Saturday, March 29, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Heat Retreat 2008 Promo Video
One of the highlights of our summer is always the Heat Retreat. This year's Heat Retreat takes place, August 1-3 at Lake Beauty Bible Camp. Incredible speakers, great music, wake boarding, water skiing, and more make this a weekend you won't want to miss. For more information give Wooddale Student Ministries a call at (952) 944-8360.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
He Is Risen!
I wrote this poem last Easter, and posted it on this blog. I thought I'd re-post it today.
He Is Risen!
Have you heard the news?
In the middle of life's chaos
In the wars and rumors of wars
In the hustle and bustle of life on the street
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Have you heard the news?
In the family crisis
and school crisis
In the workplace struggle
and neighborhood squabble
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Have you heard the news?
In the homeless' plight
and widow’s tears
In the aged's pain
and the young person's indifference
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Have you heard the news?
In Hollywood's self absorption
and Bollywood's worldly fortune
In palaces and shantytowns
and everywhere in between
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Have you heard the news?
In the secret places of your heart
and mine
In the public faces on you and me
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
No scholar or skeptic
No pastor or priest
No celebrity or star
No scientist or Atheist
No billionaire or pauper
No discovery or philosophy
No greed or philanthropy
No government or institution
No TV special or blockbuster movie
No book or periodical
No diversion or distraction
No boy or girl
No man or woman
Can stop the news
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
He is Risen, Indeed!
He Is Risen!
Have you heard the news?
In the middle of life's chaos
In the wars and rumors of wars
In the hustle and bustle of life on the street
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Have you heard the news?
In the family crisis
and school crisis
In the workplace struggle
and neighborhood squabble
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Have you heard the news?
In the homeless' plight
and widow’s tears
In the aged's pain
and the young person's indifference
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Have you heard the news?
In Hollywood's self absorption
and Bollywood's worldly fortune
In palaces and shantytowns
and everywhere in between
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Have you heard the news?
In the secret places of your heart
and mine
In the public faces on you and me
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
No scholar or skeptic
No pastor or priest
No celebrity or star
No scientist or Atheist
No billionaire or pauper
No discovery or philosophy
No greed or philanthropy
No government or institution
No TV special or blockbuster movie
No book or periodical
No diversion or distraction
No boy or girl
No man or woman
Can stop the news
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
He is Risen, Indeed!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Greater Things Have Yet to Come!
I love the song, God of This City. It was originally written by the band, Bluetree. Bluetree is from Belfast, and when you consider the turmoil that Belfast has been under for years, this is a beautiful song. It's also a beautiful song in light of the resurrection. As you celebrate Easter, celebrate the God who makes the truth of this song possible.
Friday, March 21, 2008
The Wooddale Spirit Squad!
Two night's ago, my son, Chris was part of dance presentation, that frankly, blew everyone in attendance away! Here is the video:
2008 Mission Trip Promo Video
Check out this 30-second promotional video for our 2008 Operation Central America and Chicago Urban Mission Trips! I created it at www.animoto.com. It's a great web site that lets you upload pictures and pick music. It automatically generates the video and then lets you export it to Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, etc. This is a great resources for video announcements at church, your youth ministry, etc. Best of all, if you are just doing a 30-second promo video, the service is FREE! Don't you love free stuff?
Monday, March 17, 2008
Holy Week Awe
It's Holy Week.
This week we celebrate Jesus, His love, His sacrifice, His gift, His life. It's a week to look back on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Many of you marked Palm Sunday, yesterday, by going to church. You either gave or listened to sermons on Christ. At Wooddale we heard about the cross.
Years ago, when I was a child, I asked Jesus Christ to be my Savior on Easter Sunday. So, this week is always special to me. It not only commemorates the week that Jesus gave His life for all; but for me, the week that I gave my life to Him. At a summer camp, several years after that, I listened as Greg Speck, a youth evangelist told a story that helped me understand God's love. I told the story often, until a few years ago someone told me that it never really happened. I was told that it was a made up story, used by evangelists to move a crowd towards a decision for Christ.
Just recently, I have been told that the story that you are about to view on YouTube, did indeed take place. The year was 1937. The father's name was John Griffith and his son's name was Greg. Watch. Be prepared to cry. And, thank God, once again, for His love for you:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16
This week we celebrate Jesus, His love, His sacrifice, His gift, His life. It's a week to look back on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Many of you marked Palm Sunday, yesterday, by going to church. You either gave or listened to sermons on Christ. At Wooddale we heard about the cross.
Years ago, when I was a child, I asked Jesus Christ to be my Savior on Easter Sunday. So, this week is always special to me. It not only commemorates the week that Jesus gave His life for all; but for me, the week that I gave my life to Him. At a summer camp, several years after that, I listened as Greg Speck, a youth evangelist told a story that helped me understand God's love. I told the story often, until a few years ago someone told me that it never really happened. I was told that it was a made up story, used by evangelists to move a crowd towards a decision for Christ.
