Friday, March 26, 2010

I have unfairly judged...that would be sin


I never thought of this before. Have you ever saw a preacher wearing a robe, or a collar or some other kind of (I'm using this word loosely) "costume" while they are preaching? I have to admit i might be a bit discriminatory against such things. I think the reason I may have that sin in my heart, would be first of all, because I'm sinful. But second, I have seen so many false prophets in the Catholic church, the Episcopalian Church, and the PCUSA, (not just them, but I could name many others. Such as N.T. Wright, John Shelby Spong, Gene Robinson, and anyone in the Federal Vision Movement), who wear their robes, and preach a false and heretical Gospel. I suppose that i have seen it as a source of false piety, and they would hide behind it to try to make their false gospel seem authoritative. I must confess that I am wrong and have sinned in this area.
I know many Godly and amazing preachers who wear robes. Men such as R.C. Sproul, Derek Thomas, Kim Riddleberger, and many others in the reformed faith that have blessed me and faithfully preached the true gospel of Jesus Christ. The whole point of those robes, is for the man to not be seen and a man of authority, called by God to the office of a preacher. I am probably in the Reformed Baptist camp of the church. I do not, nor does my pastor wear robes when I or He preaches. That being said, my Presbyterian, United Reformed, Christian Reformed, (many other reformed branches could be mentioned here) or Lutheran brothers may have something to teach us in this area.
I give for your consideration, an article from R.C. Sproul's magazine called "Table Talk." This article is by Gene Veith, who is Lutheran. Perhaps there is wisdom in having a man of God wear robes or some other signification to let the man disappear and project the image of a Called and Sent Out Preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Although this is not foolproof, there are many who will still pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ and play the true "Hypocrite" (the article will explain), the robe does not make the man hypocritical and heretical, his black and sinful heart is. Let us perhaps learn wisdom from men of strong and true faith. The original article may be seen HERE

Playing Your Part
by Gene Veith

As seen in other articles this month, the word hypocrisy derives from the Greek term for “playing a part.” The ordinary word for an actor on the stage in Greek drama was hypocrite. In the tragedies of Sophocles or the comedies of Aristophanes, the actors — the hypocrites — played their different parts by wearing masks. The moral transgression of hypocrisy also involves playing a part and wearing a mask. But there are also times when God calls us to play a part.
Today’s culture is tolerant of almost every behavior, except hypocrisy. Our society has no problem with someone who is homosexual or who uses pornography. But if a crusader against legalizing gay marriage turns out to be homosexual, or if a minister who preaches against pornography turns out to have porn on his computer, the full weight of ridicule, indignation, and social disapproval falls upon his head. Not for his vices, but for opposing the vices that he himself has. For wearing a mask of virtue when he himself is not virtuous. For being a hypocrite.
Christians need to expect this treatment. Hypocrisy is certainly wrong. But inconsistency between belief and behavior is not always hypocrisy. No one hates a sin more than someone who is honestly struggling with it in his own life.
Many Pharisees in the New Testament and the legalists of our own day consider themselves to be such good people that they do not need God’s forgiveness. But they do. Christians who are honest with themselves and with God — who, whatever their sins, are not hypocrites — may still be asked to “play a part.”
God redeems people through Christ, and then He calls them to live out their faith in their vocations. He calls Christians to love and serve their neighbors in their multiple vocations, which are the arenas for sanctification and Christian growth.
In vocation, God places us into certain “offices,” some of which share His authority. Some of these demand that we “play a part,” even putting on a mask. This is expressed in the ages-old custom that certain vocations be marked with special clothing. As a private citizen, a judge has no more right to send a person to prison than anyone else. But when he puts on his “robe of office,” he is acting in his official capacity as an agent of the law, and, according to Romans 13, of God Himself. Acting by virtue of his “office,” he does indeed have the authority to punish criminals on behalf of the state as a whole.
In many churches, a pastor wears a robe of some kind, signifying that when he is up in the pulpit, we in the pews should not consider him our good friend and fishing buddy, though he may be that. When he is acting in his office, he is teaching us not his word but God’s Word, which he has studied and is authorized to teach.
There was a study of patients who were attended to by a doctor who wore jeans and a t-shirt, rather than the traditional white lab coat. Patients universally objected! No one wants someone who looks like an ordinary man off the street to give them a medical examination. That white lab coat, though, is a symbol of vocation, that the doctor is authorized to poke around our bodies by virtue of his calling, his training, and his office.
This is why police officers wear uniforms. And why there are different standards in the Geneva Conventions for soldiers who wear the uniform of their country — and thus fall under a lawful chain of command that goes back to the Romans 13 authority of the lawful magistrate — and combatants such as terrorists who fight only on their own authority and who wear no uniform.
Sometimes the duties of our vocations — not all of which have uniforms — require us to fulfill an office, even if it goes against our nature. A father may have to discipline his child. He may not want to. He may even feel conflicted because he pulled the same stunt when he was his child’s age. A father who used marijuana as a teenager is not being hypocritical when he punishes his teenager for using drugs. He is fulfilling his office as father.
Against their inclinations but to carry out the duties of their offices, teachers sometimes have to give bad grades; employers must sometimes fire incompetent employees; pastors must sometimes exercise church discipline, even against a friend. A newly minted young officer fresh out of ROTC must assume authority over a company of rough combat veterans who are older than he is. He may be nervous and may feel out of place, but he puts on the mask of command and orders his troops to attention. Spouses may not always feel like loving husbands and loving wives, but in “playing their part” they fulfill their vocations and God’s will for their marriage.
If vocation requires us to put on masks, it is worth remembering that Luther taught that those who love and serve their neighbors in vocation are themselves “masks of God.” Looming behind the farmer, the doctor, the soldier, the pastor, and the parent is God Himself providing daily bread, healing, protecting, ministering, and giving life.
The parts we play may indeed be hypocritical. But when God asks us to play a part, He is also playing a part through us.

