Take some time to get alone with God. His attention to detail is wonderful.

Do not worship this beautiful creation but the One who created it. SDG!

Col. 1:15-23
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation1 under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Deuteronomy 31:19-21

19 “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel. 20 For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant. 21 And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give.”

This is more from the Chrono read that I have been doing.

I am so thankful that even though God knows what I am inclined to do He still loves me! He still pulls me towards Him. He even sacrificed His Son for me! I am so undeserving!

It has been a blessing learning better who my God is as I read through the Old Testament!

A New Hope

If you are a Star Wars buff the title of this post may bring back memories of the 1977 original blockbuster hit when nobody had a clue who Harrison Ford was. I grew up Star Wars. I had more Star Wars action figures they you could shake a stick at. I was in love with Princess Leia and terrified of the Dark Side of the force! How the time flies! Life was easy then, none of the hardships we face as adults. No bills to pay or kids to raise or phones to answer. No job, no worries, no problem. The ''innocence'' of youth, were the sky was the limit and the dreams were big. Nobody or nothing to grind you down and wear you out.

Star Wars was not what I was dwelling on when I thought of sharing my heart. A new hope is. The new hope (or new birth) that is available to all who will believe in Jesus. Spring always brings these thoughts to the forefront of my mind. I always look at spring as a new beginning, a new hope. A time to reexamine myself in view of the new creation I am in Christ. Where am I as a Christian compared to where I was last year. Have I changed? Have I grown closer to my God? Am I the same? What have I learned? Where have I grown. Have I been trampled by the dark side or am I clinging to the Light. Self examination is an important part of the Christian walk. Let us grow in His grace!

2 Cor 13:5a- Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.

Persevering Perseverance

My son asked me to show him where in scripture it talks about the end times and earthquakes. He has heard from a couple of different sources that the end could be near. I dearly hope that it is! I yearn for that trumpet call. I know that depending on your eschatology this all shakes out a little differently but this is not what this post is about.

After showing my son the scripture in Mark 13 that talks about earthquakes and the end of this age I continued reading.
Here is Mark 13:3-13.

3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Now this is the stuff movies are made of right!? It seems in today's world this doomsday stuff is very popular and makes millions at the box office; only its global warming that is causing this to happen not All Mighty God!

I would like to draw you attention to the last part of verse 13, "But the one who endures to the end will be saved." What a great text for Perseverance of the Saints. Let us run the race to completion, and finish strong. End times or not, it should not matter. Endure my brothers and sisters!

Selections from Numbers

I just wanted to take a moment to share with you some of what I have been reading. These scriptures have hit me hard and caused me examine my walk. The first is Numbers 12:1-9

1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. 4 And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. 5 And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. 6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.

Verses 7 and 8 are the ones that got me excited. The second selection is Numbers 18:20.

And the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.

I struggle with this because sometimes in my life I feel that He is not enough. He is not my portion. I ''need'' something else, something created. In reality He is more then enough. He is my portion. He is all I need. Why can't I get that through my thick skull! Sin sucks.

A friendly Reminder

I have been spending quite a bit of time in Leviticus as of late due to the chrono read schedule I have been following. Historically for me Leviticus has been one of those books that I have struggled to read through due to its repetitive nature. I would tend to just skim through it and thus get little to nothing out of it. This time through I have been forcing myself to pay better attention. This morning my assigned reading was chapters 19-21. It struck me that after each time a section of the law was stated it was followed by either, ''I am the Lord'', or, ''I am the Lord your God''. Why? Why would God repeat himself so often. Then I remembered that we are human, and as a human we tend to be very forgetful of who God is. OT Israel is a great picture of our forgetfulness. It was not very long after the exodus that the Israelites were grumbling. As a matter of fact they were even worshiping a man made image when God was present with Moses on the mountain! They could see the very cloud of God that covered the mountain and yet they forget. While it tends to be all to easy to look as the shortcomings of Israel and wonder, yet we need to look at ourselves and remember how forgetful we tend to be as well. How many times has the Lord blessed us and we like Israel forget. Even in the midst of blessing we forget! We need to be reminded that He is the Lord our God. We need to be reminded often He is the Sovereign, Holy, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Good, Awesome, Just, Vengeful, Wrathful, Unchanging, True, Creator God. He is God. Let us not forget. Let us read His Word, Pray without ceasing, meditate day and night, fellowship with His church, and share His love with others. Let us remember!

