Treasures In Heaven

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matt 6: 20-21

I’ve been trying to figure out a way to bring my huge CD collection and “swanky” sneakers into heaven. I really have! I’m stuck for the moment so I’ll blog.

2 years ago, from transition to living at my apartment in to my home I decided to live at a motel for a week. It was your typical run of the mill motel. It had its perks of room service and continental breakfast but for the most part the room was a dump. It had worn out carpets, old dressers, moldy smell…the works. To be honest it only took about a day before I wanted to rip out the carpets and install hardwood floors, install linoleum floors in the bathroom, and re- paint the walls just to brighten up the place.
But as common sense would have it I didn’t for three main reasons.

1) The stay was temporary.
2) I couldn’t take any of it with me.
3) I had a new home waiting for me.

Why spend all my time and resources into re-modeling this motel when I could pour it into my home? My heart was elsewhere.

As obvious as the decision may have sounded we do the same in out Christian life. We cannot take earthly possessions with us into heaven no matter how much time and effort we put into obtaining it. But we put so much of our effort into doing it regardless.

Time, money, and health are gracious resources given to us by God. We can either do two things; use them to obtain earthly temporary things or use them to build up the eternal kingdom.

But I sure do wish we get to wear cool sneakers in heaven!

The Gift Of Gifts

O Source of all good,
What shall I render to Thee for the gift of gifts?
Thine own dear Son, begotten, not created,
my Redeemer, proxy, surety, substitute,
His self-emptying incomprehensible,
His infinity of love beyond the heart's grasp.

Herein is wonder of wonders:
He came below to raise me above,
was born like me that I might become like Him.

Herein is love;
when I cannot rise to Him He draws near on wings of grace,
to raise me to Himself.

Herein is power;
when Deity and humanity were infinitely apart
He united them in indissoluble unity, the uncreate and the created.

Herein is wisdom;
when I was undone, with no will to return to Him,
and no intellect to devise recovery,
He came, God-incarnate, to save me to the uttermost,
as man to die my death,
to shed satisfying blood on my behalf,
to work out a perfect righteousness for me.

O God, take me in spirit to the watchful shepherds,
and enlarge my mind;
let me hear good tidings of great joy,
and hearing, believe, rejoice, praise, adore,
my conscience bathed in an ocean of repose,
my eyes uplifted to a reconciled Father;
place me with ox, ass, camel, goat,
to look with them upon my Redeemer's face,
and in Him account myself delivered from sin;
let me with Simeon clasp the new-born child to my heart.
embrace Him with undying faith,
exulting that He is mine and I am His.

In Him thou hast given me so much
that heaven can give me no more.

"The Gift of Gifts" | Valley of Vision

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Have a joyous Christmas everyone!

Figs, Christmas and Hypocrisy

I'm not sure what figgy pudding is, but is sounds scary. But I digress so quickly...

In Matthew 21:18-22 Jesus has just returned from Bethany to Jerusalem and from a distance sees a fig tree by the side of the road. Scripture makes it a point to say that there were leaves on this particular fig tree. Although it was at least a good month and a half away from the normal season for figs to bear fruit, the presence of leaves on the tree signified that fruit was there. Being hungry and seeing this fig tree with leaves from afar, Jesus heads towards the tree to grab a morning bite to eat. He finds no figs, curses the tree and the tree withers away.

Before making application, we need to understand that in several instances in the Old Testament Israel was likened to a figless fig tree (Micah 7:1-4, Hosea 9:10). In these instances, figs are symboic for godliness, devotion to God, true faith, true believers. The absences of godliness and true believers in the land of Israel was detestable to God. From a distance, any nation observing Israel would have thought that they were godly and very religious. But from God's standpoint and upclose examination, Israel was barren.

When we head back to Matthew 21, we see that the problem with the fig tree was not such much barreness. The gospel of Mark tells us that it was not the time of figs. But being that the tree had leaves, which Jesus saw from a distance, and being the leaves were supposed to indicate that fruit was on the tree, Jesus anger arises from the fact that the tree gave the appearance of fruit but did not have any. The tree was a hypocrite...a pretender...a deceiver. Jesus curses it and it becomes good for nothing except to be thrown into a furnace.

So, too, had Israel become once again. They had all sorts of leaves and no fruit. They had just welcomed Christ into Jerusalem with shouts of praise: Hosanna to the Son of David! Hosanna in the highest. They had just thrown their cloaks on the floor which was the cultural way of welcoming a king or war hero. They had cut palm branches (symbols of peace) and laid them on the ground along with their cloaks, believing that Christ was bringing peace for them. Yet their understanding of the peace He was bringing was political not spiritual. They had the appearance of real spiritual fruit. Their worship seemed to be genuine. Yet it was a farce. They were hypocrites. They were pretenders. A week later those shouts of praise would be turned into shouts of hate: Cruficy Him!!! Cruficy Him!!!

Israel had leaves. They had the temple in Jerusalem where this fig tree is located. The temple system, ceremonies and sacrifices all elaborately portrayed the gospel. Yet when Christ arrives He finds merchants and money-changers using the gospel to fulfill their own greedy lusts. The problem wasn't that they were doing business. The problem was that the merchants and money-changers were taking advantage of those participating in the temple ceremonies. The gospel became a means to fulfill ones greedy lusts.

Jesus then drives everyone out of the temple--even those being taken adantage of. Christ is displeased with them as well. They should have been just as indignant and righteously angry as Christ was, yet they went along with the program and failed to contend for the gospel and God's glory. They should have been zealous for the gospel. There should have been others doing what Christ had done, but there was no one else cleansing the temple. Israel had leaves...but no fruit. They had the appearance of godliness, but it was pure hypocrisy.

The cursing of the fig tree then becomes an ojbect lesson for the disciples as to the state and condemnation of that generation. What a powerful display of God's judgment upon hypocrites--upon those who appear to be godly but upon close examination from the Lord are found wanting.

Christmas is right around the corner...but a few weeks away. A lot of leaves will be displayed. There will be an unprecedented amount of professed godliness dispalyed during this holiday season. Hmmm...something to think about. Will those with true fruit rise up and warn the current generation of the condemnation that will come from the one who was born in a stable if they are found to be trees with leaves and no fruit?

How we need the Savior! That is the good news of the Christmas story. Christ came to save us from our wickedness and God's wrath in order to make us God's children who bear godly fruit and display His glory. Bearing fruit and displaying the glory of God doesn't save you. Rather, God saves you in order to display His glory with little pieces of fruit that look like Him.

How good God is in warning the visible church of the hypocrites that are hiding within the true church.

Now if by chance you come across the fabled figgy pudding this Christmas, and if you find that figgy pudding is made with figs...remember Matthew 21 and the cursing of the figless fig tree.

Idolatry

Our choices are predicated upon what we think is "good,' what we "delight in," what we find most "desirable." The truth about our choices is that we always choose what we believe to be our best good.We always choose what we believe will bring us the most delight. ...

Idolatry is a sin that has its beginning in the mind, in your thoughts, beliefs, judgements, and imagination. ... Instead of fashioning idols out of wood or stone, we fashion them in our imagination - worshiping that which we believe will bring us happiness. ... These beliefs function as gods just as surely as if we had carved them from wood or overlaid them with silver. ... We must learn to put away the gods of our imagination: gods that promise happiness in exchange for our worship.

