Random Thoughts

2006-08-29T12:57:00.000-05:00

Issues of Sexuality

It hit me recently, while taking a shower (why is it that while doing this horrendously mundane things that these thoughts come? And why is it I never have a pen and paper ready??), that I realized a few things about sexual issues..
So here are some of the summation of my thoughts:

On Sexual Addiction:

I think that in sexual addicition, as in many different types of sins, we find the perversion of a legitimate desire and a legitimate pursuit. For men, I know, it's a desire to win the beauty and all that, but it's also the adventure of romance. Men like a challenge (whether they admit it or not) and they like an adventure. The problem comes, however, when they confuse the adventure and heady feelings of romance with sex. Even further, the problem comes when they attain what they thought would bring the ultimate with whatever woman they are pursuing, and deep down they feel cheated...cheated out of a challenge, cheated out of an adventure... Like everything was just too easy.

This is how it was in my own failures. My relationship broke down in part, I believe, because I began to resent the person I was with, which was totally unfair on my part, but was altogether real anyways. It was like "Ok...the challenge is over...the adventure is ended...now what?" And it became tedious. So, we fell further into sin, doing so over and over, thinking perhaps that the more we did these things, the more fulfilling the relationships would be, and that only fueled the resentment.

For women, however, it's different. I cannot speak as one who knows so much, because obviously women are a mystery to me unlike any other, but I suspect a few things. First of all, I suspect that women become addicted to sex out of a need to feel wanted..desired. I guess that sounds cliche, but I think it really is true. I think, deep down, a woman longs to be captivating and beautiful and desired. And so, they confuse this with sex, thinking somehow that a man will think they themselves are wonderful if they give up control of themselves. One person has told me that she loves it because she longs for the connection...I don't think it's the connection she desires so much as the affirmation that she is beautiful, desirable, and a great person. It makes me sad, and makes me wonder if anyone has ever told her in a real, positive way that she is all of those things and more, and that she doesn't have to find that "connection" in sex to be all of those things.

Another possible reason that women could become addicted to sex is the power which it brings. A woman's sexuality and beauty are weapons, no doubt about it. Just as a man very well could be addicted to sex for the rush and the power he feels, the same could be said of a woman. She may feel superior while seducing men, as if she has power over these simple creatures *chuckle*. Once again, these desires are based in legitimacy, but perverted by the flesh and by Satan.

On Homosexuality:

This is a slightly trickier subject. Homosexuality is a complex issue, full of variables which may or may not play into a person's confusion of sexuality and gender issues. I truly am beginning to think that homosexuality finds its roots in a man not having proper role models of the same sex, and perhaps disasterous experiences with the opposite sex. Many statistics have shown that a great number of homosexual men have had overbearing mothers.

I think that perhaps the mothers might be equal perpetrators here, however. A mother's desire to protect and shelter her children is legitimate, but it is not ok, nor is it right, to shelter a man from all the things that make him one. To insist that a boy never play with guns or fight or do sports out of fear of turning him violent or him getting hurt is not only leading to devastation, but it is irrational. In essence, what is really happening is the emasculation of a child from an early age. Mothers, you are teaching your boys how to be women, and not how to be men.

Lest the mothers take all the blame, I turn now to how the fathers may hold some stake in this problem. A Father's job is to teach the son to be a man. It is also to allow the boy to grow into a man by the boy's testing his strength, and by it being affirmed. A boy cannot think of himself as a man if he is never told that he is one. If a father is constantly calling his child weak, or sissy, or stupid, or a faggot, real growth can never take place.

Now, as this child grows, having had no real idea as to what manhood is or femininity is, he is thus confused. So to whom does he turn? Friends, most likely. While this may be a good thing, this can do devastating amounts of damage. Why? Because the child likely has friends who are just as injured! If one wants to overcome alcohol abuse, do they go to a bar? If one wishes to learn what it means to be an adult, do they ask a child? The problem is that this child, whose logic and thought processes are so damaged that he cannot alone figure this out, then turns to someone with the exact same problem as he, thinking perhaps this person smarter or wiser. This is without realizing that the person has the SAME EXACT flaw in their thinking. So the child surrounds himself with similarly damaging people, and learns that being damaged is "ok" and that he should "express" himself. What we could possibly have is the birth of a person who is so convinced he is homosexual that it seems impossible to think otherwise.

This, I believe, is why most homosexuals believe that it is a genetic flaw. It began so young and never stopped that they have no idea what it is like to be "normal," and so they assume it is genetic.

Another thought occured to me, however. I think that when someone looks into their own memory, they often rose color their memories. They remember things not exactly as they were. Now, as for myself, I don't usually rose color, but do the opposite. In some ways, I remember things as worse than they were, and in some ways cannot even remember the good things at all! I think this is true for the homosexual who claims he has always been "gay." It is perhaps true that he has always been damaged at his core, but not necessarily that he has always been "gay."

Lest I write off all personal responsibility in this issue, I come to the thing that kind of seals the nail in the coffin of this young person. I truly am beginning to believe, as I ponder these things, that certainly bisexuality, and almost as certainly homosexuality, is in large part caused by an addiction to sex. The person starts off small, and thinks only of the opposite sex. However, as time goes on, things need to get more and more perverse to feed the need. This leads to bisexuality and perhaps outright homosexuality. The need to be more and more "kinky" has led to this, and not to actually honest feelings of romantic love for the same sex. (As most homosexuals would claim)

This becomes more poignant for me the more I talk to people afflicted. It seems that the vast majority of people like this that I have met think very little of anything else but sex. They seem consumed by it, enslaved to it. Their daily conversations, their views of life, all seem to revolve around sex. No wonder the mind is so clouded! When horomones are kicking on all the time, it can be very difficult to think!

2006-05-24T11:10:00.000-05:00

In Defence of Calvinism
by C.H. Spurgeon

It is a great thing to begin the Christian life by believing good solid doctrine. Some people have received twenty different "gospels" in as many years; how many more they will accept before they get to their journey's end, it would be difficult to predict. I thank God that He early taught me the gospel, and I have been so perfectly satisfied with it, that I do not want to know any other. Constant change of creed is sure loss. If a tree has to be taken up two or three times a year, you will not need to build a very large loft in which to store the apples. When people are always shifting their doctrinal principles, they are not likely to bring forth much fruit to the glory of God.

It is good for young believers to begin with a firm hold upon those great fundamental doctrines which the Lord has taught in His Word. Why, if I believed what some preach about the temporary, trumpery salvation which only lasts for a time, I would scarcely be at all grateful for it; but when I know that those whom God saves He saves with an everlasting salvation, when I know that He gives to them an everlasting righteousness, when I know that He settles them on an everlasting foundation of everlasting love, and that He will bring them to His everlasting kingdom, oh, then I do wonder, and I am astonished that such a blessing as this should ever have been given to me!

"Pause, my soul! adore, and wonder!
Ask, 'Oh, why such love to me?'
Grace hath put me in the number
Of the Saviour's family:
Hallelujah!
Thanks, eternal thanks, to Thee!"

I suppose there are some persons whose minds naturally incline towards the doctrine of free-will. I can only say that mine inclines as naturally towards the doctrines of sovereign grace. Sometimes, when I see some of the worst characters in the street, I feel as if my heart must burst forth in tears of gratitude that God has never let me act as they have done! I have thought, if God had left me alone, and had not touched me by His grace, what a great sinner I should have been! I should have run to the utmost lengths of sin, dived into the very depths of evil, nor should I have stopped at any vice or folly, if God had not restrained me. I feel that I should have been a very king of sinners, if God had let me alone.

I cannot understand the reason why I am saved, except upon the ground that God would have it so. I cannot, if I look ever so earnestly, discover any kind of reason in myself why I should be a partaker of Divine grace. If I am not at this moment without Christ, it is only because Christ Jesus would have His will with me, and that will was that I should be with Him where He is, and should share His glory. I can put the crown nowhere but upon the head of Him whose mighty grace has saved me from going down into the pit. Looking back on my past life, I can see that the dawning of it all was of God; of God effectively. I took no torch with which to light the sun, but the sun enlightened me. I did not commence my spiritual life—no, I rather kicked, and struggled against the things of the Spirit: when He drew me, for a time I did not run after Him: there was a natural hatred in my soul of everything holy and good. Wooings were lost upon me—warnings were cast to the wind—thunders were despised; and as for the whispers of His love, they were rejected as being less than nothing and vanity. But, sure I am, I can say now, speaking on behalf of myself, "He only is my salvation." It was He who turned my heart, and brought me down on my knees before Him. I can in very deed, say with Doddridge and Toplady—

"Grace taught my soul to pray,
And made my eyes o'erflow;"

and coming to this moment, I can add—

"'Tis grace has kept me to this day,
And will not let me go."

Well can I remember the manner in which I learned the doctrines of grace in a single instant. Born, as all of us are by nature, an Arminian, I still believed the old things I had heard continually from the pulpit, and did not see the grace of God. When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this. I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths in my own soul—when they were, as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart as with a hot iron, and I can recollect how I felt that I had grown on a sudden from a babe into a man—that I had made progress in Scriptural knowledge, through having found, once for all, the clue to the truth of God.

One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, "I ascribe my change wholly to God."

I once attended a service where the text happened to be, "He shall choose our inheritance for us;" and the good man who occupied the pulpit was more than a little of an Arminian. Therefore, when he commenced, he said, "This passage refers entirely to our temporal inheritance, it has nothing whatever to do with our everlasting destiny, for," said he, "we do not want Christ to choose for us in the matter of Heaven or hell. It is so plain and easy, that every man who has a grain of common sense will choose Heaven, and any person would know better than to choose hell. We have no need of any superior intelligence, or any greater Being, to choose Heaven or hell for us. It is left to our own free-will, and we have enough wisdom given us, sufficiently correct means to judge for ourselves," and therefore, as he very logically inferred, there was no necessity for Jesus Christ, or anyone, to make a choice for us. We could choose the inheritance for ourselves without any assistance. "Ah!" I thought, "but, my good brother, it may be very true that we could, but I think we should want something more than common sense before we should choose aright."

First, let me ask, must we not all of us admit an over-ruling Providence, and the appointment of Jehovah's hand, as to the means whereby we came into this world? Those men who think that, afterwards, we are left to our own free-will to choose this one or the other to direct our steps, must admit that our entrance into the world was not of our own will, but that God had then to choose for us. What circumstances were those in our power which led us to elect certain persons to be our parents? Had we anything to do with it? Did not God Himself appoint our parents, native place, and friends? Could He not have caused me to be born with the skin of the Hottentot, brought forth by a filthy mother who would nurse me in her "kraal," and teach me to bow down to Pagan gods, quite as easily as to have given me a pious mother, who would each morning and night bend her knee in prayer on my behalf? Or, might He not, if He had pleased, have given me some profligate to have been my parent, from whose lips I might have early heard fearful, filthy, and obscene language? Might He not have placed me where I should have had a drunken father, who would have immured me in a very dungeon of ignorance, and brought me up in the chains of crime? Was it not God's Providence that I had so happy a lot, that both my parents were His children, and endeavoured to train me up in the fear of the Lord?

John Newton used to tell a whimsical story, and laugh at it, too, of a good woman who said, in order to prove the doctrine of election, "Ah! sir, the Lord must have loved me before I was born, or else He would not have seen anything in me to love afterwards." I am sure it is true in my case; I believe the doctrine of election, because I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before I was born, or else He never would have chosen me afterwards; and He must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why He should have looked upon me with special love. So I am forced to accept that great Biblical doctrine.

I recollect an Arminian brother telling me that he had read the Scriptures through a score or more times, and could never find the doctrine of election in them. He added that he was sure he would have done so if it had been there, for he read the Word on his knees. I said to him, "I think you read the Bible in a very uncomfortable posture, and if you had read it in your easy chair, you would have been more likely to understand it. Pray, by all means, and the more, the better, but it is a piece of superstition to think there is anything in the posture in which a man puts himself for reading: and as to reading through the Bible twenty times without having found anything about the doctrine of election, the wonder is that you found anything at all: you must have galloped through it at such a rate that you were not likely to have any intelligible idea of the meaning of the Scriptures."

If it would be marvelous to see one river leap up from the earth full-grown, what would it be to gaze upon a vast spring from which all the rivers of the earth should at once come bubbling up, a million of them born at a birth? What a vision would it be! Who can conceive it. And yet the love of God is that fountain, from which all the rivers of mercy, which have ever gladdened our race—all the rivers of grace in time, and of glory hereafter—take their rise. My soul, stand thou at that sacred fountain-head, and adore and magnify, for ever and ever, God, even our Father, who hath loved us! In the very beginning, when this great universe lay in the mind of God, like unborn forests in the acorn cup; long ere the echoes awoke the solitudes; before the mountains were brought forth; and long ere the light flashed through the sky, God loved His chosen creatures. Before there was any created being—when the ether was not fanned by an angel's wing, when space itself had not an existence, when there was nothing save God alone—even then, in that loneliness of Deity, and in that deep quiet and profundity, His bowels moved with love for His chosen. Their names were written on His heart, and then were they dear to His soul. Jesus loved His people before the foundation of the world—even from eternity! and when He called me by His grace, He said to me, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

Then, in the fulness of time, He purchased me with His blood; He let His heart run out in one deep gaping wound for me long ere I loved Him. Yea, when He first came to me, did I not spurn Him? When He knocked at the door, and asked for entrance, did I not drive Him away, and do despite to His grace? Ah, I can remember that I full often did so until, at last, by the power of His effectual grace, He said, "I must, I will come in;" and then He turned my heart, and made me love Him. But even till now I should have resisted Him, had it not been for His grace. Well, then since He purchased me when I was dead in sins, does it not follow, as a consequence necessary and logical, that He must have loved me first? Did my Saviour die for me because I believed on Him? No; I was not then in existence; I had then no being. Could the Saviour, therefore, have died because I had faith, when I myself was not yet born? Could that have been possible? Could that have been the origin of the Saviour's love towards me? Oh! no; my Saviour died for me long before I believed. "But," says someone, "He foresaw that you would have faith; and, therefore, He loved you." What did He foresee about my faith? Did He foresee that I should get that faith myself, and that I should believe on Him of myself? No; Christ could not foresee that, because no Christian man will ever say that faith came of itself without the gift and without the working of the Holy Spirit. I have met with a great many believers, and talked with them about this matter; but I never knew one who could put his hand on his heart, and say, "I believed in Jesus without the assistance of the Holy Spirit."

I am bound to the doctrine of the depravity of the human heart, because I find myself depraved in heart, and have daily proofs that in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing. If God enters into covenant with unfallen man, man is so insignificant a creature that it must be an act of gracious condescension on the Lord's part; but if God enters into covenant with sinful man, he is then so offensive a creature that it must be, on God's part, an act of pure, free, rich, sovereign grace. When the Lord entered into covenant with me, I am sure that it was all of grace, nothing else but grace. When I remember what a den of unclean beasts and birds my heart was, and how strong was my unrenewed will, how obstinate and rebellious against the sovereignty of the Divine rule, I always feel inclined to take the very lowest room in my Father's house, and when I enter Heaven, it will be to go among the less than the least of all saints, and with the chief of sinners.

The late lamented Mr. Denham has put, at the foot of his portrait, a most admirable text, "Salvation is of the Lord." That is just an epitome of Calvinism; it is the sum and substance of it. If anyone should ask me what I mean by a Calvinist, I should reply, "He is one who says, Salvation is of the Lord." I cannot find in Scripture any other doctrine than this. It is the essence of the Bible. "He only is my rock and my salvation." Tell me anything contrary to this truth, and it will be a heresy; tell me a heresy, and I shall find its essence here, that it has departed from this great, this fundamental, this rock-truth, "God is my rock and my salvation." What is the heresy of Rome, but the addition of something to the perfect merits of Jesus Christ—the bringing in of the works of the flesh, to assist in our justification? And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer? Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will discover itself here. I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor.

"If ever it should come to pass,
That sheep of Christ might fall away,
My fickle, feeble soul, alas!
Would fall a thousand times a day."

