AdjustMyThoughts.com

Faith, Hope, and Cancer...

2012-01-27T18:19:00.000-05:00

No Mr. President...

2012-01-22T17:57:00.000-05:00

Today, President Obama commemorated Roe v. Wade. Instead of recognizing it as an open door for one of the most grievous sins our nation has ever committed, he praised the ruling as an open door for women's rights. He stated the following:

"As we mark the 39^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we must remember that this Supreme Court decision not only protects a woman’s health and reproductive freedom, but also affirms a broader principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose and this fundamental constitutional right. While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue- no matter what our views, we must stay united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, support pregnant woman and mothers, reduce the need for abortion, encourage healthy relationships, and promote adoption. And as we remember this historic anniversary, we must also continue our efforts to ensure that our daughters have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams."

Desiring God produced this video a few years ago and it still rings true today as it did when Obama entered into the Oval Office four years ago.

Denny Burk wrote this article today about Obama's remarks. Click here to read the full article

"It was the last line of the statement that provoked me the most. The President says he wants “our daughters [to] have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons.” Who could disagree with that statement? I agree with it totally. The problem is that President Obama does not really mean it. At the same time he calls us to protect our daughters’ rights, President Obama praises the decision that has led to the legal killing of at least 25 million of our unborn daughters. Clearly he does not want to protect the rights of all of our daughters, but only some of them. How can he not see the moral absurdity of his own words?"

God Is For God - Matt Chandler

2012-01-17T22:19:00.001-05:00

God's Amazing Grace - Martin Luther King Jr.

2012-01-16T08:14:00.000-05:00

"The other day, I went out to Kilby prison to pray with some of the men on death row. And it’s always a very tragic experience, not so much a tragic experience as a sort of sad experience to look at men who have committed great crimes and now they are standing in a little cell with nothing there much, just in a little cell between four walls. And they can’t see much and they’re just waiting for the day of their death and the day of their ultimate doom. And I went to pray with some of these men. And I never can forget as I walked away from there after praying and walked out of all of these bars, I couldn’t walk out with arrogance. I couldn’t walk out with the feeling that I’m not like these men. I couldn’t walk out with the attitude of the Pharisee, “I thank Thee God that I’m not like other men.” But as I walked out of that door, something was ringing in my heart saying, “But for the grace of God, you would be here.” As I look at drunkard men walking the streets of Montgomery and of other cities every day, I find myself saying, “But by the grace of God, you too would be a drunkard.” As I look at those who have lost balance of themselves and those who are giving their lives to a tragic life of pleasure and throwing away everything they have in riotous living, I find myself saying, “But by the grace of God, I too would be here.” And when you see that point, you cannot be arrogant. But you walk through life with a humility that takes away the self-centeredness that makes you a disintegrated personality. And you begin to sing:Amazing grace! How sweet the soundThat saves a wretch like me!I once was lost, but now I’m found,Was blind, but now I see.Through many dangers, toils, and snares,I have already come;’Twas grace that brought me safe thus far,And grace will lead me home. And when you take this attitude, you go into the room of your life and take down the mirrors because you cannot any longer see yourself. But the mirrors somehow are transformed into windows and you look out into the objective world and see that you are what you are because of somebody else. You are what you are because of the grace of the Almighty God."

- Martin Luther King Jr.

A Letter from Martin Luther on Spiritual Warfare - from Justin Taylor's Blog

2012-01-14T11:31:00.000-05:00

I read this on Justin Taylor's Blog yesterday and thought that this was great in talking about dealing with spiritual warfare. Personally, I've heard many things in my few years about how to deal with spiritual warfare, and I've done everything from praying "warfare prayers" to "binding and loosing". After reading this I can imagine laughing with a response of "hahahah....wait, wait, wait...who is this again?", realizing that Christ is victorious over my sin and failures and all attacks that serve to destroy me only serve His sovereign purposes in bringing me to Himself. Enjoy!

A Letter from Martin Luther on Spiritual Warfare

The following is from a letter written in July 1530 to Jerome Weller, a 31-year-old friend who had previously lived in the Luther home, tutored his children, and was now struggling with spiritual despair: . .

Excellent Jerome, You ought to rejoice in this temptation of the devil because it is a certain sign that God is propitious and merciful to you. You say that the temptation is heavier than you can bear, and that you fear that it will so break and beat you down as to drive you to despair and blasphemy. I know this wile of the devil. If he cannot break a person with his first attack, he tries by persevering to wear him out and weaken him until the person falls and confesses himself beaten. Whenever this temptation comes to you, avoid entering upon a disputation with the devil and do not allow yourself to dwell on those deadly thoughts, for to do so is nothing short of yielding to the devil and letting him have his way. Try as hard as you can to despise those thoughts which are induced by the devil. In this sort of temptation and struggle, contempt is the best and easiest method of winning over the devil. Laugh your adversary to scorn and ask who it is with whom you are talking. By all means flee solitude, for the devil watches and lies in wait for you most of all when you are alone. This devil is conquered by mocking and despising him, not by resisting and arguing with him. . . When the devil throws our sins up to us and declares we deserve death and hell, we ought to speak thus:

“I admit that I deserve death and hell.

What of it?

Does this mean that I shall be sentenced to eternal damnation?

By no means.

For I know One who suffered and made a satisfaction in my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Where he is, there I shall be also.”

Yours, Martin Luther Luther:

Letters of Spiritual Counsel, trans. and ed. Theodore G. Tappert (orig., 1960; reprint, Vancouver, BC: Regent College Publishing, 2003), 85.

An Update on The Reading List - "Bloodlines" and "Liberating Black Theology"

2012-01-08T20:35:00.001-05:00

This Fall/Winter, I have been reading a few books in my spare time and here is an update on the two that I am currently reading. I have finished "Knowing God" by J.I. Packer and "Doctrine" by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears and I am currently reading "Bloodlines:Race, Cross and The Christian" by John Piper and "Liberating Black Theology" by Anthony B. Bradley. Here are two excerpts from the books...some things that have stood out to me. The first excerpt is from John Piper's "Bloodlines"

Racial tensions are rife with pride - the pride of white supremacy, the pride of black power, the pride of intellectual analysis, the pride of anti-intellectual scorn, the pride of loud verbal attack, and the pride of despising silence, the pride that feels secure, and the pride that masks fear. Where pride holds sway, there is no hope for the kind of listening and patience and understanding and openness to correction that relationships require. The gospel of Jesus breaks the power of pride by revealing the magnitude and the ugliness and the deadliness of it, even as it provides deliverance from it. The gospel makes plain that I am so hopelessly sinful and my debt before God was so huge that my salvation required the death of the Son of God in my place. This is devastating to the human ego. And God means it to be: "By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). He saves us by grace alone so that we would boast in him alone. Pride is shattered...Imagine what race relations and racial controversies would look like if the participants were all dead to pride and deeply humble before God and each other.

This excerpt is from Bradley's "Liberating Black Theology"

The fact of the Fall and the accomplished redemptive work of Christ serve as the true foundation for the liberation of black people. The fruits of Christ's sacrifice are not restricted to any one group of people because of our common human solidarity as sinners. Bavinck describes three benefits that accrue from the reconciliation of God through Christ: "(1) juridicial - that forgiveness of sins is our justification, mystical - consisting of the Christ being crucified, buried, raised, and being seated with Christ in heaven, ethical - through regeneration and being made alive, (2) moral - consisting in the imitation of Christ, economic - in the fulfillment of the Old Testament covenant and the inaguration of the new covenant , and (3) physical - in our victory over the world, death, hell, and Satan."

I'm sure there will be more to come from these books. I recommend both - they are filled with great content and they walk through the gospel and how it applies to racial issues in the world we live in.

Job - John Piper

2011-12-30T14:10:00.001-05:00

Til' Death Do Us Part - Brandon Graves

2011-12-10T16:32:00.001-05:00

The The Perfection of Beauty (Trailer to Shai Linne's Album)

2011-11-14T12:22:00.001-05:00

A Great Sermon on God's Grace by Tullian Tchividijian

2011-10-28T16:38:00.000-04:00

My 2011 Fall/Winter Reading List

2011-10-02T17:50:00.003-04:00

Bloodlines Documentary - John Piper

2011-09-30T15:18:00.001-04:00

Bloodlines Documentary with John Piper from Crossway on Vimeo.

I really look forward to reading this book this fall. Thanks to John Piper for speaking about this issue and taking the time to put this together.

How Can We Best Interpret Scripture - Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears

2011-09-27T14:34:00.001-04:00

I have been reading Mark Driscoll's and Gerry Breshears' book, "Doctrine" recently and found this to be very helpful in explaining the question of how we can best interpret scripture. Here are four questions that Driscoll and Breshears suggest for interpreting the Bible. I will not quote the book at length, but only a few places that summarize the specific questions. The bold emphasis on the questions is mine.

"The first question to ask is, what does the Scripture actually say? God wants to speak to you through the Bible. One error is to under-read the text, missing what is there through lack of attention. The opposite error is to over-read the text, putting preconceived opinions, ideas, or perspectives into the text, which is called eisegesis. Therefore, the goal is to humbly read the text to hear from God, which is called exegesis....

"The second question is, what does the Scripture mean? In this step you should look for what Scripture is teaching, especially in the original context. Much of the Bible was written to specific people in specific historical situations. The task is to discover that meaning and to understand the meaning of each text in its own terms, categories, and thought forms, beginning with the questions and issues the writer deals with, not the questions we bring. You will want to ask, what is the author trying to accomplish? What ideas or values is he trying to communicate? It is often helpful to write out your observations of the specifics of the text in a journal designated for personal Bible study."

"The third question is, what timeless principle truths is this section of Scripture teaching that apply to all of God's people in all times and places? There are many questions to ask to find the timeless universal principle. Is the text describing an event or belief, or is it prescribing (commanding) a practice, precept, promise, or value?"

"The fourth question is, how should I respond to what God has said? Here we are seeking to understand how the Bible's teaching applies to our life individually as Christians and corporately as a church today. The Bible shares content with an intended purpose, expecting that we will respond with belief and in other ways, depending upon what it says."

Identity in Christ

2011-09-16T22:54:00.000-04:00

On Thursday I had the privilege to speak at VCU's Inter Varsity campus ministry. I spoke on having an Identity in Christ and the text I focused on was John 8:1-11. This passage deals with the woman who was caught in adultery, and was thrown before Jesus feet by the Jewish rulers so that they might trap him in His judgment of this woman. What was her identity prior to finding herself in the dust at the feet of Jesus, and what would be her identity upon hearing the grace filled words from Jesus' mouth "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." ? Her identity along with our identity, if we trust in Jesus, goes from criminal to Christ, and this identity is not based on anything we can do or have done, but rather, it is based on what has been done for us, namely the punishment absorbing substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross for our sins. The audio of the message is below....

Bloodlines Trailer - John Piper

2011-09-13T16:33:00.000-04:00

From the Crossway Blog:

This month marks the release of John Piper’s latest book, Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian.Crossway will also be releasing an exclusive Bloodlines video documentary featuring Pastor John as he walks through his personal story of growing up in the racist South. His personal story boldly champions the transforming power of the gospel and the beauty of racial diversity and harmony in Christ.

Bonhoeffer on Psalms, Guilt, Justification and Prayer.....

2011-09-08T11:29:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I began reading "Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and I must say that these 84 pages contain some very valuable content concerning prayer and how to pray the Psalms. For a more in-depth review of the book, check out this review by Shelby Murphy on the Redemption Hill website. The chapter that has hit home the hardest for me is the one on guilt. Often, I have looked at the Psalms where the psalmist seems to promote his integrity and uprightness before God and I say to myself "That's not me", and begin to wrestle with guilt, simply because I feel I cannot make such statements. Granted, I know that this is wrong to do, and the gospel is the only way that I am able to confidently say that I am free from guilt and condemnation in Christ, but statements like these are sometimes hard to bear:

"The Lord judges the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me." (Ps. 7:8)

"Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering, Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness..." (Ps. 26:1-2)

These are only a few statements like these in the Psalms, but if I'm honest, sometimes I look at such verses and think "How can he (the writer) say that?!" "Isn't that self-righteous?!" The answer: NO! Bonhoeffer clarifies why the Psalmist makes statements like these as often as he makes statements concerning repentance, confession of sin, and spiritual depression. Ill quote him at length.

"It is often particularly striking and offensive to evangelical Christians that in the Psalms the innocence of devout people is spoken of at least as often as is their guilt. (cf. Psalms 5, 7, 9, 16, 17, 26, 35, 41, 44, 59, 66, 68, 69, 73, 86, and others.) Here it seems obvious that there is a vestige of the so-called Old Testament works righteousness, with which the Christian can no longer begin. Yet this outlook is completely superficial and knows nothing of the depth of the Word of God. It is clear that a man can speak of his own innocence in a self-righteous way, but do we not also realize that a man can pray the most humble confession of sin very self-righteously? Talk about ones own guilt can be just as far from the Word of God as talk about one's innocence. But the question is not which possible motives may stand behind the prayer, but whether the content of the prayer itself is appropriate or inappropriate. And here it is clear that the believing Christian certainly has to say not only something about his guilt but also something about his innocence and his justification. It is characteristic of the faith of the Christian that through God's grace and the merit of Jesus Christ, he has become entirely justified and guiltless in God's eyes, so that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). And it is characteristic of the prayer of the Christian to hold fast to this innocence and justification which has come to him, appealing to God's word and thanking for it. So not only are we permitted, but directly obligated - provided we take God's action to us at all seriously- to pray in all humiliation and certainty: " I was blameless before him and I kept myself from guilt" ( Psalm 18:23); " If thou testeth me thou will find no wickedness in me" (Psalm 17:3). With such a prayer we stand in the center of the New Testament, in the community of the cross of Jesus Christ."

