I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed...

In 1980 a young man from Rwanda was forced by his tribe to either renounce Christ or face certain death. He refused to renounce Christ, and he was killed on the spot. The night before he had written the following commitment which was found in his room:

“I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed, the die has been cast, I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made- I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed vision, worldly talking, cheap giving & dwarfed goals.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I won’t give up, shut up, let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up for the cause of Jesus Christ.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till everyone knows, work till He stops me & when He comes for His own, He will have no trouble recognizing me because my banner will have been clear.”

Sunday Psalm

 

Blessings,

       Lucas C.

Christ and Sin - 1 John 1:1-2:2

In our study of the Book of First John we have already covered the first chapter. On October 12th I wrote out an introduction to 1 John. Today I hope to go over some of the truths that I have learned from this chapter, and to share with you what the Word of God says.

1 John 1:1 - 2:2 Christ and Sin:

John opens his epistle by testifying to the deity of Jesus Christ. He says in verse one, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled..." John makes the claim that Jesus came in the flesh as a human being. He gives us four actions that he himself, one of the apostles, had done when Jesus was on earth. It has already been 60 years since Christ was on earth but the time spent with Him was still vivid in John's mind.  He remembers hearing the voice of Christ, seeing his person, being able to touch him, and look upon his glory. He says that this life of Jesus was shown to him, and that he is a witness to that life. In his letter, John is going to declare to us what he has seen and heard so, "...that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." And not only that we would have sweet fellowship with our Lord but also that our, "...joy may be full."
So, what is this message that John wishes to make know to us? He says in verse 5, "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." John begins his message by saying that God is light! In the scriptures, the word light refers to the truth of God's Word, holiness, and purity. God is the very essence of these characteristics. He is Holy, (1 Peter 1:15a) and perfectly pure, (1 John 3:5). All this reflects the light. Contrary to the light, is darkness and there is absolutely no darkness in God. The darkness, reflects that which is evil, sinful, and wrong. Because of the perfect purity of God, there can be no darkness in Him. And not only is there no darkness in God, we His people are called to flee from the darkness and live like our Master. So, what does it look like to walk in the light and to flee the darkness? Let's find out.

Walk in the Light:
To walk in the light is to live just as God would live. We read that God is light, he is pure, and holy, so we his people should live as he would want us to live. How would he want us to live? Well, 1 Peter 1:16 says, "because it is written, 'YOU SHALL BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY." God wants us to be holy, and pure in his sight. An excellent passage that speak about us Christians walking in light is Ephesians 5:8-11, "for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness but instead even expose them." In this letter, Paul makes the comparison as to what we were and now what we are. The old deeds of darkness are gone, they have been put off and now we are in the light. Do we still sin? Absolutely, but no longer are we slaves to that sin. And we do not sin willingly. John himself tells us what to do when we sin. I John 2:1, "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, he has an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he himself is the propitiation for out sins, and not for our only but also for the whole world." What marvelous mercy there is in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He has died for our sins and made us whiter than snow. We have been healed, justified, and made alive with Christ, His righteous blood covers every sin. We are children of God, and we live in the light.

Flee from the Darkness:
As we learned above, the darkness is that which is contrary to the light.  It is sin, whether big or small, all sin is darkness. The father of the darkness is Satan, the evil ruler of this world. We are the children of God, and therefore resist the darkness whenever we encounter it. Paul even said in Ephesians that we expose the darkness, not for the purpose of dwelling on it, but rather to keep the people of God pure according to His word. In our world many, so-called Christians delude the difference between light and darkness. In the word of God this is not the case. God will expose that which is darkness and for this reason we must avoid it at all costs.

Let us therefore arise, and live the Christian life with vigour and passion to glorify God in our actions. May we walk in the light, and learn that which pleases the Lord. So that we can bring our saviour the honour he deserves. Honour that He receives when we obey His will and His word.

Blessings,
       Lucas C.         

Happy Reformation Day!

October 31st was the day in which Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, which sparked the reformation. The theses were nailed in 1517 almost 500 years ago! They thoroughly refuted the Catholic Churches practice of selling indulgences to the people. It stated that salvation was by God's grace alone!

In honour of this moment I built a little something out of LEGO that I wanted to share:

Luther nails the Theses to the door.

October 31, 1517

Blessings,
       Lucas C.

It is Well - Worship Song

It is Well

This is one of the most amazing worship songs ever written. It was written by Horatio Spafford after his four daughters died in a tragic sea-faring accident. The hymn speaks of how we run to God our Saviour no matter what has happened to us. We know that all things work together in the power of His sovereign will (Romans 8:28).
Even though our sin is great and has nailed the Saviour to the cross, It has been taken away! We are cleansed by His blood and are righteous before almighty God.
And may the day come quickly when we will be united with our Saviour never to be separate from Him again, Praise the Lord O, My Soul! 

 

 

 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

 

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

 

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

 

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 

Blessings,

       Lucas C.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 2

 

Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

 

Blessings,

       Lucas C.

