Leaving A Legacy

Joy in the Lord - Not Circumstances

2009-08-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

Philippians 3:1, "Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you."

Paul was in prison, but it didn't affect his spirit. Paul was in jail, he couldn't go out, he couldn't preach, he couldn't witness, he couldn't sing out in the open or with the children of God - yet he rejoiced in his Lord! Are you in prison this evening? What is it? Is it illness? Is it persecution? Is it your family? Is it friends? Is it your husband or your wife? People at work, your boss? And you feel that you're in prison, you feel that you're sealed in, you can't get out, you're kept! Listen: Paul, the prisoner of Christ, could rejoice - and so can you!

Quote of the Day

2009-07-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

"This time of instability was used by God to temper and strengthen my faith. I learned that God was a good God who keeps His promises even when life is difficult." - Kent and Barbara Hughes Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome

High School Ministry Starts This Wednesday

2009-06-22T11:40:00.001-07:00

All high school students are invited to the Gillen home this Wednesday night for our study of the parable of the prodigal son. Really, calling it the parable of the prodigal isn't the whole story because there were two sons and both of them play an important part in the overall lesson. This should be a great study and a great time for the students to spend time together and really enjoy getting to know each other better.

How People Were Saved Before Jesus and the Apostle's

2009-03-24T06:22:00.000-07:00

On Sunday morning in the student ministry we looked at Luke 10:38-42 on the one thing that is necessary to the Christian life - to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to Him. In response to this I challenged the students to begin a 100 day reading plan through the whole New Testament as a way to listen to Jesus. Last night I received a question from one of our students who had read the first 4 chapters of Matthew. She wrote, "What happened before there was Jesus and the Apostle's? How were people saved?" What an awesome question! I hope other student pastor's are being challenged with these types of questions as well.

Yesterday I began reading a book that I think helps us with this answer. It's called The Promise-Plan of God written by Walter Kaiser. The goal of the book is to show the unifying theme of the Bible. Kaiser defends the promise God gave in Genesis 3:15 and Genesis 12:1-3 as the overall unifying theme of Scripture. Both verses are divine promises of what God would ultimately accomplish through Jesus Christ and help us understand how people were saved before Jesus and the Apostle's.

The first promise in the Promise-Plan of God is Genesis 3:15. It is referred to by some (smart people) as the Proto-evangelium. Let me help you with that. Proto means first and evangelium means gospel or good news. Put them together and you have the first gospel message. Genesis 3:15 says, "And I (LORD God) will put enmity between you (serpent) and the woman (Eve), and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel." This is the first promise recorded in Scripture that the seed of the woman, one of her descendants, would one day destroy the serpent. We know from the New Testament that the seed (offspring) of the woman who would one day crush the serpent's head is Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:15) and the serpent He destroys in His death is Satan (Revelation 12:9).

The Lord God said that the one who would crush the serpent's head would come through Eve's offspring (One of her descendants). The motif of offspring is picked up again one chapter later. In Genesis 4:25 Eve gives birth to Seth. The rest of Genesis traces a single line of Seth's descendants, observing that it will eventually produce a king through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed in accordance with God's promise in Genesis 3:15.

Genesis 12:1-3 shows us how the promise God made in Genesis 3:15, that Jesus Christ would crush Satan's head, would affect all of humanity. Through a descendant of Eve and Seth God appears to a man named Abram and tells him, "Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Abram is a descendant through whom God's promise in Genesis 3:15 will be fulfilled.

Genesis 12:4 reveals Abram's response to God's promise. "So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him." Abram responded to God's promise in obedience. The ESV study Bible says it this way, "God's invitation to Abram challenges him to abandon the normal sources of personal identity and security: his family and country. To obey, Abram must trust God implicitly; all human support is largely removed."

God had promised to bless Abram and all the families of the earth through him, but as we keep reading in Genesis 15 many years have past and Abram begins to question the reality of God's promise. In verse 2 Abram asks God, "O LORD God, what will you give me, since I am childless?" God responds in verses 4-5 that He will keep His promise to Abram, "One who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.' And he took him outside and said, 'Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.' And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." God would keep His promise to Abram because as Titus 1:2 says, "God cannot lie."

Abram's response to God in Genesis 15:6 is one of the most important verses in the whole Bible. Genesis 15:6 says, "Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to Him as righteousness." The question we are trying to answer is how people were saved before Jesus and the Apostle's - Genesis 15:6 shows us how.

Abram trusted in the truthfulness of God. He believed God keeps his promises although at this time Abram had seen none of them come to pass. Abram looked away from himself to the promises of God for his salvation. Romans 4:13 says, "For the promise to Abraham (God changes his name later to Abraham)...that he would be heir of the world...was through the righteousness of faith." Romans 4:18-22 says, "In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, 'So shall your descendants be.' Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was bout a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able to perform. Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness."

Abram trusted God to keep His promise in spite of the fact he and his wife were way past childbearing age. Abraham looked away from himself and anything he could do for his salvation and trusted God for it. It was because of his faith that God credited righteousness to him. John Piper explains it this way, "The point of Genesis 15:6, as taken up by Romans 4, is that Abraham was regarded as righteous... when he continued to place his trust in God's promise of a seed...God looks at faith and for the sake of this faith credits righteousness to the believer...Faith is the abandonment of all claims to be righteous, and, instead, is trust in him who counts the ungodly to be righteous.” Righteousness means all that God requires of a person to enter into relationship with Him. What God requires for salvation He provides through the promise.

