It's been a really long time since I last wrote on this blog. Erin and I are still busy teaching the little Korean children English. I have a number of updates to tell you about. Erin and I are attending a really wonderful (small) congregation of believers. It's an afternoon english service in a Presbyterian church. Apparently, the Presbyterian churches in both Korea and Australia are reformed. This is obviously not the case in North America. I have been really encouraged by this little body of believers and feel that we (Erin and I ) are of some edification to the Church. Praise God! In other news, I have a men's Bible study that I attend weekly and recently we started a "guy day". We mostly just horse around and play some sports. This past week it was soccer, wrestling and british bulldog. I'm really thankful that the Lord has brough us together. I hope and pray that through this group the Lord will gather more true, repentant followers of Christ. Anyways..I thought that I would give a quick update on my life. I hope to be updating this more frequently.
Praise be to God, the Lord and Treasure of my life.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
thoughts...
The other day as I celebrated my 25th birthday, I took time to ponder what the Lord has done in my life. For years I struggled with wanting to follow Christ, but I still wanted what the world had to offer. I wanted to hang out with my friends and get a little inebriated, while still knowing that my unrepentant heart still left me isolated from God. Praise the Lord that when I was 19 years old, while working for a carpenter I finally surrendered my life to Him.
I still struggle to be grateful to the one God who sent His only Son to die for the wages of my sin. I broke His perfect Law (10 commandments), a law given to show sin for what sin truly is, to set the standard against which all peoples will be righteously judged.
I worship the King of kings because He is worthy of all my praise. His infinite and eternal goodness I desire to be sufficiently found in all the days of my life.
I still struggle to be grateful to the one God who sent His only Son to die for the wages of my sin. I broke His perfect Law (10 commandments), a law given to show sin for what sin truly is, to set the standard against which all peoples will be righteously judged.
I worship the King of kings because He is worthy of all my praise. His infinite and eternal goodness I desire to be sufficiently found in all the days of my life.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
I stand in awe of You
"I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me." Jeremiah 32:40
This is an insane verse that has been presented to me. If you are a true follower of Christ you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, God says that he puts the fear of Him in us ..so (cause and effect) that we will not turn away from Him (God Almighty).
Perseverence of the saints.
This is an insane verse that has been presented to me. If you are a true follower of Christ you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, God says that he puts the fear of Him in us ..so (cause and effect) that we will not turn away from Him (God Almighty).
Perseverence of the saints.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Former ignorance
This morning I was listening to the radio on itunes and I heard a song that was familiar, but this morning it hit me in a new way. The main corus goes something along these lines "Oh God, I'm hanging onto You". God has really been challenging me lately on this same idea. I really felt that I needed to blog this morning after I had spent some quality time with the Lord. It was really crazy that I happened to put on the radio and heard this song, because this song is the exact opposite of what the Lord has been challenging me with lately.
If my salvation depended upon me hanging onto the Lord, I would have been "kicked out" long ago. Although, I perceive myself to be a fairly righteous fellow that studies the Word and has it all together, I'm not. I am not this righteous person. My mind and self-righteous heart have been clouded with pride.
I know these things in my head, but for so long I thought that I could impress the Lord with my righteousness. Wait..that was past tense..I still feel this way. It is a complete offense to the LORD, as only the righteousness of Christ is able to satisfy God the Father.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2: 8-9
My salvation has nothing to do with "my works" the things that I do to "impress" God. I hope and pray that everyone who reads this would know that no amount of "good works" or "self-denial" will ever result in salvation.
If you're reading this and you think to yourself "But, I'm a good person", you're not. These are not Blake Bradley's words, but the Word of God. It says that we are wretched in His sight. If you believe what the Lord's Word says about us, then you know that we are dead in our sins.
But by faith "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;" Romans 10:9
If my salvation depended upon me hanging onto the Lord, I would have been "kicked out" long ago. Although, I perceive myself to be a fairly righteous fellow that studies the Word and has it all together, I'm not. I am not this righteous person. My mind and self-righteous heart have been clouded with pride.
I know these things in my head, but for so long I thought that I could impress the Lord with my righteousness. Wait..that was past tense..I still feel this way. It is a complete offense to the LORD, as only the righteousness of Christ is able to satisfy God the Father.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2: 8-9
My salvation has nothing to do with "my works" the things that I do to "impress" God. I hope and pray that everyone who reads this would know that no amount of "good works" or "self-denial" will ever result in salvation.
If you're reading this and you think to yourself "But, I'm a good person", you're not. These are not Blake Bradley's words, but the Word of God. It says that we are wretched in His sight. If you believe what the Lord's Word says about us, then you know that we are dead in our sins.
But by faith "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;" Romans 10:9
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Podcasts
I am so thankful for podcasts and the wonderful blessing that the internet has been while Erin and I have been staying on the other side of the world.
Since being here I've really come to appreciate the sermons of John Piper. I don't think that I've ever heard a man with such love for the Father and who doesn't changing the meaning of the living Word, but struggles through the difficult truths.
I'm just truly thankful for the wonderful time that Erin and I have had here together. The Lord is truly teaching us how to love one another and how to serve Him, bringing glory to His name.