Our longings and desires ... are the driving force behind everything we do. ... Why do we profess great love for the Lord on Sunday morning and exaggerate our successes to our boss on Monday morning? Because we have divided desires. ... [T]he desire that is strongest ... is what our will acts on. ...

My sin has its roots in my false worship. Don't be deceived: you are already passionately worshipping something. ... Learning to take great delight and joy in God is the strongest deterrent to idolatry.

Elyse Fitzpatrick Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone

photo credit: jenny james

Zechariah 3

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

And the Lord said to Satan,
“The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”

Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments.
And the angel said to those who were standing before him,

“Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.

The Grace of the Incarnation

Those of us that enjoy the history of the reformation and the doctrines that were recaptured during that time period are fond of the Latin phrase Sola Gratia, which means that we are saved by grace alone in Christ. All of salvation, every aspect of it, all of Christ's works to secure it for us, all the gifts given to us that we may be saved....well, they're all by the grace of God. Our salvation would not be possible had the Son of God not become flesh. In fact, Scripture refers to the incarnation as one of the gracious things Christ has done to secure us a right standing with the Father.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

How rich we are because of the grace of the incarnation. I pray that your Christmas is filled with more of God's grace.

Only One Life Twill Soon Be Past, Only What’s Done For Christ Will Last

Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life's busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice

Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God's holy will to cleave;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;

Each with its clays I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;

When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e'er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, "Thy will be done";

And when at last I'll hear the call, I know I'll say “‘twas worth it all";

Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

-Author Unknown

The Majestic Ones

Psalm 16:2-3

"I said to the LORD, 'You are my Lord;
I have no good besides You.'
As for the saints who are in the earth,
They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight."

That passage is interesting. Somehow, our delight is fully in God... YET "all" our delight is in our
brothers and sisters in Christ. What a beautiful dichotomy! There is a correlation between the two.
When the first is true - God is our ONLY good, then the second will ALSO be true - all our delight
will be in the saints.

I love the word that is used to describe the saints - "the MAJESTIC ones."

That is so true. When I'm with the fellowship at church (which is everyday) the conversation naturally and effortlessly flows toward Christ. They stir my affection for Him. They cause me to long to submit to my King. They show me my need to cling to Him as my only Righteousness.

My church family are truly the majestic ones. They are an indescribable gift from God.

Photo Credit: Jenny James

Glory Central

"abide hard by the cross and search the mysteries of his wounds.”"
-Spurgeon

There is no more important thing to God than God’s glory; and there is no better display of God’s glory than the display of God’s glorious grace; and there is no better display of God’s glorious grace than the display of the gospel; and there is no better display of the gospel than the cross of Christ. If I am to live for God’s glory I must live next to the cross. If my passion for God is to line up with God’s passion for God then I must dwell by where His passion was manifested in this universe unlike any other point in history ever: I must dwell by the cross. If my mission for God is to line up with God’s mission for God, then I must labor in light of that most glorious manifestation of His mission for making much of Himself: I must labor in light of the cross. If I am to live admiring anything, if I am to live motivated by anything, if I am to live passionate about anything, if I am to live reflecting upon anything, if I am to live rejoicing in anything, if I am to boast in anything, if I am to live because of and for anything, let it be Christ and him crucified. Let it be the cross.

Photo Credit: Matt Wahl

Steadfast Change

"He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3"

This verse got me thinking about seasons of prosperity and fruit and seasons of growth. A tree doesn't always bear fruit continually (only in heaven!), and has seasons where the fruit is growing and budding.

In today's reading of 365 days with Wilberforce, the author reveals Wilberforce's perseverance in the lives of his children, in particular, his son Samuel: "'Above all, my dearest Samuel,' he wrote to his son on his tenth birthday, 'I am anxious to see in you decisive marks of this great change. I come again and again to examine his fruit trees, and see if his peaches are set, and if they are swelling and becoming larger; finally, if they are becoming ripe and rosy. I would willingly walk barefoot from this place "near London" to Sandgate, to see a clear proof of it in my dear Samuel at the end of my journey.'"

It's amazing to think about the time God invests in His children to sanctify, and to cultivate fruit in them that is glorifying to Him and for our eternal good. Daily I am reminded of God's amazing grace that continues to flow- and how short I fall continually. It seems to me that God is in the process of showing me just how much I am to depend on His grace, and on His goodness to me, because my sin continues to flare up and destroy any feelings of self-sufficiency or self-righteousness. How free we truly are in Him! His pleasure in us does not depend on our works, but on His Son Jesus, and what He did at calvary for our sins. God is merciful to me because of Jesus. And above that- because of His promise to Christ, I am "grafted" in to the blessing of Heaven. When an individual truly understands the unending faithfulness of the Lord, and that we truly are in Him, the weight of guilt is lifted and we are given wings to fly. This understanding seems to follow a deep, dark realization of our complete helplessness, and with that harrowing moment we for a moment begin to fear that God will forsake- why would He stay faithful to a wretched sinner like me who cannot escape but seems to sin right in the face of Grace? But God. To SHOW the riches of His grace. Incredible.

photo credit: carissa gallo

(Aspiring Girl = Joanna)

A Mark Of A Faithful Servant

As a young culinary apprentice, I couldn’t help but stare at my tattered chefs arms and ask

“How did you get all those cool scars on your arms?”

“It’s from all my years hard work and dedication to the kitchen” he replied


10 years later, it is easy for me to spot a well seasoned chef. They have burns marks on their arms from working while short staffed, knife marks on their fingers from dicing turnips, dry skin from washing dishes, and the infamous blister on the inside of the index finger from holding a knife for hours.

You can feel it when you shake another chefs hand. It’s like a secret handshake that lets us know that we share a commodore of hard work, passion, and service in the kitchen.

Even the best skillful chefs have burns and scars. In fact… they have more!!!

It’s a rule of the kitchen. A culinariane code;

If you are going to work in the kitchen you ARE going to get burned and cut.
You cannot avoid this fact.

The scars we keep are what separate us from the home cooks and hobbyist who dare step into the fast paced professional kitchen. Yeah I know it a little brut …but it’s a mark of hard work, devotion, and loyalty to what we are passionate about.

Indeed, all who desire to a legitimate career in the kitchen will get burned.

The Bible has something very similar to this

Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
2: Tim 3:12

Most of the godliest Christians have been persecuted.

In fact, the Christian church has been built on the blood and souls of martyrs. And to this day the Gospel and Christianity is spread by some of the most tired, weak, and poor and spirit people.

Persecution is never sought out but it is inevitable for those who labor for the Gospel.

Much like the physical scars of the culinary industry, the emotional and spiritual scars that we carry as Christians are a testament to the fact that we are passionately following God’s will. These scars are a mark of someone who has been fervent, loyal, and faithful to the minsitry.

Persecution is what is going to separate those who labor and serve in the ministry and those who choose to become apathetic spectators in the body

It very much a Christian code.

If you labor for the Gospel of Jesus Christ you ARE going to get burned.

photo credit: Jeff Martin

Precious Words

There are times in life when someone says something to you that brings resolve or comfort to a situation in your life.

To the husband who works hard to take care of his family but seems to never bring enough money home, "I know how hard you work to provide for us," can be the most encouraging words a wife could possibly give to her husband in that moment of frustration. Those are precious words.

