Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
How would you feel if your thought life was to be shown on National TV tonight?
by Kevin Williams, Garrett Holthaus, Charles Leiter.
What if someone told you that your every thought from the day you were born had been recorded and will be shown tonight on national TV? And not only that, but a website will flash across the screen during the program, directing all of your friends and family to where they can watch all of your thoughts about them. How many people would be angry with you? Everyone? Would you be angry with yourself?
Your thought life reveals the real, unrestrained you. Most people think they're good enough to get to Heaven and God won't send them to Hell, but God has seen every one of our wicked thoughts and actions. He has seen every time you've broken His commandments, lusting over someone you're not married to, lying and stealing (no matter how little); He knows every time you've carved a false idol of God in your mind, a corrupt god of your own imagination who will turn a blind eye to your sin. He has heard every time you've used His Holy Name in vain, using the name of the One who gave you life in place of a curse word. You wouldn't do that with Hitler's name, but you do it with God’s name! The “Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain,” (Exodus 20:7) and “every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36)
Be honest with yourself: when you face God on Judgment Day - keeping in mind that He's seen your every wicked thought and action - will He find you innocent or guilty? If God gives you what you deserve, should He send you to Heaven or Hell? God has written His moral law on your heart so you are “without excuse” (Romans 1:18-32); you know it is wrong to lie, to steal, to lust, and to curse because God gave you a conscience to know right from wrong. Your own conscience demands justice!
Imagine a courtroom scene where a child rapist is coming before the judge for sentencing. But instead of giving him what justice demands, the judge lets him go free because the rapist is a “nice guy” who has given to charity and goes to church every Sunday. You would be outraged, and you should be! Yet most people think the High and Holy God is just like this corrupt judge, and that they can bribe Him with their “good deeds” so that He'll overlook their sin.
Again, what would you think if the judge said to the rapist, “I'm a very loving judge, so I'll just let you go free?” You would not think that the judge was loving at all, but that he was corrupt and not worthy to be a judge! Yet most people expect the Holy God who is “the judge of all the earth” (Genesis 18:25) to be just that corrupt with them, and overlook their sin.
Infinite Love and Goodness demand Infinite Justice. Because God's love and justice are infinite He won't punish only murderers and rapists, but He'll punish ALL sin wherever it's found. That's why “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9) “No thief, no sexually immoral person, no idolater will enter heaven” (1 Corinthians 6:10) and “all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” (Revelation 21:8)
Now the question for you, dear reader, is this: is there any hope for someone like you? Is there any hope for the person who has defied God time and again by rebelling against His will and refusing to love and worship Him? Is there any hope for the criminal who stands guilty in the courtroom of God? Yes there is! There is forgiveness with God!
The Gospel (“good news”) is this: Imagine you are in a human courtroom and the judge finds you guilty, and because he's just, gives you the maximum fine of ten million pounds. But there is no way you can pay the fine, so you're about to spend the rest of your life in jail. Then someone you've never met before steps into the courtroom and says, “I've sold all my worldly goods to pay your fine.” Your fine has been paid, so justice has been served and you're free to go! Well, two thousand years ago God became a man, Jesus Christ, who was born of a virgin, led a sinless life and then suffered and died under the wrath of God on the cross to pay the penalty in full for all your sins. Then He rose again in triumph over all the powers of death and darkness, so that in Him we can have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
But it's not enough to merely believe “intellectually” in order to be forgiven by God. The Bible says that even the demons believe intellectually! (James 2:19) In order to have real forgiveness, you must repent, as Jesus Himself said: “unless you repent you will also perish.” (Luke 13:3) And repentance means turning fully away from your life of sin and turning fully to God, trusting in Jesus Christ ALONE to save you and not your own deeds; trusting in Him as the One Who willingly stood in your place on the cross, taking God's wrath for you; the wrath YOU deserve.
What are you waiting for; don't gamble with your eternal salvation! “Your life is a vapor,” (James 4:14) and you have no way of knowing which second will be your last. “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7) God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires for you to turn from your sins and live! (Ezekiel 18:23) You have a personal invitation from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
To discuss this further please email: kevwilliams@hotmail.de or call: 07963396636
See our website: www.PuritanFellowship.com
Lake Road Chapel at www.lakeroadchapel.org
End of post.