We are "permitted" and "directly obligated" on the basis of God's justifying us as sinners, to say and to pray with confidence and with assurance, with all humility and thankfulness, that " I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt". This is wonderful! Christ is praying through the Psalms on our behalf, and because His righteousness and perfect obedience has been imputed to us, God now sees Christ in his blamelessness and perfection when He sees us. We are able to pray with this same assurance as the Psalmist because the cross is before us, and Christ's blood and righteousness has been counted to us.

3 Gifts: Gospel, Faith, Suffering

2011-08-29T14:36:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday, I preached at Springfield Baptist Church. The text was Philippians 1:29 and the focus of the message was on the 3 Gifts that God gives to His people as seen in that passage. God gives us the Gospel: He gives us Jesus. On this basis, God gives us the faith to believe on Him, and He also gives us suffering so that we may be conformed more into His image in the trials and afflictions of this life.

Hurricane Days and the NBA Lockout....

2011-08-27T14:40:00.004-04:00

Here is my tribute to the NBA Lockout.Just some highlights I've been looking at during this wonderful weather we are having in Richmond...Long live the League!... Enjoy!

Allen Iverson's crossover.....on MJ...Classic

Vince Carter's Olympic Dunk

JDub's Elbow pass

D.Wade on Anderson Varejao

Some college cat crushed this guys ankles.....

What is the Gospel - Paul Washer

2011-08-25T12:38:00.004-04:00

A fresh reminder by Paul Washer on "What is the Gospel". Washer's preaching and passion communicate the message of the gospel in a way that leaves you on the edge of your seat. His words are crushing, yet encouraging, and he always lifts high the beauty of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection for sinners. Enjoy.

Thoughts on The Grace of God - J.I. Packer

2011-08-16T14:02:00.003-04:00

" We can only claim from him justice- and justice, for us, means certain condemnation. God does not owe it to anyone to stop justice taking its course. He is not obliged to pity and pardon; if He does so it is an act done, as we say 'of His own free will,' and nobody forces His hand. 'It does not depend on man's will or effort, but on God's mercy'(Rom. 9:16 NEB). Grace is free, in the sense of being self-originated and of proceeding from One who was free not to be gracious. Only when it is seen that what decides each individual's destiny is whether or not God resolves to save him from his sins, and that is a decision which God need not make in any single case, can one begin to grasp the biblical view of grace."

J.I. Packer - Knowing God

The Perfect Storm

2011-08-14T13:25:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday I was given the opportunity to preach at the church I attend, Redemption Hill. The text I preached from was Acts 27:1-44 and the title of the message was "The Perfect Storm". In this sermon, I focused on how God works not in spite of, but in and through the sufferings of His people, to accomplish His mission of advancing the gospel to the world. Next to the sufferings of Jesus, Paul the Apostle was a great example of how God providentially worked in and through suffering for His glory and for our good. This hurricane that Paul encountered in Acts 27 was just another opportunity for God to be glorified as the Lord saved all 276 men on board the ship, and supernaturally confirmed to Paul that he would arrive at Rome safely.

Just as all 276 sailors, soldiers, and prisoners were delivered from the storm and were saved for the sake of Paul, we too are saved from the hurricane of God's wrath and delivered from the power of darkness only for the sake of Jesus.It is because of His perfect life and substitutionary death on the behalf of sinners that we are able to be reconciled to God and brought safely to Him.

The audio of the sermon can be found here

The Kind of Preaching God Blesses - Steve Lawson

2011-08-12T13:19:00.002-04:00

This was a great sermon and exposition of 1 Corinthians 1:18-24. In this sermon, Lawson talks about the need for modern day preachers to preach nothing but Christ crucified. Philosophy, the wisdom of this age, and "sharing" of opinion and ideas in the pulpit will not glorify God in the preaching of the gospel.

Why Does the Truth of Hell Rise to Watershed Significance?

2011-08-01T16:13:00.000-04:00

Why Does the Truth of Hell Rise to Watershed Significance?

Just read this article at Desiring God. Check it out...

Paradoxes - Valley of Vision

2011-07-18T08:53:00.003-04:00

This prayer crushed me as I was reading it this morning....Thought I'd share it.

"O changeless God,
Under the conviction of Thy Spirit I learn that
the more I do, the worse I am,
the more I know, the less I know,
the more holiness I have, the more sinful I am,
the more I love, the more there is to love.
O wretched man that I am!
O Lord, I have a wild heart,
and cannot stand before Thee;
I am like a bird before a man.
How little I love Thy truth and ways!
I neglect prayer,
by thinking I have prayed enough and earnestly,
by knowing Thou hast saved my soul.
Of all hypocrites, grant that I may not be
an evangelical hypocrite,
who sins more safely because grace abounds,
who tells his lusts that Christ's blood
cleanseth them,
who reasons that God cannot cast him into hell,
for he is saved,
who loves evangelical preaching, churches,
Christians, but lives unholily.
My mind is a bucket without a bottom,
with no spiritual understanding,
no desire for the Lord's Day,
ever learning but never reaching the truth,
always at the gospel-well but never holding water.
My conscience is without conviction or contrition,
with nothing to repent of.
My will is without power of decision or resolution.
My heart is without affection, and full of leaks.
My memory has no retention, so I forget easily the lessons learned,
and Thy truths seep away.
Give me a broken heart that yet carries home
the water of Grace."

Just Like You - Lecrae

2011-07-11T10:27:00.002-04:00

Saw this today, pretty good video concept. The last verse is pretty awesome too....

God's Love Defined - J.I. Packer

2011-07-06T12:19:00.003-04:00

" God's love is an exercise of His goodness toward individual sinners whereby, having identified Himself with their welfare, He has given His Son to be their savior, and now brings them to know and enjoy him in a covenant relation."

- J.I. Packer, "Knowing God"

Getting Out - Tim Keller

2011-06-30T10:06:00.000-04:00

Getting Out - Tim Keller - TGC 2011 from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

Confession and Petition - Puritan Prayers

2011-06-23T09:09:00.001-04:00

Holy Lord, I have sinned times without number, and been guilty of pride and unbelief, of failure to find Thy mind in Thy Word, of neglect to seek Thee in my daily life. My transgressions and short-comings present me with a list of accusations, but I bless Thee that they will not stand against me, for all have been laid on Christ. Go on to subdue my corruptions, and grant me grace to live above them. Let not the passions of the flesh nor lustings of the mind bring my spirit into subjection, but do Thou rule over me in liberty and power.

I thank Thee that many of my prayers have been refused. I have asked amiss and do not have, I have prayed from lusts and been rejected, I have longed for Egypt and been given a wilderness. Go on with Thy patient work, answering 'no' to my wrongful prayers, and fitting me to accept it. Purge me from every false desire, every base aspiration, everything contrary to Thy rule. I thank Thee for Thy wisdom and Thy love, for all the acts of discipline to which I am subject, for sometimes putting me into the furnace to refine my gold and remove my dross.

No trial is so hard to bear as a sense of sin. If Thou shouldst give me choice to live in pleasure and keep my sins, or to have them burnt away with trial, give me sanctified affliction. Deliver me from every evil habit, every accretion of former sins, everything that dims the brightness of Thy grace in me, everything that prevents me taking delight in Thee. Then I shall bless Thee, God of jeshurun, for helping me to be upright.

Thats My King...

2011-06-07T10:48:00.000-04:00

One Word: Preach....

That's My King! from Albert Martin on Vimeo.

3 Great Minds on Marriage...

2011-06-06T11:35:00.001-04:00

Piper, Keller, and Carson on Marriage....

Sermonette on Rock of Ages

2011-05-25T12:35:00.005-04:00

I was recently given an opportunity at the church I attend to give a sermonette on the content of a verse from the song "Rock of Ages". I have also embedded the song 'Rock of Ages' that the Redemption Hill band recently recorded below. The audio for the sermonette can be heard here

Rock of Ages by RedemptionHill

My thoughts are below:

Nothing in my hand I bring
Simply to the cross I cling
Naked, come to Thee for dress
Helpless look to Thee for grace
Foul, I to the fountain fly
Wash me, Savior, or I die

Three words immediately stand out in reading this verse: Naked, Helpless, and Foul. These words describe who we are apart from God’s grace, and they display why our need for grace is so great. While we may look at our own lives and hesitate to identify ourselves by any of these words, the Bible clearly states that because of our sin we have become depraved, willfully and actively plunging ourselves into darkness, away from the presence of a Holy God. We may compare ourselves to others, make a resume’s worth of good deeds that we have done, or we may even sweep our dirt under the rug of our own justification, but all of these actions only serve to confirm the reality that apart from grace we are naked, helpless, foul and destitute.

In our nakedness, we become like our first parents, stricken with guilt because of our sinfulness, ashamed because we fail to meet the required standards of God’s law, and condemned because we feel the weight of the judgment we deserve. In vanity, we attempt to hide from the light, blame others for our transgressions, and we seek to cover ourselves with fig leaves of self-justification and pride. We become Laodiceans, deceiving ourselves by thinking that we are rich, prosperous, and in need of nothing, when the truth is that we are wretched, pitiable, poor blind and naked. We need covering.

In our helplessness, we are weak, enslaved by sin, and steadily stumbling over the sin that so easily besets us. We are powerless, like the invalid man at the pool of Siloam, unable to help ourselves after so many years of inability. No amount of labor, efforts, or emotion can save us. Apart from grace, we are guilty in a courtroom where all the evidence is stacked against us and the victim is the Judge: helpless. We need strength.

In our foulness, we are like Lazarus, dead – in our sins and transgressions, lying in the tomb we have made for ourselves, and everyday without Life is a day that we become more soiled and polluted. Our attempt to wash ourselves with the rags of our own righteousness only ends in failure because our rags are soiled too. We need cleansing.

The sum of the state of our nakedness, helplessness, and foulness equals to nothing, and therefore there is nothing that we can bring to The Most High to atone for our sins. Our hands are as dirty as they are empty and in the realization of this there remains only one thing to say: Wash me Savior or I die! At the cross we find cleansing and fullness.

At the cross we have clothing for our nakedness, garments of skins for our fig leaves, righteousness for our sinfulness. At the cross we have grace for our helplessness, strength in our weakness, and an Advocate for our trial. At the cross we have a fountain of cleansing from our filth, beauty for our ashes, and resurrection at our funerals. Wash me Savior, or I die! Wash me Savior or I die! Wash me Savior or I die!

Christocentrism - Eric Mason

2011-05-09T23:29:00.000-04:00

Christocentrism from Epiphany Fellowship on Vimeo.

Matthew 5:44

2011-05-05T10:12:00.004-04:00

Nuff said....

How Can I Tell if I Know God?....

2011-04-18T15:53:00.003-04:00

Do we worship the one true God in truth? Or are ideas of God such that in reality we do not believe in the Christian God, but in some other, just as the Muslim or Jew or Jehovah's Witness does not believe in the Christian God, but in some other?

You may say, how can I tell? Well, the test is this. The God of the Bible has spoken in his Son. The light of the knowledge of his glory is given to us in the face of Jesus Christ. Do I look habitually to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ as showing me the final truth about the nature and the grace of God? Do I see all the purposes of God as centering upon him?

If I have been enabled to see this, and in mind and heart to go to Calvary and lay hold of the Calvary solution, then I can know that I truly worship the true God, and that he is my God, and that I am even now enjoying eternal life, according to our Lord's own definition, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent"(John 17:3)

-J.I. Packer "Knowing God"

What is the stigmatic animosity toward the term "religion"? Is it a wrong to say that Christianity is a religion. The book of James uses it. Do you think it's fair to start making a distinction TRUE religion and FALSE religion?

2011-04-16T12:09:00.001-04:00

I’ll start from the scripture in James. James 1:26-27 says “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” The word for religious/religion in verses 26 and 27 is the greek word θρησκεια (* yes, I copied and pasted…I do not know Greek) which can be used interchangeably with worhip/worshipping. Colossians 2:18 uses the same word when it says “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels…” So, if we were to use the word worship in James 1:26-27 rather than religion, it seems to clarify what James really thinks about religion or worship. “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this person’s (worship) is worthless. (Worship) that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this….” With this understanding, I don’t think it’s wrong to say that Christianity is a religion, and I do. Saying Christianity is a religion is no different than saying basketball is a religion, or shopping is a religion, or stockbroking. Sinful humans religion (used as a verb) anything and everything. We worship things and people. We talk about them with the utmost delight, we spend serious amounts of time with them, and we devote and sacrifice for the things we worship – thereby making the objects of our affections our religion. I’m guilty of making basketball a religion; Lust a religion; People’s opinions of me a religion. I really did nothing different than a Bhuddist or a Muslim. I sought to please a god, namely, myself and I was doing everything I could to appease that god. I think religion is worship and true religion is true worship of God: Father, Son and Spirit. Jesus says that true worshippers worship God in Spirit and in truth (John 4:23). The only TRUE religion and TRUE worship is centered on God: Father, Son and Spirit. Any other religion is false in the sense that its worship is centered on something or someone other than God. It’s really worship, it’s just really false. It is possible for people to even worship Christianity and not worship God. Worship of going to church, getting into community, and worship of doing what Christians do is all worship of Christianity, and a person may do these things and not be worshipping God at all. This is why I think it is wrong in a sense to say Christianity is a religion. If people do "Christianity" on the grounds of trying to appease a deity, either themselves or God, then “Christianity” becomes like every other system – a false “religion” or worship. Also, when I hear people say “It’s not religion, its relationship.”, I sort of scratch my head. True, Christianity is firstly and foremost a relationship with God, but if we leave it here, then it is left where any other relationship is, just a correlation between friends. But Christianity is a religion because it involves worship. It involves devotion and submission and obedience (although not dead ritualistic practices), and these things are all grounded on a relational factor: love and grace. So my answer to the question “Is Christianity a religion or a relationship?” is …Its both.

