Sunday, December 30

The last Rule and An awesome Spoken word called "You just lost one!"

Check out this Girl she has been in the mainstrem limelight Spitting it For CHRIST!! Check it out!
You Just Lost One!!


Now the last rule for the last day of the Year!

Rule 10

Everybody have a Happy New Year!! Im praying for all my friends and family, and I hope you all have a safe celebration and be mindful of the things you engage in that arent pleasing to our LORD!! Accidents dont happen on purpose!!

Lately I been thinking about being a parent, more than ever. I was blessed with the gift of parenthood , I have two wonderful children that I dearly love. When I became a parent I willingly made the decision to take responsibility to raise and eventually be accountable to God for my children, and let me tell you that this is serious business. So serious that I see it this way, whatever I do that isnt beneficial to my kids, I ought not to engage in it. When we took on the choice to have our children, that God so graciously entrusted us with, I made the decision to set aside my pleasures, if they compromise the well being of our kids. For instance I will not expose my kids to Liquor (Beer, Wine, Alcohol, I dont drink anyway, I have been clean for ten years now) if I don't want them to drink when they become older. Dont get me wrong, if they decide to drink that is on them, however, I wont be responsible for exposing them to it. Besides that I believe that many of us will pass on to our children a mixed message, telling them one thing, and practicing another. Can you imagine how confusing that is to a child?? I know, that was the message that was relayed to me as a buck, "Dont Drink, its bad for you!" meanwhile the very same person telling me this is chugging away and appearing to enjoy themselves, and all along the kids in their mind is thinking like this "thats not good for me but its ok for my dad, my uncle, my grandpa, my cousin, not only that but it looks like that juice they are drinking tastes so good???" What a mixed message that is?? Confusing if you ask me. The holiday season makes me think of these things, but I struggle more than anything, cause I want to spend time with my family, but at the same time I dont want my kids to get a mixed message from people who "so call" love them. Smell me? See when we love someone we dont jeopardize them, and to me those kind of actions demonstrate love!!

I will talk more on this in the near future, but for now chew on this. It will truly be a serious day before God that day, giving an account for all that He has entrusted me with, and just to name a few: My wife, My Family, My Kids, Our finances, Our thoughts, our actions, and above all all, these things reflect my attitude towards God. This is where the rubber meets the road. Father Forgive me, and have MERCY on me LORD!!

Happy New Year once again!

I love ya all, Happy 2008!!

Thursday, December 27

In Progress until the day I die! My wife and kids Pix!!



Today the 27 of December, I get up and I'm thinking about this walk I claim. As I think I wonder about perfection, and how we ought to strive daily to be like Christ, and how difficult it is to achieve this task. However, I ponder this question: Does God really require perfection? I have come to this conclusion, that while perfection is impossible to achieve as a human, the intention of my heart, though I fall daily, should be to strive daily to be like the perfect ONE! God knows all things and He judges our heart, and not our doings, yet our actions is a reflection and a by-product of who we are. We don't do right because in doing right we are rewarded. No, we do right because as a Christian doing right is our nature and therefore the fruit of what we bare. Scripture says in Matthew 7:20 "So then, you will know them by their fruits." Our fruit testifies of who we are, yet it can also be counterfeited, just because your fruit is Christ-worthy it doesn't mean that it's done with the focus and mind of Christ. This can become complicated, I dont want to get too in depth, however, everything we do must be done unto Christ, for His Glory, not ourselves. I preach to elevate Christ, not me, I'm garbage. I live to Glorify Christ, not me, I'm filthy no matter what good I do. I live to please God in fulfilling His will, not mine, I have nothing but slefish motive in everything I do. I delite in serving my LORD, regardless of my circumstance, of course this is easier said then done, however the Lord knows my heart, and that I am not worthy of the call, but yet He chose me, to Him be the Glory! I leave you with this verse and a couple other things! So be careful when you stand lest you fall! Romans 3:12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE. Mark 10:18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. >>>None good, wow, thats Scripture not my opinion. Im a work in Progress, until the day that I die! Forgive me Lord!
Just thoughts from yours truly
>>> Lester

New Music
Hey you know I been pushing Good Music for a while, if I reccommend it it's because it's Biblically sound, tight production, and Lyrical on point! So here are links for these artist I been endorsing for the past couple weeks!!
Cam's Album the Platform and J.R.'s Album Life by Stereo Dropped on December 26, 2007 you can cop it here!! CAM's "The Platform" and J.R.'s Life by Stereo for Mp3 downloads! And here for physical CD's Cam's Right Here and J.R.'s Right Here!


Rule 9


Reminding Men of Death by SPURGEON
Men have been helped to live by remembering that they must die.

Happy New Year!
C'yA!

Monday, December 24

Sorry, all the busyness got me caught up!! Here is Rule 8 and OUR GOD by CrossMovement!! Enjoy!

Our God!


Rule 8


Merry Christmas!! I hope ya all have a great day and remember to give CHRIST the Glory for all!! HE IS the REASON We CELEBRATE!! Christmas without CHRIST is just a MASS< BORING!! Be Blessed , safe and encouraged!


"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." - Romans 1:20-22

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis

See ya soon!

Happy Birthday JESUS!! I LOVE YOU, Thank you for saving a wretch like me!

Thursday, December 20

Early edition of tomorrow's posting! Rule 7 and of course Spurgeon!

Rule 7


Admission of Sin
Have I got a lost man here, Lost man! Lost woman! Where are you? Do you feel yourself to be lost? I am so glad of it; for there is remission by the blood-shedding. O sinner, are there tears in your eyes! Look through them. Do you see that Man in the garden? That Man sweats drops of blood for you. Do you see that Man on the cross? That Man was nailed there for you. Oh! if I could be nailed on a cross this morning for you all, I know what you would do: you would fall down and kiss my feet, and weep that I should have to die for you. But sinner, lost sinner, Jesus died for you — for you; and if He died for you, you cannot be lost. Christ died in vain for no one. Are you, then, a sinner? Are you convinced of sin because you believe not in Christ? I have authority to preach to you. Believe in his name and you cannot be lost. Do you say you are no sinner? Then I do not know that Christ died for you. Do you say that you have no sins to repent of? Then I have no Christ to preach to you. He did not come to save the righteous; He came to save the wicked. Are you wicked? Do you feel it? Are you lost? Do you known? Are you sinful? Will you confess it? ~Spurgeon

I'll be back with more!
See ya!

Sorry I was so busy I didnt Post Yesterday!! Here's Rule 6!! Linus knows what Christmas is about, what happened to the World we live in TODAY???

Rule 6


Here's Linus with an accurate definition of What Christmas is all about??

What happened to this kind of representation of the Gospel?? Why have we resorted to such a time where we cant even saw Jesus?? Charlie Brown cartoons were more bold and blunt than our average Believer today?? Think about that, and in the meantime make sure that if you have kids you buy him/her a copy of It's a CHarlie Brown Christmas. The funny thing is that they still show this on TV and they dont edit Linus' scene?? Hmmm, makes me think!

Some Spurgeon on Open Air Preaching for ya!!

Open Air Preaching
The [street] preachers needed to have faces set like flints, and so indeed they had. John Furz says, "As soon as I began to preach, a man came forward and presented a gun at my face; swearing that he would blow my brains out if I spoke another word. However, I continued speaking and he continued swearing, sometimes putting the muzzle of the gun to my mouth, sometimes against my ear. While we were singing the last hymn, he got behind me, fired the gun, and burned off part of my hair."

After this, my brethren, we ought never to speak of petty interruptions or annoyances. The proximity of a blunderbuss in the hands of a son of Belial is not very conducive to collected thought and clear utterance.

See ya !!

