kingdom travelin'

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭57:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Remember to speak the praises of God. His great love is greater for each of us than we can imagine. Greater even than the earth and the sky!
http://bible.com/59/psa.57.5.esv

“To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!”‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭123:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

http://bible.com/59/psa.123.1.esv

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

This is an important Scripture for us to have at hand. The truth herein is the real answer to anxiety. It is the basis of aiming at Heaven.
http://bible.com/59/col.3.2.esv

I love to sit and watch and listen to the waves. The noise of the wind, the sound of the surf, the beauty of the sea and sky and shore all soothe my soul. Visits to the ocean are helpful to me, I enjoy them again and again.

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There are several chapters of books, quotes, sermons, etc. that are ‘go to’ resources for me. I like to return to them again and again. For example: Mere Christianity, Keller’s book Prayer chapters 2 and 14, Schaeffer ‘s How Should We Then Live, F. F. Bruce’s Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, then very recently Curt Thompson’s Anatomy of the Soul chapter’s 4&5, any of Piper’s biography messages and Joel Beeke’s message on prayer at Piper’s annual conference a few years back. I’ve had it on my phone for a number of years now and have listened to it again and again. I thought of it this morning in a conversation about Thompson chapter 4 (you should be reading this book).

While discussing Thompson’s idea about paying attention, I thought about Beeke’s “praying into our prayers.” This audio message on prayer continues to inform and exhort me. I recommend it to you. His basis for the sermon is the testimony of the Reformers, it’s timely to revisit with all the Reformation 500th anniversary info. CLICK HERE. (Broken link is now fixed – sorry) OH YEAH, Just because he addresses pastors, its not just for that group – – – Priesthood of all believers! <<Advance to the 12:30 mark to skip the preliminaries.>>

I was asked to give a 5 minute answer to this question in a local church:

Why Should I Care About the Reformation’s 500th Anniversary?

Here is the gist of my answer:

500 years ago, an Augustinian university professor realized that there were big problems in the church. The people were ignorant about God and the Bible. They relied on experiences, works, and the church for salvation.

As he taught Romans to his theological students at the university of Wittenberg, Martin Luther realized that “the just shall live by faith.”

While teaching the Bible, he continued to develop the big ideas that would eventually challenge the theology and practices of the church. Then, on October 31st, 1517, Luther posted his 95 ideas on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

This door served as a kind of community bulletin board. By posting these ideas, he announced a challenge to an academic debate. What he actually did was light a match that would explode into a raging fire of revolution. Today we call this protest that brought reform the Protestant Reformation.

This movement spread across northern Europe and eventually around the world. Now, let’s be clear, the Reformation was not all peaches and cream. There were problems because there were humans involved. But six biblical truths were recaptured and remain important to you and me today.

Using the just published Greek New Testament of Desiderius Erasmus, the Europe wide movement to translate the Bible into common languages made God’s word available to all who would read. The people could see for themselves what the Bible taught instead of completely relying on the teachings of men in the church. Thus, the first big idea of the Reformation we consider is…

Scripture Alone – Sola Scriptura

Among Protestants, the inspired word of God would become the authority by which everything should be measured. From Scripture more biblical ideas were recaptured:

Glory to God Alone – Soli Deo Gloria

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! (Psalm 115:1, ESV)

Christ Alone – Solus Christus

To the Jewish council, Peter proclaimed in Acts 4:11-12: “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (ESV)

Here is the Good News: Jesus + Nothing = Righteousness

John Calvin holds forth in the square bearing his name in Budapest

Grace Alone – Sola Gratia

Isaiah proclaims the good news saying:

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;

my soul shall exult in my God,

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,”… (Isa. 61:10, ESV)

Faith Alone – Sola Fide

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Rom 12:3, ESV)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8-9, ESV)

Royal Priesthood of All Believers

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. (1 Pet 2:9)

Today, like in 1517, there is widespread theological confusion of various kinds about works righteousness, errors about the Bible, about health, wealth and other teachings that falsely elevate man, his reason and his abilities.

These big ideas matter today to a weakening church in 2017 as they did back in 1517. We need to place our focus on God. Be careful church that you don’t spend more time in the writings of man than in the word of God!

To God ALONE be ALL the Glory

So, as members of the royal priesthood of God, saved by the grace of God, through faith alone, in Christ alone, trusting in Scripture alone, let us give God all the Glory with our lives. THIS is why the Protestant Reformation is important for us 500 years later!

Soli Deo Gloria.

Amen.