Notice in Colossians 3:10 " and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.""Put on" is the Greek word enduo once again (cf. v.12) which means to "clothe yourself." Here it is in the aorist participle giving the idea that believer have put on the new man. Paul exhorts the believers in Colossae to make certain this is the case....
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Your Framework for Seeing Life
In my Marriage and Family Counseling course yesterday, my professor said this, "The bible must set the parameters and framework for which we see all of life. The bible is that which frames our methodology."Immediately after he spoke this, he said, "Take your Bibles and turn to..." This has become a normal and, shall we say, habitual thing to do in our class. WHY? Why do we make such a big deal out...
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Biblical Clothing, Part 1
Colossians 3:12-14 12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. The verb "put...
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Externals are Not Enough
External Conformity to the Law of God is NOT enough. A wealthy man once approached the Son of God and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17). Jesus answered and said, in essence, "if you would enter life, then keep the commandments" (Matt 19:17). The problem with the rigorous law-keepers of that day, and cultural fundamentalists in our own day and age is that they...
Monday, November 27, 2006
Do we lead with love?
Alexander Strauch in his book "Leading with Love" has some good quotes that are worthy of mention:Strauch quotes Jonathan Edwards who once said, "[God] delights in little things when they spring from sincere love to himself. A cup of cold water given to a disciple in sincere love is worth more in God's...
Favorite Dessert
Tonight, I (once again) had Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner. It was a feast. I feel like I've eaten just as much food the past four nights as I had for the Thanksgiving Day dinner!In any case, tonight after my turkey, sweet potatoes and dressing, I had this absolutely fabulous pumpkin cheesecake....
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Because I'm Young?
My verse while working in a leadership sort of position at Christ Community Church is this: 1 Timothy 4:12 12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Because I am a young guy on staff, I need to constantly remind myself of this verse. I am in a similar position to young Timothy - whom Paul wrote...
Friday, November 24, 2006
Hebrews 9 and 10
This is a must watch here.Special thanks to Todd and Bob for making this post known to me.Watch the whole video- it is only 11 minutes. It'll be an encouragement to y...
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Biblical Discernment
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil. The Sacred vs. Secular is an ever-present schism in the Christian community today. It is - let me say - a false dichotomy. There is nothing that is secular that can be divorced from something else that is sacred. We were saved out of the world when we were saved, but...
Askew View of Marriage
In an article today posted here entitled "Woman Tells of Forced Marriage at Polygamist Hearing," it reads:ST. GEORGE, Utah (Nov. 21) - A woman who says she was forced to marry her cousin when she was 14 told a judge Tuesday that she sometimes used sex to get favors from her husband, such as money and the freedom to see friends.And more,I would just try to be a willing, submissive wife so that he would...
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Apologizing for the Bible?
Last night I was at the University of Judaism here in L.A. for a Lecture. Avi Faust was the lecturer on the topic of Biblical Archaeology, the prophets of Israel, and the poor. It was a good lecture, but I was floored when I heard something that the introductory speaker said. Before Avi came up to lecture, a man recapped what last week's lecture, talked about next week, and then gave some background...
The Infinite and the Finite
Thou Great I AM,Fill my mind with elevation and grandeur at the thought of a Being with whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,A mighty God who, amidst the lapse of worlds, and the revolutions of empires, feels no variableness, but is glorious in immortality.May I rejoice that, while men die, the Lord lives; that, while all creatures are...
Monday, November 20, 2006
Your Philosophy of Ministry
Do YOU have a philosophy of ministry? This is of utmost importance in the local church. Do you even know your church's philosophy of ministry? Every church (and ministry) is in desperate need for a philosophy of ministry because it will help keep the main thing the main thing. Paul says in 1 Cor 9:26, “Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air.”...
We Flew
Literally. I have a friend from church who is getting his pilot license and he took Elizabeth and I flying - though it was a surprise to her :=)We went to the El Monte airport (down near Pasadena) and then hopped on a four-seater and flew to Santa Barbara. We walked to the pier, had lunch, played...
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Hospitality gone old?
Last night Elizabeth invited a professor of ours and his wife over for dinner and I helped her set the table while she did all the hard work in preparing the delicious food :-). It always strikes me when I'm spending time with people over a meal (or whatever) in someone's home as to how wonderful and sweet fellowship really is. Great conversation. Great fellowship. Great stories. Great laughs. Great...
Telling the Truth About Truth
This is a must see. Al Mohler has been invited to dialogue with a panel of individuals undertaken by the Washington Post and Newsweek magazine. The issue is entitled, "Visit on Faith: Arrive with one perspective. Leave with many." The webpage is here.May we all be as bold as Mohler is in declaring the truth about the truth to this soceity that is afraid of the truth. The blog has only been up for...
Friday, November 17, 2006
Eternal Security or Not?
I was talking with a friend yesterday and the issue of eternal security came up. My heart has been drawn to the book of 1 John because that is what I have been preaching through the last year at a rehab center. I go to this rehab center to preach, I am not actually in the rehab center :=) ). In any case, we finished the book last week from 1 John 5:13-21 and i was amazed at verse 18. Here is what...
