Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tough 6
The psalmist wrote, "The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul" (Psalm 19:7). That means Scripture is sufficient. Apart from the truths revealed to us in Scripture, there is no essential spiritual truth, no fundamental doctrine, nothing essential to soul-restoration. We do not need to look beyond the written Word of God for any essential doctrines. There is nothing necessary beyond what is recorded in God's Word.
This, of course, is the Reformation principle of sola Scriptura -- Scripture alone. According to the Bible itself, no supposed spiritual authority outside "the sacred writings" of Scripture can give us wisdom that leads to salvation. No papal decrees, no oral tradition, no latter-day prophecy can contain truth apart from Scripture that is genuinely fundamental.- John MacArthur
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Sing 6
O Word of God incarnate
O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky:
We praise You for the radiance that from the hallowed page,
A Lantern to our footsteps, shines on from age to age.
The Church from You, our Savior, received the Gift divine,
And still that Light is lifted over all the earth to shine.
It is the sacred Vessel where gems of truth are stored;
It is the heaven drawn Picture of Christ, the living Word.
The Scripture is a banner before God’s host unfurled;
It is a shining Beacon above the darkling world.
It is the Chart and Compass that over life’s surging tide,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands, to You, O Christ, will guide.
O make your Church, dear Savior, a lamp of purest gold,
To bear before the nations Your true light as of old.
O teach your wandering pilgrims by this their path to trace,
Till, clouds and darkness ended, they see You face to face.
William W. How, 1867.
Speak 5
I think my grace ppost is summed up in my good friend Jonathan Danforths Song “Light Of Love”.
Your Love has changed me, You've opened my eyes to what couldn't be seen before.
In purity is freedom, so take away every bit of darkness that I try to hold on to.
Like the rain falling from the heavens is Your grace.
I hear Your loving voice calling me to come out from the dark.
Like the morning star You shine Your light into my soul.
Father You lead me into the light of love.
You've brought me here to You, You're everything I need, oh God give me faith, give me grace.
Your love went to death for me, may I be ever willing to leave this life behind for You.
Like the rain falling from the heavens is Your grace.
I hear Your loving voice calling me to come out from the dark.
Like the morning star You shine Your light into my soul.
Father You lead me into the light of love.
Your Love has changed me, You've opened my eyes to what couldn't be seen before.
In purity is freedom, so take away every bit of darkness that I try to hold on to.
Like the rain falling from the heavens is Your grace.
I hear Your loving voice calling me to come out from the dark.
Like the morning star You shine Your light into my soul.
Father You lead me into the light of love.
You've brought me here to You, You're everything I need, oh God give me faith, give me grace.
Your love went to death for me, may I be ever willing to leave this life behind for You.
Like the rain falling from the heavens is Your grace.
I hear Your loving voice calling me to come out from the dark.
Like the morning star You shine Your light into my soul.
Father You lead me into the light of love.
Friday, May 22, 2009
See 5
Without Faith we are the world. Without Grace where would we be? I'm pretty sure just as human minded as this (I'm not making reference to Johnny Mac).
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tough 5
"But, then, thanks be to God, by the grace of God and the working of the Holy Spirit the truth about salvation begins once again to dawn in the heart of the church. Saul of Tarsus thought he was a Christian - if I may use that language - he thought he was right with God. He then learned he was not. He came to realize that all of his religious life and activity was a false trail, taking him away from God. His discovery of that fact revolutionized his life and then the world.
