“Growth in spiritual mindedness is difficult, but the difficulty often arises from the fact that we want to keep in our lives things that are inconsistent with spirituality. In other words, the difficulty is in ourselves and not in spirituality. We do not wish to put aside every hinderance (Hebrews 12:1).” John Owen
Friday, April 19, 2013
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Experience Quenches Doubt
In John Chapter 9 there is a man that has been blind since birth. Jesus heals him and the Pharisees do not believe that Jesus did this. Furthermore, it was the Sabbath.
The Pharisees bring this man before a council to question him. The healed blind man says in verse 25, “Whether he is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know; that though I was blind, now I see.”
This man answered doubt with his experience and it was powerful. It should be the same for us. When Satan tempts us to doubt God, we are to answer back with a recollection of what God has done for us in the past; particularly our salvation. Jesus used the Word to quench the flame of Satan, and this blind man used his experience. Both responses to Satan’s doubts are appropriate for us to use.
The Pharisees bring this man before a council to question him. The healed blind man says in verse 25, “Whether he is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know; that though I was blind, now I see.”
This man answered doubt with his experience and it was powerful. It should be the same for us. When Satan tempts us to doubt God, we are to answer back with a recollection of what God has done for us in the past; particularly our salvation. Jesus used the Word to quench the flame of Satan, and this blind man used his experience. Both responses to Satan’s doubts are appropriate for us to use.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
The Word Of God (1)
THE WORD OF GOD
There are several different meanings in the Bible of the phrase The Word of God.
- THE WORD OF GOD AS A PERSON
- THE WORD OF GOD AS SPEECH
THE WORD OF GOD AS A PERSON
Revelation 19:13 says “He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.” John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Verse 14 says “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
We mostly think of The Word of God, as talking about the words in the Bible. Yet Jesus Christ is so associated with teaching and displaying the character and instruction of God, that he is referred to as The Word of God. Knowing this can help us to remember that the words of the Bible come from a Person. They are not abstract words that are disconnected from the person who speaks those same words. Jesus Christ is the glory of all of the Words of God! The Word of God is Personal.
Jesus the Word of God says in Matthew 11:28-29 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
We must remember that we are learners of the Word of God in so far as we are servants under Jesus’ Lordship first. For we must take his yoke upon ourselves first before we learn from Him.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Conference Message
We just finished a Bible Conference at our Church. It was called "We Would See Jesus." The conference used 7 different speakers to cover three offices of Christ; Prophet, Priest, and King. My message was the last and here is a link to it.
Happy Easter!
Scott
Happy Easter!
Scott
Saturday, March 2, 2013
The Shame Over Stumbling On A Rock
Steadfastness in obedience to God's commands takes away shame. Psalm 119:5-6 says "Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commands."
A problem comes very soon to us as we seek to rid ourselves of shame; we are unable to be steadfast in our obedience to the Bible. I believe that David was the one who wrote Psalm 119, and even he cried out, "Oh that my ways may be steadfast." I for one know that I am less steadfast as King David. Since this is the case, is there any hope for people like me?
I am like the Israel of old. I pursue a righteousness, an obedience that takes away shame. Yet my obedience will never take that shame away. But when I pursue a righteousness that is by faith then my shame gets nailed to the cross.
"See I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Romans 9:33.
Our shame gets taken away as we pursue a steadfast obedience to God's commands in love for the One who was perfect in His obedience; to Jesus Christ our Righteousness!
When a person trips and stumbles over something on the ground, there is typically a shame because of our pride knowing others are watching. The cross of Jesus will either make you stumble and be filled with your own shame because of your pride, or it will take away your shame because all of your pride was put to death along with the Son of God 2000 years ago.
"And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming." 1 John 2:28
A problem comes very soon to us as we seek to rid ourselves of shame; we are unable to be steadfast in our obedience to the Bible. I believe that David was the one who wrote Psalm 119, and even he cried out, "Oh that my ways may be steadfast." I for one know that I am less steadfast as King David. Since this is the case, is there any hope for people like me?
