CatHouse Chat

God is faithful - and He has His people EVERYWHERE

We had a nasty scare today: we accidentally left my Hilton Grand Vacations beach bag at A-Bay today, and when we returned for it -within about 20 minutes - it was gone. A nearby family said that a gentleman had asked them if it was theirs, so we went looking for him and didn't find him.

Up and down A-Bay beach we went, and I confess that I fretted quite a bit. That wasn't surprising, since it had BOTH our wallets, BOTH our cell phones *AND* my beautiful Canon Rebel XSi camera!

But before I went completely off the rails, God in His kindness and grace reminded me to focus on HIM and His plan. Whatever happened - whether the bag turned up untouched or whether we had to wade through the nightmare of identity fraud - whatever happened, He was watching over me and my family. He would take care of it one way or another, and EVERYTHING would work out to His glory and to encourage me in my faith and help me learn to walk closer to Him.

God gave me opportunity to give a small witness of confidence in Him to several people, and I pray that His name will be glorified by it.

And God does not leave His children floating in the abyss! He didn't have to, but He chose in His grace to reward my poor effort of active faith with the return of the bag - the Beloved Husband is picking it up at the Hilton hotel's lost and found right now. The gentleman who picked it up did not leave his name, but I firmly believe that he was one of God's "earthly angels" doing the work of service and encouragement.

God is good. He is kind. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He's watching over me.

Thank You, Lord!

Good morning! Time to worship...

With "Revelation Song."

Phillips, Craig & Dean have a version of this song that is beautifully done, and I love waking up to it!

Worthy is the
Lamb who was slain
Holy, Holy, is He
Sing a new song, to Him who sits on
Heaven's Mercy Seat
[Repeat 2x]

(Chorus)
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing:
Praise to the King of Kings!
You are my everything,
And I will adore You…!
Yeah!

Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and
Glory and power be
To You the Only Wise King,
Yeah

(Chorus)

Filled with wonder,
Awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your Name
Jesus, Your Name is Power
Breath, and Living Water
Such a marvelous mystery
Yeah...

(Chorus)
(Chorus) (Repeat at a cappella)

Come up lift up His Name
To the King of Kings…
We will adore YOU Lord…
King of heaven and earth
King Jesus, King Jesus
Aleluya, aleluya, aleluya!
Majesty, awestruck Honor
And Power and Strength and Dominion
To You Lord,
To the King, to King
To the King of Glory

01 - Revelation Song

Morning thoughts from Calvin's Institutes

I've just started reading Institutes of the Christian Religion, and it is slow going. It takes a lot of thought because I really want to understand it as well as remember it.

This is the passage which really came to my attention this morning; it's from Book One, chapter 2 "What it is to know God - tendency of this knowledge" (I've made some small changes in the text to make things a wee bit more clear) -

For, first of all, the pious mind does not devise for itself any kind of god, but looks alone to the one true God; nor does it feign for Him any character it pleases, but is contented to have Him in the character in which He manifests Himself, always guarding, with the utmost diligence, against transgressing His will, and wandering, with daring presumption, from the right path.

He by whom God is thus known, perceiving how He governs all things, confided in Him as his guardian and protector, and casts himself entirely upon [God's] faithfulness - perceiving Him to be the source of every blessing, if he is in any strait or feels any want, he instantly recurs to His protection and trusts to His aid - persuaded that [God] is good and merciful, he reclines upon Him with sure confidence, and doubts not that, in the divine clemency, a remedy will be provided for his every time of need - acknowledging Him as his Father and his Lord, he considers himself bound to have respect to His authority in all things, to reverence His majesty, aim at the advancement of His glory, and obey His commands - regarding [God] as a just judge, armed with severity to punish crimes, he keeps the judgment seat always in his view. Standing in awe of it, he curbs himself, and fears to provoke [God's] anger.

The whole point of this section seems to me to be that, the better one knows God - the real and only God - as He has revealed Himself to us in Scripture and the created world, the more one desires to be more like Him. The better I know God, the more I understand His will for me to be holy and righteous like Him. The better I know my Bible, the better I know God, and the better I know HOW God wants me to act, think and worship.

I think a selection from Psalm 25 would be suitable to wrap this up:

Good and upright is the LORD;
   therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
   and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
   for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For your name’s sake, O LORD,
   pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who is the man who fears the LORD?
   Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
His soul shall abide in well-being,
   and his offspring shall inherit the land.
The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
   and he makes known to them his covenant.
My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
   for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

"The End of Christian America"? Pastor Mark Driscoll responds to Newsweek

Newsweek magazine had an article out in it's May 4th edition, "The End of Christian America." Author Jon Meacham writes:

According to the American Religious Identification Survey that got Mohler's attention, the percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen 10 percentage points since 1990, from 86 to 76 percent. The Jewish population is 1.2 percent; the Muslim, 0.6 percent. A separate Pew Forum poll echoed the ARIS finding, reporting that the percentage of people who say they are unaffiliated with any particular faith has doubled in recent years, to 16 percent; in terms of voting, this group grew from 5 percent in 1988 to 12 percent in 2008—roughly the same percentage of the electorate as African-Americans. (Seventy-five percent of unaffiliated voters chose Barack Obama, a Christian.) Meanwhile, the number of people willing to describe themselves as atheist or agnostic has increased about fourfold from 1990 to 2009, from 1 million to about 3.6 million. (That is about double the number of, say, Episcopalians in the United States.) [...]

Let's be clear: while the percentage of Christians may be shrinking, rumors of the death of Christianity are greatly exaggerated. Being less Christian does not necessarily mean that America is post-Christian. A third of Americans say they are born again; this figure, along with the decline of politically moderate-to liberal mainline Protestants, led the ARIS authors to note that "these trends … suggest a movement towards more conservative beliefs and particularly to a more 'evangelical' outlook among Christians." With rising numbers of Hispanic immigrants bolstering the Roman Catholic Church in America, and given the popularity of Pentecostalism, a rapidly growing Christian milieu in the United States and globally, there is no doubt that the nation remains vibrantly religious—far more so, for instance, than Europe.

(Very interesting article, I suggest you read the whole thing)

Pastor Mark Driscoll, founder and teaching pastor at Mars Hill Church, responds today at FoxNews:

As an evangelical pastor with one of America’s fastest-growing churches in one of its least churched cities, I do not find the report surprising or discouraging. Newsweek missed the subtle — but vital — difference between Christian America and Christendom America.

Christian America is comprised of those people who have had a truly transforming experience with Jesus Christ and are living new lives as practicing Christians. Experts such as sociologist Bradford Wilcox at the University of Virginia have well documented the fact that those who practice Christian faith by reading their Bibles regularly, attending church, praying, and so forth are far less likely to engage in acts such as adultery, divorce, substance abuse, and the like.

Christendom America is comprised of those people who have not had a truly transforming experience with Jesus Christ and are living lives virtually indistinguishable from those who are non-Christians. The confusion is that it was common in Christendom for people who did not practice Christianity to profess Christianity. This was often done for social reasons, such as living in a culture that expected church affiliation, being born into a religious tradition and assuming it was simply part of one’s identity (like a cultural or racial connection), or personally, socially, and vocationally benefiting from being connected, even loosely, to a church or denomination. Researchers such as George Barna have documented the fact that, as Jesus himself said, not everyone who says he or she is a Christian is in fact one.

