Lordship Salvation Meme

Favourite Sermons – Phil Johnson

Every now and again – because we are so blessed with access to recorded sermons of great men far away and in the past – I come across a sermon that leaves me breathless, a sermon I can listen to again and again. Occasionally I will post these on my blogs to share them with you. Today’s selected sermon is by …

Phil Johnson

A very timely message for the church in general. Wake up!

Tetelestai (song)

(13/07/2015) Jason Horsler

[C] This child of God

[G] poor in the world

[C] Rich in the Lord

[G] found him a pearl

[C] sold all he had

[G] bought him a field

this child of God

has been [C] sealed

This church of Christ

a light on the hill

study the Word

to find God's will

built on the rock

not on the sand

this church of Christ

in his hand.

CHORUS:

[C] Save us [Em]Jesus

[Am] all hail [G] Jesus

[C] Save us [Em]Jesus

[G] tetelestai

it is [C]done.

This little song

to worship our king

will not earn his love

or even begin

to pay for his gift

so dear and so free

the words cried out on

calvary

            (Chorus)

[G] tetelestai

it is [C]done.

[G] tetelestai

it is [C]done.

Lovely Saviour - King and Wonder

G             Am7   G                 Am7

Lovely saviour, king and wonder

G                D7 G

God so merciful

G                   Am7  G                  Am7

where would I be? how could i stand

G                      D7 G

with so strong a will?

D                         G    Am7   G

Jesus you have done so much

    D                     Am7   G  Am7

to bring this lost lamb home.

D                          G    Am7  G

What a price you paid for such

    D                     Am7   G    D

a sheep so prone to roam.

G            Am7  G             Am7

Every day I ... need repetance

G             D7 G

I am not alone

G                 Am7 G               Am7

Christ the living, ever praying

G                     D7 G

for your church atoned

D                         G    Am7   G

Jesus you have done so much

    D                          Am7   G  Am7

to bring these lost lambs home.

D                         G    Am7   G

What a price you paid for such

    D                    Am7   G    D

a flock so prone to roam

G             Am7  G                 Am7

Lovely saviour, king and wonder,

G                  D7 G

gather to your throne.

G             Am7  G                 Am7

Lovely saviour king and wonder,

G                 Am7    G

bring your people home.

Hold On - New Lyrics for an Old Spiritual

Hold on

(28/04/2015)


INTRO:

[D#] [Gm] [D7] [Gm]



CHORUS:

Hold [D7] on  Hold [Gm]ooo-ooon

Keep my hand on the plow, hold on .
Hold [D7] on  Hold [Gm]ooo-ooon

Keep my hand on the plow, hold on.


REFRAIN:

[D#] [Gm] [D#] [D7] [Gm]


I won't walk left won't walk right

stand my watch right through the night

            keep my [D#] hand on the plow hold [Gm]on.

Face the front, don't look back

I will follow the furrow's track

            keep my hand on the plow hold on.

and i won't cease to pray

until he catches me away

            keep my hand on the plow hold on.


            (Chorus and refrain)


I count all I have as loss

clinging firmly to the cross

            keep my hand on the plow hold on.

Nothing else I know can save

my wretched self from the hungry grave

            keep my hand on the plow hold on.

let the dead bury the dead

proclaim my kingdom Jesus said

            keep my hand on the plow hold on.


            (Chorus and refrain)


Lord hold me safe in your hand

In your Gospel I will stand

            keep my hand on the plow hold on.

In your truth I'll endure

You word is manna and more sure

            keep my hand on the plow hold on.

My hands are weak and yours are strong

Lord please keep me holding on

            keep my hand on the plow hold on.