Thursday, March 25, 2010


When was the last time you heard a really good testimony? When is the last time you heard things like "I knew i was a sinner", and "I repented and put my trust in Christ." I have to admit it his been awhile. Usually in America they are something like, "well...my parents went to church and i gave my heart to Jesus when i was 6 but then..you know i partied in high school, and then there was college, and then i had to party some more, but now I'm married and have a kid, so its time i recommit myself to the lord, because that's what responsible moral people do." How about these testimonies from a great group called the "tomorrow club" in the Ukraine. Get to know this organization, they are fantastic. I love to hear children being taught the TRUE gospel and not evangelical silliness that this country is so infatuated with.

You can read more about the tomorrow club right HERE

Rima Samicheva (Club Leader) Kushoogum Club, Zaporizhia Oblast

There is no greater joy in this world than to see a sinner repent! Recently the angels had many reasons to rejoice – four children from the Tomorrow Club in Kushoogum Village, Zaporizhia Oblast have repented.
Sasha Komarov made the most important decision in his life right at church after the pastor made the altar call. The leaders of Tomorrow Club noticed that Sasha had changed a lot since he first came to the club, he has become very hungry for the Bible, and he has been asking a lot of questions, exploring the Bible himself, memorizing a lot of Bible verses and praying. God was talking to Sasha, changing his heart and transforming his life completely. But still the leaders were just stunned when Sasha came up in front of the church bold enough to kneel down and pray for forgiveness. Now Sasha always prays during the services and his simple sincere prayers move everyone to tears. I wonder if the angels cry tears of joy listening to him!
On March 6th Zaporizhia City hosted a Healthy Life sports tournament for the Tomorrow Clubs in the area promoting a healthy way of life without smoking, drinking and drugs. The Tomorrow Club in Kushoogum took first place and the children were so excited that they decided to talk about the joy of repentance for their next club meeting. We talked about temporary joyful moments and how fast they pass. We also talked about temporary satisfaction and emptiness after it’s gone. Then we shared about the peace we have in Jesus Christ when we trust our lives to Him only. At the end of that meeting three children made decisions to repent and trust Jesus Christ: Vika, 11 years old, Sasha 11 years old and Vladik, 9 years old.
The next Sunday they came to church. They were very nervous, but they came up front and shared their joy with the congregation. I should mention that these four children come from unchurched, non-christian families.
Another exciting note is that recently Vika’s mother started coming to church with her daughter and we pray that the seed planted by this 11-year old girl would grow so that her mother would also repent and trust Christ. The Tomorrow Clubs leaders and the church in Kushoogum Village are praising the Lord for this fruit of the ministry! Rima Samicheva, Tomorrow Club leader