What if someone told you that your every thought from the day you were born had been recorded and will be shown tonight on national TV? And not only that, but a website will flash across the screen during the program, directing all of your friends and family to where they can watch all of your thoughts about them. How many people would be angry with you? Everyone? Would you be angry with yourself?
Your thought life reveals the real, unrestrained you. Most people think they're good enough to get to Heaven and God won't send them to Hell, but God has seen every one of our wicked thoughts and actions. He has seen every time you've broken His commandments, lusting over someone you're not married to, lying and stealing (no matter how little); He knows every time you've carved a false idol of God in your mind, a corrupt god of your own imagination who will turn a blind eye to your sin. He has heard every time you've used His Holy Name in vain, using the name of the One who gave you life in place of a curse word. You wouldn't do that with Hitler's name, but you do it with God’s name! The “Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain,” (Exodus 20:7) and “every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36)
Be honest with yourself: when you face God on Judgment Day - keeping in mind that He's seen your every wicked thought and action - will He find you innocent or guilty? If God gives you what you deserve, should He send you to Heaven or Hell? God has written His moral law on your heart so you are “without excuse” (Romans 1:18-32); you know it is wrong to lie, to steal, to lust, and to curse because God gave you a conscience to know right from wrong. Your own conscience demands justice!
Imagine a courtroom scene where a child rapist is coming before the judge for sentencing. But instead of giving him what justice demands, the judge lets him go free because the rapist is a “nice guy” who has given to charity and goes to church every Sunday. You would be outraged, and you should be! Yet most people think the High and Holy God is just like this corrupt judge, and that they can bribe Him with their “good deeds” so that He'll overlook their sin.
Again, what would you think if the judge said to the rapist, “I'm a very loving judge, so I'll just let you go free?” You would not think that the judge was loving at all, but that he was corrupt and not worthy to be a judge! Yet most people expect the Holy God who is “the judge of all the earth” (Genesis 18:25) to be just that corrupt with them, and overlook their sin.
Infinite Love and Goodness demand Infinite Justice. Because God's love and justice are infinite He won't punish only murderers and rapists, but He'll punish ALL sin wherever it's found. That's why “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9) “No thief, no sexually immoral person, no idolater will enter heaven” (1 Corinthians 6:10) and “all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” (Revelation 21:8)
Now the question for you, dear reader, is this: is there any hope for someone like you? Is there any hope for the person who has defied God time and again by rebelling against His will and refusing to love and worship Him? Is there any hope for the criminal who stands guilty in the courtroom of God? Yes there is! There is forgiveness with God!
The Gospel (“good news”) is this: Imagine you are in a human courtroom and the judge finds you guilty, and because he's just, gives you the maximum fine of ten million pounds. But there is no way you can pay the fine, so you're about to spend the rest of your life in jail. Then someone you've never met before steps into the courtroom and says, “I've sold all my worldly goods to pay your fine.” Your fine has been paid, so justice has been served and you're free to go! Well, two thousand years ago God became a man, Jesus Christ, who was born of a virgin, led a sinless life and then suffered and died under the wrath of God on the cross to pay the penalty in full for all your sins. Then He rose again in triumph over all the powers of death and darkness, so that in Him we can have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
But it's not enough to merely believe “intellectually” in order to be forgiven by God. The Bible says that even the demons believe intellectually! (James 2:19) In order to have real forgiveness, you must repent, as Jesus Himself said: “unless you repent you will also perish.” (Luke 13:3) And repentance means turning fully away from your life of sin and turning fully to God, trusting in Jesus Christ ALONE to save you and not your own deeds; trusting in Him as the One Who willingly stood in your place on the cross, taking God's wrath for you; the wrath YOU deserve.
What are you waiting for; don't gamble with your eternal salvation! “Your life is a vapor,” (James 4:14) and you have no way of knowing which second will be your last. “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7) God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires for you to turn from your sins and live! (Ezekiel 18:23) You have a personal invitation from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
To discuss this further please email: kevwilliams@hotmail.de or call: 07963396636
See our website: www.PuritanFellowship.com
Lake Road Chapel at www.lakeroadchapel.org
End of post.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
God Ordains The Means
"...divine sovereignty does not stand against evangelism—because God ordains not only the ends but also the means. He predestines some to be saved and commands us to preach to that end. If we do not preach and teach the gospel, then none will be saved. But God has ordained that some will be redeemed; He has chosen His people to be saved. So he has also ordained that we should preach and share the gospel, and therefore we will, exercising our human responsibility in accordance with His sovereign purpose. God commands all who are His to engage in evangelism; it is part of our obedience to Him. Packer explains: “We are not all called to be preachers; we are not all given equal opportunities or comparable abilities for personal dealing with men and women who need Christ. But we all have some evangelistic responsibility that we cannot shirk without failing in love both to our God and neighbor.”
