1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The Ministry of Encouragement, by Ray Ortlund
"If there is any encouragement in Christ . . .” Philippians 2:1
Tomorrow many of us will be preaching. What is our goal? Not bashing people over the head with the law. That may make us feel better about ourselves, as if our opinions were needed, but it is not the ministry of Christ. What do we find in him? Encouragement. It’s so obvious to Paul, it’s the first thing he mentions when he inventories our wealth in Christ here in Philippians 2.
Do we find encouragement in one another? Sometimes. But that supply is limited. We come together at church not to amass the encouragement we bring in but to receive the encouragement he is pouring out. If we come to church only to draw strength from one another, that’s all we’ll get. And we will end up empty and angry at one another. Putting community first destroys community. Our encouragement is in Christ, and he is inexhaustible.
Those of us who are preachers — tomorrow, through the gospel, let’s lavish on our fellow-sinners the endless encouragement that is right now exploding out of the glorious risen Christ. If attendance at your church is down because people are out of town for Christmas travels, that doesn’t diminish your ministry at all. The Lord Jesus Christ is rich with encouragement, he is a big spender, and he is the measure of your ministry.
thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/
Tomorrow many of us will be preaching. What is our goal? Not bashing people over the head with the law. That may make us feel better about ourselves, as if our opinions were needed, but it is not the ministry of Christ. What do we find in him? Encouragement. It’s so obvious to Paul, it’s the first thing he mentions when he inventories our wealth in Christ here in Philippians 2.
Do we find encouragement in one another? Sometimes. But that supply is limited. We come together at church not to amass the encouragement we bring in but to receive the encouragement he is pouring out. If we come to church only to draw strength from one another, that’s all we’ll get. And we will end up empty and angry at one another. Putting community first destroys community. Our encouragement is in Christ, and he is inexhaustible.
Those of us who are preachers — tomorrow, through the gospel, let’s lavish on our fellow-sinners the endless encouragement that is right now exploding out of the glorious risen Christ. If attendance at your church is down because people are out of town for Christmas travels, that doesn’t diminish your ministry at all. The Lord Jesus Christ is rich with encouragement, he is a big spender, and he is the measure of your ministry.
thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/
Friday, December 18, 2009
Anticipation by Tullian Tchividjian
Every year around this time people ask me what Advent is. The word “Advent” literally means “coming” or “arrival.” It’s the four weeks of the year leading up to Christmas when Christians all over the world look back to the first coming of Jesus and look forward to his second coming. In one sense, Christians are always to be doing this. But these four weeks are meant to be an intensified celebration of Christ’s first arrival which, in turn, is meant to fuel our anticipation of his second arrival. This means that Advent is a season marked by hopeful anticipation.
With Advent in mind, I was thinking a lot this week about the nature of anticipation. There were three things in particular that I was looking forward to, things I was anticipating: the wedding of a friend, a football game, and the arrival of out-of-town guests. Whether it’s something as significant as the wedding of a friend or something as trivial as a football game, the capacity to anticipate is a gift from God–God designed us to anticipate. So it’s fine to anticipate things like the ones I mentioned. But, as I thought a bit harder, I realized that those anticipations are never meant to serve as ends in themselves. They are intended to nurture and expand our God-given anticipatory capacities so that we will anticipate something greater: secondary anticipations are designed by God to point to the primary anticipation.
To borrow a thought from John Piper, the weakness of our anticipation for Christ’s return is not because it is uneventful or unimportant. It’s because we keep ourselves stuffed with smaller anticipations. As C.S. Lewis said, “We are far too easily pleased.” A friends wedding, a football game, and the arrival of out-of-town guests will never fulfill our deepest anticipations. These are shadow like anticipations; Christ is the substance. These are stream-like anticipations; Christ is the ocean. These are beam like anticipations; Christ is the sun.
So the next time you find yourself anticipating everything from a good meal to a good vacation, take a moment to trace that anticipation to its end: Jesus. This is what Advent is meant to do. Anticipating Jesus fulfills every other anticipation because the arrival of anticipated weddings and football games cannot change a human heart; they can’t take away our guilt and cleanse our conscience; they cannot make all things new. Only Christ can do these things.
May the remainder of this Advent season fill you with hope filled anticipation realizing that Christ’s first coming was his pledge that he will one day return to “make all things new.”
www.crpc.org/blog/
With Advent in mind, I was thinking a lot this week about the nature of anticipation. There were three things in particular that I was looking forward to, things I was anticipating: the wedding of a friend, a football game, and the arrival of out-of-town guests. Whether it’s something as significant as the wedding of a friend or something as trivial as a football game, the capacity to anticipate is a gift from God–God designed us to anticipate. So it’s fine to anticipate things like the ones I mentioned. But, as I thought a bit harder, I realized that those anticipations are never meant to serve as ends in themselves. They are intended to nurture and expand our God-given anticipatory capacities so that we will anticipate something greater: secondary anticipations are designed by God to point to the primary anticipation.
To borrow a thought from John Piper, the weakness of our anticipation for Christ’s return is not because it is uneventful or unimportant. It’s because we keep ourselves stuffed with smaller anticipations. As C.S. Lewis said, “We are far too easily pleased.” A friends wedding, a football game, and the arrival of out-of-town guests will never fulfill our deepest anticipations. These are shadow like anticipations; Christ is the substance. These are stream-like anticipations; Christ is the ocean. These are beam like anticipations; Christ is the sun.
So the next time you find yourself anticipating everything from a good meal to a good vacation, take a moment to trace that anticipation to its end: Jesus. This is what Advent is meant to do. Anticipating Jesus fulfills every other anticipation because the arrival of anticipated weddings and football games cannot change a human heart; they can’t take away our guilt and cleanse our conscience; they cannot make all things new. Only Christ can do these things.
May the remainder of this Advent season fill you with hope filled anticipation realizing that Christ’s first coming was his pledge that he will one day return to “make all things new.”
www.crpc.org/blog/
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Catherwood (daughter) on Lloyd-Jones (her father)
Below is from the hand of my church's faithful receptionist/secretary, Kasey Gurley:
Last year when J.I. Packer was visiting Mark Dever, we had an informal Q & A with Dr. Packer in Mark’s study.
Knowing I might have an opportunity to ask Dr. Packer a question and knowing that Dr. Packer had sat under Lloyd Jones' preaching, I googled their names together before the Q&A to help me ask a more informed question. I came across this quote from the Desiring God website:
When J. I. Packer first heard Lloyd-Jones he said that he had "never heard such preaching." It came to him "with the force of electric shock, bringing to at least one of his listeners more of a sense of God than any other man" he had known.
I brought up this quote to Dr. Packer and asked him what set Dr. Lloyd-Jones apart from other preachers (understanding that ultimately the force behind his preaching was not Dr. Lloyd-Jones, but the Lord’s good pleasure to bless Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ life and ministry). Dr. Packer said that he had thought about this question himself and had boiled his thoughts down to three main things that permeated all of Lloyd Jones’ life and teaching.
This week when Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ daughter, Lady Elizabeth Catherwood, was asked a similar question during a similar informal Q&A in Mark’s study, she repeated many of the same themes Dr. Packer had noted. Those themes were:
1. The man deeply felt his conversion. Dr. Lloyd-Jones never got over the Lord’s mercy to him in saving him and this was clear in his preaching.
2. The underlining issue behind his preaching was the glory of God. Behind all of his preaching the main point and main issue was always that God be glorified and exalted. He never treated the Lord casually.
3. He had the presence of a man who dwelt with the Lord in prayer. When he preached, he sincerely preached as a man that had consistently lingered truly humbly before the Lord and had dwelt on the Truth of God in Scripture. He brought those meditations and that posture to the people.
by Matt Schmucker, blog.9marks.org
Last year when J.I. Packer was visiting Mark Dever, we had an informal Q & A with Dr. Packer in Mark’s study.