Alex, 15 years old ( Eastern Ukraine)
I never thought that my life would change, that I would become different. Before June 2009, my life was pretty much the same as that of many teenage boys living in a big city in Ukraine: school, home, friends, small fights with my parents, no desire to go to school, and the constant search for a way to make some money. Looking back, I can see now that I lived a purposeless, selfish life. I was acting recklessly and irresponsibly, even though at age fifteen my life had barely gotten started. I always thought, “I have plenty of time; I’m still young. I’ll go to church later in life after I try other things.”
Praise the Lord for placing wonderful people on this earth who commit their lives to sharing their faith and love with others. Only when I was around Christians did I realize that I could never be as good as I thought I was on my own, that they had something I didn’t—something greater, everlasting, never changing, and real.
Last summer I was visiting my grandmother in the small town of Novonikolayevka. One day I was handed an invitation to attend a Tomorrow Club, a Christian camp where Americans were teaching English. I immediately thought it would be something my younger sister would like. So Monday morning I brought her to the camp and ended up staying for the day. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed it until the end of the day. Our class was big, about 27 teenage boys and girls. It still amazes me how patient and kind our English and Bible teachers were with us for the whole camp, even when we misbehaved and disrupted the lessons. Every night after camp the Tomorrow Club leaders and the American team led small discussion groups for the unchurched youth. They shared testimonies, showed Christian movies, and discussed relevant issues to our lives. After the first two nights, I realized that I looked forward to that time every day. I listened, asked questions, opened up toward them, and made friends. God was changing my heart day by day, hour by hour. On Thursday night I knew God was talking to me through the speaker. I knew, and I accepted the call. I was ready for a change and prayed that night for forgiveness. It’s not been easy for me to change and to resist temptations. I was afraid that I would drop away from God after I came back home, back to my normal life, but the Lord is faithful. My neighbour turned out to be a Christian, and he invited me to his church. Now I go to church in Zaporozhye every Sunday and pray that God would use me to save many lives in Ukraine. I thank Him for sending that American team to Ukraine to do the English camp. Pray for me! -Alexey, 15 years old

Yulya Roman, 13 Years Old

My name is Yulya Roman. I grew up in Khmelnitskiy, Ukraine, in a family that had never even heard about God. When I was 8 years old, someone told me about a Tomorrow Club that met in the church on Saturdays. I began attending the club and became a member. There I learned that I am a sinner and that I need Jesus Christ to save me. Last summer when my pastor invited the congregation to repent, his words pierced my heart, and I felt they were meant for me. Despite my fears, I went up to the front of the church, knelt down, and cried to Jesus for forgiveness. Since that day God has been transforming me. My parents have noticed the change in me and are very happy.
I have been part of Tomorrow Clubs for four years now, and I love to come every Saturday to learn more and more about my God. This year I am an assistant with the four- and five-year-olds. Now I can share my love with other kids. I want God to use me because He makes me so happy!

Olena’s Story (Western Ukraine)
Olena's Story
For three years, 10-year-old Olena Volovin has been a champion of Tomorrow Clubs. She enthusiastically attends the club each week and brings many friends along with her. Though she is young, she has learned that prayer is powerful, and she spends significant time in prayer for her friends and invites them to pray alongside her. She recently volunteered to become an assistant to her Tomorrow Club leader, helping to organize games and some special events.
Just a few weeks ago, Olena arrived late to the club’s weekly meeting. Because she is always punctual and she lives quite close to the club, her leader curiously asked why she had been late. Olena sadly relayed that her parents are now separated and are planning to divorce after 10 years of marriage. Her mother had left Olena’s father and taken Olena to live far away with her grandmother. Though she now has to travel much farther, Olena continues to attend the club. Each week she smiles warmly, but leaders sense that she is struggling. Olena and the leaders have begun meeting together to pray for her family, pleading with the Lord to change her parents’ hearts and keep her family intact. Olena feels blessed to have somewhere to turn amidst the pain of her family’s separation and leaders are thankful to be part of Olena’s life at a time when she needs extra encouragement. Olena and the leaders know that it was God himself who orchestrated the bond between them. -Olena, 10 years old

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

A post from my amazing wife from her blog


My wife wrote 2 amazing blogs. You all should become aquainted with her blog. her blog can be found HERE.

Here are the posts.

Christianity - Religion = "what" exactly?

Today's Christians seem to pride themselves on taking the eternal gospel of God and changing the verbiage from classic terminology to something more relevant or palatable. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for speaking in the common tongue of this age, but not at the expense of shaming, reviling or flat-out dismissing the message of salvation in Christ alone.

