Paul Washer - Jesus Christ is Mighty to Save!

R. C. Sproul on Fear and Trembling!

God's presence, is it a matter of our feelings or believing His promises?

Biblical recognition of accomplishments?

Paul gives us some good examples of praising fellow servants of the Lord in his letters. Notice how he acknowledges their hard work, generosity and care for the church!

Rom. 16:12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. 

1 Cor. 16:17 I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied.18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.

Phil. 2:19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. 

Here is a good question - Did any of these believers reach a state worthy of praise by seeking praise? Did they do their good deeds for the sake of earthly recognition? Was there a plaque or prize for giving the most or excelling at other spiritual disciplines?  

If they did it for any of these earthly reasons, it would not be cause for praise, but correction.  

Matt. 6:1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven." 

Matt. 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

So, should we use earthly rewards or recognition as a motivation for our service to the Lord? The answer is a loud and clear - NO! 

Should we recognize and thank those who serve the Lord and his people faithfully as we have the opportunity? Sure, but lets be sure we keep teaching people to do things for the Lord's sake alone or we may find they are really seeking to please us and not God!  

Gal. 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Lessons from a missionary marriage proposal!

We had a missionary couple from New Tribes Mission with us at church for a few days this week. Their names are Rand and Debbie Burgett; here is their website for more information:

www.ntm.org/Rand_Burgett

Their mission work is fascinating, extremely useful, and the kind of things we don't usually think of.  Debbie is a writer and editor for the NTM Magazine, and Rand does computer software development to help the missionaries in the field work more efficiently. He is currently finishing a project that translates Bible maps into tribal languages and is beginning work on smart phone applications that make learning languages much quicker, allowing the Bible teaching in the tribes to start much sooner. Visit their website and learn more; possibly the Lord would have you help them.

In presenting information on their work, Rand retold the story of his wedding proposal to Debbie. We can learn something from this!

Rand was working as an engineer at a church at the time, but was sure he would work in some more purely missional endeavor in the future. With this in mind, he added to the typical "will you marry me" the following warning - "if you do say yes, there are two things you need to know: first, know you will never have any money; and second, know you will end up living in a grass hut some day!"

Now as the Lord had other plans, they do not live in a grass hut, but in missionary housing at the NTM headquarters in Florida, and I suspect they have at least some money. However, Debbie entered into the marriage believing and accepting the fact that it would be just as he warned her it would be.

Does this kind of marriage proposal, with a warning before saying yes, have a correlation to the invitation to become the bride of Christ?

When we say yes, “I do" to Jesus Christ, what else are we saying yes to?

2 Tim. 3:12 - Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (Bold added for emphasis)

John 15:19 - If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you...

Phil. 1:29 - For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

Rom. 8:16 - The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Matt. 16:24 - Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

I could go on with an almost never-ending list of scriptures that describe what to expect if we are to say "I do" to being the bride of Christ, but I think we get the point!

If we say "I do", does that mean we will be constantly persecuted, always hated and suffer 100% of the time? Probably not, but we need to say "I do" with the full understanding that it could look like that and value our marriage to the Lord enough to say yes, even with such a strong warnings to us.

I am not poor. I don't live in a grass hut. I have a few things in my life that I would describe as suffering, but they are small compared to what many other Christians suffer and nothing compared to the sufferings of Christ. However, things could quickly change. Would I still say yes?

What about you? Will you say yes to being the bride of Christ now? Even if it means losing much or all of what you value in this life? I don't want to suffer needlessly or be poor just so I can feel proud of my sacrifice, but if the Lord would have me give up anything or everything, what would I say?

He has asked me (and you) in His word to be willing to do just that, and here is my answer: In this moment, I say yes to being His bride, even in the face of suffering, persecution and sacrifice as He brings it. I pray I remain willing and able, by the power of His Spirit and for His glory alone to be His bride, and with this understanding of the proposal He has given, I gratefully say yes and "I do"!

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Ambassadors for what?

Ambassadors for:

A political party?

An economic policy?

