Show Me Your Glory

New Website

2008-05-14T10:48:00.001-07:00

Are you still there? If so, please continue following at www.wellingtonstudents.blogspot.com. It is a website for my ministry at the church and will contain similar postings. Thanks.

Prayer for Bill Vine

2008-04-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

Bill Vine is a dear friend of mine who became a mentor to me while I attended The Master's College. Bill allowed me to go on three mission trips to Brazil with he led, met with me every Thursday morning for several years to teach me the Scriptures and allowed me to travel with him to preach at local drug rehabilitation centers. In the past several weeks Bill has been diagnosed with colon cancer. Bill is going in for surgery tomorrow morning. Please join with me in prayer for this dear friend, pastor, husband and daddy to 5 children.

Biblical Christianity vs. Roman Catholicism

2008-03-25T06:52:00.001-07:00

This week we are preparing for a new study in our student ministry titled Christ Against The World. We are examining all the world religions against Jesus Christ - who He was, what He accomplished and what that means for all mankind.

So far in my study I have come across three notable differences between what the Bible teaches and what Catholicism teaches:

1. The Means of Salvation
a. The Bible teaches the means of salvation is the work of Christ who accomplished salvation when He died for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day (I Corinthians 15:3-4)
b. Catholic doctrine teaches that justification is a process involving human merit
- The Catholic Church has declared that anyone who believes in justification by faith alone is damned

2. The Bible
a. The Bible is the only binding authority for all matters of life and godliness (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
b. Catholic doctrine teaches that church tradition and papal authority are just as binding as the Bible.

3. Worship
a. The Bible teaches that God alone is worthy of worship (Exodus 20:3-5; Isaiah 42:8)
b. Catholic doctrine encourages prayers and adoration offered to Mary and other saints

The means of our salvation, the authority of our life and who we worship - all pretty important to consider. Will you please join me in prayer that God will help me and the students and all of us understand more clearly what the Bible says verses these other world religions.

This sobering message by John Macarthur would be a helpful starting point for anyone interested in this comparative study. Just copy the link and paste it into your address bar.
http://www.bereanbeacon.org/audio_video/UnmaskingThePope.mp3.

Picture

2008-03-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I just figured out how to upload pictures onto this website, so here is one of my favorites of Brianna and Addison.

Pierced For Our Transgressions

2008-03-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

As Easter approaches it is important for us to take time and consider the cross-work of Christ. A Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. they have been doing a study called Pierced for our Transgressions. You can follow this link to the sermons http://www.chbcaudio.org/index.php?s=Pierced+for+Our+Transgressions. They are highly recommended and will help you focus accurately on the true meaning of Christ's death. There is no more important topic to make sure we understand and apply biblically.

The Link Between Knowing and Doing

2008-02-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

"Christ is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. And when we are satisfied in Him we are crucified to the world." - John Piper Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ p. 16

I had the privilege of having lunch today with a pastor friend from another church in town. We were discussing the fact that the basics of Christianity are very simple to understand but very difficult to apply rightly to the various situations of life. How do we apply our faith to our work, our marriage, our watching John and Kate + 8, our sporting events; for me, how do I apply my faith to being a student pastor? I don't know exactly. Let me explain. The Bible contains all I need to know and teach (2 Timothy 3:15-17), but there is a difference between knowing what God says and doing what God says with the right heart. I think this quote by John Piper is the link between knowing and doing. If we are satisfied with the Person and work of Christ then doing what God says will not be a burden but a joy. If we are not satisfied with the Person and work of Christ there is really no incentive to obey God from the heart or our obedience will not have much joy. Therefore, I have started reading several books in an attempt to heighten my own satisfaction with Christ so that my obedience to God's Word will issue forth from the right heart. Here are some of the books:

Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ - John Piper

Vintage Jesus - Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears

Expository Thoughts on Mark - J.C. Ryle

The Great Exchange; My Sin for His Righteousness - Jerry Bridges & Bob Bevington

I hope in reading these books and reflecting on Christ and His work my own satisfaction with knowing Christ will lead me to a greater desire to know and do God's will as made clear in His Word. I hope it's the same for all who read this.

Together For The Gospel Promo

2008-02-21T11:03:00.000-08:00

In a couple of months I have the great privilege of attending a conference in Louisville called Together for the gospel. Eight very helpful speakers from different denominations will be preaching on the main thing they all agree on - the most impoirtant thing which is the gospel of Christ. There is a new promo video at http://www.t4g.org/promo/ which might be helpful to look at some of the highlights from the past conference. Al Mohler's short video was very helpful when he talked about how the culture perceives their problems as coming from outside themselves and the cure being something found within their own strength versus the Christian gospel which teaches the problem is within the heart of man and the solution is found outside of man in Christ. I recommend any who read this click on the link and watch any of the short video's you can.

