Soli Deo Gloria

A Majestic Palace

2011-08-30T13:31:00.000-05:00

Early twentieth-century evangelist Billy Sunday pictured the Bible like a majestic palace. He wrote,

I entered through the portico of Genesis and walked down through the Old Testament's art gallery, where I saw the portraits of Joseph, Jacob, Daniel, Moses, Isaiah, Solomon and David hanging on the wall; I entered the music room of the Psalms and the Spirit of God struck the keyboard of my nature until it seemed to me that every reed and pipe in God's great organ of nature responded to the harp of David, and the charm of King Solomon in his moods.

I walked into the business house of Proverbs.

I walked into the observatory of the prophets and there saw photographs of various sizes, some pointing to far-off stars or events--all concentrated upon one great Star which was to rise as an atonement for sin.
Then I went into the audience room of the King of Kings, and got a vision from four points--from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I went into the correspondence room, and saw Peter, James, Paul and Jude, penning their epistles to the world. I went into the Acts of the Apostles and saw the Holy Spirit forming the Holy Church, and then I walked into the throne room and saw a door at the foot of a tower and, going up, I saw One standing there, fair as the morning, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and I found this truest friend that man ever knew; when all were false I found him true (BillySunday Speaks [New York: Chelsea House, 1970], p. 23).

What an awesome palace!

Reading Reflection: Tempted and Tried

2011-08-27T17:12:00.000-05:00

As I've been reading through Tempted and Tried by Russell Moore, I have been operated on. It was as if Russell Moore was a surgeon and I the patient. Along the way, I read some great things but some stood out more than others. I want to share a few paragraphs. It is, I believe, of utmost importance that we know this and are reminded of it regularly.

Anyhow, speaking about resisting temptation (Which, by the way, is not bad. Sin is. Temptation is not) he says,

"Gospel freedom is the most important aspect of resisting temptation. Remember, that Satan's power over you is first and foremost the power of accusation and threatened death. In Christ, though, you have already been indicted, judged, executed, and resurrected. You are "dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 6:11). Regardless of whether you support or oppose the death penalty, you'd probably wince to hear about a state that executed a murderer and then had a public flogging of his corpse. Your discomfort there wouldn't be because you're soft on murder but because that act would be insanely beside the point. After all, an executed corpse can't be punished anymore. It's over.

Likewise, you've been to hell, in the cross of Christ. You've been buried beneath the judgment of God, turned over to the Devil, and you are gone. Now you stand in Christ, hidden in his identity, and thus free from any accusation. Knowing that truth doesn't lead to yield to temptation but instead to fly from it. You're not hiding from God anymore."

You know that feeling of feeling accused before God? That feeling you maybe get when you sin and you just can't face God? That feeling is Satan accusing you. But you should not fall down under that weight because as Russell Moore says, we stand in Christ now. We are hidden in His identity. We are free from any accusation because He was perfect and blameless. Amazing? Yes.

Reading Reflection: The Next Story

2011-08-13T23:00:00.006-05:00

Nearing the end of The Next Story, I have read alot about technology. Reading any book, you encounter "alot" about that subject. Thus: reading reflections. Something to get me started on combing through information that goes in between my ears.

Tim Challies, the author of The Next Story, is talking about technology and how we as Christians are to relate to technology. By the way, if you want to ever read a book about technology, I recommend this one! Anyhow, in his chapter about visibility and privacy, he talks about data trails. All of the information that we leave behind us. He uses the example of how AOL (the search engine) released more than 21 million searches as part of a project. They anonymized it, stripping away user names with numbers. For example, pauld1995 would be User #75636534. Here is an AOL user whose searches tell a sad story.

body fat calliper 2006-03-01 18:54:10
curb morning sickness 2006-03-05 08:53:23
get fit while pregnant 2006-03-09 18:49:37
he doesn't want the baby 2006-03-11 03:52:01
uou're pregnant he doesn't want the baby 2006-03-11 03:52:49
online christian colleges 2006-03-11 04:13:33
foods to eat when pregnant 2006-03-12 09:38:02
baby names and meanings 2006-03-14 20:01:27
maternity clothes 2006-03-28 09:28:25
pregnancy workout videos 2006-03-29 10:01:39
what is yoga 2006-03-29 12:17:31
what is theism 2006-03-29 12:18:30
hindu religion 2006-03-29 12:18:56
is yoga alligned with christianity 2006-03-29 12:33:18
abortion clinics charlotte nc 2006-04-18 2006
can christians be forgiven for abortion 2006-04-17 11:00:02
roe vs. wade 2006-04-17 22:22:07
abortion clinic charlotte 2006-04-18 16:14:07
symptoms of miscarriage 2006-04-18 16:14:07
water aerobics charlotte nc 2006-04-18 19:41:27
abortion clinic chsrlotte nc 2006-04-18 21:45:39
engagement gifts 2006-04-20 16:57:04
mom's turning 50 2006-04-20 17:51:13
high risk abortions 2006-04-20 17:53:49
abortion fibroid 2006-04-20 17:55:18
wedding gown styles 2006-04-26 19:37:34
recover after miscarriage 2006-05-22 18:17:53
marry your live-in 2006-05-27 07:25:45

Tim Challies says,

"This woman goes from searching about pregnancy, to realizing that the father does not want to keep the baby, to researching abortion clinics, to researching whether she can, according to her faith, choose abortion. It seems that she did not have to face that decision, as the pregnancy terminated in a miscarriage. And at the end of it all, life goes on, and she seems ready to be married. We can reconstruct this period of her life by what she searched for. We know thing about her that even her friends and her boyfriend would not know. Did he know that she was considering an abortion? Did he even know that she was pregnant? Did he know that she was wrestling with her faith? Her searches revealed her actions, her heart, her intention. It was all there, sitting in a datebase at AOL. She had doubtlessly long forgotten about many of these searches; yet the search engine remembered."

