Time for Silence to End

It has been a while , has it not . My quiet time if you will came from real consideration whether to continue this blog or not . After much thought and deliberation , I have decided to start again . Over the next couple of days I will be changing some layout features and will  discipline myself to do certain features on a regular basis . My goal will be to write better , be bolder and still have some fun at the same time . I did miss it .

Do You Really Believe It

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


As we live our lives out in this fallen , sinful world , Christians will sin .We are fuller forgiven , being made new and sealed by the Holy Spirit and holy before God through the blood of Christ but until the day we go to be with the Lord , we will sin . John even before verse 9 tells us that if we say we have no sin , denying that we are sinners , then the truth is not in us . Then in verse 10 he repeats the warning again , saying that if we say haven't sinned makes the Lord a liar and His word does not abide in us . 


So acknowledging we are sinners , that we have sinned is at the very least an indication we are in Christ. But the middle verse that really pulls both of these two warnings together is the act of confession . A believer will be ever conscience of sin and the struggle against it . Confession is good for the soul it has been said and it is true . We shouldn't make a morbid habit but even the pattern of the Lord's prayer , makes clear room for coming before the Lord in confession and asking for His forgiveness. 


We should daily seek forgiveness an as many in the reformed tradition  have said , preach the gospel to ourselves each day . Trusting in the finished work of Jesus to renew , cleanse and restore us daily . Martin Luther said the Christian life was one of daily or on going repentance . A honest reckoning of our sin , the Saviors amazing grace and power to forgive but not just stopping there . But truly believe God , in Christ will forgive our sins and remember our transgressions  no more . 


It is in accepting this astonishing gift of forgiveness , that the power to break the struggle with sin will come . Knowing the love of God , displayed in Christ and applied by the Spirit should truly , humble us and accept the truth of what John said, if we confess our sins , He will forgive them and cleanse from all unrighteousness. 


The question is , do you really believe it ? 

Time For Something New

As of late ,  it seems I have little to no motivation to write on my blog . Perhaps its discipline because if anyone knows me , they will tell you I have no shortage of thoughts and opinions on many things . So to get my butt in gear I 'm going to try something a bit different very soon . I will be trying a video blog once in a while to give a voice and personal touch to this blog . Don't worry for the multitudes who tune in to my musings it will not be a mindless rant or a epic , 3 coffee spot but hopefully it will be at times entertaining , fun ,serious and whatever may come . Stay tuned.

On a serious note , our Church will be looking for a new senior Pastor . Our current Pastor is leaving to take a post at a liberal arts Christian University . He has served this Church for 9 years . I have been grateful to his ministry  and will always be thankful for his role in accepting me back , a wayward pilgrim who needed to come home , with a gracious and warm welcome.  May we who sit in the pew be ever in prayer for the faithful men who lead us . So here is to Pastor Knowles as he moves on towards new things God has called him to . May grace and leading be with him ,  his wife and their children .

Fundies Drive Me Nuts

Sometimes you read or hear something and it is so out there , so damaging to real Christians that it leaves me angry almost beyond words. On my Facebook page a link was shared by a friend that featured a video clip by this extreme fundy Baptist . In it he railed against homosexuals and without any respect to them as people created in the image of God , made some of the most sickening comments that a true minister of Jesus Christ would not speak.

Listen , the scripture is clear beyond a shadow of doubt about sexuality . It is a one man , one woman in marriage . Period . I hold this as an eternal truth . All other expressions are sinful in the sight of God and need to be repented of . But to rage like a hate filled idiot and show no grace , no mercy , no love or compassion is as far as from the gospel message as you can get .

All this ill tongued preacher did was do damage to the Church , misuse the pulpit and cause a unnecessary offense to sharing the gospel . This issue is going to be more in our faces than ever before and how we speak and treat those who disprove of what God's word teaches will cause enough of its own hatred  , anger towards the Church and Christians . So we most be able to respond with honesty , courage and grace. Love your enemies , do good to those who persecute you . Sound familiar . How about we are all sinners saved by grace.

This issue is not going away . But the gospel of Christ is bigger than anyone trapped in any sin . Look if God can save me , He can save anyone . Gay ,Straight , we are all sinners in need of Christ to transform us , make us new and cleanse us by His blood .

