Redeeming Grace Blog https://www.levittownbaptist.com A blog containing occasional posts from our elders. Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:15:32 -0400 http://churchplantmedia.com/ Pick up and Read https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/pick-up-and-read https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/pick-up-and-read#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2015 11:00:00 -0500 https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/pick-up-and-read This past Sunday I mentioned in my sermon that Christians who love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, and strength can sometimes fail to love the Lord with all of their mind.

Please dedicate yourself to daily study of the Scriptures. Before even considering the books listed below, please make sure that you are regularly reading the Bible. All of the books mentioned below are good and beneficial, but they are not living and active. Only the Bible is able to make one wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15). It is the only message that is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16) and therefore completely trustworthy. If you would like to read through the Bible in the year 2016, that would be a far more beneficial task than reading anything else. You can find many different reading plans here.

However, if you have a good system of reading your Bible, please consider using these extra-biblical aids in growing your love for Jesus Christ. There are ten books listed. The first eight are very accessible and understandable at any level of the Christian life. The last two books listed are more intensely theological and may not be beneficial for a young Christian who is unfamiliar with the fundamentals of the faith. If you click on the image of the book covers, you will be taken to an Amazon page where you can purchase the books. 

Devotional
New Morning Mercies - Paul Tripp
384 pages

51qaeC26kmL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_This book contains a short, one page devotional for each day of the year. These devotions are passionately gospel-centered and unusually practical for a devotional. I highly recommend starting out your day by reading the Bible and then reading one of these devotions. These are also excellent devotions to do with the family in the evenings or even around the kitchen table.

Review by Matt and Lauren Chandler,
“We have always resonated with Robert Robinson’s hymn ‘Come Thou Fount,’ especially the line, ‘Prone to wander—Lord, I feel it—prone to leave the God I love.’ We feel the pull daily away from God’s goodness and toward a pursuit of our own, away from God’s gracious acceptance and toward the exhausting, impossible weight of trying to tip the scales in our favor. We are grateful to God that Paul has written this devotional to help, in Robinson’s words, seal our hearts for God’s courts above. If you’re prone to wander, this book is for you.” 

Christian Living
Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ - John MacArthur
318 pages

slaveAs Christians, we are called to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). Part of renewing our minds is constantly reminding ourselves that we are not our own, we have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We must be mindful or the reality that God has saved us to serve Him and our ministry is to do His will. This book is a refreshing reminder of our priority as Christians to always put God's will at the top of our list of priorities. 

Review by R.C. Sproul
"John MacArthur expertly and lucidly explains that Jesus frees us from bondage and into a royal slaverly that we might be His possessions. Those who would be His children must, paridoxically, be willing to be His slaves." 

 

Apologetics
Expository Apologetics: Answering Objections with the Power of the Word - Voddie Baucham Jr.
208 pages

41ZchZCMY3L._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_It is immensely helpful for every Christian to obey the Word of God by always being ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). One way that we can do that is by knowing and understanding the very basic principles of apologetics. The method that Baucham presents in understanding and communicating aplogetics is refreshing due to it's deeply biblical commitments. Expository Apologetics teaches Christians how to think through sharing their faith with combatants. The book presents real-life scenarios of how the information can be put to practice. 

Review by C. Michael Patton
"I am a fan of any book that takes apologetics out of the tower and puts it in the pew. Baucham does a wonderful job of just that. His pastoral style and sensitivity stand out as he takes a method of apologetics straight from the Scriptures and lays out how everyone can defend the faith with confidence." 

 Lifestyle Worship
AWE: Why it Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do - Paul Tripp
208 pages 

31xF92ViBNL._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_One of the great dangers of the Christian life is that we will begin to take for granted who God is and what He has done for us through His Son. In AWE, Tripp seeks to point our eyes back to Jesus.  Each chapter points to a different area of life in which we can get bogged down into a ruitine where we begin to ignore God. We were created to worship God with all of our lives and this book helps us to seek to do just that.

Review by James MacDonald
"What we need most desperately is to fall on our knees in renewed awe of our Creator. In AWE, my good friend Paul Tripp motivates us to find that posture and to delight in staying there."



Oldie but Goody
The Doctrine of Repentance - Thomas Watson
128 pages

The Doctrine of RepentanceThere are very few books that have had an impact on my life in the manner that The Doctrine of Repentance has. As the title indicates, this book seeks to examine the Biblical doctrine of repentance. This book was written in 1668, yet it carries a timeless message that has seemingly been lost on the majority of those who profess Christ in the modern Church. Watson presents the information in a manner that is convicting, yet gracious. I hope that as you read this  your heart is broken and you fall down once again at the foot of the cross. 

From the Publisher
"Knowing what repentance is, and actually repenting are essential to true Christianity. Jesus Christ himself said that if we do not repent, we will perish! It is vital, therefore, to read and study what Scripture has to say about this theme. Few better guides have existed in this or any other area of spiritual experience than Thomas Watson. He was a master of both Scripture and the human heart, and wrote with a simplicity and directness that keeps his work fresh and powerful for the twenty-first century."

The Doctrines of Grace
Living for God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism - Joel R. Beeke
396 pages

living for God's gloryThis book is a collection of essays written about the Doctrines of Grace which are also known as Calvinism. The book is divided into six parts: Calvinism in History, Calvinism in the Mind, Calvinism in the Heart, Calvinism in the Church, Calvinism in Practice, and Calvinism's goal. One does not have to read every chapter to glean from this book. Every Christian that adheres to the Doctrines of Grace could learn and grow from this extensive, yet accessible examination of these precious truths. 

Review by Dr. Michael A. G. Haykin
"Calvinism cannot be limited to soteriology, but affects all church issues, especially worship and spirituality. Indeed, as does Christianity itself, Calvinism applies to all of life... It speaks to every area of human life and thought." 

 

Evangelism
Spurgeon’s Sermons on Soul-Winning - Charles Spurgeon
160 pages 

soul winning Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was born in Essex, England. Converted at a young age, Spurgeon delivered his first sermon when he was only sixteen and went on to become a pastor the following year. Within a short time he was preaching to more than ten thousand people at each service/ His long ministry in London resulted in sixty-three volumes of published sermons and the founding of several orphanages, as well as an evangelical pastors' college. He came to be known as the Prince of Preachers. 

This book is a collection of thirteen excellent sermons about evangelism. I highly encourage you to take time to read through these sermons and be encouraged, convicted, and excited in the area of soul winning. We are God's ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:18-20) and we have been entrusted with this incredible responsibility. Let us take very seriously our duty to be salt and light in this lost and dying world. 

Prayer
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God - Tim Keller
336 pages

PrayerPerhaps the most neglected discipline of the Christian life is that of prayer. Keller presents challenging and encouraging thoughts about prayer that will have you on your knees by the end of every chapter. Redeeming Grace Fellowship is going to be putting a great deal of emphasis on prayer at the beginning of 2016, and this book would be a great way to help kickstart your prayer life. 

