The election of Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States came as a bang, not a whimper. The tremors had been perceptible for days, maybe even weeks. On Tuesday, America experienced nothing less than a political and cultural earthquake.
The margin of victory for the Democratic ticket was clear. Americans voted in record numbers and with tangible enthusiasm. By the end of the day, it was clear that Barack Obama would be elected with a majority of the popular vote and a near landslide in the Electoral College. When President-Elect Obama greeted the throngs of his supporters in Chicago's Grant Park, he basked in the glory of electoral energy.
For many of us, the end of the night brought disappointment. In this case, the disappointment is compounded by the sense that the issues that did not allow us to support Sen. Obama are matters of life and death -- not just political issues of heated debate. Furthermore, the margin of victory and sense of a shift in the political landscape point to greater disappointments ahead. We all knew that so much was at stake.
For others, the night was magical and momentous. Young and old cried tears of amazement and victory as America elected its first African-American President -- and elected him overwhelmingly. Just forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, an African-American stood to claim victory as President-Elect of the nation. As Sen. Obama assured the crowd in Chicago and the watching nation, "We will get there. We will get there." No one hearing those words could fail to hear the refrain of plaintive words spoken in Memphis four decades ago. President-Elect Obama would stand upon the mountaintop that Dr. King had foreseen.
That victory is a hallmark moment in history for all Americans -- not just for those who voted for Sen. Obama. As a nation, we will never think of ourselves the same way again. Americans rich and poor, black and white, old and young, will look to an African-American man and know him as President of the United States. The President. The only President. The elected President. Our President.
Every American should be moved by the sight of young African-Americans who -- for the first time -- now believe that they have a purchase in American democracy. Old men and old women, grandsons and granddaughters of slaves and slaveholders, will look to an African-American as President.
Regardless of politics, could anyone remain unmoved by the sight of Jesse Jackson crying alone amidst the crowd in Chicago? This dimension of Election Day transcends politics and touches the heart of the American people.
Yet, the issues and the politics remain. Given the scale of the Democratic victory, the political landscape will be completely reshaped. The fight for the dignity and sanctity of unborn human beings has been set back by a great loss, and by the election of a President who has announced his intention to sign the Freedom of Choice Act into law. The struggle to protect marriage against its destruction by redefinition is now complicated by the election of a President who has declared his aim to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. On issue after issue, we face a longer, harder, and more protracted struggle than ever before.
Still, we must press on as advocates for the unborn, for the elderly, for the infirm, and for the vulnerable. We must redouble our efforts to defend marriage and the integrity of the family. We must be vigilant to protect religious liberty and the freedom of the pulpit. We face awesome battles ahead.
At the same time, we must be honest and recognize that the political maps are being redrawn before our eyes. Will the Republican Party decide that conservative Christians are just too troublesome for the party and see the pro-life movement as a liability? There is the real danger that the Republicans, stung by this defeat, will adopt a libertarian approach to divisive moral issues and show conservative Christians the door.
Others will declare these struggles over, arguing that the election of Sen. Obama means that Americans in general -- and many younger Evangelicals in particular -- are ready to "move on" to other issues. This is no time for surrender or the abandonment of our core principles. We face a much harder struggle ahead, but we have no right to abandon the struggle.
We should look for opportunities to work with the new President and his administration where we can. We must hope that he will lead and govern as the bridge-builder he claimed to be in his campaign. We must confront and oppose the Obama administration where conscience demands, but work together where conscience allows.
Evangelical Christians face another challenge with the election of Sen. Obama, and a failure to rise to this challenge will bring disrepute upon the Gospel, as well as upon ourselves. There must be absolutely no denial of the legitimacy of President-Elect Obama's election and no failure to accord this new President the respect and honor due to anyone elected to that high office. Failure in this responsibility is disobedience to a clear biblical command.
