Friday, November 4, 2011

why the ethnic nation of Israel CANNOT be abolished or replaced.

Some think that God's plan for national, ethnic Israel is abolished but this viewpoint runs contradictory to at least two reasons that Jeremiah provides in chapter 31.

1) As long as the sun, moon, and stars exist, the nation of Israel will exist as God's people.

Jeremiah 31:35-36 — Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name: "If this fixed order departs From before Me," declares the LORD, "Then the offspring of Israel also will cease From being a nation before Me forever."

2) As long as man cannot measure the immensity of the heavens, so the nation of Israel will remain as God's people.

Jeremiah 31:37 — Thus says the LORD, "If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done," declares the LORD.

It's hard to read texts like these with a plain, normal hermeneutic and conclude with any other interpretation. God states that Israel will be His people as long as the sun, and moon, and stars exist and as long as no one can reach the extremities of the galaxies and the vastness of the earth's foundations.

Paul comments on this in the book of Romans:

Romans 11:25-26 — For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery-- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation-- that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved...

Thursday, November 3, 2011

a purpose of afflictions.

According to Paul:

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 — Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

This brief section of verses reveals a number of important truths about the purpose of afflictions.

1) In any and every affliction in life that anyone may encounter, regardless of the seriousness of it and its outcome, God is worthy to be blessed and praised!

2) There are seasons of life full of trials in which believers quite clearly learn that God is in fact the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

3) God comforts His own in all our afflictions. God doesn't leave His people. He certainly doesn't allow them to go through the affliction on their own. Rather, he comforts His people while in the afflictions. Note it doesn't say that God prevents His people from entering into afflictions. But while they are in the affliction—regardless of the intensity and extent of it—God comforts them all the while.

4) The purpose ("so that"; εἰς τὸ δύνασθαι) we may be able to comfort others who are in any affliction with the comfort that we have received while going through our own affliction. A wealth of pastoral wisdom comes from this verse. God allows suffering and then attends to His people in their suffering so that when others in their social sphere are going through sufferings, they may be able to comfort with the same amount of comfort which they themselves received.

Praise the Lord! Rightly does Paul state a little later on:

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 — But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

our primary motive for everything must be the Lord's glory.

"To whom be glory forever" (2 Tim 4.18). This should be the single desire of the Christian. I take it that he should not have twenty wishes, but only one. He may desire to see his family brought up well, but only that "to God may be glory forever." he may wish for prosperity in business, but only so far as it may help him to promote this: "to whom be glory forever." He may desire to attain more gifts and more graces, but it should only be that "to him may be glory forever." This one thing I know, Christian: You are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than the one motive of your Lord's glory.

—Charles Spurgeon

Monday, October 31, 2011

analogies between my daughter and every sinner's spiritual condition.

The analogies between my daughter’s heart condition and the spiritual condition of every human being are here defined.

Just as my daughter was born with a bad heart, so every human being who is born into this world has a spiritually corrupt heart.

Just as my daughter needs surgery performed on her heart so as to spare her life, so it is with every human. Every person needs spiritual surgery performed on one’s heart so that one can really spiritually live.

Just as my daughter needs someone outside of her to accomplish this new heart-surgery in her, so every sinner needs someone outside of himself to accomplish this heart-surgery which results in regeneration.

Just as my daughter now is in the NICU being so tenderly, constantly, and frequently attended to, we know that without surgery that fixes the problem, all this work by the NICU doctors would all be for naught. So it is with our spiritual conditions. Sinners can try to attend to themselves with such care, frequency, fervency, and diligence to give themselves life, but unless God performs the heart surgery and regenerates the heart, all that self-righteous lawkeeping will be for naught.

Just as my daughter has no idea that she has a bad heart and is in need of life-saving heart surgery, so the deadened sinner who is so blinded by his sin and false worship has no idea that he has a bad heart that will damn him to hell unless the Spirit gives life.

Just as my daughter looks beautiful and cute on the outside but yet her inward parts are in need of life-saving transformation, so it is with unregenerate sinners. They can look religious and ‘all-put-together’ on the outside but have no spiritual life because of the wickedness that resides in the inward parts.

Just as my daughter’s open heart surgery should (Lord willing), be a one-time surgery and thus fix her heart condition for life, so it is with the salvation God works in each sinner. When God takes a spiritually dead heart and breathes new life in it, that one-time “surgery” has spiritually justified the sinner so that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.


Pray with me that God would spare Tikvah’s life so that we can use these (and many more) analogies to evangelize her in the coming years with the hopes that God might see fit to draw her to Himself in repentance and saving faith in the substitutionary work of Christ.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Tikvah Hadassah Kirkland

Born at 2:16am on Friday, October 29th, Tikvah Hadassah Kirkland entered the world weighing in at 7lbs 13oz.




She is stable and doing well in the NICU as her heart-surgery is scheduled for Wednesday (more updates to follow). Thanks for your prayers!

Soli Deo gloria.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

We Must Preach from God's Word. Simple but Often Forgotten.

A timely reminder from J.C. Ryle:

"I charge my readers to remember this. Stand fast on old principles. Do not forsake the old paths. Let nothing tempt you to believe that multiplication of forms and ceremonies, constant reading of liturgical services, or frequent communions, will ever do so much good to souls as the powerful, fiery, fervent preaching of God's Word. Daily services without sermons may gratify and edify a few handfuls of believers, but they will never reach, draw, attract, or arrest the great mass of mankind. If men want to do good to the multitude, if they want to reach their hearts and consciences, they must walk in the steps of Wycliffe, Latimer, Luther, Chrysostom, and St. Paul. They must attack them through their ears; they must blow the trumpet of the everlasting Gospel loud and long; they must preach the Word!"