Subsequently, the Newsweek report simply confirms the fact that, just as Christendom has died in Europe and the major American cities, it is now dying in the suburban and rural areas of America as well. With the social benefits of professing to be a Christian no longer in place and the social stigma of not professing to be a Christian now lifted, those who were part of Christendom America are simply no longer pretending to be part of Christian America.

Since those who professed faith but did not practice faith were confusing to account for, this is actually a good thing. Now, it is more likely that if someone is a Christian or non-Christian, he or she will state so plainly.

Exactly. Just because you live in a garage doesn't make you a car. The lines are becoming more and more clear, and the "nominal" Christians who are not true disciples of Christ are falling away. This is not at all surprising - the Bible speaks of "tares among the wheat" (weeds among the good crop), and that they will be led astray

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Christianity has flourished when the distinction between those who love God and those who reject Him is clear. Mere numbers don't matter: lives filled with holiness and godly love do.

Songs from the iPod: "In Christ Alone"

I was just listening to the Newsboys singing "In Christ Alone," from their Adoration album, and it's incredibly uplifting! I had searched it out this morning, because I quoted it in yesterday's Gospel post.

Here are the full lyrics:

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

The Sunday Gospel

I've gotta get this out... This is a "reprint," so to speak, of my response to a discussion I've been having with friends. We started with the topic of church discipline, and I had to say some very... hard things. So, below the fold is my response to these dear friends:

Why are you arresting a priest for protecting innocent life?!!!

May God have mercy...

Lord God Almighty, I pray Your protection on this priest and all the men and women in peaceful protest against the presence of pro-abortion - pro-infanticide! - President Obama. I pray that Your hand guides them and helps them act in accordance with Your will, and that their witness for Christ brings shame to Your enemies and the forces of death. Father, You brought this country into being and have blessed it beyond measure with protection, resources, strength, prosperity, and freedom - and we have thrown them all in Your face and made gods of ourselves.

Father, have mercy! Lay Your hand upon us, send Your Spirit to bring us life, bless us with a revival and turn our hearts toward You, lest we are brought to nothing for our grave sins and vanish from the earth. Renew this land, O Lord, give us all hearts of flesh and engrave Your commandments upon them. Convict us of our sin and bring us to our knees, so You may forgive our sin and so we may lift up Your name and be a holy nation to Your glory.

Lord... Have mercy!

Conviction - it ain't fun, but it is proof of the love of God

I just don't know why these verses have just kept coming up, over and over, in my life the past couple of weeks. (Well... Yes, I do know why they keep coming up: God is obviously trying to hammer something into my thick brain!)

But about the time I posted this, someone on my RSS feeds had a post about 2 Timothy 2:24-26, which hadn't really come to my attention before, even though I'm sure I must have read it -

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

I don't remember who it was, and I don't think I'm even going to try and track them down, but those verses really smacked me in the face. I don't generally like to get really down-and-dirty combative - but I have. I do enjoy snark a bit more than is really healthy...

And one verse which I DO know and have even pulled out recently in an argument over which words did and didn't fall under swearing, and whether Christians should use them or not:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)

Not, "let only a little corrupting talk," not "let some corrupting talk," but "let NO corrupting talk" come out of our mouths. Add to this the command in 2 Tim. 2, that I musn't be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone. Not only that, but I must patiently endure evil, and I must correct my foes gently...

 Ow.

I mean, really - OW!

I believe that I've got a bit of prayerful repentance to do... AND I've got to figure out how to hold the line in critical areas without bitterness, rancor, and snark...

Never mind "a bit" of prayerful repentance... I've got a LOT of it to do...

Oh, what a beautiful morning!

Open to me the gates of righteousness,
   that I may enter through them
   and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD;
    the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me
    and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone.
This is the LORD’s doing;
   it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the LORD has made;
   let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:19-24, ESV)

Yesterday we got a lot of (much needed) rain, and this morning the air is crisp and clear like fine crystal. The rising sun coaxed mist from the damp ground and gilded the trees with a soft glory. Birds are singing, a light breeze stirs the air, and God is on His throne!

Mount up with wings like eagles!

Isaiah 40:30-31

Even youths shall faint and be weary,
   and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
   they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
   they shall walk and not faint.

Biblical note from today's Tabletalk devotional

This year, Tabletalk's focus has been on the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul, and today we really begin to get into 1 Timothy. Paul opens with his usual style of greeting, and then immediately tells Timothy

As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

This morning's devotion ends with a striking paragraph, which bears considerable thought:

Even Christians in our day can get lost in conjectures that offer no real benefit to the church at large. Speculations about the present identity of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 39:1-6; Rev. 20:7-10), America's place in biblical prophecy, and the like, while not heretical in themselves, usually contribute little in the way of edification to the bride of Christ. Let us take care that we not get absorbed in uncertainties, let alone break fellowship over secondary issues.

Indeed, this is an admonishment that Christians truly need to take to heart! Too often I have seen rather intense and angry discussions on pre- or post-Tribulation Rapture, for instance, which do not point to the true subject: Jesus.

It's interesting that this comes up today, because on the way home from church yesterday, the Munchkin expressed a desire to study the book of Revelation. Since we (of course!) had our Bibles with us, I asked her to turn to Revelation and read the first three verses -

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

First of all, note that this book of prophecy is, first and foremost, the revelation of Jesus Christ! All prophecy points, ultimately, to Jesus. In that sense, the whole Bible is prophecy, even when the literary style is not the prophetic (as in "future-telling") genre. Therefore, the primary purpose of prophecy is NOT to satisfy our desire to know the future, but to reveal the perfection and glory of our God and Savior.

Never forget that

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

And this verse from Deuteronomy brings us to the second purpose of prophecy: our obedience. Look at the last sentence:

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. [emph. mine]

Doesn't that go right along with "... that we may do all the words of the law"?

Thus, the second purpose of prophecy is to make us consider, "If this is what is to come, how should I NOW live?"

Knowing that Christ will return to judge the world, how should His disciples live? Will Jesus return and find us living holy lives of humility and repentance? Will He find us diligent and faithful in our vocations? Will He return and find us living lives worthy of His commendation?

God's desire for His children is for us to be conformed to the image of His Son. He wants us to be sanctified and holy.

In light of these two purposes of prophecy, should we not, as Christian brothers and sisters, discuss nonessential doctrines with love and grace rather than anger? Pre- and post-Tribulation eschatology is interesting to discuss, but we shouldn't allow ourselves to disfellowship over a difference of opinion! Therefore, let us remember Christian liberty, and die only on those doctrinal hills we MUST defend at all costs.

Proper biblical exegesis is important, yes, and certainly one or both views could be wrong, yes; but the critical things to remember are: all prophecy reveals Jesus, and all prophecy should stir us to live lives of faithful and humble discipleship for the love of Christ which has been shed abroad in our hearts.