Sports - For God's Glory

In our world today there are millions and millions of athletes. From professional to casual, people everywhere take part in team and individual sports. Athletics is a massive industry that brings in millions, even billions of dollars every year. Over 219 million Americans watched the 2012 London Olympics alone! People watch sporting events daily through their TV, computer, or phone. Some events are world-wide like the Olympics, others take center stage depending on popularity or culture.

What I'm going to talk about today is my love for sports and how I can, as a Christian, use my sports to the glory of God. Compared to major sporting events that are televised worldwide, the team that I play for is much less popular. Ever since I was a kid, hockey has always been my favourite sport to play. Although I do enjoy playing other sports, hockey always stood out as my best. Growing up my sisters and I spent hours and hours playing street hockey with the neighbourhood kids. As I got older, it changed from street hockey to ice hockey. I first started on the ice at 13 and this is my fifth year. During that time of playing hockey, the Lord worked in my life and drew me unto Himself. At the age of 15 I put my complete trust in Christ as the saviour of my life. He was now my Lord over everything that I did. Colossians 1:18 says, "...so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything."
Early on in my Christian life I realized that Christ is to be first place in all that I do, even sports.
Just like any other young man, I am passionate about sports and have lots of competitiveness in me when I get playing. As a Christian, to be able to realise how to make Christ, first place in my sports I had to have an understanding of what Christ had given me.

1. A Thankfulness for the Abilities that I have.
When one becomes a Christian, he starts to see things so much differently than before. Since I love to play hockey and have enjoyed it, I realise the need to be thankful to my God for giving me the ability to play this sport. We read a very familiar verse in 1 Corinthians 10:31, it says, "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." By taking this verse seriously, I can be thankful to the Lord for even the most common things that He has given me. First off, the Lord has given me a healthy body be able to perform the functions needed for the sport. He has given me legs to skate, arms to stickhandle and shoot a puck, and eyes and ears to see and hear what I need to do for the game. For myself, this is a way that I can give glory and honour to God in the sport I play. I don't deserve life from God, for it was my sin that nailed His Son to the tree! What grace he has given to us as humans to do earthly activities that bring joy to us. The least we can do is give the glory back to Him.

2. A Good Attitude in the Way I Play.
Another way that I can bring glory to God when I play sports, is to have a good attitude! Since I was  a little boy, I have been taught by my parents to have a good attitude about things. Having a good attitude really stems from my first point about being thankful. Whether winning or loosing, my attitude should be one that pleases God. There should be no reason to become angry, frustrated or out of control during a hockey game. I think of C.J. Mahaney's booklet titled, "Don't waste Your Sports". As a Christian I can't waste the opportunity I have while playing even a hockey game to give glory to my king and be a witness to others of my love for God.

3. A Humble Heart.
The most important way, I think, to give God glory in my sports is to have a humble heart. Humility is something that all of us struggle with. Especially in a sporting event we can become proud as to what we have done or can do. I know for I fact that I have been proud many times. I am reminded by the Lord though to keep a humble heart and give Him the well-deserved praise. To remind myself of this, I set aside a time before my game to pray, and ask the Lord to keep me humble and honouring to Him.

Right now, I play in a Christian Hockey league called CCJHL. It is a blessing to have a good environment and to make some good friends. To be able to enjoy the sport, and give glory to God is a privilege that I have a Christian. As I continue to play, I hope to be a witness to others of my love for God in my words, attitudes, and actions.
These points don't only apply to sports, but I shared them because they help me greatly to be a man who gives my God glory even in the, 'unimportant things' in life. As Christians, we sometimes think, How could you actually give God glory by eating, drinking, or playing a hockey game? Well, you can! Think of what the Lord has done for you, have a thankful humble heart, and most of all praise Him for the work of salvation in your heart. He has given us endless joy and blessings, let us as His slaves, give glory back to Him. You never know, God may bless you in ways you couldn't have imagined.

2012-2013 CCJHL Champions!

Blessings,
       Lucas C.

We must be committed to Sola Scriptura!

A few nights ago, Pastor Steve Lawson preached at the Strange Fire Conference. Mr. Lawson, has always been committed to faithfully teaching God's Word to our generation for many years. During this conference he spoke about The Puritan Commitment to Sola Sciptura! It was an excellent message and I would encourage you to listen to it when it becomes available.

In his message, Pastor Lawson stressed the need for us as Christians to be committed to the scriptures alone. Everything that we believe is to be based on scripture. We cannot be like other religious systems that add man's responsibility to our salvation. Upon the foundation of Scripture is the fact that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone!
The one true saving gospel is through Jesus Christ who is the chief cornerstone. We His people add to this building which grows upward and points to the glory and praise of God. Everything in our lives, all that we are and all that we do rests on scripture alone.
In the message Pastor Lawson laid out several points that I am going to share with you here.