An excerpt for a Review by the Gospel Coalition
"If you follow Keller into the arsenal, you will be powerfully equipped to overcome the world/flesh/Devil and see your prayers for kingdom advance answered by almighty God. And if you follow Keller to the banqueting table, you will increasingly feast on new and old treasures of awe and intimacy with your heavenly Father."

 

A Little More Challenging Reads

Definite Atonement
From Heaven He Came And Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective - David and Jonathan Gibson
704 pages

From Heaven He Came and Sought HerThe doctrine of Definite Atonement (also known as Limited Atonement or Particular Redemption) is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented teachings of the Scriptures. From Heaven He Came and Sought Her brilliantly and exhaustively presents the Biblical support for the doctrine, and the beauty of how it should change out lives. There are many contributors to this book including John Piper, Michael Haykin, Paul Helm, Stephen Wellum, and Carl Trueman. 

Review by J.I. Packer
“A massive product of exact and well-informed scholarship . . . with landmark significance. . . . I give this book top marks for its range of solid scholarship, cogency of argument, warmth of style, and zeal for the true glory of God. I recommend it most highly.”

 

Covenants
Kingdom Through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants - Peter Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum
848 pages

Kingdom Through CovenantAnyone seeking to learn about the nature of the Biblical covenants and how they relate to one another will find Kingdom Through Covenant to be a most helpful read. This book helps to explain why we are credo-baptists, why we require that church members be believers, and why we reject dispensationalism. Although this can be a challenging read, it is quite rewarding. 

Review by Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin
“The relationship between the covenants of Scripture is rightly considered to be central to the interpretation of the Bible. That there is some degree of continuity is obvious for it is the same God—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as well as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ—who has revealed himself and his will in the covenants. That there is, however, also significant discontinuity also seems patent since Scripture itself talks about a new covenant and the old one passing away. What has changed and what has not? Utterly vital questions to which this new book by Gentry and Wellum give satisfying and sound answers. Because of the importance of this subject and the exegetical and theological skill of the authors, their answers deserve a wide hearing. Highly recommended!” 

]]>
This past Sunday I mentioned in my sermon that Christians who love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, and strength can sometimes fail to love the Lord with all of their mind.

Please dedicate yourself to daily study of the Scriptures. Before even considering the books listed below, please make sure that you are regularly reading the Bible. All of the books mentioned below are good and beneficial, but they are not living and active. Only the Bible is able to make one wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15). It is the only message that is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16) and therefore completely trustworthy. If you would like to read through the Bible in the year 2016, that would be a far more beneficial task than reading anything else. You can find many different reading plans here.

However, if you have a good system of reading your Bible, please consider using these extra-biblical aids in growing your love for Jesus Christ. There are ten books listed. The first eight are very accessible and understandable at any level of the Christian life. The last two books listed are more intensely theological and may not be beneficial for a young Christian who is unfamiliar with the fundamentals of the faith. If you click on the image of the book covers, you will be taken to an Amazon page where you can purchase the books. 

Devotional
New Morning Mercies - Paul Tripp
384 pages

51qaeC26kmL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_This book contains a short, one page devotional for each day of the year. These devotions are passionately gospel-centered and unusually practical for a devotional. I highly recommend starting out your day by reading the Bible and then reading one of these devotions. These are also excellent devotions to do with the family in the evenings or even around the kitchen table.

Review by Matt and Lauren Chandler,
“We have always resonated with Robert Robinson’s hymn ‘Come Thou Fount,’ especially the line, ‘Prone to wander—Lord, I feel it—prone to leave the God I love.’ We feel the pull daily away from God’s goodness and toward a pursuit of our own, away from God’s gracious acceptance and toward the exhausting, impossible weight of trying to tip the scales in our favor. We are grateful to God that Paul has written this devotional to help, in Robinson’s words, seal our hearts for God’s courts above. If you’re prone to wander, this book is for you.” 

Christian Living
Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ - John MacArthur
318 pages

slaveAs Christians, we are called to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). Part of renewing our minds is constantly reminding ourselves that we are not our own, we have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We must be mindful or the reality that God has saved us to serve Him and our ministry is to do His will. This book is a refreshing reminder of our priority as Christians to always put God's will at the top of our list of priorities. 

Review by R.C. Sproul
"John MacArthur expertly and lucidly explains that Jesus frees us from bondage and into a royal slaverly that we might be His possessions. Those who would be His children must, paridoxically, be willing to be His slaves." 

 

Apologetics
Expository Apologetics: Answering Objections with the Power of the Word - Voddie Baucham Jr.
208 pages

41ZchZCMY3L._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_It is immensely helpful for every Christian to obey the Word of God by always being ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). One way that we can do that is by knowing and understanding the very basic principles of apologetics. The method that Baucham presents in understanding and communicating aplogetics is refreshing due to it's deeply biblical commitments. Expository Apologetics teaches Christians how to think through sharing their faith with combatants. The book presents real-life scenarios of how the information can be put to practice. 

Review by C. Michael Patton
"I am a fan of any book that takes apologetics out of the tower and puts it in the pew. Baucham does a wonderful job of just that. His pastoral style and sensitivity stand out as he takes a method of apologetics straight from the Scriptures and lays out how everyone can defend the faith with confidence." 

 Lifestyle Worship
AWE: Why it Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do - Paul Tripp
208 pages 

31xF92ViBNL._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_One of the great dangers of the Christian life is that we will begin to take for granted who God is and what He has done for us through His Son. In AWE, Tripp seeks to point our eyes back to Jesus.  Each chapter points to a different area of life in which we can get bogged down into a ruitine where we begin to ignore God. We were created to worship God with all of our lives and this book helps us to seek to do just that.

Review by James MacDonald
"What we need most desperately is to fall on our knees in renewed awe of our Creator. In AWE, my good friend Paul Tripp motivates us to find that posture and to delight in staying there."



Oldie but Goody
The Doctrine of Repentance - Thomas Watson
128 pages

The Doctrine of RepentanceThere are very few books that have had an impact on my life in the manner that The Doctrine of Repentance has. As the title indicates, this book seeks to examine the Biblical doctrine of repentance. This book was written in 1668, yet it carries a timeless message that has seemingly been lost on the majority of those who profess Christ in the modern Church. Watson presents the information in a manner that is convicting, yet gracious. I hope that as you read this  your heart is broken and you fall down once again at the foot of the cross. 

From the Publisher
"Knowing what repentance is, and actually repenting are essential to true Christianity. Jesus Christ himself said that if we do not repent, we will perish! It is vital, therefore, to read and study what Scripture has to say about this theme. Few better guides have existed in this or any other area of spiritual experience than Thomas Watson. He was a master of both Scripture and the human heart, and wrote with a simplicity and directness that keeps his work fresh and powerful for the twenty-first century."

