He Became A Man Of Sorrows

Job 10

 ¹"I loathe my life;I will give free utterance to my complaint;
   I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
²I will say to God, Do not condemn me;
   let me know why you contend against me.
³ Does it seem good to you to oppress,
   to despise the work of your hands
   and favor the designs of the wicked?
⁴Have you eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as man sees?
⁵Are your days as the days of man,
   or your years as a man’s years,
⁶that you seek out my iniquity
   and search for my sin,
⁷although you know that I am not guilty,
   and there is none to deliver out of your hand?

⁸Your hands fashioned and made me,
   and now you have destroyed me altogether.
⁹Remember that you have made me like clay;
   and will you return me to the dust?
¹⁰Did you not pour me out like milk
   and curdle me like cheese?
¹¹You clothed me with skin and flesh,
   and knit me together with bones and sinews.
¹²You have granted me life and steadfast love,
   and your care has preserved my spirit.
¹³Yet these things you hid in your heart;
   I know that this was your purpose.
¹⁴If I sin, you watch me
   and do not acquit me of my iniquity.
¹⁵If I am guilty, woe to me!
   If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head,
for I am filled with disgrace
   and look on my affliction.
¹⁶And were my head lifted up, you would hunt me like a lion
   and again work wonders against me.
¹⁷You renew your witnesses against me
   and increase your vexation toward me;
   you bring fresh troops against me.

 ¹⁸"Why did you bring me out from the womb?
   Would that I had died before any eye had seen me
¹⁹ and were as though I had not been,
   carried from the womb to the grave.
²⁰Are not my days few?
   Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer

²¹before I go—and I shall not return—
   to the land of darkness and deep shadow,
²²the land of gloom like thick darkness,
   like deep shadow without any order,
   where light is as thick darkness."

Can one come before the text and not come away seeing the desperation of Job in his sufferings; his anguish, his misery, his drenched soul filled with despair? If one knows anything of the story of Job we see the story of a man, an upright man before God (1:8), who through God's dealings allows Job to suffer though blameless before God on account of any sin. What then of God's purposes for all the affliction, Job cries. And this chapter we hear of the deep despair that has filled the heart of Job. In its entirety, I feel that the two red-lined verses sum up the voice of his mood best: "I am not guilty, isn't there any to deliver me? Please, leave me alone that I might find my cheer again!" Here, Job, a guiltless man yet bitter towards God when the sufferings come, severely we can rightfully add, upon him.

What a deep picture this paints of the contrast of the great character of Job amidst a great and devastating turmoil and that of Jesus in his great suffering. In verse 7, it echoes the conversation Jesus has with the Father in the Garden on the night of his betrayal. "Father, I am sinless and not guilty, won't then this cup of your full extensive wrath, pass-from-me?". Yet there was silence in heaven! There was none to deliver him from the hand of God's wrath towards our sin that was placed upon him.

In verse 20, how the days of Jesus' life were cut so short; his ministry but three quickening years. But what does the writer of Hebrews tell us, for the joy set before him, endured the cross and despising its shame. Don't read to fast over what was said. For the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross. Unlike Job, he didn't cry out for joy but as Paul the Apostle reminds us, the joy was his in the midst of the suffering because of what was to come of it.

This lamenting chapter of Job is to point us to the sweet Savior who for our sake became sin, who knew no sin just as Job, yet endured the pain of the suffering, far greater than that of Job's afflictions, for the joy that we would be made accessible to the Father once again. Oh the love he has for us. Let us re-read this chapter and see Christ relating to Job here, yet for the love he has for the Father and his people, laments not, but to the cross, endures patiently for the praise of his name.

I See Jesus In Leviticus?

by Collin Hansen|

Daring to Delight in Leviticus

I’m going to take a chance and suggest that delight is not the first word that comes to mind. Perhaps drudgery would be more accurate. How many well-intentioned Bible reading plans have crashed and burned in this book filled with detailed descriptions of how Israelites could worship and what they could eat and wear?
Yet as Christians we understand that Leviticus is God’s word for our good. Indeed, we believe that Leviticus—like the rest of the Old Testament—helps us understand the work of Christ. That’s what we’re celebrating during The Gospel Coalition’s national conference, They Testify About Me: Preaching Jesus and the Gospel from the Old Testament, now less than two weeks away.

In launching a new collection of resources on Leviticus for TGC’s project Preaching Christ in the Old Testament, I turned for help to Jay Sklar, associate professor of Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary, where he has taught since 2001. Sklar completed his PhD under Gordon Wenham and focused on the theology of atonement in Leviticus (Sin, Impurity, Sacrifice, Atonement: The Priestly Conceptions, Sheffield Phoenix, 2005). He was editor and part contributor to the notes on Leviticus for the ESV Study Bible. Now he is finishing a commentary on Leviticus for the Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series (InterVarsity Press). We corresponded about how Christians can teach this book and what resources will help them understand it.

Why is Leviticus such a hard book for Christians to understand and enjoy?

