The Saturday Post(s)

Saturday PostAshley Madison & Who You Are Online. “One of the great deceptions of the Internet is that it allows us to think there are two parts to us, the part who exists in real time and space, and the part who exists in cyberspace. But events like this ought to make us realize that when you go online you display and expose who and what you really are. And who you really are will eventually find you out. God will not be mocked.”

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. “(1) They don’t waste time feeling sorry for themselves. (2) They don’t allow everyone else to set their boundaries and expectations. (3) They don’t shy away from change. (4) They don’t focus on things they can’t control….”

10 Descriptors of Bad Teachers & Leaders. “Several times in my teaching career, I’ve asked graduate students to give me descriptions of the worst teachers they’ve had. During those same years, I’ve watched leaders, discussed leadership, and read leadership books to learn characteristics of good and bad leaders. Perhaps not surprisingly, I’ve seen that some of the characteristics of bad teachers and bad leaders are the same…”

27 Reasons Why Every Christians Should Rejoice Always. “There is no way we can begin to number the blessings God has heaped upon those who believe in his Son, but here are a few spiritual blessings we should regularly recall, thank God for and rejoice in…”

5 Truths Dads Need to Hear. “It’s hard to find things to hold to as a parent because kids have a way of proving us wrong every time we get confident or comfortable. I am a young dad, two daughters in elementary school. Most of my fathering is ahead of me, but I’ve learned a few things about being a dad. These 5 truths are ones I think dads can bank on no matter the circumstance or age level.”

Ten Things to Remember as the Presidential Campaign Season Gets Into Full Swing. “I’m not telling you whom to vote for. I’m not predicting who will win their party’s nomination. I’m not giving you a primer on which issues to consider as you vote in a caucus or primary (several months from now) or as you vote (over a year from now) in the presidential election. Before you think through any of that, keep these ten things in mind.”

3 Things to Remember When You Critique Someone’s Theology. “Critique — done well — is a gift to the one being criticized…Critique done poorly—whether through overstatement, misunderstanding, caricature—is a losing proposition for all.”

Mastering the Giant Comma. Some help with those who don’t know what the heck to do with a semi-colon; thas is, those like me.

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The Two Sides of Worship

coin-side-1024x768Never fall into the trap of thinking that worship is only what we do to please God. There are two sides to the coin of worship and what we do to please God is only one of them.

Worship is not only what we do to please God, but it is also being pleased with whatever God does. It is not only doing things to make Him smile, but it is smiling at all He does; even when it hurts.

Jeremiah Burroughs explains:

In active obedience we worship God by doing what pleases God, but by passive obedience we also worship God by being pleased by what God does…

When Christians perform actions to God, their soul says, “Oh! That I could do what pleases God!” When Christians come to suffer any type of trial, their soul says, “Oh, that what God does might please me!”

I labor to do what pleases God, and I labor (to have) what God does please me…It is but one side of a Christian to endeavor to do what pleases God; you must as well endeavor to be pleased with what God does. (Taken from The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, p. 49).

So, fellow pilgrim, are you living to please God? Good. But are you also pleased with all God is doing in your life? May all our works be for His smile and may we smile at all His works.

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How Christians See Their Lives

1-jpg-1I am currently on vacation in Seattle. This morning, after having some breakfast with my beautiful girls, I left to finish some writing projects.

As I walked through Pike’s Market on the way to Storyville Coffee Shop, I was struck by these lyrics streaming through my earbuds.

We are the cold and starving

We are the scared and trembling

We are the desperately lost

We are the lone and hopeless

We are the outcast orphans

We are the ones no one wants

We were the long discarded

We were the weak and useless

We needed rescue and help

We were the long forgotten

We were the disregarded

We couldn’t care for ourselves

I thought to myself, “Man, what a sad history to have. What a sad situation that is.” And then, the next line hit me like a wrecking ball.

But a Father is coming for us.

