if you haven't listened to the Worship God '09 sessions,i highly recommend them.I listened to the first one, and John Piper spoke of Christ work on the cross. He said that the first reason for cross was to solve a problem; the problem is that God's righteousness was clouded by sin and need to be shown.So Christ died, first, so that God's righteousness would be shown, and then, second, to save us.
"Before the cross can become for our sake, it has to be for God's sake", says Piper. Christ died to reveal what we, through sin had hidden in the world. God's righteousness was being corrupted and clouded by our sin. So Christ died first to promote God, and then to save us.
The cool thing about this is that God knows that this is the only thing that can make us happy. John Piper says this: the only happiness for man is a happiness focused on the riches of the glory of God in the face of Christ." We can't be satisfied with anything else. Everything else will leave us empty and wanting.
So through Christ death he saved us and gave us the greatest give ever; Himself!!!!! What a great God we serve to give us what we don't deserve. He gave us life and the greatest source of happiness!!! He has knit this into our being! we are incomplete without Him and yet we try so hard to be complete apart from Him. He created us the way we are and He created us to be dependent on Him, but He also made that dependence and that relationship the greatest source of joy and pleasure for us! this truly is amazing!!!
Again I recommend you listen to the sermons. I believe they can be located at http://worshipgodconference.com/
The speakers there can explain a whole lot better than I. I just wanted to share what I have learned through the teaching of God's word by these men.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
So Sovereign
Yesterday was just like any normal day for me. i got ready, i went to work, took my lunch break and as i sat at my computer to figure out what i wanted to prepare for today i got sidetracked reading another blog that some girlfriends of mine write on. It's nice keeping in touch but its even better when i find out that one of them is engaged. Oh what rapturous delight came upon me to know that a very dear friend will be getting married in about 2 months. talk about short engagement.
My friend and her fiance have had a very long history of being in and out of a relationship together and he even proposed to her before, but she broke it off. As i was thinking about their relationship and future marriage, i could not help but cry tears of happiness in the realization that God is so Sovereign in his timing and just overall sovereign. His ways are not our ways and his timing is always best. I love that God knows us best even more than we know ourselves. He is so good to divinely ordain big things and little things (whether good or bad) in our lives that all we should do is praise his name.
My husband brought up a good point in asking "what if they weren't going to get married ever" and i said then thats Gods will and thats what im happy for. So many people have this idea that God is sovereign only in the things that are good that happen in our lives, but he's sovereign and should be praised even in the "bad" times. Easier said that done, most definetly, but still so absolutely true.
So God,
thank you for being sovereign in your timing and knowing exactly when to place two people together and all the other big and little, "good" and "bad" things that happen in this short life of ours.
amen.
My friend and her fiance have had a very long history of being in and out of a relationship together and he even proposed to her before, but she broke it off. As i was thinking about their relationship and future marriage, i could not help but cry tears of happiness in the realization that God is so Sovereign in his timing and just overall sovereign. His ways are not our ways and his timing is always best. I love that God knows us best even more than we know ourselves. He is so good to divinely ordain big things and little things (whether good or bad) in our lives that all we should do is praise his name.
My husband brought up a good point in asking "what if they weren't going to get married ever" and i said then thats Gods will and thats what im happy for. So many people have this idea that God is sovereign only in the things that are good that happen in our lives, but he's sovereign and should be praised even in the "bad" times. Easier said that done, most definetly, but still so absolutely true.
So God,
thank you for being sovereign in your timing and knowing exactly when to place two people together and all the other big and little, "good" and "bad" things that happen in this short life of ours.
amen.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
O for a thousand tongues to sing
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.
Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.
In Christ your Head, you then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.
Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.
On this glad day the glorious Sun
Of Righteousness arose;
On my benighted soul He shone
And filled it with repose.
Sudden expired the legal strife,
’Twas then I ceased to grieve;
My second, real, living life
I then began to live.
Then with my heart I first believed,
Believed with faith divine,
Power with the Holy Ghost received
To call the Savior mine.
I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
Close to my soul applied;
Me, me He loved, the Son of God,
For me, for me He died!
I found and owned His promise true,
Ascertained of my part,
My pardon passed in heaven I knew
When written on my heart.
Look unto Him, ye nations, own
Your God, ye fallen race;
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
Be justified by grace.
See all your sins on Jesus laid:
The Lamb of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made
For every soul of man.
Awake from guilty nature’s sleep,
And Christ shall give you light,
Cast all your sins into the deep,
And wash the Æthiop white.
Harlots and publicans and thieves
In holy triumph join!
Saved is the sinner that believes
From crimes as great as mine.
