What Does The Bible Teach?

The Easy Yoke

2011-08-14T15:17:00.004-05:00

I wanted to share some very blessed words from Puritan preacher Nathaniel Vincent regarding Matt. 11:30, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." This selection is titled, "The Easy Yoke," and comes from a devotional called Day By Day With The English Puritans.

Since Christ is so compassionate, surely it is unreasonable to quarrel at and refuse to submit unto his yoke? The yoke of such a merciful one must be an easy yoke, and his burden a light burden (Matthew 11:30). The kingdom of heaven is like a marriage and as the wife’s subjection unto a tender and indulgent husband is sweet and pleasant, so, and much more pleasant is the believer’s subjection unto Christ.

Ungodly ones are strangely prejudiced against the scepter and government of Jesus; but indeed it is without cause. They say, "We will not have this Lord to reign over us." It is a mercy to be translated into the kingdom, for then you are freed from other lords, which are so imperious, so cruel, and will reward with death all the service you do for them. All the precepts of Christ are for your profit and he forbids you nothing but what he sees will harm you.

I think that at the reading of this, the most stubborn should yield and say, "We stood outside against the Lord of life, but it was upon a mistake; we did not think his service was so near a kin to freedom; we once imagined his commands grievous, therefore we cast them behind our backs, but now they are to be esteemed above gold, nay, the finest gold, and are sweeter than the honey and honeycomb."

(Day By Day With The English Puritans, Randall J. Pederson, p.23)

Fighting Joylessness With the Sword of the Spirit

2011-07-18T22:18:00.003-05:00

You know those moments where you just feel sort of empty?—like the joy and peace of God has left, and there's this restless feeling?

Well, the Lord has been doing a work in me of Scripture memorization (something I have almost never done in my Christian life until 6 months ago), and so, there have been multiple times where when I feel this way I just decide to start reciting my memorized passages (in my head or out loud), even though it feels like empty and dead words (at first!) and I'm not motivated to do it.

But just about every time I can recall (like tonight!), the Lord takes me from a place of empty joylessness to genuine, heartfelt joy and peace in Him!

I have been amazed at what the power of the Word can do! Scripture memorization and recitation was not even a part of my life until this year, and it appears to me to be such a wellspring of blessedness that I continue to find new, hidden treasures in as I dig deeper and continue further in this discipline.

So, brothers and sisters, are you feeling restless and empty? Then take up the sword of the Spirit and fight sins like joyless with the memorized Word of God!

Here are a few practical things I would recommend:

Have a set time everyday (even just 3 minutes like I do before I clock in at work) where you recite your current passage, as well as keep up with old ones.
Have a pocket New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs that you carry with you at all times. (This will help tremendously!)
Let your sword grow large with long passages (like whole Psalms or chapters), and you will eventually begin to see things in the Scriptures that you never even noticed before.

May the Lord bless you in this life-changing endeavor!

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.—Ephesians 6:17

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.—Psalm 119:11

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.—Hebrews 4:12

More of Christ!!!

2011-02-20T16:26:00.009-06:00

Listen to this song from Lecrae's newest album, Rehab: The Overdose. This should be the anthem of Christian Hedonism!

Wisdom for Life

2011-01-29T09:51:00.003-06:00

The Book of Proverbs—Is it just a book of good wisdom?

I have been richly blessed in my recent study of this book. I have found that chapters 1-9 serve as an introduction to the book, while chapters 10-29 contain the actual proverbs (followed by some short sayings of Agur and King Lemuel, and ending with the beauty of the Proverbs 31 woman or "excellent wife").

It's so refreshing to read through these introductory chapters and see someone showing some seriousness about the things of God (in light of the ever-so-flippant world around us)! In it we find a deeply loving and earnest appeal to his "son" to "get wisdom" and save his soul, avoiding the path of wickedness and folly and choosing the way of righteousness and life. Hover over these references to get an idea of how the introduction is addressed: Proverbs 1:8, 2:1-5, 3:1, 3:11-12, 3:21-22, 4:1-2, 4:10-11, 4:20-23, 5:1-2, 6:20-22, 7:1-3, 7:24.

Then, in light of this introductory charge to be a man of God, we come to the long lists of proverbs and sayings of the wise. As I read through these short sayings, I noticed many reoccurring themes throughout the book—humility, hard work, being slow to speak, and disciplining your children to highlight a few.

I hope that some of you who read this will be inspired by God to do your next study in the book of Proverbs and experience the same blessings that I have. Below is the list of some of the themes that I encountered in the book, which I would encourage you to meditate on if there are certain topics of particular interest to you.

The Fear of the Lord
Proverbs 1:7, 2:3-5, 8:13, 9:10, 10:27, 14:2, 14:26-27, 15:16, 15:33, 16:6, 19:23, 22:4, 23:17, 24:21, 28:14, 31:30

The Sovereignty of God
Proverbs 16:1, 16:4, 16:9, 16:33, 19:14, 19:21, 20:24, 21:1, 21:30-31

Humility vs. Pride
Proverbs 11:2, 15:33, 16:5, 16:18-19, 18:12, 21:4, 21:24, 22:4, 25:27, 26:12, 27:2, 29:23

Receiving Rebuke & Instruction
Proverbs 12:1, 12:15, 13:10, 13:18, 15:5, 15:10, 15:31-32, 17:10, 19:20, 19:25, 19:27, 25:12, 27:6, 28:23, 29:1

The Blessing of a Godly Wife
Proverbs 18:22, 19:14, 31:10-12

The Curse of an Ungodly Wife
Proverbs 12:4, 14:1, 19:13, 21:9, 21:19, 25:24, 27:15-16

The Joy of a Wise Son, the Grief of a Foolish Son
Proverbs 10:1, 10:5, 13:1, 15:5, 15:20, 17:21, 17:25, 19:13, 23:15-16, 23:24-25, 28:7, 29:3, 29:17, 30:17

Discipline Your Children
Proverbs 13:24, 19:18, 20:30, 22:6, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15, 29:17

Working Hard vs. Being a Sluggard
Proverbs 12:11, 12:24, 13:4, 14:23, 18:9, 19:24, 20:13, 21:25-26, 22:13, 24:27, 24:30-34, 26:13, 26:14-16, 28:19

Patience vs. Haste
Proverbs 14:29, 15:18, 16:32, 19:2, 21:5, 25:15, 29:11

Overlooking an Offense
Proverbs 12:16, 17:9, 17:14, 19:11

Good Company vs. Bad
Proverbs 13:20, 14:7, 18:24, 22:24-25, 24:1, 24:21, 28:7

Seek Counsel
Proverbs 15:22, 20:18, 24:6

Be Slow to Speak
Proverbs 10:19, 11:12-13, 12:23, 13:3, 15:1, 15:28, 17:27-28, 18:2, 18:6-8, 18:13, 18:21, 21:23, 25:15, 29:20

Be Generous to the Poor
Proverbs 11:24-25, 14:21, 14:31, 19:17, 21:13, 21:26, 22:9, 28:27, 29:7, 31:8-9, 31:20

Wisdom and Health
Proverbs 12:25, 13:12, 14:30, 15:13, 15:15, 15:30, 16:24, 17:22, 18:14

Seek Wisdom, Not Wealth
Proverbs 16:16, 22:1, 23:4-5, 28:20

The Hole in Our Holiness

2010-12-24T10:52:00.005-06:00

I recently read a blog post by pastor Kevin DeYoung called The Hole in Our Holiness. Kevin's observations about the lack of concern for holiness in our churches were strikingly on-point. Here is the text of the article:

I have a growing concern that younger evangelicals do not take seriously the Bible’s call to personal holiness. We are too at peace with worldliness in our homes, too at ease with sin in our lives, too content with spiritual immaturity in our churches.

