A.W. Tozer: The Christian Church cannot rise to its true stature in accomplishing God’s purposes when its members neglect the true gifts and graces of God’s Spirit. Much of the religious activity we see in our churches is not the eternal working of the Eternal Spirit but the mortal working of man’s mortal mind. That [...]
Archive for the ‘Excerpts’ category
Tozer on Tragedy in the Church
February 9, 2012The Canceling Power of a Divine Kiss
August 29, 2011Yesterday I preached a message entitled “A Celebration of Grace”. It was the conclusion of a 4-part series on grace from passages in the Gospel according to Luke. My final text was a very familiar text to Christians, commonly called the “parable of the prodigal son.” Two particular readings affected me greatly this past week. [...]
Meaningful Meals – Excerpts from Tim Chester
August 24, 2011While on vacation last month, I read through Tim Chester’s bookA Meal with Jesus. I found it to be incredibly provocative and insightful regarding the life and mission of Jesus. I was challenged in a number of ways and continue to revisit the exegetical and practical work Chester delivered in this little book. Though I [...]
Atmospheric Repentance
August 17, 2011That’s a new term I learned from Dr. David Powlison after watching the video below. Atmospheric repentance is based on the initial cry of the Reformation as articulated by Martin Luther in the first of his 95 Thesis: When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said “Repent”, He called for the entire life of believers [...]
War for the Gospel
August 10, 2011I needed this timely word from Paul Tripp. From his article, Pastoral Ministry Is War: Not only should we actively battle for the gospel as the fundamental paradigm for every ministry of the church, but we must also fight for the gospel to be the resting place of our hearts as pastors. Pastor, no one [...]
Rob Bell: Your Concept of Love Is Not Credible
July 13, 2011Richard Lovelace, some 32 years ago, had some great words for Rob Bell and those who would argue that “love wins” where there is no wrath and reality of hell. Lovelace writes: “The cross is the perfect statement both of God’s wrath against sin and of the depth of his love and mercy in the [...]
Great Expectations Require Great Resignation
July 12, 2011Adoniram Judson knew well the call of God and life on mission. It is evident that he held a sense of sobriety afforded by plunging deep into texts like Matthew 10. One thing for sure is that Jesus could never be charge for false advertising when it comes to following him. When it came time [...]
Our Churches Are the Proof of the Gospel
June 17, 2011Mark Dever: “Many Protestants have begun to think that because the church is not essential to the gospel, it is not important to the gospel. This is an unbiblical, false, and dangerous conclusion. Our churches are the proof of the gospel. In the gatherings of the church, the Christian Scriptures are read. In the ordinances [...]
We Must Endeavor to Save Some
March 17, 2011“If the kingdom is ever to come to our Lord–and come it will–it never will come through a few ministers, missionaries, or evangelists preaching the Gospel. It must come through everyone one of you preaching it, in the shop and by the fireside, when walking abroad and when sitting in the chamber. You must all [...]
Tim Keller on the Nature of a Missional Church
February 17, 2011From his lecture “Contextual and Missional” at Urban Plant Life Conference in London, Tim Keller talks about the nature of a missional church: A missional church gears absolutely every single part of its life–its worship, community, public discourse and preaching education–for the presence of non-believers from the culture surrounding it. A missional church’s congregation reflects [...]
We cannot ask too much!
January 15, 2011Octavius Winslow nailed me hard October 12 in his Morning Thoughts. He does this often, but given that this was the day I was coming back from Haiti, it came with particular force. God has opened many doors and done many amazing things over the past six months. It is as if he is giving [...]
Jeremiah Burroughs: The Sum of the Gospel
November 3, 2010Ligonier Ministries has posted an excellent excerpt of Gospel Conversation by Jeremiah Burroughs wherein he gives this great summary of the gospel: The gospel of Christ is the good tidings that God has revealed concerning Christ. As all mankind was lost in Adam and became the children of wrath, put under the sentence of death, [...]
What Is Profoundly Stupid
August 5, 2010Jared Wilson: What is profoundly stupid is the sheer amount of innovation, creativity, energy, ambition, and astounding levels of human wherewithal that go into crafting the most amazing worship experiences Americans have ever seen inside churches where the gospel isn’t preached. I can say this because there’s only one thing we hold that the New [...]
Preaching that rejects the gospel enforces legalism and lusts after self-help.
July 15, 2010A very important excerpt from Graeme Goldsworthy on the kind of preaching that rejects the gospel: ” . . . we are all legalists at heart. We all love to be able to say that we have fulfilled all kinds of conditions, be they tarrying, surrendering fully, or getting rid of every known sin, so [...]
A Word to Internet Busybodies and Wiki-leak Christianity
November 19, 2011It seems that in recent years, several groups of people have sought to use the Internet and in particular blogs to “expose” or “hold accountable” Christian leaders. And so often, we are prone to believe what other people say about a brother or sister in Christ, especially if it is critical or some sort of [...]
Categories: Excerpts, Personal Commentary
Tags: Christian Love, Morning Thoughts, Octavius Winslow
Comments: 13 Comments