Murderers and all ye hellish crew
In holy triumph join!
Believe the Savior died for you;
For me the Savior died.
With me, your chief, ye then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
King Jehoshaphat's Prayer
After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar" (that is, Engedi). Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
In Jehoshaphat's mind, he and the people that he was leading were on the verge of invasion and disaster. There was no appearance of a way out. There were no words slick enough to change the opposing armies' minds. There were no actions that could be taken to appease their enemies. There was not enough strength to defeat those who were coming after them. There was no way to win!
As these thoughts passed through the mind of the king, he turned to his God. Where else had he to turn? Read again these words that were prayed by the king aloud in front of his people: "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you". Imagine if we turned on the TV and heard the president of the United States pray these words. What humility! What a confidence in God. What faith! What a moment of true leadership! In a time where disaster and defeat were at the door and ready to crush all hope, the king of Judah turned to the King of the universe in faith.
What can we take away from Jehoshaphat's circumstance and response? Have you ever prayed "I do not know what to do, but my eyes are on you"? This seems like a simple prayer. Yet this is a self-confidence abandoning, pride-dissolving, heart-rearranging prayer. Maybe this prayer is not so simple. No one enjoys admitting that they don't know what to do. Yet in this story a king prays before his people these very words as he, in faith, throws himself upon the mercy of the Maker.
Do we have this kind of faith? Do we trust our Father this much? Do we have this kind of humility? Would we dare to pray this prayer? Would we dare to pray this prayer in front of others? Would we dare to pray this prayer before those whom we are responsible for or leading? Do we have this kind of confidence in God?
As the story progresses, we see that God chose to honor the king's prayer. As the king led his army to battle, trusting his Lord, the Bible tells us that God set an ambush for his enemies and that they were miraculously defeated. The king and his people gathered all the spoil and returned home. God's Word says that they had joy and rejoiced because of God's great victory.
This story from 2 Chronicles is a wonderful picture of our Sovereign Creator. Our God rules over all kingdoms. Our God has such power and might in his hand that none is able to withstand him. Our God is the God of Heaven and he does all that he pleases. How could we not, as the king of Judah did, fix our eyes on him? Jehoshaphat humbled himself before the Lord and the Lord raised him up and gave him the victory. It is impossible to pray a prayer like this when pride and self-confidence are too strong in our hearts. It is impossible to deal with pride appropriately without first kneeling in submission at the the foot of the cross. May we submit our hearts in humility to the one who humbled himself to the point of death, even death on the cross that we might live. Let us follow this example given to us and abandon any inappropriate faith, confidence, or reliance that rests on anything or anyone other than the matchless King of kings and Lord of lords.
And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, and said, "O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, 'If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you— for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.' And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." --2 Chronicles 20:1-12
In Jehoshaphat's mind, he and the people that he was leading were on the verge of invasion and disaster. There was no appearance of a way out. There were no words slick enough to change the opposing armies' minds. There were no actions that could be taken to appease their enemies. There was not enough strength to defeat those who were coming after them. There was no way to win!
As these thoughts passed through the mind of the king, he turned to his God. Where else had he to turn? Read again these words that were prayed by the king aloud in front of his people: "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you". Imagine if we turned on the TV and heard the president of the United States pray these words. What humility! What a confidence in God. What faith! What a moment of true leadership! In a time where disaster and defeat were at the door and ready to crush all hope, the king of Judah turned to the King of the universe in faith.
What can we take away from Jehoshaphat's circumstance and response? Have you ever prayed "I do not know what to do, but my eyes are on you"? This seems like a simple prayer. Yet this is a self-confidence abandoning, pride-dissolving, heart-rearranging prayer. Maybe this prayer is not so simple. No one enjoys admitting that they don't know what to do. Yet in this story a king prays before his people these very words as he, in faith, throws himself upon the mercy of the Maker.
Do we have this kind of faith? Do we trust our Father this much? Do we have this kind of humility? Would we dare to pray this prayer? Would we dare to pray this prayer in front of others? Would we dare to pray this prayer before those whom we are responsible for or leading? Do we have this kind of confidence in God?
As the story progresses, we see that God chose to honor the king's prayer. As the king led his army to battle, trusting his Lord, the Bible tells us that God set an ambush for his enemies and that they were miraculously defeated. The king and his people gathered all the spoil and returned home. God's Word says that they had joy and rejoiced because of God's great victory.
