Ben LoPresti

Page CXVI

2011-01-04T19:24:00.002-05:00

Check out the latest from a band that I have really come to enjoy lately - Page CXVI. Take a listen here. If you like them, stop on by their site and pick up a digital copy or a CD.

Great Words on the Atonement from Dr. Nettles

2010-11-16T00:05:00.001-05:00

If Christ has suffered for sins, and God's wrath has received a just settlement, then something objective has taken place, and all the benefits caused by Christ's death must be given, lest punishment be inflicted without corresponding release of Christ's soul experience travail without satisfaction.

-Thomas Nettles, A Foundation for the Future (49)

Amen. Christ objectively secured salvation for sinners at the cross. He is most certainly our sufficient savior and redeemer.

Consistently Pro-life

2010-10-11T21:27:00.000-04:00

Without getting into too many specifics, or getting too political, I think it is safe to say that a great many Christians are pro-life. (I count myself among them.) Certainly there are many Christians who are pro-choice, but from what I can tell, the general trend in American Christian culture seems to be a bent toward the pro-life side of things.

But that's not what this post is about.

This post is about diving deeper into the foundations behind "pro-life". And specifically, from a Christian worldview, that foundation would be that every person is made in God's image (Genesis 1:27). Made specifically and lovingly by God, with intentionality (Psalm 139:13-16).

Thus, the conclusion comes, if all people are created in God's image, possessing the inherent dignity that that entails, then they have a right to life from the moment they are conceived.

But again, that's not what this post is about....

I am writing this because I have noticed a trend in my life. Namely - the tendency be terribly inconsistent in my pro-life views. To be inconsistent in my ability to see and recognize and respect the image of God that people bear.

In an instant, I find myself jumping to the defense of unborn children. Why? Because they are created in the image of God. The possess an inherent human dignity. Children must not be sacrificed on the altar of convenience. And, in my opinion, this is a good response to have to the idea of abortion.

But what I have realized lately is that my own life betrays this very worldview. I may see and defend the human rights of an unborn child, proclaiming that they are a person, and not a means to an end. But then, the very next instant, I walk into the grocery store and go to the checkout counter. The clerk scans my things, runs my card, and sends me on my way. And I walk out - all the while, completely oblivious to the fact that I just interacted with a person. A human. Bearing God's image. Possessing the dignity of human life.

Or I will call a company for customer service. And on the other end of the line, someone picks up. How often do I see that someone as a person? A mother, with children? A husband, with a wife? Far too often, I see them as a means to an end. My stupid gadget broke, and I want you to send me a new one. And do it fast, because I have been on hold a while, and I am a busy guy.

Which brings me to what this post is about. I want to affirm and celebrate and cherish and declare the dignity of human life. Because humans are created in the image of God. But I want to do so consistently.

Not just with regard to unborn children. But with servers in restaurants. With illegal immigrants. With other drivers in traffic. With telemarketers. With the guy in front of me in line at the post office. With the person who speaks English as a second language. With the woman who has had an abortion.

Would that I, and we, see the dignity of all persons - born and unborn. May we see all people as created intentionally by God, bearing His image. Loved by Him. May we see them as people for whom Christ died.

Would that we be consistently pro-life.

We can't pass along what we don't possess.

2010-08-21T13:16:00.001-04:00

With all the talk on cultural transformation that can be heard and read today, I found these words from my friend/former boss/former discipler to be particularly insightful:

What will we do to turn this around? I've got an idea. How about you and I spend some time with Jesus in His Bible today? We can't pass along to our culture what we do not possess. They need the True Jesus, in all His Courageous Glory. We can't bring the True Jesus to our culture if we don't know/experience/be overwhelmed by the True Jesus.

Amen.

Ministry starts with knowing God through Christ. Transforming the culture with the gospel starts with believing and experiencing the gospel ourselves. It starts with personal repentance and faith in Jesus. If we want to change our culture, a great place to start is by being reconciled to God through Christ, and then by growing in our understanding of and our appreciation for the grace that God has given us. Only then will we be in a position to impact others for Christ.

Check out Dan Flynn's blog for some more great insight. It comes highly recommended.

Come to Jesus just as you are

2010-08-02T21:47:00.001-04:00

Robert Traill discusses justification, and how we come to Christ just as we are. Sinners do not save themselves. They are saved by Jesus.

Shall we tell men that unless they are holy they must not believe on Jesus Christ? That they must not venture on Christ for salvation till they are qualified and fit to be recieved and welcomed by him? This would be to forbear preaching the gospel at all, or to forbid all men to believe on Christ. For never was any sinner qualified for Christ. He is qualified for us (1 Corinthians 1:30); but a sinner out of Christ has no qualification for Christ but sin and misery. Whence should we have any better, but in and from Christ? Nay, suppose an impossibility, that a man were qualified for Christ; I boldly assert that such a man would not, nor could ever, believe on Christ. For faith is a lost, helpless condemned sinner's casting himself on Christ for salvation; and the qualified man is not such a person.

-Justification Vindicated (p. 20)

In the words of Joseph Hart, "If you tarry till you're better, you will never come at all."

Why Spoiled Milk is a Blessing

2010-07-28T01:19:00.001-04:00

Let this be known right from the start. I love cereal. For a 26 year old single dude, it is practically a food group. A bowl packed full of sugary goodness, and then milk - which makes it healthy. Can't beat it.

With that said, this has happened to me twice this past month. Twice, I have poured an awesome bowl of cereal, reached for a gallon of milk (still well within it's date), and then watched horrified as a disgusting cottage-cheese-esque consistency plops onto my aforementioned bowl. What a kick in the face on a Saturday night with a steel-toed grip kodiak work boot. And this last time, I was literally looking forward to that Cinnamon Toast Crunch for the previous three hours.

After the second incident, I found myself particularly grumpy. I sat in my dorm room wallowing in self-pity. I mean, I don't ask for much. Just the occasional blessed bowl of Frosted Flakes.....

Later, however, as I was reflecting on the situation, my perspective changed a little. Sure, it sucks to miss out on that last third of a gallon of milk. And sure, it sucks to lose a bowl of cereal. But, essentially, here was the problem I was experiencing. I had too much food.

Think about it. I literally had so much food at my disposal that I could not eat it all before it went bad. At any given moment of the day, I had access to limitless options of what to eat. And not only could I obtain virtually any kind of food that I desired, but I had a refrigerator packed full of foods right in my home. So much that I couldn't even eat it all before it went bad. Not a bad problem, considering the alternative. I could be starving to death. I could not know where my next meal is coming from.

It reminds me of this prophetic verse in Amos 9:13:

"The days are coming," declares the LORD,
"when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman
and the planter by the one treading grapes.
New wine will drip from the mountains
and flow from all the hills."

This verse is describing a time in which God blesses his people so abundantly that they can't even handle the ridiculous amounts of provision. The guy harvesting the crop can't even handle his job! He probably keeps going back and forth to the storehouse to drop off huge amounts of crops. And he is so overwhelmed by the harvest that the guy coming behind him planting seeds for next year catches up to him! Unbelievable.

Back to my cereal story. Here I was getting upset over spoiled milk, when really, my problem was that I was being blessed too much! It's not that I was running out of milk for my cereal. I had too much on hand to even consume it all before it spoiled. Like Israel in Amos 9, I was being blessed so richly by God that I couldn't even handle it. My cup was running over.

Just a thought for the next time something annoying happens to me, or to you. Would that we consider the innumerable ways that God has blessed us. The immeasurable gifts of grace that He has extended to us. Not the least of which is the death of Christ on the cross on our behalf.

Would that we realize how blessed we are. That we would repent of our selfishness, trust in Christ, and walk in a continual state of gratitude.

A Devotion from Spurgeon

2010-07-23T01:31:00.001-04:00

This is one of the best devotionals I have ever read:

"Here is the man!"—John 19:5

If there is one place where our Lord Jesus most fully becomes the joy and comfort of His people, it is where He plunged deepest into the depths of woe. Come here, gracious souls, and behold the Man in the garden of Gethsemane; behold His heart so brimming with love that He cannot hold it in - so full of sorrow that it must find a vent. Behold the bloody sweat as it distils from every pore of His body, and falls upon the ground. Behold the Man as they drive the nails into His hands and feet. Look up, repenting sinners, and see the sorrowful image of your suffering Lord. See Him, as the ruby drops stand on the thorny crown, and adorn with priceless gems the diadem of the King of Misery. Behold the Man when all His bones are out of joint, and He is poured out like water and brought into the dust of death; God has forsaken Him, and hell compasses Him about. Behold and see, was there ever sorrow like His sorrow that is done to Him? All you that pass by draw near and look upon this spectacle of grief, unique, unparalleled, a wonder to men and angels, a prodigy unmatched. Behold the Emperor of Woe who had no equal or rival in His agonies! Gaze upon Him, you mourners, for if there is no consolation in a crucified Christ there is no joy in earth or heaven. If in the ransom price of His blood there is no hope, you harps of heaven, there is no joy in you, and the right hand of God shall know no pleasures for evermore. We have only to sit more continually at the foot of the cross to be less troubled with our doubts and woes. We have but to see His sorrows, and our sorrows we shall be ashamed to mention; we have but to gaze into His wounds and heal our own. If we would live properly, it must be by the contemplation of His death; if we would rise to dignity, it must be by considering His humiliation and His sorrow.

