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We must remember this One thing in all our coming and goings to Church, in all our service and the exercises of our varied spiritual gifts. It must all be about Jesus and done as an outflow of our love and worship of him, anything more or less, is just religion. 

Great advice from Rick Hogaboam on “Ten Reasons Why Calvinists Should Show More Humility”. I especially loved his insight in item number 6, “It’s His beauty that attracted us, not our intellect.”

As a Calvinist one of my goals in loving my Arminian brothers and sisters is breaking the stereotypes that all Reformed types are intellectual snobs who would rather argue doctrine than worship Jesus. Doctrine is very important, but the point of doctrine is the worship of Christ.  

So for my Reformed brothers and sisters give Rick’s post some thought in regards to our humility, and for my Arminian brothers and sisters just know some Calvinists (By God’s Grace!) are working hard towards not being jerks. :~)

A direct link to the post.

http://endued.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/top-10-reasons-why-calvinists-should-show-more-humility/

I recently heard this great quote while listening on-line to a sermon from Matt Chandler at the Village Church. He said something along these lines. “We don’t follow Jesus because he makes things better, We follow Jesus because He is Better” and “We don’t follow Jesus because he makes life better, We follow Jesus because he is better than life”. Here in a couple of sentences you have the heart of what all true lovers of Christ profess. It crosses all denominations and cultures and is the only sure sign of a redeemed soul. We can talk all day about how much we are thankful and desirous of God’s blessings, we can shout and dance till our voices and bodies give out in praise for what he has done for us, and we should!. But it must go much deeper than that. We must move beyond thankfulness for His gifts, into worship for who He is! Until we can say “Jesus is better than life” we have not yet seen him nor worshipped Him as God. we have seen Him only as a means to a treasure but not “The Treasure”. My desire for my life and for the church as a whole is that we so speak, think and act that it is crystal clear why we follow Jesus. “He is better than all His gifts and blessings. He is better than safety comfort and shelter, He is better than family, friends and Church, He is better than life.”

The great danger of the prosperity gospel is that it allows unregenerate idolaters to remain so, all the while fooling them into thinking they have been born again. God seems worthy of worship because of what he as done for them not because of who he is.  Jesus is a way to get to heaven but not the goal of heaven.

I have noticed that self forgetting, Jesus focused people are the happiest people in the world and that the opposite is also true, the self absorbed Christ ignoring are the most miserable. I am not saying that rough and terrible things don’t happen to Christians, but being focused on Christ and not ourselves is exactly what we were made for.  We are at our core made to be worshipers of God. Anything else will leave us dissatisfied.

Saint Augustine said it best.

Nos fecisti ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te.

Translation: Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.

Two things that we must be very careful not to neglect. The Holiness of God, and the Gospel of Jesus. They are tightly bound together. If we concentrate on the one at the expense of the other, we fall into legalism or self worship. Either we get a list from God (The Law) and try to work things out in our own strength, (Will Power Religion) or we take God’s list lightly and use the gospel as a means to license and self worship (The Carnal Christian). We think of God as a doting, kind grandfather who will tolerate our sin, or some kind of cosmic sugar daddy who we can persuade into giving us what we really want (The Good Life) by being good religious people. God desires a holy people and those people can only be made that way but trusting in what Jesus has done (The Gospel). My final advice for myself and for those reading this post is this. Never ever forget that God is Holy, and never ever forget that the Gospel of Jesus is the only means to be reconciled to God.

Heaven is not a place where good people go when they die. It is a place for those, who by God’s sovereign miracle of the new birth love Jesus more than anything else.