— Richard D. Phillips
End of post.
— Richard D. Phillips
End of post.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
John Owen - How The Holy Spirit Prepares The Soul For His Work of Regeneration
It is impossible for us to regenerate ourselves. But this does not excuse us from our spiritual responsibility.
We can go and hear the Word of God being preached (Rom 10:17). We can go determined to understand and receive the things revealed to us to be clearly from God.
Many souls are eternally ruined because they simply will not let God speak to them and teach them from His Word. It is true that no man can regenerate himself, even although he hears and receives God's Word. But God is prepared to come to those who come to Him by the way He has told them. He meets souls where He says He will meet them.
As the Word of God is preached, certain things begin to happen in the hearers as the Holy Spirit brings the Word home to them personally. These things usually happen to the person before he is 'born-again'.
The first thing that happens is that the Holy Spirit illuminates or enlightens the understanding, enabling the person to know and to understand spiritually the spiritual truths revealed (1 Cor 2:9,11). This is quite different from a natural understanding of what is being preached by the use of reason only.
The Spirit's work of illumination makes the Word clear to the mind (2 Pet 2:21). The Gospel is understood, not only as true, but as God's way of righteousness (Rom 1:17;10:3,4). Illumination helps the mind to agree to the truth (Acts 8:13; John 2:23; 12:42). Illumination brings a momentary joy (Luke 8:13; John 5:35). Along with illumination a person may receive some spiritual gifts (Matt 7:22).
Illumination is not regeneration, nor does regeneration infallibly take place after illumination. When light is shone on God's saving grace, then the soul sees clearly what is being offered. So illumination prepares the soul for regeneration.
The second thing that happens is that the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin. This is also brought about by the preaching of the Word (1 Cor 14:24,25). The soul begins to feel a disturbing sense of its guilt as it is brought to face the righteous demands of God's law. It begins to feel a sense of sorrow or grief for the sins it has done (2 Cor 7:10). They are now past and can no longer be put right (Rom 8:15). This leaves the soul to feel humbled for its sinfulness (1 Kings 21:29). Now, unless the soul is swallowed up in despair, it begins to look for a way out of its present state of misery (Acts 2:37; 16:30). Often the person begins to reform his life and great a change of attitude follows (Matt 13:20; 12:44; 2 Pet 2:20).
Some neglect this light and conviction or seek to stifle it. Some are overwhelmed by the power and strength of their lusts, the love of sin and the power of temptations. Some think that being enlightened is quite enough and that this is all that God intends to do with them.
All these things which are brought on people by the preaching of the Word are in fact the actions of the Holy Spirit working along with that preaching (Isa 49:4; Jer 15:20; Ezek 33:31,32; John 8:59; Acts 13:41,45,46). Those 'enlightened' are said to be made 'partakers of the Holy Spirit' (Heb 6:4).
Objection: If this preparatory work of the Holy Spirit does not lead to regeneration, does the Holy Spirit intend only to do a weak and imperfect work in that soul, or is He unable to bring that soul to 'New Birth'?
Answer: In some, real conversion does take place. This initial work of the Holy Spirit is neither weak nor imperfect, but it can be willfully and stubbornly resisted. In the 'elect' the Holy Spirit, of His own sovereign grace, removes this wilful stubbornness. The rest He leaves to suffer the righteous rewards of their evil deeds. The Holy Spirit is perfectly free to do what He wants to do. He does what pleases Him, when it pleases Him and how it pleases Him. However, His works are always good and holy. He fully and perfectly accomplishes what He freely planned and purposed to accomplished.
Illumination No Guarantee of Salvation.
There is an 'illumination' which does not lead to salvation. It does not change man's will and does not give the mind a delight and satisfaction in spiritual things. The mind does not delight in God (Rom 6:17; 12:2; 1 Cor 2:13-15; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:6). It gives no spiritual insight into the glory of God's grace.
