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.

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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.

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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)