Treasuring Christ Together

How Would You React To Greatness?

2007-07-22T09:15:00.000-04:00

HERE is the link to the Washington Post article that I mentioned in the sermon today regarding Joshua Bell and his "concert" at the DC Metro station. Fascinating stuff.

Here's the first paragraph:

HE EMERGED FROM THE METRO AT THE L'ENFANT PLAZA STATION AND POSITIONED HIMSELF AGAINST A WALL BESIDE A TRASH BASKET. By most measures, he was nondescript: a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a violin. Placing the open case at his feet, he shrewdly threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money, swiveled it to face pedestrian traffic, and began to play.

Abigail is Here

2007-07-07T23:02:00.001-04:00

Abigail Rayne McGinnis arrived Friday, July 6th.

Here are a few pics. Go to Jawan's blog for more!

Al Groves Passed Away on Monday

2007-02-07T14:10:00.000-05:00

Al Groves, a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, passed away on Monday from a long bout with cancer.Over the past year the family kept an online journal of his condition, treatment, etc. The entire journal is inspiring, but the last few posts are especially encouraging. There was rejoicing around his bed when the Lord finally took him home.
It is worth your time to look it up and read a few of his wife’s thoughts as they realized that heaven was near for Al.

You can read it by clicking HERE.

Galatians SS Reading

2007-01-14T21:39:00.000-05:00

We are studing Galatians in Sunday School. I mentioned this morning that reading Martin's Luther's Preface to Galatians would be good reading as we move into studying the text over the next few weeks. You can read the preface, as abridged by Tim Keller, HERE.

Here are some other interesting and helpful articles by Tim Keller:

Happy Reading!

What If Jesus Had Not Been Born

2007-01-09T22:35:00.001-05:00

On Christmas Eve I mentioned the letter that Sam Crabtree had written to the congregation at Bethlehem Baptist in Minneapolis regarding how the world would be different if Jesus had never been born. You can read that letter here.

A.W. Tozer on Evaluating Your Spiritual Life

2007-01-09T22:35:00.000-05:00

I hope you are all having a Happy 2007!
In my sermon on New Year's Eve I mentioned that A.W. Tozer had suggested some great area in which we should evaluate to reveal the state of our hearts. Being honest in this exercise should open our eyes to area where we need to repent of our lack of love for and dependence upon Christ. This is a great exercise for the start of a new year (and everyday):

A.W. Tozer suggests that we evaluate ourselves in the following areas:

what we want most
what we think about most
how we use our money
what we do with our leisure time
the company we enjoy (fellowship/evangelism)
whom and what we admire
what we laugh at (do we laugh at all?)

Happy New Year!

New WPC Website

2006-11-02T15:06:00.000-05:00

Our church website has been completely overhauled!
You can check it out at www.wpcpca.com
We are still working on getting some of the stuff to work correctly (like getting the audio from the sermons to upload) - but I hope that the site is going to be useful for church members and for those who are just checking us out!
The bulletin for this coming Sunday has been posted and will be each week as it goes to be printed. The sermons will be going up soon.
There is a list of recommended books on the new site if you are looking for something good to read. The books are linked to Amazon.com and if you buy the book from them after clicking through from our site, WPC will get a portion of that sale!
Hopefully, this will be a place where you can visit regularly and see upcoming events, read announcements, and download the bulletin in order to help prepare your heart for worship or to see what you missed.
If you've got ideas regarding how we can use the site to help you in your pursuit of treasuring Christ above all things, let me know!

Not What My Hands Have Done

2006-09-19T17:02:00.000-04:00

My blog has now become VERY sporadic. In my desire to become more excellent at other things in my life, this has not been a priority (and may not be anytime soon). Anyway, I was reading today while seeking an explanation of the difference between grace and works for our Inquirer's Class this weekend. There can't be many better than this one! This is one of my favorite hymns and Horatius Bonar is becoming more and more a favorite of mine!

Not what my hands have done
Can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers,
And sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.

Thy work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin
Thy blood alone O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
Thy love to me O God,
Not mine, O Lord, to Thee
Can rid me of
This dark unrest,
And set my spirit free!

Thy grace alone, O God,
To me can pardon speak;
Thy power alone O Son of God,
Can this sore bondage break.
No other work, save Thine,
No other blood will do,
No strength save that,
Which is divine,
Can bear me safely through.

I praise the God of grace,
I trust His truth and might
He calls me His, I call Him mine,
My God, my joy, my light
’Tis He Who saveth me,
And freely pardon gives
I love because
He loveth me,
I live because He lives!

Great Stuff!

What are you?

2006-08-23T14:15:00.000-04:00

On the Together for the Gospel Blog, C. J. Mahaney answers the question "C. J., What are you?" Here is his incredibly truthful & cross-centered answer:

What am I? Well, here is what I am. I am the worst sinner I know. And by the grace of God I am doing better than I deserve. For I deserve the righteous wrath of God because of my sin. I deserve to be punished eternally. But in the mystery of His mercy, God sacrificed and crushed His Son on the Cross--as my substitute--so that I might be forgiven of my sin and know God as my Father rather than my Judge. What am I? I am truly amazed by the grace of God. That's what I am.

Me too.

Valley of Vision MUSIC!!!!

2006-07-27T12:01:00.000-04:00

You might know that one of my favorite books of all time is the collection of puritan prayers entitled "The Valley of Vision." If you do not own a copy you should get one, now! (It's available in paperback AND leather bound editions.) In my pursuit of treasuring Christ and hating sin, this book has helped me as much as anything outside of Scripture.

Sovereign Grace Ministries has written songs based on some of the prayers in this book! You can click HERE to order the CD and to hear song samples, read lyrics, etc.

Great stuff!

Here's my favorite one (so far).

Click and Read!

2006-07-27T11:59:00.000-04:00

If you are not reading the Together for the Gospel blog, you should be!

