Practice of Enmity

Here is part of a paragraph that I recently read in the book, The Chase, by Jerry Bridges:

If you were to say that a Christian can continue to live in sin over and over, you'd be crazy! It goes against God's plan for us as Christians. A writer three centuries ago put it like this: "What a strange kind of salvation do they desire that care not for holiness... They would be saved by Christ and yet be out of Christ in a fleshly state... They would have their sins forgiven, not that they may walk with God in love, in time to come, both that they may practice their enmity against Him without any fear of punishment."

The Chase is a book that I bought for my sister for Christmas. When she finished it, she graciously allowed me to borrow it. It has been a great book so far, and has been a really easy read. It is based on another book by Jerry Bridges called The Pursuit of Holiness.

This quote came from chapter 3, which is titled, Holiness Isn't an Option. This is such an essential point in any generation, because there are always those who will try to support the teaching that you can be saved by God, yet never live it. In fact, the author of the quote that is within this quote is Walter Marshall, who lived in 1692. You could even go even further back in history and find others who have battled against this concept.

Many want to believe it too. They want to get that ticket to heaven, but they do not want to follow the savior. Jesus himself said, "...if you are not willing to take up your cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple."

Anyway, it is a great book, check it out.

blooks?

Here is a news piece called, "Blooks" Are In Bloom. It has to do with blog writers that are being published, and like anything it seems any more, we had to give it a nice little name: blooks.

Even though I am sure that nearly every true blogger dreams of some big publishing company finding their blog, being amazed, and asking them to write a book, I think that we can all agree that not every blog should actually be a book.

take me out to the ball game

I took my eldest to the new Greenville Stadium tonight. A friend of mine had two extra tickets that he wasn't going to be able to use, so he offered them to me. They were corporate seats, so we were up on the top level.

They were great seats, and we were up where all of the "rich people" sit. We had our own little room next to our seats. There was a flatscreen TV, fridge, and a waitress. (Ridiculous, if you ask me.)

Almost in spite of the "rich people" seats, I decided to have a great time anyway. We did the typical popcorn and drink. Of course Samuel had to have the ice cream in the little hat.

Sam caught on right away to what was going on, and we had a good time rooting for the home team, The Greenville Drive. We chanted, "We want a pitcher, not a belly itcher" and "...hey batter, batter, batter... swing, batter!"

Overall a good time, and I wanted to share it with all of you.

ESV Bible RSS Feeds

The English Standard Version of the Bible is an excellent translation, from what I have heard.

The ESV Bible RSS Feeds have several different daily Bible readings that are available. From daily verses to memory plans to reading through the Bible in a year.

If you are looking for some daily reading, you should check it out. Especially if you are already using Bloglines, or another feed reader. I have already added the Verse a Day, the Weekly Memory Plan, and the Through the Bible Plan to my Bloglines.

If you want an extremely exceptional blog, that features a verse a day, then you should check out Let Me Not Wander.

perfectly good blog material...

I was referred to this comic by Pearls and Dreams, and I just had to share it here as well.



If you are any kind of blogger at all, then this comic has to really hit home.

The Oxymoron of Good Affliction

I have noticed in my own life that when things are going well, when everything in my life is functioning the way it is supposed to... Those are the times that my study of God's Word tends to fall to the bottom of my to-do list. I don't intend for this to happen, but reading my Bible and praying are at the back of my mind.

Now, this doesn't make any sense at all. You would think that when things are going well, I would have more time and more energy to spend in prayer and Bible study, but the exact opposite thing usually happens. Oh, I get comfortable and all, and then I forget to make these things a priority. I forget their importance to my daily life.

Once, when Jesus would have been hungry, his disciples offered him bread, but instead of taking the bread, he replies, "...man cannot live on bread alone, but on every word of God."

Yet here I am, living on the bread and forgetting the Word. Then along comes some trial.

You know what I am talking about don't you? Everything seems fine when all of a sudden, wham! It hits!

Now things are different in your head. At the very forefront of your brain is the thought, "...I must read my Bible! God I need you! I need to hear from you!" So, you begin to read your Bible, but not just casually anymore. You are reading it fervently, desperately, hoping to find some glimmer of hope and some semblance of comfort. Your being cries out to hear from God.

