"The Thing I Love About The Church"

You wanna know what I love about the church the most?

I think what I love the most about it, when I really think about it, is that no matter what is going on in my life or what I'm learning in God's Word, I can always find comfort among the church.

I'm talking not just the local church, but the universal church. I love that I can walk with believers in my local church, don't get me wrong. I love my church.

But what I really love, is that christians all over the world and I have a deep love for each other in Jesus Christ. Meaning that I meet a complete stranger and find out they're a believer, that there is this love that we have for each other. Christians you can understand this.

What else is cool is that, I can listen to guys like Matt Chandler, Mark Driscoll, John Piper and C.J. Mahaney and totally benefit from their teaching. That there is a bond that connects us even though I've never personally met these guys.

Even cooler, I can go back into history and read guys like Charles Spurgeon, A.W. Tozer, George Whitefield, St. Augustine and John Calvin and read their commentaries on the Bible.

I can go into the New Testament and learn from Peter, Paul, John and Luke.

And according to Hebrews 11, I can even find believers in the Old Testament.

I love being a part of the church. I love that we're not perfect, but Christ died to justify us. I love that everyone I named has/had faults, but the fact that we're all sold out to Jesus unites us.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people but now you are God's people, once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

I Peter 2:9-10

where have i been?

I haven't blogged in the longest time.

Even now though, I'm writing a blog about blogging, so does that even count?

I will blog away then.

Enjoy.

On Worship...

"Worship in the New Testament church is not simply practice for some later heavenly experience of genuine worship, nor is it simply pretending, or going through some outward activities. It is genuine worship in the presence of God himself, and when we worship we enter before his throne."

Quoted from Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology chapter on Worship.

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."
Hebrews 12:28-29

Depression... (aka sad feeling time)

I have always kinda thought it was dumb when people would say that they were in a depression and would normally laugh at the prescription drug commercials advertising what i like to call, "happy meds", showing people doing awesome things like kayaking or repelling of the side a hundred foot cliff.

But now i find myself depressed for several different reasons which i won't go into because this isn't one of those kind of blogs and i am not one of those kind of blog writers who whine and moan about what sucks in their lives.

And that's always been my problem with depression. People who whine and moan and say, "Woe is me!" I've always been, "Well, stop being sad and be happy." Simple enough right?

Maybe not...

One of the things that has me down right now is that I'm just not sure what God wants me to do in life. I know he has called me to ministry, but as far as that, i don't know anything else. I'm asking him, "what do you want from me?" and receiving very little answer. This and a plethora of many different things has gotten my proverbial panties all up in a bunch.

But because of this i have engrossed myself with scripture and theology. Examples, you say? Fine, besides my normal daily bible study through Hebrews, i'm reading through a book dealing specifically with the doctrine of Christ, i'm watching a sermon series online going through the Song of Solomon and i'm also reading through the Gospels for fun. (yes, you can read scripture for fun!)

So, despite me feeling really crappy, i have decided to place my hope and trust, not in myself, but rather in Christ. I won't be rolling over in my self pity but rather glorifying Him who has beaten death, taken away my sin and will one day return to set up his kingdom on earth.

Well, i guess my opinion on "depression" remains the same. "Just stop being sad and be happy!"

Seems simple enough...

"Something worth writing about..."

It's been awhile since i have written anything on here. Mainly, just because i was busy with work this past few months. But also because i was working through some stuff in my faith. To be honest, i'm still working through it.

But i just noticed something that made stop and think.

Within the past week, i have the chance to share Christ with a jehovah's wittness, a mormon and a guy who said he felt like he was supposed to be a preacher, yet he didn't go to church.

The jehovah's wittness (jw) was a lady who saw me and my wife's kitchen table on craig's list and came to see it. Just through conversation we found out she was a jw and she found out we were christians. But there was no drawing of swords, no shedding of blood. I told myself i would wait to share the gospel until she came back to buy the table. She didn't.

The mormon i met at a youth group activity. He came with a friend. I found out about his faith because the mormons had been by this skating rink and left some mormon tracks behind. I noticed them and picked them up to give 'em a once over. He just happened to skate up and ask what i was looking at. I told him and he told me that he was a mormon. I was almost stunned and didn't know what to say.