Knowing I might have an opportunity to ask Dr. Packer a question and knowing that Dr. Packer had sat under Lloyd Jones' preaching, I googled their names together before the Q&A to help me ask a more informed question. I came across this quote from the Desiring God website:
When J. I. Packer first heard Lloyd-Jones he said that he had "never heard such preaching." It came to him "with the force of electric shock, bringing to at least one of his listeners more of a sense of God than any other man" he had known.
I brought up this quote to Dr. Packer and asked him what set Dr. Lloyd-Jones apart from other preachers (understanding that ultimately the force behind his preaching was not Dr. Lloyd-Jones, but the Lord’s good pleasure to bless Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ life and ministry). Dr. Packer said that he had thought about this question himself and had boiled his thoughts down to three main things that permeated all of Lloyd Jones’ life and teaching.
This week when Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ daughter, Lady Elizabeth Catherwood, was asked a similar question during a similar informal Q&A in Mark’s study, she repeated many of the same themes Dr. Packer had noted. Those themes were:
1. The man deeply felt his conversion. Dr. Lloyd-Jones never got over the Lord’s mercy to him in saving him and this was clear in his preaching.
2. The underlining issue behind his preaching was the glory of God. Behind all of his preaching the main point and main issue was always that God be glorified and exalted. He never treated the Lord casually.
3. He had the presence of a man who dwelt with the Lord in prayer. When he preached, he sincerely preached as a man that had consistently lingered truly humbly before the Lord and had dwelt on the Truth of God in Scripture. He brought those meditations and that posture to the people.
by Matt Schmucker, blog.9marks.org
Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
From Burk Parson's Tweet
The soul's deepest thirst is for God Himself, who has made us so that we can never be satisfied without Him—FF Bruce
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Distractions
Good reminder of the importance of our focus by Mike Milton in By Faith Magazine: http://bit.ly/2iUW07
Friday, November 6, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Failure and Success
In his book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan shares this quote by Tim
Kizziar: "Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that really don't matter."
Kizziar: "Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that really don't matter."
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
From Al Moher's Tweet
Talking about politics in a fallen world. Christians should always be mindful of political responsibility, but even more aware of its limits.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
From Al Mohler's Tweet
Evangelical churches gave avg. 6% to international missions during Great Depression, avg. 2% now. Retreat? Documentation http://bit.ly/oIrMq
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
How To Identify A Reliable Preacher
October 22nd, 2009 by Tullian Tchividjian, On Earth as it is in Heaven Blog, www.crpc.org/blog/
Two weeks ago I mentioned in my sermon that God grows Christians by feeding them his Word. One way he does this is by providing the church with teachers and preachers. This means that if we are going to grow we need to be sitting at the feet of reliable carriers of God’s truth. This, however, begs the question: how can we identify a reliable carrier of God’s truth? The Bible makes it clear that there are many unreliable carriers of so-called truth. Satan masquerades as an angel of light seeking to deceive. So we need a lot of biblical discernment here. Just because a teacher or preacher comes in Jesus’ name with a Bible under his arm doesn’t automatically mean he is reliable.
Thankfully both the Bible and church history give us some direction here. So I want to provide you with a brief list of five questions (based on the five sola’s of the Reformation) that can help you discern the reliability of a particular teacher or preacher.
Question 1 (Sola Scriptura): Does the preacher ground everything he says in the Bible? Does he, in other words, begin with the authority and sufficiency of Scripture? A reliable carrier of God’s truth seeks to revel in, wrestle with, and expound from, the Bible. He starts with the Bible. All of his comments flow from what a particular passage in the Bible says. He doesn’t simply use the Bible to support what he wants to say. That is, he submits to what the Bible says, he does not seek to submit the Bible to what he says. He cares about both the Old Testament and the New Testament. He refuses to take verses out of context. He recognizes the unity of the Bible. He acknowledges that both the Old Testament and the New Testament tell one story and point to one figure, namely that God saves sinners through the accomplished work of his son Jesus Christ.
Question 2 (Sola Gratia): Does the preacher freely emphasize that because of sin, a right relationship with God can only be established by God’s grace alone? Beware of any teaching that emphasizes man’s ability over God’s ability; man’s freedom over God’s freedom; man’s power over God’s power; man’s initiative over God’s initiative. Beware of any teaching which subtlety communicates that a right relationship with God depends ultimately on human response over Divine sovereignty.
Question 3 (Sola Fide): Does the preacher stress that salvation is not achieved by what we can do, rather salvation is received by faith in what Christ has already done? It has been rightly stated that there really are only two religions: the religion of human accomplishment and the religion of Divine accomplishment. Does the preacher emphasize the former or the latter? A reliable carrier of God’s truth always highlights the fact that God saves sinners; sinners don’t save themselves.
Question 4 (Sola Christus): Does the preacher underline that Christ is the exclusive mediator between God and man? Does the explainer both affirm and proclaim that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” and that nobody comes to the Father but by Christ? Does he talk about sin and the necessity of Christ? Preachers must learn how to unveil and unpack the truth of the Gospel from every Biblical text they preach in such a way that it results in the exposure of both the idols of our culture and the idols of our hearts. The faithful exposition of our true Savior from every passage in the Bible painfully reveals all of the pseudo-saviors that we trust in culturally and personally. Every sermon ought to disclose the subtle ways in which we as individuals and we as a culture depend on lesser things than Jesus to provide the security, acceptance, protection, affection, meaning, and satisfaction that only Christ can supply. In this way, good preachers must constantly show just how relevant and necessary Jesus is; they must work hard to show that we are great sinners but Christ is a great Savior.
Question 5 (Sola Deo Gloria): Does the preacher exalt God above all? A reliable explainer will always lead you to marvel at God. A true carrier of God’s truth will always lead you to encounter the glory of God. A God-centered teacher is just that: God-centered. He will preach and teach in such a way that you find yourself hungering and thirsting for God. You will listen to sermon after sermon and walk away with grand impressions of Divine personality, not grand impressions of human personality.
This is just a start, but I hope it serves as a resource to help you determine the reliability of a particular teacher or preacher.
Two weeks ago I mentioned in my sermon that God grows Christians by feeding them his Word. One way he does this is by providing the church with teachers and preachers. This means that if we are going to grow we need to be sitting at the feet of reliable carriers of God’s truth. This, however, begs the question: how can we identify a reliable carrier of God’s truth? The Bible makes it clear that there are many unreliable carriers of so-called truth. Satan masquerades as an angel of light seeking to deceive. So we need a lot of biblical discernment here. Just because a teacher or preacher comes in Jesus’ name with a Bible under his arm doesn’t automatically mean he is reliable.
Thankfully both the Bible and church history give us some direction here. So I want to provide you with a brief list of five questions (based on the five sola’s of the Reformation) that can help you discern the reliability of a particular teacher or preacher.
Question 1 (Sola Scriptura): Does the preacher ground everything he says in the Bible? Does he, in other words, begin with the authority and sufficiency of Scripture? A reliable carrier of God’s truth seeks to revel in, wrestle with, and expound from, the Bible. He starts with the Bible. All of his comments flow from what a particular passage in the Bible says. He doesn’t simply use the Bible to support what he wants to say. That is, he submits to what the Bible says, he does not seek to submit the Bible to what he says. He cares about both the Old Testament and the New Testament. He refuses to take verses out of context. He recognizes the unity of the Bible. He acknowledges that both the Old Testament and the New Testament tell one story and point to one figure, namely that God saves sinners through the accomplished work of his son Jesus Christ.
Question 2 (Sola Gratia): Does the preacher freely emphasize that because of sin, a right relationship with God can only be established by God’s grace alone? Beware of any teaching that emphasizes man’s ability over God’s ability; man’s freedom over God’s freedom; man’s power over God’s power; man’s initiative over God’s initiative. Beware of any teaching which subtlety communicates that a right relationship with God depends ultimately on human response over Divine sovereignty.
