chris allen james

Singing the National Anthem

2008-03-01T19:37:00.002-05:00

On Friday night, I sang the national anthem at the UMASS Lowell/Northeastern University hockey game at Tsongas Arena. I was humbled by the opportunity and thought I would share with you the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH6nt218h18

Jesus says, "Follow Me"

2008-02-15T16:51:00.003-05:00

Contrary to much of the superficial teaching in the Western church, there exists a high cost of following Jesus Christ. In Luke 9, Jesus spends some time debriefing things with the Twelve forecasting His death on the Cross. Afterwards, He shifts the conversation in order for all of the crowd to hear. He gives the conditions for following Him.

1. Deny your "self". If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself...This denial is not a type of asceticism where you simply refrain from partaking of certain pleasures or wants. Moreover, it is not a type of monasticism where you withdraw from all of society in order to focus on spiritual disciplines. This denial IS a relinquishing of your rights to Christ--the understanding that by following Jesus, you forfeit all of your rights to Him. This denial is also a forsaking of your sin (or the "old self"--see Ephesians 4:22). The call to "deny your self" compares to the common New Testament teaching of repentance.

2. Take up your cross daily. If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily...It is important that we put ourselves in the shoes of the original hearers of this call. For anyone present at Jesus' teaching, the primary thing they would have understood at these words would have been "death". In Roman culture, an everyday citizen would have been as familiar with the term cross as we are with the term "electric chair". The average person at that time could have witnessed hundreds of executions in their lifetime.

But, Jesus is not simply conveying the idea of martyrdom (even though many Christians have given their lives for Him). The all-time principle Jesus conveys here is surrender. He is asking for life or death devotion. A condemned criminal was forced to carry one bar of the cross to the place of execution. He was on a one-way journey. To take up the cross daily is to live each day, not for self, but for Christ.

3. Follow Jesus or Obey Jesus. If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me...Following Jesus means that you obey Jesus. To obey Jesus is to follow Jesus. The two are indelibly linked. Saying that you are a follower of Jesus without ever taking into consideration your obedience to Jesus is grossly irresponsible. And, this obedience is not a one-time deal; it is a continual way of life. It means that you follow Him on His terms and not your own. You don't get to make up the terms of discipleship. He writes them and calls you to follow them.

Being a Christian does not simply consist of reciting a prayer, walking down the aisle of a church, or joining a particular denomination. To be a Christian is to repent of the "old self", to surrender all your rights to Christ in life or death devotion, and to obediently follow Christ until you see Him face to face. How different would the world be if our pulpits truly taught this and followers of Christ truly lived this?

Kill Your Sin

2008-01-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

The following is a part of an article featured in this month's edition of Tabletalk magazine (from Ligonier Ministries and Dr. R.C. Sproul). It is written by Dr. Tom Ascal, Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida...

On May 1, 2003, Aron Ralston, a twenty-seven year old backpacker, did something unthinkable in order to save his life. After being pinned for five days by an eight-hundred pound boulder in a remote Utah canyon, he took his dull pocketknife and cut off his right arm to free himself.

He had tried chipping away at the rock at first, but it would not budge. Finally, he realized that he had only two choices. Either he must cut off his arm, or he would die. On the fifth day, hungry and dehydrated, he sawed through his flesh just below the elbow in order to free himself.

He walked out of that canyon without his right arm, but with his life. This is the exact picture that Jesus gives us when telling us how to deal with sin that remains in our lives. "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell" (Matt. 5:29-30).

Jesus is not speaking literally. If you steal with your right hand, then simply amputating it will not cure you of thievery. You could continue stealing with your left hand. And if you remove your right eye because it has been an instrument of lusting, you still have your left eye that can be used for the same purpose.

Our Lord's words are intended to shock us into recognition of the seriousness with which we must deal with the sin that remains in our lives as believers. We must treat it ruthlessly. We must be willing to give up the good things (analogous to eyes and arms) in our effort to put sin to death.

"Be killing sin or it will be killing you," wrote that prince of puritan theologians, John Owen, in his classic work on the mortification of sin. He understood Jesus' point that these are the only two options that a believer has when it comes to dealing with his remaining sin.

Either fight decisively against the sin your life or consign yourself to spiritual death. "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Rom. 8:13). There is no alternative.

Does this mean that salvation is not by grace or that a Christian can lose his salvation? No. What it means is that the grace that brings salvation trains us "to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age" (Titus 2:12). The grace that provides justification for us works sanctification in us.

John Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

2008-01-09T21:08:00.000-05:00

One of the greatest travesties of the Christian church in America is the persistent propagation of what has been called the "prosperity gospel". This gospel, preached on Christian television programs by several prominent American pastors, basically teaches that the distinguishing mark of being a Christian is the accompaniment of great health, lavish wealth, and problem-free living. An absence of these things in the life of the Christian, in their view, should be cause to doubt God's hand of blessing upon you. The most troubling aspect of this false teaching is the exportation of this philosophy to people around the globe. I would hate to be one of the bearers of this message on Judgment Day. The video speaks for itself.

