Judgment Day by Spurgeon
He that pleads for Christ should himself be moved with the prospect of the Judgment Day. When I come in at yonder door at the back of the pulpit, and the sight of that vast crowd bursts upon me, I frequently feel appalled. Think of these thousands of immortal souls gazing through the windows of those wistful eyes, and I am to preach to them all, and be responsible for their blood if I be not faithful to them. I tell you, it makes me feel ready to start back. But then fear is not alone. I am borne up by the hope and belief that God intends to bless these people through the Word which He will enable me to deliver. I believe that everybody in that throng is sent there by God for some purpose, and that I am sent to effect that purpose.
I'm actually excited about this movie!
I dug this up, with all the Presidency stuff going on, this to me was a breath of fresh air, too bad he didnt make it this far!
Until Next time, Go serve your KING!
Thursday, June 5
Wednesday, June 4
Triune Praise & Slain by the Law
Shai Linne got this song out called "Triune Praise"
its truly an awesome song, anywho, Todd Friel showcased it on Way of the Master Radio and he absolutely loved it, Listen to him, I edited, chopped it up and added it to my Blog, first track on the Right!--> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> -->
He makes some references to "current events."
Free "TRIUNE PRAISE" Devotional Kit this is a kit for Free Download, it includes the song "Triune Praise", lyrics, reflection questions and book recommendations for further study.
Slain by the Law by Spurgeon
God never clothes men until He has first stripped them, nor does He quicken them by the gospel till first they are slain by the Law. When you meet with persons in whom there is no trace of conviction of sin, you may be quite sure that they have not been wrought upon by the Holy Spirit; for "when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."
its truly an awesome song, anywho, Todd Friel showcased it on Way of the Master Radio and he absolutely loved it, Listen to him, I edited, chopped it up and added it to my Blog, first track on the Right!--> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> -->
He makes some references to "current events."
Free "TRIUNE PRAISE" Devotional Kit this is a kit for Free Download, it includes the song "Triune Praise", lyrics, reflection questions and book recommendations for further study.
Slain by the Law by Spurgeon
God never clothes men until He has first stripped them, nor does He quicken them by the gospel till first they are slain by the Law. When you meet with persons in whom there is no trace of conviction of sin, you may be quite sure that they have not been wrought upon by the Holy Spirit; for "when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."
Is This Revival? 13 Letters Curriculum Trailer & The Love of God
In response to a comment in a previous posting (not found in this postings comments section), I am posting this article in which I found to be in line with Biblical proportions concerning Revival. Enjoy, be challenged!
IS THIS REVIVAL?
That is why it behooves us to exercise care and to be discerning in these matters. Following are a number of cautions that bear consideration in light of the current explosion of interest in revival.
- Not everything that is called "revival" is revival. Calling a movement a "revival" does not make it a revival. If it does not bear the marks of biblical revival, we ought to question whether it really is a revival. Corporate revival, in the biblical and historical sense, is a precious term, that ought to be re-served for those "divine moments" when there is a supernatural outpouring of God's Spirit upon His people that cannot be explained in any human terms. If we are too quick to ascribe the term "revival" to various religious happenings or movements, the word will soon lose its meaning, and we will cease to long and seek God for that which truly is revival.
- The fact that a lot of people are talking about and promoting "revival" doesn't necessarily mean that we are, therefore, in the midst of revival. Numerous, respected Christian leaders are declaring that we are in the midst of or on the threshold of a great spiritual awakening. We must be careful about accepting the assessment of men, even those who may be recognized as "authorities" on revival, and must continually evaluate what is taking place through the grid of the Word of God. One of the curses of our age, according to A.W. Tozer, is the assumption that because we know about something, therefore we have it, when, in fact, nothing may be further from the truth.
- Large crowds, intense enthusiasm, stirred emotions, energetic activity, and "signs and wonders" are not necessarily evidence of revival. Nor can they uniformly be attributed to God at work among His people. All these things can be imitated by the world, or even counterfeited by false religions, even as Pharoah's magicians were able to counterfeit the miracles that God did through Moses. Satan is a master deceiver and one of his most effective strategies is to stir up people's passions with programs that substitute noise, applause, activity, and human fervor for the presence of God. Evangelicalism's fascination with the sensational is not new to the 20th century. Back in Jesus' day, people tended to be enamored of the spectacular, the grandiose. "Show us a sign," the Pharisees demanded of Jesus. They wanted to be impressed, to have their senses titillated. Jesus responded by reminding them that "an evil and adulterous generation
seeketh after a sign" (Matt. 12:39).
Today it is relatively easy to pack an auditorium with cheering, chanting "spiritual enthusiasts," if the event has been especially well promoted and the program consists of hyped-up music and big-name speakers who are known for their ability to make people laugh and cry. People will pay large fees and stand in long lines to be entertained or to have an experience that makes them feel good about God and themselves. But the real test is what happens to those crowds when the message of the cross and repentance is proclaimed. What happens when they are asked to take out their Bibles and digest the meat of solid, doctrinal teaching? Unfortunately, as was the case in Jesus' day, it is at this point that the multitudes tend to thin out, and we are left with those who are serious about being disciples of Christ.
- Genuine revival will not be a bandwagon. So-called "revival" is a popular movement in the church today. Everybody seems eager to join in. But genuine revival will not be popular with everyone. It may have a polarizing effect. It will divide between those who are walking after the flesh and those who are walking in the Spirit, between those who want to build their own kingdom and those who want to build the Kingdom of God, between those who are attached to their own ideas and those who are committed to the Word of God.
In the current climate, it is possible to promote "revival" without risking anything--our image, our reputation, our position within the denomination or the evangelical world, our sophistication, our schedule, our convenience, or the respect of others. But when God pours out His Spirit in genuine revival, the participants and leaders of the revival may find themselves losing popularity contests, even in the church. They may be misunderstood, ridiculed, scorned, ignored, or dismissed as fanatics. Yet, though it cost them everything, they must be prepared to speak the truth to the people of God and to our world.
- We must guard against "revival" becoming just another popular program or emphasis in the church. In its quest for results and success, the church tends to gravitate to trends and to jump from one new thrust to the next. Much like the world, we have an obsession with novelty. In the 70s, we were into soulwinning; in the 80s, we got into discipleship, small groups, and church growth; the 90s brought us cell churches and seeker-sensitive services. Now, we're into revival.
The church of Jesus Christ does not need one more novel idea or approach. "The answer" is not a program or an effort. What we need is the presence and power of God. And that cannot be acquired by launching another emphasis; we must seek His face.
- Revival is not an end in itself. That mind set ultimately leads to self-absorption, which is a form of idolatry. Revival in the church is merely a means by which God is glorified in His people and His kingdom advanced in our world.
Our mission is not to seek revival, but to seek the Lord. When we set ourselves to seek His face, we likely will experience the by-product of revival.
- There is nothing we can do to coerce or manipulate God to send revival. All our prayers, our fasting, our gatherings, our efforts to promote revival are no guarantee that God will indeed be pleased to send revival. While it is unlikely that God will revive a people who have not earnestly sought Him, revival remains a sovereign, independent work of God.
- Corporate revival is no substitute for personal revival. Further, corporate confession is no substitute for personal confession. And corporate prayer is no substitute for private prayer.
We rejoice in the many gatherings that are taking place for the purpose of repentance and prayer for revival. But it is possible to participate in many such events without ever experiencing personal revival, confessing our own sins, or having a personal prayer life.
It is possible to focus earnestly on the need for corporate revival in "the church" and in our nation, while overlooking the need for personal revival right where we live--in our own lives and homes. It is easy to talk about "the church" needing revival. But the church is made up of individuals. What about my life? Do I need revival? Does my family need revival? If we get excited about attending conferences and services where God is moving in a significant way, while failing to deal with the issues of pride, selfishness, bitterness, greed or immorality that are affecting our own homes, we have missed the point of revival. Could we be so preoccupied with confessing the sins of others that we are overlooking our personal sins that need to be confessed?
Of what use is racial reconciliation or unity between denominations, if we have contention, strife, and unresolved conflicts in our own homes or churches?
- There are no shortcuts to revival. We may be so eager to experience the fruit of revival that we bypass God's conditions for revival: humility, repentance, contrition, prayer, and obedience. There is no such thing as a "painless Pentecost." Weeping comes before joy. The cross comes before the resurrection. Death comes before life. Brokenness comes before wholeness. As Sammy Tippit reminds us, "When God sends revival, there will be a lot less laughter and a lot more weeping." We cannot arrive at the desired result of revival if we are unwilling to walk through the process that God requires.
In many ways, evangelicalism today has embraced the quick-fix mind set of the world. We are so bent on eliminating our problems that we gravitate to promises of immediate relief and deliverance. The "name it and claim it" theology has thrived in such a climate. Christians with problems that are the fruit of years of fleshly choices want someone to wave his hand over them or bind a demon of lust, rather than walking through the difficult, less dramatic process of repenting and renewing their minds with the Word of God. Quick fixes may provide temporary relief. But they will not provide the lasting transformation of heart and life that we really need, both person-ally and corporately.
- God is unlikely to send revival to those whose real heart motive is to build or enhance their own reputations or ministries or to reap blessing for themselves. We must ask ourselves, why do we want to see God send revival? Revival is not primarily a way to get rid of our problems, to make our lives easier, to increase giving, to get people to respond, or to increase the fruit of our ministries. The ultimate purpose of revival is for the glory of God--that His name might be
known and reverenced in our world, that His Kingdom would rule and reign in the hearts of men, and that His will might be done on earth as it is in heaven.
A. J. Gordon reminds us, "Not for ourselves, and that we may enjoy the holy luxury of communion with God, are we to seek for the times of refreshing. If so, doubtless we shall fail of them, for even spiritual blessings we may ask and receive not, if we only ask that we may consume them upon ourselves."
- The fact that we agree about the need for repentance in the church does not mean that we have, in fact, repented. Talking about repentance is far easier than actually repenting. We may, in fact, be calling others to repentance, while failing to repent of our own sinful attitudes, values, habits, or actions. Repentance means choosing to utterly forsake our sin and to walk in absolute obedience and holiness.
In recent years, the Christian world has witnessed occasions of extended times of public confession of sin. There is certainly a scriptural basis for such confession. However, in the midst of such times, there is a danger of people "venting" instead of truly "repenting." Confession, whether public or private, is not for the purpose of providing an emotional catharsis for the sinner. And the sinner's guilt will not be assuaged if, in his confessing, he stops short of full repentance. The evidence of genuine repentance is not merely that an individual has confessed his sin, but that his life has been transformed and he is now walking in the light.
- There is no revival where there is not deep brokenness and contrition over the seriousness of our sin against a holy God. God said to Ezekiel, "Is it a light thing [a trivial matter--NIV] to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?" (Ezek. 8:17). Brokenness implies mourning and grieving over our sin and hating everything that does not please God. All of us have, at times, been sorry about the consequences of our sin (e.g., the mess we're in, the problems and conflicts we are experiencing in our relationships). But when is the last time we grieved over the nature of our sin, over our rebellion against a holy, loving God? Do we realize the depth and extent of our personal and corporate sin against God? Do we realize how far we have strayed from the Word and the ways of God?
- Not all prayers and prayer meetings bring us closer to experiencing revival. If we are praying for revival, while failing to deal with those things in our hearts, lives, and relationships that are standing between us and the Lord, then we are wasting our breath. Tozer suggested that we will experience revival when we stop using prayer as a substitute for obedience. Charles Finney, who understood the importance and power of prayer, once said that he would not go across the street to attend an all-night prayer meeting if those gathered were not serious about obeying God. All the prayer meetings in the world cannot take the place of obedience.
13 Letters Curriculum Coming in the Fall!
I been awaiting this curriculum since the release of the Project "13 Letters". Basically its a curriculum that follows the 13 Letters Paul wrote in the New Testament, this curriculum is great for the hood, inner city, and desperately necessary for the youth of this time and age we are currently dwelling in!
The WORD is self sufficient, the person who places his trust in Christ needs to solely rely in the power of the transforming WORD, anything and everything the LORD wants to communicate to us will be found in His WORD! Don't get caught up with the trends of the modern day church who has neglected the simple message of the Gospel for a emotional, sensory driven, mystical and self fulfilling experience thats so called attributed to God. My response to those is: Prove it and support your views through Scripture, I've yet to meet someone that can actually make me think twice. The SCRIPTURES are SELF SUFFICIENT, Sola Scriptura! WON!
13 Letters | The Curriculum Trailer from ReachLife Ministries on Vimeo.
The Love of God by Spurgeon
Whatever I believe, or do not believe, the command to love my neighbor as myself still retains its claim upon me, and God forbid that any views or opinions should so contract my soul, and harden my heart as to make me forget this law of love! The love of God is first, but this by no means lessens the obligation of love to man; in fact, the first command includes the second. We are to seek our neighbor’s conversion because we love him.
Until Next Time, Go Serve Your King!
