The Bard of Roth Classic Worship Jukebox

 

Thanks be to the Record Boxx a German Blog for this Classic Worship Song.

Bard of Roth's Classic Worship Juke Box

That brazen heaven which stands between us and GOd, can be removed only by the finish of Christ plus nothing on our part.   

Schaeffer, Francis A. True Spirituality. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 2001. Print.

Book Review for The Trouble wtih Paris

Mark Sayer’s book The Trouble with Paris examines the way Modern Consumerism has been exalted to the “New Religion”.  Sayers shows that corporate America has erected plastic Idols that manipulate consumers to always want more, and more, and even more of that plastic stuff.  But just like that song by the Rolling Stones, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"  the believer is left empty.    “Human beings are used and discarded like Styrofoam boxes that held junk food.”¹ 

When we worship made things instead of our LORD we are left with a hyper-reality.   This hyper-reality is a vacuum that leaves worshipers empty.    “Reality is not considered an impediment to desire.”² Corporate America has a vested interest in keeping us unhappy so they can cure this pain by supplying us with endless happy meals with a toy included inside.  

Sayer also states that our kill joys happen when we compare ourselves with the Joneses.   When Mr. Jones buys a new Corvette, or moves to the better part of town; he leaves us with our broken down car, and our adequate house we feel a sense of shame that we are not making enough.  

The American Debt traders say, “Don’t worry be happy, and buy this new Chevrolet; if you don’t you’ll regret your life forever!”  The market also attempts to terrorize us with too many choices, just look down the aisle for Spaghetti sauce.   What is the best one?  There are way too many to compare, how do we make a decision without that feeling of guilt?  We could stand there for thirty minutes, in order to make a good decision. 

Death is the spotlight that the creed of hyper-reality is fraudulent and a heretical religion.  More money cannot conquer the effects of gravity and the ultimate end from this world.   But we can control our expectations.

The good

Mark Sayers brings an important thesis to the Mass Market Christian.

The bad

The book stumbles in some of its Theological Presuppositions.   I am not sure that Sayers has a firm grasp on the triune god; it seemed that he made Jesus a separate entity from God.   This is a classical heretical misstep. 

The Conclusion

“Christian Lite” book that will sharpen our focus on our relationship to and in Consumer America.

¹Hedges, Chris. "American Psychosis." Adbusters (2010). Print.

² Ibid.  

Plastic Jesus

When we put anything above God we make God less than man.  

John Owen part 7:16

Oconnell LG Incredible Melting Man

John Owen part 7a:16

As Larry Kirk in his sermon on 11.20.2011 at Christ Community Church said, Justification only comes in this order:  (F)Faith + (J)Acceptance by God (Justification) = (C)results in a changed life of Good works lived for God.     The devil inside us all attempts to re-arrange the order of F+J=C; if we attempt this, there is no way out, and the road is a last exit ramp to Hell.    Tomorrow we will go further into the argument by John Owens in Chapter 7.

Funny moment on blogging:  Chapter 7 became an automated link that took you to a lawyer firm that offered assistance in divorce hearings.  So always recheck your posts to see if Google has automatically linked a service not intended for your passage.  

 Speak Friend and Enter

There are no secrets, speak of Friend and Enter.

Idea comes from the Sermon by Larry Kirk, on November 20, 2011

Justified!

Series: True Freedom: Paul's Letter to the Galatians

John Owen part 6:16

2Co 4:15  For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Do we go to Church to add anything to the LORD?  Nope.  But Worship is needed in the renewing of our minds.  We are driven to worship something, if it is not God, our LORD, our Christ than we are bound to the wages of sin.   The company of believers will encourage us to cling to the LORD in all of our endeavors.

As a man nailed to the cross; he first struggles, and strives, and cries out with great strength and might, but, as his blood and spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his cries low and hoarse, scarce to be heard; — when a man first sets on a lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cries with earnestness and impatience to be satisfied and relieved; but when by mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldom and faintly, cries sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; it may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an appearance of great vigour and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success.

A sin left unscratched will not keep that sin from appearing as a rash. We, Christian Men, must use constant diligence in order to search our sin, tell of our sin to other men, and then ask the LORD to show us how to move from that sin.  It is a day to day journey into our hearts of darkness.  We can not bear this burden. If we do not cling to the cross (and allow Christ to feel us with his love), then we will become mastered by our rogue sins.

