Love Lifted Me

Posted on December 5, 2015 by ccpastormike

I am in my study preparing for tomorrow’s sermon in which I will be teaching through Psalm 38. I began this chapter last week and laid the groundwork for what I will cover tomorrow. Meditating on 38:4 created a word picture for me. Here is the verse:

“For my iniquities are gone over my head;
As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me” (NASB)

What do you picture? I picture a person lost at sea and becoming overwhelmed by the waves and slowly but inevitably losing the fight against the power of the ocean and sinking into death.

The Psalmist is describing sin in this passage. Sin is devastating to our physical and spiritual man. It will if left unchecked slowly swallow us up by shear force. What a picture this is of the person who refuses to cry out to Jesus in saving faith and instead slowly sinks into death.

Jesus casts a wide net to rescue all who are perishing in the sea of sin; all who cry out, “save me Jesus for I am a sinner.” Friends Jesus lifts us up out of our sin and puts our feet on the solid ground of trust, hope, faith, and love.

This picture reminded me of an old hymn I enjoy singing. Be blessed today friends in the hope and asurance that Christ brings to every soul who by faith belongs to Him.

Love Lifted Me

I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.

Refrain:
Love lifted me!
Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me!

All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling,
In His blessed presence live, ever His praises sing,
Love so mighty and so true, merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service, too, to Him belongs.

Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves,
He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves;
He’s the Master of the sea, billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.

Words and music by James Rowe, 1912

The Spirit of Antichrist, Christian Self-Flagellation, and Getting It Wrong

Posted on November 28, 2015 by ccpastormike

The Old Testament of the Bible contains many narratives that give instruction to the modern Christian. One such example is the story of the prophet Elijah and the evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.

In 1 Kings 21 we find the account of the King and Queen of Israel plotting to dispossess a man of his property. Deceit, lying, and libel were all employed expertly by Jezebel to cause the murder of the man Naboth. His crime? His desire to retain his land and vineyard and not sell them to the King. Naboth rightly stated that he was forbidden to sell his land to anyone because God had given it as an inheritance (21:3). Thus in seeking to obey and honor God Naboth became an enemy of the King and Queen.

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Spiritual Formation as Spiritual Deception: Beware the Peddlers of Grace (Part 2)

Posted on September 22, 2015 by ccpastormike

Evangelical Sanctification Historically Expressed

Both D. A. Carson[1] and Steven L. Porter[2] recently wrote articles that appeared in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society questioning the approach and methodology of spiritual formation teaching. Although separated by eight years, Carson’s article explaining the dangers of spirituality apart from a robust bibliology appears to have laid a solid groundwork for Porter’s article espousing the need for a biblical methodology that presents a clear and thoughtful evangelical theology of sanctification. In the process of their individual critiques they offer some pertinent historical context related to sanctification.

Porter begins his critique of spiritual formation teaching by asserting that its practices must fall within prescribed biblical territory and as such the effort to define acceptable spiritual formation activities belongs to Christian theologians. That Christian theologians have not been involved in establishing parameters is evidenced by the “plethora of false spiritualities plaguing church and society”[3] in our present day. This is to be expected when the purpose or goal of sanctification is not rooted in biblical revelation and directive.

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Pastor You Must Be A Theologian – Part 4

Posted on September 18, 2015 by ccpastormike

In this series of posts I’ve been discussing the great need of the Church today that it’s shepherds be theologians in the highest sense of the word. I share with you a quote by CH Spurgeon who was speaking about the importance of pastors preaching the full counsel of God’s Word. He stated:

“The glory of God being our chief object, we aim at it by seeking the edification of saints and the salvation of sinners. It is a noble work to instruct the people of God, and to build them up in their most holy faith: we may by no means neglect this duty. To this end we must give clear statements of gospel doctrine, of vital experience, and of Christian duty, and never shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God. In too many cases sublime truths are held in abeyance under the pretense that they are not practical; whereas the very fact that they are revealed proves that the Lord thinks them to be of value, and woe unto us if we pretend to be wiser than He. We may say of any and every doctrine of Scripture—to give it then a tongue is wise in man. If any one note is dropped from the divine harmony of truth the music may be sadly marred. Your people may fall into grave spiritual diseases through the lack of a certain form of spiritual nutriment, which can only be supplied by the doctrines which you withhold. In the food which we eat there are ingredients which do not at first appear to be necessary to life; but experience shows that they are requisite to health and strength. Phosphorus will not make flesh, but it is wanted for bone; many earths and salts come under the same description— they are necessary in due proportion to the human economy. Even thus certain truths which appear to be little adapted for spiritual nutriment are, nevertheless, very beneficial in furnishing believers with backbone and muscle, and in repairing the varied organs of Christian manhood. We must preach “the whole truth,” that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

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