Bold Young Man
Alex B. is a 6th grader in San Jose, CA. He and his brother Richie enjoy watching "The Way of the Master." His dad wrote to us:
"One day before school, Alex came down to breakfast wearing a tool belt filled with about 10 different gospel tracts and million dollar Bibles. I asked him what he was doing. He told me that he wears this to school (only taking it off to play basketball or four square) and passes gospel tracts out to kids at school. I'll admit that I thought he was a little weird. He came home and told me that kids come up to him and ask him for tracts. I felt ashamed of myself and proud of my son. He now wears it regularly to school."
From LivingWaters.com newsletter.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Do You Love The Law?
Do You Love The Law?
Joe Thorn Acts 29 Pastor - Chicago
Is God's law a delight, or a drag? You would probably say the answer is a little complicated. Many of us who work hard to remain focused on the gospel as our hope before God have an almost visceral reaction to "the law," particularly when it is presented as a means of obtaining or maintaining peace with God. This is good. The law is never our hope. Jesus is.
However, the law is "holy, righteous and good" (Romans 7:12) and Scripture tells us how "blessed" is the man who "delights" in the law (Psalm 1). The Psalmist says, "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 19:97). The apostle Paul also says, "I delight in the law of God in my inner being" (Romans 7:22). Why do (should) the people of God love the law? Here are 3 reasons.
1. In the law we have divine direction.
God has not left us alone to figure out what is right and wrong. He has graciously spoken clearly, and we now know the difference between good and evil. In the law we see the character of God and his will to be carried out on earth as it is in heaven. For example, we not only know that God calls us to do good to others in some general sense, but more specifically that we should be hospitable, loving, generous, and patient. He tells us what he desires of us. This is itself grace. We can delight that God has been kind enough to tell us what he requires of us (Micah 6:8).
2. Through the law we uncover our sin.
The law of God not only shows us God's will, but it also acts as a mirror that exposes our sin and falsehood. In the law we see God's standards and commands, but we also see how quickly we break them (Romans 7:7-25). As we have broken the law, it breaks us. The law is used by God to afflict our conscience so that we feel the weight of our guiltiness. And this is a reason to love the law, as it can eventually destroy our pride and any confidence we put in our ability to measure up to God's standards.
3. By the law we are led to the gospel.
In showing us the will of God, and our inability to keep it, the law leads us to see our need for mercy and grace. As many like to say, before we can know and embrace the "good news" of redemption and restoration in Jesus, we must first know and embrace the bad news that we are condemned as law-breakers and under the curse of God. It functions as one of the tools that God uses to prepare us to meet Jesus. So, we love the law as it leads us to see our need for grace and the beauty of the gospel against the backdrop of our guilt and corruption.
But here's the rub: we can only love the law after it has been fulfilled by Christ on our behalf. The law will only be a delight to us after we have found life by the gospel.
For without the gospel, in the law we only find standards unmet and guilt without relief. We wind up sharing Martin Luther's frustration with the call to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind," and say with him, "Love God? Sometimes I hate him!" Apart from the gospel the law leaves us broken and needy.
It is in the gospel where God's standards are met, his law is fulfilled, sin is forgiven, and we are restored to him. The reality of our justification before God through Christ liberates us from the law's condemning power and produces in us a delight in God's law and a motivation to keep it for God's glory and our good.
Is the law our delight? It really depends on whether the gospel is our hope and boast. If it is, then the law does not condemn us, but guides us. It shows us God's way, reminds us of our need for the gospel, and as we walk in it the law leads toward the good of our neighbors and praise of our God (Matthew 5:16). That is our delight.
Originally Posted By Joe Thorn Acts 29 Pastor - Chicago from http://www.theresurgence.com
Joe Thorn Acts 29 Pastor - Chicago
Is God's law a delight, or a drag? You would probably say the answer is a little complicated. Many of us who work hard to remain focused on the gospel as our hope before God have an almost visceral reaction to "the law," particularly when it is presented as a means of obtaining or maintaining peace with God. This is good. The law is never our hope. Jesus is.
