Obama & Overrated

The title kind of says it all.  I think history will show that B.O. (nice initials considering he stinks as a president) will go down as the worst president the United States has ever known.  That is all I have to say about "O".  In the words of Eeyore the loveable donkey from the Winnie the Pooh series, "Not much of a post, for not much of a president."

Love in the Truth.

Never Satisfied (A re-post...kind of)

The following is a parable of sorts.  It may or may not be based on actual events in the life of someone I may or may not know.  I had posted it before, but hadn't published it...

Never Satisfied...

Let's say I went to Bible school to be trained for ministry. Let's say after my studies a church asked me to be their pastor. After all, I had been preaching their during my time at school. Let's say, I declined because I didn't feel it was "God's will" because...

Let's say I wanted to be an evangelist - in the big city of course - because I feel that's "God's will" for me. Let's say after a short time I change my mind because now I feel it's not "God's will" because...

Let's say there is a great mission organization that helps small rural churches find missionary pastors. Let's say I decide to apply because that's "God's will" for me. Let's say I raise support from a bunch of people, go for training, and move to my new church home. Let's say just after a year, I realize this isn't "God's will" for me because...

Let's say the same school that trained me to be a pastor has offered me a job. So...I leave another church, and a mission because I feel this is "God's will" for me. Well...it is until I find out what I want to do which of course will be "God's will"...at least until something better comes along...

Let's say...pathetic

Love in the Truth.

Moments

Have you ever simply been lost in a moment?  I am sure at some time all of us have had a "moment".  Just last night, I was listening to my son singing a song.  Not just any song either, a worship song.  There is something completely beautiful about listening to one your children passionately singing to God.  It was an almost indescribable feeling.  It was a moment that I wanted to hold onto forever.  Have you ever experienced that?  A moment so stunning that tears of joy slowly crawl down your face, and you are breathless.  

Moments like that are what we live for, long for.  They are what make most of our other moments bearable.  They are the fuel for our insatiable desire for more moments.  In a very real sense, they are what most of us worship - moments.  Everything else simply serves our craving for moments. "Live for the moment" is the motto for mankind.  Moments can be captivating.  I love those moments.  

Have you ever thought that all you may have left is moments?  Completely different perspective, I know, but true.  Everything can change in a moment.  What happens when all the moments are gone and "the" moment arrives?  Seriously, think about it...what happens...because your moment may be sooner than you think.

Love in the Truth.

Loving Response

Back in the day, and by back in the day I mean 10 years ago, I was a big Jennifer Knapp fan.  Her album "Kansas" is still one of my faves.  It was genuine.  Not long after, she just seemed to disappear of the planet.  Now we know why - her faith it seems was not genuine.  Denny Burk has a great post to J-Knapp's recent news...

Jennifer Knapp has come out of the closet as a lesbian, according to a recent interview with Christianity Today. In 2000, Knapp was at the top of her game as a Christian music artist, and in 2003 she announced that she was stepping away from it all. A lot has changed since then. Knapp has a new album coming out, and she is now talking openly about her homosexuality.

The interview with CT is heart-rending in more ways than one. She reveals that she has been in an 8-year relationship with a same-sex partner and that she no longer attends church. She makes it clear that the Bible’s authority is no longer definitive for her views on homosexuality. In her own words,

“I find myself between a rock and a hard place—between the conservative evangelical who uses what most people refer to as the ‘clobber verses’ to refer to this loving relationship as an abomination, while they’re eating shellfish and wearing clothes of five different fabrics, and various other Scriptures we could argue about. I’m not capable of getting into the theological argument as to whether or not we should or shouldn’t allow homosexuals within our church. There’s a spirit that overrides that for me, and what I’ve been gravitating to in Christ and why I became a Christian in the first place. . . If God expects me, in order to be a Christian, to be able to theologically justify every move that I make, I’m sorry. I’m going to be a miserable failure.”

