“There is a time coming shortly, when a smile from God’s face will be infinitely better than all the applause of men.” Thomas Watson
Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Climate of Death: The result of common place abortion
This is a disturbing story, so be careful if you choose to read on.
The Philadelphia Horror: How mass-murder gets a pass by Michelle Malkin
Is anyone surprised that a man whose job was to kill babies in the womb took the next step to kill them out of the womb?
The Philadelphia Horror: How mass-murder gets a pass by Michelle Malkin
Is anyone surprised that a man whose job was to kill babies in the womb took the next step to kill them out of the womb?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
How do you stand?
“This is my depressed stance. When you're depressed, it makes a lot of difference how you stand. The worst thing you can do is straighten up and hold your head high because then you'll start to feel better. If you're going to get any joy out of being depressed, you've got to stand like this.”
How do you stand? God's people stand on much surer, safer, and happy ground. How and where do you stand?
In the Grace of God
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
In the liberty of Christ?
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Fast in the Lord?
Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
Christians, of all people, should not be in a continual "depressed stance". Why art thou cast down, oh my soul? Why? Rejoice because you stand in Christ, and rejoice that you will not stand here...
Revelation 20:12-14 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Happy Christians
Octavious Winslow
“Christ came to take away our sins, to roll off our curse, to unbind our chains, to open our prison house, to cancel our debt; in a word, to give us the oil of joy for the mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. I s not this joy? The believer in Jesus is essentially a happy man. The Child of God is essentially a happy man. His sins are forgiven, his soul is justified, his person is adopted, his trials are blessings, his conflicts are victories, his death is immortality his future is a heaven of inconceivable, unthought-of, untold, and endless blessedness. With such a God, with such a Saviour, and such a hope, is he not, ought he not, to be a joyful man?”
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Greek Dodge and Shuffle
Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
I recently read an Arminian defend his view point by saying that Romans 9:13 was mistranslated, that God loved Esau too, but “rejected” him. He said that "hated" could be and should have been translated “rejected”. It was a Greek dodge and shuffle. The Greek shuffle is saying "the Greek says" to English speaking people, reading an English Bible and saying something that most, if not all the listeners can immediately verify (However, in the these days of i-pads and i-phones with Greek texts and lexicons apps, many could have their lexicons at church with them) and to significantly change the meaning of the words.
This is a clever tactic, and one that is used quite often. I have heard many messages about the Greek “root” word. And the whole message was on what the Greek word meant. I went home and checked in the concordances and lexicons, and it did NOT say what the preacher told me it said, in ANY of a number of lexicons.
So, let’s check to see if what that preacher said was so.
The Greek word translated hated is μισέω
Thayer Definition:
1) to hate, pursue with hatred, detest
2) to be hated, detested
That Greek word is found 42 times in the New Testament. It is translated "hate, hated, or hateth" every single time. The Greek word translated in the NT for rejected is adokimos, but it is also translated "reprobate". That Greek word is never used "rejected".
Or you could try Malachi 1:3, where Paul quoted. "And I hated Esau".. but the Hebrew word שׂנא translated 'hated' there also means, according to Brown - Driver- Briggs : To hate, to be hated, enemy
In the OT, that Hebrew word is found 146 times.
139 times it is translated "hate, hated, hating, hateth"
Translated "odious" 1 time
"Enemy" 5 times
"Foes" 1 time
I recently read an Arminian defend his view point by saying that Romans 9:13 was mistranslated, that God loved Esau too, but “rejected” him. He said that "hated" could be and should have been translated “rejected”. It was a Greek dodge and shuffle. The Greek shuffle is saying "the Greek says" to English speaking people, reading an English Bible and saying something that most, if not all the listeners can immediately verify (However, in the these days of i-pads and i-phones with Greek texts and lexicons apps, many could have their lexicons at church with them) and to significantly change the meaning of the words.
This is a clever tactic, and one that is used quite often. I have heard many messages about the Greek “root” word. And the whole message was on what the Greek word meant. I went home and checked in the concordances and lexicons, and it did NOT say what the preacher told me it said, in ANY of a number of lexicons.
So, let’s check to see if what that preacher said was so.