It seems that our searches, and as is everything else we do, reveal our heart. They reveal our intentions. They reveal who we truly are. He goes on to say,

"Our searches are a penetrating window into our hearts. We tell search engines what we would not tell anyone else; we ask them what we would be far too embarrassed to ask in any other context. And we entrust to them this information, perhaps not realizing that they might keep these searches forever and certainly trusting that they will never reveal it to anyone else. Though we may want them to forget about searches, we now know that they do not."

He continues,

"More people than ever before are watching us, keeping tabs on us through our data. They are sorting through this date to find a picture of who we are. And someday they may make this data public. Our secrets may be revealed, if not today, at some later date. The challenge for the Christian is clear: we need to be diligent in living lives marked by what we believe. Christians must ensure that we are above reproach at all times--more guarded in our behavior, more diligent in our Christlikeness, than we've ever been. These words have always stirred me: "Now when they (members of the Jewish council) saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they we uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recongnized that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13, emphasis added). Wouldn't it be remarkable if people could see a distinct difference between the date trails Christians leave behind and the ones left behind by unbelievers--that our data trails made it obvious that we had been with Jesus?"

Yes. And wouldn't it be a shame if the data trails were nearly indistinguishable?

The Story of the Gardener

2011-07-20T13:10:00.002-05:00

A child had a little garden in which she planted many flowers, but they never grew. She put them in, as she thought tenderly and carefully, but they would not live. She sowed seeds and they sprang up; but very soon they withered away. So she ran to her father's gardener, and when he came to look at it, he said, "I will make it a nice garden for you, that you may grow whatever you want." He fetched a pick, and when the little child saw the terrible pick, she was afraid for her little garden. The gardener struck his tool into the ground and began to make the earth heave and shake for his pickaxe had caught the edge of a huge stone which underplayed almost all the little plot of ground. All the little flowers were turned out of their places and the garden spoiled for a season so that the little maid wept much. He told her he would make it a fair garden yet, and so he did, for having removed that stone which had prevented all the plants from striking root he soon filled the ground with flowers which lived and flourished.

Just so, the Lord has come, and has turned up all the soil of your present comfort to get rid of some big stone that was at the bottom of all your spiritual prosperity, and would not let your soul flourish. Do not weep with the child, but be comforted by the blessed results and thank your Father's tender hand!

-Spurgeon

X-TRA

2011-07-20T12:43:00.002-05:00

July is nearly over. Then comes August and then school! Time flies. Here are a few good articles to read and think about.

If I were John MacArthur... - Clint Archer is quickly becoming a favorite. Check out this article (although it was written several weeks back).

Can we be good without God? - Good question. Great response to the 'New' Atheists.

Book Hoarding - A parable.

4 Steps to Kill Sin - A helpful article.

We dont want to obey God, we want to be God. That's the title of this video. See what Driscoll means.

Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love; love becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth. The Apostle calls us to hold the two together, which should not be difficult for Spirit-filled believers, since the Holy Spirit is himself "the spirit of truth," and his firstfruit is "love". - John Stott

Being humble...

2011-07-13T15:07:00.001-05:00

Being humble is not a matter of pretending to be worthless, but is a form of realism, not only regarding the real badness of one's sins and stupidities and the real depth of one's dependence on God's grace, but also regarding the real range of one's abilities. Humble believers know what they can and cannot do. They note both their gifts and their limitations, and so are able to avoid both the unfaithfulness of letting their God-given powers lie fallow [inactive] and the foolhardiness of biting off more than they can chew.

-J.I Packer

Spiritual Depression

2011-07-02T18:06:00.002-05:00

Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones speaks about spiritual depression. I think anyone can profit listening to this video.

X-TRA

2011-05-28T00:48:00.004-05:00

Summer is underway! There's alot of benefits that come with a summer break and I am ready to reap them! I read an article about personal devotions right here, which was a timely reminder for myself. I think it's worth the read.

Relationship with God - Tim Challies answers the question: Should the basic rules of how we relate to others apply to God as well?

Gambling - Is gambling a sin? Why is it bad? Phil Johnson helps out. Check out this article afterwards for more clarification...this one.

Do you journal? - A simple question. Yet, the answer to it might mean alot.

Is God a Monster? - For some, it might be hard to understand the depths of this post. Take your time; you will benefit.

Gentleness - A forgotten virtue?

How much does God want us to care for our physical bodies? John Piper let's you know through Scripture.

"Free grace can go into the gutter, and bring up a jewel!" -C.H. Spurgeon

Only Do What Your Heart Tells You

2011-05-27T23:46:00.004-05:00

Princess Diana once said, “Only do what your heart tells you.”