There are a number of reasons, but they can be grouped into three main categories. First, the cultural context of the book is so different from our own. We live in houses or apartments; they lived in tents. We go to a building for our worship services; they went to an open-air courtyard that surrounded an ornate tabernacle. We can’t throw rice at weddings in our place of worship; they slaughtered animals in theirs! Add to that the system of ritual purity, impurity, and holiness, and you’re dealing with a totally different world.
Second, we often lose the thread of the larger literary context. Leviticus comes after Exodus 25-40, most of which is focused on instructions for building the tabernacle. Most Christians find this very tedious going (with many falling in the wilderness of these chapters!). Those who stagger their way into Leviticus often find it challenging to remember where we are in the story, or even that Leviticus comes in the midst of a story and is a crucial part of it (more on this later).
Third, it is almost all law. This actually presents two challenges. The first is simply that most of us do not find reading law nearly as interesting as reading stories. Why should we? Stories have tension that draws us in as we watch the plot unfold; law does not. It is just that: law, and if the law does not apply to us directly—which in many cases in Leviticus it does not seem to!—then there is no real hook, nothing to really grab our interest. The second challenge is that many Christians look on “law” negatively, as something restrictive and ungracious. Who wants to read a book full of that?
What must we understand about Leviticus in its original context before we can apply it today?
It’s a good question and assumes exactly the right thing: We must understand Leviticus in its original context, or we won’t be able to apply it today. Let me try to explain this in terms of the three areas mentioned above.
First, we must understand the cultural context. Here’s a classic example: Leviticus 19:19 states that we must “not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.” This strikes most of us as totally bizarre. Yet there is a very plausible rationale once it is remembered that some of the priestly garments were made from mixed materials (wool yarn as well as linen, Exod 28:6, 15; 39:29). Since non-priestly Israelites were forbidden from doing priestly duties (Num 3:10, 38; 16:1-40), this prohibition may have been to prevent Israelites from even heading in that direction. In other words, its goal was to make sure the Israelites showed proper respect to the authority structures the Lord had put in place.
Once we get to this point, application becomes fairly natural. In this case, we recognize on the one hand that the New Testament no longer distinguishes the church’s leaders by special clothing, meaning Christians may wear mixed fabrics today. On the other hand, the New Testament teaches that church leaders have a unique role and exhorts Christians to respect that role by submitting to and supporting those in it (1 Thes 5:12-13, 17; Heb 13:17). It’s of course important to note that not every law in Leviticus has a rationale that is easily discerned from the text itself, and this means that good commentaries will be crucially important for understanding background cultural information.
Second, in terms of the literary context, it is vital to remember that Leviticus is part of a much larger story, especially the one told in Exodus. You could tell that story like this: In Exodus the Lord delivers his people from slavery with mighty signs and wonders (1-15) and brings them to Sinai (16-19), telling them there that they are to be his “kingdom of priests and holy nation.” He confirms their kingdom status by entering into a covenant with them as their king and giving them kingdom laws to follow (20-24). But that is not all! He is going to be a king who is near to them, dwelling in their very midst, and this is why he proceeds to give them directions for his tabernacle, his earthly palace (25-31, 35-40). And all of this leads to a very burning question if you’re an Israelite: How in the world can the holy and pure king of the universe dwell among his sinful and impure people? How can he live here—in our very midst—without his holiness melting us in our sin and impurity?!
Answer: Leviticus, which begins by explaining the sacrifices that address sin and enable them to worship this king rightly (Leviticus 1-7).
Answer: Leviticus, which provides them with priests to intercede on their behalf and lead them in worship before the king (Leviticus 8-10).
Answer: Leviticus, which gives them laws to teach them how to deal properly with impurity (Leviticus 11-15).
Answer: Leviticus, which provides a yearly ceremony to remove every last ounce of sin and impurity from the kingdom (Leviticus 16).
Answer, Leviticus, which provides a whole series of laws in other areas to direct them in living like a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Leviticus 17-27).
In short, while we look at Leviticus as a burden, the Israelites looked at it as a life preserver! It was the very thing that taught them how to live in relationship with this king who had just entered into covenant with them and descended into their very midst (Exod 40:34).
Finally, in terms of law, there are two basic interpretive guidelines to keep in mind. The first is where law happens in the story: It does not come before redemption but after it. The law that begins in Exodus 20 and extends through Leviticus is not given to the Israelites so that they might be saved. Rather, it’s a gift from their redeeming Lord, given to guide them in living as the “kingdom of priests and holy nation” he calls them to be. I appreciate how my colleague Michael Williams puts it:

God did not send Moses to Israel with a new method of forging relationship, one that would set aside the grace of God’s promises to Abraham, a plan that said in effect: If you keep the law, I will save you. It is precisely the other way around. Obedience flows from grace; it does not buy it. The exodus [i.e. redemption] precedes Sinai [i.e. law]. . . . Far from setting aside the promise of grace, the law was given to those who had been saved by grace in order to show them how to live in that grace. Thus Sinai does not bring fresh bondage but rather proof that the old bondage had been broken. In fact, we can speak of the law as a further act of grace, a gift to God’s people that serves his covenant and gracious purposes. Thus the call of the law is to translate God’s grace into action (Far As the Curse Is Found, 150-51).