The Greek word translated hated is μισέω
Thayer Definition:
1) to hate, pursue with hatred, detest
2) to be hated, detested
That Greek word is found 42 times in the New Testament. It is translated "hate, hated, or hateth" every single time. The Greek word translated in the NT for rejected is adokimos, but it is also translated "reprobate". That Greek word is never used "rejected".
Or you could try Malachi 1:3, where Paul quoted. "And I hated Esau".. but the Hebrew word שׂנא translated 'hated' there also means, according to Brown - Driver- Briggs : To hate, to be hated, enemy
In the OT, that Hebrew word is found 146 times.
139 times it is translated "hate, hated, hating, hateth"
Translated "odious" 1 time
"Enemy" 5 times
"Foes" 1 time
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Why Write?
Thomas Brooks in The Mute Christian, begins his work with a few reasons why he wrote tracts and books.
A very good thought, indeed. What is read, can be read again, so in that way, the writer's words are like a tool, can be used over and over again. Countless books, articles and blog posts have had a profound impact on my life, and I am thankful to God for the authors. If you can write, and you have something to say, then write and pray the Lord uses it in some way.
What is written is permanent; litera scripta manet, and spreads itself further by far, for time, place and persons, than the voice can reach. The pen is an artificial tongue; it speaks as well to the absent to present friends; it speaks to them afar off as well as those that are near; it speaks to many thousands at once; it speaks not only to the present age but also to succeeding ages. The pen is a kind of image of eternity; it will make a man live when he is dead. Am man’s writings may preach when he cannot, when he may not, and when, by reason of bodily disptempers, he dares not; yea, and that which is more, when he is not.
A very good thought, indeed. What is read, can be read again, so in that way, the writer's words are like a tool, can be used over and over again. Countless books, articles and blog posts have had a profound impact on my life, and I am thankful to God for the authors. If you can write, and you have something to say, then write and pray the Lord uses it in some way.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Tragedy of the Tucson Massacre and the Solution for America
The shooting in Tucson, AZ was a terrible tragedy. My heart breaks for those who lost loved ones.
It is interesting to note that political pundits, the news media, and much of America is trying to find something to blame; and I believe that is significant. You see, it was Jared Lee Loughner who killed, but, according to the conventional wisdom, someone or something had to drive him to kill. Some are crying out for more gun laws, some are crying out for laws to restrict speech while others are pointing to mental illness as the OUTSIDE cause of this mass murder.
The real problem here is not outside influences, but inward sin. No doubt, there are many outside influences that contribute to the detriment of society, however, these outside elements do not start a fire, but merely fan the flames of the already present and powerful inward depravity. Sin was conceived in a wicked heart was manifested in wicked actions. Unless we as a society look to the true cause of this tragedy, we will never seek the only remedy. Romans 3 speaks to the true cause of this tragedy.
God has given us an accurate description of the human heart. We are born naturally depraved sinners with our hearts warped toward wickedness. No one needs to teach children to sin and do wrong, but we have to teach them to do right. Children naturally lie, parents must teach them to tell the truth. It is part of God’s common grace to man that the many wicked thoughts and intents of the heart remain in the heart and are not carried out into action, like unfortunately happened this weekend. The boiling rage some feel when they are cut off in traffic is the inward hatred of the heart, and allowed to be carried out, would result in murder.
We only have to look at the political rhetoric this week to understand this. There is indeed, hatred between many on both the left and right side of American politics. This is nothing new to our era, and in fact, is quite tame compared to earlier times of our nation. Don’t misunderstand here, I am not saying that the political speech contributed to this crime. What I want to illustrate here, is the self-righteous, sanctimonious vitriol that is spued at political enemies is the same HEART sin of murder. The same anger that causes a person to liable and slander another person comes from the heart and is the same root sin that if carried out, ends in murder. Obviously we know when someone speaks with hyperbolic language. My thoughts here comes to the hatred. There is nothing wrong with strong debate, and vehemently opposing your political opponent, that is the nature of our government. Sarah Palin did not contribute to this shooting, and those that are blaming her know this, and that is the point here. You can hear the underlying jealousy, and personal dislike of their ideological enemies disguised as "concern" for the country and are taking any opportunity to destroy them. The sad irony here is that those seeking to blame a murder on a political enemy because their hatred for their enemy, is the same sin that was first conceived in the actual crime.