Itching Ears

2008-01-08T14:30:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a recreational fascination with politics. I love reading, researching, and prognosticating about current political trends, candidates, and elections. Politics is like a third favorite sport for me only trumped by baseball and football. The current presidential election is the fifth one I have closely watched and studied. It has been the most fascinating I have watched to date. The fact that there is no incumbent on either side of the political aisle makes each passing primary a sight to behold because of the uncertainty of what is going to come next.

Within this election, though, there is a disturbing trend. To date, this entire political race has not been centered around nor focused on the issues. Rather, it has proven to be a popularity contest where the contestants battle for the most times of invoking the word 'change'. I even heard a commentator this morning who said this is the year we might elect our first "American Idol" president. The candidates are only morphing into what the people want--something new.

But, since when is experience ludicrous for the highest profile job in the entire world? And, why do results take second place to charisma and hope. If experience and results mattered most in choosing the nominees for president this year, then America would be choosing between Gov. Bill Richardson (D) and Sen. John McCain (R) in November. But, instead, Americans will run with the guy who makes them feel good.

This trend is indicative of a deeper problem within the hearts of mankind. We have an engraving on our hearts for news and messages that make us feel good. We do not want to deal with the truth. We ignore what really matters in life and drink messages and ideologies that satisfy our emotional yearnings of the day--even if they are not sound. In drinking the water from these cisterns, we believe we are consuming the water of life when in actuality, we are simply drinking the sand.

I am not attempting to spiritualize the presidential race, because truth be known, each of these candidates have their shortcomings and none will deliver the salvation to the country each of its citizens are longing for. Nor am I demonizing the charismatic guy proclaiming the message of hope--after all, he is a very likable guy. I do want to emphasize, though, the problem with the human heart. The Apostle Paul said this to his young protege, Timothy, Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will accumulate teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new (2 Timothy 4:2-3).

As Christians, we know that Paul is speaking of the Word of God here and challenging Timothy to preach it regardless of the receptivity of his hearers. But, in evaluating the current state of affairs in American politics, I believe there is an indication that Paul's spiritual diagnosis of the human heart has further implications than simply religion. Whether it is a spiritual skeptic who does not believe the Bible in its entirety, a teenager who scoffs at his parents' instruction, or an American electorate choosing a leader, we as a people want to hear what makes us feel good in the moment--even if we are scratching the same itch four years later.

Global Investment

2008-01-07T17:53:00.000-05:00

I have just returned from a 3-week trip to China where I served alongside a group of college students in sharing the true meaning of Christmas with Chinese college students. This trip is becoming a Christmas tradition for me as it was my second consecutive year to travel to the other side of the world for the holidays. Words cannot portray the beauty of sharing the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who have never heard.

During our tenure in China, we hosted Christmas parties for Chinese college students at which we played games, taught Christmas carols, and shared the true meaning of Christmas along with the Gospel. All in all, more than 300 students heard the Gospel--many hearing for the first time. In the days following, we were able to follow up with close to 40 of those students by further explaining the Gospel they had heard and giving them copies of the Bible in their language.

Although we saw no student place their faith in Jesus Christ, we repeatedly heard them say, "Tell me more. Tell me more." So, we put our trust in God's Word, "Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ" (Romans 10:17, HCSB). Many have heard the message--some for the first time. We now trust the Author of salvation to perform His work in bringing His creations to faith.

Looking back over the past 3 weeks, I am reminded of a central truth I shared with a group of Christian students in Hong Kong while in China--As followers of Jesus Christ, we are a global people. The governments of nations around the world may choose an isolationist path, but followers of Jesus do not have that luxury. We are followers of Jesus first and Americans second. So, we do not take American cultural Christianity to the ends of the earth--we take Christ.

As followers of Jesus Christ living in America, we are one of the most blessed generations in the history of God's Church. Many people know Psalm 67:1 and pray it often for their lives as well as for their loved ones: May God be gracious to us and bless us; look on us with favor... But, there is so much more to this passage. With that blessing comes much responsibility. Allow me to complete the sentence: May God be gracious to us and bless us; look on us with favor SO THAT YOUR WAY MAY BE KNOWN ON EARTH, YOUR SALVATION AMONG ALL NATIONS.

You and I are blessed by God for one primary reason--to make His name and salvation known throughout all the earth. This is why we sacrificially give and sacrificially go all over the globe preaching Christ. The past 3 weeks has again reminded me of God's heart for His glory to be globally known. I cannot wait until next Christmas.

Thanksgiving Grounded in Christ

2007-11-28T15:46:00.001-05:00

In my last post, I shared how a Christian's Thanksgiving Day should be different from others in the world. Emphasis was placed on the character of God and our dependency upon Him for every sustenance of life. Therefore, our prayers of thanksgiving are to be given from a humble heart recognizing Him for who He is while recognizing ourselves as being utterly helpless apart from Him. But, it goes a little further for the follower of Jesus Christ.