The Doctrines of Grace
Living for God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism - Joel R. Beeke
396 pages

living for God's gloryThis book is a collection of essays written about the Doctrines of Grace which are also known as Calvinism. The book is divided into six parts: Calvinism in History, Calvinism in the Mind, Calvinism in the Heart, Calvinism in the Church, Calvinism in Practice, and Calvinism's goal. One does not have to read every chapter to glean from this book. Every Christian that adheres to the Doctrines of Grace could learn and grow from this extensive, yet accessible examination of these precious truths. 

Review by Dr. Michael A. G. Haykin
"Calvinism cannot be limited to soteriology, but affects all church issues, especially worship and spirituality. Indeed, as does Christianity itself, Calvinism applies to all of life... It speaks to every area of human life and thought." 

 

Evangelism
Spurgeon’s Sermons on Soul-Winning - Charles Spurgeon
160 pages 

soul winning Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was born in Essex, England. Converted at a young age, Spurgeon delivered his first sermon when he was only sixteen and went on to become a pastor the following year. Within a short time he was preaching to more than ten thousand people at each service/ His long ministry in London resulted in sixty-three volumes of published sermons and the founding of several orphanages, as well as an evangelical pastors' college. He came to be known as the Prince of Preachers. 

This book is a collection of thirteen excellent sermons about evangelism. I highly encourage you to take time to read through these sermons and be encouraged, convicted, and excited in the area of soul winning. We are God's ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:18-20) and we have been entrusted with this incredible responsibility. Let us take very seriously our duty to be salt and light in this lost and dying world. 

Prayer
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God - Tim Keller
336 pages

PrayerPerhaps the most neglected discipline of the Christian life is that of prayer. Keller presents challenging and encouraging thoughts about prayer that will have you on your knees by the end of every chapter. Redeeming Grace Fellowship is going to be putting a great deal of emphasis on prayer at the beginning of 2016, and this book would be a great way to help kickstart your prayer life. 

An excerpt for a Review by the Gospel Coalition
"If you follow Keller into the arsenal, you will be powerfully equipped to overcome the world/flesh/Devil and see your prayers for kingdom advance answered by almighty God. And if you follow Keller to the banqueting table, you will increasingly feast on new and old treasures of awe and intimacy with your heavenly Father."

 

A Little More Challenging Reads

Definite Atonement
From Heaven He Came And Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective - David and Jonathan Gibson
704 pages

From Heaven He Came and Sought HerThe doctrine of Definite Atonement (also known as Limited Atonement or Particular Redemption) is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented teachings of the Scriptures. From Heaven He Came and Sought Her brilliantly and exhaustively presents the Biblical support for the doctrine, and the beauty of how it should change out lives. There are many contributors to this book including John Piper, Michael Haykin, Paul Helm, Stephen Wellum, and Carl Trueman. 

Review by J.I. Packer
“A massive product of exact and well-informed scholarship . . . with landmark significance. . . . I give this book top marks for its range of solid scholarship, cogency of argument, warmth of style, and zeal for the true glory of God. I recommend it most highly.”

 

Covenants
Kingdom Through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants - Peter Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum
848 pages

Kingdom Through CovenantAnyone seeking to learn about the nature of the Biblical covenants and how they relate to one another will find Kingdom Through Covenant to be a most helpful read. This book helps to explain why we are credo-baptists, why we require that church members be believers, and why we reject dispensationalism. Although this can be a challenging read, it is quite rewarding. 

Review by Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin
“The relationship between the covenants of Scripture is rightly considered to be central to the interpretation of the Bible. That there is some degree of continuity is obvious for it is the same God—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as well as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ—who has revealed himself and his will in the covenants. That there is, however, also significant discontinuity also seems patent since Scripture itself talks about a new covenant and the old one passing away. What has changed and what has not? Utterly vital questions to which this new book by Gentry and Wellum give satisfying and sound answers. Because of the importance of this subject and the exegetical and theological skill of the authors, their answers deserve a wide hearing. Highly recommended!” 

]]>
Give Thanks https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/give-thanks https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/give-thanks#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2015 10:00:00 -0500 https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/give-thanks God desires us to give thanks. Our hearts are joyful when we recognize His goodness towards us.

Psalm 95:1-7 says,

“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.”

These verses tell us several of the reasons why we should give thanks to God.

He is the “Rock of our salvation.” The word Rock represents permanence, strength, and consistency. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and His mercy is available to all who will believe.

“The Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods.” The false gods that were worshiped in the lands surrounding Israel, as well as the idols that populate our world today, promise great things but cannot deliver. There is only one True God and He is the only one who can fulfill His promises. Jesus will reign as King forever. Revelation 11:15 says, “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever’.”

“In His hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” We are thankful to God because He graciously created all things. He is worthy of all honor and thanks because everything we have ever seen is a gracious gift from His hand. Jesus is to be worshiped and honored for this very reason. Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” John 1:1-2 corroborates these truths by saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Paul adds in his letter to the Colossians 1:15-17, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by[f] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”
Ultimately, we are to worship Him because we are the sheep of His pasture. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Jesus says in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” This is the heart of the reason that we must be thankful. Those of us who have been saved will be declaring our thankfulness to God for eternity! He has redeemed our lives from the pit. He has rescued us from our own rebellious ambitions. He has made rebels into His children by sending His only Son to die on the cross, thereby paying our sin debt.

God is Great! God is Good. Let us be thankful, not only with our words, but with our whole heart and life. 
Happy Giving of Thanks!

]]>
God desires us to give thanks. Our hearts are joyful when we recognize His goodness towards us.

Psalm 95:1-7 says,

“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.”

These verses tell us several of the reasons why we should give thanks to God.

He is the “Rock of our salvation.” The word Rock represents permanence, strength, and consistency. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and His mercy is available to all who will believe.

“The Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods.” The false gods that were worshiped in the lands surrounding Israel, as well as the idols that populate our world today, promise great things but cannot deliver. There is only one True God and He is the only one who can fulfill His promises. Jesus will reign as King forever. Revelation 11:15 says, “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever’.”

“In His hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” We are thankful to God because He graciously created all things. He is worthy of all honor and thanks because everything we have ever seen is a gracious gift from His hand. Jesus is to be worshiped and honored for this very reason. Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” John 1:1-2 corroborates these truths by saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Paul adds in his letter to the Colossians 1:15-17, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by[f] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”
Ultimately, we are to worship Him because we are the sheep of His pasture. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Jesus says in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” This is the heart of the reason that we must be thankful. Those of us who have been saved will be declaring our thankfulness to God for eternity! He has redeemed our lives from the pit. He has rescued us from our own rebellious ambitions. He has made rebels into His children by sending His only Son to die on the cross, thereby paying our sin debt.