I am like the Israel of old. I pursue a righteousness, an obedience that takes away shame. Yet my obedience will never take that shame away. But when I pursue a righteousness that is by faith then my shame gets nailed to the cross.
"See I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Romans 9:33.
Our shame gets taken away as we pursue a steadfast obedience to God's commands in love for the One who was perfect in His obedience; to Jesus Christ our Righteousness!
When a person trips and stumbles over something on the ground, there is typically a shame because of our pride knowing others are watching. The cross of Jesus will either make you stumble and be filled with your own shame because of your pride, or it will take away your shame because all of your pride was put to death along with the Son of God 2000 years ago.
"And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming." 1 John 2:28
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Separating God From His Word Leads To Moral Relativism And Same Sex Marriage
We must never separate the Word of God with God. God is so inseparable from his Word that he speaks as though he IS his Word.
Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is "living" and active, sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from "his" sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of "him" to whom we must give account.
Notice the words I put "parenthesis" around. They tells us that the words of the Bible are personal. They use personal pronouns to describe the Bible. No creature (including you and me) is hidden from God. And no creature is hidden from the Word of God. All people will give an account to God as our Judge. All will give an account to the Word of God as our Judge. God speaks as though He and the Words in the Bible are One. This is why I said that we must not separate God from His Word.
When a man is separated from his words is he left mostly powerless. Make a man mute and he will soon have no authority, for who can obey a command from a man who cannot communicate a command.
Now separate a man who is no longer alive on this world from his words and what do you have? You have the equivalent of human atheism.
Jesus is not visible on this earth any longer. God is a Spirit. Our society has taken the sword of the human will and separated God from His Word. When we do this we (seemingly) leave God to have no authority. We are seeking to legalize same sex marriages across our country. We are doing this because a whole generation of children have been brought up in a government education system which has separated God from Truth. And when God is separated from Truth we are left with moral relativism.
Relative human morals will cease to be relative when we stand before the Judge of all the earth; when we stand before the Judge of all true and fixed morals, and when we are judged according to the Word of God. We may separate God from His Word today, but on judgement day we will be the ones eternally separated.
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31
Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is "living" and active, sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from "his" sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of "him" to whom we must give account.
Notice the words I put "parenthesis" around. They tells us that the words of the Bible are personal. They use personal pronouns to describe the Bible. No creature (including you and me) is hidden from God. And no creature is hidden from the Word of God. All people will give an account to God as our Judge. All will give an account to the Word of God as our Judge. God speaks as though He and the Words in the Bible are One. This is why I said that we must not separate God from His Word.
When a man is separated from his words is he left mostly powerless. Make a man mute and he will soon have no authority, for who can obey a command from a man who cannot communicate a command.
Now separate a man who is no longer alive on this world from his words and what do you have? You have the equivalent of human atheism.
Jesus is not visible on this earth any longer. God is a Spirit. Our society has taken the sword of the human will and separated God from His Word. When we do this we (seemingly) leave God to have no authority. We are seeking to legalize same sex marriages across our country. We are doing this because a whole generation of children have been brought up in a government education system which has separated God from Truth. And when God is separated from Truth we are left with moral relativism.
Relative human morals will cease to be relative when we stand before the Judge of all the earth; when we stand before the Judge of all true and fixed morals, and when we are judged according to the Word of God. We may separate God from His Word today, but on judgement day we will be the ones eternally separated.
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Delighting Truth
Psalms 51:6
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
God is the teacher of true wisdom. He is the teacher of truth. It is through the gospel of Jesus Christ that God teaches a man truth. It is through the gospel of Jesus Christ that enables a man to "delight" in truth.
Does truth delight you? When you hear or read something from God's Word does it delight you? It is a characteristic of those souls which have been purchased by the blood of the Christ. It is a characteristic of Truthful Christianity.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
God is the teacher of true wisdom. He is the teacher of truth. It is through the gospel of Jesus Christ that God teaches a man truth. It is through the gospel of Jesus Christ that enables a man to "delight" in truth.
Does truth delight you? When you hear or read something from God's Word does it delight you? It is a characteristic of those souls which have been purchased by the blood of the Christ. It is a characteristic of Truthful Christianity.
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