This is a creed believed by millions. It’s a statement of faith in one of the great pop cultural myths of the Western world. It’s a gospel proclaimed in many of our stories, movies, and songs.

It states that your heart is a compass inside of you that will point you to your own true north if you can just see it clearly. Your heart is a true guide that will lead you to happiness if you can just tune into it. We are lost, and our heart will save us.

This sounds so simple and liberating. It’s tempting to believe.

Until you consider that your heart has sociopathic tendencies.

Think about it for a moment. What does your heart tell you?

No need to answer. Your heart has likely said things today that you would not wish to repeat. As Jesus said, “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matthew 15:19).

No one lies to you more than your own heart. It’s true. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

If our hearts are compasses, they are like Jack Sparrow’s. If our hearts are guides, they are Gothels. They are not benevolent, they are pathologically selfish. If we only do what our hearts tell us we will pervert and impoverish every desire, every beauty, every person, every wonder and joy. We will try to consume them for self-glory and self-indulgence.

Our hearts will not save us. We need to be saved from our hearts.

That’s why Jesus did not say, “Let not your hearts be troubled, just believe your hearts.” He said, “Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1).

Our hearts were not designed to be gods, they were designed to believe in God. And we are never happier than when we do. The fallen human heart rejects God, believing it can “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). Jesus came to pay for that horrific, treacherous sin in full and to give us new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26).

That means, in this age, Christians have the strange experience of living with two hearts. And both speak to us. One we must reject and the other we must trust. We must be discerning. We know the corrupt heart is speaking when it says, “Believe what I promise you and you will be happy.” We know the new heart is speaking when it says, “Believe what Jesus promises and he will make you happy forever.

Therefore, only do what your heart tells you if it is telling you to believe in Jesus.

*This post was taken from the Desiring God blog.

Was Jesus a Liar?

2011-05-20T22:42:00.001-05:00

Jesus claimed to be God. His claim must be either true or false, and everyone should give it the same kind of consideration he expected of his disciples when he put the question to them: "Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:15). -Josh McDowell

It was really refreshing to read McDowell's work. With logic and wit, he writes very persuasively. In talking about Christ as either Lord, Liar, or Lunatic, he sets out to find out if what Jesus claimed to be was really true: being God. I really enjoyed reading the section titled 'Was Jesus a Liar?'. I want to share it. Here's what he says:

If, when Jesus made his claims, he knew that he was not God, then he was lying and deliberately deceiving his followers. But if he was a liar, then he was also a hypocrite because he taught others to be honest whatever the cost. Worse than that, if he was lying, he was a demon because he told others to trust him for their eternal destiny. If he couldn't back up his claims and knew it, then he was unspeakably evil for deceiving his followers with such a false hope. Last, he would also be a fool because his claims to being God led to his crucifixion--claims he could have backed away from to save himself even at the last minute.

It amazes me to hear so many people say that Jesus was simply a good moral teacher. Let's be realistic. How could he be a great moral teacher and knowingly mislead people at the most important point of his teaching--his own identity?

To conclude that Jesus was a deliberate liar doesn't coincide with what we know either of him or of the results of his life and teachings. Wherever Jesus has been proclaimed, we see lives change for the good, nations change for the better, thieves become honest, alcoholics become sober, hateful individuals become channels of love, unjust persons embrace justice.

William Lecky, one of Great Britain's most noted historians and a fierce opponent of organized Christianity, saw the effect of true Christianity on the world. He writes:

It was reserved for Christianity to present to the world an ideal which through all the changes of eighteen centuries has inspired the hearts of men with an impassioned love; has shown itself capable of acting on all ages, nations, temperaments, and conditions; has been not only the highest pattern of virtue, but the strongest incentive to its practice...The simple record of these three shorts years of active life [Jesus' 3 years of ministry recorded in the Gospels] has done more to regenerate and soften mankind than all the disquisitions of philosophers and all the exhortations of moralists.

Historian Philip Schaff says:

This testimony [that Jesus was God], if not true, must be downright blasphemy or madness....Self-deception in a matter so momentous, and with an intellect in all respects so clear and so sound, is equally out of the question. How could he be an enthusiast or a madman who never lost the even balance of his mind, who sailed serenely over all the troubles and persecutions, as the sun above the clouds, who always returned the wisest answer to tempting questions, who calmly and deliberately predicted his death on the cross, his resurrection on the third day, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the founding of his Church, the destruction of Jerusalem--predictions which have been literally fulfilled? A character so original, so complete, so uniformly consistent, so perfect, so human and set so high above all human greatness, can be neither a fraud nor a fiction. The poet, as has been well said, would be in this case greater than the hero. It would take more than a Jesus to invent a Jesus.

Elsewhere Schaff gives convincing argument against Christ being a liar:

How in the name of logic, common sense, and experience, could an imposter--that is a deceitful, selfish, depraved man--have invented, and consistenly maintained from the beginning to end, the purest and noblest character known in the history with the most perfect air of truth and reality? How could he have conceived and carried out a plan of unparalleled benefitcence, moral magnitude, and sublimity, and sacrificed his own life for it, in the fact of the strongest prejudices of his people and age?