Since being here I've really come to appreciate the sermons of John Piper. I don't think that I've ever heard a man with such love for the Father and who doesn't changing the meaning of the living Word, but struggles through the difficult truths.
I'm just truly thankful for the wonderful time that Erin and I have had here together. The Lord is truly teaching us how to love one another and how to serve Him, bringing glory to His name.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Security
Erin and I have now been in Korea for over a month and things are really settling down nicely. I found that this time has been both burdensome and encouraging to my walk with the Lord. Initially when we arrived there seemed like so much need to get done and my quality time with the Lord was severely lacking. I am so grateful that my salvation is not based upon my performance or how many times I "check in" with God.
I am so thankful that the God that I serve is patient with such a disobedient child such as myself. I suppose it was this morning that I was thinking about this and the verses in Romans chapter 8:35 "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"
In all my recent travels of the world the Lord has remained the same. He still reigns in complete Holiness and the Word is still glorious. I am still a sinner in need of His constant grace.
In the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John I love Jesus' awesome words of the blessed assurance we have in Him whom holds onto us. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they know Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand".
No one, including ourselves, is able to snatch those chosen by the Lord out of His hand.
The sinful offensive people that we are to the LORD has been overshadowed by the glorious work of Jesus Christ on the cross to those whom by faith trust in Him.
I am so thankful that the God that I serve is patient with such a disobedient child such as myself. I suppose it was this morning that I was thinking about this and the verses in Romans chapter 8:35 "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"
In all my recent travels of the world the Lord has remained the same. He still reigns in complete Holiness and the Word is still glorious. I am still a sinner in need of His constant grace.
In the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John I love Jesus' awesome words of the blessed assurance we have in Him whom holds onto us. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they know Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand".
No one, including ourselves, is able to snatch those chosen by the Lord out of His hand.
The sinful offensive people that we are to the LORD has been overshadowed by the glorious work of Jesus Christ on the cross to those whom by faith trust in Him.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Friday, June 8, 2007
First Post
In my life I have never expressed my thoughts through the written word. Perhaps because I've always had a strong distaste for writing, but this I think will be a great challenge. For those who know me well you know that I can have some wild rants from time to time.
I'm passionate for the Lord, who has opened my eyes and has shown me the truth through His living Word. I hope to share my love for the Lord with the readers of this blog. I pray that the Lord would bring glory to His name through my feable and often confusing words.
There is no salvation apart from the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace = Something given that is not deserved.
Mercy = The withholding of something that is deserved.
The Lord is both gracious and merciful to His called people. He has given us eternal life through His shed blood of the cross of calvary (grace) and He has shown mercy in that He saved us from His judgement found in the Law (10 commandments). We are all guilty of breaking these Laws. Due to our fallen (sin) nature we can only sin. "There is none righteous, not even one" Romans 3:3. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23.
God hates sin. Sin literally means to miss the mark or to miss the target. God requires Holiness because He is Holy. A sinful person is unable to be in His presence. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23.
God is just and requires sinless perfection. Jesus Christ (God incarnate) being without sin took our sin upon Himself and died for the wages of our sin. Our sin..not His. Jesus Christ came to this world to die. Not just to be a good guy and leave a good example. He is worthy of all we have to give.
If you're still reading this, it's because the Spirit of God is at work. Softening your hard, hostile heart and preparing you for the acceptance of His truth. The only Truth. Praise the Lord.
You will die eternally apart from being "born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, throught the living and enduring word of God" 1 Peter 1:23 which is Jesus Christ. "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" John 1:14.
The harsh reality is that there is nothing you can offer God. Jesus had His life to offer and it was sufficient to satisfy God's requirement. Because He died we can now live.
I'm passionate for the Lord, who has opened my eyes and has shown me the truth through His living Word. I hope to share my love for the Lord with the readers of this blog. I pray that the Lord would bring glory to His name through my feable and often confusing words.
There is no salvation apart from the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace = Something given that is not deserved.
Mercy = The withholding of something that is deserved.
The Lord is both gracious and merciful to His called people. He has given us eternal life through His shed blood of the cross of calvary (grace) and He has shown mercy in that He saved us from His judgement found in the Law (10 commandments). We are all guilty of breaking these Laws. Due to our fallen (sin) nature we can only sin. "There is none righteous, not even one" Romans 3:3. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23.
God hates sin. Sin literally means to miss the mark or to miss the target. God requires Holiness because He is Holy. A sinful person is unable to be in His presence. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23.
God is just and requires sinless perfection. Jesus Christ (God incarnate) being without sin took our sin upon Himself and died for the wages of our sin. Our sin..not His. Jesus Christ came to this world to die. Not just to be a good guy and leave a good example. He is worthy of all we have to give.
If you're still reading this, it's because the Spirit of God is at work. Softening your hard, hostile heart and preparing you for the acceptance of His truth. The only Truth. Praise the Lord.
You will die eternally apart from being "born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, throught the living and enduring word of God" 1 Peter 1:23 which is Jesus Christ. "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" John 1:14.
The harsh reality is that there is nothing you can offer God. Jesus had His life to offer and it was sufficient to satisfy God's requirement. Because He died we can now live.
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