Let's try and draw this to a close. At this point I'm quite confident the student will never ask me another question! The Bible has one author, namely God the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21) who "breathed (2 Timothy 3:16)" God's Word through human men. Because God is a God of truth (John 14:6), His Word is truth (John 17:17). Therefore, there is no difference between how an Old Testament believer is saved and a New Testament person is saved. God's promise, as originally given in Genesis 12:3, was not to be limited only to Abraham's people, but God told Abraham all the families of the earth would be blessed through him (Through one of his descendants).

Galatians 3:16 makes it clear that the seed God promised in Genesis 3:15 who would crush Satan's head and the One promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 that through whom all the nations will be blessed is Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:16, "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, 'And to seeds,' as referring to many, but rather to one, 'And to your seed,' that is, Christ." Christ is the promised descendant of Eve and Abraham who accomplished the divine work of salvation when He died on the cross to crush the serpent's head and satisfy God's wrath against the sins of all who believe in Him. His resurrection on the third day proves that God accepted His sacrifice and we can trust in Him for salvation.

To put it as plainly as I can people were saved before Jesus and the Apostle's by trusting God's promise concerning Jesus and those of us who live after Jesus and the Apostle's are saved by trusting God's promise concerning Jesus. Romans 3:25-26 says, "(Christ Jesus) whom God displayed publicly (on the cross) as a propitiation (Wrath absorbing sacrifice) in His blood (Blood a reference to his death) through faith (faith is the means by which a person receives His work). This (Christ's death on the cross) was to demonstrate His righteousness (What God requires for a relationship with Him), because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed (By those who lived before Jesus and the Apostle's who trusted God's promise); for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time (now all saved people look to the cross for salvation), so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." Faith in Jesus is how people were saved before Jesus and the Apostle's and faith in Jesus is how people are saved since the time of Jesus and the Apostle's. "There is salvation in no one else (Acts 4:12)."

It is important to note in closing that the faith that saves is not a dead faith but a faith that works. James 2:17 says, "Even so faith, if it has no works is dead, being by itself." The faith that truly saves is a faith that leads to obedience to God's Word. Romans 1:5 calls it, "The obedience that comes from faith." Obedience to God is the natural response of the human heart who sees God's promises as trustworthy and rests in Christ for salvation. The faith that saves according to Galatians 5:6 is, "A faith that works through love." True faith in God's promises which issues forth in true faith in Christ leads to a life of love for God and others.

Hope this helps,
Blake

We Live Out How We View Ourselves

2009-02-11T06:02:00.000-08:00

Identity must be formed “in Christ.”

The theological understanding of the Christian being “in Christ” is one, if not the most, critical understanding to what it means to be a Christian (cf. Gal. 3:26–29; Rom. 8:1; Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; 2 Tim. 1:1). The sad truth is that everyone is born "In Adam" (I Corinthians 15:22) and is only re-born into Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit through hearing and believing the gospel (I Corinthians 15:22; Galatians 3:2-5)." Once the sinner goes from being "In Adam" to "In Christ" their old life is gone and everything is made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is some serious varsity big shot incredible good news. From the point of conversion to the time Christ returns or the believer goes to be with Christ they MUST view themselves as God views them - "In Christ." One man put it like this:

"Who they are “in Christ” must be the planet around which all their thoughts and actions orbit. This is more than just a metaphor, it has to do with how Christians view themselves—as undeserving sinners who enjoy the gracious provisions and righteousness of Christ in order to have full acceptance with God the Father. Gospel-centered counseling and discipleship is critical to establish early.

When their thought-life is practiced “in Christ” it brings hope and change to thoughts, desires and behaviors. They think and act in new ways abandoning sinful patterns and putting on new patterns of life. It is especially effective to faithfully teach the principles of Romans 6:1–14 while recalling the earlier context of Romans 1:24–27. How Christians view themselves and their position in Christ will greatly affect their change and growth in sanctification. This thought and all of its theological richness is vital to understand if a person is going to possess the perseverance to defeat sin on a daily basis." - John Street

I know how vital this is to understand because how a person views themselves is normally how they will live and act. My parent's have some good friends at their church whose son went to College and decided to get his tongue pierced. Maybe he was chewing on breakfast when dad noticed a glimmer in his mouth and asked him about it. Then the dad responded by reminding his son that those with his last name don't wear tongue rings. What was going on there? The dad didn't want his son to get his tongue pierced because he thought it reflected negatively on the family name. His identity as a "Smith" would be tainted by the pierced tongue.

That story is meant to highlight one of the main biblical reasons the Christian must hate and fight against his sin through the power of the indwelling Spirit. To act in sinful ways is to contradict the new nature God has given us "In Christ." It is to be wearing a tongue ring against the will of the Father. This was how Paul taught believers in order to help them grow (See I Corinthians 6:9-20; Colossians 3; Ephesians 4; I Thessalonians 4). Next time you are tempted in any way, before giving into it, remember who you are in Christ, pray for the help of the indwelling Spirit and act consistent with your new nature. As you do this you will grow increasingly into the likeness of Jesus Christ and God the Father is and always will be pleased first and foremost with His Son.

