In Light of Christ

Happy Reformation Day!

2010-10-31T16:55:00.003-04:00

A few quotes from Luther and Calvin for Reformation Day:

God preordained, for his own glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation. John Calvin

Every one of us is, even from his mother's womb, a master craftsman of idols. John Calvin

I have no other name than sinner; sinner is my name, sinner is my surname-Luther

A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent. - Calvin

A dungeon with Christ is a throne, and a throne without Christ a hell-Luther

You must submit to supreme suffering in order to discover the completion of joy. John Calvin

Cursed be that unity for which the Word of God is put at stake-Luther

There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice. John Calvin

I am so busy at this present time I cannot do with less than four hours each day in the presence of God-Luther

There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence. John Calvin

There is not a word in the Bible, which is extra crucem, which can be understood without reference to the cross-Luther

No man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is set open unto all men: neither is there any other thing which keeps us back from entering in, except our own unbelief. John Calvin

A Christian is never in a state of completion but always in a process of becoming-Luther

However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts. John Calvin

The true Christian church is the work of the Word communicated by every available means-Luther

I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels. John Calvin

Faith is not an achievement, it is a gift. Yet it comes only through the hearing & study of the Word-Luther

God tolerates even our stammering, and pardons our ignorance whenever something inadvertently escapes us - as, indeed, without this mercy there would be no freedom to pray. John Calvin

It is impossible that Scripture should contradict itself; it only appears so to senseless & obstinate hypocrites-Luther

Man's mind is like a store of idolatry and superstition; so much so that if a man believes his own mind it is certain that he will forsake God and forge some idol in his own brain. John Calvin

The Bible alone is the key to my belief system Only the Bible has ultimate authority. It is the foundation. - Luther

Knowledge of the sciences is so much smoke apart from the heavenly science of Christ. John Calvin

Most necessary is it that we know the truth of gospel well teach it to others, and beat it into their heads continually. - Luther

For there is no one so great or mighty that he can avoid the misery that will rise up against him when he resists and strives against God. John Calvin

I thought this was funny, so I'm putting it on here.

2010-10-16T11:56:00.001-04:00

Daddy's Testimony

2010-10-11T11:59:00.005-04:00

Today would have been my father's 58th birthday. Here is his personal testimony of God's grace in his life regarding salvation. It was read during the funeral. I transcribed this from my father's hand written copy.

I went to church as a child. My mom was very active in church, and we went to church. As a teenager I would find excuses not to go. My mom would still get me there fairly often. As a college student I went on occasion. I was blessed to have a mom who never stopped praying for me to be saved would ask and confront me about my salvation.

After I got married, I decided it was time to get back in church. I joined Calvary Baptist Church in West Point, MS in 1975 by baptism, and from then until 1993, I attended church on a regular basis. We took our kids to church and taught them to honor God and worship him. They were also sent to Christian school. I was a good church member. I tithed, prayed, even taught a 5th grade Sunday school class. I was very good at playing church. (I was a classic hypocrite).

But on the inside, I always doubted whether I was saved. I could always look back at what I had done. I went forward in a church service and told the pastor I wanted to be saved and joined the church and was baptized. I could always convince myself I was OK because of what I had done. All of the doubting I realized later was the Holy Spirit working on me and drawing me.

In October 1993 during our fall revival with Bailey Smith, God through the preaching of the His Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit convicted me of how sinful and wretched I truly was. I felt totally lost and without hope. God revealed Himself to me in a way that I never knew was possible. I had only one hope, and that was that God by His mercy and grace and Him alone and nothing I could do or had done in the past could save me, only Him. I was totally aware of my sin and at His mercy. God had totally broken my flesh. All I could do was plead, “Dear Jesus, save me and forgive me as unworthy as I am; my only hope is in You!” I know that at that moment, God through His Spirit and by the completed work of Jesus, He saved me. I was born again and became a new creature with a new heart.

Since then there has never been any doubt about my salvation, and there has not been any question as to how my salvation was purchased. It was only by His blood, by His grace, and through the faith that He gave me that I am saved. He did it all; I did nothing. There are times when I feel totally unworthy, because I am, But God! saved me for himself, not by coincidence or my choice, but by His sovereignty and His power.

I have a different heart toward the things of God, because I have a different heart changed by Him. Amen.

David Plunk

And here is a Spurgeon quote used by Tex, one of my father's coworkers, when he spoke at the funeral:

What! weep! weep! for heads that are crowned with coronals of heaven? Weep, weep for hands that grasp the harps of gold? What, weep for eyes that see the Redeemer? What, weep for hearts that are washed from sin, and are throbbing with eternal bliss! What, weep for men that are in the Saviour's bosom?-No, weep for yourselves, that you are here. Weep that the mandate has not come which bids you to die. Weep that you must tarry. But weep not for them. I see them turning back on you with loving wonder, and they exclaim, "Why weepest thou?" What, weep for poverty that it is clothed in riches? What, weep for sickness, that it hath inherited eternal health? What, weep for shame, that it is glorified; and weep for sinful mortality, that it hath become immaculate? Oh, weep not, but rejoice.

Please pray for me and my family

2010-10-07T12:30:00.000-04:00

Please pray for me and my family. Sunday evening, my father, David Plunk, 57, had a major heart attack. Monday afternoon, he went home to be with the Lord. I have travelled back to the States. All of this has been really sudden and hard. But God has been so good and gracious to us in all of this. God’s providence is wonderful. Though we grieve, we do not grieve as those who have no hope. And in our grieving, there is celebration.

The visitation/funeral will be Thursday evening at Grace Life Church, Muscle Shoals, AL.

Thank you.

Celebrating the Incarnation

2009-12-24T23:24:00.011-05:00

John 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") 16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

A Psalm of Thankgiving

2009-11-26T20:46:00.003-05:00

Psalm 75

To the choirmaster: to Do Not Destroy.

A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

1 We give thanks to you, O God;

we give thanks, for your name is near.

We recount your wondrous deeds.

2 “At the set time that I appoint

I will judge with equity.

3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,

it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah

4 I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’

and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;

5 do not lift up your horn on high,

or speak with haughty neck.’”

6 For not from the east or from the west

and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,

7 but it is God who executes judgment,

putting down one and lifting up another.

8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup

with foaming wine, well mixed,

and he pours out from it,

and all the wicked of the earth

shall drain it down to the dregs.

9 But I will declare it forever;

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,

but the horns of the Righteous One shall be lifted up.

Piper on Bible translations

2009-08-19T16:59:00.009-04:00

Piper explains in passing why he uses a Bible translation with all the words (like the ESV and NASB) instead of the NIV or TNIV:

I concur.

Great God of Wonders

2009-07-21T23:38:00.009-04:00

Great God of Wonders
by Samuel Davies

Great God of wonders!
All Thy ways Are matchless,
Godlike and divine;
But the fair glories of Thy grace
More Godlike and unrivaled shine.

Who's a pardoning God like Thee?
Who has grace so rich and free?
Who's a pardoning God like Thee?
Great God of Wonders

Crimes of such horror to forgive
Such guilty, daring worms to spare
This is Thine grand prerogative
And none shall in the honor share!

Who's a pardoning God like Thee?
Who has grace so rich and free?
Who's a pardoning God like Thee?
Great God of Wonders

In wonder lost, in trembling joy,
We take the pardon of our God:
Pardon for crimes of deepest dye,
A pardon bought with Jesus' blood.

Who's a pardoning God like Thee?
Who has grace so rich and free?
Who's a pardoning God like Thee?
Great God of Wonders

O may this strange,
this matchless grace,
This Godlike miracle of love,
Fill the wide earth with grateful praise,
And all the angelic chorus above.

Who's a pardoning God like Thee?
Who has grace so rich and free?
Who's a pardoning God like Thee?
Great God of Wonders

Taking all of the Bible seriously

2009-07-20T19:32:00.010-04:00

Over at the Desiring God Blog, Piper has written a short article about how the different kinds of literature contained in Scripture reveal to us the different ways God chose to speak to the world. Thus,to be balanced we should not overemphasize any particular type of literature to the marginalization of another as is the habit of some.

You can read it here: The Bible Frees Us From Being Swayed by Overstatements

Some people (especially those of us who are Reformed and excited about theology— I'm both of these) overemphasize the exposition of doctrinally dense letters like Romans or Galatians while marginalizing other forms of literature in the Bible. "They may be nice for light, devotional reading, but I what the 'meat of the Word.'" But they need to hear from God in the Proverbs and the many stories of the Bible.

Others (especially with the push for Bible-storying on the mission field—I'm an international missionary), however, overemphasize story and marginalize the doctrinally dense epistles. "The stories just speak to me so much better than that heavy doctrine stuff. Leave that for the ivory towers. I want the life experiences." They need to hear God speak through Hebrews and Zechariah. We need to realize that the oral-learners of a jungle tribe need to hear God speak through Romans.

God has spoken to us in story and in doctrine letters (and let's not forget poetry, prophecy, gospel literature, geneologies, apocalyptic literature, proverbs, Leviticus, parables, etc.). We need all of it. But there is a danger—and a tendency for some—in marginalizing some forms while overemphasizing others.

If we take Scripture seriously, if we truly belief that it is sufficient, then we will not fall prey to such tendencies. We will take all of the Bible for what it is—the Word of God. And, therefore, we will not push any portion aside as irrelevant.

———

On a similar note, I recommend Dominion and Dynasty: A Theology of the Hebrew Bible by Stephen G. Dempster. In it, Dempster argues that, despite its undoubted literary diversity, the Old Testament possesses a remarkable structural and conceptual unity. He demonstrates how the placement of narrative (story) and non-narrative (commentary on the story) work together. Though this book is limited to the Old Testament in its scope, the principle he has lain out apply to the New Testament as well, in my opinion.

Calvin's 500th Birthday!

2009-07-10T19:18:00.015-04:00

Today is the 500th birthday of Reformer John Calvin. In honor of this occasion, I want to recommend this biography by John Piper on the legacy of this God-centered, gospel preacher. You can read it online for free here: John Calvin and His Passion for the Majesty of God.

Also, check out What To Serve For Calvin’s Birthday Bash over at The Sacred Sandwich.

Let us also keep in mind that that "Calvinism" is much more than the five points commonly associated with it. Calvinism is all about the glory of God in all things. It teaches that God is sovereign, not only in salvation, but everywhere. It is an all-encompassing worldview that sees God as the Sovereign Creator and King of the universe and that all of history is nothing more than the outworking of an all-wise God who does everything for His own glory and for the good of His people, the church.

As Jim Packer has said, Calvinism "is the theology of the Bible viewed from the perspective of the Bible—the God-centered outlook which sees the Creator as the source, and means, and end, of everything that is, both in nature and in grace." It is the locating of all of life as centered upon God alone. Thus, the glory of the Triune God is the ground and goal of everything. And, true religion entails the dependence on God through Christ for all things.

Here are a few quotes:

“The essential meaning of Calvin’s life and preaching is that he recovered and embodied a passion for the absolute reality and majesty of God. Such is the aim and burden of this book as well.”

"John Calvin would approve that we begin with God rather than with him. Nothing mattered more to Calvin than the supremacy of God over all things. Focus your attention, then, on God’s self-identification in Exodus 3:14–15. Here we will see the sun in the solar system of John Calvin’s thought and life."

Here is a look at the table of contents:

Foreword by Gerald Bray
Chapter 1: God Is Who He Is
Chapter 2: A Passion for the Glory of God in Christ
Chapter 3: Mastered by the Majesty and Word of God
Chapter 4: Ministry Made by the Majesty of the Word
Chapter 5: Marriage to Idelette
Chapter 6: Constant Trials
Chapter 7: Constancy in Expounding the Word of God
Appendix: Calvin’s Barbaric World: The Case of Michael Servetus

Here are a few quotes from the forward:

"Fundamental to that theology was the Word of God, the Old and New Testaments that together make up the Bible. Here the variety and inner coherence of God and his plan for his creatures was displayed to the full. Systematic theology was an exposition of that coherence, and in his sermons Calvin applied that understanding to the practical needs of the church. Everything hung together because there was only one God and one eternal mind at work, undergirding it all. It is this knowledge that gave Calvin’s work its strength, and it was this that struck fear into the hearts of his enemies."

"The hearts of people, including many church people, are cold and led astray by an array of false gods. . . In this world, Calvin’s voice needs to be heard again. God will not be mocked, and in the end we shall discover that he is our Sovereign Lord. What will he say to you on the day of judgment?"

An thoughtful, Gospel-centered response to a sticky ethical situation

2009-05-30T22:46:00.007-04:00

The past few weeks, Russell Moore has posted and answered a sticky ethical question which he posed to a group of seminary students in a Christian ethics class. Though the situation was fabricated by the "evil genius" of Dr. Moore for the class final exam, the possibility of pastors and churches facing a scenario like the one he poses is certainly real. Furthermore, his response is gospel-centered, and thus, has practical implications for situations completely different which every growing church faces all the time as sinners come to faith in Christ—but then again, maybe more "normal" situations are not that different from this sticky situation after all. Read the question here, and the five-part answer here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.

Dr. Moore's Resolution Proposal for the 2009 SBC

2009-05-22T16:07:00.005-04:00

Russell Moore, father to four children (two of whom were adopted from a Russian orphanage), author of Adopted For Life, and the Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice-President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has submitted a resolution proposal for the SBC this year on adoption and orphan care. I hope that the committee will decide that this proposal be voted on at the convention. It is a important yet often ignored issue which faces the church and genuine Christianity as we have been adopted as sons by God the Father, and that, as James says, pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God includes reaching out to the widows and orphans in their distress.

On Adoption and Orphan Care

WHEREAS, in the gospel we have received the “Spirit of adoption” whereby we are no longer spiritual orphans but are now beloved children of God and joint heirs with Christ(John 14:18; Rom. 8:12-25; Gal. 3:27-4:9; Eph. 1:5); and

WHEREAS, the God we now know as our Father reveals himself as a “father of the fatherless” (Ps. 68:5) who grants mercy to orphans (Deut. 10:18; Hos. 14:3); and

WHEREAS, our Lord Jesus welcomes the little ones (Luke 18:15-17), pleads for the lives of the innocent (Ps. 72:12-14), and shows us that we will be held accountable for our response to “the least of these my brethren” (Matt. 25:40); and

WHEREAS, the Scripture defines “pure and undefiled religion” as “to visit orphans and widows in their trouble” (Jas. 1:27); and

WHEREAS, the satanic powers have warred against infants and children from Pharaoh to Moloch to Herod and, now, through the horrors of a divorce culture, an abortion industry, and the global plagues of disease, starvation, and warfare; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have articulated an unequivocal commitment to the sanctity of all human life, born and unborn; and

WHEREAS, a denomination of churches defined by the Great Commission must be concerned for the evangelism of children—including those who have no parents; and

WHEREAS, upward of 150 million orphans now languish without families in orphanages, group homes, and placement systems in North America and around the world; and

WHEREAS, our Father loves all of these children, and a great multitude of them will never otherwise hear the gospel of Jesus Christ; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, June 23-24, 2009, express our commitment as a denomination of churches to join our Father in seeking mercy for orphans; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we call on each Southern Baptist family to pray for guidance as to whether God is calling them to adopt or foster a child or children; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we encourage our pastors and church leaders to preach and teach on God’s concern for orphans; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we commend churches and ministries that are equipping families to provide financial and other resources to those called to adopt, through grants, matching funds, or loans; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we ask our International Mission Board and North American Mission Board to prioritize the evangelism of and ministry to orphans around the world, and to seek out ways to energize Southern Baptists behind this mission; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we encourage Southern Baptist churches to join with other evangelical Christians in recognizing November 8, 2009, as “Orphan Sunday,” focusing that day on our adoption in Christ and our common burden for the orphans of the world; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we hope what God is doing in creating an adoption culture in so many churches and families can point us to a gospel oneness that is defined not by “the flesh” racial, economic, or cultural sameness but by the Spirit unity and peace in Christ Jesus; and be it finally

RESOLVED, that we pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit on Southern Baptist congregations so that our churches increasingly will announce and picture, in word and in deed, that “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.”