God is Great! God is Good. Let us be thankful, not only with our words, but with our whole heart and life. 
Happy Giving of Thanks!

]]>
Study the Trinity https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/study-the-trinity https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/study-the-trinity#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2015 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/study-the-trinity The study of the Trinity is of utmost significance. 

Three Reasons to study the Trinity. 

1. It is a fundamental aspect of the Christian faith. 
Heresy and heretic are words that get thrown around pretty lightly these days. These are words that we should be careful to use properly. They quite literally mean that someone has believed something that is false that has excluded them from the faith. One heresy that the Christian faith has always recognized is a rejection of the Trinity. 
The opening words of the Athanasian Creed states, "Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the universal* (Christian) faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the universal* (Christian) faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance."
The very basis of Christian beliefs is the understanding that God exists. We must seek to know Him as He is: One Essense, Three Persons - Three in One. We must not be lazy in our passion to know more about The Eternal King. This is square one, the very basis of everything that we are as Christians. We believe in the Trinity. Do not take this precious doctrine for granted.
2. It is necessary to have a proper understanding of what happened on the cross. 
If we fail to understand the Trinity, then the cross will never make sense. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. To whom was that payment being made? The answer - Jesus was paying our debt to God the Father. If we fail to study the economy (relationship) of the Trinity, then Jesus actions will always remain confusing. Developing a deeper understanding of the Trinity and the relationship between the person of the Godhead will help us to deepen our understanding of the gospel and the atonement that happened on the cross.
3. God Is Love
Christianity teaches that God is eternal. He was never created, He always existed. That is a thought that has kept me awake and perplexed many nights of my life. But, what we must also understand is that God was completely content wihtout us, and had no need to create us. He does not in any way depend on us for satisfaction or fulfilment. God created us simply because He desired to do so. Before creation, He was in an eternal loving relationship between the three persons of the godhead. 
This is foundational to the reality that God is love. If God was not Triune, then he could not have loved until He created something towards which He could show love. For example, the Muslim understanding of allah cannot not contain the notion that the essense of allah is love because love is depends on plurality. They believe that allah existed for eternity past without love. 
What a glorious reality, this truth that God is now, and has always been, showing love. 1 John 4:8 "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."

It is always worthwhile to learn more about God.
I encourage you, take an hour or two of your next week that would normally go to entertainment (sports, television, scrolling through Facebook statuses, etc.) and spend it studying the Trinity. Below are dozens of links to helpful content that will help you grow in your knowledge of the Triune God. There is something for everyone, beginners and learned theologians alike. 
How well do you know the doctrine of the Trinity? I encourage you to take the Quiz on Tim Challies blog. 
A Quiz on the Trinity.


Here are some great places to start in your journey to learning more about the Trinity.

Good Resources on the Trinity:

(each title is a link to the resource)

The Athanasian Creed

The Athanasian Creed Explained - R.C. Sproul

Free Articles: 

What is the Doctrine of the Trinity? - Matt Perman

Should I Pray to the Father, the Son, or the Spirit? - John Piper

The Trinity Is Not a Contradiction - R.C. Sproul

The Trinity and Culture - Gene Edward Veith 

Divine Architect - Don Kistler

The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity

A Simple Mystery - Burk Parsons

Trinitarian Salvation - R.C. Sproul

Triune Monarchy - R.C. Sproul

Answering Islam: The Historic Case for the Trinity  - K. Dayton Hartman II

Answering Muslim Objections to the Trinity - K. Dayton Hartman II

The Doctrine of the Trinity - Walter Martin

The Trinity in the Old Testament - Peter Wise

A Comprehensive Biblical Defense of the Trinity - Ben Rast

Can You Be a Christian and Deny the Trinity - John MacArthur

Free Audio Clips:

Delighting in the Trinity - Tony Reinke

Theology Refresh: The Doctrine of the Trinity - Jared Wilson

Did the Old Testament Jews Believe In a Triune God? - John Piper

Free Videos:

The Trinity in Two Minutes - John Piper

The Mystery of the Trinity (six part series) - R.C. Sproul

Trinity (9-part video series) - Michael Reeves

A Discussion About the Trinity - James White 

Free Sermons:

The Trinity of Persons - Bruce Ware

The Trinity Defended #1 - James White

The Trinity Defended #2 - James White

Books: 

One God in Three Persons: Unity of Essence, Distinction of Persons, Implications for Life - Edited By Bruce Ware

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Roles, and Relevance - Bruce Ware

The Forgotten Trinity - James White

The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship - Robert Letham

What is the Trinity? - R.C. Sproul

Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith - Michael Reeves 

Systematic Theology with good chapters about the Trinity:

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief - John Frame

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine - Wayne Grudem

Christian Theology - Millard J. Erickson

 

 

 

*In the Athanasian Creed, the word catholic has been translated as universal which is its original meaning. This is to avoid confusion with the modern day Roman Catholic religion. 

]]>
The study of the Trinity is of utmost significance. 

Three Reasons to study the Trinity. 

1. It is a fundamental aspect of the Christian faith. 
Heresy and heretic are words that get thrown around pretty lightly these days. These are words that we should be careful to use properly. They quite literally mean that someone has believed something that is false that has excluded them from the faith. One heresy that the Christian faith has always recognized is a rejection of the Trinity. 
The opening words of the Athanasian Creed states, "Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the universal* (Christian) faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the universal* (Christian) faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance."
The very basis of Christian beliefs is the understanding that God exists. We must seek to know Him as He is: One Essense, Three Persons - Three in One. We must not be lazy in our passion to know more about The Eternal King. This is square one, the very basis of everything that we are as Christians. We believe in the Trinity. Do not take this precious doctrine for granted.
2. It is necessary to have a proper understanding of what happened on the cross. 
If we fail to understand the Trinity, then the cross will never make sense. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. To whom was that payment being made? The answer - Jesus was paying our debt to God the Father. If we fail to study the economy (relationship) of the Trinity, then Jesus actions will always remain confusing. Developing a deeper understanding of the Trinity and the relationship between the person of the Godhead will help us to deepen our understanding of the gospel and the atonement that happened on the cross.
3. God Is Love
Christianity teaches that God is eternal. He was never created, He always existed. That is a thought that has kept me awake and perplexed many nights of my life. But, what we must also understand is that God was completely content wihtout us, and had no need to create us. He does not in any way depend on us for satisfaction or fulfilment. God created us simply because He desired to do so. Before creation, He was in an eternal loving relationship between the three persons of the godhead. 
This is foundational to the reality that God is love. If God was not Triune, then he could not have loved until He created something towards which He could show love. For example, the Muslim understanding of allah cannot not contain the notion that the essense of allah is love because love is depends on plurality. They believe that allah existed for eternity past without love. 
What a glorious reality, this truth that God is now, and has always been, showing love. 1 John 4:8 "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."

