- Teach me Thy way, O Lord,
Teach me Thy way;
Thy gracious aid afford,
Teach me Thy way.
Help me to walk aright;
More by faith, less by sight;
Lead me with heav'nly light,
Teach me Thy way. - When doubts and fears arise,
Teach me Thy way;
When storms o'erspread the skies,
Teach me Thy way.
Shine through the cloud and rain,
Through sorrow, toil, and pain;
Make Thou my pathway plain,
Teach me Thy way. - Long as my life shall last,
Teach me Thy way;
Where'er my lot be cast,
Teach me Thy way.
Until the race is run,
Until the journey's done,
Until the crown is won,
Teach me Thy way.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord
Monday, January 24, 2011
Disturbing
Read this article in its entirety, and let it sink in...
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/24/egypt-face-tunisian-inspired-protests/
Humbly Submitted,
JE
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/01/24/egypt-face-tunisian-inspired-protests/
Humbly Submitted,
JE
Saturday, January 22, 2011
The Gospel & Personal Evangelism (PT. 1)
During my Christmas break last month, I read The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever. To my understanding, Pastor Dever has an intense desire to see more and more Christians involve themselves in evangelism. What is evangelism? Well, at the heart and center of biblical evangelism is the gospel. What is the gospel? Try this:
The good news is that the one and only God, who is holy, made us in His image to know Him. But we sinned and cut ourselves off from Him. In His great love, God became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law Himself and taking on Himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn and trust in Him. He rose again from the dead, showing that God accepted Christ's sacrifice and that God's wrath against us had been exhausted. "In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will... In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses." (Eph. 1) This one and only God, "gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." (Titus 2)
Humbly Submitted,
JE
The good news is that the one and only God, who is holy, made us in His image to know Him. But we sinned and cut ourselves off from Him. In His great love, God became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law Himself and taking on Himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn and trust in Him. He rose again from the dead, showing that God accepted Christ's sacrifice and that God's wrath against us had been exhausted. "In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will... In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses." (Eph. 1) This one and only God, "gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." (Titus 2)
Humbly Submitted,
JE
Monday, January 17, 2011
My Greek Professor Said...
"What would you rather say? 'I'm not a trained speaker, but I have the truth', or 'I may not have the truth, but I am a trained speaker?' Now, I'm not saying that I want you to be a terrible speaker. I am saying that you must speak the truth. They don't need your outlines, beautiful words, elaborate methods, or expertise! They need the truth!"
- Dr. Couser
JE
- Dr. Couser
JE
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
God's Will
It must have something to do with the fact that I am entering my final semester of college, but a common topic of conversation that I conduct with folks is the will of God. On numerous occasions I have been asked, "Jonathan, what is God's plan for me? How can I find what it is that God wants me to do?"
My response to these questions is quite simple. Simple is generally the best way to go about things anyway (for example, never use a big word when a diminutive one will do!).
In all seriousness, my response is in the form of two questions:
1. How are you becoming more like Jesus, today? (sanctification)
2. What are you doing to make disciples? (obedience)
Sanctification has three aspects:
(1) at the moment of salvation when God's sets us apart (1 Cor. 6:11), (2) a continual process as we become more and more like Christ (1 Thess. 4:3), and (3) our standing before God without blame (1 Thess. 3:13). If nothing else, a single-minded desire to please God eliminates a whole lot of lifestyle choices. As a Christian works out his convictions, the direction of his/her life will certainly take shape.
Based on Matthew 28:18-20, I say with confidence that if a Christian is not in the business of making disciples, then he is not obeying God. What does "making disciples" look like? Well, that can be a post for another evening! For now, I want to make this point: becoming a disciple-maker is fundamental to being obedient to Christ's will. It is amazing how many times I have witnessed in my own life (in some cases), and in the lives of others, how God honors those who are faithful in discipling those who God brings at the present time. Think about it for a moment, How could you expect God to bring that one "big ministry opportunity" to you if you fail to be faithful to disciple the three men or women God has brought into your life for the current time? Don't you think that small group discipleship could be effective preparation for discipleship of a wife and children?
