If you guys look above the video on the right I have posted a new section called "Highly Recommended Links." These websites have been quite influential to my life and my spiritual growth. I praise God in heaven for these three men and their ministries because of their faithfulness to the Gospel and the Holy Word of Jesus Christ. They have contended for the faith (two for quite some time now) and have wonderfully shepherded many God's people so that they may be sanctified according to the scriptures.
I pray that their ministries may flourish so that the kingdom of God may be furthered. I also hope you will find these resources as good tools for building up your theology and maturity in the faith.
#1) Gty.org - John Macarthur's ministry at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California.
- Dr. Macarthur's high view of God and scripture is contagious. He stresses that the Gospel should be the center of the life of a Christian and that we must always consult God's word when it comes to faith and the practice of our faith. You can truly see his love for God and my life has been greatly blessed by what he has done for Christianity.
I recommend that you go to the "Resources" tab then click on the "Sermons" section at gty.org and check some out for yourself!
#2) DesiringGod.org - John Piper's ministry at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Dr. Piper loves to stress "Christian Hedonism" and defines it as "God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him." If you enjoy animated preachers, there is no one like Piper. He is very passionate about God's word and the Gospel. But this is not why this man has been so influential. Although he is a great preacher, Dr. Piper's commitment to showing the true biblical love of God has taught me that love for God means love for His people.
I recommend that you go to the "Sermons" section at desiringGod.org and listen to them. But if you ask anyone who knows Piper, they will tell you that you must definitely WATCH these sermons.
#3) Albertmohler.com - Albert Mohler is a well-known Christian cultural commentator and the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky
- Dr. Mohler loves to help with building up intelligent Christians who set their foundation on the Holy scripture. As Christian, we are not called to live lives of unintelligence. If anything, we should strive to become more intelligent in the Word so that we may glorify God through our preparedness. Dr. Mohler's ministry through radio, blogs, and books has shown that we need to equip ourselves as good soldiers of Christ and learn to defend the faith when necessary. He loves to address current issues on his blog/radio show and always brings it back to where we need to look, and that is scripture.
I recommend that you check out his blogs on current issues and definitely his "Radio show." He does a "Ask anything Wednesday" and people ask some great questions! You can even try asking one if you want! The reason why I suggest these resources to you is to not put these men on a pedestal, but to show you that these men are all serving for the same purpose. They all desire for the Gospel to be spread throughout the world and for the children of God to be sanctified by the truth. I pray that this will be just a tiny spark which lights a burning passion in your heart for loving God and delighting in His Word.
I do not promote these men to place them on a pedestal, no not at all! We remember, of course, that God is truly at work in the lives of these men and He deserves all the credit for the success of their ministry. But the reason why I share these resources with you for your growth and so that you may know more about our Father who is in heaven.
I pray that these resources will spark a burning passion in your heart to desire the will of God in your life which is for His glory. I also hope that you will be strengthened in your relationship with Christ and realize that knowing Him surpasses all things. It is, indeed, the greatest joy one could ever experience.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
All by Myself
Proverbs 27: 17
Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.
Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.
Brethren,
If I may have your eyes and ears for but a moment, I shall pose this question to you:
Would you wish to fight in a war all by yourself?
This is almost a ridiculous question don't you think? When we are engaged in combat and fighting our enemies, we know that we desperately need all the allies we can get. How foolish would a man be if he were to take on an entire army of 10,000 strong all on his own and have no one to rely on but his own strength. A single man who takes on this impossible challenge is surely doomed to failure.
My fellow brothers and sisters, for those of you who profess Jesus Christ to be your Lord, you are guaranteed to suffer for His sake. (Phil. 1:29) Indeed, Christ has informed us that we will be persecuted for the mere fact that we are called by Him (Matt. 10:22), whether this be a struggle against the folly of mankind, or against the spiritual forces of wickedness (Ephesians 6:12). Certainly, hard times are on their way and there is no road that we can take to avoid it.
Though these times of difficulty are sure to come, we praise God almighty who has already conquered evil and now has secured victory over His enemies! However, even though the triumph is forever the Lord's, we still fight the good fight in which we are called to participate in. For the King of Glory has yet to return and crush His enemy for good, and soon give his faithful soldiers rest. Yes, the war has been won, but never does this victory permit us to lose the battles on the way to ultimate triumph. Oh for that day when we see Christ return once again! But for now, King Jesus appoints YOU as a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3), and never does He instruct you to fight the war on your own strength.