Just recently, I have been told that the story that you are about to view on YouTube, did indeed take place. The year was 1937. The father's name was John Griffith and his son's name was Greg. Watch. Be prepared to cry. And, thank God, once again, for His love for you:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16
Saturday, March 15, 2008
March Madness and Blake Hoffarber
Did you see the play last night?
The University of Minnesota, a heavy underdog against the University of Indiana, was done. I was listening to the game on my radio as I drove back from a church event. The last 30 seconds of the game must have taken up a good six minutes of my ride home. As I sat in the car I listened as announcers talked about how Minnesota had squandered a lead. The announcers couldn't believe the foolish errors that the Gophers had made. With 1.5 seconds left on the clock the announcers were talking about what could have been. And then said something like, "We'll see what Tubby (Smith, the coach of the Gophers) can draw up."
The coach drew a play up, but I'm sure that Tubby couldn't have imagined what would happen next.
Blake "The Minnesota Miracle" Hoffarber did it again. In 2005, while playing for Hopkins High School, Hoffarber helped his team win the State Championship game, by making a shot from the seat of his pants in the closing seconds of the first overtime. Maybe Tubby said something like, "Blake, you did it before. You can do it again. Son, you wanna make ESPN? You had the highlight of the year in 2005! You beat out all of those pro atheletes to get that award. Now, let's do it again! Make the shot! Get the ball to Blake, boys!"
It probably didn't go quite like that, but in case you missed it, here's what happened:
The University of Minnesota, a heavy underdog against the University of Indiana, was done. I was listening to the game on my radio as I drove back from a church event. The last 30 seconds of the game must have taken up a good six minutes of my ride home. As I sat in the car I listened as announcers talked about how Minnesota had squandered a lead. The announcers couldn't believe the foolish errors that the Gophers had made. With 1.5 seconds left on the clock the announcers were talking about what could have been. And then said something like, "We'll see what Tubby (Smith, the coach of the Gophers) can draw up."
The coach drew a play up, but I'm sure that Tubby couldn't have imagined what would happen next.
Blake "The Minnesota Miracle" Hoffarber did it again. In 2005, while playing for Hopkins High School, Hoffarber helped his team win the State Championship game, by making a shot from the seat of his pants in the closing seconds of the first overtime. Maybe Tubby said something like, "Blake, you did it before. You can do it again. Son, you wanna make ESPN? You had the highlight of the year in 2005! You beat out all of those pro atheletes to get that award. Now, let's do it again! Make the shot! Get the ball to Blake, boys!"
It probably didn't go quite like that, but in case you missed it, here's what happened:
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
I Went to the Dentist Today
I went to the dentist today and was fitted for my second crown in a month. While in the chair I was told that the tooth next to my tooth getting the crown would probably also need one. I was also told that I'd need to get a filling on another tooth. Ugh! I hate going to the dentist.
At staff break today I was talking about my dental woes, when another pastor told me about a video that he had seen on the news recently. It was of a politician passionately arguing his point and his teeth falling out. I'm not sure if this is the video, but when I saw this it made me laugh. I'm hoping this will never be me:
At staff break today I was talking about my dental woes, when another pastor told me about a video that he had seen on the news recently. It was of a politician passionately arguing his point and his teeth falling out. I'm not sure if this is the video, but when I saw this it made me laugh. I'm hoping this will never be me:
What Jesus' Desert Temptation Teaches Us
Matthew 4:8-11 - Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor."All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
It had been 40 intense days of testing. Jesus must have been starving. He had been without food for 40 days and nights. He was lonely. In the desert without any company but the devil. And, the devil was doing all that he could to tempt God.
In a last ditch attempt to distract Jesus, Satan offers Him the world. Upon showing Christ the kingdoms of the world and their splendor, Satan says, "All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me.'
Jesus responds with righteous indignation.
He begins by saying, "Away from me Satan!"
And, in the statement we learn something. Satan has to flee when Christ commands him to. There is no fight left in Satan after Christ defeats him again. Satan thought he had Jesus right where he wanted him. But, Jesus is God. He cannot be tempted. He cannot sin. He cannot fail a test. He is all powerful. And, Satan is not.
Jesus continues His rebuke of Satan by quoting Scripture. He said, "For it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only'" (Deuteronomy 6:13). And, Christ teaches us another lesson. (He's already taught it twice in the temptation account.) The lesson is that Satan and temptation are defeated with the Word of God. When the tempter comes if we are not equipped with the Word of God, we will fall. My college chancellor was fond of saying, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." I would say that if we don't hold firm to the Word of God, we'll fall for anything.
The final thing I'd like you to notice from this passage is that spiritual warfare is draining. When Satan left, Jesus was attended to by angels. It's one of two places that you'll see that in the New Testament. You also see this happen when Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the Garden, Jesus was under extreme duress. He was actually sweating drops of blood. Modern doctors have speculated that Jesus was probably suffering from a rare and deadly condition brought on by the stress, and that if the angels had not have come and ministered to Him in the Garden that Christ might have actually died there.
