Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Remember When...



Remember when the disgusting sight of your sin was
suddenly eclipsed by a vision of Christ dying on Calvary
for you?

Remember the first time you realized that God loved
you?

Remember the moment you first believed?


Remember when you first realized that God had taken
away all your sins and you were really forgiven?

Remember the first time you felt clean? Clean by the
blood of the lamb?

Remember the first time you sang, “Amazing Grace”
and understood what the author was saying?

Remember the first time you told someone about your
conversion?

Remember the first time the Holy Spirit gave you power
over a certain besetting sin?

Remember the first time you sensed the presence of
Christ?

Remember the first time you were alone with the Scriptures
and God showed you something in His Word?

Remember the first time after your conversion when
God revealed to you a little more of what it meant for
Christ to die for you?

Remember the first time you wept with joy because of
what God had done for you?

Remember the first time God gave you a promise?

Remember the first time God answered your prayer?

Remember the first time you shared your testimony in
front of the church?

Remember the first time you led someone else to Christ?

Remember the first time God brought you through a
trial?

Remember the first time God disciplined you and you
saw the value of it?

Remember the first verse you ever memorized?

Remember the first time you tithed or gave sacrificially
to meet a need?

Remember the first time God led you to do something
and it really was God?

Remember when you cherished time to be alone with
God, to pray, and read His Word?

Remember when you could not wait to go to church in
order to worship and hear the message?

Remember when you sought out fellowship with other
believers just to talk about Jesus?

Remember when you did not want to talk about anything
or anyone but Jesus?

Remember when you could not think of anything or
anyone but Jesus?

Remember when your zeal for the Lord caused you to
turn away from evil?

Remember when you prayed for God to make you like
Jesus no matter the cost?

Remember when you prayed for God to use you?

Remember when you were willing to risk it all for Christ
and His Kingdom?

It is good to remember...

In Christ

Paul Washer

Thursday, November 25, 2010

True Thanksgiving - The Depth of the Cross


I had the very surreal and surprising privilege of hearing Paul Washer live during chapel at The Master's College about a week ago. The second sermon started on Flavel's writings "The Father's Bargain". He built it up with the story of Abraham and Isaac, and then he brought it home with the picture of the cross. Next he said, "And the Father slaughtered Him there!". He paused to look around the room for several moments, and I presume, when he saw nothing but blank stares from the audience as I myself witnessed, he abruptly walked off of stage towards the doors. As he was going out, a couple of people started to clap, and he came out and said, "No, don't!" and walked outside. There was nothing for a minute or two but a bewildered silence. There were some students that were laughing (probably from nerves), some were walking out, and some were waiting to see if he would come back. When it was obvious that he wouldn't come back, more people left except for a handful. As the auditorium emptied, I can see that there were a few huddles of students crying and some were just sitting with their heads down in prayer weeping. As unconventional as Paul Washer was walking off of stage, it brought sadness to my own heart; I as well as most of the people there shared the shame of our apathy for the cross. According to sources on campus, there was salvation that day; praise the LORD!

Below is the link of the two sermons. I hope you'll find the time to listen to these. It has really helped me not only expose my own indifference for the sacrifice that was done for me, but also give me a new thanksgiving for He was not spared.


Here is the first sermon on man's depravity.



This is the second sermon given two days later that I wrote about in the above post.



Related post:

Paul Washer on Homiletics - Jesse Johnson