The third person i met at the at&t place in the mall. While my wife was talking to her mother on the phone, i was talking to the guy behind the counter about where i worked and how i went to school to be a pastor. he told me he always felt like he was supposed to be a preacher. I asked him where he went to church and he told me he wasn't going anywhere and hadn't been in awhile. To which i said nothing.

Three different encounters put in place by God Almighty and i missed them.

How could i be so blind?

I was more concerned with selling my table than the first person's soul.
I was more concerned with skating than the second's.
I was more concerned with my phone coverage than the third's.

Oh, God! May you not turn your back on me for being so overwhelmed with my ownself. Please give me a burden for the lost! This is more a prayer than a blog. Please forgive me in not seeing the worth of these people's souls. If it were not for you love and grace, i would be no different than them. Father, i pray that you will lift up my head and show me your ways. "lead me in your truth, and teach me: for you are the God of my salvation; on you do i wait all the day." Psalm 25:5

To the multitudes that read this (heavy sarcasm) i pray that you will also hold me accountable and hold yourself accountable. Do not pass an opportunity to share Christ.

He wins...

there are times that feel darker than others.

there are times when it feels that all is lost.

there are times when the victory of the cross and the return of Christ seem so far off, somewhere only on horizon.

I know He wins, so why do i feel defeated? when will i wake up? When will i snap out of it?

God reigns.

he reigns over everything, everyone, everywhere, everytime, and all is under his control.

Oh, God how great is your love for me! There is nothing that can seperate me from that, not death, not life, neither angels or demons, present or future, nor powers or height or depth or anything in creation!

Praise God!

Age of Grace

We live in an age of Grace.

Through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, the Father has taken us from an age of law and sacrifice to an age of grace. Through His sacrifice, we may freely come to Him.

It's so simple.

It clearly says in Romans chapter 10, verses 9 thru 13:

"that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

All you have to do is believe that God raised Christ up from the grave and confess with your mouth that He is Lord and you are not.

God's riches at Christ's expense.

No longer must we shed the blood of an innocent lamb, for the Lamb of God has shed his blood for us.

We have hope in that. It is hope.

But, one day God's grace will no longer be freely given. A day of judgement awaits those who mocked and scoffed and blasphemed the goodness of our Lord.

A day comes when those who have rejected the Love of the Father will have sealed their fate.

God is love and so he must therefore be just. God is just so he must therefore follow through with his judgement.

And through this somber message, there is hope...

We presently live in an age of Grace.

I pray you believe in His goodness and accept what He has done for you.

"Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him."

Psalm 2:12

what the heezy?

You ever have those times in your life where you're not sure where God's leading you?

If you're a christian, you know what i mean.

You get all settled in and then wham, i want you to go here.

Right now, i'm searching His Word, trying to make sure He is calling me and not some idea in my head.

"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God"

It's times like these that just want to make you say, "What the heezy?"

But hey, i'd rather be at a crossroads with Jesus than on my own.

There's some hope for ya kid...

Happy Atheist's Day!

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."

Psalm 14:1

untitled...

"God's grace cannot be faithfully preached to unbelievers until His Law is preached and man's corrupt nature is exposed. It is impossible for person to fully realize his needs for God's grace until he sees how terribly he has failed the standards of God's Law. It is impossible for him to realize his need for mercy until he realizes the magnitude of his guilt."

John MacArthur

"Jesus paid it all, all to him i owe"

"For the Glory of it All..."

I have recently taken the role of Leader in our youth group's praise band. This is a new role for me and it's one I'm really taking to heart. At first, i wasn't quite sure that i wanted to do it, but the Lord has worked so much on my heart, that it's hard to imagine myself not doing it. He began by laying the book of 1st Timothy on my heart to read this month. And within the first chapter i found these verses:

12And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Here's Paul, one of the greats of the Christian faith, and he describes himself as the "chief of sinners." He's saying,"Here i am, a wretch and Christ sees me faithful enough to trust in his ministry." I know exactly how he feels. I feel under qualified to lead a music group, but i guess Christ sees it differently. And because of this, i want to see to it that He receives all the glory. Because that's one thing that's really been on my heart lately. Which leads us to the main point of this blog:

Everything is for the glory of God.

I know me personally, i get wrapped up in arguments and apologetics. It burns me up to see some of the things presented today in the "Name of Christ." I could launch into arguments about the emerging church movement, creation vs evolution, evangelism and countless other subjects, but end up just wasting my breath. I hate to see God's truth be clouded over with false notions and vain babblings of men. I love truth.