So while many in the media are looking for outside sources or other people to pin the blame on, they are illustrating the inward problem of sin in themselves.
So, on the note of speech for Christians, the Bible tells us that we must give an account for “every idle word” that we speak, so that does play a factor. Whether or not words are wise or not, that is a different discussion. However, the speech isn’t the real problem in our situation now, it is a symptom of the SAME problem that is found in all people. Any words we speak are the overflow of our heart. When someone speaks hateful words, they are coming from a hateful heart.
Let’s suppose that we regulate the speech of Americans, will that solve the problem? No, because we have not yet gotten to the source of the problem, we haven’t gone deep enough. The problem is not the words, but where those words come from, the heart. The root of the problem is still active and working. If we get to the root of the problem, the heart, then the symptoms will be cured.
Jesus said murder first starts in the heart. If we ban guns, will that stop murder? No, because that is not the root cause of murder, the wicked heart is the root cause. Unless the heart is remedied, the outpouring of the heart will still be wicked. You will only change the tool of the sinner to sin. Society is always looking to second causes and trying to cure the symptom instead of the disease.
This is where the Christian MUST step in and speak up. We have the cure. It does, and is a quite hopeless situation. When the secularist looks at the problem, they are exasperated because the reality of this tragedy strikes home, there is nothing that we can do to stop men from evil. When the secularist looks to make laws, and ban certain freedoms, they do so because they have nowhere else to turn. There has to be (in their mind) some outside reason for this tragedy, because if there is not, then that means that there is evil.
Stopping speech only will stop the mouth, not the thoughts and the source of the speech. Banning guns would only make is somewhat more difficult to obtain a weapon to kill, it would not stop murder (Genesis 4) and it certainly would not cure the heart.
The ultimate solution to the problem is not to treat the symptoms but the disease. We don’t need new laws, but we need new hearts. First, you must realize that what the Bible says about you and your heart is true, it is hopelessly and fully bent towards sin and desperately wicked. We all are sinners. You are just as much a sinner as Jared Lee Loughner. Though you have not carried out you sin as fully as you could, you have none the less broken God’s law. By God’s grace, you are not as bad as you could be, you are lost with a heart that is the enemy of God.
If that is your view, praise God, because there is hope. The hope lies not within ourselves, but in Christ Jesus the Lord.
We don’t need reform, we need a new heart. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, to change our hearts, to change our loves and desires in regeneration. We are not “reformed” we are “reborn”. New hearts, new creatures in Christ. Jesus saves us from our sins and the old things of the natural heart pass away and all things become new. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, those penitent believers, who come to the Saviour are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are cleansed from our unrighteousness and saved from our sin.
The answer is the gospel of Christ. Salvation, the new birth, regeneration, Jesus Christ; He is answer to the problem. There is no government solution to rid a heart of sin.
It is interesting to note that political pundits, the news media, and much of America is trying to find something to blame; and I believe that is significant. You see, it was Jared Lee Loughner who killed, but, according to the conventional wisdom, someone or something had to drive him to kill. Some are crying out for more gun laws, some are crying out for laws to restrict speech while others are pointing to mental illness as the OUTSIDE cause of this mass murder.
The real problem here is not outside influences, but inward sin. No doubt, there are many outside influences that contribute to the detriment of society, however, these outside elements do not start a fire, but merely fan the flames of the already present and powerful inward depravity. Sin was conceived in a wicked heart was manifested in wicked actions. Unless we as a society look to the true cause of this tragedy, we will never seek the only remedy. Romans 3 speaks to the true cause of this tragedy.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
God has given us an accurate description of the human heart. We are born naturally depraved sinners with our hearts warped toward wickedness. No one needs to teach children to sin and do wrong, but we have to teach them to do right. Children naturally lie, parents must teach them to tell the truth. It is part of God’s common grace to man that the many wicked thoughts and intents of the heart remain in the heart and are not carried out into action, like unfortunately happened this weekend. The boiling rage some feel when they are cut off in traffic is the inward hatred of the heart, and allowed to be carried out, would result in murder.