(Chorus - repeat last line three times)


end (slow):

Gm

I will endure keep it straight

on the narrow road to the narrow gate

Holding [D#] on oh holding [D7] on hooo- ooolding [Gm]oooon

The Valley Below - Original Song

The valley below

(15/072015) Jason Horsler

[Am]down in the valley below

[E7] i walked with my woes

[Am] i was blind i [Dm] could not see

[Am] all the sins that [E7] burdened me

[Am]because i did not [E7] know

I was [Dm] down in the valley be - [Am] low

CHORUS:

The [F7] sheppherd [E7] rescued [Am] me

[Dm] now i'm free in - [Am] deed

[Am] from the the valley of death

the [E7] valley of sin

for [Am] he will lead me [E7] after him

and [Am] i will always [E7] go

to the [Dm] sheppherds voice I [Am] know

to the [Dm] sheppherds voice I [Am] know [F7] [Am]

[Am] bones in the valley below

[E7] and the wind begins to blow

[Am] you cannot tell where [Dm] it comes from

[Am] but the bones stand up and [E7] sing along

[Am] born of the Spirit they [E7] go

from [Dm] out of the valley be - [Am] low

            (Chorus)

IF YOU KNOW JESUS PLEASE TELL ME

IF YOU KNOW JESUS PLEASE TELL ME (04/2017)

INTRO:
E|: 12 12 –  - 12 -  12- - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - |
C|: -  -  - 12 -  12 - - 12| 14 -  -  -  -  -  -  - |

1st ending
E| 13 13 -  13 15 13 15 13| 12 -  -  -  -  -  -  - |

2nd ending
E| 13 13 -  13 15 13 12 10| 8  -  -  10 8  -  -  - |

F G7 C

CHORUS:
C                             G7
If you know Jesus please tell me
                        C
What about him sets you free
                             G7
I’d love to hear your faith story - ee
                              C
What o-pened up your eyes to see
                              G7
What words did someone say to you
                                  C
Or what did you read and know its true
                        G7
I don’t remember how I knew - ooo
                           C   F G7 C
But now were fam’ly me and you



                              G7
My heart was stony ground I’m sure
                             C
So prone to satan’s world allure
                              G7
Too proud to seek the needful cure - urr
                           C
Too dark to see I was not pure
                             G7
But when I couldn’t fight no more
                                 C
That’s when I felt the father’s draw
                              G7
I heard the Lord right at my door - or
                      C     F G7 C
I’m not the man I was before

E|00--0-0-|--------|11-13131|0-------|
C|---0-0-0|2-------|--------|-------0|

E|00--0-0-|--------|11-1310-|--------|
C|---0-0-0|2---7---|-------2|0-------|

F G7 C

[CHORUS]

Take Back Martyr

The Place of Work Meme

Irony Meme

Purgatory

REPENTANCE SONG

[music by Bob Marley – Words by Jason Horsler]

Riff:

xA|----0-2---2/3---7-5-2-|----0-2-5--2-3-2-0---|

xE|-3------3-------------|-3-----------------3-| x2

   G               Em      C                       Am

o Father please forgive us - we've sold out to the world

     G            Em  C            D

and travelled far way - from your throne 

      G                    Em    C                        Am

we've fed on pods with the swine - and sinned against you only

        G                 Em    C                           D

please change our selfish minds - give soft hearts for the stoney

CHORUS:

G         D       G    C        D         G

won't you help us sing - these songs of freedom

G          D     Em   C   D          G   C  D          G    C

Christ is all we need - repentance songs -  repentance songs

       G                    Em

Emmancipate us from sinful slavery

             C                  Am

none but the Sprit of God can suffice (Lord)

   G                 Em

release us from all idolatry

           C                    D

from the flesh and the devil's lies

          G                       Em

takes us back to the words of the prophets

         C                 Am

help us stand in light and look

            G                Em   C                      D

test and prune your people until ... you've fulfill your book

[CHORUS]

INTERLUDE: Em Em Em Em C D [X4]

[Repeat second verse]

G         D       G  C          D         G

won't you help us sing - these songs of freedom

       G          D     Em  C    D           G  

'cause Christ is all we need -  repentance songs

     G          D     Em  C    D           G  

Yes Christ is all we need -  repentance songs

C          D         G

 - these songs of freedom (x2)

[INTERLUDE SEQUENCE X2 THEN BAR CHORD D ON 5^TH FRET]

 

      

Alpha Problems

The above are my own experiences direct from the church that originated the course. I served in the worship team at HTB for about three years in the early noughties. If you came to faith - a genuine fruit-bearing faith - through the Alpha course, please know that I am not questioning your salvation. I believe that God can draw a styraight line even with a crooked stick.

