On The Incarnation

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father full of grace and truth…And from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
(John 1:1, 14,16)

To feel and comprehend the magnitude of the birth of Christ, one need only to turn to the Holy Scriptures where God lays forth His redeeming plan of salvation, giving hope and light to the depraved souls that walk the earth. Before time even began, God knew that eventually sin would enter the perfect world He would soon create. He knew that man, not perfect, because He and He alone is perfect, would fall prey to the temptations given under the domain of darkness and that redemption would have to be accomplished. He also knew, however, that the only path to true glorifying redemption would be a perfect sacrifice, without reproach, that would bear the darkness of the wretched world. Therefore, because of the fullness of His immeasurable grace and truth, God himself entered the world that He would become this perfect sacrifice the world so desperately needed.

The beauty of the incarnation, God coming to dwell among us so that we might be presented blameless before Him clothed in His righteousness and glory, lies within the incarnation itself. Through the conception of the Holy Spirit, God entered this world in the form of a man, named Jesus Christ; Three persons in one; the Trinity fully embodied. Oh the power and majesty of the person of Jesus Christ. Where else can one see a clearer picture of the work of the Trinity than in the birth and life of Jesus Christ? The Son, begotten of the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit leading a perfect and blameless life so that He could become the sacrifice needed to cleanse the sins of the world!

Christ himself was not a creation of the Father. He was the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit’s conception in the womb of a virgin named Mary, thus starting the journey of God’s miraculous plan of salvation being fully unveiled, a journey that has yet to end.

On a cold and bitter night, the lack of room for the son of God to be born began to foreshadow the lack of room in the hearts of the world He had come to save. Being born of a woman, fully human, yet fully God, Christ entered the world in the lowliest of lows; being born in a stable and placed in a manger. One can only imagine the glory bestowed from within the newborn babe as he lay helpless in a world that He would soon save. The innocent cries of the infant would soon become that of tears of blood just mere years later as His prayer to His Father tells of the redemptive work being made complete, “I glorified you on this earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:4-5) God entered this world through Jesus Christ for one purpose, to bring righteousness to the sons of man, through the perfect life He led and atoning sacrifice He gave to glorify Him more fully.

As we look towards the nativity, as we look to the birth of Christ and recognize the power of the incarnation, let us also be quick to look at what the incarnation began. It began a journey to a cross. One that the Son of God would bear, taking on the sins of the world that we might be heirs and inherit the kingdom of God for all eternity, being with Him in glory. As we sing these great songs of joy and hope, telling of the Messiah and His coming, let us be quick to feel the magnitude of the grace that was given through the incarnation of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us and let us not lose hope because our Messiah will be returning and what a glorious day it will be when we are taken with Him in glory as heirs in His blood bought righteousness.

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Currently Reading

I've recently added a section to the right under my name where you can see the books that I'm currently reading. It's a neat tool from a website called Library Thing which I encourage you to check out sometime. You can input your whole library and keep track of what you're reading, what you want to read, create reviews of books you've read and many other neat resources. I'll try to post my thoughts on the books as I finish them and let you know which ones are really worth reading.

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Kingdom People Christmas Giveaway

Trevin Wax has a great Christmas Giveaway through Christmas Day over at Kingdom People. I just stumbled upon his blog, but definitely one I'm going to start following. You can check out the giveaway here.

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We Are Here (Christmas)

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Mohler on Starting What You Cannot Finish

In honor of commencement ceremonies across the country and more specifically at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Albert Mohler reflects on the meaning of a commencement ceremony and the world's pull of finishing what we begin. In his article, Mohler writes:

Nevertheless, the biblical conception of the Christian ministry is, as we should not be surprised to find, radically at odds with worldly wisdom. According to the New Testament, one of the most important insights about the Christian ministry is this: We will not finish what we begin. This is not to say that we will never set goals and reach them or that we will never complete plans and programs. It does mean that the Christian ministry must be seen in the context of faithfulness extended from generation to generation until Christ returns to claim his Bride.

This was a great challenge to me, as was the article in its entirety. Perhaps the part that challenged me the greatest and that I hope will stay with me in the remaining days God has ordained for me on this earth was his final call to those graduating from Southern:

Start something you cannot finish and give yourself to it for the length of your days, with the strength of your life, to the glory of God. Dream dreams and see visions, and take up this calling as you plant and water in the fields of Christ. Build carefully upon the foundation laid for you. The hopes and prayers of God's faithful people go with you.

May this encourage and move you as deeply as it did myself and may you go out with boldness, willing to start something you may not be able to finish, or with courage to build on that of which someone who has gone before you has already begun.

You can read the rest of Mohler's article here.

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Upholding the Old and True Gospel

Kevin DeYoung has a great post regarding the "New Gospel" circulating and it's implications on truly reaching people for Christ. He ends with a plea stating:

Please, please, please, if you are enamored with the New Gospel or anything like it, consider if you are really being fair with your fellow Christians in always throwing them under the bus. Consider if you are preaching like Jesus did, who called people, not first of all to a way of life, but to repent and believe (Mark 1:15). And as me and my friends consider if we lack the necessary patience and humility to speak tenderly with non-Christians, consider if your God is a lopsided cartoon God who never takes offense at sin (because sin is more than just un-neighborliness) and never pours out wrath (except for the occasional judgment against the judgmental). Consider if you are giving due attention to the cross and the Lamb of God who died there to take away the sin of the world. Consider if your explanation of the Christian message sounds anything like what we hear from the Apostles in the book of Acts when they engage the world.

This is no small issue. And it is not just a matter of emphasis. The New Gospel will not sustain the church. It cannot change the heart. And it does not save.

I encourage you to read the rest of the post and I hope it challenges and encourages your heart to remain steadfast to the Gospel as much as it did mine.

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Blogging BCM: Worship Part 1

This is the video Tim shared a couple weeks ago at BCM. I think it sums up the night and what our feelings need to be regarding worship.



As always, if you have any questions feel free to talk to Tim, Mike or myself.

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Blogging BCM: A Passionate Charge

Last Tuesday night Dan spoke on 1 Timothy 1:18-20 in a message entitled A Passionate Charge. For me the title was completely fitting to the message that Dan gave. There were so many things Tuesday that challenged and deeply convicted me. At one point Dan shared:

We must fight because so many things in this world are contrary to the Word of God.

