Worship

This morning as I was praying, I realized that true worship really is the result of truly tasting God's character and glory.

Because I'm depraved, that means first coming to grips with my own depravity, rebellion, and even inability to obey his holy commands. And then it means coming to grips with his love given freely in Christ.

But how often do we just sing of general ... stuff? There's nothing wrong with singing 'I could sing of your love forever' (outside of the fact that it's old and repetitive... sorry, couldn't resist the jab...), but if we're not thinking of the love of God for sinners in Christ, are we praising God... or the concept of love?

As I wrestled with God over my own sin this morning, I recognized that I really need to do this more regularly - that is, really come to grips with my ugliness, wretchedness, evil, and inability - and then the grace of God means something huge.

In Conclusion...

So in conclusion to the last post - do stupid things. In other words, do things for the glory of Christ that don't make sense to this world - and don't make sense to even the part of you that is still worldly. And your heart towards Jesus and his Kingdom will grow.

Where's your heart?

I'm raising support right now. From a Biblical standpoint, I'm seeking people to partner with me in the ministry God's called me to for the sake of his glory. From a worldly standpoint, I'm asking people for money.

Now, when I'm tempted by the latter viewpoint, calling people I don't know to talk about money is really, really hard. I'm naturally shy and non-confrontational, and honestly, I don't think well on the fly while in the midst of conversation.

But Jesus said this: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will also be." Now note that he didn't say the reverse: 'where your heart is, there your treasure will be.' Now certainly, what you choose, care about, etc results in storing up treasure for yourself in that realm (the world or heaven).

BUT - that's not what Jesus said, exactly. Where your treasure is, your heart will follow.

In other words, if I've stored up a bunch of good stuff for myself on earth, I'm naturally going to make choices that prioritize those things. I'm going to care about that stuff that I've stored up.

On the other hand, if I look at the treasure purchased for me by Jesus and stop hoarding on earth - I'm going to make choices and be passionate about heaven.

So our heart, sometimes, follows our choices. And in my context, that means that I - though I don't have a lot of worldly stuff (I'm a missionary!) - need to focus on what Jesus purchased for me - and then I have to CHOOSE to keep storing stuff in the place that he's setting up for me - and THEN, my feelings and my choices and my soul will be increasingly in line with my Master's.

I'll keep that in prayer...

Say someone comes to you with a dire need. Someone they know is dying. Someone they know is spiritually dead. A relative is in bad financial straits.

I usually say, "I'll pray for you." You probably do too, right? Right. So...

1) If you can do something to help, DO SOMETHING. Remember James 1, kids.

2) Prayer is good, effective, and honoring to Jesus. So pray. Don't just say you'll pray. Pray then and there.

And then.... THEN.... WRITE IT DOWN. Seriously, do you think you're going to 'keep' ANYTHING 'in prayer' without writing it down to look at every day?

The fact of the matter is, in a fast paced, self-reliant culture, we neglect prayer. I neglect prayer. If I'm busy, it's often the first thing to go.

And also if I'm busy, prayer usually becomes about.... my junk. And no one else's. Certainly not the nation's, nor the world's... nor God's grand purpose in this world.

Whoops.

I pray through a list daily. Some of you might think that's lame. Well, I'm lame. I have a craptastic memory and a sinnin' heart that focuses on .... ME. So I write down stuff I need to pray for.

I read Scripture, ask the Father to convict me of sin, thank him for forgiving me for it, and pray through everything on that list - everything from my own walk with God, my wife's walk with God, to requests from others, to missionaries I support, to the whole world.

It ain't perfect. But it helps this dude out. Give it a shot! Prayer honors God, and through it, he's redeeming this world by the blood of Jesus.

Someone, at some point, probably prayed for your salvation. God used it. Let's keep the chain goin'.

Here's my list - maybe it'll help.

And feel free to help me out, too.

Thankful

I'm so glad right now that I stand righteous before God, and will forever stand righteous before him, because Jesus has been righteous in my place. I'm so glad...

that I'm not judged by my 'heart' and my 'intentions' - both of which are often wicked
that I'm not judged by how much compassion I have for people
that I'm not judged by how much zeal I feel for God
that I'm not judged by the strength of my faith
that I'm not judged by how well I love my wife
that I'm not judged by how many people I tell about Jesus

And I'm so thankful that Jesus willingly was judged for my wickedness in all of those areas and more

And that now my Creator looks on me as if I'd obeyed, because his resurrected Son did in my place.

