Andrew Murray
The Deeper Christian Life
Waiting On God
The Secret of the Cross
The Inner Chamber Life
The Spirit of Christ
The Power of the Blood of Jesus
The Holiest of All
Daily Fellowship With God
The School of Obedience
Divine Healing
Abide In Christ
With Christ in the School of Prayer
Humility
The True Vine
The Blood of The Cross
The Two Covenants
The Prayer Life
The Full Blessing Of Pentecost
Money
The Kingdom of God in You
Be Perfect
Love Made Perfect
Working for God
Why Do You Not Believe
Thy Will Be Done
Like Christ
Have Mercy Upon Me
The Collected Works of Andrew Murray
8.13.2012
Free Theological Ebooks for Kindle
A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God
Andrew Murray
Lord, Teach Us to Pray
Jesus, Himself
The Master's Indwelling
Holy in Christ
The Ministry of Intercession
D.L. Moody
Men of the Bible
Secret Power or the Secret of Success in Christian Life and Work
John Bunyan
The Works of John Bunyan (Vol.1)
The Works of John Bunyan (Vol.2)
The Works of John Bunyan (Vol.3)
The Complete Works of John Bunyan
The Pilgrim's Progress
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
The Heavenly Footman
Jonathan Edwards
Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards
Martin Luther
The Works of Martin Luther with Introductions and Notes (Vol 1)
The Works of Martin Luther with Introductions and Notes (Vol 2)
Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians
Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 Luther on Son and the Flood
A Treatise on Good Works
The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and Explained
R.A. Torrey
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
The Pursuit of God
Andrew Murray
Lord, Teach Us to Pray
Jesus, Himself
The Master's Indwelling
Holy in Christ
The Ministry of Intercession
D.L. Moody
Men of the Bible
Secret Power or the Secret of Success in Christian Life and Work
John Bunyan
The Works of John Bunyan (Vol.1)
The Works of John Bunyan (Vol.2)
The Works of John Bunyan (Vol.3)
The Complete Works of John Bunyan
The Pilgrim's Progress
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
The Heavenly Footman
Jonathan Edwards
Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards
Martin Luther
The Works of Martin Luther with Introductions and Notes (Vol 1)
The Works of Martin Luther with Introductions and Notes (Vol 2)
Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians
Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 Luther on Son and the Flood
A Treatise on Good Works
The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and Explained
R.A. Torrey
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
4.09.2012
Never Lose the Wonder
Well, Palm Sunday is over. Good Friday and Easter Morning have passed us by once again.
While these days have come and gone, the truths that we celebrate on these days ought never to leave our hearts and our minds. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ have implications that affect not just one or two days a year, but rather every single day of our lives. Jesus is just as much alive today as he was on the first Easter. He is just as much alive today as he was on April 8th, and every Easter Sunday before that.
Through the resurrection, Christ demonstrated his ultimate power over sin, death, and hell. That power isn't limited to one day a year. He had that power in eternity past, he has it now, and he will have it forever.
As we exit this time of year when we specifically celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ, may we never lose the wonder of what this work of Christ accomplished for us. It bought our salvation. It gave us victory over sin and death. Because we who have once died with Christ in his crucifixion, we will be raised with him on the last day (Galatians 2:20, John 6:39-40). May we never lose the wonder of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
4.06.2012
The Power of the Resurrection
This past week I have been immersing myself in texts that have to do with the death and resurrection of Christ. As I have done so I have been struck again and again by the beauty of the gospel that Paul proclaimed as of "first importance (1 Cor. 15:3)."
Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, left his heavenly dwelling place and "made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8)."
Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, the holy Son of God (who was God himself), died for the sins of man.
Don't just pass over that statement. Read it again!
Jesus DIED for the sins of man.
It's not some token example or illustration that the scripture uses. This death was a real event. Jesus died. The prophet Isaiah foretells this event with these words. "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed (Is. 53:4-5)." Jesus died for the sins of the human race. It was not because of any wrong doing that he (Jesus) had done, but for the wrongdoing of sinful men. To personalize the words of Isaiah, "Surely he has borne (my) griefs and carried (my) sorrows." It was my sin that put him on the cross. It was the punishment for my sin that he endured.
When considering the cross, there does not appear to be much power there. The death of Jesus on the cross is simply an innocent one dying for the guilty. If the story ends at the cross, then death has won. But, the cross is not where the story ends.
