You Provide the Caption - Shepherd's Conference 2008

This picture is taken outside the hotel where we stayed while attending the Shepherd's Conference in Californis. Get creative and help me with a caption.

“Dwell where the cries of Calvary can be heard”

“The best preaching is, ‘We preach Christ crucified.’ The best living is, ‘We are crucified with Christ.’ The best man is a crucified man. The best style is a crucified style: may we drop into it! The more we live beholding our Lord’s unutterable griefs, and understanding how he has fully put away our sin, the more holiness shall we produce. The more we dwell where the cries of Calvary can be heard, where we can view heaven, and earth, and hell, all moved by his wondrous passion—the more noble will our lives become. Nothing puts life into men like a dying Savior. Get you close to Christ, and carry the remembrance of him about you from day to day, and you will do right royal deeds. Come, let us slay sin, for Christ was slain. Come, let us bury all our pride, for Christ was buried. Come, let us rise to newness of life, for Christ has risen. Let us be united with our crucified Lord in his one great object — let us live and die with him, and then every action of our lives will be very beautiful.”

-C.H. Spurgeon, sermon “To Lovers of Jesus” (#1834) delivered by C.H. Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle on Nov. 2, 1884

Paul Washer - The Modern Church Worships and Serves Humanism.

If you build a church around a Jesus that meets all your needs then you build a church that serves man not Jesus. Our worship should be all about Him and absolutely nothing about us.

Paul Washer: The True Meaning of the Cross

You can't know unles you know what you are apart from it.

It's Sunday...Christ the Lord is Risen Today!

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

It's Saturday...But Sunday's a comin!

The Valley of Vision is a collection of Puritan prayers and Devotions. The Valley of Vision is read by Bill Lawless.

You can listen here.

My King - S.M. Lockridge

Do you know my King?

He is the only Savior and He lives!!!

Do you know Him?

It's Friday...But Sunday's a comin!

Today's program is a short sermon by Pastor Brian Fairchild. The title of the sermon is Thoughts on the Resurrection from Isaiah 52 and 53.

You can listen here.

Heart Corruption

O God,
May Thy Spirit speak in me that I may
speak to thee.
I have no merit, let the merit of Jesus stand for me.
I am undeserving, but I look to Thy tender mercy.
I am full of infirmities, wants, sin;
Thou art full of grace.
I confess my sin, my frequent sin, my wilful sin;
all my powers of body and soul are defiled:
a fountain of pollution is deep within my nature.
There are chambers of foul images within my being;
I have gone from one odious room to another,
walked in a no-man’s-land of dangerous
imaginations,
pried into the secrets of my fallen nature.
I am utterly ashamed that I am what I am in myself;
I have no green shoot in me nor fruit, but thorns
and thistles;
I am a fading leaf that the wind drives away;
I live bare and barren as a winter tree,
unprofitable, fit to be hewn down and burnt.
Lord, dost Thou have mercy on me?
Thou hast struck a heavy blow at my pride,
at the false god of self,
and I lie in pieces before Thee.
But Thou hast given me another master and lord,
Thy Son, Jesus,
and now my heart is turned towards holiness,
my life speeds as an arrow from a bow
towards complete obedience to Thee.
Help me in all my doings to put down sin
and to humble pride.
Save me from the love of the world and the pride
of life,
from everything that is natural to fallen man,
and let Christ’s nature be seen in me day by day.
Grant me grace to bear Thy will without repining,
and delight to be
not only chiselled, squared, or fashioned,
but separated from the old rock where I have
been embedded so long,
and lifted from the quarry to the upper air,
where I may be built in Christ for ever.

(Puritan Prayers from the Valley of Vision)

The Power of the Cross

The Power Of The Cross

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men,

Torn and beaten, then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:

This, the pow'r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath—

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain

Written on Your face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev'ry bitter thought,

Ev'ry evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;

Now the ground beneath

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two,

Dead are raised to life;

"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name

Written in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death;

Life is mine to live,

Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:

This, the pow'r of the cross:

Son of God—slain for us.

What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.

"The Power of the Cross"Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

It's Thursday...But Sunday's a comin!

The Valley of Vision is a collection of Puritan prayers and Devotions. The Gospel Way is read by Bill Lawless.

You can go here to listen.

It's Wednesday...But Sunday's a comin!

This program is a short sermon titled Hope Through the Resurrection. It is presented by Pastor Morris Brooks of Grace Covenant Church of Midland, Texas. For more information about Grace Covenant Church send email to morris@pressingon.us.

You can listen here.

It's Tuesday...But Sunday's a Comin!

This is a reading from The Valley of Vision titled, The Precious Blood. The Valley of Vision is a collection of puritan prayers and devotions.

You can listen here.

Persecution of Christians - Thank you Father for Dr. Daniel Wong

We heard Dr. Wong at the Shepherd's Confernce and were blessed by his testamony.




So people will know how beautiful, how sweet, how glorious, how important the Word of God is, so they will love the Word, keep the Word, so that through all this they may know the God of the Word. Dr. Daniel Wong

It's Monday...But Sunday's a comin!