Thirty Days With Paul In Galatians

2008-02-20T14:12:00.000-08:00

This morning I had the privilege of speaking at a chapel of a Christian school that meets at our church. I challenged them to make the gospel primary in their life and to do so by reading the book of Galatians (6 chapters - 20 minutes to read) every day for thirty days. The reason Galatians helps with making the gospel central is because Paul is writing to a church who was being tempted to add circumicision and obedience to the Law of God to Christ's work on the cross for salvation. Paul calls this "another gospel" and writes a detailed, authoritative letter, explaining justification by faith alone. Let me encourage you to join me by spending thirty days with Paul in the book of Galatians and pray that God would make the work of Christ central to your heart and life.

How To Correct

2008-02-13T07:08:00.000-08:00

Correction without concern for the corrected leads to self-righteousness. Correction with sincere concern for the welfare of the corrected is a display of genuine humility and love. - C.J. Mahaney

The Lord has been teaching me lately that before I attempt to correct someone in sin (A responsibility of all pastors who do Biblical Ministry) I first need to remind myself that I am no different than the one I am attempting to correct. I am first and foremost a sinner saved by sovereign grace. Even this morning as I was getting ready and facing some things that need correction in my church responsibilities I was reminded of who I was apart from Christ (Titus 3:3) and what God has done for me (Titus 3:4-7). The more I remind myself of God's grace the more my attitude changes to genuine humility, concern, and love for the people I am responsible to lovingly correct.

If I do not keep reminding myself of these truths I face the error of thinking that I am better than those I am correcting (Self-righteousness) or even worse I may be tempted to believe that God's power isn't sufficient to bring lasting change to those who need correction. Those are two crucial lies the gospel addresses and corrects as I attempt to do Biblical Ministry in correcting others. If you read this, please pray for wisdom in my Church responsibilities.

Loving Particular People

2008-02-06T11:58:00.000-08:00

“It is easier to be enthusiastic about Humanity with a capital ‘H’ than it is to love individual men and women, especially those who are uninteresting, exasperating, depraved, or otherwise unattractive. Loving everybody in general may be an excuse for loving nobody in particular.” - John Stott on I John 3:18

Christ's Death and My Guilty Conscience

2008-01-31T05:56:00.000-08:00

When I know that Christ is the one real sacrifice for my sins, that His work on my behalf has been accepted by God, that He is my heavenly Intercessor-then His blood is the antidote to the poison in the voices that echo in my conscience, condemning me for my many failures. Indeed, Christ's shed blood chokes them into silence! - Sinclair Ferguson In Christ Alone p. 151

Audience of One

2008-01-30T06:23:00.000-08:00

We’ll never be where we should be in our spiritual lives until we are so devoted to Christ that we ask no other approbation than His smile. When we are wholly lost in Him the frantic effort to please men will come to an end. The circle of persons we struggle to please will be narrowed to One. Then we will know true freedom, but not a moment before. - A.W.Tozer

Proverbs 29:25 - "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe."

Overly Familiar With The Gospel?

2008-01-28T17:29:00.000-08:00

“Often, the first generation of Christians grab hold of the gospel, the second generation of Christians tend to assume the gospel, and the third generation of Christian abandons the gospel.” - Mark Dever

The Spirit and the Church

2008-01-24T07:39:00.000-08:00

This section is taken from a blog I read often which can be found at http://mrlauterbach.typepad.com/. It is written by the Pastor where my in-law's go to church in San Diego. What makes this man interesting, as well as his church, is that he was a baptist pastor for over 20 years and through his ministry he began to see that what people need most is the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. He met a man named CJ Mahaney, went to their Pastors College and then God opened the opportunity for him to minister the gospel in San Diego. I have greatly benefited in the few conversations we have had and wanted to copy a post he has written and hope you will consider following his sermons through the book of Acts.

"I have preached the book of Acts before – twice actually. But this time it is as though I am seeing with new eyes. You can follow along at Grace Church.

The temptation of my heart is always to take a work of God and turn it into a self-improvement project. Acts is about the continuing work of Christ to build his church by the Spirit of God and through the witness of his people. Human servants are all over – but Luke wants us to see this is the work of Christ. My heart wants to turn it into a blueprint for what I need to do.

This week I was struck deeply by this. Studying Acts 2:42-47 I was tempted to preach a message on what needs to be built into a local church to make it godly. It would have been a series of exhortations and the application would have been to take one of them and make it happen.

But Acts 2:42-47 is the end of a passage about the pouring out the Spirit of God by the exalted Christ. It is about how the Spirit of God is the active presence of God in this last chapter of history. Human effort is not forward – God’s work is.