IS THIS REVIVAL?
That is why it behooves us to exercise care and to be discerning in these matters. Following are a number of cautions that bear consideration in light of the current explosion of interest in revival.
- Not everything that is called "revival" is revival. Calling a movement a "revival" does not make it a revival. If it does not bear the marks of biblical revival, we ought to question whether it really is a revival. Corporate revival, in the biblical and historical sense, is a precious term, that ought to be re-served for those "divine moments" when there is a supernatural outpouring of God's Spirit upon His people that cannot be explained in any human terms. If we are too quick to ascribe the term "revival" to various religious happenings or movements, the word will soon lose its meaning, and we will cease to long and seek God for that which truly is revival.
- The fact that a lot of people are talking about and promoting "revival" doesn't necessarily mean that we are, therefore, in the midst of revival. Numerous, respected Christian leaders are declaring that we are in the midst of or on the threshold of a great spiritual awakening. We must be careful about accepting the assessment of men, even those who may be recognized as "authorities" on revival, and must continually evaluate what is taking place through the grid of the Word of God. One of the curses of our age, according to A.W. Tozer, is the assumption that because we know about something, therefore we have it, when, in fact, nothing may be further from the truth.
- Large crowds, intense enthusiasm, stirred emotions, energetic activity, and "signs and wonders" are not necessarily evidence of revival. Nor can they uniformly be attributed to God at work among His people. All these things can be imitated by the world, or even counterfeited by false religions, even as Pharoah's magicians were able to counterfeit the miracles that God did through Moses. Satan is a master deceiver and one of his most effective strategies is to stir up people's passions with programs that substitute noise, applause, activity, and human fervor for the presence of God. Evangelicalism's fascination with the sensational is not new to the 20th century. Back in Jesus' day, people tended to be enamored of the spectacular, the grandiose. "Show us a sign," the Pharisees demanded of Jesus. They wanted to be impressed, to have their senses titillated. Jesus responded by reminding them that "an evil and adulterous generation
seeketh after a sign" (Matt. 12:39).
Today it is relatively easy to pack an auditorium with cheering, chanting "spiritual enthusiasts," if the event has been especially well promoted and the program consists of hyped-up music and big-name speakers who are known for their ability to make people laugh and cry. People will pay large fees and stand in long lines to be entertained or to have an experience that makes them feel good about God and themselves. But the real test is what happens to those crowds when the message of the cross and repentance is proclaimed. What happens when they are asked to take out their Bibles and digest the meat of solid, doctrinal teaching? Unfortunately, as was the case in Jesus' day, it is at this point that the multitudes tend to thin out, and we are left with those who are serious about being disciples of Christ.
- Genuine revival will not be a bandwagon. So-called "revival" is a popular movement in the church today. Everybody seems eager to join in. But genuine revival will not be popular with everyone. It may have a polarizing effect. It will divide between those who are walking after the flesh and those who are walking in the Spirit, between those who want to build their own kingdom and those who want to build the Kingdom of God, between those who are attached to their own ideas and those who are committed to the Word of God.
In the current climate, it is possible to promote "revival" without risking anything--our image, our reputation, our position within the denomination or the evangelical world, our sophistication, our schedule, our convenience, or the respect of others. But when God pours out His Spirit in genuine revival, the participants and leaders of the revival may find themselves losing popularity contests, even in the church. They may be misunderstood, ridiculed, scorned, ignored, or dismissed as fanatics. Yet, though it cost them everything, they must be prepared to speak the truth to the people of God and to our world.
- We must guard against "revival" becoming just another popular program or emphasis in the church. In its quest for results and success, the church tends to gravitate to trends and to jump from one new thrust to the next. Much like the world, we have an obsession with novelty. In the 70s, we were into soulwinning; in the 80s, we got into discipleship, small groups, and church growth; the 90s brought us cell churches and seeker-sensitive services. Now, we're into revival.
The church of Jesus Christ does not need one more novel idea or approach. "The answer" is not a program or an effort. What we need is the presence and power of God. And that cannot be acquired by launching another emphasis; we must seek His face.
- Revival is not an end in itself. That mind set ultimately leads to self-absorption, which is a form of idolatry. Revival in the church is merely a means by which God is glorified in His people and His kingdom advanced in our world.
Our mission is not to seek revival, but to seek the Lord. When we set ourselves to seek His face, we likely will experience the by-product of revival.
- There is nothing we can do to coerce or manipulate God to send revival. All our prayers, our fasting, our gatherings, our efforts to promote revival are no guarantee that God will indeed be pleased to send revival. While it is unlikely that God will revive a people who have not earnestly sought Him, revival remains a sovereign, independent work of God.
- Corporate revival is no substitute for personal revival. Further, corporate confession is no substitute for personal confession. And corporate prayer is no substitute for private prayer.
We rejoice in the many gatherings that are taking place for the purpose of repentance and prayer for revival. But it is possible to participate in many such events without ever experiencing personal revival, confessing our own sins, or having a personal prayer life.
It is possible to focus earnestly on the need for corporate revival in "the church" and in our nation, while overlooking the need for personal revival right where we live--in our own lives and homes. It is easy to talk about "the church" needing revival. But the church is made up of individuals. What about my life? Do I need revival? Does my family need revival? If we get excited about attending conferences and services where God is moving in a significant way, while failing to deal with the issues of pride, selfishness, bitterness, greed or immorality that are affecting our own homes, we have missed the point of revival. Could we be so preoccupied with confessing the sins of others that we are overlooking our personal sins that need to be confessed?
Of what use is racial reconciliation or unity between denominations, if we have contention, strife, and unresolved conflicts in our own homes or churches?
- There are no shortcuts to revival. We may be so eager to experience the fruit of revival that we bypass God's conditions for revival: humility, repentance, contrition, prayer, and obedience. There is no such thing as a "painless Pentecost." Weeping comes before joy. The cross comes before the resurrection. Death comes before life. Brokenness comes before wholeness. As Sammy Tippit reminds us, "When God sends revival, there will be a lot less laughter and a lot more weeping." We cannot arrive at the desired result of revival if we are unwilling to walk through the process that God requires.
In many ways, evangelicalism today has embraced the quick-fix mind set of the world. We are so bent on eliminating our problems that we gravitate to promises of immediate relief and deliverance. The "name it and claim it" theology has thrived in such a climate. Christians with problems that are the fruit of years of fleshly choices want someone to wave his hand over them or bind a demon of lust, rather than walking through the difficult, less dramatic process of repenting and renewing their minds with the Word of God. Quick fixes may provide temporary relief. But they will not provide the lasting transformation of heart and life that we really need, both person-ally and corporately.
- God is unlikely to send revival to those whose real heart motive is to build or enhance their own reputations or ministries or to reap blessing for themselves. We must ask ourselves, why do we want to see God send revival? Revival is not primarily a way to get rid of our problems, to make our lives easier, to increase giving, to get people to respond, or to increase the fruit of our ministries. The ultimate purpose of revival is for the glory of God--that His name might be
known and reverenced in our world, that His Kingdom would rule and reign in the hearts of men, and that His will might be done on earth as it is in heaven.
A. J. Gordon reminds us, "Not for ourselves, and that we may enjoy the holy luxury of communion with God, are we to seek for the times of refreshing. If so, doubtless we shall fail of them, for even spiritual blessings we may ask and receive not, if we only ask that we may consume them upon ourselves."
- The fact that we agree about the need for repentance in the church does not mean that we have, in fact, repented. Talking about repentance is far easier than actually repenting. We may, in fact, be calling others to repentance, while failing to repent of our own sinful attitudes, values, habits, or actions. Repentance means choosing to utterly forsake our sin and to walk in absolute obedience and holiness.
In recent years, the Christian world has witnessed occasions of extended times of public confession of sin. There is certainly a scriptural basis for such confession. However, in the midst of such times, there is a danger of people "venting" instead of truly "repenting." Confession, whether public or private, is not for the purpose of providing an emotional catharsis for the sinner. And the sinner's guilt will not be assuaged if, in his confessing, he stops short of full repentance. The evidence of genuine repentance is not merely that an individual has confessed his sin, but that his life has been transformed and he is now walking in the light.
- There is no revival where there is not deep brokenness and contrition over the seriousness of our sin against a holy God. God said to Ezekiel, "Is it a light thing [a trivial matter--NIV] to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?" (Ezek. 8:17). Brokenness implies mourning and grieving over our sin and hating everything that does not please God. All of us have, at times, been sorry about the consequences of our sin (e.g., the mess we're in, the problems and conflicts we are experiencing in our relationships). But when is the last time we grieved over the nature of our sin, over our rebellion against a holy, loving God? Do we realize the depth and extent of our personal and corporate sin against God? Do we realize how far we have strayed from the Word and the ways of God?
- Not all prayers and prayer meetings bring us closer to experiencing revival. If we are praying for revival, while failing to deal with those things in our hearts, lives, and relationships that are standing between us and the Lord, then we are wasting our breath. Tozer suggested that we will experience revival when we stop using prayer as a substitute for obedience. Charles Finney, who understood the importance and power of prayer, once said that he would not go across the street to attend an all-night prayer meeting if those gathered were not serious about obeying God. All the prayer meetings in the world cannot take the place of obedience.
13 Letters Curriculum Coming in the Fall!
I been awaiting this curriculum since the release of the Project "13 Letters". Basically its a curriculum that follows the 13 Letters Paul wrote in the New Testament, this curriculum is great for the hood, inner city, and desperately necessary for the youth of this time and age we are currently dwelling in!
The WORD is self sufficient, the person who places his trust in Christ needs to solely rely in the power of the transforming WORD, anything and everything the LORD wants to communicate to us will be found in His WORD! Don't get caught up with the trends of the modern day church who has neglected the simple message of the Gospel for a emotional, sensory driven, mystical and self fulfilling experience thats so called attributed to God. My response to those is: Prove it and support your views through Scripture, I've yet to meet someone that can actually make me think twice. The SCRIPTURES are SELF SUFFICIENT, Sola Scriptura! WON!
13 Letters | The Curriculum Trailer from ReachLife Ministries on Vimeo.
The Love of God by Spurgeon
Whatever I believe, or do not believe, the command to love my neighbor as myself still retains its claim upon me, and God forbid that any views or opinions should so contract my soul, and harden my heart as to make me forget this law of love! The love of God is first, but this by no means lessens the obligation of love to man; in fact, the first command includes the second. We are to seek our neighbor’s conversion because we love him.
Until Next Time, Go Serve Your King!
Thursday, May 29
Judgment Day, I got the footage!
Judgment Day by SPURGEON
He that pleads for Christ should himself be moved with the prospect of the Judgment Day. When I come in at yonder door at the back of the pulpit, and the sight of that vast crowd bursts upon me, I frequently feel appalled. Think of these thousands of immortal souls gazing through the windows of those wistful eyes, and I am to preach to them all, and be responsible for their blood if I be not faithful to them. I tell you, it makes me feel ready to start back. But then fear is not alone. I am borne up by the hope and belief that God intends to bless these people through the Word which He will enable me to deliver. I believe that everybody in that throng is sent there by God for some purpose, and that I am sent to effect that purpose.
AIGHT THIS IS THE FOOTAGE OF THIS PREPOSTEROUS "REVIVAL" GOING ON IN LAKELAND FLORIDA. LISTEN CAREFULLY, TEST EVERYTHING AGAINST SCRIPTURE WE ARE COMMANDED TO DO SO BY GOD HIMSELF! ...RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF GOD, STUDY TO SHOW YOURSELF APPROVED... NUFF SAID, THIS IS TRULY A WORK OF THE DARKSIDE!!!
And now a Word from our SPONSOR, addressing this very issue in the video:
2 Timothy 2:15:
2 Thessalonians 2
The Man of Lawlessness
1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
1 John 1:5:
5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, GO SERVE YOUR KING!
He that pleads for Christ should himself be moved with the prospect of the Judgment Day. When I come in at yonder door at the back of the pulpit, and the sight of that vast crowd bursts upon me, I frequently feel appalled. Think of these thousands of immortal souls gazing through the windows of those wistful eyes, and I am to preach to them all, and be responsible for their blood if I be not faithful to them. I tell you, it makes me feel ready to start back. But then fear is not alone. I am borne up by the hope and belief that God intends to bless these people through the Word which He will enable me to deliver. I believe that everybody in that throng is sent there by God for some purpose, and that I am sent to effect that purpose.
AIGHT THIS IS THE FOOTAGE OF THIS PREPOSTEROUS "REVIVAL" GOING ON IN LAKELAND FLORIDA. LISTEN CAREFULLY, TEST EVERYTHING AGAINST SCRIPTURE WE ARE COMMANDED TO DO SO BY GOD HIMSELF! ...RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF GOD, STUDY TO SHOW YOURSELF APPROVED... NUFF SAID, THIS IS TRULY A WORK OF THE DARKSIDE!!!