Evolutionary "Science"

Apparently, the new Science Minister in Canada, a country far more postmodern and post-Christian than my own, is a Christian.

See the article here.

And he won't say that he believes in evolution. Now, I'm not saying as a Christian one can't believe in evolution; I just love that this guy is up front - 'I'm a Christian.'

I also laughed out loud when I read evolutionary scientists stating that
1) evolution is a scientific fact
2) evolution is the foundation of all modern biology (they said this in my undergrad evolution classes - ridiculous then AND now)
3) evolution has been TESTED

Okay, seriously... regardless of whether you believe in it or not - evolution is not science. It hasn't been tested. There have been no repeated experiments in controlled environments that show that biological organisms are present on our planet today as a result of naturalistic evolution.

Sometimes it's amazing to me how utterly foolish very educated people can be.

The infamous 'but'

Okay, before I start, let me admit: I'm guilty of this. Very guilty of it.

I hear a lot - and have said - well, this ministry is doing such and such correctly, and God may be using it, BUT this is what they're doing wrong...

Okay, seriously, when I say that, or you say that or whoever says that - are we REALLY celebrating what God is having someone else do right? Are we REALLY celebrating how God is glorifying himself? Do we REALLY think that our ministries or lives are that much more holy than someone else's?

Or are we just trying to give ourselves license to pick on someone by saying something nice first?

With me, I know a lot of times, it's the last one. We need to not do that. We need to be honest, and have an authentic, heartfelt praise of God for what he's done through people and ministries that we see as having problems.

Stop Talking about Driscoll.

So, a sermon at a well-attended event was given about how us preachers are to speak from the pulpit. And in this sermon, Mark Driscoll was addressed multiple times as one bringing 'vulgarity' and 'lewdness' to the pulpit.

Two admonitions to all of you who like ripping on Driscoll -

1) If you're going to address how we're to speak from the pulpit, address US, not Driscoll. Addressing Driscoll isn't helpful for us - just distracting.
2) If you are going to address US about how we're to speak - address us with exegesis of the appropriate texts - not opinions about the propriety of someone else's jokes.

I like Driscoll. I don't always think he does the write thing. He's not Jesus. He doesn't think he's Jesus. But the appropriateness of his speech is subjective; there is no commandment that says 'use this word, not this one' nor that 'this joke in particular is wrong.' So stop writing about Driscoll, and if you want to edify US - start writing to us - address our depraved souls and give us the salve of the gospel of Christ.

Or at least just stop talking about Driscoll. He's neither the Messiah or the antiChrist.

The Temptations of a Blogger

The fact is, if I have a caustic tone or say something that is bordering on offensive, more people will be more apt to read this, and perhaps even pick a fight.

And to be honest, as a blogger, that feels good.

But then I'm blogging for my glory, not God's. I think to blog for God's glory means to blog about God's glory in a way that is attractive - that makes you actually want to read it instead of skimming it.

The latter's a skill. I may or may not have it. But as a blogger, it's hard to resist the temptation to stir up trouble so that I'll feel good.

SO - there it is. Hopefully, there'll be no caustic tones, no calling out specific people, no starting fights, no divisions - just the glory of the risen Christ.

Jesus' name makes sinners ANGRY

Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you... but all these things they will do to you on account of my name..." (John 15:20, 21).

Isn't it interesting that in our culture you can talk about spirituality - or even 'God' in general terms - but as soon as you bring up Jesus, you're in trouble? (At least, the Jesus of the Bible!)

That's not exactly what this passage is talking about, though it certainly could be included in it.

In John's gospel, the way that Jesus' ministry is talked about is that Jesus makes his glory known - the glory of the unique Son of the Father - and some believe, while some hate. That's what Jesus' "name" means - it's his glory. It's who he truly is.

So what do people resist? Surely not the name, "Jesus." But they do, as soon as they see who he truly is - very God - Creator, Life-giver, Ruler, Sovereign, Risen-from-the-dead, Judge of the world -

People don't like that.

But as a Christian, that's what we are called to represent: his name, his person, his glory. We don't represent some vague 'god' out there. We represent the glory of the Risen Messiah - Jesus, who is coming again!

Anxiety is sin, but non-anxiety can be too.

If you're not aware, anxiety is sin. Check out Matthew 6 ('do not worry' isn't a suggestion) and Philippians 4:6-7.