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History of the Modern Gospel 4 - I've Got a Feeling

2011-04-10T10:16:00.000-04:00

"But the one who endures to the end will be saved." Matthew 24:13 "By your endurance you will gain your lives." Luke 21:19 -- Although objectively justified, are an individual's efforts the source of his/her endurance to the end?

2011-04-06T20:06:00.001-04:00

Great question! Through scripture, I’m convinced that the answer is yes. Yes, our individual efforts are the source of our endurance to the end. It’s what’s behind our individual effort that really matters. The Christian will be saved and will be brought to final salvation in the end only because of the merit of Jesus Christ. Because of His life, death, and resurrection, all who believe and trust in Jesus and His work on the cross will be saved and kept by His power. John 10:27-29 states “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” Jesus saves His sheep. Jesus gives His sheep eternal life. Jesus keeps His sheep to the end. The Father gives these sheep to Jesus. The Father makes sure that His sheep are kept unto the end. Therefore, the credit for our arriving justified on the last day goes only to God and His Christ. There is a human part to endurance though. Although our efforts are not the grounds on which we are saved, they do matter and what Matthew says is true “the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Every day the Christian must fight, he must war with sin, temptation and the flesh. Here is the connection between God’s part in keeping His sheep and our part in fighting as sheep; the only reason that the Christian can fight is because God is keeping Him and enabling him to fight. The only reason the Christian has the strength to endure is because God is keeping him and giving him strength to endure. I think Paul deals very well with this topic of endurance in Philippians. Philippians 1:6 states “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Paul is basically saying God began the initial work of salvation. God will finish the work of salvation. Hebrews 12:1-2 states that Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith. What God begins He finishes. Salvation and the keeping of it belongs to God and there is rest for the Christian when he realizes that God is the Savior and Protector of his soul. Based on this knowledge of God as Savior and Protector, Author and Finisher, the believer has all the provisions and strength to fight and endure in the Christian life because he already knows God is protecting him and keeping him. In Philippians 2:12, Paul encourages the Philippian believers to “work out” their salvation with fear and trembling. “Work out” means to literally “get it done” concerning their salvation. Now, to the person who reads this and discards the fact that God keeps His sheep primarily, it would sound like “I keep my salvation” and “My working out is the reason I am saved”. But one does not need to go too much further in Paul’s writing to see that much more is going on in this “working out” than merely our human efforts. Paul says in the next verse that the ground for our working is “for (because) it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” God is responsible for our working. We run the race of endurance because God is moving our muscles in the stride. We fight the good fight of faith because God is working AND willing in us to fight. To use the illustration of sports, it is God who works in the team to play the game, its God who causes the team to win the game and it is God who is the arena for the team to play in. We are called to suit up and play – and play hard. We are called to go teach, make disciples, war with sin, examine ourselves, kill the flesh, and resist the devil but God is at work both in keeping us so that we can do all these things and in working through us, willing and working for His glory. Endure to the end means just that: endure to the end.

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G.O.S.P.E.L. by Propoganda

2011-04-02T16:53:00.000-04:00

G.O.S.P.E.L. from Humble Beast Records on Vimeo.

Divine Support - Valley of Vision

2011-03-19T11:19:00.002-04:00

Thou art the blessed God, happy in Thyself, source of happiness in Thy creatures, my maker, benefactor, proprietor, upholder. Thou hast produced and sustained me, supported and indulged me, saved and kept me; Thou art in every situation able to meet my needs and miseries.

May I live by Thee, live for Thee, never be satisfied with my Christian progress but as I resemble Christ; and may conformity to His principles, temper, and conduct grow hourly in my life. Let Thy unexampled love constrain me into holy obedience, and render my duty my delight. If others deem my faith folly, my meekness infirmity, my zeal madness, my hope delusion, my actions hypocrisy, may I rejoice to suffer for Thy name.

Keep me walking steadfastly towards the country of everlasting delights, that paradise-land which is my true inheritance. Support me by the strength of heaven that I may never turn back, or desire false pleasures that will disappear into nothing. As I pursue my heavenly journey by Thy grace let me be known as a man with no aim but that of a burning desire for Thee, and the good and salvation of my fellow men.

History of The Modern Gospel 3 - "Welcome to The Circus"

2011-03-12T07:45:00.002-05:00

Finally, Somebody Said It.....

2011-03-11T07:06:00.005-05:00

I dont usually blog too much about basketball, but after I saw this, I couldn't say it any better (besides a word or two of it)...Chuck, you got it right, NUFF SAID!

Likewise, this finish in UConn's game was epic...the kind of stuff you dream about (and he smashed McGee's ankles) ...WOW!

Thoughts on Sanctification

2011-03-08T13:00:00.005-05:00

Just recently, I had the opportunity to speak to a few brothers about Romans 6 and the doctrine of sanctification. I wanted to write a few thoughts about some things that the Spirit brought to my attention as I prepared to talk and share with these guys.
Romans 6:12-14

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Paul's basis for giving this command seen in Romans 6:12, "Let not sin reign..." is founded upon verses 6-11 which tell of how Jesus defeated sin in His death and therefore since we were "baptized" with Him in His death, we are dead to sin, and we ought to "reckon" ourselves dead to sin. When Jesus was resurrected, He showed that He had defeated the power of sin and death and the one who believes in Jesus is also free from this enslavement to sin and death. Through Christ's death and resurrection He has absorbed the wrath of God and the borne the punishment for sinners, and He has broken the fetters of sin and death for those who believe. Therefore sin has no power over the one who trusts in Jesus's work.
So Paul's command in Romans 6:12 is not a command to dethrone sin in our own power. Rather, Paul tells his readers to keep dethroning sin because it has been dethroned. Jesus has defeated sin once and for all and so sin has absolutely no power over the one who trusts in Jesus. The command "let not sin reign.." is based upon Jesus already having defeated sin. This gives us rest.
Romans 6:12-13 presents a real command and responsibility on our part as patients resurrected by the Doctor, to not return to the sin that enslaved us and trapped us in spiritual death. Everyday we must fight sin passionately, resisting temptation, wrestling with the flesh, and violently cutting off ourselves from sinning. But this war on our sin is not the grounds for our salvation. Our work in fighting sin is not the merit that earns us righteousness. Jesus's once and for all cancellation of sin and death is the rock upon which our righteousness and salvation rests. So the only way that we are able to fight is because He has fought.
When I had previously read Romans 6:14, I had always believed that this verse was Paul simply stating a fact, or giving encouragement to the believer to execute this command he just gave, but recently I have found that this statement "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.", is a promise, rather than just a "good luck, homie...Im praying for you" encouraging sentence. I guess what I believed previously was that this was Paul's encouraging statement, but recently I have seen that this is the Almighty God's promise. Sin WILL NOT have dominion over you! It came off the pages as a protective, Fatherly sounding promise that says "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (John 10:27-29)
Furthermore, after reading this promise, I began reading these three verses backwards in my head, saying "Sin will not have dominion over you, because you are not under the law but under grace, therefore let not sin reign in your mortal body..." Sin will not win the war because Christ has already won the war, so go fight! I am an avid basketball fan, and I enjoy playing far more than watching, so when I read this, an image came to mind. The parallels will not match everywhere, but you'll get the point. Imagine that a team is in its locker room before the final game of its season. They are nervous in facing an opponent that is highly ranked and greatly feared. Just before the game, God Himself walks into the locker room and informs the coach and the players that they will win by 15 points, says "This team will not beat you, now go play", and then walks out. This would be way more than encouraging to the players in the locker room and it would completely remove any stress, tension or worry about what the outcome of the game would be. I think God does way more for us when it comes to us fighting sin, and this was a very trite illustration, but I think this is generally what is happening in Romans 6:12-14. The promise takes the burden off of the command.
Thinking more about these verses in Romans 6, I was looking for confirmation of this promise/command thing in other places in Scripture. I came across several Old Testament passages where this pattern of promise and command happened for God's people in many instances of war and battle.
Deuteronomy 2:30-33 states

"But Sihon the king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might give him into your hand, as he is this day. And the LORD said to me, ‘Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to take possession, that you may occupy his land.’ Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Jahaz. And the LORD our God gave him over to us, and we defeated him and his sons and all his people."

In these verses, the promise from God is given to Israel before the battle takes place. "I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you." is the promise from God to His people that Sihon didn't stand a chance against them. Next is the Lord's command to them to "begin to take possession, that you may occupy his land."

Deuteronomy 3:1-3 was another passage that confirmed the same thing.

"Then we turned and went up the way to Bashan. And Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have given him and all his people and his land into your hand. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.’ So the LORD our God gave into our hand Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people, and we struck him down until he had no survivor left. "

Here, another king, Bashan, comes out against Israel and the Lord promises His people that "I have given him and all his people and his land into your hand." The command to "do to him as you did to Sihon" follows and once again Israel has success. When God makes these promises before the battle occurs in these verses, from His reality and perspective these enemies of Israel have already been defeated. This is the same reality that is true with the Christians war on sin. "Sin shall have no dominion over you, it has been defeated in Jesus' death and resurrection, so kill it."

One last passage in the Old Testament that displays the same pattern is Joshua 10:8-11 which states

And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.” So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. And the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

What makes this passage different from the previous two is that in these verses God is more active in this battle than in the previous two. When I say "more active", I mean that His work is more clearly seen and identified , in throwing the Amorites into confusion and then throwing down large hailstones from Heaven on them. God is always at work for His people and He never abandoned them to fight on their own, and they only fought in His strength; but in the previous two battles mentioned Israel violently pursued their enemies fully resting in the promise God had given beforehand. In this battle in Joshua 10, I'm sure combat was a lot easier for Israel's army when their enemies are suffering panic attacks from God in front of them while God later crushes their army with heavenly hailstones. In our fight with sin I think this is how God works as well.
There will be times where we will fight sin vigorously in God's strength, resisting temptation, anger, lust, pride, fear and so forth. We will have to wrestle and war violently with these sins through prayer, fasting, confession, scripture meditation and more, and this is all done while resting on the same promise that sin has already been defeated at the cross. But there will also be times where God will seem to be "more active" in our battles with sin. He may supernaturally take away evil desires, or supernaturally crush sinful habits, or make ways of deliverance in situations of temptation that only He can make. The Christian should be on lookout for God's working at all times in either of these ways , because ultimately He is at work in both of these sin fighting situations. We must always be at work as well.
Philippians 2:12-13 states

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

In our rigorous fighting against sin, God is at work. In our sudden abandoning and conquering of certain sins, God is at work. He is at work in our wills and in our work, and the work that He began at salvation in our hearts, He will bring to completion. Therefore we should rest in His promise that our greatest battle has been won already. Our sins and the principalities that chained us to them have been canceled and made an open show of. The professor has given His students an "A" at the beginning of the course and tells them to enjoy and learn the material. Jesus has defeated sin on the cross once and for all and all who believe and trust in His work, can find rest and rejuvenation in Him to beat the sin already defeated, and to take possession of the land already given to them.

I Act The Miracle - John Piper

2011-03-04T09:23:00.000-05:00

History of The Modern Gospel 2 - Toxic Intelligence

2011-02-21T10:44:00.004-05:00

Wow! This was all I could say after seeing this video. May we never choose knowledge over Jesus. Rather, may our knowledge come from Jesus and point directly back to Jesus in worship. Enjoy the video!

History of The Modern Gospel 1 - Departing From Scripture

2011-02-15T10:00:00.001-05:00

History of The Modern Gospel - Intro

2011-02-11T18:38:00.004-05:00

This will be a 5 part series that was recommended to me by a dear brother on "The History of the Modern Gospel". Firstly, Ill say just as the man in the video that for a long time, what I believed about the gospel was a deception. Why do I know this? Because I can remember the period of time in my life when I had heard they gospel, yet I didn't treasure it. It was basic to me, it was "easy" and simple. I didn't really value or treasure the worth of the gospel for many reasons. One main reason I can think of is because I hadn't truly seen the reality of what the scriptures said about me as a sinner. Also, I found myself like the Galatians, following after every other gospel it seemed and forgetting about the gospel that comes by grace through faith. So, here goes the first video.

Eric Mason on Counterfeit Repentance

2011-02-04T14:15:00.002-05:00

Counterfeit Repentance from Epiphany Fellowship on Vimeo.

This is a great sermon by Eric Mason on Counterfeit Repentance. May God help us to change our minds concerning sin and not just change our sins.

5 Reasons to Urge ALL to Repent and Believe - Ken Askew

2011-01-28T21:17:00.001-05:00

Five reasons why we must urge all men to repent and believe the gospel:

1. Because all men are ignorant (Acts 17:30). People craft a god of their own imagination when they remain in ignorance. “What qualifies a man to hear the gospel? Is he breathing? (laughter)”

2. Because God himself commands all men everywhere to repent. This is what the Spirit of God does through his preacher; “repent and believe the gospel.” God’s commands are not meant to be considered. God’s commandments are meant to be obeyed. It is the sinner’s responsibility to repent, repent, repent! It is appropriate to command people to repent.