And now a Word from our SPONSOR, addressing this very issue in the video:
2 Timothy 2:15:
15Be diligent to (A)present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling (B)the word of truth.
15Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.2 Corinthians 6:14:
14...For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
2 Thessalonians 2
The Man of Lawlessness
1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Stand Firm
13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you[b] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings[c] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
1 John 1:5:Walking in the light
5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, GO SERVE YOUR KING!
Wednesday, May 28
The Love of God and What constitutes a "Revival"?
Trip Lee at #6 this week in the Billboards "Top Gospel Albums" thats cool, I see it as the Gospel is getting out, even among the Church! Cause Trip dont water it down!
"Revival"
There's this buzz going around concerning a "revival" Im not gonna say much about it but that I don't believe its genuine, thats it, Im gonna hold my tongue concerning this "revival." However if you go to this link, you can hear radio personality Todd Friel from Way of the Master Radio do a better job than I would, Listen here, its around minute 22.
Comment if you must, respond to this post. I got my sword ready,its double edged and its sharper than any other dagger, blade or shank! If you cant back it up, dont bother cause im ready for combat! Keep this in mind, better yet check the quote in the title of my Blog above!
*REVISED* I just added the clip of The Way of the Master programming, its the first track on the player on the right. --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> -->
The Love of God by Spurgeon!
Whatever I believe, or do not believe, the command to love my neighbor as myself still retains its claim upon me, and God forbid that any views or opinions should so contract my soul, and harden my heart as to make me forget this law of love! The love of God is first, but this by no means lessens the obligation of love to man; in fact, the first command includes the second. We are to seek our neighbor’s conversion because we love him.
"Revival"
There's this buzz going around concerning a "revival" Im not gonna say much about it but that I don't believe its genuine, thats it, Im gonna hold my tongue concerning this "revival." However if you go to this link, you can hear radio personality Todd Friel from Way of the Master Radio do a better job than I would, Listen here, its around minute 22.
Comment if you must, respond to this post. I got my sword ready,its double edged and its sharper than any other dagger, blade or shank! If you cant back it up, dont bother cause im ready for combat! Keep this in mind, better yet check the quote in the title of my Blog above!
*REVISED* I just added the clip of The Way of the Master programming, its the first track on the player on the right. --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> --> -->
The Love of God by Spurgeon!
Whatever I believe, or do not believe, the command to love my neighbor as myself still retains its claim upon me, and God forbid that any views or opinions should so contract my soul, and harden my heart as to make me forget this law of love! The love of God is first, but this by no means lessens the obligation of love to man; in fact, the first command includes the second. We are to seek our neighbor’s conversion because we love him.
Thursday, May 15
The Atonement by Spurgeon
The Atonement by Spurgeon
God’s acceptance of Christ is the sure guarantee of the salvation of those who accept His sacrifice. Beloved, when thine eye of faith is dim, when your eyeballs swim in a flood of tears, when the darkness of sorrow hides much from your vision, then Jehovah sees the blood of His Son, and spares you. In the thick darkness, when you cannot see at all, the Lord God never fails to see in Jesus that with which He is well pleased, and with which His Law is honored. He will not suffer the destroyer to come near you to harm you, because He sees in Christ that which vindicates His justice and establishes the needful rule of Law. The blood is the saving mark. At this moment this is the pressing, question for each one in the company gathered in this house: Do you trust the divine propitiation or do you not? Bring to me what you will to prove your own personal excellence. I believe in no virtue which insults the Savior’s blood, which alone cleanses us from all sin. Rather confess your multiplied transgressions and shortcomings, and then take heart and hope; for there is forgiveness large and free for the very chief of sinners, through Him who has made peace by the blood of His cross.
O my hearer, guilty and self-condemned, if you will now come and trust in Jesus Christ, your sins, which are many, shall be all forgiven you, and you shall love so much in return, that the whole bent and bias of your mind shall be turned from sin to gracious obedience. The atonement applied to the conscience saves from despair, and then acting upon the heart it saves from the love of evil. But the atonement is the saving sign. The blood on the lintel and on the two side posts scoured the house of the poorest Israelite; but the proudest Egyptian, yes, even Pharaoh on the throne, could not escape the destroyer’s sword. Believe and live. Reject the atonement and perish!
Oh my Lord, have mercy on me.
C'Ya!
Go buy Trip's album here! On sale Tuesday May 20th, 2008!
God’s acceptance of Christ is the sure guarantee of the salvation of those who accept His sacrifice. Beloved, when thine eye of faith is dim, when your eyeballs swim in a flood of tears, when the darkness of sorrow hides much from your vision, then Jehovah sees the blood of His Son, and spares you. In the thick darkness, when you cannot see at all, the Lord God never fails to see in Jesus that with which He is well pleased, and with which His Law is honored. He will not suffer the destroyer to come near you to harm you, because He sees in Christ that which vindicates His justice and establishes the needful rule of Law. The blood is the saving mark. At this moment this is the pressing, question for each one in the company gathered in this house: Do you trust the divine propitiation or do you not? Bring to me what you will to prove your own personal excellence. I believe in no virtue which insults the Savior’s blood, which alone cleanses us from all sin. Rather confess your multiplied transgressions and shortcomings, and then take heart and hope; for there is forgiveness large and free for the very chief of sinners, through Him who has made peace by the blood of His cross.
O my hearer, guilty and self-condemned, if you will now come and trust in Jesus Christ, your sins, which are many, shall be all forgiven you, and you shall love so much in return, that the whole bent and bias of your mind shall be turned from sin to gracious obedience. The atonement applied to the conscience saves from despair, and then acting upon the heart it saves from the love of evil. But the atonement is the saving sign. The blood on the lintel and on the two side posts scoured the house of the poorest Israelite; but the proudest Egyptian, yes, even Pharaoh on the throne, could not escape the destroyer’s sword. Believe and live. Reject the atonement and perish!
Oh my Lord, have mercy on me.
C'Ya!
Go buy Trip's album here! On sale Tuesday May 20th, 2008!
Is the Doctrine of Election Biblical? & Trip Lee's EPK
Is the Doctrine of Election Biblical?
John MacArthur
Among the most hotly contested and persistent debates in the history of the confessing church, the doctrine of election is perhaps the greatest of all. The question goes like this: Does God choose sinners to be saved and then provide for their salvation? Or, Does God provide the way of salvation that sinners must choose for themselves?
Where’s the evidence?
This question of choice is called “election” because of the Greek word for those who are chosen—the Bible calls them eklektos. There are many such uses in the Bible (cf. Col. 3:12; 1 Tim. 5:21; Tit. 1:1; 2 John 1), but one of my favorites is in Romans 8:33: “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?” The answer is, “no one,” but why? Is it because I chose God, or is it because God chose me?
One passage that is critical to the discussion is in the opening chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Immediately after his customary greeting, Paul launches in Ephesians 1:3-14 with a great song of praise. It’s only one sentence—but, with 200 words in the Greek, it may be the longest single sentence in religious literature.
Paul touches on all the great biblical themes in that hyper-complex sentence—sanctification, adoption, redemption, and glorification—and all of them rest on one foundational doctrine, the doctrine of election. The most superlative spiritual blessings stand on Ephesians 1:4—“He chose us [elected us] in Him before the foundation of the world.”
So the doctrine of election is biblical, but what does that passage really teach? I want to help you get a better grasp of that by pointing out what Paul teaches about election. If you are a believer, you can equip yourself for your next conversation on this topic. But more important, as one of His elect you can rejoice in the astonishing kindness God showed you before the world began.
What does it mean?
Paul’s song is essentially his reflection on the amazing truth that God “blessed us with every spiritual blessing … in Christ” (v. 3). And how did He bless us? “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).
God didn’t draw straws; He didn’t look down the corridor of time to see who would choose Him before He decided. Rather, by His sovereign will He chose who would be in the Body of Christ. The construction of the Greek verb for “chose” indicates God chose us for Himself. That means God acted totally independent of any outside influence. He made His choice totally apart from human will and purely on the basis of His sovereignty.
Jesus said to His disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15:16). And in the same Gospel, John wrote, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (1:12-13, italics mine). And Paul said, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13).
Those statements defining God’s sovereign choice of believers are not in the Bible to cause controversy, as if God’s election means sinners don’t make decisions. Election does not exclude human responsibility or the necessity of each person to respond to the gospel by faith. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37).
Admittedly the two concepts don’t seem to go together. However, both are true separately, and we must accept them both by faith. You may not understand it, but rest assured—it’s fully reconciled in the mind of God.
You must understand that your faith and salvation rest entirely on God’s election (cf. Acts 13:48). And yet the day you came to Jesus Christ, you did so because of an internal desire—you did nothing against your will. But even that desire is God-given—He supplies the necessary faith so we can believe (Eph. 2:8).
Think about it—if your salvation depends on you, then praise to God is ridiculous. But, in truth, your praise to God is completely appropriate, because in forming the Body before the world began, He chose you by His sovereign decree apart from any of your works. The doctrine of election demonstrates God being God, exercising divine prerogatives. For that we must praise Him.
“But that’s not fair!”
Some are shocked to find that God didn’t choose everyone to salvation. Jesus said, “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day” (John 6:39, italics mine). God the Father chose certain individuals to form a Body as a gift to Jesus Christ. Every believer is part of that love gift to Christ—a gift of the Father’s love to His Son.
To those who say that is unjust, Paul answers: “What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion’” (Rom. 9:14-15).
So why does God still find fault in unrepentant sinners when He didn’t choose them? Doesn’t this deny human responsibility? Is it fair for God to still hold them accountable?
Paul answers all such questions with a rebuke—“who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it?” (v. 20). Does the clay jump up and ask the potter why it looks the way it does? Not at all.
Some believe that is terribly cold and calculating. But that is only one side of God’s sovereign election. Paul continues in the next chapter by saying, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved … for ‘whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (10:9, 13).
How these two sides of God’s truth—His sovereignty in choosing us (Rom. 9) and our responsibility to confess and believe (Rom. 10)—reconcile is impossible for us to understand fully. But Scripture declares both perspectives of salvation to be true (John 1:12-13). It’s our duty to acknowledge both and joyfully accept them by faith.
Adapted from The Body Dynamic, © 1996 by John MacArthur. All rights reserved.Hottest album of the YEAR dropping May 20th, 2008! FOSURE!
Trip Lee 20/20 EPK - Part 1 from Matthew Robertson on Vimeo.
Trip Lee 20/20 EPK - Part 2 from Matthew Robertson on Vimeo.
Trip Lee 20/20 EPK - Part 3 from Matthew Robertson on Vimeo.
Monday, May 12
Speaking in Earnest by Spurgeon
Speaking in Earnest by Spurgeon
You may depend upon it that you may make men understand the truth if you really want to do so; but if you are not in earnest, it is not likely that they will be. If a man were to knock at my door in the middle of the night, and when I put my head out of the window to see what was the matter, he should say, in a very quiet, unconcerned way, "There is a fire at the back part of your house," I should have very little thought of any fire, and should feel inclined to empty a jug of water over him.
Part 3 of Legacy Conference Speaker Paul Washer
Won!
You may depend upon it that you may make men understand the truth if you really want to do so; but if you are not in earnest, it is not likely that they will be. If a man were to knock at my door in the middle of the night, and when I put my head out of the window to see what was the matter, he should say, in a very quiet, unconcerned way, "There is a fire at the back part of your house," I should have very little thought of any fire, and should feel inclined to empty a jug of water over him.
Part 3 of Legacy Conference Speaker Paul Washer
Won!
Thursday, May 8
Legacy Conference pt 2 & Wake up Sinner by Spurgeon
Paul Washer Pt 2 of Legacy Conference
Wake up Sinner by Spurgeon
You have sat in judgment on your own soul, put on the black cap, and read out your own sentence; you have put yourself upon the death-cart; you have adjusted the rope about your own neck, and you are about to draw the bolt and be your own executioner. Oh! weigh your words, and measure your acts, and wake up to a consciousness of what you are about. Do not take the leap in the dark. Look down the chasm first, and gaze a moment at the jagged rocks beneath which soon you must lie a mangled corpse. Now, ere you drink the cup, know the poison that is in the bottom of it; make sure of what you are doing, and if you are determined that you will clasp your sins with the spasmodic and terrific grasp of a dying, drowning man. Then grasp your sins and lose your soul; then keep your sins, and be damned! Hold fast to your iniquities, and be dashed for ever from the presence of the Eternal One. If it be horrible to hear, how much more horrible to do. If it be dreadful to speak, how much more solemn to perform in cold blood that which our lips have spoken.
