Hello all! Here is the video of the sermon that I preached at the Praise night this Saturday. The sermon is on Unity and is around 40 minutes long. I pray you would be encouraged and blessed by it!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
03-23-08 Sermon Review
This past Sunday was a joyful day celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The following sermon is an abridged transcript from Sunday's message.
The Significance of the Resurrection
Resurrection Sunday, what a precious day to celebrate the Resurrection. But it always saddens me that many come through the doors of our churches in America to celebrate Resurrection Sunday as if it was any other Holiday. It's a day to celebrate life, procreation, age, and on the list goes. And in this culture where Resurrection Sunday is trivialized, and the meaning of it all has been eclipsed with marshmallow bunnies and cadberry eggs, we must stop and ask ourselves, why do I celebrate, why do I rejoice in the resurrection. I pray that there is a reason why you want to rejoice in the resurrection.
To help us answer this question, why we rejoice, we'll look to the Word of God to reveal us great truths of the resurrection. Our text is in Romans 4:19-25
"Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification."
Here in this text, Paul is explaining to us why the story of Abraham's justification was written in Scripture. He writes that it was for our sake. Why? Because we believe in the Lord Jesus who died and resurrected for our justification. And it was for this that Jesus went to the cross and was raised from the dead, for our justification. Verse 25 states that He was "delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification." If there was no need on our part, no need for justification, there was no need for Christ to die and be raised. No need for justification, no need for the resurrection. Nada.
Christ did not die and resurrect from the dead simply because he wanted to. Christ did not die and resurrect from the dead for the sake of resurrecting. Christ did not die and resurrect from the dead to show that He was mighty and powerful. Christ did not die and resurrect from the dead to show us a moral example of how to live for others. Christ died and resurrected from the dead for our justification.
So then I conclude: We will celebrate and rejoice in the resurrection as much as we celebrate and rejoice in our justification.
So then, what is justification? Everyone has a personal relationship with God, but not everyone has a right relationship with God. There's only two kinds of relationships with God, one that embraces Him as Father and LORD, and one that fears Him as Judge and awaits His fierce wrath. Everyone of us by default fall into the latter group and face the anger of God. Do you recognize your need to be justified before God? That your relationship with God is twisted and needs to be corrected? You can try replacing your need to be justified by other things, but nothing will satisfy. You need to be justified before God.
How then are we justified? For this Paul gives us the example of Abraham. It can be outlined in three statements.
He contemplated his dead body (vs 19). Abraham knew it was impossible for him to attain what God has promised, that he would have a son. It was physically impossible. In the same way, we need to recognize our deadness spiritually. We are in no way capable of attaining justification on our own. We need to contemplate that and recognize that.
He continued in faith (vs 20-21). Though it was impossible in the flesh, Abraham knew all things were possible with God. He did no waver. He knew that His God was able. It is the same for us! Though we are incapable, we believe in the God who is able! "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt 19:26).
He captured the prize (vs 22). The faith that Abraham has was not vain. He actually received the promise that He put His faith in. How much more so for us who actually have the cross, who actually know the risen Savior! The product of our faith, justification, is a reality!
Justification is a gift of mercy upon sinners by a loving God. Do you embrace this merciful act by God? Do you embrace God enough to value your justification? If you do, then you recognize the significance of the resurrection. No resurrection, no justification. So much so that Paul would write in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19:
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied."
Notice what the problem for Paul is if Christ is not raised: we are still in our sins. We are still in need of justification without the resurrection. This is the significance of the resurrection. In the resurrection, we find our justification. The results of having this justification, the results of believing and attaining justification by faith is the joy of the believer. Romans 5:1-11 explains that in great detail. Now, whenever you think about the resurrection, I pray you'll closely tie it with your justification. Just meditate on this thought: There was no reason why Christ should have to die and resurrect if not for your need of justification. Keep asking why did He do it? why? why? And fall in love with the mercy of God, fall in love with the resurrection. Stay strong and God bless!
The Significance of the Resurrection
Resurrection Sunday, what a precious day to celebrate the Resurrection. But it always saddens me that many come through the doors of our churches in America to celebrate Resurrection Sunday as if it was any other Holiday. It's a day to celebrate life, procreation, age, and on the list goes. And in this culture where Resurrection Sunday is trivialized, and the meaning of it all has been eclipsed with marshmallow bunnies and cadberry eggs, we must stop and ask ourselves, why do I celebrate, why do I rejoice in the resurrection. I pray that there is a reason why you want to rejoice in the resurrection.
To help us answer this question, why we rejoice, we'll look to the Word of God to reveal us great truths of the resurrection. Our text is in Romans 4:19-25
"Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification."
Here in this text, Paul is explaining to us why the story of Abraham's justification was written in Scripture. He writes that it was for our sake. Why? Because we believe in the Lord Jesus who died and resurrected for our justification. And it was for this that Jesus went to the cross and was raised from the dead, for our justification. Verse 25 states that He was "delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification." If there was no need on our part, no need for justification, there was no need for Christ to die and be raised. No need for justification, no need for the resurrection. Nada.
Christ did not die and resurrect from the dead simply because he wanted to. Christ did not die and resurrect from the dead for the sake of resurrecting. Christ did not die and resurrect from the dead to show that He was mighty and powerful. Christ did not die and resurrect from the dead to show us a moral example of how to live for others. Christ died and resurrected from the dead for our justification.
So then I conclude: We will celebrate and rejoice in the resurrection as much as we celebrate and rejoice in our justification.
So then, what is justification? Everyone has a personal relationship with God, but not everyone has a right relationship with God. There's only two kinds of relationships with God, one that embraces Him as Father and LORD, and one that fears Him as Judge and awaits His fierce wrath. Everyone of us by default fall into the latter group and face the anger of God. Do you recognize your need to be justified before God? That your relationship with God is twisted and needs to be corrected? You can try replacing your need to be justified by other things, but nothing will satisfy. You need to be justified before God.
