JoyInGod

Long time coming... a path still to walk... Are You Ready?

2012-01-23T09:55:00.009-06:00

I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions. IF I were to have one it would be something like, "workout more" or "blog more consistently" ... but those types of things usually fail for most of us.

I think it is plain to see that this is an area of struggle in my life being that I'm writing a "resolutions" post and it is the 23rd of January...

Something like 46% of resolutions are still operating after 6 months... that's less than half. Now, that isn't to say that making goals is bad. In fact, from the same article I picked up the previous stat, I read that those who make goals regularly are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals over those who don't.

The problem isn't in the making of resolutions but in the motivations for doing so.

JC Ryle (1816-1900) was an evangelical Anglican minister, and later Bishop of Liverpool (home of the Beatles for all my hippie friends).

He was a great lover of God's Word and a faithful follower of Jesus in the midst of great personal heartache.

He wrote a "tract" called "Are You Ready" as a preparation for the New Year. It has been a challenging read for me, one who is prone to disregard the making of traditional resolutions and try to write it off as if I am just being logical.

(I mean... 54% don't last... right?!)

While most of the public discourse surrounding the new year is focused on putting the difficulty of the previous year behind us and focusing on the hope of the year to come, Ryle doesn't do that. In fact he starts on the exact other side of the spectrum.

"It is a solemn thing to part company with the old year. It is a still more solemn thing to begin a new one. It is like entering a dark passage: we know not what we may meet before the end. All before us is uncertain: we know not what a day may bring forth, much less what may happen in a year. Reader, are you ready?"

Happy New Year! Ready for your "dark passage?" Ryle goes on to list the possibility of calamity in the coming year asking the reader:

Are you ready for sickness?

Are you ready for affliction?

Are you ready for bereavements?

Are you ready for death?

Are you ready for the second coming of Christ?

"O reader, these are solemn questions! They ought to make you examine yourself. They ought to make you think. It would be a terrible thing to be taken by surprise. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

But shall I leave you here? I will not do so. Shall I raise searchings of heart, and not set before you the way of life? I will not do so. Hear me for a few moments, while I try to show you the man that is ready."

He that is ready has a ready Saviour.

He that is ready has a ready heart.

He that is ready has a home ready for him in heaven.

Then he asks, "Reader, do you know anything of the things I have just spoken of?"

It is there where I think I found my problem... I don't ready myself in the Truth of God's Word... That I have a ready Savior in Christ Jesus!

That I have a renewed heart and mind, because of Christ, and that the Spirit is at work in remaking my heart every day!

That Christ has promised an dwelling eternal with himself as the light of the Great Eternal City forever!

Here is the reality...

All the the first list... the solemn list...

ALL of it will continue until Jesus returns and the wedding supper of the Lamb begins.

As will all my drift towards bad-habbits, proclivity to sin, and all the other behaviors for which we so readily make resolutions in order to modify...

I can be ready to face the trials & temptations of sickness, afflictions, bereavements, and death (because they will come). Not because I WILL myself to face them but because the Lord stands ready to save. Like Hezekiah we can say, "The Lord will surely save me." (Isaiah 38:20)

Jonathan Edwards writes a fairly short preamble to his famous list of resolutions:

"Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake."

HE has to do this work in me. Not me doing my best and hope God makes up the rest.

So... I don't think I will write out and post a list of resolutions... but, over the coming days and weeks, my time in prayer will follow this advice from Ryle:

"Reader, if you have reason to hope you are ready, I advise you to make sure. Walk more closely with God,-get nearer to Christ,-seek to exchange hope for assurance. Seek to feel the witness of the Spirit more closely and distinctly every year. Lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets you. Press towards the mark more earnestly. Fight a better fight, and war a better warfare every year you live. Pray more,-read more,-mortify self more,-love the brethren more. Oh that you may endeavour so to grow in grace every year, that your last things may be far more than your first, and the end of your Christian course far better than the beginning!"

Re|Train - Disciple

2011-08-15T13:37:00.005-05:00

I figured this blog would be a good place to give my re-cap of ReTrain as I move through the program and share what the Lord is teaching me through the process. It lets others in on the main ideas and highlights and keeps me accountable to actually do something with what I’m learning... so here goes.

This first leg of the course was titled “Disciple” and was taught by Pastor Bill Clem from Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Pastor Bill has taught this class the previous 2 years here at ReTrain and out of that has come a helpful BOOK with the same title as the course. In prep for the class I felt as if I wasn’t learning these new and revolutionary ideas but rather there was a stripping away of some of the secondary issues that surround what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and getting to the core idea that a disciple of Jesus is one who gets his identity from Jesus. This shaped the approach to the whole week. Pastor Bill masterfully shepherded the students (about 120 of us) through what it means to be a Disciple.

I was able to connect with a group of guys who will make up the corhort of which I am a part for the duration of ReTrain... the Wallingford Lead Pastor’s Cohort! Its a mix of guys from Mars Hill, a couple of Acts29 guys and a bunch of guys from different backgrounds all seeking to be equipped to serve the flock to which God has called them! They are a great group of guys and I am very much looking forward to getting to know them better as we wrestle through ReTrain over the course of the coming 10 months!

Big Take-Away...
As part of our time this month we were trained in “Gospel Coach”... a process developed to help church leaders to really shepherd the flock of God...

As part of that training we got some time to practice coaching and digging into each others lives. I worked with a guy named Brandon from my cohort who took his turn in “coaching” me. Brandon is a pastor of a church in Northwest Washington and we paired up for this exercise. He was gracious and direct and about 20 minutes into our practice, empowerd by the Holy Spirit, he landed a very well-placed left-hook on my pride:

“Perhaps your heart isn’t as inclined to Jesus as you think...”

You see as we were talking about things that I feel that I struggle with I wanted to talk about how I felt inconsistent in the different areas of my life that require discipline. If my discipline is moved or directed by anything other than a pure affection for Christ then it becomes a burden and then I am prone to justify myself and take the easy path or neglect that area needing discipline entirely.

In that moment I had the option to push back and say, “well... its not that bad.” or “I don’t know if I would say that...” but the reality was plain as day... as much as I do love Christ and desire to know Him and worship Him, my affection for him gets crowded out by my love for myself far too often.

It was a great picture of “iron sharpening iron” and my hope is that this would be normative for our cohort as we traverse this material through ReTrain.

I was blessed by my cohort and on top of that I am rooming with a great guy named Paul from Squamish, British Columbia (Eh?) and we are hosted by a GREAT family (Rick & Elizabeth James) who are expecting their first child in January and attend Mars Hill at Shoreline.

Please pray for Rick and Elizabeth as they prepare for baby & pray for my new friend Brandon, his family, and his church (Brier Church).

Overall... great, fun experience and very challenging to both my head and my heart... now to do my homework...

JP

We need the Gospel Every Day

2011-08-03T15:57:00.002-05:00

Another reminder that the Gospel isn't something we hear and respond to once to get saved and them move away from it. We need it... I need it every day. Apparently Martin Luther needed it too...

"I myself have been preaching and cultivating [the Gospel of grace] through reading and writing for almost twenty years and still feel the old clinging dirt of wanting to deal so with God that I may contribute something so that He will give me His grace in exchange for my holiness." - Luther (Commentary on Galatians - as quoted by Scott Thomas in his book Gospel Coach.

Preach the Gospel to yourself.

"... we can say that the Gospel is just for non-Christians who don't know Jesus yet, and they need the Gospel. But for me, for us, those that are Christians, we need the Gospel every day." - Andrew Loewen [emphasis mine]

Worship Theology - "Absent from Flesh" (and a rant about christian music)

2011-08-02T11:22:00.006-05:00

If you are around River City it might seem that we have some sort of fascination with Sojourn music. In fact... we do. Sojourn (Louisville, KY) has done a great job reviving some great hymn texts with really excellent music!

Tangent/Soap box: If you've spent any time with me you know that sometimes I can be a bit critical... and you may have heard that criticism leveled at the current crop of Christian music and worship songs out there. I think that we too often promote some (most) of the music on Christian radio as the next best song because the lyrics say something inspirational or mildly relating to Jesus or God or something close... when in reality it is not that great (either lyrically or musically) and comes across as a bad knock-off of the Top 40 Pop music we have to endure on the radio... My hope would be that we would, out of devotion to Christ because of His accomplished work on our behalf, strive to do everything (sing, write songs, mop floors, fulfill our callings) to God's glory and not because autotune on 20-something female singers with quasi-dance beats is IN now so we should sing about Jesus to those same dance beats and call it "good" music, art, whatever. It smacks of a worldly perspective on our lives as followers of Jesus instead of an eternal perspective (Col 3:1-4) ... and reminds me of a line from Norm MacDonald when he was once hosting SNL's Weekend Update,

"Kenny G announced today that he'll be releasing a new Christmas CD. Happy Birthday, Jesus. Hope you like crap!"

**(my appolgies to Kenny G... and my mom... because I think she owns that Kenny G. Christmas CD)

So... where was I? Oh yes... that is why I so MUCH enjoy what I'm hearing out of Sojourn, and a number of other folks who are incorporating rich Biblical theology with very compelling music (folks like Bifrost Arts, Indelible Grace, as well as a number of churches who are writing and arranging their own music... some of which can be found on NoiseTrade for download)!

Ok... on with the Song - Absent from Flesh

Written by Isaac Watts and revised/arranged By Jamie Barnes

Absent from flesh, O blissful thought

What joy this moment brings

Freed from the blame my sin has brought,

From pain and death and its sting.

Absent from flesh, O Glorious day!

In one triumphant stroke

My reckoning paid, my charges dropped

and the bonds 'round my hands are broke.

CHORUS:

I go where God and glory shine,

To one eternal day

This failing body I now resign,

For the angels point my way.

Absent from flesh! then rise, my soul,

Where feet nor wings could climb,

Beyond the sky, where planets roll,

And beyond all keep of time.

CCLI Song #5918890 CCLI License #1888971 © Sojourn Community Church

I think this is a great song of celebration for what Christ has done in making us new creations IN Him! Now... Watts, as a hymn writer is poetic in his word choice and, in a few places, isn't the most clearly understood theologically. There are two areas where people have asked questions about this song and I'd like to address them.

1 - in all the language about being absent from flesh are we saying that the mortal/created world is bad and only the spirit/immaterial is good? Isn't that gnosticism?

2 - what the HECK does it mean that the angels are "pointing my way" to glory? Where does it say THAT in the Bible?

Good questions...

1 - Revised gnosticism?

One of gnosticism's main ideas is that the material world is bad and the way of salvation from the material is some from of esoteric or intuitive knowledge or understanding of self, god, or the universe. That is FALSE teaching... AND that is NOT what Paul is saying when he talks about denying the flesh (or, what Watts is referring to here in this hymn text). Romans 7 is a great reminder that our flesh, even as Christians, is at war with sin even while we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit in Christ. Not only that Paul realizes that although God created everything (1 John 1:1-3) and that it was created good (Gen. 1), it is marred by sin (Romans 8:20-22) and that while God's creation is glorious and bears his marks it is only temporal now... and thus the present sufferings are not worth comparing to the Glory that will appear at the consummation of all things (Romans 8:18)! So we are then able to resign our mortal bodies and all their failings in hope of life NOW in Christ and the life to come in Glory! It is, I think, a very hopeful part of the song and encouraged me when I feel tired, broken, and weak.

2 - What about all this angel talk?

The Bible tells us some things about angels (they are God's servants - Luke 4:10, they are God's messengers - Luke 1:11-13; 26-33 & Luke 2:9-12, and they are worshippers and heralds - Rev. 5:11-14, Revelation 21 & 22). Now, we need to be carful to not attribute things to angels or our experience that aren't in the Scriptures as Truth without discernment... so, we are not building a theology that Angels literally stand and point to heaven in front of us. BUT, as we read in Revelation 21 & 22, John is being directed, by an angel to behold the glory that is the New Heavens and the New Earth and God unveiling His glory and making all things fully new! So, the use of poetic license to paint a picture of that final and glorious day is, I think, allowable and, in fact, aligns well with the picture of John's Revelation inspired by the Holy Spirit to be written into the Scriptures!

What this DOES mean is that perhaps it would helpful (and I should do this more often anyway) if I took a little more time to explain some of the songs we sing when we gather for corporate worship. If I take my responsibilities seriously... which I do... as a teacher of God's Word (even in song) then it is incumbent upon me to make sure I am truly helping those whom God has placed in my care hear and understand, by the power of the Holy Spirit, who it is that we are worshipping and, in this case, truly understand the glorious picture of the already/not yet... that as we wrestle against our flesh (and we should) we can also rest in God's finished work in Christ... already accomplished... not yet fully revealed... but it will be one day when Jesus returns in all His glory to claim those who belong to the Father! Good stuff.

Love Lustres at Calvary - The Valley Of Vision

2011-04-23T10:21:00.002-05:00

Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
cast off that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell's worst that I might attain heaven's best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might be healed,
athirst that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.
My Saviour wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
closed his eyes in death that I might gaze upon unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live.
O Father, who spared not thine only Son that thou mightest spare me,
All this transfer thy love designed and accomplished;
Help me to adore thee by lips and life.

Puritan prayer, from The Valley Of Vision

Japan, God's Sovereignty, and Hope

2011-03-14T12:28:00.006-05:00

Unless you've been under a rock this past weekend, it is likely that you've at least heard some report of the effects of a MASSIVE earthquake near the coast of Northern Japan that sent a violent and devastating Tsunami that battered the coast of Japan. Its effects were felt (albeit much less damaging) on the western coast of the United States hours later...

There is no doubting that this is a significant 'natural' disaster.

If you are like me, you've likely seen photos and video of some of the damage and have had to pick your jaw up off of the table...

Here is one of the more amazing videos I've seen:

Also - Here are some images from above - Before & After Photos

One of the most astonishing things I have read is that this particular earthquake (5th largest ever in terms of scale ratings if I'm not mistaken) said that it moved the coastline of Japan as much as 8 feet! ARTICLE

~~~

By all accounts it is heartbreaking. As with most tragic situations many people wonder what they can/should do? How does one make sense of all of this? For the Christian... where does God come in here?

John Piper posted a prayer for Japan that rocked and resonated with my heart...

Deal tenderly now, Father, with this fragile people. Woo them. Win them. Save them.

And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head.

O let them not judge you with feeble sense, but trust you for your grace. And so behind this providence, soon find a smiling face.

A Prayer for Japan

I too have been asking a couple of questions:
1 - What should I do?
2 - What does this mean for me as a follower of Jesus?

To answer the first I think it is prudent for Amy (my wife) and I to consider how we might be able to make some room in our finances to give some funds to The Salvation Army or another organization that will put it to good use to meet the needs of those who find themselves homeless and broken and grieving. I think we (my wife & I) should also set aside some money for organizations like Churches Helping Churches (http://churcheshelpingchurches.com/) who stepped in to help the local church in Haiti meet the needs of the people around them in a time of disaster... and perhaps serve the local churches in Japan to help them to be a beacon of hope for the hopeless for the people of Northern Japan.

Those are some practical things that I can do from my cold but rather comfortable place here in Fargo, ND.

But what about the other question? In some ways... this one is deeper. Not more important that meeting the physical needs of those in distress BUT more significant in that it informs and directs our response to this need and every other need (both small and great) that comes our way.

I think Jesus gives us some insight in Luke 13. (Luke 13:1-5)

"There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.'"

So what does this mean? The people were asking a question about the wrongness of what Pilate had done. Man's sin against man. Jesus' answer is something like, "do you think that they are in worse spiritual condition because this happened to them?"

Then Jesus goes on to reference natural disaster... "or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you..."

This terrible thing happened to them... a tower fell and crushed them... but were they killed because they were worse sinners? Of course not. Jesus' answer is no... and he continues... "but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

All of these things point us to the truth that we all deserve to be overtaken by the flood... and crushed under the weight of sins tower topping on our heads. And yet, God's kindness is extended to us in Jesus... and we repent of our sin and call out for salvation. He is our hope.

For the follower of Jesus, these things should cause us to repent and it screams to a broken world the kindness of God... that his mercy is extended... To quote Piper's prayer, "And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head."

Pray for Japan. Pray for the latent sin in your own heart to be rooted out as God has granted you and I a new day of life to trust in Him for our salvation...

That is where I find myself today... Soli Deo Gloria.