-Charles Spurgeon
(Morning and Evening, evening of July 22)

John Owen on Loving a Specific Church, Rather than an Abstract One

2010-07-19T18:18:00.001-04:00

A friend of mine passed this along to me, and I thought it was so good that I wanted to share it here. With both of you that will ever read it......

It's a quote from John Owen about the local church. To clarify, when he says "society", we could read that as "membership".

"If we find a person that is orderly admitted into church society, he is as certain and evident an object of our love as if we saw him lying in the arms of Christ. We walk by rule; He hath appointed us to do so. Let none, then, pretend that they love the brethren in general, and love the people of God, and love the saints, while their love is not fervently exercised towards those who are in the same church Society with them. Christ hath given it to you for a trial; He will try your love at the last day by your deportment in that church wherein you are."

-John Owen

(43; Works IX, p. 262, sermon on "Gospel Charity")

What a great word. Would that we not only love the greater, invisible church. Instead, would that we manifest that love directly toward a local, visible body of believers.

Here in Louisville

2010-07-17T12:55:00.002-04:00

Lebron James on April 2, 2010

2010-07-09T23:21:00.001-04:00

"I got a goal, and it's a huge goal, and that is to bring an NBA championship here to Cleveland. And I won't stop until I get it."

-Lebron James (Forward for the Miami Heat)

Back in Smithfield, for now

2010-06-10T00:42:00.000-04:00

The Humble Beginnings, and Eventual Grandness of God's Kingdom

2010-06-01T14:33:00.001-04:00

In Matthew 13:31-33, Jesus tells 2 very brief parables about the kingdom of heaven. In them, he compares the kingdom to a mustard seed (which grows from a tiny seed into a tree), and a small amount of yeast (which, despite the small amount, works through the entirety of a large amount of dough).

And I think these 2 parables bring to light a fascinating characteristic of the kingdom of heaven. Namely, it's eventual grandness, in contrast to it's humble beginnings.

Like the mustard plant, and the finished loaf of bread, the kingdom of heaven will most assuredly come to its telos (read: end, finished product) as a grand, glorious never-ending celebration of God's greatness and glory. Among other texts, Revelation 4 and 5 give us a glimpse into this mind-blowing impending reality. God will be worshipped, sin will be judged, God's people will be wholly satisfied in Him and will be in His presence. Forever. It will truly be grand.

However, like the mustard seed, and the pinch of yeast, we must also be mindful of the humble beginnings of the kingdom of heaven.

This grand, glorious, never-ending kingdom, of which God Himself will be the star, will not begin spectacularly or sensationally. As the church, our responsibility is not to impose the kingdom of God on the world with an impressive show of force. We need not weed out opposing worldviews, and make sure that Christianity sits atop the world's power structures.

No - the kingdom of heaven will come about through humble beginnings. It is not flashy or impressive, but will appear flat out foolish (1 Corinthians 1:18, 23). God's kingdom does not begin with military victory (strength), or superior arguments (intellect), but rather with the conversion of sinners. Conversion from love of sin, enmity with God, and impending wrath - to love of God, adoption as children, and the reception of His sovereign grace. The grand and glorious kingdom of heaven that is to come will begin with an unimpressive sinner hearing the gospel, and by God's grace, being forgiven and transformed. And one by one, God will go about saving His people and converting them, until His kingdom is built and is ready to be fully realized.

Like the mustard seed, and the pinch of yeast, God's kingdom has humble beginnings. But, like the tree, and the load of bread, God's kingdom will eventually be manifest as a grand, awesome, glorious, eternal kingdom.

RC Sproul at T4G 10

2010-05-23T02:09:00.001-04:00

One thing I definitely took away from this message at that was given at the recent Together for the Gospel conference. I have gotten really rusty on the recent history of philosophy since college....

Richard Sibbes on Efficacious Grace

2010-05-16T14:42:00.001-04:00

"That grace which is but a persuasive offer and in our power to receive or refuse is not the grace which brings us to heaven. But God's people feel a powerful work of the Spirit, not only revealing to us our misery and deliverance through Christ, but emptying us of ourselves, as being redeemed from ourselves, and infusing new life into us, and afterwards strengthening us and quickening us when we droop and hang in the wing, never leaving us until the conquest is perfect."

Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed (p. 117)

Ironic....

2010-04-21T23:40:00.002-04:00

I just listened to a message by a conservative, Republican, Christian, former police officer, who is now a missionary to Muslim cultures.

His father-in-law is a liberal, Democratic, Jewish, atheist, defense attorney.

God's Judgment of Sin Frees Us from the Obligation to Get Revenge

2010-04-12T23:02:00.001-04:00

So, working out of Matthew 13:24-30 and 13:36-43 again, I thought there was another lesson that we can take from this parable. In it, we already saw that Jesus is more concerned with our eternal security than with our present comfort. However, I think there is another important application that we must not overlook. Namely - that God's judgment of sin frees us from the obligation to seek or get revenge.

In the parable, the servants ask where the weeds came from, and then are immediately ready to go pull them up. To take immediate action and make sure that everything is set right. Right now. Without delay.

However, the owner answers saying to let the weeds grow alongside the wheat, and that the harvesters will separate them out at harvest time.

Now, just to clear up any misunderstanding, I do not think that this text is teaching against church discipline. (That unregenerate people, or people in open, unrepentant sin should retain church membership.) I think that the Bible teaches the necessity of a regenerate church membership. I do not think that this parable is teaching the church to retract any moral or doctrinal criteria with which to distinguish between a member and a non-member.

But I do think that it is teaching Christians to give up the right to get revenge. Or better yet - to give up the need to get revenge.

It is a calling for the wheat to give up the responsibility to uproot the weeds, and instead, entrust that task to the landowner and his harvesters. A calling for Christians to give up the need to get revenge, in view of God's ultimate and final judgment of all sin.

In Romans 12:17-19, we see Paul exhort us:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends...

A tall order to be sure. And no different than the application of Jesus' parable in Matthew 13. Do not take it upon yourselves to seek revenge on others. Why? Because it is not your place to do so. Paul finishes his thought:

...but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

Paul's reasoning is that the Christian should not, or rather, need not get revenge here and now. He need not right all wrongs. Instead, he can and should leave room for God's wrath. God will be the one who takes vengeance against sin once and for all. He will be the one to right all wrongs. Be will be the one who facilitates the separation of the wheat from the weeds, all in due time.

The Christian need not seek revenge here and now, because God will take care of it. He will be the ultimate justice. Vengeance is a trait that looks quite good on God, and looks very bad on humans. Thus, I can live and love and serve - even when I am wronged.

Among other things, God's judgment of sin frees us from the obligation to get revenge in the here and now.

Resurrection, Valley of Vision

2010-04-04T10:54:00.001-04:00

O God of my Exodus,
Great was the joy of Israel's sons,
when Egypt died upon the shore,
Far greater the joy
when the Redeemer's foe lay crushed in the dust.
Jesus strides forth as the victor,
conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing might;
He bursts the bands of death,
tramples the powers of darkness down,
and lives for ever.
He, my gracious surety,
apprehended for payment of my debt,
comes forth from the prison house of the grave
free, and triumphant over sin, Satan, and death.
Show me herein the proof that his vicarious offering is accepted,
that the claims of justice are satisfied,
that the devil's sceptre is shivered,
that his wrongful throne is levelled.
Give me the assurance that in Christ I died, in him I rose,
in his life I live, in his victory I triumph,
in his ascension I shall be glorified.
Adorable Redeemer,
thou who wast lifted up upon a cross
art ascended to highest heaven.
Thou, who as Man of sorrows wast crowned with thorns,
art now as Lord of life wreathed with glory.
Once, no shame more deep than thine,
no agony more bitter, no death more cruel.
Now, no exaltation more high,
no life more glorious, no advocate more effective.
Thou art in the triumph car leading captive thine enemies behind thee.
What more could be done than thou hast done!
Thy death is my life, thy resurrection my peace,
thy ascension my hope, thy prayers my comfort.

An opportunity to examine our own affections

2010-04-02T21:31:00.001-04:00

What is the single most exciting thing about this weekend?

The release of the Apple iPad,

The NCAA Basketball Final Four,

or,

The fact that on Friday, Jesus Christ died a sacrificial death of atonement for our sin. He spent hours under the wrath of God, being treated as if He was a sinner, even though He was not. And then on Sunday, He rose bodily from the grave in victory over Satan, sin, and death - showing that God was in fact satisfied with His atoning work. In His resurrection, Jesus assures poor sinners that they can be reconciled to God if they simply repent and believe. Better news simply does not exist.