3. Because all men will one day face the judgment of God (Acts 17:31). The standard of God’s judgment will be the righteousness of Christ. Yet we have all fallen short of that perfection. No man can attain the standard on his own. Assurances of these truths are contained in Christ’s resurrection (Acts 17:32). This nation needs faithful preachers to stand up and proclaim these truths.

4. Because, thanks be to God, some will repent and believe (Acts 17:32-34). To see someone cling to Jesus, to come to saving faith, makes the trials of ministry worthwhile. “God’s sovereign plan is to save some by preaching the gospel to all.”

5. Because this is our calling. God calls us to proclaim the gospel to all people. This is our life, our calling, our sacred duty. This ought to be our passion, to urge all men to repent and believe the gospel.

Conclusion: Congregational call to all to repent, and believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Truth Matters articles are available online at www.truthmatters.us. Comments may be sent to kenaskew@me.com.

What Billy Graham Would Do Differently - John Piper

2011-01-26T20:41:00.003-05:00

Billy Graham was just interviewed. Here is what he said to the question,

If you could, would you go back and do anything differently?

Yes, of course. I'd spend more time at home with my family, and I'd study more and preach less. I wouldn't have taken so many speaking engagements, including some of the things I did over the years that I probably didn't really need to do—weddings and funerals and building dedications, things like that. Whenever I counsel someone who feels called to be an evangelist, I always urge them to guard their time and not feel like they have to do everything.

I also would have steered clear of politics. I'm grateful for the opportunities God gave me to minister to people in high places; people in power have spiritual and personal needs like everyone else, and often they have no one to talk to. But looking back I know I sometimes crossed the line, and I wouldn't do that now.

It seems to me these are wise words for pastors. “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” (2 Timothy 2:4). And there are even “military” acts one can do too many of. Focus on the main things and work with all your might.

Qualified While Unqualified

2011-01-18T11:29:00.003-05:00

Here is the audio for the sermon I preached this past Sunday, January 16, 2011, entitled "Qualified While Unqualified". The text for this sermon comes from Colossians 1:12-14, and the purpose of this sermon is to focus our hearts on giving thanks to God for qualifying us for an eternal inheritance, even while we were unqualified and even disqualified from it of ourselves. God qualifies us for this eternal inheritance by delivering us from the power of darkness and transferring us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. The basis for this qualification, deliverance and transference, is Jesus Christ and Him alone. By His perfect life and substitutionary death on the cross, absorbing the wrath of God for our sins, God is able to declare us righteous in His sight and is able to adopt us as sons. We must be careful to not think that our works or anything that we can do will qualify us. These acts are by grace alone, and they are received by the empty hands of faith alone.

How The Gospel Can Transform Marriages - Between Two Worlds

2011-01-14T15:17:00.002-05:00

This is an article I came across on Justin Taylor's blog, "Between Two Worlds". Very encouraging and insightful to read.

How the Gospel Can Transform a Marriage

Gary and Betsy Ricuchi, Love That Lasts: When Marriage Meets Grace (Crossway, 2006), pp. 22-23:

Because of the gospel, Christians have become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, in our marriage, our past does not define us, confine us, or determine our future.
Because of the gospel, we are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7). Therefore we can live free of all guilt and condemnation for every sin, and we can trust that God, in his mercy, will be gracious to us.
Because of the gospel, we can forgive, just as Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32). Nothing done against us compares to our sin against God. Therefore all offenses, hostility, and bitterness between Christians can be completely forgiven and removed.
Because of the gospel, we are accepted by God (Romans 15:7). Therefore we are not dependent on a spouse for who we are or what we need.
Because of the gospel, sin’s ruling power over us is broken (Romans 6:6, 14). Therefore we can truly obey all that God calls us to do in our marriage, regardless of any circumstance or situation.
Because of the gospel, we have access to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16). Therefore we can at any time take any need in our marriage to the One who can do all things.
Because of the gospel, we have hope (Romans 5:1-4). Therefore we can endure any marital difficulty, hardship, or suffering, with the assurance that God is working all to our greatest good (Romans 8:28).
Because of the gospel, Christ dwells in us by his Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14). Therefore we are confident that God is always with us and is always at work in our marriage, even when progress is imperceptible (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
Because of the gospel, we have power to fight and overcome remaining sin, which continues to dwell and war within us (Romans 7:19-21, 24-25; Galatians 5:16-17). This indwelling enemy represents the essence of what is called the doctrine of sin.

These are just a few of the ways the gospel can transform a marriage. Sometimes it’s not easy to live in the reality of these truths. But it is always possible—and not because of our strength or determination, but because of God’s empowering and enabling grace.

I'm starting my Bible in a Year program and I pray by God's grace that I finish. Question: What presuppositions and/or assumptions must one have about God and the Bible before reading it to get to understand the TRUE GOD!

2011-01-12T19:49:00.001-05:00

I’m actually beginning my Bible Reading in a Year plan too, and so far it’s going well. I think that an important assumption to make or a few important assumptions to make are 1) Remember that God is completely Sovereign and that all things in His Word are for His Glory. Colossians 1:15-18 states “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” If we approach scripture with this perspective in mind, then we will see that all things from genealologies, to sinful trees to parting seas and resurrected believers were created for His glory. Everything that God does in creation and redemption all throughout scripture in the most glorious miracles to sovereignly working mankind’s heinous sins for good, is for His glory. Demons don’t disrupt His plans and sinful man cannot thwart His purposes. The true God of the Bible always accomplishes what He intends. 2) Identify His attributes and stare them squarely in the face when you encounter them in scripture. Upon seeing His holiness, justice, mercy, goodness, and love, let these attributes grip you and cause you to bow down before Him as Moses did before the burning bush. Let scripture interpret scripture and let God be God. 3) Don’t rule out incomprehensibility. When it comes to the trinity, Divine Sovereignty and human responsibility, things such as election, predestination, examples of the wrath of God, be comfortable in knowing that a loving and holy God is behind these wonderful things that sometimes our human minds cannot fully comprehend.

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What's one of the most influential books in your life?

2011-01-06T18:43:00.001-05:00

The knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer is one of the books that caused me to radically change my view about who God is. Highly Recommended

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Potent Preaching by R.C.Sproul

2010-12-08T19:41:00.001-05:00

We don’t understand God. What is it about Him that so often leads Him to mute His power, to hide behind the weak and lame? It’s not as though He doesn’t understand His own power. His Word created the whole of the universe. His Spirit gave life to us when we were dead. That Word never returns void. That Spirit is omnipotent. But He has chosen to not only work on us, but to work through us. The Word reaches the apex of its power not when it stands alone, but when it is preached. God is pleased to use the foolishness of preaching to give life, to change the world. He works through us.

Such presents us with a peculiar temptation. On the one hand we want to affirm the power of preaching. On the other hand, we don’t want to fall into “power preaching.” That is, we don’t want to embrace the foolishness of the world, thinking this showy gift, and that precision technique is how we tap into that power. A man in a power tie, making power gestures, using power point has likely missed the power. Instead, just as God has chosen the foolish things of the world to change the world, just as He shows strength in our weakness, so we must embrace weakness if we would see the power.

Potent preaching then is not marked ultimately by the application of brilliant minds. Neither is it the fruit of brilliant techniques. Instead the power comes when the preacher is willing to be shown to be weak. We are changed by preaching when the Word shows us our need, exposing our sin. We are changed when the Word shows us the solution, the finished work of Christ. We are changed when preaching agrees with the Word, that we must repent and believe. What we need is not clearer commentaries. What we need is not more homiletics classes. What we need in the pulpit is courage.

I know that I cannot see into the hearts of others. I do not see the sins of the sheep in the pews. I can, at least to a degree, see my own sin. And it is rather safe to assume that my sin and my neighbors’ sins are not so distant. If I would preach to the sins of the congregation, I must preach to my own sins. In days of cultural decline such as our own, it is rather easy for preachers to thunder against the sins of the broader culture. This too, however, is a form of ear-tickling. “Aren’t they awful” as a common message will ultimately translate soon enough into “But we’re okay.” Our calling, however, is to feed our sheep. Which means we must preach to their sins. Which means we must preach to our own.

Courage then is what we need in our pulpits, the courage to look honestly to our own sins. And that is driven by gospel confidence. I can face my sin because it is already dealt with. I can speak to it because God has already declared it to be forgiven. If we will humble ourselves, He will come in both grace and power. And that changes everything.

Boasting in the Lord

2010-11-21T18:25:00.002-05:00

Boasting in the Lord from Rayshawn Graves on Vimeo.

This was the sermon I preached today from 1 Corinthians 1:26-30 called "Boasting in the Lord". The audio timed out on me, so the only version I have available is the video version.

Pre,Post,A...Millenniealism

2010-11-06T14:57:00.002-04:00

I found this summary of the three schools of thought concerning the millennium to be very helpful in summarizing what each school of thought believes. This was written by Dr. Ed Hindson in his commentary on Revelation titled," The Book of Revelation: Unlocking the Future".

Postmillennial. This school of thought believes that the Millennium (one thousand years of Rev.20:1-3) is to be interpreted symbolically as synonymous with the Church Age. Satan's power is viewed as being "bound" by the power of the gospel. Postmillennialists believe that during this "millennium" (Church Age) the church is called upon to conquer unbelief, convert the masses, and govern society by the mandate of biblical law. Only after Christianity succeeds on earth will Christ return and announce that His kingdom has been realized. Postmillennial advocates have included Catholics, Puritans, charismatics, and dominionists who urge believers to take dominion over the earth and its political governments in order to actualize the kingdom of God over earth.

Amillennial. This approach sees no millennium of any kind on the earth. Rather, amillennialists tend to view so-called millennial prophecies as being fulfilled in eternity. References to the "thousand years" are interpreted symbolically. In this scheme the Church Age ends with the return of Christ to judge the world and usher in eternity. God's promises to Israel are viewed as having been fulfilled in the Church (the new Israel of the new covenant); therefore, amillennialists see no specific future for national Israel. They view the Church Age as the era of conflict between the forces of good and evil, which culminates with the return of Christ.

Premillennial. This view holds that Christ will return at the end of the Church Age in order to set up His kingdom on earth for a literal one thousand years. Most also believe there will be a Great Tribulation period on earth prior to the return of Christ. Among premillennialists are those who believe the Church will go through the Tribulation (postribulationists), those who believe the Church will be raptured prior to the Tribulation (pretribulationists) and even a few who believe the Church will be raptured in the middle of the Tribulation (midtribulationists). Despite these differences in regard to the Rapture of the Church, premillennialists generally believe in the future restoration of the state of Israel and the eventual conversion of the Jews to Christianity.

- by Ed. Hindson in "The Book of Revelation: Unlocking the Future"

Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption...

2010-10-29T11:11:00.003-04:00

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
- 1 Corinthians 1:30

" In our union with Christ he becomes "wisdom" for us in overcoming the blinding and deadening ignorance that keeps us from seeing the glory of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:24). Then he becomes righteousness for us in overcoming our guilt and condemnation (Romans 8:1). Then he becomes sanctification for us in overcoming our corruption and pollution (1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 2:10). Finally, he becomes redemption for us in overcoming, in the resurrection, all the miseries, pain, futility, and death of this age (Romans 8:23)."

- from "Counted Righteous in Christ" by John Piper

Hearing The Gospel Again and Again to be Overcome - by Jonathan Parnell

2010-10-27T08:13:00.003-04:00

1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the salvation of those who trust him is old news. It is really old, really good news. So what are we aiming for in hearing again and again that which we've heard before?

The hope in hearing the old, good news is that it would perpetually break new ground in our lives. Our hearts are like a jungle. There is untamed wilderness and darkness that has not yet been brought, as it were, under the rule of the One who has laid claim to it all.

We need to hear the gospel again and again so that the old, good news of Jesus Christ would reach into these unchartered territoties of our lives and fly the flag of its dominion. This is how we are "being saved." This is what it means to be overcome by the gospel.

- the original posting of this article can be found at DesiringGod.org

Come to Christ

2010-10-10T21:22:00.002-04:00

I preached this sermon today titled "Come to Christ". The text I preached from is Matthew 11:28-30. It is always a blessing to focus on the words of Christ and his invitation to sinners who are burdened and toiling under the weight of sin and the heaviness of God's standard. We must come to Him and we will be refreshed and rejuvenated, able to submit to His yoke and we will be strengthened to be able to live the Christian life. Here is the audio for the sermon:

Think Hard Stay Humble- Francis Chan

2010-10-07T10:17:00.000-04:00

My wife and I sat and watched this sermon from the Desiring God National Conference two nights ago and we were blown away. Chan's message on having humility and love to go with in-depth thinking about scripture is simply wonderful. Enjoy this sermon!

Flee From the Wrath to Come by Don Currin

2010-10-06T16:13:00.001-04:00

Flee from the Wrath of God from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

Sermon: Hope in Christ

2010-10-04T10:16:00.002-04:00

This was the sermon that I preached on yesterday, October 3,2010. The title of it is called Hope in Christ and it is taken from Lamentations 3:24. The previous post is me going over my notes on a video and sharing some thoughts on what it means to truly say "The Lord is my portion...therefore I will hope in Him. Below is the audio from the sermon.

If you cannot see the audio player, you can see the original post at AdjustMyThoughts.com

Hope in Christ....