~~~

(p.s. I have found this sermon particularly helpful in working through the reality of God and His sovereignty in the midst of tragedy! Difficult but helpful. --Where Is God?--)

Gospel Fueled Worship - Tullian Tchividjian

2011-02-01T11:23:00.001-06:00

“Our main problem in the Christian life is not that we don’t try hard enough to be good, but that we haven’t thought out the deep implications of the gospel and applied its powerful reality to all parts of our life. Real spiritual growth happens as we continually rediscover the gospel.

The same dynamic explains the primary purpose of corporate worship: to rediscover the mighty acts of God in Christ’s coming to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. We gather in worship to celebrate God’s grip on us, not our grip on God."

–Tullian Tchividjian, “Worship: It’s a Big Deal,” in Don’t Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith For a New Day, Ed. Kevin DeYoung (Wheaton: Crossway, 2011), 222-223.

You can read Pastor Tchividjian's whole blog post HERE.

The end of the year Quadfecta!

2010-12-30T11:09:00.010-06:00

Do you have days where it seems like you read something and then it connects to something else... and if that were not coincidental enough a 3rd thing comes into your sphere and you ask yourself... "I wonder if there is a theme here?" Or perhaps, "Is there something that I should be learning in all of this...?" According to the little assessment tool "Strengths Finders" one of my Top 5 strengths is "connectedness" where I see how things are connected and work together. So... perhaps this has something to do with how my brain works. In any case, perhaps this may be helpful to someone else as you consider where God is leading into 2011...

Well... there are 4 things that seem to be connected here... A virtual Quadfecta!
Urban Dictionary (to which I will not link because of questionable material on the site) refers to a quadfecta as a Beer-pong shot that lands on the tops of 4 cups...

That is NOT what I mean here.

As I have been reflecting on the year 2010 and thinking about 2011 I recalled a message from Pastor Matt Chandler that I heard in September of 2009 that really challenged me. I think I even blogged about it in two parts PART 1 and PART 2 or if you want to listen to the message fresh from Chandler you can hear it HERE.

Much of it dealt with a Gospel-centered, Christ-exalting, humility-pursuing, non-self-glorifying approach to life and ministry and our need to be content that the Gospel is about Jesus and we are invited to play our part in His story.

So... Matt Chandler Sermon re-visited... Part 1.

This got me thinking about how there are principles to which we (church folks/pastors/leaders) subscribe for effective leadership, or casting vision, or building the kingdom often end up becoming twisted somehow.
Leadership principles without a Gospel core are just business... vision that loses sight of God's greater purposes of Gospel expansion in our neighborhoods and in the world and become small visions of our own glory pursuits... or striving for a kingdom with a small "k" in which we sit on our own little thrones...

Then... a couple of weeks ago one of the guys on our leadership team mentioned he was reading a book called Radical: Taking back your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt. At first hearing of the title I was dismissive. I assumed it was another book in the long list of folks who want to throw stones at the Church instead of helping her and serving her by being part of her and loving God and others from within her... but i was wrong. I started a little research and found that David Platt loves the Church and pleads with Christians to be careful not to see "the American Dream" of "the pursuit of happiness" as an end in and of itself... but rather the pursuit of Christ and a love for God and Love for others as paramount. So... the Holy Spirit continued his work of conviction in my heart and I just ordered the book. It should be here tomorrow.

Radical by David Platt... Part 2.

Some were passing through Fargo on their way back to Seminary after a Christmas break with family. A young man and his wife. It was great to be able to see them and get/give updates on life in the last year or two... but more importantly, as they got back in their car and I packed up my bag to head home for dinner my heart was encouraged and challenged. This couple was pursuing practical Gospel-ministry while in the midst of a rigorous academic schedule... in an environment (like many seminaries) where the pursuit of knowledge and the academic process are held in high regard... sometime too high.

They, like so many others are almost given permission to dis-engage from "mission" while they "fill up" on all they need to know for mission later... only many of them find their "muscles" for Gospel-mission have often atrophied... Now, I'm not taking a cheap shot at Seminaries or students. In fact, this very couple praised many mentors and professors for practicing the Truths they were teaching... which is highly commendable! The POINT is that the more I fill my mind/heart with the Truth of the Word and knowledge of the Gospel the more I SHOULD be moved to mission for the sake of that Gospel and in pursuit of its expansion! My heart was refreshed and challenged by our time with these friends. Thank you.

Gospel Word moves us toward Gospel Mission.
Conversation with friends... Part 3

And finally... the quad of the quadfecta.
I read this article by Kevin DeYoung called "The Glory of Plodding". He says that we are often not content faithfully plodding along carrying the vision of Gospel expansion because that is boring and we want to be revolutionaries. But what the world and the church need is faithful men and women... committed to the scriptures... committed to the Gospel of Jesus... committed to the Church... and committed to the world around them.

The Glory of Plodding... Part 4

So... what do:
1 - a 2009 Matt Chandler conference message
2 - a book I haven't read yet (did I mention it is coming tomorrow... so then I'll start)
3 - a visit with some friends
4 - an article from a PCA pastor (who has written some good books by the way)
all have in common?

My prayer as I think, read, listen, pray, & plan toward 2011...

God, thank you for your kindness. Would it lead me to greater repentance? Would you fix my gaze on you so that I would not turn aside to lesser things? Would you give me a bold and courageous vision for Gospel expansion in this city and in my own heart? Would you give me faith to pray and ask for you to do impossible things to bring yourself glory here in this city? God, would you help me to play my part well... love Jesus faithfully, pastor my family well, care for your people here at River City... for your name to be great...

Soli Deo Gloria

There is a Peace

2010-12-07T12:56:00.005-06:00

Seeing as how I am the most inconsistent blogger I know, I might un-tag myself as a blogger and re-tag myself as someone who occasionally has a thought that he feels other people need to read...

In any case... I'm working on getting back at it with this whole blog thing. Specifically with putting up music for worship and working through the ins and outs of it for personal and corporate worship.

Today's track is from Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY. We sing a number of their songs at River City here in Fargo. We haven't done this one yet but I've been listening to and reflecting on this one over the past two days. Below you'll find the text to the song and a link to myspace so you can listen to it. (Sorry I had to link to myspace... yuk.) Then below that will be a link to iTunes where you can purchase & download the song or the whole album (highly recommended) and then some of my own thoughts on the song.

There Is A Peace - Charlie Richardson

Come, weary and tired, worn out from life
Step out of the shadows and walk into light
Come, sinner or saint, slave-man or free
Bring blessings and offerings, then you shall you see
Won’t you bring blessings and offerings, then you shall see

[Chorus]
There is a peace to settle your soul
There is a peace that is calling you home

You’ve been tempted and shaken, tested and failed
You’ve been so far from Jesus and too close to hell
Your vision’s been clouded by the world’s delight
But I tell you, you’re not of this world, so stand up and fight
He said you’re not of this world, so stand up and fight

There is a peace to settle your soul’
There is a peace that is calling you home
There is a peace, perfect and true
The Prince of Peace is calling for you

(c)2006

Listen HERE (click on "There is a Peace")
Buy HERE

~~~~~~

This a great call to response song. It sounds like Isaiah 55 or Jesus in Matthew 11... "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Jesus' call to the broken is clear and strong... you are broken and needy and I am a good shepherd who will welcome you into my fold! "Come sinner or saint, slave man or free..." Even in this call to "come to Jesus, the salvation is initiated by the one who saves... not the one being called. That is so important!

Even at the end of the first verse where the song says, "Bring blessings and offerings..." You might be thinking, "now wait a minute... I have to bring something? If I bring something to the table of salvation it isn't grace is it?"

If you brought something to your own salvation... yes... it wouldn't be free and it wouldn't be grace. However, it sounds a LOT like this from Malachi 3, "He [God's Christ] will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord."

HE purifies and thus makes the offerings pure. They are not righteous because of their offerings... their offerings are not righteous before they are offered... they are made pure by the righteous one receiving them!

So good. This one is a great song of reflection on the Gospel and could be good for communion or after the challenge of a well-preached sermon calling people to Jesus...

I really appreciate so much of the music that is coming out of Sojourn. I'd love your thoughts?

JP

Happy 8th Anniversary

2010-08-17T12:18:00.003-05:00

8 years ago today I married my friend.

I made vows before God & our friends and family that I believed that day. 8 years later... I still mean them. In fact, I mean them more today because the promises made that day have been tested by trial and joy alike. They have been tempered by fire and strengthened in my heart and mind.

Here is what I said and meant 8 years ago today:

Amy, I Love You.

From this day forward

I promise to cherish you, and honor you,

As God makes me able.

I vow to love you and give myself to you

As Christ sacrificed

Himself for the Church.

I will pray for you and uphold you

before the Throne of Grace daily.

I give myself wholly to you alone,

and I will remain faithful to you

in all of life’s trials and joys.

Until the day we are parted in death

And go home to be with our Father.

I Love You.

Happy Anniversary Amy. Walking this journey with you at my side has been God's rich blessing to me. I Love you.

Back with a bang!

2010-06-14T12:31:00.004-05:00

So... I haven't posted since April... sorry. With all the prep to move and then moving I think I packed my brain in a box... But I may have found it next to some picture frames wrapped in a pillow case.

In any case we'll get back to the Worship Theology posts, and posts/links about Church Planting... but for now... just this:

Enjoy!
JP

Worship Theology - Hosanna

2010-04-28T12:49:00.003-05:00

"Hosanna" is a song I first heard sung by Christy Nockels. She was part of the duo Watermark with her husband Nathan and has been featured at Passion Conferences and recordings as a worship leader in her own right. She is a talented musician and gifted leader. Her husband is a music geek so that works for some great music production.

This song called “Hosanna” was actually written by Brooke Fraser who does a lot of work with Hillsong United and has some really good solo stuff out there too.

HERE is a version of the song on youtube as sung by Brooke Fraser and the Hillsong folks.

I’m not going to write up a breakdown on this one... I’d love to hear what you think as you pick apart the song:

Hosanna - by Brooke Fraser

Verse 1

I see the king of glory

Coming on the clouds with fire

The whole earth shakes

Verse 2

I see his love and mercy

Washing over all our sin

The people sing

[Chorus]

Hosanna

Hosanna in the highest [x2]

Verse 3

I see a generation

Rising up to take their place

With selfless faith

Verse 4

I see a near revival

Stirring as we pray and seek

We're on our knees

[Chorus]

Bridge

Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours

Everything I am for your kingdoms cause

As I go from nothing to

Eternity

[Chorus x2]

Ending

Hosanna in the highest

Soli Deo Gloria.

Worship Theology - "The Love of Christ"

2010-04-13T16:11:00.004-05:00

This post focuses on a re-worked hymn originally called, "The Love of Christ is Rich and Free" and the version that I have been listening to was done by Sandra McCracken, featuring husband, and fellow singer/songwriter Derek Webb. This song has been published by Indelible Grace which has been working to re-introduce hymns back into the vocabulary of the modern church. You can read more about Indelible Grace HERE.

You are able to listen to a slightly different version of the song in a clip HERE.

Here are the lyrics:

The Love of Christ Is Rich and Free

The love of Christ is rich and free;
Fixed on His own eternally;
Nor earth, nor hell, can it remove;
Long as He lives, His own He’ll love.

His loving heart engaged to be
Their everlasting Surety;
’Twas love that took their cause in hand,
And love maintains it to the end.

Chorus: Love cannot from its post withdraw;
Nor death, nor hell, nor sin, nor law,
Can turn the Surety’s heart away;
He’ll love His own to endless day.

Love has redeemed His sheep with blood;
And love will bring them safe to God;
Love calls them all from death to life;
And love will finish all their strife.

He loves through every changing scene,
Nor aught from Him can Zion wean;
Not all the wanderings of her heart
Can make His love for her depart.

(Repeat chorus)

At death, beyond the grave, He’ll love;
In endless bliss, His own shall prove
The blazing glory of that love
Which never could from them remove.

Tag: Which never could from them remove.

Words by William Gadsby

Music by Sandra McCracken

It is a great reminder of these great truths about God's love for us in Christ:

- It is stems from God and centers on God (1 John 4)

- Neither earth nor heaven can remove it from us (Romans 8:35-39)

- It is without end (1 Corinthians 13:8a)

- It anchors our surety and salvation in Christ for eternity (2 Thessalonians 2:16)

- It was love that took up our cause (our sin and the need for a savior) (John 3:16-17)

- It is love that will maintain our salvation until the end (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

- It was poured out of Christ in His blood (Romans 5:6-11)

- It calls us from death to life and will, in the end, end all our striving (Revelation 21:4)

- It is faithful even when we are not faithful in return (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

- It CANNOT cease to be what it is (multiple)

Although the song arrangement might be a little less straightforward than some hymn tunes or even some simple praise choruses the lyrics are a great reminder of the powerful, un-movable, and faithful love of God for us in Christ Jesus. Give it a whirl.

Worship Theology - "Lead Us Back"

2010-03-23T17:38:00.002-05:00

Lead Us Back (Falling Down Upon Our Knees)

This is a modern-day hymn from our friends at Sojourn in Louisville, KY. You can listen to the tune HERE.

Here are the lyrics:

Lead Us Back (Falling Down Upon Our Knees)
by Bobby Gilles, Brooks Ritter - Copyright © 2006

Verse 1
Falling down upon our knees,
Sharing now in common shame,
We have sought security,
Not the cross that bears Your name.

Fences guard our hearts and homes --
Comfort sings a siren tune.
We're a valley of dry bones;
Lead us back to life in You.

Verse 2
Lord we fall upon our knees,
We have shunned the weak and poor,
Worshipped beauty, courted kings
And the things their gold affords,

Prayed for those we'd like to know --
Favor sings a siren tune.
We've become a talent show;
Lead us back to life in You.

Verse 3
You have caused the blind to see,
We have blinded him again
With our man-made laws and creeds,
Eager, ready to condemn.

Now we plead before Your throne --
Power sings a siren tune.
We've been throwing heavy stones;
Lead us back to life in You.

Ending
We're a valley of dry bones
Lead us back to life in You.

We've become a talent show
Lead us back to life in You.

We've been throwing heavy stones
Lead us back to life in You.

~~~~~~

It isn’t real flashy but it does take a simple hymn structure with the refrain at the end of each verse section and makes it musically compelling. Not always the easiest melody lines for congregational singing however there is some really good Biblical confession woven throughout.

This really works well as a corporate confessional song. Although it’s modern verbiage doesn’t have as many direct Biblical references (there are a few) the parallels are many and accomplish their seeming intended purpose.

The most prominent Biblical reference is from Ezekiel 37 and the valley of dry bones. The bones needed the Word of the Lord and his Life-giving breath to live again. Although the prophecy speaks of Israel, we too, can find ourselves dry and dead in our comforts, having forgotten the promise and power of the living God in our lives... and wither in our ‘life’ in God through Christ. Instead of seeking refuge in the shadow of the Almighty we instead build fences around our houses (and lives) in hopes of gaining some temporal security... at the expense of our Spiritual vitality and very lives.

Verse 2 is a reminder to ACTUALLY care for the widow and the orphan. To serve others and see others as more important than ourselves. (Matthew 25) And how often we seek personal gain and making the most for ourselves at the expense of others which should not be the mark of a disciple of Jesus. (Jeremiah 22:17 & 1 Timothy 3:8)

Verse 3 is, perhaps the strongest verse in my opinion. Upon hearing it I immediately recalled Jesus’ call to the Pharisees in Matthew 23. “WOE TO YOU... for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”

Now, it could be challenged that we may be tempted here to be soft on sin “lets not cast stones” ... but I think the audience of the song must be noted. This is a song of confession. This is to guard the believer from becoming a pharisee by priding ourselves on our religious accomplishments while at the same time creating man-made hoops for people to jump through to receive our approval and the approval of God. (See Matthew 23:15)

Bottom line:
The language is modern and the tune is simple... but if more songs sang their confessions like this... and if more men and women lived lives that mirrored this repentance we may see a healthier Church, less burdened by the weight of sin and better vehicles of God’s grace... because we are reminded that we also are daily in need of grace... and daily in need of the Gospel preached to us!