Wake up Sinner by Spurgeon
You have sat in judgment on your own soul, put on the black cap, and read out your own sentence; you have put yourself upon the death-cart; you have adjusted the rope about your own neck, and you are about to draw the bolt and be your own executioner. Oh! weigh your words, and measure your acts, and wake up to a consciousness of what you are about. Do not take the leap in the dark. Look down the chasm first, and gaze a moment at the jagged rocks beneath which soon you must lie a mangled corpse. Now, ere you drink the cup, know the poison that is in the bottom of it; make sure of what you are doing, and if you are determined that you will clasp your sins with the spasmodic and terrific grasp of a dying, drowning man. Then grasp your sins and lose your soul; then keep your sins, and be damned! Hold fast to your iniquities, and be dashed for ever from the presence of the Eternal One. If it be horrible to hear, how much more horrible to do. If it be dreadful to speak, how much more solemn to perform in cold blood that which our lips have spoken.
Tuesday, May 6
Repent & Witness Camp New York- Go Sign Up!
This is wats up, I hope they pick me!!
Paul Washer Legacy Conference part 1
C'Ya!
Friday, May 2
The Bitterness of the Cross by Spurgeon
The Bitterness of the Cross by Spurgeon
In the light of Calvary, sin does like itself appear; and what is the likeness of sin there? Why, the murderer of the Son of God — the murderer of the Prince of Life — the murderer of man’s best Friend, whose only crime was this — “found guilty of excess of love,” and therefore He must die. O sin, is this what you are? Are you a God-killing thing? I have heard of men being guilty of regicide; but what shall I say concerning Deicide? Yet sin virtually, and as much as it can, stabs at the Godhead, crying, with the wicked husbandmen, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.” This is the terrible character of sin — it will imbrue its hands in the blood of Him who is perfectly innocent and perfectly benevolent, it will take man’s best Friend by the throat, condemn Him as if He were a felon, nail Him to a gibbet, and then stand and gaze at Him, and mock His very death-throes. There is nothing upon earth that is so devilish as sin. Oh, to what extremes of atrocity has sin not gone! And such is your sin and mine, to a greater or less degree. A sight of the cross, therefore, brings bitterness into the soul, because it shows us what sin is, and what are its ultimate issues and true designs if it could carry them out. Never do we smite upon our breast so hard as when we see the cross of Jesus. We are condemned at the mercy-seat even more fully than we are at the judgment-seat.
C'ya!
In the light of Calvary, sin does like itself appear; and what is the likeness of sin there? Why, the murderer of the Son of God — the murderer of the Prince of Life — the murderer of man’s best Friend, whose only crime was this — “found guilty of excess of love,” and therefore He must die. O sin, is this what you are? Are you a God-killing thing? I have heard of men being guilty of regicide; but what shall I say concerning Deicide? Yet sin virtually, and as much as it can, stabs at the Godhead, crying, with the wicked husbandmen, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.” This is the terrible character of sin — it will imbrue its hands in the blood of Him who is perfectly innocent and perfectly benevolent, it will take man’s best Friend by the throat, condemn Him as if He were a felon, nail Him to a gibbet, and then stand and gaze at Him, and mock His very death-throes. There is nothing upon earth that is so devilish as sin. Oh, to what extremes of atrocity has sin not gone! And such is your sin and mine, to a greater or less degree. A sight of the cross, therefore, brings bitterness into the soul, because it shows us what sin is, and what are its ultimate issues and true designs if it could carry them out. Never do we smite upon our breast so hard as when we see the cross of Jesus. We are condemned at the mercy-seat even more fully than we are at the judgment-seat.
C'ya!
Wednesday, April 30
The Sincerity of Prayer by Spurgeon
The Sincerity of Prayer by Spurgeon
I told you, the other night, of a dear brother who said, when I exhorted my hearers to select somebody to pray for, that he had prayed for one person for twenty years, and that he is not converted yet. So I said to him, “Have you spoken to your friend personally about his soul? Have you made it your business to go down to his house, and tell him that you are anxious about him?” “No,” he replied, “I cannot say that I have done so.” “Well, then,” I asked, “do you expect God to hear prayers of that kind? Suppose I were to pray that it might be a good harvest over in that field, and yet, for twenty years, I did not sow any corn there; the probability is that, when I did sow some, I should get my prayers answered, and gather in the harvest.” If we pray for anything, God expects us to use the proper means of obtaining it; and if we neglect the means, we have no right to expect Him to believe in the sincerity of our prayer. If a father and mother pray for their children, but never pray with them, or speak to them personally about the welfare of their souls, they must not wonder if they are not brought to Christ.
I told you, the other night, of a dear brother who said, when I exhorted my hearers to select somebody to pray for, that he had prayed for one person for twenty years, and that he is not converted yet. So I said to him, “Have you spoken to your friend personally about his soul? Have you made it your business to go down to his house, and tell him that you are anxious about him?” “No,” he replied, “I cannot say that I have done so.” “Well, then,” I asked, “do you expect God to hear prayers of that kind? Suppose I were to pray that it might be a good harvest over in that field, and yet, for twenty years, I did not sow any corn there; the probability is that, when I did sow some, I should get my prayers answered, and gather in the harvest.” If we pray for anything, God expects us to use the proper means of obtaining it; and if we neglect the means, we have no right to expect Him to believe in the sincerity of our prayer. If a father and mother pray for their children, but never pray with them, or speak to them personally about the welfare of their souls, they must not wonder if they are not brought to Christ.
Tuesday, April 22
The Hour of Death
The Hour of Death by Spurgeon
Lord, make me to know that I am so frail that I may die at any time, early morning, noon, night, midnight, cockcrow. I may die in any place; if I am in the house of sin, I may die there, if I am in the place of worship, I may die there. I may die in the street: I may die while undressing to-night. I may die in my sleep; die before I get to my work to-morrow morning. I may die in any occupation. But God grant I may never die a blasphemer. I may die with the cup of communion at my lips; I may die preaching; I may die singing. In all, grant I may die as I wish to die, doing your service for the love of Christ by the power of your spirit. Perhaps, as I stand here and readily speak, the arrow is on its way; soon may the hand He stretched, and dumb the mouth that lisps this faltering strain. Oh! may it never intrude upon an ill-spent hour, but find me wrapt in meditation, and hymning my great Creator, or serving my fellow-man with love to God, or in some way so laboring that it shall not come to me as a thief in the night, but shall find me watching, ready for His advent.
Won, C'YA!
Lord, make me to know that I am so frail that I may die at any time, early morning, noon, night, midnight, cockcrow. I may die in any place; if I am in the house of sin, I may die there, if I am in the place of worship, I may die there. I may die in the street: I may die while undressing to-night. I may die in my sleep; die before I get to my work to-morrow morning. I may die in any occupation. But God grant I may never die a blasphemer. I may die with the cup of communion at my lips; I may die preaching; I may die singing. In all, grant I may die as I wish to die, doing your service for the love of Christ by the power of your spirit. Perhaps, as I stand here and readily speak, the arrow is on its way; soon may the hand He stretched, and dumb the mouth that lisps this faltering strain. Oh! may it never intrude upon an ill-spent hour, but find me wrapt in meditation, and hymning my great Creator, or serving my fellow-man with love to God, or in some way so laboring that it shall not come to me as a thief in the night, but shall find me watching, ready for His advent.
Won, C'YA!
Thursday, April 17
This Quote is in my title, but I just wanted to reiterate this thought!!
"We must never assume the gospel. We must always assume that those we serve need to hear the gospel yet again. Any sermon we preach is incomplete and insufficient until we explicitly reference Christ and him crucified." - C.J. Mahaney
I believe this QUOTE 100%! If you don't, thats a problem!
C'ya
Les!
I believe this QUOTE 100%! If you don't, thats a problem!
C'ya
Les!
Wednesday, April 9
Dont get it twisted, this is what its all about!!
The Law's Power by Spurgeon
When once God the Holy Spirit applies the Law to the conscience, secret sins are dragged to light, little sins are magnified to their true size, and things apparently harmless become exceedingly sinful. Before that dread searcher of the hearts and trier of the reins makes His entrance into the soul, it appears righteous, just, lovely, and holy; but when He reveals the hidden evils, the scene is changed. Offenses which were once styled peccadilloes, trifles, freaks of youth, follies, indulgences, little slips, etc., then appear in their true color, as breaches of the Law of God, deserving condign punishment.
The depravity of man, embrace it cause it applies to you! C'ya!
Tuesday, April 8
This is not about whether I agree or not but...
*Disclaimer: The interviewer does use profanity while interviewing, and there other things that may offend us Christians, but please look beyond the man, and remember our depraved nature!
Bushwick Bill on UndergroundHipHop.com
Bushwick Bill on UndergroundHipHop.com
Thursday, April 3
What are you saved for?
Hey are you a Christian?
This kid could preach! This kid could PREACH!
Hey I'ma ask you again, Are you a Christian?
Difficult Doctrines by Spurgeon
I often get confused over doctrines that puzzle me. I see this to be true, and that to be true, but, how to reconcile the two I know not; then the thought of the daybreak comes in so comfortably. “What you know not now, you shall know hereafter.” Here it is not good for us to know all things. In some respects it is the glory of God to conceal Himself, and He may well say to us — "I have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now.” But there it will be the glory of God to reveal himself, and it will also be to our benefit, our minds being then fortified and strengthened to receive, what we could not comprehend here below. Perhaps the glare of the divine light, if it comes to us here, even though tempered by the Mediator Himself, might be to much for these poor eyes of ours.
Father Help Me Lord! Help me!
This kid could preach! This kid could PREACH!
Hey I'ma ask you again, Are you a Christian?
Difficult Doctrines by Spurgeon
I often get confused over doctrines that puzzle me. I see this to be true, and that to be true, but, how to reconcile the two I know not; then the thought of the daybreak comes in so comfortably. “What you know not now, you shall know hereafter.” Here it is not good for us to know all things. In some respects it is the glory of God to conceal Himself, and He may well say to us — "I have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now.” But there it will be the glory of God to reveal himself, and it will also be to our benefit, our minds being then fortified and strengthened to receive, what we could not comprehend here below. Perhaps the glare of the divine light, if it comes to us here, even though tempered by the Mediator Himself, might be to much for these poor eyes of ours.
Father Help Me Lord! Help me!
Thursday, March 27
WAKE UP!! Oh slumbering Christian!!
Man, this is part three of the BET series, all I can say is that I was balling at the end!!
WAKE UP! We are called to minister in this manner! Be prepared in and out of season! Study to show thyself approved for the belief you proclaim! WAKE UP!
Spurgeon's Conversion
I think that the best holy day I ever spent (yes, I think I must put it as high as that,) was the day of my conversion. There was a novelty and freshness about that first day which made it like the day in which a man first sees the light after having been long blind. My conversion day, shall I ever forget it? — when my heart began to beat with spiritual life, and the lungs of my soul began to heave with prayer, and the hands of my soul were stretched out to grasp my Lord, and the eyes of my soul beheld His beauty . Ay, — that was a very blessed sight, but what will it be to see him face to face?
C'ya!
WAKE UP! We are called to minister in this manner! Be prepared in and out of season! Study to show thyself approved for the belief you proclaim! WAKE UP!
Spurgeon's Conversion
I think that the best holy day I ever spent (yes, I think I must put it as high as that,) was the day of my conversion. There was a novelty and freshness about that first day which made it like the day in which a man first sees the light after having been long blind. My conversion day, shall I ever forget it? — when my heart began to beat with spiritual life, and the lungs of my soul began to heave with prayer, and the hands of my soul were stretched out to grasp my Lord, and the eyes of my soul beheld His beauty . Ay, — that was a very blessed sight, but what will it be to see him face to face?
C'ya!
Tuesday, March 18
The witness Protection Plan
This video is hot, great illustration, great 7 minutes well worth it!
This is an excellently conducted interview with fans of artists at the BET awards! PT1
This is what Im talking about, we need to do ministry like this! In The Streets! PT2
The True Preacher by Spurgeon
The burden which the true preacher of God bears is for God, and on Christ’s behalf, and for the good of men. He has a natural instinct which makes him care for the souls of others, and his anxiety is that none should perish, but that all should find salvation through Jesus Christ. Like the Christ who longed to save, so does the true Malachi, or messenger of God, go forth with this as his happy, joyful, cheerfully-borne burden-that men may turn unto God and live.
See ya soon!
This is an excellently conducted interview with fans of artists at the BET awards! PT1
This is what Im talking about, we need to do ministry like this! In The Streets! PT2
The True Preacher by Spurgeon
The burden which the true preacher of God bears is for God, and on Christ’s behalf, and for the good of men. He has a natural instinct which makes him care for the souls of others, and his anxiety is that none should perish, but that all should find salvation through Jesus Christ. Like the Christ who longed to save, so does the true Malachi, or messenger of God, go forth with this as his happy, joyful, cheerfully-borne burden-that men may turn unto God and live.
See ya soon!