Acts 2:42-47 contains no exhortations. It is a description. It is a description of what it looks like in a local church when the Holy Spirit is active. These are vital signs. Vital signs is a medical image. Doctors look for vital signs in a patient. They look for a strong pulse, good respiration, skin color. If they do blood work, they look for acceptable red and white cell counts. Vital signs are the fruit of health.

"Vital signs" in the church are a mark of health. Luke gives five (at least as I tried to summarize them): hunger for God’s word, hunger for fellowship, hunger for worship, the active presence of God, and fruitful evangelism. If the Holy Spirit is active, these will be there.

So, I do not think the passage is a template for human initiative. It is a measurement of God’s work. Compare the church you are in with these vital signs." - Mark Lauterbach

Dying To Self

2008-01-16T13:54:00.001-08:00

When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught,
and you sting and hurt with the insult of
oversight but your heart is happy, being counted worthy
to suffer for Christ - that is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are
crossed, your advise disregarded, your opinions
ridiculed and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart,
or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient loving
silence - that is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any
irregularity, or any annoyance, when you can stand face to
face with waste, folly, extravagence, spiritual insensibility,
and endure it as Jesus endured it - that is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any
raiment, any climate, any society, any attitude, any
interruption by the will of God - that is dying to self

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation,
or to record your own good works, or itch after
commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown -
that is dying to self.

When you see your brother propser and have his needs met
and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel
no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far
greater and in desperate circumstances - that is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of
less stature than yourself, can humbly submit inwardly as
well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment
rising up within your heart - that is dying to self.

A Title Deed To Heaven

2008-01-15T06:28:00.000-08:00

Charles E. Fuller, a well-known radio evangelist of the mid-twentieth century, announced one day that his sermon the following Sunday would be on "Heaven." As he prepared his radio message that week, Fuller received a letter from an elderly man who knew that he was soon to die. Here is part of that letter:

Next Sunday you are to talk about "Heaven." I am interested in that land because I have held a clear title to a bit of property there for over 55 years. I did not buy it. It was given to me without money and without price. But the donor purchased it for me at a tremendous sacrifice. I am not holding it for speculation, since the title is not transferable. It is not a vacant lot...Termites can never undermine its foundation for they rest upon the Rock of Ages. Fire cannot destroy it. Floods cannot wash it away. No locks or bolts will ever be placed upon its doors, for no vicious persons can ever enter that land where my dwelling stands, now almost completed and ready for me to enter and abide in peace eternally without fear of being rejected. There is a valley of deep shadow between the place where I live in California and that to which I shall journey in a very short time. I cannot reach my home in the city of God without passing through the dark valley of shadows. But I am not afraid, because the best friend I ever had went through the same valley alone long, long ago and drove away all the gloom. He has stuck by me through thick and thin since we first became acquainted 55 years ago, and I hold His promise in printed form, never to forsake, never to leave me alone. He will be with me as I walk through the valley of the shadows, and I shall not lose my way when He is with me. I hope to hear your sermon next Sunday from my home, but I have no assurance that I shall be able to do so. My ticket to heaven has no date marked for the journey - no return coupon - and no permit for baggage. Yes, I am ready to go and may not be here while you are talking next Sunday, but I shall meet you there someday.

As I read that letter, I pictured that man - bent and shaking, his body wasted, his face wrinkled, his brow furrowed. From an earthly perspective, he is little more than skin on skeleton, a hopeless invalid. Yet, something in his eyes speaks of a hope of which the world knows nothing. There, between the thick eyebrows and the weathered cheeks sparkles a confidence that he, a soon passing mortal, will embrace life everlasting on the other side of the grave. In fact, I can't help imagining how that man is doing today, this very moment, in heaven. With the cares and the sorrows of his life past, he enjoys a state of perpetual perfection, delighting daily in the presence of Christ. - Nathan Busenitz Living A Life Of Hope: Staying Focused On What Really Matters p. 14-15.

The Call To Ministry

2008-01-11T15:27:00.000-08:00

When it comes to putting men into pastoral ministry, the evidence shows that God drafts those He intends to use in leadership. Far from calling for volunteers, God descended upon Moses, upon the prophets, the disciples, Paul, and a host of other men drawn through history. The idea that God is waiting for men to come to him and sign on as leaders in His kingdom may appeal to our modern sense of nobility, but it just wont stand up to the evidence of Scripture. - David W. Hegg Appointed To Preach: Assessing A Call To Ministry p. 17.

God's Will

2008-01-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

The secret to everything in the Christian life, and the secret to guidance in God's will, is a will that already is obeying whatever God has revealed to it at any cost, at any price. You see, if you want to know God's will and have God's will revealed to you, you've got to be prepared to obey God's will. – David Legge http://www.preachtheword.com/.