Question 3 (Sola Fide): Does the preacher stress that salvation is not achieved by what we can do, rather salvation is received by faith in what Christ has already done? It has been rightly stated that there really are only two religions: the religion of human accomplishment and the religion of Divine accomplishment. Does the preacher emphasize the former or the latter? A reliable carrier of God’s truth always highlights the fact that God saves sinners; sinners don’t save themselves.
Question 4 (Sola Christus): Does the preacher underline that Christ is the exclusive mediator between God and man? Does the explainer both affirm and proclaim that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” and that nobody comes to the Father but by Christ? Does he talk about sin and the necessity of Christ? Preachers must learn how to unveil and unpack the truth of the Gospel from every Biblical text they preach in such a way that it results in the exposure of both the idols of our culture and the idols of our hearts. The faithful exposition of our true Savior from every passage in the Bible painfully reveals all of the pseudo-saviors that we trust in culturally and personally. Every sermon ought to disclose the subtle ways in which we as individuals and we as a culture depend on lesser things than Jesus to provide the security, acceptance, protection, affection, meaning, and satisfaction that only Christ can supply. In this way, good preachers must constantly show just how relevant and necessary Jesus is; they must work hard to show that we are great sinners but Christ is a great Savior.
Question 5 (Sola Deo Gloria): Does the preacher exalt God above all? A reliable explainer will always lead you to marvel at God. A true carrier of God’s truth will always lead you to encounter the glory of God. A God-centered teacher is just that: God-centered. He will preach and teach in such a way that you find yourself hungering and thirsting for God. You will listen to sermon after sermon and walk away with grand impressions of Divine personality, not grand impressions of human personality.
This is just a start, but I hope it serves as a resource to help you determine the reliability of a particular teacher or preacher.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
From Piper's Twitter
"God is more curious in observing the messages delivered by the heart, those delivered only by the mouth." Thomas Brooks
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
From my Niece's Blog, So blessed. So strong. So thankful
Time for A Change
Today I went for a run in my favorite Columbus park - Highbanks Metro Park. I discovered this park about a month or so ago since it's pretty close to my new place.
I almost chickened out of going because when I walked out the door I realized how chilly it was getting outside. But - I decided to stick to my promise to myself of working out/running three times this week.
Highbanks is my favorite so far because of their nature trails. They rock. They're not too flat, not too hilly - but still a challenge. The park is pretty big so it's nice to have variety in scenery each visit.
I couldn't help but stop a few times and just stare at all the oranges, reds, and yellows in the leaves. The trails run through several gorges, streams, etc so it's absolutely beautiful this time of year.
I stopped at the top of a hill that overlooks a ginormous gorge and wished so hard that I had a camera. It was almost like experiencing fall for the first time...and then I realized it was nothing new, this happens every year. Why have I not slowed down each fall to appreciate it?
I started thinking about what the leaves changing colors really means. The dominate word in my mind was 'change'. Something new is taking place all over the world of nature. It's something quite beautiful.
The same God who orders the universe and the leaves to change colors, is the same God who orders my footsteps and commands change in my life. I remember my eighth grade teacher always saying "change is good for the soul". Sometimes change sucks. Change only sucks when we're afraid or self-conscious or timid. Changes suck when everything is comfortable and change might really shake our perfect worlds to their sides.
I bet if leaves had brains, they would be self-conscious about their beautiful green selves turning yellow, orange, then red. I bet they would think, "But, I like being beautiful green!"..."I don't want to be yellow...I wonder if other people will like me when I'm orange"..."It was so much fun being green, it might be harder being red!".
Just like the leaves, we have seasons in our lives. When life is going great for us, we're just like leaves in the prime of spring and summer. And then all of a sudden, cold temperatures come along and we can sense God making a change in our lives. Just like the leaves, we wonder why life can't just remain perfect for a little while longer. We doubt ourselves, we might second guess our preparedness for a new season.
Don't get me wrong, I do love it when the leaves are the most lush green. But I am so much more in awe when I see the fall array among the once green leaves. Right now the leaves are at their beauty peak and I can't wait to see them again tomorrow because I know that soon they will turn brown and fade away.
I have to believe that just like those leaves, we are most beautiful and-awe inspiring while experiencing extreme change.
Who would we be if we never faced challenges? What would we ever accomplish if every day in our lives was a lush, green day?
More importantly, if every day was beautiful and green...how often would we think of God? How often would we need to put our trust in Him? How often would we fall down on our knees and beg Him for an answer? Or praise Him for a victory? If every day was green and perfect, we might start thinking we're the ones in control.
When you look down in a gorge during the winter time, it's very easy to see the tree trunks that have fallen and rest along the forest bottom. Similarly, when we go through seasons of winter in our own lives, it's very easy to see our past failures and mistakes.
But when the gorge is full of fall-colored leaves, the fallen trees only make the forest look more beautiful. When we're most beautiful is when we're overcoming and changing and using our past failures and mistakes as stepping stones.
Embrace change as a chance to become more beautiful, more passionate, more engaged in God's wonders.
Look forward to the person you are becoming.
Today I went for a run in my favorite Columbus park - Highbanks Metro Park. I discovered this park about a month or so ago since it's pretty close to my new place.
I almost chickened out of going because when I walked out the door I realized how chilly it was getting outside. But - I decided to stick to my promise to myself of working out/running three times this week.
Highbanks is my favorite so far because of their nature trails. They rock. They're not too flat, not too hilly - but still a challenge. The park is pretty big so it's nice to have variety in scenery each visit.
I couldn't help but stop a few times and just stare at all the oranges, reds, and yellows in the leaves. The trails run through several gorges, streams, etc so it's absolutely beautiful this time of year.
I stopped at the top of a hill that overlooks a ginormous gorge and wished so hard that I had a camera. It was almost like experiencing fall for the first time...and then I realized it was nothing new, this happens every year. Why have I not slowed down each fall to appreciate it?
I started thinking about what the leaves changing colors really means. The dominate word in my mind was 'change'. Something new is taking place all over the world of nature. It's something quite beautiful.
The same God who orders the universe and the leaves to change colors, is the same God who orders my footsteps and commands change in my life. I remember my eighth grade teacher always saying "change is good for the soul". Sometimes change sucks. Change only sucks when we're afraid or self-conscious or timid. Changes suck when everything is comfortable and change might really shake our perfect worlds to their sides.
I bet if leaves had brains, they would be self-conscious about their beautiful green selves turning yellow, orange, then red. I bet they would think, "But, I like being beautiful green!"..."I don't want to be yellow...I wonder if other people will like me when I'm orange"..."It was so much fun being green, it might be harder being red!".
Just like the leaves, we have seasons in our lives. When life is going great for us, we're just like leaves in the prime of spring and summer. And then all of a sudden, cold temperatures come along and we can sense God making a change in our lives. Just like the leaves, we wonder why life can't just remain perfect for a little while longer. We doubt ourselves, we might second guess our preparedness for a new season.
Don't get me wrong, I do love it when the leaves are the most lush green. But I am so much more in awe when I see the fall array among the once green leaves. Right now the leaves are at their beauty peak and I can't wait to see them again tomorrow because I know that soon they will turn brown and fade away.
I have to believe that just like those leaves, we are most beautiful and-awe inspiring while experiencing extreme change.
Who would we be if we never faced challenges? What would we ever accomplish if every day in our lives was a lush, green day?
More importantly, if every day was beautiful and green...how often would we think of God? How often would we need to put our trust in Him? How often would we fall down on our knees and beg Him for an answer? Or praise Him for a victory? If every day was green and perfect, we might start thinking we're the ones in control.
When you look down in a gorge during the winter time, it's very easy to see the tree trunks that have fallen and rest along the forest bottom. Similarly, when we go through seasons of winter in our own lives, it's very easy to see our past failures and mistakes.
But when the gorge is full of fall-colored leaves, the fallen trees only make the forest look more beautiful. When we're most beautiful is when we're overcoming and changing and using our past failures and mistakes as stepping stones.
Embrace change as a chance to become more beautiful, more passionate, more engaged in God's wonders.