How then are we justified? For this Paul gives us the example of Abraham. It can be outlined in three statements.
He contemplated his dead body (vs 19). Abraham knew it was impossible for him to attain what God has promised, that he would have a son. It was physically impossible. In the same way, we need to recognize our deadness spiritually. We are in no way capable of attaining justification on our own. We need to contemplate that and recognize that.
He continued in faith (vs 20-21). Though it was impossible in the flesh, Abraham knew all things were possible with God. He did no waver. He knew that His God was able. It is the same for us! Though we are incapable, we believe in the God who is able! "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt 19:26).
He captured the prize (vs 22). The faith that Abraham has was not vain. He actually received the promise that He put His faith in. How much more so for us who actually have the cross, who actually know the risen Savior! The product of our faith, justification, is a reality!
Justification is a gift of mercy upon sinners by a loving God. Do you embrace this merciful act by God? Do you embrace God enough to value your justification? If you do, then you recognize the significance of the resurrection. No resurrection, no justification. So much so that Paul would write in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19:
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied."
Notice what the problem for Paul is if Christ is not raised: we are still in our sins. We are still in need of justification without the resurrection. This is the significance of the resurrection. In the resurrection, we find our justification. The results of having this justification, the results of believing and attaining justification by faith is the joy of the believer. Romans 5:1-11 explains that in great detail. Now, whenever you think about the resurrection, I pray you'll closely tie it with your justification. Just meditate on this thought: There was no reason why Christ should have to die and resurrect if not for your need of justification. Keep asking why did He do it? why? why? And fall in love with the mercy of God, fall in love with the resurrection. Stay strong and God bless!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Preaching Engagement Confirmed!
I previously announced that I might be preaching at the DKC/DCC praise night in Davis this coming Saturday. The engagement was confirmed today. I will be speaking on the topic of Christian Unity. If you would like to go, please do contact me and we will try to arrange rides. Please do pray for me and for the event! Stay strong and God bless!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Radical Christianity pt. 3
Today's post in the series Radical Christianity will pertain to Church Membership: Radical Christianity point #2, Radical Commitment to the Church. I believe this is a foreign concept to many churched people and in American Christianity. The John Wayne Christian has taken America by storm and the Lone Ranger has become the model Christian. There is a dangerous mentality that is pervasive in America: You can be a Christian without involvement in the local church. I will not simply propose today that a true Christian will be a member of a local church, but also that his membership to the church will be marked by a radical commitment.
After studying the Scriptures for some time, I noticed that there are five clear commitments that Christians make with one another in the context of the local church. I guess it is even accurate to say that Christians are commanded to make these commitments to the local church. This by no means is a comprehensive list, but it shows how radical our commitment ought to be to our local churches. Here are the commitments:
Commitment to edify the church through the practice of individual gifts. Every individual is given a gift by the Holy Spirit to be used for the good of the church. Every individual needs others to practice their gifts in order to grow and be built up. The church therefore, is dependent on each other, and if the Christian separates himself from the body, he cannot grow as he ought (cf. Ephesians 4:11-16).
Commitment to purify the church through the practice of church discipline. Matthew 18 clearly defines how the church must practice church discipline. The church should not only practice this for sin, but also for false teaching. The church is called the pillar and support of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). This is not simply a task for the pastor, but involves the whole church and therefore requires the commitment of the church to uphold these practices.
Commitment to sacrifice for the church through expressions of love. The members of the church are to have a unique and special love for one another that far exceeds that of other human relations. Here is the beauty of this love: A while back I was meditating on 3:16-17 and noticed two things. First, the verse commands us to have a unique love that parallels the love which Christ has for the church for the brethren. Second, the love we have for the brethren requires our active involvement in their lives. This command to love the brethren requires a great commitment to fulfill.
Commitment to evangelize as a church through the witness of the body. The church is also active in spreading the gospel of Christ, but not through words. The love that the church members have for one another is the greatest witness to the world that Christ lives. Jesus, speaking to specifically His chosen disciples says, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:25). The church members must be committed to being a light and testimony to the world.
Commitment to glorify Christ in the church through corporate worship. The author of Hebrews writes that the believers ought not to be"forsaking our own assembling together" (Hebrews 10:24). The church members ought to be committed to the regular assembling. This simply does not mean Church on Sundays, though it does include that. It also means all the other efforts to assemble together as a body and have worship through fellowship and bible study and prayer, kind of like the first church (Acts 2:42).
Just taking a look at these five commitments Christians make with one another in the context of the local church shows how radical the commitment is. Indeed, the world would think we're radically committed to the body. I pray this small look at the commitments within the local church has stirred you to have a greater love for the local body and that it was some sort of a catalyst to start a deeper study of the value and worth of the local body. And when in doubt if you're too committed to the body, remember that you can't love the body too much. Stay strong and God bless!
*** edit ***
Tim Challies recently wrote a post on this issue that I thought would be helpful.
Click here to read his article.
After studying the Scriptures for some time, I noticed that there are five clear commitments that Christians make with one another in the context of the local church. I guess it is even accurate to say that Christians are commanded to make these commitments to the local church. This by no means is a comprehensive list, but it shows how radical our commitment ought to be to our local churches. Here are the commitments:
Commitment to edify the church through the practice of individual gifts. Every individual is given a gift by the Holy Spirit to be used for the good of the church. Every individual needs others to practice their gifts in order to grow and be built up. The church therefore, is dependent on each other, and if the Christian separates himself from the body, he cannot grow as he ought (cf. Ephesians 4:11-16).
Commitment to purify the church through the practice of church discipline. Matthew 18 clearly defines how the church must practice church discipline. The church should not only practice this for sin, but also for false teaching. The church is called the pillar and support of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). This is not simply a task for the pastor, but involves the whole church and therefore requires the commitment of the church to uphold these practices.
