One Sheep Ponders

Ex Fear Factor

2012-02-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

"You can't believe that! That is not true! I thought you were smarter than that!"

Have you ever been afraid of telling others your beliefs? Holding your tongue for fear of the reaction you will receive? There was a time in my life when I would hold back on telling others what I believe about God. My fear of their reaction kept my tongue paralyzed. How did that change? How did I get over the fear factor of what others will say? Let me share with you what I have learned.

There is this call in protestantism of "Sola Scriptura!" It's a famous call from a famous era in church history. Some define sola scriptura thusly: Scripture has the final say-so, over custom, tradition, opinions. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it? Here's the problem with it: most who talk about it, do not do it.

There are descendants of the reformation that proclaim they are sola scriptura, yet they make requirements of scripture. The demand placed upon the bible is logic. It is a form of doubt. It is humanism disguised as godly interpretation. It is saying, in essence, our finite brains can understand the infinite wisdom of God. It is not sola scriptura to require scripture to fit into our understanding. It is prideful.

"Let God be true though every one were a liar." Read that again and let it sink in. It is from Romans 3. That, in essence, is Sola Scriptura. When the bible tells us baptism doth now save you, it does. Shocking? Read that bit from Romans 3 again. When you come to a passage of scripture that someone has told you is not true, turn to Romans 3. When you come to a passage of scripture that you find shocking, read Romans 3.

This is sola scriptura. It does not take away God's word by tradition, opinion, custom, or logic. It receives God's word by faith, even if it is not understood right now, today. It is true because God tells us it is true. That is how I removed the fear factor when talking to others of shocking topics. It is shocking that I can believe that baptism saves because the God of the universe tells me it is true.

Your King Comes

2011-12-18T08:09:00.000-08:00

And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' whether they hear or refuse to hear." Ezekiel 3:11

Your King comes in words of the Gospel. He seeks you out by using the mouths of others, or by reading of scripture.

The man had dialed a wrong number and reached me at work. I did a little bit of digging to refer him to the correct phone number. I talked with him a little bit, and then he began confessing some of his doubt and insecurity to me. I was able to remind him of Jesus’ forgiveness of sin, and the assurance we have. “You are baptized, right?” “Yes.” “You are adopted.” He hung up the phone and we were both in Christ, peaceful.

In the downtown Holiday Parade, our church had a float. I walked alongside the float, wishing onlookers “Merry Christmas” and handing out Nativity stickers to children whose parents gave permission. I was smiling, most people smiled back. A few said “No thanks” to the Nativity stickers, so I just continued on. There were a lot of people ahead of me to greet for Jesus’ sake! I came to one man, and said “Merry Christmas” to him and his response was, “Stop the brainwashing”. I carried on, but could hear him behind me yelling “Stop the brainwashing” louder and louder. It was evident the gospel message was coming through the float loud and clear.

Your King comes in sacraments. He names you and claims you in baptism. He continues to come by giving you grace in the Lord’s Supper, where He tells us, “This is my body for you” and “This is my blood for you”, the blood of the new covenant.

The first time I partook of the Lord’s Supper while believing Jesus’ words of what the elements are I was giddy with joy. It is unexplainable other than to say Jesus’ words are true. He does not lie to us when He says He is the bread of life, and His blood is the new covenant.

Your King comes to you as a human, born as a dependent baby, to insignificant parents. He was born to forgive the world of sin, to become sin for us. He became one of us to save us.

Your King comes.

To see more of Your King Comes: http://luthermatic.blogspot.com/

My Joy

2011-11-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18

I have a friend like that. It does not matter what I say to this friend, he never rejects me. Fairweather friends are many. Some linger awhile longer, some leave quickly. Some take and take, without giving. A listening ear is all that they want, without having to listen in return. For some, the newness wears off and they wander to chase a newer bauble. I am not a bauble, so I bid them farewell and Godspeed.

My brother-friend told me that I should expect to be rejected and despised. Those things should not surprise me, but somehow they always do.When life becomes challenging, my one true friend doesn't leave. He listens to all my whining and heartaches. Patiently, he listens and shows me my faults. Even bringing up embarrassing emotions, he shows me without shaming me and listens. I am so thankful for this friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Do you know him? His name is Jesus.

He told me long ago that he was despised and rejected, and all of us that belong to Him should not expect to be treated any differently. Thank you, Jesus, for sticking closer to me than a brother. For being the faithful One that loves me, with all my faults and imperfections. He loves you, too, dear reader.Praise God!

Mourning Rises

2011-11-02T21:59:00.001-07:00

Miles and miles apart, almost 2000 miles. But the fondness and love remained. Encouraged and encouraging is how I think of her.

When Madeline was young, she told me, "Draw her now as a baby. While she looks this way to you, draw her now. Do not wait."

We grew up miles and miles apart, many more than 2000 miles apart. She in Mexico City, me in San Jose. Two different countries, two different cultures. She fascinated me. So different, yet the same.

"Maybe you have grandma's artistic ability. Someone in our family should!" I tell her it's really in my brother.

The grief grips my belly and tears rise in the bottom of my eyes. They leak over and down my cheeks leaving tiny rivulets that I try to brush away lest someone will see. The little streams arrive at unexpected times.

Cousin, I miss you.

Juanita, March 10, 1952 – October 27, 2011

http://deathreferencedesk.org/2011/10/30/juanita-garciagodoy-march-10-1952-october-27-2011/

Say What Herr Doctor Luther?

2011-10-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

From all this it is easy to understand why faith has such great power, and why no good works, nor even all good works put together, can compare with it; since no work can cleave to the word of God, or be in the soul. Faith alone and the word reign in it; and such as is the word, such is the soul made by it; just as iron exposed to fire glows like fire, on account of its union with the fire. It is clear then that to a Christian man his faith suffices for everything, and that he has no need of works for justification. But if he has no need of works, neither has he need of the law; and, if he has no need of the law, he is certainly free from the law, and the saying is true: "The law is not made for a righteous man." (1 Tim. i. 9.) This is that Christian liberty, our faith, the effect of which is, not that we should be careless or lead a bad life, but that no one should need the law or works for justification and salvation.

I read that at least three times. Stunned.

Realizing how difficult it is to hear that those that live by faith have no need of works, and hence no need of the law. We think we can obey the law and thereby perform good works and Father will love us more than some other person.

Jesus accomplished our justification for us apart from our help. Father approves of us, apart from our works. Do not fret, dear Christian, over your works. Live by the faith given to you from above!

To Be or Not To Be

2011-08-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

"Remember Dad's 60th birthday?"

"Yes, I do. All us kids were here. It was great."

"Look what I found in Mom's closet. It's the family tree chart that I made for Dad's birthday."

"Oh, wow! That's great. I had forgotten that you made that for Dad."

"Goes back to the old country. Look at all the -dotter and -sen names. The dates are late 1700's."

"That's cool to see again, Kevin. Glad you found it."

"Am I on there?" queries the daughter of the chart's creator.

"Yeah, you're there, Liz." Dad points to the chart. "I labeled you as 'Fetus Johnson' under your mom and I."

"What, Dad?!"

Dad laughs.

"Why would you label me as a fetus?"

"Mom was still pregnant with you."

Dad laughs some more. Never making eye contact with Liz.

I am uncomfortable and look towards Liz.

Her eyes well up with tears as she turns on her heels to hide her face.

May the Holy Spirit continue to open the eyes of the daughter to see the truth that her father cannot see. Amen.

A Friend to Sinners

2011-08-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

World War II employed many strategies to conquer. One strategy was to use paratroopers to infiltrate enemy territory. They would jump from planes and land secretly behind enemy lines. Not desiring to be seen by the enemy until they arrived at the desired location and time, they remained hidden. The effect they wanted to have on their opponent could happen only on the terms of the paratroopers.

The Triune God of Christianity is much like the paratroopers. He shows Himself when and where He determines for maximum effect. He is not revealed in places where we seek Him. He hides until the location and timing are accurate and effective. We are naturally suspicious of God and do not trust His revelation so we seek Him where we think He is, in our speculations, systematics, and guesses. Some seek him in native and pagan religions; others seek him in nature; still others seek him behind the whys of their systematic theologies. These are misplaces. Instead, God reveals Himself where we do not seek Him.

We often look for God in our why questions. Why does God allow suffering? Why does God allow evil? Why, why, why. We have an endless supply of why questions that are answered by speculation. These speculations often build theologies. In some of the theologies, it is difficult to tell God from the devil! Does God reveal Himself in our why queries? He hides from answering our whys. He reveals Himself in Word, preached and read, and in Sacraments. He tells us He is a friend to sinners, He creates all things new, He kills our old nature to create a new creature with His Word.

The triune God reveals Himself in the Spirit by whom we receive the Father's reconciling work through the Son. The Son will not be found apart from being begotten by the Father and raised from the dead; the Father won't be found without sending the Son to do the reconciling work on the cross; and the Holy Spirit will not be found without glorifying both the Father and the Son by giving us understanding of the Gospel, that is for us and for our sake.

Thanks be to Christ Jesus our Lord, who quells our endless whys of non-faith!

The Joy of Dependence

2011-07-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

American culture is wrapped up in independence. We won our independence from King George III, we celebrate that independence every Fourth of July. Our modern, or post modern, culture tells us we do not need to accept the status quo, we are to be free from the chains that bound our forefathers. Often those chains are what was once called a sin, they are now referred to as an alternative lifestyle; whether it is gay marriage, or living together without benefit of marriage.

All of us, believers and unbelievers, are dependent upon our Creator. We are creatures that cannot live independently of Him. We are given life and breath; our very being is a gift from our Creator. For a Christian, this is very freeing news.

Christians can enjoy their earthiness; their creatureliness; their being. We have been freed to be fully dependent on Jesus. We can take delight in the things that bring us joy; whether it is out in nature, enjoying animals, splashing in a pool, walking a mile or two, playing an instrument, reading a well-written book, being with other creatures. We no longer need to hide from Him, as Adam and Eve did. We can have full fellowship thanks to the completed work of Jesus for our sake, the forgiveness of our sin.

There is freedom in our dependence.

Gleanings from Kolb's Bound Choice

2011-07-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

God-chases. I love that term that Robert Kolb uses in this book I am currently reading. God-chases refers to the human activity of attempting to seek out the Hidden God, rather than receiving the Revealed God. The Hidden God is the innermost parts of God that are not revealed in scripture. To truly see God we look at Jesus.

>which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ~ Col 2, ESV

It's not possible for creatures to find out everything about God. When we go on God-chases, in light that our minds are darkened by sin, we will end up with a tamed God that looks like us, or is to our liking. Searching for God apart from his Word leads to arrogance or despair.

The world is black and white. Luther has said, "Outside of Christ is nothing but Satan, apart from grace nothing but wrath, apart from light only darkness, apart from the Way only error, apart from the Truth only a lie, apart from Life only death." It is either in Christ, or not in Christ. There is no grey area here.

When we accept and believe the revealed God and his Word, he will also reveal the hidden God.

Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? ~John 14, ESV

As an example, when other Christians deny Mary as the Theotokos, they cannot see the hidden God. They will not look at Jesus being born of a woman. Fearing God will be weakened by saying that Mary is Jesus' mother, they reject Theotokos outright due to their darkened, sinful minds.