David experienced this often. You can't read through the Psalms without noticing it. Once he put it this way,

My eyes fail for your Word,
While saying, "When will You comfort me?!?"
(Psalm 119:82 - Jay Adams Translation)

You are reading your Bible and praying like there is no tomorrow. Your eyes are drying out, your body is weak as you seek after God. Your conscience is suddenly a little bit more tender, so you start eliminating those things from your life that you always knew you shouldn't have had there to begin with. In your desperation, you find that you are adhering to God's word because they are the Words of Life.

You may even be able to say with David,

Before I was afflicted I went astray
But now I have kept your word.
(Psalm 119:67 - Jay E. Adams Translation)

Affliction has brought so many of us back to God. Our thoughts, which have been meandering away from the truth, are throttled back into place. Our view is now changed. Affliction is good to us because of the good God that we serve. Consider two final verses before you go.

68 You are good, and what you do is good;
     teach me your decrees.
71 It was good for me to be afflicted
     so that I might learn your decrees.
72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me
     than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
(NIV)

Check out the book,

Counsel from Psalm 119
by Jay E. Adams

Today.

11:30pm Thursday, April 14, 30 AD to 1:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Garden of Gethsemane - Jesus waits for his arrest

1:00am-1:30am Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Confrontation in Garden and Jesus' Arrest

1:30am-3:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Trial 1: Annas, former Jewish High Priest for 16 years - Jesus receives initial physical abuse.

Trial 2: Current Jewish High Priest, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin Court - Jesus bloodied by abuse.

3:00am-5:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Imprisonment at Caiaphas' palace.

5:00am-6:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Trial 3: All the Jewish elders, including the High Priest, scribes and whole Sanhedrin. They decide to ask the Roman government to kill Jesus.

6:00am-7:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Trial 4: Hearing before Roman governor Pilate, who declares, "I find no guilt in this man."

7:00-7:30am Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Trial 5: Hearing before Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, who had jurisdiction over Galilee. Jesus refused to answer any questions so Herod returned him quickly to Pilate.

7:30am-8:30am Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Trial 6: Pilate repeatedly tried to release Jesus but the Jewish leaders continued to object. Pilate physically tortured and beat Jesus beyond recognition seeking to satisfy the Jewish leaders. However the Jews demanded that Jesus be crucified. Pilate resisted but eventually gave the order to execute Jesus.

8:30am-9:00am Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Pilate's Roman soldiers take Jesus into the court ("Praetorium") and enjoy mockery and continued torture, including driving thorns into his skull.

9:00am-12:00noon Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Jesus forced to carry his own cross, then actual crucifixion.

12:00 noon - 3:00pm Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Momentus final 3 hours on the cross.

Words: "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing."

Words: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Jesus (quoting a line from the Jewish scriptures) cries out at a moment in time when he is not just physically punished, but spiritually separated from God, his Father. God separates Himself from Jesus because all of the evils of mankind are placed on Jesus. This spiritual separation is the heaviest sacrifice which Jesus pays of behalf of mankind, so that mankand does not need to suffer spiritual separation from God.

Words: "It is finished."

Once Jesus felt he had borne the penalty for the evils of mankind, he declared his mission as accomplished. This relates to Jesus' earlier mission statement to sacrifice himself for others: "The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Jesus quoted by Matthew 20:28)

Words: "Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

These words, spoken to a thief also being executed with Jesus, indicates Jesus' belief that Jesus would continue to live in paradise (heaven) and that Jesus can choose who will be there with him.

Words: "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

Event: Earthquake (recorded in Matthew 27:52)

Event: Skies Darken (recorded in Matthew 27:45 and Luke 23:44)

Event: Temple veil splits in half (recorded in Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:44)

This event signified that there is no more division between man and God. In the Jewish temple, a veil blocked the area known as the "holy of holies." It was recognized as a place where God might be present. Only once a year was the chief priest able to enter the area to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. The symbolism of the veil being torn in two is that with Jesus paying the penalty for mankind's sins, sacrifices were no longer necessary, and everyone can enter the presence of God.

Event: Spear thrust into Jesus' side (recorded in John 19:34) Roman soldier confirms Jesus is dead.

Statement by witnessing Roman soldier: "Certainly this was a righteous man!" (recorded in Luke 23:47) Jesus' innocence is recognized.

Statement by witnessing Roman soldier: "Truly this was the Son of God." (recorded in Matthew 27:54 and Mark 15:38) Jesus' prominence is recognized.


3:00pm Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Death

Later that day. Friday, April 15, 30 AD
Burial


(The information for this timeline was found at this site.)