Tuesday, March 31, 2009

On Preaching by Mark Driscoll

The following excerpt on preaching is from Vintage Church pages 90 and 104:

Jesus' ministry included feeding the hungry, healing the sick, loving the outcast, and befriending the sinner. But we must never forget that Jesus' ministry began with preaching.

Thus, preaching is the first priority of ministry that leads God's mission, which is accompanied by various other ministries that support, supplement, and sustain the preaching of God's Word in truth with passion....

There is an ongoing debate as to the purpose of the sermon and whether it should focus on converting the lost or maturing the saved.

The apparent conflict between preaching for seekers and preaching for believers is resolved simply by noting that both need to repent of sin and trust in Jesus to live a new life empowered by the Spirit.


Therefore, a sermon can and should effectively communicate to both audiences, and it will if the preacher is able to go after the root of sin and explain Christian jargon in order to speak the "tongue" of the hearer. This includes saying the name of Jesus and making him known.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Ouch!

Ok, this is an "ouch" you gotta see.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Surrendered and Sanctified

Yesterday I was catching up on some tweets on Twitter, and I noted one from Amy which said "Reflecting on how God has sanctified me, one year after my surgery" with a link to her blog.

My first thot was, I didn't know she had had surgery, and my second thot was a curiosity at how she perceived Gods work in her life during that experience. So I went to Amy's blog and was so blessed.

She is an amazing writer, reader, thinker, and follower of Jesus. I learned much about this last year of her life both - physically and spiritually - thru that one post. I loved her transparency, and could so relate to a year of lessons learned thru various life experiences and trials.

But it is in times of reflecting over sections of life that we view God's hand and work in our lives best. As time passes and I am pulled back a bit from situations I've journeyed through, I have better perspective and a clearer view of God's work in me.

Warren Wiersbe talks about turning trials into triumphs of Gods grace in our lives. He says there are four essentials for victory in trials: a joyful attitude, and understanding mind, a surrendered will, and a heart that wants to believe.

Looks good on paper but how hard it can be in the real moments of my life. Yet I know it is His work, and that God's purpose for me is perfect and can be trusted.

Amy closed her post by offering the opportunity readers to learn more about "this uniquely Christian concept of Godly suffering which leads to sanctification (personal growth, becoming more like Jesus)" by listening to a recent Sunday message from her Pastor on trials which she linked to.

I would like to post that link as well. It is a powerful message called “Submission to UnGodly Authority”.

May God walk closely by your side and mine as we are surrendered and sanctified to Him.

Name the Lie, Insert the Truth

The battleground for spiritual warfare is in one word: truth.

As an angel of light, Satan lies to God's people. The battle is going on right now in the mind of every person reading this.

We get victory by following Jesus' example in battling Satan. In Matthew 4, Satan tempted Christ with lies. Make these stones into bread... (v.3). Cast Yourself down from the temple... (v.6).

In response to each taunt, Jesus named the lie and inserted the truth. Jesus said, you say this, but God says this.

~ James MacDonald

Although Satan is powerful, he's a weakling when faced with Scripture. He's unimpressed with our incantations or the clever things we say, but he'll run from God's Word that lives and abides forever.

It's God's truth that sets you free.

Here's the goal: when Satan lies to you about spiritual issues that undermine your confidence and security in Christ Jesus, name the lie and insert God's truth.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Balance

Balance is essential.

My life has always been a tug of war between one thing and another. Sovereignty and free will, grace and truth, leading and submitting, acting and waiting, doing and being, compassion and conviction, the list could go on but I have never found a lot of blessing in the extremes.

When I have gotten out on one edge or the other I have always struggled. The only place I have experienced true power is in the balance.

While some seem content to focus on one or the other I find myself sometimes torn or even tortured by the need for balance.

Extreme is easy, balance is hard.

Jesus said, “these things you ought to have done without leaving the others undone” (Luke 11:42). I hope my family will know in me a measured man who knew no extremes other than “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:2).

- James MacDonald