This Song is One Of My Favs

I'm truly amazed , knowing how sinful my heart is , that Jesus , God in the flesh would die for me . Die that I may be regenerated,raised from being dead to God and made alive in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

Chorus:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior's love for me!

He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary,
And suffered and died alone.

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
’Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.




Verse of The Day  :  [10] In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
(1 John 4:10 ESV)

Back to Catechism Friday

Heidelberg Catechism (1576 A.D.)

68. Q. How many sacraments has Christ instituted in the new covenant?

A. Two: holy baptism and the holy supper.[1]

[1] Matt. 28:19, 20; I Cor. 11:23-26. Holy Baptism

69. Q. How does holy baptism signify and seal to you that the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross benefits you?

A. In this way: Christ instituted this outward washing[1] and with it gave the promise that, as surely as water washes away the dirt from the body, so certainly His blood and Spirit wash away the impurity of my soul, that is, all my sins.[2]

[1] Matt. 28:19. [2] Matt. 3:11; Mark 16:16; John 1:33; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3, 4; I Pet. 3:21.

70. Q. What does it mean to be washed with Christ's blood and Spirit?

A. To be washed with Christ's blood means to receive forgiveness of sins from God, through grace, because of Christ's blood, poured out for us in His sacrifice on the cross.[1] To be washed with His Spirit means to be renewed by the Holy Spirit and sanctified to be members of Christ, so that more and more we become dead to sin and lead a holy and blameless life.[2]

[1] Ez. 36:25; Zech. 13:1; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 12:24; I Pet. 1:2; Rev. 1:5; 7:14. [2] John 3:5-8; Rom. 6:4; I Cor. 6:11;Col. 2:11, 12.

71. Q. Where has Christ promised that He will wash us with His blood and Spirit as surely as we are washed with the water of baptism?

A. In the institution of baptism, where He says: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).  He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16).  This promise is repeated where Scripture calls baptism the washing of regeneration and the washing away of sins (Titus 3:5; Acts 22:16).

72. Q. Does this outward washing with water itself wash away sins?

A. No, only the blood of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sins.[1]

[1] Matt. 3:11; I Pet. 3:21; I John 1:7.

73. Q. Why then does the Holy Spirit call baptism the washing of regeneration and the washing away of sins?

A. God speaks in this way for a good reason.  He wants to teach us that the blood and Spirit of Christ remove our sins just as water takes away dirt from the body.[1] But, even more important, He wants to assure us by this divine pledge and sign that we are as truly cleansed from our sins spiritually as we are bodily washed with water.[2]

[1] I Cor. 6:11; Rev. 1:5; 7:14. [2] Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3, 4; Gal. 3:27.

Pilates Abound

With the rise of post modernism and the rise of relativism , the idea that there is an transcendent ,absolute truth has fallen on hard times. In fact more and more are basically functional Pontius Pilates. When Jesus was standing before Pilate being questioned , when Jesus made this statement , " [37] Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
(John 18:37 ESV) . Then Pilate replied ,"What is truth?"

The very one who is the answer to that question was standing right before Pilate , yet he wanted no part of it . As we all did or do . Who is of the truth ? They are ones who confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior. That He is the one unique Son of God , who came to bear witness to the truth .


[6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
(John 14:6-7 ESV)

Truth is not some abstract notion or unknowable "thing" , truth is found in Jesus and him alone. He is the living Word, who has come to reveal the truth of God . No matter if you want to believe it or not , truth is truth. God does not need or require even one person to accept His truth to make it so. We all will be judged according to God's truth and that truth is in the life ,death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So if you want the truth , the hard truth , open your ears and do not be a Pilate.

Pausing a Moment to Gloat

I love hockey . I played it , I watch it and cheer for my favorite teams . The Family team was always the Leafs but the team I chose to follow as well was the Boston Bruins . Growing up it was a struggle because in my school , the Montreal Canadians were the number one team. So I put up with teasing and for some , it bordered on being bullied. Which lead to a few pushing matches .

