Tag: Discipleship

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

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!

Book Look: Holy Available

On By BrianIn Book Look

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.

Keep Your Heart

On By BrianIn PASSION Quotes3 Comments

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

Prayer Quotes To Ponder

On By BrianIn Prayer Quotes

We are heard and accepted, not on the account of our own prayers and services,
but in the beloved Son of God, who maketh intercession for us.
– John Newton

When we use the promises of God as the basis of our intercession,
we are calling God to be faithful – to fulfill his character.
– Tim Kerr

Prayer does change things, all kinds of things.
But the most important thing it changes is us.
– R.C. Sproul

History is silent about revivals that did not begin with prayer.
– J. Edwin Orr

Acts Articles – Church 02

On By BrianIn Book of Acts, Church Life, Habit of Scripture

In Acts 2:42, we find the early church devoted to coming together for the apostles’ teaching.  The apostles of course were teaching about Jesus from our Old Testament and eventually wrote the New Testament about Jesus, so we devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching when we devote ourselves to God’s Word, and especially to the teaching about Jesus from the Bible. 

Like the early church, we should be devoted to coming together to study God’s Word, so we can learn and know more, and ultimately grow.  We should gather to listen attentively and respond appropriately.  We should have a real commitment and a real hunger.  Our attitude should be that we can’t wait to meet together with God’s people to study the Word. 

Is that your attitude?  Are you devoted?  How might you grow in your devotion to gathering together with God’s people to study His Word?

Passion Points

On By BrianIn Idolatry, PASSION Points1 Comment

Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:

Christ Is All – Charles Spurgeon (via Trevin Wax)
This is our soul’s grandest desire, that Jesus’ name be lifted high,
and His throne be set up among the people, to the praise of the glory of His grace.

The Gospel of the Holy Spirit – Trevin Wax
Too many evangelicals see the good news that we are saved from sin and from God’s wrath and stop there. We forget that we are saved for a relationship with God (to know Him and love Him) and for His mission (His redeeming work to seek and save the lost). And it’s the Holy Spirit that enables that relationship and empowers us for mission.

What Sanctification Is and Is Not – J. C. Ryle (via Tim Challies)
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.

The Church and Idolatry – Jared Wilson (via Ligonier Ministries)
On Sundays, our sanctuaries fill with people seeking worship, and not one person comes in set to neutral. We must take great care, then, not to assume that even in our religious environments, where we put the Scriptures under so many noses, that it is Jesus the exalted Christ who is being worshiped.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day truly worshipping our great God!

Rest In Being Used

On By BrianIn PASSION Quotes

Here’s the joy of the God-empowered life: we can cease expending energy trying to be impressive and instead rest in being used.  The reality of being used, by definition, points people back to the One who is using us.  Such a ministry glorifies God by relying on God and by demonstrating the reality of God.  It recognizes the providence of God, the activity of God, the grace and generosity of God, and the wisdom of God.  And there is no greater thrill – absolutely none – than being used to glorify God.
– Gary Thomas in Holy Available

Jesus Predicted in the Old Testament

On By BrianIn PASSION Collections

Throughout the book of Acts, the apostles preach about Jesus from the Old Testament.  Here a helpful list from Ben Falconer of at least many of the ways the Old Testament does indeed point to Jesus:

He is the promised seed of Adam who would crush Satan’s head (Gen. 3:15).

He is the descendent of Abraham through whom every nation on earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3).

He is the son of Judah, who reigns eternally as king, whose garments are washed in the blood of grapes, and whose hand is on the neck of his enemies (Gen. 49:8-12).

He is the Passover Lamb who was slain to protect God’s people from the Angel of Death (Exod. 12).

He is the greater son of Israel who came out of Egypt, and He is the great redeemer who brings his people out of a bondage and slavery that is far worse than anything the Israelites experienced there (Exod. 12-14).

He is the true bread from heaven that actually nourishes and feeds his people (Exod. 16).

He is the Rock from whom the only life-giving water flows (Exod. 17).

He is the fulfillment of the Law, perfectly obeying not only the 10 Commandments, but all 613 from the day of his birth (Exod. 20).

He is the One through whom we enter into our lasting Sabbath rest, not just for one day out of seven, but for every day from now through all eternity (Exod. 23:10-12).

He is our great High Priest who offers his very body as an atonement for the sins of his people (Exod. 28-29).

Continue Reading….

Acts Articles – Jesus 02

On By BrianIn Book of Acts

In Acts 2:22-42, Peter moves from preaching about the Spirit to preaching about the work of Jesus and calls for a response.  He focuses on four aspects of the work of Jesus:

  • His Life (v22) – Peter especially considers his miracles as evidence that Jesus was sent by God.  If Jesus was sent from God, we had better pay attention.
  • His Death (v23) – The Jewish leaders and Roman officials were guilty of killing Jesus.  At the same time, God planned for Jesus to die to bring about forgiveness of sins (v38).  If God planned this, we ought to pay attention.
  • His Resurrection (v24-32) – God raised Jesus from the dead.  Psalm 16 predicted that the coming Messiah would rise.  And the apostles are witnesses of his resurrection.  If God raised Jesus from the dead, then again: we need to pay attention to him.
  • His Ascension (v33-35) – Jesus ascended into heaven.  He sent the Holy Spirit upon his people.  And he is now exalted at the right hand of God as Lord as was predicted in Psalm 110.  If Jesus is reigning, we need to pay attention to him.

The work of Jesus is not just trivia; we need to pay attention.  The work of Jesus points to Jesus as Lord and Messiah (v36), and calls for a response:

  • We must believe.  Though not stated, it is clearly implied.  The people would not be cut to the heart, repent, or be baptized if they didn’t believe Jesus is and did what Peter has just preached.
  • We must repent (v37-38).  We should be cut to the heart over our sin, and turn from our sin to Jesus.  The results are forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
  • We must be baptized (v38, 41).  The rest of the New Testament makes clear that this is not a requirement for salvation, and yet it is tied closely to it.  Saved people get baptized, publicly identifying themselves with Jesus.
  • We must be connected to a local church (v41-42).  The new believers were immediately added to the church and devoted themselves to the ministries of the church.  So should we.

May we pay attention to the work of Jesus and respond appropriately!

Quotes To Ponder

On By BrianIn PASSION Quotes

Here are some helpful quotes related to sin for us to reflect on…and respond to:

That every person should grow up and do evil can be no coincidence.
It calls for an explanation.
— John Gerstner

Most sin is born out of spiritual blindness – shown in a vast ugly forgetfulness of God.
– Gary Thomas

That’s what sin does – it intoxicates us with a distorted view of reality.
– Gary Thomas

Salvation in sin is not possible; it is always salvation from sin.
— C. H. Spurgeon

Sin has been pardoned at such a price that we cannot henceforth trifle with it.
— C.H. Spurgeon

One of the best ways to build a zero toleration for sin is to become repulsed by it.
– Gary Thomas 

Sin forsaken is one of the best evidences of sin forgiven.
– J.C. Ryle