How true is this statement. How often do we as believers stand up and fight against the things that are contrary to God's Word. To be quite honest, how many of us even read and study God's Holy Word so that we'll know what's contrary and what needs to be fought against?

For me this is what stuck...it is what I believe we all need to ask ourselves. Do you cling to the Word of God, like that of the Psalmist in Psalm 119? Do you seek God's Word so that you may discern what the constant contradictions the world is bombarding us with? Do you value your opinion more in regards to culture, politics and education or do you compare all of these things to the Word of God and base the things you stand on upon His Truth?

The prophet Isaiah said very powerfully; "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8) Seasons come and seasons pass, the shifting winds of our culture and it's current trends and political landscape will be gone before we know it, but God's word will last and endure beyond all time. Are you willing to stand up and be a fighter, fighting for the things of God's Word and standing firm against everything that is contrary? The Bible warns very harshly against those that stray from God's word and preach a false gospel. No where is this more evident than the passage that Dan preached on Tuesday night. Let us all make an effort to plant our feet upon the Word of God and dig down so deep that no power of this world can pull us away from the conviction and foundation that God gives us in His word.

Thoughts For Daily Devotions:

1. Read and study 1 Timothy 1:18-20, Isaiah 40 and Luke 11

2. In what areas of your life do you see a need to center yourself more upon God's Word?

3. What areas of your life might God be calling you to stand up and fight, holding fast to His Word and in repentance of your sinful nature that by His grace He has redeemed you from?

As always if you have any questions, feel free to talk to Tim, Mike or myself.

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Blogging BCM: Proclaiming the Gospel

This week due to schedule difficulties, Dan Hardesty agreed to guest blog on Tim's message from last night.

Last night, we had the opportunity to hear Tim teach on 1 Timothy 1:12-17. During our time together, Tim stressed the importance of being able to proclaim the Gospel and live out the Gospel in our lives. In the midst of this passage we see the great truth of the Gospel “that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners” (verse 15). We find this section of scripture situated where Paul is talking about his own sinfulness. Let’s look a little bit more at the facts behind the sinfulness of Paul.

As Tim mentioned, Paul “was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent” of God and the glorious Gospel. Paul was a man who was so truly opposed to what God had done in Christ that he was willing to go to the extreme to make sure that this move was limited. But God still worked around Him, and ultimately through Him. He became an apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). In spite of all of his past and his own predisposition against Jesus, God saved Paul and Paul impacted much of world in some way for Christ.

Paul though refers to himself as the foremost of sinners – and not in a past tense way. “Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” Why does he refer to himself in the present tense as being the foremost of sinners? Was Paul being humble in his sinful past? Was Paul owning and admitting his sin? Could Paul have possibly been continuing in this sin?

Tim rightly asserted that Paul was being humble in his sinful past. In doing so, he gave hope to all of the sinners this world has seen. Now to say that Paul was the “worst” of sinners would be a stretch. We could bring up countless examples of other ruthless men and women in the world who have done terrible deeds, some of them even in the name of a god. However Paul’s salvation gives hope that God will save many different types of people, people from all sort of sinful and not-so-sinful backgrounds. Therefore we have hope that He will use us to help save some from all backgrounds.

Paul was also owning his sin. Just this past week there have been multiple incidents of public scrutiny in the world of sports, music, and politics. Now it is easy to criticize in these situations, so I will try not to be harsh. But it has taken some of these erring individuals multiple times and interviews for them to say anything more than “my passion got in the way” or “I handled it poorly.” Few of them have actually taken the time to apologize to the people that they wronged, and if they have, it has taken multiple days and too much time for them to own up to their sin. I know little of these individuals’ spiritual lives, but I do know that we, as Christians, are to own our sin, as Paul has done in this passage.

This is certainly not to say that Paul continued in his blasphemy, persecution, and opposition to the Gospel. On the contrary, Paul became the biggest advocate for Christ that we see in the scriptures. Paul’s sinful past was now truly wiped away and he was living for a different reason and different cause. He was truly “sold out” for Christ. “As for me (Paul) to live is Christ, but to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). He was no longer living for his own desires of persecuting the Way of Christ. He was no longer living for any other sin in his life. He was living for the only thing that truly matters, our faith in God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In his life we see a great truth. He shares it with us in Romans 8:9, “You, however, are not in the flesh” (the sinful nature) “but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” We are living and running and going by the Spirit of God if we are in Christ. We are empowered to live differently than we did before we came to Christ. That is not to say that we will not struggle with sin – Paul deals with this in Romans 7. But our sin is no longer who we are and how we live – that is Christ.

Finally Paul says that he “received mercy because (he) had acted ignorantly” (verse 13). The root word for ignorant and agnostic is the same. An agnostic is literally someone “without knowledge.” Much of this world is without knowledge of our one true God found in Christ. How will the people gain knowledge of our God? Ultimately the two main channels are through His word (if they are so inclined), but maybe even more so, through His people.

Through your devotions this week:

1. Read about the life of Paul. Examine especially those passages Tim shared Tuesday night, Acts 9:1-22, Acts 22:1-21, and Acts 26:9-18.

2. Read Romans 7 and 8. What implications does this have for you as a believer in Christ?

3. Pray for opportunities to share what God has done in your life, and ultimately, the Gospel. Target certain individuals as God directs you. If you aren’t a believer, get together and talk to a BCM leader about their faith.

As always, if you have any further questions, you can always talk to Josh, Tim, or Mike.

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Where Are The Faithful Young Men?

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Don't Waste Your Church

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Josh Harris on Resisting Temptation

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Which Direction Are You Pointing In?

