He came forward.

They came with lanterns.  Certain He was hiding himself in the darkest corners of the garden on this blackest of nights.  He had to know they were after His life.

They came with weapons.  Expecting inevitable resistance from His followers if not from Him. Their fingers itched to have Him bound and taken to trial.  Then He would see who was really in charge.

But how wonderfully they were mistaken.  They stopped dead in their tracks.

He did not hide. Even though He fully and perfectly knew all that was about to happen to Him.  Even though He had just moments before been near death itself as He stared into the cup He was about to drink.  Even though He cried to the Father two times for an alternative and heard nothing but silence from heaven.  The most agonizing night.  And the greatest agony to come in merely hours.

He did not flee.  He came forward.  Though He staggered in His soul, contemplating the work He had to do.  He perfectly obeyed His Father.  He loved Him.  He was faithful to do what He had to do in order to fulfill the plan of redemption They had made together before time began. He knew His hour had come. 

He came forward. Because He loved sinners.

He did not resist.  The obedient Son asked the soldiers who they were seeking.  When they shouted His name, He came forward and said He was the One they were looking for. They did not even have to search. 

Before the men could even seize Him, they fell to the ground.  Astonished.  What? Who IS this man?  His very words made them tremble.  They could not even remain standing.

Again, He asked them who they sought. Again told them that He was the One they were after.  Once the soldiers made it to their feet again, they bound Him and led Him to face it.  Man's greatest act of injustice in all of history.  Yet God's greatest display of justice and mercy for all the world for all of time.   The cross.

Who was this Man that willingly handed Himself over to certain death? Certain wrath? The greatest human suffering possible?  Unimaginable pain and separation?  The horror and shame of the cross?

Who was He?

The only Man who was stronger than death.  The Man who was God himself in the flesh. 

The Man who saw our need. And gave Himself to be our Savior. Died in weakness, rose again in power. To be our peace. Our righteousness. Our HOPE.

And the only One who can save me.  The only One who can save you.

He is Jesus Christ.

Let us worship and be amazed.

He was willing to go to the cross.  He is willing to save sinners still!

What a Savior!

equally skilled.

He had just heard the voice of the Lord utter curses.  Curses against His covenant-breaking, justice-hating, evil-loving people.  A sort of divine lawsuit followed by a sentence of judgment. The people of God did not delight in the law of their Lord, the only true Counselor, but gave themselves over to hear the counsel of wicked earthly kings.  As the psalmist declared, their end would be certain downfall.

The prophet Micah knows this. And he mourns in misery. He felt as though he had just arrived at the fields after a harvest, and there were not even any leftovers.  Nothing to satisfy his craving for godliness. Where were the godly people? Gone.  Vanished from the earth.  The only people remaining walk only in wickedness.  Their hands continually set on doing what is evil. And to do it well.  "They all lie in wait for blood." Those in high places seek bribes. There is no concern for what is just and good.

Both of our hands are equally skilled at doing evil... at bribing the judges... at perverting justice... Both of our hands.

Micah warns that the judgment day is close at hand.  Where to put his trust?  Not his neighbor. Not his closest friend. Not even his precious wife. Trust no one.  The son hates his father. The daughter hates her mother.  Enemies dwelling with enemies in the very same household.  But Micah's mourning turns to quiet confidence. He waits in expectation for the Lord to act.

Both of their hands are equally skilled at doing evil... at bribing the judges... at perverting justice... Both of their hands.

"Aha! There he goes! He will never stand, the fool!" is what the enemy cries.  If only they knew.  They will soon.  Yes, I fall. But I will rise again.  Yes, I sit in darkness. But the LORD alone will be a light to me.  I am to patiently bear His indignation towards me for the wrongs I have done to His name.  Then He will plead my case.  He will bring me to light and just vindication.  Now the enemy sees.  The one who mocked "Where is the Lord your God?" will be covered in shame and trampled in the streets.

And our remnant will be preserved... our walls will be built... our kingdom established... many nations will flock to our City, while all else will surely become desolate.  Were we so strong and wise that we turned ourselves around to become a faithful and holy people, who now love justice and right?  No.  Our hands were equally skilled at doing evil.  

We needed a different pair of hands.

Both of HIS hands are equally skilled at outrooting evil... at judging the judges... administering justice... Both of His hands.