Here's an example of what I mean:


"Christianity isn't a religion- it's a relationship with God."

"... isn't a religion..." The dictionary says religion is the devote practice of one's beliefs. If the word religion is removed from Christianity all that remains is God's love without a responsible and measurable human response. Or, more commonly called, universalism (a heresy to Christianity); which means God saves all people everywhere, eventually.

It's true that God's love is unearned and unmerited, however we must respond in one of two ways- faithful obedience or further rebellion. Jesus said, "if you love me then keep my commands." What is the evidence God measures proving we love Him? Our devote practice of His commands- religion! "The proof is in the pudding!" Someone's grandmother had to have said. So, if Christians are not religious (devotedly practice their belief in God and His gospel according to the scripture) then they are 1) Unbelievers at heart because according to God practice/work/obedience is a strong evidence of one's conversion or 2) Silly, hip-relevant Christians because they are demonizing a good word to mean something it does not (e.g. religion means: legalism, rigid, spirit-quench, etc.) for the sake of... ya know, I'm not sure what! Bottom-line, Christianity is religion- true religion.

"... it's a relationship with God." Now, that doesn't define anything! Even the demons have a relationship with God- God is judge and they are condemned. Also, the unbeliever has a relationship with God- God is judge and they are condemned. Finally, the believer has a relationship with God, too- God is judge and we are redeemed by Christ. Being a Christian is not a relationship with God which allows us to continue living the same selfish, idolatrous, adulterous lives with new warm and fuzzy feelings of peace and joy accompanied by sensual worship music and an occasional ecstatic experience of His presence. We must turn from our sinful ways and follow God's commands if we say that we love Him! Christ Jesus is the apple of His eye and clothes us with His righteousness. The difference in our relationship to God as believers is that when we do sin, we can now boldly approach God asking Him to forgive us for the sake of Christ's work on the cross and turn from practicing what is sinful to practicing what is righteous. Whereas before, we loved our sin and had no desire to change- the pride, the self-seeking ambitions, the hidden lusts in our hearts, the jealousies, the covetousness, etc.

Christianity is true religion and all others are false. False, because they don't save us from the eternal penalty of our sin. False, because they are all legalistic telling us if we do this or do that we can save ourselves. True religion in Christ is NOT legalism (a bunch of do's and don'ts), but rather the freedom to love and serve Him whereas before we were bound to love and serve ourselves. Bottom-line, Christianity is religion, because without the persistent evidence of faith (works/deeds) we must ask ourselves, "are we saved at all?"


here is the Second

"Free From Religion"- why?



*Warning, content contains strong sarcasm- be sure to take an aspirin if you're prone to stroke.

Someone thought it'd be cool to slap this slogan on a t-shirt and balderdash some mock definition demonizing things like "organized institution" and "traditions" then finalizing their hypocrisy, I mean creativity with this line, "substituting spiritual realities with carnal rituals."

What do they consider a carnal ritual, I wonder? Regular communion, baptism by immersion, preaching of God's word for more than 17.5 minutes on a subject that is actually about God? All commanded by Jesus I thought... Oh, but carnal is surely not referring to secular concert-style worship with lyrics so hip you can hardly tell who or what they're about. And carnal rituals are definitely not referring to those hip sermon series talking illicitly about sex (justified perversion?), personal gain (greed?), or the latest sporting event (idolatry?), instead of Jesus Christ. Certainly those traditions of men don't mean carnal rituals. Surely the seeker-sensitive model of church is not an institution based on the traditions of men... traditions like ego, "just believe in yourself because God believes in you" or greed, "if you sow the best you can God will give you that miracle; our ministry takes check, cash, credit card..." Surely freedom from devote practice of one's belief (religion) must mean I can believe in God and practice whatever sinful lust I please. By Joe, that must be freedom from religion!

Friday, March 5, 2010

The 5 abuses of the Law


here is a great post talking about the 5 abuses of the law. Churches have forgot the law and have severely neglected preaching it. the original post can be found HERE.


Five Illegal Uses of the Law by Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller

There are three good and legitimate uses of the Lord's law, the curb, mirror and guide. As a curb the Lord's law orders the things of creation and keeps society from chaos. As a mirror the law shows us our sin and our need for Jesus and His mercy and salvation. As a guide the law gives shape to our Christian love for our neighbor. These uses or functions of the law are good and right, they are the reasons that the Lord gave His law to humanity.

