This song, by Christian rapper Shai Linne, is a beautiful prayer to God. I would recommend it to anyone to read, listen to, and apply the truths and principles to your lives.
Faithful God by Shai Linne
Father God we come now before You
We were made to bow down and adore You
We’re filled with thankfulness because of Your faithfulness
To Your Word and we’ve found that it’s all true
To Your face, Lord, we turn in amazement
In Your grace, You determined to save men
From sin’s consequence because of Your promises
In Jesus Christ, which are “yes” and they’re “amen”
When Adam sinned, You provided a covering
You heard Israel cry in their suffering
You brought them out of the land with Your powerful hand
Lord, You’re truly the God of the covenant
Even though You dropped clues, they were missing it
From here, we can see the true significance
All Your acts of might were shadows and types
To point ahead to a future deliverance
From the things You say, You don’t budge
You’re faithful to save and You’re faithful to judge
The God who is just is not one of us
The faithful God is the God we can trust
We can’t trust us, on You we rely
Everything we need, Lord, You will supply
Even when we’re faithless, You remain faithful
You cannot deny Yourself
Lord, thanks for Your grace and Your favor
Your faithfulness we’ve tasted and savored
Your love and care for us is most clear to us
when we’re beholding the face of the Savior
The Human race as a whole was infected
But for those You have chosen, elected
You made a promise and it was accomplished when
The chief cornerstone was rejected
We see Him dying on the cross for our evil
Where He appeared to be soft and feeble
In actuality, He holds the galaxies
in His hands- He’s exalted and regal
When we believed, You were faithful to save us
And that means You’ll be faithful to change us
And the Spirit of Jesus will keep us ’til
You make us holy and blameless
From the things You say, You don’t budge
You’re faithful to save and You’re faithful to judge
The God who is just became one of us
The faithful God is the God we can trust
We can’t trust us- on You we rely
Everything we need, Lord, You will supply
Even when we’re faithless, You remain faithful
You cannot deny Yourself
Faithful God by Shai Linne
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Something that made me think a lot...
Something that had never occurred to me really made me stop and think this Easter weekend.
In Israel, on Passover, the high priest, the person appointed by God to make the atoning sacrifice of a spotless lamb in the temple.
To outline his job for the day of atonement, which completed the Passover feast, what Christians refer to as Good Friday, the day that Christ died on the cross, I will give you the outline from bible.org.
In Israel, on Passover, the high priest, the person appointed by God to make the atoning sacrifice of a spotless lamb in the temple.
"From all appearances, the rituals outlined in our
text do not begin the day’s activities for Aaron, but come after the
exercise of some of his regular duties. The day would seem to begin as
usual with the offering of the morning sacrifice, the burnt offering of a
one year old lamb (cf. Exod. 29:38-42; Num. 28:3-6).
After these duties were performed, the High Priest would commence the
ceremonies of the Day of Atonement, as prescribed in our text:70
(1) Aaron was to take off his normal priestly
garments, wash, and then put on the special garments which were
prescribed for the sacrifices which took him into the holy of holies (v. 4; cf. Exod. 28; 39).
(2) Aaron secured the necessary sacrificial animals:
a bull for his own sin offering and two male goats for the people’s sin
offering; two rams, one for Aaron’s and the other for the people’s
burnt offering (vv. 3, 5).
(3) Aaron slaughtered the bull for his own sin offering (vv. 6, 11).
(4) Before entering into the Holy of Holies with the blood of the bull, Aaron had to create a “cloud” of incense
in the Holy of Holies, covering the mercy seat, to “veil” the glory of
God so that he could enter in (vv. 12-13). The best approximation to
this in my experience is what a bee-keeper does, smoking the hive of the
bees, before he begins to remove the honey. In the case of Aaron, he
was to offer only the prescribed incense so as to create an obscuring
veil of smoke, thus dimming the glory of God’s presence and sparing his
life.
(5) Aaron then took some of the blood of the bull and sprinkled it on the mercy seat seven times (v. 14).
(6) Lots were then cast for the two goats, to determine which would be slaughtered and which would be driven away (vv. 7-8).
(7) The goat for slaughter, the goat of the
people’s sin offering, was sacrificed, and its blood was taken into the
Holy of Holies and applied to the mercy seat, as the bull’s blood had
been (v. 15).
(8) Cleansing was then made for the holy place
(v. 16), seemingly by the sprinkling of the blood of both the bull and
the goat. The atonement of the holy place is done alone, without anyone
present to help, or to watch (v. 17).
(9) Next, outside the tent, Aaron was to make atonement for the altar of burnt offering,71 using, it would seem, the blood of both the bull and the goat (vv. 18-19).
(10) Now the second goat, the one which was kept
alive, had the sins of the nation symbolically laid on its head, and was
driven from the camp to a desolate place, from which it must never
return (vv. 20-22).
(11) Aaron then entered the tent of meeting, removed his linen garments, washed, and put on his normal priestly garments
(12) The burnt offerings of rams, one for Aaron and his family and the other for the people, was now offered (v. 24)
(13) The earlier sacrifices of the bull and the goat were completed.
The fat of the sin offering was burned on the altar (v. 25), and the
remains of the bull and the goat were taken outside the camp, where they
were burned (v. 27).
(14) Those who had been rendered unclean by
handling the animals on which the sins of Aaron or the people were laid
were to wash themselves and then return to camp (vv. 26, 28)."