If Jesus wanted to get people to follow him and believe him as God, why did he go to the Jewish nation? Why go as a common carpenter in an undistinguished village in a country so small in size and population? Why go to a country that so thoroughly adhered to the concept of one God? Why didn't he go to Egypt, or even to Greece, where they already believed in various gods and various manifestations of them?

Someone who lived as Jesus lived, taught as Jesus taught, and died as Jesus died could not have been a liar.

X-TRA

2011-05-09T11:59:00.000-05:00

I haven't been able to sit down to post my thoughts lately. I suppose school is taking up alot of them! Within 10 days it will be over and I will enjoy a nice summer vacation! Woohoo!

Calvin and Hobbes - Smart!

Free Audio Book - ChristianAudio is giving a free audio book away! Available by download. This is a book very needed by the young generation growing today.

Backgrounds: May - Little late into the month, but heres a link to a few free backgrounds for your laptop, desktop, or whatever!

Does Facebook make you a better student? - Cool infographic. How do they get all this information?

Creepy and cool. Those are two words that describe this following video very well!

"Jesus promised the disciples three things---that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy and in constant trouble." -G.K Chesterton

X-TRA

2011-04-27T10:51:00.002-05:00

Having been quite busy with schoolwork, I haven't had much time to post things. But here's an interesting conversation between LZ Granderson and Matt Wittmer. Here's LZ's post on CNN, to which Wittmer responds.

Jealous Love - A few thoughts about God's love.

Praising God through Sports - This has really changed my view of 'excellence". Awesome.

Small History of Christianity - Some history set straight.

Daily Life of the Pope - If you really want to know more about the Pope, this is for you. I ran across it at another blog.

Tempted and Tried. A book I want to get. With snakes and mopeds, this looks like a good read!

"Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret." - Ambrose Bierce

Our Daily Bread

2011-04-21T19:22:00.000-05:00

Our Daily Bread is sent to my home every three months by RBC Ministries. It's a devotional booklet with short little, well, devotions. I enjoy reading them sometimes and I want to share them at least once a week. So here's one for today:

At the beginning of March, my friend began a countdown. Marked on the calender in her office were the 20 days left until the first day of spring. One morning when I saw her, she volunteered, "Only 12 more days!" A few days later, "Only 6!" Her enthusiasm started to rub off on me, and I began to keep track as well. "Just 2 more days, Jerrie!" "I know!" she beamed.

As believers, we have something to look forward to that is even more exciting than the anticipation of budding flowers and lots of sunshine after a long winter. God has made many promises in His Word, and each one has been or will be fulfilled. But the certainty that Christ will return is one of the greatest promises of all. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God...Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air," and we'll be with Him forever (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

Although no one can know the exact day, we have God's promise that Jesus will come back (Acts 1:7-11). As we celebrate easter during this spring, let's encourage each other in anticipation of that day! --Cindy Hess Kasper

Book Review - Disciplines of a Godly Man

2011-04-19T17:11:00.001-05:00

Another book that has shaped my way of thinking--especially on the subject of discipline.

Title: Disciplines of a Godly Man
Author: Kent Hughes
Publisher: Crossway
Pages: 304

I know 304 pages might sound intimidating to some of you but I have some good news: It's not actually 304 pages. That is, the content of the actual book isn't. Over 85 pages of the book are bonus materials (resources, testimonies, and cited sources, questions). Really, this book isn't all that intimidating by size.

So who's Kent Hughes? Well, he was the Senior Pastor of College Church in Wheaton, Illinois for 27 years. I say 'was' because he retired from the role near the end of 2006. Not only was he pastor, but a proficient author at the same time. He has written seven books himself, while also being a major contributor to the Preaching the Word Series project. He was truly disciplined in his life to accomplish so much. He shares the insights about discipline, that he found in Scripture, in this wonderful book.

So, he begins the book with a little introduction about discipline. 'Why discipline' we ask? For this: "train yourself to be godly" (1 Timothy 4:7). Read any book about the subject of discipline and one of it's central points is simply that: discipline and godliness go hand in hand. Without discipline, godliness is not there. And before continuing to explain many disciplines in detail, he spends a page or two talking about the difference between legalism (many fear discipline because of it) and discipline. Here's what he says,

The difference is one of motivation: legalism is self-centered; discipline is God-centered. The legalistic heart says, "I will do this thing to gain merit with God." The disciplined heart says, "I will do this thing because I love God and want to please Him." There is an infinite difference between the motivation of legalism and discipline!

Hughes then gives about 10-12 pages on each of the seventeen disciplines he talks about:

Purity
Marriage
Fatherhood
Friendship
Mind
Devotion
Prayer
Worship
Integrity
Tongue
Work
Perseverance
Church
Leadership
Giving
Witness
Ministry

Constantly leaning on statistics and Scripture, Hughes clearly cuts to the point: men need to be disciplined. In all aspects, to be godly. He calls for some spiritual sweat.

It is amazing to find out that women are so much more disciplined that men. At least, that's what the statistics show right now in the 21st century (read to find more details). Like a mentor, Kent Hughes gently probes you with questions; testing you. This is the most personal book--maybe tied with C.J. Mahaney's books--that I've ever read.

