In a recent sermon I was enthralled again by the truth that the Old Testament was given to point us to Jesus. It was great having a conversation with a lady after who was so amazed at how there is this thread in the Scriptures that ties it all together in the person of Jesus. We should read the Bible and be amazed at the Divine Authorship that leads us to a loving, merciful, forgiving Savior!
Today I want to link to Pastor Mark sharing these very thoughts. I think you will be encouraged by this video. Consider the end "Here is how you know you are understanding the Bible is...you love Jesus, you love Jesus. His salvation leads to your celebration. If you open the Bible and you end up somewhere else, you took a wrong turn. The whole Bible is about Jesus." Amen!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
How He Loves Us
In Other News...
Opening up the Internet browser to my home page to see the “top stories” around our world today for this Thanksgiving week bring some very interesting and revealing truths about our society. Here are just a few of the headlines: “Official: Israel, Hamas reach agreement,” “Taylor Swift tweaks her long blond hair,” “Most notorious political sex scandals,” “Expiration date for Twinkies extended.”
And we all wait with baited breath to see what might pop up next, right? I mean seriously people, only one of these so called “Top Stories” are really important, maybe two depending on the spin the writer puts on it. The bombing in Israel should all have us praying for peace in the Middle East. The closing of Hostess saddens me, not because I would be missing Twinkies, but because many people lost jobs in an already horrible economy. But the rest of the headlines show that more people today are concerned with celebrities and scandals then real news. And that my friend is tragic.
However, the headlines do not diminish my joy as I prepare for this Thanksgiving week. I have so much to be thankful for and I hope you do too. I am thankful that I live in a country that I don’t have to worry about rockets being hurled across our borders constantly. I am thankful that my family and I have meaningful employment and are not fearing the closing of our work place. I am thankful that my parents just celebrated their 42 year of faithful, loving marriage. I am thankful I have hair to tweak if I so choose, haha. (Nothing against bald people for “bald is beautiful!”)
Most of all I am thankful that God is still on the throne of Heaven, ruling with His loving kindness toward mankind, continually making provisions for us to know Him through Jesus Christ.
“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 107:1 ESV)
“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100 ESV)
In the early first century, there was a term for the top stories, the headline news to be declared to the people, specifically dealing with the emperor, or king. Whenever the king was on the move or made a decree there would be headlines released all over with the “top story” title “euangelion,” that is “good-news” or “gospel!” It was news that was worthy of all in the empire to hear.
When the Apostles wrote the books of the New Testament, they recognized the truth that the King has come and they announced the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the Good News of the King of kings and Lord of lords, that forgiveness of sins and peace with God is available through the finished work of Jesus Christ!
No longer do we have to wait in lines at a Temple for a sacrifice to temporarily cover our sins. No! We have a perfect High Priest who offered His own blood on the cross for our sins, once and for all. Now that is good news!
Therefore, this Thanksgiving and everyday, I am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! For His great love that he has showed us through his tremendous sacrifice for us. Do you know Him? The offer still stands today and will for all eternity.
I pray that this Thanksgiving you know the hope and peace that only Jesus can provide and you can share that with those you love. Only in knowing Christ can you fully appreciate the abundance of God’s mercy!
“In Jesus we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ…”(Ephesians 1:7-9 ESV)
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
In Every Culture it’s still Relevant
Have you ever been on a missions trip? Taking a trip for the
cause of Christ is very powerful and opens your eyes to the needs, both
spiritual and physical, of this world. As a fifteen year old, I had the
privilege of going with Teen Missions Int’l to Ireland for the summer. On that
trip, our leaders had us read for 30 minutes a day from a collection of
Christian books they brought. I chose two books that I still highly recommend: “Bruchko”
and “Peace Child.”
Today, I want to link a video that I was made aware of
through the Desiring God blog. This video is a follow up to the book “Peace
Child.” The Richardson have the opportunity to go back to the village of the Sawi
people 50 years after they first took the Gospel to these people. What a powerful
testimony of how the Gospel transcends culture and is absolutely relevant!
Never the Same from Pioneers-USA on Vimeo.
Seek to be faithful in the ministry Jesus has called you to and just imagine what the celebration might be like 50 years from now!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
We Have This Hope on Election Day 2012
With the passing of Election Day there is much to be
thankful for. At the time of this writing I have no idea who has won this
election, and yet I am thankful. I am thankful because it doesn’t matter to me
who wins. True, I am biased and I hope the guy I voted for wins, but when it
comes down to it, I know that a higher power than American politics is at work.
The Prophet Daniel wrote many years ago:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings
and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have
understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the
darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give
thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made
known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's
matter.” (Daniel 2:20-23 ESV)
These verses capture my heart every time I am tempted to
worry about what happens. If you listen to the political pundits or talk radio,
they will try to convince you that if their guy doesn’t win, it is the end of
America as we know it. Yet this passage tells me that just as the seasons
change according to the will of God, so also does political powers. That
whoever wins ultimately is being placed there by God to accomplish His
purposes, which are far beyond our understanding.