HT: Josh Harris

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The Importance of Memorizing Scripture

John Piper on why we must memorize Scripture:

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Why We Love The Church Video

HT: T4G

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Blogging BCM: Sound Doctrine

Tuesday night Tim shared from 1 Timothy 1:3-11 a message entitled Sound Doctrine. He stressed the importance of sitting under sound doctrine in the church and called out many churches today who lack sound, Word-centered teaching. He also cited this flaw as one of the main reasons many are turned off by or have had bad experiences in the church. In addition, Tim talked about the fruits of sound doctrine and walking with a good conscience. In this post, I want to dig deeper into a certain verse from these passages. As is the purpose with this series of posts throughout each semester, I want to take a passage that, due to time, was not able to fully be examined and and look at it in more detail. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1:5:

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

What Paul states in this one verse is absolutely crucial to understanding our need for sound doctrine and why he presses it so much throughout his letters to Timothy. As stated in the beginning, this is the whole aim (or goal) of this specific section of Scripture. He says that the aim of their charge is love. The charge Paul is speaking of is seen in verse 3, stating that Timothy is to charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine. So therefore, the charge is to not teach anything contrary to the sound doctrine that has been entrusted to Timothy. So the goal of not teaching any different doctrine is love. Love therefore, should pour out of sitting under sound teaching. How does this love come from enduring sound doctrine?

Paul continues writing that this love:

issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

What the conclusion of this verse shows us is that when we sit under and endure sound teaching, we will develop a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith, therefore resulting in love. We might ask, "well how is this possible?" When we seek out and long for sound teaching, when we listen to sermons that are doctrinally sound and find churches that preach in a Word-centered way, we will be transformed by the Truth of God's Word. We will be thoroughly convicted, be challenged to repent of our sins and therefore develop consciences that are no longer laden with guilt. We will grow in sanctification and our minds will be transformed by the renewing power of His Word (Romans 12:2) in a way that we will no longer seek the desires of our flesh, but seek to glorify God in all that we say and do, therefore developing a pure heart. Through the power of His Word being taught in a doctrinally sound manner, we will be challenged to not only speak Christ and Him crucified, but to live it out with a complete, sincere faith.

Paul cannot stress to us enough the importance of seeking and undergoing sound teaching. If we do not sit under teaching that convicts and encourages us in our faith and that is doctrinally sound, we ultimately will not be able to love to our fullest capacity in Christ. The goal of our need to sit and endure sound doctrine is that we may love by the grace of God to our fullest potential through the developing of a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith as a result of the sound doctrine we absorb. There is a lot riding on who we listen to and where we attend church. Our spiritual maturity is at stake. Our spiritual growth is at stake. Our ability to love others is at stake. Paul stresses it. God's Word demands it. We must seek out and endure sound teaching.

Throughout Your Daily Devotions:

1. Read and Study 1 Timothy 1:3-11, Galatians 5:16-26 and Romans 12

2. Are you currently sitting under sound doctrine that is centered upon God's Word?

3. In what areas of your personal life do you need to seek to be more doctrinally sound?

As always if you have any questions, or need help finding a church body that is Biblical and doctrinally sound, feel free to talk to Tim, Mike or myself.

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Blogging BCM: Introduction to Timothy

Tuesday night, Tim shared a message introducing us to the subject of Paul's letters we will be studying throughout the semester. The part that stood out most to me, was when Tim shared the characteristics of Timothy and how Paul wrote these letters to encourage, enrich and train Timothy in the ministry God called him to. Tim shared that Timothy was called to be a messenger and how we are all called to be messengers ourselves. Therefore this journey that we are embarking on this semester, will prepare and strengthen us as messengers, just as Paul's letters prepared and strengthened him throughout his missionary journey.

Through this post, I want to focus on three of the key aspects of Timothy's life Tim touched on and how as messengers, like that of Timothy, we are called to display these characteristics in our lives as well.

First, Tim shared that we must have hope. If we are going to be true messengers of Christ, we must have hope in our Lord and Savior and the mission that He has called us to. God's Word speaks of this hope we are to have and how we received it (Colossians 1:27), as well as exhorts and calls us to be ready at any moment to speak for the hope we have. One of our greatest assets as a follower of Christ in reaching people for His purpose, is the hope that we are to display and our answer when people ask about our hope.

Next, we learned that Timothy was faithful to the Lord. If we are to be messengers for Christ, we must, as Timothy did, remain steadfast and faithful to what God has called us to do, no matter what direction He may take us in or what trials may arise. God rewards those who are faithful, and will work more fully through us the more faithful we remain to His purpose and calling in our lives.

Finally, as messengers of Christ like Timothy, we must not only show a deep concern for the lost, but a deep concern for God's people as well (Philippians 2:20-22). Throughout this semester we will discover that Timothy's role as a messenger and his ministry in Jesus Christ, calls him to have a deep concern for the people of God. If we are to be messengers ourselves, we must first and foremost have a deep concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ, because if we cannot love and care for them, then there is no way we will be able to love and care for the lost in a way that reaches them to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

As we take step on this journey together through the teaching of Tim through Jesus Christ, it is my hope and prayer that we all heed this calling to be true messengers of Christ, and look for ways in studying His Word to grow in the characteristics God calls us to have as His messengers.

Things To Consider During Your Devotions:

1. Study 1 Timothy 1:1-2, Colossians 1 and Philippians 2:20-22.

2. In what ways do these Scriptures give us an example of how to have hope, remain faithful and have a concern for God's people.

3. Think about the ways you may need to work on these areas in your life in order to be a greater messenger by God's grace for Jesus Christ.

As always, if there are any questions you may have or you need someone to talk to; feel free to contact Tim, Mike or myself.

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Blogging BCM: Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Firm

Tuesday night Tim gave a message that revolved around our theme for BCM this year; Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Firm. Revolved around Isaiah 7:9b, our theme serves to help challenge ourselves and one another to make it a daily effort to stand firm in the faith that Christ calls us to, whether it be while on campus, in our dorms or in any other facet of our lives.

Tim read from Luke 8:11-15 and talked about The Parable of the Sower, through which he described the different types of faith that we can have. Perhaps the one that all of us should strive and seek out by the grace of God, would be the last one which bears much fruit. Tim challenged us to think about which type we fall into.

For me this message paralleled greatly with 2 Peter 1:3-10 which reads:

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, bothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

This passage of Scripture illustrates what the life looks like of a follower of Christ who falls into the fourth path Tim discussed on Tuesday. We must seek to supplement our faith we these qualities so that we bear fruit, show ourselves to be His followers and ultimately never fall. As Isaiah 7:9b says, if we do not stand firm in our faith, we will not stand at all; that is we will fall.

If we are to stand firm in our faith and not fall, we must seek out these qualities. We must make it a daily priority to dive into God's Word, to search it and go to it, so that we may develop and cultivate these qualities that are described in 2 Peter. Our faith is not something that we must proclaim and not live. We must cultivate it and make it the number one passion we have in life; think about all that is at stake...if we don't stand firm in our faith, we will fall!

