Back to the blog

I’m back. It’s been two years, a wedding, a baby, a new job, a few extra lbs., and a fresh desire to write. Please read and/or subscribe only if my posts help you know and love Christ more. I hope they do.

My First Thanksgiving in a Long Time

Knowing that God still speaks today through His pure Word, God spoke to me last night through the words of Paul.

Recently I’ve been struggling to stand in awe of the glory of God and enjoy Him as my real treasure.  Like many of you I would imagine, the business of work, a new baby, school (even Seminary!), being a husband, and anything else that the enemy could use was in full effect as a roadblock in my heart to seeing and savoring Jesus Christ.  The Gospel, Scripture, prayer; all had become the stuff of discussion on Thursday nights, and a perpetual feeling of guilt and disappointment that what I told everyone was the greatest treasure had ceased to look so shiny in my own life.  Little did I know this was not a temporary roadblock, but God was about to expose a much greater sin that had previously flown under the radar, clouded by excuse after excuse.  The reality – I’m trying to build a spiritual portfolio that would impress God and yield a salvation apart from the work of Christ on the cross.  I am a contemporary Judaizer.

Casually, as I often do, I turned on a clip from desiringgod.org last night to hear Pastor John Piper explain Luke 14:13-14 and apply that to our Thanksgiving dinner.  He said, “it is not important who you eat Turkey with, it is important that you boldly show where your treasure is.”  My heart was exposed, I felt naked… my treasure was me.  As if the parable of the man finding the treasure in the field had been about myself, the next chapter in that story must have been, “and the man put the treasure in his pocket, and pretended like he didn’t need it after all.”  As my heart felt gross and my brain began to spin in 22 different theological directions, I sought after the only source of inerrant, concrete, reality that I could put my hands on.  As I gripped my wife’s ESV Journaling Bible I turned to the place I knew my heart needed to hear again.  A verse that I myself had preached, but apparently did not fully grasp until this moment.  ”O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?… For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them… Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Gal. 3:1-3,10,13).  I then turned to Philippians 3, another passage that I have actually preached before, but never grasped with its realities in my own life;

“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Phil 3:1-9).

See God… I’m in Seminary, I know all about the NT and the importance of the Gospel – I even went to a conference on the five Solas!  Maybe I wasn’t persecuting the church like Saul, but like those in Galatians 5, I was forgetting that circumcision was of no value to me, because my heart was prizing me.

God does not love me because I’m good.  God does not delight in me because I preach or study or tell my little boy about Jesus.  God delights in me because when he looks at me he sees his Son who “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” That’s precisely why ”God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Phil 2:6-10).

As you’re preparing today for your families and friends to enjoy the blessings God has given you, remember that the Gospel is not merely the greatest blessing he’s given us – it is THE gift by which all others exist as supplements to keep our minds sharply focused on the Lamb.

For years I’ve looked forward to this day for food, family, and football.  Now I have a fresh and wonderful heart of thanksgiving for the Messiah who by grace took my place.  Thank you, Jesus.

Sad, But Not Surprising

about 1 minute ago the question was posed in my health policy class, “what are all the forms of birth control?” When I spoke first by saying, “abstinence,” the classroom literally erupted into laughter, including the professor. That wasn’t as bad as when the girl across the row said, “the morning after pill works.” Now I feel sick.

Like Bathing in a Dumpster

As I’m getting ready to graduate, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’ve learned in college and what is the real value of the “higher” education I’ve obtained over the past four years. I’m writing this while sitting in my second to last session of my Senior Seminar; focusing on Authoritarian Regimes: Examining Fascism, Communism, and Islamic Fundamentalism. A few moments ago, the question was raised, “what do Islamic fundamentalism and other fundamentalisms share in common? specially Evangelicalism…. The answer provided by my professor who will remain anonymous for the purpose of this post, went like this, ‘all fundamentalisms have an aspect of totalitarianism. They all have a similar aspect of neglecting basic human rights to the extent that if you do not believe as they do, then you are not a human being and you can be butchered, assaulted, tortured, and murdered. All fundamentalisms share this characteristic.’

I don’t write this to present it as something new, rather, I’m nearing the end of my formal secular education and I realize that lectures are like getting hosed down with sewer water, and being told I’m getting a shower…

sola scriptura

Just Ask!

Ever since making the decision to come to Anza Baptist Church in October of last year, it always bothered me that our youth group was so small. Well, actually… we didn’t have one. It wasn’t that there were no youth in the church; they just didn’t come because no one was reaching out to them. Recently I joined my friend Tim, who happens to serve as our worship leader, in going through the book of John on Monday mornings as a means of preparing his messages to teach the two youth who actually came. Little did I know, God was about to bring Tim and myself through an amazing journey that led us ultimately to the same place every good thing does… worship.

Unknown to me, Tim has recently been thinking and dwelling on the role of prayer in the life of a Christian. What’s it for? Why do we do it? If God is sovereign then why do we ask Him for things? Our desire was simple: to grow and develop our youth group into one that exalt Christ and encourages all of us to reflect the love of God in Christ-likeness on our campuses, jobs, and homes; whether we are in junior high, high school, college or seminary. Knowing that nothing good will happen without God’s help, we began asking the church to pray for the youth, to pray for Tim and myself and all those involved. Immediately changes started taking place! Kids began bringing their friends. They actually stayed, paid attention, and came back Sunday after Sunday. Two weeks ago a kid from the local High School visited our church with his dad, and I began talking to him. I asked him for his phone number, in an effort to make some kind of connection in hopes we might grab some tacos sometime. To my own shame I must admit at this point, having just graduated from high school three years ago my optimism in the faithfulness of most students has recently not been great. Remembering how lazy and unreliable my high school days were in a youth group of over 300, I had very little faith in God’s work at a church with 3. Despite my lack of faith in God, and our misunderstanding of communicating with Him, He was gracious.