When you know you are dying soon

2006-07-10T15:02:00.000-04:00

We all know that we are going to die some day. At Harry Treude's funeral on Friday I talked about how the realities of cancer and death should cause us all to think deeply about our deaths and whether we are prepared for eternity.
Seth Griep told me about a blog a few days ago that I think we should all be reading...
Al Groves is a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and found out earlier this year that he is dying from Melanoma. He and his family are keeping journal of his health and their thoughts and emotions during this difficult time.
You can read the journal by clicking HERE.

World Magazine on The Da Vinci Code

2006-06-08T22:09:00.000-04:00

I have not been teaching in depth regarding the Da Vinci Code controversy, but the conversations that we have been having about Gnosticism and the authority of Scripture have been fascinating. Some of you wanted some resources, so I have linked to the recent articles that World Magazine has published on the book/movie. Here are the articles:
Onward Gnostic Soldier by Marvin Olasky
The Da Vinci Phenomenon by Gene Edward Veith
The Da Vinci Code by Andrew Coffin
Busted Blockbuster by Gene Edward Veith
The Puzzle of Life by Gene Edward Veith

There is another article that is related to this controversy that you should also check out, especially if you are interested in learning more about Gnosticism:
Return of the Cainites by Gene Edward Veith

The Slippery Slope re:Abortion

2006-06-08T17:44:00.000-04:00

You should read this column by Kathleen Parker. I do not agree with every thing that she says - but she is correct in that abortions around the world are becoming less restrictive and being used more for convenience sake than ever before.
May God change our hearts to value life and honor Him above all things.

Comfort

2006-06-03T21:56:00.000-04:00

comfort(Merriam-Webster): Function: noun
1 a: strengthening aid : ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT b: consolation in time of trouble or worry : SOLACE
2 a: a feeling of relief or encouragement b: contented well-being
3 : a satisfying or enjoyable experience
4 : one that gives or brings comfort
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After thinking more about the article on adoption (see previous post) I am aware of the amazing fact that God knows me (all of me - good, bad, and ugly), still hears my prayers and evens answers them. I am amazed that He cares enough to have a plan for my future and that He is in control of that plan. I am amazed that He is committed to His glory - and that is good for me (more than anything else in the world).
So often I am like Russell Moore (see the article on adoption - especially the 4th paragraph) - I am frustrated because nothing seems to be "working," while all the time God has a plan that He is working out for me that is greater than I could ever ask for or imagine. That is comfort.

Adoption - Don't Miss This

2006-06-01T17:26:00.000-04:00

I talk about adoption alot... in a theological sense. I have never been adopted in an earthly sense, nor have I adopted, but my spiritual adoption is very real. The Father, who was my enemy because of my sin, has made me His child - adopted me into His family - and made me His own.
Read this -- you'll see what I mean.

[HatTip: Justin Taylor]

Longing for THIS to be the cry of my heart!

2006-05-28T00:23:00.000-04:00

Gracious Lord, incline thy ear;
My requests vouchsafe to hear;
Hear my never-ceasing cry;
Give me Christ, or else I die.

Wealth and honor I disdain,
Earthly comforts, Lord are vain;
These can never satisfy:
Give me Christ, or else I die.

refrain:
All unholy and unclean,
I am nothing else but sin;
On thy mercy I rely;
Give me Christ, or else I die.

Thou dost freely save the lost;
In thy grace alone I trust.
With my earnest suit comply;
Give me Christ, or else I die.

Thou dost promise to forgive
All who in thy Son believe;
Lord, I know thou canst not lie;
Give me Christ, or else I die.

-- "Christ, Or Else I Die"
Taken from the Gadsby Hymnal # 737
Words - William Hammond, 1719-1783

You can listen to a sample of the Red Mountain folks singing these lyrics at this link.

God's Book of Grace

2006-05-16T14:23:00.000-04:00

Sorry that I have been gone from the blog for a while. I'm trying to get back into it. Here are some profound and encouraging words from John Bunyan regarding the Holy Scripture:

God’s book of “grace” is just like his book of nature; it is his thoughts written out. This great book, the Bible, this most precious volume is the heart of God made legible; it is the gold of God’s love, beaten out into gold leaf, so that therewith our thoughts might be plated, and we also might have golden, good, and holy thoughts concerning him.

Have you ever been accused of being too "Atonement-centered"?

2006-04-14T18:20:00.000-04:00

HERE is a link to an article by Mark Dever, a pastor in Washington, D.C. In this article he addresses the fact that our only hope in this life and for all eternity is that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins - thereby rescuing us from eternal death.

There is nothing more important to the Christian that the cross of Jesus Christ. I am writing this on Good Friday. The past two weeks have been very busy for me (as you can tell by the fact that I have ignored this blog completely) - but the fact that we are celebrating Easter this weekend and focusing on the death of Christ TODAY reminds me that all the busyness of life is worth it. I have the privilege of being employed to inform & remind people that they need a Savior and that THERE IS ONE! That is why Good Friday is so GREAT! God became flesh and died in my place simply because He loved me. The agony that He suffered on the cross and the brutality of crucifixion tempt us into thinking that this day should be full of mourning, but Sunday reminds us that His death was not fatal! It is only because of the fact that He died and rose again that we have any hope. He did those things - and that's what makes Good Friday so great.

Mark Dever finishes his article with these words (and I encourage you to follow the link above and read the entire article):

In C. J. Mahaney's new book, Living the Cross Centered Life (Multnomah, 2006), he shares with us his advice to his young son, Chad. "This is what I hold out to my young son as the hope of his life: that Jesus, God's perfect, righteous Son, died in his place for his sins. Jesus took all the punishment; Jesus received all the wrath as he hung on the Cross, so people like Chad and his sinful daddy could be completely forgiven." Like Chad, we would do well to accept our guilt and admire God's grace, to let the Holy Spirit encourage us by the Savior's self-denying love to follow his example, and to savor God's love to us in this almost incredible sacrifice.

Have a Great Friday - and Happy Easter!

[HatTip: Justin Taylor]

Learning From History...