1. The Scriptures are inspired.
2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." The Bible was written by men who were under the influence of the Holy Spirit. It cannot be wrong for it is the very Word of God. The Bible is God's revelation to us from Him. This is how he speaks to us. The Bible is also a living book, Hebrews 4:12, "For the Word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge both the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

2. The Scriptures are inerrant.
God is truth and in Him alone is the source of all that is true. Titus 1:2 says, "...which God who cannot lie..." What a wonderful to know that our Sovereign King cannot and will not lie to us, His children. We can trust Him for what he says, and we can trust that the Scriptures are perfect and their commands are perfect, with that in mind we know that if we are solely committed to scripture we will be pleasing and honouring to God. Proverbs 30:5, "Every Word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him."

3. The Scriptures are infallible.
For something to be infallible it must be perfect and without mistakes. Since the Word was God breathed, it cannot have any error in it. It's commands, statutes, precepts, and laws and completely and totally without fault. Isaiah 40:8, "The grass withers, the flowers fades, but the Word of our God stands forever."

4. The Scripture has Authority.
The Word of God comes with the authority of God. When the Bible is read it is God speaking to us. Whatever God says, we are to do. As Christians He is our King. Just as an earthly king has subjects who obey him out of fear of his wrath, how much more should we love our heavenly king out of love and adoration of what He has done for us. He died for us, shall we not obey Him? You are no Christian if you say you love God and do not do what he says. Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do the things that I say?"  

5. The Scripture has Perspicuity.
Gods Word is clear and understandable. The life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus is written for al to see and to believe in His name. There is no man with an excuse to not know about God. Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal nature, and divine power, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." Throughout the centuries men have said that we cannot understand the Bible, this is not true, God's word is crystal clear.

6. The Scripture is Sufficient.
It will accomplish all of the purposes that God plans for it. Isaiah 55:11, says, "So will my word be which goes forth from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." As we say earlier the word is alive and active. This book has the power to justify us, sanctify us, and if we truly believe we will one day be glorified in heaven. On this earth is all that we need for life and godliness fully sufficient, fully complete.

7. The Scripture is Immutable.
Immutability is never-changing. What God's Word says is right, it will always be right, what it ways is wrong it will always be wrong. Psalm 119:89, - "Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven." God's word will also stand the test of time, Isaiah 40:8, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever."

8. The Scripture is Final.
The Bible has been completed and there is no extra revelation needed. The book has been written and it is finished. To claim to have extra revelation from God is to say that he was not complete in writing us His word. Revelation 22:18-19, "I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to them the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life, and from the Holy city, which are written in this book."

This is part a small portion of the message that pastor Lawson preached to us. But these points are very clear and concise. They speak about the amazing qualities of God's Word, the very Word that we Christians live by. If you can, I would encourage you to catch all of the Strange Fire conference sermons when they become available to the public. And for now, understand that the scriptures are what we must base our lives upon. The very Words of God written down into a book, preserved for us so that we may know more about Christ, and come to believe in His wonderful name. For the Glory and praise of our great God!

Blessings,
       Lucas C.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 139

 

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

O that You would slay the wicked, O God;
Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.
For they speak against You wickedly,
And Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 

And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

 

 

Blessings,

       Lucas C.

Strange Fire Quotes:

The Strange Fire Conference has been excellent. The Truth of the Word of God has been preached for all to hear and understand. And many people have heard the message. Yesterday the hash tag #StrangeFire was the most used hash tag around the entire world! Here are some great quotes from the conference so far:

Pastor John Macarthur:

"The biggest problem in the church to day is absence of discernment...Exercising discernment is the heart of Christian living because Christian living flows out of Christian thinking."

"Taking the Lord's name in vain is more than just swearing. It's speaking of Him in an irreverent manner, or assigning to him things he would never do and things He would never say."

"Show me a person obsessed with the Holy Spirit and I'll show you a person not filled with the Holy Spirit."

"The only way you're living your best life now is if your going to hell."

"When the Holy Spirit is the person being sought, His work has been rejected."

Pastor Conrad Mbewe:

"You cannot have spiritual life when this book, (the Bible) is closed...Where the Word of God is closed, the gospel has been lost, and invariably the life remains sinful and self-centered. And one fo the effects of that has been the loss of true worship."

Pastor Tom Pennington:

"The man of God needs no additional revelation. It's all right here (the Bible)."

"The charismatic gifts are not the same as the New Testament gifts because they are not the New Testament gifts."

"Those who are in Christ are driven by the mind, by their understanding of truth."

Pastor Justin Peters:

"There is no prosperity gospel; no social gospel. If you add an adjective to the gospel, than you don't have the gospel."

"It makes is very hard for us to warn the people about the wolves when the leaders fo the sheep are associating with the wolves."

Pastor Steve Lawson:

"It's not that we get more of the Holy Spirit, It's that He gets more of us."

"Listen, right will always be right, wrong will always be wrong, the way of salvation will always be the way of salvation. God's revelation is unchanging because God Himself is immutable and unchanging."

"Do not bring your, 'Thus saith the Lord' into this house if it's not found in chapter and verse."

"This book (the Bible) is not hard to understand, It's just hard to swallow."

"May we here tonight have a cessation clause in our personal statement of faith...May the Word of God, and the Word of God alone, be our rule of authority and standard..."

Blessings,
       Lucas C.

Thanksgiving Day!

