Monday, January 30, 2006 

A Fight to the Death!!

Im always interested in books dealing with the subject of sin and temptation. Sin is something that, as christians, we must all battle with throughout our life. In their book, 'A Fight to the Death', Dr. Wayne and Joshua Mack give an excellent and thorough overview of the biblical view on sin and temptation.

Although it is not a deeply theological book (as compared to John Owen's volume on 'Temptation and Sin', for example) it is a great tool for the pastor or layperson to gain insight into sin and how to daily fight the battle against it.

The first part of this book deals with a detailed survey of what sin is, while the second part deals with how to kill sin. The book is very readable and gives great insight into the subject at hand. The application and discussion questions at the end of each chapter provide a practical and thought provoking study that can be used in private as well as church situations. The authors give a proper view of sin by discussing what it is, our view of sin, what God thinks of sin, why it is foolishness as well as why we still sin. It has a wonderful section on how our sin affects God and Christ. This book offers fresh insight into the daily fight and is both encouraging and Christ centered. 'A fight to the Death' also contains a scripture index section which is very useful. The conclusion of the book deals with the importance prayer and being watchful in our fight against sin.

I don't have many concerns with regard to this work and, although it may not be practical given the size of the book, I would have liked to have seen all scripture verses fully written out (at times they are only referenced) as well as to have a subject index in the back of the volume.

I highly recommend this book to all who desire to fight hard against sin and glorify Christ in doing so!

Contents
Foreword 9
Introduction 13

Part 1:

Why Fight Sin?
1. Think about This 17
2. Know Your Enemy 24
3. The World’s Worst Tyrant 33
4. Dumb and Dumber 42
5. If It’s So Bad, Why Do I Feel So Good? 51

Part 2:

How to Put Sin to Death

6. What Killing Your Sin Means 69
7. You Can Kill Your Sin Because . . . 82
8. Remember, You Don’t Sin Alone 92
9. Pay Attention to the Seasons 105
10. You Must Know Yourself 116
11. Don’t Listen to Sin’s Sales Pitch 131
12. Learn from Failures 144
13. Concluding Lessons on Killing Sin 154
Notes 170
Index of Scripture 173

The book is listed on Amazon.com at the following link and will be available for purchase when it is released:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596380047/qid=1138628116/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-5129813-3281630?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

My thanks to Joshua Mack for allowing me to review an advanced copy of his book. Keep delighting in Christ and desiring Him above all things!!

David(Twin#2)

Saturday, January 28, 2006 

Unbelieving 'born-agains'??? Qué???

Unbelieving 'born-agains'
Research continues to reveal a steady theological collapse among professing Christians in America by Gene Edward Veith


SECULARISTS, LIBERALS, AND MUSLIMS DO NOT need to fear conservative Christians, says Dave Shiflett in The Wall Street Journal. Christians, he says, are not all that interested in converting the heathen. They don't really believe that there is such a thing as the heathen, tending to believe instead that every religion is equally valid.

"Even the most feared of Christians—the dread 'born-agains' who have cost the high priests at People for the American Way so much sleep—often embrace the modern orthodoxies of tolerance and inclusion over the traditional teachings of their faith."

He cites poll data from Christian researcher George Barna that 26 percent of born-agains believe all religions are essentially the same and that 50 percent believe that a life of good works will enable a person to get to heaven.

He goes on, though, to cite data that cast doubt on whether some of these born-again Christians will be there. More than one in three (35 percent) born-again Christians do not believe that Jesus rose physically from the dead.

Isn't that a rather important thing to believe in? Especially in light of Romans 10:9: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord" [that they do] "and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead," [this they do not do] "you will be saved" [so are they?].

Over half of born-again Christians (52 percent), according to Mr. Barna's data, do not believe that the Holy Spirit is a living entity. In Acts 19, the Apostle Paul came across a group of people who said that they were Christians, but they had never heard of the Holy Spirit. They had to be reevangelized and rebaptized.

Slightly more born-again Christians believe in the devil than believe in the Holy Spirit, though 45 percent do not believe that Satan exists. Ten percent believe in reincarnation. Twenty-nine percent believe it is possible to communicate with the dead.

As for moral issues, one out of three born-again Christians (33 percent), according to Mr. Barna's numbers, accept same-sex unions. More than one out of three (39 percent) believe it is morally acceptable for couples to live together before marriage. And, significantly, born-again Christians are more likely than non-Christians to have experienced divorce (27 percent vs. 24 percent).

Mr. Barna defines "born-again Christians" as those who report having made a personal commitment to Christ and expect to get to heaven because they accepted Jesus. He has a subcategory of born-again Christians—"evangelicals"—who meet more stringent criteria of biblical faith. But these amount to only 8 percent of American Christians, with 33 percent being the less-orthodox "nonevangelical born-agains."

