You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May 2009.
The secret of the early Christians, the early Protestants, Puritans and Methodists was that they were taught about the love of Christ, and they became filled with a knowledge of it.
Once a man has the love of Christ in his heart, you need not train him to witness; he will do it. He will know the power, the constraint, the motive; everything is already there. It is a plain lie to suggest that people who regard this knowledge of the love of Christ as the supreme thing are useless, unhealthy mystics.
The servants of God who have most adorned the life and the history of the Christian Church have always been men who have realized that this is the most important thing of all, and they have spent ours in prayer seeking His face and enjoying His love. The man who knows the love of Christ in his heart can do more in one hour than the busy type of man can do in a century. God forbid that we should ever make the activity an end in itself.
Let us realize that the motive must come first, and that the motive must ever be the love of Christ.
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, 253
Just Do Something: A short interview with Kevin DeYoung
Over at Buzzard Blog, they’re featuring a brief interview with Kevin DeYoung, author of Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will. Look for a review of this book here in the next few weeks.
Hunter Beaumont at The Resurgence offers wise counsel on the relationship between our words and our actions.
Strangely, many emerging pastors say that if a church effectively embodies the gospel, then preaching becomes less important. Others fear that if we welcome unbelievers, we have to water down the message. In reality, just the opposite is true!
Read the rest at The Resurgence.
Should We Use Twitter During Church?
John Piper and Josh Harris both agree: No, probably not. Read both of their reasons why at their respective blogs.
Did you know…
Blogging Theologically is now available for your Kindle. If you’re so inclined, you can subscribe at Amazon.com
In case you missed it
Here are a few of this week’s notable posts:
The Persevering Prophet: Harsh Language A look at the harsh language that the Bible uses to describe sin.
Made in the Image of God: Relationship and Responsibility Looking at how humanity images God through our relationships and different responsibilities.
Week Five: Am I an Adrenaline Junkie? What I’m learning during my fast from podcasts and theology books.
Imagine God revealing to you that there was a plot against your life, solely because you preached repentance to those around you. Imagine that those plotting against you were your childhood friends.
And not only your friends, but your family. For the prophet Jeremiah, this was a very real experience.
The Lord made it known to me and I knew;
then you showed me their deeds.
But I was like a gentle lamb
led to the slaughter.
I did not know it was against me
they devised schemes, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
let us cut him off from the land of the living,
that his name be remembered no more.”
But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously,
who tests the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you have I committed my cause.Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand”—therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: “Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine, and none of them shall be left. For I will bring disaster upon the men of Anathoth, the year of their punishment.”
Jer. 11:18-23
Regardless of the topic, everyone has an opinion. The other day, I ran across a great quote (courtesy of Kevin DeYoung via Josh Harris) on a certain someone that I know everyone has an opinion on: Jesus, and specifically His popularity.
“Jesus is popular with a lot of people today because they view him as Bono in a bathrobe.”
So, what do you think? Is Jesus popular with a lot of people because they view him as Bono in a bathrobe? Is there more to it for most?
Discuss.
A group of us are studying the issue of when more “charismatic” Christians (sometimes not-so-affectionately referred to as Charismaniacs) cross a line into doing something other than orderly worship and I want your opinion.
Is there a line? If so, what is it?
Opinions, please!
Some music for a Thursday night; enjoy.
more about “Thursday Night Hymnal: Psalm 25“, posted with vodpod
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” Genesis 1:26
Last week, I wrote about man’s likeness of God relating to the spirit. This week, let’s take a look at two more ways we’re made in the image and likeness of God: Relationship and responsibility.
Relationship
In Genesis 2:18, after God had finished creating everything and had declared it all good, there was one thing that He said was not good: “It is not good that the man should be alone.” Out of everything that God created—plants, animals, insects, New Jersey—the only thing God said was not good was that the man was alone. Read the rest of this entry »
Today is a very special day; Emily and I are celebrating our third anniversary. God has grown us greatly over the last three years, and in this last one in particular. From becoming parents, my change in career, Emily becoming a successful homemaker and illustrator, and so many other amazing changes in our lives… it’s been a great three years, and I’m looking forward to the next 60, by God’s grace.
In honor of this, we are taking the day off and going to the happiest place in Burlington: Ikea! We’re looking forward to a fun morning/early afternoon of shopping and eating Swedish meatballs.
Maybe we’ll find a good deal on a coffee table and a dresser.
Happy Wednesday!
This week, at the request of my mentor, I’ve been reading a book called Adrenaline and Stress, by Dr. Archibald D. Hart. Because of the recent events in our lives at the Armstrong home, we’ve all been feeling a greater deal of stress, and the truth is, I’ve never learned to manage stress well.
I always thought that I was immune to stress. That I could handle it, because, well, “I’m a man.”
Stress “helped” me function. It made me more productive. For five years, I worked a job with extreme deadlines and unrealistic expectations. 60 hour weeks were the norm. And I could do it. When I left there, I didn’t know quite what to do with myself at Compassion, because I didn’t have the enormous workload. I was actually stressed about not having anything to do. Now, the opposite is the case. But here’s the thing: I have a great deal of trouble relaxing. I don’t vacation well. I don’t know how to take time off. And I don’t sleep much or well.
Recent Comments