Category: christian living

Deep and Wide Worship

On By joshnnomiIn WorshipLeave a comment


As I was driving yesterday afternoon listening to some worship genre music, I felt it lacking depth, as I reflected back on my worship throughout the week, it felt depthless, monotonous and routine, I felt it lacking awe.

But how can my worship of God lack awe?

I worship an awesome God, who is holy and sovereign. He reigns on high, who can compare to the greatness of the Lord? His mercy is everlasting, his love is a steadfast love, his compassion is on display in the many acts of love showered on us daily. Who can compare to the greatness of the Lord? 

I began to ask God for mercy, grace and forgiveness for my depthless, monotonous and routine mouthing of words because whatever I was doing it was not worship. As I was praying I began to ask the Lord to help me worship like the Apostles because I was reminded of Peter’s outburst of worship we will be discussing in our Sunday School class,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. – 1 Peter 1:3-5

Peter wasn’t lacking awe, his worship was the opposite of depthless, monotonous and routine. Peter burst forth in praise, crying out blessing to God the Father for Jesus Christ. Peter most likely, thinking back to the words of Jesus “follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Remembering the Father’s mercifully choosing him through Christ and causing him to be born again to a living hope. In this moment of worship he most likely thought back to the moment his salvation was sealed forever, when Mary and the other women burst through the upper room proclaiming “He is risen” and Peter probably remembered seeing the the risen Lord on the seas shore, hearing the voice of love and grace, “Peter feed my sheep.” 

Peter was awestruck by a God who took a sinner and made him an heir of heaven. An heir who will recieve that which is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” An heir who through faith in the Father, through the work of his Son, by the power of His Spirit is being guarded and kept for that great day of salvation. On that great day of salvation, faith will become sight and awe and worship will be eternal. 

I stand in awe because just like Peter, the Lord has mercifully chosen and caused us to be born again. The Lord has sealed our salvation by rising from the dead. The Lord has taken us sinners and made us heirs of heaven. The Lord guards and keeps us until that great day of salvation. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

How is your worship? Is it depthless, monotonous and routine? Or is it deep and wide, flowing like the worship of Peter?

Lord help us worship like the Apostles.

Denial Through Affirmation 

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

You have heard it before, haven’t you? “Jesus says nothing about same sex marriage.” Is it true? 

This weekend I had the privilege of leading our Sunday School class through Matthew 19. Jesus is being tested by the Pharisses concerning divorce and Jesus answered, 

And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” – Matthew 19:3-6

Did you see what Jesus did? Through his affirmation of marriage he was denying a culture of divorce. Imagine for a moment if Jesus walked the earth today, someone could walk up to Jesus and ask, is same sex marriage lawful? What would Jesus say? 

His reply would be the same. He would affirm God’s original plan for marriage as He does in Matthew 19. Through Jesus affirmation of God’s original intent of marriage in Genisis he is denying,

  • Same Sex Marriage- He created them male and female and then Jesus’ affirmation of a man leaving and cleaving to his female partner is God’s original intent
  • Gender Identity- Jesus also speaks to our gender confusion culture. “”Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female.” God created people either male or female, the problem is we have separated gender identity from biological identity.
  • No Fault Divorce- Jesus speaks to a divorce for any reason culture. 
  • Polygamy- Jesus takes us back to the Garden of Eden to where God created 1 male and 1 female. He also said a man should cleave to his wife not wives. 

Through Christ affirmation of God’s original intent for marriage he is setting perimeters around marriage. Through his affirmation he is denying anything which strays from those perimeters. God’s word is timeless and speaks to us in the twenty first century. The question is, will we listen?

Until Next Time 

Solo Deo Gloria

Insights From Matthew: Overcoming Temptation Part 4

On By joshnnomiIn christian living, Insights from Mathew, UncategorizedLeave a comment

We have been on a trek through Matthew 4 discovering principles to help us overcome our temptations. In part one we looked at being filled with the Spirit and practicing the spiritual disciplines. In part two we learned the importance of being filled with the Word and awareness. In part three the importance of being wise and knowing God was highlighted. Today we focus on knowing our identity.