It is always worthwhile to learn more about God.
I encourage you, take an hour or two of your next week that would normally go to entertainment (sports, television, scrolling through Facebook statuses, etc.) and spend it studying the Trinity. Below are dozens of links to helpful content that will help you grow in your knowledge of the Triune God. There is something for everyone, beginners and learned theologians alike. 
How well do you know the doctrine of the Trinity? I encourage you to take the Quiz on Tim Challies blog. 
A Quiz on the Trinity.


Here are some great places to start in your journey to learning more about the Trinity.

Good Resources on the Trinity:

(each title is a link to the resource)

The Athanasian Creed

The Athanasian Creed Explained - R.C. Sproul

Free Articles: 

What is the Doctrine of the Trinity? - Matt Perman

Should I Pray to the Father, the Son, or the Spirit? - John Piper

The Trinity Is Not a Contradiction - R.C. Sproul

The Trinity and Culture - Gene Edward Veith 

Divine Architect - Don Kistler

The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity

A Simple Mystery - Burk Parsons

Trinitarian Salvation - R.C. Sproul

Triune Monarchy - R.C. Sproul

Answering Islam: The Historic Case for the Trinity  - K. Dayton Hartman II

Answering Muslim Objections to the Trinity - K. Dayton Hartman II

The Doctrine of the Trinity - Walter Martin

The Trinity in the Old Testament - Peter Wise

A Comprehensive Biblical Defense of the Trinity - Ben Rast

Can You Be a Christian and Deny the Trinity - John MacArthur

Free Audio Clips:

Delighting in the Trinity - Tony Reinke

Theology Refresh: The Doctrine of the Trinity - Jared Wilson

Did the Old Testament Jews Believe In a Triune God? - John Piper

Free Videos:

The Trinity in Two Minutes - John Piper

The Mystery of the Trinity (six part series) - R.C. Sproul

Trinity (9-part video series) - Michael Reeves

A Discussion About the Trinity - James White 

Free Sermons:

The Trinity of Persons - Bruce Ware

The Trinity Defended #1 - James White

The Trinity Defended #2 - James White

Books: 

One God in Three Persons: Unity of Essence, Distinction of Persons, Implications for Life - Edited By Bruce Ware

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Roles, and Relevance - Bruce Ware

The Forgotten Trinity - James White

The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship - Robert Letham

What is the Trinity? - R.C. Sproul

Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith - Michael Reeves 

Systematic Theology with good chapters about the Trinity:

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief - John Frame

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine - Wayne Grudem

Christian Theology - Millard J. Erickson

 

 

 

*In the Athanasian Creed, the word catholic has been translated as universal which is its original meaning. This is to avoid confusion with the modern day Roman Catholic religion. 

]]>
Why attend the men's conference? https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/why-attend-the-mens-conference https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/why-attend-the-mens-conference#comments Sun, 27 Sep 2015 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/why-attend-the-mens-conference Dear men of RGF, 

There are two notable reasons why I believe it is important for you make the men's conference a priority if you able to attend. If you have already committed yourself to attending, I would recommend that you register ASAP by giving your deposit to NSBC. Whether or not you have come to a decision about attending the retreat, I encourage you to read the following post, including the links to external blogposts.

If you are planning to attend, this will inform you of how you can be praying for personal growth and fellowship. For those who are undecided, this will hopefully help to encourage you to attend. 

1. Fellowship
As a new baby church, this will give us men an opportunity to develop closer bonds of fellowship as we study the Word, pray, worship, and relax together. Although we will be with a larger group of men from NSBC, we will make a point to separate on a few occasions to be with one another. 

2. Systematic Theology
Systematic theology shows us how all of the doctrines of God fit together. Christian's minds crave to increasingly understand God. Systematic theology builds the framework for our greater understanding. Understanding doctrine in a systematic way has helped me to gain more from sermons and personal Bible reading. I commend you to read these two articles about the importance of learning systematic theology by Randy Alcorn and Kevin DeYoung.

]]>
Dear men of RGF, 

There are two notable reasons why I believe it is important for you make the men's conference a priority if you able to attend. If you have already committed yourself to attending, I would recommend that you register ASAP by giving your deposit to NSBC. Whether or not you have come to a decision about attending the retreat, I encourage you to read the following post, including the links to external blogposts.

If you are planning to attend, this will inform you of how you can be praying for personal growth and fellowship. For those who are undecided, this will hopefully help to encourage you to attend. 

1. Fellowship
As a new baby church, this will give us men an opportunity to develop closer bonds of fellowship as we study the Word, pray, worship, and relax together. Although we will be with a larger group of men from NSBC, we will make a point to separate on a few occasions to be with one another. 

2. Systematic Theology
Systematic theology shows us how all of the doctrines of God fit together. Christian's minds crave to increasingly understand God. Systematic theology builds the framework for our greater understanding. Understanding doctrine in a systematic way has helped me to gain more from sermons and personal Bible reading. I commend you to read these two articles about the importance of learning systematic theology by Randy Alcorn and Kevin DeYoung.

]]>
Inaugural Prayer https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/inaugural-prayer https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/inaugural-prayer#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2015 16:00:00 -0400 https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/inaugural-prayer Inaugural Prayer for Redeeming Grace Fellowship
Given on Sunday, September 20th in the Year of Our Lord 2015

Dear Lord,
Good and sovereign Creator of all that was, is, and will ever come to be,
Great orchestrator of man’s affairs,
Awesome provider of salvation and sanctification to those You have called,
We seek more than Your help on this day and all days to come,
We seek Your complete dictation of this current endeavor
And your thorough permeation of these lives you have chosen for it.

We acknowledge that it is by Your choice and Your working that any one of us would have the privilege to be included in Your divine plan of planting a church in an area of such great need for the Gospel.

We acknowledge that You are the planter, that You are the grower, that You are the harvester and that we are simply the stewards through whom You have chosen to work.

We ask, Lord, that you prevent any one of us from interfering with Your great work. Much to the contrary, that You empower us – not by our efforts, nor by our intelligence, nor by our resources – but by Your Holy Spirit working in and through us, to carry out your mission with all holiness, righteousness, and constant reliance on You.

Please do a supernatural knitting together of our hearts, our minds, and our families to your glory and for the advancement of your kingdom. Divinely cause us to be hospitable to all and to draw them into the saving arms of Christ, into authentic fellowship with the brethren, and into an accurate knowledge of Your Scriptures.

Lord, please establish and maintain an accentuated unity among the brethren of Redeeming Grace Fellowship and enable us to spread that to all who join our family.

Please guard our congregation from poor leadership, from false teachers, and from forces that would seek to divide us and mishandle the Word. Send us men who are true to Biblical truth, who rightly divide the Word, and who are capable of effectively teaching it to others. Send us men who are driven by your spirit to tend to the physical needs of our church and its members. Send us men who are honest and of highest integrity to handle the financial workings of our local body. Send us men and women who aggressively care for the wellbeing of our members and are skilled in duplicating Godly character in our young people.