Sunday Spiritual Song - My Savior's Precious Blood

2008-01-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

On the cross, where He bore the wrath of God
He took my sin and yours all away, all away
It was on the cross where He bore
It was on the cross where He bore
My sin and yours

(Chorus)
My Savior's blood is all I need,
There is no other sacrifice, that is required.
For He became My righteousness
When He loved, and suffered willingly

On the cross, where He bore the wrath of God
And in my place was lifted up to die
Through His death, He gave me life
My Savior's precious blood
My Savior's precious blood

One sacrifice completely paid, for all the sins I've ever done
Against my God
Now I've received what Christ has earned,
And Christ received what I deserved

On the cross where He bore the wrath of God
And in my place was lifted up to die
Through His death, He gave me life
My Savior's precious blood
My Savior's precious blood

You've taken all my sin and shame
Thank you for pouring out Your grace
Thank you, Lord
Thank you, Lord
For pouring out Your grace on me.

Preparation For The Day

2008-01-03T11:29:00.001-08:00

How different, when the soul is refreshed and made happy early in the morning, from what it is when, without spiritual preparation, the service, the trials and the temptations of the day come upon one! - George Mueller

Pride and Humility in Relationships

2008-01-01T14:26:00.000-08:00

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness... - Ephesians 4:1-2a

"The proud person walks into a room and says, " Here I am." The humble person walks into a room and says, "There you are." - Jim Gillen, Wellington Student Ministries Sermon

Theology Makes A Difference

2007-12-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

“Theology makes a difference. It is the infrastructure of our lives. Build it poorly and the building will eventually collapse in ruins. Build it well and you will be prepared for anything.” - Ed Welch Addictions, a Banquet in the Grave: Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel

Sunday Spiritual Song - There is a Redeemer

2007-12-23T14:03:00.000-08:00

There is a redeemer, Jesus, God's own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One,
Jesus my redeemer, name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Oh, for sinners slain.

(Chorus)
Thank you oh my Father, for giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit till the work on Earth is done.

When I stand in Glory, I will see His face,
And there I'll serve my King forever,
In that Holy Place.

Thank you oh my Father, for giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit till the work on Earth is done.

There is a redeemer, Jesus, God's own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One,
Thank you oh my Father, for giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit, till the work on Earth is done.
And leaving Your Spirit, till the work on Earth is done.

Stages of Spiritual Growth

2007-12-20T11:37:00.001-08:00

I am writing to you, little children, because your sin's have been forgiven you for His name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. - I John 2:12-14

John MacArthur's advice for each stage of growth:
Little Children - Don't be content in your initial delight of the Father's love, but move to a deeper knowledge of sound biblical truth.
Young Men - Don't rest in your knowledge of biblical truth, but press on to know deeply the God from whom all truth comes and to whom all truth points.
Fathers - Continue to expand and deepen your knowledge of the eternal God. As long as saints live on the earth they must obey the mandate to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)"

Prayer

2007-12-18T13:47:00.000-08:00

"Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence." - Anonymous

Stop Dating The Church

2007-12-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

A wholehearted relationship with a local church is God's loving plan for me and every other follower of Christ. - Joshua Harris Stop Dating the Church: Fall in Love With the Family of God, p. 15

Sunday Hymn - If I Flee On Morning Wings

2007-12-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

If to Heaven's heights I fly
You are still beside me,
Or in death's dark shadows lie,
You will stay close by me.
If I flee on morning wings
Far across the gray sea,
Even there your hand will lead,
Your right hand will guide me.

Two Truths Of A Genuine Believer

2007-12-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

If you've really been changed and regenerated, two things are going to be true about your life. One is you're going to obey God, and two is you're going to love other Christians, you're going to love your brothers. - John MacArthur

Better News Does Not Exist

2007-12-10T09:03:00.000-08:00

The gospel, in brief, is the good news about the person and finished work of Jesus Christ. Consider for a moment that the eternal Son of God relinquished the glories of heaven to become a man, a human being like you and me. He lived a perfect and sinless life (unlike you and me), fulfilling every requirement of God's holy law in a way we could never hope to accomplish. And then in a glorious display of God's love for sinners like us, He willingly received the full fury of God's righteous wrath against sin by dying for our sins on a cruel Roman cross.

Because God's absolute and perfect holiness demands an equivalent holiness from all who come before Him, in ourselves we are hopelessly lost and condemned. But Jesus, who had no sin of His own to pay for, took our place, paid our penalty, and suffered our punishment. Because His death as our substitute was perfectly sufficient to pay for our sin, God vindicated Him by raising Him from the dead. So now, all who place their trust in Jesus' work on their behalf and turn from their sin will be forgiven, and counted righteous in Him, and saved from judgment for all eternity...all by God's marvelous grace. This is the gospel. This is the good news. Better news simply does not exist! - Gary and Betsy Ricucci Love That Lasts: When Marriage Meets Grace, p. 21-22.