Everything you and I enjoy as followers of Jesus Christ is owing to His death and resurrection. That's right--everything. Not only salvation, but everything we enjoy either in this life or throughout eternity is a benefit of the Cross of Christ. In Romans 8:31-32, Paul says, What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare His own Son, but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us EVERYTHING (HCSB, emphasis added). He goes on to say Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ (Ephesians 1:3, HCSB, emphasis added).

To elaborate on this further, consider the words of John Piper...

Everything that we enjoy, as people who trust Christ, is owing to His death. His suffering absorbed all the judgment guilty sinners deserved and purchased all the good that forgiven sinners enjoy. Therefore all our boasting in these things should be a boasting in the cross of Christ. We are not as Christ-centered and cross-cherishing as we should be, because we do not ponder the truth that everything good, and everything bad that God turns for the good, was purchased by the sufferings of Christ. (Don't Waste Your Life).

Therefore, in our prayers of thanksgiving--whether during the Thanksgiving season or on any given day of the year--we can pray, Thank You, God, Who gives me forgiveness so that I may be in right relationship with You. For that, I am most thankful. Thank You, Jesus, for dying so that I might have every spiritual blessing on earth and throughout eternity. Thank You, God, for Your indescribable Gift--JESUS CHRIST--from whom all blessings flow.

Thanksgiving from a Humble Heart

2007-11-20T17:15:00.001-05:00

Shout triumphantly to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Acknowledge that the LORD is God. He made us, and we are His--His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations (Psalm 100).

As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day here in America this week, I have been pondering this question: "What makes the Christian's Thanksgiving Day different from that of the rest of the world?" To begin answering this question, I think about the Apostle Paul's words in the book of Romans. He essentially says that ungratefulness characterizes the hearts of unbelievers and therefore implies that gratefulness should characterize the hearts of those who follow Jesus (see Romans 1:21). Let me share a couple of thoughts from Psalm 100 illustrating what this means for Thanksgiving.

First, why do we shout? Why do we serve the Lord? Why do we sing to the Lord? The Psalmist gives a three-fold response: 1. Because He is God and we are not-- Acknowledge that the LORD is God. 2. Because He is the Creator and we are the created--He made us, and we are His. 3. He is independent and we are dependent--His people, the sheep of His pasture. Thanksgiving from a humble heart begins with recognizing the supremacy of God and our utter dependency upon Him for everything large and small in life.

Second, why do we enter His gates with thanksgiving and praise? Again, the Psalmist gives a three-fold response: 1. Because He is good. We can be assured that every working of God in our lives is based upon His goodness. He has our best interests in mind. 2. Because His love is eternal. God's love has been evidenced since the very beginning and will hold steady for all of eternity. Regardless of our circumstances, His love remains steady. 3. Because His faithfulness endures forever. I may waiver and change, but He remains faithful forever. He acts out of His own faithfulness.

Christian thanksgiving should be centered more on the Person of God than on the blessings of God, because the blessings of God are a reflection of who He is. A failure to connect the blessings of God to His character can cause us to worship the gift rather than the Giver. And, that is idolatry. So, this Thanksgiving Day, humble yourself before the Living God recognizing Him for who He is and your dependency upon Him for every sustenance of life.

Being Jesus to the World

2007-11-15T17:05:00.000-05:00

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells His followers, "You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world...Therefore, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:13-16).

This past week, I was running an errand at Wal-Mart. As I left the building making my way to my car, I spotted an older gentleman in the parking lot stopping person after person and then moving on. As he made his way towards me, I thought, "What is he selling? I'm in a hurry and I need to get back to my office." You know, the usual response we loving people tend to have in situations such as this. As I walked closer, he approached me and gently asked, "Do you have any jumper cables?" "I do", I responded. "Would you please give me a jump?" My entire demeanor changed. "Absolutely," I said.

So, I retrieved my cables from the trunk of my car and proceeded to his car which was parked directly in front of mine in the parking lot. After attaching the cables and giving the starter a couple of turns, his engine would not turn over. Recognizing there must be more wrong than simply a dead battery, I took my cables and placed them back in the trunk of my car.

My first thought was, "Well, I tried to help him, but it didn't work out". So, I began to get into my car to drive off. Half way into the car, I stopped. I turned towards the gentleman, who was still standing outside of his car, and asked, "Hey, is there any place I could take you?" Pausing and looking down to the pavement, he said, "Actually, could you take me to my house? I live only 3 miles from here." "Absolutely," I replied. "Hop in."

The man was very quiet for most of the ride home. After arriving at his driveway, he turned to me and said, "I don't know how in the world I could ever thank you for doing this." I turned to him and said, "God has been very grace-giving to me. Allow me to be grace-giving to you." "Thank you, son. Have a good night."

I share this because we as Christians fail to understand the significance of the words of Jesus. He does not tell us to be salt or to be light. He tells us that we are salt and that we are light. Therefore, our everyday goal should be to externally personify the internal transformation of our lives. In other words, our prayer should not be "God, make us salt today or make us light today". Instead, we should pray, "God, may I personify who I already I am through Jesus Christ." My original attitude did not personify that reality. By God's Spirit in me, though, I pray that my eventual actions did.