2006-03-26T16:46:00.000-05:00

Click HERE to read the article that we talked about in SS this morning. [HatTip: WorldMagBlog]

Remember that while we are thankful that God has seen to keep our church faithful to Him and to the Bible, we must continue to depend on Him and constantly remind ourselves of the Gospel which teaches us that we are ALL sinful and in need of a Savior - and that we have One, Jesus Christ.

If you are interested in Presbyterian church history, here are a few items to check out:

I Am Reminded by Kennedy Smartt - This is a first-hand account of the beginnings of the PCA by one of the men that was there from the beginning. (This book is in our church library.)
A BRIEF HISTORY of the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA -- from the PCA Website.
The Wikipedia page on the PCA -- has some good links about the PCUS and other history.
Living History of the Presbyterian Church in America, by Jerry Kornegay - this item is available from the PCA Historical Center.
On Being Presbyterian by Sean Michael Lewis -- This is a new book that is still on my "need-to-read" list, but the author is a church history professor at Covenant Theological Seminary.

Good News On A Monday Morning!

2006-03-20T10:11:00.000-05:00

“When God is your Father, He never stops being your Father. To put it in theological language, not only is your justification (being saved) by grace, your sanctification (becoming more like Christ) is by grace too. The trouble is that most Christians think they’re saved by grace but grow by sweat. Many of us believe that when we were saved, God took our slate filled with sin and rebellion and wiped it clean. That’s a lie…Listen! God took our slate and He broke it in pieces and threw it away. He does not deal with His family by keeping track on a slate of how we are doing. The slate is irrelevant because of the blood of Christ.” Steve Brown, When Being Good Isn’t Good Enough

This quote came to me this morning via Graced Again. You can sign up for regular words of encouragement at their website.

Resources

2006-03-07T12:39:00.000-05:00

The sermon from Sunday on adultery and lust may have you looking for resources for yourself or someone else. Here are some ideas:

Setting Captives Free - free online courses on a myriad of addictive issues such as sexual purity, food issues, substance abuse, and gambling from a God-centered perspective.

Books I recommend:
Sex is Not the Problem (Lust Is) by Joshua Harris - a great, Christ-centered, easy-to-read resource for anyone wanting to understand the problems that sexual sin pose.

Sex and the Supremacy of Christ edited by John Piper & Justin Taylor - broader in scope than Josh Harris' book. The chapters are based on lectures given at the Desiring God Conference in 2004. It also comes with a DVD of John Piper giving his two lectures - good stuff!

Thoughts for Young Men by J.C. Ryle - general advice for young men, including how to keep your hearts pure from pride and the love of pleasure. Good for men of all ages.

The Enemy Within by Kris Lundgaard - a re-writing of John Owen's Indwelling Sin for modern readers. It's great concerning the power of our sinful nature and how sin is defeated in our hearts. Highly recommended.

The Room

2006-03-02T15:06:00.000-05:00

I am preparing to preach on Matthew 5:27-30 this Sunday. This is the passage on Adultery and Lust. As I was reading, I came across this short story by Josh Harris. We all have need for repentance and forgiveness regarding our lustful hearts -- as well as sins of an infinite variety. This story reminds us of our hope.

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index-card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.

And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match.... (Continue reading by clicking HERE.)

A Baptism Prayer

2006-03-01T16:27:00.000-05:00

When we baptized Amelia and Luke a few weeks ago Anna sang this hymn during the offertory. It is a baptism hymn which serves as a prayer for our children. It's beautiful and I encourage you to use it as you pray for our covenant children Â no matter their age!

Gracious Savior, gentle Shepherd,
Our little ones are dear to Thee;
Gathered with Thine arms and carried
In Thy bosom may they be
Sweetly, gently, safely tended,
From all want and danger free.

Tender Shepherd, never leave them
From Thy fold to go astray;
By Thy look of love directed,
May they walk the narrow way;
Thus direct them, and protect them,
Lest they fall an easy prey.

Let Thy holy Word instruct them:
Fill their minds with heav'nly light;
Let Thy love and grace constrain them,
To approve whate'er is right,
Take Thine easy yoke and wear it,
And to prove Thy burden light.

Cleanse their hearts from sinful folly
In the stream Thy love supplied;
Mingled streams of blood and water
Flowing from Thy wounded side;
And to heav'nly pastures lead them,
Where Thine own still waters glide.

by Jane Leeson, 1842

The God of Grace

2006-02-28T14:02:00.000-05:00

I was reading, praying and preparing for my sermon this morning and came across the following prayer in "The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions." If you have not gotten your hands on this collection of prayers I encourage you to do so -- it's incredible. We are using part of the following prayer as our preparation for worship this Sunday, but I thought you would benefit from reading the entire prayer.

O God of grace,
Teach me to know that grace precedes, accompanies,
and follows my salvation; that it sustains the redeemed soul,
that not one link of its chain can ever break!

From Calvary's cross, wave upon wave of grace . . .
reaches me,
deals with my sin,
washes me clean,
renews my heart,
strengthens my will,
draws out my affection,
kindles a flame in my soul,
rules throughout my inner man,
consecrates my every thought, word, work,
teaches me Your immeasurable love.

How great are my privileges in Christ Jesus!
Without Him I stand far off, a stranger, an outcast.
In Him I draw near and touch His kingly scepter!
Without Him I dare not lift up my guilty eyes.
In Him I gaze upon my Father-God and friend!
Without Him I hide my lips in trembling shame.
In Him I open my mouth in petition and praise!
Without Him all is wrath and consuming fire.
In Him is all love, and the repose of my soul!
Without Him is gaping hell below me, and eternal anguish.
In Him its gates are barred to me by His precious blood!
Without Him darkness spreads its horrors before me.
In Him an eternity of glory is my boundless horizon!
Without Him all within me is terror and dismay.
In Him every accusation is charmed into joy and peace!
Praise be to You for grace, and for the unspeakable gift of Jesus!
"The Valley of Vision" is published by The Banner of Truth.