However, the law is "holy, righteous and good" (Romans 7:12) and Scripture tells us how "blessed" is the man who "delights" in the law (Psalm 1). The Psalmist says, "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 19:97). The apostle Paul also says, "I delight in the law of God in my inner being" (Romans 7:22). Why do (should) the people of God love the law? Here are 3 reasons.
1. In the law we have divine direction.
God has not left us alone to figure out what is right and wrong. He has graciously spoken clearly, and we now know the difference between good and evil. In the law we see the character of God and his will to be carried out on earth as it is in heaven. For example, we not only know that God calls us to do good to others in some general sense, but more specifically that we should be hospitable, loving, generous, and patient. He tells us what he desires of us. This is itself grace. We can delight that God has been kind enough to tell us what he requires of us (Micah 6:8).
2. Through the law we uncover our sin.
The law of God not only shows us God's will, but it also acts as a mirror that exposes our sin and falsehood. In the law we see God's standards and commands, but we also see how quickly we break them (Romans 7:7-25). As we have broken the law, it breaks us. The law is used by God to afflict our conscience so that we feel the weight of our guiltiness. And this is a reason to love the law, as it can eventually destroy our pride and any confidence we put in our ability to measure up to God's standards.
3. By the law we are led to the gospel.
In showing us the will of God, and our inability to keep it, the law leads us to see our need for mercy and grace. As many like to say, before we can know and embrace the "good news" of redemption and restoration in Jesus, we must first know and embrace the bad news that we are condemned as law-breakers and under the curse of God. It functions as one of the tools that God uses to prepare us to meet Jesus. So, we love the law as it leads us to see our need for grace and the beauty of the gospel against the backdrop of our guilt and corruption.
But here's the rub: we can only love the law after it has been fulfilled by Christ on our behalf. The law will only be a delight to us after we have found life by the gospel.
For without the gospel, in the law we only find standards unmet and guilt without relief. We wind up sharing Martin Luther's frustration with the call to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind," and say with him, "Love God? Sometimes I hate him!" Apart from the gospel the law leaves us broken and needy.
It is in the gospel where God's standards are met, his law is fulfilled, sin is forgiven, and we are restored to him. The reality of our justification before God through Christ liberates us from the law's condemning power and produces in us a delight in God's law and a motivation to keep it for God's glory and our good.
Is the law our delight? It really depends on whether the gospel is our hope and boast. If it is, then the law does not condemn us, but guides us. It shows us God's way, reminds us of our need for the gospel, and as we walk in it the law leads toward the good of our neighbors and praise of our God (Matthew 5:16). That is our delight.
Originally Posted By Joe Thorn Acts 29 Pastor - Chicago from http://www.theresurgence.com
A Response from Ray Comfort (www.raycomfortfood.blogspot.com)
"Dear Ray, Please address some of the rebuttals that have been thrown at you. Such: Your idea of evolution (one species giving birth to another) would disprove evolution. The Bible being written by man. The Bible being horribly inconsistent. Your God doing immoral acts in the Bible. Why atheists "don't exist", but you still address us as such? Providing support that your God is the actual Creator (as opposed to other religions). Why the Bible condemns people for genetic defects (i.e. Dwarfs)." Benjamin
Species to species evolution is not one species "giving birth" to another. It is the theory that human beings evolved from primates (that they are our common ancestor). There is no empirical evidence for any species evolving from another species--either in the fossil record and in the existing creation. Every animal brings forth after its own kind. All a believer in evolution has is a belief that what he has been told is true.
The Scriptures were written by men, but they were "inspired by God" (see 2 Timothy 3:16). Do you write a letter or does your pen? You do the writing, and the pen is the instrument you use. In the Bible, God used man to pen His letter to humanity.
