Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Reading the Bible in 2012
Justin Taylor has provided a very helpful post listing a number of good plans for reading the Bible during the coming year. I encourage you to go to his blog to read it and select a plan to use-- www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Let It Heighten Your Surprise
As I prepare for Sunday morning, December 4, I found this quote from Jonathan Edwards. It is lengthy but very much worthwhile!
"Consider what Christ has done for you. He died for you. O what did He bear for you? If you knew the pains, the distress, and the agonies the glorious Son of God underwent for you, how would the thoughts of His kindness and love to you overcome you... God in Christ allows such little, poor creatures as you are to come to Him, to love communion with Him, and to maintain communication of love with Him. You may go to God and tell Him how you love Him and open your heart and he will accept of it. You may be familiar in your expressions of your love to Christ, as little or unworthy as you are, for He is near to you. He is come down from heaven and has taken upon Him the human nature on purpose, that He might be near you and might be, as it were, your companion... You may place yourself in his divine embraces."
"Therefore don't let your unworthiness discourage you. Let it heighten your surprise and cause you to express your love in the most humble manner possible. But let it not keep you at a distance or change the expressions of your love. You may want humility in your love, but you never can be guilty of any excess in the joys of divine love... Let these considerations influence you to the love of God and Jesus Christ, to love them with a superlative love and nothing contrary to them, and love nothing above them, and love nothing equal to them, and love nothing along with them with a parallel love. And express your love by doing for them by being willing all your days to labor and suffer for the glory of God. Can you think of living so as to dishonor God and to be a stumbling block to others and a disadvantage to religion without the utmost dread of it and being sick at the thought of it?"
From "The Spirit of the True Saints Is a Spirit of Divine Love", a sermon a 1 John 4:16
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Passion for the Gospel
Dear Rocky Family (and any others who may read this),
Excitement and anticipation is increasing within me as the Christmas season arrives because of the preaching theme God led me to! Please pray for Pastor Travis, Denny Hustedt and me as we prepare to preach sermons flowing from this-- "Why Jesus Christ Was Born". (The passages and titles of these sermons are found in the current newsletter available at our website.)
"Why Jesus Christ Was Born" suggests gospel to us. Yes, we will preach and hear the gospel over and over Nov. 27--Dec. 25! And as I was finalizing the preaching Bible texts, sermon titles, and flow recently, a thought came to me that prompts me to say this to you. If you are a believer in and lover of Jesus Christ, resist saying something like this: "Oh, I know so-and-so and, my, how he/she needs to hear the gospel." Yes, please do invite unbelievers to RBBC at Christmas so that they will hear the great Christmas news of the gospel of Jesus! Yes, pray for those people and urge them to come with you to church, and invite them into your home, and strike up gospel conversations with them as you seek to show them the way to Christ!
But resist saying, "Oh, I know so-and-so..." if by that you mean that you don't need to hear the gospel! As followers of Jesus we live on the gospel! We get stale when we neglect the gospel. We are sanctified by the truth of the gospel, and we need to hear the gospel again and again!
In his little book, The Cross-Centered Life, C.J. Mahaney wrote, "Nothing can replace the gospel in a Christian's life...What are you most passionate about? What do you think about when you can think about whatever you want? What do you love to talk about? What defines you? Is it your career? A relationship you are in? Your hobby? Your political affiliation? A fascination with the latest electronic gadgets?"
"Or maybe your main thing is something that is clearly other centered. Maybe its your ministry, your family. Maybe it's homeschooling, or a cause like the prolife movement. Good things all but not the one thing God says should be the most important-- the matter of first importance."
"'I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you,' Paul wrote. 'For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance; that Christ died for our sins'" (1 Cor. 15:1,3).
"If there is anything in life we should be passionate about, it's the gospel."
May the Lord intensify our passion for the gospel and the glory of Jesus Christ, and may He grant us loving boldness to share the gospel with lost people, and may He draw others to Himself through the preaching and testimonies of the gospel this Christmas time.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Anxiety Invades Prayer
"Shall We Be Anxious?" is the title of the brief preaching series at RBBC. I've had more responses to last Sunday's sermon than any other at Rocky. Of course, we know that the answer to this question is "no", and I gave eight reasons our Lord taught to back up the answer from Matthew 6.
It is a fact that, for the follower of Christ, anxiety is sin because the Word of God says there's only one thing we can be anxious about-- nothing. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6).
This morning I read a quote alerting me/us to be ready for anxiety and worry to invade my/our praying. May the Lord help me/us to pray trusting God to handle worrisome matters in life and not be diverted. Here is the quote from Ed Welch in his book Running Scared:
"If I know that prayer isn't going to be easy, I am better prepared to deal with my excuses. For example, too often I will begin to pray, then gravitate to the things that worry me, start to try to solve them, realize I am not really praying, and then decide to attend to urgent matter and pray later. When I know that prayer is not natural, I realize that I shouldn't wait for prayer to feel easy. If it seems hard, I am on the right path."
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
A Needed Reminder from a Famous Missionary During Missions Conference Week
| A Needed Reminder from a Famous Missionary During Missions Conference Week | |
| Not Our Work for the Lord, but the Lord’s Own Work through Us Source: thegospelcoalition.org |  |
Thursday, October 20, 2011
What If God Moved When We Are Focused on Missions?
Today I came across this memory written by Ray Ortlund and, having read it with awareness of our coming week-long missions conference at Rocky, I thought, "What If God moved on us when we are focused on missions this week?" Here is his memory:
"One Sunday morning when I was maybe twelve years old, as Dad was preaching from the pulpit and I was doodling in my seat, I noticed something. Dad was minding his own business, preaching Christ, when Ed Fischer, sitting the choir loft, quietly got up from his seat, walked down to the communion table at the front and knelt in silent prayer. His wife Lita joined him. Then from all over the church, people started coming forward to kneel at the front and do business with God.