No doubt there is a “spirit” that “overrides” what the Bible teaches, but it is not the Spirit of Christ—even though she may think that it is.

One other remark particularly caught my attention, and I believe it needs a response. In describing the process of deciding to come out, she says,

“I can’t do this. People are going to chew me up and spit me out and tell me that I’m worthless.”

I don’t know Jennifer Knapp apart from her music. I’m just one of her fans from ten years ago. I’m also someone who believes that the Bible unambiguously marks homosexuality as sin. Nevertheless, I would never say that she is worthless. In fact, I would speak to her this way: You are not worthless. You are a sinner, but you are not worthless. The gospel of Jesus Christ crucified and raised for sinners is still for you if you will have Him. If you will repent of your sin and trust in Christ, He will not cast you out—ever (John 6:37).

Pray for Jennifer Knapp. She’s been walking away from Christ for a long time, but the Lord’s arm is still not too short to save (Isaiah 59:1). I pray that it will reach her soon...

What is your response to the gay and lesbian community?  Are you treating them as worthless or as image bearers of the One True God?  Let us hold fast to the truth - homosexuality is sin - but let us also speak the truth in love.

Love in the Truth.

Knowing God

"And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

John 17:3

This really is a profound statement from Jesus in that He defines eternal life as knowing God - the one true God - the only true God.  There is nothing more important than one's eternal salvation.  Do you know God through His Son Jesus the Christ? Is your god the God of the Bible?  Is your jesus the Jesus of the Bible?  

Jesus asks His disciples, "who do you say that I am?" (Matt.16:15)  There is no greater question to answer.  What is you answer?  Who is Jesus to you?

Love in the Truth.  

Joy

Joy In My Morning

by

Sovereign Grace Music

When darkness falls temptations call,
And all around me seems undone,

You hear my pleas, supply my needs,

And tell me of Your wondrous love.

You are the joy in my morning.
You’re my song of praise,
Just like the new day dawning
Flooding my world with grace.

Though trials come, and every one
Can take me further from Your truth,
You calm my fears, dry all my tears,
And draw me closer, Lord, to You.

You are the joy in my morning.
You’re my song of praise,
Just like the new day dawning
Flooding my world with grace.

In You there’s no shadow of turning,
Constant in all Your ways.
You’re growing my faith and I’m learning to lean
On You all of my days.

You are the joy in my morning.
You’re my song of praise,
Just like the new day dawning
Flooding my world with grace.

Listen to a sample! 

Love in the Truth.

Idle

I remember talking with the refugees during my mission trip to Athens.  To hear the stories of each of their lives was a real eye-opener.  Most had to simply flee, and leave everything behind.  The journey to “freedom” was treacherous and non-stop.  There was no time to “stop and smell the roses” or sit on a park bench; it was not a vacation.  Every one of them was pursuing a goal.

There is a parallel here to the Christian life.  We are on a journey…a mission really.  To proclaim to a lost and dying world the excellencies of Him who saved us (1 Peter 2:9).  We do this primarily by loving our neighbor as ourself (Mt 22:39) and taking the good news of Christ to them (Mt 28:19-20).  But, if we are honest, we probably would admit that we constantly lose focus of our goal.  Why?  That is a question I have asked myself often.  Why am I so easily distracted?  Why do I find myself relaxing on the Christian park bench once again?

I think a key component in answering these kinds of questions is to understand that we will always lose sight of our mission when our love sits IDLE.  Idleness is a focus-killer.  It allows you to sit and contemplate and analyze all things trivial.  Things that don’t matter or have lesser importance become stealers of our time and effort and energy. If any of those refugees were to sit and stare at the leaves, or admire the river waters, or examine the birds above, they could have destroyed their getaway.  They had to keep pressing, keep moving, keep pursuing.  The main goal had to be constantly chased after.