Monday, March 17
The Blackness of Sin by Spurgeon
The Blackness of Sin
Soul! you have as yet no true idea of what sin is. God the Holy Spirit has never opened your eyes to see what an evil and bitter thing it is to sin against God, or else there would be no “buts.” Picture a man who has lost his way, who has sunk into a slough; the waters and the mire are come up to his very throat. He is about to sink in it, when some bright spirit comes, stepping over the treacherous bog, and puts forth to him his hand. That man, if he knows where he is, if he knows his uncomfortable and desperate state, will put out his hand at once. You will not find him hesitating with “buts,” and “of,” and “peradventures.” He feels that he is plunged into the ditch, and would come out of it. And you apparently are still in the wilderness of your natural state. You have not yet discovered what a fool might see, though a wayfaring man, that sin is a tremendous evil, that your sin is all destructive, and will yet swallow you up quick and utterly destroy your soul.
Soul! you have as yet no true idea of what sin is. God the Holy Spirit has never opened your eyes to see what an evil and bitter thing it is to sin against God, or else there would be no “buts.” Picture a man who has lost his way, who has sunk into a slough; the waters and the mire are come up to his very throat. He is about to sink in it, when some bright spirit comes, stepping over the treacherous bog, and puts forth to him his hand. That man, if he knows where he is, if he knows his uncomfortable and desperate state, will put out his hand at once. You will not find him hesitating with “buts,” and “of,” and “peradventures.” He feels that he is plunged into the ditch, and would come out of it. And you apparently are still in the wilderness of your natural state. You have not yet discovered what a fool might see, though a wayfaring man, that sin is a tremendous evil, that your sin is all destructive, and will yet swallow you up quick and utterly destroy your soul.
Thursday, March 13
The Blindness of the Lost by Spurgeon
The Blindness of the Lost by Spurgeon
Many will sit here to-night, who have, through a long life, committed a hundred sins of which they would be ashamed to be reminded, and yet they are not ashamed of them. They would only be ashamed to be found out; they are not ashamed of the sin itself. A man truly awakened by the Spirit of God feels the remembrance of his sin to sting him as with scorpions. He cannot bear it. But the great mass of people do a thousand wrong things, and yet they are not troubled, but feel quite at their ease. Some of you are probably within a very short time of death and judgment, and yet you can make sport of sin. How often does it happen that people come to the place of worship, and go their way, having rejected solemn appeals: and they will never hear any more! They have bad their last warning. Oh, if they could but know that, during the week, they will fall down dead, or be laid aside by sickness, never to leave the bed again! Yet they trifle, on the brink of fate, on the very verge of everlasting woo. If you saw a man going straight on to the very brink of some dreadful precipice, and you saw him about to take another step, you would say, “That man is blind. I am sure that he is, or else he would not act like that.” People do not go into terrible danger with their eyes open; yet there are many of our fellow-men, perhaps many of ourselves, going right on, carelessly and heedlessly, to the very brink of the awful abyss without a thought of danger. They must be blind. This horrible peace of conscience, this quenching of the Spirit whenever conscience does stir itself, this playing and trifling with death and judgment, prove that they are blind.
Many will sit here to-night, who have, through a long life, committed a hundred sins of which they would be ashamed to be reminded, and yet they are not ashamed of them. They would only be ashamed to be found out; they are not ashamed of the sin itself. A man truly awakened by the Spirit of God feels the remembrance of his sin to sting him as with scorpions. He cannot bear it. But the great mass of people do a thousand wrong things, and yet they are not troubled, but feel quite at their ease. Some of you are probably within a very short time of death and judgment, and yet you can make sport of sin. How often does it happen that people come to the place of worship, and go their way, having rejected solemn appeals: and they will never hear any more! They have bad their last warning. Oh, if they could but know that, during the week, they will fall down dead, or be laid aside by sickness, never to leave the bed again! Yet they trifle, on the brink of fate, on the very verge of everlasting woo. If you saw a man going straight on to the very brink of some dreadful precipice, and you saw him about to take another step, you would say, “That man is blind. I am sure that he is, or else he would not act like that.” People do not go into terrible danger with their eyes open; yet there are many of our fellow-men, perhaps many of ourselves, going right on, carelessly and heedlessly, to the very brink of the awful abyss without a thought of danger. They must be blind. This horrible peace of conscience, this quenching of the Spirit whenever conscience does stir itself, this playing and trifling with death and judgment, prove that they are blind.
Wednesday, February 20
The Conscience
Charles Darwin said this "To suppose that the eye could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree." and to think that evolution and atheism's founder said this, what does it tell you about their followers??
I just added a new feature unto my Blog, if you look to the right you will now see a jukebox with some of songs that are in constant rotation in my MP3 in the car!! Listen to them, if you like to support you can purchase digitally on the link right below the jukebox or here>>> www.3hmp3.com!
Also visit my recommended site links right below the jukebox, there are a couple of new sites My friend Tom's Blog Grace DownLoad, CJ Mahaney's Sovereign Grace, RC Sproul's Ligonier Ministries and many other sites! I wont steer you in the wrong direction for sure, so check all the links when you get a chance!!
The Conscience by Spurgeon!
We love because He first loved us. Brethren, I was ready to perish under a sense of sin, I was all but damned. I felt the wrath of God surging in my soul like a sea of fire, I found no relief or comfort. Even the Word of God did not cheer me. They told me of believing in Jesus; but till I learned that this Jesus was God’s great appointed sacrifice for sin I saw nothing in Him to cheer me. When I learned that He had borne the penalty and satisfied justice, then I found out the glorious secret, and my conscience was at rest. Conscience within us reflects, as in a mirror, the facts of the case as God sees them. God causes an awakened conscience to require that which his justice requires. The demand of the conscience is the echo of the demand of the divine government. Conscience requires atonement because the necessity of the case and the nature of God require it. When I learned that there was such an atonement provided, oh, then I rested most sweetly! I wish you all did so. You that have no atoning sacrifice to plead, how can you bear the weight of your sins? What will you do with them when the death-damp is on your brows? You for whom, according to your own creed, no debt was paid, no penalty endured, how will you answer Justice in her great and terrible day?
Have a great day, be challenged and Remember we gotta grow daily!
I just added a new feature unto my Blog, if you look to the right you will now see a jukebox with some of songs that are in constant rotation in my MP3 in the car!! Listen to them, if you like to support you can purchase digitally on the link right below the jukebox or here>>> www.3hmp3.com!
Also visit my recommended site links right below the jukebox, there are a couple of new sites My friend Tom's Blog Grace DownLoad, CJ Mahaney's Sovereign Grace, RC Sproul's Ligonier Ministries and many other sites! I wont steer you in the wrong direction for sure, so check all the links when you get a chance!!
The Conscience by Spurgeon!
We love because He first loved us. Brethren, I was ready to perish under a sense of sin, I was all but damned. I felt the wrath of God surging in my soul like a sea of fire, I found no relief or comfort. Even the Word of God did not cheer me. They told me of believing in Jesus; but till I learned that this Jesus was God’s great appointed sacrifice for sin I saw nothing in Him to cheer me. When I learned that He had borne the penalty and satisfied justice, then I found out the glorious secret, and my conscience was at rest. Conscience within us reflects, as in a mirror, the facts of the case as God sees them. God causes an awakened conscience to require that which his justice requires. The demand of the conscience is the echo of the demand of the divine government. Conscience requires atonement because the necessity of the case and the nature of God require it. When I learned that there was such an atonement provided, oh, then I rested most sweetly! I wish you all did so. You that have no atoning sacrifice to plead, how can you bear the weight of your sins? What will you do with them when the death-damp is on your brows? You for whom, according to your own creed, no debt was paid, no penalty endured, how will you answer Justice in her great and terrible day?
Have a great day, be challenged and Remember we gotta grow daily!
Monday, February 18
Shut Out of Heaven & A Word to the Young
I just added a new feature unto my Blog, if you look to the right you will now see a jukebox with some of songs that are in constant rotation in my MP3 in the car!! Listen to them, if you like to support you can purchase digitally on the link right below the jukebox or here>>> www.3hmp3.com!
Also visit my recommended site links right below the jukebox, there are a couple of new sites My friend Tom's Blog Grace DownLoad, CJ Mahaney's Sovereign Grace, RC Sproul's Ligonier Ministries and many other sites! I wont steer you in the wrong direction for sure, so check all the links when you get a chance!!
A Word To the Young
by Paul Washer
Over the last few days I have felt compelled to write the following word to the youth who receive this publication. I ask you to prayerfully consider the things you will read. If you find any truth in what is written, then I admonish you to adjust your life accordingly. Do not waste your life!
Remember the Brevity of Life
The first man was created in the image of God. If he had submitted to the will of God, he would have been immortal. He would have passed through the years of his unending existence from strength to strength, without deterioration or decay. The passing of time would have brought him to greater levels of maturity, contentment, and joy. His existence would have abounded with purpose and glory. With the advent of sin, all was lost, and mans existence became tragically twisted and deformed beyond recognition. Man became a mortal being of brief duration, weariness, and futility. He now lives his life until all vitality is drained away, all purpose is demolished, and the body finally returns to the dust from which it came. It is not without reason that the preacher cries out, Vanity of vanities! All is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2). As a young man or woman, you must constantly fight off the temptation to forget about the brevity of life and the vanity of even the longest life lived apart from Gods will. You must learn from the Scriptures that your life is less than a vapor. You must become convinced of this truth, and then you must set it before you as a constant reminder. You are mortal and your days are numbered! As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer (Psalm 103:15). ...You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away (James 4:14). You know the Scriptures are true. You know that death is a certainty for you. Every tombstone and eulogy bear witness to the inescapable reality that you are going to die. And yet, how is it that you so quickly forget and give yourself to the passing vanities of this life? It is because you are surrounded by a culture that does everything in its power to avoid any thought of the end of life. It is because the god of this age works with all his cunning to keep you entertained and distracted. It is because, although you have been redeemed, you still dwell in a body of fallen flesh that runs for all that is carnal and temporal. Knowing these things, you would do well to both memorize and often pray the prayer of David in Psalm 39:4: LORD, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am. Keeping your mortality at the forefront of your thoughts is not for the purpose of being morbid or lamenting as those who have no hope, but to compel you to hope in Christ alone and to give yourself wholeheartedly to His will for your life. Only in Christ is the grave swallowed up in victory and temporal futility replaced by Gods eternal and glorious purpose for you.
Remember your Creator
Knowing something of the brevity of life, How then shall we live? The writer of Ecclesiastes answers this question for us in the form of a command: Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth... (12:1). The word remember comes from the Hebrew word zakar which means to recall or call to mind. This command to remember God is calling you to more than a casual recollection that there is a God. Its requirements are not fulfilled by simply bowing your head every time you pass by a steeple, or even by attending church faithfully every time the doors are open. This is a radical and life changing command to know and understand the God of Scripture, to acknowledge His preeminence in all things, to seek His glory in all things, and to strive to obey Him in all things. The great importance of this command becomes clear when you realize that in this fallen world you are constantly bombarded with temporal distractions designed to make you forget the worth of God and the joys of His will. Unless you purpose in your heart to remember God and use every means at your disposal to remain true to that purpose, you will fall into vanity and your life will be wasted! Consider carefully what I have written. I am not asking you to simply agree with me. I am pleading with you to purpose in your heart to fixed your eyes on God as though your life depended upon it (for it does) and to actively, aggressively, even violently (Matthew 11:12) seek out and use every means at your disposal to keep from being distracted and falling into the vanities of this fallen age! It is important to note that the preacher of Ecclesiastes not only commands us to remember God, but he tells us the most convenient time to do so - in the days of our youth. It does little good to prepare for a battle at the end of the battle, or to wait until the last lap of the race to tie on ones running shoes. Likewise, it is a ridiculous notion (found in the head of many young people) that one should delay living for God until later in life and usually after a great portion of life has been wasted. Do not be like the prodigal who came to his senses only after squandering his fortune and the strength of his youth. Come to your senses in the early days of your life. Set your heart to seek God now - to know Him, worship Him, serve Him, and rejoice in His goodness. As one older than you, as an ambassador for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through me, I beg you on behalf of Christ, do not waste your life. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance (Isaiah 55:2).
Set Your Heart to Follow Him
I am hesitant to use this type of language with you because I am afraid that you will misinterpret. To most Christians, the admonition to follow after God conjurers up thoughts of duty, obedience, and ministry, but these things by themselves will only leave you tired, hollow, and bitter. I have been down that road and I will do everything in my power to keep you from it. It leads to a horrid place! When I speak of following Him, I am primarily referring to fellowship with His person; to acknowledge Him and share with Him every experience; to purpose not to hide from Him or shut Him out of some area of your life; to see everything as sacred and nothing as secular; for Him to have preeminence in every moment of your life, every thought in that head of yours, every word that proceeds from your mouth, and every work that you endeavor to do - walking, talking, eating, drinking, laughing, crying, working, playing - experiencing all of it in Him, through Him, for Him, and most of all WITH
Him! Do you realize that you can do almost anything for all the wrong reasons. You can do ministry for the personal satisfaction or fame it may bring. You can even grow in knowledge and piety for the reputation they may reap for you among other believers. But it is the true and loyal heart that seeks only to be with Him for the sake of being with Him! I know you look upon me as a godly man who has learned many things, but I have been so wrong in so many ways, and this has been my greatest error. I have always pressed hard to accomplish something, when I should have pressed hard just to be with Him! Yes, my dear young Christian, you can even waste precious drops of your life in the work of ministry and missions! Remember this: To confine God to a quiet time is grotesque, to reduce discipleship to only obedience is pathetic, and to make ministry into something other than Christs life flowing through your intimate relationship with Him is to make it nothing more than a stupid work of the flesh.