If one dear saint of God had perished, so might all; if one of the covenant ones be lost, so may all be; and then there is no gospel promise true, but the Bible is a lie, and there is nothing in it worth my acceptance. I will be an infidel at once when I can believe that a saint of God can ever fall finally. If God hath loved me once, then He will love me for ever. God has a master-mind; He arranged everything in His gigantic intellect long before He did it; and once having settled it, He never alters it, "This shall be done," saith He, and the iron hand of destiny marks it down, and it is brought to pass. "This is My purpose," and it stands, nor can earth or hell alter it. "This is My decree," saith He, "promulgate it, ye holy angels; rend it down from the gate of Heaven, ye devils, if ye can; but ye cannot alter the decree, it shall stand for ever." God altereth not His plans; why should He? He is Almighty, and therefore can perform His pleasure. Why should He? He is the All-wise, and therefore cannot have planned wrongly. Why should He? He is the everlasting God, and therefore cannot die before His plan is accomplished. Why should He change? Ye worthless atoms of earth, ephemera of a day, ye creeping insects upon this bay-leaf of existence, ye may change your plans, but He shall never, never change His. Has He told me that His plan is to save me? If so, I am for ever safe.

"My name from the palms of His hands
Eternity will not erase;
Impress'd on His heart it remains,
In marks of indelible grace."

I do not know how some people, who believe that a Christian can fall from grace, manage to be happy. It must be a very commendable thing in them to be able to get through a day without despair. If I did not believe the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints, I think I should be of all men the most miserable, because I should lack any ground of comfort. I could not say, whatever state of heart I came into, that I should be like a well-spring of water, whose stream fails not; I should rather have to take the comparison of an intermittent spring, that might stop on a sudden, or a reservoir, which I had no reason to expect would always be full. I believe that the happiest of Christians and the truest of Christians are those who never dare to doubt God, but who take His Word simply as it stands, and believe it, and ask no questions, just feeling assured that if God has said it, it will be so. I bear my willing testimony that I have no reason, nor even the shadow of a reason, to doubt my Lord, and I challenge Heaven, and earth, and hell, to bring any proof that God is untrue. From the depths of hell I call the fiends, and from this earth I call the tried and afflicted believers, and to Heaven I appeal, and challenge the long experience of the blood-washed host, and there is not to be found in the three realms a single person who can bear witness to one fact which can disprove the faithfulness of God, or weaken His claim to be trusted by His servants. There are many things that may or may not happen, but this I know shall happen—

"He shall present my soul,
Unblemish'd and complete,
Before the glory of His face,
With joys divinely great."

All the purposes of man have been defeated, but not the purposes of God. The promises of man may be broken—many of them are made to be broken—but the promises of God shall all be fulfilled. He is a promise-maker, but He never was a promise-breaker; He is a promise-keeping God, and every one of His people shall prove it to be so. This is my grateful, personal confidence, "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me"—unworthy me, lost and ruined me. He will yet save me; and—

"I, among the blood-wash'd throng,
Shall wave the palm, and wear the crown,
And shout loud victory."

I go to a land which the plough of earth hath never upturned, where it is greener than earth's best pastures, and richer than her most abundant harvests ever saw. I go to a building of more gorgeous architecture than man hath ever builded; it is not of mortal design; it is "a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens." All I shall know and enjoy in Heaven, will be given to me by the Lord, and I shall say, when at last I appear before Him—

"Grace all the work shall crown
Through everlasting days;
It lays in Heaven the topmost stone,
And well deserves the praise."

I know there are some who think it necessary to their system of theology to limit the merit of the blood of Jesus: if my theological system needed such a limitation, I would cast it to the winds. I cannot, I dare not allow the thought to find a lodging in my mind, it seems so near akin to blasphemy. In Christ's finished work I see an ocean of merit; my plummet finds no bottom, my eye discovers no shore. There must be sufficient efficacy in the blood of Christ, if God had so willed it, to have saved not only all in this world, but all in ten thousand worlds, had they transgressed their Maker's law. Once admit infinity into the matter, and limit is out of the question. Having a Divine Person for an offering, it is not consistent to conceive of limited value; bound and measure are terms inapplicable to the Divine sacrifice. The intent of the Divine purpose fixes the application of the infinite offering, but does not change it into a finite work. Think of the numbers upon whom God has bestowed His grace already. Think of the countless hosts in Heaven: if thou wert introduced there to-day, thou wouldst find it as easy to tell the stars, or the sands of the sea, as to count the multitudes that are before the throne even now. They have come from the East, and from the West, from the North, and from the South, and they are sitting down with Abraham, and with Isaac, and with Jacob in the Kingdom of God; and beside those in Heaven, think of the saved ones on earth. Blessed be God, His elect on earth are to be counted by millions, I believe, and the days are coming, brighter days than these, when there shall be multitudes upon multitudes brought to know the Saviour, and to rejoice in Him. The Father's love is not for a few only, but for an exceeding great company. "A great multitude, which no man could number," will be found in Heaven. A man can reckon up to very high figures; set to work your Newtons, your mightiest calculators, and they can count great numbers, but God and God alone can tell the multitude of His redeemed.

I believe there will be more in Heaven than in hell. If anyone asks me why I think so, I answer, because Christ, in everything, is to "have the pre-eminence," and I cannot conceive how He could have the pre-eminence if there are to be more in the dominions of Satan than in Paradise. Moreover, I have never read that there is to be in hell a great multitude, which no man could number. I rejoice to know that the souls of all infants, as soon as they die, speed their way to Paradise. Think what a multitude there is of them! Then there are already in Heaven unnumbered myriads of the spirits of just men made perfect—the redeemed of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues up till now; and there are better times coming, when the religion of Christ shall be universal; when—

"He shall reign from pole to pole,
With illimitable sway;"

when whole kingdoms shall bow down before Him, and nations shall be born in a day, and in the thousand years of the great millennial state there will be enough saved to make up all the deficiencies of the thousands of years that have gone before. Christ shall be Master everywhere, and His praise shall be sounded in every land. Christ shall have the pre-eminence at last; His train shall be far larger than that which shall attend the chariot of the grim monarch of hell.
Some persons love the doctrine of universal atonement because they say, "It is so beautiful. It is a lovely idea that Christ should have died for all men; it commends itself," they say, "to the instincts of humanity; there is something in it full of joy and beauty." I admit there is, but beauty may be often associated with falsehood. There is much which I might admire in the theory of universal redemption, but I will just show what the supposition necessarily involves.

If Christ on His cross intended to save every man, then He intended to save those who were lost before He died. If the doctrine be true, that He died for all men, then He died for some who were in hell before He came into this world, for doubtless there were even then myriads there who had been cast away because of their sins. Once again, if it was Christ's intention to save all men, how deplorably has He been disappointed, for we have His own testimony that there is a lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, and into that pit of woe have been cast some of the very persons who, according to the theory of universal redemption, were bought with His blood. That seems to me a conception a thousand times more repulsive than any of those consequences which are said to be associated with the Calvinistic and Christian doctrine of special and particular redemption. To think that my Saviour died for men who were or are in hell, seems a supposition too horrible for me to entertain. To imagine for a moment that He was the Substitute for all the sons of men, and that God, having first punished the Substitute, afterwards punished the sinners themselves, seems to conflict with all my ideas of Divine justice.

That Christ should offer an atonement and satisfaction for the sins of all men, and that afterwards some of those very men should be punished for the sins for which Christ had already atoned, appears to me to be the most monstrous iniquity that could ever have been imputed to Saturn, to Janus, to the goddess of the Thugs, or to the most diabolical heathen deities. God forbid that we should ever think thus of Jehovah, the just and wise and good!

There is no soul living who holds more firmly to the doctrines of grace than I do, and if any man asks me whether I am ashamed to be called a Calvinist, I answer—I wish to be called nothing but a Christian; but if you ask me, do I hold the doctrinal views which were held by John Calvin, I reply, I do in the main hold them, and rejoice to avow it. But far be it from me even to imagine that Zion contains none but Calvinistic Christians within her walls, or that there are none saved who do not hold our views. Most atrocious things have been spoken about the character and spiritual condition of John Wesley, the modern prince of Arminians. I can only say concerning him that, while I detest many of the doctrines which he preached, yet for the man himself I have a reverence second to no Wesleyan; and if there were wanted two apostles to be added to the number of the twelve, I do not believe that there could be found two men more fit to be so added than George Whitefield and John Wesley. The character of John Wesley stands beyond all imputation for self-sacrifice, zeal, holiness, and communion with God; he lived far above the ordinary level of common Christians, and was one "of whom the world was not worthy." I believe there are multitudes of men who cannot see these truths, or, at least, cannot see them in the way in which we put them, who nevertheless have received Christ as their Saviour, and are as dear to the heart of the God of grace as the soundest Calvinist in or out of Heaven.

I do not think I differ from any of my Hyper-Calvinistic brethren in what I do believe, but I differ from them in what they do not believe. I do not hold any less than they do, but I hold a little more, and, I think, a little more of the truth revealed in the Scriptures. Not only are there a few cardinal doctrines, by which we can steer our ship North, South, East, or West, but as we study the Word, we shall begin to learn something about the North-west and North-east, and all else that lies between the four cardinal points. The system of truth revealed in the Scriptures is not simply one straight line, but two; and no man will ever get a right view of the gospel until he knows how to look at the two lines at once. For instance, I read in one Book of the Bible, "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Yet I am taught, in another part of the same inspired Word, that "it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." I see, in one place, God in providence presiding over all, and yet I see, and I cannot help seeing, that man acts as he pleases, and that God has left his actions, in a great measure, to his own free-will. Now, if I were to declare that man was so free to act that there was no control of God over his actions, I should be driven very near to atheism; and if, on the other hand, I should declare that God so over-rules all things that man is not free enough to be responsible, I should be driven at once into Antinomianism or fatalism. That God predestines, and yet that man is responsible, are two facts that few can see clearly. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory to each other. If, then, I find taught in one part of the Bible that everything is fore-ordained, that is true; and if I find, in another Scripture, that man is responsible for all his actions, that is true; and it is only my folly that leads me to imagine that these two truths can ever contradict each other. I do not believe they can ever be welded into one upon any earthly anvil, but they certainly shall be one in eternity. They are two lines that are so nearly parallel, that the human mind which pursues them farthest will never discover that they converge, but they do converge, and they will meet somewhere in eternity, close to the throne of God, whence all truth doth spring.

It is often said that the doctrines we believe have a tendency to lead us to sin. I have heard it asserted most positively, that those high doctrines which we love, and which we find in the Scriptures, are licentious ones. I do not know who will have the hardihood to make that assertion, when they consider that the holiest of men have been believers in them. I ask the man who dares to say that Calvinism is a licentious religion, what he thinks of the character of Augustine, or Calvin, or Whitefield, who in successive ages were the great exponents of the system of grace; or what will he say of the Puritans, whose works are full of them? Had a man been an Arminian in those days, he would have been accounted the vilest heretic breathing, but now we are looked upon as the heretics, and they as the orthodox. We have gone back to the old school; we can trace our descent from the apostles. It is that vein of free-grace, running through the sermonizing of Baptists, which has saved us as a denomination. Were it not for that, we should not stand where we are today. We can run a golden line up to Jesus Christ Himself, through a holy succession of mighty fathers, who all held these glorious truths; and we can ask concerning them, "Where will you find holier and better men in the world?" No doctrine is so calculated to preserve a man from sin as the doctrine of the grace of God. Those who have called it "a licentious doctrine" did not know anything at all about it. Poor ignorant things, they little knew that their own vile stuff was the most licentious doctrine under Heaven. If they knew the grace of God in truth, they would soon see that there was no preservative from lying like a knowledge that we are elect of God from the foundation of the world. There is nothing like a belief in my eternal perseverance, and the immutability of my Father's affection, which can keep me near to Him from a motive of simple gratitude. Nothing makes a man so virtuous as belief of the truth. A lying doctrine will soon beget a lying practice. A man cannot have an erroneous belief without by-and-by having an erroneous life. I believe the one thing naturally begets the other. Of all men, those have the most disinterested piety, the sublimest reverence, the most ardent devotion, who believe that they are saved by grace, without works, through faith, and that not of themselves, it is the gift of God. Christians should take heed, and see that it always is so, lest by any means Christ should be crucified afresh, and put to an open shame.

2006-05-11T01:19:00.000-05:00

Something About Mary....

I was speaking with my associate pastor the other day, and we were discussing the Catholic belief in praying to the saints, or to Mary.. My Pastor, ever playing the Devil's advocate in such discussions, brought up some points as to why Catholics feel it is ok to pray to Mary. I responded, and he said I should write something about it. Sooo.....here it is!

Why You Should NEVER Pray To Mary

Firstly, we never see this in Scripture.

Objection: We can't argue from silence!

Answer: True, but we can use it as evidence.

Praying to Mary is a form of worship

Objection: How is prayer worship? We are merely asking her for help!

Answer: Prayer was never intended to be for God's own sake, but rather for ours. When we pray, it is for our benefit, so that we can communicate with our God. Thus, prayer is indeed a form of worship, and by ascribing it to Mary, you are worshipping a false god.

Praying to Mary assumes that she is powerful enough to grant said requests

Objection: Well, she IS the mother of Jesus!

Answer: And as such, she is blessed of God. Does this mean she is any more inherently special than, say, Ruth, perhaps? No. God could have chosen any woman from among the daughters of Israel to be holy and to bring Jesus into the world. Thus, Mary has no intrinsic glory or power.

Praying to Mary is trying to manipulate God

By praying to Mary on the assumption that Jesus will definitely listen to His mom, you are not only making a false assumption, but you are trying to sneak a guarantee that your prayer will be heard. What is so idiotic about that is that God alone can hear ALL prayers. So by praying to Mary, who cannot hear prayers, you are trying to accomplish that which already is accomplished.

Praying to Mary knocks Jesus out of the "mediator" position

Objection: Well, Jesus IS too holy to hear our sinful prayers.

If that be the case, what would the point of the cross be? Jesus died in part for that very thing; namely that sinners could come before a holy God. Do not mock His sacrifice by saying there is more to be done before we can approach Him.

Praying to Mary leads to very false ideas

I have heard it said that some women pray to Mary because Mary is a woman, and would understand them better than God. They feel more comfortable praying to Mary. This is out and out blasphemy! They blaspheme the name of God for the sake of their comfort! And this leads also to my next reason:

Praying to Mary betrays ignorance of God

If one prays to Mary, who is dead, then that person already has some serious theological problems.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: When you pray to Mary and it happens to come true....MARY gets the glory, and not GOD, to whom all glory belongs!

Think about it...if you lose your sunglasses on the beach, and you pray to Saint WhateverHisNameIs to help you find them, and then you do....who do you thank? To whom do you give a modicum of praise? Therefore, who gets the glory? THIS is the final, but most important, nail in the coffin.

2006-03-09T13:07:00.000-05:00

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

by John Edwards

In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God's visible people, and who lived under the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God's wonderful works towards them, remained (as ver. 28.) void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit; as in the two verses next preceding the text. The expression I have chosen for my text, Their foot shall slide in due time, seems to imply the following doings, relating to the punishment and destruction to which these wicked Israelites were exposed.

1. That they were always exposed to destruction; as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall. This is implied in the manner of their destruction coming upon them, being represented by their foot sliding. The same is expressed, Psalm 73:18. "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction."

2. It implies, that they were always exposed to sudden unexpected destruction. As he that walks in slippery places is every moment liable to fall, he cannot foresee one moment whether he shall stand or fall the next; and when he does fall, he falls at once without warning: Which is also expressed in Psalm 73:18, 19. "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction: How are they brought into desolation as in a moment!"

3. Another thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down.

4. That the reason why they are not fallen already, and do not fall now, is only that God's appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or appointed time comes, their foot shall slide. Then they shall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own weight. God will not hold them up in these slippery places any longer, but will let them go; and then at that very instant, they shall fall into destruction; as he that stands on such slippery declining ground, on the edge of a pit, he cannot stand alone, when he is let go he immediately falls and is lost.