Waking up to songs from KLOVE

You paint the night
You count the stars and call them by name
The skies proclaim
God You reign
Your glory shines
You teach the sun when to bring a new day
Creation sings
God You reign

God You reign
God You reign
Forever and ever
God You reign

You part the seas
You move the mountains with the words that You say
My song remains
God You reign
You hold my life
You know my heart and You call me by name
I live to say God You reign

Hallelujah, hallelu

God You reign
God You reign
Forever and ever
God You reign!

-- Lincoln Brewster

God reigns over the nations;
   God sits on his holy throne. (Psalm 47:8)

The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!
   He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! (Psalm 99:1)

The LORD will reign forever,
   your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD! (Psalm 146:10)

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

   "Hallelujah!For the Lord our God
   the Almighty reigns. (Revelation 19:6)

Faith plus nothing - or, "Picking a fight on a Sunday"

Well, not a fight, exactly, but rather a re-visitation of ("to"?) a topic some friends and I were discussing on New Year's Day. I didn't post anything about it here - it was all on the e-mail list - but it's been bugging me for the past couple of months.

Anyway, we basically refought the Reformation, and one of my buddies pulled out a verse to use as support of "faith PLUS works." Philippians 2:12b -

...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

Thing is, my mind wasn't in the right place when we were discussing this, because I forgot about that old saw "Text, without context, is pretext." After all, Philippians 2:13 continues

...for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. [emph. mine]

Certainly, I will agree that works of Christian faith are important -after all, God has prepared good works for us to do from before the foundations of the earth:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

But our works cannot save us, for they are all tainted by sin. Only the works that we do through faith in Christ, in worship of and obedience to Him who loved us and gave Himself for us, are considered worthy offerings to God. And, as I said, those works have nothing to do with gaining our salvation - they only display the proof of it to an unbelieving world.

Salvation is of God alone, through faith alone, in the finished and perfect work of Christ alone.

God has taken dead men (yeah, yeah, and women and children, too), and He has made us alive in Christ. He has taken us  out of the kingdom of sin and darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son. It is He who has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, and He who will complete that work.

Yes, as children of the Most High, our lives are to reflect and display the glory and perfection of our Father. We are to take up our cross and follow Him as diligent and faithful disciples. We are to be witnesses to His power and forgiveness. We are called to proclaim His grace and mercy through how we live our lives...

But that is the outworking of the salvation He has given us, and the natural consequence of His power and will working through us. It is not anything we are doing of ourselves to gain or retain the gift of lovingkindness by which He has given us life.

Therefore, because it is God who works in us and through us, and because salvation is of God alone... Therefore we can proclaim, "To God alone be the glory!"

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

So, that's my little Sunday Smackdown. Go check out the linked verses - and their context - and give praise to God Most High for His wonderful, awesome love and kindness to dead sinners!

The Triumphant Resurrection!

(You may want to play this: Charles Westley's magnificent hymn, "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today." This recording is available for download at Amazon for only 99¢! Lyrics are at the bottom of the post.)

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:1-8, ESV)

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"—and that he had said these things to her.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:1-29, ESV)

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

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

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia! 

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

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

HE IS RISEN!!!
HE IS RISEN, INDEED!

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

... by Stuart Townend, is a "modern" hymn which well deserves a place in the canon of true anthems of the Church. I label it "modern" only because Mr. Townend is alive and has penned it within the past 50 (actually, I think it's less than 5 years old...) years. It is a sad thing that the present day Church, at least in America, appears to have turned to "praise choruses," and set aside the classic hymns which are so rich in good theology and true adoration of our glorious God and Savior.

Mr. Townend tells a little bit of the story behind the hymn:

I'd been meditating on the cross, and in particular what it cost the Father to give up his beloved Son to a torturous death on a cross. And what was my part in it? Not only was it my sin that put him there, but if I'd lived at that time, it would probably have been me in that crowd, shouting with everyone else 'crucify him'. It just makes his sacrifice all the more personal, all the more amazing, and all the more humbling.

Amen!

At any rate, on Good Friday, my iPod gave me Fernando Ortega's recording of this song, and it brought me to my knees in repentance and gratitude for all that my Savior has done for me. As the quote from John Newton (who penned "Amazing Grace," one of the great anthems of Christianity) says, "... I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior."

And I, too, am a great sinner. It is only by the grace of God Most High that I am able to make any small gesture of faith and love to His glory. I thank Him and praise Him for the mercy and kindness He has poured into my life, because I know I do not deserve them!

So, in hopes that the lyrics will encourage and edify you as well, here they are:

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Indeed and AMEN! Thank You, Jesus, my beloved Savior. Thank You for choosing the Cross, and thank You for claiming me!

DO YOU KNOW HIM?????

That's My King! from Albert Martin on Vimeo.

That's my King!

Praise be to God Almighty, who has blessed us beyond imagination with His love and mercy. All honor and glory and power and strength and praise be unto Him! All nations will bow before Him, and all tongues will confess the Son to the glory of the Father!

Worthy are You, O LORD, of all our awe and worship, for You have removed us from the kingdom of darkness and transfered us to the Kingdom of Your Son. You have redeemed us from our sin, and cast it as far away as the east is from the west. You have clothed us with Your perfect righteousness, and in Your mercy have covered us with Your holiness.

Blessed are You, O LORD, for You have chosen us from before the foundations of the world for Your good pleasure. All our righteousness is as filthy rags, and yet You have chosen us as a kingdom and as priest to our Almighty God!

All praise to Jesus the Christ, King of kings, and Lord of lords!

(H/T to Theologica for the video, and has the transcript, which is very worthy of reading and meditating upon!)

The Professional Guard

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The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise.' Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can." So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. (Matthew 27:62-66, ESV)

The Tender Burial

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Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness— his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth— that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken." And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced."

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:31-42, ESV)

The Final Sacrifice

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, "This man is calling Elijah." And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him." And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. (Matthew 27:45-56, ESV)

The Barbaric Death

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

    "They divided my garments among them,
   and for my clothing they cast lots."  

So the soldiers did these things,  but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:16-27, ESV)

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:32-43, ESV)

The Brutal Mockery

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold the man!" When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God." When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."

From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar." So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. (John 19:1-16, ESV)

The Unjust Trials

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So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. [...]

The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said." When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?" Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?" Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. [...]

Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.  So Pilate went outside to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" They answered him, "If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you." Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death." This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" (Luke 18: 12-14, 19-24, 28-38, ESV)

The Double Betrayal

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While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, "Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, "No more of this!" And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."
 
Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. e one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not." And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, "Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean." But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:47-62, ESV)

The Earnest Prayer

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Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go over there and pray." And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done." And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and take your rest later on.  See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand." (Matthew 25:36-46, ESV)

The Last Supper

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Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'" And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." Judas, who would betray him, answered, "Is it I, Rabbi?" He said to him, "You have said so." Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom."

