Theology in Verse

Never Moving Beyond the Cross

2012-02-01T06:56:00.000-05:00

"We never move on from the cross of Christ - only into a more profound understanding of the cross."

--David Prior, The Message of 1 Corinthians

Is Your Gospel Too Small?

2012-01-30T06:21:00.000-05:00

"A gospel which is only about the moment of conversion but does not extend to every moment of life in Christ is too small. A gospel that gets your sins forgiven but offers no power for transformation is too small. A gospel that isolates one of the benefits of union with Christ and ignores all the others is too small. A gospel that must be measured by your own moral conduct, social conscience, or religious experience is too small. A gospel that rearranges the components of your life but does not put you personally in the presence of God is too small."

--Fred Sanders, The Deep Things of God

The Inward Warfare of Our Souls

2012-01-27T06:29:00.001-05:00

Strange and Mysterious Is My Life
John Newton, 1725-1807

Strange and mysterious is my life,
What opposites I feel within -
A stable peace, a constant strife,
The rule of grace, the power of sin;
Too often I am captive led,
Yet daily triumph in my Head.

I prize the privilege of prayer,
But, oh, what backwardness to pray!
Though on the Lord I cast my care,
I feel its burden every day;
I seek His will in all I do,
Yet find my own is working too.

I call the promises my own,
And prize them more than mines of gold.
Yet though their sweetness I have known,
They leave me unimpressed and cold;
One hour upon the truth I feed,
The next I know not what I read.

I love the holy day of rest,
When Jesus meets His gathered saints;
Sweet day, of all the week the best!
For its return my spirit pants;
Yet often, through my unbelief,
It proves a day of guilt and grief.

While on my Savior I rely,
I know my foes shall lose their aim,
And therefore dare thier power defy,
Assured of conquest through His name;
But soon my confidence is slain,
And all my fears return again.

Thus different powers within me strive,
And grace and sin by turns prevail;
I grieve, rejoice, decline, revive,
And victory hangs in doubtful scale.
But Jesus has His promise past,
That grace shall overcome at last.

The Reconciling Power of the Gospel

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

For those of you in and around Jackson, I want to make you aware of a joint service this Sunday at 4 PM that we at First Baptist Church on North Highland are hosting with our sister congregation of First Baptist Church on MLK Drive. We look forward to welcoming our brothers and sisters to worship with us that afternoon and celebrate the reconciling power of the gospel. This joint service is a way for us to express our shared unity and common faith, and it is also an opportunity for us to declare that there is more power in the gospel to unite us than there is in our different colors of skin to divide us.

The service will consist of a combined choir from the two congregations, Scripture readings and prayers led by members of each church, and the preaching of God's Word by Ricky Jenkins, Pastor of the downtown congregation of Fellowship Memphis, an ethnically diverse congregation in the heart of downtown Memphis. A time of fellowship will follow the service. All are welcome to join us.

This service is part of our church's yearlong 175th Anniversary celebration.

The Pulpit Is for Preaching Christ

2012-01-24T06:22:00.001-05:00

I'm thankful to Luke Allison for sharing this quote with me, which he found while researching Edward Mote.

You may not recognize Mote's name, but you probably know his hymn, "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand." Mote was a 19th century Baptist pastor beloved by his congregation. And when his church offered to name their chapel after him, he refused, saying:

I do not want the chapel, I only want the pulpit; and when I cease to preach Christ, then turn me out of that.

HT: OneEternalDay

A Sanctuary of Life

2012-01-23T06:11:00.000-05:00

One of our church members, Ben Mitchell, preached yesterday morning as part of our celebration of Sanctity of Human Life Sunday (and did a wonderful job). He made a comment in his sermon that I believe is worth sharing and worth reflecting on:

The church is a sanctuary of life in a culture of death.

--Ben Mitchell

Thou Wilt Victorious Prove

2012-01-20T06:30:00.000-05:00

What Though I Cannot Break My Chain
Augustus Toplady, 1740-1778

What though I cannot break my chain
Or e’er throw off my load,
The things impossible to men
Are possible to God.

Who, who shall in Thy presence stand,
Or match omnipotence;
Unfold the grasp of Thy right hand
And pluck the sinner thence?

Faith to be healed I fain would have,
O might it now be given;
Thou canst, thou canst the sinner save,
And make me meet for Heav’n.

Bound down with twice ten thousand ties,
Yet let me hear Thy call;
My soul in confidence shall rise,
Shall rise and break through all.

Thou canst o’ercome this heart of mine,
Thou wilt victorious prove;
For everlasting strength is Thine,
And everlasting love.

The Dangers of Market-Sensitive Sermons

2012-01-19T06:21:00.000-05:00

Douglas Webster on biblical preaching vs. market-sensitive preaching:

Biblical preaching is God-centered, sin-exposing, self-convicting and life-challenging - the direct opposite of today's light, informal sermons that Christianize self-help and entertain better than they convict.

There are so many illustrations in today's market-sensitive sermons that the hearer forgets the biblical truth that is being illustrated; so many personal anecdotes that the hearer knows the pastor better than she knows Christ; so many human-interest stories that listening to the sermon is easier than reading the Sunday paper; so practical that there is hardly anything to practice.

No wonder nominal Christians leave church feeling upbeat. Their self-esteem is safely intact. Their minds and hearts have been sparked and soothed with sound-bite theology, Christian maxims and a few practical pointers dealing with self-esteem, kids, or work. But the question remains: has the Word of God been effectively and faithfully proclaimed, penetrating comfort zones and the veneer of self-satisfaction with the truth of Jesus Christ?

--Douglas Webster, Selling Jesus: What's Wrong with Marketing the Church

Download Bloodlines for Free

2012-01-17T06:37:00.001-05:00

Desiring God Ministries has generously made John Piper's recent book, Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian, available as a free download. Click here for the details.

Whether or not you affirm Piper's theological convictions regarding Calvinism (which are defined and defended in the middle section of the book), the chapters on the front end and back end are well worth the read...especially when it's free.

Celebrating MLK Day

2012-01-16T06:49:00.000-05:00

In my opinion, Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech is still one of the great masterpieces of American oratory.

And his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" is still one of the great masterpieces of American Christian ethics.

Love That Found Me - Wondrous Thought!

2012-01-13T06:08:00.000-05:00

Chief of Sinners Though I Be
William McComb, 1793-1870

Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Died that I might never die;
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.

O the height of Jesus’ love!
Higher than the Heaven above;
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lasting as eternity;
Love that found me—wondrous thought!
Found me when I sought Him not!

Jesus only can impart
Balm to heal the smitten heart;
Peace that flows from sin forgiven,
Joy that lifts the soul to Heaven;
Faith and hope to walk with God
In the way that Enoch trod.

Chief of sinners though I be,
Christ is all in all to me;
All my wants to Him are known,
All my sorrows are His own;
Safe with Him from earthly strife,
He sustains the hidden life.

O my Savior, help afford
By Thy Spirit and Thy Word!
When my wayward heart would stray,
Keep me in the narrow way;
Grace in time of need supply
While I live and when I die.

What Do You Boast In?