Good Friday Is Good Indeed

2009-04-10T09:00:00.002-04:00

Arise, My Soul Arise
by Charles Wesley

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

~~~~~~~

And Can It Be
also by Charles Wesley

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Voddie Baucham Clarifies What He Means by His Church Being 'A Familiy of Families'

2009-03-27T21:01:00.003-04:00

Voddie Baucham has posted two blogs clarifying his often misrepresented and misinterpreted family-integrated church model of his church being a family of familes:
Is the church A Family of Families?
Is the church A Family of Families? 2

The Music of the TCC

2009-02-23T19:32:00.008-05:00

Tom Clay of Grace Life Church has listed the songs sung at the TCC on his blog Doxology: A Truth-Driven Look at Church Music:

True Church Conference Music Part One
True Church Conference Music Part Two

David Miller on YouTube

2009-02-23T19:21:00.003-05:00

Video of Session 5 of the TCC is available at youtube!

True Church Conference 2009: SESSION 5 (David Miller) # 1
True Church Conference 2009: SESSION 5 (David Miller) # 2
True Church Conference 2009: SESSION 5 (David Miller) # 3
True Church Conference 2009: SESSION 5 (David Miller) # 4

True Church Conference 2009

2009-02-22T21:17:00.005-05:00

TRUE CHURCH CONFERENCE

Striving not to build great churches

but true churches… for the glory of God!

This year the True Church Conference was about the wonderful grace of repentance, a doctrine for which we should be deeply grateful! Receiving grace to turn from darkness, condemnation, and despair to find light, justification, and hope is truly a wondrously good thing! The focus of the TCC was the passionate preaching of this great doctrine of Scripture that is being neglected in today's church far too much.

Well, the True Church Conference is now over. Let us hope and pray that the truths proclaimed will be lived out by the people and churches. I was unable to attend this year because I am living in Costa Rica. However, I eagerly await a package in the mail of the conference. Three sermons of the conference have been made available at http://www.sermonaudio.com/. Moreover, the sermon preached Sunday concluding the confernce is available, as any recent Sunday message of Grace Life Church of the Shoals, online in our service archive. I have also included the sermons by Conrad Mbewe preached on Sunday at Grace Life prior to the conference but which are not a part of the confernce itself. You have just got to love this "Spurgeon of Africa." Enjoy!

Conrad Mbewe Seek the Lord (Psalm 2) (preached Sunday morning at Grace Life prior to confernce)
Conrad Mbewe - God's Grace to Cracked Pots (2 Cor 9:1-7) (preached Sunday evening at Grace Life prior to confernce)
Conrad Mbewe - The Radical Depravity of Man (Rom 3:9-16)
David Miller - The Repentance of Nineveh (Jonah)
Jeff Noblit - Counseling Seekers for Repentance
Jeff Noblit The Glory of God and Repentance (Psalm 130)

John Chisham from the The Down Grade Blog was at the True Church Conference. Here is what he has posted:
Live Blogging the True Church Conference: The Wonderful Grace of Repentance
The Wonderful Grace of Repentance: Grace Wrought Repentance Jeff Noblit
The Wonderful Grace of Repentance: Brokenness is appropriate response to sin Voddie Baucham

To order CDs or DVDs of the conference go here.

For the glory of His name & the furtherance of His kingdom,

Kenan

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 9:2, 6

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined. . .
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
And the government shall be upon his shoulder,
And his name shall be called:
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! As we celebrate Jesus' birth let us not forget his death and resurrection. Let us not forget that there are many people in the world who are still grope around in darkness. May we all this Christmas season and throughout the new year faithfully share the good news of the Child who was born, who is indeed Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. For it is this Son who was given that bore the wrath of God on the cross for all who believe, rose again the third day, ascended into heaven, and is coming again to judge the living and the dead. As we faithfully proclaim the gospel and as God opens the eyes of the blind, may those who walk in darkness see a great light!

Merry Christmas!

Timmy on Missional Prayer Continued

2008-12-16T13:01:00.000-05:00

Timmy Brister has written further blogs on missional prayer:

Missional Prayer: Jesus

Missional Prayer: Early Church

Missional Prayer: Paul

Missional Prayer: Concluding Thoughts

Timmy Brister on Missional Prayer

2008-12-10T10:10:00.001-05:00

Timmy Brister has written an interesting blog post on missional prayer. I encourage you to read it. Here are a couple of excerpts:

When we as a church began a two- month season of praying about the new church planting initiative, I chose to preach a series on the prayers of Paul as a means to instruct and encourage our members to pray about the kind of things we find Paul, the greatest church planter, praying for. Here was a man who had been abandoned in Asia, beaten several times with whips, shipwrecked, left homeless, stoned, and a host of other incredible things we have never experienced. If ever there was a person to ask for prayer about himself or physical needs, it was him. Could you imagine Paul praying to the Ephesians, “Please pray for my back. I was just beaten in Lystra the other day before coming here.” Or to the Corinthians, “My eyes are going bad. Could you pray that I may see better?” Who knows, Paul may have indeed made these requests, but it is no small thing that nowhere do we find such prayers being offered. He was crucified with Christ. He didn’t want anyone to bother him, for he bore in his body the brandmarks of Jesus Christ (Gal. 6:17).

Paul and the early church prayed in accordance with the Father’s will, for the glory of Jesus, and because, as Piper explained, prayer was “primarily a walkie-talkie for the mission of the church.” A church with a domesticated prayer life will inevitably be a church in maintenance mode rather than in missional mode. Simply put, if you want to know if a church is on mission, listen to their prayers and feel their hearts

David Miller's Response to the John 3:16 Conference

2008-12-02T20:17:00.002-05:00

An Open Letter from David Miller, country preacher at large, to Jerry Vines concerning the recent John 3:16 Conference at FBC Woodstock:

Dear brother Jerry,

I attended your conference on Calvinism on November the 6th and 7th and it has inspired me to write a book. The title of which shall be: "How Many Inconsistencies and Contradictions Can One Hear in Only Five Sermons". The brethren (presenters) not only contradicted each other but themselves as well. We were repeatedly told not to build a systematic theology first and then make the Scripture fit our system, rather, we were to exegete the Scriptures and build a Biblical theology.

Yet only one of your presenters proceeded to follow this advice, namely, Page Patterson.. The other 4 presenters who addressed the TULIP, proceeded to build straw men and knock them down with Scripture verses taken out of context, and they did so with measured sarcasm and no small dose of arrogance.

This was evidenced in that 3 out of the 5 were so full of themselves that they could not conclude their sermon within the allotted time of 50 minutes. This did however, provide a high level of entertainment as I watched Richard Land fall asleep on at least 3 occasions during Dr. Lemke's sermon in which he departed from his assigned subject and drudged on and on as the congregation got quieter and quieter.

I did at this point feel some compassion for yourself as I saw your rear-end at least 3 inches off the pew giving Lemke physical signs of your discontent. I know it, you know it, and the Lord knows it! You were sitting there wishing that he would sit down and hush. Tell the truth!

Regarding your own sermon on John 3:16: you had a wonderful text and a wonderful opportunity to preach a gospel sermon to the choir. Instead you chose to give a Greek grammar lesson which was as boring as a 5 hour long WMU meeting! Why was this?

By the way, you said nothing in your sermon that I could not say amen to, as a 5 point Calvinist. Your sermon did inspire me to write new lyrics to an old song.

"Old Jerry Vines had him a conference E-I-E-I O , and at the conference he had a "pas" E-I-E-I-O, with a pas, pas,here and a pas, pas, there; here a pas, there a pas, everywhere a pas, pas, old Jerry Vines had him a conference E-I-E-I-O."

The most rousing response at the conference came regarding vitriolic statements condemning men who don't give a public invitation the same as you. In a convoluted argument favoring public invitations Dr. Allen pointed out that as "far back" as 1750 certain Baptists were giving alter calls. He said this as though his audience would be so stupid they wouldn't figure out from his own statement that the church existed for 1750 years without public invitation system! This was classic Clintonian rhetoric.

For whatever its worth I personally believe a public invitation can be extended and practice such in my own preaching. This however, is an accommodation not a biblical principle.

Your conference has inspired me further. I shall no longer keep silent. Men like yourself, denigrate the doctrines of grace which I treasure. I am now prepared to take you on. I will no longer be silent as you, Johnny Hunt, Junior Hill and others whom I have loved and respected, proceed to blame Calvinists for the decline of evangelism in the SBC.

While your speakers correctly rebuke the Presbyterians for infant baptism I might remind you that the only area where southern Baptists have had an increase in baptisms is among 4 and 5 year olds! This is happening in "your kind" of churches.

It is not the Calvinists who have built a convention of 16 million members, 4 million of which could not be found if your life depended on it. You have done this! This has happened on your watch! It is your fault! You have been in charge! "Your kind" of evangelism and methodology has produced this colossal number of unregenerate church members.

In your church in Jacksonville and Johnny's church in Woodstock, less than half of your members come to church on Sundays. Why don't you stop blaming the Calvinists and take responsibility for your own actions! Your church is doing no better than the average church in the convention in this area. My guess is, your church has spent more money on interest on debt service in the past 15 years than it has on foreign missions.

Don't blame the Calvinists for your lack of compassion for the lost and your unwillingness to sacrifice to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. I for one am sick of your duplicity and hypocrisy.

Furthermore, don't blame the Calvinists for all the church splits. Was it the Calvinists that split Bellevue after Adrian died? Hardly! Is there any empirical evidence that there is a higher percentage of church splits caused by Calvinists than the other brethren? Not on your life! There is enough stupidity to go around. Calvinists do not have a monopoly on pastoral stupidity.

Why do you brethren seem hell bent on dividing the Convention over this? Is your rear-end gaulded to such an extent because Southern Seminary, led by a Calvinist, has now become the largest seminary in the convention. Do you brethren fear Al Mohler this much? Are your insecurities so pronounced that every time you get up to speak at a conference you feel morally obligated to take a jab at the Calvinists?

Look at you, you had Southwestern, New Orleans, Mid-Western, Liberty and Luther Rice Seminaries along with Woodstock church and Jerry Vine ministries jointly sponsoring your conference and you could not muster more than 600-800 people in attendance, and many of those were Calvinists who came out of curiosity. I find it passing strange, that when I was a trustee at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, one of your presenters was on the short list to be considered President of the Seminary.

When I called him to find out his views regarding article 5 of the Abstract of Principles (on election), he assured me in unequivocal terms that he believed in unconditional election in the same manner in which James P. Boyce, Basil Manly, and John Broadus believed in unconditional election. Would this be referred to as chameleon theology, expediency, or just a lack of integrity?

Furthermore, Paige signed the abstract of principles while serving as president of Southeastern. Evidently during his tenure at Southeastern he believed both in total depravity and unconditional election or else he was guilty of doing the same things that we castigated the liberals for i.e. signing a confessional document while not subscribing to the theology expressed in the document! Are you sure you brethren want to pursue this further?

I regret very much that this breach in fellowship has occurred among conservatives within the convention. I stand willing and ready to do my part in trying to resolve the matter.

I would love nothing more than to have an opportunity to sit down with you and a small group of 12-15 other brothers from both sides in a non-threatening venue. Perhaps at my deer camp in Duck Hill, MS, at my expense, sitting around a campfire eating venison bacon wraps and sipping ice tea, we could discuss this matter before we have gone past the point of no return.

I remain your brother in Christ,

David Miller

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T14:01:00.001-05:00

A Puritan Prayer for Thanksgiving

from “The Valley of Vision - A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions” compiled by Arthur Bennett

O MY GOD,

Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects,

my heart admires, adores, loves Thee,

for my little vessel is as full as it can be,

and I would pour out all that fullness before Thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with Thee

ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,

ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,

ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,

crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless Thee for the soul Thou hast created,

for adorning it, sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barren soil;

for the body Thou hast given me,

for preserving its strength and vigor,

for providing senses to enjoy delights,

for the ease and freedom of my limbs,

for hands, eyes, ears that do Thy bidding;

for Thy royal bounty providing my daily support,

for a full table and overflowing cup,

for appetite, taste, sweetness,

for social joys of relatives and friends,

for ability to serve others,

for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,

for a mind to care for my fellow-men,

for opportunities of spreading happiness around,

for loved ones in the joys of heaven,

for my own expectation of seeing Thee clearly.

I love Thee above the powers of language to express,

for what Thou art to Thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity. Amen

Moore on Providence

2008-11-22T21:02:00.000-05:00

Dr. Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has written a series of articles on the doctrine of providence:

Musings on God's Providence

The Goal of God's Providence

The Extent of God's Providence

The Mystery of God's Providence

Challenges to God's Providence

Voddie Baucham on Calvinism in the SBC

2008-11-13T21:58:00.000-05:00

Voddie Baucham has written an excellent blog post called The SBC and Calvinism: A Personal Perspective. I must give a high five to Voddie for "Still holding to the Fives."

The Five Solas
Sola Scriptura
Sola Fide
Sola Gratia
Solus Christus
Soli Deo Gloria!

The Five Points
Total or Radical Depravity
Unconditional or Sovereign Election
Limited Atonement/Particular Redemption
Irresistible or Effectual Grace
Perseverance of the Saints

A Sermon Recommendation

2008-11-07T13:41:00.000-05:00

I would highly recommend this sermon by Paul Washer. The Scriptural truth of its message is a much needed proclamation for contemporary Christianity. I must warn you that when Paul preaches, he is an equal opportunity convicter. I pray that as you listen, you would be convicted, blessed, and more conformed to the image of Christ.

10 Indictments Against the
Modern Church in America
(A Historical 21st Century Message)

Transcript

Listen to MP3

Watch Video (Part 1 and Part 2)

The Wonderful Grace of Repentance

2008-11-06T08:25:00.000-05:00

The True Church Conference is quickly approaching (February 19-22, 2009). It is always a good time of worship through the powerful preaching of the Word, the genuine fellowship of believers, and the joyous singing of the truth in song. Moreover, there is a bookstore with a good selection of great books. Usually, the conference speakers will recommend various books which are available. I know how hard it is to decide on which books to by when you have such little money and a big selection from which to choose. Their recommendations are quite helpful in those situations.

Go here to register and here for travel info.

I will be unable to attend this years conference because I am now living in San José, Costa Rica at the Instituto de Lengua Española, but I would like to help get the word out about it. The True Church Conference has always been a blessing.

Here is what Pastor Noblit says:

What is a true church and how is it to be built? Jesus said that He would build His church, and He has chosen to build it through the faithful ministry of earthly disciples, primarily through the preaching of the Gospel. A true understanding of the Gospel must include a sound understanding of the wonderful grace of repentance and the courage to preach it with spiritual power. Nothing is more foundational to the Gospel, conversion, and church health than a biblically healthy understanding of repentance. . . In this day of weak churches and powerless preaching, nothing is more needed than a good refresher on this essential doctrine.

This conference is certainly driven by the preaching of the Word. At Grace Life Church, the preaching of the Word of God from the pulpit is foundational to everything we are and everything we're about. This conference is no exception. The preaching of the Gospel is essential to the life of a church. It is the means God has given us to bring about the conversion of lost souls and to maintain our walk with Christ as we persevere unto holiness.

Look at the preaching schedule:

The Radical Depravity of Man - Conrad Mbewe
Grace Wrought Repentance - Jeff Noblit
The Repenting Believer - Jonathan Sims
Preaching Repentance - Paul Washer
National Repentance: The Repentance of Ninevah - David Miller
Brokenness - Voddie Baucham
My Journey in Grace So Far - Jonathan Sims
Counseling Seekers for Repentance - Jeff Noblit
Taking the Message to the World - Paul Washer
The Doctrine of Regeneration - David Miller
Repentance & the Glory of God - Jeff Noblit

In case you are unfamiliar with any of these preachers, let me introduce them to you:

Voddie Baucham

The Pastor of Preaching at Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas, an adjunct professor at The College of Biblical Studies in Houston, Texas, and Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and author of the Truth In Love blog.

Conrad Mbewe

This Spurgeon of Africa is pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church in Zambia which overseeing the establishment of ten new Reformed churches in Zambia and Botswana, and the principal of the Reformed Baptist Preachers College.

David Miller

A “Country Preacher-at-Large” itinerant preacher and founder of Line Upon Line Ministries.

Jeff Noblit

Senior Pastor-Teacher of Grace Life Church of the Shoals and founder of Anchored in Truth Ministries.

Jono Sims

Pastor of Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church in Shelbyville, Tennessee.

Paul Washer

Served as a missionary in Peru for ten years, founder of the HeartCry Missionary Society which supports indigenous missionaries, and is the most downloaded preacher at Sermon Audio.

Conference Distinctives

Doctrine Aflame
We desire to focus on the passionate preaching of the great doctrines of Scripture that are being neglected in today's church. Easy believism, decisionism, and manipulative altar calls have replaced the sound preaching of the Gospel calling sinners to repentance and faith. The result is an unregenerate church membership and bloated membership rolls. As Dr. Al Mohler writes, "We are reaping the harvest of doctrinal neglect. The urgency of this task cannot be ignored. Baptists will either recover our denominational heritage and rebuild our doctrinal foundations, or in the next generation there will be no authentic Baptist witness"

THEOLOGY & METHODOLOGY
The conference will give much attention to how sound doctrine must govern the life of the local church. Today’s evangelical church is often driven by man-centered pragmatism, worldly marketing approaches, and entertainment. And all this with a veneer of Christianity! We need the passionate, expository preaching of the truth, accompanied by an unswerving commitment that ALL methodology in the church MUST flow out of sound theology.

LOCAL CHURCH CENTERED
The conference is being held at Grace Life Church of the Shoals in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The church is located in the northwest part of the state and has about 1,000 active members. Jeff Noblit is the Senior Pastor for preaching. For the last two decades God has been blessing Grace Life in reforming both its policies and procedures to become more biblically healthy.

APPLICATION INTENSIVE
During the conference, time will be set aside to discuss the practical “working out” of sound doctrine in the life of the local church. Plus, materials and resources used at Grace Life for counseling those seeking repentance will be made available to conference participants. There will be a large bookstore featuring trustworthy books and commentaries by both past and contemporary writers.

EVANGELISM & MISSIONS
Sound doctrine must always promote the preaching and sharing of the Gospel! If a passion to glorify God by winning lost souls is not present, then our doctrine is invalid. A strong emphasis on evangelism and world missions will permeate the conference. True doctrine never results in cold intellectualism.

MODELING & MENTORING
Our first goal is that God will use the conference to continue the maturation of Grace Life Church of the Shoals in the truth. We believe the church should be reformed and always reforming. We also have a strong desire to encourage and help mobilize like-minded churches who are on the same pilgrimage.

TRUTH DRIVEN ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES
Updates on the Pastors Network and the church planting/mentoring ministry will be shared at the conference.

The True Church Conference is hosted by:

My Post-Election Response

2008-11-05T05:32:00.001-05:00

Go Vote

2008-11-04T06:23:00.000-05:00

Beyond the TULIP

2008-08-23T15:43:00.000-04:00

I have no problem calling myself a Calvinist, a five-point Calvinist. (But I must add that usually, evangelicals who disagree with Calvinism misunderstand and misrepresent them when they speak against them. What they call "Calvinism" is something different than I believe. But that's another blog post.) However, Calvinism is more than TULIP.

For some Calvinism is merely the five points of the acrostic TULIP. We should realize that there is so much more to the fuller, biblical worldview sometimes nicknamed "Calvinism".

I was reading through James I. Packer's Introduction to John Owen's The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, and Packer addresses this point when he writes, “it would not be correct to simply equate Calvinism with the ‘five points.’” Packer also writes:

Calvinism is something much broader than the “five points” indicate.
Calvinism is a whole world-view, stemming from a clear vision of God as the whole world’s Maker and King.
Calvinism is the consistent endeavour to acknowledge the Creator as the Lord, working all things after the counsel of His will.
Calvinism is a theocentric way of thinking about all life under the direction and control of God’s own Word.
Calvinism, in other words, is the theology of the Bible viewed from the perspective of the Bible—the God-centred outlook which sees the Creator as the source, and means, and end, of everything that is, both in nature and in grace.
Calvinism is thus theism (belief in God as the ground of all things), religion (dependence on God as the giver of all things), and evangelicalism (trust in God through Christ for all things), all in their purest and most highly developed form.
And Calvinism is a unified philosophy of history which sees the whole diversity of processes and events that take place in God’s world as no more, and no less, than the outworking of His great preordained plan for His creatures and His church.
The five points assert no more than that God is sovereign in saving the individual, but Calvinism, as such, is concerned with the much broader assertion that He is sovereign everywhere.

Essentially, Calvinism puts the triune God and his glory at the center of theology and of all of life as an all-encompassing, Christ-centered worldview. which affects all areas of one's thinking and practice. It produces more gravitos in our worship, more passion in our missions and evangelism, more seriousness in our churches, and more joy in our lives, provided that our Calvinism is not limited to our head but is infused in our hearts as well.

One Another

2008-08-19T14:31:00.004-04:00

I have blogged on this before, but the concept came up yesterday in a session concerning the doctrine of the church. One important aspect of the church is fellowship. Our fellowship has its foundation in our union with Christ. The world should be able to see that we are a people who are desiring to follow Christ and are being conformed to His image.

It was mentioned briefly in one of the session that we should examine the "one another" passages in the New Testament. One big thing that we should gather from these "one another" passages is that we need one another. If I fail to identify and fellowship with a body of believers I jeopardize my own spiritual maturity and those of others. We are never to try to live the Christian life on our own apart from a local church. This "one another "principle requires personal interaction with people at a pretty significant level. God has designed for us to face each other so that we can rebuke, exhort, and encourage each other to press on into holiness. This list of the "one anothers" in the New Testament reminds us that we need each others and that God has purposed to use people as He santifies us. We need the fellowship of other believers for the sake of our own perserverance unto Christlikeness.

I have found about forty different "one anothers" in the New Testamant. If you count the repeated ones separately, there's around sixty of them. May this list stimulate us to spur one another on unto godliness.

The One Anothers of the New Testament
Love one another (John 13:34, 35; 15:12, 17; Rom 13:8; 1 Pet 1:22; 4:8; 1 John 3:11; 3:23; 4:7; 11, 12; 2 John 5; )
Stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Heb 10:24)
Outdo one another in showing honor (Rom 12:10)
Greet one another (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Pet 5:14; )
Serve one another (1 Pet 4:10; Gal 5:13)
Encourage one another (1 Thes 5:11; Heb 10:25)
Be devoted to one another in love (Rom 12:10)
Be humble toward one another (1 Pet 5:5)
Build up one another (Rom 14:19; 1 Thes 5:11)
Do not speak against one another (Jam 4:11)
Do not repay one another with evil for evil (1 Thes 5:15)
Regard one another as higher than himself (Phil 2:3)
Do not envy one another (Gal 5:26)
Care for one another (1 Cor 12:25)
Increase and abound in love for one another (1 Thes 3:12; 2 Thes 1:3)
Forgive one another (Col 3:13; Eph 4:32)
Pray for one another (Jam 5:16)
Confess your sins to one another (Jam 5:16)
Be like-minded with one another (Rom 12:16)
Wait for one another (1 Cor 11:13)
Be hospitable to one another (1 Pet 4:9)
Be knid to one another (Eph 4:32)
Do not judge one another (Rom 14:13)
Admonish one another (Col 3:16)
Do not complain against one another (Jam 5:9)
Live in peace with one another (1 Thes 5:13)
Do not provoke one another (Gal 5:26)
Bear one another's burdens (Gal 6:2)
Show tolerance for one another (Eph 4:2)
Teach one another (Col 3:16)
Be truthful to one another (Col 3:9)
Seek good for one another (1 Thes 5:15)
Exhort one another daily (Heb 3:13)
Accept one another (Rom 15:7)
Be subject to one another Eph 5:21 (Eph 5:21)
Speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph 5:19)
Comfort one another (1 Thes 4:18)
Wash one another's feet (John 13:14)
Admonish one another (Rom 15:14)
Bear one another (Col 3:13)

I Cannot Tell Why

2008-08-10T22:55:00.000-04:00

I Cannot Tell Why

by William Young Fullerton

I cannot tell why He Whom angels worship,

Should set His love upon the sons of men,

Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wanderers,

To bring them back, they know not how or when.

But this I know, that He was born of Mary

When Bethlehem’s manger was His only home,

And that He lived at Nazareth and laboured,

And so the Saviour, Saviour of the world is come.

I cannot tell how silently He suffered,

As with His peace He graced this place of tears,

Or how His heart upon the cross was broken,

The crown of pain to three and thirty years.

But this I know, He heals the brokenhearted,

And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,

And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,

For yet the Saviour, Saviour of the world is here.

I cannot tell how He will win the nations,

How He will claim His earthly heritage,

How satisfy the needs and aspirations

Of East and West, of sinner and of sage.

But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,

And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,

And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendour

When He the Saviour, Saviour of the world is known.

I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,

When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,

Or who can say how great the jubilation

When all the hearts of men with love are filled.

But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,

And myriad, myriad human voices sing,

And earth to Heaven, and Heaven to earth, will answer:

At last the Saviour, Saviour of the world is King

Blessed are the merciful . . .

2008-08-08T23:32:00.010-04:00

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

