Adoption

I read something about adoption and having been researching Christian Hedonism, and this came to my mind:

Adoption is Christian Hedonism. Adoption is the expression of it. Just as justification is required as a means to adoption, adoption is the means of, and to, Christian Hedonism. Knowing, loving, and enjoying God is Christian Hedonism and adoption, or in the Family of God, is where it takes place.

I think I’ve found my niche. It is adoption. How often does the average Christian hear about adoption or really understand what it means to be in the family of God? What glorious truth this is that people need to know. John Piper is the Christian Hedonist. Adoption is the arena in which it takes place. Adoption is the heart of Christianity, it is Christianity. Knowing God, loving God, and Enjoying Him is the center of Christianity and adoption is the arena it is played out in.

Edit: Another thought came to me. Another way to look at this is like a circulatory system. Adoption is the veins and arteries in which the blood of Christian Hedonism flows, and the Holy Spirit is the Heart. Knowing God is the Blood of the Christian Life. It is the life that keeps a Christian a Christian. The things is this example could be taken even further to a body. The Essence of God or God the Father is the Brain of the Body. The Son is the Head because He is the image of God. I say the Spirit is the Heart because the Spirit is the one that is “sent out into the world.” The parts of the Body is the Church. The Whole body, head, heart, parts of the body, is the Family of God, Father, Son, Spirit and Church. This analogy of the Body can be drawn so many different ways, and can be explained in such great detail, that is can take a lot of work and a lot of characters, or paper for that matter.

 

It’s Been a While

It’s been a while since I posted. I’m not going to look back or try to catch up. I’m going to move forward. I decided to change the name of the blog to Delighting in God because I want to be a Christian Hedonist and I believe Christianity is to know God and to delight in what I know of Him, and that glorifies Him. I moved everything around. The about page is now titled A Gospel-Centered Blog, because this blog is. If it wasn’t for the cross all there would be for me is judgement, but on the cross Jesus paid my fine, then rose from the dead conquering death for me. I also changed the sub-title of the blog to the original name, Boasting Only in the Cross. And that is because of the stuff just mentioned before. Jesus paid my fine in His death, rose from the dead conquering death, because death could not bind Him, and now I am free from death and sin so that I can have God. “Jesus died to bring us to God,” said Peter and it’s true. Thats it. This post is just saying I’m moving forward and it’s for me. I need to work on stuff sometimes and the next series I’m doing is going to have motivation because of the blog. If I plan to keep a schedule, I need to do it.

 

Resolved 2008 Countdown (VIII)

This is my eighth Resolved 2008 Countdown post. I’m not sure what to write. There are only two days left until Resolved. Some may be thinking, “what you are talking about? It’s tomorrow.” Yes, I agree, but we have to finish today. It’s not even half over (I’m thinking about time we are awake) and then you have to go all the way through tomorrow. It starts at 8 tomorrow.

Yesterday, I did a lot of my packing. For the most part I have everything packed. I just need to get a few things together. I didn’t get to read much at all yesterday. I want to make sure I get into the Word more.
I’m just excited about Resolved. I’m looking forward to hearing preaching about Heaven and Hell. I can’t give away CDs. They asked me not to give anything away at the conference. That is fine. I would rather do what they ask me to do.
I’m not sure what else to write about so I’ll put some things people should pray about.
Pray that God would open the hearts of the unbelievers going. That He would also draw us further to Himself and that He would give us a desire for Himself, His Son and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

Singing The Psalms

Joe Holland wrote an article on the Reformation 21 website titled “Rediscovering the Psalms.”

He first goes through his experience with the Psalms, then asks questions to lead into what he wanted to talk about.

First he goes into the benefits of Psalm singing by asking, “What benefits should you expect from psalm singing?“
He then gave these answers with explanation.
When you sing the psalms you literally sin the Bible.
When you sing the psalms you interact with a wealth of theology.
When you sing the psalms you are memorizing Scripture.
When you sing the psalms you guard against heresy.
When you sing the psalms you engage in a collection of songs that address the full range of human emotions.
When you sing the psalms you praise the person and work of Jesus Christ.
When you sing the psalms you are training to for spiritual warfare.
When you sing the psalms you are engaging in the communion of saints.