Look forward to the person you are becoming.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Internal Idol Worship
While traditional idol worship still occurs in many places, internal idol worship - within the heart - is universal.
RedeemerNYC Twitter
RedeemerNYC Twitter
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tim Keller's Counterfeit Gods
In his book Counterfeit Gods, Tim Keller writes:
What is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give. A counterfeit god is anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living. An idol has such a controlling position in your heart that you can spend most of your passion and energy, your emotional and financial resources, on it without a second thought. It can be family and children, or career and making money, or achievement and critical acclaim, or saving “face” and social standing. It can be a romantic relationship, peer approval, competence and skill, secure and comfortable circumstances, your beauty or your brains, a great political or social cause, your morality and virtue, or even success in the Christian ministry. When your meaning in life is to fix someone else’s life, we may call it “codependency” but it is really idolatry. An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.”
What are those things, or who are those people, that you depend on more than Jesus to provide the meaning and purpose and security and significance you long for? In other words, what are your idols? Experiencing God’s deep rescue begins with identifying what idols you worship.
From On Earth as it is in Heaven
What is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give. A counterfeit god is anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living. An idol has such a controlling position in your heart that you can spend most of your passion and energy, your emotional and financial resources, on it without a second thought. It can be family and children, or career and making money, or achievement and critical acclaim, or saving “face” and social standing. It can be a romantic relationship, peer approval, competence and skill, secure and comfortable circumstances, your beauty or your brains, a great political or social cause, your morality and virtue, or even success in the Christian ministry. When your meaning in life is to fix someone else’s life, we may call it “codependency” but it is really idolatry. An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.”
What are those things, or who are those people, that you depend on more than Jesus to provide the meaning and purpose and security and significance you long for? In other words, what are your idols? Experiencing God’s deep rescue begins with identifying what idols you worship.
From On Earth as it is in Heaven
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
From Piper's Twitter
Love: "The steady directing of the human will toward the eternal well-being of another" Stephen Neill. (Note "eternal")
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Only For the Asking
"How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:13
In a sermon preached in 1740, Jonathan Edwards pointed out that we ask God for basically two kinds of things. We ask him for temporal blessings like health and jobs and family needs. We also ask him for spiritual blessings. But Edwards noted how much more frequently and fervently we ask for temporal blessings:
"They don't need any preaching to stir them up to take thorough care to obtain those outward things. . . . And if they begin to suffer for want of those things, how much do they make of their sufferings! . . . Had God nothing better to bestow upon you, when he had made you his children, than a little money or land, that you seem so much to behave yourselves as if you thought this was your chief good? . . . I am bold to say that God is now offering the blessing of his Holy Spirit to this town, and I am bold to say we may have it only for the asking."
From Christ is Deeper Still
In a sermon preached in 1740, Jonathan Edwards pointed out that we ask God for basically two kinds of things. We ask him for temporal blessings like health and jobs and family needs. We also ask him for spiritual blessings. But Edwards noted how much more frequently and fervently we ask for temporal blessings:
"They don't need any preaching to stir them up to take thorough care to obtain those outward things. . . . And if they begin to suffer for want of those things, how much do they make of their sufferings! . . . Had God nothing better to bestow upon you, when he had made you his children, than a little money or land, that you seem so much to behave yourselves as if you thought this was your chief good? . . . I am bold to say that God is now offering the blessing of his Holy Spirit to this town, and I am bold to say we may have it only for the asking."
From Christ is Deeper Still
Friday, September 25, 2009
From Redeemer Presbyterian's Twitter
We can't pick up the Bible and obey its will for our lives without belonging to a community of people who are doing the same thing.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Packer on Trials
In Knowing God (p. 97) J. I. Packer writes about how to understand the “unexpected and upsetting and discouraging things” that happen to us. What do they mean?
Simply that God in his wisdom means to make something of us which we have not attained yet, and he is dealing with us accordingly.
(Suggestion: resist the skimming temptation and read that line over again.)
Then Packer ponders the possible purposes God might have in mind for you:
Perhaps he means to strengthen us in patience, good humor, compassion, humility, or meekness, by giving us some extra practice in exercising these graces under especially difficult conditions.
Perhaps he has new lessons in self-denial and self-distrust to teach us.
Perhaps he wishes to break us of complacency, or unreality, or undetected forms of pride and conceit.
Perhaps his purpose is simply to draw us closer to himself in conscious communion with him; for it is often the case, as all the saints know, that fellowship with the Father and the Son is most vivid and sweet, and Christian joy is greatest, when the cross is heaviest. . . .
Or perhaps God is preparing us for forms of service of which at present we have no inkling.
He goes on:
We may be frankly bewildered at things that happen to us, but God knows exactly what he is doing, and what he is after, in his handling of our affairs. Always, and in everything, he is wise: we shall see that hereafter, even where we never saw it here. . . . Meanwhile, we ought not to hesitate to trust his wisdom, even when he leaves us in the dark.
But how should we respond to baffling and trying situations when cannot now see God’s purpose in them?
First, by taking them as from God, and asking ourselves what reactions to them, and in them, the gospel of God requires of us;
second, by seeking God’s face specifically about them.
“If we do these two things,” Packer writes, “we shall never find ourselves wholly in the dark as to God’s purpose in our troubles.”
From Between Two Worlds
Simply that God in his wisdom means to make something of us which we have not attained yet, and he is dealing with us accordingly.
(Suggestion: resist the skimming temptation and read that line over again.)
Then Packer ponders the possible purposes God might have in mind for you:
Perhaps he means to strengthen us in patience, good humor, compassion, humility, or meekness, by giving us some extra practice in exercising these graces under especially difficult conditions.
Perhaps he has new lessons in self-denial and self-distrust to teach us.
Perhaps he wishes to break us of complacency, or unreality, or undetected forms of pride and conceit.
Perhaps his purpose is simply to draw us closer to himself in conscious communion with him; for it is often the case, as all the saints know, that fellowship with the Father and the Son is most vivid and sweet, and Christian joy is greatest, when the cross is heaviest. . . .
Or perhaps God is preparing us for forms of service of which at present we have no inkling.
He goes on:
We may be frankly bewildered at things that happen to us, but God knows exactly what he is doing, and what he is after, in his handling of our affairs. Always, and in everything, he is wise: we shall see that hereafter, even where we never saw it here. . . . Meanwhile, we ought not to hesitate to trust his wisdom, even when he leaves us in the dark.
But how should we respond to baffling and trying situations when cannot now see God’s purpose in them?
First, by taking them as from God, and asking ourselves what reactions to them, and in them, the gospel of God requires of us;
second, by seeking God’s face specifically about them.
“If we do these two things,” Packer writes, “we shall never find ourselves wholly in the dark as to God’s purpose in our troubles.”
From Between Two Worlds
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Falling in Love with the Church -- again (Derek Thomas)
“Love me, love my dog,” they say, and my poor dog has been sick all summer and continues to be in bad shape. But it is not dogs I am writing about here; it is the church. Jesus seems to say, again and again: “Love me, love my church.”
Something is terribly wrong when professing Christians do not identify with the church and love being a part of her. Something is wrong when professing Christians fail to be passionate about every aspect of the church and long to invest themselves in her, taking all that the church represents and does to heart. Listen, for example, to the way Paul instructs the Ephesians: “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27).
I fell in love with the church the moment I was converted as a freshman in college in 1971. Having never attended any church until then, I discovered a community that was, to me, like a family: caring, loving, and nourishing. The church I found was able to tell me that I was wrong about some things without driving me away. I knew that I was loved. The church showed me acts of kindness and fellowship that I recall with affection to this day. I was introduced to expository preaching from the start - a style of preaching that puts the Bible above the personality and idiosyncrasies of the preacher. I discovered communal prayer times, and joyful singing, all of which have been the mainstay of my Christian life ever since. True, I have had my share of worship wars, when Christians disagree over important things and sometimes trivial things; but for all that, I have taken delight in her rituals of song and sacrament, prayer and proclamation, more times than I can relate. I love the church. I fully endorse Calvin’s way of putting it (and the shadow of Cyprian that lies behind it): “For there is no other way to enter into life unless this mother conceive us in her womb, give us birth, nourish us at her breast, and lastly, unless she keep us under her care and guidance until, putting off mortal flesh, we become like the angels” (Inst. 4.1.4). In the church, I have discovered saints and angels (though not, as far as I know, real angels). I have witnessed deeds of extraordinary kindness done to myself and to others, and I have been the beneficiary of kindnesses done to me by those who remained anonymous.