2012-01-11T08:38:00.003-05:00

"Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD' (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31).

"If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness....Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 11:30; 12:9).

"But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14).

New 9Marks eJournal on Sunday School

2012-01-09T06:24:00.000-05:00

The most recent 9Marks eJournal is dedicated to the subject of Sunday School. It has several helpful and thoughtful articles. Check them out here. Or click here for a PDF of the whole eJournal.

Cling to the Cross, the Burden Will Fall

2012-01-06T06:33:00.001-05:00

Free from the Law
Philip P. Bliss, 1838-1876

Free from the law, O happy condition,
Jesus has bled and there is remission,
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Grace hath redeemed us once for all.

Refrain:

Once for all, O sinner, receive it,
Once for all, O brother, believe it;
Cling to the cross, the burden will fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

Now we are free, there’s no condemnation,
Jesus provides a perfect salvation.
Come unto Me, O hear His sweet call,
Come, and He saves us once for all.

Refrain

Children of God, O glorious calling,
Surely His grace will keep us from falling;
Passing from death to life at His call;
Blessed salvation once for all.

Refrain

Loving God, Loving His Word

2012-01-04T06:11:00.000-05:00

"You can measure a person's opinion of God by his or her opinion of God's Word. That's why a person who loves God loves His Word, and the person who hates God rejects what God has spoken."

--Jonathan Leeman, Reverberation

Quotes on "Union with Christ"

2012-01-03T06:13:00.000-05:00

Union with Christ is such a central and crucial aspect of the doctrine of salvation, and yet it remains neglected by far too many pastors and therefore largely unknown by far too many Christians. Here are a few quotes that remind us of its significance.

Nothing is more central or basic than union and communion with Christ...it is the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation. --John Murray

There are no benefits of the gospel apart from union with Christ. --Lane Tipton

Union with Christ is right at the center of the Christian doctrine of salvation. The whole of our relationship with God can be summed up in such terms....Union with Christ is at the heart of the biblical teaching about salvation. --Robert Letham

Treasures of Grace in Urns of Clay

2011-12-30T06:13:00.001-05:00

How Rich Thy Bounty, King of Kings!
Philip Doddridge, 1702-1751

How rich Thy bounty, King of kings!
Thy favors, how divine!
The blessings which Thy Gospel brings,
How splendidly they shine!

Gold is but dross, and gems but toys,
Should gold and gems compare;
How mean, when sent against those joys
Thy poorest servants share!

Yet all these treasures of Thy grace
Are lodged in urns of clay;
And the weak sons of mortal race
The immortal gifts convey.

Feebly they lisp Thy glories forth,
Yet grace the victory gives;
Quickly they molder back to earth,
Yet still Thy Gospel lives.

Such wonders power divine effects;
Such trophies God can raise;
His hand, from crumbling dust, erects
His monuments of praise.

Can You Relate?

2011-12-28T06:33:00.002-05:00

The following is an excerpt from a letter by John Newton to his friend William Bull, describing how frantic and busy he felt during a difficult season of life.

I have seldom one hour free from interruption. Letters come that must be answered, visitants that must be received, business that must be attended to. . . . night comes before I am ready for noon and the week closes when according to the state of my business it should not be more than Tuesday.

I know the feeling. How about you?

The Gospel's Seemingly Contradictory Work

2011-12-27T06:56:00.000-05:00

"The gospel gives us a new identity that is so majestic that we would be the most arrogant people in the world - except that we know we don't deserve it, it cost Christ his life, and it is all a free gift of grace....Only the gospel can do two seemingly contradictory things: destroy pride and increase courage. Destroy self-exaltation and increase confidence. Destroy the pushiness of self-assertion and deliver from the paralysis of self-doubt."

--John Piper, Bloodlines

Rise, the Woman's Conquering Seed!

2011-12-23T06:46:00.001-05:00

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Charles Wesley, 1707-1788; alt. George Whitefield, 1714-1770

Hark, the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Christ, by highest heavn adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord:
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail th'incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Hail, the heav'n born Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in his wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home!
Rise, the Woman's conqu'ring Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent's head!
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love!
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the Heavenly Man:
Oh, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart!
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Martin Luther's Christmas Story

2011-12-21T06:21:00.000-05:00

Listen to a special Christmas edition of the Beeson Podcast as Timothy George reads Martin Luther's version of the Christmas story. Luther took great pains to make the nativity story come alive for the members of his congregation. Let it help you celebrate the birth of Christ this Christmas.

Handel and Humor

2011-12-20T08:31:00.002-05:00

Check out these silent monks "singing" the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah.

To Be a Christian Is to Know Humility

2011-12-19T09:08:00.001-05:00

"A proud Christian is as much an oxymoron as a sober drunkard or a generous miser."

--John Newton

Marvel in the Mystery

2011-12-16T06:31:00.000-05:00

All People of the Coming King
© 2010, M. Justin Wainscott

All people of the coming King,
All servants of the Lord,
Come, lift your voices, let us sing
With hearts in one accord:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

In Bethlehem the angels praised
The birth of Christ our King;
So let us now with voices raised
Rejoice with them and sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Oh, marvel in the mystery
Of Jesus' virgin birth;
To God all praise and glory be,
And peace o'er all the earth.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

His first advent salvation wrought
By dying on the tree;
Yet He, through resurrection, bought
For us eternity.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

To Him who came and conquered sin,
Triumphant and supreme;
To Him who'll one day come again,
We sound this joyous theme:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

And when He comes, our King, to reign,
And earth and heav'n be new;
Then may the sound of this refrain
Our longing hearts renew:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

The Mystery of the Incarnation

2011-12-14T06:49:00.001-05:00

"He, through whom time was born, was born in time;
and He, older by eternity than the world itself,
was younger in age than many of His servants in the world;
He, who made man, was made man;
He was given existence by a mother whom He brought into existence;
He was carried in hands which He formed;
He nursed at breasts which He filled;
He cried like a babe in the manger in speechless infancy --
this Word without which human eloquence is speechless!"

--Augustine, Sermon on Christmas

Keith and Kristyn Getty at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis

2011-12-13T06:21:00.001-05:00

For those of you in and around Memphis, you might be interested to know that this year's celebration of "The Majesty of Christmas" at Bellevue Baptist Church will feature special guests Keith and Kristyn Getty (who have written modern hymns such as "In Christ Alone," "The Power of the Cross," and "Come, People of the Risen King."

The Gettys will be premiering their new Christmas CD, Joy: An Irish Christmas, as they join with the church's choir and orchestra this Sunday, December 18, at 6:00pm in the worship center at Bellevue. For more information, click here.

A Surprise Rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus

2011-12-12T07:19:00.000-05:00

Many of you have likely seen this before, but it is worth watching again.

On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia. Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ - the world's largest pipe organ - the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" at 12 noon, to the delight of surprised shoppers.

Our God Descended to the Earth and Didst Among Us Dwell

2011-12-09T06:39:00.000-05:00

Sing Highest Praises to Our King
© 2009, M. Justin Wainscott

Sing highest praises to our King,
Who left His throne above,
And clothed Himself in flesh to bring
The blessings of His love.

