Tag: Christianity

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

Your Antidote for Awe Amnesia – Paul Tripp (TGC)
Just as a telescope points you to the stars and magnifies them for you to see their illuminating glory, so the earth focuses our eyes on God and magnifies his glory, so it can produce wonder in us. Every beautiful and amazing sight, sound, color, texture, taste, and touch of the created world has gloryscopic intention built into it. Every powerful and mighty thing, animate and inanimate, is gloryscopic by design. No created beauty is an end in itself. No physical wonder exists in isolation. Nothing that is, just is. Everything exists for a grand, vertical purpose.

The Character of the Christian: Above Reproach – Tim Challies
Your life is so consistent that your reputation is credible, you are an example worth following, and you do not make the gospel look fake by teaching one thing while doing another.

A Simple Way To Spend 45 Minutes A day With The Lord – Mark Altrogge|
Devise your own plan and try to make it a habit. Again, start small if 45 minutes seems too long…. The key is to try to be consistent. Nothing satisfies or yields more joy than spending time with Jesus.

4 Ways to Cling to the Lord – Sam Storms (Crossway)
The temptation to forget God is always present. But there is a way to maintain one’s devotion to the Lord. Joshua’s counsel in Joshua 23:6-11 is especially helpful and can be summarized using four As.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!

Reflections on Genesis 15-17

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

God has already promised Abram land (12:7, 13:14-15) and numerous descendants (13:16). Abram’s descendants would possess the land as a great nation (12:2). Finally, in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed (12:3). In today’s passage, God formalizes and expands his promises as a covenant with Abram:

  • Abrahamic Covenant – God reaffirms his promises of land (15:7, 18-20) and descendants (15:4-5). Abram will not only become a great nation, but is renamed Abraham, the father of many nations (17:4-6). As a sign of the covenant, all males were to be circumcised (17:9-14). Finally, Abraham was to walk blamelessly before God (17:1-2). How is your walk before God?
  • Abram’s faith – In response to God’s promises, Abram believes, and it is counted to him as righteousness (15:6). This verse is quoted 4 times in the New Testament (Romans 4:3, 22; Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23). We cannot be righteous on our own, but when we believe God’s promise, God declares us righteous in his sight. God has promised us salvation through Jesus. Have you come to believe God’s promise? If so, you are righteous (pure, clean) in his sight!
  • Abram “helps God out” – Since Sarai has had no children, she and Abram come up with a plan to help God out – through Sarai’s servant Hagar. Rather than follow God, they take things into their own hands. Are there areas in your life where you are moving ahead of God rather than following? When are you tempted to help God out?

Social Media Collection

On By BrianIn Current Collection

We had a youth winter retreat this past Sunday, and we looked at what the Bible says about social media.  Here are some helpful related posts by Tony Reinke to help all of us think further about it.  If you only have time for one, read the first one.

Six Ways Your Phone Is Changing You

Facebook Obsession and the Anguish of Boredom

Six Wrong Reasons to Check Your Phone in the Morning

Smartphone Addiction and Our Spiritual ADD

Unsocial Media: Meeting the Digital Age Face-to-Face

The Good Samaritan’s Smartphone and the Law of Love

 

Sermon Songs: Ephesians 2:1-10 (Take 2)

On By BrianIn Ephesians Hymns

MusicNotes

I have a new identity:
Beloved of God above
How can this be, that God loves me?
I’ll rest in His great love

I have a new identity
A trophy of His grace
What wonder that my God saved me
To Him be all the praise

I have a new identity
His work of art- it’s true!
Amazing He’s at work in me
Humbly His work I’ll do

(To the tune of “Amazing Grace”)

Reflections on Genesis 12-14

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

God calls Abram to leave his country and family and go to a land God will show him. God promises to bless him and make him into a great nation. Notice:

  • Abram’s faith – Abram believes God and goes. He doesn’t know what the land will be like or how he can become a great nation, but he believes God and obeys. Has God been calling you to do something? Will you trust him and obey? Is your life a struggle? Will you trust God and press on? Are you facing persecution for doing what is right? Will you trust God and continue?
  • Abram’s lack of faith – In Egypt, Abram chooses to lie about his wife rather than trust God with his safety. Are there areas in your life where you are failing to trust God?
  • Abram’s prayer life – As Abram travels through Canaan, he eventually comes to Bethel. There he builds an altar to the Lord and calls upon the name of the Lord (12:8). Later after a lapse of faith in Egypt, he returns to Bethel and again calls on the name of the Lord. What is your prayer life like?
  • God’s blessing – God promised to bless Abram, and he does. God graciously intervenes in Egypt. God delivers Abram’s enemies into his hands when his enemies took Lot captive. How has God been there to help you?

Genesis 12-17: Abraham

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(12, 13, 15, 17) What promises does God make to Abraham in these verses?

12:1-3, 7 –

13:14-17 –

15:1-6, 18-20 –

17:4-8 –

How do these promises relate to you? (See Galatians 3:7-9, 16, 23, Psalm 3:3, Hebrews 8:10)

(12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) Abraham is known as a man of faith. What is faith according to Hebrews 11:1? Put it in your own words.

Describe the ups and downs of Abraham’s faith in the Lord. How do you see this in your own life?

When he failed to trust in the Lord, what was he trusting in? What else are you tempted to trust in?

How did his faith in God or other things influence his actions? What were the results? How do you see this in your own life?

In 15:6, Abraham believes God, and it is counted to him as righteousness. How does this pattern relate to us today (see Romans 4:1-5, 13-25)?

How do you need to grow in your faith in the Lord?