Man's View of God

2006-02-10T14:39:00.000-05:00

In reflecting upon how God sees Himself and establishing the fact that He acts for His own sake drawing men and women to Himself for His glory, it is important to reflect on mankind's response to this truth. There is an explicit explanation of this response by the Apostle Paul in his opening comments to the church at Rome...

From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.
(Romans 1:20-23)

Through His creation of the world, God's eternal power and divine nature are clearly evidenced to those living in it and point to the fact that Someone much greater and bigger than they is at work both in them as well as the world around them. As a matter of fact, their genesis is found in Him. Generally, though, this is not mankind's response to life, the world, or God. To the contrary, we trade His glory for explanations and theories in an effort to find comfort and safety while ignoring our responsibility to our Creator.

For example, when Christian Smith and his fellow researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took a closer look at American teenagers and their viewpoints of spirituality, they found a faith that resembles much of this passage. The faith held and described by these young Americans can basically be described as "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism". After conversing with more than 3000 students, this outlook is comprised of the following tenets of belief: 1. "A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth." 2. "God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions." 3. "The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about one's self." 4. "God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem." 5. "Good people go to heaven when they die."

What is this study illustrating? HUMANISM. We have traded the glory of God for humanism--the philosophy of life that teaches that humans are the highest beings and centers of the universe. There may be a "higher power", but humans are given the supremacy. Everything in life is about the happiness and contentment of the human being and God is out of the picture (unless of course we are in trouble). We forget the awesome truth that we were created by God to give Him glory (Isaiah 43:7). In our own ingenuity, we seek to suppress that which is the Truth of God to make way for our own interpretations and explanations of life. After all, humans do know best, right?

To this dilemma, Dr. John MacArthur reminds us that "Man's chief end is to glorify God and Scripture continually demands it. To glorify Him is to honor Him, to acknowledge His attributes, and to praise Him for His perfections. It is to recognize His glory and extol Him for it. Failing to give Him glory is man's greatest affront to his Creator."

How do we fail to give God glory? We've done it through the Enlightenment, Modernism, Post-Modernism, Naturalism, Humanism, and a plethora of other "isms" that seek to give answers to the meaning of life apart from a centrality upon God Himself. Rather than recognizing Him as the Almighty Creator in which He is, we give credit to the evolution of mankind. Rather than acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the very breath we breathe and the sustenance of which we partake, we exalt the intelligence and ingenuity of mankind as the source of our success.

And, what about this interesting dichotomy: For everything good in society, we esteem human development, intelligence, and morality rather than thanking God for His blessings or provisions. On the other hand, every calamity or evil that befalls our land warrants our fists shaking toward the sky seeking to rationalize how a loving God could ever allow such atrocities to affect humans. For all things praiseworthy, we get the credit. For anything bad in our eyes, God gets the blame. In other words, the creation knows better than the Creator!

What is the solution to this dilemma? We are to see life through God's viewpoint rather than our own. Rather than take credit for anything praiseworthy in this life, we should redirect that praise back to our Creator--the proper beneficiary of such praise. And, when blame needs to be affixed, rather than shifting it towards the very One whom the word blame should never apply, we should take personal responsibility for our own sin and inadequacies while seeking the love, grace, and hope of God through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

God's View of God

2006-01-23T15:55:00.000-05:00

There are many views and interpretations surrounding God—who He is, what He is about, etc. As a result, there are many who speak for God without any consideration of what God says about Himself. For example, there are those who contend that God’s ultimate concern is the good of human beings. Others insist that He is consumed with including everyone into His fold while others argue that He is selective. These questions, however, miss a dynamic question that cannot be overlooked--what does God say about Himself? What is He all about? I believe with all of my heart that one of the most central passages of Scripture in relation to the question of what God is all about is found in Isaiah 48:11…

I will act for My own sake, indeed, My own, for how can I be defiled? I will not give my glory to another.

The answers to the questions “What is God all about?” and “What does He have to say about Himself?” can be stated in this way…God is the supreme end of all of creation and His utmost concern is the spread of His own glory. What is this glory? It can simply be defined as the weight of His fame and renown. So, at the end of the day, all of God’s actions and activity point toward one end—His own glory or fame. In other words, God is all about God. His glory is His top priority. Even His provision and care for His children is done so to point toward the fact of who He is.

Wait a minute, you may say. I’m not sure I am comfortable with viewing God in that way. After all, He is a God of love and this view of God paints the picture of an egotistical God totally consumed with Himself rather than the needs of His creation. To that concern, I say hold on. Consider these thoughts by Passion Worship Ministries Founder and teacher, Louie Giglio…

So if God is God, and He knows who He is, God must perpetually exalt Himself in all things. For if God failed to exalt Himself in every possible way, He would exalt something or someone else as central, someone or something that was not central at all. This would make God both unwise and unloving—unwise, because it would demonstrate that He didn’t know what was best; unloving, because He would be allowing our attention and affection to be aimed toward something that was less than the very best. But since God encompasses all wisdom and is the source of pure love, He has no choice but to exalt Himself above all things.