Yes, there is a dark side to the church as there is to all things in this fallen world. The church is not perfect. It has her share of malcontents and killjoys, her energy-sapping attention-getters and despondent hearts. Adullam’s cave has nothing on some churches I have seen, but none of this robs me of my love for the church. Even at her most eccentric - the King James Version’s rendition of 1 Peter 2:9 as “ye are … a peculiar people” is painfully accurate, if quaint — she is still Christ’s body. “Love me, love my church” is what Jesus seems to say in the Bible. I would not have it any other way. Would you?
Reformation21 Blog
Something is terribly wrong when professing Christians do not identify with the church and love being a part of her. Something is wrong when professing Christians fail to be passionate about every aspect of the church and long to invest themselves in her, taking all that the church represents and does to heart. Listen, for example, to the way Paul instructs the Ephesians: “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27).
I fell in love with the church the moment I was converted as a freshman in college in 1971. Having never attended any church until then, I discovered a community that was, to me, like a family: caring, loving, and nourishing. The church I found was able to tell me that I was wrong about some things without driving me away. I knew that I was loved. The church showed me acts of kindness and fellowship that I recall with affection to this day. I was introduced to expository preaching from the start - a style of preaching that puts the Bible above the personality and idiosyncrasies of the preacher. I discovered communal prayer times, and joyful singing, all of which have been the mainstay of my Christian life ever since. True, I have had my share of worship wars, when Christians disagree over important things and sometimes trivial things; but for all that, I have taken delight in her rituals of song and sacrament, prayer and proclamation, more times than I can relate. I love the church. I fully endorse Calvin’s way of putting it (and the shadow of Cyprian that lies behind it): “For there is no other way to enter into life unless this mother conceive us in her womb, give us birth, nourish us at her breast, and lastly, unless she keep us under her care and guidance until, putting off mortal flesh, we become like the angels” (Inst. 4.1.4). In the church, I have discovered saints and angels (though not, as far as I know, real angels). I have witnessed deeds of extraordinary kindness done to myself and to others, and I have been the beneficiary of kindnesses done to me by those who remained anonymous.
Yes, there is a dark side to the church as there is to all things in this fallen world. The church is not perfect. It has her share of malcontents and killjoys, her energy-sapping attention-getters and despondent hearts. Adullam’s cave has nothing on some churches I have seen, but none of this robs me of my love for the church. Even at her most eccentric - the King James Version’s rendition of 1 Peter 2:9 as “ye are … a peculiar people” is painfully accurate, if quaint — she is still Christ’s body. “Love me, love my church” is what Jesus seems to say in the Bible. I would not have it any other way. Would you?
Reformation21 Blog
Thursday, September 17, 2009
From Piper's Twitter
If you have not chosen the kingdom of God, it will make in the end no difference what you have chosen instead. William Law
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Love of God
I continue to be amazed, humbled, and convicted by Jim Packer's book, Knowing God. Chapter 12 is a great explanation of God's love, a chapter he begins by telling us that his love "is one of the most tremendous utterances in the Bible - and also one of the most misunderstood."
Packer concludes the chapter with these provoking statements and questions: "John wrote that 'God is love' in order to make an ethical point, 'Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another' (I John 4:11). Could an observer learn from the quality and degree of love that I show to others - my wife? my husband? my family? my neighbors? people at church? people at work? - anything at all about the greatness of God's love to me?"
J.I.Packer, Knowing God
Packer concludes the chapter with these provoking statements and questions: "John wrote that 'God is love' in order to make an ethical point, 'Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another' (I John 4:11). Could an observer learn from the quality and degree of love that I show to others - my wife? my husband? my family? my neighbors? people at church? people at work? - anything at all about the greatness of God's love to me?"
J.I.Packer, Knowing God
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
True Wisdom
"True wisdom, James instructs us, is not determined by our intellectual ability (James 3:13-18). The wisdom of God is demonstrated by our godly behavior. If we are motivated by selfish ambition, and consumed by envy and jealousy, then we are not wise. If, on the other hand, we are full of humility, gentleness, love, mercy, and patience, then wisdom genuinely resides in our hearts" (Thomas Schreiner, SBTS Theological Journal, Fall, 2000).
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Piper on Expository Preaching
God’s Word, Good Exposition, Great Joy, Much Strength
Here’s another reason I am joyfully committed to expository exultation, that is, preaching.
Look at this amazing statement of what biblical exposition is like when it’s done well—in the power of God’s Spirit and riveted on biblical texts.
Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people.... [T]he Levites helped the people to understand the Law.... They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.... And all the people went their way...to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. (Nehemiah 8:5-8,12)
First, there was a reader of the word of God. Then there were those who explained the words. Then there was true understanding in the minds of the people. Then there was great rejoicing “because they had understood the words.”
It is astonishing to me how many pastors apparently don’t believe in pursuing the joy of their people in this way. Evidently they think it doesn’t work. I’m sure there are many reasons for this abandonment of biblical exposition.
But I simply want to wave the flag and say: There was joy then. And there is joy today when God’s people see real, divine meaning in texts that they had not seen before.
If you want to see a strong church, keep in mind that it is no accident that in this very context the writer says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
What joy? The joy of verse 12: “All the people went their way...to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.”
God’s truth followed by faithful, Spirit-anointed exposition, leads to great joy, which is the strength of God’s people. So give the sense, brothers. Give the sense!
From desiringgod.org
Here’s another reason I am joyfully committed to expository exultation, that is, preaching.
Look at this amazing statement of what biblical exposition is like when it’s done well—in the power of God’s Spirit and riveted on biblical texts.
Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people.... [T]he Levites helped the people to understand the Law.... They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.... And all the people went their way...to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. (Nehemiah 8:5-8,12)
First, there was a reader of the word of God. Then there were those who explained the words. Then there was true understanding in the minds of the people. Then there was great rejoicing “because they had understood the words.”
It is astonishing to me how many pastors apparently don’t believe in pursuing the joy of their people in this way. Evidently they think it doesn’t work. I’m sure there are many reasons for this abandonment of biblical exposition.
But I simply want to wave the flag and say: There was joy then. And there is joy today when God’s people see real, divine meaning in texts that they had not seen before.
If you want to see a strong church, keep in mind that it is no accident that in this very context the writer says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
What joy? The joy of verse 12: “All the people went their way...to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.”
God’s truth followed by faithful, Spirit-anointed exposition, leads to great joy, which is the strength of God’s people. So give the sense, brothers. Give the sense!
From desiringgod.org
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Lloyd-Jones: Focusing on What Really Matters
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, commenting on Phil. 1:10 ("that you may approve what is excellent," or "that you may have a sense of what is vital"):
The difficulty in life is to know on what we ought to concentrate. The whole art of life, I sometimes think, is the art of knowing what to leave out, what to ignore, what to put on one side. How prone we are to dissipate our energies and to waste our time by forgetting what is vital and giving ourselves to second and third rate issues. Now, says Paul, here you are in the Christian life, you are concerned about difficulties, about oppositions and about the contradictions of life. What you need is just this: the power to concentrate on that which is vital, to leave out everything else, and to keep steadily to the one thing that matters.
The Life of Joy: Philippians, vol. 1, pp. 54-55.
