Monday, February 23, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
read your bible more.
I've been in the OT a lot as of late. I'm preaching through the book of Psalms for our mid-week service, I'm underway in a preaching series through the Minor Prophets (we started Hosea this week), and an I'm going through Isaiah with an elder in our church. With all this OT I've been immersed in in recent weeks and months, I have found God's glorious and majestic character unveiled in magnificent ways.
I have convinced myself (again!) that a proper understanding of self, sin, salvation, sanctification and every other theological doctrine must begin with a proper understanding of who God is. A person can't be saved without understanding the holiness and righteousness of God. A person can't realize he's a dead and hopeless sinner apart from a proper perspective of God's righteous standard of perfection. Furthermore, no one can be sanctified without properly understanding who the Holy Spirit is and the utter incapacity we have of sanctifying ourselves and the absolute dependence we have on God the Holy Spirit working in and through us and thereby sanctifying us.
At any rate, this is a simple post encouraging you with what I've been encouraged with in recent months, namely, to simply read your Bible more. And not only your Bible (and do that!), but your OT as well. Don't neglect the first two-thirds of your Bible. Don't neglect the glorious love that Yahweh reveals in the OT. Don't forget to read the Bible for your own soul's food and nourishment. Without it, you'll never grow and, in reality, you'll starve yourself and you'll despair in discouragement.
Therefore, the solution, I believe, is to read your bible more.
I have convinced myself (again!) that a proper understanding of self, sin, salvation, sanctification and every other theological doctrine must begin with a proper understanding of who God is. A person can't be saved without understanding the holiness and righteousness of God. A person can't realize he's a dead and hopeless sinner apart from a proper perspective of God's righteous standard of perfection. Furthermore, no one can be sanctified without properly understanding who the Holy Spirit is and the utter incapacity we have of sanctifying ourselves and the absolute dependence we have on God the Holy Spirit working in and through us and thereby sanctifying us.
At any rate, this is a simple post encouraging you with what I've been encouraged with in recent months, namely, to simply read your Bible more. And not only your Bible (and do that!), but your OT as well. Don't neglect the first two-thirds of your Bible. Don't neglect the glorious love that Yahweh reveals in the OT. Don't forget to read the Bible for your own soul's food and nourishment. Without it, you'll never grow and, in reality, you'll starve yourself and you'll despair in discouragement.
Therefore, the solution, I believe, is to read your bible more.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Israel Pictures - take two
Here we are in the synagogue in Capernaum reading and discussing Jesus' sermon in John 6
Here is my friend Daniel demonstrating the "castnet" while on a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
Pastor Eric is baptizing Andy in the Jordan River
The Elders thought about having a meeting on a Roman Latrine here at Bet Shean
Our group in the Wilderness of Paran after we spent 40 minutes (thankfully not 40 years) meditating on Deuteronomy 8Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Israel Pictures - take one
Elizabeth and I at Buckingham Palace - London, UK
Here's our group at Trafalgar Square - London, UK
Here's our group at the remains of Herod's Palace - Caesarea Maritima
Here we are at the mudbrick gate from Patriarchal times - Tel Dan
Here are Tyson and Lindsey overlooking Syria and Mt. Hermon - Golan Heights
Sunset overlooking Sea of Galilee - En Gev
Here we are after a COLD dip in the Sea of Galilee after a day of touring
Here is the group scattered on a hillside following along as I read from Mark 5 - Cove of the Sower, Sea of Galilee
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Israel
Well, after a 36 hour journey beginning at 4am (Israel time) and a 5 hour flight to London with a brief layover, we made it home to LA at 8pm (PST) last night.
God truly was good to us on our trip--even with a day taken away from us because of a bad snowstorm in London. I'll post some pictures and stories in upcoming posts.
Thanks for praying!
God truly was good to us on our trip--even with a day taken away from us because of a bad snowstorm in London. I'll post some pictures and stories in upcoming posts.
Thanks for praying!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Word of God
From Charles Spurgeon:
I'm preaching Psalm 12 tonight and this brought a great smile to my face from the prince of preachers.
The Bible has passed through the furnace of persecution, literary criticism, philosophic doubt, and scientific discovery, and has lost nothing but those human interpretations which clung to it as alloy to precious ore. The experience of saints has tried it in every conceivable manner, but not a single doctrine or promise has been consumed in the most excessive heat. What God's words are, the words of his children should be. If we would be Godlike in conversation, we must watch our language, and maintain the strictest purity of integrity and holiness in all our communication.