Its crazy to describe why you end up cheering for your team so passionately but you do . It is sweet when your team wins and heartbreaking to lose a close one in the play offs. Many non sports types just don't get it . But at this point I want to give a shout out to my wife , who has helped me calm done (a bit) buy both understanding and at the same time , poking fun at me when I needed it. Thanks babe.

So bottom line , the Bruins eliminated the Canadians tonight , in a 7th game in sudden death overtime. So for all those Hab fans that taunted me , teased me and made my life miserable , I say .....NA NA NA NA ,NA NA NA NA ,Hey , Hey,Hey ....GOODBYE. I say that with all the grace I can muster .

Longing to Stay

"Have you ever,in the dying embers of a Sunday night,rested your head on the pillow with wet eyes because the day of congregating in the presence of God does not yet last forever?"  Sinclair B. Ferguson

This statement really hit home hard to me today. I look forward to Sunday . I relish it and long for it. Having been away from Church for about 10 years , now it is a sweet time of refreshment. Its an hour plus of worship , where the troubles,struggles and anxiety of the week are shed . In the midst of other believers , singing hymns,hearing the word preached and talking with other brother and sisters , it is a little taste of heaven .When we gather together , we enter into the presence of God . 

 

Do we weep when its over ? Do we long for that the day we will not break and re-enter the world that is long in tooth and against our Lord. Do we cry with the saints , how long oh Lord will you tarry? I don't think there is anything wrong longing for that day. But till then , may we live in this world as strangers and aliens. We are indeed pilgrims in a hostile world but we do not do so alone . The Lord is with us . 

Verse Of The Day  :  [28] Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

(Acts 20:28 ESV)

Wise Words About Making Our Church Services User Friendly

Wise words concerning the weakness of any Church that tries to make an unbeliever comfortable in worshiping a holy God. Its good to be friendly,open and show love to those who may attend but it should never be tailored to making them happy with programs , clubs,dancing etc... Preach Christ,Preach Christ ,Preach Christ!

Verse Of The Day  :  [2] For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
(1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV)

Monday , A New Day Dawns

I always do some  thinking about the day after Easter weekend. The day and what happened after the risen Jesus was seen , talked to and for the next 40 days taught and was fellowshipped with Him. But even though it would be easy envy them , each day we open our Bibles to read and fellowship with God ,we do so as intimately as they did. In fact in many ways we have even a more amazing gift of having God's holy word that they didn't have.

When I open the word of God , I encounter Jesus Christ . Plus all believers are indwelt with the Holy Spirit who helps us take the word and apply it to our lives and enjoy intimacy with our Lord. The Word of God complete , one of the benefits of the day after . 

Verse Of The Day  :           This God—his way is perfect;

                                the word of the LORD proves true;

                             he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

                                             (Psalm 18:30 ESV)

He is Risen , He Is Risen Indeed !!

The resurrection changes everything! Proclaim it,shout and live it out loud. Jesus is risen , sins curse has been broken,the grave has no bite and the Devil is crushed. Praise our Lord . Amen. He is coming again, and oh to hear His voice.

Sunday is Here

Day of Confusion

We have the great ability to look back and see the whole picture but for the followers of Jesus , they only had that day in between . That day that had to have shaken them to their very core of who they are or who they thought they were going to be . Just think a week before , surrounded by a throng shouting and proclaiming he coming Jesus as the coming King. I can imagine the disciples caught up in the jubilation. Thinking , this is it we are about to see the true power of Jesus unleashed. The Romans rule will be destroyed and the glory days of old will be upon us. No doubt they still have ideas of ruling with Jesus .

Even when Jesus told them what would occur and had to to fulfill the reason He had come , they would put up blinders. They could not fathom or grasp a dying and publicly executed Messiah. In fairness  , why would they even if they heard over and over Jesus make it clear the Messiah had to die but would rise again. This was the man that healed disease,fed over 5000 , calmed the storms,walked on water , raised the dead . Why would they think that mortal man could harm him. They were mere men , and like us we only sometimes want to hear what we want to hear.