JC Ryle, Light from Old Times, 7-8.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

how do you WORSHIP? is it BIBLICAL?

From David Peterson:

"Throughout the Bible, acceptable worship means approaching or engaging with God on the terms that he proposes and in the manner that he makes possible. It involves honouring, serving and respecting him, abandoning any loyalty or devotion that hinders an exclusive relationship with him. Although some of Scripture's terms for worship may refer to specific gestures of homage, rituals or priestly ministrations, worship is more fundamentally faith expressing itself in obedience and adoration. Consequently, in both Testaments it is often shown to be a personal and moral fellowship with God relevant to every sphere of life."

From Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship, 283.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

who can worship GOD?

Good reminder from David Peterson in his book Engaging with God:

"An engagement with God through Christ is now the only way to offer the worship that is due to Him" (187, emphasis added).

Sunday, October 23, 2011

preach to an apathetic audience? learn from whitefield!

This gets my bones burnin' to preach.

Another leading characteristic of Whitefield’s preaching was his tremendous earnestness. One poor uneducated man said of him, that “he preached like a lion.” He succeeded in showing people that he at least believed all he was saying, and that his heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, were bent on making them believe it too. His sermons were not like the morning and evening gun at Portsmouth, a kind of formal discharge, fired off as a matter of course, that disturbs nobody. They were all life and fire. There was no getting away from them. Sleep was next to impossible. You must listen whether you liked it or not. There was a holy violence about him which firmly took your attention by storm. You were fairly carried off your legs by his energy before you had time to consider what you would do. This, we may be sure, was one secret of his success. We must convince men that we are in earnest ourselves if we want to be believed. The difference between one preacher and another, is often not so much in the things said, as in the manner in which they are said.

It is recorded by one of his biographers that an American gentleman once went to hear him, for the first time, in consequence of the report he heard of his preaching powers. The day was rainy, the congregation comparatively thin, and the beginning of the sermon rather heavy. Our American friend began to say to himself; “This man is no great wonder after all” He looked round, and saw the congregation as little interested as himself. One old man, in front of the pulpit, had fallen asleep. But all at once Whitefield stopped short. His countenance changed. And then he suddenly broke forth in an altered tone: “If I had come to speak to you in my own name, you might well rest your elbows on your knees, and your heads on your hands, and sleep; and once in a while look up, and say, What is this babbler talking of?

But I have not come to you in my own name. No! I have come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts” There he brought down his hand and foot with a force that made the building ring), “and I must and will be heard.” The congregation started. The old man woke up at once. “Ay, ay!” cried Whitefield, fixing his eyes on him, “I have waked you up, have I? I meant to do it. I am not come here to preach to stocks and stones: I have come to you in the name of the Lord God of Hosts, and I must, and will, have an audience.” The hearers were stripped of their apathy at once. Every word of the sermon after this was heard with deep attention, and the American gentleman never forgot it.

From J.C. Ryle's Church Leaders writing on George Whitefield

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Friday, October 21, 2011

rob bell's new book

Promoting false theology is not new. Rob Bell is following the step of many throughout history who deny the unpopular and hard-to-swallow doctrines of Scripture. The doctrine Bell denies is the eternal, conscious, torment by God upon all the unbelieving in the Lake of Fire forever.

He has a second book coming out; it's actually a sequel to Love Wins. This one is called The Love Wins Companion. Should be out 11/15/2011.

You should be alert of Bell & his belief on hell — through it is by no means new; but he is quite popular.

To rebut his position, I give two Scriptures from the book of Revelation:

Revelation 14:9-11 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."

And again...

Revelation 20:7-10 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Tikvah — one week & counting...

Elizabeth and I trust the Lord with our daughter's heart condition and fully acknowledge that God will do whatever will bring Him the most glory — whether that be in her life or in her death. We are praying for wisdom as the surgeons will perform open-heart surgery in the first few days after the birth, but we desire to trust the Lord and rest upon His unchanging goodness.

Pray with us for her life, yes. But pray with us more importantly for God to be glorified in this whole situation with Tikvah and TGA (=Transposition of the Great Arteries). Her due date is Thursday, October 27th. We'll try to post updates here on the blog & on facebook. Thanks so much for your prayers!

My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope (תִּקְוָה) is from Him (Ps 62:5).

Soli Deo gloria.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

letter to an unsaved friend.

Read this letter that James Smith—pastor in the 19th century—penned this letter that is well worth your read. It is called Letter to an Unsaved Friend.


Dear unsaved friend,
Could you please read the following carefully, and then sign it--if you agree to it.


I am resolved to persevere in sin, and follow the maxims and customs of those around me--though it costs me the loss of my soul, and exposes me to everlasting damnation.

I am resolved to reject the Son of God--I will not embrace Him as my Savior, or have Him reign over me. I am resolved that I will not accept the pardon which God presents to me in the gospel, though it cost Jesus His life to procure it--and I know I must eternally perish without it. I am determined not to submit to God's way of salvation, and I consent to be lost forever! I have made up my mind, that I will never consent to receive a free salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ--I will not have it!