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." Peter answered him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same. (Matthew 26:17-35, ESV)

Catching up on my reading: Knowing God, by J.I. Packer

I've had this book on my shelf for a couple of months, and I've been meaning to sit down and READ it for several years. I'm glad that I've finally done it! Knowing God is definitely going to be a very helpful book for me, because it's already pointing me right to my wonderful, awesome God and Savior. I'm only about 1/3 of the way through, but there have been so many wonderful, thought-provoking and practical insights from this book, that I'm not surprised that it's a modern Christian classic!

Today, I was reading in chapter 8, "The Majesty of God," and this (extensive) quote popped out and really stopped me in my tracks (oh, and it's not a copy/paste, so please forgive any typos and let me know to correct them! Unless specifically noted, all emphasis and asides are in the original):

No Limitations

How may we form a right idea of God's greatness? The Bible teaches us two steps that we must take. The first is to remove from our thoughts of God limits that would make him small. The second is to compare him with powers and forces which we regard as great.

For an example of what the first step involves, look at Psalm 139, where the psalmist meditates on the infinite and unlimited nature of God's presence, and knowledge, and power, in relation to people. We are always in God's presence, he says. You can cut yourself off from your fellow human beings, but you cannot get away from your Creator. "You hem me in - behind and before... Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens [the sky], you are there; if I make my bed in the depths the underworld], you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea," I still cannot escape from the presence of God: "even there your hand will guide me" (vv 5-10 [ed. - Packer is quoting from the NIV, FYI]). Nor can darkness, which hides me from human sight, shield me from God's gaze (vv. 11-12).

And jus as there are no bounds to his presence with me, so there are no limits to his knowledge of me. Just as I am never left alone, so I never go unnoticed. "O LORD, you have searched me and know me. You know when I sit and when I rise [all my actions and movements]; you perceive my thoughts [all that goes on in my mind] from afar... You are familiar with all my ways [all my habits, plans aims, desires, as well as all my life to date]. Before a word is on my tongue [spoken, or meditated] you know it completely, O LORD" (vv. 1-4).

I can hide my heart, and my past, and my future plans, from those around me, but I cannot hide anything from God. [emph. mine]

[...]

The Incomparable One

For an example of what the second step involves, look at Isaiah 40. Here Gd speaks to people whose mood is the mood of many Christians today = despondant people, cowed people, secretly despairing people; people against whom the tide of events has been running for a very long time; people who have ceased to believe that the cause of Christ can ever prosper again. Now see how God through his prophet resons with them.

Look at the tasks I have done, he says. Could you do them? Could any man do them? "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?" (v. 12) Are you wise enough, and mighty enough, to do things like that? But I am, or I could not have made this world at all. Behold your God!

Look now at the nations, the prophet continues: the great national powers, at whose mercy you feel yourselves to be. Assyria, Egypt, Babylon - you stand in awe of them, and feel afraid of them, so vastly do their armies and resources exceed yours. But now consider how God stands related to those mighty forces which you fear so much. "Surely the nations are like a drop in the bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; ... Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing" (Is 40: 15, 17). You tremble before the nations, because you are much weaker than they; but God is so much greater than the nations that they are as nothing to him. Behold your God!

Look next at the world. Consider the size of it, the variety and complexity of it; think of the nearly five thousand millions who populate it, and of the vast sky above it. What puny figures you and I are, by comparison with the whole planet on which we live! Yet what is the entire mighty planet by comparison with God? "He sits enthrones above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in." (Is 40:22). The world dwarfs us all, but God dwarfs the world. The world is his footstool, above which he sits secure. He is greater than the world and all that is in it, so that all the feverish activity of its bustling millions does no more to affect him than the chirping and jumping of grasshoppers in the summer does to affect us. Behold your God!

Look, fourthly, at the world's great ones - the governors whose laws and policies determine the welfare of millions; the would-be world rulers, the dictators and empire builders, who have it in their power to plunge the world into war. Think of Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar; think of Alexander, Napoleon, Hitler. Think, today, of Clinton and Saddam Hussein [or Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Amadinijad, Kim Jong Il... - ed.]. Do you suppose that it the is really these top men who determine the way the world shall go? Think again, for God is greater than the world's great men. "He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing" (Is 40:23). He is, as the prayer book says, "the only ruler of princes." Behold your God!

But we have not finished yet. Look, lastly, at the stars. The most universally awesome experience that mankind knows is to stand alone on a clear night and look at the stars. Nothing gives a greater sense of remoteness and distance; nothing makes one feel more strongly of one's own littleness and insignificance. And we who live in the space age can supplement this universal experience with our scientific knowledge of the actual factors involved - millions of stars in number, billions of light years in distance. Our minds reel; our imaginations cannot grasp it; when we try to conceive of unfathomable depths of outer space, we are left mentally numb and dizzy.

But what is this to God? "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing" (Is 40:26). It is God who brings out the stars; it was God who first set them in space; he is their Maker and Master - they are all in his hands and subject to his will. Such is his power and majesty. Behold your God!

Truly, a very inspiring statement - and it really does help put things in perspective, especially when I keep it in the forefront of my mind and meditate upon it carefully.

Actually, those last two paragraphs understate things a bit. Instead of millions of stars, Packer actually ought to have said "millions of galaxies, which each have billions of stars"! God made them all! Look back in Genesis at the creation of the heavenly lights:

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons,  and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

"God made the sun and the moon... Oh, yeah, and the stars, too, by the way..."

Just as an afterthought, almost...

God's power is not limited. Whatever He wills to do, He will bring to pass - without effort, without tiring, and without mistakes.

Behold the God Most High, the LORD God Almighty, who loves us and gave Himself for us!

ABC Nightline's Faceoff "Does Satan Exist?" NOW ONLINE!

Which is a good thing, because I realized that we didn't add local network channels to our satellite subscription! *sigh* It's just as well; I'm not a night owl, so I may not have lasted until 11pm to watch it, anyway...

I don't know if the online version is the same as what they'll broadcast tonight, but there's a LOT of good stuff (possibly more than they'll be able to air) in the online videos. I'm also unsure how long the links to the videos will last, so if someone a year from now tries to view them, I hope they're still there ;-)

There are ten parts, each about 5 1/2- 6 minutes long:

1. Healthy People Don't Need Satan (opening statements)
2. The Devil Almost Took My Life (opening statements)
3. Fairytale Versus Faith
4. The Bible Has Borrowed a Lot of Myth?
5. Driscoll Slams Pearson's Religious History
6. I Was Attacked by Demons
7. Lobert 'Created' Demon Visions
8. God and Satan: 'They Define Each Other'
9. Audience Members Spar During Debate
10. Closing Arguments: Tears and Testimony

And I will close with the verses Pastor Mark read from the epistle of 1 John:

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Are you ready to rumble? ABC News "Nightline" - Does Satan Exist?

On Thursday, March 26th, ABC Nightline will air portions of a debate held on Friday, March 20th, at Mars Hill Church. Arguing against the existence of Satan are Deepak Chopra and Bishop Carlton Pearson, and arguing for his existence are Annie Lobert (founder of Hookers for Jesus), and Pastor Mark Driscoll, founder and pastor of Mars Hill Church.