But more often than not the law of God is misused. Instead of the Lord using the law on us, we take up the law and use it ourselves, on God or on our neighbor. We could call this the “illegal use of the law”. Here are five examples to consider.

The Cosmetic Use (or the Mary-Kay Use). This is where the law is used to make us look good, all my blemishes are covered up. I dress myself up in outward righteousness so that my neighbor (or worse, God) would say, “My, look at how holy that fellow is!” Jesus calls this the “White-Washed Tomb Use”.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27-28)

Instead of covering up our sinfulness, the Lord desires that we would confess our sins and hear His promise of forgiveness.

The Pedestal Use. Perhaps the worse misuse of the law, this is where I place myself on a pedestal of good works in order to gain God's approval. This illegal use of the law has people saying, “I know I'll go to heaven. I'm a good person.” But this works-righteousness is called out in the Scriptures:

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)

Rather than lift us us, the law casts us down so that the Gospel can lift us up and give us life.

The Parking Validation Use. How do I know that I'm saved, that I'm a Christian, that the Lord's loves me? Instead of looking to the Gospel and the means of grace, the Parking Validation Use of the Law looks to my works and obedience to find the answers to these questions. This illegal use of the law looks for comfort and consolation in good works. It is true that our works of love flow from faith, we do not look to the fruit of faith for comfort. To find comfort we look to the source of faith. St Paul excludes this illegal use of the law when he says things like this:

For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh-- though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: … as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. (Philippians 3:3-7)

We, with Paul, put no confidence in the flesh and avoid the Parking Validation Use of the Law. Our confidence is in Christ Jesus and His promise of forgiveness.

Measuring Stick Use. The law always counts and measures. We misuse the law when we use it like a measuring stick to see how much better I am than you. This illegal us of the law is always comparing, putting things in the balance, judging if things are fair, and it is always fixing the scales so that I come out on top. It keeps track of every sin committed against us. This misuse of the law fails to see the planks in our own eye, but sees very clearly the specks in our neighbor's eye. If your goal is to be better than your neighbor, the measuring stick will see to it. Jesus is speaking against this misuse of the Law when He says:

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. (Matthew 7:1-5)

We apply the law first to ourselves, and we do not measure up. No matter how deep our sin, the Lord's love is deeper still.

The Telescopic Use. A telescope will help you see clearly things that are very far away. When we use the law like a telescope we are examining the sins of others very closely while keeping a safe distance. While this use is similar to the measuring stick use, it is not comparing ourselves with sinners, but avoiding them. This misuse is often found in the pulpit where the law is preached about those “other people out there”, about the worldlings who are dead in sin. The Telescopic Use forgets the we, too, are sinners, that Jesus came to the earth for all of us sinners. The Telescopic Use gives the illusion that there is holiness in distance, in separation, but the Scriptures teach holiness is found in Christ. The Pharisees pull out their telescopes on Jesus, but Jesus destroys them with His parable of repentance.

And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:2-7)

We are not given to find delight in other people's sin, but rather in the mercy and Love of Jesus.

All of us are experts at misusing the law. This is bad. Each and every misuse of the law steals honor from Christ and comfort from us. But praise be to God, the Holy Spirit wields the law perfectly to us. He convicts us of our sin, even our sin of misusing the law, and then He brings to us the blood of Jesus which cleanses us from every sin.

May the Holy Spirit continue to wield with us His precious law and Gospel, that we would know His joy and peace. Amen.

Lord's Blessings,
Pastor Wolfmueller

Thursday, March 4, 2010

A great picture painted by J.R. Miller


(J. R. Miller, "A Troubled Soul")

"A man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet Him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones!" Mark 5:2-5

In this demoniac, we have a sample of the work of Satan--when he gets full control in a man. He destroys every beautiful thing in the life, and leaves only ruin! No chains could bind this demoniac. When sin is on the throne, all other influences and constraints become like spiders' threads in comparison! No chain is strong enough to bind the man--who has yielded himself to the sway of the Evil One! The love of a godly mother is a strong bond--but many a child tears off this holy chain and rushes into wayward and evil paths! Home ties are strong--but these too are broken asunder, by the victim of Satan's ungodly rule.