Again, I ask - what is the most exciting thing this weekend?

Jesus is More Concerned with our Eternal Security than with our Present Comfort

2010-03-31T23:47:00.001-04:00

In Matthew 13:24-30, Jesus tells the parable of the wheat and the weeds. In short, a farmer plants a field full of wheat, and then an enemy sows weeds among the wheat, and rather than pull up the weeds, the farmer elects to let them grow side by side, and then separate them apart at harvest time.

In the explanation (13:36-43), Jesus describes how this parable is an illustration of God, and how He will ultimately judge sin and save His people for good - but just not yet.

What is fascinating is the reason the farmer gives for this course of action. "While you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest." (13:29-30) The reason the farmer does not pull up the weeds right away is because some of the wheat might be uprooted with it.

Had the farmer pulled up the weeds, the wheat would have had more room to grow. There would have been more nutrients in the soil for each seed. The harvest would have been easier, and time would not have had to be spent separating the good from the bad. It seems like a no-brainer.

Except that He would have risked losing some wheat. This was a course of action that the farmer was not willing to take. If given the choice between having weed-free wheat, and preserving every single ear of wheat, the farmer would choose to preserve every ear.

What telling insight this is into the mind and heart of God. Could God rid this world of pain, suffering, and evil? Absolutely He can. He can rip the wheat right out of the field at any moment. God could afford you and me the most comfortable existence we could imagine. Free from any sort of pain, trials, or discomfort.

But that is not God's main concern. Our present comfort is not at the forefront of God's priorities. Our eternal security is. The farmer was more concerned with getting every last piece of wheat into his barn than he was with providing his wheat a weed-free existence. And likewise, God is much more concerned with saving every single person who trusts in Christ than He is with providing His people with a pain-free existence.

In the words of Jesus himself:

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:39-40)

Jesus is willing to subject His wheat to weed-ness in order to save them. He would rather allow His elect to experience hardship and preserve them through it, rather than keep them from hardship, but risk losing some in the process.

Weeds will grow, and trials will come. But God will most assuredly save those who trust in Christ, because that is His primary concern. Rest assured, Jesus is more concerned with our eternal security than with our present comfort.

Iain Murray on Christian Humility and Grace

2010-03-27T00:19:00.001-04:00

"If we see the mistakes of other Christians, we have therefore to think how much greater could have been our failure if we had been exposed to the same temptations; and in the light of our own privileges, we are faced with our own poor use of the opportunities we have been given."

-Evangelicalism Divided, p. 316

"Look at what they make you give."

2010-03-26T01:20:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite movies, if not my all-time favorite, is The Bourne Identity, and the rest of the trilogy of Bourne movies. I am a sucker for fast-paced, action-packed, explosion-filled movies. Young, aggressive, male movies, as I like to call them. And I had the privilege of watching The Bourne Identity a while ago with some buddies of mine.

And I was taken back by a quote from it. Jason Bourne is a special ops assassin who is being chased by several other assassins just like him. At one point, the paths of two of these agents cross in a field, and several gunshots are exchanged. Jason runs up to other agent - the one he just shot twice - and the following exchange ensues.

Jason: "Who else is out here?"

Other guy: "I work alone. Like you. We always work alone."

He reveals that they work for the same agency as assassins. And then, just as he is about to die:

"Look at this. Look at what they make you give."

Here are two assassins who spend their lives hunting down targets that are forwarded to them in electronic mission briefings. Countless hours and years of training to become an invisible hitmen. No life. No identity. Just the next mission. That's what they live for.

And now they are pitted against each other. Instructed to eliminate each other. And as his life is slipping away, one of them realizes the futility of it all. Their job demanded and demanded. They gave and gave and gave. And now, they are written off as collateral damage. Seen as an expendable means to an end of accomplishing the mission.

How illustrative this is of the world around us. We give and give, and pour our heart and soul into all kinds of things. Careers. Spouses. Success. Possessions. Power. Influence. Status. Religious righteousness. Intellectual prowess. We pour ourselves out on the altar of those things in life which are so important to us. We stop at nothing to get more and more out of these things, and find that we are never actually satisfied. Just left wanting more.

Look at what they make you give.

In contrast, consider for a moment the gospel of Jesus Christ. The person who does not demand moral perfection or religious strivings from us, but instead, accomplishes salvation on our behalf and gives it to us freely. (And then changes and sanctifies us from the inside out.) The one object of our affection that truly satisfies us. The one object of worship that is not an endless demand that we give more and more, but rather an endless source of joy, contentment, and fulfillment as we trust in Him.

Would that we repent of our tendencies to give and give, pouring our lives out in pursuit of lesser things that will never satisfy. Instead, would that we come to see and savor Jesus. To know and enjoy Him, and to be fully and completely satisfied in Him.

Another great line from Valley of Vision

2010-03-22T12:32:00.001-04:00

Page 76 of this book:

Grant me to never lose sight of

the exceeding sinfulness of sin,

the exceeding righteousness of salvation,

the exceeding glory of Christ,

the exceeding beauty of holiness,

the exceeding wonder of grace.

You Be The Judge

2010-03-16T18:26:00.001-04:00

Here is a sermon series that I have listened to recently by Mike Minter - a friend and great pastor in Reston, VA. It is on judging. It was a certainly a timely word for me to hear.

I would highly encourage you to give it a listen.

You Be the Judge, Part 1: Why We Judge

(audio, video)

You Be the Judge, Part 2: Consequences of Judging

(audio, video)

You Be the Judge, Part 3: Judging Righteously

(audio, video)

You Be the Judge, Part 4: Judging Grey Areas

(audio, video)

The Complementary Nature of God's Wrath and Mercy

2010-03-13T20:11:00.002-05:00

Some things just seem to complement one another very well. Summer and baseball. Winter and football. Wings and cream soda. Polo shirts and cargo shorts (my standard attire).

Likewise, there are 2 aspects of God's character that I think complement one another very well. Namely - God's mercy, and God's wrath.

Now, typically, God's mercy is much easier to talk about than God's wrath. It is very encouraging to think of God as merciful and forgiving, but righteous and full of wrath? That can be a tough one.

But I would submit that each of these characteristics of God complements the other. Each makes the other more impressive. God's wrath makes God's mercy all the more wonderful. And God's mercy makes God's wrath all the more glorious.

Let's start with the first one. Without God's wrath, His mercy would not be nearly as impressive as it is. Of what significance is it for God to forgive sinners, if He was not angry at their sin in the first place?

Let's say a friend of mine borrows a pen, and then breaks it. He tells me about it, and I forgive him. Impressive, right? Ehh. Good, not great. Now, let's say one of my friends borrows my car without permission, and totals it. And then he comes to me, and I forgive him. That would profoundly more magnanimous.

Likewise, God's wrath against sin speaks to the unimaginable depths of His mercy when He forgives. In the doctrine of God's wrath, we see that He is not merely agitated by human sin. God is wholly and completely infuriated by it. Sin is the de-throning of God, and the exaltation of one's self or some other created thing in God's place. And God will spend eternity pouring His wrath out on sinners who rebel against Him in such a way. That's how much He hates sin.

Now, juxtapose that up against the doctrine of God's mercy. His free offer of forgiveness in Jesus Christ to undeserving sinners. In Christ, God offers us a chance to escape His impending wrath, and instead experience love, grace, reconciliation, adoption, and eternal fellowship with Him. But that offer of mercy carries much more weightiness when we see it in the shadow of God's wrath.

If God was unconcerned with sin, then mercy would be no big deal.

The same holds true in reverse. God's wrath is more impressive when seen in light of God's mercy and love.

Think about it. God punishes sin by consigning sinners into an eternity of punishment apart from Himself, which shows that He has a deep concern for and commitment to His own holiness. But this concern for holiness looms even larger on the horizon of God's mercy.

If a criminal stands before a judge, and he shows no respect for his courtroom, no remorse over his crime, and no care whatsoever about the pain caused by his actions, he would probably be convicted and punished. Why? Because the judge had a commitment to justice. Fair enough.

But what if the criminal that is brought before the judge is his own son? Who he loves very much? Who he has raised from childhood and would give his life for? For that judge to sentence that criminal to punishment speaks far more about his commitment to justice than the previous example. The judge's holiness and righteousness are shown to be that much more impressive when seen in light of His love.

So it is with God. If God did not love people, then sentencing them to eternity in hell would be no big deal. He could do it with a certain degree of indifference. But the fact is, God loves the people that He has created very, very much. He cares for them, and He longs to see them repent and turn to Him.

So, for God to pour His wrath out on that person - the person He created and loves; for God to punish Him, He must be very concerned about His holiness, and the vindication thereof. God's holiness and wrath are magnified when seen in view of His mercy and love.