The keener the memory of our awful rescue the more naturally we pity those in a similar plight. The more deeply we feel how undeserved and free was the grace that plucked us from the flames, the freer will be our benevolence to sinners. - John Piper

When the heart no longer feels the truth of hell, the gospel passes from good news to just news. The intensity of joy is blunted and the heart spring of love is dried up. - John Piper

These two quotes from John Piper’s book “Brothers We Are Not Professionals” rekindled something that has been smoldering in my mind for quite some time. A proper understanding of the doctrine of hell and the wrath of God is needful if the gospel is to make any sense. How can we have a sense of urgency in evangelism if we are merely trying to help people have their “Best Life Now”? If we see ourselves as sinners rescued from the wrath of God by the grace of God it should result in a humble merciful life towards those around us. We will become less wrathful towards those that sin against us, we will have tears in our eyes when we deal with those on the road to destruction. Piper has it right. When we don’t feel the truth of hell, the gospel loses its sweetness. Our joy is blunted and small. If we don’t feel the rescue from the wrath of God, we won’t worship with the intensity that we should. God is not glorified as he should be, and we cut ourselves off from some of the highest delights imaginable. It is impossible to truly understand the love of God without comprehending his just wrath along side the work of the cross. The following verse highlights this.

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
(1John 4:10 ESV)

The love of God for us is most fully understood in the Son paying the price for our sins. In order to understand God’s love for us we must understand God’s wrath against our sin. If we try to understand God’s love without considering His wrath, the cross makes no sense. We fall into a kind of “God is for us” sloppiness without considering His holiness. We don’t think about God’s wrath or His justice or much about hell. We think we are pretty good people that Christ died for. This might account for so many thinking that they can play at sin without getting burned, or worse yet, without offending God. Or if they consider sin it all it is only the earthly consequences that might hinder their earthly success. For many, sin is merely an inconvenience that hinders us in our earthly relationships and God is, mostly if not always left out. Some might say that concentrating too much on our sin and on the wrath of God is unhealthy, and I suppose that could happen. But what I’m saying is that we need to look at the complete panorama of the attributes of God. His holiness, His justice, His sovereignty, His wrath and His love. Until we do this we worship a god of our own understanding but not the God of the bible.

Conclusion: Wrath – Rescue - Worship

We must understand the wrath of God against our own personal sin to be able to appreciate our personal rescue. When we do this, and only then, will our hearts burst forth in worship ravished by rescue. All to the praise of his glorious grace!

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
(Ephesians 1:6 KJVS)

Here Mark Driscoll clearly describes the doctrine of regeneration.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
(Philippians 2:12-13 ESV)

(Galatians 3:1-3 ESV) 

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

(2Corinthians 5:21 ESV) 

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

The only escape from legalism and religion is by gazing on the crucified Treasure; Jesus Christ. We must be daily amazed by His gift of undeserved righteousness! If we only give lip-service to grace we will most certainly try to be justified by our works. We can memorize scripture, learn the catechisms, get baptized and speak and tongues, and all the while secretly and in our sub-conscience be trusting in our selves to be made right with God. Oh, how we need to keep our hearts and minds riveted to our Lord Jesus who paid all our debts!  

(Colossians 2:13-15 ESV) 

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, 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 him.”

(Romans 4:4-5 ESV) 

“Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness”

Sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. A case for Calvinism.

A fairly strange title to be sure, but something I hope in the end will be helpful no matter where you stand on this doctrine. 

Most non calvinist folks probably see calvinism as non-biblical at worst, or a cold hearted and purely intellectual exclusive doctrine. But I hope my unpacking of the story of the demoniac changes that, or at least helps you see things in a different light. I hope to leave you seeing calvinism not as an unjust God turning away people who really want to follow him, but a merciful, loving God doing everything necessary to heal and save His people. This is a humble attempt to be sure, and there are those far better equipped to describe these glorious doctrines. But by God’s grace I hope to be of some help and glorify God.. Before proceeding please read and meditate on the following text found starting in Luke 8:26-39 (You can also find parallels in Mark 5 and Matthew 8 )

“Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. 

When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”

(Luke 8:26-39 ESV)

Some questions now for you to ponder. Please take your time and think and pray. Even if you think I’m all muddle headed and confused in my doctrine. Please, think and pray.

Is there any possibility that Jesus when he set out to free the man possessed with thousands of demons, that he would fail in his mission? Could Jesus have healed the man from his great bondage only later to allow him to perish? 

Did the demon possessed man bring anything to Jesus other than great need? Did the demon possessed man appear willing to be saved? Was he hostile to the idea of being delivered?