With the beatitudes, Christ is painting for us a picture of what the inhabitants of the kingdom of God look like. He is giving us the characteristics of a true Christian. We cannot do any of these on our own strength and will. If any of these beatitudes portray our own hearts and lives it is because of God’s grace in Christ Jesus working in us through the Holy Spirit. It is only through Christ that we can be poor in spirit, broken over the depths of our sin, gentle toward people, long fervently to be like Christ, and be full of love, mercy, and forgiveness. The Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ day were whitewashed tombs, neat and clean on the outside yet filled with rotting flesh and dead men’s bones. They sought to make themselves appear righteous before men and used all their strength they could muster to hide the wickedness of their own heart, deceiving others and themselves. In the beatitudes and throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Christ is exposing such false religion, religion concerned with outward displays of morality. But those in Christ are new creatures, old things passed away and all things made new. As we look at what it means to be merciful, let us examine ourselves, as Paul told the church at Corinth, to see whether we are in the faith, realizing that it is Christ who is in us, unless we fail the test. Are you merciful? Do you reach out to those who are socially awkward or “uncool”? Or do you mercilessly ignore and poke fun of them, never reaching out for fear that others may place you on the same level of “uncoolness”? Are you merciful? How do you treat people? Do you forgive those who have wronged you regardless of what they've done or how you feel? Think about these things as you read.

The Son of God declares, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” What, then, does it mean to be merciful? The essence of being merciful is found in the second greatest commandment: love your neighbor as yourself. To be merciful is to be compassionate righteously toward the needs of others around us, regardless of whether we feel they deserve such acts of kindness. Mercy is about taking our eyes off ourselves and toward others around us. In writing to the church in Philippi, the Apostle Paul writes: “If there is any encouragement on Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and one mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but with humility consider others as more important than yourselves; do not merely look after your own personal interest, but also for the interest of others.”

Mercy is not only the characteristic expressed by those who are blessed in the fifth beatitude, it is also the beatitudinal promise. God shows mercy on those who are merciful. In Luke 6:36, Jesus demands of us: Be merciful, as your Father in heaven is merciful. We see the same thing throughout the gospels when Jesus teaches about forgiveness. In the model prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, beseeching God: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” I believe that there is a connection here in that forgiveness is one of the ways we show mercy to others. In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus tells a parable about a king who forgave a servant an enormous, unpayable debt after he pleaded on hands and knees for mercy.. Afterwards, the servant demanded payment from another servant who owed him a meager amount by comparison. (This was still a significant amount—100 denari. A denari was considered one day's wages. Regardless of how significant someone has offended us, it will always pale in comparison to our offense before Holy God). The unforgiving servant had the other servant put in prison for failing to pay even though he himself had been forgiven such a large sum. When the king heard what the unforgiving servant had done, he summoned him and said, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you” (vv. 32-33). The king then put the wicked servant in prison. Jesus ended the parable with these sober words: “So also my heavenly Father will do to everyone of you, if you do not forgive your brother from the heart” (v. 35). It is clear from this parable that Jesus saw a connection between mercy and forgiveness. Do you see yourself as merciful? If your are not a forgiving person, you are not a merciful person. Forgiveness and mercy go hand and hand. Moreover, Jesus’ teaching here in Matthew 18 also shows us that the love of mercy that God requires (Micah 6:8) is more than an outward display of charity but must be “from the heart.” Let that phrase sink in and urge you to examine your heart which is the heart of the matter.

Christ called mercy one of the weightier matters of the law. The Pharisees would carefully count out mustard seeds and every sprig of dill and mint so as to be certain to tithe everything precisely yet neglect justice, mercy, and faith. They strained gnats, while swallowing camels (Matt 23:23––24). We fail to be merciful when we are so concerned about religion that we overlook true religion. Satan loves for us to be preoccupied with trifles that we neglect to see our neighbor is hurting and to extend to them a hand of mercy and love. So often silly, frivolous matters occupy our lives we fail to see what being a new creature in Christ is all about. What was it that Jesus said to the Pharisees who questioned His eating with tax collectors and sinners? “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matt 9:13). Mercy! That is what God desires from us. Any religious activity—even good things like prayer and preaching—if it is not cultivating the weightier matters like mercy is merely external religion, seething displays of flesh deserving the wrath of God. How is your religion, friend? The answer is found in your love for others.

This matter of mercy all comes down to the second greatest commandment: You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself. A lawyer asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded with another question: “What do you read in the Law?” The man correctly answers with the two greatest commands which sum up the entire Law: Love the Lord your God wholly and love you neighbor. But then the lawyer “wishing to justify himself” asked, “Who then is my neighbor?” Then, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. “Which of these three (the priest, Levite, or Samaritan) proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?” Both the priest and Levite were workers in the temple. They likely passed by because they were on their way to the temple and were unwilling to help the man because it would make them ritually unclean. Yet this proved how spiritually filthy they really were. It was the despicable, religiously corrupt, half-breed Samaritan “who showed him mercy,” fulfilling the great commandment, who proved his inheritance of eternal life by his love and mercy.

James, the brother of our Lord, also defines the second great commands with mercy. As he compares pure religion with false religion he says, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (Jam 1:26-27). This seems kind of odd at first glance. False Christianity is explained as one who cannot bridle his tongue. Logically, we can rightly infer that true Christianity will enable one to do so. But James does not write about the tongue verse 27. He brings up this business of orphans and widows. What is it that makes an uncontrolled tongue to contrast the visiting of the fatherless and widows? If we continue on into chapter two of James, I believe we can find an answer. It all comes down to the second great commandment. It is the tongue that slanders, boasts, gossips, curses, criticizes, backbites, bears false witness, lies, destroys reputations, etc. Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesian believers is the same for us today: Let no rotten word proceed from your mouth, but only that which is good for edification according to the need of the moment that it may give grace to the hearers (Eph 4:29). Our words speak volumes about our love for neighbor. The tongue is a world of iniquity and full of deadly poison and can set a forest afire.

In chapter two, James begins to discuss the issue of partiality. He rebukes those who favor the wealthy yet treat the poor poorly. The flesh selfishly desires to kiss up to the wealthy in hopes that it will be a profitable investment while shunning those who have no means to benefit. Widows and orphans of the first century have no means to support themselves. A selfish man or woman who attach strings to kind deeds and seek things in return do not show mercy to people like orphans and widows. Such selfishness only looks after number one. They show partiality to the wealthy because if they play their cards right, it may benefit them. But to act in such a way and to call yourself “Christian” is to blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called, James tells us. According to James true Christianity comes down to fulfilling the kingdom-law of Scripture: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. It is by this law that we will be judged. James then says, that judgment will be merciless to the one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. Surely, James is alluding to the beatitude on mercy.

In putting the issue of partiality in apposition to visiting orphans and widows, James clearly alludes to Deuteronomy 10. “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and widow and shows His love for the alien by giving food and clothing. So show your love for the alien for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” This passage teaches the same thing that James, and the beatitude, is teaching. First, we are to be merciful because our Father in heaven is merciful. Mercy is an attribute of God and intrinsic to any child of God as one being conformed to the image of Christ and growing in godliness. Furthermore, the knowledge of God’s mercy to us will be demonstrated by our showing of mercy to others. One who has been forgiven by God will be a forgiving person. Those who lay claim to God's grace must have some of their own. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. But woe to those who are merciless, for divine judgment will be merciless for them. How's your heart? Is it filled with mercy, love, and forgiveness? If so, rejoice that God has changed your heart and saved you by His grace. If not, be afraid for you are in danger of hell fire. Fall on your face before God, call upon His name, cry out for forgiveness, repenting from your sins and trusting in Christ as the only hope for your salvation.

Show Pity, Lord

2008-07-28T12:25:00.000-04:00

We sang this lesser known hymn of Isaac Watts yesterday at church. The truths proclaimed in the lyrics are amazing. I hope that you will be blessed in reading through it.

Show Pity, Lord
Isaac Watts

Show pity, Lord, O Lord, forgive,
Let a repenting rebel live:
Are not thy mercies large and free?
May not a sinner trust in thee?

My crimes are great, but not surpass
The power and glory of thy grace:
Great God, thy nature hath no bound,
So let thy pard'ning love be found.

O wash my soul from every sin,
And make my guilty conscience clean;
Here on my heart the burden lies,
And past offences pain my eyes.

My lips with shame my sins confess
Against thy law, against thy grace:
Lord, should thy judgment grow severe,
I am condemned, but thou art clear.

Should sudden vengeance seize my breath,
I must pronounce thee just in death;
And if my soul were sent to hell,
Thy righteous law approves it well.

Yet save a trembling sinner, Lord,
Whose hope, still hov'ring round thy word,
Would light on some sweet promise there,
Some sure support against despair.

Elder woman shares Christ with mugger

2008-04-03T21:31:00.003-04:00

I saw this on Timmy's blog and decided to post it on mine:

Fools There Hearts Have Said

2008-04-01T23:23:00.001-04:00

Well it is April Fools Day after all . . .

Psalm 53
To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity:
there is none that doeth good.
2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men,
to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
3 Every one of them is gone back:
they are altogether become filthy;
there is none that does good, no, not one.
4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge?
who eat up my people as they eat bread:
they have not called upon God.
5 There were they in great fear, where no fear was:
for God has scattered the bones of him that encamps against you:
you have put them to shame, because God has despised them.
6 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!
When God brings back the captivity of his people,
Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Fools There Hearts Have Said
Author Unknown

Fools in their heart have said,
There is no God of might;
Corrupt are they and base their deeds,
In evil they delight.

God looked from Heav’n above
On all the human race
To see if any understood,
If any sought His face.

They all are gone aside,
Corruption doth abound;
There is not one that doeth good,
Not even one is found.

These men of evil deeds
Will they no knowledge gain,
Who feed upon my people’s woes
And prayer to God disdain?

The day is drawing nigh
When they shall fear and quail
For God shall scatter and destroy
Those who His saints assail.

Yea, God will put to shame
And make them flee away,
For He will cast them off in wrath
And fill them with dismay.

O would that Zion’s help
Were out of Zion come!
O would that God might early bring
His captive people home!

When God from distant lands
His exiled ones shall bring,
His people shall exultant be,
And gladly they shall sing.

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

2008-03-23T00:40:00.001-04:00

He is risen!
He is risen, indeed!

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
14th Century Latin Carol translated by Charles Wesley

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Before the Throne of God Above

2008-03-22T01:00:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorites. Though I have posted it before, I do so again in light of Resurrection Sunday tomorrow. Many may not realize it, but this great hymn has been around for 145 years. I am delighted to see that it has been revived in our churches. May our Great High Priest, the crucified and risen Savior, be uppermost in our thoughts and affections. I hope that in reading the words, your heart and mind is drawn heavenward in praise and yet broken toward a lost world, driving you to see coworkers, friends, neighbors, family, and people of every tribe, nation, and tongue reconciled to God and saying from the heart, "My life is hid with Christ on high, with Christ my Savior and my God!"

Before the Throne of God Above
Charitie L. Bancroft

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

Man of Sorrow

2008-03-21T01:09:00.000-04:00

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and aquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hid their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. — Isaiah 53:3

Man of Sorrow
Philip P. Bliss

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Happy Fourth of July

2007-07-04T12:35:00.001-04:00

Great Youth Sermon

2007-06-06T23:11:00.000-04:00

Paul Washer on YouTube. This is the full length (58:58) video of Bro. Paul's preaching at the 2002 Youth Evangelism Conference in Montgomery, AL. He preached on the nature of true conversion from Matthew 7.

Click here to watch!

SBC Resolutions

2007-06-06T17:05:00.000-04:00

As you may or may not know, the 2007 Southern Baptist Convention in San Antonio, TX is quickly appraoching. Many resolutions have been submitted to the Resolutions Committee. Here are a few of them which have circulated on the Internet:

Tom Ascol's On Integrity in Church Membership

Ben Cole's On Gluttony (I'm not sure if this one is serious, but it should be.)

Marty Duren's Concerning Pastoral Longevity and Local Church Ministry and On Resolutions

C. B. Scott's On Rescuing Victimized Children

As for the issue of private prayer language, there are some for like Dwight McKissic's On Private Prayer in Tongues and some against like Robin Foster's On Glossolalia and Private Prayer Languages

Mohler-McLaughlin Sessions

2007-06-04T22:38:00.000-04:00

I found this video of Dr. Mohler and Rhett McLaughlin:

Creation Museum Opens Memorial Day

2007-05-25T22:45:00.000-04:00

This Monday, The Creation Museum of Answers In Genesis Ministries opens in Petersburg, KY (just outside of Cincinatti, OH). The exhibits are very well done, filled with animatronic displays, striking videos, and a state-of-the-art planetarium. The visual presentation is comparable to any other natural history museum. However, the Darwinist philosophy that any other museum would place its faith in is exposed for the foolishness that it is instead of blindly assumed while a biblical worldview is exalted to its proper place. As the New York Times puts it, "Evolution gets its continual comeuppance, while biblical revelations are treated as gospel." Museum visitors are taken on a journey through a visual presentation of the natural history of the world, based on the “7 C’s of History”: Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, Consummation. Throughout this family-friendly experience, guests will learn how to answer the attacks on the Bible’s authority in geology, biology, anthropology, cosmology, etc., and they will discover how science actually confirms biblical history.

Be Thou My Vision

2007-05-20T23:19:00.000-04:00

I want to post this hymn again. I have never, to the best of my memory, heard anyone sing all five verses to this old hymn. I argue that the hymn is incomplete without it. The second, third, and fourth verse begin with "Be Thou my Wisdom," "Be Thou my battle Shield," and "Riches I heed not" respectively. Undoubtedly the hymnist is alluding to Jer 9:23-24:

Thus says the LORD, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth for I delight in these things,' declares the LORD.

The same order of wisdom, might, and riches is laid out in the hymn in verses two, three, and four. This was not an accident. The hymnist was communicating the truth in Scripture that our wisdom comes from the Lord, our strength comes from the Lord, and our treasure is the Lord. Apart from the Lord we are foolish, weak, and poor with nothing in which to boast.

Furthermore, Paul quotes from this passage in 1 Cor 1:31. When we back up to read from verse 26, we see Paul commenting on these verses:

For consider your calling brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the thing that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, so that just as it is written, 'Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.'

Those who think themselves wise/strong/rich apart from the LORD Christ will be put to shame and proven to be foolish/weak/poor. True wisdom, true strength, and true riches can only be found in Christ. In Christ are hidden all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). In Christ we are strengthened with all power according to His glorious might (Col 1:11) and in whom we can do all things (Phil 4:13). In Christ are unfathomable riches (Eph 3:8), greater than those of Egypt (Heb 11:26). He is the pearl of great price for whom we give up all earthly riches to obtain (Mat 13:44). May we continue to see our own foolishness, weakness, and poverty apart from Christ that we may cling to Him and His cross with greater vigor!

In reality, wisdom is not a what; it is a who. Strength is not a what; it is a who. Wealth is not a what; it is a who. True Wisdom is Christ. Without Him, we know nothing despite the number of PhDs we may have earned and books we've written. True Strength is Christ. Apart from Him we can do nothing no matter how strong and talented we may be from the world's perspective. True Wealth is Christ. Without Him, we have nothing even if we were to gain the whole world. Eventually, the vainity of all who seek these things apart from the reality of Chrsit and those who claim to possess them apart from Him will be made evident, for they will be put to shame. But, those who have received them in Jesus Christ and boast in Him will not be disappointed.

That being said, I would love for us to start including this forgotten verse in our corporate singing. Let us not be afraid of such war-language. Let us not forget that we are amidst a battle of spiritual warfare. We sing of this in Luther's A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. For though our ancient foe doth still seek to work us woe, the right man—Christ Jesus, the LORD of Hosts—is on our side. Through Him our victory is won, and we will reach Heaven's joys.

I had no intention of writing so much. But I hope you all find it helpful in some way.

Be Thou My Vision
Attributed to Dallan Forgaill, 8th Century
Translated from ancient Irish to English by Mary E. Byrne 1905

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

True Church Conference

2007-05-03T17:28:00.000-04:00

This week, I am back home in Alabama where First Baptist of Muscle Shoals will be hosting the True Church Conference. Live-blogging will be done by my friend Timmy Brister. I am really looking forward to this conference. I know that this conference is going to be really amazing. I know it is. But it is not going to be amazing because of the all-star line up of preachers. The preachers at this conference are among my favorites, three of which are my three favorite. The conference will not be great because of Russell Moore, Paul Washer, Jeff Noblit, Tom Clay, Voddie Baucham, and David Miller, though God has used each of these men mightily and will--I believe--continue to use them. Nor will this conference be great because of the topic. Indeed, the doctrine of conversion is a doctrine that many churches need to re-evaluate in light of Scripture. The man-centeredness of many practices within the church need to be addressed and exposed in light of the truth of God's Word. But this too is not why I believe this conference will be great.

The reason I believe that this conference will be great is because I believe in the power of prayer. This conference has been preceded by men and women getting on their knees before God to pray for the preachers, those attending the conference, and the churches to whom the attendees will return. Yesterday, First Baptist did not have the regular Wednesday night services. Instead, there was a staff prayer meeting open to all church members, and they prayed before God concerning the conference. A few weeks ago I watch FBC's Sunday evening service. nearly an hour of it was public praying for this conference. Lists of those registered for the conference were handed out for the members of FBC. Without a doubt, many have prayed for each person on the list by name. This afernoon, I went to FBC for registration. Afterwards, while browsing through the bookstore, Paul Washer came in a mentioed that he and some others wee going to pray for the conference and invited us to come if we like. About twenty men went int a room and prayed.

We serve and worship a God who answers prayers. And the only way that this conference will be great is if this great God answers the chorus of prayers of the men who have fallen on their knees pleading for God to rend the heavens and come down and show Himself. Only when that happens will the preaching of such calibur have power and lives be transformed to Christ, and churches be restored to the true doctrine and practice. I am excited to see what God will do in my life and ind the lives of others who attend and then to the churches afterwards.

2007-04-29T17:06:00.000-04:00

From Whence This Fear and Unbelief?
Augustus M. Toplady

From whence this fear and unbelief?
Hath not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for me?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Which, Lord, was charged on Thee?

Complete atonement Thou hast made,
And to the utmost Thou hast paid
Whate'er Thy people owed;
How then can wrath on me take place,
If sheltered in Thy righteousness,
And sprinkled with Thy blood?

If thou hast my discharge procured,
And freely in my room endured
The whole of wrath divine;
Payment God cannot twice demand,
First at my bleeding Surety's hand,
And then again at mine.

Turn then, my soul, unto thy rest!
The merits of thy great High Priest
Have bought thy liberty;
Trust in His efficacious blood,
Nor fear thy banishment from God,
Since Jesus died for thee.

Depth of Mercy

2007-04-28T14:02:00.000-04:00

Depth of Mercy
by Charles Wesley

Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face,
Would not hearken to His calls,
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.

I have spilt His precious blood,
Trampled on the Son of God,
Filled with pangs unspeakable,
I, who yet am not in hell!

I my Master have denied,
I afresh have crucified,
And profaned His hallowed Name,
Put Him to an open shame.

Whence to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above!
See the cause in Jesus’ face,
Now before the throne of grace.

Jesus, answer from above,
Is not all Thy nature love?
Wilt Thou not the wrong forget,
Permit me to kiss Thy feet?

If I rightly read Thy heart,
If Thou all compassion art,
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow,
Pardon and accept me now.

Jesus speaks, and pleads His blood!
He disarms the wrath of God;
Now my Father’s mercies move,
Justice lingers into love.

Kindled His relentings are,
Me He now delights to spare,
Cries, “How shall I give thee up?”
Lets the lifted thunder drop.

Lo! I still walk on the ground:
Lo! an Advocate is found:
“Hasten not to cut Him down,
Let this barren soul alone.”

There for me the Savior stands,
Shows His wounds and spreads His hands.
God is love! I know, I feel;
Jesus weeps and loves me still.

Pity from Thine eye let fall,
By a look my soul recall;
Now the stone to flesh convert,
Cast a look, and break my heart.

Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Now my foul revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

Whate’er My God Ordains Is Right

2007-04-20T00:27:00.000-04:00

I am going to try to get back into the swing of blogging. It has been a while. I will continue to do a weekly hymn as well as other blogs. I begin back with a hymn that glories in the sovereignty of God. I will include a few verses of Scripture that teach God's sovereignty. I hope that you are encouraged and comforted by this great truth about the One, True God. Indeed, He is in complete control of all things and is working for our good, if we have been called by Him and love Him. No matter how chaotic things may become, a loving God is in control.

Psalm 115:3 - Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.
Isaiah 46:10 - Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose."
Ephesians 1:11 - He works all things after the counsel of His will.
Romans 8:28, 31 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose . . . If God is for us, who can be against us?

Whate’er My God Ordains Is Right
by Samuel Rodigast (translated by Catherine Winkworth)

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His holy will abideth;
I will be still whate’er He doth;
And follow where He guideth;
He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall:
Wherefore to Him I leave it all.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He never will deceive me;
He leads me by the proper path:
I know He will not leave me.
I take, content, what He hath sent;
His hand can turn my griefs away,
And patiently I wait His day.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup
That my Physician sends me.
My God is true; each morn anew
I’ll trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm,
Though many storms may gather,
Now I may know both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He hath loved me dearly.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Though now this cup, in drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
And pain and sorrow shall depart.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
Yet I am not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to Him I leave it all.

True Church Conference

2007-02-06T00:47:00.000-05:00

I am helping to get the word out about The True Church Conference to be held at First Baptist Church of Muscle Shoals, AL on May 3-6, 2007. The conference will dive deep into the glorious doctrine of conversion through the passionate expository preaching of God's Word. The conference will also give attention to the application of doctrine into the life of the local church. I am exciting about this conference and the things God is doing at First Baptist Church of Muscle Shoals.

Click here to Register.

THE SPEAKERS:
Voddie Baucham
Tom Clay
David Miller
Russell Moore
Jeff Noblit
Paul Washer

THE DISTINCTIVES:

Doctrine Aflame
We desire to focus on the passionate preaching of the great doctrines of Scripture that are being neglected in today¹s church. I'm convinced no doctrine is more neglected or misunderstood than the doctrine of conversion. Easy believism, decisionism, and manipulative altar calls have replaced the sound preaching of the Gospel calling sinners to repentance and faith. The result is an unregenerate church membership and bloated membership rolls. As Dr. Al Mohler writes, "We are reaping the harvest of doctrinal neglect. The urgency of this task cannot be ignored. Baptists will either recover our denominational heritage and rebuild our doctrinal foundations, or in the next generation there will be no authentic Baptist witness."

Theology and Methodology
The conference will give much attention to how sound doctrine must govern the life of the local church. Today¹s evangelical church is often driven by man-centered pragmatism, worldly marketing approaches, and entertainment.
And all this with a veneer of Christianity! We need the passionate, expository preaching of the truth, accompanied by an unswerving commitment that ALL methodology in the church MUST flow out of sound theology.

Local Church Centered
The conference is being held at the First Baptist Church of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The church is located in the northwest part of the state and has about 1,000 active members. Jeff Noblit has been on the pastoral staff for 26 years and has been the Senior Pastor for preaching for 18 years. For the last two decades God has been blessing First Baptist in reforming both its policies and procedures to become more biblically healthy.

Application Intensive
During the conference, time will be set aside to discuss the practical "working out" of sound doctrine in the life of the local church. Plus, materials on baptismal counseling, membership policies and procedures, church discipline, and other matters will be made available to conference participants. There will be a large bookstore featuring trustworthy books and commentaries by both past and contemporary writers.

Evangelism and Missions
Sound doctrine will always promote the preaching and sharing of the Gospel!
If a passion to glorify God by winning lost souls is not present, then our doctrine is invalid. A strong emphasis on evangelism and world missions will permeate the conference. All conference attendees are invited on Saturday afternoon to accompany members of First Baptist Church in street preaching and door-to-door visitation. True doctrine never results in cold intellectualism.

Modeling and Mentoring
Our first goal is that God will use the conference to continue the maturation of First Baptist, Muscle Shoals, in the truth. We believe the church should be reformed and always reforming. We also have a strong desire to encourage and help mobilize sister churches who are on the same pilgrimage.

To help serve this goal, each participating church will be assigned a private area for discussion and seeking God concerning the application of sound doctrine into the life of their church. We believe the conference will be used of God to strengthen your church's pilgrimage to a more biblical and healthy church life.

Click here to Register.

Evangelism Linebacker

2006-12-10T17:22:00.000-05:00

Perhaps you've heard of Terrible Terry Tate, Office Linebacker. Well a church youth group has put together a video with an Evangelism Linebacker:

Be Still, My Soul

2006-11-19T00:23:00.000-05:00

Be Still, My Soul
By Katharina A. von Schlegel

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

Dear Christian People All, Rejoice