Neither does this illumination purge the conscience from dead works to serve the Living God (Heb 9:14). It only convicts the soul of sin and rouses it to condemn many things of which before it heartily approved. Such illumination works on the feelings, arousing fear, sorrow, joy and delight. But it does not fix them on heavenly things (Col 3:1,2). Nor does it tear out evil desires and fill the heart with heavenly joys. It often leads to a major reformation in lifestyle, even producing the appearance of godliness. But there are three great defects in this illumination.
The first is that it allows raging and reigning sins of ignorance to continue, as it did in Paul before his conversion.
The second is that the reformation of life it stimulates the person to attain seldom leads to getting rid of all know sins, unless for a while the soul is engaged in a flagrant pursuit of self-righteousness.
The third is that this reformation of life, although it may be strong at first, soon fades and decays. Eventually it leaves people as spiritual skeletons.
Taken from The Holy Spirit by John Owen, Abridged, pp52-55.
End of post.
We can go and hear the Word of God being preached (Rom 10:17). We can go determined to understand and receive the things revealed to us to be clearly from God.
Many souls are eternally ruined because they simply will not let God speak to them and teach them from His Word. It is true that no man can regenerate himself, even although he hears and receives God's Word. But God is prepared to come to those who come to Him by the way He has told them. He meets souls where He says He will meet them.
As the Word of God is preached, certain things begin to happen in the hearers as the Holy Spirit brings the Word home to them personally. These things usually happen to the person before he is 'born-again'.
The first thing that happens is that the Holy Spirit illuminates or enlightens the understanding, enabling the person to know and to understand spiritually the spiritual truths revealed (1 Cor 2:9,11). This is quite different from a natural understanding of what is being preached by the use of reason only.
The Spirit's work of illumination makes the Word clear to the mind (2 Pet 2:21). The Gospel is understood, not only as true, but as God's way of righteousness (Rom 1:17;10:3,4). Illumination helps the mind to agree to the truth (Acts 8:13; John 2:23; 12:42). Illumination brings a momentary joy (Luke 8:13; John 5:35). Along with illumination a person may receive some spiritual gifts (Matt 7:22).
Illumination is not regeneration, nor does regeneration infallibly take place after illumination. When light is shone on God's saving grace, then the soul sees clearly what is being offered. So illumination prepares the soul for regeneration.
The second thing that happens is that the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin. This is also brought about by the preaching of the Word (1 Cor 14:24,25). The soul begins to feel a disturbing sense of its guilt as it is brought to face the righteous demands of God's law. It begins to feel a sense of sorrow or grief for the sins it has done (2 Cor 7:10). They are now past and can no longer be put right (Rom 8:15). This leaves the soul to feel humbled for its sinfulness (1 Kings 21:29). Now, unless the soul is swallowed up in despair, it begins to look for a way out of its present state of misery (Acts 2:37; 16:30). Often the person begins to reform his life and great a change of attitude follows (Matt 13:20; 12:44; 2 Pet 2:20).
Some neglect this light and conviction or seek to stifle it. Some are overwhelmed by the power and strength of their lusts, the love of sin and the power of temptations. Some think that being enlightened is quite enough and that this is all that God intends to do with them.
All these things which are brought on people by the preaching of the Word are in fact the actions of the Holy Spirit working along with that preaching (Isa 49:4; Jer 15:20; Ezek 33:31,32; John 8:59; Acts 13:41,45,46). Those 'enlightened' are said to be made 'partakers of the Holy Spirit' (Heb 6:4).
Objection: If this preparatory work of the Holy Spirit does not lead to regeneration, does the Holy Spirit intend only to do a weak and imperfect work in that soul, or is He unable to bring that soul to 'New Birth'?
Answer: In some, real conversion does take place. This initial work of the Holy Spirit is neither weak nor imperfect, but it can be willfully and stubbornly resisted. In the 'elect' the Holy Spirit, of His own sovereign grace, removes this wilful stubbornness. The rest He leaves to suffer the righteous rewards of their evil deeds. The Holy Spirit is perfectly free to do what He wants to do. He does what pleases Him, when it pleases Him and how it pleases Him. However, His works are always good and holy. He fully and perfectly accomplishes what He freely planned and purposed to accomplished.
Illumination No Guarantee of Salvation.