The observation from the words that I would now insist upon is this. "There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God." By the mere pleasure of God, I mean his sovereign pleasure, his arbitrary will, restrained by no obligation, hindered by no manner of difficulty, any more than if nothing else but God's mere will had in the least degree, or in any respect whatsoever, any hand in the preservation of wicked men one moment.
The truth of this observation may appear by the following considerations.

1. There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men's hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands.-He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defense from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by: thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?

2. They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God's using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, "Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?" Luke xiii. 7. The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God's mere will, that holds it back.

3. They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John iii. 18. "He that believeth not is condemned already." So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John viii. 23. "Ye are from beneath." And thither be is bound; it is the place that justice, and God's word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him.

4. They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell.
So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.

5. The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion. The scripture represents them as his goods, Luke 11:12. The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back. If God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should permit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost.

6. There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning, that would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire, if it were not for God's restraints. There is laid in the very nature of carnal men, a foundation for the torments of hell. There are those corrupt principles, in reigning power in them, and in full possession of them, that are seeds of hell fire. These principles are active and powerful, exceeding violent in their nature, and if it were not for the restraining hand of God upon them, they would soon break out, they would flame out after the same manner as the same corruptions, the same enmity does in the hearts of damned souls, and would beget the same torments as they do in them. The souls of the wicked are in scripture compared to the troubled sea, Isa. 57:20. For the present, God restrains their wickedness by his mighty power, as he does the raging waves of the troubled sea, saying, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;" but if God should withdraw that restraining power, it would soon carry all before it. Sin is the ruin and misery of the soul; it is destructive in its nature; and if God should leave it without restraint, there would need nothing else to make the soul perfectly miserable. The corruption of the heart of man is immoderate and boundless in its fury; and while wicked men live here, it is like fire pent up by God's restraints, whereas if it were let loose, it would set on fire the course of nature; and as the heart is now a sink of sin, so if sin was not restrained, it would immediately turn the soul into a fiery oven, or a furnace of fire and brimstone.

7. It is no security to wicked men for one moment, that there are no visible means of death at hand. It is no security to a natural man, that he is now in health, and that he does not see which way he should now immediately go out of the world by any accident, and that there is no visible danger in any respect in his circumstances. The manifold and continual experience of the world in all ages, shows this is no evidence, that a man is not on the very brink of eternity, and that the next step will not be into another world. The unseen, unthought-of ways and means of persons going suddenly out of the world are innumerable and inconceivable. Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are innumerable places in this covering so weak that they will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen. The arrows of death fly unseen at noon-day; the sharpest sight cannot discern them. God has so many different unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending them to hell, that there is nothing to make it appear, that God had need to be at the expense of a miracle, or go out of the ordinary course of his providence, to destroy any wicked man, at any moment. All the means that there are of sinners going out of the world, are so in God's hands, and so universally and absolutely subject to his power and determination, that it does not depend at all the less on the mere will of God, whether sinners shall at any moment go to hell, than if means were never made use of, or at all concerned in the case.

8. Natural men's prudence and care to preserve their own lives, or the care of others to preserve them, do not secure them a moment. To this, divine providence and universal experience do also bear testimony. There is this clear evidence that men's own wisdom is no security to them from death; that if it were otherwise we should see some difference between the wise and politic men of the world, and others, with regard to their liableness to early and unexpected death: but how is it in fact? Eccles. ii. 16. "How dieth the wise man? even as the fool."

9. All wicked men's pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail.

But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell ever to be the subjects of that misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, "No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself: I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief: Death outwitted me: God's wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then suddenly destruction came upon me.

10. God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are given in Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen. But surely they have no interest in the promises of the covenant of grace who are not the children of the covenant, who do not believe in any of the promises, and have no interest in the Mediator of the covenant.

So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men's earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction.

So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out: and they have no interest in any Mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of, all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.

APPLICATION

The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ.-That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of, there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.

You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but do not see the hand of God in it; but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his band, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it.

Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God's enemies. God's creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and do not willingly subserve to any other purpose, and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of him who hath subjected it in hope. There are black clouds of God's wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God, it would immediately burst forth upon you. The sovereign pleasure of God, for the present, stays his rough wind; otherwise it would come with fury, and your destruction would come like a whirlwind, and you would be like the chaff of the summer threshing floor.

The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God's vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw his hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea, ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it.

The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, are in the hands of an angry God. However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction. However unconvinced you may now be of the truth of what you hear, by and by you will be fully convinced of it. Those that are gone from being in the like circumstances with you, see that it was so with them; for destruction came suddenly upon most of them; when they expected nothing of it, and while they were saying, Peace and safety: now they see, that those things on which they depended for peace and safety, were nothing but thin air and empty shadows.

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God's hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell.

O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment. And consider here more particularly

1. Whose wrath it is: it is the wrath of the infinite God. If it were only the wrath of man, though it were of the most potent prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, who have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their mere will. Prov. 20:2. "The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul." The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments that human art can invent, or human power can inflict. But the greatest earthly potentates in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. It is but little that they can do, when most enraged, and when they have exerted the utmost of their fury. All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing: both their love and their hatred is to be despised. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as his majesty is greater. Luke 12:4, 5. "And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him."

2. It is the fierceness of his wrath that you are exposed to. We often read of the fury of God; as in Isaiah lix. 18. "According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries." So Isaiah 66:15. "For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire." And in many other places. So, Rev. 19:15, we read of "the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." The words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been said, "the wrath of God," the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is "the fierceness and wrath of God." The fury of God! the fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful must that be! Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them! But it is also "the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." As though there would be a very great manifestation of his almighty power in what the fierceness of his wrath should inflict, as though omnipotence should be as it were enraged, and exerted, as men are wont to exert their strength in the fierceness of their wrath. Oh! then, what will be the consequence! What will become of the poor worms that shall suffer it! Whose hands can be strong? And whose heart can endure? To what a dreadful, inexpressible, inconceivable depth of misery must the poor creature be sunk who shall be the subject of this!

Consider this, you that are here present, that yet remain in an unregenerate state. That God will execute the fierceness of his anger, implies, that he will inflict wrath without any pity. When God beholds the ineffable extremity of your case, and sees your torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your strength, and sees how your poor soul is crushed, and sinks down, as it were, into an infinite gloom; he will have no compassion upon you, he will not forbear the executions of his wrath, or in the least lighten his hand; there shall be no moderation or mercy, nor will God then at all stay his rough wind; he will have no regard to your welfare, nor be at all careful lest you should suffer too much in any other sense, than only that you shall not suffer beyond what strict justice requires. Nothing shall be withheld, because it is so hard for you to bear. Ezek. viii. 18. "Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them." Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy. But when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous cries and shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God, as to any regard to your welfare. God will have no other use to put you to, but to suffer misery; you shall be continued in being to no other end; for you will be a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction; and there will be no other use of this vessel, but to be filled full of wrath. God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to him, that it is said he will only "laugh and mock," Prov. 1:25, 26, &c.

How awful are those words, Isa. 63:3, which are the words of the great God. "I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment." It is perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, vis. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favour, that instead of that, he will only tread you under foot. And though he will know that you cannot bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he will not regard that, but he will crush you under his feet without mercy; he will crush out your blood, and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you, in the utmost contempt: no place shall be thought fit for you, but under his feet to be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

The misery you are exposed to is that which God will inflict to that end, that he might show what that wrath of Jehovah is. God hath had it on his heart to show to angels and men, both how excellent his love is, and also how terrible his wrath is. Sometimes earthly kings have a mind to show how terrible their wrath is, by the extreme punishments they would execute on those that would provoke them. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty monarch of the Chaldean empire, was willing to show his wrath when enraged with Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego; and accordingly gave orders that the burning fiery furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was before; doubtless, it was raised to the utmost degree of fierceness that human art could raise it. But the great God is also willing to show his wrath, and magnify his awful majesty and mighty power in the extreme sufferings of his enemies. Rom. 9:22. "What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endure with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?" And seeing this is his design, and what he has determined, even to show how terrible the unrestrained wrath, the fury and fierceness of Jehovah is, he will do it to effect. There will be something accomplished and brought to pass that will be dreadful with a witness. When the great and angry God hath risen up and executed his awful vengeance on the poor sinner, and the wretch is actually suffering the infinite weight and power of his indignation, then will God call upon the whole universe to behold that awful majesty and mighty power that is to be seen in it. Isa. 33:12-14. "And the people shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites," &c.

Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted state, if you continue in it; the infinite might, and majesty, and terribleness of the omnipotent God shall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable strength of your torments. You shall be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and when you shall be in this state of suffering, the glorious inhabitants of heaven shall go forth and look on the awful spectacle, that they may see what the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty is; and when they have seen it, they will fall down and adore that great power and majesty. Isa. lxvi. 23, 24. "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
4. It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For "who knows the power of God's anger?"

How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell? And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, even before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit here, in some seats of this meeting-house, in health, quiet and secure, should be there before to-morrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest will be there in a little time! your damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned hopeless souls give for one day's opportunity such as you now enjoy!

And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition? Are not your souls as precious as the souls of the people at Suffield*, where they are flocking from day to day to Christ?

Are there not many here who have lived long in the world, and are not to this day born again? and so are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and have done nothing ever since they have lived, but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath? Oh, sirs, your case, in an especial manner, is extremely dangerous. Your guilt and hardness of heart is extremely great. Do you not see how generally persons of your years are passed over and left, in the present remarkable and wonderful dispensation of God's mercy? You had need to consider yourselves, and awake thoroughly out of sleep. You cannot bear the fierceness and wrath of the infinite God.-And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy, when so many others of your age are renouncing all youthful vanities, and flocking to Christ? You especially have now an extraordinary opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as with those persons who spent all the precious days of youth in sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness. And you, children, who are unconverted, do not you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God, who is now angry with you every day and every night? Will you be content to be the children of the devil, when so many other children in the land are converted, and are become the holy and happy children of the King of kings?

And let every one that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now harken to the loud calls of God's word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favours to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men's hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls; and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the greater part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on the great out-pouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles' days; the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God's Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire.

Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation: Let every one fly out of Sodom: "Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed."

2006-03-07T19:17:00.000-05:00

An Observational Study of Romans: Chapter 1, Verse 3

1. "concerning His Son..." This should be, for any Christian, an amazing and profound verse! God has a Son! And what's more, this Son is eternally the Son. One way one could argue the deity and eternality of the Son is to ask "Was the Father always the Father?" If the answer be yes, then one would be forced to ask "How? How can God eternally be Father without eternally having a Son?" This same Son of God is the topic and the subject of this gospel, which God had promised beforehand. The questions following this should be something along the lines of "What has this Son to do with this gospel, that it should be about Him?" and "Who is this Son, and what is He like?" In other writings, we find that Jesus Christ, this person to whom Paul is a bond-servant, is that same Son of God, eternal, uncreated, Almighty, begotten and not made.

2. "who was born...according to the flesh" It is of extremely great significance to point out that Jesus in the flesh was born here on earth, and not His eternal deity or Sonship. This is of huge importance, because so many in church history have blasphemed the nature of Christ by saying that He was created or born in His divinity, which is absolutely mistaken. His humanity was here on earth, was born to a woman. His divinity always was. How this meshing of two natures came to be is a mystery that may never be figured out, but that does not make it untrue.

3. "born of a descendant of David..." This is, once again, of great theological importance. Why is it so important that Jesus be born to a descendent of David? Why did Jesus have to come from the line of David? There are several good reasons, but it is mainly prudent to look at the more predominant two.

Jesus was pictured in prophecy over and over as a King. In Revelation He is the King of Kings. In Isaiah He is the Prince of Peace, as well as having the government rest on His shoulders. To be a king, He would have to come from the line of kings, namely, David's line. This would establish His legal right to rule.
Secondly, Jesus' belonging to the line of David puts Him in the line of the Davidic promises. Some of these promises and prophecies are:

Isaiah 9:6
Isaiah 11:1-5
Isaiah 11:10
Isaiah 16:5
Jeremiah 23:5-6

All in all, this verse is talking about the gospel being about the Son of God, who was born to the Davidic line according to the flesh.

2006-03-06T02:02:00.000-05:00

An Observational Study of Romans: Chapter 1, Verse 2

1. "which He promised..." God promised people His gospel. The gospel of God is not a last minute fix to a problem just sprung up. It is a promised and prophecied message. We see this over and over again in Genesis, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Exodus, and in every book in which there is prophecy. It could ver well be said that all prophecy is pointing to the gospel!

2. "...promised beforehand..." One might be inclined to wonder what beforehand means. What it seems to indicate is that this gospel was prepared before the foundations of the world were even laid. The Fall, and thus the need for the gospel, was no surprise or accident to God.

3. "...through..." God used a channel through which He promised this gospel. God didn't just make a promise quietly; He declared it somehow through a channel of sorts!

4. "...His prophets..." These prophets through which God made the promises were totally sold out to God. What is a prophet? A prophet, unlike the people of today, was a man of God which is used of God to both forthtell God's message to the nation of Israel and to foretell the prophecy of the Messiah's coming. The modern day "prophets" who babble in tongues and make specific "prophecies" for specific individuals are nothing but charlatans and fortune tellers! Prophets did not babble on, but spoke clearly and powerfully. Prophets did not act as personal fortune tellers, but spoke to and about nations. Prophets did not merely foretell, but always had a call for repentence!

5. "...holy..." This word is charged with theological significance. The word holy means set apart; unique. Holy also tends to carry a connotation of righteousness and blamelessness. This word is used over and over to describe God. In Isaiah 6 the angels sing "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty." God is supremely holy in that He is compltely different in essence and nature from any other thing. Not only this, but God calls His people to be similarly holy.

6. "...holy Scriptures..." The Scriptures are completely unique and set apart from any other writing. No other piece of literature in all of history is as life-changing, as fluid, as composed as our Scriptures are. If one is to study the history of the books of the Bible, it should be impossible to not develop an awe for these monumental works! 66 books from around 40 authors from different backgrounds covering around 3000 years of history, and yet there is amazing continuity and agreement within its pages. And that is why these are called holy! What this verse is now saying is that God promised this gospel through His prophets in writing. God promised in writing to send a gospel of good news to people!

2006-03-03T22:09:00.000-05:00

An Observational Study of Romans: Chapter 1, Verse 1

1. "Paul, ..." First of all, see that he calls himself Paul instead of Saul. This is a marked change from what he once was. Once a murderer, a Pharisee, a persecutor of God's true church, he is now writing a document that has changed the world! Sixteen chapters jam-packed with theological significance comes from the pen of a wicked, rebellious sinner who was so totally changed by the grace of God that he couldn't help writing!

2. "...a bond-servant..." Right off the bat, Paul introduces himself as a slave to Christ. This willingness to humble himself is a remarkable differenece from what he once was. What can also certainly be said about Paul is that he realized he was not his own. What seems to be obvious in this verse is that he was a bond-servant to someone. What isn't so obvious, at this point, is to whom Paul belonged! What can be seen from this verse is that Paul is not the only character in this verse. Paul is not even the main character!

3. "...bond-servant of Christ Jesus..." In the secular mind, this is absolutely insane! In the mind of a great number of people, Jesus is dead! Dead men don't own anyone! Obviously, something happened to Paul to make him to believe not only that Jesus is alive, but that He is the master of Paul. Whatever could convince a man of great learning such as Paul should capture the attention.

4. "...called..." Once again we see that someone else , namely Jesus, is lurking behind these verses. This time, however, Paul is talking about his calling. The main questions one should be asking about this phrase are:

When was Paul called?
To what was Paul called?
In what way was he called?

5. "...called as an apostle..." In this phrase, Paul explains to what he was called, which answers the second question. However, what is the job of an apostle? What are the qualifications an apostle must have? And, once again, why Paul? Why would God choose such a man as Paul?

6. "...set apart..." This seems to, in part, be an explanation of the previous statement, "called as an apostle." Paul seems to have been set apart by God to do something, probably for his apostleship. Once again, one has to ask when and how Paul was set apart, as well as what he was set apart from.

