Book Recommendation(s)

So I don't have a specific book this time. What I would like to recommend is the reading of biographies of godly people who have gone before us. I have been much encouraged and strengthened in reading the biographies of people who have done much for God's kingdom in the past. Doing so also seems to be fitting with this verse: "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. " (Hebrews 13:7) This verse is primarily written about those who have directly influenced our lives such as pastors and leaders who have helped us in our walk with Christ, but also seems reasonable for it to be applied to saints of the past. Three biographies I have read somewhat recently that have been a huge blessing are the biographies of Jonathon Edwards, George Whitefield, and William Tyndale. For those interested the corresponding authors of these biographies are George Marsden (I hear Iain Murray also has a good biography on Edwards), Arnold Dallimore, and David Daniell respectively. Edwards and Whitefield were both great preachers during the times of the Great American Awakenings in the 1700s. Tyndale was a contemporary of Martin Luther, and was the first person to translate the Bible into English so that it could be printed and distributed to all people. (John Wycliffe did translate the Bible into english before Tyndale, but at his time without the printing press they could only distribute copies as much as they were able to copy the translation by hand). Tyndale was martyred for making this translation, and while we can comfortably own as many enlish translations of the Bible as we desire, Tyndale spent his life fleeing persecution and eventually being executed so that we could have this luxury. Jonathon Edwards is well known for a list of "resolutions" he wrote when he was about 20 years old, I will close this post by quoting a couple of these resolutions he made.
His preface to his resolutions: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake."

"4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

18. Resolved, to live so, at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world(heaven).

22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world (heaven) as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of."

Summer and Sanctification

Well, congratulations on finishing up the school year students. I hope and pray you will be pressing into the Lord with fervency and passion this summer. Though summer can be a time for relaxing, it is not a time for slackness in your walk with Jesus. Heaven and hell are too real, eternity is too close for taking time out in the fight to know and love Jesus. Not that there isn't time for resting in the Lord and letting Him restore your soul (Psalm 23), but we can never let down our guard and coast in our spirituality. So I just write this in hopes that you are finding fellow believers and setting up a plan to pursue the Lord this summer. There is nothing else that is truly worthy of your heart, for "the steadfast love of the Lord is better than life". (Psalm 63:3) If you want to find fellowship this summer, and are not sure how, contact someone from prepare, or reply with a comment to this blog even and we'll help you out. I'll end with some quotes directed toward helping us in the process of sanctification.

"Just as the sinner's despair of any hope from himself is the first prerequisite of a sound conversion, so the loss of all confidence in himself is the first essential in the believer's growth in grace."
- A.W. PINK

"I never stood by the bedside of a godly man who reposed any confidence whatever in his own prayers, or repentance, or religiousness. I have heard eminently holy men quoting in death the words, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." In fact, the nearer men come to heaven, and the more prepared they are for it, the more simply is their trust in the merit of the Lord Jesus, and the more intensely do they abhor all trust in themselves."
-C.H. Spurgeon

Thoughts on Jesus' healing of the leper

Hey all, I have been blessed in studying Matthew 8:1-4 as of late. Just thought I'd blog some of what I've found in this wonderful account of Jesus' merciful and miraculous power.

In putting this story right after the famous sermon on the mount, we see that Jesus not only spoke with authority, but He also performed acts that could only be accomplished by the power of God and thus gives us much confidence that we can trust and know His words are also from God. It is crucial to understand how terrible a disease leprosy was considered to be in that day and in that culture. One scholar says "In the ancient world leprosy was the most terrible of diseases..., a kind of terrible progressive death." (Barclay) Josephus, the famous ancient Jewish historian says lepers were treated "as if they were, in effect, dead men." In the law God gave through Moses, we see that a Jewish person would become "ceremonially unclean" if they touched a leper. (Lev 15:7) Also, the leper was required to "wear torn clothes, let the hair of his head hang loose, cover his upper lip and cry out "unclean, unclean." " (Lev 13:45-46) The leper had to live alone, outside the camp of his fellow people. We see that a terribly bleak picture is before us of what the life of this leper who approached Jesus was like. Certain religious leaders of this time would do all things to avoid being near lepers, it even seems to be the case that lepers at times might have had small stones cast at them so that they would stay away from people calling themselves religious so that they would not become unclean. Along with this, the Jewish culture at this time believed that a person with leprosy was struck with that disease by God because of God's particular displeasure with them. This added much to their position as an outcast. People in the community felt no desire to be merciful to the leper, for God was against the leper in their thinking, and in their minds was why the leper was judged with the disease.