And it was precisely the same 1500 years later with Martin Luther. He thought he was a Christian. The church told him he was. But he learned by his study of God's Word that he was not: that all the things he had been counting on - all the things he had been taught to count on - had nothing to do with obtaining peace with God. His discovery of the grace of God, of salvation as God's gift, revolutionized his life and, through him, revolutionized the world. He began preaching the message that Paul taught with all the zeal of a man who had found the truth and had been set free by it and countless others encountered the grace of God through his writings and, in turn, began preaching it to others."- Rev. Dr. Robert S. Rayburn
"All of this, Paul never tires of saying, means that our salvation from start to finish is God's doing, is God's gift, is God's love, is God's power, is God's decision. That is, salvation is sola gratia, by grace alone!"- Rev. Dr. Robert S. Rayburn
http://www.faithtacoma.org/sermons/Ephesians/Eph_2.1-10.Oct28.01.htm
And it was precisely the same 1500 years later with Martin Luther. He thought he was a Christian. The church told him he was. But he learned by his study of God's Word that he was not: that all the things he had been counting on - all the things he had been taught to count on - had nothing to do with obtaining peace with God. His discovery of the grace of God, of salvation as God's gift, revolutionized his life and, through him, revolutionized the world. He began preaching the message that Paul taught with all the zeal of a man who had found the truth and had been set free by it and countless others encountered the grace of God through his writings and, in turn, began preaching it to others."- Rev. Dr. Robert S. Rayburn
"All of this, Paul never tires of saying, means that our salvation from start to finish is God's doing, is God's gift, is God's love, is God's power, is God's decision. That is, salvation is sola gratia, by grace alone!"- Rev. Dr. Robert S. Rayburn
http://www.faithtacoma.org/sermons/Ephesians/Eph_2.1-10.Oct28.01.htm
Sing 5
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Refrain
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.
Refrain
Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.
Refrain
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?
Refrain
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Refrain
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.
Refrain
Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.
Refrain
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?
Refrain
Friday, May 15, 2009
Speak 4
Don’t be intimidated by the length. Its mostly scripture.
Romans 5:1
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ...
Such a thing to grasp, that by no merit of your own, by nothing you bought or did, by nothing you thought or said did your cleansing come. Simply by faith, by the enlightenment of Christ (John 1: 9-12). And God grants not only the not guilty sentence but He reconciles us to Himself. There really isn’t anything I can say except... Dwell on the fact that God reconciles us, not by anything that we’ve done so that we can’t even boast. But now that we have nothing to boast in ourselves about we can boast in our Lord (Gal 6:11-16). Not simply because we have something far better than others have (though it would be true to say such a statement), we boast because God is amazing, Indescribable by human words, gracious to grant us redemption through faith. And give us enlightenment through creation and His word (we will get there in Sola Scriptura).
Here is another video. The conference is over but the promo is good.
Galatians 3:7-14 (English Standard Version)
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Ephesians 2
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Romans 5:1
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ...
Such a thing to grasp, that by no merit of your own, by nothing you bought or did, by nothing you thought or said did your cleansing come. Simply by faith, by the enlightenment of Christ (John 1: 9-12). And God grants not only the not guilty sentence but He reconciles us to Himself. There really isn’t anything I can say except... Dwell on the fact that God reconciles us, not by anything that we’ve done so that we can’t even boast. But now that we have nothing to boast in ourselves about we can boast in our Lord (Gal 6:11-16). Not simply because we have something far better than others have (though it would be true to say such a statement), we boast because God is amazing, Indescribable by human words, gracious to grant us redemption through faith. And give us enlightenment through creation and His word (we will get there in Sola Scriptura).
Here is another video. The conference is over but the promo is good.
Galatians 3:7-14 (English Standard Version)
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Ephesians 2
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Tough 4
To the Reformers' doctrine of justification by faith alone Reformed theology has held down the centuries, maintaining it to be both scriptural in substance and life-giving in effect. This tenacity has, however, involved constant conflict, as it still does. Two things have long threatened the truth as stated: first, the intruding of works as the ground of justification; second, the displacing of the cross as the ground of justification. Both are familiar weeds in the church's garden; both express in very obvious ways the craving for self-justification which lurks (often in disguise!) in the fallen human heart. Something may be said about each. - Dr. J. I. Packer
http://www.the-highway.com/Justification_Packer.html
http://www.the-highway.com/Justification_Packer.html
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Sing 4
"O Lord, We Praise Thee" by Martin Luther
1. O Lord, we praise Thee, bless Thee, and adore Thee,
In thanksgiving bow before Thee.
Thou with Thy body and Thy blood didst nourish
Our weak souls that they may flouish:
O Lord, have mercy!
May Thy body, Lord, born of Mary,
That our sins and sorrows did carry,
And Thy blood for us plead
In all trial, fear, and need:
O Lord, have mercy!
2. Thy holy body into death was given,
Life to win for us in heaven.
No greater love than this to Thee could bind us;
May this feast thereof remind us!
O Lord, have mercy!
Lord, Thy kindness did so constrain Thee
That Thy blood should bless and sustain me.
All our debt Thou hast paid;
Peace with God once more is made:
O Lord, have mercy.