It is also so regarding sacraments, where Jesus promises He will meet us. Sacramentarians are made by those God-chasers, as they arrogantly claim to know how, where, why, and when God will or will not work in our lives.

Death of Self in the Words of Christ

2011-07-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

So often I hear other Christians talk about how they are, essentially, getting better and better every day, in every way. Is that any different from the Pharisees that Jesus called hypocrites? Outwardly, desperately, trying to appear beautiful; much like a Jane Austen character putting on airs for polite society. Inwardly, they seeth against others, jockey for a higher position, compete, in secret, lest their sin be exposed.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. ~ Matthew 23, ESV

Jesus comes to create us new. He died and so must we. Why do we expect anything less? Are we his disciples or not?

But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. ~ Romans 7, ESV

For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. ~ Romans 7, ESV

We are raised to new life in our baptism. The promises are attached to our baptism. Believe that as a Christian. It is God's Holy Word and Promise to you.

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. ~ Romans 6, ESV

The love of God does not find, but creates, that which is pleasing to it. The love of man comes into being through that which is pleasing to it. ~ Heidelberg Disputation, Number 28

Therefore sinners are »attractive« because they are loved; they are not loved because they are attractive: For this reason the love of man avoids sinners and evil persons. Thus Christ says: For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (Matt. 9:13).
~ Portion of the proofs of thesis 28

So be happy that it is by your death through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you are made a new creation. The solution to the demands of the Law, is the death of the demands of the law. The Creator creates us new.

Your sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Feeling Forgiven Part Two

2011-07-03T07:47:00.001-07:00

Upon first realizing the gospel of our forgiveness of sin for the sake of Jesus, we can react in many ways: tears, crying, happiness, joy. Ultimately the underlying response of all the outward manifestations is great joy.

In our faith life, we sometimes must know we are forgiven by the words of Christ through scripture or the mouths of our friends. We may not feel forgiven, but the truth is that Jesus has declared us to be so. Then there are times when we do feel the forgiveness of Jesus. Those times are full of joy and feeling light as a feather.

When I am aware of my forgiven state I share the gospel with others more freely, without hindrance. The joy bubbles over and life is enjoyable. There are times when it is a quiet joy, as well. No matter what others say, I know my state with my Savior, the lover of my soul.

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. ~Luke 7, ESV

Feelings of Forgiveness

2011-06-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

Feelings. They can blind us, lead us astray, overwhelm us, color our vision so we cannot see truth. Emotions are inescapable; they are part of us. Do you remember first falling in love? The feeling is so overwhelming you cannot think straight. No matter what the object of your love says or does, they are idolized.

When we are captured by Jesus' love, what He says deserves belief. He is an object of love worthy of worship. He speaks truth to us about who we are. He tells us we are forgiven, even when we don't feel forgiven. The sin in our life, revealed through the truth of the God's word, reminds us we are sinners. We can use that truth to beat ourselves up over and over. Satan whispers it to us to get us to a point where we want to reject Jesus' gifts to us. Sometimes others, including preachers, use it to try to shame us into obedience.

The truth is Jesus has forgiven you. You can trust what Jesus tells you.

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26, ESV

"Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter" Mark 3, ESV

And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Luke 7, ESV

I am writing to you, little children,because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. 1 John 2, ESV

No Way Around Jesus

2011-06-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

Any doctrine that says you can go around Jesus for salvation is not a theology of the cross. Salvation is only found by going through Jesus. We cannot avoid the Human-God's life; His bloody, violent death; nor His glorious resurrection, and find salvation. We must go through Him.

So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. John 10, NASB

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14, NASB

Anything different from what is revealed to us from Holy Scripture is false. False teaching damages people by teaching doubt of God's Word, then doubt upon those who teach truth. It places a person in a precarious place of unfaith. There are trust issues that cloud the vision of people that have been under false teaching.

To reject the death and resurrection of Jesus is a false teaching sown by Satan. Not all religions have Jesus, but they all contain a tinge of truth. The truth they share is usually from God's law. Do not lie, do not murder, do not steal, and more, are clear to non-Christians. What is evident to unbelievers belongs to the second table of the law, or how we treat one another. The difference between the Christian religion and non Christian religion lies in the First Table of the Law.

What is in the first table of the law is God's revelation about His character. Those are the things we do not see that we violate except as shown to us by The Holy Spirit. This would include knowing the person and work of Christ Jesus.

No, we cannot go around Jesus, the God-Man, and His perfect life; His bloody, violent death; and His glorious resurrection for our sake. To deny those things is saying you do not think you need forgiveness, because forgiveness can only be found in Jesus Christ, our only savior.

dieciséis

2011-05-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

San Francisco beckons. Driving behind a zig zagging highway patrol car, broken honda on the embankment. Turning heads, passing the disaster, resuming speed limit. Flintstone house burnt orange. Wishing to see the inside and meet the owners. Onward, Father Serra points us.

The Park. Full of heady sights, sounds, and smells. Foxglove, mock orange, pink toddlers twirling in a field of white flowers, grass, rain, umbrellas, taxis, rhododendrons, people, vistas, planking, elevators, trees, sailboats, golden gate bridge, whitecaps, frisbees, picnic, raspberries, de Young, sphinx, bagels, laughter, smiles, bing cherries. Planking for three hundred photographs. Yes planking.

Japanese Tea Garden. Green tea with brown rice, warm. Ah, relief from drizzle and drain. Sunrays spotted. Friendly waiter. Mochi melts. Ducks on the water. Blossomless cherry trees. Year of the Rabbit. In more ways than one, year of the rabbit.

Talent Show of Harbor High. 7:30 curtain. Avoiding the rain, waiting for doors to open. Mother and daughter huddle, small umbrella. Larry in Idaho. Awaiting his return patiently, praying for safety and peace. Good talent. One singular student guitaring while singing of Jesus. Impressed with bravery.

Sunday church and sleep. Choir. Recovering. Rest. Rabbit. Michante.

Monday is it! Pirates, pancakes, popcorn. Laughing, smiling, listening to stories of planking. BJ's. Good-bye quince. Unbelievable to me.

Exposed

2011-05-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

"These people are not real" are words spoken to self-protect. I am real. Not merely words passing via a mysterious computer language. I am real. Reality lives beyond the electronic screen with words and sounds.

Fear of loss stems from one-sided requirements of a friendship. My hurts and angers cause forsakeness. Trying to keep them to myself, I cannot. They explode in my head, and then appear on the screen. Too late to backspace. They lay naked, exposed. Expect rejection.

Exclusion, non-communication, used as a bit to try to rein. The pony winces and neighs but it cries where none can hear. Rejection worked the first time. This time anger results. Hurt responds. One sided friendships are not friendships, are they?

Tears dried by ocean breezes while walking past school children playing. Tears hidden behind sunglasses, screens. They are real tears. I have real feelings. I am real. Stomach churns. Loyalty can be a weapon used against me. Grief stricken.

My friend, my friend, what does thou require of me? Whatever it is, it is law and unreachable.

"What is wrong, sis?" A friend listens to my anger, in spite of struggles. "Your sins are forgiven in Jesus."

Tears flow.

Rivers

2011-05-25T04:08:00.000-07:00

"Mom, why are you and Daddy able to forgive me and not only me, but my friends, when their own parents don't?"

Wow. What a question for a parent to hear from their teenager! Aren't car rides wonderful things? A place for people to not make eye contact, but have the most heartfelt of conversations. This was a door flung wide open with horses out in the yard in bright daylight. In that one question I could see into our daughter's thoughtfulness, her friends' lives, and an opportunity for a much bigger conversation.

Christians understand forgiveness because we know that we are forgiven. Our friends who do not know Jesus, do not understand true forgiveness. The forgiveness that Jesus provides is free flowing, like a mountain river after the winters' snow melts, it is overwhelming. Our friends that have not heard about Jesus' and all He has done for us do not know that free flowing forgiveness that has no requirements attached to it.

When friends see that forgiveness flowing from us, they may ask about it, and it turns into a wonderful opportunity to tell them about the forgiveness they have in Jesus. He has placed no requirements at all on that forgiveness, it is already there for them and for us. It takes us, or another person, to tell them this happy news so that they are able to see the forgiveness.

May the peace of the Lord be with you!

Seeds of the Atonement of Jesus

2011-04-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." Mark 4

In this tiny parable, Jesus tells us that the Good News of salvation is to be spread without a care as to who hears it. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that produces the faith in us. We hear the good news of forgiveness of sin, and we believe.

We cannot explain how it happens as we are not told how. In fact, in this little parable it says the man that scatters seed does not know how it happens, and that the earth produces by itself. It is the Holy Spirit using the Gospel that does the work.

And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." John 12

In this parable, Jesus speaks of his own death, burial, and resurrection. It is He that bears fruit, it is He that brings us life. We are the fruit that Jesus has borne. It is because of Father's great love for us that Jesus fell into the earth and died. After three days in the earth, He rose to life. We have heard the gospel, it has killed our old man, and raised up the creature of faith.

Happy Easter! He is risen! He is risen indeed!

http://fivepintlutheran.blogspot.com/2011/04/jesus-our-mercy-seat.html
http://luthermatic.blogspot.com/2011/04/cross-and-idolatry_22.html

Forgiveness

2011-04-19T05:26:00.000-07:00

The gospel is the good news that your sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus. There is nothing to add on to that good news. Not even a "if you repent". Our forgiveness does not depend on our reaction to it. It already is. We are forgiven.

Training Soldiers

2011-02-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

One's view of the sacraments, baptism and the Lord's Supper, shows itself in how one reads scripture. For instance, when one views baptism as merely an entrance into the covenant, all kinds of equivocation takes place surrounded verses that talk about the efficacy of baptism.

Abraham Kuyper is a name easily recognized among Calvinists. He is highly regarded and well-respected as a reformed theologian. Recently, I heard this quote from Abraham Kuyper, "The children of believers are to be considered as recipients of efficacious grace in whom the work of efficacious grace has already begun. And that when dying before having attained to years of discretion they can only be regarded as saved. Of course, Calvinists never declared that these things were necessarily so as they never permitted themselves to pronounce official judgment on the inward state of an adult but left the judgment to God. So they have never ususrped the right to pronounce on the presence or absence of spiritual life of infants."

Compare that quote against what scripture says about baptism, that it confers salvation, new life, makes disciples,forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the promise of resurrection, to name the promises.

I also found this catechism for Calvinists regarding infant baptism. It is full of equivocations. The very first question is about whether an infant is part of the covenant of grace.

Question 1. Are Infants of believers included in the Covenant of GraceAnswer: Yes, children are included in the Covenant of Grace, and the visible church."

What is the covenant of grace they are talking about? The catechism is stating that is it for entrance into the visible church. Did Jesus institute a covenant for entrance into the visible church?

This is the covenant Jesus instituted.

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.

~Luke 22:19-21

Today in Sunday School we asked young children how one knows that Jesus loves them. One little boy said, "When the pastor puts water on our foreheads, we know we belong to Jesus."

Out of the mouths of babes comes the straightforward answer. There was no hedging the bet, there was no equivocation by adding "baptized into the covenant of the visible church". This little boy's yes was yes!

And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil.