Today is October 14, and it is Thanksgiving day today! It is a blessing to set aside a day to be thankful to others for all that they have done, but most importantly to be thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ! In our world, people celebrate thanksgiving for many different reasons but for us Christians, it is another day that we can gather with friends and family and give praise to God who gives us all that we need. 1 Chronicles 16:34 says, "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His loving-kindness is everlasting."
So today, when we think of what to be thankful for, let us think of the cross, and thank Jesus for His death that saved us from our sins and gave us salvation, the greatest gift ever given to mankind!

Blessings,
       Lucas C.   

Sunday Psalm

Introduction to 1 John.

This year, our youth group is going to be studying the books of 1st, 2nd, 3rd John and Jude. Throughout the year I hope to post some thoughts on what we have studied or what may have impacted me from the Word of God. On Friday the 4th we had our first study and looked at and introduction to the book of 1 John. We are using Pastor John Macarthur's study guide as an outline and for homework throughout the year.

Introduction to 1 John:

1 John is the first book and the largest of John's three epistles that he has written. It is not addressed to any particular church and is believed to be a general epistle. John the apostle, and disciple (Luke 6:13-14) of Jesus is the writer of the three books.
"This anonymity strongly affirms the early church's identification of the epistle with John the apostle, for only someone of John's well-known and preeminent status as an apostle would be able to write with such unmistakeable authority, expecting complete obedience form his readers, without clearly identifying himself. (e.g. 4:6). He was well-known to the readers, so he didn't need to mention his name." -John Macarthur.

The overall theme of the book of 1 John is 'a call to return to the fundamentals of the faith', or 'back to the basics'. John deals with absolute certainties of the Christian life, not opinions or differences. Christianity is expressed throughout the book in clear and simple terms that cannot be mistaken. As he was older in age while writing, John uses a warm, conversational tone, like a father having a loving conversation with his children.
As a pastor and shepherd of many of the early churches, he wrote form his heart out of concern of his beloved sheep. He desired that they would understand the basics of the faith and be joyful in their certainty of their salvation rather than be upset by the false teaching or current defections of others.

In many ways, we can see the way that John writes is very similar to pastors who faithfully and Biblically lead their congregations. They love those whom they shepherd with a sacrificial and serving heart, wanting them to come to a complete knowledge of God and His word. But also, at the same time, they expose the deeds of those who do not obey or follow after the truth. Just as a shepherd who guards his flock, the pastor, like John, condemns those who depart from the truth as "False prophets" (4:1), "those who try to deceive" (2:26, 3:7), and "antichrists" (2:18). He defines them as potentially coming form the source of all defection from sound doctrine (4:1-7).

Finally, John stresses throughout the book the fundamentals of the Christian life in absolute terms. He presents scripture as black and white and uses the contrast of light and darkness. These contrasts point to the reality of being a child of God or a child of the devil. There is no middle ground (3:10). This point is extremely helpful to us Christians to realize that we must be fully committed to living a life entirely for the glory and praise of God.

"Those who claim to be Christians must absolutely display the characteristics of genuine Christians: sound doctrine, obedience, and love. Those who are truly born-again have been given a new nature, which gives evidence of itself. Those who do not display characteristics of the new nature don't have it, so were never truly born again." 

 

"For a person to be convinced God can save from sin, one needs to see someone who lives a holy life. When Christians claim to believe in God's Word but do not obey it, the Word is dishonoured. Many have mocked God and His truth because of the sinful behaviour of those who claim to be Christians."

- John Macarthur

 

Blessings,

       Lucas C.

35 Reasons not to Sin

35 Reasons Not to Sin:
1. Because a little sin leads to more sin.
2. Because my sin invites the discipline of God.
3. Because the time spent in sin is forever wasted.
4. Because my sin never pleases but always grieves God who loves me.
5. Because my sin places a greater burden on my spiritual leaders.
6. Because in time my sin always brings heaviness to my heart.
7. Because I am doing what I do not have to do.
8. Because my sin always makes me less than what I could be.
9. Because others, including my family, suffer consequences due to my sin.
10. Because my sin saddens the godly.
11. Because my sin makes the enemies of God rejoice.
12. Because sin deceives me into believing I have gained when in reality I have lost.
13. Because sin may keep me from qualifying for spiritual leadership.
14. Because the supposed benefits of my sin will never outweigh the consequences of disobedience.
15. Because repenting of my sin is such a painful process, yet I must repent.
16. Because sin is a very brief pleasure for an eternal loss.
17. Because my sin may influence others to sin.
18. Because my sin may keep others from knowing Christ.
19. Because sin makes light of the cross, upon which Christ died for the very purpose of taking away my sin.
20. Because it is impossible to sin and follow the Spirit at the same time.
21. Because God chooses not to respect the prayers of those who cherish their sin.
22. Because sin steals my reputation and robs me of my testimony.
23. Because others once more earnest than I have been destroyed by just such sins.
24. Because the inhabitants of heaven and hell would all testify to the foolishness of this sin.
25. Because sin and guilt may harm both mind and body.
26. Because sins mixed with service make the things of God tasteless.
27. Because suffering for sin has no joy or reward, though suffering for righteousness has both.
28. Because my sin is adultery with the world.
29. Because, though forgiven, I will review this very sin at the Judgment Seat where loss and gain of eternal rewards are applied.
30. Because I can never really know ahead of time just how severe the discipline for my sin might be.
31. Because my sin may be an indication of a lost condition.
32. Because to sin is not to love Christ.
33. Because my unwillingness to reject this sin now grants it an authority over me greater than I wish to believe.
34. Because sin glorifies God only in His judgment of it and His turning of it to good use, never because it is worth anything on it's own.
35. Because I promised God He would be Lord of my life.