From Between Two Worlds Blog
The difficulty in life is to know on what we ought to concentrate. The whole art of life, I sometimes think, is the art of knowing what to leave out, what to ignore, what to put on one side. How prone we are to dissipate our energies and to waste our time by forgetting what is vital and giving ourselves to second and third rate issues. Now, says Paul, here you are in the Christian life, you are concerned about difficulties, about oppositions and about the contradictions of life. What you need is just this: the power to concentrate on that which is vital, to leave out everything else, and to keep steadily to the one thing that matters.
The Life of Joy: Philippians, vol. 1, pp. 54-55.
From Between Two Worlds Blog
Monday, August 31, 2009
From John Piper's Twitter
If you have no time for the Bible in the morning this motto might help: “No Bible, no breakfast.” It's not time. It's taste.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
J. I. Packer on Wisdom
"To live wisely, you have to be clear-sighted and realistic-ruthlessly so-in looking at life as it is. Wisdom will not go with comforting illusions, false sentiment, or the use of rose-colored glasses. Most of us live in a dream world, with our heads in the clouds and our feet off the ground; we never see the world, and our lives in it, as they really are. This deep-seated, sin-bred unrealism is one reason why there is so little wisdom among us-even the soundest and most orthodox of us. It takes more than sound doctrine to cure us of unrealism" (pages 103-104).
"For the truth is that God in his wisdom, to make and keep us humble and to teach us to walk by faith, has hidden from us almost everything that we should like to know about the providential purposes which he is working out in the churches and in our own lives. 'As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all' (Ecclesiastes 11:5, RV) (pages 106-107)."
"We can be sure that the God who made this marvelously complex world order, and who compassed the great redemption from Egypt, and who later compassed the even greater redemption from sin and Satan, knows what he is doing, and 'doeth all things well,' even if for the moment he hides his hands. We can trust him and rejoice in him, even when we cannot discern his path" (page 107).
From "Knowing God."
"For the truth is that God in his wisdom, to make and keep us humble and to teach us to walk by faith, has hidden from us almost everything that we should like to know about the providential purposes which he is working out in the churches and in our own lives. 'As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all' (Ecclesiastes 11:5, RV) (pages 106-107)."
"We can be sure that the God who made this marvelously complex world order, and who compassed the great redemption from Egypt, and who later compassed the even greater redemption from sin and Satan, knows what he is doing, and 'doeth all things well,' even if for the moment he hides his hands. We can trust him and rejoice in him, even when we cannot discern his path" (page 107).
From "Knowing God."
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Danger of Pharisaism
"Pharisaic religion doesn't just damage the inner soul, it also creates social strife. Pharisees need to shore up their sense of righteousness, so they despise and attack all who don't share their doctrinal beliefs and religious practices. Racism and cultural imperialism result. Churches that are filled with self-righteous, exclusive, insecure, angry, moralistic people are extremely unattractive. Their public pronouncements are often highly judgmental, while internally such churches experience many bitter conflicts, splits, and divisions. When one of their leaders has a moral lapse, the churches either rationalize it and denounce the leader's critics, or else they scapegoat him. Millions of people raised in or near these kinds of churches reject Christianity at an early age or in college largely because of their experience. For the rest of their lives, then, they are inoculated against Christianity. If you are a person who has been disillusioned bu such churches, anytime anyone recommends Christianity to you, you assume they are calling you to adopt 'religion.' Pharisees and their unattractive lives leave many people confused about the real nature of Christianity."
Tim Keller quoting Richard Lovelace in "The Reason for God."
Tim Keller quoting Richard Lovelace in "The Reason for God."
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
From John Piper's Twitter
"A Christian's whole life should be nothing but a visible representation of Christ" -- Thomas Brooks
Monday, August 17, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
The Lord is My Shepherd
Human nature is never satisfied. We want more and more. No matter how much we have, contentment escapes us. It is only when we embrace Christ for all that he is, when we submit ourselves completely to him, when we put our very lives in his hands as our shepherd, that we come to the place where we find true satisfaction. Our desires are no longer for the things that we do not have in our possession but for the satisfaction of simply knowing Christ. He is our contentment.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Yahweh is my Shepherd
The personal name for God, Yahweh, is a term rooted in the Hebrew verb "to be," haya, and this name tells us two essential things about God's character: He is, and he is present. To better capture what this divine name means here, we could translate it literally "He Who is Here." Thus, the first clause says literally, "He Who is Here is my shepherd." This God is not elsewhere and otherwise engaged in bigger things. This Lord who is here, he is my shepherd.
Dorman Followwill, Discovery Papers, Psalm 23, Catalog No. 7120
Dorman Followwill, Discovery Papers, Psalm 23, Catalog No. 7120
The Cross and Christian Ministry
C.J. Mahaney posted the following excerpt from D. A. Carson's book, The Cross and Christian Ministry, on the Sovereign Grace Ministries blog:
Western evangelicalism tends to run through cycles of fads. At the moment, books are pouring off the presses telling us how to plan for success, how “vision” consists in clearly articulated “ministry goals,” how the knowledge of detailed profiles of our communities constitutes the key to successful outreach. I am not for a moment suggesting that there is nothing to be learned from such studies. But after a while one may perhaps be excused for marveling how many churches were planted by Paul and Whitefield and Wesley and Stanway and Judson without enjoying these advantages. Of course all of us need to understand the people to whom we minister, and all of us can benefit from small doses of such literature. But massive doses sooner or later dilute the gospel. Ever so subtly, we start to think that success more critically depends on thoughtful sociological analysis than on the gospel; Barna becomes more important than the Bible. We depend on plans, programs, vision statements—but somewhere along the way we have succumbed to the temptation to displace the foolishness of the cross with the wisdom of strategic planning.…Rather, I fear that the cross, without ever being disowned, is constantly in danger of being dismissed from the central place it must enjoy, by relatively peripheral insights that take on far too much weight. Whenever the periphery is in danger of displacing the center, we are not far removed from idolatry. (D. A. Carson, pp. 25–26)
Western evangelicalism tends to run through cycles of fads. At the moment, books are pouring off the presses telling us how to plan for success, how “vision” consists in clearly articulated “ministry goals,” how the knowledge of detailed profiles of our communities constitutes the key to successful outreach. I am not for a moment suggesting that there is nothing to be learned from such studies. But after a while one may perhaps be excused for marveling how many churches were planted by Paul and Whitefield and Wesley and Stanway and Judson without enjoying these advantages. Of course all of us need to understand the people to whom we minister, and all of us can benefit from small doses of such literature. But massive doses sooner or later dilute the gospel. Ever so subtly, we start to think that success more critically depends on thoughtful sociological analysis than on the gospel; Barna becomes more important than the Bible. We depend on plans, programs, vision statements—but somewhere along the way we have succumbed to the temptation to displace the foolishness of the cross with the wisdom of strategic planning.…Rather, I fear that the cross, without ever being disowned, is constantly in danger of being dismissed from the central place it must enjoy, by relatively peripheral insights that take on far too much weight. Whenever the periphery is in danger of displacing the center, we are not far removed from idolatry. (D. A. Carson, pp. 25–26)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Many of us have been taught that one must never question God. If we experience hardships and heartaches, trails and tribulations, we must simply take our Romans 8:28 pill and suck it up: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Of course, the good is rarely alluded to, which is why I think it is a mistake to quote verse 28 without completing the thought in verses 29-30: For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified (Romans 8:29-30). In other words, the purpose of the “all things work for good” or the explanation of the “good” is that we might become more and more conformed to the image of God’s son, Jesus Christ. To question God is considered “off-limits.” To wonder why God is allowing this difficulty in my life is disrespectful, perhaps even blasphemous. The person who questions God, we are told, does not trust God.
Yet four times in our Psalm 13 David asks the question of God, “How long?” How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me (verses 1-2)?
At least eight other times throughout the psalms, God inspired the writer to record questions that began with “how long?” Numerous other questions are asked of God as to why it seemed as if God were absent from the affairs of his children. Chapter 10 begins with such a question: Why, O Lord, do you stand afar off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble (Psalm 10:1)?