Sunday Hymn - O God, Our Help In Ages Past

2007-12-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home:

Under the shadow of thy throne,
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.

A thousand ages in thy sight
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly, forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guide while troubles last,
and our eternal home!

Let Me Only Think Of Thee

2007-12-03T12:10:00.000-08:00

Discouraged in the work of life,
Disheartened by its load,
Shamed by its failures or its fears,
I sink beside the road;
But let me only think of Thee,
And then new heart springs up in me. - Samuel Longfellow

Sunday Hymn - This Is My Father's World

2007-12-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world. O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

This is my Father's world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, "The Lord is in this place."
This is my Father's world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came - a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father's world, should my heart be ever sad?
The Lord is King - let the heavens ring. God reigns - let the earth be glad.
This is my Father's world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father's world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father's world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate'er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.

The Mercy of God

2007-11-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

God's mercy is free. To set up merit is to destroy mercy. Nothing can deserve mercy. We may force God to punish us, but not to love us. "I will love them freely (Hosea 14:4)." - Thomas Watson A Body of Divinity

The Lord Reigns

2007-11-29T07:17:00.000-08:00

There is not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: "Mine!" - Abraham Kuyper

Justice Has Been Met

2007-11-28T12:07:00.000-08:00

Frankly, it's most common for people to have a very shallow understanding of the gospel that fails to see how our salvation is not only by grace but by justice accomplished. And the New Testament makes it clear and unmistakeable that justice was not at all ignored, justice was not compromised, justice was not set aside in our salvation. Rather justice was met. Justice was satisfied so that salvation is the perfect action of divine justice and grace. And that allows God according to Romans 3:25-26 to be just and the justifier of sinners. - John MacArthur

The Gospel Still Applies

2007-11-27T08:31:00.001-08:00

"Accurately understanding and continually applying the gospel is the Christian life." - Dave Harvey When Sinners Say "I Do" - Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage

Endurance And Perseverance

2007-11-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

"Therefore (In view of Christ's victory over sin and death), my beloved brethren (Those for whom Christ died), be steadfast (Standing firm in the gospel), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (Moving forward in what God has called you to do in spite of obstacles), knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (There is a future reward for the faithful)." - I Corinthians 15:58

These verses were not written for those in full-time Christian ministry
It was written for those who were confused and very immature in their faith (See I Corinthians 6:9-11)
May the future hope of the reward and the power of the gospel stir us up to stand firm in the gospel and push ahead in what God has called us to do in spite of whatever obstacles stand in the way

Sunday Hymn - Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing

2007-11-25T17:52:00.000-08:00

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

Core Belief

2007-11-21T08:04:00.001-08:00

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has died as an atoning sacrifice for sins and to know Him is to know life both now and forever. - Alistair Begg

A Decisive Act and a Sustained Attitude

2007-11-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

Faith is both a decisive act and a sustained attitude to what God has revealed in His Word concerning the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To Look On Him And Pardon Me

2007-11-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

Because the sinless Savior died, my guilty soul is counted free; for God the just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me. On what basis did God pass His justifying sentence? Not on the basis of righteous deeds which we have done because "all our works are filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). God knew the worst about us and accepted us for Jesus' sake. The verdict which He passed on us is final and no one can produce new evidence of my sinfulness that will make God change His mind. - Alistair Begg on The Perseverance of the Saints

Sunday Hymn - Praise My Soul, The King of Heaven

2007-11-18T18:17:00.000-08:00

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
to his feet thy tribute bring;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
evermore his praises sing:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.

Praise him for his grace and favor
to our fathers in distress;
praise him still the same for ever,
slow to chide and swift to bless:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness.

Father-like, he tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hand he gently bears us, rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows.

Angels, help us to adore him;
ye behold him face to face;
sun and moon, bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.

Grace

2007-11-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

Grace is a concept that is often misunderstood and therefore an experience that is often missed. Grace leaves God’s high standard intact and deals honestly with our failure. When God, the Majestic One, to whose holy law we are all accountable, without relaxing the high standards of his law, and without minimizing our many and grievous violations of it, provides in the person of Jesus Christ a substitute righteousness and a substitute sacrifice to endure the appropriate penalties for our failure, that is grace! How would you describe such grace? What adjectives could possibly be adequate? The Bible calls it “glorious”—and glorious it is! It is a display of God’s glory that the universe cannot contain and that an eternity of exploration and celebration cannot exhaust.

A.W. Tozer

2007-11-16T11:27:00.000-08:00

"I guess my philosophy is this: Everything is wrong until God sets it right." - A.W. Tozer summing up what he believed and his approach to ministry

Normal Christianity

2007-11-15T06:50:00.000-08:00

The normal Christian life is a sin confessing life. - S. Lewis Johnson on I John 1:9

Do you Trust Him?