Things To Think About Throughout Your Daily Devotions:

1. Read, Study and Meditate Isaiah 7:9b, Luke 8:11-15 and 2 Peter 1:3-10.

2. What category, that Tim discussed, do you fall into?

3. How can you better seek to stand firm in your faith?

If you have any questions or need someone to talk to; Tim, Mike and myself are always available and more than willing to meet with you.

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Summer Reading List: End of July Update

The conclusion of July 2009 comes tomorrow and if nothing else than the fact that I've been commuting two to three times a week, I'm not sad that it's coming to an end. With the end of July upon us, summer is also drifting along and looking towards its demise as are the titles that make up my summer reading list. After taking a leisure break to read Young, Restless, Reformed by Collin Hansen, I now am embarking on the final two selections of my list. The Courage To Be Protestant will be first and I plan to begin reading it within the next day or so. Finally, I'll finish up with What Is A Healthy Church Member?. Thus far I have been very pleased with the books I chose to read this summer and plan to give further thoughts in a post at the conclusion of my reading list and summer.

Also, in an attempt to begin preparing myself for seminary studies (how can you ever fully prepare?), I have decided to use the upcoming fall semester as a time to read dead guys and biographies. By this I mean, I plan on reading classic works by great men who have departed us to spend eternity in Glory and biographies of notable Church history leaders, etc. I pray that this will be a time that will deeply encourage me as I conclude my undergraduate work and begin looking towards the future.

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January 19, 2010

January 19, 2010 is the day that Joshua Harris' new book is set to be released, and after many months of praying for his season of writing and waiting, he has finally unveiled the title and description. The book is entitled Dug Down Deep, which comes from the parable of wise man building his house upon the rock in Luke 6. He writes regarding the contents of the book:

Dug Down Deep has eleven chapters--eight of which are reflections of key Christian beliefs including the Doctrine of God, Scripture, the Person and Work of Christ, the Atonement and the Holy Spirit. The book is very personal and narrative-driven. I share the questions, misconceptions and hang-ups I've had what it's meant to allow Scripture's truth to reshape my thinking.

Needless to say, I am very excited for January 19 to come. If you'd like more information on the book from Harris himself, go here.

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the Word of our God stands forever

In remembering John Calvin on the 500th anniversary of his birth, Kevin DeYoung puts all focus where focus is due: God's glory and His everlasting Word. DeYoung writes:

The truly significant people in this world know that God is everything and they’re nothing. Fads and fashions will rise and fall, but the word will keep on accomplishing its purposes. It will outlast us all. So let our reading, memorizing, catechizing, and preaching be saturated with the word. Let our songs, ministries and mission submit to the word. May all of our theological questions, relationship questions, family questions look to the word. May every new doctrine, new movement, new church, and new book be tested against the word. May all our living and dying be undertaken with the firm conviction that God is true though everyone were a liar (Rom. 3:4).

This is by far one of the best posts I've read (and there have been many) celebrating the life and work of John Calvin. I encourage you to read the whole thing.

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Evangelicalism's Terminal Generation

Albert Mohler has a new article entitled Evangelicalism's Terminal Generation. He writes:

Benjamin Franklin, caught on the street during a break in the Constitutional Convention, is said to have been asked by a passerby to describe the new order to be proposed. "A republic," he answered, "if you can keep it." By definition, evangelicals are to be a Gospel people, cherishing, teaching, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We will remain evangelical only insofar as we maintain the integrity of our Gospel witness--if we can keep it. We are truly evangelical only if we keep our testimony to the Gospel without confusion or compromise.

For me, this was a wonderful read that really challenged and convicted me. I could have quoted the whole article, thus I encourage you to take the time to read the whole article.

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Summer Reading List Update

With July being almost a third over, I thought I would give an update on my summer reading list progress. I have completed Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints and Why Johnny Can't Preach. Currently, I am working on What is a Healthy Church? Also, I have added Why We Love the Church by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck to my list in hopes that I'll have extra time to get through another book. I'll post mid-August with my thoughts on the books I've read and a brief review of each.

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Every so often...

Every so often there comes a book release that I eagerly anticipate. So was the case for the ESV Study Bible, so will be the case for Joshua Harris' new book to be released next year and so has been the case in recent weeks for Why We Love The Church. Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck did such a supereb job on their book Why We're Not Emergent, clearly outlining the dangers of the Emergent Church movement. When I heard they were teaming up for another book, I couldn't help but be excited. Last week their book hit shelves, and I am anxiously awaiting it's arrival in the next week or so. Needless to say, this book will be added to my summer reading list. However, in the mean time, Tim Challies' has a great review on the book and I encourage you all to read it and highly consider investing in the book yourself.

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Suffering in Relation to God's Church

So often we get in this rut where we feel that we should not be the ones to suffer. We continuously ask ourselves questions like, "Why is this happening to me?" and "Why do I have to be the one that always suffers." Tim Challies has a great post in regards to Ligon Duncan's new book, Does Grace Grow Best in Winter? In his post, Challies writes:

So I guess this is something we ought to keep in mind in those times that God calls us to suffer. Our suffering is not pointless; it is not meaningless. At least in part, our suffering is mandated by God so we can strengthen and edify our brothers and sisters in Christ so that they, and we, may strive toward Christian maturity. “Your suffering does not just belong to you. You are members of a body. Your suffering is for the body’s maturity as much as it is for yours. Your suffering is there to build up the church of Christ. It is there for the people of God to be given faith and hope and confidence in the hour of their trials. Your suffering is also the body’s suffering because one of God’s purposes in suffering is the maturity of the whole church.”

During times of great suffering, where we may feel helpless and alone, we must rely on the God, His Truth and His perfect and pleasing will. We must recognize the reality that our suffering could be causing a wider impact to glorify God in the lives of others, even though we might not be able to fully comprehend or see it.

Read Challies' whole post here.