The mercy God extends to sinners is all the more impressive when seen in view of His wrath and anger toward sin. And His commitment to justice in punishing sinners is all the more impressive when seen in view of His great love for all people.

And ultimately, both of these aspects of God are manifested in the cross of Christ. God's wrath against sin poured out on Christ, and His mercy toward sinners extended through Christ.

God's wrath and His mercy complement one another perfectly.

Driving in the rain

2010-03-11T00:45:00.002-05:00

Often, I rush through life and fail to realize the evidences of God's grace all around me. Fail to see all the little (and big) ways in which I receive something that us much, much better than I deserve.

I have food to eat, and typically know whence my next meal will come. (Props to Dr. Scott Swain for introducing me to the word "whence".) Every night, I sleep on what amounts to a giant pillow, with a ridiculously warm blanket covering me. I'm not sure that anyone I know has spent a night out in the cold. WIth the exception of Dave Lookabill, who, in college, spent a night camping in 30 degree weather on top of his sleeping bag, because he couldn't get the zipper to work. But you get the point. We are very blessed.

And so often we rush through life and miss so many undeserved blessings that God throws our way. We are like small children who ravage through dozens of birthday presents without stopping to appreciate any of them, or to thank the giver.

However, there is one experience in life that always directs my attention to God and His grace. An experience that combines so many gifts that I am always mindful of it. It may sound strange, but I am always cognizant of God's grace when I find myself driving in the rain.

Think about it. A few thousand years ago, it would take days and days to make trips that we can knock out in a matter of hours now. And if it was raining, you were more or less confined to your home. Schedule - out the window. Plans for the day were shot. If it was cold and raining, and you decided to be a hero and take a trip, you'd probably die of pneumonia or something.

Compare that to today. Today, it was raining - pouring. And it was a little chilly. Even still, I found myself perfectly dry, warm, content, and traveling 60 miles per hour. Despite the weather that should ground me for the day, I could have crossed states in an hour or two if I had wanted. The rain and cold had virtually no impact on me. I was driving like normal, enjoying some music or a sermon, and it didn't even phase me. If I wanted to, I could have picked up my phone and spoke to someone on the other side of the world.

I say all this to submit that we see countless opportunities to thank God for His grace in a given day. I could have been cold, but I wasn't. I could have been soaking wet, but I wasn't. I could have been stuck inside waiting for the sun to come out, but I wasn't.

And at any given moment, we could be in hell for our sinful rebellion against God. But we are not. By God's grace, He has allowed us to live to this very moment. And He has given us the opportunity to repent and trust in Jesus to be reconciled to Him forever. There can be no more extravagant a gift of grace than that.

Would that we appreciate the common grace that we experience all the time. And would that we repent and trust in Jesus Christ for special, saving grace.

Lessons on Suffering from Habakkuk 1

2010-03-07T23:48:00.003-05:00

To be sure, one of the most difficult questions that is posed to the Christian worldview would be that of evil and suffering. It goes something like this:

"How can a good God exist with all the evil in the world?"

Or, in a logical equation, it might look like:

1. A infinitely powerful God could prevent evil and suffering from happening.

2. A perfectly good God would prevent evil and suffering from happening.

3. Evil and suffering exist. Hence,

4. God does not exist.

The logic is flawless. No doubt. The premises lead inevitably to the conclusion. Thus, if you accept the premises (1-3), one has no choice but to accept the conclusion and arrive at atheism (4).

Strangely enough, the Bible seems to hold these two truths in tension, and make no apologies for it. Yes, God exists. Yes, pain and suffering are very real and very present. But texts like Habakkuk 1:1-11 can give us insight into this tension and help us to view suffering through the lens of God's sovereignty, holiness, and goodness.

Suffering Will Come

In Habakkuk 1:1-4, we see a painfully honest assessment of the prophet's current condition. And a heart cry to God. "How long?! Why are you letting this happen?! Justice never prevails!" Habakkuk was audience to sin and oppression - so much so that God would soon judge the nation of Israel for it in the Babylonian captivity. And he is honest with God about it.

Christianity does not teach that trials and suffering are some strange phenomenon, that should surprise us (1 Peter 4:12). It does not require Christians to always "have it all together", or to wear a plastic smile. We need not pretend that everything is okay. We live in a broken world, filled with disaster, pain, illness, death. And the Bible affords us the opportunity to be honest with God when suffering hits.

After all, the holiest person ever to live also happens to be the person who suffered more than anyone else who ever lived - Jesus Christ. Jesus walked with God in obedience, holiness, and humility. His life is our perfect example, and yet, he wound up betrayed, abandoned, condemned, and executed. Make no mistake about it. It is "okay" for the Christian to experience suffering and pain.

God is Sovereign and Good

So, suffering is to be expected in this broken world. However, the question still stands - why is there pain and suffering? If God is good, why would he allow it? And God answers this very question in Habakkuk in 1:5-11. His answer: "Look and watch. Be amazed at what I am going to do." Then God spends the next 6 verses explaining how He is going to judge the very evil that Habakkuk was complaining about by appointing the Babylonians to defeat Israel.

When we experience pain, the temptation is to look inward, to ourselves, with bitterness, anger, frustration, or pity. However, God's counsel is not to look inward, but to look upward! Not to look at myself, and wonder why this is happening; but to take a long, lingering look at God, and trust that He is going to do something that we would not believe, even if we were told (1:5). He is going to judge sin. He is going to make all things right.

When considering evil and suffering, it is of utmost importance that we zoom out, and see the entire panorama of God's dealings with humanity. In the narrow lens, suffering is bad, and God looks bad for allowing it. But from a wider angle, we can see that God can bring good things out of the most evil of circumstances.

Adam sinned, and the creation was cursed. But through that curse, and God's subsequent intervention, we are able to know not just as Creator, but as Redeemer. Joseph was sold into slavery, and God used it to save the lives of many in Egypt, and to reconcile him back to his brothers. And, the pinnacle of this good-from-bad principle: Jesus Christ was murdered for sins He never committed. God Himself poured His wrath out on His own Son. There can be no worse circumstance imaginable. And yet, through it, God was able to secure the salvation of those for whom Christ came and died.

So the encouragement is this. Trust God. Trust Him through the good times. Trust Him through the difficult times. He is with us. He is no stranger to suffering, and has been where we are. And through the cross of Christ, God has afforded us a way to escape the most intense suffering - the eternal wrath of God. Through Jesus - through repenting and trusting in His sufficiency on our behalf - we escape the wrath of God and get nothing but mercy.

That is the true answer to the problem of evil. And that is ultimately what God has in mind in 1:5-11, when He tells Habakkuk to zoom out and watch for His impending intervention. Jesus Christ.

Need to relearn how to type....

2010-03-07T14:45:00.002-05:00

So, for both of you out there who check this blog from time to time, it is probably obvious that I have gotten a little lazy since my days back at the university. Given the fact that my degree was in the liberal arts (Philosophy and Religion), reading and writing comprised the bulk of my workload.

Now, don't get the wrong idea or anything. I did my share of studying, but let's be honest. I watched more sports (and Sportscenter) and played more MarioKart in college than I'd care to admit. I can name a dozen guys who were order of magnitude more studious than I was in college. One of whom dressed immaculately and played a Taylor guitar.

All that goes to say, I think I am beginning to feel a little academically out of shape. I have become somewhat reliant on the video blog in these past months, and have spent less time typing than the folks at the DMV spend working. Add to that my intention of going to grad school in the near future, and I reached the following conclusion. I need to relearn how to read and relearn how to write.

There is a lot to be said for reading. Long books. Short books. Easy books. Hard books. Books across various subjects and disciplines. Books for fun. Books over your head. Blogs. News. I think it is simply a good discipline to be reading on a regular basis.

And I think there is also a lot to be said for writing. To be going through the process of putting your thoughts into text. It helps you organize your thoughts logically and coherently. And it is a good discipline to be able to convey meaningful ideas in a limited amount of space.

So, all that goes to say, it is my intention to begin using this blog to, well, blog. I hope to find some time throughout the week to sit down and put my thoughts onto paper. Or onto the screen. Hopefully it will prove to sharpen me and give me some much needed mental exercise. And if I'm lucky, maybe it will prove to be a blessing to a reader or two.

DMV Horror Story

2010-03-02T23:52:00.001-05:00

Puritan Prayer about Sleep

2010-02-17T21:50:00.003-05:00

Here is a great puritan prayer I stumbled across about sleep in this book. I provides a wonderful perspective on the theology of sleep, and is set in the paradigm of a sovereign, merciful, glorious God.

My humble advice: print it out, leave it by your bed, and pray through it every night for a week. I doubt you will be disappointed that you did.

BLESSED CREATOR,
Thou hast promised thy beloved sleep;
Give me restoring rest needful for tomorrow's toil.
If dreams be mine, let them not be tinged with evil.
Let thy Spirit make my time of repose a blessed temple of his holy presence.