But now here they were . Huddled together in hiding . A broken , scared group who didn't have a clue what would happen. They had left everything to follow this Jesus . The questions running in their minds had to turn to , are we next? Will they be after us ? They had seen a inner member betray Jesus, they had all desert him in fear , one denied and then Jesus , their Messiah was beaten,stripped and crucified as a common criminal.  

Truly it was a full day of confusion , terror and fear. Plus add in the extreme grief they were feeling for losing their friend and master. This I imagine was the scene all day long . The anxiety would have been perhaps unbearable.

But then Sunday was coming , and we know what happened to this little group of men.

Verse Of The Day  :   [38] After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. [39] Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. [40] So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. [41] Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. [42] So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

(John 19:38-42 ESV)

Good Friday , Some Clarity Please

The betrayal, the desertion of  friends,the whippings,the beatings,the mockery,the sentence of death,the staggering weight of the cross,the crown of thorns,the pain of being pulled to fit the cross , the nails cutting through tendon and bone and raised up for all to see , stripped of any dignity to die a very public shameful death. That was Jesus day , the day we call Good Friday.  Then to drink the bitter cup of the Father's wrath for our sin , our evil,our rebellion .

Jesus hung paying a debt , to fulfill justice , to satisfy God's righteous holy judgement against sin so that we , all who repent and trust in Jesus , can be made right with God.

This is the place to start if we are going to awaken the person who sits there on a good Friday service , who has come to quiet a spouse , a friend , a mom , a dad or whoever has invited them to a Easter service. To speak of God's love first and quote John 3:16 does so a disservice to the unrepentant , who is still dead in their sins . Their foul ,sin stenched carcass still breathing because of God's common grace , are still under the delusion they are alright. They don't need this Jesus , nor His cross. But at the cross all the foolish illusions of our own goodness melt into a lying heap of dung. We are the ones who cried , kill , crucify this Jesus . Abuse Him,mock Him  and despise Him. But what dies Christ say , come and see . Repent and trust in what I did for you. Hear my voice calling to my sheep .The sheep will hear and come running .

So my prayer for Pastors ,that they will start with God's wrath and hatred against sinner. Linger there and make the case of why Jesus had  to go to the cross in order for men and women to be saved. Then and only then ,I believe will we see God's grace,His love and mercy shine even brighter than before.



Verse Of  The Day  :    [9] Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

(Romans 5:9 ESV)

Communion Till He Comes

The night before good Friday , our Lord instituted the Lord's table. The bread , the wine and we will do this till Jesus returns .

Verse Of The Day  :  [23] For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, [24] and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” [25] In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” [26] For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

(1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ESV)

Looking To The Cross

I do not know when I am more perfectly happy than when I am weeping for sin at the foot of the cross.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon 


Verse Of The Day :  [18] For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
(1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV)

These Words Stagger Me

[20] I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
(Galatians 2:20 ESV)

As we approach good Friday, and as we focus on the events that led up to the crucifixion of Jesus  lets not over generalize what was done . Let the words of scripture penetrate your heart and let the love of God in Christ overwhelm you that Jesus loved His sheep and gave himself not for a general "person" .He knows who He died for specifically. It was for you and me . The great Shepherd knows His sheep and the sheep love and hear the master say , I died for you . We heed His call to come,repent and believe. Amazing is it not.

Ministry of Silly Walks - Sounds like Real Government

In my home country we will going to the polls May 2nd. I will be voting Conservative. Not because I'm enamored with the national leader Stephen Harper ( although I don't think he is the evil leader the wing nuts in the NDP  or Liberal party paint him out to be) . But because they will hopefully, if given a majority, eliminate wasted money on programs like multiculturalism, official bilingualism and numerous other stupid government funded programs.Plus they stand closer to my views on abortion then the other two. My fear of the Liberals or NDP ever form a government , if enough minorities holler we could have a ministry of silly walks . Sound silly , not really when you think what they have wasted money on.Nuff said.