WON Hundred

Hey I added after the fact, I thought it was appropriate considering the times, and I know we all know someone who is in the military!! Enjoy and Pray for them!!


See ya again!

L

Tuesday, December 18

Rule 5 Commercial MTV is airing!! Pray!!!

Rule 5


Terrors of the Lord
Some have used the terrors of the Lord to terrify, but Paul used them to persuade. Spurgeon

Therefore proclaim the Good News of Christ, and the wonderful message of the CROSS in Boldness, Zeal and Fervor. Without ceasing pray, unashamed proclaim the GOSPEL!! Romans 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. Lester

What what!! See ya!

Monday, December 17

Rule 4 the Commercial!!

Rule 4


I'll be back later today with more!

Im Back!!

Heeeeeeeeeeeeere's Spurgeon:

Knowing the Word

If you wish to know God, you must know His Word. If you wish to perceive His power, you must see how He works by His Word. If you wish to know His purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by His Word. Spurgeon

There's power in His Word, and we only need His Word, nothing else, give me a Bible and you have given me everything I need to live, or dont give me anything at all and i'll die lost!! Lester

See ya!

Sunday, December 16

Three goodies for ya today!!

Rule 3


Actual Not A Slave Video by J.R.



Light and Fire by Spurgeon
Light and Fire
If people are to be saved by a message, it must contain at least some measure of knowledge. There must be light as well as fire.

Happy Sabbath!!

See ya, and don't get caught up with the commercialization of the Season, Remember JESUS is the REASON for the SEASON!!

LOVE YA, Believe it or not!!

Saturday, December 15

Rule 2 Commercials MTV is airing, PRAY!!!

Rule 2




Here's Spurgeon, this is deep yet powerful!!

"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for."

C. H. Spurgeon

In light of the second rule, Let's PRAY!

Thought you may want to listen to this it's entitled "Are you really Saved?" <<See ya tom!

Friday, December 14

MTV is airing these commercials, absolutely awesome!!

Rule 1


These rules translate into the Commandments, Im a big fan of evangelism with the LAW! MTV is airing these commercials!!!

Tomorrow Rule 2

Talk to me!!

Popatchaman!!

Thursday, December 13

Real Sad, Sad times we living in...

I say that its sad time that we are living in because of this clip Im going to be posting, Im gonna say it blatantly and clearly HERESY!! I dont care if you that Im Judging, Im NOT!! this is staight LIES from the PIT of HELL!! Lets talk about this after you view the video!

Im afraid to post this vid, anyhow here it goes:


Now I have to add this video too, cause it just discuss me how Creflo can endorse this CRAP!!! Talk to me ya!!


This is what the Church has resorted to!! Lord have mercy on us, especially the so called Church!!

Talk to me, please comment!

Spurgeon:

The Irksome Task

We must school and train ourselves to deal personally with the unconverted. We must not excuse ourselves, but force ourselves to the irksome task until it becomes easy.

Tuesday, December 11

...Got Rims, Got Whips, Got Ice...Still Broke HomeBoy...NO CHRIST!!!...

This song is one of my favs from Trip Lee It's called "Cash or Christ" featuring Lecrae, its an oldie but of course a goodie. It's recorded at a concert, check it out, enjoy, and consider buying Trip Lee's "If they only knew" Hot CD or Lecrae's "When the music stops" Sick! Visit their Ministry Reach Records site here and go to their store here if you wanna cop or go to 3hmp3.com here to buy Trip Lee or Here for Lecrae as a MP3 Download!



And now for a word from our favorite sponsor Mr. Spurgeon himself:
Reminding Men of Death
Men have been helped to live by remembering that they must die.

See ya soon!

Keep It Won Hundred!!

Sunday, December 9

Michelle Bonila Featuring Eric E "Paraiso"

Check this joint out my Boy Eric E from Sons of God featured on a Michelle Bonilla song on The Bobby Jones Show. Sounds cool!
Michelle Bonilla

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Admission of Sin
Have I got a lost man here, Lost man! Lost woman! Where are you? Do you feel yourself to be lost? I am so glad of it; for there is remission by the blood-shedding. O sinner, are there tears in your eyes! Look through them. Do you see that Man in the garden? That Man sweats drops of blood for you. Do you see that Man on the cross? That Man was nailed there for you. Oh! if I could be nailed on a cross this morning for you all, I know what you would do: you would fall down and kiss my feet, and weep that I should have to die for you. But sinner, lost sinner, Jesus died for you — for you; and if He died for you, you cannot be lost. Christ died in vain for no one. Are you, then, a sinner? Are you convinced of sin because you believe not in Christ? I have authority to preach to you. Believe in his name and you cannot be lost. Do you say you are no sinner? Then I do not know that Christ died for you. Do you say that you have no sins to repent of? Then I have no Christ to preach to you. He did not come to save the righteous; He came to save the wicked. Are you wicked? Do you feel it? Are you lost? Do you known? Are you sinful? Will you confess it?
Charles Spurgeon


Lays ya!

Friday, December 7

How do you know you are saved? & Two hot community sites for HHH!

These are the community sites!

www.3hlive.com

www.illspot.net

This is a clip of a preaching from one of my Favorite preachers, ask me his name and I will tell you!! But watch and listen to this clip it will challenge or make you laugh! I hope it makes you cry, repent and be challenged to step it up!


Be blessed, Grace and Peace!


See ya!

Thursday, December 6

J.R. Video Premiere for "Not A Slave":

Click here for J.R.'sPremiere of "Not A Slave"Video Dropped Today!

HOT HOT HOT!!!


Hot Song, Hot Beats, Hot Message!!

C'ya Soon!

Won, Les

Lavosier Shooting some Knowledge with some...

You gotta see this video, real stuff with real kids!



I truly respect what Lavosier is doing here!

Won, Les

The Cross Modern Preachers Put In The Back!



The Title Explains itself!

Tuesday, December 4

As proud and carnal as ever & Ron Paul or Mike Huckabee for Prez!!

Im not into politics, but I cant ignore the events and happenings occurring nowadays with Obama, Hillary and Giulani. The truth of the matter is that we as Christians can't, Im gonna repeat CAN'T vote for these liberals that I just named, who are for Homosexual rights, Pro-Choice, Pro-Abortion, and more than anything afraid to offend people for the sake of VOTES!
There are a couple of candidates that we as Christians need to start doing research about:

1. Ron Paul
He is Pro Life,
against the death penalty, and against the war.
Here is a video on Paul!

The funny things is that just because Giuliani was there for 911 he feels the need to defend the comment made by Ron Paul, which was called for, and he didnt step back and recant his comment, I gotta say that he is courageous for that, and took a blow for it, but Ron was on point!

2. Mike Huckabee
He is Pro Life, and - Before entering politics was a Baptist minister leading congregations in Pine Bluff and Texarkana, Arkansas.
You may not like the Baptists BUT this is the best choice for us CHRISTIANS, trust me!!
Here is video on Huck!

Both these guys are Christians and Devoted Christians, not just saying they are but they are devoted! So do your research on these two dudes, I am not one to push my views but when it comes to this matter I have to say that these two are the best picks! If I VOTE Im voting for Huckabee!
HUCKABEE FOR PREZ!



As proud and carnal as ever!

(Thomas Watson, "A Divine Cordial" 1663)

Grace changes the heart!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corin. 5:17

The true Christian has a great change wrought. Not a change
of the faculties—but of the tendencies. He is altered from what
he was before. His body is the same—but not his mind. Oh
what a metamorphosis does grace make!