Excerpt taken from I am not but I know I AM
By: Louie Giglio

It would only be pretentious of God to glory in Himself if He was not who He says He is. But, because of who He is, exalting in Himself is the most loving thing He can do for His creation in providing for their needs, because He is our ultimate need. In addition, He is giving us the perfect model in which to follow. If He is glorying in Himself, then we must follow His lead and glory in Him as well. After all, that is the purpose for which we have been created. Isaiah also says that we, His people, are “created for His glory” (Isaiah 43:7). So, if God’s glory is the weight of His fame and renown, then the purpose of humanity is to live our lives in such a way that points toward Him. Our own purpose of existence on this planet through God creating us is to reflect His glory on the earth. Simply put, we are to live to make God famous. Our challenge is to align our view of God with His view of Himself. Only when we do that does everything else come into proper alignment and view.

Jesus is God...Part 2

2005-12-06T13:07:00.000-05:00

In the first part of this discussion on the Deity of Jesus Christ, much Scriptural evidence has been examined in coming to the conclusion that Jesus is in fact God. With Scripture as the foundation, there are also several ramifications of the Christian faith if this crucial doctrine is not true...

1. The Authority of Scripture is compromised. If Jesus Christ is not God Himself in flesh, then the authority of Scripture is largely compromised. In addition to the many passages and claims discussed in the former discussion, the Apostle John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). The Word is a recurring title of Christ by John (1 John 1:1). Paul also writes in his letter to the Colossians, “For in Him [Christ], all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9) These passages are very clear in their teaching. The deity of Christ is not an implication, but rather a declaration by the words of Scripture. If Jesus is not God, then the veracity of the Bible is compromised and illegitimatized.

2. Jesus Christ died for a lie. When Jesus is standing before the Sanhedrin after His arrest, the High Priest Caiaphas asks Jesus to assert His identity. After Jesus answers with an affirmation of Deity, Caiaphas becomes indignant and replies, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses. Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!” (see Matthew 26:59-65). Just in case we may want to think that maybe Jesus really did not assert Himself as being God, the religious leaders and Jewish people certainly took Him at His Word. In a separate exchange, the Jews replied to him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make yourself out to be God” (see John 10:22-33). During this time, blasphemy was a crime of utmost punishment and it is essentially for this crime that Jesus is put to death on the cross. So, if Jesus is truly not God, then He died for a lie.

3. Our salvation is nullified. The need for salvation rests upon mankind being in improper relationship with God because He is infinitely holy and we are entirely sinful—and holiness cannot have relationship with sin. Therefore, mankind’s only hope of salvation is that someone reconciles those two parties. As a result, the salvation bearer must be able to speak to mankind on behalf of God and advocate for mankind before God. Only one who is both entirely human and Deity can make this happen. That is why Paul says, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Moreover, if Jesus is just a special man, than essentially means that salvation stems from man rather than from God.

4. The Bible teaches idolatry. This is probably the most serious of all ramifications of denying Christ’s Deity. Listen to the resounding words of God Himself. “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship or serve them…” (Exodus 20:3) He also says, “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images” (Isaiah 42:8). Yet, Jesus says, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17:5). Then, at that final culmination, John records for us in the Revelation this picture of worship: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever’” (Revelation 5:12-13).

Jesus is worthy of praise, worship, and adoration because God is worthy of it. He did not die for a lie and Scripture is not a fallible document subject to the interpretation of mortal mankind. He is indeed God Almighty who has existed since the beginning and humbled Himself by coming to Earth in order to live as we live in order to sympathize with our every weakness and buy for us our redemption through His death and resurrection and is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus is God...Part 1

2005-11-14T18:58:00.000-05:00

The deity of Jesus Christ has been questioned since the time in which He walked the earth and continues in many circles even to this current day. From the Colossian and Ephesian heresies in the New Testament, to the fourth century Arians and modern-day Jehovah’s Witnesses, it is clear we are not discussing a new issue. Make no mistake; this is not a new charge. Even Christ, Himself, faces these doubts and questions as He is grilled by the religious leaders of His day. The High Priest, Caiaphas, becomes indignant and angered at Jesus’ claim to be God—it is this crime for which He is eventually crucified (see Matthew 26:65-66).

So, what about this claim of deity? I believe the Bible gives us more than enough grounds on which to stand regarding this most critical issue. There, we will find multiple testimonies and claims from several sources regarding this important doctrine of the Christian faith.

1. The Old Testament Prophets assert Jesus as God. Of the most important passages in the Old Testament testifying to the deity of Jesus Christ is that of Isaiah. He says, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6-7). It is important to recognize that the same Hebrew word used here in reference to God is the singular form of the Hebrew word for God used in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

2. The Apostles assert Jesus as God. There are multiple references of Jesus’ apostles referring to or addressing Him as God. After the resurrection, the Apostle Thomas makes this declarative statement after seeing and touching the wounds of Christ, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). The Apostle Paul refers to Him as, “…our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). The Apostle Peter, in the introduction of his second epistle to the Roman church says he is writing “to those of who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1).