Then he asks, “How can you go about learning to sing them?“
He then answers and gives explainations again.
First, find a Psalter you can sing.
Secondly, you must know your Bible.
Third, to sing the psalms well you must understand how the psalms direct us to the person and work o Jesus Christ.
The fourth thin you will need is the willingness to try something new.
After all that He concludes the article. This article is worth reading. When I printed it out, it was 5 pages long. Enjoy!
For His Glory,
Mark

 

Randy Alcorn: Resolved 2008 Countdown (VII)

Now there are only three days left until Resolved. I’ve finished all of the CDs I wanted to make of last years conference to hand out to people who weren’t there last year. The thing is I haven’t even started packing yet or tried to figure out what I wanted to take.

The last speaker is Randy Alcorn. He is the newest speaker to the line up. All the other guys were there last year. Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM). Which has an emphasis on the eternal viewpoint. Alcorn has been studying Heaven for over 25 years. I mean the biblical Heaven. He has been studying the Bible to see what it says. I’m glad He has been studying that. The generations in the last few centuries have lost site of Heaven and what it is really like. You can read his bio page here from EPM.

Reading Update
I’ve been able to read more of Heaven by Randy Alcorn. I don’t think I’m going to be able to finish by Friday evening.
I did recieve my order so I got my other books. Maybe someone in my car could read Edward’s Heaven, A World of Love. That would be cool.

 

CD Factory Finished (for now)

The last couple of days I’ve been burning CDs of last years Resolved conference to give out to those who weren’t there last year. Heaven and Hell are good to know but the Gospel is more important and the other two hang onto the Gospel as ribs to a spinal cord. The Gospel is everything.
I finished. I made all 100. My motives may not have been right the whole time. I no doubt sinned while in the process, most likely from pride, but I hope Jesus uses these to save at least one person. If that happens than all this time was worth it. When a person gets saved, Christ’s Glory gets shown which means He gets Glorifed and that is why there is a party over one sinner repenting. The party is because God gets glorified in the repentant sinner and they get the joy.
I pray my God and Savior Jesus Christ uses these CDs for His Glory.

For His Glory,
Mark

Oh, next year my computer is going to have to do twice as much first, if the Lord wills (He might come by then) because next year I have to burn last years (2007, which is what I just made into 100 CDs) and this years (2008, which hasn’t happened yet but is going to be online after the conference).

 

Heaven: A World of Love

So I got my order in today. It actually came in early. I now realized that I bought two of the same thing, sort of. Heaven on Earth: Capturing Jonathan Edwards’s Vision of Living in Between is an introduction to Jonathan Edwards Sermon, “Heaven Is a World Of Love” from the series of sermons Edwards titled Charity and It’s Fruits. The an abridged version of that sermon is the appendix of the book by Stephen Nichols. I now realize that I bought the full edition of that sermon when I bought Heaven, A World of Love by Jonathan Edwards, published by Banner of Truth Trust. I think that is cool because I can read the full version instead of the abridged version. If I like the sermon, I might buy the rest of the series from Soli Deo Gloria Publishers. I have another book similar to Nichols. It is a book that introduces another work of Jonathan Edwards then has the work after it. It is God’s Passion for His Glory by John Piper. John Piper introduces it for about half the book and the second half is Edward’s work The End for Which God Created the World.

I’m glad I have all these. I want Jonathan Edwards to become one of my dead heros. Paul is one. I want Newton and Spurgeon to be one also. The reason is these guys are the heros of some of my favorite alive heros. Jesus is my top most hero though. He is my Savior, my God, my All.

Enjoy,
Mark

 

Steve Lawson: Resolved 2008 Countdown (VI)

Only 4 Days left. I’m getting more excited everyday. I still need to figure out what I’m going to take and make sure it is all ready to be packed. That is going to be some work.