Beyond this, we must commit ourselves to pray for this new President, for his wife and family, for his administration, and for the nation. We are commanded to pray for rulers, and this new President faces challenges that are not only daunting but potentially disastrous. May God grant him wisdom. He and his family will face new challenges and the pressures of this office. May God protect them, give them joy in their family life, and hold them close together.
We must pray that God will protect this nation even as the new President settles into his role as Commander in Chief, and that God will grant peace as he leads the nation through times of trial and international conflict and tension.
We must pray that God would change President-Elect Obama's mind and heart on issues of our crucial concern. May God change his heart and open his eyes to see abortion as the murder of the innocent unborn, to see marriage as an institution to be defended, and to see a host of issues in a new light. We must pray this from this day until the day he leaves office. God is sovereign, after all.
Without doubt, we face hard days ahead. Realistically, we must expect to be frustrated and disappointed. We may find ourselves to be defeated and discouraged. We must keep ever in mind that it is God who raises up nations and pulls them down, and who judges both nations and rulers. We must not act or think as unbelievers, or as those who do not trust God.
America has chosen a President. President-Elect Barack Obama is that choice, and he faces a breathtaking array of challenges and choices in days ahead. This is the time for Christians to begin praying in earnest for our new President. There is no time to lose. By Dr.Mohler
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Man Shaped Hole in God�s Heart?
odd Friel, Way of the Master Radio Host and Worldview Weekend, Code Blue Rally Speaker
A quick listen to most contemporary Christian preaching, writing or singing would lead you to believe that God is gaga about humans and just longs to spend time with us. The latest dreck from Oneness Pentecostals (i.e., they believe in a heretical Jesus) Phillips, Craig and Dean, is a typical example.
No Matter How Long
I watched you as you stumbled out of bed,
Rushed out the door, your coffee in your hand.
And you looked so lost and lonely,
I knew I had to find a way
To make you understand, I wanna be your friend.
So I painted a sunrise in the sky
And I caused the birds to sing you lullabies,
And I whispered sweet "I love you's".
No matter how long it takes, somehow I'll find a way
Somehow My love will find a way,
No matter how long it takes.
I watched you as you fell asleep last night,
And I trembled as I watched the tears you cried.
So I splashed your face with moonlight, and I longed for your embrace.
A Brief History Lesson
Before we dissect that song, it is crucial we remember that evangelicalism blossomed out of the dead, liberal Protestantism of the middle 20th century. From the early 1900�s, Biblical Christians watched as liberal Protestantism produced false converts who pretended to worship God on Sunday, but were completely detached from Him on Monday.
Evangelicalism roared to life with the correct mantra, �You need to have a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ.� To that I say, �Amen.� But as is the case with every movement that arises in response to a singular problem, it is not long before it falls into an opposite and equally damning ditch. In this case, evangelicalism appears to have fallen into the pit of Godly romanticism.
Evangelicals now present God as a love sick puppy who yearns to spend time with us. We have exchanged His loving-kindness for a gooey, romantic love.
What is wrong with this song?
While I suspect the author is alluding to Psalm 19 and II Peter 3, his repositioning of theology is staggering. My comments are in parenthesis.
I watched you as you stumbled out of bed
Rushed out the door, your coffee in your hand
And you looked so lost and lonely (God does not desire to save us from loneliness, but from our sins)
I knew I had to find a way (This makes God sound less than omniscient)
To make you understand, I wanna be your friend (While the Bible says we can be friends with God, it means reconciled, not bosom buddies)
So I painted a sunrise in the sky
And I caused the birds to sing you lullabies (God gives us creation to appreciate Him, not lull us to sleep)
And I whispered sweet "I love you's" (Is God our boyfriend or the Sovereign Creator of the universe?)
No matter how long it takes, somehow I'll find a way. (God is not thwarted by anything, let alone us)
Somehow My love will find a way, (Poor, pitiful God)
No matter how long it takes. (�It is appointed unto man once to die, then judgment�)
I watched you as you fell asleep last night
And I trembled as I watched the tears you cried. (God trembles?)