Worship Theology - "How He Loves Us"

2010-03-10T16:22:00.004-06:00

“How He Loves” - the good, the unclear, and the dangerous imbalance...

I started this series of posts because I am often fielding questions about new worship songs... tips on re-worked hymns, and get into a lot of discussion about the theology of the songs we sing corporately, as the church. This particular post might seem overly critical BUT I read in the Scriptures that I am accountable for what I teach... and, as I’ve said before, I believe those who lead God’s people in song are teachers, for either good or bad, when they choose songs and lead others in singing them. That being said... I’m tackling a fairly popular song with a rather long post so, if you have the time I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.

~~~~~~~

On David Crowder Band’s most recent Album “Church Music” there is a song covered called “How He Loves” that is compelling, very well-done, and is paired with a creative music video. The song was written by a guy named John Mark McMillan and was also covered by Kim Walker/Jesus Culture in 2008.

The story behind this psalm-like song is this:

“The song was penned following the death of a dear friend who, during a church staff meeting, prayed out loud "If it would shake the youth of a nation, I will give my life today". John McMillan was awoken in the middle of that very night by a phone call. His friend, who had mentioned those words during his church's staff meeting earlier that day, was killed in a car crash.” (Reference HERE)

Out of that experience came these lyrics:

Verse 1

He is jealous for me

Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree

Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy

When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory

and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me.

Chorus

Oh, how He loves us so

Oh, how He loves us

How He loves us so.

Yeah, He loves us

Woah, how He loves us

Woah, how He loves.

Verse 2

So we are His portion and He is our prize,

Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes

If grace is an ocean we're all sinking

So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest

(Crowder’s lyric says, ‘heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss”...)

I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way

Chorus

That he loves us,

Woah, how He loves us

Woah, how He loves

[Whispered]: Well, I thought about You the day Stephen died and You met me between my breaking

I know that I still love You, God, despite the agony

...they want to tell me You're cruel

But if Stephen could sing, he'd say it's not true, cause...[voice breaks]...

Cause He loves us,

Woah, how He loves us

Woah, how He loves

So... my thoughts here are this:

- about 85% of this song is right on, with no further explaination needed...

- 10% of the song needs some explanation/clarification...

- 5% of the song is iffy at best and possibly unhelpful in terms of a healthy Biblical understanding of God’s love for His children.

The Good (85%) - Most of this song is a great reminder that God is a God who loves to a greater degree than any love that we can muster. We see that his patience and long suffering are almost boundless in his care for His people (Psalm 36:7, Psalm 51:1, Psalm 136:2).

This is especially important when we look at the lyrics in the context from whence they came... out of suffering. His friend and partner in ministry is killed unexpecedly in a car accident and McMillan, like many of us, is tempted by so many outside voices to reject a God of Love who would allow such tragic things to happen and instead declares boldly, “No! God is good!” and he is reminded of the LOVE of God for His children... not just in an emotional warm-fuzzy way but in the midst of suffering and heartache!

In many ways it sings a little like the classic hymn “It is Well With My Soul.”

“When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say

It is well, it is well with my soul.”

Horatio Spafford wrote this song after the death of his 4 daughters in an accident at sea. They travelled ahead of him back to Europe and as he followed weeks later he asked the captain to tell him when they passed over the spot where the ship with his daughters had gone down. It is said that he wrote the lyrics to the hymn as the ship passed over that spot in the Atlantic.

Being able to point to the goodness of God and to lay hold of His mercy and love in the midst of hardship is the mark of a deep and robust faith in God.

In many ways, this song does just that and, presents God rightly in His majesty and greatness...

“Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree

Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy

When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory

and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me.”

What a great picture of the tree’s helplessness under the power of the mighty hurricane winds and how we are similarly subject to God’s infinite grandeur while at the same time invited to a personal and intimate relationship with this same God.

Even these lyrics from verse 2 are compelling:

“Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes

If grace is an ocean we're all sinking

So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest

(Crowder’s lyric says, ‘heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss”...)

I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way”

“Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes... “its your kindness LORD which leads to repentance...” (Romans 2:4) And the great concept of drowning in the grace of God like an ocean that we can’t overcome... (Ephesians. 2:8-9)

“I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way... ... that He loves us...”

I think this is the real strength of the songs lyrics. It points to a strong and loving God who holds the world in the palm of his hands and loves His children beyond measure (Psalm 73:26, Isaiah. 44:24, Colossians 1:16-17)

Thats the 85%.

The Unclear - Now the 10% that needs a little clarification.

There are a few lines that are, I believe, Biblically true, but, out of context can be unclear at best and mis-leading at worst. I’ll copy the lyric and look at the clarifying scripture to help us:

“He is jealous for me”

While its true that our God is a “jealous God” (Exodus 34:14, Deuteronomy 4:23-24 , ) it must be made clear that He is Jealous for His Glory (Ezekiel 39:25),and for His people (corporate) in a way that is altogether different than the way that a High School boy is jealous when his girlfriend is talking with another boy in the hallway between class. The other clarification here is that while God is jealous for His children, one must be careful to over-emphasize his jealousy for one person, therefore placing it in the “high school” boy category unintentionally.

“and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me.”

Again, God LOVES his children (John 3:16-17, Psalm 69:16). I’m not calling that into question. More than anything this is just a caution for us to keep a healthy understanding of God’s love in contrast to human love. His affections for us are not a “puppy love” or a romantic love... They are much higher and deeper than ours.

The reason I bring this up is because there is a movement among some of our more charismatic brothers and sisters to promote, to a fault sometimes, the love of God, in an almost romantic sense for individual christians... rather than recognizing that God loves the individual as part of the Bride of Christ. In fact, there are some Christians who have taken that theological bent as far as saying that all of scripture can/should be read through the eyes of a “bridal paradigm.” So the Bride of Christ (and by extention, individual Christians) are the “reason” and central component of God’s redemption instead of CHRIST being the center and lens by which we understand the scriptures and understand God’s story of redemption.

As I said, this isn’t where the song needs to go and isn’t necessarily promoting this way of thinking... but I have heard it used in that setting (Kim Walker/Jesus Culture being closer to that line of thinking) and therefore want to clarify.

“So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest”

(Crowder’s lyric says, ‘heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss”...)

I prefer Crowder’s lyric to the original for a couple of reasons. One, “unforseen kiss” needs little to no further explanation when telling of God come to earth (Philippians 2:5-8); whereas “sloppy wet kiss” either leads my mind down the “romantic” love (which i mentioned earlier) or at least Aunt Edna grabbing your cheeks and planting a sloppy wet kiss on your cheek with her bright pink lipstick and strong mothball/floral scent combination.

Now, we see a fair amount of romantic... even erotic language in the scriptures (Song of Solomon to highlight the most prominent) that makes the parallel between the love of a man and woman and the love of Christ and His bride... however, is need not be a one-for-one parallel but rather a tool, using our understanding of love, to help us get a glimpse of the greater love of God than we could normally comprehend.

So, these parts aren’t un-Biblical... but need to be put in their proper context in order to no be mis-understood.

Now... to the 5%...

The dangerous imbalance

There is one line that is more than un-clear for me... but borders on being Biblically un-true.

“So we are His portion and He is our prize,”

I cannot find one place in scripture where we, as individuals or collectively as the church, where we are described as being God’s portion. Now... it is absolutely TRUE that HE is our prize. John Piper says that the goal of the Gospel is that WE GET GOD. ("God is the Gospel") and that is so good.

The problem is the line right before.

Saying that we are God’s portion connotes that there is something that God needs to sustain Him... to satisfy Him... to fulfill Him... and that we are that thing.

The REALITY is that He is OUR Portion (Psalm 73:26). I think this is very dangerous when it comes to an accurate picture of God and although it is only a small, single line in the whole song, it has the potential to make the whole song more of a liability than an asset in corporate worship.

Overall, the song is musically creative, lyrically powerful and, I think, can be helpful in assisting God’s people in worship. The key is for us to be Biblically sound and discerning so that we can help God’s people worship in Spirit & Truth (John 4:20-26)

Worship Theology - Rock of Ages

2010-02-24T10:13:00.005-06:00

I am going to begin a new endeavor. I'm going to try to regularly post the lyrics of a song or hymn here in order to consider what we are singing week after week as God's people. I will endorse some songs and NOT endorse others. The whole point is to examine what we are singing and how it points us to Christ and reinforces good Biblical Theology!

I think as worshippers we far too rarely consider what we are singing more than weather or not we like the tune of the song or if we hear it on the radio.

I think as leaders we far too rarely consider what we are singing AND what we are teaching those who look to us for leadership... and how our songs fit (or sometimes don't) into a solid Biblical orthodox theology.

I'd love your interaction on the different songs and shoot me a message and let me know of songs you'd like to review on the blog!

So... that being said, we are going to start with the old hymn called "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me" because as I opened my itunes and hit shuffle this morning a version of this song began to play and brought me to the edge of tears here at this bistro table with coffee cup in hand as I considered the weight of the words being sung.

Soli Deo Gloria.

~~~~~~~~

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me

Words: Agustus M. Toplady (1776)

Music: Toplady, Thomas Hastings, (1830)

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
[originally When my eye-strings break in death]
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

I think verse 2 is what stood out to me most as I listened to this hymn. "Not the labor of my hands can fulfill thy law's demands; Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone."

ALL THIS - my law-fulfilling labor, my un-yielding zeal, flowing tears - ALL THIS for sin could not atone. Thou must save, and Thou alone. That is my rock... Jesus. "Nothing in my hand I bring, naked to the cross I cling." Now... the image of naked Jake my be, at first, off-putting, BUT the reality that ALL I, or any of us, can do is cling to the cross and embrace the crucified one. And I bring nothing of my own to pay for his mercy but my sorry and broken self offered rightly to the one who created me and is my redemption!

How RICH!

Ephesians 2:8-9

2 Timothy 1:8-9

Being pointed to the Gospel... that Jesus' finished and complete work on the cross saves us... is, in my opinion, the hallmark of a great song for worship. More than instrumentation, musicality, if it's "hip" or not... does it point to a clear Gospel? Does it have Gospel-intentionality?

Closing thought: Even the worst tune can be redeemed by Gospel-saturated lyrics.

An anemic Gospel... part 2

2010-02-16T10:32:00.003-06:00

A.K.A. "The death of idolatry and the discipline of the Lord."

It is hard to talk about sin in a say that doesn’t immediately refer to something you do. Let’s do a little word association. I say a word and you say the first thing that comes to your mind. I say “sin” and you say what? Murder, malicious talk, porn, fornication (not that anyone uses that word anymore), hitting your brother?

Ok... so that is how my 3 year old understands sin... “Don’t push Ben.”
And although it is that simple it is not that simplistic... that is only half of it.

If we only see sin as the “bad stuff we do” then we only need a “gospel” that meets our surface needs (see my last post).

For every action described as “sin” in the scriptures there is a root which is far more sinister. And that root is idolatry.

On top of that... it’s no wonder we, so often, have no category for suffering, hardship, and discipline in our understanding of “God”... and it’s no wonder that I seek after the wisdom and maturity of a tested and seasoned man-of-God and yet desire not the testing nor the seasoning (or tenderizing as might be necessary for the “tough meat” that I may be).

As I mentioned in my earlier post, the past couple of years have been a journey of being humbled while learning what it means to put the flesh to death and much has that has happened under the radar in the deep recesses of my heart... slowly being exposed to more and more light.

A little background...

A few months ago Pastor Matt Chandler spoke at a training “Boot Camp” I attended in Louisville, KY. If you would like to listen to his teaching (and I would strongly encourage you carve out 47 minutes and buckle up) you can hear it HERE.

But one of the biggest challenges for me came from a text many of us have read a lot... and until then I had not fully understood.

Hebrews 11. This is often called the “faith” chapter. It speaks of the saints who “by faith” trusted God even though they couldn’t fully see the promise of God realized. It reads like a roll-call of epic heroes who did unbelievable things and serve as the "IT" guys of our faith history.

 Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Rahab... "And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection." (Hebrews 11:32-35a)

The problem is... we too often stop reading right there... in the middle of verse 35. The anemic gospel points at that list and says, “See! This is all that God intends for you if you are really a Christian. You will always defeat sickness, and foreign enemies, and lions and always cheat death...” and we leave it at that.

As Chandler says it, “...we’ve held up guys who have put armies to flight and we have held up guys who have shut the mouths of lions and said, ‘this is normative’.”

The reality is that there is another part to verse 35 and to the rest of the chapter:

"Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:35b-40)

You see... I want the life of Hebrews 11:32-35. That’s the ministry that I want. Because of the flesh that still wages war in my heart and rises up against Christ’s sanctifying work in me I desire putting armies to flight and shutting the mouths of lions... not for God’s name to be made greater but for my name to be made greater. Idolatry.

You see, the remedy for me is a full Gospel.

Hebrews 12 is a very familiar passage but has been shaking my self-righteousness to the core:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

I have a new desire of late... I just want to play my part well. I want to run the race set before me... looking to Jesus...

I want to be the kind of man who, like Chander says, “the man that loves Jesus Christ deeply, when he’s getting overrun... when he’s getting overrun by the army he’s able to say, ‘if this is my role in the furtherance of the Kingdom, Praise Your name.’”

You see... if we have an anemic gospel we will always see all hardship and suffering as anti-us and not-from God. Not that all hardship is because of sin or discipline... like God is waiting for us to sin to that he can punish us... but that is for another post... and another day

(If you want to read/listen some challenging thoughts on God's Sovereignty and Suffering check out HERE and HERE).

But if we have an anemic gospel we will NEVER see hardship and suffering in this life as tools for our sanctification and testing and we will NEVE be joyful in being counted worthy to suffer for his name sake... and many times... it might do us well to consider our current struggles in that light.

What is interesting is that Matt Chandler has become a reminder and a fresh dose of “full Gospel” in recent days as I have been tracking his ministry in the midst of cancer treatment. Just a few weeks after this conference, this past Thanksgiving, Matt was diagnosed with a brain tumor that was very aggressive. Much has been said about this whole situation but his response to the whole thing has been one more example for me of being the man who would play his part well for the furtherance of the Kingdom and for God’s glory.

 There is a great article on Chandler HERE and you can read some updates from his church HERE.

All in all... I want to play my part well. I want to run my race faithfully. I’ll trust God for the rest.

Soli Deo Gloia.

Update...

2010-02-09T23:54:00.000-06:00

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 73:25-26

“Gabriel” is a name that means, “God is my strength” and we thought that it would be a fitting name for our little boy who wasn’t able to stay with us. We spent most of Sunday in the hospital just waiting. At 6pm Amy delivered and we were both caught by surprise despite the waiting. The doctor and nurse were amazed at how smooth the process was for Amy. Our nurse, Laura, said she had never seen anyone go through that process with so little discomfort and our doctor said that outside of a miracle heartbeat, this was the best possible way it could have gone. We were able to spend some time with just us and him and although we shed tears, we were assured, even then, that ultimately He does not belong to us. We were able to entrust Gabriel into the hands of our merciful God whose ways are not our ways.

We were able to come home that night and hug our kiddos and sleep in our own bed. Although tired, Amy is doing very well. Her physical health is one more in a long list of tangible mercies from God and answers to all of your prayers.

This all happened so fast... a week ago we were anticipating an ultrasound of a 20 week old baby and today we are walking through an odd mixture of mourning and joy.

I honestly cannot fully comprehend how we got to this point other than the pure grace of God. He has been our strength and our shield and is walking us through this time of mourning into healing. Thank you for your prayer.

Although there have been times of trying to figure out the “why” of all this, I think we can honestly say that our faith has been strengthened through it all. God has been our portion during this time and He will be on the other side of this as well.

A special thank you to our family at River City. Your kindness was much needed and your prayers have been heard during this whole process. Gabriel pointed us to the Glory of God in Christ Jesus and in 1 week preached the Gospel to me in a way I had not yet heard but needed to.