For the sake of not revealing too much about the book, I will say this: for the 17 disciplines, Hughes clearly demonstrates the purpose for each; the blessings of each; and the practicality of each. This isn't a theoretical book that leaves you scratching your head not knowing what to do afterwards. This book calls you to action. This is one of the reasons I recommend this book. Any guy who has sight to see, should read this book. Get it at your local bookstore or at Amazon. And as Hughes says,

No discipline,no discipleship! No sweat, no sainthood! No perspiration, no inspiration! No pain, no gain! No manliness, no maturity!

X-TRA

2011-04-16T17:31:00.001-05:00

I t's been a long time since I posted a X-TRA. I haven't had many things to post as well as time. On the other hand, school will be over soon so that will help. Hopefully soon (next post), I will write a small review of Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes. Here's some links for today:

Calvin and Hobbes - Calvin and Hobbes have a new comic--about the economy. I found it a little funny.

Why I believe the Bible - Check this out.

Hardest Languages to Learn - Interesting infographic!

The Last Week - The last week of the life of Jesus. This is really interesting--if you can follow it.

A video that speaks of one of the most relevant commandments in the 21st century. Enjoy.

"Words are like leaves and where they most abound, much fruit of sense beneath is seldom found." -Alexander Pope

Why Don't We Evangelize?

2011-04-12T22:40:00.006-05:00

Many people are fearful of evangelizing.

Why don't we evangelize? Here are 5 of our basic excuses according to Mark Dever:

Basic Excuse #1: "I don't know their language."
Now, a language barrier is an impressive excuse. And it's got to be about the best on. If you're sitting next to people who only speak Chinese or French, you don't have much of an opportunity to share any news with them, let alone news about Christ and their own soul. Of course, you can work to learn another language and so be able to share with many other people. You can keep around Bibles or evangelistic literature in other languages to give away as you have opportunity. But ever since the Tower of Babel, the "I don't know" has been one of the most legitimate excuses we could imagine. Paul warns the Corinthians of the uselessness of speaking words that are unintelligible to someone (1 Cor. 14:10-11, 16, 23). After all, the whole point of our using words is to be understood!

Basic Excuse #2: "Evangelism is illegal."
In some places, evangelism is illegal. There are countries around the world in which tyrannies of darkness reign. They might be atheistic or Muslim, secular or even "Christian" (in name). But in many countries, sharing the evangelical gospel is forbidden. And it certainly is not to be believed by people who are not already confessing Christians! In such countries, you can usually go out and evangelize--once. It's the second or third time that might be prevented by social pressure, or laws, or jails, or guns. Not many of us reading this are probably in that position though.

Basic Excuse #3: "Evangelism could cause problems at work."
Even in countries where evangelism is legally allowed, many have jobs for which employers are paying you to get a certain amount of work done, and they have a legitimate expectation. During those work hours, it may be that our evangelism distracts people, or reduces our productivity, or does other things that can cause our employers valid concern. We certainly don't want sharing of the gospel to bring us or the gospel into disrepute for any reason other than a disagreement with the message itself. We understand that everyone is, by nature, at enmity with God; but we simply don't want to give people other reasons to oppose our evangel. We dont want our evangelism to stand in the way of the evangel--the good news.

Basic Excuse #4: "Other things seem more urgent"
There is so much else to do in any given day. We've got to care for our families and plan for our weekend. The job has to be done, and the bills have to be paid. Studies, cooking, cleaning, shopping, returning calls, writing e-mails, reading, praying--I could go on and on about all the good things we need to do. And many of these things are time-sensitive. If I have a misunderstanding with my wife, I need to take care of that immediately. If the baby is crying, I need to get her home now. If the paper is due tomorrow, I've got to get the writing done right away. If we've got no food for tonight, I've got to do some shopping and cooking now. It is legitimate for me to make and fulfill many commitments in life other than evangelism. But do our other commitments sometimes become so numerous--or do we interpret them so--as to leave no time for evangelism? If we are too busy for that, what things are we managing to make time for?

Basic Excuse #5: "I don't know non-Christians."
Isolation from unbelievers may be the most common excuse for a lack of evangelism. This is the excuse of choice for mature Christians. When I'm honestly reflecting on my own life, I see that I have fairly few significant relationships with non-Christians. I'm a pastor. I'm not around non-Christians much as part of my job. I am busy writing sermons, counseling, planning, training other Christians, returning phone calls--even writing a book on evangelism! I'm generally unavailable to people except for my church members during the day or my family in the evening. I'm really absorbed with Christian relationships, and I think that I'm called to be.
But in cases like mine, how does evangelism fit in? If you're a young mother at home with her children, or an older Christian, retired and not easily able to build new relationships, then you, too, know something of this challenge. If you're a new Christian, you've probably been advised ( wisely ) to build new, significant friendships with Christians. And if you've been a Christian for a while, then you're probably busy with service in the church and spending your time discipling younger Christians. One of the best decision we can make is to pray and talk with a Christian friend about how we can legitimately fulfill our roles in the church, in our family, and in our job while also getting to know and speak with non-Christians.

So, which one do you see yourself using alot? Let us all strive to be more effective in evangelism. If you want to know how to battle these five excuses at their core, buy The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever on Amazon. The $10 spent for this book will be $10 you wont regret!