I Want This as My Hearts Cry

The Getty's music is fast becoming my favorite new hymns. Plus perhaps its my Irish/Scottish roots , but each time Kristyn recites scripture or this poem , it sounds so lyrical and beautiful. But maybe I'm biased , hey I love Bagpipes as well. Enjoy.

Would We

The leaders of the Shouwang Church in Beijing have a simple explanation for why they’d rather relinquish their freedom than abandon their church services: “Sunday worship is the most basic necessity for Christians in their life of faith.”

That conclusion led church members to gather outside for a Sunday morning service on April 10, which ended with police detaining more than 160 Christians armed with Bibles and hymn sheets.

Authorities have since released all of the worshippers—though at least two church leaders remain under house arrest—but police may face round two this Sunday: The Christians—who say government officials have cut off access to their indoor meeting place—declare they’ll meet outside for worship again, even if it means facing detention or arrest. And they insist that Chinese authorities should let them worship freely, even if their church isn’t registered with the government.   World Magazine   April 13/2011

So as we gather tomorrow to worship in the west , would we if we knew that persecution , detention or worse, faced us just by openly gathering to lift up our Lord . We have been spoiled for a long time in western culture that we have taken our freedom to gather together and worship for granted. We also forget that each Lord's day , many of our brothers and sisters in Christ do not enter into a Church without the possibility of persecution.It will come to our shores ,in fact if you never face any form of persecution , maybe you and I need to look at ourselves in the mirror . With that thought in mind , read the verse for the day . It says all ,not some. 


Verse Of The Day  :   [12] Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
(2 Timothy 3:12 ESV)

  

We Will Rise - Another great song from Sovereign Grace Music

We easter fast approaching , this great song reminds us of the hope we have in Christ even when faced with death. He has risen and that changes everything.Amen.

Verse Of The Day  :    [4] and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
(Romans 1:4 ESV)

Catechism Friday

Heidelberg Catechism (1576 A.D.)

60. Q. How are you righteous before God?

A. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ.[1] Although my conscience accuses me that I have grievously sinned against all God's commandments, have never kept any of them,[2] and am still inclined to all evil,[3] yet God, without any merit of my own,[4] out of mere grace,[5] imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ.[6] He grants these to me as if I had never had nor committed any sin, and as if I myself had accomplished all the obedience which Christ has rendered for me,[7] if only I accept this gift with a believing heart.[8]

[1] Rom. 3:21-28; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8, 9; Phil. 3:8-11. [2] Rom. 3:9, 10. [3] Rom. 7:23. [4] Deut. 9:6; Ezek. 36:22;Tit. 3:4, 5. [5] Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8. [6] Rom. 4:3-5; II Cor. 5:17-19; I John 2:1, 2. [7] Rom. 4:24, 25; II Cor. 5:21. [8] John 3:18; Acts 16:30, 31; Rom. 3:22.

61. Q. Why do you say that you are righteous only by faith?

A. Not that I am acceptable to God on account of the worthiness of my faith, for only the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ is my righteousness before God.[1] I can receive this righteousness and make it mine my own by faith only.[2]

[1] I Cor. 1:30, 31; 2:2. [2] Rom. 10:10; I John 5:10-12.

62. Q. But why can our good works not be our righteousness before God, or at least a part of it?

A. Because the righteousness which can stand before God's judgment must be absolutely perfect and in complete agreement with the law of God,[1] whereas even our best works in this life are all imperfect and defiled with sin.[2]

[1] Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10. [2] Is. 64:6.

63. Q. But do our good works earn nothing, even though God promises to reward them in this life and the next?

A. This reward is not earned[1]; it is a gift of grace.[2]

[1] Matt. 5:12; Heb. 11:6. [2] Luke 17:10; II Tim. 4:7, 8.

64. Q. Does this teaching not make people careless and wicked?

A. No. It is impossible that those grafted into Christ by true faith should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.[1]

[1] Matt. 7:18; Luke 6:43-45; John 15:5.