The problem on the day that Christ died, is that Caiaphas the high priest that year is that instead of being at the temple performing the duties of a high priest, he spent most of the day with Pilate, the Roman governor, to ensure the death of Jesus, a man he saw as being a blasphemer, claiming to be equal with God. Instead of overseeing the sacrifices of that sacred day-the bulls, goats, and lambs that covered the sins of the people, he was overseeing the death of the Lamb of God, the perfect, spotless Lamb. While appearing to neglect his God-given responsibilities, he was actually overseeing the perfect sacrifice of the Lamb whose blood would totally take away sins.
Just a thought from a poor beggar.
http://bible.org/seriespage/day-atonement-leviticus-16
http://bible.org/seriespage/day-atonement-leviticus-16
Monday, April 1, 2013
What does the shield of faith really mean?
Something that has been dwelling on my mind quite a lot recently is the question: what is the armor of God; in particular what is the shield of faith?
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
Ephesians 6:10-17
When we people of 21st century western culture think of the Christian armor, he thinks of the knight in shining armor, riding in on his white steed, or standing alone on a hill, wielding his mighty sword.
This just isn't the case. When Paul wrote the verses describing the armor, in particular the shield, both he and his reader would have had a very different mental picture. The reader in Paul's day would have pictured one of two things: the Greek phalanx,
or the Roman legion.
These units find their strength in their unity. They are strong because they fight as one.
I know this is the idea that Paul is trying to convey for the Christian for a few reasons.
1. Because of what has been mentioned, the historical context of the Greek and Roman armies.
2. Because Paul speaks on the armor of God right after speaking on unity in the church and working together as members of the body, as slaves and masters (employees and bosses in our context), husbands and wives, and children and parents. He goes straight from that discussion to the discussion on spiritual warfare and the armor of God.
3. Because of a principle taught in Ecclesiastes 4
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
So what is the point? We must learn that when Paul is talking about the armor of God, he isn't talking about individuals fighting sin as is so often proclaimed from pulpits across America today. The preachers say that, "You have been called to fight sin," or, "You need to take up the whole armor of God." When in all reality, they should be crying out: "We must take up the armor of God. We must fight sin together." It is our unity that gives us strength.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
Ephesians 6:10-17
When we people of 21st century western culture think of the Christian armor, he thinks of the knight in shining armor, riding in on his white steed, or standing alone on a hill, wielding his mighty sword.
This just isn't the case. When Paul wrote the verses describing the armor, in particular the shield, both he and his reader would have had a very different mental picture. The reader in Paul's day would have pictured one of two things: the Greek phalanx,
These units find their strength in their unity. They are strong because they fight as one.
I know this is the idea that Paul is trying to convey for the Christian for a few reasons.
1. Because of what has been mentioned, the historical context of the Greek and Roman armies.
2. Because Paul speaks on the armor of God right after speaking on unity in the church and working together as members of the body, as slaves and masters (employees and bosses in our context), husbands and wives, and children and parents. He goes straight from that discussion to the discussion on spiritual warfare and the armor of God.
3. Because of a principle taught in Ecclesiastes 4
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
So what is the point? We must learn that when Paul is talking about the armor of God, he isn't talking about individuals fighting sin as is so often proclaimed from pulpits across America today. The preachers say that, "You have been called to fight sin," or, "You need to take up the whole armor of God." When in all reality, they should be crying out: "We must take up the armor of God. We must fight sin together." It is our unity that gives us strength.
Friday, March 29, 2013
He Was Pierced for Our Transgressions
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely;he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
14 As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
15 so shall he sprinkle many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which has not been told them they see,
and that which they have not heard they understand.
Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
What does it mean for God to be good?
Often humans ask the question: How can a good God allow such bad things to happen to good people? At first glance it seems to be a valid question. For example, why would a God who claims to love the Jews allow them to be one of the most hated races to ever walk the earth? Why would He allow more than 9,000,000 of them to die at the hands of the Nazi's? Allow them to be thrown from their lands for thousands of years? Why would He allow millions of people, about half of the worlds population to be killed by the Black Death? Why does He allow men to kill other men, or to sexually exploit others? Every day the news is filled with stories of a world gone crazy: murder, rape, theft, and on and on and on. Why does He allow these things? Can He truly be good? Do these charges make His word false? NO!!!
Instead we should ask: Why does a good and holy God allow good things to come to wicked people? When we first hear this statement, many of us, if not all of us probably would become offended. But take a moment to examine yourself, not as you see yourself, but as God sees you. You think of yourself as good because you do good things, helping those who are in need, maybe going to church, perhaps by getting baptized. God sees you as you are: a rebel to Him. He sees you, apart from the blood of Jesus, an evil, repugnant person. Nothing that you can do will EVER gain you favor with God. Instead, as Isaiah explains "We have all become like the unclean; all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag. All of us wither like a leaf; our sins, like the wind, carry us away"(Isaiah 64:6 Common English Bible).
I love what John Piper said on this topic in his blog on December 27, 2012.
"Where was God in 2012?
1. God was reigning from his throne to do his sovereign will.
God has been good to us. And his best gift is the one that will be there when all the others fail. Jesus, crucified, risen, reigning."
Remember before you ask where God was when tragedy strikes, ask yourself, why He has held back His hand every other day. You deserve God's wrath, but He gives grace! As Flyleaf, one of my favorite bands said in the song Cassie: "Don't be shocked that people die, be surprised you're still alive."
Instead we should ask: Why does a good and holy God allow good things to come to wicked people? When we first hear this statement, many of us, if not all of us probably would become offended. But take a moment to examine yourself, not as you see yourself, but as God sees you. You think of yourself as good because you do good things, helping those who are in need, maybe going to church, perhaps by getting baptized. God sees you as you are: a rebel to Him. He sees you, apart from the blood of Jesus, an evil, repugnant person. Nothing that you can do will EVER gain you favor with God. Instead, as Isaiah explains "We have all become like the unclean; all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag. All of us wither like a leaf; our sins, like the wind, carry us away"(Isaiah 64:6 Common English Bible).
