Reformation pictures

Grace and Peace...

Read this today:
"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,"(Gal.1.3)

"These two words, grace and peace, comprehend in them what belongs to Christianity. Grace releases sin, and peace makes the conscience quiet. These two fiends that torment us are sin and conscience. But Christ has vanquished these two monsters and trodden them under foot, both in this world and that which is to come. This, the world does not know and therefore can teach no certainty of the overcoming of sin, conscience and death. Only Christians have this doctrine and are exercised and armed with it to get the victory against sin, despair and everlasting death. It is a kind of doctrine, neither proceeding from free-will, nor invented by the reason or wisdom of man, but given from above....
...A person therefore is is made a Christian not by working, but by hearing!"
- Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians

Reading this is time well spent...

Dialogue on Christian Unity

I have been in dialogue with some area Christians on The North Shore Christian Network (http://www.nscn.org/forums/category-view.asp ) discussing the subject on Christian Unity in the category of: "What is the Body of Christ". Consider joining in, networking with other Christians in the region, ministering and being ministered to. Below is my latest post:

Good morning,
As I continue my reading through the 1st letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, I have come upon a couple of most interesting verses that I think touch somewhat on the subject of Christian unity. Here it is...
In 1Corinthians 11:18, 19, St. Paul says:
“(18) For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, (19) for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.”

Does this parenthetical verse (19) tell us something huge about the subject of Christian unity? Along with a couple of other important issues in need of gospel correction that are addressed in chapter 11, Paul hears through the grapevine that there are divisions among those in the Corinthian church (see the chs 1-3)…and incredibly seems to go on to state that there MUST BE factions (heresies, division) among them. Why? Why must there be divisions among those who claim the name of Christ? Doesn't Paul go on to answer that very question? He states the reason is that all may recognize the genuine and the “fraud”. Those who are genuinely Christ’s, because He and His cause is most precious to them, will be gathered together, while those who prove to be “frauds” need to be exposed and then are to be ousted from their midst...in order to maintain doctrinal and practical purity. (go back and read chapter 5 and see what St. Paul says about the “fraud”)
This verse presents us with some huge questions concerning Christian unity. May we not be sold on every Tom, Dick and Harry who comes along with mere lip service to the cause of Christ. God has given us His word…so let’s feast on it as Jesus instructed us, saying “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. (St. Matthew 4.4) It is here, in the revealed word of God, that we can, ought, must be discerning in a day in age where discernment is as sharp as gumdrops! Sound Christian doctrine is the backbone to sound Christian practice. If we neglect the former...the latter will suffer greatly. So, for the sake of the glory of God, be known by others as a person of the Bible...both in what you know and how that has ravished your soul! Be known as one who has tasted the "Amazing Grace" of God in Jesus Christ...and gives expression in speaking (and living) the truth in love!
Why else is this verse in this sacred letter? If you have other thoughts, then please join in on what you see God saying here?
The peace of Christ be yours...

What's your initial reaction? Honest...

When you hear the words: "...with all my heart and with all my soul" what do you immediately think of? Your answer may be very telling, perhaps wether you are too man-centered in your approach to Christianity...

Do you think of these words FIRST as to how you are suppose to love God (but really don't) or do you consider, in the first place, God's incredible love toward you in Christ? Does your recognized failure to love God as you ought lead you to rest in the His unchanging love for you?

Hear Jermiah 32:38-41:
"They shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. "I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.

and don't forget 1 John 4.10: "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."

Remember which is the root and which is the fruit!!
O, to taste the love of God in Christ! May your soul be ravished by the height, width, length and breadth of the love of God in Christ!

Three Messages Worth Hearing!

Romans 1.16,17 (ESV) reads:
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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Have you, like me, ever read these verses in Romans and wondered what is going on here? Only to quickly close the book and sigh, saying to yourself this theology stuff doesn't really matter; what really matters is "loving Jesus".

I hope these messages help...I think they can...I pray they will...

Pastor John Piper is preaching through the book of Romans, having begun in 1998. A friend gave me a CD of the first 69 messages covering the first 5 chapters...he is currently in chapter 13 for his 190th sermon. No mere academic analysis in these, but food for the soul with real life application because God is real, full of life and said what He said through Paul for a reason. If this seems too much for you, then perhaps consider listening to 3 of these messages. Scroll down the list to the messages titled: "How Does the Gospel Save Believers" (parts 1,2,3) dated 8/9,16,23/1998.

I pray your life of faith in Christ will be as refreshed as mine.
Click on the title of this post...read, listen and be blessed!

God is for Kids too...

Had a great time this Sunday hanging with 6 children (ages 3-11) in Children's Ministry. We are taking them through a course on the names of God. We are at week 19, so my lesson was actually a recap of the previous 18 weeks. Alot for adults, let alone these little minds and hearts.
Nonetheless, we took a look together at a passage that sort of rolls all the names of God ( 700+ in the Bible) into one...
"I AM Who I AM" (Exodus 3.1-14)

Here's the skinny on our time together. Do realize I attempted to put these terms in appropriate language by word and demonstration. (I used a dragon fly, a stuffed toy bunny and a napkin to light on fire, but forgot the lighter, so we scratched it). Back to the skinny:

1. The God of providence (not RI)
2. The communicating God
3. The God of the impossible
4. The God who calls people by name
5. The Holy God
6. The God of all generations
7. The God who terrifies man
8. The gracious God (He speaks and acts in good ways to those who deserve bad)
9. The God of pity
10. The condescending God
11. The all-powerful God
12. The redeeming God
13. The God who sends
14. The God who saves
15. The God and Father of Jesus Christ, who was sent to save sinners like me, you, us

"I AM Who I AM" is His Memorial Name...an ocean for our hearts and minds to swim in...