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Judge by the Outward Appearance
I was in the Jaguar dealership today cause there is a Starbucks there doing some studying because one of my classes was cancelled today. As I was sitting at a round table with nice, leather, comfy chairs surrounded by people with loads of more money that I’ll ever have, a man walked in who was obviously homeless and he walked in and sat down on a chair in front of the TV in the Starbucks section...
The pastor on par with a car salesman
One does not have to go back very far in history to recognize that the pastor was once a highly esteemed and respected figure in society. Yet today, the pastor, I would venture to bet, is barely on par with a car salesman. Why is this the case today in our 21st century post modern culture? I think it is because we as Christians (those who are truly regenerate and those who claim the title “Christian”...
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Coffee Addiction
So I go through a pound of coffee really fast. I don't know how I do it. But it just sorta happens! My roommate works at Starbucks full time and so I always am on his case about bringing his "free pound of coffee" home each week for the "roommates." :-)Just to give you a taste as to what goes IN my coffee: In my refrigerator I have 5 creamers - not the small dinky ones, but the real manly ones:(1)...
A Christian's Conduct at a Restaurant
May we never forget that anywhere we go, we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20). We are not our own, but we have been bought with a price, therefore [we must] glorify God with our body (1 Cor 6:20).So then why is it that we as Christians can go into a restaurant and, for the most part, be surrounded by many people lost and on a one-way road to hell feel that we can "lay aside" our Christian conduct...
Monday, November 13, 2006
Baptism Cannonball
I do not ever foresee this happening someday in the future when I am pastoring, but who knows, crazy things do happen.If you have a minute and a half, this is definitely worth it. It's a good laugh!http://youtube.com/watch?v=q31nA6LC...
Boldness with God?
Does this verse just rock your world? Ephesians 3:12 in whom [Christ] we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him [Christ]. .There are a few points here that are worthy of mention: (1) There is an inclusio here. An inclusio is a sort of "book-endings" way to emphasize a point. For example, in this verse, we have two pieces of bread and the meat is in the middle. Christ is mentioned...
Saturday, November 11, 2006
The liberals are in trouble
In our Hebrew class at the college yesterday we studied the song of Hannah. We have been going through the book of 1 Samuel - but we only have four weeks left in the semester and we are just beginning chapter 2 - we must pick up the pace if we want to finish the rest of the book in four weeks :-)In any case, in 2:10 it reads: 1 Samuel 2:10 "Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered; Against...
Friday, November 10, 2006
Gospel in One Verse
Galatians 3:22 22 But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. This verse has the Gospel. All of it. In this short verse is contained: (1) The Sufficiency and Authority of the Scriptures(2) Total Depravity - that all men are "shut up" under sin(3) The Faithfulness of God - by bringing out His promises(4) The Savior...
The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
Last night I went up to the mountains and saw perhaps one of the best and clearest nights of the billions and billions of stars in our galaxy. And I was reminded of Psalm 8:3-5 3 When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; 4 What is man,...
Thursday, November 9, 2006
The Quest for the Historical Jesus?
John Piper, in his recent work What Jesus Demands from the World has an excellent introduction entitled, "A Word to Biblical Scholars (and those who wonder what they are doing). In this chapter Piper speaks on the Quest for the Historical Jesus. One may wonder, "what is wrong with questing for the...
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Does God Want You Happy?
If someone were married and said, "God does not want me in a bad marriage, therefore it will be OK if I divorce and get remarried and then be happy." What do you do?The answer to this scenario MUST be "no." It is NOT OK to divorce because one spouse is unhappy. This is NOT acceptable. The Scriptures teach that God commands us to be Holy. No where does he ever say that He is seeking our happiness....
Transcendent and Immanent God
Yes the God of the Bible is BOTH a Transcendent God and an Immanent God. That is to say, when we speak of God's Transcendence, we speak of his "otherness." On the other hand, when we speak of God's Immanence, we speak of his "nearness" and "actions" in our lives. The open theism movement in our modern day stresses the immanence of God - that is, that God is personally involved in human relationships...
Sunday, November 5, 2006
Neccessary Update
So this should sum up the day that Elizabeth and I had on an absolutely fabulous November day in sunny L.A....We did see some elephant seals... they were noisy and entertaining.Then we had an excellent Tri-tip sandwich and Clam Chowder lunch at Pismo beach...We concluded the day with a beautiful drive...
Saturday, November 4, 2006
Special Day with a Special Person
Today I am going to have some fun. Elizabeth and I are driving up Highway 1 - the coast out here that would take you from L.A. to San Francisco. Though we won't be going that far north, here are a few sites we will see. Then we will also see We will also take a look at some elephant seals: The greatest...
Friday, November 3, 2006
Evangelical Leader Admits to Gay Relationship....Seriously?
What kind of example could this possibly set for the world when someone in this leader's church said, "It made me angry that here's someone preaching about gay marriage and going behind the scenes having gay sex." Furthermore, "The acting senior pastor at New Life, Ross Parsley, told KKTV-TV of Colorado Springs that Haggard admitted that some of the accusations were true."And again, the fact that...
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Here is Love
In 1 Corinthians 13, known as the "love chapter," Paul lays forth three characteristics of love: I. The Demand for Love (vv.1-3) II. The Definition of Love (vv.4-7)III. The Durability of Love (vv.8-13)I. The Demand for Love (vv.1-3) 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have the...
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