You adopted us in

And you made us your own

You adopted us in

And you gave us a home

Is that not the way that every Christian sees them self? As those who were once cold, starving, lost, and hopeless, but who were then sought out and adopted by the love of a Father? As those who were once outside, but, by the love of God, were brought inside? As those who were once without a home, but now are a part of a family?

Because of this immense truth, the brick street of Pike’s Market received a few of my tears.

How rich are we who call God our Father.

I encourage you to listen to the whole song below. The full lyrics can be found here.

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The Saturday Post(s)

Saturday Post

Going to be a little short today. I am slammed with sermon preparation and gearing up for vacation on Monday. Nonetheless, enjoy!

Praying the Bible. An interview with Donald Whitney about his new (little) book, “Praying the Bible.” Excited to read it during my vacation this next week and be helped in prayer.

Do We Alienate Our White Brothers & Sisters? “The racial conversation in America is extremely exhausting for Blacks. We have a right to be frustrated and angry, and a right to express these feelings. Could it be that in all our expressions, we create tension with our white brothers and sisters?”

Should Women Be Police Officers? John Piper thoughtfully addresses the question. Agree or disagree, his thoughts are worth hearing (or reading).

The Introverted Christian. Challies brings a good word for the introverted among Jesus’ sheep, like me. “With this being the case, I don’t want to allow introversion to define me or to dictate my behavior. Introversion is a useful description, but a poor definition.”

1o Hints for Memorizing Scripture. Helpful hints to tattoo God’s Word on your minds.

The Biggest Great White Shark Ever Filmed. Duuuuuh, duh…

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The Insanity of Abortion

Matt Chandler helps to remind the world of the insanity of abortion.

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You Are Not Strong Enough

Garden-of-EdenYou are not strong enough to withstand temptation to sin. How do I know this? Because Adam wasn’t and he did not have to struggle with a corrupted nature like we do. If we are to learn from Adam’s fall, it would teach us that we, in the weakness of our corrupted nature, don’t have the strength to withstand temptations thrown our way.

Thomas Watson says it well.

Learn from Adam’s fall, how unable we are to stand in our own strength.

If Adam, in the state of integrity, did not stand, how unable are we now, when the lock of our original righteousness is cut.

If purified nature did not stand, how then shall corrupt nature?

We need more strength to uphold us than our own. (Taken from A Body of Divinity, p. 131).

Learn from the example of Adam and lean on the power of the Spirit. “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13.

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Love Doesn’t Always Protect You From Pain

tumblr_m949w9obwO1qj5rpyo1_500A.W. Pink:

Here is abundant cause for trust and patience under Divine affliction. Christ was beloved of the Father, yet He was not exempted from poverty, disgrace, and persecution. He hungered and thirsted. Thus, it was not incompatible with God’s love for Christ when He permitted men to spit upon and smite Him.

Then let no Christian call into question God’s love when he is brought under painful afflictions and trials. God did not enrich Christ on earth with temporal prosperity, for “He had not where to lay His head.” But He did give Him the Spirit “without measure” (John 3:34). Learn then that spiritual blessings are the greatest gifts of Divine love. How blessed to know that when the world hates us, God loves us! (Taken from Attributes of God, Ch. 15)

God’s love will not always protect you from pain, sickness, or hardship. You may be betrayed by those closest to you; look at Joseph. Your body may be racked with crippling pain; look at Job. You may suffer violently at the hands of evil men even though you’re innocent; look at Jesus. But, take heart, though God’s love may not always keep hardship away, God’s love will always carry you through it and, one day, usher you into His eternal joy.

Don’t doubt God’s love when you experience pain, trust it. After all, as Thomas Watson said, “The worst thing God will ever do to His children is whip them to heaven.”