To the sinner who feels defeated when looking at their repeated failure to overcome sin in their life, hearing "Jesus Christ's saving work is powerful enough to save even a sinning Christian," can make you cheer for God and lift you to praise for grace. Those are precious words, too.

To the one who is grieving over the loss of a loved one, knowing that "death has lost it's sting in Jesus Christ," brings hope, encouragement and gratitude for the empty tomb. Those are much needed precious words in times of death.

Today I heard some precious words. I don't ever want to forget them. They made me weep for joy. They helped bring some resolve to a past situation in my life. They made me grateful to God.

In order to help you understand the gravity and preciousness of these words, I must share something from my past. I share, not to ask for pity, nor to vent, nor to bad mouth anyone. I simply share to recognize the hand of God in my family as He grows us in the knowledge of His grace.

Several years ago I was asked to resign from the church I served at. For all practical purposes, it was a firing. And that is ok. I fully recognize God's sovereignty in the situation and understand that He was in full control of the situation. The reason for my being asked to resign was because of my growing understanding of the doctrines of grace and reformation theology. At that time, I didn't know what reformed theology was. I really didn't. I thought reformed people were people who practiced infant baptism and had a different view of communion. I just knew that what I was learning was feeding my soul and making me more vigilant in my evangelistic endeavors. What I was learning created more zeal in my preaching and more concern for the church of God. What I was learning made me want to be a better pastor who elevated God as much as I possibly could from week to week. Knowing how I was growing, I wanted others to grow too. So I taught what I learned. And why shouldn't I have done that. I wanted the teens in our student ministry and the adult leaders to get a taste of what was going on in my mind and in my heart. So I tried to pass it on.

Doctrines like God's sovereignty, the doctrine of election, God's decrees, His wisdom, justification, imputation, sanctification and a host of others were being taught to me by people like A.W. Pink, John MacArthur, Mark Dever, Charles Spurgeon and a host of other godly men--living and dead. These doctrines were just the start of it...the tip of the proverbial iceberg, if you will. I hungered for more and felt like I had been revived from a spiritual stupor that I didn't even know I was in. So I kept on teaching and teaching and teaching. I kept on learning and learning and learning. And I took what I got, digested it, and tried to feed it to others like a momma bird does to her little birdies....gross image, I know. But I wanted our student ministry to get this, our student leaders, our whole church, and my own wife.

As time went on, it became clear to those in authority that I was moving in a different direction as the rest of the church. I didn't see it that way. I figured that as a shepherd, my duty from God was to help the church grow and be corrected where there was error or shortcomings. That's what us pastor dudes do with God's Word. We feed it to the sheep and the sheep get healthier. I did this for several years and was pleased to see others growing as I was growing. Yet I didn't realize the full implications of what would befall my family for teaching what I was teaching. Not being able to see the future, I didn't know that I would eventually be asked to resign. In those final months, my eyes opened and I knew it would be a matter of time before I was asked to leave. But what could I do but continue to preach what I was Scripturally convinced of. I knew that it would mean that I was going to have to put my family in harms way. That's a tough pill to swallow.

Well, I was finally asked to resign. I remember that night vividly. I was asked to have a private meeting with the pastor and a deacon after youth group on a Sunday night. In my gut I knew it was my final night. So sitting next to some student leaders after our youth group meeting adjourned, I looked over at them before heading off to my meeting and said to them, "It was great serving with you." One leader said, "Shut up! What are you talking about?" I said, "I'll be seeing you around." I walked away from them and before exiting the room, I turned around and took one final look at the people I served for nearly six years....one final look at the room in which I had faithful served God during that time. What would happen next? I wasn't too sure of. But something was about to change.

I contended for the truth and sometimes that is not always met with applause. (I wish someone would have told me this ahead of time, but oh well.) This is something we should expect in the Christian life. I had never experienced anything like this but it was good for my soul. It was really good for my soul. I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world.

So this brings me back to the precious words I just heard. They were so precious that I had to actually get up out of bed and come post this before my thoughts became muddled. My wife and I were laying down in bed talking and talking. We were talking about how good God has been to us and how He has protected us from silly decisions we've made and how He has even protected us when standing firm in the faith.

We were recalling the events I just mentioned to you and I asked her what she was thinking during those final months. Here's a summary of what she had to say:

"I kept thinking to myself, 'Why do you have to create these waves? Am I married to some fanatic who has just gone over the edge?' She continued, "I just kept telling myself, 'I have to trust my husband. I don't understand what's going on, but I have to believe that he's doing the right thing or he wouldn't be teaching this stuff.'"

During those final months, she confessed that she was very scared and nervous about what might happen to our family. As we were laying in bed, my heart hurt as she said this. I don't ever want to do something that would put my family in a tough spot. Nevertheless, there are some things that are worth suffering for--even when it includes your own wife and daughter's suffering. What makes it harder is when those suffering don't know why their suffering...they just happen to be along for the ride. As my heart broke, I was simultaneously encouraged by her vote of confidence in me during this time. I recognized in greater depth the grace that God has shown me in giving me this kind of supportive wife. Her feelings of being married to a fanatic made me chuckle a bit, too.

At that moment I rolled over and put my arm around my wife and started to worship God for putting me through this trying experience and I began praising God for the wife He gave me. It was incredible. He turned my mourning into dancing. He used my pain for His praise. This spontaneous worship arose from something that happened over three years ago.

Knowing that three years had elapsed since that dark period in our life--and knowing that my wife has learned much during these past three years and has grown alongside of me--and knowing of her former confusion, I said to her, "I'm so sorry for what had to happen...but do you now understand what all that was about? Do you see the importance behind what we're now teaching our church and why I couldn't stop back then?"

And she said some of the most precious words I've ever heard. "Back then I didn't get it. But now I understand."

"Now I understand." Those words brought an increased joy to my heart and I thanked God for bringing my wife out of the dark. I thanked God that He kept my marriage intact during what must have been utter confusion to my wife. That moment of trial has led to my family being much more solid in God's Word. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I rejoice for it. And those three words--now I understand--showed me the grace of God in contending for the truth.

Yet even those three words, as fabulous as they are to my situation, even those three words don't compare to the most precious words of all......

His Word is bearing fruit in my family and in my marriage and in my church. His Word does not come back void! His Word is so precious. Those are the most precious words of all. Cherish them. Rejoice in them. Relish them. Bask in them. Let them enrich and feed your soul. They are beautiful words...wonderful words...wonderful words of life.

photo credit: Jeff Martin

Christ Affection Stimulators & Robbers

Photo Credit: Andrew Gallo

Hebrews 12:1-2

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Philippians 3:8

"More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ"

I have found that there are things in my life that stimulate my affection for Christ and there are things in life that dull my affection for Christ. Things that cloud my sight of Him and cause me to have an unhealthy appetite for the world and things that bring clarity to see Him and His work. Because of this, I have tried to pay attention to what these things may be. Here is a list:

Joey's Christ affection stimulators:

-My wife Kinsey
-Sushi
-The book of Romans
-Being with the body of Christ
-Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotions
-Conversations about the Gospel
-The ocean/beach

-Hymns
-Any counsel I get from Sovereign Grace friends
-Grace Community Church (main gathering times)
-The sky/clouds/colorful sunsets
-MacArthur's prayers
-Piper's tweets
-The gospel of John

Joey's Christ affection dullers:

-Getting pulled in and effected emotionally by a sports game.
(even though I don't like sports!)
-Too much time at the radio station that I work at sometimes.
-Long conversations about nothing.
-Critical/mean spirited joking

-Sleeping in too late
-Time wasted online
-Most movies
-Most sarcasm
-Getting too interested in fashion
-Spending money on the unnecessary

What stirs your affections for Christ? What robs you of that joy?