Was the demoniac insane? And what was his state of mind after Jesus healed him?

Here are my thoughts on the questions and why I hold the calvinistic view of salvation.

Is there any possibility that Jesus when he set out to free the man possessed with thousands of demons he would fail in his mission? 

 Answer:  No! For Jesus to free the man from the power of thousands of demons only to know full well that later he would return to sin and deny Christ and perish is insanely brutal! There would be no reason for Christ to deliver the man if in the end, Christ did not have the right and the power to deliver him fully into God’s glorious kingdom.  The truly delivered man will persevere till the end. 

Did the demon possessed man bring anything to Jesus other than great need? Did the demon possessed man appear willing to be saved? Was he hostile to the idea of being delivered?

Answer:

I see a man in total moral bondage and not the slightest bit willing to repent. I see someone so bound that they are bent on destruction, hurting themselves and other people. I see a dangerous sinner on the road to hell,  I see myself, and I see you. I don’t see a pretty nice guy with a few moral defects in need of correction. I see total depravity and complete bondage. 

Was the demoniac insane? What was his state of mind after Jesus healed him?

Answer:

I believe that the man’s demonic possession had driven him completely insane. He wore no clothes and lived in the cemetery and could not be bound by men. Any restraints put on him where quickly broken by the evil within. He mutilated his body by cutting himself with stones. (Mark 5) And after Jesus had healed him he was sitting at Jesus feet and clothed and in his right mind. Notice this. In his right mind!

Calvinism briefly defined.

Something we need to understand in order to glorify God for our salvation as we should, is that we where in the demoniacs state before we became Christians. I don’t mean that we where all demon possessed before coming to Christ, but some might have! My point is, that by nature we where hostile towards God, even in our most noble moral moments in which we praised ourselves! We lived our lives worshiping images and created things and ourselves, by nature we where rebels and had no more desire for Jesus than the demonic did. Maybe we wore a suit and tie, went to church and didn’t hang out in grave yards or strip clubs, but all the same, we where just as insanely in love with our sin as he was. It took a miracle for us to come to Christ, and that miracle was sovereign grace. Not “a pretty good person + grace = saved” and not “a pretty smart person + grace = saved”. We are saved by grace through faith, and faith itself is a gift of grace! As C.H Spurgeon put it. “It’s all of grace” From top to bottom and from front to back. Until Jesus sets our wills free, we won’t worship him, because until our wills are freed from the bondage of sin we are just like the demonic, we love the darkness. But when by God’s grace we have our wills freed and our insanity cured, we do what any cured sane person would do. We fall head long in love with the great physician who healed us! The infinitely beautiful Christ becomes our supreme treasure!  We do what we most want to do, imperfectly for sure! We follow Christ and obey his commands because we love him. Our wills are set free at last to choose Christ, we desire for the first time in our lives what we should desire, Jesus Christ.

Some Ramifications of this Belief:

Believing this view of God’s grace in salvation should make us very humble, it should stun us, it should make us the most merciful people on the planet! It should cause our hearts to sing in worship! When we see sinners trapped in the chains of sin we don’t puff out our chest and say, “just get with the program!” or “God has done his part its up to you now!” Instead, we weep and pray over the souls of lost men and women. We pray for the most hardened sinner and ask God to raise the dead, to take out the heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh, we pray that spiritually blind eyes and ears be opened to the beauty of the cross and the glory of the gospel! We know that if Christ can change the demoniac and change us, he can change anyone he pleases! Calvinism doesn’t remove the need for evangelism as some have claimed, but in fact is a great source of confidence in all our efforts. 

Conclusion:

When Jesus got out of the boat on that day long ago he was on a mission to shower His sovereign love upon that man that was bound in sin and there was no chance he would fail. And when Jesus hung on that cross long ago he was on a mission to shower His sovereign love on his elect and there was no chance he would fail. The death of the Son of God didn’t just make our salvation a possibility, he made it a rock solid reality! 