I know of Chopra only in passing, and have never heard of Pearson before. I looked up Annie Lobert when I found out about this debate, and - whoa! - brother, this lady knows whereof she speaks! Pastor Mark, of course, is pretty well known to me through his sermons.

I'm looking forward to this, and will set my DVR to record the program! Of course, I am totally rooting for Miss Annie and Pastor Mark!

For a preview of the program, check this out... and for a video preview, go here.

Mark Driscoll: 1 Peter 3:1-7 Marriage - NO HOLDS BARRED!

This is the reason I really love the preaching of Pastor Mark. Two Sundays ago, March 15th, he spoke on 1 Peter 3:1-6, about women and their role in marriage. It was a hard sermon; I saw a lot of things for which I need to repent and follow God, rather than my own selfish desires.

It's not at all an easy sermon, and you need to set aside about an hour and a half to watch and then pray about it, but I ask that any woman reading this post would do so. If you're a guy, feel free to do so as well - but don't think that Pastor Mark is going to ignore you...!

And, ladies? If you have the courage to see this video through, I urge you to then watch what Pastor Mark says to the men. After watching both sermons with open hearts, NO ONE could honestly whine about wives submitting to their own husbands ever again...!

Pretty convicting, don't you think? I know I like to think of myself as a pretty good Christian wife, but I see many places where I fall far short of God's plan. This is a sermon I need to listen to often so that God's Word can get inside my heart and soul, lead me to repent, and throw myself upon the mercy of Christ for His forgiveness and His strength to walk in obedience to His Spirit.

This past Sunday (March 22nd), however, Pastor Mark took on verse 1 Peter 3:7, and preached the most powerful sermon I have ever heard... to the MEN.

Guys, this is not for the faint of heart. And, frankly, I doubt that there will be more than a half handful of men who will actually watch this through. Of that small number, I bet that there might be one man who will be convicted and repent of his ways, and maybe another who honestly does his best to bear his burden and be a godly husband and father.

I wonder... Just how many "Christian" men will see this video and turn it off, dismiss it, or rage against it, because they are intent on denying the fact that the Holy Spirit is determined to search them out and bring their sin to light?

It's not for cowards or chauvinists, guys.

So. Do you dare to watch?

Father, I pray that You will use these videos to Your glory. I pray that You will reveal Yourself in them, and bring conviction, repentance, and renewed fellowship out of them. Use them to strengthen our families and our churches, Lord, so that we may proclaim You to an unbelieving world with strength and honesty. Cut us to our hearts and souls, then let us rise up from our knees to proclaim the severe goodness of Your Word! To You alone be glory, Father, forever and ever. Amen.

Blessings and cursings...

Through many years and countless trials America has stood fast as a friend of Israel, one of her allies and defenders against a world determined to destroy God's chosen nation.

Yes, I did say God's CHOSEN nation. Believe it or not, America, no matter how richly God has blessed and nurtured her, is not His chosen nation. Never has been. All the way back in the book of Genesis, God promised Abraham:

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Gen 12:3, ESV)

All the Arab world in particular wants to destroy Israel and they surround that holy land in hostility, envy, and hatred. Unceasing attacks, suicide bombers, slander and libel, and satanic lies. They curse and dishonor Israel every moment of every day, and I have no doubt that they are storing up wrath for the Day of Wrath to come. I am completely assured that God will vindicate His people in His time.

No, my concern is for America if she fails in her friendship to Israel:

An unnamed former highly-placed U.S.intelligence official has broken silence and says that America may soon be abandoning Israel in favor of the Arabs. “This is just the beginning”, he said, "Israel could be about to lose the support of the United States." [...]

In his report, the unnamed intelligence source told Hagmann, “I have every reason to believe, based on what I’ve seen at my level of [security] clearance especially over the last several years, that Israel will soon be completely on their own… or worse.” He explained this would happen “when our administration provides more support to Arab countries [with] financial and military aid, undercutting Israel’s defense efforts all while pushing Israel to succumb to the pressure of unreasonable demands designed to end with their political annihilation as a nation.”

Am I saying that Israel is perfect and can do no wrong? No, of course not! But as one of her closest friends and allies, America has the duty and honor to hold fast to the relationship.We can rebuke Israel in grace and humility when we think she is in the wrong, but we should be utterly loyal to her as she endures and retaliates against the atrocities leveled against her by the Arab world.

There is another aspect to this issue: more and more, America is turning away from and rejecting her Judeo-Christian foundation. More and more, America puts herself in peril by her increasing hostility to Christianity as well:

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Gal. 3:7-9, ESV)

God's chosen nation is Israel. His chosen people are the true children of Abraham: all who have faith in Him through His Son. By honoring and respecting God's chosen nation and His chosen people, a nation will be richly blessed by the God of the universe, who is all-powerful.

But if you curse and dishonor His nation and His people, will you not reap what you have sown?

Be warned, America. You are treading very close to a line you should not cross.

Sunday thoughts on 2 Peter 1:3-8

Church today was awesome, even though Pastor Hank's message was rather somber ("Master Crafted: A Sinner's Hopeless Condition" from Ephesians 2:1-3). Hopefully I'll have the video edited and published sometime this week, but I'm working with a new video editor, Kdenlive, and it's giving me a few headaches at the moment. [miffed look at kdenlive]

Anyway, one scripture Pastor Hank brought up near the end of his sermon really grabbed me, 2 Peter 1:5,6... I'll reproduce verses 3 through 8, though, to put things in context:

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

Look at that first statement: "God's power HAS GRANTED ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness..."

Christian, we have God's very own power to empower us to live lives pleasing to Him. We, unlike natural man, have the real choice as to whether we obey God! He gave us His power and His love and His guidance and His Word - ALL THINGS NEEDED - so that we may follow Him and live righteous and godly lives.

When Hank brought up these verses, he prefaced them with the remark that he often gets an unsure response when he asks if people know that they know that they know that they KNOW they are saved. That uncertainty, he said, is quite possibly because we may not be growing in our faith. And, we may not be growing because we think we are unable to do what God requires.

But God has given us ALL things so that we may use His power to accomplish what He commands! So, if I may, I'll rephrase vv. 5,6:

Because God's Holy Spirit lives within the Christian, we have His power to have faith in Him. We have His power to increase our faith with virtue, increase our virtue with knowledge, increase our knowledge with self-control, increase our self-control with steadfastness, increase our steadfastness with godliness, increase our godliness with brotherly affection, increase our brotherly affection with love... Which goes back to increasing our faith.

God has given us everything we need to grow in Him and to work out our own salvation to His glory! But too many of us - and I include myself - don't delve in to the abundant power and grace God has for us. We don't read our Bibles, we don't memorize Scripture, we don't pray, we don't earnestly and passionately take up our cross to follow Him.

We need to take up our cross DAILY and follow Him DAILY. If we do, we will abound in the fruit of the Spirit

• love
• joy
• peace
• patience
• kindness
• goodness
• faithfulness
• gentleness
• self-control

We will abound in faith, and our internal sense of salvation will grow ever stronger. More importantly, we will be effective and friutful servants of our Savior, and will bring glory to His wonderful name.