Commitment to sacrifice for the church through expressions of love. The members of the church are to have a unique and special love for one another that far exceeds that of other human relations. Here is the beauty of this love: A while back I was meditating on 3:16-17 and noticed two things. First, the verse commands us to have a unique love that parallels the love which Christ has for the church for the brethren. Second, the love we have for the brethren requires our active involvement in their lives. This command to love the brethren requires a great commitment to fulfill.
Commitment to evangelize as a church through the witness of the body. The church is also active in spreading the gospel of Christ, but not through words. The love that the church members have for one another is the greatest witness to the world that Christ lives. Jesus, speaking to specifically His chosen disciples says, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:25). The church members must be committed to being a light and testimony to the world.
Commitment to glorify Christ in the church through corporate worship. The author of Hebrews writes that the believers ought not to be"forsaking our own assembling together" (Hebrews 10:24). The church members ought to be committed to the regular assembling. This simply does not mean Church on Sundays, though it does include that. It also means all the other efforts to assemble together as a body and have worship through fellowship and bible study and prayer, kind of like the first church (Acts 2:42).
Just taking a look at these five commitments Christians make with one another in the context of the local church shows how radical the commitment is. Indeed, the world would think we're radically committed to the body. I pray this small look at the commitments within the local church has stirred you to have a greater love for the local body and that it was some sort of a catalyst to start a deeper study of the value and worth of the local body. And when in doubt if you're too committed to the body, remember that you can't love the body too much. Stay strong and God bless!
*** edit ***
Tim Challies recently wrote a post on this issue that I thought would be helpful.
Click here to read his article.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Silent Saturday
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday... and Silent Saturday? Well actually that term does not exist (some call it Holy Saturday?), but I thought it should. We so often times forget that Jesus actually... laid there in the tomb for a day. His torn and scarred body, wrapped in linen, void of breath and life, it was there in that tomb just like any other dead body. Of course, our Lord was in Paradise with the thief by His side, but is that a means by which we excuse ourselves from meditating upon His death, His real state of death on this precious Saturday? His disciples and the others were probably mourning this day, an interesting mix of feelings as they celebrated God's faithfulness in bringing them out of Egypt, while also mourning the death of their Precious One. Only a day later would the significance of His death bring full light unto the Passover, and there on after these men and women will celebrate the Passover in its full intended meaning. Nonetheless, they mourned the death of Jesus, the innocent one crucified. Maybe the weakness in our church is that we don't mourn, we don't meditate on the significance of the death of Christ. We do not see, so therefore we do not care to see with our minds, and feel with our hearts. I pray these Saturdays will be filled with meditation upon the real death of Jesus, that it will stir us up to drink richly from the well of truth that Jesus died for us. The joy that was brought to Mary and the others on Sunday in the Resurrection, I believe, was only in relation to the depth of their mourning of His death on Saturday. Oh, that much love and joy would be stirred in our hearts as we reflect this Saturday on the death of Christ and await the full power of His resurrection this Sunday. Stay strong and God bless!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Email Subscription now available!
Hello all!
Our blog now has email subscriptions available. Click here
to subscribe!
Also, just a reminder that there will be no YG bible study this Sunday, as it is Resurrection Sunday, and that our Lock-in will be the coming Friday to Saturday 3/28-29. Stay strong and God bless!
Our blog now has email subscriptions available. Click here
to subscribe!
Also, just a reminder that there will be no YG bible study this Sunday, as it is Resurrection Sunday, and that our Lock-in will be the coming Friday to Saturday 3/28-29. Stay strong and God bless!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
03-15-08 Sermon Review
It's Wednesday, so it's time for our sermon review!
This week, because it is passion week, I thought it would be nice to take a break and hear from a renown preacher, CJ Mahaney, on the topic of the cross*. As we remember the cross and look forward to Good Friday, I pray CJ Mahaney's sermon on the Suffering Servant was helpful to keep your mind focused on the mercy and grace revealed to sinners like us on the cross.
The Suffering Servant - CJ Mahaney
Mahaney started the sermon by taking us to the Chronicles of Narnia. After describing the death of Aslan, the girls are terrified. But when they see Aslan, that He is still alive, they ask an interesting questions, "But what does it all mean?" Mahaney states that there could be no more significant question to ask. We ourselves, must ask of the cross, what does it all mean?
Mahaney then took us to the passage of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53. He outlined his sermon thus: The appearance, the reality, and the significance.
The Appearance - The Messiah did not come in splendor and glory according to Isaiah; He was quite normal. Mahaney stated that if he could manage to re-create a picture of Jesus and His disciples, we would all be guessing which one was Jesus. Isaiah clinches this thought by saying, "we esteemed Him not." Our King had come, our Savior was there, our Lord was crucified; yet, we esteemed Him not.
The Reality - Though the appearance was not impressive and seemed insignificant, the reality was quite the contrary. What occurred on the cross was the pinnacle of human and divine history. The man Christ Jesus did not die on the cross for His own sins. He was innocent; yet, He died a criminal's death. The Son of God was hanging on a tree on behalf of the sinner. Mahaney gives three points to describe the reality: 1) He died for us, 2) He died for our sins, and 3) He died as our substitute. Mahaney reminds us that we are responsible for Jesus' death. Our sins put him on the cross. It is because of this great act of mercy and grace, that sinners are saved and praise the Savior. Mahaney clearly, forcefully, and passionately reminds us that the Cross is the song of the redeemed, not only on earth, but even more so in heaven.
The Significance - Mahaney ends his sermon by showing the significance of Jesus bearing the cross for our sins as our substitute. He takes us to 53:10 which states, "Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer." God crushed His Son. To show the world that He loves sinners, God crushed His Son. Mahaney gives a provocative thought for meditation: One might think the Father loved us more than Jesus. Oh the extent the Father went to show His love for the world.
In closing, Mahaney asked that we all consider the cross and how great a love that was shown. Mahaney pleads, and I add my voice to His, that we come not only to trust in the cross for our salvation, but also to cherish the cross, for it was there that God's love was shown most vividly, dynamically, and emphatically. Indeed, I pray that we might all be freshly amazed at the Father's love for us! Stay strong and God bless!