The Epitome of Sad

2006-02-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

Justin Taylor posted the following yesterday on his blog:

This has to be one of the saddest stories I've read in a while. The BBC reports that a woman in Scotland sought to abort her twins. Unbeknownst to the mother or to the doctors, one of the babies survived the attempted murder. So now the mother is suing the hospital for compensation, seeking damages for the "financial burden" of raising the child.

"I have got a child now that I wasn't planning to have and I believe the hospital should take some responsibility for that," she said.

"They should have known, or at least warned me, that I might still be pregnant when I left. It has totally changed my life and my parents' lives.

(My emphasis.)

"I still don't know if, or what, I am going to tell Jayde when the time comes. Maybe when she is nine or 10 I will sit her down and explain it to her."

Try to imagine that conversation. Then weep at the depravity. Then realize that we would act in such a murderous, self-centered way but for the grace of God. May we cling to the cross, and cry out to God for both mercy and justice. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

I agree.

Piper on Not Wasting Your Cancer

2006-02-15T15:27:00.000-05:00

"Cancer is meant to waken us to the reality of God. It is meant to put feeling and force behind the command, 'Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord'(Hosea 6:3). "
-- John Piper

This quote is from an article that Piper wrote on the eve of his cancer surgery. You can read the entire article here.

Keller on Becoming a Christian

2006-02-15T15:16:00.000-05:00

"We are not converted by faith in God in general or a spiritual experience of some vague sort or by subscribing to doctrinal truth in general. We are converted, spiritually reborn, when (a) we hear the work of Christ expounded to us, so that (b) we are awakened and convicted that we have been seeking to complete ourselves through our own work, so we (c) transfer our trust from our works to Christ's work." -- Tim Keller

Out of My Bondage (Jesus, I Come)

2006-02-09T14:59:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday we discussed briefly the fact that Jesus’ healing ministry ultimately served the purpose of revealing to people that He possessed the power to meet their eternal needs as well as their earthly needs. Our greatest need is that we are sinners who need a Savior -- and our broken bodies, relationships, finances, etc. serve to remind us of that fact.

We sang a hymn a few weeks that expresses the rescuing nature of Christ’s saving work. This hymn was written in 1887 by W.T. Sleeper -- it is still true today.

Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus, I come; Jesus I come.
Into Thy freedom, gladness and light, Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my wanting and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself, Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of my shameful failure and loss, Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross, Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress into jubilant psalm, Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of unrest and arrogant pride, Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into Thy blessed will to abide, Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward forever on wings like a dove, Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of the fear and dread of the tomb, Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the joy and light of Thy home, Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold, Jesus, I come to Thee.

May we all run to Jesus!

Luke, The Young One

2006-02-07T16:56:00.000-05:00

Here is Luke -- not content to let his big brother get all the attention.
Luke will be 8 weeks old tomorrow.
I'm very curious to see what his personality will turn out like but, there is one thing we know -- HE IS CUTE! (and I am biased!)

Andrew, The Clean One

2006-02-07T15:54:00.000-05:00

This is Andrew. Andrew is 22 months old. Andrew loves to be clean.

Andrew cannot stand to have anything on his hands (except ketchup & chocolate, which he likes to lick off) or his clothes or the table around his plate... Sometimes I wish that he would just go jump in a mud puddle (and I know the day is coming when I will probably beg him to be clean). Sometimes I call him "little Monk"!

As much as Andrew loves to be clean, lately he has not been enjoying actually taking a bath. Oh, he loves getting in the tub and playing in the water. It's the scrubbing part that he actually has come to dislike. Andrew loves the appearance of being clean, but the process to get there is what seems unpleasant at times.

I am like that as well. I love the appearance of holiness and I am really good at appearing holy on the outside. While I long to be really clean I hate going through the process of getting there. Being holy often means giving up things that I would like to hang on to (even though I know better). Being holy means admitting that I have messed up, offended people, done stupid stuff or hurt those that I love.

When God moves me through the process of being made clean it means having to admit that I am dirty. That is not pleasant, but it is necessary. Without acknowledging the need for cleansing and submitting myself to being made clean, I will never get there. The good news is that God is committed to my holiness -- to the point that He sent His Son to be holy for me and to become dirty for me, so that I could be found clean.
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"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." -- Matthew 23:25-28 (ESV)

Piper Books for FREE!!!

2006-01-30T23:38:00.000-05:00

You probably know by now that John Piper is my favorite author.
Many of his books are available on-line for free! You can read them here.
I would recommend starting with Desiring God, although Don't Waste Your Life is an easier (and shorter) read.
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I personally like to have a book in my hands as I read. It is easier on my eyes and I take notes and write comments in the margins and all over the page. Al Mohler writes in this post at the TFG blog that we need to "learn to have a conversation with the book, pen in hand." I agree -- it helps me learn!

Listening to the Word

2006-01-30T23:05:00.000-05:00

If you like to LISTEN to the Bible, you can now listen to the English Standard Version online for free.

You can follow this link to go to the ESV search page to look up a portion of Scripture.
You need to set up your computer to play the audio by clicking on the options link at the top right and then choosing either "flash" or "MP3" as your audio format. (Flash worked better for me.) Once you save your preference you can search a passage and a "listen" link will appear next to the chapter title. Click that and wait a few seconds and the reading will commence.

This is helpful to me as I have returned to trying to regularly and purposefully memorize Scripture. Hearing Max McLean read the passage seems to help me -- but not as much as me reading it myself out loud over and over :-)

Also, I received my Scripture memory "Fighter Verses" from Desiring God today and I am looking forward to trying something fresh. During college I started writing verses on index cards -- and since then I have changed the version of the Bible that I read and NOT been faithful to review and add verses regularly over the years. I am excited about spending time each day purposefully memorizing Scripture -- I hope you are joining me!

If you are intereseted in the plan I am using, stop by the office sometime (call first, in case I'm "out") and I'll show you my Fighter Verses pack so you'll know what you are getting into before you fork out $12.00 for the verse pack. You may decide that you just want to get the list of verses (which you can find here) and write them on your own index cards (which is not a bad idea).