I am resolved . . .
to reject God's message,
to dare His justice,
to defy His power,
to refuse His mercy,
to brave His threatened wrath, and
to harden myself against all His invitations, expostulations, exhortations, and promises!

I am resolved that I will not . . .
bow to His authority,
yield to His entreaties,
believe on His Son,
repent of my sins,
love His name,
or obey His precepts!

I am determined that there shall never be joy in Heaven among the angels of God--on account of my conversion.

I will never . . .
desert the ranks of Satan,
give up my sinful practices,
ask for mercy at God's hands,
or take up my cross and follow Christ!

I am resolved . . .
to keep on in my old wicked course,
to persevere in my present sinful path,
to associate with my carnal companions--
and if it secures my eternal damnation--then let it do so!

I will not receive salvation on God's terms,
I will not stoop to be saved by grace alone,
I will not take the yoke of Christ upon me, and engage to be His subject and servant--even though Heaven and all the glories of eternity would be secured by it.

If I cannot escape the wrath of God--but by faith, repentance, and holiness--why, I am determined go to Hell, for I am resolved not to yield to any such terms!

It is of no use for the preacher to spend His breath upon me! My mind is made up, I will be my own master, I will take my own course! No one has any right to interfere with me--for I shall injure no one but myself!

I have no objection to going to church, or to attending to some religious forms--but to give my heart to God, to be crucified to the present world, and to make God's glory the end of life--will never do for me; therefore I gladly take the consequences.

If this is required of those who would be true Christians--then you must stop urging me--for I will not yield! You must stop all attempts to convert me, for my mind is made up! I have heard hundreds of sermons, I have read the Bible myself--but I have hardened myself against the whole, and I am not going to yield now!

Tell me no more of the Savior's love,
tell me no more of the pleasures of holiness,
tell me no more of the terrors of death,
tell me no more of the dreadful judgment,
tell me no more of the joys of Heaven,
tell me no more of the agonies of Hell--
for you will never induce me to yield myself unto God, and seek the salvation of my soul. For my mind is made up, and my daily conduct is enough to convince you of it, if anything would. I am resolved not to yield--let the consequences be what they may!

I will go on just as I have done!

I will not be Christ's servant!

I will not be God's child!

I will obey only Satan!

I will follow the course of this evil world!

I will serve my lusts and pleasures!

In proof thereof, witness my signature, ____________.


Now...
Will you now sign your name?

Will you now solemnly put your seal to this statement?

Why are you so afraid?

Do not your actions speak louder than your words? Is not your daily practice stronger proof--than just putting your name to a statement once? If you do not say the above in words--yet if you do so in your actions--then where is the difference? Does not God read the language of your life? If you say it in your daily practice--then why not boldly take the pen and openly sign your name?

Soon the judgment shall be set, and the books shall be opened--and your criminality and folly shall be published before assembled worlds!

Well, will you sign the above? Why not? Is it true of you--or is it not?

the unity of believers when everyone looks to CHRIST.

From AW Tozer:

"Has it ever occurred to you that 100 pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So 100 worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship."

Friday, October 14, 2011

i love my wife.

Heading to downtown LA


An awesome night of talking, Q&A, food, and more food!


The greatest part of my week—by far—has been my date night with my beautiful wife, Elizabeth.

in search for a definition of WORSHIP.

Here's a good one by D.A. Carson:

"Worship is the proper response of all moral, sentient beings to God, ascribing all honor and worth to their Creator-God precisely because he is worthy, delightfully so. This side of the Fall, human worship of God properly responds to the redemptive provisions that God has graciously made. While all true worship is God-centered, Christian worship is no less Christ-centered. Empowered by the Spirit and in line with the stipulations of the new covenant, it manifests itself in all our living, finding its impulse in the gospel, which restores our relationship with our Redeemer-God and therefore also with our fellow image-bearers, our co-worshippers. Such worship therefore manifests itself both in adoration and in action, both in the individual believer and in corporate worship, which is worship offered up in the context of the body of believers, who strive to align all the forms of their devout ascription of all worth to God with the panoply of new covenant mandates and examples that bring to fulfillment the glories of antecedent revelation and anticipate the consummation."

Phew. That's excllent.

From D.A. Carson, "Worship under the Word," in Worship by the Book, ed. by D.A. Carson (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), 26.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

have you prayed for ILLUMINATION?

Martin Bucer prayed in 1537:

"Almighty, gracious Father, forasmuch as our whole salvation depends upon our true understanding of your Holy Word, grant to all of us that our hearts, being freed from worldly affairs, may hear and apprehend your Holy Word with all diligence and faith, that we may rightly understand your gracious will, cherish it, and live by it with all earnestness, to you praise and honor; through our Lord Jesus Christ."

(from Chapell, Christ-Centered Worship, 206).

Let's be reminded that when we read, study, preach, or teach God's Word, we are all in need of the Spirit's grace to understand the meaning of the text & to apply it accurately to our lives.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

what does it mean to be a GODLY husband?

I preached 1 Peter 3:7 last night and have never had as many men come up to me afterwards and talk. Amazing how God works. And amazing that this is such a dire need in our culture today.

Ever wonder what it means to be a godly man & a godly husband? What does God require of you? The world doesn't have the answers? Our own sinful & corrupt hearts don't have the answers? Men's Magazine doesn't have the answers. But God's Word does have the answers!

Listen to the sermon here.