We see that the demoniac cut and gashed himself with stones. This illustrates what in many ways, Satan's captives do. They may not literally go about cutting their flesh with knives or bruising their bodies with stones; but they do gash and bruise their souls! Sin always wounds the life--and one of its fearful consequences is the self-destruction it works. Every sin one commits leaves an ugly scar! We grieve God by our wrongdoing, and we harm others when we sin against them; but we always injure ourselves--by every evil word we speak, by every wrong act we commit, even by the evil thoughts we think in our hearts. The self-hurt of sin is one of its saddest consequences!

Demons find their pleasure in working mischief, and in ruining lives. Godly men count that day lost--in which they have done no act of kindness to another. Demons count the day lost--in which they have stained no pure soul or led no one into sin!

We ought to tear off Satan's mask and show him as he is! Evil comes to us pretending to be a friend. It holds flowers in its hands and whispers entrancing words, promising rich rewards: "Only do this--and it will bring you pleasure, honor, wealth and joy!" That is the way sin talks. But this is all false. Sin is never a friend to man. It never does good to anyone--but always harm. However plausibly Satan may present his temptations under the guise of pleasure--his secret aim is to destroy the soul he tempts. Nothing gives the Evil One so much pleasure--as to see a fair and beautiful life--stained and debauched!

It is most comforting to us, to find that Christ is able to dislodge even the most obdurate and persistent demon! No one could bind this demoniac, nor resist his superhuman strength. But at His word--the foul spirit was compelled to leave the man he had possessed for so long. No human hand can break the chains of sinful habits. No mere resolution can free one from Satan's bondage. Only Christ can set the devil's captives free! Those who have long been trying in vain to reform, to break away from evil practices--see in Christ, the Friend who alone can deliver them and save them. No demon-power can resist His command. Only Christ can free the poor slaves of Satan, and save them from his terrible sway!

"The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the swine. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned!" Mark 5:13

In the swine, under demoniac possession, rushing down the steep cliff and perishing in the lake--we have another illustration of the end of all Satan's ruinous work. It is with men--as it was here with the swine. It never yet has been known that Satan impelled anyone upward to a better life or to anything noble and lofty; he always drives down sin's steep ways--into choking floods. God's ways leads upward--it is always uphill to Christ and to heaven. But the devil always drives downward. These poor swine, demon-possessed, rushed down the steep bank, into the lake--and perished. Just so do human souls, demon-possessed, rush down sin's precipitous course and perish!

It would be well to keep this dreadful picture in our mind when we are tempted in any way by the devil; for if we follow him--this is the way it will surely end with us!

Uncool People Need Jesus Too (Bill Streger)



Wow, I always kinda suspected this but was never able to put it into words. Here is one of my problems with the whole Acts 29 thing (Depending on how you define Acts 29)...maybe its because I'm not a cool guy and I'm bitter, or maybe I'm to "religious" or whatever that means this week. I just thought this post was right on the money. I just don't like it when a church tailors to one kind or perceived segment of society, when they are pursuing the wrong kind of person in society. They should be finding the lost sheep that Christ died for. I know many are, I'm not saying they are, but when churches spend so much time trying to be cool, not in a stupid seeker sensitive way, but in a sophisticated naturally relevant way, they end up attracting one element of society. I don't want one element of society in my church. I don't want church that is only full of men in skinny jeans (I'm sorry i am not relevant enough to know the proper female equivalent to the guy in skinny jeans).
This goes for you too, churches that only strive for one ethnic group. African American and Asian American churches as i see it are the most flagrant offenders in this category, but I'm sure there are others. I want a church full of Black people, and Asian people, and Mexican People, and Arab or Indian people (especially if we have some native Americans as well), divorced women with 3 kids in her 50's, single women in their teens and early 20's, young men who are in college, old men who are in college, anyone over 70, and every segment of society i can think of. And yes...Even guys in skinny jeans and the appropriate female equivalent. The way to do that is not focus on being cool. I know that's a generalization, I know they don't focus on being cool, they do focus on the Gospel and the doctrines of Grace. I mean in their orthopraxy, not their orthodoxy.
Church is a little slice of what heaven will be like. Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, man and woman, and all the nations of the world singing praises and worshiping God our Father in Spirit and Truth. I think its much harder to do that when we exude cool. I don't want anything to do with the coolness of the world. I want EVERYTHING to do with the Glory of God...So please read, and comments will be welcomed for conversation.

the original post may be found HERE


Uncool People Need Jesus Too

Through my work with the Acts 29 Network, I get the privilege of assessing a number of potential church planters each year. I also get to hear about dozens more from fellow pastors as well. When I guy comes in to get assessed, by the time he gets to the interview stage he’s already submitted a lot of paperwork. Resumes. Plans. Budgets. Demographic Analysis. Dental history. (Ok, just kidding on the last one).

