DeMoss is one of my favorite female authors…

http://www.truewoman.com/?id=1799 

This might be a nice article to print and store in your bible or where you do you devotions and read every once in a while.

I was reading a blog posting the other day and ran across this question: Does your “To die for” list look like what Jesus died for?

Which got me to thinking about about two things:

The first is, what does my (your) to die for list look like (sound like)?

• I’m dying for sleep, rest, money, relaxation, retirement, a certain food, clothes, housing…

Now there is nothing wrong with any of those items, except none of them are what Jesus died for.  You see everything on that list is me centered, and certainly leads to an emphasis that the most important thing in life is the physical.

But what about Jesus’ “To die for” list:

• Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
• John 4:34 “…My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
• John 10:15 “”…I lay down my life for the sheep.”

I think that Jesus instructs us on what our “to die for” list should look like:

• Luke 9:23 “…If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
• Luke 10:2 “…Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
• Luke 12:8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God…”
• Luke 12:31 “Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things [food, clothing, shelter] will be added to you.”
• Luke 14:33 “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

You see Jesus died that you and I might be brought into right relationship with the Father through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  As Acts 26:20 puts it “…they[we] should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their [our] repentance.”  Now about that “To die for” list, what additions and subtractions do we have to make on our personal “To die for” list so they look like what Jesus died for?

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV)

Kevin DeYoung writes a very short but informative piece on Mormonism.  One thing that caught my attention was this statement:

"Mormonism continues to grow because of it missionary impulse and its COMMITMENT to doctrinal and ethical DISTINCTIVES." 

What’s sad I talked with a missionary to the Mormons some years ago and he said that they (Mormons) spend a a lot of time reaching into the Baptist arena because…we are not strong in our our knowledge of or commitment to BIBLICAL DOCTRINE. 

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/10/13/mormonism-101/

Pastor

During the month of October Adam and I are going to be preaching through the 5-solas:

• Oct 2  “Christ Alone”
• Oct 9 “Scripture Alone”
• Oct 16 “Faith Alone”
• Oct 23 “Grace Alone”
• Oct 30 “To the Glory of God Alone”

Oct 31 Marks the date that Martin Luther posted his 95 thesis go to http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/history/95theses.htm to read them in our English as they were posted on that Day.  If you are of German or European decent you owe a great deal of gratitude to Luther as God used him to stir people out of a dark theological sleep and helped to get the bible into the hands of the common person.

I have found it interesting that we in “Baptist circles” have gone to great pains in avoiding the discussion surrounding Luther’s work in theology (the argument being we’re not protestants-well neither was Luther-by the way it would be good to study out his biography) and yet on October 31 many well meaning Baptist will celebrate the high holy day of satanist…Halloween.  For more information on this see   http://logosresourcepages.org/Holidays/halloween.htm#The%20History%20of%20Halloween

Now let me ask you a question should we not rather remember a piece of church history that has greatly influenced many of us of European decent rather that Satan’s diversion?

So join with us at as we look at these five solas during the month of October and especially on Oct 30 when climax it with “To the Glory of God Alone”.  Or as one person put it: by grace alone; through faith alone; because of Christ alone; on the Word alone; to the glory of God alone!

For further reading on th topic:

http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2007/10/marking-reformation.html

http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2006/10/reformation-day-thoughts-chuckles.html

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/2006/10/31/reformation-day-reflections/

Pastor

Have you ever wondered what is the church body suppose to do when it comes together on Sunday?  From time to time someone will ask me that question, well let me give you 6 primary suppose to’s:

1. The saints are to be edified (1 Co 14:3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 17, 26)-Edification is a Greek word “oikodomeo” which means to build and when used of the Christian it has the idea to promote spiritual growth and development of character.

2. We are to pray (Acts 2:42)-This should not just be petitions, but also prayers of thanksgiving, acknowledgement of God’s grace, wonder, and sovereignty.

3. Collecting of tithes and offerings (1 Co 16:2; c.f. Malachi 3:10)-’nough said

4. Breaking of Bread (Acts 2:42; 1 Co 11:18ff)-This isn’t about eating meals together, rather it’s what we commonly call today Communion.  How often? Doesn’t matter just whatever your local church decides be there to be reminded of what Christ has done for us.