Thank you again.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Jake, Amy, Natalie, & Ben

An anemic “gospel” (part 1)

2010-02-02T12:12:00.006-06:00

a⋅ne⋅mi⋅a [uh-nee-mee-uh]

–noun

1 Pathology. a quantitative deficiency of the hemoglobin, often accompanied by a reduced number of red blood cells and causing pallor, weakness, and brethlessness.

2 a lack of power, vigor, vitality, or colorfulness; His writing suffers from anemia.

(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/anaemia?db=luna)

I think that for far too much of my life, I was content in believing in an anemic gospel. One that was weak... and literally lacked the power in the blood. I was content in believing that the whole purpose of Jesus’ ministry on earth, his suffering, his death and his resurrection were primarily to make my life generally happy.

Now don’t get me wrong, my parents, mentors, brothers and sisters in Christ... for my whole growing up, did a wonderful and faithful job at painting a clear picture of Jesus. A Jesus who calls me to repentance and into a relationship with the Father through the cross! Its just that I wanted to see Jesus through my own eyes. Aren’t we all a bit like that?

John Calvin wrote, “Every one of us is, even from his mother’s womb, a master craftsman of idols." And, I think, is the root of my problem for so long... I was content to craft a Jesus... and a "gospel" for myself... to suit me.

One of the benefits of having church on Sunday evenings is being able to eat cheerios and watch the Sunday morning TV preachers. Not so much to learn from them but to laugh at them.

--- I may be walking a fine line between a righteous indignation at the loose handling of the Word of God and an irreverent and unhealthy disrespect for a “brother” in Christ... but I am willing to deal with the consequences and laugh (& cringe) anyway. ---

There is one TV “preacher” (and I use the term “preacher” lightly because I don’t so much hear a man who prophetically speaks the Word of God to his listeners by the power of the Spirit but rather a motivational speaker who makes his listeners feel “positive” and consider opening their wallets to “support... the work... of the Lor...D!”) and I can’t help but think he may have the same problem that I had. He seems to talk about a Jesus that makes people generally happy but it is there that his message drops off.

Now... I don’t want to be “that guy” who takes pot-shots at the guy on TV with the plastic smile and overpriced designer suit from some sort of spiritual high ground...

And I don’t want to be “that guy” who is willing to bring division for the sake of division and argument for the sake of arguing something...

However, I also don’t want to be “that guy” who is satisfied with hearing, believing, and regurgitating a “gospel” that is half-hearted and half-true.

I almost titled this post “A half-assed gospel” but then I thought my mom might post a scathing review and threaten to wash my mouth out with soap... (oh the childhood memories of having a smart-mouth).

But that is the definition that might almost fit better.

I am/we are often so willing to believe in a God who brings healing, provides us with almost innumerable blessings (wife, children, home, food, family, friends, joy, happiness...). We are willing to believe in a “gospel” that promises to fill all the holes, fix all the wrongs in the easiest ways, and make us happy (according to our own, short-term and short-sighted definitions)... because, after all... God wants us to be “happy”... doesn’t He? But we are unwilling to believe in a God who may sovereignly superintend over even the crappy parts of life and may even bring pruning into the lives of his children to bring about the choice fruit of humble maturity...

The reality is that we don’t have to try very hard to believe that half-___ed "gospel"... do we? And if that was that "gospel that God intended he probably wouldn’t have to work too hard to achieve that one.

The reality is that the Gospel DOES bring Joy and enables us to find more happiness in this broken world that would be possible if we did NOT have Jesus... And God has designed it that way:

“Truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place ” (Acts 4:27-28). Central to Christianity is the truth that God sent his Son to die. (http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/1995/1553_The_Unparalleled_Passion_of_Jesus_Christ/)

You see... the problem with this anemic "gospel" is that it sets us up for creating a god in our own image (which is the root of our problem) but that it also gives us virtually NO way to deal with suffering, cancer, earthquakes, pain, opposition, etc...

And, to come full-circle, I find that I want progress in my walk with Christ without the pain it takes to get there. The anemic "gospel" offers me chicken-soup-platitudes but no power... and often I (and far too much of the church in America) remain there... I want wisdom beyond my 29 years without taking the hits from the world and the enemy OR the firm discipline of the Lord meant to bring about humility and maturity.

The “gospel” that was so firmly held in my heart has been getting a steady “transfusion” over the past few years and, I think, a fresh dose of AB- (rare blood type), over the past few months... but that comes in part 2... The death of idolatry and the discipline of the Lord... stay tuned (all three of you...)

Is Jesus an Egomaniac? - John Piper

2010-01-06T15:26:00.003-06:00

All I am going to do is link this transcript of a message given at the most recent Passion Conference that just happened in Atlanta, GA.

If you have time... read it. I'm sure there will be, if there aren't already, clips on youtube of John Piper giving this message as well!

BOOM

Soli Deo Gloria,
JP

Sin... And it's mortification

2009-12-24T01:34:00.002-06:00

I've had some good dialogue with some great friends on my previous post on Tiger Woods and sin.

And although I believe that the main premise is true... I want to say that in making an absolute statement I may have neglected a bit of the nuanced aspects when talking about sin, and sanctification and faith in Jesus. I get that.

However, I believe that the main point was still accurate... that we always act according to our true values/beliefs or... put another way, our actions affirm or betray our stated values.

Part of this is recognizing what Paul says in Romans 7 (A friend brought up this passage in reference to my last post) "I do what I don't want to do and what I want to do I don't do." (I'm paraphrasing... the NJV... New Jake Version)

That really makes the point for me. Even though Paul is saved and the work needed to atone for all his sin is complete. AND he is being sanctified as he is growing in maturity in Christ... he still recognizes that his sinful heart chooses sin and it baffles him.

In some instances even Paul values sin MORE than he values Christ. Now, He can still value Christ and strive to live a humble, obedient, and moral life... and he should... as we all should, but he recognizes the death-grip that the flesh has on him and so he, once-again, throws himself at the mercy of God in Christ to continue to kill the flesh that seeks to destroy him.

As we must do.

The whole point about Tiger was this... the issue isn't a mistake or a lapse in judgement... it was a choice. And the choice I am speaking of is not one of many acts of indiscretion... the choice was something OTHER that God's way... sin. It is a deep core issue long before it moves us to some kind of action in our behavior...

I am thankful for the mercy of God in the Gospel that rescued me and rescues me every day.

That is why I pray for Tiger Woods and others who are trapped in sin... there are great strides to take to get life "back on track" but the first (and MOST IMPORTANT) step to take is the one turn around called repentance where mercy is found at the foot of the Cross... where we trade the ashes of this life in for beauty and wear forgiveness like a crown on our heads... and where we find new life that frees us from the curse of sin while we wage war against it by repentance.

Sometimes the old dead guys are the most challenging to read (partially because of their language and mostly because of the content. There is a short book called "The Mortification of Sin" by John Owen. It hits the nail on the head pretty good. You can find an online copy of it HERE.

When you are looking at the manger this Christmas know that forgiveness comes through those once small hands of a child in a feed-box, who grew as a man, tempted as you and I and yet was without sin. Walked the road to Calvary and took the punishment of God's wrath that you and I deserve for our sin on himself that he might be our propitiation... then rise again to new life that we might share in that inheritance as adopted sons and daughters.

Soli Deo Gloria,

On the nature of humanity... and Tiger Woods

2009-12-14T12:55:00.002-06:00

Not that anyone cares... in fact this might seem like “too little, too late” to the field of pundits, commentators, and reporters who have been talking and writing, seemingly non-stop about Tiger Woods and his many indiscretions over the past couple of weeks. Adding my two cents might be just more stuff that NOBODY WANTS TO READ about a story that is getting very old, very fast to the average, everyday person.

However, The nagging in my head and heart is this... how do we sift through all the sensationalism and 24-hour reporting to work toward a Biblical and Gospel-centered response to the whole situation.

I think there are three things I want to state before you read bits and pieces of this and get the wrong idea. (we are typically very bad with context in our culture)

1 - Tiger Woods made deliberate choices to have multiple illicit sexual relationships with women other than his wife... that is bad. Adultery against one’s spouse is, in Biblical light, is a sin. Plain and simple.

2 - As much as Tiger says that He was not being “true to his values”... i don’t believe that to be a true statement. I don’t think Tiger is intentionally mis-leading... but I would argue that everyone always acts in accordance with their values and is unable to act out-of-line with those values. (more on that in a moment)

3 - Either way, Tiger, like the rest of us, stands condemned under sin and in need of a Savior. I have been moved to pray for his realization of his need for a savior and that he would find salvation in Jesus. Because ultimately, full redemption is found only in Christ’s finished and complete work on the cross.

~~~~

Point #1 - Sin is sin... but we know that... at least most of us are willing to take a stand on that and agree that there is a level of wrong-ness to Tiger’s actions. I’ll leave that for another post.

Point #2 is where I want to spend most of the rest of this post.

This whole thought began in my head after reading Tiger Woods’ first statement posted on his website...

“I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect.”

He says, “I have not been true to my values...” and many of us read that and say “yeah... you should be better.”

To that I would say, “No, Tiger. You are being EXACTLY & wholeheartedly true to your values.”

I would argue that it is impossible for us to NOT act in accordance to our values. Our actions & behavior might not line up with our stated values but, let me say it this way... our actions ALWAYS line-up perfectly with what we TRUELY value... what we really believe deep in our hearts.

This does not excuse the wrong-ness of his actions... The Bible is clear about sin but, in reality, he is choosing his actions based on what is true in his heart... we all do it. We are unable to choose something and act in a way that is dissonant with our values.

We CONSISTENTLY act in contrast to our stated values. But we always act in accordance with what we really believe. One needs only to look at the the stories in the past 2-3 years of pastors & politicians who have committed adultery, admitted to drug-use, and lied to cover their tracks. Their public value statement is one of morality, and faithfulness but they really believed it was ok to do what they were doing. They were acting in a way consistent with their true values.

You see... the problem in all this isn’t the actions themselves. Again, this is not to minimize sin. I stand every day before the throne of God broken and needing repentance for the wickedness of my heart which leads to wicked action... but the action isn’t the main problem... it is a symptom of believing that something else is better, or more satisfying, or more saving, or more anything than Jesus.

If I say that I believe that God is omni-present... that He is always with me... that I am never alone... and yet I step into sin by choosing a dishonest business deal, or choosing to fill my eyes and mind with airbrushed images, or choosing to destroy myself with an overuse of chemicals or hurt myself with sharp objects says that although I SAY I believe that God is always present i do not really believe that is true. If I did I would chose behaviors and act in accordance with my values... what I believe.

So we come to this... I believe Tiger acted right in-line with what he truly believes. Which points to the issue that is greater than his transgressions... His need to have his heart transformed so that he might be able to believe and TRULY value what we all SAY that we value.

2 Chronicles 6:36

Isaiah 53:6

Romans 3:23

These verses remind us that none of us is free from this problem... we struggle under this weight without victory...

However, our hope to believe God comes in Christ. Only Christ brings transformation that changes our hearts. We can’t manufacture it. We put up morality police to deal with our heart issues. Oh yes, morality police and structures of “do and don’t” will point out our sin (and that isn’t bad to point out sin when it is seen) but it won’t deal with our issue... that we will always act in accordance with what we Truly Value and without Jesus we will always choose sin. We need a savior.

Matthew 19:26 - But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

I pray for Tiger Woods. That God would be merciful and grant his marriage restoration. They he would be repentant and seek true forgiveness from his wife and kids. I pray they his wife Elin would be soft in heart and find forgiveness in Jesus and, in Him, find forgiveness for her husband. And I am thankful for the wisdom to take a break from Golf to deal with his real life for a while... I pray He doesn’t try to fix the problem... but surrender to the creator who, from before time began, purposed to fix the problem and began the plan of redemption in the Son [Jesus], that we might be rescued from our false-belief and un-belief and, by the power of the Holy Spirit... see our terrible state and believe on Jesus.

When random meets reality...

2009-12-08T23:58:00.002-06:00

"You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks (post 'Big') & Meg Ryan (pre lip enhancement) is one of my wife's favorite movies. I enjoy it enough to watch it with her (although I think it was contrived as a piggy-backing, quick money maker following the main actor's on-screen chemistry from "'Sleepless In Seattle")...

However there is a quote from the movie that struck me as particularly funny... And particularly accurate.
Please excuse the use of the word 'hell'... Although sometimes offensive, I find that, in this case it makes the line all the more funny when delivered.

I'd love to hear if you also see the truth in the statement...
Enjoy!

"The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino." (Tom Hanks as Joe Fox in "You've Got Mail")

River City Church

2009-12-08T12:52:00.000-06:00

River City Church from River City Church on Vimeo.

Matt Chandler - Must See!

2009-12-07T11:22:00.002-06:00

Hey - Just saw this short video today.

Matt Chandler (Pastor of the Village Church in TX) recorded this message to his congregation before his surgery this past Friday. It was played yesterday (Sunday) for the church and was put online today.

I was moved, challenged, convicted,m and encouraged by what I heard. Give it a listen. I'd love to hear what you think...

For Him,

Jake

Watch it HERE

In The Shadow of the Glorious Cross

2009-11-30T16:19:00.005-06:00

A great song that has served as a cup of fresh cool water to my soul.

It is from Sojourn Music. You can listen to a clip HERE!

The lyrics are fantastic!

~~~~

In the Shadow of the Glorious Cross

Brooks Ritter and Rebecca Bales

In the shadow of the glorious cross

Compelled by grace to cast my lot

I’ll discard the loss and bare your name

Forsaking all for your own fame

Your hymn of grace sung over me

Abounding forth in glorious streams

My thirst is quenched by you my Lord

Sustained am I redeemed restored

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

When death’s dark shadow’s at my feet

When I am plagued by unbelief

You place my hands into your side

By precious blood identified

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

These crowns I’ve clenched with fisted hands

I cast them down before the throne

Of Christ my God the worthy lamb

Christ crucified, the Great I AM

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

~~~~

Download that Chord Chart HERE

Check out Sojourn Music on www.sojournmusic.com

Coffee... the remedy to combatting cynical Tuesday

2009-11-24T09:08:00.003-06:00

There is a black chair in our office... upon which I sit to get the best wireless signal. And the joke is that you sit in this chair on Tuesdays... cynical Tuesdays... after reading something outrageous, brokenhearted because your fantasy football team sucked it up over the weekend, or you are just needing to vent a little bit of "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?" about something...

Early this morning I had a good time meeting with a couple guys over a cup of coffee and I think I may have found a remedy... or at least a calming salve for cynical Tuesday...

Coffee.

Now... I don't want to diminish the Mercy of the Lord that is new this morning and available to me... but the coffee doesn't hurt one bit!

Enjoy some Coffee-isms...

"No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness."

~Sheik Abd-al-Kadir

"I believe humans get a lot done, not because we're smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee."

~Flash Rosenberg

"In Seattle you haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it's running."

~Jeff Bezos

"Decaffeinated coffee is kind of like kissing your sister."

~Bob Irwin

"It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity. I bet this kind of thing does not happen to heroin addicts. I bet that when serious heroin addicts go to purchase their heroin, they do not tolerate waiting in line while some dilettante in front of them orders a hazelnut smack-a-cino with cinnamon sprinkles."

~Dave Barry

The Gospel Saves AND...

2009-11-23T11:33:00.003-06:00

The Supremacy of God's Son

Hebrews 1:1-4

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Holy Spirit has been bringing some conviction to me recently as I consider how I can in one breath both give thanks for the saving work of Christ Jesus and then add to Christ’s work one hundred other things on which hinges my own, or someone else’s Salvation. Now... I KNOW that Salvation is by Grace alone, through Faith alone in Christ alone... but I see in myself a trend that is pervasive in those all around me... How quickly we are to move PAST the Gospel that Jesus Christ saves sinners. We keep it in our back pocket like a Trump Card for heaven but strip it of its power to continually transform those who by it [The Gospel] are gripped! In reality I am learning afresh that it is the GOSPEL that SAVES us but also is PRIMARILY at work in our Sanctification!

In Romans 1:15 - The Apostle Paul says that he is, “Eager to preach the gospel to you too who are in Rome.” Paul is writing to those “in the church” so that they might be sanctified and continually challenged and transformed BY the Gospel.

Are there deep, head-hurting, heart-wrenching, Biblical Doctrines to wrestle with and seek to understand as we mature and grow in Christ? Absolutely. However, we don’t move PAST the Gospel to get to them. We only mature in character and understanding THROUGH the continued application of the Gospel!