2006-10-31T05:45:00.000-05:00

Here is a Martin Luther hymn in honor of Reformation Day. Luther wrote many hymns, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God being the most famous today. Here is a lesser known hymn the Reformer wrote. Enjoy.

Dear Christian People All, Rejoice
By Martin Luther
Translatedby Richard Massie

Dear Christian people all, rejoice,
With exultation springing,
And with united heart and voice
And holy rapture singing,
Proclaim the wonders God hath done,
How his right arm the victory won;
Right dearly it hath cost him.

Fast bound in Satan’s chains I lay,
Death brooded darkly o’er me;
Sin was my torment night and day,
Therein my mother bore me.
Deeper and deeper still I fell,
Life was become a living hell,
So firmly sin possessed me.

My good works could avail me naught,
For they with sin were stained;
Free-will against God’s judgment fought,
And dead to good remained.
Grief drove me to despair, and I
Had nothing left me but to die,
To hell I fast was sinking.

God saw, in his eternal grace,
My sorrow out of measure;
He thought upon his tenderness-
To save was his good pleasure.
He turned to me a Father’s heart-
Not small the cost-to heal my smart
He have his best and dearest.

He spake to His beloved Son:
’Tis time to take compassion;
Then go, bright Jewel of My crown,
And bring to man salvation;
From sin and sorrow set him free,
Slay bitter death for him, that he
May live with Thee forever.

The Son delighted to obey,
And born of virgin mother,
Awhile on this low earth did stay
That He might be my Brother.
His mighty power He hidden bore,
A servant’s form like mine He wore,
To bind the devil captive.

To me He spake: cling fast to Me,
Thou’lt win a triumph worthy;
I wholly give myself for thee;
I strive and wrestle for thee;
For I am thine, thou Mine also;
And where I am thou art. The foe
Shall never more divide us.

For he shall shed My precious blood,
Me of My life bereaving;
All this I suffer for thy good;
Be steadfast and believing.
My life from death the day shall win,
My righteousness shall bear thy sin,
So art thou blest forever.

Now to my Father I depart,
From earth to heaven ascending;
Thence heavenly wisdom to impart,
The Holy Spirit sending.
He shall in trouble comfort thee,
Teach thee to know and follow me,
And to the truth conduct thee.

What I have done and taught, do thou
To do and teach endeavor;
So shall my kingdom flourish now,
And God be praised forever.
Take heed lest men with base alloy
The heavenly treasure should destroy.
This counsel I bequeath thee.

Happy Reformation Day!

2006-10-31T00:20:00.000-05:00

One year ago today, I started blogging. But there is a greater anniversary to be celebrated today. Four hundred and eighty-nine years ago, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the church doors in Wittenberg, Germany, initiating what would become the Reformation. This is a day worthy of note and celebration. If I did not have to work this evening, I would throw a Reformation party in which we could watch Luther the movie and discuss the great doctrines of the Christian faith. Just go all out. I do plan to read through my copy of Bainton's Here I Stand: The Life of Martin Luther today and tomorrow in celebration of Reformation Day. I will also meditate and study on the key doctrines which were revitalized with the Reformation.

The Reformers did not invent Protestant theology. They rediscovered the truths taught by the Apostles and the early church. When you read Luther, Calvin, and the other Reformers you find them not only students of Scripture but also students of church history. They quoted approvingly many of the church fathers when they exposed the heresies of Roman Catholicism. This is very important. Many of the heresies of Rome in Luther's day and our own did not exist at the inception of the RCC institution. They developed over time. If we are not watchful, we too could slip into heresies just as gross.

The Reformation was essentially a revival of the doctrine of Scripture and salvation. Scripture is our sole authority, and salvation from our sins is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and for the glory of God alone. One of the foundational doctrines revived with the Reformation was that of Sola Scriptura. On this day, I find it hard to resist quoting Luther's famous refusal to recant at the Diet of Worms:

"Since then Your Majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and teeth. Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand; I can do no other. God help me. Amen!"

As Protestants, we affirm the inerrant, infalible Word of God to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience, that Scripture alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. Our consciences are heldfast to the Bible. It alone is our standard for faith and practice. Avoiding faddish trends which have no Scriptural warrant, we look to the Scriptures for how we should live our lives, counsel hurting souls, evangelize the lost, organize churches, view our culture, and everything we think, do, and say. Scripture stands as our authority. Protestants are people who are held captive to the Bible, for it is the very Word of God.

The Reformation also saw a revival of Sola Fide: justification by faith alone. We are not saved by works, nor are we saved by faith plus works. Baptism does not save. Walking down an ailse does not save. Saying the "sinner's prayer" does not save. Faith alone saves. In justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as satisfaction of God's holiness and justice. Salvation is by faith alone when Christ is the object of faith. Christ is the one who accomplished salvation by taking our sins upon Himself, bearing God's wrath in our place, and placing His righteousness upon us. Since Christ has done the work, there is no work that we must do. Simple childlike faith in Christ is all that is needed.

Another foundational teaching of Scripture revived with the Reformation was Solus Christus: salvation in Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father. Salvation is only found in Christ. Those who die without Christ, regardless of how devoted they may be to their own religion or how decorated they may be with outward righteous deeds, die lost in their sins under God's wrath. Christ is our only hope.

The Reformation was a return to Sola Gratia: salvation is by God's grace alone. In salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. We can do nothing to deserve or earn salvation. It is a gift of God from beginning to end. We do not even chose Him on our own. Our wickedness is great and the thoughts of our hearts are only evil continually. As sons of disobeince, we hate God and have no desire for Him. But God, by His grace, gives us knew hearts which love God and which run to Christ, taking refuge in Him. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and making us new creatures in Chirst.

At the center of Reformed theology is Soli Deo Gloria: all things are to be done for the glory of God alone. God created the world for His own glory. God saved His people for His own glory. God condemns the wicked for His own glory. Everything God does is for His own glory. We too, whether we eat or drink, whatever we do, we are to do all for the glory of God. To do anything apart from doing it for the glory of God is sin. Everything we do needs to be God-centered. God does not need to be first in our lives. He needs to be first, second, third, and 6,000,000,053rd. He is our life, everything centered on Him.

Let us remember our heritage today. Let us not forget that we are not exempt from the possibility of straying from these essential truths. Many who call themselves Protestants have strayed away by seeking authory (at least in practice) outside of Scripture. They are using means that God has not given us. They add works and human effort to salvation. They are man-centered. We could go on and on. But let us take time today to examine ourselves and renew these truths in our own hearts lest we become guilty of repackaging the same old heresies that Luther railed aginst nearly 500 years ago if we haven't already done so. May we always be reforming our hearts to Christ through His Word that we my say with Luther:

Hie stehe ich (Here I stand)
Ich kan nicht anders (I can do no other)
Got helffe mir. Amen. (God help me. Amen)

SDG

Reality Check for all youth and college ministers.

2006-10-11T23:55:00.000-04:00

I want to help get the word out for Anchored In Truth's Student Discipleship Confernce. It is one of the best available youth conferences. I am not saying this because First Baptist Church of Muscle Shoals (of which Anchored In Truth is a part) is my home church back in Alabama and I know some of the speakers personally. This conference is one of the most God-centered ones out there. We need more conferences with like this one. Too many youth conferences are entertainment-driven rather than Bible-driven. Young people who are truly saved want to study Scripture and know Christ their God more deeply. If you are a youth and/or college minister, I highly recommend this conference to you.

Reality Check: 2006 Student Discipleship Conference

December 27-29, 2006

at the Park Vista Hotelin

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

for student grades 6-college

• Challenging them with real biblical truths concerning knowing and loving God and walking in true discipleship

• Confronting the shallow man-centered, entertainment-based view of youth ministry by exposing them to the deep pleasures of the one true God.

• Exposing them to the deep pleasures of the one true God.

Speakers to include: Jeff Noblit, Voddie Baucham, and Zach Terry, with Tom Clay leading worship in song.

Here are the conference distinctives as listed in the brochure:

Glory of God Focused

We strive in everything to be God-centered, which is to focus on God and His glory. The conference is not designed around presumed unique needs or desires of students; it is created around God's clear will for young people as revealed in His Word and all for His glory.

Parent Driven

We believe parents are God's best for the discipling of their youth. We strongly encourage parents to attend the conference. As the Spirit moves on the hearts of dads, moms, sons, and daughters, together they can experience revival and renewal. We are convinced that the so-called "generation gap" and the "adolescent years" are a result of sin and should not be encouraged by the church or Christian youth ministries. Our commitment is to strenghten parents in their God-called responsibility to "bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Eph 6:4).

Doctrinally Sound

We are committed to sound Bible doctirne as expressed by the historic confessions of Protestant church history. We glory in the doctrines of grace including the mandate to confront every man with the Gospel, urging them toward repentance and faith. We admantly reject easy believism on the one hand and hyper-Calvinism on the other. Great care is given to use preachers who are sound in doctrine.

Bible Preaching

We hold that God's primary means of evangelism and sanctification is the preaching of the Word of God. We choose to center the conference not on music, drama, comedy, or other entertainments but on the faithful preaching of His Word. While other activities may be allowable, they must never take the place of or de-emphasize the preaching of the word.

Musical Excellence

We hold a strong conviction concerning sound doctirne in music. Truth is more important than tune. We have gleaned great music both from the historic anthems of the faith and contemporary choruses. Young people who know God will sing both types with conviction if given the chances. We are committed to sound doctrine, spiritual passion, and musical excellence in our singing.

True Christian Conversion

It seems that the spirit of "easy believism" has become the norm in many Christian circles. True conversion requires the new birth (regeneration), evidenced by biblical repentance and faith. No effort will be made to manipulate to get quick decisions. These types of decisions typically bear no lasting fruit and prove to be false. Everything we do will have an evangelistic spirit.Students attending the conference will be encouraged to seek counseling from their parents or their church leaders concerning salvation or rededication decisions.

Click here to register.

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst For Righteousness

2006-09-20T18:43:00.000-04:00

Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Luke 6:21, 25 - Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. . . Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.

As we read through the beatitudes, we must keep in mind that Christ is teaching us about His kingdom. These beatitudes are characteristics of the true child of God, those who have been born again. These are not descriptions of the exceptional “super-spiritual” Christian. These are characteristics that all Christians possess in varying degrees. As we look at this characteristic, ask yourself if it can be found in your life. If it is absent from your life, you should fear for your soul and cry out to God for mercy and salvation. If these cannot be found in you, then Christ is saying, “Woe unto you!” instead of “Blesséd!” He is pronouncing upon you a curse. May this cause you to repent and turn to Christ for salvation.

Let’s look at the order of the beatitudes covered thus far. A true believer is poor in spirit. He knows that he is helpless, that all of his supposed righteousness is but filthy, repugnant rags before God, and that nothing good dwells in him apart from Christ. Moreover, he weeps over the sin in his life. He possesses a broken and contrite heart. Furthermore, seeing himself as nothing, he is meek and humble, treating others with gentleness and self-control. Now, as he has realized the depravity in his hearts, he sees that the only solution is to be righteous, to be freed from the sin which separates him from God. He desires to be like Christ.

The idea of hunger and thirst speaks of a deep longing and strong desire that aches desperately to be satisfied. In using the imagery of hunger and thirst, Jesus is conveying the importance righteousness is to our lives. Righteousness is as necessary to our spiritual lives as food and water is to our physical lives. Without food and water, dead is inevitable. Without righteousness, spiritual death in an eternal hell is inescapable. The use of such language also illustrates that what we need is something outside of ourselves. Just as we are dependent upon food and water that is external to us (if not then it is self-destructive), so we must be dependent on a righteousness outside ourselves. All forms of self-righteousness must be deemed as not genuine righteousness. We must see them for the filthy rags that they are. The only true righteousness is the righteousness found in Christ. Because of His death and resurrection, we are declared righteous by faith. Moreover, as we are being conformed to His image through sanctification, we exhibit more of His righteousness in our lives. It is this conformity to Christ that all true believer hunger and thirst.

We see throughout the beatitudes the refrain, “Blesséd (or happy) is the man who . . .” drawing our attention to happiness and blessedness, for which everybody longs. Everybody wants to be happy, but they hate the only source of true happiness. They want the blessings that only God can give, but they don’t want God. They want to go to heaven, but they don’t want God to be there. Instead of following after God, people seek to fulfill their hunger for happiness in every way imaginable except the only way that will lead to real blessedness. Instead of thirsting for holiness, without which no one can see God (Heb 12:14), the source of all true joy, their self- centeredness drives their desire for happiness in and of itself. They seek to satisfy this hunger through family, wealth, entertainment, fame, health, academics, worldliness, religion, athletics, esteem of men, morality, sensuality, and a host of other things, but none of these bring happiness. None of them will quench the thirst for happiness.

The hunger and thirst that is found in unregenerate fallen man is sinful. Every intent of the though of his heart is only evil continually (Gen 6:5). The fact that every desire of man’s heart is wicked and sinful highlights the necessity of regeneration. Man cannot change these desire through their own power. God must take the heart of stone which hates Him and turn it into a heart of flesh that loves Him. This change is regeneration. If you have been saved, then your heart has been changed. Your desires have been changed. You now desire righteousness. As I have heard one preacher put it: “If you have a new relationship with God, then you have a new relationship to sin.” If you have been regenerate, then you will hate the sin you once loved. There has been birth into all true believers a desire to be like Christ, to be holy. Sin is still present in his life, but he no longer relishes it as he once had. The sweet flavor that sin once had has become putrid. He feels the tension that Paul expressed in Romans 7: For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil I hate. We see the sin in our life and are appalled, and we hunger and thirst for righteousness.

This beatitude is a great comfort to true believers, especially when distraught by the presence of sin in his life. Sometimes we can become so distressed over the sin that is in our lives and over our lack of conformity to Christ that we can begin to doubt whether we have been born again. But, if we are concerned about such things, than there is evidence that we have been born again. If we see ourselves as already righteous, as “full now” (Luke 6:25), then we have every reasonto doubt. Why? A true believer will desire to be righteous. He will be “hungry now” (Luke 6:21). So, if you are content with yourself, and your little dab of Christianity, your touch of religion, I would fear for your soul. But if you are hungry and thirsty to be like Christ, than be encouraged, not only because you have evidence of regeneration, but also because you have the promise of having that hunger satisfied at the appointed time. Everyone whom God has effectually called out to be His children, He has declared righteous, and they will be ultimately glorified. After regeneration, the process of sanctification begins and will continue until the end of the Christian’s life on earth.

This process of being made righteous involves means. The evidence that one truly does hunger and thirst after righteousness can be seen in how ardently he is using God’s means to attain godliness. Moreover, evidence can be seen in how much he avoids things which hinder sanctification.

Prayer, Scripture and the fellowship of the church are the weapons of our warfare which God has given us. These are the means by which we take our thoughts captive to Jesus Christ. These are the means God has given to us to conform us to Christ. We are commanded not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:1-2). We must realize that we are more worldly than we realize, and we are influenced by the world more than we care to admit. Yet, if we desire to be righteous then we will be active in seeking to be righteous. Yes, it is all of grace and not of ourselves, but there are still means. Let us not forget that. How, then, do we renew our minds? By reading the Word of God. If you truly hunger and thirst for holiness, then you would love the nourishment of God’s Word. Do you love the preaching of the Word? Do you spend time in Scripture? If you regularly neglect God’s Word, it could be that you have no desire for righteousness and are void of saving faith.

Another means God has given us is prayer. Do you go to the Father in prayer? Do you pray for holiness? If you can go days without praying, perhaps it is because there is no hunger for God, revealing the wicked, unregenerate heart within you.

God has also given us other believers as a means of sanctification. Do you love the church? John wrote in his first epistle that if we say that we love God, yet hate our brother, then we are liars (4:20-21). God has called us out into local bodies. We are to encourage one another unto godliness. We are to hold each other accountable. We are to lovingly rebuke one another. If it is your habit to forsake the church, you are probably not saved.

God also uses trials in our lives to make us righteous. This particular means differs from the three mentioned above in that the of three should be actively pursued daily. The means of trials, on the other hand, are more passive. Our response to them, however, is very important and revealing of our true desire for righteousness. I won’t tarry to long here. I will cover it more thoroughly as I write on the beatitude that deals with persecution. Our hunger to be like Christ should be stronger than our desire to avoid pain and hardships. No trial, however severe it may be, should be disdained if it is to make us holy. Our thirst for righteousness should cause us to fall on our knees and cry out, “Lord, whatever it takes; I want to be like Christ!” Trials can drive us to our knees and create in us a greater dependence upon Him. They can work in us such a Christlikeness that they can be seen as sweet and precious gifts from God. That is why we can “consider it all joy” (Jam 1:2) when we encounter various trials.

Are there things in your life which hinder sanctifiaction? Television and the Internet are filled with all kinds of immorality which has enslaved many professing Christians. For some, the content of TV viewing and Internet use is fairly neutral, but the amount of time spent engaged in them may reflect improper stewardship of free time. Close friendships with worldly people can put before you negative peer pressure, hindering your walk. There are many things which could be in your life which is working against your sanctification. I encourage you to examine your daily activities and if there is anything there which should not be there. If you do hunger and thirst for righteousness, then get serious about it. Take action! Let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Look to Jesus!

Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness?

Thou Lovely Source of True Delight

2006-08-16T12:24:00.000-04:00

Thou Lovely Source of True Delight
by Anne Steele

Thou lovely Source of true delight,
Whom I unseen adore;
Unveil Thy beauties to my sight,
That I may love Thee more.

Thy glory o’er creation shines;
But in Thy sacred Word,
I read in fairer, brighter lines,
My bleeding, dying Lord.

’Tis here, whene’er my comforts droop,
And sins and sorrows rise,
Thy love with cheerful beams of hope,
My fainting heart supplies.

Jesus, my Lord, my Life, my Light,
O come with blissful ray;
Break radiant through the shades of night,
And chase my fears away.

Then shall my soul with rapture trace
The wonders of Thy love;
But the full glories of Thy face
Are only known above.

The gospel on TBN? Who would've thunk?

2006-08-16T07:58:00.000-04:00

Last week, Kirk Cameron hosted TBN's "Praise the Lord!". I usually don't recommend TBN (aka Twisting Bible Network), but this episode of PTL was surprisingly invaded by solid gospel preachers such as Todd Friel and Paul Washer. I am saddened that it is so unusual to hear the gospel proclaimed on so-called Christian television, yet delighted to see the light of the gospel proclaimed in a dark place. I have provided links to the program below.

View The Broadcast (Low Quality: 56k)
View The Broadcast (Medium Quality: 100k)
View The Broadcast (High Quality: 300k)

Arlington

2006-08-04T22:29:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow morning I will be leaving for Arlinton, TX to work for a week at Mission Arlington with seven other men from Ninth & O Baptist Church.

I ask that you would pray daily for us that the name of Christ might be glorified.

One Another

2006-08-03T01:10:00.000-04:00

We need other Christians. There are no Lone Ranger Christians. God has saved for Himself a people, and we are commanded not to forsake the assembly of ourselves together. Not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together means much more than merely showing up for a worship service only to slip out with only a superficial interaction other believers. This one another principle requires personal interaction with people at a pretty significant level. God has designed for us to face each other so that we can exhort and encourage each other to press on. This list of the one another's in the New Testament is reminder that we need each other and that God has purposed to use people as He santifies us. We need the fellowship of other believers for the sake of our own perserverance unto Christlikeness. May this list stimulate us to spur one another on unto holiness.

Stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Heb 10:24)
Love one another (John 13:34, 35; 15:12, 17; Rom 13:8; 1 Pet 1:22; 4:8; 1 John 3:11; 3:23; 4:7; 11, 12; 2 John 5; )
Greet one another (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Pet 5:14; )
Serve one another (1 Pet 4:10; Gal 5:13)
Encourage one another (1 Thes 5:11; Heb 10:25)
Be devoted to one another in love (Rom 12:10)
Be humble toward one another (1 Pet 5:5)
Build up one another (Rom 14:19; 1 Thes 5:11)
Do not speak against one another (Jam 4:11)
Do not repay one another with evil for evil (1 Thes 5:15)
Regard one another as higher than himself (Phil 2:3)
Do not envy one another (Gal 5:26)
Care for one another (1 Cor 12:25)
Increase and abound in love for one another (1 Thes 3:12; 2 Thes 1:3)
Forgive one another (Col 3:13; Eph 4:32)
Pray for one another (Jam 5:16)
Confess your sins to one another (Jam 5:16)
Be like-minded with one another (Rom 12:16)
Wait for one another (1 Cor 11:13)
Be hospitable to one another (1 Pet 4:9)
Be knid to one another (Eph 4:32)
Do not judge one another (Rom 14:13)
Admonish one another (Col 3:16)
Do not complain against one another (Jam 5:9)
Live in peace with one another (1 Thes 5:13)
Do not provoke one another (Gal 5:26)
Bear one another's burdens (Gal 6:2)
Show tolerance for one another (Eph 4:2)
Teach one another (Col 3:16)
Be truthful to one another (Col 3:9)
Seek good for one another (1 Thes 5:15)
Exhort one another daily (Heb 3:13)
Accept one another (Rom 15:7)
Give preference to one another in honor (Rom 12:10)
Be subject to one another Eph 5:21 (Eph 5:21)
Speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph 5:19)
Comfort one another (1 Thes 4:18)
Wash one another's feet (John 13:14)
Admonish one another (Rom 15:14)
Bear one another (Col 3:13)

All Wise, All Good, Almighty Lord

2006-07-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

All Wise, All Good, Almighty Lord
by Charles Wesley

All wise, all good, almighty Lord,
Jesus, by highest Heav’n adored,
Ere time its course began;
How did Thy glorious mercy stoop,
To take Thy fallen children up,
When Thou Thyself wert man?

Th’eternal God from Heav’n came down;
The King of glory dropped His crown
And veiled His majesty;
Emptied of all but love He came,
Jesus, I call Thee by the Name,
Thy pity bore for me.

O holy Child, still let Thy birth
Bring peace to us poor worms of earth,
And praise to God on high!
Come, Thou who didst my flesh assume;
Now to the abject sinner come,
And in a manger lie.

Didst Thou not in person join
The natures human and divine,
That God and man might be
Henceforth inseparably one?
Haste then and make Thy nature known
Incarnated in me.

In my weak, sinful flesh appear,
O God, be manifested here,
Peace, righteousness and joy;
Thy kingdom, Lord, set up within
My faithful heart; and all my sin,
The devil’s work, destroy.

I long Thy coming to confess,
The mystic power of godliness,
The life divine to prove:
The fulness of Thy life to know,
Redeemed from all my sins below,
And perfected in love.

O Christ, my Hope, make known to me
The great, the glorious mystery
The hidden life impart;
Come, Thou Desire of nations, come,
Formed in a spotless virgin’s womb,
A pure, believing heart.

Come quickly, dearest Lord, that I
May own, tho’ Antichrist deny,
Thy incarnation’s power:
May cry, a witness to my Lord,
“Come in my flesh is Christ the Word,
And I can sin no more!”

J.C. Ryle on Christian Zeal

2006-07-26T17:21:00.000-04:00

This is an outstanding expostion on Christian zeal. I have been encouraged by it, and I hope that you may be filled with a white hot zeal for the glory of Christ.
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Christian Zeal
by J. C. Ryle (1816-1900)
© Copyright Tony Capoccia 2001

"It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good." (Galatians 4:18)

Zeal is a subject, like many others in religion, which is sadly misunderstood. Many would be ashamed to be thought zealous Christians. Many are ready to say of zealous people what Festus said of Paul: "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted, "Your great learning is driving you insane" (Acts 26:24).

But zeal is a subject, which no reader of the Bible has any right to pass over. If we make the Bible our rule of faith and practice, we cannot turn away from the subject of zeal. We must look it directly in the face. What does the Apostle Paul say to Titus? “Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are His very own, eager [or zealous] to do what is good” (Titus 2:14). What does the Lord Jesus say to the Laodicean Church? “Be earnest [be zealous], and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

My object in this message is to plead the cause of zeal in religion. I believe we ought not to be afraid of it, but rather to love and admire it. I believe it to be a mighty blessing to the world and the origin of countless benefits to mankind. I want to remind Christians that "Zealot" was a name given to one of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to persuade them to be zealous men and women.

I ask every one of you to give me your attention while I tell you something about zeal. Listen to me for your own sake-for the sake of the world-for the sake of the Church of our Christ. Listen to me and by God's help I will show you that to be "zealous" is to be wise.

I. Let me show in the first place, what zeal is in Christianity.

II. Let me show in the second place, when a person can be correctly called “zealous” in Christianity.

III. Let me show in the third place, why it is a good thing for a person to be zealous in Christianity.

I. First of all, I want us to consider this question. What is zeal in Christianity?

Zeal in Christianity is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. It is a desire, which is not natural to men or women. It is a desire which the Spirit puts in the heart of every believer when they are converted to Christ, however, a desire which some believers feel so much more strongly than others that they alone deserve to be called "zealous" men and women.

This desire is so strong, when it really reigns in a person, that it impels them to make any sacrifice-to go through any trouble-to deny themselves anything-to suffer, to work, to labor, to toil, to spend themselves and be spent, and even to die-if only they can please God and honor Christ.