* The sermon was originally preached during the 2007 Resolved Conference. I have the dvd set for the whole conference, so if you're interested in watching this video yourself, or watching any of the other sermons, please just ask me for the dvds!
This week, because it is passion week, I thought it would be nice to take a break and hear from a renown preacher, CJ Mahaney, on the topic of the cross*. As we remember the cross and look forward to Good Friday, I pray CJ Mahaney's sermon on the Suffering Servant was helpful to keep your mind focused on the mercy and grace revealed to sinners like us on the cross.
The Suffering Servant - CJ Mahaney
Mahaney started the sermon by taking us to the Chronicles of Narnia. After describing the death of Aslan, the girls are terrified. But when they see Aslan, that He is still alive, they ask an interesting questions, "But what does it all mean?" Mahaney states that there could be no more significant question to ask. We ourselves, must ask of the cross, what does it all mean?
Mahaney then took us to the passage of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53. He outlined his sermon thus: The appearance, the reality, and the significance.
The Appearance - The Messiah did not come in splendor and glory according to Isaiah; He was quite normal. Mahaney stated that if he could manage to re-create a picture of Jesus and His disciples, we would all be guessing which one was Jesus. Isaiah clinches this thought by saying, "we esteemed Him not." Our King had come, our Savior was there, our Lord was crucified; yet, we esteemed Him not.
The Reality - Though the appearance was not impressive and seemed insignificant, the reality was quite the contrary. What occurred on the cross was the pinnacle of human and divine history. The man Christ Jesus did not die on the cross for His own sins. He was innocent; yet, He died a criminal's death. The Son of God was hanging on a tree on behalf of the sinner. Mahaney gives three points to describe the reality: 1) He died for us, 2) He died for our sins, and 3) He died as our substitute. Mahaney reminds us that we are responsible for Jesus' death. Our sins put him on the cross. It is because of this great act of mercy and grace, that sinners are saved and praise the Savior. Mahaney clearly, forcefully, and passionately reminds us that the Cross is the song of the redeemed, not only on earth, but even more so in heaven.
The Significance - Mahaney ends his sermon by showing the significance of Jesus bearing the cross for our sins as our substitute. He takes us to 53:10 which states, "Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer." God crushed His Son. To show the world that He loves sinners, God crushed His Son. Mahaney gives a provocative thought for meditation: One might think the Father loved us more than Jesus. Oh the extent the Father went to show His love for the world.
In closing, Mahaney asked that we all consider the cross and how great a love that was shown. Mahaney pleads, and I add my voice to His, that we come not only to trust in the cross for our salvation, but also to cherish the cross, for it was there that God's love was shown most vividly, dynamically, and emphatically. Indeed, I pray that we might all be freshly amazed at the Father's love for us! Stay strong and God bless!
* The sermon was originally preached during the 2007 Resolved Conference. I have the dvd set for the whole conference, so if you're interested in watching this video yourself, or watching any of the other sermons, please just ask me for the dvds!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Radical Christianity pt. 2
This article is a continuation from our series on Radical Christianity. You can read the first article by clicking here. This article will deal with the first point of my Radical Christianity: Radical Choice for Christ.
These days, people feel as if making a choice for Christ is the same as making a choice between cars. Christianity is just another religion, just pick what's right for you. Christianity is just another means to satisfy our needs and desires. If it satisfies the need, choose Christianity. This is not the Christianity of the Bible.
The term "Christian" was not used in the firstApostolic Church 11:26 ). This term "Christian" was actually a term of derision. There is a term though that Jesus did use to describe his followers and is consistent with what Christianity really is, and that is the term "disciple." Making a choice for Christ, or becoming a Christian, is a decision to become a disciple of Christ, to follow after Him.
The decision to become a disciple of Christ is not an easy one to make though. If it was, I wouldn’t be writing this article! Jesus makes some very costly and clear-cut demands that must be satisfied if one is to follow Him. Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mark8:34 ). What a radical demand! This was a universal demand at that! Christ is saying there is no one who can follow Him without denying himself and taking up his cross! The Greek emphasizes that following Jesus must be preceded by the denial and the taking up of the cross. This is to say that the disciple must recognize that following Jesus is worth more than his own life before he can legitimately be a disciple! Taking up the cross was no joke. What Jesus said here would become a reality for those who followed Him in the near future when the church was persecuted. Many were crucified, fed to lions, burned alive, all for the sake of Christ; and what’s amazing is that they endured it joyfully, knowing that they had a greater inheritance in Christ! Only this kind of Christian is truly worthy in Jesus’ eyes to be called “disciple.”
What’s sad is that some so-called Christians would believe themselves to be such disciples of Christ; yet, their lives obviously show that they consider their own lives more valuable than following Christ! Their lives are characterized negatively by a neglecting of God’s Word, prayer, fellowship in the Church, attendance to bible studies, etc; and positively by a pursuit of their own delights, hobbies, dreams, and even at times by willful disobedience. We can only pray that these people would come to a realization of the beauty of Christ that would radically change their lives.
When someone considers Christ more valuable than his own life, it can only be evident. Think of a husband who loves his wife more than his life. You would see his strong love for his wife without a doubt as soon as you see them together! And even if she was not there, his true passion will probably spill into your conversation! Yet, our commitment to Christ is often times not even noticed. The bible begs us to reconsider our Christianity. Jesus begs us to come out of our luke-warm devotion to Him and give Him the radical obedience and commitment that He deserves. He pleads with us to count the cost and make a choice to follow Him. He yearns for us to deny ourselves and find in Him the ultimate satisfaction. The psalmist obviously had the right heart, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth” (Psalm 73:25). I pray your choice to be a Christian is a radical choice to follow after Christ. Stay strong and God bless!
These days, people feel as if making a choice for Christ is the same as making a choice between cars. Christianity is just another religion, just pick what's right for you. Christianity is just another means to satisfy our needs and desires. If it satisfies the need, choose Christianity. This is not the Christianity of the Bible.