1 Peter 3:7 — You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Monday, October 10, 2011

husband ... learn & honor your wife SO THAT your prayers aren't cut off

Yes that's right. The Scriptures directly connect biblical husbanding to spiritual living. If the husband is not performing his duty in glorifying God by honoring and learning his wife, then according to 1 Peter 3:7 his prayers are "cut off" or "hindered."

1 Peter 3:7 — You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Tonight I have the privilege to open God's Word again at the Bible Tabernacle and I'm very excited but greatly convicted at the same time to exposit this text.

Here we learn that it is impossible to have a vibrant spiritual life while neglecting one's marital life. We are called to learn our wives (and 'keep learning' them!), to honor our wives, and to follow Christ as we lead our wives so that our prayers are not hindered.

Very sobering; very true; very hard; and very very relevant for marriages today in our culture. I'll post the audio tomorrow.

Friday, October 7, 2011

a favorite OT verse of OT writers.

Exodus 34:6-7:

‏ וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר יְהוָ֥ה ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ יְהוָ֣ה ׀ יְהוָ֔ה אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת
(And the Lord passed by before him and He called out: 'The LORD, the LORD, a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abundant in covenant-love and truth.')

We often see in our New Testaments the phrase "just as it is written" that recalls an OT text that the NT author cites. But let's not forget that the OT writers were just as saturated in the Word as well. Another fascinating study is to see how the OT uses the OT.

I'm preaching on Ps 117 this Sunday and a phrase occurs there that clearly refers back to Ex 34:6-7. A number of important truths can be spoken of regarding this excellent text:

1) The Lord declares His own character in Ex 34:6-7. It is not another telling us about God; these are the words of the LORD about Himself.

2) The Lord is a compassionate God. He is compassionate towards those who are His in a very specific, particular, and fatherly way. Because of the Lord's compassions we are not consumed.

3) The Lord is a gracious God. When we were in a state of misery and utter helplessness, God showed divine grace toward us. Grace is God's lavishing undeserved compassion and mercy upon sinners that deserve just the opposite.

4) The Lord is slow to anger. The phrase (אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם) literally reads: "long of nose." He has a high patience-level. God displays His patience towards us daily. We sin, rebel, flaunt our self-sufficiency and pride constantly yet God is slow to anger. He does not treat us as our sins deserve.

5) The Lord is abundant in steadfast, covenant-keeping love. This is more than just "love." This is the covenant-keeping, steadfast, unconditional, unbreakable, unilateral, unrestrained kind of love. God has this love for His people. The amazing thing is that we sin against Him and yet He still is faithful in his love for us.

6) The Lord is abundant in truth. Everything about the Lord is truth. He encapsulates what is true. He Himself is the true God. There is only one true God. And that is the God revealed in the Word of God. Everything that is opposed to what the true word of God reveals about the one true God is opposed to God and therefore false. God is the standard for what is right and true for He is, in Himself, the essence of truth.

Therefore, let's glory in this great, sovereign, and powerful God we worship & serve.

Psalm 117:1-2 sums it up well:
Praise the LORD, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the LORD is everlasting. Praise the LORD!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

lessons i learned from my PhD oral examination...

What I learned from my PhD oral examination.


After being interrogated for 4 hours and 15 minutes, I sat down and reflected on a few lessons God taught me in this process. Here are a few of them:

1. I am not humble.

I went into the exam terrified, afraid, mortified, and scared. Period. But I felt prepared. I had studied for months and been reading the list of required books for years (literally). But I went into the exam feeling as though I could handle myself alright and that I knew the basic gist of many of the issues. But that all changed after I updated them about my ministry plans at the beginning of the examination time! They asked question after question that were hard, difficult, and mind-stretching. After pontificating for a few minutes and they quickly ascertained that a particular issue was a weak spot for me, they would take that issue a step farther and ask a similar question that relates to the previous issue that I struggled my way through. At the end of the four hour examination, I felt as though I was an inch tall—which is one inch too tall! I was humbled, broken, and low.

2. I do not know everything.

I did not go into the exam arrogantly self-exalted thinking that I would master everything. But one truth I learned loud and clear in the time that I spent with my three examiners was that I do not know everything. Not a very new thing to those of you who do know me! But nevertheless, God reminded me, a stubborn and hard-headed guy, that I need to be humble because I do not know everything. Questions they asked—whether it related to Greek grammar, textual criticism, inerrancy, Hebrew grammar, theological interpretation of the Bible, chronology of certain NT letters—embrazened afresh on my mind the reality that I just simply don’t know everything. Therefore, I learned to be humble, seek for God, and study His Word daily and fervently.

3. Godly men know much more than me and I must strive to learn from them.

My examiners are professors for a reason. They know much more than me. At times, they even had to exegete the questions they asked me so that I could understand them. These godly men know the Word, know theology, know grammar, know text criticism and other relevant issues and God reminded me that there are those (many!) that know a great deal more than me and I must strive to learn from them. A PhD is not the end goal of a road of research and study; it merely begins the road of research and the journey of joy in learning about God and His Word.

4. Be willing to say “I don’t know.”

Words that came from my mouth more than once were: “I don’t know.” If I said that after every question they asked that’d be a problem. But there were a few times I just had to suck it up, swallow my pride, and spit out the words: “I just don’t know.” Not only is that humbling—especially on a PhD oral examination, but it reemphasized to me (again—cause I need constant reminders) that I just don’t know it all.