3. May God bestow on us His grace and favor
To please Him with our behavior
And live as brethren here in love and union
Nor repent this blest Communion!
O Lord, have mercy!
Let not Thy good Spirit forsake us;
Grant that heavenly-minded He make us;
Give Thy Church, Lord, to see
Days of peace and unity:
O Lord, have mercy!
1. O Lord, we praise Thee, bless Thee, and adore Thee,
In thanksgiving bow before Thee.
Thou with Thy body and Thy blood didst nourish
Our weak souls that they may flouish:
O Lord, have mercy!
May Thy body, Lord, born of Mary,
That our sins and sorrows did carry,
And Thy blood for us plead
In all trial, fear, and need:
O Lord, have mercy!
2. Thy holy body into death was given,
Life to win for us in heaven.
No greater love than this to Thee could bind us;
May this feast thereof remind us!
O Lord, have mercy!
Lord, Thy kindness did so constrain Thee
That Thy blood should bless and sustain me.
All our debt Thou hast paid;
Peace with God once more is made:
O Lord, have mercy.
3. May God bestow on us His grace and favor
To please Him with our behavior
And live as brethren here in love and union
Nor repent this blest Communion!
O Lord, have mercy!
Let not Thy good Spirit forsake us;
Grant that heavenly-minded He make us;
Give Thy Church, Lord, to see
Days of peace and unity:
O Lord, have mercy!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
See 3
I like shorter videos. But I love this one more than I like convenience. 5 minutes is all I ask.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Tough 3
“Environmentalism is one of those places where if your not careful you can step into wrong views of God and into wrong ideas about creation. You can elevate creation to such a degree that you lose a view of Gods difference, Gods greatness, and that’s not appropriate. In fact one of the leading writers on this issue has begun the process of diminishing God by what is called openness theology. It is a way of diminishing Gods knowledge and understanding. And he’s done that simply through because of his view of elevating creation. He’s lost site of who God is in this whole discussion. We as Christians need to maintain a balance in which we understand God but we also understand creation.” - Dr. Timothy Pierce
“God is not identified with the world, for He made it.” - Joseph Sitler
(Understand that we are not to put God in a box and say God needs us to do something. God does not need us to fix anything. We have the privilege to worship God through his creation and preservation if need be)
“Environmentalism is a call to acknowledging the earth is special, not because the earth is special, but because it proclaims a God who’s special.”- Dr. Timothy Pierce
“God is not identified with the world, for He made it.” - Joseph Sitler
(Understand that we are not to put God in a box and say God needs us to do something. God does not need us to fix anything. We have the privilege to worship God through his creation and preservation if need be)
“Environmentalism is a call to acknowledging the earth is special, not because the earth is special, but because it proclaims a God who’s special.”- Dr. Timothy Pierce
Monday, May 4, 2009
Sing 3
Last week my wife and I listened to a seminar titled "Is God green" It did not end up being what I thought it would be and actually ended up being rather convicting in many areas of my personal life. This week I want to set the tone for my post on Friday which is a reflection of what I've been learning. No worries, I'm not a new found fanatic thats going to be telling you how we are killing the earth. But it is an interesting thought process. Give your thoughts as you have them.
Joyful, joyful
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee
God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Opening to the sun above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light of day
All Thy works with joy surround Thee
Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays
Stars and angels sing around Thee
Center of unbroken praise
Field and forest, vale and mountain
Flowery meadow, flashing sea
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee
Mortals, join the mighty chorus
Which the morning stars began
Father love is reigning o'er us
Brother love binds man to man
Ever singing, march we onward
Victors in the midst of strife
Joyful music lifts us Sonward
In the triumph song of life
Chorus:
We sing in jubilation, adoration to a joyful King
You are spinning and You are singing
Zealous love over all Your children
Joyful, joyful
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee
God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Opening to the sun above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light of day
All Thy works with joy surround Thee
Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays
Stars and angels sing around Thee
Center of unbroken praise
Field and forest, vale and mountain
Flowery meadow, flashing sea
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee
Mortals, join the mighty chorus
Which the morning stars began
Father love is reigning o'er us
Brother love binds man to man
Ever singing, march we onward
Victors in the midst of strife
Joyful music lifts us Sonward
In the triumph song of life
Chorus:
We sing in jubilation, adoration to a joyful King
You are spinning and You are singing
Zealous love over all Your children
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