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Challies' on Worship

Tim Challies has a great post entitled Worshiping Worship in which he shares an excerpt from D.A. Carson's book, Worship by the Book. Carson writes:

In an age increasingly suspicious of (linear) thought, there is much more respect for the “feelings” of things - whether a film or a church service. It is disturbingly easy to plot surveys of people, especially young people, drifting from a church of excellent preaching and teaching to one with excellent music because, it is alleged, there is “better worship” there. But we need to think carefully about this matter. Let us restrict ourselves for the moment to corporate worship. Although there are things that can be done to enhance corporate worship, there is a profound sense in which excellent worship cannot be attained merely by pursuing excellent worship. In the same way that, according to Jesus, you cannot find yourself until you lose yourself, so also you cannot find excellent corporate worship until you stop trying to find excellent corporate worship and pursue God himself. Despite the protestations, one sometimes wonders if we are beginning to worship worship rather than worship God.

I hope this challenges you as much as it did me. You can read the whole post here.

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Kevin DeYoung on Governor Mark Sanford

Kevin DeYoung has a great post entitled, What We Can Learn from the Latest Political Sex Scandal. He writes as his first point:

The best of men are men at best. I don’t know if politicians are always (or often) the best of men, but they certainly are among the most powerful. We look to them for leadership. We want them to voice our ideas and ideals. We want them to be strong, yet humble, personal, yet unaffected by the common stuff of life. We expect a lot from our leaders. They rarely deliver. They often fail miserably. Both parties have had their share of sex scandals in recent years. Neither one has a monopoly on holiness. I don’t think many of our politicians have even passed GO. And I’m sure there is plenty of infidelity we don’t even hear about, not to mention the back room deals, lies, slander, pride, and greed that take place all the time. Some trust in presidents and some in governors, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Follow the link above to read the whole post.

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Challies' Take

Tim Challies offers these comments regarding Jackson's death:

Michael Jackson was in so many ways a product of this sick celebrity culture (that he helped create) that will never rest satisfied until it has both created and then destroyed the newest celebrity. We want our celebrities to start strong and finish weak, to begin with a bang and then fizzle, pop and sputter, all for our enjoyment and entertainment (Susan Boyle stands as the most recent example of this). Jackson gave us so much to talk about, so much to enjoy. More than any other celebrity he embodied the "vanities" of Ecclesiastes. He was at one time known for what he did so well and then was known for being a freak; he was at one time fantastically wealthy and then utterly broke; he was once loved and then despised. He had it all and yet, it seemed, he had nothing. All of it was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Read more here.

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Justin Taylor on Michael Jackson's Death

He writes:

It is hard to think of a sadder public figure in recent years. A black man who never found his identity as one created in God's image, and who never experienced the identity of being conformed to the image of Christ. Black and white, male and female, rich and bankrupt, genius and punchline, private and public, innocent and deceptive--everything seemed to be jumbled up.

The one thing that comes to mind about Jackson is how bad he was at hiding his brokenness. Even while living in a literal fantasy and, it was obvious to everyone that this was a person- enormously gifted--desperately seeking a mask to cover, in futility, who he was.

May God use even this to increase our compassion and ministry to the lost, broken, and confused.

Read his whole post, as well as an update by Andrew Sullivan here.

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Why John Piper Doesn't Have Television

John Piper has a great post on why he doesn't have a television and rarely goes to movies. He writes:

It’s the unremitting triviality that makes television so deadly. What we desperately need is help to enlarge our capacities to be moved by the immeasurable glories of Christ. Television takes us almost constantly in the opposite direction, lowering, shrinking, and deadening our capacities for worshiping Christ.

One more smaller concern with TV (besides its addictive tendencies, trivialization of life, and deadening effects): It takes time. I have so many things I want to accomplish in this one short life. Don’t waste your life is not a catchphrase for me; it’s a cliff I walk beside every day with trembling.

TV consumes more and more time for those who get used to watching it. You start to feel like it belongs. You wonder how you could get along without it. I am jealous for my evenings. There are so many things in life I want to accomplish. I simply could not do what I do if I watched television. So we have never had a TV in 40 years of marriage (except in Germany, to help learn the language). I don’t regret it.

Read his full reasoning here.

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Kevin DeYoung on Liking What the Bible Teaches

Kevin DeYoung has a powerful post on our attitude towards God's Holy Word. He writes:

This also means that we should do away with the pseudo-spiritual language of "I don't like what the Bible says about this, but I still believe it." Poppycock. While I suppose, all things considered, its better that someone embrace complementarianism kicking and screaming rather than not at all, why are you kicking and screaming at God's word in the first place? I understand that we may all have periods of struggle where we wrestle to fully understand and embrace some element of biblical teaching. But as an indefinite attitude, begrudging acceptance is not a good option. Don't we trust that God is good? Is not the law of the Lord our delight?

Read the whole thing here.

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Optimistic Outlook of the SBC

I have been deeply encouraged by the work of leaders such as Albert Mohler, Danny Akin and Mark Dever this year at the SBC. They are fighting for the future of the convention to be Gospel centered and focused on fulfilling the Great Commission. Michael Spencer writes a summary of what has been occurring at the SBC. Spencer's sixth point is especially encouraging, where he writes:

The patient teaching of the Gospel and church-centered theology by the Founders Ministries and 9Marks has paid off in more fruit than can be put in a basket. Hundreds and hundreds of young people, hungry to hear how to build a Gospel centered, God honoring, missionary focused church. It is astonishing. It may not be revival, but it is a solid outcome that will make a huge difference for a small number of churches.

Praise God for these men and their fight to stand firm and give hope for the future. Read the rest of Spencer's post here. Visit the Great Commission Resurgence for more information regarding the motion that has been a huge step forward at this years convention.

HT: JT

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Why We Love The Church

Here is a great sample from Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck's new book Why We Love The Church. I am very excited about this book and look VERY forward to reading it. Their last book, Why We're Not Emergent, was one of the best books I've ever read and perhaps the best book I've read on the subject of the Emergent Church. Kevin's blog shares this excerpt from one of Ted's chapters:

Church isn’t a magic pill that you take, that punches your ticket for heaven. Nor is it a glorified social/country club you attend to be around people who talk/think/look/act like you do. It’s a place to go each week to hear the Word of God spoken, taught, and affirmed. It’s a place to sing praises to our God, even if those songs do sometimes feel a bit awkward. It’s a place to serve others. It’s a place to be challenged. Sometimes you’ll feel uncomfortable with those challenges, because sometimes your life will need to change. This has been the case with me.