This story from 2 Chronicles is a wonderful picture of our Sovereign Creator. Our God rules over all kingdoms. Our God has such power and might in his hand that none is able to withstand him. Our God is the God of Heaven and he does all that he pleases. How could we not, as the king of Judah did, fix our eyes on him? Jehoshaphat humbled himself before the Lord and the Lord raised him up and gave him the victory. It is impossible to pray a prayer like this when pride and self-confidence are too strong in our hearts. It is impossible to deal with pride appropriately without first kneeling in submission at the the foot of the cross. May we submit our hearts in humility to the one who humbled himself to the point of death, even death on the cross that we might live. Let us follow this example given to us and abandon any inappropriate faith, confidence, or reliance that rests on anything or anyone other than the matchless King of kings and Lord of lords.
Monday, May 24, 2010
The Best of Men Are Men at Best
Yesterday I visited a very nice Presbyterian church (myself being a Baptist). I've only visited two Presbyterian churches in my life (that I can recall) and I always love it. If it weren't for the paedo baptism issue I probably would have joined a Presbyterian church by now (since I visited one before I visited my current church whom I love).
One interesting thing about Presbyterian churches is the way they follow their tradition. Whereas some more litergical denominations hold to traditions in their form of worship and others (like my denomination) hold to traditions as they evolve over time, Presbyterians refer back to certain documents written by some of the wisest men of biblical history. That is why it was interesting to me when the pastor brought up a glaring weakness in the go-to document (outside of Scripture) for reformed Christians- especially Presbyterians, the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
In the question #4 of the Catechism we read:
The glaring weakness in this is not what it says, these are all true things. But it is the attribute that is left out, namely, love. I have written several posts on the love of God in the past, as have my friends here on the Grace and Peace blog, so instead of addressing that topic I want to look at what I learned simply from the ethos of the pastor.
How much do we love our traditions more than we love the truth? Or to put it another way, how much do we treat tradition as equal to the truth? This issue can take many forms. Sometimes it comes in the form of "I don't know where but I know somewhere the Bible says..." and instead of knowing the Scripture and applying it to our lives we usurp its authority in order to say what we think. Other times it can come in the form of gripping our views tightly in the face of what we see taught in Scripture. Still other times we think it's wrong to question the great men of the faith for whom we have great respect. We might say "if that's what Spurgeon taught, who am I to question it?"
We must remember that "All Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Tim. 3:16) and any tradition that doesn't root itself in that Scripture will be flawed in some way. Does that mean that no tradition is good? Can we learn anything outside of the Bible? Of course we can. But we must be willing to critique our traditions according to Scripture. If we don't do that we will never be able to correct the blindspots in our doctrine or in our lives.
Grace and Peace,
Stephen
One interesting thing about Presbyterian churches is the way they follow their tradition. Whereas some more litergical denominations hold to traditions in their form of worship and others (like my denomination) hold to traditions as they evolve over time, Presbyterians refer back to certain documents written by some of the wisest men of biblical history. That is why it was interesting to me when the pastor brought up a glaring weakness in the go-to document (outside of Scripture) for reformed Christians- especially Presbyterians, the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
In the question #4 of the Catechism we read:
4. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
The glaring weakness in this is not what it says, these are all true things. But it is the attribute that is left out, namely, love. I have written several posts on the love of God in the past, as have my friends here on the Grace and Peace blog, so instead of addressing that topic I want to look at what I learned simply from the ethos of the pastor.
How much do we love our traditions more than we love the truth? Or to put it another way, how much do we treat tradition as equal to the truth? This issue can take many forms. Sometimes it comes in the form of "I don't know where but I know somewhere the Bible says..." and instead of knowing the Scripture and applying it to our lives we usurp its authority in order to say what we think. Other times it can come in the form of gripping our views tightly in the face of what we see taught in Scripture. Still other times we think it's wrong to question the great men of the faith for whom we have great respect. We might say "if that's what Spurgeon taught, who am I to question it?"
We must remember that "All Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Tim. 3:16) and any tradition that doesn't root itself in that Scripture will be flawed in some way. Does that mean that no tradition is good? Can we learn anything outside of the Bible? Of course we can. But we must be willing to critique our traditions according to Scripture. If we don't do that we will never be able to correct the blindspots in our doctrine or in our lives.
Grace and Peace,
Stephen
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Garbage in, Garbage out
I go through different stages with music that i listen to. Since ive gotten my new phone , ive been able to listen to pandora pretty much whenever i want which is amazing, but something has been lacking. I have to admit i am a little bit of a music snob and so i get kinda picky sometimes, but more than anthing i haven't been listening to all christian music all the time. the other stuff i have been listening to isnt' necessarily unholy but its just not "christian" themed. I like secular music, but ive noticed that i miss singing about God and truths of the bible.
like if im having a bad day or if im wanting to focus on Christ a song (for me at least) helps me focus, and with the stuff ive been listening to lately its harder and harder for me to recall christian music as i go through my repertoire of music in my head. In know im still going to listen to secular things, but right now i just miss christian music and letting music about christ fill me head. So yesterday that was what i listened to and i sang along and then i woke up with a sore throat because of singing so much, but all of this is to say that one of the songs i was listening to was so great i just wanted to share it, and since the last two posts have been songs im going to add to it.