The glory He had long enjoyed,
He humbly set aside;
How great the means which Christ employed
To save a sinful Bride!

In Bethlehem by virgin birth,
As prophets did foretell;
Our God descended to the earth,
And didst among us dwell.

We see Him in the manger lay,
But let us ne’er forget;
This precious Child was born to pay
Our cursed, sinful debt.

This perfect Lamb for sinners slain,
Who died and rose again,
Now sits on David’s throne and reigns
In vict’ry over sin.

So let our longing hearts all burn
With zeal for Christ our King,
And for the day of His return,
When He shall reign supreme!

Living Christmas Tree

2011-12-08T22:10:00.003-05:00

First Baptist Church Jackson will be presenting the Living Christmas Tree this weekend. There will be two evening presentations and one in the afternoon (7PM on Friday and Saturday, 2PM on Sunday).

For more information or to reserve your tickets, click here.

Faith Can Be Neither Empty, Nor Blind

2011-12-06T06:40:00.000-05:00

"Without personal identification with Jesus Christ, cognitive specification of who he is remains empty; without cognitive specification of who Jesus Christ is, however, personal identification with him is blind."

--Miroslav Volf

Born a Child and Yet a King

2011-12-02T06:49:00.000-05:00

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Charles Wesley, 1707-1788

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2011-11-30T06:02:00.002-05:00

Children are humorous, especially when they don't mean to be. Their responses to questions are classic (evidenced by the number of forwarded emails we've all received with such responses). Our 2 year-old daughter is no different. Two incidents occurred recently that left my wife and I laughing at her own "classic" responses to our questions.

The first happened when we were in a store and saw an inflatable Santa Claus. I asked my daughter who that was in the red suit with the white beard. Her response: "Noah" (she probably wondered why there were toys rather than animals in the sled).

The second incident was in the midst of my wife going over catechism questions with our daughter. They were talking about Adam and Eve, sin, and the punishment for sin. My wife asked, "What happens when we sin?" The answer we expected was: "It separates us from God." The answer our daughter gave: "We get a spanking."

What the Emerging Church Really Is

2011-11-28T06:50:00.001-05:00

"The emerging church is not an evangelistic strategy. It is the last rung for evangelicals falling off the ladder into liberalism or unbelief."

--Kevin DeYoung

A Thanksgiving Hymn

2011-11-23T06:35:00.001-05:00

Great Sovereign Lord, What Human Eye
Samuel Boyce, 1812

Great sovereign Lord, what human eye
Amidst Thy works can rove,
And not Thy liberal hand espy,
Nor trace Thy bounteous love?

Each star that gilds the heavenly frame,
On earth each verdant clod,
In language loud to men proclaim
The great and bounteous God.

The lesson each revolving year
Repeats in various ways;
Rich Thy provisions, Lord, appear;
The poor shall shout Thy praise.

Our fruitful fields and pastures tell,
Of man and beast Thy care;
The thriving corn Thy breezes fill,
Thy breath perfumes the air.

But oh, what human eye can trace,
Or human heart conceive,
The greater riches of Thy grace
Impoverished souls receive?

Love everlasting has not spared
Its best beloved Son;
And in Him endless life prepared,
For souls by sin undone.

Beeson Podcast on Hymns of Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T06:18:00.008-05:00

Listen to this special edition of the Beeson Podcast with Dean Timothy George on the great hymns of Thanksgiving in the Christian tradition. Dr. George’s guest is Dr. Paul Richardson, professor of music at Samford University and past president of the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. Along with discussion of the history and use of Thanksgiving hymns, you will hear choral arrangements of four beautiful and theologically-rich Thanksgiving hymns. One of the interesting points that emerges in this discussion is that the most beloved Thanksgiving hymns were written during times of extreme hardship.

If you are traveling this week, listening to this podcast would be a great way to spend a half hour of your travel time to set your heart on God’s goodness to his people.

You can download the podcast, or you can subscribe to it through iTunes here.

Nor Let That Ransomed Sinner Die

2011-11-18T06:10:00.001-05:00

Arise, My Soul, Arise
Charles Wesley, 1707-1788

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

The Redemption of Ordinary Life

2011-11-16T06:37:00.000-05:00

"Ordinary life is what's going to be redeemed. There is nothing better than ordinary life, except that it's always going away and always falling apart. Ordinary life is food and work and chairs by the fire and hugs and dancing and mountains - this world. God loves it so much that he gave his only Son so we - and the rest of this ordinary world - could be redeemed and made perfect. And that's what is in store for us."

--Tim Keller, The King's Cross

The Sanctifying and Comforting Effect of the Cross

2011-11-14T06:34:00.001-05:00

"Let the cross of Christ be often before our minds. Rightly understood, no object in all Christianity is so likely to have a sanctifying as well as a comforting effect on our souls."

--J.C. Ryle

A Sinner Saved by Sovereign Grace

2011-11-11T06:41:00.003-05:00

Not One of Adam's Race
Henry Fowler, 1779-1838

Not one of Adam’s race
But is by sin undone,
Deep sunk in foul disgrace,
And righteousness has none;
And this, when brought through grace to know,
Will sink the sinner very low.

He sinks in miry clay,
And scarce can lift a sigh,
He tries, but cannot pray,
Nor lift to heaven his eye;
His bosom heaves, with guilt oppressed,
But, in himself, can find no rest.

In this bewildered state,
Pursued by guilt and sin,
He pushes at the gate,
But cannot enter in;
Till Jesus opens wide the door,
And saves the helpless and the poor.

The prisoner now goes forth;
The lame man leaps with joy;
He feels the Saviour’s worth,
And lifts his name on high.
On Jesus’ head the crown he’ll place;
A sinner saved by sovereign grace.

New Book on Adoption and Orphan Care

2011-11-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

Interested in adoption? In the process of adoption? Want to know how you can care for orphans? Wondering how you can approach this issue in a gospel-centered way? If so, Tony Merida and Rick Morton have written a new book you might want to check out - Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-Centered Adoption and Orphan Care.

Thanks to Ben Mitchell for making me aware of this book.

A Rap about Charles Spurgeon

2011-11-08T08:12:00.003-05:00

Some of you may have already seen and heard this track by Shai Linne, but it's a combination of poetry and the story of God's grace seen in Charles Spurgeon. I had several friends send it to me, so I thought I'd post it here for others to view.

A Hymn for Orphan Sunday

2011-11-04T06:41:00.000-05:00

This is a great hymn for Orphan Sunday (which is this Sunday). It can be sung to the tune of "The Church's One Foundation."

Though I Was Born an Orphan
© 2009, Eric Shumacher and David L. Ward

Though I was born an orphan,
Abandoned and alone,
Enslaved and bound in darkness,
Without a hope or home,
The God of grace and mercy
From his eternal throne
Ordained to be my Father
And claim me as His own.

That I might be adopted
The Father sent his Son
To live in full obedience
And die for what I’ve done.
Now through his resurrection,
Through faith, with him I’m one.
A member of his household,
I am an heir, a son.