~~~~~

“We see that our whole salvation and all its parts are comprehended in Christ. We should therefore take care not to derive the least portion of it from anywhere else." - John Calvin

Forgiveness and the Big Kingdom

2009-10-28T20:44:00.002-05:00

This is from Paul Tripp... very good!

Paul David Tripp, A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger than You (New Growth Press, 2007), pp. 161-62

Forgiveness and the Big Kingdom

Every time you ask for forgiveness, you get it right.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you step out of your little kingdom and into His.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you say that the Bible’s description of you and everyone around you is accurate.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you declare that your life does not belong to you, but has been created for the purpose of the Author.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you say that selfishness is your biggest sin and that grace is your only hope.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you are reminding yourself who you are and what you truly need.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you refuse to be comfortable with your rebellion.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you recognize that the biggest problems you face in life exist inside of you, not outside of you.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you are praying that God’s kingdom would come and his will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you make the kingdom of God visible for others to see.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you are worshiping the King of forgiveness and encouraging others to do the same.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, your sight is accurate, your head is clear, and your heart is in the right place.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you cry out for an eternity when forgiveness has finished its work once and for all.
Every time you ask for forgiveness, you tell yourself that for all the good you have experienced in God’s kingdom, there is still more that is needed and more to come.

A lifestyle of forgiveness expands everything you are touching to the size of God’s kingdom.

Paul David Tripp, A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger than You (New Growth Press, 2007), pp. 161-62

Where is our trust... REALLY?

2009-10-19T13:59:00.004-05:00

I don't want a world-wide flu epidemic to wipe out thousands or, God-forbid, millions of the most vulnerable of us around the globe...
I don't want global conflict and war to tear apart whole regions, countries, cities, and families...
I don't want growing unemployment and hardship for hardworking men and women who want nothing more than to provide an honest living, put food on the table and a roof over their families heads...

So I am happy for things like doctors, and researchers, and vaccines...
And I am happy for diplomatic & military strategy and innovation...
and I am happy for entrepreneurial thinking and compassion to help motivate and motivate others to greater opportunity and productivity...

But I must be careful that my trust is ultimately not in those things. But instead, I must Trust in the one who skillfully crafted man to learn and think, create and work, by HIS design.. so we have the benefits of medicine, and innovation, of creativity and a strong work ethic... that come FROM Him... and work to His Glory.

"God is not displeased with the strength of a horse and the legs of a man as good things that He has made. He is displeased with those who hope in their horses and in their legs. He is displeased with the people who put their hope, for example, in missiles or in make-up, in tanks or tanning parlors, in bombs or body-building. God takes no pleasure in corporate efficiency or balanced budgets or welfare systems or new vaccines or education or eloquence or artistic excellence or legal processes, when these things are the treasure in which we hope, or the achievement in which we boast. Why? Because when we put our hope in horses and legs, then the horses and legs get the glory, not God"

~JohnPiper, The Pleasures of God , 208).

The Gospel Way

2009-10-12T12:49:00.003-05:00

No human mind could conceive or invent the gospel.

Acting in eternal grace, thou art both its messenger and its message,

lived out on earth through infinite compassion,

applying thy life to insult, injury, death,

that I might be redeemed, ransomed, freed.

Blessed be thou, O Father, for contriving this way,

Eternal thanks to thee, O Lamb of God, for opening this way,

Praise everlasting to thee, O Holy Spirit,

for applying this way to my heart.

Glorious Trinity, impress the gospel on my soul,

until its virtue diffuses every faculty;

Let it be heard, acknowledged, professed, felt.

Teach me to secure this mighty blessing;

Help me to give up every darling lust,

to submit heart and life to its command,

to have it in my will,

controlling my affections,

moulding my understanding;

to adhere strictly to the rules of true religion,

not departing from them in any instance,

nor for any advantage in order to escape evil,

inconvenience or danger.

Take me to the cross to seek glory from its infamy;

Strip me of every pleasing pretence of righteousness by my own doings.

O gracious redeemer,

I have neglected thee too long,

often crucified thee,

crucified thee afresh by my impenitence,

put thee to open shame.

I thank thee for the patience that has borne with me so long,

and for the grace that now makes me willing to be thine.

O unite me to thyself with inseparable bonds,

that nothing may ever draw me back from thee, my Lord, my Saviour.

From The Valley Of Vision (A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions)

Edited by Arthur Bennett

"The Gospel Way" - Page 35

Number and success...

2009-10-05T18:14:00.003-05:00

Numbers in a room, as encouraging as they are, ultimately mean very little. There are a great number of ways to get people into a room… and many of those would be for reasons not befitting of Christ’s Bride or Christ’s Mission. In fact, without trying to be to contrary, a number of churches have people in the seats week in and week out and yet are missing the mark when it comes to Gospel-centrality evidenced in the lives of her people. As Chester and Timmis say in chapter 13 of the book Total Church, “... we must not confuse large with successful. Nor for that matter should we equate small with successful!” (pp. 192) We are not necessarily more “successful” if we have 70 people in the room… on the other hand, we are not necessarily more “successful” if we only have 10!

Our desire and measure of success is that we are being shaped by the Gospel and proclaiming the Gospel in word and deed to those around us in need of Jesus. If we can find ways to challenge, assess and encourage the people of River City Church to THAT end… then we will have been faithful to God’s calling and Christ’s mission make disciples of Jesus who make disciples of Jesus… 2 Timothy 2:2.

Key Principles...

2009-09-21T12:10:00.004-05:00

Long time no blog... sorry about that...

I've been a little overwhelmed with all on my plate with this Church Plant... good stuff... just a LOT of stuff.

However, there is a small leadership team that has been doing a lot of work on River City and one of the resources we have been using is a book called "Total Church." We have found it to be most-helpful in helping us unpack the patterns in the New Testament of the advancement of the Church and how the basic principles can/should be applied today in a church-planting context.

So you can understand a little bit as to where my brain is... here is an excerpt:

"... two key principles should shape the way we "do church": gospel and community. Christians are called to a dual fidelity: fidelity to the core content of the gospel and fidelity to the primary context of a believing community. Whether we are thinking about evangelism, social involvement, pastoral care, apologetics, discipleship, or teaching, the content is consistently the Christian gospel, and the context is consistently the Christian community. What we do is always defined by the gospel, and the context is always our belonging in the church. Our identity as Christians is defined by the gospel and the community.

Being gospel-centered actually involves two things. First, it means being word-centered because the gospel is a word-the gospel is news, a message. Second, it means being mission-centered because the gospel is a word to be proclaimed-the gospel is good news, a missionary message.

So maybe we really have three principles. Christian practice must be (1) gospel-centered in the sense of being word-centered, (2) gospel-centered in the sense of being mission-centered, and (3) community-centered."

("Total Church" Chester & Timmis, pp. 15-16)

Soli Deo Gloria,

JP
rivercityfargo.org

I dare you to pray this...

2009-08-03T12:30:00.002-05:00

A challenge from Francis Chan. Its a tough one but I needed to hear it... perhaps you do as well...

Update on Jake Peterson (& family)

2009-07-23T17:31:00.003-05:00

Hello friends!

Below is a letter that was sent yesterday to a number of people of which I have had the privilege of ministering with and to over the past seven years. The Lord has opened up an opportunity for our family to step out in faith in a new work. We will remain here in Fargo and we will be working with a team to plant a church here in the central part of town. Please feel free to contact us with questions after reading this post.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Jake

~~~~~~~

July 2009

Friends of Bethel Church,

The Lord’s direction is clear, so Amy and I are taking a "leap of faith." We will be partnering with Brett Moser and his family to plant River City Church in the downtown area of Fargo beginning in September 2009. God has given us a heart for this city and although we will be stepping away from Bethel, we will remain engaged in ministry in Fargo.

I write these words with both grief and joy; grief for one reason and joy for two reasons. The grief comes because we have 7 years of ministry here in this place with students and young adults, and that has been no small thing. I came on staff as an intern with little experience. Over the past 7 years, I have been mentored and equipped for the ministry of the Gospel. We have seen many college students come though these doors and many of them equipped and sent back out to workplaces, churches, and mission fields half-way around the world! These are things we celebrate and hold dear. The relationships built, the time spent laughing and crying, all the intangible things… I cannot express enough my thankfulness to the Lord and to Bethel for my time here.

In the midst of grieving a change from Bethel College Director to "church planter," I find myself consumed with joy! We are excited for this new church and the people who will come to know Jesus in downtown Fargo! The challenge of the young/urban culture that is freely drifting and in need of Jesus is part of what inspires us to birth a fresh planting of the Gospel in that part of our city. We have a deep assurance that God has confirmed this direction for our family and cannot wait to see how He will work in our lives and the downtown community.

The second reason I write with great joy is that God is at work in shaping the ways in which Bethel will be able to more effectively make disciples among college students and serve as a mission outpost among the 25,000 college students in Fargo/Moorhead. We’ve laid some fantastic groundwork and I’m excited to see how Bethel will be impacting college students for years to come!

Amy and I celebrate that the partnership with Bethel in the mission of making disciples remains strong. I hear clearly from Bethel leaders and continue to feel the support from this body in commissioning and sending us out so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be heard and the Kingdom of God will expand for the sake of our city and for God’s glory.

It has been a joy serving in your midst and we look forward to serving along side of Bethel Church here in Fargo as part of River City Church.

Thank you for all your love and support!

In His Grip,
Jake & Amy Peterson

Don't Buy Stuff....

2009-07-13T09:26:00.000-05:00

Here's a little humor this Monday. In light of the current economic issues I thought this common sense approach to personal finances was funny AND refreshing!

Watch the video Here!

Enjoy!

Suffering does not just belong to you...

2009-07-07T11:19:00.003-05:00

Another excellent and challenging post as we consider our own personal struggles and suffering in light of God's greater purposes for the world AND for His instrument... the Church.

This one is a real challenge... enjoy the kick in the pants!

Suffering does not just belong to you

Worshipping God or Worshipping Worship?

2009-07-07T11:10:00.002-05:00

This was a great post by Tim Challies on worship. He quotes from D. A. Carson from his book called, Worship By The Book.

This really affirms much of my own thinking on the current state of corporate worship in Evangelical America and is a good challenge to consider or re-consider (as the case may be) the intentions of our hearts as those who gather together to worship... the Church.

The Post is HERE

One of the Greatest Errors to be Dreaded...

2009-06-30T15:49:00.003-05:00

From Ray Ortlund's Blog:

"One of the greatest errors to be dreaded and watched and prayed against is that of excessive caution, under the guise of prudence, in anxiety to avoid giving offense to worldly people who never can be reconciled, by all you can do, to anything in the shape of a revival of religion."

William C. Burns (1815-1868), Scottish minister, missionary to China, writing in The Revival of Religion, page 350.

Original Here

The De-Churched - Matt Chandler

2009-06-16T11:46:00.004-05:00

A little snippet of a session with Matt Chandler at the Advance 09 conference.
Fantastic breakdown of the current Gospel-hungry moral people he calls "de-churched"

So Good...

Thoughts?

Degrees of worship...

2009-06-11T14:59:00.002-05:00

Worship is a topic in which I am fairly regularly immersed. I found this blog to be particularly helpful in that realm. I'd love to hear your thoughts...

You can read the referenced blog HERE

"Lets Do Lunch..."

2009-06-10T14:17:00.002-05:00

"A woman once told me about eh difficulties she faced as a Brit fitting into American culture. One of her struggles was with people who said, 'Let's do lunch.' She expected them to phone and arrange a date. They never did. 'Let's do lunch' was just an idiomatic way of saying farewell. We all say, 'Let's do mission,' but does it carry any more intent than 'Let's do lunch'?"

~From "Total Church" by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

A Time for Everything

2009-05-11T13:27:00.003-05:00

Ecclesiastes 3:1
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…”

Ok… before some of you start singing The Byrds… (To everything... turn turn turn...)

For some time the winds of change have been blowing around the area of ministry where I serve here at Bethel Church here in Fargo. What has been 11 years of solid and Spirit-led ministry in Sunday nights to College Students and Young Adults has come to an end. Now, we usually have some kind of ending at the conclusion of the Academic Calendar however this time is different… this time it has ended and will never be the same.

I have been thinking about HOW to think about and celebrate with others the things that God has done and at the same time communicate the sincere Joy in my heart about the future? This has led me to Solomon and his wisdom from Ecclesiastes.

This post explains in a little more depth my heart and mind as it relates to my current ministry situation and perhaps can be helpful as you consider your own personal ministry and listening closely for the voice of the Shepherd directing His sheep.

~~~~

The change in PRISM has been over a year in the works. To be honest, I (along with others) feel that, in many ways, PRISM has “run its course.” That is often a tag attached to something that has failed or is failing and that is unfortunate. There was a marathon here in Fargo this past weekend. The runners had a course… and a finish line. We celebrate and cheer them on as they race… where? To the end of the course! If the runner had “run his course” we would never deem him a failure. NO! We would lift him on our shoulders or pat him on the back and say, “Well Done!” and perhaps gather some friends to celebrate.

The hard part with something like PRSIM is that we don’t view it as a race… we view it as an expectation… an institution or structure that we build and when we are done it stands forever and I am learning in ministry… that is the real unfortunate part.

In reality there is one name and one institution that will remain when all else passes away... ONLY the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and HIS eternal Kingdom will last through the fire and come out on the other side glorious and everlasting!
(Psalm 45; Psalm 135; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 11:15)

We are seeing a great need to re-focus our task in ministering to College Students and fulfilling the responsibilities that Paul outlines in Ephesians 4… to “Equip the saints for the work of the ministry…” (Eph. 4:12).

We recognize that although a large group gathering can be inspiring and powerful doesn’t have the same traction to dig into the Word and into real life-on-life discipleship as do smaller groups and time really teaching and wrestling with the Word of God so that we are forced to do something with the text and surrender to the Holy Spirit to bury it deep in our hearts and lives.

Because names (like PRISM) are temporary and HIS Kingdom is eternal we are able to “turn the page” as it were, in ministry structure to more effectively call a generation to Christ and equip them with the Word of God to know how to wield THAT sword with conviction and authority.

We, as a local church, have been given the mandate to equip the saints. The leadership here at Bethel has placed in my hands the sub-group of College students. I want to see this local church thrive in making disciples among college students. So we stand on the shoulders of all that has come before us in looking to the future… an army of men and women dressed in the Armor of God, rightly handling the Word of God advancing a Kingdom that will never end!

Suiting up with you,
Jake

Psalm 24 (Wordle)

2009-04-30T10:46:00.001-05:00

For the Visual Learners Among Us

2009-04-29T14:19:00.004-05:00

I, like many of you, am a visual learner. Being a spacial person, having something tangible is helpful for me.

Politics aside, I thought this was a very helpful (and enjoyable) visual example of our current Federal Spending Budget and the Administrations Desire to cut some $$ from our spending.

Comments?

Puebla Mexico 2009 (& a little Fargo Flooding)

2009-04-13T14:00:00.008-05:00

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 1:9

Wow... it is hard to know where to start...

First, sorry for the delay of this note. It seems like our return from Puebla was a whirlwind of activity and in all reality... it was. When we landed in Fargo, the Red River was on its way to a record crest level and we went right to work filling and placing sandbags to stave off the rising waters.

On the flood front we seem to have pass through the waters relatively unscathed! Praise the Lord! There is some damage and home loss in our region but not nearly what it COULD have been. For that we are grateful. I know many have been asking about the flooding so THANK YOU for your prayers!

ok... ON TO MEXICO!

