Christ is All!

Jesus: The Friend Of Friends Of The Sinner Of Sinners!

2012-02-18T18:07:00.002-05:00

Excerpts from a Spurgeon sermon . . .

He draws all manner of sinners to Himself by the magnetic force of His almighty love!
He taught greater wisdom than all the sages put together!
He knew better philosophy than all the wise men of Greece!
But He was still familiar with the common people – tender-hearted, mild, and gentle of spirit!
Ignorant and illiterate men can find in Him their best friend!
He bowed Himself down from the heaven of heavens that He might bring bounteous blessings to the most barbarian, brute sinners!
He's the gentle lover of our souls!
He's the Good Shepherd Who came forth not so much to slay the wolf as to save the sheep!
As a father pities his children, so He pities sinful men and women!

That's my Friend of sinners! Do you know Him?!

He's the Savior Who took us just as we were – all tarnished, and defiled, and loathsome – and He made us clean!
He's done ten thousand times more for poor lost souls than mere philanthropy ever even suggested!
While we condemn the outcasts, He comes forth to save them!
While we try to keep sinners away from us, He goes to them and heals them!
While we hope the best concerning them, He goes to them and restores them!
He takes into His arms those whom we would not touch with a ten foot pole!
He receives into His very heart some whose names we would hardly venture to mention!
He uplifts the beggar from the trash dumpster!
He raises the depressed from the pit of despair!
He takes the vilest of the vile and transforms them by His grace and makes them fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light!
He's the most approachable Savior!
And He's more than that, He's waiting eagerly to be gracious!
He stands with arms outstretched, longing to clasp poor sinners to His heart!
To become the Friend of friends of the sinner of sinners, though He never sinned, He had to be made the sinner of sinners on that cross and condemned by His heavenly Father!

That's my Friend of friends Who gave His life for me! Oh may you know Him!

"That's My King!" On Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T22:37:00.000-05:00

My King is the Lover of all lovers of all time!
He's the Valentine of Valentine's!
His love far surpasses your ability to even understand or comprehend how much He loves!
His love surpasses knowledge!
His love is the only love that satisfies the deepest longings of the human heart!
His love was enough to satisfy the infinite, everlasting Father for all eternity – so how much more must it satisfy your finite, frail human heart?!
He's enough for God! Oh how much more than enough is He for you!
He loved so much
that He took on human flesh;
lived a perfect life;
died the most horrifying death this universe has ever seen;
suffered the pains of hell in place of sinners;
rose up from the grave triumphant over sin, death, and Satan;
and ever lives to plead mercy for His beautiful, blood-bought bride!

That's my all satisfying King!

My King is more precious than more than 999 trillion universes of gold!
And every other good gift in this life compared to Him is worth less than a penny!
He commands me to hate everything else in comparison to the love I must have for Him!
And He's worthy of all that kind of love and all that kind of hate!
He's more valuable than the most precious gold and the most priceless diamond!
His value far exceeds ten trillion worlds with all their riches and pleasures!
Whatever you love and value most in this life – Jesus exceeds that value in ways that are incomparable!

That's my King! Do you know Him?!

He's the King of all beauty!
He's the Beauty of beauties!
He's more beautiful than the most beautiful sunset because He made the sunset!
He's more beautiful than the most breathtaking scenery in the universe because He made the universe and upholds it by the Word of His power!
He's more beautiful than the most stunning flower of the field because He made them and sustains them all!
He's more beautiful than all the starry hosts and the most amazing phenomenon in the galaxy because the heavens are telling His glory, and He placed all the stars in the heavens to magnify His own beauty!
He's more beautiful than the most gorgeous woman who has ever crossed the horizon of this world because
she is created, but He created her;
she is sinful, but He is perfect;
she is finite, but He is infinite;
she is the image, but He is the real thing!
If the art work of woman is so amazingly, breathtakingly, gloriously, speechlessly beautiful (and she is!), oh how much more amazingly, breathtakingly, gloriously, speechlessly beautiful must my King the Artist be! And He is so beautiful! More beautiful than we could ever dream or imagine!

That's my King! That's my Lover! Do you know Him?!

The Greatest "Me" This World Has Ever Seen!

2012-02-11T20:55:00.002-05:00

And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me." And he rose and followed Him. Mark 2:14

Jesus said, "Follow Me" and oh what a glorious "Me" He is!

There's no "Me" like this "Me!"
He's the "Me" of Me's and He's the "He" of He's!
He's the God "Me!"
He's the "Me" Who heals the sick, sets the captives free, gives sight to the blind, and raises the dead!

That's my "Me!" Do you know Him?!

He's the greatest "Me" that has ever crossed the horizon of this world!
He's the only "Me" Who saves!
He's the only perfect "Me" Who never sinned.
He's the "Me" Who bore the wrath of His Father on that cross for sinners!
He's the only "Me" Who conquered sin, death, and Satan and rose up from the grave!
He's the "Me" Who ever lives to care for, sustain, uphold, and intercede for His people!
If you have this "Me," you don't need anything else because He's got it all!
He's the "Me" that makes you see, sets you free, and utterly satisfies your heart, mind, and soul with unimaginable glee!

That' my "Me!"

And He's the "Me" Who is calling you to follow Him right now!

Will you follow hard after my great and glorious "Me" today?!

I Need Thee Precious Jesus!

2012-02-11T16:51:00.000-05:00

I need Thee, precious Jesus,
For I am full of sin;
My soul is dark and guilty,
My heart is dead within.
I need the cleansing fountain
Where I can always flee,
The blood of Christ most precious,
The sinner’s perfect plea.

I need Thee, precious Jesus,
For I am very poor;
A stranger and a pilgrim,
I have no earthly store.
I need the love of Jesus
To cheer me on my way,
To guide my doubting footsteps,
To be my strength and stay.

I need Thee, precious Jesus,
I need a friend like Thee,
A friend to soothe and pity,
A friend to care for me.
I need the heart of Jesus
To feel each anxious care,
To tell my every trouble,
And all my sorrows share.

I need Thee, precious Jesus,
I need Thee, day by day,
To fill me with Thy fullness,
To lead me on my way;
I need Thy Holy Spirit,
To teach me what I am,
To show me more of Jesus,
To point me to the Lamb.

I need Thee, precious Jesus,
And hope to see Thee soon,
Encircled with the rainbow
And seated on Thy throne.
There, with Thy blood bought children,
My joy shall ever be,
To sing Thy praises, Jesus,
To gaze, O Lord, on Thee.

Words: Frederick Whitfield, 1855

There Was Nothing Small About Him!

2012-02-08T21:24:00.001-05:00

Francis Grimke said:

[Christianity] is the religion of Jesus Christ.

Who was Jesus Christ? You have the record of His life in the four Gospels; read them, and you will find out who He was.

He was the God-man.
In Him dwelt all the fullness of the God-head bodily;
He was the brightness of the Father's glory and the expressed image of His person.
He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.

It is impossible to read that record and not to be impressed with the singular beauty and nobility of His character.

There was nothing small about Him:
He was big in every way – big of soul;
He lived on the loftiest plain;
He saw things as God saw them – from the high vantage ground of truth, of justice, [of] righteousness.

There was nothing narrow [or] provincial about Him:

His sympathies were world wide; His great scheme of redemption was all-embracing.
When He came to send out His disciples, after His plans were consummated, He said to them: "Go ye, into all the world, and preach the Gospel unto every creature."
The whole world, every creature, were embraced in His great scheme of redemption.

It is impossible to stand in the presence of Jesus Christ, to become fully conscious of what He was, in His singularly pure and beautiful character, in the great sweep of His noble thoughts and sympathies, without feeling ashamed of all that is little, mean, contemptible, ignoble within us.

Francis Grimke, "Christianity And Race Prejudice," May 29th 1910.

You've Never Seen Anything Like This!

2012-02-02T17:51:00.001-05:00

A summary of Mark 2:1-12 . . .

Everywhere He went crowds of people clamored to try and hear Him!
He packed out the house so much that no one could even get inside the door!
He's the Prince of preachers!
Everywhere He went He preached the healing, saving Word of God!
People tore up houses just to get into His perfect, pleasure-filled, purifying presence!
He forgives sinners!
He's the God Who alone can forgive sin!
He knows what everyone's thinkin' before they think it, while their thinkin' it, and after they think it!
He knows how you feel before you feel it!
He knows what's in all the hearts of men!
He knows exactly what's in your heart and mind right now!
He causes the lame to take up their beds and walk!
He makes legs that haven't worked or walked for years work perfectly as if they'd never been broken!
The command of His precious, saving voice creates and brings into reality the very thing that He commands!
He gives eternal life to everyone who will put their trust in Him!
His Words and works move us all to glorify God!
He's amazing!
He's the Son of Man!
He's got dominion!
He's got glory!
He's got a kingdom!
All peoples, nations, and languages serve Him!
His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not ever pass away!
His kingdom shall never be destroyed!
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto Him!
There's never ever been anything like Him in the past!
There's nothing like Him around right now!
And there'll never be anything like Him in the future throughout all eternity!
He's the once in an eternity phenomenon Who became a man to make everything wrong right once and for all!
You have truly never seen anything like Him!

That's my forgiving, healing, authoritative King! I wonder if you know Him today?!

This Will Preach! - "In Christ" - A Glorious Truth For All Sinners!

2012-01-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

Russell Moore said:

And what the Gospel of Jesus Christ tells us is that there are probably women in this congregation right now who have had abortions - probably many of you.

And you are probably hiding in the secret and in the shame of that abortion, fearing that anyone will ever find out about that secret that you have.

What the Gospel of Jesus Christ says is that you are not an enemy in any culture war.

If you come out of hiding and embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Scripture says that you are so hidden in Christ that when Satan accuses you and says:

"I know who you are, and I know what you did. I know your secret!"

Your response is to say: "Satan, you are exactly right.

You are right when you say that I am deserving of condemnation, but I have already been condemned!

You are exactly right when you say that I am worthy of execution, but I have already been exectued!

Because I am in Christ - so every bit of penalty that belongs to me has already fallen on me!

I've been crucified!

I've been pulled off of that cross!

I've been buried under the curse of God!

And you know what?

God now has announced what He thinks of me when He opened up that hole in the ground and Jesus Christ - my Head, my New Life, my New Identity - walked out of there.

So when God looks at me, He says of me exactly what He says of Jesus Christ: this is my beloved child, and in you I am well pleased!

HT: Justin Taylor

Jesus Is The King Of Kings And He's The Clean Of Cleans!

2012-01-28T13:44:00.000-05:00

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. Mark 1:41-42

He's brighter than the brightest bright!
He's purer than the transparent gold that lines the streets of the celestial city!
He'll make the best washing soap in the universe look dirty!
He's clearer than the most precious crystal!
He sparkles more than the greatest most twinkling diamond that has ever been discovered in this world!
He shines stronger than the sun at full strength!
He's unblemished!
He's unpolluted!
He's unsmudged!
He's unsoiled!
He's unspotted!
He's unstained!
He's unsullied!
He's untarnished!
He's uninfected!
He's unclouded!
He's spotless!
He's flawless!
He's faultless!
He's complete!
He's whole!
He's stainless!
He's immaculate!
And if He wills, everyone He touches - no matter what's been done in the past and no matter how sinful, dirty, rotten, putrid, or unclean - WILL BECOME CLEAN BECAUSE HE IS THE CLEAN OF CLEANS!

Now that's my Clean and that's my King! Do you know Him?!

"That's My King!" In The Book Of Philippians!

2012-01-22T22:32:00.001-05:00

If my King knows you and you know Him then you are a saint and set apart for God!
My King is the greatest Master Who has ever blessed the boundaries of this world!
Every remembrance of Him ought to cause us to explode with unending praises, thanksgivings, joys, and hallelujahs unto God!
He will complete every good work in us that He has so graciously begun!
He yearns for His people with deep, unchanging, passionate, everlasting affection!
His love is boundless toward all His people!
He cannot love us more, and He will not love us less!
He always did and always does what is always and only most excellent!
He's pure!
He's blameless!
He's filled with the fruit of righteousness!
He is, was, and always will be most to the glory and praise of God!

That's my King!

He's worthy for us to surrender all our freedoms to make His name known among all peoples!
He inspires confidence in His people!
He's bold!
He's fearless!
He's our righteousness so that we too can be as bold as a lion!
He's worthy to be preached about – everywhere, all the time, preach Him up!
He's the deliverer!
He's honorable!
We ought to seek to honor Him in life and death!
He's our reason for living!
He's the reason dying is gain because to die and be with Him is far better than anything this life has to offer!
To be with Christ is far better than any joy, dream, or pleasure in this world!

That's my King! I wonder if you believe that to die is gain because of Him today?!

He's glorious!
He's worthy!
He stood firm!
He wasn't frightened in anything by those who opposed Him!
For His sake we were granted to believe!
For His sake we were granted to suffer!
He's all encouragement!
He's all comfort!
He's all loving!
He's full participation in the Spirit!
He's all affection!
He's all sympathy!
He's complete joy!
He counted everyone more significant than Himself!
He looked out, not for His own interests, but for the interests of others!
Though He was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped!
He made Himself nothing, taking the form of a slave!
He was born in the likeness of men!
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross!
Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name!
There is no name in heaven or on earth or under the earth that is greater than the name of my King Jesus!

That's my King! Are you hoping in His name alone today?!

Every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow to my King!
Their knees will bow either willingly or unwillingly!
All philosophers will bow to my King!
All evolutionists will bow to my King!
All kings will bow to my King!
All evil, murderous dictators will bow to my King!
All religions and religious leaders will bow to my King!
Plato will bow to my King!
Socrates will bow to my King!
Aristotle will bow to my King!
Nietzsche will bow to my King!
Darwin will bow to my King!
All Pharaohs will bow to my King!
All Caesars will bow to my King!
Nero will bow to my King!
Alexander the Great will bow to my King!
Napoleon will bow to my King!
Hitler will bow to my King!
Stalin will bow to my King!
Buddha will bow to my King!
Mohammad will bow to my King!
All presidents, all powers, and all potentates will bow to my King!
And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!

That's my King! Will you willingly bow to Him by faith and confess Him as Lord today?!

He always obeyed!
He works in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure!
He does all things without grumbling or questioning!
He's blameless!
He's innocent!
He's the preeminent, predominant, precious, perfect Child of God!
He's without blemish!
He shines as the light of the world!
He holds fast the Word of life!
We've got no one like Him!
He's genuinely concerned for your welfare!
We owe Him all our allegiance and interest!

That's my King!

He cheers the heart!
He's a brother!
He's a soldier!
He's a worker!
He's a messenger!
He's a minister!
He meets all our needs!
He longs for His people as a Bridegroom longs for His bride on the wedding night!
He shed His blood and died for His bride to save her and make her holy!
He's the true circumcision!
He's the true worshiper of God in the Spirit!
He put no confidence in the flesh!
All the glory belongs to Him!
He was circumcised on the eighth day!
He's of the people of Israel!
He's the Lion of the tribe of Judah!
He's the Hebrew of Hebrews!
He fulfilled the law!
Zeal for His Father consumed Him!
He obeyed God's law perfectly in every jot and tittle!

That's my King! Do you know Him?!

All the gains and glories, riches and rights, wealth and women, power and prestige are nothing and less than nothing compared to the surpassing worth of knowing my King Jesus!
We ought to suffer the loss of all things and count them as dung, in order to gain my King!
Only He grants us a righteousness that can make us right with God!
He's got the power in His resurrection when God raised Him from the dead!
He's made us His own!
He will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body!
He has mighty power than enables Him to subject all things to Himself!
He's worthy to rejoice in always!
He's true!
He's honorable!
He's just!
He's pure!
He's lovely!
He's commendable!
He's all excellence!
He's worthy of all praise!
He's worthy of our eternal meditation, contemplation, and exaltation!
He's got riches in glory that satisfy your deepest longings and can never be exhausted throughout all eternity!

That's my King! That's my King!

"That's My King!" In The Book Of Ephesians!

2012-01-16T15:26:00.000-05:00

In union with my King, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places!
God the Father chose us for salvation in my King before the foundation of the world!
We were chosen to be holy and blameless before Him!
Only through Him can we be adopted as beloved sons and daughters of the living God!
He purchased redemption for us through His blood!
Only in Him can we find forgiveness of sins!
He's got everlasting, unfathomable riches of grace to lavish upon us for all eternity!
All things are united in Him, whether in heaven or on earth!

That's my King!

He grants His people an inheritance worth more than 10 trillion worlds with all their riches!
He was raised from the dead with a great mighty power!
He was seated at the right hand of His Father in the heavenly places!
He reigns far above all rule and authority and power and dominion!
His name is above every other name that is named, not only in this age but in the age to come!
All things are under His feet!
He's head over all things!
We can only be made alive with Him by grace through faith!
He is God's riches in mercy to us!
He is the greatest proof and demonstration of God's great love with which He loved us!

That's my King! Are you grasping the height and width and length and depth of the love of my King for you today?!

All His people are raised up with Him and seated with Him in the heavenly places!
It will take all the coming eternal ages for God to show us the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us that are found only in my King Jesus Christ!
His blood brings an end to all racial hostility!
He's our peace!
He makes all races, ages, backgrounds, personalities, and preferences one through His death on that cross!
He ended all hostility!
He came preaching peace!
He gives us access in one Spirit to the Father!
He's the cornerstone!
He's the temple of God almighty!
He's making His people into the very dwelling place of God by the Spirit!

That's my King!

He's full and overflowing with unsearchable riches!
Through His church the manifold wisdom of God is being made known to the universe and to the heavenly realms!
He gives us boldness and access to draw near to God!
He dwells in our hearts!
His love for us surpasses knowledge!
He's able!
He's able to do what we can ask or think!
He's able to do all that we can ask or think!
He's able to do more than all we can ask or think!
He's able to do far more than all we can ask or think!
He's able to do far more abundantly than all we can ask or think!

That's my King! Are you asking and trusting Him to do far more abundantly than all you can ask or think today?!

He's the only One Who ever walked in a manner perfectly worthy of His glorious Father!
He's humble!
He's gentle!
He's patient!
He bore perfectly with all others in love!
He eagerly maintained the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace!
He's the One Lord!
He gave us the one true faith!
He gave us the only baptism!
He's over all, through all, and in all!
He ascended on high, led a host of captives, and gave gifts to men!
To be like Him and to be full of Him and to grow up in every way into Him is the whole goal of the Christian life!
He's true righteousness!
He's true holiness!
He only and always spoke the truth!
He was angry and did not sin!
He never gave any opportunities to the devil!

That's my King! Are you following in His footsteps today?!

He shared with everyone in need!
Not one corrupt word ever came out of His holy mouth!
He only spoke what was good for building up and gave grace to those who heard!
He never grieved the Holy Spirit!
He put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice!
He's kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving!
He loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God!
He's a child of the light Who is the very light of the world!
He's filled with the Spirit!
He loved the church and gave Himself up for her!
He sanctified her!
He cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word!
He will present His bride to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing!
He's the great, glorious, precious, perfect, luscious, loving, saving, satisfying, benevolent, beautiful Heavenly Spouse of His blood bought bride the church!

And there's no One like Him! I wonder if you're satisfied in Him alone today?!

He obeyed His parents perfectly in all thoughts, words, deeds, and feelings!
He obeyed all His earthly masters with fear and trembling and with a sincere heart!
He's strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!
He put on the whole armor of God!
He triumphantly stood against all the schemes of the devil!
He more than conquered all rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers over this present darkness!
He defeated all the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places!
He fastened the belt of truth!
He put on the breastplate of righteousness!
He put on the readiness given by the Gospel of peace!
He took up the shield of faith in all circumstances to extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one!
He took up the helmet of salvation!
He took up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God!
He prayed at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication!
He kept alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints!
His love is incorruptible, unsurmountable, incomparable, incomprehensible, and inconceivable!

That's my King! That's my King!

Christ Is All In Sermons!

2012-01-14T16:50:00.000-05:00

Lord willing, I'll preach on Colossians 3:11 tomorrow. Here are some gems I found while studying:

John Piper: [Christ is all] is the death [blow] to racism. Why do we despise? Or hate? Or shun? Or avoid? Or disparage? Or distort? Is it not because we are weak and fearful and insecure and proud and angry and without deep peace and love in our souls? Do those ugly things come from people whose treasure is an all-satisfying fellowship with Christ? I think not.

Therefore, what we need is to reckon ourselves dead to all but Christ as the satisfaction of our souls. We need to love him so much and find in his fellowship such completeness that we speak like the psalmists:

"I say to the LORD, 'Thou art my Lord; I have no good apart from thee'" (Psalm 16:2).

And: "Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:24-25).

Or like the old hymn writer says: "Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all."

O to be a church full of people who sing that and mean that and live that! Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all. Christ is all! In that fellowship, Paul says, there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free, but Christ is all, and in all. Lord, grant us so to die and so to live that Christ might be all and in all.

John Piper, "Class, Culture, And Ethnic Identity In Christ," Colossians 3:5-17, January 17, 1999.

Spurgeon: If Christ is not all to you he is nothing to you. He will never go into partnership as a part Savior of men. If he be something he must be everything, and if he be not everything he is nothing to you.

Charles Spurgeon, "Christ Is All!," Colossians 3:11.

Spurgeon: I know you reply, "I have nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing; but Christ my Savior is all my salvation and all my desire, and I abhor the very idea of putting anything side by side with him as a ground of my dependence before God." Oh, then, assuredly you have the mark of Christ’s sheep, for to all of them Christ is all.