To soothe my fear and worry
The Spirit from on high
Was sent to be a witness
That “Father!” I might cry.
O How I love this Father!
I’m never left alone.
He’s come to dwell within me
Until He calls me home.

Since I have this adoption,
I cannot close my home
To widows and to orphans,
Abandoned and alone.
Lord, fill me with compassion
To love the fatherless,
That I might show the nations
How great my Father is!

"Suffered Under Pontius Pilate"

2011-11-02T06:25:00.003-05:00

Have you ever wondered about the significance of the phrase "suffered under Pontius Pilate" in the Apostles' Creed? Why mention Pilate? Why the reference to him in a creedal confession of the Christian faith? This quote from Harold Brown may help explain why this phrase has importance:

Jesus is...the Mediator between God and man, but he is not seen as a cosmic or universal principle, but as a real flesh-and-blood human being, who suffered, died, and rose again under a real, historical, and trivial Roman official, Pontius Pilate. During the early twentieth century, attempts were made to deny the historicity of Jesus Christ, and to present him as the invention of his followers, but there has never been an attempt to discredit the historicity of the unfortunate Pilate.
--Harold O. J. Brown, Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church

The historicity of Pilate confirms the historicity of Christ.

Another Baseball Season in the Books

2011-11-01T06:44:00.002-05:00

For those of you who are baseball fans, Glenn Stout has a great little reflection that recently aired on NPR about the end of another season and waiting for next year - Major League Longing: What Comes After Game 7.

In this way, the Major League Baseball season serves as something of an earthly reminder of the anticipation and fulfillment inherent in the Christian faith.

Happy Reformation Day!

2011-10-31T06:27:00.001-05:00

A little Reformation humor...

A Reformation Hymn

2011-10-28T06:24:00.001-05:00

Since this is the week leading up to Reformation Day, all posts will have to do with the Reformation.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Martin Luther, 1483-1546

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our Helper, He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His name;
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours,
Through Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
His kingdom is forever.

Doing Ministry Under Difficult Circumstances

2011-10-27T06:19:00.002-05:00

Since this is the week leading up to Reformation Day, all posts will have to do with the Reformation.

After Luther's refusal to recant at the Diet of Worms in 1521 (and after already being condemned as a heretic by the Roman Catholic Church), Emperor Charles V placed him under a ban, known as the Edict of Worms. In that edict, the emperor decreed the following:

We enjoin you all not to take the aforementioned Martin Luther into your houses, not to receive him at court, to give him neither food nor drink, not to hide him, to afford him no help, following, support, encouragement, either clandestinely or publicly, through words or works. Where you can get him, seize him and overpower him, you should capture him and send him to us under tightest security.

How would you like to do ministry under those circumstances?

Though Luther was whisked away and placed in hiding after the Diet of Worms (translating the New Testament into German during that time), he eventually returned to Wittenberg in 1522 to continue teaching, preaching, and pastoring - living every day under that ban. Few, if any of us, have to labor under such difficult circumstances. Still, let us be challenged by Luther's perseverance, and let us strive to be faithful amidst our own hardships.

Luther before the Diet of Worms

2011-10-26T06:21:00.001-05:00

Since this is the week leading up to Reformation Day, all posts will have to do with the Reformation.

As much as October 31 and Luther's tacking of the 95 Theses are celebrated as the beginning of the Reformation, in many ways, this was actually the moment that Protestant Christianity was born.

What the Reformation Was Really About

2011-10-25T06:16:00.001-05:00

Since this is the week leading up to Reformation Day, all posts will have to do with the Reformation.

"The closer one looks, the clearer it becomes: the Reformation was not, principally, a negative movement, about moving away from Rome; it was a positive movement, about moving towards the gospel."

--Michael Reeves, The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation

The Morning Star of the Reformation

2011-10-24T06:12:00.000-05:00

Since this is the week leading up to Reformation Day, all posts will have to do with the Reformation.

This has to be one of my favorite pictures of the era just prior to the Reformation. It is a portrait of John Wycliffe, who laid the groundwork for folks like Luther and Tyndale. Notice Wycliffe resisting the Roman Catholic authorities and clinging ever so tightly to his English Bible - something for which he eventually would be martyred.

This portrait says a lot about the significance of the time period leading up to and including the Reformation, and it speaks volumes about the incredible treasure of having the Bible translated in your own language. Thanks be to God for raising up men like John Wycliffe!

Here is the plaque that accompanies the painting at St. James Clerkenwell.

His Blood Shall Over All Prevail

2011-10-21T06:06:00.001-05:00

I love the last two lines of this stanza by Toplady:

The Sinner's Rest
Augustus Toplady, 1740-1778

Oh, that I now the voice might hear,
That speaks my sins forgiv'n;
His Word is past to give me here
The inward pledge of heav'n.
His blood shall over all prevail,
And sanctify the unclean;
The grace that saves from future hell,
Shall save from present sin.

A Historical Glance at Colonial Baptists

2011-10-19T07:16:00.004-05:00

"Persecution from the establishment - which ran from fines in New England and physical assault in the South, especially Virginia - was a steady fact of Baptist life into the 1770s. But for the opening geography of the colonies as well as for a society with opening ideology, the self-starting, lay-oriented, Bible-centered and thoroughly active work of the evangelical Baptists made them the mainland's most dynamic religious movement between the revivals of the 1740s and the Revolution of the 1770s. They were the primary beneficiaries of the Great Awakening. In the colonies of North America there were less than one hundred Baptist churches in 1740, but almost five hundred by the outbreak of the war with Britain in 1776."

--Mark Noll, The Rise of Evangelicalism

A Good Definition of "Hymn"

2011-10-17T06:41:00.001-05:00

Carefully considered theology, composed in memorable strophes, combined with equally memorable tunes, with the goal that the person in the pew can sing, memorize, and internalize the carefully considered theology.

--Wes Ramsay

Balm to Heal the Smitten Heart

2011-10-14T06:49:00.000-05:00

Chief of Sinners Though I Be
William McComb, 1864

Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Died that I might never die;
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.

O the height of Jesus’ love!
Higher than the Heaven above;
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lasting as eternity;
Love that found me—wondrous thought!
Found me when I sought Him not!

Jesus only can impart
Balm to heal the smitten heart;
Peace that flows from sin forgiven,
Joy that lifts the soul to Heaven;
Faith and hope to walk with God
In the way that Enoch trod.

Chief of sinners though I be,
Christ is all in all to me;
All my wants to Him are known,
All my sorrows are His own;
Safe with Him from earthly strife,
He sustains the hidden life.

O my Savior, help afford
By Thy Spirit and Thy Word!
When my wayward heart would stray,
Keep me in the narrow way;
Grace in time of need supply
While I live and when I die.

The Unity of the Bible

2011-10-11T06:02:00.001-05:00

One of the things I am continually amazed by as I read the Bible is the multitude of ways in which the New Testament alludes to and fulfills the Old. There is an obvious yet mysterious unity to the Bible that is truly astonishing. It is one more piece of evidence that the Bible really is the Word of God.

As a student and preacher of the Bible, this excites my mind. As a believer in the God of the Bible, this thrills my soul.