The greatest example of a love that never sat idle is the love of Christ.  It sought and saved the lost (Luke 19:10) and pressed on till the end of the mission (Jn 13:1).  Even today, his love never rests…it is never idle.  It envelops us moment by moment.  And we, in turn, should extend that same love to others.  So, when we sit down to take a break from loving others, we lose sight of our mission and purpose.  And we become engulfed in the trivial things of life.  Pressing, moving, and pursuing people to love will extinguish all that.  It will keep our lives purposeful and Christ-exalting.  It will insure a life of witness and obedience.  It will keep us dependent upon His strength and grace.

We don’t love others because they deserve it; we love others because Christ first loved us.  How are you doing at pursuing love (1 Cor. 14:1) today?

Love in the Truth.

Heaven

"The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day." 

(Proverbs 4:18 - NKJV)

Nothing can or ever will compare with the unimaginable wonder of standing in the presence of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ; seeing Him in all His majesty and glory, and not have to turn away.  And then to think that it will never end; His presence will be ours for eternity. The “Perfect Day”, that is heaven, time will cease and we will enter eternity with our Lord. 

Heaven is a place of Perfect Pleasure:

Everything that now makes us groan will finally be done away with, and we will find ourselves in the very presence of God, where the purest and truest kind of pleasure is possible. “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”  (Psalm 16:11) 

Heaven is a place of Perfect Knowledge:  

Until we see the Glory shining on that “perfect day” we must walk by faith and not by sight.  But, beloved the day is coming when we will have no more unanswered questions, no confusion, no ignorance, and no more need to walk by faith.  The “perfect day” is coming with all the answers; you will have perfect knowledge.  For now, walk by faith, crawl if you have to – but KNOW – that perfect day is coming. “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”  (1 Cor. 13:12)

Heaven is a place of Perfect Comfort: 

When Jesus revealed to His disciples that He was going away they were devastated.  What did He use to comfort them?  Heaven!!  The “Father’s house”, that is our hope!  That was the first hope that Christ Himself offered. We all need answers to comfort us.  Jesus tells us, “look to heaven”.  The Way, the Truth, the Life, is preparing a place for His own “that you also may be where {He is}”.  It is our perfect comfort. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4)

Heaven is a place of Perfect Love: 

There is a day coming when we will be truly able to “behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God”.  And be able to love Him perfectly in return. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). All of us with perfect pleasure, perfect knowledge, perfect comfort, will see the King and love Him with a perfect love, and that will give us perfect joy!

Heaven is a place of Perfect Joy:  

John MacArthur says, "We will finally be perfectly free from evil forever. We will never again have a selfish desire or utter useless words. We will never perform another unkind deed or think a sinful thought. We will be perfectly liberated from our captivity to sin, and finally able to do that which is absolutely righteous, holy, and perfect before God. With sin and its effects erased forever, it will be a life of unimaginable blessing!"  We will hear “a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.  They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”   He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new!” (Rev. 21:3-5) 

That is heaven, one day the hand on your cheek wiping away your tears will be the hand of God.  Everything will be perfect, and your greatest longing will be a never-ending reality; it will be a “Perfect Day”.  

But you can only get there through Jesus. Will you trust Him?  Will you follow Him?  Will you love Him?  Will you…today…right now…will you?

Love in the Truth.

God

Michael Haykin writes, "Within the borders of the universe that humanity inhabits there are two types of beings. There are those beings that are dependent on another. They encompass everything from elephants to snails, from angels and demons to galaxies and suns, from human beings to viruses. Then, there is that One Being, upon whom all of this depends. He alone is self-existent—the great Yahweh, the One who told Moses that his name was “I am that I am.” All other beings draw their sustenance and existence from him. He is utterly unique in that he has no need of anything outside of himself. He alone possesses what students of theology (the study of God) call aseity, the attribute of self-existence. And in giving life and being to all of creation, from the greatest object to the smallest particle, he is to be confessed as the one and only Creator.