A zealous person in Christianity is preeminently a person of one thing. It is not enough to say that they are earnest, strong, uncompromising, meticulous, wholehearted, and fervent in spirit. They only see one thing, they care for one thing, they live for one thing, they are swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether they live, or whether they die-whether they are healthy, or whether they are sick-whether they are rich, or whether they are poor-whether they please man, or whether they give offense-whether the are thought wise, or whether they are thought foolish-whether they are accused, or whether they are praised-whether they get honor, or whether they get shame-for all this the zealous person cares nothing at all. They have a passion for one thing, and that one thing is to please God and to advance God’s glory. If they are consumed in the very burning of their passion for God, they don’t care-they are content. They feel that, like a candle, they were made to burn; and if they are consumed in the burning, then they have only done the work for which God has appointed them. Such a person will always find a sphere for their zeal. If they cannot work, or give money, or a man cannot preach, then they will cry out and sigh, and pray. Yes: if they are extremely poor, on a perpetual bed of sickness, they will make the activity of sin around him slow to a standstill, by continually interceding against it. If they cannot fight in the valley with Joshua, they will do the work of Moses, Aaron, and Hur, on the hill. (Exodus 17:9-13) If they are cut off from working themselves, they will give the Lord no rest until help is raised up from another quarter, and the work is done. This is what I mean when I speak of zeal in Christianity.

We all know the habit of mind that makes men great in this world-that makes such men as Alexander the Great, or Julius Caesar, or Oliver Cromwell, or Peter the Great, or Napoleon. We know that with all their faults they were all men of one thing. They threw themselves into one grand pursuit. They cared for nothing else. They put everything else aside. They counted everything else as second-rate and of subordinate importance, compared to the one thing that they put before their eyes every day they lived. I say that the same habit of mind applied to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ becomes Christian zeal.

We know the habit of mind that makes men great in the sciences of this world-that makes such men as Archimedes, or Sir Isaac Newton, or Galileo, or James Watt. All these were men of one thing. They brought the powers of their minds into one single focus. They cared for nothing else. And this was the secret of their success. I say that this same habit consecrated to the service of God becomes Christian zeal.

We know the habit of mind that makes men rich that makes men amass mighty fortunes, and leave millions behind them. What kind of people were the bankers, and merchants, and tradesmen, who have left a name behind them, as men who acquired immense wealth and became rich although they may have been born in poverty? They were all men that threw themselves entirely into their business, and neglected everything else for the sake of that business. They gave their first attention, their first thoughts, the best of their time, and the best part of their mind, to pushing forward the transactions in which they were engaged. They were men of one thing. Their hearts were not divided. They devoted themselves, body, soul and mind to their business. They seemed to live for nothing else. I say that if you turn that habit of mind to the service of God and His Christ it produces Christian zeal.

(a) Now this habit of mind-this zeal was the characteristic of all the Apostles.

Look at the example of the Apostle Paul. Hear him when he speaks to the Ephesian elders for the last time: “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace” (Acts 20:24). Hear him again, when he writes to the Philippians: “One thing I do: I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). See him from the day of his conversion, giving up his brilliant prospects-forsaking all for Christ's sake-and going forth to preach that very Jesus whom he had once despised. See him going back and forth throughout the world from that time-through persecution-through oppression-through opposition-through prisons-through chains-through afflictions-through things next to death itself, up to the very day when he sealed his faith with his blood and died at Rome, a martyr for that Gospel which he had so long proclaimed. This was true Christian zeal.

(b) This again was "the characteristic of the early Christians."

They were persons "that people everywhere were talking against" (Acts 28:22). They were driven to worship God in dens and caves of the earth. They often lost everything in the world for their religion’s sake. They generally gained nothing but the cross, persecution, shame, and reproach. But they seldom, very seldom, went back. If they could not debate, at least they could suffer. If they could not convince their adversaries by argument, at any rate they could die and prove that they themselves were very serious. Look at Ignatius cheerfully traveling to the place where he was to be devoured by lions, and saying as he went, "Now do I begin to be a disciple of my Master, Christ." Hear old Polycarp before the Roman Governor, saying boldly, when called upon to deny Christ, "I have served Christ for 86 years and He has never offended me in anything, and how can I then insult my King?" This was true zeal.

(c) This again was the characteristic of Martin Luther.

He boldly defied the most powerful hierarchy that the world has ever seen. He unveiled their corruptions with an unflinching hand. He preached the long-neglected truth of justification by faith, in spite of curses and excommunications that were thickly poured on him. See him pleading his cause before the Emperor, and a host of the children of this world. Hear him saying-when men were persuading him from going, and reminding him of the fate of John Huss, "Even if there was a devil under every tile on the roofs of this building, in the name of the Lord I shall go forward." This was true zeal.

(d) This again was the characteristic of our own English Reformers.

You have it in our first Reformer, Wickliffe, when he rose up on his sick bed and said to the Friars who wanted him to retract all he had said against the Pope, "I shall not die, but live to declare the wickedness of the Friars."

You have it in Cranmer, dying at the stake rather than deny Christ's Gospel, holding out that hand to be first burned which, in a moment of weakness, had signed a recantation and saying as he held it in the flames, "This unworthy hand!"

You have it in old Latimer, standing boldly on his kindling wood for the fire, at the age of seventy years, and saying to Ridley, "Courage, brother Ridley! We shall light such a candle this day that, by God's grace, shall never be put out." This was zeal.

(e) This again has been the characteristic of all the greatest Missionaries.

You see it in Dr. Judson, in Carey, in Morrison, in Schwartz, in Williams, in Brainerd, in Elliott. You see it in none more brightly than in Henry Martyn. Here was a man who had reached the highest scholastic honors that Cambridge could bestow. Whatever profession he chose to follow, he had the most dazzling prospects of success. He turned his back on it all. He chose to preach the Gospel to poor unreasonable heathen. He went forth to an early grave, in a foreign land. He said when he got there and saw the condition of the people, "I would be willing to be torn in pieces, if I could only hear the sobs of repentance-if I could see the eyes of faith directed to the Redeemer!" This was zeal.

(f) But let us look away from all earthly examples-and remember that zeal was preeminently the characteristic of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Himself.

Of Him it was written hundreds of years before He came upon the earth that He "wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak, and “the zeal for your house consumes me.” And His own words were "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.” (Psalm 69:9; Isaiah 59:17; John 4:34).

Where shall we begin, if we try to give examples of His zeal? Where should we end, if we should begin? Trace all the narratives of His life in the four Gospels. Read all the history of what He was from the beginning of His ministry to the end. Surely if there ever was one who was all zeal, it was our great Example-our Head-our High Priest-the great Shepherd of our profession, the Lord Jesus Christ.

If these things are true, we should not only beware of running down zeal, but we should also beware of allowing zeal to be run down in our presence. It may be badly directed, and then it becomes a curse-but it may be turned to the highest and best ends, and then it is a mighty blessing. Like fire, it is one of the best of servants-but, also like fire, if not well directed, it may be the worst of masters. Do not listen to those people who talk of zeal as weakness and enthusiasm. Do not listen to those who see no beauty in missions, who laugh at all attempts at the conversion of souls-who call Agencies for sending the Gospel to the world useless-and who look upon City Missions, Visitations, and Open Air Preaching, as nothing but foolishness and fanaticism. Beware, lest in joining a cry of that kind you condemn the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Beware lest you speak against Him who has "left us an example, that we should follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

Yes! I fear there are many professing Christians who, if they had lived in the days when our Lord and His Apostles walked on the earth, would have called Him and all His followers zealots and fanatics. There are many, I fear, who have more in common with Annas and Caiaphas-with Pilate and Herod-with Festus and Agrippa-with Felix and Gallio-than with Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ.

II. I pass on now to my second point. When is a man truly zealous in Christianity?

There never was a grace of which Satan has not made a counterfeit. There never was a coin issued from the mint that forgers did not at once coin something very much like it. It was one of Nero's cruel practices first to sew Christians into the skins of wild beasts, and then bait them with dogs. It is one of Satan's devices to place distorted copies of the believer's graces before the eyes of men, and so to bring the true graces into contempt. No grace has suffered so much in this way as zeal. Of none perhaps are there so many shams and counterfeits. We must therefore clear the ground of all rubbish on this question. We must find out when zeal in Christianity is really good, and true, and of God.

(1) If zeal is true, it will be a zeal according to knowledge.

It must not be a blind, ignorant zeal. It must be a calm, reasonable, intelligent principle, which can show the warrant of Scripture for every step it takes. The unconverted Jews had zeal. Paul says, “I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge” (Romans 10:2). Saul had zeal when he was a persecuting Pharisee. He says himself, in one of his addresses to the Jews, "I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today" (Acts 22:3). Manasseh had zeal in the days when he was an idolater. That man threw his own children into the fire-who gave up the fruit of his body to the false god Moloch to atone for the sin of his soul-that man had zeal. James and John had zeal when they would have called down fire on a Samaritan village. But our Lord rebuked them. Peter had zeal when he drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus. But he was quite wrong. Bonner and Gardiner had zeal when they burned Latimer and Cranmer. Were they not sincere? Let us do them justice. They were zealous, though it was for a false religion.

The members of the Roman Catholic Inquisition in Spain had zeal when they tortured men, and put them to horrible deaths because they would not forsake the Gospel. Yes! they marched men and women to the stake in solemn procession and called it "An Act of Faith," and believed they were doing a service for God. The Hindus, who used to lie down before the car of Juggernaut and allow their bodies to be crushed under its wheels: did they not have zeal? The widows of India, who used to burn themselves on the funeral pyre of their deceased husbands; the Roman Catholics, who persecuted to death the Waldenses and Albigenses, and threw men and women from cliffs onto the rocks below because they were heretics; did they not have zeal? The Saracens, the Crusaders, the Jesuits, the Anabaptists of Munster, did they not all have zeal? Yes! Yes! I do not deny it. All these groups had zeal beyond question. They were all zealous. They were all very fervent. But their zeal was not the zeal that God approves-it was not a zeal based on knowledge.

(2) Furthermore, if zeal is true, it will be a zeal generated from true motives.

Such is the subtlety of the heart that men will often do right things from wrong motives. Amaziah and Joash, kings of Judah, are striking proofs of this. In the same way a man may have zeal about things that are good and right but from second-rate motives, and not from a desire to please God. And such zeal is worth nothing. It is impure silver. It is utterly inadequate when placed in the balance of God. Man looks only at the action: God looks at the motive. Man only thinks of the quantity of work done: God considers the doer's heart.

There is such a thing as zeal from party spirit. It is quite possible for a man to be tireless in promoting the interest of his own Church or denomination, and yet to have no grace in his own heart; to be ready to die for the distinctive opinions of his brand of Christianity, and yet have no real love to Christ. Such was the zeal of the Pharisees. They “travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, they make him twice as much a son of hell as they are" (Matthew 23:15). This zeal is not true.

There is such a thing as zeal from mere selfishness. There are times when it is in men's interest to be zealous in their Christianity. Power and influence are sometimes given to godly men. The good things of the world are sometimes attained by wearing a cloak of religion. And whenever this is the case there is no lack of false zeal. Such was the zeal of Joab, when he served David.

There is such a thing as zeal from the love of praise. Such was the zeal of Jehu, when he was putting down the worship of Baal. Remember how he met Jonadab the son of Rechab, and said, "Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD" (2 Kings 10:16). Such is the zeal that John Bunyan refers to in "Pilgrims Progress," when he speaks of some who went "for praise" to mount Zion. Some people feed on the praise of their fellow-creatures. They would rather have it from Christians than have none at all.

It is a sad and humbling proof of man’s corruption that there is no degree of self-denial and self-sacrifice to which men may not go from false motives. It does not follow that a man's religion is true because he "gives his body to be burned," or because he "gives his goods to feed the poor." The Apostle Paul tells us that a man may do this and yet not have true love. (1 Corinthians 13:1, etc.) It does not follow because men go into a wilderness and become hermits, that therefore they know what true self-denial is. It does not follow because people enclose themselves in monasteries and nunneries, or become "sisters of charity" and "sisters of mercy," that therefore they know what true crucifixion of the flesh and self-sacrifice is in the sight of God. All these things people may do on wrong principle. They may do them from wrong motives-to satisfy a secret pride and love of notoriety-but not from the true motive of zeal for the glory of God. All such zeal, let us understand, is false. It is of the earth, and not of heaven.

(3) Furthermore, if zeal is true it will be a zeal about things according to God’s mind, and sanctioned by clear examples in God’s Word.

Take, for example, that highest and best kind of zeal-I mean zeal for our own growth in personal holiness.

Such zeal will make a man continually feel that sin is the mightiest of all evils, and conformity to Christ the greatest of all blessings. It will make him feel that there is nothing which ought not to be done, in order to keep up a close walk with God. It will make him willing to cut off his right hand, or pluck out his right eye, or make any sacrifice, if only he can attain a closer communion with Jesus. Isn't this just what you see in the Apostle Paul? He says, "I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.-I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal" (1 Corinthians 9:27, Philippians 3:13-14).

Take, as another example, zeal for the salvation of souls.

Such zeal will make a man burn with desire to remove the darkness which covers the souls of multitudes, and to bring every man, woman, and child he sees to the knowledge of the Gospel. Isn't this what you see in the Lord Jesus? It is said that He neither gave Himself nor His disciples much spare time and at times they didn't even have a chance to eat (Mark 6:31). Isn't this what you see in the Apostle Paul? He says, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22).

Take, for another instance, zeal against evil practices.

Such zeal will make a man hate everything which God hates, such as drunkenness, slavery, or infanticide, and long to sweep it from the face of the earth. It will make him jealous of God’s honor and glory, and look on everything which robs Him of it as an offense. Isn't this what you see in Phinehas, the son of Eleazar? Or in Hezekiah and Josiah, when they eliminated idolatry in the land?

Take, as another example, zeal for maintaining the doctrines of the Gospel.

Such zeal will make a man hate unscriptural teaching, just as he hates sin. It will make him regard religious error as a pestilence which must be stopped, whatever the cost may be. It will make him scrupulously careful about every word in the counsel of God, lest by some omission the whole Gospel would be spoiled. Isn't this what you see in Paul at Antioch, when he withstood Peter to his face and said he was clearly in the wrong? (Galatians 2:11) These are the kind of things that true zeal is made of. Such zeal, let us understand, is honorable before God.

(4) Furthermore, if zeal is true, it will be a zeal tempered with love.

It will not be a bitter zeal. It will not be a fierce hatred of people. It will not be a zeal that is ready to take up the sword and to lash out with the weapons of the world. The weapons of true zeal are not worldly, but spiritual. True zeal will hate sin, and yet love the sinner. True zeal will hate heresy, and yet love the heretic. True zeal will long to smash the idol, but deeply pity the idolater. True zeal will detest every kind of wickedness, but labor to do good even to the vilest of sinners.

True zeal will warn as Paul warned the Galatians and yet feel tenderly, as a nurse or a mother over erring children. It will expose false teachers, as Jesus did the Scribes and Pharisees, and yet weep tenderly as Jesus did over Jerusalem when He came near to it for the last time. True zeal will be decided, as a surgeon dealing with diseased limb; but true zeal will be gentle, as one that is dressing the wounds of a brother. True zeal will speak truth boldly, like Athanasius against the world, and not care who is offended; but true zeal will endeavor in its speaking, to "speak the truth in love."

(5) Furthermore, if zeal is true, it will be joined to a deep humility.

A truly zealous man will be the last to discover the greatness of his own attainments. All that he is and does will fall immensely short of his own desires, that he will be filled with a sense of his own weakness and be amazed to think that God should work through him at all. Like Moses, when he came down from the Mountain, he will not be aware that his face shines. Like the righteous in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, he will not be aware of his own good works. Dr. Buchanan is one who is praised by all the churches. He was one of the first to take up the cause of the perishing heathen. He literally spent himself, body and mind, in laboring to arouse sleeping Christians to see the importance of missions. Yet he says in one of his letters, “I do not know that I ever had what Christians call zeal.” Whitefield was one of the most zealous preachers of the Gospel the world has ever seen. Fervent in spirit, instant in season and out of season, he was a burning and shining light, and turned thousands to God. Yet he says after preaching for thirty years, "Lord help me to begin to begin."

M’Cheyne was one of the greatest blessings that God ever gave to the Church of Scotland. He was a minister insatiably desirous of the salvation of souls. Few men ever did so much good as he did, though he died at the age of twenty-nine. Yet he says in one of his letters, “No one but God knows what an abyss of corruption is in my heart. It is perfectly wonderful that God could ever bless such a ministry.” We can be very sure where there is self-conceit there is little true zeal.

I ask all of you to especially remember the description of true zeal which I have just given. Zeal according to knowledge-zeal from true motives-zeal warranted by Scriptural examples-zeal tempered with love-zeal accompanied by deep humility-this is true genuine zeal-this is the kind of zeal which God approves. You and I need never fear of having too much of such zeal.

I ask you to remember the description because of the times in which we live. Beware of supposing that sincerity alone can ever make up true zeal-that earnestness, however ignorant, makes a man a really zealous Christian in the sight of God. There is a generation in these days which makes an idol of what it calls “seriousness” in Christianity. These men will allow no fault to be found in a man who is serious. Whatever his theological opinions may be-if he is a serious man, that is enough for these people, and we are to ask no more. They tell you we should just ignore the minute points of doctrine and any questions about words and names, about which Christians are not agreed. Is the man a serious man? If he is, we ought to be satisfied. Seriousness in their eyes covers over a multitude of sins. I solemnly warn you to beware of this dubious doctrine. In the name of the Gospel, and in the name of the Bible, I enter my protest against the theory that mere seriousness can make a man a truly zealous and holy man in the sight of God.

These idolaters of seriousness would make us believe that God has not given us a standard of truth and error, or that the true standard, the Bible, is so obscure, that no man can find out what truth is by simply reading it. They pour contempt upon the Word, the written Word, and therefore they must be wrong.

These idolaters of seriousness would make us condemn every witness for the truth, and every opponent of false teaching from the time of the Lord Jesus down to this very day. The Scribes and Pharisees were serious, and yet our Lord opposed them. And shall we dare even to hint the thought that they ought to have been left alone? Queen Mary was serious in restoring the Roman Catholic religion and trying to put down Protestantism, and yet godly brothers who believed in Christ in truth and seriousness opposed her to the death. And shall we dare to say that since both parties were "serious both were in the right? The Devil-worshippers and idolaters of today are serious and yet our missionaries labor to expose their errors. And shall we dare to say that seriousness would take them to heaven, and that missionaries to heathens and Roman Catholics should stay at home? Are we really going to admit that the Bible does not show us what is truth? Are we really going to put a vague thing called seriousness, in the place of Christ and to maintain that no serious man can be wrong? God forbid that we should give place to such doctrine! I shrink with horror from such theology. I warn men solemnly to beware of being carried away by it for it is common and most seductive in this day. Beware of it, for it is only a new form of an old error-that old error which says that a man can't be wrong whose lives a serious and righteous life.

Admire zeal. Seek after zeal. Encourage zeal. But see that your own zeal is true. See that the zeal which you admire in others is a zeal based on knowledge-a zeal from right motives-a zeal that can bring chapter and verse out of the Bible for its foundation. Any zeal but this is nothing but a deceiving fire. It is not ignited by the Holy Spirit.

III. I now move on to my third point. Let me show why it is good for a person to be zealous.

It is certain that God never gave men and women a commandment which was not in their interest to obey. He never gave a teaching to His believing people which His people will not find it their highest happiness to follow after. This is true of all the instructions about the Christian character. Perhaps it is preeminently true in the case of zeal.

(a) Zeal is good for the soul of a Christian.

We all know that exercise is good for the health, and that regular exercise of our muscles and limbs promotes our bodily comfort, and increases bodily strength. No one has so much enjoyment of Christ as those who are always zealous for His glory, watchful over their own walk, sensitive to their own consciences, full of concern about the souls of others, and always watching,

working, laboring, and striving to expand the knowledge of Jesus Christ on earth. Such men and women live in the full light of the sun, and therefore their hearts are always warm. Such men and women water others and therefore they are watered themselves. Their hearts are like a garden daily refreshed by the dew of the Holy Spirit. They honor God, and therefore God honors them.

I want to be sure that everyone understands what I am saying. I do not want to appear to speak thoughtlessly of any believer. I know that "the Lord takes delight in his people" (Psalm 149:4). There is not one, from the least to the greatest-from the smallest child in the kingdom of God, to the oldest warrior in the battle against Satan-there is not one in whom the Lord Jesus Christ does not take great pleasure. We are all His children-and however weak and feeble some of us may be, as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. (Psalm 103:13). We are all the plants which He has planted; and though many of us are poor, weakly exotic plants, scarcely staying alive in foreign soil-yet as the gardener loves that which his hands have raised, so does the Lord Jesus love the poor sinners that trust in Him. But while I say this, I do also believe that the Lord takes special pleasure in those who are zealous for Him, in those who give their body, soul, and spirit, to extend His glory in this world. To them He reveals Himself, in a way different than to others. To them He shows things that others never see. He blesses the work of their hands. He commends them with spiritual contentment which others have only heard about. They are people after His own heart, for they are people more like Himself than others. No one has such joy and peace in believing-no one has such tangible contentment in their Christianity-no one has so much of heaven on earth-no one sees and feels so much of the compassion of the Gospel as those who are zealous, serious, devoted Christians. For the sake of our own souls, if there were no other reason, it is good to be zealous, to be very zealous in our Christianity.

(b) Just as zeal is good for us individually, it is also good, in a general sense, for the professing Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Nothing is so effective in keeping true Christianity alive as the yeast of zealous Christians scattered throughout the Church. Like salt, they prevent the whole body from falling into a state of decay. No one but men of this kind can revive Churches that are about to die. It is impossible to overestimate the debt that all Christians owe to zeal. The greatest mistake the leaders of a Church can make is to drive zealous men out of its congregation. By doing so they drain out the life-blood of the system, and advance the church's decline and death.

God delights in honoring zeal. Look through the list of Christians who have been used most mightily by God. Who are the men that have left the deepest and most indelible marks on the Church of their day? Who are the men that God has generally honored to build up the walls of His Zion, and also to fight the enemy at the gate? He does not use men of learning and literary talent as readily as men of zeal.

Latimer was not such a deeply-read scholar as Cranmer or Ridley. He could not quote from memory about the early church, as they did. He refused to be drawn into arguments about church history. He stuck to his Bible. Yet it is clear that no English reformer left such a lasting impression on the nation as old Latimer did. And what was the reason? His simple zeal.

Baxter, the Puritan, was not equal to some of his contemporaries in intellectual gifts. He in no way could stand on a level with Manton or Owen. Yet few men probably exercised so wide an influence on the generation in which he lived. And what was the reason? His burning zeal.

Whitefield, and Wesley, and Berridge, and Venn were inferior in mental attainments to Butler and Watson. But they produced effects on the people of this country which fifty Butlers and Watsons would probably never have produced. They saved the Church of England from ruin. And what was one secret of their power? Their zeal.

These men stood up front at turning points in the history of the Church. They remained unmoved during storms of opposition and persecution. It could be said that:

--They were not afraid to stand alone.

--They did not care if their motives were misinterpreted.

--They considered everything a loss for the sake of the truth.

--Each one of them was eminently a man of one thing: and that one thing was to advance the glory of God, and to declare His truth in the world.

--They were all on fire, and so they lighted others.

--They were wide awake, and so awakened others.

--They were always working, and so shamed others into working too.

--They came down upon men like Moses from the mountain-they shone as if they had been in the presence of God.

--They carried with them everywhere they walked in the world, something of the atmosphere and savor of heaven itself.

There is a sense in which it may be said that zeal is contagious. Nothing is more useful to those who profess to be Christians than to see a real live Christian, a thoroughly zealous man of God. They may speak reproachfully to him-they may criticize him-they may nit-pick his conduct-they may look at him suspiciously-they may not understand him any more than men understand a new phenomena in the heavens when it appears; but by degrees so slight as to be virtually imperceptible, a zealous man does them good. He opens their eyes. He makes them feel their own indifference. He makes their own great darkness visible. He compels them to see their own emptiness. He compels them to think, whether they like it or not-What are we doing? Are we nothing better then a vegetable that grows out of the ground?

It may be a sad truth that one sinner destroys many good people; but it is also a blessed truth that one zealous Christian can do a lot of good. Yes: one single zealous man in a town-one zealous man in a congregation-one zealous man in a society-one zealous man in a family, may be a great blessing.

How many useful ministries does such a man get going! How much Christian activity he often calls into being which would otherwise have remained dormant! How many fountains he opens which would otherwise have been sealed! Truly there is a deep mine of truth in those words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians: “Your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.” (2 Corinthians 9:2).