2 Peter 1:3-9

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection m with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins."

I was reading Paul David Tripps book ''Age of Opportunity and he has this to say about the above set of verses.

''God knows our weakness. He is aware of our sin. And He has given us glorious gifts of grace so that we can be His tools of change in our children's lives. We cannot give in to discouragement and hopelessness. Christ gives us reason for hope; hope that we can be effective and productive as we parent our teenagers. The gifts of grace that He gives turn weak and failing sinners into effective and productive children of the almighty God.''

I just love that. May it bless you as well.

A.W. Tozer

Just a quick quote-
''God will not hold us responsible to understand the mysteries of election, predestination, and the devine sovereignty. The best and safest way to deal with these truths is to raise our eyes to God and in deepest reverence say, "O Lord thou knowest." Those things belong to the deep and mysterious profound of God's omniscience. Prying into them make theologians, but will never make saints.''

Adolesent Angst to Adult Adoration

My son has hit the teen years in overdrive. It seems that we have gone from an easy going adolescent to something altogether different overnight. We now have attitude, angst, anger, and more attitude. Inside all of this is the very real issue of sin. We have had many conversations as of late that deal with some sin issues that concern me greatly. As a Christian father I try to point Ty more and more to the Cross. I try to help him see his sin as God sees it. Through this difficult time the Holy Spirit has been working on me as well. I think it's safe to say that I am learning more about myself and my shortcomings (sin) through this time then my son is. I have been seeking counsel and wisdom from the godly men and women in my life. These people are proving to me again and again what a great God we serve!

I was thinking today about something Milton Vincent said at a men's conference my church hosted back in November. Specifically he was talking about forgiveness in a marital relationship that has been scarred by adultery. He referred to this kind of forgiveness as multi faceted. The sin of adultery can be forgiven but (the sin) can often manifest itself in another way and thus forgiveness is needed again in a different manner. Like a diamond has many facets so can forgiveness.

My struggles with Ty have shown me that sin can often times have many facets as well. As I struggle with the sin in Tyler's life the Holy Spirit is showing me that I have sin in my life that needs to be dealt with too. My sin is multi-faceted. Its ugly face shows up somewhere else in my life and in a different manner.

Today, I am thankful for a multi-faceted Savior. I am thankful that the facets of the forgiveness of Jesus are not finite like my sin but infinite and perfect. I pray that Ty and I will be able to grow in grace together in this strggle.

One Thing Leads to Another

While I was working on a different post this morning I ran into 2 Tim 2:15.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Lots of meat here. Worthy of some serious meditation.
It is great how God shows you what you need to see when you need to see it. It is almost like he is actively working in my life (Phil 2:13). It is almost like He is sanctifying me. (Phil 1:6) I love that we have a Romans 8:28-30 God.

Self Denial

I have been forced to think much lately about the importance of self denial. Last Sept. I was given a pamphlet by Desiring God on self denial written by Calvin. I was at a men's conference up here in the 'Dacks last November and was given a book called ''The Shadow of the Cross, Studies of Self-Denial'' by Walter J. Chantry. I was also spending time with a friend of mine recently who mentioned how important it is to be able to deny your-self for the sake of evangelism, taken from Paul's charge to young Timothy in 2 Tim 4:5. In preparation for teaching at Boys Brigade tomorrow night I was reading in Philippians 2:1-11-

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

That my friends is self denial. God became man and was killed for the sins of men who deserve hell. I am glad that this account does not stop there but continues to the glorious King Jesus seated where he belongs, highly exalted with a name that is above all names! All of this done for God's glory! Father help me to deny myself and cling to my Savior that denied himself for me.