Read the whole excerpt Kevin offers here.

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C.J. Mahaney on Personal Criticism

C.J. Mahaney has a great post regarding personal criticism and how the Gospel calls us to respond when criticized. He writes:

Far too often, my initial impulse has been to dismiss the criticism and defend myself, not realizing that this response is simply an evidence of pride.

Luther’s words directly confront my temptation to a prideful response, because he reminds me that, even if the criticisms are inaccurate or exaggerated, there remain in my heart many other sins that go unnoticed by my critics. And had my critics been aware of these other sins, they surely would have put them to use in their cause

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Have You Checked Your Mirror Lately?

Tim Challies writes regarding the importance of reading "the mirror" that is God's Word and furthermore the importance of doing so at the onset of your day. In his post he writes:

There have been other times that I've read the Bible, but have not allowed it to penetrate or to take hold. I've been just the person James warns about who "looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like." I have looked quickly, glanced briefly, but have not looked long enough to allow the Scripture to reflect back to me my sin and God's standard of holiness. I have gone merrily on my way having already forgotten to be both a hearer and a doer.

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Who Is Your Jesus?

Kevin DeYoung has a great post entitled "Who Do You Say That I Am?" adapted from his message entitled "Christ's Life" at the NEXT Conference. In the post he describes the many different ways our culture views Jesus (which I find both incredibly sad and somewhat humorous at the same time). He concludes by saying this:

This Christ is not a reflection of the current mood or the projection of our own desires. He is our Lord and God. He is the Father’s Son, Savior of the world, and substitute for our sins–more loving, more holy, and more wonderfully terrifying than we ever thought possible.

I encourage you to read the whole post. Trust me, it's very much worth your time.

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Summer Reading List

Summer always brings a lot of excitement, joy, relaxation, free time and READING! Especially for college students, summer is always the most opportune time to catch up on reading or read for leisure instead of books that are required for class. The following is a list of books I plan to read this summer with a brief explanation of why I am reading them now. I encourage you to click on the title and check out more information regarding the books. Hopefully this will encourage you to pick up a book or two as well, and who knows...maybe one off my list will catch your eye!

Stand: A Call to the Endurance of the Saints by John Piper and Justin Taylor. This book, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor is based off the Desiring God Conference in 2007 and gives readers a case for biblical perseverance in ministry. I'm reading this book at this point to gain a biblical view of how to stand strong persevere in the ministry that awaits me.

The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World by David F. Wells. This is a book that my dad has been imploring for me to read for months and months now. Finally, it has reached the top of my list! My dad has used this book for illustrations in countless sermons and according to him, Wells does a phenomenal job in calling readers to stand firm in the Gospel and what is Biblical.

What Is A Healthy Church? by Mark Dever. This small book has been acclaimed as one of the best books on the church and how the church should function. I have wanted to read one of Dever's books for a long time and have heard that this is one of his best.

What Is A Healthy Church Member? by Thabiti Anyabwile. I love hearing Thabiti speak and have yet to read his book. I received this book as a gift from my father for preaching last summer and feel that it would be great to read this alongside What Is A Healthy Church?

Why Johnny Can't Preach: The Media Have Shaped the Messengers by T. David Gordon. I have been looking forward to reading this book ever since reviews started popping up on Justin Taylor and Tim Challies' blogs. Considering my field of study and the career God is calling me to, this book is a must read in my opinion and I have heard nothing but great things about it. I ordered it the other day and am looking very forward to its arrival so that I can break it open and read!

This is my list as of now. If it changes or I finish these books and have time for one or two more, I'll post later as well as provide updates on my progress. Enjoy your summer and catching up on some reading!

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Westminster Bookstore

I am a part of a "Blog Partners Program" with Westminster Bookstore. They are a great resource for great books at a great price. I encourage you to go to their website and browse their website and see what all they have to offer!

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The Idol of Self Glory

John Bloom has a great post at Desiring God entitled Exposing the Idol of Self Glory. In it he writes:

In other words, they loved their positions and reputations more than they loved the truth—more than they loved God. So they "exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature (themselves) rather than the creator" (Romans 1:25).

We must remember that we do the same thing every time we distort or deny the truth for the sake of our own reputations. Self-glory is revealed to be an idol in our heart when the Lord presents us with an opportunity to glorify him by speaking the truth about our convictions or our sins, yet we are unwilling to do it for fear of what someone else will think of us.

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Twittering in Church

Joshua Harris and John Piper both have great posts regarding using twitter and other forms of social media while in church. Harris writes in his post:

God's word preached is so important, so precious, I don't want anything to distract me from hearing it. What if those two minutes in which I'm distracted are the two minutes my soul needs the most?

Read the rest of his post here and Piper's complimentary post here.

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Kevin DeYoung: Defining Discourse Down

Kevin DeYoung has a great article entitled Defining Discourse Down. I read it a few weeks back and was deeply challenged. In it he shares a powerful quote by A.W. Tozer which says:

The kingdom of God, has suffered a great deal of harm from fighters--men who would rather fight than pray; but the kingdom of God has also been done great harm by men who would rather be nice than right.

I encourage you all to go read the whole thing and hopefully be challenged as I have.

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New GirlTalk Website

One of the best blogs/tools for women to use on the internet today is GirlTalk from Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters. I recommend that every girl/women make it a practice to read this blog and the many good insights they have to give. They just launched a new layout/website which you can access here.

HT: JT

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DeYoung on Leviticus

Kevin DeYoung has a great series of posts from a sermon from Leviticus regarding sexual sin. The following are the links to the four parts:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

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Free ESV Study Bible Giveaway!

James Grant is giving away a free ESV Study Bible. The deadline is this Friday and you can go here to enter.

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Blogging BCM: What Is Sanctification?

Last night Tim spoke about sanctification. For me, this message was powerful and was something I really needed to hear. Perhaps the greatest thing Tim said that needs to remain a challenge to all of us was:

Maybe the world is satisfying you more than God is.

How often do we let the things of the world satisfy us more than the Creator who created us. I felt this message and this challenge specifically brought our semester focused on worldliness to a great close. We must not let the things of this world satisfy us more than our God. Today I want to look at sanctification and its implications for moving away from the satisfactions of this world to being satisfied only and truly in Jesus Christ.