Lord, raise up amongst us men and women who are skilled and driven to witness for Your name in both word and deed.

Give us maturity in our thinking and the ability to perceive all things from Your point of view. Give us maturity in our actions so that we may do the hard and uncomfortable things that are necessary for the advancement of the Gospel. Give us maturity in our commitment to our brethren, to our local body, to prayer, to evangelism, to every effort You have sovereignly designed for the purpose of carrying out your plan.

We pray for our pastor and our pastors to come, that you would grow each of them in Christ’s character, that you would protect their wives and children from forces that would seek to disrupt their families, that You would empower their wives to be excellent models for and disciplers of the women in the church, and that You would supernaturally occupy the hearts and minds of their children, causing them to be obedient to their parents and to become powerful leaders in the church as they grow.

Would you please enable each congregant to exercise their spiritual gift for the building up of this body. Grant each of us the joy of being gifted and used by You. Allow us to see the fruit of our labors in edifying the brethren and in reaching the lost.

We ask You Lord to plant us in the location that is of Your divine choosing. We ask that You would grant us the privilege of seeing many come to Christ through this ministry. We ask that You would indeed mold each of us into the people You would have us be for Your sake, for Your glory. We ask that you be the Sovereign Lord of all that we do in and through Redeeming Grace Fellowship. Will you please be our all-encompassing master, now and forever.

We acknowledge that it is by the blood of Christ, and that alone, that we are able to speak to you of such things. Lord, here we are, send us. Use us to bring Your message of salvation, to bring a proper handling of Your Word, and to bring an authentic and genuine love of Christ to a part of our nation that is in such desperate need.

And may we throughout this entire endeavor, for as many days as You would see fit for us to engage in this ministry, give to You and You alone all of the glory, all of the praise, all of the trust, and all of the honor. In Christ’s holy authority, we ask all these things. Amen!

]]>
Inaugural Prayer for Redeeming Grace Fellowship
Given on Sunday, September 20th in the Year of Our Lord 2015

Dear Lord,
Good and sovereign Creator of all that was, is, and will ever come to be,
Great orchestrator of man’s affairs,
Awesome provider of salvation and sanctification to those You have called,
We seek more than Your help on this day and all days to come,
We seek Your complete dictation of this current endeavor
And your thorough permeation of these lives you have chosen for it.

We acknowledge that it is by Your choice and Your working that any one of us would have the privilege to be included in Your divine plan of planting a church in an area of such great need for the Gospel.

We acknowledge that You are the planter, that You are the grower, that You are the harvester and that we are simply the stewards through whom You have chosen to work.

We ask, Lord, that you prevent any one of us from interfering with Your great work. Much to the contrary, that You empower us – not by our efforts, nor by our intelligence, nor by our resources – but by Your Holy Spirit working in and through us, to carry out your mission with all holiness, righteousness, and constant reliance on You.

Please do a supernatural knitting together of our hearts, our minds, and our families to your glory and for the advancement of your kingdom. Divinely cause us to be hospitable to all and to draw them into the saving arms of Christ, into authentic fellowship with the brethren, and into an accurate knowledge of Your Scriptures.

Lord, please establish and maintain an accentuated unity among the brethren of Redeeming Grace Fellowship and enable us to spread that to all who join our family.

Please guard our congregation from poor leadership, from false teachers, and from forces that would seek to divide us and mishandle the Word. Send us men who are true to Biblical truth, who rightly divide the Word, and who are capable of effectively teaching it to others. Send us men who are driven by your spirit to tend to the physical needs of our church and its members. Send us men who are honest and of highest integrity to handle the financial workings of our local body. Send us men and women who aggressively care for the wellbeing of our members and are skilled in duplicating Godly character in our young people.

Lord, raise up amongst us men and women who are skilled and driven to witness for Your name in both word and deed.

Give us maturity in our thinking and the ability to perceive all things from Your point of view. Give us maturity in our actions so that we may do the hard and uncomfortable things that are necessary for the advancement of the Gospel. Give us maturity in our commitment to our brethren, to our local body, to prayer, to evangelism, to every effort You have sovereignly designed for the purpose of carrying out your plan.

We pray for our pastor and our pastors to come, that you would grow each of them in Christ’s character, that you would protect their wives and children from forces that would seek to disrupt their families, that You would empower their wives to be excellent models for and disciplers of the women in the church, and that You would supernaturally occupy the hearts and minds of their children, causing them to be obedient to their parents and to become powerful leaders in the church as they grow.

Would you please enable each congregant to exercise their spiritual gift for the building up of this body. Grant each of us the joy of being gifted and used by You. Allow us to see the fruit of our labors in edifying the brethren and in reaching the lost.

We ask You Lord to plant us in the location that is of Your divine choosing. We ask that You would grant us the privilege of seeing many come to Christ through this ministry. We ask that You would indeed mold each of us into the people You would have us be for Your sake, for Your glory. We ask that you be the Sovereign Lord of all that we do in and through Redeeming Grace Fellowship. Will you please be our all-encompassing master, now and forever.

We acknowledge that it is by the blood of Christ, and that alone, that we are able to speak to you of such things. Lord, here we are, send us. Use us to bring Your message of salvation, to bring a proper handling of Your Word, and to bring an authentic and genuine love of Christ to a part of our nation that is in such desperate need.

And may we throughout this entire endeavor, for as many days as You would see fit for us to engage in this ministry, give to You and You alone all of the glory, all of the praise, all of the trust, and all of the honor. In Christ’s holy authority, we ask all these things. Amen!

]]>
Study the Gospels https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/study-the-gospels https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/study-the-gospels#comments Sun, 20 Sep 2015 23:00:00 -0400 https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/study-the-gospels In the inaugural sermon of RGF, I used selections of this quote from J.C. Ryle and the significance it had in directing me to preach through the gospel of Mark for the first sermon series at our new church. I hope that you read this and become more committed to studying the person and work of Jesus as it is presented in the four gospels. - Pastor Caleb

“It would be well if professing Christians in modern days studied the four Gospels more than they do. No doubt all Scripture is profitable. It is not wise to exalt one part of the Bible at the expense of another. But I think it would be good for some who are very familiar with the Epistles, if they knew a little more about Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Now, why do I say this? I say it because I want professing Christians to know more about Christ. It is well to be acquainted with all the doctrines and principles of Christianity.It is better to be acquainted with Christ Himself. It is well to be familiar with faith, and grace, and justification, and sanctification. They are all matters ‘pertaining to the King.’ But it is far better to be familiar with Jesus Himself, to see the King’s own face, and to behold His beauty. This is one secret of eminent holiness.