There is a change wrought in the UNDERSTANDING. Before,
there was ignorance—but now there is light. The first work of
God in the creation of the world was light—likewise it is in the
new creation. He now says, "I once was blind—but now I see!"
(John 9:25). He sees such evil in sin, and excellency in the ways
of God—as he never saw before! It is a marvelous light, because
it is more penetrating. Other light may shine upon the face—but
this light shines into the heart, and enlightens the conscience
(2 Cor. 4:6).

There is a change wrought in the WILL. The will, which before
opposed Christ—now embraces Him. The will, which was an iron
sinew against Christ—is now like melting wax, and readily receives
the stamp and impression of the Holy Spirit. The will now moves
heavenward—and carries all the affections along with it. The will
now says, "Lord, what will you have me to do?" (Acts 9:6). Before,
the will kept Christ out; now, it keeps sin out! Oh what a happy
change is wrought here!

There is a change wrought in the CONDUCT. He who is saved,
walks directly contrary to what he did before. He once walked
in envy and malice—now he walks in love! He once walked in
pride—now he walks in humility. In the heart there is a new
birth—and in the life there is a new conduct.

Thus we see what a mighty change grace makes.

How far are they from salvation, who never had any change!
They are the same today—as they were forty or fifty years ago.
They are as proud and carnal as ever! They have had no
change in their heart. Let not them think to leap out of the
harlot's lap (the world) into Abraham's bosom! They must
either have a gracious change while they live—or a cursed
change when they die!

Monday, December 3

R U concerned for the Lost?

Unconcern for the Lost
We need to be ashamed at the bare suspicion of unconcern.

I'll be back later!

Sunday, December 2

Broken by the Law & Untermyer Park in Yonkers, NY

This park is in Y-Oh, the most beautiful park I have ever been to!


Broken by the Law by Spurgeon
Now, if you have your hearts broken up by the Law, you will find the heart is more deceitful than the devil. I can say this myself, I am very much afraid of mine, it is so bad. The heart is like a dark cellar, full of lizards, cockroaches, beetles, and all kinds of reptiles and insects, which in the dark we see not, but the Law takes down the shutters and lets in the light, and so we see the evil. Thus sin becoming apparent by the Law, it is written the Law makes the offense to abound.

Friday, November 30

A little less than 9 minutes of the Gospel from one of my Favorite Preachers!!

This new Holy Hip Hop site is about to launch, it is innovative, Hot and Jesus Glorfying!
This is my Page on there, its called 3HLIVE.com its a revamped HCR.FM. It got mad potential go check it out and join!

Please watch this clip, ita a bit less than 9 minutes, but it will feed you for the day, WORD!



Paul Washer presenting the Gospel!

Driving at Men's Hearts by Spurgeon
You and I must continue to drive at men’s hearts till they are broken. Then we must keep on preaching Christ crucified until their hearts are bound up.

C'ya soon!




Thursday, November 29

Piper on Prosperity Gospel! Forget it this is real!

The realest truth I have heard on the Prosperity gospel, I agree with every word John Piper says in this excerpt, Truth beyond Truth!



I'll be back later today!

Won

While you wait listen to this song!
Frontlynaz "Gunz Down"


Find more music like this on 3HLive


Just because this last on here for today don't neglect!!
And now for J.R.'s E-Card Click Here!!

Wednesday, November 28

Preaching Christ and Him Crucified, Generational Curses??

Generational Curses, do they exist?
Written by Zacchaeus


Illnesses are just constructs from our depraved lives after the fall of man. After Adam and Eve sinned, God said your lives would be short upon the earth (Genesis 2:17, 3:15-17). So not only do we grow old and die but we get sick and illnesses were cast upon us. It's just another way for God to get our attention and to focus back to Him. It's not necessarily a curse, but in a sense, it is from the fall. We are cursed to die, the means are numerous though. But thank God we can have life in Christ, even in the midst of our illness. He can even get glory because of it, end up focusing on Him and for Him to provide, maybe not healing, but redemption of our soul and a testimony to others of what God can do, even in our state. Grace and peace.

I like that, we tend to credit the devil for every affliction upon us, yet forget to remember that Job was suggested to satan by the Lord Himself, and therefore He is in control of all. The devil has no victory in our lives, but we really dont believe that, otherwise we wouldn't be crediting every negative situation to him.

Preaching Christ

She is a traitor to the Master who sent her if she is so beguiled by the beauties of taste and are as to forget that to "preach Christ... and Him crucified" is the only object for which she exists among the sons of men. The business of the Church is salvation of souls.

The soul purpose of the Church!

C, Ya!

Won

Monday, November 26

Holy Hip Hop on YouTube

This was featured on YouTube's Featured Section, Jesus glorifying Hip Hop getting some shine on mainstream! Here it goes>>>

Click Here for Source link!
Now for some Master.


Too busy to stop and eat?
The Way of the Master Radio
The Way of the Master Radio - Drive Thru




Now back to our scheduled programing:

Spurgeon
The Enemies of the Gospel
Christ has many enemies still in the world. The Pope, the Antichrist of Rome, with all his doctors and counselors, assemble at this very hour — the incarnate Antichrist — at this present moment. And here in this England of ours there are priests busy up and down, in every court and lane, in every corner of the land, and our clergy of the Established Church, many of them double-dyed Papists, doing the work of Rome and eating the bread of a Protestant Church at the same time. And then there is infidelity, seeking all it can to make its converts, with a zeal which were commendable if it were used for a right purpose. They compass sea and land to make proselytes, and shame the coldness of many professed followers of Christ. The enemies of Christ are very many. The Church is very feeble, yea, she is like a reed shaken by the wind. Without her Lord, she is less than nothing — like chaff in the whirlwind. But, oh! let us pray that he may be blessed who cometh in the name of the Lord by the scattering of all his enemies, by the putting down of spiritual wickedness in high places, and giving the victory to the truth and to the gospel — that which saves — putting to flight that which destroys before that which purifies — scattering that which defiles before that which glorifies God, annihilating that which blasphemes his holy name.

OOOHH, Im still chewing ya!


C'Ya!

Won, Les

Tuesday, November 20

Sho Baraka Dropped Today!! Go Support!!

Sho Baraka's Turn My Life Up dropped today, go support click on the link below >>>



or go to WWW.3HMP3.com and purchase the MP3 digital music!
Click Here >>> www.3HMP3.com

You can sample all the songs on the CD here! Click on Details, and then on the speaker symbol. Make sure you check "Oh my Lord", "Maranatha", and "Catch me at the Brook."

Today's Spurgeon as follows:

Preaching--a Matter of Life and Death

Preaching the gospel is to us a matter of life and death; we throw our whole soul into it. We live and are happy if you believe in Jesus and are saved. But we are almost ready to die if you refuse the gospel of Christ.

Praise the Lord! Life and Death, thats da truth right there!! Thats why we rejoice! Now go chew on that, make it your motto, maybe you can be used!!

Won!

Monday, November 19

Some People's Eyes

This is Les with his feathers!





This is Scilly with her feathers!! My lil Indian!


Whats good? Im chilling had a good weekend of ministry, my wife joined me this weekend at youth group, it was definitely awesome, she gotta definitely do this more often!! I havent gotten personal in a while, and I feel its time for me to start opening up like a book, like I did when I first started this Blog. So in the next few weeks I will be getting real personal. Not just for the fans, Just kidding, but so that my life can be an open testimony to all. I started this Blog with that purpose in mind, and I strayed from doing so. So expect tears, heart wrenching and challenging talk in the very near future.

Now, I want to say that Im not one to glorify any man, but God alone. I saw a clip of this well known Hip Hop Artist, breaking down right before the start of one of his show while on tour. His mom died while on tour, and I pray that this man will be ministered to in this hard time of his life. I dont know what it is to lose a close family member, but I practically lost half my family to a tragedy in our family, that felt like death, my grandmother stroke left her as a different person, with no speech. With that said here's the clip, and afterwards read the nuggets below it!! Love ya! C'Ya soon! Oh you can read and visit my first entries to this blog on the right side are the archives. Oh, and this clip is of Kanye West. Pray for him, I hope we can call on Jesus in this trying time!