I love what John Piper said on this topic in his blog on December 27, 2012.
"Where was God in 2012?
- Where was God when nine million planes landed safely in the United States?
- Where was God when the world revolved around the sun so accurately that it achieved the Winter solstice perfectly at 5:12 AM December 21 and headed back toward Spring?
- Where was God when the President was not shot at a thousand public appearances?
- Where was God when American farms produced ten million bushels of corn, and 2.8 million bushels of soybeans — enough food to sell $100 billions worth to other nations?
- Where was God when no terrorist plot brought down a single American building or plane or industry?
- Where was God when the sun maintained its heat and its gravitational pull precisely enough that we were not incinerated or frozen?
- Where was God when three hundred million Americans drank water in homes and restaurants without getting sick?
- Where was God when no new plague swept away a third of our race?
- Where was God when Americans drove three trillion accident free miles?
- Where was God when over three million healthy babies were born in America?
1. God was reigning from his throne to do his sovereign will.
“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” (Psalm 115:3)2. God was reigning from his throne to prevent much sin and harm in the world.
“He works all things according to the counsel of his will.” (Ephesians 1:11)
“God said to [Abimelech, the king of Gerar], it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.” (Genesis 20:6)3. God was reigning from his throne to give a witness to his goodness and his patience.
“You know what is restraining [the man of lawlessness] now.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6)
“God did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:17)4. God was reigning from his throne to summon the world to repentance.
“Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)So as the year ends, I bow my head as an undeserving sinner, amazed that I have not been swept away. And even more, that because of Jesus, I am forgiven, adopted into God’s family, and destined for eternal life.
God has been good to us. And his best gift is the one that will be there when all the others fail. Jesus, crucified, risen, reigning."
Remember before you ask where God was when tragedy strikes, ask yourself, why He has held back His hand every other day. You deserve God's wrath, but He gives grace! As Flyleaf, one of my favorite bands said in the song Cassie: "Don't be shocked that people die, be surprised you're still alive."
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Will the real Patrick please stand up...
Wow... this is late! I started this post on Saturday before St. Pats, but didn't finish it till now. Better late than never I suppose.
When we think of St. Patrick's Day what instantly hits the average person? Parades? Green beer? The Chicago river dyed green? Leprechauns, pots of gold and four leaf clovers? All of these have nothing whatsoever to do with Patrick.
The real Patrick is hard to track down because of the legends that surround him, but what follows is one of the likely truths.
In the late 300's AD in Scotland, Maewyn Succat, the son of Roman officials was captured by Irish pirates and taken back with them and sold into slavery. For six years Maewyn served a man by shepherding his sheep out in the wilderness. It was there that Maewyn developed a relationship with the God of his father, Jesus Christ. In the countless hours spent alone in the wilderness tending the flock of his master, he prayed for release. At the end of six years, Maewyn had a vision from God telling him to journey over 200 miles to the coast where he would find a ship to return him to his home. Maewyn followed the heavenly instructions and indeed there was the ship that took him home.
After arriving again in Scotland, Maewyn became a priest, some think he even went to Rome for education. After he completed his training, again he received a vision. He heard the voices of the Irish begging for him to return and help them. Maewyn changed his name to Patrick and he and a group of priests journeyed to Ireland again.
Ireland at this time was totally controlled by the Druids, an order steeped in the occult, even practicing human sacrifices. When Patrick arrived, he went strait to the King and presented his case. After several years of working, the King of Ireland became a convert to Christianity and within the century, the druids were gone.
The fruit of Patrick's ministry to his former masters directly resulted the saving of western culture during the many hardships that would come later, like the fall of Rome, the rise of pagan hordes who destroyed much of Europe, but Ireland was largely spared.
So, next year when you start to think of little leprechauns, remember that behind the fun, lies a real man who selflessly gave of himself and returned with a message of hope to the people who had mistreated him.
When we think of St. Patrick's Day what instantly hits the average person? Parades? Green beer? The Chicago river dyed green? Leprechauns, pots of gold and four leaf clovers? All of these have nothing whatsoever to do with Patrick.
The real Patrick is hard to track down because of the legends that surround him, but what follows is one of the likely truths.
In the late 300's AD in Scotland, Maewyn Succat, the son of Roman officials was captured by Irish pirates and taken back with them and sold into slavery. For six years Maewyn served a man by shepherding his sheep out in the wilderness. It was there that Maewyn developed a relationship with the God of his father, Jesus Christ. In the countless hours spent alone in the wilderness tending the flock of his master, he prayed for release. At the end of six years, Maewyn had a vision from God telling him to journey over 200 miles to the coast where he would find a ship to return him to his home. Maewyn followed the heavenly instructions and indeed there was the ship that took him home.
After arriving again in Scotland, Maewyn became a priest, some think he even went to Rome for education. After he completed his training, again he received a vision. He heard the voices of the Irish begging for him to return and help them. Maewyn changed his name to Patrick and he and a group of priests journeyed to Ireland again.
Ireland at this time was totally controlled by the Druids, an order steeped in the occult, even practicing human sacrifices. When Patrick arrived, he went strait to the King and presented his case. After several years of working, the King of Ireland became a convert to Christianity and within the century, the druids were gone.
The fruit of Patrick's ministry to his former masters directly resulted the saving of western culture during the many hardships that would come later, like the fall of Rome, the rise of pagan hordes who destroyed much of Europe, but Ireland was largely spared.
So, next year when you start to think of little leprechauns, remember that behind the fun, lies a real man who selflessly gave of himself and returned with a message of hope to the people who had mistreated him.