He that would be conformed to Christ’s image, and become a Christ-like man, must be constantly studying Christ Himself. Now the Gospels were written to make us acquainted with Christ. The Holy Ghost has told us the story of His life and death,—His sayings and His doings, four times over. Four different inspired hands have drawn the picture of the Saviour. His ways, His manners, His feelings, His wisdom, His grace, His patience, His love, His power, are graciously unfolded to us by four different witnesses.

Ought not the sheep to be familiar with the Shepherd? Ought not the patient to be familiar with the Physician? Ought not the bride to be familiar with the Bridegroom? Ought not the sinner to be familiar with the Saviour? Beyond doubt it ought to be so. The Gospels were written to make men familiar with Christ, and therefore I wish men to study the Gospels.

On whom must we build our souls if we would be accepted with God? We must build on the rock, Christ. From whom must we draw that grace of the Spirit which we daily need in order to be fruitful? We must draw from the vine, Christ. To whom must we look for sympathy when earthly friends fail us or die? We must look to our elder brother, Christ. By whom must our prayers be presented, if they are to be heard on high? They must be presented by our advocate, Christ. With whom do we hope to spend the thousand years of glory, and the after eternity? With the King of kings, Christ.

Surely we cannot know this Christ too well! Surely there is not a word, nor a deed, nor a day, nor a step, nor a thought in the record of His life, which ought not to be precious to us.

We should labour to be familiar with every line that is written about Jesus.”

–J.C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties and Roots (London: William Hunt and Company, 1889), 278–279.

]]>
In the inaugural sermon of RGF, I used selections of this quote from J.C. Ryle and the significance it had in directing me to preach through the gospel of Mark for the first sermon series at our new church. I hope that you read this and become more committed to studying the person and work of Jesus as it is presented in the four gospels. - Pastor Caleb

“It would be well if professing Christians in modern days studied the four Gospels more than they do. No doubt all Scripture is profitable. It is not wise to exalt one part of the Bible at the expense of another. But I think it would be good for some who are very familiar with the Epistles, if they knew a little more about Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Now, why do I say this? I say it because I want professing Christians to know more about Christ. It is well to be acquainted with all the doctrines and principles of Christianity.It is better to be acquainted with Christ Himself. It is well to be familiar with faith, and grace, and justification, and sanctification. They are all matters ‘pertaining to the King.’ But it is far better to be familiar with Jesus Himself, to see the King’s own face, and to behold His beauty. This is one secret of eminent holiness.

He that would be conformed to Christ’s image, and become a Christ-like man, must be constantly studying Christ Himself. Now the Gospels were written to make us acquainted with Christ. The Holy Ghost has told us the story of His life and death,—His sayings and His doings, four times over. Four different inspired hands have drawn the picture of the Saviour. His ways, His manners, His feelings, His wisdom, His grace, His patience, His love, His power, are graciously unfolded to us by four different witnesses.

Ought not the sheep to be familiar with the Shepherd? Ought not the patient to be familiar with the Physician? Ought not the bride to be familiar with the Bridegroom? Ought not the sinner to be familiar with the Saviour? Beyond doubt it ought to be so. The Gospels were written to make men familiar with Christ, and therefore I wish men to study the Gospels.

On whom must we build our souls if we would be accepted with God? We must build on the rock, Christ. From whom must we draw that grace of the Spirit which we daily need in order to be fruitful? We must draw from the vine, Christ. To whom must we look for sympathy when earthly friends fail us or die? We must look to our elder brother, Christ. By whom must our prayers be presented, if they are to be heard on high? They must be presented by our advocate, Christ. With whom do we hope to spend the thousand years of glory, and the after eternity? With the King of kings, Christ.

Surely we cannot know this Christ too well! Surely there is not a word, nor a deed, nor a day, nor a step, nor a thought in the record of His life, which ought not to be precious to us.

We should labour to be familiar with every line that is written about Jesus.”

–J.C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties and Roots (London: William Hunt and Company, 1889), 278–279.

]]>
King Zog of Long Island https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/king-zog-of-long-island https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/king-zog-of-long-island#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2015 10:00:00 -0400 https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/king-zog-of-long-island As I have been scouring Long Island for a location for our church plant to gather, I have come across a significant number of facinating and obscure places. Perhaps the most surprising is the ruins of the home of a former Albanian monarch by the name of Ahmet Muhtar Zogolli which can be found in Syosset. (Americans had a difficult time pronouncing his name so he became known as King Zog for short.) Below is an image of the of the formerly gorgeous mansion juxtaposed with a recent photo of the ruins. 

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As I have reflected on this place, I have been impacted by two biblical truths.

1. The Folly in Stiving After Possession, Fame, or Earthly Glory
I love history. I have studied it extensively both in college and for pleasure. Yet, I had never heard mention of King Zog. Until recently, if you were to ask me who King Zog was, I would have probably guessed that he was a character from a Dr. Suess book. One thing that becomes strikingly apparent from the ruins of his home is that earthly glory, earthly fame, and earthly possessions do not last. 

8526558632_e9dee60236_o

Ecclesiastes teaches us that our efforts to gain fame, possessions, or a legacy are merely stivings after the wind. Jesus taught a parable of a rich man in Luke 12. The man was hard working, wealthy, and prepared to retire. One day he looked over his wealth and decided that he was ready to "take his ease" and to "eat, drink, and be merry."The interesting thing is that the rich man would be considered a good and wise man by the world's standards. But in verse 20, God calls refers to him by the oposite moniker. "But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” God defines a fool as one who has ignored the only treasure that matters, Jesus Christ. In Him we have been given new life, new hope, and future glory! 

King Zog was a Muslim when he was crowned. I am uncertain of whether or not he ever placed his faith in King Jesus. I hope that he did. He died of an unknown illness in 1961.

I commend you to seek the only treasure that matters. Run to Jesus. Here are a few final verses to reflect on this truth.

"...One's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." - Luke 12:15

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-21

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" - Matthew 16:26

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." - Matthew 6:31-33

2. The Need for Christ's Work in Redeeming Grace Fellowship.
Kingdoms fall, buildings decay, and eventually everything on this earth comes to ruin. As I was reading about King Zog, I recieved an email from someone about church planting. It mentioned a blogpost about the statistics of church planting. They are dismal. The overwhelming majority of church plants fail within the first two years. As I look at the ruins of this great mansion above, I am reminded that Redeeming Grace Fellowship has no guarentee of longevity. Please join me in consistent, fervent prayer for the life of this baby church. Unless Jesus builds it, we labor in vain (Psalm 127:1). I desire that RGF will serve as a lighthouse of the gospel long after I die. My hope is that the Lord will allow us to grow and thrive as a congregation on Long Island. Jesus will build His church, and I hope that He uses us in amazing ways to accomplish His purposes. 

May His will be done, soli Deo gloria. 