Memorizing Scripture to Fight Temptation

2006-01-21T22:51:00.000-05:00

On Sunday the sermon is from Matthew 4 on the temptation of Jesus. We are going to see that Christ's tool in fighting off temptation was Scripture. We are going to see that for us to fight temptation successfully we need to find ourselves treasuring Christ and loving the Word of God.
In light of that, I want to encourage you to start memorizing the Word of God.
Here are some tools that are available for you:

The Navigator's Topical Memory System may be the most widely used plan.
John Piper has a great sermon on why Scripture memory is important.
Piper's Fighter Verse Memorization Plan is a great tool that you can buy for you or your children.
Sovereign Grace Ministries has a plan that is useful for kids from age 2 through adults.
Bible.org has a list of verses on different topics that would be great to memorize.

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Psalm 119:9-16 (ESV)

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

The Unchanging Gospel

2006-01-18T17:29:00.000-05:00

This morning in our 6:15 men's study we discussed the fact that God never changes. At the 11:00 study we are studying Paul's Letter to the Galatians. As Paul writes in this letter about the one true gospel, I started thinking about how the unchanging nature of God is revealed in the unchanging message of the gospel! The gospel is good news, but it is not new news. God has been faithful to preserve the good news that He provides salvation throughout the earth's history -- and it remains good news today. The previous post contains a quote from Martin Luther from his Commentary on Galatians. This commentary was first published almost 500 years ago in 1535, yet it still has an impact on Christians around the world today. Why? Because Luther faithfully and clearly explains the gospel of Jesus Christ -- and that never becomes irrelevant. I highly recommend that you read old books. They remind us of the fact that the truth never changes.

Good News from Martin Luther

2006-01-18T17:13:00.000-05:00

Martin Luther from his Commentary on Galatians:

Although I am a sinner by the law and under condemnation of the law, yet I despair not, yet I die not, because Christ lives, who is both my righteousness and my everlasting life. In that righteousness and life I have no sin, no fear, no sting of conscience, no care of death. I am indeed a sinner as touching this present life, and the righteousness thereof, as a child of Adam. But I have another righteousness and life, above this life, which is Christ the Son of God, who knows no sin, no death, but is righteousness and life eternal; by whom this my body, being dead and brought to dust, shall be raised up again, and delivered from the bondage of the law and sin, and shall be sanctified together with my spirit.

THAT gets to the heart of the gospel! Only in grasping the Gospel with all our being do we find true freedom to be what God has made us to be. Only in treasuring Christ above all things do we find true freedom from the fear of death and hope for our broken lives. The gospel is good news!

Meditating on Psalm 2

2006-01-09T16:38:00.000-05:00

John Piper's "Fresh Words" this week is a meditation on one of my favorite passages. Psalm 2:11-12 says:

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Piper says:

Outside of GodÂs care there is only wrath. But there is a refuge from the wrath of God, namely, God. The safest place from the wrath of GodÂthe only safe placeÂis God. Come to God. Take refuge in God. Hide in the shadow of his wings. This is where we live and serve with joyful trembling.

You can read the entire meditation HERE. You can also click a link on the top right corner of that page to have his weekly article e-mailed to you!

Also, pray for John Piper. He found out this week that he has prostate cancer. He wrote a very enlightening letter to his church that gives great insight on how to deal with personal tragedy. You can read the letter HERE.

We Should Pray For Them Too

2006-01-06T22:06:00.000-05:00

I first saw this photo on The Officer's Club through conservative columnist Michelle Malkin. Yes, it is a picture of Airmen and Soldiers taking a moment to pray for each other's safety before heading out for another day of convoy duty in Iraq.
Note: Links provided on this page does not mean that I or WPC endorse all of the content of those pages.

A Great Answer To What Is, Sadly, A Common Question...

2006-01-05T22:19:00.000-05:00

Philip Ryken, the pastor of Tenth Presbyterian in Philadelphia, writing over at Reformation 21, answers the question, "What, in hell, has God ever done for us?":

Like many Americans, I have been watching with keen interest as the tragic events have unfolded at the Sago mine in West Virginia. Miner family member John Casto has been widely reported as saying that after the first report (12 miners were alive), people at Sago Baptist Church "were praising God," but after the second report (12 miners were dead), "they were cursing." As I heard these words, I couldn't help but think of Job, who had praise to give both when God gave and when God took away (Job 1:21).

One television report was more explicit about the cursing. Apparently, when the worst of all news had come, the pastor of the church told people to keep looking to God. But one man shouted, "What in hell has God ever done for us?"

The question is well worth pondering: What, in hell, has God ever done for us?

The answer, of course, is that in Christ, God himself has suffered the hellish agonies of the cross. We believe that Jesus descended into hell. That is to say, we believe that on the cross Jesus suffered the full fury of divine wrath and the utter despair of being separated from his Father's love -- the very essence of hell.

What, in hell, has God ever done for us? He has suffered the full penalty that our sins deserve. And now, having been to hell and back for us, Jesus has the empathy of grace to give every grieving, anguished, and enraged person who has lost what they love in life. There are some people in West Virginia who know this, and some who don't, and we should keep them all in our prayers.

An Old Scottish Preacher Says...

2006-01-04T17:15:00.000-05:00

As I was working on the sermon for this week, I came across the following quote from Horatius Bonar:
"If we would be holy, we must get to the cross, and dwell there."
This is our only hope! We must run to the cross if we are to have any hope of personal holiness. I am studying the book of Galatians with some guys on Wednesday morning and we talked about this truth today. There is no hope to be found in trying to please God apart from the work of Christ on the cross! May we all make our dwelling at the cross!
The quote above is from chapter 3 of God's Way of Holiness.