May my frequent lying down make me familiar with death,
the bed I approach remind me of the grave,
the eyes I now close picture to me their final closing.
Keep me always ready, waiting for admittance to thy presence.
Weaken my attachment to earthly things.
May I hold life loosely in my hand,
knowing that I receive it on condition of its surrender;
As pain and suffering betoken transitory health,
may I not shrink from a death,
that introduces me to the freshness of eternal youth.
I retire this night in full assurance of one day awaking with thee.
All glory for this precious hope,
for the gospel of grace,
for thine unspeakable gift of Jesus,
for the fellowship of the Trinity.
Withhold not thy mercies in the night season;
thy hand never wearies,
thy power needs no repose,
thine eye never sleeps.

Help me when I helpless lie,
when my conscience accuses me of sin,
when my mind is harassed by foreboding thoughts,
when my eyes are held awake by personal anxieties.

Show thyself to me as the God of all grace, love and power;
thou hast a balm for every wound,
a solace for all anguish,
a remedy for every pain,
a peace for all disquietude.
Permit me to commit myself to thee awake or asleep.

Kate McRae

2010-02-05T00:04:00.002-05:00

I have recently come across the ongoing story of this little girl's battle with brain cancer.

Please pray for her and her family. And if can, and you feel led, please give to help cover any medical expenses they incur that are not insured.

Back in Denton, Pilgrim's Progress

2010-01-14T22:43:00.001-05:00

My Christmas Vacation in Virginia

2009-12-31T13:55:00.002-05:00

Christ the Word. A Puritan Prayer

2009-12-25T08:05:00.002-05:00

MY FATHER,

In a world of created changeable things,
Christ and his Word alone remain unshaken.

O to forsake all creatures,
to rest as a stone on him the foundation,
to abide in him, be borne up by him!

For all my mercies come through Christ,
who has designed, purchased, promised, effected them.

How sweet it is to be near him, the Lamb,
filled with holy affections!

When I sin against thee I cross thy will, love, life,
and have no comforter, no creature, to go to.

My sin is not so much this or that particular evil,
but my continual separation, disunion, distance from thee,
and having a loose spirit towards thee.

But thou has given me a present, Jesus thy Son,
as mediator between thyself and my soul,
as middle-man who in a pit holds both him below and him above,
for only he can span the chasm breached by sin,
and satisfy divine justice.

May I always lay hold upon this mediator,
as a realized object of faith,
and alone worthy by his love to bridge the gulf.

Let me know that he is dear to me by his Word;

I am one with him by the Word on his part,
and by faith on mine;

If I oppose the Word I oppose my Lord when he is most near;

If I receive the Word I receive my Lord wherein he is nigh.

O thou who hast the heart of all men in thine hand,
form my heart according to the Word,
according to the image of thy Son,

So shall Christ the Word, and his Word, be my strength and comfort.

-The Valley of Vision (p. 17)

Few More Days in Denton....

2009-12-22T00:01:00.002-05:00

The Expulsive Power of a New Affection

2009-12-13T02:46:00.000-05:00

Can external behavioral modification be a sufficient means for life change? Can a person, simply by willing, and trying harder, actually reform his life for the better?

These are questions that Thomas Chalmers attempts to answer in this sermon - "The Expulsive Power of a New Affection".

His thesis is simply that. Life change can only be achieved through the expulsive power of a new affection. it is impossible for a human being to see behavioral reform while leaving his root desires - his affections - unchanged.

Instead of trying harder to be better, and fighting against our selfish desires, Chalmers would exhort people to tackle their deepest desires themselves. Specifically, to expel said desires by replacing them with a new, superior affection. A superior pleasure that is altogether more pleasurable than anything else. Namely - Jesus Christ. Knowing Him. And enjoying Him.

If we see Christ for who He is, and thus find our deepest joy in Him, then we are freed to be as hedonistic as we can be! For then, our continual pursuit of our own joy and pleasure is one and the same as our pursuit of God and His glory.

I strongly recommend that you take an hour or so and read this sermon. It's 14 pages, and is not exactly light reading, and some sentences need to be read twice to catch their meaning. But it is most definitely time well spent.

May you, as we approach the Christmas season, experience joy and satisfaction in Christ. And may you do so through the expulsive power of a new affection.

Check, please!

2009-12-09T23:59:00.001-05:00

If God created man for God's own glory, how is He not selfish?

2009-12-07T23:26:00.002-05:00

Here is a copy of an email that I sent some time ago, and came across recently. It was in response to someone who asked the following question:

"How is it a good thing that God created man for His own glory?"

Here are a few thoughts.....

First of all, God created man for His glory because, well, He deserves it. God is the eternal, sovereign, righteous, holy, matchless king of the universe. He is the epitome of all that is good. And He is infinitely worthy of all glory and honor and praise. When we see God as really, really big, and see ourselves by comparison as really, really small, then the question of why we were created to glorify Him no longer demands to be answered. In fact, a more appropriate question might be "What else except God's glory could we possibly have been created for?".

So that's the first step to answering this question. Try to help her see how big and beautiful God is. No one will arrive at a satisfactory answer of why we were created for God's glory until she begins to see God as big and wonderful and worthy of worship. Only then, after meditating upon the character of God and the person of Christ, can we then see Him as worthy of glory.

Secondly, I would try to show her that God creating us solely for His glory is not such a bad thing - not such a selfish thing. It is actually the most generous thing that God can do. This comes when we begin to see that God's glory is actually connected to our joy. Let me explain.

Basically, there are any number of things that we, as humans, can give our hearts to. There are any number of things that we can find our joy in. Perhaps it is money or fame. Perhaps a relationship with a person. Perhaps status or sports or possessions. I would argue (as would John Piper, from whom this concept is taken) that the most satisfying thing of all that we can give our hearts to and find our joy in is God. To find joy in anything less than God - knowing Him, worshiping Him, enjoying Him - is to settle for a second rate substitute.

Now, we can see that we are most satisfied when we know God. When we walk with Him, enjoy Him, worship Him. But that is the exact same thing that gives God glory! The logic would go as follows: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him". Therefore, for God to create us for His glory is basically another way of saying that God created us to be satisfied wholly and completely in Him. Thus, God is not selfish - He is generous, loving, and kind!

I hope that helps a little. I would simply try and show her that God is big, and deserving of worship; and that communing with and glorifying God is actually the most satisfying, enjoyable thing that we can do anyway!

I can try to point you to a couple Biblical texts and books for more on this as well. A great passage to see the big-ness of God, in comparison to the small-ness of humanity, is Job 38-42. These 5 chapters are a magnificent response from God where He essentially makes clear that He is the sovereign Creator, and we are His creation.

Philippians 3:1-11 is also a key text of seeing that our ultimate joy comes from knowing Christ (knowing Him, glorifying Him). Paul speaks of various accomplishments of his, and yet says that they are all surpassed by the greatness of knowing Jesus.

If you stuck it out and read this far - thanks! I hope you enjoyed it. God bless!

Charity Water

2009-12-03T19:25:00.001-05:00

So, I came across this charity recently, and was both intrigued and encouraged. It was started by a former New York event promoter after he spent some time in Africa.

Couple items to note. First off, they provide clean drinking water to people who don't have access to it. This is huge. Clean drinking water is a blessing that many of us take for granted. And the lack thereof causes far too much disease and death.

Secondly, should you decide to donate (even just a little bit), every penny of it goes straight to funding the building of wells. They raise their own money through other sources to cover administrative costs, plane flights to the field, etc. That means that 100% of your donation helps give people in the developing world life-saving clean water.

You can even do it via text message. Just message "WATER" to 85944. Your next phone bill will have an extra $10 on it, all of which went directly to build a well. And they'll text you the GPS coordinates of the well that you helped build.

God blesses us richly, so that we might, in turn, be a blessing to others (Psalm 67).

I Love Thanksgiving

2009-11-22T02:30:00.001-05:00

Rob Bell's "Drops Like Stars"

2009-11-16T00:57:00.001-05:00

Romans Retreat Night 1

2009-11-14T00:06:00.001-05:00

Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

2009-11-07T14:16:00.002-05:00

Here is a 10 minute clip of John Piper sharing his feelings about the prosperity gospel. It is definitely worth a listen.

May we never elevate things (material wealth, physical comfort, etc.) over Christ. That is called idolatry. And most of all, may we never take advantage of the needy in pursuit of what is ultimately nothing more than an idol.

The Death of Death in the Death of Christ

2009-11-04T19:52:00.002-05:00

DA Carson, etc.

2009-10-30T23:52:00.001-04:00

Death is Not Dying

2009-10-21T08:12:00.003-04:00

I can't recommend this message highly enough. It is the best I have ever heard. It is a woman named Rachel Barkey sharing about her hope in the midst of terminal cancer.

