Cross Centered Living
In the next few weeks I will be finishing my set of sermons working through the Sermon on the Mount. We will then begin in Matthew 16. The next Matthew passage takes us through several hard questions to apply to our life. The context of it all is the denial of self, the taking up of the cross, and following Jesus. Our church stands at a great moment to be doing so. For even if we are but a match light in a dark cave, we will bring illumination. Not it is the work of God, not of ourselves. But even though the times are dark, we by contrast can show live giving light.
So this list below is a compilation, though not exhaustive, of questions that call us to persevere. As a pastor my doubts and issues must all be held against the cross. If we look at the assailments against us and the daily grind of original sin we can have a much greater perspective on that grace that has been bestowed.
Enjoy the list……..
Cross centered living………
Involves our thinking, what do we think about and to what depth
What values do we have?
What do we consider frivolous.
How different are we from the world?
What power is in our life as it relates to waiting upon God for Him to move and not for our manipulation of situations?
Given that the cross deals with sin, what sanctification is evident in my life? What sin do I long to rid myself of?
What brings me joy?
What moments with God have I cherished?
Name the references of scriptures that guide your heart? If you live by them you will have a kinship with them.
Since I bear the cross, denying self and following Him? Where has He led me and through what trials? What have I learned of Him in my trials that is unforgettable? How was I changed?
How have I denied self? Or what have I given up to gain Christ?
What do we allow into our lives and what do we pour out?
How often do we seek change?
How often can we point to change happening?
Where is my free time spent?
To where does my mind wander?
What is my hope for the future?
What goals do I have? Are they cross centered?
Have I ever taken a stand in the world to speak out against sin? Have I squelched gossip?
Do I Berean my advisors or take everything as gospel?
What is my language like?
Do I understand what it is to worship?
Do I regularly give God glory and credit?
Do I rejoice at righteousness?
Do I desire that others advance just as long as I advance too?
What is my prayer life like? What do I ask for?
What do I do when it comes to repentance?
How often am I at peace?
What is the Sabbath day in my life as compared to scripture?
What entertains me?
What educates me?
If asked, what verse dominates my current thought life?
What investment am I making into the life of my family?
What investment am I making into the life of someone outside my family?
Have I sacrificed?
What pains have I bore and kept silent about a s to not exalt self?
Are the songs I am moved by man or cross centered?
Have I glorified Christ by leading others to faith in Him? How often?
Am I more concerned about His name or someone’s feelings getting hurt?
How easily swayed am I?
What authors have I cherished and how did they finish the race?
Do I find tithing an issue of difficulty?
Do I sacrificially give, expecting no return, and find it pleasing?
Do I limit God by agreeing to act a certain way only if circumstances are favorable?
Have I persevered?
In what way?
Was my perseverance temporary or long term?
Have I understood Foxe’s Book of Martyrs?
Do I have a heart for the persecuted church?
How much time to I give to prayer?
How much time to I give to reading His Word?
What did the preacher preach on Sunday?
What did I teach my children last week?
Do I look forward to Sunday?
How do I show it on Saturday?
How have I trusted my Lord by honoring my pastor?
What was the last lesson God taught me?
What was the last thing God told me to do?
How do I know His voice?
What lengths have I gone to to hide His word in my heart?
What else is in my heart?
To whom have I sought forgiveness?
Where have I ever made restitution?
What does my schedule reveal?
What are the heart plans of my retirement?
Have I ever said “No Lord”?
Do I obey?
Could my children point out that I say one thing and do the opposite?
Can my spouse or children reveal that I act a particular way when people are looking at me and another at home?
What would embarrass me if it were found out?
Knowing Christ, what of my past would I have done differently?
How and I living differently now?
How am I discipline others not to make the mistakes I have made?
Do I call sin as sin, or is it a mistake, problem, ongoing temptation, or other watered down name?
How is my self esteem?
Can you justify self esteem and denial of self?
What do you do with compliments?
What “trophies” do you display?
How long do you spend time in prayer? How deep do yours prayers go before it is time to stop?
Have you skipped meals to spend more time in bible study or prayer?
What keeps you home from church and fellowship with the brethren?
When at home, what do you do?
Where has your computer been to on the internet?
Do you fear God? In what way?
Do you fear death?
What do I complain about?
How often do I complain and what form does it take?
Am I a master at acting before men?
Do I keep on even when I don’t feel like it?
