Friday, February 27, 2009
Equipping the Saints
This is a blog post by Steve Timmis, who co-wrote "Total Church" (great book by the way). Basically, he argues for more intentional and committed discipleship of believers within the context of the church instead of outsourcing elsewhere. Im seeing more and more of this talked about and I have to say I agree. Its a short post, but worth reading. The link is below...
Monday, February 23, 2009
Culture and Christianity
Here is a great article from Carl Trueman on the Ref21 website. He brings up some great points to think about in the realm of culture and context, and really asks the question "have we traveled too far down this road of culture?". I do not know the answer to that question but He does make a compelling argument. Enjoy the article!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Overlooking the Obvious?
Just a quick thought on Mark 5:1-20. This is where Jesus saves the man from the Legion of demons, sends them into a herd of pigs only for them to rumble off of a cliff. My thought is not about the demons or the pigs. My thoughts turned to the way Jesus dealt with the man afterwards.
We can clearly see that the man formerly possessed by demons is now restored, thankful, and desires to go with Jesus and the disciples as they minister. However, we see an interesting response from Jesus in that He tells the man He can not go but should stay and spread the news in his home and to his friends. I see a lot of me in this man's desire and am aware even now of why Jesus responded the way He did and has done and will continue to.
I think so often we overlook the immediate area of need where the Gospel can be ministered. While the man's desire was not selfish or wrong, he could have in many ways been overlooking a ministry that was right in front of him. I wonder how many times I have done that.
We all desire to be used by God for His glory if we are truly His, but at times we may confuse that use with categories. For example, we may think in order to be truly used by God in a mighty way we must be a preacher, or a small group leader, or an overseas missionary in the jungle. When in reality God can and wants to use us in our families, with our friends, neighbors, people in our community. Don't misunderstand me, I believe there is great blessing in being a preacher, small group leader, or missionary but what I am saying is to consider the immediate need.
Who needs Christ that you will see today? Who needs Christ that you can travel across the street and be in a mission field? Who within your family is lost and needs to hear the Gospel?
Its not that Jesus did not want the man to go with them because He loved that man, He saved that man's soul. Jesus knew that there was an immediate need that man could be used for there.
I wonder sometimes if we overlook the obvious.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Scripture Memory
This is something I want to get better at doing personally so I am going to share a resource with you that was shared with me to help with this.
This document by Andrew Davis is on an approach to memorizing scripture. It is on his church's website and is available to download. I will post the link below.
Let me give you a heads up though. This is not just about memorizing individual verses, while that is good and has great benefit and spiritual blessing, this is an approach to memorizing entire chapters and books of the bible. This is a process of learning, it is not something that will happen over night. It is something to work at and labor in, understanding that the fruit of this particular labor will be life transforming!
(Matthew 4:4)
If memorizing shorter passages or even individual verses is somewhere you would rather begin Bethlehem Baptist Church also has an article on its website with some really helpful principles to incorporate into your life and daily devotion. I will post that link as well.
Being in the Word daily!
I just added a reading plan that allows you to be in the Word daily for a year. This is a plan off of the ESV's online devotional strategy. They have several really good and effective plans you can make your own. They have also made it available for everyone to be able to download audio of the reading plan, so if you are in your car you can put it on your ipod and listen to scripture as you drive, so you don't miss a day. Check their website out and see which plan you like best.
Another option is The Discipleship Journal. This is what John Piper uses for his personal devotional time and has it available for his church to use as well. If this is something you are interested in looking at check out the link below.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Maximizing Prayer
God has really laid it on my heart to get more serious about my prayer life. Not that I do not pray or have completely neglected prayer but rather He has brought the question to mind, "am I giving God my best concerning my prayer life?" Let me give you three principles that I learned today from David M'Intyre's book The Hidden Life of Prayer concerning our focus remaining on God in our prayer time. These are taken directly from his book in chapter 2 pages 43-44.
1. We should recognize our acceptance before God through the dying of the Lord Jesus.
(Hebrews 10:19-23)
2. It is important also that we confess and receive the enabling grace of the divine Spirit, without whom nothing is holy, nothing good. (Romans 8:26)
3. It is well for us to begin our supplications by directing our hearts toward the Holy Scriptures because these are His chosen means of enlightenment, comfort, inspiration, and rebuke.
I hope this encourages you in your prayer life like is has in mine.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Between Two Worlds
I thought this post from Justin Taylor's blog was a good word and a reminder to all in this age of technology.
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Wednesday, February 4, 2009
New book, serious conviction
The other day I was reading CJ Mahaney's blog where he interviewd Wayne Grudem. In that interview Grudem was asked what book was significant to his life. He mentioned a book that I have not heard of before entitled, "The Hidden Life of Prayer" by David M'Intyre.
So I bought the book and began reading it last night. So far it has been incredibly convicting but eye opening as to what God desires from us in our prayer lives. This book takes quotes and stories from the lives of great men of God such as Jonathan Edwards and John Bunyon as well as many others and points to a Christ honoring life of prayer and the necessity it plays in the life of a believer. All that to say this, if you want to be challenged to your very core concerning your prayer life take a chance on this book.
Monday, February 2, 2009
God's sovereignty and our responsibility
Our teaching pastor, Juan Sanchez, preached a great message two Sunday nights ago on the sovereignty of God. I am providing a link that will get you to the site to download the message by audio or video. The message was preached on Jan. 25 and is titled "Jacob I have loved". Great message!
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