7. "...set apart for the gospel..." What is this gospel for which Paul is set apart? In what way does this gospel relate to his apostleship? It would seem to be that Paul's life has been set apart as an apostle to live for this gospel. Gospel means "good news." What is this good news, that it is so important that it takes over this man's whole life? Such a gospel must be infinitely precious to this man.

8. "...gospel of God..." This means good news of God, literally. What an amazing phrase! Most people say this means that the gospel is from God or about God. While these things are most certainly true, this phrase also seems to say that the good news is God! How powerful! God is the gospel! But who is this God? Why is He good news in Himself? What does He have for people that to speak of it is called "gospel?" God is the most important word in this whole verse. What is said about Him either makes this gospel foolishness or the most marvelous news that could ever be relayed.

2006-03-02T08:51:00.000-05:00

The Sovereignty of God in Conversion

"...but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and t oGentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." 1 Corinthians 1:23

This is something that has been on my heart today. Lately I have been talking with quite a few people about the conversion and the so called "free will of man" to choose for or against Christ. Over and over and over again I hear the age old arguments that man has free will to decide for himself whether or not Christ is what he desires. I have to say, at the end of all the discussions and debating, that it just isn't true. I don't think people understand what the conversion event really is, and this has solidified many who think it is of man and not of God.

The first thing we must understand is that the conversion has been promised of God. God promised over and over again in Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah (and really in all the prophets) as God taking out the stone hearts of men and putting in them the fleshy hearts God wants them to have. Jeremiah 32:40 says it like this:

"I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me."

You see what is happening here in the new covenant? It is God who puts the fear and love of Him in our hearts. It is God who promises that we will not turn away. It is God who is underneath and above and through the whole thing! How dare we try to take it from His hands and place it into our own, extremely incapable hands!

The second thing we fail to notice if we embrace the "free will" idea is that we are totally blind to God. 2 Corinthians excellently points out:

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

If we cannot see that light, we are not going to choose it, and both Satan and our own unbelief has blinded us doubly to the light of the gospel. We cannot choose the gospel because we cannot see the gospel! So, what happens then? How do we get saved? How do we choose Christ? 2 Corinthians has the answer just a few verses after the above one:

"For God, who said 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

I want you all to realize that when God speaks something, He doesn't just command it. When God commands, His words create that which He commands. When Jesus wanted Lazarus to come out, there was an absence of life in Lazarus. But when Jesus called "Lazarus, come forth!" His words created life in the corpse, and Lazarus couldn't help but come out! Some have semi-jokingly said that Jesus had to be specific and say "Lazarus, come forth" because if He would have just said "Come forth!" then every body in all the world would have come forth from the grave! The word of God has THAT kind of power! When God wanted to create light into the universe, all He said was "Let there be light!" and from nothing, His simple words created that light!

It is the same way with faith. God says into our darkened, blinded hearts, "BE LIGHT!" and there is! There is light, and we see it, and believe! God says "Charlie, BELIEVE!" and I cannot help, after viewing His awesome glory through that light, but believe and fall to my knees crying "Yes, Lord!" THAT is the gospel! THAT is God! THAT is "irresistable grace!" Let us rest in that unspeakably great truth today!

2006-02-28T20:55:00.000-05:00

Hey guys...I don't have a devo today..but I do have a prayer request. If you could lift up a friend, Leah, who I once discipled.. She recently told me she wasn't "feeling" Christianity anymore... She wanted to walk her own path.. Please lift her up!

2006-02-27T11:27:00.000-05:00

The Invincible Word of God

"Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away" Matthew 24:35

I think one of the major stumbling blocks to today's Christians is that they do not have a true, abiding, appreciation and love of the Word of God. As such, we have a deficient knowledge of that pure Word. And without a knowledge of that word, a pure walk is impossible. It is absolutely impossible to walk the Christian life without a thorough affection and understanding for God's Word.

It is with that in mind that I'd like to do a little segment on some of the qualities of the Word. It is my prayer and my hope that somebody who needs to read this will indeed read it, and perhaps glean something from the ramblings of a beggar.

The first, and one of the coolest things, about the Word is that it's invincible. God has promised over and over in it that His word will last FOREVER. It's gonna stick around for a while! The Bible you hold in your hands and read is the same Bible that has been around for literally thousands of years! How amazing is that?!

And not only this, but the Bible has been the target of thousands of attacks from those who would bury Christianity. Century after century, God's enemies line up their guns and fire upon His word. Century after century, God's word emerges victorious, and its enemies lie in the dust. I believe it was Voltaire who said that within one hundred years of his death, Christianity would be dead (and the Bible along with it, is the logical assumption.) What I find incredibly humorous is that within a hundred years of Voltaire's death, a Christian organization had bought his house and was printing Bibles within it!

The fact of the matter is, thousands of people have claimed over the years to have buried the Bible and the faith it proclaims, and yet the invincible Word of the Lord rises up to bury its pallbearers.

2006-02-18T17:02:00.000-05:00

"You Preach the Gospel, Boy."

I thought I'd post a story I heard in chapel a few days ago. This is (obviously) a true story, and it is a great one. Enjoy!

Recently a student who graduated not too long ago came back to speak in chapel for us. He was, I believe, a missions major who had a heart for South America. After he graduated, he spent some time in South America and now is set to pastor a church, so please pray for him.

Anyway, he told this story about his uncle who was something of a multimillionare. This uncle of his had gone to church most of the student's life, but it was doubtful as to whether or not he was a believer. He had been in the military, and had led a very successful life in the eyes of the world. However, not too long ago he was diagnosed with cancer and became very ill. Just before he died, this fellow student came to his hospital room, and was greeted by his uncle smiling and saying "I just knew you would come. I knew you would come. I have something to tell you."

You see, the very night before, while his wife was out getting some coffee, a nurse walked in to find this man on his face on the floor, crying and sobbing and just pouring his heart out. When the nurse rushed to get him, he begged her to get away from him. He was inconsolable until his wife walked in, when he cried out to her, saying "Praise His name! Praise His name! He is worthy! He is worthy! Praise His name! Sing! Do something! He is holy!" and he just kept saying that over and over. While they had gone to church for quite a while, they didn't know many songs, but they knew Amazing Grace. And so that was what they sang.

When the student arrived, the uncle pulled him close, and said "I have something to tell you. I know I'm dying. I want to say that I have everything I ever thought I wanted. I have a house up in North Carolina, I have a house here by the beach, I have one down in Miami...Houses, cars, etc... But I want to tell you I've wasted my entire life! You preach that gospel, boy! You preach that gospel! There are so many out there who need to know that He is worthy! There are so many who are wasting their lives, not knowing that He is holy! Preach the gospel!"

What a powerful testimony, and what great encouragement! I urge you, brethren to do the same! Preach the gospel, no matter what area of life you are in! If you are a janitor, then preach the gospel! If you are a minister, then preach the gospel! If you work in a fast food place or a deli, then preach the gospel!

2006-02-17T13:21:00.000-05:00

A New Manasseh

"He made his son pass through the fire, practices witchcraft and used divination. and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking Him to anger." 2 Kings 21:6

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? This king was the most evil in the entire history of Israel. He did rather unspeakable things in his day, and was wholly committed to doing evil. It's funny, but he preceeded the greatest king in Israel's history. As the verse says, he was committed to witchcraft, spiritism, and infant sacrifice.

It does seem to sound like something rather familiar, doesn't it? As I watch the news and hear the political debates going on in our nation in current times, I cannot help but draw a parallel between Manasseh and today. More and more, people are turning to New Age spirituality, spiritism, and Witchcraft (under the modern name, Wicca). This is a dangerous step to take, brethren. When a nation sells itself to do evil in the sight of God, the timer begins ticking! Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those doomsayers who stand on street corners and prophecy the end. What I am, however, is a guy who looks at the history of Israel and our own history, and sees a connection.

We have even, in today's society, crossed the line and done that which a serious abomination in the Lord's eyes; that of human sacrifice. Don't believe me? What do you think abortion is all about. No, I don't mean that everyone who has an abortion is sacrificing the baby to Baal or Chemosh. The gods of America are far more subtle than that. Our god is convenience, our religion expedience, our sacrifice is the generation to come.

2006-02-14T16:24:00.000-05:00

Truth About Love

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth" 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Ahh, Valentine's Day. The day when the sales of roses and chocolate go up exponentially, and this verse is quoted off the cuff. What a wonderful holiday. And, in reality, it is a great holiday when taken in context.

I think the reason it is so commercialized, much like any other holiday, is that most people do not understand the truth about love. I took a small sampling of people and quizzed them about a few questions about their experiences with love, their ideas of love, and the core of love.

The answers I got back surprised me, to say the least! For one thing, I found out that some young people today have had as many as 20 relationships before turning 18! It shows me the nerve that runs through this issue of love. People are turning younger and younger to try and find completion in the arms and companionship of someone else.

I also found via this little survey that people have all sorts of ideas as to what love is like. I've heard it described like glass; beautiful but fragile. Love is like Christmas morning, another person said. Love is an empire to some, and to a couple of people, love is pain. Some of these responses were very poetic and artistic, but some betrayed the very idea I'd like to point out.

It seems to me that too much of the world and its sensationalism has gotten into the true idea of love. Love, to most people, is a ride of emotions, some high, some low, but altogether, it's that warm, squishy feeling you get inside. What is not understood is that there are four "types" of love, and that these four are, at their core, the same thing.

All loves share the above qualities listed in the passage. All of them are rooted first in God, and have their cause in God. All of them are willfull choices we make, which are then accompanied by emotion. I think this is the big idea that trips people up. Most people in the world believe truly that love is fueled by emotions, but in actuality, if one is to take an automotive analogy, emotions are the vehicle in which love drives. Love is actually the fuel that drives the emotions, and not the other way around!

We see this in these attributes. Patient, kind, humble, forgiving. All of these qualities are qualities that you choose to be! They require will and effort and drive, and none of those things come from emotionalism. Now, I'm not saying that emotions play no part, by no means! Emotions are very important, but they are not at the essence of what love is.

Think about it. All loves are really at their core, the same. The love of God is the same as the love of family which is the same as romantic love which is the same of brotherly love. They all share the same characteristics, they all have the same root causes, and they all have the same goal: to glorify God.

In light of this fact, most analogies crumble to dust. If love is beautiful and fragile like glass, it is also shallow and one dimensional. Can we say the same of God's love for us? No! If love is an empire, then it doesn't last forever and is subject to corruption. Can we say the same of God's love for us? No! You see, we have to hold these analogies up to the light of the only pure example, and that is God and His love. If they do not hold up, then they are false.

Another amazing fact about God and love is this, and I'll close with this thought. The Bible calls God our Father. Jesus calls us His friends. Jesus is called our Bridegroom. And the Sovereign Lord says Himself that He loves us with rejoicing and singing. It is only God, and in God, that we find all four loves coalescing in One, Eternal Person.

2006-02-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

The Power of I AM!

"So when He said to them, 'I am,' they drew back and fell to the ground." John 18:6

I love this verse! What we see in here is that the soldiers have come to arrest Jesus, with Judas in the lead. What's fascinating is that Judas is leading a Roman cohort. When one looks up this verse, one finds that this word could denote as much as 600 soldiers! Can you imagine? How much of a threat the world finds Jesus! And how pitiful their attempts are!

This is just too amazing when you look at the verse. When Jesus says "I AM," the soldiers drop to the ground. Here are some definitions of the Greek word for fall:

to be prostrated, fall prostrate
of those overcome by terror or astonishment or grief
to prostrate one's self
used of suppliants and persons rendering homage or worship to one.

Wow! When Jesus reveals who He is by simple words, 600 soldiers drop to their faces either in terror or in worship! What majesty our God has! Some have said, to explain it away, that one soldier tripped over a rock, and hit another, who hit another, in domino fashion! Apparently, the world still finds Jesus as much a threat as it did then, to make such a ludicrous claim. These soldiers were not idiots, they were trained, military men.

I pray that you would consider this verse, and consider the great power and majesty of our Jesus. Let it draw you into adoration today!

2006-02-11T21:24:00.000-05:00

Enslaved to Freedom

"Professing to be wise, they became fools." Romans 1:22

I was in Wal-Mart the other day, perusing the music section. One activity I would suggest to anyone for a lesson in both psychology and sociology is to walk around Wal-Mart and just watch people. My youth pastor once said that Wal-Mart is a microcosm for all that is wrong with society, and sometimes I tend to agree with his estimate.

Anyway, as I was walking around the music section, I spotted what I believe was called "The Emancipation of Mariah Carey." Now what I found so amusing about the title of the CD was that on the cover of this CD Mariah was very scantily clad, in something of an erotic pose. She is acclaiming her freedom while enslaving herself to scoiety's image of desirable! What a contradiction!

It got me thinking, however, and it seems to be that this is much like our society. America today lives out Romans 1:22. We proclaim our intelligence and education, we celebrate our freedom from absolutes, and altogether have become slaves to sin and darkness. We have, in the words of Malcolm Muggeridge, "educated ourselves into imbecility."

It is not enough for the Christian today to merely see this and point it out. What must we, as believers, do to stymie the flow of relativism and secularization that we see overwhelming this land? We must first recognize that this is not a surprise to our Creator, nor is it out of His hands. Our Sovereign is in control of all things, even societal trends.

Secondly, it is imperative for us to cry out to God, that He would bring His revival. God alone grants repentance, and God alone renews the heart.

Lastly, we must preach the value and meaning of Christ. I have become convinced that is no longer enough to preach to people that God loves them. They already believe that some god or another loves them. What they need to hear is that the Biblical God of the universe has ultimate value! They need to hear that He alone brings meaning! If all we have as a view of God is love, we have missed out on meaning, because love alone brings no meaning. Ravi Zacharias has said that, in the stages of our lives, we use four things to define meaning: Wonder from our childhood, truth in adolescence, love in middle years, and security in latter years. It is God alone who takes all those things, fulfills them and charges them with value, and brings something worthwhile to this life: Himself!

2006-02-10T15:31:00.000-05:00

The Hound of Heaven

I'd like to post up here a beautiful poem that you might get quite a bit out of. It is by Francis Thompson. Enjoy!