The term "Christian" was not used in the first
The decision to become a disciple of Christ is not an easy one to make though. If it was, I wouldn’t be writing this article! Jesus makes some very costly and clear-cut demands that must be satisfied if one is to follow Him. Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mark
What’s sad is that some so-called Christians would believe themselves to be such disciples of Christ; yet, their lives obviously show that they consider their own lives more valuable than following Christ! Their lives are characterized negatively by a neglecting of God’s Word, prayer, fellowship in the Church, attendance to bible studies, etc; and positively by a pursuit of their own delights, hobbies, dreams, and even at times by willful disobedience. We can only pray that these people would come to a realization of the beauty of Christ that would radically change their lives.
When someone considers Christ more valuable than his own life, it can only be evident. Think of a husband who loves his wife more than his life. You would see his strong love for his wife without a doubt as soon as you see them together! And even if she was not there, his true passion will probably spill into your conversation! Yet, our commitment to Christ is often times not even noticed. The bible begs us to reconsider our Christianity. Jesus begs us to come out of our luke-warm devotion to Him and give Him the radical obedience and commitment that He deserves. He pleads with us to count the cost and make a choice to follow Him. He yearns for us to deny ourselves and find in Him the ultimate satisfaction. The psalmist obviously had the right heart, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth” (Psalm 73:25). I pray your choice to be a Christian is a radical choice to follow after Christ. Stay strong and God bless!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Please continute to pray for California
Dear blog-readers, please visit the link below to read the latest article by Dr. Mohler on the homeschooling issue in California. The issue seems to be surfacing hostility that has been harbored against home-schoolers, particularly Christian home-schoolers. Dr. Mohler cites an editorial and comments on this phenomena in his article. I think it's well worth the read. Let's pray for those people and really ask the Lord to have mercy upon them as He has upon us. Stay strong and God bless!
http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=1114
http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=1114
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
03-11-08 Sermon Review
Every Wednesday night I will try to post a summary transcript of the sermon as well as some of my own personal thoughts on the sermon for your meditation. I pray these sermon reviews will be helpful for you all to digest the Word and to have the Word richly dwell within you. I also hope these posts will be helpful when you miss a Sunday service by allowing you to keep up with what's being preached on Sundays and be fed through the week. With that said, let's have our first sermon review!
John 1:1 The Gospel According to John
This Gospel is indeed a precious Gospel. It is my favorite book in the bible and if I had to read only one book of the bible for the rest of my life, the Gospel according to John would be it. But it's also one of the books I've studied the least. So I am very excited to start this exposition on the Gospel According to John.
The author of this precious Gospel is John the Apostle. Though that seems obvious to us, there are those who would like to say that the Apostle didn't really write this Gospel. This is so that they can attack the inerrancy of Scripture. But internal and external evidence shows that John is indeed the author of this Gospel. Irenaus, an early church Father, attributes this book to John. The significance of that testimony is that Irenaus was a disciple under Polycarp who was a disciple under John. Irenaus most likely learned from Polycarp that it was John that wrote this Gospel.
The internal evidence also shows that John is most likely the author. The disciple of Jesus who wrote the Gospel calls himself repeatedly "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Along with that clue is the fact that the name John never appears in this book, though it appears significantly in the other Gospels. Through such process of elimination, the internal evidence affirms that John is indeed the author.
Now, what is the significance that John is the author of this book? First, John was a close associate of Jesus and witnessed the ministry of Jesus first-hand. John talked and walked with the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, this book is an eye-witness account of Jesus. We should not think at all that the Gospel is not an accurate representation of the historical facts. They are. John wrote the Gospel.
Second, John thought a lot about the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Gospel was written near the end of the first-century when John was quite old. Approximately forty years have gone by since John had last seen Jesus with his own eyes. Those forty years was undoubtedly a time of deep meditation for the Apostle as he ministered to countless Christians. The Gospel is not simply an accurate representation from an eye-witness account, it is also infused with the tender meditation and thoughts of an Apostle who spent a considerable time thinking about the person of Christ.
Third, John was persecuted for Christ. Though John was not martyred for the sake of Christ, it is undoubted that he was persecuted. According to Polycarp, John was boiled alive in hot oil because of his love for Christ. Amazingly, he survived and was later exiled to the island of Patmos where he supposedly wrote this Gospel. John loved Jesus. He beheld Him, he thought about Him, he was persecuted for Him. It is this kind of an author who writes this precious Gospel for us.
John writes this book with a purpose. In John 2o:31, he writes, "but these things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." He writes this book to display Jesus as the Christ. He also writes this book that those who read it might believe on Him and have life. This is why I'm so excited to study this book. I pray as the text is exposited and as you come to understand the meaning of the text, that you would come to see clearly who Jesus is. And if you have not yet believed in Him, that you would. And if you already believe in Him, that your faith in Him and delight in Him will ever grow stronger.
Now that we're done with the introduction, let us get into the text. John 1:1 reads, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." As stated earlier, John writes to explain who Jesus is (i.e. Christ, the Son of God). Consistent with his purpose, he begins his Gospel by making a BOLD assertion about the person of Christ. I guess you can say this verse is his thesis. There are four things that John attributes to Christ here in this verse that is very important for us to understand.
1. Jesus is the Word. I find it very significant that the verse does not say, "In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God." It substitutes "Jesus" with "the Word." Now the Greek for "Word" is "logos," and it has a wide range of meaning. But John must be attributing the Jewish concept of the Word to Jesus. The Word to the Jew meant the power of God in creation and the revelation of God to His people. It is this concept that is attributed to Jesus. He is the creative power; He was the agent the Father used for creation (cf. John1:3). He was also the revelation of God. Hebrews 1:2 says God "in these last days has spoken to us in His Son." Therefore, Jesus is the perfect representation of the Father, He comes to reveal the Father to us.