I wonder if He was under similar stress here. If, at the beginning of His ministry, he was also close to death. He was, after all, without food for 40 days. He did engage in spiritual battle with the devil. He was isolated. Just as God sent angels to minister to His Son, so God provides strength for us when we go through spiritual battle. In the midst of the storm, it can seem overwhelming. We may feel like we are going to be swallowed up. But, God will bring strength. He will help us through the battle. He will equip you for every good work.
May you be given strength as you walk through your daily life.
Dear God,
Thank You for the example that Jesus set for us here. Thank You that we do not have a Savior who is unfamiliar with temptation and trial. Thank You that You set the example for how to defeat our enemy in a spiritual battle. Help us to be people of prayer and Your Word.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
It had been 40 intense days of testing. Jesus must have been starving. He had been without food for 40 days and nights. He was lonely. In the desert without any company but the devil. And, the devil was doing all that he could to tempt God.
In a last ditch attempt to distract Jesus, Satan offers Him the world. Upon showing Christ the kingdoms of the world and their splendor, Satan says, "All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me.'
Jesus responds with righteous indignation.
He begins by saying, "Away from me Satan!"
And, in the statement we learn something. Satan has to flee when Christ commands him to. There is no fight left in Satan after Christ defeats him again. Satan thought he had Jesus right where he wanted him. But, Jesus is God. He cannot be tempted. He cannot sin. He cannot fail a test. He is all powerful. And, Satan is not.
Jesus continues His rebuke of Satan by quoting Scripture. He said, "For it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only'" (Deuteronomy 6:13). And, Christ teaches us another lesson. (He's already taught it twice in the temptation account.) The lesson is that Satan and temptation are defeated with the Word of God. When the tempter comes if we are not equipped with the Word of God, we will fall. My college chancellor was fond of saying, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." I would say that if we don't hold firm to the Word of God, we'll fall for anything.
The final thing I'd like you to notice from this passage is that spiritual warfare is draining. When Satan left, Jesus was attended to by angels. It's one of two places that you'll see that in the New Testament. You also see this happen when Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the Garden, Jesus was under extreme duress. He was actually sweating drops of blood. Modern doctors have speculated that Jesus was probably suffering from a rare and deadly condition brought on by the stress, and that if the angels had not have come and ministered to Him in the Garden that Christ might have actually died there.
I wonder if He was under similar stress here. If, at the beginning of His ministry, he was also close to death. He was, after all, without food for 40 days. He did engage in spiritual battle with the devil. He was isolated. Just as God sent angels to minister to His Son, so God provides strength for us when we go through spiritual battle. In the midst of the storm, it can seem overwhelming. We may feel like we are going to be swallowed up. But, God will bring strength. He will help us through the battle. He will equip you for every good work.
May you be given strength as you walk through your daily life.
Dear God,
Thank You for the example that Jesus set for us here. Thank You that we do not have a Savior who is unfamiliar with temptation and trial. Thank You that You set the example for how to defeat our enemy in a spiritual battle. Help us to be people of prayer and Your Word.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
The State of Hockey
I live in Minnesota. We're known as The State of Hockey. This weekend's Minnesota State High School Association Boys Hockey Tournament (the state tourney) sold out the Excel Energy Center. That's the same facility that the Minnesota Wild sell out for every home game, and that the Republican National Convention will be at in a few months. Needless to say, Minnesotans are rabid about their hockey.
I was watching the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals game for a few minutes in my office this afternoon when this ad came on. I'm not sure if it gets a lot of national airplay, but it certainly describes the fans in the state that I've come to love.
Check it out.
I was watching the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals game for a few minutes in my office this afternoon when this ad came on. I'm not sure if it gets a lot of national airplay, but it certainly describes the fans in the state that I've come to love.
Check it out.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Deception
Matthew 4:5-7 - Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Deception. That is his character. He has been called the great deceiver, the father of lies, the accuser of the brethren. He is Satan. And, he is real. A 2001 poll.
poll of Christians in the United States revealed incredible ignorance on the part of believers as to the existence of a literal devil. From their findings: "While most of the sample American queried by Barna still affirmed God as the all-powerful Creator, a mere 17 percent of the Catholics, 18 percent Methodists, 20 percent Episcopalians, 21 percent Lutherans, and 22 percent of the Presbyterians told Barna that they thought Satan was real."