After all

Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.*

Calvinism is back - and that's a very GOOD THING!

Take a look at this Time snippet, which mentions Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle - who is one of my FAVORITE pastors!

And, no, I'm not talking about hyper-Calvinism (that link gives an OK overview, so you at least know where some of the pitfalls are... sorta) where if you're "The Elect" you must be something really special and if you're not, well, "to Hell with you...!"

No... I'm talking about Calvinism that is based upon the Bible's doctrine of election - that we are ALL sinners, that we are ALL worthy of God's judgment, that NONE of us deserve God's mercy and kindness... But that God, in His great love, has acted like the True Father and exercised His sovereign grace and rescued His rebellious children from their headlong rush to death. All through the Bible, God chooses people from the world and calls them to Himself - from Genesis to Revelation, His sovereign choice and the grace He shows is laid out for our study and edification.

Now, it is true that God has not elected all of humanity for salvation, but the "new" Calvinism knows that we, as finite beings, have no way to know who God has chosen to rescue and who He hasn't - and therefore we need to preach the Gospel to all men, and serve all men as Christ came to be a servant to all.

I hope and pray that God will use this resurgence of biblical doctrine to revive His Church and call a multitude of His own to new life and dedicated discipleship!

Proverbs: truisms, not necessarily precepts

A friend of mine just let me know of this news story about Bristol Palin and her now ex-fiancé:

The teenage daughter of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her fiancé have broken up just over two months after the birth of the couple's child.

People.com reported Wednesday that sources said the split between Bristol Palin, 18, and Levi Johnston, 19 occurred a few weeks ago, and Johnston confirmed to the Associated Press that he and Bristol mutually decided to end their relationship "a while ago." He did not elaborate.

It reminded me of the Proverb

Train up a child in the way he should go;
   even when he is old he will not depart from it.

... which reminded me of the introduction to Proverbs by Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. I'd highly recommend that you give it a listen:

Very often - and I've been guilty of it myself - a Christian parent will take one of the Proverbs as a promise, and that ain't necessarily so. Proverbs give you general truisms: IF you are a good parent and train your child in honesty and responsibility and good character, then most likely that child will grow up to be a good and responsible citizen. However, we are all human, and we all have a sinful nature, so a child may also decide to reject his training and go his own way.

There are very few guarantees, but there are a lot of probabilities.

Do I think the Palins did a poor job of parenting Bristol? No, not at all. I think they did the best they could as godly parents. But Bristol Palin is still her own person, and she chose to disregard her parents' and her God's commands about sexual abstinence.

Unfortunately, now Bristol and her child are going to have to bear the consequences of that choice. And Levi Johnston will have to bear the burden of his choice, as well.

I'm sad that this is how it's turned out, but perhaps there will be a few young men and women who will see this sad situation and realise that waiting for true committment and marriage to have sex isn't really such a terrible thing.

And, perhaps, God in His grace and mercy will come in and restore this young couple's relationship and bring healing and reconciliation for the praise and glory of his name.

If it be Thy will, Father, I pray You grant that plea!

Win some Bible Study Magazine and software from Logos? Why, I'd **LOVE** to!

Bible Study Magazine and Mars Hill are giving away 20 copies of Mark Driscoll’s new book, Vintage Church. Not only that, but they are also giving away five subscriptions to Bible Study Magazine and a copy of their Bible Study Library software! Enter to win on the Bible Study Magazine Mark Driscoll page, then take a look at all the cool tools they have to take your Bible study to the next level!

I used Logos in the past, but sadly let it get out of date (WAY out of date - like, 8 years[?]). But, it's probably the best Bible study software out there, so I'd be delighted if perchance I won the latest version. The Bible Study Magazine subscription and  Mark Driscoll's book would be added bonuses *grinz*

And so, Lent begins...

I'm not Catholic and I don't generally observe their liturgical calendar, but Lent is somewhat different.

For those of you who might not know, Lent is the forty days prior to Easter Sunday. Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, is the day when we as Christians celebrate the physical resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, from the grave. Lent, the time leading up to Easter, has traditionally been a time of fasting and reflection, a time to meditate on all Jesus has done on our behalf because of the great love He has for His people.

Sadly, these days, many Christians reduce the pain and suffering and infinite sacrifice to a trite "Jesus died on the Cross for your sins." Very true, but simple, shallow, and without the context of Who Jesus is, what we are, and the wonder of the indescribable grace of God. We need to refresh our understanding of Jesus' sacrifice and what He went through on our behalf, so that our lives can be renewed with the awe and gratitude we owe our wonderful Savior.

If you are interested in really trying to understand the Cross and the Resurrection, if you really want to put meaning back into this season of reflection, remembrance and repentance, first I earnestly implore you to read your Bible. Go through the Gospels and read of Jesus' life here on earth, His love and tender care, His patience and kindness, His anger with hypocrisy and injustice, and His willing sacrifice. Read carefully with an open heart and a sober mind, considering all that Jesus went through for you. Prayerfully ask the Father to remove your stony heart of sin and rebellion and give you a new heart of flesh that desires to follow and glorify Him.

He will do it. That's why He came; to seek and save His lost sheep who have gone astray.

An intent and honest search of the Scriptures is really quite sufficient, but for further reflection I would also suggest

• watching the Passion of the Christ
• watching The Visual Bible: Matthew (beginning about Matthew 20, for time's sake)
• listening to Mark Driscoll's series Christ on the Cross

... or watching this video from the series Doctrine:

Jesus has done so much for us, and He has sent His Spirit into the world to convict it of sin and righteousnes and judgement... But if you hear that voice, if you see your sin and the perfect righteousness of God, do not despair! Do not despair, for He has sent that same Spirit to give you new life and rebirth into a new family. He has sent His Spirit to live within you and testify that you are His:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:14-17, ESV)

Through the Cross, Jesus pays the debt we cannot pay so that we may escape the wrath we cannot bear and gain the peace we do not deserve.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11, ESV)

Hallelujah to the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world! Blessing and honor and strength and praise be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit! Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, and He has shown us His great love and mercy! All creation shall bow to Him and testify to His righteousness, and His people shall rejoice in Him forever and glorify His great and worthy name!

Amen and Amen.

"Marriage Secrets: How to Make It" - Pastor Hank, Marion Baptist Church, Chatham, Virginia

Yay! Thanks to Vimeo, I can now upload the complete files Pastor Hank's video sermons...

Marriage Secrets - How to Make It from Kat Wilton on Vimeo.

Pastor Hank preaches out of Ecclesiastes

"Fate"? "Destiny"?

No, you fool! Try... "The sovereign Hand of God."

Gah.

(Sorry - just something I was reading sparked that little outburst)

"The fool says in his heart...

"... 'There is no god...' "

Un-huh.

ONLY God would have thought to mix these crazy clashes of color, dusted them with snow, and then served them up to delight my senses and bless my heart! This picture is a very pale shadow of the beauty God poured out before me for just five minutes this evening - just long enough for me to get to a safe place, pull over, and bounce out of the car to snap some pictures in the crisp air.