House Cleaning For the Lord

Its always funny when you know your going to have a visitor come to your house that isn't close family ( sorry close family ) you immediately scurry around if the notice is short or take a full day or two if its longer to get things in order. Unless you area real slob , this is what normal people do . Why? Well we want to make a good impression and show I think appreciation and respect for the person or people coming. Its just common courtesy really.

So as I was doing this very thing a couple of days ago , I was reflecting on the coming of Christ . Many of the parables of Jesus that speak of being prepared when the master comes calling reminded me of the daily house cleaning we should all attend to in our daily walk with Jesus . Just as cleaning gets rid of the built up dirt and dust , we should live each day seeking God's grace and forgiveness . We should never leave sins unconfessed . The longer they linger the messier our hearts will become . Just like that mess in the corner of the room becomes a part of the room , sin that is not dealt with and confessed can take root in your heart and life . It can be deadly and filthy in ones life. God knows our hearts , our lives are a open book . He knows the corners , so be open and transparent . Come as a sinner in need of the cleansing power of Jesus blood and live a life of repentance .

Also just as keeping your house in a daily cleaning routine and therefore if someone comes , be ready . To be ready for the Lord is develop good spiritual  disciplines . Spending time in the word , praying , finding practical ways to serve your neighbor , your family and friends in Christ like ways will help in conforming you to the image of Christ .

But the most important thing of all , know that you have a visitor already present within you . The Holy Spirit has united you with Christ with His coming into your life. Living with that understanding , that we have been united with Christ makes His presence an already event. You enjoy fellowship with the living God . Step back from doing in your own effort and seek God's empowering by His Spirit to equip ,enable and give your life its contentment and purpose .

Why Do We Like Stories ?

We all like good stories . That is not saying we are all deep readers , or movie goers but humans like a story . It could be funny , serious , fantastical but within our being we all like a good yarn . Why this  is simple , I think. Stories give us a content to live out our lives .  We may not think that they do , but stories have been used to teach morals , ethics and truth for thousand of years . We read , sing to our children . Stories resonant with us .

That is because we know deep down that we have been made for more than just living and dying . Everyone at some level wants to have a purpose or meaning to their lives. Stories allow us to enter into a bigger picture .

Ultimately , the true story is we were made to worship and enjoy God . To praise and sing his praises . But in the fall of humanity , we were plunged into darkness . The good news is the story that does truly liberate us is happening right now as God brings dead sinners to life and we become part of a grand narrative . This story is good news , to all people . The good news of Jesus Christ is the story the whole world needs to hear .

Stories have always been given to be shared , and the best ones last a long time but there is one that will last forever and that is God's story and it is the grand story of them all .

Speak For Yourself , Not For Jesus

Yesterday President Obama said he was in favour of same sex marriage and in the interview implied Jesus would be as well . Now here is the thing that really rubs me the wrong way . If the President wants to endorse or say he does not oppose same sex marriage and the redefining of an institution that goes back thousand of years ,he is free to do so . However implying that Jesus Christ would in anyway be involved in promoting the legitimization of  sexual sin is wrong and blasphemes our Lord .

For over almost 2000 years the Church has stood against sexual sin , be it sex outside the bonds of marriage , adultery , bestiality , incest and homosexuality . No where will one find any example in the gospels any words of Jesus that would hint or indicate He would condone what the word of God condemns . Jesus knew the scriptures , inside and out , He knew what the Torah taught concerning sodomy and same sex activities . He spoke often of upholding all of the Old testament  , calling it the word of God and how it cannot be broken . It simply does not exist and to hint or imply Jesus would be all right with wilful sinning and its promotion leaves me totally baffled .

However like many the President cheery picks words like love , do unto others to justify his delusional view of the Bible and a Jesus of His own making . By ignoring the whole of scripture and pulling brief sayings out of context one can make the Bible pretty much endorse anything . But the bottom line is very simple , the scripture leaves no wiggle room , sexual sin is anything outside of the covenant if marriage between a man and woman. Whatever Bible the President has most be like a Etch a Sketch , just shake it and any things you don't like disappear. His Jesus is a clay Jesus , that he molds in the way he likes .

These are going to be very tough times to hold to a biblical view of sexuality . To publicly say the homosexuality is sinful and any union between a man/man or woman/woman is evil in the sights of the Lord , is not going to be easy. You will be labelled as a homophobe , narrow minded and intolerant . Be ready to defend and speak with both meekness and boldness .


Excellent Book to read concerning this issue is Same Sex Controversy by James White & Jeffrey D. Niell