Read the Bible
Now theres a novelty! One of the greatest things a young Christian can do is to make a lifelong practice of reading the English Bible systematically from Genesis to Revelation over and over again. If you can do so in the original languages it is even better, but I know only a handful of men capable of such a thing and I am not one of them. Most Christians knowledge of the Scriptures is very fragmented because they have only read parts of the Bible. I have known individuals who were brilliant in certain aspects of doctrine, but whose overall knowledge of the Bible was very weak. To avoid this pitfall, you must read the Bible systematically and from cover to cover. No one in their right mind would read a work of literature by bouncing to and fro through the book and randomly reading only certain chapters. They would begin at the beginning and move progressively through the book chapter by chapter until they reached the end. And yet very few Christians have ever read the Bible this way! Remember: the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God given to us in book form. To understand it in whole and in part, we must read through it! One of the most rewarding ways to read the Scriptures is to write your insights and questions as you read through the first time. On your second reading through the Scriptures you will notice that you are able to answer many of your old questions and that new questions have come to mind. You will also be able to refine and clarify many of your previous insights. By this means, you will learn that the Bible is the best commentary of itself. One word of caution: Most people never make it though the entire Bible because they wear themselves out trying to understand everything or trying to write a commentary on each book. Two suggestions: First, write your questions and keep on reading. Secondly, only write down the things God has impressed upon your heart to remember and be brief. We already have enough commentaries to bankrupt every seminary student on earth! To a young Christian, the Bible can seem overwhelming. This will never change. The Bible is overwhelming! It contains more truth about God than any man will ever comprehend or obey. Nevertheless, it is a magnificent journey to read through its pages
and not only learn, but be transformed. Christianity requires that the mind be fully engaged, but it is not solely or even primarily about the intellect. It is about knowing God in a personal and intimate manner and being transformed into the likeness of His Son. Do not be discouraged! Every day that you give to the reading of Gods word will eventually add up to years of study and a wealth of biblical knowledge. Every day lost will reduce the size of that final treasure.
Pray
I divide my praying into two separate categories: Praying in my walking shoes and praying in my work boots. The first category refers to communion, adoration, and thanksgiving. It is walking with God as an ever-present companion, enjoying His fellowship, and seeking greater and greater manifestations of His presence. This type of praying has one purpose - to know Him and to simply be with Him. A part from this type of praying, all the knowledge in your head will never be anything more than second hand theological jargon. You will spend your entire life speaking correctly about someone you do not even know and about things that have never become realities in your life. I have heard people say that they do not have a specific time of seeking God in this way, but they commune with God throughout the day as they go through their daily activities. It has been my experience that the ability to practice the presence of God throughout the day and in the midst of my activities is only made possible because I have separated myself from my daily activities and sought God in specific times of prayer. This seems to have been the practice of our Lord Jesus Christ during His incarnation: In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there (Mark 1:35). The second category of praying - praying in my work boots -refers to intercessory prayer. Let know one mislead you, this type of praying is hard work! It is not a small thing for a mortal man to wrestle with God (Genesis 32:24-32) and against the devil (Ephesians 6:12). The stakes are high and everything is won or lost on this battle field. We labor in prayer for the Glory of God, the Great Commission, and the advancement of the Kingdom (Matthew 6:9-10); we labor in prayer for the preservation and sanctification of the Church; we labor in prayer for every need and for the fulfillment of every promise that God has given. This may very well be the most holy task given to men! I will leave the subject of prayer behind with a bit of advice that has been very helpful to me. It was given to me by an older preacher, who received it from an even older preacher. It goes something like this: Pray until you can pray, and then pray until you have prayed. Often when we bow our knees in prayer we do not sense the liberty or power to pray. It seems as though there is a sky of brass above us. This should not be a cause of discouragement, but it should lead us to wrestle in prayer until we have broken through to God. It is then that we should set ourselves to praying until our burdens have lifted and we know that we have prayed.
Seek Out Godly Companions
At the risk of offending you, I must say that if you are young there is probably a great deal of foolishness still bound up in your heart (Proverbs 22:15). If the greatest influences in your life are other young people just like yourself, then you are a companion of fools and walking down a dangerous path. The Scriptures teach a very lifesaving truth that is often neglected today: He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20) The idea of a generation gap was born out of the godless counterculture of the 60s and has now been thoroughly adopted by most churches. The idea that young people need to be with other young people is a direct contradiction to the Scriptures. Although periods of supervised fellowship with other youth can be both enjoyable and profitable, the Scriptures everywhere teach that young Christians need to be with older and more mature Christians so that they might learn their ways and avoid the pitfalls of the young and naive. According the Scriptures, the greatest influences in your life ought to be your mother and father, provided they are godly and mature Christians. Following them, it is the role of the church elders and the entire adult congregation to model the Christian life before you. In summary, you will do well to surround yourself with men and women whose progress in sanctification and usefulness to God are evident. Get to know, not only the godly Christians of our time, but also the saints of yesterday through their writings and the writings of others about them.
Flee Youthful Lust
In Ephesians 6:10-12 you are commanded to make your stand against the devil. In James 4:7 you are given the promise that if you resist him, he will flee from you. Nevertheless in II Timothy 2:22 you are commanded to flee youthful lust. It is rather amazing that you are commanded to be strong, take your stand, and fight against fallen angels, while at the same time, you are commanded to flee with fear from youthful lust. This demonstrates that the youthful lust of your flesh and the unbridled sensuality of your culture is more dangerous than a face to face battle with the devil. I have known countless Christian youth who demonstrated genuine evidence of conversion, and yet upon entering into a relationship with the opposite sex, they fell into immorality. I have known them to memorize Scripture, pray, and even fast to be pure in their relationship, and yet still they fall. Why? Because they do not understand that all the spiritual disciplines in the Scriptures cannot save them from youthful lust. They are trying to wage battle while God commands them to flee. To put it simply: You cannot be alone in a relationship with a person of the opposite sex for any extended period of time without falling.
Therefore you should never be alone together in a house, car, or any other place where lust can be kindled and failure is certain. Give Yourself to Noble Purposes I see young Christian men in the university who squander away their time playing video games and frequenting malls and movie houses, when they should be giving themselves to more noble purposes. You were not bought by the blood of the Lamb in order to give yourself to such things. You have been adopted into a royal family and royal deeds are expected of you. Shun the mindless entertainment of the age and give yourself to the will of God. The Scriptures declare in II Timothy 2:20-21: Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Do you desire to be vessel of honor and used for noble purposes? Do you desire to be an instrument in the Masters hand? Then cleanse yourself of the foolish games of little boys and vain girls, and become the man or woman you were called to be. I believe it was A.W. Tozer who said that on the tombstone of America would be written the words, They entertained themselves to death. This is a pathetic epitaph when compared to what was said about King David: [He] served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers... What legacy will you leave? What will be carved into your stone? Most importantly, what will God declare about your life on that great Day of Judgment that awaits you? May God have mercy on you and grant you grace to far surpass the character and deeds of the one who is writing to you this letter.
Shut Out of Heaven by Spurgeon!
Dear heart, this is a question I beg you to look to at once. You do not know how short a time you have left to you in which you may look into it. Some who were here but a Sabbath-day or so ago are now gone from us. Eleven deaths reported at one church-meeting among our members! We are a dying people; we shall all be gone within a very short time. I charge you by the living God, and as you are dying men and women, see to it that yon are not shut out, so as to hear the fatal cry, “Too late, too late, you cannot enter now.” There shall be no purgation in eternity, and no possible way of entering in among the perfected, for it is written, “There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth.” No crying, “Lord! Lord!” no striving to enter in, no tears, no, not even the pangs of Hell itself, shall ever purge the soul so as to make it fit to join with the holy Church above, should it pass into the future state uncleansed. Shut out! shut out! O God, may that never be true of anyone among us, for Christ’s dear name’s sake, Amen.
Won!
Also visit my recommended site links right below the jukebox, there are a couple of new sites My friend Tom's Blog Grace DownLoad, CJ Mahaney's Sovereign Grace, RC Sproul's Ligonier Ministries and many other sites! I wont steer you in the wrong direction for sure, so check all the links when you get a chance!!
A Word To the Young
by Paul Washer
Over the last few days I have felt compelled to write the following word to the youth who receive this publication. I ask you to prayerfully consider the things you will read. If you find any truth in what is written, then I admonish you to adjust your life accordingly. Do not waste your life!
Remember the Brevity of Life
The first man was created in the image of God. If he had submitted to the will of God, he would have been immortal. He would have passed through the years of his unending existence from strength to strength, without deterioration or decay. The passing of time would have brought him to greater levels of maturity, contentment, and joy. His existence would have abounded with purpose and glory. With the advent of sin, all was lost, and mans existence became tragically twisted and deformed beyond recognition. Man became a mortal being of brief duration, weariness, and futility. He now lives his life until all vitality is drained away, all purpose is demolished, and the body finally returns to the dust from which it came. It is not without reason that the preacher cries out, Vanity of vanities! All is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2). As a young man or woman, you must constantly fight off the temptation to forget about the brevity of life and the vanity of even the longest life lived apart from Gods will. You must learn from the Scriptures that your life is less than a vapor. You must become convinced of this truth, and then you must set it before you as a constant reminder. You are mortal and your days are numbered! As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer (Psalm 103:15). ...You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away (James 4:14). You know the Scriptures are true. You know that death is a certainty for you. Every tombstone and eulogy bear witness to the inescapable reality that you are going to die. And yet, how is it that you so quickly forget and give yourself to the passing vanities of this life? It is because you are surrounded by a culture that does everything in its power to avoid any thought of the end of life. It is because the god of this age works with all his cunning to keep you entertained and distracted. It is because, although you have been redeemed, you still dwell in a body of fallen flesh that runs for all that is carnal and temporal. Knowing these things, you would do well to both memorize and often pray the prayer of David in Psalm 39:4: LORD, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am. Keeping your mortality at the forefront of your thoughts is not for the purpose of being morbid or lamenting as those who have no hope, but to compel you to hope in Christ alone and to give yourself wholeheartedly to His will for your life. Only in Christ is the grave swallowed up in victory and temporal futility replaced by Gods eternal and glorious purpose for you.
Remember your Creator
Knowing something of the brevity of life, How then shall we live? The writer of Ecclesiastes answers this question for us in the form of a command: Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth... (12:1). The word remember comes from the Hebrew word zakar which means to recall or call to mind. This command to remember God is calling you to more than a casual recollection that there is a God. Its requirements are not fulfilled by simply bowing your head every time you pass by a steeple, or even by attending church faithfully every time the doors are open. This is a radical and life changing command to know and understand the God of Scripture, to acknowledge His preeminence in all things, to seek His glory in all things, and to strive to obey Him in all things. The great importance of this command becomes clear when you realize that in this fallen world you are constantly bombarded with temporal distractions designed to make you forget the worth of God and the joys of His will. Unless you purpose in your heart to remember God and use every means at your disposal to remain true to that purpose, you will fall into vanity and your life will be wasted! Consider carefully what I have written. I am not asking you to simply agree with me. I am pleading with you to purpose in your heart to fixed your eyes on God as though your life depended upon it (for it does) and to actively, aggressively, even violently (Matthew 11:12) seek out and use every means at your disposal to keep from being distracted and falling into the vanities of this fallen age! It is important to note that the preacher of Ecclesiastes not only commands us to remember God, but he tells us the most convenient time to do so - in the days of our youth. It does little good to prepare for a battle at the end of the battle, or to wait until the last lap of the race to tie on ones running shoes. Likewise, it is a ridiculous notion (found in the head of many young people) that one should delay living for God until later in life and usually after a great portion of life has been wasted. Do not be like the prodigal who came to his senses only after squandering his fortune and the strength of his youth. Come to your senses in the early days of your life. Set your heart to seek God now - to know Him, worship Him, serve Him, and rejoice in His goodness. As one older than you, as an ambassador for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through me, I beg you on behalf of Christ, do not waste your life. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance (Isaiah 55:2).