Book Review - Humility: True Greatness

2011-04-09T12:13:00.007-05:00

This book has truly been a blessing in my life. So thus, let's get to the basics:

Title: Humility: True Greatness

Author: C.J. Mahaney

Publisher: Multnomah

Pages: 172

Although this book is 172 pages, it is quite the quick read. It is smaller than a regular book, so it's really about 90 regular sized pages. You could say that it is 'short and sweet'. You could also say it's quick to the point.

So who's C.J. Mahaney? Well, he's a 57 year old leader of Sovereign Grace Ministries and former Pastor of Covenant Life Church. But the most important thing is that Mr.Mahaney is not humble. At least, that's what he would tell you. And thats one of the reasons he's well qualified to write this book.

Mahaney starts this book explaining the battle of Humility Versus Pride. Why battle? Because these are two things that go against each other. When one exists, the other cant. They cannot mix. So thus, the word battle. He then goes on to define humility and expound upon the perils of pride. It is captivating, really, the effects of pride. And as C.J quotes John Stott, "At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is the greatest enemy..." True.

And of course, C.J can't talk about something without mentioning Christ. That's just as he is. And so, he looks upon the example of Christ in many situations throughout the Gospels. It's not just the quoting of verses and mentioning, "Look how humble Jesus was here! We must be too!", but a really deep look upon the life of Jesus and how he acted. I thoroughly enjoyed it and trust you will too.

All of that is good, but what about practical applications to our own lives? This is truly the meat of the book. This is one of the reasons I enjoyed it. Mr.Mahaney overviews how to practice humility as each day begins and ends. And of course, in between! It's not some list of disciplines to carry out (although you can look at it that way), but simple reminders. He includes chapters about encouraging others, finding grace in others, and more! All of it is about how to weaken pride ( our greatest enemy ) and to cultivate humility ( our greatest friend ).

This book doesn't major on the minors. So if your looking for a book that describes acts of humility, or some list of how to be humble, you will not find it here. And vice-versa, he doesn't give you a list of acts that are 'proud'. He instead gives you tools and understanding to assess yourself and realize if your proud or not. Tools to cultivate humility inside out, not from the outside to the inside.

This isn't some ancient tome of the theology of Christian humility ( although, it does include theology ), but more of a 'over some coffee' discussion. In a sense, the author is just 'down to earth', talking a lot about his own experiences. What does this do? It makes it very easy to relate.

All in all, this is a practical yet profound book. The information taught here is something I will carry for a lifetime. I give it a 9 out of 10 rating. Go out and buy it at your local bookstore or at Amazon. It will be worth the several hours of your life. So for closing, listen to what C.J has to say in the introduction of his book.

Writing about Humility is a humbling experience. Who wants to volunteer to write on this subject? Not me. There've been countless times while completing this book when I've been inspiring to think, You idiot! Why did you agree to do this? And I could entertain you for hours relating the comments and facial expressions of those who discovered I was authoring a work with this title. I understand their reaction. If I met someone presuming to have something to say about humility, automatically I'd think him unqualified to speak on the subject.

So let me make this clear at the outset: I'm a proud man pursuing humility by the grace of God. I don't write as an authority of humility; I write as a fellow pilgrim walking with you on the path set for us by our humble Savior. I can only address you with confidence in the great and gracious God who has promised to give grace to the humble (see James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). That promise forms the heart of this book. And that promise is for every one of us who turns from his or her sins and trusts in the Savior.

The G.O.S.P.E.L

2011-04-05T13:50:00.003-05:00

Here's the Gospel in 5 minutes. Normally I dont find any hip-hop or rap that has a Christian theme, so when I saw this it was a first. I enjoyed it, as it tells the story of the Gospel rightly. Hope you enjoy.

"My dear Jesus, my Savior, is so deeply written in my heart, that I feel confident, that if my heart were to be cut open and chopped to pieces, the name of Jesus would be found written on every piece." -St. Ignatius

Infinite Obligations

2011-04-03T08:33:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I don’t realize the weight of sin. Sometimes, when I commit a subtle ‘little’ sin such as anger in my heart, I shrug it off. Jonathan Edwards brought this to my attention:

“The crime of one being despising and casting contempt on another, is proportionably more or less heinous, as he was under greater or less obligations to obey him. And therefore if there be any being that we are under infinite obligations to love, and honor, and obey, the contrary towards him must be infinitely faulty.

Our obligation to love, honor, and obey any being is in proportion to his loveliness, honorableness, and authority…But God is a being infinitely lovely, because he hath infinite excellency and beauty…

So sin against God, being a violation of infinite obligations, must be a crime infinitely heinous, and so deserving infinite punishment…The eternity of the punishment of ungodly men renders it infinite…and therefore renders no more than proportionable to the heinousness of what they are guilty of."

As I read these words, the weight of sin increased. I'm not speaking of any burden upon myself, no definitely not, but increased in the sense that I shouldn’t think that ‘Oh, this is just a little sin, I’m going to commit it’. Each sin does have infinite obligations, ‘little’ or ‘big’.

What could it be?

2011-03-31T07:08:00.010-05:00

Why don’t young guys desire God? Or why don’t young guys desire a God-centered life?

I sit here and am thinking about these questions. They’re thought provoking, at least for myself. And now that I have finally sat down to think about them, I don’t believe that I can put my finger on the answer.

What could it be?