It looks like the father of lies has pulled the wool over the eyes of the church. To deny the existence of Satan is to reject the teachings of the Bible, and the very words of Jesus Christ. That is treading on dangerous territory! It makes me wonder if the narrow road that Jesus talked about in Matthew 7:13-14 is being missed by the majority of those claiming to know Christ. Here are Jesus' words from Matthew 7:13-14 ""Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
When Satan attempted to tempt Jesus for a second time in the desert, Jesus responded to Satan's deception with the truth. He told Satan not to put the Lord your God to the test. Are we guilty of that? Do we put God to the test? Do we respond to His benevolent grace by accepting only some of what Christ taught and rejecting those doctrines which seem harsh, too far out there, would cramp our style, or don't sound politically correct? When we do that, we've fallen for Satan's lies. We reject The Truth - God, for the deceiver - Satan. Satan has been deceiving his followers for a long time. He deceived 1/3 of the angels of heaven, before the creation of man. He deceived the first man and woman; Adam and Eve. He has deceived every person who has ever lived on the face of the earth. Every time we choose to sin, we have fallen for Satan's lie that we know better than God.
It's time to follow Christ's example and speak truth to Satan. Don't know how to start? Pick up the Bible. It is the very breath of God. In it's pages you'll find truth. And, just like Jesus, you'll be able to combat Satan's lies, with God's everlasting truth.
Dear God,
Thank You for giving us Your Word. In it's pages are contained wisdom for living. We desire to know You more. We desire to live for You. We desire to honor You. We desire to know and live by Your truth. Help us to recognize the deception that comes our way. And, help us to love those who have continue to chase after the darkness so that they can see You through us.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Deception. That is his character. He has been called the great deceiver, the father of lies, the accuser of the brethren. He is Satan. And, he is real. A 2001 poll.
poll of Christians in the United States revealed incredible ignorance on the part of believers as to the existence of a literal devil. From their findings: "While most of the sample American queried by Barna still affirmed God as the all-powerful Creator, a mere 17 percent of the Catholics, 18 percent Methodists, 20 percent Episcopalians, 21 percent Lutherans, and 22 percent of the Presbyterians told Barna that they thought Satan was real."
It looks like the father of lies has pulled the wool over the eyes of the church. To deny the existence of Satan is to reject the teachings of the Bible, and the very words of Jesus Christ. That is treading on dangerous territory! It makes me wonder if the narrow road that Jesus talked about in Matthew 7:13-14 is being missed by the majority of those claiming to know Christ. Here are Jesus' words from Matthew 7:13-14 ""Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
When Satan attempted to tempt Jesus for a second time in the desert, Jesus responded to Satan's deception with the truth. He told Satan not to put the Lord your God to the test. Are we guilty of that? Do we put God to the test? Do we respond to His benevolent grace by accepting only some of what Christ taught and rejecting those doctrines which seem harsh, too far out there, would cramp our style, or don't sound politically correct? When we do that, we've fallen for Satan's lies. We reject The Truth - God, for the deceiver - Satan. Satan has been deceiving his followers for a long time. He deceived 1/3 of the angels of heaven, before the creation of man. He deceived the first man and woman; Adam and Eve. He has deceived every person who has ever lived on the face of the earth. Every time we choose to sin, we have fallen for Satan's lie that we know better than God.
It's time to follow Christ's example and speak truth to Satan. Don't know how to start? Pick up the Bible. It is the very breath of God. In it's pages you'll find truth. And, just like Jesus, you'll be able to combat Satan's lies, with God's everlasting truth.
Dear God,
Thank You for giving us Your Word. In it's pages are contained wisdom for living. We desire to know You more. We desire to live for You. We desire to honor You. We desire to know and live by Your truth. Help us to recognize the deception that comes our way. And, help us to love those who have continue to chase after the darkness so that they can see You through us.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Expelled
I can't wait to see this film. Check out this video. It's well worth your time. Props to Ben Stein for this bold stance.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
What Are You Living On?
Matthew 4:4 - Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
I thought about calling today's devotional What Are You Living For, but decided that it would be more aptly named, What Are You Living On, because as Jesus' answered Satan, in Matthew 4:4, He addressed a timeless truth.
What is it that sustains you? Is it the bread that you eat? Sure, food is important, and if we don't eat, we die. But, Jesus rebukes Satan's first attempt at tempting Him by saying that man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
The theological imperative is that we cannot live apart from God's will. It is because of God that we have our breath. It is because of God that we have any food. It is because of God that we hope for today and strength for tomorrow. What are you living on? You are living on the words of God. The life giving, life transforming, life sustaining and precious words of God.
It's been awhile since I've written on here. I decided that it was important for me to take a little break from blogging. The last post indicate that I would be blogging on the words of Christ as found throughout the Bible. In these words I find something else interesting too. It's not so much the words as it is in who the words address. Jesus' audience in this verse is Satan. Satan's relationship with Christ goes way back. He was an angel that existed before the creation of man. Did you notice who heard the first words in the book of Matthew that Jesus spoke? Yes, it was John the Baptist, and those gathered at the Lake, but it was also God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. So, in these first two statements that Jesus makes in the New Testament you have present The Father, the Holy Spirit, Satan, Jesus' earthly cousin. In other words, those who knew Christ best, were there. Take away John, and you have those who existed before the creation of man. Take away John and Satan and you have the triune God; the eternally existent Trinity. And that Trinity sustains you. What are you living on? You are living on God. Now, glorify Him with your life.
