Sunday, November 30, 2008

I'll Be Honest...


Thanks to J&J Bible Ministry at Truth Matters Blog, I have been introduced to a great website, I'll Be Honest.com. On this site you get real people with real testimonies about real conversions. Their purpose statement is as follows:

"I'll Be Honest is a web site that is focused on bringing Glory to God through video testimonies of Christians who have overcome the devil in their life through the Grace of God. Every single person alive battles the devil on a daily basis, and it is of great encouragement to see someone else testify to the saving power of the Grace of God. IBH is also focused on spreading the renown of Jesus Christ to the world through Open-Air Preaching and evangelism so that Christ might send revival!"

There are videos, online courses, blogs, and links on the site.

One of the videos that brought me to the site is included here. It is a young man who pulls no punches about his life and how it was transformed by the Gospel...NOT by a prayer said as an 8-year-old!



Sunday, November 09, 2008

Ten Indictments


This is a sermon from the Revival Conference 2008 in Atlanta. Pastor Paul Washer brings Ten Indictments of the American church and "nails them to the door," so to speak. It isn't your usual 30- to 40-minute "feel good" sermon. It takes time to listen.

Please do me a favor. Listen with a humble, contrite spirit. And as you listen, will you please quietly open your heart and instead of critiquing the sermon, ask God to show you where these indictments might be applicable to your life. Then in humble repentance, ask God to forgive you in the name of Jesus.

This is a sermon God could use to change the church...and I pray it would be so.

May you be blessed by the proclamation of the Word!

(If the embedded video doesn't work, click HERE to access it directly on YouTube.)



Fasting and Weeping

Fasting and Weeping, another word from Pastor Paul Washer at the Revival Confercence 2008.

If the embedded video doesn't work, you can access it HERE.


How Revival Comes

This is a clip from the "Revival Conference 2008" held recently in Atlanta, Georgia. Paul Washer speaks eloquently about the reality of how revival comes.

More video clips can be found HERE.

It is all of grace....




Post-Election Musings


In case you didn't see it on my HomeDiscipling Dad blog, I am reposting this post-election muse here:


You might be a political junkie. You might be a hard-working dad who doesn’t have time to pay much attention. You might be a stay-at-home mom, diligently raising the next generation, barely having time to catch up with the news.

And you might be a dedicated Christian who understands the liberty upon which this nation was founded, and last week’s election results have you fearing the worst for our future and for the future of your children. It is a justifiable fear, based in facts. You are frightened. You are angry. You are bitter. You are lashing out. You read much, yet it doesn’t help but to add to the fear.

I know. I am that person.

Of all that I’ve read, though, there are three articles that stand out to me.

The first is by Dan Phillips of "Biblical Christianity" blog. Dan reflects on the wholly proper Biblical example of mourning for our country in light of what has happened. Our response shouldn’t be fear, anger, or bitterness, as much as mourning and crying to the Father for mercy.

The second is a link I found on Dan’s post to Betsy Markman’s blog, “Just Another Clay Pot.” She carries the idea of mourning and grief farther, and brings out the very important point that America is not in mortal danger because of who we have elected to office, but rather, America elected these people to office because we are in mortal danger! We are no longer a nation under God.

The third is a sermon by John MacArthur that was originally preached at one of the National Day of Prayer gatherings in the spring of 2008. (The transcript and the audio are available HERE.) In this sermon, MacArthur discusses the devolution of society when God removes His hand as illustrated in Romans 1 and shows how American culture has moved significantly down that road. He Scripturally backs up the contention found in Markman’s blog that we are no longer a nation under God.

If you read these resources, you will find they are not pleasant thoughts, for they illustrate a culture that is hurtling headlong into the abyss and anyone with a Biblically informed worldview living in this culture will see the future with trepidation. How could anyone not be concerned, especially parents who see a bleak future for their children? I know the arguments about Christians having their hope in heaven, and as a believer, my ultimate hope truly is in Jesus Christ… but I still live in this world and envision how it will be turned upside down in very short order. I am still mourning as Jeremiah did.

So what to do? What would a person who trusts his life to God in Jesus Christ actually do in this case?

Maybe we ought to get more involved in politics, fighting to take back the Republican Party from the moderates! Let’s flex our political muscles as a group!

While that’s quite appealing to me in the flesh, I know it’s not going to work, for it is like a million people attempting to bail out the ocean with teaspoons. No matter how hard they bail, the water is being replenished faster. If MacArthur is correct, God has removed His hand of protection from our country and it is only a matter of time before we lose all this country once was because our culture has already changed. Nothing we do politically will work. More confirmation of that thought comes from an eye-opening book I am reading entitled, "Idols for Destruction: The Conflict of Christian Faith and American Culture" by Herbert Schlossberg. The author does a fabulous job of showing how far our culture has drifted from the authentic Christian faith. Humanism is the rule of the day, even in most of our churches, influencing and affecting most everything we do, whether we realize it or not. Many Christians aren’t even aware how much we really don’t follow a Biblical worldview, even when we say we do! The results of this election are wholly in accordance with the humanistic cultural viewpoints Schlossberg brings out in his discussion. As our culture drifts farther and farther from the remnants of our Christian heritage, we will move closer and closer to socialism, decay, and loss of freedom. While battling in the political arena may postpone the inevitable, it will not stop it from coming, for our culture has changed to the point of demanding this change occur.

