Stark Realizations

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
-Romans 5:1-11

There are nights when I dive heavy into the Word of God and I become so angry. The Blood, the Grace, the Mercy, and the Glory are right there on every page, and we treated it like an elementary principle to be learned in an hour and moved on from.

Our message of reconciliation is for believer and unbeliever alike. It is not part of the message; it is THE message. Our foundation, our hope, our life, and we treated it with such scandal. It was a technical knowledge briefly displayed before moving on to the more important topics of "how to live your life like a good Christian should."

We neglected to realize that what we were being taught, and in turn taking out and pushing onto others, was a form of moralistic deism. Our premise was that if we did the good stuff and avoided the bad stuff, then we would please God, and He would be happy with us.

This resulted in a backbiting congregation that constantly compared everyone to everyone else. Those who were better and more blessed were obviously the Christians that most pleased God because they were able to do the most good stuff. Those who struggled and weren't as blessed, obviously were failing at being good Christians.

Somehow we made the message about us. We were heroes strong and mighty to do every good work that brought us praise and earned us points. We claimed that we had the way, but in truth what we had was religion, and we used it against each other.

The message isn't about us. It is about God. It is about who He is and what He has done. It is about the one and only God who reached down into this wrecked world and SAVED bad people. It is about Him and the hope He has given us. And all of this, and all things, are for and to HIS glory.

What absurdity that we would try to make our message of hope and reconciliation about us. And how offensive we become when we make the Gospel out to be a minor elementary principle to be learned and moved on from so we can talk about what we ought to do in order to be a good Christian.

The things the Bible calls us to, the things that we ought to do as Christians is what we ought to do because of God in us. Meaning ought as in as a bird ought to fly or a fish ought to swim, (to borrow from John Piper). Certainly we will fail daily in those things that we ought to be doing, but it is all the more reason for us to take joy in the message of the Gospel which proclaims that all who repent and believe are redeemed, forgiven, reconciled, and loved by God. When we fail we can be all the more thankful for the grace and mercy of God which reminds us that:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
-Romans 8:1

The foolishness that God has rescued me from is staggering. I cannot help but to stand back and see the filth that I once loved and know, that if not for the grace and mercy of God, I would still be wallowing in the religious excrement of my youth trying to be the best good Christian I could be by the works of my own hands.

The call of my heart isn't to be a better person by doing all the right things, but to draw closer to God. As I draw nearer to Him, I become more and more of what we are called to be; a reflection of Christ.

Yes. Yes, it has.

"I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel..." -Philippians 1:12

Despite these nights wracked with ghost whispers and hard shadows, reminders of how sometimes it just hurt so much, and the knowing that there are some bridges best left burnt to the ground, by God's GRACE I am able to look up and see Christ. And I offer, without excuse or apology, looking at all the things the Lord has seen me safely through, this comfort; that for those of us who love God and are called according to His purpose, all things work together for our good. Namely, we -daily- being conformed into the likeness of His Son.

This long and broken road, filled scar tissue and bruises, has been an ongoing journey to see that the Gospel is the message of and for every believer. We carry with us "a bloody cross and an empty tomb" story of scandal, reconciliation, and glory. And this road has given opportunity upon opportunity to preach the Gospel.

Praise God.

Ryan Dunn: A Brief Thought

He died while drunk behind the wheel of a car that was travelling in excess of over 140MPH. How many of us have shook our heads in disbelief at the stupidity of such actions when it involved people less infamous? His fame is not an excuse for what he did, nor earns him a free pass. He is not a hero.

We can praise God for His mercy in that during their reckless passion of pursuing that which brought them joy, they did not harm anyone else. May they be to us a cautionary tale and a reminder that we are not guaranteed a life lived to a ripe old age. We are here today and gone tomorrow. It is, then, all the more important that we consider carefully and intentionally and fearfully eternal matters.

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
-Luke 13:1-5

But in compassion and loving kindness, may we also pray for God's mercy to fall on those these men have left behind. That the Lord would change hearts and draw these to Himself through the preaching of the Gospel. May we ask that those who would attempt to offer them a different gospel be silenced and put to shame.

Fun With Paint

"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." -2 Timothy 4:3-4

A Poem About a father and The Father by Odd Thomas

Still I Care...

It is strange that after a l l this, I l o v e you. I find that I have compassion and sympathy and hope towards you. I find that even after all of the bruises and all of the wounds and all of the brokenness, I care for you. I pray with all sincerity that the Love of our Lord would find you and bring you to repentance and faith.