5. Fellowship-this actually has three parts none of which can occur without others around:

• Acts 2:42-”koinonia” which means to fellowship or commune together
• Heb 10:24-”paroxymos” which means to stimulate and in the context of Hebrews has the idea stimulate to love and good deeds
• Heb 10:25-”parakaleo” has the idea to comfort, encourage, exhort, urge, implore one another.

6. Singing (Eph 5:19 we are to address one another in “. ..psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord“)

7. Worship-interestingly we are not told how except that it is to be in spirit (not material) and in truth (not falsehood).  Allow me to suggest that when 1-6 are occurring then worship will have taken place.  Vine gives worship the broad idea of “…the direct acknowledgement to God, of His nature, attributes, ways and claims, whether by the outgoing of the heart in praise and thanksgiving or deed done in such acknowledgement.”

As these things are accomplished in our hearts the “saints will be encouraged and the hearts of the unsaved and backslidden will be convicted“.

A good read, for if you’re like me you want to know next week’s agenda before today is out , BUT GOD doesn’t work that way.

A number of years ago I was driving for a pretty extended trip with my son. And in that relaxed moment I said, "There’s something we need to talk about." He rolled his eyes, and he said, "Dad, is this ‘the talk’?" Well, he must have read me pretty well. He was right. It was time for "the talk."

Read More at On a Need-To-Know Basis

A little challenge for those Christians looking for something different, but also a good way to introduce the unsaved to the Bible:

The Sweep of the Bible in Two Weeks

If a freshman in college or stay-at-home mom or aspiring deacon or friend from work or anyone else asked me how they might get a rough grasp of the macro-storyline of the Bible in a few weeks, I’d send them not to any secondary resource but to the Bible itself for a reading plan that might look something like this.

Week 1

    Sunday – Genesis 1-3
    Monday – Genesis 12-17
    Tuesday – Exodus 1-3, 12
    Wednesday – Exodus 14, 19-20
    Thursday – Joshua 23-24; Judges 1-2
    Friday – 1 Samuel 8, 16; 2 Samuel 7, 11; Psalm 105
    Saturday – Isaiah 7, 9, 11, 35, 52-53, 65

Week 2

    Sunday – Jeremiah 30-33; Ezekiel 36-37, Zechariah 9; Malachi 3-4
    Monday – Matt. 1:1; Mark 1:1-15; John 1:1-18; 5:39-46; Luke 24
    Tuesday – Mark 14:1-16:8
    Wednesday – Acts 1-2; 13:13-49
    Thursday – Rom. 1:1-6; 16-17; 3:9-31; 5:12-21; 8:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:1-23
    Friday – Heb. 1:1-4; 10:19-12:2
    Saturday – Revelation 1; 20-22

Pastor Abwile writes a challenging blog that will make you think:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/2011/06/01/desire-overcoming-dedication-leading-to-destruction/

Allow me to quote a small portion:
“Here are some questions that may help us diagnose our hearts:

1. Am I devoted more to my desire than to my God?
2. Do I expect God to grant all my desires?
3. And if He does not am I angry or displeased or dissatisfied with God?
4. Do I think hard thoughts toward God when He doesn’t grant what I want?
5. Am I tempted to put Jesus second to my desire?
6. Have I already put Jesus second to my desire?
7. Am I considering or am I already in a sexually and emotionally compromising relationship in disobedience to the Lord?
8. Am I planning to continue in the compromising relationship even though I know it’s wrong and dishonors Jesus?
9. Do I shrug at God’s judgment because I’d rather have the relationship and face the consequences later?
10. Is my “dedication to Christ” limited to religious activities like going to church, or can my dedication be seen in how I control my desires and what decisions I make? Especially “personal,” “intimate,” “private” decisions?”

Take time to read then meditate on what the author is trying to communicate–you might also considering Bookmarking Thabiti Anyabwile’s blog and reading him from time to time…

Perhaps one of the most important things to settle in ministry and as a church is how to define “success.”  Without question, we all have some notion of what constitutes “success.”  And whether it’s explicit or implicit, whether it’s written down or unspoken, our notion of success drives our behavior and our self evaluation.

Numbers, Faithfulness, or People?