Is there any good news? In a word…Yes!

This is a wake-up call to the church, not to more and greater political involvement, but to more and greater reliance upon God and His claim on our lives. We are about to have our reliance upon the material world shattered. It will be painful, but if we will turn to God now, confess our sins, conform our lives to Scriptural principles, we can minimize that pain.

Even more importantly, though, is the church that is actually being the church expands God’s Kingdom by witnessing loudly to a culture lost in darkness. This is a church where Christians aren’t just cultural, but are Biblically informed, doctrinally sound, living lives directed by God’s laws and commandments. Puritan Samuel Bolton in his book, The True Bounds of Christian Freedom,” wrote the following: “The Law sends us to the Gospel for our justification; the Gospel sends us to the Law to frame our way of life.”

You don’t have to look very closely to see that virtually all of us “frame our way of life” according to the culture instead of according to the Law of God.

This has to change! As people who know the Lord of all, we need to frame our lives around the Word instead of around the culture. This isn’t in order to be saved, but as a result of our salvation. We need to live in Christian community, involved with each others’ lives in love. John makes it clear in His Gospel that it is by our love for each other that people will know we are Christians. Dr. R.C. Sproul, Jr. at the Highlands Study Center says it best in their mission statement: “Simple, Separate, and Deliberate.” The Christians in their churches strive for lives that are simple. That way they have time for each other, both within the individual families and between families. They are separate in that they separate from the culture, not in a monastic fashion, but in the fashion that a life lived by Biblical principles will necessarily not follow the trends, but live in a manner that seeks the approval of the Father. This necessitates a Christian culture that is distinctly separate from the pagan culture of America. And of course, to do both of these, they must be deliberate in taking all things captive to the Word of God. This makes them a light on the hill that shines forth brightly in their little corner of the world. Imagine that being recreated all across this land! Imagine how the Kingdom would be expanded through true witness and conversions! Imagine how the culture would be impacted!

How about us? We go to our Bible Studies. We talk about being salt and light, but honestly…how’s that working for ya? Have you had many converts? Has your culture changed at all? Have you personally grown in holiness and sanctification? Salt is different than the surrounding food; light is different than darkness. If we continue to look like the culture, not only will we have no hope in changing that culture, but we will go down with them as God brings His judgment.

Let’s use these perilous times to call us back to the lives our Father would have us live: lives that are humble, repentant, growing in holiness and dependence upon our God, lives that every day reflect a new aspect of obedience to the commandments of our Lord, lives that live in Christian community and express Christian love for each other. In doing so, our Lord in heaven will be pleased, and maybe…He will show mercy to our land.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

9/11- Seven Years Later


As a person who works in one of the industries directly involved in the atrocity that was 9/11/01, today marks a day that indelibly etched in my mind.

Steve Camp posts a video that does a very nice job of remembrance, while pointing us to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ....

Since it's his video and song, rather than embed it, I will give you the link... go HERE to spend five minutes in remembrance of those who died and those who rose to the occasion.

Monday, May 26, 2008

A Lonely Christian?

I have come across two posts from two different blogs that dwell upon similar topics. I would comment them both to you for consideration and meditation. Both involve quotes from A.W. Tozer about the realities of the true Christian life and its resulting separation from the world.

The first is from The Great Apostasy

The second is from Scott Head at These are the Generations Of...

Enjoy...and be blessed!


Thursday, May 22, 2008

Our Calling?

Dr. R.C. Sproul, Jr has a wonderful set of videos on YouTube (You can find them HERE). In this particular one, R.C. gives a quick, but concise answer to the question that plagues many a Christian: "What is our calling?" Wouldn't it be nice if there was a simple text that told me exactly what God wanted me to do with my life? 

Ponder R.C.'s answer....



Thursday, April 03, 2008

Church of Oprah

How many women who go by the name of "Christian" spend time watching Oprah Winfrey's television show and listening to her advice on life? My guess is the answer would be, "far too many!" Although Oprah grew up in a Baptist household, her pontificating on all things spiritual has shown her to be anything but Christian. In fact, she is New Age to the core...which means pagan and lost. Unfortunately her prestige and popularity allow her to witness these beliefs to millions upon millions of people, leading them down the road to perdition.

If you are a Christian, like her or not, please understand the dangers of what Oprah preaches, for it is heresy and will damn those who follow it to an eternity in hell.

HT to Thabiti Anyabwile of Pure Church for the following video:




Tuesday, April 01, 2008

100% Profanity Free!

I am glad the results of this widget turned out this way!!!