2010-10-02T15:45:00.000-04:00

Firstly, I recently purchased a new laptop...so this is mostly just me wanting to test out the webcam feature on it: successful! Anyways, I figured I would test the new webcam while going over some points for a sermon I will be preaching tomorrow. The video is called "Hope In Christ", but I haven't come up with a sermon title as of yet. Lamentations 3:24 will be the verse that I will be focusing on and it stands out to me so much because of two words that Jeremiah uses in the midst of God-sent suffering, portion and hope. Jeremiah ascribes both of these words to the Lord even after he declared in verse 1 of chapter 3 that he was under God's wrath and judgment. I was thinking about how the gospel applies to this statement that Jeremiah made in verse 24, in that God, because of Christ, has made Himself the portion of those who believe in Him. Because the death of Christ justifies those who believe in Him, the believer has an unshakable hope in God through any sufferings and afflictions and an assurance that Christ will save us from wrath on the day of judgment. This is all because of God's love for us. (Romans 5:1-10)

God's Saving Purpose - Thomas Watson

2010-09-01T10:54:00.002-04:00

"Question: How shall we know that God has a purpose to save us?

Answer: By being effectually called. "Give dilligence to make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10). We make our election sure, by making our calling sure. "God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification" (2 Thess. 2:13). By the stream, we come at last to the fountain. If we find the stream of sanctification running in our souls, we may by this come to the spring-head of election. When a man cannot look up to the firmament, yet he may know the moon is there by seeing it shine upon the water: so, though I cannot look up into the secret of God's purpose, yet I may know I am elected by the shining of sanctifying grace in my soul. Whosoever finds the Word of God transcribed and copied out into his heart, may undeniably conclude his election."

-Thomas Watson "All Things for Good"

Mark Driscoll on Biblical Manhood...a must watch

2010-08-24T18:08:00.001-04:00

Paul Tripp on Grace...

2010-08-11T09:23:00.003-04:00

Grace is the most transformational word in the Bible. The entire content of the Bible is a narrative of God's grace, a story of undeserved redemption. By the transformational power of his grace, God unilaterally reaches his hands into the muck of this fallen world, through the presence of his Son, and radically transforms his children from what we are (sinners) into what we are becoming by his power (Christ-like). The famous Newton hymn uses the best word possible, maybe the only word big enough, for that grace—amazing....

To read the rest of the article on DesiringGod, click the link.

Eternal Life is Given to All Who Come for It - Charles Spurgeon

2010-08-08T07:51:00.003-04:00

And ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life.”—John v 40.

This brings us to the third point: that ETERNAL LIFE IS GIVEN TO ALL WHO COME FOR IT. There never was a man who came to Christ for eternal life, for legal life, for spiritual life, who had not already received it, in some sense, and it was manifested to him that he had received it soon after he came. Let us take one or two texts:— “He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto him.” Every man who comes to Christ will find that Christ is able to save him—not able to save him a little, to deliver him from a little sin, to keep him from a little trial, to carry him a little way and then drop him—but able to save him to the uttermost extent of his sin, unto the uttermost length of his trials, the uttermost depths of his sorrows, unto the uttermost duration of his existence. Christ says to every one who comes to him, “Come, poor sinner, thou needst not ask whether I have power to save. I will not ask thee how far thou hast gone into sin; I am able to save thee to the utter most.” And there is no one on earth can go beyond God’s “uttermost.”

Now another text: “Him that cometh to me, (mark the promises are nearly always to the coming ones) I will in no wise cast out.” Every man that comes shall find the door of Christ’s house opened—and the door of his heart too—Every man that comes—I say it in the broadest sense—shall find that Christ has mercy for him. The greatest absurdity in the world is to want to have a wider gospel than that re corded in Scripture. I preach that every man that believes shall be saved—that every man who comes shall find mercy. People ask me, “But suppose a man should come who was not chosen, would he be saved?” You go and suppose nonsense and I am not going to give you an answer. If a man is not chosen he will never come. When he does come it is a sure proof that he was chosen. Says one, “Suppose any one should go to Christ who had not been called of the Spirit.” Stop, my brother, that is a supposition thou hast no right to make, for such a thing cannot happen; you only say it to entangle me, and you will not do that just yet. I say every man who comes to Christ shall be saved. I can say that as a Calvinist, or as a hyper Calvinist, as plainly as you can say it. I have no narrower gospel than you have; only my gospel is on a solid foundation, whereas yours is built upon nothing but sand and rottenness. “Every man that cometh shall be saved, for no man cometh to me except the Father draw him.” “But,” says one, “suppose all the world should come, would Christ receive them?” Certainly, if all came; but then they won’t come. I tell you all that come—aye,if they were as bad as devils, Christ would receive them; if they had all sin and filthiness running into their hearts as into a common sewer for the whole world, Christ would receive them. Another says, “I want to know about the rest of the people. May I go out and tell them—Jesus Christ died for every one of you? May I say—there is righteousness for every one of you, there is life for every one of you?” No; you may not. You may say—there is life for every man that comes. But if you say there is life for one of those that do not believe, you utter a dangerous lie. If you tell them that Jesus Christ was punished for their sins, and yet they will he lost, you tell a willful false hood. To think that God could punish Christ and then punish them—I wonder at your daring to have the impudence to say so! A good man was once preaching that there were harps and crowns in heaven for all his congregation; and then he wound up in a most solemn manner: “My dear friends, there are many for whom these things are prepared who will not get there.” In fact, he made such a pitiful tale, as indeed he might do; but I tell you who he ought to have wept for—he ought to have wept for the angels of heaven and all the saints, because that would spoil heaven thoroughly. You know when you meet at Christmas, if you have lost your brother David and his seat is empty, you say: “Well, we always enjoyed Christmas, but there is a drawback to it now—poor David is dead and buried!” Think of the angels saying: “Ah! this is a beautiful heaven, but we don’t like to see all those crowns up there with cobwebs on; we cannot endure that uninhabited street: we cannot behold yon empty thrones.” And then, poor souls, they might begin talking to one another, and say, “we are none of us safe here, for the promise was—‘I give unto my sheep eternal life,’ and there is a lot of them in hell that God gave eternal life to; there is a number that Christ shed his blood for burning in the pit, and if they may be sent there, so may we. If we cannot trust one promise we cannot another.” So heaven would lose its foundation, and fall. Away with your nonsensical gospel! God gives us a safe and solid one, built on covenant doings and covenant relationships, on eternal purposes and sure fulfilments.

To read the rest of this sermon titled "Free Will a Slave" click on the link.

Two Sermons and an Update....

2010-07-20T20:36:00.004-04:00

It has been a while since I've actually posted to AdjustMyThoughts. Life has been a little busier lately, and your prayers are very much coveted. I wanted to share the most recent sermons I have preached, and and these are probably the two sermons that have impacted me the most, in that they have been weighty on my heart.
The first sermon is called "Dont Trust In It". This sermon was taken from Matthew 7:21-23 and focuses on some of the most sobering words of Jesus that are directed at people who claim to be attached to Him. In this message I didn't want to focus on the tragedy of the scenario as much as I wanted to focus on the reason these people who really thought they loved and knew Jesus, dont make it into heaven. The need for justification is the root of their issue, and the fact that they would rather trust in "doing for" Jesus rather than Jesus Himself, is the reason they find themselves without a Savior on the Day of Judgment. We must be careful as Christians to not get caught in the fruit of Christianity and end up missing out on the Root of Christianity. In the end, to miss out on Christ is to miss everything: even if you tithed, served in church ministries, witnessed your faith, or did many miracles.

"Dont Trust in It"

The most recent message I preached was actually a sermon I taught earlier in the year, but God doesn't say the same thing twice, at least not in this situation. This message was taken from Psalm 1, and the title of this message is "Delight in God's Law". The focus of this message was a contrast between the righteous and the wicked, and there is only one determinant between the two: God's Word. Our attitude towards God's law is the factor that determines whether we will find ourselves in the congregation of the righteous or the wicked on that Great Day of Judgment. To delight in God's law is only possible when one has been given the heart and mind to delight in it and meditate on it.

Delight in God's Law

I look forward to posting more frequently the rest of the year, also I'm hoping to re-design the site as well, as I think the shroud picture is starting to be a little gloomy....it will always be about Christ though. May Grace be with you as you listen to these sermons and may God continue to keep you....

If you cannot see the sermons, visit AdjustMyThoughts.com for the original posting...

Justification in Job 33

2010-06-12T07:06:00.000-04:00

19Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his bones,
20so that his life loathes bread,
and his appetite the choicest food.
21His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22His soul draws near the pit,
and his life to those who bring death.
23If there be for him an angel,
a mediator, one of the thousand,
to declare to man what is right for him,
24and he is merciful to him, and says,
'Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found a ransom;
25let his flesh become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor';
26then man prays to God, and he accepts him;
he sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he restores to man his righteousness.
27He sings before men and says:
'I sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit,
and my life shall look upon the light.'

29"Behold, God does all these things,
twice, three times, with a man,
30to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with the light of life.

- Job 33:19-30

I came across this passage in Job 33 and was amazed at the points on justification found in these verses.
If you arent familiar with the situation of Job, then I encourage you to read the book. It contains wonderful truth concerning the Sovereignty of God over Satan, the world, and suffering. Job is a man who has found favor in the sight of the Lord, being upright and very prosperous in his life. Satan, the accuser, approaches God and believes that ,with God's Sovereign permission, he can cause Job to turn against Him by taking away Job's possessions, destroying his family, and afflicting his body. Job is both consoled and condemned by his five friends who offer him a variety of answers as to why his sufferings are taking place. Job is left with unanswered questions after the last sentence of the fourth, but Elihu, the fifth friend responds to Job in a long rebuke, that causes Job to look his Maker in the face and bow down before The King of Kings.
Verses 19 - 22 I believe describe every man's sinful state. While Ephesians 2:1 says that we are dead in trespases and sins, this description of a man in Job is one that is very close to death. Pain, strife, vanity in food, and temporary pleasures: this is life for every person on this planet because of the universiality of sin and its effects - and yet men glory in this life, thinking its worth something apart from God. Every man experiences pain, sickness (from a head cold to cancer) strife , stress, and the temporary unfulfilling pleasures of this world: to eat and never be filled, to enjoy the most wonderful pleasures and to never be satisfied. These are the effects of spiritual death on this earth and all men in this state are helpless and hopeless. Our bodies age, our flesh wastes away, gravity kicks in, our bones stick out. Although all of our death experiences may not be as this one, physically, we all deserve this slow kind of suffering, and we all experience this aging and wasting away.
His soul draws near to the pit is a refrence to death and possibly Hell. This word 'pit' is mentioned five times in Job 33 and I dont think that it just means "grave" by itself, because if a man were to die in the condition mentioned previously, apart from God, there wouldnt just be physical death for him, but also spiritual death, namely, eternal corruption and destruction in Hell - something all sinners deserve. Death is a magnet and no ones life can escape its pull. The question is not will death strike? The question is when will death strike? Everyday the sinner lives without the redeeming blood of Christ is another day that his soul is uncontrollably pulled one step closer to death and destruction.
In short, this man is hopeless, wasted, and dead. His only solution, or hope is outside of himself . There must be a messenger, a mediator, an ambassador to save him. Jesus Christ is that mediator between the spiritually dead man and the Just God (1 Tim 2:5).By declaring what is "right for him", Christ declares Himself. He is the only Way that a man can be righteous before God. Christ mercifully shows the hopeless sinner that the only road to righteousness is Himself. This is grace at its apex. Through the perfect life of Jesus Christ and through His substitutionary death on the cross, God has declared to the sinner that there is deliverance from His wrath and there is life and righteousness in Jesus Christ. Through Christ, the Judge of all the earth does right. He sees the imputed righteousness of His Son on those who were unworthy. He declares to those who were once His enemies that they have been purchased with His blood and their sins have not been counted against them. He gives His own a new heart and a new spirit. He gives them faith to believe, and repentance that leads to life. The blood of Christ is the ransom for the many who believe on Him and it is for them that He gives His life (Mark 10:45; Isa 53:12)
Furthermore, now that the Root of Justification has been shown....what is the fruit of Justification?
Verses 25-28 speak about the results and the effects of what has happened to this man who was once on his deathbed.
1) His "flesh becomes fresh with youth." Isa 40:31 says " but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary;they shall walk and not faint." Romans 8:11 "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." 1 Cor 15:40 "I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep,but we shall all be changed,in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality...."
2)"Then man prays to God, and He accepts him." Contrary to what many think, "He accepts him" does not mean man accepts Jesus into his heart as his personal Lord and Savior because of a one time prayer....rather, "He accepts him" means that God has accepted and recieved this sinner into His Kingdom on the meritorious work of Christ alone, and that is why this man prays. This is repentance, an ongoing, progressive repentance that goes deeper and deeper at each and every greater revelation of sin and greater revelation of God. This prayer says "Save me! Keep me! I will perish without saving grace! I am hopeless!" This prayer is the prayer of the tax collector in Luke 18:13 "But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'. Jesus said that it was THIS man that went away justified. Likewise, this man in Job 33 has also experienced the wonderful grace of justification.
Upon praying and being broken over his sin, the penitent sinner, at the end of himself beholds the beauty of saving grace in the face of Jesus Christ. "He sees HIS face with a shout of joy". This same man who was once sickly unto death, bones sticking out, flesh withering, destined for hell, is now filled with life, rejoicing at the joy of his salvation! The solution to this man's problem was not a "best life now", or a even a "purpose" to live for; this man was changed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ, that didnt come from himself, but came from the Mediator. The beauty of the Savior and His grace was enough: it revives, restores, and renews the one who is dead in trespasses and sins.
3)"He restores to man his righteousness". In one word: Imputation. Matthew Henry puts it this way "Righteousness shall be imputed to him, and peace thereupon spoken, the joy and gladness of which he shall then be made to hear though he could not hear them in the day of his affliction. God will now deal with him as a righteous man, with whom it shall be well. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, even righteousness, Ps. 24:5. God shall give him grace to go and sin no more." This man has recieved the imputation of Christ's perfect righteousness, and he has also revieved a new heart that has the laws of God written upon it so that he may be guided by the Spirit, and he has also recieved a new mind, transformed by the Spirit's work so that he may do that good and perfect will of God. Christs righteousness earns this man eternal life, this mans righteousness in Christ is proof that the former is true.
4)"He sings before men and says..." Observe the outward manifestations of what has happened inwardly to this man. He should in no way rely solely on his outward expressions to confirm the inward work. To trust in what he sees, or feels, or does, or expresses is to not trust in Christ and Christ alone. This man is singing of this work done by God, he is joyful about it! Confession of sin, repentance, thanks to God are all things that he is mentioning and that are ever before his eyes. He realizes that this was not a man-generated work, but a God-generated work, HE didnt give me what I deserved. HE delivered my soul from the pit. This man was not the captain of his own fate, God was. Yet, God had mercy on him - through Christ. This man's testimony is not about works, its about grace. He looks upon the light because he has been made to look upon the light. Because he has been saved, he now looks upon the light and lives. He sees his sin and loathes it, he realizes that he has perverted and wasted his life. He feels the reality of his justification in that he owed an infinite debt to an Almighty Sovereign and he no longer has to pay it. He had committed crimes against the maker of the universe and deserved an eternal sentencing of capital punishment. He would be incarcerated in the lowest parts of hell for ages beyond ages, and then into his courtroom walks an Advocate, a punishment absorbing, gracious and merciful man who bears his sentence and transfers all that He is to him.