I'd love to see some of your lists.

Calmer of my Troubled Heart

Calmer of my troubled heart
Bid my unbelief depart
Speak, and all my sorrows cease
Speak, and all my soul is peace.
Comfort me when e’er I mourn
with the hope of Thy return
And til I Thy glories see
Help me believe in Thee

The Hardening of the Heart

"The hardening here mentioned is to the utmost, -- utter obduration; sin tends to it, and every distemper and lust will make at least some progress towards it. Thou that was tender, and didst use to melt under the word, under afflictions, wilt grow a some have profanely spoken, "sermon-proof and sickness-proof." Thou that didst tremble at the presence of God, thoughts of death, and appearance before him, when thou hadst more assurance of his love than now thou hast, shalt not be at all concerned, but shalt be able to pass over duties, praying, hearing, reading, and thy heart not in the least affected. Sin will grow a light thing to thee; thou wilt pass it by as a thing of nought; this it will grow to. And what will be the end of such a condition? Can a sadder thing befall thee? Is it not enough to make any heart to tremble, to think of being brought into that estate wherein he should have slight thoughts of sin? Slight thoughts of grace, of mercy, of the blood of Christ, of the law, heaven, and hell, come all in at the same season. Take heed, this is that thy lust is working towards, -- the hardening of the heart, searing of the conscience, blinding of the mind, stupifying of the affections, and deceiving of the whole soul."

-John Owen

photo credit: andrew gallo

Prayer for Rifqa Bary

Have you ever looked up to someone who happened to be younger than yourself? I know I have recently ... her name is Rifqa and she is in need of the prayers of the saints. Her life has been (and still is) in danger because she converted to Christianity from Islam, yet her unwavering testimony and faith is being refined through her trials. I am forwarding a message from Jamal Jivanjee, who has been fighting for the name of God among the muslim community for years:


To all concerned intercessors, 

If there is one thing that I have learned recently, it has been this; God chooses to accomplish His sovereign victory through the prayers of His people! (Thank you John Piper) It has been very encouraging to see this play out in fresh and new ways these last few months. I want to take a quick minute to humbly ask that all intercessors be mobilized to pray for the next few days regarding a few different points that I will illustrate here. I am convinced that the Lord is on the move, and His kingdom is greatly advancing! Prayer is needed now, more than ever. 

Prayer for Rifqa Bary 

In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul illustrates that our real struggle is not against people, rather spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Scripture is also very clear that there are strongholds, or places on this earth that are greatly affected by demonic entities that are assigned to geographic areas. The Old Testament book of Daniel gives us insight into this biblical reality, and I have discovered this reality to be true regarding places that I have traveled to as well. 

As you know, there was a huge legal battle by Rifqa’s oppressors and family to have the case moved from Florida to Ohio. I am convinced that the real reason for this is entirely spiritual. Spiritually speaking, the spiritual differences between Ohio and some parts of Florida are like night and day. Simply put, the spiritual climate in Ohio is much more conducive to Rifqa’s oppressors than was Florida. As a result of this, Rifqa really needs our prayers for peace, strength, encouragement, protection, and physical health while this court battle plays out. Since her time back in Ohio, these areas of her life have come under increased attack by our spiritual enemy. I can tell you that the Lord has used the prayers of the saints to keep her going. She needs your prayers now more than ever! Your prayers are God’s chosen instruments of His victory in this situation! In addition to praying for Rifqa personally, here are some other points of prayer that urgently need intercession: 

1. Pray for public disclosure 

When this ordeal with Rifqa Bary began to unfold several months ago, I sensed the Lord giving me this scripture for Rifqa: “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.” (Luke 8:16) 

Rifqa Bary is someone who has been ‘lit’ so to speak by the Lord. While she has lived a secret Christian life for the last several years, God is now bringing her and her life’s story out into public light so that her testimony and life may sine brightly before men and glorify her Father in heaven. It goes without saying that satan would love to put a ‘container’ back over her life to keep a sleeping American church from being affected by her life, and also so that she can be sent back to danger without anyone being aware of it. Since she has been back in Ohio, that is exactly what the enemy has been trying to do! 

Apparently, there have already been a number of undisclosed hearings that the media was not allowed to be present during. This is a clear departure from the proceedings in Florida which were very transparent. The media in Ohio has been very quiet regarding Rifqa’s situation, as has been the church in Ohio. On human terms, this lack of public accountability puts Rifqa in greater risk, but it also prevents people from hearing her all important testimony. We need to pray for a greater public awareness! Please pray that the rally for Rifqa Bary on Monday, Nov. 16’th, would be used by the Lord to accomplish this task. 

2. Pray that what is hidden would be brought to light. 

The very next verse in Luke 8:17 is the other scripture that I sensed the Lord giving me for Rifqa’s situation as well. Because of this lamp that is being put out on a lampstand, It says this: “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” 

Rifqa’s case is shedding light nationally on the evil ideology of Islam & sharia law that has been subjugating Muslims to bondage and fear for over a thousand years now. Because the Lord loves Muslim people, I believe that He is uncovering the depths of bondage and fear contained in Islam for the church to be aware of. The church needs to be aware of this because it is the Muslim people’s time to be set free by the truth! Many western Christians have been woefully ignorant of this demonic ideology, and its methods of enslavement. I am praying that will soon change. 

Rifqa’s case is also part of a broader narrative occurring across our nation today in which we are seeing a wave of Islamic violence and influence begin to be unleashed in greater and unprecedented ways at the highest levels of our government, down to honor killings and brutal shootings at Fort Hood in Texas. The Lord is using the testimony of Rifqa, and others like her, to bring to light the darkness that has been hidden for far too long. Shedding light on this darkness is one of the goals of the rally for Rifqa on Monday. Please pray for this to occur then, and after that as well. Keep in mind that not all of those attending the rally on Monday will be Christians, but I am praying that many intercessors will be there to pray and publicly stand for the truth. Ultimately, I believe that it is the church’s genuine love for Muslims that will give us the boldness to speak out regarding the evils of Islam. 

If you’re in the Columbus area, and you are able to make it out to the rally on Monday from 11am to 2pm, we’d love to see you there. For more specific information regarding the rally’s location and other details, please visit www.rifqabary.com 

Thank you so much for praying. Your prayers are needed now more than ever! Ultimately I am praying, and I strongly believe, that Rifqa’s life and testimony will eventually be the spark that sets a sleeping church a flame for His glory! Will you join many others in focused intercession for the next couple of days for this end? 

For this awakening, 

Jamal Jivanjee 
www.illuminate-us.com 

To learn more about Rifqa and her situation, you can visit www.rifqabary.com

Would it not be an encouragement to a subject, to hear his prince say to him, You will honour and please me very much, if you will go to yonder mine of gold, and dig as much gold for yourself as you can carry away? So, for God to say, Go to the ordinances, get as much grace as you can, dig out as much salvation as you can; and the more happiness you have, the more I shall count myself glorified.

