The law could promise life to me,
If my obedience perfect be;
But grace does promise life upon
My Lord’s obedience alone.
The law says, Do, and life you’ll win;
But grace says, Live, for all is done;
The former cannot ease my grief,
The latter yields me full relief.
Ralph Erskine, 1745
Monday, October 24, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
A quick thought...
Man, it has been a while since my last post. I don't exactly know the reason for that. I suppose it's because I've tried to keep myself from being so critical all the time. I still do a lot of thinking, reading and listening but I try to glean the good things out of stuff instead of solely reading and listening to find that bad things.
I was at work yesterday and I was wearing a shirt from the FBCKM youth group. It's this years white "Amplify" t-shirt. On the front of the shirt it says amplify and there are 4 speakers. The speakers are separated and in between them it forms a cross. Pretty cool idea. On the back of the shirt in between the shoulder blades there is an oversized finger print and in the finger print there is a cross. The front of the shirt "screams" Amplify (make known) Christ. The back of the shirt though, really sticks out to me.
A fingerprint is a great form of identity. Sometimes when you cash a check they will ask you to put your fingerprint on the check. No one has a fingerprint like you. It's yours. It is the one and only. The cross in the fingerprint speaks volumes to the believer. That little symbol should remind us that our identity as a new creation is bound up in Christ. We no longer are our old self. When we are made new through the Gospel our identity isn't our old self anymore because that died with Christ. He rose from the grave and we are made new.
I also go to thinking about the symbol in a different way though. I don't know if the symbol was meant for this but I thought about it at work. Not only is your fingerprint your identity, but think about how many things you touch throughout the day. Think about all of the places that you leave your fingerprint throughout the day. Door knobs, computer buttons, hand shakes, whatever the case may be. We touch a lot of things. I felt a weight on my heart. The best thing in my life is that Christ has come into my life and changed me. That being the case, my new identity in Him is the best thing that I have to offer people. Think of how many times we have the opportunity to share the Good News with other people and leave our new "fingerprint" on someones life. Whether it be an encouraging word, or whether it be sharing the Gospel with someone.
Father, impress upon me the need to leave my "fingerprint" on the people I come in contact with. Let Your eyes be mine.
God speed,
a simple mind.
I was at work yesterday and I was wearing a shirt from the FBCKM youth group. It's this years white "Amplify" t-shirt. On the front of the shirt it says amplify and there are 4 speakers. The speakers are separated and in between them it forms a cross. Pretty cool idea. On the back of the shirt in between the shoulder blades there is an oversized finger print and in the finger print there is a cross. The front of the shirt "screams" Amplify (make known) Christ. The back of the shirt though, really sticks out to me.
A fingerprint is a great form of identity. Sometimes when you cash a check they will ask you to put your fingerprint on the check. No one has a fingerprint like you. It's yours. It is the one and only. The cross in the fingerprint speaks volumes to the believer. That little symbol should remind us that our identity as a new creation is bound up in Christ. We no longer are our old self. When we are made new through the Gospel our identity isn't our old self anymore because that died with Christ. He rose from the grave and we are made new.
I also go to thinking about the symbol in a different way though. I don't know if the symbol was meant for this but I thought about it at work. Not only is your fingerprint your identity, but think about how many things you touch throughout the day. Think about all of the places that you leave your fingerprint throughout the day. Door knobs, computer buttons, hand shakes, whatever the case may be. We touch a lot of things. I felt a weight on my heart. The best thing in my life is that Christ has come into my life and changed me. That being the case, my new identity in Him is the best thing that I have to offer people. Think of how many times we have the opportunity to share the Good News with other people and leave our new "fingerprint" on someones life. Whether it be an encouraging word, or whether it be sharing the Gospel with someone.
Father, impress upon me the need to leave my "fingerprint" on the people I come in contact with. Let Your eyes be mine.
God speed,
a simple mind.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Why I, a believer, MUST hear the Gospel.
It's been a while since I have posted. I was on my way to Roanoke the other day and I started thinking about some things from the crazy number of sermons that I listen to. It seems that the growing trend in churches is application. Sure, we believe the Bible is the truth, but we want to know how it applies to us. Which, in a certain way, is a good and healthy thing because the Bible does apply to us.
The trend that I seem to be hearing though is that a lot of sermons now, in popular mainstream churches, are ALL application ALL the time. Let me try to unpackage this a little with some examples...
1)Your children are misbehaving, follow these steps.
2)Your finances are in shambles, follow these steps.
3)Your relationships are falling apart, follow these steps.