Read Through The Bible This Year

2006-01-03T15:15:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone is having a great and happy New Year!
I am hoping to read through the entire Bible this year and thought some of you might want to join me. I know that you are already 2 days behind, but 7 chapters is not too much to catch up – and Genesis is pretty easy reading!
There are a few different plans available to help you read through the Bible in a year. I am following this plan. I get an email every morning letting me know what passage to read for the day and a link to a webpage where I can read the passage on-line. (You can sign up for the daily email at the bottom of that page.)
If you want a plan that you can print out and carry with you -- there are three different plans available from NavPress -- you can find them here.
FYI: Please note that the plan I am using this year follows a chronological path rather than a chapter-by-chapter sequence.

St. Augustine on Christmas

2005-12-25T22:08:00.000-05:00

Dr. Albert Mohler posted this quote from one of St. Augustine's Christmas sermons. It encouraged me, so I thought I would share it with you! Merry Christmas!

He, through whom time was made, was made in time; and He, older by eternity than the world itself, was younger in age than many of His servants in the world; He, who made man, was made man; He was given existence by a mother whom He brought into existence; He was carried in hands which He formed; He nursed at breasts which He filled; He cried like a babe in the manger in speechless infancy -- this Word without which human eloquence is speechless!

Understanding Bible Translation

2005-12-23T21:49:00.000-05:00

A few people have asked questions about why some Bible traslations are better than others. Here is a short and easy to read article on understanding Bible translations -- Moving through the Maze: Understanding Bible Translation. Let me know what you think.

Andrew loves his little brother!

2005-12-23T17:52:00.000-05:00

Some of you have asked for more pictures!
You can check out The McGinnis Message for more!

Christmas Weekend News

2005-12-23T17:04:00.000-05:00

I wanted to remind you that we are having two worship services this weekend to celebrate the birth of our Savior. I hope you can join us at both of these services!

On Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. we are having a joint Christmas Eve service with St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. We will be meeting in their sanctuary at 4980 Hancock Rd. (Click here if you need a map.)
On Sunday morning we will worship in our sanctuary at 2303 Double Churches Road. (Map is here.) We will begin our worship service at 10:30 a.m.

Christmas Thoughts

2005-12-23T16:10:00.000-05:00

Today in the comic strip B.C., Johnny Hart defines "Yuletide" as "the tsunami of the Christ." In many ways he is right. As we celebrate Christmas, may these passages encourage us to allow Christ to flood our hearts with His glory and grace:

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. -- Isaiah 40:11

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." -- Matthew 1:21

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. -- John 1:14

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. -- John 3:16-17

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. -- John 12:46

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. -- I John 4:9

Merry Christmas!
All Scripture on this site is from the English Standard Version of the Bible.

Luke's First Pic

2005-12-14T23:19:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, December 14th

6:50 pm

8 lbs. 6 oz.

20-3/4 inches

Making Sense of Narnia

2005-12-12T15:05:00.000-05:00

Polly Toynbee, in the UK Guardian, reviews "The Chronicles of Narnia." See her complete review here. Ms. Toynbee thinks the movie is OK, but thinks that "unbelievers should keep a sickbag handy" because the Christianity of C.S. Lewis represented therein will make one sick.

Here are two quotes from Ms. Toynbee regarding Christianity:

Of all the elements of Christianity, the most repugnant is the notion of the Christ who took our sins upon himself and sacrificed his body in agony to save our souls. Did we ask him to?

Without an Aslan, there is no one here but ourselves to suffer for our sins, no one to redeem us but ourselves: we are obliged to settle our own disputes and do what we can. We need no holy guide books, only a very human moral compass. Everyone needs ghosts, spirits, marvels and poetic imaginings, but we can do well without an Aslan.

(If you are not familiar with the world of Narnia -- Aslan, a lion who represents Christ, lays down his life so that sins might be forgiven and then miraculously rises from the dead to defeat the White Witch, representing Satan. )

Ms. Toynbee cannot image a world where she might NEED a savior. I do know a world where I need a savior -- and so does Ms. Toynbee and everyone who has walked on this earth, other than Christ. Ms. Toynbee is offended that Christ did not ask her permission to die for her sins. One of the beauties of the Gospel is that Christ did not wait for our permission, but "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

In the second quote above, Ms. Toynbee is right that without Aslan ("Christ") "there is no one here but ourselves to suffer for our sins, no one to redeem us but ourselves." That is a burden that we cannot carry -- thankfully, Christ has paid the price for our sins as we are told in Romans 8:1-4:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (ESV)

Ms. Toynbee, none of us have any hope without "Aslan." Christ is the only hope for sinners who need a Savior. My prayer is that we all might see our own sinfulness and our need of a Savior! May God open our eyes so that we hunger and thirst for His mercy and love and might treasure Christ above all things.

I Was Wrong

2005-12-07T18:00:00.001-05:00

Sunday, during my sermon, I mentioned that Mary is to be "adored" by us, yet not worshipped by us. I got the first half of that one wrong. To adore is to worship -- those two things are the same. I think it is appropriate that we respect and admire Mary and see her as a role model because of her faith. Remember, though, that when we look to the actions and life of Mary we should be moved to worship and adore God, who chose her and gave her the faith to trust Him in the most unusual of circumstances.

Wanting to Help A Soldier?

2005-12-06T22:58:00.000-05:00

Looking to send support to a soldier in harm's way but not sure of what to send, who to send it to, or how to send it? Check out this website.

Praying In A Time Of War

2005-12-05T10:12:00.000-05:00

As I was thinking about the worship service yesterday, I decided that I should seek advice on how to pray for the military more effectively, especially in a time of war. John Piper offers the following thoughts:

Paul teaches us to pray for peace among nations for the sake of the gospel...It is not our business to decide the sovereign purpose of God in ordaining that some wars happen. Our business is to pray that justice, peace, and the proclamation of the gospel prevail.

As we pray for the military I think it is also appropriate that we pray for the safety of the soldiers, the stability of their families and that God would use world events and even wars for the advancement of the gospel and His own glory throughout all the world.