There is an 'illumination' which does not lead to salvation. It does not change man's will and does not give the mind a delight and satisfaction in spiritual things. The mind does not delight in God (Rom 6:17; 12:2; 1 Cor 2:13-15; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:6). It gives no spiritual insight into the glory of God's grace.
Neither does this illumination purge the conscience from dead works to serve the Living God (Heb 9:14). It only convicts the soul of sin and rouses it to condemn many things of which before it heartily approved. Such illumination works on the feelings, arousing fear, sorrow, joy and delight. But it does not fix them on heavenly things (Col 3:1,2). Nor does it tear out evil desires and fill the heart with heavenly joys. It often leads to a major reformation in lifestyle, even producing the appearance of godliness. But there are three great defects in this illumination.
The first is that it allows raging and reigning sins of ignorance to continue, as it did in Paul before his conversion.
The second is that the reformation of life it stimulates the person to attain seldom leads to getting rid of all know sins, unless for a while the soul is engaged in a flagrant pursuit of self-righteousness.
The third is that this reformation of life, although it may be strong at first, soon fades and decays. Eventually it leaves people as spiritual skeletons.
Taken from The Holy Spirit by John Owen, Abridged, pp52-55.
End of post.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
"People Like Josh Are Just Troublemakers in the Body!!!"
Here is a great video I saw over on Lane's blog...
Friday, June 06, 2008
Our Only Hope of Success in Evangelism
J.I. Packer, in his excellent treatise Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, states:
“The sovereignty of God in grace gives us our only hope of success in evangelism.”
Packer explains (emphasis mine):
“Some fear that belief in the sovereign grace of God leads to the conclusion that evangelism is pointless, since God will save His elect anyway, whether they hear the gospel or not. This . . . is a false conclusion based on a false assumption. . . . So far from making evangelism pointless, the sovereignty of God in grace is the one thing that prevents evangelism from being pointless. For it creates the possibility–indeed, the certainty–that evangelism will be fruitful. Apart from it, there is not even a possibility of evangelism being fruitful. Were it not for the sovereign grace of God, evangelism would be the most futile and useless enterprise that the world has ever seen, and there would be no more complete waste of time under the sun than to preach the Christian gospel.”
The effects of such confidence in the sovereign grace of God should, according to Packer, produce three things:
1. It should make us bold.
“You are not on a fool’s errand. You are not wasting either your time or theirs. You have no reason to be ashamed of your message, or half-hearted and apologetic in delivering it. You have every reason to be bold, and free, and natural, and hopeful of success. For God can give His truth and effectiveness that you and I cannot give it. God can make His truth triumphant to the conversion of the most seemingly hardened unbeliever. You and I will never write off anyone as hopeless and beyond the reach of God if we believe in the sovereignty of His grace.”
2. It should make us patient.
“It should keep us from being daunted when we find that our evangelistic endeavors meet with no immediate response. God saves in His own time, and we ought not to suppose that He is in such a hurry as we are. . . . We are tempted to be in a great hurry with those whom we would win to Christ, and then, when we see no immediate response in them, to become impatient and downcast, and then to lose interest in them, and feel that it is useless to spend more time on them; and so we abandon our efforts forthwith, and let them drop out of our ken. But this is utterly wrong. It is a failure both of love for man and faith in God.”
3. It should make us prayerful.
“Prayer . . . is a confessing of impotence and need, and acknowledging of helplessness and dependence, and an invoking of the mighty power of God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. In evangelism, we are impotent; we depend wholly upon God to make our witness effective; only because He is able to give men new hearts can we hope that through our preaching of the gospel sinners will be born again. These facts ought to drive us to prayer. The knowledge, then, that God is sovereign in grace, and that we are impotent to win souls, should make us pray, and keep us praying. What should be the burden of our prayers? We should pray for those whom we seek to win, that the Holy Spirit will open their hearts; and we should pray for ourselves in our own witness, and for all who preach the gospel, that the power and authority of the Holy Spirit may rest upon them.”
May the God of all grace bless and prosper our labors in the hearts and lives of those who do not know Jesus Christ! May we be bold, patient, and prayerful, knowing that God’s grace is greater still.
HT: http://timmybrister.com/
End of post.
“The sovereignty of God in grace gives us our only hope of success in evangelism.”