Once this is understood, it makes perfect sense why the longest psalm in the Bible—Psalm 119—is a celebration of the Lord’s law: The psalmist understood it as a gift, and like any of the Lord’s gifts, was “delighted” in it “(v. 24) and crushed with longing” for it (v. 20). Indeed, it strikes me that Psalm 119 is a good litmus test for our theology: If we do not understand how the psalmist could write these things—and Leviticus was part of the law he so longed for!—then our theology of the law has a serious shortcoming.
The second interpretive guideline to keep in mind is that laws reflect the values of the lawgiver. We can see this quite readily with our own laws: we prohibit stealing because we value personal property rights; we prohibit murder because we value human life. In the same way, the Lord commands the Israelites to leave some of the harvest for the “needy and the resident alien” (19:10) because he values compassion for the unfortunate far more than maximum profit. Or again, he commands to “love your neighbor as yourself” (19:18) because he values a world that reflects his love and peace.
Identifying the underlying values of a law then helps us as we try to understand how it can still teach us about what it means to live as the Lord’s people (even if the particular law no longer applies). This is often easier said than done, mind you! Good commentaries are certainly a help in this regard (see resources at end). I also find Christopher Wright’s Old Testament Ethics for the People of God a very helpful resource, especially chapter nine, where he lays out a hermeneutic of how to interpret and apply OT laws. (He now gives an abbreviated description of this approach in his chapter “Preaching from the Law,” found in Reclaiming the Old Testament for Christian Preaching.)
How does the New Testament help us interpret Leviticus?

I guess there are various things we could note in answer to that question (for example, the New Testament makes clear that Jesus’ atoning death means that atoning sacrifices are no longer necessary). But I usually find myself thinking in the other direction: how does Leviticus help us understand the New Testament? This is because Leviticus does not happen in the context of the New Testament world; rather, the New Testament world happens in the context of a world that already knew and understood Leviticus. The author of Hebrews is constantly making the point, “If you really want to understand who Jesus is, and what Jesus did, and how much GREATER he is than anything else, you need to understand Leviticus!”
For example, it’s only when we understand the sacrificial system of Leviticus that we can understand what it means that Jesus came and “made purification for sins” (Heb 1:3; cf. Lev 4). It’s only when we understand Leviticus that we can understand his atoning sacrifice wipes away every vestige of sin and impurity so powerfully that we can walk “with confidence into the holy place by the blood of Jesus” (Heb 10:19; cf. Lev 16 and esp. 10:1-3!). And it’s only when we understand Leviticus that we can understand that the sinlessness and purity and power of Jesus the Great High Priest is immeasurably beyond that of any levitical priest that ever lived (Heb 7:26-28; cf. Lev 9:7; 16:6)!
What does it mean to preach Leviticus in proper relationship to Jesus and the gospel?
It means to remember that its laws come in the context of the Lord’s redeeming grace (Exod 1-19). As such, the laws were meant to guide the Israelites in a proper response of obedient love to their king, in this way enabling them to carry out their mission of reflecting his character in the world and spreading his kingdom of blessing in all the earth. (Here’s where we need to remember that the Israelites were to be a kingdom of priests [Exod 19:4-6], and priests are there to help other people know what it means to be in right relationship with the Lord.)
Once this is done, a Christian is then in a position to read these laws in the context of the Lord’s redeeming grace as found in Jesus. As such, Christians see the principles these laws teach as guides for how to respond with grateful obedience to our king, in this way enabling us to carry out our mission of reflecting his character in the world and spreading his kingdom of blessing in all the earth. (Here’s where we need to remember that we are also called to be a kingdom of priests! 1 Pet 2:9)
To state this even more simply: just as the Israelites read Leviticus in the context of the Lord’s redeeming work in the exodus, Christians read Leviticus in the context of the Lord’s redeeming work in Jesus. And just as the Israelites understood the laws of Leviticus as direction for how the Lord’s holy people worship him in grateful obedience and love, Christians understand the principles behind these laws as direction for how the Lord’s holy people worship him in grateful obedience and love.
Would you caution preachers and teachers in any way as they proclaim Jesus from this book?
In light of the previous answer, there are at least two cautions. First, law must be set in the context of redemption. When this is not done—and when we preach on law it usually is not!—we become moralists: “Do this! Don’t do that!” Someone who is soaked in the gospel of grace—and who remembers the context!—takes a different approach: “In light of what the Lord has done for you, do this; in light of who your redeeming Lord is and who he has called you to be, don’t do that.” A moralist leaves you with the feeling that there are things you must or must not do to earn the Lord’s favor. A gospel preacher or teacher leaves you with the feeling that the Lord’s favor has been so richly shown in his redemptive acts that the only proper response is grateful and loving obedience to him.
The second caution is simply to remember that proclaiming Jesus does not mean one stops at the cross. As the above makes clear, Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross is always the starting point for Christian preaching. By this I do not mean that every message must have a separate point that mentions Calvary; rather, I mean that God’s redemption in Jesus is the context of the message (see above). But what must be remembered is that Jesus has not simply saved us from something, he also calls us to something. He calls us to respond to his redemptive grace in every aspect of our lives; he call us to be that “kingdom of priests and holy nation.”
To take a practical example: Let’s say we are preaching or teaching on the command “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18). We would miss the point if we simply said, “You and I don’t keep this command perfectly; we have sinned; we need someone to save us from our lack of loving; we need Jesus.” Of course all of that is perfectly true, but we are far closer to the point when we say something like this:

The Lord redeemed his people in his patient and merciful love and called them to reflect that love in their relationship to him and to one another. Indeed, just as his love was radical towards them, so must their love be radical to one another, being as quick to care for and forgive one another as they were with themselves. So too with us: Jesus’ love for us is inexhaustible in its mercy and it is this same love he calls us to show one another (John 15:12). It is by remembering his radical, merciful, and undeserved love for us that we are able to show the same radical love to others (cf. Matt 18:21-35). Go then, as those who have been loved with a love indescribable, and share that love with the world!