Please then, with an open mind, read some of these articles, before drawing your conclusion of this ubiquitous course. I urge churches not to use formulaic evangelism in any case. rather present the Gospel clearly, pray for the lost, lead Godly lives, answer questions with scripture and trust that the Lord will bring his people to faith.


The Dangers Of The Alpha Course

Where Does The 'Alpha Course' Stand

What Is The Alpha Course? Is It Good or Bad For Learning the Bible?

The Ecumenical Compromise of the Alpha Course

more on line articles and testimonies are easily found ...

P.S.  Raniero Cantalamessa, is a Catholic priest and monk who has served as the Preacher to the Papal Household in Rome since the 80s. He still gives talks at Holy Trinity Brompton (the mother chuch of the Alpha Course) and my first experience of him was to have breakfast with him and the worship and ministry team in the vestry following which he really did give a sermon on the merits of Mary to more than a thousand people. He seems a nice person but ...

Save One Meme

Faith And The Atheist

An atheist wrote to me and said:  

"Faith is belief without evidence. That is irrational, by definition. You should only believe things for good reasons, such as sufficient evidence.
Now to go on to your circular argument: You can prove Jesus is God if you believe the bible because the bible says so. And you should believe the bible because the bible says so. Are you really this stupid? You are placing your authority with bronze age goat herders, and that is not only irrational... but down right stupid."

And I replied:

Rubbish man. Faith is belief with evidence and is rational. I have faith in my wife based on rational and sufficient evidence. I cannot prove her worth to you but I would stake my life on her. 

And so it is with faith in Jesus. I have more than sufficient evidence - the philosophical arguments for God's existence (teleological, ontological, necessity, cosmological etc), the evidence of the resurrection, the explosive growth of the early pre-Roman Catholic church in spite of paganism and persecution, the huge number of people including the brightest stars of human thought who have been firm Christians (Newton, Lewis and Pascal to name just a few), the amazing interior cohesion of the scripture, the histiographic record of the scripture (shown in secular scholarship to be the most reliable ancient document in existence) and my own personal life experience - my testimony - where I have seen and lived in God's love, where I have seen him working and living and active in my life and the lives of others around me. 

You call me stupid because I disagree with you. You are proud and fearful. Face the implications of the evidence rather - investigate with a blank slate and determine to follow the evidence even if it contradicts you - even if it offends you - even if it forces you to radically change your viewpoint and thus leads to your own social embarrassment and personal loss. That courageous facing of implication of evidence is faith. That is true faith - not blind belief, but the courage to face and live the truth. Do you have it?

Bible Answer Man

 In the wake of the Hank Hannegraf scandal.

Sow Reap Meme

Comprehending Pink’s Commandments Part 22

Foreword:

The following exerpt is taken from The Ten Commandments  by Arthur W. Pink

(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)

In this blog series I will work through this very important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style questions at the end. In our day, when people who identify themselves as Christians are so sensitive to any accusation of legalism that they tend to swing all the way out to antinomianism (that is lawlessness), it is perhaps now more than ever that we ought to prayerfully re-examine the Ten Commandments – and few do it better than Arthur Pink (1886 - 1952). I found this article to be very convicting as I first worked through it. And, lest we think we the church are not in need of this labour, let us be reminded that those whom Jesus will reject on the last Day even though they did many mighty works in his name, were accused by our Lord of not just having no intimate relationship with him (‘I never knew you’), but also that they were accused as workers of lawlessness by our Lord. The Law of God does not save, nor does it keep one saved – none the less we are called to obedience to it who are saved – but enough of me – here is Arthur Pink…

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT PART II

   Let us now point out more specifically some of the ways in which God's name may be taken in vain. The first is, when it is used without propounding to ourselves a proper end. And there are but two ends which can warrant our use of any of His names, titles, or attributes: for His glory and for the edification of ourselves and others. Whatever is besides these is frivolous and evil, affording no sufficient ground for us to make mention of such a great and holy Name, which is so full of glory and majesty. Unless our speech is designedly directed to the advancement of the Divine glory or the promotion of the benefit of those to whom we speak, we are not justified in having God's ineffable Name upon our lips. He accounts Himself highly insulted when we mention His name to idle purpose.

