Brittany Williams

Isaiah 45:5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; 7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.

Some links for the story here here and here.

My cousin 21 years old was killed last week in a random shooting(in the head) in Omaha Nebraska. For those of you who don't know I used to live in Omaha and a large majority of my family still resides there. Brittany Williams and I went to church for years together although I did not talk to her much since I've been, older I was shocked at her death. Her Funeral is tomorrow January 29/2008. Please pray for my family during this time and pray that people who are lost would be saved and turn to their only hope-that is Christ and Christ alone!!

We see a lot of death nowadays and have pretty much as people become accustomed to it so much so that we don't feel sorrow about people dying until it hits close to home. I personally stopped watching the news when I was around 14 years old. It really sickened me and I just did not have a yearning to hear about the madness in this world. At a young age I always have had an interest in the things I did not know. Questions such as; where to people go when they die? Where did God come from? How should we view death? Is God Sovereign in death and suffering?

I would like to delve into a Biblical view of death and see what God says about it. Personally I view death as a beautiful thing regardless of how it happens. Let me clarify myself here. Death is only beautiful for the believer and for the non-believer it is the worst thing beyond our imagination. Let us look at 2 Corinthians 5:11 (Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. ) Other translations say (Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord), I particularly like that phrasing a little better. This is somewhat hard to say when we look into Hebrews 11 and see people like Isaiah being sawn in two by a wooden saw-OUCH!!! But in the Psalms it says, Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints. I would love to get into the history of what the means in context but I believe that would take us into an entirely different direction.

I would encourage the reading of this entire passage-it is such a great hope. Paul begins to speak of how we know that our earthly bodies are only temporal but we are searching for a house in heaven not made by human hands. Paul is speaking about when Daniel also spoke of this long time before this. He says our bodies continue to groan until we are finally completely fulfilled in Christ at his Second Advent. Romans 8:23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. He also says in verse 9-So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. Do you make it your goal to please the Bishop and Overseer of your soul, Christ Jesus?

And here-15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

This is just a wonderful passage of scripture. I am so amazed of the treasures we find in scripture and the more I get to know Him the more I begin to delight in Him. How is your relationship with Christ? Stagnant? Non-existent? Do you take the grace of God for a license to sin? Do you act as if you think Death will never come to you? Assess your walk with Christ in light of His Word. I recall going to so many churches where the children and adults alike hear a sermon on sin and how their sin is disgusting to God but get in their car after church and bob there heads to the music in which people sing about the very things they just got through hearing about-SIN. Boastful Pride of life, Lust of flesh, and lust of the eyes. Or your tongue-does it reflect Christ? Is Christ in YOU? Do you have a changed heart as mentioned in verse 17? Do you have any evidence or fruit of your conversion?

These are good questions-do not think that you could not have been the victim? I can hear people saying, "oh yeah you're right" But are you going to let these questions resonate in your mind for more than a couple of hours? Probably not but I hope so!! Death has a 1 to 1 ratio and only one has escaped it and if you are not putting your hope and faith in Christ and forsaking your fake Christian life of filthy righteousness-my friend YOU will face the terror of the Lord!! This is pretty near and dear to my heart because I used to be one of those church goers who had the act down, but in reality I did not have a changed heart and a changed life. I believe this is something that really needs to be wrestled with by all who profess to know Christ. Don't get me wrong here, it is a sad thing anytime someone so young gets killed in that manner, but in comparison to the terror of the Lord-it is a small thing. Everyone will die one day and that is how it has always been since the fall of Adam and will always be until Christ returns for His church. Christ has not promised we will not have trials and quite honestly He says the exact opposite. We just have to keep a eternal perspective in absolutely everything.

God is totally sovereign in absolutely everything. This is hard to believe during times like these but it is Biblical Truth. GOD is surprised by nothing. My prayer is that when things happen like this that it will make people really examine themselves and not to just look at life from a temporal perspective but let us be heavenly minded in all things-Knowing the Terror of the Lord-we try to persuade men. In Christ Alone

Good Article worth Reading by Lionel.

So You Want a Diverse Church? Be a Catalyst Then!

Boy Do I love Paul Washer!!!

John Piper Sets Them Straight.

Give Us a Shot?

Any thoughts on this?

Television

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Television I believe it to be the most influential piece of technology known to man thus far. I cannot go as far to say that television is inherently evil because I think that would be a stretch but we all can agree without a doubt that this small piece of technology is used for more bad than good. In my short life of 27 years I have seen television take a pretty wicked turn from "Bill Cosby" which would be considered a pretty moral family show to the likes of a show similar to "Girlfriends" or the adult cartoon "Family Guy."

This has become a more obvious reality for me for two main reasons. 1) I have become more accustom to God's Word and I am a lot more sensitive and aware of sin. 2) I have a 18 1/2 month old son and I am more cautious as to how I live my Christian life before him knowing that my example as a Christian man is more important than what I say to him. Personally I absolutely always keep the television off if he and I are at home with the exception of bedtime since I prefer to have some light on so I can see how he is doing but even then the volume is on mute. I know how influential this time is for his mind and young people are very impressionable.

This became really obvious to me more so now than ever. Why? I exercise quite a bit more now than i ever have for a long time and I also read more now in my life than I ever have in the past. So, to my understanding even when I do these things my son appears to not be paying attention-To my surprise this little man was one day on the floor and he started to do push ups just like he sees his daddy do all the time. Another occasion is when he is in the back seat of my car-he picks up some books in the back seat and starts to pretend to read them. I thought WOW!! For many of you that might be pretty obvious but for a young brother like me who has never really had a lot of experience with little children-this is brand spanking new and I learn daily. So in essence my Christian life is now under a microscope and this helps me further realize who my obedience is to-Christ. My son is a constant reminder that this little guy is watching me but more importantly Christ is watching me.