This chapter is so rich that I will probably re-read numerous times.  It has so much to say but the big idea I cam away with was the above.

Owen, John (2010-07-29). Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers - Enhanced Version (Kindle Locations 696-701). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

αἰχμαλωτίζοντα.
the law - of sin which is in the members of me.

Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Bard of Roth's Classic Worship Juke Box

John Owen part 5:16

5:16

Do not be deceived; the seeds of sin lay dormant in your repentant heart.  Do not turn away from your daily renewal with God, (E.G. reading the bible, fellowship with other believers, and prayer).  God does not cleanse us totally of our sin until the day we meet him (meaning when we die).   We must take care to understand that sin's dormancy can erupt when we are tired, over confident, or feeling any extreme emotions. Sin will attack us when we least expect it, like a Terrorist Splintered Cell.  We must dust ourselves off, and begin our walk again down the glory-road. 

If we sin than we must not give up our desire to be sheltered by God's loving wing.

Comments Desired

John Owen the Mortificiation of Sin part II

4:16
now let the heart be cleansed by mortification, the weeds of lust constantly and daily rooted up (as they spring daily, nature being their proper soil), let room be made for grace to thrive and flourish, —

Owen, John (2010-07-29). Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers - Enhanced Version (Kindle Locations 559-561). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

If you don't weed your garden than the weeds will choke any of the beneficial soil from it.  So it is with the hearts of man, if you don't feed on the word of god then the daily tribulations will choke off the fertile soil in which you will grow more and more in Christ each day.  Not saying that the end point is determined by our work, but it is a matter of when do you want peace in your life? Do you want to have a life of constant trials and in the end find the Lord has blessed you from the start? The question is time related.   The end point will be God's doing.  Also this does not mean you will be able to walk 100% in pure motives for sin lays dormant (more on this tomorrow).

Comments Desired.

Get Inspired with Mo Leverett

Check out Mo Leverett's facebook Page to get inspired.
I am thankful for his facebook ministry.

Wyatt Folds (a retired pastor and good friend) gave me the names for a few classic Christian Apologists.

I would like to see more of these authors read for Libri-Vox.   Libri-Vox has helped me read John Owen by listening and reading along with the narrator.   At times I pause the reading to look up scripture that is cited in the text, then I continue with listening and reading.





 The Names Included:  William Guthrie, Murry Mc. Cheyne, Samuel Rutherford, Andrew Bonar, D.M. M'intyre, David Dixon, James Durham, R. Blair, John Owen, Thomas Chalmers, Walter Marshall

Reflections from the Readings of John Owens the Mortificiation of Sin

3:16 Our bodies can not do the works he had to accomplish in us (Vicarium Navere Operam) without the endowment of the Holy Spirit.   We know the Spirit is alive in us when our bodies groan; when we are plagued by guilt. 

It is the spirit that is moving our frozen hearts and melting into us the love of God.   This love is a fire and can cause us the same type of pain. that is felt when we come in from the cold.  But we must leave the frozen old selves to become one in God's loving design.  

And what of those who are determined to do it by their own self, (without the aide of God's Grace)? They will find that the battle against sin waged   outside of Christ is a cycle built on addiction and no recovery.   

You can for awhile build an addiction to accomplishment, but these efforts will become cold;  thinking that you have conquered the sin you will go back again to your old ways. The feeling of failure will become greater and greater till one day you no longer attempt to stop yourself from your natural desires.   

The natural desires of sin are built on a law of diminishing returns. The enjoyment that ones gets from sinning will become more and more dissatisfying.    The only satisfaction to cure the Christ shaped hole in your heart is to repent and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in this life.  

Reflections From Reading John Owens the Mortificiation of Sin Chapter 3             Tomorrow Chapter 4 of John Owens Mortification of Sin. 

Heaven and Hell USe Of Words

The use of Heaven(blue) and hell(red) in the Modern Age.
The 1960's was a low period for the discussion of Heaven but it is making a comeback.   

So for Heaven's sake say Heavenly thoughts to your neighbor today.  And pray for a revival of Reformed Christianity in your Neighborhood.   The reason behind this was that I am currently reading Palahniuk's Hell; which sparked a need to look at the use of the words Heaven and Hell.  There is no Heaven without hell.  No Hell without Heaven.

 The Ngram Google Graph maker produced this chart for our viewing.