Some resources that have been beneficial to me in this area are the following books:

Life in Christ - A Guide to Daily Living - John Stott

Who am I? The Christian Hunger for Self-Identity - Robert Thomas

Identity - Who Your are in Christ - Eric Geiger

Visit www.gracebaptist.org/sermons/sermons-2009.htm and listen to the sermon called What God Expects of His Children

That should be enough to get you started. Please act on these things. They are vital to your joy and growth in Christ and will enable you to truly be a blessing to those around you.

What God Expects of Church Leaders

2009-01-27T11:04:00.000-08:00

The past two weeks I had the privilege of filling in for Pastor Wayne as he traveled to India for a Pastor's conference. It is always an awesome privilege to stand before God and His people, open His Word and preach it. This past Sunday a man I know preaching at a church far away from Central Kentucky said this about what God expects of those who are in church leadership:

"God expects church leaders to bring an unchanging truth about an unchanging God to a changing culture in ways that continue to be faithful to His message and bring Him glory and praise while advancing His kingdom." - David Hegg

This was a simple and powerful reminder to me that when I am given the opportunity to preach God expects me to speak His truth boldly, to trust Him unflinchingly and to take comfort in the fact that He will advance His kingdom however He chooses. As the apostle Paul told the Corinthians, "I planted, Apollos waters, but God caused the growth (I Corinthians 3:6)."

Thankful

2008-11-24T10:16:00.000-08:00

For the true believer every day is a day of Thanksgiving. God has rescued us from His wrath through the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross. God has raised Him up and given Him as Head over the church. In Christ we are given "every spiritual blessing" (Ephesians 1:3). We have also been given "His divine nature" (2 Peter 1:3-4), the provision of the Holy Spirit to free us from both the dominion and guilt of sin. These blessings are constant each and every day.

I am also so thankful for our student ministry at Wellington Church. Yesterday we took a picture of the group and every face in the picture brings a smile to my face. I think of the way each of them have grown, both physically and spiritually, and all I can do is give thanks. Psalm 100:3, 5 says, "Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture...For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations." God is God - God is good!

Prayer for Payne Hotman

2008-11-17T07:03:00.000-08:00

This morning a family friend of ours has a two week old son who needs prayer. He is in intensive care because one of his kidneys collapsed and the other one is in really bad shape. He was airlifted to Dallas yesterday. We are trusting that God is God and God is good (Psalm 100:3, 5) and would ask that He spare Payne's life for His glory and Payne's good.

The Other Doctrine of Election

2008-10-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday my friend Kirk Welch preached an excellent sermon on the upcoming election. Kirk not only tackles issues regarding the election, but also tackles the bigger question regarding our responsibilities as believers who live in a fallen world. If you are interested in hearing what Kirk has to say follow this link http://www.centennialbiblechurch.org/CBC_Sermons_Sunday_School_c92983.html and click on the title "The other doctrine of election." I think it will help you think about some important issues you may not have considered as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Christ of Scripture

2008-10-06T08:38:00.001-07:00

"In Jesus Christ we are liberated from speculation and are granted revelation." - Mark Driscoll

In our Sunday evening times as a student ministry we are contrasting the Bible and its view of Jesus Christ with other religions, their bibles, and their views of Jesus. I have known for a long time and believed that we cannot all be right. If there is "one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (I Timothy 2:5)" and the Bible (Genesis - Revelation) is the sole authority from which we get our understanding of Jesus Christ (see 2 Timothy 3:16) then it becomes apparent very quickly that the Bible and its Jesus is different from other Jesus's of other religions. It is comforting in one sense to know I am not alone in this battle as a pastor, namely to present the true Jesus.

Evidently, one New Testament church was entertaining wrong views of Jesus and were even proud about it. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:4, "For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you received a different spirit than the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough." That was not a good thing. Paul wasn't encouraging the Corinthians to "keep an open mind" when it comes to Jesus, but to "close their minds" on the Jesus he had taught them as an apostle.

As a pastor I have to "contend for the faith which was once for all given to the saints (Jude 3)" not only for this ministry but for my own soul. Making sure the Jesus I know and worship and serve is the Jesus of the Bible is critical. God is showing me just how critical it is when I begin to consider other religions and the way satan so often masks himself as an angel of light. Satan will twist one definite article in the New World Translation (The bible of the Jehovah's Witnesses) of John 1:1 and say Jesus is "a god" and lead millions astray. Contending for the faith and for the historical-biblical Jesus is not an option for any believer and so how are you doing in making sure the Jesus you believe in is the Jesus of the Bible?

Till Sin Be Bitter, Christ Will Not Be Sweet

2008-09-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

These past couple of weeks we have been studying the first three chapters of Paul's letter to the Romans. After his greeting and introduction (1:1-15) and setting forth the theme of his letter (1:16-17), Paul spends a lot of time showing how everyone needs the gospel of Christ (1:18-3:20) because "All, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin (3:9)." Under sin is a way of saying sin is the Master of everyone outside of Jesus Christ. An analogy would be playing basketball against Lebron James and everytime he takes the ball and dunks on you he looks at you and says, "I'm your daddy." That would translate - I own you. In a real sense sin is our daddy by nature and by choice. Sin owns us and takes us further and further away from God. Isaiah 53:6 says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way."