~Matthew 5:36-37

The Reality

2011-02-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

Types and shadows are in the Old Testament. They point to the promised Messiah. Then Jesus arrives on the scene. He brings the real deal. The shadows are brought into the light, no longer hidden.

Jesus would not institute a type or a shadow. He brings with him grace and truth. Jesus brings us gifts. The gift of salvation, the gift of baptism, the gift of new life, the gift of remission of sins, the gift of The Lord's Supper, and many more that I have not named. Dear reader, please remind me of the other gifts Jesus gives us in your comments!

These gifts are all grace. Jesus brings to us good things that we don't deserve. This is the reality. It is not a type or a shadow. Types and shadows are done away with because Jesus, our reality, is here.

I am baptized! Thank you Jesus for your grace and truth.

White Noise

2010-12-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

Dictionary.com defines the noun "white noise" this way: Also called white sound. a steady, unvarying, unobtrusive sound, as an electronically produced drone or the sound of rain, used to mask or obliterate unwanted sounds.

We can have theological white noise as well. We drown out the gospel with discussions on other topics. We sound like we are talking about important things, but it is mostly white noise, avoiding Jesus.

Systematic theology is white noise. It is the discussions about God that takes place between the proclamation of God. Even as Christians, we keep Jesus at arm's length. We don't want to hear the real message, so we discuss things that keep Jesus away.
Systematic theology can be used to drown out the real message of God. What is the real message?

The proclamation of the gospel of our Lord and Savior is the real message. That Jesus has reconciled us, and we are free. Be reconciled!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ~ 2 Corinthians 5

Singing of Jesus

2010-12-05T07:28:00.000-08:00

We met at the church's parking lot early in the morning. It was cold. The hay bales were strategically placed on the flatbed trailer. The silver foil garland was taped around the edge of the trailer. Speakers were put in the back of the pick up, and given a supply source. Microphones were plugged in and checked.

It was time to go get in the line up for the parade. Off we all went downtown to the staging area. Other parishioners arrived in the staging area. We had lots of children to dress up as angels and shepherds. Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus arrived, and took their spot on the flatbed. Everyone's excitement was rising. On the sides of the truck were banners that read "Blessings to you from Messiah Lutheran". On the front of the truck we had a gift tag that read, "To YOU, from GOD", with the hood and cab decorated to look like a present. On the manger for baby Jesus was another gift tag, saying the same.

Our small army of parishioners were ready to pass out the magnet puzzles to kids, along with the invitation to our living nativity and church services. Some of the choir sat in the truck bed and we practiced while waiting for the go ahead from the parade marshal. In front of pastor were two boys carrying our sign that read Messiah Lutheran, then Pastor walked, then the float, with our army of walkers. We had 50 people total.

This was a first for me. I could not stop smiling and making eye contact with people watching the parade. I could see people that Jesus loves. We were singing songs of reconciliation, all familiar Christmas Carols. To see faces light up with freedom to say "Merry Christmas" back to us between songs; to see that Jesus loves these people was overwhelming. In a city that most Christians say is spiritually dark, I saw how open and needy people are to hear the Gospel. We kept singing, and some would sing with us, most would smile and wave back. Smile, wave, sing of Jesus, was all I could do. It was wonderful.

Today in History

2010-11-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

"Mom. We're in lockdown. I'm in the library, in the room in the middle. Someone shot their police guard, took her gun, and ran from the medical hospital in this direction. He's six foot seven, Mom."

Stunned, I didn't know what to say. I wanted to get to the school and get her out. I'm not sure I heard anything else she said.

"Are you okay? Who is with you?"

"I'm okay. I'm really hungry and I have to pee. We can't go to the bathrooms, though. Mina is with me. There were two classes that were in the library. There are five teachers with us."

"How long have you been there?"

"Since 10:30."

"It's 1:00 now. I haven't heard from the school or anybody."

"It will be okay, Maddie. Let others use your phone if they want to call somebody. Call me back. I love you."

"Bye Mom."

That was the first phone call I received today. The television had no reports of what was happening, so I looked on the local t.v. station websites. I found one small article. It confirmed what Madeline reported to me. I called Larry to tell him what was happening. We were still in unbelief or denial. Not sure which.

Then came the second phone call.

"Mom, we're still here. I'm so hungry."

"It's noisy. Are the other kids being loud."

"They're on their phones, too. I'm scared. We've been here so long."

"I know. I've been praying. Now is a good time to pray. Tell Father on the gunman and ask for safety."

"Okay. I'll talk to you again. I love you."

"I love you, too. It will be okay."

I had so much pent up energy, but wanted to stay home. The police did not know where the gunman was. The hospital is in between the school and our home, so I locked all the doors; prayed; did chores; prayed. Then I texted Maddie this verse: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

The school sent out an automated call telling us the school is in lockdown, as the sheriff's department ordered. Another half hour passed. I called Maddie.

"Hi Maddie. You doing alright?"

"Yes. I want to leave. They announced that the man has a hostage over on English Street."

"It is good they know where he is. Now, you know he is not on campus."

"Yeah. I have to go. They're making an announcement. I love you."

"I love you."

The next phone call was from the school. They were releasing students and parents should come pick them up. I texted Maddie "I am on my way."

Maddie called, "Don't come to the usual pick up place. They won't let us go to that part of the campus. I'll meet you at the Dry Cleaners on Soquel."

"See you there."

I was so happy to see her walk up the street. We hugged.

"Where do you want to go? Home, or get some lunch?"

"Lunch, Mom. I'm starving. Can we go to the bakery?"

"Yes, let's go!"

We ordered lunch for Maddie, a coffee for me. She devoured her twice baked potato and iced tea. When she was telling me of the ordeal, she was wiping away tears.

So, I Heard About This Guy

2010-11-25T08:08:00.000-08:00

No, this guy didn't walk into a bar. His story is completely different. This guy came from a really large family. All of his half-brothers chased him out of their father's house because his mother was a prostitute. They didn't think he was respectable enough. He ended up being a mercenary. He was a strong warrior. In fact, he was a leader of mercenaries.

Eventually, his brothers and the town they lived in were in trouble. Their enemies wanted to take over their land and the town. Someone approached the mercenary and asked this guy to come lead. Can you imagine? After kicking him out, years later they seek him out to rescue them! What would you do, dear reader?

Lo and behold, the mercenary chastized them. Saying, "After you kicked me out, you want me now to save you? I wasn't good enough for you then, but now I am?"

He relented, heard their pleas, and became their salvation.

Oftentimes, we reluctantly admit our need for our Savior, Jesus Christ. This story of Jephthah gives us yet another picture of our relationship with Jesus. We want to hang onto and harbor our sin, but when we are exposed we see our need for Him. We'd prefer to save ourselves and do it our way, but we cannot. We need Him. We need a mighty warrior who will save us from ourselves.

We become our own worst enemies. We need deliverance from our own pride. We need a mighty warrior who will save us from ourselves. God came to earth. We could see, feel, hear, and touch Him. We rejected Him. We still wanted to keep our sin, so we nailed Him on a cross to die. Yet, He resurrected for us and our sake! For you and me, that is how strong Father's love is for us.

Jesus is our Mighty Warrior, our mercenary who has killed our enemies. He has conquered sin and death because we cannot.

Praise Him!

Joyriding

2010-11-13T18:28:00.000-08:00

We were driving home through the winding, mountainous road. It was blustery, but the sun had that beautiful fall light. The big leaves were falling from the deciduous trees. It was like driving through a rainstorm of red, gold, brown, and orange. We cracked the windows open to smell the crisp air.

"Mom, can I play my music?"
"Yes."

Madeline showed me The Blues Travelers' "Run Around", Dispatch's "Open Up", "Flying Horses", and "Bats in the Belfry".

Then the play list went into rap.

"I like Atmosphere because he tells stories."
"You like ballads, then."

More leaves fall. We come to our favorite turn in the road. From there we can see across Monterey Bay when it's clear. It was clear.

"The mountains look like a watercolor painting."
"They do, Mom."
"You have Creedence Clearwater?"
"Yes." M laughs.
"That was my first album. You know what an album is, right?"
"Yes, Mom." Laughs again.

We started singing along with "All Along the Watchtower", and "Purple Haze." Jimi Hendrix, too. There's something about that old rock and roll.

And we kept singing until we got home. I had not heard Madeline sing since elementary school. It was a joyous ride.

Words of Love

2010-11-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

"What is the Gospel? How can I be saved?" were the questions asked by the newcomer to the group.

"Predestination says that God chooses who He will save," came one reply.

"Election is how one is saved," replied another sinner.

"The Church tells us we must do penance."

Do you see the problem? What measly, pitiful answers! All the packaged theology stifled the words of love from coming to the fore. The answers were not clear, they were muddied. The replies were not answers at all!

Theology should always bring us to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Theology should never impede the mouths that should announce God's love for us. When theology points us to places other than Jesus, the lover of our soul, it is in need of repair.

The good news that you have been reconciled to God are the words of love from Jesus. Be reconciled!

Golden Calf Days of Yore

2010-11-06T17:11:00.000-07:00

Remember the good ol' days? Most of us think they exist. We talk about them fondly. "Life was simpler then. Less complicated and easier to manage." I remember being young and the concerns that plagued me and others over schoolyard politics. Will I be the last one chosen for the dodgeball team? Is Suzy going to try to trip me during jumprope today? Must I suffer that embarrassment again?

Some even go so far as to think the early church had things easy; that those were the good ol' days. A reading through Corinthians should dispel one of the notion that those days were a breeze.

There are days I want to return to my fictitious golden days of yore. The times when I felt I could control God, or manage Him. He was so prettily packaged with a flower, the Calvinist TULIP. I thought it was a sure foundation; I thought it explained God in a very logical, easy-to-understand package.

Now, God is God. He hides from me, except in Jesus. I only know Him through Jesus, The Word and Sacrament. No more peering behind the cross to try to keep Him contained. Trying to look into the why's of God creates speculation. Scripture tells us to avoid speculation. Speculation causes doubt and uncertainty. Clear words are muddied, and sometimes completely turned upside down to mean the exact opposite of the word.

My vision must stop at the Gospel. The best place to stop is at the Gospel. The gospel contains my justification and my sanctification. It is at the cross where Jesus' love for me shines brightest. He loves me, He saves me, He gives me life, He gives me righteousness, He gives me faith. We must return to the assurance in the Gospel. Always.

HTML and Beyond

2010-11-03T05:01:00.000-07:00

The text I received on my blackberry shocked me. What my friend once swore off is now being embraced as a ministry. The news was not new to him; only to me. The work I did was being jettisoned by my co-laborer. A kind of grief engulfed me.

Two years we had tried to get this Christian website up and running. The intended use was for edification of ourselves and others. Not knowing how to grow the site it never did much but flounder. The reality was it was a lonesome website to tend.

I now have to decide what to do with the abandoned carcass. Do I give the website a burial now? Do I save the work I did for future date? Do I use it for my own purposes now? It is still left in my hands to deal with, as my partner tosses it out of his mind and has already returned to the place he once rejected.

We are free.

Pennies and Stickers

2010-10-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

Remember last week when we talked about sin? What did we say about sin? All people have it, it is messy, it is not believing what God says about us, it is a word used in the bible. Think of something wrong you did last week. Maybe you disobeyed your parents, or lied to somebody. Think of one thing, but don't say it out loud.