The Blog-O-Cuss Meter - Do you cuss a lot in your blog or website?
Created by OnePlusYou

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Withholding Affection- Revisited

My little blog is still small enough that I can go through the hit-tracker and look at what is leading people to visit. Aside from a few regulars, there is one particular google-search that continually brings people to my site. The words used in that search are "withholding affection." Last August I did a three-part series on the topic of withholding affection (Part One can be found HERE and links to the following two parts are found at part one) and it receives hit after hit...and the people usually stay and read for a while.

That tells me I hit an international nerve (the hits come from all over the world) with those posts and there are lots and lots and lots of people out there who are struggling with this issue in their married relationships (if you aren't married and this is a problem, it's an easy fix: quit fornicating...for you shouldn't even be in this situation in the first place!!!).

The purpose of revisiting this topic is to guide you to a five-part series of posts by a woman that discusses the concept of a woman being sexy for her husband. I won't even begin to try to play amateur psychologist and venture a guess as to why women wouldn't want to do this...but apparently it is a problem...and if it were addressed, it would lead to a solution to part of the problem with the withholding affection issue. Part One of this series can be found HERE and links to each of the subsequent parts are found at the end.

So...to the ladies who happen by, please click over and take what she has to say to heart. For the men... it's not a bad series to read to help develop an understanding of what your wife may be feeling regarding sexual intimacy.

Regardless... the glory of God is at stake in marriages, and God expects His children to thoroughly enjoy the gift of sexual intimacy within the bounds of marriage. That we don't is an indication of our fallen nature as well as the pains that have been introduced by the lies of our culture regarding sex.

Therefore, if you are married, don't withhold! If you are single and burning with passion, get married!


Friday, February 22, 2008

Brother Yun and the Western Church

I recently became aware of a Chinese pastor by the name of Brother Yun, who now has an evangelical ministry to the West. He speaks no English, so his presentations are through a translator. His life story is told in the book, "The Heavenly Man," with Paul Hattaway (can be found at Amazon.com through the links on the left of my blog). It was compelling reading...which is code for "In a minute dear, I have to finish this chapter!" God's faithfulness to this man through trials like we in the West cannot imagine makes me desire God more. His life of nearness to God uniquely qualifies him to comment on the state of the church in the West. 

He states (on page 295):

"Before I travelled to the West I had absolutely no idea that so many churches were spiritually asleep. I presumed the Western church was strong and vibrant because it had brought the gospel to my country with such incredible faith and tenacity. Many missionaries had shown a powerful example to us by laying down their lives for the sake of Jesus.

On some occasions I've struggled while speaking in Western churches. There seems to be something missing that leaves me feeling terrible inside. Many meetings are cold and lack the fire and presence of God that we have in China (Brother Yun notes elsewhere in the book that the house churches in China rejected any foreign preacher who would not preach for at least two hours at a time!!!). 

In the West many Christians have an abundance of material possessions, yet they live in a backslidden state. They have silver and gold, but they don't rise up  and walk in Jesus' name. In China we have no possessions to hold us down, so there's nothing preventing us from moving out for the Lord. 

...It's almost impossible for the church in China to go to sleep in its present situation. There's always something to keep us on the run, and it's very difficult to sleep while you're running. If persecution stops, I fear we'll become complacent and fall asleep. (emphasis added)"

Asleep?! Cold and lack the fire and presence of God?! That is quite the indictment, yet it is so very, very true! Why is this? Brother Yun identifies the reason quickly and succinctly as our material riches. We rely on our bank account, on our job, on our political system, on ourselves, on anything but God! The devil doesn't have to inspire persecution here; he keeps us down with our own riches. Yun then attributes the life of the church in China to the high level of persecution. In essence, persecution is a good thing in the light of eternity! Isn't that just like God to turn something completely inside out with His truth? 

We in America tend to think that we are the epitome of Christianity; it is from us that the rest of the world should learn. In God's economy, that just isn't so. I "happened" to receive an e-mail newsletter from Dr. R.C. Sproul, Jr (Highlands Study Center) at the same time as I finished this book. He writes some thoughts as he returns from a short-term missions trip to Myanmar (formerly Burma). He says, "I come home deeply chastened for how western I am, rather than pleased with how Christian. I come home deeply disturbed by how much I take for granted the material blessings God has granted me and my family. I come home shamed by the passion, zeal, hope, and fidelity of the people I went to instruct (emphasis added). They, instead, instructed me. And, last but not least, I come home longing to go back."

How should we as believers respond? I don't have an answer... but I believe we could start by throwing ourselves at the foot of the Cross in repentance for not valuing our Savior as we should, for not following Him as we should, for not proclaiming Him as we should, for not fearing God as we should. We should seek Him with all our heart. We desperately need to find Him; we desperately need His presence; we desperately need to be changed by His grace. And the world desperately needs us to faithfully bring His love to them....

I intend to write more on Brother Yun's story and thoughts. I hope you will get the book for yourselves, for I know you will be blessed by it.