Sanctification is a term referred to greatly in Scripture. 1 Thessalonians even goes as far to say in chapter 4, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification." We must realize that it is God's will for us to be sanctified. When Christ enters our lives through the process known as regeneration, we are made anew and begin the process of sanctification. It is this process that requires us to move away from the things we do that please this world, to only those things that will please God. Tim shared a great verse from Romans 6 last night that talks about this process:

I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Once we are in Christ, we no longer are regarded as sons of lawlessness (1 John 3:4), but sons of obedience (Romans 16:19, 2 Corinthians 7:15, 1 Peter 1:22). So therefore we must present our members as slaves to righteousness. Now what does it mean here by our members? The Greek word for members means our bodies. We are to give our bodies over to be slaves of righteousness. Seeking to use our bodies for that which glorifies God, leading to our sanctification.

Throughout our walk as Christians, we will go through the long process of sanctification. We must realize that this is a long process. We will not be fully sanctified over night. We will make mistakes. It is in this that we understand that it is not us who can sanctify ourselves, but it is the process of the Holy Spirit, through the power and work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. In His high priestly prayer recorded in John 17, Jesus Christ cried out to God:

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

It is in these verses that we see a true picture of sanctification. It is here we see that Christ calls us to not be of this world, and to not be satisfied by the things that this world will offer, but to be satisfied in the One True God. It is here that we see how we are sanctified. We are sanctified in truth, which is the Word of God. We must constantly dive into and remain in the Word of God for the process of sanctification to abound in our lives. Ultimately though, these verses show us that Christ came to be consecrated, to die, that we may be sanctified in His truth. We ultimately find our sanctification at the cross, where as I have said in previous blog posts, we see the depraved creatures we truly are and see our full need for Christ as Savior in our lives. It is when we read these verses, we see that Christ came and died on the cross that we might be sanctified. That we might move away from the pleasures and grips that this world offers us and grab on to God. It is when we realize and move towards this fact that we move closer and closer to God in Christ through the process of sanctification.

Things to focus on in your daily devotions:

1. Study John 17 and Romans 6.

2. In what ways do you need to stop satisfying this world and start satisfying God?

3. Dwell on the things God has done in your life and the things, through His power in the process of sanctification, he has enabled you to let go of.

As always, if you need to talk or have more questions regarding sanctification or worldliness, do not hesitate to talk to Tim or myself.

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A Bigger Problem Than Death

Watch this great clip of Joshua Harris' sermon:



For more go to Covenant Life's website.

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Blogging BCM: Not All Paths Lead to God

Last night Dan spoke on the subject of not all paths lead to God. This message was very timely in the fact that our culture so often believes the opposite of this. Dan shared at the beginning of his message:

This is our cultural current. You can do whatever you do if it feels right to you. As long as you don't infringe on others you can do it.

Dan touched briefly on the fact that so often our culture is too tolerant. We don't want to infringe on others beliefs. We don't want to offend anyone with what we say. So we mosey through life, protecting this thing we call "the Gospel" from reaching anyone around us. If we were to even think about sharing the Gospel to those in our lives, it would be offensive and might push them away. We might loose them as a friend. Question...if we lose a friend because we try to share with them the greatest news they could possibly ever receive, are they truly a friend we want to have? This is our culture. The culture of "coexist." I hate that term so much. Let us coexist in this world, not bothering each other with what we believe. We can be friends and not even discuss what we believe. As long as we're tolerant of each others beliefs and I don't offend you and you don't offend me, we are good. I am going to make a pretty bold statement. We, as Christians in this coexist culture, must stand firm in proclaiming the Gospel. If we buy into the lies of Satan, if we sit back and remain tolerant, we are coexisting people into hell. Hell is a reality. A very, very real and dangerous reality. I am sure that if we all knew exactly, descriptively what hell was like, we wouldn't just sit back and withhold our precious Gospel. Christ came to this world claiming He is the only way. He says in John 14:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

How much more plain can it get that Christ is the only way...only path...to God. Who is this Christ, one might ask? What is this Gospel that we hold so dear. I think the passage Dan used in Colossians last night explains it very well. Colossians 1:15-22 reads:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.

That is the picture of who Christ is. That is the Gospel. That in Him, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, we might be reconciled in order to be presented as holy and blameless and above reproach before God. Through Him, we have our path to God. No other path will lead us to God. No other path will lead us to Heaven. So why do we sit around and tolerate this coexist nonsense, when we should be proactive in going out and proclaiming this Truth that we have. We must be passionate and stand firm in knowing that Christ is our only path to God, and it is our duty to proclaim this Truth to the whole world.

Things to reflect on throughout your personal devotions:

1. Study Colossians 1:15-22. How does this describe the person and work of Christ? How does this relate to Him being the only true path to God?

2. Are you tolerant and afraid to offend people? In what ways do you need to stop being tolerant and start proclaiming?

3. Who in your life has yet to realize that Christ is the only way to God? In what ways can God use you to help them see this truth?

As always, if you need anything or have any questions, do not hesitate to ask Tim, Dan or myself.

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A.W. Tozer on The Cross

A.W. Tozer writes:

The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-by to his friends. He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more.

The race of Adam is under death sentence. There is no commutation and no escape. God cannot approve any of the fruits of sin, however innocent they may appear or beautiful to the eyes of men. God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life.

That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of its hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world, it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up onto a higher plane; we leave it at the cross. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die.

We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.

Read the whole excerpt here.

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Don't Let Good Friday Pass By...

Kevin DeYoung writes regarding Good Friday:

Do not let Good Friday pass you by like a set of airline instructions. Fix your eyes on the cross. Not as the place to show us our worth, but to show us the weight of our sin. Not as the place where Jesus simply felt our pain, but where he bore our penalty. Not as the place where God overturned divine justice, but where God in mercy fulfilled his justice. Not as the place where love died, but where love reigned supreme. Pay careful attention to the cross. Here we see a great salvation, delivering us from a great wrath, revealing to us a great Savior who was wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities, that by his stripes we might be healed.

Let us all take this day to dwell where the cries of Calvary can be heard. However, let us not just take this day to look at the cross. Let us not just this day meditate on the Cross. Let us dwell there everyday so that we may never for one day forget the sacrifice that was paid for our sins. But especially this day, let us reflect deeply upon the work Christ did in our place. For in our place, condemned He stood.