I look around at the fellow church going friends (guys) and am comforted that they attend regularly. But that comfort leaves when I know that all they do there is chat with friends and horse around. Where’s the reverence to God? The Almighty, who is the creator and sustainer of the universe? Where? It’s no where to be found.

What could it possibly be?

Could it be that a life centered around God and the cross is just too uncool? That’s the first thing to come to mind. Going to church every Sunday with your family, worshipping an unseen ‘force’, or serving others just blemishes their reputation somehow. I mean, ‘‘that’s lame when you weep about your sins’’, they say. I guess their right, we have to be macho and assertive guys. We have to be manly, right? No, wrong. This is what’s called taking the world’s philosophy and making it your own. Whoever says that is using the world’s definition of cool. Cold, un-moving, un-relational, un-emotional, dominating, etc. Those are just some of the qualities the world praises of guys. Who are you going to let define cool? Ecclesiastes says a life without God is hebel: vain, worthless, pointless. On the other hand, a life with God, and God being centered in your life, is cool, worth it, and satisfying. I suppose it’s a matter of whose side your going to take.

Or could it be that a life centered around God and the cross is just boring for guys? Is it that there is seemingly no happiness or joy in God? “Its too serious.” They say. Well, I beg to differ. A life centered around God, and of course, the cross is the most happiest and fulfilling life. God created us and our ultimate calling is to glorify Him. That’s what completes us. That’s what gives us unending joy. You can go hang out with friends and party all you want but your shallow joy ends after that. Where is it then? God is the true source of happiness and joy, the joy He gives lasts long after any 'party'.

Again, could it be that other things just seem more important than God? That happens often, even for those who are seasoned Christians. Our focus shifts and we tend to give more importance to even noble things, but not God. For example, when someone spends hours upon hours, days upon days, and even weeks trying to advance in their video game yet they only spend a quick 5 minutes of praying and reading daily, what’s that say? Or when someone spends months trying to improve in a sport, but rarely pray and read, what’s that say? It says that that sport, video game, or whatever else is more important than God. Check yourself, how do you spend your free time? Is it out of proportion? This is what many struggle with, even myself. We must remember this: “Only one life to live, it’ll soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last” (John Piper). Everything else has no value, life has no value, everything is pointless unless you live for God. He must be of the upmost importance.

So why don’t young guys desire a God-centered life? What could it be? I may never know for sure, but oh how I pray that God will raise a generation that seeks His precious face.

God Unchanging

2011-03-29T09:04:00.006-05:00

They tell us that the Bible is the Word of God--a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. They tell us that we shall find in it the knowledge of God and of His will for our lives. We believe them; rightly, for what they say is true. So we take our Bibles and start to read them. We read steadily and thoughtfully, for we are in earnest; we really do want to know God.

But as we read, we get more and more puzzled. Though fascinated, we are not being fed. Our reading is not helping us; it leaves us bewildered and, if the truth be told, somewhat depressed. We find ourselves wondering whether Bible reading is worth going on with.

What is our trouble?

Well, basically it is this. Our Bible reading takes us into what, for us, is quite a new world--namely the Near Eastern world as it was thousands of years ago, primitive and barbaric, agricultural and unmechanized. It is in that world that the action of the Bible story is played out. In that world we meet Abraham, and Moses, and David and the rest, and we watch God dealing with them. We hear the prophets denouncing idolatry and threatening judgment upon sin. We see the Man of Galilee doing miracles, arguing with the Jews, dying for sinners, rising from death and ascending to heaven. We read letters from Christian teachers directed against strange errors which, so far as we know, do not now exist.

It is all intensely interesting, but it all seems very far away. It all belongs to that world, not to this world. We feel that we are, so to speak, on the outside of the Bible world, looking in. We are mere spectators, and that is all. Our unspoken thought is--"Yes, God did all that then, and very wonderful it was for the people involved, but how does it touch us now? We don't live in the same world. How can the record of God's words and deeds in Bible times, the record of his dealings with Abraham and Moses and David and the rest, help us, who have to live in the space age?"

We cannot see how the two worlds link up, and hence again and again we find ourselves feeling that the things we read about in the Bible can have no application for us. And when, as so often, these things are in themselves thrilling and glorious, our sense of being excluded from them depresses us considerably.

Most Bible readers have known this feeling. Not all know how to counter it. Some Christians seem to resign themselves to following afar off, believing the Bible record, indeed, but neither seeking nor expecting for themselves such intimacy and direct dealing with God as the men and women of the Bible knew. Such an attitude, all too common today, is in effect a confession of failure tosee a way through this problem.

But how can this sense of remoteness from the biblical experience of God be overcome? Many things might be said, but the crucial point is surely this. The sense of remoteness is an illusion which springs from seeking the link between our situation and that of the various Bible characters in the wrong place. It is true that in terms of space, time, and culture, they and the historical epoch to which they belonged are a very long way from us. But the link between them and us is not found at that level.

The link is God Himself. For the God with whom they had to do is the same God with whom we have to do. We could sharpen the point by saying exactly the same God; for God does not change in the least particular. Thus it appears that the truth on which we must dwell, in order to dispel this feeling that there is an unbridgeable gulf between the position of men and women in Bible times and in our own, is the truth of God's immutability (unchangeable-ness).

