Monthly Archive

I’ve recently began reading the book “Overcoming Sin and Temptation - Three Classic Works by John Owen“. After only about 70 pages I would have to say this is a great book, one of the best I have ever read. Amazing insight. Somewhat difficult to read but well worth it. Some quotes to give you a flavor for what treasure lies inside.

Sin aims always at the utmost; every time it rises up to tempt or entice, might it have its own course, it would go out to the utmost sin in that kind. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could; every covetous desire would be oppression, every thought of unbelief would be atheism, might it grow to its head. - John Owen

A sin is not mortified when it is only diverted. - John Owen

He that changes pride for worldliness, sensuality for Pharisaism, vanity in himself to the contempt of others , let him not think that he has mortified the sin that he seems to have left. He has changed his master, but is a servant still - John Owen

A recent post on the Desiring God blog, “Cake and Television” got my writing juices flowing again today. For me at least I’m almost always motivated to write from something I read; in the Bible, on a blog, or in a book, and even sometimes a bumper sticker. The blog title that got me going was titled “Cake and Television”. The following is my favorite quote from the post.

It astonishes me how many Christians watch the same banal, empty, silly, trivial, titillating, suggestive, immodest TV shows that most unbelievers watch–and then wonder why their spiritual lives are weak and their worship experience is shallow with no intensity. - John Piper

Here Piper hits squarely in the bulls eye. Is it any wonder that we lead sick, weak spiritual lives when we spend most of our free time being numbed by God belittling television? I have already probably insulted most of my readers at this point, but that is not at all my intention. My purpose is for all of us to “Stop and Think” about how we spend our time. And please, please hold off before you slap me with the “Legalist” title. Here me out and then come to your conclusions.

Some three years ago the Holy Spirit gave me the ability to walk away from the thing. It wasn’t easy to be sure, but by God’s grace I did it. Notice that I did not say I don’t own a Television, I just don’t watch it. After being away from the television scene for a couple of months I set down with my family to watch a program. I think it was the “Andy Griffith Show”. You can’t find a show much more wholesome than this one. The show wasn’t really the problem, it was the commercials! I could not believe the amount of visual bombardment going on. The commercial was either about some weight loss program with a bikini clad woman testifying to the effectiveness of the “product” or someone telling me how dissatisfied I should be with my current job, my house, my car, my computer, my clothes, the whiteness of my teeth! The entire television enterprise was geared towards sending me the following message. “You are not satisfied! Come to us, we have what you need!” Someone might be saying, Ah come on! What’s wrong with a little free enterprise? Isn’t our entire economy based on this? Well to this I would say, I’m not against commerce, but I am against idol worship. I am against feeding on small minded things that leave us with no appetite for grand things. Namely God. To those that would say, you are just being a legalist. You might be right if I’m trying to get right with God by keeping a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” But I don’t believe that is at all the case. I’m not trying to get right with God, Christ did that with his blood once and for all with his death and resurrection. I’m trying to be satisfied in God. I am looking at anything that would draw me away from delight and satisfaction in Christ as my enemy. It’s not legalism, I’m trying to be wise. God gives us brains and hearts and we should use them both to the fullest extent possible to bring glory to His name. I want us all to look at how we spend our free time and ask these questions.

Is what I’m watching on television, or anything I’m doing for that matter causing by heart to burn hotter for Christ? Or Colder?

Is what I’m watching causing me to grow in love for other people? Is it causing me to see members of the opposite sex as mere objects for fantasy or as an image-bearer of God?

Is what I’m watching causing me to grow dissatisfied with my possessions and driving me to purse my satisfaction in empty vain things that will be broken and boring long before they are paid for?

Is the time I am spending of value for the kingdom and glory of God?

Could I be spending this time communicating with my spouse, children?

Could I be spending this time learning to study and love God’s word? Reading Christian biography or memorizing a scripture that could help me resist sin the next day?

Could I use this time to help someone who needs help? Could I use this time to pray for someone who needs prayer?

Do we see so much sin on television that we are numb and blind to what it really looks like? I have a challenge for all my readers today. Turn off the television for a couple of months and spend that time in Gods word. Then turn it on again and watch the same things you where watching before. I hope you will be shocked, and I hope along with me will say. “What a waste. God forgive me.” and I hope turn it off and leave it off.

Philippians 3:8-13
8Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Philippians 3:8
8Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Just remember, my friend, who Jesus is. He is God. When you fully trust Him you have all that God is and all that God has. You cannot be otherwise than satisfied with the perfect fullness of Christ. Because he is God, He is all you need and more. There is no corner of your life He cannot fill, no problem He cannot solve and no need He cannot supply. . . .Yes, my friend, in Christ we are saved, safe, and satisfied. He is a perfect, a complete, Savior. And I must add, He is the ONLY Savior. Trusting Christ spells JOY. Failure to trust him spells judgment. Now is the time to accept him. “Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart. (A Good Time and How to Have It, pp. 48-49) - Bill Piper

Until what we know about Jesus powerfully impacts how we feel about Jesus we are only fooling ourselves in regards to really knowing who he is.

I have recently discovered a couple of excellent sites that I would like to share.

The first one is www.echoprayer.com A great tool to help you pray more diligently. You create a prayer list, set times for reminders and they are then emailed or sent via sms message at the time you specify. I’ve used it for about three weeks and highly recommend it.

The second is www.juststopandthink.com A wonderful 15 minute film that might just change your life. The Gospel message presented with clarity and passion.

Lord willing I will be teaching a Sunday school class March 4th. You can download my notes with the following link.

Lesson notes for March 4th