Some People's Eyes

I shall never forget one summer afternoon, when I was preaching in a village chapel about the joys of Heaven, that an elderly lady sitting on my right kept looking to me with intense delight. Some people's eyes greatly help the preacher. A telegraph goes on between us. She seemed to say to me, "Bless God for that. How I am enjoying it!" She kept drinking in the truth, and I poured out more and more precious things about the eternal kingdom and the sight of the Well beloved, till I saw what I thought was a strange light pass over her face. I went on, and those eyes were still fixed on me. She sat still as a marble figure, and I stopped and said, "Friends, I think that yon sister over there is dead." They said that it was even so, and they bore her away. She had gone. While I was telling of Heaven, she had gone there; and I remember saying that I wished that it had been my case as well as hers. It was better not, perhaps, for many reasons; but oh, I did envy her! I am always looking for the day when I shall see her again. I shall know those eyes, I am sure I shall.
Spurgeon

This isn't your typical happy meal.

Hey babe if you read this>>> I Love you!!

Friday, November 16

The Terror of Death

Oh! how solemn will be that hour when we must struggle with that enemy, Death! The death-rattle is in our throat — we can scarce articulate — we try to speak, the death-graze is on the eye: Death hath put his fingers on those windows of the body, and shut out the light for ever; the hands well-nigh refuse to lift themselves, and there we are, close on the borders of the grave! Ah! that moment, when the Spirit sees its destiny; that moment, of all moments the most solemn, when the soul looks through the bars of its cage, upon the world to come! No, I cannot tell you how the spirit feels, if it be an ungodly spirit, when it sees a fiery throne of judgment, and hears the thunders of Almighty wrath, while there is but a moment between it and Hell. I cannot picture to you what must be the fright which men will feel, when they realize what they often heard of! Ah! it is a fine thing for you to laugh at me to-night. When you go away, it will be a very fine thing to crack a joke concerning what the preacher said, to talk to one another and make merry with all this. But when you are lying on your death-bed, you will not laugh. Now, the curtain is drawn, you cannot see the things of the future, it is a very fine thing to be merry. When God has removed that curtain, and you learn the solemn reality, you will not find it in your hearts to trifle.

Spurgeon Nuggets~

Wednesday, November 14

Save Some & J.R. Promo, check him out,!!

Talented Artist J.R. His second album is coming out Dec. 25, 2007. In the meantime check out his first album called Metamorphisis, its absolutely FIRE!!

Click on this link >>> Metamorphisis by J.R. to purchase the CD or digital MP3 version!

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Save some, O Christians! By all means, save some. From yonder flames and outer darkness, and the weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, seek to save some! Let this, as in the case of the apostle, be your great, ruling object in life, that by all means you might save some.

Spurgeon plain and simple!

Now go and save some!

Les

Tuesday, November 13

The Reason Sinners Live

Read the Ten Commandments, and pause at each one, and confess that you have broken it either in thought, or word, or deed. Remember that by a glance we may commit adultery, by a thought we may be guilty of murder, by a desire we may steal. Sin is any want of conformity to perfect holiness, and that want of conformity is justly chargeable upon every one of us. Yet the Lord does not, under the gospel dispensation, deal with us according to Law. He does not now sit on the throne of judgment, but He looks down upon us from the throne of grace. Not the iron rod, but the silver scepter, is held over us. The long-suffering of God rules the age, and Jesus the Mediator is the gracious Lord-lieutenant of the dispensation. Instead of destroying offending man from off the face of the earth, the Lord comes near to us in loving condescension, and pleads with us by His Spirit, saying, "You have sinned, but my Son has died. In him I am prepared to deal with you in a way of pure mercy and unmingled grace."

O sinner, the fact that you are alive proves that God is not dealing with you according to strict justice, but in patient forbearance; every moment you live is another instance of omnipotent long-suffering. It is the sacrifice of Christ which arrests the axe of justice, which else must execute you. The barren tree is spared because the great Dresser of the vineyard, who bled on Calvary, intercedes and cries, "Let it alone this year also." O my hearer, it is through the shedding of the blood and the mediatorial reign of the Lord Jesus that you are at this moment on praying ground and pleading terms with God! Apart from the blood of atonement you would now be past hope, shut up for ever in the place of doom. But see how the great Father bears with you! He stands prepared to hear your prayer, to accept your confession of sin, to honor your faith, and to save you from your sin through the sacrifice of his dear Son[3].

Spurgeon Once Again!

http://www.jrsings.com/

Monday, November 12

Concern for the Lost

Herein is the folly of so many Christians, that, being wrapped up in the interest of their own salvation, and taken up with their own doubts and fears, they feel little care and they take little trouble for others. They never seem to empty themselves out into the world that is around them, and never seem to get into a world bigger than the homestead in which they live. But when a man begins to think about others, to care for others, to value the souls of others, then his thoughts of God get larger, then his consolations grow greater, and his spirit becomes more Godlike. A selfish Christianity, what shall I call it but an unchristian Christianity, a solecism in terms, a contradiction in its very essence: You do not find the men who are anxious after others so often troubled as those who give no thought except to themselves. Mr. Whitefield, in his diary, tells of his times of depression, but they are comparatively few; and when he is going from one; “pulpit-throne,” as he calls it, to another, and is preaching all day long, and is hearing the sobs and vies of sinners, and perhaps bearing the hootings and peltings of a mob; sitting down, as soon as he has done preaching in public, to finish up his letters, or to devote an hour to prayer, why, he has not time enough to get to desponding; he cannot afford space enough to be doubting his own interest in Christ. He is so engaged in his Master’s service, and has so much of the blessing of God upon it, that he goes right on without needing to stop Christian, may you get into the same delightful state, warm with love to Christ, fervent with zeal for the spread of his kingdom!

Spurgeon at his Best! Excerpt from "Spurgeon Gold".

I'll be back later today with some personal insight and encouragement!

Won, Les!

Sunday, November 11

The Place of Repentance by Ray Comfort & Conscience and the Law by Spurgeon

The Place of Repentance


Someone wrote to me deeply concerned that I had said that repentance can’t save us. It can’t. Moslems repent. That's the basis of their hope of salvation. It’s the same with many Catholics who have never been born again. They trust that their repentance is enough. But no good judge would let a devious criminal go simply because he said that he had turned from his crimes. The only thing that can save us is God's grace. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus (see Ephesians 2:8-9). The way to partake of the grace of God is through repentance, but repentance doesn't save us. If it did, we wouldn't need a Savior. Think of it like this. A man is in a rowboat that’s about to go over Niagara Falls. Someone throws him a rope. He turns towards the rope, and then grabs it in faith. Will that save him? No. He turned. He took hold of the rope in faith. But if the person on the other end isn’t pulling on the rope, he’s still going over the falls.


God has thrown us a rope through the gospel. We turn in repentance and take hold of the Savior by faith. But it is the grace of God alone that saves us by drawing us to Himself (see Ephesians 2:8-9).

