Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
John Newton, Mark 4, Grace and Corn
I could joyfully listen to some accents (Australian, Scots, English) read the phone book. Similarly, I could read John Newton writing about anything. Here are 3 letters he wrote a dude who asked him what he thought of the progress of grace in a Christian's life.
"I shall not therefore give you a copy of my own experience, or of that of any individual; but shall endeavor, as clearly as I can, to state what the Scripture teaches us concerning the nature and essentials of a work of grace, so far as it will bear a general application to all those who are the subjects of gracious operations."
"I shall not therefore give you a copy of my own experience, or of that of any individual; but shall endeavor, as clearly as I can, to state what the Scripture teaches us concerning the nature and essentials of a work of grace, so far as it will bear a general application to all those who are the subjects of gracious operations."
These are meditations on the parable in Mark 4, which interestingly, is the only parable of Jesus that is ONLY found in Mark's gospel.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Men's Groups, studying "The God-Made Man" by Dan Doriani
You can browse the book online...
Schedule:
Week 1: Overview, ch 1 A Man After God's Heart
Week 2: Images of Manhood (ch.2)
Week 3: A Man & His Marriage, part one (ch.3)
Week 4: A Man & His Marriage, part two (ch.4)
Week 5: A Man & His Children (ch.5)
Week 6: A man and his friends (ch.6)
Week 7: A man & his work (ch.7)
Week 8: A man & his play (ch.10)
Schedule:
Week 1: Overview, ch 1 A Man After God's Heart
Week 2: Images of Manhood (ch.2)
Week 3: A Man & His Marriage, part one (ch.3)
Week 4: A Man & His Marriage, part two (ch.4)
Week 5: A Man & His Children (ch.5)
Week 6: A man and his friends (ch.6)
Week 7: A man & his work (ch.7)
Week 8: A man & his play (ch.10)
Doriani Men... why God-Made Man as a title for book?
The phrase " a man after God's heart" was a potential title of this book because it captures the way a changed life radiates out from a renewed spirit. First Samuel 13 used that phrase, long beforeDavid became king, to describe him, and it suits him well. He longed for nothing more than God's presence (see Ps. 27). Zeal for God's house consumed him (Ps. 69). This passion of the heart transformed all David did. When a Philistine giant taunted God's people, David could not bear the insult to God's honor and fought him in the Lord's strength (1 Sam. 17). When David became king, his first act was to bring God's tabernacle, the sign of God's presence, into his capital city (2 Sam. 6). As king he showed mercy and protected the weak, such as Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 9), because he knew that God " has regard for the weak [and] delivers him in times of trouble" (Ps. 41:1-2). In the course of his explosive affair with beautiful, reckless Bathsheba, David learned that he was weak too, a man who needed to "receive mercy and deliverance, not just "give it (2 Sam. 11). But as a man after God's heart, he eventually confessed his sin to God. Making no excuses, he threw himself on God's mercy, and received it (2 Sam. 12).The life of David shows that, by themselves, techniques and to-do lists cannot lead anyone to become a man of God. Unless we have a heart for God, techniques only help us manage our lives a little better. Further, if we take our sin, inability, and resistance to repentance seriously, we must conclude that to-do lists will never suffice.
Rob, Chipper & RC Sproul
Never before has this happened. Two of the world's most respected theologians, and Rob, are getting together to lead a class.
Topic: Faith, Grace, Christ, etal
Topic: Faith, Grace, Christ, etal
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Kingdom Prayer
Biblically and historically, the one non-negotiable, universal ingredient in times of spiritual renewal is corporate, prevailing, intensive and kingdom-centered prayer. What is that?
1. It is focused on God's presence and kingdom.
There is a difference between "maintenance prayer" and "frontline" prayer meetings. Maintenance prayer meetings are short, mechanical, and totally focused on physical needs inside the church. But frontline prayer has three basic traits:
a) a request for grace to confess sins and humble ourselves
b) a compassion and zeal for the flourishing of the church
c) a yearning to know God, to see his face, to see his glory.
It is most interesting to study Biblical prayer for revival, such as in Acts 4 or Exodus 33 or Nehemiah 1, where these three elements are easy to see. Notice in Acts 4, for example, that the disciples, whose lives had been threatened, did not ask for protection for themselves and their families, but only boldness to keep preaching!
2. It is bold and specific. The characteristics of this kind of prayer include: a) Pacesetters in prayer spend time in self-examination. Without a strong understanding of grace, this can be morbid and depressing. But in the context of the gospel, it is purifying and strengthening. They "take off their ornaments" (Exod. 33:1-6). They examine selves for idols and set them aside. b) They then begin to make the big request—a sight of the glory of God. That includes asking: 1) for a personal experience of the glory/presence of God ("that I may know you" — Exod. 33:13); 2) for the people’s experience of the glory of God (v. 15); and 3) that the world might see the glory of God through his people (v. 16). Moses asks that God’s presence would be obvious to all: "What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" This is a prayer that the world be awed and amazed by a show of God's power and radiance in the church, that it would become truly the new humanity that is a sign of the future kingdom.