But when it comes to creation, you wanna know what matters? Not how many days it was done in or what order things came in, but that "The God of the universe" created all things for His glory. We look at the vast expanse of the heavens and wonder why there's only a small speck of life in it. Well, the universe wasn't created to show our relationship to it, but to show how amazing it's Creator is.

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psalm 19:1

The whole point of the creation story isn't really to tell us what happened, but to glorify the Creator. The whole point of Adam being made from dirt wasn't to say how low he was, but to say how great God is. The whole point of the fall is not to explain why people do bad things, but to show the redemptive power of God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Atheist will ask, "Well, if God is so perfect, why did He let sin into the world in the first place?" To which i would reply, "How else would He be able to show His awesome, powerful, redeeming love if there was nothing to redeem? He did it so ALL will know His glory."

It was John Piper who said, "The Christian Gospel is 'The gospel of the glory of Christ' because its final aim is that we would see and savor and show the glory of Christ"(1)

Now, some might disagree and say that the gospel is more of the things we do, such as taking care of the poor or feeding the hungry, which are good things and as Christians we should take part in these, but they are not the main point. The whole point of the gospel is to glorify Christ.

I'll probably get some flak for that last one.

What worship boils down to is to give God His glory. Worship is why we were created.

And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
Romans 9:23

So when it comes down to the time to worship, don't just stand there, but rather fall on your knees and lift up the name of Christ, one who is worthy of all glory. Tell your King you love him. Rejoice in the blood that was shed for you and be like Paul, who considered himself "chief of sinners" and give the glory to the One who deserves it.



(1) John Piper's "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ"

"Judge not..."

“People tell me judge not lest ye be judged. I always tell them, twist not scripture lest ye be like satan.”

Paul Washer

"seriously, one minute?"

so i was talking about this to some of the senior students here at North Florida and i was wondering what everybody else thought about this subject.

I recently was in the local christian book store and amongst all the self-help books and lame christian fiction, there were actually books that dealt with spiritual things in the back. I found one among the teen section and it was titled, "The One Minute Bible."

I thought to myself, "Self, who only has one minute a day to read the Bible?"

I mean seriously, who's so busy that they only have time for one minute a day for ninety days?

Let's look at it this way. There are 24 hours in a day. That means if there is 60 minutes in each hour, then there is (hold on while i pull up my calculator app) 1440 minutes each day. 1440 minutes a day for ninety days is 129,600 minutes. So, you take the 129,600 minutes for ninety days and subtract the 90 (one per day mind you) and you get a whopping total of 129,510 minutes where you're too busy for God.

Say what?

Look folks, that's cold hard data right there and if there's one thing i know is that cold, hard mathematical data doesn't lie (except when you get into algebra).

So i said all that to say this (the watered down version):

Is the "One minute bible" OK or just really a poor idea? Maybe I'm just being a super christian and saying we should spend more than one minute in God's word. Or maybe, this "bible" (and i use that term loosely) just isn't a good idea.

Perks of the job...

One of things about working in the ministry, is that you do a lot of work behind the scenes. Especially when you work in the media ministry like i do. That's pretty much all i do is behind the scenes work.

And i love that. A lot of times, not many people know what i do. My wife would probably admit to not knowing fully what i do. It's cool though, because i can do little things for God, with pretty much just Him knowing.

The only downfall though is that i see a lot of stuff i sometimes wish i hadn't. Being the Tech Director (person who switches from camera to camera) on Sundays, i usually see who's paying attention in church and who's checking their watch every ten seconds. I see who's really there for worship and who's there just because they have to. It breaks my heart that it is normally the latter of those both.

I've seen people fall asleep.

Today, the school had a chapel in the main auditorium (the one we have church in) and i was up in the balcony, standing by the soundboard. As the music began to play, I listened to it build.

First the bass drum came in. Boom, boom, boom. And then the guitars came in. i don't think there are words in the English language to describe the wonderful noises that came from them, so just imagine. The music kept building and building until, bam, it exploded. Then the vocals came in and that's when i looked over the balcony.

After the music starting like that, i expected full on riot. What i saw was, everybody just standing there. The way it always is.

You had your few who you could see were really belting it out and giving it up to Him. But they were lost among the mass who thought it was too cool to sing.

Now i can understand sometimes you just don't "feel it", but come on, everytime?

Oh, Christians! "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."