65. Q. Since then faith alone makes us share in Christ and all His benefits, where does this faith come from?

A. From the Holy Spirit,[1] who works it in our hearts by the preaching of the gospel,[2] and strengthens it by the use of the sacraments.[3]

[1] John 3:5; I Cor. 2:10-14; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 1:29. [2] Rom. 10:17; I Pet. 1:23-25. [3] Matt. 28:19, 20; I Cor. 10:16.

66. Q. What are the sacraments?

A. The sacraments are holy, visible signs and seals.  They were instituted by God so that by their use He might the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the gospel.[1] And this is the promise: that God graciously grants us forgiveness of sins and everlasting life because of the one sacrifice of Christ accomplished on the cross.[2]

[1] Gen. 17:11; Deut. 30:6; Rom. 4:11 [2] Matt. 26:27, 28; Acts 2:38; Heb. 10:10.

67. Q. Are both the Word and the sacraments then intended to focus our faith on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as the only ground of our salvation?

A. Yes, indeed.  The Holy Spirit teaches us in the gospel and assures us by the sacraments that our entire salvation rests on Christ's one sacrifice for us on the cross.[1]

[1] Rom. 6:3; I Cor. 11:26; Gal. 3:27.

Neutral News

With the fervor over Rob Bell's book Love Wins dying down a little bit and having read much about Bell's view of hell , I have to wonder how he can proclaim the gospel with any clarity or urgency ? The answer is he cannot. He might say he must but then again the gospel he chats about with his cool rimmed glasses and hip hair cut, resembles little of the orthodox gospel of classic true evangelical history.

The gospel is the a proclamation of good news. Now in order for  it to be good news , one has to have some bad news as well to deliver . Bell really doesn't have bad news or even some kinda unpleasant news to bring because its all good in the end. In reality what Bell brings is a kinda of neutral news . Its great if you get on the Jesus train in this life , but hey ,eventually you will get on the ride sooner or later. The problem is it doesn't gel with the Bible unless you do what Bell does , cheery pick and reinterpret many passages. Check out Pastor Kevin DeYoung's excellent critique at http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/03/14/rob-bell-love-wins-review/ to see how Bell manipulates scripture.

The truth is one cannot read the gospel accounts of the life of Jesus and not see clearly that unless we repent and trust in Jesus , we will face a holy God in judgement. If there is no real hell other than the one we make for ourselves , the life ,death and resurrection of Jesus makes  no sense . Just read the words of Jesus and see if you can find any hint of a second chance or the idea of hell eventually being empty. You cannot. The same with the rest of the New Testament . Unless you do some crazy gymnastics , the Bible clearly states that God's wrath and eternal judgement rest on all who die  without Jesus Christ .

Bells views lowers the cross , dumbs down the work of Christ and makes light of the seriousness of sin , the holiness of God and the real truth of hell . To be honest ,if I held the same view of Bell , I would be like , well why should I worry about my family , neighbor or missions if its all good in the end. But that is not the truth , there is really tragic , horrible news but there is also amazing, tremendous , grace filled news in the gospel of Jesus Christ . That is good , good news.

Verse Of The Day  :    [10] And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
(Luke 2:10-11 ESV)

A Little Nostalgia

I thought just for fun I would tell anyone who is interested a few of my favorite foods growing up . It always seemed to be a big deal when I was allowed to pick a couple food items each grocery night , which was Friday. I usually knew exactly what I would be looking for .

FrankenBerry -  This one was a Strawberry flavored cereal that was a delight to eat as a kid. No it wasn't the healthiest choice but who cared , I was a kid and I played a lot . The fact this is not still available in Canada anyway , makes me sad. 

Crunch Berries - A version of Captain Crunch but with berry flavored round cereal bites thrown in for flavor. Absolutely loved this cereal .

Lipton Cowboy Soup - This was a cool soup . It has cowboys noodle symbols like boots,guns and stirrups. It had a hearty taste and I ate a ton . Sad to say its no longer in production. 

Glow Monster Heads - Now these aren't food but they came inside a cereal , which one I cannot recall but I had them. They glowed a faint green in the dark and were so cool.They featured the biggies like Dracula, Frankenstein ,Wolfman and the Mummy. 