The incredible good news of the gospel of Christ is that through Jesus Christ God provides for us in two specific ways. First, Jesus Christ provides the perfect righteousness God requires of us that we can never fulfill. Jesus never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). He did all the Father requires of man. Second, Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the price of sin. We know God accepted His sacrifice because on the third day Jesus rose again and ascended to the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 12:2).

Romans 3:21-5:21 shows us how the righteousness God requires of us has been completely fulfilled in Jesus Christ to be received by faith alone (Romans 3:28; 5:1). Where everyone fell into sin in Adam (Romans 5:12, 19), Jesus never did and all who will dispare of their own righteousness and turn to Jesus' can find perfect righteousness.

Romans 6:1-8:39 shows us that because we are united to Christ we can begin, for the very first time in our life, to obey God and not sin. That is impossible until we are truly united to Christ.
If you know your sin and feel as if there is really no hope for you please turn to Paul's letter to Romans and take heart. God knows you. He knows your sin, BUT He has provided everything you need through the person and work of Christ. There truly is good news for all who recognize the bad news and come to God on His terms - Through Jesus Christ.

"Father, I pray that everyone who reads this would dispare of all hope in themselves for true and lasting change and turn in faith to Christ. He alone obeyed you perfectly and He alone died on the cross to pay sins price and rose again. Father, there is salvation in no one else. For there is no other Name given among men by which we must be saved. May everyone know the reality of a true salvation through being united to the Son you love. Please help us. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

Don't Waste Your Sports

2008-09-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

C.J. Mahaney preached this message at Covenant Life Church this past Sunday on God's purpose for sports http://www.covlife.org/modules/listen-online/205691. If you do not play sports, that's okay. Substitue whatever your hobbie is in place of sports and benefit from this helpful message.

Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges

2008-08-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

I know with school starting there will be little time or desire for additional reading. I understand that. If there was one book I would recommend to read if you had time it would be a book by one of my favorite Christian authors, a man named Jerry Bridges (With whom I shared an in-n-out burger), called Respectable Sins. In this book Bridges main point is that Christians are quick to point out the sins of society without dealing with the subtle sins of their own hearts. We are very good at pointing out gross sins of our society, but God regards a believer being angry with his brother or sister in Christ as the equivalent of murder (Matthew 5:22).

The reason I think this book is helpful is that one thing I have noticed about being a Christian is that it is very very easy to appear to be spiritual by doing outward things like being an active part of a church, praying in public, reading your Bible, etc. but if you know your own heart you know that what people see on the outside is not always an accurate representation of what is going on in your heart. If you, like me, are sick of everyone thinking you are super spiritual when you are struggling with sin and don't seem to be making much progress then please let Jerry Bridges direct you into God's Word in a way that will help you make progress. Here is a quote by Bridges that really stuck out to me in the introduction:

"We are never to wallow hopelessly in our sins. Rather, we are to believe the gospel through which God has dealt with both the guilt of our sin (Romans 3:19-26) and its dominion over us (Romans 6:1-11)."

If you are interested in the book click on this link please click here:
http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec/product_id/5336/nm/Respectable_Sins_Confronting_the_Sins_We_Tolerate_Hardcover_

How to Confess Your Sins

2008-07-21T06:44:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I had the privilege of preaching on the meaning of the Lord's Supper, much of which has to do with examining ourselves first, confessing our sins and then taking the Lord's Supper in a manner worthy. I have often been asked the question, "How do I confess my sins?" and wanted to provide this attachment as a good sermon on the topic by John MacArthur. You can actually follow the transcript as the message is being preached. This is something I highly recommend. There is nothing greater than addressing specific sins in your life and knowing the freedom of forgiveness. Here is the link http://www.traviscarden.com/resources/grace-to-you-podcast-archive/2008/07/11-how-to-confess-your-sins.

Sandestin, Florida with the Family

2008-07-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

Our family is currently on vacation with my family in Sandestin, Florida. I remember several months ago reading a blog by CJ Mahaney on how to glorify God while on vacation. I read this excerpt this morning and wanted to post it because it encouraged me and thought you might be as well.

He writes: "Vacations provide unhurried periods of time where in the shadow of the cross a husband/father realizes afresh that he is doing much better than he deserves. Instead of wrath and hell God has been merciful and kind, pouring out his wrath on his Son so that sinners like you and me could experience forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and adoption.And because of the cross, evidences of grace abound in our lives, beginning in our families. We should be specifically grateful to God for each member of our family and express this gratefulness to them. Vacations are opportunities to discern and celebrate these unique gifts from God that we don’t deserve."

This quote sums up one of my goals for the week. To live in constant gratitude for what Christ has accomplished on my behalf and express that in love and service to my family.