3. It is prevailing, corporate. Prayer should be constant, not sporadic and brief. Why? Does God want to see us grovel? Why not simply put our request in and wait? It is because sporadic, brief prayer shows a lack of dependence, a self-sufficiency, and thus we have not built an altar that God can honor with his fire. We must pray without ceasing, pray long, pray hard, and we will find that the very process is bringing about that which we are asking for — to have our hard hearts melted, to tear down barriers, to have the glory of God break through. ---from college church wheaton.... but i think keller/redeemer wrote it
1. It is focused on God's presence and kingdom.
There is a difference between "maintenance prayer" and "frontline" prayer meetings. Maintenance prayer meetings are short, mechanical, and totally focused on physical needs inside the church. But frontline prayer has three basic traits:
a) a request for grace to confess sins and humble ourselves
b) a compassion and zeal for the flourishing of the church
c) a yearning to know God, to see his face, to see his glory.
It is most interesting to study Biblical prayer for revival, such as in Acts 4 or Exodus 33 or Nehemiah 1, where these three elements are easy to see. Notice in Acts 4, for example, that the disciples, whose lives had been threatened, did not ask for protection for themselves and their families, but only boldness to keep preaching!
2. It is bold and specific. The characteristics of this kind of prayer include: a) Pacesetters in prayer spend time in self-examination. Without a strong understanding of grace, this can be morbid and depressing. But in the context of the gospel, it is purifying and strengthening. They "take off their ornaments" (Exod. 33:1-6). They examine selves for idols and set them aside. b) They then begin to make the big request—a sight of the glory of God. That includes asking: 1) for a personal experience of the glory/presence of God ("that I may know you" — Exod. 33:13); 2) for the people’s experience of the glory of God (v. 15); and 3) that the world might see the glory of God through his people (v. 16). Moses asks that God’s presence would be obvious to all: "What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" This is a prayer that the world be awed and amazed by a show of God's power and radiance in the church, that it would become truly the new humanity that is a sign of the future kingdom.
3. It is prevailing, corporate. Prayer should be constant, not sporadic and brief. Why? Does God want to see us grovel? Why not simply put our request in and wait? It is because sporadic, brief prayer shows a lack of dependence, a self-sufficiency, and thus we have not built an altar that God can honor with his fire. We must pray without ceasing, pray long, pray hard, and we will find that the very process is bringing about that which we are asking for — to have our hard hearts melted, to tear down barriers, to have the glory of God break through. ---from college church wheaton.... but i think keller/redeemer wrote it
Fasting
The focus of fasting should not be on the lack of food. Fasting from food can be done for a variety of purposes, either physical or spiritual. So abstaining from food alone doesn't constitute a Christian fast. Instead, a Christian fast is accompanied by a special focus on prayer during the fast, often substituting the time you'd spend eating with prayer.
Fasting provides a real-life illustration of dependency. Although modern man thrives on the idea of being independent, beholden to no one, fasting helps you put the facts in the proper perspective. It's easy to believe in your independence with a full stomach, but when you start to feel hunger pains in your belly after missing a meal or two, you awaken to your body's dependency on food to survive. Fasting reveals a physical reliance on food that points to the ultimate dependency — the fact that you're dependent on God for things far more important than food.
Fasting fosters concentration on God and his will. Oswald Chambers once said that fasting means "concentration," because when you're fasting, you have a heightened sense of attentiveness. Food or any physical sensation can satisfy, fill you up, and dull your senses and spiritual ears. In contrast, a hungry stomach makes you more aware and alert to what God is trying to say to you.
Fasting offers a way to impose self-control in your life. It gives you a "splash in the face" to awaken you to the need for the personal strength of will that you need to grow spiritually. When you restrain yourself physically, you'll find it easier to apply this same self-discipline in your spiritual life.
One last thing — everyone can participate. Not everyone may be able to fast from food (pregnant women and diabetics for example), but everyone can give up something in order to focus on God (e.g. unplugging the television for 24 hours could also be an effective way of joining the fast)! --taken from College Church Wheaton
Fasting provides a real-life illustration of dependency. Although modern man thrives on the idea of being independent, beholden to no one, fasting helps you put the facts in the proper perspective. It's easy to believe in your independence with a full stomach, but when you start to feel hunger pains in your belly after missing a meal or two, you awaken to your body's dependency on food to survive. Fasting reveals a physical reliance on food that points to the ultimate dependency — the fact that you're dependent on God for things far more important than food.
Fasting fosters concentration on God and his will. Oswald Chambers once said that fasting means "concentration," because when you're fasting, you have a heightened sense of attentiveness. Food or any physical sensation can satisfy, fill you up, and dull your senses and spiritual ears. In contrast, a hungry stomach makes you more aware and alert to what God is trying to say to you.
Fasting offers a way to impose self-control in your life. It gives you a "splash in the face" to awaken you to the need for the personal strength of will that you need to grow spiritually. When you restrain yourself physically, you'll find it easier to apply this same self-discipline in your spiritual life.
One last thing — everyone can participate. Not everyone may be able to fast from food (pregnant women and diabetics for example), but everyone can give up something in order to focus on God (e.g. unplugging the television for 24 hours could also be an effective way of joining the fast)! --taken from College Church Wheaton
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