There are many gods that men and women worship. Being made in the image of the true God human beings have an unquenchable desire to worship. But being fallen they inevitably worship gods of their own making. Well did John Calvin, the French Reformer, say that the human mind is a factory of idols. The sole remedy is God’s gift of spiritual sight, by which, when it is given like a ray of light from heaven, people are awakened to know the true God and know themselves as his creatures.

He is thus sovereign over his creation. He gives life and he takes it away, he raises up nations and mountains and casts down them down, he brings suns to light and extinguishes them. And none can hinder him. What he has decided will surely come to pass, and in this exercise of sovereignty is his glory.

Human beings have the privilege and responsibility of acknowledging this sovereignty of God. Again, they can only do so when God so inclines their heart. By nature they are rebels, despising his authority, with some going against what they instinctively know, and claiming that God does not exist.

But oh he does exist! Of that fact the Christian is more sure than anything else he or she knows. And it is the Christian’s “sweet delight”—to borrow a phrase from Jonathan Edwards, the 18th century Christian preacher—to submit to this great God and acknowledge utter dependence on him and live for him and his glory. As such, Christian talk about God is far more than a philosophical discussion about his existence. It is joy itself, for the Christian has come to the one and only true God and in knowing him find meaning for life, and yes, life eternal."

That is the gift of salvation that Christ purchased with His shed blood for His elect. By grace, through faith in Christ, that relationship with "I AM THAT I AM" is mine. It is freely given and available to all those who repent and trust in the Lord; that is truly the best news anyone can here.

Love in the Truth.

Five Solas!

Sola Scriptura:

"by Scripture alone"

It is from the Bible alone that believers derive their theology.  Not from church tradition.  We believe what we believe because we find it in the Bible.  The Church is to be the pillar and support of the the truth, and that is found in the Bible alone.

Solus Christus:

"by Christ alone"

Salvation was accomplished exclusively by Christ alone through his death to save sinners.  Christ alone is the Saviour of sinners.  Christ alone is the object of the sinner's faith.  This establishes the exclusivity of the gospel of Jesus Christ ~ Christ alone saves!

Sola Fide:

"by Faith alone"

This is the pivotal truth that stood at the centre of the Reformation.  The Reformers referred to this as "the material principal", because it involves the very heart of what a sinner must do to be saved.  No amount of human goodness could ever merit eternal life.  Faith alone saves!

Sola Gratia:

"by Grace alone"

Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, but a gift for the guilty.  sinners have no claim upon God.  God owes them nothing but judgement for their sins.  If God saves any, it is in spite of them, not because of them.  Grace is given to those who cannot earn it.  Grace alone saves.

Soli Deo Gloria:

"to the glory of God alone"

Only a salvation that is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone based on the Scripture alone can bring glory to God alone.  The entirety of Scripture - the story of redemption that is the Bible - is given to reveal a God who alone is most worthy to be praised.  The highest purpose in all God does is to promote and magnify His glory for the joy of His people.

On these "five solas" I draw my line in the sand.

  

"God is most glorified in you, when you are most satisfied in Him."

Love in the Truth.

Eternal Love

How does the finite describe the infinite? What words can express the love of Christ for his bride, the Church? For this man, I need only look to my bride - His gift to me. In her eyes, I get a glimpse of eternal love. She is the beat of my heart.

Joy abounds in my heart

Even to very depth of my soul

Never have I felt so close

Never have I been so free

I need only look in your eyes

For in them, lies my love

Every part of me longs for your touch

Reason has lost all reason

Look into my eyes

You will see the change

Never have we been so close

Never have we been so free

I need only you in my life

Leaving all behind us

Our love is now eternal

Vanishing no more

Even until the end of time

You have completed me like nothing else can

Only you can make my heart beat

Understand that I am forever yours

Love in the Truth.

Daddy

I have seen many titles behind a name. In fact, one could probably make a post for each day of the A to Z challenge for the letters that can be placed after one's name (maybe not, but you get the idea). Some people almost need another business card just for their "letters".