I fled Him down the nights and down the days
I fled Him down the arches of the years
I fled Him down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind, and in the midst of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.
Up vistaed hopes I sped;
And shot precipitated
Adown tiatanic glooms of chasmed hears
From those strong feet that followed, followed after
But with unhurrying chase
And unperturbed pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
They beat, and a Voice beat,
More instant than the feet:
"All things betray thee who betrayest me."
I pleaded, outlaw-wise,
By many a hearted casement, curtained red,
Trellised with inter-twining charities,
(For though I knew His love who followed,
Yes was I sore adread,
Lest having Him, I should have nought beside);
But if one little casement parted wide,
The gust of His approach would clash it to
Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue.
Across the margent of the world I fled,
And troubled the gold gateways of the stars,
Smiting for shelter on their clanged bards,
Fretted to dulcet jars
And silvern chatter the pale ports o' the moon.
I said to Dawn: be sudden, to Eve: be soon,
With they young skyey blossoms heap me over
From this tremendous Lover!
Float they vague veil about me lest He see!
I tempted all His servitors but to find
My own betrayal in their constancy,
In faith to Him their fickleness to me,
Their traitorous trueness and their loyal deceit,
To all swift things for swiftness did I sue,
Clung to the whistling mane of every wind,
But whether they swept, smoothly fleet,
The long savannahs of the blue,
Or whether, Thunder-driven,
They clanged His chariot thwart a heaven,
Plashy with flying lightnings round the spurn o' their feet --
Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue
Still with unhurrying chase
And unpertubed pace
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
Came on the following feet,
And a Voice above their beat --
"Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me."
I shought no more that after which I strayed
In the face of man or maid.
But still within the little children's eyes
Seems something, something that replies,
They at least are for me, surely for me!
I turned me to them very wistfully;
But just as their young eyes grew sudden fair
With dawning answers there,
Their angel plucked them from me by the hair.
"Come then, ye other children, Nature's -- share
With me" (said I) "your delicate fellowship;
Let me greet you lip to lip
Let me twine with your caresses,
Wantoning,
With our Lady Mother's vagrant tresses,
Banqueting
With her in her wind-walled palace,
Underneath her azured dais,
Quaffing, as your taintless way is,
From a chalice,
Lucent weeping out of the dayspring."
So it was done.
I in their delicate fellowship was one.
Drew the bolt of Nature's secrecies,
I knew all the swift importings on the wilful face of skies,
I knew how the clouds arise,
Spumed of the wild sea-snortings.
All that's born or dies,
Rose and drooped with, made them shapers
Of mine own moods, or wailful or divine.
With them joyed and was bereaven.
I was heavy with the even,
When she lit her glimmering tapers
Round the day's dead sanctities
I laughed in the morning's eyes.
I triumphed and I saddened with all weather,
Heaven and I wept together,
And its sweet tears were salt with mortal mine;
Against the red throb of its sunset-heart,
I laid my own to beat
And share commingling heat;
But not by that, by that was eased my human smart.
In vain my tears were wet on Heaven's grey cheek.
For ah! We know what each other says,
These things and I; in sound I speak,
Their sound is but their stir, they speak by silences.
Nature, poor step-dame, cannot slake my drouth.
Let her, if she would owe me,
Drop yon blue blosom-veil of sky, and show me
The breasts o' her tenderness;
Never did any milk of hers once bless
My thirsting mouth
Nigh and nigh draws the chase,
With unperturbed pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
And past those noised Feet,
A Voice comes yet more fleet:
"Lo, naught contents thee who content'st nought Me."
Naked, I wait they Love's uplifted stroke!
My harness, piece by piece, Thou hast hewn from me
And smitten me to my knee;
I am defenceless, utterly.
I slept, methinks, and awoke.
And slowly gazing, find me stripped in sleep.
In the rash lustihead of my young powers,
I shook the pillaring hours,
And pulled my life upon me, grimed with smears
I stand admist the dust o' the mounded years--
My mangled youth lies dead beneath the heap
My days have crackled and gone up in smoke,
Have puffed and burst as sun-starts on a stream.
Yeah, faileth now even dream
The dreamer and the lute, the lutanist;
Even the linked fantasies in whose blossomy twist,
I swung the Earth, a trinket at my wrist,
Are yielding: cords of all too weak account
For earth, with heavy grief so overplussed
Ah! Is they love indeed
A weed, albeit an amaranthine ween,
Suffering no flowers except its own to mount?
Ah! Must --
Designer Infinite--
Ah! Must Thou char the wood 'ere Thou casnt limn with it?
My freshness spent its wavering shower i' the dust.
And now my heart is as a broken fount,
Wherein tear-drippings stagnate, spilt down ever
From the dank thoughts that shiver
Upon the sightful brances of my mind
Such is, what is to be?
The pulp so bitter, how shall taste the rind?
I dimly guess what Time in mists confounds,
Yet ever and anon, a trumpet sounds
From the hid battlements of Eternity.
Those shaken mists a space unsettle,
Then round the half-glimpseed turrets, slowly wash again.
But not 'ere him who summoneth
I first have seen, enwound.
With glooming robes purpureal; cypress crowned.
His name I know, and what His trumpet saith.
Whether man's heart or life it be which yields
Thee harvest, must They harvest fields
Be dunged with rotten death?
Now of that long persuit,
Comes at hand the bruit;
That Voice is round me like a bursting sea:
"And is they Earth so marred,
Shattered in shard on shard?
Lo, all things fly thee, for thou fliest Me.
Strange, piteous, futile thing;
Wherefore should any set thee love apart?
Seeing none but I makes much of naught" (He said),
"And human love needs human meriting;
How has thou merited --
Of all Man's clotted clay, the dingiest clot?
Alack! Thou knowest not
How little worthy of any love thou art!
Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee,
Save Me, save only Me?
All which I took from thee, I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might'st seek it in My arms,
All which thy childs mistake
Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home --
Rise, clasp My hand, and come."
Halts by me that footfall --
Is my gloom, after all
Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?
"Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He whom thou seekest!"
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me."

2006-02-09T12:34:00.000-05:00

Sovereign Over Suffering

"Then the LORD struck the child that Uriah's widow bore to David, so that he was very sick." 2 Samuel 12:15

Something of great import has been going on for the past hundred or so years in the church. I say it is of great import not because it is a positive or good thing. I say it because it has so shaped the spiritual landscape of the church as to become perhaps the dominant view today. It is a highly dangerous, and highly irrational idea that most now accept it without thinking twice.

It is the unbiblical idea that God never does anything that we would call "unfair." God, they would say, loves us and so never would make us sick or cause a hurricane to hit our city or cause a terrorist attack to end lives. In short, God would never take or "negatively" affect the lives of "innocent" people. This idea is where we get the idea of infant salvation, it is where we get the idea of "free will" theology, and it is where we get the ideas of universalism, open theology, and health and wealth doctrine.

Brothers and sisters, I wish to say to you that this idea is abhorrent to Scriptures! Search the Scriptures and you will find over and over that God is the one who does as He pleases with His creation, and it is not within our rights to object or question God! This verse, to those who propose the "feel good" God, would be doubly offensive. First, God is causing an illness to befall someone, which God, in their theology, simply does not do. Secondly, and this is perhaps more offensive, God is causing the death of an innocent baby!

What I want to point out today, and I plead with you that you believe this, is that God is absolutely FREE to do with ANYONE as He chooses. To the first offense, that of God causing illness, I say that God does refer to Himself in Scripture as the one who creates light and darkness, who raises up and destroys, who causes good to fall and causes devastation and catastrophe to fall. He does say in Deuteronomy that He will delight in doing us good, but that if we stray from Him, He will delight in bringing us to ruin.

And please do not take this to mean that He only does this when we sin. New Orleans may not have been wiped out because it was a sinful city! If that were the reason, then He should have destroyed Tampa and New York and San Francisco and Brooksville and yes, even Hollis! (heheh) The point is this: God does things not for the reasons we expect, but for His own, totally free reasons. He is sovereign, let's let Him be sovereign without trying to make excuses for Him.

Secondly, as to the point about babies being innocent, that is just plain old hogwash. I love children, and every time I see a toddler I have to confess I get very soft-hearted...but I am under no illusions that babies or toddlers or infants are in any way, shape, or form innocent. David says in his psalm that even in the WOMB he was sinful! Folks, the startling reality of it is that all people, from womb to tomb are desperately depraved. God owes nobody anything.

And so I urge you to not fall into the trap of thinking that God only wants to bless you and that it is Satan that makes you ill and takes your money and sends the bad ol' storms. As John Piper said in one of his sermons, "Satan is the lackey of ALMIGHTY God!" Satan has only the power that God allows Him and ordains for Him. God bless.

2006-02-08T23:38:00.000-05:00

Wicked Hearts, Wicked Minds, Wicked Culture

"...as it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God.'" Romans 3:10+11

This is something that weighed heavily on my heart last night. I think it would be quite accurate to say that the average Christian has a very poor and very limited understanding of the wickedness of every person's heart. This results in a poor understanding and a lack of appreciation of God's awesome grace. We do not realize the power and beauty of His grace because we justify ourselves in our own minds. We think that because we are not Hitlers or Stalins, we are not so bad!

Let me share with you what God says about our goodness, lest myself or you forget.

Along with the above passage, the Bible says these things about us:

1. "All have turned aside; together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one." Romans 3:12

2. "Their throat is an open grace, with their tongues they keep deceiving,' 'The poison of asps is under their lips,' 'Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness,' 'Their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their paths, and the path of peace they have not known." Romans 3"13-17

3. "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Romans 3:18

4. "For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God..." Romans 1:21

5. "...they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image of corruptible man..." Romans 1:23

6. "...they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature..." Romans 1:25

7. "...being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful." Romans 1:29-31

8. "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy [menstrual] garment." Isaiah 64:6

9. "The heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick, who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9

10. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adultiers, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders." Matthew 15:18

The weight of these verses should fall heavily on you, as it should on me. It is a serious situation in which we find ourselves. I want everyone who may be reading this to understand the complete and utter hopelessness we have apart from Christ. We may say that we are not so bad, but even to SAY that is the sin of pride! You or I may never commit the genocides of Hitler or Stalin, but we are just as evil in our own hearts!

Oh, how we need to fall on our faces daily and cry out for God to show us the seriousness of sin and the depths of our own depravity!

I leave you with first a request that you would do this very thing, and with a very humbling thought. While you or I may never commit the level of atrocities witnessed by despots and tyrants in history, let us never forget that the gas chambers of Auschwitz did not originate within political halls legislative meetings, or even in the lecture halls of Nihilistic, secular professors. They began within the corrupted hearts of men and women like you and me.

2006-02-08T13:43:00.000-05:00

Hey all! I'd like to ask whoever who reads this and would like to participate to help out! You see, this Valentine's Day I'm going to do something a little different for devotions. I'm trying to get as many people as I can to fill out this very short, very easy little survey. Once I have all the answers in, I will try and compile it into a research type format and compare it with the Biblical model for love, and then write the devotion on that. To do that, I need data! Here is where you folks come in! If you feel willing, please send the answers to these questions to randphoenix@yahoo.com :

1. What is your name?

2. How old are you?

3. How many boyfriends\girlfriends\spouses have you had in your life?

4. Are you currently seeing anyone\married to anyone?

5. If you could compare love to anything using an analogy\metaphor\simile, what would be your best comparison and why?

6. The Greek language denotes that there are four types of love: family love, brotherly love, religious love, and romantic love. Do you feel that these four are, at their core, essentially the same thing? Why or why not?

And that's it! Thanks to anyone who sends in their info! God bless!

In Christ,
Charlie

2006-02-07T16:19:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal

"And he said to him, 'Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'" Luke 15: 31-32

What an amazing way to end this story. The father answers brilliantly to his angry son, and it is most certainly a marvel to wonder at. Let us take a closer look at this response.

What we first see is that the father did not get angry with the son. He didn't scold him, he didn't punish him, and he didn't upbraid him. We also see that the father did not condone what the younger son had done. He didn't try and make excuses for the younger son, but rather, just said that celebration had to happen. Do you think the father did not punish the younger son? I'm certain that he did. It would have been only right. But first there had to be a rejoicing over the return!

Also, if you notice, the father didn't deny the legitamacy of the older son's anger. He patiently and lovingly listened, and then made a calm response. He conceded the son's point by agreeing that, indeed, the older son had always been with him and had always labored for him. He also goes from there to reminding the son that all that the father possesses belonged also to the son. He's saying to his son, "Don't worry that he will take it all, son. Don't worry that you will miss out. I love you and will do what is right." How often God needs to remind me of this! How often do I feel His Spirit whispering to my heart "My child, I will do what is right. You are not unloved. I am still in control."

And once again, we see that this son was not just considered away, he was considered dead. The same can definitely be said about us. Ephesians says we were dead in our sins, but were made alive to God. When He overcomes the stubbornness of our wills, we come alive and can truly live for Him as we could never do before.

After all of this, I would like to point out that in Jesus' time, there were several people He could have been thinking of when He mentioned the prodigal son. It was most likely that He was talking about "sinners" and tax collectors, since that happened to be the point of the Pharisee's contention. It is also quite viable to point to the Gentiles as another meaning to the metaphor, as Jesus was talking to Jews. Whichever way, we can definitely apply this to every lost person who becomes a believer. What a great love God has for us, that He welcomes us into His presence!

It is my sincere hope and prayer that this study, as meager as it was, was of some help and some enlightenment to some. All glory goes to the one to whom is worthy, Jesus!

2006-02-06T10:03:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal pt 10

"But he answered and said to his father, ' Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'" Luke 15:29-30

As we are coming near to the end of this passage, we come upon the response of the older brother to his father. In this response he lays out why it is that he is so angry. There are many things that can be gleaned from this portion of Scripture. As I stated before, it is my belief that this brother was just as far away as the younger son was. This response drives that point home.

First he tries appealing to how many years he has worked and how "faithful" he has been to his father's commands. Now, the problem with this is simply that if he has to keep pointing out how he's done "all this work" for "all these years," it means he certainly has not done any of it from his heart, but rather he's done it seeking something. This happens to us whenever we try serving God from our own strength, and not doing it joyfully.

Then he tries attacking the fairness of his father by saying that he never gets anything. This, he says out of jealousy. Had he been thinking clearly, he would possibly have remembered that when the younger son got his share of the wealth, so too did the elder. But at this point, in his anger and jealousy, he does not think of that, but rather that his father never "throws a party" for him. We can get this way whenever we look at what others have, and not what is on our own plate.

Notice also that the elder son never calls his brother "brother." He calls him "this son of yours" to his father. How much hatred he must be harboring in his heart to disavow the familial relationship he shares! Do you sometimes feel this way? I would be lying if I said I didn't. We see what some people did before they came to Christ, and we judge them for it. What if Charles Manson came to Christ? What if Saddam came to Christ? Would we be so quick to accept them as brothers in the Lord?

And how he even knows what the younger son was doing, I do not know. I think he probably just assumed, having known his brother. But even so, it matters not! The major lesson we can learn from this bit of Scripture is that we cannot judge someone on the basis of what they have done before Christ. If they have truly repented and come to Jesus Christ for salvation, they are our brothers. Period.

I challenge you to look at your heart and see if there is any of this in there. Let God search you and remove the offensive way in you.

2006-02-03T15:58:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal Pt 9

First, I'd like to apologize for the lack of the devotion yesterday. Due to some technical difficulties, for some reason I could not post the devotion onto the website!

"And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him." Luke 15: 27-28

The servant here is informing the eldest brother of what's going on. The servants says that there is a party going on and that there is great joy. It is a thing of great rejoicing when people turn from their stubborn hearts and turn to God. As in the previous parables, Jesus is showing the joy of Heaven over the saved.

The thing about this joy, however, is that Heaven is not full og song over the saved ones in themselves. They sing because of the saved ones, sure, but not about them. This is something overlooked by some, I believe. What the angels are singing about is always and will always be the might and glory of God triumphing over the wicked hearts of man. The might of God leaves the citizens of Heaven in joyful awe!

In the next verse, we see the son become angry at this news. Now, for some reason the eldest son is angry over his brother's return. The reason behind this will be revealed in later verse, but for now it suffices just at this anger. This anger in the older son leads me to believe that, in his heart, the older son is just as prodigal as the younger. This is what happens when self-righteousness creeps into our hearts. We become blinded to the wondrous work of God going on right in front of our eyes! And because of this, we miss out on praising God for His glory.

It is truly a dangerous thing to be self-righteous. This sin is so insidious. We must every day test ourselves against it. It is my prayer for you that God would so move in your hearts and mine that it would push out the attitude the elder brother had.

2006-02-01T11:42:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal pt 8

"Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things might be." Luke 15:25-26

While the father was rejoicing over his found son, the older brother was still in the field. What intrigues me about this is that the father knew the son was coming from a long way off. This would suggest that the father knew the son was coming for a long time. Judging by the way the father told all the servants about his returning son, it would stand to reason that the eldest son was told about the return of his brother.

However, it is possible that he knew nothing about the situation. If one takes the interpretation that the elder knew the younger was coming, then it is interesting as to why the eldest son is still in the field. Without looking at the coming verses, one can still begin to see evidences of bad blood between the brothers.

In verse 26, the older brother asks why there is a party going on. The fact that the father still had numerous servants seems to suggest that he still had a great deal of wealth even after splitting up the inheritance.