(c) But, just as zeal is good for the Church and for individuals, so zeal is also good for the world.

Where would the Missionary work be if it were not for zeal? Where would our City Missions and School Missions be if it were not for zeal? Where would our evangelistic outreach program be without zeal? Without zeal who would be willing to go and root out sin and ignorance, and find the dark places of the earth, and recover poor lost souls? Where would all these glorious instruments for good be if it were not for Christian zeal? Zeal called many of these institutions into being, and zeal keeps them at work when they have begun. Zeal gathers a few despised men, and makes them the nucleus of many a powerful ministry. Zeal prevents man from becoming lazy and sleepy when the ministry is large and begins to get favor from the world. Zeal raises up men to go out, putting their lives in their hands. Zeal supplies their replacements when their lives are taken from them and they go home to heaven.

What would become of the ignorant masses who crowd the streets and alleys of our overgrown cities if it were not for Christian zeal? Governments can do nothing with them: they cannot make laws that will confront the evil. The vast majority of professing Christians have no eyes to see it: like the priest and the Levite, they pass by on the other side. But zeal has eyes to see, and a heart to feel, and a head to devise, and a tongue to plead, and hands to work, and feet to travel, in order to rescue poor souls and raise them from their fallen state.

Zeal does not stand meditating over difficulties, but simply says, “Here are some souls that are perishing, and we will do something.” Zeal does not shrink back because the enemy is standing in the way: it looks over their heads, like Moses standing on top of Pisgah, and says, “We will possess the land.” Zeal does not wait for reinforcements and delay until good works are fashionable: it goes forward like one who is deserted, and trusts that others will follow eventually. Yes, the world knows very little what a debt it owes to Christian zeal. How much crime it has restrained! How much disobedience it has prevented! How much public discontent it has calmed! How much obedience to the law and love of order it has produced! How many souls it has saved! Yes! and I believe we know very little of what might be accomplished if every Christian was a zealous person! How much if more ministers were zealous! How much if more laymen were more zealous! Oh, for the world’s sake, as well as your own, resolve, work, strive to be a zealous Christian!

Let every one who professes to be a Christian beware of suppressing zeal. Seek it. Cultivate it. Try to enlarge the fire in your own heart, and the hearts of others, but never, never stop it. Beware of throwing cold water on zealous souls, whenever you meet with them. Beware of nipping in the bud this precious gift when it first shoots up. If you are a parent, beware of suppressing it in your children. If you are a husband, beware of stopping it in your wife. If you are a brother, beware of restraining it in your sisters-and if you are a minister, beware of restraining it in the members of your congregation. It is a shoot of heavens own planting. Beware of crushing it, for Christ's sake.

Zeal may make mistakes. Zeal may need directing. Zeal may lack guiding, controlling, and advising. Like the elephants on ancient fields of battle, it may sometimes injure its own side. But zeal does not need to be restrained in a wretched, cold, corrupt, miserable world like this. Zeal, like John Knox tearing down the Scottish monasteries, may hurt the feelings of narrow-minded and sleepy Christians. It may offend the prejudices of those old-fashioned religionists who hate everything new, and (like those who wanted soldiers and sailors to go on wearing pigtails) abhor all change. But zeal in the end will be justified by its results. Zeal, like John Knox, in the long run will do infinitely more good than harm. There is little danger of there ever being too much zeal for the glory of God. God forgive those who think there is! You know little of human nature. You forget that sickness is far more contagious than health, and that it is much easier to catch a cold than to give warmth.

Depend on it, the Church seldom needs a bridle, but often needs a spur. It seldom needs to be restrained; it often needs to be urged on.

And now, in conclusion, let me try to apply this subject to the conscience of each one of you.

It is a warning subject, an arousing subject, an encouraging subject, according to the state of our hearts. I hope, by God's help, to give every reader his portion.

(1) First of all, let me offer a warning to all who sit in churches and yet who have not made a clear profession of Christianity.

There are millions, I fear, in this condition. If you are one, the subject before you is full of solemn warning. Oh, that the Lord in mercy may incline your heart to receive it!

I ask you, then, with all love, Where is your zeal in Christianity? With the Bible opened before me I am bold in asking. But with your life before me, I tremble what you answer will be. I ask again, Where is your zeal for the glory of God? Where is your zeal for sharing Christ's Gospel to an evil world? Zeal, which was the characteristic of the Lord Jesus-zeal, which is the characteristic of the angels-zeal, which shines forth in all the brightest Christians-where is your zeal unconverted reader? Where is your zeal? You know it is nowhere at all; you know you see no value in it; you know it is scorned and rejected as evil by you and your companions; you know it has no place, no share, no home in the religion of your soul. It is not that you don't know what it is to be zealous. You have zeal, but it is all misapplied. It is all earthly: it is all about the things of this age. It is not zeal for the glory of God: it is not zeal for the salvation of souls. Yes: many a man has zeal for the newspaper, but not for the Bible-zeal for the daily reading of the news, but no zeal for the daily reading of God's blessed Word. Many a man has zeal for the checkbook and other business books, but no zeal about the Book of Life and the last great accounting at the Great White Throne Judgment-zeal about gold, but no zeal about the unsearchable riches of Christ. Many a man has zeal about his earthly concerns-his family, his pleasures, his daily pursuits; but no zeal about God, and heaven, and eternity.

If this is the state of any of you, wakeup, I implore you, and see your gross folly. You cannot live forever. You are not ready to die. You are utterly unfit for the company of saints and angels. Wakeup!: be zealous and repent! Wakeup! to see the harm you are doing! You are putting arguments in the hands of unbelievers by your shameful coldness. You are pulling down as fast as ministers build. You are helping the devil. Wakeup!: be zealous, and repent! Wakeup to see your childish inconsistency! What can be a more worthy zeal than eternal things, than the glory of God, than the salvation of souls?

Surely it is good to labor for rewards that are temporal, but it is a thousand times better to labor for those that are eternal. Wakeup! be zealous, and repent! Go and read that long-neglected Bible. Take up that blessed Book which you have, and perhaps never use. Read that New Testament all the way through. Do you find nothing there to make you zealous-to make you serious about your soul? Go and look at the cross of Christ. Go and see how the Son of God shed His precious blood there for you-how He suffered and groaned and died for you-how He poured out His soul as a offering for sin, in order that you, sinful brother or sister, might not perish but have eternal life. Go and look at the cross of Christ and never rest until you feel some zeal for your own soul-some zeal for the glory of God-some zeal for sharing of the Gospel throughout the world. Once more I say, Wakeup!: be zealous and repent!

(2) Let me, in the next place, say something to arouse those "who make a profession of being committed Christians, and are yet are lukewarm in their practice."

There are too many, I regret to say, in this state. If you are one, there is a lot in this subject which ought to lead you to a thorough searching of your heart.

Let me speak to your conscience. I also desire to put the question to you with complete brotherly affection, Where is your zeal? Where is your zeal for the glory of God, and for the spreading of the gospel throughout the world? You know better than anyone else, that your zeal is almost nonexistent. You know that your zeal is nothing than a feeble glimmering spark that just sits there and does nothing-it is like something "about to die." (Revelation 3:2). Surely, there is a fault somewhere if this is the case. This state of things ought not to be. You, the child of God-you, redeemed at so glorious a price-you, ransomed with such precious blood-you, who are an heir of glory such as the world has never seen or spoken of-surely you ought to be a man of great zeal. Surely your zeal should not be so weak.

I deeply feel that this is a painful subject to talk about. I do it with reluctance, and with a constant remembrance of my own weakness. Nevertheless, I must speak the truth. The plain truth is that many believers today seem so afraid of doing some harm that they hardly ever do anything good. There are many who are quick to object to something, but never take any action; they are truly lacking anything even like Christian fire. They are like the Dutch government officials recorded in the history of the 18th century who would never allow Marlborough to risk anything, and by their extreme caution prevented many victories from being won. Truly, in looking around the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, a man might sometimes think that God's kingdom had come, and God's will was being done upon earth, so small is the zeal that some believers show. It is vain to deny it. I do not need to go far for evidence. I point to the many missionary agencies that are trying to reach the heathens in foreign lands and even the lost of our own country, struggling and paralyzed because of the lack of workers and funds. I ask you, "Is this zeal?" I point to the false doctrine that is allowed to flourish in our churches and homes without an effort being made to stop it, while so-called believers look on, and are content with wishing that it wasn't that way. I ask, "Is this zeal?" Would the apostles have been satisfied with such a state of things? We know they would not.

If the conscience of any of you pleads guilty to being any part of the weaknesses I have just spoken of, I call on you in the name of the Lord, to wake up, be zealous, and repent. Don't let zeal be confined to those who are busy making money in the marketplace or the stock markets. Let us not be so zealous to pursue riches or to make new discoveries in the world but indifferent to send the Gospel to the heathen, or to pluck Roman Catholics out of the coming fires of hell, or to the sharing of the gospel to those in our own country. Never has there been so many doors of opportunity opened-never has there been so many possibilities for doing good. I detest that squeamishness which refuses to help Christian ministries if there is an imperfection in the methods by which the work is carried on. At this rate we would never do anything at all. Let us resist the feeling, if we are tempted by it. It is one of Satan's schemes. It is better to work with weak instruments than not to work at all. At all times try to do something for God and Christ-something against ignorance and sin. Give, teach, admonish, visit, pray, according as God enables you. Only make up your mind that everyone can do something and resolve that you, at any rate, will do something. If you have only one talent do not bury it in the ground. Try to live your life so as to be missed when you are gone. You can do more in twelve hours than most people have ever done on any day in their lives.

Think of the precious souls which are perishing while you are sleeping. Go ahead, if you want, and be taken up with your inward conflicts. Go on and analyze your own feelings and lament over your own vices, if you are so determined. But remember all this time souls are going to hell, and you might be able to do something to save them by working, by giving, by writing, by begging, and by prayer. Oh, wakeup! be zealous, and repent!

Think of the shortness of time. You will soon be gone. You will not have any opportunity for works of mercy in heaven. In heaven there will be no uneducated people to instruct, and no unconverted to save. Whatever you do must be done now. Oh, when are you going to begin? Wakeup! be zealous, and repent.

Think of the devil, and his zeal to destroy people. It was a solemn saying of Bernard when he said that "Satan would rise up in judgment against some people at the last day, because he had shown more zeal to ruin souls than they had to save them." Wakeup! be zealous, and repent.

Think of "your Savior," and all His zeal for you. Think of Him in Gethsemane and on Calvary, shedding His blood for sinners. Think of His life, death, and His sufferings. All this He has done for you. What are you doing for Him? Oh, resolve that for the time to come you will spend and be spent for Christ! Wakeup! be zealous and repent.

(3) Last of all, let me encourage "all of you who are truly zealous Christians."

I have but one request to make, and that is that you will persevere. I implore you to maintain your zeal and never let it go. I urge you never to stop doing the things you did at first, never to leave your first love, never let it be said of you that the things that you did in the first part of your Christian life were better than the things you did in your latter years-Beware of cooling down. All you have to do is to be lazy, and to sit still, and you will soon lose all your zeal. You will soon become another person from what you are now. Oh, don't think that this is a needless exhortation!

It may be true that wise young believers are very rare. But it is just as true that zealous old believers are also very rare. Never allow yourself to think that you can do too much-that you can work too hard and long for the cause of Christ. For every person that does too much I will show you a thousand who don't do enough. Instead think that "Night is coming, when no one can work." (John 9:4). Give, teach, visit, work, and pray as if you were doing it for the last time.

Take to heart the words of a zealous Christian, who said, when told that he ought to rest a little, "What should we rest for? Don't we have all eternity to rest?"

Do not fear the reproach of men. Do not faint because you are sometimes abused. Don't let it bother you if you are sometimes called a bigot, a zealot, a fanatic, a crazy person, and a fool. There is nothing disgraceful in these titles. They have often been given to the best and wisest of men. If you are only zealous when you receive praise for it-if the wheels of your zeal must be oiled by the world's commendation, your zeal will be short-lived. Do not care for the praise or the frown of man. There is only one thing worth caring for, and that is the praise of God. There is only one question worth asking about our actions: "How will they appear in the day of judgment?" Amen.

Lord, with Glowing Heart I’d Praise Thee

2006-07-24T14:32:00.000-04:00

Lord, with Glowing Heart I’d Praise Thee
by Francis Scott Key

Lord, with glowing heart I’d praise Thee,
For the bliss Thy love bestows,
For the pardoning grace that saves me,
And the peace that from it flows:
Help, O God, my weak endeavor;
This dull soul to rapture raise:
Thou must light the flame, or never
Can my love be warmed to praise.

Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,
Wretched wanderer, far astray;
Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
From the paths of death away;
Praise, with love’s devoutest feeling,
Him Who saw thy guilt-born fear,
And the light of hope revealing,
Bade the blood-stained cross appear.

Praise thy Savior God that drew thee
To that cross, new life to give,
Held a blood sealed pardon to thee,
Bade thee look to Him and live.
Praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,
Roused thee from thy fatal ease;
Praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,
Praise the grace that whispered peace.

Lord, this bosom’s ardent feeling
Vainly would my lips express.
Low before Thy footstool kneeling,
Deign Thy suppliant’s prayer to bless:
Let Thy grace, my soul’s chief treasure,
Love’s pure flame within me raise;
And, since words can never measure,
Let my life show forth Thy praise.

Meter: 8.7.8.7D
Ripley (given tune for above link)

Other alternatives from more familiar tunes include:
Nettleton (Come Thou Fount)
Ebenezer (O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus)
Hymn to Joy (Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee)
Hyfrydol (Come Thou Long Expectant Jesus)
Erie (What A Friend We Have in Jesus)
Erie (Love Divine, All Loves Excelling)
Bradbury (Jesus Like A Shepherd Lead Us)

The Law That Once Was Placed by God

2006-07-18T00:22:00.000-04:00

This week, I've selected a hymn written in 1989 by Ken Puls whom I have had the pleasure of meeting on several occasions. This hymn is based on the Decalogue. Jeremiah 31:33 says, "I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts."

The Law That Once Was Placed by God
By Kenneth A. Puls
Tune : All Saints

The Law that once was placed by God
On tablets made of stone
Is now engrav'd on ev'ry heart
Whom Christ has called His own.
These Words that once condemn for sins
And showed the wrath of God
Are now the Christian's great delight,
Made precious by the blood.

The Lord is God and He alone
Is worthy of our love;
For He has raised us from the pit
To dwell with Him above.
The Lord is jealous of our love;
All idols He abhors,
But those, in Spirit and in Truth,
Who seek Him He adores.

How precious are the Names of God,
His nature they declare;
But those who use His Name in vain,
The wrath of God will bear.
And precious is the Sabbath Day,
The gath'ring of the chruch,
Who come expectant of their Lord.
His Word to know and search.

The Lord has said that we must love
And honor we must give
To fathers, mothers He has giv'n
To teach us how to live.
All murder, theft, adultery,
All coveting and lies;
These sins the Christian must forsake,
Lest him God will chastise.

All those who cast aside these Words
And spurn them in this day
Do show that they are not of God
Despite what they may say.
For what are these Ten Words but this:
The will of God revealed?
For unto love to God and man
The saints are saved and sealed.

Arise, My Soul, Arise

2006-07-10T00:11:00.000-04:00

Arise, My Soul, Arise
by Charles Wesley

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my Surety stands,
Before the throne my Surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

Instruction In Prayer

2006-07-05T17:34:00.000-04:00

I have already blogged some on prayer and will continue to blog occassionally on the topic. I plan to eventually write out and post my own doctrinal statement on prayer as I have done for the doctrine of Scipture. In A Baptist Catechism, questions 109-117 deal with the subject of prayer. A catechism is an orderly means of instructing biblical truth, usually in the form of questions and answers. These questions on prayer define what prayer is and explain the standard by which we must pray. Most of the questions here are based on the model prayer given by Christ when asked, "Lord, teach us to pray." Let us now look at these questions on prayer and by instructed into the truth and taught to pray. May not our minds alone be taught, but our hearts also that we may come before God often in prayer, beeing totally dependent on Him. Each question-and-answer is followed by Scripture texts. I would encourage you to look at these passages from God's Word as you read through the questions.

Question 109: What is Prayer?

Answer: Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.

Scripture: 1 John 5:14; 1:9; Philippians 4:6; Psalm 10:17; 145:19; John 14:13, 14.
__________

Question 110: What rule has God given for our direction in prayer?

Answer: The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer, but the special rule of direction is that prayer, which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called the Lord's Prayer.

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
__________

Question 111: What does the preface of the Lord's Prayer teach us?

Answer: The preface of the Lord's Prayer, which is, "Our Father, who art in heaven," teaches us to draw near to God, with holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us, and that we should pray with and for others.

Scripture: Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:13; Romans 8:15; Acts 12:5; 1 Timothy 2:1-3.
__________

Question 112: What do we pray for in the first petition of the Lord's Prayer?

Answer: In the first petition, which is "Hallowed be thy name," we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify him in all of life, and that he would dispose all things to his own glory.

Scripture: Matthew 6:9; Psalm 67:1-3; Romans 11:36; Revelation 4:11; 1 Corinthians 10:31.
__________

Question 113: What do we pray for in the second petition of the Lord's Prayer?

Answer: In the second petition, which is, "Thy kingdom come," we pray that Satan's kingdom may be destroyed, and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced; that ourselves and others be brought into it, and kept in it; and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.

Scripture: Matthew 6:10; 9:37,38; Psalm 68:1-18; Romans 10:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; Revelation 22:20.
__________

Question 114: What do we pray for in the third petition of the Lord's Prayer?

Answer: In the third petition, which is, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," we pray that God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.

Scripture: Matthew 6:10; Psalm 103:20, 21; 25:4, 5; 119:26.
__________

Question 115: What do we pray for in the fourth petition of the Lord's Prayer?

Answer: In the fourth petition, which is, "Give us this day our daily bread," we pray that of God's free gift, we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life and enjoy his blessing with them.

Scripture: Matthew 6:11; Proverbs 30:8, 9; 1 Timothy 6:6-8; 4:4, 5.
__________

Question 116: What do we pray for in the fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer?

Answer: In the fifth petition, which is, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," we pray that God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.

Scripture: Matthew 6:12; 18:35; Psalm 51:1, 3, 7; Mark 11:25.
__________

Question 117: What do we pray for in the sixth petition?

Answer: In the sixth petition, which is, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.

Scripture: Matthew 6:13; 26:41; Psalm 19:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13; John 17:15.
__________

Question 118: What does the conclusion of the Lord's Prayer teach us?

Answer: The conclusion of the Lord's Prayer, which is, "For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen," teaches us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him; and in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say AMEN.

Scripture: Matthew 6:13; Daniel 9:18, 19; 1 Chronicles 29:11-13; 1 Corinthians 14:16; Philippians 4:6; Revelation 22:20.

Arise, O Lord, Our God, Arise

2006-07-04T06:53:00.000-04:00

Here is another one from the Psalms. Enjoy.

Arise, O Lord, Our God, Arise
from Psalm 132, The Psalter, 1912

Arise, O Lord, our God, arise
And enter now into Thy rest;
O let this house be Thine abode,
Forever with Thy presence blest.

Thy gracious cov’nant, Lord, fulfill,
Turn not away from us Thy face;
Establish Thou Messiah’s throne
And let Him reign within this place.

Thy Zion Thou hast chosen, Lord,
And Thou hast said, I love her well,
This is My constant resting place,
And here will I delight to dwell.

I will abundantly provide
For Zion’s good, the Lord hath said;
I will supply her daily need
And satisfy her poor with bread.

Doctrinal Highlight: Of Sacred Scripture

2006-06-27T01:25:00.000-04:00

I. Revelation
God has revealed Himself to mankind through general revelation and has spoken through the special revelation of Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, and through Sacred Scripture, the written Word of God. He has revealed Himself to all mankind by displaying the excellencies of His glory and demonstrating His own goodness, wisdom, power, moral character, and other divine attributes through His works of creation, His providence over history, and the internal witness of the human conscience. This general revelation is sufficient enough to leave all men and women without excuse concerning their sin and their responsibility to glorify God, their Creator. However, this general revelation is insufficient in giving sinful men and women the knowledge of God necessary for salvation. Therefore, God, in accordance with His lovingkindness toward His people, has revealed Himself propositionally at various times through His prophets and apostles, declaring His will to His people. Through the superintendence of His Spirit, God moved upon these men to write the Sacred Scriptures for the preservation and propagation of His special revelation of Himself. These writings have been preserved in the Bible which is the perfect Word of God.

II. Its Necessity
Though Sacred Scripture is not necessary for knowledge of God’s existence nor of His moral character which are obtainable through the light of nature, they are most necessary for the knowledge which is able to make one wise unto salvation, for the sustaining of spiritual growth in the life of a believer, and for the knowledge and understanding of the will of God. The insufficiency of general revelation necessitates special revelation through Sacred Scripture which provides the necessary light needed to have fellowship with God. Without Scripture, men and women are left in darkness and are condemned by their sins, having no hope of salvation. Furthermore, since special revelation has ceased to be given apart from Sacred Scriptures themselves, believers who are deprived of Sacred Scripture have no Word of God to provide the food their souls needs nor the guidance to conduct their daily lives. Thus, believers need the pure milk of the Word of God in order to grow, mature, and please God by glorifying Him and doing His will.

III. Its Canonicity
Sacred Scripture consists only of the books contained within the Old Testament and the New Testament, and these books alone are the inspired, authoritative Word of God and stand alone as the standard for all Christian faith and practice. The books of the Old Testament are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, First and Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. These thirty-nine books are canonical because of their claim to divine authority, their recognition by the Jews, Jesus, the apostles, and early church as inspired, and their consistency to each other in doctrine. The books of the New Testament are Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, First and Second Thessalonians, First and Second Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, two epistles of Peter, three epistles of John, Jude, and Revelation. These twenty-seven books are canonical because of their apostolic origin (either authored by an apostle or someone closely associated with an apostle), their recognition by the early church as divinely inspired, and their consistency in doctrine. Though the church recognized the canonicity of the sixty-six books, their canonicity was not established by the church but by God, their Author. The canon of Sacred Scripture is now closed and complete with these sixty-six books; no additional books are necessary nor to be expected in the future.

The Apocrypha has no place in the canon of Sacred Scripture for they contain doctrine incompatible with doctrine found in the canonical sixty-six books and do not claim for themselves the authority claimed by the canonical books. Moreover, they were never recognized as God’s inspired Word by the Jews, by Jesus, by the apostles, nor by most of the early church. Therefore, they possess no authority over the people of God and are to be regarded as nothing more than human writings.

IV. Its Inspiration
All Sacred Scripture is inspired by God, being breathed out by Him through human authors. The Scriptures were written under the extraordinary, superintending influence of the Holy Spirit upon the human authors to record propositionally an accurate account and true interpretation of God’s special revelation exactly as God intended so that they are the Word of God. Moreover, the human writers were fully conscious of what they were writing with all their sense aware of the revelatory process. They were not mere secretaries of the divine revelation copying a divine dictation, but each author reflected his own personality, writing style, grammar, background, and historical situation along with his own specific concerns, intentions, and audience in mind as he wrote. Nevertheless, each word is still at the same time fully divine so that the Bible is exactly as God intended in every minute detail, making God the chief Author of Sacred Scripture.

V. Its Authority
Since Sacred Scripture is divinely inspired, having God as its Author, it is the absolute authority for faith and practice. The teachings of Sacred Scripture are the teachings of God. To obey Scripture is to obey God, and to disobey Scripture is to disobey God. Furthermore, the final authority for all religious controversies rest not in any church or office, but solely upon the Scriptures themselves, the Word of God. Sacred Scripture obtains its authority from God and demands no earthly defense for its own authority. It was not established by any church, tradition, human institution, or office but by God alone; and it is, thus, self-authenticating, giving abundant evidence to itself as the Word of God. Since it is the inspired Word of God, there is no other authority greater than Sacred Scripture itself to establish its authority. The direct affirmations of divine inspiration, the efficacy of its doctrine, the consent of its parts, the majesty of its style, the heavenliness of its subject matter, and many other incomparable excellencies all attest to the authentication of Sacred Scripture as the Word of God.

VI. Its Truthfulness
All of Sacred Scripture is completely true and trustworthy in all of its teachings; and, thus, it is a safe, reliable, and sure rule and guide in all matters. Because God, who is Truth, is the Author of Scripture, it possesses the attribute of complete truthfulness. In its original autographs, Sacred Scripture is inerrant, being entirely free from all falsehood, deceit, errors, and mistakes. Likewise, it is infallible, never misleading or failing in what it teaches. Scripture’s inerrancy and infallibility are not limited to religious matters of faith and practice but extends to the fields of history and science. The biblical occurrences such as the lack of technical precision, grammatical and spelling anomalies, phenomenological language, hyperbole, round numbers, figures of speech, anthropomorphisms, topical arrangement of material, and other aspects of ordinary human language does not in any way nullify the inerrancy and infallibility of Sacred Scripture. It remains fully truthful to the degree of precision intended by the human authors. Moreover, any supposed errors and discrepancies do not invalidate the truthfulness of Scripture, but once everything is known, they will all be shown to be completely true.