Of a Rebel Made a Son

2011-10-07T06:37:00.000-05:00

Saved By Blood I Live to Tell
John Newton, 1725-1807

Saved by blood I live to tell,
What the blood of Christ hath done;
He redeemed my soul from hell,
Of a rebel made a son:
O, I tremble still, to think
How secure I lived in sin;
Sporting on destruction's brink,
Yet preserved from falling in.

In His own appointed hour,
To my heart the Savior spoke,
Touched me by His Spirit's power,
And my dangerous slumber broke.
Then I saw and owned my guilt.
Soon my gracious Lord replied,
"Fear not, I my blood have spilt,
'Twas for such as thee I died."

Shame and wonder, joy and love,
All at once possessed my heart;
Can I hope Thy grace to prove,
After acting such a part?
"Thou hast greatly sinned," He said,
"But I freely all forgive;
I myself thy debt have paid,
Now I bid thee rise and live."

Come, my fellow-sinners, try,
Jesus' heart is full of love;
Oh that you, as well as I,
May His wondrous mercy prove!
He has sent me to declare,
All is ready, all is free;
Why should any soul despair,
When He saved a wretch like me?

The Beginning of Knowledge

2011-10-05T06:20:00.000-05:00

"The beginning of knowledge is to know oneself to be a sinner."

--Augustine

Evangelists and Theologians

2011-10-03T06:15:00.001-05:00

"If evangelists were our theologians or theologians our evangelists, we should at least be nearer the ideal church."

--James Denney, The Death of Christ

Firm As His Throne His Promise Stands

2011-09-30T06:04:00.000-05:00

I'm Not Ashamed to Own My Lord
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

I’m not ashamed to own my Lord,
Or to defend His cause;
Maintain the honor of His Word,
The glory of His cross.

Jesus, my God! I know His Name,
His Name is all my trust;
Nor will He put my soul to shame,
Nor let my hope be lost.

Firm as His throne His promise stands,
And He can well secure
What I’ve committed to His hands
Till the decisive hour.

Then will He own my worthless name
Before His Father’s face,
And in the new Jerusalem
Appoint my soul a place.

Old Truth, New Effects

2011-09-28T08:30:00.004-05:00

Richard Baxter, the renowned Puritan pastor, spoke of his own conversion in the following way:

The same things which I knew before came now in another manner, with Light,and Sense and Seriousness to my heart.

It seems to me that this ought to be the sentiment of most believers who grow up in a Christian home and who are brought up in a church that preaches the gospel. It's not so much that in conversion they are learning new truth as it is that the truth they know affects them in a new and profound way.

A Generation that Listens with Its Eyes and Thinks with Its Feelings

2011-09-26T06:04:00.001-05:00

"We have lost our ability to reason....Very few are able to think clearly anymore. I have often said the challenge of the truth speaker today is this: How do you reach a generation that listens with its eyes and thinks with its feelings?"

--Ravi Zacharias, from an address at the United Nations' Prayer Breakfast, 2007

Justice Smiles And Asks No More

2011-09-23T06:29:00.000-05:00

Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder
John Newton, 1725-1807

Let us love and sing and wonder,
Let us praise the Savior’s Name!
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder,
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame.
He has washed us with His blood,
He has brought us nigh to God.

Let us love the Lord Who bought us,
Pitied us when enemies,
Called us by His grace, and taught us,
Gave us ears and gave us eyes:
He has washed us with His blood,
He presents our souls to God.

Let us sing, though fierce temptation
Threaten hard to bear us down!
For the Lord, our strong Salvation,
Holds in view the conqueror’s crown:
He Who washed us with His blood
Soon will bring us home to God.

Let us wonder; grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store;
When through grace in Christ our trust is,
Justice smiles and asks no more:
He Who washed us with His blood
Has secured our way to God.

Let us praise, and join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high;
Here they trusted Him before us,
Now their praises fill the sky:
“Thou hast washed us with Your blood;
Thou art worthy, Lamb of God!”

Hark! the Name of Jesus, sounded
Loud, from golden harps above!
Lord, we blush, and are confounded,
Faint our praises, cold our love!
Wash our souls and songs with blood,
For by Thee we come to God.

Task Force Appointed to Study Prospective Name Change for the Southern Baptist Convention

2011-09-21T06:09:00.001-05:00

Bryant Wright, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, announced Monday evening the appointment of a presidential task force to study the prospect of changing the name of America's largest Protestant denomination. He had two primary reasons why the study could prove helpful:

First, the convention's name is so regional. With our focus on church planting, it is challenging in many parts of the country to lead churches to want to be part of a convention with such a regional name. Second, a name change could position us to maximize our effectiveness in reaching North America for Jesus Christ in the 21st century.

There are four main questions he wants the task force to consider:

1) Is it a good idea, that is, is there value in considering a name change?
2) If so, what would be a good name to suggest?
3) What would be the potential legal ramifications of a name change?
4) What would be the potential financial implications?

Click here for the full story from Baptist Press.

A website, Pray4SBC, has been created for people to submit their opinions and possible name changes.

But Thou Art Something Better

2011-09-20T07:29:00.004-05:00

From "Purification" in The Valley of Vision:

O God, the Eternal All, help me to know that
all things are shadows, but Thou art substance,
all things are quicksands, but Thou art mountain,
all things are shifting, but Thou art anchor,
all things are ignorance, but Thou art wisdom.

The Mysterious Providence of God

2011-09-16T06:18:00.001-05:00

God Moves in a Mysterious Way
William Cowper, 1731-1800

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill,
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Timothy George Preaching at FBC

2011-09-14T06:33:00.001-05:00

Dr. Timothy George, founding dean of Beeson Divinity School (of which I am an alumnus), will be preaching this Sunday, September 18, at First Baptist Church. Dr. George is not only an esteemed historian and theologian, he's also a gifted preacher of God's Word.

We'd love to have you as our guest this Sunday. So join us for morning worship at 9:00am.

Prayer Is Humility in Action

2011-09-13T06:40:00.000-05:00

Prayer Pondered
© 2011, M. Justin Wainscott

The vivid verbs of prayer –
yearning, longing,
hungering, thirsting,
asking, seeking,
beseeching, pleading,
needing, crying out –
along with the emotive actions of prayer –
weeping, wailing,
kneeling, bowing,
silence, shouting,
beating our breast
and clinching our fists –
should teach us all a truth about prayer:
It is humility in action,
evidence of our inadequacy.
Prayer reveals our weakness,
but it magnifies God’s strength.
It is the most earnest expression
of our faith and dependence.
We are poor beggars, ‘tis true,
but riches untold are at our disposal.
So keep longing,
keep yearning,
keep trusting,
keep crying, child of God.
You’re not an orphan;
your Father hears you,
and He will answer.

KJV400: Legacy and Impact

2011-09-12T06:25:00.000-05:00

The Ryan Center for Biblical Studies at Union University will be hosting KJV400: Legacy and Impact this Thursday-Saturday (Sept. 15-17), a festival celebrating the broad cultural impact of the King James Version of the Bible in honor of its 400th anniversary.