So for whatever reason I'm feeling a bit nostalgic today. Hope you got a chuckle out of my childhood food fancies and odd collecting habits. 

Just A Little Laugh to Start the Week

One of the memories I have of Monty Python was watching it with my uncle Basil. He was a very quiet man , I never really got  to talk to him much till later years in his life but on a Saturday night , when I was around 10 or so , I recall watching Python with him and laughing . A simple memory but a nice one . I was a pall bearer at his funeral. I know when the Pastor visited him when his cancer went terminal , he shared Christ with him .I truly pray he received the Lord into his life. So here is to those Saturday nights with a little Python.

I'm That Thief

When I see my heart, my sin , I'm undone. The only hope , the Cross were my Saviour hung ,nailed and died. I am as  guilty as the thief , my only hope is to cry out ,Jesus remember me. Nuff said.

Verse Of The Day  :  [7] Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. 
(Revelation 1:7 ESV)

Catechism Friday

Heidelberg Catechism (1576 A.D.)

54. Q. What do you believe concerning the holy catholic Christian church?

A. I believe that the Son of God,[1] out of the whole human race,[2] from the beginning of the world to its end,[3] gathers, defends, and preserves for Himself, [4] by His Spirit and Word,[5] in the unity of the true faith,[6] a church chosen to everlasting life.[7] And I believe that I am[8] and forever shall remain a living member of it.[9]

[1] John 10:11; Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11-13; Col. 1:18. [2] Gen. 26:4; Rev. 5:9. [3] Is. 59:21; I Cor. 11:26. [4] Ps. 129:1-5; Matt. 16:18; John 10:28-30. [5] Rom. 1:16; 10:14-17; Eph. 5:26. [6] Acts 2:42-47; Eph. 4:1-6. [7] Rom. 8:29; Eph. 1:3-14. [8] I John 3:14, 19-21. [9] Ps. 23:6; John 10:27, 28; I Cor. 1:4-9; I Pet. 1:3-5.

55. Q. What do you understand by the communion of saints?

A. First, that believers, all and everyone, as members of Christ have communion with Him and share in all His treasures and gifts.[1] Second, that everyone is duty-bound to use his gifts readily and cheerfully for the benefit and well-being of the other members.[2]

[1] Rom. 8:32; I Cor. 6:17; 12:4-7, 12, 13; I John 1:3. [2] Rom. 12:4-8; I Cor. 12:20-27; 13:1-7; Phil. 2:4-8.

56. Q. What do you believe concerning the forgiveness of sins?

A. I believe that God, because of Christ's satisfaction, will no more remember my sins,[1] nor my sinful nature, against which I have to struggle all my life,[2] but He will graciously grant me the righteousness of Christ, that I may never come into condemnation.[3]

[1] Ps. 103:3, 4, 10, 12; Mic. 7:18, 19; II Cor. 5:18-21; I John 1:7; 2:2. [2] Rom. 7:21-25. [3] John 3:17, 18; 5:24;Rom. 8:1, 2.

57. Q. What comfort does the resurrection of the body offer you?

A. Not only shall my soul after this life immediately be taken up to Christ, my Head,[1] but also this my flesh, raised by the power of Christ, shall be reunited with my soul and made like Christ's glorious body.[2]

[1] Luke 16:22; 23:43; Phil. 1:21-23. [2] Job 19:25, 26; I Cor. 15:20, 42-46, 54; Phil. 3:21; I John 3:2.

58. Q. What comfort do you receive from the article about the life everlasting?

A. Since I now already feel in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, [1] I shall after this life possess perfect blessedness, such as no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived-- a blessedness in which to praise God forever.[2]

[1] John 17:3; Rom. 14:17; II Cor. 5:2, 3. [2] John 17:24; I Cor. 2:9.

59. Q. But what does it help you now that you believe all this?

A. In Christ I am righteous before God and heir to life everlasting.[1]

[1] Hab. 2:4; John 3:36; Rom. 1:17; 5:1, 2.