I had been listening to a sermon about humility while driving home from work and thinking about how prideful I am and how I want to learn godly humility, and God just decided to remind anyone with eyes to see that He is still very much here, and that He loves us and calls us to repentance and trust in Him.

There is NO ONE I'd rather trust than the true God who creates such beauty and showers His abundant love and blessing upon us!

The heavens declare the glory of God,
   and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
   and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
   whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
   and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
   which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
   and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
   and its circuit to the end of them,
   and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
   the testimony of the LORD is sure,
   making wise the simple;
The precepts of the LORD are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure,
   enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the LORD is clean,
   enduring forever;
The rules of the LORD are true,
   and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
   even much fine gold;
   sweeter also than honey
   and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
   let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
   and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19, ESV)

President Obama:

It's NOT above your pay grade...

It's not beyond anyone's pay grade!

CHOOSE LIFE!

(kittipurrs to Gribbit)

Are you in the market for a new Bible?

Well, then, I've got an AWESOME deal for you, but you're going to have to jump on it quickly: I have no idea how long the price will hold.

I love my old John MacArthur New King James Version Study Bible (except mine is black), but it's binding isn't the best ("imitation leather" - yikes) and it was getting pretty torn and tattered (which is, actually, a GOOD thing for a Bible - they should be read to death!).

So this is what I've been eying as a replacement:

I've been very interested in the English Standard Bible (ESV) for quite a while, but I tend to prefer study Bibles, and the ESV only recently came out with one. Plus, a lot of the ESV Bibles I've seen have a very small - 7.2 point - typeface (my one quibble with this translation), so I was looking for a larger type without going to a "large print" Bible, and this study Bible "fixes" that issue. I'm also hoping that this Bible will be with me for years and years, so I really wanted a genuine leather cover, rather than the pretend stuff (which never seems to wear well).

However,leather-bound Bibles can get very expensive (here's the actual listing at Crossway - scroll down - $95 plus shipping!), and I didn't really think I could justify spending that at this time - and so I resigned myself to dream from afar.

Image via CrunchBase

Enter Amazon.com! My heroes! They have this magnificent Bible for only about $60 at the moment - about what I'd pay for a study Bible with an average binding. Due to a very high demand, it is temporarily out of stock, so I'll have to wait a bit (the end of February, at least) until Amazon gets it back in, but that's OK!!!! For this kind of price on this quality Bible, I can wait ;-)

So, if you're in the market for a new Bible, I can highly recommend this translation AND this edition! I'm very excited to get it in my hands and make it into a well-loved friend. But like I said, you'd better jump on the band wagon QUICK, because I don't know how long Amazon is going to hold that incredibly awesome price!

Heart's ease (UPDATED)

[Grrrrr. For some reason, the text of the moblog didn't come thru... Ah, well, this is a better comment anyway]

"Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it rest in Thee." --- St. Augustine, Confessions, Book 1

I've been very busy at work with my new job, so I haven't taken the time to post much (gotta correct that). I've also been rather melancholy over the political situation - as you know, President Obama was far from my first choice to lead America in these perilous times.

However, I read Rick Warren's prayer for the inauguration on Mark Driscoll's blog, and it really reminded me that things haven't actually changed: God is still on His throne, He is still in control, and the Blood of Christ still cleanses us from sin.

I think, perhaps, that this is a good thing for me. I don't want to have a "functional savior" in politics or political leaders. I don't want to cling to anyone or anything other than Jesus, the true Savior and God, for my joy and fulfillment. So, I'm hoping that I'll take this opportunity to learn to grow closer to Him, to follow Him more faithfully, and to learn to seek His approval.

God alone should have my deepest loyalty and devotion. Although men can hurt and maim and enslave and hamper and cripple and kill me, only God has sovereignty over my soul. Only God is worthy of my worship. Only God can bring peace to my restless heart and my anxious mind.

God has made me for Himself, to bring glory to His name and to let His grace and love work through me. It's time to learn to trust Him fully, and to rest in Him.

God is so good...

... He really is. I cannot say just how wonderful He has been to me. I cannot fully explain to any of you just how kind and loving He has been this past week. He's been holding out His hand to me for so long, pointing out sin and inviting me back to His loving arms. I've known the sin, I've known it WAS sin, and I just kept returning to it, like a dog to its own vomit.

My head knew it was sin, and my wayward heart just. kept. on. sinning!

God in His grace and mercy just keeps calling to me - my loving Father calling me to come back to safety and back to a loving, whole relationship with Him. And, so I have. I feel the pull, but I am going to rely on God's strength to say "no" and be obedient to His will rather than my sinful nature. It may be difficult to stay on God's path for my life, but I know that I can do it because it is God's power working in me, not my power. It is God who began this work in me and who will complete it. It is God's power in me that is greater than the power of my sin.

I am blessed with so many good and godly people in my life: my parents, my grandmother (who is with the Lord), several friends, and many people I've met through the internet. I am blessed with a wonderful family - a husband and daughter who I dearly love and who bring joy to my heart and a smile to my lips EVERY SINGLE DAY.

But, in particular, I want to thank my pastor and my church for being unafraid to preach the Gospel without shame:

Thanks, Hank. Thanks also to Roger, who told me of this local Church, who is also my Bible Study teacher, and who has been teaching God's word with simplicity and strength. I learn more about God, I grow closer to God, and I want to serve God more because of my church's encouragement and instructions.

Along with Pastor Hank and Roger, I also want to thank Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle for his sermon on Predestination. I just finished listening to it, and it was so humbling and yet incredibly uplifting that I need to post it as well. It is long, yes, but well worth a very careful listen. In particular, if you only have limited time, listen to the last half - and then marvel at the wondrous grace and love and mercy and kindness of the one true God:

Oh, by the way...

How is everyone doing on their daily Bible reading?

I'm not doing as well as I'd like; it seems like I'm skipping every other day. Fortunately, it's easy to catch up, but it's not helping to develop the habit of being in the Word daily. *sigh* I really need to remind myself of proper priorities and just DO IT!

Anyway, today's readings from the MacArthur Daily Bible are:

• Genesis 21 and 22
• Psalm 6:6-10
• Proverbs 3: 5-6
• Matthew 8:18-34

Working on something for my church...

My Pastor came to me just before Christmas, asking if we could get together so I could explain blogging to him, and perhaps set something up. Schedules during the holidays being what they are, we haven't been able to set things up yet, but I did take my video camera into service today so I could record the sermon.

Right now, I'm importing it on to my laptop from the HDV camera, and am going to try to add the Scripture notations, title and closing pages and so on, then upload it to Google video (YouTube's 10 minute limit is too short, and I'd prefer not to splice up the sermon).

So, as soon as I get it uploaded and processed, I'll post the video. Pastor Hank's remarks on Ephesians 1:3-6 are great, and I think you'll find them very helpful. One thing I love about Hank is that he's not afraid to preach the Word without apology - my kind of Pastor!

The incredible unbelievability of GRACE

It's funny - quite funny - that people who (to my knowledge) have only mild appreciation of Christianity want to slam a pastor like Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in the Seattle area. Hot Air has had two entries up just recently, and it makes me JOYOUS that a man of God who pulls no punches is in the forefront of right-leaning new media.