Posted by Ray Comfort on 10/29/2007 10:06:00 AM



Conscience and the Law

Conscience, when it is really awakened by the Law, confesses herself condemned, and ceases to uphold her plea of innocence. How can it be otherwise when the Law is so stern? Then, peradventure, the man will say, "I mean to do better in the future;" to which the Law replies, "What have I to do with that? It is already due that you should be perfect in the future; and if thou should be perfect, in what way would that wipe out your old offenses? You have only done what you ought to have done." But the man cries, "I do repent of having done wrong." "Ay," says the Law, "but I have nothing to do with repentance." There is no provision in the Ten Commands for repentance . Cursed is the man that breaks the Law; and that is all that the Law has to say to him. Over the top of Sinai there were flames exceeding bright, and a trumpet sounded exceeding loud, but there were no drops of the rain of pity there. Storm and tempest, thunderings and lightnings appalled the people, so that they trembled in the camp, and such must be the sights and sounds we witness as long as we are under the Law.

The Infamous Charles Haddon Spurgeon from his collection "Spurgeon Gold"

C'Ya Tom! See you Tomorrow!

Won, Les!

Saturday, November 10

A Plea to the Lost

A just God condemns the impenitent sinner, and just men assent to the Divine sentence. See then, O you ungodly ones that are present today, you often think our company a great nuisance, and perhaps while I am preaching, my alarming words annoy you. Ah, we shall not annoy you long. Does your mother tease you when she bids you seek the Lord? She will not tease you long. When I bring home the judgment to come, is the subject obnoxious to you? I shall not ask your patience long. We shall be separated; if you go your way and follow after sin and wrath, there will come a dividing time, and O let me say to you, you would give worlds if you had them; you would give them if they were solid diamonds, to hear again the voice which now fatigues you, and to listen once more to those plaintive invitations which vex you and spoil your mirth. Ah, how would you bless God if he would let you come back again and have once more those Sabbaths which were so dull and dreary, and permit you to go up once more to the house of God which now perhaps is like a prison-house to your vain and frivolous spirits. O sirs, I say you may well have patience with us for a little time and bear with our importunities, for we shall not plague you much longer. We beseech you to come to Jesus; we would pluck you by your garments and beseech you to flee from the wrath to come; forgive us for being thus in earnest, for even if we should fail with you, you will soon escape the importunities of our love.
The Infamous Charles Haddon Spurgeon from his collection "Spurgeon Gold".

C'Ya soon!

Les

Wednesday, November 7

The Influence of Fear

I further believe, although certain persons deny it, that the influence of fear is to be exercised over the minds of men, and that it ought to operate upon the mind of the preacher himself. "Noah, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house." There was salvation for this world from perishing in the flood in the fears of Noah; and when a man gets to fear for others, so that his heart cries out, "They will perish, they will perish, they will sink to hell, they will be for ever banished from the presence of the Lord," and when this fear oppresses his soul, and weighs him down, and then drives him to go out and preach with tears, oh, then he will plead with men so as to prevail! Knowing the terror of the Lord, he will persuade men. To know the terror of the Lord is the means of teaching us to persuade, and not to speak harshly. Some have used the terrors of the Lord to terrify; but Paul used them to persuade.

Excerpt from Spurgeon Gold

Thought provoking yet very moving and true!!

Thursday, November 1

Two projects coming out within the next 3 weeks!! HotNess!

Here are two Albums that are coming out withing the next 3 weeks, I gotta say that these projects are gonna hot!! Please support, the links are here and you can pre-order these cd's!! Production on both of these cd's is gonna bananas!!

Sho Baraka On point doctrinally and Biblically!!






You can preorder Sho Baraka Here>>> http://www.merchline.com/reach/productdisplay.5838.p.htm

Phanatik Also on point doctrinally, this one right here is gonna be sick too!!
Both these artists are down with Cross Movement Records!!



Phanatik's E-card right here>>> http://www.crossmovementrecords.com/pages.asp?pageid=63756

You can preorder Phanatik's here>>> http://www.crossmovementrecords.com/

Lays Ya!

Wednesday, October 31

YOU GOTTA WATCH THIS, IT WILL MAKE YOU BALL!!

Lifehouse Everything

Add to My Profile | More Videos

ALL I GOTTA SAY IS THAT I BALL EVERY TIME I WATCH IT!!

WATCH IT NOW!

Les

Friday, October 26

God is always Good! I have to post this pic!



So I took this position as a Youth Pastor in Long Island, and God
Just overwhelmed us by all the Blessings and LOVE we have received from this Church we are
truly being spoiled by our Father in Heaven. Check out our package, we get a house, its small but sufficient for our needs, no rent, no
utilities, the Public School systems
out here are like private schools in the hood, they are in comparison to upper middle class private schools, Priscilla gets to go to a Private Nursery School for three days for free. Ahhh, you following me here? The neighborhood is absolutely beautiful, we live across the street from a lake, trail (Bike, Walk or Jog), and everything is just really close by, we have everything here. So last Sunday, October 21, I got to preach and run my first service all by my lonesome, it was awesome, I delivered a challenging message didnt compromise the Gospel, and I also was able to implement the youth into the service, it was awesome, I got great feedback, and the kids were so excited about it, they cant wait to do their next service, Praise God! Anyhow, this picture is the announcement bulletin outside in front of the Church, on a main road, and it's double sided. Boy, I felt a bit of celebrity status for a hot sec, but Lord, humble me, this is for his Glory not mine!! Silly, I actually didnt know it was on there till like Friday of that week. But all this to say that, though my name is what is being promoted, and hilighted, it is by no means about me, Im just a vessel used of God, He knows how short I fall, and daily I struggles I need to deal with, but God, He is faithful when I'm not He is Loves Unconditionally in Spite of my flaws, and this I say with confidence Because I have received Him, I have been atoned for my sins. So when you visit my Blog, remember that sometimes I may come off a bit arrogant, and even a bit cocky, but the reason I am stern with certain matter like Doctrine and Heresy, it's simply because there is alot of garbage out there thats really wolves in sheeps clothing, and all they are really producing is temporary and mystical converts. People searching for the gifts rather than the Giver, People searching for the Miracle rather than the Miracle Worker, People looking for the Sign rather than the Sign-Maker, People looking for salvation rather than the Savior!

Yeah I take this serious, and you will only come accross sound, unquestionable teachings and preachings on this Blog, If I recommend something, its because I have done my research on the matter, therefore you can trust that you won't be mislead! I believe in studying, One and Only One interpretation of the Scriptures ( which means that either you are right and Im wrong, or I am right and you are wrong, or we are both wrong, however the case is never that we are both right if we share different views or have different interpretation of Scripture, I hope that is clear) I believe in Hermeneutics, Exegetical research, and historical content and contextual observation! Hey hit me up I will clarify everything, we can talk, but Im definitely not gonna comprimise, never that, at least when it comes to Doctrine and Bible! HE REIGNS FOREVER AND EVER.

Last note, we dont realize how much our doctrine affects our view of Christ, and worship. Now you might be saying well I dont have a "Doctrine" and my response to that is that everyone has a "Doctrine." Whether you realize it or not! If you believe in tongues, thats doctrine. If you believe in miracles, thats doctrine, everything you know or believe is part of your "Doctrine."

Later now enjoy this vid from one of my favorite Rappers, who is on point doctrinally and Biblically.


Lecrae "Praying For You"

Won, Les

Thursday, October 25

Heresy Hunters International, this is funny yet on point!!

Ya gotta check this out!

Some of ya gonna like it, some of ya not! But hey who really likes the truth? I know I have a hard time with TRUTH, but I gotta deal with it too!



See ya soon!

Les

Tuesday, October 2

Mr. Washer



Self Explanatory

Won!

Friday, September 14

Why then the Law?

Absolutely awesome Sermon, accurate, and on point!
John Piper once again! Dont forget to visit John Pipers site, click on the link on the right, or click the title of this posting!
Enjoy!