3. Jesus Christ asserts Himself as being God. Speaking before the Jewish crowd in front of the Temple, Jesus makes the bold statement, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). On the surface level, one could make several assertions, advocating that He is only meaning a unity of mind and heart. In other words, He is only saying that He and God are on the “same page”. This assertion, however, does not do justice to the Greek text. There are several Greek words meaning unity, the number “one”, or an essence/nature that are closely related to one another. It is the last case (essence/nature) that is used here. In other words, Jesus and the Father are of one essence—they are the same. A second claim to deity by Jesus is even more emphatic. In a separate exchange, Jesus is asked of His relation to Abraham. His response is, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am” (John 8:58). This phrase can simply be translated “I exist” or “I be”. This is the same phrase used by God when speaking to Moses in the book of Exodus…

Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”, and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”

This phrase, “I AM”, is the exact same phrase in both the Greek New Testament and The Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament). In addition, this passage also calls our attention to the eternality of Jesus Christ. In other words, Jesus has existed since the beginning (see also John 17:5). He did not find His genesis in the manger in Bethlehem. He is not a created being contrary to the philosophies of those circulating around the churches at Colossae and Ephesus (see the books of Colossians and 1 John) or those denying His claims today.

In a third claim from Jesus, in the Revelation, it is written, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). This verse is in the context of the Apostle John writing of Christ’s return in the clouds. Although these are not all of the direct claims of Christ asserting His own deity, they are illustrative of a common theme throughout the Scriptures.

4. God Himself asserts Jesus as God. In a resounding declaration, the writer of Hebrews accounts God Himself as saying, “But of the Son He says, ‘Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom’” (Hebrews 1:8). The entire first chapter of the book of Hebrews is an exposition of God speaking of His Son, Jesus Christ as accounted in several other passages of Scripture.

The brevity of this writing does not allow an exhaustive roster of each Scriptural passage in the Bible dealing with the deity of Christ; however, this does elaborate on several accounts from multiple vantage points from the Bible. The assertion of Jesus’ deity is made from the prophets, the apostles, Jesus Christ, as well as God the Father Himself. In each case, the textual and historical evidence is consistent and unequivocal—Jesus is God.

The Application of Scripture

2005-11-01T16:25:00.000-05:00

We hear the Word of God preached, taught, and spoken to us from church services, Bible studies, and in conversation; but what is the importance of the Scriptures in our everyday lives as followers of Christ? Continuing to reflect upon the nature, authority, and place of Scripture in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ, I would be remissed if I did not address the applicability of God's Word to our lives. Following our former discussion of the Authority of Scripture, I want to pick up in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 in order to briefly discuss 5 applications of Scripture in our everyday lives. In other words, what benefit does Scripture play in the believer's heart and life? In this passage, Paul says...

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in rightesouness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. "

1. A known Truth (teaching)...When Paul says that Scripture is "profitable for teaching", he is referring to what theologians refer to as doctrine. The Greek word used in this instance is derived from a root word meaning "to teach". This word, however, carries with it a distinctive connotation signifying the doctrines being taught as well as the authority behind the teaching. In other words, if you want to know what to believe about life and godliness, then Scripture is the source from which to draw. It is not simple, moral teachings. It is an authoritative teaching from God Himself.

2. A revealed sin (reproof)...Because God is holy (set apart and distinct), so is His Word. As we approach times of worship through the Scriptures, our lives come into contact with a Holy Word. Therefore, we are going to see the error of the ways in our lives. We come to grip with who God is and who we are. Our sins are exposed because we recognize the fact that our lives do not always measure up to His perfect standards. As a result, the Holy Spirit places conviction on our hearts and our sins are revealed.

3. A Godward direction (correction)...The Apostle Paul uses language denoting a "straightening up". The word "correction" literally means "to be made right again" and is the only place in the New Testament in which this terminology is used. This is one of the most beautiful attributes of the Word of God--not only does Scripture illuminate our wrongly traversed paths, but it also enlightens us to the path in which God desires us to walk. The Psalmist describes it this way, "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).

4. A constant training (training in righteousness)...This training in righteousness is our spiritual nurture. The Word of God becomes our spiritual food. The writer of Hebrews and The Apostle Peter both describe the Word of God as such (Hebrews 5:11-14, 1 Peter 2:2). By immersing ouselves into the consistent study of God's Word, we become conformed to the upright standard of God. Do you want to be more godly and Christlike? Then, the Word of God is your nurture in that.

5. An equipped life (adequate, equipped for every good work)...Paul tells Timothy he will be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In other words, he will be complete. Whatever life may bring and whatever decision needs to be made, you will possess the wisdom in which to face it. This does not mean that you will be perfect and everything will always be clear, but you will be equipped to do that for which you have trained. Just as the athlete must stay in physical shape in the off season if he intends to play well on opening day, the follower of Christ must be in constant training if he is going to successfully face the questions of life.

Why is it so important to be equipped in God's Word? Without coming face to face with God's Holy standards, then we are left to our own elements and as a result, design our own standards of righteousness. This leads us astray to our own religious pursuits--which in the end, directs us to a man-made and man-centered religiosity rather than a God-ordained and God-centered relationship with Himself.