So, as we all wait patiently for God's revelation to each one of us about what we are supposed to do next year (or next week!), let's actively pursue our sanctification and discipleship opportunities. I believe that God will honor that more than you could know. And, about the whole patience thing, remember: God is seldom early, but He is never late!
Humbly Submitted,
JE
My response to these questions is quite simple. Simple is generally the best way to go about things anyway (for example, never use a big word when a diminutive one will do!).
In all seriousness, my response is in the form of two questions:
1. How are you becoming more like Jesus, today? (sanctification)
2. What are you doing to make disciples? (obedience)
Sanctification has three aspects:
(1) at the moment of salvation when God's sets us apart (1 Cor. 6:11), (2) a continual process as we become more and more like Christ (1 Thess. 4:3), and (3) our standing before God without blame (1 Thess. 3:13). If nothing else, a single-minded desire to please God eliminates a whole lot of lifestyle choices. As a Christian works out his convictions, the direction of his/her life will certainly take shape.
Based on Matthew 28:18-20, I say with confidence that if a Christian is not in the business of making disciples, then he is not obeying God. What does "making disciples" look like? Well, that can be a post for another evening! For now, I want to make this point: becoming a disciple-maker is fundamental to being obedient to Christ's will. It is amazing how many times I have witnessed in my own life (in some cases), and in the lives of others, how God honors those who are faithful in discipling those who God brings at the present time. Think about it for a moment, How could you expect God to bring that one "big ministry opportunity" to you if you fail to be faithful to disciple the three men or women God has brought into your life for the current time? Don't you think that small group discipleship could be effective preparation for discipleship of a wife and children?
So, as we all wait patiently for God's revelation to each one of us about what we are supposed to do next year (or next week!), let's actively pursue our sanctification and discipleship opportunities. I believe that God will honor that more than you could know. And, about the whole patience thing, remember: God is seldom early, but He is never late!
Humbly Submitted,
JE
Saturday, January 8, 2011
"Now I Make Known To You..."
One of my favorite things about being with my family is the chance to read the Bible with them, and then to listen to my father talk about spiritual things! I was reminded of this the other night when we were reading through Luke 20, and verse 1 was read: "On one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel..."
My father's comment was, "Wouldn't it be something to hear Jesus preach the gospel? What would that be like... maybe it wouldn't be so wonderful, as evidenced by the response of those who heard Jesus' teaching!"
You see, when Jesus presents the gospel, He presents Himself! This of course motivated a response from the religious leaders: by what authority do you say these things? For in fact, to claim oneself as the Messiah and Savior is a bold claim that is reserved for God alone.
I can discuss methods all day long, but the message is of paramount importance. What is the message? Christ! What of Christ? Christ crucified and resurrected! I Corinthians 15:1-4... "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ dies for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
Humbly Submitted,
JE
My father's comment was, "Wouldn't it be something to hear Jesus preach the gospel? What would that be like... maybe it wouldn't be so wonderful, as evidenced by the response of those who heard Jesus' teaching!"
You see, when Jesus presents the gospel, He presents Himself! This of course motivated a response from the religious leaders: by what authority do you say these things? For in fact, to claim oneself as the Messiah and Savior is a bold claim that is reserved for God alone.
I can discuss methods all day long, but the message is of paramount importance. What is the message? Christ! What of Christ? Christ crucified and resurrected! I Corinthians 15:1-4... "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ dies for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
Humbly Submitted,
JE
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Abide With Me
As I was riding a bus through Cairo today I couldn't help but notice the amount of security forces around the city who had been placed to help keep Christians safe as they attended Christmas-eve services tonight (Coptic Christmas is on January 7). To be honest, there is a pretty tight atmosphere in Egypt as a result of the strife. For some reason however, the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the bomb squads and soldiers was the hymn, Abide With Me.
The music to this hymn is very beautiful, I encourage you to check it out on YouTube or something. The words were written by an European man named Henry F. Lyte. Mr. Lyte actually wrote the first four stanzas of the song in his younger days before his conversion experience. Later, while on his death bed, his wife came upon the four stanzas and showed them to him. The last verse was penned the night before Henry Lyte passed away, concluding the hymn that illustrates a heart of humble trust in the Helper of the helpless.
Abide with me: fast falls the even tide;
The Darkness deepens; Lord with me abide!
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see.