Whom do I aim to please?
Am I dissatisfied with the amount of worship I am involved in?
What awes me about God?
How do you actively love your enemies?
Friday, May 2, 2008
Expelld: A Commentary on the Culture
Expelled is A commentary on the culture.
Last week I was able to attend a showing of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. This documentary by Ben Stein has been lauded by several leaders of the Christian community at large. It puts into order many of the pieces of the ongoing politically charged pseudo-science affront to keep the intelligent design investigation suppressed.
A few years ago Al Gore won an Oscar for his film entitled An Inconvenient Truth. It dealt with global warming as a verifiable fact. However it has yet to be seen through verifiable data. It has been praised by Hollywood, (Like minds think alike) and some scientists, and been blasted by suppressed scientists. As a matter of fact a month ago the John Coleman, owner of the Weather Channel stated in an Associated Press report of March 13, 2008 that Al Gore ought to be sued for fraudulent claims from his documentary.
But this article isn’t about Al Gore and the statements the Darwinian scientists want to make. Its about freedom of speech as outlined in Expelled. You see, Darwinists, like global warming enthusiasts who have yet to prove anything or find the missing link, don’t play fair. They have a set of rules that allows them to propagate their ideology, but if a Intelligent Design theorist wishes to speak up or conduct research they seemingly harass and change the rules of tolerance at will.
Now think about this, if I theorize that the moon is made of green cheese, I get laughed and dismissed as crazy, but I am not attacked. Why because it is no threat to your worldview. Tests can be made to disprove my ideology and thus I am dismissed as a non issue. But when an ID Scientists puts out facts and plausible arguments or even questions evolution, which has scientific sustainability, they are immediately scholastically exiled and treated as a cockroach. Why, because the basis truth of Romans 1 is the Darwinists want to live without God so that there are no moral absolutes to challenge their lifestyles, read that sinful revelry.
Mr. Stein and company bring forth a difficult subject that often will not interest others in a palatable way. Within the confines of the ninety minutes or so of screen time, Ben takes on the heavy hitters, specifically Richard Dawkins. Dawkins has since seen the movie and ranted that he was filmed under false pretenses. I ask you Mr. Dawkins, would you have a different opinion based upon a different audience? Regardless, Dawkins is the head atheist at large today. His book The God Delusion has made him extremely wealthy and brought great fame. I just wish all who have read his book would also read Alister and Joanna McGrath’s book The Dawkins Delusion.
Being one that has followed much of the Darwinian debate and ID controversy, I found Expelled to be a great summary of the murmuring. Having read the McGrath’s book a few months ago, I found that Expelled does a great job. Its not fancy editing and sound bites. Its good investigation. It’s not quite balanced in letting the evolutionists explain why they believe the way they do, but then again, if there is no evidence you don’t have much to say. Listed below are some great sources I have found in the ID/Darwinian debate.
But again, the movie is about free speech. False ideas ought to be shown as such and then dismissed. But as it is shown ID does not even get a pretrial. Its scourged and whispered about. It is not surprising that George Mason University, The Smithsonian, and several others take a stand against ID. But what shocked me most is that Baylor University, a once Christian school (Maybe they are still but they are going the way of Biola) had the audacity to fire/remove/dismiss a professor who had favorable thoughts of ID. That is just unthinkable, but it happened.
Controversy is not new. Much of the New Testament was written on the basis of informing the church of who Truth is when distortions abound. Remember, evolution is an effort to do away with God. When you go to this movie, and I think you should, take a pad of paper and pen. Write down the names of these scientists. Then dig deeper, know the arguments of ID and what scripture has to say to these theories and be prepared to engage in the culture.
You can’t help but make a comparison between the two movies An Inconvenient Truth and Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. Ben Stein will not win an Oscar. He won’t even be nominated.
Other Resources….
ID topics
Alister and Joanna McGrath The Dawkins Delusion
Answersingenesis.com
Darwin on Trial, Philip Johnson
Darwin’s Black Box, Michael Behe
Bible Resources
Esword.com
Dissecting the arguments
Why Good Arguments Often Fail, James Sire
Last week I was able to attend a showing of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. This documentary by Ben Stein has been lauded by several leaders of the Christian community at large. It puts into order many of the pieces of the ongoing politically charged pseudo-science affront to keep the intelligent design investigation suppressed.