We only have to look at the political rhetoric this week to understand this. There is indeed, hatred between many on both the left and right side of American politics. This is nothing new to our era, and in fact, is quite tame compared to earlier times of our nation. Don’t misunderstand here, I am not saying that the political speech contributed to this crime. What I want to illustrate here, is the self-righteous, sanctimonious vitriol that is spued at political enemies is the same HEART sin of murder. The same anger that causes a person to liable and slander another person comes from the heart and is the same root sin that if carried out, ends in murder. Obviously we know when someone speaks with hyperbolic language. My thoughts here comes to the hatred. There is nothing wrong with strong debate, and vehemently opposing your political opponent, that is the nature of our government. Sarah Palin did not contribute to this shooting, and those that are blaming her know this, and that is the point here. You can hear the underlying jealousy, and personal dislike of their ideological enemies disguised as "concern" for the country and are taking any opportunity to destroy them. The sad irony here is that those seeking to blame a murder on a political enemy because their hatred for their enemy, is the same sin that was first conceived in the actual crime.
Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Matthew 15:18-19 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies
So while many in the media are looking for outside sources or other people to pin the blame on, they are illustrating the inward problem of sin in themselves.
So, on the note of speech for Christians, the Bible tells us that we must give an account for “every idle word” that we speak, so that does play a factor. Whether or not words are wise or not, that is a different discussion. However, the speech isn’t the real problem in our situation now, it is a symptom of the SAME problem that is found in all people. Any words we speak are the overflow of our heart. When someone speaks hateful words, they are coming from a hateful heart.
Let’s suppose that we regulate the speech of Americans, will that solve the problem? No, because we have not yet gotten to the source of the problem, we haven’t gone deep enough. The problem is not the words, but where those words come from, the heart. The root of the problem is still active and working. If we get to the root of the problem, the heart, then the symptoms will be cured.
Jesus said murder first starts in the heart. If we ban guns, will that stop murder? No, because that is not the root cause of murder, the wicked heart is the root cause. Unless the heart is remedied, the outpouring of the heart will still be wicked. You will only change the tool of the sinner to sin. Society is always looking to second causes and trying to cure the symptom instead of the disease.
This is where the Christian MUST step in and speak up. We have the cure. It does, and is a quite hopeless situation. When the secularist looks at the problem, they are exasperated because the reality of this tragedy strikes home, there is nothing that we can do to stop men from evil. When the secularist looks to make laws, and ban certain freedoms, they do so because they have nowhere else to turn. There has to be (in their mind) some outside reason for this tragedy, because if there is not, then that means that there is evil.
Stopping speech only will stop the mouth, not the thoughts and the source of the speech. Banning guns would only make is somewhat more difficult to obtain a weapon to kill, it would not stop murder (Genesis 4) and it certainly would not cure the heart.
The ultimate solution to the problem is not to treat the symptoms but the disease. We don’t need new laws, but we need new hearts. First, you must realize that what the Bible says about you and your heart is true, it is hopelessly and fully bent towards sin and desperately wicked. We all are sinners. You are just as much a sinner as Jared Lee Loughner. Though you have not carried out you sin as fully as you could, you have none the less broken God’s law. By God’s grace, you are not as bad as you could be, you are lost with a heart that is the enemy of God.
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
If that is your view, praise God, because there is hope. The hope lies not within ourselves, but in Christ Jesus the Lord.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
We don’t need reform, we need a new heart. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, to change our hearts, to change our loves and desires in regeneration. We are not “reformed” we are “reborn”. New hearts, new creatures in Christ. Jesus saves us from our sins and the old things of the natural heart pass away and all things become new. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, those penitent believers, who come to the Saviour are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are cleansed from our unrighteousness and saved from our sin.
The answer is the gospel of Christ. Salvation, the new birth, regeneration, Jesus Christ; He is answer to the problem. There is no government solution to rid a heart of sin.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Christian Contentment
In The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment Jeremiah Burroughs defines contentment as:
again Burroughs says contentment is
Christian contentment is a heart issue and is opposed to the contentment of the ungodly. Godliness and contentment is living by faith, faith in God's goodness, faith in God's wisdom and faith that God will watch over and protect His children. It is abandoning the idea that we deserve something from God and realizing that everything we have is a gracious gift.
The ungodly may show signs of contentment, but it is different that Biblical, Christian contentment. Some are pacified, but not content. That means they have enough to satisfy their flesh at the moment to prevent murmuring. When you give a pacifier to a baby, it is not what they really want, but it will do for the time being.