Packer explains (emphasis mine):
“Some fear that belief in the sovereign grace of God leads to the conclusion that evangelism is pointless, since God will save His elect anyway, whether they hear the gospel or not. This . . . is a false conclusion based on a false assumption. . . . So far from making evangelism pointless, the sovereignty of God in grace is the one thing that prevents evangelism from being pointless. For it creates the possibility–indeed, the certainty–that evangelism will be fruitful. Apart from it, there is not even a possibility of evangelism being fruitful. Were it not for the sovereign grace of God, evangelism would be the most futile and useless enterprise that the world has ever seen, and there would be no more complete waste of time under the sun than to preach the Christian gospel.”
The effects of such confidence in the sovereign grace of God should, according to Packer, produce three things:
1. It should make us bold.
“You are not on a fool’s errand. You are not wasting either your time or theirs. You have no reason to be ashamed of your message, or half-hearted and apologetic in delivering it. You have every reason to be bold, and free, and natural, and hopeful of success. For God can give His truth and effectiveness that you and I cannot give it. God can make His truth triumphant to the conversion of the most seemingly hardened unbeliever. You and I will never write off anyone as hopeless and beyond the reach of God if we believe in the sovereignty of His grace.”
2. It should make us patient.
“It should keep us from being daunted when we find that our evangelistic endeavors meet with no immediate response. God saves in His own time, and we ought not to suppose that He is in such a hurry as we are. . . . We are tempted to be in a great hurry with those whom we would win to Christ, and then, when we see no immediate response in them, to become impatient and downcast, and then to lose interest in them, and feel that it is useless to spend more time on them; and so we abandon our efforts forthwith, and let them drop out of our ken. But this is utterly wrong. It is a failure both of love for man and faith in God.”
3. It should make us prayerful.
“Prayer . . . is a confessing of impotence and need, and acknowledging of helplessness and dependence, and an invoking of the mighty power of God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. In evangelism, we are impotent; we depend wholly upon God to make our witness effective; only because He is able to give men new hearts can we hope that through our preaching of the gospel sinners will be born again. These facts ought to drive us to prayer. The knowledge, then, that God is sovereign in grace, and that we are impotent to win souls, should make us pray, and keep us praying. What should be the burden of our prayers? We should pray for those whom we seek to win, that the Holy Spirit will open their hearts; and we should pray for ourselves in our own witness, and for all who preach the gospel, that the power and authority of the Holy Spirit may rest upon them.”
May the God of all grace bless and prosper our labors in the hearts and lives of those who do not know Jesus Christ! May we be bold, patient, and prayerful, knowing that God’s grace is greater still.
HT: http://timmybrister.com/
End of post.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
John Piper - How can I speak more boldly about Christ?
How can I speak more boldly about Christ?
The key is getting to know God really really well. Have him as your closest friend and as a reality in your life that is not marginal.
If we feel that he is marginal then we're going to feel awkward, because we know that they people we talk to are going to feel that he is marginal too. But if we feel that Christ is the most essential in my life on this airplane right now, then it will flow more naturally.
I sat beside a lady two days ago on a plane coming back from Chicago. I found out that she is 89 years old and on her way to the Philippines. I reached into my briefcase and pulled out a copy of The Passion of Jesus Christ, and I said to her, "May I give you a gift?" (This is one of the ways I try to talk to people about Jesus). She looked kind of surprised.
I held the book up and said, "I wrote this book. I'm a Christian." And she said, "Oh, I am too!" Now, I don't know what kind of Christian she was, but I said, "Well that makes me very glad. I know you have a very long ride from Minneapolis, to Tokyo, and then to Manila. I just thought maybe you would enjoy reading this book about Jesus." And we talked a little longer about Jesus.
I think I did that because I had prayed early in the morning, like I always do when I travel, "Make me a blessing to as many people as I can be. I have lots of work to do on the plane, and I can't talk all the time. I have to get ready for this thing I'm going to. But there they are, sitting beside me. I have my books and tracts with me, so lead me to do whatever seems appropriate here, Lord. Help me."
But that grows out of the fact that he's my life. He's my life. It's not like, "Oh here's a little thing I'm supposed to do." Rather, he is the one holding this plane in the air, providing the oxygen, and governing the sky. He is the one who created this person beside me, and he is the most relevant reality in their, whether they know it or not.
The battle has to be fought not mainly at the level of technique or strategy, but at the level of how absolutely real and relevant and precious Jesus Christ is to me.
End of post.
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