I saw this phrase at James White's website, and supposedly it's a relevant and new bumper sticker out there.
It just makes my stomach flip, when I read flippin' flippant "lukewarm" statements like this.
The other one I hate is "Got Jesus?".
Good grief. This isn't even shallow, it's down right empty and meaningless.
Just needed to exercise a little anger, after my last post.
The Lord Jesus said these strong, and sobering, words that we would do well to heed and to take to heart:
"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would that you were cold or hot.
But because you are lukewarm, ... I will vomit you out of my mouth." Rev. 3:15-16
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
"Be angry and sin not"
Anger can be a blessing. That just doesn't sound right, but it's the truth. As long as the angry person has an anger that is righteous.
Our Lord's anger was perfect. When He rebuked the Jews; when He threw over the money changer's tables; and whenever He revealed His anger, His was a "holy anger", and it was a blessing, because it always brought glory to God the Father. I would think the Father was blessed to see His Son manifest this righteous wrath.
Can we, as born again children of God have this same anger? Yes and no. We can, by His grace, manifest this type of anger in the same manner, but never to the same perfect degree.
Our anger will be tainted. Though the major portion of our anger which we display may be righteous, there shall be a portion that we need to acknowledge as sin. And so as we confront with anger, and God uses this anger for a blessing, and also for His glory, we still need to be ready to apologize, and to acknowledge, that though this situation called for confrontation, we are sinners saved by grace, and we need a tender heart, a humble heart, that simply knows where it came from, and that Christ is the only person who never, ever, needed to ask for forgiveness.
I was very angry the other day when I was driving home from church, and it was due to someone tailgating me. I had my two grandsons with me at the time, and this guy was incredibly indignant and stupid, and I came very close to showing my indignation. But for the grace of God, and my wife sitting next to me, I would have gone across that line of righteous indigantion, to sinful wrathful behavior.
It took several minutes until my anger subsided, but it did, and it's gone. Did I learn and grow from this? I think so. And I think my wife did as well. God being so faithful is always a lesson that never gets old. And I hope He shaped my heart just a little more, so that I can continue to let these types of situations, well, let them go. Just let them go.
And the grandsons? They were completely undisturbed in the back seat having a good time reading their books.
Our Lord's anger was perfect. When He rebuked the Jews; when He threw over the money changer's tables; and whenever He revealed His anger, His was a "holy anger", and it was a blessing, because it always brought glory to God the Father. I would think the Father was blessed to see His Son manifest this righteous wrath.
Can we, as born again children of God have this same anger? Yes and no. We can, by His grace, manifest this type of anger in the same manner, but never to the same perfect degree.
Our anger will be tainted. Though the major portion of our anger which we display may be righteous, there shall be a portion that we need to acknowledge as sin. And so as we confront with anger, and God uses this anger for a blessing, and also for His glory, we still need to be ready to apologize, and to acknowledge, that though this situation called for confrontation, we are sinners saved by grace, and we need a tender heart, a humble heart, that simply knows where it came from, and that Christ is the only person who never, ever, needed to ask for forgiveness.
I was very angry the other day when I was driving home from church, and it was due to someone tailgating me. I had my two grandsons with me at the time, and this guy was incredibly indignant and stupid, and I came very close to showing my indignation. But for the grace of God, and my wife sitting next to me, I would have gone across that line of righteous indigantion, to sinful wrathful behavior.
It took several minutes until my anger subsided, but it did, and it's gone. Did I learn and grow from this? I think so. And I think my wife did as well. God being so faithful is always a lesson that never gets old. And I hope He shaped my heart just a little more, so that I can continue to let these types of situations, well, let them go. Just let them go.
And the grandsons? They were completely undisturbed in the back seat having a good time reading their books.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
"Take, eat; this is My body." Mk. 14:22
As we participated in the Lord's supper this Lord's Day, my pastor taught us that we need to look out of ourselves to the Cross, and to the broken body of our Savior as we observe His sacrament, and not to our inner selves.
I have such a habit of trying to get all my latest sins confessed up before I take and eat. But even if I did have the wisdom and the mind to note them all, which I don't, it would still be the wrong reason for taking the bread and wine. (And confession is certainly a good thing. Amen.)
But what is the purpose of celebrating and taking part in this sacrament?
Isn't it that we are coming as His saints, and children, to the table of mercy and grace to remember the Savior's death, which blotted out all our sins. Every one of my sins is gone, as far as the East is from the West, it is gone, and won't be remembered, and is washed and paid for in the blood of Christ; the precious blood of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
What joy we can experience as we come and eat the bread to commemorate His perfect broken body, and drink the wine that is a symbol of His precious blood, which was pure and undefiled.
What a Savior and a God we do serve and adore.
"Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?"
I have such a habit of trying to get all my latest sins confessed up before I take and eat. But even if I did have the wisdom and the mind to note them all, which I don't, it would still be the wrong reason for taking the bread and wine. (And confession is certainly a good thing. Amen.)
But what is the purpose of celebrating and taking part in this sacrament?
Isn't it that we are coming as His saints, and children, to the table of mercy and grace to remember the Savior's death, which blotted out all our sins. Every one of my sins is gone, as far as the East is from the West, it is gone, and won't be remembered, and is washed and paid for in the blood of Christ; the precious blood of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
What joy we can experience as we come and eat the bread to commemorate His perfect broken body, and drink the wine that is a symbol of His precious blood, which was pure and undefiled.
What a Savior and a God we do serve and adore.
"Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?"
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Grandson 'numero tres' with some original moves.
Noah was grooving with his new moves. Not sure what they mean, but very impressive indeed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)