Giveaway at Cal.vini.st

Tremendous opportunity to win one of 2 copies of BibleWorks 8 from Cal.vini.st!

Check it out!

http://cal.vini.st/2009/06/cal-vini-st-first-anniversary-giveaway/

Apology and Disclaimer

Brethren and others who may visit my Blog,
I feel it necessary to issue an apology for the last posting, which you may or may not have read. The point of that post was, as you may have guessed, the video. What I did not take into full consideration, was the blog which the video was posted on, and that is a serious error on my part. In everything we are called to do as believers, we are to exercise discernment. I did e-thumb through many links on the site, but one link (that could possibly have the most adverse affect on viewers), I neglected to view myself. I made assumptions that I should never make about any material without validating them through careful examination. I don't feel it necessary to go into detail, as that may actually have the opposite effect of my desired end.
I removed the link from my blogs, but want to make clear that I in no way espouse the doctrine voiced by the writer of the said blog, and in fact see it as a gross misrepresentation of the Biblical text, at best. With that said I will be much more careful going forward, and praise God for oversight within His Body.
Pray for me as I for you,
DeJuan

Phenomenal Video Proclamation of God's Truth

Found this over at a blog and thought it was worthy of a link. This video is nothing short of sobering. Please watch and share;



***Link removed until I can find one directly to the video****

Yet it is not I who live, but Christ

Just a quick post to let you all know that I am still among the breathing!  It's been a long while, huh?  Yeah, well I've been away and since I have, I've learned a few things that I'd like to share with you.  I've also seen a few things that, if I can remember where I saw them, will post up for you.  Anyway, I guess the bottom line is I'm back (sort of).  I'm at least back in such a way that it probably won't be months between posts.  I've missed writing *typing* and will be doing more of it both here and at www.dropsofthought.com.  Hope you're looking as forward to it as I am!

Grace and Peace,

Mr. Hiatus :)

This Week From Grace Bible Fellowship

Praise the Lord!  We recently finished up 1 Timothy in our fellowship, and what a phenomenal walk through that text it was.  There was so much to be learned throughout, especially for a new local body of believers.  The Lord really used the exposition of that text to knit us closer together with one another, and Himself.  He is so gracious.  I mentioned on Twitter and Facebook a couple of weeks ago that I would begin to blog a few points from the sermon each week.  I thought this would be a good thing to do since we're starting a new book, 1 Peter, and I could start from sermon ONE.  

So, the first sermon has occurred, though I'm a bit late due to attending the Shepherd's Conference, and being unable to blog while there.  Speaking of the Shepherd's Conference, it was a life-changing event and I can certainly attribute my being there to the Providence of God on so many levels.  

Well, as expected, the first sermon from my Pastor, Mark Ragland, was rich.  What follows are a few points that I found both helpful and edifying from a great exposition of the first 2 verses.  

1 Peter 1:1-2- 1.Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

2. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:  May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

The theme in this letter is "Cheer up, it gets worse!" 

I. The Introduction

    A.  The Writer-Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ.  Apostle from the Greek apo=away, and stolo=to send.  Special meaning ascribed to "apostle" by Jesus.  We see in Matthew 10:1 that Jesus gave His apostles special authority.  Therefore we only see "of Jesus" in the case of those who were especially appointed by Him.

    B.  Ther Recipients (1B)-Elect=Specifically chosen to be a particular part of the group.  Peter is reminding the exiles here *that their citizenship is heavenly not earthly.

Dia=among, Spora=scatter (John 7:35, James 1:1).  Some think this may be the Christian diaspora (dispersion) and not the Jewish diaspora (the day of Pentecost).  Scattered in: All of Asia Minor.  *Also reminding them that even in this dispersion and the persecution to come there is a plan.  This would serve well to encourage the recipients of Peter's letter.

II.  The Encouragement

    A. There is, indeed, a plan-Plan along the lines of Acts 2:23 (this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death)

Foreknowledge used in 1 Peter 1:2 and in the Acts text is intimate in nature.  Romans 8:29 (WHOM He foreknew), 1 Peter 1:20 (HE was foreknown) shows further that God foreknows PEOPLE as well as events. 