Where is the sense of distance and difference, then, between believers in Bible times and ourselves? It is excluded. On what grounds? On the grounds that God does not change. Fellowship with him, trust in his word, living by faith, standing on the promises of God, are essentially the same realities for us today as they were for Old and New Testament believers. This thought brings comfort as we enter into the perplexities of each day: amid all the changes and uncertainties of life in a nuclear age, God and his Christ remain the same--almighty to save.

This was an excerpt taken from Chapter 7 in Knowing God by J.I Packer. Some minor changes were made from the original.

Finishing Well

2011-03-28T10:34:00.001-05:00

As I was reading this prayer written by Scotty Smith on another blog, I was really moved by it. It touched my heart just by reading it. So thus, I wanted to share it. It begins with this passage:

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. Hebrews 3:12-14

Dear Jesus, this portion of your Word is both sobering and encouraging. It leads me to think about friendship this morning and the gospel-posse you’ve given me. I’m so very grateful for the friends you’ve woven into my life. Being an introvert, the journey of investing my heart in long term relationships has required, and still requires the work of the gospel in my heart—a grace work you’ve been faithful to provide.

I’ve already gripped the handle of a couple of friend’s caskets and they’ll do the same for me one day. More than ever, I want us to finish well together in the gospel. What does look like and what will it require, Jesus?

My temptation is to treat my easiest friendships like a broken-in pair of Birkenstocks—I just enjoy these relationships without much thought or effort. It’s a great gift to have a few friends who can finish each other’s sentences, endure one another’s jokes, appreciate each other’s quirks and accept one another’s weaknesses. Surely, this is a gospel-gift.

Yet, Jesus, we’re still foolish men—capable of acting out in very destructive ways, prone to wander, easy targets for temptation. Sin is exceedingly deceitful. With all of my heart, I believe in the “final perseverance of the saints,” but I equally believe that it’s the saints who will finally persevere. Your Word is very clear—continuance in the gospel is a sign of being rooted in the gospel. That doesn’t scare me, but it does humble me.

Help us know how to hold each other accountable for believing the gospel. Help us to take each other’s heart-struggles seriously. Don’t let us confuse flattery with encouragement. Help us never to minimize nor marginalize the hardening power of sin. Help us know how to preach the gospel to our own hearts daily and to each all the time, until Today gives way to the Day. So very Amen, I pray, in your all glorious name.

X-TRA

2011-03-28T08:17:00.002-05:00

Kansas weather remains to me, by far, the strangest. It was over 80 degrees no more than ten days ago! Now, a thin layer of snow lay over the cold ground as I returned back home.

Matrix - This is really interesting. Click the boxes and make music!

Why is Hell forever? - Russell Moore talks about the subject.

5 Ways to Make Your Kids Hate Church - An article for parents on ways to make your kids hate church (for parents obviously, but still interesting for those hoping in the future)! Also note, this is a warning not a recommendation to actually do this.

Glorious Freedom - Ligonier Ministries talks about the new identity Christ gives us. Worth the quick read.

Who's the most typical person? National Geographic let's you know!

"Without Christ, not one step; with Him, anywhere!" -David Livingstone

X-TRA

2011-03-24T12:38:00.005-05:00

I will be gone friday-sunday. I'll be attending a Youth Conference in Minnesota. But, I still have the opportunity to post an X-TRA for today! It'll be lighter than usual:

Rapper Lecrae - Interesting interview of a Christian Rapper.

Innocent Abroad - Humorous story of one man's observations of Canada.

Sistine Chapel - Awesome virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel. You can zoom in on any painting!

This video made me laugh. Hope it can do the same for you!

This is facinating. A man with a disability, yet with a special ability.

"Educate men without religion and you make of them but clever devils." -Arthur Wellesley

Pride: Contending with God

2011-03-22T22:22:00.000-05:00

Reading Humility by C.J Mahaney, I have been guilty of many things he writes is "manifestations of pride". Here's an excerpt from the book:

"Why does God hate pride so passionately?

     Here's why: Pride is when sinful human beings aspire to the status and position of God and refuse to acknowledge their dependence upon Him.

     Charles Bridges once noted how pride lifts up one's heart against God and 'contends for supremacy' with Him. That's a keenly insightful and biblical definition of pride's essence: contending for supremacy with God, and lifting up our hearts against Him.

     For purposes of personal confession, I began adopting this definition of pride a few years ago after I came to realize that, to some degree, I'd grown unaffected by pride in my life. Though I was still confessing pride, I knew I wasn't sufficiently convicted of it. So rather than just confessing to God that 'I was proud in that situation' and appealing for His forgiveness, I learned to say instead, 'Lord, in that moment, with that attitude and that action, I was contending for supremacy with You. That's what it was all about. Forgive me'.

     And rather than confessing to another person, 'That statement was prideful on my part; will you please forgive me?' I began saying, 'What I just did was contending for supremacy with God,' and only then asking for the person's forgiveness. This practice increased a weight of conviction in my heart about the seriousness of this sin.

     Pride takes innumerable forms but has only one end: self-glorification. That's the motive and ultimate purpose of pride--to rob God of legitimate glory and to pursue self-glorification, contending for supremacy with Him. The proud person seeks to glorify himself and not God, thereby attempting in effect to deprive God of something only He is worth to receive.

     No wonder God opposes pride. No wonder he hates pride. Let that truth sink into your thinking..."