The government we have is a gift from God to teach us to
continually rely upon Him. Too often we get caught up in the fear of our
politics. We worry that one person will get to much power and then we will all
suffer. Jesus spoke to the political ruler Pontius Pilate and reminded him that
the power he has is only because God granted it to him (John 19:11).
No we are not to fear American politics, but we are to fear
God. Don’t fear the government who can only take away your freedoms, money and
even your life, but fear God who controls the destiny of your soul (Matthew
10:28). We should have confidence in what God is doing, knowing that His plan
will come to fruition. “I know that you can do all things, and that
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2 ESV)
Sure I did my part, I got up early and went to my designated
polling station. This year that was fun, because I was assigned to my old
Elementary School that I haven’t been to in years, but that is another story. I
cast my vote according to my convictions and went about my day. I share this
because I want you to know that I believe God has a plan, but I also believe He
gives us the responsibility to faithful carry out our duties in obedience to
Him.
So this Election Day, instead of bowing to the altar of
American politics, lets get on our knees before the King of kings and the Lord
of lords in worship. Trust that He is working things out according to His plan.
Seek to walk in obedience to His revealed plan and trust that the Holy Spirit
will guide you in all your decisions.
“Now to him who is able to do far more
abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within
us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
(Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV)
A "Snap Shot" to believe in...
I was just asked to write a brief testimony about coming to faith as a child. I hope this post is both a blessing to you and an encouragement to share the Gospel with children, you never know what kind of impact you can have on their life.
It was August of 1980 and I was three years old. The details
of that day are sketchy in my mind, but a few things seem to be clear in my
mind, like a snapshot: it was a sunny afternoon, I was sitting on the back
stoop with my mom under the cherry tree, and it was a day to do yard work. Now
thanks to my mom taking good notes in my baby journal I know a few more things
that went on that day. I began to ask my mom questions about God. One that she
wrote down, that I find hilarious today, went like this “mom, are there two Jesuses?” Then mom asked what I meant and I
responded “one up there (pointing to
the sky) and one down there (pointing
to the ground)?” It was at this point
my mom shared the Gospel with me and I received Jesus as my Savior.
Why do I believe that I was truly saved that day? Well
another note mom wrote was that as she finished sharing the Gospel, I bowed my
head and began praying on my own accord to receive Jesus. The excitement that
ensued concerning my new faith was evidenced in the way I began sharing Christ
with my friends. Even one time I trapped my friend up the tree and told him
“Jesus loves you!” (Just a note, this is
not a witnessing technique I recommend, haha)
A lot has changed since those early days when I first received
Jesus. In my teenage and adult years, sometimes the enemy has tried to get me
to doubt how sincere a young child can be. It is at those times I am so
thankful that my parents believed that children can understand the Gospel. I have
seen the notes that mom wrote about my life changing and I have seen the work
of Christ in my life ever since. I believe God has given me the “snapshot” in
my head about that sunny day with mom under the tree and I rejoice in His
faithfulness.
Today I am a youth pastor with a theological education. Part
of me laughs at myself when I see the funny questions I asked as a child, but I
also stand in awe of a God that chose to reveal Himself to a little child many
years ago. God placed a question on my heart then that continues to be a
question that I grow in each and every day, “who is Jesus?” Truly, this is a
question that we need to answer even as the disciples where confronted with
this question in Matthew 8:23-27. Jesus calms the storms of the raging sea and
they ask, “what
manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” Who is this man that controls the storms? Who is this man
that lived a perfect life? Who is this man that was willing to show His love
for us by dying on a tree? Who is this man that claimed power over death and
rose from the grave? Who is this man that intercedes for us in the throne room
of heaven? His name is Jesus, my Lord and Savior!
That is it; daily we must confront our
belief about who Jesus is! One day, as I was pursuing a theological education
in seminary, I read a verse that changed the trajectory of my life. It’s a
simple verse, but a verse that brought me back to the faith I had as a child.
This verse was John 17:3 “And this is
eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you
have sent.” Somewhere along the road, I had thought God wanted me to be a
super smart theologian, with all the right answers and who writes a lot of
books. But as I sat in my dorm room, this verse broke my heart (in a good way)
and has been the foundation of my ministry ever since. True life, eternal life,
is knowing Jesus. It is developing a
relationship with, spending time with and talking to Jesus. Like when we spend
times with a best friend, before we know it we start dressing a like, talking
alike and thinking alike. This isn’t just factual information; this is a living
relationship with the Son of God. From that first day in August of 1980 to
today, I need to grow in a deeper knowledge of Jesus and spend time with Him in
His Word, and by His grace, I will.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a
good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
(Philippians
1:6)
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