The Gospel

2008-06-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

"If we assume the gospel, or neglect the gospel, or neglect to preach the gospel to ourselves on a daily basis, if we do not review and remind ourselves of the doctrines of grace, if we do not prepare our hearts to discern evidences of grace, all we will be left with throughout the day is an increasing awareness of sin and an increasing awareness of adversity." - C.J. Mahaney

In the World Not of the World

2008-06-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday evening our High School group will begin a summer study titled, "Half a poison pill won't kill you." The series is about how Christians are called by God to be in the world, but not to love the world. Worldliness plagues the church in our day and sadly plagues my life as well. My desire is to address this sin in my life and to hopefully be used by God to address it in the lives of our students as well. Here is a helpful quote on what worldliness is by a man I respect and have learned from:
“Worldliness is departing from God. It is a man-centered way of thinking; it proposes objectives which demand no radical breach with man’s fallen nature; it judges the importance of things by the present and material results; it weighs success by numbers; it covets human esteem and wants no unpopularity; it knows no truth for which it is worth suffering; it declines to be a ‘fool for Christ’s sake’. Worldliness is the mind-set of the unregenerate. It adopts idols and is at war with God.” —Iain H. Murray Evangelicalism Divided
I hope this study will be particularly glorifying to God and that He, in His mercy, would address us in this area and truly transform our hearts and lives.

The Key to Christian Usefulness

2008-06-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

2 Timothy 2:22 - "Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

"The key to Christian usefulness is in what you are running from, what you’re running to and who you’re running with." - Alistair Begg

It might be good to take some time and consider these things:
1. What hindrance to the Christian life are you running from?
2. What are you running to in order to grow in the things of God?
3. Who are you running with in the process?

Good Teacher

2008-06-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

Matthew 19:16-17 - "And someone came to Him (Jesus) and said, 'Teacher, what good things shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?' And He said to him, 'Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good."

"If the young man in the Gospel used this title in speaking to our Lord (Teacher), it is only right that we should address Him in this way. He is indeed my Teacher in that He rules and teaches me. I am glad to run His errands and to sit at His feet. I am both His servant and His disciple and count it my highest honor to serve Him in this way. He is a good teacher. If He should ask me why I call Him "good," I could answer easily. It is true that "no one is good except God alone," but then He is God, and all the goodness of Deity shines in Him. In my experience I have found Him to be good, indeed so good that all the good I have has come to me through Him. He was good to me when I was dead in sin, for He raised me by His Spirit's power; He has been good to me in all my needs, trials, struggles, and sorrows. There could never be a better Teacher, for His service is freedom, His rule is love: I wish I were one thousandth part as good a servant. When He teaches me, He is unspeakably good, His doctrine is divine, His manner is gracious, His spirit is gentleness itself. There is no error in His instruction: Pure is the golden truth that He presents, and all His teachings lead to goodness, sanctifying as well as edifying the disciple. Angels know that He is good and delight to worship at His footstool. The ancient saints proved Him to be a good Teacher, and each of them rejoiced to sing, "I am Your servant, O Lord!" My own humble testimony must certainly be to the same effect. I will declare this before my friends and neighbors, for possibly they may be led by my testimony to seek my Lord Jesus as their Teacher. O I long that they might do so! They would never regret the decision. If they would submit to His easy yoke, they would find themselves in such royal service that they would never want to leave. The school of grace rejoices to have such a Teacher!" - Charles Spurgeon

Think About God's Love

2008-05-14T10:41:00.001-07:00

It’s essential for us to think about God’s love today because it
is only his love that can grant us the joy that will strengthen our
hearts, the courage that will embolden us in our fight against sin,
and the assurance that will enable us to open up our lives to him
so that he might deal powerfully with our unbelief and idolatry. If
we’re not completely convinced that his love is ours right now—
fully and unalterably ours—we’ll always hide in the shadows,
focusing on our performance, fearing his wrath. Prayer will be
hard because we won’t want to approach him or be transparent
before him. Witnessing will be a chore, for who would want to
talk to others about a god who is demanding, angry, or cold? If
we don’t consciously live in the light of his love, the gospel will
be secondary, virtually meaningless, and Jesus Christ will fade
into insignificance. Our faith will become all about us, our
performance,and how we think we’re doing, and our
transformation will be hindered. - Elyse Fitzpatrick

The Truth About Mormonism - Latter Day Saints

2008-04-28T05:05:00.000-07:00

After an introduction into our study of what Mormonism teaches verses the Bible there was some interest in placing the notes on the website. Instead, here is the link to one of the sermons I researched and found the lengthy quote we went over last night. You can click on this link and read over it if you have time http://www.preachtheword.com/sermon/cults03.shtml. I hope you all have a great week.
Take care,
Blake

Brockman and Band Finish Third

2008-04-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

The Artist Formerly Known as the Samuel L. Jackson Experience put on an incredible performance last night at East Jessamine High School. After the judges deliberated for a fairly lengthy time the results came back and Matt and his band finished in third place. They took home a beautiful cardboard guitar signed by the rest of the bands from Air Band VI. Congratulations Matt on a strong performance. This is the clearest picture I had of Matt doing his thing, but I am hoping to post some better ones soon.

Matt Brockman Makes Air Band Finals

2008-04-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

Our very own Matt Brockman has made the air band finals at East Jessamine High School. After a runner-up performance last year, Matt and his band hope to pull through with the victory later this evening. I am planning on going, along with Drew, Andrea, and Sydney and I'll try and take some pictures and post them for your enjoyment.

Announcements for April 21-28

2008-04-21T11:04:00.001-07:00

Junior High Girls are invited to paint pottery with Brianna and Bethany this Saturday from 1:00-5:00. Meet at the Gillen's at 1:00 and be picked up at 5:00.
Sign up's for Ichthus will be this Sunday. Ichthus will take place June 11-14 so please try and keep those dates open.
Please pray for Dennis and please bring on offering to help him this Sunday if you want to. Dennis is our compassion child we are supporting in Uganda.
Please pray for me this week. I am speaking at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting at UK this Wednesday at 8:00.