   God's Name is taken in vain by us when we use it without due consideration and reverence. Whenever we make mention of Him before whom the seraphim veil their faces, we ought seriously and solemnly to ponder His infinite majesty and glory, and bow our hearts in deepest prostration before that Name. How can they, who think and speak of the great God promiscuously and at random, use His Name with reverence when all the rest of their discourse is filled with froth and vanity? That Name is not to be sported with and tossed to and fro upon every light tongue. O my reader, form the habit of solemnly considering whose Name it is you are about to utter. It is the Name of Him who is present with you, who is hearing you pronounce it. He is jealous of His honor, and He will dreadfully avenge Himself upon those who have slighted Him.

   God's Name is used in vain when it is employed hypocritically, when we profess to be His people and are not. Israel of old was guilty of this sin: "Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness" (Isa. 48:1). They used the Name of God, but did not obey the revelation contained therein, and so violated this Third Commandment (compare Matt. 7:22, 23). When using the Name of God, we must do so in a way which is true to its meaning and to its implications. Therefore He says to us, "Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). In like manner, we are guilty of this awful sin when we perform holy duties lightly and mechanically, our affections not being in them. Prayer without practice is blasphemy, and to speak to God with our lips while our hearts are far from Him is but a mocking of Him and an increasing of our condemnation.

1) In each of the paragraphs above Pink gives a specific way in which God’s name can be taken in vain. Summarise the three ways in your own words.

2) Consider the way we feel about other people when they are pleasant and even flattering to us but whom we know talk badly about us or spread gossip when we are not around. How hard is it to repair your feelings towards someone whom you always thought respected you or even loved you when you here that they have been speaking ill of you? Now consider that God is ever present to hear every word or thought said of Him or His name. How patient is the Lord with the humanity who blaspheme Him every day. Do you wince when you hear the lost (including children) uttering His name in everyday conversations as if it were an “um” or “er”, or even with utter contempt? What are your feelings towards television shows, books, articles and movies that do the same?

3) Have you ever confronted anyone gently with their vain use of God’s name? What do you say to your children about this ubiquitous cultural habit?

Frequency of Miracles

Click to enlarge.

Comprehending Pink’s Commandments Part 21

Foreword:

The following exerpt is taken from The Ten Commandments  by Arthur W. Pink

(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)

In this blog series I will work through this very important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style questions at the end. In our day, when people who identify themselves as Christians are so sensitive to any accusation of legalism that they tend to swing all the way out to antinomianism (that is lawlessness), it is perhaps now more than ever that we ought to prayerfully re-examine the Ten Commandments – and few do it better than Arthur Pink (1886 - 1952). I found this article to be very convicting as I first worked through it. And, lest we think we the church are not in need of this labour, let us be reminded that those whom Jesus will reject on the last Day even though they did many mighty works in his name, were accused by our Lord of not just having no intimate relationship with him (‘I never knew you’), but also that they were accused as workers of lawlessness by our Lord. The Law of God does not save, nor does it keep one saved – none the less we are called to obedience to it who are saved – but enough of me – here is Arthur Pink…