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, they victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies:
Heav'ns morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
- Henry F. Lyte
JE
The music to this hymn is very beautiful, I encourage you to check it out on YouTube or something. The words were written by an European man named Henry F. Lyte. Mr. Lyte actually wrote the first four stanzas of the song in his younger days before his conversion experience. Later, while on his death bed, his wife came upon the four stanzas and showed them to him. The last verse was penned the night before Henry Lyte passed away, concluding the hymn that illustrates a heart of humble trust in the Helper of the helpless.
Abide with me: fast falls the even tide;
The Darkness deepens; Lord with me abide!
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see.
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, they victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies:
Heav'ns morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
- Henry F. Lyte
JE
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Time is Coming... and Quickly!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12112217
Please keep the Egyptian Church in your prayers. Every day since the bombing in Alexandria on New Years there have been deadly protests in various cities across Egypt (including Cairo). I realize that it often tempting to view something like this as an event that took place far away and therefore not necessarily something to prioritize in one's prayer time. However, there is a bigger picture to consider!
Even as we in the West have scoffed at bin Laden as he has declared a religious war, I think that he may have been right all along. Remember, the claim of Jesus as being the Christ is a threat to every other belief system, even to the Muslim (who would say that Jesus is one of the greatest prophets). The world cannot tolerate Jesus as God... Christians throughout history have understood this.
This past November, after a church bombing in Baghdad, al-Qaeda stated that all Christians in the Middle East will be considered as legitimate targets. Despite the oppressive efforts of the current regime to maintain control of Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has continued to gain popularity. They have publicly stated that once they are in power of Egypt they will eliminate Christianity from the country. These things put some perspective on the New Years bombing. To add some personal perspective, one my friends in Egypt has some relatives who were injured in the Alexandria bombing, and many Christians in the country can no longer get into their churches because the security is so high.
Pray:
1) That God would choose to protect His followers in Egypt
3) That Egyptian Christians would grow bold in their testimony of the gospel, instead of the defense of their personal "rights."
I would close with a word a word of admonishment for American Christians, including myself. The time is at hand for those who claim the name of the Lord to live in a manner worthy of the Lord. Persecution will reach us in America, despite how comfortable we may feel at the moment. This is not something to dread; indeed we have been promised this suffering as our reward for obedience to Jesus Christ. All that remains for us to do is to be faithful to the gospel despite the loss of influence that we may experience. Too often we fail to recognize the difference between power and influence. The first century Church did not have the influence to free Peter from prison, but it had the power to appeal to the God of Heaven!
May I be ever faithful; I am looking to the day that Jesus will be vindicated! (see Revelation)
Humbly Submitted,
JE
Please keep the Egyptian Church in your prayers. Every day since the bombing in Alexandria on New Years there have been deadly protests in various cities across Egypt (including Cairo). I realize that it often tempting to view something like this as an event that took place far away and therefore not necessarily something to prioritize in one's prayer time. However, there is a bigger picture to consider!
Even as we in the West have scoffed at bin Laden as he has declared a religious war, I think that he may have been right all along. Remember, the claim of Jesus as being the Christ is a threat to every other belief system, even to the Muslim (who would say that Jesus is one of the greatest prophets). The world cannot tolerate Jesus as God... Christians throughout history have understood this.
This past November, after a church bombing in Baghdad, al-Qaeda stated that all Christians in the Middle East will be considered as legitimate targets. Despite the oppressive efforts of the current regime to maintain control of Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has continued to gain popularity. They have publicly stated that once they are in power of Egypt they will eliminate Christianity from the country. These things put some perspective on the New Years bombing. To add some personal perspective, one my friends in Egypt has some relatives who were injured in the Alexandria bombing, and many Christians in the country can no longer get into their churches because the security is so high.
Pray:
1) That God would choose to protect His followers in Egypt
3) That Egyptian Christians would grow bold in their testimony of the gospel, instead of the defense of their personal "rights."
I would close with a word a word of admonishment for American Christians, including myself. The time is at hand for those who claim the name of the Lord to live in a manner worthy of the Lord. Persecution will reach us in America, despite how comfortable we may feel at the moment. This is not something to dread; indeed we have been promised this suffering as our reward for obedience to Jesus Christ. All that remains for us to do is to be faithful to the gospel despite the loss of influence that we may experience. Too often we fail to recognize the difference between power and influence. The first century Church did not have the influence to free Peter from prison, but it had the power to appeal to the God of Heaven!