Thanks for your time and have a great week.

Together for the Gospel

2008-04-14T17:16:00.000-07:00

It is Monday evening and I am preparing to leave for Louisville tomorrow morning to attend a conference called Together for the Gospel. You can go to the webiste here - http://www.t4g.org/. Here are some of my thoughts as I prepare for the conference:

1. I am really going to miss Brianna and Addison
God has blessed me with the most amazing wife and a beautiful baby girl. I'm already looking forward to coming home Thursday evening, kissing my wife and heading upstairs to see Addison sleeping and saying a good night prayer for her. I love my family.

2. I can't believe God loves me and saved me and allows me to go to this conference
If I know one thing about myself it is that I am an unworthy sinner. I do not deserve the kindness of God shown to me. I hope a proper awareness of my sin will lead to a greater appreciation and wonder at the grace of God shown to me through Christ. "But where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more!" (Romans 5:20)

3. I'm really looking forward to being with my friends Kirk Welch and Steve Janho and making new friends
Kirk is one of my best friends, a mentor, the Pastor who married Brianna and I and someone who helped get me started in ministry. We both love sports, but the thing that really knits our hearts is a love for God's word and a desire to serve others with it. Steve was my first roomate at The Master's College, the first man I really saw live out the Christian life and probably my best friend even though we live many miles apart. With 5,000 men attending I hope to start some new meaningful friendships.

4. I hope my heart is prepared for the Word
8 sermons by Hall of Fame preachers in two days! I hope my heart can handle it. I genuinely pray the Spirit through the Word comes upon me and refreshes me. If that means tears, laughter, whatever, I don't care - I just want to be affected by the Word and transformed.

5. I look forward to being at Wellington Church on Sunday morning
God has given me an amazing opportunity at Wellington Church to serve the families as a Student Ministries Pastor. I hope I can take what I learn and serve them better and more effectively. Keeping in mind that Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her provides me with an amazing motivation to understand the gospel better so I can serve His church better.

If you read this please pray for me that I will grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this week and please pray that God would watch over Brianna and Addison while I'm gone.

Great Advice

2008-04-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centerdness,"My problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

Here is a pretty good list on how to relate to God through all of life:

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.

How are you relating to God the Father?

2008-04-08T04:47:00.000-07:00

"There is nothing in us or done by us, at any stage of our earthly development, because of which we are acceptable to God. We must always be accepted for Christ's sake, or we cannot be accepted at all. This is not true of us only when we believe. It is just as true after we have believed. It will continue to be true as long as we live. Our need of Christ does not cease with our believing, nor does the nature of our relation to him or to God through him ever alter, no matter what our attainments in Christian graces or our achievements in behavior may be. It is always on His blood and righteousness alone that we can rest." - B.B. Warfield

My Sin and Christ's work

2008-03-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

This morning I was reading over a short devotional and came across this quote:
"My sins are many, but oh, it is nothing to Jesus to take them all away. The weight of my guilt presses me down as a giant's foot would crush a worm, but it is no more than a grain of dust to Him, because He has already borne its curse in His own body on the tree. It will be only a small thing for Him to give me full remission, although it will be an infinite blessing for me to receive it."

It is easy for me personally to be more aware of my sin than focused on Christ. It is easy for me to turn my thoughts inward and focus on my own sinful heart than look outward and upward to Jesus Christ. I think we all need to make it a habit early in life, if we take our Christian life serious, to make sure that every time we sin or we are aware of a pattern of sin in our lives that we don't dwell on it or remain in it but seek Jesus immediately. We are open and honest with Him as we approach Him in humility knowing that He already knows our condition. We cast ourselves and our sins onto Him and ask Him to take them away. I John 1:9, "If we confess (say the same thing as God about our sins) He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

This morning if you are aware of an ongoing pattern of sin please turn immediately to the Savior. Go to a quiet place, get on your knees and unburden your heart to Him and ask Him to cleanse you and fill you with His will for your life and seek the help of the Holy Spirit for the change Christ would have you to make. I want you to know I am fighting the same battles (I Corinthians 10:13) and am always here to help you in your pursuit of Christ.

My Mondays

2008-03-24T12:20:00.000-07:00

On Mondays I try to obey I Timothy 4:16 - "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." You guys know how much I talk on Sundays and it would be very easy to forget it all on Monday. Yet, if what I say on Sunday doesn't make a difference on Monday I am guilty of not obeying James 1:22 - "But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." One person says that we can become guilty of becoming "professional sermon" listeners. We are so good at hearing and yet not good at applying it to our lives.

In order to attempt to practice what I preach I spend time on Mondays reviewing the lessons from the day before and try to strategically apply them to my life. For instance, one of the main lessons from the two sermons on Friday night and Sunday morning was that on the cross God the Father exchanged His Son for my sin; God the Father crushed His only begotten Son for my sins. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

For me to apply that work I must do a little thinking, with the help of the Holy Spirit, on the reality of my own sinfulness. Sin is defined in the Bible as lawlessness. I sin every time I break God's Word in word, thought or deed. That means God crushed Jesus for my unhelpful words to my friends, my laziness at serving my wife at home, my lack of devotion to prayer and most importantly for my failure to love God with all that I am and my neighbor as myself (The Great Command). Thinking about the reality of my sin and then remembering why Jesus died makes me thankful for God's continuing love and also makes me want to stop my sinning. I can't think about My Savior being crushed for my sins and then willingly continue in those things for which He died and stop and pray and honestly tell Him how much I love Him and how thankful I am for what He has done for me.