2. Jesus is Eternal. The verse starts "In the beginning." Jesus was there in the beginning. There was no time when Jesus was not, He always was. When there was nothing, Jesus was. In fact, because of His eternal nature, all things that exist must be dependent upon Him for their existence. The bible tells us that all things are "from Him and through Him and for Him" (Romans 11:36). You can't have the world without Jesus.
3. Jesus is a Person. The verse states that "the Word was with God." This Greek construction used here most often times refers to personal relationships. That is to say Sam with Jim vs. rice with eggs. Jesus in the beginning was with God. This means that Jesus had a personal relationship with God before the world began. How amazing! The world, contrary to popular belief, was not created because God was lonely and wanted to have friends. He was never lonely and He never will be. This also stresses the importance of relationships in our lives! Especially that within the Church. What an awesome thought that believers partake in a fellowship that is modeled after this divine fellowship between Father and Son.
4. Jesus is God. Now this last statement is probably the most significant of all. This statement has baffled the theologians mind for centuries. Jesus was both with God, and was God. Separate persons, yet equal. The Greek construction here literally means, "Everything God was Jesus was." It is the most precise way to have attribute deity to Christ without making Him the same person as God the Father. Oh the wonder of the Trinity. But I doubt that John wrote this to just baffle us with the complexity of the Trinity. He wanted us to understand that Jesus is not just a friend, He is supremely above us. He is Lord. He is God. This verse should not leave us trying to solve the mystery of the Trinity. This verse should spur worship to Jesus and submission to Jesus.
What a grand introduction to the Gospel the Apostle sets before us! It is my desire that we all come to a greater delight in Jesus as we see how the Apostle shows us the wonders of Jesus in the rest of the Gospel.
John 1:1 The Gospel According to John
This Gospel is indeed a precious Gospel. It is my favorite book in the bible and if I had to read only one book of the bible for the rest of my life, the Gospel according to John would be it. But it's also one of the books I've studied the least. So I am very excited to start this exposition on the Gospel According to John.
The author of this precious Gospel is John the Apostle. Though that seems obvious to us, there are those who would like to say that the Apostle didn't really write this Gospel. This is so that they can attack the inerrancy of Scripture. But internal and external evidence shows that John is indeed the author of this Gospel. Irenaus, an early church Father, attributes this book to John. The significance of that testimony is that Irenaus was a disciple under Polycarp who was a disciple under John. Irenaus most likely learned from Polycarp that it was John that wrote this Gospel.
The internal evidence also shows that John is most likely the author. The disciple of Jesus who wrote the Gospel calls himself repeatedly "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Along with that clue is the fact that the name John never appears in this book, though it appears significantly in the other Gospels. Through such process of elimination, the internal evidence affirms that John is indeed the author.
Now, what is the significance that John is the author of this book? First, John was a close associate of Jesus and witnessed the ministry of Jesus first-hand. John talked and walked with the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, this book is an eye-witness account of Jesus. We should not think at all that the Gospel is not an accurate representation of the historical facts. They are. John wrote the Gospel.
Second, John thought a lot about the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Gospel was written near the end of the first-century when John was quite old. Approximately forty years have gone by since John had last seen Jesus with his own eyes. Those forty years was undoubtedly a time of deep meditation for the Apostle as he ministered to countless Christians. The Gospel is not simply an accurate representation from an eye-witness account, it is also infused with the tender meditation and thoughts of an Apostle who spent a considerable time thinking about the person of Christ.
Third, John was persecuted for Christ. Though John was not martyred for the sake of Christ, it is undoubted that he was persecuted. According to Polycarp, John was boiled alive in hot oil because of his love for Christ. Amazingly, he survived and was later exiled to the island of Patmos where he supposedly wrote this Gospel. John loved Jesus. He beheld Him, he thought about Him, he was persecuted for Him. It is this kind of an author who writes this precious Gospel for us.
John writes this book with a purpose. In John 2o:31, he writes, "but these things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." He writes this book to display Jesus as the Christ. He also writes this book that those who read it might believe on Him and have life. This is why I'm so excited to study this book. I pray as the text is exposited and as you come to understand the meaning of the text, that you would come to see clearly who Jesus is. And if you have not yet believed in Him, that you would. And if you already believe in Him, that your faith in Him and delight in Him will ever grow stronger.
Now that we're done with the introduction, let us get into the text. John 1:1 reads, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." As stated earlier, John writes to explain who Jesus is (i.e. Christ, the Son of God). Consistent with his purpose, he begins his Gospel by making a BOLD assertion about the person of Christ. I guess you can say this verse is his thesis. There are four things that John attributes to Christ here in this verse that is very important for us to understand.
1. Jesus is the Word. I find it very significant that the verse does not say, "In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God." It substitutes "Jesus" with "the Word." Now the Greek for "Word" is "logos," and it has a wide range of meaning. But John must be attributing the Jewish concept of the Word to Jesus. The Word to the Jew meant the power of God in creation and the revelation of God to His people. It is this concept that is attributed to Jesus. He is the creative power; He was the agent the Father used for creation (cf. John1:3). He was also the revelation of God. Hebrews 1:2 says God "in these last days has spoken to us in His Son." Therefore, Jesus is the perfect representation of the Father, He comes to reveal the Father to us.
2. Jesus is Eternal. The verse starts "In the beginning." Jesus was there in the beginning. There was no time when Jesus was not, He always was. When there was nothing, Jesus was. In fact, because of His eternal nature, all things that exist must be dependent upon Him for their existence. The bible tells us that all things are "from Him and through Him and for Him" (Romans 11:36). You can't have the world without Jesus.
3. Jesus is a Person. The verse states that "the Word was with God." This Greek construction used here most often times refers to personal relationships. That is to say Sam with Jim vs. rice with eggs. Jesus in the beginning was with God. This means that Jesus had a personal relationship with God before the world began. How amazing! The world, contrary to popular belief, was not created because God was lonely and wanted to have friends. He was never lonely and He never will be. This also stresses the importance of relationships in our lives! Especially that within the Church. What an awesome thought that believers partake in a fellowship that is modeled after this divine fellowship between Father and Son.