Of all the titles that I could possibly have at the end of my name, the one that brings me the greatest joy is Daddy. I love being a daddy. There is nothing like looking into your child's eyes when they come running to the safest place they know - Daddy's arms!

That is the feeling I have when I think about the Lord. Love. Security. Safety. Joy. That is why I pray each day that the Lord is pleased to make me more like Christ. I want my children to know that Daddy walks with Jesus, that his arms are the safest place in the world.

Recently, my eldest daughter said to me after family worship, "Daddy, I love Jesus more than I love you...but...you'll always be my daddy." That was a good day. I love being a daddy. It takes a real man to be a good daddy because our kids need dads.

How are you doing at being at daddy?

Love in the Truth.

What if it's true?

Acts 17:30-31 "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

If the resurrection is true, then judgement is coming. If judgement is coming, then repentance is necessary.

Well...maybe he wasn't dead when they put him in the tomb...

At the Mount Saint Helens visitor center in Washington, a film tells the story of the awesome eruption of that volcano in 1980. It shows the now famous longtime resident at Spirit Lake, an old man named Harry Truman, who disbelieved the warnings that the mountain was about to blow. He’s famous now, but dead and buried under hundreds of feet of lava, because he made the fatal mistake of thinking that just because that mountain had never erupted in his many years of living there, it never would.

Many people make that eternally fatal mistake when it comes to the warnings of Scripture about God’s judgment. Paul points out that God “overlooked the times of ignorance.” Perhaps you have been ignorant of the demands of God’s absolute righteousness; you haven’t been aware of your own sin; you haven’t known about God’s means of forgiveness.

He is risen! Repent and believe the gospel!

Love in the Truth.

The CUP

"And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39).

What was in the cup? What made the Lord sweat drops of blood? The stage here is set. "{The} betrayer is at hand." Judas is coming. Jesus will be betrayed by a serpent's kiss. His future is a cross. Is that the cup? The Cross?

I have heard many a preacher claim that it was. "Jesus saw the nails, the crown of thorns, the cross. He knew he had to go, but he was afraid. He asked the Father to take away the cross if it was his will, but it wasn't" they preach.

BLASPHEMY!

The Son of God cowering in fear because of the cross is just that - blasphemy. There have been thousands and thousands of Christians that have joyfully been killed for the sake of Christ. To suggest that Jesus feared what countless of his followers willingly endured is ridiculous. It's beyond ridiculous; it's blasphemous.

What was in the cup?

The fullness of God's righteous and holy and just wrath, that's what. Can you even begin to try to imagine what that is?

Try to picture standing in front of a dam that is a mile high, and behind it is molten rock. As you stare at this awesome sight, to your horror, it breaks. Rushing toward you is a mile high tsunami of lava with an insatiable appetite for destruction. There is no use in running. You stare helpless, hopeless at your impending doom. You finally understand Gethsemane. Terror is raging toward you and you begin to sweat drops of blood.

The Father has tipped his cup, and he bids you to drink it all.

Jesus drank every drop from the cup of wrath.

He faced the fury of my enemies so I could receive his table in peace and victory. His head was crowned with thorns so mine could be anointed with oil. He drank the bitter cup of the fullness of God’s wrath for my sin so my cup can overflow with joy. He experienced wrath and judgment so I can experience goodness and lovingkindness. He was forsaken by the Father so I can dwell in the house of the Lord forever. What about you?

Love in the Truth.

Barabbas

The following is the song "Barabbas" from Caleb & Sol's CD "Afloat".

There was once an evil man. He was an insurrectionist, a rebel, a murderer, and a notorious prisoner. This day, however, he would face justice. He had committed crimes worthy of death, and now he was going to be a victim of crucifixion—one of the most vicious forms of capital punishment known to mankind. Death on a cross was only for the worst of criminals.

Partly due to the cold night, yet mostly due to inexpressible fear, Barabbas shivered uncontrollably as he lay face down in his prison cell. He was in utter despair. No hope. No defense. No answers.