Excellent Primer on Prayer

Praying is vital for the life of a Christian but many don't even comprehend how to pray or what prayer is . In this short video Dr.D.A Carson gives us an excellent and brief overview.

Verse Of The Day  :  [6] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
(Philippians 4:6 ESV)

Too Bad , Too Sad , Get Over It

If animals aren’t suffering, somebody isn’t working hard enough in the business of gene survival. Richard Dawkins.


Read that sentence carefully and grasp what this high priest of Darwin dogma is saying. Remember since humans are nothing more than animals , driven by gene reproduction , then if we are not being subjected to suffering , then the gene survival mode is not working hard enough to produce the survival of the fittest. 


So when a little boy , wonders away , drowns in a river because of a extreme disability ,its not tragic but nature getting rid of its garbage. Is that not what this is saying. What if my next door neighbor decides that his genetic material should be shared and decides he will impregnate as many women as possible through whatever means necessary , practices this . If we are animals, then why should we limit ourselves to moral norms that are nothing more than a deluded mind that thinks there is a God , and that He has revealed laws that we should abide by?


The one thing Dawkins is at least , consistent with his world view. He pulls no punches and at least you  know what he thinks . Of course since our thinking is nothing more than chemical reactions in the brain , can he even be sure of his conclusions or observations. 


Atheism as a world view will always be a hard sell. It leads down a very dark hole and cannot offer no light to suffering and evil in any real way. Pain,suffering are just what they are. If you get Cancer and die ,well it proves you have weak genetics and nature is trying to get rid of the junk. But our compassion steps in the way and tries to save and heal. Why? Because in our hearts of hearts we know that God exist , that He is our creator and that He has written eternity on our hearts. 


An Atheist is one that is suppressing that truth in open defiance as Paul reminds us in the first few chapters of Romans. 


A world view is the grid in which we all filter life. Those who think they don't have one do . It may be faulty but they carry one with them into each day. But when it comes to the bigger questions of life, purpose,suffering and the why's , only Christianity has the consistent answers to the big questions . But more importantly it has Jesus Christ that brings hope,light and truth to even the darkest of days . For only Jesus understands the pain,suffering and even the temptation of men and women. 


Atheism is left wanting because it is a lie . Nuff said. 


"If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark." CS Lewis 


Verse Of The Day  :   [35] You have given me the shield of your salvation,
                         and your right hand supported me,
                       and your gentleness made me great.
                                                            (Psalm 18:35 ESV)

I'll Say It A Million Times

I have said it before and will say it over and over , a good wife is a blessing from God. I can still recall men sitting around complaining about being married , the old ball and chain etc.. I would be quiet or simply say , I love being married.

"There is no more lovely,friendly or charming relationship,communion or company , than a good marriage" Martin Luther.

To this quote for Luther , I say Amen .

Forgive and ....You Finish The Sentence

Last Sunday our Pastor preached on forgiveness and how it is not an option in a believers life. Taking his cue from the one of Jesus beatitudes , he focused on the need to forgive in order to be free from the burden and weight of holding onto a grudge or vendetta .

Is was clear that to forgive is not something we are left an out for. Now some hold that in order to forgive another , certain hoops must be jumped through. They put barriers up to find ways to withhold forgiveness. Yes , we need to encourage a life of repentance and going to another we have harmed and ask for forgiveness but we do not live in a perfect world. Sometimes we can be hurt without the other party realizing what they have done. We can guilty as well and if we think we are not , we are deluding ourselves.


Sometimes we must forgive one another purely to release the burden of animosity and anger we can easily harbor when we hold on the pain of being hurt. To allow it to fester and infest our souls will only lead to a soul in turmoil. Our Pastor used 2 illustrations . One that everywhere we go , the other person goes with us,like they are handcuffed to us  and by not forgiving , the weight is like a burden we carry , that will only leave us weary and tired.

But lets be honest we can say forgive , but to truly forgive another is also to release the other of their debt to you. It must be put away , forgotten. If we say , I can forgive but not forget , then the truth is we have not forgiven . That wall of hostility will be clearly there.