5. When those who love you tell you where your “weak spots” are, be humble enough to write it down, ask questions, and commit to doing further study in those areas in particular.

After the exam, they brought me back into the conference room, I took my seat at my end of the roundtable and then they shared with me four areas that are “weak spots.” I wrote them down and told myself that I will read up, study, and improve in those areas. I had lunch with my mentor and dissertation advisor, Rod Decker, and I asked him to elaborate and help me understand some of those weak spots better. He helpfully explained some of those issues and provided some resources for further study.

6. God is faithful and gives strength in the hardest of times.

I prayed and asked the Lord to give me the grace to endure the preparation—and He did. I begged the Lord to sustain me through the four hours of examination—and He did. I pleaded with the Lord to be merciful to me and allow me to pass—and He did. I committed the day—and the exam—to the Lord as an act of worship asking that He would be glorified in my efforts—and I believe He was. Truly the psalmist penned the words that are on the tip of my lips (and a text that I’m eager to preach this Sunday morning):

גָבַר עָלֵינוּ חַסְדּוֹ וֶאֱמֶת־יְהוָה לְעוֹלָם
“His covenant-love is great toward us; and the truth of the LORD is everlasting”
—Psalm 117:2



October 4, 2011
pdf here.

Monday, October 3, 2011

how do you know the books in the bible SHOULD be there?

"Canonicity is determined by God. A book is not inspired because men make it canonical; it is canonical because God inspired it. ... Canonicity is determined or established authoritatively by God; it is merely discovered by man."

—Norman L. Geisler and William E. Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible, revised and expanded edition (Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press, 1986), 221.

Excellent!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

phd interrogation week! :=)

Please intercede in prayer for me as I undergo my oral examination this week for my PhD program. I have four hours of question and answer with three professors. Pray that God would bring the things to mind that I've studied these last months.

Thanks so much praying for me!

Friday, September 30, 2011

preaching twice tonight — pray for unction!

How good God is! He gives me the awesome privilege of proclaiming His Word tonight on the streets of Santa Monica, CA with my good friend & brother, Sherwood. We're going to herald the glories of Christ for a few hours tonight as the floods of people approach us.

I have two sermons ready:

1. Hebrews 4:12-13 - "You Read Many Books! Here's the Book that Reads You!"

2. Genesis 6 & 2 Peter 3 - "Repent of Your Sins & Come to Christ Before Judgment Falls!"

Pray for God's Spirit to work powerfully through the spoken Word tonight.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

how can you serve your pastor & leadership?

Simple is often forgotten, so here I remind you with the reminder I needed when praying for church plants (or churches looking for a pastor):

1. Pray for the Launch Team

Make sure that those who currently exist as the body are constantly lifted up before the throne of grace in prayer. Pray for those who are filling extraordinary needs in the Church by dedicating time, service, effort, and energy to serve the Lord & His people. Be sure to lift the launch team up in fervent, frequent, and faithful prayer.

2. Pray for your Pastor

If your pastor is there on site, or if he has not yet arrived, or if you don't have a pastor and you don't know who he is yet, pray for him! Pray pray pray for the man that God has called to stand in the front lines of culture, postmodernism, Satan & his minions, and every humanistic ideology and faithfully and boldly proclaim the exclusive truth found in God's Word that Christ alone is the Savior who delivers His own from the eternal & divine wrath. Those whom God chooses to be pastors must be prayed over fervently as the Word of God will be proclaimed & he will undoubtedly face persecution—from within the church & from without. Pray for him!

3. Pray for the Churchgoers

Pray for those who currently make up the body of Christ in that particular church. Pray for God's Spirit to energize each of their hearts to serve tangibly in some way, to evangelize faithfully as God provides opportunity, to live holy lives evidencing the change that God has worked in their hearts. Pray that the people in the pew would passionately pursue God's truth. Pray that they would hunger for the proclaimed Word as a newborn longs for—and even vocally expresses the desire!—daily food. Pray that the people in the Church would pray daily on their knees, that repentance would be a daily action, that mortifying sin would be at the forefront of every Christian's mind. Pray that sin would be hated as much as a murderer longing to kill a familymember. Pray for Christ to be glorified in the church corporately! And pray that the knowledge amongst all God's people that in order for Christ to be glorified in His church corporately, he must be exalted as sovereign & supreme in each life individually.

4. Pray for the Unsaved in the Community

Beg God to have mercy on the unsaved. Pray that God would mercifully deliver the unsaved from the coming wrath. Pray that the lost in the community would not fill up the measure of their sins thus leading to God's wrath coming upon them to the utmost. Pray that God would save them! And the only way one is saved is by hearing the Word of God & believing the Word of Christ. Pray that each person in the pew would understand that when a nonbeliever dies he is personally, violently, eternally, consciously, and angrily punished by God Himself for all of eternity. Pray that this gripping truth arrests the hearts & minds of each believer in the Church. Pray that they launch out into their home lives with evangelistic zeal. Pray that they share with their children, parents, siblings, grandchildren, co-workers, bosses that judgment awaits for those who reject Christ. Pray that the believers in the Church would have a passionate pursuit of proclaiming the glorious riches of Christ to sinners. It is the gospel that saves, not moral revolution. It is the gospel that saves, not cultural reformation. It is the gospel that saves, not religious affections. It is the gospel that saves, not church-membership applications. It is the gospel that saves, not man-made & self-promoting religions. Pray that God's people in His Church would proclaim His message to hellbound sinners so God can use His shared Word to save His elect and receive the glory that He alone deserves.