Mondays are a great opportunity to reflect on what we are learning from God's Word and apply it strategically to our lives. If we are not doing this then we need to re-examine the reason for coming together on Sunday mornings. My prayer is that we would not become "professional sermon" listeners, but spend time strategically thinking of ways to practice the truths we are learning from God's Word.

Is this a regular practice for you or when do you stop and think over what you are learning?

Contemplating The Castle

2008-03-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a first for the Gillen family at "The Castle." These are some quick afterthoughts for consideration:
1. The castle is an attempt to kill off an overcrowded universe
2. The castle is trying to set the record for the thinnest meat patty in the world
3. The castle is a non-prescriptive drug for afternoon siesta's

Any other thoughts would be welcomed under the comment section.
Hope all is well,
Blake

The Castle

2008-03-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

All students are invited to attend lunch at the castle after church this Sunday morning. We will be dining at the castle from 12:15-1:15. Can anyone say, "Slider contest!"

Hope to see you there,

Blake

Welcome Students

2008-03-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,
I hope now that you have the address to this website you will check it out often. I am trying to download some pictures of upcoming events and want to use this as a way to keep in touch throughout the week. Please comment anytime and hopefully we can use this to keep in touch.
Take care,
Blake
P.S. "If you're going to do something stupid be smart about it!"

Christ Against The World

2008-02-25T11:55:00.000-08:00

Acts 4:12 says of Jesus Christ, “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.” Beginning Sunday evening, March 23, our Student Ministry will be starting a study called Christ against the World. Our aim is to show the uniqueness and superiority of Christ and Christianity to all the other world religions by measuring the truths of who Christ is and what He accomplished verses all world religions. Here is a list of the world religions we will be considering and comparing to Christ:
March 23 – The Non-Negotiables of the Christian Faith
March 30 – Christianity vs. Roman Catholicism
April 6– Christianity vs. Mormonism
April 13 – Christianity vs. Jehovah's Witness
April 20 – Christianity vs. Islam
April 27 – Christianity vs. Christian Scientology
May 4 – Guest Speaker
May 11 – Christianity vs. Buddhism
May 18 – Christianity vs. Hinduism
May 25 – Summary Sermon
I hope this study will help you better understand the "exclusiveness" of the Christian gospel compared to all world religions and you will boast in Christ alone.

Your Marriage as an Example

2008-02-12T08:38:00.001-08:00

The most important thing your child can observe in your home is the love you have for each other as husband and wife. If your child knows you love one another they will feel comfortable and secure in the home. They will feel free to open up their hearts to you because of what they observe in your marriage. If they see their dad reacting in sinful anger toward their mom or the mom reacting in sinful anger toward the dad, they will probably not bring their concerns to you because they think this is the way you will react against them as well. The point is that your children are watching and observing and taking mental notes and their relationship with you is dependent in a lot of ways on how they see their parents treat one another.

Therefore, let me encourage all parents to take some time if you have a computer and go to http://www.truthforlife.org/ and listen to the current series called We Two Are One. You can click on recent broadcasts and start at the beginning. They are 20-25 minute sermons by a great Bible teacher named Alistair Begg that will be insightful and encouraging to you in your marriage. What kind of legacy are you leaving for your children? Please take some time and think through the implications your marriage is having on your children.

The Spirit-Filled Family

2008-02-11T12:45:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 5:15-6:4
"Therefore (Those who have awaken from their sin to life in Christ - v. 14) be careful how you walk (Live life), not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

What is God's will for believers?

"And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."

God's will is for believers to be Spirit-filled. Just as a person can tell the effects of alcohol, the effects of the Spirit should control the life of the believer and lead to a changed life in specific relationships, all as a result of living in the fear or reverence of Christ.

What does the Spirit-controlled Christ fearing life look like in marriage?

"Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her with the washing of water with the Word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband."

Wives are to submit to their husbands just as the church submits to Christ and husbands are to provide sacrificial leadership by providing for their wives, protecting their wives from error and loving their wives, leading her to blessing as she submits. The same result is true for believers who submit to Christ as they ought.

What does the Spirit-controlled Christ fearing life look like at home?

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Father's do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

Children obeying parents as unto Christ and parents not using their leadership role in the home to make unreasonable demands and structures that drive their children to anger, despair and resentment, but training them in God's word to love and obey Christ.

Sports - A Great Opportunity For Instruction

2008-02-05T08:10:00.000-08:00

Many of you men are familiar with the words of NFL football coach Herman Edwards postgame speech several years ago when he proclaimed, "You play to win the game!" I can still picture him leaning over the podium and passionately proclaiming this to reporters. While from a coaching assessment I agree with Edward's, from a Christian standpoint I think there is far more to learn from sports than just, "You play to win the game!"