Dear God,
Our lives are about You. We exist to glorify You. Help us to honor You with our lives. Thank You for allowing us to live another day. May our words bring glory to You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
I thought about calling today's devotional What Are You Living For, but decided that it would be more aptly named, What Are You Living On, because as Jesus' answered Satan, in Matthew 4:4, He addressed a timeless truth.
What is it that sustains you? Is it the bread that you eat? Sure, food is important, and if we don't eat, we die. But, Jesus rebukes Satan's first attempt at tempting Him by saying that man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
The theological imperative is that we cannot live apart from God's will. It is because of God that we have our breath. It is because of God that we have any food. It is because of God that we hope for today and strength for tomorrow. What are you living on? You are living on the words of God. The life giving, life transforming, life sustaining and precious words of God.
It's been awhile since I've written on here. I decided that it was important for me to take a little break from blogging. The last post indicate that I would be blogging on the words of Christ as found throughout the Bible. In these words I find something else interesting too. It's not so much the words as it is in who the words address. Jesus' audience in this verse is Satan. Satan's relationship with Christ goes way back. He was an angel that existed before the creation of man. Did you notice who heard the first words in the book of Matthew that Jesus spoke? Yes, it was John the Baptist, and those gathered at the Lake, but it was also God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. So, in these first two statements that Jesus makes in the New Testament you have present The Father, the Holy Spirit, Satan, Jesus' earthly cousin. In other words, those who knew Christ best, were there. Take away John, and you have those who existed before the creation of man. Take away John and Satan and you have the triune God; the eternally existent Trinity. And that Trinity sustains you. What are you living on? You are living on God. Now, glorify Him with your life.
Dear God,
Our lives are about You. We exist to glorify You. Help us to honor You with our lives. Thank You for allowing us to live another day. May our words bring glory to You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Jesus' First Words in Matthew
Matthew 3:13-17 - "Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'"
Yesterday was the first day that I had not blogged in quite a while. It was kind of nice. My regular blog readers know that for a period of 176 days (I think it was more like 180 due to some time in Guatemala), I blogged through Psalm 119. Those 176 days were sweet times with the Lord. He taught me much about His law and His word. He put within me a desire to read His Word more than I ever have. As I thought what my days might look like after 176 days in one Psalm, I thought, "I'd like to read and blog on each of the recoreded Words that we have that Jesus spoke."
I've spent a good deal of time thinking about how to accomplish this task. In the end, I've decided to read the words of Christ from Matthew-Acts, and then take a look at the few other places we see the words of Jesus of Scripture (Revelation and the Old Testament Christophanies, for example).
Unlike my journey through Psalm 119, these devotional readings will not be commented on verse by verse. Rather, I will try to comment on them in the context of the teaching, many times paragraph by paragraph or story by story.
I'm excited about this next step in my devotional journey, and I'm happy to have so many of you that want to take this journey with me. I thought about trying to make this a chronilogical journey through the teachings of Christ, but there is much dispute about if this is even possible. Those who have tried to figure out the chronology of Jesus' words cannot agree as to when Jesus said all the things that He said. So, I am just going to do this in the order in which they appear in Scripture (saving the Old Testament accounts for last).
So, here we go!
The book of Matthew is a special book. The first Gospel in the New Testament, it was not the first Gospel written. That distincition belongs to the Gospel of Mark, which could also be called the Gospel of Peter, for it was written based upon the Apostle Peter's memories of his time with Christ. Matthew was written to a distinct group of people; the nation of Israel. And, as such, it begins with the genealogy of Jesus through the line of Joseph. Luke's Gospel records the genealogy of Jesus through the line of Mary.
It takes almost three entire chapters before we read the first words of Jesus spoken in this book. Jesus' words as a 12-year-old boy are recorded in Luke 2, so if we were doing a strictly chronilogical approach to this study, Matthew's words would not be the first words that we would choose.
So, what are the words that Matthew records? "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."
Curious words! The setting? John the Baptist is baptizing in the Jordan River. Large crowds have been following John and listening to his preaching for some time now. John's call? To prepare the way for Jesus. Now, Jesus and John are face-to-face. Jesus had obviously made it known that He wanted to be baptized by John, and John feels unworthy to baptize Jesus, and even suggests that Jesus should baptize him. That's when Jesus responds with the first words of Christ that we see in the New Testament: "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."
Jesus shows us with His first words that He was about doing that which was proper and right in the eyes of God, the Father. His life brought glory to the Father.
Steve Shepherd, in his message entitled, Why Jesus Came, wrote the following words about this passage:
Obviously, Jesus was not baptized for the same reason we might do it. At Pentecost, Peter told the multitude in Acts 2:38, “"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus had no sins for which to be forgiven.
I Pet. 2:22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
Why was Jesus baptized? Jesus answered this question for us.