_thomas watson




I took this from a post on Of First Importance (http://firstimportance.org/). you would not regret subscribing to this blog. one Gospel truth quote posted each day. brilliant. :)

The Precious Blood

Blessed Lord Jesus,
Before Thy cross I kneel and see
the heinousness of my sin,
my iniquity that caused thee to be 'made a curse',
the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath.
Show me the enormity of my guilt by
the crown of thorns,
the pierced hands and feet,
the bruised body,
the dying cries.
Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God,
its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.
Infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price.
Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,
born in my birth,
alive in my life,
strong in my character,
dominating my faculties,
following me as a shadow,
intermingling with my every thought,
my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul.
Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,
the air supply breath,
the earth bear my tread,
its fruits nourish me,
its creatures subserve my ends?
Yet thy compassions yearn over me,
thy heart hastens to my rescue,
thy love endured my curse,
thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.
Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation,
bathed in thy blood,
tender of conscience,
triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.

|The Valley of Vision

The Five Solas - Basic Reformed Theology

There was a point in church history where it seemed that the true faith had been swallowed up by the abuse and distorted teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. But such was not always the case. A few centuries after the resurrection of Christ, history records the Roman Catholic Church defending truth against heretics and false teachers. Athanasius bravely and boldly defended the truth that Christ was God. He defeated Arius with sound reasoning from the Scripture and the church continued on in the faith.

Not too long after that, St. Augustine rose up to defeat the heretic and false teacher Pelagius. Pelagius denied the doctrine of original sin, which teaches us that since Adam’s sin we are all born with a sin nature and prove it by sinning. Pelagius believed that we were born innocent and in the same state that Adam and Eve were created in. Thus, he believed that we could attain salvation by our perfect works. Of course, if that were true then we wouldn’t need a Savior. St. Augustine contended for the doctrine of original sin and man’s total depravity and showed just how sinful we are and why we need a Savior. Pelagius was condemned as a heretic and the church continued on in the faith.

But something changed over time. Some of the doctrines that the church once condemned as heresy, or false teaching, began to find their way into the minds, vocabulary and teaching of its leaders. Compromises were made. The church turned from the truth ever so slowly to the point that it soon became a false church. It came in the name of Christ but was completely anti-Christ, which is why many Christians have believed that the seat of the pope is the seat of the anti-Christ. Whether that is true or not is debatable. I mention this as historical information only.

As the Roman Catholic Church turned from the truth, here is what happened: Scripture was no longer the only rule of doctrine and practice for God’s people—what the pope said, what tradition said and what councils said were also binding on the people. Salvation was no longer by God’s grace alone—you also had to contribute some effort and works like keeping the commandments and being baptized. Justification was no longer a declaration from God that through faith in Christ you are righteous because you are clothed with His perfect works—rather justification, or being pronounced righteous, was something that you earned by actually being a good person. Thus, Christ alone was no longer the Savior--we end up being contributors to our salvation and therefore have reason to boast and receive glory. Thus, we cannot say, “To God alone be the glory for our salvation,” because we had something to do with it.

These five major departures from truth are the things that a few bold and faithful Christians sought to reform from the 1300’s to the 1600’s. Today these heresies still abound in many forms. These faithful men of God wanted the Roman Catholic Church to reform her ways. They loved the church. They loved the people. But they could not stand by and watch false teaching lead people away from God and to hell. So they protested—which is why Christians are called protestants. Eventually, their protests led to some of their deaths and banishment from the church. But it was God--working through their effort--that revitalized the church and brought many people to salvation.

Sadly, if you understand the conflict during these centuries, you will see that the Christian Church at large is on a slippery slope that leads right back to where the Roman Catholic Church has been for all these centuries. As a side note, one of the reasons we call ourselves a Reformed Church is because we want to see the Christian church called back to the same truths that the Reformers sought to re-instill in the Roman Catholic Church. Our love for the church should be expressed in calling them back to believe the truth so that God is glorified.

Now, if you had to summarize the teachings that the Reformers wanted to see take place, you would define them like this: Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus and Soli Deo Gloria. They are five Latin phrases that simply mean: Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Christ Alone, God’s Glory Alone. What’s interesting about these five doctrines is that most churches acknowledge these things to be true. But when you examine their practices and theology, you find that it’s only lip service that is given to these doctrines. There is a massive disconnect between what they say they believe and what they actually teach and practice.

Over the next five posts, I will try to explain each one in a little more detail. I also hope to give personal illustrations and examples from my life of what it looks like to deny the “Five Solas.” About six years ago, I would have agreed with these five statements, but when I actually examined what I was teaching and what I was living, I saw a contradiction between my creeds and my deeds--my beliefs and my practices. And one thing is for sure: what you practice is really what you believe. I discovered that I really didn’t believe in the “Five Solas.” That alarmed me and sent me on a radical pursuit to get back to the heart of what Christians truly believe. I hope to share more of that with you as God allows us all to mature in the faith together.

The Righteousness Of God - Upheld

"God does not compromise his righteousness by grading on a curve - rather he punctuates his righteousness by crushing his son on the cross."

-erik raymond (via twitter)

photo credit: Josh Sczebel

He prayed for them.

As our Lord was being crucified, the unspeakable pain did not distract his attention from others, including those who were causing his pain. Even his enemies, those who were abusing him and cursing him, were not outside the orbit of his love. How did Jesus love his enemies? He prayed for them. 'And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"' (Luke23.34). J.C. Ryle remarks, 'The fruits of this wonderful prayer will never be fully seen until the day when the books are opened, and the secrets of all our hearts are revealed.'

|brian.borgman.Feelings and Faith.p160


Oh, Father, help us love like Jesus.

Wisdom from John Bunyan

"What a fool," quoth he, "am I, thus to lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom called Promise; that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle." -Christian, Pilgrim's Progress

Celebrities Vs. Refuse

My friend Erik Raymond (The Irish Calvinist) tweeted this:

"True gospel ministry does NOT produce celebrities 4 the world, rather men who are seen as useless & offensive, refuse"

1 Corinthians 4:13

"when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things."

photo credit: carissa gallo

Meet Brittany & Kammie

It's been a while since we welcomed new members to the talia family. We are happy to do so today. Brittany Kauflin hails from Gaithersburg, Maryland (just outside Washington DC) where she is a member of Covenant Life Church, sitting under the pulpit ministry of Josh Harris. Brittany works at the church on the admin team for the youth. She is also involved on the music team doing tech work and singing from time to time. Brittany is in love with Jesus Christ. She dwells on His character and work. We look forward to hearing from her as well as seeing her photographic work that she will also be sharing with us.

"My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace; Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God." These are Kammie's words (via Frederick Brook) about herself. You'll hear these quotes, as well as verses and hymns from Kammie pretty often. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks... and she is overflowing with a captivation with her Savior. Kammie is originally from the Victorville/Hesperia (desert) area of California but is now a student at the Master's College as well as a member of Grace Community Church in Los Angeles where she is involved in a ministry to the art school Cal Arts.

