J.C. Ryle on the cost of following Christ:

“It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that never be forgotten. To be a mere nominal Christian, and go to church, is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ’s voice, and follow Christ, and believe in Christ, and confess Christ, requires much self-denial. It will cost us our sins, and our self-righteousness, and our ease, and our worldliness. All–all must be given up. We must fight an enemy who comes against us with twenty thousand followers. We must build a tower in troublous times. Our Lord Jesus Christ would have us thoroughly understand this. He bids us “count the cost.””

“Our Lord spoke as He did to prevent men following Him lightly and inconsiderately, from mere animal feeling or temporary excitement, who in time of temptation would fall away. He knew that nothing does so much harm to the cause of true religion as backsliding, and that nothing causes so much backsliding as enlisting disciples without letting them know what they take in hand.”

Last night at our church we had an ordination service for Peter Witkowski. It was such a blessing in so many ways.

The service was full of singing and prayer and also 2 short sermons.

I preached the charge to the candidate for ministry (Peter). I preached on being “upright” from Titus 1:8, the qualification for a minister.

Jason Fowler preached the other sermon- the charge to the church. He did an outstanding job! It challenged me to be a better pastor to our people. And it is something I wish every Church person everywhere could hear.

His sermon was 7 Ways to Bring Your Pastor Joy and Not Groaning from Hebrews 13:17.

Here were his 7 points:

1. Obey & Submit to your pastor (Hebrews 13:17)
2. Remember your leaders & imitate them (Hebrews 13:7)
3. Give them honor (1 Timothy 5:17)
4. Pray for them & let them know it (Hebrews 13:18)
5. Be there! Let your pastor see you regularly. (Hebrews 10:25)
6. Be unified. Kill drama & division. (Philippians 2:2)
7. Walk in the truth (3 John 3-4)

Around here this saying “For the Glory of God” has become quite familiar.

We sing about it and preach about it. Many of the books I read are centered upon it. The shorter catechism that we teach our children asks this for question #3 Why did God make you and all things? To which they have learned to answer accurately For His own glory!

1 Corinthians 10:31 beautifully states “Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

The Glory of God is indeed the chief end of man. So, when man begins asking himself what he desires to do with his life? Somewhere in the answer we must certainly find Glorify God.

Anything short of this would be a wrong way of life and a wasted life.

It is with all of this in mind that I quote R.L. Dabney. This quote comes from Dabney writing on “What is a call to the ministry?” This quote stops me dead in my tracks and shakes me. Am I doing what I do for God’s glory?

“These scriptures, and a hundred others, plainly teach that the only condition of discipleship permitted by Christ to any believer is complete self-consecration to his service. In this the self-devotion of the minister is just the same as that of all other true Christians. If a Christian man proposes to be a teacher, physician, lawyer, mechanic, or farmer, it must be, not chiefly from promptings of the world or self, but chiefly because he verily believes he can, in that calling, best serve his heavenly Master. If he hath not this consecration, we do not say he is unfit for the ministry only, he is unfit to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.” (Bold emphasis mine)

Here is a picture of our VBS group while we were working in Ecuador.

And here is a picture of me on the hillside by the church by the soccer field talking with some kids. I was reading to them in Spanish about Jesus.

While in Ecuador I asked every member of our mission team to read this great little book by C.J. Mahaney. It is called The Cross Centered Life.

It was encouraging to know that many of my fellow church members were focusing their lives upon the cross of Christ. The book is very short and easy to read. It can easily be read in one sitting. It is only 85 pages.

Here are a few highlights from the book:

• (page 25) “Legalism is seeking to achieve forgiveness from God and acceptance by God through obedience to God.”
• (page 43) “But its impossible to resolve issues of yesterday by doing better tomorrow.”
• (page 45) “Have you realized” preacher Martin Lloyd-Jones once observed, “that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?”
• (page 54) “A cross centered life is made up of cross centered days.” (This may be the best quote of the book.)

“Humility may well be called the queen of the Christian graces. To know our own sinfulness and weakness, and to feel our need of Christ, is the very beginning of saving religion. –It is a grace which has always been the distinguishing feature in the character of the holiest saints in every age. Abraham, and Moses, and Job, and David, and Daniel, and Paul, were all eminently humble men. –Above all, it is a grace within the reach of every true Christian. All have not money to give away. All have not time and opportunities for working directly for Christ. All have not gifts of speech, and tact, and knowledge, in order to do good in the world. But all converted men should labor to adorn the doctrine they profess by humility. If they can do nothing else, they can strive to be humble.”

