Waterfall near the Manistee River in Michigan
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
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
Helpless Sacks of Sand – Tim Challies
The fundamental reality of sleep is that it assures us that we are not God. Apparently we all need the ongoing reminder.
Who’s Side Are You On? – Matthew Wynne
We mustn’t ask God to be on our team, we must ask to be on His. He is the Lord Almighty!
Perfect Your Work Within Our Hearts – Charles Spurgeon (via Kingdom People)
Perfect your work within our hearts.
We are saved, but we would be saved from sin of every form and degree;
from sins that lie within, and we are scarcely aware that they are there.
Prayer For The Ministry Of The Word – Tim Challies
There are a few hymns—just a few—that have been written to be sung as a petition to God immediately before the minister opens God’s Word. A favorite of mine is John Newton’s “Prayer for the Ministry of the Word.”
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day worshipping the Lord with His people!
In Acts 2:42, the church devoted themselves to the fellowship. Fellowship has the idea of sharing – both sharing with and sharing together.
Verses 44-45 describe the sharing with. They were generous. They shared what they had with each other, and especially with those in need. They weren’t clinging to their stuff, but were willing to share, to even sell what they had to give to those in need. We need this generosity today – not only for the good of each other, but to break free of the materialism that grips our land. Generosity opens our clutching hands; it teaches us to give instead of hoard. We too need to be devoted to the fellowship – generously sharing with others.
Verse 46 describes their sharing together. They came together publicly (in the temple) and privately (in their homes). They gathered together regularly. They spent time together. They shared their lives together. Part of this sharing together was eating together. We like to joke about fellowship being tied to food, but fellowship is often tied to food in the Bible. Jesus is always eating with people. And here, the early church is eating together. Eating together implies friendship, a relationship. Refusing to eat with someone shows division. So we eat together in part to show our unity with one another. We need to make time in our busy lives to eat together, to do things together, to do life together. We too need to be devoted to the fellowship – sharing our lives together.
Verses 46-47 go on to tell us that they ate together with glad and generous hearts, praising God. Fellowship was a joyful thing for them. They delighted in one another. They enjoyed coming together. They praised the Lord for each other. Is that your attitude? Are your sharing together? Are you sharing with? Are you devoted? How might you need to grow in your devotion?
A new Sunday School curriculum called the Gospel Project has this helpful video summarizing the entire Bible’s story in three minutes:
Here are some good quotes on growing in Christlikeness – something we must do and something Christ does in us:
What we think about when we are free to think about what we will –
that is what we are or will soon become.
— A.W. Tozer
Christlikeness is born in us when we deny ourselves in the small tasks of life.
– Gary Thomas
The tapestry of Christlikeness is laid down stitch by single stitch, as God weaves events, attitudes, relationships, and personal affliction through our daily experience.
– Gary Thomas
Life is an incremental series of becoming what you are, in Christ.
– John Piper
Here are some good posts for the pastor’s personal life:
6 Traits of a Pastor in Awe of God – Paul Tripp (via The Gospel Coalition)
What traits does the awe of God produce in the heart of a pastor that are vital for an effective, God-honoring, and productive ministry? Here is a list of six.
Why Church Leaders Should Always Be Full To Overflowing – Trevin Wax
You will not be able to extemporize good thinking unless you have been in the habit of thinking and feeding your mind with abundant and nourishing food. – Charles Spurgeon
How To Pull Out of the Burnout Spiral – Interview with Bob Osborne (via The Gospel Coalition) When I find myself heading for burnout, more often than not I’ve lost the rhythms of rest and repentance and start to chase my idols. I take my sights off of Christ and become self-focused – simply put, I try to take God’s place on the throne.
The labour of the Christian ministry is well performed in exact proportion
to the vigour of our renewed nature.
– Charles Spurgeon
Sunset over Lake Superior – Grand Marais, Michigan
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
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
Calvin on the Good News in Christ – John Clavin (via Justin Taylor)
But by the knowledge of the gospel we are made children of God, brothers of Jesus Christ, fellow townsmen with the saints, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, heirs of God with Jesus Christ, by whom the poor are made rich, the weak strong, the fools wise, the sinners justified, the desolate comforted, the doubting sure, and slaves free. The gospel is the Word of life.
Twelve Propositions on Sanctification – J. C. Ryle (via Tim Challies)
Ryle defines sanctification as “an inward spiritual work which the Lord Jesus Christ works in a man by the Holy Ghost, when He calls him to be a true believer.”
100 Quotes From You On Sanctification – Desiring God
Charles Spurgeon: “If he gives you the grace to make you believe, he will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward.”
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day celebrating Jesus and growing in your walk with Him!
Holy Available by Gary Thomas is a wonderful book on an important part of the Christian life. The basic premise, which is fleshed out in the first part of the book, is that Jesus our ascended Lord is still active today through his people. We must go beyond merely avoiding evil and seek to be available for his use. Part two gets specific, looking at what it might mean for us to make ourselves available to God: our eyes, our mouths, our ears, our minds, our hands, our feet, and our hearts. Part three addresses being available for God’s glory, making progress, perseverance, and the context of the church. This is a book to read slowly and ponder and apply. Challenging and highly recommended.
For those on a budget, right now you can get slightly imperfect copies for only $4.99 here.
If we don’t keep our heart, which means continually feeding our heart’s affection – if we allow the running of a business or the raising of a family or the maintenance of a church to keep us so busy that we don’t take time to cultivate intimacy with God and to keep our hearts burning with passion for our first love – then we shouldn’t be surprised if our souls collapse into the false intimacy of scandalous sin.
– Gary Thomas in Holy Available
Brian J. Mikul 