What books, sermons, and articles would you recommend for teaching the gospel in Leviticus?
Aside from the resources mentioned above, everyone teaching on this book would be greatly helped by having two particular commentaries. The first is Gordon Wenham’s The Book of Leviticus. One reviewer called it the best commentary he had ever read on any book of the Bible. It is clear, concise, readable, and usually ends each chapter with very helpful bridges to New Testament application. The second is Allen Ross’s Holiness to the Lord. Ross is an Old Testament scholar who combines the best of Old Testament scholarship with helpful discussion of how to teach or preach each chapter. It is not always as thorough as Wenham’s in the details, but a wonderful complement in terms of how to teach or preach the book.
I must confess that I have not listened to many sermons on Leviticus. I did a short series once (seven sermons), addressing introductory issues, atonement, and most of the sacrifices. Here’s the interesting thing about that series: it was for a businessmen’s Bible study that started with about 70 men and ended with 80 to 85. In other words, by God’s grace it actually grew. That’s not what we expect for a series on Leviticus, though I guess it’s really no surprise: if the psalmist delighted in it, shouldn’t we as well?

Collin Hansen serves as editorial director for The Gospel Coalition. He is the co-author of A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories That Stretch and Stir.

To Be Reminded

I've been rethinking alot of things about blogging that would be most beneficial for my own soul in doing it and for you guys as well. New things are on the way. In the mean time, here are a few snacks to enjoy.

G.O.S.P.E.L.

One of the best performances I have witnessed of spoken word - articulating the gospel   -- ---> We are a needy people who have Hope.

Click here

Stay Encouraged Fam.

Christ Can't Stand So That In Him We Can

32 They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here until I have prayed." 33 And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. 34 And He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch." 35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. 36 And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what you will." (Mark 14)

Have you ever stopped to fathom the great mystery that the Saviour of the world, the God of the universe - powerful, holy, great in wonders, could not stand up under the weight of our sin and God's wrath? So great was this cup that his knees buckle and he falls to the ground! But wait, not this God; not this all powerful, all holy, all wonderous God of the universe! It can't be! IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE!

What are you doing here Jesus!? You don't deserve to be deeply distressed and troubled. What did you do for heaven to be silent at your call! You are God! Isn't there any other possible way to avoid drinking this cup? All things are possible for you God? Jesus, why! Please, let me intervene.

But...His response: YET-NOT-WHAT-I-WILL-BUT-WHAT-YOU-WILL. Child, I am here because there is no other possible way for Me to bring you to Myself again, to satisfy God's holy infinite wrath against your sin and to reconcile you in your sin to the Father, declaring you as righteous - child, I am here for you. I am here because it's required. I am here because I love you.

Here, in the garden of Gethsemane, as the Saviour Jesus Christ is fallen to the ground, let us stand to witness the severity of our sin that required him to be there; the obedience of the Son which screams his love for us, the will of the Father which screams his love for us, the Spirit's presence in the Son for the Christ to obey in this agony which screams his love for us. And carrying this understanding to the cross where his love for us, his holiness, his just anger, his attributes are all displayed perfectly for us to sit under and soak up freely the blood of Christ which carries them all.

Be encouraged Fam.

Liberation - Timothy Brindle

Verse 1:
I was born in sins penitentiary
Enslaved to evil- this condemned and sentenced me
Locked in a cell block, Id act wickedly in captivity
While watching myself rot born with a death sentence
Warned to neglect repentance by my Lord who expressed vengeance
By deceiving my mind and keeping me blind
And convincing me that evil was fine
His name is Lucifer, he was my slave master
He said to oppose God and screamed with great laughter
He ruled this prison of sin, my vision was dim
He told me what to do and Id listen to him
I was depraved and arrogant- an accursed transgressor
My ways inherited- from my first ancestors
Trapped in my sinful habitation
I was into masturbation, and it kindled aggravation
But I loved the darkness of my cell
Plus my lungs were heartless, and this sluggards carcass had a smell
An unbearable stench
Disgusting and vile, my lusting was wild, with some terrible wench
A praiser of wickedness, my behavior was mischievous
Craving sin-enslaved to my sicknesses
Much inclined to muck and slime
And crust and grime I has such a disgusting mind
Sinning was fluid, swimming in sewage
Lucifer fed me his stew Id drink and then spew it
I often coughed and had constant red eye
Spiritually talkin I was a walkin dead guy
Cause the Law hung over me as a guillotine
Really mean, and thrilled to sin, I was still a fiend
Many times a man came to my cell
To ask me if I wanted someone to save me from Hell
But Id slap him in the face, and laugh at this grace
Cause it so happened that I was trapped in this place
I was content in sin, I disregarded that I couldnt be pardoned
From my sentencing so I slept heavily-the best remedy
In neglecting the fact I faced a death penalty
Then came my day of execution
It was time to die but I couldnt pay the retribution!!!