Plenary addresses will be delivered by three prominent scholars: Timothy George, Leland Ryken, and John Woodbridge. Breakout sessions will be led by Union faculty from a variety of disciplines, and there will be celebrations of music, film, art, Shakespearean play, and dramatic reading.

In addition to the addresses, breakout sessions, and artistic expressions, there will be a one-of-a-kind historic Bible display - one of the best in all of North America. This display will be open to the public for free on Thursday afternoon and Saturday afternoon.

For more information, click here.

No Drop Remains of All the Curse

2011-09-09T07:03:00.002-05:00

Jesus, Whose Blood So Freely Streamed
William Cowper, 1731-1800

Jesus, whose blood so freely streamed
To satisfy the law’s demand;
By Thee from guilt and wrath redeemed,
Before the Father’s face I stand.

To reconcile offending man,
Make Justice drop her angry rod;
What creature could have formed the plan,
Or who fulfill it but a God?

No drop remains of all the curse,
For wretches who deserved the whole;
No arrows dipped in wrath to pierce
The guilty, but returning soul.

Peace by such means so dearly bought,
What rebel could have hoped to see?
Peace by his injured Sovereign wrought,
His Sovereign fastened to a tree.

Now, Lord, Thy feeble worm prepare!
For strife with earth and hell begins;
Conform and gird me for the war;
They hate the soul that hates his sins.

Let them in horrid league agree!
They may assault, they may distress;
But cannot quench Thy love to me,
Nor rob me of the Lord my peace.

The Pain of Loss

2011-09-08T06:47:00.000-05:00

The Rejected Husband
Wendell Berry, Given: Poems

After the storm and the new
stillness of the snow, he returns
to the graveyard, as though
he might lift the white coverlet,
slip in beside her as he used to do,
and again feel, beneath his hand,
her flesh quicken and turn warm.
But he is not her husband now.
To participate in resurrection, one
first must be dead. And he goes
back into the whitened world, alive.

Keller on the Sacrifice of Parenting

2011-09-06T06:34:00.000-05:00

Tim Keller on the sacrifice required by parenting (and the disastrous consequences for children whose parents do not make the sacrifice):

When you have children, they're in a state of dependency. They have so many needs; they can't stand on their own. And they will not just grow out of their dependence automatically. The only way your children will grow beyond their dependency into self-sufficient adults is for you to essentially abandon your own independence for twenty years or so. When they are young, for example, you've got to read to them and read to them - otherwise, they won't develop intellectually. Lots of their books will be boring to you. And you have to listen to your children, and keep listening as they say all kinds of things that make for less than scintillating conversation.

And then there's dressing, bathing, feeding, and teaching them to do these things for themselves. Furthermore, children need about five affirmations for every criticism they hear from you. Unless you sacrifice much of your freedom and good bit of your time, your children will not grow up healthy and equipped to function. Unfortunately, there are plenty of parents who just won't do it. They won't disrupt their lives that much; they won't pour themselves into their children. They won't make the sacrifice. And their kids grow up physically, but they're still children emotionally - needy, vulnerable, and dependent. Think about it this way: You can make the sacrifice, or they're going to make the sacrifice. It's them or you. Either you suffer temporarily and in a redemptive way, or they're going to suffer tragically, in a wasteful and destructive way. It's at least partly up to you.

Behold A Never-Failing Store

2011-09-02T06:50:00.000-05:00

Lord, We Adore Thy Boundless Grace
Anne Steele, 1717-1778

Lord, we adore Thy boundless grace,
The heights and depths unknown,
Of pardon, life, and joy, and peace,
In Thy beloved Son.

O wondrous gifts of love divine,
Dear Source of every good;
Jesus, in Thee what glories shine!
How rich Thy flowing blood!

Come, all ye pining, hungry poor,
The Saviour’s bounty taste;
Behold a never-failing store
For every willing guest.

Here shall your numerous wants receive
A free, a full supply;
He has unmeasured bliss to give,
And joys that never die.

Luther on the Christological Center of the Scriptures

2011-08-31T06:13:00.000-05:00

"He who would read the Bible must simply take heed that he does not err, for the Scripture may permit itself to be stretched and led, but let no one lead it according to his own inclinations but let him lead it to the source, that is, the cross of Christ. Then he will surely strike the center."

--Martin Luther

It's Funny Because It's True

2011-08-29T06:26:00.001-05:00

This humorous description of the growth of Baptists is sad but true:

Our numbers can be at least partially explained. Like cats, we multiply by fighting. One Baptist, a believer; two Baptists, a church; three Baptists, a church split.

--Ralph Wood, "My Water, His Wine" in July/August 2011 issue of Touchstone

Plead His Promise, Trust His Grace

2011-08-26T06:23:00.000-05:00

Surely Christ Thy Griefs Has Borne
Augustus Toplady, 1740-1778

Surely Christ thy griefs has borne;
Weeping soul, no longer mourn:
View Him bleeding on the tree,
Pouring out His life for thee;
There thy every sin He bore;
Weeping soul, lament no more.

All thy crimes on Him were laid:
See, upon His blameless head
Wrath its utmost vengeance pours,
Due to my offence and yours;
Wounded in our stead He is,
Bruised for our iniquities.

Weary sinner, keep thine eyes
On th' atoning sacrifice;
There th' incarnate Deity,
Numbered with transgressors, see;
There, His Father's absence mourns,
Nailed and bruised, and crowned with thorns.

See thy God His head bow down,
Hear the Man of Sorrows groan!
For thy ransom there condemned,
Stripped, derided, and blasphemed;
Bleed the guiltless for the' unclean,
Made an offering for thy sin.

Cast thy guilty soul on Him,
Find Him mighty to redeem;
At His feet thy burden lay,
Look thy doubts and cares away;
Now by faith the Son embrace,
Plead His promise, trust His grace.

Lord, Thine arm must be revealed,
Ere I can by faith be healed;
Since I scarce can look to Thee,
Cast a gracious eye on me:
At Thy feet myself I lay;
Shine, O shine, my fears away!

The Key to C.S. Lewis

2011-08-24T06:31:00.000-05:00

Gene Edward Veith on "The Key to C.S. Lewis" in Tabletalk:

...Lewis was a complex thinker with a wide-ranging sensibility. He was both logical and wildly imaginative, conservative and a non-conformist, a devout Christian whose faith was never stodgy or limiting, but stimulating and liberating. And I think I have found the key to understanding Lewis in all of his complexities and in all of his different kinds of writing....

...Christianity offers not only a world view but a sensibility, a way to think and to feel. Lewis addresses both the head and the heart. He is an apologist for reason, romanticism, and — what holds them together — Christianity.

Read the entire article here.

Piper on a Lesson Learned from Lewis

2011-08-23T07:22:00.003-05:00

I am grateful for a friend and church member passing this quote along to me. It's a quote by John Piper, reflecting on what he learned from C.S. Lewis (and it's a great follow-up to yesterday's post):

He has made me wary of chronological snobbery. That is, he showed me that newness is no virtue and oldness is no vice. Truth and beauty and goodness are not determined by when they exist. Nothing is inferior for being old, and nothing is valuable for being modern. This has freed me from the tyranny of novelty and opened for me the wisdom of the ages.