I would like to say that this is my doing; that it is I who broke the cycle. I would like to take credit for this change in me, but that would be dishonest. This is the work of the Lord in my life. This is what God has done with me.

Truly I am transformed, for the Old Man hates you and mocks you. He despises you and revels in your misery. But he is put off and killed daily. Christ is put on, and Christ calls you to repentance and faith, and so I echo this message.

We are so dirty and deserving of our just reward, but Christ, and only Christ, makes us clean.

...For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
-Romans 3:20-26

"Blood of Jesus" performed by Phil Wickham

"Bow Down" by Von Won

THE Shocking Youth Message given by Paul Washer

I Hate Windows...(Beating Children for Jesus)

...Or rather I hate seeing my reflection in windows. Every time, without exaggeration, every time I see my reflection in a window or a glass door, I remember.

I remember being a young boy between the ages of six and eight. We lived on Wren Drive, and we had a big backyard where I would spend most of my outdoor time (because we weren't allowed in the front yard). I had dragged out all these toys and chairs and carefully arranged them to form the bridge of my star-ship.

I was the captain of the universe embarking on a quest to explore the galaxy. I was dodging torpedoes and lasers and destroying enemy warships. Often I would glance up at the glass door and admire my reflection as I stood as the proud captain of an indomitable crew.

At one point I saw my father's silhouette, only just, beyond my reflection. I waved and he waved back, or so I thought. What I didn't see was that he was actually motioning for me to come inside. I continued to play, look at the reflection of my set up, and embarked on the excitement of saving the universe, all the while my father was waving me to come inside.

He must have decided that I was ignoring him because he opened the glass door and calmly called me over as he did that "come here" thing people do with their index finger. Unaware of the rage boiling under the surface, I cheerfully walked over to him. He grabbed me by my shirt and threw me across the living room and onto the couch. He stormed over and all I can remember is trying to protect myself from a combination of open handed and clenched fist blows. When it was over he sent me out to put away my mess, and go to my room.

When my mother found me, she, though I didn't understand it at the time, greatly feared the thought of sending me to school. She was afraid that my teacher might see the bruises on my face and report it. I got a week's vacation from school, and all I understood was that I wasn't to show or tell anyone about my face because I would be taken away from my family; after all it was my fault for upsetting him anyway.

One particularly peculiar moment I remember is that of a lady from our church, Calvary Chapel Hanford, who came over a day or so later while I was riding my bike in circles out back. I knew I wasn't supposed to let people see my face, so I awkwardly pulled my shirt up over the side with the worst bruising and kept riding as she and my mother talked outside. Some very deep part of me wanted her to see what I was doing as a flag being waived for help. I wanted the shirt to slip so she could see the bruises and ask me what happened.

She must have noticed something because my mom told her some story that allowed her to laugh off what she saw. I try often to remember her face, to remember who she was. I have a few suspicious, but all I know for certain is that she was slender, had a light complexion, and mid-shoulder length dark hair; and I think I remember her hair being curly. I hope to one day remember who she was that I might have the opportunity to ask her if she remembered that day.

Afterward, and I mean immediately afterward, whether my father was inside or not, anytime I was outside and I walked by the sliding glass door I would peer in out of fear. I would check to see if he was summoning me when I could not hear nor see. I did this up even until I moved out.

Over twenty years later and I still remember this moment clearly. I see my reflection in a window or a glass door and I am reminded. It used to bother me. It used to bring an overwhelming sense of shame to my heart. Not anymore.

The Lesson

My daughter is six years old now. She is the same age I was when my father was especially brutal towards his children. By remembering these things, no matter how much I would rather forget, I am reminded of the responsibilities the Lord charged me with as a father.

I am to lead my children in godly ways pointing them always to the Gospel. To be an example of Jesus for them. To love them -as short as I may fall- as God loves them and has shown mercy towards them in commanding all to come to repentance and faith.

I am to pray for them and watch over them. Correct and lead them along the path that they ought to go, so that when they grow older they will not soon depart that path.

I can do this, and I am enabled and empowered to do this through Christ. Though I look very much like my father, and though we share many similar traits and features, I am not my father. I could be him, but by the grace and mercy of God I am not him.