Spurgeon: I have never yet met with a person in any country who did not understand its meaning. "Money answereth all things," says the wise man, and this is true in a limited sense; but he that has Christ, has indeed all things: he has the essence, the substance of all good. I have only to plead the name of Jesus before the Father’s throne, and nothing desirable shall be denied me. If Christ is yours, all things are yours. God, who gave you Christ, has in that one gift summed up the total of all you will want for time and for eternity, to obliterate the sin of the past, to fulfill the needs of the present, and to perfect you for all the work and bliss of the future.

Spurgeon: Christ is all we need, all we desire, and all of good that we can conceive. He is all I need. Jesus is the living water to quench my thirst, the heavenly bread to satisfy my hunger, the snow-white robe to cover me, the sure refuge, the happy home of my soul, my meat and my medicine, my solace and my song, my light and my delight. He is all I desire, and when most covetous I only covet more of his presence; when most ambitious, it is my ambition to be like him; when most insatiable in desire, I only long to be with him where he is. He is all I can conceive of good. When my imagination stretches all her wings to take a flight into realms beyond where the eagle’s wing hath been, yet even then she reacheth not the height of the glory which Christ Jesus hath promised her; she cannot conceive with her most expanded powers of anything more rich and precious than Christ, her Christ, herself Christ's, and Christ all her own. Oh, if you want to know what heaven is, know what Christ is, for the way to spell heaven is with those five letters that make up the word Jesus. When you get him he shall be all to you that your glorified body shall need, and all your glorified spirit can conceive. O precious Christ, thou art all in all.

Charles Spurgeon, "Christ Is All!," Colossians 3:11

Spurgeon: Now, if Christ really is yours, and as Christ is all, then love Him, and honor Him, and praise Him. Mother, what were you doing this afternoon? Pressing that dear child of yours to your bosom, and saying, "She is my all?" Take back those words, for they are not true. If you love Christ, He is your all, and you cannot have another "all." Someone else has one who is very near and very dear. If you are that someone else, and you have said in your heart, "He is my all," or "She is my all," you have done wrong, for nothing and no one but Christ must be your "all." You will be an idolater, and you will grieve the Holy Spirit, if anything, or anyone, except Christ, becomes your "all."

Spurgeon: When you have all things, find Christ in all; and when you have lost all things, then find all things in Christ. I do not know, but I think that the latter is the better of the two.

Spurgeon: Now, if Christ be all, then, beloved brethren and sisters, let us live for him. If he is all, let us spend our strength, and be ready to lay down the last particle of it that we have, and to die for him; and then let us, whenever we need anything, go to him for it, for "Christ is all." Let us draw upon this bank, for its resources are infinite; we shall never exhaust them.

Charles Spurgeon, "Christ Is All!," Colossians 3:11

"That's My King!" In The Book Of Colossians!

2012-01-11T13:40:00.000-05:00

My King is the King of a Kingdom named after Himself: The Kingdom of His Father's Beloved Son!
He's the image of the invisible God!
He's the firstborn – the Majestic One – the Preeminent One over all creation!
By Him all things were created in heaven and on earth!
He created all things visible and invisible!
He created all thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities, and He rules over them all!
All things were created through Him and for Him!
He's before all things!
In Him all things hold together!

That's my King!

He's the head of the body which is His blood bought bride: the church!
He's the beginning!
He's the firstborn from the dead!
He's preeminent in everything!
In Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell!
Everything, whether on earth or in heaven, is being reconciled to God through Him!
He's made peace by the blood of His cross!

That's my King! Are you enjoying peace with God through the blood of His cross today?!

He's reconciled alienated, hostile minded, evil doers back to God in His body of flesh by His death!
If you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the Gospel, He will present you holy and blameless and above reproach!
He's in you!
He's your hope of glory!
He's who we preach, what we preach, why we preach, and without whom we'd have nothing at all to preach!
To be mature in Him is the final goal of every one of His blood bought children!
He enables us to live for Him by powerfully working all His energy within us!

That's my King!

In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!
In Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily!
He's the head of all rule and authority!
God powerfully worked in Him and raised Him from the dead!
In Him God disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them!
The substance of all Old Covenant religious practices belongs to Christ!
He's seated at the right hand of God!
He's your life!
He's all and in all!

That's my King! I wonder if He's your all in all today?!

He's God's chosen One!
He's holy and beloved!
He's compassionate!
He's kind!
He's humble!
He's meek!
He's patient!
He's forgiving!
Above all He's loving!
His peace should rule in your hearts!
His Word should dwell in you richly!
In His beautiful name you should do everything, whether in word or in deed!

That's my King! That's my King!

"That's My King!" In The Book of Galatians!

2012-01-10T00:25:00.000-05:00

My King gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age!
He gives us great freedom that can never be taken away!
He's the great, glorious, beautiful, and all satisfying object of our justifying faith!
He's the only object of our justifying faith!
He justifies by His perfect, pure, propitiating works!
In other words, we're saved by works alone! His works alone!

Are you resting in His works alone today?!

He loved me and gave Himself up for me!
If you're a Christian, He loved you and gave Himself up for you!
He lives in us!
We live our lives by faith in Him!
Though He did abide by all things written in the Book of the Law and did them, He was cursed by being hanged on a tree as a substitute for sinners!
In Him we enjoy the blessing of Abraham and receive the promised Spirit through faith!

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him by faith alone today?!

He's the great, singular Offspring of Abraham to Whom God made His promises!
In Him we are all sons of God through faith!
If you've been baptized into Him, then you've put Him on, and you wear Him everywhere you go!
In Him there's neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, but you're all one in Christ!
If you belong to my King Jesus, then you're children of Abraham and heirs according to promise!
His Spirit is in your hearts crying “Abba Father!”
Through my King we're no longer slaves but sons!
The very image of my King is being formed in all His people!
He causes the baron woman to rejoice!
He causes the desolate one to be desolate no more!

That's my King!

He's set us free from all evil slaveries and made us a slave unto Himself alone!
He's an amazing advantage to us, and if have Him, we have everything!
In Him all that counts is faith working through love!
He was made sinful flesh on that cross though He knew no sin!
He was made sexual immorality!
He was made impurity!
He was made idolatry!
He was made sorcery!
He was made enmity!
He was made strife!
He was made jealousy!
He was made fits of anger!
He was made rivalries!
He was made dissensions!
He was made divisions!
He was made envy!
He was made drunkenness!
He was made orgies!
And He was cast out of the kingdom of His Father's pleasure on that cross so that you could be saved from all your works of the wicked flesh!
If you belong to my King then you have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires!

That's my King! Are you crucifying your flesh today?!

He's full of love!
He's full of joy!
He's full of peace!
He's full of patience!
He's full of kindness!
He's full of goodness!
He's full of faithfulness!
He's full of gentleness!
He's full of self-control!
And those who belong to Him are full of all that too because His Spirit lives in them!
His instrument of gruesome execution – that bloody cross – is the emblem of our greatest boast!

That's my King! That's my King!

How His Mercy Endures Forever!

2012-01-07T20:12:00.000-05:00

Psalm 136:1-3, 10-11, 17-20: Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever . . .

To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, For His mercy endures forever; And brought out Israel from among them, For His mercy endures forever . . .

To Him who struck down great kings, For His mercy endures forever; And slew famous kings, For His mercy endures forever - Sihon king of the Amorites, For His mercy endures forever; And Og king of Bashan, For His mercy endures forever . . .

And what secured for us the joy of experiencing God's mercy in this life and in the life to come?

The fact that God the Father did not spare His most beloved firstborn Son, but struck Him down on that cross and showed Him no mercy so that we might enjoy His mercy forever . . .

The fact that God the Father did not bring the true and greater Israel out from among His enemies but allowed them to overcome Him on that cross and showed Him no mercy so that we might enjoy His mercy forever . . .

The fact that God the Father struck down the most famous greatest King of Kings on that cross and showed Him no mercy so that we might enjoy His mercy forever . . .

The fact that God the Father killed the mightiest of the mighty King of Kings on that cross and showed Him no mercy so that we might enjoy His mercy forever . . .

Preach Him up!

Christ Is All In You Dear Believer!

2012-01-06T22:39:00.000-05:00

IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, THIS IS WHO YOU ARE TO THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE! . . .

• You are justified and have peace with God - Rom 5:1

• You died with Christ and died to the power of sin’s rule over your life - Rom 6:1-6

• Your enemies should not rejoice over you for when you fall, you will arise; when you sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to you. You will bear the indignation of the LORD because you have sinned against Him, until He pleads your case and executes justice for you. He will bring you forth to the light; You will see His righteousness - Mic 7:8-9

• Your God is unlike any other, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage. He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on you, and will subdue your iniquities. He will cast all your sins into the depths of the sea - Mi 7:18-19

• Your sins have been removed from you as far as the east is from the west - Psa 103:12

• Your sins have all been cast behind the LORD's back - Isa 38:17b

• Your sins have been blotted out for His own sake, and He will not remember them - Isa 43:25

• Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow - Isa 1:18

• Jesus was wounded for your transgressions; bruised for your iniquities; and the chastisement for your peace was upon Him - Isa 53:5

• You are free from condemnation forever - Rom 8:1

• Where your sin abounds, grace abounds for you all the more - Rom 5:20

• Your God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm - Jon 4:2

• You are kept as the apple of God's eye - Deu 32:10b

• Your God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live - Eze 33:11

• If you come to Jesus, He will by no means cast you out - John 6:37

• You will not perish, but you will have everlasting life - John 3:16

• You have been saved from the fierceness of God’s everlasting wrath in hell where the fire is unquenchable and where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth - Mar 9:43; Mat 8:12; 25:46

• You have Christ as your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption and have been made righteous - 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21

• You have the mind of Christ - 1 Cor 2:16

• You are the temple of the Holy Spirit, were bought with a price, and are not your own - 1 Cor 6:19-20

• You have been established in Christ, sealed, and you have been given the Spirit in your heart as a guarantee of your inheritance - 2 Cor 1:21; Eph 1:13-14

• You have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer you who live, but Christ lives in you - Gal 2:20

• You have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ - Eph 1:3

• You have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that you should be holy and without blame before Him in love - Eph 1:4

• You have been predestined to adoption as sons of God - Eph 1:5; 1 John 3:1

• You have been made alive together with Christ - Eph 2:5

• You have been made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus - Eph 2:6

• You have access by one Spirit to the Father - Eph 2:18

• You have boldness and access to God with confidence through faith in Him - Eph 3:12

• You have been delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins - Col 1:13-14

• Christ is in you - Col 1:27

• You are complete in Christ - Col 2:10

• You have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind - 2 Tim 1:7

• You are sanctified and one with the sanctifier, therefore Jesus calls you his brother - Heb 2:11

• You can come boldly to the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need - Heb 4:16

• You have been given exceedingly great and precious promises, that through them you may be partakers of the divine nature - 2 Pet 1:4

• You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world - Mat 5:13-14

• Jesus calls you His friend - John 15:15

• You were chosen by Jesus and appointed by Him to go and bear lasting fruit - John 15:16

• You are a slave of righteousness and a slave of God - Rom 6:18, 22

• You are an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ - Rom 8:17

• You are a member of the body of Christ - Eph 5:30

• You are a new creation - 2 Cor 5:17

• You are a saint - Eph 1:1

• You are holy and righteous - Eph 4:24

• Your life is hidden with Christ in God - Col 3:4

• You are the elect of God, holy and beloved - Col 3:12

• You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, the people of God - 1 Pet 2:9-10

• You can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you - Phi 4:13

• You have all your needs supplied according to God’s riches in glory by Christ Jesus - Phi 4:19

• You have the LORD as the strength of your life and as your confidence - Psa 27:1; Pro 3:26

• You shall always be led by God to triumph in Christ - 2 Cor 2:14

• You can cast all your worries, fears, and anxieties on God because He cares for you - 1 Pet 5:7

• You are never alone for Christ is always with you - Mat 28:20

• You should boast in your weaknesses that the power of Christ may rest upon you because His grace is sufficient for you, for His strength is made perfect in weakness – 2 Cor 12:9

• You are not a lot of things you should be, but take heart: God has chosen the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are that no flesh should glory in His presence – 1 Cor 1:28-29

• You have your sufficiency from God - 2 Cor 3:5

• You have God working in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure - Phi 2:13

• You will do valiantly through God for it is He who shall tread down your enemies - Psa 60:12

• You will have fullness of joy and pleasures forever more one day forever in God’s very presence - Psa 16:11

• Your momentary and light affliction, which is for a moment, is working for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory - 2 Cor 4:17

• Your present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in you - Rom 8:18

• One day you shall have no more tears, no more sorrow, no more pain; there shall be no more death and no more sin - Rev 21:4

• You shall not be separated from the love of Christ for any reason in the universe - Rom 8:35-39

• You have certain and unshakable promises causing you to be strong, courageous, and fearless because God is with you and He is your God and will strengthen you and help you and uphold you with His righteous right hand - Isa 41:10

• You will one day enter into the joy of your LORD - Mat 25:23

• Your hairs are numbered and if not even a little bird can fall to the ground apart from God’s will, you should fear nothing for God loves you much more than little birds - Mat 10:29-31

• In His book they all were written – every detail of every day fashioned by Him for your good before even one came into being - Psa 139:16

• All your times are in His hands - Psa 31:15

• As your days are, so shall your strength be and underneath are the everlasting arms - Deu 33:25; 27

• All things work according to His will – Eph 1:11

• If you sin, you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous - 1 John 2:1

• If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness - 1 John 1:9

• You can never be defeated because if God is for you, who can be against you? - Rom 8:31

• You are more than a conqueror through Him who loved you - Rom 8:37

• All things, even those things meant for evil against you, are working for your good - Rom 8:28

• You are loved by God with an everlasting love - Jer 31:3

• Your right hand is held by God, and He will guide you with His counsel - Psa 73:23-24

• God satisfies you with the fullness of His house and gives you drink from the river of His pleasures - Psa 36:8

• God delights in you and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so shall your God rejoice over you - Isa 62:4-5

• God will rejoice over you with gladness, and He will quiet you with His love - Zeph 3:17

• You are God's special treasure - Psa 135:4

• Your heavenly Father, like the Hound of Heaven, is pursuing you relentlessly with goodness and mercy all the days of your life - Psa 23:6

SO BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD AND CHRIST IS ALL!

Since Christ Is All, We Cannot Be Lost!

2012-01-06T22:22:00.000-05:00

John Fawcett wrote:

We are encouraged thus to trust in [Jesus Christ] under a full persuasion of His ability to save to the uttermost.

We know that He is mighty to save.

We are assured that His obedience unto death was perfect and complete;

that His blood cleanses from all sin;

that His righteousness renders those who believe accepted with the Father, unto eternal life;

that His power and grace are sufficient to conquer all our disorderly passions,

to support us under all our temptations,

to purify our hearts,

to strengthen our endeavors in the practice of holiness,

and to keep us safely to His heavenly kingdom.

John Fawcett, Christ Precious

Christ: The First And Everlasting Favorite Of Heaven!

2012-01-06T10:47:00.000-05:00

John Fawcett wrote:

God has magnified His love, and set forth the riches of His grace towards us, in a manner which should effectually allure our hearts to Him.

While we were enemies and rebels in open arms against Him, He was pleased to send His beloved Son to die for our sins in order to redeem us from death.

He who is the brightness of His Father's glory and the express image of His person became a man of sorrows for our sakes.

In the greatness of His condescension, He called Himself the Son of man, but all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in Him.

He was declared to be God manifest in the flesh.

He came down from His Father's bosom and became man, not to condemn the world of mankind, but to expose His life and blood for our sakes . . .

to make His soul an offering for our sins

to sustain inconceivable anguish and sorrow and to die for us that He might bring us back to God and happiness.

He poured out his soul to death to secure us from the deserved wrath and vengence of God.

He was wounded for our transgressions;

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement of our peace was upon him that we through his stripes might be healed.

He was stricken and smitten of God and afflicated that He might open the way for us to partake of Divine mercy and render the offended Majesty of heaven a more proper and a more engaging object of our love.

He is the beloved Son of God;

The first and the everlasting favorite of heaven;

The highest object of His Father's delight;

He is the great peacemaker between God and sinners;

The chief messenger of divine love to men.

If He had not undertaken to make peace by the blood of His cross, we should have continued [to be] children of wrath forever!

John Fawcett, Christ Precious, (Minneapolis: Klock and Klock, 1979), 52-54.

"That's My King!" In The Song Of Solomon!

2012-01-02T17:25:00.000-05:00

My King is the reason singing and songs and music and rejoicing exists!
He's worthy of all manner of praise, thanks, song, and dance!
The greatest song that's ever been written is His song, and it's all about my King!
His kisses are the sweetest, and they give life, liberty, and the fulfillment of all happiness!
His love is better than the most satisfying of all drinks!
He moves His people's hearts to exult, rejoice, and delight themselves in Him!
He's in a category of beauty all by Himself!
He's the beautiful of the beautiful!

That's my King! Are you finding Him to be the most beautiful today?!

He's lovely!
He's better than the most exhilarating fragrance!
He's more precious than the most beautiful flower!
He's truly delightful!
He's the Rose of Sharon!
He's the Lily of the Valley!
Everything compared to Him, well, He's incomparable!
His love brings the greatest of delights!
He's sweet to the taste, so taste and see that He is good!
He's sweeter than all the sensations of the senses, even those that are most delicious!
No pleasure is comparable to Him!
He's brought us to His banqueting table, and His banner of us is love!
Love sickness always abounds in His saving, satisfying presence!
It's always right and pleasing to stir up and awaken more love for Him!

That's my King!

His voice is the most wonderful, sweet sound in all the universe!
His face is lovely!
He's mine, and I am His!
The souls of His people are in love with Him!
He's altogether beautiful!
There's no flaw in Him!
He's captivated the hearts of all those who truly follow Him!
He's a well of living water!
He makes His people drunk with His love!
He's the perfect one!

That's my King! Are you drunk with His love today?!

He's radiant!
He's distinguished among ten thousand!
He's altogether desirable!
He's the greatest friend of sinners this world has ever seen!
He's more awesome than an army with banners!
He's overwhelming in all His beautiful perfections!
He's brighter and more glorious than the sun shining in full strength!
He's the only one if there's every been an only one of the only one's!
He's pleasant!
He's altogether lovely, lavish, and loving!
His desire is for His people for whom He shed His own precious blood on that cross!
He died and rose again to win a place as the most beloved and the most loving lover Who has ever crossed the horizon of this world!
If you wish you had a human lover to sing the Song of Solomon to, come to my King with all your longings, passions, and desires, and He will be enough!

That's my King! That's my King!

Christ Is All In The Word!

2011-12-31T11:42:00.000-05:00

Spurgeon said:

God’s Word honors His dear Son.

I am sure I shall touch one string in your hearts when I say, if the preacher shall discourse of Christ, — if he shall ring the silver bell of the Saviour’s precious name,

and lift up His cross,

and tell you all the power of His blood,

the love of His heart,

the shame of His death,

the glory of His resurrection,

the prevalence of His plea before the throne,

and the certainty of His ultimate victory over all His foes,

your lips will seem as though you had some dainty on your palate, and you will go home, and say:

"The King himself came near To feast his saints today."

Charles Spurgeon, The Sweetness Of God's Word

Christ Is All When Your Husband Is Killed By Terrorists

2011-12-30T19:04:00.000-05:00

An article by John Piper:

On Sunday, September 8, 2002 John Piper preached from Romans 8:35-36 with a focus on the commemoration of the calamity of 9/11.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’"

He argued that Jesus Christ is mightily loving his people with omnipotent, moment-by-moment love that does not always rescue us from calamity but preserves for everlasting joy in his presence even through suffering and death.

After the exposition, he said, "Let’s let Lisa Beamer bear witness to this sovereign love. Her husband Todd was on flight 93 that went down in Pennsylvania. He was the one who said, ‘Let’s Roll.’ He left behind Lisa and three small children (one born last January). I have found at least ten lessons from Lisa mostly in her own words."

What follows are the ten "Lessons from Lisa" that he gave his people as an extended application and embodiment of Romans 8:35.