For the past six weeks God has changed the dynamic of our youth group like nobody could have imagined. Kids are coming, staying, and growing. Fellowship has never been more Christ-exalting, and our hearts are enriched from the word that Tim so faithfully preaches every week. We find joy in encouraging them after school and other times throughout the week. God answers prayer, and it’s not because we say the right things, or “ask nicely.” The Biblical model for prayer is simple: ask for the right things, which starts with wanting the right things. The Bible is clear as to what God wants; His will is not a mystery! The prophet Hosea proclaims, “let us know, let us press on to know the LORD” (Hosea 6:3). Likewise, the Psalmist says, “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy” (Psalm 43:4). God’s will is clear, He wants us to know Him! Talking a few nights ago, Tim pointed out, “we often speak of the will of God as if it’s a mystery. We act as if our sin can thwart His plan. Sin didn’t mess up God’s plan, He planned for it.” God is not the author of sin, that would contradict His nature. The apostle Paul assures us that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). In his letter to the Colossians, Paul says, “the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. In his book, God is the Gospel, Pastor John Piper sums this up: “If God serves me, and causes all things to work for my good, I must ask—what’s the good!?” He then answers, “the highest, best, final, decisive, good; benefit, in the gospel—without which all other benefits are no benefits and to which all other benefits are pointing—is the glory of God in the face of Christ revealed to us for our everlasting enjoyment… this is what makes the gospel ‘good news.’ You take that away, no gospel! I don’t care what else is true about the gospel, without that there’s no gospel.” When we want what we are supposed to want, which is what God wants, He will freely give.

“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:1-3).

“Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

One to Imitate

Agape Leadership: Lessons in Spiritual Leadership from the Life of R.C. Chapman

It’s only 80 pages, you can read it in about an hour if you push it, and it will change your life. I’m not kidding… Not because of some amazing literary genius by the author(s), but God used R.C. Chapman to example the character and countenance of Jesus Christ like few men history has had the privilege of seeing. From his life and attitude we get a glimpse into what it looks like to truly run the race towards the cross, and to bend that outward in love to our neighbors. I believe Chapman would be upset if he could hear me I praising him like this, so I appropriately thank Christ for the debt He paid so that we could live like Him; R.C. Chapman took advantage of that gift.

Table of Contents
1. Agape Leadership
2. Love for God’s Word
3. Spirit-controlled Character
4. Being Patient and Gentle
5. Maintaining Unity
6. Discipling and Reconciling
7. Forgiving and Blessing Others
8. Hospitality
9. Giving to the Needy
10. Working Together in Love
11. Vision and Evangelism
12. Self-discipline
13. Prayer and Worship

“There are many who preach Christ, but not many who live Christ. My great aim will be to live Christ.” ~ Chapman

Nice Shot, Lukas

From this weekend’s Resolved Conference; wouldn’t I like to be a fly on that wall…

Couldn’t Pass This Up…

During my daily cruise through BBCNews.com I ran across this in the Middle East section…

That’s a Hamas-afiliated militant reading from his pocket-copy of…yes…the Qu’ran.

While those calling the shots in Washington and Baghdad inevitably see this as a war over power, oil, pride, and a myriad of other marginal bickerings; to those willing to give their life for what they believe, this is about anything but politics. Unfortunately for all those who have been tragically decieved, our God IS great! While there is no need to fret over the current situation in the Middle East, let’s do pray for those that God will use to bring some to repent in this season!

“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience recieved a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:1-3).

I Ran Across This Today…

“A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat and was for distribution of all wealth. She felt deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, which she expressed openly. One day she was challenging her father on his beliefs and his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the addition of more government welfare programs. Based on the lectures that she had participated in and the occasional chat with a professor she felt that for years her father had obviously harbored an evil, even selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He stopped her and asked her point blank, how she was doing in school. She answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain. That she studied all the time and never had time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn’t even have time for a boyfriend and didn’t really have many college friends because of spending all her time studying. Her father listened and then asked, “How is your good friend Mary doing?” She replied, & Mary is barely getting by; She continued, “She barely has a 2.0 GPA, “adding, and all she takes are easy classes and she never studies; “But Mary is so very popular on campus, college for her is a blast, she goes to all the parties all the time and very often doesn’t even show up for classes because she is too hung over.” Her father then asked his daughter, “Why don’t you go to the Dean’s Office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your 4.0 GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0.” He continued, “That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.” The daughter visibly shocked by her father’s suggestion angrily fired back, “That wouldn’t be fair! I worked really hard for mine, I did without and Mary has done little or nothing, she played while I worked real hard!” The father slowly smiled, winked and said, “Welcome to the Republican Party.”

See y’all at the polls… IF you’re gonna vote against Hillary :-).

As Fun as Going to the Dentist

Random thought of the morning: Why is it that analysts and writers seem to all of the sudden forget about those teams that lose one game? Answer: because in recent history the national championship has been decided between two undefeated teams; last year Auburn (13-0) was left out as well. Well, as much as we all love to cuddle with the flawless organizational masterpiece we call the BCS I have a feeling it might actually be as bad as it has ever been this year. With only two or three teams looking at even possibly running the table this year, at the end of the regular season I’m seeing a bigger mess than any of us could have expected. Think about it, here’s my preliminary list of teams that could all have one loss at the end of the season (in no particular order)… USC, UCLA, Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame, Florida State, and any combination of two between LSU, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. This would leave the only undefeated team being Big East champ West Virginia as we decide ONE of the previous mentioned to play them for the 2006 National Championship. Boy is this gonna be a fun one!? See y’all in Tempe.