Matt. 3:15 “Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.”
Jesus wanted to do everything that was righteous or right in His Father’s eyes. God ordained or authorized John’s baptism so Jesus humbled Himself and submitted to John’s baptism.
Jesus' first recorded words have many implications for us.
1) We need to submit to the will of the Father.
2) Baptism is a good and proper thing for the follower of Chirst.
3) Pursuing the righteousness of God is not just and Old Testament thing. God wants us to continually pursue Him.
If Jesus was about pursuing the will of the Father, so should we. May we learn much from His words.
Dear God,
You amaze me! Sometimes I feel like John. I wonder why You needed to be baptized. You are perfect, without sin, and yet You wanted to be baptized. Help us to understand. Help us to learn. Help us to live, for Your glory!
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'"
Yesterday was the first day that I had not blogged in quite a while. It was kind of nice. My regular blog readers know that for a period of 176 days (I think it was more like 180 due to some time in Guatemala), I blogged through Psalm 119. Those 176 days were sweet times with the Lord. He taught me much about His law and His word. He put within me a desire to read His Word more than I ever have. As I thought what my days might look like after 176 days in one Psalm, I thought, "I'd like to read and blog on each of the recoreded Words that we have that Jesus spoke."
I've spent a good deal of time thinking about how to accomplish this task. In the end, I've decided to read the words of Christ from Matthew-Acts, and then take a look at the few other places we see the words of Jesus of Scripture (Revelation and the Old Testament Christophanies, for example).
Unlike my journey through Psalm 119, these devotional readings will not be commented on verse by verse. Rather, I will try to comment on them in the context of the teaching, many times paragraph by paragraph or story by story.
I'm excited about this next step in my devotional journey, and I'm happy to have so many of you that want to take this journey with me. I thought about trying to make this a chronilogical journey through the teachings of Christ, but there is much dispute about if this is even possible. Those who have tried to figure out the chronology of Jesus' words cannot agree as to when Jesus said all the things that He said. So, I am just going to do this in the order in which they appear in Scripture (saving the Old Testament accounts for last).
So, here we go!
The book of Matthew is a special book. The first Gospel in the New Testament, it was not the first Gospel written. That distincition belongs to the Gospel of Mark, which could also be called the Gospel of Peter, for it was written based upon the Apostle Peter's memories of his time with Christ. Matthew was written to a distinct group of people; the nation of Israel. And, as such, it begins with the genealogy of Jesus through the line of Joseph. Luke's Gospel records the genealogy of Jesus through the line of Mary.
It takes almost three entire chapters before we read the first words of Jesus spoken in this book. Jesus' words as a 12-year-old boy are recorded in Luke 2, so if we were doing a strictly chronilogical approach to this study, Matthew's words would not be the first words that we would choose.
So, what are the words that Matthew records? "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."
Curious words! The setting? John the Baptist is baptizing in the Jordan River. Large crowds have been following John and listening to his preaching for some time now. John's call? To prepare the way for Jesus. Now, Jesus and John are face-to-face. Jesus had obviously made it known that He wanted to be baptized by John, and John feels unworthy to baptize Jesus, and even suggests that Jesus should baptize him. That's when Jesus responds with the first words of Christ that we see in the New Testament: "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."
Jesus shows us with His first words that He was about doing that which was proper and right in the eyes of God, the Father. His life brought glory to the Father.
Steve Shepherd, in his message entitled, Why Jesus Came, wrote the following words about this passage:
Obviously, Jesus was not baptized for the same reason we might do it. At Pentecost, Peter told the multitude in Acts 2:38, “"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus had no sins for which to be forgiven.
I Pet. 2:22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
Why was Jesus baptized? Jesus answered this question for us.
Matt. 3:15 “Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.”
Jesus wanted to do everything that was righteous or right in His Father’s eyes. God ordained or authorized John’s baptism so Jesus humbled Himself and submitted to John’s baptism.
Jesus' first recorded words have many implications for us.
1) We need to submit to the will of the Father.
2) Baptism is a good and proper thing for the follower of Chirst.
3) Pursuing the righteousness of God is not just and Old Testament thing. God wants us to continually pursue Him.
If Jesus was about pursuing the will of the Father, so should we. May we learn much from His words.
Dear God,
You amaze me! Sometimes I feel like John. I wonder why You needed to be baptized. You are perfect, without sin, and yet You wanted to be baptized. Help us to understand. Help us to learn. Help us to live, for Your glory!
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Quality Posts
Richard Mouw, the President of Fuller Theological Seminary posts on the quality of preaching. It is worth a read. You can find Mouw's unique insight HERE.
Chris Brooks posts on the sad story of 90 Day Jane, a woman planning her own suicide in 90 days. You can read Chris' excellent insight HERE.
There are a couple of nice articles on my new book,
What's The Deal With. . . available HERE and HERE.