Free Grace Church Meets Calvary Baptist Church

photo credit: jenny james

Not too long ago I mentioned that our church was presented with the opportunity to merge with another church. Both of our churches are relatively small in number and a merge might perhaps allow us to be of greater effectiveness in our community for the gospel and kingdom of Christ. The glory of God in the gospel of Christ would be the only reason that we'd ever consider merging with another church. It's not always a given, but a group of 70-80 might perhaps be more effective than two smaller groups. To be able to pull personnel and resources together in order to be more effective in gospel ministry would be fabulous. And so we are pursuing this opportunity.

Yesterday we took another baby step in this direction. Our church went over to the other church's property and we worshipped together. Since we are taking baby steps, our primary goal was simply to meet and greet the members of their church and to minister to them through the preaching of God's Word. The Pastor of their church and I agreed that I would preach on this Sunday and lead the congregation in a few songs of worship.

Each and every week I pick out the music that we'll sing on Sunday morning. My first consideration when picking songs to sing has to do with the content of the sermon. Since I preach verse by verse, I typically know what the theme of the songs are going to be from week to week. I try to have the song content match the sermon content so that there is one uniform theme in the service. It's not always easy to do this, but generally it's not a problem because the gospel is central to all of Scripture. Being that my next passage of Scripture was from Matthew 20:29-34, where Jesus heals the blind men, I picked two hymns that hopefully the other congregation knew: Be Thou My Vision....and Amazing Grace (was blind but now I see). A brother in the Lord asked me if I chose those songs because of the other church...and the answer was partly "yes." I wanted us to be united not divided this Sunday and so I tried to pick a couple of songs that hopefully everyone knew. Turns out that the other church was not familiar with "Be Thou My Vision." We tried. But again, my first consideration in song selection has to do with sermon content before any other consideration.

Because their Sunday School class meets in the main auditorium, we had only a couple minutes to do a sound check. So the vocals didn't come out that clear. Of course, these things are minimal issues and have little to do with spiritual significance. I know that technical difficulties and sound issus are big deals to some people, but to me they really don't matter.

After an opening prayer and an initial song, we recited Romans 5:18-21 together. Again, I wanted us united and what better way to be united than to recite the gospel together and remind ourselves of the grace we've been given. I am a firm believer that the gospel unites when preached properly. I read recently and I forget where, but someone said that the NT letters basically shows that the answer to all problems in church is the gospel. That is the problem solver for all issues in the church. And I say "AMEN" to that.

The version of Amazing Grace that we sang was Chris Tomlin's version. The added chorus is fairly simple to sing and I was quite sure that our sister church would be able to pick it up fairly quickly.

Before the sermon, the offering was taken and there was about a 10 minute greeting period. The length of this time was probably longer than normal because of the sheer amount of new faces we were being introduced to. It was nice to be able to do that. There's no doubt that I'll never remember all those names this first week. But again, it was a chance to begin a new relationship. Prior to the greeting, the Pastor had my family stand so that his church could see us. Then he had our entire church stand so that we'd be identified. This brief line of division was drawn so that it could be quickly erased. It was not done to embarrass, but to help us see who we should be intentionally meeting during this time. Helping to identify who was from what church would enable everyone to go and meet those they didn't know. It seemed to have worked.

We took the offering, then sang another song together. Then it was time for me to preach. The text I selected was an easy choice. I merely picked up from where I had been preaching for the past year and a half. I did this for a couple of reasons. I wanted their congregation to know that I didn't come with any agenda on my mind other than to bring the Word of God to them. Preaching the next passage in succession would let them know that I was being subservient to the Word of God, not my own ideas, preferences or hobby horses. Whatever the topic was, based on the passage, would be fitting for all since all of God's Word is pertinent all the time.

My message was titled, "Was Blind But Now I See." There were three main points that I derived from the text: (1). The Miracle Verifies That Jesus Is The Messiah, (2). The Miracle Verifies That Jesus Is Mericful, (3). The Miracle Verifies That Jesus Is Mighty To Save.

(1). The Miracle Verifies That Jesus Is Messiah: The blind men called Jesus the Son of David. The OT prophecied that when Messiah came He would open the eyes of the blind. Calling Jesus the Son of David didn't necessarily make Him that, but His miracle proved that what they said was true. Knowing that Jesus was the Son of David, the text called for us to believe that fact. The question arises, "How can we believe that when we didn't see the miracle?" The answer is that the authors of the NT were concernded with truth telling. There are varying accounts of this passage that some would say are contradictory, but they are not. Rather they are differnt vantage points from which the authors witnessed this miracle. Their varying stories show that they were only concerned with reporting what they saw exactly as they saw it. If there were a conspiracy to fabricate truth then we would expect all of their details to be exactly the same. So we must believe their report. Christ did heal these blind men. Therefore, He is Messiah. Believe His message. Believe in Him.

(2). The Miracle Verifies That Jesus Is Merciful: In this point I contended for God's Sovereignty over His mercy. Just as He is Sovereign over His grace, so too, He is over His mercy. The importance of grasping this is equal to grasping the importance of Sovereign Grace. We have no claim on God's grace or mercy. To say that God is duty bound or obligated to give us either is to erase the very foundation of what it means to be saved by grace. If mercy is earned or required of God then it is not mercy, but merit or wage. That leaves room for boasting in self. Soli Deo Gloria cannot be a reality if God is required to give mercy. Yet He freely gives it to show His glory. I later pointed out that as those who have been shown mercy, we must too show mercy. To be a bitter, unmerciful, unrelenting, punishing Christian is an oxymoron. A merciless Christian is no Christian at all and I dare say that such a person has understood their sin and the gospel properly. As God has relieved our physical and spiritual misery through mercy, so we must relieve physical misery, but more importantly, spiritual misery through the preaching of the gospel.

(3). The Miracle Verifies That Jesus Is Mighty To Save: In this last point I contended for the doctrine of total depravity, although I did not use that phrase. Just as a dead man cannot give Himself life...and a spiritually dead person cannot give themselves spiritual life, so neither could a blind person give themselves sight. My point was that we are spiritually blinded by our own hearts, the deception of Satan and the curse of God from Adam's sin. God must come and relieve our spiritual blindness if we are ever to see our sin condition, see the magnificence of the cross and resurrection and trust in Christ to save us. The fact that God opens our eyes in order to cause our salvation is marvelous. Therefore, we are to be worshippers, lover and those who treasure the Lord Jesus.

We had a final hymn after the sermon and a final prayer of blessing and benediction. Then a family from our church, my family, the pastor's family and a couple other families from their church went out to lunch to fellowship. We had good conversation and we were able to talk a little about our first meeting together. The door is open for us to meet together again although we have not decided on when to do this. We will talk later in the week to set a date. For the time being, we both wanted to talk to our respective congregations to get their input and concerns, if any.

Last night we met up at a church member's house and had some food and talked with several of the families in our church. We primarly talked with those who had children because that is one of our biggest concerns. We intentionally chose to keep our children with us in the service because we wanted their church to see us--"warts and all." I hope you know that's a figure of speech and in no way do I consider children "warts." Our kids are a blessing to us and our church. That's just my way of saying that I wanted them to see us "as we are, with no pretentions." During lunch that afternoon, I talked with Pastor and asked him if the next time we met if it would be alright to have a children's class where they could learn on a level appropriate to them and so that the children from both churches can begin to know each other. The reply was a resounding "YES!" That told me that they are indeed a flexible and "other-oriented" fellowship and not just concerned about themselves. What a blessing. I did inform our church of this last night and they were pleased to hear that. We want our adults and children to be taught in the best way possible during the little time we have together. Although we sing together, pray together, recite Scriptures together and take communion together, for the young ones we feel it is appropriate to teach on a level that they can appreciate, apply and come to know the gospel. That is our goal...not to make them show off their best manners in church by sitting stiff during the sermon. I'd rather have saved children who loves the Lord and coming to church than ones who are struggling to understand and hate coming. Please understand me...I am not advocating a program-driven church, but rather teaching in a way that everyone is able to feed on the Word of God.