See these pennies and how dirty they are? Everybody hold one penny, and remember that wrong thing you did this week. Now place the penny back on the plate. Thank you.

I will put this sticker on your forehead, but you cannot touch it with your hands. That sticker represents the thing you did that was wrong. We all have stickers on our faces because we've all sinned. Our hearts are messy on the inside.

Now, let's try to remove that mess, and those stickers. Think really hard and see if those stickers will pop off. Did it work? Think really hard and see if you can undo that sticker. Why can't we undo the bad things we've done in the past?

We do not get any do overs for the bad things we have done. We can't take back our words or actions. Sins stay put, just like those stickers we have on our faces.

But God cleans up those sins for us. I'm going to read you something a King wrote. His name was David. You may have heard of him, he slayed a giant when he was young. He got in big trouble when he became a king. Big, big Trouble! Let's see what David says to God in Psalm 51:

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. `ESV

Father sent Jesus to pay for our sins. All those dots that represent sin are cleansed. Jesus died for our sin, and rose three days later, or came to life again three days later, to make us clean. King David believed Jesus did this for him. I believe Jesus did this for you and me, too.

Remember those pennies? I put hot sauce on one side while we were talking. If I wipe it off, look what happens to the penny. It is cleaner, but not completely clean. God makes us completely clean. He forgives us of our sin. Isn't that good news?

Bare Naked Lady

2010-10-27T04:25:00.000-07:00

So unprepared was I for what happened last week that I was completely blindsided by the Law and it's accusations against me. I thought I was preparing a simple gospel lesson and devotion for children. You can read the devotion in the blog post here. It snowballed into what seemed a ceaseless rail of accusations that swept others into the overwhelming speed of my own sinful avalanche.

Upon reviewing my devotion for the kids with my co-worker in the Lord, she told me that children should not be told that Jesus died for their sin, that it was too scary of a concept for them. I ignored that advice and went ahead with the lesson I had developed. I was interrupted several times during my devotion, and given a look of surprise that I had gone ahead with the lesson as planned. I left feeling confused, as if I had done the wrong thing.

Then while talking to some friends after this experience, which they were unaware of, I misinterpreted some things that were said. I thought they were suggesting we end our friendship. Feelings of rejection and being in middle school again were resurfacing. Amazing how long those hurts stay with us from when we were not yet teens. Then in an attempt to encourage that rejection I said some very unkind things. Thankfully, two of the friends responded quizzically with, "Julie, this isn't like you. What is going on?" One brother in the Lord helped me to see what had happened.

To my wounded friends, I am so sorry. Forgive me.

Being new to understanding God's word in terms of Law and Gospel, this was my first awareness of a spiritual attack. My conscience and sins were being thrown before me. I needed to run to Jesus for refuge. In my confusion, I came out swinging with deadly words. My faith was on trial and I did not know what to do about it. I had forgotten to remind myself of the Gospel; that Jesus paid for all my sin, past, present, and future.

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. ~ 1 John 3:19-23

Since this incident, I have talked to my co-laborer with the children and we talked about what happened that afternoon. We know one another better now. I will continue to tell children that Jesus loves them and died for them, because it is true.

Believing What God Says About Me

2010-10-18T13:10:00.002-07:00

Have you ever drawn a self portrait? Were other people able to recognize you? In a large group, where everybody draws a self portrait, all the drawings will look different. It would be interesting to have each person hold another person's portrait and then match it to the artist.

There are many ways that we are different from one another besides our appearance. Some of us are good at one thing; while others excel at something else. For instance, one of my friends is very outspoken and open with her views on everything and anything; I am usually quiet and reserved. We often think differently from our closest friends.

When God created the world he said it was good. When He created humankind he called us very good. Does "very good" refer to you and me, too? Sometimes we don't feel good about ourselves and we know we have been naughty or we have sinned.

The differences we see in people around us can cause us feelings of jealousy, envy, and even hatred. We want what they have. Sometimes we begin to hate ourselves because of the things others say about us, and we begin to believe them.

When we lie to other people, God knows. When we are mean to other people, God knows. When we are sorry that we hurt others, God knows. When we tell God that we have hurt our friends, He will forgive us when we ask Him to.

When we disobey mommy and daddy, they still love us. Mommy and Daddy do not stop loving us when we are naughty. God is our Father also. He does not stop loving us when we sin. Does God love us even when we sin? The answer is Yes. We know this because He sent Jesus to die for our sin.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Baptism: The Great Exchange

2010-09-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

On our way to church, Larry and I were discussing the Ark of the Covenant, or Ark of the Testimony, and Joshua 3-5. God parted the Jordan, just like the Red Sea; this time the Israelites were out to conquer, rather than fleeing. While talking about this, my thoughts jumped to Jesus' baptism.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1, ESV

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." Matthew 3, ESV

John the Baptizer was also puzzled as to why Jesus, the sinless One, was asking to be baptized. John baptized for repentance. We also wonder along with John. Jesus was baptized to identify with us; to take our sin. This is the beginning of Jesus' ministry for you and for me. He took our sin in His baptism. He took the sin of the whole world in His baptism. He became sin for us.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5, ESV

In our baptism, we put on Christ. Scripture is clear on this. We are told many times we put on Christ in baptism. The Great Exchange takes place, our sin for His righteousness.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3, ESV

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6, ESV

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me this. Praise God!

God's Grandeur by Gerard Manley Hopkins

2010-09-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

The Knockout Punch

2010-09-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

"God wants us to obey His commands!" Was the cry by the majority of people when asked this question regarding Joshua Chapter 1: Summarize the message of this chapter in one sentence.

One lone voice answered, "Faith displays itself in action."

If you recall, Joshua 1 tells us how God commissions Joshua to take the place of Moses, God promises Joshua that he will conquer the land and no one will be able to oppose him, if he meditates on the law and does not swerve to the left or to the right. Refresh yourself by reading it, dear Reader.

God's command in scripture is that we believe Him and walk in the confidence that He does not lie. To some they hear scripture say: if we obey all that God commands us to do, we will have success. They want to climb a ladder up to God, rather than believe what God tells us when He comes down that ladder to us.

Climbing up a ladder to God is no different than all other religions of the world. There is a penance one must do to achieve Nirvana, by emptying all self; Allah weighs your good deeds against your bad deeds and may capriciously disregard your good deeds. Christianity is completely upside down from the idea that we can climb up a holiness ladder to have a relationship with God. God became man for us and for our salvation.

Joshua 1 is a wonderful chapter on faith and what it looks like. Joshua believed God and put that faith into action. To obey is to believe. It is faith that obeys, without faith we cannot please God. Faith acts on God's promises. Faith sees God's promises. Faith believes.

Jesus, Lord of All

2010-09-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

John 6:32-33

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.

John 3:31

These few verses verify that Jesus is Lord of all. Jesus tells us that He came from above in John 6. Then in John 3 He tells us that He is above all. To say that Jesus is not Lord of all is to deny that He is God.

Lordship salvation teaches that we must "make Jesus Lord of our life." What surprises me is that this teaching comes from a Calvinist camp. Some, not all Calvinists, tell you you must make Jesus your Lord after you are saved. How is this any different from the non-Calvinists who tell you that you must decide and ask Jesus into your heart? It is a teaching that turns Calvinists into non-Calvinists, denying the sovereignty of God.

that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

John 5:23

I am the LORD, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Isaiah 45:5-6

Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel
and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
"I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god.

Isaiah 44:6

These three sections of scripture tell us that if we deny Jesus, we deny the Father, that there is no other God, that God is the Redeemer. Jesus is indeed Lord of all. Amen.

It is foreign to my ears to hear Calvinists denying God's sovereignty in salvation. Writing this is almost the same arguments used against those who deny Jesus' deity. I reject Lordship salvation as non-Christian teaching. Is it a result of having faith in their faith, rather than knowing that faith is properly placed in Jesus? Or a result of needing to look at works for assurance? Or a result of the limited atonement that puts Calvinists in the awful position of having to look at creation rather than the Creator dying for us? In any case, Lordship Salvation is problematic.

If Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.

Refreshment

2010-08-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

The setting sun and cool breeze beckoned me outside. I harnessed and leashed Roxy. Her tail wagged, and eyes brightened. Bidding adieu to the homebodies, we made our escape to the schoolyard. We reached the corner and in usual fashion I said, "Sit. Good dog. Let's go." We were off. Ah, refreshment.

After going through the gate, I unleashed Roxy. She was following behind me. True to her nature, her nose was investigating many things. Up ahead were some California Quail. I didn't show her because I wanted to watch them for awhile. The quail were looking for bugs and seeds. Once Roxy caught glimpse, her cocker spaniel came to the fore and chased them into the bushes. They always escape her through the chain link fence.

The corner of my eye caught sight of the blue heron in the middle of the field. This was something I had never seen here before. Roxy had so much fun chasing the quail that I pointed out the heron to her. She watched it for a minute, and I watched her. She saw it move, then she ran after it, haltingly. I kept walking and watching. Full out run now. The chase was on! The heron flew over to another part of the field. Roxy thought that was so much fun she chased the heron again. Once more, the heron just flew to another part of the field. Roxy's tongue was almost touching the ground. She was watching that heron, while lying in the grass. Roxy had enough of that big bird and returned to her business of scouting scents.

As I cornered the last bend on our walk around the field, I saw some wild rabbits. They were small, and sweet with little white tails. I slowed down so I could watch them. They were eating the green grass, or so it looked to me. Flash! They were off like lightning, back to the safety of the bushes.

Roxy was a great walking companion that night. When we reached the front door, there were a few rays of sunlight left and the breeze was still refreshingly cool. Sans leash and harness, we plopped on the couch together. I know I was thinking about all the critters we saw; I imagined Roxy was, too.

The Gift of Worship

2010-07-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
7For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand. Psalm 95:6-7 ESV

And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Mark 2:27 ESV

Worship sets us apart from other animals. Some say that it is our thinking that sets us apart from animals; or the way we use tools. But research has shown that animals also think, and also use tools. There is something we do, that no other created thing does. No other created thing worships. Worship is not an afterthought of God, but it is a gift for us.

Worship satisfies our desire to know God. God is present when we sing, during prayer, in Scripture, and when we celebrate the sacraments. We gather together to celebrate the One we have in common. We confess our sin together, we confess our faith together, and we hear the absolution together.

Worship is where God meets us, and we respond. It is a communication with God.

In worship, God renews us. It is like finding North on the compass and reorienting ourselves to God. It is with great joy that He renews our minds in worship. We see our brothers and sisters in the pew across the aisle, worshipping, provoking us to worship alongside them. We hear pastor announcing the absolution for us. We receive Christ's blood and body. We remember our baptism and the promises attached to that baptism: remission of sins, discipleship, salvation, eternal life.

Witness takes place in worship. We show our neighbors that worship is important just by attending. As we leave our driveways to go to church, our neighbors know that we are Christians. Walking into church, the neighbors of the church know we are Christians. It is this witness that may allow us to give these neighbors the good news of Jesus' forgiveness for us sinners.

We respond to God meeting us with joy and thanksgiving. Leaving weekly worship with a song of praise on our lips!