Confessedly, there are days when I fear that I may become that man because of the similarities between us. He has given to me for an inheritence his anger. But all that crap is bound up in the old man who is put to death in Christ. The chains that once enslaved me to sin are broken, and I have been brought from death to life.

In Christ I am a new creation, and the old things are gone, put out, and passed away. The new things are here; now. And I entrust to Christ Jesus the things of my past, for those things have been answered for at the cross. They have no power over me. They have no sway. And they certainly do not belong to me.

Our Lord, who died for the sins of the world as a ransom for many, called me to drink freely from his living waters. The wrath of the Father, Christ drank to the brine for me that I might be reconciled to Him.

It is these things that are my inheritence, and it is these things that I am to bring to my children.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
-Proverbs 22:6

Even the Murderer, Rapist, and Pedophile!?

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
~Romans 3:21-26

Sin is handled in one of two ways.

For those in Christ, their sin was dealt with at the Cross. It was answered for in Christ who drank to the brine the cup of the God's Wrath in our place. Our sin was answered for in the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ was the propitiation reconciling those who believe with God.

For those outside of Christ, they shall be brought low before God with the debt of their sin upon them, and they will be eternally undone in God's Wrath. They will be unable to stand before God, for even their greatest deeds and greatest acts of righteousness will be before God as filthy and stained garments.

The chiefest sinner among us, guilty of the most atrociously inhuman acts, may through faith and repentance in Christ, find forgiveness and a friend in God. Upon Christ was laid the sins of the world that those who believe in Christ, -that is trusting in Him, abiding in Him, following after Him- may be reconciled to God.

But you might say: What about the murderer!? What about the rapist!? What about the pedophile!?

Even him. For if it cannot work for them, how can it work for us? If God cannot forgive them through the work of Christ whom He raised from the dead, how can we rest assured that He will forgive any of us? Either God is true when He says to those who believe:

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with [Christ], having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in [Christ]. (Colossians 2:13-15, emphasis added)

Or He is not and completely untrustworthy.

Jesus said:

"...All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:37-40, emphasis added)

Everyone who looks upon Christ and believes, it is written, shall be rescued from wrath and reconciled to God. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ was sufficient for all sinners, and all are called to look upon the Son and believe. It is not solely those with acceptable sins that are called to repentance and faith, but all men are commanded to repent and believe.

Those in Christ are blessed because He was cursed for our sake. He took on our sin and shame and bled and died that we might be reconciled through grace by faith in Him. He bore our transgressions and by His stripes we are healed, yes even the murderer and the rapist.

There exists no sin so great that God cannot pass over in the work of Christ on the Cross. No transgression have you committed that would keep God from fulfilling His promise to you who believe.

But for those who reject the Gospel of Christ, and reject the message of reconciliation; those who are convinced to stand before God by their own merit; there exists no sin so minor that God, the Righteous Judge, can ever rightly turn a blind eye to. For the wages of sin, all sin, is death.

Mercy...

The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
-2 Timothy 4:18

There are nights when I drop my teeth on the floor and pick them up to remember and relive a past I can't seem to forget. And I can't tell if this is my dark valley of death, or the thorn in my flesh to remind me that...

If not by the sweet mercy of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who through the Cross has made heirs of the Father all who repent and believe, I would be the very same monster who raised me. And I see in all that God has seen me safely through the affirmation of Romans 8:28-29 in that truly ALL THINGS -for those of us who Love God- work together for our good; namely being we conformed into the likeness of Christ.

If Not for Grace...Headlong Death Charge

If not for the grace of God I would charge head long into my own demise. I would be utterly undone as I lay hold on the wickedness of my heart's desires. If not for the grace of God I would willingly dash my skull against the jagged rocks of my sin. I would bear greater and greater witness against myself; boldy affirming God's judgement against me.

If not for the grace of God, I would proudly stand before Him in arrogance wrongfully demanding my imagined right to enter His rest; handing Him bloody rag after bloody rag as evidence of my empty claim to inheritance.

I would mark my accomplishments, my good deeds, my works of righteousness; and I would be utterly disgusting to Him. I would have nothing to stand upon when He irresistibly bids me welcome into the fullness of the presence of His wrath for all eternity.

If not for the grace of God...

But O, Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.

"Lies My Pastor Told Me: Chapter 1" By Cole Brown

Find out more: Lies My Pastor Told Me.com

Dirty

Before Christ my life was dirty.
I couldn't do anything to be clean
Of all the awful things that would cling to me.
Through the Cross
That filth was at a loss,
For when Christ died and rose for me,
By Grace through Faith,
I was set free
And made perfectly...
Clean.