1. Embracing the sovereignty of God brings strength and hope.

Lisa: "God knew the terrible choices the terrorists would make and that Todd Beamer would die as a result. He knew my children would be left without a father and me without a husband . . . Yet in his sovereignty and in his perspective on the big picture, he knew it was better to allow the events to unfold as they did rather than redirect Todd’s plans to avoid death. . . . I can’t see all the reasons he might have allowed this when I know he could have stopped it . . . I don’t like how his plan looks from my perspective right now., but knowing that he loves me and can see the world from start to finish helps me say, ‘It’s OK.’" (Modern Reformation, 24-25)

"If we believe wholeheartedly, each moment, that our destiny rests in the hands of Jesus Christ – the one with ultimate love and ultimate power – what do we have to be concerned about? Of course, our humanity clouds this truth many times but hanging on to glimpses of it keeps everything in perspective." (Modern Reformation, 31)

2. Don’t presume to know better than God how to run the world. It is pride.

Lisa: "My faith wasn’t rooted in governments, religion, tall buildings, or frail people. Instead, my faith and my security were in God. A thought struck me. Who are you to question God and say that you have a better plan than He does? You don’t have the same wisdom and knowledge that He has, or the understanding of the big picture." (World, 25)

"We also aren’t privy to the perspective he has and shouldn’t claim to know better than he does what should happen and what shouldn’t. . . . Faith means that, regardless of circumstances, we take him at his word that he loves us and will bring us to a good result if we just trust and obey him. Obviously, the ramifications of this understanding have been tremendous for me since 9/11." (Modern Reformation, 25)

3. God has a good purpose in all the hard things that happen to his people.

"God’s sovereignty has been made clear to me. When I am tempted to become angry and ask ‘What if?’ and , ‘Why us?’ God says, ‘I knew on September 10, and I could have stopped it, but I have a plan for greater good than you can ever imagine.’ I don’t know God’s plan, and honestly, right now I don’t like it very much. But I trust that He is true to His promise in Romans 8:28: ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.’ My only responsibility is to love God. He’ll work out the rest." (Decision, 8). Beneath her signature Lisa writes Genesis 50:20, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." (Modern Reformation, 30)

4. Death and suffering press in on us the perspective of eternity.

Lisa: "September 11 has shown me the reality of eternity in a dynamic way these past few months. When I’m overwhelmed with sadness at what I’ve lost in this life, He is quick to give me His eternal perspective. ‘Lisa, this life is just a blip on the radar screen compared to your future with Me in heaven,’ He says. ‘The best thing that you can imagine on earth is garbage compared to what awaits you.’" (Decision, 8)

5. God’s distribution of suffering is not equal, and one hard thing may prepare for another.

When Lisa was 15 her father suffered an aneurysm at work and died the next morning in the hospital. Lisa: "When my father died, faith wasn’t so easy anymore. . . . I spent five years asking why, expressing my anger saying it’s not fair, before God helped me realize that he is who he is all the time – in good circumstances and bad. He is all-powerful and all-loving, but that doesn’t mean that as a citizen of this fallen world he protects us from every ‘bad’ event." (Modern Reformation, 25)

What a witness to God’s goodness and sovereignty the world would be missing today if God had not prepared Lisa Beamer for this loss by the death of her dad!

6. God’s love takes care of us right now in our suffering, not just later.

Lisa: "He knows that I am a hurting and in need right now. Every day He provides encouragement and resources just for me. Little things show me that He is with me: a Scripture with just the words I need to hear, a call from a friend when I feel lonely, help with a task that I can’t do alone, or a hug and ‘I love you’ from one of my children. God’s love is truly sufficient to meet any need that I have." (Decision, 8-9)

7. Calamity calls for quick practical love like meals and baby sitting.

Lisa: "The picture of the church as the hands and feet of Christ, with each person having a special gift, has been well portrayed to me these last months. In the beginning, it was immediate and practical help I needed – meals, child care, managing phone calls, and mail. Now that we’re out of the crisis mode it is rebuilding help I need – counseling , encouragement, prayer." (Modern Reformation, 28)

8. Quiet, confidence in God’s power and goodness through suffering create occasions for witness.

Marilee Melvin said of Lisa, "Her disarming quiet confidence in God’s purposes must be the reason Larry King has had her on his show eleven times." (Modern Reformation, 30)

9. Trusting in God’s sovereign care in all circumstances frees you from greed and releases love for others.

Money started to flow in to Lisa Beamer. Some letters were simply addressed, Lisa Beamer, New Jersey, and got to her. Lisa: "I didn’t feel comfortable keeping this for ourselves when there were many unknown families who should share." So she started the Todd M. Beamer Foundation to assist children who lost a parent in the 9/11 calamity. (Modern Reformation, 30)

Her freedom for others comes out in another way: "My family and I mourned the loss of Todd deeply that day . . . and we still do. But because we have a hope in the Lord, we know beyond a doubt that one day we will see Todd again. I hurt for the people who don’t have that same hope, and I pray that they will see something in our family that will encourage them to trust in the Lord." (World, 26)

Lisa’s way of encouraging people to trust in the Lord is sometimes so straightforward that Newsweek magazine called it "stern and even a little grim." She wrote in her memoir, "You think you deserve a happy life and get angry when it doesn’t always happen like that. In fact you are a sinner and deserve only death. The fact that God has offered you hope of eternal life is amazing! You should be overwhelmed with joy and gratitude." (Newsweek, 42)

10. Without God the world is hopeless.

With hundreds of others she attended the memorial service in Shanksville, PA at the crash site where her husband died. The Christ-exalting memorial service for Todd had been on Sunday, the day before, and had strengthened her. "On Monday," she said, "as I listened to the well-intentioned speakers, who were doing their best to comfort but with little if any direct reference to the power of God to sustain us. I felt I was sliding helplessly down a high mountain into a deep crevasse. As much as I appreciated the kindness of the wonderful people who tried to encourage us, that afternoon was actually one of the lowest points in my grieving. It wasn’t the people, or event, or the place. Instead, it struck me how hopeless the world is when God is factored out of the equation." (World, 26)

So, together with Lisa Beamer and the apostle Paul and Jesus Christ himself, I plead with you, Don’t factor God out of your life, or Jesus Christ who died and rose and reigns and intercedes for all who trust him, that we might have eternal joy with him in the presence of God.

The quotes are from:

Let’s Roll [excerpts from her book], World, Vol. 17, No. 31, August 17, 2002, pp. 20-28.

Lisa Beamer, "The Hope I Know," Decision, Vol. 43, No. 9, September, 2002, pp. 6-9.

Ann Henderson Hart, "Finding Hope Beyond the Ruins: An Interview with Lisa Beamer," Modern Reformation, Vol. 11, No. 5, September/October, 2002, pp. 24-31.

Evan Thomas, "Their Faith and Their Fears," Newsweek, September 11, 2002, pp. 36-48.

John Piper, Lessons From Lisa

"That's My King!" In Psalm 119!

2011-12-28T15:50:00.001-05:00

My King's way is blameless because He always walked in the law of the LORD!
He sought God with His whole heart and never did anything wrong!
His way is steadfast!
His eyes were fixed on God's commandments!
He had an upright heart full of praise to His God!
He kept His way pure by guarding it according to God's Word!
He stored up God's Word in His heart so that He wouldn't fall into any sin!
He fills the heart with more delight than the joys of owning all the riches of this world!
He's so great that people daydream about Him all day long and even into the night watches!
He deals bountifully with all His servants!
He opens blind eyes to see the truth!
He's the most wonderful thing contained in all of the Word of God!
He's so attractive that He consumes His people with unquenchable longing at all times!

That's my King! I wonder if you're consumed with unquenchable longing for Him today?!

He's our delight and counselor!
He gives life!
He chose the way of faithfulness!
If you cling to Him you will not be put to shame!
He enlarges hearts!
He teaches us all we need to know to be saved, safe, and satisfied!
He gives understanding!
He turns us away from selfish gain!
He's priceless!
He's good!
He's full of steadfast love and salvation!
He's our comfort in affliction!
He was seized by the hot indignation of His Father on the cross because He was made the wicked one, though He knew no wickedness!
He's our song, and the joy of all our desiring!

That's my King!

He's our portion!
He's worthy of praise at midnight and all the time!
The earth is full of His steadfast love!
It's good for us to suffer and be afflicted in this life so that we might know Him better!
He's more precious than thousands of pieces of gold and silver!
His mercy comes to us so that we might live!
He's the supreme longing of every holy, happy eye!
His word is forever and firmly fixed in the heavens!
His faithfulness endures to all generations!
His perfection is limitless!
He's exceedingly broad in beauty, bounty, and blessing!

That's my King! Do you know Him today?!

He's our meditations all the day!
He makes us wiser than all our enemies!
He's ever with us and never leaves us alone!
He's sweeter than honey!
He's a lamp to our feet!
He's a light to our path!
He's our heritage forever!
He's the joy of our hearts!
He's our hiding place!
He's our shield!
He holds us up so that we may be safe!
He's more lovely than gold, more precious than fine gold!

That's my King!

He's wonderful!
He gives light!
He imparts understanding to the simple!
Hearts and mouths pant for Him and His glory!
He conquered all sin!
He redeems us from man's oppression!
He's just!
He's true!
He's from forever, and He has no end!
He's the Redeemer!
His mercy is great!
He causes hearts to stand in awe of everything about Him!
He moves us to rejoice in Him!
He's the great peacemaker and the only peace giver between God and man!
He's unfathomable, unconquerable, unshakable, and unforgettable all at the same time!

That's my King! That's my King!

Jesus: The Wonderful One!

2011-12-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

Roy Lessin writes:

He is greater than any ruler . . .
mightier than any warrior . . .
nobler than any king . . .
wiser than any sage . . .
bigger than any kingdom . . .
better than any crown . . .
lovelier than any name . . .
worthy of worship . . .
deserving of praise.

Amen and Amen!

"That's My King!" In The Gospel Of John!

2011-12-23T10:29:00.000-05:00

My King was in the beginning!
There never was a time when my King was not!
He always was, and He always will be!
He's the Word!
He's the Word with God!
He's the Word Who is God!
Through Him all things were made that were made!
Without Him nothing was made that was made!
And if you've got Him on your side then you've got it made!

That's my King!

He's the life that is the light of men!
He shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome Him!
He's the true light that enlightens everyone!
He made the world!
He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him!
But to those who do receive Him, who believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God!
He's the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us!
He's glorious!
He's the only Son from the Father!
He's full of grace and truth!
He brought us grace and truth!
His fullness of grace overflows to us!
He makes God known to us!

That's my King! Do you know Him?!

He's LORD Whose way had to be made straight!
None of us are worthy to untie His shoe strings!
He's the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!
He ranks before all of us because He was before all of us!
The Holy Spirit of God remains on Him!
He baptizes with the Holy Spirit!
He's the Son of God!
He's the Messiah!
He's the good thing that came out of Nazareth! Come and see Him! Come and see Him today!

That's my King!

He's the King of Israel!
He opens heaven so that sinners can be led back to God!
He turned water into wine and kept the best for last!
He cleansed the temple with a whip of cords and zeal for God's house consumed Him!
He Himself is God's temple and zeal for Him ought to consume us!

Are you consumed with zeal for my King today?!

He's the temple that was destroyed and raised up in three days!
He knows all people – their thoughts, motives, and inner feelings – He knows everything!
Whoever believes in my King has eternal life!
Whoever does not believe in my King is condemned already!
He's the only begotten Son!
He's the heavenly Bridegroom – the most loving, beautiful, understanding, selfless, satisfying Spouse in the universe!
He must increase, and we all must decrease!
He comes from above!
He's above all!
He speaks the words of God!
He's loved by the Father Who has given all things into His hand!
Whoever does not obey Him shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him!

That's my King! I wonder if you are obeying my King today?!

He's the greatest gift of God to His people!
He's the living water that was poured out for the healing of the nations!
He's the Savior of the world!
He healed the lame!
He's always working for the glory of God and the good of His people!
He does nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing!
He gives life to whom He will!
All judgment has been given to Him!
He must be honored just as the Father is honored!
Whoever doesn't honor Him, doesn't honor the Father Who sent Him!
Belief in His word brings eternal life and passage from death to life!
He commands the dead, and they hear Him and obey!
He came in His Father's name!

That's my King!

He fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish!
He walked on water!
He gives eternal life!
He's the true bread from heaven!
He's the bread of life!
He will not lose anything His Father has given Him, but will raise them up on the last day!
He's the living bread that came down from heaven!
Whoever eats Him will live forever!
He's marvelous!
He's the Prophet!
He's the Christ!
He's the light of the world!
He's not of this world!
He's the great “I AM” in human flesh!
He makes the blind to see!
Never since the world began has there been anyone like Him!
He's the door of the sheep!
He's the good shepherd!
He laid down His life for the sheep!
He's one with the Father!
He's the Resurrection and the Life!
Whoever believes in Him, though he dies, yet shall he live!
And everyone who lives and believes in Him shall never die!

Do believe this about my King today?!

He wept!
He loves like no other!
He raises the dead!
He's worthy for us to fall on our knees and spend all the money and resources that we've ever owned on Him!
He humbled Himself to wash the dirty feet of His disciples!
He's gone to prepare a place for us!
He's the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him!
If you've seen Him, then you've seen the Father!
He's in the Father, and the Father's in Him!
He's the true Vine!
He's overcome the world!
He was denied three times by one of His closest disciples!
His Kingdom is not of this world!
He's the King of the Jews!
He's guiltless!
He's blameless!
He's sinless!
But they crucified Him anyway!
He honored His mother to the very end!
He finished all that was needed for redemption in His death on the cross!
He rose up from the grave!
He's the Lord and God of all the universe!

Have you bowed down to Him as your Lord and God today?!

That's my King!

"That's My King!" In The Book Of 2 Corinthians!

2011-12-20T11:28:00.000-05:00

My King Jesus gives grace and peace like no other!
He suffered so that we might be abundantly comforted!
He is the yes and amen of every one of God's very great and precious promises to us!
In Him, God always leads us in triumphant procession!
He is the sweet smelling aroma of life to God among those who are being saved!
In Him the veil that blinds people's eyes to the truth about God is totally taken away!
He's glorious!
He's the image of God!
He's Lord!
In His face the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shines forth!

That's my King! Has His light shone forth in your hearts today?!

On that cross He was afflicted in every way and crushed so that we might be free from affliction forever!
He was persecuted and forsaken so that we would never be forsaken by the One Who matters most!
He was struck down and destroyed so that we would be made new!
He has a judgment seat we will all appear before to receive what is due us for our deeds, whether good or evil!
His love controls us!
He died for all so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but live for Him!
He died for their sake and was raised up from the grave!

That's my King!

If you're in Him, you're a new creation – the old has passed away; behold, all things have become new!
He's the only roadway of reconciliation between God and man!
He knew no sin, but God made Him sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him!
He was afflicted so that you might be forever blessed!
He was beaten so that you might be forever healed!
He was imprisoned so that you might be forever set free!
He labored so the you might forever rest!
He was empty so that you might be forever full!
He was dishonored so that you might be showered with everlasting honor!
He died so that you might forever live!
He was sorrowful so that you might forever rejoice!
He was poor so that you might be made rich!
He had nothing so that you might possess everything!

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!

Well, though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor so that by His poverty you might become rich!
He sowed more bountifully than anyone, and He will reap more bountifully beyond our greatest imaginations!
He's the inexpressible gift of God!
He's meek!
He's gentle!
He's humble!
He's bold!
He commands that all our thoughts should obey Him!
He's the heavenly Bridegroom worthy of a pure virgin bride – the Church!
He's worthy of our pure, undivided, and supreme devotion!
He's a servant of righteousness!
He's a Hebrew!
He's an Israelite!
He's the offspring of Abraham!
And He's dwelling in us!

That's my King!

His grace is sufficient for you in all of your troubles!
His power is made perfect in your weakness!
His power rests upon you in your weaknesses!
He's worthy for us to endure all manner of weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities for the sake of His name!
When we are weak in ourselves, then we are strong in Him!
He's the most powerful of the mighty!
He was crucified in weakness, but He lives by the power of God!
We are weak in Him, but we will live with Him by the power of God!

That's my King! That's my King!

Following Jesus Is Worth Everything!

2011-12-19T21:33:00.000-05:00

Kyle Idleman writes:

John Oros was a church leader in Romania during the communist era . . . he talked about what it was like:
During communism, many of us preached . . . and people came at the end of a service, and they said, "I have decided to become a Christian." We told them, "It's good that you want to become a Christian, but we would like to tell you that there is a price to be paid. Why don't you reconsider what you want do do, because many things can happen to you. You can lose, and you can lose big."
John said that a high percentage of them chose to take part in a three month class to better understand the decision they were making. John says:
At the end of this period, many participants declared their desire to be baptized. Typically, I would respond, "It's really nice that you want to become a Christian, but when you give your testimony, there will be informers here who will jot down your name. Tomorrow the problems will start. Count the cost. Christianity is not easy. It's not cheap. You can be demoted. You can lose your job. You can lose your friends. You can lose your neighbors. You can lose your kids. You can lose even your own life."
He wanted the people to get to a place where following Jesus was so important to them, that if they lost everything it would still be worth it.

That's a lot different than the invitation to which many of us responded. At the end of the sermon the preacher said something like, "I want everybody to bow their heads and close their eyes. If you want to become a Christian then just raise your hand . . . I see that hand . . . I see that hand . . . ." But Jesus makes it clear that you need to count the cost.

If following Jesus cost you everything, would it still be worth it?

Kyle Idleman, Not A Fan (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 66.

We Pray Because Christ Is All!

2011-12-18T15:43:00.000-05:00

We pray because:

We are needy, but Christ is our never ending supply!

We are depleted, but Christ is deeply delightful!

We are sinners, but Christ is spotless and sublime!

We are poor, but Christ is precious and priceless!

We are creatures, but Christ is the Creator of all things!

We are blind, but Christ is the Beatific Vision!

We are unrighteous, but Christ is unsurpassed, unparalleled, unprecedented, and uncorruptible righteousness, joy, delight, and pleasure!

"That's My King!" In The Book Of 1 Corinthians!

2011-12-14T22:37:00.000-05:00

My King has a name above all names and everyone who calls upon His name is a saint of the most high God!
The manifold grace of God comes to us in Him!
In Him we are enriched in all speech and knowledge!
He will sustain us to the end, guiltless in the day of His return!
My King didn't send Paul to baptize but to preach the Gospel!
My King's cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God Almighty!
He's the power of God!
He's the wisdom of God!
He's our wisdom!
He's our righteousness!
He's our sanctification!
He's our redemption!
He's our only boast!

That's my King! Do you know Him?!

When Paul came to preach to the Corinthians, all he knew was a two point sermon: Point #1: Jesus Christ; Point #2: Him Crucified!
He's the crucified Lord of glory!
No eye has ever seen anything like Him!
No ear has ever heard anything like Him!
He's the one and only solid, secure, strong and ever sturdy foundation!
He will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness!
He will disclose the purposes of every human heart!

That's my King!

He's our Passover Lamb!
In His name we were washed from all our filthy sin!
In His name we were sanctified!
In His name we were justified by the Spirit of our God!
Our bodies belong to Him!
God raised Him from the dead!
Our bodies are members of King Jesus!
My King has assigned each of us a life to lead, and He is in control of every detail of that life!
All the subjects of my King are completely free, no matter what conditions they find themselves in!
He's the One Person we should be the most concerned about obeying and pleasing in all things!
All things are through my King!
We exist through my King!
We must submit to, follow, and obey His law with all joy and delight!

That's my King! Are you submitting to my King in all things today?!

He's the spiritual Rock that followed the children of Israel in the wilderness!
He's the life giving drink that always satisfies your deepest thirst!
He's worthy of exact imitation in every way He calls us to follow Him!
He's the head of every man!
His body was broken for His people!
The New Covenant was made with His shed blood!
He's Lord!
He speaks with the most beautiful tongues of men and of angels and has perfect love at the same time!
He has all prophetic powers!
He understands all mysteries!
He has all knowledge!
He has all faith, so as to remove mountains!
And He has perfect love that shows He is everything!
He gave away all that He had!
He delivered His body to be mutilated, beaten, spit upon, stripped naked, and hung on a cross, and He did it all in perfect love, so He gains everything!

That's my King!

He's patient!
He's kind!
He doesn't envy!
He doesn't boast!
He's not arrogant!
He's not rude!
He doesn't insist on His own way!
He's not irritable!
He's not resentful!
He does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but He rejoices with the truth!
He bears all things!
He believes all things!
He hopes all things!
He endures all things!
He never ends!
He's the perfect One Who is, Who has come, and Who will come again!

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!

The story of my King's life, death, and resurrection is THE matter of first importance in the Bible and in the whole world!
He died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures!
He was buried!
He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures!
He appeared to many witnesses after His resurrection, proving that He was dead, but is now alive forevermore!
He's the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep!
By Him has come the resurrection from the dead!
In Him, all shall be made alive!
God has put all things in subjection under His feet!
He's the last Adam Who has become a life-giving spirit!
He's the man from heaven! - the heavenly Man Who takes away the sin of the world!
God gives us the victory through Him, and in this victory we proclaim: "Death is swallowed up in victory! O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Jesus Christ has given us the victory! Death is dead! Life is given! Christ is risen! And we are free at last!

That's my King!

He's steadfast!
He's immovable!
He's always abounding in the work of the Lord!
He's watchful!
He stood firm in the faith!
He acted like a man – He is the MAN of men!
He's strong!
All that He did, does, and will do is done in the most precious, gentle, understanding love!
He is so worthy of all our love, joy, and devotion that we should desire His return right now more than we want to experience anything else in this life! That means . . .
Come Lord Jesus now, before I can grow up!
Come Lord Jesus now, before I get what I want for Christmas!
Come Lord Jesus now, before I fall in love and get married!
Come Lord Jesus now, before I'm able to enjoy children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren!
Come Lord Jesus now, before I'm able to make a great name for myself!
Come Lord Jesus now, before I'm able to get rich!
Come Lord Jesus now, before I'm able to enjoy any other pleasure this life has to offer because You are better than all earthly pleasures! You alone "are fullness and the inexhaustible treasure of incorruptible pleasure!" (Augustine)

That's my King! That's my King!

Oh To Die To Everything Earthly We Most Long For!

2011-12-13T22:37:00.000-05:00

Here's a good word on death to self from the life of James Chalmers, a missionary to the cannibals of New Guinea:

. . . Chalmers was awakened to the needs of South Seas missions as a teen-ager on Sunday afternoon in Sabbath school when his pastor read a moving letter from a missionary serving in Fiji. With tears in his eyes, the minister pleaded with the young people: "I wonder if there is a boy here who will by and by bring the Gospel to the cannibals." Chalmers vowed to be that one . . .