I probably haven’t convinced anyone that wasn’t a Calvinist already to become one. And thats probably OK. This isn’t something you should be convinced of by a piece as short as this, or by any one man. It is up to the Holy Spirit and God’s word. But I do hope I’ve got you thinking and thinking hard. Read your bible, and think over those hard passages where God appears to be sovereign over the salvation of men just like in the story of the demoniac, and ponder often how it is you became a Christian.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in my right mind. By God’s sovereign grace. 

Todd

 Some links you might find useful. 

  http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/AskPastorJohn/ByTopic/57/2464_Is_being_born_again_up_to_us/

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TopicIndex/105_The_Doctrines_of_Grace/ 

“What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?”

(1Corinthians 4:7 ESV)

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”

(1Thessalonians 5:14 ESV)

God doesn’t create strong Christians so that they can boast in their strength , and all the while ridicule and otherwise minimize the weak. God makes strong Christians so that they will boast only in the Lord and so that they might encourage and strengthen their brothers and sisters in Christ. The whole point of God giving us grace is so that we might glorify Him and be helpful and gracious to others.  How gracious has our Lord been with us! 

“I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.”

(Ezekiel 34:16 ESV)  

Most Christians agree that we should be concerned about the culture that surrounds them. We should care about how we are influenced by it and how we might bring about positive change. And I completely agree that we should not be overly influenced while at the same time be getting our hands dirty. But lately I have been wondering about our motives. Do we have a God-Centered, Gospel-Centered approach? Or are we looking to keep our lives prosperous and safe? Do we long for a Christian centric nation simply for safety and a better life for our kids? Does are concern for our culture come chiefly from a desire to protect ourselves and the way of life we love? Or does our concern come chiefly from a desire to see the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus made great? Do we pray for the souls of men and women in authority that they would be transformed by the power of God’s glorious grace and be saved or simply pray that they would make good moral judgments? And I’m not against having people in office who have good character and make good moral decisions! I just wonder sometimes if we get too worked up about who will win the next presidential election while at the same time neglecting the poor, neglecting our own personal holiness and most importantly the glorious name of Jesus. Where does most of our intellectual and emotional energy go? Is it about Jesus and for His glory or are we wrapped up in protecting our Christianized version of the American dream? My prayer for myself and Christian church in America is that we place our eyes firmly and constantly on who Jesus is and what he has done, and out of this will flow a loving heart of concern for our culture that keeps Christ at the center of everything.

Rescued by Grace
Rescued in spite of ourselves
Rescued not for ourselves
Rescued for service
Rescued for sacrifice
Rescued for others regardless the cost
Rescued for the poor and broken hearted
Rescued from the American Dream
Rescued into an everlasting Kingdom
Rescued from Religion
Rescued from Idolatry
Rescued from broken cisterns that never satisfy
Rescued for Sorrow
Rescued for Suffering
Rescued for Perseverance
Rescued for Hope
Rescued for Faith
Rescued for Love
Rescued for Holiness
Rescued in humility and to be humbled
Rescued to die
Rescued to live

Rescued that God the Son’s sacrifice would be displayed as glorious
Rescued that God the Father would be praised for his Grace
Rescued that God the Spirit might live in us

Rescued for indestructible ever increasing Joy!
Rescued for Worship!

Amazing YouTube vid from Mars Hill Church in Seattle.

The Mars Hill YouTube channel can be found here.

Desiring God has an excellent article by Dr. John Piper on Signs and Wonders that is very much worth your time. If you believe as I do that these are for today you will be encouraged, if not, you will be challenged by Dr. Piper’s highly biblical treatment on the subject.

For the article click here.

To become a Christian not only entails what we confess and believe, although most assuredly we must do both. But at the most profound level it is something God does for us and to us.

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
(Rom 10:9 ESV)

“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again* he cannot see the kingdom of God.””
(John 3:3 ESV)

“ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
(1Pet 1:3 ESV)

“since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;”
(1Pet 1:23 ESV)

To become a Christian is to have a supernatural event transacted for us and in us. We must will and do, but it is God working in us that brings us to faith and brings about our willing and doing.

“ Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
(Phil 2:12-13 ESV)

What God does through the finished work of His Son in the lives of His children is supernatural, it is effectual, it is irrevocable, and it is wonderful.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
(Phil 1:6 ESV)

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
(Matt 24:13 ESV)

“who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1Cor 1:8 ESV)

I came across this quote while reading this afternoon. A stunning, joy producing picture drawn by John Piper. To see God like this is why we where created. To delight in the the glory of God is the highest delight possible. All other delights compared to the glory of God are like a burning match compared to the blazing glory of 10 billion stars.

From all eternity the ever-existing, never-becoming, always-perfect God has know himself and loved what he knows. He has eternally seen his beauty and savored what he sees. His understanding of his own reality is flawless, and his exuberance in enjoying it is infinite. He has no needs, for he has no imperfections. He has no inclinations to evil because he has no deficiencies that could tempt him to do wrong. He is therefore the holiest and happiest being that is or that can be conceived. We cannot conceive of a happiness greater than the happiness of infinite power delighting infinitely in infinite beauty in the personal fellowship of the Trinity.  - John Piper from the book “Preaching the Cross”

 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
(Luke 12:32 ESV)

God does not begrudge giving us the kingdom. With omnipotent pleasure God wills to give His children all that He is. What a stunning, wonderful and glorious truth this is. Our unstoppable God will succeed in bringing to pass what brings Him pleasure.

I’ve been thinking lately about how discontent I can become when I hear something preached other than the central message of the Gospel. I need to here about the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, how he suffered and died for my sins, and how the the just wrath of God that was hanging over my head was appeased by the willing obedient death of the Son. More and more this is becoming the central thing that occupies my heart and mind. Today while reading in Romans I see why this is so.

Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Notice that it is the “power of God for salvation” to everyone who believes. The gospel is a power that enables one to believe and a power that enables our ongoing belief and obedience. Also notice that the “righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith” The gospel empowers our faith. We are also told from this text that the “righteous shall live by faith”. We don’t “learn or get” the gospel and then move on to higher or more advanced teachings. The gospel is what we must have moment by moment of everyday. We need it to live! It is more important than air or food in the Christian faith. To those that would say, yes, but what about how to have a better marriage? Or what about how to raise good kids? Or what about how to have my finances in order? Or what about dealing with racial justice or helping the poor? Or how do I lead a holy life? To all these I would say, yes they are needful, but they are not the gospel. The gospel is the solution to all these issues! When we teach, preach and live the gospel Jesus receives the glory and we get exactly what we need. When we understand the gospel, we treat our spouses better, we raise our kids to trust Jesus and not their own moral goodness, and we spend our money to advance God’s kingdom and not for selfish destructive pursuits. We love people of any race because Jesus did, and help the poor because Jesus did. When we feel the mercy of the gospel, we are transformed into merciful people, and the battle for personal holiness can only be won in the power of the Holy Spirit working though the gospel.

I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for my salvation.

How can I stay safe and silent while people perish? Can I pass them by, while I myself stay safe? Is it possible to follow Jesus and not offend your friends and family or the stranger on the street? If fervor and zeal for the glory of God is mistaken for foolishness or insanity, isn’t it worth the price?

By God’s grace:

I can not stay silent, I must share the news regardless of the cost or shame. The glory of God will not let me be comfortable. It is a Holy Restlessness. For the glory of my Lord Jesus.

Don’t worship your athletic ability, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship your physical appearance, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship your intellect, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship  your friends, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship the latest new electronic toy, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship the female body, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship your car, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship your career, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship sex, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship your hobbies, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship your wife, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship your kids, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship the praise of man, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship religion, Worship Jesus
Don’t worship the church, Worship Jesus

Worship Jesus, He gets the glory and we get the joy.

I ran across this quote from John Piper at the DG blog today.