I'm preaching Psalm 12 tonight and this brought a great smile to my face from the prince of preachers.
Monday, January 26, 2009
on the accuracy of our Bible
I take great comfort in the words of Rabbi Ishmael:"My son, be careful, because your work is the work of heaven; should you omit (even) one letter or add (even) one letter, the whole world would be destroyed" (b. Sot. 20a).
Our Hebrew Bibles were copied with such care and precision that we can trust their reliability and the reality that they are virtually identical with the autographa (original manuscripts).
Eat the Book!
This week has been a preaching marathon for me and I've thoroughly enjoyed the hours I've spent with the Lord in His Word preparing these messages. Though I'm technically a full-time seminary student, I haven't devoted much time to my studies this week (which means double for this week!) but that's OK. Here's how my preaching schedule went last week:
Tuesday - I did OT Survey with the youth group (Yep, all of it in 1 hour!)
Wednesday - Psalm 11 at our Mid-Week Service
Friday - Isaiah 45 at WVCA Chapel
Saturday - History, Geography, Topography, and Climatology of Israel
Sunday AM - Acts 10-11 in CCC Morning Service
Sunday PM - Revelation 10 at the Rehabilitation center service.
Last night, as I preached from Revelation 10 to the guys at the Rehab. center, I concluded with vv.8-11 when the angel gives the Apostle John a book and tells him to "Take it and eat it..." I camped out on this for awhile. It proved to be one of those moments where I felt I was being confronted with God's Word from my own sermon in a powerful way.
Think about it. We are to take God's Word and eat it, digest it, consume it, and love it. This simply means that we are to take God's Word and internalize it--all of it! Listen to parallel verses throughout Scripture:
Ezekiel 3:1-4 Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 3 And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your stomach, and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you." Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth. 4 Then He said to me, "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.
Matthew 4:4 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"
Jeremiah 15:16 16 Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts
John 4:32-34 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 The disciples therefore were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.
Let me ask you as I asked the guys last night at the Rehab center, do you feast on God's Word--Regularly? If Jesus, the God-Man, found his food and sustenance to "do the will of the Father" then how much more ought we to immerse ourselves and eat the Word?
In summary, David similarly writes:
Psalm 19:10 10 They [The Word of God] are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Tuesday - I did OT Survey with the youth group (Yep, all of it in 1 hour!)
Wednesday - Psalm 11 at our Mid-Week Service
Friday - Isaiah 45 at WVCA Chapel
Saturday - History, Geography, Topography, and Climatology of Israel
Sunday AM - Acts 10-11 in CCC Morning Service
Sunday PM - Revelation 10 at the Rehabilitation center service.
Last night, as I preached from Revelation 10 to the guys at the Rehab. center, I concluded with vv.8-11 when the angel gives the Apostle John a book and tells him to "Take it and eat it..." I camped out on this for awhile. It proved to be one of those moments where I felt I was being confronted with God's Word from my own sermon in a powerful way.
Think about it. We are to take God's Word and eat it, digest it, consume it, and love it. This simply means that we are to take God's Word and internalize it--all of it! Listen to parallel verses throughout Scripture:
Ezekiel 3:1-4 Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 3 And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your stomach, and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you." Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth. 4 Then He said to me, "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.
Matthew 4:4 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"
Jeremiah 15:16 16 Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts
John 4:32-34 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33 The disciples therefore were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" 34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.
Let me ask you as I asked the guys last night at the Rehab center, do you feast on God's Word--Regularly? If Jesus, the God-Man, found his food and sustenance to "do the will of the Father" then how much more ought we to immerse ourselves and eat the Word?
In summary, David similarly writes:
Psalm 19:10 10 They [The Word of God] are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
.encouragement
God knows what we need when we need it and God always provides what is best for us in His perfect time to bring Himself the greatest glory. (That's a mouthful.) At any rate, this morning, I received one of those emails from an individual in our church. The email expressed a sincere gratitude for Elizabeth and I and our service at the church.Not that Elizabeth and I are anything special (and believe me, we're definitely not!), but the email was very timely, needed, and rejuvenating. It is amazing what a little note will do to your pastor. This is God's Word fleshed out:
1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
So, all this to say that (1) God is good; (2) I am encouraged, refreshed, and rejuvenated; (3) I exhort you to take some time today--or this week--to write a letter to your pastor(s) and express your gratitude for them, their faithfulness, their Christlikeness, and their pursuing holiness (as we all are!).