Just a thought...
Right off the bat I would like to state that as a Christian, I believe that homosexuality is wrong. I feel that scripture makes it plain that God finds it to be an abomination and a perversion of the beautiful image of the relationship that He has with His bride the Church. That being said, God also views all other sexual sins (adultery, premarital sex incest, bestiality, rape, pedophilia, prostitution, pornography and masturbation, etc, etc, etc) as perversions. They are equally wrong in His eyes.
Now in the words of Samuel L. Jackson in Jurassic Park: "Hold on to your butts." I may get a lot of flak for saying what I am about to say, but I believe that as American citizens, under the law of the U.S. Constitution, people who practice a homosexual lifestyle should be allowed to be married to the person that they love. Let the chaos ensue!
Sexuality is a moral issue, and to make it a political one I believe would be a mistake. Let God handle the moral issues, because He will in the end; and let politicians sort out political concerns.
Lastly, a word to my fellow believers. I have been seeing a lot of hateful speech directed at homosexual people. STOP!!! They are no worse than you were before Christ saved you... God is not partial, all are equally sinners before God and equally damned. So stop hating people made in God's own image! Pray for them, love them, let God convict of sin. Show them the love of God because in Jesus' own words, by our love they will know us!
I use the above symbol to both say that I do in a legal (Constitutional) aspect support the movement for homosexual marriage, but more importantly, to state emphatically that I believe that all are indeed equal! All are equally worthy of the judgement of a holy righteous God, and all equally able to receive His free gift. God is not partial to any man, woman, or child! Come to the cross today!!
Now in the words of Samuel L. Jackson in Jurassic Park: "Hold on to your butts." I may get a lot of flak for saying what I am about to say, but I believe that as American citizens, under the law of the U.S. Constitution, people who practice a homosexual lifestyle should be allowed to be married to the person that they love. Let the chaos ensue!
Sexuality is a moral issue, and to make it a political one I believe would be a mistake. Let God handle the moral issues, because He will in the end; and let politicians sort out political concerns.
Lastly, a word to my fellow believers. I have been seeing a lot of hateful speech directed at homosexual people. STOP!!! They are no worse than you were before Christ saved you... God is not partial, all are equally sinners before God and equally damned. So stop hating people made in God's own image! Pray for them, love them, let God convict of sin. Show them the love of God because in Jesus' own words, by our love they will know us!
I use the above symbol to both say that I do in a legal (Constitutional) aspect support the movement for homosexual marriage, but more importantly, to state emphatically that I believe that all are indeed equal! All are equally worthy of the judgement of a holy righteous God, and all equally able to receive His free gift. God is not partial to any man, woman, or child! Come to the cross today!!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The oracles of God
Why don't we cherish the Bible anymore?
This question started me on a journey to learn why I personally don't. We look at the scriptures as a good book, a beautiful piece of literature, but it truly is so much more. It is the very words of God. I suppose that it is ingrained within the heart of man to long to know what God says.
In ancient times, people would travel many days journey to a temple of a god that claimed to share his words with people. These oracles would hear your request and then after waiting for up to several weeks would hear the response from the "gods" which was actually the ramblings of a priestess who was kept drugged constantly and the person who received the message would go away deceived, in awe that his god would share his words with him. They built massive, intricate temples that took hundreds of men many many years, in some cases more than one hundred, to build in which they housed these oracles. They spent countless fortunes to purchase these oracles and to make sacrifices to satisfy whichever god had supplied it. People did whatever they had to do to obtain these words from their god.
Among the Hebrew people, the scriptures were always treated with love and respect, keeping the Torah scrolls locked away in a closet to protect it, spending countless hours copying it by hand, counting every word to be sure not one was missed. When read, the scriptures were reverenced and people loved to hear them. When king Josiah finds the book of the law within the Temple in II Kings 22 and 23, the people stand and listen to him read the whole thing for hours and hours, not only without complaint, but overcome with emotion because of their sin against God.
During the Reformation, once the Bible began being translated into the common tongue from Latin, people risked their lives to attain it, because to the Catholic mind, the Bible was too sacred to be written in the language of the people. The men who translated it risked, and very often faced and endured death because of their work. Once translations became accepted, they became priceless treasures, worth a kings ransom. Churches would have a beautifully decorated alter Bible chained in place so it could not be stolen. The invention of the printing press made purchasing a Bible possible for everyone.
During the 1950's till almost 1990 and even today in places like China, the presence of Communism made the printing, possession, and reading of Bibles illegal in many Eastern European nations. Many men risked their lives in defiance of the government, men like Brother Andrew who has been smuggling Bibles behind closed doors since the 50's. These people who receive these Bibles were and are ecstatic and overcome to think that they are holding God's word.
Today, when a Bible is translated into a new language, the people there rejoice and many cry when they hold their first Bible.
But in America today, we find a people who take the Word of God for granted. I am one of them. I can't even tell you how many Bibles I own, and I barely read it. I treat it as any other book, not the precious treasure that it is. God has given to us, His people, and because the sacrifices of so many others, He has made it available to billions of people across the globe. We let them gather dust on our shelves or on our coffee tables like they were some kind of picture book, and we either A, never read them to see what God has told us, or B, we read it because it is the "Christian" thing to do and we do not allow it to change us.
We need to realize that what we hold in our hands is not just a beautifully written manuscript that was penned thousands of years ago with no relation to our lives today, but a living book. A book given to us by God Himself. God's very words written down for us, that give direction, that give solace, that point the way to God. A book in which God Himself reveals to us His character and person. We hold the very words, the very oracles of the one true God, and they are complete and perfect. Why do we not treat them with the reverence and love that we should. We should be willing to pay any price to enjoy them, we should not let anything get in the way of studying them and learning all that they have to say about life.