Conclusion, Behold! Who does these things? Is it man? Is it part man-part God? Is it good works? Is it free will? No, it is God! "God does all these things, twice, three times with a man". Ephesians 2:4-9 "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works,so that no one may boast." Why does He do these things? One reason leads to another. 1) to bring back his soul from the pit. God saves so that sinners will not perish under His wrath, and so that He might save a people for Himself. (Eze 36:31) 2) "that he may be lighted with the light of life." Its amazing to me that Christ is also referred to in John 1:4 as the light of life. I think that in addition to physical life, as referred to in the context of this passage, i think this refers to spiritual life as well. Christ gives physical life to all, because He is the source of life, but to as many as recieve Him , to them He gives the right to become children of God. The grace in salvation isn't limited in that Christ just pays for sins and thats it. He doesn't just resurrect a dead man and leave him standing in grave clothes. He gives him new life and then gives to him a life he would never have been able to live on his own. Christ gives His righteousness. The infinite debt isn't just paid and the balance is zero, but the account is filled with all things that pertain to life and godliness because "if He spared not His own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"(Romans 8:32) . God is sovereign in salvation, regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. It is wonderful to see the points of justification seen so clearly in this passage, namely in a book outside of Paul's writings. To me this re-affirms scripture's doctrinal chain that runs all throughout the Bible and cannot be broken.

God's Sovereignty and Unbelievers...

2010-06-03T08:56:00.000-04:00

A dear brother posted this question on Facebook yesterday. My comments below...

Q:If God is ultimately soveriegn, what effect(positive and negative) and/or benefit does the Cross of Christ have on unbelievers, who will never come to believe?

God's sovereignty and man's responsibility are two lines that will never cross. The unbelievers condemnation and eternal punishment has everything to do with God's sovereignty and sinful man's sinfulness. With that said, I dont see any positive benefits of the cross for the unbeliever, simply because "the wrath of God remains on them" (John 3:36) They are condemned before the cross; if they view the cross and reject it, they are still condemned, and they are actually worse off than before because they have seen their only hope in the infinitely glorious Christ and have still rejected Him. I think the cross of Christ and the good news concerning it, namely the gospel has a two-fold effect in its power, a power to save and a power to condemn. 2 Corinthians 2:14 says "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?" There are two fragrances; both glorify God. Ill explain the fragrance of death to death. I think this means that although God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, His justice and righteousness are on glorious display in that He judges and condemns sinners. He is glorified in exercising forbearance and patience in fitting/preparing a vessel for destruction (Rom 2:4-5; 9:22)."Death to death" to me means the same as Jesus words in John 3:18 "condemned already"....you were condemned...youre still condemned; dead...still dead.... The gospel's two-fold power is seen in giving life to those who believe and being a stumbling block to those who are perishing. (Luke 2:34; John 9:39; 1 Peter 2:7-8; Matt 13:10-16; 2 Cor 2:14)

5 Things You Should Know About Christ's Substitutionary Death....

2010-05-22T10:35:00.004-04:00

The key question in Christianity is, Why the cross? Why did Jesus die? Erickson offers these five implications of the substitutionary death of Christ:

1. It confirms the biblical teaching of the total depravity of humans.
2. It demonstrates both the love and the justice of God in a perfect unity.
3. Salvation comes from the pure, sovereign grace of God.
4. The believer can be secure in the grace of God.
5. We are motivated not to neglect so great a salvation that came at such a great cost.

- Ericson, Christian Theology, 822-823

-taken from "Introduction to Evangelism" by Alvin Reid

Righteous Nightmares....

2010-05-14T10:51:00.004-04:00

Now a word was brought to me stealthily;
my ear received the whisper of it.
13Amid thoughts from visions of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men,
14dread came upon me, and trembling,
which made all my bones shake.
15A spirit glided past my face;
the hair of my flesh stood up.
16It stood still,
but I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
there was silence, then I heard a voice:
17 'Can mortal man be in the right before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker?
18Even in his servants he puts no trust,
and his angels he charges with error;
19how much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
whose foundation is in the dust,
who are crushed like the moth.
20Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces;
they perish forever without anyone regarding it.
21Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them,
do they not die, and that without wisdom?'

- Job 4:12-21

This passage reminds me of who God is, and reminds me of who I am. Its so easy to get caught up in a works righteousness, trusting in what you do and your good days, thinking that they are keeping you in grace. WRONG! Its only your Maker, who doesent even trust the most transcendent and holiest of angels, Who keeps you. It wouldnt matter if I obeyed every commandment (I should); It wouldnt matter if I preformed many mighty miracles (I should be praying for them), and it wouldnt matter if i never sinned (although He calls me to be holy as He is)....none of these things makes me pure before God. Only the blood of Christ makes this mortal 5'11 clay figurine something of worth in His sight. I mean He could crush me like a moth! He approaches me and my hair stands straight up! My bones shake before Him! Yet the heart of a man so decieves him so that he thinks he can look God in the face and be justified according to his works.....Tell that to the spirit who stands at the foot of your bed and reminds you of your mortality...if you can get the words out....selah...

Why I Study Theology, and Why I Recommend This Book by Josh Harris....

2010-05-07T08:14:00.002-04:00

DugDownDeep_Carnahan.mov from Covenant Life Church on Vimeo.

If you cant see this video, you can see the original post at www.adjustmythoughts.com
or you can visit Joshua Harris.com to find out more about the book

Dangers Facing the Young and Reformed - Paul Washer

2010-04-30T08:30:00.000-04:00

Dangers Facing the Young and Reformed - Paul Washer from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

Why Me? - R.C. Sproul

2010-04-24T07:54:00.002-04:00

"The deepest theological question that I can think of, the one for which I have no adequate answer, is the question, 'Why Me?' My students come to me with all kind of conundrums from theology, but they rarely ask, "Why did God save me?" It sometimes seems as if we're thinking: "Why wouldn't He save me?" Yes, we have little aphorisms such as, "There, but for the grace of God, go I." Do we really believe that? Are we really amazed by the measure of grace God has poured out on us? Can we say with John, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God!"(1 John 3:1). I cannot give a single reason under heaven why God would save me other than, as the prophet Isaiah said, that the Suffering Servant of Israel should see the travail of His soul and be satisfied - that God has determined to honor His Son by giving Him adopted brothers and sisters (Isa.53:11).

In the final analysis, the only reason I am a Christian is that the Father wants to honor the Son. From all eternity, He determined that the Son's work would not be in vain and that He would be the firstborn of many brethren. Therefore, He determined not just to make salvation possible and then step back and cross His fingers, hoping that somebody would take advantage of the ministry of Jesus. No, God the Father, from all eternity, determined to make salvation certain for those whom He had determined to give to His Son.

- R.C. Sproul on John 6:37, from his commentary on the Gospel of John "John:St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary"

Matthew Henry on 1 Cor. 4:20

2010-04-23T12:02:00.002-04:00

1 Corinthians 4:20 "For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power."

For, adds he, the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. It is not set up, nor propagated, nor established, in the hearts of men, by plausible reasonings nor florid discourses, but by the external power of the Holy Spirit in miraculous operations at first, and the powerful influence of divine truth on the minds and manners of men. Note, It is a good way in the general to judge of a preacher’s doctrine, to see whether the effects of it upon men’s hearts to be truly divine. That is most likely to come from God which in its own nature is most fit, and in event is found to produce most likeness to God, to spread piety and virtue, to change men’s hearts and mend their manners.

Did Jesus Preach Paul's Gospel?

2010-04-19T19:27:00.000-04:00

T4G 2010 -- Session 6 -- John Piper from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Matt Chandler @ Together For the Gospel

2010-04-17T12:09:00.000-04:00

T4G 2010 -- Special Session -- Matt Chandler from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

If you cannot see the video, you can view the original post @ AdjustMyThoughts

Grace Active - A Puritan Prayer

2010-04-16T11:40:00.001-04:00

Grace Active
O God, may Thy Spirit speak in me that I may speak to Thee. I Lord Jesus, great
high priest, Thou hast opened a new and living way by which a fallen creature can
approach Thee with acceptance.
Help me to contemplate the dignity of Thy Person, the perfectness of Thy
sacrifice, the effectiveness of Thy intercession.
O what blessedness accompanies devotion, when under all the trials that weary
me, the cares that corrode me, the fears that disturb me, the infirmities that oppress me,
I can come to Thee in my need and feel peace beyond understanding!
The grace that restores is necessary to preserve, lead, guard, supply, help me.
And here Thy saints encourage my hope; they were once poor and are now rich, bound
and are now free, tried and now are victorious.
Every new duty calls for more grace than I now possess, but not more than is
found in Thee, the divine treasury in whom all fullness dwells. To Thee I repair for grace
upon grace, until every void made by sin be replenished and I am filled with all Thy
fullness.
May my desires be enlarged and my hopes emboldened, that I may honour Thee
by my entire dependency and the greatness of my expectation.
Do Thou be with me, and prepare me for all the smiles of prosperity, the frowns
of adversity, the losses of substance, the death of friends, the days of darkness, the
changes of life, and the last great change of all. May I find thy grace sufficient for all my
needs.

Thoughts on Death...

2010-04-06T13:18:00.003-04:00

Recently I've been gathering some thoughts on death. It seems like around the funerals of our loved ones that we are faced to think about death, in our lives and in the lives of others, and I believe that this meditation upon death and what happens after it is a gift from God. I believe this because death is not something that any of us wants to think about, yet it is something that we will all face. Many men in this world are the best of planners, organizers, and strategists in many fields of work , yet all men are procrastinators when it comes to death. Who can prepare for it?Who can gird up for the unknown? What man can give assurance or write a book on "Ive been through death and let me show you how you can be ready?" None. Its almost as though people will accept Chist just on the terms of "death security"...and this I believe is partially wrong. Why? Because its selfish. Christ only becomes the juke move that gets you past the last defender and into the end zone....thats the mentality of the one who uses salvation to prepare for death. Convictions of death and the judgment are good, convictions of unpreparedness for death and the afterlife are even better, but it is only selfish ambition that takes these convictions and will do ANYTHING to soothe his soul and give him assurance. He would rather have Jesus than lose his soul, as one song says, and this is off because the real question is "If death wasnt an issue, would you still rather have Jesus?" If hell never existed, would you just as enthusiastically and just as joyfully treasure Christ and run into his arms? I believe that separates the wheat from the tares in this world because although we all have a fear of death, the one who recieves grace treasures Christ infinitely and death is no longer an issue. On the other hand the professor of faith fears death, sees Christ as a Savior from it, runs to Him, yet never treasures Him and continues treasuring the things of this life, and Christ is just a ticket to heaven. This is not to say that a person with such motives is not saved at all, but if he is saved...it will be only by fire. He will become a legalist, doing only what he thinks will keep him saved, and will keep his "ticket" from expiring. The one who has recieved grace is no longer afraid of death but realizes that death is only another weapon that shall not prosper against him.He realizes that death is just another pawn that serves the King of Kings in conforming His children into the infinitely worthy image of Christ. Death has no victory; Death CANNOT separate us from the love of Christ, and Death cannot take prisoner the one who believes on Christ. To think about death losing its sting against the one who Christ has purchased is to think about being struck by a sword with no edge....or a gun with silk bullets. The thought of being struck or shot is wearisome and grievious as is the thought of lesving this world and our loved ones; but the outcome of the action is painless and actually a pleasure because to live is Christ and to die is gain. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. God is glorified in our deaths when we show that even death is just a tool to make Christ look more glorious. Knowing these things is far more comforting that any comfort that the world can give. To know that a Sovereign God is in control of all and especially works for the good of His glory and the good of His people is a blessing that we can rest in . To know that our appointed time of death is in His complete control and that nothing in this universe can take us out without his loving and gracious permission is simply amazing. And to know that all things, even death only work to strengthen the golden chain of salvation so that those whom he forknew, He predestines, and those who He predestines He calls, those whom He calls He justifies, and those whom He justifies, He glorifies. Life, death, sickness, pain, pleasure, tribulations, blessings, powers, and principalities only serve to strengthen these effectual promises of God to those who believe. The world finds comfort in death with memories, pictures, stories, and writings...and these things are truly to be cherished, but the Christian can find comfort in knowing that the next time we see our loved ones they will appear with Christ, to never die again and they will be sinless, shining, not in earthly apparrel but in a white robe. They will be perfect, with no flaws or imperfections, totally Christlike and of one heart and mind with Christ.