So I splashed your face with moonlight, and I longed for your embrace. (This sounds more like a Harlequin novel than Scripture)
Redefining the Atonement
Not a single Bible verse can be found to support the idea that we are so loveable that God yearns for us. Instead, God desires to restore children of wrath to a right relationship with Himself so that His loving-kindness can be displayed (Eph.2).
God does not pursue us because he finds us so adorable that His heart will just break if He can�t find a way for us to fall in love with Him. He desires to save the unlovable so that His mercy can be magnified. The salvation that God offers is for His namesake, for His glory.
Why have we so altered the doctrine of reconciliation? I am convinced it is because we have abandoned expository preaching and the preaching of God�s Law. The result? We have relegated God�s sense of anger, wrath and justice to the Old Testament as if He were a different God than that �nice New Testament God�.
While we do not want to end up in the �God is only angry� ditch, we have to find our way out of our present moat. My suggestion: we need to preach verse by verse to have a complete knowledge of the character and nature of God. We need to preach the Law to understand that we are not loveable, but loved despite what we are.
That is my take. What�s yours?
A quick listen to most contemporary Christian preaching, writing or singing would lead you to believe that God is gaga about humans and just longs to spend time with us. The latest dreck from Oneness Pentecostals (i.e., they believe in a heretical Jesus) Phillips, Craig and Dean, is a typical example.
No Matter How Long
I watched you as you stumbled out of bed,
Rushed out the door, your coffee in your hand.
And you looked so lost and lonely,
I knew I had to find a way
To make you understand, I wanna be your friend.
So I painted a sunrise in the sky
And I caused the birds to sing you lullabies,
And I whispered sweet "I love you's".
No matter how long it takes, somehow I'll find a way
Somehow My love will find a way,
No matter how long it takes.
I watched you as you fell asleep last night,
And I trembled as I watched the tears you cried.
So I splashed your face with moonlight, and I longed for your embrace.
A Brief History Lesson
Before we dissect that song, it is crucial we remember that evangelicalism blossomed out of the dead, liberal Protestantism of the middle 20th century. From the early 1900�s, Biblical Christians watched as liberal Protestantism produced false converts who pretended to worship God on Sunday, but were completely detached from Him on Monday.
Evangelicalism roared to life with the correct mantra, �You need to have a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ.� To that I say, �Amen.� But as is the case with every movement that arises in response to a singular problem, it is not long before it falls into an opposite and equally damning ditch. In this case, evangelicalism appears to have fallen into the pit of Godly romanticism.
Evangelicals now present God as a love sick puppy who yearns to spend time with us. We have exchanged His loving-kindness for a gooey, romantic love.
What is wrong with this song?
While I suspect the author is alluding to Psalm 19 and II Peter 3, his repositioning of theology is staggering. My comments are in parenthesis.
I watched you as you stumbled out of bed
Rushed out the door, your coffee in your hand
And you looked so lost and lonely (God does not desire to save us from loneliness, but from our sins)
I knew I had to find a way (This makes God sound less than omniscient)
To make you understand, I wanna be your friend (While the Bible says we can be friends with God, it means reconciled, not bosom buddies)
So I painted a sunrise in the sky
And I caused the birds to sing you lullabies (God gives us creation to appreciate Him, not lull us to sleep)
And I whispered sweet "I love you's" (Is God our boyfriend or the Sovereign Creator of the universe?)
No matter how long it takes, somehow I'll find a way. (God is not thwarted by anything, let alone us)
Somehow My love will find a way, (Poor, pitiful God)
No matter how long it takes. (�It is appointed unto man once to die, then judgment�)
I watched you as you fell asleep last night
And I trembled as I watched the tears you cried. (God trembles?)
So I splashed your face with moonlight, and I longed for your embrace. (This sounds more like a Harlequin novel than Scripture)
Redefining the Atonement
Not a single Bible verse can be found to support the idea that we are so loveable that God yearns for us. Instead, God desires to restore children of wrath to a right relationship with Himself so that His loving-kindness can be displayed (Eph.2).