(Taken from TheRebelution.com)

 

Blessings,

       Lucas C.

Thoughts for young Men - J. C. Ryle (Part 5)

Finally, the time has come for me to finish this study of Thoughts for Young Men by J. C. Ryle! I have enjoyed it very much and it has been a blessing to me to glean some wisdom from Mr. Ryle. There is so much truth in this little book, I have barely scratched the surface in my summaries of previous chapters. (Found Here: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and Chapter 4). So today, let's dive into the final chapter of the book.

5. Concluding Remarks to Young Men.

In the fifth and final chapter of  Thoughts for Young Men, J. C. Ryle gives some concluding remarks for us young men to take to heart. We have received much counsel so far about why we should be exhorted, the dangers that we face, the counsel we must heed, and the rules we mast apply to our lives. It is now time for a conclusion of the truths we have learned. We have learnt about many things and have heard many things that we, probably do not like to hear, but they are true are they not? Appeal to your conscience, although we are corrupt, sinful, and ruined by the fall, we all have a conscience. In your soul you know the true difference between right and wrong. We know that God above is a witness to us and we know that He understands the very thoughts and intentions of our heart. Are not the things that we have learned true? Do they not speak to your heart and urge your soul to be made right with God? I pray that they do!

Go then, young man, and resolve this day to remember your Creator in the days of your youth. Before the day of grace is past, before you conscience has become hardened by age, and deadened, by repeated trampling under foot, while you have strength, and time, and opportunities, go and join yourself to the Lord in an everlasting covenant not to be forgotten. The Spirit will not 

always strive with you. The voice of conscience will become feebler and fainter every year you continue to resist it. The Athenians said to Paul, "We will hear you again on this matter," by they heard him for the last time (Acts 17:32). Make haste, and do not delay. Linger and hesitate no more."  - J. C. Ryle

 

Think of the joys of salvation! and the comfort you will receive if you put your trust and belief in the Saviour of the world. Think of your parents and the energy and time they have given you to point you to Jesus Christ. Oh, the joy you would give them if you obeyed the counsel of the Lord! Be like the wise son in Proverbs 10:1, who, "makes a glad father," and not like the foolish son who, "is the grief of his mother." May it never be said of you at the last, as it is of so many that your, "Youth was a blunder, your manhood a struggle, and your old age a regret."

More than the comfort it will bring to your soul, and the comfort is will bring to those around you who also know and love Christ, think of the instrument you can be for God if you surrender your entire life to Him! Think of the prophets and apostles of old, Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Paul, Stephen, and the 12 disciples, all of them served God with sincere hearts. God will delight in you if you serve Him while you are young. Where are you young men today! Where are the men who will consecrate themselves to God? You are needed by the mightiest of all Kings to go forth into this world and do His bidding. Stop your sleep of apathy and your desire for unrestrained selfishness! The whole world is open before you, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." (Matthew 9:37) Work as servants of God by bringing to the people of this world the gospel of Jesus Christ. What greater message than the gospel has ever been spoken form the lips of man? Fight the good fight of faith and at last, receive the crown of glory. Believe me as one of your peers, young man, the path that follows in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ will be the most beneficial to your never-dying soul.

 

Believe me, whatever vain notions you have heard, believe me, there is a reward for the righteous even in this world (Luke 18:29-30). Godliness has indeed the promise of this life, as well of that which is to come (I Timothy 4:8). There is a solid peace in feeling and knowing that God is your friend. There is a genuine satisfaction in knowing that however great your unworthiness, you are complete in Christ, that you have an enduring portion, that you have chosen that good part which shall not be taken form you (Luke 10:42).

-J. C. Ryle  

 

Follow this path of life, and do not turn away form it. The path of the wicked and worldly man will grow darker and darker till it reaches the depths of eternity in hell, while the path of the Christian will shine as a bright light illumined by the glory and majesty of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. And its light will live on for eternity in heaven worshiping the one who saved its very soul from death.

 

Young man, these things are true.

Bear with this word of exhortation. Be persuaded.

Take up the cross. Follow Christ. Yield yourself to God.

- J. C. Ryle

Blessings,

       Lucas C.

Strange Fire Conference

The Strange Fire conference  is on October 16-18, in Southern California. What is this conference about? Well, it tackles one of the greatest issues in our day, the Charismatic movement.

What is this Conference About?

 

The Lord calls His people to honor Him, to treat Him as holy God.  In the book of Leviticus, particularly, Leviticus 10, God shows us a picture of the consequences of not doing so—of offering to Him strange fire.