The rest of our time together, during dinner, was spent sharing each other's thoughts on our first service together I few questions were asked. Some dreams were shared about what could be. This was good, but I wanted to assure everyone that we are taking baby steps and that their big dreams were just a tad ahead of where we are right now. It was great to hear of their big dreams. That means that their hearts are hungry for God to do great things through us. That is the spirit that we want. I believe that is the heart that God wants, not one of negativity and griping and selfishness. I didn't sense any negativity or concern or poor attitudes. I think that everyone was able to see the potential of what could happen versus the actual condition of our churches. I did try to stress that very much: actuality versus potentiality. We are not...and they are not what we COULD BE if we lovingly come together to serve each other, to serve God and to serve our community. Like a marriage, there will be things that bug us about each other, but we will no doubt compliment their weaknesses and they will no doubt compliment our weakeness. That is why I said that our churches should merge if it serves God's kingdom purpose better.

I left that house last night feeling very relaxed, excited and confident that God has some fun stuff planned for us. Of course there will be some pain. There is always some pain in change. But babysteps will help. Slow is good. God is not in a rush. He's got it all under control. His plan is unstoppable. We're not going to mess it up. So we're going to take a deep breath, continue to pray, move forward deliberately but slowly and we'll continue to see what God does and if this is His will.

At this point, I'm wondering if I should call ABC or NBC to do a reality show on us called, "WHEN CHURCHES MERGE." If you have a better title, let me know. I kid. I kid.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Quote of the Year

Read slowly with the eyes of your heart. This is the foolishness of the gospel, and its glory:

"That Christ should come from the eternal bosom of his Father to a region of sorrow and death; that God should be manifested in the flesh, the Creator made a creature; that he that was clothed with glory should be wrapped with rags of flesh; he that filled heaven and earth with his glory should be cradled in a manger; that the power of God should fly from weak man, the God of Israel into Egypt; that the God of the law should be subject to the law, the God of the circumcision circumcised, the God that made the heavens working at Joseph's homely trade; that he that binds the devils in chains should be tempted; that he, whose is the world, and the fullness thereof, should hunger and thirst; that the God of strength should be weary, the Judge of all flesh condemned, the God of life put to death; that he that is one with his Father should cry out of misery, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"; that he that had the keys of hell and death at his girdle should lie imprisoned in the sepulcher of another, having in his lifetime nowhere to lay his head, nor after death to lay his body; that that head, before which the angels do cast down their crowns, should be crowned with thorns, and those eyes, purer than the sun, put out by the darkness of death; those ears, which hear nothing but hallelujahs of saints and angels, to hear the blasphemies of the multitude; that face, that was fairer than the sons of men, to be spit on by those beastly wretched Jews; that mouth and tongue, that spake as never man spake, accused for blasphemy; those hands, that freely swayed the sceptre of heaven, nailed to the cross; those feet, 'like unto fine brass,' nailed to the cross for man's sins; each sense annoyed: his feeling or touching, with a spear and nails; his smell, with stinking flavour, being crucified about Golgotha, the place of skulls; his taste, with vinegar and gall; his hearing, with reproaches, and sight of his mother and disciples bemoaning him; his soul, comfortless and forsaken; and all this for those very sins that Satan paints and puts fine colours upon! Oh! how should the consideration of this stir up the soul against it, and work the soul to fly from it, and to use all holy means whereby sin may be subdued and destroyed!
...when we consider that sin hath slain our Lord Jesus, ah, how should it provoke our hearts to be revenged on sin, that hath murdered the Lord of glory, and hath done that mischief that all the devils in hell could never have done?
It was good counsel one gave, 'Never let go out of your minds the thoughts of a crucified Christ.' Let these be meat and drink unto you; let them be your sweetness and consolation, your honey and your desire, your reading and your meditation, your life, death, and resurrection."

-taken from Thomas Brooks', Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices, 36-38

An Update On Church Life

For those of you that don't know me, I'm not a big sports fan. I rarely crawl out from underneath my rock to see what's going on in that world. As such, it was February 4th, 2007, that we had our first church service. Later that day I found out that it was Super Bowl Sunday. Not exactly what you would call a great marketing idea. But then again, the cause of Christ is bigger than grown men fighting to move an oblong ball pumped with air down a green field. I have to admit though, it was an accident on my part, but one that I look back on with a smile. I often think, "How funny!" That was almost three years ago. Time flies!

Fourteen. That's the number of people that were present in our first service. Several of those people were dear brothers and sisters that were faithful members of their own churches that wanted to be there to encourage and support us our first Sunday. It was an exciting morning because none of us knew what to expect. We just knew that it'd be chaotic from time to time and that we'd have to make due with what we had. We also knew that the Lord would provide as He saw fit.

The first two years were rough. But then no one ever said ministry was easy. There were times when the only ones present were my wife, my daughter and yours truly. On those particular Sundays we'd have a short devotion and then go out to have breakfast and then I'd head to work a little earlier than normal. Those days were tough to rejoice in the Lord. There were a few times when I felt like calling it quits on the whole church-planting. I imagined that I'd take my family to an already established church that perhaps needed help with preaching. Then I'd grab the phone book and see that there weren't really any churches up here that held to a Calvinist/Reformed belief system. Because I know the grace teachings that flow from these beliefs, it troubled me that maybe only one or two churches in this whole desert area were like ours. So I put the phone book down, confessed my selfishness to God and then went right back to sermon preparation and evangelizing those whom God put in my path. This whole doubt thing with the phone book has happened on about five or six occassions.

The first two years were like a roller coaster. Many of the people that attended our church were from the dealership that I worked at. If you're not familiar with the car business, let me just say that the employment turnover is high. Not coincidentally, our church suffered the same turnover rate. It was always a bummer to lose someone because of schedule changes or relocations, but I still keep in contact with those dear brothers and they are growing strong in the Lord in their current locations. For that I praise God.

The first two years were spiritually transforming. I continually reminded our congregation that a right preaching of the Scripture and administering of the ordinances were the marks of a true church. Regardless of how big or small we were, we were a legitate assembly of believers. The building, the programs, the size, the resources were irrelevant to whether or not we were a true church. I tried to stress the importance of faithfulness to God and not success by outwards standards or indicators. And let me tell you, that is a tough one to break. Sometimes numbers matter more to pastors than anything and that is a difficult thing to remove from one's thinking. God used John Piper's book, Brothers We Are Not Professionals, to play a huge role in reshaping my ministry understanding. I will say that numbers are not unimportant, but neither are they the ultimate indicator of the health and success of a church.

The first two years+ have been a big blessing. For ten years I was in full-time ministry and received a regular salary from my brothers and sisters in the church. Because our current church was/is just starting, I preach for free. I don't think I've ever enjoyed preaching so much. It's been the greatest blessing to be able to feed the flock of God without having to be a financial burden on them. The Lord has graciously provided for my family through secular employment.