Read Kevin's whole post here.

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Blogging BCM: Baptism

Last night Tim talked about baptism and the Biblical basis for our practice of baptism. Today I want to share a quote from Daniel Akin's book entitled A Theology For The Church summarizing what baptism is, then briefly explain why I believe this is true and an outlook of baptism that I hold. Akin writes:

The Bible's teaching on baptism is clear in institution, command, and fulfillment. People enter the new covenant by God's grace, and the means God has graciously chosen to use is faith. Faith is not caused or created by baptism. Rather, baptism is the public confession of faith. It symbolizes a commitment by both God and the believer (1 Pet. 3:21). The submission of the believer to the water of baptism represents his or her humble request to God for a conscience cleared of guilt because of Christ's atoning blood (cf. Heb. 10:22). Baptism is an act of confession and utter dependence. In summary, baptism in the Bible is neither elevated to be the cause of conversion nor diminished to be a mere marker of inclusion in a nonsalvific convent. Rather, baptism is a public profession of God's saving work in the life of the believer.

It is clear that we understand that baptism is not required for salvation and that our salvation lies only in the fact that Christ came into this world to save us, as sinners, and died on the cross in substitution for our sins. It is only by the saving power of His blood, that we are able to inherit eternal life.

Baptism, though, is the outward expression that we received the gift of eternal life. Upon proclaiming Christ is Lord, we then are baptised (immersed) in the water to show our union with Christ in death, cleansing and resurrection. Although, I recognized and affirm that baptism is not a requirement for salvation, there are a few claims I have in regards to why I think it is an important act of the believer following their profession of faith.

First, baptism follows in that of what Christ Jesus himself did on earth. Before beginning His ministry, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. This is recorded in Matthew 3 which reads:

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

I believe that baptism is a step which Christ took as an example for us, as believers to also take. Next, baptism was the step Christ took just prior to beginning His ministry. Following His baptism, we see that Christ was led into the wilderness to be tempted, then immediately following He began His ministry. Baptism is a public profession that we are in Christ and that we are committing to a life of ministry, whatever that may be. I firmly believe that if you cannot publicly proclaim Christ through baptism, how can you publicly proclaim Him throughout the world. Baptism therefore, is the first step in the life of ministry Christ calls us to upon receiving Him as Savior and Lord.

Finally, baptism is a physical example of the spiritual baptism that has taken place. Through baptism, we are public showing the baptism that has taken place in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul writes in Colossians 2:

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

What Paul is describing here is not the physical baptism of being immersed in the water, but the Spiritual baptism that takes place by the power of the Holy Spirit when Christ comes into our lives. The act of physical baptism is an outward proclamation of those throughout the church and in our lives that we have been baptized with Christ by the power of the Spirit. Therefore the baptism of a new believer should be the celebration of the fact that they have died with Christ, been cleansed by His blood and are made alive in His resurrection. Oh the power and glory of such a proclamation, especially as we reflect and celebrate these Truths throughout this sacred week.

Questions to focus on in your personal devotions:

1. Study the different passages that discuss baptism in the Bible and think about the Biblical calling of the act of baptism.

2. Have you been baptized? If so, think about your baptism and how you felt through the profession of your faith. If not, is it something you feel God calling you to do?

3. Throughout this week, remember to dwell (as we should every day) on the final days of Christ's life, especially His death and resurrection.

As always, if you have any questions regarding baptism or anything else, do not hesitate to talk to Tim or myself.

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Jesus Wants the Rose

Here's a great excerpt from Matt Chandler's message at the 2009 Desiring God Conference.



View his whole message here.
HT: JT

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Just Do Something

Tim Challies reviews Kevin DeYoung's book entitled Just Do Something. In his review he writes:

The author who seeks to add something to this genre is entering into a very crowded field and is going to need a unique angle. Kevin DeYoung takes on this challenge and succeeds admirably, crafting a short but powerful book that really packs a punch. His unique angle is reflected in the title: Just Do Something! “My goal,” he says, “is not as much to tell you how to hear God’s voice in making decisions as it is to hear God telling you to get off the long road to nowhere and finally make a decision, get a job, and perhaps, get married.”

I purchased this book last week and am eagerly anticipating its arrival tomorrow. A great subject by a great author, I believe that this book is going to be a must buy and a must read for those who constantly question what God's will is.

Read more of Challies' review here.
Read the forward by Joshua Harris here.

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Challies on Evil as Entertainment

Tim Challies has a great post on the way evil can entertain us. In it he writes:

The internet is such a strange phenomenon and one we are really only beginning to understand, at least in terms of its impact on society and faith and family and just about everything else. What passes for entertainment on the internet would, at most other times in history, be regarded as shocking or wasteful or disgusting or maybe just plain absurd...So much of the entertainment the internet offers is entertainment at its very worst. Evil has become entertainment.

Read the whole post here.

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Resolved 2009

While I'm plugging conferences, here's another conference promo to check out:



For more information about Resolved 2009 visit their website.

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Advance 09

A promo video for the upcoming Advance 09 Conference in Durham, NC. This conference is one you won't want to miss. Just watch the video, it explains itself:



For more information regarding the conference visit their website.

HT: Desiring God

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Comments

I came to the realization that I had a comment blocker on my blog. I fixed it so that now anyone can comment, even if you do not have a google account.

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Book Recommendation for College Students

Jonathan Morrow has a new book out entitled, Welcome to College: A Christ-Follower's Guide for the Journey. J.P. Moreland writes regarding this book:

Wow! What a book!! Quite frankly, this is the book I’ve been waiting for the last forty years to give to college students. It is the single best volume I have ever read for preparing students for how to follow Jesus and flourish as his disciple in college. Welcome to College is very readable, the chapters are short yet filled with content, it covers apologetic, biblical, social and moral issues, and it provides critical information that is right to the point. Every parent with a child in or going to college should read this book. Adults should give it as a high school graduation present to every young believer they know. Youth directors need to know the content of this book and recommend it widely. And parachurch ministries like Campus Crusade, InterVarsity, and Navigators should make this a top priority for all staff and students to study. Morrow is to be thanked for writing Welcome to College for such a time as this.

Something we, as college students, might want to consider investing in.

For more information on the book or the author, you can visit the author's website.

HT: JT

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