New Year - 2008

Here it is the real beginning of a new year when people are back at work, and kids and young adults getting ready to go back to school and college.  It has been a blessed Christmas and Holiday season.  I have had my surgery on December 18, 2007, and I am amazed (and so are many others) at how quickly I have recovered and seen great results from this surgery.  The most anxious part for me is the General Anesthesia.  Especially since you have to sign a form that this procedure alone can cause severe brain damage or even death.  As I awoke in the Recovery Room and I started to realize that's where I was, I started to get tears in my eyes.  I guess I was just overwhelmed with emotions and praising God that I was doing OK.  Later that evening I was able to get up and finally realized that almost all of the pain was gone and I was able to walk without a cane.

 

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement as I went through this little uneasy time in my life.  I have found so many blessings that have come out of this and I thank God for this trial and for helping me through it.  I also am truly grateful for my wife who has continued to help me in so many ways. 

 

As for what I am doing right now in terms of studying, I have just started reading "God of Promise" by Michael Horton (White Horse Inn, Modern Reformation Magazine).  I hope to stay on top of it and post some thoughts as I go through it.

 

Grace and Peace to you all!!!
 

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!

Herniated Disc - and Micro-disctectomy Surgery

Hello my friends,

I have been neglecting the Reform-Shire website for quite some time now.  I have been off from work about the same amount of time due to a herniated disc in my lower spine.  It has caused quite a bit of pain in mostly my right leg radiating down to my foot.  I have been taking pain medications to get me by until my surgery which is tomorrow morning at the Kansas Spine Hospital. 
Although this has been quite painful, I have found some wonderful blessings.  I have been able to spend quite a bit of time with the family and a friend from out of state, especially during this Christmas season.  I'm especially grateful of my wife who has been so kind to me and has showed me how much she cares for me.  I don't think very many guys get to see their wives in action like I have at this stage in our marriage.  And we got to celebrate our 20th Anniversary together last Wednesday night.
I have prayed in the past that I could be more like the Apostle Paul, and maybe I've gotten a small taste of what Paul experienced physically.  As he remarked about the "thorn in the flesh".  But, at least I have the hope of surgery to rid me of my pain, where Paul had his hope in heaven.  I think I could learn to live with the pain, but I'll take the surgery since it is available.  :-)

Grace and Peace to you All and have a Merry CHRISTmas!!!

 

Chris
www.Reform-Shire.blogspot.com
Coram Deo!!!

O Great God

Here is a great song and some wonderful words. I hope you will enjoy lifting these words of praise to the "O Great God". Click this link to listen to the song: "O Great God"

O Great God

---

Words and music by Bob Kauflin
As recorded on Valley of Vision

Lyrics

O great God of highest heaven
Occupy my lowly heart
Own it all and reign supreme
Conquer every rebel power
Let no vice or sin remain
That resists Your holy war
You have loved and purchased me
Make me Yours forevermore

I was blinded by my sin
Had no ears to hear Your voice
Did not know Your love within
Had no taste for heaven’s joys
Then Your Spirit gave me life
Opened up Your Word to me
Through the gospel of Your Son
Gave me endless hope and peace

Help me now to live a life
That’s dependent on Your grace
Keep my heart and guard my soul
From the evils that I face
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me

© 2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

The Heidelberg Catechism - Lord's Day 17

Outside of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ there is no hope for all of mankind.

Romans 4:25
25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

1 Corinthians 12-23

The Resurrection of the Dead

12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

Ephesians 2: 4-10

4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I don't see how there is anything more I can say, since scripture says it here so clearly. that I have nothing to do or to offer in my salvation, and all my faith is a gift from God because of His Mercy and because of His Grace, because of Christ death burial and Resurrection. And as far as I can tell it sounds to me that Christ is currently reigning in the heavenly realm.

Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!

____________________

His Resurrection
Lord’s Day 17
45. What benefit do we receive from the “resurrection” of Christ?
First, by His resurrection He has overcome death, that He might make us partakers of the righteousness which He has obtained for us by His death.[1] Second, by His power we are also now raised up to a new life.[2] Third, the resurrection of Christ is to us a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection.[3]
[1] Rom 4:25; 1 Cor 15:15-20, 54-55; 1 Pt 1:3-5, 21; [2] Rom 6:5-11; Eph 2:4-6; Col 3:1-4; [3] Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 15:12-23; Php 3:20-21

UNITY!!!