    B. There is a Process- Peter comforted the exiles by helping them understand that God was using this circumstance to sanctify them.  To grow them (as our circumstances are used in our lives) into the image of Christ (Romans 8:28, Philipians 1).  God is involved in a process that includes activity by all 3 members of the Trinity (Note the activity in verse 2).

Foreigner, exile, cut off and scattered from the world? There IS a plan and a process.

    C. There is a purpose-That you may obey Jesus Christ/in order that you may be sprinkled with His blood.  Ephesians 2:8,9  is a very familiar passage.  In light of this 1 Peter text, however, v.10 of Eph. 2 is important.  Every one of our circumstances is a golden opportunity to be conformed to the image of Christ in obedience, etc.  

Sprinkled with His blood?  What does that have in view?  Likely Old Testament imagery being used by Peter here.  There were 3 cases in the OT in which blood was sprinkled on a man.  

1. Entrance into the Aaronic priesthood

2. Purification rite for a leper being healed

3. Covenant initiation rite, after Moses received the law, confirming the Mosaic covenant.  Exodus 24:3-This is probably the imagery that Peter has in mind.  The children of Israel pledged at the initiation that they would do all that the Lord commanded.  Peter is trying to get the people to understand that they have pledged that they will submit to Jesus as Lord, and to walk in this obedience.  

D. There is an expressed wish-That is namely, more Grace from the Lord and the Peace that comes as a result of that Grace.

We'll pick up next week with the next few verses.  Stay tuned!  

Friday with Spurgeon

The Decalogue. The Ten Commandments to most of us, should scream out "INABILITY" to all who take the time to read and consider them. Most end up looking at them and saying something to the effect of "at least I haven't done the worst of them." What is the purpose of the law, though? Is it to measure ourselves against other mortals, using it as the mediator between ourselves and them? "Although I've lied, I have not murdered, and so and so has killed someone; therefore all is well with me." Is it to actually help us live moral lives? After all, there are those who would say that because they try to live out the 10 commandments that they are "good people." Well, none of the above is correct. The first is not correct because the commandments put on display GOD's standard of perfection as it relates to ME. Yeah, the bad news is God doesn't look at my having kept more of the commandments than my neighbor as having any merit at all (Romans 14:12). In fact, my thinking in that direction is an affront to God. Everyone finds themselves in the middle when comparing self to others. Who doesn't know someone "worse" or "better?" The second is not correct because God's Word says that if you're guilty of breaking one aspect of the law, you're guilty of it all (James 2:10). So one lie constitutes my guilt as a law breaker. Wow, you mean then, God's law (as expressed in the Decalogue) doesn't help me at all? No, it doesn't. It does, however, show you you're helpless and leads you rightly to the only help available. That is, Christ Jesus. It is in this way that the law is a schoolmaster, to lead to Christ (Galatians 3:24). God's standard is perfection. We all fall short, so we are all guilty. What can we do about this guilt? Trust the only one who fulfilled this standard perfectly, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. Spurgeon says this:

The Purpose of the Law
The business of the Law is first to teach us our obligations to God. Let us ask ourselves if we have ever heard the Law teaching us in that way. Brethren, read the Law of Ten Commandments, and study each separate precept, and you will find that in those ten short precepts you have all the moral virtues, the full compass of your accountability to God, and of your relationship to your fellowmen. It is a wonderful condensation of morals. The essence of all just decrees and statutes lies there. Perfection is there photographed, and holiness mapped out. No one has ever been able to add to it without creating an excrescence, not a word could be taken from it without causing a serious omission. It is the perfect Law of God, and tells us exactly what we ought to be; if we are in any degree deficient, we are to that extent guilty before God. Now, when the Law comes to a man's conscience, it reveals to him the divine standard of right -holds it up before him - makes him look at it - and apprises him that the Commandments do not merely refer to acts and deeds, but with equal force to the words and thoughts from whence they proceed.-Charles Haddon Spurgeon, from "Spurgeon Gold"