As many of you know this was my 6th time to Puebla Mexico and the 4th time I have been able to participate in an English Camp. Some of the highlights:

We had a number of students in our classes who participated in our camp LAST year so the relationships continued to be built. (Pray for Chucho, Maximo, & Sami)
We has the privilege of seeing the 800th person come through one of the English Camps. 800 different individuals have participated in one of the 12 English Camps so far. Pray that many would continue to be curious about the Scriptures seek to learn more!
We had a class of 8-10 women that met in the morning and 6 of them expressed interest in being a part of a Bible Study with some of the Missionaries and Mexican believers in the coming weeks. Pray for the Holy Spirit to open their hearts to a relationship with Christ!
We were an encouragement (we hope) to the Mission team on the field and were able to see fruit of past teams' work with over 40 people in the house fellowship in Los Heroes! Pray they would multiply to reach others in their neighborhood for the sake of Christ Jesus!

A few things to continue to pray for:

The missions team is still in transition. Some families reaching the 2-year anniversary of being on the field. Pray for strength for their families. Pray for clarity as the Lord continues to lead and guide. Pray for continued opportunities to live and share their faith in Christ Jesus with their neighbors around them.
Pray for Neil and Cheryl Prentice as they give leadership to the team of Americans in Los Heroes. For wisdom, humility, and courage.
Pray for the house fellowship (house church) that they would continue to seek the face of God to reach their neighborhood. Pray they would clearly hear how to multiply well so that others will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ loud and clear in Los Heroes!

Personally:

First, thanks for your prayer for Amy, Nat, & Ben while I was away. They had some good family time and some good friends from church even helped out on a couple of things (Thanks Mark!) so thanks for your prayers for my family as well.

I have two things:

Pray that I would not slide into "been there, done that" attitude as I return to "normal" here at home. I had some refreshing and clarifying time in the Word and journaled about some of those things. I want to continue that deep time and I see how quickly I give that up for "urgent" things. I want to adjust to a new "normal" and I want to continue to be shaped by the things the Spirit of God was speaking to me while I was in Mexico.
Pray that I might be an encouragement to a young man in Los Heroes named Lalo. This young man is a great guy and is striving to know and follow hard after Christ. I don't know what that looks like from Fargo to Puebla but with facebook and a number of other things I want to encourage and challenge this brother of mine and so would you pray for him and his family and for ways in which I might be able to stay more connected to him!

Thanks again for all your prayers! We are considering a Mexican food night here in Fargo in the coming weeks to share some photos and stories for those who might be around here and able to come. We'll keep you posted! Thanks again for your prayers! If you want to hear more just hit me up. As you know... just about any excuse for a cup of coffee!

Soli Deo Gloria,
Jake

64 years ago today...

2009-04-09T15:32:00.001-05:00

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was hanged for his part in the conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

A fitting post to remember a courageous Brother can be read HERE.

Enjoy!

Long time...

2009-04-06T11:31:00.002-05:00

Hi folks! It has been a while since I have had a "real" post here. It has been a little crazy in life of late... but that is ok. In the days ahead I will have more for this little blog (Puebla thoughts, Biblical insights, other stuff)

but to hold you over until then... I will leave you with this "kick you in the butt" rebuke of men who aren't being the men they should be.

Enjoy the butt-kicking guys! I am still sore!

Jake

25 things I hate about facebook...

2009-03-09T12:13:00.001-05:00

This is TOO funny!
Enjoy!
JP

Free Stuff... part deux!

2009-02-26T13:43:00.001-06:00

Ok... one more option for some free stuff! I just can't help it! Hanging out with College students has me stuck on free stuff and cheap pizza!

Jake

Here:
http://www.boomerinthepew.com/2009/02/win-a-calfskin-version-of-the-esv-study-bible.html

Free Stuff

2009-02-26T12:43:00.002-06:00

To follow a previous post of giving people information on free stuff that is being given away.... here is another!

Enjoy!
Jake

~~~~~~

Bible Study Magazine and Mars Hill are giving away 20 copies of Mark Driscoll’s new book, Vintage Church. Not only that, but they are also giving away five subscriptions to Bible Study Magazine and a copy of their Bible Study Library software! Enter to win on the Bible Study Magazine Mark Driscoll page, then take a look at all the cool tools they have to take your Bible study to the next level!

Being un-busy, wordle...and stuff

2009-02-23T12:56:00.005-06:00

I have two things I'd like to share with you all (all 5 of you...)

This blog post from Abraham Piper over at TwentyTwoWords on being busy (or "un-busy") which was timely for me as I continue to work to strike a balance between ministry, husband, father, etc... That one is HERE.

And the other is from a website called Wordle where you put in words and it makes a cool picture... this is from The Gospel of John chapter 1.

Enjoy!
JP

fun stuff from other bloggers

2009-02-17T10:33:00.003-06:00

I frequent (by subscription to my email inbox AND on my feed reader) a blog by a guy named Abraham Piper called "Twenty Two Words" and it is really great!

His is a micro-blog in that he keeps (as often as possible)posts to only 22 words. The sub-title is "experiments in getting to the point"... which is good for me who often meanders around an idea for an inane amount of time...

Anywhoo... sometimes he (and his wife Molly -- who also has a blog) have fun giveaways and such.

You can check out the most current one here at TwentyTwoWords.

Perhaps I should consider giving something away if people subscribe to my blog... hmmm...
Enjoy!

Christ Our Savior

2009-02-05T12:59:00.004-06:00

The past month has been a blur of activity, emotion, and just general stuff of life. I have had some wonderful time with family, watched my 4 1/2 month old son Benjamin laugh a LOT, listened to the endless stories from the mouth of my two year old daughter, grieved the death of my grandfather, dealt with car troubles, had the privilege to lead some refreshing times of corporate worship in song, and had the opportunity to teach the Bible a couple of times with some Campus Crusade students at NDSU. The next thing on the list is a date with my wife... which will be happening soon! :-)

In all these things, in good or bad, frustration or joy, I have been anchored in one thing... Jesus Christ, in His mercy and because of His death, saved my soul.

I have no other anchor on which to hold.

As I was preparing my thoughts for this belated post I loaded up my blog reader and right at the top was a posting from a blog I frequent called Between Two Worlds from a guy I greatly respect named Justin Taylor. His post was PERFECT for my thoughts today and so in good Ecclesiastes 1:9 fashion I post this puritan prayer taken from Valley of Vision).

May this be what I preach to myself every day!

~~~~~

"Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
cast off that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell’s worst that I might attain heaven’s best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might be healed,
athirst that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.

My Savior wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorned crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live."

A Puritan Prayer~Valley of Vision

Christmas Letter 2008

2009-01-06T17:29:00.011-06:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

It’s been an eventful year in the Peterson house.
Here are a few highlights:

Sweet baby Benjamin Jacob was born on September 15th. Weighing in at 7lbs 10oz, he was one and half pounds lighter than his sister at birth, which made delivery a breeze! We are just starting to catch glimpses of his personality as he smiles and laughs at us. He found his voice
early, and loves to serenade us on a regular basis. We are so grateful that God has blessed us with another baby to love, and we are excited to watch him grow up.

Natalie turned two in August and has the personality to match. There is never a dull, or quiet, moment when she is around. She has become quite the little mother, imitating me as I care for Ben. It is amazing to watch her imagination work. Recently she has been narrating conversations between her toys, or sippy cups, or anything that she can hold onto. Her bright smile and contagious belly laugh light up our home.

Jake and I had a great year. We found out we were pregnant in January (with Ben); Jake made his fifth trip to Puebla, Mexico in March; in July we hosted both our families in our home, and recovered from their visits by heading to a cabin for a relaxing, kid-free vacation with some dear friends; and in August we celebrated our sixth anniversary. Now our energy is focused on figuring out how to be the parents of two children—I think we’re up to the challenge.

We are excited about the opportunities to be ministers of the Gospel of Christ as a family in 2009. There are some great things happening with Jake’s ministry with College Students at Bethel Church. He is currently preparing to bring another team to Mexico in March.

As we stand here at the end of another year, we can’t help but marvel of God’s unrelenting goodness in our lives. And the greatest goodness He has shown mankind is sending His son Jesus to save the world. It is our prayer that you will experience God’s presence in the person of Jesus Christ in your life this coming year.

Merry Christmas!

Jake, Amy, Natalie, and Ben Peterson

God isn't Grateful...

2008-12-17T13:10:00.002-06:00

Here is a blog that really caught my attention and perhaps it will catch yours as well. How to see the Love of God NOT through human eyes...

Enjoy this link HERE

Let me know what you think... Yes? No?

JP

I am Second

2008-12-08T14:18:00.001-06:00

Check this out and let me know what you think...

iamsecond

JP

p.s. it is heavy flash and has videos and stuff so it might take a bit to load... but enjoy!

Pray to the Lord of the harvest...

2008-12-01T10:09:00.003-06:00

"And He said to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray ernestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." ~ Luke 10:2

Luke 10:2 is an oft quoted passage of Scripture used to encourage people to go to the mission field because there are too few workers and the fields are ripe and bursting for harvest...

Unfortunately, I think the emphasis is misplaced in the context of this verse. We ABSOLUTELY should consider our place in GOING... but I'll come back to that in a minute...

The challenge Jesus is giving is to prayer. "Pray to the Lord of the harvest..." Not just pray to the "great farmer" but to the one who rules over the entire harvest... from seed to fruit and everything in between! Can we ask and Trust that God will raise up those who will fulfill His purposes in specific times and places?! YES!

But... Too often we pray a cursory prayer and then get to work making connections and trying to mobilize people for the task at hand. Don't get me wrong, we need to network and ask challenging questions to people, encourage them to step out of their comfort and consider God's calling to those who need Jesus... but the emphasis here in Luke 10 is prayer and asking God to raise up workers for HIS harvest.

Would you join me in prayer for a team (that God will raise up) for Puebla Mexico March 12-23 2009? Over the next week I am committing to praying for this team that God would raise up those He would choose to fit together on this team for this work.

Oh... and about the challenge that you and I should always consider to go... remember this... you or someone you know MAY be part of the answer to the prayer you pray!

When in doubt... go to the wall!
Jake

For more information about the team going to Puebla Mexico or to download an application you can visit Bethel's Outreach Website HERE (click on "go teams")

~

Quote of the week!

2008-11-24T14:23:00.003-06:00

Because I won't likely have a 'quote of the day' every day for the rest of this week... this is the quote of the week... and fitting as a great example of Grace and our need for Thanksgiving (the attitude... not the holiday)...

"Every good deed we do in dependence on God does just the opposite of paying Him back; it puts us ever deeper in debt to His grace." - John Piper

Blogging... sin... and other things...

2008-11-11T18:01:00.002-06:00

Of the now 4 people who at least semi-regularly read my ramblings here on this blog, you may be wondering why it is that, so often, I am merely posting "some other guy's thoughts"

There are two answers to that:

The first is that I haven't been giving myself the time to write my own thoughts in response to what I am learning, what the Lord is showing me, the conclusions to which I am coming...

The second is that in my journey I am finding these choice nuggets of teaching and ideas and Truth that I seem to desperately need and so, instead of just sitting on this or that and thinking to myself, "that is a nice thought..." I put it here as both a reminder to me to not allow myself to get "too busy" to reflect on what the Lord is teaching me AND I think these things can be helpful to my fellow brothers and sisters on the journey too!

With all that... A quote from C.S. Lewis from "Mere Christianity" that gets to the root of any sin issue. Not to minimize the fleshly sins... as terrible as they are... but seem to be symptoms of deeper spiritual realities that my view of God is very low...

~~~~~~~

"The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least bad of all sins. All the worst pleasures are purely spiritual: the pleasure of putting other people in the wrong, of bossing and patronising and spoiling sport, and back-biting; the pleasures of power, of hatred. For there are two things inside me, competing with the human self which I must try to become. They are the Animal self, and the Diabolical self. The Diabolical seft is the worse of the two. That is why a cold, self-righteous prig who goes regularly to church may be far nearer to hell than a prostitute. But, of course, it is better to be neither." (-C.S. Lewis - "Mere Christianity" - pp. 94-95)

1 John 2:12-14

2008-11-06T12:17:00.001-06:00

Gospel Perspective in Politics

2008-11-05T11:31:00.004-06:00

Below is a link to a blog from a Pastor of whom I have great respect.
Mark Driscoll posted this blog yesterday but I believe its content is JUST as pertinent today (one day after our national election) as it was yesterday.

I would love your thoughts.

Jake

In God We Do Not Trust

Spurgeon Quote

2008-10-28T12:15:00.002-05:00

A good quote from Charles Spurgeon:

"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom." Charles Spurgeon

Who is Jake?

2008-10-22T10:17:00.006-05:00

I don't mean the title of this post as a deep-reflective question on the nature of self...

I DO hope to mean it as a self-minimizing-God-exalting-type question/statement.

A pastor and friend of mine preaching this past weekend referenced a part of 1 Corinthians and, although I have read and even heartily considered this passage in my walk with Christ in the past, it hit me in the head like a 2x4.

2x4

1 Cor. 3:5-7
"What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. "

Now... I can take that too far and, by believing that "i am nothing", discount the work of God in my life and HIS call to love Him and serve others to bring Honor to Jesus... and thus kinda slap Creator God in the face for HIS handiwork.

But far too often... I am on the other side of that playground teeter-totter when I fail to remember that in all our striving for good works (and strive we MUST)... GOD is the Author AND Perfector. How do we strike that balance?

Strive for faithfulness. Paul tells us in Galations that it is a "Fruit of the Spirit." A work of God in the hearts of those who know Him and follow Him. I am not called to make fruit (unless of course you want to go back to God's command to Adam and Even in Eden... but that is another post and another topic) but God's Word often calls me to faithfulness!

Joshua 24:14
1 Samuel 26:23
Proverbs 3:3
Galatians 5:22
3 John 1:3

And where does this faithfulness come from? HIM! (Psalm 57:10; Psalm 89:14)
It is an expression of HIS Character that is a gift to us that we should strive to take hold of it!

My desire today (for me and the 2 other people who read this blog) is that I/we would be faithful in our calling as followers of Christ for His Glory and our Joy... perhaps the bruise from the board on my head will be a good reminder!

JP

Worship Matters 4 (Final)

2008-10-14T14:22:00.001-05:00

This is the 4th and last video related to the book "Worship Matters" by Bob Kauflin.
You can check out the book HERE or Kauflin's blog HERE!

Right Relationships (how can I worship God in my relationships with my team, church, and pastor?)

Worship Matters 3

2008-10-13T16:53:00.003-05:00

Here is part 3 of the 4-part video shorts from Bob Kauflin's Book entitled, "Worship Matters. (Published by Crossway Books) He also has a blog with the same title: www.worshipmatters.com

Healthy Tensions (what false dichotomies do we create in corporate worship?)

Worship Matters 2

2008-10-09T17:16:00.003-05:00

Here is part 2 of the 4-part video shorts from Bob Kauflin's Book entitled, "Worship Matters. (Published by Crossway Books) He also has a blog with the same title: www.worshipmatters.com

Video #2
The Task (what exactly is a worship leader trying to do?)

Worship Matters

2008-10-06T13:15:00.006-05:00

Worship Leader and Pastor Bob Kauflin (Director of Worship Development for Sovereign Grace Ministries) has written a book called "Worship Matters" Published by Crossway Books) He also has a blog with the same title: www.worshipmatters.com/

He has 4 short intro videos to the different chapters in his book. I have yet to read his book (I hope to soon) but I recently heard him speak at a conference and have watched these video clips and find them fantastically helpful! So... I will post them here over the next few days! I'd love your thoughts!

Jake

The Leader(what do I love the most?)

Paul's Strategy

2008-10-02T14:48:00.002-05:00

I wrote this short paper while in a group studying the book of Acts. Some parts are a little long but I think it is good for anyone who considers themselves a disciple-maker (which should be many of you) or any of you who aspire to leadership... I just read it again to myself... perhaps it can be of service to you!

Blessings!
Jake

~~~~~~~
Spring 2008

If we look at Acts through the lens of author’s intent, we are able to see not merely a list of happenings in the formative years of the Church, but rather, a much larger plan for the expansion of that Church and the proclamation of the Truth of Christ Jesus. When we look at Acts in this way, the players in the story become much less the focus and the purpose takes center stage. It is important to mention, however, that the Apostle Paul, who’s strategy will be discussed, was an extremely important player in that plan. As we read in Acts as well as in Paul’s letters, we see elements of a purposeful plan to carry out the task of the expansion of the Gospel and, in turn, the Church. It wasn’t haphazard or random. I contend that his approach was God-directed, and deliberate and can be regarded as useful and there are elements that should be assessed as normative for use in the work of the Church today.