In Philippians 3:10, Paul expresses a desire to "...know him (Christ) and the power of his resurrection." Three days after Christ had surrendered his life on the cross, he rose from the grave. He became alive again! This he could do because he was God in human form, and by rising again he displayed his ultimate power over death so that Paul could say in 1 Cor. 15:55, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting." And then in vs. 56 and 57 he says, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ." Through the death and resurrection of Christ we have gained victory over death. For those of us who have trusted in the work of Christ, Romans 6:5 stands true. "For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." For even though we die in Christ we live! As Galatians 2:20 puts is, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
There is power in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. A power that brings victory over death to the believer and a power that is secure because it is found in Christ and not in our own good works or our own will.
Like Paul, I desire to know the power of the resurrection. Not to know it in a simply academic or intellectual capacity, but to know it in an experiential way. I want to know that power in a way that influences and changes my life!
This week as we remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ may we seek to know by experience that power that the resurrection contains. God has offered freely his grace to those who simply trust and place their faith in the gospel (gospel = good news) of Jesus Christ, not only crushed for our sins, but risen again to give us life!
Soli Deo Gloria! Glory to God Alone!
Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, left his heavenly dwelling place and "made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:7-8)."
Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, the holy Son of God (who was God himself), died for the sins of man.
Don't just pass over that statement. Read it again!
Jesus DIED for the sins of man.
It's not some token example or illustration that the scripture uses. This death was a real event. Jesus died. The prophet Isaiah foretells this event with these words. "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed (Is. 53:4-5)." Jesus died for the sins of the human race. It was not because of any wrong doing that he (Jesus) had done, but for the wrongdoing of sinful men. To personalize the words of Isaiah, "Surely he has borne (my) griefs and carried (my) sorrows." It was my sin that put him on the cross. It was the punishment for my sin that he endured.
When considering the cross, there does not appear to be much power there. The death of Jesus on the cross is simply an innocent one dying for the guilty. If the story ends at the cross, then death has won. But, the cross is not where the story ends.
In Philippians 3:10, Paul expresses a desire to "...know him (Christ) and the power of his resurrection." Three days after Christ had surrendered his life on the cross, he rose from the grave. He became alive again! This he could do because he was God in human form, and by rising again he displayed his ultimate power over death so that Paul could say in 1 Cor. 15:55, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting." And then in vs. 56 and 57 he says, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ." Through the death and resurrection of Christ we have gained victory over death. For those of us who have trusted in the work of Christ, Romans 6:5 stands true. "For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." For even though we die in Christ we live! As Galatians 2:20 puts is, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
There is power in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. A power that brings victory over death to the believer and a power that is secure because it is found in Christ and not in our own good works or our own will.
Like Paul, I desire to know the power of the resurrection. Not to know it in a simply academic or intellectual capacity, but to know it in an experiential way. I want to know that power in a way that influences and changes my life!
This week as we remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ may we seek to know by experience that power that the resurrection contains. God has offered freely his grace to those who simply trust and place their faith in the gospel (gospel = good news) of Jesus Christ, not only crushed for our sins, but risen again to give us life!
Soli Deo Gloria! Glory to God Alone!
3.18.2012
Sin: a definition from the parable of the lost (prodigal) son
"Here, then, is Jesus' radical redefinition of what is wrong with us. Nearly everyone defines sin as breaking a list of rules. Jesus, though, shows us that a man who has violated virtually nothing on the list of moral misbehaviors can be every bit as spiritually lost as the most profligate, immoral person. Why? Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life."
Tim Keller - The Prodigal God
Tim Keller - The Prodigal God
2.12.2012
3 simple truths from 1 simple phrase
Matthew 16:18, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock (the rock being the confession of Peter that Jesus is 'the Christ, the Son of the living God.' 16:16) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (ESV)
1 - The church is God's possession. ('...I will build my church...')
God's possession of the church gives the church infinite value. The church is a special, called out assembly of people chosen by God, for God.
2 - The success of the church is guaranteed. ('...I will build my church...')
God's plan for building, sustaining, and glorifying Himself through the church cannot be frustrated.
3 - God, not man, is the builder of the church. ('...I will build my church...')
Since God is the builder man can in no way take credit for building it. He chooses to use men, but God is the catalyst behind the construction of the church.
1 - The church is God's possession. ('...I will build my church...')
God's possession of the church gives the church infinite value. The church is a special, called out assembly of people chosen by God, for God.
2 - The success of the church is guaranteed. ('...I will build my church...')
God's plan for building, sustaining, and glorifying Himself through the church cannot be frustrated.
3 - God, not man, is the builder of the church. ('...I will build my church...')
Since God is the builder man can in no way take credit for building it. He chooses to use men, but God is the catalyst behind the construction of the church.
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