Verse 2:
I was a detestable prisoner, an ineffective listener
Than I had an unexpected Visitor
And this was frightening, cause I was trifling
Then came the Spirit of Christ the Righteous King
A shining light came on inside of my cell
Revealing my sinful condition, I cried and I yelled
God forgive me, rescue me from deaths despair
Don’t execute me in the electric chair!
But then I was embraced- by His love and truth
He said He died in my place-as my substitute
I couldn’t fathom His charity, so I asked Him clarity
He actually sat in the chair for me
He took the violent wrath on my behalf
So I could have life and be alive at last!
My first reply, was but You’re a perfect Guy
You never cursed or lied, you didn’t deserve to die
But He said He wanted to because He made a covenant
To save His people so they wouldn’t face His punishment
So I hugged and thanked Him, His robe was all red
He said He proved all this was true because He rose from the dead
Now my charges were dropped
He gave me faith when He replaced my heart because it was as hard as a rock
He broke my shackles, now my visions clear
I was given ears, He removed my filthy prison gear
And I proceeded to put it on the shelf
My death sentence was dropped when He took it upon Himself
Then He dressed me in His perfect righteousness
The nicest gift, yes I was hype from this!
He told me He freed me for a purpose, Tim
To conform me to His image, and serve and worship Him
Then I fell on my face I’ll tell of Your ways
And proclaim you save sinners by indelible grace
I savor this pleasure, You’re the greatest of treasures
Jesus Christ- I can’t wait to praise You forever
But then Lucifer tried to keep me from leavin
But Jesus crushed His head and defeated His demons
We bounced from the prison, He announced I’m forgiven
I was dead in that place, now I’m out and I’m livin
And I shout: HE IS RISEN! for hours abroad

I’ve been freed by the Gospel which is the Power of God

Then He said He must return to His Father’s side
I started crying, so He said be calm, you’re fine
Because His Holy Spirit will guide my steps
He promised He’d keep me until my final breath
I now await the return of the Sovereign Lamb
To take me to worship Him in the promised land
This parables a metaphorical analogy
Of a terrible but then adorable reality.

And I’m praising Jesus, cause He redeemed and freed me when I was enslaved in Egypt (2x)

Interview with Vern Poythress

What is the big picture of the bible that God provides for us? Vern Poythress answers nine vital questions in what we often find ourselves asking in terms of seeing the bible clearly for what God intends us to see and improving our understanding of how to study the bible correctly. Questions include: What is the difference between biblical theology and systematic theology; how was Christ the Saviour of O.T saints; what guidance can be offered to reading the O.T Christocentrically.

Feast for a few minutes on this and this sweet resource and taste the richness of the beauty of Christ.

Click Here

Be encouraged Fam!

"His Purpose Is Gracious"!

First Verse- Stephen
Read John 9 a man was born blind
Whose fault was it? They asked the Lord “Why?” (John 9:2)
Did his parents sin or was it this guy? (John 9:2)
It was neither, but in His time (John 9:3)
God would heal him and let His works shine (John 9:3)
Christ let him see with transformed eyes
Christ spit, made mud with the saliva (John 9:6)
He gave him sight; see the love of the Messiah (John 9:7)
The Pharisees doubted and hated with madness (John 9:16)
Claimed Christ’s a sinner, who’s breaking the Sabbath (John 9:16)
“How were you healed?” they asked doubtfully (John 9:26)
He said, “I know I was blind but now I see (John 9:25)
And now believe in the Son of Man (John 9:38)
He healed me with His loving hand”
There’s no mention of specific sin
But God’s plans make sense when we get to the end!!

Second Verse by timothy brindle
In John 11
Jesus knows that Lazarus is dying but does not prevent it (John 11:6)
Martha and Mary askin’ of the Christ
“Heal our brother whom you love spare Lazarus’ life!” (John 11:3)
So perhaps you’re asking “why” and you’re buggin’
How He could let him die if He loved him?! (John 11:3)
This is seeming absurd
Jesus surely could heal him by just speaking a word (Matt. 8:8)
It’s four days later He’s at his tomb where they’re cryin (John 11:17)
“Lord why not heal if you knew he was dyin?” (John 11:21; John 11:32)
Then Jesus wept (John 11:35)
except he knew this illness did not lead to death (John 11:4)
He said, “It’s for the glory of God” (John 11:4)
So people could see his power and adore Him with glory and awe (John 11:4, 40, 41)
So—because He loved him, He allowed this mess (John 11:5)
To show His power to pull him out of death
And that His word has such force to give (John 5:21, 25-26)
Life to a corpse when He said, “Come forth and live!!” (John 11:43)
He raised Lazarus with His hollerin’ call
To show He’s stronger than all, the results of the fall (Acts 2:24b, Rev. 21:5)
And that death is just sleep to Him (John 11:11-13)
No matter how deep in sin or the big the beast within (Matt. 19: 25-26!)
If you see your mess, there is no better blessing (2 Cor. 12:9-10)
When you bring it to Him who Is the resurrection!! (John 11:25)

Third Verse by Stephen
You heard of Job? By faith he was blameless (Job 1:1)
Acquainted with pain, the pages explain this (Job 30:16)
But Satan needed God’s permission (Job 1:6-12)
To afflict Job with hard affliction (Job 1:6-12)
Killed his sons and daughters, sheep and his cattle (Job 1:14-18)
If these ain’t enough reasons to rattle
Imagine painful sores from head to toe (Job 2:7-8)
Once blessed with dough, winds wrecked his home (Job 1:19)
His wife told him, “Curse God and die!!” (Job 2:9)
But Job refused, he spurned awful pride
He said, “If we’re God’s people
Shall we receive good from God and not evil?” (Job 2:10)
Still it felt like prison…..Alcatraz
Friends accused him of sinning.. Eliphaz (Job 15)
Bildad and Zophar all lacked sympathy (Job 8 and Job 11)
They didn’t understand this wack misery
They said his sin belongs in a hamper
But Job defends himself, longs for an answer
“This isn’t fair!!”, he complains and he vents (Job 6, Job 23, Job 31)
But God shows him he’s small, Job later repents (Job 42:1-6)
For questioning God, then he prays for his friends (Job 42:10)
God gives double see this grace in the end (Job 42:10)
Job didn’t suffer cause of iniquity
Sometimes in trials we suffer…it’s mystery!