A church tradition?

A self esteem boost?

A denomination?

A music style?

A moral code?

A........

2 Cor. 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 

No, we are to be ambassadors for Christ!  

Can people hear the message of reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ and His work over our passion for other issues? 

Focus church!


"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

R. C. Sproul on Reformed Theology - Sola Scriptura

R. C. Sproul's greatest concern regarding the future of the faith!

For those who appreciate efficiency!

Great audio from Mark Dever on false conversions

I saw this on the Truth Matters blog. It is an excellent sermon on the causes and danger of false conversions.

Here is a link to follow - False Conversions

Did people get "goosies" when Hitler spoke?

What makes something "anointed" and what exactly do people mean when they use that term to describe preaching? Someone commented recently that they thought my preaching was much more "anointed" the last few times they heard me. I must admit, this is a strange comment to ponder. Was I louder or more emotional, maybe, more accurate in my teaching, I don't think so, does that mean the person was evaluating my message for "anointing" by my emotional delivery, style or volume?

I will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they were moved by the word and Spirit of God and I am pleased if I played a part by delivering the word accurately!

I would certainly not want to use the style, passion or volume of delivery as the test for whether a sermon was "anointed". Jenifer Lopez (of American Idol) often evaluates a performance by whether she gets "goosies" (goose bumps I think) in response. Should we evaluate preaching in a similar way? I am sure people walked away from many of Hitlers speeches with the 1930-40's German version of "goosies" and many preachers today proclaim completely contradictory messages and are hailed as "anointed" by their respective followers - how do we sort this out?

Consider a few biblical principles -

Elders, who are the ones charged with teaching and preaching in the church, are not required to speak in any particular style, with elevated emotions or increased volume. Rather, Elders are to be: Tit. 1:8 "...sober minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, to exhort and convict those who contradict." 

There is even a warning to Timothy about people being led astray by other "deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1). Is it possible these deceiving spirits would have those they work through preaching their messages with emotion, good style and a loud voice? Do people get "goosies" when those filled with deceiving spirits preach?

Later in 2 Timothy we read more on the problem of people being impressed and led by things other than sound doctrine:

2 Tim. 4:4 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Notice Timothy is not told to deliver his messages with a certain style, high emotion or increased volume, rather he is told to get the message right and know those with more "ear tickling" messages and/or style will in fact lead many astray!

So, how do we know if preaching is "anointed"?

First, don't trust our "goosies", unless they are in response to God/truth and not the style, volume or emotion of the message!

Next, test the message against the word of God, no matter how exciting or dull in its delivery:

1 Thess. 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Prophecy, preaching or teaching that is an outflow of the Holy Spirit is a great gift, but we know the Holy Spirit will not contradict itself and did not come to bring an emotional change, but truth!

John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

The Holy Spirit is not primarily concerned with emotion but truth! The Holy Spirit did not come to give us "goosies", but to glorify Jesus Christ!

I like sermons delivered with good style and emotions, but Lord help us all if we leave impressed with the speaker rather than the Lord Jesus Christ!

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Guest Post

A creative young lady at my church named Amy (also a member of this site) writes occasional devotionals. I asked if I could post this one and she said OK. So here it is -

Maintenance

It’s spring… the trees are budding, the annuals are blooming, the weeds are about to swallow my children. And that familiar knot is back in my stomach.  I dread of pulling the mower and weed-eater out of the shed and getting to work on the yard.  I detest my yard.  There is virtually no landscaping. There are a lot of weeds.  There is a fence. Ugh.

Now I have many friends who love to work in the yard. They have beautiful curb appeal.  Their gardens flourish. Their yards are lush and great for outdoor living. They do not live at my house.

Now, if by some miracle someone came and fixed my yard up and turned it into something lush and beautiful, I wonder… could I maintain it?  And even if I could, would I?

I’m not maintenance-oriented.  I know that changing the oil and rotating the tires regularly extends the life of my car.  I know that wearing gloves protects my manicure.  I know that putting on sunscreen keeps my skin healthier, and maybe even retains my youth a little longer.  I know those things. But do I do them? Ha.