It is my prayer that you will see the awesome benefits of devoting yourself to God's Word. It is more than a book of rules. If this is all you see the Bible as, then you are missing out on God's best for your life. The Bible is your spiritual food. You would not starve yourself physically, so why starve yourself spiritually? As you grow as a disciple of Christ, I pray you will grow in your devotion to His Word. Just as an athlete falters in inconsistent training, so we stumble in inconsistent study.

The Authority of Scripture

2005-10-24T12:13:00.000-05:00

In an increasingly pluralistic and relativistic culture that rejects absolutes and embraces individualistic thought over any truth claims, it is essential the follower of Christ understands the authority found in God's Holy Word. I know the temptation is there for even the Christian to write the Bible off as just a rule book for life; however, it is so much more. There is an awesome authority behind God's Word.

Paul writes to his young protege, Timothy, "All Scripture is inspired by God..." (2 Timothy 3:16a). Paul has both the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures in mind here and his choice of words does not need to be overlooked. The summation of Paul's point is that Scripture does not find its genesis in man, but rather God. In other words, the Bible is not man's ideas about God, but rather God's revelation of Himself through His chosen men. Scripture is always God's inspiration or idea--not that of mankind. Therefore, there is an authoritative nature of Scripture that should call us to lend our ears and hearts.

The fact that the Bible is written by man should not cause us to question its authority as much as it should cause us to stand in awe of the fact that the Holy and Omnipotent God would choose to use man in His perfect plans of revelation. In addition, let us make no mistake about the nature of that in which they write. These men are not simply writing fairy tales or even fables subjected to the whim of human interpretation. They are writing of first-hand accounts from their own lives. Listen to the Apostle Peter as he writes to the church at Rome...

"For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased"--and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:16-18)

In addition, the Apostle John (one of Jesus' closest disciples) writes to the church at Ephesus...

"What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life--and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us--what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete." (1 John 1:1-4)

Notice the sensory language the two of these New Testament writers use. They are not writing mere stories passed on, but rather first hand eyewitness accounts of the works of God through Christ. Moreover, they know the nature of their writings. Although credit could go to them for their accounts, listen to the testimony and challenge from Peter in regards to the purpose and origin of the words of Scripture...

"But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

(2 Peter 1:20-21)

There are those who reject the historicity and authority of the Bible because it is written by man. Let us be careful, though, for tossing it aside as a result of this. We don't question history books or books of mathematics simply because they are written by man. Instead, we accept their claims because they have proven to be accurate. When approached this way, many historical narratives in literature do not measure up to the historicity of the Bible. For example, we have ten original manuscripts of Caesars' Gallic Wars written some 900 years after his death. Moreover, there are 5 original manuscripts of Aristotle's Poetic written some 1400 years after his death. Very few question the accuracy or historicity of these documents. When it comes to the Scriptures, however, we have approximately 5000 Greek mansucripts--the earliest of these written less than 100 years after the events took place. From an historical point of view, this is astounding!

The Bible is written in 3 different languages ( Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) on 3 different continents (Europe, Asia, and Africa) by 40 different authors (most of which have little or no contact with one another) spanning a time of over 1600 years. Yet, one central message rings out: God redeeming His people back to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ for His glory.

The authority of the Bible is matchless and continues to change lives today. It is relevant, authoritative, and full of grace and Truth. We do ourselves well by taking heed to its instructions for life and godliness. But, if we do not, our negligence does not change its validity or authority--His Truth most certainly marches on.

Worship Through Giving?

2005-10-17T12:33:00.000-05:00

Think with me for a moment about that family gathering you have each Christmas. The living room is loud with the excited voices of the holiday. The smells of holiday foods fill the air. Now, it is the time everyone has waited for—the time to open gifts. Normally, the giver takes a gift and gives it to the proper recipient. While waiting for the response of the recipient, the giver’s excitement wells up inside of him because he has joyfully anticipated the moment when he would have the opportunity to give the gift—the gift he has wrapped in the best paper with the best trimmings. Once the recipient opens the package and has that welcomed grin of appreciation on his face, the giver’s heart is overjoyed as well.

Now, think about a different scenario. The giver simply brings a gift without even writing the name of the recipient on it. It is not even gift-wrapped. The gift is tossed onto the table while the giver continues to talk to those who are around him. The recipient is appreciative of the gift, but is heart-broken due to the haphazard spirit of the giver.

During offertory times at our churches, we have an opportunity to give back to the Lord a portion of that in which He has already blessed us. This is a part of our worship gatherings, so it should be an act of worship. Some bulletins even say, “Worship Through Giving” or Worship with Tithes and Offerings". But, my question becomes this: Are we really worshiping during the offertory time?