I would earnestly suggest that, to get an idea of where Mark is coming from, you might want to listen to "How Sharp the Edge? Christ, Controversy and Cutting Words." Secondly, I earnestly recommend his Religion Saves series. This is a man who loves God, and is not afraid to preach the Word in fullness and in truth!

I confess that I am imperfect and that my walk with God is not what it ought to be... But when dogs, pigs and wolves come up against me, I will mock, rebuke and shoot them with no apologies and to the best of my knowledge and ability. Just like Mark, my Pastor, Hank, is a wonderful blessing and encouragement to me to take a stand on the Rock of God's Word.

My commitment: I refuse to be bound by the expectations and restrictions of sinful humans - God and His Word alone constrain me. If you think I'm in error, you'd better rebuke me as a fellow Christian and remember the words of Paul in Galatians 6:

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.

I know that I, and others I admire, are not always right - but I'm tired of backing down and being "diplomatic" when I contend for the faith in the true God who offers the only way to true freedom and joy and eternal peace.

If you are a Christian and disagree with my opinions and actions, PROVE to me that you are my brother or sister. Validate that relationship, and show your humility and gentleness.

Prove that you are a Christian before you rebuke me... Or be prepared to be mocked like a lying dog or shot like heretical wolf.

Hey... Dad?

One of the things I really want to commit to this year - besides reading my Bible every day, and being in church every week - is deepening my prayer life.

I do pray, and I do pray for friends - several have astonished me by thanking me for prayers I've written for them - but I want to really, really pray... I want to just come boldly before the Throne and confidently lay my cares and concerns in God's lap, knowing that He loves me and that He hears me and that He will answer me.

I want to stop worrying about what other people think, and I want to have the faith of a child - trusting, confident, and knowing that Dad can do anything - when I talk to Him.

I want to learn to go to Him first whenever I have a need or a worry. I want to learn to hear His voice when my Dad talks to me. I want to throw myself into His arms and ask for forgiveness when I screw up. I want to hold onto the Hand that is holding me.

I want to get so close to God that I can see Him everywhere I look and in everything I do.

I know I'm the Daughter of the King of Kings... but I also want to be...

Daddy's Girl

...your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

(Matthew 6:8-13, NKJV)

All right, I'm trying again...

In 2007, one of my resolutions was to read through the Bible in a year. Sadly, as is the way with so many New Year's resolutions, it sort of fell by the wayside, which is really a terrible thing. So, this year, I'm going to try again, and I hope my fellow Christians will join me.

I'll be working from the MacArthur Daily Bible, which includes daily readings from the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs and the New Testament, but there are other daily reading programs if you want to go straight through.

Yesterday's readings were:

• Genesis 1 and 2
• Psalm 1
• Proverbs 1:1-7
• Matthew 1

Today's readings are:

• Genesis 3 and 4
• Psalm 2
• Proverbs 1:8-9
• Matthew 2

I'm not going to write about what I'm reading in the Bible all the time; I want to concentrate on actually reading this year. It is probably that I'll post meditations on the day's selections, but I'm not going to make it a regular thing.

THe Alphabet of Christmas: Z is for "zealous"

For unto us a Child is born,
      Unto us a Son is given;
      And the government will be upon His shoulder.
      And His name will be called
      Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
      Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
      Of the increase of His government and peace
      There will be no end,
      Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
      To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
      From that time forward, even forever.
      The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9: 6-7, NJKV)

God loves us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, the most wonderful, perfect gift any of us could have! God pursues us down to the depths of our sin, He chases us to the ends of our rebellion, and He tracks us to the outermost boundaries of our mutiny.

God is the Hound of Heaven, whose love and zeal for His children is endless and passionate.

Yes! God is passionate about you!

Just look at the life of His perfect Son - all Jesus did and experienced - and see that passion shining though. If God would go through all that just so that He could bring you into His family as a holy and beloved child - how can anyone say "no"?

...I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Don't you want to partake of that sort of zealous, eternal love? Haven't you always felt the need for that sort of deep and abiding and perfect love? Then, come to Him... He's waiting!

However, I must remind you that Jesus has already come as God's Servant. The Day of Grace will not last forever, and soon the Day of Judgment will arrive. Enter into God's salvation now - do not wait! - for His patience will not endure forever. The Day is coming when Jesus will return as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and take His rightful place as our Sovereign.

On that Day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Every knee! So, whether you bow in worship and joy or whether you bow in terror and defeat, you will bow down.

Now is the Day of Salvation!

The Alphabet of Christmas: previous post.

The Alphabet of Christmas: Y is for "yearning"

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ (Matthew 23:37-39, NKJV)

I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,
      Who walk in a way that is not good,
      According to their own thoughts;
     A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face;
      Who sacrifice in gardens,
      And burn incense on altars of brick;
     Who sit among the graves,
      And spend the night in the tombs;
      Who eat swine’s flesh,
      And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels (Isaiah 65:2-4)

God yearns after His children. God loves all of us with a love that is infinite and awesome - and yet, He is too holy and perfect to tolerate sin in His presence. His beloved children were separated from Him by the infinite gulf of sin and rebellion; our transgressions were far beyond our ability to pay. We had no power within ourselves to reach up to God and grasp the beauty of Heaven, and so our gracious Father reached down to us.

Today we celebrate the birth of God our Savior; God, who came down from Heaven to do for us what we could not. God came down from Heaven to live with us and show us His love. God came down from Heaven to live a prefect, sinless life. God came down from Heaven to accept the penalty for our sins. God came down from Heaven to pay our punishment in full. God came down from Heaven to die and to conquer Death. God came down from Heaven to raise Himself up as eternal proof of His love and forgiveness.

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

God did all of this because He yearns for us to come to Him, to seek and find the unfathomable depths of love and grace and kindness and mercy and strength He has for us.

Come. Come to the Manger Throne, and bow in worship and adoration. Come to the Stable, and give all of yourself into His embrace. Come and kneel before Emmanuel, and come Home at last.

Come!

Come to the waters, you who thirst and you'll thirst no more.
Come to the father, you who work and you'll work no more.
And all you who labor in vain and to the broken and shamed:

Love is here.
Love is now.
Love is pouring from
His hands, from his brows.
Love is near, it satisfies.
Streams of mercy flowing from his side.
Cuz love is here.

Come to the treasure, you who search and you'll search no more.
Come to the lover you who want and you'll want no more, no.
And all you who labor in vain and to the broken and shamed,

Love is here.
Love is now.
Love is pouring from his hands, from his brows.
Love is near, it satisfies.
Streams of mercy flowing from his side.

The Alphabet of Christmas: previous post... next post (Yes, I am going all the way to "z"! If you haven't guessed it already, the Birth is not the end of the Story!)

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Merry Christmas! I pray this day finds you with friends and family, and that God sheds His Spirit upon you all generously. I pray that, if you have not, you find the Babe and join the family of God. May we bow down in worship and adoration of Emmanuel, God with us!

May the Christ Child be born in all of our hearts, and may He grant you grace and peace from this day forward.