There are a few elements that we see in Paul’s strategy that can be seen as normative for Christians of all times and places, and are therefore normative for us. Whether it is referred to as “the Word” or “The Gospel” or “testifying to the Truth” it is clear that one of Paul’s primary tasks was preaching. We see it in Acts (13:5, 16-41, 16:11-15, 17:22-31, etc.) and we see it in Ephesians 3:8-10. Paul was prepared to preach to both Jew and Gentile, going first to the ones with which he had a good amount of common ground first. Then, Paul would follow up with any who would listen to what he had to say. The ‘preaching’ component to Paul’s mission was vital and is just as important for the 21^st Century church. We have to be just as diligent at communicating the Truth of God’s Word in every sphere of influence and common ground that we have.

Preaching, for Paul, was not an end in itself. It wasn’t enough to just teach someone something about Jesus. Rather, Paul was more interested in disciples; true followers of Jesus. Paul charges Timothy with a pattern of discipleship from one life to another in 2 Timothy 2:2. “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will teach others also.” Paul’s strategy shows that evangelism and discipleship are two sides of the same coin. Paul may not have coined what he was doing either evangelism or discipleship, but the point is, Paul was concerned about growing the individual in the knowledge and understanding of the Gospel that was preached to them so that their lives would exemplify the Truth of the Gospel of Christ and that they would be equipped to continue the work of the ministry, namely, continuing to make disciples. 1 Timothy 3:14-15 is a reminder of “how to behave” and is one example of many exhortations that Paul gives to the followers of Christ in his letters to them. Paul understood that this is a process of growth and is fostered in relationships of Spiritual depth and accountability. Wrapped up in this concept is the idea of leadership training and development which Paul addresses in two ways. One, is the training, evaluation, and appointing of elders for the church and two is the long-distance exhortation that is the continued connection after Paul leaves the church ‘on its own” which will be discussed later. Paul charges Titus (Titus 1:5) with “finishing the work” and appointing elders for the church. The work that Paul started in Crete was passed on to another to continue. We see this in Paul’s method as a very healthy strategy to grow the work and not keep it so centralized or self-focused that it cannot move forward without him. He makes himself disposable by training others to train others, to train others, etc.

The third element of Paul’s strategy that is helpful for the Church to look at today comes right on the heels of the last one, and that is one of exhortation and continued connection with the believers and the churches he was a part of planting. Most of the New Testament is Paul’s exhortation, teaching, and encouragement to the churches he had been a part of establishing. Each letter deals with specific issues or needs for that particular church and is, in some ways, a continued “theological education” for those churches; helping them grow-up in the knowledge of Truth. In Paul’s letter to Titus, Paul charges him to appoint elders (Titus 1:5). In verses 6-9 Paul goes on to teach what an Elder ‘looks like” in terms of personal character. And in Titus 2, Paul encourages Titus to be careful to teach “sound doctrine”, a theme that comes back time and again in Paul’s letters, calling the church to be mindful in obeying the Truth, the Word of God.

Now, I am not suggesting that all of what Paul did, every detail, is normative and therefore applicable for the Church today. I do not suggest we first go into synagogues when entering a town or that we go to city hall and interject our preaching in the middle of a council meeting. We should, however, consider the principles of Paul’s strategy and take a healthy look at how we currently view the role of the Church and/or the individual believer when it comes to discipleship and the expansion of the Church.

First, we have to be Word-focused. If we are solely needs-focused, we will miss the point of life-transformation that comes only through Jesus. Paul said, “I am unashamed of the Gospel” (Romans 1:16) and, as we see in his missionary journeys recorded in Acts, he preached the Word of God with boldness wherever he went. That needs to be a part of our strategy as the 21^st century church. Second, we have to be conscious that Paul’s strategy was two-sided: Proclamation of Truth and discipleship through relationship. Our strategies tend to be too much one or the other. We don’t build relationships of trust and accountability for the purpose of growth and personal development like we should. The element of long-term discipleship was core to Paul’s strategy and should be for us. This is where true multiplication happens.

“…but Paul did not baptize uninstructed converts apart from a system of mutual responsibility which ensured their instruction.” (Allen pp.6)

Paul made certain that a solid foundation of Truth was laid in the hearts, minds, and lives of the young leaders of the church so the church would continue to multiply and make new disciples. Third, and lastly; because we don’t often think “disciples”, rather than just “converts” we neglect the on-going care that is needed. Now, in this day, I am not suggesting that we are responsible to write long letters of such Theological weight that they should be considered for the cannon, but that we, as the Church, are responsible to be the bearers of the Truth of the Word and to make sure we are doing the work of training up disciples and leaders who are full of the Truth and who can “correctly handle the Word of Truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). And we need to be resolute in our responsibility to continue to teach and uphold the Truth in the mission of making disciples

Discerning Truth from Error...

2008-09-25T14:08:00.004-05:00

It seems in our overly-P.C. culture you can't say one thing is wrong and another is right without "offending" someone.

On top of that... there are many Christians who throw around the scripture, "Do not judge, lest you be judged." (Matthew 7) in order to silence criticism or Biblical critique.

Don't get me wrong... I have read far too many bloggers who throw around the word "heretic" far too loosely... which is unfortunate because when it is over-used it strips the word of its power and purpose to call people (especially those who have authority - i.e. pastors, teachers, etc) to accountability to Scripture!

With all that to say, I am willing to risk the repercussions of using strong language when necesasry because I fear there are streams of deceit that are quietly yet swiftly flowing into the ears of Christians who are unwilling or unable to be discerning. (Sometimes the half-truth is more destructive than the full-lie!)

In particular, I have becoming increasingly curious about the shifting theology of a prominent "Evangelical" by the name of Rob Bell. If one is looking through the lens of a fairly-orthodox and general Christian Worldview, one would read his books, listen to his sermons, and watch the NOOMA videos in which he stars, and come out with an overall sense of something relatively Biblical. However, upon further review and disection of some of the theological arguments and positions that he and/or his church are making lead to some very different conclusions.

I want it to be noted that I have never met Rob Bell... I have read/listened to/watched material he has produced and know a great number of my peers who have also... but I have never met him in person. I also want to note that the idea from Matthew 18 about going to your brother first, doesn't apply when speaking of dealing with potentailly false teaching. If the teaching is placed in the public square then the critique can (and probably should) be placed in the public square as well.

My concern is with Bell's theological leanings toward: liberal feminist theology, egalitarianism, rejection of Sola Scriptura, the endorsment of eastern/mystic spirituality, and his bordering on Universalism (that everyone is saved from God's Wrath no matter what).

To illustrate my current frustration... and his bent toward a liberal feminist theology... I point you to a critique of the newly released NOOMA video called "She"

There are links below to part 1 & 2 of a critique which I believe is fair and telling of Bell's use of scripture and his appearance of expertise (in Hebrew for example) so as to manipulate the text to affirm his point.

Part 1

Part 2

My goal here is not to be demonstrative, over-zealous, or self-righteous. My goal is to be faithful to the scriptures and make distinctions between Truth and error. I believe this can be done both firmly and in grace. My desire is not to BASH anyone but rather point out error with humility and uphold the Bible as ultimate and final authority on all matters of life and faith (Sola Scriptura)

Home...finally

2008-09-17T22:27:00.004-05:00

It seems like we just started and now we are home again!

It is wonderful and a bit overwhelming at the same time. This dynamic is different than when we brought Nat home for the first time... I think it is mostly the added complexity to our normal system of life.

Ultimately we are overjoyed and completely blessed.

Here are some photos! Enjoy!

JP

Ben and his grandmas Anne (top) and Chris (below)

worth a thousand words...

2008-09-15T15:39:00.001-05:00

So... that went fast...

2008-09-15T14:11:00.006-05:00

Amy and I are happy to announce the birth of our son... (official name coming soon... we're still trying out a couple of names...)

Photos below... more info to come soon once we admit him and get all his stats!

Next Stage...

2008-09-15T10:43:00.002-05:00

I have to admit it is pretty cool... we have been sitting here playing scrabble and listening to the heart beat of our little boy through a monitor on the outside of Amy's belly... it is quite spectacular.

Two things are amazing...

one- this little man is in there just hanging out with little to no idea that his world is about to drastically change!
two- I'm winning at scrabble!

Amy just got an epidural and is feeling pretty good. She is progressing nicely! Go Super-Woman!

JP

Waiting....

2008-09-15T07:21:00.002-05:00

Well... here we are at the hospital... waiting for direction from the nurses. Our room is nice with a beautiful view of an adjacent rooftop...

anywhoo... Amy is getting an I.V. and we will proceed from there...

p.s. this blog and facebook will be the two places to get fairly up-to-the minute-info on this baby's entrance to the world... so stay tuned!

JP

Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

2008-09-05T17:28:00.001-05:00

Crisp Morning

2008-09-03T10:21:00.003-05:00

I saw my breath very lightly this morning as I stepped out of my house on my way to work... today is going to be a really good day!

Psalm 118:24 "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Consider Your Calling...

2008-09-02T10:53:00.003-05:00

In our day there is a lot of talk among young Christians about things we are "passionate" about, or things that compel us or "break our hearts" and these things tend to guide us in our decision making. How do we spend our time? What is our role in the Body of Christ and in relation to the rest of the world.

Now, many good things have been accomplished and, I believe, Jesus has been much honored by many men and women who have acted upon the burdens of their hearts. But is that enough? Just to follow something I am "passionate" about? I think there are two very difficult pitfalls on either side of this way of thinking.

One shortfall is that we have a bunch of passionate people who are saying, "God is leading me..." or "my heart tells me..." and intentionally or unintentionally put words in God's mouth that have little or nothing to do with His leading and calling but are really places of compassion or conviction that, although should be considered and possibly acted upon, do not amount to an overwhelming call of God. In this case we can get off track doing good things and living life AS IF those good things are a substitute or appropriate surrogate for our purpose and calling.

The second pitfall are the huge numbers of Jesus-followers who really don't consider to ask God what He thinks on a particular matter and just decides to approach life and ministry as one applies for a summer job... pick the one you like best and start next Monday! This is why there are so many young men and women in ministry simply because that is what their degree from Bible School says... "ministry." And they, like the people of Israel are wondering for how much longer they will wonder in the desert.

John Newton (author of the hymn Amazing Grace) said this, "None but He who made the world, can make a Minister of the Gospel."

Here is a link to an article by a guy named Albert Mohler on calling:

HAS GOD CALLED YOU?

May you, in joyful submission, listen for the voice of the Master calling you today to His purposes and for His GLORY!

What's it worth?

2008-08-21T08:59:00.003-05:00

Mark 8:36:
"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?"
~ Jesus

Today our answers could be numerous...

fame/popularity
money
status
respect
title
power
pleasure (sexual and otherwise)
leisure
health
prosperity
recognition
control
material excesses (i.e. MORE STUFF)

These all seem like easy answers... and, as the gifts of the world go... this is the best it can offer. In the end... it all burns. None of this lasts.

Psalm 103:15-16 "As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more."

We can talk about material excesses but what about general material comforts of life... (health, food, shelter...) Can we offer our souls in exchange for them and still violate what Jesus is telling His listeners?

Esau sold his God-given birthright and blessing as the first-born son of Isaac for a bowl of stew because he was hungry... Jacob played a role in obtaining it underhandedly but Esau sold it! (Gen 25:31-33)

Job's friends and even his own wife encouraged him, because of the terrible tragedies to his family and his own body, to curse God! (Job 2)

It is easy for me to look hard at the excesses and say, "man... I'm glad I'm not wrapped up in that! I am glad I don't need to have all the newest stuff or fastest car, or power or prestige or title..."

And yet, I sometimes live my life AS IF God owes me at least the basics... is it not the same prideful, arrogant, belligerent, entitled heart?

The verse from Mark 8 from the beginning of this post, read in context, by the power of the Holy Spirit brings conviction to my heart and I am grateful for the Lord's kindness that leads to repentance.

Mar 8:34-36 "And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?'"

China

2008-08-14T10:40:00.002-05:00

Hi Friends -

I'd like to draw your attention to two blogs. One is my friend and pastor Jim. His blog (Thinking Christianly) takes current issues and approaches them from a Biblical perspective. This particular one references China and its history of pantheism. You can find that one here:

thinking-christianly

The other is the blog of another friend, Caleb, who is acually posting from a 3rd party blog about praying for the people of China. I was challenged deeply and need to credit those who brought it to my attention so here is a link to the blog from Abraham Piper via Caleb (who has a blog called Thorns)

Abraham Piper via "Thorns" (Caleb D.)

Blessings!

Jake

PRISM - August 3rd - Message Notes

2008-08-08T15:54:00.003-05:00

I thought I would post my notes here from last Sunday's message at PRISM. I would love your feedback! Thanks!

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Matthew 28:16-20

“¹⁶Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him [Jesus] they worshipped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

A few things Jesus IS saying to those who call themselves “Christians”; His followers… and a few things Jesus IS NOT saying in this passage:

1 – We are called to sow the seeds of the Gospel broadly but not carelessly.

Matthew 13 – Parable of the sower

Broadly

Some of the seed falls on the road, some on hard ground, some among weeds. But the threat of some of the seed falling in bad places doesn’t keep the sower from sowing the seed.

Not Carelessly

There is a potential pitfall in an approach that throws out a simple Gospel and people might even respond… but they don’t become disciples, not because the message is insufficient but because the sower didn’t tend the seed that was growing or entrust it to another to help it grow. And we do an injustice to the Gospel and the seedling (new convert) by not doing the job with care.

2 - We are called to a simple Gospel but not a simplistic gospel

Simple

1 Tim 1:13 – “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of which I am the worst.” It is a foolish and wonderful thing that Jesus’ death and resurrection is available to save my soul and bring me into communion with a Perfect and Holy God… But Jesus says, “teaching them to observe/obey everything that I have commanded you.” The depth and breadth of Jesus’ teaching is ESSENTIAL to one who would follow Jesus and become a disciple.

Simplistic

I pray a prayer or fill out a card and I am “IN” without true regard for the fullness of Jesus’ Gospel and words. It is not a free ticket… it is life transformation! Jesus Changes everything.

** a simplistic view of the Gospel feeds inaccurate understanding of salvation. I am a firm believer in the “Preservation of the saints” that means that once someone is truly saved… it is irrevocable! (Romans 8) The main argument is that someone can’t just sign their name on a card and then live life however they want… and I would agree with that statement 100% Salvation is simple in that the Gospel is simple and straightforward, and at the same time Salvation is HUGE because Jesus re-orders EVERYTHING about life.

3 – We are called to make them disciples of Jesus not disciples of anything else

Jesus

Jesus was the PRIME example of caring for another’s needs (Matthew 9:9-13) But, he saw their true need… (they were sick) and offered the solution… himself; in the midst of meeting their need.

Anything else

In caring for other’s needs we need to be careful to NOT make people disciples of comfort, or food, or shelter, or clean water, or medical care. To be MOST faithful to the Gospel we need to keep Jesus at the center.

**as a side note we see in Acts and in the history of the Church that the good works of caring for the poor and the helping of widows and orphans follows right behind the proclamation of the Gospel and the beginnings and growth of Christ’s Church as it is planted and as it multiplies.

4 – We are called and sent in the AUTHORITY of the risen and exalted Christ

“it was an unlikely thing that they should persuade people to become the disciples of a crucified Jesus…” but a RISEN Jesus… entirely different!

This is the bookend to the whole commission: He starts with, “All Authority” and ends with, “and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

It might go without saying, but I will say it,; the power of the Gospel, life change, wholeness, redemption is Inextricably bound to the death of Jesus on a cross, bearing our sin and shame and rising victoriously to put a finish to death and hell.