 

Leviticus 10:1-2 - "Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD."  

 

For the last hundred years, the charismatic movement has been offering a strange fire of sorts to the third Person of the Godhead—the Holy Spirit. And evangelical churches have chosen to be silent and now defend this third person of the trinity. By this, they have dishonoured the church and the Holy Spirit.    

 

How should we respond to this?   

 

The Strange Fire conference will show us what the Bible truly says about the Holy Spirit, and how that squares with the charismatic movement. This conference is going to address in a biblical, straightforward manner the issue of the Holy Spirit and the Charismatic Movement. Because your view of the Holy Spirit influences your relationship with God, your personal holiness, and your commitment to the church and evangelism we must know the truth about him so that we may honour Him with our lives.

 

(Additional Resources @ Strangefire.org)



 

Blessings,

       Lucas C.

Back to the Blog!

Well, the first month of the school year was a little busier than I thought! I didn't get to blog nearly as much as I would have liked to but, I'm still alive and hope to continue to post various Thoughts and Convictions throughout the year.

September was a jam-packed month, and lots of different things started up for me this year. First off, Grade 12 began on the 4th and yes, I'm still homeschooled.

In fact, I have been homeschooled right from the beginning. It has been a great adventure and I am blessed to have such great parents (and teachers) who have taught me many, many things. As I continue through this last year I think of how it has been such a great experience. It is truly a blessing to learn from home about the marvelous wonders and works of our God. Though the order of Mathematics, the study of our intricate human body, or the rules of grammar and writing, I have enjoyed seeing how God has shown his glory in so many ways. Great is the Lord!

Besides my own personal school, I also decide to be more involved in our church by teaching Sunday School this year. The class I teach is Grades 1-2 and I teach once out of every four months.



September was my month and I had a great time teaching the kids! We use a curriculum called Generations of Grace put out by Grace Community Church. It is a great resource for teaching the children the Word of God. It was the first time that I had taught, and I have to say that it was a great month. It is so exciting to see the children's faces light up when they learn something new about our Lord.

Not only have I started the academic part of my year, the sports part of my year has also shot into action (literally).  Ice hockey has started up and has, so far, been lots of fun. I play with some great guys and together, we really enjoy ourselves. As a 17 year old guy, I love to get out an get my exercise! It is great that we have a Christian Hockey league (CCJHL) where I live. It provide lots of fun all season long.

Well, these are just a few of the things that started up for me in September. We also started our churches Wednesday night Bible study on the book of Revelation. It has been amazing to see the glory and majesty of Jesus so far in this study. Our youth group is going through the book of First John this year which will also be great. So, I'm ready to tackle this new year and hopefully be more active in blogging and sharing what I am learning through the Word of God. I hope you have a great year as well, finding your fulfillment in Jesus Christ our Saviour!

Blessings,
       Lucas C.        

Sunday Psalm

Blessings,
       Lucas C.

Thoughts for Young Men - J. C. Ryle (Part 4)

After being busy with starting my grade 12 school year, playing hockey, studying and teaching Sunday School, working, and enjoying the end of summer, I haven't had the time to blog at all. Today I have some free time though till I have to go to work so I'd like to continue my study of the book Thoughts for Young Men by J.C. Ryle. We have previously looked at chapters 1, 2, and 3. Today we are going to study what Chapter 4 says.     
4. Special Rules for Young Men:                                  As we continue our study about the way that Godly young men need to act, why they need to be exhorted, the special dangers that they face, and how they can receive counsel that will guide their daily lives, today we are going to look at some special rules that us young men need to practice in order to live a God-honouring life. As a young man myself, one of the first things I must practice is to break off every known sin from my life, no matter how small it may be. This speaks of dealing radically with sin. We must examine our hearts. Are there any habits or customs that we practice, that I practice, that dishonour my God? If we find sin like this we must not delay in ridding it from our lives. Any sin that we allow in our lives will darken our heart and deaden our conscience to the negative affect  it will have on us. We must resist sin in the beginning. Although it may seem small and insignificant, we must resist them and make no room for compromise, and never let sin rest peacefully in our hearts. There are many men who have lived their entire life with regret of their sins of old. It may have began with a small lie, or dishonesty but step by step it grew from bad to worse until the man had lost everything, including his soul. We must be especially diligent while we are young to be honest and truthful. "He who is faithful in what is least, is faithful also in much." - Luke 16:10. There are no little sins. Every sin brings man to the same place and that is eternity in hell.

 

 "There are two ways of coming down from the top of a church steeple; one is to jump down, - and the other is to come down by the steps: but both will lead you to the bottom. So also there are two ways of going to hell; one is to walk into it with your eyes open, - few people do that; that other is to go down by the steps of little sins, - and that way, I fear, is only too common. Put up with a few little sins and you will only want more...Well did Jeremy Taylor describe the progress of sin in a man: "First is startles him, then it becomes pleasing, then easy, then delightful, then frequent, then habitual, then confirmed! Then the man is impenitent, then obstinate, then resolves never to repent, and finally he is damned." young man if you would not come to this tragic end, recall the rule I give you this day, and resolve at once to break off every known sin."