. . . a decade after he made his initial vow to be a missionary, Chalmers and his young bride, Jane, sailed for the South Pacific . . . the Chalmers' work was not easy . . . In 1879, only two years after coming to New Guinea, [Jane] sailed for Australia for medical treatment, where she died that year.

The grief only seemed to motivate Chalmers to greater dedication. He vowed to bury his "sorrow in work for Christ," recognizing similar sacrifices native teachers had made.

But Chalmers' sacrifice paid off. Within five years after he came he could find "no cannibal ovens, no feasts, no human flesh, no desire for skulls" in the region in which he worked. Instead, the heathen temples were packed out for gospel services . . .

[After returning from a furlough] he was accompanied by his second wife, but the marriage was short-lived. Once again he endured the sorrow of losing a wife to jungle fever.

And once again his zeal for reaching the lost was only magnified by his sorrow. Bringing the Gospel to unreached areas was ever his passion, and it was that passion that ended his life in the spring of 1901.

He and a young colleague, Oliver Tomkins, were on an exploratory trip along the coast of New Guinea in the Fly River region, an area known for ferocious cannibals. The men went ashore; and when they did not return, a search party went in and came out shortly with the grisly news.

Chalmers and Tomkins had been clubbed to death, chopped into pieces, cooked and eaten before the search party even arrived. It was a shocking incident that stunned the Christian world, but one that Chalmers himself had always been prepared to endure.

"To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only Him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self-denial can say is: 'He leads the way, keep close to Him.'" - Bonhoeffer

And following Him means following Him to where He was slaughtered on a cross.

I believe, help my unbelief! I deny myself, help my lack of self denial! I die to self, kill the rest of me that is alive! Oh Father, please help me to die! For Jesus' sake! Amen!

The story about James Chalmers came from: Ruth Tucker, From Jerusalem To Irian Jaya (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983), 218-220.

"That's my King!" In The Book Of Romans!

2011-12-09T10:57:00.000-05:00

Everyone should bow their knee to my King and be His everlasting, always dedicated, humbly submissive slave!
The Gospel of God is all about my King!
God made all kinds of promises in the holy Scriptures from long ago about His Son, Who was, is, and shall forevermore be King of all kings!
He was descended from David according to the flesh!
He was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by His resurrection from the dead!
He's our Lord!
He grants us grace to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations!

That's my King!

He's the only one Who ever lived a perfectly righteous life with perfectly righteous faith!
He never suppressed the truth in unrighteousness!
He never exchanged the truth of God for a lie!
He always acknowledged God in everything He did!
He's righteous!
He's good!
He's content!
He's loving!
He's life giving!
He's the peacemaker!
He's truthful!

That's my King! Do you know Him?!

He's the preeminent lover of God!
He's humble!
He obeyed His parents perfectly!
He's the wisest of the wise!
He has the biggest heart of anyone who has ever walked on the face of this earth!
Glory and honor and peace are due Him because He only did what was always good!
God judges all the secrets in the hearts and minds of all people by my King Jesus!
Circumcision was indeed valuable to Him because He did keep the whole law!

That's my King!

He's not under sin!
He never turned aside from God!
He's worth more than all the joys, pleasures, and riches this world has to offer!
He only does good!
His throat proclaims an open, empty tomb!
His tongue only speaks what is true!
The honey of the honeycomb is under His lips!
His mouth is full of blessings and sweetness!
His feet are swift to give new life!
In His path is renewal and joy!
His way is peace, and He truly feared God alone like no other!

That's my King! Are you following Him as His disciple today?!

He is the righteousness of God!
The Law and the Prophets bear witness to Him!
He's the only way to be redeemed and regain a right relationship with a holy God!
He was put forward on that cross as an anger removing sacrifice by His own Father!
He displayed to the universe the unflinching, pristine righteousness of His Father in His death on the cross!
By not working but by trusting in my King, you will be counted just as righteous as my King Himself and you will be accepted in the Beloved!
He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification!

That's my King!

He won for us peace with God!
Through Him we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God!
He died for the ungodly!
He demonstrates God's love for us in that while we were still sinners, our King died for us!
We have been justified by His blood!
He saved us from the wrath of God!
By His death He reconciled us to God even though we were His enemies!
His life saves us!
Through Him the free gift of God's grace abounds to many!
His one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men!
Through His obedience many will be made righteous!
Because of my King's life, death, and resurrection, where sin abounds grace abounds all the more!

That's my King! Are you finding your hope and righteousness in Him alone today?!

He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father!
He will never die again!
Death no longer has dominion over Him!
He died to sin and lives to God!
We died with Him, and we died to the law so that we might be married to another – Jesus Christ the righteous!
My King delivers wretched men from their bodies of death! Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ!
The subjects of my King enjoy no condemnation forever, regardless of what they've done or failed to do in the past!

That's my King!

He was condemned in the flesh so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us!
He's the greatest gift the Father could ever give us!
God is working everything together for good in the lives of the followers of my King!
Since the Father didn't even spare His own Son on our behalf, He shall surely with Him also freely give us all things!
He's at the right hand of God always interceding for us for our best and greatest good!
Nothing shall separate us from the love of our King – not tribulation; not distress; not persecution; not famine; not nakedness; not danger; not sword; not death; not life; not angels; not rulers; not things present; not things to come; not powers; not height; not depth; not loneliness; not hard circumstances; not the loss of a spouse; not old age; not singleness; not failing health; not rejection; not failure; not all manner of “impossible to handle situations” in your life; not depression; not hopelessness; not anything else in all creation; none of it will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and King!

That's my King! Are you trusting Him with all the circumstances in your life today?!

My King was made the hated one on the cross so that sinners like you and me might be forever loved!
My King was made a vessel of God's wrath on that cross so that sinners like you and me might be vessels of mercy forever!
Whoever believes in my King shall never ever be put to shame!
He's the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes!
He's Lord of all!
Through His Word faith comes that leads to salvation!
He's the Deliverer Who came from Zion!
He's the only One Who can take away our sins!

That's my King!

Though we are from many different races, backgrounds, nations, and cultures, we are all one body in my King – one in Jesus Christ!
His love is genuine, though He is not loved genuinely in return!
He abhors what is evil!
He holds fast to what is good!
He loves His people with brotherly affection!
He outdid and outdoes everyone in showing honor, even when malicious dishonor is shown toward Him!
He's fervent in Spirit!
He rejoiced in hope!
He was patient in tribulation!
He was constant in prayer!
He contributed to the needs of the saints!
He blessed those who persecuted Him, and He loved those who cursed Him!

That's my King! Are you seeking to follow in His footsteps today? And if not I wonder if you know Him?!

He rejoices with those who rejoice, and He weeps with those who weep!
He wasn't proud but associated with the lowly!
He repaid no one evil for evil!
He never avenged Himself!
He fed His hungry enemy!
He gave drink to His thirsty enemy!
He was never overcome with evil, but He always overcame evil with good!
Whoever serves my King is acceptable to God!
He did not please Himself!
He suffered all the reproaches, pains, and hardships of His people so that they might be saved!
He made a way for us in all of our diversity to glorify God with one voice!
Through His life, death, and resurrection, He made a way for us to glorify God for His mercy!

That's our King!

Heart Longings For Christ To Be All!

2011-12-05T23:07:00.000-05:00

I wrote these poems years ago. I'm not a poet (it will be obvious!), but I love to write out my longings from time to time.

My Savior

I once thought I was a Christian, in the truth I believed
Then through a teacher I found I was deceived
He was teaching us world religions, but to him they’re all relative you see
"All religions are roads to the same god for me"
This teaching was against all I learned from mom and Sunday school
I learned that salvation through Jesus Christ alone was the rule
Fear entered my heart, I was more than afraid
I began to doubt that Jesus alone was my aid
If I couldn’t believe in Jesus alone as Saviour and Lord
"I'll go to Hell forever!" my mind unceasingly roared
I just believed because my mom taught me so
Would an Indian child believe what I know?
I struggled and struggled to find the belief I thought I had but then lost
But in truth, the river from death to life through saving faith I had never crossed
Now I understand Jesus' words Luke did pen
Agonizing and striving are required for the straight gate to enter in
After much pain and fear of death and eternal suffering
By God's grace I embraced Jesus as second to nothing
Looking back one thing seems very very clear
Relativism is a deadly, false teaching to fear
African, Asian, Indian, or Arab no cultures are exempt
All peoples are commanded to turn to Jesus alone and repent
The hope of this truth resides not in man's effort or will
But in an Almighty God Who gives new hearts with a seal
Now in Jesus alone I find my delights soar and soar
Very soon with Him I'll find pleasures forever more!
Now if you have ears to hear and eyes to see your future so grim
Run to Jesus right now and find fullness of joy in Him!

Please End The Glory Stealing

Oh! That God would take my life from me
Then my wretched sin He would forever cease to see
My reticence to speak of my dear Savior's name
This sin my conscience would finally cease to blame
My failure to believe in God as Sovereign Master
If I were dead this glory stealing would cease all the faster
My self-righteous pride so often rises up so high
Oh God! You hate this for it is You that I defy
When others give You glory I get jealous and mad
For truly I want the glory for my worship - oh how sad
Yes my LORD You could end my life with simple ease
It is You who kills and makes alive just as You please
But LORD You've chosen to leave me on this earth
In Your sovereign will You gave to me new birth
And though my repentant tears are even dirty
In Christ alone my hopes stand ever sturdy
So through my Savior Jesus may I live more for His glory
Until He decides to end my sin stained but grace filled story!

Oh! To Live For His Glory Alone!

Oh! That I would glorify my God!
May there never be an Ichabod
With every atom of my being every second of every day
May all my energy be spent to max His glory that I pray
Oh God! How I utterly fail to do this every second all the time
Please come control my heart and keep me from this horrid crime
Also may every cent of money You have given me
Be used in every way to max Your glory - to give is glee
And how a worthless worm like I
Should hope my God to glorify?!
Only by working through His strength alone
Then through Jesus Christ is His glory shown
And if you say, "Oh! What a huge sacrifice!"
I will reply, "God's glory does me so entice
Suffering, torture, pain, and death by His grace I will endure with a roar
To God be the glory, In His presence I will enjoy pleasures forever more!"

Jesus My Only Righteousness

Jesus is my righteousness alone, and that is well
For all my own will only send me straight to hell
My songs, praise and worship, prayer, and study
In my self-righteousness with sin they are all dirty
I struggle and wonder even as I think and write
If this poetry causing prideful sin will show my dreadful plight
Oh! Lord Jesus with Your blood so pure
Come and make my dirty worship clean that it may endure
And at those moments when I forget myself and truly worship God
He enables me to do it by His grace for there will never be an Ichabod
God is the author of all good in every man
For He alone gets all the glory like no other can
So in Christ's righteousness alone my hopes of heaven ride
For only in Him will God's wrath against me be eternally satisfied!

My Struggle

Oh! Jesus! my eternal Lover
Come and fill my heart with fervor
Not with passions for sex and women fill
But with joy and pleasure that's eternally for real
Oh! this struggle for purity seems to hurt so much
How I long for a godly wife to love and kindly touch
But God has chosen to keep me single for right now
Oh! wretched unbelief in sin I so often turn and bow
"God works all things for good!" is HIS promise to me
Oh! God help my unbelief and cause me Your great promises to see
If I would only take the omnipotent God at His sovereign and true Word
All this worry, pain, and sorrow would simply be absurd
Our God is in the heavens and hath done what ere He pleases
For His Name's sake and His glory - He gains what ere He seizes
In Him is beauty no woman ever possessed
With His glory I should always be obsessed
Look to Christ! and desire His love alone!
Fullness of joy and pleasures forever more are found only at His throne
Oh God! with Psalmist help me from my heart to cry
One thing have I desired below or up on high
May I gaze at the beauty of the LORD forever bye and bye
One thing! One thing! there is no other!
Not even a wife, her touch, or a human lover
Nothing! Nothing! Nothing! on earth have I desired but Thee is what he cried!
Oh! God! with these desires make my heart forever more abide until I've died!
For Your great Name's sake. Amen!

Martyr At The Stake

For God's glory I will die
In the fire, raise my hands to Jesus high
On the flames my praises ride
In my death God be glorified
And if hotter the fire the more He be magnified
Then to the fire add coals, for in His strength alone I hide
But take care that love in my heart abides
Because if not for me no gain resides
May I be enraptured with God from all sides!

Faith

If we must see how all will work out
Tis not faith in our hearts but only doubt
So look not to what is known or seen ahead
But cherish Jesus as your only hope instead!

The Overflowing God

Everyone has at least one wish or desire
It is for happiness - that burns our heart's fire
So seek pleasure and happiness in God until your bones are sore
And remember only in God are pleasure forever more!!!

Desire

My heart is so full of desire
Shining forth like the sun of fire
Pride, lust, and envy coming forth
More coming out from my move north
"Who is first?" the disciples asked
That nags my heart from first to last
And then there's her I long for so
Desiring one whom I can know
Please turn my heart oh God toward You
May "Christ is all!" in my heart sing true!

"That's My King!" In The Book Of Revelation!

2011-12-02T15:28:00.000-05:00

The book of Revelation is the revelation of my King!

Those who hear and keep the revelation of my King shall be unimaginably happy and satisfied throughout all eternity!

My King is the faithful witness!
He's the firstborn from the dead!
He's the ruler of all the kings of the earth!
He loves us!
He's freed us from our sins by His blood!
He's made us a kingdom and priests to His God and Father!
To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever! Amen!

That's my King! Are you eager to give Him glory today?!

He's coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him!
All the tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him!
He's the Alpha and the Omega!
He's the Lord and God!
He's the One Who is and Who was and Who is to come!
He's the Almighty!

That's my King!

In Him is patient endurance!
He's worthy for us to be imprisoned and outcast, never to be heard from again on account of His name!
He's the Son of Man!
He wears the most beautiful clothes you have ever seen or imagined!
His eyes were like a flame of fire!
His voice was like the roar of many waters!
He sovereignly holds His blood bought churches in His righteous right hand!
From His mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword!
His face was like the sun shining in full strength!

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!

If you saw my King, you would fall down to the ground as if you were dead!
But He'd tell you to fear not! Because though He's not safe, He's real, real good!
He's the first and the last!
He's the living One!
He died, but behold now He's alive forevermore!
He holds full command of the keys of Death and Hades!
He knows everything every person on earth has ever done, thought, felt, or said!
He don't need a list; He ain't checkin' it twice; and He knows we've all been naughty and not nice!
So He came to save us from our sins through His perfect sacrifice!
Which will always, only, and forevermore suffice!

That's my King!

He's worthy of our first love, our greatest love, and all the love that we can give!
Because He conquered, He grants to His conquerors to eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God!
His conquering followers will not be hurt by the second death!
His conquering followers will be given some of the hidden manna and a new name!
His conquering followers will be given authority over the nations and the morning star!
His conquering followers will be given beautiful, white garments and their names will never be blotted out of the book of life but will be confessed before His Father and the angels!
His conquering followers will be made a pillar in the temple of His God, and He will write on them the name of His God!
His conquering followers will sit with Him on His throne just as He conquered and sat down on His Father's throne!

That's our King! Do you know Him?!

He has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars!
He's the Holy One!
He's the True One!
He has the key of David!
He opens and no one will shut!
He shuts and no one will open!
He's the Amen!
He's the faithful and true Witness!
He's the beginning of God's creation!
Though we are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked; He came to make us rich, prosperous, and in need of nothing because we have Him as our great joy and treasure!

That's my King! Are you finding Him to be your all sufficient joy and treasure today?

He's the gold we need to be rich!
He's the white, spotless garment we need to be clean!
He's the salve we need for our eyes so that we can see!
He disciplines those He loves!
He's stands at the door and knocks and calls us all to come in to Him to eat, drink, and be eternally saved, safe, and satisfied!

That's my King!

He's the Lion of the tribe of Judah!
He's the Root of David!
He conquered!
He's worthy to take the scroll of history and open its seals!
He's the slain Lamb of God whose blood ransomed people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation!
He's worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!
To Him and to His Father be blessing and honor and glory and might and worship forever and ever!

That's my King!

When my King comes back, and be sure of this – He will come back! . . . those who have not bowed the knee to Him by faith will cry out for the mountains and rocks to fall on them to hide them from His almighty wrath!

Salvation belongs to our King!
His blood makes our dirty robes white as snow!
Because of Him, we'll hunger no more!
Because of Him, we'll thirst no more!
Because of Him, the sun shall not strike us and the heat shall not scorch us!
He will be our Shepherd, and He will guide us to the springs of living water!

That's my King! Is He your Good Shepherd and Living Water today?!

The kingdom of this world will become His kingdom!
He shall reign forever and ever!
He conquers every power that's against Him!
He's the King of kings and the Lord of lords!
His name is Faithful!
His name is True!
He judges in righteousness and makes war on His enemies!
On His head are many diadems!
He's clothed with a robe dipped in blood!
And His name is The Word God!

That's my King!

He's the Temple of the living God!
He's the Light in which the nations walk!
From His throne flows the river of the water of life that is bright as crystal!
He's returning to repay everyone according to what he has done!
He's the Alpha and the Omega!
He's the first and the last!
He's the beginning and the end!
He's the root and descendant of David!
He's the bright and morning star!
He's surely coming back soon!
Oh come Lord Jesus! Come quickly!

That's our King! Are you living in such a way so that His return might be hastened today?!

I Quit My Life . . . For Jesus

2011-12-01T10:19:00.000-05:00

I'm reading a wonderful story about an 18 year old woman who grew up in America with all its comforts, but she quit her life because she was called to follow Jesus to help the poorest of the poor. She had it all: a wonderful, loving family; homecoming queen; class president; bright future in college; boyfriend; but she heard the call of Jesus, left it all, and followed Him.

She wanted to do a year long mission trip before college, so she went to Uganda to serve as a teacher. While there she saw the desperate needs of the poor, starving orphans and adopted 14 of them (yes 14!). Now she lives in Uganda as a single, 22 year old mother of over a dozen children and runs a ministry to other poor and needy children there.

In this account she describes what it was like to break up with her boyfriend in order to follow Jesus where she believed He was leading her.

Here's a small portion of the account:

They were moving in opposite directions. They both new it, but they both refused to let go. So she asked God for a very specific sign. For something that she thought very unlikely if not absolutely impossible. And then something devastating happened. God gave her the sign that she asked for. So she kissed him goodbye and drove away and cried so hard that she doubted she would ever breathe again. She tried not to wonder if anyone would ever love her like that again or how she would do this all alone.

And that’s when He reminded her that she wasn’t. That HE would make her feel beautiful as a single mom covered in dust and spit up. That He appreciated her even when everyone else forgot to say thank you. That He believed in her when the rest of the world thought everything she did was crazy. That He would cheer her on and pick her up when she just didn’t feel strong enough. That His voice whispering in her ear would turn those rough days right around. That He would ALWAYS be faithful. That His love would be unconditional. That He, her ONE TRUE LOVE would never leave or forsake her and would give her her heart’s desires. That He would make all things new, even her shattered heart.

Luke 14:26

Cling To Jesus!

2011-12-01T09:35:00.000-05:00

Charles Spurgeon said:

The child, in danger of the fire, just clings to the fireman, and trusts to him alone. She raises no question about the strength of his limbs to carry her, or the zeal of his heart to rescue her; but she clings. The heat is terrible, the smoke is blinding, but she clings; and her deliverer quickly bears her to safety. In the same childlike confidence cling to Jesus, who can and will bear you out of danger from the flames of sin.

HT: Desiring God Blog

Jesus Only!

2011-11-30T06:57:00.000-05:00

When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Matthew 17:8

Commenting on these words, Charles Spurgeon wrote:

I do desire for my fellow Christians and for myself, that more and more the great object of our thoughts, motives, and acts may be "Jesus only."

I believe that whenever our religion is most vital, it is most full of Christ. Moreover, when it is most practical, downright, and common sense, it always gets nearest to Jesus. I can bear witness that whenever I am in deeps of sorrow, nothing will do for me but "Jesus only."

I can rest in some degree in the externals of religion, its outward escarpments and bulwarks, when I am in health; but I retreat to the innermost citadel of our holy faith, namely, to the very heart of Christ, when my spirit is assailed by temptation, or besieged with sorrow and anguish.

What is more, my witness is that whenever I have high spiritual enjoyments, enjoyments right, rare, celestial, they are always connected with Jesus only. Other religious things may give some kind of joy, and joy that is healthy too, but the sublimest, the most inebriating, the most divine of all joys, must be found in Jesus only.

In fine, I find if I want to labor much, I must live on Jesus only; if I desire to suffer patiently, I must feed on Jesus only; if I wish to wrestle with God successfully, I must plead Jesus only; if I aspire to conquer sin, I must use the blood of Jesus only; if I pant to learn the mysteries of heaven, I must seek the teachings of Jesus only.

I believe that any thing which we add to Christ lowers our position, and that the more elevated our soul becomes, the more nearly like what it is to be when it shall enter into the religion of the perfect, the more completely every thing else will sink, die out, and Jesus, Jesus, Jesus only, will be first and last, and midst and without end, the Alpha and Omega of every thought of head and pulse of heart.

May it be so with every Christian.

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

Stunned By Mercy!

2011-11-27T20:12:00.000-05:00

John Piper says:

So when you go home each week from these messages, be stunned that you are a beneficiary of mercy – be reminded and stunned that you and I deserve nothing but wrath from God, and in Christ receive nothing but mercy from him. Be stunned. And then pray that God would make you merciful to the undeserving.

