Category: Devotional

Devotional thoughts for my benefit and yours from here, there, and everywhere

Beyond Blogging

~ fundyreformed

No, I do not intend to abandon blogging. (Sorry that everything has been so quiet around here. Some things came up I had to take care of.) But I feel that now is a good time to provide some clear goals for my blog, with the New Year and all. (By the way, Happy New Year!)

First, and foremost, I desire this blog to exist for the glory of God. “So…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31 ESV)

As such, I aim to please God with my blog. His glory and His honor are the ultimate audience I must keep in view. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Col. 3:23 ESV)

Further, this means that my blog must bleed Jesus. That is, in every post, behind every motive, and even every discussion, I pray that Jesus is seen and magnified and exulted in. “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3:17 ESV)

To aid this ultimate goal, I intend to post more on thoughts from the Word, as well as more generally helpful, edifying posts which will direct all of our hearts and minds to our glorious Savior.

Second, I desire that a spirit of love would permeate my blog. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 ESV) So when I seek to point out errant thinking and what I deem to be flaws in fundamentalism, I will make every effort to do so out of a heart of love. “…Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” (Eph. 4:15 ESV) God forbid that I would boast over other’s errors, but rather that I would “not rejoice at wrongdoing, but (rejoice) with the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6 ESV).

Thus, thirdly, I want this blog to further the cause of genuine Christian unity. “I [Jesus] do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20-21 ESV) My goal is to aid the cause of unity by furthering growth in regards to true Biblical doctrine. Doctrinal maturity aids the cause of unity as Eph. 4:13-16 teaches (cf. the previous 12 verses also). But often a pursuit of doctrine can tend to ignore or downplay other factors essential to unity: humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, love, desire to maintain unity, peace (see Eph. 4:1-6). So I will aim to be as humble and loving as I am firm and clear in my discussions and posts.

Finally, I desire that my blog will edify and equip believers to be strong in truth while fervent in devotion to Christ. So I will seek to “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. (not repaying) anyone evil for evil, but always (seeking) to do good to one another and to everyone.” (1 Thess. 5:14-15 ESV) And I will strive to “stir up one another in love and good works” (Heb. 10:24 ESV). In doing so, I hope to obey the exhortation: “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” (Heb. 3:12-14 ESV)

So I hope to prayerfully pursue these aims in 2006. For my identity as a Christian goes beyond blogging. And so blogging must serve my Christian growth and that of my fellow believers.
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For an excellent exhortation to unity, see this post by Nathan Pitchford. For more encouragements to keep Christ in mind when blogging see this for links to a great series on blogging as a believer by Bob Kauflin.

∼striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God∼ Eph. 4:3,13 “¢ Rom. 15:5-7

Are You Living the Cross Centered Life?

~ fundyreformed ~ 5 Comments

I recently read C.J. Mahaney’s classic book The Cross Centered Life. Let me recommend it wholeheartedly!

It has the ability to transform your life, and greatly reorient your thinking. It’s subtitle is “Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing“. Am I doing that, are you? The gospel is not only important for the lost, but it is the fuel which is to supply our energy for the Christian life.

Here is a great review of the small book (only 89 pages) by Tim Challies. I encourage you to get this and make it part of your life.

Gal. 6:14 “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

In Christ Alone by Stuart Townend & Keith Getty

~ fundyreformed ~ 29 Comments

I recommend many modern hymns & contemporary songs for corporate worship. While the old hymns are certainly grand, the new songs God is giving to the church, are worthy of respect too.

~~~~~~

I’ve begun highlighting different worship songs we sing at Bethlehem Baptist Church each week, here on my blog. This Sunday, the song right before the message was one of my favorites, “In Christ Alone.” Please read the powerful lyrics.

In Christ Alone

by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

IN CHRIST ALONE my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! – who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied —
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine —
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

CCLI Song # 3350395,  © 2001 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

I would put this song right up there against any hymn, I mean any. It is a modern hymn extraordinaire. I hope meditating on this song will be a blessing to you.

Song Resources:
Story behind the Song: Here and here, and here
Sheet Music: Hymnal style, Piano style, Free simple score
Song Book: In Christ Alone Songbook (includes Across the Lands, O Church Arise, The Power of the Cross, and more)
Listen to the MP3 for free: At rhapsody.com, or try another rendition
MP3 purchase links: Here (via Amazon.com) and here (from Getty Music).
Authors’ Websites: GettyMusic.com & StuartTownend.co.uk
CD purchase links:
In Christ Alone (first sample above) – Amazon.com or direct from Getty Music

My Thoughts on Ezekiel 9:4-5

~ fundyreformed

Ezekiel 9:4-5 (ESV)

And the LORD said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity.

Let me refresh you a little on the context. Ezekiel is having a vision of the extreme wickedness of Judah’s evil actions. Chapter 8 concludes with “Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence and provoke me still further to anger? Behold they put the branch to their nose. Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.” Chapter 9 is a vision of the fulfillment of God’s promise. He sends six angels and a man clothed in linen to the city (in the vision) and instructs the man to mark everyone who sighs and groans over the abominations, and the angels to kill everyone else.

What struck me about this passage is what it did not say. God does not say mark everyone who did not do the abominations, but rather everyone who sighed and moaned over them. This struck me as a clear teaching on the internal nature of holiness. Holiness is not mere external conformity. There may have been people who were forced by peer pressure, family pressure, or anything else to not partake of the actual abominations, but whose hearts yearned after the abominations! They lusted in wanting to join the pagan celebrations, but resisted out of duty or a greater desire to fit in to their group, but not out of the greater desire to please God. They had no broken heart over the evil that was being done. And therefore, they were not deemed holy.

Lord, grant me a heart that is broken-hearted over sin in myself and in others. A heart that yearns for you above any fleshly temptations to sin!

May God bless this reflection to you all.

∼striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God∼ Eph. 4:3,13 “¢ Rom. 15:5-7

Let My Lifesong Sing!

~ fundyreformed ~ 2 Comments

One of my favorite CCM groups is Casting Crowns. Their second album was recently released in October, to wide acclaim. The title of the album comes from their song Lifesong.

This song has been in the top 10 Christian songs (played on the radio) since August 21, right around when it was released for the radio. It was number 1 for 8 weeks in a row, and then moved down (for Third Day’s new song Cry out to Jesus) to number 2 for 4 more weeks!

I think it would be appropriate to post the lyrics here. It is a statement when such a popular song has such a great message. That this could be, was the furthest thought from my mind as a fundamentalist. I accepted the party line that CCM songs were strictly worldly or extrememly shallow, with no message. The message of this song stacks up well to a great many of the hymns I grew up singing. And its message is conveyed well.

 

Lifesong
by Mark Hall (the groups lead singer)

 

Empty hands held high / Such small sacrifice /
If not joined with my life / I sing in vain tonight

May the words I say / And the things I do /
Make my lifesong sing / Bring a smile to You

Let my lifesong sing to You / Let my lifesong sing to You /
I want to sign Your name to the end of this day /
Knowing that my life was true / Let my lifesong sing to You

Lord, I give my life / A living sacrifice /
To reach a world in need / To be your hands and feet

So may the words I say / And the things I do /
Make my lifesong sing / Bring a smile to You

Let my lifesong sing to You / Let my lifesong sing to You /
I want to sign Your name to the end of this day /
Knowing that my life was true / Let my lifesong sing to You

Hallelujah / Hallelujah / Let my lifesong sing to You

(lyrics taken from the CD cover of Lifesong)

 

I blogged about the rest of that CD in a later post here.

Purchase the album at Amazon.