Friday with Spurgeon

Today, I'm gonna do something a little bit different.  Happy Friday, by the way!  Well, each Friday obviously, we've been visiting a writing of Charles Spurgeon from "Spurgeon Gold."  Once we even got a treat from his "Morning by Morning" devotion book.  Now I like treats and surprises, so today I have one for you.  Lampmode Recording artist shai linne (he prefers his name in all lowercase letters) has an album out now called Storiez, and it is one of the most phenomenal pieces of Christ-centered art I've heard. On this album, shai does a magnificent job with a song called "Spurgeon." What I want to do is allow you a listen, as well as print the lyrics here for your Friday morning pleasure.  Enjoy, and let's praise God for not only Spurgeon, but all those He has graciously given us as examples in various areas of Christian living.  Let's Grow!!! Grace and Peace.

Spurgeon I'm not sure if you need to sign up for Imeem for this to play, but click for the song.

Here are the lyrics:

Spurgeon

written by s. linne

 

Verse 1

 

Let me make this plain kids- God is the greatest

He never changes- His ways are blameless

For His own glory and at different stages

He raises up servants to make His name famous

I’ll highlight one particular servant for

The purpose of encouraging your worship to the Lord

Furthermore, Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born

On the outskirts of London- 1834

His dad and his grandpa were both in the ministry

His mother was praying for his soul since his infancy

Naturally intelligent, rapidly developing

But lacking Jesus’ fellowship, that would be irrelevant

The God of his mother unknown

Though Christ was up in his home, the faith just wasn’t his own

The Lord answered prayer when at the age of 10

Young Charles became convinced of the wages of sin

For the next five years, the Spirit brought conviction

Terrors and affliction, aware of his condition

One Sunday morning though- the stormiest snow

Kept Charles from going in the church he’d normally go

Randomly stepped into a church

Heard the words “Look to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth”

And though only heaven knows the name of the preacher

That’s the day that Spurgeon became a believer

Verse 2

 

The Lord is so merciful, always so purposeful

Those whom He draws find His call irreversible

Immediately after Spurgeon’s conversion

Obediently, he was earnest to serve Him

The Lord poured His Spirit on Spurgeon abundantly

Anyone could see that he spoke with profundity

Extraordinary giftedness seen

Proclaiming God’s mysteries at the age of fifteen

In a place called Waterbeach graced with the sort of speech

That even made the old folks say, “This boy can preach!”

In fact he was so crafted after the Master

A Baptist church snatched him and asked him to pastor

At the time, He was seventeen years old

On fire for the King who redeemed his soul

People flocked from everywhere- it was quite a scene

Called to a church in London at the age of nineteen

He was more than ready- to his Lord he was dedicated

Even though he was never formally educated

If you would have scratched him, he would bleed Bible

A rich prayer life was his means of survival

Amount that he read was truly mind-blowing

Steeped in the writings of dudes like John Owen

And by God’s grace He fed the sheep new manna

In London met his wife, her name was Susannah

 

Verse 3

 

Behold the grace of God- stand to the side

The Spirit exalting the Lamb who has died

It can’t be denied- this man we describe

Was simply a tool in the hand of his God

To observe this servant’s extremely instructive

One word about Spurgeon is he was productive

Preached Jesus- no speakers- loudly he’d shout it

Each week packed houses of crowds in the thousands

His sermons were published- sixty-two volumes

He worked almost like he just knew he would die soon

Made mad disciples, passed on his knowledge

Established a school to train pastors in college

Sold out to the Lord Jehovah, his portion

Also he built two homes for the orphans

A monthly magazine, plus he wasn’t too busy

to write books- about a hundred and fifty

God’s grace in Spurgeon was manifest

But remember, the best man is a man at best

Yes, he struggled with depression- consistently sick, kid

Both he and Susannah physically afflicted

He experienced as a servant of Jesus

The power of God made perfect in weakness

Later on comes complications

His stands for orthodoxy got him shunned by his denomination

But through all the hardship and all the controversy

He never stopped relying on the sovereign God of mercy

And when he had finished pressing towards the goal

He entered into heaven at the age of fifty-seven

His life is a case of God’s grace effectively

At work in sinners to leave a great legacy

The proof is many years later in your speakers

We’re praising Jesus for raising up the "prince of preachers"