Many people speak of receiving Christ in a way that does not require a new birth. They do not receive him as a display of the all-satisfying God. They receive him as sin-forgiver (because they don’t want guilt), rescuer from hell (because they don’t want to go there), healer (because they don’t want to be sick), protector (because they value safety), prosperity-giver (because they love wealth), creator (because they prefer a personal God), even Lord of history (because they value order), but not supremely and infinitely valuable as who he is – the most wonderful, satisfying, all-glorious Person who ever was or will be. - John Piper

What shall we say to this? How many people think they have been converted because they love what Christ has to offer, but prefer as their supreme treasure something or someone else more?

Acts 17:24-25

24The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,^[a] 25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

From this text we can see that God does not need us. I once had a non Christian friend say to me he could not believe in a God who needed our worship. I believe in a very profound sense he was right. God does not need our worship, but he does deserve it. We on the other hand do not deserve as fallen sinners the right to worship an infinitely Holy, Good God, but we desperately need to worship God, we where created for that very purpose. Because of what Jesus has done for us in His blood we can come to God for the one thing we where created to do. To bring Him glory by worshiping Him as our supreme Joy. God does not need our worship but he deserves it, we don’t deserve to worship God but we desperately need to worship Him.

Thanks be to King Jesus that he solved the most difficult issue in the universe. God gets the Glory, and we get the joy of beholding His glory.

A great post on why we get stuck in sin. We must have our hearts and minds transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit through the message of the gospel. Until that happens we will be stuck in the endless suicidal spiral of idol worship. I have heard John Piper say many times. Sin gets its power by a promise to make us happier than God can. All sin has at its root unbelief.

http://purplecellar.blogspot.com/2007/04/why-we-get-stuck-in-sin.html

Many will profess a belief in Christ if he promises to save them from the power and penalty of sin. Others will go so far as to profess Him as Lord and try to obey is commands in order to have a clean conscious along with a good reputation. But very few take Him as the supreme treasure of their lives. Simply said, our actions and lifestyle must flow from new desires and delights, decisions are not enough. When Jesus becomes our treasure how we think and act will change. When the root of our affections are transformed by the sovereign power of the Holy Spirit we will bear a different kind of fruit.

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

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.

A short note to self:

At the root of my impatience is my self-centeredness. Pride is my chief enemy.

John Piper has posted an article on “Prosperity Preaching” and it’s deadly effects. A couple of excerpts from the article and then the link to the full text.

“What will make the world taste (the salt) and see (the light) of Christ in us is not that we love wealth the same way they do. Rather, it will be the willingness and the ability of Christians to love others through suffering, all the while rejoicing because their reward is in heaven with Jesus. This is inexplicable on human terms. This is supernatural. But to attract people with promises of prosperity is simply natural. It is not the message of Jesus. It is not what he died to achieve.” - John Piper

“There is no reason why a person who makes $200,000 should live any differently from the way a person who makes $80,000 lives. Find a wartime lifestyle; cap your expenditures; then give the rest away.” - John Piper

“Prosperity Preaching: Deceitful and Deadly”

One of the things that draws me time and again to the preaching of John Piper is his relentless pursuit of the glory of God in Jesus Christ. His total lack of concern for pursuing the American Dream of wealth and comfort is so refreshing. I once heard him say something to the effect of “There is nothing wrong with Christians making lots of money, only with Christians making lots of money and keeping it.” Can you believe this statement? I pray that more and more I will become this type of person.

The prosperity Gospel is not Gospel. It is an assault on the glory of God, and kills the people who try to be saved by it.

If what we treasure and how we spend our time and money looks just like those outside the church, those outside figure, whats the difference? That’s one of the biggest problems the Church has. If we offer only more of the same of what they already have, why bother?  In order for those outside the Church to be attracted to Christ we the Church must display Him as supremely desirable.

Christianity is not a religion for good or moral people. It is in fact a place for the broken and sick. This is not to say that there are some who are not in need of what Christ brings. All have sinned and have fallen short of treasuring God as they should. All have been wounded and have wounded others. Christians should be good and moral, but that is not the cause, but the effect of what Christ has done and is doing.