Come with me, let us together, cherish and honor the Word of God as we ought. Let us love it, read it, study it, protect and defend it, and share it with the world around us.
This question started me on a journey to learn why I personally don't. We look at the scriptures as a good book, a beautiful piece of literature, but it truly is so much more. It is the very words of God. I suppose that it is ingrained within the heart of man to long to know what God says.
In ancient times, people would travel many days journey to a temple of a god that claimed to share his words with people. These oracles would hear your request and then after waiting for up to several weeks would hear the response from the "gods" which was actually the ramblings of a priestess who was kept drugged constantly and the person who received the message would go away deceived, in awe that his god would share his words with him. They built massive, intricate temples that took hundreds of men many many years, in some cases more than one hundred, to build in which they housed these oracles. They spent countless fortunes to purchase these oracles and to make sacrifices to satisfy whichever god had supplied it. People did whatever they had to do to obtain these words from their god.
Among the Hebrew people, the scriptures were always treated with love and respect, keeping the Torah scrolls locked away in a closet to protect it, spending countless hours copying it by hand, counting every word to be sure not one was missed. When read, the scriptures were reverenced and people loved to hear them. When king Josiah finds the book of the law within the Temple in II Kings 22 and 23, the people stand and listen to him read the whole thing for hours and hours, not only without complaint, but overcome with emotion because of their sin against God.
During the Reformation, once the Bible began being translated into the common tongue from Latin, people risked their lives to attain it, because to the Catholic mind, the Bible was too sacred to be written in the language of the people. The men who translated it risked, and very often faced and endured death because of their work. Once translations became accepted, they became priceless treasures, worth a kings ransom. Churches would have a beautifully decorated alter Bible chained in place so it could not be stolen. The invention of the printing press made purchasing a Bible possible for everyone.
During the 1950's till almost 1990 and even today in places like China, the presence of Communism made the printing, possession, and reading of Bibles illegal in many Eastern European nations. Many men risked their lives in defiance of the government, men like Brother Andrew who has been smuggling Bibles behind closed doors since the 50's. These people who receive these Bibles were and are ecstatic and overcome to think that they are holding God's word.
Today, when a Bible is translated into a new language, the people there rejoice and many cry when they hold their first Bible.
But in America today, we find a people who take the Word of God for granted. I am one of them. I can't even tell you how many Bibles I own, and I barely read it. I treat it as any other book, not the precious treasure that it is. God has given to us, His people, and because the sacrifices of so many others, He has made it available to billions of people across the globe. We let them gather dust on our shelves or on our coffee tables like they were some kind of picture book, and we either A, never read them to see what God has told us, or B, we read it because it is the "Christian" thing to do and we do not allow it to change us.
We need to realize that what we hold in our hands is not just a beautifully written manuscript that was penned thousands of years ago with no relation to our lives today, but a living book. A book given to us by God Himself. God's very words written down for us, that give direction, that give solace, that point the way to God. A book in which God Himself reveals to us His character and person. We hold the very words, the very oracles of the one true God, and they are complete and perfect. Why do we not treat them with the reverence and love that we should. We should be willing to pay any price to enjoy them, we should not let anything get in the way of studying them and learning all that they have to say about life.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
The Colonel
This is a poem that I wrote two years ago, about the Civil War. It is about an colonel of a Union regiment, not specified as to who it is, it could be anyone. I dedicated it to the 650,000 Americans on both sides who gave their lives to give our nation a new birth of freedom.
The Colonel
As one the men kneel down to pray
To commit their souls unto the Lord,
Then they stand and dress the line
The Colonel draws his shining sword.
Then he speaks with booming voice,
“Shoulder arms my bully boys,”
Now forth they step with drum and fife
A crisp and clear, martial noise.
The boys in blue with teeth clenched shut
Come on and on toward the fight
Now the shot tears through the line,
O’er the roar the Colonel shouts, “Right boys, dress right!”
As men rush to plug the holes, more gaps appear,
Finally emerging from those trees of death,
The Rebel line, vast to their eyes
Were ordered now to take their breath.
The Rebel men with muskets raised
Squeeze trigger, drop hammer, release the ball
That with its sudden, near sweet embrace,
Escorts many brothers to Heaven’s Hall.
“Halt my boys and ready arms,”
The Colonel shouts, his sword upraised,
As men fall to the left, to right
Bullets like bees buzzing o’erhead, he stands unfazed.
On order’s shout with crack and flame
Johnny falls and others moan,
For invitation sent: blue to grey
To stand before the Great White Throne.
The Rebs burst forth like Satan’s horde,
With bayonets fixed, the blue boys stand
Ready to meet them like cliff meets wave,
Many young boys fall to the Butcher’s Hand.
While Colonel’s sword is flashing
Blue wall beats back grey wave,
Flashing sword did from nerveless fingers fall,
The brave Colonel must now journey to the grave.
The men gathering ‘round their fallen hero
Knew into His house the Almighty he must allow,
One bullet passed through his thigh,
One pierced his valiant heart, one his noble brow.
The fury of battle now hours passed,
The men bear on weary shoulders his body torn,
And bury him under tree of elm,
For they must move away ere the morn.
The years have passed, cold and weary,
These boys in blue, though fewer still
Gather ‘round the statue gleaming,
At day’s last light, upon the hill.
As one the men kneel down to pray
To commit this soul unto the Lord,
And then they stand and dress the line
In memory of his shining sword.
As one the men kneel down to pray
To commit their souls unto the Lord,
Then they stand and dress the line
The Colonel draws his shining sword.