2007-11-14T12:06:00.000-08:00

On the cross every drop of blood pleads with us that we should trust Him. There His sighs and cries and throes of anguish all plead with us that we should rely upon Him. When we understand He came from God we see an overwhelming argument for faith, for who can doubt the merit of that work that begins with the holy Son of God suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and sweating drops of blood. He is exceedingly sorrowful unto death. Then we see Him betrayed by an intimate follower and led before Herod and Pilate as they pour contempt on Him and have Him severely beaten. As all of His disciples abandon Him He is stripped and given a robe to cover his mangled flesh. Then comes His execution. With tears in our eyes we stand at the cross and see those blessed hands and feet nailed to the tree in our place, as a consequence for our sins. We see Him receiving the punishment we deserve. Before His heart is opened by the thrust of a Roman spear we see Him bleeding in every part of His body and soul, for He is a mass of anguish. Of His suffering we cannot fathom the depths. Yet, it is upon the suffering of the Lord Jesus that we rely for our cleansing. “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.”

Accepted by God - FOR CHRIST'S SAKE

2007-11-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

There is nothing in us or done by us at any stage of our earthly development because of which we are acceptable to God. We must always be accepted for Christ's sake or we cannot ever be accepted at all. This is true of us, not only when we believe, it is just as true of us after we believe, it will continue to be true as long as we live. Our need of Christ does not cease with our believing, nor does our relation to Him or to God through Him ever alter no matter what our attainments in Christian graces or our changes in Christian behavior might be (Justification does not depend on how much we are sanctified or grow in the Christian life). It is always on His (Christ's) blood (Death on the cross) and righteousness alone (His obedience to God the Father) that we can rest. - Benjamin B. Warfield

Sunday Hymn - The Old Rugged Cross

2007-11-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross, where the dearest and best,
For a world of lost sinners was slain

(Chorus)
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Til my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above,
To bear it to dark Calvary

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For 'twas on that old cross, Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me

To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He'll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I'll share

How To Cultivate Humility

2007-11-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

Follow the truth wherever it leads
Invite and pursue correction and counsel
Learn from everyone
Repent quickly and thoroughly
Seek and celebrate God's grace at work in other Christians
Cultivate a spirit of thankfulness to people and to God and to God for people
Listen to Scripture more than your own heart
Exalt the name of Christ in all you do
Laugh a lot
Sleep well

Counsel given by C. J. Mahaney to Mark Driscoll

Grace Motivated Discipline

2007-11-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

Only when we are convinced that the Christian life is entirely of grace will we be able to joyfully practice the disciplines that help us grow. - Jerry Bridges Growing Your Faith p. 28.

Our Self-Revealing God

2007-11-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

Al Mohler put it simply, "True preaching begins with this confession: we preach because God has spoken." The Bible reveals God as Sovereign, all powerful, omnipresent, loving, merciful, and gracious. No less significant an attribute of God than these is that He is self-revealing. He is the God who speaks. - Wayne V. McDill The Moment of Truth p. 6.

God's Personal Project

2007-11-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

God is fulfilling His purpose; working everything for the good of those who love Him. The ultimate good for His children is that we might be conformed to the image of His Son. Why Saul of Tarsus? To make Him like Jesus. Why Lydia down by the riverside? To make her like Jesus. What about Zaccheus up the tree? To make him like Jesus. What about Newton the slavetrader? To make him like Jesus. If you are a child of God have you understood that you are His personal project? He is personally, eternally, committed to making you like Jesus. That is God's purpose from all eternity. - Alistair Begg from Romans 8:29 www.parksidechurch.com.

Truth Full of Joy and Hope

2007-11-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

"But John chose the word light not truth in I John 1:5. And I think He chose the word light because it carries a positive connotation that the word truth may not always carry. For some readers the word truth may leave open the possibility that the truth of God is a dark truth - a foreboding truth, a truth that is not inviting. So John chooses the word light because it promises that the truth of God is a truth full of joy and hope. You can see this if you reflect for a moment on the value of light." - John Piper preaching on I John 1:5 www.desiringgod.org

A Reason for Boasting

2007-11-05T06:59:00.001-08:00

What do you and I boast about? What subject of conversation most arouses us and fills our hearts? Do we consider knowing God to be the greatest treasure in the world, and by far our greatest privilege? If not, we are but pygmies in the world of the spirit. We have sold our Christian birthright for a mess of pottage, and our true Christian experience will be superficial, inadequate, and tragically out of focus. - Sinclair Ferguson A Heart for God p. 4.

Sunday Hymn - A Mighty Fortress is our God

2007-11-04T13:57:00.000-08:00

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also
The body they may kill
God’s truth abideth still,His kingdom is forever.