-J.C. Ryle commenting on Luke 14:11

When someone hears the Gospel and believes, comes to faith in Christ and becomes a follower of Jesus, it is essential that they begin reading, learning, and understanding God’s Word.

Once they begin growing in God’s Word, they will begin growing in their relationship with Christ. As they are growing in their relationship with Christ, they will find themselves desiring to know and understand more and more of God’s word. If this growth is not visible and evident in a believer then there are some legitimate concerns.

John 17:17 Jesus prayed “Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth.”

Here is a list of 8 Bible verses, or passages, that I believe all Christians should know (This is not to imply that someone is not a Christian if they do not know these. Nor are these the very first that someone must read or learn.):

1. John 3:16
2. Genesis 1:1 (The first verse in the Bible)
3. John 14:6
4. Psalm 23
5. Matthew 28:18-20 (The Great Commission)
6. Exodus 20:1-17 (The 10 Commandments)
7. Matthew 22:37 (The Great and First Commandment)
8. Matthew 22:39 (The Second Greatest Commandment)

I am beginning a personal word study on “Zeal”.

Dictionary.com defines Zeal as “fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor;enthusiastic diligence; ardor.”

Lately, I have been so captivated by this Biblical idea and thought.

Romans 12:11 says “Do not be slothful in zeal.”

I will continue writing and posting more on this later.

Our Ecuador Mission Team this summer has been having a great time serving the Lord.

I have not been able to be online much at all. I will write more and post more pictures later.

Here are a few to give you a taste of this great trip.

I have a hero  (I originally wrote this for my dad on March 28, 2012)

I have a hero. Actually, I have several heroes from many different walks of life. But there is one that really, really stands out from the others. There is one that is bigger and brighter in my eyes. One that has left a much, much larger and stronger impact and impression on my mind and heart, deeply upon my life and soul.

My hero is my dad, Morris Greene.