Jennifer Schulenburg, my much wiser and smarter younger sister shares her insight on ministry and the high calling of drawing people to the foot of the cross HERE.
Youthworkers can receive a free promo package for the new Naria film, Prince Caspian HERE.
Greg Stier posts on what is worth fighting over in his post, Fight Club For Christians located HERE.
A review of Frank Viola and Geoge Barna's new book, Pagan Christianity, may be found right HERE. The book is a disturbing one, and the review raises some great questions.
So, just what is it that makes a church healthy? Find out many different views HERE.
Oh, and just for fun -- I love baseball, and pitchers and catchers reported earlier this week (at least for my beloved Cubs). So, check out ESPN's Jayson Stark's summary of the offseason that was HERE.
Happy reading!
Chris Brooks posts on the sad story of 90 Day Jane, a woman planning her own suicide in 90 days. You can read Chris' excellent insight HERE.
There are a couple of nice articles on my new book,
What's The Deal With. . . available HERE and HERE.
Jennifer Schulenburg, my much wiser and smarter younger sister shares her insight on ministry and the high calling of drawing people to the foot of the cross HERE.
Youthworkers can receive a free promo package for the new Naria film, Prince Caspian HERE.
Greg Stier posts on what is worth fighting over in his post, Fight Club For Christians located HERE.
A review of Frank Viola and Geoge Barna's new book, Pagan Christianity, may be found right HERE. The book is a disturbing one, and the review raises some great questions.
So, just what is it that makes a church healthy? Find out many different views HERE.
Oh, and just for fun -- I love baseball, and pitchers and catchers reported earlier this week (at least for my beloved Cubs). So, check out ESPN's Jayson Stark's summary of the offseason that was HERE.
Happy reading!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Instructions for a Sheep
Psalm 119:176 - "I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands."
It's amazing how easy it is for us to stray from that which we know is right. There is not a person who has ever lived, who has not strayed. The prophet Isaiah wrote, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).
As David ends this incredible Psalm, and this 176 day experiment in spiritual renewal comes to an end, we are given hope. Hope that, like a shepherd, God will seek after his lost sheep. God will remember us, as we remember His commands. He loves us. And, like David has reminded us throughout this Psalm, God wants our love. He wants our worship. He wants us to follow His law. He is a jealous God, and his jealousy is a holy jealousy that does not want Satan to win.
So, we've done it. We've come through 176 days of Psalm 119. Have we learned the lessons of this Psalm? Are we willing to live for God? Are we willing to learn His desire for our lives and chase after it? Are we willing to have one pure and holy passion? I hope so. How awesome would it be to see a generation of people rise up and live the life that God has called them to live? How awesome would it be to be a part of the few, the called, the redeemed? Follow the call, and live!
Dear God,
Thank You for Your holy call on our lives to follow You. Help us to continue to walk in Your ways. Thank You for Your patience. Thank You that You choose to use us. You are good and Your love endures forever!
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
It's amazing how easy it is for us to stray from that which we know is right. There is not a person who has ever lived, who has not strayed. The prophet Isaiah wrote, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).
As David ends this incredible Psalm, and this 176 day experiment in spiritual renewal comes to an end, we are given hope. Hope that, like a shepherd, God will seek after his lost sheep. God will remember us, as we remember His commands. He loves us. And, like David has reminded us throughout this Psalm, God wants our love. He wants our worship. He wants us to follow His law. He is a jealous God, and his jealousy is a holy jealousy that does not want Satan to win.
So, we've done it. We've come through 176 days of Psalm 119. Have we learned the lessons of this Psalm? Are we willing to live for God? Are we willing to learn His desire for our lives and chase after it? Are we willing to have one pure and holy passion? I hope so. How awesome would it be to see a generation of people rise up and live the life that God has called them to live? How awesome would it be to be a part of the few, the called, the redeemed? Follow the call, and live!
Dear God,
Thank You for Your holy call on our lives to follow You. Help us to continue to walk in Your ways. Thank You for Your patience. Thank You that You choose to use us. You are good and Your love endures forever!
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
A Life of Praise
Psalm 119:175 - "Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me."
Casting Crowns has got to be one of my favorite Christian bands. One of the reasons is because the lead singer is a youth pastor. The band is basically the band that plays for the youth ministry at their church. Their music became so popular, that they began to tour all over the country. One of my favorite songs that Casting Crowns sings is off of their Lifesong album. It's the song, And Now My Lifesong Sings. The lyrics go like this:
I once was lost, but now I’m found
I once was lost, but now I’m found
So far away, but I’m home now
I once was lost, but now I’m found
And now my lifesong sings
I once was blind, but now I see
I once was blind, but now I see
I don’t know how, but when He touched me
I once was blind, but now I see
And now my lifesong sings
And now my lifesong sings
And now my lifesong sings
I once was dead, but now I live
I once was dead, but now I live
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Let my lifesong sing to You
I think that King David could have easily written that song. He wanted his life to be a praise offering to God. Every breath that he took, every word that he said, and every deed that he did, he wanted to be pleasing to God. Was he always successful? No. But, he tried. And, I think God loved it. Remember, David was called a man after God's own heart. Want to be a man or woman like that? Then seek to live out Psalm 119:175 in your life. Let God know that you want your life to be a praise offering to Him. And, then ask Him to help you be that. Take a notebook with you and jot down when you have the opportunity to be Christ's hands and feet to the world around you. It will become a visible reminder to you of God's desire for your life. Now, go! Praise Him! He is worthy!