God convicted me of something while praying today: non-anxiety can also be sin. Phil. 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

Now, my car broke down yesterday. I didn't stress. But God showed me something else - I didn't pray. I didn't thank.

But now I praise God for conviction and forgiveness!

Sermon at Cornerstone Bible Church Sunday March 8th

Link is HERE.

I'm pro equal marriage rights for homosexuals.

And by that, I mean, I'm all about the right of a homosexual to marry someone of the opposite gender.

That is to say, if a homosexual man wants to marry a woman - I bless that.

I'm not joking. That's what equal rights would mean.

Review: Keller's "The Reason for God"

How should I put this: this is simply the best, modern, popular level defense of the Christian faith.

Keller addresses the issues pertinent to our current situation: how can I know things? Why's there so much suffering? Why's there so much sin in the church? Does Christianity explain what I see and experience?

You have to think while reading this book; but I don't think that you need knowledge about Christian theology before reading it. You just have to pay attention and use your head.

Now, that might be asking too much... but thank God that he is sovereign, and he is as much the redeemer of the mind as he is of the heart.

I'm curious - if you've read this book - is it too intellectual for someone without a Christian background?

If you're a Christian and you haven't read it, and you want to be able to give a cogent reason for the faith delivered to us - read this book.

Wrong Beliefs about the Kingdom of God

DA Carson, or as my friends call him, 'The Don,' has a wonderful little article about this subject here.

He hits on the 'red letter Christians' movement as well.

And, in very nice British fashion, uses the word 'rubbish.'

Reformed people are bad at theology.

What I mean by that, is that, often, Reformed people are bad at living out what they claim to believe.

This is from Ray Ortland's blog:

I like Reformed theology. I believe it's what the Bible teaches. But I don't like Reformed culture. I don't believe it's what the Bible teaches.

Reformed theology is all about grace deciding to treat people better than they deserve, for the sheer glory of it all. Sometimes Reformed culture doesn't look like that, feel like that, taste like that. It gives people exactly what they deserve, as judged by the Reformed person. But who exalted him as judge in the first place? Our true Judge stepped down to become our Friend. That theology of grace must translate into the sociology of grace as we treat one another better than anyone deserves, for the sheer glory of it all.

"If our theology does not quicken the conscience and soften the heart, it actually hardens both; if it does not encourage the commitment of faith, it reinforces the detachment of unbelief; if it fails to promote humility, it inevitably feeds pride."

J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness, page 15.

I'm guilty.

I really think the cure for this is daily if not hourly meditation on God's law, confession of specific sin, confession of the gospel, and focused time in thanksgiving to God. Our flesh and our enemy will not be able to puff us up with pride if our eyes are on our Lord and Savior, and our strength is constantly coming from him.

Calfskin ESV Study Bible Giveaway

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Wives... do WHAT to your husbands?

I recently went to a marriage seminar. It was wonderful, filled with perceptive insight - and best of all - filled with more Scripture and less psychology.

But for some reason, the word 'submit' was still avoided. I've noticed this in the recently popular 'Love and Respect' material. Now, I don't want to knock that material. It's mostly very good.

To be fair, there is a verse that's translated, 'let the wife see that she respects her husband,'; but to be accurate, the word 'respect' there is the word used for 'fear' in terms of 'fearing God.'

So what about submission? God has said, "Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything" (Eph. 5:29).

Note first, 'in everything.' That doesn't mean that a husband is JUST a spiritual leader. Hopefully he's spiritual. But he is to be a leader in all things.

But note also that submission is not merely a heart issue. But note first - it is a heart issue.

Note also that submission is supposed to reflect how the church submits to Jesus. How's that? Obedience. Yes, there is to be a heart attitude of reverence. But a wife needs to do what the church does when having a hard time with the commandments. Confess sin, praise God for the gospel, and obey in the Spirit for the glory of Christ.

And to back that up - 1 Peter 3:5-6: "for this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham"

So, ladies...

This is a hard message. But someone needed to say it. Respect is good, but it's not the whole story.

And, ladies, you can't do this. But Jesus has forgiven your sins and given you his Spirit. Walk in him.

And for the record, I still think men have a harder job (suffering for their wives' happiness in Christ - at least wives have no explicit suffering in their roles!)

Do you REALLY want to be holy?

I really resonate with the phrase, "The Holiness of God." RC Sproul's book of the same title is a book I cut my Reformed teeth on, and I can't wait to see Jesus in his glorious, holy splendor.