Oh, how sweet marriages would be if we stopped thinking about what we deserve and thought more about how to show more mercy – how to do more undeserved good to each other. Oh, how sweet would be the fellowship of the church if we all really felt undeserving of any good and lavished with God’s mercy. And, oh, how bright the gospel would shine if we touched the poor with Christ-exalting mercy.

May God raise up many who will build, with joy, ministries of mercy to the city and the nations.

Oh Father, please do this at Olney Baptist and all the churches! For Jesus' sake!

HT: Desiring God

Longings In College And Now!

2011-11-27T19:57:00.000-05:00

May the prayer of Jim Elliot's be mine from the bottom of my heart:

Oh God! Either glorify Yourself to the utmost in me or slay me! For Jesus' sake! Amen! and Amen!

By God's grace and for His glory may I live a life that reflects the utter and unimaginable bigness of God!

"That's My King!" In The Book Of Acts!

2011-11-25T15:27:00.000-05:00

My King is worthy to have countless biographies written about Him that simply record what He began to do and to teach, let alone record what He's done since He began, what He's doing now, and what He'll do for all eternity!

There aren't enough books in the world to contain the glories of my King! Do you know Him?!

He gave commands to the apostles through the Holy Spirit!
After His suffering, He presented Himself alive to the apostles by many proofs – My King was dead, but now He is alive, and He lives forevermore, never to die again!
My King is worthy to have witnesses testify about Him in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth!
When He finished His work on earth, He was lifted up to heaven and will return in the same way He departed!

That's my King!

He was attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him!
He was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God!
He was crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men!
But God raised Him up, and He loosed the pangs of death!
It was impossible for death to hold Him!
God would not abandon His soul to Hades nor allow His Holy One to see corruption!
Through His death and resurrection He has made a way for us to enjoy fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore at God's right hand!

That's my King!

God raised Him up and exalted Him to His almighty right hand!
God has made Him both Lord and Christ!
When He gets a hold of people, they go around selling everything they have and make sure no one is in need of anything!
When He gets a hold of people, they spend a lot of time together, eating together, praying together, and praising God together because of what their King has done!
In His name, the apostles baptized thousands for the forgiveness of sins!
In His name, the apostles made the lame to walk and leap and praise the Lord!

That's my King!

He was glorified by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!
He was delivered over and denied by wicked sinners in the presence of Pilate!
He's the Holy and Righteous One Who was denied so that the criminal Barabbas might live!
He's the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead!
His name, by faith in His name, has made men strong!
Heaven must receive Him until the restoration of all things!

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!

He's the long awaited, raised up, full of God's Spirit, all powerful, all knowing, all satisfying Prophet, Priest, and King Whom we must listen to and obey in whatever He tells us!
Every soul that does not listen to Him shall be destroyed from the people!
All that the prophets spoke proclaimed the days of my King!
He came to bless us by turning every one of us away from our selfish wickedness!

That's my King!

He's worthy to be preached about, even though you might get thrown in jail!
He's the stone that was rejected that has become the chief cornerstone!
There is salvation in no one else but Him!
There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved!
He takes uneducated, common men and makes them so bold that they astonish the watching world around them!
He's the kind of King Whom we must open our mouth about no matter what harm anyone threatens against us!

That's my King! Are ready to tell somebody about Him today?!

God exalted Him at His right hand as Leader and Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins!
His mission will not fail and none of His plans will ever be overthrown by anyone or anything!
He was unceasingly preached everywhere by the Apostles as the Christ!
He stopped the threatening, murderous persecutor of His church – Saul – dead in his tracks and converted him into one of the greatest Christ-exalting theologians and missionaries who has ever lived on the face of this earth!
He is Lord of all!

That's my King!

He was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with power!
He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil!
God was with Him!
He was put to death by being hung on a tree!
But God raised Him up on the third day and made Him appear to those who had been chosen by God!
He's appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead!
And everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through His name!
My King brings together Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, men and women, rich and poor, young and old, democrats and republicans, blacks and whites and causes them to join hands and sing in the God-breathed words of the Apostle Paul: "Christ is all! Christ is all! We are all one in Christ, and He is all!"

Now that's my King! Do you know Him?!

Jerusalem and her rulers fulfilled the words of the prophets by condemning my King!
They found no guilt in Him worthy of death, but they killed Him anyway!
They took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb!
But God raised Him up from the dead, no more to return to corruption!
He was given the holy and sure blessings of David that shall never have an end!
Everyone who believes in Him is justified from everything which you could not be justified by the law of Moses!

That's my King!

My King is a King worth risking your life for!
His Spirit directs His people where He wants them to preach the Gospel!
In His name, spirits are commanded to flee and they obey!
He is worthy of our thanks and praise, even after being beaten and imprisoned!
He is the One Man by Whom God will judge the world in righteousness!
He taught us that it is more blessed, more satisfying, more full of happiness to give than to receive!
He's worthy to die for!
He takes those who oppose Him, hate Him, and kill His followers and changes them into His greatest supporters, lovers, and witnesses who willingly die for His name sake!

That's my King! Are you willing to be a witness for Him today?!

"That's My King!" In The Gospel Of Matthew!

2011-11-19T20:37:00.000-05:00

The family tree of my King includes whores and hookers; murderers and adulterers; liars and deceivers, but my King can save them all, change them all, and make all their sins as white as snow!

My King was conceived by the Holy Spirit!
He was born of a virgin!
He came to save His people from their sins!
His name is Immanuel – God with us!
When He was born, a star appeared to lead kings to worship Him!
He came to shepherd His people Israel!
He's the greater Israel, called out of Egypt to deliver His people from everlasting slavery!

That's my King!

He's the one mightier whose sandal strap no one is worthy to untie!
He baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire!
He alone fulfilled all righteousness!
He is God's beloved Son with Whom the Father is well pleased!
He's the greater Adam Who did what the first Adam should've done – He kicked Satan out of the garden of this world!
He's the great light that dawned to bring His people out of darkness!
He makes those who follow Him fishers of men!
He healed epileptics and paralytics!
He cured those afflicted with various diseases and pains!
He cast out demons!
And He's worthy for us to leave everything precious to us and follow Him where ever He takes us!

That's my King! Do you know Him?!

He's the meekest of the meek!
He hungers and thirsts for righteousness like no other!
He's the most merciful of the merciful!
He's the purest of the purest in heart!
He's the peacemaker of peacemakers!
Though He's the only one Who ever lived Who deserved no persecution, He was the most persecuted so that His people might be saved!

That's my King!

He's the salt of the earth!
He's the light of the world!
He's the fulfillment of all the law and the prophets!
He's the new and perfect law giver!
He's the treasure of heaven that the human heart longs for!
He's the greatest gift from heaven we could ever dream of receiving!

That's my King!

He astonished crowds!
He had authority like no other!
He cleansed lepers!
He cooled fevers!
He drove out demons!
He took our illnesses and bore our diseases!

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!

He had no place to live – nowhere to even lay His head!
He commanded the raging winds and seas to calm down and they ceased and became silent!
He's astonishing, frightening, and joy-inspiring all at the same time!
He forgives and eats with sinners!
He's the all satisfying Bridegroom Who will marry you at the end of time and fulfill all your desires perfectly!
He raised the dead!
He made the blind see!
He made the mute speak!

That's my King!

He's compassionate to the sheep without a shepherd!
He sends His people out to minister and love others in His name!
He's worthy of more love than you give your own father and mother!
He's worthy of more love than you give your own son or daughter!
He's worthy for us all to lose our lives for His sake!
He's the Teacher of teachers and the Preacher of preachers!
He's the Doer of many mighty works!
He's the only One able to give us rest for our souls!

That's my King! Are you finding rest for your souls in Him alone today?!

He's the Lord of the Sabbath!
He restores withered hands!
He's the chosen Servant!
He pleases the soul of the eternal, infinite God!
He proclaimed justice to the Gentiles!
He won't break a bruised reed, and He won't quench a smoldering wick!
He'll bring justice and victory for the glory of the King of Kings!

That's my King!

He's the something greater than Jonah!
He's the something greater than Solomon!
He's the brother and son of all those who do the will of His Father in heaven!
He displays in Himself what myriads of prophets and righteous people longed to see!
He opened His mouth in parables and uttered what has been hidden since the foundation of the world!
He's like treasure in a field Who is worthy for us, in our joy, to sell all that we have so that we can buy that field!
He's the pearl of great price worthy of all our delight and admiration!
He astonished His people with all His wisdom and mighty works!

That's my King!

He had compassion on the people and fed five thousand with a little food and four thousand too!
He walked on water!
His disciples who knew Him best – His disciples who were Jews and were only supposed to worship the one and only true God – worshiped Him! He is God!
People begged to merely touch the fringe of His garment so that they might be healed!
Because of Him, the mute spoke, the crippled were healthy, the lame walked, the blind could see, and people glorified the God is Israel!

That's my King! Do you know Him?!

He is the Christ, the Son of the living God!
He had to go to Jerusalem and suffering many things, and be killed, and on the third day be raised!
He always set His mind on the things of God and not on the things of man!
He's worthy for us to pick up our cross and follow Him!
He's worth more than the whole world!
He's coming back with His angels in the glory of His Father to repay each person according to what they have done!

Are you read for the return of the King today?!

He was transfigured on the mountain, His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as light!
He is the One we are to listen to above all others!
He dwells among His people as they gather in His name!
He is more precious than all the riches that this world could offer us!
Everyone who leaves everything to follow Him will receive a hundredfold back and eternal life!
He's the King Who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey!
God ordained nursing babes to praise Him!
He's the rejected stone of the builders that has become the chief cornerstone!
He's the only one Who ever loved the Lord His God with all His heart, soul, and mind and loved His neighbor as Himself perfectly for the glory of God!

That's my King!

He's the Lord of Lords Who will have all enemies put under His feet!
He's the one instructor!
He's so worthy and His love is so satisfying that to be hated by all nations for His name's sake is a glorious honor!
He will return on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and His angels with gather His people from all the nations of the earth!
He's returning at an hour you do not expect!
He will return in His glory, with all His angels with Him, and sit on His glorious throne, separating the sheep from the goats!

Are you ready for the return of the King today?!

He was betrayed, denied, and abandoned by His closest friends!
He was spit upon!
He was beaten!
He was stripped naked!
He was mocked!
He wore a crown of thorns!
He was nailed to a cross!
He was forsaken by God!
He endured the full measure of the wrath of God in place of hell deserving sinners!

That's my King!

He yielded up His spirit with a loud voice when he died!
The curtain of the temple was ripped in two!
The earth shook!
The dead were raised!
He was buried in the tomb!
But death couldn't hold Him!
He didn't stay dead!
And now He's alive forevermore to the praise and glory of God!

That's my King! That's our King! Do you know Him?!

Christ: Our Abundantly Satisfying Life!

2011-11-16T22:36:00.000-05:00

Tim Keller says:

Many many years ago there was a woman who lived in a trailer right up the road from the little church I was a pastor of in Virginia. She had become a Christian recently and came to my church – she was going to a counselor because she had a very hard life. I remember very clearly she certainly looked awful because she had been beaten over and over again by one man after another man over the years. She had been in one abusive relationship with men after another. She showed the scars. But she had become a Christian; she was coming to church; she was going to a counselor; and I would visit her . . . I'm going to read you a transcript of what I remember her saying . . . [what she said was] so weird and interesting to me and amazing to me . . . she was trying to tell me how Christ turned her life around. It was quite amazing. She said this:
I'm going to my counselor and much of what she has said is right. My counselor said I have built my very significance and acceptability and identity on men. That's why I've been defenseless with them. I've simply needed them too much. All of that is right and helpful . . . However, my counselor doesn't have a very good solution for me.

My counselor says what I should do instead is get myself a great career; get an education; have a successful career. While my counselor means well, and of course I absolutely do need to get some training and get myself a job and career. But what she's saying is I should do that so I will also feel better about myself by doing that. But that would mean I would be switching from one kind of idol to another . . .

For many years my heart has been looking at men and saying: "Unless I'm successful at love, I'm nothing." But the therapist wants me to look at my career and say: "Unless I'm a successful, independent, business woman, whose in control of my own life, I am nothing." I don't want to be enslaved to my work as I was to men. I don't want to be as enslaved to my independence as I was to my dependence. I'm actually being asked to exchange a typical female idol for a typical male idol; I don't want either.
You see the therapist knew how to help her down – dig down into see what her idols were but had no way of giving her anything but an alternate idol. And so I said: "Well what are you doing? How are you doing?"

And she actually quoted Colossians 3: "When Christ Who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."

She said:
It's very practical. When I go to church; when I'm in worship; when what Jesus did for me is so real and so wonderful – in my heart I think of the men in my life and I say – I speak to them and I say this: "I'm glad to know you, and I certainly wouldn't mind being married. But you are not my life. Christ is my life. I'm done making anything else my life. You're a good thing, but you're not an ultimate thing. I would love to have a husband, but if I don't, I've got Jesus. And I set my mind on things above. You can't give me any of the things that Jesus has given me.

See I don't want to look to men or to a career. A career can't die for me. If I live for a career and fail, it will beat me up all my life for having been a failure. But if I fail Jesus He died for me to forgive me.
See, she realized something – Jesus is the only Savior Who, if you get Him, will satisfy you. And if you fail Him – and we do fail Him – He died for you . . . the real solution is worship.

CHRIST IS ALL!

Tim Keller, "Christ, Our Life," Colossians 3:1-14, September 18, 2005.

"That's My King!" In The Book Of Hebrews!

2011-11-11T20:11:00.000-05:00

My King is God's final Word to His people; and though heaven and earth will pass away, His Words shall never pass away!

He's the heir of all things!
Through Him God created the world!
He's the radiance of the glory of God!
He's the exact imprint of God's nature!
He upholds the universe by the word of His power!

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!

After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of majesty on high!
He's superior to the angels!
His name is more excellent than all the names of the most wonderful angels!
He's worshiped by angels!

In fact, angels – angels who have worshiped at the very throne room of God almighty for centuries – they long to look into the redemption which my King has accomplished for His people!

His Father says to Him: "Your throne, O God is forever and ever!"
He loves righteousness!
He hates wickedness!
He laid the foundations of the earth in the beginning!
The heavens are the work of His hands!
Heaven and earth will perish, but He will remain!
Heaven and earth will wear out like a garment, but He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
His years have no end!

That's my King!

He's crowned with glory!
He's crowned with honor!
He tasted death for everyone!
Through death He destroyed the one who has the power of death – the Devil!
He's the deliverer of all those enslaved by fear of death!
He helps the offspring of Abraham!
He's the merciful and faithful high priest!
He's the wrath bearing sacrifice for His people!
He endured temptation that He might help those who are tempted!

That's my King! Do you know Him?!

He's the apostle and high priest of our confession!
He's absolutely faithful to God, like no other who has ever lived!
He's worthy of more glory than Moses!
He built the house, and He Who builds all things is God!
He's a great high priest Who passed through the heavens!
He sympathizes with our weakness!
He was tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sin!
He made a way for us to draw near to the throne of grace with confidence that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need!

That's my King!

He's a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek!
He offered up prayers to God with tears and loud cries and was heard because of His reverence!
He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him!
He's our hope – the sure and steadfast anchor of our souls!
He entered into the inner place behind the curtain as a forerunner on our behalf to bring us back to God!
He's the King of righteousness!
He's the King of peace!
He had no beginning of days and He has no end of life!
He's the lion of the tribe of Judah, and when He roars, all the beasts of field are silent!
He became an eternal priest by the power of an indestructible life!
He introduced a better hope through which we draw near to God!
He guarantees to us a better covenant!
He holds His priesthood permanently because He continues forever!
He's able to save to the uttermost all those who draw near to God through Him!
He always lives to make intercession for all His children!

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him today?!

He's high priest!
He's holy!
He's innocent!
He's unstained!
He's separated from sinners!
He's exalted above the heavens!
He has no needs!
He has no weaknesses!
He's perfect forever!

That's my King!

He's seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven!
He's a Minister in the holy places!
His ministry is much more excellent than the old covenant!
He's the mediator of a better covenant enacted on better promises!
He entered once for all into the holy places by His own blood to secure eternal redemption!
Through the eternal Spirit He offered Himself to God without blemish!
Only His blood can purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God!
He's the mediator of a new covenant so that we may receive the promised eternal inheritance!
His death is the only death that redeems from the sins committed under the first covenant!
He entered into heaven itself in the presence of God on our behalf!
He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself!
He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him!

Are you eagerly waiting for Your King's return today?!

He's the reality of realities of the all the good things to come!
He came to do God's will, and He's the only One Who did it perfectly!
He offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins!
He sat down at the right hand of God!
All His enemies shall be made a footstool for His feet!
By a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified!
He gives us confidence to enter the holy places by His own shed blood!
He opened for us a new and living way to draw near to God!
He's worthy for us to endure all manner of persecution for the sake of His name!

That's my King!

He's the founder and perfecter of our faith!
For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross!
He's seated at the right hand of the throne of God!
He endured the hostility of sinners and prevailed mightily!
His blood speaks a better word to us than the blood of Abel!
He's the same yesterday, today, and forever!
He suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through His own blood!
He's worthy of our continual sacrifice of praise!
He's the great shepherd of the sheep!
His blood is the blood of the eternal covenant!

That's My King! Do you know Him?!

He's better than all our fathers!
He's better than all the prophets!
He's better than all the priests!
He's better than all the kings!
He's better than all the angels!
He's better than Adam!
He's better than Noah!
He's better than Job!
He's better than Abraham!
He's better than Joseph!
He's better than Moses!
He's better than Joshua!
He's better than David!
He's better than Daniel!
He's better than the best of the best and whatever is better that you can think of!
To Him be glory forever and ever!

That's my King! That's my King!

Therefore, by His grace and for His glory, let us go to our great King outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured!

Praise The LORD!

2011-11-06T22:47:00.000-05:00

You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf . . . And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 2 Chronicles 20:17, 22

May we sing and praise Him no matter what happens in life. He is good, and He does all things well.

I like these Hallelujah songs:

Christ's Love Will Never Let Us Go!

2011-11-06T22:14:00.000-05:00

The Schaefer Family writes:

On June 6, 1882, George Matheson, wrote, "I was at that time alone, it was the day of my sister's marriage . . . Something happened to me, which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe mental suffering. The hymn was the fruit of that suffering." The hymn he referred to is, "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go." What was the suffering he was experiencing?

We do not know for sure, maybe it was thoughts of his own engagement that had been broken off when his fiancée learned that he would be completely blind soon.

Or maybe he was grieving the loss of his own sister’s closeness, who had studied Greek and Hebrew so she could assist him in his sermon preparation.

Nonetheless, we see that he started to think about the love of God and the cross of Christ and his thoughts were turned to blazing daylight.

Heaven's Favorites!

2011-11-03T08:26:00.000-04:00

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him." Hebrews 12:5

Commenting on this verse, Charles Spurgeon wrote:

Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (John 11:5). They were three of His special favorites, and thus He sent them an extraordinary trial (John 11:1).

When a dealer in precious gems finds a stone of minimum value, little time is spent cutting it. But when a rare diamond is found, that stone will be cut, and cut, and cut again.

When the Lord finds a saint whom He loves much, He may spare others trial and trouble but not this one, His well-beloved. The more Jesus loves you, the more of the rod you will feel (Heb. 12:5-6). It is painful to be a favorite of heaven, but seek it and rejoice in it . . .

You who are God's favorites must not be astonished when trials appear. Rather keep your door wide open, and when trials come say, "Welcome messenger of the King! The sound of your Master's feet is behind you. You are welcome, for my Master has sent you."

Charles Spurgeon, Beside Still Waters, Ed. Roy Clarke (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999), 316.

That's My King!

2011-11-02T10:33:00.000-04:00

These words of S. M. Lockridge never get old to me. And I could probably work them into every single sermon I ever preach. Come to think of it, maybe I will! :)

S. M. Lockridge:

The Bible says my King is the King of the Jews.

He's the King of Israel.
He's the King of righteousness.
He's the King of the ages.
He's the King of heaven.
He's the King of glory.
He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords.

That's my King! I wonder if you know Him?

My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love.

He’s enduringly strong.
He’s entirely sincere.
He’s eternally steadfast.
He’s immortally graceful.
He’s imperially powerful.
He’s impartially merciful.
Do you know Him?

He's the greatest Phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world!

He’s God’s Son.
He’s the sinner’s Savior.
He’s the centerpiece of civilization.
He’s unparalleled.
He’s unprecedented.
He’s supreme.

He is the loftiest idea in literature.
He’s the highest personality in philosophy.
He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology.
He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Savior.
I wonder if you know Him today?

He supplies strength for the weak.
He's available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves.
He strengthens and sustains.
He guards and He guides.
He heals the sick.
He cleansed the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He discharges debtors.
He delivers the captives.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent, and He beautifies the meek.
I wonder if you know Him?

He's the key to knowledge.
He’s the wellspring of wisdom.
He’s the doorway of deliverance.
He’s the pathway of peace.
He’s the roadway of righteousness.
He’s the highway of holiness.
He’s the gateway of glory.
Do you know Him?

He’s the Master of the mighty.
He’s the Captain of the conquerors.
He’s the Head of the heroes.
He’s the Leader of the legislators.
He’s the Overseer of the overcomers.
He’s the Governor of governors.
He’s the Prince of princes.
He’s the King of kings, and He’s the Lord of lords.