Sin and the work of Christ

2007-11-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

What are the ultimate consequences of man's sin?
1. Spiritually, sin separates man from God (Ephesians 2:1)
2. Physically, the process of death begins the moment we are born (Romans 5:12)
3. Eternally, there is a second death for those who do not embrace Christ (Revelation 20:11-15)
Do these truths make you thankful for the work of Christ who took away our sin by bearing them at the cross, will enable us to receive a new body like His in heaven one day and is in heaven right now preparing a place for us to spend eternity with Him?

Imputation

2007-11-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

Imputation is the heart of the doctrine of justification whereby God declares the repentant sinner righteous and does not count his sins against him because He covers him with the righteousness of Christ the moment he places wholehearted faith in Christ and His sacrificial death.
The three great imputations of the Bible:
1. Adam's sin to every one who has ever lived - Romans 5:12
2. Believers sin to Christ - I Peter 2:24
3. Christ's righteousness to believers - 2 Corinthians 5:21
You, as a believer, gain far more in Christ than you lost in Adam.

Indifferent To Sin

2007-11-01T12:00:00.001-07:00

A flippant youth once asked a preacher, "You say that unsaved people carry a weight of sin. I feel nothing. How heavy is sin? Is it ten pounds? Eighty pounds? A hundred pounds?" "Let me ask you something," the preacher inquired, "If you laid a four hundred pound weight upon a corpse, would it feel the load?" "It wouldn't feel anything because it's dead." "So it is with the soul that is spiritually dead," the preacher said. "It, too, feels no heavy load of sin. Such a person is indifferent to its burden of sin and uncaring about its presence." The youth was silenced. - Steve Lawson Absolutely Sure p. 61.

Loyalty

2007-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

"The most desirable virtue in all relationships is loyalty." - John MacArthur on 2 Corinthians 7:5-9

Nothing Greater

2007-10-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

“There is nothing greater than enjoying communion with God. Get down on your knees and spend time with the Lord God asking Him to make it possible for you to enjoy a Divine apprenticeship in communion with Him.” – S. Lewis Johnson I John 1:5-7 www.believerschapeldallas.org

Aware of Your Salvation?

2007-10-29T13:43:00.000-07:00

"Assurance of salvation is a God-given awareness that He has accepted the death of Christ on your behalf and forgiven you of your sins. It involves confidence that God loves you, that He has chosen you, and that you will go to Heaven. Assurance includes a sense of freedom from the guilt of sin, relief from the fear of judgment, and joy in your relationship with God as your Father." - Don Whitney How Can I Be Sure I'm a Christian? What the Bible says about Assurance of Salvation, p. 12.

Sunday Hymn - Immortal Invisible

2007-10-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish, but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory; pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render; O help us to see’
Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!

Is God Really in Control?

2007-10-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

"God is sovereign over everything. He is not always pleased, but He is never perplexed. No evil action skirts His plan. No piece of the puzzle is left over at the end. Either God is sovereign or He is not." - Tommy Nelson A Life Well Lived: A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes p. 45

Bothered With Doctrine?

2007-10-24T12:54:00.001-07:00

"The difficult nature of the doctrine, however, must not be made an excuse for not considering it. Many are guilty of this fault and say that they have neither the time nor the ability to study it. But let it be pointed out that these New Testament Epistles were written to men and women like ourselves; indeed they were written to people who lacked most of our advantages. It seems clear that the majority of the members of the Early Church were slaves who had no kind of education in the modern sense. When the Apostle wrote this letter to them he meant them to read it and understand it; he meant them to grapple with it. He knew that they could not do so by their natural powers alone, but he knew too that any man who is enlightened by the Holy Spirit is not only anxious to understand, but can understand and realize that this is his duty to do so. There is nothing more discouraging about the modern Church, nothing more culpable, than her failure to grapple with these great New Testament truths. There is much talk today about simplicity, some people saying that 'they cannot be bothered with doctrine.' There is also much emphasis upon singing; but the church is not a place where people are to be entertained, or where people come to sit and listen either to singing or to the accounts of other people's experiences, coupled with a brief, light, comfortable message. If we are to become grown men, if we are to rise to the height of our 'high calling in Christ Jesus,' and to be virile Christians in this tragic modern world, then we must face these great and glorious doctrines, and so exercise our minds, our understandings, and all our senses, that we begin to have some dim conception of ourselves in this great setting and context of the body of Christ." - Martyn Lloyd-Jones in his exposition of Ephesians 1

Blessed Assurance

2007-10-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

"C.H. Spurgeon, a great British preacher, said he was so sure of his salvation that he could grab onto a cornstalk, swing over the fires of hell, look into the face of the devil, and sing, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is Mine! This very assurance should grip our hearts as well." - Steven J. Lawson Absolutely Sure p. 22-23