I know that many of you are in the military, have served, or have family that serve or did serve. I would love to hear your thoughts on how we should offer Gospel-saturated, God-honoring prayers to God for the military in times such as these.

Are we countercultural?

2005-12-01T11:20:00.000-05:00

On Tim Keller's new blog he is reflecting on Jeremiah Chapter 32. He quotes Phil Ryken:

“Do you have the faith to act on God’s promises, even if some of them will not be fulfilled until the end of history? Jeremiah…made a major life decision based on what God promised to do seven decades later….Some Christians move into the city. On purpose. Some Christians feed the homeless or tutor…Some Christians reach across ethnic and economic barriers to form friendships….Some Christians give away 10 percent of their income—or more….All these behaviors seem strange to the pagan mind. The strongest countercultural movement in twenty-first century America will be the church of Jesus Christ.” (Courage to Stand, p.159-160)

I hope and trust that God will give us the faith and courage to be countercultural!
Tim Keller is the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

2005-11-28T17:11:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We were able to travel down to Thomasville and visit with Jawan's family. She goes back to the doctor tomorrow for her, now weekly, check-up to see if she is progressing toward labor. We will let you know if anything starts happening -- but I think that we are still a few weeks away from having the baby.
On the PCA Web Magazine (byFaith Online) there is a Thanksgiving sermon from a few years ago by John Piper. Here's a snippet, but it is worth the few minutes that it takes to read through the entire text (click here):

Proud people don't say thanks. But people who believe these three truths do, from the bottom of their heart. The truth that we are utterly dependent creatures. The truth that we are depraved sinners. And the truth that we are redeemed and utterly forgiven through contrite faith. If these three truths penetrate to your heart this morning they will empty your heart of pride and fill it with thankfulness to God.

I am thankful that I get the privilege of being your pastor!

So, What Is A Blog?

2005-11-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

Some of you have asked the above question, so here is some info. "Blog" is short for "Weblog" which is "internet-speak" meaning "an online journal." Are there enough "" in that sentence for you? :)
Here are a few things to notice about this "blog":

If you click on a dark red word or phrase you will be taken to another web page containing information about that subject. For example, if you click on the following word, Blog, you will be taken to an online encyclopedia that explains that term in detail. If you click on the title to this book, Desiring God, you will be taken to a page where you can order the book.
On the right side of this page you should see a list of "links." If you click on one of those you will be taken to the webpage for that ministry, an online bible, etc.
If you click on the word "comment" below each "post" you can add your thoughts or comments for everyone to see by following the directions on the page that comes up when you click that link.
If you have private comments you can always send me an email by clicking here: Mitch.
Also, the reason you have to type in all those jumbled letters to leave a comment is because people have created computer programs which automatically go to blogs and leave comments which are not always "wholesome." So, it's worth the trouble!

Praying for Your Pastor

2005-11-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

I am reading The Heart of a Servant Leader. This is a book of letters that Jack Miller, the late pastor and founder of World Harvest Mission, wrote to fellow ministers and missionaries over many years. It is very encouraging and I recommend it highly.

Today I came across this passage:

Basically I am convinced that men who do not make praying their first priority in life and ministry should not preach or pastor. As preachers they will be confusing models of a Christian man, and as shepherds they will not show willingness to die for the sheep. Their spirit will inevitably drift in the wrong direction... I do think the chief thing in effective ministry -- as a total endeavor -- is the presence of the Spirit in the man -- changing him through the gospel, breaking down our idols, and building us into the glorious image of Christ.

I need your prayers. Please pray that I will be a man of prayer and that I will be overwhelmed with the greatness of the Gospel in my own soul, so that I might be empowered to lead you to the same end, that God might be glorified in all that we do and that Christ might be treasured above all things!

Thoughts on Worship

2005-11-21T10:42:00.000-05:00

I was extremely encouraged by the worship service yesterday. I was nervous about not having a piano player and the concept of singing without accompaniment, but I had been praying that it would be a refreshing time for us. It was refreshing!
I long to have accompaniment -- I do think that it adds to the worship service! At the same time, I think that God uses occasions such as this to remind us that it is not the excellence of the different elements of worship that make us successful worshippers (although we should always strive for excellence in every way). The success of worship depends upon the Spirit of God ministering to us as we gather together in His name. He has promised to be there when we meet in His name and He is faithful!
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Although I think the service went well yesterday, we are still in need of a piano player who can serve us by playing every week. Please pray that God will provide someone soon and keep thinking about people you know who might help us out in this area.

A Prayer For Thanksgiving

2005-11-16T10:15:00.000-05:00

As we approach Thanksgiving and focus our thoughts on being thankful to God in all situations and circumstances, this prayer from The Valley Of Vision should prove helpful!

Praise and Thanksgiving

O my God, Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects,
my heart admires, adores, loves thee,
for my little vessel is as full as it can be,
and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow.
When I think upon and converse with thee
ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,
ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,
ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,
crowding into every moment of happiness.
I bless thee for the soul thou hast created,
for adorning it, sanctifying it,
though it is fixed in barren soil;
for the body thou hast given me,
for preserving its strength and vigour,
for providing senses to enjoy delights,
for the ease and freedom of my limbs,
for hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding;
for thy royal bounty providing my daily support,
for a full table and overflowing cup,
for appetite, taste, sweetness,
for social joys of relatives and friends,
for ability to serve others,
for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,
for a mind to care for my fellow-men,
for opportunities of spreading happiness around,
for loved ones in the joys of heaven,
for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly.
I love thee above the powers of language to express,
for what thou art to thy creatures.
Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.

The Valley of Vision is published by The Banner of Truth.

Cultural Impact

2005-11-14T16:41:00.000-05:00

I saw this article by Gene Edwad Veith in a recent issue of World Magazine. I thought that it was relevant to us in light of Sunday's sermon on how as Christians we should fill our minds with thoughts that bring glory to God.

I thought this quote (and comment) was particularly interesting:

Mr. (Jonathan) Bock quotes Disney mogul Michael Eisner: "We have no obligation to make art. We have no obligation to make a statement. To make money is our only objective." If this is true, Christians can use the power of the marketplace to influence the marketplace of ideas.