The question is if we are to forgive one another then first we must grasp how great a forgiveness we have been given in Jesus. To grasp the depth of our own sin  , that we were dead in sin , a vial cosmic rebel against a holy God. That it took the holy ,sinless Son of God to take our place to satisfy God's holy justice to be satisfied that we may be forgiven. If we get this , then forgiving no matter what the offense will come easier , not without its struggles , but it can be possible because of God's grace.When we understand how much we have been forgiven , we can forgive much as well.

[14] For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, [15] but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
(Matthew 6:14-15 ESV)

[25] And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
(Mark 11:25 ESV)

 [4] and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
(Luke 17:4 ESV)

[13] bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
(Colossians 3:13 ESV)

[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1:9 ESV)

Well you get the picture . A forgiving attitude and heart is not an option if we follow Christ. Thanks Pastor Bob for really shaking my heart up .

Jesus Draw Me-May this Be Our Prayer

Nothing like a little of Keith and Kristyn Getty to prepare our hearts for worship this Lord's day.

Verse Of The Day  :  [17] I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.
 (Psalm 7:17 ESV)

Catechism Friday

Heidelberg Catechism (1576 A.D.)

48. Q. But are the two natures in Christ not separated from each other if His human nature is not present wherever His divinity is?

A. Not at all, for His divinity has no limits and is present everywhere.[1] So it must follow that His divinity is indeed beyond the human nature which He has taken on and nevertheless is within this human nature and remains personally united with it.[2]

[1] Jer. 23:23, 24; Acts 7:48, 49. [2] John 1:14; 3:13; Col. 2:9.

49. Q. How does Christ's ascension into heaven benefit us?

A. First, He is our Advocate in heaven before His Father.[1] Second, we have our flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that He, our Head, will also take us, His members, up to Himself.[2] Third, He sends us His Spirit as a counter-pledge,[3] by whose power we seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God, and not the things that are on earth.[4]

[1] Rom. 8:34; I John 2:1. [2] John 14:2; 17:24; Eph. 2:4-6. [3] John 14:16; Acts 2:33; II Cor. 1:21, 22; 5:5. [4] Col. 3:1-4.

50. Q. Why is it added, And sits at the right hand of God?

A. Christ ascended into heaven to manifest Himself there as Head of His Church,[1] through whom the Father governs all things.[2]

[1] Eph. 1:20-23; Col. 1:18. [2] Matt. 28:18; John 5:22, 23.

51. Q. How does the glory of Christ, our Head, benefit us?

A. First, by His Holy Spirit He pours out heavenly gifts upon us, His members.[1] Second, by His power He defends and preserves us against all enemies.[2]

[1] Acts 2:33; Eph. 4:7-12. [2] Ps. 2:9; 110:1, 2; John 10:27-30; Rev. 19:11-16.

52. Q. What comfort is it to you that Christ will come to judge the living and the dead?

A. In all my sorrow and persecution I lift up my head and eagerly await as judge from heaven the very same person who before has submitted Himself to the judgment of God for my sake, and has removed all the curse from me.[1] He will cast all His and my enemies into everlasting condemnation, but He will take me and all His chosen ones to Himself into heavenly joy and glory.[2]

[1] Luke 21:28; Rom. 8:22-25; Phil. 3:20,21; Tit. 2:13, 14. [2] Matt. 25:31-46; I Thess. 4:16, 17; II Thess. 1:6-10.

53. Q. What do you believe concerning the Holy Spirit?

A. First, He is, together with the Father and the Son, true and eternal God.[1] Second, He is also given to me,[2] to make me by true faith share in Christ and all His benefits,[3] to comfort me,[4] and to remain with me forever.[5]

[1] Gen. 1:1, 2; Matt. 28:19; Acts 5:3, 4; I Cor. 3:16. [2] I Cor. 6:19; II Cor. 1:21, 22; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:13. [3] Gal. 3:14; I Pet. 1:2. [4] John 15:26; Acts 9:31. [5] John 14:16, 17; I Pet. 4:14.