- J. C. Ryle

 

      Besides breaking off every known sin, we must also resolve, by God's help, to shun everything which may give us a chance or occasion to sin. If we wish to be safe from the clutches of evil, we need to avoid the occasions of it. We cannot decide to commit no sin, that is humanly impossible. Instead we must keep a good distance from sin by not even going in its direction. One of the greatest pitfalls of sinning when, "we didn't mean to" is the tendency towards idleness. Yes, young men, only a few idle hours can cause us to fall into grievous sin. It may seem innocent at first, but one step after the other and you find yourself doing things you never intended to do in the first place! Now young men listen to me as a young man myself. I ought to know what we struggle with. Especially in this technological age we must be on our guard! Surfing the web, or Facebook, or YouTube, can be extremely dangerous to our minds and souls. You mind is a computer, the more garbage you put into it, the more will come out. Ask any older man if he remembers sinful images he saw 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago. Have they left his mind? Most assuredly not! Do not trifle with your mind and say that later you will repent. You may well repent, but the scars of sin will still be there. J. C. Ryle says,  

 

"This, too, is one great reason why worldly amusements are so objectionable. It may be difficult, in some instances, to show that they are, in themselves, positively unscriptural or wrong. But there is little difficulty in showing that the tendency of almost all of them is most injurious to the soul. They sow the seeds of an earthly and sensual frame of mind. They war against the life of faith. They promote an unhealthy and unnatural craving after excitement. They minister to the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. They dim the view of heaven and eternity, and give false colour of the things of time. They make the heart unfit for private prayer, and scripture reading, and calm communion with God. The man who mingles in them is like one who gives satan vantage ground."               

 

As we travel through the Christian life we must also remember to never forget the eye of God is watching whatever we do. Everywhere we go, in our house, in the filed, in the city, in a crowd, when we're alone, everywhere is the very eye of God. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and good." - Proverbs 15:3. We must realize this fact. God knows us through and through. How little we realize this! May we remember that God is everywhere so that his presence will keep us form sinning. "All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

- Hebrews 4:13. May we not only remember his presence so that we don't sin, but, let us also remember his presence so that we may do things that would please Him. Mr. Ryle states,

 

Live as in the sight of God. This is what Abraham did, -he walked before Him.

This is what Enoch did, - he walked with Him. This is what Heaven itself

will be, - the eternal presence of God. Do nothing you would not like God to 

see. Say nothing you would not like God to hear. Write nothing you would not

like God to read. Go to no place where you would not like God to find you.

Read no book of which you would not like God to say, "Show it to Me."

Never spend your time in such a way that you would not like to have God

say, "What are you doing?"

 

 

As we remember that the eye of God is with us wherever we go we must be diligent, as Christian young men to use the public means of grace God has provided to us. We need to attend the house of God so that we may worship Him. We go to church not out of duty or for the sake of religion, rather we go because we want to worship God, praise God, hear God's word and to do it with the body of Christ. We do this from our hearts and because God is worthy of our worship and praise.



 

J. C. Ryle says,

"To hear sin cried down, and holiness cried up, to hear Christ exalted, and the

works of the devil denounced, - to hear the Kingdom of Heaven and its

blessedness described, and the world and its emptiness exposed; to hear this

week after week, Sunday after Sunday, is seldom without good effect to the soul." 

 

Finally, another rule that will help young men honour God and keep them from sin is that we must resolve also, wherever we are, to pray. Prayer is the life of a Christian. It keeps him reliant and humble before his God and Maker. It shows us the need for God every day of our lives. Sadly though, many young men are ashamed to pray. What a tragedy in our culture! We go to Bible studies and who shares the most? The young women, they even have to ask to be led because the young men are ashamed of the Word of God. If there is anything so dangerous to our souls it is being ashamed of our Saviour! This is not true of all though. There are some young men who will take up the mantle by themselves and lead others in the study of God's word and lead them in prayer. And when they do, they are mocked by their peers for being 'too spiritual'. Too spiritual? If anyone was too spiritual it was the Lord Jesus Christ! Do you not want to be like Him? If you do not study and do not pray you will never change in to the image of our Lord! Us young men must pray!

 

"Oh that the Lord may give you the Spirit of grace and supplication.

(Zechariah 12:10)! "Will you not from this time cry to Me, ; 'My

Father, you are the guide of my youth?'" (Jeremiah 3:4).

I would gladly allow all the words of this book to be forgotten,

if only this doctrine of the importance of prayer were impressed

upon your heart."

 

Blessings,

       Lucas C. 



Salvation: God's Will

Salvation: God's Will

As a Christian, is my salvation based on God's sovereign will in my life? Is there something that I can do to save myself? To find out, we need to look at what the scripture says. A great passage to turn to would be Acts 13:48 which says, "When the gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been granted to eternal life believed." In this passage, Paul and Barnabas have shared the gospel to the Gentile people. Being convicted in their hearts, they believed in the Word of the Lord. What we are looking at is, who caused this belief in their hearts? In this passage, we see that it was the Lord who granted them faith to believe in His name. Only those who had been elected by God's will, believe in His name. Man was not responsible to have enough faith of his own rather in an instant God gave man His Holy Spirit and through the Spirit's power, man was given the faith to believe in God and call upon His name. This is all the moment of justification.

