It Will Cost You Everything

Must Watch: Truth by Albert Martin

Bless the Lord, All Ye People; His Kingdom Ruleth Over All

Psalm 103

A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Chris Strevel on 1 Peter

This series by Chris Strevel is a must listen to on the Christian life. This man is definitely one of the greatest preachers I have ever listened to. He is full of the glory of Christ.

Jesus Died and Is Now Made the King of Glory

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God. Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart.

Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he who doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Have We Lost the Reverance that God Holds for His Word?

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that procedeth out of the mouth of God.

Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.

The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; what wisdom is in them?

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking head thereto according to thy word.

The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

Forever, O Lord thy word is settled in heaven.

Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.

The Bow and String

As unto the bow, the cord is, so unto the man, his woman. Though she bend him, she obeys him; though she draws him out, yet she follows. Useless each without the other. 

God Dwells in the Lowly and Contrite Heart

Nowhere does it say that some sin loving, careless, slothful, indifferent person to whom you witnessed and induced to say a prayer is inhabited by the living Christ. No, Christ refuses to inhabit any proud in heart person. Some of you who have made many converts need to repent because they have been your converts and not Christ’s converts. You have led many people who are full of themselves, whose arrogancy oozes out of every opening in their lives, and you have led them to think that they have been saved. What a pathetic, tragic, wicked thing to do. If you love souls, you will so elevate the Lord God omnipotent that people learn to fear God and humble themselves before him.  – Richard Owen Roberts

I've been thinking about movies again... Part 1

Christians are flocking to see the movies with no thought about what God has to say about their entertainment choice. So, looking through the pages of Scripture, does God have anything to say about what we watch on the big screen?

Let's start out on a really easy level and in subsequent posts will get to the central issues of a good film bad film debate.

Comedy films. Films that make you laugh because of the stupidity of the actors. Are these acceptable forms of entertainment? Pro 15:21, "Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom." So when we see a film that is full of "hilarious" folly, films like the Andy Griffith Show, or I Love Lucy included, and we laugh at them, we are saying that we are destitute of wisdom. OUCH!

Atheistic films, polytheistic films, films with a different God and a different law code. "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools...Who changed the truth of God into a lie...And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind." Rom. 1 So this gives a good list of criteria for a film. Does it glorify God? If it doesn't, it is vanity, foolishness, and darkness. Does it operate by the truth of God, or does it exchange God's truth for a lie? Does it retain the knowledge of God? If it doesn't, it is reprobate. OUCH. The film industry in one passage just about got eliminated. Even the Lone Ranger fails this one. It is totally atheistic, problem solving is man-centered, man gets all the glory.

Ok, enough for today. More later.

Another great sermon by Chris Strevel

Chris Strevel preached on the Righteousness of God's Word a week ago at his church in Georgia from Psalm 119. Highly recommend listening to it.

To be a Christian

Even though you may sleep in the garage, it doesn't mean you are a Chevrolet. And just because you go to church does not mean you are a Christian. To be a Christian, you must be born again. 

Crucified with Christ

One of my favorite preachers in Chris Strevel from Covenant Presbyterian Church in Buford, GA. Chris is a passionate preacher dedicated to the glory and cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Last evening I listened to Crucified with Christ, an excellent message on the standing of the believer and what it actually means to be a Christian. I highly recommend it!

A Couple Months of Change...

The Lord has been shaking things up a lot in the last couple months. In February, I moved to Youngsville, NC to help out with the plant of Sovereign Redeemer Community Church from Hope Baptist. The plant took place in March. I am now preparing to move again, although this move has proved to be the hardest, though it is only 15 minutes from my current place of residence. I am actually building my own apartment where I hope to live for the next couple years. It is a great place just 4 minutes from church and in the basement of one of the Lord willing soon to be deacons at Sovereign. I am currently mudding and taping the drywall. The whole project has been a learning experience, as I have torn down walls and built new ones, learned how to run electric (3-way and 4-way switches to boot), insulated, drywalled, etc. I get to learn plumbing as well as I will soon be installing a shower. Here are a couple pictures:

The original finished room before remodeling:

Original garage stall before remodeling:

After removing the garage door:

Walls being framed:

Installing insulation:

Drywalling the dropped ceiling:

Insulated entryway:

Drywalled entryway:

Drywalled living room:

Another change: This is my last week at the NCFIC. The Lord opened the door for me to work for one of the men at Sovereign Redeemer doing auto glass repair, a job which I will start in a week.

So, I will have changed houses twice, changed churches, and changed jobs in the space of a couple months. :-)

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. 

Free Audio - Love the Church!

Well friends, the time has come for another conference announcement! We are in the process of releasing the Love the Church conference for free on the NCFIC website and Sermon Audio. Over the next few days, you should be able to find the whole set available for download.