Set Your Heart to Follow Him
I am hesitant to use this type of language with you because I am afraid that you will misinterpret. To most Christians, the admonition to follow after God conjurers up thoughts of duty, obedience, and ministry, but these things by themselves will only leave you tired, hollow, and bitter. I have been down that road and I will do everything in my power to keep you from it. It leads to a horrid place! When I speak of following Him, I am primarily referring to fellowship with His person; to acknowledge Him and share with Him every experience; to purpose not to hide from Him or shut Him out of some area of your life; to see everything as sacred and nothing as secular; for Him to have preeminence in every moment of your life, every thought in that head of yours, every word that proceeds from your mouth, and every work that you endeavor to do - walking, talking, eating, drinking, laughing, crying, working, playing - experiencing all of it in Him, through Him, for Him, and most of all WITH
Him! Do you realize that you can do almost anything for all the wrong reasons. You can do ministry for the personal satisfaction or fame it may bring. You can even grow in knowledge and piety for the reputation they may reap for you among other believers. But it is the true and loyal heart that seeks only to be with Him for the sake of being with Him! I know you look upon me as a godly man who has learned many things, but I have been so wrong in so many ways, and this has been my greatest error. I have always pressed hard to accomplish something, when I should have pressed hard just to be with Him! Yes, my dear young Christian, you can even waste precious drops of your life in the work of ministry and missions! Remember this: To confine God to a quiet time is grotesque, to reduce discipleship to only obedience is pathetic, and to make ministry into something other than Christs life flowing through your intimate relationship with Him is to make it nothing more than a stupid work of the flesh.
Read the Bible
Now theres a novelty! One of the greatest things a young Christian can do is to make a lifelong practice of reading the English Bible systematically from Genesis to Revelation over and over again. If you can do so in the original languages it is even better, but I know only a handful of men capable of such a thing and I am not one of them. Most Christians knowledge of the Scriptures is very fragmented because they have only read parts of the Bible. I have known individuals who were brilliant in certain aspects of doctrine, but whose overall knowledge of the Bible was very weak. To avoid this pitfall, you must read the Bible systematically and from cover to cover. No one in their right mind would read a work of literature by bouncing to and fro through the book and randomly reading only certain chapters. They would begin at the beginning and move progressively through the book chapter by chapter until they reached the end. And yet very few Christians have ever read the Bible this way! Remember: the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God given to us in book form. To understand it in whole and in part, we must read through it! One of the most rewarding ways to read the Scriptures is to write your insights and questions as you read through the first time. On your second reading through the Scriptures you will notice that you are able to answer many of your old questions and that new questions have come to mind. You will also be able to refine and clarify many of your previous insights. By this means, you will learn that the Bible is the best commentary of itself. One word of caution: Most people never make it though the entire Bible because they wear themselves out trying to understand everything or trying to write a commentary on each book. Two suggestions: First, write your questions and keep on reading. Secondly, only write down the things God has impressed upon your heart to remember and be brief. We already have enough commentaries to bankrupt every seminary student on earth! To a young Christian, the Bible can seem overwhelming. This will never change. The Bible is overwhelming! It contains more truth about God than any man will ever comprehend or obey. Nevertheless, it is a magnificent journey to read through its pages
and not only learn, but be transformed. Christianity requires that the mind be fully engaged, but it is not solely or even primarily about the intellect. It is about knowing God in a personal and intimate manner and being transformed into the likeness of His Son. Do not be discouraged! Every day that you give to the reading of Gods word will eventually add up to years of study and a wealth of biblical knowledge. Every day lost will reduce the size of that final treasure.
Pray
I divide my praying into two separate categories: Praying in my walking shoes and praying in my work boots. The first category refers to communion, adoration, and thanksgiving. It is walking with God as an ever-present companion, enjoying His fellowship, and seeking greater and greater manifestations of His presence. This type of praying has one purpose - to know Him and to simply be with Him. A part from this type of praying, all the knowledge in your head will never be anything more than second hand theological jargon. You will spend your entire life speaking correctly about someone you do not even know and about things that have never become realities in your life. I have heard people say that they do not have a specific time of seeking God in this way, but they commune with God throughout the day as they go through their daily activities. It has been my experience that the ability to practice the presence of God throughout the day and in the midst of my activities is only made possible because I have separated myself from my daily activities and sought God in specific times of prayer. This seems to have been the practice of our Lord Jesus Christ during His incarnation: In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there (Mark 1:35). The second category of praying - praying in my work boots -refers to intercessory prayer. Let know one mislead you, this type of praying is hard work! It is not a small thing for a mortal man to wrestle with God (Genesis 32:24-32) and against the devil (Ephesians 6:12). The stakes are high and everything is won or lost on this battle field. We labor in prayer for the Glory of God, the Great Commission, and the advancement of the Kingdom (Matthew 6:9-10); we labor in prayer for the preservation and sanctification of the Church; we labor in prayer for every need and for the fulfillment of every promise that God has given. This may very well be the most holy task given to men! I will leave the subject of prayer behind with a bit of advice that has been very helpful to me. It was given to me by an older preacher, who received it from an even older preacher. It goes something like this: Pray until you can pray, and then pray until you have prayed. Often when we bow our knees in prayer we do not sense the liberty or power to pray. It seems as though there is a sky of brass above us. This should not be a cause of discouragement, but it should lead us to wrestle in prayer until we have broken through to God. It is then that we should set ourselves to praying until our burdens have lifted and we know that we have prayed.
Seek Out Godly Companions
At the risk of offending you, I must say that if you are young there is probably a great deal of foolishness still bound up in your heart (Proverbs 22:15). If the greatest influences in your life are other young people just like yourself, then you are a companion of fools and walking down a dangerous path. The Scriptures teach a very lifesaving truth that is often neglected today: He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20) The idea of a generation gap was born out of the godless counterculture of the 60s and has now been thoroughly adopted by most churches. The idea that young people need to be with other young people is a direct contradiction to the Scriptures. Although periods of supervised fellowship with other youth can be both enjoyable and profitable, the Scriptures everywhere teach that young Christians need to be with older and more mature Christians so that they might learn their ways and avoid the pitfalls of the young and naive. According the Scriptures, the greatest influences in your life ought to be your mother and father, provided they are godly and mature Christians. Following them, it is the role of the church elders and the entire adult congregation to model the Christian life before you. In summary, you will do well to surround yourself with men and women whose progress in sanctification and usefulness to God are evident. Get to know, not only the godly Christians of our time, but also the saints of yesterday through their writings and the writings of others about them.
Flee Youthful Lust
In Ephesians 6:10-12 you are commanded to make your stand against the devil. In James 4:7 you are given the promise that if you resist him, he will flee from you. Nevertheless in II Timothy 2:22 you are commanded to flee youthful lust. It is rather amazing that you are commanded to be strong, take your stand, and fight against fallen angels, while at the same time, you are commanded to flee with fear from youthful lust. This demonstrates that the youthful lust of your flesh and the unbridled sensuality of your culture is more dangerous than a face to face battle with the devil. I have known countless Christian youth who demonstrated genuine evidence of conversion, and yet upon entering into a relationship with the opposite sex, they fell into immorality. I have known them to memorize Scripture, pray, and even fast to be pure in their relationship, and yet still they fall. Why? Because they do not understand that all the spiritual disciplines in the Scriptures cannot save them from youthful lust. They are trying to wage battle while God commands them to flee. To put it simply: You cannot be alone in a relationship with a person of the opposite sex for any extended period of time without falling.
Therefore you should never be alone together in a house, car, or any other place where lust can be kindled and failure is certain. Give Yourself to Noble Purposes I see young Christian men in the university who squander away their time playing video games and frequenting malls and movie houses, when they should be giving themselves to more noble purposes. You were not bought by the blood of the Lamb in order to give yourself to such things. You have been adopted into a royal family and royal deeds are expected of you. Shun the mindless entertainment of the age and give yourself to the will of God. The Scriptures declare in II Timothy 2:20-21: Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Do you desire to be vessel of honor and used for noble purposes? Do you desire to be an instrument in the Masters hand? Then cleanse yourself of the foolish games of little boys and vain girls, and become the man or woman you were called to be. I believe it was A.W. Tozer who said that on the tombstone of America would be written the words, They entertained themselves to death. This is a pathetic epitaph when compared to what was said about King David: [He] served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers... What legacy will you leave? What will be carved into your stone? Most importantly, what will God declare about your life on that great Day of Judgment that awaits you? May God have mercy on you and grant you grace to far surpass the character and deeds of the one who is writing to you this letter.
Shut Out of Heaven by Spurgeon!
Dear heart, this is a question I beg you to look to at once. You do not know how short a time you have left to you in which you may look into it. Some who were here but a Sabbath-day or so ago are now gone from us. Eleven deaths reported at one church-meeting among our members! We are a dying people; we shall all be gone within a very short time. I charge you by the living God, and as you are dying men and women, see to it that yon are not shut out, so as to hear the fatal cry, “Too late, too late, you cannot enter now.” There shall be no purgation in eternity, and no possible way of entering in among the perfected, for it is written, “There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth.” No crying, “Lord! Lord!” no striving to enter in, no tears, no, not even the pangs of Hell itself, shall ever purge the soul so as to make it fit to join with the holy Church above, should it pass into the future state uncleansed. Shut out! shut out! O God, may that never be true of anyone among us, for Christ’s dear name’s sake, Amen.
Won!
Friday, February 15
A N T H E N by John Piper
A N T H E M
Strategies for Fighting Lust By John Piper November 5, 2001
I have in mind men and women. For men it's obvious. The need for warfare against the bombardment of visual temptation to fixate on sexual images is urgent. For women it is less obvious, but just as great if we broaden the scope of temptation to food or figure or relational fantasies. When I say "lust" I mean the realm of thought, imagination, and desire that leads to sexual misconduct. So here is one set of strategies in the war against wrong desires. I put it in the form of an acronym, A N T H E M.
A – AVOID as much as is possible and reasonable the sights and situations that arouse unfitting desire. I say "possible and reasonable" because some exposure to temptation is inevitable. And I say "unfitting desire" because not all desires for sex, food, and family are bad. We know when they are unfitting and unhelpful and on their way to becoming enslaving. We know our weaknesses and what triggers them. "Avoiding" is a Biblical strategy. "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness" (2 Timothy 2:22). "Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14).
N – Say NO to every lustful thought within five seconds. And say it with the authority of Jesus Christ. "In the name of Jesus, NO!" You don't have much more than five seconds. Give it more unopposed time than that, and it will lodge itself with such force as to be almost immovable. Say it out loud if you dare. Be tough and warlike. As John Owen said, "Be killing sin or it will be killing you." Strike fast and strike hard. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" ( James 4:7).
T – TURN the mind forcefully toward Christ as a superior satisfaction. Saying "no" will not suffice. You must move from defense to offense. Fight fire with fire. Attack the promises of sin with the promises of Christ. The Bible calls lusts "deceitful desires" (Ephesians 4:22). They lie. They promise more than they can deliver. The Bible calls them "passions of your former ignorance" (1 Peter 1:14). Only fools yield. "All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter" (Proverbs 7:22). Deceit is defeated by truth. Ignorance is defeated by knowledge. It must be glorious truth and beautiful knowledge. This is why I wrote Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. We must stock our minds with the superior promises and pleasures of Jesus. Then we must turn to them immediately after saying, "NO!"
H – HOLD the promise and the pleasure of Christ firmly in your mind until it pushes the other images out. "Fix your eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 3:1). Here is where many fail. They give in too soon. They say, "I tried to push it out, and it didn't work." I ask, "How long did you try?" How hard did you exert your mind? The mind is a muscle. You can flex it with vehemence. Take the kingdom violently (Matthew 11:12). Be brutal. Hold the promise of Christ before your eyes. Hold it. Hold it! Don't let it go! Keep holding it! How long? As long as it takes. Fight! For Christ's sake, fight till you win! If an electric garage door were about to crush your child you would hold it up with all our might and holler for help, and hold it and hold it and hold it and hold it.
E – ENJOY a superior satisfaction. Cultivate the capacities for pleasure in Christ. One reason lust reigns in so many is that Christ has so little appeal. We default to deceit because we have little delight in Christ. Don't say, "That's just not me." What steps have you taken to waken affection for Jesus? Have you fought for joy? Don't be fatalistic. You were created to treasure Christ with all your heart – more than you treasure sex or sugar. If you have little taste for Jesus, competing pleasures will triumph. Plead with God for the satisfaction you don't have: "Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days" (Psalm 90:14). Then look, look, look at the most magnificent Person in the universe until you see him the way he is.
M – MOVE into a useful activity away from idleness and other vulnerable behaviors. Lust grows fast in the garden of leisure. Find a good work to do, and do it with all your might. "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (Romans 12:11). "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). Abound in work. Get up and do something. Sweep a room. Hammer a nail. Write a letter. Fix a faucet. And do it for Jesus' sake. You were made to manage and create. Christ died to make you "zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:14). Displace deceitful lusts with a passion for good deeds.
Fighting at your side,
Pastor John
© Desiring God
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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.orgFriday, February 8
Dont Waste Your Life Lecrae
Desiring God Series featuring Lecrae!
Enjoy!