Another passage we may look at is also in the book of Acts. This passage talks of the Lord's work in our salvation.  Acts 16:11-14 tells the story of the conversion of a woman named Lydia. Specifically I would like to look at verse 14. It says, "A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul." We see that God opened Lydia's heart to the gospel so that she could respond to the words of Paul. It that instant she was saved by God's grace. Not by any human work that she had done, rather it was the inspired Word of God that caused her dead heart to come to life.
Ephesians 2:4-9 are wonderful verses that speak about God saving us. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves, that is why salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone! What a marvelous peace we can have as believers to know that it is God who has saved us and who will keep us in Him for all eternity. He will care for us and protect us while on this earth so that we may bring glory and honour to His great name.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us , even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

-Ephesians 2:4-9

 

 

Blessings,

       Lucas C.

Be Thou My Vision - Worship Song

This is a lovely song called Be Thou My Vision

played by Carlton Forrester:

 

 

The song speaks of the Lord being our vision at all times. He is also what gives us wisdom and words to speak what He would want us to say. Not only does He give us His word, He protects us and gives us power for the battle against sin. We need not riches or man's praise for God is the one whom we must please, He is the High King of Heaven who will call us to Himself and will forever and always be the ruler over everything.   

 

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

 

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

 

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

 

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
 High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

 

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

 

Blessings, 

       Lucas C.

Un-Holiness (in Mind) and How to Avoid It.

Recently I have written out a few posts on how we as Christians should be holy in our speech and holy in our mind. Today I’m going to write out a sister post to my Holiness in Mind post only we will be looking at the opposite side. That is to say we will be looking at what is means to have un-holy thoughts and words and how we as Christians should avoid them.
I will again be looking at Philippians 4:8, only this time I will be switching out the words to get my point across. When we read this verse, we see what it tells us to think about. For today’s post I’m going to use different words so as to see the things we should not think about.

 Finally brethren, whatever is false, whatever is profane, whatever is wrong, whatever

is base, whatever is defiled, whatever is of deceptive character, if there is anything

terrible, and if anything worthy to be shunned, do not dwell On these things.

 As we see here these are things that Christians should not be thinking about or dwelling on. Just like in my other post, I will unpack each word at a time and explain how we can avoid thinking about the things named above.

False:

Things that are false are a disgrace to God. Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord…” God is a perfect God and His every word is tested and proven to be true (2 Samuel 22:31). As Christians our speech must reflect the character of our God. One way to make sure our speech is true and not false is to memorize the word of God. Verses such as, Zechariah 8:16, Ephesians 4:15, and Proverbs 21:28, all talk of speaking truth.

Profane:

The dictionary definition for profane is, ‘characterized as irreverence or contempt of God; irreligious” That which is profane dishonours God and his Word. As a Christian, I need to show respect and reverence for God especially since He sent his Son to die for me! David writes in Psalm 5:7, “But as for me, by your abundant loving-kindness I will enter Your house, At your holy temple I will bow in reverence for you.” One of the greatest ways we can show God reverence is to bow down and worship him with our lips and our lives.

Wrong:
To do something wrong is to do anything that God commands us not to do. It is wrong for us to steal, lie, lust, murder, hate, or anything like these. Not only are we not supposed to practice these things, as Christians we are not to associate or listen to people who practice these things as well (Galatians 5:19-21, Deuteronomy18:14).

Base:
Something that is base is completely immoral or wicked. As Christians we should not even talk about sinful things such as these unless we are exposing them as what they truly are and that is evil and corrupt. Ephesians 5:3-5 explains how we as Christians are to react to this kind of sinfulness in our world it says, "But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God."

Defiled:
To be defiled means something is unholy. This is directly opposite to God who is perfectly and absolutely holy and who calls us as Christians to live perfect and holy lives (1 Peter 1:16). God speaks very strongly about those whose minds are defiled, (Titus 1:10-16). We need to be serious in our Christian walk to keep our mind pure. Memorization of God's Word and diligent prayer for His strength will cause us to keep a clean mind in this evil age.

Deceptive Character:
Unlike being of good repute; deceptive character needs to be avoided by Christians. It is, in fact the character of the devil himself (John 8:44). God wishes for his people to speak kindly and truthfully to one another. We must not look like or act like the world or satan, so that our testimony for Christ will not be ruined (2 Peter 3:11).

Worthy to be Shunned:
Sin; that is what must be shunned in the Christian life. It cast satan from Heaven, cast Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, destroyed this entire world, and caused the very Son of God to take on human flesh and come to this earth to die a cruel death on a cross. Sin racks our bodies with disease and illness and eventually like all men before us, we die. If Jesus Christ did not rise from the grave sin would still have control, but thank God for his endless mercy! For, "God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved." -Ephesians 2:4-5.

Blessings,
       Lucas C.