2006-01-31T20:18:00.000-05:00

Prodigal

I thought that, in spirit of this great story, I would post a couple of relevent songs! The first is "Prodigal" by Casting Crowns and the second is "You Take Me Back" by Jeremy Camp

Living on my own, Thinking for myself
Castles in the sand, Temporary wealth
Walls are falling down, storms are closing in
Tears have filled my eyes, here I go again

Prechorus
And I've held out as long as I can
Now I'm letting go and holding out my hand

Chorus
Daddy here I am again
Will you take me back tonight
I went and made the world my friend
And it's left me high and dry
I've dragged your name back through the mud
That you first found me in
Not worthy to be called your son
Is this to be my end
Daddy here I am again
Here I am again

Curse this morning sun
Drags me into one more day
Of reaping what I've sown
Living with my shame
Welcome to my world
And the life that I have made
Where one day you're a prince
And the next day you're a slave

Prechorus

Chorus

You Take Me Back

The reason why I stand
The answer lies in you
You hung to make me strong
Though my praise was few
When I fall I bring your name down

But I have found in you
A heart that pleads forgiveness
Replacing all these thoughts
Of painful memories
But I know that
Your response will always be

Chorus
I'll take you back always
And even when your fighting's over now
Even when your fighting's over now
I'll take you back always
Even when your pain is coming through
Even when your pain is coming through
I'll take you back

You satisfy this cry
Of what I'm looking for
And I take all I can
And lay it down before
Your throne of endless grace now
That radiates what's true

And I'm in the only place that
Erases all these faults that
Have overtaken me
Still I know that
Your response will always be

Chorus

I can only speak with a grateful heart
As I'm pierced by this gift of your love
I will always bring an offering
I can never thank you enough

Chorus

2006-01-30T10:02:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal Pt 7

"And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate." Luke 15:21-24

We see here in this verse that the son is home now, and the he begins his speech that he rehearsed. What I love about this verse is that the father doesn't even let him finish, so joyful he is over seeing his son. He immediately calls his servants and tells them to get ready the things that would signify the restoration of his son, and to get ready a celebration!

I cannot even begin to imagine the relief this son feels, and the joy. Instead of blame, he gets grace; instead of guilt, he gets love. What a great picture of our salvation. When God brings us to Himself, and we finally wander over to Him, after all of our sins and mistakes we expect wrath, but instead get the mercy of God.

Taking a look at the verse, there is one more thing I'd like to point out. Notice that a lost person isn't just lost. They're dead. This is indeed significant, for a dead person cannot choose, will, or do anything. We cannot choose God for our salvation because we are dead. God is the one who does the choosing, and God is the one who does the saving, and in this He gets all the glory.

2006-01-27T14:07:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal Pt 6

"So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him." Luke 15:20

What a great verse this is! This verse is one of the greatest parts of this whole story. After rehearsing this whole speech to himself, the son finally gathers the wits to get up and get going. He begins the long road back to his father's house, probably very afraid and very anxious about what his father will do. He is sure to himself that his father will cast blame and judgement upon him, and rightly so. How wrong he is, however!

The verse here says that he was a long way off when his father saw him. While it doesn't exactly say how far off, we can most certainly get the impression that the father has been looking for his son to return this whole time. While the son is anxiously awaiting for judgement, the father is anxiously awaiting for his son to return home to him. I can well imagine that the father has been up at night, worrying for his son, wishing he were home again. I can imagine this because this is what I hear from loving parents when their children leave home or run away.

In either case, the father sees his son from far off and, for this one time in all of Scripture, Jesus portrays the Father as a man who eagerly runs to a son. This man in the story was rich, perhaps powerful, perhaps influential. Those sorts of people don't run. They walk, they take cabs, they have limos, but they don't run. This man forsook all of that, it all wasn't important in light of him seeing his beloved son coming home. He threw dignity to the wind and took off towards his son.

That is how our Father loves us. Don't get me wrong, His first priority is to His glory and to His great name, but that doesn't change the fact that our God loves us so that He would run to us and embrace us and kiss us. Notice that it doesn't say in this verse that the son washed up or got better clothes. He came home just as he was, and the father didn't mention the stink of the pigs or the mess of the party. He just threw his arms around his son and showed him love. When we first came to our Father, we had the stink of the sty on us as well, but God loved us anyways.

Oh, how great is the love with which the Father loves us! It should fill our hearts with joy and a passion for this great King who does so much to see us home! I urge you, brethren, to please let this verse and this love so saturate your minds and hearts that it would transform you!

2006-01-26T11:14:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal pt 5

"'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."'" Luke 15:18+19

In this verse we see that the prodigal son decides that his time in squalor is over. He declares that he will get up out of the muck and return to his father. Now, this in itself is a bold move on his part. I can only imagine the questions crowding his mind. What will his father do and say when the son returns? Will the father laugh and say, "Aha! Now that you need me, you come back!" Will he say "I told you so!" Will he turn his son away? After this humiliating experience, one can imagine that the young man has no pride left.

So the son begins rehearsing what he will say. First, a confession. "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight." The son rightly realizes that all sin is first against the Almighty. When we sin, whoever we hurt, we sin against God. All sin is rebellion to God.

Another thing to note about this confession is that the man doesn't make any excuses. He understands that there are none. He doesn't justify, rationalize, or explain. He simply acknowledges guilt! Oh, that we would learn this lesson in today's churches! How much happier we would be, and how better we would get along with others!

After the confession, he ackowledges his shame. "I am no longer worthy to be called your son..." Oh, how many times I have felt this shame with my God. How often do I cry out, "Oh, God, I am so unworthy to be called your child!"

He would be right in saying this, as would I. Sin does that. It makes us unworthy to be sons and daughters and alienates that dynamic. And under the law, a rebellious child should be put to death! By all rights, this young man should be facing death in the old law! I can well imagine his guilt, his shame, his fear. He knows He's unworthy, and he doesn't wish to ask for that kind of mercy. He doesn't ask for sonship, but rather, to be a slave.

What an example of humility before God! We have to know the humility that cries out "Woe to me! I am ruined before this holy God!" It is a good and holy thing to fear God. As we shall soon see, however, God has love and mercy on those who rely on Him far beyond what we could ask!

2006-01-25T08:58:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal Pt 4

"But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!'" Luke 15:17

I thought that we would take this verse one at a time, because the next two verses should go together, as they are one speech. I think, also, there is enough in this one verse to warrant a closer look.

I love how God leads us to these moments. There are moments like these where we fully realize all that's been taking place and we snap to our senses. Moments like that are amazing. The son here has one of those. After all that has transpired, the son finally has something click in his head, to where he understands, perhaps, the gravity of the situation. Some would say that I'm reading too much into this little verse. There are some who would take it at face value only, and that the son only realized that he was hungry and that his father had food.

They are welcome to their opinions, but this verse says the son "came to his senses." Does this mean that he had been previously out of his senses? Perhaps. Whatever it says about his previous state, it definitely says that now he was thinking clearly. All the events that had just transpired can be, now, seen clearly for what they were and he realizes that he needs his father. He doesn't know how to make it on his own, and that's the main point I think we should realize here. When we come to our senses, we have to realize that we need our Father. To wander off away from Him, thinking we no longer need Him is not just rebellion, it's stupidity.

Praise God for these eye opening experiences. Sometimes He leads us to the sty before He leads us back home, and that's His sovereign will.

2006-01-24T00:24:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal Pt 3

"So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him." Luke 15: 15+16

So now we find this young man hiring himself out to people of a foreign country. Now, what was significant about this is that Jews were not supposed to do this. Jews viewed outsiders as dogs and pagan Gentiles. What this young man did was a serious offense in the mind of the average Jewish person at the time. Not only did he move to a foreign country and involve himself with prostitution and whatever else, he also hired himself out to a Gentile!

The wording here would suggest that the young man was hired out as a slave of sorts. This can most certainly be applied to us when we forsake our Father in Heaven. Whenever we turn our backs on God, we become slaves to things foreign to us before. Certain sins come back to haunt us, and we hire ourselves out to them. What is more telling and, perhaps, more fitting to this analogy is that the man was set to feed pigs. Pigs were an extremely unclean animal in the Old Testament. The Jews would have nothing to do at all with swine in any way. For this man to be feeding them and around them all the time would be highly disgusting.

Once again, this drives home what can happen when we say goodbye to God. We run away from Him, we enslave ourselves to new masters, and we wind up dealing everyday with the unclean things of the world.

Verse 16 shows how desperate this man was in his condition. He was so poor and so hungry that he would have stolen food from the pig pen and eaten it. Now, I've never owned pigs or really every been around them much, but I can well imagine using what I've heard of pigs what they eat and how gross that must be. This verse can not only show us how we are when we run away from God, but also it shows us how serious sin really is. ALL sin is this way. Please, never let yourself be caught in the lie that there are some sins worse than others. Every single last sin does this exact same thing to us, and so we need to be on our guard.

The last point of interest in this verse is the fact that though he was starving, nobody gave him anything to eat. People who were against his world were quite content to leave him starving. As a matter of fact, it probably made them chuckle to see the Jewish man starving and begging the pigs for food. I think a crucial point can be illustrated here. As the Gentiles were in his day, so unbelievers are in ours. It is with great caution and prayer that we communicate and deal with unbelievers. We do not know who God has chosen to save, and everyone who is not already for Jesus is against Jesus. All of us would do well to keep that in mind as we go about our days.

2006-01-23T10:29:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal Pt 2

"And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a sever famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished." Luke 15: 13+14

We return to this Scripture to see that all is not exactly going as the younger son had planned. It was his intent to get his money and live happily ever after. We see in verse 13 that the young son doesn't waste any time in gathering his things and taking off to where his father's name and reputation means nothing.

I think there are several reasons why he did this. The first is to cut all ties with his family. In his mind, this freedom from his family is just what he needed. Secondly, it's quite possible that the son felt embarrassed by his family. It seems that most youngsters become embarrassed by their family once they reach a certain age. Perhaps this sons is going through that stage.

Another possibility, and this one I feel is perhaps the most prevelant one, is the possibility that the younger son, deep down, felt some shame for his actions. He knew that he had severely wounded his father, and he knew that he would be wounding his father's name even more with his actions, so he moved as far away as he could so that the name of his father could not reach him, and he could live just as he wanted to without interference.

Whatever the reason, the son went and "squandered" the money. That the Bible uses the word "squandered" means that the things the son did with his money are garbage and a waste of money. What he considered pleasurable God considered trash. How often do we do the same thing and squander our wealth? So many times I know in my own life that I take what God has given me and waste it on useless things.

Now after that, there was a famine. The man had no money left, and so he became poor. I can well imagine that once the money went, so also did his new found "friends."

Can I ask you a question? How often, after wasting God's gift, do you feel "poor?" How often does it feel likle all your options are gone once you shame God? I challenge you, brothers and sisters, to cry out to God that He would give you a heart to value His glory and not the trash of this world.

2006-01-21T21:07:00.000-05:00

The Path of the Prodigal

"And He said, 'A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me." So he divided his wealth between them.'" Luke 15:11+12

It has been some time since I have done these devotionals, but it is most certainly a good time to start back up. I want to start first by saying that I apologize for letting these things go for quite as long as they did, and to say that I will do my best to bring these devotions every morning\evening.

For the next few days, or maybe even a week or two, I would like to look deeply at a passage of Scripture and see what it says. This will be a little different than what I am used to doing, so bear with me if it seems belabored.

We open on the story of the Prodigal Son, a great story that I think every Christian can relate. I do this story because, as I'm sure all of you can, I can relate both to the older and the younger son. There have been far too many times in my life of me being the younger son, wandering away from God. There have similarly been too many times when I have been the older, joyless and loveless. But praise be to God that He is always the Father in the story; wise, compassionate, loving, and looking out for the best of His children.

Verse one opens on the fact that the man has two sons. We see in this verse that Jesus is using a story to illustrate a point. The two previous stories were supposed to illustrate the joy of Heaven over a lost sinner. However, as the last two parables were about inanimate objects, this one is more personal and talks about a man with two sons.

Moving to the next verse, we see here that the younger brother is asking for his inheritance. It seems that the younger brother is and has been the delinquent one of the bunch, and I get the distinct impressino from this parable that the younger son was something of a trouble maker. What seems to be really disturbing about what the youngster said to his father is that he was, in essence, wishing the father's death and saying he couldn't wait for his father to die. In that culture, the inheritance (much as in this one) would not go to the sons until the death of the father. This inheritance would equal, for this case, one third of the father's wealth. The older son would get the "double portion," or two thirds, in this case.

The son obviously couldn't wait for his money, and basically said to the father "Why don't you just die off so I can get what's mine?" Now what astounds me in this parable is that the father just lets the son get away with it, and actually gives him the money! But notice here what the verse says! The money is divided to BOTH the sons! This will become more important later as we look further on in this verse. Right now suffice it to say that both sons get whatever money the father is leaving them, the father gets whatever he needs to survive on and keeps some of the money, and that is that. Now the eldest son didn't seem to mind the money being divided, and once more, that will become important later on.

In the interests of time and space, we will only go through two verses a day, but each look will end with something we can take away from the two verses. For today, I can certainly see myself in that younger son. How often do we, in effect, say that to our Father? "God, just give me what's mine and butt out!" Whenever we strive to get our own way, when we chase after the garbage of the world, and when we get involved in things that God hates, we are telling Him that we wish Him dead and out of our way, so we can have our inheritance, which is the world. I would urge you, brothers and sisters, to contemplate on this and cry out to God that our hearts be softened in this area.

2005-12-23T09:07:00.000-05:00

Tribulations Are Overcome!

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may hae peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

This verse brought a tear to my eye the other day. I was reading through John 16, and when I came to this little verse, something hit me. Perhaps it was an understanding of the verse I had never had before, or perhaps it was the power of the claim Jesus made. I do not truly know. What I do know is this: this verse is powerful.

Many take this to mean that in persecution, do not be dismayed. Whenever most pastors preach on this, I would imagine that the message they give is one of "You can endure persecution for Jesus' sake!" I think that is a terribly limiting way to understand this bit of God's word.

I go through tribulation every day, as do all of you, I know. When we struggle with sin, we face tribulation. When we face our enemies, we face tribulation. When we lose a job for His sake, we face tribulation. When family treats each other poorly or leaves us....we certainly face tribulation. The word tribulation in the Greek is thlipsis, which simply means trouble! As a broader sense, it means affliction, oppression, pressure, distress, straits, and a million other aspects of the same idea.

Jesus wasn't just saying that when we are persecuted, to take heart. He was saying that no matter what you are going through, take heart! Is your dad a drunk? Take heart, Jesus has overcome the world! Are people around you being false Christians? Take heart, Jesus has overcome the world! Are you sick? Take heart! Find joy in the fact that our Jesus has conquered the world, and it is His to command! What an incredible promise!

2005-12-13T11:46:00.000-05:00

Sorry everyone, but due to exams this week and all I've put the devotions on hold for a bit. I swear that I will most definitely restart them post haste!

2005-12-12T09:18:00.000-05:00

The Word of God Hasn't Fallen

"But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel." Romans 9:6

Romans 9 is one of my all time favorite chapters of Scripture. In it are made plain the obvious truths of election and reprobations, doctrines which I have come to know and love, and hold dear to myself. In numerous debates with those who wish to believe in free will and no election, I have turned to this chapter as my flagship. This chapter, or so I thought, was the battleship on which I could launch my theological war against free-willers.

While it is definitely true that this passage talks about election and all, I have come to realize that it talks about election because there is a problem here, and that problem is the real meaning of the chapter. This chapter is not a treatise on the wonders of election. Chapter nine is talking abouto the problem of whether or not God's word has failed.

In chapters 1-8, Paul says some astonishing things. In chapter eight he makes some wonderful statements about the promises of God. But the problem here is that God had made promises to the nation of Israel, and now they stand condemned as a whole. How did that work? Did God's word fail? That is what the beginning of this chapter is asking. You see, because if the Jews could be the promised people one day and accursed as a nation the next, we have NO BASIS to trust God's promises. God's word is MEANINGLESS if He doesn't keep His promises.

So Paul HAS to take up the doctrine of election to show that they are not all Israel who are Israel. The promises God made in the Old Testament HAVEN'T changed, they just were not for the people everyone thought they were. They were for spiritual Israel, the elect.

There is alot in this chapter. I urge you to read it, to savor it as I have done, and really soak in the precious truths contained therewith.