God does not pursue us because he finds us so adorable that His heart will just break if He can�t find a way for us to fall in love with Him. He desires to save the unlovable so that His mercy can be magnified. The salvation that God offers is for His namesake, for His glory.
Why have we so altered the doctrine of reconciliation? I am convinced it is because we have abandoned expository preaching and the preaching of God�s Law. The result? We have relegated God�s sense of anger, wrath and justice to the Old Testament as if He were a different God than that �nice New Testament God�.
While we do not want to end up in the �God is only angry� ditch, we have to find our way out of our present moat. My suggestion: we need to preach verse by verse to have a complete knowledge of the character and nature of God. We need to preach the Law to understand that we are not loveable, but loved despite what we are.
That is my take. What�s yours?
quick Tips: Witnessing to JW
rarely do we encounter someone who hasn�t had a Jehovah�s Witness come knocking on their front door. The Jehovah�s Witnesses are notorious for their aggressive door-to-door evangelistic strategy. And while many people might view the Jehovah�s Witnesses at their door as an annoyance, they are literally a mission field at our doorstep. Therefore, we try to encourage Christians to view their visits as an opportunity, an opportunity to open their eyes to the truth and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.
The next time the Jehovah�s Witnesses comes to your front door, instead of simply turning them away, why not spend five minutes and sow some simple seeds of truth into their lives? You may not convert them to true Christianity right there at your doorstep, but you can give them some important truths to consider, truths which may eventually bear genuine fruit of repentance and conversion in their lives.
The basic error of the Jehovah�s Witnesses is what we call a �theology of denial�. Jehovah�s Witnesses basically deny all of the central doctrines of the Christian faith; most significantly, they deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. Jehovah�s Witnesses wrongly believe that Jehovah alone is God almighty, Jesus is only a god- a created being (actually the archangel Michael), and the Holy Spirit is simply an active force. This is a far cry from the true biblical doctrines of the Trinity and the Deity of Jesus Christ.
Now, if you only have five minutes to spend with a Jehovah�s Witness, try walking them through the following passages of scripture, passages that bear witness to the reality of the Deity of Jesus Christ (and the beauty of sharing these passages is that you can even use the Jehovah�s Witness� false version of the Bible, the New World Translation):
1) Begin by reading with the Jehovah�s Witness from Revelation 1:8.
�I am the Alpha and the Omega,� says the Lord God, �Who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.�
After reading this verse together, ask them the following question, �Who is the Alpha and the Omega?� They will respond by saying something like, �Well, it says right there, the Alpha and the Omega is the Lord God (or Jehovah God in their translation).�
2) Next, ask them if they will read another passage of scripture with you, and read from Revelation 22:13.
�I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End�
After reading this verse with them, ask them, �Now, who exactly is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last?� And they will probably respond by saying something like, �We just saw who the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last is, he is the Lord God (or Jehovah God in their translation).
3) Lastly, ask them if they�ll look at one more passage with you, and read with them from Revelation 1:17-18.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: �Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last (stop here and ask again, �who is the First and the Last?�). I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!�
After reading this last passage of Scripture with them, ask the Jehovah�s Witness, �So, when exactly did the Lord God (or Jehovah God in their translation) die?� And most Jehovah�s Witnesses will just look at that passage in bewilderment, for you have just shown them conclusively, even from their own translation, that Jesus is the Lord God (or Jehovah God). If you want to demonstrate this reality even further, read with them from Revelation 22:13 & 16, where the Alpha and the Omega says, �I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.�
This series of passages can be a powerful tool when witnessing to a Jehovah�s Witness. These passages demonstrate that Jesus Christ is the Lord God, or Jehovah God. Jesus Christ is not simply a god, a created being; he is the eternal Lord God.
