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.