If You Are…

Have you ever heard those questions? Those questions which cast doubt. Are you really a Christian? Are you really a child of God? You know those questions that question your identity. Continue reading “Insights From Matthew: Overcoming Temptation Part 4” →

My Questions And Struggles With Books From Fallen Leaders

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

Recently Tim Challies took the time to deal with the question; What do we do with books from fallen leaders? His post was very helpful and to be quite honest I agree with him. He posted pros, like it’s still truth, and cons, like it’s a form of payment or support when you by their books. In the end here was his conclusion,

In the end, exercise wisdom, heed conscience, and take cues from the local church. Consider all of these factors, trust that God delights to give you wisdom, carefully heed conscience when it calls or accuses, and be willing to follow the cues of the author’s church or denominational authorities.As for me, I find it difficult to read books by authors who have disgraced and disqualified themselves. Depending on the kind of immorality he displayed, I may even get rid of his books. We of all generations are so blessed by good books that I see little reason to even consider ones written by leaders who have made a trainwreck of their ministries. I can’t think of a single category of book that needs the work of a fallen author. There are other great books on leadership, other ones on marriage, on prayer and suffering and Christian living. I do not need to rely on the books of those who have justly been removed from ministry. Neither do I need to read or recommend them.

Here is my struggle/questions, I wouldn’t read material from a known racist or slave holder. If a pastor would hold those views, I would consider him fallen and refuse to read their books. And yet we are encouraged to read the Puritans and Reformers, knowing some were racist and slave holders.

I love to read and I must admit, I love to read the Puritans and the Reformers. I have grown in Christ by reading their books and at the same time I realize some were racist slave holders. I know we don’t consider the puritans fallen preachers, so what category do we put them into. What should one do? 

I have always taken I Thessalonians 5:21 approach,

but test everything; hold fast what is good. – 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Filter and test everything according to Scripture, hold on tight to the truth, the good and let go of everything else. Brothers, there is much truth, much good in the writings of the Puritans and Reformers. And yet I say this knowing I would refuse to read someone current who was a racist, do you feel my struggle. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Propagandas Precious Puritans, especially the last few lines “So I guess it’s true that God really does use crooked sticks to make straight lines.” I guess my struggle is how crooked does the stick have to be before we stop reading their books? 

Until Next Time 

Soli Deo Gloria

Breaking The Monotony 

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

I facilitate a college Bible study at church. We meet have dinner fellowship and Bible study. We have good times. Sometimes it’s good to break the routine, do something different. Last night, I seen the opportunity and took it.

Our church was hosting their Awana award celebration and end of year bash. This year we had Jeff McCullogh, he is owner/producer of Jump Start 3. Jeff takes Scripture and puts it into a musical style kids, and most adults, would enjoy. His work is featured in the Answers in Genesis VBS curriculum and he travels around the world performing and spreading the Gospel. I met Jeff earlier in the day and talked for a bit about my days in Southern California and “Los Doyers”.

Breaking The Monotony 

After his performance with the kids, I took the opportunity Continue reading “Breaking The Monotony “ →

Insights From Mathew: Overcoming Temptation Part 1

On By joshnnomiIn christian living2 Comments

In Mathew 4 we read of Jesus victory over temptation. Satan approaches Jesus at the end of a 40 day fast, in solitude, in the wilderness. Satan thinks he sees an opportunity. Satan is coming to Christ in what appears to him as a moment of weakness. If you’ve ever read the account, then you know Christ overcame, Christ was the victor. If you are a believer Christ victory is your victory. Christ has overcome the evil one, Jesus is our way of escape when we face temptation. John tells us “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8c). We need to cling to Christ at all times because we never know when Satan will tempt us. But how do we Continue reading “Insights From Mathew: Overcoming Temptation Part 1” →

Driving It Home

On By joshnnomiIn christian livingLeave a comment

 Photo credit: http://www.mudpuddlestometeors.com/night-sky-watcher-giveaway/
My family and I are on the road, heading west to California from Arkansas. Around four in the morning it was my turn to take the wheel. My wife and kids resting, as well as they could in a Honda, I started admiring the night sky then I check my rear view mirror, which is facing east and I realize I am driving into the darkness of the night away from the light of the Eastern sunrise.

Driving through New Mexico into the night, the Lord was using this image to speak volumes into my life. The Lord was using His creation and Scripture, proclaiming His goodness and mercy to me, speaking into my heart. The Lord reminded me of the Continue reading “Driving It Home” →