Is this rampant unbelief among people who have accepted Christ an example of biblical illiteracy? Or is it a positive conviction that faith is a purely subjective experience rather than an appropriation of objective truths?

Either way, this is strong evidence of how American Christianity is conforming to the dominant secular culture. It is all right to be religious, according to the dictates of postmodernism, as long as your faith exists just in your head. If you start claiming that your beliefs are more than just a private mental state that makes you feel good, asserting instead that what you believe is objectively real and valid for everybody, then you are an intolerant menace to society. Many Christians apparently agree, feeling solace in their own private mental decisions and mystical experiences, without reference to the God outside themselves who is revealed in His Word and in His slain and risen Son.

Preachers sometimes exhort people to "invite Jesus into your heart" without proclaiming who Jesus is and what He has done for sinners. This is evangelism that forgets to preach the gospel. The result will be "nonevangelical born-agains."

New Christians, like babies, need to be fed, taught, and cared for; otherwise, they will die in their cribs. They need intensive nourishment from the Word of God.

At least Christians are not the only ones addled by their culture into holding contradictory beliefs. Atheists are just as confused about their theology. "Half of all atheists and agnostics say that every person has a soul, that heaven and hell exist, and that there is life after death," reports Mr. Barna. Moreover, "one out of every eight atheists and agnostics even believes that accepting Jesus Christ as savior probably makes life after death possible." They believe that accepting Christ can bring eternal life, even though they don't believe in Jesus Christ. Just like "nonevangelical born-agains." •

Copyright © 2003 WORLD MagazineDecember 6, 2003, Vol. 18, No. 47

 

How'd ya like to witness to Chad Allen from "End of the Spear" ??

Well ladies and gentlemen..it happened!! Go to the following link and have a listen to Hour 1 (as well as hour 2 in which Kirk Camron witness' to a stranger by phone...amazing) Glory be to God!!! Heres the link everybody, Id encourage you to download or listen to them!!!

http://www.wotmradio.com/

Its the Jan, 27th, 2006 episode...enjoy and delight in Christ!!

p.s. there is also a podcast feature for those who are interested :-)

Saturday, January 21, 2006 

Dever, Mohler and Mahaney Blog.....

This new Blog, Together for the Gospel, is an ongoing public conversation between Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, C.J. Mahaney, and Albert Mohler.

Be sure to check it out at:

http://t4gconference.typepad.com/together_for_the_gospel/

Keep delighting in God friends!!

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 

Al Mohler on Larry King Live.....

Hey everybody,

Just to let everybody know, Al Mohler was on Larry King last night speaking on the 'Debate over Gay Marrage' as well as the Golden Globe winner 'Brokeback Mountian'. Kindly find the link here:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0601/17/lkl.01.html

God Bless, keep seeking Christ above all things!!!

Sunday, January 15, 2006 

Found: Josh Macks' Blog....

Heres a link to Josh Macks' Blog. For those of you who dont know, Josh is a graduate of The Masters College and Seminary and the co-pastor at Grace Fellowship Church...man thats a great name :-) The church web site can be found at http://www.gracelehigh.org/ . His father, Wayne Mack(who has been envolved in developing the undergraduate major in biblical counseling at The Master's College and has co-authored the book "Introduction to Biblical Counseling" with John Macarthur....among other things) is also a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church. To find various resources by Wayne Mack please go to the following link:

http://www.mackministries.org/

Feel free to check out Joshs' Blog at:

http://joshmack.blogspot.com/

Josh has some great posts on Bible reading, sin, preaching and prayer(as well as many other topics)! :-)

Keep delighting in Christ!!!

Thursday, January 12, 2006 

Macarthur, Piper and Mohler....

Dr Al Mohlers' recent guests have been John Macarthur and John Piper...feel free to click on the link to download the radio programs. There are 2 listed (the first aired on Jan 5th and the second on Jan 12th of this year). There is also a podcast feature so you can have the programs automatically downloaded daily to your computer or Mp3 player :-) Heres the link for your enjoyment and growth:

http://www.almohler.com/radio_list.php

Keep seeking Christ and delighting in God!!!

 

Children Desiring God!

One of the many things I love about Grace Fellowship Church (www.gfcto.com) is that the children and adults stay together during the church services' to listen to the sermon and participate in corporate worship. I think its a great way to help teach and train up children in the way of the Lord. John Piper has an article on just that topic! I encourage you to go to the following link and read how we can encourage our children to Desire God. Its wonderful to be able to spend as much time together as a whole church rather than having lots of various programs etc. Here the link to the article..keep seeking Christ!! :

http://www.desiringgod.org/library/topics/family/family_worship.html

Please keep John Piper in your prayers as he is diagnosed with prostate cancer, you can read his letter here:

http://www.desiringgod.org/news_events/dgm_news/2006/20060106_cancer_announcement.html

Saturday, January 07, 2006 

Lecture outlines from Sovereign Grace Ministries!!!!