Then he speaks with booming voice,
“Shoulder arms my bully boys,”
Now forth they step with drum and fife
A crisp and clear, martial noise.
The boys in blue with teeth clenched shut
Come on and on toward the fight
Now the shot tears through the line,
O’er the roar the Colonel shouts, “Right boys, dress right!”
As men rush to plug the holes, more gaps appear,
Finally emerging from those trees of death,
The Rebel line, vast to their eyes
Were ordered now to take their breath.
The Rebel men with muskets raised
Squeeze trigger, drop hammer, release the ball
That with its sudden, near sweet embrace,
Escorts many brothers to Heaven’s Hall.
“Halt my boys and ready arms,”
The Colonel shouts, his sword upraised,
As men fall to the left, to right
Bullets like bees buzzing o’erhead, he stands unfazed.
On order’s shout with crack and flame
Johnny falls and others moan,
For invitation sent: blue to grey
To stand before the Great White Throne.
The Rebs burst forth like Satan’s horde,
With bayonets fixed, the blue boys stand
Ready to meet them like cliff meets wave,
Many young boys fall to the Butcher’s Hand.
While Colonel’s sword is flashing
Blue wall beats back grey wave,
Flashing sword did from nerveless fingers fall,
The brave Colonel must now journey to the grave.
The men gathering ‘round their fallen hero
Knew into His house the Almighty he must allow,
One bullet passed through his thigh,
One pierced his valiant heart, one his noble brow.
The fury of battle now hours passed,
The men bear on weary shoulders his body torn,
And bury him under tree of elm,
For they must move away ere the morn.
The years have passed, cold and weary,
These boys in blue, though fewer still
Gather ‘round the statue gleaming,
At day’s last light, upon the hill.
As one the men kneel down to pray
To commit this soul unto the Lord,
And then they stand and dress the line
In memory of his shining sword.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
A breathe of fresh air
This is an old post pulled from my Facebook notes.
A breath. Such a simple thing that we take for granted every day, but when we really think about it has such significance. Without it, there is no life. It is the first thing we do when we live, and the last thing we do when we die. The average human in a lifetime will take approximately 672,769,000 breaths! Yet every one of these is more precious than gold. In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, God shows us the significance of breath in His creation of Adam the first man. “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature”(Genesis 2:7 ESV). At first our first ancestor Adam, and later his wife Eve, used this amazing gift of breath to praise God for His awesome works and fellowship with Him daily, but one day they chose to break God’s rule, and ever since that fateful day, man has used this gift of breath, not to bless God, but to curse Him. We curse Him by placing things, it doesn’t matter what, above the One who made them in our hearts. And doing that allows all the other sins to come about. We steal because we place the value of the item above the command that God gave us to not steal. We lie because we value the opinions of others more than the law of God. We kill because we care more about what we want than the breath that God gave that person. God requires perfection out of the people He created, but man cannot do this, we can’t achieve it because we love ourselves more than God; and so every human that has ever lived from Adam to you and I, is under the judgment of God: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”(Romans 3:23 ESV). God has also within the law He gave us, placed the penalty for breaking it—death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a ESV). Not only a physical death, but there will come a spiritual one as well. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8 ESV). God must judge. Yes, He loves us perfectly, but He also is perfectly just and that justice demands that innocent blood be shed to pay for sin. However, not a single human on earth could ever even qualify to be that sacrifice even if one could be convinced of the necessity of shedding his blood for all. So we are left without hope. Until we finish the rest of Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 ESV). God came into this world, not as the conquering king that He is, but as a poor carpenter’s son, not to the royal palace, but to a humble cave. Not to comfortable cradle followed by a life of luxury, but to straw-filled manger and a life of drudgery, disrespect, pain, and hard work. He as God was entirely perfect, fulfilling the law of God His Father. He walked everywhere preaching and teaching and healing those who were sick and believed that He could save them, proving that He was God. But instead of welcoming Him and believing in Him, they hated and betrayed Him. Jesus was arrested on false charges, taken to a phony trial—a mockery of justice—and condemned Him to death. The mob hung Him on the cross, but they did not kill Him, His Father did. “Yet, it was the Lord's will to crush him with suffering” (Isaiah 53:10 GW). The death of the Son, Jesus, brought a smile to His Father’s face, because Jesus had become the very embodiment of our sin. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV). Jesus when He was on the cross was the most disgusting, defiled, awful man that ever lived. All the sins ever committed in the vast story of humanity: past, present, and future were laid upon the account of Jesus and, with the same breath that He used to create life in us, He gave it up to redeem us. Listen friend, When Jesus died on that tree, He did it for you. You are a sinner, plain and simple. You have lied, cheated, stolen. You have lusted, hated, coveted. You have used the breath that God graciously gave you to curse His holy and matchless name. You have and so have I. You are under the death penalty of a perfect God. But God did not leave you without hope, He gave you His Son. Will you today take the free gift of life and freedom offered to you by God? All He requires in exchange is your life. Surrender to God! Turn your back on your old life. Leave behind the filth of sin. Allow God to cleanse you and make you pure so that you can stand before God; and give Him everything that you have and are. Give to Him your time, your energy, your money, because they were never actually yours! You have nothing apart from Him. Give God your breath back, you owe Him!