Well, His light is matchless.
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting.
His love never changes.
His word is enough.
His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous.
And His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you, but He’s indescribable.
He’s incomprehensible.
He’s invincible.
He’s irresistible.

Well, you can't get Him out of your mind.
You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him.

Well, the Pharisees couldn’t stand Him,
but they found out they couldn’t stop Him.
Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him.

Herod couldn’t kill Him.
Death couldn’t handle Him,
and the grave couldn’t hold Him.

That's my King!

He always has been and He always will be.
I’m talking about He had no predecessor
and He’ll have no successor.
There was nobody before Him
and there’ll be nobody after Him.
You can’t impeach Him
and He’s not gonna resign.

That’s my King! That’s my King!

Mercy!

2011-11-02T08:11:00.000-04:00

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us . . .

I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!" Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful.

Psalm 123:1-3 and Psalm 116:1-5

God's "Dulcinea" To Us

2011-10-26T21:25:00.000-04:00

Greg Bahnsen wrote:

Up in Los Angeles there is a kind of a redoing of an old musical that is one of my favorites, the Man of La Mancha. You may remember this as the musical and light opera rendition of Cervantes' Don Quixote. Don Quixote was the idealistic Spaniard who went about, as his enemies would remind you, tilting at windmills - the man who didn't seem to have a lot of common sense - who didn't live in a down to earth way. And a musical was made about the story of Don Quixote, and it does include the story of Dulcinea in it.

Dulcinea was a common whore. There's not a nice way to put it. She was not just a fallen woman, she was an absolutely polluted woman. And somehow this naive, idealistic, head in the clouds guy, Don Quixote, came across her and considered her his lady. And Don Quixote wished to serve her as his lady.

Toward the end of the musical, when Don Quixote has fallen and is about to die, Dulcinea, who has been treated and honored as a lady by him and she cannot understand why, says:
Can you not see me for what I am? You honor me and care for me despite my spotted record, that I had nothing pure to offer you.
And she comes to him as he is dying and there she is bowed down and as he awakens from his coma and sees her there and says:
What, you my lady, bow down to me? How inappropriate.
And we all sit there with tears in our eyes thinking what's wrong with you, Don Quixote; she doesn't deserve this kind of love. She doesn't deserve this kind of honoring. Because, you see, Don Quixote could only see her as his lady, as a pure, honorable woman.

The doctrine of justification is God's "Dulcinea" to us. I don't understand why God would give His Son for me, I'm not worth it. And I don't see how He can declare my record to be innocent, how He can declare me to be righteous because I'm not. But it is as though He sings the Dulcinea to me, but He says:
I only see you as righteous for the sake of My Son.

One Greater Than Moses Is Here!

2011-10-20T10:11:00.000-04:00

James Dennison writes:

Israel drank water out of the rock; Jesus is the fountain of living water [Jn 4.10].

Israel received bread from heaven; Jesus is the living bread [Jn 6.51].

Israel was led by a pillar of fire in the darkness; Jesus is the light of this dark world [Jn 8.12].

Israel came to the mountain where representatives of the twelve tribes went up with Moses to receive the law; Jesus goes up into a mountain with the twelve who receive the fulfilment of the law [Matt 5.1ff; it is in the sense of finality and fulfilment that the law of Christ is a 'new commandment'].

The tabernacle temple finds its embodiment in Christ — God's true Son takes human flesh, identifies with man, and pitches his tent in the midst of his people [Jn l.14; cf. 2.20-22].

The old covenant was given through the hands of a mediator; Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant [Heb 8].

The old covenant ratification at Sinai is accompanied with darkness, quaking of the earth and the loud 'voice' of the trumpet [Ex 19.16-18]; the new covenant ratification at Calvary is accompanied by darkness [Matt 27.45], quaking of the earth [Matt 27.51, 54] and the 'loud voice' of Jesus who bears the curse of the law as and for the Israel of God [Matt 27.50; cf. Gal 3.13].

The covenant at Sinai was sealed by a fellowship meal; the new covenant is sealed by a fellowship Supper [Matt 26.26-28].

Finally, notice that as the old Israel under the leadership of Joshua went up into Canaan by way of Jericho, so Jesus [Joshua] goes up to Jerusalem and the cross by way of Jericho [Lk 19.1].

Truly, a greater than Moses is here!

James Dennison, "The Exodus And The People Of God"

My Beloved Son!

2011-10-19T09:53:00.000-04:00

And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:11

Commenting on this verse, James Edwards writes:

In the sublime declaration to Jesus at the baptism we encounter Fatherly love and filial obedience, kingship, and suffering service. Each is a facet of what it means to be the Son of God.

To no prophet had words been spoken such as the words to Jesus at the baptism.

Abraham was a friend of God (Isa 41:8)

Moses a servant of God (Deut 34:5)

Aaron a chosen one of God (Ps 105:26)

David a man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14)

and Paul an apostle (Rom 1:1)

Only Israel (Exod 4:23) and the king as Israel's leader (Ps 2:7) had been called God's Son before.

But where Israel failed [and all Isreal's kings failed!], Jesus takes [their] place.

James Edwards, The Gospel According To Mark (Pillar New Testament Commentary)

Jesus is the new and better Israel! Jesus is the new and better King of Kings of Israel!

The Beautiful Legs Of Jesus Christ!

2011-10-17T14:27:00.000-04:00

Psalm 147:10: His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man . . .

But you see, there was one Man in whose legs God took ultimate pleasure and delight! And His name is Jesus Christ – the God Man!

Psalm 1:1: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners . . .

Jesus is the only One who ever lived who never walked in the counsel of the wicked, and who never stood in the way of sinners! Oh the beautiful legs of Jesus!! . . . the perfect fear of Jesus! . . the perfect hope of Jesus! In these legs, God the Father was well pleased!

And yet, it was these beautiful legs – this perfect, fearing God alone; hoping in God alone Man – the one Man Who did not deserve to die – the one Man Who needed no mercy – it was this Man Who was shown no mercy on that cross as the Father counted Him to be sin and crushed Him in our place so that if we repent and believe in Him, we might be forgiven of all our sins and become the righteousness of God in Him!

Hear these wonderful words from the hymn writer:

Thy mercy is Jesus exempts me from hell;
Its glories I'll sing, and its wonders I'll tell;
'Twas Jesus my all, as He hung on the tree,
Who opened the channel of mercy for me.

Christ: All I Have Or Want!

2011-10-14T21:00:00.000-04:00

Charles Spurgeon wrote:

It is so sweet to look at the Crucified One again, and say, "I have nothing but Thee, my Lord, no confidence but Thee. If You are not accepted as my substitute then I must perish. If God's appointed Saviour is not enough then I have no other. But I know You are the Father's well-beloved, and I am accepted in Thee. You are all I have or want."

Charles Spurgeon, Pictures From Pilgrim's Progress (Pasadena, TX: Pilgrim, 1992), 81.

HT: Tolle Lege

In Desperate Need Of Jesus!

2011-10-14T14:05:00.000-04:00

Joni Eareckson Tada, who has been paralyzed since she was a teenager, said this in an interview with Table Talk Magazine recently:

Psalm 79:8 says: "May your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need."

Basically, I wake up almost every morning in desperate need of Jesus — from those early days when I first got out of the hospital, to over four decades in a wheelchair, it's still the same. The morning dawns and I realize: "Lord, I don't have the strength to go on. I have no resources. I can't 'do' another day of quadriplegia, but I can do all things through You who strengthen me. So please give me Your smile for the day; I need You urgently."

This, I have found, is the secret to my joy and contentment. Every morning, my disability — and, most recently, my battle with cancer — forces me to come to the Lord Jesus in empty-handed spiritual poverty. But that's a good place to be because Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3).

Christ, Only Christ, My All In All To Be!

2011-10-12T15:09:00.000-04:00

Not I, but Christ be honored, loved, exalted,
Not I, but Christ be seen, be known and heard;
Not I, but Christ in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ in every thought and word.

Not I, but Christ to gently soothe in sorrow,
Not I, but Christ to wipe the falling tear;
Not I, but Christ to lift the weary burden,
Not I, but Christ to hush away all fear.

Christ, only Christ, no idle word e'er falling,
Christ, only Christ, no needless bustling sound;
Christ, only Christ, no self-important bearing,
Christ, only Christ, no trace of "I" be found.

Not I, but Christ my every need supplying,
Not I, but Christ my strength and health to be;
Christ, only Christ, for spirit, soul, and body,
Christ, only Christ, live then Thy life in me.

Christ, only Christ, ere long will fill my vision,
Glory excelling soon, full soon I'll see;
Christ, only Christ, my every wish fulfilling,
Christ, only Christ, my all in all to be.

Hymn by Mrs. A. A. Whiddington, 19th Century

Jesus: The Christ, The Messiah, The Anointed One, The King Of Kings, And The Lord of Lords!

2011-10-07T21:55:00.000-04:00

SOME PROPHECIES FORETOLD ABOUT JESUS CHRIST (PREDICTED; FULFILLED)

1. Born of the seed of woman (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4)

2. Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 24-25)

3. Son of God (Psalm 2:7; Matthew 3:17)

4. Seed descended from Abraham (Genesis 22:18; Mathew 1:1)

5. Son of Isaac (Genesis 21:12; Luke 3:34)

6. Son of Jacob (Numbers 24:17; Luke 3:34)

7. From the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Luke 3:30)

8. From the family line of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1; Luke 3:23, 32)

9. From the house of David (Jeremiah 23:5; Luke 3:23, 31)

10. Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1)

11. Presented with gifts (Psalm 72:10; Matthew 2:1-11)

12. Shall be called Lord (Psalm 110:1; Luke 2:11)

13. Shall be Immanuel (God with us!) (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)

14. Shall be Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18; Mathew 21:11)

15. Shall be Priest (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 3:1)

16. Shall be Judge (Isaiah 33:22; John 5:30)

17. Shall be King (Psalm 2:6; Matthew 27:37)

18. Has a special anointing of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; Mark 1:10)

19. Has zeal for God (Psalm 69:9; John 2:15-16)

20. Preceded by a messenger (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:1-3)

21. Ministry will begin in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:12-17)

22. Has a ministry of miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 9:35, Mark 7:33)

23. A Teacher of parables (Psalm 78:2; Matthew 13:34)

24. He was to enter the temple (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 21:12)

25. He was to enter Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:35-37)

26. He was a stumbling stone to Jews (Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:7)

27. He was the Light to Gentiles (Isaiah 60:3; Acts 13:47-48)

28. His resurrection (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31)

29. His ascension (Psalm 68:18; Acts 1:9)

30. Seated at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3)

31. Betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9; Matthew 10:4)

32. Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15)

33. Forsaken by His disciples (Zechariah 13:7; Mark 14:50)

34. Accused by false witnesses (Psalm 35:11; Matthew 26:59-60)

35. Silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12)

36. Wounded and bruised (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 27:26)

37. Smitten and spit upon (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67)

38. Mocked (Psalm 22:7-8; Matthew 27:29)

39. Hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16, Zechariah 12:10; Luke 23:33)

40. Crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38)

41. Rejected by His own people (Isaiah 53:3; John 7:5, 48)

42. Friends stood afar off (Psalm 38:11; Luke 23:49)

43. Garments were parted and lots were cast (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-34)

44. He would suffer thirst (Psalm 69:21; John 19:28)

45. Gall and vinegar would be offered to Him (Psalm 69:21; Matthew 27:34)

46. His forsaken cry (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46)

47. His bones were not broken (Psalm 34:20; John 19:33)

48. His side was pierced (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34)

49. Buried in a rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60

Information from Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999), 168-192.

Christ: The Bible's All Absorbing Theme!

2011-10-06T23:01:00.000-04:00

Octavius Winslow wrote:

The Bible is, from its commencement to its close, a record of the Lord Jesus.

Around Him the divine and glorious Word centers; all its wondrous types, prophecies, and facts gather.

His Promise and Foreshadowing, His holy Incarnation, Nativity, and Baptism, His Obedience and Passion, His Death, Burial, and Resurrection, His Ascension to heaven, His Second Coming to judge the world, are the grand and touching, the sublime and tender, the priceless and precious truths interwoven with the whole texture of the Bible, to which the Two Witnesses of Revelation, the Old and the New Testaments bear their harmonious and solemn testimony.

Beloved, let this be the one and chief object in your study of the Bible - the knowledge of Jesus.

The Bible is not a history, a book of science, or a poem; it is a record of Christ.

Study it to know more of Him, His nature, His love, His work. With the magnanimous Paul, "count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus your Lord."

Then will God's Word become increasingly precious to your soul, and its truths unfold.

In every page you will trace the history of Jesus, see the glory of Jesus, admire the work of Jesus, learn the love of Jesus, and hear the voice of Jesus.

The whole volume will be redolent of His name, and luminous with His beauty.

Oh, what is the Bible to us apart from its revelation of a Savior! . . .

In a word, do we search the Scriptures humbly, prayerfully, depending upon the guidance of the Spirit, to find Jesus in them?

Of these Scriptures He is the Alpha and the Omega, the substance, the sweetness, the glory, the one, precious, all absorbing theme.

Octavius Winslow, The Precious Things of God

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

Every Good Longing You've Ever Had - Satisfied In Him!

2011-10-01T23:46:00.000-04:00

John Piper said:

Consider Isaiah 28:5: "In the day of the LORD of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, for his remnant."

What will it mean that he will be a crown of glory? Whose head will it be on? He's the crown. He is not the head. It's going to be on your head.

Take a deep breath.

He will be a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty.

In other words, he will satisfy every longing for glory and beauty. Everything good that you ever longed for will be satisfied in him.

Therefore, it is loving for him to lift himself up and say, Here I am, world! Admire!

If you did that, you would be unloving, because you are not all-satisfying. He is.

You should simply go all over the world, pointing to him.

Say: World, look! Look at Christ especially, because there, when Christ died, the glory of the grace of God was magnified, which is the apex of all his glory, which is why Christ is the center of everything.

John Piper, "A Holy Ambition: To Preach Where Christ Has Not Been Named," Romans 15:18-24, August 27, 2006.

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

May We Attract People To Jesus!

2011-10-01T09:47:00.000-04:00

Robert Murray M'Cheyne wrote:

Since Tuesday have been laid up with illness. Set by once more for a season to feel my unprofitableness and cure my pride.

When shall this self-choosing temper be healed? "Lord, I will preach, run, visit, wrestle," said I. "No, thou shalt lie in thy bed and suffer," said the Lord.

Today missed some fine opportunities of speaking a word for Christ. The Lord saw I would have spoken as much for my own honor as His, and therefore shut my mouth.

I see a man cannot be a faithful minister, until he preaches Christ for Christ's sake – until he gives up striving to attract people to himself, and seeks only to attract them to Christ.

Lord, give me this!

Robert Murray M'Cheyne in Andrew Bonar, Memoir & Remains of Robert Murray M'Cheyne (Banner of Truth: 1844/2004), 45.

HT: Tony Reinke

Yes Lord, please grant us all this, for Jesus' sake!

All The World Does Not Compare With Christ!

2011-09-26T21:18:00.000-04:00

William Greenhill wrote:

If you would have your heart removed from the things of the world, behold the crucified and glorified Lord Jesus Christ.

Set Christ crucified often before your eyes, and look on Him with the eye of faith.

"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14).

That is, "I look on Christ crucified, and by the eye of faith I can see Him hanging there, and all the glory of the world stained there.

Is all the world comparable to Christ? There is the King, the High Priest, the Mediator, the great Prophet. There is the Heir of the world crucified. There is His blood running down. He has laid down His life for sinners, and to take my heart off from the world."

If you look on a dead man, it deadens your spirit. What will looking on Christ do then? It will deaden your heart toward the world if you look on Jesus Christ crucified. "I am crucified to the world," said Paul.

Then look on Christ glorified, and your heart will be raised above the world. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:1-2).

Christ has died, risen, and gone to glory. If now you are risen out of the state of sin, transferred from the power of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son, you will have your heart where Christ is.

Consider Christ in this way: "There is my Head, my King, my Husband. There is my Redeemer, the one who is a thousand times better than the world.

Therefore, I will not set my heart on things of the earth, but on things above. How glorious it is to see the King in His glory!" Look much, and consider much of Christ crucified and glorified.

William Greenhill, Stop Loving the World

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

The Main Message Of The Bible: Christ!

2011-09-23T22:28:00.000-04:00

Moses And The Prophets' Main Message Is Jesus Christ Himself:

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Lk. 24:27)

We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote - Jesus of Nazareth . . . (Jn. 1:45)

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. (Jn. 5:39)

For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. (Jn. 5:46)

To Him all the prophets witness . . . (Acts 10:43)

The Father's Main Message Is Jesus Christ Himself:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (Jn. 3:16)

And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. (Jn. 5:37)

I [Jesus] am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me. (Jn. 8:18)

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 Jn. 4:14)

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 Jn. 5:9-12)

Jesus' Main Message Is Jesus Christ Himself:

I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. (Jn. 6:35)

I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. (Jn. 8:12)

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved . . . (Jn. 10:9)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. (Jn. 10:11)

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. (Jn. 11:25)

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (Jn. 14:6)

I am the vine, you are the branches for without Me you can do nothing. (Jn. 15:5)

The Holy Spirit's Main Message Is Jesus Christ Himself:

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. (Jn. 15:26)

He [the Spirit of truth] will glorify Me [Jesus], for he will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. (Jn. 16:14)

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:3)

The Apostles' Main Message Is Jesus Christ Himself:

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me . . . (Acts 1:8)

. . . and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before . . . (Acts 3:20)

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts 5:42)

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria & preached Christ to them. (Acts 8:5)

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. (Acts 8:35)

. . . he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. (Acts 9:20)

And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)

But some of them . . . spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. (Acts 11:20)

This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ. (Acts 17:3)

. . . he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. (Acts 17:18)

. . . Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 18:5)

. . . We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. (Acts 19:13)

. . . we preach Christ crucified . . . (1 Cor. 1:23)

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Cor. 2:2)

. . . I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you . . . that Christ died for our sins and that He was buried, and that He rose again . . . (1 Cor. 5:1-4)

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us . . . (2 Cor. 1:19)

For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord . . . (2 Cor.4:5)

. . . to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles . . . (Gal. 1:16)

I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ . . . (Eph. 3:8)

. . . Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached . . . (Phil. 1:18)

Him we preach . . . (Col. 1:28)

God was manifested in the flesh . . . Preached among the Gentiles . . . (1 Tim. 3:16)

HT: Greg Gibson

Preach Christ Up!

2011-09-17T21:10:00.000-04:00

I received this advice about my task as a minister of the Gospel tomorrow in church:

PREACH HIM UP!

Now that's some good advice! May God cause us to do so!

Jesus Christ: The Lion Of The Tribe Of Judah!

2011-09-15T23:15:00.000-04:00

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion! Proverbs 28:1

You Are Enough In Your Jesus!

2011-09-15T22:18:00.000-04:00

Richard Alleine wrote:

Christian, do you feel as if you are nothing? It matters not, for you are enough in your Jesus.

Are you dark? He is a fountain of light.

Are you dead? He is a fountain of life.

Are you poor and low, weak in knowledge, in faith, in love, in patience? He is a treasure of all grace.

And whatever He is, He is for you!

Is He wise? He is wise for you.

Is He holy? He is holy for you.

He is meek, He is merciful, humble, patient for you.

He is strong, rich, and full for you.

Bewail your own poverty and weakness, but bless yourself in your Lord, for He is rich, righteous, and all powerful . . .

As the head and the body, as the husband and wife, so Christ and His saints are mutually concerned. They are rich or poor, stand and fall, live and die together.

The husband conveys to the wife a title to what he has; as the wife holds of the husband, so it is between Christ and His church. They have nothing but through Him. Their whole tenure is in Him as the Head.

Whatever is His is theirs. Whatever is theirs is His.

His God is their God, His Father is their Father, His blood, His merits, His Spirit, His victories, all the spoils He has captured, all the revenue and income of His life and death - ALL IS THEIRS!

He obeyed for them, He suffered for them, He lived for them, He died for them, He rose for them, He ascended for them, and He has set down on the right hand of God to act for them.

This is that Jesus who is given to us. This is He who by covenant is made over to all His saints.

Richard Alleine, Heaven Opened

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

Jesus Is Very Very Great!

2011-09-14T13:40:00.000-04:00

John Piper said:

Jesus is very, very great . . . Is there anything great in the world that excites you, that you go out of your way to see or hear or experience? Christ made it! He thought it up. And He is ten million times greater in every respect - whatever it is, except sin.

If you took all the greatest thinkers of every country and every century of the world and put them in a room with Jesus, they would shut their mouths and listen to the greatness of His wisdom. All the greatest generals would listen to His strategy. All the greatest musicians would listen to His music theory and His performance on every instrument . . . Jesus is very great. Words fail us to describe how great Jesus is.

There is nothing that Jesus cannot do a thousand times better than the person you admire most in any area of human endeavor under the sun . . . You admire politicians? - you admire physically beautiful people? - you admire intelligent people? - you admire musicians? - you admire sports? . . . Anything that you admire Jesus Christ can do ten thousand times better!

John Piper, "Christ Conceived By The Holy Spirit," Luke 1:26-37, March 11, 1984.

Christ: All Of Our Enjoyment In Anything!