God’s mission in the world is to save a people and sanctify his people. Christ died “that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Cor. 5:15). We were chosen in Christ “before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Eph. 1:4). Christ “loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her…so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27). Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14).

J.C. Ryle, the Bishop of Liverpool from the nineteenth century, was right: “We must be holy, because this is one grand end and purpose for which Christ came into the world…Jesus is a complete Saviour. He does not merely take away the guilt of a believer’s sin, He does more–He breaks its power (1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:29; Eph. 1:4; 2 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 12:10).” My fear is that as we rightly celebrate, and in some quarters rediscover, all that Christ saved us from, we will give little thought and make little effort concerning all that Christ saved us to.

The pursuit of holiness does not occupy the place in our hearts that it should. There are several reasons for the relative neglect of personal holiness.

1) It was too common in the past to equate holiness with abstaining from a few taboo practices like drinking, smoking, and dancing. In a previous generation godliness meant you didn’t do these things. Younger generations have little patience for these sorts of rules. They either don’t agree with the rules or they figure they’ve got those bases covered so there’s not much else to worry about.

2) Related to the first reason is the fear that a passion for holiness makes you some kind of weird holdover from a bygone era. As soon as you talk about swearing or movies or music or modesty or sexual purity or self-control or just plain godliness people get nervous that others will call them legalistic, or worse, a fundamentalist.

3) We live in a culture of cool, and to be cool means you differentiate yourself from others. That has often meant pushing the boundaries with language, with entertainment, with alcohol, and with fashion. Of course, holiness is much more than these things, but in an effort to be hip many Christians have figured holiness has nothing to do with these things. They’ve willingly embraced Christian freedom, but they’ve not earnestly pursued Christian virtue.

4) Among more liberal Christians a radical pursuit of holiness is often suspect because any talk of right and wrong behaviors feels judgmental and intolerant. If we are to be “without spot or blemish” it necessitates we distinguish between what sort of attitudes, actions, and habits are pure and what sort are impure. This sort of sorting gets you in trouble with the pluralism police.

5) Among conservative Christians there is sometimes the mistaken notion that if we are truly gospel-centered we won’t talk about rules or imperatives or exhort Christians to moral exertion. To be sure, there is a rash of moralistic teaching out there, but sometimes we go to the other extreme and act as if the Bible shouldn’t advise our morals at all. We are so eager not to confuse indicatives and imperatives (a point I’ve made many times) that if we’re not careful we’ll drop the imperatives altogether. We’ve been afraid of words like diligence, effort, and obedience. We’ve downplayed verses that call us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), or command us to cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit (2 Cor. 7:1), or warn against even a hint of immorality among the saints (Eph. 5:3).

I find it telling that you can find plenty of young Christians today who are really excited about justice and serving in their communities. You can find Christians fired up about evangelism. You can find lots of Generation XYZ believers passionate about precise theology. Yes and amen to all that. But where are the Christians known for their zeal for holiness? Where is the corresponding passion for honoring Christ with Christlike obedience? We need more Christian leaders on our campuses, in our cities, in our seminaries who will say with Paul, “Look carefully then how you walk”? (Eph. 5:15).

When is the last time we took a verse like Ephesians 5:4–“Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving”–when is the last time we took a verse like this and even began to try to apply this to our conversation, our joking, our movies, our you tube clips, our t.v. and commercial intake? The fact of the matter is if you read through the New Testament epistles you will find very few explicit commands that tell us to evangelize and very few explicit commands that tell us to take care of the poor in our communities, but there are dozens and dozens of verses in the New Testament that enjoin us, in one way or another, to be holy as God is holy (e.g., 1 Peter 1:13-16).

I do not wish to denigrate any of the other biblical emphases capturing the attention of younger evangelicals. But I believe God would have us be much more careful with our eyes, our ears, and our mouth. It’s not pietism, legalism, or fundamentalism to take holiness seriously. It’s the way of all those who have been called to a holy calling by a holy God.

Parent Me

2010-12-24T10:38:00.004-06:00

Check out this video for the song "Parent Me" from Json's album City Lights. This is a very well-made video for a song that has really convicted me, particularly the third verse in the song.

In Love With God

2010-11-07T14:38:00.000-06:00

     The greatest commandment in all of Scripture is, “You shall 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).

     In Love With God—this is the thought that overwhelmed me as I was listening to a song by Kari Jobe called “My Beloved.” “Come away with me” the lyrics went. I so long for this deep, deep love of God; this real and rich relationship that keeps us seeking more of him. Something greater, something deeper, something purer than simply being joyful in God. It's something more than anything the world has known. Perhaps you have known something of a comparison if you have ever been in love with a person. When a heart is in love, the heart becomes heavy with love. The mind also becomes consumed with thoughts of this person. There is a new richness in life—a brightness, a fullness, a hope. Where there once existed dullness and drudgery, there is now energy and passion.

     The Bible says, “Let love be genuine … Love one another with brotherly affection” (Romans 13:9-10), and “love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22). So if our love for people is to be with affection, then of course our love for God is to be also. We are warned in the Bible about our love growing cold (Mathew 24:12), our love being lukewarm (Revelation 3:16), and forsaking our first love (Revelation 2:4). There is a true love in the true Christian; a love that involves deep passions and hot affections.

     I don't experience this love nearly as much as I would like to. Oftentimes my heart is dull, and I disappoint my divine Love by my weak love. But my heart has indeed been captured by his love. And being thus captured, I simply cannot move on to anything or anyone else. My life has become a continual looking to him and a seeking after him. This love keeps me strong; it keeps me from sin; it keeps me faithful to him.

     The Great Love in the Death of Christ—this is where my thoughts will close—that the love of the Son of God is so great, that he shed his blood on a cross for my soul. Consider this closing verse:

“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”—2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Itinerant Ministry in the Book of Acts

2010-10-24T11:09:00.002-05:00

Recently as I was reading the Book of Acts, it really caught my attention how the apostles did their ministry in the places they went. I noticed several patterns in each city. These patterns include things like public evangelism, open-air preaching, speaking in synagogues, lodging with believers, proclaiming the Word of God with boldness, and the active involvement of the Holy Spirit. It is such a blessing to get to study the biblical example of real, Spirit-led ministry since we live in a Church age of such falsehood, hypocrisy, and man-led ministry. Oftentimes I find myself saying in my disappointment, "I just want the real thing." I pray you will be blessed by seeing both the power and the simplicity of the ministry of the early apostles.

*****

Samaria: Philip – Acts 8:4-25

"Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ" (8:5)
"the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did" (8:6)
"unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed" (8:7)
"there was much joy in that city" (8:8)

Damascus: Paul – Acts 9:19-22

"For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus" (9:19)
"immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues" (9:20)
"all who heard him were amazed" (9:21)
"Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ" (9:22)

Jerusalem: Paul – Acts 9:26-30

"he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord" (9:28)
"he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists" (9:29)

Cyprus: Paul & Barnabas – Acts 13:4-12

"being sent out by the Holy Spirit" (13:4)
"they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews" (13:5)
"they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos" (13:6)

Antioch: Paul & Barnabas – Acts 13:13-52

"on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue" (13:14)
"the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath" (13:42)
"many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas" (13:43)
"The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord" (13:44)
"Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly" (13:46)
"as many as were appointed to eternal life believed" (13:48)
"the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region" (13:49)
"they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium" (13:51)
"the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit" (13:52)

Iconium: Paul & Barnabas – Acts 14:1-7

"they entered together into the Jewish synagogue" (14:1)
"spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed" (14:1)
"they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands" (14:3)

Thessalonica: Paul & Silas – Acts 17:1-9

"they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews" (17:1)
"Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures" (17:2)
"explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead" (17:3)
"some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women" (17:4)
"These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also" (17:6)

Athens: Paul – Acts 17:16-34

"his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols" (17:16)
"he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there" (17:17)

Corinth: Paul – Acts 18:1-17

"they were tentmakers by trade" (18:3)
"he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks" (18:4)
"Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus" (18:5)
"many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized" (18:8)
"he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them" (18:11)

Ephesus: Apollos – Acts 18:24-26

"being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John" (18:25)
"began to speak boldly in the synagogue" (18:26)

Achaia: Apollos – Acts 18:27-28

"he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus" (18:28)

Ephesus: Paul – Acts 19:1-10

"he entered the synagogue" (19:8)
"for three months spoke boldly" (19:8)
"reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus" (19:9)
"continued for two years so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord" (19:10)

Macedonia & Greece: Paul – Acts 20:1-12

"he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement" (20:2)
"he spent three months" (20:3)

Tyre: Paul – Acts 21:3-4

"having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days" (21:4)

Ptolemais: Paul – Acts 21:7

"we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day" (21:7)

Caesarea: Paul – Acts 21:8-14

"we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him" (21:8)
"He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied" (21:9)

Jerusalem: Paul – Acts 21:15-23:30

"some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge" (21:16)
"When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly" (21:17)

Rome: Paul – Acts 28:11-30

"he called together the local leaders of the Jews" (28:17)
"From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets" (28:23)
"He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him" (28:30)
"proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance" (28:31)

Open-Air Preaching in the Book of Acts:

Jerusalem (Pentecost): Peter – Acts 2:14-41
Jerusalem (Solomon's Portico): Peter – Acts 3:12-26
Lystra: Paul & Barnabas – Acts 14:14-18
Athens: Paul – Acts 17:22-34
Jerusalem: Paul – Acts 21:37-22:21

*****

Acts 8:4 - Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

Acts 8:40 - But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Acts 18:23 - After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Persevere Through The Wilderness

2010-09-12T20:42:00.005-05:00

I'd like to share this poem to encourage those who have been walking in the wilderness. Recently the Lord assured me of my salvation in Him. I have struggled with doubt for a long time, but he helped me to persevere and was faithful in sustaining me during all of this. It was often very difficult through these years, but it was well worth it. I now know that salvation is for me, and I have a loving Father who will never leave me or forsake me. So, be encouraged to never give up, and keep seeking until you find Him. He is the greatest love of all!

It has been a long time in this fight of faith,
But you, God, sustained me with your beautiful grace.
You have protected me from satisfaction in stuff,
So to pursue and desire you, Lord, you are enough.

What is the point of this life, I would ask?
Surely not to go around trying on masks.
I did that enough, there must be more,
That life was full of sorrow behind every door.

Your cisterns are broken, will you stop digging?
Repent and believe so you'll be forgiven.
Why have we forsaken the Glorious One?
In a sin-filled world with Pagan fun.

Lord, I see it! The sin I committed.
The punishment, God, oh how I fit it.
But like the matrix, I can't go back!
Like a shepherd, you lead me back to the pack.

For so long, I've been stuck in the middle,
On fire at first, but that flame did dwindle.
My motive was wrong, jump on the wagon,
I wanted praise, something was lacking.

Yet you guided me to where I was,
Not because of my acts, but because of your love.
For a while, I isolated myself,
Self pity sunk in, I refused any help.

Now that was a scary place to be,
But as always, your grace carried me.
Many more things happened back then,
Having no desire, seemed like no friends.

But Lord, I heard you many times in the past,
I couldn't hang on, the memories did not last.
Kris told me that I need you all the time,
I felt bad asking, like it was a crime.

I didn't know that you wanted this for me,
I do need you all the time, not just a memory.
My desire then was sparked and ignited,
But I struggled with doubt, are we united?

In Chicago I heard the true gospel,
Preached in three parts, by Paul Washer.
After I heard what was the price,
How Jesus was the sacrifice.

With Issac there was a substitution,
But with God's holiness, there is no overlooking.
The provided lamb was to show what's to come,
God's wrath being poured out on his own Son.

Issac was saved, but the lamb was not,
The sacrifice was still needed, have we forgot!
The spotless lamb led to the slaughter,
And then was laid upon the alter.

Do you know what this story starts to depict?
I know what it means, I feel so sick.
When I was at church, I didn't want to confess,
That my sin was the cause of his death.

To think of how he suffered and died,
I could not bear it, I started to cry.
I don't want this. It costs way too much,
What am I leaning on? What is my crutch?

Peter said, "Lord you will never wash my feet!"
Jesus said, "If I don't, sin and death you can't beat."
As I took of the bread,
I just hung my head.

Then the cup poured out for me,
As I held it, I saw my need.
Now I see this part of the story,
Come, Lord Jesus, save me, please hurry.

Jesus did suffer but counted it joy,
That's why he was wrapped in flesh as a boy.
His life was planned, he willingly came,
Then he said, "No doubting, believe in my Name."

I am willing, oh Lord, this is what I desire,
As I drank of the cup, my sins are now covered.
Assurance and peace, I waited so long,
To be loved by the Lord and sing a new song.

The weight now is lifted, I feel so free,
The bible was right, salvation for me!
I have a new hope, my hope is in Christ,
And all that he accomplished with his sacrifice.

Not by my works, I saw how I would boast,
Now led by the Spirit, the Holy Ghost.
The Lord is so faithful, he said persevere,
He has never left me but has always been near.

And as I continue, I will seek after Thee,
Because nothing else, Lord, can satisfy me!
Fight the fight, never grow weary,
Even when it's hard and seems to get scary.

Pray that the Lord will give you rest,
And continue to persevere through the wilderness.

You Are Not A Goon!

2010-08-25T21:24:00.006-05:00

Check out this music video for Json's new song "Goon" from his recent album titled City Lights. They shot the video in one of the worst neighborhoods in Chicago where many local residents thought they were crazy for hanging out that long in the area. Every time I listen to this song, I'm feeling it more and more!

(Note: a "goon" is a common street reference for a low-level gang member or drug dealer)

A Holy Passion From On High

2010-08-13T21:38:00.003-05:00

There is a passion from God that can burn so fiercely in the souls of men that they cannot hold it in and, therefore, must express it verbally or through written words. They are increasingly weary of holding it in, lest they explode from holy zeal or sin against a holy God who is compelling them to speak. Jeremiah experienced this passion, as he describes in Jer. 20:8 -

But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.

I have also experienced this passion on a number of occasions. It is something that can either come upon you suddenly, or it can be built up over a period of time. When this passion comes upon you, there is nothing but God alone that can stop you from expressing it. All fear, anxiety, concerns about one’s reputation, and anything else that might hinder this passion from being expressed will all disintegrate in the blazing fires that are being experienced in the soul. It is a passion that is far above and beyond any other passion that one might experience, because the object that is fueling this passion is infinitely superior and more worthy of such zeal.

Preaching that comes out of such a passion as this is greatly superior to other varieties of preaching. First, a man consumed with holy zeal for God will speak about him in a manner that far better displays his greatness, holiness, love and other attributes to the audience. In my experience, people can really see the difference between men who preach accurately about God but without much passion and men who preach in a way that shows they have been deeply affected with the glorious realities they are speaking about. Secondly, those who are filled with a holy passion for God will be much less influenced by the desire to please men during their sermons. As I described above, this holy zeal for God completely consumes one’s soul, leaving no room left for the fear of man or a desire to please one’s audience. With God being the supreme object that is fueling this passion, the man who experiences a Jeremiah-like zeal in his heart will have his mind set fully on pleasing the LORD. Therefore, his sermon will best honor the LORD and will also be more beneficial to the audience insofar that the motive behind it would surely be to tell the people what the preacher thinks God wants them to hear rather than what would be pleasing to them.

In conclusion, brothers, I exhort you to pray for experiences of this all-consuming zeal that you may best glorify the amazing God that we serve, and that you may be of the most benefit to those who listen to you preach. Cut off the arm of the flesh in your preaching, brothers, and pray that God would equip you with the holy power that Paul describes in 1 Cor. 2:4-5 -

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

An Encouraging Promise

2010-05-04T13:17:00.003-05:00

The book of James contains one of the most encouraging promises I've ever read in the Bible. Consider the following statement from James chapter 4:

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

This amazing Biblical promise can provide great encouragement for many different types of people. First, for the true Christian who desires (above all else) to be near to the Lord and to experience His glory, this is an absolute Holy Spirit-inspired promise that God will draw near to you if you draw near to Him. Now of course that doesn't mean God is just sitting there waiting to do our bidding and will come immediately whenever we want Him to, but it is a promise that He will not forsake those who continue to draw near to Him. And what I have found in my own experience is that the Lord is very merciful and many times will draw near to you without delay, especially when you really need to experience His presence.

For Christians who have grown distant from the Lord and greatly desire to be near to Him again, this statement is equally encouraging. Just as the persistent widow was eventually granted justice against her adversary (Luke 18), God will draw near to you and restore your intimate relationship with Him if you persist in seeking Him. From my own experience, this can certainly take a while, but it is infinitely worth it! And because it can be such a painful process to grow close to the Lord again, you are greatly motivated to not ever let this happen again!

Finally, for those who do not yet know the Lord, James 4:8 can provide great motivation to seek Him until He saves you. If you're someone who has been seeking to know God but hasn't found Him yet and are ready to give up, this is a promise that your efforts and perseverance will not be in vain if you continue to pursue the Lord with all your heart. Here are a few other verses that share this same truth:

"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul."
(Deut. 4:29)

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jer. 29:13)

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Mat. 7:7-8)

If you are someone who has never even attempted to find God, then be encouraged that the God who created the universe is real and He will be found by all who persevere in seeking Him. God created you to know Him and to be enthralled by His glory, and He desires for you to come home where you belong (1 Tim. 2:4).

Reflections on Psalm 119

2010-04-30T11:27:00.000-05:00

I recently read Psalm 119—the longest and (I think) one of the best psalms of the book of Psalms. Here are some reflections that I would like to share:

1) 24 times in my Bible I underlined words and phrases where the Psalmist describes the law of God (or the commandments of God, the testimonies of God, the words of God, etc.) in terms of his delight, his love, his joy, the longing of his soul, or other such hedonistic phrases (verses 14, 16, 20, 24, 35, 47, 48, 70, 77, 92, 97, 103, 111, 113, 127, 129, 131, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 167, and 174). Now arises the question: "Why is it that the Psalmist finds so much pleasure in following the commands of and hearing the words of the LORD?" And I would suggest that the answer lies in how much pleasure he finds in the LORD Himself (His Person, His attributes, His fellowship, etc.). Think about that for a moment...

2) Consider Psalm 119:11...

"I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."

True love takes care not to offend, irritate, or dishonor another person. Just think about the relationship between a husband and wife. If the husband truly loves his wife and cares for her feelings, I think he will be taking strides to honor, cherish, and remember her out of the natural loving inclinations flowing from his heart. A husband who does not truly love his wife will not have such natural tendencies, and will thus be prone to irritate, dishonor, and neglect her. So consider what true love for God looks like in light of what the Psalmist says in this verse. He takes a genuine care not to offend or dishonor ("sin against") the majesty of God. And one way that he does this is by knowing more of God (what He's like, who He is, and what He commands) through His Word ("I have stored up your word in my heart"). Do you find that you have an awareness of the feelings of God in your life and how your actions and attitude affect Him?

And let me just add something that has blessed me much with regard to how we should approach the Word of God. Psalm 119:18 says, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." I have found that reading the Bible with no real purpose other than getting through it (as part of my daily routine or Bible reading plan) tends to bore the heart; but if my approach is to "behold wondrous things" in the Scriptures, then I find more of the life and sweetness that flows out of the words of God. In other words, when I approach the reading of Scripture I am on a mission to discover great truths or great things about Jesus that will open my eyes more to the reality of the glory of Christ and the Gospel. I hope that this approach will give you a renewed desire to feast and meditate on the beautiful things found in the Word of God.

3) While reading Psalm 119 I have noticed how much the Psalmist desires and pleads for the goodness of God to be present in his life. This “goodness” could also be thought of as blessings from God, salvation from God, being favored by God, or other such things, but it basically boils down to experiencing the abundant goodness of God in your life (or, more simply stated, things go well for you in life in a good and spiritual sense). Some of the specific things that the Psalmist mentions with regard to the goodness of God include: comfort (v. 76, 82), life (v. 77, 88), deliverance from trials (v. 84), and not being put to shame (v. 80). I find this second one (having life) to be an intriguing desire. I don't think the Psalmist is simply referring to staying alive instead of dying (although that could be part of it), but rather that he wants to feel alive. He wants to have a steadfast spirit inside him and have motivation and purpose in life. I oftentimes find myself wanting to feel this way too (as opposed to feeling depressed, tired, or unmotivated), and I can rejoice to know that God delights in showing such exceeding goodness to His children and that He is glorified in doing so (see Jer. 32:40-41 and 33:9 below).

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. (Jer. 32:40-41, ESV)

And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. (Jer. 33:9, ESV)

Far Away

2010-02-19T19:08:00.004-06:00

This is a powerful video produced by Desiring God (John Piper's ministry) for Lecrae's new song "Far Away." The song is a tribute to the current Haiti relief efforts, and the video features powerful footage from the ground in Haiti.

The Battle Cry of Christian Hedonism

2010-01-28T20:27:00.005-06:00

Resolved: To endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

- Jonathan Edwards

(quoted by John Piper in his book, Desiring God, pg. 159)

This resolution from the Puritan theologian Jonathan Edwards is perhaps the craziest thing I have ever read in my life. Edwards speaks as a man who has tasted of indescribably excellent things and is absolutely heaven-bent on obtaining as much of these divine excellencies as possible. Like Asaph in Psalm 73, God is the sole object of his desires and his portion forever!

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

(Psalm 73: 25-26)

A Powerful Parable About Helping The Poor

2010-01-01T06:55:00.003-06:00

I've been reading a book called The Hole In Our Gospel by Richard Stearns, and I came across a very powerful parable about helping the poor. I thought I would share it since it had an impact on me. Here is the parable:

One early morning, after a fierce storm had hit the coast, I strolled to the beach for my morning walk. Horrified, I saw that tens of thousands of starfish had been washed up on the beach by the winds and waves. I was saddened by the realization that all of them would die, stranded on the shore, away from the life-giving water. Despairing that there was nothing I could do, I sat down on the sand and put my head in my hands.

But then I heard a sound, and I lifted my eyes. There, in the distance, I saw a man bending down and then standing up, bending down and standing up. Curious, I rose and walked toward him. I saw that he was picking up the starfish, one at a time, and throwing them back into the sea.

"What are you doing?" I yelled.

"Saving the starfish," he replied.

"But don't you see, man, that there are tens of thousands of them?" I asked, incredulous. "Nothing you can do will make a difference."

He did not answer me but instead bent down, picked up another starfish, and cast it back into the water. Then he smiled, looked me in the eye, and said, "It made a difference to that one!"

(The Hole In Our Gospel, Richard Stearns, p. 162)

To Live Is Christ

2009-11-01T19:51:00.003-06:00

Check out this awesome video posted on the Reach Records website! The video is a "typography" of a song by Trip Lee called "To Live Is Christ" (from the 13 Letters album). This album features songs for all 13 of the Pauline epistles, with the above song detailing the book of Philippians.

The Glory of God & True Contrition

2009-10-20T19:02:00.007-05:00

The other night I was reading a sermon by Jonathan Edwards called "Praise, One of the Chief Employments of Heaven." As Edwards spoke about the "transcendent glory and divine excellency of God," I had a revelation of how right John Piper is when he says that true remorse for sin only comes from beholding the glory of God. Here are some thoughts I wrote down at the time:

Man can be made to see that his actions are evil in relation to other men, but this pales in comparison with the profound sense of shame and humiliation he will feel when he sees the infinitely bright and glorious excellencies of Christ and realizes what he has traded them for — the complete and total opposite. This is why evil men will hide their faces in shame when the glory of God is displayed to them at the Judgment. Imagine people seeing all of the infinite perfections of God, his infinitely glorious and sweet love and mercies, and realizing that instead of pursuing and embracing Him, they sought satisfaction in Jerry Springer and South Park. As Paul Washer says, "They will melt like wax figurines in front of a blazing furnace." Imagine how the man will feel who, while beholding the supreme beauty of Christ, realizes that he has spent his entire life excelling in things that God utterly abhors and leading others to do the same. Hugh Hefner's soul will implode into a million pieces when he stands before the glorious throne of the Almighty and fixes his eyes on the breathtaking beauty of Jesus Christ!

Stunned by the Beauty of Christ

2009-10-16T21:08:00.000-05:00

When you think of great religious leaders and what they are like, what comes to your mind? You may picture Moses and his miracles, the Pope and his piety, or perhaps Gandhi and his non-violent reform. But what I would like to do in these next few paragraphs is show you something that stunned me about the greatest religious leader that ever lived—Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God.

In Luke 7:36-50, Jesus sits down to dine with a Pharisee, a strict religious man among the Jews. A “sinful” woman (or prostitute) comes up and stands behind Jesus. She then begins to weep over his feet, wet his feet with her tears, wipe his feet with her hair, kiss his feet continually, and anoint his feet with perfume. The Pharisee objects, knowing that she is a prostitute...but how does Jesus react? Does he preach against prostitution? Does he stay quiet? No. He defends her and loves her with intensity. He tells her, “Your sins are forgiven”—a powerful declaration of his love—and finally, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Jesus—being one with God the Father—is perfect in righteousness, complete in holiness, and fierce in wrath against wickedness. But this same Jesus also loves contrite prostitutes. He loves those who are sorrowful over their sins, even if they have committed unspeakable acts against him. He loves them intensely and personally. He is not unwilling to befriend the lowest and most despised of our world. He humbles those who are proud and raises up those who are humble. When I read this passage from the gospel of Luke, I could not help but be struck with the beauty of Christ as he—the supreme leader of all religious leaders—condescended to this sinful woman and loved her openly among the Pharisees. And when I compare this wonderful blend of perfect righteousness and compassionate love to the gods of other religions—Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.—I am stunned with the all-surpassing beauty of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Be Afraid You Women!

2009-08-10T01:50:00.010-05:00

2:04 am

I woke up from a filthy dream tonight. Graphic, perverse lewdness passed through my mind that makes me angry and causes my heart to cry out, "Why does this filthy distortion of God's creation of sex run so wild and free in our world!?" Unchallenged and unpunished in most cases. But these men and women are storing up wrath for themselves on the day of God's wrath (Romans 2:5, as I once was too, but so thankfully my Lord delivered me). Oh, how I hate the lewdness of ungodly women! Men, I know, are perverted even more, but you perverse women! So pure, so delicate, so sacred has God made your sexuality - meant to be given purely and beautifully to your husband for the glory of God. But NO! You have fallen captive to the desires of wicked men and succumbed to the crowd of other vile women! Such perverse distortions of the goodness and holiness of godly sexuality. It makes me want to cry and burn with anger at the same time.

But my sinful flesh enjoyed it (at the time)! What tragedy! What corruption of a pure and holy spirit. I craved more, I wanted to hear, to see, to know. Why no conviction in this dream world tonight? No eschewment of sin, no sensitivity to the Savior's repulsion of it?

Wicked things passed through my mind: the way disgusting women dress, the way they flaunt their sexuality to their "lovers," the way they talk about perverted private things so openly and freely. SEX IS MEANT TO BE ENJOYED PRIVATELY BETWEEN MAN, WOMAN, AND CHRIST! Do not trample the sanctity of it and thus dishonor your God by publicly talking about private things!

Women walking about in Frederick's gear! Women describing their sexual exploits and desires! Women defiling their bodies with other women! I hate it!!

But why, O sinful flesh did you enjoy this so? Had you been exposed to this horrific lewdness while awake, you would have burned with hatred...or perhaps been utterly repulsed by its sickening and complete ungodliness to say the least...or vomited.

But now I have a renewed passion for upholding God's sanctity, God's supremacy, and God's authority over His design and gift of sex. An unmovable zeal for the repulsion of sick, sexual distortions and an upholding of sex inside of heterosexual marriage. I now quake at the thought of dishonoring my God by recalling one of these filthy images. May God receive the glory for His creation of sex, and may man receive the gift in a holy fashion, as a reflection of what intimacy and love is like with Christ. In this and in unflinching devotion to purity before marriage, I am convinced lies the most fulfilling way to experience the gift of God.

A Description of 2nd Century Christians

2009-07-13T17:17:00.013-05:00

Listen to this description of what 2nd century Christians were like, presented by the Christian philosopher Aristides to the emperor Hadrian in A.D. 125:

Those who oppress them [the Christians] they exhort [with the Word] and make them their friends. They do good to their enemies. Their wives, O King, are pure as virgins, and their daughters are modest. Their men abstain from all unlawful sexual contact and from impurity, in the hope of recompense that is to come in another world.

As for their bondmen and bondwomen, and their children, if there are any, they persuade them to become Christians; and when they have done so, they call them brethren without distinction.

They refuse to worship strange gods; and they go their way in all humility and cheerfulness. Falsehood is not found among them. They love one another; the widow's needs are not ignored, and they rescue the orphan from the person who does him violence. He who has gives to him who has not, ungrudgingly and without boasting. When the Christians find a stranger, they bring him to their homes and rejoice over him. When a baby is born to one of them, they praise God. If it dies in infancy, they thank God the more, as for one who has passed through the world without sins. But if one of them died in his iniquity or in his sins, they grieve bitterly and sorrow as over one who is about to meet his doom.

Such, O King, is the commandment given to the Christians, and such is their conduct. As men who know God, they ask from him requests which are proper for him to give and for them to receive; and because they acknowledge the goodness of God towards them, lo! on their account there flows forth the beauty that is in the world. The good which they do, they do not shout in the ears of the multitude, that people may notice; but they conceal their giving as a man conceals a treasure. They strive to be righteous as those who expect to behold the face of their Messiah and to receive from him the promises.

(taken from Richard Wurmbrand's book The Answer to the Atheist's Handbook, pp. 48-49)

This glorious description of the lives of 2nd century Christians shows that they were clearly obeying Jesus' words found in Matt. 5:16 -

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Let us examine ourselves and ask this question - If a philosopher from our age gave a detailed description of our lives, would the description resemble that of the 2nd century Christians, bringing glory to our wonderful Creator, or would it instead bring shame to the beautiful face of Christ?

Letter to the Addict

2009-07-01T20:41:00.002-05:00

My heart breaks for you. You are dead. Yet you live as though you are alive and healthy. I just want to scream WAKE UP!! To try to wake you from your coma of drugs and lies before it is too late. Oh Jesus, I've never experienced anything like the agony of hopelessness and emptiness I see in an addict's eyes. You don't fool me, and you don't fool yourself. Your soul is writhing in misery. Why do you try to satisfy the deep longings you have with drugs, pornography, alcohol, anger, sex?? You are a child of God, made in His image to portray who He is to His creation. Such potential for beauty, but such capacity for evil. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted. Oh, how I pray you would be broken! That your heart would break under the unbearable shame, guilt, fear, and pain you have. Pain and suffering do more to reveal the heart of a person than anything I've ever seen. They strip you of everything and leave you bare. You see how weak you really are. How you desire to be beautiful and clean and good. And how you can't! Oh the desperation to discover yourself. What a wretched person I am, you will say. But thanks be to God that He broke through the realm of His creation and entered as a man, Jesus Christ, and redeemed for Himself a people to be spotless and blameless through His blood. Spotless! Blameless! Guiltless! Do you see how your soul longs for this? Do you see that even after all your hands have wrought, He forgives? And that He does so by taking on Himself all the nasty, disgusting, embarrassing, humiliating, regretful, painful, evil things you have done?

Please. Look around you. Look up! We live in a world that screams "Glorious is our God." The sky sings of His beauty and expanse. The wind boasts of His mystery and power. But you are the loudest of all. Of all creation, only mankind was created in the image of God and shares in His emotions, spirit, desires, beauty, and glory. Please look deep into your heart. You were made for Him. You will find satisfaction in nothing else. Please consider my plea.

Dearest Jesus, may you open their eyes to your beauty, take away their despair, and satisfy their souls for the sake of your Name.

With tears and trust,
Rian

In the Midst of the Wilderness

2009-06-28T14:27:00.001-05:00

I wrote this poem a while ago when I was "walking through the wilderness." Some of you may be experiencing this very thing right now, but find hope in Jesus and never give up the journey, even when it is hard! Pursue a passion and desire for truth, and seek God until He blesses you (Gen. 32:26). I was rescued from the wilderness recently, and God gave me a taste of Himself. If He allows me to go back into the wilderness again, I know that He will use it for good and will give me rest in Him. So, stay strong and fight to know the very God that created you to know Him!

Oh Lord, I am in the midst of the wilderness,
Heartache, yes, sorrow, depression, no rest.

I have felt you so near, many times,
Now it's hard to see, and you I can't find.

I get stuck in the swamp, and I can't get free,
Why, Lord, do I sit and think only of me?

I want you, I need you, it's easy sometimes,
But now, more than ever, please come to my mind.

Prayer and conversation, I think not of you,
I am so caught up in me, what do I do?

Help me escape from depending on myself,
Oh God, I am ready, can I cry out for help?

Lord, where I am, will you hear my call?
Or depending on myself, will you let me fall?

Teach me, rebuke me, please use discipline,
Then I will love you, instead of the praise of men.

One thing, Lord, I ask you now - please help,
I always will fall when I depend on myself.

You sent me your servants, they teach me so well,
I must humble myself, then I will be able to tell,

How to make it through the wilderness,
Show me your glory, save me from hell.

Truth and reality, I must seek your face,
Show me, Lord, in the midst of this fog, your grace.

The light in the darkness, shall not disappear,
If you grant me a new heart, eyes to see, and ears to hear.

I want it, I need it, how can I survive?
Breathe in my body, you're the One who keeps me alive.

Truth, more Truth, I need more of Christ,
I want to know more of his sacrifice.

So, in this body, I may also be,
Like your precious servant, the One who died for me.

He walked in the wilderness 40 days,
Let me not forget temptation he had in so many ways.

He endured it with the Word and stood against Satan,
He glorified God, the Maker of Earth and Heaven.

Grow in faith and love, you have to go through this,
Keep going and trust me, to the end of the wilderness.

With my strength, you shall stand,
Don't grow weary, hold my hand.

I will walk with you, let me lead you,
With Christ, there's nothing you can't do.

Yes, the wilderness may come and go,
But everything has a season to grow.

You, my child, are a seed that I shall nourish,
Soil you, protect you, water you, then you shall flourish.

Be patient, as I am with you, my daughter,
You had a bad dad, now I'm your new Father.

I must teach you and love you, and some discipline,
Then go to the sea, become fishers of men.

You'll grow in knowledge, a new heart within,
Loving the Truth, and hating sin.

Set your eyes on things above,
And your mind on my Love.

The hope that awaits if you finish the race,
Seeing my glory, yes, even my face.

Run to win, persevere, and fight,
Run from the darkness, seek only the Light.

You are being trained in righteousness,
So stand firm, dear child, in the midst of the wilderness.

Crucifying the American Dream

2009-06-23T20:40:00.003-05:00

I was going to write up something formal and technical for this topic, but instead I’m just going to explode on this page, because a passion for the violent crucifixion of the American Dream has been burning in me all day long. The American Dream is a phenomenon that causes lethal problems for both unbelievers and believers alike. For unbelievers, it stands in the way – like a mighty fortress – of them ever coming to know and treasure their Creator. For believers, it looms overhead, threatening to choke out their seeds until they spiritually die (Matt. 13:22; Luke 8:14). Sometimes it may have more subtle effects in the life of a genuine Christian. Small slivers of the American Dream can creep in unnoticed and slowly weaken our love, passion, and joy in our glorious Savior. The American Dream causes distractions in our lives that can divide a true Christian’s sole passion for God Himself to other “good” things like career advancement, enjoyable family time, and other vain happenings that do not count for eternity. Now this may sound a little harsh, but we need to make sure that we do not let so-called “good” things keep us from the best things. Enjoyable family time may be nice, but it is a burger and fries compared to the filet mignon of suffering, striving and giving everything you have for the Kingdom of God. For those of us who have tasted of the Heavenly gifts, who have experienced the profound, supernatural joy and pleasure that only comes from God and true fellowship with Him, we must declare all-out nuclear holocaust against the American Dream and its many manifestations. At all costs, do not let America suck you away from your infinitely glorious Creator so that you waste time you will never get back on fleeting pleasures instead of feasting on the glory and majesty of God Almighty!

Crucifying the American Dream in our lives could play out in a number of different ways. It could mean getting rid of your house that is filled with “stuff” and various distractions and moving into a cheap apartment that requires much less time and attention to maintain. It could mean quitting your soul-shrinking, secular job and volunteering to become a missionary for your church or some missionary-sending organization. It could also mean identifying some alternative, godless enjoyment that has taken root in your life, such as watching sports or some sitcom, and cutting it off so that you have more time to spend building up your treasures in Heaven by serving God and doing things that matter for eternity. If you’ve ever drank from the Fountain of Living Water, you know that you didn’t do it by watching Everybody Loves Raymond, or some other “clean” television show. You drank deeply from the Fountain of Living Water when you and your small group went out in 10-degree weather to give food and clothing to the homeless, and Christ’s love was poured out and displayed mightily through your actions. You drank deeply from the Fountain of Living Water when you joyfully dug into the Scriptures and God revealed a new and glorious truth to you through His Word. Do not allow yourself to settle for small, worldly enjoyments that leave your soul feeling empty. Embrace the Glory of Christ, cast off each and every hindrance you have, and run your race in such a way that Jesus is magnified to the world as such a great Treasure that someone would sell everything they own in order to have the magnificently glorious Son of Man instead! (Heb. 12:1; Matt. 13:44-45)

Treasuring Him

2009-06-12T07:28:00.007-05:00

We just went to the Don't Waste Your Life tour last night in Lima, Ohio, and they began by playing this amazing video!

Father I Turn To You

2009-05-24T14:20:00.009-05:00

I recently listened to the song "Father I Turn To You" by Jahaziel, and I thought it would be encouraging to people who are trying to overcome addictions to pornography. In this song, Jahaziel gives his own testimony about his previous addiction to pornography, and he explains how Christ set him free when he truly surrendered his life to Him.

This World Is Not My Home

2009-05-20T14:09:00.017-05:00

I can’t help but say ‘amen’ to this passage by Joni Tada in her book, Heaven, as she shares her thoughts during a trip to the LA airport:

With eyes of faith I looked beyond the sight of bumper-to-bumper traffic, the smell of sweat, cigarettes, exhaust fumes, and the sounds of my harried co-travelers, and began humming quietly...

This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through,
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue,
The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

For me, it was a moment of faith. Faith merely the size of a grain of mustard seed. Remember, that's all it takes to be sure of things hoped for - future divine fulfillments - and certain of things you do not see, that is, unseen divine realities.

Of what was I so sure and certain? Here, let me sing it again: "The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, / And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore."

I hum that haunting tune in other places besides the Los Angeles airport. Sometimes I get that "can't feel at home" sensation ambling down the aisles of K-Mart, watching women grab for the blue-light specials. Sometimes it happens sitting with Ken watching Monday Night Football’s fourth instant replay of a team’s third-down conversion. And I definitely feel "this world is not my home" as I sit on the Ventura-Freeway-turned-parking-lot.

Don’t think I’m strange. Christians have felt the same for centuries. Malcolm Muggeridge, a British journalist who spent most of his years battling Christianity, finally succumbed to Christ in his seventies. The intellectual world had always been home to him, but now, in the hallowed halls of university life, he found himself saying,

I had a sense, sometimes enormously vivid, that I was a stranger in a strange land; a visitor, not a native…a displaced person.... The feeling, I was surprised to find, gave me a great sense of satisfaction, almost of ecstasy.... Days or weeks or months might pass. Would it ever return - the lostness? I strain my ears to hear it, like distant music; my eyes to see it, a very bright light far away. Has it gone forever? And then - ah! the relief. Like slipping away from a sleeping embrace, silently shutting the door behind one, tiptoeing off in the grey light of dawn - a stranger again. The only ultimate disaster that can befall us, I have come to realize, is to feel ourselves to be at home here on earth. As long as we are aliens, we cannot forget our true homeland. (Muggeridge, Jesus Rediscovered, 47-48)

(Joni Eareckson Tada, Heaven, 96-97)

Oh how there is more to life than what is seen. Although I am filled with such awe at the sky as the sun is setting, or the smile on the face of someone I love, there’s just something about the unseen realities to which they are pointing - love, hope, trust - things that are eternal - that is so beautiful...and oh how Jesus is the most beautiful of all.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

Come quickly, Jesus. Amen.

Why Hell Is Hell

2009-05-16T07:22:00.004-05:00

When most people think about hell, they think about torture, eternal fire, and other physical punishments. Although these things will take place in hell, there is something far worse that will be the defining characteristic of what makes hell result in eternal suffering. When Jesus returns, the glory of God is going to be revealed to all people. The Bible says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, "to the glory of God the Father" (Philip. 2:10-11). In other words, God will be glorified when all people bow before his Son and confess that he is Lord over all. So, which would glorify God more - if he forced people to bow down to him who really didn't want to do so, or if all unbelievers saw how amazingly glorious God is and genuinely fell down and worshiped the One who they had shunned their entire lives? I think God would be much more glorified if the most hardcore atheist in the history of the world fell down and worshiped him genuinely than if he was merely forced to do something that he had no desire to do. Thus, I believe that the greatest suffering in hell will result from people seeing how amazing and glorious their Creator is and facing the reality that they are shut out from this amazing glory forever because they shunned him while they were on earth. Emotional pain can be much worse than physical pain. Imagine that you have deeply fallen in love with someone, but because of the way you have treated him or her, you are thrown into a dungeon forever. It is really cold in this dungeon, and you feel the pains of hunger since you only get one slice of bread per week, but your deepest pain comes from being eternally separated from the one you have fallen in love with and the overwhelming remorse you feel from having treated him or her so badly when you've now realized how kind and loving that person was to you all the days of your life.

So, why does God send people to hell who reject him while they are on earth? Although there are a number of reasons why he does this, I believe the most convincing one is that when people die, God just gives them what they wanted their entire lives. If you live a life pursuing non-God things instead of your Creator, then he gives you the very thing you wanted (separation from God) when you die. Why should God force people to spend eternity with him who desired other things instead of their Creator? Nobody can blame God for giving people what they want when they die. If God himself is your heart's desire, then he will give you what you want when you die (himself). How can we know if God is really our greatest desire? Do we spend our time pursuing him instead of godless things? Is he the chief object of our affections, the One who gives us the greatest joy and satisfaction? Do we reject the things that God hates and pursue a life that is pleasing to him? Are we unashamed of the glorious Son of God who bore the full wrath of the Father as the price for our sins? All of these things are evidence that a person has truly come to know Christ as their all-satisfying Treasure!

Love So Amazing

2009-04-22T19:25:00.004-05:00

Listen to a young Slovak Christian girl beaten and locked up in a Communist prison as she describes her “boyfriend” to her torturer:

“I have a boyfriend, the sweetest of all. Not that He loves me. He is love, the most exquisite love, love of a kind that does not seek pleasure so much as to fill the beloved with joy. Since knowing this boyfriend, I too can only love. Whether I am caressed or hurt, I can only love. You love hatred now. I call upon you to love Love.”

("The Overcomers" - Richard Wurmbrand, p. 18)

This love is described even better by a tortured Romanian prisoner in solitary confinement:

From my bed of planks they will make my coffin. Stretched upon it, I try to find why my thoughts run to you, why my writings all turn toward you? Why is this passionate love in my soul, why does my song go only to you? I know I am rejected; soon I will putrefy in a tomb.

The bride of the Song of Songs did not love when she asked if You are “rightly loved.” Love is its own justification. Love is not for the wise. Through a thousand ordeals she will not cease to love. Though fire burns and waves drown her, she will kiss the hand that hurts. If she finds no answer to her questions she is confident and waits. One day the sun will shine in hidden places and all will be made plain.

Forgiveness of many sins only increased the prostitute’s burning love. But she gave perfume and shed tears before You said Your forgiving word. And had You not said it, still she would have sat and wept for the love she has toward You, even being in sin. She loved You before Your blood was shed. She loved You before You forgave. Neither do I ask if it is right to give You love. I do not love in hope of salvation. I would love You in everlasting misfortune. I would love You even in consuming fire…

("In God’s Underground" - Richard Wurmbrand, p. 70)

This poem was written by the founder of the Voice of the Martyrs during some of the darkest days of his 14 years in Communist prisons. What is it that these two suffering prisoners, along with many others like them, know that makes them love so madly? Or is it the Who that they know that makes them love so truly? We all know the One that they are talking about, and yes, I believe it is the Who that they know that fills their hearts with such ardent love.

Healing, forgiving, accepting, embracing, ruling, providing, creating, and reigning is the One that their hearts have completely fallen for. And taking their sins upon Himself as if they were His own to atone for, this One has captured their love by all that they have found Him to be.

These faithful saints have seen in Jesus Christ a goodness, and truth, and power, and love that surpasses anything they have ever known and fills them with such adoration that its expression comes out in a form of deep romanticism.

I would advise every reader to learn from these afflicted saints, stripped of all worldly comforts yet overflowing with consuming love, and cast off everything that hinders to seek and find this great Love to their soul’s satisfaction.

Going Hard for the LORD

2009-04-18T17:21:00.014-05:00

The most God-glorifying CD I have ever heard is Lecrae's newest album, Rebel. I have never seen a musician with as much passion and genuine love for God as Lecrae, and these traits are stunningly displayed throughout his CD! My favorite line on the whole album is from the song "Go Hard" -

"Take me out the game, Coach, I don't want to play no more, if I can't give it all I got and leave it out there on the court"

This statement describes - with wonderful precision - how I feel about God and my blazing desire to serve Him with everything that I am! I used to play a lot of basketball growing up, and I know what an amazing feeling it is to fight with everything you have and come out victorious at the end of a game. How much more satisfying would it be to be able to do this for the glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth! Like Lecrae, I feel like I don't even want to bother playing if I can't give God the best of the firstfruits of my life (Exodus 23:19). God is worth more to me than everything I could ever give Him, and laying my life down for the Gospel is the only way my meager life can bring Him the glory He so exceedingly deserves!

A Letter From Missionary Adoniram Judson

2009-04-06T19:07:00.005-05:00

I had to share this amazing letter I read just recently. It's from an 1800’s missionary named Adoniram Judson, written to the father of his beloved Ann Hasseltine, asking permission for her partnership in marriage and missions. I don't believe I can give adequate commentary on this letter, so I'll just let it speak for itself as you read carefully:

I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean, to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with the crown of righteousness, brightened with the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Savior from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?

("Don't Waste Your Life" - John Piper, p. 158)

Ask yourself this question: How would you respond if you were Ann's father?

“Her father let her decide. She said yes.” (p. 158)

Prime Time With God

2009-03-23T20:53:00.007-05:00

I'd like to share something with you that I call "Prime Time With God." I took this expression from a pastor I knew when I was younger, and although I don't remember exactly how he used the expression, it has come to mean something very important for me. "Prime Time With God" is a period of time where I find a private place (without any distractions), and I go to meet with God one-on-one. During this time my primary agenda is to draw near to God so that He might draw near to me and I could know Him better (James 4:8). I'm generally not interested in praying for specific things or people during this time (although this can happen on occasion), but I simply want to have sweet fellowship with the Glorious Creator of the Universe who created me to love Him as the sole Treasure of my life!

While spending "Prime Time With God," many different things can happen. The Lord may give me insights into His Word or some aspect of Christian life. He may provide me with direction for my own life or clear up something I have been confused about. He also may lead me to examine myself before Him to see if I have offended Him in any way so that I might recognize and turn from my sin and strive to honor Him in this area of my life in the future. I can often evaluate my behavior in light of God's Word much better while having "Prime Time" with Him, so this is my ideal time for self-introspection. Finally, sometimes nothing too exciting at all happens when I spend "Prime Time With God." However, I still view these times as beneficial, because I get the chance to get away from the world and sit in the presence of God, even if I don't feel His presence next to me or gain any profound insight.

For me, regularly spending "Prime Time With God" has been more important than anything else (except for His grace) in regard to the health of my relationship with the Almighty. The importance of this time with God can really be understood when considering one's relationship with his or her spouse. Imagine what would happen if you only talked to your spouse when you needed him/her to do something for you. Your spouse would probably notice that you do not truly enjoy being around him or her, but rather you view him/her as your servant who is there to assist you when you need it. Also, it would be impossible to have an intimate, loving relationship with your spouse if you rarely took time to get to know him or her better. Because God wants to have this kind of relationship with His people, it is imperative that we seek Him regularly if we are to truly love Him like He deserves to be loved!

There is a passage in the Psalms that is written by a man who has really experienced the amazing joy and satisfaction of knowing his Creator. Notice how this man's profound longing for God leads him to express his great desire to spend "Prime Time With God" -

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2)

Seeing the Glory of God

2009-02-11T18:09:00.008-06:00

I often talk about "seeing the glory of God," so I'd like to provide some clarification for what this means. First, the best definition I've ever heard for what the "glory" of God is comes from Pastor John Piper. In one of his sermons, Dr. Piper defined the "glory" of God as "the manifest beauty of His holiness." Since the word "holiness" means "set apart," we can define "seeing the glory of God" as "seeing how amazingly beautiful and superior God is to anyone else, whether it be His power, His wisdom, or especially His moral character and His love."

Although we can definitely see God's glory in His creation (i.e. sunsets, rainbows), I think we can better see His glory through reading about Him in His Word, drawing near to Him in prayer, and seeing Him work in people's lives. Thus, when I talk about "seeing the glory of God," I am generally referring to one of these things, rather than looking at sunsets and rainbows.

I'd like to close by sharing a passage from John Piper's book "A Godward Life," in which Pastor John describes an experience through which he really saw God's amazing glory -

Sometimes in the midst of discipline, unexpected power will spring forth, and the line between spontaneity and discipline disappears. Early one Sunday morning my discipline was taking me through Luke 18. It was one of those times when God came near with unusual force. Christ stood out from the pages as irresistibly compelling. Every paragraph made my soul yearn to be radically obedient to Jesus. I felt that no one ever spoke like this man. No one ever lived free like this man. No one ever demanded what he demanded and gave what he gave.

God Is My Passion

2009-01-28T16:10:00.003-06:00

In an essay titled "God Is My Passion," Richard Wurmbrand writes, "A man who has a real passion, whether it be for gambling, drunkenness, womanizing, pride, or addiction to drugs, will give everything he has to satisfy it - his money, his honor, his health, his family." How true this is, especially for us whose passion is the Lord Himself! We don't want to spend our time watching tv or fixing up our houses, we want Christ, who is the only One who can satisfy the deep thirst in our souls! I find myself constantly desiring to see His glory, which is far more satisfying than anything else in this world. I've purchased Christ-exalting CD's and movies (e.g. Facing The Giants) which give me glimpses of His awesomeness, but I find myself constantly wanting more and more! It is similar to a tolerance developed for a certain drug where increasingly larger doses are needed to satisfy one's cravings. I find the Holy Spirit pushing me to go out of my comfort zone to find Christ "outside the camp" (Heb. 13:13). The normal routines just won't do it anymore, I want to go to the worst neighborhoods where both danger and suffering await, so that I might proclaim the Glory of God to a people who are utterly wasting their lives when indescribable joy is offered to them!

If your passion is something other than God, then you don't know what you are missing! Why are today's church people satisfied with meager lives consisting of work, church, and football when infinite joy and satisfaction are available in Christ? Daily Bible readings and prayer time have simply become "duties" that are less satisfying than what the world has to offer, so people develop their passions in non-God things (e.g. sports, favorite tv shows). You can tell what someone's passion is by the way they spend their time, unless one is simply "forcing" himself to shun the things of the world and "do their Christian duties." Brothers and sisters, don't settle for anything less than what you could have in Jesus! If you find yourself spending your days pursuing non-God things that do not allow you to see God's glory, or if you are caught up in a legalistic rountine of Christian "duties" that do not produce in you an "inexpressible and glorious joy" (1 Pet. 1:8), then turn from these worthless things and seek God with all your heart until you know Him as the infinitely satisfying Treasure that He is!