The Profitableness of Affliction by Spurgeon
I do not think that we ever pray with such fervor of supplication in our prosperity as we do in our adversity. And then how precious the promises become! As we only see the stars when the shadows gather at night, so the promises shine out like newly-kindled stars when we get into the night of affliction. I am sure that there are passages of Scripture which are full of consolation, the depths of which we do not even imagine yet, and we never shall know all that is in them till we get into the deeps of soul trouble which correspond with them. There are points of view from which scenery is to be beheld at its best; and, until we find out those points of view, we may be missing the sight of some of the most beautiful objects in nature. God leads us one way and another by our chastisements to understand and prize his promises.
And, oh, dear friends, how should we ever know the faithfulness of God if it were not for affliction? We might talk about it and theoretically understand it; but to try to prove the greatness of Jehovah’s love, and the absolute certainty of His eternal faithfulness — this comes not except by the way of affliction and trial.
I might talk on for ever about the sweet uses of adversity, and not exhaust the subject. You experienced people of God know even more than I do about this matter, for some of you have done business on deeper waters than my barque has yet ploughed; and yet, methinks, my keel has passed over the deep places of the sea of trouble, and there may be deeper depths before me still. I have probably said sufficient to prove to you that chastening is a divine way of instructing us. You will find that, if you want the most Christ-like saints, and the most deeply experimental believers, and the Christians who are best acquainted with the Word of God, you must look for them among those who are the most intimately acquainted with the fiery furnace and its burning heat.
Enjoy!
The Profitableness of Affliction by Spurgeon
I do not think that we ever pray with such fervor of supplication in our prosperity as we do in our adversity. And then how precious the promises become! As we only see the stars when the shadows gather at night, so the promises shine out like newly-kindled stars when we get into the night of affliction. I am sure that there are passages of Scripture which are full of consolation, the depths of which we do not even imagine yet, and we never shall know all that is in them till we get into the deeps of soul trouble which correspond with them. There are points of view from which scenery is to be beheld at its best; and, until we find out those points of view, we may be missing the sight of some of the most beautiful objects in nature. God leads us one way and another by our chastisements to understand and prize his promises.
And, oh, dear friends, how should we ever know the faithfulness of God if it were not for affliction? We might talk about it and theoretically understand it; but to try to prove the greatness of Jehovah’s love, and the absolute certainty of His eternal faithfulness — this comes not except by the way of affliction and trial.
I might talk on for ever about the sweet uses of adversity, and not exhaust the subject. You experienced people of God know even more than I do about this matter, for some of you have done business on deeper waters than my barque has yet ploughed; and yet, methinks, my keel has passed over the deep places of the sea of trouble, and there may be deeper depths before me still. I have probably said sufficient to prove to you that chastening is a divine way of instructing us. You will find that, if you want the most Christ-like saints, and the most deeply experimental believers, and the Christians who are best acquainted with the Word of God, you must look for them among those who are the most intimately acquainted with the fiery furnace and its burning heat.
Thursday, February 7
Frozen in Times Square!! LOL, very funny!
One of the Funniest and dedicated pranks I have ever seen!
Living each day as if it were my last! Praise Jesus!
Lester
Living each day as if it were my last! Praise Jesus!
Lester
Season of Lent, its significance and purpose!
Some information concerning Lent, and the season. Please read my waiver first.
My Waiver
Its important to keep in mind that this is a tradition, and more so than anyone- Catholics observe and are recognized for these practices. However, as Born Again Believers we are called to live out these tenets and traditions on a daily basis, not just the 40 days before Easter, if this helps us to discipline ourselves, and accustom to a more rigorous lifestyle then by all means practice it, but keep in mind that ultimately it was the suffering of Christ that atones us, and not our works and deeds. These traditions are important, and it doesn't hurt to implement, but we live under the covenant of the new, and in the commandments we are called to observe the Sabbath, Christ is the Sabbath, we need to keep Him every day of our lives. And the first commandment is that there should be no other Gods before Him, I think and very convinced that if we strive to live according to the commandments, our emphasis on Lent, and the process of our cleansing wouldn't be so temporally sacrificial. So be careful in your observance of Lent, and make sure it is done in memory of what Christ did, suffered and sacrificed, rather than what we are sacrificing. When it all comes down to it, there is nothing we can do to deserve eternity with Him, and there is nothing that we can do to atone for our sins. He already did it. So observe Lent in reverence, and gratitude for what already happened and not what we are doing.
Religiosity has turned grace into works based ideas, and therefore eliminating what Christ has already done. I hope this helps, and I hope this season brings all of us closer to God, but that it wont end with just this season, but that it will transpire into our everyday lifestyle all year round.
Les
My Waiver
Its important to keep in mind that this is a tradition, and more so than anyone- Catholics observe and are recognized for these practices. However, as Born Again Believers we are called to live out these tenets and traditions on a daily basis, not just the 40 days before Easter, if this helps us to discipline ourselves, and accustom to a more rigorous lifestyle then by all means practice it, but keep in mind that ultimately it was the suffering of Christ that atones us, and not our works and deeds. These traditions are important, and it doesn't hurt to implement, but we live under the covenant of the new, and in the commandments we are called to observe the Sabbath, Christ is the Sabbath, we need to keep Him every day of our lives. And the first commandment is that there should be no other Gods before Him, I think and very convinced that if we strive to live according to the commandments, our emphasis on Lent, and the process of our cleansing wouldn't be so temporally sacrificial. So be careful in your observance of Lent, and make sure it is done in memory of what Christ did, suffered and sacrificed, rather than what we are sacrificing. When it all comes down to it, there is nothing we can do to deserve eternity with Him, and there is nothing that we can do to atone for our sins. He already did it. So observe Lent in reverence, and gratitude for what already happened and not what we are doing.
Religiosity has turned grace into works based ideas, and therefore eliminating what Christ has already done. I hope this helps, and I hope this season brings all of us closer to God, but that it wont end with just this season, but that it will transpire into our everyday lifestyle all year round.
Les
What is the simple explanation of Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent. It falls 40 weekdays before Easter (Sundays aren't counted in the 40 days of Lent). Ash Wednesday takes its name from ashes, a traditional Jewish sign of penitence. In some liturgical traditions, palm fronds or palm crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned, and then the ashes are applied to the worshiper's forehead on Ash Wednesday as a token of their commitment to observe a "holy Lent."
Ancient Christian tradition was to observe Lent with fasting (a discipline of going without food at certain times), study, self-examination, confession and prayer. During this time, candidates for Holy Baptism were prepared for baptism on Easter Eve. Many churches continue those traditions.
The traditional color for altar hangings and clergy vestments during Lent is purple. Traditionally, altars are decorated in a plainer style, perhaps with the omission of flowers. Because Lent was a time for rigorous fasting, Christians often observed the last day before Lent as a time to celebrate and to use up leavening. Hence, Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday"), also known as "Shrove Tuesday."
What do the ashes of Ash Wednesday signify?
References to a "day of ashes" liturgy as the start of Lent can be found as early as the 8th Century. Ashes are an ancient part of repentance rituals, as mentioned several times in the Old Testament and practiced in other religions, as well. They were a sign of humbling oneself before God.
The ashes used in Christian liturgies traditionally are made by burning palms saved from the previous year's Palm Sunday liturgy. The officiant places his or her thumb in the finely ground ashes, and then makes the sign of the cross on the worshiper's forehead. The cross, of course, refers to Jesus. The words used in imposing ashes are, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," or some variant. Those words refer to the creation story, when God made humanity out of earth.
This ceremony has several layers of meaning. But the heart of it is accepting one's humanity, acknowledging God as creator, confessing one's sins, asking God for forgiveness, and pledging to go forward in "newness of life."
What is Lent and when does it begin?
The Christian season of Lent (from an Old English word meaning "spring") is the 40-day period before Easter. Lent traditionally begins on Ash Wednesday and extends forty days, not including Sundays, when a certain easing of the fast was allowed. Six weeks of six days plus the four days starting with Ash Wednesday make up the forty days.
Why does Lent last 40 days?
Forty is a standard Biblical number meaning a long time, like the Hebrews' 40 years in the wilderness after the exodus, and Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness after his baptism. Those examples suggest a time of preparation. The wilderness wandering prepared the Hebrews to enter the promised land of Canaan. Jesus' time in the wilderness prepared him for a ministry as Messiah. Lent, then, was one of the Church's two seasons of preparation for baptism. The other was the season of Advent, which originally was 40 days leading up to Epiphany.
Lent traditionally ends with the sacrament of baptism on Easter Eve or on Easter Morning. The original aim was to use the 40 days for intensive preparation of candidates for baptism.
Why do people fast or refrain from eating meat
during Lent?
Lent has become a time for penitence and self-examination, study, and spiritual discipline. Perhaps the discipline most commonly associated with Lent is fasting, which can take many forms, such as giving up entire meals, or certain foods (like meat), or radically changing a diet, in order to be made mindful of one's humanity and of God's providence. One tradition was to stop using leavening during Lent. Hence on the day before Ash Wednesday, Christians observed "Fat Tuesday," or Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, when the household would enjoy its last use of leavening until Easter Day. One form of fasting in Lent (or at other times) is to refrain from eating meat. Hence the serving of fish as a non-meat meal. The point is self-denial. Those who eat fish all the time and rarely eat meat might want to undertake a different fast.
LENT DAILY READINGS
I found this site to be good for suggested reading throughout the period of Lent, and then they have for holy week and so forth. This is this years schedule! Its separated into Psalm reading, Old Testament, Epistle (Letter) and a Gospel. I looked into a few and its actually very good .
Click on the link for the site >>> Lent Reading
I hope this helps!
L
Living each day as if it were my last! Praise Jesus!
Lester
Gotta throw up some Raven up in here!!
Many teachers, very little preachers!
Train up a child...
I gotta say this last one convicted me, it really did!
Ima go repent and teach my kids some WORD!
Train up a child...
I gotta say this last one convicted me, it really did!
Ima go repent and teach my kids some WORD!
Wednesday, February 6
Get you Open TODAY!! Memory of a Godless Life! Spurgeon my man!
GET YOU OPEN by AMBASSADOR!!
Memory of a Godless Life
Will you turn over the leaves of your diary, now, dear friends, or fly upon the wings of memory to the hole of the pit whence you were digged. Did you not, O you who live close to Christ, did you not once despise Him? What company did you like best? Was it not that of the frivolous, it not that of the profane? When you sat with God’s people, their talk was very tedious; if they spoke of divine realities, and of experimental subjects, you did not understand them, you felt them to be troublesome. I can look back upon some whom I know now to be most venerable believers, whom I thought to be a gross nuisance when I heard them talk of the things of God. What were our thoughts about? When we had time for thinking, what were our favorite themes? Not much did we meditate upon eternity; not much upon Him who came to deliver us from the misery of Hell’s torments, Brethren, His great love wherewith He loved us was never laid to heart by us as it should have been; nay, if we read the story of the crucifixion, it had no more effect upon our mind than a common tale. We knew not the beauties of Christ; we thought of any trifle sooner than of Him. And what were our pleasures? When we had what we called a day’s enjoyment, where did we seek it? At the foot of the cross? In the service of the Savior? In communion with Him? Far from it; the further we could remove from godly associations the better pleased we were. Some of us have to confess with shame that we were never more in our element than when we were without a conscience, when conscience ceased to accuse us and we could plunge into sin with riot.
Won
Memory of a Godless Life
Will you turn over the leaves of your diary, now, dear friends, or fly upon the wings of memory to the hole of the pit whence you were digged. Did you not, O you who live close to Christ, did you not once despise Him? What company did you like best? Was it not that of the frivolous, it not that of the profane? When you sat with God’s people, their talk was very tedious; if they spoke of divine realities, and of experimental subjects, you did not understand them, you felt them to be troublesome. I can look back upon some whom I know now to be most venerable believers, whom I thought to be a gross nuisance when I heard them talk of the things of God. What were our thoughts about? When we had time for thinking, what were our favorite themes? Not much did we meditate upon eternity; not much upon Him who came to deliver us from the misery of Hell’s torments, Brethren, His great love wherewith He loved us was never laid to heart by us as it should have been; nay, if we read the story of the crucifixion, it had no more effect upon our mind than a common tale. We knew not the beauties of Christ; we thought of any trifle sooner than of Him. And what were our pleasures? When we had what we called a day’s enjoyment, where did we seek it? At the foot of the cross? In the service of the Savior? In communion with Him? Far from it; the further we could remove from godly associations the better pleased we were. Some of us have to confess with shame that we were never more in our element than when we were without a conscience, when conscience ceased to accuse us and we could plunge into sin with riot.
Won
Tuesday, February 5
Monday, February 4
Mark Driscoll Is Evil!!
Mark Driscoll Is Evil!!
HA HA Now thats The Gospel, Like it or Hate it!! But its the truth!! If you dont like it, then you an enemy of God!! Plain and simple!
Won!
HA HA Now thats The Gospel, Like it or Hate it!! But its the truth!! If you dont like it, then you an enemy of God!! Plain and simple!
Won!
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