The Bible is not "horribly inconsistent." It’s not even slightly inconsistent. The problem is that it is not "rightly divided" by many of its readers. One great key to understanding Scripture is the correct place of "Law" and "grace." Failure to do that will leave any reader in confusion.
God has never done anything that is "immoral." All of His judgments are righteous and true altogether. He has proclaimed the death sentence upon the whole of humanity, and if He carried out swift justice today and treated each of us according to our sins, we would be in Hell in a second.
But He is rich in mercy and is waiting for sinners to repent (this is referred to as "the Day of Grace"). So it would be wise to draw back your holier-than-thou finger, and not stand in judgment over Almighty God.
It is impossible for any atheist to exist--because to say that there is no God, you need "absolute" knowledge. No one has that but God. That’s why Richard Dawkins uses the word "probably" when he says that there is no God. He doesn’t know if God doesn't exist, so he (like every other professing atheist) is actually "agnostic." It is because of this that I often use the word "professing" before the word atheist, but it becomes tiresome to do so every time.
It is easy to provide evidence that the God of the Bible "is the actual Creator (as opposed to other religions)." Ask Him yourself. He promises to reveal Himself to all that come on His terms (see John 14:21). No religion claims that. To them, the Creator is unknowable.
So there's the gauntlet. But most won’t take up the challenge because they "love the darkness and hate the light. Neither will they come to the light, lest their deeds be exposed" (See also John 8:31, 21).
Finally, the Bible does not condemn people for genetic defects. Those who believe that it does, would probably think that the Scriptures are horribly inconsistent--because they don’t "rightly divide" them.
The Old Testament (Law) carries hundreds of "typologies" of the New Testament (grace). You can see an example in John chapter 3:14-15: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." The opening of the Red Sea, the life of Joseph, the conquering of Jericho, etc., are all hidden types of New Testament truth.
Your reference is presumably to those with physical deformities not being allowed to minister in the Temple of God (under the Law). This is a type of the perfection that is required for those who enter the Kingdom of God (under grace).
Without the perfect righteousness of the Savior, none of us could enter Heaven.
BTW. The cartoon drawn by Richard Gunther does not say that I am big and that the questioner is small (that would be ridiculous), but that rebuttals of this sort that are "thrown" at the Christian always fall back upon the head of the questioner.
Originally Posted by Ray Comfort on 3/05/2010 07:09:00 AM at www.raycomfortfood.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
**CLICK HERE FOR HYMN** Robert Robinson Bio By Pastor Tim Smith www.marshillchurch.org
The message of the Grace of God has power to grip the heart of the rebellious and bring them to a place of writing hymns that reveal humility and contrition.
** CLICK HERE FOR HYMN ** Charlotte Elliot Bio By Pastor Tim Smith www.marshillchurch.org
An entire life time of pain and suffering, yet still a desire to love your creator??? That is grace!
** CLICK HERE FOR HYMN ** Horatio Spafford Bio By Pastor Tim Smith www.marshillchurch.org
The faithfulness of Horatio Spafford will blow your mind! Without the strength of God and grace upon Horatios' life, it's hard to imagine him being able to endure so much pain.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
** CLICK HERE FOR HYMN ** Johnny Cash Bio By Pastor Tim Smith www.marshillhchurch.org
A DIFFERENT LOOK AT JOHNNY CASH...
** CLICK HERE FOR HYMN ** John Newton Bio By Pastor Tim Smith www.marshillchurch.org
THE BACKGROUND BEHIND THE GREAT HYMN "AMAZING GRACE"...
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Origin of The Species UPDATE
Wildly Successful Origins Giveaway
Ray Comfort & Kirk Cameron
"You're not supposed to be here today. We are not ready!" That was the reaction of one atheist at UCLA when we showed up on the 18th to give away 2,000 books. He was right. We originally intended to give the copies of On the Origin of Species out on the 19th, but because of the threats of book burnings, of "unilateral resistance," and the many threats to tear out the Introduction, we changed our strategy. We are so glad we made this move. Atheists had planned to disguise themselves as students and collect multiple copies themselves to stop students getting the books.