2005-12-10T10:28:00.000-05:00

Character Profile: Nehemiah

"Then he said to them, 'Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is our strength." Nehemiah 8:10

Nehemiah was most definitely seeking after the fame of God. After the people returned to Jerusalem from Babylon and had rebuilt the temple, they had left the wall of the city neglected. When Nehemiah heard this, he fasted and wept for days without stopping. Why did he weep over something so seemingly inconsequential as the walls being done?

In ancient thought, the walls of the city were considered a sign of the favor of your god. For the walls of Jerusalem to be in rubble, it would say to the ancient world that God is weak, and that He is not looking after His people. Nehemiah was not weeping over the loss of protection the walls might have given, but rather the insult to the fame of God that was being perpetrated.

So he led a group of Jews back to Jerusalem, and amidts troubles galore, they worked night and day to finish the walls of Jerusalem. The walls were to be so big that people could have lived inside of them. They faced enemies with weapons, enemies with mocking, and enemies with political clout. Through all of this, the Jews worked. They finished these walls in 52 days, a serious feat! Such was the favor of God upon them.

Nehemiah returns to Babylon to report to the king. He made another trip back to Jerusalem later, only to find that the Jews had intermarried with Gentiles. He was furious, because God had commanded them to not marry themselves to Gentiles. So, in a righteous rage, he cursed them, beat some of them, and ripped out some of their hair. Now that's holy anger!

It would do well for us today to keep this model in our minds as to how to be consumed with the passion of the Lord. I urge you, today, brethren, to cry out to God that He would give you a passion for His name.

2005-12-09T10:31:00.000-05:00

My Jesus

Here is a great song by Todd Agnew that should really cause us to think. Some of it may be slightly offensive to some...but that actually is my hope.

Which Jesus do you follow?

Which Jesus do you serve?

If Ephesians says to imitate Christ

Why do you look so much like the world?

'Cause my Jesus bled and died

He spent His time with thieves and liars

He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant

So which one do you want to be?

Blessed are the poor in spirit

Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land?

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness

Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sands

Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins

He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars

He loved the poor and accosted the rich

So which one do you want to be?

Who is this that you follow?

This picture of the American dream

If Jesus were here would you walk right by on the other side?

Or fall down and worship at His holy feet

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion

Are how you see Him as He dies for your sins

But the Word says He was battered and scarred

Or did you miss that part?

Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him

'Cause my Jesus bled and died

He spent His time with thieves and the least of these

He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable

So which one do you want to be?

'Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church

The blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpet

But He reaches for the hurting and despises the proud

And I think He'd prefer Beale St. to this stained glass crowd

And I know that He can hear me, if I cry out loud

I want to be like my Jesus!

Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus

'Cause I'm tired of living for success and popularity

I want to be like my Jesus, but I'm not sure what that means, to be like You Jesus

'Cause You said to live like You, to love like You, and then You died for me

Can I be like You Jesus?

I want to be like my Jesus....

2005-12-08T07:10:00.000-05:00

The Importance of Discipleship

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

It is my opinion that everyone is too preoccupied with evangelism. Everyone thinks that the number one goal of all Christians is to go out and spread the gospel to all who hear, and get them to accept Christ. While I certainly agree that they need Christ, I don't think evangelism is the number one thing for Christians to do. It's not even number two.

Firstly, worship is far most important. Worship should be the driving force behind missions. John Piper says "Missions exists because worship doesn't." Wherever there is no worship, that's where missions is to go.

I think discipleship is, by far, the second most important. Jesus didn't say to go out and make converts, He said to go out and make disciples of all nations! Once they make the decision and say the prayer and all, our job is most certainly NOT done! Our job then is to raise up that person in the Lord, and help them to know more and more about the Lord, and to aid their worship of God. We are to teach them how to effectively read the Bible, we are to teach them how to effectively answer questions to their faith, and we are most certainly to teach them proper theology!

I think th is is lacking in churches today. They are so focused on missions and evangelism that they miss out on discipleship. Personally, I think discipleship in American churches is weak, almost nonexistent. And so, therefore, I urge you to not only seek converts, but seek disciples of Jesus. Take time out of your schedules to mentor someone in the Lord.

2005-12-07T06:56:00.000-05:00

John's Excitement

"and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God!" John 1:36

This is an interesting verse. This is the second time that John cried out "Behold! The Lamb of God!" The first time, John explains a little bit what he means by saying that it is Jesus who takes away the sin of the world. This time, however, he just shouts.

In this verse, John is standing with Andrew and John the apostle. He's probably doing his thing, baptizing people at the Jordan. Picture this in your mind, and really see the scene as it might have happened. There is John, baptizing people in the Jordan with these two beside him. All of a sudden Jesus walks by, and John just stops and stares...He points and cries out "BEHOLD! THE LAMB OF GOD!"

When we read that verse usually, how many times do we just kinda breeze through it without thinking about what made him so excited. There walking before him was the fulfillment of a promise for which the Jews had been waiting! For thousands of years, the people had been waiting the coming of the seed of woman to crush the seed of the serpent, for the Prophet in Moses' teaching, for the righteous branch, the Son of David, the MESSIAH. And here walked that promise in flesh, Jesus the Christ! WOW! I can only imagine John saying, "There He is! What we've been waiting for is finally here! This is amazing!"

How often do you get excited about this kind of stuff? Do you get excited about Jesus? You should! He's the amen to all of God's promises! He's the One who prays for you, and His prayers ALWAYS reach the Father! I urge you, brethren, to get excited, and if you don't, then cry out to God that He would give you that excitement!

2005-12-05T09:23:00.000-05:00

The Only Truth

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" John 14:6

This is a well known verse among Bible college students and for a great deal of Christians who orient themselves with apologetics. I feel that it has become so popular in defending against the cults and false religions that it may have lost its meaning in the sense of everyday life. While it is most certainly true that Jesus is the only way amidst the groups of Muslims, Hindus, Mormons, and the life, I don't feel that Jesus is really talking about that.

If you look at the context in which He said it, Jesus seems to be saying that the only way to where He is going (Heaven) is through Him. This is a greater truth than we make it out to be, I believe. We take this to mean that Joseph Smith can't get us to Heaven; that Mohammed can't get us to Heaven, or that Russel Taze can't get us to Heaven. While all those things are most certainly the truth, I feel that Jesus was more talking about other things.

Look through the gospels, and you will find the most frequent struggle He faced. He faced constant antagonation from the Pharisees and their traditions. I think it is more appropriate to say that Jesus was talking about those Pharisees, or at least had them in mind, when He made this claim. When He said He was the only way, He meant that the traditions and sacrifices of the Jews could not save them. When He said He was the only truth, He meant that the things the Pharisees had no place with Him, and so were not the truth. When He said He was the life, He may have meant that the lifestyles of the Jews, following the laws and being burdened by the traditions and laws of the leaders, were useless. The only life was to truly follow Him.

This brings to mind an important fact. Sometimes, we take the popular meaning of the verse because we are told to. I urge and challenge you to practice good hermeneutics. Interpret verses in light of verses and context.

2005-12-03T09:25:00.000-05:00

The Power of the Gospel

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16

I think this verse is widely misunderstood. This verse is what many Christians quote and memorize, and well they should. However, they do it for the wrong topic and wrong reasons, most of the time. Ask your average Christian "who needs the gospel?" and you would most likely get the answer "Joe unbeliever." While I most certainly agree with that notion, I think that is underestimating the verse.

Let's take a look at this verse to see what it's talking about. I think the key word in this verse is the Greek word soteria, which means salvation, both in a temporal and eternal sense. But that is not the fullness of the meaning of the word. A fuller understanding of the word is the final fruition of salvation at the end of time. This verse is not talking necessarily about the ability of the gospel to create true, authentic faith in the heart of the wicked. The gospel most certainly does this, but that's not all. This verse is also talking about the power of the gospel to KEEP believers in that same faith that it created, and to see them home to glory. To further drive home this point, some commentators have said that the word "believes" should rather be translated as "goes on believing." The gospel of salvation finds its fruition in Heaven, when the believer comes home.

This is why Paul is not ashamed of the gospel! Because it not only creates authentic faith in God, it also keeps them and establishes them in that faith! Who needs the gospel? EVERYONE! Believer and unbeliever! We need to not only "spread" the gospel, but live the gospel, eat, sleep, and breathe the gospel! I challenge you, brethren, to live the gospel! Fall in love with it and let it see you home to glory!

2005-12-02T06:34:00.000-05:00

You Must Be Born Again

"Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

This verse could be somewhat controversial if you think about it. Let's look at what it's saying. What it says to me is that to see the kingdom of God, you must be born again. Notice what it doesn't say: To "enter" the kingdom of God, you must be born again." Why doesn't Jesus say that? Because, I believe, that is not Jesus' point. Jesus is trying to talk about going to Heaven. The kingdom of God is about salvation.

So what is He saying? I believe that He is saying that to even see the kingdom of God, to desire the kingdom of God, you must first be born again. This runs contrary to what most people believe nowadays. Most people say that first you must be saved and desire God and THEN you are born again. They say that salvation brings the new birth. That's not what this verse is saying, though. This verse is saying that the new birth brings a desire for God, which leads to salvation.

Who causes this new birth? Does our faith? It would appear not, as we don't have faith until we are born again. Does our choice? Once again, it would appear not, as we don't even want to choose God until the new birth. The Spirit of God causes this new birth. So what does this mean? This means that unless you are the elect, and unless God regenerates you with the Holy Spirit, you cannot even SEE what is desirable about God. This is the miracle of election and regeneration.

What a precious truth. I urge you to ponder this amazing election, and praise God for His mighty power.

2005-12-01T23:36:00.000-05:00

Hurting Hearts Need Helping Hands

I go to a wonderful college called Trinity College. I love the professors there and I love the courses. I stand amazed by the talent, maturity, and humility of the professors at that school. But one thing I've noticed not only about this school, but about a great deal of Christians today, is that we are no longer a body, but a social club.

It becomes increasingly more and more obvious to me that the Church today is becoming just another place where we come and exclude those that don't belong to our little cliques. I know a sister in the Lord who just feels so alone that it just consumes her...she has numerous hurts that her heart endures...And she shoulders it without the help of brothers and sisters in Christ. WHERE ARE THEY?!?!?!? How many people are in our pews, in our college seats, in our Bible study classes with hearts so torn and bleeding from their wounds that they go home and just fall apart? I suggest that the reason we don't know the answer is because we don't really care, and I'm not wanting to point a finger without first pointing it right at myself.

I got to know this sister in Christ and found she was a very cool person, but plagued by her problems and hurts....she sat for years in my college, without ANYONE speaking to her very often. All I can say is this: SHAME ON ME! And, if we're all being honest with ourselves, all we will be able to say is the same thing. God bless.

2005-12-01T07:37:00.000-05:00

Stained Glass Masquerade

Here is another song for your perusal. It's a song about the facade we oftentimes put up in church. I hope you enjoy it!

Is there anyone that fails

Is there anyone that falls

Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around

Everybody seems so strong

I know they'll soon discover

That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay

If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too

So with a painted grin, I play the part again

So everyone will see me the way that I see them

CHORUS

Are we happy plastic people

Under shiny plastic steeples

With walls around our weakness

And smiles to hide our pain

But if the invitation's open

To every heart that has been broken

Maybe then we close the curtain on our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there

Are there any hands to raise

Am I the only one who's traded

In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing

And we know every line by heart

Only when no one is watching

Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free

If I dared to let you see

The truth behind the person

That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open

Or would you walk away

Would the love of Jesus

Be enough to make you stay

CHORUS 2x

But if the invitation's open

To every heart that has been broken

Maybe then we close the curtain on our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone that fails

Is there anyone that falls

Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

2005-11-30T06:37:00.000-05:00

Gutsy Guilt

"Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me out to the light, and I will see His righteousness." Micah 7:8

This verse has a great deal to learn from it. I think, in our walks, there are often times where we are tempted to sin where the flesh whispers to us "Come on, everyone is doing it..." and then when we sin, the doors seem to slam shut behind us and the flesh (or Satan) shouts "You are such a dirty sinner! Nobody has ever sinned that greatly before! You cannot be forgiven!" And we get stuck in the dungeon of guilt and shame.

God doesn't want us to live there. This verse is a model for how we should handle guilt. Let's take a look at the verse. First off, Micah acknowledges that he has been brought low. He says he has fallen, but he holds out hope that he will rise. He realizes he's in the darkness, but also knows that God will be his light.

Note that Micah doesn't downplay his sin or deny he has any. He says "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him." He's man enough to say "It's my fault, I'll deal with the consequences." And perhaps the best part of this whole verse is where Micah declares that God Himself will plead Micah's case for him. I think this is a foreshadowing of the fact that Jesus Christ is our mediator and prays for us. God Himself leads us out of darkness and into light. What an amazing promise!

So when you feel the guilt or shame of a previous sin (and believe me, I know the feeling!) I encourage you to realize that, while God may or may not be punishing you, you can bear it because He loves you and will lead you out into light soon enough. When the enemy, whoever that may be, whispers in your ear, simply tell him "Rejoice not over me, O my enemy!"

2005-11-29T23:12:00.000-05:00

A Hard Sign For the People

"And the word of the Lord came to me, saying. 'Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you the desire of your eyes with a blow; but you shall not mourn, and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not come. . .' So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded." Ezekiel 24:16 & 18

Wow. What a testament to the faith of this man. You know, sometimes God calls us to some pretty hard things. As I read Scripture, I read of men like Abraham and Jepthah and Ezekiel. There were men who were called to sacrifice all that they had previously held dear, and I can't imagine the kind of faith it took to lay it down.

We struggle with this here in America. I know, because I see it in others and I see it in myself. Deep down we think that God calls us to a life of ease. We read verses in Romans 8 and think that we're on the easy train. Think again, folks. Ezekiel had to lose his wife, just so that it could be a sign of how Israel was going to be.

What would it be like, to lose a loved one for the sake of an object lesson? I can't fathom it. I hope sincerely that it is not what God has called me to. But whatever the situation, I know one thing is true. I know that the joy Ezekiel had was not in his wife. If it were, he would not have obeyed the Lord's command not to mourn. His joy was in his God. While he did take delight in his wife, and rightly so, his true everlasting joy was in God, and so in this sense it becomes a model for us here and now.

What will God call you to lay down for Him? I don't know. I only know that it may be the most difficult thing you've ever faced...but you will never face it alone. The God of all comfort and joy goes with you, supplying you with a strength you've never known. Take your delight in Him today.

2005-11-26T11:24:00.000-05:00

Sorry all...the past few days have been hectic and I have had technical difficulties. I have not been able to get out the devotions since Thursday. However, they will start again on Monday!

Thanks,
Charlie

2005-11-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

The Love of God For Believers pt 5: The God Who Sings

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy. He will quiet you in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

What an amazing picture of God's love for us. At the end of this study, this is the picture I would like to implant on your minds as to the specific, special love of Christ for His church and His people. We have seen that His love is not like the love He has for everyone else, that His love is that of a husband for His wife, that His love is a very specific, particular election, that His love will keep us walking in His way, and now we see that He rejoices over us with so much joy that He breaks forth into song. What an awesome God we serve!

When we think of singing, it usually us who do the singing in our minds. We are the ones singing praises to God, and as well we should. But how often do we stop to think that God sings over us? How often do we take the time to be silenced by this awesome love? Are you stunned to silence by God's love? You should be. God's love is so deep and rich that, on one hand, we should be completely speechless and dumbfounded, but on the other hand, we should be shouting for joy from the rooftops!

I urge you, brethren, to adjust your view of God's special love for you, as a person, not as a member of His body, but for YOU, specifically. I challenge you to let that seep into your mind, into your heart, into your life.

2005-11-22T07:10:00.000-05:00

The Love of God For Believers Pt 4: God's Preserving Love

"And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me." Jeremiah 32:40

This verse has several great points to it that should be explored. The first thing that should be looked at it the first part of the verse. God says that He will make an everlasting covenant with His people. This covenant is the new covenant that Jesus ushered in with His blood. We are now, as God's elect, part of this everlasting covenant.