Lewis on the Dangers of Novelty in Worship

2011-08-22T06:59:00.000-05:00

C.S. Lewis, from Letters to Malcolm, on novelty in worship and the need for permanence and uniformity:

It looks as if they [Anglican clergymen] believed people can be lured to go to church by incessant brightenings, lightenings, lengthenings, abridgements, simplifications, and complications of the service. And it is probably true that a new, keen vicar will usually be able to form within his parish a minority who are in favour of his innovations. The majority, I believe, never are. Those who remain—many give up churchgoing altogether—merely endure.

Is this simply because the majority are hide-bound? I think not. They have a good reason for their conservatism. Novelty, simply as such, can have only an entertainment value. And they don’t go to church to be entertained. They go to use the service, or if you prefer, to enact it. Every service is a structure of acts and words through which we receive a sacrament, or repent, or supplicate, or adore. And it enables us to do these things best — if you like, it “works” best — when, through familiarity, we don’t have to think about it. As long as you notice, and have to count, the steps, you are not yet dancing but only learning to dance. A good shoe is a shoe you don’t notice. Good reading becomes possible when you need not consciously think about eyes, or light, or print, or spelling. The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God.

But every novelty prevents this. It fixes our attention on the service itself; and thinking about worship is a different thing from worshipping….

A still worse thing may happen. Novelty may fix our attention not even on the service but on the celebrant. You know what I mean. Try as one may to exclude the question, “What on earth is he up to now?” will intrude. It lays one’s devotion waste. There is really some excuse for the man who said, “I wish they’d remember that the charge to Peter was Feed my sheep; not Try experiments on my rats, or even, Teach my performing dogs new tricks.”

Thus my whole liturgiological position really boils down to an entreaty for permanence and uniformity. I can make do with almost any kind of service whatever, if only it will stay put. But if each form is snatched away just when I am beginning to feel at home in it, then I can never make any progress in the art of worship.

None Can Ever Ask Too Much

2011-08-19T06:46:00.000-05:00

Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare
John Newton, 1725-1807

Come, my soul, thy suit prepare:
Jesus loves to answer prayer;
He Himself has bid thee pray,
Therefore will not say thee nay.

Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring;
For His grace and power are such,
None can ever ask too much.

With my burden I begin:
Lord, remove this load of sin;
Let Thy blood, for sinners spilt,
Set my conscience free from guilt.

Lord, I come to Thee for rest,
Take possession of my breast;
There Thy blood-bought right maintain,
And without a rival reign.

As the image in the glass
Answers the beholder’s face;
Thus unto my heart appear,
Print Thine own resemblance there.

While I am a pilgrim here,
Let Thy love my spirit cheer;
As my Guide, my Guard, my Friend,
Lead me to my journey’s end.

Show me what I have to do,
Every hour my strength renew:
Let me live a life of faith,
Let me die Thy people’s death.

Service Without Faith

2011-08-17T06:22:00.000-05:00

"Till men have faith in Christ, their best services are but glorious sins."

--Thomas Brooks

Life to Our Souls, Death to Our Sins

2011-08-15T06:31:00.000-05:00

"To continually behold the Lamb of God is life to our souls and death to our sins."

--William Mason, A Spiritual Treasury for the Children of God

HT: Of First Importance

Payment God Cannot Twice Demand

2011-08-12T06:42:00.000-05:00

Faith Reviving
Augustus Toplady, 1740-1778

From whence this fear and unbelief?
Hath not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for me?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Which, Lord, was charged on Thee?

Complete atonement Thou hast made,
And to the utmost farthing paid
Whate’er Thy people owed;
How then can wrath on me take place
If sheltered in Thy righteousness,
And sprinkled with Thy blood?

If Thou hast my discharge procured,
And freely in my room endured
The whole of wrath divine,
Payment God cannot twice demand—
First at my bleeding Surety’s hand,
And then again at mine.

Turn then, my soul, unto thy rest!
The merits of thy great High Priest
Have bought thy liberty;
Trust in His efficacious blood,
Nor fear thy banishment from God,
Since Jesus died for thee!

Christian Reflections on Down Days in the Market

2011-08-10T07:16:00.004-05:00

I was encouraged and edified by this reflection on the stock market's recent drops by one of our church members, Chad Wilson:

Many of us have 401K’s, IRA’s and even College Savings Funds that have been pummeled by wave after wave of bad news in the past week. Sudden moves in the market often solicit anxious thoughts. Questions arise like: “What if my savings dwindles to nothing?” “How can I be joyful with all this bad news on the economy?” “Is there any hope anywhere?”

In times like this, it is good to be reminded of 1 Peter 1:3-5 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled,unfading, kept in Heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Here are some lessons from this verse that are worth remembering:

1. When we feel hopeless, we can be reminded that God has given us hope – not in a stock market rebound, but in His Son Jesus Christ. It is a living hope that does not ebb and flow depending on the events of the day.

2. Our lasting inheritance is not our Retirement Plan (important though that may be). Our True inheritance is in Heaven. There is never any risk of our Heavenly inheritance falling, fading, or vanishing.

3. God is the great guard of our eternal inheritance. Your financial adviser and the best asset allocation strategy in the world are not capable of perfectly guarding you and your future. Only God, by his power can guard your eternal future.

I certainly don’t intend to minimize the importance of wise decision making when it comes to our Earthly inheritance. I do intend to remind us that there is a much more important Heavenly inheritance that has been forever secured for the Children of God by the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let that comfort you on down days like today. It isn’t the first, and it won’t be the last.

The Sweet Stench of the Gospel

2011-08-08T07:31:00.004-05:00

To some the gospel is the sweet smelling fragrance of life; to others it is the stench of death. The same gospel is simultaneously a message of salvation and judgment.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).

The Historicity of Adam and the Basis for the Gospel

2011-08-03T06:20:00.000-05:00

"Why must God the Son become incarnate, live our life, die our death, and be raised for our justification? Scripture's answer is clear: We need a redeemer because Adam as the first man and covenantal head of the human race brought sin, death, and destruction into this world, and it is only by the last Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ, that it can be paid for and reversed. The fact of human sin and death is grounded in a real, historical Adam who was created upright and morally good, but in history revolted against God and by that action took down the entire human race with him. If this is denied, the basis for the gospel is undercut, and the entire Christian position is destroyed."

--Stephen Wellum, The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology (Spring 2011)

When First Things Are Put First

2011-08-01T07:22:00.002-05:00

A wise and helpful reminder from C.S. Lewis:

"When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased."

Christ, Our Wounded Victor

2011-07-29T06:23:00.001-05:00

Christ's Atoning Wounds
© 2009, M. Justin Wainscott

That sacred stream which ever flows,
Flows from the Savior's wounds,
Does in the souls of saints compose
Sweet, Christ-exalting tunes.

So let the saints in chorus flood
This place with songs of praise;
And sing of Christ's redeeming blood,
And marvel at his grace.

