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Keep Yourselves from Idols

By on February 23, 2012 in Blog with 0 Comments

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. – 1 John 5:21

It might seem odd that John’s last words in his letter are “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” However, this can hardly be seen as a little command. John is calling us to a far greater task than we realize. Here’s why:

Our Problem.

John Calvin says the human heart is an idol factory. We are experts at creating idols.  This is our fundamental problem. We go through each day, clinging to and creating idols. As D.A. Carson points out concerning idolatry, we de-god God. We elevate our idols to the position of God and ascribe to them worship that is only due to God. This often leaves us broken-hearted. None of us are above idolatry. Idolatry plagues all of us.

Identifying our Idols

Many of us are quick to acknowledge that idolatry is the root problem. We agree with Calvin and his analysis of the human heart. A simple survey of our past attests to the idolatry that we so readily engage in. And yet, we have given no real consideration to identify any of our idols. Lest we think we are above idolatry, we should examine our hearts. It is then that we can seek to heed the command of John. When are aware of the idols that we cling to we can then obey Paul’s command to “flee idolatry” (I Cor. 10:14) for we know which idols we are so quick to run to.

So where do you start? What idols are in your life?  Ask yourself, where do you ascribe the most worship? Where do you find your affections constantly going?

There is no greater resource to identify idols than David Powlison’s X-Ray Questions. Examine your heart.

The Good News

Here is the good news. Jesus can overcome your idols. Face them with the supremacy of Christ and the Gospel. Be prayerful, as you attempt to identify and confront. Be active in the Spirit to kill your idols. Remember the Gospel, go there daily. Face your idols with the Gospel.

Clothed in Righteousness

By on February 22, 2012 in Blog with 0 Comments

“And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them“ – Genesis 3:21

The Fall

We all know the story. Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden. They wanted to be like God (the irony, they were already created in his image). Adam and Eve felt, for the first time, their sin and separation from God. The weight of the first sin crushed them. They actually hid from God. In an attempt to cover their nakedness, they sewed together fig leaves. Yet, they still felt shame. They still felt guilt. God was walking in the garden looking for them and they were hiding because of their nakedness. Their clothing was insufficient to cover their sin.

The Mercy of God

God called out to Adam and Eve as they hid. He confronted them in their guilt and shame. He wasn’t going to leave them like that.  He pronounced the judgment their sin incurred. He also, gave them a promise in Gen. 3:15, the first Gospel. God looked upon them and saw their shabby attempt to cover themselves in fig leaves. And even in the midst of their sin, he had mercy on them. God, in his grace, sacrificed an animal and made for them clothing.

Garments of Righteous

This was the first time that God, in his mercy and grace, made a sacrifice to clothe Adam and Eve in garments of skin. Today, God stands ready to clothe us in another garment because of an ultimate sacrifice. This sacrifice is Jesus and the garment is Jesus’ righteousness. On the cross, Jesus was substituted for us. Jesus took our place on the cross, clothed with our sin. God poured out his wrath on His Son so that we could be clothed with Jesus’ righteousness. By grace alone through faith alone, we are saved and clothed. Christian, you are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.

Keeping an Eye to the Culture

By on February 21, 2012 in Blog with 0 Comments

“I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:22

The gospel is a dynamic message translating across culture, racial status, social standing, ethnicity, and any other dividing line. It is the great equalizer. The apostle Paul understood this fact very well and was used in incredible ways by the Lord through that understanding. What made Paul’s ministry so effective, however, was that he understood that the hearer’s opinion of the person presenting the message of the gospel is almost as important as the message itself. A person who believes that all basketball players are criminals will not likely receive the gospel as well from a basketball player as they would from someone else. This is a fact of life, and it is something that all gospel-bearers must take to heart. Paul understood this and thus adjusted his lifestyle based on the people he interacted with. Paul had no problem abstaining from meat sacrificed to idols if it meant greater effectiveness with the gospel (1 Corinthians 9). He also had no problem working for a living so as not burden the churches and not to appear to be someone trying to make a living off of a message of hope. He had no problem adjusting his habits for the sake of the gospel, and neither should we.

As I go through life, I am continually reminding myself to keep an eye to the culture. I want to be countercultural in many ways. I want people to wonder why I am different, but I also want to maintain a cultural relevance so that I, too, may become “all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” I live in San Jose, and I have begun to learn that one of the most counter-cultural things that I can do in this area is slow down. At the same time, I am an engineer. If I were a worthless engineer who had no proficiency at his job, I would be much less effective in ministering to other engineers. To become all things to all people in my life, I need to become an excellent engineer, but I also need to slow myself down. I need to dream of ways in which I can excel at my job in a way that proclaims to my coworkers that Jesus is king, not work.