My brothers and sisters, we have lost the true meaning of what Christ has commissioned us to do. Our requirement is to go and MAKE disciples of all nations! (Matt. 28:19) We have forgotten this essential teaching that our Lord had taught and shown us while He dwelt among men on this earth. This same important topic was proclaimed to us after He conquered the grave just before His incredible ascension into Heaven.
I am amazed at the great number of so-called evangelicals that cannot even define the true meaning "discipleship." They are unaware of the great treasure that lies within true biblical discipleship. I myself have been oblivious to discipleship all my life until the Father had placed righteous men in my path to hold me accountable.
Ah yes, "Accountability," a Christian cliche that has been tossed around for so long that we are almost unaffected whenever this word is spoken. Frequently we have stressed the great good that accountability brings to the table, but never have we acted upon this teaching that we are so quick to preach to others.
Just as the apostle Paul instructs young Timothy to entrust these teachings to "faithful men," so should we impart sound doctrine on others as if lives depended on it, because they certainly do. (2 Tim. 2:2) Yet for the new believer, or one who's faith lacks maturity, I implore you to seek out good counsel from an older believer(of the same sex) whom you respect and will surely guide you on to the correct path whenever you stray from it.
Hear me faithful followers of Christ! Your spiritual well-being depends on it. This could be the difference between the Christian who's security is in Christ Jesus our Lord, and the apostate who turns his back on God and walks away from the faith. Opposition will come, and you can either face the enemy alone or find refuge in the company of mature believers.
I have seen the fruits of discipleship and it has truly changed my life. How else do you think the teachings of our great Lord have been passed down through the generations? How does one expect to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ without being passed the teachings of those who came before us. Looking to those who have fought the good fight before us is indeed a necessity for the child of God. We must seek out the knowledge of the wise.
But if, in your mind, you are thinking, "The Lord is on my side, that is all I need," then you are fooling yourself. God has instructed you to seek out help from the church and He has created us as relational beings. We were not created and purposed to live alone. You need to realize that...
YOU NEED HELP.
Remove your pride. Yes, your pride. Oh how foolish are the proud and the stubborn! Pride will surely be(and has been) the downfall of many. It will be the death of those who refuse to abandon their sin and follow wholeheartedly after Christ.
Father help us when we refuse to listen, we beg you to turn our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh!
We must see discipleship for what it truly is!
When a student is persecuted by his Atheist teacher, who will train him to contend for the faith? When someone is struggling with sexual sin, who will encourage him to persevere to righteousness? When an employee in the office is fired for sharing the Gospel, who will help him with his needs and pray? When a father loses his child in a terrible car accident, who will remind him of the Sovereignty of God?
Discipleship is crucial.
The relationship that we have with those we disciple, and those who disciple us, truly is a relationship that cannot be broken by this world. For it is a bond amongst men and women that has the foundation built upon Christ. And we know that when we lean on fellow believers and stand on Christ the solid rock, then surely we can take on the challenges of life and live out our purpose here as Christians. But be mindful, this happens only by the grace of God and under the power of His sovereign hand.
Beloved, tough times are here, let us not fight alone.
Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ."
If I may have your eyes and ears for but a moment, I shall pose this question to you:
Would you wish to fight in a war all by yourself?
This is almost a ridiculous question don't you think? When we are engaged in combat and fighting our enemies, we know that we desperately need all the allies we can get. How foolish would a man be if he were to take on an entire army of 10,000 strong all on his own and have no one to rely on but his own strength. A single man who takes on this impossible challenge is surely doomed to failure.
My fellow brothers and sisters, for those of you who profess Jesus Christ to be your Lord, you are guaranteed to suffer for His sake. (Phil. 1:29) Indeed, Christ has informed us that we will be persecuted for the mere fact that we are called by Him (Matt. 10:22), whether this be a struggle against the folly of mankind, or against the spiritual forces of wickedness (Ephesians 6:12). Certainly, hard times are on their way and there is no road that we can take to avoid it.
Though these times of difficulty are sure to come, we praise God almighty who has already conquered evil and now has secured victory over His enemies! However, even though the triumph is forever the Lord's, we still fight the good fight in which we are called to participate in. For the King of Glory has yet to return and crush His enemy for good, and soon give his faithful soldiers rest. Yes, the war has been won, but never does this victory permit us to lose the battles on the way to ultimate triumph. Oh for that day when we see Christ return once again! But for now, King Jesus appoints YOU as a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3), and never does He instruct you to fight the war on your own strength.
My brothers and sisters, we have lost the true meaning of what Christ has commissioned us to do. Our requirement is to go and MAKE disciples of all nations! (Matt. 28:19) We have forgotten this essential teaching that our Lord had taught and shown us while He dwelt among men on this earth. This same important topic was proclaimed to us after He conquered the grave just before His incredible ascension into Heaven.
