Morning: The sermon, "Narrowing the Focus," explored 1 Timothy 2:1-7. In this passage, Paul reminds Timothy of to things necessary to success: prayer and proclaiming the gospel.
Paul expresses the importance of prayer. We need to offer requests, prayers, intercession, and thanks giving. We need to pray for everyone, especially those in leadership (government). We pray for them to have wisdom and to come to know Christ because this helps us to lead quiet lives and it pleases God.
Paul expresses the importance of Christ. There is only one God, and only one who can bring peace between God and man, that is Jesus Christ. Christ makes peace on our behalf by paying the ransom for our freedom. He did this to bear testimony to God's faithfulness, his justice, and his love.
Finally, Paul expresses the importance of bearing the message. In 1 Timothy 2:7, Paul emphasizes the truthfulness of his calling. He does this, I believe, to remind Timothy of his own calling. Timothy knew Paul better than most other people.
For a church to succeed it needs to pray and proclaim the gospel. They are the only weapons we have in the war against sin, the world, and the devil. But thankfully, they are all we need.
Evening: We looked at Mark 2:23-28. In this passage Jesus speaks about the Sabbath. Jesus reminds us that Sabbath is governed by the law of mercy. Sabbath was made for man, not man for Sabbath.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday Humor: "Lunch with the Governor" by Jonathan Perry
Here is some more Cajun comedy. I hope it brightens your day. If it doesn't make you laugh, it should at least make you smile.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Answer the Call
I often wonder what the disciples must have felt when they met Jesus. Reading about the calling of the first disciples in Mark 1:16-20 has me wondering anew. How did they know it was the right thing to do? They were being asked to leave everything they knew, to follow a carpenter turned rabbi. (Yes, we know he was much more, but did they?)
In Mark 1:14-15, Jesus offers people keys to the kingdom. He tells them to "repent and believe the good news." Freedom had drawn near to man, he need only to take it as it was offered. Jesus was calling folks to come near.
With Peter, Andrew, James, and John it was different. He called them to come follow him. He offered to make them fishers of men. Did they understand the significance of that? Surely, they must have understood it (at least in part) because they followed him.
His call was a call to follow whatever the cost. They left behind nearly everything they knew. James and John even left their father on the boat.
I can't imagine what they were thinking. I have tried, but with no success. All I know is what it was like when I heard the call of Jesus. I didn't see him, nor did I hear him. But I heard that call to repent-to change my mind. It was a call to abandon my hatred for God, and my disbelief. It was a call to change directions in my life. And in an unbelieving heart, faith sprang to life in an instant. I heard the call, and I had to answer it.
Maybe I know a little bit about what it was like for the disciples. When the Lord captures your heart, you don't think about all the unimportant stuff. You just think about the grace that has overflowed to you. He calls and you go-just to be near him.
Jesus is calling us all to follow him. Have you answered the call?
In Mark 1:14-15, Jesus offers people keys to the kingdom. He tells them to "repent and believe the good news." Freedom had drawn near to man, he need only to take it as it was offered. Jesus was calling folks to come near.
With Peter, Andrew, James, and John it was different. He called them to come follow him. He offered to make them fishers of men. Did they understand the significance of that? Surely, they must have understood it (at least in part) because they followed him.
His call was a call to follow whatever the cost. They left behind nearly everything they knew. James and John even left their father on the boat.
I can't imagine what they were thinking. I have tried, but with no success. All I know is what it was like when I heard the call of Jesus. I didn't see him, nor did I hear him. But I heard that call to repent-to change my mind. It was a call to abandon my hatred for God, and my disbelief. It was a call to change directions in my life. And in an unbelieving heart, faith sprang to life in an instant. I heard the call, and I had to answer it.
Maybe I know a little bit about what it was like for the disciples. When the Lord captures your heart, you don't think about all the unimportant stuff. You just think about the grace that has overflowed to you. He calls and you go-just to be near him.
Jesus is calling us all to follow him. Have you answered the call?
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Spiritual Songs: "The Reckoning" by Andrew Peterson
Do you ever find yourself yearning for the coming of Christ? I think every believer has that yearning deep down inside of them. It is natural. Andrew Peterson's song, "The Reckoning," captures that yearning beautifully. I hope you enjoy this video.
Here is a video of the story behind the song complete with a live performance.
Here is a video of the story behind the song complete with a live performance.
Monday, July 25, 2011
FAQs Mondays: "What Are the Last Three Requests of the Lord's Prayer?"
What is the fourth request?
Give us today our daily bread.
What do we pray for in the fourth request?
