Happy Tax Freedom Day!

For the past 3.5 months most Americans have been working for the various governments (federal, state, local) to make enough money to pay this year's tax obligations. But as of April 13th we get to start working for ourselves!

http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/24529.html

Jesus Wants the Rose

Here is a video excerpt from Matt Chandler the pastor of The Village Church. I think this is a very powerful illustration. I know most of us have sat through preaching like his example and it should make us all angry to see the Gospel trampled like that.





Romans 5:8:
⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He does all that he pleases

Psalm 115:3

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Unleash 09 Sessions

Our good buddy Steve Staton, went down to the Unleash conference at NewSpring and reported back saying that it was amazing...so I figured we would share the main session videos here. Check em out.

Ignatius

Ignatius from travis hawkins on Vimeo.

What if Satan took control of a City?

I am reading Christless Christianity by Michael Horton and it begins with the question, What would it look like if Satan really took control of a city? Generally, when we think of Satan taking over a city all kinds of evil images begin filling our minds. Prostitution, murder, and greed just to name a few.

Over fifty years ago Donald Barnhouse offered a different scenario in his weekly sermon on CBS radio.

"If Satan took over Philadelphia, all of the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and pristine streets would be filled with tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The children would say, "Yes, sir" and "No, ma'am," and the churches would be full every Sunday...where Christ is not preached."

Now this scenario might be somewhat of an exaggeration but I believe it to be true. Wherever Christ and his Gospel is being proclaimed we can be assured that Satan is most active in opposition. But where churches are full and the Good News of the Gospel is exchanged for the good advice of a self-help, moralistic, therapeutic deism, then Satan, however subtle, is beginning to take control.

His own arm brought him Salvation

Isaiah 59:15-20

The LORD saw it, and it displeased him
that there was no justice.
¹⁶ He saw that there was no man,
and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation,
and his righteousness upheld him.
¹⁷ He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.
¹⁸ According to their deeds, so will he repay,
wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies;
to the coastlands he will render repayment.
¹⁹ So they shall fear the name of the LORD from the west,
and his glory from the rising of the sun;
for he will come like a rushing stream,
which the wind of the LORD drives.

²⁰ "And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
to those in Jacob who turn from transgression," declares the LORD.

You atone for our transgressions

Psalm 65: 1-4

¹Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,
and to you shall vows be performed.
²O you who hear prayer,
to you shall all flesh come.
³When iniquities prevail against me,
you atone for our transgressions.
⁴ Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple!

Who for the Joy set before Him

Hebrews 12:2

²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³

But to him who does not work

Romans 4: 4-5

⁴Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

The Supremacy of Christ

Colossians 1:15-23

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

²¹Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²²But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— ²³if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

BibleMap.org

Ever wondered where all the churches in Revelation 1 actually were? Maybe not...but if you did, you can now see their location on a satellite image of earth courtesy of BibleMap.org. Just type in the book and chapter of the Bible your reading and you'll see a map of locations found in that section of scripture....pretty cool huh?