A great brother at my church told me last week as we met for a late snack that his daughter was watching a children's program on the children network and she saw someone practicing yoga. So his daughter unknowingly was in the room sitting Indian style saying with her fingers clinged together "hmmmmm" "hmmmmmm." Now my friend being very much like me had to nip this in the bud and inform his daughter that what she was doing was not Biblical and is dangerous. Now how much so is this the norm in our every day life. Simply watching a football or basketball game and "BOOM" a half naked woman walks across the screen in a commercial. Now we have seen how TV has changed just in the past 30 years and we can only imagine how it will continue to progressively continue to get worse. An example of this can be seen as we listen to the expletives that were not tolerated in the 1970's are now normal words on the basic non cable stations today.

Why do we see such a contrast in our day versus two centuries ago. I just recently started to read Puritan material (thanks to my church) and to me it was startling to see how these guys viewed sin and how much so it is tolerated today and has become common place. Sin has become a part of our very being so much so that when we watch the regular news on TV it no longer has an effect on us to the point where we seek out God in prayer for the depraved people of this world. We have become desensitized to the very thing that got Adam thrown out of Eden-SIN.

As referenced in the scripture above John focuses on the same 3 ways in which Christ was tempted by Satan and I believe every sin can be put in one of these three categories. These things are the very things that are glorified on TV and in the music of our day.

1) Lust of the flesh.
2) Lust of the eyes.
3) Pride of life.

I would like some feedback from you all on this.

1) Has TV had more of a positive or negative influence on you in your life?

2) Do you find yourself spending more time watching TV than reading your Bible or praying?

3) Do you think our society would be challenged to think more critically about everything rather than let television make their minds weak.

When the Adultress Went Home!

This is an excellent article written by John Piper's ministry-Enjoy.

“Neither do I condemn you; go and from now on, sin no more.”

These words were almost unbelievable. A half hour ago she had been dragged out of her illicit lover’s house and shoved through the streets. Just minutes before, she had been bracing herself for the stones of judgment to crush her. Now those stones lay on the ground and the execution squad was gone. And the young rabbi with compassionate eyes was telling her she was free to go, as if she was no longer guilty. It was hard to comprehend. Adultery. Not guilty. Free.

As she turned and began to walk toward home she felt clean—cleaner than she could ever remember. How could that be? She hadn’t done anything to deserve to be clean. There hadn’t even been a ritual sacrifice or water cleansing according to the law yet. That rabbi had simply declared her guilt-free, and it was so. No one ever spoke like this man. She heard God when he spoke.

But after a few minutes of walking it hit her: “I have to go home.” Fear shot through her. She wanted to bolt. The rabbi had forgiven her. But waiting at home was her betrayed husband. And her children. And her parents. And his parents. She had shamed the entire family. Her life was like a broken pot; shards all over the floor. Because of her sin. She almost longed to be buried by the stones.

But she still felt clean.

She pulled her head-covering around her face and took a detour, walking streets where she might not be recognized. She needed time to think. And pray.

That was strange. She hadn’t prayed a heartfelt prayer for years. She hadn’t really wanted anything to do with God. She had merely been going through religious motions while secretly pursuing her own happiness in forbidden places. She had just tried to lay low and escape the Judge’s attention.

But now it was all different. As she thought about God she felt that cleanness again, like she had when the rabbi spoke. She found herself wanting to run to God to hide rather than hide from him. Suddenly he was the one she wanted to talk to the most. This was new. God was no longer her angry Judge. He had become a forgiving Father.

So she ducked into a lonely alley to repent of her horrible, selfish sin and to ask her Father for help with what seemed like an impossible situation. As she prayed, she heard the rabbi’s words again, “Neither do I condemn you.” And then these words followed, “Go, and from now on sin no more. I will be with you. With man it is impossible. But not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

With a new peace that passed understanding, she took a deep breath and headed for what was left of her home.

We do not know happened to the adulteress in John chapter 8 after she left Jesus. We can only imagine. God in his infinite wisdom does not tell us. That’s for the best.

What Jesus said to her in forgiving her sin (“Neither do I condemn you”) is true of all of those he calls. But the earthly consequences of sin which we must live with are different in every case. Jesus removed the guilt of her sin, taking it and God’s wrath against it upon himself. But he did not remove the fact that she had sinned and the relational pain that must have resulted. Maybe her husband was also saved and they were reconciled. Maybe he divorced her.

But whatever happened, what remained true was the fact that she was forgiven, clean. She was justified in God’s eyes. In Jesus she became a new creature. Wearing Jesus’ righteousness, the Father viewed her as if she had never sinned and as if she had perfectly obeyed, because Jesus became sin for her and he perfectly obeyed the Father on her behalf. And even the earthly consequences of her sin became a means of grace to her because God caused all of them to work together for her good.

And that’s the hope we all need. We need the hope that we have been justified by the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. And we need the hope of the promise of Romans 8:28, that God will work all things together for good for us, even the fallout from our past sins.
That’s why as we begin a new year we want to point you to a message John Piper preached on Hebrews 13 titled, Here

In it he says, When I… feel guilty… and hopeless because of yesterday’s failure… I need the grace of forgiveness based on a great past substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, that covers all my sins… and I need the grace of promised help from Jesus today and tomorrow.

The adulteress had a long walk back home. And no doubt there was much pain as she faced the consequences of her sin. But God’s grace was sufficient for her, both to cover her sins and redeem her life. And his grace will be sufficient for us, too.
Seeking with you to strengthen my heart with grace (Hebrews 13:9),

Written by,

Jon Bloom
Executive Director