Heres a link to free lecture outlines from the Sovereign Grace Ministries leadership Conference!!

http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/category.aspx?categoryID=1720

Enjoy and keep reading your Bible and delighting in our God!!!

Friday, January 06, 2006 

Lectures on Worship....

Hey everybody, heres a link to a few lectures(covering topics such as Hymns, song writing, theology of worship etc) on worship given by various speakers at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. One name you may recognize is Bob Kauflin from Sovereign Grace Ministries (formerly PDI music)...Heres the link:

http://www.sbts.edu/icw/lectures.php

as well as Bob Kauflins' Blog on worship:

http://www.worshipmatters.com/

Enjoy and continue to delight and worship our God!!!!!

Thursday, January 05, 2006 

A Dose of Toplady :-)

POEM X. Desiring to be given up to God

1. O THAT my heart was right with thee,
And lov'd thee with a perfect love!
O that my Lord would dwell in me,
And never from his seat remove!
Jesus, remove th' impending load,
And set my soul on fire for God!

2. Thou seest I dwell in awful night
Until thou in my heart appear;
Kindle the flame, O Lord, and light
Thine everlasting candle there:
Thy presence puts the shadows by;
If thou art gone, how dark am I!

3. Ah! Lord, how should thy servant see,
Unless thou give me seeing eyes?
Well may I fall, if out of thee;
If out of thee, how should I rise?
I wander, Lord, without thy aid,
And lose my way in midnight's shade.

4. Thy bright, unerring light afford,
A light that gives the sinner hope;
And from the house of bondage, Lord,
O bring the weary captive up,
Thine hand alone can set me free
And reach my pardon out to me.

5. O let my prayer acceptance find,
And bring the mighty blessing down;
With eye-salve, Lord, anoint the blind,
And seal me thine adopted son:
A fallen, helpless creature take,
And heir of thy salvation make.

POEM V For the Evening

1. God of love, whose truth and grace
Reach unbounded as the skies,
Hear thy creature's feeble praise,
Let my ev'ning sacrifice
Mount as incense to thy throne,
On the merits of thy Son.

2. Me thy providence has led
Through another busy day:
Over me thy wings were spread,
Chasing sin and death away:
Thou hast been my faithful shield,
Thou my footsteps hast upheld.

3. Tho' the sable veil of night
Hides the cheering face of heav'n,
Let me triumph in the sight
Of my guilt in thee forgiv'n.
In my heart the witness feel,
See the great invisible.

4. I will lay me down to sleep,
Sweetly take my rest in thee,
Ev'ry moment brought a step
Nearer to eternity:
I shall soon from earth ascend,
Quickly reach my journey's end.

5. All my sins imputed were
To my dear, incarnate God;
Bury'd in his grave they are,
Drown'd in his atoning blood:
Me thou wilt not now condemn,
Righteous and complete in him.

6. In the Saviour's right I claim
All the blessings he hath bought;
For my soul the dying Lamb
Hath a full redemption wrought;
Heaven through his desert is mine;
Christ's I am, and Christ is mine!

POEM IV For the Morning

1. Jesus, by whose grace I live,
From the fear of evil kept,
Thou has lengthen'd my reprieve,
Held in being while I slept.
With the day my heart renew;
Let me wake thy will to do.

2. Since the last revolving dawn
Scatter'd the nocturnal cloud,
O, how many souls have gone,
Unprepar'd, to meet their God!
Yet thou dost prolong my breath,
Nor hast seal'd my eyes in death.

3. O that I may keep thy word,
Taught by thee to watch and pray
To thy service, dearest Lord,
Sanctify the present day:
Swift its fleeting moments haste,
Doom'd, perhaps, to be my last.

4. Crucify'd to all below,
Earth shall never be my care
Wealth and honour I forego,
This my only wish and care,
Thine in life and death to be,
Now and to eternity.


The above poems were written by AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLADY between the ages of 15 and 18. Taken from the following site : http://www.btinternet.com/~alan.s.flint/toplady/poetry.htm

Tuesday, January 03, 2006 

WOTMR....

Well, the day I have been waiting for for a couple of months has finally arrived..its Way Of The Master Radio, online and podcast available...with Todd Friel, Ray Comfort and Kirk Camron! Click on the following link and find out:

https://www.wayofthemaster.com/radio/home.shtml

The purpose of this 2 hour daily radio program is to save those who are lost, equip Christians to evangelize and to help Christians discern truth from error! Feel free to sign up for the podcast or listen to it live!!!

About me

  • I'm TwinsK&D
  • From Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Oh, this is about us...um...well theres two of us and we're twins. We both attend Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Canada. We love Jesus Christ and long to be more like Him and to desire Him above all things!
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