Praise God for His strength given to us in our times of weakness.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Israel 2009 Update
We're well under way in finalizing plans for our trip to the Holy Land in just a few weeks. If you're interested in keeping tabs with us while we're there, you can download and/or print this calendar which tells you where we'll be on what days. We also had a brief Old Testament history and theology crash course last week at church for our Israel travelers. Feel free to listen to the lecture here.Also, if you're interested, we're already considering another trip in December of this year. We'd leave on Christmas Day and return near the end of the first week of January. The reason for going this time of year is for those who are in school and those who teach, for the trip would fall in their Christmas vacation period.
Email or call me with any questions.
Friday, January 16, 2009
do I love the world?
In a conversation I had this week, the issue of the Christian's relationship to and love for the world surfaced again in my mind. I am convinced the Scriptures are clear in that the Christian life is not one of dichotomy or separationism for all life is to be devoted to Christ as "service of worship" (Rom 12:1-2). Nevertheless, the Bible abounds with references to abstain from the world and its manifold lusts:
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 1 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
1 John 2:15-17 15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.
John 15:19 19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
What I find in these verses is a command from God written through His messengers for believers to abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. That is to say, a Christian cannot live both a life longing for, indulging in, or finding satisfaction in the world and what it has to offer. This is the epitome of a person who is worldly-minded and focused on earthly things rather than heavenly things (cp. Col 3:1ff). I am not one who promotes a sort of 'asceticism' from the world, but I do believe that we must be careful how we talk, how we live, how we think, and how we interact with the world.
Life is not about being "cool." It's not about being united with the "cool crowd." Rather, all of life is to be worshipping Jesus Christ and satisfied in Him and Him alone (1 Cor 10:31; Eph 5:18-20). May we be Christians who filter everything that confronts us in this world with what God has to say in and through His inspired, inerrant, and sufficient Word. May we exemplify the command to:
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
This is not to fulfill a sort-of legalistic rule, but it is to abstain from that which defiles the mind, heart, and body. Let us be wholly devoted to Christ this day and every day of our lives. That which you see, hear, think, and do ought to be mined through the Word of God. God help us.
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 1 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
1 John 2:15-17 15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.
John 15:19 19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
What I find in these verses is a command from God written through His messengers for believers to abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. That is to say, a Christian cannot live both a life longing for, indulging in, or finding satisfaction in the world and what it has to offer. This is the epitome of a person who is worldly-minded and focused on earthly things rather than heavenly things (cp. Col 3:1ff). I am not one who promotes a sort of 'asceticism' from the world, but I do believe that we must be careful how we talk, how we live, how we think, and how we interact with the world.
Life is not about being "cool." It's not about being united with the "cool crowd." Rather, all of life is to be worshipping Jesus Christ and satisfied in Him and Him alone (1 Cor 10:31; Eph 5:18-20). May we be Christians who filter everything that confronts us in this world with what God has to say in and through His inspired, inerrant, and sufficient Word. May we exemplify the command to:
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
This is not to fulfill a sort-of legalistic rule, but it is to abstain from that which defiles the mind, heart, and body. Let us be wholly devoted to Christ this day and every day of our lives. That which you see, hear, think, and do ought to be mined through the Word of God. God help us.
Monday, January 12, 2009
BEWARE--no easy way down.
This weekend was a much needed rest for me and Elizabeth. We traveled up to the mountains with her family and ate, played games, read Scripture, sledded, and skied down mountains I had no business being on (ha!).
Psalm 148:8-13 8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; 9 Mountains and all hills; Fruit trees and all cedars; 10 Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and winged fowl; 11 Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; 12 Both young men and virgins; Old men and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven.
This is my view from the top of one of the mountains.
This is what my brother-in-law, David, and I did:
And this is a sign we saw as we approached the lift taking us up to the top of this steep slope. There was another sign which read: "Caution, NO easy way down!" (yikes!)
Psalm 148:8-13 8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; 9 Mountains and all hills; Fruit trees and all cedars; 10 Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and winged fowl; 11 Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; 12 Both young men and virgins; Old men and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven.
This is my view from the top of one of the mountains.
This is what my brother-in-law, David, and I did:
And this is a sign we saw as we approached the lift taking us up to the top of this steep slope. There was another sign which read: "Caution, NO easy way down!" (yikes!)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
do you love?
