Let me begin by saying that it has been a while. The blog world seems quite quiet these days.
Something made me remember the days when blogging was all the rage. It made me think. I want to be more consistent with expressing my thoughts--writing, to be specific.
So, why not start this blog thing again--it feels like I am bring back an old trend, kindof like baggy pants or pogs. However, ironically, bringing back an old trend seems to be a new trend. So, with that logic in mind, I am being trendy. I think.
Anyways, I wont make any promises about regular posts, but I will try. And what more could one ask for?
Let me know if you're out there.
Is anyone listening?
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Its been a while, but I have the urge to write.
While listening to one of my favorite hymns today, I was struck by the truth within the lyrics.
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
I need to hear this often. It is far too easy to fall into the snare of works based righteousness. Too many times I feel that, in some perverted way, I can pay back grace. In my heart I believe that the 'good' works that I muster-up will somehow appease the wrath of a holy and just God. For what other reason would I attempt to find peace in the law? It is a frightening thought; in-light of the glorious news of the redeeming work at the cross, I still attempt to work for my salvation.
The truth is that the work of Christ on the cross was enough. Jesus is my only claim. Nothing but the blood. He is more than enough. How wonderful the thought that God became man and lived a perfect life. He became sin and died on the cross. Taking on the punishment of sin, he gives life to all who trust in His name. It is by grace, through faith that we are saved.
What an amazing God that we serve.
I am reminded this Easter that Jesus came to give us life. We are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness. We have been saved to love him. Saved to enjoy him. He is our peace. He is the source of all joy. He is the end of the quest. He is the Lord of Lords. He is Emmanuel; God with us. He was crucified and He is risen.
Well, those are my thoughts.
Im off to bed.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to [2] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ [3] 22 But the father said to his servants, [4] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Luke 15
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ [3] 22 But the father said to his servants, [4] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Luke 15
Sunday, November 2, 2008
"Nothing puts life into men like a dying Savior. All other topics in Holy Scripture are important, and none of them are to be cast into the shade. But the death of the Son of God is the central sun of all these other minor luminaries. May this house be utterly consumed with fire before the day should come here when there should be given an uncertain sound about the atonement. This is not merely a doctrine of the church; it is the doctrine of the church. Leave this out, and you have no truth, you have no Savior, and you have no church."
--Charles Spurgeon
--Charles Spurgeon
Monday, October 20, 2008
God Is Our Fortress
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
blog.(again)
I am going to start this blog up again. It never officially shut down, but after a few months with out a post I am sure that some of you have stopped checking. Good on you loyal blog readers that never stopped checking. (That was a joke)...Anyways, I figured this would be a good place to share what I have been reading/pondering of late. If anyone reads, that would be pretty cool.
Tonight I took a break from studying and read out of a collection of CS Lewis quotes that Mike gave me. I came across an excellent passage from Clive Staples book, The Problem of Pain. There are some lines that stuck with after I read through it a couple times, and I figured that you(whoever you are, if anyone) might find helpful/convicting/encouraging. Lewis highlights the repeating patterns that I so often see in my own life. Patterns that reveal themselves in times of tribulation and suffering, but hide when all seems well. So often I forget about God when things are going well, and when things turn for the worst I either blame him or run to Him. God is not some sort of cosmic insurance agency that I can use when things go bad. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. He created the heavens and the earth, and He created us to worship Him. Our souls will find true satisfaction in the enjoyment of Christ. Our souls will only find frustration and unrest when we fix our lives on ourselves. Thankfully, God is so faithful to continually take my eyes from my feet and point them to the cross. Anyways, read the quote, Lewis says it best:
One Mans Tale of Tribulation
My own experience is something like this. Iam progressing along the path of life in my ordinary contentedly fallen and godless condition, absorbed in a merry meeting with my friends for the morrow or a bit of work the tickles my vanity today, a holiday or new book, when suddenly a stab of abdominal pain that threatens serious disease, or a headline in the newspapers that threatens us all with destruction, sends this whole pack of cards tumbling down. At first I am overwhelmed, and all my little hapinesses look like broken toys. Then, slowly and reluctantly, bit by bit, I try to bring myself into that frame of mind that I intended to possess my heart, that my true good is in another world and my only real treasure is Christ. And perhaps, by God's grace, I succeed, and for a day or two become a creature consciously dependent on God and drawing its strength from the right sources. But the moment the threat is withdrawn, my whole nature leaps back to the toys: Iam even anxious, God forgive me, to bonish from my mind the only thing that supported me under the threat because it is now associated with the misery of those few days. Thus the terrible necessity of tribulation is only too clear. God has had me for but forty eight hours and then only by dint of taking everything else away from me. Let Him but sheathe that sword for moment and I behave like a puppy when the hated bath is over--I shake myself dry as fast as I can and race off to reacquire my comfortable dirtiness, if not in the nearest manure heap, at least in the nearby flower bed. And that is why tribulations cannont cease until God either sees us remade or sees that our remaking is now hopeless.
--from The Problem of Pain
CS Lewis
later.
Tonight I took a break from studying and read out of a collection of CS Lewis quotes that Mike gave me. I came across an excellent passage from Clive Staples book, The Problem of Pain. There are some lines that stuck with after I read through it a couple times, and I figured that you(whoever you are, if anyone) might find helpful/convicting/encouraging. Lewis highlights the repeating patterns that I so often see in my own life. Patterns that reveal themselves in times of tribulation and suffering, but hide when all seems well. So often I forget about God when things are going well, and when things turn for the worst I either blame him or run to Him. God is not some sort of cosmic insurance agency that I can use when things go bad. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. He created the heavens and the earth, and He created us to worship Him. Our souls will find true satisfaction in the enjoyment of Christ. Our souls will only find frustration and unrest when we fix our lives on ourselves. Thankfully, God is so faithful to continually take my eyes from my feet and point them to the cross. Anyways, read the quote, Lewis says it best:
One Mans Tale of Tribulation
My own experience is something like this. Iam progressing along the path of life in my ordinary contentedly fallen and godless condition, absorbed in a merry meeting with my friends for the morrow or a bit of work the tickles my vanity today, a holiday or new book, when suddenly a stab of abdominal pain that threatens serious disease, or a headline in the newspapers that threatens us all with destruction, sends this whole pack of cards tumbling down. At first I am overwhelmed, and all my little hapinesses look like broken toys. Then, slowly and reluctantly, bit by bit, I try to bring myself into that frame of mind that I intended to possess my heart, that my true good is in another world and my only real treasure is Christ. And perhaps, by God's grace, I succeed, and for a day or two become a creature consciously dependent on God and drawing its strength from the right sources. But the moment the threat is withdrawn, my whole nature leaps back to the toys: Iam even anxious, God forgive me, to bonish from my mind the only thing that supported me under the threat because it is now associated with the misery of those few days. Thus the terrible necessity of tribulation is only too clear. God has had me for but forty eight hours and then only by dint of taking everything else away from me. Let Him but sheathe that sword for moment and I behave like a puppy when the hated bath is over--I shake myself dry as fast as I can and race off to reacquire my comfortable dirtiness, if not in the nearest manure heap, at least in the nearby flower bed. And that is why tribulations cannont cease until God either sees us remade or sees that our remaking is now hopeless.
--from The Problem of Pain
CS Lewis
later.
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