A breath. Such a simple thing that we take for granted every day, but when we really think about it has such significance. Without it, there is no life. It is the first thing we do when we live, and the last thing we do when we die. The average human in a lifetime will take approximately 672,769,000 breaths! Yet every one of these is more precious than gold. In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, God shows us the significance of breath in His creation of Adam the first man. “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature”(Genesis 2:7 ESV). At first our first ancestor Adam, and later his wife Eve, used this amazing gift of breath to praise God for His awesome works and fellowship with Him daily, but one day they chose to break God’s rule, and ever since that fateful day, man has used this gift of breath, not to bless God, but to curse Him. We curse Him by placing things, it doesn’t matter what, above the One who made them in our hearts. And doing that allows all the other sins to come about. We steal because we place the value of the item above the command that God gave us to not steal. We lie because we value the opinions of others more than the law of God. We kill because we care more about what we want than the breath that God gave that person. God requires perfection out of the people He created, but man cannot do this, we can’t achieve it because we love ourselves more than God; and so every human that has ever lived from Adam to you and I, is under the judgment of God: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”(Romans 3:23 ESV). God has also within the law He gave us, placed the penalty for breaking it—death. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a ESV). Not only a physical death, but there will come a spiritual one as well. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8 ESV). God must judge. Yes, He loves us perfectly, but He also is perfectly just and that justice demands that innocent blood be shed to pay for sin. However, not a single human on earth could ever even qualify to be that sacrifice even if one could be convinced of the necessity of shedding his blood for all. So we are left without hope. Until we finish the rest of Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 ESV). God came into this world, not as the conquering king that He is, but as a poor carpenter’s son, not to the royal palace, but to a humble cave. Not to comfortable cradle followed by a life of luxury, but to straw-filled manger and a life of drudgery, disrespect, pain, and hard work. He as God was entirely perfect, fulfilling the law of God His Father. He walked everywhere preaching and teaching and healing those who were sick and believed that He could save them, proving that He was God. But instead of welcoming Him and believing in Him, they hated and betrayed Him. Jesus was arrested on false charges, taken to a phony trial—a mockery of justice—and condemned Him to death. The mob hung Him on the cross, but they did not kill Him, His Father did. “Yet, it was the Lord's will to crush him with suffering” (Isaiah 53:10 GW). The death of the Son, Jesus, brought a smile to His Father’s face, because Jesus had become the very embodiment of our sin. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV). Jesus when He was on the cross was the most disgusting, defiled, awful man that ever lived. All the sins ever committed in the vast story of humanity: past, present, and future were laid upon the account of Jesus and, with the same breath that He used to create life in us, He gave it up to redeem us. Listen friend, When Jesus died on that tree, He did it for you. You are a sinner, plain and simple. You have lied, cheated, stolen. You have lusted, hated, coveted. You have used the breath that God graciously gave you to curse His holy and matchless name. You have and so have I. You are under the death penalty of a perfect God. But God did not leave you without hope, He gave you His Son. Will you today take the free gift of life and freedom offered to you by God? All He requires in exchange is your life. Surrender to God! Turn your back on your old life. Leave behind the filth of sin. Allow God to cleanse you and make you pure so that you can stand before God; and give Him everything that you have and are. Give to Him your time, your energy, your money, because they were never actually yours! You have nothing apart from Him. Give God your breath back, you owe Him!
I am just a beggar
The only way for us to be reconciled to God is for us to become humble, see ourselves as God sees us, and to throw ourselves at the feet of our King and beg His mercy. Yes God loves us, He loves us fiercely, but that love does not negate His absolute holiness, and His judgement of wrongdoing. He must not allow sinners to live, this doesn't make him a mean ogre though, but a kind, loving God, who because He made mankind, He knows what is absolutely best for him (Psalm 33:13-16, Psalm 94:7-11, Psalm 139:17-18, Jeremiah 17:9-10). He knows what brings death and what brings life, and He told us do these and you will live and we chose to go our own way. We chose death, and because we sinned, God must fulfill His promise and bring death. But because He loves us, He chose to die for us, to take all of our blame and sin upon His own shoulders and to die our death. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh..." I Peter 3:18a
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6
God, the King of the majesty on high, died for us. He offers salvation to all, only one thing gets in the way- our pride. Our only hope is to see that the life around us is not all that there is, and that all that we have is a gift from God, we cannot make our hearts beat, our lungs take air, our brain to think. These are all gifts from God, undeservedly given to man. We must realize that we are utterly beggars before Him and repent of our sins, and call on Him for salvation. Thrice came out with a song with this theme and it is appropriately called Beggars.
All you great men of power, you who boast of your feats
Politicians and entrepreneurs
Can you safe guard your breath in the night while you sleep
Keep your heart beating steady or sure?
As you lie in your bed does the thought haunt your head
That you're really rather small?
If there's one thing I know in this life, we are beggars all
All you champions of science and rulers of men
Can you summon the sun from it's sleep?
Does the earth seek your council on how fast to spin?
Can you shut up the gates of the deep?
Don't you know that all things hang as if on a string over darkness, poised to fall?
If there's one thing I know in this life, we are beggars all
All you big shots who swagger and stride with conceit
Did you devise how your frame would be formed?
If you'd be raised in a palace or left out on the streets?
Or Choose the place or the hour you'd be born?
Tell me what can you claim not a thing, not your name
Tell me if you can recall just one thing, not a gift, in this life
Can you hear what's been said, can you see now that everything's grace after all
If there's one thing I know in this life, we are beggars all
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6
God, the King of the majesty on high, died for us. He offers salvation to all, only one thing gets in the way- our pride. Our only hope is to see that the life around us is not all that there is, and that all that we have is a gift from God, we cannot make our hearts beat, our lungs take air, our brain to think. These are all gifts from God, undeservedly given to man. We must realize that we are utterly beggars before Him and repent of our sins, and call on Him for salvation. Thrice came out with a song with this theme and it is appropriately called Beggars.
All you great men of power, you who boast of your feats
Politicians and entrepreneurs
Can you safe guard your breath in the night while you sleep
Keep your heart beating steady or sure?
As you lie in your bed does the thought haunt your head
That you're really rather small?