Dear God,
We want our lives to reflect You. Let our actions, our words, our thoughts, our very lives bring You glory. We want to be men and women cut in Your mold. We want to be men and women who You would call men and women after Your own heart.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Casting Crowns has got to be one of my favorite Christian bands. One of the reasons is because the lead singer is a youth pastor. The band is basically the band that plays for the youth ministry at their church. Their music became so popular, that they began to tour all over the country. One of my favorite songs that Casting Crowns sings is off of their Lifesong album. It's the song, And Now My Lifesong Sings. The lyrics go like this:
I once was lost, but now I’m found
I once was lost, but now I’m found
So far away, but I’m home now
I once was lost, but now I’m found
And now my lifesong sings
I once was blind, but now I see
I once was blind, but now I see
I don’t know how, but when He touched me
I once was blind, but now I see
And now my lifesong sings
And now my lifesong sings
And now my lifesong sings
I once was dead, but now I live
I once was dead, but now I live
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Now my life to You I give
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Let my lifesong sing to You
I think that King David could have easily written that song. He wanted his life to be a praise offering to God. Every breath that he took, every word that he said, and every deed that he did, he wanted to be pleasing to God. Was he always successful? No. But, he tried. And, I think God loved it. Remember, David was called a man after God's own heart. Want to be a man or woman like that? Then seek to live out Psalm 119:175 in your life. Let God know that you want your life to be a praise offering to Him. And, then ask Him to help you be that. Take a notebook with you and jot down when you have the opportunity to be Christ's hands and feet to the world around you. It will become a visible reminder to you of God's desire for your life. Now, go! Praise Him! He is worthy!
Dear God,
We want our lives to reflect You. Let our actions, our words, our thoughts, our very lives bring You glory. We want to be men and women cut in Your mold. We want to be men and women who You would call men and women after Your own heart.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Longing for God
Psalm 119:174 - "I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight."
There are only three more days left in our precious journey through Psalm 119. These 174 days have changed my life. At the beginning of this journey, I took a look at Charles Spurgeon's insights into Psalm 119. As we reach the end of the study, I take another look at Spurgeon's take on Psalm 119. There were many simple things that Spurgeon gleaned from verse 174. The one that struck me the most was how Spurgeon handled the beginning of the verse. Speaking of David's longing for God's salvation, Spurgeon wrote,
"This longing arises, 1. From a painful consciousness of the need of salvation. 2. From a perception of the glories of God's salvation. 3. From the promises which gave assurance of the possibility of obtaining this salvation. 4. From the gracious promptings of the Holy Ghost."
I love that! All four of Spurgeon's insights reveal the depth of David's longing. We, like David, can understand the painful consciousness of the need of salvation. We need God's salvation. He knows that. We know that. And, some of us are just stubborn enough to ignore it. May we not be so!
If you have experienced God's salvation today, thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank Him for His Spirit's prompting on your heart. Thank Him for His mercy in drawing you to Him. Rejoice! You are His!
Dear God,
How good it is to be Your child! We have truly been blessed. Help us to remember why it is that we long for You, and help us to drink at Your well, which brings satisfaction.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
There are only three more days left in our precious journey through Psalm 119. These 174 days have changed my life. At the beginning of this journey, I took a look at Charles Spurgeon's insights into Psalm 119. As we reach the end of the study, I take another look at Spurgeon's take on Psalm 119. There were many simple things that Spurgeon gleaned from verse 174. The one that struck me the most was how Spurgeon handled the beginning of the verse. Speaking of David's longing for God's salvation, Spurgeon wrote,
"This longing arises, 1. From a painful consciousness of the need of salvation. 2. From a perception of the glories of God's salvation. 3. From the promises which gave assurance of the possibility of obtaining this salvation. 4. From the gracious promptings of the Holy Ghost."
I love that! All four of Spurgeon's insights reveal the depth of David's longing. We, like David, can understand the painful consciousness of the need of salvation. We need God's salvation. He knows that. We know that. And, some of us are just stubborn enough to ignore it. May we not be so!
If you have experienced God's salvation today, thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank Him for His Spirit's prompting on your heart. Thank Him for His mercy in drawing you to Him. Rejoice! You are His!
Dear God,
How good it is to be Your child! We have truly been blessed. Help us to remember why it is that we long for You, and help us to drink at Your well, which brings satisfaction.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
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