Remember Your Creator

Can I urge you to take heed to the words of the preacher? They are like goads and nails firmly fixed and are given by one Shepherd, Christ Jesus.

The words of the preacher:

Remember also your creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them." - Ecclesiastes 12:1

This verse has not left me since I heard Alistar Begg preach on it early this year. It made such an impression on me I proceeded to preach the entirety of the chapter on Sunday night when I was invited to preach at a church.

Tonight I was really reflective of this verse as I observed my Dad. I took them to the New Hanover Co. Fair tonight. I had about as much desire to have my foot shot off as I did go to the fair, but I went. My Father has suffered from 3 strokes, two of which the doctors have classified as "major". So to say the least they have affected my Dad. They have completely changed his personality, and have made it difficult to do the things we all dismiss because we do them so much. Watching my Dad has made me thankful to be able to button my pants every morning without difficulty, and be able to get up out of bed. If you can have a steady logical conversation with someone for a steady 10 mins, you've got my Dad beat. The stroke has severely affected his ability to communicate. It was hard for him to even answer the simple 'yes' or 'no' question of "do you want to go look at the animals tonight?"

So if you can button your pants, have a conversation, read, and comprehend what someone is saying to you may I besiege you to listen to the words of the Preacher.

Remember your Creator.
Life for him.
Glorify him.
Tell others about him.
Soak up as much as you can from his word.
Serve the local body as much as you can.

"You were bought with a price, you are not your own, so glorify God with your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:20

Beloved I tell you my Dad is only 48, and had the first two strokes when he was 46. By no means am I saying my Father never remembered his Creator, I'm ever so thankful for my Father and the example he laid before me. Always praying, always. Serving the church in whatever way he could. Going on mission trips. I've learned much about being able to glorify our Creator from my Father. But we are not promised tomorrow, we aren't promised we can do as we please and then one day decide to follow Jesus. We aren't promised that we'll live long enough for our hair to turn grey and fall out. We aren't promised we'll make it to the point where our legs shake, and when we were once 6'4'' we've stooped over and lost a foot of our height. We aren't promised we'll live long enough to have our teeth fall out and go blind. We may never make it to the point where the slightest noise causes us to wake from our slumber. We aren't promised to make it to a point where we can be married and enjoy the benefits of intimacy, and one day have those desires taper with age. We aren't promised forever to draw from the bounty of life on this earth.

The preacher warns that we need remember our Creator before we lose all of our faculties. I besiege you with him to glorify God, life for him. Because the days when you lose your faculties may come quicker than you imagine.

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." - Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

DWYL - Soli Deo Gloria -

Dudes, Dudettes, Single, Married.

Take a listen to today's sermon at Covenant Life Church by Joshua Harris on Proverbs 31:10-31. (As I titled the post, I think anyone can take a listen to this sermon and can be edified by gleaning something from it)

Sermon- The Woman of Valor

Awakening

I've got a few thoughts on Nehemiah 8 after today I had a conversation about revival.

Proclamation

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. - Nehemiah 8:1-3

The entire nation is gathered as the book of the Law is being read. All the ears of the nation of Israel are turned where? To the word of God.

Where are our ears turned today in the church? Are they turned to word of God, what is the desire of the church? What are we listening to, is it the word of God? God forbid we desire to have our ears tickled, and make for ourselves teachers to suit our ungodliness.

There is hope if we continue to read the rest of the chapter. This listening to the word of God produces results when it falls on open ears.

And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. - Nehemiah 8:4-5

Ezra the priest stands and begins to read from the Law. Note a place for the exhortation of scripture was built as a place for an act of worship. Exhortation is worship! So many people think worship is the thing you do when you sing on Sunday mornings, and thats it. Worship is more than just a genre of music, it is to be giving praise and adoration in everything the Christian does. Then the people rose to the reading of the word of God, the exhortation of scripture is a corporate act of worship. It isn't just worship for the one attempting to expose the word of God, but for the hearers to. Going to church, listening to your Pastor preach on Sunday morning is an act of worship. To quote Christ, "Let him who has ears, let him hear." God is speaking through his words, if you have ears to hear. If you have the Spirit of God in you, take heed to what he is saying through his word, it is an act of worship.

And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. - Nehemiah 8:6-8

Ezra praised God through the reading of his word, and the people respond in worship. The word of God prompts worship, they lifted up their hands to the reading of the word of God. Again I say, worship is more than just the music you sing on Sunday morning. When, if ever, was the last time you saw people raise their hands in worship during the time dedicated to the exhortation of Scripture on Sunday morning or any other time?

It was the word that was taught to the nation that prompted praise, not the ideas of men. The priest interpreted it, and the people gave praise! We must ask ourselves, do we praise God for his word? Do we praise him for hearing from him as he speaks through his prophets? The word of God is meant to be proclaimed, and it is not so distant that we cannot understand it. It is not so far over our heads that it is out of grasp. It is where it can be understood. And when it is proclaimed, and understood, it prompts praise. It exalts God, and brings exultation.