No matter how crankin your music is, no matter how wonderful your soloists are, no matter how many funny stories the speaker tells, it is all for nothing.

You wanna change your church? Then preach the Gospel. Preach that man is nothing without the Grace of God. Preach to convict man's wicked heart, as Paul does in the first three chapters of Romans. Then will you see change in your church. Only then.

Why We're Not Emergent (by two guys who should be)...

So, I've started to read a new book and so far it's pretty good. It's not a full out attack on the emergent or emerging movement, but rather just reasons on why the authors are not. What attracted me to the book was the title, cause i often feel that the majority of my age group either leans toward no religion at all or the emerging church.

So far it's been pretty good and i would recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.

The Church...

I think there can be two legitimate definitions for "church".

The first being, "All born again Christians as a whole." This can also be called, "The Bride of Christ."

The second definition would be, "a place where aforementioned group meets for fellowship and worship."

So, we have a group of people on one hand and the place they hang out on the other.

In my last blog, I wrote that there is nothing wrong with the church. It was one of those things i understood in my head, but i guess it didn't make as much sense on paper. The church i wrote about was "the collection of all born again Christians." The point i was trying to make was that, a lot of times when the world views the "church," it sees everybody in the buildings and church services. But not everybody in those buildings and services are all Christians.

In today's church, you'll find three different types of people. The first would be the born again christian. The second would be the curious unsaved person. And the last would be the false convert, one who says he is christian, but has never truly been saved.

It is the last type of person where we find our problem and the one i was addressing in my previous blog. They are the one who professes, "Lord, Lord," but does not know the Savior truly.

I think that might help clear up any confusion, if not let me know and I'll take another stab at it.

I'd also like to get some opinions on this and perhaps start a quaint little discussion.

"Is church for the unsaved?"

I ask because, as far as me, I always been taught and told to bring people to church. I remember contests on how many people could be brought to church. I remember "friend days," where you were supposed to bring a friend to church. But i look at it now and don't really see that backed up by scripture. Church is always fellowship and worship among believers in the New Testament. To spread the Gospel, we aren't to bring the unsaved to church(2nd definition), but we should bring the church(1st definition) to the world.

What do you think?

Looking back...

Man this year just flew by! So much has taken place in my life this year it's crazy. I never would have pictured myself where i am now at the beginning of this year. To sum it up:

2008 was great. (Yes, it does rhyme.)

Let's see where do i begin?

At the beginning of this year, i found myself working a miserable job as an irrigation installer, engaged to a beautiful girl and not exactly sure how i was going to provide enough for the both of us, let alone just her. I found myself taking a break from seminary in order to focus on job and getting married. I found myself at the end of short rope. One of my best friends, who i followed to that miserable job, had moved to Florida and became a youth pastor in Tallahassee. I found myself wondering what to do next.

On the most cold, miserable day of work a beacon of light erupted into my life. My friend from Florida called and asked if i was looking for a job. At first i thought he was pulling my chain, as he often does, but no, he was for reals. (As we say on the streets...)

At the church he was working at there was an open position at the church's TV station. I found myself intrigued. I then found myself going to a job interview, getting a new job, relocating myself to Tallahassee, adding stress to my engagement, leaving good friends behind, making new friends, renting my first apartment, and this was all before April.

On April 4th, i found myself in a wedding ceremony. Mine. I found myself no longer just Joshua Vasquez, but Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Vasquez. Two had become one.

With that, i found that my life was changing. She moved in, she decorated, i hung pictures, i hung curtains, i hung a lot of things i never would have if i was single.

I learned my new job. i found that video editing is a little trickier than it looks. i found that dumping programs to the air was also trickier than it looks. I found tricks of the trade.

I met a new youth group. I met new kids. I became a youth counselor to a new youth group.

I argued theology with a good friend to the point of frustration. I think we both secretly enjoyed it.

I read a book called, "The Way of the Master." I found evangelism is much more serious than "church growth."

I talked to atheists via Youtube videos. I began to blog. I still blog. I'm actually blogging right now.

I've grown in my walk with Christ. I've found that i hunger for his word. I have found myself becoming more conservative. I have found myself differing in opinion with a lot of people. I've found myself to be OK with that.

I've noticed that my view of Christianity is changing. I've also noticed its not the way my age group is changing or for the lack of better word, emerging.

I've discovered that Calvinism is not as wrong as i've been told. I've discovered that the Bible teaches a balance in salvation, which is often not presented today.