This week I will be adding to the blog each day with the focus on our Lord's resurrection.

This is a reading titled "Crusifiction and Resurrection" which is from the book "The Valley of Vision". This book is a collection of Puritan prayers. You can listen here.

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

Save in the death of Christ my God!

All the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,

Spreads o’er His body on the tree;

Then I am dead to all the globe,

And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Isaac Watts

Born: Ju­ly 17, 1674, South­amp­ton, Eng­land.
Died: No­vem­ber 25, 1748, Stoke New­ing­ton, Eng­land.

2008 Shepherd Conference - PodCast - A Final Word to A Common Word

Our program was recorded at the 2008 Shepherd's Conference in Sun Valley, CA at Grace Community Church where Dr. John Macarthur is pastor. This show is our final word to the response to the letter titled A Common Word Between You and Us. With me is Pastor Brian Fairchild of Colonial Bible Church and Pastor Morris Brooks of Grace Covenant Church, both of Midland, Texas.

Go to: http://www.impactmidland.com

Theology Matters - James White - Hidden With Christ in God

Colossians 3:1-12
3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Powerful - What would you say to this guy?

Folks the seeker sensitive, emergent, friendship evangelism junk does not and will not cut it. I know this is just a show clip but think about it, what would you tell someone who was about to die not knowing God?

Shepherd's Conference and Arturo Azurdia III

In a couple of weeks there will be several Midlanders heading to California to attend the Shepherd’s Conference held at John McArthur’s church. As I am preparing to go I am reviewing some notes form last year and thought I would post some of the notes here. One of the breakout sessions I attended on expository preaching, was led by Rick Holland. The title of the session was “Preaching the Bible the Way God Wrote It”. The following are bullet points from this session.

• It honors the doctrines of bibliology: namely, inspiration, inerrancy, infallibility, perspicuity, and authorial intent.
• It helps us know and follow the mind of God.
• It teaches people how to study the Bible properly.
• It demonstrates the profitability of all Scripture.
• It sets the agenda for the pulpit.
• It provides context and orientation for any given preaching unit.
• It reveals the nuances and contours of the text.
• It creates familiarity with the books of the Bible.
• It highlights the “foolishness of God” (1 Cor 1:18–31).
• It promotes the work of the Spirit of God in the lives of our people through His use of the Word of God.
• It presents the most comprehensive understanding of God.
  

These points are fleshed out a bit more here.

Also, I was introduced to a preacher this last week that I had not heard before. A series of his sermons was offered by Monergism.com. The preachers name is Arturo Azurdia. A website featuring many of his sermons can be found here. He practices the above in his preaching.

Interview: Eric at the Fire Ant Gazette Interviews Me About my Audio Blog Impact Midland

A while back a friend from my days at ARCO interviewed me about my audio blog at Impact Midland. Here is the interview:

If you've got a keen eye, you may have noticed a new link in the Gazette's sidebar, in the "West Texas Blogs" category. The link hooks you up with Impact Midland, a relatively new blog beautifully conceived and executed by telecommunications guru Bill Lawless. Impact Midland is unique among the West Texas blogging community in that it's an audio-blog, consisting of recorded interviews and readings, with Bill acting as the producer, director, interviewer, sound engineer, and everything else.

Bill and I were co-workers back in prehistoric times, which emboldened me to turn the tables and request an interview with him, to which he graciously consented. From a geekish perspective, I'm not worthy to even be in the same room with him, so we did the interview by email, instead of a podcast, but I think you'll enjoy finding out more about Bill and his new blog.

Gazette – A blog consisting primarily of audio entries is a unique idea for West Texas. How did you come up with the idea, and what do you hope to accomplish with Impact Midland?

Bill – I listen to several podcasts everyday and find that it is a very good way to share information. You can listen while driving, walking, bike riding, etc. I am a technology type and have always been interested in electronics, ham radio, computers, the internet and audio production. Podcasting is a way for me to pull all of those interests together. It's also a way to live out a childhood dream to be a DJ of sorts. When I record I set behind an ElectoVoice RE20 which is a microphone you will find in 90% of the radio stations in the country.

The name Impact Midland is something that I thought long about. I didn't want to build a website that was just for me to play podcaster on. I wanted to build something that would challenge me technically and be useful at the same time.

From a biblical perspective I would like for the readings and interviews to perhaps cause folks to reassess their view of who God is and their own relationship with Him. You can't read or listen to the Psalms without getting a high view of God. The Valley of Vision is a collection of Puritan prayers. The Puritans had a high view of God and it was evident in their prayers and the way they lived. Today it seems that that we treat God very casually. We use His name in a casual sometimes vulgar manner, we treat Him as though He were some sort of cosmic Santa Claus instead of the high and holy sovereign of the universe. Our casual view of God is not only evident in the way we live our lives form day to day but in the way we worship. In the Psalms we learn how to truly worship. In worship the focus is not on me but on God.

Continue reading here.

Paul Washer - Legalism and Modern Evangelicalism

"Everybody is wanting to do something when we ought to be wanting to be something."