I think you catch my drift. The problem in my mind with this is that this isn't a heart change. This isn't something that seeps down to our core and these changes aren't something that will last. This is obedience training. (As made famous by a famous pastor)
I'm not say that application teaching is bad in any way but I would like to suggest something. God demands that we love Him with all of our heart, our soul, and mind. I don't know about you but I am nowhere near the model for this. There are countless times a day when my mind strays from God, when my actions or words communicate something other than Love to someone. So how is it that I, a believer in Christ Jesus, don't do these things? Or how is that I, a believer in Christ Jesus, can learn to do these things. I would like to suggest that it isn't through spiritual obedience training, because as I said before that is usually a shallow change at best.
I believe that we, sinners that we are, can only love God with all of us, because of the penetrating power of the Gospel. That when we hear the Law of "Love God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind," which we can't do it's only because of the Gospel that we are able to do it at all.
When my parents ask me to do things, I don't do it because they asked. I do them because I love them, I do them because I respect and honor them. I think the same thing can be said for God, it's only when I really understand what God has done for me, and that penetrates my heart, am I able to openly and fully love Him. That is why the Gospel is so important. Good deeds are an overflow of my understand of the Love that He has shown me. Apart from the Gospel, good deeds are just a rat-wheel that I am expected to run and that isn't sustaining.
I really hope this makes sense. I know I'm not a communicator. Feel free to ask clarifying questions.
God show me how to fall in love with the Gospel,
a simple mind
The trend that I seem to be hearing though is that a lot of sermons now, in popular mainstream churches, are ALL application ALL the time. Let me try to unpackage this a little with some examples...
1)Your children are misbehaving, follow these steps.
2)Your finances are in shambles, follow these steps.
3)Your relationships are falling apart, follow these steps.
I think you catch my drift. The problem in my mind with this is that this isn't a heart change. This isn't something that seeps down to our core and these changes aren't something that will last. This is obedience training. (As made famous by a famous pastor)
I'm not say that application teaching is bad in any way but I would like to suggest something. God demands that we love Him with all of our heart, our soul, and mind. I don't know about you but I am nowhere near the model for this. There are countless times a day when my mind strays from God, when my actions or words communicate something other than Love to someone. So how is it that I, a believer in Christ Jesus, don't do these things? Or how is that I, a believer in Christ Jesus, can learn to do these things. I would like to suggest that it isn't through spiritual obedience training, because as I said before that is usually a shallow change at best.
I believe that we, sinners that we are, can only love God with all of us, because of the penetrating power of the Gospel. That when we hear the Law of "Love God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind," which we can't do it's only because of the Gospel that we are able to do it at all.
When my parents ask me to do things, I don't do it because they asked. I do them because I love them, I do them because I respect and honor them. I think the same thing can be said for God, it's only when I really understand what God has done for me, and that penetrates my heart, am I able to openly and fully love Him. That is why the Gospel is so important. Good deeds are an overflow of my understand of the Love that He has shown me. Apart from the Gospel, good deeds are just a rat-wheel that I am expected to run and that isn't sustaining.
I really hope this makes sense. I know I'm not a communicator. Feel free to ask clarifying questions.
God show me how to fall in love with the Gospel,
a simple mind
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The Fatal Flaw of the "Evolving" Church
I'm not even sure that the term "Evolving church" is a real term but let me explain. It's the idea that with every new group of people, generations for example, that the church needs to change and be relevent for those people. Example, the generation before me thought the organ was really tight, me, I'm more of an acoustic type. Pews were really big in the generation before me, I don't really mind if it's a pew or a chair. I'm not saying anything about the message, but the changing of the methodology.
I don't know if you have noticed, but the church seems to be shifting away from the type of church that you grew up in to the new an improved rock show/cafe/young hip cool pastor type of church. I think the reason we see this is because the generation I belong to, I'm 25, not sure what generational name it is, is the generation that doesn't go to church. We are the most unchurched generation there is, or was. So in the efforts to reach my generation, reminds me of a song, they are rethinking the way that they do church. Make church "cool" and "relevent," in hopes to attract us to church. There is one HUGE problem that I see with this attractional model though...
People who don't know Christ do not have an appetite for the things of the church. Let me explain.
2:1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested [1] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter's Sermon at Pentecost
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. [2] 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants [3] and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe [4] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved
Acts 2
A couple of questions come up when I read this chapter.
1) How were people converted?
- Peter stood up and preached the Gospel.
- The Holy Spirit used Peter's words and cut people to the heart. They asked what they should to. He answerd with "Repent and be baptized." So they did...3,000 of them became followers of Christ that day.
2)Was their building on the cutting edge of technology? Did they have the latest and greatest things to help enhance their proclomation of the Gospel?