I am amazed at the great number of so-called evangelicals that cannot even define the true meaning "discipleship." They are unaware of the great treasure that lies within true biblical discipleship. I myself have been oblivious to discipleship all my life until the Father had placed righteous men in my path to hold me accountable.
Ah yes, "Accountability," a Christian cliche that has been tossed around for so long that we are almost unaffected whenever this word is spoken. Frequently we have stressed the great good that accountability brings to the table, but never have we acted upon this teaching that we are so quick to preach to others.
Just as the apostle Paul instructs young Timothy to entrust these teachings to "faithful men," so should we impart sound doctrine on others as if lives depended on it, because they certainly do. (2 Tim. 2:2) Yet for the new believer, or one who's faith lacks maturity, I implore you to seek out good counsel from an older believer(of the same sex) whom you respect and will surely guide you on to the correct path whenever you stray from it.
Hear me faithful followers of Christ! Your spiritual well-being depends on it. This could be the difference between the Christian who's security is in Christ Jesus our Lord, and the apostate who turns his back on God and walks away from the faith. Opposition will come, and you can either face the enemy alone or find refuge in the company of mature believers.
I have seen the fruits of discipleship and it has truly changed my life. How else do you think the teachings of our great Lord have been passed down through the generations? How does one expect to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ without being passed the teachings of those who came before us. Looking to those who have fought the good fight before us is indeed a necessity for the child of God. We must seek out the knowledge of the wise.
But if, in your mind, you are thinking, "The Lord is on my side, that is all I need," then you are fooling yourself. God has instructed you to seek out help from the church and He has created us as relational beings. We were not created and purposed to live alone. You need to realize that...
YOU NEED HELP.
Remove your pride. Yes, your pride. Oh how foolish are the proud and the stubborn! Pride will surely be(and has been) the downfall of many. It will be the death of those who refuse to abandon their sin and follow wholeheartedly after Christ.
Father help us when we refuse to listen, we beg you to turn our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh!
We must see discipleship for what it truly is!
When a student is persecuted by his Atheist teacher, who will train him to contend for the faith? When someone is struggling with sexual sin, who will encourage him to persevere to righteousness? When an employee in the office is fired for sharing the Gospel, who will help him with his needs and pray? When a father loses his child in a terrible car accident, who will remind him of the Sovereignty of God?
Discipleship is crucial.
The relationship that we have with those we disciple, and those who disciple us, truly is a relationship that cannot be broken by this world. For it is a bond amongst men and women that has the foundation built upon Christ. And we know that when we lean on fellow believers and stand on Christ the solid rock, then surely we can take on the challenges of life and live out our purpose here as Christians. But be mindful, this happens only by the grace of God and under the power of His sovereign hand.
Beloved, tough times are here, let us not fight alone.
Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ."
Monday, July 13, 2009
All Glory and Power
A Prayer to the Living God...
Father,
With every prayer, we pour out our thanks and praise for this day that you have wonderfully created. Regardless of the circumstance, Your children are able to rejoice and glory in the Cross. For no sorrow on earth could ever take away the inexpressible joy that is in our Salvation through Christ and Christ alone.
Lord, I am praying to thank You for Your great works. I am here on this earth to worship and delight in You.
Great and mighty Father, you have shown your children that there is nothing to fear on this earth. Help our unbelief when our worries cloud our judgment. Oh Lord, how I ask you to guide our thoughts that we may not fall into the darkened pit of distrust.
Yes distrust.
To not trust you, is a sin I long to never commit again. To not trust you, is to not trust the hand that has created all things. The same hand that formed the mighty sun and put the stars in their place. The same hand which hung the world on nothing and created all that dwells upon it. The same hand which holds this universe together and will not let it go until the time of His choosing.
Almighty God, I trust in You because You are God, and I am not.
You have never ever failed us. And our assurance is in Your Holy Word which declares that there is none like you. Your unfailing love and power truly is one of a kind. No one else has the power to control the universe through the sovereign will of their word.
Oh Sovereign Shepherd, Your flock is in need of desperate guidance. They are lost without You.
Father, the need for protection is great. Defend them from the dangerous enemy that wishes them harm. Lead them in their darkest of times. And guard them from themselves when their sin is ever present.
Your sheep call out to You, kind Lord. Show your lovingkindness and turn not Your ear from them.
Mighty King, Your strength is unmatched by all who oppose You. Grant us peace of mind and allow us to trust you.
Lord, I offer You glory for all that You have done and ever will do. Indeed, I give You the glory!
Glory that was never meant for me...
Amen
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
