Cultivating Passion to Preach!

"What fuels passion in the heart of a preacher? Is passion simply an expression of a person's native personality... natural disposition? What is it that fuels passion in the heart of a preacher? I'm not saying volume necessarily. I'm saying passion. Something that is evident and obvious and clear for people to see. What is it that arouses enthusiasm within the man of God so that his preaching is more than just a cold recitation of facts but a vigorous expression of a kind of internal combustion? What is it that stimulates a sense of urgency within the heart of a man that stands behind the sacred desk? For me, dear friends, it comes from asking myself a question. Once all the bible study is through, and all the verbs parced, and all the diagrams drawn, and all the reading done, and I've finally arrived at some conclusions about the meaning of the text at hand, I then ask myself a question: What is the price of ignoring this truth? What is the price of ignoring this truth? What would be the price paid in the lives of people were they never to know this truth? Or suddenly this particular portion of the scriptures to be extricated from the Sacred text? Or God never to reveal this truth to us? What would be the cost? What would be the debilitation to us? Even more personally, dear friends, to what extent would the sanctification of the people of Christ Community Church be impaired were they kept from this truth? I typically begin asking myself this every Monday morning. And as the week draws to an end, I begin to ask it with greater intensity. And there are times on Saturday night, I go to bed asking myself this question over, and over, and over again... how will the people of Christ Community Church be debilitated, be compromised were this particular truth kept from them? I begin to ask myself that question and others like them and before long I come to believe that the message at hand is the most important thing I've ever preached. Now of course I understand that every week can't be the single most important thing I've ever preached. I know that logically. But that fact is, when I consider the truth of the word of God, its value for our lives, and the implications for us, were that truth ignored, passion comes very easily!" - Arturo G. Azurdia

O for Zion!!!

Who are we as a people? We, the church, are an holy nation, a spiritual priesthood.
What is our Promised Land? Zion, also called the New Jerusalem found in the New Heavens and New Earth.
Who are our enemies to overcome that we might inherit that land? Our enemies are without number and mighty. These are every high thought of ours that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, which is the Gospel of our Salvation.
What is our fight then? Our fight is not against flesh and blood but it is a spiritual warring against lies and deceptions in our hearts. It is the fight against unbelief so that it can properly be called the good fight of faith.
But if our heart is deceitful, how then shall we conquer? By the power of the Holy Ghost through whom we are said to be more than conquerors.
Is this conquering by the Spirit total and complete in victory? In this life, we do not yet experience the fullness of the victory over sin and death, but only in part. The victory won for us in Jesus Christ will be experienced in completeness on that final day, when we are said to overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb.
Who then shall receive honor for the final possession of this land? Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, the captain of our salvation and hope of glory. He is not only the Author of but also the Finisher of our faith. Praise be to God for this victory.

Why Expositional Preaching is Particularly Glorifying to God

I highly recommend this sermon by John Piper preached at the 2006 "Together for the Gospel" Conference. To download, right click here and select "save as". Grace and Peace!

No Weapon That is Formed Against Thee Shall Prosper

No Weapon that is Formed Against Thee Shall Prosper

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." Isa 54:17


O what glorious truth it is to know the mercies of God in salvation! Our great Saviour infinite in wisdom and power has made it so that we might enjoy the benefits of His fellowship by bringing us to God through His blood.

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper…" The mockers and accusers will not prevail in that final day, Christian. "LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah." (Ps 3:1-2) Despair of soul is natural to the hearts of men. We were born "fearful and unbelieving" but it is the grace of God that puts the courage in our souls to continue on to say, "But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head." (v.3) Men may shoot their arrows at us, but they will never overcome the one covered in the blood of the Lamb. The man that has the helmet of salvation (Eph 6:17) and the breastplate of Christ's righteousness (Eph 6:14) has all his vital organs protected and will never finally perish. As it is written, "O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle." (Ps 140:7) As in the case of Job, the God in the heavens may allow us to suffer wounds that we may trust more and more in the sufficiency of that armor, but He will never remove that armor from us because it has the pleased the LORD to make you His people. (1 Sam 12:22)

"…every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn." The devil is the one that accuses us before God day and night. But it is the power of Christ to save that casts down all accusations (Rev 12:10) for "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Rom 8:33-34) Christ, our Great High Priest makes intercession for all of those whom the Father has given Him. This is seen in Jn 17:9, "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine." This did not cease once he left this earth but our High Priest continues to make intercession for His people. "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Heb 7:25 It is because of the finished work of the blood shedding of Christ for His people that we will overcome the accuser. "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Rev 12:10-11 When our Lord cried out "It is finished" on that cross, it is clear that propitiation and redemption was accomplished for every single one of Jesus' sheep from the least to the greatest (Jn 10: 11, 15) and that because of that triumphant work, we are empowered to become overcomers with Him. Praise be to God for the victory.

"This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD…" Take special note here of the definitive nature of this phrase, "This IS the heritage of them"! All those who were ordained to eternal life (Acts 13:48) were also ordained to be overcomers (Eph 2:10). These are the same that the Lamb of God has shed His blood for "that he might bring us to God". (1 Pet 3:18) O Dear Saint, do you see the wonder of the triune working? The Father chose us, the Son died for us, and the Spirit applied that work to us in regeneration! "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom 8:31)

"…and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." This supreme salvation is not because of our own righteousness. If we were left to our own righteousness, we surely would perish. "For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah." Ps 44:6-8 Are there any out there that desire to make attempts to justify yourself by law keeping? You may say, "Well that is fine for the weak man but not for me. No sir, just give me the law book and I will keep them perfectly. God will let me in to heaven because I am a good person." O how my heart trembles for you, neighbor! "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?" (Gal 4:21) James here reminds us, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
(Jam 2:10) Have you offended in even one point? Have you always kept the greatest commandment? "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." Mt 22:37-38 We all are failures and are in need of grace. Those that seek to justify themselves by law keeping miss the whole point. The law reveals both our need for Christ and the Christ himself. "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Rom 10:4 Do you see? The end of the law is "Christ for righteousness". All those and only that will overcome in the end are those that have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. I invite you today, whether you have had Christ as your refuge for years or whether you are an enemy outside the camp, lay down your swords. They will not save you. As it is written, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 Jn 5:5)

So the LORD commands and invites you, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." (Acts 16:31) Cast yourself upon Him today. Place your trust and confidence in the finished work of Christ as the only saving power and in His righteousness as the only perfect righteousness for salvation. Coming to Christ and believing on Him is the only way salvation comes. "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. … and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (Jn 6:40, 37) To God alone be the Glory.

As the Rain Cometh Down

I went for a walk in the rain Saturday.

Check out the rest of the pics here.