A "Dangerous" Christian

Jim Elliot is one of the most well known martyrs of our time. One of my professors from SEBTS recently had a blog post of many of Elliot's most famous quotes. A couple really stuck out to me.

“We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon with. But we are “harmless,” and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places. We are “sideliners” — coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!”


Did you catch that? Far too many of us are content to stand on the sidelines of this war. We are mostly unharmed because we are harmless. We don't do anything that would make our enemy harm us because we are pacifists, not wanting to engage.

This makes me think about a few years ago when I was the leader of our group of kids at children's camp. We were playing paintball and had made a plan that on go, we were all going to go to different bunkers. When the horn sounded I ran for my bunker only to realize none of the children had run for theirs! They were afraid to engage and therefore harmless to the other team. Far too many Christians are this same way. We want to sit back in our Christianity and let others be in the line of fire.

I pray that we would become "dangerous" Christians. That we would be in the line of fire. This means that our lives will not be easy. This means that we may have some casualties. But we have been on the sidelines long enough when we have been given clear orders to engage the enemy and win souls to Christ. I close with one more quote from Jim Elliot that I offer as a prayer for myself and all who read this:

“Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another after facing Christ in me.”  Amen.

This Changes Everything

I have a new favorite song! I love this song for a lot of reasons, most of which being that it really makes me take a look at my life and how I am living. I downloaded this song about a week ago and have listened to it several times a day since then. Matt Papa is a Christian artist who I got to know a little in Seminary. He is a great guy and really seeks to exalt God in his music. This is just a small part of the song "This Changes Everything".


Oh lord have I become a man
Too scared to be a child again?
Too comfortable with amazing grace;
Familiar with the empty grave?
Did I miss something, or have I begun to lie;
Do I really live, like "Jesus is alive"?

If this is true, this changes everything
If this is real, I've got to tell the world
If He is God, then I've got choice to make
If I believe, then I must follow Him!

How great are those lyrics? I am not a big crier but those lyrics almost bring me to tears. Have we heard the "story" of Jesus so much that it no longer has any bearing on the way we live our lives? If it is true that there was a man who lived, died, and then came back to life, that has to change everything!

We cannot read the Scripture like it is a children's story. We have to realize that it is a true story that really happened. It has to change everything in our lives! What are you going to do? Are you going to keep living your life for yourself or are you going to really live like Jesus is alive and begin to tell people this amazing news?

I encourage you to go to the Itunes store and buy this song. It is only $.99. If you can afford the entire album there are a lot of other good songs on it.

Pray for our President

I recently received an email that got me thinking. I have reposted the email in its entirety below:

"We were in slow-moving traffic the other day and we were stopped behind a car that had an unusual Obama bumper sticker on it. It read: "Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

When we got home my wife got out the Bible and opened it up to the scripture. She started laughing & laughing. Then she read it to me. I couldn't believe what it said. I had a good laugh, too.

Psalm 109:8 ~ "Let his days be few and brief; and let others step forward to replace him."

At last -- I can honestly voice a Biblical prayer for our president! Look it up -- it is word for word! Let us all bow our heads and pray."

I am by no means a lover of President Obama but being a Christian I know that I am commanded by Scripture to pray for him. I can guarantee you that this prayer is not what God had in mind. If you continue and read the remainder of Psalm 109 it says, "May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. God would not be pleased with any Christian praying for the president to be killed. 

This email may have been sent around in fun or just for a laugh but we must think clearly through the emails that we send on a daily basis. If Christians are not willing to pray for the man that God has put in charge of this country then our country is in trouble. We do not have to agree with everything that President Obama does but we do have to submit to his authority as long is it does not contradict the Word of God. 

I ask that you would take a second and pray for our country and our president that God would give him wisdom and direction. 

Daily Devotional

I have been told that there are several students here at CFB who are looking for a deeper relationship with God. That is some of the best news that a Student Pastor can hear! I want to be here for you in any way that I can. I have a couple of things that I would like to encourage you with during this time of searching.

First, don't get discouraged if you miss a few days. God is interested in the heart more than the action. God knows if you truly desire a deeper relationship with him. If you find that you miss a day or two alone with him, he will understand. God is always waiting with open arms when we come back to him!

Second, devotional guides are good, but they should not be a substitute for reading the Bible. God gave us the Bible as a personal love letter. He desires that we spend time alone with just our Bible and prayer. Devotional guides are great tools to get our thoughts focused in the right place.

Here is a website with some great devotional readings. I hope that they help you on your journey to a deeper knowledge of who God is and what he desires from you!

That's My King!

I used to listen to this when I was in college. S.M. Lockridge was a great preacher. You can see the love he had for his King. I hope that I have this same passion and I hope that all of you do too. I have posted the transcript and then the video that goes along with it at the end. I hope you enjoy!

That’s my King! (S M Lockridge)
The Bible says my King is a seven-way King:
He’s the King of the Jews – that’s a racial King.
He’s the King of Israel – that’s a national King.
He’s the King of Righteousness.
He’s the King of the Ages.
He’s the King of Heaven.
He’s the King of Glory.
He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords.
That’s my King.

Well, I wonder do you know Him.