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT PART I

"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain" (Ex. 20:7). As the second commandment concerns the manner in which God is to be worshipped (namely, according to His revealed will), so this one bids us worship Him with that frame of spirit which is agreeable to the dignity and solemnity of such an exercise and the majesty of Him with whom we have to do: that is, with the utmost sincerity, humility, and reverence. "Fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD" (Deut. 28:58). O what high thoughts we ought to entertain of such a Being! In what holy awe should we stand of Him! "The end of this Precept is that the Lord will have the majesty of His name to be held inviolably sacred by us. Whatever we think and whatever we say of Him should savor of His excellency, correspond to the sacred sublimity of His name, and tend to the exaltation of His magnificence" (Calvin). Anything pertaining to God should be spoken of with the greatest sobriety. Let us first endeavor to point out the scope and comprehensiveness of this commandment. By the Name of the Lord our God is signified God Himself as He is made known to us, including everything through which He has been pleased to reveal Himself: His Word, His titles, His attributes, His ordinances, His works. The Name of God stands for His very nature and being, as in Psa. 20:1; 135:3; John 1: 12, etc. Sometimes the name of God is taken for the entire system of Divine Truth: "we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God" (Micah 4:5)--in that way of Truth and worship which He has appointed. "I have manifested Thy Name unto the men Thou gavest Me" (John 17:6): that is, Christ instructed them in the Heavenly doctrine. But usually, and more specifically, the Name of God refers to that by which He is called and made known to us. To "take His Name" means to employ or make use of the same, as the Object of our thoughts or the Subject of our speech. Not to take His Name "in vain" is the negative way of saying it must be held in the utmost awe and used holily in thought and word and deed.

It will thus be seen that this Commandment requires us to make mention of the Name of God. Since He has given us so many and gracious discoveries of Himself, it would evince the vilest contempt of the greatest of privileges if we expressed no regard to those discoveries and made no use of the same. Those who make no religious profession, and desire not to be instructed in those things which relate to the Divine glory, are guilty of thus slighting the Most High. But we make use of God's Name in public worship, in private prayer, and when taking religious oaths or making solemn vows. When we draw nigh to God in prayer we should adore the Divine perfections with a becoming humility, as did Abraham (Gen. 18:27), Jacob (Gen. 32:10), Moses (Ex. 15:11), Solomon (1 Kings 8:33), Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:15), Daniel (9:4), and as the inhabitants of Heaven do (Rev. 4:10, 11). Negatively, this Commandment prohibits all dishonoring thoughts of God, all needless, flippant, profane, or blasphemous mention of Him, any irreverent use of His Word, any murmurings against His providence, any abuse of anything by which He has made Himself known.

1) When you meditate on the vast size and complexity of creation – even the amazing construction of your own body or the wonderful workings of your mind – and then you begin to come to terms with the idea that all was made by God; and you consider what awesome power and unlimited wisdom must be behind such a feat of engineering – can you agree with Pink when he writes:  “O what high thoughts we ought to entertain of such a Being! In what holy awe should we stand of Him!” Or can you reword Pink’s quote of Calvin (see bold)?

2) How many names and titles of God can you list from memory?

 
3) We should not be flippant or profane with the name of God when evangelising or preaching even in the name of being humourous or winsome. We must not use His name needlessly nor murmur against His providence or Word. And all this neither in speech, writing nor even thought. Have you ever committed such a sin? I know I have. Confess and repent of it and ask the Lord to prevent your failing in this important command.

Pascal's Wager Meme

Narrow Road Meme

Straw God

Double Imputation

Comprehending Pink’s Commandments Part 20

Foreword:

The following exerpt is taken from The Ten Commandments  by Arthur W. Pink

(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)

In this blog series I will work through this very important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style questions at the end. In our day, when people who identify themselves as Christians are so sensitive to any accusation of legalism that they tend to swing all the way out to antinomianism (that is lawlessness), it is perhaps now more than ever that we ought to prayerfully re-examine the Ten Commandments – and few do it better than Arthur Pink (1886 - 1952). I found this article to be very convicting as I first worked through it. And, lest we think we the church are not in need of this labour, let us be reminded that those whom Jesus will reject on the last Day even though they did many mighty works in his name, were accused by our Lord of not just having no intimate relationship with him (‘I never knew you’), but also that they were accused as workers of lawlessness by our Lord. The Law of God does not save, nor does it keep one saved – none the less we are called to obedience to it who are saved – but enough of me – here is Arthur Pink…