Worship This Sunday

2005-11-09T18:43:00.000-05:00

As I am preparing for worship this Sunday, I thought I would let you in on what I am thinking as I plan the worship service. My prayer is also that as you read this you will prayerfully prepare yourself for the worship of our Lord this week, contemplating the different elements of worship and how they are designed to draw you into a conversation with God.

We always start with a few minutes to prepare our hearts for worship. This week we are using part of a prayer from "The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers." The prayer is an acknowledgement of our sinfulness and ends with the line: "Keep me always clinging to thy cross!" Let that be your prayer as you enter worship this Sunday and everyday!

The Call To Worship is a Scriptural invitation from God Himself to come and worship Him. This week our Call is from Isaiah 55:1. It is especially relevant this week as God reminds us on Communion Sunday that it is not those who have worldly wealth who come to the table to purchase salvation. The ones who find fulfillment at the Lord's Table are those who have already been purchased by Christ at the cross.

The Hymns and Praise Songs help us relive the story of our salvation. This week we sing "Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy" being reminded that it is God who invites us and that we are not worthy of His love. We will then sing a prayer: "Change My Heart, O God." That chorus is followed by another proclaiming the supernatural longing of a changed heart in "Come, Let Us Worship and Bow Down."

Our Confession of Faith this week comes from the first question of two different sources. The Westminster Shorter Catechism reminds us that are chief end is to "glorify God and enjoy Him forever" and the Heidelberg Catechism reminds us that our only hope in life and death is that we belong in all our being to Jesus Christ. We will follow our confession by confessing in song that Christ is the "Rock of Ages," the anchor for our hope at all times.

Our Pastoral Prayer this week will focus on confession as we prepare for Communion and we will also spend a few moments praying for Christians around the world that are being persecuted as this Sunday is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

The Sermon this week is from Philippians 4:8-9 where we will see that we should be consumed with thinking about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and praiseworthy. We will see that the one thing in the universe that fits that description is God. Our goal should be to have thoughts that never fall short of His glory. Of course we will see that we are to rely completely on His grace and mercy for acceptance and forgiveness when we fall short of this goal.

We will celebrate Communion together, feeding on Christ by faith and celebrating that Christ has taken our sins upon Himself and given us His righteousness!

We will end the service singing "Nothing But The Blood" where we express in song the truth that is contained in the sacrament -- that nothing outside of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins brings reconciliation between God and man.

The benediction that always closes our service is God's blessing to us from His Word as we depart to worship Him in all of life.

I look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday and hope that this helps you to grow in grace and to prepare for worship.

I love being your pastor.

This Saturday Night

2005-11-03T21:35:00.000-05:00

Often we talk about loving our neighbors and being "one" with Christians around the world. This Saturday night we have a great opportunity to put our words into action -- very easily. This Saturday at 6:30 p.m. we will share a meal and a time of worship with the Spanish congregation that meets in our building each week. Just by showing up we will communicate to them that they are valuable to us as brothers and sisters in Christ. Many of the people that attend the service each Saturday night speak little or no English, so there may be communication difficulties and other social barriers to getting to know one another, which is why just being present will speak volumes to these brothers and sisters in Christ. A large portion of this group drive all the way from Eufaula to worship with like-minded believers!
I believe that God may use this evening to expand our vision for ministry in Columbus and around the world as we get to meet with and worship alongside believers who don't share our culture or language yet worship God with the same passion and fervor with which we worship!
My hope is that you will attend this Saturday evening and that you will come prayerfully expecting God to call us to repentance and deeper faith because of this time in fellowship and worship with our Spanish speaking brothers and sisters in Christ!
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"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands," -- Revelation 7:9 (ESV)

A Quote from Martin Luther

2005-11-01T16:42:00.000-05:00

"God’s true nature is to love people who are troubled, have mercy on those who are broken-hearted, forgive those who have fallen, and refresh those who are exhausted. (The Gospel) calls us to trust in God’s mercy and goodness alone. It encourages us to believe that God is on our side even when we feel abandoned and distressed." -- Martin Luther, By Faith Alone.

(This quote came to me through "Graced Again" -- you can visit them at www.gracedagain.com)

Broken Hearts

2005-11-01T14:49:00.000-05:00

During Sunday School a few days ago I illustrated a point by mentioning (in a very unclear & possibly careless manner) that parents are able to help their teenagers gain perspectives on a broken heart because we have been there and seen that in the broad scheme of life these broken hearts are not as bad as they seem at the time. Because I did not share my thoughts clearly, I wanted to share some of my thoughts on experiencing a broken heart...

Broken hearts hurt. As we go through life there are many times where our hearts will be broken. The occasion might be the death of someone close to us, the death of a relationship, the loss of a job or genuine disappointment in life itself.
God cares about our broken hearts and desires to heal us. Therefore, we should comfort those around us who are brokenhearted. The fact that Jesus died on the cross means that our failures (or the failures of relationships, jobs, etc.) are not fatal and we must be hopegivers, reminding people (including ourselves) that the Gospel is true.
Broken hearts take time to heal. We must allow ourselves time to grieve over the pains that cause our hearts to break. We must remember, though, that it is God who heals our hearts. He may use other relationships, other jobs, etc. but ultimately we must trust that God will heal our broken hearts.
Every relationship we go into may ultimately result in our hearts being broken, but we must trust that God will protect us and that if we are hurt, that our pain will not be fatal.

Finally, we should point people to the Gospel as the only hope for broken hearts. The Gospel is true and it offers rescue from a broken world (and broken hearts) through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why a blog?

2005-11-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

My prayer for this blog is that I will be able to provide encouragement, teaching and information for the people of Westminster Presbyterian Church. As I study, read and pray I'll be sharing things with you that will hopefully provide you insight into the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how you can apply it to your lives on a daily basis. Please let me know what you think would be most useful for you in this space. ENJOY!