The next time the Jehovah�s Witnesses come to your front door, instead of simply turning them away, why not try sharing these 3 passages with them? God could use you to powerfully impact the life of a Jehovah�s Witness� and it only takes five minutes! Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com
The next time the Jehovah�s Witnesses comes to your front door, instead of simply turning them away, why not spend five minutes and sow some simple seeds of truth into their lives? You may not convert them to true Christianity right there at your doorstep, but you can give them some important truths to consider, truths which may eventually bear genuine fruit of repentance and conversion in their lives.
The basic error of the Jehovah�s Witnesses is what we call a �theology of denial�. Jehovah�s Witnesses basically deny all of the central doctrines of the Christian faith; most significantly, they deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. Jehovah�s Witnesses wrongly believe that Jehovah alone is God almighty, Jesus is only a god- a created being (actually the archangel Michael), and the Holy Spirit is simply an active force. This is a far cry from the true biblical doctrines of the Trinity and the Deity of Jesus Christ.
Now, if you only have five minutes to spend with a Jehovah�s Witness, try walking them through the following passages of scripture, passages that bear witness to the reality of the Deity of Jesus Christ (and the beauty of sharing these passages is that you can even use the Jehovah�s Witness� false version of the Bible, the New World Translation):
1) Begin by reading with the Jehovah�s Witness from Revelation 1:8.
�I am the Alpha and the Omega,� says the Lord God, �Who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.�
After reading this verse together, ask them the following question, �Who is the Alpha and the Omega?� They will respond by saying something like, �Well, it says right there, the Alpha and the Omega is the Lord God (or Jehovah God in their translation).�
2) Next, ask them if they will read another passage of scripture with you, and read from Revelation 22:13.
�I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End�
After reading this verse with them, ask them, �Now, who exactly is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last?� And they will probably respond by saying something like, �We just saw who the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last is, he is the Lord God (or Jehovah God in their translation).
3) Lastly, ask them if they�ll look at one more passage with you, and read with them from Revelation 1:17-18.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: �Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last (stop here and ask again, �who is the First and the Last?�). I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!�
After reading this last passage of Scripture with them, ask the Jehovah�s Witness, �So, when exactly did the Lord God (or Jehovah God in their translation) die?� And most Jehovah�s Witnesses will just look at that passage in bewilderment, for you have just shown them conclusively, even from their own translation, that Jesus is the Lord God (or Jehovah God). If you want to demonstrate this reality even further, read with them from Revelation 22:13 & 16, where the Alpha and the Omega says, �I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.�
This series of passages can be a powerful tool when witnessing to a Jehovah�s Witness. These passages demonstrate that Jesus Christ is the Lord God, or Jehovah God. Jesus Christ is not simply a god, a created being; he is the eternal Lord God.
The next time the Jehovah�s Witnesses come to your front door, instead of simply turning them away, why not try sharing these 3 passages with them? God could use you to powerfully impact the life of a Jehovah�s Witness� and it only takes five minutes! Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Books don't change people; paragraphs do.
Some times even sentences. I remember an Monday morning i just got done with class. I just picket up a new book by C.S Lewis.... Even if i had not read another page, my life would have been changed forever. I can probably boil it down to two sentences: "We are halfhearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. we are far too easily pleased." I don't think anythings would ever be the same again. just one paragraph and the decisive work was done.
The point is that much reading of many books may be like the gathering of wood but the fire blazes forth form a sentence. The mark is left on the mind not by the kindling of many pages, but by the red-hot iron of a sentence set on fire by God...........
The point is that much reading of many books may be like the gathering of wood but the fire blazes forth form a sentence. The mark is left on the mind not by the kindling of many pages, but by the red-hot iron of a sentence set on fire by God...........
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Holy Spirit only calls a select few to be jackasses.
At the Resurgence conference, Matt Chandler discussed how Mark Driscoll is called to be a jerk but that doesn’t mean everyone is.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
People often ask me if I have a life verse.
If I do, it is Jeremiah 15:16, "Your words were found and I ate them, and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart." It's kind of my testimony. I was going nowhere in a hurry and I found this book God wrote and began to feast on it like a soldier devouring his last meal. When the Word of God is absent from my life my heart is hungry. When I feast on the Bread of Life, my heart overflows with joy.