“We love to look at glory. We were made to enjoy seeing it. This is why Jesus came into the world. He came to reveal the glory of God more fully than nature ever had(John 1:14) and to die in our place so that we could be saved from God’s wrath in order to enjoy forever the glory of God’s grace(John 3:14-15,36;17-24) and to awaken in us a desire for that glory so that we do not perish in our blind love affair with the glory of sin(John 3:19) - John Piper from “What Jesus Demands from the World” page 352.

I just finished reading “What Jesus Demands from the World” by John Piper. I spent two months pondering the commands of Jesus with Dr. Piper as my guide and it was well worth the time and effort. While the book is somewhat long, some 375 pages. The 50 chapters are short, and can be read in nice bite size chunks. I found that reading 1-2 chapters at a setting worked well for me and gave me an ample amount of things to absorb. Please consider picking a copy up and spending some time soaking in the commands of Jesus.

The message of the gospel should leave us broken and humble. What God has done for his people should leave us joyful, stunned and grateful. We forgiven criminals should be the most merciful people on the planet.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

9Do you not know that the unrighteous^[b] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,^[c] 10nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you. 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.

And such where some of us.

Christ was born, lived and died and was raised from the dead in order that we might be enabled to love, delight and be satisfied in him more than anything else.

Merry Christmas to all my family, friends and visitors. - Todd

Romans 4:5-7

4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

7″Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Are you a worker? Do you try to make up for your daily sins but doing good things later? Trying and hoping that your goodness will outweigh the bad? This is “Religion”, sadly even we who proclaim to be Christians do this. But Romans 5:7 says the one who trusts him who justifies the ungodly that “his faith is counted as righteousness” When we trust Jesus to be our righteousness we have left the world of religion and have become Christian in our thinking and experience. Justification is a gift, we don’t earn it, and all Christians have the exact same amount. Look at the following verse for help in seeing God’s work in us.

2 Cor 5:21
21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus bore our sins so that we might become the righteousness of God . This is the gift He gave us, not earned by our works, and most certainly not deserved. When a Christian bears good fruit it proves he is part of the “true vine”. Our fruit(good deeds) are evidence of being justified but it does not justify us. Therefore, let us trust the One that justifies the ungodly and be grateful.

John 19:23-24

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be. This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,
They divided my garments among them , and for my clothing they cast lots.

Acts 1:26

And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Proverbs 16:33

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Our Lord knew which soldier would win his garment, he knew which apostle would replace Judas. He has never been surprised nor will he ever react to a situation. This same God is working all things for the good of those that love him and are called by his purpose. (Romans:2

I recently discovered the song “In Christ Alone” by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty. I post the lyrics here for those who have not heard them.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

This song does a wonderful job of presenting the “Gospel” message. If you get the message this song brings you get the “Good News”.

A short parable by John Newton the author of Amazing Grace that describes how we as forgiven sinners should be merciful to those who have yet to believe.

A company of travellers fall into a pit: one of them gets a passenger to draw him out. Now he should not be angry with the rest for falling in; nor because they are not yet out, as he is. He did not pull himself out: instead, therefore, of reproaching them, he should shew them pity. . . . A man, truly illuminated, will no more despise others, then Bartimeus, after his own eyes were opened, would take a stick, and beat every blind man he met. - John Newton

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The will of God for our lives is that we will rejoice in Him always, giving thanks to Him always. That in all things Jesus will get the glory.

The trials and hardships of life may obscure the value and beauty of our lord Jesus Christ but in no way has his value decreased. The fight of faith is a fight to keep the supreme value of Christ in focus.

I read a blog post this morning concerning the Ted Haggard scandal that I think all of us should read and consider. It is all too easy to get a “superior saint” attitude when we hear of this type of tragedy and think. “Oh thank you God that I’m not a sinner like that man.” (Luke 18:-9-14) But instead our hearts should be broken for damage that has been done to the glory of God, and to all the people involved. One can’t imagine the pain that those close to the situation are feeling. We are all terrible sinners in need of God’s grace folks, all of us. Well, enough of my ramblings, Please read the article and be in prayer for Ted Haggard, his wife, children and all that attend his church.
Link to Story