A few years ago Al Gore won an Oscar for his film entitled An Inconvenient Truth. It dealt with global warming as a verifiable fact. However it has yet to be seen through verifiable data. It has been praised by Hollywood, (Like minds think alike) and some scientists, and been blasted by suppressed scientists. As a matter of fact a month ago the John Coleman, owner of the Weather Channel stated in an Associated Press report of March 13, 2008 that Al Gore ought to be sued for fraudulent claims from his documentary.
But this article isn’t about Al Gore and the statements the Darwinian scientists want to make. Its about freedom of speech as outlined in Expelled. You see, Darwinists, like global warming enthusiasts who have yet to prove anything or find the missing link, don’t play fair. They have a set of rules that allows them to propagate their ideology, but if a Intelligent Design theorist wishes to speak up or conduct research they seemingly harass and change the rules of tolerance at will.
Now think about this, if I theorize that the moon is made of green cheese, I get laughed and dismissed as crazy, but I am not attacked. Why because it is no threat to your worldview. Tests can be made to disprove my ideology and thus I am dismissed as a non issue. But when an ID Scientists puts out facts and plausible arguments or even questions evolution, which has scientific sustainability, they are immediately scholastically exiled and treated as a cockroach. Why, because the basis truth of Romans 1 is the Darwinists want to live without God so that there are no moral absolutes to challenge their lifestyles, read that sinful revelry.
Mr. Stein and company bring forth a difficult subject that often will not interest others in a palatable way. Within the confines of the ninety minutes or so of screen time, Ben takes on the heavy hitters, specifically Richard Dawkins. Dawkins has since seen the movie and ranted that he was filmed under false pretenses. I ask you Mr. Dawkins, would you have a different opinion based upon a different audience? Regardless, Dawkins is the head atheist at large today. His book The God Delusion has made him extremely wealthy and brought great fame. I just wish all who have read his book would also read Alister and Joanna McGrath’s book The Dawkins Delusion.
Being one that has followed much of the Darwinian debate and ID controversy, I found Expelled to be a great summary of the murmuring. Having read the McGrath’s book a few months ago, I found that Expelled does a great job. Its not fancy editing and sound bites. Its good investigation. It’s not quite balanced in letting the evolutionists explain why they believe the way they do, but then again, if there is no evidence you don’t have much to say. Listed below are some great sources I have found in the ID/Darwinian debate.
But again, the movie is about free speech. False ideas ought to be shown as such and then dismissed. But as it is shown ID does not even get a pretrial. Its scourged and whispered about. It is not surprising that George Mason University, The Smithsonian, and several others take a stand against ID. But what shocked me most is that Baylor University, a once Christian school (Maybe they are still but they are going the way of Biola) had the audacity to fire/remove/dismiss a professor who had favorable thoughts of ID. That is just unthinkable, but it happened.
Controversy is not new. Much of the New Testament was written on the basis of informing the church of who Truth is when distortions abound. Remember, evolution is an effort to do away with God. When you go to this movie, and I think you should, take a pad of paper and pen. Write down the names of these scientists. Then dig deeper, know the arguments of ID and what scripture has to say to these theories and be prepared to engage in the culture.
You can’t help but make a comparison between the two movies An Inconvenient Truth and Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. Ben Stein will not win an Oscar. He won’t even be nominated.
Other Resources….
ID topics
Alister and Joanna McGrath The Dawkins Delusion
Answersingenesis.com
Darwin on Trial, Philip Johnson
Darwin’s Black Box, Michael Behe
Bible Resources
Esword.com
Dissecting the arguments
Why Good Arguments Often Fail, James Sire
Why Would We Expect God to Act Differently Today?
Why Would We Expect God to Act Differently Today.
Baptists are quick to say “God is the same yesterday, today, and forever”. That is true, His being God is such that He is complete. If He were to be getting better that would mean that He is not perfect and complete in the present. If it were said that He was diminishing that would say that He is not sustainable and that all His promises will one day be void. These could present serious problems. But the Gospel message of Good news is that God is as He has always been and will be. Therefore we have hope, that is assurance in He who is forever God.
That being said, why would we fathom the possibility that God would contradict something today He has lived by in the past? What I am referring to is the ideology that God acts because He loves us in the state that we are objects of His love due to our loveliness. Remember we are at enmity with God, sinners who’s best attempt at righteousness is but bloody putrid rags (No one ever wants to touch a used band aid) Put another way, many people operate out of a theology that Christ died for them thus they have an infinite value to behold. This leads to all sorts of false thinking such as treating God as a buddy who will let you get away with sin whereas the commandments apply to all others but His pals.