I think that somewhere down the line there has grown a disconnect of the Great Commision of going and making disciples to "let's make our place as cool as it can be and pray that people come." The problem is...
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
The person who doesn't believe in Christ doesn't understand church. They don't understand why we as believers gather together to worship God. They don't understand the Lord's supper. These things can't be grasped by someone who has an unregenerated heart.
I think this is why we see mega churches who don't preach the Gospel. The message of the Gospel is offensive and not everyone is going to grab ahold of it. That isn't our business. It doesn't matter how flashy, cool, and/or relevent you make church, a person with an unregenerated heart can only come and be entertained. Church isn't for the nonbeliever, it's for the believer. The spiritual gifts were giving to help unify the body and for the building up of the church. The unregenerated heart can't understand those things.
I think it's time that we take back the church. We get back to what a pastor is supposed to do which is preaching the Gospel. I need to Gospel just as much as every unrepentant person out there does.
Now, I'm not saying that the above things mentioned are bad. Such as, coffee in the church, lights, guitars, chairs, young pastors, etc. Church can be done differently than the way that it has over the past 50-100 years. However, the idea that you can do church for the nonbeliever, simply in my mind, is a false premise and it's leading us astray.
God speed,
a simple mind
I don't know if you have noticed, but the church seems to be shifting away from the type of church that you grew up in to the new an improved rock show/cafe/young hip cool pastor type of church. I think the reason we see this is because the generation I belong to, I'm 25, not sure what generational name it is, is the generation that doesn't go to church. We are the most unchurched generation there is, or was. So in the efforts to reach my generation, reminds me of a song, they are rethinking the way that they do church. Make church "cool" and "relevent," in hopes to attract us to church. There is one HUGE problem that I see with this attractional model though...
People who don't know Christ do not have an appetite for the things of the church. Let me explain.
2:1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested [1] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter's Sermon at Pentecost
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. [2] 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants [3] and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe [4] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved
Acts 2
A couple of questions come up when I read this chapter.
1) How were people converted?
- Peter stood up and preached the Gospel.
- The Holy Spirit used Peter's words and cut people to the heart. They asked what they should to. He answerd with "Repent and be baptized." So they did...3,000 of them became followers of Christ that day.
2)Was their building on the cutting edge of technology? Did they have the latest and greatest things to help enhance their proclomation of the Gospel?
I think that somewhere down the line there has grown a disconnect of the Great Commision of going and making disciples to "let's make our place as cool as it can be and pray that people come." The problem is...
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
The person who doesn't believe in Christ doesn't understand church. They don't understand why we as believers gather together to worship God. They don't understand the Lord's supper. These things can't be grasped by someone who has an unregenerated heart.
I think this is why we see mega churches who don't preach the Gospel. The message of the Gospel is offensive and not everyone is going to grab ahold of it. That isn't our business. It doesn't matter how flashy, cool, and/or relevent you make church, a person with an unregenerated heart can only come and be entertained. Church isn't for the nonbeliever, it's for the believer. The spiritual gifts were giving to help unify the body and for the building up of the church. The unregenerated heart can't understand those things.
I think it's time that we take back the church. We get back to what a pastor is supposed to do which is preaching the Gospel. I need to Gospel just as much as every unrepentant person out there does.
Now, I'm not saying that the above things mentioned are bad. Such as, coffee in the church, lights, guitars, chairs, young pastors, etc. Church can be done differently than the way that it has over the past 50-100 years. However, the idea that you can do church for the nonbeliever, simply in my mind, is a false premise and it's leading us astray.
God speed,
a simple mind
Friday, November 12, 2010
Another great quote
"Our lives, in fact, are a brief pilgrimage between two moments of nakedness so we should travel light and live simply."
John Stott addressing materialism and the prosperity gospel
John Stott addressing materialism and the prosperity gospel
Monday, November 8, 2010
2 Quick thoughts
1) I think it a grave disservice to assume that someone is a Christ follower. They could live the most moral life in our eyes but never have heard the good news of the Gospel. To assume such things is to not care about someones eternity.
"I never assume anyone I meet is a christian. It forces me to share the Gospel. If you do share and they are then you rejoice. If you do share and they aren't then you are helping fulfill the great commision."
A wise pastor and friend told me that once.
2) Political correctness in the church will destroy her.
Think about it,
a simple mind
"I never assume anyone I meet is a christian. It forces me to share the Gospel. If you do share and they are then you rejoice. If you do share and they aren't then you are helping fulfill the great commision."
A wise pastor and friend told me that once.
2) Political correctness in the church will destroy her.
Think about it,
a simple mind
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