Our time together has been a blessing because we've seen some unbelievers regenerated and come to faith in Christ. That has been the biggest blessing of all. I have long since moved away from decisional regeneration and have simply focused on sharing Scripture (publicly and privately) and letting God do the converting through His Word. I'm not so quick to ge a "decision" out of someone just so that I can say "We had one saved!" I'm genuinely more concerned to see someone truly born again by the Spirit, thus we have no altar calls or decision cards but rather a call to repentance and faith each and every week during the preaching of God's Word. There are no "just pray this prayer and you'll be saved" kind of stuff. There are biblical and theological reasons why I don't do this anymore; the main reason being that the biblical response to the gospel is "repent and believe" not anything else. This summer we baptized several that have confessed Christ as Lord and given evidence of regeneration. It was totally awesome.

Over the past couple of months, some interesting things have happened. We have about thirteen new people start attending. That's exciting because several are unsaved and we are praying for their conversion. It's also exciting to see believers (who were looking for a church) now growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ. We have some newer singles, seniors, married couples and children coming. What's great is that Christ has united us (those that are saved) regardless of ethnicity or age. What's great is that our unsaved visitors are being brought because of Christ. They know exactly why they are coming and what they should expect to hear. None are hoodwinked into thinking that they are coming to get entertained and then blind-sided with the gospel. There's no bait-and-switch. I love it. Just the reality of God and His Word.

A few weeks ago, another interesting thing happened. I became friends with a Pastor of a church that is about five miles away. Recently, I preached at this brother's church on a Sunday night. The reason I preached was because we are slowly (and I means slowly) talking about the possibility of merging our two churches. My new friend has been wanting to retire for some time and is seeking a replacement. Being the founding pastor of the church, he is the only pastor this church has ever known for 35 years. They're a small congregation--only about 40-50, but so are we...about 25-30.

Having never been a part of something like this, I have many questions and concerns. Ultimately, the glory of God is what I'm most concerned about. If our churches merge in a hastily fashion and factions forms, I do not want the gospel mocked in the community because of a church split. Secondly, I'm concerned for the members of both churches. If factions form and the church splits after a merger, I do not want the faith of any believer destroyed. So I'm very hesitant to go through with something like this. Yet I don't want fear to drive our decision...I want the glory of God to. And sometimes that is a risk worth taking.

My first criteria in deciding whether or not we merge is our theology. It's going to take some time to really see where they are. It's going to take some time for them to really see where we are. Hence, we are slowly setting up opportunities for me to preach at their location. I already mentioned that I preached there one Sunday night. Though the attendance was minimal, it was a wonderful opportunity to share God's Word which was received well.

The pastor and I have agreed that our churches should meet on Sunday, October 25th. That same morning I will be preaching to all and leading the entire assembly in a couple of spiritual songs. This meeting will serve to let their congregation know a little bit about our theology and will serve to help our church evaluate the second criteria of whether or not our churches should merge. Our second concern is brotherly and Christ-like love and submission (to each other and to the Word). If their church is not teachable, it would be a tough merge. If their church is turned inward and not receptive to others, it would be a tough merge. I don't imagine that is the case, but that morning will give us the chance to see if their church is characterized by glad submission to the Word and to other believers.

If things progress from here, I imagine that more preaching times will be scheduled and some sort of plan or map will be laid out for a smooth merge and transition from one pastor to the next. I have also talked with all of our church families and they are cautiously hopeful of the situation. My desires is that we be in complete unity when it comes time to make a decision either way. Either we merge, if the Lord wills...or we continue doing what we're doing, if the Lord wills. Either way, we will rejoice in our Lord for bringing two churches together or for allowing us to become friends with another local church.

Again, my biggest concern has to do with the theology aspect. The church that we're considering merging with is just like the church I grew up in. Having spent some time with the pastor, I am almost 100% sure I know what they believe. We even went to the same Bible collge. That may sound like a good thing, but I no longer hold to some of the beliefs I grew up with and learned in college. I am a former Calminian...part Arminian, part Calvinist. I sort of chose the things I like from both sets of theology. Now I am a fully convinced Calvinist. My fear is that if I come out and say "Calvinist" that the stereo-type of a Calvinist will cloud their thinking and prevent meaningful dialogue and progress. When most people who do not hold to Calvinism hear of a Calvinist they are automatically taken to the stereo-type of a Hyper-Calvinist, which is rank heresy. And they are often transported to the word "predestination" or "election" as if that is the only thing a Calvinist believes or is focused on. Truth be told, everyone Christian has to admit that both of these things are a reality because they are in God's Word. The only thing is whether a Christian wants to come out and actually say what these things really mean. So all Arminians and Calvinists belief in these doctrines...they just have different understandings of them.

When I left my former church in Los Angeles there were things that were said about me that had everything to do with Hyper-Calvinism and not Calvinism. I don't want that same faulty understanding to prevent any meaningful progress in a potential church merge. Therefore, I am going to avoid labels and instead focus on preaching the Word. I am not ashamed of what I believe or afraid to confess it, I just know how people responds to labels. My prayer is that the love of God in our church would shine forth brilliantly to show that we have a heart for God, for the church and for the lost.

Well, that is where we are in the history of God's redemption plan. I have on idea what the final results will be from our perspective. But somehow it will end in God being glorified.

Where Have All The TALIANS Gone?

Hey Everyone,

I hope you're all doing ok. Just wanted to drop and line and say that I miss everyone's occassionaly post. You all have had good stuff to contribute. And they've always been an encouragement to me.

I know everyone's probably super busy with school, work, family, church, eating and sleeping...and thus you probably have very little time to contribute. And that's ok! I just want you to know that whenever you do post, it encourages me and teaches me something.

God bless you in whatever He has you doing. I'd love to hear what God is doing in your lives. Maybe we can rejoice together.

If I never meet you face-to-face on earth, then I'll see you in the new creation...I think we'll have a little time there to share about the greatness of our God. -- Josh

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Keith Mathison

My experience in churches over the last twenty years gives me reason to believe that many pastors tend to forget that even believers need to hear the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, as often as they gather together. I'm not speaking about altar calls or evangelistic appeals. I'm speaking about the good news that believers have forgiveness of sins. I'm speaking about the good news that believers are justified and that the ground of our justification is not our own good works, our church attendance, our giving, our witnessing, our praying. The ground of our justification is the perfect righteousness and merit of Christ, which is imputed to us. Even as Christians we have a tendency to fall into a Pelagian mindset. And week after week of "bootstrap" sermons contributes to that mentality and subtly causes us to trust in our own good works. On the other hand, week after week of "berating" sermons usually tells us something we already know full well - namely, how utterly wicked and sinful we are. Obviously, sermons have to fit the congregation and the circumstances. There are those in every congregation who are not sufficiently impressed with the sinfulness of sin - particularly their favorite one. But once this issue (the law) is dealt with, the remedy (the gospel) needs to be clearly expressed. We need to be constantly reminded that it is by grace that we have been saved, that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, that the ground of our justification is Christ's righteousness, not our own.

As far as an encouraging word, I would remind the vast majority of pastors who faithfully serve in small churches, who will never publish a book or speak at a conference, that the church has spread around the world because of God's use of men like them.