Job 28

When I think of wisdom and scripture usually the first things that pop into my head are Proverbs and James 1:5. This weekend as I was reading through Job I was blessed to read the 28th chapter.
1“Surely there is a mine for silver,
and a place for gold that they refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth,
and copper is smelted from the ore.
3 Man puts an end to darkness
and searches out to the farthest limit
the ore in gloom and deep darkness.
4 He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives;
they are forgotten by travelers;
they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.
5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread,
but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
6 Its stones are the place of sapphires,
and it has dust of gold.
7 “That path no bird of prey knows,
and the falcon's eye has not seen it.
8 The proud beasts have not trodden it;
the lion has not passed over it.
9 “Man puts his hand to the flinty rock
and overturns mountains by the roots.
10 He cuts out channels in the rocks,
and his eye sees every precious thing.
11 He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle,
and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
12 “But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13 Man does not know its worth,
and it is not found in the land of the living.
14 The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’
and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15 It cannot be bought for gold,
and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
in precious onyx or sapphire.
17 Gold and glass cannot equal it,
nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;
the price of wisdom is above pearls.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
nor can it be valued in pure gold.
20 “From where, then, does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living
and concealed from the birds of the air.
22 Abaddon and Death say,
‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
23 “God understands the way to it,
and he knows its place.
24 For he looks to the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When he gave to the wind its weight
and apportioned the waters by measure,
26 when he made a decree for the rain
and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
27 then he saw it and declared it; he established it,
and searched it out.
28 And he said to man,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Job like Solomon had a very good understanding of the value of wisdom that so many of us seem lack today.

Father help us to understand the value of wisdom as these men did. Help us to seek after it and pray for it as you work through us and sanctify us.

Unable or unwilling?

I was reading this morning Luke chapter one. I was reading about Zechariah, the soon to be father of John the Baptist. Zechariah doubts the power of God and is struck mute until his child is born. The following is Luke 1:8-20

Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

As I read this I wondered how many times I have been struck mute, not by God but by my own doubt. My unbelief. My fear. How many times have I not spoken up because I was scared of what man may think. How many times have my lips remained silent when truth should have been spoken? How could I possibly speak truth, I am just a sinful man. I need to remember that although I am a sinful man, I am a man who was chosen by God for salvation to do His work, by His power, and for His glory. Amen and amen!

To God be the Glory

Believe it or not I have a new years resolution that I actually plan on and by God's grace will finish. I am resolved to read through the bible this year in chronological order. I have my friend Mike to thank for his blog post that got me started on this journey. You can read about it over at his blog http://mikeruel.wordpress.com/.

Yesterday at church we had a couple of very reformed messages brought to us out of Romans and Ephesians (and many other scriptures too). I came out of both messages blessed, challenged, and changed. I praise God for my church! Last nights service Kieth spoke on God's glory in regards those He chooses to save. God saves us not because of something we have done or some goodness that is in us. God saves us for His glory. God does all things for his glory.

Now to tie the two together! I got home last night thinking about God's glory and read this morning Job 1-5. Why was it that God allowed such terrible things to happen to Job? For his glory! Why is it that Jobs family was killed? Why is it that Job's possessions were taken from him? Why is it that Job suffered with sores all over his body? For God's glory!

God does allow hardship in our lives. He allows sickness, separation, trial, tribulation, and death. Why? For his glory. He also causes many wonderful things, they are also for his glory.

PS 57:5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
PS 72:19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!
Isa. 6:3 And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
Isa 42:8 I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.
Isa 43:7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Isa 48:11For my own sake, for my own sake,
I do it,for how should my name be profaned?
My glory I will not give to another.