What are you seeing as you have an eye to the culture? How can you gain relevance, while remaining noticeably countercultural? It is different for everyone and every culture, but it is wise advice from the life of Paul to continually have an eye to the culture.

Why this Blog?

By on February 20, 2012 in Blog with 1 Comment

Welcome to Beholding Grace. For a little over a month now, Jeremy Georges and I  have connected many times and talked about bringing this blog to reality. We first met serving alongside each other in youth ministry. Since then we have remained great friends with the same passion, the Gospel. We love the Gospel. Our prayer is that you would see and savor the innumerable riches of the Gospel, the beauty and glory of Christ, and the loveliness of our Triune God. There is nothing better than that.

We wanted to kick it off by explaining our heart in this blog.

From Matt:

I have been blogging off and on for a couple of years now. I started blogging in college as a way to share thoughts and retell stories. It was just something that was fun and enjoyable. Over time, the blog evolved to include theological topics, book reviews, quotes, and other things all while retaining the life stories and thoughts. A couple of months ago I really had a desire for my blogging to be something deeper. After praying and thinking over it, I called up Jeremy and asked him what he thought about co-authoring a blog together on the Gospel. He was all for it and here we are.

My prayer for this blog is that it would bring us deeper into the Gospel and glorify God. I truly believe that when we understand and experience the Gospel, we can’t help but be moved. We can’t help but bring forth action. The Gospel changes us. I have experienced  and am experiencing this in my own life as well as teaching this to others. And the beautiful thing is the Gospel is deep. We can’t exhaust the riches and treasures that are found there. So my aim in writing is to go into the gospel, day after day. I pray that my writing would be a fruit of my dwelling in the Gospel.

I pray that this blog would be Gospel-centered and Christ-exalting.

If you have any ideas or want me to write on a specific topic, feel free to leave me a comment. I would love to hear your feedback.

From Jeremy:

Far too often in my Christian life I have become a by-standing critic, tending to critique what others are doing wrong, while doing nothing myself to fix it or improve it. I see this tendency a lot in young Christian men, especially in the young reformed community (of which I am a part). In this Christian sub-culture, there tends to be an overemphasis on what one is against rather than what one is for, or an emphasis on figuring out what is wrong with something rather than on how to fix that something. Nitpicky theological correctness in modern Christianity has often become more important than putting that theology into practice.

My prayer for this blog is that it becomes a catalyst to push people from a state of desire for mere theological correctness and understanding to a state of desire to put that theological correctness and understanding into practice in real life. I hope that this blog becomes a place where the ideas expressed lead to real life action. The gospel is not merely a thing to be discussed and analyzed; it is a truth to be proclaimed. Theology is not merely a list of concepts that are disconnected from life, but a set of truths about the nature of God that, when understood correctly, should lead men to action. I want this blog to herald that truth.

I see this blog as a response to the tendency in my life to critique. I want to get away from my by-standing critic role! I love the gospel. It is a precious gift that I want to defend. I want the truth of it and correct theological understanding of it to be discussed through this blog, yes, but in a way that is sure to show people that it is a gift that should lead to action, not just analysis.

Greatest Card Trick Ever

By on January 30, 2012 in Blog with 0 Comments

I enjoyed watching this video. Watching magic tricks always leaves me entertained. To see how it was done, check out this site.

 

 

 

The Gospel Prayer

By on January 23, 2012 in Blog with 0 Comments

The past couple of days I have been reading Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary by JD Greear. I have been deeply encouraged and strengthened by it. The second part of Gospel focuses around a prayer that Greear calls “The Gospel Prayer”. Greear has been praying it for years and invites us to pray the same prayer in our lives. I find it excellent and definitely worth sharing.

The Gospel Prayer

“In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less.”

“Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy.”

“As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”

“As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross and Your power by the resurrection.”

Knowing God Audiobook Free from Christian Audio

By on January 9, 2012 in Blog with 0 Comments

When I am asked about my favorite books I often mention Knowing God by J.I. Packer. I remember reading Packer’s book in college for the first time. I can remember truth after truth blowing my mind, leading me deeper into worship and truth. Today, I frequently revisit it. I have learned and continue to learn much from Packer.

This month, Christian Audio is giving away Packer’s Knowing God for free on their website.