Unity is a buzzword that has been going around for some time now, but I have been hearing it more frequently these days and how terrible it is that we as a church are divided.

Anyhow, I have been putting my brain to the test of trying to understand this notion of "the church is not united as Jesus had intended."

I would like to challenge that notion.

Lets look at John 17:11b
Holy Father,(AG) keep them in your name,(AH) which you have given me,(AI) that they may be one,(AJ) even as we are one.

The Restoration Movement and the Campbellites have used this passage as their banner of truth for saying that the church is divided and needs to be united back to the Bible. I can truly appreciate the idea, and I think they should be commended for wanting Unity.

But, I think this misunderstands what Jesus was praying for, and it also lessons the power of Christ as the head of the church.

I will grant you that there are obviously many denominations... and within those denominations there are different slants or peculiarities that they have held as being important when in fact these things are secondary issues.

But, these many denominations does NOT mean that the church is divided as a BODY of Christ. It truly IS one!!!!

Look at it this way... if Jesus prayed that He wanted us to be ONE... You better believe it that we are indeed ONE. He is still the head of the church and we are still the body.

Of course I'm talking about the "invisible church" and not so much these many organizations, denominations, and sects that have segregated themselves. But, it seems to me that there were many small churches from the very beginning. They couldn't all meet in big church buildings like we have today.

Anyone who is a true believer, and any true church believes in the essentials of the Christian Faith... And especially when we are all united in Christ through the Holy Spirit. We are all ONE.

Look at it this way... When we hear about martyrs around the world and Christians being thrown in prison for their faith. How important does my denomination or congregation mean to me when I'm in prison with a Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Seventh-Day Adventist, or Assembly of God, etc. Those things seem to be less important, and our bonds as Brothers, and Sisters in Christ seem to be the only thing we have left. And in those moments, we see that we really truly are ONE in Christ.

Now, that we in America are not for the most part (yet) having to deal with being imprisoned for our faith in Christ, I can see an advantage for having many denominations.
I know you're thinking I've lost my marbles... but I haven't... hear me out.
1) Some denominations excel in traditions (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Reformed churches, etc.) We can learn tons from these churches about our history and the depths of scripture for those that have stayed loyal to scripture.

2) Some denominations we can see have a heart for those who are lost and are not stuck with traditions but tend to embrace the concept of being a family and caring for each other. They tend to focus on evangelism and growth more than those belonging to the 1) category. (Baptists, Christian Churches, etc.)

3) Some Churches excel in doing outreach ministries or they invest a lot of time, money and resources into missions in the community and/or around the world.

So, if you have a bent towards any of these it would be likely that you would feel at home somewhere in one of these denominations. Just like someone might want to go to a church where they speak the same languge.

Another advantage to having the many denominations is we make each other dig into God's Word and we challenge each other to "know what we believe, and why we believe it". And that drives us to understand God's Word and to study it more dilligently. After all iron sharpens iron.

I see that there are many blessings to be found in each denomination and I'm not certain I would want any one of them to change because they after all maybe functioning how Christ wants them too. Someone has to be the foot. Someone has to be the hands. Someone has to be the heart, lungs, nervous system, stomach (Baptists - Fried Chicken), etc. Not all the parts of the body do the same function but they are still part of the same body.

Well, that's my take on the whole UNITY thing. I know that we as believers can do a better job of showing the world on the outside that we are really United it is important that they understand it, because in Christ we truly are... ONE!

Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
E Pluribus Unum - Out of many ONE
Coram Deo!!!

The Heidelberg Catechism

Hello friends,
It has been a challenging few weeks in all aspects of life, but God continues to show me how much I depend on Him daily in every compartment of my world. Whether at Church, work, home, interacting with friends and family, I find myself sometimes thinking... "There is absolutely nobody to talk to these days. Nobody has the time to talk about theology, or the church or the Bible, or any of these things that are always running through my mind."

Although, I do love to talk about my family and how blessed it is to have these wonderful gifts from God (6 children). It is the former things that I long to share the most.