As many of you know, a Christian man I look up to is named C.J. Mahaney. One thing I have learned from C.J. that I wanted to include in this post is how C.J. uses sports to teach his teenage son humility. I have learned from C.J. that sports is a great opportunity for training our children, and possibly ourselves in righteousness. This is what C.J. wrote in his blog after watching the super bowl with his son, Chad:

"Obviously my prediction of an easy win by the Patriots was slightly off. Personally, I didn’t think it was a great game -- but it was a great 4th quarter. And I can’t believe I was rooting for the Giants. And I can’t believe I am happy they won. Actually, I was more interested in what would take place after the game. I was leaning forward as the game ended, eager to observe what Bill Belichick would do. How would he respond to this test of adversity and his first taste of defeat this year? Would he be humble and gracious in defeat?

Sadly, he didn’t appear to be. Before the game officially ended he had already left the field. Sure, he did make his way across the field to congratulate Tom Coughlin, but then he left the field and the game was not over! He should have returned to the field to take his place as coach for the final play of the game. He should have humbly returned to the sideline and set an example as the leader of this team. This game will be difficult, if not impossible, for the Patriots to forget, but Belichick could have set an example for his team that would have transcended the game. He could have set an example of humility they would never forget.

I stayed up after the game for one reason. I knew they would interview Belichick, and I wanted to hear what he would say. I hoped he would at least congratulate the Giants on their victory. He did not. He missed yet another opportunity to provide a compelling and humble example of how to conduct oneself when one has lost the game.

Though many will write about what took place on the field during the game, I thought his actions at the end of the game and after the game were the most disappointing aspects of the game. And this is the stuff I review and emphasize with my son as we talk about the game. This is what I want him to remember and learn from this game."

Parents, when was the last time you sat down with your child and used sports, either the particular sport they are competing in or the sport you view on television, and used it as a teaching tool? I think if we are honest we approach sports with a Herman Edwards approach more than a Christian apporach that does not minimize competing with all your heart, but also embraces this aspect of life as a unique teaching tool.

Agape Love

2008-02-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

Agape Love

I John 3:10-18

Purpose of John's letter:

1.) Assurance of salvation - "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." 5:13

2.) Joy - "And we are writing these things that our joy may be made complete." 1:4

Knowing you have eternal life is what provides true and lasting joy in this life
John provides three "tests" or signs to show who indeed has eternal life and a reason for joy
a. Doctrinal Test - A belief in the incarnation of Christ (100%God - 100%Man) 1:1-5
b. Moral Test - Realization and confession of sins and an obedience to Christ 1:6-2:6
c. Love Test - A peculiar love for other Christians that causes the believer to not love the world and sacrifice himself/herself for the good of others (2:7-16)
We believe the truth about Christ, show we believe by putting His word into action which causes us to sacrifice our lives for the good of others
This morning we are looking at the third test of authentic Christianity – Brotherly Love
Love today is understood as that which makes me feel good – “Falling in or out of love”
The Bible defines love as self-sacrifice – Opposite than the world
John’s word for love is agape – Turn and read I Corinthians 13:4
Agape love is divine love, what God is in His essence, and the love Christians are to have
Could you substitute your name for love in I Corinthians 13:4-8?
Love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside a believer (Galatians 5:22)
Is this the love you have for other Christians? Patient, kind, not envy or boastful, etc.
John turns and applies the love test to the two groups in this church
1. Jealousy and envy have no place among believers – 3:10-15
John referring to "the beginning" of the New Testament when Christ came into the world
Christ commanded His disciples to love one another as He loved them
Cain and Abel represent envy and jealousy believers are not to have toward one another
Abel’s works were righteous and Cain’s weren’t and so Cain rose up and killed him
Jealousy or envy among God’s people has led to serious problems in the church
Where do fights and quarrels come from in the church? “Your own lust” – James 4:1-2
How do we turn from jealousy and envy to being the children God wants us to be?
2. Understand God’s Agape Love and Apply It To Life – v. 16-18
We said earlier that John’s thoughts are going to be clearer the longer we read and this is one of the clearest descriptions of the work of Christ in the Bible
The thought here is that although we do not purchase salvation by doing good to others, the way we know a person understands the love of God is the good they do for others
To be forgiven much is to love much, and not to love is to abide in death; to love is to do
Turn and read the story of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37
The lost religious leaders of that day looked on this man in need and thought, “What will happen to me if I stop and help this man.” The Good Samaritan looked on this man in need and asked, “What will happen to this man if I don’t stop to help him.”
Look around you at all the needs in the lives of your friends and family
If you are like the religous leaders of Jesus' day, you only think about what helping others will cost you
Christ teaches that true love for our neighbor means asking what will happen to this person if I don't reach out to them in love
The way someone shows they know the love of Christ is by sacrifically loving others
“Many people preach Christ; my aim will be to live Christ.” – Robert Chapman
Follow Through
1. How do we truly know the love of God from verse 16?
2. How do we know we have understood that love in verse 17?
3. Is it easier to talk about love we have for other believers or to put it into action (v. 18)?
4. How are we as a student ministry demonstrating the love of Christ?

A Ministry To Families of Wellington Church

2008-01-29T11:07:00.000-08:00

This webpage has been designed as a ministry to the families of Wellington Church. On this page you will find helpful sermon links, quotes, notes from Sunday lessons and anything that may help you grow in your relationship with Christ. Please feel free to comment, ask questions or enter prayer requests throughout the week.

Take care,
Blake