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31-32 ESV

The Problem With Peter

2010-07-09T16:35:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 3:20-22 ESV

because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

There are many promises attached with baptism.When one is baptized, it reminds us our sins are washed away, we are saved, we are in Christ, we have died with Christ, we are Christ's disciple. That list is not exhaustive. Baptism is a sacrament that Jesus instituted, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".

When theologies explain away verses such as this to say the passage doesn't mean baptism saves, they end up not knowing where to look for their assurance. Some, such as reformed theology and their step daughters, the Arminians, will place their faith in their faith. Looking within, they are assured by their faith. On days when doubts pursue us, faith in faith does not help us. Pentecostals and charismatics, tend to substitute speaking in tongues for the sacraments. When those gifts don't flow, the doubts creep in.

Father knows we are weak, so He helps us by giving us the visible sign of baptism to remind us to whom we belong. Peter tells us that baptism saves. Don't cry, "baptismal regeneration!" as if it is a nonbiblical thing. Peter tells us very plainly it saves.

Baptism does save, as scripture declares. We, too, are brought safely through water.

Begone Unbelief

2010-06-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

Doctrineless doctrine. What is that? A doctrine is a principle, position, or policy that is taught or advocated. It is impossible to have a doctrineless doctrine. It is an undefineable phrase. One cannot say, "We have no doctrine", because that, by definition, is a doctrine.

In matters theological, it is all about doctrinal distinctions. A doctrineless doctrine would have us denying essentials of Christian beliefs, and declaring unbelief not a sin; after all, there can be no doctrine. Yet this phantasmagorical doctrineless doctrine would be overstepping its bounds.

On the other side of the road is the idea that you must have all your theological ducks waddling behind you in a straight, orderly, logical fashion. They must all waddle together, with the same step. The cries of "consistency" and "logic", often attend with the little ducks. Logic, while we do need and use it, is a worldly wisdom that at times opposes what God says in His word.

Beware of both of these ditches.

Passive Aggressive

2010-04-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

Faith is passive in that we receive it from Father. He gives us faith. It is His gift to us, and with that faith we become His child. It is perfect faith when it is passive, and we are being done unto by God.

Baptism of an infant is a perfect picture of this. The infant is present, babbling and looking at Mom and Dad and Pastor. Water is applied to the infant, and the infant passively receives it.

Our faith is not aggressive. Unlike Augustine, who thought we are given faith, then we add to, and improve, and exercise our way to perfect faith. Scripture makes it plain that we are put to death as a sinner, and raised as a saint. That is perfect, passive faith.

Faith is aggressive on Father's part. He pursued us with great love, and we can see his aggressive love for us in Jesus. Jesus living in our stead, dying for our sins, resurrecting first, so that we may follow.

Real Presence

2010-04-23T07:50:00.000-07:00

Real Presence is not a magical occurrence, such as thought to be by Roman Catholics. Nor is it an empty cup and bread, as thought amongst the many variations of Reformed Christians. No, it is Jesus who promises to be with us at communion.

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. ~ Matthew 18

Communion means to be united with one another. We commune with Jesus and the saints militant and the saints triumphant. It is a mystery that we regularly eat and drink with our Lord. We must believe the promises.

For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12

How can it be that we are not consumed in the presence of our Holy Jesus when we are at the altar of the Lord‘s Supper? Some of us are served communion weekly, some less frequently. Yet we are not consumed.

Jesus’ body broken for us, Jesus’ blood spilled out for us. That is what we receive. Forgiveness of sins. It is due to that same body and blood that we received that we are not consumed.

Fruit Salad

2010-04-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

A good tree produces good fruit because the trunk of the tree is working properly. Jesus is the trunk, we are the branches, Him working in and through us is the fruit. Good fruit cannot produce a good tree. No matter how hard we try, the fruit we create on our own is always rotten.

It is important as believers to get the direction right. The flow is from the top down, not from the down up. All other religions flow backwards, only in Christianity is the direction correct. God comes down through us, so that we can move out and serve our neighbor. We are passive, and free.

God is doing what He does, making all things new. First he makes us new, so that He can work in us. We become free from the law, and are in Christ. He moves us from under the law, and into Christ. We are a new creation. That new creation can live large in the world and serve our neighbor, and enhance life around us.

Isn’t that freeing?

Why I Call Roman Catholics "Brethren"

2010-04-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

I was listening to some people discussing sanctification. Here is the gist of the conversation: Yes, we are to obey the law. The Holy Spirit empowers us with grace to be able to follow the commandments of God. When we sin, we just need to resist harder. We are to mortify our flesh.

Do you hear Roman Catholicism in those ideas?

The penance there is all the things we must do. "We must mortify our flesh. We must obey the law." How do we mortify the flesh? The answer was that we are to crucify our flesh. More things we must do, more penance.

Scripture says in Romans 6, But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

and in 1 Corinthians 1, But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

Our sanctification is Jesus Christ. We don't do the best we can, and then God finishes what we cannot do.

Why can I call Roman Catholics brethren? Because they err the same way the Calvinists do, going back under the law after salvation. And not only do the Calvinists make this grave error, but so do all her step-children, the Arminians.

Paul warns us about returning to the law this way in Galatians 4, Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

Dear Reader, did you hear the idea of penance in that conversation? Did it sound like Roman Catholicism to you, too? Self-flagellation was equated to sanctification. The conversation was amongst Calvinists, not Roman Catholics; but to my ears they sound the same.

http://issuesetc.org/2010/04/06/4208/

2010-04-12T10:56:00.001-07:00

http://issuesetc.org/2010/04/06/4208/

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Face Your Doubts

2010-04-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

God wants us to confront our doubts;He will answer them. He answered Thomas' doubt about Jesus' resurrection. Thomas' reply was, "My Lord and My God!" Thomas gained belief. Jesus was bigger than Thomas' doubt and more than able and willing to answer!

One of the biggest hurdles in approaching a sacramental view was the doubt that sacraments truly did anything. Most of us are taught that sacraments are just representative; no real presence is there.

From the Westminster Confession of faith: Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace, immediately instituted by God, to represent Christ and His benefits; and to confirm our interest in Him: as also, to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church and the rest of the world; and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word.

In Baptistic churches, which is the predominant view in the U.S.A., they are taught so well that instantly one will react to the real presence in Holy Communion with "It is only symbolic. The apostles weren't gnawing on Jesus' actual body."

Upon facing my own doubt about this, God answered me with scripture. Peter tells us that baptism washes away sin. Moses and the Israelites were saved by passing through the Red Sea, with Pharoah and his army drowned in the sea not to rise again. Naaman's leprosy was healed by passing through the water.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and gave it to His disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.

Calvinism's Assurance Ministry

2010-03-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

When I was a full-fledged Calvinist, volunteering my time in an online apologetic website by proofreading and helping in the chatroom, I was often having to assure other Calvinists of their salvation. The first thing I would remind them was how much they hate their sin as a sign of their faith. This pattern was repeated over and over many times.

For awhile, I thought because of this I should go into Nouthetic Counseling. People would turn to me, seeking assurance. Then I was awakened to the truth of Limited Atonement.

If Jesus died only for a few people, then the natural question to ask is, "Did He die for me?" Being unable to look at Jesus on the cross saying, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do," as universal atonement, one had to look elsewhere. So, you start examining your own inward thoughts. What a way to plummet to the depths of despair!

The human heart is so wicked we cannot even know our own hearts, let alone the heart of another person. It is better to trust in the words of Jesus than it is to look within ourselves. Jesus is God, and He never lies. Scripture says He died for the whole world. His death, burial, and resurrection was generous to the point of saving all if one receives this free gift.

Calvinists, stop looking within for faith and trust in Jesus' finished work on the cross.

Mystery of Jesus' Two Natures

2010-03-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

The Chalcedon Creed says this about Jesus Christ's two natures: one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union.

This creed confirms that the God-Man, Jesus Christ, died on the cross. Both of his natures died. How do Christians explain that God died? We don't, nor can we, it just is.

Some will separate Jesus' two natures, pretending that God is mutable, saying only Jesus' body died on the cross. In doing so, they break with traditional and orthodox Christian teaching.

This is one of the things that helped me to leave Calvinism. Calvinists do teach the separation of Jesus' two natures. They try to deny Nestorian heresy with one hand; yet teach it with the other hand. Ask and watch the jig begin.

God is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Amen.

Here is my first post regarding Nestorianism, if you want to read a bit more.

Name Change

2010-03-01T16:42:00.001-08:00

Welcome to One Sheep Ponders, the new name of this blog. It was time for a name change, as God has seen fit to open my eyes to the theology of the cross. No longer do I see God as one who goads those who belong to Him. He is Father. He is my Father. Father loves and cares for me. Is He your Father?

God is also triune. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Praise Him.

Feast of Booths

2009-12-30T07:49:00.000-08:00

"On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. You shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." ~Leviticus 23:39-43 ESV

The last and most important holiday in the Jewish Calendar is Succoth, or Feast of Booths. It follows Yom Kippur, or The Day of Atonement. During the Feast of Booths native Israelites are commanded to dwell in tents, or booths, for seven days as a reminder of their exodus from Egypt.

Christians have been brought out of Egypt; the Egyptian bondage of sin and death. We now have eternal life in Jesus Christ who redeemed us from our bondage. It is Christ's finished work on the cross, His atonement, His Yom Kippur, that frees us from this curse that we bear. Like the Feast of Booths we can celebrate in the complete forgiveness of our sin by our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Treasure in a Field

2009-12-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Matthew 13:44 (ESV)

There are at least two ways to look at this parable: through the lens of the law, or through the lens of the gospel. No doubt, I have heard it explained more often through the lens of the law.

The Law: We are the man, and we have to at least be willing to sell everything to gain the great treasure, which is the kingdom of heaven hidden in a field. If you don't actually sell everything, you have to at least be willing to sell everything to gain the treasure.

The Gospel: The man is Jesus. He is the only person who has ever, throughout history, given up everything to redeem us. Jesus is the only one who buys the whole field, the world, in order to gain the treasure, which is us.

Anytime you hear "do", it is the law accusing us. In the first interpretation, the focus is on us. Do any of us give up everything to gain heaven? That interpretation accuses us of not selling everything.

Whenever you hear "Jesus did it", it is the gospel. We are passive in action; Jesus is the one doing. In the Gospel interpretation, Jesus joyfully buys the world in order to gain His treasure.

Know you are loved and hear the grace of the gospel!

Idolatry

2009-11-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

It is the believer that is in the know who reads the latest books by reformed authors, so goes the thinking among many Calvinists and Sovereign Gracers. You must read the proper authors, the best books, listen to other Calvinist or Sovereign Grace teachers only. And then only those that have the highest ranking.

Tulip-believing folks will often spout names such as Sproul, Edwards, Spurgeon, White, and the unforgettable Puritans. These are the names that impress; similar to shopaholics preferring high end labels on their clothing tags. While this list is certainly a list of Christians, it is also a form of idolatry. "I am reading the latest book by (insert name of approved author)." That is to be properly followed by comments of approval from others.

God will tear down idols.

When I realized that my precious reformed systematic theology was an idol, I felt like the rug had been pulled out from beneath me. I was lost. "Where do I turn for guidance?" was my concern. I experienced this sense of loss and grieving for quite awhile. It was disheartening. I wanted to return to my beloved systematic, yet I knew God is a jealous God and would not allow me to return.