And if someone asks me, "Do you want to be holy? So you know, you can glorify God, and stuff?"

I would zealously answer, "YES!"

But... what's that mean, exactly?

Look at this passage with me: 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13.

God, through Paul, said to the Christians in Thessalonica, " Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints."

This is a prayer Paul was praying for these Christians, and it shows us what God's desires are for our growth. Plus, it shows us what God, in his sovereign, ruling, omnipotent grace will do in our lives if we know him.

Notice this, though. The prayer is that we abound in love.

Real quick rabbit trail. The question 'which Greek love word?' frustrates me. As in 'agape' or 'phileo' or whatever. Reason I get angry is because people who apparently don't know New Testament Greek very well are telling people that they need to know Greek to know what the Bible REALLY says, you know, because the scholar-translators were trying to hide things.

The problem is this: if we separate 'love' into different categories (which NT Greek doesn't do - the scholars did it right), we relieve ourselves of some of the obligation which the word carries.

The love that we are to have for each other IS a heartfelt love. It is ALSO passionate commitment. It says, "I enjoy this person so much, because he was created for the glory of God, that I would die for him." It is all 'love' entails.

That's the kind of love we're to have. That's the kind of love Jesus had for us - and saved us through it. And that's the kind of love that God desires to, and to some degree, now, is producing, in us.

But look at the rest of the passage. There's a purpose for this love; a goal. God says, "so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints."

That's the purpose. Blamelessness. Holiness. And it is something Christ will accomplish - because he died for it. And God doesn't ever say 'whoops.' Jesus didn't die saying, "I sure hope this works."

The overall point is this: a lot of times those of us who emphasize holiness forget about love. Love is THE primary virtue.

And if we emphasize holiness without love - we don't understand holiness. We might even start thinking that we are holy... and sadly... that others are not AS holy as us - and then we will quench love.

But Jesus did love us and died in our place for our living with him forever. It will happen. And we are to love as he loved. And God is the only one who can produce that love, through Jesus Christ, for his glory.

So maybe we should do what Paul does here: pray.

Holy Father,
You are our Creator. You're different from everything else - above it. All glory is owed to you because everything exists because of you.
I admit that I haven't loved well. My emotions don't work like you say they should. My actions don't either, nor do my thoughts. I have broken your 2nd most important commandment, and I am guilty.
But because of Jesus' obedience - his love - and because he died in our places, you consider us as righteous people.
Thank you.
And please do what Paul prayed - make us love well, so that we will be blameless in holiness when Jesus returns in glory.

In his righteousness and blood we pray, and for his glory -
Amen.

What IS the Kingdom of God, anyway?

I've addressed this a few times already. But Jesus talked about it a lot, so I figure I can do so without apology.

But what IS the Kingdom of God? Of what does it consist?

You remember the parable of the Sower and the seed, right? Click here for it.

Now, the way that parable is usually preached draws our attention to this question: "What kind of soil... are YOU???"

I submit that that is not a bad nor inappropriate question, but not Jesus' focus. In verse 11, he calls this teaching a secret of the Kingdom of Heaven. So this parable is about the Kingdom of Heaven - Jesus' Kingdom - Jesus' reign.

Now here's the absolute shock - Jesus says his reign will be invisible until the end, have varying effects, and will consist in a message!

It will be invisible 'til the end: people's reaction to Jesus' reign will be different. Even those who 'bear fruit' will do so as a result of the reign of Jesus, our Savior and God. The emphasis isn't on differing quantities of fruit - it's on Jesus' reign being invisible until the end.

It has different effects: not only does Jesus cause fruitbearing of differing amounts - all within a normal range - but he also governs a world in which his Kingdom is beset by his enemies - and his reign is not yet made visible.

Now here's my point: Jesus' reign now consists in a message - HIS message. After all, did the Lord not say, " Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away"(Matt. 24:25)? Is the future effect of eternal salvation not governed by the message which he was sent by the Father to deliver?

It is. True Christianity is therefore about words - specifically - about God's words. And in these words, Jesus' reigns and changes the world - indeed, the eternities of people.

This should give us occasion for two things -
1) Wonder. Let us wonder and worship at Jesus' sovereign power in reigning through his word!
2) Speak the truth. Jesus delivered a word for us. How is it that we might not pay attention? And if we do pay attention, how is it that we might not speak his words? If we say we care and don't speak - we don't care.

But thank God that he reigns through his words - and he transforms us by them! Pay attention!