We have often reassured ourselves with the promise that God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), but we have overlooked the fact that God may work in such a way in our lives that it will seem as if he has forsaken and forgotten us.
There are times when it seems as if God has withdrawn himself from us and we are left to struggle to find answers regarding his purposes and intentions in our lives. God does not explain everything to us, but he does communicate sufficiently enough so that we know that we can trust him, even in times of difficulty and doubt.
Yet four times in our Psalm 13 David asks the question of God, “How long?” How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me (verses 1-2)?
At least eight other times throughout the psalms, God inspired the writer to record questions that began with “how long?” Numerous other questions are asked of God as to why it seemed as if God were absent from the affairs of his children. Chapter 10 begins with such a question: Why, O Lord, do you stand afar off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble (Psalm 10:1)?
We have often reassured ourselves with the promise that God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), but we have overlooked the fact that God may work in such a way in our lives that it will seem as if he has forsaken and forgotten us.
There are times when it seems as if God has withdrawn himself from us and we are left to struggle to find answers regarding his purposes and intentions in our lives. God does not explain everything to us, but he does communicate sufficiently enough so that we know that we can trust him, even in times of difficulty and doubt.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
THE BIG PICTURE
Check out this blog for some incredible pictures: www.boston.com/bigpicture
I am a little partial to the Tour de France pictures.
I am a little partial to the Tour de France pictures.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Calvin on the Gospel
Gospel Gold From John Calvin
Posted July 25th, 2009 by Tullian TchividjianA friend sent this nugget of gospel gold to me the other day. It comes from a stunning preface John Calvin wrote for Pierre Robert Olivétan’s French translation of the New Testament in 1534. Calvin wrote:
Without the gospel everything is useless and vain; without the gospel we are not Christians; without the gospel all riches is poverty, all wisdom folly before God; strength is weakness, and all the justice of man is under the condemnation of God. But by the knowledge of the gospel we are made children of God, brothers of Jesus Christ, fellow townsmen with the saints, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, heirs of God with Jesus Christ, by whom the poor are made rich, the weak strong, the fools wise, the sinner justified, the desolate comforted, the doubting sure, and slaves free. It is the power of God for the salvation of all those who believe.
It follows that every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone. For, he was sold, to buy us back; captive, to deliver us; condemned, to absolve us; he was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair; he died for our life; so that by him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned into light, fear reassured, despisal despised, debt canceled, labor lightened, sadness made merry, misfortune made fortunate, difficulty easy, disorder ordered, division united, ignominy ennobled, rebellion subjected, intimidation intimidated, ambush uncovered, assaults assailed, force forced back, combat combated, war warred against, vengeance avenged, torment tormented, damnation damned, the abyss sunk into the abyss, hell transfixed, death dead, mortality made immortal. In short, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune. For all these things which were to be the weapons of the devil in his battle against us, and the sting of death to pierce us, are turned for us into exercises which we can turn to our profit. If we are able to boast with the apostle, saying, O hell, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? it is because by the Spirit of Christ promised to the elect, we live no longer, but Christ lives in us; and we are by the same Spirit seated among those who are in heaven, so that for us the world is no more, even while our conversation [life] is in it; but we are content in all things, whether country, place, condition, clothing, meat, and all such things. And we are comforted in tribulation, joyful in sorrow, glorying under vituperation [verbal abuse], abounding in poverty, warmed in our nakedness, patient amongst evils, living in death. This is what we should in short seek in the whole of Scripture: truly to know Jesus Christ, and the infinite riches that are comprised in him and are offered to us by him from God the Father.
Do your soul a favor and read this over and over and over. It just doesn’t get more nutritious than this!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Knowing God
In chapter 2 of J.I. Packer's book, Knowing God, the author speaks to the issue of "Knowing Versus Knowing About." Packer says the following: "We need frankly to face ourselves at this point. We are, perhaps, orthodox evangelicals. We can state the gospel clearly; we can smell unsound doctrine a mile away. If asked how one may know God, we can at once produce the right formula: that we come to know God through Jesus Christ the Lord, in virtue of his cross and mediation, on the basis of his word of promise, by the power of the Holy Spirit, via a personal exercise of faith. Yet the gaiety, goodness, and unfetteredness of spirit which are the marks of those who have known God are rare among us...A little knowledge of God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge about him" (pages 25-26).
"The question is not whether we are good at theology, or 'balanced' (horrible, self-conscious word!) in our approach to problems of Christian living. The question is, can we say, simply, honestly, not because we feel as evangelicals we ought to, but because it is a plain matter of fact, that we have known God, and that because we have known God the unpleasantness we have had, or the pleasantness we have not had, through being Christians does not matter to us? If we really knew God, this is what we would be saying, and if we are not saying it, that is a sign that we need to face ourselves more sharply with the difference between knowing God and merely knowing about him" (page 27).
"The question is not whether we are good at theology, or 'balanced' (horrible, self-conscious word!) in our approach to problems of Christian living. The question is, can we say, simply, honestly, not because we feel as evangelicals we ought to, but because it is a plain matter of fact, that we have known God, and that because we have known God the unpleasantness we have had, or the pleasantness we have not had, through being Christians does not matter to us? If we really knew God, this is what we would be saying, and if we are not saying it, that is a sign that we need to face ourselves more sharply with the difference between knowing God and merely knowing about him" (page 27).
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Sproul: The Only Two Rules of Prayer (theologica.blogspot.com)
From R.C. Sproul's new book, The Prayer of Our Lord (p. 15):There are really only two rules that you have to keep in mind when you're in prayer, two things that should drive and govern and control your prayer life with the Almighty.See endorsements and excerpts here.
You should remember who is being addressed and who is doing the speaking.
That is, the first thing you are to remember in prayer is who it is you're talking to, because nothing will condition your prayer life more deeply than remembering that you're in conversation with God, the sovereign Creator and ruler of the universe.
Second, you are to remember who you are. You are not God. You are a creature. So prayer is not a conversation between peers; it is not a fireside chat among equals. This is the creature speaking to his sovereign Creator.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
O Great God - A Puritan Prayer Put to Music
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)
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)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Sermon Series on Colossians
Since February my fellow-teaching pastor and I have been teaching through the book of Colossians. Just a few moments ago I finished what will be my final sermon in this series. This has been one of my most rewarding preaching series. It has been challenging to my own life as I have reminded myself and our listeners of the centrality of Christ, that he is to be at the very core of our existence. Nothing should take precedence over him in my life and in his church. Do I love him more than life itself? Are there things in my life to which I give greater significance?
I think that our greatest challenge may be to learn to embrace that which matters most to Christ. We have been captivated by the insignificant, even in the name of Christianity. And Christ is not impressed.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (Colossians 1:15-20).
I think that our greatest challenge may be to learn to embrace that which matters most to Christ. We have been captivated by the insignificant, even in the name of Christianity. And Christ is not impressed.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (Colossians 1:15-20).
Saturday, May 9, 2009
RAY ORTLUND ON CONVICTION OR ACCUSATION
He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment." John 16:8
". . . the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down . . . ." Revelation 12:10
How can I tell the difference between the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit and the accusing attacks of Satan? Some thoughts:
1. The Holy Spirit puts his finger on a specific sin I have committed, something concrete I can own and confess, but the accusations of Satan are vague and simply demoralizing.
2. The Holy Spirit shows me Christ, the mighty Friend of sinners, but the devil wants me spiraling down into negative self-focus.
3. The Holy Spirit leads me to a threshold of new life, but the devil wants to paralyze me where I am.
4. The Holy Spirit brings peace of heart along with a new hatred of sin, so that I bow before Jesus in reconsecration, but the devil offers peace of mind with smug relief, so that I fold my arms and say, "There, that's over with."
5. The Holy Spirit helps me to be so open to God that I allow him to control the conversation, but the devil tempts me to take off the table certain questions I just don't want God to talk to me about.