• My dad is my hero because he loves me. I know he does. I can count on my hand how many times he has ever told me that, but its ok. I know he does. We don’t talk often, but when we do he is happy. When he introduces me to people, he is proud of me. “This is my boy, Josh.” I have heard him say many times. That lets me know. We have spent countless days on ball fields. He coached my little league teams growing up. And he thought I was the best player, even when I wasn’t. He loves me. He loves to hear from me. (My eyes tear up typing this because of how humbled I am to have a good dad that loves me.)  He loves to help me when I need it. He always gladly does. I want JJ, Eli and Noah to feel love from their dad the way I feel love from mine.
• My dad is my hero because he loves my mom. I realize there are ways that he is not the best husband. But I know he loves her. I’ve seen him kiss her. I’ve seen him take me with him to buy her gifts. I’ve seen him sacrifice for her. I’ve seen him cry (I only recall ever seeing him cry twice) when mom was in the hospital and not doing well. I know he loves her. He has been married to her for 34 years. That’s a long time. That’s love. He takes care of her. He has always, always done whatever needed to be done to see that my mom was taken care of. And I especially remember my childhood when my mom was able to stay home and raise Ginger and I because my dad worked so hard. He loves my mom. I want my sons to know that I love their mom the way that I know my dad loves my mom.
• My dad is my hero because he married my mom. Apart from my dear Valeria, my mom is the best woman God ever made (in my opinion). Everything I am, I owe to her. Dad worked so much and it was mom that taught us so much. She gave us such fine childhoods and lives. Picking a spouse is not easy. Looks, personalities, intelligence, religion, family, etc. affect this decision. My dad chose Sherry Reed. That’s incredible. How did he know? How did he get her? She is the best choice he could have ever found in a hundred lifetimes. She is perfect for him. And she is the perfect mom for us. My dad is my hero for his taste and his wisdom to know who to marry. Marrying badly is so tragic. My dad sure didn’t. I am confident in saying the best thing that ever happened to my dad is marrying my mom. She is that great. I want my sons to know that Valeria was such a gift from God to me and them.
• My dad is my hero because he loves his mom. I love this. If you ever want to see my dad get emotional, see him dealing with his mom. Man, he loves her. He inconveniences himself often to care for her. He has done what people should do and has taken full responsibility for his mother’s care in her old age. He will not let someone speak, think or act wrongly toward her or about her. This is Biblical. God tells us to love, honor, obey and praise our mothers. My dad certainly does that.
• My dad is my hero because he loves my sister, Ginger. I know he is not, and has not, been the best at this. But I know he loves her. And I know Ginger knows this. He will do anything for her. He has done so much for her. We live in a day when so many daughters don’t have loving, involved dads. He is very present in Ginger’s life. One of the reasons Ginger is such a great lady and sister and mother is because her dad loves her. I will never forget him speaking and dancing with Ginger at her wedding. I have heard him tell her so many times that she is beautiful. I love it when dads love their daughters. My dad is my hero because he loves his.
• My dad is my hero because he loves his grandchildren. This especially gets me because his grandkids are mine and Ginger’s kids. Ginger and I love our children. We really do. And my dad does too. He gives them Skittles every time he sees them. And they love that. It is one of my happiest moments when I get to see my dad being a loving grandfather to my sons. Its truly special.
• My dad is my hero because he is humble. Don’t get me wrong, he is prideful in some areas. I know he is. But here is where he is humble. I have never heard him brag. I have never heard him tell me anything that he is good at. I can tell you so many things he is good at. Other people can too. But he doesn’t. He won’t. I love it. What a hero! Don’t talk about, be about it. That’s my dad.
• My dad is my hero because he doesn’t complain. I cannot recall a time that my dad was complaining. I have never heard him grumble that he “has to work tomorrow.” Or that “the yard needs mowing or the car needs repair.” My dad doesn’t complain. God tells us to do all things without complaining (Phil. 2:14) and so my Dad does.
• My dad is my hero because he provides. My mother, my sister and I have never been without anything. That is for certain on things we need and almost for certain on everything we want. And this is not because my dad is wealthy. He isn’t.  It is because he provides. He works hard. He saves money. He always, always spends less than he makes. And he knows how to make sure that we all are provided for. He is a provider. The older and older I get, the more I am seeing that he not only provides for us but also for so many others who need help too. I know so many unfortunate people who did not have parents who provide. My dad is my hero because he provides. I want my sons to say the same about me someday.
• My dad is my hero because he works hard. My dad works so hard that being a man and being a hard-worker are synonymous to me. He eats a lot and yet stays thin because he works so hard. He is and has been “early to bed, early to rise” for as long as I can remember because that’s what hard workers do. They go to bed early because they are so tired from hard work. Trouble happens at night in the dark. If you work hard enough, you won’t be able to stay awake at night. And you need your rest to work hard again the next day. I learned this from my dad. Also, My dad’s hands are so remarkable. If you have seen them you will never forget them. They clearly portray hard-work. I can only wish my dad has passed onto me his work ethic. While my career choice isn’t the same as my dad’s, I still hope to possess his work ethic. When I played sports, I sought to work hard like my dad. My dad is my hero for not being lazy. He works hard.
• My dad is my hero because his priorities are in order. They are so much in order! He never ever splurges his money. He has never just called-in to work. I have never seen him lay on the couch lazy and neglect a duty. Never! Never has he forgotten the trash. Never has he missed work or overslept on accident. He never wastes time. Never. I cannot tell you how many times a movie or ball game has been on TV and dad still went to bed instead of staying up. Or how many times guests were over and one would think that staying up would be important. But not my dad, he has to provide; therefore he has to work; therefore he has to be on time; therefore he has to go to bed on time. Almost everyone has hobbies or interests that they do, that other people would see as a waste of time. Not my dad. He is always being productive. His money and his time and his duties at home and work are prioritized. It is remarkable. My dad is my hero for the way he prioritizes.
• My dad is my hero because he knows who he is. He isn’t my superhero. Jesus is that- my King, Lord and Savior. My dad is not perfect. I know that and he knows that. There is only one who is perfect. We only need one to be perfect. We need examples, mentors, teachers = heroes. Many men are too busy trying to be something they are not. Or many men are too busy trying to figure out who they are. Not my dad. My dad knows who he is. He knows what works for him. And he does it well. Now if you get him off his track or path, then he is really out-of-sync or thrown off. But if you let him be him, he is great at it. I admire that.  I also want to be good at being me.

My dad is my hero because he is a hero. I need a hero. I need a man that I can look to and say I want to be like him. I need a father to look at and say I want to father like that. I need a husband that I can look at and say I want to be a husband like that. I need a hard-working example that I can look at and say I want to be hard-working like that. I need a provider who can show me what it looks like to provide. I need a hero. I realize my dad is not the perfect man. He is not to be modeled after in every way. I know that. But he’s my dad. And my dad is my hero. May God give me grace and strength to be like my dad.