VII. Its Sufficiency
Sacred Scripture is completely sufficient for knowledge concerning salvation, faith, obedience, and every aspect of godly living and contains all that God purposed to reveal to His people at each stage of redemptive history. Though God could add more words to that which He has already spoken to His people in His Word, nothing else is needed to supplement or add to Sacred Scripture except the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Thus, no other writing, doctrine, tradition, new revelation, or any other supposed authority should be added to Sacred Scripture or considered equal to Scripture. God does not require anything of His people that is not already revealed explicitly or implicitly in Scripture, nor does He consider anything to be sin which Scripture does not already explicitly or implicitly regard as sin. Thus, the people of God should emphasize what Scripture emphasizes and be content with what is revealed in Scripture without seeking further revelation. The people of God should diligently study and search the Sacred Scriptures for guidance in doctrine, counseling, church polity, and every aspect of Christian living, for it is sufficient in itself through prayer and the Holy Spirit fully to communicate the will of God and thoroughly equip and furnish the people of God for every good work.

VIII. Its Perspicuity
Sacred Scripture being divine revelation is clear as a whole; and, thus, comprehensible to all believers who possess the normal acquired mental ability to understand human communication regardless of their gender, age, education, language, or cultural background. Though the Scriptures are clear, all things revealed in Sacred Scripture are not equally perspicuous in themselves. The clarity of Sacred Scripture does not negate the role of trained ministers to assist in determining a more precise and deeper understanding of the divine revelation of the Word, acknowledging that its truth is affirmed within the context of a believing community. Nor does it abrogate the role of the Holy Spirit to illumine the heart and mind of believers to understand, grasp, and obey the truth of the Word of God. Furthermore, Sacred Scripture clearly reveals to unbelievers aided by the Holy Spirit those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation.

IX. Its Interpretation.
The perspicuity of Sacred Scriptures conveys that it can be properly interpreted with grammatical-historical exegesis through diligent and careful study. God having superintending the process of its writing, the meaning of any text is fundamentally grounded in the authorial intent of the human author inspired by the Holy Spirit. Though the meaning expressed in each text is single, definite, and fixed, there are many applications which may be justly derived from that meaning. Moreover, because of its unity, harmony, and consistency Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture. Therefore, each text should be interpreted within the framework of all Scripture which is centered upon redemption through Christ. Furthermore, obscure texts should be interpreted in light of more plain texts. Though the Scriptures are essentially clear, the illumination of the Holy Spirit is needed to fully grasp, comprehend, and obey the text.

There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood

2006-06-27T01:14:00.000-04:00

There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood
by William Cowper

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.

How Firm a Foundation

2006-06-20T01:08:00.000-04:00

How Firm a Foundation
By John Rippon, 1787

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Mohler to appear on Larry King

2006-06-15T13:31:00.000-04:00

In case you have not gotten the word:

R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, is scheduled to appear tonight on CNN’s Larry King Live. Mohler will participate in a discussion the program is calling “Gays and God.” Larry King Live airs at 9:00 PM EDT on CNN and replays at 12:00 AM EDT. Topics and guests are subject to change without notice.

Mohler-Patterson discussion

2006-06-14T18:04:00.000-04:00

As most of you know, the recent SBC Pastors' Conference included a debate between Paige Patterson and Albert Mohler concerning the doctrines commonly called Calvinism. I was not there, nor have I heard an audio copy of the discussion. However, my friend Scott Slayton has written on the discussion, and I submit here his excellent review:

Mohler-Patterson Discussion (Part 1)

Mohler-Patterson Discussion (Part 2)

Mohler-Patterson Discussion (Part 3)

Thank you.

George Müller: Prayer as Testimony to the Living God

2006-06-14T15:06:00.000-04:00

In 1909, in the midst of controversy due to the rising liberalism, conservative Christians came together to produce a collection of essays defining the basics of true Christian doctrine in The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth. In the 80th essay, Pierson writes a defense of the existence of God using the prayer life of George Müller. I am about half way through his 736 page autobiography. The life of this ordinary man is indeed a testimony to an extraordinary God—the one, true living God who hears the prayers of His people.

__________

Chapter 80:
THE PROOF OF THE LIVING GOD, AS FOUND IN THE PRAYER LIFE OF GEORGE MÜLLER, OF BRISTOL
By Arthur T. Pierson.D.D.

In Psalm 68:4, we are bidden to "extol Him who rideth upon the heavens by His name, JAH, and to rejoice before Him;" and in the next verse, He is declared to be "a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, in His holy habitation." The name, "Jah," here only found, is not simply an abbreviation of "Jehovah;" but the present tense of the Hebrew verb to be; and expresses the idea that this Jehovah is the Living, Present God; and, as the heavens are always over our heads, He is always a present Helper, especially to those who, like the widow and the orphan, lack other providers and protectors.

George Müller, of Bristol, undertook to demonstrate to the unbelieving world that God is such a living, present God, and that He proves it by answering prayer; and that the test of this fact might be definite and conclusive, he undertook to gather, feed, house, clothe, and also to teach and train, all available orphans, who were legitimate children, but deprived of both parents by death and destitute.

SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF PROOF

This work, which he began in 1833, in a very small and humble way, by giving to a few children, gathered out of the streets, a bit of bread for breakfast, and then teaching them for about an hour and a half to read the Scriptures, he carried on for sixty-five years, with growing numbers until there were under his care, and in the orphan houses which he built, twenty two hundred orphans with their helpers; and yet, during all that time, Mr. Müller’s sole dependence was Jah, the Living, Present God. He appealed to no man for help; and did not even allow any need to be known before it had been supplied, even his intimate co-workers being forbidden to mention any existing want, outside the walls of the institution. His aim and purpose were to effectually apply the test of prayer to the unseen God, in such a way as to leave no doubt that, in these very days in which we live it is perfectly safe to cut loose from every human dependence and cast ourselves in faith upon the promises of a faithful Jehovah. To make the demonstration more absolutely convincing, for some years he withheld even the annual report of the work from the public, although it covered only work already done, lest some should think such a report an indirect appeal for future aid.

A human life thus filled with the presence and power of God is one of God’s choicest gifts to His church and to the world.

DEMONSTRATION AND ILLUSTRATION

Things unseen and eternal are, to the average man, distant and indistinct, while what is seen and temporal is vivid and real. Practically, any object in nature that can be seen or felt is thus more actual to most men than the Living God. Every man who walks with God, and finds Him a present Help in every time of need, who puts His promises to the practical proof and verifies them in actual experience; every believer, who, with the key of faith, unlocks God’s mysteries and with the key of prayer unlocks God’s treasuries, thus furnishes to the race demonstration and illustration of the fact that "He is, and is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

George Müller was such an argument and example — a man of like passions, and tempted in all points, as we are, but who believed God and was established by believing; who prayed earnestly that he might live a life and do a work, which should be a convincing proof that God hears prayer, and that it is safe to trust Him at all times; and who furnished just such a witness as he desired. Like Enoch, he truly walked with God, and had abundant testimony borne to him that he pleased God. And, when on the tenth day of March, 1898, it was told us of George Muller, that "he was not," we knew that "God had taken him": it seemed more like a translation than like death.

THE MAN HIMSELF

To those familiar with his long life story, or who intimately knew him and felt the power of personal contact, he was one of God’s ripest saints, and himself a living proof that a life of faith is possible; that God may be known, communed with, found, and become a conscious companion in the daily life. He proved for himself and for all others who will receive his witness, that to those who are willing to take God at His word and to yield self to His will, He is "the same yesterday and today and forever;" that the days of divine intervention and deliverance are past only so far as the days of faith and obedience are past; that believing prayer works still the wonders of which our fathers told in the days of old.

All we can do in the limited space now at our disposal, is to present a brief summary of George Müller’s work, the details of which are spread through the five volumes of his carefully written "Journal," and the facts of which have never been denied or doubted, being embodied in five massive stone buildings on Ashley Down, and incarnated in thousands of living orphans who have been, or still are, the beneficiaries upon the bounty of the Lord, as administered by this great intercessor.

HIS LIFE PURPOSE

One sentence from Mr. Müller’s pen marks the purpose which was the very pivot of his whole being: "I have joyfully dedicated my whole life to the object of exemplifying how much may be accomplished by prayer and faith." This prepared both for the development of the character of him who had such singleness of aim and for the development of the work in which that aim found action. Mr. Müller’s oldest friend, Robert C. Chapman, of Barnstaple, beautifully says that "when a man’s chief business is to serve and please the Lord, all his circumstances becomes his servants;" a maxim verified in Mr. Müller’s life work.

NO VISIBLE SUPPORT

Mr. James Wright, Mr. Müller’s son-in-law and successor, said, in reviewing the sixty-five years of work, "It is written (Job 26:7) ‘He hangeth the earth upon nothing’ — that is, no visible support. And so we exult in the fact that ‘The Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad’ hangs, as it has ever hung, since its commencement, ‘upon nothing,’ that is, upon no visible support. It hangs upon no human patron, upon no endowment or funded property, but solely upon the good pleasure of the blessed God."

Blessed lesson to learn: that to depend upon the invisible God is not to hang "upon nothing," though it be upon nothing visible. The power and permanence of the invisible forces that hold up the earth after sixty centuries of human history are sufficiently shown by the fact that this great globe still swings securely in space and is whirled through its vast orbit, and without variation of a second still moves with divine exactness in its appointed path. Mr. Müller therefore trusted the same invisible God to sustain with His unseen power all the work which faith suspended upon His truth and love and unfailing word of promise, though to the natural eye all these may seem as nothing.

SUMMARY OF WORK DONE

In the comprehensive summary contained in the fifty-ninth report, remarkable growth is apparent during the sixty-four years since the outset of the work in 1834.

During the year ending May 26, 1898, the number of day schools was seven and of pupils 354; the number of children in attendance from the beginning 81,501. The number of home Sunday Schools, twelve, and of children in them 1,341; but, from the beginning, 32,944. The number of Sunday Schools aided in England and Wales, twenty-five. The amount expended in connection with home schools, 1736. 13s. 10d.; from the outset, £109,992. 19s. 10d. The Bibles and parts thereof circulated, 15,411; from the beginning 1,989,266. Money expended for this purpose the past year £439; from the first, £41,090. 13s. 3d. Missionary laborers aided, 115. Money expended £2,082. 9s. 6d.; from the outset, £261,859. 7s. 4d. Circulation of books and tracts, 3,101,338; money spent £1,100. 1s. 3d.; and from the first, £47,188. 11s. 10d.

The number of orphans on Ashley Down 1,620, and from the first 10,024. Money spent that year, £22,523. 13s. 1d., and from the beginning £988,829. To carry conviction into action sometimes requires a costly sacrifice; but, whatever Mr. Müller’s fidelity to conviction cost in one way, he had stupendous results of his life work to contemplate even while he lived.

GIVING WITH PRAYING

Let any one look at these figures and facts, and remember that one poor man who had been solely dependent on the help of God and only in answer to prayer, could look back, over more than three score years and see how he had built five large orphan houses, and taken under his care over ten thousand orphans, expending for them within twelve thousand pounds of a round million! This same man had given aid to day schools and Sunday Schools, in Britain and other lands where nearly one hundred and fifty thousand children have been taught, at a cost of over one hundred and ten thousand pounds more. He had also circulated nearly two million Bibles and parts thereof, at cost of over forty thousand pounds; and over three million books and tracts, at a cost of nearly fifty thousand pounds more.

Besides all this, he had spent over two hundred and sixty thousand pounds to aid missionary laborers in various lands. The sum total of the money thus expended during sixty years thus reached very nearly the astonishing aggregate of one and a half million of pounds sterling ($7,500,000). Mr. Müller’s own gifts to the service of the Lord found, only after his death, full record and recognition. In the annual reports, an entry recurring with strange frequency, suggested a giver that must have reached a very ripe age: "from a servant of the Lord Jesus, who, constrained by the love of Christ, seeks to lay up treasure in heaven." If that entry be carefully followed throughout and there be added the personal gifts made by Mr. Müller to various benevolent objects, the aggregate sum from this "servant" reaches, up to March 1, 1898, a total of eighty-one thousand, four hundred and ninety British pounds, eighteen shillings and eight pence.

After his death, it first became known that this "servant of the Lord Jesus" was no other than George Müller himself who thus donated, from money given to him or left to him for his own use by legacies, an amount equal to more than one-fifteenth of the entire sum expended from the beginning upon all five departments of the work (1,448,959 British pounds). This is a record of personal giving to which we know no parallel.

HIS INVESTMENTS

Mr. Müller had received increasingly large sums from the Lord which he invested well and most profitably, so that for over sixty years he never lost a penny through a bad speculation! But his investments were not in lands, or banks, or railways, but in the work of God. He made "friends of the mammon of unrighteousness," and, when he failed, they received him into everlasting habitations. He continued year after year to make provision for himself, his beloved wife and daughter only by laying up treasure in heaven.

Such a giver had a right to exhort others to systematic beneficence. He gave as not one in a million gives — not a tithe, not any fixed proportion of annual income, but all that was left after the simplest and most necessary supply of actual wants. While most disciples regard themselves as doing their duty if, after they have given a portion to the Lord, they spend all the rest on themselves, God led George Müller to reverse this rule and reserve only the most frugal sum for personal needs that the entire remainder might be given to him that needeth. An utter revolution in our habits of giving would be necessary were such a rule adopted. Mr. Müller’s own words are: "My aim never was, how much I could obtain, but rather how much I could give." Yet this was not done in the spirit of an ascetic, for he had no such spirit.

HIS STEWARDSHIP

He kept continually before him his stewardship of God’s property; and sought to make the most of the one brief life on earth and to use for the best and largest good the property held by him in trust. The things of God were deep realities, and, projecting every action and decision and motive into the light of the judgment seat of Christ, he asked himself how it would appear to him in the light of that tribunal. Thus he sought prayerfully and conscientiously so to live and labor, so to deny himself, and, by love; serve his Master, and his fellowmen that he should not be "ashamed before Him at His coming." But not in a spirit of fear; for if any man of his generation knew the perfect love that casts out fear it was he. He felt that God is love and love is of God. lie saw that love manifested in the greatest of gifts His only begotten Son; at Calvary he knew and believed the love that God hath to us; he received it into his own heart; it became an abiding presence manifested in obedience and benevolence; and, subduing him more and more, it became perfected so as to expel all tormenting fear and impart a holy confidence and delight in God.

FAVORITE TEXTS

Among the texts which strongly impressed and moulded Mr. Müller’s habits of giving was Luke 6:38: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom."

He believed this promise and he verified it. His testimony is, "I had given, and God had caused to be given to me again, and bountifully." Again he read, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." He says that he believed what he found in the word of God and by His grace sought to act accordingly, and thus again records that he was blessed abundantly and his peace and joy in the Holy Spirit increased more and more.

It will not be a surprise, therefore, that, as has been already noted, Mr. Müller’s entire personal estate at his death, as sworn to, when the will was admitted to probate, was only 169 British pounds, 9 shillings, 4 pence, of which books, household furniture, etc., were reckoned at over 100 pounds, the only money in his possession being a trifle over sixty pounds, and even this only awaiting disbursement as God’s steward.

THE SECRET OF IT ALL

To summarize Mr. Müller’s service we must understand his great secret. Such a life and such a work are the result of one habit more than all else daily and frequent communion with God. He was unwearied in supplications and intercessions. In every new need and crisis, the one resort was the prayer of faith. He first satisfied himself that he was in the way of duty, then he fixed his mind on the unchanging word of promise; then, in the boldness of a suppliant who comes to a throne of grace in the name of Jesus Christ, and pleads the assurance of the immutable Promiser, he presented every petition. He was an unwearied intercessor. No delay discouraged him. This is seen particularly in the case of individuals for whose conversion or special guidance into the paths of full obedience he prayed. On his prayer list were the names of some for whom he had besought God daily by name, for from one to ten years before the answer was given. There were two parties, for whose reconciliation to God he prayed, day by day, for over sixty years, and who had not at the time of his death, turned unto God; but he said, "I have not a doubt that I shall meet them both in heaven; for my Heavenly Father would not lay upon my heart a burden of prayer for them for over three score years, if He had not concerning them purposes of mercy."

This is a sufficient example of his almost unparalleled perseverance and importunity in intercession. However long the delay, he held on, as with both hands clasping the very horns of the altar; and his childlike spirit reasoned simply but confidently that the very fact of his own spirit being so long drawn out in prayer for one object, and of the Lord’s enabling him so to continue patiently and believingly to wait on Him for the blessing, was a promise and prophecy of the answer; and so he waited on, so assured of the ultimate result that he praised God in advance, as having already received that for which he asked.

One of the parties for whom for so many years he had unceasingly prayed, shortly after his departure, died in faith, having received the promises and embraced them and confessed Jesus as his Lord.

THE PRIVILEGE OF ALL

Mr. Müller frequently in his Journal and reports warned his fellow disciples not to regard him as a miracle worker, or his experience as so exceptional as to have little application to the ordinary spheres of life and service. With patient repetition he affirms that, in all essentials, such an experience is the privilege of all believers. God calls disciples to various forms of work, but all alike to the same faith. To say, therefore, "I am not called to build orphan houses, etc., and have no right to expect answers to my prayers as Mr. Müller did," is wrong and unbelieving. Every child of God is first to get into the sphere appointed of God, and therein to exercise full trust, and live by faith upon God’s sure word of promise.

Throughout all the thousands of pages written by his pen, he teaches that this experience of God’s faithfulness is both the reward of past faith and prayer and the preparation of the servant of God for larger Work, more efficient service, and more convincing witness to his Lord.

SUPERNATURAL POWER

No one can understand this work who does not see in it the supernatural power of God; without that, it is an enigma, defying solution; with that, all the mystery is an open mystery. He himself felt, from first to last, that this supernatural factor was the whole key to the work, and without that it would have been to himself a problem inexplicable. How pathetically he often compared himself and his work for God to the "burning bush in the wilderness," which always aflame and always threatened with apparent destruction, was not consumed, so that not a few turned aside, wondering to see this great sight. And why was it not burnt? Because Jehovah of Hosts who was in the bush dwelt in the man and in his work; or, as Wesley said with almost his last breath, "Best of all God is with us."

This simile of the burning bush is the more apt, when we consider the rapid growth of the work. At first so very small as to seem almost insignificant, and conducted in one small rented house, accommodating thirty orphans; then enlarged until other rented premises became necessary; then one, two, three, four and even five immense structures being built until three hundred, seven hundred, eleven hundred and fifty, and finally two thousand and fifty inmates could find shelter within them; seldom has the world seen any such vast and rapid enlargement. Then look at the outlay! At first a trifling expenditure of perhaps four hundred pounds for the first year of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and of five hundred pounds for the first twelve months of the orphan work, and in the last year of Mr. Müller’s life a grand total of over twenty-six thousand pounds for all the purposes of the work.

The cost of the houses built on Ashley Down might have staggered even a man of large capital, but this poor man only cried and the Lord helped him. The first house cost fifteen thousand pounds, the second over twenty-one thousand, the third over twenty-three thousand, and the fourth and fifth from fifty thousand to sixty thousand more so that the total cost reached about one hundred and fifteen thousand pounds. Besides all this there was a yearly expenditure which rose as high as twenty-five thousand for the orphans alone, irrespective of those occasional outlays made needful for emergencies, such as improved sanitary precautions.

Here is a burning bush indeed, always in seeming danger of being consumed, yet still standing on Ashley Down, and still preserved because the same presence of Jehovah burns in it. Not a branch of this many sided work has utterly perished, while the whole work still challenges unbelievers to turn aside and see the great sight, and take off their shoes from their feet; for is not all ground holy where God abides and manifests Himself?

ABUNDANT IN LABORS

In attempting a survey of this great life work we must not forget how much of it was wholly outside of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution; namely, all that service which Mr. Müller was permitted to render to the church of Christ and the world at large, as preacher, pastor, witness for truth and author of books and tracts.

His preaching period covered the whole time from 1826 to 1898, the year of his departure — over seventy years; and with an average through the whole period of probably three sermons a week, or over ten thousand for his lifetime, which is probably a low estimate, for, during his missionary tours, which covered over two hundred thousand miles and were spread through seventeen years, he spoke on an average once a day, even at his already advanced age. Probably those brought to the knowledge of Christ by his preaching would reach into the thousands, exclusive of orphans converted at Ashley Down.

Then When we take into account the vast numbers addressed and impressed by his addresses given in all parts of the United Kingdom, on the Continent of Europe, and in America, Asia and Australia, and the still vaster numbers who have read his narrative, his books and tracts, or who have in Various other ways felt the quickening power of his example and life, we shall get some inadequate conception of the range and scope of the influence wielded by his tongue and pen, his labors and his life. Much of the best influence defies all tabulated statistics and evades all mathematical estimate — it is like the fragrance of the alabaster flask which fills all the house, but escapes our grosser senses of sight, hearing and touch. This part of George Müller’s work belongs to a realm where we cannot penetrate. But God sees, knows and rewards it.

A DOUBTER’S DOUBTS

Yet there are those who doubt or deny the sufficiency of even this proof, though so full and convincing. In a prominent daily newspaper, a correspondent, discussing the efficacy of prayer, thus referred to the experience of George Müller:

"I resided in that country during most of the seventies, when he was often described as the best-advertised man in the Three Kingdoms. By a large number of religious people he was more spoken of than were Gladstone and Disraeli, and accordingly it is not miraculous that, although he said he had never once solicited aid on behalf of his charitable enterprise, money in a continuous stream flowed into his treasury. Even to non-religious persons in Great Britain his name was quite as familiar as that of Moody."

"Doubtless Müller was quite sincere in his convictions, but, by the very peculiarity of his method, his wants were advertised throughout the world most conspicuously, thus receiving the benefit of a far larger publicity than would otherwise have obtained, and it being known that he was praying for money, money, of course, came in to him."

"But were Müller’s prayers answered invariably? According to a memoir by a personal friend, which has lately been published, this was far from having been the case, and he often felt aggrieved at what he considered a slight on the part of the Almighty, one of whose ‘pets’ (to quote Mr. Savage) he evidently imagined himself to be. For example, he prayed for two of his ‘unconverted’ friends for nearly fifty years without avail. There was absolutely nothing in his career which could not be accounted for as the result of purely natural causes."

"If it was possible to admit that what he looked upon as answers to his prayers were due to special interventions of Providence in his behalf (in other Words, to favoritism), the question ‘would inevitably arise, Why have the prayers of thousands of other Christian people, whose faith is quite as strong as Müller’s, been disregarded? What are we to think of the little band of enthusiasts who left this country for Jerusalem a few months ago to see Christ ‘appear in the clouds,’ and who, at last accounts, were reported to be starving, with no immediate prospect of a return to their homes?"

"LECTOR."

"Lector" takes an easy way to evade the force of Mr. Müller’s life witness. He contends that "the peculiarity" of his method, and the great "publicity" thus obtained, made him the "best advertised man in the Three Kingdoms," and so money poured in upon him from all quarters. Thus the most conspicuous testimony to a prayer-hearing God, furnished by any one individual in the century, is dismissed with one sweep of the pen, affirming that "there was absolutely nothing in his career which could not be accounted for as the result of purely natural causes."

THE DOUBTER ANSWERED

In answer I beg to submit twelve facts, all abundantly attested:

1. For sixty years and more he carried on a work for God, involving at times an average annual expenditure of $125,000, and never once, privately or publicly, made any direct appeal for money.

2. Of all his large staff of helpers no one is ever allowed to mention to an outside party any want of the work, however pressing the emergency.

3. Thousands of times correspondents inquired as to the existing wants, but in no case did they receive information, even though at a crisis of need, the object being to prove that it is safe to trust in God alone.

4. Reports of the work, annually published, have no doubt largely prompted gifts; but even these cannot account for the remarkable way in which the work has been supported. In order to show that dependence was not placed on these reports, they were not issued in one case, for over two years, yet there was no cessation of supplies.

5. The coincidences between the need and the supply can be accounted for on no law of chance or awakened public interest. In thousands of cases the exact sum or supply required has been received at the exact time needed, and when donors could have had no knowledge of the facts.

6. The facts spread over too long a time and too broad a field of details to be accounted a wide advertising system. Mr. Müller recorded thousands of cases of prayer for definite blessings, with equally definite answers.