She shares of the lessons she has learned - to know God, know yourself, know the gospel, and know your purpose. And she does so with Christ-centered theology, evangelistic boldness, gospel-centered grace, humility, and vulnerability.

It's about 55 minutes, and it is not easy listening. But it is most certainly time well spent.

http://deathisnotdying.com/

This Weekend

2009-10-18T23:03:00.001-04:00

My life from now through the weekend...

2009-10-15T00:44:00.002-04:00

The Prodigal Son

2009-10-12T22:54:00.001-04:00

The Good Samaritan

2009-10-09T22:58:00.001-04:00

God's Grace in Transportation

2009-10-06T23:43:00.002-04:00

Men's Program - Church History

2009-09-29T16:24:00.001-04:00

Back from the Program Retreat

2009-09-26T23:23:00.001-04:00

Retreat to Mt. Vernon

2009-09-24T22:39:00.002-04:00

2 Books

2009-09-24T01:17:00.003-04:00

Here are some thoughts on a couple books I am reading:
Christianity and Liberalism, by Gresham Machen

and

Why We're Not Emergent,by Kevin Deyoung and Ted Kluck

Bibliology and Genesis 2

2009-09-16T20:17:00.001-04:00

Big News!

2009-09-14T22:33:00.001-04:00

Men's Program Week 1

2009-09-11T22:33:00.001-04:00

Men's Program Day 1

2009-09-09T23:09:00.002-04:00

My House

2009-09-08T00:57:00.005-04:00

So, for those of you back in the ol' VA who are wondering what the house that I live in looks like, I took a few pictures in order to enlighten you. It really takes me back to my old college days in the Rock House.

Say hello to the Mohican House!

Here are a couple shots from the front and back. Trees are kind of in the way, but that just adds character. You might say that we are going green....

Our kitchen. Don't ask why there is huge inflatable ball in it. I am not sure.....

The living room. Couple of recliners, a futon, and a TV for watching sports and movies.

The hallway. Note that are doors still have the names of the girls who lived here years ago. Here lived Natalie and Sally.

And I would be "Maggie".

It was tough to capture my whole room in one shot. But here are a few shots of different items in it.
Bookshelf #1 complete with theology by living guys and reference books.

Bookshelf #2 complete with college textbooks and a smattering of "other".

Bookshelf #3, complete with theology by dead guys and Bibles.

Computer desk. I like to have a lot of leg-room and surface area.

Some artwork done by my roommate Zach - hanging above the TV.

And finally, doing our part and going green. We like to recycle twice as much as we throw away....

So that's about it! What a blessing to have a place to live. Convenient location. Great roommates. I am very grateful.

God bless!

Men's Program

2009-09-03T21:14:00.001-04:00

CollegeLife

2009-08-30T01:28:00.001-04:00

House-Sitting

2009-08-26T01:10:00.001-04:00

Trip to Denton

2009-08-23T17:18:00.001-04:00

Lecture by D.A. Carson

2009-08-09T14:39:00.004-04:00

So, I am sitting in a Panera in Little Rock, Arkansas. Little far from home, to say the least. I am slowly making my way across (or half-way across) the country on my trip from Smithfield, Virginia to Denton, Texas.

And I came across something during my most recent tank of gas that I was compelled to post here. I listened to a lecture by D.A. Carson called "Keeping Up With the Conversation". You can find it here. It is Carson speaking about the "Emergent Church" at a conference last year.

Now, I am not going to get into the emergent church in this post. I have neither the time nor the capacity. But, I am not exaggerating when I say that I think it is one of the best lectures I have ever heard. Not because the content blew my mind. Not because I find the topic any more interesting than various other topics. (Although it was an interesting lecture that provided very insightful content.)

I was absolutely impressed and blessed by the lecture because of Carson's attitude throughout the entirety of it. I have heard quite a few presentations on theology, and on the emergent church. Some good, some bad. Some nice, some mean.

What stood out about this lecture, and consequently about Carson himself, was his humility. His ability to be a competent authority on the issue, and yet still come across as gentle and kind. He was also funny - making use of self-deprecating humor - showing that he does not take himself too seriously (which I think is a sign of humility and maturity).

He was able to see, point out, and celebrate the good aspects of views of movements that differ from his own. What a blessing it is to see this among Christians! I fear that it is becoming all too rare. I fear that it is all to rare in my own life. It is often easy to look at someone and amplify the error with which we disagree, while overlooking the truth with which we agree.

But coupled with his humility and willingness to see the good and true in various people and schools of thought, Carson proclaimed the gospel of Jesus boldly. He exulted in the wondrous cross, called his hearers to do the same.

I would do well to model the gospel-centered proclamation of truth, as well as the Christ-like humility, that I see in D.A. Carson, and that I heard in this lecture.

Book Recommendations

2009-07-14T03:18:00.002-04:00

So, it's 3 in the morning, and I am just now getting to bed. One of the things that kept me up (among many) was the task of picking out a few books for my brother to borrow when I see him tomorrow. Which prompted this post. A quick, to-the-point list of books I highly recommend. Check em out!

John Stott - "The Cross of Christ"
Mark Driscoll - "Vintage Jesus"
Anthony Carter - "On Being Black and Reformed"
Tim Keller - "The Prodigal God"
C.J. Mahaney - "Humility: True Greatness"
John Owen - "The Mortification of Sin"
C.H. Spurgeon - "All of Grace"

Back from East Asia

2009-07-04T02:49:00.000-04:00

Well, after a little time off from the blog-o-sphere, I am back, and in a big way.

Not really, but it is my intention to try and blog with some sense of regularity. No promises though. I might follow the example of my buddy Dave Lookabill and try to throw in a video blog here and there (http://davidlookabill.blogspot.com/).

By way of quick update, I had a great time on my summer project. Myself, my associate project director, and 4 students spent about 6 weeks overseas. It is great to be back, though.

I hope that all of you are doing well, and I look forward to reconnecting with you in the coming weeks. God bless!

Psalm 130 (From the Depths of Woe)

2009-05-08T12:33:00.001-04:00

Here is beautiful hymn, based on Psalm 130. It tells both of man's
brokenness, and of God's wonderful grace.

1. From the depths of woe I raise to Thee
The voice of lamentation;
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me
And hear my supplication;
If Thou iniquities dost mark,
Our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O who shall stand before Thee?

2. To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! Are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth;
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
And live alone by mercy.

3. Therefore my trust is in the Lord,
And not in mine own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His word
Upholds my fainting spirit;
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience.

4. What though I wait the live-long night,
And 'til the dawn appeareth,
My heart still trusteth in His might;
It doubteth not nor feareth;
Do thus, O ye of Israel's seed,
Ye of the Spirit born indeed;
And wait 'til God appeareth.

5. Though great our sins and sore our woes
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our upmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free
From all their sin and sorrow.

Keller on the Cross

2009-04-02T11:28:00.000-04:00

“The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less.”

- Timothy Keller, The Reason For God

Spurgeon on the Bridge of Grace

2009-03-22T15:19:00.002-04:00

Ah! the bridge of grace will bear your weight, brother. Thousands of big sinners have gone across that bridge, yea, tens of thousands have gone over it. I can hear their trampings now as they traverse the great arches of the bridge of salvation. They come by their thousands, by their myriads; e'er since the day when Christ first entered into His glory, they come, and yet never a stone has sprung in that mighty bridge. Some have been the chief of sinners, and some have come at the very last of their days, but the arch has never yielded beneath their weight. I will go with them trusting to the same support; it will bear me over as it has borne them.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon
The Forgotten Spurgeon, p.164

John Stott on the Cross

2009-03-06T15:16:00.001-05:00

More important still, we ourselves are also guilty. If we were in their place, we would have done what they did. Indeed, we have done it. For whenever we turn away from Christ, we "are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace" (Hebrews 6:6). We too sacrifice Jesus to our greed like Judas, to our envy like the priests, to our ambition like Pilate. "Were you there when they crucified my Lord" the old negro spiritual asks. And we must answer "Yes, we were there." Not as spectators only but as participants, guilty participants, plotting, scheming, betraying, bargaining, and handing him over to be crucified. We may try to wash our hands of responsibility like Pilate. But our attempt will be as futile as his. For there is blood on our hands. Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us (leading us to faith and worship), we have to see it as something done by us (leading us to repentance). Indeed, 'only the man who is prepared to own his share in the guilt of the cross...may claim his share in its grace.'

John Stott

Cross of Christ (59-60)

This Will Encourage Your Soul

2009-02-15T17:41:00.002-05:00

http://epointchurch.org/2009/02/13/the-bruised-reed/

Summer Assignment

2008-12-22T20:51:00.002-05:00

So, my plans for the summer are set. The semester here at JMU will take me into May, at which point I will begin preparing for my summer assignment in....

East Asia.

I will be heading to East Asia with a team of students for about 6 weeks on a summer project mission trip. We will take language classes, and spend the better part of our week doing evangelism on campus at a university there. I am very excited about the opportunity, and am consider it a great privilege.