David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork.”
My King is a sovereign King – no means of measure can define His limitless love.
No farseeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply.
No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings.
He’s enduringly strong.
He’s entirely sincere.
He’s eternally steadfast.
He’s immortally graceful.
He’s imperially powerful.
He’s impartially merciful.

Do you know Him?

He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world.
He’s God’s Son.
He’s the sinner’s Savior.
He’s the centerpiece of civilization.
He stands in the solitude of himself.
He’s august and He’s unique.
He’s unparalleled, He’s unprecedented.
He is the loftiest idea in literature.
He’s the highest personality in philosophy.
He is the supreme problem in higher criticism.
He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology.
He is the core and the necessity for spiritual religion.
He’s the miracle of the age, He’s… yes He is.
He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
He’s the only one qualified to be an all-sufficient Savior.

I wonder if you know him today?

He supplies strength for the weak.
He’s available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves.
He strengthens and sustains.
He guards and He guides.
He heals the sick.
He cleansed the lepers.
He forgives sinners.
He discharges debtors.
He delivers the captive.
He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young.
He serves the unfortunate.
He regards the aged.
He rewards the diligent.
And He beautifies the meek.

I wonder if you know Him? Well, my King—

He is the key, He’s the key to knowledge.
He’s the wellspring of wisdom.
He’s the doorway of deliverance.
He’s the pathway of peace.
He’s the roadway of righteousness.
He’s the highway of holiness.
He’s the gateway of glory.

Do you know Him?

Well, His office is manifold.
His promise is sure.
His life is matchless.
His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting.
His love never changes.
His Word is enough.
His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous and
His yoke is easy and
His burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you.
But He’s indes… Wooah, yeaaah! yeaahh,
He’s indescribable – yes He is ! He’s God.
He’s, He’s indescribable, yes, He’s indescribable.
He’s incomprehensible.
He’s invincible.
He’s irresistible.

Well, you can’t get Him out of your mind,
You get Him off of your hand,
You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him.

Well, the Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him.
Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him.
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree.
Herod couldn’t kill Him.
Death couldn’t handle Him and
the grave couldn’t hold Him. Yeah !
THAT’S MY KING !
THAT’S MY KING ! YEAH !

And Thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever
and ever and ever.
How long is that ?
And ever and ever.
And when you get through all the forevers, then
Amen!

That's My King!

Learning to Pray (Part 2)

As I said in my previous post, I will be taking information from D.A. Carson's A Call to Spiritual Reformation and sharing it with you in hopes that we can all become better men and women of prayer. Carson argues, "The one thing we most urgently need in Western Christendom is a deeper Knowledge of God, We need to know God better." What better way to get to know God than to spend time talking with Him in prayer?

In his first chapter, Carson gives seven lessons for someone who wants to really learn how to pray. I will address the first two in this post and then the last five at a later time.

 1. Much praying is not done because we do not plan to pray.
That means we must self-consciously set aside time to do nothing but pray. In our world, this is not something that is done very often. We are so busy that we pray as we remember to. We must set aside time during the day that is designated just for prayer. What we do throughout the day reflects our priorities. Prayer must become a priority if we are going to get to know God on a deep and intimate basis. Wise planning will ensure that we spend time in prayer often even if just for short periods of time.

2. Adopt practical ways to impede mental drift.
This is one of my biggest hindrances to my prayer life. When I pray my mind begins to wander to things that I have to do, places I have to be, the TV show I watched last night...you get the point. This is a discipline that I need to learn. Try vocalizing your prayers. This does not mean saying them just to be heard but saying your prayers out loud will get you out of your own mind and allow you to focus on the words that you are saying. Another helpful thing is to pray Scripture back to God. Read the Psalms and pray for the things David and the other Psalmists prayed for. This will help keep you on track with your praying. Journaling is how some people impede mental drift. If you are writing out your prayers, it leaves less time for daydreaming.

You can greatly improve your prayer life if you will combine just these first two principles. If you will set aside time to pray and adopt practical ways to impede mental drift, your prayers will become more meaningful and in turn allow you to grow closer to God.

Learning to Pray (Part 1)

Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, once said, "Prayer does not change God, but changes him who prays." I have been thinking much of prayer for the past couple of weeks. I have been looking at the prayers of Paul and comparing them to my own. I have found that what I often pray about and what Paul prayed about are, for the most part, far away from one another.


I long to have the type of prayer life that Paul had. I want to be known as one who is always in prayer for the things of God. When I think about the majority of my prayers, there is no way that God could use those to change me. I am all too often praying for physical needs of people. There is a time and a place for that type of prayer but if that is what dominates your prayer life then something needs to change. Paul made it a point to pray for the spiritual more than the earthly needs of the people he loved. This earth is going to pass away but the spirit will remain for eternity. Which is in need of more prayer?


Prayer is the great instrument that God has given men to make us more like Him. It is when we pray that we feel the closeness of God. Of course God is omnipresent and is always with us but we feel closer to Him when we are in communion with Him. So when we talk about getting closer to God, what we really mean is that we realize more and more the closeness of God. Again, prayer changes us, not God.


One of the best books that I have ever read on prayer is called A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers. Over the next couple of weeks I will be taking some of the information about how to pray from this book and sharing it with you. I pray that God would use this information to transform the way that you pray so that God can use your prayer times to make you more like himself!