So here it is --> The Atonement Q & A
ok so its not letting me paste my song so im copying it into a comment.
enjoy,
grace and peace sarah bean
like if im having a bad day or if im wanting to focus on Christ a song (for me at least) helps me focus, and with the stuff ive been listening to lately its harder and harder for me to recall christian music as i go through my repertoire of music in my head. In know im still going to listen to secular things, but right now i just miss christian music and letting music about christ fill me head. So yesterday that was what i listened to and i sang along and then i woke up with a sore throat because of singing so much, but all of this is to say that one of the songs i was listening to was so great i just wanted to share it, and since the last two posts have been songs im going to add to it.
So here it is --> The Atonement Q & A
ok so its not letting me paste my song so im copying it into a comment.
enjoy,
grace and peace sarah bean
Help My Unbelief
Here are some notes I took in my journal today from Mark 9. If anything I say is wrong, please tell me. I'm still learning how to study my Bible and I may have some things wrong.
Today I read Mark 9, which is the story of Jesus' transfiguration and a time he healed a boy with an unclean spirit. Jesus comes down from the mountain (after the transfiguration) and finds his disciples (minus Peter, James, and John) arguing with some scribes. He finds out (of course He already knew) that his disciples had tried to cast out an unclean spirit, but were unable. The father of the child desperately calls out to Jesus for help. Verse 19 says this:
"And he [Jesus] answered them, 'O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?'"
I find it so powerful the way Christ views sin and the hearts of men. Christ sees sin as such a problem that a demon possession seems somewhat minimal. So often people came to Jesus to be healed of physical ailments, but they failed to see that they had the ultimate source for spiritual healing right in front of them! We are blind. We can't see past our own physical, mental, and emotional "issues."
At the sight of Jesus, scripture tells us that the spirit convulsed the boy.When Jesus asked him how long the child had been tormented, the father replied (vs. 21b-22):
"...from childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
Jesus' sarcastic response cuts deep into the father (and should into us as well), revealing his faithlessness.
"If you can! All things are possible for one who believes."
Next a beautiful thing happens. Jesus opens the man's eyes and he sees his doubt. The man then shows his deprivation as a human and his need for constant grace and help through his wonderful request.:
"I believe; help my unbelief."
This should be the prayer of every Christian,because we do fail to trust and believe that Christ is everything we need and can do anything. Christ then humbly heals the boy. Even though he is more concerned about their hearts, he shows love and mercy by physically healing the boy. The God we serve shows so much grace to us, feeble, simple-minded humans, and we take Him for granted. Thank you for your grace, Lord. Help our unbelief.
Today I read Mark 9, which is the story of Jesus' transfiguration and a time he healed a boy with an unclean spirit. Jesus comes down from the mountain (after the transfiguration) and finds his disciples (minus Peter, James, and John) arguing with some scribes. He finds out (of course He already knew) that his disciples had tried to cast out an unclean spirit, but were unable. The father of the child desperately calls out to Jesus for help. Verse 19 says this:
"And he [Jesus] answered them, 'O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?'"
I find it so powerful the way Christ views sin and the hearts of men. Christ sees sin as such a problem that a demon possession seems somewhat minimal. So often people came to Jesus to be healed of physical ailments, but they failed to see that they had the ultimate source for spiritual healing right in front of them! We are blind. We can't see past our own physical, mental, and emotional "issues."
At the sight of Jesus, scripture tells us that the spirit convulsed the boy.When Jesus asked him how long the child had been tormented, the father replied (vs. 21b-22):
"...from childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
Jesus' sarcastic response cuts deep into the father (and should into us as well), revealing his faithlessness.
"If you can! All things are possible for one who believes."
Next a beautiful thing happens. Jesus opens the man's eyes and he sees his doubt. The man then shows his deprivation as a human and his need for constant grace and help through his wonderful request.:
"I believe; help my unbelief."
This should be the prayer of every Christian,because we do fail to trust and believe that Christ is everything we need and can do anything. Christ then humbly heals the boy. Even though he is more concerned about their hearts, he shows love and mercy by physically healing the boy. The God we serve shows so much grace to us, feeble, simple-minded humans, and we take Him for granted. Thank you for your grace, Lord. Help our unbelief.
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