That God will give us everything we need for our bodies.
What is the fifth request?
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
What do we pray for in the fifth request?
That God will pardon our sins and enable us to forgive us those who have sinned against us.
What is the sixth request?
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
What do we pray for in the sixth request?
That God will keep us from sin.
What does prayer teach us?
Our complete dependence upon God.
The Lord's Prayer, like all prayer, teaches us that we need God. Prayer is the expression of the dependence. When we pray we are asking for the help that we need. Our heavenly Father is willing to help us. Next week, we turn our attention to part five of the catechism.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sunday Recap 7-24-11
Morning: The sermon, "Don't Shipwreck Your Faith," explored 1 Timothy 1:18-20. Paul reminds us in this passage that if we abandon our faith, we wreck our lives.
If we want to stay afloat, we need to remember what God has said about us. Timothy had a prophetic word to fall back on. Most of us do not, so what do we do. We turn to Scripture. God has many things to say about his children, here are three to consider: you've been crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20), you've been forgiven (Col. 2:13-14); and you are God's people (1 Pet. 2:9-10).
Remembering what God has said about us gives us the strength to fight the good fight. Paul is urging Timothy to wage war like a good soldier. Like Timothy, we have to hold to faith and a good conscience if we are to fight the good fight. There are at least three implication to holding the faith: we keep our personal commitment to Christ, we trust the gospel message, and we receive the larger biblical witness.
What does Paul mean by "good conscience"? The conscience is the right/wrong detector within a person. It can be corrupted so that it confuses good and bad. A good conscience is one that recognizes what God calls good as good, and what he calls evil as evil. To have a good conscience, we must be biblically informed. How can we truly know good without God teaching us? We need to live morally. Once we know God's standards, we should seek to live them. We need to live transparently. We all fall short of the moral standards of God, but we can find forgiveness and cleanse through confession and repentance. Finally, we need to rest in Christ trusting that his work on the cross is sufficient to cover our sins (see 1 Cor. 4:3-4).
Finally, we need to love those who live as enemies of the cross enough to discipline them. Paul handed Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan in hopes that they would learn not to blaspheme. The expression "handed over to Satan" may mean more than we know, but it most likely includes putting someone out of the church. It means taking away the rights and privileges of membership until such a time they display the fruit of repentance. Paul didn't call them unbelievers. He didn't just hand them over to Satan. No, he handed them over that they might learn not to blaspheme. He wanted them back on the right track, but there was no other way to get their attention.
In the end, we have to contend for the faith. We must labor to build up our most holy faith. We stand guard like good soldiers knowing that the war wages around us. We stand upon the Bible because we are confident that God cannot lie.
Evening: Tonight was movie night.
If we want to stay afloat, we need to remember what God has said about us. Timothy had a prophetic word to fall back on. Most of us do not, so what do we do. We turn to Scripture. God has many things to say about his children, here are three to consider: you've been crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20), you've been forgiven (Col. 2:13-14); and you are God's people (1 Pet. 2:9-10).
Remembering what God has said about us gives us the strength to fight the good fight. Paul is urging Timothy to wage war like a good soldier. Like Timothy, we have to hold to faith and a good conscience if we are to fight the good fight. There are at least three implication to holding the faith: we keep our personal commitment to Christ, we trust the gospel message, and we receive the larger biblical witness.
What does Paul mean by "good conscience"? The conscience is the right/wrong detector within a person. It can be corrupted so that it confuses good and bad. A good conscience is one that recognizes what God calls good as good, and what he calls evil as evil. To have a good conscience, we must be biblically informed. How can we truly know good without God teaching us? We need to live morally. Once we know God's standards, we should seek to live them. We need to live transparently. We all fall short of the moral standards of God, but we can find forgiveness and cleanse through confession and repentance. Finally, we need to rest in Christ trusting that his work on the cross is sufficient to cover our sins (see 1 Cor. 4:3-4).
Finally, we need to love those who live as enemies of the cross enough to discipline them. Paul handed Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan in hopes that they would learn not to blaspheme. The expression "handed over to Satan" may mean more than we know, but it most likely includes putting someone out of the church. It means taking away the rights and privileges of membership until such a time they display the fruit of repentance. Paul didn't call them unbelievers. He didn't just hand them over to Satan. No, he handed them over that they might learn not to blaspheme. He wanted them back on the right track, but there was no other way to get their attention.
In the end, we have to contend for the faith. We must labor to build up our most holy faith. We stand guard like good soldiers knowing that the war wages around us. We stand upon the Bible because we are confident that God cannot lie.
Evening: Tonight was movie night.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
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