Lemuel Haynes on The Providence of God...

2010-03-28T16:53:00.002-04:00

"Some are unwilling to acknowledge the absolute and unlimited providence and agency of God in the production of all things, especially with the respect to the existence of moral evil, that it implies wickedness in Jehovah; as though there must be the same in the cause as in the effect: should this be admitted, we must deny God in the greater parts of creation and providence. Would men learn to distinguish between events in their own nature, and the good to which they are made subservient, it would relieve them of many difficulties. However wicked Pharaoh was in devoting the Hebrew children to death, yet good was effected thereby, and the hand of God shone conspicuous....

All will allow that God permitted or suffered sin to take place; But if, on the whole, it is not promotive or made subservient to the highest possible good, then He cannot be vindicated in permitting it to be; but if it is best that sin should have existence, why cannot the divine Character be cleared in causing it to take place? Some, to relieve themselves of difficulties, suppose sin to be merely negative, consisting in the want of holiness; But can this be criminal only as implying positive exercises of hatred to God? Should I tell my neighbor who stands by me, that the pen with which I now write is crooked - should he reprove me for my impertinence and deficiency of language, and say I had not declared the thing as it is; for it wants straitness, should I gain much philosophical instruction by the remark? "

from "Divine Decrees" by Lemuel Haynes

an excerpt from Thabiti Anyabwile's "The Decline of African American Theology"

The Deceitfulness of Sin.... by John Owen

2010-03-21T17:26:00.003-04:00

In this we see the deceitfulness of sin. It gradually prevails to harden man's heart to his ruin (Heb. 3:13). Sin's expression is modest in the beginning but, once it has gained a foothold, it continues to take further ground and presses on to greater heights. This advance of sin keeps the soul from seeing that it is drifting from God. The soul becomes indifferent to the seed of sin as it continues to grow. This growth has no boundaries but utter denial of God and opposition to Him. Sin precedes higher by degrees; it hardens the heart as it advances. This enables the deceitfulness of sin to drive the soul deeper and deeper into sin. Nothing can prevent this but mortification. Mortification withers the root and strikes at the head of sin every hour. The best saints in the world are in danger of a fall if found negligent in this important duty!

John Owen - "The Mortification of Sin"

Thoughts on God's Daily Benefits to His People....Charles Spurgeon

2010-03-18T10:29:00.000-04:00

Psalm 68:19-20

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. He that is our God is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death."

This is an excerpt from a sermon by Charles Spurgeon from Psalm 68. To view the whole sermon click here. This is an awesome sermon focusing upon God's gracious benefits to us...both in life and in death. Consider all of what God has done for you in life and in Christ....

"Leave that word then, and note the next. It is said in the text concerning God's benefits, that he loads us with them—loads us with benefits. He does not put a little upon us of his goodness, but much; very much, until it becomes a load. Have you never known what it is to be bowed right down with such goodness? I have, I freely confess it—I have desired to praise him, but a sense of love so bowed me down that I could only adopt the language of the psalmist and say, "Praise is silent for thee, O God, in Zion." It seemed as if "words were but air, and tongues but clay, and his compassion's so divine," that it was impossible to speak of them. His mercies, as our hymn said just now, come as think and as fast as the moments do. In fact, it is literally so. Every moment needs heavings of the lungs, pulsings of the blood. The slightest circumstance might prevent one or the other. God's continued benefits come to us even in the simple form of preserved life. We are constantly exposed to peril. "Plagues and death around us fly."God preserves us from perils to the body. Our thoughts—whither might they go? They might in a moment lead us into heresies and foul blasphemies. It is no little thing to be preserved from that spiritual pestilence that walketh both in darkness and the noonday. Glory be to God, who sends us temporal and spiritual benefits so numerous, and each one so weighty, that eye cannot say less than this, "That he daily loadeth us with his benefits, until we seem bowed down to the earth under a joyful sense of obligation to his mercy." "He loadeth us with benefits."

Oh! are any of you inclined to murmur? Do you think God deals hard with you? Well, you are what you are by his grace. Though you are not what you wish to be, yet remember you are not what, if strict justice were carried out, you would be. In the poor-house you might be—few admire that residence. In the prison you might be—God preserves you from the sin that would bring you there. In the lunatic asylum you might be—better men and women than you are have come to that. At the grave's mouth you might be—on the sick bed, on the verge of eternity. God's holiest saints have not been spared from the grave. In hell you might be—amongst the lost, wailing, but hopelessly wailing, gnashing your teeth in utter despair. O God, when we think of what we are not, because thy grace has kept us from it, we cannot but say, "Thou hast loaded us with benefits."

But then think of what you are, you Christians. You are God's children; you are joint-heirs with Christ. "All things are yours"; ay, and "things to come," you have guaranteed too—preservation to the end, and you have, after the end of this life, glory without end. The "many mansions" are for you; the palms and harps of the glorified are for you. You have a share in all that Christ has, and is, and shall be. In all the gifts of his ascension you have a part; in the gifts that come to us through his session at the right hand of God, you have your share; and in, the glories of the Second Advent, the grand hope of the Church of God, you shall partake. See how, in the present, and in the past, and in the future, he loadeth you with benefits. There are two great words already.

Some Thoughts on Total Depravity....

2010-03-17T12:46:00.000-04:00

This is a quote I came across in doing some historical research. This is just to focus on Total Depravity and some thoughts concerning it...Should the fact that all men are under sin prevent all men from doing "good", namely loving our neighbors and helping those in need?And how does total depravity play a part in human benevolence? Heres the quote, my response follows...

..."The Renaissance was too optimistic, and the Reformation too pessimistic. The former so concentrated on the goodness of man that it overlooked his capacity for evil; the latter so concentrated on the wickedness of man that it overlooked his capacity for goodness. While rightfully affirming the sinfulness of human nature and man's incapacity to save himself, the Reformation wrongly affirmed that the image of God had been completely erased from man. This led to the Calvinistic concept of the total depravity of man and to a resurrection of the terrible idea of infant damnation. So depraved is human nature, said the doctrinaire Calvinist, that if a baby dies without baptism he will burn forever in hell. Certainly this carries the idea of man's sinfulness to far. This lopsided Reformation theology has often emphasized a purely otherworldly religion, which stresses the utter hopelessness of this world and calls upon the individual to concentrate on preparing his soul for the world to come."

My response: I will firstly say that I do believe in the reformed doctrine of total depravity. I do not believe that infants are condemned to hell AT ALL, simply for accountability's sake.I believe that if God in His Sovereignty sees fit to allow the death of an infant, He has a Infinitely Glorious purpose in it, and that purpose should not be questioned and that life remains with Him because of the grace that He gives to it. He is not unjust for this.
I see where this quote is coming from, and to a certain degree,its right. To observe a mans sinfulness and say " He can't do anything good anyway, so he might as well just sit there and let God do it all - save the world and save his soul" is lazy, its totally ignorant of what Scripture teaches. Yes, man was created in the image of God - yes, everyman knows enough about God through His creation and through the light of his conscience that he has morality. He can help an old lady across the street; He can show mercy to his neighbor who owes him money, and He can be unjust and yet still be kind to the one who consistently asks for help. This is us. People build hospitals, start orphanages, shelter the homeless, end hunger in underprivileged countries, make protests against segregation, the abortion of babies, and cruelty to animals. These things are good and no one can deny that. As a matter of fact, it would be beneficial to you as a person created in the image of God to be involved in some of these things, because they are good....but good with a little g...and this is where I believe this quote missed it somewhat... The doctrine of total depravity is not to be taken as, "Man is as evil as he could be"...No, for we could ALL be murderers, drunks, slanderers, and the worst of humans...and then we could sit around and rely on God to save us,while we continue deliberately murdering, stealing and pushing our sinfulness to the limit. This is warped. The doctrine of total depravity tells me that sin effects every part of my nature: mind, soul and body, so that when I do good - help a friend in need - evil is always present with me (ten seconds later I lie to that friend about what time I must leave from helping him).And yet when I walk away from helping that friend, I reckon myself justified in the eyes of myself and in the eyes of God. "Hey God, look at me! I just helped a friend!" And I totally blew it in reality because right after I helped...I sinned. In the eyes of God I'm as wicked as Hitler, not because I helped a friend, but because I lied. My "righteousness" has been soiled and now has another filthy spot on it. I have committed a sin in the sight of a Purely Holy and Just God...whether it was killing 10 million people or telling a white lie...and I am worthy of an infinite hell because I committed a crime against an infinite ruler.
Total depravity is not debunking man's capacity for good works. It's debunking man's wicked and sinful heart that thinks that he is justified in doing those good works. Whatever is not of faith in Christ, relying on Him as the most worthy and Infinite Good, is sin. So, I applaud Oprah, Clooney ,and Brad Pitt when they give millions to help thousands of helpless people. But it was only the grace of God that enabled them to give and not say "No, we wont!"...because they are just as capable of saying that because they are sinful. But I will not applaud these people when they stand before the world or stand before God in judgment throwing their list of good works in God's face saying "This is why I should get in!!" They're lost....and for that reason we should pray for God to give grace....not so that they can do more horizontal good....but so that they will be part of the Vertical Good. This is total depravity: Although fallen persons are capable of externally good acts (acts that are good for society), they cannot do anything really good, i.e., pleasing to God (Rom. 8:8). God, however, looks on the heart. And from his ultimate standpoint, fallen man has no goodness, in thought, word, or deed. He is therefore incapable of contributing anything to his salvation. (John Frame)

Second: This is why many charities and Christian organizations miss it - because they give men an earthly good (rights, freedom, protection of life, protection of marriage, feeding of the hungry, clothing of the naked, shelter of the homeless) and they deny them the Greatest Good - Christ. We feed millions with bread from earth, and starve them with bread from heaven. We give thousands water from earthly wells, and dehydrate them of Living Water from the Well of Life. A watered-down gospel, or no gospel at all is going to leave millions of people standing on the left at judgment day fully clothed, educated, filled with food and drink, and lost...subject to damnation because they were never given the Gospel.

The context surrounding this quote is civil rights. I understand that this was a time filled with hatred, violence and many people just sat back and did nothing about it, or reacted the wrong way. But standing on the greener grass of liberation in 2010, I see that as a people, we were set free from racism and then handcuffed to culturalism, materialism, and post-modernism. We got an earthly good in being truly liberated from segregation and racism...but we missed the Greatest Good, Christ, because our theology and Christ-centeredness is at its worst. Many of our churches do GREAT things for the communities and for the nations, but on the flip-side, our pulpits are filled with false doctrines, prosperity gospels, and "bless me now" sermons. Millions of dollars are brought into our churches and ministers are sleeping around on their wives; homosexuality and lesbianism is tolerated as the new "civil rights" and leaders say nothing. I do not say this to judge; I say this as one who looks to partake of some fruit from their trees, yet when I approach, I see that its bad. My prayer is that God would draw us back to a knowledge of Him...not just a proper theology, but a riveting regenerating worship that will break the chains of post-modernism off.

Third: In conclusion,in addition to the civil rights movement, as for preparing for the world to come, many blacks were ridiculed pre and post civil rights because they tolerated injustice in the name of "this momentary affliction". Preparation for the world to come is never a pastime that should be used to avoid the problems in this world. Our hope in heaven should never be an excuse to sit tight and not do good, or not share the gospel. Rather, our hope in heaven should be the steel cable that pulls us up from the darkness in this world, and all the while we are being pulled, we are reaching out to help others so they might partake in this hope. A hope in heaven should propel the Christian to stand up for the widow and the orphan; a hope in heaven should motivate the believer to stand for justice in this world and fight for the law of God to be upheld and esteemed over all. For the people of God, a hope for heaven is a remedy for a hopeless world - it provides a solution to suffering, pain, tribulation, and death. The problem with most people is that their hope is in this world - and therefore they seek to make it better. The Christians position is that his hope is in heaven, and therefore he seeks to glorify God by walking in the good works ordained for them from before the foundation of the world. It is only a selfish Christian who sits by waiting for heaven like the 5 o'clock bus...and does nothing in this world to glorify God. In fact that selfishness may just prove that he is no Christian at all, namely, because God is glorified in the producing of fruit (John 15). The point is that you produce fruit BECAUSE you're a branch, not because you're trying to be a branch.

In conclusion, I do not believe that man's sinfulness has been mis-interpreted or exhausted because of the doctrine of total depravity. I think that by receiving this doctrine as true, it might produce a bitter taste to our mouths,but it will produce a humility and brokenness in our hearts. If we can see that all men actively suffer from the disease of sin, then those who have been cured can spread the good news and provide the greatest good for those affected by sin.

Tozer on The Tongues Movement of 1904...

2010-03-14T11:04:00.001-04:00

Following D.Martyn Lloyd-Jones quote the other day on the Gifts of the Spirit, here is a quote by A.W. Tozer on the Azusa St. Revival of 1904. Dr. Tozer's insight on this is well rounded and filled with compassion and grace. I like the line where he states "I do not want to hurt anybody's feelings; and if you think this is not true, then you can call me up, come to see me, bring your proof....we've all got to smile and say thank God for the truth no matter whether it hurts or not." Tozer is right, we must always adhere to the Truth in Scripture, and consistently check ourselves and the movements that we see all around us, whether they be evidenced in God's word or not, and once the truth of scripture has been revealed, we must hold to it and esteem it above opinions or anything else.....