Galatians 3:19-22

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained by angels through an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one; but God is one.
Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not; for if a law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the scripture consigned all things to sin, that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

The Life and Death Importance of the Who and Why
Saint Paul's mind is more like Rudyard Kipling's The Elephant's Child than Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade." Tennyson said of his "noble six hundred,"
Theirs not to make reply,Theirs not to reason why,Theirs but to do and die.
Many of us are tempted to live like that. We understand so little and see such a small part of God's purpose in things that we want to give up thinking and say, "Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do and die." But not the apostle Paul. If I read Galatians and Romans correctly, Paul would have agreed more with Kipling when he wrote,
I keep six honest serving men(They taught me all I knew);Their names are What and Why and WhenAnd How and Where and Who.

In a universe created by a personal God who does all things according to his purpose, the most important of those two "serving men" are WHO and WHY. There was no question who gave the law to Israel. The question was why. "Why then the law?" (Galatians 3:19).
Not everybody cares. You can imagine someone saying: "What differences does it make, why. It's there. So let's make the most of it. Ours is not to reason why. Ours is but to do and die." Many in Israel did, and died precisely because they did not know the reason why the law was given. You can't make the most of it unless you know what it is there for. If you don't know why the traffic light is red, you may get smashed in the intersection. If you don't know why Mr. Yuk is on the medicine bottle, you may get poisoned. In many areas of life yours is to reason why lest you do and die. And that includes the law of God. If we don't understand why it was given, we can kill ourselves with it. Paul said in Romans 9:32 that the reason Israel stumbled into destruction was not that they didn't pursue the law, but that they pursued it in the wrong way: from works and not from faith; in the effort of the flesh instead of the power of the Spirit. In other words, moral effort can be a mortal sin.

When I wrote in The Standard this month that legalism is a greater menace to the church than alcoholism, it wasn't for shock effect. It was a straightforward theological truth. Alcoholics are in a tragic bondage. And we must do all we can to help. But legalism is more subtle and more pervasive and, in the end, more destructive. Satan clothes himself as an angel of light and makes the very commandments of God his base of operations. And the human heart is so inveterately proud and unsubmissive that it often uses religion and morality to express its rebellion. As Romans 10:3 says, "In seeking to establish their own righteousness, they would not submit to the righteousness of God." The pursuit of righteousness can lead to perdition. So Galatians admonishes us: Know why the law was given and don't be bewitched into pursuing it in a way that leads to death, but only in a way that leads to life.

Why the Law Was Given
Galatians 3:19–22 gives two answers to why the law was given to Israel and became part of our Holy Scripture. Both of these answers are stated twice, once in verse 19 and once in verse 22. The first answer in verse 19 is that the law "was added because of transgressions." I'll try to show in a minute what this means, and that it is virtually the same as the first part of verse 22: "the scripture (or the law) consigned all things to sin." The second answer to the question, "Why then the law?" is the latter half of verse 22, "that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." And this is the same as the part of verse 19 which says, "till the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made." So in summary, the two purposes of the law in this text are first, to shut up the world under sin and increase trespasses; and second, to see to it that the inheritance will come to and through the promised seed, Jesus Christ, and no other way. I'm going to save this second purpose for next week when we finish chapter 3 and talk about the law as a custodian. Today I want us to think mainly about the first purpose: the law was added for the sake of trespasses and for shutting people up in sin.
But first a brief comment about the last half of verse 19 and verse 20. It says, "The law was ordained by angels through an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one; but God is one." I am not going to deal with this because I don't know what it means. I cannot figure out how the two halves of verse 20 relate to each other. I would be happy for anyone to give me insight here.

To Reveal Sin as Sin
So that leaves us with one chief task: to understand and apply to ourselves the first purpose of the law. We'll start with verse 19. When it says, "The law was added because of transgressions," does it mean that the law came in to produce transgressions, or that the transgressions were there and the law came in to punish them? The former is almost certainly the meaning: the law was added to produce transgressions. The key parallel to this verse is in Romans 5:20. There Paul makes his meaning very clear: "Law came in to increase the trespass."
This is true in two senses. The first is clear from Romans 4:15, "For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression." I think what this means is that you may distrust your doctor in your heart, but that distrust doesn't become visible until he gives you a prescription and you toss it in the garbage. The prescription makes a visible transgression out of invisible rebellion. So when Paul says in Galatians 3:19 that the law was added because of transgressions and in Romans 5:20 that it came in to increase the trespass, he means, first of all, that it functions like a doctor's prescription to show who trusts the doctor and who doesn't. By prescribing the obedience of faith, the law turns the hidden sin of distrust and rebellion into the open transgression of disobedience.

To Stir Up More Sin
There is a second sense in which the law came in to increase the trespass. The law doesn't just give visibility to present sin; it gives rise to more sin. Romans 5:20 says, "Law came in to increase the trespass," but it goes on to say, "But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." Sin doesn't just become visible in open trespasses; it increases. The rebellion and insubordination and distrust of the human heart intensifies and expands when it meets the law. This is clear from several verses in Romans 7. For example, verse 5, "While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death." The sinful inclinations of the heart are not just exposed by the law; they are aroused by the law. Here's why. Apart from the Holy Spirit our hearts are utterly self-centered, and when such a heart sees that it is being called into question and criticized by the authority of the law, it "seeks all the more furiously to defend itself" (Cranfield). And so the law increases sin by stirring up more self-assertion and by hardening people in their self-satisfaction.
Another example from Romans 7 is verse 8: "But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, wrought in me all kinds of covetousness." Covetousness is the kind of desire you have for something when you are not trusting in the mercy of God to satisfy you with all you need. How, then, did the law produce covetousness in Paul? Perhaps like this: the law held out blessings to Paul which he wanted; but instead of humbling himself to trust in God's mercy to provide them, Paul undertook a rigorous program of law-keeping in reliance on his own moral effort and sought the blessings of the law without trusting the mercy of God. And that is the essence of covetousness: the kind of desire you have for things when you are not trusting in the mercy of God. So the law increases sin even in those who set out to obey it, if they do it in their own strength and not by faith in the power which God supplies.

One last illustration from Romans 7:13, "Did that which is good (the law), then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good (the law), in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure." This verse mentions both senses in which the law increases trespasses. The first is "that sin might be shown to be sin." The second is that sin "might become sinful beyond measure." The law reveals sin, and the law intensifies sin. But Paul insists that the law is not itself sinful or evil. On the contrary, the fact that the human heart could take something as pure and good as the law of God and make it a vehicle of pride and selfish passion and covetousness and death shows how dreadfully corrupt the human heart is.

That gives us some understanding, then, of Galatians 3:19, "Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions." It was added to turn invisible sin into visible transgressions of law. It was added to stir up the insubordination and rebellion of the human heart and make it sinful beyond measure. Now let's look at verses 21 and 22: "Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not, for if a law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the scripture consigned all things to sin, that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." Verse 21 makes the same point as last week's message on 3:15–18: the law, which came 430 years after the promise to Abraham and his seed, is not an annulment or alteration of God's original covenant relation to Israel. As verse 21 says, it is not at all contrary to the promises. The promise was made in a final sense to the seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ (3:16). But, as verse 21 implies, the law could not make alive. Instead, as verse 22 says, it shut up all people under sin. I think the word "scripture" (v. 22) refers to the written "law." So the text says: the purpose of the law was not to make people alive (and so short-circuit the work of Christ), but to hold them in sin until Christ came.