In the distance he could hear people shouting; chanting, even. He thought he heard his own name mixed in with the barrage of yells and screams. But there was one name he heard without mistake: “Jesus”.

Barabbas had heard of this man, although some even called Him the Son of God. Supposedly, this Jesus was a worker of miracles, and He even claimed to be God in the flesh. One of Barabbas’ old followers had joined this “Christ” group a couple years back.

But he had known Jesus and His followers to be rather peaceful. Why would there be such violent shouting now? As a painful reminder of his own impending doom, he could vaguely hear the crowd shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

Still gripped with trepidation and terror, Barabbas heard something that made his stomach twist and his heart stop: shaking keys – the sound of justice. The very next moment, his cell door was swung open and the soldier yelled at him to leave immediately.

But Barabbas couldn’t move.

“Come on, you criminal, get out of here. You’re free.” But his own guilt wouldn’t allow him to believe it. “They’re going to kill Jesus of Nazareth in your place.”

With a thousand questions racing through his mind, Barabbas quickly lifted himself to his feet and hastily walked out of the prison and into the streets of Jerusalem.

A guilty man set free on account of another. Is that justice?

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a scandalous message.
It’s a shocking revelation.
It’s a prophetic declaration.
It’s a transforming proclamation.
It’s a soul-saving truth and it is the power of God for all who believe.

The Gospel is a message about God:
The Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He is perfect in all His attributes, blameless in all His ways, righteous in all His judgments. He is all powerful and all knowing. He is strong, mighty, holy, just, wrathful, vengeful, and jealous. He is caring, patient, compassionate, merciful, gracious, loving, and forgiving. God is good.

The Gospel is a message about Man:
Created in God’s image—created good: yet fallen, disobedient, rebellious, corrupt, proud, wicked, evil, sinful, unholy, unrighteous, ungodly, guilty, helpless, hopeless, lost, condemned, separate from God and destined for eternal punishment in the torments of hell.

The Gospel is a message about Jesus Christ:
The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The anointed one of God who saves. Born of a virgin; killed on a cross; resurrected on the third day. Beloved by the Father, yet smitten by Him for our transgressions. Perfectly innocent, yet punished by God for our wickedness.

Jesus Christ is the only way to forgiveness. The only way to reconciliation, restoration, and redemption. The only way to eternal hope and true meaning and real purpose. The only way to lasting joy and enduring happiness and endless pleasure. The only way to salvation. The only way to heaven. The only way to God’s grace.

The Gospel is a message about you:

• What will you do?
  
• What will you do?
• Will you examine your wicked heart? or will you persist in blissful ignorance?
• Will you open your mind to the truth of God? or will you disregard your guilty conscience?
• Will you surrender your life and your plans and your future and your hopes and your dreams and your desires and your thoughts and your actions and your words – all to the Lordship of Christ? Or will you continue to deny His total call/claim upon your life?
• Will you trust Jesus or will you reject His love?
• Will you repent of sin? or will you proceed in vain self-righteousness?
• Will you be set free or will you live in the bondage of evil?
• Will you receive grace or will you face justice?
• What will you do?
• What will you do?

A guilty man set free on account of another. Is that justice?

No. That’s grace.

Atheist Holiday

"The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good" (Psalm 14:1).

April Fool's Day ~ This was my holiday at one time. I was a fool. I was in willful rebellion against a God I did not believe in. Well, if truth be told, I was in willful rebellion against the God I knew existed. I just didn't know it because of the nature of my rebellion. And that is a scary thought.

As Shane Barnard writes, "I'm haunted by a God that has the right to ask me what by the nature of my rebellion I cannot give."

I'm so very thankful because...

I was dead in my sins and you came in
You made a way when there was no way
You covered heaviness with garments of praise
You wrote a song, and you're singing it over me
I feel a dead heart beating now
This revelation makes me want to shout that
Jesus has been sent
and
Everything is different!

Love in the Truth.