Author: Brian
Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Pastor
Passion Ethics
Here are some helpful posts related to sexual ethics:
Is It Good News That Cohabitation Rates Are Stalling? – Russell Moore
The Millennial Generation’s Acceptable Sin – Barton Gingerich (Gospel Coalition)
Why Online Pornography is Being Blocked in the UK – and Why It Should Be in the U.S. Too – Joe Carter (Gospel Coalition)
Prayer Quote of the Week
Prayer: The chief exercise of faith,
by which we daily receive God’s benefits.
– John Calvin
Declaring the Glory
Haven Falls in the Keweenaw Penisula in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
– Psalm 19:1
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
– Romans 1:20
Passion Points
Here are some good posts related to the church for your weekend reading. As a pastor, I’d highly recommend the last two.
How To Stop Church-Killing Gossip – Justin Taylor
The Difference between Congregational Worship and a Concert – Justin Taylor
How To Criticize a Preacher – David Murray
So you’ve heard a sermon and you’re not happy. You feel the preacher got it badly wrong in either his interpretation, his words, his manner, his length, his whatever.
What now?
Praying for Your Pastor – Joe Thorn
There are a number of ways we should be praying for our leaders in the church, but as we approach Sunday I want to encourage you to pray for your pastors and their preaching in 4 specific ways.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day with your local church!
Are You Ready To Speak?
The opposition catches up with Paul in Acts 21, and a riot ensues. Paul is seized, dragged out of the temple, and beaten. The mob tries to kill him, but Paul is rescued by Roman soldiers. Battered, bruised, and bloody, he wants to speak to the hostile crowd. It doesn’t matter how he feels (read: lousy); he is ready to speak for the name of Jesus. It doesn’t matter that the crowd just tried to kill him; he wants to tell them about the Savior. In Acts 23, he is ready to speak to a hostile council testifying to his hope in the resurrection. In Acts 24-26, he is ready to speak the gospel before wicked pagan rulers. Later in Rome, he speaks to anyone who will listen.
Are you ready to speak?
No matter how you feel?
No matter who it is?
How intimidating they are?
How unlovely they may appear?
Are you ready to speak for Jesus?
What Worship Is
In his commentary on Acts, R. Kent Hughes shares this excellent quote on the definition of worship. To worship is:
To quicken the conscience by the holiness of God,
to feed the mind with the truth of God,
to purge the imagination by the beauty of God,
to open up the heart to the love of God,
to devote the will to the purpose of God.
– William Temple
Are You Ready To Sacrifice?
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Paul is encouraged to participate with four other men in a vow involving the cutting of their hair, purification, and sacrifice. He is to pay for all of them. He agrees to do so. He is ready to sacrifice.
Andrew and Peter are mending their nets when Jesus comes along and calls them to follow him. They leave their nets behind and follow him. They were ready to sacrifice for Jesus.
As I posted two days ago, Chris Norman could have played NFL football, but God called him to go to seminary instead. He was ready to sacrifice for Jesus.
Are you ready to sacrifice?
Are you ready to sacrifice your dreams for better dreams?
Are you ready to sacrifice your plans for God’s plans?
Are you ready to sacrifice your time to share the gospel, to show the love of Christ to someone?
Are you ready to sacrifice your money to spread the gospel to other parts of the world?
Are you ready to sacrifice everything if God calls you to do so?
Are you ready to sacrifice for Jesus?
Passion Ethics
Apparently the answer to people hating homosexuals is to now hate people who believe homosexual behavior is wrong. The answer to discriminating against homosexuals is to now discriminate against those who disagree with homosexual behavior. The answer to drumming homosexuals out of the military is to drum out those who disagree with homosexual behavior. The answer to same-sex couples being unable to marry is to make people opposed to same-sex marriage unable to not participate in such ceremonies. Isn’t it more than a little interesting that the very things the gay lobby decried when aimed at them, they so quickly pick up to use against others? And I suspect it is only the beginning. Standing up for Biblical morality is quickly becoming an American anathema.
Gospel Singer McClurkin Cut From MLK Event Over Gay Rights – Gospel Coalition
Sergeant dismissed for saying … nothing – Baptist Press
N.M. Supreme Court: Photographers Can’t Refuse Gay Weddings – Christianity Today
Are You Ready To Suffer?
On his way to Jerusalem, Paul is warned that he will be imprisoned. His friends urge him not to go, but he responds, “I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). He was ready to suffer imprisonment and even death for Jesus.
Are you ready to suffer?
Perhaps God would call you to be a missionary in a village with no gospel witness or to a tribe that has never heard the name of Jesus. Are you ready to suffer?
God calls all of us to share the gospel. Are you ready to suffer?
We must hold to the truth of God’s Word in a world that increasingly is embracing the lies of the devil. Are you ready to suffer?
We may not suffer imprisonment or death like many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. But are you ready to suffer ridicule? You may be hated for the name of Jesus. You may be avoided, shunned. You may even lose your job. Are you ready to suffer?
Jesus told us that if we would be his disciples, we must take up our cross daily and follow him (Luke 9:23). A cross is an object of suffering. We should expect suffering.
Are you ready to suffer for the name of the Lord Jesus?
Brian J. Mikul 