The Law's Impotence and Our Imprisonment
Now there are two crucial questions to ask, and they have the same answer, I think. So I will ask them together: Why couldn't the law make people alive? And why did it shut up people under sin? The answer is found again in Romans (8:3, 4). "God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh could not do," (cf. Galatians 3:21), "sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Just like Galatians 3:21, Romans 8:3 says there was something the law could not do. It could not do away with sin in people's lives nor could it empower people with the Spirit. And so it could not make alive. So the reason the law could not give life (Galatians 3:21) was not due to its own defect but to a defect in the people. Romans 8:3 says the law was weak through the flesh. The reason the law compounded sin instead of giving life was that the recipients of the law were ruled by the flesh and devoid of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:7 describes the kind of mind which the law met with when it came: "The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed, it cannot; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
So the answer to our two crucial questions is the same: Why couldn't the law make people alive? Because they were ruled by the flesh and were without the renewing Spirit of God. Why did the law shut people up under sin? Because they were ruled by the flesh without the renewing Spirit of God. Or to put it another way: the law kept people in sin and did not give them life because it was not accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit to enable people to obey. Wherever the command of God is proclaimed (as it is in the law and in the gospel), but the sovereign, regenerating work of the Holy Spirit is withheld, the natural self-centeredness of the human heart will express its rebellion, either by rejecting the law and living in immorality, or by embracing the law and living in legalistic morality. In either case (whether you are a self-reliant moral person or a self-reliant immoral person), the flesh, or the self-reliant ego, is in charge, and the result is bondage to sin and, finally, eternal death.

Israel, the Law, and God's Glorious Promise
Therefore, Paul's point in Galatians 3:19–22 is that God gave the law without giving the Holy Spirit to most Israelites, so that the deep rebellion of man could be exposed and so that sin would become exceedingly sinful (as it made the holy law a moral means of self-exaltation).
Moses himself had said in Deuteronomy 29:4, after giving Israel the law, "To this day the Lord has not given you a mind to understand, or eyes to see, or ears to hear." And so he knew the law would not give life but only condemn. He said in Deuteronomy 31:26, 27, "Take this book of the law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are." The law increases transgressions and shuts people up under sin, not because it requires imperfect people to merit God's favor, but because it requires proud and independent people to humble themselves and depend on God's transforming mercy. The law is the aroma of death wherever those who smell it are rebellious and stubborn (cf. Hebrews 4:2).

But the story will have a happy ending. Moses sees a day of life coming. In Deuteronomy 30:6 he says: "The Lord your God will circumcise your heart . . . so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." Jeremiah picks up the prophecy in 31:33, "After those days, says the Lord, I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts." And Ezekiel picks it up in 36:26: "A new heart I will give you (says the Lord), and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances." And Paul announces in Romans 8:4 that with Christ the day has arrived. Sins are atoned for, and the Spirit has been poured out, and "the just requirement of the law is fulfilled by those who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (See Galatians 3:5 for how to walk by the Spirit.)

Three Lessons
So what lessons are there for us in this text? I'll mention three in closing. First, God has devoted over a thousand years of history (from Moses to Christ) to help us see ourselves in the failures of Israel. He aims to make visible the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the depth and subtlety of our own pride and insubordination. Therefore, we should look and be appalled in the mirror of God's law. And we should admit that there are yet roots of independence and pride and distrust to be dug out.

Second, we should cherish Christ and adore the grace that opened our hearts to receive him. The lesson of the law is that we are utterly dependent on grace to remove our heart of stone and give us a soft heart of faith and love. Contrition, humility, lowliness, gratitude—let your heart be filled with these as you recall, "Where sin abounded, grace much more abounded" (Romans 5:20).

Finally, if God thought it wise and helpful not to let the sediment of pride and rebellion and distrust lie quietly at the bottom of the human heart, but instead, stirred it up and made it visible by demanding the obedience which comes from faith, then that's what my preaching should aim to do. More than ever I see the need for pastors to preach and Sunday School teachers to teach and members to admonish each other in such a way that the sediment of sin in the lives of so-called "carnal Christians" be stirred up and come to a crisis. Could it be that one of the reasons we see raindrops of blessing at Bethlehem instead of showers is that week after week several dozen people sit in these services with a layer of sinful muck at the bottom of their lives with no intention of doing anything about it? If so, let's pray that God use the Word to stir it up, so it can be seen for what it is, so there can be repentance and forgiveness and cleansing and renewal.

Whew, some more are coming!

The Sale of Joseph and the Son of God

This is an awesome sermon by John Piper, a bit long, and if you prefer click on the title above and go directly to his site and Download the audio or whatever!!

I hope you are blessed by one of the greatest authors and preachers of our day.

Genesis 37:1-36

Astonishing Words to Abram

Before we retell the story of Joseph and the spectacular sin of his brothers and its global purpose in the glory of Jesus Christ, let’s back up to Genesis 12. God has chosen Abram from all the peoples of the world by free grace and owing to nothing in him. In Genesis 12:2-3, God makes him a promise: “I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” This is the beginning of the people of Israel through whom Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God will come into the world to save us from our sins.
Then in chapter 15, God makes a formal covenant with Abram. He uses a remarkable symbolic act and some astonishing words. He says to Abram in Genesis 15:13-16, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. . . . And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

Four Hundred Years!

So at the very beginning of his covenant relationship with his chosen people, God predicts a 400-year stay in Egypt and the return to the promised land. “They will be afflicted 400 years.” He has his strange reasons why they must leave for four centuries (think of it!) and not inherit the land now, namely, verse 15: “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” When the Israelites come back to take the land under Joshua in 400 years, they will destroy these nations. How are we to understand that? Deuteronomy 9:5 gives God’s answer: “Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” The conquest of the promised land is the judgment of God on the fullness of centuries of wickedness.

God’s People Enter Through Many Afflictions

In the meantime, God says that his people will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be afflicted for 400 years, namely, in Egypt. So there is God’s plan for his pilgrim people—a kind of picture of your life on this earth until heaven. If God plans 400 years of affliction for his people (Genesis 15:13) before the promised land, we should not be surprised that he says to us “through many tribulations you must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).
Prophecy Fulfilled Through a Spectacular Sin
The question for us today is: How will it come about that God’s people wind up in Egypt? And what does God want to teach about his ways and about his Son in this strange sojourn in Egypt? The answer is that God fulfills this prophecy through a spectacular sin. And through this sin, he preserves alive not only his covenant people of Israel, but also the line from which the Lion of Judah would come to save and rule the peoples. So huge things are at stake in the story of Joseph.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Going back to Abram, let’s bring the story up to Joseph. Abram has a son Isaac. Isaac has a son Jacob (whose other name is Israel), and Jacob has twelve sons who become the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel. One of Jacob’s twelve sons, Joseph, has two dreams. In both of them, his eleven brothers and his parents bow down to him. Genesis 37:8 says his brothers hated him for these dreams. And verse 11 says they were jealous.

Destroying the Dreamer

The day came when they could vent their rage against their brother. His father sends him to see if it is well with his brothers (Genesis 37:14). They see him coming and say in verses 19-20, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” Reuben tries to save Joseph but his attempt is only partly successful when the brothers sell Joseph as a slave to a caravan of Ishmaelites heading for Egypt (v. 25). They keep his special coat, soak it in animal blood, and his father assumes he was eaten by wild animals. The brothers think that is the end of that.

An Invisible Hand at Work

But they have no idea what is happening. They are utterly oblivious to God’s invisible hand in their action. They do not know that in the very effort to destroy this dreamer, they are fulfilling Joseph’s dreams. Oh, how often God works this way! He takes the very sins of the destroyers and makes them the means of the destroyers’ deliverance.

Potiphar, Prison, and Providence

In Egypt, Joseph is bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard (Genesis 37:36). There Joseph submits to God’s strange providence and serves Potiphar faithfully. He rises with trust and influence over Potiphar’s household. And you would think that the righteous would prosper. But it seems to be otherwise. Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph. He flees adultery. And the spurned woman is vicious and lies about Joseph. And in spite of his righteousness, he is put in prison.
In prison, again, totally unaware of what God is doing in all this misery, he again serves the jailer faithfully and is given trust and responsibility. Through the interpretation of two dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and baker, Joseph is eventually brought out of prison to interpret one of Pharoah’s dreams. His interpretation proves true and his wisdom seems compelling to Pharaoh, and Joseph is made commander in Egypt. “You shall be over my house,” Pharaoh says, “and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you” (Genesis 41:40).