From the first chapter of James:²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

I can look in the mirror and see the “dirt” of slothfulness, but if I walk away from the mirror without removing the dirt, I am still dirty. Knowing something and doing something with or about what you know are two completely different things.  Most of the time I know what I ought to do, but I either do something else anyway or I do nothing.  I KNOW that I need to exercise 30 minutes a day, but I watch TV. I KNOW that I need to get more sleep, but that book is just too good to put down.  I KNOW that I need to get busy writing, but the internet calls to me.

I KNOW that I should read my Bible, but…
I KNOW that I should pray, but…
I KNOW that I should be in church, but…
I KNOW that I should help my neighbor in need, but…
I KNOW that I should tell someone about Jesus, but…

I see the emaciated state of my grass and the overgrown weeds when I neglect yardwork.
I see the emaciated state of my muscles and the overgrown fat cells when I neglect exercise.
I see the emaciated state of my soul and the overgrown sin when I neglect spiritual disciplines.

2 Peter 1:3 says: His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.
Verse 5 goes on: But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷ to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I cannot handle the yard alone. For one, I do not have the proper equipment. I also do not have the know-how to accomplish anything of value.  And I most certainly lack the stamina necessary to get it into shape and maintain it. Praise God that He has sent me a friend who is willing to give up her time and sweat to help me learn to take care of the yard I have. I know most days I frustrate her with my ineptitude and my lackluster attitude, but she sticks by me and truly the extra set of hands makes the work lighter.  I watch her slaving in my yard… MY yard, mind you… and it motivates me. I push past whatever was holding me back, and just do it.

I cannot handle the exercise by myself, either. For one, I like to tell myself falsehoods like I’m eating less than I am or exercising more than I am. I also do not have the willpower to accomplish anything of value. And I most certainly lack the stamina necessary to get into shape and maintain it.  Praise God that He has gifted me with a daughter who is gives up her speed to help me learn to take care of the body I have. I know most days I frustrate her with my laziness and “quitter” attitude, but she sticks by me and makes it almost fun to exercise. Almost. She is so positive and upbeat with me that it makes me want to make her proud. I’ll never be able to keep up with her, but she encourages me to just keep going.

I find oftentimes that I cannot handle the spiritual disciplines myself, either.  For one, I get distracted too easily. I also am not self-motivated to study deeply. And I most certainly do not maintain a high level of excitement over a long period of time.  I’m sporadic at best. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, I pray less. I read less. I study less. I attend less. I give less. I go less. Before long I wake up from my slumber, look around at my spiritual life, and wonder how I’ve drifted so far! But praise God – He always gives me that wake-up call and then provides oarsmen in my boat to help me get back on course. Sometimes that means enduring a trial, driving me back to my knees. Sometimes that means being asked to help teach a class, sending me back to the Word. Sometimes that means finding a friend in need, encouraging me back to giving generously. Sometimes that means encountering someone who hasn’t met Christ or isn’t bearing fruit, forcing me to go out of my comfort zone and into the mission field right outside my door. I am compelled, even constrained, by what Christ has done for me. Reading from II Corinthians 5… ¹⁴For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

How glorious it is to be reminded, corrected, even rebuked, so that I may return to the narrow path of serving Christ. II Timothy 3…¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

No, maintenance does not come easy to me.  As I continue to DO maintenance (my yard, my body, my relationship with Christ), it gets easier. I get better at it. It feels more natural. I learn a lot. Things look better. And of course, the product is improved! In short, I am blessed.

Father God, you have done all the work of redemption. You have planted good seed in me, and tended it carefully, giving yield in season. You have built a temple of the Spirit in my body, and have fully equipped it for service.  Help me to maintain the precious gifts of your grace.

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

R. C. Sproul, Holiness of God - part 4 + 5

R. C. Sproul, Holiness of God - part 2 + 3

R. C. Sproul, Holiness of God - part 1

Awesome!

I will post the rest in coming days!