And as I’ve looked at some amazing plans from church planters, I’ve started to notice a trend. They all sound the same.

It seems as the unique vision that God’s given so many church planters is almost identical. Phrases like “gospel-centered”, “missional”, and “cultural renewal” are littered throughout their proposals. It seems that the phrase “In the City. For the City.” or some variation of such has become church planting boilerplate.

Not only is the language the same, but so is the target group. It’s amazing how many young pastors feel that they are distinctly called to reach the upwardly-mobile, young, culture-shaping professionals and artists. Can we just be honest? Young, upper-middle-class urban professionals have become the new “Saddleback Sam”.

Seriously, this is literally the only group I see proposals for. I have yet to assess a church planter who wants to move to a declining, smaller city and reach out to blue collar factory workers, mechanics, or construction crews. Not one with an evangelsitic strategy to go after the 50-something administrative assistant who’s been working at the same low-paying insurance firm for three decades now.

Why is that? I can’t offer a definitive answer. It could be that God is legitimately calling an entire generation of young pastors to turn their focus to a small segment of the population that happens to look very much like they do.

Or it could be that we’re simply following in the footsteps of the church growth movement that we’ve loved to publically criticize while privately trying to emulate – we’ve just replaced Bill Hybels and Rick Warren with Tim Keller and Mark Driscoll.

Just thinking out loud…

a Fantastic Post from Kevin DeYoung


This is a great post from Kevin DeYoung
the post can be found HERE

A Gloriously Particular Redemption

The doctrine of particular redemption is worth talking about because it gets to the heart of the gospel. Should we say “Christ died so that sinners might come to him”? Or, “Christ died for sinners”? There’s a big difference. Did Christ’s work on the cross make it possible for sinners to come to God? Or did Christ’s work on the cross actually reconcile sinners to God? In other words, does the death of Jesus Christ make us save-able or does it make us saved? If the atonement is not particularly and only for the sheep, then either we have universalism–Christ died in everyone’s place and therefore everyone is saved–or we have something less than full substitution. If Jesus died for every person on the planet then we no longer mean that he died in place of sinners, taking upon himself our shame, our sins, and our rebellion so that we have the death of death in the death of Christ. Rather, we mean that when Jesus died he made it possible to come to him if we will do our part and come to him. But this is only half a gospel. Certainly, we need to come to Christ in faith. But faith is not the last work that finally makes us saved. Faith is trusting that Jesus has in fact died in our place and bore the curse for us—effectually, particularly, and perfectly.

Reformed people talk of “limited” atonement not because they have an interest in limiting power of the cross, but in order to safeguard the central affirmation of the gospel that Christ is a Redeemer who really redeems. “We are often told that we limit the atonement of Christ,” Spurgeon observed, “because we say that Christ has not made a satisfaction for all men, or all men would be saved.” But, Spurgeon argues, it is the view of the atonement which says no one in particular was saved at the cross that actually limits Christ’s death. “We say Christ so died that he infallibly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number, who through Christ’s death not only may be saved, but are saved, must be saved and cannot by any possibility run the hazard of being anything but saved.”

I belabor this point not to belittle Arminian brothers and sisters, but to give Jesus Christ his full glory. Christ does not come to us merely saying, “I’ve done my part. I laid down my life for everyone because I have saving love for everyone in the whole world. Now, if you would only believe and come to me I can save you.” Instead he says to us, “I was pierced for your transgressions. I was crushed for your iniquities (Isa. 53:5). I have purchased with my blood men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev. 5:9). I myself bore your sins in my body on the tree, so that you might infallibly die to sins and assuredly live for righteousness. For my wounds did not merely make healing available. They healed you (1 Peter 2:24).”

“Amazing love!” a great Arminian once wrote. “How can it be that you, my Lord, should die for me?!” Praise be to our Good Shepherd who didn’t just make our salvation possible, but sustained the anger of God in body and soul, shouldered the curse, and laid down his life for the sheep

Monday, March 1, 2010

Win free tickets to the Psalm 119 conference

just go here and follow instructions

http://fishwithtrish.blogspot.com/2010/02/enter-to-win-2-tickets-to-psalm-119.html