"Why is it that we do not cast our lot in with the tongues movement because they believe this? Well now, I have known and studied these dear brethren. I've preached to them for a long, long time and I've studied them; and I know them pretty well, and I'm very sympathetic with them, and I love them in all love and charity,I'd like to say there are some good sweet Christians among them. And I happen to know some dear, beloved, sweet Christians that are in this movement. Also, there are some churches that are very sane, beautiful, godly and good, but a number of things that I want to name have characterized the movement itself.
I do not want to hurt anybody's feelings; and if you think this is not true, then you can call me up, come to see me, bring your proof. If it's true, and as Christians and members of the body of Christ, we've all got to smile and say thank God for the truth no matter whether it hurts or not. The movement itself has done this. It has magnified one single gift above all others and that one gift, as Paul said, was the least. Now, that does not cause me to have great confidence in the movement that would do that. Then there is an unscriptural exhibition of that gift, which incidentally began in the United States about 1904."

From A.W. Tozer's "Mystery of The Holy Spirit"

Be Killing Sin or Sin Will be Killing You....by John Piper

2010-03-13T10:19:00.003-05:00

A very blessed message on the mortification of sin by John Piper. Taken from Romans 8:13, this message encourages the believer to realize that God is on our side, and our war with sin should be evidence that we are saved, not an effort try to be saved. The only way that sin will be defeated in this life is through the power of the Holy Spirit in taking our minds and setting them upon the things of the Spirit. I pray that you will be blessed and encouraged by this message as I have been.

If you cannot see the video, you can look on the original post at the AdjustMyThoughts Blog

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Gifts of the Spirit

2010-03-12T10:56:00.004-05:00

So, as you can tell, im rapidly becomming an even bigger Lloyd-Jones fan....here is another quote from one of the greatest preachers of this century......

"My attitude to the question of Tongues and other gifts is this: I have never been able to accept the traditional teaching as stated particularly, perhaps, by Warfield, that all gifts came to an end at the Apostolic era. I cannot see any scriptural warrant for this teaching; indeed it seems to me to be a kind of dispensationalism which renders much of the epistles useless. For instance it implies that the teaching of 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 19 - 21 has no application today. All I say is, that while it is clear from the history of the Church that certain gifts seem to have been in abeyance over the centuries the Holy Spirit in His Lordship may give them at any time. Indeed there is clear teaching that towards the end of this age such gifts are likely to reappear in great power, and at the same time many counterfeits.The result of all this is that while I am very unhappy about this Charismatic Movement, and regard it as a real danger to the true Church and the Gospel, because it implies constantly that doctrine does not matter at all, I am equally concerned that we should not become guilty of "quenching the Spirit" and tying ourselves up in a dead orthodoxy."

The Cross - by Martyn Lloyd Jones

2010-03-09T18:33:00.003-05:00

Lloyd-Jones book on the cross is perhaps one of the most simplified, easy-to-read, thorough, and in-depth books on the cross that I have ever read. Based on Galatians 6:14, Dr. Lloyd- Jones unpacks this verse and explains and expounds on the power of the cross. While many boast in many things today: job, relationships, achievements, and popularity, Paul makes it clear that these things are all vanity and that the cross of Jesus Christ is not just the greatest thing that we should boast in, its the only thing; and its because of the cross and its exclusiveness that Paul is saying that the world is dead to him. Lloyd-Jones covers many different things that all surround the cross, from the depravity of man, to the holiness and justice of God, to the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in making a sinner a new creature. This book has really been a blessing to read, I highly recommend it.

Jonathan Edwards on Justification by Faith Alone

2010-03-05T09:43:00.003-05:00

Romans 4:5
And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,...

"It appears, that by him that worketh not, in this verse, is not meant one who merely does not comform to the ceremonial law; because he that worketh not and the ungodly, are evidently synonymous expressions, or what signify the same, as appears by the manner of their connexion; if not, to what purpose is the latter expression, the ungodly, brought in? The context gives no other occasion for it, but to show, that by the grace of the gospel, God in justification has no regard to any godliness of ours. The foregoing verse is, “Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” In that verse, it is evident, gospel grace consists in the reward being given without works; and in this verse, which immediately follows it, and in sense is connected with it, gospel-grace consists in a man’s being justified as ungodly. By which it is most plain, that by him that worketh not, and him that is ungodly, are meant the same thing; and that therefore not only works of the ceremonial law are excluded in this business of justification, but works of morality and godliness."

Thoughts on Repentance by Thomas Watson

2010-02-20T21:19:00.001-05:00

The heart will be ready to deceive us in this work of salvation, and make us take a show of grace for grace. Many think they repent when it is not the offence, but the penalty which troubles them; not the treason, but the bloody axe. They think they repent when they shed a few tears; but though this ice begins to melt a little, it freezeth again; they go on still in sin. Many weep for their unkind dealings with God, as Saul did for his unkindness to David. "He said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil" (1 Sam. 24:17). "And Saul lifted up his voice and wept" (I Sam. 24:16). But for all this he follows David again, and pursues after him (1 Sam. 26). Secondly, so men can lift up their voices and weep for sin, yet follow their sins again. Thirdly, others forsake sin, but still they retain the love of it in their hearts. Like the snake that casts the coat but keeps the sting, there is as much difference between false and true tears as between channel water and spring water.

Why AREN'T you a Christian?....by Martyn Lloyd Jones

2010-02-14T14:26:00.000-05:00

"Why do you think it is a clever thing not to be a Christian? What is wrong with Christianity? What is wrong with this blessed person? What is wrong with His teaching? What is your objection? Why do you think it is clever to reject? Why do you blaspheme it? Why do you pour scorn upon it? Why do you hate it? There is only one answer. You are the unconscious victim of the devil. It is the hatred of the devil that is coming out in you. You cannot produce reasons for your hatred. This is the most extraordinary thing in this matter."

Todd Bentley's Open Rebuke...

2010-02-13T08:41:00.003-05:00

This is a public rebuke of Todd Bentley. I believe that there is a total of 8 times that Bentley is rebuked in this video for being a false prophet, an adulterer, and a liar. Bentley, instead of listening to the rebuke, which in all 8 times is done in love, decides to talk over these men, claiming that they are the false prophets and that this rebuking is "righteous persecution". Right....lol.

To see the original post go to AdjustMyThoughts.com

Philippians....The Whole Book of Philippians...

2010-01-31T08:57:00.002-05:00

John Piper quotes whole book of Philippians from memorization. This is a great motivator for those who desire to memorize scripture. Enjoy. (If you cant see the original pose, you can view it at AdjustMyThoughts )

Delight in God

2010-01-24T16:28:00.002-05:00

Delight in God - Audio

I preached this message today from Psalms 1. I really believe the grounding statement for this whole passage is found in verse 2. A delight in the law of the Lord is the determinant for everything that goes on in this passage and it will be the determinant for every Christian's life. If God is our treasure and our delight is in His word, then we will be like a tree rooted and grounded by the waters. Likewise the man whose delight is in God will not be found in the company of sinners or heeding the advice of the ungodly.

It's Been a While

2010-01-20T10:57:00.000-05:00

Yes sir,
It has been a while since I have posted. I really have some things that I would like to post in the near future...if only time permitted...I'm actually typing this from my phone. Work has brought new responsibilities, I've been preaching every Sunday in the new year so far,I have been consumed in my daily Bible reading, working out 4 days a week, reading list books,and I have a rather intense history course online this semester...the list goes on...So, in spite of my juggling act, I would like to say that I will be posting some more stuff soon...most of it will be automated posts, but I am looking forward to writing more...even if it is through the keyboard of my phone, and not the keyboard of my desk..Stay tuned...
May the Lamb that was slain recieve the reward of His suffering...
www.adjustmythoughts.com
repentresource.blogspot.com

Colossians, Character & Christianity

2010-01-12T19:21:00.002-05:00

Colossians, Christianity & Character - Audio

Colossians 1:3-8
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

Paul's beginning words to the Colossian church are ones of commendation, praise and thankfulness to God. He begins his letter to the Colossians by pointing out that their faith in Christ, love for the saints, and their motivation and hope in heaven has not gone un-noticed. God is to be thanked for these attributes displayed in the life of the Colossians and He is to be thanked when these attributes are displayed in our lives. Faith, Hope and Love are synonymous with Christianity; they are not 'deeds' that one must do to try to be saved, rather they are 'fruit' that one possesses because he is saved - and from this fruit, good works come. Character cannot be overlooked in the Christian life - it is the Christian life. The Christian's life is like the branch that is connected to the vine. Because of his connection to the Father, the Christian bears much fruit and because of the Father's chastening, humbling, and reproving love and His overwhelming grace , the Christian bears more fruit and glorifies God.
The gospel is the means by which fruit is produced. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Because the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, it will ALWAYS be growing and bearing fruit as mentioned in Colossians 1:6. Anyone can profess Christianity, but how many can compare their lives to scripture and see the fruit that the Gospel has produced?
In addition to the power of the gospel in producing character and faith in the Christian, the method by which the gospel goes forth is through its preachers. The faithful minister presents the gospel clearly, in depth, unadulterated and filled with truth. Although all are not called to the pulpit ministry, all believers are called to be salt and light, and to preach the gospel to all the nations. Through the light of character and the preaching of the gospel, God is glorified and will draw as many as are called unto Himself. Furthermore, the faithful preacher labors day and night, praying fervently for his people. This was the testimony of Epaphras and it is the example by which we should follow as Christians. Praying not only for ourselves, but for the people whom God in His providence has placed into our lives is what the Christian is called to do. We should pray for the salvation of those who are lost and we are to labor in prayer for the growing of grace and maturity of those who are saved.

Holy Ambition - John Piper

2010-01-10T12:10:00.000-05:00

"The Atonement"- Leon Morris

2010-01-09T09:33:00.005-05:00

I just finished reading 'The Atonement: Its Meaning & Its Significance' by Leon Morris. This book was excellent and very thorough from the cover to the end. Morris does a great job in taking the many words found in the Bible that describe what Jesus did on the cross and breaking them down to explain what happened at the cross.

Words such as covenant, sacrifice, blood, propitiation, and justification are explained from a Biblical perspective and the context in which they are used is also drawn out to strengthen their meanings. Below is a quote from the book's epilogue that I believe summarizes the entire book and gives a hint at its great insight on explaining the atonement. I highly recommend this book for those who truly want to see the glorious truth and power that is found in the cross of Christ.

" The great thing about the cross is that God saves us by His grace. We do not merit our salvation, but receive it as a free gift. But every one of the categories at which we look reminds us that this has implications for the way we Christians are to live. The cross is the making of a new covenant, but this means that we are to live as the people of God. It is the perfect sacrifice, but we are to present our bodies as living sacrifices. If Christ died for us, we are to live for Him. He has carried our sins away, as the Day of Atonement reminds us, and won for us access into the presence of God. And this means we have a great privilege. We must neither neglect it nor use it carelessly. Christ our Passover has been offered for us so that we, the church, constitute the people of God, and so that we should cleanse out every evil thing. Passover warns us against complacency. The Lamb of God brings us back to the thought of the perfect sacrifice with all that that means."

And for my next book...."The Cross" by Martyn Lloyd Jones

Lemuel Haynes on Regeneration

2010-01-05T20:17:00.002-05:00

We are told in the chapter of which the text is a part (John 3) that that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit; which teaches us that there is nothing truly spiritual or holy in the first birth, but that this comes by the second, or by the renewings of the Holy Ghost. Christ tells the Jews that they hated Him without a cause. And the inspired apostle says that "the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Rom 8:7-8) Therefore, seeing this is the state that mankind are antecedent to the new birth, it is not fit or reasonable that God should bring them into favor with Himself, or be at peace with them, without regeneration. Nay, He cannot, consistent with His perfection, for this would be for Him to connive at wickedness when He tells us that He can by no means clear the guilty. And to suppose that sinners can see the kingdom of God or be happy in the divine favor without regeneration or the new birth, is a perfect inconsistency, or contrary to the nature of the thing. The very essence of religion consists in love to God, and a man is no further happy in the favor of God than he loves God. Therefore, to say we enjoy happiness in God, and at the same time hate God, is a plain contradiction. "

- "May We Meet in the Heavenly World: The Piety of Lemuel Haynes" Thabiti Anyabwile
"The Necessity of Regeneration"by Lemuel Haynes

New Year Prayer - Valley of Vision

2010-01-01T11:14:00.001-05:00

O Lord,

Length of days does not profit me

except the days are passed in Thy presence,

in Thy service, to Thy glory.

Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides,

sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,

that I may not be one moment apart from Thee,

but may rely on Thy Spirit

to supply every thought,

speak in every word,

direct every step,

prosper every work,

build up every mote of faith,

and give me a desire

to show forth Thy praise;

testify Thy love,

advance Thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,

with Thee, O Father as my harbour,

Thee, O Son, at my helm,

Thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,

my lamp burning,

my ear open to Thy calls,

my heart full of love,

my soul free.

Give me They grace to sanctify me,

Thy comforts to cheer,

Thy wisdom to teach,

Thy right hand to guide,

Thy counsel to instruct,

Thy law to judge,

Thy presence to stabilize.

May Thy fear by my awe,

Thy triumphs my joy.