We are thankful for our dear Friend, the Holy Spirit.
christisdeeperstill.blogspot.com
". . . the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down . . . ." Revelation 12:10
How can I tell the difference between the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit and the accusing attacks of Satan? Some thoughts:
1. The Holy Spirit puts his finger on a specific sin I have committed, something concrete I can own and confess, but the accusations of Satan are vague and simply demoralizing.
2. The Holy Spirit shows me Christ, the mighty Friend of sinners, but the devil wants me spiraling down into negative self-focus.
3. The Holy Spirit leads me to a threshold of new life, but the devil wants to paralyze me where I am.
4. The Holy Spirit brings peace of heart along with a new hatred of sin, so that I bow before Jesus in reconsecration, but the devil offers peace of mind with smug relief, so that I fold my arms and say, "There, that's over with."
5. The Holy Spirit helps me to be so open to God that I allow him to control the conversation, but the devil tempts me to take off the table certain questions I just don't want God to talk to me about.
We are thankful for our dear Friend, the Holy Spirit.
christisdeeperstill.blogspot.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tullian Tchividjian on How People Change
Counterfeit Gospels
April 30th, 2009 by Tullian Tchividjian
In their excellent book How People Change, Paul Tripp and Tim Lane identify seven counterfeit gospels—-”religious” ways we try and “justify” ourselves apart from the Gospel of grace. I found these unbelievably helpful. Which one (or two, or three) of these do you tend to gravitate towards?
Formalism. “I participate in the regular meetings and ministries of the church, so I feel like my life is under control. I’m always in church, but it really has little impact on my heart or on how I live. I may become judgmental and impatient with those who do not have the same commitment as I do.”
Legalism. “I live by the rules—rules I create for myself and rules I create for others. I feel good if I can keep my own rules, and I become arrogant and full of contempt when others don’t meet the standards I set for them. There is no joy in my life because there is no grace to be celebrated.”
Mysticism. “I am engaged in the incessant pursuit of an emotional experience with God. I live for the moments when I feel close to him, and I often struggle with discouragement when I don’t feel that way. I may change churches often, too, looking for one that will give me what I’m looking for.”
Activism. “I recognize the missional nature of Christianity and am passionately involved in fixing this broken world. But at the end of the day, my life is more of a defense of what’s right than a joyful pursuit of Christ.”
Biblicism. “I know my Bible inside and out, but I do not let it master me. I have reduced the gospel to a mastery of biblical content and theology, so I am intolerant and critical of those with lesser knowledge.”
Therapism. “I talk a lot about the hurting people in our congregation, and how Christ is the only answer for their hurt. Yet even without realizing it, I have made Christ more Therapist than Savior. I view hurt as a greater problem than sin—and I subtly shift my greatest need from my moral failure to my unmet needs.”
Social-ism. “The deep fellowship and friendships I find at church have become their own idol. The body of Christ has replaced Christ himself, and the gospel is reduced to a network of fulfilling Christian relationships.”
April 30th, 2009 by Tullian Tchividjian
In their excellent book How People Change, Paul Tripp and Tim Lane identify seven counterfeit gospels—-”religious” ways we try and “justify” ourselves apart from the Gospel of grace. I found these unbelievably helpful. Which one (or two, or three) of these do you tend to gravitate towards?
Formalism. “I participate in the regular meetings and ministries of the church, so I feel like my life is under control. I’m always in church, but it really has little impact on my heart or on how I live. I may become judgmental and impatient with those who do not have the same commitment as I do.”
Legalism. “I live by the rules—rules I create for myself and rules I create for others. I feel good if I can keep my own rules, and I become arrogant and full of contempt when others don’t meet the standards I set for them. There is no joy in my life because there is no grace to be celebrated.”
Mysticism. “I am engaged in the incessant pursuit of an emotional experience with God. I live for the moments when I feel close to him, and I often struggle with discouragement when I don’t feel that way. I may change churches often, too, looking for one that will give me what I’m looking for.”
Activism. “I recognize the missional nature of Christianity and am passionately involved in fixing this broken world. But at the end of the day, my life is more of a defense of what’s right than a joyful pursuit of Christ.”
Biblicism. “I know my Bible inside and out, but I do not let it master me. I have reduced the gospel to a mastery of biblical content and theology, so I am intolerant and critical of those with lesser knowledge.”
Therapism. “I talk a lot about the hurting people in our congregation, and how Christ is the only answer for their hurt. Yet even without realizing it, I have made Christ more Therapist than Savior. I view hurt as a greater problem than sin—and I subtly shift my greatest need from my moral failure to my unmet needs.”
Social-ism. “The deep fellowship and friendships I find at church have become their own idol. The body of Christ has replaced Christ himself, and the gospel is reduced to a network of fulfilling Christian relationships.”
Monday, April 13, 2009
THE RESURRECTED LIFE
Paul begins Colossians 3 by admonishing us this way: If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (verses 1-2). The Message puts it this way: Pursue the things over which Christ presides…See things from his perspective (The Message, Colossians 3:1-2). Paul makes a contrast here between a life that is focused on Christ and the life that is focused on everything else.
Because of our relationship and identification with Christ in his death and resurrection, we are to embrace for ourselves a life that reflects the very life of Christ himself. This means that the character of Christ is my character. The virtues of Christ are my virtues. His priorities are my priorities.
A resurrected life means that I am more concerned with Christ and what he desires then I am with those things that occupied my life before I knew him. He is my pursuit.
Whereas so many of us find our fulfillment in things related to this life, they are temporary pleasures that will quickly lose their value. But all that is related to Christ has eternal value. This, to me, is where all of us struggle most often. We have difficulty distinguishing between the temporary and the eternal. By nature, we want instant gratification in life. We fail to understand the incredible significance and eternal value of pursuing Christ and making his priorities ours. We get lost in the meaningless, the insignificant, things that do not truly represent Christ or exemplify our relationship with him.
The resurrected life, in its simplest terms, is a pursuit of Christ.
Because of our relationship and identification with Christ in his death and resurrection, we are to embrace for ourselves a life that reflects the very life of Christ himself. This means that the character of Christ is my character. The virtues of Christ are my virtues. His priorities are my priorities.
A resurrected life means that I am more concerned with Christ and what he desires then I am with those things that occupied my life before I knew him. He is my pursuit.
Whereas so many of us find our fulfillment in things related to this life, they are temporary pleasures that will quickly lose their value. But all that is related to Christ has eternal value. This, to me, is where all of us struggle most often. We have difficulty distinguishing between the temporary and the eternal. By nature, we want instant gratification in life. We fail to understand the incredible significance and eternal value of pursuing Christ and making his priorities ours. We get lost in the meaningless, the insignificant, things that do not truly represent Christ or exemplify our relationship with him.
The resurrected life, in its simplest terms, is a pursuit of Christ.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
A FAVORABLE REPUTATION
The Lord said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people (Exodus 11:1-3).
Here is a passage of Scripture that always amazes me. Moses provided leadership that brought hardship and suffering to the people of Egypt as he announced God’s plagues upon them. The Egyptians could have logically considered Moses their worst enemy. It is a wonder they did not hate him and try to take his life. Yet we are told that Moses was considered great in the land of Egypt, even by Pharaoh’s servants.
The message of the gospel and Christianity is contrary, even offensive, to those who are outside of Christ. As contrary as our message may be to those who watch us and listen to us, it is possible, as Moses demonstrates, that we can still beheld in high regard.
Here is a passage of Scripture that always amazes me. Moses provided leadership that brought hardship and suffering to the people of Egypt as he announced God’s plagues upon them. The Egyptians could have logically considered Moses their worst enemy. It is a wonder they did not hate him and try to take his life. Yet we are told that Moses was considered great in the land of Egypt, even by Pharaoh’s servants.
The message of the gospel and Christianity is contrary, even offensive, to those who are outside of Christ. As contrary as our message may be to those who watch us and listen to us, it is possible, as Moses demonstrates, that we can still beheld in high regard.
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