I am afraid that our times of offering have simply become an opportunity to simply catch up with one another or daydream about what’s coming later. When that happens, we are much like the giver with the haphazard approach. The Apostle Paul tells us, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). As we come to times of offering, it is a time for us to bring our prepared offering to the Lord as an act of worship--joyfully excited about the gift we are giving to Him. Moreover, offertory is not a time to simply throw whatever is in our pockets at the time into the plate. As we approach the time of offering, I want to encourage us to bring our prepared gifts (that which the Lord has set in our hearts beforehand) as well as ourselves. As the offering is being collected, I want to encourage us to offer ourselves to the Lord and pray that His Kingdom will be furthered by the money being given. I also like to pray that God would provide every need of His Church as well as those who are giving according to the riches of God through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

You see, the time of offering is not an addendum to the service. It is an important time of worship--not a commercial break. As we joyfully look forward to bringing our gift to the Lord, our hearts will view the time of giving differently. As we pray for God’s Kingdom to be furthered through our gifts, our hearts will match that of the heart of God. Then, we can truly say that we are worshiping through giving.

NOISE

2005-10-13T14:16:00.000-05:00

We live in a culture of noise. Regardless of our attempts to escape to silence, noise continues to infiltrate our lives. Even when we try to be quiet, there is still noise coming from someone or something else. This is even evidenced in my own life. I can't walk into my apartment at night without turning on the television. I can't sleep at night without the whisper of a blowing fan. I can't go for a walk without the company of music or a cell phone. I can't even drive without something on the radio. I have become immune to noise and prejudiced to silence. On any given day, this reality can mute or simply distort God's voice in my life. That cannot be right.

There are numerous accounts in the Gospels of Jesus seeking moments of silence and solitude with the Father. In our own noisy lives today, it is crucial we allow these accounts to challenge us to pursue the Father in the same way. If we fail to do so, God's voice is most certainly going to be muted or distorted in our Christian walk with Him. Note the following characteristics of Jesus and His lifestyle of silence and solitude.

1. Silence and solitude characterized the life of Christ.

Luke tells us in his account of Jesus' life that "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16). This tells us that Jesus did not simply seek moments alone with the Father when the temperature of life was high, but that His life was characterized by moments alone with His Father. But, why was that the case? Why was this discipline so crucial to Jesus' life on earth and so imperative for us to follow?

a. It keeps us God-centered. After the feeding of the five thousand, the Apostle John tells us that "Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself" (John 6:15). Jesus knew in His supernatural knowledge that the people would try to make Him king by force as a result of His miraculous works. In order to avoid such political chaos brought on by a possible mob of people, He withdraws to be alone with the Father. Why? In order to remain focused on God's will--not on that of man. The same is true for us. Without moments of solitude with the Father, we will be much more inclined to go with the flow around us rather than submitting to the will of Almighty God.

b. It gives clarity in decision making. In Luke 6:12-13, we read, "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles." This is one of the most important decisions of the earthly ministry of Christ--choosing the men in whom He would invest His life and entrust with His ministry. Strikingly, He does not consult opinion on top of opinion or read the best "help" book down at the local bookstore, but instead, He simply spends an entire night seeking the will of His Father. How rash do we make decisions without even consulting the Lord? This decision-making is not so much running every single decision before God, but rather living your life in such close communion with God through Christ, that decisions are more easily discernable.

c. It is an opportunity to simply refuel. Jesus has just healed and ministered to many people, performing supernatural acts of ministry. Afterwards, what was His top priority and focus? Go be alone with God--"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed" (Mark 1:35). Even the perfect Son of God needed solitude with the Father to just refuel. How much more do we? Why? To confess our dependence upon Him. To acknowledge that we are nothing without Him. This is not a mystical, new age experience, but rather a component of an active, living relationship with the Living God of the universe who has given us the opportunity of relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ. If Jesus needed to be refueled, certainly we do.

2. In seeking silence and solitude, Jesus had an intentional time and an intentional place.

Notice again Mark 1:35. It recounts Jesus as going to a "solitary place" when it was "very early in the morning". His times of silence and solitude were intentional. They were not stumbled upon, but rather planned times of intimacy with the Father. Personally, this is getting increasingly difficult because of our culture of noise.

The other day, I was in my office intentionally spending times of solitude with the Lord. As I was praying, the roar of a truck and the squeal of sirens pierced through the silence. One floor up, the sounds of chairs moving across the tiled floor sounded forth. On the street below, voices yelled across the way to friends on the other side. Even in my intention to close the door and "get away", noise still enveloped the air. We cannot help but experience noise, but do we intentionally go to a place where distractions are left to a minimum? Do we seek those times and places where the cell phone is placed on silent, the television is left blank, the music is off, and we simply come before the God of the universe in quiet submission in order to hear His still small voice?

Without intentionally seeking consistent and uninterupted moments of silence and solitude, our personal growth as followers of Jesus Christ will be inhibited. It is virtually impossible to be a growing and thriving follower of Christ apart from spending those moments with Him. I find it interesting that we say, "I can't hear from God" and "I have no idea what God wants me to do" while at the same time, we write off intimate times with the Lord. And, even when we do seek those times, the temptation is there to pray while listening to music or to read from Scripture while watching television or something similar. My question, however, is how can we expect to hear from God while we are filling even our "quiet" times with outside noise? My contention is not the eradication of all sources of noise from our lives, but rather a pursuance of moments of sheer silence with God. Will you intentionally seek those times and places? Your life will be forever changed.