The precious wounds of Christ above -
His hands, his feet, his side -
Stand as a witness to his love
For us, his ransomed bride.

Those wounds which paid our sinful debt
Remove all grounds for pride;
For God's requirements all were met
When Christ our Savior died.

So let us boast in him alone,
And in the wounds he bears;
Since he who sits on heaven's throne
Those sacred scars still wears.

And when before that throne we stand,
And on our Savior gaze;
We'll truly come to understand,
His wounds deserve our praise.

Dressing Up the Gospel

2011-07-27T06:21:00.000-05:00

From the folks at The Sacred Sandwich:

The Root of All Error

2011-07-25T06:11:00.000-05:00

"Ignorance of the Scriptures is the root of all error."

--J.C. Ryle

Welcome News To Sinners

2011-07-22T06:03:00.000-05:00

The first and last stanzas of William Gadbsy's hymn, "The Gospel Is Good News Indeed," are a beautiful reminder of how sweet it is for sinners to hear the good news of the gospel:

The gospel is good news indeed,
To sinners deep in debt;
The man who has no works to plead,
Will thankful be for it.

The man that feels his guilt abound,
And knows himself unclean,
Will find the gospel's joyful sound
Is welcome news to him.

Great Quote, Great Picture - You Need to See Both for the Full Effect

2011-07-21T06:40:00.000-05:00

Normally, I would just take a quote like the one I'm about to recommend and include it in the post (without making you have to go to another site to read it). But the picture that Kevin DeYoung included with this quote by the Puritan, Thomas Brooks, is too good not to point you to his blog to see both. Check them out here.

Congregationally Shaped Christians

2011-07-18T06:39:00.000-05:00

"Most evangelical Christians today seem to treat their church as one more thing to help out their Christian life, perhaps along with this Bible study, that music, those authors, this retreat, and keeping a journal. In other words, the Christian conceives of his or her spiritual life as fundamentally one's own business, managed by selecting among various helps. This approach contrasts with an older and more biblical way of thinking about the Christian life that is congregationally shaped, where the demands of the gospel are made concrete in a particular local church."

--Mark Dever, "The Church," in A Theology for the Church

Let Me Learn Thy Word to Prize

2011-07-15T06:37:00.001-05:00

Sin, When Viewed By Scripture Light
John Newton, 1725-1807

Sin, when viewed by Scripture light,
Is a horrid, hateful sight;
But when seen in Satan’s glass,
Then it wears a pleasing face.

When the gospel trumpet sounds,
When I think how grace abounds,
When I feel sweet peace within,
Then I’d rather die than sin.

When the cross I view by faith,
Sin is madness, poison, death;
Tempt me not, ’tis all in vain,
Sure I ne’er can yield again.

Satan, for awhile debarred,
When he finds me off my guard,
Puts his glass before my eyes,
Quickly other thoughts arise.

What before excited fears,
Rather pleasing now appears;
If a sin, it seems so small,
Or, perhaps, no sin at all.

Often thus, through sin’s deceit,
Grief, and shame, and loss I meet,
Like a fish, my soul mistook,
Saw the bait, but not the hook.

O my Lord, what shall I say?
How can I presume to pray?
Not a word have I to plead,
Sins, like mine, are black indeed!

Made, by past experience, wise,
Let me learn Thy Word to prize;
Taught by what I’ve felt before,
Let me Satan’s glass abhor.

Crying Over Meaningful Things

2011-07-13T06:48:00.001-05:00

Grown Man Crying
© 2011, M. Justin Wainscott

I saw a grown man cry today,
But I didn't pity him.
I admired him,
Because he cared so deeply
about something (or someone)
that it moved him to tears.
Oh, that more grown men would cry
over meaningful things.

The Most Humbling Force in the World

2011-07-11T06:58:00.000-05:00

"The gospel has more power to humble than any other force in the world."

--Jim Hamilton, "The Lord's Supper in Paul," in The Lord's Supper

To the Promises I Flee

2011-07-08T05:30:00.001-05:00

Precious Bible! What a Treasure
John Newton, 1725-1807

Precious Bible! what a treasure
Does the Word of God afford?
All I want for life or pleasure,
Food and med’cine, shield and sword:
Let the world account me poor,
Having this I need no more.

Food to which the world’s a stranger,
Here my hungry soul enjoys;
Of excess there is no danger,
Though it fills, it never cloys:
On a dying Christ I feed,
He is meat and drink indeed.

When my faith is faint and sickly,
Or when Satan wounds my mind,
Cordials, to revive me quickly,
Healing med’cines here I find:
To the promises I flee,
Each affords a remedy.

In the hour of dark temptation
Satan cannot make me yield;
For the Word of consolation
Is to me a mighty shield
While the Scripture truths are sure,
From his malice I’m secure.

Vain his threats to overcome me,
When I take the Spirit's sword;
Then with ease I drive him from me.
Satan trembles at the Word:
’Tis a sword for conquest made,
Keen the edge, and strong the blade.

Shall I envy then the miser
Doting on his golden store?
Sure I am, or should be, wiser,
I am rich, ’tis he is poor:
Jesus gives me in his Word,
Food and med’cine, shield and sword.

Beware the Secret, Subtle, and Stealthy Serpent

2011-07-06T06:34:00.000-05:00

"For it is not persecution alone that is to be feared; nor those things which advance by open attack to overwhelm and cast down the servants of God. Caution is more easy where danger is manifest, and the mind is prepared beforehand for the contest when the adversary avows himself. The enemy is more to be feared and to be guarded against, when he creeps on us secretly; when, deceiving by the appearance of peace, he steals forward by hidden approaches, whence also he has received the name of the Serpent. That is always his subtlety; that is his dark and stealthy artifice for circumventing man."

--Cyprian, Treatise I, "On the Unity of the Church"

Sojourn's "The Water and the Blood"

2011-07-05T06:39:00.001-05:00

Sojourn Music has now released Volume 2 of their project on the hymns of Isaac Watts, titled "The Water and the Blood." Below is a video of the band discussing the album, along with a few snippets of some of the songs.

Honoring God Before Country

2011-07-04T06:34:00.000-05:00

As we celebrate the independence of our great nation, we acknowledge God's bountiful blessings and providential care throughout our history.

We acknowledge the courageous and sacrificial service of so many men and women who fought, and are fighting, for the freedoms we enjoy and so often take for granted. With deep gratitude, we recognize and remember those who gave their lives defending those freedoms.

We acknowledge those who have gone before us to help shape and form these United States.

And we acknowledge the wonderful opportunities and benefits afforded to us simply by being American.

But as Christians, while still being grateful and mindful of this wonderful nation of ours, we celebrate a far greater freedom today - freedom from sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thus on this day it becomes especially important for us to remember and confess that we are Christians first, then Americans.

We acknowledge God before country, and the Cross before the Stars and Stripes. Our primary loyalty is to Jesus Christ and his kingdom, which is made up of people from every nation, tribe, and tongue.

So while we acknowledge that we are citizens of two kingdoms, one has far greater significance than the other. And thus we proclaim today that "our citizenship is in heaven, and from there we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:20).