I turned to God and Scripture. That is where my heart lies. My goal now is to have faith in the promises of God.

Did God Really Say............

2009-11-08T16:50:00.000-08:00

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Peter 2:1 NIV

After watching many discussions on this controversial verse, God has revealed to me that some interpretations deny exactly what scripture says. One group of people that often changes scripture's meaning is the Calvinists. Let me show you how it is accomplished with this passage.

Someone will ask about 2 Peter 2:1, and wonder if the Lord bought these false teachers, then it means Christ's atonement is for the whole world? A Calvinist will immediately reply, "No! We must look to see who Peter was writing to!" And when we do that, we see that this epistle is addressed generally, to those who have received faith; and to God's elect.

When we turn to 2 Peter 1 and see that this epistle is generally addressed to "those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:" Even all the way back in 1 Peter 1, this epistle is addressed to many: "To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,"

Despite the general salutation in both 1 and 2 Peter, Calvinists will force their theology onto 2 Peter 2:1 and say that it refers to the Jews being brought out from Egypt; and that "bought" should read "brought". What?! By doing this, they are doing the same thing that the serpent did in Eden by asking, "Did God really say....?"

When one depersonalizes Scripture in this manner, it can mean that nothing applies to us. Or does it mean some of it applies to us, but not other parts? If the epistles of Peter are not for us today, then we should rip them out of our bibles.

We are to allow Scripture to wash over our minds and hearts, not keep it at arm's length by contextualizing our way away from it. When reading scripture, if it says "you" it means the reader or hearer. Do not deny that it is speaking to you.

Boxing Day

2009-10-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

Boxing Day is a holiday in many countries that have been influenced by England. It is the day after Christmas, where one boxes up their leftovers to take to the poor. Rather than discussing the British Realm's holidays, this brief article is about another kind of boxing. There are theologies that box God in and put a ribbon on that box. That boxing comes in the form of redefining words of scripture. It often sounds to my ears like a boxing match that fights with scripture.

All systematic theologies aim for one thing: to understand God in a logical fashion. While that goal is noble, we should hold our theologies with an open hand willing to let God blow away the chaff in those theologies. God has revealed to us that the way he thinks and acts is higher than our understanding.

Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your waysand my thoughts than your thoughts. ~ESV

Total depravity teaches that all aspects of humanity has been affected by the fall, including our own thinking. That means that our prized theologies may be incorrect, even when systematized by the bright lights of church history. With total depravity in mind, we must hold our theology lightly and be willing to be corrected.

If a change of word definitions in scripture is required to make verses "fit" the preferred theology, beware. Most often, the plain reading is preferred. "You" means the reader; "all" means all; "is" means is. Yes, context qualifies words; but not to the extent it changes the whole of scripture.

Our goal as believers is to have faith. Faith is a gift as scripture tells us. Jesus wants to find faith on the earth when He returns. Jesus also chastised the apostles for having little faith. How do those work out logically, I'm not sure. What I do know is that I can pray for more faith and that Father always gives His children good gifts.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy

2009-10-18T22:31:00.000-07:00

Reformed theology teaches that we must observe the Sabbath. For some elaborate reason this commandment is singled out and believed that we can do no works on one day a week. There is no guarantee, though, that the things consumed on Sundays were not manufactured on another Sunday. Perhaps the processed food eaten during the week was worked on Sunday; what about the electricity used throughout one's house, that too could have been manufactured on the Sabbath. How about the paper plates you are using on the Sabbath (so the wife won't have to work by doing dishes, just throw them away), were they made on a non-Sabbath day? Who knows? The list of possibilities of the ways we might break Sabbath could be quite long, as you can see from the examples I have given.

From the Westminster Confession, Chapter 21, we read:

VIII. This Sabbath is to be kept holy unto the Lord when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts about their wordly employments and recreations, but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.

Matthew 12 tells us that Jesus worked on the Sabbath and upset the Pharisees. On the Sabbath Jesus and his disciples gathered grain to eat.

From Matthew 12, we read:

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath." He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." ~ESV

Jesus also healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath. Again, Matthew 12 describes what happened:

He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"— so that they might accuse him. He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. ~ESV

Are we better than our Lord in keeping the Sabbath? No! It is not humanly possible to keep this commandment. No need to fool ourselves. Be honest with Father.

I know that I should listen to His word, hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.

Goaded by God

2009-10-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

My parents raised me in a Presbyterian Church. I loved being in church from a young age. I recall people in pews ahead of us turning to see that it was my mother attached to the lovely voice they heard singing hymns. There was a time that I wandered away from my mom into the sanctuary. It was a joy to be in that room alone. I recall when I was taught the doctrine of the Trinity. I puzzled and puzzled and tried to understand it. Walking down the breeze way with my Sunday School teacher, I asked her to explain it to me. Her response to me was very wise, "You don't need to understand it, you need to believe it." That brought me great peace as a youngster.

As an adult, I am still asking questions to understand God better. As a result of those questions this last year many of my beliefs have changed. I am starting this new series and labeling it "What I Believe". It won't be in any particular order; but I will attempt to lay out my beliefs.

Am I still a Calvinist? You will have to read the series to find out.

Jesus Died For Me

2009-10-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

How does a person know that Jesus died for them? The answer is because scripture says so. Our salvation is assured on the works of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
God says when we trust in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, we are forgiven and saved.

John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

The world includes me; it also includes you.

The Joy of Jesus Alone

2009-09-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today was a red letter day for me: I realized that the systematic theology that I thought was the key to scripture is gone. The joy and freedom that I feel is indescribable. To be stripped of idols is a heart wrenching process that results in the greatest joy of Jesus alone!

To know the Holy Trinity's overflowing love for me is uncontainable, none one can stop it; it flows to all of humanity. We see it in Jesus when on the cross he asks for forgiveness for "them". That forgiveness has been purchased; receive it and praise Him.

Cling closely to scripture. It reveals the Lord that purchased you and me, dear Reader.

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
~ Psalm 5

Grace

2009-09-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

The term "grace" is used often by Christians. When asked to define grace, the hemming and hawing often begins. Let's look at the different definitions that are given to the biblical idea of grace.

A Roman Catholic will say grace is infused through the sacraments ex opere operato, which means "from the work done." The work that was done was Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Roman Catholics believe the efficacy of God's grace is to be found in the sacraments. The sacraments are infused with God's grace, so upon receiving of the sacraments one has received God's Grace. Grace becomes an enabling force to live a more holy life.

A Wesleyan, or Arminian, believes grace is an innate object, a mysterious operating mechanism that provides power to choose salvation. This power is given without the preached Gospel, and without the sacraments. This infused grace is given by God to all people. Grace allows one to overcome sin.

A Calvinist believes grace is received upon the preached Word, without the Sacraments. This definition allows one to choose God. It is the I in the acronym TULIP. This is a secret working of the Holy Spirit. Grace gives power to have victory over sin.

All three of these views make man the one who chooses faith. All three of these see sin as a problem to be overcome by infusion of grace. In other words, to overcome sin, we need God's grace. Then faith becomes predominantly about our own moral improvement; and forgiveness of sin is tangential. Inward gazing becomes the focus of faith, and the rule by which to judge one another.

Grace is God's attitude toward us: God loving us while we were his enemy; dying for us on the cross.

Faith and Unfaith

2009-09-06T06:20:00.000-07:00

As I was watching the film, The Gospel of John, I began to consider the lives of the apostles and how sanctification worked with them. I do not see in the gospel accounts where they were striving toward perfection; rather I see them striving toward faith or belief. They do not talk about becoming more holy, rather they are focused on Jesus. We can rest in the sanctification God will accomplish in us; and need not fret over our successes and failures.

Often from my own mind and mouth come thoughts and words of unfaith, or unbelief. Also from the mouths of believers around me. Dear Reader, beware of words of others that preach unbelief.

Examples of unbelief:

Gifts of the Spirit have ceased for today. Read 1 Corinthian 12; ponder your own salvation (which is a gift of the Spirit).

God does not love His creation. Read John 3:16-21 and remind yourself who God loves.

Christ's atonement for sin is only for some people; not all. Read John 1:28-30.

That we do, at times, speak unfaith to one another. Read Matthew 16:23.

We have many baptisms. Read Ephesians 4:4-6.

If you can think of other examples of unbelief within the Church, please list them in comments. I am sure there are many other examples that you have encountered in your own life.

Dear Reader, you must wrestle with what Scripture says and your own unbelief. We do have help, cry out for that help.

Sons of Bankers, Sons of Lawyers

2009-08-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

And a daughter of a fireman.

People say that how you view your father when you are a child is a significant thing. It affects your view of God. If your father is kind, you view God as kind; if your father is vindictive, you view God that way. Whether that is true for every person in every situation, I highly doubt.

It takes a certain kind of personality to be a firefighter. People who are slow to decide; selfish to their own physical needs; do not consider others as important; need not apply for the job. My earthly father is one who is quick to help others; will put himself in harm's way without thinking twice about it; loves others by his actions.

I see God as loving by actively participating in the lives of His creatures; selflessly, willing to help, desiring the best. We see this in Jesus on the cross; being killed by sinful human beings. He prays for those sinners, asking Father for forgiveness for them.

Father, thank you for your image-bearers who remind me of You.

Sanctification and Sanctify

2009-08-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

Sanctification

Romans 6:19
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

Romans 6:22
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

1 Corinthians 1:30
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

1 Thessalonians 4:1
Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

1 Thessalonians 4:3
For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;

1 Thessalonians 4:4
that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

2 Thessalonians 2:13
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

Sanctify

John 17:17
"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

John 17:19
"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 9:12-14
and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 13:12
Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

1 Peter 1:1-2
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

1 Peter 3:14-16
But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

How High is Your Ecclesiology?

2009-07-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

Holding a high ecclesiology will eventually crumble into a high view of the law. Churches often argue for their own survival. The pull of culture drags them down into the world; taking the eyes of the congregants off of our object of worship, Jesus. The church, to survive against the world, must exhibit grace without strings, without conditions, from the pulpit of weakness.

In the pulpit of weakness stands a proclaimer of the good news of reconciliation with Jesus Christ. Often this proclaimer stands against the politics of the human organization of churches. These pastors are at the mercy of the powerful; the church machines that control and run roughshod over the sheep.

Beware of the high church views, disenchantment may snare you and plummet you into atheism. Holding ecclesiology lightly, even suspicously, is the answer to the church behaving badly. Do not make the mistake of underestimating the affects of total depravity. God's grace through Jesus Christ is our only Hope.

Theotokos

2009-07-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Mary is the Theotokos, the God-bearer. That term often brings up fear and knee-jerk reactions out of Protestants. The fear is borne of the thought that if we call Mary the Theotokos, it links Protestants to the apostate Roman Catholic Church. We need not fear that link when we call Mary the Theotokos. Affirming Mary as Theotokos does not equate to idolatry. To deny Mary as the Theotokos is an attack on the incarnation of Christ.

Jesus is fully God, fully man. Christ's two natures are united and inseparable. Therefore, Mary is the God-bearer.

The other aspect of Nestorian thinking is that only Christ's humanity died on the cross. Most Protestants today are Nestorian in their theology of Christ on the cross. Even very traditional, orthodox Calvinists are Nestorians. They do a bit of a jig to deny this, yet in reality the teaching is Nestorian. The teaching is that Jesus' perfect humanity died on the cross; not his divine nature. So the separation is made.