7. Many interpositions and deliverances were independent of any human gifts or aid, as when a break in the heating apparatus necessitated a new boiler. No sooner had the repairs begun than a cold north wind set in which risked the health and even the lives of over four hundred orphans living in the house, which there was no other mode of heating. Mr. Müller carried the case to the Father of the fatherless, and the wind shifted to the south and blew soft and warm till the repairs were complete.

8. Hundreds of cases occurred, in course of sixty-five years, when there was not food for the next meal, yet God only was appealed to, and never but twice was it needful to postpone a meal, and then only for half an hour! Even direct and systematic appeals to the public could not have brought supplies for hundreds of orphans and helpers with such regularity for all those years.

9. Again, the supplies always kept pace with growing wants. Mr. Müller began on a very small scale, and the orphan work was only the last of five departments of the work of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution. Can it be accounted for on any purely natural basis that the popular heart and purse, without even full information of the progress of the five-fold enterprise, responded regularly to its claims?

10. Again, many a crisis, absolutely unknown to contributors, was met successfully by adequate supplies, without which, at that very time, the work must have ceased. Once, when a single penny was lacking after all available funds were gathered, that one penny was found in the contribution box, and it was all there was.

11. Again, Mr. Müller found that his relations with God always determined the measure of his help from man; unless his fellowship with his Heavenly Father was closely maintained, all else went wrong. The more absolute his dependence on God, his separation unto Him and his faith in Him, the more abundant and manifest His deliverances, so that, as he became more independent of man, he received the more from God through man.

12. Since his death in 1898, the work has been carried on by his successors and helpers on the same principles and with the same results. Though his strong personality is removed, the same God honors the same mode of doing His work, independent of the human instruments.

Mr. Müller’s life purpose was to furnish to the world and the Church a simple example of the fact that a man can not only live, but work on a large scale, by faith in the living God; that he has only to trust and pray and obey and God will prove his own faithfulness. The reports were published with sole reference to the work already done, and because donors were entitled to such knowledge of the way in which their money was expended. He never used his reports as appeals for help in work yet to be begun or carried on. Nor was his personal presence or influence necessary, for he traveled for eighteen years in forty-two countries, mentioning his work only at urgent request; and during all this time the work went on just as when at home.

A CHALLENGE TO UNBELIEF

One thing is obvious — there is a wide field still open for experiment. Let those who honestly believe that so great a life work may be entirely accounted for on a natural basis give us a practical proof. Let an institution be founded in some of our great cities similar to that in Bristol. Let there be no direct appeal made to anyone beyond the circulation of annual reports; or let there be the widest advertising of the fact that such a work is carried on, and that dependence is on public aid without direct solicitation.

Of course, there must be no prayer, and no acknowledgment of God, lest someone think it to be religious and unscientific, and pious people should be moved to respond! Unbelievers outnumber Christian disciples five to one and the constituency is therefore very large. Let us have the experiment conducted, not on the faith basis, but in strictly scientific method! When we see an infidel carrying on such a work, building five great orphan houses and sustaining over 2,000 orphans from day to day without any direct appeal to human help, yet finding all supplies coming in without even a failure in sixty years, we shall be ready to reconsider our present conviction that it was because the living God heard and helped George Müller, that he who began with a capital of one shilling, took care of more than ten thousand orphans, aided hundreds of missionaries, scattered millions of Bibles and tracts, and in the course of his long life expended about $7,500,000 for God and humanity; and then died with all his possessions valued at less than eight hundred dollars.

__________

See also:
George Mueller's Strategy for Showing God: Simplicity of Faith, Sacred Scripture, and Satisfaction in God.
and
Audio lecture on George Müller

Puritan Prayer: Grace

2006-06-13T02:09:00.000-04:00

O God, may Thy Spirit speak in me that I may speak to Thee.
I Lord Jesus, great high priest,
Thou hast opened a new and living way
by which a fallen creature can approach Thee with acceptance.

Help me to contemplate the dignity of Thy Person,
the perfectness of Thy sacrifice,
the effectiveness of Thy intercession.

O what blessedness accompanies devotion,
when under all the trials that weary me,
the cares that corrode me,
the fears that disturb me,
the infirmities that oppress me,
I can come to Thee in my need and feel peace beyond understanding!

The grace that restores is necessary to preserve,
lead,
guard,
supply,
help me.
And here Thy saints encourage my hope;
they were once poor and are now rich,
bound and are now free,
tried and now are victorious.

Every new duty calls for more grace than I now possess,
but not more than is found in Thee,
the divine treasury in whom all fullness dwells.
To Thee I repair for grace upon grace,
until every void made by sin be replenished
and I am filled with all Thy fullness.

May my desires be enlarged and my hopes emboldened,
that I may honour Thee
by my entire dependency
and the greatness of my expectation.

Do Thou be with me,
and prepare me
for all the smiles of prosperity,
the frowns of adversity,
the losses of substance,
the death of friends,
the days of darkness,
the changes of life,
and the last great change of all.
May I find thy grace sufficient for all my needs.

Psalm 103

2006-06-13T01:56:00.000-04:00

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

2006-06-13T01:31:00.000-04:00

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
by Joachim Neander

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, Who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, Who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye* we adore Him.

* pronounced "I", not "A", as I have often heard it sung.

"They Knew Their Bible"

2006-06-07T03:04:00.000-04:00

I remember sitting in one of Dr. Gentry’s Hebrew classes in which he commented that "they didn’t have concordances back then; they knew their Bible." I still need a concordance. I believe it is one of the most important tools for Bible study because Scripture interprets Scripture. Biblical writers assumes the reader knows the Word. They often used certain phrases and words because they were used in earlier Scripture and were intentionally drawing from the truths of earlier prophets. To be sure, Paul quotes Zechariah 8:16 in Ephesians 4:25 without any direct indication that he is quoting Scripture. He did not give a "as it is written" or "as the prophet wrote." (Some translations, e.g. NASB, have indicated it’s an OT quote by formatting it in all caps). He merely quoted the phrase, assuming that you would automatically recognize it as being from Zechariah 8 and be able to use the context of Zechariah 8 in interpreting Ephesians 4. In the third beatitude, Jesus alluded to Psalm 37 when He proclaims, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Amos alluded to Judges 16 in 9:1, denouncing Israel’s worship as being no better than the Philistines’. Zechariah identified the false prophets with Esau (13:4) and Cain (13:5) by using certain phrase and juxtaposition of words. We could go on and on with examples. Biblical writers used Scripture all the time when they wrote Scripture. And the more we know the Bible, the better we can see these intertextualities and better understand specific passages of Scripture and biblical theology. Most of us are not familiar enough with Scripture to catch them in a simple reading. We are forced to rely on concordances and cross references. And those of us too lazy to do the work ourselves must rely on the work of others in commentaries. Let us strife to be men like Apollos who was mighty in Scripture, eagerly searching them daily like the Bereans. May we learn to carefully and prayerfully read and meditate on Scripture.

I would encourage reading straight through Scripture straight as opposed to the picking random passages. When we fail to systematically read through Scripture, we tend to pick out favor passages and books to the neglect of the rest of God’s inspired Word. All of Scripture is God’s revealed will to us and demands our careful attention. Every one of its 1,189 chapters are profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness that we might be adequately furnished and equipped for every good work. Don’t neglect any of them, for in doing so we are practically saying that they aren’t worth reading. Reading straight through the Bible prevents us from depriving ourselves of all God’s revealed will for us. Moreover, it enables us to gain a better glimpse of the connections between the various parts of the Bible. Also, it corrects us and deters us from erroneous teaching. Let us devote our selves to Scripture—all of Sacred Scripture.

In His Grace,

Kenan

Before the Throne of God Above

2006-06-04T23:13:00.000-04:00

This week's song is Before the Throne of God Above, written in 1863 by Charitie L. Bancroft. This song fills me with confidence in Christ and reminds me of my wretchedness. May we always sing such songs that urges us to cling to Christ and to treasure Him! Christ Jesus is our Righteousness and only and sure hope of salvation. He is our Mediator before God. He has indeed made an end to all our sin.

Before the Throne of God Above
by Charitie L. Bancroft

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

O Jesus, King Most Wonderful

2006-05-30T01:24:00.000-04:00

O Jesus, King Most Wonderful
by Bernard of Clairvaux

O Jesus, King most wonderful,
Thou Conqueror renowned,
Thou Sweetness most ineffable,
In Whom all joys are found!

When once Thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart,
Then kindles love divine.

O Jesus, Light of all below,
Thou Fount of life and fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire!

Thy wondrous mercies are untold,
Through each returning day;
Thy love exceeds a thousand fold,
Whatever we can say.

May every heart confess Thy Name;
And ever Thee adore;
And seeking Thee, itself inflame,
To seek Thee more and more.

Thee may our tongues forever bless;
Thee may we love alone;
And ever in our lives express
The image of Thine own.

More to come.

2006-05-23T03:21:00.000-04:00

I have been busy lately. I have several posts partially written and even more ideas in the works. I plan to finish my series on the beattitudes. I also plan to do some posts on prayer. I've been reading through the Autobiography of George Müller, and it has caused me to think more about prayer and its importance. But, there are a few things more pressing than my blog that I have to complete before I can begin to work them. I hope to begin blogging more shortly.

Why the Hymns?

2006-05-23T02:20:00.000-04:00

I was asked the other day why I post hymns on my blog. I do so for several reasons. Before I proceed to explain why, let me clarify that it is not because I am a music guy. Not only can I not carry a tune in a bucket, but I do not play any instruments either. So, lest there be any confusion reguarding that, I felt that needed to be clarified.

One reason I post hymns/songs on my blog is to counter the not-so-good songs/hymns that we sometimes sing in our churches. I considered posting a bad example every week but decided to post a positive example every week would be more edifying to myself and my readers. I believed that too many of the songs we sing in our churches are fluff, shallow, me-centered, and/or vain Gentile repetition. We need to sing more songs that are more deep, Christ-centered, and theologically packed. Some songs out there are theologically erroneous. Others can be if not properly qualified. We cannot sing words like "I worship you alone" or "I give you all my worship" as if we have arrived and as if we do in practice worship God as we should. None of us gives God all our worship. We all have idols that distract us. If we are honest, we feel prone to wander and prone to leave the God we love. But, if we are indeed born again, then our hearts should long to give God all our worship and are confident, having our hope in Christ, that we will worship God wholly once we leave our corruptible bodies. Such songs are fine if we realize that, though we fall short, this is where we desire to be.

An second reason I post hymns on my blog is because I enjoy reading them. I would encourage all of you to go to www.cyberhymnal.org sometime and just read through some hymns. It can really be uplifted and a tremendous encouragement to your soul. There are so really great hymns out there. You read them anr driven to worship. They are filled with incredible truths. Since they are an encouragement to me, I believe they will be to you too. I may even rekindle in someone a renewed appeciation for these great old hymns.

Another reason is that it gives me at least one thing to post each week. Even when I am busy and unable to post anything else, posting something like a hymn (something already written out) is quick and easy.

There are a few others, but this is the gist of it.

In Thee Alone, O Christ, My Lord

2006-05-23T02:15:00.000-04:00

In Thee Alone, O Christ, My Lord
by Johannes Schneesing

In Thee alone, O Christ, my Lord,
My hope on earth remaineth;
I know Thou wilt Thine aid afford,
Naught else my soul sustaineth.
No strength of man, no earthly stay,
Can help me in the evil day;
Thou, only Thou, canst aid supply.
To Thee I cry;
On Thee I bid my heart rely.

My sins, O Lord, against me rise,
I mourn them with contrition;
Grant, thro’ Thy death and sacrifice,
To me a full remission.
Lord, show before the Father’s throne
That Thou didst for my sins atone;
So shall I from my load be freed.
Thy Word I plead;
Keep me, O Lord, each hour of need.

O Lord, in mercy stay my heart
On faith’s most sure foundation
And to my inmost soul impart
Thy perfect consolation.
Fill all my life with love to Thee,
T’ward all men grant me charity;
And at the last, when comes my end,
Thy succor send.
From Satan’s wiles my soul defend.

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

2006-05-16T01:08:00.000-04:00

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
by Robert Robinson

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.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither 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.

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.

Immortal Honors Rest on Jesus’ Head

2006-05-08T13:50:00.000-04:00

IMMORTAL HONORS REST ON JESUS’ HEAD
by William Gadsby

Immortal honors rest on Jesus’ head;
My God, my portion, and my Living Bread;
In Him I live, upon Him cast my care;
He saves from death, destruction, and despair.

He is my Refuge in each deep distress;
The Lord my strength and glorious righteousness;
Through floods and flames He leads me safely on,
And daily makes His sovereign goodness known.

My every need He richly will supply;
Nor will His mercy ever let me die;
In Him there dwells a treasure all divine,
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.

O that my soul could love and praise Him more,
His beauties trace, His majesty adore;
Live near His heart, upon His bosom lean;
Obey His voice, and all His will esteem.

Thy Mercy, My God

2006-05-01T11:55:00.000-04:00

Thy Mercy, My God
by John Stocker

Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart. and the boast of my tongue;
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast.

Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here;
Sin would reduce me to utter despair;
But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive,
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground,
And weep to the praise of the mercy I’ve found.

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own,
And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son;
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.

HeartCry Moves to Alabama

2006-05-01T11:22:00.000-04:00

I have known about this for quite some time now. But, now it is official. HeartCry Missionary Society has moved to my home church, First Baptist Church of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Today is their first official day. I remember the first time Paul Washer came to our church and preached at our World Impact Conference. He made a noticeable impact on our pastor, Jeff Noblit. We later invited Paul back to preach special services from Sunday through Wednesday. God began to work among the people, so we asked if he would preach the rest of the week through Sunday as well. Being asked to stay longer than originally scheduled was unusual for Paul. In many churches, he is asked to leave before such services are scheduled to be over. His preaching is filled with passion, and he is not afraid to stomp on toes and expose false Christianity that is rampant in America today. His preaching convictions can be found here. As with all men, he has faults, but God has used him mightily and gifted him in preaching and evangelism. Over time, he developed a good friendship with FBC-MS. He became really good friends with Jeff Noblit. (Jeff and Paul are a lot alike). Now, Paul has united with this local body. I am excited to see what the Lord is going to do with HeartCry in this move to Muscle Shoals.

Here's the official statement from HeartCry:

For the last year, the HeartCry staff has had an unusual sense that God was going to do something. Individually and as a body, we have felt impressed that change was on the horizon. In the past few months, this change has been made clear. On the 21st of February, we made the decision to move the HeartCry Missionary Society from Waldo Baptist Church of Metropolis, Illinois to the First Baptist Church of Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

The move was not motivated by opportunity or convenience, but by our belief that it is simply the Lord’s will. For over a year, we have sought His will through prayer and the voice of wise counsel. As the months passed, it became clear that God was moving us to another location. As more time passed, the exact location became evident.

It will be very difficult for us to leave our friends and church home, but we have the strong conviction that we must follow the Lord’s leading. We are looking forward to seeing all of the things that the Lord will accomplish through this new partnership.

Beginning with May 1st, our offices will be located in Muscle Shoals. After this time, please direct all correspondence to the following address and phone number:

HeartCry Missionary Society
1915 East Avalon Avenue
Muscle Shoals, AL 35661
(256) 381-7510

Please keep us in your prayers as the Washer, Green, and Glass families are packing, trying to sell homes, and looking for new places to live. Pray that there would be a smooth transition for us into our new geographical home and church family.

For anyone unfamiliar with HeartCry, here are a few links which let you know what it is all about:
Statement of Purpose
Methodology
History
Doctrine
Finances

The Importance of Particulars

2006-04-27T02:18:00.000-04:00

Another powerful cause of hindrance in the growth of the life of God in the soul is that we make general resolutions of improvement, but neglect to extend our efforts to particulars. We promise ourselves that in the indefinite future we will do much in the way of reformation, but are found doing nothing each day in cultivating piety. We begin and end a day without aiming or expecting to make any particular advance on that day. Thus our best resolutions evaporate without effect. We merely run the round of prescribed duty, satisfied if we do nothing amiss and neglect no external service which we feel to be obligatory. We resemble the man who purposes to go to a certain place, and often resolves with earnestness that he will some day perform the journey, but never takes a step towards the place. Is it at all strange that that person who on no day makes it his distinct object to advance in the divine life, at the end of months and years is found stationary? The natural body will grow without our thinking about it, even when we are asleep, but not the life of piety, which only increases by and through the exercises of the mind, aiming at higher measures of grace.

And as every day we should do something in this good work, so we should direct our attention to the growth of particular graces, especially of those in which we know ourselves to be defective. Are we weak in faith? let us give attention to the proper means of strengthening our faith and, above all, apply to the Lord to increase our faith. Is our love to God cold and hardly perceptible, and greatly interrupted by long intervals in which God and Christ are not in all our thoughts? let us have this for a daily lamentation at the throne of grace—let us resolve to meditate more on the excellency of the divine attributes, and especially on the love of God to us—let us be much in reading the account of Christ’s sufferings and death, and be importunate in prayer, until we receive more copious effusions of the Holy Spirit; for the fruit of the Spirit is love, and the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given unto us. And so we should directly aim at cultivating and increasing every grace; for the divine life, or ‘new man’, consists of these graces, and the whole cannot be in health and vigor while the constituent parts are feeble and in a state of decay.

The same remarks are applicable to the mortification of sin. We are prone to view our depravity too much in the general, and under this view to repent of it, and humble ourselves on account of it; whereas, in order to make any considerable progress in this part of sanctification, we must deal with our sins in detail. We must have it as a special object to eradicate pride and vain glory, covetousness, indolence, envy, discontent, anger, etc. There should be appropriate means used, suited to the extirpation of each particular vice of the mind.

A few words of wisdom by Archibald Alexander (1772—1851).

We are not told to take our thoughts captive to Christ, but to take our every thought. This means every thought in particular, and not our thoughts in general. Let us then pray for sins in our lives and not merely sin in general. Let us think of particular ways in which we sin and pray for grace specifically. As we work on sanctification, let us not merely pray to be better, but pray for specifics. When someones needs to cut their budget, they cannot merely say, "OK, I'm going to spent less." No. They need to look for specific ways to cut their spending like brown bagging their lunch in stead of take out. Likewise, if we know we have to deal with pride, we don't need to merely be general, "Lord, help me with my pride problem." We need to be specific in dealing with our sins. Examine yourself and pray for the specific times pride tends to show up. Moreover, let us take specific actions in these regards, for the taking of every thought captive is a taking. Let us then be specific in our prayers and actions.

Of Mercy and Of Justice

2006-04-23T23:48:00.000-04:00

This week's hymn is from the Psalter. Enjoy.

Of Mercy and Of Justice
Based on Psalm 109

Of mercy and of justice
My thankful song shall be;
O Lord, in joyful praises
My song shall rise to Thee.
Within my house I purpose
To walk in wisdom’s way;
O Lord, I need Thy presence;
How long wilt Thou delay?

On what is base and evil
I will not set my heart;
Transgressor’s ways abhorring,
With them I take no part.
No froward man or evil
Shall my companion be;
I will not suffer slander
Or pride or treachery.

The faithful and the upright
Shall minister to me;
The lying and deceitful
My favor shall not see.
I will in daily judgment
All wickedness reward,
And cleanse from evildoers
The city of the Lord.

He Is Risen!

2006-04-16T00:41:00.000-04:00

This week's hymn of the week was written by a 2002 graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Eric Schumacher. The tune is Lasst Uns Erfreuen, which most of you know in the hymn ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING. I have posted it a day early for Resurrection Day. Have a blessed Lord's Day!

HE IS RISEN!
by Eric Schumacher

O trumpet sound a vict’ry call!
And tongues proclaim good news for all:
He is risen! He is risen!
O! Let a thousand hymns break forth,
Proclaiming our Redeemer’s worth!

Give Him glory! Give Him glory!
He is risen! He is risen!
Hallelujah!

He who was slain on our behalf,
Suff’ring beneath His Father’s wrath:
He is risen! He is risen!
He who was hung upon the tree,
Rose from the tomb in victory!

Give Him glory! Give Him glory!
He is risen! He is risen!
Hallelujah!

O Christian, are you filled with gloom?
Then look inside the empty tomb!
He is risen! He is risen!
Here there is hope for ev’ry fear!
Here there is joy for ev’ry tear!

Give Him glory! Give Him glory!
He is risen! He is risen!
Hallelujah!

O! Let the nations sing the fame
Of Christ the Lamb who once was slain!
He is risen! He is risen!
Now we await the coming day,
When all those raised in Christ will say:

Give Him glory! Give Him glory!
He is risen! He is risen!
Hallelujah!

He is risen indeed.

2006-04-15T22:44:00.000-04:00

The resurrection is strangely absent from many presentations of the gospel. When I was a kid, I remember watching a "Jesus movie" which ended with Jesus own the cross. Thomas Jefferson ended his rather thin, Jefferson Bible with "Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus, And rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed" (17:61-64).

We do not go to the extreme Jefferson did in denying the resurrection all together, but we often fail to give proper emphasis on it. We give half of the good news of Christ: "He died for sinners." In Scripture, the resurrection is vital to the gospel and provides the hope of eternal life. In our witnessing and preaching, let us not neglect the resurrection! Look at these passages:

Rom 10:9 "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Acts 10:40-41 "We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to (BG)witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead."

1 Cor 15:1-10 "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received in which you stand, by which you are saved if you hold fast to the word which I preached to you unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance the I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me."

Acts 13:30 "When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead; and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people."

Rom 1:1-6 "Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

I could go on further, but I will refrain for the sake of brevity.

Without the resurrection of Christ, then . . .
• Our preaching is in vain. (1 Cor 15:14)
• Our faith is in vain. (1 Cor 15:14)
• We are found to be false witnesses because we testified of God that he raised Christ. (1 Cor 15:15)
• Our faith is worthless (1 Cor 15:17)
• We are still in your sins (1 Cor 15:17)
• Those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (1 Cor 15:18)
• We are of all men most to be pitied. (1 Cor 15:19)

BUT

He is risen indeed!

A Hymn Extra: The Friend of Sinners Dies

2006-04-15T02:15:00.000-04:00

Because of Resurrection weekend, I am posting an extra hymn in addition to the regular Hymn of the Week:

The Friend of Sinners Dies
by Isaac Watts

He dies! the Friend of sinners dies!
Lo! Salem’s daughters weep around;
A solemn darkness veils the skies,
A sudden trembling shakes the ground.

Come, saints, and drop a tear or two
For Him who groaned beneath your load:
He shed a thousand drops for you,
A thousand drops of richer blood.

Here’s love and grief beyond degree:
The Lord of Glory dies for men!
But lo! what sudden joys we see,
Jesus, the dead, revives again!

The rising God forsakes the tomb;
The tomb in vain forbids His rise;
Cherubic legions guard Him home,
And shout Him welcome to the skies.

Break off your fears, ye saints, and tell
How high your great Deliv’rer reigns;
Sing how He spoiled the hosts of hell,
And led the monster death in chains!

Say, “Live forever, wondrous King!
Born to redeem, and strong to save;”
Then ask the monster, “Where’s thy sting?”
And, “Where’s thy vict’ry, boasting grave?”

In Light of Christ

Happy Reformation Day!

I thought this was funny, so I'm putting it on here.

Daddy's Testimony

Please pray for me and my family

Celebrating the Incarnation

A Psalm of Thankgiving

Piper on Bible translations

Great God of Wonders

Taking all of the Bible seriously

Calvin's 500th Birthday!

An thoughtful, Gospel-centered response to a sticky ethical situation

Dr. Moore's Resolution Proposal for the 2009 SBC

Good Friday Is Good Indeed

Voddie Baucham Clarifies What He Means by His Church Being 'A Familiy of Families'

The Music of the TCC

David Miller on YouTube

True Church Conference 2009

Merry Christmas!

Timmy on Missional Prayer Continued

Timmy Brister on Missional Prayer

David Miller's Response to the John 3:16 Conference

Happy Thanksgiving!

Moore on Providence

Voddie Baucham on Calvinism in the SBC

A Sermon Recommendation

The Wonderful Grace of Repentance

My Post-Election Response

Go Vote

Beyond the TULIP

One Another

I Cannot Tell Why

Blessed are the merciful . . .

Show Pity, Lord

Elder woman shares Christ with mugger

Fools There Hearts Have Said

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

Before the Throne of God Above

Man of Sorrow

Happy Fourth of July

Great Youth Sermon

SBC Resolutions

Mohler-McLaughlin Sessions

Creation Museum Opens Memorial Day

Be Thou My Vision

True Church Conference

Depth of Mercy

Whate’er My God Ordains Is Right

True Church Conference

Evangelism Linebacker

Be Still, My Soul

Dear Christ­ian People All, Rejoice

Happy Reformation Day!

Reality Check for all youth and college ministers.

﻿Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst For Righteousness

Thou Lovely Source of True Delight

The gospel on TBN? Who would've thunk?

Arlington

One Another

All Wise, All Good, Almighty Lord

J.C. Ryle on Christian Zeal

Lord, with Glowing Heart I’d Praise Thee

The Law That Once Was Placed by God

Arise, My Soul, Arise

Instruction In Prayer

Arise, O Lord, Our God, Arise

Doctrinal Highlight: Of Sacred Scripture

There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood

How Firm a Founda­tion

Mohler to appear on Larry King

Mohler-Patterson discussion

George Müller: Prayer as Testimony to the Living God

Puritan Prayer: Grace

Psalm 103

Praise to the Lord, the Al­mighty

"They Knew Their Bible"

Before the Throne of God Above

O Jesus, King Most Wonderful

More to come.

Why the Hymns?

Dear Christian People All, Rejoice

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst For Righteousness

How Firm a Foundation

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty