This past Sunday evening I opened the service by reading from 1 Peter 4:12-13 ("Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering….But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ...") because this has been on my heart lately. And then today, I found some writings on these verses from a missionary in Equatorial Guinea (thanks to Kevin DeYoung's blog). The missionary who writes the following is named Jason Carter. Jason's wife Lisa is now very sick and they have not been able to diagnose the cause of her illness. They also have one little boy named Kenyon. Please read the following and then pray for this missionary family!
In the States, when suffering occurs, many times we are surprised by it. My attitude usually is: “There are solutions; this isn’t supposed to happen. Everything will turn out okay.” In Africa, people would be surprised if suffering didn’t occur. “Nobody in the hospital?....What’s going on here?” I can remember some days when our church of almost 1800 members in Bloomington, Illinois didn’t have a single person in the hospital! That would never happen in Equatorial Guinea.
But, yet, here I am, still getting surprised by suffering – both ours and our friends’ suffering – showing me how American I really am. I get surprised that Mateo Ndong (20 years old) can come back from a youth retreat feeling fine and then proceed to spend the next 3 weeks in bed -- sitting in a hospital bed for the last week where 4 people die in 7 days from the same thing he has. And it’s purely a tropical illness – nobody knows WHY this happens! (How can this be?!!) His calf and foot are enlarged and the doctors have no answer to why this sort of thing happens – there is no explanation (it’s simply called an abscess). And the treatment seems, to my (admittedly) untrained medical mind, like something out of the medieval ages: they will slice open his leg to draw out the puss and hope that takes care of it.
So when 1 Peter says we shouldn’t be surprised at the painful trials of suffering, I must confess it’s actually hard not to be surprised at so much suffering. Peter is actually counter-intuitive for me!! Does the fact that suffering sneaks up on me, surprises me, and catches me off guard tell me how American I really am? Tell me how insulated to suffering my life has been? Oh, there are definitely Americans who have seen more than “their share” of suffering – folks with whom I wouldn’t want to change places with in the States – but it just seems that the African “share” in the balance of suffering is tipped decidedly and continually in their “favor”.
Here in EG, when somebody dies, you can smell it at the funeral. There is no make-up, nobody says “oh, look how beautiful Mrs. Obiang is” at the funeral – No. The deceased person actually looks…well, dead. There is no covering up the fact by make-up or an expensive coffin. The family usually has to dig the grave. It’s the family who probably nailed some boards together to make the coffin. At the funeral you see the finality (and sound) of dirt being piled upon the wooden box. Africans aren’t surprised by suffering. It doesn’t sneak up on them. It’s their traveling companion in the journey of life.
This should actually teach me a great deal. If it’s a lesson I am willing to learn.
But, it’s a lot easier to visit the hospital as a pastor-missionary than live with uncertainty over your own roof and in your own life. As Lisa and I ponder our return to the States and wait to be able to identity what is really going on health-wise with Lisa, it’s a difficult time. Not knowing is tough. To live in the information age without adequate information is exasperating. And yet, “do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering…but rejoice”. That is, for lack of a better term, just plain “weird”. The Bible sometimes speaks Fang to me – as in, I can barely make out what is going on and pretty soon I find myself not really trying (or wanting) to understand.
Suffering is never part of the plan. Or rather, never part of our plan. And yet: “Moses approached the thick darkness where God was” (Ex. 20:21). I don’t like the fact that, at times, God resides there – in thick darkness. Just as a passenger would rather have a storm-tested sailor leading a voyage on the rough seas, I’m trusting that God is using the difficulties and testings of Africa to deepen my own spiritual anchors. I want to lean into these experiences (easier said than done) to have a life that is more “storm-tested”, to be able to navigate from the stern of the ship with more perspective and depth. That’s the destination and my prayer….one day, I hope to get there.
May God help us to no longer be surprised by suffering that comes our way, but to actually rejoice in the fact that we are accounted worthy to be followers of our Suffering Savior!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Basics Pastors Conference
Tomorrow a few men from our church and myself will join many other pastors and church leaders at Parkside Church for a pastors conference. This conference is always one of the highlights of the year for me for two main reasons. First, because the teaching that I am able to sit under is always refreshing and Christ exalting! Second, because of the opportunity to fellowship with other men whom I serve alongside of all through the year. I began to attend this conference in May of 2001 and have not missed one ever since. I still remember attending that first conference by myself (before I came to FBCH) and wishing that I had some other leaders from my current ministry with me. So, one of the great joys of attending this conference is that I am not attending alone, but that other leaders from our church will also be blessed by the time of teaching and fellowship.
Each conference is led by Pastor Alistair Begg and includes a couple of visiting pastors/speakers. This year we are blessed to have John Piper and John Lennox alongside of Alistair Begg and music led by Keith and Kristen Getty.
After Alistair Begg, I have probably been influenced the most by John Piper and his ministry. If you are not familiar with John Piper (and even if you are), I thought you might like to read a short interview with him which includes his spiritual disciplines, his exercise program, what books have influenced him the most...etc.
If you are interested in reading, click here
Each conference is led by Pastor Alistair Begg and includes a couple of visiting pastors/speakers. This year we are blessed to have John Piper and John Lennox alongside of Alistair Begg and music led by Keith and Kristen Getty.
After Alistair Begg, I have probably been influenced the most by John Piper and his ministry. If you are not familiar with John Piper (and even if you are), I thought you might like to read a short interview with him which includes his spiritual disciplines, his exercise program, what books have influenced him the most...etc.
If you are interested in reading, click here
Friday, May 1, 2009
Unpacking Forgiveness
I am excited about a Book Study that we will begin at the end of the month of May. While I was away at a Pastor's Conference, the thought of starting a book study began to form. As a pastor, I am blessed to be able to read and study. One of the priorities of a pastor is to "continue to study and learn" so I can better equip and teach the people whom God has put underneath my care. So, I am constantly striving to learn more and to read good books that will help me to better understand our Great God and His perfect Word! So, I am blessed to be given time to read - most jobs do not allow you to read. My job actually has time "built in" for me to read and learn (and I am so thankful!!). Often while I am reading, I am hit with the thought of how I would love for our church congregation to be able to read some of this great material that I am learning. So, the idea of a book study was born out of the desire to pass much of this great information on to more people. So, at the end of May we are beginning a book study that I hope is the first among many!
Our first book study is by author Chris Brauns called "Unpacking Forgiveness". This book is an attempt by the author to give biblical answers to complex questions and deep wounds. While the name Chris Brauns may be new to you (it was to me)...I have found his writings to be clear, practical and most importantly they are biblically sound. Chris Brauns is senior pastor at the Congregational Christian Church in Illinois. He earned his MBA from Northern Iowa University, MDiv from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and DMin from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
The book begins with a Pop Quiz on the subject of forgiveness. Last week, we placed these questions in our church bulletin and this coming week we will give the answers according to the book. In case you didn't get it OR you do not attend our church, here is the quiz (plus a couple of questions that I have included):
THE FORGIVENESS QUIZ - QUESTIONS (TRUE OR FALSE)
1. Where deep wounds between people are concerned, forgivness can be unpacked in a moment.
2. Personal happiness and joy can legitimatly motivate people to live out what the Bible teaches and how it should take place.
3. Most Christian pastors and counselors agree about what forgiveness is and how it should take place.
4. Forgiveness occurs properly only when certain conditions are met.
5. Jesus said little about how people should resolve interpersonal conflict.
6. A willingness to forgive is a test of whether or not a person will go to heaven when he or she dies.
7. Good people get to the bottom of all their disagreements.
8. There are times when it is wrong to forgive.
9. Sometimes it is necessary for us to forgive God.
10. God forgives everyone for everything.
I hope that taking this quiz will motivate you to be apart of this study or to purchase this book and study it on your own. It is well worth your time and may be a great help to you (and to others whom you influence) on the very difficult subject of forgiveness!!
Our first book study is by author Chris Brauns called "Unpacking Forgiveness". This book is an attempt by the author to give biblical answers to complex questions and deep wounds. While the name Chris Brauns may be new to you (it was to me)...I have found his writings to be clear, practical and most importantly they are biblically sound. Chris Brauns is senior pastor at the Congregational Christian Church in Illinois. He earned his MBA from Northern Iowa University, MDiv from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and DMin from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
The book begins with a Pop Quiz on the subject of forgiveness. Last week, we placed these questions in our church bulletin and this coming week we will give the answers according to the book. In case you didn't get it OR you do not attend our church, here is the quiz (plus a couple of questions that I have included):
THE FORGIVENESS QUIZ - QUESTIONS (TRUE OR FALSE)
1. Where deep wounds between people are concerned, forgivness can be unpacked in a moment.
2. Personal happiness and joy can legitimatly motivate people to live out what the Bible teaches and how it should take place.
3. Most Christian pastors and counselors agree about what forgiveness is and how it should take place.
4. Forgiveness occurs properly only when certain conditions are met.
5. Jesus said little about how people should resolve interpersonal conflict.
6. A willingness to forgive is a test of whether or not a person will go to heaven when he or she dies.
7. Good people get to the bottom of all their disagreements.
8. There are times when it is wrong to forgive.
9. Sometimes it is necessary for us to forgive God.
10. God forgives everyone for everything.
I hope that taking this quiz will motivate you to be apart of this study or to purchase this book and study it on your own. It is well worth your time and may be a great help to you (and to others whom you influence) on the very difficult subject of forgiveness!!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
An Appointment With the Father
Here is an article from my friend in Jerusalem. It lets us see a little bit of how the Passover is observed in Jerusalem. There are pictures as well.
On Wednesday evening our family participated in a Passover meal with 120 other believers in Jerusalem. Each portion of the meal was a reminder of what God has done to redeem His people from the bondage of the Egyptians during the Exodus from Egypt. For the believer, it was also a reminder of our freedom from the bondage of sin in the death of our Passover lamb, Jesus the Messiah.
On Thursday we traveled to Samaria to observe the Samaritans conducting their yearly sacrifice of the Passover lamb, one for each family as prescribed in the Law. While the Jews in ancient times worshiped God in Jerusalem, the Samaritans continue to worship God on Mt. Gerizim in Samaria (ie. Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4).
To see pictures of this sacrifice, click here. WARNING: photo of slain lamb.
In both instances, the Jewish families and their Passover meals, as well as the Samaritans and their sacrificial lambs, the focus continues to be on the picture or the shadow of the real thing that has already come. They have missed their appointment with God.
Jesus, on the other hand, knew the Scriptures. He made sure to keep his appointment with the Father. Leviticus 23:4-6 tells us regarding Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread that these are God's appointed times. The English translates this as feasts or convocations, but the literal meaning in Hebrew is appointments. Passover (the slaying of the lamb followed by the Passover feast) was to begin at sundown on the 14th of Nissan. This coincides with the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened bread. According to Matthew 26:17-18, Jesus instructed his disciples about preparations for the Passover by saying my appointed time is near.
As Jesus ate this Passover meal with his disciples, he used it as an opportunity to reveal to them what they had only known in word pictures and symbols. The innocent lambs that are sacrificed every year at Passover have been pointing to this moment. I will now give my body to be broken. I will pour out my blood for the forgiveness of sins. In just a few hours the Lamb of God will fulfill his purpose and keep his appointment with the Father. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Have a blessed Resurrection Day!
Dave in Jerusalem
On Wednesday evening our family participated in a Passover meal with 120 other believers in Jerusalem. Each portion of the meal was a reminder of what God has done to redeem His people from the bondage of the Egyptians during the Exodus from Egypt. For the believer, it was also a reminder of our freedom from the bondage of sin in the death of our Passover lamb, Jesus the Messiah.
On Thursday we traveled to Samaria to observe the Samaritans conducting their yearly sacrifice of the Passover lamb, one for each family as prescribed in the Law. While the Jews in ancient times worshiped God in Jerusalem, the Samaritans continue to worship God on Mt. Gerizim in Samaria (ie. Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4).
To see pictures of this sacrifice, click here. WARNING: photo of slain lamb.
In both instances, the Jewish families and their Passover meals, as well as the Samaritans and their sacrificial lambs, the focus continues to be on the picture or the shadow of the real thing that has already come. They have missed their appointment with God.
Jesus, on the other hand, knew the Scriptures. He made sure to keep his appointment with the Father. Leviticus 23:4-6 tells us regarding Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread that these are God's appointed times. The English translates this as feasts or convocations, but the literal meaning in Hebrew is appointments. Passover (the slaying of the lamb followed by the Passover feast) was to begin at sundown on the 14th of Nissan. This coincides with the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened bread. According to Matthew 26:17-18, Jesus instructed his disciples about preparations for the Passover by saying my appointed time is near.
As Jesus ate this Passover meal with his disciples, he used it as an opportunity to reveal to them what they had only known in word pictures and symbols. The innocent lambs that are sacrificed every year at Passover have been pointing to this moment. I will now give my body to be broken. I will pour out my blood for the forgiveness of sins. In just a few hours the Lamb of God will fulfill his purpose and keep his appointment with the Father. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Have a blessed Resurrection Day!
Dave in Jerusalem
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
He bore our sins in His body on the tree
Here is my latest article for the newsletter "The Final Word":
As we approach Passion Week (from April 5th to 12th), I would encourage you to spend some time reading through one of the Gospels. Since we have been studying the gospel of Luke each Sunday, I am going to read through the gospel of Mark this coming week. You could read a few chapters each day or sit down for an hour or two and read straight through. Whether you are reading through Mark or studying Luke, either way you will be struck with an impression that Jesus knew “who He was” (the Son of God) and “what He had was to do” (fulfill the Messianic role). And since He was the Son of God and He had come to fulfill the Messianic role, He knew that His messianic mission centered on going to the Cross and being put to death. He spoke of this often and with absolute resolve. In Luke, it is said of Jesus that “he set his face toward Jerusalem”. All over the gospels we hear Jesus speaking of the Cross as something certain. So, we might find it somewhat surprising to find Jesus in His final hours beginning to “fear” the crucifixion that He so often spoke of and seemed bound and determined to face. We find Him in the Garden of Gethsemane overcome with “horror and dismay” praying that “if it be possible, take this cup from me” but continuing by saying “nevertheless not what I will, but Thy will be done”. And if this wasn’t troubling enough, we then hear Christ on the Cross crying out “my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Why such fear? Many have lost “respect” for Jesus because of these two events. It has been said that many others have died with greater bravery than what is seen here of Jesus. Stephen faced death with joy and even Socrates, the pagan philosopher, drank his hemlock and died without a tremor. So, why was Jesus so afraid of death when many others have faced it (even by crucifixion) (and martyrdom) without any fear whatsoever? What was it that Jesus feared so much?
Well, if you understand the Biblical account of the death and crucifixion of Christ, then you know that it was not simply dying that Jesus feared. In fact, Jesus had no fear of death. It was what His death was accomplishing. The Bible tells us that Jesus was taking upon Him the burden of the world’s sin, consenting to be, and actually being, numbered with the transgressors! It was because Jesus was made sin for us…He was bearing God’s judgment on sin. The unique dreadfulness of His death lies in the fact that He tasted on Calvary the wrath of God that was ours, so making propitiation for our sins.
But, this thought has become to commonplace for us. We have heard it said so many times…that I am afraid we have become numb to the fact that Christ took our sins and bore the penalty for our sins – namely, the wrath of God. What would that look like? What would that feel like? Well, let’s hear how Rick Gamache puts it:
“Jesus looks up to His Father, His Father looks back. But Jesus does not recognize these eyes. They pierce the invisible world with fire and darken the visible sky. Jesus feels dirty. He hangs between earth and heaven filthy with all of human wickedness on His shoulders. The Father speaks: ‘Son of Man! Why have you sinned against Me and heaped scorn on My great glory? You are self-sufficient and self-righteous – consumed with yourself and puffed up and selfishly ambitious. You rob Me of My glory and worship what’s inside of you instead of looking out to the One who created you. You are a greedy, lazy gluttonous slanderer and gossip. You are a lying, conceited, ungrateful, cruel adulterer. You practice sexual immorality; you make pornography and you fill your mind with vulgarity. You exchange My truth for a lie and worship the creature instead of the Creator. And so you are given up to your homosexual passions, dressing immodestly, and lusting after what is forbidden. With all your heart you love perverse pleasure. You hate your brother and murder him with the bullets of anger fired from your own heart. You kill babies for your convenience. You oppress the poor and ignore the needy. You persecute my people. You love money and prestige and honor. You put on a cloak of outward piety, but inside you are filled with dead men’s bones – you hypocrite!
You are lukewarm and easily enticed by the world. You covet and can’t have so you murder. You are filled with envy and rage and bitterness and unforgiveness. You blame others for your sin and are too proud to even call it sin. You are never slow to speak. You have a razor tongue that lashes and cuts with its criticism and sinful judgment. Your words do not impart grace. Instead your mouth is a fountain of condemnation and guilt and obscene talk. You are a false prophet leading people astray. You mock your parents. You have no self-control. You are a betrayer who stirs up division and factions. You’re a drunkard and a thief. You’re an anxious coward. You do not trust Me. You blaspheme against Me. You are an unsubmissive wife. And you are a lazy, disengaged husband. You file for divorce and crush the parable of my love for the church. You’re a pimp and a drug dealer. You practice divination and worship demons. The list of your sins goes on and on and on and on. And I hate these things inside of you. I’m filled with disgust and indignation for your sin consumes me. Now, drink my cup!
And Jesus does. He drinks for hours. He downs every drop of the scalding liquid of God’s own hatred of sin mingled with His white-hot wrath against that sin. This is the Father’s cup: omnipotent hatred and anger for the sins of every generation past, present, and future- omnipotent wrath directed and one man hanging on a cross.
The Father can no longer look at his beloved Son, His heart’s treasure, the mirror-image of Himself. He looks away. Jesus cries out to heaven, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Silence. Separation.
Jesus finally cries, “It is finished.” And it is. Every sin of every child of God has been laid on Jesus and he drank the cup of God’s wrath dry.
And he dies. Mission accomplished! Sacrifice accepted!”
Had Jesus really done any of these sins? No, but you and I have done many (if not all) of these sins and more. Jesus took our sins – He bore our sins in His body on the tree. He was forsaken so that we could be forgiven. May we respond to Christ and His work on the Cross much like the merciful centurion who looked up at the lifeless body of Jesus and was filled with awe. He dropped to his knees and declared, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
As we approach Passion Week (from April 5th to 12th), I would encourage you to spend some time reading through one of the Gospels. Since we have been studying the gospel of Luke each Sunday, I am going to read through the gospel of Mark this coming week. You could read a few chapters each day or sit down for an hour or two and read straight through. Whether you are reading through Mark or studying Luke, either way you will be struck with an impression that Jesus knew “who He was” (the Son of God) and “what He had was to do” (fulfill the Messianic role). And since He was the Son of God and He had come to fulfill the Messianic role, He knew that His messianic mission centered on going to the Cross and being put to death. He spoke of this often and with absolute resolve. In Luke, it is said of Jesus that “he set his face toward Jerusalem”. All over the gospels we hear Jesus speaking of the Cross as something certain. So, we might find it somewhat surprising to find Jesus in His final hours beginning to “fear” the crucifixion that He so often spoke of and seemed bound and determined to face. We find Him in the Garden of Gethsemane overcome with “horror and dismay” praying that “if it be possible, take this cup from me” but continuing by saying “nevertheless not what I will, but Thy will be done”. And if this wasn’t troubling enough, we then hear Christ on the Cross crying out “my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Why such fear? Many have lost “respect” for Jesus because of these two events. It has been said that many others have died with greater bravery than what is seen here of Jesus. Stephen faced death with joy and even Socrates, the pagan philosopher, drank his hemlock and died without a tremor. So, why was Jesus so afraid of death when many others have faced it (even by crucifixion) (and martyrdom) without any fear whatsoever? What was it that Jesus feared so much?
Well, if you understand the Biblical account of the death and crucifixion of Christ, then you know that it was not simply dying that Jesus feared. In fact, Jesus had no fear of death. It was what His death was accomplishing. The Bible tells us that Jesus was taking upon Him the burden of the world’s sin, consenting to be, and actually being, numbered with the transgressors! It was because Jesus was made sin for us…He was bearing God’s judgment on sin. The unique dreadfulness of His death lies in the fact that He tasted on Calvary the wrath of God that was ours, so making propitiation for our sins.
But, this thought has become to commonplace for us. We have heard it said so many times…that I am afraid we have become numb to the fact that Christ took our sins and bore the penalty for our sins – namely, the wrath of God. What would that look like? What would that feel like? Well, let’s hear how Rick Gamache puts it:
“Jesus looks up to His Father, His Father looks back. But Jesus does not recognize these eyes. They pierce the invisible world with fire and darken the visible sky. Jesus feels dirty. He hangs between earth and heaven filthy with all of human wickedness on His shoulders. The Father speaks: ‘Son of Man! Why have you sinned against Me and heaped scorn on My great glory? You are self-sufficient and self-righteous – consumed with yourself and puffed up and selfishly ambitious. You rob Me of My glory and worship what’s inside of you instead of looking out to the One who created you. You are a greedy, lazy gluttonous slanderer and gossip. You are a lying, conceited, ungrateful, cruel adulterer. You practice sexual immorality; you make pornography and you fill your mind with vulgarity. You exchange My truth for a lie and worship the creature instead of the Creator. And so you are given up to your homosexual passions, dressing immodestly, and lusting after what is forbidden. With all your heart you love perverse pleasure. You hate your brother and murder him with the bullets of anger fired from your own heart. You kill babies for your convenience. You oppress the poor and ignore the needy. You persecute my people. You love money and prestige and honor. You put on a cloak of outward piety, but inside you are filled with dead men’s bones – you hypocrite!
You are lukewarm and easily enticed by the world. You covet and can’t have so you murder. You are filled with envy and rage and bitterness and unforgiveness. You blame others for your sin and are too proud to even call it sin. You are never slow to speak. You have a razor tongue that lashes and cuts with its criticism and sinful judgment. Your words do not impart grace. Instead your mouth is a fountain of condemnation and guilt and obscene talk. You are a false prophet leading people astray. You mock your parents. You have no self-control. You are a betrayer who stirs up division and factions. You’re a drunkard and a thief. You’re an anxious coward. You do not trust Me. You blaspheme against Me. You are an unsubmissive wife. And you are a lazy, disengaged husband. You file for divorce and crush the parable of my love for the church. You’re a pimp and a drug dealer. You practice divination and worship demons. The list of your sins goes on and on and on and on. And I hate these things inside of you. I’m filled with disgust and indignation for your sin consumes me. Now, drink my cup!
And Jesus does. He drinks for hours. He downs every drop of the scalding liquid of God’s own hatred of sin mingled with His white-hot wrath against that sin. This is the Father’s cup: omnipotent hatred and anger for the sins of every generation past, present, and future- omnipotent wrath directed and one man hanging on a cross.
The Father can no longer look at his beloved Son, His heart’s treasure, the mirror-image of Himself. He looks away. Jesus cries out to heaven, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Silence. Separation.
Jesus finally cries, “It is finished.” And it is. Every sin of every child of God has been laid on Jesus and he drank the cup of God’s wrath dry.
And he dies. Mission accomplished! Sacrifice accepted!”
Had Jesus really done any of these sins? No, but you and I have done many (if not all) of these sins and more. Jesus took our sins – He bore our sins in His body on the tree. He was forsaken so that we could be forgiven. May we respond to Christ and His work on the Cross much like the merciful centurion who looked up at the lifeless body of Jesus and was filled with awe. He dropped to his knees and declared, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Friday, April 3, 2009
A couple of quick reminders for First Baptist Church of Howland Members:
1. Tomorrow is a Work Day - Saturday, April 4th. We need your help. The construction work on the restrooms is almost complete. We are trying to get as much done before Easter Sunday (next Sunday, April 12th)as possible. It is fitting that we are doing this work just a few days after Ron Brown's funeral. The property was always kept neat and clean under his care and supervision. It will take a "team" of us to pick up the slack. Please come out tomorrow and possibly Tuesday night, April 7th (work night) to do some "spring cleaning"!!
2. This Sunday is Palm Sunday. We will be celebrating the Lord's Supper together. Please remember that this is an important part of being a part of the body of Christ. Be in attendance this Sunday - and let's "Remember Jesus"!!
3. We will be having a Good Friday Service at 6:30 pm on April 10th. This is another opportunity for us to remember our Savior's sacrifice and to praise Him for "not holding our sins against us".
4. Next Sunday is Easter Sunday. We will have two services with a "fellowship breakfast" in between. The service times are 8:30am and 10:45am.
5. Finally, our college class will be attending a conference at the end of May over Memorial Day weekend. The conference is called "NEXT" and is intended for singles and young married couples. If you would have any interest, go to the link for the Next Conference to the right of this blog. We would love to have as many as possible attend this conference and spend a few days "beholding Jesus together".
1. Tomorrow is a Work Day - Saturday, April 4th. We need your help. The construction work on the restrooms is almost complete. We are trying to get as much done before Easter Sunday (next Sunday, April 12th)as possible. It is fitting that we are doing this work just a few days after Ron Brown's funeral. The property was always kept neat and clean under his care and supervision. It will take a "team" of us to pick up the slack. Please come out tomorrow and possibly Tuesday night, April 7th (work night) to do some "spring cleaning"!!
2. This Sunday is Palm Sunday. We will be celebrating the Lord's Supper together. Please remember that this is an important part of being a part of the body of Christ. Be in attendance this Sunday - and let's "Remember Jesus"!!
3. We will be having a Good Friday Service at 6:30 pm on April 10th. This is another opportunity for us to remember our Savior's sacrifice and to praise Him for "not holding our sins against us".
4. Next Sunday is Easter Sunday. We will have two services with a "fellowship breakfast" in between. The service times are 8:30am and 10:45am.
5. Finally, our college class will be attending a conference at the end of May over Memorial Day weekend. The conference is called "NEXT" and is intended for singles and young married couples. If you would have any interest, go to the link for the Next Conference to the right of this blog. We would love to have as many as possible attend this conference and spend a few days "beholding Jesus together".
Friday, March 20, 2009
The Holiness of God Conference
As many of you know, I am away at the "Holiness of God" conference hosted by R.C Sproul and Ligonier Ministries. Of course this means that I am currently in Orlando, Florida where it is approximately 80 degrees! But the best part of it, is that I do not have to go to Disney while I'm here!!
Anyway, back to the point of this post - I had considered trying to give some notes from the sessions but then I stumbled upon the Ligonier Ministries blog and realized that there is no way I could compete with Alex Chediak. So, I encourage you to go to Ligonier Ministries Blog (one of the links to the right of this post - listed as R.C. Sproul's blog) and check out what we have been learning about.
While all the sessions have been profitable, I will give you my top 3:
1. R.C. Sproul's kickoff address - "I am the Lord, there is no other"
2. Thabiti Anyabwile's message - "Cosmic Treason: Sin & the Holiness of God"
3. D.A Carson's talk - "A Holy Nation: The Church's High Calling"
The conference will conclude tomorrow at 1:00 pm with a final address from R.C Sproul
Btw, all of you that are reading this from Warren, Ohio...while down here I have been introduced to this big, yellow, round object in the sky...something I have never seen in "Always Partly Cloudy Warren, Ohio"...I will see if I can negotiate a deal where we can have this thing they call the "sun" visit us in Northeast Ohio once in a while!!
Anyway, back to the point of this post - I had considered trying to give some notes from the sessions but then I stumbled upon the Ligonier Ministries blog and realized that there is no way I could compete with Alex Chediak. So, I encourage you to go to Ligonier Ministries Blog (one of the links to the right of this post - listed as R.C. Sproul's blog) and check out what we have been learning about.
While all the sessions have been profitable, I will give you my top 3:
1. R.C. Sproul's kickoff address - "I am the Lord, there is no other"
2. Thabiti Anyabwile's message - "Cosmic Treason: Sin & the Holiness of God"
3. D.A Carson's talk - "A Holy Nation: The Church's High Calling"
The conference will conclude tomorrow at 1:00 pm with a final address from R.C Sproul
Btw, all of you that are reading this from Warren, Ohio...while down here I have been introduced to this big, yellow, round object in the sky...something I have never seen in "Always Partly Cloudy Warren, Ohio"...I will see if I can negotiate a deal where we can have this thing they call the "sun" visit us in Northeast Ohio once in a while!!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
Today is commonly referred to as St. Patrick's Day and all that most people seem to know about this day is that they are supposed to wear green!
So, to help us know a little more about St. Patrick, here is an excerpt from his confessions:
"For there is no other God, nor ever was before, nor shall be hereafter, but God the Father, unbegotten and without beginning, in whom all things began, whose are all things, as we have been taught; and his son Jesus Christ, who manifestly always existed with the Father, before the beginning of time in the spirit with the Father, indescribably begotten before all things, and all things visible and invisible were made by him. He was made man, conquered death and was received into Heaven, to the Father who gave him all power over every name in Heaven and on Earth and in Hell, so that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and God, in whom we believe. And we look to his imminent coming again, the judge of the living and the dead, who will render to each according to his deeds. And he poured out his Holy Spirit on us in abundance, the gift and pledge of immortality, which makes the believers and the obedient into sons of God and co-heirs of Christ who is revealed, and we worship one God in the Trinity of holy name." ~ Excerpt from the Confession of Saint Patrick
If you would like to read more about St. Patrick, go to the following website:
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.ii.html
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
So, to help us know a little more about St. Patrick, here is an excerpt from his confessions:
"For there is no other God, nor ever was before, nor shall be hereafter, but God the Father, unbegotten and without beginning, in whom all things began, whose are all things, as we have been taught; and his son Jesus Christ, who manifestly always existed with the Father, before the beginning of time in the spirit with the Father, indescribably begotten before all things, and all things visible and invisible were made by him. He was made man, conquered death and was received into Heaven, to the Father who gave him all power over every name in Heaven and on Earth and in Hell, so that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and God, in whom we believe. And we look to his imminent coming again, the judge of the living and the dead, who will render to each according to his deeds. And he poured out his Holy Spirit on us in abundance, the gift and pledge of immortality, which makes the believers and the obedient into sons of God and co-heirs of Christ who is revealed, and we worship one God in the Trinity of holy name." ~ Excerpt from the Confession of Saint Patrick
If you would like to read more about St. Patrick, go to the following website:
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/patrick/confession.ii.html
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Lessons in Leviticus
As many of you know, I spend every Wednesday evening with a group of "college age students" and we are currently reading through the Bible and getting an overview of what the Bible is all about!
So, we are currently in Leviticus. This is not an easy book to study but we are finding that all of Scripture points us to Christ (just as Jesus said). The book deals so much with "holiness", "sacrifices", things that are "clean and unclean".
So, here is a quick summary of lessons we are learning from Leviticus:
1. We praise God that all those O.T sacrifices were just a "picture" of what would come and that Christ is the Fulfillment of all of those sacrifices. Hebrews 8:1-6 says, "Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, 'see that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.' But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises."
2. Leviticus also teaches us that God cares about how He is worshiped! Not just that we worship God, but "how" we worship. We cannot approach God however we please. It is a serious thing to worship God and we must come on His terms! Therefore, we better be serious about learning His Word because that is the place we get instructions on "who God is" and "how we are to approach Him". Not approaching God rightly is sin. And not knowing, or ignorance is no excuse for sin. So, we must take getting in His Word seriously so we know how to approach God and worship Him rightly!
3. Finally, we see that "everything" matters to God! When God calls us to live "holy", He means in "every area" of our lives. Every phase of our lives is to be lived in such a way that we are pleasing to Him.
So in conclusion, we challenged ourselves by asking this question:
- Does being a christian truly affect everything about my life? Do I have any areas (closets) that I exclude from God??
I hope that you have a plan for reading God's Word this year...and whatever it is, may I encourage you to stay with it and see how God will use it to help each of us grow in wisdom and godliness!
So, we are currently in Leviticus. This is not an easy book to study but we are finding that all of Scripture points us to Christ (just as Jesus said). The book deals so much with "holiness", "sacrifices", things that are "clean and unclean".
So, here is a quick summary of lessons we are learning from Leviticus:
1. We praise God that all those O.T sacrifices were just a "picture" of what would come and that Christ is the Fulfillment of all of those sacrifices. Hebrews 8:1-6 says, "Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, 'see that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.' But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises."
2. Leviticus also teaches us that God cares about how He is worshiped! Not just that we worship God, but "how" we worship. We cannot approach God however we please. It is a serious thing to worship God and we must come on His terms! Therefore, we better be serious about learning His Word because that is the place we get instructions on "who God is" and "how we are to approach Him". Not approaching God rightly is sin. And not knowing, or ignorance is no excuse for sin. So, we must take getting in His Word seriously so we know how to approach God and worship Him rightly!
3. Finally, we see that "everything" matters to God! When God calls us to live "holy", He means in "every area" of our lives. Every phase of our lives is to be lived in such a way that we are pleasing to Him.
So in conclusion, we challenged ourselves by asking this question:
- Does being a christian truly affect everything about my life? Do I have any areas (closets) that I exclude from God??
I hope that you have a plan for reading God's Word this year...and whatever it is, may I encourage you to stay with it and see how God will use it to help each of us grow in wisdom and godliness!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Our Sufficiency is in God Alone!
Well, I suppose a “congratulations” is in order for all the Pittsburgh Steelers fans out there. With another Super Bowl victory, the Steelers have separated themselves from the rest of the league with the most Super Bowl trophies (6). At least the Arizona Cardinals gave you a game and even had us all on the edge of our seats right down to the end.
As many of you know, I am definitely not a Pittsburgh Steelers fan! Growing up in this part of the country, you are typically a Browns or Steelers fan. In my home, we were brought up to cheer for the Cleveland Browns and therefore also cheer for anyone who is playing against the Steelers. At the age of 9, I left my first love (the Browns) and turned to the Miami Dolphins and I have been a Dolphins fan ever since. Although I did not remain a Browns fan, the part about not liking the Steelers has stuck with me throughout the years. But, I do have to admit that lately I have found myself “disliking” the Steelers less and less. Probably for 2 primary reasons:
1. Because of the Steelers style of play. Anyone who knows anything about football has to respect the way they play hard-nosed defense and good fundamental football.
2. But, the second reason is because of their head coach Mike Tomlin. When the Steelers hired Tomlin I knew all Steeler “haters” were in trouble. Sure he took over a very good football team with a lot of things already in place, but sometimes that is a more difficult situation to take over than starting something from scratch. I have observed and listened to Tomlin speak on many occasions and I have always gone away knowing that this guy “gets it” and will be very successful as a head coach.
Now stay with me, there is a point to all of this!
Immediately after the game, Tomlin was asked the question “did you have confidence that you could do this (win a championship) back when you were hired?” The question being asked referring to Tomlin’s age when hired (32) and only one other African-American coach having ever won a Super Bowl (Tony Dungy). And it was Tomlin’s answer to that question, that I have been considering ever since. The question opened the door for Tomlin to answer by saying “yes, I knew all along that I could do this”. Which certainly would have been a confident answer and maybe some would even consider it an arrogant answer. But Tomlin instead chose to answer it in this way – “I had faith in the Rooneys…I believed in the process…and that they knew what they were doing”.
In that answer, Tomlin did something that we as Christians can learn from. Tomlin acknowledged that his confidence did not ultimately lie within himself as much as those who were in authority over him and chose to put him in the place that they did.
I hope that you are getting the point of all of this!
You see we have been chosen by God. As Christians, it is God Himself who put a calling on our lives. He has called us to Himself and made us His followers. He has also called us into His service. And if we ever have questions of inferiority or inability, we must remind ourselves that our strength and ability and confidence does not (and should not) lie within ourselves.
Think of how many individuals portrayed this in God’s Word. When God called Moses to be the leader of the nation of Israel, Moses was not confident that he was the right man for the job. Jeremiah told the Lord that he was too young. Joseph when questioned about his ability to interpret dreams, responded by saying “not me, but the Lord”. We are constantly reminded that our sufficiency is not in and of ourselves. No, our sufficiency is in the Lord.
If we have questions of whether or not we are talented enough…smart enough…able enough…then we are in good company. In fact, I would dare say that if we think we are sufficient for these things than God cannot and will not use us! Why? First Corinthians chapter 1 deals much with the calling of God on our lives. Listen to how Paul the Apostle describes it:
“for you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…so that no flesh should glory in His presence…therefore, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord’”
Just recently in a bible study, we were looking at the life of Moses. Moses was a very unlikely character to be called by God and to be used in a mighty way. So, I stopped and asked our group “is Moses a likely character or unlikely character for God to use?” And both answers can be correct. According to the world, Moses is definitely an unlikely character but if you know God and you know how He works, then Moses is a likely character for God to put His hand upon and use in a mighty way for His own glory!
This is good news for you and me. We are “unlikely characters” as well…which makes us prime subjects for Him to use. So, like Tomlin, lets keep reminding ourselves that our sufficiency and confidence does not lie somewhere within ourselves but in the One who has chosen us and called us!
As many of you know, I am definitely not a Pittsburgh Steelers fan! Growing up in this part of the country, you are typically a Browns or Steelers fan. In my home, we were brought up to cheer for the Cleveland Browns and therefore also cheer for anyone who is playing against the Steelers. At the age of 9, I left my first love (the Browns) and turned to the Miami Dolphins and I have been a Dolphins fan ever since. Although I did not remain a Browns fan, the part about not liking the Steelers has stuck with me throughout the years. But, I do have to admit that lately I have found myself “disliking” the Steelers less and less. Probably for 2 primary reasons:
1. Because of the Steelers style of play. Anyone who knows anything about football has to respect the way they play hard-nosed defense and good fundamental football.
2. But, the second reason is because of their head coach Mike Tomlin. When the Steelers hired Tomlin I knew all Steeler “haters” were in trouble. Sure he took over a very good football team with a lot of things already in place, but sometimes that is a more difficult situation to take over than starting something from scratch. I have observed and listened to Tomlin speak on many occasions and I have always gone away knowing that this guy “gets it” and will be very successful as a head coach.
Now stay with me, there is a point to all of this!
Immediately after the game, Tomlin was asked the question “did you have confidence that you could do this (win a championship) back when you were hired?” The question being asked referring to Tomlin’s age when hired (32) and only one other African-American coach having ever won a Super Bowl (Tony Dungy). And it was Tomlin’s answer to that question, that I have been considering ever since. The question opened the door for Tomlin to answer by saying “yes, I knew all along that I could do this”. Which certainly would have been a confident answer and maybe some would even consider it an arrogant answer. But Tomlin instead chose to answer it in this way – “I had faith in the Rooneys…I believed in the process…and that they knew what they were doing”.
In that answer, Tomlin did something that we as Christians can learn from. Tomlin acknowledged that his confidence did not ultimately lie within himself as much as those who were in authority over him and chose to put him in the place that they did.
I hope that you are getting the point of all of this!
You see we have been chosen by God. As Christians, it is God Himself who put a calling on our lives. He has called us to Himself and made us His followers. He has also called us into His service. And if we ever have questions of inferiority or inability, we must remind ourselves that our strength and ability and confidence does not (and should not) lie within ourselves.
Think of how many individuals portrayed this in God’s Word. When God called Moses to be the leader of the nation of Israel, Moses was not confident that he was the right man for the job. Jeremiah told the Lord that he was too young. Joseph when questioned about his ability to interpret dreams, responded by saying “not me, but the Lord”. We are constantly reminded that our sufficiency is not in and of ourselves. No, our sufficiency is in the Lord.
If we have questions of whether or not we are talented enough…smart enough…able enough…then we are in good company. In fact, I would dare say that if we think we are sufficient for these things than God cannot and will not use us! Why? First Corinthians chapter 1 deals much with the calling of God on our lives. Listen to how Paul the Apostle describes it:
“for you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…so that no flesh should glory in His presence…therefore, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord’”
Just recently in a bible study, we were looking at the life of Moses. Moses was a very unlikely character to be called by God and to be used in a mighty way. So, I stopped and asked our group “is Moses a likely character or unlikely character for God to use?” And both answers can be correct. According to the world, Moses is definitely an unlikely character but if you know God and you know how He works, then Moses is a likely character for God to put His hand upon and use in a mighty way for His own glory!
This is good news for you and me. We are “unlikely characters” as well…which makes us prime subjects for Him to use. So, like Tomlin, lets keep reminding ourselves that our sufficiency and confidence does not lie somewhere within ourselves but in the One who has chosen us and called us!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
"We cannot Lord, Thy Purpose See"
Just a couple of weeks ago, my wife received an email that brought us both to tears! It comes from a parent who just lost her son. Obviously, that would be enough to stir any parent's emotions...but this goes much further than that. As you read, consider this woman's faith and trust in the Sovereignty of God. Notice how the gospel impacts the way she sees everything - even this great tragedy and loss. And last but not least, please be in prayer for this family!
Dear all,
It is with extreme sadness that I tell you that my 7 year old son, Rohan, was hit by a truck yesterday, and died. We were at a bike trail, but had to cross a highway to get back to the park where our car was. I checked the road to ensure it was clear before crossing, but there are two blind curves and well the elderly driver didn't see him. I had caught sight of the pickup as my dd9 and I cleared the pedestrian crossing, and I noticed my son was not right behind us. I yelled at him to stay put, but it was too late. His step-dad and my aunt were a few minutes behind us on the trail, as they were walking. My dd9 is pretty torn up, and it's hard not to play the "what-if" game. Last night was torturous, but this evening I finally napped on his bed, then my church brothers and sisters came over and I tell you, after they prayed with my family and I, I felt so much peace. The ME should release his body on Monday, then the funeral service will be on Friday.
Please pray for my family...my first husband passed away 6 years ago, when Rohan was 18 months and Bree was 3 1/2. Our younger daughter wasn't with us, but as she is 4, she doesn't quite understand the finality of it. I feel like my heart has been ripped right out of my chest, yet I know that God does not make mistakes, and I will see him again. Reminds me of that line,
"we cannot Lord, Thy purpose see,
but all is well, that is done by Thee."
He touched so many lives in his short time here, with a heart that was greater than his body. As I saw his broken body lying there on the side of the street, I couldn't help but recall the One whose body was broken for me, that I might have life!! There is pain, but there is also hope.
Thanks be to God who gives us the victory!
Blessings,
Shelly Wilson and family,
Zephyrhills, Fl
Dear all,
It is with extreme sadness that I tell you that my 7 year old son, Rohan, was hit by a truck yesterday, and died. We were at a bike trail, but had to cross a highway to get back to the park where our car was. I checked the road to ensure it was clear before crossing, but there are two blind curves and well the elderly driver didn't see him. I had caught sight of the pickup as my dd9 and I cleared the pedestrian crossing, and I noticed my son was not right behind us. I yelled at him to stay put, but it was too late. His step-dad and my aunt were a few minutes behind us on the trail, as they were walking. My dd9 is pretty torn up, and it's hard not to play the "what-if" game. Last night was torturous, but this evening I finally napped on his bed, then my church brothers and sisters came over and I tell you, after they prayed with my family and I, I felt so much peace. The ME should release his body on Monday, then the funeral service will be on Friday.
Please pray for my family...my first husband passed away 6 years ago, when Rohan was 18 months and Bree was 3 1/2. Our younger daughter wasn't with us, but as she is 4, she doesn't quite understand the finality of it. I feel like my heart has been ripped right out of my chest, yet I know that God does not make mistakes, and I will see him again. Reminds me of that line,
"we cannot Lord, Thy purpose see,
but all is well, that is done by Thee."
He touched so many lives in his short time here, with a heart that was greater than his body. As I saw his broken body lying there on the side of the street, I couldn't help but recall the One whose body was broken for me, that I might have life!! There is pain, but there is also hope.
Thanks be to God who gives us the victory!
Blessings,
Shelly Wilson and family,
Zephyrhills, Fl
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Bible Reading
This past Sunday Don Smith (who wears too many hats to list) led our Adult Bible Fellowship Class. As Don encouraged us to read God's Word this year, he mentioned a book by R.C Sproul entitled "5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow". This book focuses on the basics or fundamentals of the christian life. Sproul lists 5 main categories: 1) Prayer 2) Bible Study 3) Worship 4) Service 5) Stewardship.
I would like to encourage you as well to consider reading this book. I have attached below an interview with R.C Sproul regarding this book (if you are interested).
As Don finished his teaching, he mentioned Sproul's Bible reading plan for "First Timers". This reading plan is a little different than most and I would encourage you to give it a try. If you are interested in a different plan, Don gave us a plethora of Bible reading plans that can be used throughout 2009. Here are some choices:
a. First Timers (already mentioned)
b. Different Topics Plan
c. Bible Story Plan
d. OT and NT Reading Plan
e. The "Light" Reading Plan (NT, Psalms and Proverbs)
Obviously, the goal is to have a plan and then stick to it. Whichever plan you use, the bottom line is that each of us need to get in the Word so that the Word gets in us!
Our college class is working through the Bible one book at a time. We are doing an overview of the whole Bible - reading through a book on our own and then discussing it in our bible study each Wednesday. Thus far, we have completed Genesis and we are just beginning Exodus. If you would like more information regarding our reading through the Bible, feel free to post a comment or email at pastorcroyts@yahoo.com
Interview with R.C Sproul:
1. Part 1
2. Part 2
3. Part 3
I would like to encourage you as well to consider reading this book. I have attached below an interview with R.C Sproul regarding this book (if you are interested).
As Don finished his teaching, he mentioned Sproul's Bible reading plan for "First Timers". This reading plan is a little different than most and I would encourage you to give it a try. If you are interested in a different plan, Don gave us a plethora of Bible reading plans that can be used throughout 2009. Here are some choices:
a. First Timers (already mentioned)
b. Different Topics Plan
c. Bible Story Plan
d. OT and NT Reading Plan
e. The "Light" Reading Plan (NT, Psalms and Proverbs)
Obviously, the goal is to have a plan and then stick to it. Whichever plan you use, the bottom line is that each of us need to get in the Word so that the Word gets in us!
Our college class is working through the Bible one book at a time. We are doing an overview of the whole Bible - reading through a book on our own and then discussing it in our bible study each Wednesday. Thus far, we have completed Genesis and we are just beginning Exodus. If you would like more information regarding our reading through the Bible, feel free to post a comment or email at pastorcroyts@yahoo.com
Interview with R.C Sproul:
1. Part 1
2. Part 2
3. Part 3
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Christmas Caroling!
Just a quick reminder, that this week our KidVenture program (tonight) and our Adults (Sunday night) will be Christmas Caroling to Shut-in's and Nursing homes.
Be in prayer tonight for the KidVenture children and workers who go out to be a blessing by singing some great Christmas Carols! I am so thankful for our KidVenture workers who look to teach and model to our children the value that it is more "blessed to give than receive". Pray that God will use them to encourage some who may be lonely or discouraged.
Also, Sunday night is our opportunity to do the same. Please plan on coming out Sunday night. We will be leaving the church at 6pm. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board for those who would like to participate. Please sign-up so we can know how many to plan on and how many homes/nursing homes we can carol!
These have been some of my favorite experiences and memories since I have been here at First Baptist. I cannot ever recall caroling until just a few years ago. I am so thankful that my children will always have these memories of when our family and our church family would go and sing a few songs to be a blessing and to pass on the message of Christmas! If you have children, I greatly encourage you to be a part of this!
Be in prayer tonight for the KidVenture children and workers who go out to be a blessing by singing some great Christmas Carols! I am so thankful for our KidVenture workers who look to teach and model to our children the value that it is more "blessed to give than receive". Pray that God will use them to encourage some who may be lonely or discouraged.
Also, Sunday night is our opportunity to do the same. Please plan on coming out Sunday night. We will be leaving the church at 6pm. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board for those who would like to participate. Please sign-up so we can know how many to plan on and how many homes/nursing homes we can carol!
These have been some of my favorite experiences and memories since I have been here at First Baptist. I cannot ever recall caroling until just a few years ago. I am so thankful that my children will always have these memories of when our family and our church family would go and sing a few songs to be a blessing and to pass on the message of Christmas! If you have children, I greatly encourage you to be a part of this!
God is Not Silent!
Here is my latest article for our church's newsletter:
I was very tempted to keep this newsletter article blank…for a couple of reasons. The first being that it wouldn’t have held up the newsletter from being sent out and therefore you not receiving it until a few days into December. The other reason would have been to send the message that I hope to accomplish with words!
The idea of a blank newsletter (maybe you can pick up a piece of blank paper and imagine) would make very little sense, right? Why would we send something that has nothing to say. Well, the reason I was considering it was to help us imagine what it would be like if we had nothing to say. More importantly, what would it be like if God had nothing to say to us. Could you imagine if we had no Bible? What if we had absolutely no Word from God to us. Sometimes, of course, we live as if we don’t have any Word from God. Many times going through life with very little if any thought about what God has said and why it matters.
Obviously we do have a word from God. From Genesis to Revelation is God’s inspired Word to us. It is within the pages of Scripture that we learn about the major topics of life:
a. who God is
b. who we are
c. how we are to live
d. why we are here
e. where we are going and how to get there…and of course, much more!
God preserved for us in His Word the things that He wanted us to know, the things that He knows that we cannot live without knowing. While Scripture is God’s gift of revelation to us…Scripture’s main point is to reveal to us who God is and what He is like. The main purpose of Scripture is to point us to God and more specifically to point us to the Savior Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that God has spoken in times past through many prophets…but His greatest message to us is in the person of Jesus Christ, His Son. He has spoken fully and finally in Christ. So, when we see Christ we see the fulfillment of all that He has spoken and promised. This is the message of the Bible and may I take this moment to remind you that this is the message of Christmas.
You see most of our Bible (the old testament) was pointing to a time and place when One would come and be the answer to our greatest dilemma. You see the Bible makes it very clear that our greatest dilemma or problem is that we are sinners. Our sin is a problem because our Creator God is holy and perfect. And it is our sin that separates us from our Creator God. The only way we can have a relationship with God now and spend eternity with Him in Heaven forever is if we are like Him, perfect and without sin. Obviously not one of us can claim to have lived a perfect, sinless life. Therefore, we are all in trouble. But God’s plan (which was established even before the world began) has been unfolding down through history and it was leading to the answer to our dilemma. The Scriptures are always pointing to the One (Christ Jesus) who would come and live and give His life in our place.
One of the most amazing aspects of God’s Word is not only that it points to who Christ would be and what He would do, but that it does so hundreds of years before it happened. This is the internal test that proves that the Bible can be nothing less than the Word of God. Listen to some of these prophetic promises:
- 700 yrs before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah promised that Jesus’ mother would be a virgin who would conceive by a miracle.
- 700 yrs before the birth of Jesus, Micah promised that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.
- 400 yrs before the birth of Jesus, Hosea promised that Jesus’ family would flee as refugees to Egypt to save his young life.
- 400 yrs before the birth of Jesus, Malachi promised that Jesus would enter the temple.
These are just a few of God’s prophetic promises in the Old Testament that we see fulfilled in the New. Why would God be so specific about the birth and life and death of Christ? God went to extraordinary lengths to make sure that we did not miss that Jesus is the One who has come as fulfillment of each and everyone of these promises. Remember our dilemma is sin and Christ came as the answer to our problem. Matthew tells us that this is the One who will “save His people from their sins”. He is the Savior that we all need!
This is what Christmas is all about. The great news of Christmas is that God does not expect us to do something to get to God or to attain favor with God. Instead, He came to us by sending His own Son in the form of a baby in manger.
Now aren’t you glad that God is not silent!!
May all the world rejoice for a Savior has been born!!
I was very tempted to keep this newsletter article blank…for a couple of reasons. The first being that it wouldn’t have held up the newsletter from being sent out and therefore you not receiving it until a few days into December. The other reason would have been to send the message that I hope to accomplish with words!
The idea of a blank newsletter (maybe you can pick up a piece of blank paper and imagine) would make very little sense, right? Why would we send something that has nothing to say. Well, the reason I was considering it was to help us imagine what it would be like if we had nothing to say. More importantly, what would it be like if God had nothing to say to us. Could you imagine if we had no Bible? What if we had absolutely no Word from God to us. Sometimes, of course, we live as if we don’t have any Word from God. Many times going through life with very little if any thought about what God has said and why it matters.
Obviously we do have a word from God. From Genesis to Revelation is God’s inspired Word to us. It is within the pages of Scripture that we learn about the major topics of life:
a. who God is
b. who we are
c. how we are to live
d. why we are here
e. where we are going and how to get there…and of course, much more!
God preserved for us in His Word the things that He wanted us to know, the things that He knows that we cannot live without knowing. While Scripture is God’s gift of revelation to us…Scripture’s main point is to reveal to us who God is and what He is like. The main purpose of Scripture is to point us to God and more specifically to point us to the Savior Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that God has spoken in times past through many prophets…but His greatest message to us is in the person of Jesus Christ, His Son. He has spoken fully and finally in Christ. So, when we see Christ we see the fulfillment of all that He has spoken and promised. This is the message of the Bible and may I take this moment to remind you that this is the message of Christmas.
You see most of our Bible (the old testament) was pointing to a time and place when One would come and be the answer to our greatest dilemma. You see the Bible makes it very clear that our greatest dilemma or problem is that we are sinners. Our sin is a problem because our Creator God is holy and perfect. And it is our sin that separates us from our Creator God. The only way we can have a relationship with God now and spend eternity with Him in Heaven forever is if we are like Him, perfect and without sin. Obviously not one of us can claim to have lived a perfect, sinless life. Therefore, we are all in trouble. But God’s plan (which was established even before the world began) has been unfolding down through history and it was leading to the answer to our dilemma. The Scriptures are always pointing to the One (Christ Jesus) who would come and live and give His life in our place.
One of the most amazing aspects of God’s Word is not only that it points to who Christ would be and what He would do, but that it does so hundreds of years before it happened. This is the internal test that proves that the Bible can be nothing less than the Word of God. Listen to some of these prophetic promises:
- 700 yrs before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah promised that Jesus’ mother would be a virgin who would conceive by a miracle.
- 700 yrs before the birth of Jesus, Micah promised that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.
- 400 yrs before the birth of Jesus, Hosea promised that Jesus’ family would flee as refugees to Egypt to save his young life.
- 400 yrs before the birth of Jesus, Malachi promised that Jesus would enter the temple.
These are just a few of God’s prophetic promises in the Old Testament that we see fulfilled in the New. Why would God be so specific about the birth and life and death of Christ? God went to extraordinary lengths to make sure that we did not miss that Jesus is the One who has come as fulfillment of each and everyone of these promises. Remember our dilemma is sin and Christ came as the answer to our problem. Matthew tells us that this is the One who will “save His people from their sins”. He is the Savior that we all need!
This is what Christmas is all about. The great news of Christmas is that God does not expect us to do something to get to God or to attain favor with God. Instead, He came to us by sending His own Son in the form of a baby in manger.
Now aren’t you glad that God is not silent!!
May all the world rejoice for a Savior has been born!!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
Well, as many of you already know by now...our family has a new addition. His name is Jaxson Topher Croyts and he is one week old today! (Hopefully I will post a few pictures very soon!)
As I prepare for our Thanksgiving Communion service tonight and Thanksgiving with my family tomorrow, I am reminded once again of just how much I have to be thankful for!!
Obviously, first of all for the Lord Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation that is made possible through His perfect life and sacrificial death. But, today I am thinking specifically of my family, friends, and congregation. But, not as something separate from God's work of grace in my life. It is so important for us all to remember that the gift of relationships is not so much about our "happiness" as it is about our "holiness". My marriage relationship, my relationship with my children, and every other relationship is first and foremost about God's sanctifying work in me and in them. Our relationships are what God uses the most to "try us", "break us", "mold us" and "conform us into the image of His Son". It is these relationships that put flesh on so much of what God's Word commands us to do. We are commanded to "love one another", to "forbear one another", to "forgive one another", to "encourage one another", to "stir one another up to do good works"...and these commands are only challenging when we actually live with one another and rub shoulders day in and day out. I am so thankful for the family and relationships that He has given me. They are for my good and for His glory. He uses them to chip away at my sinful, selfish nature. And nothing is capable of chipping away at our selfishness like parenting!
As I close this very simple but thankful post - I just want to mention how thankful I am for my wife who daily models this to our children and to myself. I know that if she was writing this, she would say that daily she battles thoughts and feelings of "selfishness"...which, to me, is what makes her behavior all that much more inspiring. It is not as if she doesnt have the same selfish, sinful thoughts and desires as I (or any of us) do sometimes...but to see her daily and even hourly put aside those feelings and thoughts to serve God and put Him first...often by serving her family...has a sanctifying effect in my life!
Obviously, as you read this...thoughts of family members, spouses, parents and even children come to our minds. The way God has used them to change us! Let's be sure and give thanks to God for His purpose in giving us the relationships that He has...and let's be sure and let them know at this Thanksgiving time, just how thankful we truly are for them!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Pastor Jerry
As I prepare for our Thanksgiving Communion service tonight and Thanksgiving with my family tomorrow, I am reminded once again of just how much I have to be thankful for!!
Obviously, first of all for the Lord Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation that is made possible through His perfect life and sacrificial death. But, today I am thinking specifically of my family, friends, and congregation. But, not as something separate from God's work of grace in my life. It is so important for us all to remember that the gift of relationships is not so much about our "happiness" as it is about our "holiness". My marriage relationship, my relationship with my children, and every other relationship is first and foremost about God's sanctifying work in me and in them. Our relationships are what God uses the most to "try us", "break us", "mold us" and "conform us into the image of His Son". It is these relationships that put flesh on so much of what God's Word commands us to do. We are commanded to "love one another", to "forbear one another", to "forgive one another", to "encourage one another", to "stir one another up to do good works"...and these commands are only challenging when we actually live with one another and rub shoulders day in and day out. I am so thankful for the family and relationships that He has given me. They are for my good and for His glory. He uses them to chip away at my sinful, selfish nature. And nothing is capable of chipping away at our selfishness like parenting!
As I close this very simple but thankful post - I just want to mention how thankful I am for my wife who daily models this to our children and to myself. I know that if she was writing this, she would say that daily she battles thoughts and feelings of "selfishness"...which, to me, is what makes her behavior all that much more inspiring. It is not as if she doesnt have the same selfish, sinful thoughts and desires as I (or any of us) do sometimes...but to see her daily and even hourly put aside those feelings and thoughts to serve God and put Him first...often by serving her family...has a sanctifying effect in my life!
Obviously, as you read this...thoughts of family members, spouses, parents and even children come to our minds. The way God has used them to change us! Let's be sure and give thanks to God for His purpose in giving us the relationships that He has...and let's be sure and let them know at this Thanksgiving time, just how thankful we truly are for them!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Pastor Jerry
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Day After
Today, I am adding a post from another friend. This is from a member of our church who allowed me to share these thoughts that he sent in an email to a friend. Obviously, many questions are being asked the day after the election. I hope you find these words helpful!
"As a citizen and former political junkie, I am experiencing conflicting emotions. On one hand, considering our history of Black oppression the fact that a majority of Americans pulled the lever for a Black man is truly illustrative of our progress and tolerance. I think the Black community has every right to be proud and happy about this development as should all of us as fellow citizens. On the other hand, because I know 98% of what he believes and will pursue, along with Pelosi, Reid and big majorities in both bodies, is so repugnant to the constitution - the only thing that protects the citizenry from the ruling class - his first four years could be a disaster, so I regret his election on that basis. But as a Christian I temper that regret with the assurance that My Holy, Sovereign God is in total control and so I don't fear his election. I will do what we are commanded to do, by our Lord and His Word and that is to pray for Barak to fulfill all of God's purpose in His elevating him to power. Also to pray that Barak will come to see Christ for who he really is as opposed to what Jeremiah Wright (his pastor) taught him He is. I will pray for his salvation and that he will seek God's good counsel when he sits down to face what all presidents are faced with and that is the burden of leadership in a dangerous world. It's one thing to make promises on the stump but it is an entirely different thing to face the challenges of leading the lone superpower in the world once he takes his seat behind the desk in the Oval Office. He will need wisdom and temperance because now he is in the real world of governance not the fantasy world of campaigning, and for this the church must pray. He faces a war, economic crisis and political division - he will need wisdom to tread carefully and consider his choices carefully to resolve theses challenges. But the glory of America is that every four years we transfer power peacefully and without bloodshed and if we all as citizens remember the promise of America, the thing that brought our ancestors to this country, and if we work together we can make this country better and we will see another peaceful transfer in 4, 8, 12, 16 years etc... So my admonition to all my fellow believers is this:
HAVE NO FEAR FOR OUR CHRIST IS WITH US, PRAY AND SERVE HIM!
FOR HE WILL SEE TO HIS CHURCH AND THE PROSPERITY OF HIS GOSPEL,
NO MATTER WHO IS IN OFFICE !!!!!!
that is our hope and salvation!
no man or government can offer these to us."
"As a citizen and former political junkie, I am experiencing conflicting emotions. On one hand, considering our history of Black oppression the fact that a majority of Americans pulled the lever for a Black man is truly illustrative of our progress and tolerance. I think the Black community has every right to be proud and happy about this development as should all of us as fellow citizens. On the other hand, because I know 98% of what he believes and will pursue, along with Pelosi, Reid and big majorities in both bodies, is so repugnant to the constitution - the only thing that protects the citizenry from the ruling class - his first four years could be a disaster, so I regret his election on that basis. But as a Christian I temper that regret with the assurance that My Holy, Sovereign God is in total control and so I don't fear his election. I will do what we are commanded to do, by our Lord and His Word and that is to pray for Barak to fulfill all of God's purpose in His elevating him to power. Also to pray that Barak will come to see Christ for who he really is as opposed to what Jeremiah Wright (his pastor) taught him He is. I will pray for his salvation and that he will seek God's good counsel when he sits down to face what all presidents are faced with and that is the burden of leadership in a dangerous world. It's one thing to make promises on the stump but it is an entirely different thing to face the challenges of leading the lone superpower in the world once he takes his seat behind the desk in the Oval Office. He will need wisdom and temperance because now he is in the real world of governance not the fantasy world of campaigning, and for this the church must pray. He faces a war, economic crisis and political division - he will need wisdom to tread carefully and consider his choices carefully to resolve theses challenges. But the glory of America is that every four years we transfer power peacefully and without bloodshed and if we all as citizens remember the promise of America, the thing that brought our ancestors to this country, and if we work together we can make this country better and we will see another peaceful transfer in 4, 8, 12, 16 years etc... So my admonition to all my fellow believers is this:
HAVE NO FEAR FOR OUR CHRIST IS WITH US, PRAY AND SERVE HIM!
FOR HE WILL SEE TO HIS CHURCH AND THE PROSPERITY OF HIS GOSPEL,
NO MATTER WHO IS IN OFFICE !!!!!!
that is our hope and salvation!
no man or government can offer these to us."
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Grass is always Greener!
I have been spending the majority of my "devotional reading" time in the Psalms as of late. In fact, I am preaching out of the Psalms on Sunday evenings so I have been reading at least one Psalm a day. This past week I was reading in Psalm 23.
Obviously a very familiar Psalm to all of us. As I began to read the very first line of Psalm 23..."The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want"...I began to laugh as I remembered the very first time I read this Psalm. It was when I was only 16 years old and had just become a christian. I remember reading this phrase and not understanding the word "want". I thought the word "want" in this verse was referring back to the the first phrase...the Lord is my shepherd. So, I thought the connection went something like this - "the Lord is my shepherd that I do not want". I couldn't understand why the Psalmist David was saying that the Lord is His Shepherd that he really didn't want!! Obviously, that is not the meaning here.
What David is really saying is...The Lord is my Shepherd; (therefore) I shall not want or "lack"! Because I have a Shepherd (and it is the Lord Jesus Christ) I do not lack or need anything! This thought is repeated often in the Psalms, like in Psalm 84 where it says "the Lord is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly".
This is a very important truth that we must remember because it is the "lie" that the Evil One constantly tries to seduce us with. It is the very essence of Satan's temptation of Adam and Eve in the garden. And it is the essence of every temptation that comes our way. What was so tempting to Adam and Eve that they disobeyed God? It certainly wasn't that the fruit just looked so delicious! No, it was what the fruit stood for - wisdom, a wisdom that was unknown to Adam and Eve. A wisdom that would make them like God. So much so that they would no longer need to depend upon God. Since God created Adam and Eve, they were totally dependent upon Him. The created being cannot even make sense of why they were created unless the Creator gives them instruction. It is understood that the creation is totally dependent upon its Creator! But, they bought into the lie of the Evil One that God their Father was "holding out" on them. That their was something that was "good" for them that He was withholding and not allowing them to have. They believed the lie and it led them to "sin" and "misery" and "depression" and "isolation". The Evil One is always on the attack in this way. He is constantly bombarding us with the "lie" that we are not getting all that we could be getting and he usually takes it one more step - not only that we are not getting all that we could be getting, but that we are not getting all that we SHOULD be getting! Our sinful nature feasts upon this and turns something we do not have into a "need". We begin to "demand" that we must have whatever it is and believe the lie that we cannot truly live (and be happy) without it!
How sad it is when we find ourselves believing this lie and then behaving in a way that lines up with this thought. Not only is it wrong but it is nothing less than idolatry. We are worshiping something else other than God. Anytime we believe that we cannot live without something - we are worshiping it! And since GOD HIMSELF is truly the only thing that we cannot live without, it is idolatry because we have replaced God with something or someone else!
This is why Paul in Romans 8 reminds us that God did not spare His own Son! If He did not spare "sending" His Son and "crushing" His son and then "delivering" His Son FOR US than do we really think He is going to hold back from us anything that we truly need! No, He will graciously give us all things!
Too many of us Christians are still believing the lie that the "grass is always greener". But Psalm 23 shows us where the grass is truly always green! It is when the Lord is my Shepherd and He is in control of my path. It is when He makes (forces) me to lie down in GREEN PASTURES. It is when He leads (directs) me beside still waters. It is while He leads (orders my steps) in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake! Psalm 23 shows us that the "grass is always greener" when we are underneath our God's Sovereign care knowing that anything we have NEED of He will supply and anything that is not supplied, I must not NEED!
Let's rest in Psalm 23:1 - and agree with David as he speaks the truth - THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - I SHALL NOT WANT!
Obviously a very familiar Psalm to all of us. As I began to read the very first line of Psalm 23..."The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want"...I began to laugh as I remembered the very first time I read this Psalm. It was when I was only 16 years old and had just become a christian. I remember reading this phrase and not understanding the word "want". I thought the word "want" in this verse was referring back to the the first phrase...the Lord is my shepherd. So, I thought the connection went something like this - "the Lord is my shepherd that I do not want". I couldn't understand why the Psalmist David was saying that the Lord is His Shepherd that he really didn't want!! Obviously, that is not the meaning here.
What David is really saying is...The Lord is my Shepherd; (therefore) I shall not want or "lack"! Because I have a Shepherd (and it is the Lord Jesus Christ) I do not lack or need anything! This thought is repeated often in the Psalms, like in Psalm 84 where it says "the Lord is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly".
This is a very important truth that we must remember because it is the "lie" that the Evil One constantly tries to seduce us with. It is the very essence of Satan's temptation of Adam and Eve in the garden. And it is the essence of every temptation that comes our way. What was so tempting to Adam and Eve that they disobeyed God? It certainly wasn't that the fruit just looked so delicious! No, it was what the fruit stood for - wisdom, a wisdom that was unknown to Adam and Eve. A wisdom that would make them like God. So much so that they would no longer need to depend upon God. Since God created Adam and Eve, they were totally dependent upon Him. The created being cannot even make sense of why they were created unless the Creator gives them instruction. It is understood that the creation is totally dependent upon its Creator! But, they bought into the lie of the Evil One that God their Father was "holding out" on them. That their was something that was "good" for them that He was withholding and not allowing them to have. They believed the lie and it led them to "sin" and "misery" and "depression" and "isolation". The Evil One is always on the attack in this way. He is constantly bombarding us with the "lie" that we are not getting all that we could be getting and he usually takes it one more step - not only that we are not getting all that we could be getting, but that we are not getting all that we SHOULD be getting! Our sinful nature feasts upon this and turns something we do not have into a "need". We begin to "demand" that we must have whatever it is and believe the lie that we cannot truly live (and be happy) without it!
How sad it is when we find ourselves believing this lie and then behaving in a way that lines up with this thought. Not only is it wrong but it is nothing less than idolatry. We are worshiping something else other than God. Anytime we believe that we cannot live without something - we are worshiping it! And since GOD HIMSELF is truly the only thing that we cannot live without, it is idolatry because we have replaced God with something or someone else!
This is why Paul in Romans 8 reminds us that God did not spare His own Son! If He did not spare "sending" His Son and "crushing" His son and then "delivering" His Son FOR US than do we really think He is going to hold back from us anything that we truly need! No, He will graciously give us all things!
Too many of us Christians are still believing the lie that the "grass is always greener". But Psalm 23 shows us where the grass is truly always green! It is when the Lord is my Shepherd and He is in control of my path. It is when He makes (forces) me to lie down in GREEN PASTURES. It is when He leads (directs) me beside still waters. It is while He leads (orders my steps) in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake! Psalm 23 shows us that the "grass is always greener" when we are underneath our God's Sovereign care knowing that anything we have NEED of He will supply and anything that is not supplied, I must not NEED!
Let's rest in Psalm 23:1 - and agree with David as he speaks the truth - THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - I SHALL NOT WANT!
Friday, October 10, 2008
True Woman Conference
As many of you know, I am away with my wife in Schaumburg, Illinois as she attends the TRUE WOMAN CONFERENCE. I came for two reasons...one, to be with my wife...especially since she is about 6 weeks away from delivery of our 3rd child. Also, because I am volunteering today to help serve the lunch to over 6,000 women. I attend conferences every year - usually pastor's conferences - and I am always on the receiving end of such gracious servants, and usually it is women who are serving us. Even in my own church, this is typically the case. So, I took advantage of this opportunity to be on the other end. The Lord knows that I am a "prideful" man and it is good for me to intentionally put myself in positions of humility and servanthood. Because Jesus said that the ones who are really "great" are those who serve! So while I serve today, I will be thinking about the many who I know personally who "serve" day in and day out to be a blessing to others and often go unnoticed! You know who you are and I thank you for your example to me and to so many others...especially to the many children who watch your example.
One last thing...I considered blogging about the conference....but then I found out that Tim Challies is already doing it. There is no way I could compete with him...so if your interested, go to his website to read up on the conference.
http://www.challies.com/
One last thing...I considered blogging about the conference....but then I found out that Tim Challies is already doing it. There is no way I could compete with him...so if your interested, go to his website to read up on the conference.
http://www.challies.com/
Thursday, October 9, 2008
New Wednesday Night Ministries
As many of you know on Wednesday evenings we have combined forces with Walnut Creek Community Church and Pastor Brian Main. Last night was our first night with all the classes being offered and in place. Here is a quick rundown of the format:
KidVenture Program - children 3 years old and up to 6th grade
Youth Ministry - teenagers from 7th to 12th grade
College and Career - for those out of high school to late 20's
Leadership Study - for adults in any other stage of life
It is a great thing to see two churches coming together and maximizing our resources. I really enjoyed seeing the two local churches partnering together and focusing on what "unites" us - Jesus Christ and His substitutionary atonement!
That is what our college class was focused on last night - The Gospel - and our challenge is to always keep that first and foremost. We can sum it up in two short statements - "Admit our guilt, Admire God's grace" - they go together...we cant truly admire God's grace without first admitting our guilt! And we cant tell others about God's grace until we have told them about their guilt!
As we closed our time together, I shared words for a familiar hymn and then two quotes...if anyone is interested, here they are:
The hymn - "Man of Sorrows" - speaks of what our guilt and God's grace! Who He is and what He has done for us!
Man of Sorrow! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless, we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He.
Full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die,
It is finished! was His cry;
Now in Heaven, exalted high:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we'll sing:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
(P.P. Bliss)
And the two final quotes have to do with "our response" to our God and His glorious grace!
First, C.T Studd:
"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him"
Next, Charles Spurgeon:
"It is our duty and our privilege to exhaust our lives for Jesus Christ! We are not to be living specimens of men in fine preservation, but living sacrifices, whose lot is to be consumed"
What a great privilege to come near the cross together with these college students...please pray for us to draw near and stay at "the foot of the cross".
Also, feel free to post a comment regarding any of the studies last night...please let Pastor Brian Main know how much you appreciated his teaching!
KidVenture Program - children 3 years old and up to 6th grade
Youth Ministry - teenagers from 7th to 12th grade
College and Career - for those out of high school to late 20's
Leadership Study - for adults in any other stage of life
It is a great thing to see two churches coming together and maximizing our resources. I really enjoyed seeing the two local churches partnering together and focusing on what "unites" us - Jesus Christ and His substitutionary atonement!
That is what our college class was focused on last night - The Gospel - and our challenge is to always keep that first and foremost. We can sum it up in two short statements - "Admit our guilt, Admire God's grace" - they go together...we cant truly admire God's grace without first admitting our guilt! And we cant tell others about God's grace until we have told them about their guilt!
As we closed our time together, I shared words for a familiar hymn and then two quotes...if anyone is interested, here they are:
The hymn - "Man of Sorrows" - speaks of what our guilt and God's grace! Who He is and what He has done for us!
Man of Sorrow! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless, we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He.
Full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die,
It is finished! was His cry;
Now in Heaven, exalted high:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we'll sing:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
(P.P. Bliss)
And the two final quotes have to do with "our response" to our God and His glorious grace!
First, C.T Studd:
"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him"
Next, Charles Spurgeon:
"It is our duty and our privilege to exhaust our lives for Jesus Christ! We are not to be living specimens of men in fine preservation, but living sacrifices, whose lot is to be consumed"
What a great privilege to come near the cross together with these college students...please pray for us to draw near and stay at "the foot of the cross".
Also, feel free to post a comment regarding any of the studies last night...please let Pastor Brian Main know how much you appreciated his teaching!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Covenants and the nation of Israel
Here is another word from my friend who lives and studies in Israel and works with Jewish people. Obviously, the nation of Israel is near and dear to him and what he has to say here can help us understand a subject that has been often misunderstood.
Covenants· This was an interesting quote: " The basic premise of a covenant is that, while it can be broken, it cannot be altered. The terms of the relationship remain unalterable. Applying this to the marriage covenant, for example, we can see what this means. The marriage covenant can be broken by a variety of offenses, and hence God, who ordains marriage, provides for divorce whereby the brokenness is publicly declared. At the same time, the covenant requirements for marriage cannot be altered: they are always the same." -- by R.J. Rushdoony in his commentary on Deuteronomy.
This helps in understanding how God could make an everlasting covenant with the nation of Israel , and yet still "divorce" them when they broke the terms of the covenant by, among other things, crucifying Christ.
Dave in Israel
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