Exultation

Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved." And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. - Nehemiah 8:10-12

The joy of the LORD is your strength. Following the proclamation of the word of God, the people went to rejoice in what they heard. It brings joy, you an exult in God on Sunday morning while you heard the word of God preached. Amazing stirrings arise in my soul as I listen to men faithfully exposit God's words. The people exulted in God's word because they understood it. Make it a joyful act of worship as you listen to the word of God proclaimed.

Verses 13-18 the people celebrate the Feast of Booths, they continue in their worship and enjoyment of God.

And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule. - Nehemiah 8:17-18

Being reminded of what God had done with his people during their of wanderings they continued to worship. There was great rejoicing. There is joy when you are satisfied in God. The reading of the Law continued, day by day the reading of the Law did not cease, and the people continued to listen. Perhaps we could take note that a sermon on Sunday morning isn't a fix all for the week, we need to constantly be in the word of God, it transforms and awakens the hearts of men.

Repentance

The people continue to worship under the reading of the Law and it leads to confession and repentance. We find ourselves in chapter 9.

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the LORD their God. On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God. - Nehemiah 9:1-4

The nation separated themselves, and they confessed their own sins, and the sins that came from those who were before them. Including the syncretism of that came from the nations surrounding them worshiping false idols and the worship of the Lord. They were prompted to confession and worship. If you pray for an awakening among the people of God, pray it is an awakening that comes from a turning of the church back to the word of God. When people come before it, they fall face down and confess their sin.

Doxology

The people confess their sins and worship God. The Nation breaks out in doxology.

Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, "Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." - Nehemiah 9:5

This is just the beginning of the priest telling the story of God's relationship with his people. The word of God being proclaimed leads to praise and worship of the incredible Creator of all things. It sparks a heart of worship within the people of God, it brings forth reformation into the likeness of Christ.

It stirs hearts to make declarations like, ""Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly." - Nehemiah 9:32-33


I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. - 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Spectacular Sins

I read the following and my heart about beat its way out of my chest:

The apex of the glory of Christ is the glory of his grace--treating people infinitely better than they deserve--giving himself for the everlasting joy of the worst sinners who will have him as their highest Treasure. And the apex of this grace is the murder of the God-man outside Jerusalem around A.D. 33. The death of Jesus Christ was murder. It was the most spectacular sin ever committed.

At the all-important pivot of human history, the worst sin ever committed served to show the greatest glory of Christ and obtain the sin-conquering gift of God's grace. God did not just overcome evil at the cross. He made evil serve the overcoming of evil. He made evil commit suicide in doing its worst evil.

Evil is anything and everything opposed to the fullest display of the glory of Christ. That's the meaning of evil. In the death of Christ, the powers of darkness did their best to destroy the glory of the Son of God. This is the apex of evil. But instead they found themselves quoting the script of ancient prophecy and acting the part assigned by God. Precisely in putting Christ to death, they put his glory on display--the very glory that they aimed to destroy. The apex of evil achieved the apex of the glory of Christ. The glory of grace

- Piper, Spectacular Sins. p 12.

Fan the Flame

7 Pages of notes, may be one of the most important sermons I have ever heard in my life as a man called to preach the gospel unashamedly. I do not normally sit down in front of a computer and listen with my notebook, I did this time. I'm glad I did.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/video/Feed-the-Flame-of-Gods-Gift-Unashamed-Courage-in-the-Gospel

Listen.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.

-2 Timothy 1:1-12 (emphasis mine)

Reflecting

This afternoon I've felt much in line with Paul in Romans 7

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Romans 7:21-25

I don't like things to dominate my thoughts that aren't God honoring, they can quickly become idolatry. I would like to keep my thoughts fixated on the things that are above, with Christ who is seated in the heavenly places. So I've been in a kindly odd mood this evening. So I decided to go for a walk and listen to a sermon by Alistar Begg, I just downloaded today's broadcast of Truth for Life. Begg was preaching on well; preaching, preaching grace specifically to a group of pastors.

Begg said the following during the sermon, "If we do not take refuge in the gospel we will take refuge somewhere else." God forbid we take refuge in anything other than the gospel. I began to think of my own calling to preach the gospel through the word of God. I thought back to the very first time I preached, the only thing I knew to do, the only thing I thought really made sense as a 15 year old was to go to the bible. So that's what I did, I went to a text of scripture and did my best to expose what I thought the text was telling. I didn't know what it was called at the time, and I probably could have done a lot better job at it, but for what its worth it was an attempt at exposition. Preaching the word of God ought to have the word of God at the center of its preaching. It isn't mean to be just a base to shoot off our own ideas, rather the Scriptures are God's words that instruct us. We preach Christ, and him crucified, and it He is preached boldly, without wavering, and it is this preaching that is built on the authority of the word of God. I believe the word of God is the foundation of the Christian faith, without it we wouldn't know what the Christian faith is, or how it should be lived out.

So I stand on the tweet I posted earlier: "When I was 15 I felt the call to preach, I went to the bible. God forbid I ever leave it."

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 2 Corinthians 4:5

Might we have a high view of Christ