These ideas are adapted & altered from Chris Brauns' When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search (Moody, 2011), pp.28 - 31.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

if you hope for a future messianic Kingdom (which you should), here's what it will include...

According to Isaiah 11, the One who comes from the "stem of Jesse" (v.1), who has the "Spirit of the Lord resting on Him" (v.2), and who "delights in the fear of the Lord" (v.3) will do the following in the future, literal, earthly messianic kingdom:

1. He will judge the poor with righteousness (v.4)

2. He will slay the wicked with the breath of His mouth (v.4b)

3. He will be righteous and faithful in all He does (v.5)

4. He will ensure that peace rules the earth—even amongst the animal kingdom (vv.6-8)

5. He will dwell on the Holy Mountain (=Jerusalem) and all people will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord (v.9)

6. He will be the One nations flock to in submission & worship (v.10)

Not sure about you, but I believe it is impossible to read these verses in a plain and normal fashion and come up with any other kind of interpretation. These events have not happened yet (literally) and the fact that God is faithful (cp. v.5b — Christ is clothed with "faithfulness as the belt around his waist") totally confirms that these characteristics will in fact happen just as the Scriptures say.

Christian—long for the future Kingdom when Christ will reign literally, physically, bodily, and sovereignly. O for that day!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Friday, September 23, 2011

what is your job as a churchmember?

Excellent words from Paul Shirley:

Top Ten Responsibilities for those in the Pews

1. Sit under the preaching of God’s word (Romans 10:17)

2. Show love (1 Corinthians 12; Matthew 22:34-40)

3. Serve in the work of the ministry according to the gifts God has given you (Ephesians 4:12, 1 Corinthians 12)

4. Submit & Support your leaders (Hebrews 13:17)

5. Show up (Hebrew 10:25)

6. Sort through conflict biblically (Ephesians 4:1-3)

7. Share the Gospel with those around you (Matthew 28:18ff)

8. Seek the Lord through prayer (Ephesians 6:18)

9. Sacrificially give (2 Corinthians 9:7)

10. Speak with humility (James 3:1-12, 4:6)

Amen.

an element of bible interpretation

When reading the Scriptures, keep your mind open for a rhetorical feature that can help you find the cohesion of the text. One way that the biblical writers can tie their discourses together is by using a feature called an inclusio. An inclusio is a device where the author says one thing and then "bookends" it later on with the same phrase. These "bookends" can tie the discourse together around that theme.

An example of this is Psalm 113:

1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD.
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and forever.
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the LORD is to be praised.
4 The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens.
5 Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high,
6 Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in heaven and in the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 To make them sit with princes, With the princes of His people.
9 He makes the barren woman abide in the house As a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!

The inclusio in Ps 113 is the phrase "Praise the LORD!" (הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֙הּ). The entire psalm is cohesively joined together by means of this phrase that occurs at the outset (v.1a) as well as at the conclusion (v.9b)—"Praise the LORD." Yahweh is worthy of praise because of his sovereign character (vv.1-5a) as well as his sovereign condescension to be involved in the affairs of humble men (vv.5b-9a).

For this reason, we are called, summoned, and commanded to "Praise the LORD!"

Have you obeyed this biblical command today?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

psalm 111 & psalm 112

When you look at Psalm 111 and compare that with Psalm 112, you see that similarities clearly exist.

1. They are both acrostics — that means each line of the psalm begins with the next letter in the Hebrew alphabet (sort of like a psalm that goes from A-Z).

2. Similar language can be seen throughout both psalms. For instance, both psalms refer to the "fear of the LORD," the contrast between the righteous & the wicked, and the attributes of "graciousness, mercy, and righteousness."

One of the interesting features of these psalms is that Psalm 111 is about the Divine Character of God and Psalm 112 is about the Godly character of the man of God.

I want to bring to the frontground a particular element:

Psalm 111:4 זֵ֣כֶר עָ֭שָׂה לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם יְהוָֽה׃ (He has made his works to be a remembrance; gracious and compassionate is Yahweh.)

Note the verbal similarities with:

Psalm 112:4 זָ֨רַ֤ח בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ א֖וֹר לַיְשָׁרִ֑ים חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם וְצַדִּֽיק׃ (Light arises in darkness for the upright; gracious and compassionate and righteous is he.)

When read in context Psalm 111:4 clearly refers to Yahweh and His character. The text in Psalm 112:4 refers to the Godly man and his character. The point? When the man of God looks at, studies, and meditates on the character of God, he himself will begin to emulate the character of His Master.

Thus, when you study God and Who He is (Ps 111), the Godly man cannot help but be affected—internally and externally—by responding in holy fear, reverence, godliness, and graciousness (Ps 112).

Paul says it similarly in Ephesians 4:32-5:1

Ephesians 4:32-5:2 — Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

I ask you: has your study of God (Ps 111) affected your reflection of God and being God's child (Ps 112)?

the heart of the man of God is steadfast.

"Don't be a rolling stone that moves at every glitch of the earth; be an unmovable pillar that cannot be toppled even with the fiercest of earthquakes. Such is the man whose heart is fixed trusting in the LORD."

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

married men, remember this...

Ecclesiastes 9:9 — Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.

Monday, September 19, 2011

meaning is found in the text & it is fixed with the author.