If you are like me and tend to be enamored with the latest batch of electronic coolness please ponder this article by John Piper titled “How to be Spiritually Minded“. After reading this I thought hard about the amount of energy I expend thinking about things that don’t exalt Christ.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how our forgiven sins should move our hearts towards higher levels of worship. Simply said; Our gratitude should rise in proportion to the value of gift. Luke 7: 36-50
36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among [8] themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Notice these things about the Woman and Pharisee. The woman was a “sinner” and she knew it. She was moved with very deep emotion and worshiped Jesus with her tears and by washing his feet with her hair and tears and with very expensive ointment. She was standing behind him at his feet in a position of deep humility. Contrast this to the Pharisee as Jesus said “did not anoint my head with oil” nor “give me no kiss”. The Pharisee paid no respect nor did he worship Christ because he did not see his own sinfulness. He did not worship because he saw no need for forgiveness.

We should all see ourselves as the one who’s sins “are many”. This in turn, should result in a deep humility, deep gratitude and worship. When you ponder your Saviour and the great debt He paid for you, do you weep with gratitude? Do you stand in awe of what has happened? Do you tremble at the thought of what you should have justly received as proper punishment for your sins? Are you amazed at your salvation? The radical forgiveness we as Christians have received should result in a radical worship of our Lord. Does this statement cause your heart to sing? “Your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 22

35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

We are to love God with all our emotions, feelings, and as natural and often as we breathe, with our deepest thoughts and understanding of Him.

A sermon by John Piper on the “The Supremacy of Christ” Please take the time to view this. It might just change your life. To God be the Glory!

John 6: 63-65
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

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

Matthew 19 23-26
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 22:37-38
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment.

John 15:10-11
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

John 3:3
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Christianity is a supernatural religion of the heart that results in Joy in God. Without a supernatural event it does not exist. Without a heart change full of Joy in God, it is not real. A man must be born again.

Proverbs 17:27-28

27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

All I can say and should say is, Amen!

1 John 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

A saving belief is a belief that overcomes the world. It is a belief that Jesus not only saves, sanctifies and empowers, but that he satisfies. When we believe that Jesus can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart with a superior satisfaction in him. God is most glorified, Sin is defeated, and Satan is dealt a savage blow. When we believe the promises of God in Jesus Christ are not only true, but better than anything the world promises, we have a saving belief that overcomes the world. If something besides Jesus is required to satisfy us that thing has become our god. We say to Jesus in effect, “You are not enough, I need something more.” And in the process we can look like we are loving Christ when in fact we are using him to obtain something we prefer over him.

The gift but not the Giver
Redemption but not the Redeemer
The kingdom but not the King
The healing but not the Great Physician
Eternal life but not the Eternal One
Salvation but not our Saviour
Liberation from sin but not the Liberator

In sum, we want everything God has to offer except the gift of Himself.

1 Peter 3:18 reminds us why Jesus lived, died, and arose from the dead. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God”

The best thing Jesus ever did or could do for us is free us from our slavery to things that separate us from loving him fully and forever in heaven. Let us always keep vigilant that our Lord not His gifts be our supreme treasure.

A great book from John Piper “God is the Gospel”  that really got me thinking on this subject.

God is the Gospel

Today I heard this song written by Stuart Townend.

How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure
That he should give his only Son, to make a wretch his treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turned his face away
As wounds which mar the chosen one, bring many souls to glory.

I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; his death and resurrection
Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart: his wounds have paid my ransom.

Copyright 1995 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music
CCLI #1596342

The following lines contain what I hope by God’s grace my life looks like.

I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; his death and resurrection

Thank you Mr. Townend for such a wonderful song.

A couple of scriptures that I have been pondering lately in regards to faith, works and love.

James 2:14-18 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

1John 3:16-18 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

When dealing with the needs of others we must keep in mind the physical and spiritual. If we ignore either of these we are not biblical. Faith without works is dead, and love without works is not love.

Habitual sins cannot be broken with willpower. God would receive no glory in that. Only as the sovereign wind of the Holy Spirit moves in our heart to give us a higher joy in God than we formerly had in sin do we start to see the bonds that once held us broken.

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