"The Lord looks down from heaven;
he sees all the children of man;
from where he sits enthroned he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by it's great might it cannot rescue." - Psalm 33:13-17
From where does your hope for salvation come from?
From something of the world? From your religious fervour, your frequent church attendance or your high moral standards? Just like the king in this psalm, we far too often place our hope in our own strength or deeds from salvation.
The ONLY hope that we have for salvation is the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
"But he was wounded for our transgressions:
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon his was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed" - Isaiah 53:5
Give up on your own attempts to save yourself, and just rest at the foot of the cross.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
A very subtle, and dangerous sin
“Whatever it be that makes us trust in ourselves that we are comparatively wise or good, so as to treat those with contempt who do not subscribe to our doctrines, or follow our party, is a proof and fruit of a self-righteous spirit.” -Timothy Keller
The tendency of our mind
"You’re going to roll out of bed tomorrow a functional Pharisee. The instincts beneath your instincts, the impulses way down deep inside you, are law, not gospel. A good night’s sleep, not a heretical sermon, is all it takes to forget the gospel of grace." - Dane Ortlund.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
"How to" know false teaching - READ YOUR BIBLE
"Nothing supplies false prophets with followers so much as spiritual sloth under a cloak of humility." - J.C. Ryle
Ring true much?
Ring true much?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
When brothers (and sisters) in unity
"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" - Psalm 133:1 (ESV)
As I sat in prayer with a couple of my brothers today, I thought to myself how blessed I am to have so many people in my life who love the Lord and desire to see Him glorified in their own lives and the lives of others.
There is nothing quite like sharing the knowledge and power of the gospel with others, rejoicing together in the salvation that comes entirely from the Lord. If you don't have people like this in your life, to constantly remind you of the gospel and who you are in Christ, then I urge you to find some! There is nothing quite like it, I promise!
As I sat in prayer with a couple of my brothers today, I thought to myself how blessed I am to have so many people in my life who love the Lord and desire to see Him glorified in their own lives and the lives of others.
There is nothing quite like sharing the knowledge and power of the gospel with others, rejoicing together in the salvation that comes entirely from the Lord. If you don't have people like this in your life, to constantly remind you of the gospel and who you are in Christ, then I urge you to find some! There is nothing quite like it, I promise!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Consider this
"Whoever is wise, let him consider these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD" - Psalm 107:43
Spending some time in the Old Testament, one can't help but be amazed at how gracious and merciful God showed Himself to be to the people of Israel. The amazing work of salvation that the Lord worked through the freeing of the Jews from the bondage of Egypt, the patience and mercy in the desert, the faithfulness in obtaining the Promised Land, the faithfulness throughout the exile and the list goes on.
But we know what this list culminates in: the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ of Nazareth (Isaiah 9:6)
May we who have been blessed with the knowledge of the Lord's amazing grace through Christ, consider it always and share it with others, as we strive forward on our journeys to love God and others.
let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD" - Psalm 107:43
Spending some time in the Old Testament, one can't help but be amazed at how gracious and merciful God showed Himself to be to the people of Israel. The amazing work of salvation that the Lord worked through the freeing of the Jews from the bondage of Egypt, the patience and mercy in the desert, the faithfulness in obtaining the Promised Land, the faithfulness throughout the exile and the list goes on.
But we know what this list culminates in: the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ of Nazareth (Isaiah 9:6)
May we who have been blessed with the knowledge of the Lord's amazing grace through Christ, consider it always and share it with others, as we strive forward on our journeys to love God and others.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
A fresh (and essential) look on discipleship
After listening to David Platt's fantastic sermon on what the gospel truly demands of our lives (http://www.brookhills.org/
Am I pursuing comfort or a cross? (Luke 9:58)
Am I pursuing maintenance or mission? (Luke 9:60)
Do I have an indecisive mind or an undivided heart? (Luke 9:62)
Does the church truly believe the Word, and what it says about - following Jesus, the lost and the poor?
Lord, may you please give us the grace to live radical lives for the sake of your glory and gospel.
Am I pursuing comfort or a cross? (Luke 9:58)
Am I pursuing maintenance or mission? (Luke 9:60)
Do I have an indecisive mind or an undivided heart? (Luke 9:62)
Does the church truly believe the Word, and what it says about - following Jesus, the lost and the poor?
Lord, may you please give us the grace to live radical lives for the sake of your glory and gospel.
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