I learned that it's biblical to not like "the sinner's prayer."

My wife is awesome. I found out that i'm often not. I've learned that she loves me despite that.

I find myself at the end of a year. I'm looking to the next one.

I find myself wanting children and at the same time not wanting children

I find myself re-reading what i just wrote in shock. (Did i just say that out loud?)

I find myself racking my brain to try and remember anything else. Of course there's something else. There's always something else.

Oh yes. I had a major blowout with my parents. Surprise. (For the record, my wife said i was respectful.)

I think the biggest thing this year was that i am not who i was. And that's OK with me.

I've shared the gospel with close friends and haven't heard back from them. I found out that hurts.

I really don't know how to end this thing.

This next year, there are only a few thing i want:

1. To die to myself and follow Christ.
2. To die to myself and love my wife.
3. That's pretty much about it.
4. But an Xbox 360 would be cool. (you don't have to laugh, that one's for me.)

go towards the light...

1st John 1:5-10

5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us

These five verses pack so much power and truth in them. I mean look at verse five. God is light. To emphasize that, John adds "and in him is no darkness at all." Think about it. God is light. Light is pure. Light illuminates. Light causes life. God is light. This verse sets up who God is and what follows explains where we stand.

In verse six, it says that if we claim to be in fellowship with Him, but yet continue to walk in darkness, we are liars and do not the truth. If we claim to be Christians, but yet continue to walk in our sins, we are liars. Now understand this: I am not saying Christians are perfect and don't sin. They sin, but if God (who is light) is in their life, then they repent and strive to to not sin in the sight of their Lord. Look at what Christ said in John 12:35-36,

35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

He tells us to walk in the light, because if you walk in darkness, you don't know where you're going (surprise). Well, how do we walk in the light? It says in John 3:21,

21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Abide in truth and you'll abide in the light. In verse seven, it says that if we walk in the light, just as God is in the light, we will have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all sin. Two things to point out here:

One is that it says as "God is in the light", once again setting up where God is. God is light. In Psalm 104:2 it says how "He covers himself in light as with a garment." God wears the light like a clothing. In the verse before it says, "you are clothed with honor and majesty."

Second thing is, it places those who walk in the light under the shed blood of Christ.

Hebrews 9:14

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

In order for there to be redemption, blood always has to be shed. We see it in Genesis 3:21, that God killed the first animal in order to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness. They had lost their righteousness and The Lord shed the blood of an innocent animal to cover their sin. The fig leaves of their self-righteousness could not cover them. I learned that fig leaves are soft like velvet and will shrink under the light of the sun to about a quarter the original size.

Ok, now think about that. God is light. Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves with fig leaves. When God found them, since He is light, what effect do you think it had on those fig leaves? Let's just say they probably weren't covering up much.

But we are so quick to do the same thing. We think good works and being a good person will cover our sins in the eyes of God, but we have no idea who he really is. God is light and in the light of his law, it shrinks the fig leaves of our self-righteousness and exposes our true hearts. Look back at verse eight:

8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

We can put up this front that we're not sinners, but who are we fooling?

1 John 2:4
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

We're not fooling anybody.

The last two verses just repeat the thoughts of the others. John repeatedly drives this home (almost like he is trying to make a point). "If we say we don't have sin, we decieve ourselves. If we say we don't have sin, we're liars. If we say we don't have sin, the truth is not in us."

I've been accussed of painting things black and white before, but i really think this passage can only be taken in that way. Either you abide in the light or the dark. Either you live in sin or you confess your sins and strive for righteousness. In verse nine, it says:

9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

My friends, if you are walking in sin, confess them to the Lord and turn away from them. Serve Jesus as Lord and walk in the light of his prescence.


"He that has an ear, let him hear..."

check this blog out!!!

Hey guys you should definitely check this blog out!

www.teampyro.blogspot.com

The past two days posts have just been amazing. Yesterday talked about how a lot of evangelical churches are beginning to redefine homosexuality and how to deal with it. It's not the average stuff you'd expect nowadays from a "christian" blog. This blog is really strong into doctrine and theology. These guys know there stuff.

Today's was on how Spurgeon prepared his sermons(say that three times fast!) and wow, did it put things into perspective for me! So, for reals, check them out!

josh

some of my favorites...

Oh, the young people these days... oh wait, I'm supposed to be one of them...