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 If you would like to learn more about King Zog's home on Long Island, you can find a great deal of information here. All other information about Zog was found through Wikipedia

 

 

 

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As I have been scouring Long Island for a location for our church plant to gather, I have come across a significant number of facinating and obscure places. Perhaps the most surprising is the ruins of the home of a former Albanian monarch by the name of Ahmet Muhtar Zogolli which can be found in Syosset. (Americans had a difficult time pronouncing his name so he became known as King Zog for short.) Below is an image of the of the formerly gorgeous mansion juxtaposed with a recent photo of the ruins. 

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As I have reflected on this place, I have been impacted by two biblical truths.

1. The Folly in Stiving After Possession, Fame, or Earthly Glory
I love history. I have studied it extensively both in college and for pleasure. Yet, I had never heard mention of King Zog. Until recently, if you were to ask me who King Zog was, I would have probably guessed that he was a character from a Dr. Suess book. One thing that becomes strikingly apparent from the ruins of his home is that earthly glory, earthly fame, and earthly possessions do not last. 

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Ecclesiastes teaches us that our efforts to gain fame, possessions, or a legacy are merely stivings after the wind. Jesus taught a parable of a rich man in Luke 12. The man was hard working, wealthy, and prepared to retire. One day he looked over his wealth and decided that he was ready to "take his ease" and to "eat, drink, and be merry."The interesting thing is that the rich man would be considered a good and wise man by the world's standards. But in verse 20, God calls refers to him by the oposite moniker. "But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” God defines a fool as one who has ignored the only treasure that matters, Jesus Christ. In Him we have been given new life, new hope, and future glory! 

King Zog was a Muslim when he was crowned. I am uncertain of whether or not he ever placed his faith in King Jesus. I hope that he did. He died of an unknown illness in 1961.

I commend you to seek the only treasure that matters. Run to Jesus. Here are a few final verses to reflect on this truth.

"...One's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." - Luke 12:15

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:19-21

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" - Matthew 16:26

"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." - Matthew 6:31-33

2. The Need for Christ's Work in Redeeming Grace Fellowship.
Kingdoms fall, buildings decay, and eventually everything on this earth comes to ruin. As I was reading about King Zog, I recieved an email from someone about church planting. It mentioned a blogpost about the statistics of church planting. They are dismal. The overwhelming majority of church plants fail within the first two years. As I look at the ruins of this great mansion above, I am reminded that Redeeming Grace Fellowship has no guarentee of longevity. Please join me in consistent, fervent prayer for the life of this baby church. Unless Jesus builds it, we labor in vain (Psalm 127:1). I desire that RGF will serve as a lighthouse of the gospel long after I die. My hope is that the Lord will allow us to grow and thrive as a congregation on Long Island. Jesus will build His church, and I hope that He uses us in amazing ways to accomplish His purposes. 

May His will be done, soli Deo gloria. 

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 If you would like to learn more about King Zog's home on Long Island, you can find a great deal of information here. All other information about Zog was found through Wikipedia

 

 

 

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A New Church, An Old Mission https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/a-new-church-an-old-mission https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/a-new-church-an-old-mission#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2015 21:00:00 -0400 https://www.levittownbaptist.com/blog/post/a-new-church-an-old-mission "Why are you starting your own church?" I have been asked this question by many people over the course of the last two years as I have been taking baby steps towards Redeeming Grace Fellowship's actual birth. The reason is simple, I am not. This is not "my" church, it belongs to Jesus. He is the builder and sustainer of this church. (Matthew 16:18, Psalm 127:1)

PURPOSE
We are planting a church on Long Island because we beleive that there are many people who wake up, live their days, and go to bed without ever having been confronted by the truth of the gospel. People are comfortably unaware of King Jesus. We want there to be a lighthouse of truth, a fountain of the gospel flowing out of our congregation. We desire to see many people come to know the salvation that can only be found in Christ. 

REDEEMING GRACE
Redeeming Grace Fellowship is the moniker by which we have decided to be known. We have chosen this name because we know that each and every member of our church is undeserving of the relationship that we have with God. God is perfect in His holiness and cannot allow sin into His presence; therefore we all deserve eternal punishment under His wrath. But thanks be to God! Even when we were dead in our trespasses, He has made has made us alive in Christ. Jesus' death on the cross covered all of the sins of everyone who would ever place their faith in Him. (Ephesians 2:1-9,  Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 5:21)

FELLOWSHIP
Because we are redeemed by His grace, we have fellowship with one another. (1 John 1:7, Acts 2:42, Hebrews 13:16, John 13:34) Church is first and foremost about worshiping God through hearing the Word, singing the Word, reading the Word, and praying the Word. But God also designed it to be a place for us to show love to one another by preaching the gospel to one another as we encourage, admonish, and serve the household of faith. We rejoice with, weep with, and suffer with one another. This requires that every member of the church use their God-given gifts to edify the rest of the body. (1 Corinthians 12:1-31) 

So, we will go forth in faith, believing that God is working in and through our efforts. We know that God is working on Long Island and we are excited to be part of it. To Him be the glory and honor and praise. 

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"Why are you starting your own church?" I have been asked this question by many people over the course of the last two years as I have been taking baby steps towards Redeeming Grace Fellowship's actual birth. The reason is simple, I am not. This is not "my" church, it belongs to Jesus. He is the builder and sustainer of this church. (Matthew 16:18, Psalm 127:1)

PURPOSE
We are planting a church on Long Island because we beleive that there are many people who wake up, live their days, and go to bed without ever having been confronted by the truth of the gospel. People are comfortably unaware of King Jesus. We want there to be a lighthouse of truth, a fountain of the gospel flowing out of our congregation. We desire to see many people come to know the salvation that can only be found in Christ. 

REDEEMING GRACE
Redeeming Grace Fellowship is the moniker by which we have decided to be known. We have chosen this name because we know that each and every member of our church is undeserving of the relationship that we have with God. God is perfect in His holiness and cannot allow sin into His presence; therefore we all deserve eternal punishment under His wrath. But thanks be to God! Even when we were dead in our trespasses, He has made has made us alive in Christ. Jesus' death on the cross covered all of the sins of everyone who would ever place their faith in Him. (Ephesians 2:1-9,  Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 5:21)

FELLOWSHIP
Because we are redeemed by His grace, we have fellowship with one another. (1 John 1:7, Acts 2:42, Hebrews 13:16, John 13:34) Church is first and foremost about worshiping God through hearing the Word, singing the Word, reading the Word, and praying the Word. But God also designed it to be a place for us to show love to one another by preaching the gospel to one another as we encourage, admonish, and serve the household of faith. We rejoice with, weep with, and suffer with one another. This requires that every member of the church use their God-given gifts to edify the rest of the body. (1 Corinthians 12:1-31) 

So, we will go forth in faith, believing that God is working in and through our efforts. We know that God is working on Long Island and we are excited to be part of it. To Him be the glory and honor and praise. 

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