This generation is very friendly with the picture of Jesus in the gospels… the incarnate Jesus who hung out with sinners and prostitutes… and that is a beautiful picture of how to pattern our lives… but it must be in the power and authority of the risen Jesus who, right now, sits exalted in heaven and bears the scars on his hands and feet and will come, as Revelation describes, with fire in his eyes, a sword in his mouth, and a tattoo on his leg that says, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”

We are called offered, by this risen Jesus, this great gospel and to those who receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gives the right to become children of God.”

Amen

Excerpt of Psalm 89

2008-07-28T09:56:00.001-05:00

Psa 89:5-16

"Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,
a God greatly to be feared in the council
of the holy ones, and awesome above all
who are around him?
O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are,
O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?
You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.
You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
The heavens are yours;
the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
The north and the south, you have created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand, high your right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face,
who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted."

Who is our true Provider

2008-07-21T10:17:00.004-05:00

In coming back to my office this morning from a week of vacation, I had to sift through a good number of emails... one of them was an article sent to me about the economic crunch the US is in, and, in particular, the housing market and potential bail out of Fannie May and Freddie Mac (two large banking firms) by the Federal Government. (for those interested in things socio-economic-political... you can read the article here: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/13/business/guarantee.php)

Now, before you stop reading because of sheer boredom I want to re-direct to a slightly larger perspective. The article is titles "A New American reality: The government as provider"

What is interesting is that I don't really think this is a "NEW" reality for us here in America. For many years now I have noticed a growing trend, both inside and outside of the church, of an un-healthy trust in government and politics to solve our problems (financially, morally, etc)

Now don't get me wrong... I believe, as a follower of Jesus, it is important for me to be involved in the life and operation of my country, and politics, and to be an influence for the sake of Jesus and HIS WAY in the world. That means, wise decisions about how government is run, who is elected from local to national offices who will uphold those Truths and values that are Biblical and upright...

My HOPE however is NOT in the 'greatness' of a nation, or in who sits above me in government or what legislation is passed... my hope is in God... specifically God in Christ Jesus!

Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."

Could we have a modern rendering of Psalm 20:7 ... Some trust in politics? or presidents? or congress? (gee I hope not?!)

Yes, have a voice and speak wisdom and hold Truth high in all areas... BUT we must remember that our powerful, merciful, awesome, God IS our provider for ALL THINGS!

Genesis 22:14 "So Abraham called the name of that place, 'The LORD will provide'..." (Jehovah-Jireh)

Blessings!

Charles Spurgeon on the Gospel

2008-07-08T10:20:00.005-05:00

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Jackson in "Jurassic Park" - "Hold onto your butts!"

Here are few challenging, encouraging, and butt-kicking quotes from Charles Spurgeon on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Never lose heart in the power of the gospel. Do not believe that there exists any man, much less any race of men, for whom the gospel is not fitted." - CHS

"Avoid a sugared gospel as you would shun sugar of lead. Seek the gospel which rips up and tears and cuts and wounds and hacks and even kills, for that is the gospel that makes alive again. And when you have found it, give good heed to it. Let it enter into your inmost being. As the rain soaks into the ground, so pray the Lord to let his gospel soak into your soul." - CHS

"Let this be to you the mark of true gospel preaching - where Christ is everything, and the creature is nothing; where it is salvation all of grace, through the work of the Holy Spirit applying to the soul the precious blood of Jesus." - CHS

And my personal favorite of the day:

"The heart of the gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ." - CHS

Before the Throne - Rich Truth EVERYWHERE!

2008-07-02T09:57:00.002-05:00

For the past couple of days... I have been unable to stop listening to this song. It is RICH with Theology... and I need it to preach to me every day. Here it is:

"Before the Throne"
Arr. Shane Barnard – “Pages” ©2007
Original Words by: Charitie L. Bancroft, (“Before the Throne of God Above” 1863.)

Verse 1
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high Priest who's name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me

My name is graven on His hand
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart

Verse 2
When satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within
upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin

Because a sinless Savior died
my sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
to look on Him and pardon me

Chorus
Hallelujah
Praise the One Risen Son of God.

Verse 3
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of grace

One in Himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God

Gospel Centered Life

2008-06-30T15:25:00.003-05:00

"This first thing to remember, of course, is that we must never separate the benefits (regeneration, justification, sanctification) from the Benefactor (Jesus Christ). The Christians who are most focused on their own spirituality may give the impression of being the most spiritual... but from the New Testament's point of view, those who have almost forgotten about their own spirituality because their focus is so exclusively on their union with Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished are those who are growing and exhibiting fruitfulness. Historically speaking, whenever the piety of a particular group is focused on OUR spirituality that piety will eventually exhaust itself on its own resources. Only where our piety forgets about ourself and focuses on Jesus Christ will our piety nourished by the ongoing resources the Spirit brings to us from the source of all true piety, our Lord Jesus Christ." ~ Sinclair Ferguson

Thoughts? Discuss...

Now! Get JoyInGod in your inbox!

2008-06-25T10:04:00.002-05:00

Thanks to a friend over at "ablogcalledthorns" (Caleb) I am able to offer a way to subscribe to my blog and have the entries sent right to your email?! How cool is that? So, come on by and sign up to get inside my head a couple times each week!

Thanks friends!

Jake

Already & Not Yet!

2008-06-24T12:53:00.007-05:00

I have been wrestling with the concepts of Justification and Sanctification. Fully Justified and Free from Sin and death and yet still in the process of BEING sanctified, made free, clean, etc...

It is the tension of recognizing who I am IN CHRIST and at the same time, fighting to take hold of it! Understanding that I will not reach perfection in this life but strive no less to take hold of Christ. As Paul says, "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." (Phil. 3:12)

John Piper lays it out like this:

Already: Decisively and Irrevocably Free,

Not Yet: Finally and Perfectly Free

Here are some scriptures to help encourage you with a statement of newness paired with a command to become new.

1. Statement of newness: Romans 6:14, "Sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
Command to become new: Romans 6:12, "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body."

2. Statement of newness: Romans 6:18, "Having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness."
Command to become new: Romans 6:19, "Present your members as slaves to righteousness."

3. Statement of newness: Romans 6:6, "Our old self was crucified with Him."
Command to become new: Romans 6:11, "Consider yourselves to be dead to sin."

4. Statement of newness: Colossians 3:9, "You laid aside the old self with its evil practices."
Command to become new: Ephesians 4:22, "Lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit."

5. Statement of newness: Colossians 3:10, "You have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him."
Command to become new: Ephesians 4:24, "Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."

6. Statement of newness: Galatians 3:27, "All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
Command to become new: Romans 13:14, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ."

7. Statement of newness: Galatians 5:24, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
Command to become new: Romans 13:14b, "Make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."

8. Command to become new: 1 Corinthians 5:7a, "Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump [of dough]."
Statement of newness: 1 Corinthians 5:7b, ". . . just as you are in fact unleavened."

In Grace!

Scripture references taken from: http://www.desiringgod.org/resourcelibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2001/1178_Already_Decisively_and_Irrevocably_Free_Not_Yet_Finallyand_Perfectly_Free/

Which Way to Go - Road Signs Continued

2008-06-19T13:51:00.002-05:00

I have been thinking about the statement that my friend Drew made about road signs (see last post)... about how there aren't any and that we were just expected, as out-of-towners, to just KNOW where we were and how to get where we needed to go?

I think I have been guilty of the same line of thinking... and perhaps "the Church" in America has as well?!

Paul, in Romans 10, is talking about how the people of Israel, God's chosen people, haven't, on the whole, believed in Jesus as God's promised Messiah but how ALL who believe in their hearts and confess with their mouths that Jesus IS who he claimed to be (Savior, Lord, God) would be SAVED! "There is no distinction between Jew and Greek... everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Rom 10:12a, 13)

And then Paul says this, (Romans 10:14-15)

"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'"

How do we expect people who don't believe and confess Jesus as Lord to act, think, reason, etc.? I think we expect them to reach some level of morality", when in reality, without Christ, there is no basis for morality... and so, without the preaching of the "Good News" people remain lost on the road with few signs.

That isn't to say that people are innocent, Paul ALSO says that we, as humanity are without excuse because God has made himself plain to see, (Romans 1:18-32) BUT it is tells those of us who call ourselves "followers of Jesus" something about OUR role and OUR responsibility.

We should be those who boldly bear and proclaim the Good News to those around us. People need to hear the name of Jesus preached...

Jesus is the good news. I am the bearer of that Good News. Do I allow it to come from my mouth enough? Does it come with conviction AND compassion? Both full of Grace AND full of Truth? Recognizing that there is a destination... there are signs on the road... God can and desires to be known... and my job is to be a faithful sign post.

Preach the Good News and let the Spirit bring fruit!

Road Signs...

2008-06-16T14:27:00.005-05:00

I was in Viborg (pronounced Viberg) South Dakota a couple of weeks ago for a wedding (yay Kyle and Penny!) and while there did a fair amount of driving on roads with which I was unfamiliar. In fact, at one point, my friend Drew (who was sitting shotgun and operating as Navigator for our travels) said, "Man! there aren't any signs for anything!? It's like they expect you to know where you are and where you are going?!"

To which I replied, "Hey, that will PREACH!"

So, at the very least, we'll Blog it!

While driving to the wedding we found it necessary, because of flooded roads, to take a detour from the route we were on. See photo below...

So... we decided to go out of our way about 1/2 mile to a little town and ask for directions around the closed road and a new path to the wedding.

We pulled into this little parking lot and this older gentleman on a riding mower greeted us like the strangers-from-the-north that we were and we asked him for directions. He proceeded to tell us to go "through town to the gas station... I think it's a Cenex... and turn right. And after going West for a while... go North again and that will get you to Viborg."

"Thanks a lot!"

Much like the lack of signs on the roads we were driving, this guy expected us to know how far West to travel, when to turn North, and even where "town" was in relation to where we were at the moment!

Needless to say, it was a Sinclair gas station and we did make it to Viborg in plenty of time for smiles, pictures and a great Celebration at the Wedding... however, since then, two things have been rolling around in the back of my mind:

1 - Often we use things like the 10 commandments as the map of "how to live"... like a job description or map for life and just HOPE we don't deviate off course... 'cause then what? Should we really look at them in that way?
&
2 - How much to I expect that people should know where to go (in relationship to Jesus, morality, Truth, etc.) when there are few road signs and REALLY what they need is someone who can give them directions.

Romans 10:14-17 has been really challenging on this and I'll un-pack the 2nd question in light of the Romans 10 passage in the coming days.

Right now, my Church here, Bethel, is in the midst of a great series on the 10 commandments (http://www.bethelfc.com/listen.html - starting June 1st) and so perhaps I will take on the 10 Commandments in a couple of weeks and post my thoughts here... but for now, we'll stick with question 2...

The Problem with My Heart...

2008-06-05T12:03:00.006-05:00

I realized... I have a heart condition.

Not in the way you might think. Although I have heard about Jesus my whole life and put my trust in Him as a child... and although I have reaffirmed my commitment to Christ many times as I have been confronted with His kindness that has lead me to repentance... I find today that I still have a heart condition.

My heart is utterly wicked.

Now, I trust in the promise that, "In Christ, [I am] a new creation..." (2 Cor. 5:17) and that in Christ, I have been set free from sin and become a slave to righteousness (Rom. 6:18) I find that I still fight against my flesh to subdue it and make it obedient to Christ.

That is hard.

I have had to stare eye-to-eye with my own selfish heart and pride of late and it just breaks me. But, it has taken that honest look at myself which has made Psalm 63 TRUE from my lips in a way that was just a surface statement only a few days ago.

"O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

Because I see the corruption of sinful flesh in my own heart and the wide path of destruction that sin leaves in its path I am called afresh to surrender my heart to Christ that HE might continue the process of SANCTIFICATION in my life.

Hebrews 10:14 really lays it out clear:
"For by a single offering he [Jesus] has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."

The Work on the Cross applied to me brings about my Salvation, making me a new creation and liberating me from the bonds of sin of which I cannot myself escape... and for that I rejoice!

And then, as a product of Salvation comes the process of sanctification. Now I know that I cannot reach perfection in this life (1 John 1:8) however I hold fast to the promise that God, in Christ, by the Power of the Holy Spirit in my life, is at work to conform me to the image of Christ.

So... my wicked heart is dead AND dying at the same time; and the New Creation is IN place and perfected in God AND being conformed to Christ during this life.

And I have hope.

"For I know the Plans I have for you..." in context

2008-06-02T12:36:00.002-05:00

Here's one that will really throw you for a loop. We often use Jeremiah 29:11 as a nice happy verse to make people feel happy as they start something new like graduate high school or something. However, in context i think Jeremiah's words are a little more challenging.

See... the King of Babylon had taken the people of Israel captive. In fact Jeremiah 27 tells us that the LORD told Jeremiah to tell the people to make yokes for themselves because they WERE going to be delivered into the hands of Babylon as slaves.

Then chapter 28 interrupts what God is saying with a false prophet named Hananiah who said that they would only be in bondage for a little while but that God was going to break the yoke of bondage over them... but it wasn't true. Yes, God was going to break the yoke of slavery and restore the people unto himself... but not on man's clock... only on His own.

So Hananiah got axed by the Lord (jake's paraphrase) and then we come to Jeremiah 29 and he is writing to all those who are in exile and waiting on the Lord to rescue them... that is when Jeremiah writes what we read in chapter 29 verse 11.... God is telling His people, through Jeremiah, "I am doing this... you will be given over to Babylon and it will be for 40 years... this is not a quick fix... but my plans are better than yours. And my ways are higher than your ways and I still love you even though you suffer now in the flesh..."
"... for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope..."

so... it doesn't blindly make us "feel good" but rather it points us, in our insecurity and in our having to stare face-to-face with the unknown, and helps us say, "Yes Lord! I trust You. That Your Glory and Will IS and WILL BE the BEST for me as well... even if I don't see it."

So... Amen! I celebrate the weight and power of the words of Jeremiah and what they mean for me and you that we can be confident in the unknowns of our futures because no matter what it looks like all around me, i can lean heavy on his right hand.... because he has good plans...

Alrighty...now i need lunch!

JP

Welcome to my brain!

2008-05-30T14:54:00.006-05:00

It is easy for me to have a thought or idea about something but never take it past that simple idea. For some thoughts, it is a good thing that I forget... but many times there is a Biblical perspective that i don't take the time to unfold and try to better understand... and then I miss something.

those that know me know that I think "out loud" all the time. So, perhaps this will be a help to me and amusing (and hopefully challenging as well) to whomever takes a minute or two to chew on my musings here!

We'll start small... enjoy!

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"Which religion best fits you?"

I was sent an email with a series of "surveys" that you could fill out to find out what kind of person you are. Funny how magazines, pop-up windows, and email forwards are the first places people go to find out who they are... but I digress...

This particular one was fairly interesting so I decided to walk through the 20 or so questions to see what I could find.

All of the questions were based on my personal preferences... like, what I feel should be the natural response if someone hit me? Should I turn the other cheek? Should I respond "an eye for an eye?" "Never retaliate because violence is never justified..." For each question, the responses were varied like this and looking at each one, you could see the obvious leans toward certian religions beliefs.

However, as I finished up the survey I was reviewing the questions and had a bit of an epiphany of sorts... all these questions are about what I want, like, and prefer and have NOTHING to do with any kind of "higher authority" or some greater source of Truth than just me.

Therein lies the fundamental problem... if there isn't a standard by which everything is compared, what do we have? nothing. G.K. Chesterton said it this way, "if everything is art, then nothing is." The same applies to Truth.

John 8 shows us Jesus making some fantastic claims about Himself and they slapped the preferences of the religious and spiritual right in the face! "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.”
This isn't a preference question like, "do you believe there should be multiple ways to god?" This is a statement that says, "this is how things work... you got a problem with that?"

It points to this... is something True because I believe it? OR Do I believe it because it is True?

Incidentally i never got my results to the survey... i had to sign up for a magazine subscription or become a member of the AARP in order to see results...

for me: I want to follow Jesus.