Three places every believer should spend some time:
1. watching a sunrise,
2. a playground watching children play together &
3. a graveyard reading gravestones.
I suggest reading the Psalms at the sunrise, reading the epistles of Paul at the playground & reading the prophets at the graveyard.
The sunrise reminds one of his ultimate end, the glory of God.
The playground reminds one of the interdependence in the church.
The graveyard reminds one his task to preach the gospel to those who are dead in trespasses and sins.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Ways to destroy the Church
From D. A. Carson's Book The Cross & Christian Ministry.
"The ways of destroying the church are many and colorful. Raw factionalism will do it. Rank heresy will do it. Taking your eyes off the cross and letting other, more peripheral matters dominate the agenda will do it--admittedly more slowly than frank heresy, but just as effectively on the long haul. Building the church with superficial 'conversions' and wonderful programs that rarely bring people into a deepening knowledge of the living God will do it. Entertaining people to death but never fostering the beuty of holiness or the centrality of self-crucifying love will build an assembly of religious people, but it will destroy the church of the living God. Gossip, prayerlessness, bitterness, sustained biblical illiteracy, self-promotion, materialism--all of these things, and many more, can destroy a church. And to do so is dangerous: 'If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destory him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple' (1 Cor 3:17). It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
~ D.A. Carson
"The ways of destroying the church are many and colorful. Raw factionalism will do it. Rank heresy will do it. Taking your eyes off the cross and letting other, more peripheral matters dominate the agenda will do it--admittedly more slowly than frank heresy, but just as effectively on the long haul. Building the church with superficial 'conversions' and wonderful programs that rarely bring people into a deepening knowledge of the living God will do it. Entertaining people to death but never fostering the beuty of holiness or the centrality of self-crucifying love will build an assembly of religious people, but it will destroy the church of the living God. Gossip, prayerlessness, bitterness, sustained biblical illiteracy, self-promotion, materialism--all of these things, and many more, can destroy a church. And to do so is dangerous: 'If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destory him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple' (1 Cor 3:17). It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
~ D.A. Carson
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Can we display the gospel?
Shane, I am not trying to steal your thunder. I see you just posted. So I encourage everyone to read Shane's post below. You would almost think there was some higher Sovereign power over this stuff, seeing as how Shane's post is right in line with this one I just posted elsewhere.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Love One Another ~ by bearing
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
How do we love one another in our congregation? We bear one another's burdens. This word for burden is speaking of the weight and struggle that sin brings into one's life. So as a congregation we are "bear" or "carry" the weight of one another's sins. This bearing, however, is not just allowing your brother in Christ to continue in sin. You correct, carefully, the erring brother and be willing to love him enough to not only correct but carry with your brother the consequences of past sin.
How do I bear one another's burdens? First, know your congregation. Do you know of some burdens that another member of your congregation is bearing? You will not know all those in your congregation in the same way but you should know more than 2 or 3 of your closest friends or those who are most like yourself. Reach out beyond your affinities and talk to an older person in your congregation. Have lunch with a family and their kids one evening. Invite a few of the single adults to coffee and chat. Second, pray for individuals in your congregation. Do you pray generally for your congregation or are you able to pray for specific needs for many members of your congregation? Make a point to pray specifically for members of your congregation. Third, contact the members of your congregation. Do you have a directory or a list of all the members of your congregation? This list should include name (spelled right), home address, phone number, and email address. Take the time each week as you pray for different members of your congregation to call, send a note or email that person and let them know that you are praying for them in specific ways and find out how he/she is doing with that particular burden. Share some Scripture that you may prayed for that member or a passage that made you think of him or her.
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
How do we love one another in our congregation? We bear one another's burdens. This word for burden is speaking of the weight and struggle that sin brings into one's life. So as a congregation we are "bear" or "carry" the weight of one another's sins. This bearing, however, is not just allowing your brother in Christ to continue in sin. You correct, carefully, the erring brother and be willing to love him enough to not only correct but carry with your brother the consequences of past sin.
How do I bear one another's burdens? First, know your congregation. Do you know of some burdens that another member of your congregation is bearing? You will not know all those in your congregation in the same way but you should know more than 2 or 3 of your closest friends or those who are most like yourself. Reach out beyond your affinities and talk to an older person in your congregation. Have lunch with a family and their kids one evening. Invite a few of the single adults to coffee and chat. Second, pray for individuals in your congregation. Do you pray generally for your congregation or are you able to pray for specific needs for many members of your congregation? Make a point to pray specifically for members of your congregation. Third, contact the members of your congregation. Do you have a directory or a list of all the members of your congregation? This list should include name (spelled right), home address, phone number, and email address. Take the time each week as you pray for different members of your congregation to call, send a note or email that person and let them know that you are praying for them in specific ways and find out how he/she is doing with that particular burden. Share some Scripture that you may prayed for that member or a passage that made you think of him or her.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Toe stepping encouragement
Today I found much encouragement from my pastor’s message. He did a good job of stepping on toes (mine included) as well as encouraging us for faithful service. Today was not a “let’s come to church because it’s Easter and hear a feel good sermon”. It was much better than that. You would almost think this guy believes what he preaches. (and for the record, I would bet my life on it)
Read the rest here.
Read the rest here.
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