Fourth Verse by timothy brindle
So what mess are you in? (James 1:2)
Being tested by sin or felt the death of your kin?
Struggle financially? What’s your calamity?
Trouble with family? Dad or mother abandoned thee? (1 Peter 1:6)
At first we glance at our circumstance
Asking, “What’s God’s good purpose plans?” (Psalm 10:1, Psalm 13:1-2)
Wondering wearily what God is doing
When life appears to be in awful ruin (Psalm 6, Lamentations)
But it’s employed of the Lord chiefly (Rom. 8:28)
Just to know his grace and strength more deeply (2 Cor. 12:9-10)
So name your life’s tragedy:
If you’re His—it’s to display Christ’s Majesty (Philippians 1:20!)
Your fallen-ness and awful sins
Are meant to redirect your confidence (Luke 18:9-14)
To be in Christ’s righteousness…the awesome gift (Philippians 3:9)
And His power over sin to conquer it (Romans 6:4, 6, 11)
To truly rock your soul through His gospel, bol’ (boy) (Rom. 1:16-17)
And show He can do the impossible (Gen. 18:10-14)
He likes scenes that are seemingly hopeless (1 Cor. 1:26-28)
Just to reveal that He is the dopest (1 Cor. 1:29-31)
All of history a God ordained mess (Eph. 1:11, Isaiah 46:9-10, Lamentations 3:37-38, Proverbs 16:4)
Meant to show the LORD’s greatness (Romans 11:36, 2 Cor. 12:9-10)
In cleaning it up (Col. 1:19-20)
So Jesus will teach us till we see that He is enough!!! (2nd Corinthians 12:9)

Bridge: Repeated 3 x by timothy and stephen
Why does the Lord allow certain arrangements?
To occur if they so hurt with this anguish?
But hold fast to Christ (Rev. 2:13 and 3:11), He’s certain to make this
Clear in the end that His purpose is gracious! (James 5:10-11)

A Bloody Religion - Thabiti Anyabwile

Here's a re-post of a wonderful perspective we ought not to forget. Amen and Amen. Enjoy



¹And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²“Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the LORD’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them, ³if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering. ⁴He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD and lay his hand on the head of the bull and kill the bull before the LORD. ⁵And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting, ⁶and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the LORD in front of the veil of the sanctuary. ⁷And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense before the LORD that is in the tent of meeting, and all the rest of the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁸And all the fat of the bull of the sin offering he shall remove from it, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails ⁹ and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys ¹⁰(just as these are taken from the ox of the sacrifice of the peace offerings); and the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. ¹¹But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, with its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung—¹²all the rest of the bull—he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place, to the ash heap, and shall burn it up on a fire of wood. On the ash heap it shall be burned up. (Lev. 4:1-9)

Try to imagine the scene.  Day after day.  Week after week.  Sinner after sinner.  Progresses before the altar to offer bulls, goats, lambs, pigeons to God as an atonement for sin.  The prescription for slaughter is precise.  Instruction for removal of organs and fat detailed.  With your hands.  All day long.  Breaking open animal bodies.  Removing organs.  Separating fat.  Awash in blood.  Sprinkling blood on the altar.  Rubbing it on the horns of the altar.  Watching it drain into the basin of the altar.  All the while, the constant smell of burning flesh, charred to ashes.

That’s the Old Testament sacrificial system.  It’s bloody.

But do we imagine Christianity to be an less bloody?  Do we imagine the fulfillment of those patterns and prophesies to bring a more sanitary, sterile, cleaner religion?  If we do, we’ve lost sight of significant realities.

Is not our salvation purchased with blood?  The blood of the Son of God still flows.  It flows to the chief of sinners.  It still washes and cleanses.  It doesn’t drain into a basin, but reaches the nations.  And without the shedding of His blood, there is no remission of sins.

What about you Christian?  Are not our lives living sacrifices?  All day long, are you not counted as sheep for the slaughter?  Our gathering is not a country club, but a slaughter house.  Your life is not dry and clean; it must be bloody.

What about you, pastor?  Does not our continuing ministry require blood?  Do your daily ministrations involve less blood than the blood Old Testament priests once put their hands in?  If so, you’re doing it wrong.  Are our people any less broken by sin?  Do they need repentance less?  Can they leave off confession and forget to seek a good conscience?  Certainly not.  But how will they be comforted?  How will they be assured of their forgiveness?  What will they do with their guilt?  Do we not return them to that precious fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins?  Do we not stand awash in blood and with our hands of counsel rub blood–not on an altar–but on our people?  And are they not cleansed of all unrighteousness when they’re taught to confess, repent, and return to a faithful and just God who is pleased at the sight of His Son’s blood?  We remind them that atonement has been made, which is to remind them of blood–Jesus’ blood.

Ours is a bloody religion.

Our Declaration

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on OUR behalf, SO THAT we might become the righteousness of God IN HIM!

Therefore there is now NO, NONE, ZERO condemnation for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS.

Who are protected BY the power of GOD THROUGH faith.

IN THIS your greatly rejoice. Amen



He Drank It

Is Christ Worthy Enough...All The Time?

Is - it - enough?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about how we are doing?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about our relationships?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about what has been going on in our life?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about school, work, business?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about the latest news in the world?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about how we have been wronged, been hurt, misused?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about theology?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about what's coming up?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about our problems?