Future Grace

2007-10-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

"When every step of obedience is sustained and enabled by ever-arriving future grace, there can be no talk of paying God back...serving God is not payback, but more receiving. Moment by moment, as we bank on ever arriving future grace, we go deeper and deeper into glorious debt." - John Piper Battling Unbelief p. 149-150

Sunday Hymn - Be Unto Your Name

2007-10-21T10:46:00.001-07:00

We are a moment, You are forever
Lord of the ages, God before time
We are a vapor, You are eternal
Love everlasting, reigning on High

(Chorus)
Holy holy Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Highest praises honor and glory
Be unto Your name
Be unto Your name

We are the broken,You are the healer
Jesus Redeemer mighty to save
You are the love song we'll sing forever
Bowing before You, blessing Your name

Holy holy Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Highest praises honor and glory
Be unto Your name
Be unto Your name

Holiness, God's Beauty

2007-10-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

“Power is God’s hand or arm, omniscience His eye, mercy His bowels, eternity His duration, but holiness is His beauty.” - Stephen Charnock The Existence and Attributes of God

In This is Love

2007-10-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (Wrath absorbing sacrifice) for our sins." - I John 4:10

Preaching As War

2007-10-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

"Preaching is a battle because the devil hates it. He does not mind men who get into a pulpit to give a nice, gentle homily, but he hates it when Christ is uplifted and sinners are confronted with the holy God...Heaven and hell lock in battle when the gospel is preached." - Peter Jeffery Preachers Who Made A Difference

From True Meaning to Application

2007-10-17T11:44:00.001-07:00

"Truth is never determined by looking at God's Word and asking, 'What does this mean to me?' Whenever I hear someone talk like that, I'm inclined to ask, 'What did the Bible mean before you existed? What does God mean by what He says?' Those are the proper questions to be asking. Truth and meaning are not determined by our intuition, experience, or desire. The true meaning of Scripture - or anything else, for that matter - has already been determined and fixed by the mind of God. The task of an interpreter is to discern that meaning. And proper interpretation must precede application." - John MacArthur in his book The Truth War

Key to Understanding the Gospel of John - Evidence, Faith, Life

2007-10-16T09:43:00.000-07:00

"When you look at these verses (20:30-31), the simple order is as follows: first evidence, then belief, and then life. So, life is the ultimate goal; John's is a gospel of life. But the only road to this life eternal is through faith in Jesus as God's only Son. And the only way to genuine Christian belief is through first hand testimony of the apostles to their Lord and Savior recorded in the sacred writings, the Scriptures." - Dick Lucas and William Philip from Teaching John: unlocking the gospel of john for the expositor.

Evangelism

2007-10-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

"In my experience both personally and as a pastor, there is no area that is more difficult or challenging than evangelism." - C.J. Mahaney

Sunday Hymn - I Come by the Blood

2007-10-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

You are the perfect and righteous God
Whose presence bears no sin
You bid me come to Your holy place
How can I enter in
When Your presence bears no sin?
Through Him, who poured out His life for me
The atoning Lamb of God
Through Him, and His work alone
I boldly come

(Chorus)
I come by the blood, I come by the cross
Where Your mercy flows
From hands pierced for me
For I dare not stand on my righteousness
My every hope rests on what Christ has done
And I come by the blood

You are the high and exalted King
The One the angels fear
So far above me in every way
Lord, how can I draw near
To the One the angels fear?
Through Him who laid down His life for me
And ascended to Your side
Through Him, through Jesus alone
I boldly come

Song found at www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=M4055-11-51

Repentance

2007-10-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

True repentance is tied directly to the Savior. When we repent of sin, we must have one eye upon sin and the other upon the cross; or it will be even better if we fix both our eyes on Christ and see our transgressions only in the light of His love. - Taken from a daily devotional from www.truthforlife.org

A Biblical Definition of Love

2007-10-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

God is the One being in the universe for Whom the most loving act is self-exaltation because in exalting Himself He is preserving for me and offering to me at the cost of His Son's life the one thing that will satisfy my soul both now and forever. Love plans, suffers and labors to enthrall us with what is truly satisfying, namely God. - John Piper in a sermon preached at The New Attitude Conference (www.newattitude.org)

Don't Waste Your Life

2007-10-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

You don't have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world. But you do have to know the few great things that matter, perhaps just one, and then be willing to live for them and die for them. The people that make a durable difference in the world are not the people who have mastered many things, but who have been mastered by one great thing.
- John Piper on I Corinthians 2:2, "For I determined to know nothing among you, except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." Quote taken from the book Don't Waste Your Life

The Key to Life

2007-10-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

"The key for making one's life count for time and eternity is to be gripped with a high view of God and then to be sold out for Him." - Steven Lawson

Good Quote

2007-10-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

"If I am not amazed at who God is, I have imagined Him to be something He is not."
Quote taken from a sermon preached on John 1:14-18