2011-09-14T13:18:00.000-04:00

Anne Dutton wrote:

You see, Madam, how precarious and uncertain all things here are! Live beside the creatures while you have them — let Christ be the all of your enjoyment in them — and then, when they fail, and your own heart and flesh too, Christ will be your all in Himself — the strength of your heart, and your portion forever — an all of bliss and glory, ineffable and eternal.

Value your own Lord Jesus. Let His price (His worth in your esteem) be far above rubies, and all creatures and things, desirable and desired. The all-beauteous Godhead is in Him. He is the mighty God, as well as the Man Jesus, for you. Emanuel is His wonderful, glorious name.

His personal and relative glories are, and shall be, the wonder and praise of men and angels unto ages without end. Look upon His lovely face — there is not another such a beauty in both worlds!

See, Madam, this is your Beloved, and this is your Friend. This is He who has loved you, and given Himself for you; that laid aside His glory and joy, who was the adoration of angels, and the darling of the Father's bosom, to clothe Himself, His matchless Self, with your sin, shame, and sorrow, that He might raise you from the ash-heap of sinful nature to inherit with Him the joys and glories of the upper world; yes, to set you with Him upon His own throne!

Oh, dear Madam, you are the Lamb's bride, even you, who come unto God, as the God of peace, only by and through the sacrificed Lamb. Admire the Lamb's love — the Lamb who was slain for you, that has wooed and won and betrothed you to Himself forever. Live upon Him, live to Him, and long to live with Him.

Anne Dutton, Letter

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

May We See Jesus!

2011-09-10T20:34:00.000-04:00

Charles Spurgeon preached:

Are you poor, my dear brother? Do you see Jesus? He was poorer than you. You have somewhere to sleep tonight, but He could say, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head?" (Luke 9:58).

Are you racked with pain? Let it help you to see Jesus. You are not "exceedingly sorrowful, even to death" (Matt. 26:38), nor is your grief to be compared with His.

Have you been betrayed and deserted? See Jesus as He is kissed by Judas (Matt. 26:49). Have you been denied by some friend who promised to be faithful? Look into the face of Jesus as He turns to Peter (Luke 22:61).

Is death staring you in the face? Remember Him who "being found in appearance as a man, humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8).

We would never be alone if we could see Jesus; or if we were alone it would be a blessed solitude. We would never feel deserted if we could see Jesus; or if we were deserted we would have the best of helpers. If we could always see Jesus we would not feel weak for He would be our strength and our song.

Oh to see Jesus! You have seen Him as Your Savior, and you desire to see Him as Your Master. Oh to see Him as a friend on whom you can still lean your aching head, someone into whose ear you can pour your [story] of sorrow! Through this wilderness, you may continually lean on Him and have perpetual sweet enjoyment. Then this earth, desert as it is, will seem to blossom like a garden of roses, and your spirit will enjoy heaven below.

Charles Spurgeon, Beside Still Waters, Ed. Roy H. Clarke (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999), 305.

Looking Unto Jesus

2011-09-08T20:54:00.000-04:00

Adolphe Monod wrote:

Looking unto Jesus - three words only, but in these three words is the whole secret of life.

Looking unto Jesus in the scriptures to learn who He is, what He has done, why He did it, and where He is now.

Looking unto Jesus incarnate, our representative, our federal head and surety.

Looking unto Jesus crucified, to find in His blood our ransom, our pardon, our peace.

Looking unto Jesus risen again, to find in Him the righteousness which alone justifies us and permits us, unworthy as we are, to approach with assurance in His name, Him who is His Father and our Father, His God and our God.

Looking unto Jesus glorified, to find in Him our High Priest, our heavenly advocate, appearing even now for us before the presence of God and supplying the imperfections of our persons and prayers by the efficacy of His holiness and His prayers, which the Father hears always.

Looking unto Jesus and not to our faith, for it is not of faith that strength comes, but it is from the Savior by faith. It is not looking unto our look: it is by looking unto Jesus.

Looking unto Jesus and not to our strength nor our weakness, not to our gifts nor our griefs, not to our meditations or lack of them, not to our brethern nor our enemies.

It is looking unto Jesus ALONE, unto Jesus AGAIN, unto Jesus ALWAYS, and unto Jesus UNTIL He comes again and "we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is."

See The Glory Of God At The Cross!

2011-09-06T19:58:00.000-04:00

Charles Spurgeon preached:

Never did God have such honour and glory as He obtained through the sufferings of Jesus. Oh, they thought to scorn Him, but they lifted His Name on high! They thought that God was dishonoured when He was most glorified . . .

O nature, adoring God with thine ancient and priestly mountains, extolling Him with thy trees, which clap their hands, and worshipping with thy seas, which in their fulness roar out Jehovah's praise; with all thy tempests and flames of fire, thy dragons and thy deeps, thy snow and thy hail, thou cannot not glorify God as Jesus glorified Him when He became obedient unto death.

O heaven, with all thy jubilant angels, thine ever chanting cherubim and seraphim, thy thrice holy hymns, thy streets of gold and endless harmonies, thou cannot not reveal the Deity as Jesus Christ revealed it on the cross.

O hell, with all thine infinite horrors and flames unquenchable, and pains and griefs and shrieks of tortured ghosts, even thou cannot not reveal the justice of God as Christ revealed it in His riven heart upon the bloody tree.

O earth and heaven and hell! O time and eternity, things present and things to come, visible and invisible, ye are dim mirrors of the Godhead compared with the bleeding Lamb.

O heart of God, I see Thee nowhere as at Golgotha, where the Word incarnate reveals the justice and the love, the holiness and the tenderness of God in one blaze of glory.

If any created mind would fain see the glory of God, he need not gaze upon the starry skies, nor soar into the heaven of heavens, he has but to bow at the cross foot and watch the crimson streams which gush from Immanuel’s wounds.

If you would behold the glory of God, you need not gaze between the gates of pearls, you have but to look beyond the gates of Jerusalem and see the Prince of Peace expire.

If you would receive the noblest conception that ever filled the human mind of the lovingkindness and the greatness and the pity, and yet the justice and the severity and the wrath of God, you need not lift up your eyes, nor cast them down, nor look to paradise, nor gaze on hell, you have but to look into the heart of Christ all crushed and broken and bruised, and you have seen it all.

Oh, the joy that springs from the fact that God has triumphed after all! Death is not the victor. Evil is not master. There are not two rival kingdoms, one governed by the God of good, and the other by the God of evil.

No, evil is bound, chained, and led captive. Its sinews are cut, its head is broken. Its king is bound to the dread chariot of Jehovah-Jesus, and as the white horses of triumph drag the Conqueror up the everlasting hills in splendour of glory, the monster of the pit cringe at His chariot wheels.

Therefore, beloved, we close this discourse with this sentence of humble yet joyful worship: "Glory be unto the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."

Charles Spurgeon, "Mourning at the Sight of the Crucified," from Twelve Sermons on the Passion and Death of Christ (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1971), 54-55.

HT: Tolle Lege

Study Jesus!

2011-09-06T19:51:00.000-04:00

D. A. Carson writes:

Do you want to know what God looks like? Look at Jesus. "No one has ever seen God," and God in all of His transcendent splendor we still cannot see until the last day. But the Word became flesh; God became a human being with the name of Jesus; and we can see Him.

That is why Jesus later says to one of His own disciples, "Don’t you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).

Do you want to know what the character of God is like? Study Jesus.

Do you want to know what the holiness of God is like? Study Jesus.

Do you want to know what the wrath of God is like? Study Jesus.

Do you want to know what the forgiveness of God is like? Study Jesus.

Do you want to know what the glory of God is like? Study Jesus all the way to that wretched cross. Study Jesus.

D.A. Carson, The God Who is There (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2010), 113.

HT: Tolle Lege

Our Sufficiency Is In Him!

2011-09-05T22:38:00.000-04:00

When I served on a Navy ship, the father of a friend of mine wrote his son this encouraging note:

Good Morning Son,

It is the Lord's Day and the whole house (company and all) are still in the sack. I was inclined to pray for you this morning and have finished a refreshing season with the Lord.

I was homing in on your "special request" and thought of a precious Scripture. Moses was intimidated by his high calling and ministry. He had to lead God's children, and at the same time he had to stand in high authority before the political world. He knew his own inadequacy and tried to bow out. (you well remember the story)

Rather than the Lord making Moses adequate, He left him human and helpless so that the Lord could manifest HIS OWN ADEQUACY. The verse that came to mind was Exodus 7:1 "And Jehovah said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharoah . . . ."

It seems as if it is in the Lord's hand to exalt His leader in the eyes of those to whom he is sent. Moses knew he was no god, yet, in the eyes of Pharoah, God made it appear so!

I know you are trusting in the Lord. If you spend even a lonely moment dwelling on some inadequacy, you will be undone. He is your sufficiency! He is your adequacy! He can exalt you in the eyes of those you are called to obey, lead, and conquer.

I love you son, in the Lord. I sin often, but not the sin of ceasing to pray for you. (I Sam 12:23)

Rest! Enjoy! Abide! Worship! Drink deeply from His adequacy!

In Union with Jesus,

Dad

Fix Your Eyes On Jesus Christ!

2011-09-02T22:43:00.000-04:00

David Harsha wrote:

Above all, contemplate your blessed Redeemer, seated on His great white throne, encircled with heavenly glory.

Look at the King in His beauty!

It is the sight of a glorified Savior that will make the heaven of the believer.

Endeavor now, by the eye of faith, to behold the Lord Jesus in all His matchless beauty and excellence.

Contemplate His glorious character;

His infinite mercy;

His unparalleled condescension;

and His boundless love.

There is enough in Jesus to employ the soul in rapturous meditation through a vast eternity –

His excellence, His goodness, and His love can never be fathomed.

O, then, keep your eye fixed on this adorable Savior, while you sojourn in this valley of tears; and in a little while you shall see Him as He is - face to face, and ascribe to Him unceasing praise.

David Harsha, The Christian On Pisgah's Mount

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

Christ Is Worth More Than All!

2011-09-01T23:35:00.000-04:00

Today was my first day on the job as the new pastor of Olney Baptist Church. And this is what I need to remember every moment of every day . . .

John Piper preaches:

The noble army of martyrs are praising God with us this morning because they all said, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

They all said, Christ is worth more than life.

Christ is worth more than falling in love.

Christ is worth more than marrying and having children.

Christ is worth more than seeing my children grow up and become independent.

Christ is worth more than making a name for myself.

Christ is worth more than finishing my career.

Christ is worth more than the dream spouse and the dream house and the dream cruise and the dream retirement.

Christ is worth more than all my unfinished plans and dreams.

All the martyrs said, "It is better to be cut off in the midst of my dreams, if I might gain Christ."

John Piper, The Noble Army of the Martyrs Praise Thee, Philippians 1:19-21, May 23, 1993.

May Christ Always Be Enough!

2011-08-29T22:33:00.000-04:00

Amy Carmichael wrote:

There is joy, joy found nowhere else, when we look up into Christ's face when He says to us, "Am I not enough for thee, Mine own?" [and answer] with a true, "Yes, Lord, Thou art enough."

Amy Carmichael, Candle In The Dark

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

When You Suffer, Christ And Him Crucified Shout: "God Loves You Dear Believer!"

2011-08-22T16:37:00.000-04:00

Bryan Chapell comments on how we can be assured of God's love in the midst of horrific suffering:

So if faith in the ultimate goodness of God does not come from guessing what his good purposes may be, from where does it come? The answer from believers through the ages, and from the authors of the messages in this book, is the cross.

We trust our sovereign God because he has shown us his heart at the cross.

There, where any one of us would have stood and cried out, “This is wrong; God, you must stop this,” our Savior made heaven’s greatest good come out of earth’s worst tragedy. At the cross we learn that God is good and can be trusted, even when everything seems wrong to human sight.

As I was pastoring the rural church attended by farmers and coal miners - people accustomed to hard lives - I heard a story that taught me more about the nature and foundation of true faith than I had gained in much of my seminary education.

The story tells of a miner who, though a stalwart believer, was injured at a young age. He became an invalid. Over the years he watched through a window near his bed as life passed him by. He watched fellow workers marry, raise families, and have grandchildren. He watched the company he had served thrive without attempting to make adequate provision for his loss. He watched as his body withered, his house crumbled, and hope for better things in this life died.

Then, one day when the bedridden miner was quite old, a younger man came to visit him. "I hear that you believe in God and claim that he loves you," said the young man. "How can you believe such things after all that has happened to you?"

The old man hesitated and then smiled. He said, "Yes, there are days of doubt. Sometimes Satan comes calling on me in this fallen-down old house of mine. He sits right there by my bed, where you are sitting now. He points out my window to the men I once worked with whose bodies are still strong, and Satan asks, 'Does Jesus love you?'

Then, Satan makes me look at my tattered room as he points to the fine homes of my friends and asks again, 'Does Jesus love you?' Finally, Satan points to the grandchild of a friend of mine - a man who has everything I do not - and Satan waits for the tear in my eye before he whispers in my ear, 'Does Jesus really love you?'"

Startled by the candor of the old man's responses, the younger man asked, "And what do you say when Satan speaks to you that way?"

Said the old miner, "I take Satan by the hand, and I lead him to a hill far away called Calvary. There I point to the nail-pierced hands, the thorn-torn brow, and the spear-pierced side.

Then I say to Satan, 'Doesn't Jesus love me!'"

The cross of Christ is the warrant for confidence in God's promises of ultimate good, despite great heartache.

The Hardest Sermons You'll Ever Have To Preach, Ed. Bryan Chapell (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 14-15.

A Mind Boggling Promise - God Will Be God To You In Christ!

2011-08-22T09:18:00.000-04:00

Commenting on what it means for God to be God to us, John Piper says:

Jeremiah tells us what it means. He quotes God: "They shall be my people and I will be their God . . . I will not turn away from doing good to them . . . I will rejoice in doing good to them . . . with all my heart and with all my soul" (32:38–41). It boggles the mind to try to imagine what it must mean if the God who made the planets and stars and galaxies and molecules and protons and neutrons and electrons rejoices to do you good with all his heart and with all his soul. If God is God for you, then all his omnipotence and all his omniscience are engaged all the time to do good for you in all the circumstances of your life . . . When God is your God, you cannot die. "He is not the God of the dead but of the living." . . . The covenant promise that God will be your God is spectacular beyond imagination. It means that God engages all his omnipotence and all his omniscience all the time to do good to you in all the circumstances of your life with all his heart and with all his soul.

John Piper, God's Covenant With Abraham, Genesis 17:1-8, December 4, 1983.

The Omnipresent Christ!

2011-08-20T12:15:00.000-04:00

Michael Horton said:

Without a moment passing for God, He enters into all our moments.

From lecture notes of Doctrine of God class at Westminster Seminary in California

All Are Dependent On Christ!

2011-08-20T11:45:00.000-04:00

Michael Horton said:

As Jesus was nursing from His mother's breast, she and all the world were dependent on Him!

From lecture notes of Doctrine of God class at Westminster Seminary in California

Jesus Christ Came To Save Sinners!

2011-08-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

Steve Backlund (or someone else?) said:

Adam and Eve brought all manner of sin and evil into the world; Jacob was a lying, cheating, deceiver; Peter denied Jesus three times with swearing and cursing and failed to walk in line with the Gospel; David had an affair and then had his mistress's husband killed; Noah got drunk; Samson was a womanizer; Rahab was a prostitute; Judah was a whoremonger; Jonah ran from God and despised lost sinners; Paul breathed out threats and murder against Jesus' disciples; Gideon was insecure; Miriam was a gossip; Mary was anxious; Thomas was a doubter; Sarah was impatient; Elijah was moody; Moses stuttered; Zacchaeus was short; Abraham was old; and Lazarus was dead. Now, what's keeping you from serving God?

Steve Backlund or someone else (with some edits and additions)

Christ Is All As Our Prophet

2011-08-19T17:36:00.000-04:00

Jesus Christ is not just a prophet, but He is the greatest prophet - the Prophet of all prophets! He not only heard and delivered the Word of God, but He Himself is the Word of God Who was with God in the beginning:

John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Jesus Christ did not merely give us the revelation of God, but He Himself is the revelation of God:

Colossians 1:19: For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell . . .

Other prophets often express their unworthiness (like Moses and Isaiah), but Jesus Christ Himself is the worthy one:

Revelation 5:9: Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation . . .

Rather than saying "thus saith the Lord," Jesus Christ speaks with His own authority:

Matthew 5:21-22: You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment." But I say to you . . .

A greater than Moses and Elijah is found in Jesus Christ:

Hebrews 3:3: For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses - as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.

Matthew 17:4-5, 8: And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." . . . And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Jesus Christ did more than merely give commands; He is the One Who fulfilled all of them perfectly!

Matthew 5:17: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Christ is all!

These thoughts were taken from lectures delivered at Westminster Seminary in California by Dr. David VanDrunen in his Doctrine of Christ class.

A Fearfully Wonderful Mercy!

2011-08-18T14:36:00.000-04:00

This is my favorite scene from one of my favorite movies - Les Miserables. The bishop has mercy on Jean Valjean, an escape convict, by feeding him and allowing him to sleep in his house. Valjean returns the merciful favor by stealing all the bishop's fine silver and knocking him unconscious.

After Valjean is caught, the bishop has even more mercy on him. The mercy-heart of the bishop transforms Valjean for the rest of his life.

At the very end of the video, notice the utter fear in Valjean's eyes. This is a great picture of the abundant grace and mercy we find in our great God through our Lord Jesus Christ!

"But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared." Psalm 130:4

Please transform us, oh God, by Your great mercy! For Jesus' sake!

Christ Is All, Even In The Midst Of Intense Suffering

2011-08-16T21:57:00.000-04:00

Dave Busby's website states:

Dave Busby was a mystery! He managed to live a life completely given to God, pumping with energy and passion for young people. In the midst of daily, mammoth struggles with cystic fibrosis, polio, liver disease, heart disease, and diabetes, Dave went down deep in his life with God and he came up strong in order to bring others into the same deep and intimate relationship he had with Jesus.

Hear Dave preach passionately about how God does not make any mistakes here.

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Psalm 115:3

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Leads To A Perfect Delirium Of Joy!

2011-08-16T20:56:00.000-04:00

Charles Spurgeon wrote:

Some years ago, I was deeply depressed. I knew whom I had believed, but I could not get comfort from the truth I preached. I even began to wonder if I was really saved.

While on vacation, I went to a Wesleyan chapel. The sermon was full of the gospel and tears flowed from my eyes. I was in a perfect delirium of joy. I said, "Oh yes, there is spiritual life within me; the gospel can still touch my heart and stir my soul."

When I thanked the good man for his sermon, he looked at me and could hardly believe his eyes. He said, "Are you not Mr. Spurgeon?"

I replied, "Yes."

"Dear, dear," said he, "that was your sermon I preached this morning."

I knew it was, and that was one reason why I was so comforted. I realized that I could take my own medicine. I asked the preacher to my inn for dinner. We rejoiced that he was led to give the people one of my sermons that day, that I could be fed from my own kitchen.

I do know this. Whatever I may be, there is nothing that moves me like the gospel of Christ.

"For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." (2 Tim. 1:12).

Do you feel this way?

Charles Spurgeon, Beside Still Waters, Ed. Roy H. Clarke (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999), 299.

Humility: Forgetting Self And Finding Christ Is All

2011-08-12T17:58:00.000-04:00

Screwtape, an older demon, instructs his younger student demon on how to tempt a man to be arrogant and full of pride. He writes:

By this virtue [humility], as by all the others, our Enemy [God] wants to turn the man's attention away from self to Him, and to the man's neighbors . . . The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the, fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another. The Enemy wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favor that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbor's talents - or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall. He wants each man, in the long run, to be able to recognize all creatures (even himself) as glorious and excellent things. He wants to kill their animal self-love as soon as possible; but it is His longterm policy, I fear, to restore to them a new kind of self-love - a charity and gratitude for all selves, including their own; when they have really learned to love their neighbors as themselves, they will be allowed to love themselves as their neighbors.

C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters in The Compete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics (New York: Harper Collins, 2002), 224-225.

The Mercy Of Being Remembered By Him Who Is All In All

2011-08-12T11:12:00.000-04:00

Samson:

Judges 16:28: Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes."

Hebrews 11:32-34: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson . . . who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Hannah:

1 Samuel 1:11, 19-20: And she vowed a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head" . . . and the LORD remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked for him from the LORD."

Nehemiah:

Nehemiah 13:31: Remember me, O my God, for good.

David:

Psalm 25:6-7: Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Asaph:

Psalm 74:2: Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.

Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 15:15: O LORD, you know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach.

Habakkuk:

Habakkuk 3:2: O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.

The thief on the cross:

Luke 23:42-43: And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Jesus Is Better!

2011-08-11T16:21:00.000-04:00

Thomas Doolittle wrote:

Can you find a more excellent object for your love than Jesus? If you search through the whole creation, could you find any like him?

Are riches, honors, pleasures, or other relationships comparable to Jesus, whom you ought to love supremely? Should not the highest good be the best object of your love? Can you love lesser things, and not the greatest good? Is not all the goodness in the creature but as a drop to the sea, as a candle to the sun, as a speck of sand to a mountain - when compared to the goodness that is in Jesus? If David were worth ten thousand other men, is not Jesus, David's Lord, better than all the world . . .

What shall I say to advance Jesus in your esteem, that you might love him? Is he not a "comprehensive" good? Eminently all?

There is no goodness in the creature, but it is formally, or virtually, in Jesus.