The Dreams Fulfilled

Seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine strike the land, just as Joseph said they would. Joseph preempts starvation in Egypt by gathering huge reserves of grain during the seven good years. Eventually, Joseph’s brothers hear that there is grain in Egypt, and they go for help. They don’t recognize their brother at first, but eventually he reveals himself. He had been seventeen years old when they sold him into slavery (37:2) and now when he tells them who he is he is thirty-nine years old (41:46, 53; 45:6). Twenty-two years had gone by. They are stunned. They tried to get rid of the dreamer, and in getting rid of him, they fulfilled his dreams.

The brothers are bowing down at last to Joseph.

Eventually, he invites them to live in Egypt to save their lives, and the fulfillment of the distant prophecy that Abraham’s seed would sojourn 400 years in Egypt begins. So we ask again, How did it come about that God’s people wind up in Egypt in fulfillment of God’s plan? And what does God want to teach us about his ways and about his Son in this strange sojourn in Egypt?

Two Biblical Descriptions of This Fulfillment

The answer to how the people wound up in Egypt is clear at one level: They got there by means of the spectacular sin of attempted murder, greedy slave-dealing, and the heartless deceit of a broken-hearted old man. But how does the Bible describe this fulfillment of God’s prophecy? In two ways.

1) God Sent Joseph to Preserve Life
First, in Genesis 45:5, Joseph says to his brothers who are very afraid of him, “Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” The first way the Bible describes this spectacular sin of the brothers is that it was God’s way of sending Joseph to Egypt in order to save the very ones who were trying to kill him.

“God sent me before you.”

And lest we think this was a side comment with little significance, we read the very same thing in Psalm 105:16-17—only there the stakes are raised even higher. Not only was God ruling the actions of these brothers to get Joseph to Egypt, but God was ruling the famine as well: “When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.” So put out of your mind the thought that God foresaw a famine happening on its own or happening by Satan. God summoned the famine. And God prepared the deliverance.

2) What Man Designed for Evil, God Designed for Good
So the first way the Bible describes the fulfillment of God’s prophecy that his people would come to Egypt is by saying God sent Joseph there ahead of them. The second way the Bible describes this prophecy is even more penetrating and sweeping. The brothers come before Joseph again, this time after the death of their father, and they are again afraid he will take vengeance on them. In Genesis 50:19-20, Joseph says, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

The second way the Bible describes the way God fulfilled his prophecy is: The brothers meant the sale of Joseph for evil, but God meant it for good. Notice it does not say that God used their evil for good after they meant it for evil. It says that in the very act of evil, there were two different designs: In the sinful act, they were designing evil, and in the same sinful act, God was designing good.

Pointing, Life-Saving Sin

This is what we have seen and will see over and over: What man designs—or the devil designs—for evil, God designs for some great good. The great good mentioned in Genesis 45:5 is “to preserve life.” And the great good mentioned in Genesis 50:20 is “to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” But in those words, and the whole story of how God saves his people, are pointers to the global purpose of this sin—this life-saving sin—in the glory of Jesus Christ.

Three Pointers to the Glory of Jesus

Let’s look at three things in this story that prepare us to see the glory of Jesus and who he really is.

1) Salvation Comes Through Sin and Suffering
First, we see the general pattern that turns up over and over in the Bible, namely, that God’s saving victory for his people often comes through sin and suffering. Joseph’s brothers sinned against him, and he suffered for it. And in all this, God is at work to save his people—including the very ones who are trying to destroy the savior. The fact that Jesus came this way should not have been as surprising to as many people as it was. That he was sinned against and suffered on the way to save his people is what we would expect from this pattern that turns up again and again.
So in the story of Joseph and the spectacular sin of his brothers, we are being prepared to see the glory of Christ—his patience and humility and servanthood, all the while saving the very ones who were trying to get rid of him.
Died He for me, who caused His pain—for me, who Him to death pursued?Amazing love! how can it bethat Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

2) The Suffering One Is Righteous
Second, the story of Joseph and the spectacular sin of his brothers prepare us to see Jesus not just because of the general pattern that God’s saving victory for his people often comes through suffering and sin, but more specifically, in this case, because the very one who is suffering and being sinned against is so righteous. Joseph stands out in this story for his amazing constancy and faithfulness to every relationship. Even in undeserved exile, he’s faithful to Potiphar and he is faithful to the jailer. Genesis 39:22: “The keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.”
And what was Joseph’s reward? He was lied about by Potiphar’s wife, and the cupbearer of Pharaoh, whose dream Joseph interpreted, thanklessly forgot about him in prison for two years after the dreams. So the point of all this is not just that there is sin and suffering and that God is at work in it to save his people. More specifically, the point is that the righteous one, even though mistreated for so long, is finally vindicated by God. Even though others have rejected this righteous stone, God makes him the cornerstone (Matthew 21:42). His vindication becomes the very means of the salvation of his persecutors.
Jesus Christ is the final and ultimate and perfect righteous one (Acts 7:52). It looked to others as if his life was going so badly that he must be a sinner. But in the end, all the sin against him, and all the suffering he endured in perfect righteousness, led to his vindication and, because of it, to our salvation. If Joseph is amazing in his steadfastness, Jesus is ten thousand times more amazing, because he experienced ten thousand times more suffering and deserved it ten thousand times less, and was perfectly steadfast, faithful, and righteous through it all.

3) The Scepter Will Not Depart from Judah
There are other parallels in this story between Joseph and Jesus, but we turn now to the most important thing in this story about Jesus and it is not a parallel with Joseph. It’s a prophecy about the coming of Jesus, which could not have happened if these sinful sons of Jacob had starved in the famine. The spectacular sin of these brothers was God’s way of saving the tribe of Judah from extinction so that the Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ, would be born and die and rise and reign over all the peoples of the world.
We see this most clearly in Genesis 49:8-10. Jacob, the father, is about to die, and before he dies, he pronounces a prophetic blessing over all his sons. Here is what he says about his son Judah:
Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Here is a prophecy of the coming final king of Israel, the Lion of Judah, the Messiah. Notice in verse 10 that the scepter—the ruler’s staff, the sign of the king—will be in the line of Judah until one comes who is no ordinary king, because all the peoples, not just Israel, will obey him. Verse 10b: “To him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”

This is fulfilled in Jesus. Listen to the way John describes Jesus’ role in heaven after his crucifixion and resurrection: “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals. . . . And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth’” (Revelation 5:5, 9-10).

The Lion of Judah Is the Lamb Who Was Slain

The most magnificent thing about the Lion of the tribe of Judah in his fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy is that he lays claim on the obedience of all the peoples of the world not by exploiting our guilt and crushing us with it into submission, but by bearing our guilt and freeing us to love him and praise him and obey with joy forever. The Lion of Judah is the Lamb who was slain. He wins our obedience by forgiving our sins and making his own obedience, his own perfection as the righteous one, the basis of our acceptance with God. And in this position of immeasurable safety and joy—all of it owing to his suffering and righteousness and death and resurrection—he wins our free and happy obedience.

The story of Joseph is the story of a righteous one who is sinned against and suffers so that tribe of Judah would be preserved and a Lion would come forth, and would prove to be a Lamb-like Lion, and by his suffering and death, purchase and empower glad obedience from all the nations—even from those who put him to death.
Does he have yours?

Aight ya, c'ya later!~
Back to the top