Remember that when reading the Bible, you want to find the authorial intent. That is, what did the author intend to communicate as revealed in the words that he wrote in the text? Sadly, this principle of meaning as being fixed and residing with the author of the text is under assault today—not just in biblical studies but in the secular world at large.

Here are a few helpful quotes from Robert Stein on meaning (from his Playing by the Rules):

“The Scriptures are to be interpreted in the same way that we interpret other forms of verbal communication. This is essentially the commonsense approach to communication” (21).

“All normal conversation assumes that the goal of interpretation is to understand what the speaker or writer means by the words he or she is using" (21).

“The goal when reading a Pauline text is not to experience or reduplicate Paul’s mental and emotional experiences when he wrote. Rather, the goal is to understand what Paul ‘meant,’ what he consciously sought to communicate to his readers by what he wrote” (23).

“The meaning of a text depends on the specific conscious will of the author. The biblical author is the determiner of the text’s meaning. Since this pattern of meaning was willed in the past (when the text was written), the meaning of a text can never change, for it is locked in history. It can no more change than any other historical event of the past can change. Even the author cannot change the meaning of the text, because he cannot change the past” (38).

And, Gordon Clark wrote in 1958 (in his Thales to Dewey: A History of Philosophy):

"If, however, terms had an infinite number of meanings, then all reasoning would come to an end. For if a word is to convey a significance, it must not only mean something, it must also not mean something. If it had all the meanings of all the terms in the dictionary, it owuld be useless in speech" (100).

Therefore, remember that when you come to the Bible, read it and ask yourself: what did the biblical author intend to communicate as he wrote down these words?

Once you understand what the biblical author meant in the words of his text, then (and only then!) can you apply that meaning to your own life (this is application or "significance").

Friday, September 16, 2011

pumped to proclaim my Potentate.

Tonight I'm off to the Promenade to proclaim my Sovereign Savior, Jesus Christ, and the true satisfaction that only He can give. My text is Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 and I'll conclude with a plea from Philippians 3:9 to come to Christ and find true satisfaction & righteousness only in Him. Pray for me as I proclaim God's Word on the streets of Santa Monica with my dear friend & brother, Sherwood.

what effects should regeneration have on you?

Paul described the conversion of the Thessalonian believers in these words: 1 Thessalonians 1:9 αὐτοὶ γὰρ περὶ ἡμῶν ἀπαγγέλλουσιν ὁποίαν εἴσοδον ἔσχομεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ πῶς ἐπεστρέψατε πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων (for they themselves report concerning us as to what kind of entrance we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols).

Paul speaks of conversion as a "turning" (ἐπεστρέψατε). The verbal form shows that it views the action of regeneration as a "whole". This is what happens at salvation. God so works in the sinner's heart (cf. Acts 13:48) that the sinner then turns (ἐπεστρέψατε) and repents.

Note there is a 2-fold aspect to this change:

(1) Turning TO God — True believers are those who are characterized as turning to God (πρὸς τὸν θεὸν). This is not only an initial turning at the moment of salvation but this walking with God, communing with God, delighting in God, repenting before God, glorifying God continues through the life of the believer.

(2) Turning FROM idols — Paul also records that believers turn from idols (ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων). This means that by default all humans are idolaters. We need to turn to God from idols. No one is by nature a worshiper of God. At the same time, everyone is born a worshiper. Everyone worships someone or something. But the believer is one who turns to God away from idols.

Have you experienced this regeneration and turning in your life? Have you turned to God? Have you turned from your idols?

Two effects that will result from this conversion as written by Paul include:

1) Serving the LORD - The first effect is that believers now will serve the Lord—the Living and True God (δουλεύειν θεῷ ζῶντι καὶ ἀληθινῷ). The Christian is enslaved (δουλεύειν) to the Living and the True God! The Christian is privileged to serve the LORD in his life. Are you?

2) Looking for the LORD - The second effect Paul specifies here is that believers wait for the coming of Christ (καὶ ἀναμένειν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ [τῶν] νεκρῶν, Ἰησοῦν τὸν ῥυόμενον ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ὀργῆς τῆς ἐρχομένης). Believers are to wait for Christ (ἀναμένειν). Christ is the Son of God who now resides in heaven, he is the one whom God raised from the dead, He is Jesus of Nazareth, and He is the one who rescues us (ῥυόμενον) from the coming wrath. No other god or man-made idol can rescue sinners from the wrath of God. Only Christ can rescue from the wrath of Almighty God. Are you looking for the coming of Christ with great anticipation?

Here is a sermon I preached last week on this text explaining this more fully.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

mark this well — the church's need for HOLINESS & DISCIPLINE.

As for discipline, many churches neglect it because they fear it will reduce their membership and thus detract from their glory. But the truth of the matter is that the church which fails to exercise discipline is sure to lose both its self-respect and the respect of those without. Strange though it may seem, the world today despises the church precisely because the church is so worldly, and the members of the church by and large take no pride in their membership because it carries with it no distinction. On the other hand, the faithful exercise of discipline is sure to enhance the church's glory.

—R.B. Kuiper

how NOT to make your prayers an abomination

Listen to the words of this Proverb:

Proverbs 28:9
מֵסִ֣יר אָ֭זְנוֹ מִשְּׁמֹ֣עַ תּוֹרָ֑ה גַּֽם־תְּ֜פִלָּת֗וֹ תּוֹעֵבָֽה׃
("he who turns away His hear from listening to the Law even His prayer is an abomination.")