4. Jesus is God. Now this last statement is probably the most significant of all. This statement has baffled the theologians mind for centuries. Jesus was both with God, and was God. Separate persons, yet equal. The Greek construction here literally means, "Everything God was Jesus was." It is the most precise way to have attribute deity to Christ without making Him the same person as God the Father. Oh the wonder of the Trinity. But I doubt that John wrote this to just baffle us with the complexity of the Trinity. He wanted us to understand that Jesus is not just a friend, He is supremely above us. He is Lord. He is God. This verse should not leave us trying to solve the mystery of the Trinity. This verse should spur worship to Jesus and submission to Jesus.
What a grand introduction to the Gospel the Apostle sets before us! It is my desire that we all come to a greater delight in Jesus as we see how the Apostle shows us the wonders of Jesus in the rest of the Gospel.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Please Pray for California
Below is a link to a recent blog by Albert Mohler on California's latest news on homeschooling. I know many of you might not be home-schooled but please do visit the link below and read the blog. As Mohler writes, "After all, if parents have no constitutional right to educate their own children, what other aspects of the parent's choices for their own children lack protection? This question reaches far beyond educational decisions." Please, pray for California.
http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=1111
Stay strong and God bless!
http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=1111
Stay strong and God bless!
Shepherd's Conference Day 3 (Conclusion)
Today was the last day Pastor Park and I were at the Shepherd's Conference. I guess it would be an understatement that we ended with a bang! Here's a review of the last general session.
General Session 7 - Steve Lawson
This sermon was by far the most electrifying. It was the most challenging and most encouraging. Steve Lawson is indeed a gifted expositor. The exposition was on Hebrew 4:12-13 and was by far the best I've heard on these two very well-known verses. He preached how the Word was the preacher's only invincible weapon by showing the the Word was divine, living, active, razor-sharp, piercing, judging, and saving. Wow, what a wonderful Word the Lord has spoken to us! Lawson then exhorted us to do away with the plastic utensils and wield the true Sword, the Word of God. Both Pastor Park and I, as well as the other pastors that were present, could not but feel burning within our hearts because of this sermon. I thank the Lord for Lawson's excellent exposition of God's precious truths.
The seventh general session we attended was by far the best so far (Pastor Park and I had to leave before the last two general sessions due to prior engagements by Pastor Park). It was a great way to end our stay there at the Shepherd's Conference. Thank you all for your prayers, and I pray that these updates were a joy for you to read! Stay strong and God bless!
General Session 7 - Steve Lawson
This sermon was by far the most electrifying. It was the most challenging and most encouraging. Steve Lawson is indeed a gifted expositor. The exposition was on Hebrew 4:12-13 and was by far the best I've heard on these two very well-known verses. He preached how the Word was the preacher's only invincible weapon by showing the the Word was divine, living, active, razor-sharp, piercing, judging, and saving. Wow, what a wonderful Word the Lord has spoken to us! Lawson then exhorted us to do away with the plastic utensils and wield the true Sword, the Word of God. Both Pastor Park and I, as well as the other pastors that were present, could not but feel burning within our hearts because of this sermon. I thank the Lord for Lawson's excellent exposition of God's precious truths.
The seventh general session we attended was by far the best so far (Pastor Park and I had to leave before the last two general sessions due to prior engagements by Pastor Park). It was a great way to end our stay there at the Shepherd's Conference. Thank you all for your prayers, and I pray that these updates were a joy for you to read! Stay strong and God bless!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Shepherd's Conference Day 2
General Session 4 - Rick Holland
Rick Holland’s message to start the morning was an exposition of the account of Nadab and Abihu’s death as recounted in the book of Leviticus. The preaching was by far the best I’ve heard from Rick Holland (that’s not saying much because I’ve only heard around 2 of his sermons). His interpretation was simple: Nadab and Abihu did something they weren’t supposed to, something that God did not command. The nail that struck the heart in my case was the reality that the same God who punished Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire was the same God I am under. God did not change His standards for holiness, especially with those who minister on His behalf. God meticulously and sufficiently describes how His ministry ought to be done, and as ministers, we ought to do them.
General Session 5 - Q&A w/ John MacArthur
The questions ranged from inquiries about MacArthur’s pen collection to the outworking of Sovereign Election. The one question that stood out though, was when one asked MacArthur if he regards himself to be a Calvinist and why he has been aligning himself to that name, especially in view of the many misconceptions people have about Calvinism and the admonition we find in 1 Corinthians 1:12-13. MacArthur replied that he only addresses himself as a Calvinist if his audience knows what he’s talking about. But he could really care less. He replied that Calvin would be appalled if he found out people were aligning himself to his name. Calvin was never a Calvinist! MacArthur then stated that all he desires to be is a biblicist. It just happens to be that the doctrines of Calvinism fits so well with biblical teaching.
General Session 6 - Albert Mohler
Albert Mohler’s exposition on the Deuteronomy
Pastor Park and I are greatly thankful for the opportunity to be hear. We are already discussing how we can grow and change and excel at being expositional preachers. We pray that such preaching will bring God's Word more powerfully and more accurately for the souls of our people. Please continue to pray for us as we spend our last day here tomorrow! Stay strong and God bless!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Shepherd's Conference Day 1
At the end of my first day at the Shepherd's Conference, all I can say is, "Wow." I was totally blown away by all the ways the staff at Grace Church served the shepherd's who were present. At the registration, every attendee received a free $50 gift certificate to be used during our stay at the conference. The conference bookstore, gift store, as well as Grace Books International (bookstore of Grace Church), were having really nice sales for the duration of the time as well. As you may all know, I love books, and being here made me feel like I was in Disneyland. But this wasn't the best part of the conference by far. The preaching in the general sessions were immensely uplifting and challenging. They were by far the highlight of the conference here. I pray that this short overview of the general sessions will be a blessing to you as you see how your pastors are being encouraged here at Shepherd's Conference.