Agape, the Christian word used most often in the NT, means unconquerable benevolence. It means that no matter what a man may do to us by way of insult or injury or humiliation we will never seek anything else but his highest good. It is therefore a feeling of the mind as much as of the heart; it concerns the will as much as the emotions. It describes the deliberate effort—which we can make only with the help of God—never to seek anything but the best even for those who seek the worst for us.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
consecrated to christ.
Let us this day consider how we can be consecrated to Christ. This Lord's day--for it is, indeed, day--remember that He saved us not because of deeds we have accomplished in the flesh, but rather because of His free salvation freely given to us through Jesus Christ. As you sing, as you pray, as you hear God's Word read and proclaimed from the pulpit, and as you apply and implement what you hear to your own life to grow in Christian virtue, may you marvel at the grace of God. May the "name" of the LORD be your strong tower today.
May you consider who God is today. May He bring Scripture after Scripture to your mind as you fellowship, sing, pray, read, and listen. May you be saturated with God's Word today. May you pray in the Spirit and pray heartfelt and sincere prayers. May your listening to the sermon not be mere rote, but may it be a worshipful and joyful experience as God speaks to you through His messenger.
Let us consider, today, how we can be consecrated to Jesus Christ--not only because it's the first Sunday of 2009 but because every single day of our lives ought to be consecrated to the One who reconciled us with the Father (2 Cor 5:20). Be consecrated to Christ today!
May you consider who God is today. May He bring Scripture after Scripture to your mind as you fellowship, sing, pray, read, and listen. May you be saturated with God's Word today. May you pray in the Spirit and pray heartfelt and sincere prayers. May your listening to the sermon not be mere rote, but may it be a worshipful and joyful experience as God speaks to you through His messenger.
Let us consider, today, how we can be consecrated to Jesus Christ--not only because it's the first Sunday of 2009 but because every single day of our lives ought to be consecrated to the One who reconciled us with the Father (2 Cor 5:20). Be consecrated to Christ today!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
reminder of what biblical worship is
Geoffrey R. Kirkland l Associate Pastor CCC
Book Review of:
Ross, Allen P. Recalling the Hope of Glory: Biblical Worship from the Garden to the New Creation (
“Without the life of the worshipper, the act of worship is
worthless” (337). This pithy statement aptly summarizes the
phenomenal work by Ross on biblical worship. I found myself
reading this book with a pen in hand, underlining in almost every paragraph, and even blogging numerous quotes from the book. In all, this may well be one of the best books I’ve read on a biblical theology of worship. In this brief review, I will note a brief summary of the book, give a few points which struck me afresh, and then raise a question or two which Ross raised in my mind.
The subtitle of Ross’s work is biblical worship from the garden to the new creation and this is precisely what Ross accomplishes. He traces the theme of biblical worship from creation in the Garden of Eden to perfect worship in glory face to face with God Himself. Within this tome, Ross incorporated chapters on who God is—his holiness, his transcendence, and his glory—which instilled in my mind the greatness and the power of the God that I worship. Furthermore, part 3 of this book summarized the development of worship in the ANE pagan world. It talked about pagan religions, religious systems, and various forms of worship among those religions.
Perhaps one of the best things about Ross’s work was the scholastic emphasis in the book—it was heavily researched and footnoted—yet worded and compiled in such a way that the newest Christian could understand. It took large topics such as the Tabernacle, its worship, its furnishings and summarized the meaning of it all in a matter of a few pages. This was extremely helpful in my understanding. Also, Ross talked about historical information such as the rise of synagogue worship, early churches, early religious sects (e.g. Pharisees, Sadducees, etc) which only enhanced my understanding of the biblical text.
As far as some points which struck me afresh I will only note a few. First, chapter 11 on the sacrifices in Leviticus clarified much for me in my understanding of what the sacrifices were all about and how they each played a crucial part in the worship life of the Israelite worshipper. Ross has a way of succinctly summarizing the offerings and bringing them to life in the mind of the reader. Second, at the end of nearly every section, Ross transitioned from the historical, cultural, geographical, sacrificial discussion to delineate a few applications. I found these applications to be very helpful and even insightful as I preach from the Old Testament and finding these application principles from ancient
Perhaps the only question raised in my mind from Ross’s work was how to practically flesh some of these excellent principles out in week to week worship gatherings. Though the last chapter delineated some practical principles, for me, at least, it would have been useful to hear some of his thoughts as to the implementation of it in local congregational gatherings. Granted, the focus of the book was not so much the practical outworkings of worship as to giving a biblical theology of worship—which is precisely what he accomplished.