May I be ever faithful; I am looking to the day that Jesus will be vindicated! (see Revelation)
Humbly Submitted,
JE
O God Our Help in Ages Past
O God, our Help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal Home!
Under the shadow of Thy Throne
Still may we dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night,
Before the rising sun.
O God, our Help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be though our Guide while life shall last,
And our eternal Home!
- Isaac Watts
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal Home!
Under the shadow of Thy Throne
Still may we dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night,
Before the rising sun.
O God, our Help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be though our Guide while life shall last,
And our eternal Home!
- Isaac Watts
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Egypt Church Bomb
For those of you who are interested, the following link will take you to an article (written by an acquaintance of mine) that responds to the church bombing in Alexandria on New Years. What makes this bombing significant (in addition to the fact that people were killed and hurt) is that Christians in the Middle East have been increasingly named as targets of terrorists attacks. Despite the fact that I don't agree with everything Cornelis Hulsman says, I do believe that he properly identifies religion as a significant factor in this latest attack.
http://arabwestreport.info/node/27405
Humbly Submitted,
JE
http://arabwestreport.info/node/27405
Humbly Submitted,
JE
Saturday, January 1, 2011
II Peter 3:11-18
"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
A Christianity That Offends (Pt. 4)
Repentance: A repositioning of my stance towards God... to turn towards Him.
The value of this definition is that it focuses on God, not man's sin. If you reference one of my previous posts, I wrote that I believe that it is not adequate to say that repentance is remorse and sorrow over sin, but it must include a turning to God. I can weep over my sin all I want, but there is no repentance if I do not turn to a Savior.
Paul wrote I Corinthians as a sort of rebuke to the church in Corinth, and in II Corinthians he acknowledged that his first letter caused a certain degree of sorrow for the Church over their sin. Here is what he said in 7:8-10: For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it - for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while - I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
There is a lot in that passage to be sure, but for now, this is the point I want to make: salvation does not occur through our sorrow alone. Sorrow must lead to repentance, which will in turn lead to salvation.
Several important thoughts:
1) Sorrow is necessary for true repentance.
2) This sorrow must be motivated by an encounter with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
3) God's Word reveals sin, which leads the humble heart to sorrow, which leads to a heart that is prepared
for repentance.
4) Sin is worth being sorry for... and God is the one who defines sin. Responding with sorrow to the
accusations of the Devil, and the moments where "I don't feel right," is not the sorrow that leads to
repentance.
5) Walk in the Holy Spirit moment by moment, be in God's Word daily, and have godly, consistent accountability... these are good practices that will help produce the sorrow over sin that will lead to repentance.
Humbly Submitted,
JE
The value of this definition is that it focuses on God, not man's sin. If you reference one of my previous posts, I wrote that I believe that it is not adequate to say that repentance is remorse and sorrow over sin, but it must include a turning to God. I can weep over my sin all I want, but there is no repentance if I do not turn to a Savior.
Paul wrote I Corinthians as a sort of rebuke to the church in Corinth, and in II Corinthians he acknowledged that his first letter caused a certain degree of sorrow for the Church over their sin. Here is what he said in 7:8-10: For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it - for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while - I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
There is a lot in that passage to be sure, but for now, this is the point I want to make: salvation does not occur through our sorrow alone. Sorrow must lead to repentance, which will in turn lead to salvation.
Several important thoughts:
1) Sorrow is necessary for true repentance.
2) This sorrow must be motivated by an encounter with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
3) God's Word reveals sin, which leads the humble heart to sorrow, which leads to a heart that is prepared
for repentance.
4) Sin is worth being sorry for... and God is the one who defines sin. Responding with sorrow to the
accusations of the Devil, and the moments where "I don't feel right," is not the sorrow that leads to
repentance.
5) Walk in the Holy Spirit moment by moment, be in God's Word daily, and have godly, consistent accountability... these are good practices that will help produce the sorrow over sin that will lead to repentance.
Humbly Submitted,
JE
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