General Session 1 - John MacArthur
In his opening address, MacArthur addressed the issue of a proper Ecclesiology, (i.e. doctrine of the Church). It is only logical that if one would give all sovereignty to the building of the Church to Jesus Christ, that he submits himself to the methodology of Jesus Christ. This methodology, MacArthur argued, was to be found displayed for us in the book of Acts. Through the text, he explained how the Apostles preached one message that never changed, how the church was a body of regenerate people, how it's purity was evident, how it persevered through trials, and how the church leadership was always qualified leadership. MacArthur in closing points out the five churches that were rebuked in Revelations 2-3. He paraphrases the faults of these churches as a lack of love for Christ, tolerating heresy, compromising sin, replacing program for life, and conforming to society. The sermon was truly a wake-up call to make certain that our Ecclesiology was in line with its Head.
General Session 2 - Tom Pennington
Tom Pennington did a masterful job preaching an exposition for us on Psalm 1, giving great insight into the text. He explained that the word "plant" in the Hebrew could be taken as "transplant" and that the word "stream" could mean "canal." This would mean that the tree planted by streams of living water was purposefully placed there. Another great insight that I thought was helpful was that the threefold phrase of vs. 1 (walk, stand, sit) does not merely point to the process of growing in sin, but rather the totality of wickedness. Pennington states that this man here abandons all human methods and embraces only God's Word. Indeed, Pennington's closing was a precious exhortation, not only to men, but to the church as well.
General Session 3 - John Macarthur
This final exposition of the day was the best sermon I've ever heard of the widow's copper coins of Luke 22. I highly recommend everyone to read Nathan Busenitz's review of Wednesday night on the Pukpit Magazine blog. Here is the link to the article http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/03/05/session-3-john-macarthur/
Please stay tuned for an overview of the remaining days at the conference! Stay strong and God bless!
General Session 1 - John MacArthur
In his opening address, MacArthur addressed the issue of a proper Ecclesiology, (i.e. doctrine of the Church). It is only logical that if one would give all sovereignty to the building of the Church to Jesus Christ, that he submits himself to the methodology of Jesus Christ. This methodology, MacArthur argued, was to be found displayed for us in the book of Acts. Through the text, he explained how the Apostles preached one message that never changed, how the church was a body of regenerate people, how it's purity was evident, how it persevered through trials, and how the church leadership was always qualified leadership. MacArthur in closing points out the five churches that were rebuked in Revelations 2-3. He paraphrases the faults of these churches as a lack of love for Christ, tolerating heresy, compromising sin, replacing program for life, and conforming to society. The sermon was truly a wake-up call to make certain that our Ecclesiology was in line with its Head.
General Session 2 - Tom Pennington
Tom Pennington did a masterful job preaching an exposition for us on Psalm 1, giving great insight into the text. He explained that the word "plant" in the Hebrew could be taken as "transplant" and that the word "stream" could mean "canal." This would mean that the tree planted by streams of living water was purposefully placed there. Another great insight that I thought was helpful was that the threefold phrase of vs. 1 (walk, stand, sit) does not merely point to the process of growing in sin, but rather the totality of wickedness. Pennington states that this man here abandons all human methods and embraces only God's Word. Indeed, Pennington's closing was a precious exhortation, not only to men, but to the church as well.
General Session 3 - John Macarthur
This final exposition of the day was the best sermon I've ever heard of the widow's copper coins of Luke 22. I highly recommend everyone to read Nathan Busenitz's review of Wednesday night on the Pukpit Magazine blog. Here is the link to the article http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/03/05/session-3-john-macarthur/
Please stay tuned for an overview of the remaining days at the conference! Stay strong and God bless!
Arrived Safely!
Thank you for your prayers! Pastor Park and I are now safely in Southern California and enjoying the great weather, but more so the great fellowship and teaching that we're receiving at the Shepherd's Conference. I will try to post some thought on the teaching here as the days go by. Stay strong and God bless!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Radical Christianity pt. 1
Two Sundays ago, I passed out a leaflet in our YG programs that listed my 5 points on Radical Christianity. The reason I did this was simple: in present day America, the term Christianity has in some ways become simply a name, a label that people attach to themselves without counting the immense cost of what it truly means to become a Christian. Such Christianity strays far from Biblical Christianity (cf. Matt 16:24; Luke 14-25-35). In light of such luke-warm Christianity, true Christianity does seem to be radical. In the days to follow, we will briefly survey each of the 5 points of my Radical Christianity and test these points in the light of Holy Writ. It would do us tremendous good to see how radical the call to Christ truly is. The 5 points we'll look at are:
1. Radical Choice for Christ
2. Radical Commitment to His Church
3. Radical Mind Transformed by His Word
4. Radical Measures for Present Living
5. Radical Mission towards Future Glory
I pray as we look at each of these points in the following days, that we might all seek to become the saltiest of salt and the brightest of lights (Matthew 5:13-16). Oh that we would be a fragrant aroma (2 Corinthians 2:16)! Stay strong and God bless!
1. Radical Choice for Christ
2. Radical Commitment to His Church
3. Radical Mind Transformed by His Word
4. Radical Measures for Present Living
5. Radical Mission towards Future Glory
I pray as we look at each of these points in the following days, that we might all seek to become the saltiest of salt and the brightest of lights (Matthew 5:13-16). Oh that we would be a fragrant aroma (2 Corinthians 2:16)! Stay strong and God bless!
Shepherd's Conference
Pastor James Hong and Pastor Jiwon Park will be in Southern California from March 4-7 to attend the Annual Shepherd's Conference at Grace Community Church. Please pray for a safe trip and a refreshing time in God's Word and pastoral fellowship! Stay strong and God bless!
God is Gracious!
Thanks be to our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ who allows us to taste mercy anew everyday! Please pray that this blog will be a tool in our Redeemer's hands to bring much mercy and grace to our souls. Praying for you! Stay strong and God bless!
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