The second thing to note is the part that says that God will not turn away from us. God loves us too much to turn away from us, or to stop doing us good. He promises to do good to us. Sometimes, I know, that seems a little hard to believe when we are suffering or being persecuted for our faith, but it is a true promise. Even those sufferings are, in the long run, for our ultimate good.

The first of the two huge theological points, however, is where God says "I will put the fear of Me in their hearts." This tells me that we don't fear God and love Him on our own. He tells us that it is He who chooses us, it is He who makes us fear and love Him, and it is Him who writes His word on our hearts. To think that we have anything to do with our salvation is folly.

The final thing to note is the part where He says "so that they will not turn away from Me." This is an amazing promise from God. God is essentially saying that we who are chosen and justified cannot turn away from God. God will prevent us from falling away ultimately from the faith. Now, I am not saying that there is no backsliding, but I am saying that we are justified will be glorified in Heaven, and we will experience the joy of God here in this world and then into the next! Now that's love!

2005-11-21T07:58:00.000-05:00

The Love of God for Believers pt 3: Electing Love

"He predestined us to adoption through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, ..." Ephesians 1:5

There are many people who would wish to deny the Biblical fact of election. They would like to say that election is a horrible doctrine in which it makes God out to be a monster. They would say that in election, God randomly chooses those would be saved, and condemns the rest, who have no chance, to Hell.

This is simply not true. Many times in the Bible God talks about electing His chosen people out of love, and setting His electing, covenant love upon them. This is just such a verse. This is talking about electing us according to the kind intention of His will. He chose us, before the foundation of the world, to be His special, chosen people out of love. We will see tomorrow why this is especially relevant to the topic of God's love for believers. Today, however, it is important to note that God elects us out of love and keeps us in His love. His elect are His beloved!

2005-11-19T09:03:00.000-05:00

The Love of God For Believers Pt2: What It Is

"...to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 1:

This verse will begin to give us a clue as to what the covenant love of God is all about. I used to read right over this verse trying to get to the "meat" of the book until someone showed me how to slow down and reach each verse by itself, trying to get the meaning out of each verse. I praise God I learned this habit, for I would have forever missed something wonderful in this "introduction" verse.

Two things should jump out at you in relation to God's love in this verse. Firstly, Paul is writing to the saints (believers) in Rome. That much is fairly obvious. Secondly, Paul calls them beloved of God. This is an interesting word to use. Does this mean the same thing as the love of God in John 3:16? Or is there some kind of significance in this verse?

Well, the word used in this verse is agapetos, which in Greek means "esteemed, dear, favorite." I think this is very important. I think the saints of God are indeed held in higher esteem than the rest of the world. I think that God views us with a richer, deeper love than He holds for the rest of the world. We should always remember that God's love is many times reckoned to that of a bridegroom to His bride. This is a very special love.

Think of it this way. Many people think of God's love like this: "God loves everyone. I am part of everyone. Therefore God must love me." This is the way God loves in John 3:16. But for the believer, it should be more than that. If you are married, does your wife\husband think that way? No! They would more think, "The love my spouse has for me is special and different from the love they have for others. It is an intimate love meant for only the two of us." I urge you, brethren, to ponder this love. I plan, for the next few days, to continue looking at verses that examine the aspects of God's love.

2005-11-18T07:03:00.000-05:00

The Love of God For Believers Pt 1: What It Is Not

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whosoever should believe in Him shall not die, but have life everlasting." John 3:16

Many people read this verse and marvel at the love of God. Rightly so. This is a powerful verse talking about the love God has for all the world. But there are some who would look at this verse and think that it's talking about the love God has for His people. This, however, is certainly not true. Furthermore, I would sincerely hope that this not be true of us as believers. The one who believes it is true has a very shallow understanding of God's covenant love.

This verse is plainly talking about the love God has for everyone in general. He sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous alike. He causes the sun to shine on both. He sends His Son for those who would believe. These are general, basic statements. Now, did He already have in His plan those who would accept? Of course, but that is not the point. The point is that if you've always thought of this verse and smiled at His love for you, then I dare say you've never truly wondered at the specific, special love He has for you. Not for all people, not for everyone like you, but for you. What an awesome thing to be specifically loved by God!

In the next few days, I'm going to show some Scriptures that talk about what God's love is really all about for the believer. I hope and pray that they open your eyes to the immeasurable heights and widths and depths of His love for you.

2005-11-17T07:17:00.000-05:00

The Power of Jesus pt 2

"And when He had said these things, He cried out in a loud voice, ' Lazarus, come fort.'" John 11:43

Wow. This verse, much like the story of the demoniac, should just blow your mind. Here was a man who was dead four days and is now living. He came forth from the tomb, all wrapped up like a mummy, after hearing the voice of Jesus.

Now, there are a few things to note about this verse, and an understanding of Hebrew culture would be beneficial. First of all, the Jews believed that when you died, your spirit hovered over your body for three days. This is significant because Jesus would have known this. The fact that He specifically waited four days to come should show us that He was waiting until, in the Jews' minds, the spirit had gone. This would have made the resurrection of Lazarus much more amazing to them.

Secondly, as I said before, Lazarus was already wrapped up and covered in herbs and such to preserve his body. Sometimes that stuff could weigh as much as 100 lbs. Even with all of that, when hearing the voice of Jesus, he had to come forth, spices and all.

Thirdly, and this should give us great joy and comfort, Jesus promises the same to us. He promises that the grave will not hold us, and that we will rise again. Our bodies will come forth from the ground or the sea and join our spirits in Heaven, and we will be transformed gloriously. Jesus said in this verse "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die." What an awesome promise. I challenge you to ponder this story and this promise, and see if it changes your perspective on life!

2005-11-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

For anyone who would like to post a prayer request or praise report, but does not belong to the blogger website, you can send any and all prayer requests to me via my email at randphoenix@yahoo.com.

Thanks and God bless,
Charlie

2005-11-16T03:00:00.000-05:00

Character Study : Josiah

"And before him there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him." 1 Kings 23:25

Wow. I wish such a verse could be said of me when I go. Josiah was a man completely and totally turned over to God. He was made king when he was only eight years old, but in his life he accomplished so much for God.

I urge you to read the whole story of Josiah. It begins in chapter 22, and goes until verse 30 of chapter 23. It is an amazing story of a man on fire for God. Where does all this zeal come from? Well, apparently the law of Moses had been hidden away for many, many years. Someone had found it in the temple and read it in Josiah's presence. The result was awesome:

"And it came about when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes. . . saying 'Go, inquire of the Lord for me and the people and all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for great is the wrath of the Lord that burns against us, because our fathers have not listening to the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us." 1 Kings 22:11+13

After this, Josiah went on a zeal campaign for God. He had the first passover in hundreds of years, destroyed tons of altars to false gods, put to death mediums and spiritists, and re-established true worship in the temple of God.

What can we learn from this amazing man of God? What I take from this is the importance to be totally given over to God in everything. God can use you mightily whether you are a king or a pauper, so long as you are zealous for His name and for His fame. I urge you to seek His fame in all you do!

2005-11-15T07:37:00.000-05:00

Delight in the Lord

"Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

This verse is so often mistranslated to mean something it just doesn't say. I hear on television all the time preachers talk about this verse. "Delight yourself in God," they say, "and all the desires of your heart will be given to you. Health, prosperity, happiness. All these things God's gonna give you if you delight yourself in Him."

What a waste of breath to even talk like that. Notice the verse. Really look hard at it. It says to delight yourself in God, so God can give you the desires of your heart. Now, wouldn't it be logical to say that whatever you delight in, you're going to desire? What this Scripture is saying is that if you desire God, God is going to show you more of Himself. If you crave and delight in God, He's going to pour out His glory on you and change you.

What an amazing promise! How much greater is this than what the televagelists say! Because, seriously, aren't you tired of more cars, more houses, more possessions that can't fulfill you? Aren't you bored to tears with the blessings of this world? If you're not, you should be! This verse should awaken in your heart a deep passion to see more of this Jesus who died on a cross bringing glory to His Father. I urge you, in light of this, to delight yourself in the Lord, so that He may open up the truckload of His glory upon you and you can truly see what blessing is all about!

2005-11-14T09:36:00.000-05:00

The God Who Prays For Us

"And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ..." Romans 8:26

This is a great verse, and should be an amazing comfort to those who read it. Think for a moment about what it means. It is saying that we do not always know how we should pray. I know this to be true of myself on many occassions. Many are the times where I just don't know what to say in prayer. I come empty minded and empty handed to God.

The good news is, however, that we don't have to worry! The Holy Spirit Himself prays for us on our behalf! Isn't that awesome?! The Holy Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. The best part about that is that the Holy Spirit always know what to pray for, for He is God! Even when you feel you have nobody who cares enough to pray for you, you can be sure that God the Spirit is in prayer for you.

And that's not all. We know, also, from Hebrews that Jesus intercedes for us always. Jesus' job as the high priest of Heaven is to intercede for His people. And, once again, Jesus knows what to pray and how, for He is God as well. What a comforting promise! At all times, you have two members of the glorious Trinity praying for you, even when you feel nobody is praying for you.

I urge you, brethren, to really explore this promise and let it fill you with the comfort and joy that it should.

2005-11-12T09:28:00.000-05:00

Pure Mind For Him

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." Philippians 4:8

This is something that I've been talking about and have been angry about for many months. I have seen this invade churches, Christian school, and just a general mindset among Christians as is. The mindset is one of "since we have freedom in Christ, I am free to watch and listen to whatever I feel like, without reservations."

This is a completely wrong minded idea. Jesus did not die on the cross so that you can watch Saw II and listen to 50 Cent! Jesus did not suffer and bleed so that you can indulge yourself in all sorts of worldly trash! What is it that makes us rationalize and justify our sinful behaviors? I think it is pride and the desire to indulge one's self.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to shed the garbage of the world. You cannot glorify God while watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre. You cannot exult in the Lord while listening to LL Cool J. Get the garbage out of your mind, out of your heart, and out of your life, brethren. Let us keep in mind always that whatever we do, we are to do as to the Lord.

2005-11-11T06:48:00.000-05:00

What's Wrong With This World

Every once in a while, I like to put a song up that has a good message behind it. This is just such a song. It's called "What's Wrong With This World" by Shaun Groves.

Throw your stones at silver screens
Faces on magazines
Burn my rock and roll
Blame my schools, my ADD
My mom, my MTV
Curse my chromosomes.

Chorus:
I'm what's wrong with
This world; I'm bent
Warped and Wicked
I am weak
My heart's twisted
Torn and tempted
This world is not wha'ts wrong with me
I'm what's wrong with this world
What's wrong with this world

Put my finger in the chest
Of those who should know best
But made the worst of things
Baby booms and presidents
Boy bands and communists
Everyone but me

Chorus

I don't need your
help to be this
Devilish and dark
I confessed I
Made this mess while
Using just my heart
Change my heart
My heart is

Chorus

Change my heart yeah
Change my heart God
Change my heart yeah
Change my heart

2005-11-10T08:04:00.000-05:00

Clinging Fast to Good

"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good." Romans 12:9

One time when I was still living at home, my brother and his friends came home, laughing and joking. They began to loudly talk about their exploits with teenage girls, and about their hopes for future exploits. It turned my stomach to hear that kind of talk being thrown about as if it was no big deal. This verse immediately came to mind.

Paul isn't just telling the Romans to do what is right and not do what is wrong. He's talking about a serious heart issue. The word "abhor" in the Greek means to detest with horror. It comes from the same root word as "shudder." That's a serious heart reaction. We are not just to avoid doing evil. We are to be repulsed and horrified at evil. We are to hate evil with all our hearts.

On the other side, to cling in the Greek means to be glued to, to stick fast to. In some cases, this word was used in a marital sense. In a sense, we are to be married to and to cling fast to that which is good. This, again, is definitely a heart reaction. We are not just to do that which is good, but to love it fervently and hold fast to it.

Do you have heart reactions like this? Do you hate evil with all your heart and love good with all your heart? If not, something is wired incorrectly. If you find yourself loving that which is evil and hating to do that which is good, I urge you, brothers and sisters, to get on your faces before God and cry out to Him, begging Him for a change of heart that will please Him.

2005-11-09T23:59:00.000-05:00

The Victory of Missions

"And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd." John 10:16

I love this verse. This verse tells me so much about the cause we have in missions. Missions is an extremely important part of the church, one that seems, by and large, neglected in today's American church. This verse doesn't just talk about missions, however. It talks about day to day evangelism.

In this verse, Jesus says that He has sheep of other folds. By this He means that He has sheep that are not of the lost house of Israel. That really means all of us. All the Gentiles. That seems to be alot of work. Look, however, what He says about the work ahead of the missions movement. It doesn't say that He will help us lead the other sheep to Him. It doesn't say He will woo people to Himself. It also doesn't say that the sheep may or may not hear His voice, and may or may not be brought unto Himself.

Jesus states unequivocally that He WILL bring His sheep. They must come! He knows His own, and His own know Him. Once those that know Him hear His voice, they feel compelled to follow! There is no room for arguing or denying the Spirit. When Jesus calls, they come.

What an encouragement for evangelism! The victory is already won for us! If they receive the gospel with gladness, then rejoice, for you have found one of His sheep. If not, then rejoice that God's electing and saving power is not wasted on goats! I urge you, in light of this awesome promise, to go out and evangelize with even more fervor, realizing that it's not about you, nor is the responsibility yours!

2005-11-08T08:19:00.000-05:00

Stones Crying Out
"And He answered and said. ' I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!'" Luke 19:40

This is an amazing, oft overlooked verse. I know myself that I have many times just read right over it, and it's a crying shame. This verse was not meant to be read over! The background of the verse is like this: Jesus was coming into Jerusalem on the donkey, and the people were crying out "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" The Pharisees did not like this, and small wonder.
They urged Jesus to tell His disciples and the other people to be silent. They did not want declared openly what they plainly could see. They didn't want to admit to themselves that Jesus was indeed the Messianic King, the Son of David foretold in prophecy. So they told Him to hush the crowds.
He turned and gave a response that should shock our socks off! He said that even if all the people were silent and not shouting out, the rocks would give testimony to His nature! The very stones of the earth would declare that Jesus is Lord. This, to me, is just plain awesome. It also gives me comfort for the times I don't praise Him as I should. I know that my God declares for Himself praise from the very sky we live under and the very rocks upon which we tread. Our God is all-glorious and all-praised!

2005-11-07T23:03:00.001-05:00

11\07\05
The Power of Jesus

"...and crying out with a loud voice, he said ' What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!'...And He was asking him, 'What is your name?' And he said to Him, 'My name is Legion, for we are many.'" Mark 5:7+9

This is definitely one of my favorite stories in all the gospel, if not my very favorite. It clearly and strongly shows the absolute sovereign power of Jesus over the supernatural world. What amazes me so much about this story is the meaning of the word Legion. The New American Standard Greek Lexicon defines Legion as the following:

a legion, a body of soldiers whose number differed at times, and in the times of Augustus seems to have consisted of 6,826 men ( 6100 foot soldiers and 126 horsemen)

This is just too awesome to me! And read the whole story in its entirety! That many demons came shrieking over to Jesus, bowing down before Him, begging for mercy. Shouldn't that make us excited? Shouldn't that just blow us away, that anyone could have that kind of power?!
One more thing to note about this story that many could miss. The swine that the demons entered were supposed to be sacrificial swine. You see, the people of this area actually worshipped these demons. They would sacrifice these pigs to the demon "gods." So, in a sense of divine irony, the very pigs that would be killed to appease the demons ended up being the end of the demons! What an awesome God we serve!
Now THAT is power. And, what's more amazing, THAT'S the kind of power Jesus promises to unleash in our lives, power to change our lives and to reach out to others in boldness for the gospel. But it is only offered if we treasure Jesus in our hearts. I urge you, if you do not know this kind of power, if you do not know this kind of awe and wonder, please cry out to God on your faces and seek the God of all power!

--Charlie

2005-11-07T18:22:00.000-05:00

It's Me