This. Is. AWESOME.

2008-12-16T11:29:00.003-05:00

Piper on Justification by Faith

2008-12-11T11:57:00.000-05:00

Here is a short blog post by John Piper on justification by faith. Specifically, on the notion that there will be prostitutes entering the kingdom of God before priests.

Very interesting. And very telling of the fact that we are reconciled to God not by who we are or what we do, but by the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Rocktown Weekly

2008-12-07T22:05:00.003-05:00

Here's an article in Harrisonburg's local newspaper, Rocktown Weekly, about the JMU Freethinkers, and their relationship with Christians such as myself. The Freethinkers are a group at JMU (composed largely of atheists) that meet weekly to discuss religious topics (among other things).

I have had the opportunity and privilege of attending their meetings and being a part of their club this semester, and it has been a great blessing to me. My prayer is that my presence there has been a blessing to the other Freethinkers as well.

Don't Waste Your Sports

2008-12-07T15:37:00.003-05:00

Here is a great sermon by CJ Mahaney on sports. Specifically - sports to the glory of God, through a Biblical, gospel-centered worldview. Great stuff!

It would definitely be worth a listen for anyone who plays or watches sports a lot.....

John Piper's wardrobe.....

2008-12-04T12:43:00.003-05:00

I found this rather humorous. Mark Driscoll and John Piper are two guys whose teaching I particularly enjoy. I think this video is very telling of both of their personalities....

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-23T12:19:00.003-05:00

So, I am up in Gettysburg, PA for a few days at our Regional Staff Conference, after which I will head back home to spend Thanksgiving with the fam. The theme here at the conference seems to have been work and rest, and examining what the Bible has to say about these topics. Good stuff.

It reminds me a little bit of another blog that I check out every so often - C. J. Mahaney's "A View from the Cheap Seats". His last 4 posts (Are You Busy, Confessions of a Busy Procrastinator, The Procrastinator Within, and Just Do It) have contained great insight into the ideas of work and procrastination. I would strongly encourage you to check them out!

I may or may not blog again before Thanksgiving. Either way, I am thankful for you! I pray that you have a blessed Thanksgiving, and hope that you get a chance to reflect on and give thanks for all that God is for us - not the least of which is a Savior who shed His own blood that we might live and know Him.

Happy Thanksgiving!

shai linne

2008-11-15T11:39:00.003-05:00

All praise to the name
Of the Savior who reigns.
He's taken our blame,
Embraced all our shame.

He's raised from the grave,
So His fame we'll proclaim.
Salvation by grace,
Through faith in His name.

-shai linne
Quite possibly my favorite musician.

Why Obama May Not Be the Antichrist....

2008-11-14T00:16:00.004-05:00

Michael Mckinley says it really well:

http://blog.9marks.org/2008/11/why-obama-pro-1.html

Eternal Perspective and The Generosity of Christ

2008-11-11T15:20:00.002-05:00

A missionary named Jim Elliot is quoted as saying:
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."

As I was thinking about this quote, regarding living with an eternal perspective, I thought about what it might look like if it were speaking of Jesus Himself. Consider this, regarding the generosity of Christ:
He is a gracious Savior, and worthy of worship, who gives what He deserves and indeed can keep; in order to secure a great reward for those to whom he has no obligation whatsoever.

We are called to live with an eternal perspective, in light of fact that Christ selflessly afforded us the riches of God at His own expense.

An Apple Adminstration

2008-11-08T19:03:00.003-05:00

No matter your political persuasion, you gotta admit, this is pretty cool.

Obama Nation....

2008-11-05T22:00:00.001-05:00

Let's be honest. There are tons of issues and details regarding Obama's upcoming administration, some of which scare me, many of which thrill me.

One that thrills me is that this nation has elected a black man as its president. That is beautiful. What a magnificent culture shift! 50 years ago, many black people did not yet have the right to vote. 150 years ago, black people were bought and sold as slaves.

And now, we are going to have a black president of the United States. I am overjoyed to see this, in light of a horrible history of racism in this country.

May we stand behind and support Barack Obama as he takes office, and may we celebrate a wonderful moment in history. Racism stands in direct opposition to God's character, and is in conflict with the Biblical doctrine that all people are created in God's image. Praise God that we are continuing to move away from it as a culture.

Praying for our Nation

2008-11-04T16:06:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note of encouragement as election day winds down, and we see the results in the coming hours.

Remember the sovereignty of God over and above politics, and the fact that He most certainly will bring about His glorious will in all things. What wonderful news!

Also, remember to be praying for the candidates, their families, their administrations, the current administration, etc. (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Regardless of who you support and who wins, we can all go to God in prayer on the behalf of our nation and its leaders.

Changing it up a little

2008-10-12T20:13:00.002-04:00

Clearly, I have not kept this blog updated as well as I could have. I have tried the once-a-week frequency, but found that even that was a tall order.

So, in an effort to motivate me a little more, I have decided to expand the parameters beyond just stories about life and ministry. In addition to that (for it is very important), I will take the liberty to blog on various topics including theology, philosophy, sports, music, and anything else I find interesting - you name it.

Hopefully the result will be that I blog more often, and that you guys find it enjoyable. God bless, and I will see you in the blog-o-sphere!

Off and running

2008-09-07T18:02:00.002-04:00

So we are several weeks into our fall semester now, and things are going relatively smoothly. Ministry is as busy as ever, but I am enjoying the fast pace of it all (which has been an unfamiliar feeling for some time).

My days are packed with appointments with students, meetings with my staff team, Bible studies that I am teaching, as well as time that I guard for personal study in order to be able to minister effectively. The results are long days, but I am thoroughly enjoying it!

Our first couple CRU meetings have gone well (though not without technical difficulties), and our Campus Director Dan Flynn has done a great job speaking at both of them. I am very blessed to be able to engage in full time ministry, and am very thankful for your support which makes it possible!

God bless.

And so it begins

2008-08-23T14:54:00.002-04:00

So I am writing this blog on the eve of the 2008 fall semester here at JMU, and things are about as expected. This past week, we had thousands of freshmen move into the dorms (which we as a movement had the opportunity to help with), as well as upperclassmen over the weekend.

The result is that Harrisonburg is abuzz with excitement. A trip across town that would have taken 5 minutes now takes 15. A trip to Wal-mart that took 5 minutes now takes 40. And countless college students are poised and waiting to tackle yet another year as they progress in their education.

Our Campus Crusade movement is quite excited as well to begin our new year of ministry. We have spent several days training and reconnecting with our student leaders, and are ready to meet, serve, and minister to the students in the coming weeks. It is such a blessing to be able to preach the gospel on this campus, with the ultimate goal being to reach our culture and world for Christ.

I'm Ba-ack

2008-07-23T00:06:00.002-04:00

So, I pulled up to my home in Penn Laird, VA just a couple of days ago. What a great summer!

It was such a blessing to be able to take some time away from support raising and study God's Word, and really have my mind shaped as to how to do ministry effectively. I am very excited about not just having these classes be intellectual head knowledge, but having them impact my life and the lives of students through me.

So, for the sake of brevity - I am back! I have a couple of weeks now before the students return, and then we really hit the ground running. I hope that you all are doing well!

Round 2....

2008-07-08T15:27:00.002-04:00

So I finished up my first round of classes on Friday - Biblical Interpretation and Old Testament Survey.

Now I am onto the 2nd set, which includes Biblical Communication and a theology class called God/Bible/Holy Spirit.

I am learning great stuff every day, and couldn't enjoy it more. It is such a blessing to be able to sit under the professors that I am - they have a wealth of insight.

I hope that your summer is going well!

Greetings from the Sunshine State

2008-07-01T17:19:00.002-04:00

To be honest, I have no idea why they call it that! It has literally thunder-stormed every single day that I have been here for the last week and a half. Somewhat ironic.....

That being, said, I am hanging in there. I am finishing up a paper on Luke 15 - the parable of the Prodigal Son, and loving it. It has been one of my favorite passages for some time now. It is a beautiful picture of God's grace to the undeserving sinner who comes humbly to Him.

I hope that you all are doing well. Let me know if you want to be added to my email list to receive my update letters in your inbox. Have a good one!

Safe and Sound

2008-06-25T15:43:00.002-04:00

So, I need to preface this blog with an apology for the lack of pictures as of late. I am just awful about getting out my camera and taking them! I never want to be "that guy".....

So, once again, here is a short, text-only blog, that you will all probably bypass, due to it's lack of visual appeal.

The main point is that I am here safe. I have arrived (as of a few days ago) in Winter Park, FL, and am in the dorm at a school called Rollins College. Classes started yesterday, and are a lot of fun. Right now, I am taking Old Testament Survey, and Biblical Interpretation. Both are challenging, and time-consuming, but I think will prove to be a great asset when the fall rolls around and I begin to work with students.