I love the vivid pictures with which the Bible describes itself, adding such insight into how God uses it in our lives.
FIRE
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Hosts, 'Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth fire and this people wood, and it will consume them,'" (Jeremiah 5:14).
SWORD
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than and double edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
sword black copy.
HAMMER
"Is not my word like. . . a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" Jeremiah 23:29
SEED
"Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever" (1 Peter 1:23 NKJV). In one of His parables Jesus said, "The seed is the word of God" (Luke 8:11 NKJV).
MILK
"Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow." 1 Peter 2:2.
MEAT
"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word or righteousness." Hebrews 5:12-14.
LIGHT
"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105
MIRROR
"For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror, for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effective doer, this man will be blessed in what he does." James 1:23-25
God is faithful to His Word and we who place ourselves in the flow of that unceasing work are the continual benefactors.
I love the vivid pictures with which the Bible describes itself, adding such insight into how God uses it in our lives.
FIRE
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Hosts, 'Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth fire and this people wood, and it will consume them,'" (Jeremiah 5:14).
SWORD
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than and double edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
sword black copy.
HAMMER
"Is not my word like. . . a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" Jeremiah 23:29
SEED
"Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever" (1 Peter 1:23 NKJV). In one of His parables Jesus said, "The seed is the word of God" (Luke 8:11 NKJV).
MILK
"Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow." 1 Peter 2:2.
MEAT
"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word or righteousness." Hebrews 5:12-14.
LIGHT
"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105
MIRROR
"For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror, for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effective doer, this man will be blessed in what he does." James 1:23-25
God is faithful to His Word and we who place ourselves in the flow of that unceasing work are the continual benefactors.
Friday, January 4, 2008
treehouse
i like to do my Bible reading in the morning, at night, in bed, on a couch, in a restaurant, in class, etc. it seems more special when i do it at different times or different places.
but once i read the Bible in my tree house in our backyard. that was a special time. in a tree house, there are no distractions, no people walking in and wanting to talk, no music tempting you to play it while you do your reading, just silence and the Lord, and boy, He can work miracles with those two things.
plus i was 30 feet off the ground which is 30 feet closer to Him right?
in my relationships with friends and family, i often try to have a special place where the two of us hang out or meet to make our friendship seem more special. i see no reason that i should keep that feeling from the Lord Almighty, i want Him to have all of the greatest feelings of my heart and soul. so because of this i dedicate the tree in the backyard and its house to be a special place between me and my Saviour. a place to spend time in prayer and study, to learn and grow, just like a tree.
i will name this time my "treevotional" time.
but once i read the Bible in my tree house in our backyard. that was a special time. in a tree house, there are no distractions, no people walking in and wanting to talk, no music tempting you to play it while you do your reading, just silence and the Lord, and boy, He can work miracles with those two things.
plus i was 30 feet off the ground which is 30 feet closer to Him right?
in my relationships with friends and family, i often try to have a special place where the two of us hang out or meet to make our friendship seem more special. i see no reason that i should keep that feeling from the Lord Almighty, i want Him to have all of the greatest feelings of my heart and soul. so because of this i dedicate the tree in the backyard and its house to be a special place between me and my Saviour. a place to spend time in prayer and study, to learn and grow, just like a tree.
i will name this time my "treevotional" time.
Since I was a small boy I can remember singing, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Do you know the song? Do you know that Jesus loves you? I'm not asking if you know the information. More than just 2 + 2 = 4; more than just some facts, do you know that Jesus loves you? I don't mean know like you could recite a recipe for a French toast . I'm asking if you know what those ingredients taste like together? Have you tasted God's love?
It's only been more recently in my life that I've known in my heart that God loves me, that He loves me. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this. I mean, why does a 20-something-year-old man need to know that God loves him? That's for kids, right? How stunned I was not long ago to have God meet me in such a powerful, personal way, and just immerse me in this idea that He loves me!