We Need Jesus...

...The Scriptures; yeah they bloody hurt when we compare ourselves to them. They tell us that everything we bring to the table of God is dirty. That is why we need Jesus. He took that filth from us, bore the Wrath for us, with His blood cleansed us, and acceptable to God's table brought us...

"The Reality of the Resurrection" by Odd Thomas

Sermon Jam

Declare These things...

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Declare these things..." -Titus 3:11-15

Uncompromising

"When the Gospel is preached, men are drawn to the church without entertainment, activities, or promises beyond those offered by the Gospel."
-Paul Washer

Psalm 8 -Initial Reading and Notes

Psalm 8

"O LORD, our Lord..."

The Lord of all creation is our Lord. He is unquestionably the King of kings and Lord of Lords whether we will to acknowledge Him or not. His glory and His majesty are displayed for all to see (Romans 1); and yet, many refuse to honor Him as God, nor are they thankful for the great steadfast mercy and kindness He has lavished upon us.

Each breath we (all people) take is a gift from Him who upholds and sustains all things (Hebrews 1:3). Even the blasphemer who blasphemes His most HOLY name is only able to do so by the grace of Christ who is longsuffering, calling all to repentance and faith.

"Out of the mouths of babes..."

He silences all by displaying His glory through the weakest of vessels; demonstrating and confirming that nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). All are without excuse; and all will one day confess Jesus as Lord (Psalm 2).

In our brokenness, and in our fallen state, the Lord has still kept us as the stewards of His creation (Genesis 1:26). He has shown us mercy and kindness. And though guilty before Him, deserving of His wrath, He has provided His righteousness to those who believe and place their faith in Jesus Christ; who died and was resurrected for our Salvation (Romans 1:16-17).

"What is man..."

Who are we that the Lord would be mindful of us? Who are we that He would call us gently to repentance and faith; and profoundly remind us in the birth pains of creation that He is God and we must look to Him for our eternal hope? We are without hope in and of ourselves, for our own righteousness is an illusion and worthless before God (Isaiah 64:6).

How short is our time on this earth. We are as the grass and flower of the field; here today and called into eternity tomorrow (1 Peter 1:24; Psalm 103:15-18). As we look at the wonders of His hands, let us fall to our knees in prayer, praise, and exultation of God most high. While today is still today, let us repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ; the God of our Salvation (Isaiah 55:6-9); for there is no other name “under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Examples of What Not to Be...

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
-Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
-Colossians 3:21

When I was young I fought with depression. I hated my life and myself with such intensity that I wanted not only to die, but to do so at my own hands. When I worked up the nerve to tell my own parents that I needed help, my father screamed at me "...if Pastor ____ can't fix your problem, then you don't really have a problem!!"

By God's grace I made it out of that place alive.

Don't be those parents. If you're kid is willing to confide their heart to you, DON'T chase them off.

A Sharing: "How Sharp the Edge? Christ, Controversy, and Cutting Words" -Mark Driscoll

1. Feed the Sheep
2. Rebuke the Swine
3. Shoot the Wolves
4. Bark at the Dogs
5. Pray for the Shepheds

Many hearers lose much blessing through criticizing too much, and meditating too little; and many more incur great sin by calumniating those who live for the good of others. True pastors have enough of care and travail without being burdened by undeserved and useless fault-finding. We have something better to do than to be for ever answering every malignant or frivolous slander which is set afloat to injure us. We expected to prove our ministry "by evil report and by good report," and we are not therefore overwhelmed by abuse as though some new thing had happened unto us; and yet there are tender, loving spirits who feel the trial very keenly, and are sadly hindered in brave service by cruel assaults. The rougher and stronger among us laugh at those who ridicule us, but upon others the effect is very sorrowful. For their sakes are these pages written; may they be a warning to wanton witlings who defame the servants of the Most High God.

As ministers we are very far from being perfect, but many of us are doing our best, and we are grieved that the minds of our people should be more directed to our personal imperfections than to our divine message. God has purposely put his treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power should be ascribed to himself alone: we beseech our hearers not to be so occupied with the faults of the casket as to forget the jewel. Wisdom is justified of her children, and grace works by such instruments as it pleases.

~Charles H. Spurgeon