So that's that! I am here. I am alive. I am grateful for your support and friendship. Feel free to call or email. If you want the snail mail address, just let me know and I can get it to you! I hope you are all having a wonderful summer.

On the Road Again....

2008-06-15T19:19:00.002-04:00

So, I spent the majority of this past week on the road, doing a little support raising and seeing my family and some friends a little before my trip down to Florida next week. I logged quite a bit of time in the car, and rolled back into town after 3am on Wednesday evening. Whew!

Now, I have about a week here in Harrisonburg (hopefully to finish up support raising!), before I spend even more time in the car as I head down to outside of Orlando for a few seminary classes. I am very excited get these underway.

I'll be in touch with more updates as my summer progresses!

His Burden is Light

2008-05-30T16:16:00.002-04:00

So, in light of how boring my life is (especially while raising support), I decided not to write anything about me, but rather to jot down a quick follow up to my last blog - about the gospel, and the difference between Jesus and religion.

In my personal study over the past few months, I noticed a couple of passages in Matthew that seem to have a literary link that I found interesting. Here are words from Jesus in Matthew 23:

"[The Pharisees] tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them."
-Jesus, Matthew 23:4

Apparently, Jesus Himself wasn't a big fan of religion (as represented by the Pharisees). He looked at the religion of His day and saw rules - tons and tons of rules. Rules about how to wash your hands. Rules about foods you can and cannot eat. Rules about what days of the week you can do various tasks.

And He saw it as a burden. Jesus saw religion as a heavy burden that is placed on people's shoulders. And not only loading people up and weighing them down, but making no effort whatsoever to help them - not even lifting a finger! Now, contrast Jesus' depiction of religion with His true, gospel offer to humanity:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
-Jesus, Matthew 11:28-30

Did you catch that? Jesus did not come to earth to help people be religious! He did not come to give us more rules. He did not come to tell us how to earn salvation or how to shoulder our burden.

He came to take the burden from us! Knowing Christ, and being reconnected to God through Him, is not religion. It is relief from religion! It's not following rules and hoping to be good enough. It is trusting in, fleeing to, and being identified with Christ -- because He was, and He is good enough.

My prayer is that we, myself included, can come to understand this more and more. May we stop trying to earn God's favor with our religious performance. May we, instead, come humbly to Christ, for He is our "great God and Savior" (Titus 2:13).

Religion.....or Jesus?

2008-05-18T22:43:00.007-04:00

So I was watching a movie called 7 Years in Tibet this weekend, and came across an interesting quote that I thought was very telling of "religion". It got me thinking....

"Salvation doesn't come from the sight of me. It demands strenuous effort and practise. So work hard and seek your own salvation diligently."
-words of Buddha (according to the movie)

Now, I cannot say for sure whether Buddha actually said that - it was a movie. But, did you catch the theology that lies at the very heart of the statement? The entire premise of the quote is that we must earn our salvation. We must work. And strive. We must toil constantly, and at the end of the day, hope that we performed well enough to earn heaven.

That's what religion tells you. It's also called moralism, or legalism. It's the idea that we earn our own salvation through white-knuckling it and trying harder. And let me be very clear. Nothing could be more counter-intuitive to the Christian faith.

The gospel of Jesus is not a message that says: Try harder. Obey me better. Serve me more faithfully. Get up earlier. Read your Bible more. Do more.

The gospel is a message that says: It has already been done!

We need not work more and try harder to earn the love of God. He already loves us. And his forgiveness is offered freely to us, because the wrath that was meant for us was spent on Jesus at the cross. Praise God that we need not earn our salvation. Praise God that it is given freely to us, and that we are under grace! What a beautiful, liberating notion that is! We can serve God not out of obligation or fear, but out of gratitude and love.

Religion can never give you that - only Jesus can.

“Run, run,” the law commands
But gives me neither feet nor hands.
Yet better news the gospel brings;
It bids me fly and gives me wings.
-John Bunyan

My Sister's Graduation

2008-05-09T15:18:00.004-04:00

So last week, my family all came into town to celebrate my sister Margaret's graduation from JMU. Here are a couple of pictures from the big day!

The Davidic Covenant

2008-05-01T08:18:00.003-04:00

David was the king of Israel around 1000 BC (just after Saul, and just before Solomon). While 1 Samuel describes the process of David's assent to the throne, 2 Samuel details his reign over the nation.

In 2 Samuel 7, we see what is called the Davidic Covenant. It is a beautiful picture of God's faithfulness to His people, and it points forward to Christ, who is the ultimate pinnacle of God's plan for our salvation. God says:

"The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you......He is the one who will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son."
-2 Samuel 7:11-14

God's covenant to David (of which I only quoted a small part) is yet another Old Testament prophecy that points forward to the coming Messiah - Jesus. God tells David - the man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) - that there will be another king after him. A greater king. A king whose righteous reign would never end. A king who would be the Son of God.

When we read about David in the Old Testament, there is a lot to learn. We see a man who loves God passionately. We see a man who makes sacrifices to serve God. We see a man who, although he commits grievous sin, repents and comes back to God for forgiveness. We can learn from David in all of these areas.

But more than anything else, we see a picture of what Jesus will look like. David's life and reign points forward to the person and work of Christ. His zeal for God, his military victories, his benevolant reign over the nation - they are mere shadows of the reality that is Jesus. Jesus is the king who lived for and died for His people. He is the king who will rule victoriously in perfect righteousness.

Praise God for the true king who will return and establish His rule on the throne of David!

Month of April

2008-04-21T10:57:00.003-04:00

So the month of April has brought some changes and some interesting happenings. It has been great to have a little change of pace, and be able to take part in some things other than support raising!

A few weeks ago, I took a weekend with some friends of mine and travelled to Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. It was quite a drive, but it was very enjoyable. We got to meet some of the faculty and got an extensive look at the campus. Perhaps I will wind up there as a grad student at some point in the future!

Then, upon my return, I began to spend a little more time on campus......doing ministry! What a blessing. I was able to attend CRU (our weekly large group meeting) last week for the first time in a while. Also, I was able to spend time on campus doing evangelism. I went sharing with another member of our staff team, and then later with a student, and had the wonderful opportunity to share the gospel with some students that we met. What a testament to God's goodness.

So that's that! I am still raising my support (I am around 92%) and am hoping to knock that out soon to head out to my summer assignment and then back here for the fall semester on campus at JMU!

God bless.

Back in the Valley!

2008-02-07T17:49:00.000-05:00

Well, I am back in Harrisonburg now and hoping to knock out the rest of my support raising assignment from here. I am living in a small town called Penn Laird, which is not to far from the campus of JMU.

My monthly support is continuing to come in (a little more slowly now than in the fall, but it's coming in!). I am continuing to meet with people and try to expand my number of contacts in hopes of finishing up in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned to see how the support trail develops and when I will be getting on campus. Hopefully it will be soon!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-08T16:43:00.000-05:00

Nothing too big this time. Be on the lookout for my update letter via mail or email. It's in the works now.

To fill you in, though, things are going well! I was able to spend the holidays with the family in Petersburg, which was nice. My sister Margaret was back in town from college (at JMU), and my brother Mark and sister-in-law Kristin came up from North Carolina.

After Christmas, I went up to Washington DC to put on a conference called RADIATE07. It was a great time to meet and hang out with our students from JMU, and to get a slight glimpse of what ministry will be like once I finish raising my support. That brought me right up through New Years.

Since then, I've been back in Smithfield and trying to get back on the support trail. It is never easy to get started on it again once the momentum slows down (be it from a holiday or anything else), but I've been working on it nonetheless. It is coming in, though, slowly but surely!

As of now, the plan is to move up to Harrisonburg later this month, in anticipation of getting on campus once the last few hundred dollars in monthly support come in. I am definitely excited to get back, see some old friends, and begin to get situated in the community of Harrisonburg, so that it will be an easy transition back to mission field once the time comes!

I hope that you are doing well, and that you have a wonderful New Year! God bless!

November.....

2007-11-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

Alright, sorry this is so late! I was all set to do it, and by the time a buddy emailed me the picture, I had forgotten all about it! This was a conference back in the beginning of November.

Pictured here is the majority of the new staff with CCC from our region, and some others close by. There were four conferences total across the country (so we wouldn't all have to travel to Colorado again), so this roughly represents the fourth of us who live closer to Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania than we do to the other 3 conference locations. As is typical with us tall folks, I got relegated to the back - there I am all the way at the top left!

Since this conference, I came home to Virginia and hit the support trail for a little while until Thanksgiving, when I travelled with my family down to North Carolina. Now I am back here in Smithfield until New Years, at which point I will head up to Washington DC to help put on a conference for several hundred college students called RADIATE 07. College folks - contact me if you are interested in going.

That's about it! I am at 62% of my monthly support goal, and it is still coming in! I am hoping to get back to JMU to begin my ministry very soon. Thank you all so much!