Having become accustomed to such treatment, it is an amazing thing this leper had the confidence to approach Jesus that he did. Crowds were following Jesus at this time, and they probably parted and gasped in disgust as this leper came up to the Lord. If Jesus had been like some other religious leaders of his time, He would probably have rebuked the leper, told him to get away and never again come so close to crowds of people that could become unclean by him. Yet something the leper had heard or seen in Jesus must have given him hope that Jesus was different. He did not worry that the crowds would not want him present, he was only fixed on getting to Jesus and falling at His feet. Oh that we would follow the leper's example, that no matter how much it will cause us to be scorned by men, we will make our way to bow at the feet of Jesus, to obtain mercy from Him.

Jesus did not rebuke the leper, or cast stones at him, he reacted in a different way. He reacted with compassion. He did the unthinkable. No one touched lepers. Touching a leper made one unclean. How could Jesus fathom touching someone with leprosy, that didn't have the appearance of good religion. Jesus was not one to worry about appearance in that manner. He was moved with His compassion to do something for this poor leper. The touch of Jesus is like no other. The touch did not make Jesus unclean, rather it made the leper clean!

In the leper's going to Jesus, his plea tells us that he had no doubt of what Christ was able to do, only uncertainty of what Christ was willing to do. The leper was certain Jesus could heal him and make him clean right there. He came to the Lord saying, "If you will, you can make me clean."

It is rare that people in our society ever have such leprosy as this man had, but do you ever feel as though you are a leper on the inside. That your entire heart and soul are unclean, and you would be ashamed if anyone ever saw how you really are. Do you feel that no one would touch your soul if they knew how gross it is? It would be a great thing to be like this leper and go to Jesus, for He can make every part of you clean with a touch or a word. Jesus is still the same Jesus as He was in that day (Heb 13:8). Go before Him in your heart and let Him touch the area of your soul that you think is untouchable, He can make it clean. We have an advantage, we can see Jesus' response to those such as this leper. Jesus never turned them away, He always showed compassion to those who came to Him in such a humble way. The leper may not have known this, yet He still was courageous to go to Jesus because He was drawn to something about the Lord. How much more should we run to Jesus and throw ourselves at His feet!

Maybe you have come to the place where you know the Lord Jesus has touched and made you clean. Well, rejoice! And go as Jesus did and show compassion to the untouchable people that are around you. Maybe someone with aids, or with handicap, or one who is elderely. This world desperately needs to know there is a great King in heaven who is willing to touch them with compassion.

In closing I am going to quote Charles Spurgeon, who reflects on Jesus' response to the leper. Jesus says "I will, be clean." Spurgeon says: " The "I will" of an emperor may have great power over his dominions; but the "I will" of Christ drives death and hell before Him, conquers disease, removes despair, and floods the world with mercy."

How glorious is Jesus! God bless you all.

Book Time

Hey all, I know you guys have been on the blog constantly hitting refresh until you see what the recommended book is going to be. Well, it is Growing in the Prophetic by Mike Bickle. This book addresses very important issues concerning prophecy. For example: Is prophecy in the New Testament the same as prophecy in the Old Testament? How do we know how to handle people who say they have prophetic words? How are these prophetic words to be used in worship services? How can we keep prophecy from getting disordered and unfrutiful? How can we keep prophecy Christ-centered? And more. So if these questions sound like anything you have thought about, Bickle's book is a sensitive pastoral treatment of the topic. And like all that Bickle does, the book is focused on drawing people into a passionate relationship with King Jesus.

Stay Tuned

Hey all, just wanting to do a quick post to encourage you to stay tuned here for updates on what is going on with Prepare for the summer. You'll be able to find information on Camel Camp, All Campus Meetings, Summer training times and anything else exciting with Prepare. And if any of you want Prepare Ministries to come to your campus, please be letting us know.

"Scripture makes clear that the one central business of this life is to prepare for the next."
Randy Alcorn, In Light of Eternity