Anyhow, during those moments I see how much I depend on God, and I see somewhat how a person might want to become a monk... but that thought quickly leaves my mind as I am someone who needs the encouragement and love of my wife, family, and of a brother or a sister in Christ. Maybe this is an area of weakness? But, that's why I depend on Christ since I always come up short anyways.

When it comes to those who are not believers I have come to appreciate their friendship, even though they may not be interested in Christ at this moment... I can still be a friend, without any ulterior motives to maybe convert them later, but just to show them love, the same love that Christ showed to all. So, I hope that I can be ready to give an answer to those who ask about the hope that I have, and I pray that I can give an answer with gentleness and respect.

Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!

_____________________
Lord’s Day 16
40. Why was it necessary for Christ to suffer “death?” Because the justice and truth [1] of God required that satisfaction for our sins could be made in no other way than by the death of the Son of God.[2]
[1] Gen 2:17; [2] Rom 6:23, 8:3; Php 2:8; Heb 2:9, 14-15
41. Why was He “buried?”
To show thereby that He was really dead.[1]
[1] Isa 53:9; Mt 27:59-60; Jn 19:38-42; Acts 13:29; 1 Cor 15:3-4
42. Since, then, Christ died for us, why must we also die?
Our death is not a satisfaction for our sin, but only a dying to sin and an entering into eternal life.[1]
[1] Jn 5:24; Rom 7:24-25; Php 1:21-23; 1 Thes 5:9-10
43. What further benefit do we receive from the sacrifice and death of Christ on the cross?
That by His power our old man is with Him crucified, slain, and buried;[1] so that the evil lusts of the flesh may no more reign in us,[2] but that we may offer ourselves unto Him a sacrifice of thanksgiving.[3]
[1] Rom 6:5-11; Col 2:11-12; [2] Rom 6:12-14; [3] Rom 12:1; 2 Cor 5:15; Eph 5:1-2
44. Why is it added: “He descended into hell?”
That in my greatest temptations I may be assured that Christ my Lord, by His inexpressible anguish, pains, and terrors, which He suffered in His soul on the cross and before, has redeemed me from the anguish and torment of hell.[1]
[1] Ps 18:5; 116:3; Isa 53; Mt 26:36-46, 27:46; Heb 5:7-10

The Heidelberg Catechism - Lord's Day 15

Hello Friends,
Here I am in Baltimore, Maryland on business travel. While I here, I have been blessed to be able to reconnect with my friends and classmates from Covenant Seminary. I was also able to attend a Bible study at their church.

Grace and Peace,
Chris
Coram Deo!!!
__________________

His Death
Lord’s Day 15

37. What do you understand by the word “suffered?”

That all the time He lived on earth, but especially at the end of His life, He bore, in body and soul, the wrath of God against the sin of the whole human race;[1] in order that by His suffering, as the only atoning sacrifice,[2] He might redeem our body and soul from everlasting damnation,[3] and obtain for us the grace of God, righteousness, and eternal life.[4]

[1] Isa 53; 1 Tim 2:6; 1 Pt 2:2-4, 24, 3:18; [2] Ps 22:14-16; Mt 26:38; Rom 3:25-26, 5:6; 1 Cor 5:7; Eph 5:2; Heb 10:14; 1 Jn 2:2, 4:10; [3] Rm 8:1-4; Gal 3:13; Col 1:13; Heb 9:12; 1Pt 1:18-19; [4] Jn 3:16; Rom 3:24-26; 2Cor 5:21; Heb 9:11

38. Why did He suffer “under Pontius Pilate” as judge?

That He, being innocent, might be condemned by the temporal judge,[1] and thereby deliver us from the severe judgment of God, to which we were exposed.[2]

[1] Lk 23:13-24; Jn 19:4, 12-16; Acts 4:27-28; [2] Ps 69:4; Isa 53:4-5; Mt 27:24; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13

39. Is there anything more in His having been “crucified” than if He had suffered some other death?

Yes, for thereby I am assured that He took upon Himself the curse which lay upon me,[1] because the death of the cross was accursed of God.[2]

[1] Gal 3:13-14; [2] Deut 21:22-23; Php 2:8