What is Nestorianism? In my own words, it is the separating of Christ's humanity from His divinity. As is usual in church history, it takes a heretic to come along for the church to codify orthodoxy. Nestorius was that heretic. He was a bishop in Constantinople, and he preached against Mary as Theotokos. As a result of this conflict, the church is left with the Chalcedon Creed.

Are Nestorians Christians? Yes, I believe so. We are saved by Jesus; not by correct doctrine. Dear Reader, this brief post is to encourage you to consider this topic further.

Promises in Baptism

2009-07-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

Baptism contains many promises that God gives to his adopted children. Meditating on those promises while thinking about baptism is an encouraging activity. It chases out doubt and the propensity I have to look into myself for my faith. But my faith rests in Jesus, not in my own faith or seeming lack thereof. Dear Reader, let's look at baptism promises and be reminded of the goodness of God.

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15-16

The passage from Mark 16 above tells us that baptism marks our salvation. Do you believe, and were you baptized, Dear Reader? I answer a happy "yes" to that question.

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." Acts 2:38-39

Repentance and baptism are both works of God. All we can do is receive both from God. Jesus picks up his lambs and places them upon his shoulders, turns them around, and carries them home; likewise, in baptism, we receive the water and are subject to it. In baptism and repentance we have forgiveness of sins. Another happy affirmation and reason to look to our baptism!

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. Romans 6:3-8

Dear Reader, in Romans 6 we see another promise associated with our baptism! We will be resurrected with Jesus and we will be freed from sin! O happy day to come! What cause for joyful expectation of our future!

And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

Relax, Dear Reader, look at all that is accomplished by our washing. We are the recipients of the good gifts found in baptism. We are sanctified, and justified by the work of the Holy Spirit, applying what our Lord Jesus accomplished on the cross, by the direction of God, our Father.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7

Look, Dear Reader, at Who is given to us upon our baptism. It is the person of the Holy Spirit. Praise Him!

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26-28

We are children of God. He has become our Abba Father! We are adopted into God's family at our baptism.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27

Through baptism we are washed clean, made to be the perfect Church, without blemish. What a promise!

Dear Reader, I encourage you to look at other verses and add to my cursory list of the promises we have in baptism. God is faithful in His word.

If you have not been baptized, Christian, here is the last verse I will post for your benefit:

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. Acts 22:16

A Thought on Baptism

2009-06-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

Concerning Baptism, our churches teach that Baptism is necessary for salvation and that God's grace is offered through Baptism. They teach that children are to be baptized. Being offered to God, through Baptism they are received into God's grace. Our churches condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the Baptism of children, and say that children are saved without Baptism.

(Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, AC Article IX.)

I. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church; but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in the newness of life. Which sacrament is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in His Church until the end of the world.

IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ,but also the infants of one, or both, believing parents, are to be baptized.

VI. The efficacy of Baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet, notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited, and conferred, by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongs unto, according to the counsel of God's own will, in His appointed time.

(From the Westminster Confession, Of Baptism, Chapter 28)

The Church, Christ's bride, has long held that there is an efficacy to baptism. Exactly what happens varies from denomination to denomination. Both Lutherans and Presbyterians believe that baptism is a means of grace.

I found a list of churches that say nothing happens in baptism in a book. The list of symbolic baptism denominations included Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, Pentecostals, Quakers, Salvation Army, United Church of Christ, Mormons, and Jehovah Witnesses. I am happy to not be associated with that list. I love my baptistic-type brethren, but feel they miss out on the joy of this holy sacrament.

The verses I posted confirm that as well. It is a wonderful sacrament to look to, to know that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Praise Him!

Baptism

2009-06-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15-16

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit John 3:5-6

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." Acts 2:38-39

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. Acts 22:16

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. Romans 6:3-8

And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26-28

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27

In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. Colossians 2:11-12

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7

let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22

In it [Noah's ark] only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:20-21

Jesus The Lord My Savior Is

2009-06-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

Seeing Red

2009-06-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Some time over the weekend was spent watching "The Adventures of Robin Hood" with my family. It stars Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, Olivia DeHaviland as Maid Marion, Basil Rathbone as Guy of Gisbourne , and Claude Rains as Prince John. The cast is full of other famous actors and actresses as well. I highly recommend the film to you, dear Reader.

It is a film full of sensory overload. The musical score was a delight to my ears; harp, violins, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and I think a xylophone. The Technicolor is amazingly beyond reality. The colors are so saturated they are a treat to my eye. It is difficult not to be taken aback by the sights and sounds, particularly in our modern age where most things are done electronically.

Watching the red contrasted to the greens and blues, my mind turned to consider Jesus' blood. As rich as the red of the evil Guy of Gisbourne's cape, my Jesus' red blood was richer yet. Guy of Gisbourne's red cape, covered his grey chainmaille; similarly, Jesus' blood covers my dark sin. In Jesus' blood is eternal life; in the death of my savior is my life.

Paltalk Personalities

2009-05-31T09:58:00.000-07:00

Paltalk is a chat program that has a voice feature. You can discuss many things freely because of the microphones and speakers of participants. A chat program that does not have a speaking feature often limits the participation, sometimes to soundbyte discussions. I frequent Paltalk under an anonymous name because it is not the safest site on the internet.

There seems to be a growing vehemence on Paltalk; or else it is just becoming clearer to me. I call this pugilistic group "The Anti-Calvinist Club". There are barrages from the ditch of non-Calvinists which causes the Calvinists to huddle in their own ditch. To find "the golden middle" on Paltalk is very rare.

The President of The Anti-Calvinist Club reminds me of the Peanuts character, PigPen. The President runs on emotions that swirl constantly around her feet. That swirl sucks in others, like a tornado sucking roofs off of houses; out of that swirl stones are thrown. Friends hurl rocks and boulders at one another. The tenseness of rooms intensifies once The President arrives on the scene and her devoted followers follow her from place to place. The President causes division of friends; maiming the whole body of Christ.

Jesus, heal your church.

Just Keep Swimming

2009-05-30T22:19:00.000-07:00

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

Hebrews 12:2

N.T. Wright and His Current Book

2009-05-11T10:16:00.000-07:00

Sound Familiar?

2009-04-27T12:22:00.000-07:00

Any of you, dear readers, who have done any kind of apologetics should get a laugh out of this video. Enjoy!

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Bart Ehrman

colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Gay Marriage Commercial

Party Time

2009-04-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

On April 12, 2009 Christians all around the world will be celebrating Easter. Together, as Christ's beloved bride, we will look to His victory procured for our sake. We are purchased at a great price. That cost bought us Christ's righteousness, we are robed in His righteousness, it is what God sees when He looks at us. We have great reasons to rejoice on April 12. Do so with joy!

Further reading on the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Early Creeds

2009-03-01T13:53:00.000-08:00

How many times, dear Reader, have you run into Latter Day Saints, or Jehovah's Witnesses, who tell you they are Christians? Do you have the wherewithal to challenge their statements of belonging to Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity? Does your church recite any of the creeds?

Defining a Christian as someone who follows Christ, is not how a Christian has been historically defined. There are many cults, unbelievers, even Buddhists who will tell you they follow Christ. What they mean, of course, is they like their own personal view of Jesus. It does not necessarily mean they have ever darkened the door of a church; nor opened a bible to read it honestly.

The creeds are a source for understanding how to define "Christian". The creeds address such things as the Who is Jesus; the Trinity; the two natures of Christ. All of these things cults do not affirm.

As an American living in a post-Christian culture, it is important that Christians learn about our creeds again. We do ourselves a great disservice by ignoring the works of the saints that have gone before us. At one time, it was common knowledge as parishioners of all faiths were catechized. If your church does not catechize, suggest one; if one still does not happen find a catechism class to join just for your own edification. You don't have to leave your church, just study with someone who is willing and learned, and a good teacher of church history.

Dear Reader, I encourage you to read the early creeds, so that you also may defend your faith.

The Necessity of Apologetics

2009-02-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

"The church doesn't need apologists," is a statement I hear on occasion. It is often followed with statements such as, "Christians only need to be aware of the Truth in order to defend it." It is a strange hermeneutic. Reformed tradition uses a historic hermeneutic: First, foremost, and final say is Holy Scripture; second is philosophy, as we have been given a mind we are to use it; third, scientific reason, as limited as it is; lastly, experience.

January 31, 2009 we attended an event at Westminster Presbyterian Church in San Jose, California. While this congregation struggles to teach its members the historic hermeneutic, they called in Dr. Robert A. J. Gagnon to fly in from Philadelphia to speak for a little over one hour. The Saturday previous Pam Byers from Old First Presbyterian Church in San Francisco was a speaker at Westminster Presbyterian church. I was not in attendance to hear Ms. Byers' arguments.

Dr. Gagnon has done his homework on the issue of homosexuality and the Holy Scriptures. In his limited time at Westminster, he presented a very Biblical view. In his presentation, he used sources from outside Scripture. Even the self-labeled homosexual experts agreed with the Biblical assessment of homosexuality presented by Dr. Gagnon. Included in his evidence were also original source writings from ancient Greek and Roman writers and philosophers that do away with those who have not yet caught up with academia in their stance on this topic within the PC(USA).

I witnessed a proper use of Biblical knowledge and study; philisophical sources; scientific; and experience. It was all packaged in a truncated version of Dr. Gagnon's four hour presentation. Apologists and apologetics are needed within the body of Christ; they help us identify the antiChrists amongst us.

Freedom!

2009-01-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

For Freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. ~ Galatians 5

The yoke of slavery is The Law. Christians are no longer under that yoke. We have been set free in Christ. All of our sins, past, present, and future, have been forgiven. Do we really believe that?

Many are quick to quote the law to us, when we admit to our falling into sin; they then become an accuser of the brethren, and judaizers. They have just perverted the Gospel.

Receive the forgiveness already paid for you by our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He loves you.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ~ Ephesians 1

Living as a Moderate Calvinist

2008-12-03T16:01:00.000-08:00

Finding myself in the orthodoxy of moderate Calvinism, I seem to run into predominantly hyper Calvinists online. What I have noticed is that they are so driven by theology and logic, that there is no room for mystery in God. God gives us what we need to know for our salvation. He does not tell us everything about Himself.

Today, it was hinted by two such Hyper Calvinists that I am an Arminian because I believe God has two wills; a secret will and a revealed will. His revealed will is what is revealed through His Word; the secret will is not shown to us. If that is Arminian theology I stand in good company: Jonathan Edwards; John MacArthur; Robert Gonzalez; Iain Murray; Thomas Watson; Andrew Gray; George Whitfield; Charles Spurgeon; and many others.

These hyper Calvinists look up to former saints like Charles Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers. I wonder if they have read what Mr. Spurgeon spoke from the pulpit on God's two wills? Here is part of Mr. Spurgeon's sermon called "Sovereign Grace and Man's Responsibility" based on Romans 10:20-21:

'I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, all day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.'