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Better Than Booze

ca. 1900 --- A cigar smoking man poses with a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of beer, ca. 1900 --- Image by © DaZo Vintage Stock Photos/Images.com/Corbis

ca. 1900 — A cigar smoking man poses with a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of beer, ca. 1900 — Image by © DaZo Vintage Stock Photos/Images.com/Corbis

The Scripture teaches that alcohol is a gift from God’s hand for man’s gladness (Psalm 104:14-15) and that it can be powerfully abused by Man’s drunkenness (Proverbs 23:21; 26:9; Galatians 5:19-21). Said simply, alcohol is from God, but drunkenness is from the devil.

Although alcohol is a gift given from God, it is not the greatest gift God has given men. Although alcohol can help to gladden Man’s heart (Psalm 104:14-15), God has given us something more sure and far more satisfying.

Pastor John Piper explains:

What do people go to alcohol for? For a happy hour. We all want to be happy, but there is a problem: “The days are evil.” Notice the logic of  Ephesians 5:16–18:

The days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk . . . but be filled with the Spirit.Where do you turn when the days are evil, when you are frightened or discouraged or depressed or anxious? Paul pleads with us: “Don’t turn to alcohol; turn to the Spirit. Anything of value that alcohol can bring you, God the Holy Spirit can bring more.”

There are people who can’t begin to whistle a happy tune or sing a song at work because they are so tense and anxious about life. But later in the evening at the tavern with a few drinks under their belt they can put their arms around each other and sing and laugh. All of us long to be carefree, uninhibited, happy. And the mounting tragedy of our own day, as in Paul’s, is that increasing numbers of people (even Christians) believe that the only way they can find this child-like freedom is by drugging themselves with alcohol or other mind-benders. Such behavior dishonors God, and so Paul says: There is a better way to cope with the evil days—be filled with the Spirit, stay filled with the Spirit. And you will know unmatched joy that sings and makes melody to the Lord.

The fundamental meaning of being filled with the Spirit is being filled with joy that comes from God and overflows in song. (Taken from the sermon, Be Filled With the Spirit).

So my friends, don’t go to the bottle for the joy you need in these wearisome days; drink from a better fountain. For your joy, be not filled with spirits, but with the Holy Spirit.

Not that alcohol is evil (it isn’t), but the joy from the Holy Spirit is immeasurably better than any label can give; no matter its color.

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The Saturday Post(s)

Saturday PostA Funny Rant About Nonsensical Worship Music. Certain things deserve rants. Nonsensical worship music is one of those things.

God Doesn’t Have Accidents. “Wherever we find ourselves and whatever we have to deal with we can know that God in his infinite wisdom has designed it for our good and to make us like Christ and bring him glory.”

Why We Fail at Family Devotions. Challies shows the different reasons why many fail at having regular and helpful times of family worship. With Daisy, things like this are becoming increasingly more relevant.

Jesus is the Answer to Homosexuality (& Everything). “In one sense, our counseling and our ethical instruction is complex, untangling complicated personal knots with discernment and massive doses of empathy. In another sense, it is simple. We offer no convoluted solution. Look to Jesus, we say.”

A Mine, Not a Museum. “The more we wonder over the Bible, the more wonder-full we discover it is. That’s why we must think of the Bible more as a mine than a museum.”

What Happens in the Womb. Wow.

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Pastors Who Fight & Weep

shepherd-and-sheepThere are lots of pastors who complain about the church, exploit the church, mislead the church, or betray the church, but few who do what Samuel Miller called his young seminarians to do at their graduation:

Make sure, that, if the church be corrupted with error, agitated by controversy, or torn by schism, the sin shall not lie at your door.

If her walls be broken down by folly or wickedness, see that you be found at the break, fighting and praying for her restoration.

And if ever a time should come in which you can do nothing more, at least be found weeping between the porch and the altar saying, “Spare thy people, O Lord, bless thy heritage, save them and lift them up for ever!”

But, if you are faithful, my young friends, such a time will never come. (Taken from Princeton & the Christian Ministry, Vol. I, p. 524).

Father, supply your churches with faithful men; ready to fight and pray and weep for your people. Give us shepherds like Jesus, our Great Shepherd.

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