I would certainly recommend picking up this book and spending time in it.

Go to Christian Audio’s website and download the book here.

Book Giveaway: Night of the Living Dead Christian.

By on December 17, 2011 in Blog with 0 Comments

There is still time to enter to win Night of the Living Dead Christian by Matt Mikalatos.

All you need to do is enter the drawing. The winner will be contacted by email December 18, 2011.

Check out my review of the book here.

Reflecting on Brasil – Beautiful Feet

By on December 12, 2011 in Blog with 1 Comment

This past summer I spent two weeks in Brasil with a team of students who were passionate about the gospel being proclaimed. It has been almost half a year since that trip. As I reflect on the trip, I am reminded of God’s goodness. I am reminded of the Gospel’s power to penetrate deep darkness and bring everlasting light. I am reminded of the deep brokenness of this world. But I am reminded more that Christ is deeper still. Yes, Christ is deeper than our deepest darkest moments. Christ is deeper than any sin we are drowning in. Christ is deeper, yes Christ is deeper.

Below is a devotional that was used on the trip. It centered around “Beautiful Feet” from Romans 10:15. I pray that you would be encouraged by the following.

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. – Romans 10:13-17 

The theme verse for this trip is verse 15. How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! Rarely do we look at feet and delight in them. Rarely do we look at feet and call them beautiful. Think on this. In first century, people walked barefoot or in sandals day after day. Feet were extremely dirty as dust and sand covered their feet. Naturally, their feet had to be disgusting. Is this really what Paul is saying? What is it that makes them beautiful? The beauty of the feet lies in the message that it is carrying. The Gospel message is beautiful. There is an importance and necessity of messengers to bring the Gospel message. Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7 which states “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Thus the image is not one of looking at the feet but rather seeing a messenger deliver good news. Consider this. You are in the Mountains. No cell service. The roads are a couple miles off. The long hike in now seems like a mistake. Someone in your family is desperately sick. You are searching for a cure but you know your family cannot leave the area. A family member runs into a town and speaks to the doctor while you wait for an answer. Unsure if there is a cure or not you wait patiently. All of a sudden you see two men running towards you with hope and joy. How beautiful the sight. The very feet that are churning are bearing good news. Your family member will be healed. This is what Paul is saying. The feet that carry the Gospel are beautiful because of the message it proclaims. It has the power to save. It has the power to make wicked men righteous. It has the power to transform. The Gospel is powerful. Don’t forget that. You are divinely appointed by God on this trip to bring the good news. Your feet are beautiful because of the message you proclaim. Be sure to proclaim it this trip!

Christ is deeper still. Yes, Christ is deeper still. How beautiful are the feet who bring the Gospel message. Whether we are in America, Brasil, Europe, Asia, Africa, or anywhere else, Christ is deeper still. May we be messengers to those who are drowning in the depths of sin and despair and proclaim to them a Christ who is deeper, a Christ is who is powerful enough to save.

Great Christmas Music

By on December 6, 2011 in Blog with 0 Comments

I love when Christmas season comes around. One of my favorite things about the season is the music that comes with it. Let’s be honest, Christmas music is awesome! I mean seriously we have started listening to it before Thanksgiving. Halloween better watch out at this pace. There is something that is just great about Christmas music. I always enjoy hearing what people are listening to. So here we go. I’ll post some of my favorites and you can leave a comment with some of your favorites. (If anyone leaves a little drummer boy song or video, you clearly don’t understand good music. Go to a different blog! Kidding, well kinda)

Canaries in the Coal Mine – Scarf Weather

I just found out about this band. Chase and Jordan are based out of Austin, Tx. The album is a 5-track EP. I am excited to see what their next album will be.



Sufjan Stevens: Songs for Christmas

I don’t think you can ever go wrong with Sufjan Stevens during Christmas. Just saying. This is a classic.



Sleeping at Last – Christmas Collection

Sleeping at Last is unlike any other band I have listened to. Their Christmas stuff is no exception. Take a listen. You will enjoy it!

The best part is they have their album available for free on Noisetrade.

Download it here.

Folk Angel and Friends – Comfort and Joy


This is Folk Angel’s third release. This time however they changed it up a bit. They added friends to the album. Features include Shane and Shane, Tedashii, Robbie Seay, Jeff and Jourdan Johnson, and more.

I really enjoy their stuff. Pick it up and take a listen.

If you really want to check these albums out and don’t have the money to buy them, then go to Spotify. All of these albums are available on there. Enjoy. Let me know what you are listening to!

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