Christmas turned around for me when I experienced and tasted His love--to know God's love, not just with my head but with my heart. The good news that I promised you is this: He loves you, too.
I know what you may be thinking, "Well yeah, God loves me. I mean, God loves everybody, and I'm part of everybody, and so here I am in this big city, in this big world." Don't misunderstand--God doesn't love you like He sees a football stadium full of people, alright? He loves you--just you.
The Bible has some definite things to say about that. Isaiah 49:16 says that He has engraved you upon the palm of His hand and that He numbers the hairs of your head (Matthew 10:30). The Lord tells us that He saves your tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). Do you see? This is a message for you personally. It doesn't matter where you've been, it doesn't matter what you've done, it doesn't matter what you've experienced--God loves you. It doesn't matter what you have thought about yourself or what other people may have said about you--God loves you. You are honored, you are precious in His eyes, and He loves you! (Isaiah 43:4). Isn't that an amazing truth?
Maybe some of you are like, "Exactly how much love does God have for me? Could you break it down?" Sure--almost every time the Bible describes God's love, it makes a beeline for the cross.
The cross of Jesus Christ is God's statement about God's love. Wait a minute, James. It's not Easter, it's Christmas! Yeah, but don't you see how they're connected? When you think of the immensity of God's love, the first thing the Bible often asks us to do is to consider the price that was paid. "God so loved the world that He gave His Son" (John 3:16). "God demonstrated His love toward us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ [God's only Son] died for us" (Romans 5:8).
What makes this love so amazing is that it is highlighted against the backdrop of a debt that each one of us owes. At the core of God's being is His holiness. In order for us to have any kind of relationship with Him, we have to find a way to get our sins forgiven. Problem is that's just way too big of a problem; there's nothing we can do to accomplish that. We can't buy God's favor, we can't work for God's favor, we can't ever be good enough to earn God's favor. Some would argue that God's defining characteristic is love, but if that was so, God could welcome us all into heaven and say, "Just c'mon, we'll work it out when you get here." But God's holiness demanded that sin be paid for before there could be any relationship, and then God's love found a way. That's exactly why Jesus had to come. "In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the [payment] for our sins." Because God is holy, He can't look on that sin--it must be covered. Jesus' blood covered our sin. Hebrews 9:22 says that "without the shedding of blood there is no payment for sin."
I know, I know, some nice people want to hush me here, "SHh-h-h. You're getting blood on the snow. Don't wreck Christmas!" But listen--don't miss the amazing truth about Christmas! Don't only see the glossy Christmas card version of Jesus anymore, "Oh, Jesus, look at the sweet baby." The truth is so much more. Jesus, holy God, light and love incarnate, left heaven that first Christmas night to be born a baby, to live a sinless life, to die in your place, so that you could be forgiven of your sin--a holy transaction made possible by the amazing love of God. That's the message of Christmas. We need a Savior and that's why Jesus came.
I proclaim God's love to you today. He loves you with an everlasting love that words fail to describe. And I've got to say this: If you can't look to a time when you turned from your sin and embraced Christ by faith, man, what are you waiting for?! You don't know when or even if you'll have another opportunity to embrace Christ by faith, as the Lover of your soul. Let this Christmas mark the decision that changes your life--forever. Step out of that generic understanding of love into this amazing, committed love of the Lord for each of His own children through faith in Christ. For more information, get to a church that tells you the truth about your need and God's amazing love that reaches out to meet you.
The church fellowship doesn't have to worry about me "bah-humbugging" on Christmas anymore. I've got the real joy of the season now and we raise the roof in our celebration--real joy comes from receiving the gift Jesus offers to each one of us. It's something we can't get ourselves--only a sinless God could give such a holy gift and only love would prompt the sacrifice.
I finally see Christmas for what it is--the day that love and holiness stepped into time. That's why Jesus came.
It's only been more recently in my life that I've known in my heart that God loves me, that He loves me. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this. I mean, why does a 20-something-year-old man need to know that God loves him? That's for kids, right? How stunned I was not long ago to have God meet me in such a powerful, personal way, and just immerse me in this idea that He loves me!