Is it enough to sit around with loved ones and talk about things that make us laugh?

Guess what...

It - just- is - not- enough!

Let us be reminded of something; God, being so rich in mercy, because he loved us with such a great love, demonstrates this in that Christ died.

For who? His enemies.

Who were they? You.

Why? Because he loves you.

Why is it not enough to fill our time with anything other than reminding each other DAILY of the helplessness we were in; yoked in an unbreakable chain of slavery, defeated by the ultimate giant, rotting in the death of our worship to these golden calf's - miraculously having a Hero come in to save the day, painting His blood on the doorway of our hearts, firing the Rock directly at the giant conquering it in one hit, and coming down from the highest mountain to deliver to us the true and comforting words to be His people for eternity?

Why is it not enough we still ask? Nothing fulfills the way the true story of how God through Jesus Christ came and redeemed a people not wanting to be redeemed, a people lost, helpless, dead (cf. John 1:10) does then the things that consume our mind so quickly from the false story this world tells us. The very fact that it is so easy for us to get together and talk about anything and everything other than Jesus Christ and what He has done for us shows us how forgetful we are and how desperately we are in need of being reminded of the story we are a part of. Hebrews tells us:

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of of Christ, if we hold fast...(3:12-14a)

Again Deuteronomy tells us:

When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What do the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments mean which the Lord our God commanded you?' then you shall say to your son, 'We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord brought us from Egypt with a mighty hand. Moreover, the Lord showed great and distressing signs and wonders before our eyes against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household; He brought us our from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.' So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. (6:20-24)

In Christ, the true story of God is manifested - our story of a filthy bride loved, captured, and made beautiful by One who gave everything to give us everything! No longer run to the false story of this world; the empty claims and fleeting materials and ideas, but run to hear and tell and live for the story and the things which God gives us for our good and survival, ALWAYS. Jesus Christ loves sinners!

Be encouraged fam.

The Chop Block - Discipleship

Here are a couple of saints in Christ chopping it up together about the mandate and beauty of Biblical Discipleship - Jason Watson "Json", brothers Michael and Anthony of "Hazakim", and Darrell Bell Jr. "Stephen the Levite". Enjoy!
http://vimeo.com/18959378

Tis' So Sweet Thy Comforts Of Thee

God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit - God three and yet one. The doctrine of the Trinity has troubled and will trouble Christians and their understanding of the existence of the Triune God-Head. How is God One yet Three distinctly different 'Persons'? I have heard it often taught within the greater institutional Church as the God-Head being such as the three distinct forms of H2O; ice, water and water vapor. Yet, this comes far short of comparison and often can be associated as heresy because while God is manifested in the Son, so not does the Father and Spirit take leave of being ever present.

Troublesome. Be patient with me.

Let us not be troubled by our lack of understanding in His identity. He does make us known by His Spirit. According to the Scriptures, I found that it is best displayed in the way we read the Scriptures and interpret what God has put forth in His word. Let's take for example the apocalyptic literature found in the Bible. What is apocalyptic literature? It is defined as a revealing of 'end-time' events. Most notably, the books of Daniel and Revelation concern their teaching with eschatological, or 'end-time', prophesies and revelations; hence the name of the book, Revelation.

Within these books, it has sadly scared away many Christians because of all the visions that the writers of these books see and quite frankly, these books have also been avoided because of all the confusion often associated with these visions. Can you relate? Have you ever been disturbed about people teaching of end-time happenings and found heavy burdens laid upon you because of your lack of understanding into what the writers are trying to convey to the listeners? I know I have.

Because Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah and John (Revelation) all have these "visions" of what they see and hear, a ton of symbolism takes place into interpreting what these visions are. For instance, listen to how some of these writers tell of their visions. Read aloud:

• Daniel 7:2-4, 15: Daniel said, "I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and make to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it...As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me."
• Jeremiah 1:11-13: The word of the Lord came to me saying, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" And I said, "I see a rod of an almond tree." Then the Lord said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it." The word of the Lord came to me a second time saying, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north."
• Ezekiel 1:4-6: As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire. Within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form. Each of them had four faces and four wings.
• Zechariah 1:8, 9: I saw at night, and behold, a man was riding on a red horse, and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine, with red, sorrel and white horses behind him. Then I said, "My lord, what are these?" And the angel who was speaking with me said to me, "I will show you what these are."
• Revelation 19:11, 12, 19: And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself...And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

John makes it clear that in the midst of these visions that he is hearing and seeing he is "in the Spirit" (cf. Rev 1:10, 4:2, 17:3, 21:10). Just as these visions were seen and interpreted to him by the Spirit of God, so it is for us when we see and hear the Scriptures. In our hermeneutical working of understanding, interpreting and applying the Scriptures to our lives it is:

1. God the Father who speaks the Word
2. God the Son who is the Word
3. God the Spirit who interprets that Word

How sweet is it that Jesus Christ has not left us as orphans! "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you". "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever". "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you  into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (cf. John 14; 16:13, 14). So to many times we tend to hear people pray, or even ourselves have this understanding, that the Spirit of God leaves us. We may ask for the Spirit to come into this place or to come fill us but the truth is, He will "never leave us or forsake us". Rather let us pray that the Spirit may fill us with His Word and disclose the truth of Him to us.

It is Jesus, God manifested by His Spirit, who dwells in us - comforting us and disclosing to us the truth of the Scriptures. How sweet the comforts of the Triune God who loves His children.