If there's one thing I know in this life, we are beggars all
All you champions of science and rulers of men
Can you summon the sun from it's sleep?
Does the earth seek your council on how fast to spin?
Can you shut up the gates of the deep?
Don't you know that all things hang as if on a string over darkness, poised to fall?
If there's one thing I know in this life, we are beggars all
All you big shots who swagger and stride with conceit
Did you devise how your frame would be formed?
If you'd be raised in a palace or left out on the streets?
Or Choose the place or the hour you'd be born?
Tell me what can you claim not a thing, not your name
Tell me if you can recall just one thing, not a gift, in this life
Can you hear what's been said, can you see now that everything's grace after all
If there's one thing I know in this life, we are beggars all
Saturday, January 5, 2013
What is man?
Those who know me, know that poetry isn't my strong suit. I have written two good poems in all my life, and the second one was last night. I am preaching at my church this Sunday night out of Psalm 8 and so I have been studying this passage quite a bit.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
This Psalm has really impacted my life and so last night I couldn't sleep so I wrote a poem about it.
What Is Man?
What is man when I see your power?
My God whose breath brought forth the earth?
Your hands that formed each mountain peak,
Why, oh God, did you plan my birth?
What is man when I see your care?
My God whose breath gave man his soul?
Your hands that shape a man from clay,
Why, oh God, did you make my mold?
What is man when I see your mercy?
My God whose breath should take my life?
Your hands that should destroy us all,
Why, oh God, did you withhold the knife?
What is man when I see your cross?
My God whose breath you gave for me?
Your hands that for my sins do bleed,
Why, oh God, did you die on that tree?
What is man when I see your grace?
My God whose breath calls me a son?
Your hands that clothe me with your robes,
Why, oh God, did you cry out, “‘tis done!”?
What is man?
An explanation of the title
In Hebrews 11:13-16, God calls His people exiles, people who do not belong where they are.
"These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city."
These verses were the inspiration for a song by Dustin Kensrue and the band Thrice who wrote a song called In Exile.
I am in exile, a sojourner
A citizen of some other place
All I've seen is just a glimmer in a shadowy mirror
But I know, one day well see face to face
I am a nomad, a wanderer
I have nowhere to lay my head down
There's no point in putting roots too deep when I'm moving on
Not settling for this unsettling town
My heart is filled with songs of forever
The city that endures when all is made new
I know I don't belong here, I'll never
Call this place my home, I'm just passing through
I am a pilgrim, a voyager
I wont rest until my lips touch the shore
Of the land that I've been longing for as long as I've lived
Where they'll be no pain or tears anymore
My heart is filled with songs of forever
The city that endures when all is made new
I know I don't belong here, I'll never
Call this place my home, I'm just passing through
This song has been a huge blessing to me and every time I hear it I am reminded that this world isn't where I belong, that my home is in Heaven and that this world offers nothing of eternal value.
In Exile by Thrice
"These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city."
These verses were the inspiration for a song by Dustin Kensrue and the band Thrice who wrote a song called In Exile.
I am in exile, a sojourner
A citizen of some other place
All I've seen is just a glimmer in a shadowy mirror
But I know, one day well see face to face
I am a nomad, a wanderer
I have nowhere to lay my head down
There's no point in putting roots too deep when I'm moving on
Not settling for this unsettling town
My heart is filled with songs of forever
The city that endures when all is made new
I know I don't belong here, I'll never
Call this place my home, I'm just passing through
I am a pilgrim, a voyager
I wont rest until my lips touch the shore
Of the land that I've been longing for as long as I've lived
Where they'll be no pain or tears anymore
My heart is filled with songs of forever
The city that endures when all is made new
I know I don't belong here, I'll never
Call this place my home, I'm just passing through
This song has been a huge blessing to me and every time I hear it I am reminded that this world isn't where I belong, that my home is in Heaven and that this world offers nothing of eternal value.
In Exile by Thrice
This serves as a beginning...
I thought since I am new to this whole blogging thing that I would introduce myself. My name is Clayton Campbell, I am the son of a pastor and a home healthcare nurse. I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. I grew up not wanting to go to hell, and so I "prayed a prayer" asking to go to heaven, but it wasn't until I was ten that God, through a message delivered by a chalk artist named Lucky Shepherd that I saw that I was a sinner, yes I knew that all people sin, but it wasn't until that moment that I saw that it was MY sin that would keep me from God and that the only hope I had was to turn to Jesus and ask for Him to save me, to wash my soul with His blood and to clothe me with His robes. From that moment on I have served Him with all that I have. I have since answered His call in my life and am currently training to eventually be a pastor at Northland International University. I am not entirely sure where I will be at after I graduate, but I know I will be trying to serve my savior. I love reading, something I inherited from my mom and share with my brother and sister. I love history, so historical non fiction as well as fiction has always been a must-especially when it comes to the Civil War. With fiction, I enjoy some fantasy, I love Tolkien and Lewis (his fiction as well as his theological works) as well as Christopher Paolini and the Harry Potter series. I enjoy very little science fiction works, mainly Star Wars books. Speaking of Star Wars, I am a HUGE nerd, although I disguise it in public, and can talk about it for hours. Musically my tastes are extremely varied, anything from classical to rap and most things in between. The genres I do not care too much about are: country, polka (lol), screamo (although some songs with screaming in them are quite good), and I abhor pop music. The artist that has had one of the biggest influences on my life is Dustin Kensrue, the lead singer of the band Thrice as well as the music pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. More than likely you will see some of his lyrics end up in this blog from time to time. Anyways... I think that is enough about me for now... In the words of Michael Scott from The Office, one of my favorite comedies, "See ya on the flippity-flop!"
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