Christmas turned around for me when I experienced and tasted His love--to know God's love, not just with my head but with my heart. The good news that I promised you is this: He loves you, too.
I know what you may be thinking, "Well yeah, God loves me. I mean, God loves everybody, and I'm part of everybody, and so here I am in this big city, in this big world." Don't misunderstand--God doesn't love you like He sees a football stadium full of people, alright? He loves you--just you.
The Bible has some definite things to say about that. Isaiah 49:16 says that He has engraved you upon the palm of His hand and that He numbers the hairs of your head (Matthew 10:30). The Lord tells us that He saves your tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). Do you see? This is a message for you personally. It doesn't matter where you've been, it doesn't matter what you've done, it doesn't matter what you've experienced--God loves you. It doesn't matter what you have thought about yourself or what other people may have said about you--God loves you. You are honored, you are precious in His eyes, and He loves you! (Isaiah 43:4). Isn't that an amazing truth?
Maybe some of you are like, "Exactly how much love does God have for me? Could you break it down?" Sure--almost every time the Bible describes God's love, it makes a beeline for the cross.
The cross of Jesus Christ is God's statement about God's love. Wait a minute, James. It's not Easter, it's Christmas! Yeah, but don't you see how they're connected? When you think of the immensity of God's love, the first thing the Bible often asks us to do is to consider the price that was paid. "God so loved the world that He gave His Son" (John 3:16). "God demonstrated His love toward us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ [God's only Son] died for us" (Romans 5:8).
What makes this love so amazing is that it is highlighted against the backdrop of a debt that each one of us owes. At the core of God's being is His holiness. In order for us to have any kind of relationship with Him, we have to find a way to get our sins forgiven. Problem is that's just way too big of a problem; there's nothing we can do to accomplish that. We can't buy God's favor, we can't work for God's favor, we can't ever be good enough to earn God's favor. Some would argue that God's defining characteristic is love, but if that was so, God could welcome us all into heaven and say, "Just c'mon, we'll work it out when you get here." But God's holiness demanded that sin be paid for before there could be any relationship, and then God's love found a way. That's exactly why Jesus had to come. "In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the [payment] for our sins." Because God is holy, He can't look on that sin--it must be covered. Jesus' blood covered our sin. Hebrews 9:22 says that "without the shedding of blood there is no payment for sin."
I know, I know, some nice people want to hush me here, "SHh-h-h. You're getting blood on the snow. Don't wreck Christmas!" But listen--don't miss the amazing truth about Christmas! Don't only see the glossy Christmas card version of Jesus anymore, "Oh, Jesus, look at the sweet baby." The truth is so much more. Jesus, holy God, light and love incarnate, left heaven that first Christmas night to be born a baby, to live a sinless life, to die in your place, so that you could be forgiven of your sin--a holy transaction made possible by the amazing love of God. That's the message of Christmas. We need a Savior and that's why Jesus came.
I proclaim God's love to you today. He loves you with an everlasting love that words fail to describe. And I've got to say this: If you can't look to a time when you turned from your sin and embraced Christ by faith, man, what are you waiting for?! You don't know when or even if you'll have another opportunity to embrace Christ by faith, as the Lover of your soul. Let this Christmas mark the decision that changes your life--forever. Step out of that generic understanding of love into this amazing, committed love of the Lord for each of His own children through faith in Christ. For more information, get to a church that tells you the truth about your need and God's amazing love that reaches out to meet you.
The church fellowship doesn't have to worry about me "bah-humbugging" on Christmas anymore. I've got the real joy of the season now and we raise the roof in our celebration--real joy comes from receiving the gift Jesus offers to each one of us. It's something we can't get ourselves--only a sinless God could give such a holy gift and only love would prompt the sacrifice.
I finally see Christmas for what it is--the day that love and holiness stepped into time. That's why Jesus came.
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