For Your JOY, Say No to Pornography

For Your Joy, Say No To Pornography from Ben Terry on Vimeo.

[HT: Ben Terry]

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Amen.

John Piper answers three questions:

1. What is the relationship between evangelism and social action?
2. What is the relationship between theology and affections?
3. How do we not waste our lives?

[HT: Desiring God]

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“Boasting Only in the Cross” and a list of other recommended sermons

Just came across this sermon from John Piper that he preached at the Passion One Day Conference in 2000, titled “Boasting Only in the Cross.”  Here’s a short excerpt from the introduction of the sermon below:

You don’t have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world. But you do have to know the few great things that matter, and then be willing to live for them and die for them. The people that make a durable difference in the world are not the people who have mastered many things, but who have been mastered by a few great things. If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earth and roll on for centuries and into eternity, you don’t have to have a high IQ or EQ; you don’t have to have to have good looks or riches; you don’t have to come from a fine family or a fine school. You have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things, and be set on fire by them.

Listen to this (and other sermons) here.  Justin Taylor has collected a list of “Important Sermons and Articles That Are Worth Reading” – sermons that people like Bryan Chapell, Graham Cole, Mark Dever, Kevin DeYoung, Stephen J. Nichols, Ray Ortlund, John Piper, David Powlison, Fred Sanders, R.C. Sproul, Carl R. Trueman, Bruce Ware, and Donald Whitney have recommended.

[HT: Justin Taylor]

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How Can I See the Gospel Through the Law?

Recently, I came across this video interview and thought it would be helpful to share with regards to how we are to read God’s Word.

Darrin Patrick, pastor of The Journey Church in St. Louis asks Dr. Bryan Chappell, president of Covenant Theological Seminary, the question: “How can I see the Gospel through the Law?”  In other words, “How do I see Jesus being displayed in a commandment like ‘Do not steal’?  Is this commandment given to show me primarily what I must do – or to show me primarily what Jesus has done?”

Though this question is asked in regards to how preachers are to preach God’s Word, it is absolutely helpful in how we approach God’s Word on a daily basis in our devotionals.

How can I see the gospel through the law? from Journey-Creative on Vimeo.

Also, check out the video below, as well, to see exactly how grace, then, is to lead us to motivation.

Motivation: How grace leads to obedience. from Journey-Creative on Vimeo.

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Forget About God’s Will For Your Life

Tim Chester (quoting Francis Chan in his book, Forgotten God):

“I think a lot of us need to forget about God’s will for my life. God cares more about our response to his Spirit’s leading today, in this moment, than about what we intend to do next year. In fact, the decisions we make next year will be profoundly affected by the degree to which we submit to the Spirit right now, in today’s decisions. It is easy to use the phrase ‘God’s will for my life’ as an excuse for inaction or even disobedience. It’s much less demanding to think about God’s will for your future than it is to ask Him what He wants you to do in the next ten minutes. It’s safer to commit to following him someday instead of this day. To be honest I believe part of the desire to ‘know God’s will for my life’ is birthed in fear and results in paralysis.” (120)

“God wants us to listen to his Spirit on a daily basis, and even throughout the day, as difficult and as stretching moments arise, and in the midst of the mundane. My hope is that instead of searching for ‘God’s will for my life,’ each of us would learn to seek hard after ‘the Spirit’s leading in my life today.’” (120)

“The Spirit who raised Christ from the dead is not someone we can just call on when we want a little extra power in our lives. Jesus Christ did not die in order to follow us. He died and rose again so that we could forget everything else and follow him to the cross, to true Life.” (122)

In what areas of your life right now is it evident that you are not obeying His Spirit?  I would encourage us all to write them down and repent and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of those sins, and then asking God to supply you with the strength that only He can supply “in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11).

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