One atheist wrote: "I wish people would stop ragging on him distributing the books early. It's a good strategic move to try to pre-empt our events, themselves intended to oppose his. It's a purely political thing and in his position I'd likely have done much the same thing. It's pretty similar to a route being changed or a meeting set earlier than scheduled in order to foil a protest -- it's a legitimate tactic, no matter how frustrating."
The Yale Daily News said, "The book-giving event was originally scheduled for Thursday, effectively ruining the plans of the SSA to counter the creationists' event with their own, more satirical, on-campus event."
The Secular Student Association went to some expense with colorful bookmarks with a picture of a banana on them. I offered to pay their printing bill, but as yet haven't heard back from them.
But for a few copies being destroyed and one atheist managing to collect 22 copies for himself, everything went very smoothly. All we wanted to do was peacefully pass out the books and it was wildly successful.
A team in England also passed out 1,000 copies to Oxford University students. Richard Dawkins has told students to rip out the Introduction, that they are cousins of bananas, that nothing created everything, and that anyone who didn't believe as he did, was "wicked." So we went to his home university to let students know that they are not cousins of bananas, that God created them, and that they are free to believe anything they wish. We also sent him a very nice gift basket along with his own copy of the book, and yes . . . I had a banana put into the basket. But we didn't say who the gift basket was from. We will leave him to formulate his own theory as to its origin.
We are working on a documentary of the Origin into Schools project, and will give you progress reports.
We are so grateful to the nearly 2,000 Christians that cared enough about the lost, to help us get the gospel into the hands of 171,000 people (minus 22). Please know that this is just the beginning.
Ray Comfort & Kirk Cameron
"You're not supposed to be here today. We are not ready!" That was the reaction of one atheist at UCLA when we showed up on the 18th to give away 2,000 books. He was right. We originally intended to give the copies of On the Origin of Species out on the 19th, but because of the threats of book burnings, of "unilateral resistance," and the many threats to tear out the Introduction, we changed our strategy. We are so glad we made this move. Atheists had planned to disguise themselves as students and collect multiple copies themselves to stop students getting the books.
One atheist wrote: "I wish people would stop ragging on him distributing the books early. It's a good strategic move to try to pre-empt our events, themselves intended to oppose his. It's a purely political thing and in his position I'd likely have done much the same thing. It's pretty similar to a route being changed or a meeting set earlier than scheduled in order to foil a protest -- it's a legitimate tactic, no matter how frustrating."
The Yale Daily News said, "The book-giving event was originally scheduled for Thursday, effectively ruining the plans of the SSA to counter the creationists' event with their own, more satirical, on-campus event."
The Secular Student Association went to some expense with colorful bookmarks with a picture of a banana on them. I offered to pay their printing bill, but as yet haven't heard back from them.
But for a few copies being destroyed and one atheist managing to collect 22 copies for himself, everything went very smoothly. All we wanted to do was peacefully pass out the books and it was wildly successful.
A team in England also passed out 1,000 copies to Oxford University students. Richard Dawkins has told students to rip out the Introduction, that they are cousins of bananas, that nothing created everything, and that anyone who didn't believe as he did, was "wicked." So we went to his home university to let students know that they are not cousins of bananas, that God created them, and that they are free to believe anything they wish. We also sent him a very nice gift basket along with his own copy of the book, and yes . . . I had a banana put into the basket. But we didn't say who the gift basket was from. We will leave him to formulate his own theory as to its origin.
We are working on a documentary of the Origin into Schools project, and will give you progress reports.
We are so grateful to the nearly 2,000 Christians that cared enough about the lost, to help us get the gospel into the hands of 171,000 people (minus 22). Please know that this is just the beginning.
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