The next speaker is Steve Lawson. The message I remember most by Steve Lawson from last years conference was the cost of Discipleship. I need to listen to the conference again. I probably won’t be able to do it before this years conference but I do need to listen to it again. Steve Lawson is the president of New Reformation Ministries. I don’t remember what it is about and I couldn’t tell you because the site is down at the moment I’m writing this blog. Oh Well. You can find some of his books on the Ligonier Ministries Website. He is one of the Reformation Trust Authors. You can find his page of that here
He is working a on series of book called A Long Line of Godly Men. The first book which is published is called Foundations of Grace. You don’t have to buy it there. You can buy it at Amazon, Grace Books International, Monergism, Reformation Heritage Books, Westminster Books and Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service. You can find his little info page on the Resolved site.

Reading Update
I was able to read a little more in Heaven. But not very much more. I’m going to be able to finish the first part of the book (Theology of Heaven) before the conference.
The other book I’m waiting for which is supposed to be coming by UPS. It is out for delivery so I hope it comes before I have to go to work. The book is Heaven on Earth: Capturing Jonathan Edwards’s Vision of Living in Between by Stephen Nichols. I also ordered Heaven, A World of Love (Pocket Puritan Series) by Jonathan Edwards also because I said, “Hey, that is the kind of thing I was looking for.” Come to find out Banner of Truth Trust just published it in a new series that they are planning to expand called Pocket Puritans. You should go check it out. As I am writing this, they are on the front page in the new releases section. They are the first four. I hope to be able to look at all three of these books before Resolved.

I apologize for so many links. Click carefully.
Mark

 

Psalm 51, Crushed with Guilt

On Sunday, John Piper preached his third sermon in the Psalm series. He preached from Psalm 51 about sin and guilt. I pray that you folks would listen to it as well as the rest of the series. Next week while I’m at resolved, he’ll preach the next one then fly to Resolved to preach to us there.

Here are the three sermons so far:

Songs That Shape the Heart and Mind
Psalms: Thinking and Feeling with God, Part 1
Psalm 1
May 25, 2008

Spiritual Depression in the Psalms
Psalms: Thinking and Feeling with God, Part 2
Psalm 42
June 1, 2008

A Broken and Contrite Heart God Will Not Despise
Psalms: Thinking and Feeling with God, Part 3
Psalm 51
June 8, 2008

John Piper uses the English Standard Version (ESV).

 

C.J. Mahaney: Resolved 2008 Countdown (V)

I’m excited! Only 5 days until Resolved 2008. (I’m counting the rest of today and all of Friday.)

C.J. Mahaney is another speaker that is going to be at Resolved. Last year one of His sermons was about the Suffering Servant. It was based on Isaiah 53. He has so much passion. I enjoyed listening to him. He is also one of Rick Hollands favorite preachers. I’m looking forward to his passion this year about Heaven and Hell. Anyway C.J. Mahaney is the president of Sovereign Grace Ministries. You can find many free MP3 downloads of sermons by C.J. on there as well as other pastors sermons as well. You can find his informational page here on the Sovereign Grace Ministries website.

Reading Update
I haven’t been able to read at all. I got to read another chapter of Heaven today. It was hot here today so I got tired fast.

Here is another update about my preparation for Resolved. My computer has been a CD burning factory. In the last couple of days I’ve turned out over 70 discs of last years audio to hand out this year at Resolved to the people who weren’t here last year. Heaven and Hell are important but they hang as ribs on the spine of the Gospel. Without the Gospel, there is no point to even learn about Heaven. No one you any human knows would go there. But God in His loving-kindness became a man to die to bare the wrath of His Father that we accumulated by sinning so that we could have His Righteousness because on that cross He bore our sin. The God-man was Jesus Christ of Nazareth who lived and did this about 2000 years ago. Not only that but He rose again Conquering our sin and now is seated at the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for those He died for and is going to come back to get those He died for that the Father gave to Him before time was. But anyway. Thats the gospel. The most important thing. You must repent from sin and turn back to God and trust in Jesus that He died for your sin and that He is going to get you past God’s judgement at the end of this age.