His hands are like none other.  For He is like none other. Micah's lament ends in exuberant joy...

             "Who is a God like you? Pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance?  He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love.

                He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities underfoot.  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

                  You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as You have sworn to our fathers from the days of old."    --Micah 7:18-20

Both of His hands are equally skilled at showing me mercy... at loving the loveless... administering justice... Both of His hands.

Both of HIS hands.

Italicized lines taken from Jon Foreman's excellent song "Equally Skilled".  Listen to it here... 

What is Required?

"Q. 160 - What is required of those that hear the word preached?

A. It is required of those that hear the word preached, that they...

1. ...attend upon it with diligence, preparation, and prayer. Do you spend time in prayer prior to church, asking the Lord to help you be fight distraction and be attentive? Do you set the distractions, cares, and anxieties of the world aside for these moments of teaching? Are you disciplined in getting the rest and nutrition your body needs so that your mind is able to focus? Do you listen eagerly and humbly to the Words of God being taught?

2. ...examine what they hear by the Scriptures. Do you keep constantly in your mind that the words before you are our God's words to us, as if it were a letter from Him? Do you consider the message of the preacher and recall to mind or search for related verses to help you gain even better understanding and Biblical discernment? Do you continue investigating after church?

3. ...receive the truth with faith, love, meekness, and readiness of mind, as the word of God. Do you treat God's words to us as precious eternal and absolute truths, or do you treat it as if it is any other book? Do you spend your time in God's word trying to fit/allow for your current situation, or do you humbly feed upon God's word, willing for your sin to be exposed and dealt with accordingly? Do you seek to find Christ in every page, or do you carelessly skip through the "boring parts"?

4. ...meditate, and confer of it. Do you spend time frequently thinking back to God's word and its given application, and seek to apply it in every area of your life? Do you spend time discussing what you have learned with others? Do you seek further help if you are uncertain in some areas?

5. ...hide it in their hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives." Do you daily strive to live and walk in obedience to Scripture? Do you continually seek its guidance for your every step? Do you make God's law your delight?



...question/answer taken from the Larger Catechism of the Westminster Assembly. italicized comments mine.

Post-Election True and False Quiz

I first saw this on the Founders Ministries Blog (founders.org/blog) and thought it was a very fitting reminder of where our hope must lie both now and forever... Not in any man or any power of man, but in Christ alone and in the power of His gospel!

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, Jesus will still be King.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our responsibilities as Christians will not have changed one iota.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the greatest agent for social change in America will still be winning the hearts and minds of men and women through the gospel, not legislation.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my primary citizenship will still be in this order - (1) the Kingdom of God, (2) America, not vice-versa.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the tomb will still be empty.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the cross, not the government, will still be our salvation.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our children will still be more concerned with whether or not we spend time with them than with who is President.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my neighbor will still be my neighbor, and loving him/her will still be the second greatest commandment. (Do you know the first?)

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only way to see abortion ultimately overturned will still be winning men and women to a high view of life through the gospel of Christ.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only way to see gay marriage ultimately defeated will still be winning men and women to a biblical view of marriage through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my retirement will still not match my treasure in Heaven.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, "Jesus Is Lord" will still be the greatest truth in the Universe.

True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, we will still know that God is in control.




Thanks be to our great God! Although the days ahead seem grim and uncertain, we need not despair. Our God will never change, and He rules faithfully over all. Lift up your eyes and behold the wondrous Savior! His glorious Word is our only certainty and the foundation of our hope in the midst of these storms and shifting sands.

"Neither need we fear crosses, or sigh, or be sad for anything that is on this side of heaven, if we have Christ."
"The floods may swell and roar, but our ark shall swim above the waters; it cannot sink, because a Savior is in it."
-Samuel Rutherford "The Loveliness of Christ






P. S. Please remember to pray for our nation, our president-elect, and the unborn children who are being slaughtered every day. It is every indication that nothing will be done to stop abortion or reduce it in any way while we have a President Obama. He has promised Planned Parenthood to lift all restrictions that are currently placed on abortions, as well as enact the Freedom of Choice Act. We must continue to speak for those who have no voice and fight against this horrendous "silent holocaust" that is taking place. May God hear our cries for justice and mercy upon these children!

Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians

Covenant Life Church of Gaithersburg, Maryland is currently doing a sermon series on the book of Ephesians. I have been listening to them on Sundays via podcast, and I must say they have been very helpful and a great blessing. I have even been working on memorizing Ephesians 1. This past sunday, I listened to Jeff Purswell's excellent message on Eph. 1:15-23. I just wanted to share some of my notes on Paul's prayer. In his prayer, he asks God to deepen the Ephesians' knowledge of Him, and that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation would continue to work in their hearts. Here are 3 ways Mr. Purswell points out that God reveals Himself to His children:

(These are my notes from the sermon, hence they are not quotes, but not my words either.)
1. The hope of His calling (v. 18) - If you are a believer, you are called! You have a glorious hope! (1 Cor. 2:9 "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him"). Lord, show us what awaits! Life forever in Your presence! On that day we will see how every single second in our lives worked to our good! "When our hope lies ahead, our lives will follow." The Spirit produces this hope in our hearts. Let us pray for more of this hope!

2. The riches of His inheritance - (Deut. 4:20 "But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of His own inheritance, as you are this day.") WE are GOD'S treasured possession! And it is all because of God's choosing, calling, and redemption. Not by any merits of our own. But rather in spite of our demerits! God has loved us! He has chosen sinners as His treasure! I am His and He is mine! This is the noblest and highest calling.

3. The greatness of His power (v. 19) - What is this greatness of God like? Look at v. 20. The power at work in us is the very same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead! We are new creatures in Christ! There is no power so great but Christ is above it ALL! Therefore we have nothing to fear. God's power is greater than all our uncertainties.


Let Paul's prayer and desire be that of our own hearts! Oh that we might know our Lord as we ought!

Laden With Guilt and Full of Fears

Laden with guilt and full of fears,
I fly to Thee, my Lord,
And not a glimpse of hope appears,
But in Thy written Word
The volumes of my Father's grace
Does all my griefs assuage
Here I behold my Savior's face
In every page.



This is the field where, hidden, lies
The pearl of price unkown
That merchant is divinely wise
Who makes the pearl His own
Here consecrated water flows
To quench my thirst of sin
Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,
No danger dwells within.



This is the judge that ends the strife,
Where wit and reason fail
My guide to everlasting life
Through all this gloomy vale
Oh may Thy counsels, mighty God,
My roving feet command,
Nor I forsake the happy road
That leads to Thy right hand.

-Isaac Watts




Have you fed upon God's precious Word today?

God is Greater Than Our Hearts.

As I pondered Sunday's sermon (see last post), I was reminded of a passage of Scripture I had recently read and been greatly encouraged by. It's not talking about exactly the same thing, but it is a wonderful reminder of the infinite greatness and grace of our Lord.

1 John 3: 19-21 (emphasis mine) John is speaking of love for the brethren:

"By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God."

What do these verses mean? I was slightly puzzled as I read it at first. The footnotes in the ESV Reformation Study Bible were a great help.

"v.16-24: Mutual love in the fellowship is evidence of new life. It is based on the love of Jesus Christ, who 'laid down His life' in our place. Measuring ourselves against such an example, our heart 'condemns us' (v. 20) and our confidence can only be restored by someone greater than our hearts - God Himself. God, who 'knows everything', has proved His love for sinners by the gift of His Son. (4:10; Rom. 5:8). Confidence founded on this reality carries with it the assurance that our deeds are also accepted by God (v. 22), and when guilt is dealt with we are relased to pray unhindered (v. 22). Confident prayer is a hallmark of the children of God."

"v. 20 - The Word of God which acquits us must prevail over the word of our hearts that condemns us."

As I read these notes, my heart took great comfort and rejoicing in these verses.

You see, as Christians striving to be like Christ, our hearts can only condemn us because of how greatly we fail to love as He loved. Remaining sin often discourages and weighs us down. (Rom. 7) BUT there is hope. Our hearts need something greater than ourselves. And as believers, we have something Greater! He is the Lord, our Savior, who is infinitely greater than our hearts!

Through the Savior, our deeds are accepted before a holy God. For He lived a perfectly holy and sinless life on our behalf! Therefore He is our only hope, and our only plea before the Father. Rom. 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Let us rejoice in our merciful and faithul High Priest! "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may recieve mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16)