"Lost sinners who sit under the sound of the gospel are not lost for the want of the most affectionate invitation. God says he stretches out his hands... What did He wish them to come for? Why, to be saved! 'No,' says one, 'it was for temporal mercies.' Not so, my friend; the verse before is concerning spiritual mercies, and so is this one, for they refer to the same thing. Now, was God sincere in his offer? God forgive the man who dares to say He was not. God is undoubtedly sincere in every act He did. He sent his prophets, He entreated the people of Israel to lay hold on spiritual things, but they would not, and though he stretched out his hands all the day long, yet they were a 'disobedient and gainsaying people' and would not have His love."

He Reigns

2008-10-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

When one looks at the news on television, in the newspaper, on various and sundry blogs, there seems to be a lot of reasons for worry. The stock market, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sharia Law gaining more ground, U.S. Presidential elections, and persecution of fellow Christians; all look scary to us. We may lose lots of money, we may be embroiled in more wars, we may find ourselves being dominated by Islam. Are these things worthy of our worry?

As believers we can rest in the peace we have with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. God is sovereign and He rules providentially. Rest and trust in Him.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5

The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all. ~ Psalm 103

The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes. ~ Proverbs 21

The DoubleSpeak of Islam

2008-10-03T07:26:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was talking to two Muslims, along with another Christian. Muslims, in their conversations and deeds, most often demand to have the upper hand. If you politely disagree with them, they will do their best to silence you. From the get-go they try to dhimitize all those around them. These Muslims were American, and this is a sample of the discussions that we will encounter in the future in America.

Here is a sampling of the encounter:

Jawami told me, when I asked about a verse from the Quran that says Allah is a deceiver. (But they (the Jews) were deceptive, and Allah was deceptive, for Allah is the best of deceivers (Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru al-makireena)! S. 3:54; cf. 8:30), "That's an English translation of the Quran. You cannot use an English translation. You must use the tafsirs."

I replied, "The Arabic is there as well."

Jawami, "Did you not hear what I just said? It's English translation and it is corrupted."

So I enquired further, "Who translates the Quran into English? Are they not scholars?"

"No, anybody can translate the Quran into English. To understand the Quran, you must use the Tafsirs. I think you already knew the answer when you asked."

So I looked up a Tafsir and it concured with the English translation I presented. I pointed that out to Jawami, and he continued to accuse me of not listening. We had to continue to ignore their snide comments in order to continue the conversation.

"Christians always disassociate themselves from the whackos in their own faith. They say 'they aren't real Christians'", asserted Jawami.

I asked, "Does that mean you will not deny your brethen who use children, and mentally handicapped people to blow up non-Muslims?"

*crickets chirped*

"Let me ask again differently, does that mean you will not deny that Muslims that kill others in the name of Allah belong to Islam?"

I was ignored again. Then up piped Patience to change the subject.

Patience began to cite English verses to us about how Allah is merciful.

I kept asking if she was reading the Quran in English, or the Tafsirs? Again no answer.

She continued to cite more verses.

"Is that an English translation of the Quran? I was just told those are corrupted. I'm confused."

Patience began to tell us that Sharia Law was already in the USA. It's embedded in our laws because our laws are based on Islamic laws.

Why I Want a Quran for Christmas

2008-09-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

The media and other people say, "Islam is a religion of peace." Is that the truth? The Quran has many verses regarding non-Muslims. Those verses are violent and refer to the taking of life and dismemberment of bodies. Here's a peek to awaken you from your slumber.

The Quran says, "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."

Who are the idolaters in that verse? Any non-Muslim. Dear reader, that means you and I. Islam is not a religion of peace and tolerance. Muslims are told to lay in wait, take us captive, and besiege us.

Muhammad says, "When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them."

Jesus says, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you".

With the arrival of Sharia Law in the United Kingdom, it is time America wakes up to the truth of Islam. If you also want to add a copy of the Quran to your Christmas list, I recommend a copy by Hilali and Shakir Ken.

Persecution and Courage

2008-09-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

My online life has allowed me to meet people from all over the world. It is a joy to meet fellow believers who live in many countries. It is also an eye opener to hear the lives they live. Those of us in America have it very, very easy; yet we will not open our mouths to strangers to tell them the gospel. We are fat, dumb, and numb.

I have met one young person who did not meet another Christian for two years in his life. Can you imagine that? The only thing you have for two years as support is your bible. How many Americans would "remain" Christian under those circumstances? I suggest not very many.

Another person goes many sleepless nights trying to keep an online chatroom open to evangelize to others. Snippets of sleep are caught here and there. The evangelist needs another person who will help him with his chatroom responsibilities. The problem with finding help is that we Americans don't know enough about the religion that traps its people in idolatry and hatred. So we cannot help these evangelism efforts.

Organizing a march in New York City in October 2008 is another Christian's passion. He is standing up for his brothers and sisters who remain behind in Egypt. October 6 is a significant date for Egyptians, President Anwar al-Sadat was assassinated on that date in 1981. Today, Egypt continues to lie to the world community about its activities on treating non-Muslims.

http://www.copticnews.ca/9_e_sep2008/408_ashraf_ramlah.html

Beautiful

2008-09-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

Men and women quickly think of the physical when "beauty" is mentioned. Each of us have different expectations of what is beautiful. Periods of time have their own definition of beauty. Renaissance paintings are very different from modern paintings. Musical beauty also changes with time. You can see this change when you compare The Beatles to J.S.Bach.

In a conversation with people, there is usually not a person who will offer the wrath of God as beautiful. When one reads the bible, God's wrath is everywhere. Adam and Eve being exiled from the Garden, Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, Moses and Pharoah.

“Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” ~ 2 Kings 22

The coming day of judgment will be God's wrath fully poured out on the unGodly. God's wrath is inescapable. Where will you be, dear reader, in the coming day of judgment? Have you obeyed the words of this book?

God's holiness requires that He cannot abide with sin. Sin is an eternal offense against an eternal, holy, pure love, perfect, righteous God. God has not spared the angels who fell. All of humanity has failed to keep God's holy laws. All have sinned against an eternal God, so all of us are an offense. That means you, me, Sister Teresa, the Dali Lama, every single person who has ever lived (with one exception), lives now, and will live in the future. Does that cause you to pause? If so, read on.

But God, who is rich in mercy and love, has made a way of salvation. God did not spare His own Son! We are so loved by God, that He provided our escape. Jesus came to earth and lived a sinless, perfect life, and died a horrible death, so that we can be free from sin. On Jesus Christ, God placed the sins of those who believe and trust in Him. Jesus endured the punishment others deserve, so that we can have freedom from God's wrath. Only those who are in Christ, will escape the wrath. Jesus rose victoriously on the third day. He was healed, and only in Him is our healing.

Would you like that freedom? Would you, dear reader, like to escape the wrath to come? You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, was buried for three days, and that he rose again on the third day. Pray to God for repentance and belief.

God's holiness is beautiful to those who are ransomed from His wrath.

Freud's Culture

2008-09-08T06:56:00.000-07:00

"Man is a self-gratifying animal," says the wisdom of the Freudian school. There is an inner-anxiety that drives conflict. This conflict can clash with society, and result in tremendous guilt. Freudian treatment recommends that a person gratify desires in a socially acceptable way.

People are quick to dismiss Freud and his ideas as outdated. "No one really practices Freudian presuppositions in their practice." In reality, his ideas are all around us today. It has infiltrated every area of our culture, and most of us don't recognize it. Freud's ideas have been absorbed into our way of thinking, including within the Christian community.

What if there is no such thing as a socially acceptable way to gratify one's desires? According to Freudian thought, in order to relieve guilt, society is made to adopt aberrant, and sinful self-gratifying desires. Do you see this in action in the world we live in? It is all around us. It is blatantly visible with the loud cry that society must redefine marriage. If we won't allow this new definition willingly, the legal system is employed to force us to accept its redefinition, thus relieving the guilt of a small group.

One thing that is common in modern schools of psychology is their wrong presuppositions about man, our problem, our responsibility, guilt, treatment of problems, and the role of the counselor. Each of these aspects of diagnosing and treating problems is skewed. They are rooted in evolutionary ideas and thought.

But God knows us much better than all the schools of psychology. He is the one who made us, who searches our hearts and exposes our sin, who changes us to be more like His son, and He does it all with great skill, like a surgeon's knife.

Christians, why do you seek help from people who believe you are nothing more than an animal, who believe there is no God, who believe the answer is within ourselves, or by changing the world around us we will experience no guilt? We should seek help from God himself, and from fellow Christians. God and Christians operate with a higher goal for you: love.

Evangelizing Locally

2008-09-03T07:44:00.000-07:00

When I reflect upon my past, I recall so many missionary organizations visiting our church with a plea to go out into the field to harvest. It was always to other countries; foreign, exotic lands with foreign cultures and peoples. People that answered this call seemed more spiritual than those of us who remained at home.

The missionary field is now at home. It is unbelievable to me, in some 40 years, how ignorant Americans have become of Christianity. There are multiple reasons for this, which I won't go into now.

These days my heart yearns to work alongside local evangelists. Ones brave enough to stand up and gather a crowd, hand out tracts, or just talk to passers-by. Until then, I will be mindful of the opportunities God places before me. All believers are given the ministry of reconciliation .

Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18

Hebrews 13

2008-09-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

Installation of a new elder took place last Sunday. It was an encouragement to watch and partake it. We have not been at this church to see this ordination yet. God has truly placed us in a Godly church, and I am thankful.

Hebrews 13:7-17 Leaders Who Keep Watch

The book of Hebrews was written to persecuted Jewish Christians. It esteems Jesus above all else; focuses us heavenward, toward Jesus, that our affections can be unfettered by other things.

Christians are to follow their leaders. Leaders are to be who has the truth of Jesus, can preach Jesus, and the followers can see Christian living in action through the lives of their leaders.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

The goal of leadership is to watch over the congregants' souls. Leaders are for the benefit of the congregants.

Hebrews 10:39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Hebrews 10:39 is the goal of leaders of churches. Salvation is a lifelong battle against temptation, sin, and unbelief. Leaders teach how to fight, as well as work with you to do that. Leaders are not commanded to only seek "decisions for Christ". Salvation is a DAILY work of God.

Hebrews 2 we are commanded to pay close attention to what we have heard so that we don't drift away.

Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

"Consider", in the verse above, means to take a microscopic look at Jesus. Why? Because He is the author and perfector of YOUR faith. Leaders must exemplify this.

A leader who is cold in his joy for the Lord doesn't care about his ministry in Christ's church. Leaders able to love congregants depends upon their joy in the Lord. The truth of the gospel ignites joy! Lording your leadership over others is not being a servant.

Further reading: Philippians, Psalm 42

Pray for your leaders, dear reader, that they may serve in joy; that we would not hinder that joy by constant bickering, and nit-picking; learn to be obedient (persuaded by; rely on; trust) by the example God has placed in front of you.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Doing Good and Isolation

2008-09-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

To do the thing God requires of us often results in feeling isolated. It often means we must break old habits and haunts. We are in unfamiliar territory. We feel we are flopping like a fish on a wooden dock at the end of the fishing line.

But is being alone the truth? No. God will see us through every situation He places us in.

The One who exchanged our sinfulness for His righteousness is always with us. We are never alone. God will call others to do the same that He asks of us. We aren't alone in doing good. Don't allow yourself to listen to that lie.

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. ~ Psalm 16

teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. ~ Matthew 28

When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, ~ John 15