Sometimes we overlook verses such as this one. The inspired Word of God so clearly says here that if a man does not obey (מִשְּׁמֹ֣עַ) the Law of God (Torah, תּוֹרָ֑ה) that even his prayer is an abomination.

An abomination (תּוֹעֵבָֽה) can refer to a host of things in the OT—all of which are completely wicked, loathful, and heinous in the eyes of God. Ezekiel 16:25 uses this word to refer to their harlotries with other God and how it is an abomination in the eyes of God. Amos 6:8 uses this word when the Lord says that he hates the arrogance of Israel. Psalm 14:1 says that the wicked/fools are those that commit abominable deeds.

How amazing is it to consider that prayer could be considered an "abomination" if the Law of God is not obeyed. The word מִשְּׁמֹ֣עַ refers to one who hears and obeys that which he has heard.

Simple application of this text: if a person does not listen and obey the Law of God (as found in the Word of God), then his prayers are simply abominable in God's sight.

Thus, if you don't obey, then don't pray.

Here is a parallel in the NT from the Apostle Paul:

Romans 8:7-8 — because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

words on worship from Spurgeon.

"Praise should be the continual exercise of believers. It is the joyful work of heaven, it should be the continual joy of earth. . . We bless the Lord and the Lord alone; we have no music but for Him, but we do not always praise Him after the same fashion. As there were different instruments of music—the ten-stringed instrument or the decachord, the psaltry, the harp,—so too, there are different subjects, a subject for the morning and a subject for the evening; lovingkindness to be shown forth at one time, and faithfulness to be sung at another. I wish that men studied more the praise they profess to present unto God.

—Spurgeon (1834-1892)

watch this gospel message from Tony

Tony is preaching here at Cerritos college. Tony is a friend of mine and a solid believer and faithful herald of God's Word.

See how Tony heralds the truth and refutes the error of the 'modern gospel' with sternness and gospel-centered compassion.



Biblical. Firm. Unswerving. Christ-exalting.

Watch it & go proclaim it yourself!

Monday, September 12, 2011

do you know the GOSPEL?

A friend of mine said this line over the weekend: "You can't be saved by a Gospel that you don't know." Many Christians *claim* to walk with God and know Jesus Christ and yet if you ask them, explain to me the gospel & how I can get saved in two minutes, I wonder just how many *could* actually provide a biblical gospel presentation with Scriptural proof.

Could you?

A gospel that you don't know can't save. Never assume someone who calls himself a Christian is in fact a Christian. Probe. Ask them questions. Find out what they believe. Make sure they know the biblical Gospel. But even before that, make sure that you know the biblical gospel.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

prayers for preaching God's magnificence.

Please be in prayer for me as I preach with Tony Miano & the Third Street Heralds (and info here) in Santa Monica today. I cherish this group and the likemindedness in passionately proclaiming Christ and His glorious Gospel! I plan to be prepared to preach a number of sermons and interact with folks who may be considering the events of 9/11.

Pray also for me as I preach tomorrow in Sojourners at Grace Church. My text is 1 Thess 1:9-10 and the bones are burnin'.

Update on Street Preaching Last Night—Sept 9th
I was street preaching with my friend Sherwood & we had quite a few hecklers and troublemakers out on the Promenade. God allowed us to have some great conversations, share the gospel numerous times and interact with people who refuse to worship & submit to the God of the Bible. What an opportunity. Thanks for praying!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

updates.

A few things recently going on:

1. Just got home from our family vacation to HUMELAKE. What a beautiful place! The highs were in the 70's and then we stepped out of the car at home today to 101 degrees! It was a great vacation of nothing but relaxing, wrestling with my boy, and hiking with my family. Great & restful time.

2. We rushed home to make it to the hospital for our ultrasound for Tikvah and the Drs. said that everything is going well with her. She is growing, healthy, and moving & all is well. They answered some of our questions we had regarding her heart-surgery and recovery time, etc. All is going great there!

3. I am preaching this weekend on 1 Thessalonians and my bones are aching till I can study & preach this book when I finally arrive in STL at Christ Fellowship Bible Church.

4. I listened to a portion of this video on my drive home from N. Cal today and realized that Tim Keller swung and missed 'big-time' on hell, wrath, and judgment (start at the 14 minute mark). Sad that he couldn't even articulate such fundamental biblical doctrines in a Q&A. Sad—very sad. BTW, I do believe in a literal, eternal punishment and I do preach it. I'm not afraid to shrink from proclaiming the truth cause Jesus, Jeremiah, Spurgeon, Edwards and other heroes of mine didn't.

5. I continue research & writing on my dissertation tomorrow early morning: Revelation's Use of the book of Jeremiah. So excited and pumped to be in the biblical text as I work on the NT's use of the OT.

That's enough for now...

Saturday, September 3, 2011

phd exams are complete.

Thank you for praying for me this week as I took my PhD exams. After 7 exams and 100+ typed pages, I am through with my comprehensive exams. Now I just have to wait to hear whether I passed or not! Praise the LORD.

I don't think I've ever had a week where I've been so focused, so mentally drained, and so pressured but God, indeed, proves to be faithful. And He is worthy of praise. I had a Hebrew/OT exam, a Bible exposition/general knowledge exam, Theology exam, and four NT/Greek exams.

A few days ago I read the words to this psalm that has remained with me:

Psalm 150:1-6 — Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. 2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. 3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. 4 Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. 5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD.
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