I have already shared some quotes with friends, family, the “blogosphere,” and will recommend that our Elder Board read through this book together after we finish our current study. I think Ross aids the Christian by giving such a lofty view of God and the absolute life-commitment of obedience that the worshipper must give to this Holy God in worship. I’ll conclude with one quote which impacted me greatly:
“The heart of the believer should race with anticipation for that day in
glory when praise and worship will be so magnificent. But until then, we may draw inspiration from these visions of the hope of glory as the Holy Spirit continually draws us into the presence of God. Among other things we learn that praise for our God and Savior will be, and must now be, boundless, endless, universal, majestic, and devout. True apprehension of the glory of the LORD is now and always will be overwhelming—devout worshippers fall before him in wonder and surrender” (487).
Friday, December 26, 2008
Worship is Life.
"Without the life of the worshipper, the act of worship is worthless"
(Allen P. Ross, Recalling the Hope of Glory, 337).
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
What God's Holiness Demanded His Grace Provided
“What God’s Holiness Demanded His Grace Provided”
The mind’s musing upon this adage provokes worship. I’m currently reading a book where this line is penned. I thought to myself “This is the perfect motto for Christmas.” What God’s holiness demanded—absolute righteousness—His grace provided—The Righteous Redeemer.
The holiness of God demanded that if anyone were to come before Him they must be absolutely, perfectly, entirely, and utterly spotless. I’m thinking of the biblical term of clean when I speak of spotless. Every human being must be clean—morally, spiritually, ceremonially—to come before Almighty God. This defines the purpose for the OT sacrificial system. The OT sacrificial system and purification practices delineate how impure persons may come before an eternally perfect God. And the answer rested upon God Himself taking the initiate and ordaining certain rights, practices, rules, sacrifices, cleansings and such. No human being could have ever imagined such a way of approaching God. Rather, no human could have attempted to do this because every human being is a sinner and cannot approach God in his own will (Isa 59:2).
But as our adage so clearly reveals that what God’s holiness demanded, His grace provided. His grace provided access to Him in the OT through animal sacrifices offered in place of the sinful worshipper. Transitioning to the NT, we find that Jesus Christ was offered in place of the sinner who believes. What God’s holiness demanded, His grace provided in Jesus Christ, the sacrificial sin-bearer. What God required of sinful human beings, God, in his infinite and eternal grace, supplied for us needy and dead sinners.
Again, it intrigues me that what God’s holiness demanded no human being could have provided. There’s not a human being on the face of the earth who could have ever approached God because of the inherent dead and defiled nature attached to the fabric of human beings. I couldn’t have done it. You couldn’t have done it. Paul couldn’t have done it. Moses couldn’t have done it. Only God could do it. And He did do it—in sending His Son—the one and only unique Son of God to this earth to live the perfect life we could never live and to die the death that you and I deserve to die. God supplied the necessary requirement to meet his holiness in the perfect, righteous, holy, undefiled Lamb of God who died for the sins of those who would believe upon Him for eternal life.
This Christmas, don’t disregard what God in His grace has provided to meet the demand of His perfect holiness.
Hebrews 9:11-15 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Many blessings to you this Christmas season,
pastor Geoff
Hey folks in the Los Angeles area...
Christ Community Church is hosting a free Evangelism Seminar on Saturday, January 10th from 10am-5pm (lunch will be provided!). One of the elders, Steve Lantz, will be conducting this seminar and it will be excellent. He has entitled it: "No Fear No Guilt Evangelism!"
Also, you won't want to miss two sessions on Israel's History and Geography seminar as well as the Old Testament Theology seminar to prepare our Israel travelers for our upcoming trip to the Holy Land! But anyone is invited. These are on Saturday Jan 17 and 24 from 7-9pm in the CCC Sanctuary. Come learn about the land and geography of Israel!
Call the CCC office for more info: 818.341.5750 or contact me: geoffster5@aol.com
Blessings and hope to see you there!
Also, you won't want to miss two sessions on Israel's History and Geography seminar as well as the Old Testament Theology seminar to prepare our Israel travelers for our upcoming trip to the Holy Land! But anyone is invited. These are on Saturday Jan 17 and 24 from 7-9pm in the CCC Sanctuary. Come learn about the land and geography of Israel!
Call the CCC office for more info: 818.341.5750 or contact me: geoffster5@aol.com
Blessings and hope to see you there!
alarm clock
Today I overslept two and a half hours. Yesterday I overslept an hour and a half. I think it's time to get a new alarm clock!
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