The ungodly my show signs of contentment, but it is not contentment, but resignation or fatalism. Many people give up and resign to the fact of their misery because there is no hope of relief. That isn't Christian contentment. like the reply when someone asks "how are you doing" and you say "I can't complain, because no one will listen, and it won't do any good."
Godly contentment rejoicing in God, rejoices in Christ Jesus. No one desires to loose a family member, to be poor, to have a debilitating illness. No one wants to live in hopeless despair. Contentment rejoices in God and enjoys God and resigns that God is GOOD and His will is GOOD and that what God has in store for the elect can't be compared to present sorrows.
Christian contentment says "If God is satisfied with His will(which I know He is, it is His will) then I am satisfied in God's will."
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
"Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and Fatherly disposal in every condition."
again Burroughs says contentment is
"taking pleasure in God's disposal."
Christian contentment is a heart issue and is opposed to the contentment of the ungodly. Godliness and contentment is living by faith, faith in God's goodness, faith in God's wisdom and faith that God will watch over and protect His children. It is abandoning the idea that we deserve something from God and realizing that everything we have is a gracious gift.
The ungodly may show signs of contentment, but it is different that Biblical, Christian contentment. Some are pacified, but not content. That means they have enough to satisfy their flesh at the moment to prevent murmuring. When you give a pacifier to a baby, it is not what they really want, but it will do for the time being.
The ungodly my show signs of contentment, but it is not contentment, but resignation or fatalism. Many people give up and resign to the fact of their misery because there is no hope of relief. That isn't Christian contentment. like the reply when someone asks "how are you doing" and you say "I can't complain, because no one will listen, and it won't do any good."
Godly contentment rejoicing in God, rejoices in Christ Jesus. No one desires to loose a family member, to be poor, to have a debilitating illness. No one wants to live in hopeless despair. Contentment rejoices in God and enjoys God and resigns that God is GOOD and His will is GOOD and that what God has in store for the elect can't be compared to present sorrows.
Christian contentment says "If God is satisfied with His will(which I know He is, it is His will) then I am satisfied in God's will."
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Read the Bible in 2011
It's still not too late to start a Bible reading plan for 2011 and today would be a good time to start.
Before you get started, here are some things to think about.
1. Pray and ask God for assistance in reading the Bible.
2. Expect to read things and not understand them.
3. Come back later.
4. Don't give up.
5. Pick a plan or a guide that will be a servant to you, not a master.
Read the Bible knowing it is God's Word, pray that God will help you to read, that He will teach you, that He will bless you and enjoy the fruits of the Promises of God.
Before you get started, here are some things to think about.
1. Pray and ask God for assistance in reading the Bible.
2. Expect to read things and not understand them.
One of the benefits of reading through the Bible is often what you don't understand will be revealed in another portion of scripture as you read on. Don't get bogged down by trying to study every single word that you don't know. Write it down, and come back to it later. You goal is to become familiar with the Bible.
3. Come back later.
Read with pen and paper handy and when you come to an unfamiliar word, write it down and come back later, but don't forget to come back later. This is one of the profits of reading through the whole Bible, you become familiar with the Bible. When you have time to study, go back and study those words and passages you didn't quite understand.
4. Don't give up.
When you pick a plan that tells you on this day, read these verses, once you get behind a day or two, you can easily get discouraged. You are going to get sick. Something is going to happen that you go to the Word for help, comfort and instruction, and the daily reading will be set aside. So when you get two or three days behind, the feeling of being overwhelmed comes over you and that will pretty much end it, and usually around Leviticus. But don't give up. Pick a plan that works for you and don't quit. Maybe it takes you 13 months instead of 12. So what? Take 24 months if you have to, but I recommend that all God's people read through the Bible.
5. Pick a plan or a guide that will be a servant to you, not a master.
Don't be put into bondage by a plan, but use the plan to help you. There is nothing wrong with plans, God planned all things according to His will. Don't let the plan be your master, but find one that will help you out. Or, just read about 4 or 5 chapters a day. When you reach short chapters read more, longer chapter read less and you will read through the Bible.
Read the Bible knowing it is God's Word, pray that God will help you to read, that He will teach you, that He will bless you and enjoy the fruits of the Promises of God.
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