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT PART IV

This Commandment is enforced by three reasons. The first is drawn from the Person who pronounces judgment upon those who break it. He is described by His relationship, "thy God"; by the might of His power, for the Hebrew word for "God" here is "the Strong One", able to vindicate His honor and avenge all insults thereto; and by a similitude taken from the state of wedlock, wherein unfaithfulness results in summary punishment--He is a "jealous God." It is the Lord speaking after the manner of men, intimating that He will not spare those who mock Him. "They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they Him to anger.... They have moved Me to jealousy with that which is not God" (Deut. 32:16-21 ff).

Secondly, a sore judgment is threatened: "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me." "Visiting" is a figurative expression, which signifies that after a space of time, in which God appears to have taken no notice or to have forgotten, He then shows by His providences that He has observed the evil ways and doings of men. "Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?" (Jer. 5:9, and cf. 32:18; Matt. 23:34-36) . This was designed to deter men from idolatry by an appeal to their natural affections. "The curse of the Lord righteously rests not only on the person of an impious man, but also on the whole of his family" (John Calvin). It is a terrible thing to pass on to children a false conception of God, either by precept or by example. The penalty inflicted corresponds to the crime: it is not only that God punishes the child for the offenses committed by the parents, but that He gives them over unto the same transgressions and then deals with them accordingly, for the example of parents is not sufficient warrant for us to commit sin.

Thirdly, there is a most blessed encouragement to obedience, in the form of a gracious promise: "Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments." To the same effect He assures us, "The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him" (Prov. 20:7). Love for God is evidenced by a keeping of His commandments. Papists contend that their use of images is with the object of promoting love, by keeping a visible image before them as an aid; but God says it is because they hate Him. This promise to show mercy unto thousands of the descendants of those who truly love God does not express a universal principle, as is clear from the cases of Isaac having a godless Esau and David an Absalom. "The Legislator never intended to establish in this case such an invariable rule as would derogate from His own free choice . . . When the Lord exhibits one example of this blessing, He affords a proof of His constant and perpetual favor to His worshippers" (Calvin). Observe that here, as elsewhere in Scripture (Jude 14, for example), God speaks of "thousands" (and not "millions," as men so often do) of them that love Him and who manifest the genuineness of their love by keeping His commandments. His flock is but a "little" one (Luke 12:32). What cause for thanksgiving unto God have those who are born of pious parents, whose parents treasure up not wrath for them, but prayers!

1) According to Pink and in your own words elborate on the three ways in which the second commandment is enforced.

2) Can you explain why jealousy is wrong for humans but right for God?Or perhaps consider the difference between a righteous jealousy (which even a person might exhibit) and a sinful jealousy?

3) It is not that God punishes children for the sins of their parents but that children are most likely to emulate their parents behaviour and so deserve wrath. But who deserves the greater portion of punishment: the one who is lead or the leader? The child or the parent? How should this warning encourage Christian parents to greater efforts of discipleship of their children? There is a sense of carrot and stick here because we are also encouraged – see Proverbs 20:7.

4) But what of faithful parents who, despite all their efforts, find themselves raising Godless children? Name some biblical examples that show that the principle of God’s blessing through good parenting is not a universal principle. Do you agree with David and Absolom being such an example? If not why not? Consider how the book of Judges provides better examples. What then is the best course of action for faithful parents regarding their children? What should parents do?

No Infinite Past But Infinite God

The Lordship Issue

Infinite Influence

It is the celebration of the resurrection of the Son of God today. He alone has infinite value and so was an infinite sacrifice for an infinite offence. Only eternity will suffice for the praise He deserves from those He saves. All who die without knowing him and trusting in him and following him will face an infinite punishment.

And so we say with  Augustus Toplady ...

 “Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfill thy Law's demands:
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for Sin could not atone:
Thou must save, and Thou alone!”

 

Judging Right

Touch Not The Teacher?