Is there wisdom in the creature? There is more in Jesus.

Is there beauty or power in the creature? There is much more in Jesus. "For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell" (Col. 5:19).

Jesus is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

This is the One whom I beg you to love. This is he who is altogether lovely and desirable.

Consider now, I plead with you - can you ever imagine a better offer than Jesus? Can you find a better match for your soul? Can you say all this, the one half of this, any one of all these things, concerning the objects you have loved previous to Jesus? Oh then say, "I never understood the loveliness of Christ before this!" How has sin fooled me! How has the world bewitched me! And how has my foolish wicked heart deceived me, that I have lavished my love upon the creature, and sin, when there was a Christ to love! Such a Christ to love!

Such a good as is not to be found in all the world! Now he alone shall have my love, my heart - my all!

Thomas Doolittle, Motives To Love Jesus

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

Thy Mercy My God Is Sweet

2011-08-05T22:42:00.000-04:00

Sung by Sandra McCracken - Indelible Grace

Thy mercy, My God, is the theme of my song
The joy of my heart, and boast of my tongue
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affections and bound my soul fast.

Without thy sweet mercy I could not live here,
Sin would reduce me to utter despair;
But, through thy free goodness, my spirits revive
And He that first made me, still keeps me alive.

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground,
And weep to the praise of the mercy I found.

The door of Thy mercy stands open all day
To the door and the need who knock by the way;
No sinner shall ever be empty sent back,
Who comes seeking mercy for Jesus' sake.

Thy mercy is Jesus exempts me from hell;
Its glories I'll sing, and its wonders I'll tell;
'Twas Jesus my all, as He hung on the tree,
Who opened the channel of mercy for me.

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own,
And the cov'nant love of Thy crucified Son;
All praise to the Spirit Whose whisper divine,
Seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine!

A Hunger For God And A Heart For The Poor

2011-08-05T19:03:00.000-04:00

John Piper writes:

Doug Nichols is presently the president of Action International Ministries, a mission that focuses especially on the millions of street children in the big cities of the world. He is the kind of man who calls our church staff on the phone during an international crisis and suggests that we rent a jumbo jet and take a couple hundred of our people to Rwanda to help bury the dead so that doctors and nurses can do what they were sent to do. He is relentlessly focussed on pouring out his life for the helpless who need Christ.

For example, he writes to me every now and then, and almost always includes some sword thrust like this in a P.S. at the bottom of his letter:
"In the last 'one minute' that it possibly took you to read this letter, 28 children died of malnutrition and diseases that could have been easily prevented. 1,667 die every hour, 40,000 children die daily! Please pray with ACTION for more missionaries to take the gospel to these children."

Doug was found to have colon cancer in April of 1993. Doctors gave him a 30% chance of living after his surgery and colostomy and radiation treatments. During horrible civil war between the Hutus and the Tutsis, he got on a plane and went to Rwanda with a team of people, including some from our church.

His non-Christian oncologist said he would die in Rwanda. Doug said that would be OK because he is going to heaven. The oncologist was distressed and called Doug’s surgeon to solicit help in restraining Doug from going to Rwanda. The surgeon, who is a Christian, said that Doug was ready to die and go to heaven. When we got word here that Doug was going - with his cancer and his colostomy - to Rwanda, some of us on the staff gathered in the prayer room to pray for him.

I recall being led very specifically to Isaiah 58:7-8, which we prayed for Doug.
[Is the fast I choose] not to divide your bread with the hungry, And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him;And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery [your healing!] will speedily spring forth;

We prayed very specifically that the feeding of the hungry and the housing of the homeless in Rwanda would not kill Doug Nichols, but would heal him.

From Rwanda, Doug called his oncologist and said he was not dead. And when he got back he had a battery of tests that resulted in the assessment NED: no evidence of disease. God alone holds the future for Doug Nichols and his remarkable faith and ministry, but for now Isaiah 58 lives bodily in Doug's life as he pours himself out for the children.

John Piper, A Hunger For God (Wheaton: Crossway, 1997), 129-131.

Grant us, oh Father, to follow Doug Nichols as he follows Christ. For Jesus' sake!

Ecstasy And Delight In Christ!

2011-08-04T19:50:00.000-04:00

John Flavel wrote:

Ecstasy and delight are essential to the believer's soul and they promote sanctification. We were not meant to live without spiritual exhilaration, and the Christian who goes for a long time without the experience of heart-warming will soon find himself tempted to have his emotions satisfied from earthly things and not, as he ought, from the Spirit of God. The soul is so constituted that it craves fulfillment from things outside itself and will embrace earthly joys for satisfaction when it cannot reach spiritual ones. The believer is in spiritual danger if he allows himself to go for any length of time without tasting the love of Christ and savoring the felt comforts of a Savior's presence. When Christ ceases to fill the heart with satisfaction, our souls will go in silent search of other lovers. By the enjoyment of the love of Christ in the heart of a believer, we mean an experience of the "love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us" (Rom. 5:5). Because the Lord has made himself accessible to us in the means of grace, it is our duty and privilege to seek this experience from Him in these means till we are made the joyful partakers of it.

Flavel not only wrote about this experience of the love of Christ, but he enjoyed its reality as well. Charles Spurgeon told this story about him:

In the life of Mr. Flavel, who was one of the most temperate of the Puritans, and one not at all given to anything like fanaticism, there is an event mentioned which once occurred to him. He said that being once on a journey alone on horseback, the thought of the love of Christ came upon him with great power, and as he rode gently along the road, the thought seemed to increase in force and strength, till at last he forgot all about earth and even where he was. Somehow or other his horse stood still, but he did not notice it; and when he came to himself, through some passer-by observing him, he found that he had bled very copiously during the time, and getting off his horse he washed his face at the brook, and he said, "I did verily think as I stood there, that if I was not in heaven I could hardly hope to be more blessed in heaven than I was then." He mounted his horse and rode on to a place of entertainment where he was to pass the night. Supper was brought in, but left untasted on the table. He sat all night long without sleep, enjoying the presence of Christ, and he says, "I was more rested that night than with any sleep I ever had, and I heard and saw in my soul, by faith, such things as I had never known before."

Oh Father may we, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, know the height and the width and the length and the depth of the love of Christ which passes knowledge and be filled with all Your fullness . . . please grant us powerful, glorious, and beautiful ecstasy, delight, and joy in You! For Jesus' sake!

HT: Between Two Worlds

Mercy Lord Jesus - Mercy!

2011-08-04T13:18:00.000-04:00

Matthew 5:7: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Matthew 9:13: Go and learn what this means, "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

Matthew 9:27: And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David."

Matthew 15:22: And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon."

Matthew 17:14-15: And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water."

Matthew 20:30-31: And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!"

Luke 17:12-13: And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."

Luke 18:13-14: But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Behold What Manner Of Love The Father Has Given Unto Us, That We Should Be Called The Children Of God!

2011-08-04T10:38:00.000-04:00

Commenting on this verse: "But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12), Martin Luther preached:

No man, no matter who he may be, can ponder the magnificence sufficiently or express it adequately in words. We poor mortals, who are condemned and miserable sinners through our first birth from Adam, are singled out for such great honor and nobility that the eternal and almighty God is our Father and we are His children. Christ is our Brother, and we are His fellow heirs (Rom 8:17). And the dear angels, such as Michael and Gabriel, are not to be our masters but our brothers and servants . . . .

This is a grand and overpowering thought! Whoever really reflects on it - the children of the world will not, but Christians will, although not all of them either – will be so startled and frightened by the thought that he will be prompted to ask: "My dear, can this really be possible and true?"

. . . [T]he world rates it a much higher honor and privilege to be the son and heir of a prince, a king, or a count than to be the possessor of God's spiritual goods, although by comparison all these are nothing but poor bags of worms and their glory sheer stench. Just compare all this with the ineffable dignity and nobility of which the evangelist speaks . . . . If we really believed with all our heart, firmly and unflinchingly, that the eternal God, Creator and Ruler of the world, is our Father, with whom we have an everlasting abode as children and heirs, not of this transitory wicked world but of all God's imperishable, heavenly, and inexpressible treasures, then we would, indeed, concern ourselves but little with all that the world prizes so highly; much less would we covet it and strive after it.

Indeed, we would regard the world's riches, treasures, glories, splendor, and might - compared with the dignity and honor due us as the children and heirs, not of a mortal emperor but of the eternal and almighty God - as trifling, paltry, vile, leprous, yes, as stinking filth and poison.

Martin Luther's Works, 22:87-89

HT: Between Two Worlds

May Jesus Be Worth It To Us - Please Father, Make It So!

2011-08-03T22:48:00.000-04:00

This story is told of a Christian named Paulus, tortured for his faith in Jesus:

It was getting late, and the Soviet officer had beaten and tortured Paulus for many hours.

"We are not going to torture you anymore," he said, smiling brutally when the Christian looked up. "We will send you instead to Siberia, where the snow never melts. It is a place of great suffering. You and your family will fit in well."

Paulus, instead of being depressed, smiled. "The whole earth belongs to my Father, Captain. Wherever you send me I will be on my Father's earth."

The captain looked at him sharply. "We will take away all you own."

"You will need a high ladder, Captain, for my treasures are stored up in heaven."

Paulus still wore a beautiful smile.

"We will put a bullet between your eyes," shouted the captain, now angry.

"If you take away my life in this world, my real life of joy and beauty will begin," answered Paulus. "I am not afraid of being killed."

The captain grabbed Paulus by his tattered prison shirt and screamed into his face, "We will not kill you! We will keep you locked alone in a cell and allow no one to come see you!"

"You cannot do that, Captain," said Paulus, still smiling. "I have a Friend who can pass through locked doors and iron bars. No one can separate me from the love of Christ."

The Voice Of The Martyrs, Extreme Devotion (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001), Day 15.

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

Behold The Beloved, Astonishing, Holy, Famous, Marvelous, Amazing, Utterly Astounding - God

2011-08-02T09:58:00.000-04:00

Mark 1:11: And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

Mark 1:22: And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 1:24: "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God."

Mark 1:28: And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Mark 1:45: But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

Mark 2:2: And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.

Mark 2:12: And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Mark 3:11: And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God."

Mark 4:41: And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"

Mark 5:19-20: And he did not permit him but said to him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Mark 5:41-42: Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

Mark 6:2: And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?

Mark 6:49-51: but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded . . .

Mark 7:35-37: And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

Mark 8:29: And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ."

Mark 9:7-8: And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

Mark 11:18: And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.

Mark 12:17: Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him.

Mark 12:37: David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?" And the great throng heard him gladly.

Mark 13:31: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Mark 14:61-62: But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

Mark 15:39: And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"

To Those Who Believe, Christ Is Precious

2011-08-01T12:14:00.000-04:00

John Fawcett wrote:

There is an incomparable and transcendent excellency in the person of Christ, in every respect. He is fairer than the children of men; he is altogether lovely. The excellencies which are found in any of his creatures are as nothing, when compared with his excellency.

Wisdom in them is but a beam; but he is the glorious Sun of Righteousness.

Goodness in them is but as the drop of a bucket; but he is the fountain, the ocean of goodness.

Holiness in them is but a glimmering spark — but he is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person.

He is equal in all glorious excellencies with the Father.

His divine nature puts infinite dignity on his amazing condescension, gives eternal efficacy to the sacrifice which he offered up to expiate our sins, and to the righteousness which he wrought out to justify our persons.

There is everything in Christ to encourage poor sinners to apply to him, to look for salvation in his name, and to inspire their hearts with love to his person.

There are motives and arguments of every kind to excite you to choose him for your Savior, your friend, and your portion.

You are guilty — his blood cleanses from all sin.

You are miserable — he is rich in mercy.

You are helpless — he is mighty to save.

You are impoverished — his riches are unsearchable. His treasures of grace are inexhaustible.

Approach unto him, be not afraid of a disappointment; he has assured you he will in no wise cast you out.

John Fawcett, Christ Precious To Those Who Believe

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

Please Grant More Love For Christ, Oh God!

2011-08-01T11:52:00.000-04:00

J. C. Ryle writes:

1. If we love a person, we like to think about him. We do not need to be reminded of him. We do not forget his name or his appearance or his character or his opinions or his tastes or his position or his occupation... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!

2. If we love a person, we like to hear about him. We find a pleasure in listening to those who speak of him. We feel an interest in any report which others make of him... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!

3. If we love a person, we like to read about him. What intense pleasure a letter from an absent husband gives to a wife, or a letter from an absent son to his mother... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!

4. If we love a person, we like to please him. We are glad to consult his tastes and opinions, to act upon his advice and do the things which he approves... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!

5. If we love a person, we like his friends. We are favorably inclined to them, even before we know them. We are drawn to them by the common tie of common love to one and the same person... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!

6. If we love a person, we are jealous about his name and honor. We do not like to hear him spoken against, without speaking up for him and defending him... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!

7. If we love a person, we like to talk to him. We tell him all our thoughts, and pour out all our heart to him. We find no difficulty in discovering subjects of conversation... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!

8. Finally, if we love a person, we like to be always with him. Thinking and hearing and reading and occasionally talking are all well in their way. But when we really love people we want something more... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!

J. C. Ryle, Holiness (Darlington, England: Evangelical Press) 247-249.

HT: Desiring God Blog

King Of Kings!

2011-07-27T10:59:00.000-04:00

S. M. Lockridge said:

Everybody's got a king. Who's your king? . . .

My King is the only one qualified to be King. My King has always been King. You know these other kings, they were born a prince, and they had to wait until the father died or the mother, if she was a ruling monarch - wait until she died and then become king.

But my King was born King . . . My King will let you know who's who and what's what . . .

My King always has been King and always will be King . . . nobody can keep him from saving me. He can hear all of us pray at the same time . . . blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! . . .

Oh but I know where a poor man has a chance. I know where a sick man can get well. I know where an ignorant man can become wise. I know where a bad man can be made good. I know where a good man can be made better and even a dead man can be made alive - it's in Jesus Christ. Amen!

S. M. Lockridge, "That's My King" and "Amen"

More Beautiful Than All Creation!

2011-07-26T14:17:00.000-04:00

St. Augustine wrote:

Let the Lord thy God be thy hope. Hope for nothing else from the Lord thy God; but let the Lord thy God Himself be thine hope. For many persons hope to obtain from God's hands riches, and many perishable and transitory honours; and, in short, anything else they hope to obtain at God's hands, except only God Himself. But do thou seek after thy God Himself: nay, indeed, despising all things else, make thy way unto Him! Forget other things, remember Him. Leave other things behind, and "press forward" unto Him . . . Leave thou all thy loves. He who made heaven and earth is more beautiful than all . . . Let our God be our hope. He who made all things, is better than all! He who made what is beautiful, is more beautiful than all that is such. He who made whatever is mighty, is Himself mightier. He who made whatever is great, is Himself greater. He will be unto you everything that you love.

St. Augustine, Exposition Of The Book Of Psalms, Psalm 40.

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

Christ: Attractive Like No Other!

2011-07-25T23:11:00.000-04:00

Octavius Winslow wrote:

And, as if to crown the encouragements accumulating around our access to Jesus, there are His own personal attraction — all-inviting and irresistible. Everything in the person of Jesus encourages our advance. Does glory charm us — does beauty attract us — does love win us — does gentleness subdue us — does sympathy soothe us — does faithfulness inspire confidence? — then, all this is in Jesus, and all invites us to draw near. He is the "altogether lovely," and if our minds can appreciate the grand, and our hearts are sensible of the tender; if they feel the power of that which is superlatively great and exquisitely lovely, then we shall need no persuasion to arise, and go and tell Jesus every emotion of our souls, and every circumstance of our history. Take all that is tender in love — all that is faithful in friendship — all that is wise in counsel — all that is longsuffering in patience, all that is balmy, soothing, and healing in the deepest sympathy — and its embodiment, its impersonation is — JESUS.

Octavius Winslow, Go And Tell Jesus

HT: Christ . . . Altogether Lovely

With Christ We Have Enough!

2011-07-24T23:39:00.000-04:00

Anne Dutton wrote:

O this is my strong consolation - that Christ is mine, and I have enough. I may lose all created sweets; but, since I cannot lose my God in Him I have an ocean of delights, of ever-springing pleasures, which will be new and full unto ages without end!

Katharina A. von Schlegel wrote:

Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay from His own fullness all He takes away [or all He never gives].

Jesus Christ Is Supreme!

2011-07-24T17:20:00.000-04:00

John Piper writes:

Oh, that the risen, living Christ, therefore, would come to us even now by His Spirit and through His Word and reveal to us:

— the supremacy of His deity, equal with God the Father in all His attributes — the radiance of His glory and the exact imprint of His nature, infinite, boundless in all His excellencies;

— the supremacy of His eternality that makes the mind of man explode with the unsearchable thought that Christ never had a beginning, but simply always was; sheer, absolute reality while all the universe is fragile, contingent, like a shadow by comparison to His all-defining, ever-existing substance;

— the supremacy of His never-changing constancy in all His virtues and all His character and all His commitments — the same yesterday, today, and forever;

— the supremacy of His knowledge that makes the Library of Congress look like a matchbox, and all the information on the Internet look like a little 1940’s farmers almanac, and quantum physics — and everything Stephen Hawking ever dreamed — seem like a first-grade reader;

— the supremacy of His wisdom that has never been perplexed by any complication and can never be counseled by the wisest of men;

— the supremacy of His authority over heaven and earth and hell, without whose permission no man and no demon can move one inch, who changes times and seasons, removes kings and sets up kings; does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; so none can stay His hand or say to Him, "What have you done?"

— the supremacy of His providence without which not a single bird falls to the ground in the furthest reaches of the Amazon forest, or a single hair of any head turns black or white;

— the supremacy of His word that moment by moment upholds the universe and holds in being all the molecules and atoms and subatomic world we have never yet dreamed of;

— the supremacy of His power to walk on water, cleanse lepers and heal the lame, open the eyes of the blind, cause the deaf to hear and storms to cease and the dead to rise, with a single word, or even a thought;

— the supremacy of His purity never to sin, or to have one millisecond of a bad attitude or an evil, lustful thought;

— the supremacy of His trustworthiness never to break His word or let one promise fall to the ground;

— the supremacy of His justice to render in due time all moral accounts in the universe settled either on the cross or in hell;

— the supremacy of His patience to endure our dullness for decade after decade; and to hold back His final judgment on this land and on the world, that many might repent;

— the supremacy of His sovereign, servant obedience to keep His Father's commandments perfectly and then embrace the excruciating pain of the cross willingly;

— the supremacy of His meekness and lowliness and tenderness that will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick;

— the supremacy of His wrath that will one day explode against this world with such fierceness that people will call out for the rocks and the mountains to crush them rather than face the wrath of the Lamb;

— the supremacy of His grace that gives life to spiritually dead rebels and wakens faith in hell-bound haters of God, and justifies the ungodly with His own righteousness;

— the supremacy of His love that willingly dies for us even while we were sinners and frees us for the ever-increasing joy in making much of Him forever;

— the supremacy of His own inexhaustible gladness in the fellowship of the Trinity, the infinite power and energy that gave rise to all the universe and will one day be the inheritance of every struggling saint.

John Piper, "Sex and the Supremacy of Christ: Part Two," in Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, Eds. John Piper and Justin Taylor (Wheaton: Crossway, 2005), 38-40.

HT: Tolle Lege

Christ Utterly Satisfies With His Beauty And Love!

2011-07-21T00:16:00.000-04:00

Tim Keller said:

The Bible teaches us that you're either a slave to Christ or you're a slave to something - because you have to live for something. And any master but Jesus, if you get him - if you get it - if you're living for wealth and you get wealth there will be a slow despair because there will be emptiness. And on the other hand, if you lose - if you fail your false master . . . you want to kill yourself. But the the reason Paul and Silas were able to sing songs in the night, and the reason they were able to overcome evil with good was because they had the only Master that forgives if you fail Him and utterly, utterly satisfies you with His beauty and love if you get Him.

Tim Keller, Changed Lives

Christ Meets All Our Needs And Cravings

2011-07-20T22:45:00.000-04:00

Octavius Winslow wrote:

Whatever your craving, you will find in Jesus a corresponding supply. You have no sin His blood cannot cleanse - no grief His sympathy will not soothe - no infirmity His grace will not help - no perplexity His wisdom will not guide - no lack His sufficiency will not supply.

Octavius Winslow, The Fullness Of Christ

May Christ Be All At My First Call

2011-07-17T14:58:00.000-04:00

Back in November, I posted these words from John Piper:

I recall coming to the end of my graduate studies in Munich, Germany, back in 1974. I had no idea where to go. I was ready to enter any ministry the Lord would open for me. I sent my resume to dozens of schools and missions and agencies. One of the most encouraging letters I received in those days was from my friend and former professor, Daniel Fuller. He knew I was struggling to trust God for a place of ministry. So he quoted a little-known verse, 2 Corinthians 4:1, 'Since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart.' He pointed out the word 'as' in the phrase 'as we received mercy.' Then he showed me the link between 'having a ministry' and 'receiving mercy.' He said that ministry is given as freely and as sovereignly and as graciously as the first experience of mercy that we received in salvation. That is what I needed then. And that is what I need now, to press on in ministry. The place of ministry, and the ongoing performance of ministry, are gifts of grace, just like my conversion was.

John Piper, Future Grace (Sisters: Multnomah, 1995), 296

Today, God has shown me great mercy by granting me my first pastoral call from Olney Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA.

Thank You, Father . . . and may Christ be all in this calling. For Jesus' sake.