Be encouraged Fam!

"On my own..but not really on my own"

I know this is Ol' School but I had to rock it again for you! Enjoy the psalm of these two Godly Saints.

"My soul thirsts for you O'God...I NEED MORE"

With this, I long and call for you to please bow before our Lord in prayer and lift up our Sister Trudianne to Him. She just graduated from High School and the Lord has called her to go spread a pleasing aroma of Him half way around the world - alone! What faith the Lord has graced her with. She will be staying with a missionary family in the Sawa Jungle with the Elsing Tribe until May.

You can follow what the Lord does through her here at her blog, check it out:
http://trudimdalton.blogspot.com/

May we too see the beauty of what our Lord is doing to build up His Kingdom of Royal Priests. Matthew 28:18-20 reads:
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and  make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Often times we may read this Great Commission without the eyes of the Holy Spirit. We see only the command of what we must do and neglect the identity of our being in the identity and beauty of His doing. We try and make this passage about us and in so doing we try and make evangelism about us as well! Oh that we may see the ailing spirit in this understanding. This is the missing link of the command to go "fill and subdue" the earth given to Adam in Genesis 1:28. Jesus here tells us that we are sent into the world to subdue it and bring it under the rule of the Sovereign Lord. As the apostles did then, and as we do today, we are filling the earth with those who own Jesus as Savior and Lord. But as we go in the obedience to this call, we see the beauty of Christ displayed - the Second Adam (Rom 5:14), goes with us (v.20). It is He who ultimately is filling and subduing for the glory of His name. How the love and patience and heroic stature of Christ greatly supasses our failures and inadequacies. See the richness of His grace, of His mercy.

"My soul thirsts for you O'God...I NEED MORE"

Stay encouraged Fam!

Christ Excels Joseph - Jesus OVERCAME suffering

The heart of Christ towards sinners - emaculate yet movingly personal. Not to long ago I peeped out a sermon on 'Suffering and God's Sovereignty' specifically in the life of Joseph. And one thing this brother specifically said caught my attention for the better. Joseph, truly a remarkable man with a legacy worth approving, a model for us to look back on in history to see how to respond in the midst of unfortunate trials.

Continuing off this little theme I have going on of seeing how all these hero's of the Bible point to the Hero of the Bible, these saints' stories given by God are for us to see Jesus the Messiah fulfilling, pointing too, and how He excels all the more. Christ excels that of Joseph!

First thing I want to show in connecting the dots of Joseph's response to suffering and Jesus' response, is the Egyptian theme Moses gives in the book of Genesis. We have to understand that first, this book, Genesis, was written during the Israelites wanderings after God's liberating acts from the oppressing Egyptians. Egypt was fresh in the front of the minds of the covenant nation both for the bad and as we see later on in the years of their wanderings in the wilderness, the good (Num 11:1-9). It makes sense then that God used Moses to thread together a thematic element crucial to the faithfulness in God the Redeemer for the first generation audience of Genesis.

Egypt, as we see beginning with Abraham's story up until Joseph's deportation into slavery in their very hands, was a national outlet away from trusting in God's promise for the inherited land. It was to say, a false assurance of prosperity, abundance, protection and rest. This quiet echo of a theme is seen in Abraham and Lot's dealings of their homeland, Lot's comfort next to Sodom, Ishmael's mockery of the child of promise and his result of marrying an Egyptian women after material blessing and so on.

[I do urge you to examine this theme on your own throughout the second half of Genesis to reap God's rich exhortation full of relentless grace.]

And this stirred my thoughts. What in my life do I see as Egypt? Seemingly offering me comfort, joy, and prosperity. Tempting me to run and camp there rather than trusting in the God of promises who is faithful, even in this chasm between reality and those promises. Where is your Egypt? Are you like the Israelites wandering, seeing no hope in the present circumstances but turning around and seeing the lusciousness of Egypt's abundance; complaining and longing to just head back, home?

Significantly, this Egyptian theme takes the story to the point of Joseph being forced to abide there. Now we begin to see a connection. Joseph's brothers hated him for being the favored son of Jacob. And after Joseph's dream in which he told these brothers of his that he was truly superior to all, being the one who was in charge, who was rebuked even by his father Jacob. But this was the last straw for the other brothers. Plotting to scheme a murder against Joseph, they agreed to arrange Joseph to be sold, rather, into Egyptian slavery - for what? Shekels of silver. Where else do we see this same instance occur? Was it not Jesus himself, being sold by Judas Iscariot for some shekels of silver!? What makes this more, is that just as Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, so was Jesus, calling upon all those who had followed him and do the will of the Father, his brothers (Mt 12:49).

After suffering much agony and despair, Genesis 45:4 tells us this, "Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'Please come closer to me.' And they came closer. And he said, ' I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt." But how is Christ better. Note his response after suffering in John 20:17. This verse echos Joseph's words of compassion towards his brethren in height of advancement (note that this verse in John is also in height of Christ's advancement). But Joseph immediately added their sin when telling his brothers who he was. Not so Christ! He reminds poor sinners not a word of what they've done to Him.

Family, our thoughts of our sins need not be any more when we see Christ's face, for He remembers no more. Nor does He remind them of what He has done. No, He remembers not His sufferings, why? He finished the work and now hastens to do another for them, eagerly in heaven. How lovingly He says He goes to OUR Father (cf. Heb 2:11).

Stay encouraged family!