Yes, Christ did die for you, but not based on your merit. Christ died for sinners because of His nature. It is because of who He is. That gives infinite awe to the act of the cross.
The nature of God is to reveal His great name. He is not a secret. He is not simply hidden as a buried treasure, for God can not be contained. God chooses to reveal who He is because that is the nature of God. He is that Whom never sins. In His glory it would be sin to keep such awesome wonder hidden. He has to show His glory otherwise it would be sin. We too sin when we do not revel in joy and love of He through glorification of His holy name.
Returning to my thesis of “Why would we expect God to act differently today”. You see the theology of God loves you puts the emphasis on us. The emphasis of truth is God is love. Love can not be without God. If I go to the store and see a beautiful work of art. I am awestruck by it. It keeps me from thinking about any other priority. My heart races with joy at the object. I do not purchase the shelf it sat on, taking it home to say, look what once was near my object of joy. No I go after the object itself. When we exalt ourselves we are merely glorifying the shelf and attributing to it a false value. This is sin.
When we look in the Old Testament, time and time again God acts not on behalf of men, though they are a shelf to behold His glory, He acts because of His holy name. "I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD," declares the Lord GOD, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. (Ezekiel 36:23)
His name represents who He is. God saves men because He is holy. We need to return to this way of valuing the things revealed world. It represents cross centered thinking. God’s theology has not changed. Blessings and revelation are meant for us to glorify Him. We have no value in ourselves to receive or deserve such. The woman who washed Jesus feet with her tears and hair got it right. God acts in grace. Thusly all we think, say or do can be unto the glory of God. Solo de Gloria. To God be the glory.
Baptists are quick to say “God is the same yesterday, today, and forever”. That is true, His being God is such that He is complete. If He were to be getting better that would mean that He is not perfect and complete in the present. If it were said that He was diminishing that would say that He is not sustainable and that all His promises will one day be void. These could present serious problems. But the Gospel message of Good news is that God is as He has always been and will be. Therefore we have hope, that is assurance in He who is forever God.
That being said, why would we fathom the possibility that God would contradict something today He has lived by in the past? What I am referring to is the ideology that God acts because He loves us in the state that we are objects of His love due to our loveliness. Remember we are at enmity with God, sinners who’s best attempt at righteousness is but bloody putrid rags (No one ever wants to touch a used band aid) Put another way, many people operate out of a theology that Christ died for them thus they have an infinite value to behold. This leads to all sorts of false thinking such as treating God as a buddy who will let you get away with sin whereas the commandments apply to all others but His pals.
Yes, Christ did die for you, but not based on your merit. Christ died for sinners because of His nature. It is because of who He is. That gives infinite awe to the act of the cross.
The nature of God is to reveal His great name. He is not a secret. He is not simply hidden as a buried treasure, for God can not be contained. God chooses to reveal who He is because that is the nature of God. He is that Whom never sins. In His glory it would be sin to keep such awesome wonder hidden. He has to show His glory otherwise it would be sin. We too sin when we do not revel in joy and love of He through glorification of His holy name.
Returning to my thesis of “Why would we expect God to act differently today”. You see the theology of God loves you puts the emphasis on us. The emphasis of truth is God is love. Love can not be without God. If I go to the store and see a beautiful work of art. I am awestruck by it. It keeps me from thinking about any other priority. My heart races with joy at the object. I do not purchase the shelf it sat on, taking it home to say, look what once was near my object of joy. No I go after the object itself. When we exalt ourselves we are merely glorifying the shelf and attributing to it a false value. This is sin.
When we look in the Old Testament, time and time again God acts not on behalf of men, though they are a shelf to behold His glory, He acts because of His holy name. "I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD," declares the Lord GOD, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. (Ezekiel 36:23)
His name represents who He is. God saves men because He is holy. We need to return to this way of valuing the things revealed world. It represents cross centered thinking. God’s theology has not changed. Blessings and revelation are meant for us to glorify Him. We have no value in ourselves to receive or deserve such. The woman who washed Jesus feet with her tears and hair got it right. God acts in grace. Thusly all we think, say or do can be unto the glory of God. Solo de Gloria. To God be the glory.
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