Dad didn't ask them to do that. He was surprised. It wasn't even the end of his sermon. He was making no appeal. But God came down and took over the service. When Dad realized what was happening, he stepped back from the pulpit and stood there in reverent prayer. The organist had the sensitivity to begin playing quietly. God was meeting with His people.
It was quiet. It was sacred. It was an upper-middle class, mainstream evangelical church experiencing non-weird, unscheduled revival. Our forefathers used to call this "the presidency of the Holy Spirit". It happened several times through the years. And it was always precious to my dad.
It sure ruined me. After experiencing that early on, I cannot help longing for true revival. I will go to my grave praying for revival."
I agree with Pastor Ortlund.
I'm not talking about something contrived or scheduled. It may not be during public worship. It need not be like Ray Ortlund experienced. But I long for biblical revival, Isaiah 57 revival. May God grant it, for His Name's sake and glory and our good and joy in Him! "And it shall be said, 'Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle from my people's way.' For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy. 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:14-15)
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
The Gospel Proclaimed
Missions will be our focus at Rocky, Oct. 23-30, as we consider and celebrate Jesus Christ's promise in Matthew 24:14-- "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Please make it a priority to participate in the Mission Conference events, and pray.
Sun., Oct. 23 Dr. Phil Roberts, President of Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City, preaching in Gathered Worship, 10:15 A.M.
Wed., Oct. 26 Missions focus in AWANA Clubs and Student Ministry, 6:00 P.M.
Prayer Meeting for gospel missions and missionaries, 6:00 P.M.
Thurs., Oct 27 Karen van de Voorde, missionary with Heart of the Bride, in Alabanza, 7:00 P.M.
Fri., Oct 28 Real Missions Workshops (2 sessions) with Mike and Libby Wild, 6:30 - 8:30 P.M.
Special Real Missions Classes for children, Pre-K - 6th grade
Sat., Oct. 29 Real Missions Workshops (3 sessions) with Mike and Libby Wild, 9:00 A.M. - Noon
Special Real Missions Classes for children, Pre-K - 6th grade
Sun., Oct. 30 Combined Adult Bible Fellowship Hour: Update from Thailand with Ken and Terry Lee, 9:15 A.M.
Pastor Carey Olson preaching in Gathered Worship, 10:15 A.M.
Evening focus on RBBC Missions and Missionaries, and Missions Fair, 6:00 P.M.
On Oct. 23 and 30, a limited number of copies of "A Holy Ambition: To Preach Where Christ Has Not Been Named", by Dr. John Piper, will be available for purchase. Cost is $2.00 per copy, one per family please.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Lord's Table on Sunday
In gathered worship, on October 2, we will observe communion together at RBBC. Please prepare yourself for this in the Word, prayer, confession of known sin, and repentance. Consider reading from Matthew 27:32-50 for meditation.
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, saying... 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" (Matthew 27:46) The suffering required of the Savior to assuage the wrath of God for our sins was incalculable! On the cross--not including his suffering for days, months and years prior--He suffered hour after hour for the glory of His Father (John 17:1), for countless of His own-- for you, believer.
"And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's love? Died He for me, who caused His pain, for me who Him to death pursued? Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou my God shouldst die for me?"
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Glad Grieving
Carey Dean is answering the Lord's call to minister in another church, Woodland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN. I am very sad that the Deans are leaving Rocky. Carey loves God and he has beautifully and faithfully called us to magnify the glory of God and exalt the Lord Jesus. He has helped many to use their gifts in worship leadership ministries, urging them to grow in the Lord. He is a man of the Word, teaching and leading and counseling and praying from it. He has been a great mentor and encourager on our staff. He is special, humble, gifted man of God. We have been through much together and he has encouraged me in ministry often.
It is true that I am grieving about Carey's departure, but there is a gladness about it because it is obvious that the Lord of the church is calling him to Tennessee. So I am glad to yield to His call in Carey's life, and his family's lives, too. And there is another reason I am glad while sad. It is that I am confident that our Chief Shepherd will provide for Rocky's needs during the coming weeks and months because he is faithful. Let us joyfully thank God for His gift of the Dean family to RBBC, and let us pray for them and for our church as we all seek to respond to Christ's leading.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
How Great Is God?
Sunday morning, September 11, I preached and taught from Acts 17:22-29. When Paul was asked to tell more about the meaning of his preaching about Jesus and the resurrection (17:18-20), he began by describing God. Having observed the hyper-religiosity of the Athenians, because of the prominence of idols in the city, Paul started with doctrinal statements about who God is-- I highlighted nine things that point us to a hugely great God!
He created all that is.
He is Lord of all.
He is Spirit and not limited to man-made residences.
He is totally Self-sufficient as is not served by human hands.
He gives life to all mankind.
He made all the nations of the world, defining their times and boundaries.
He mercifully purposes that people seek Him.
He is near us.
He is beyond human imagination--greater! Greater!
Next Sunday, we move on to Acts 17:30-34. There we find that all of us are accountable to this great God. "He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed" (17:30-31). Please read and re-read Acts 17 in preparation for Sunday and pray for the ministry of the Word and me.
May the GREATNESS of GOD be made known!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Why Did RBBC Do the Strong Bonds Mission?
Last weekend, September 2,3, and 4 over 100 volunteers from RBBC assisted the 7th Special Forces Group by caring for children while their parents participated in the U.S. Army's Strong Bonds, a program designed to help marriage and families cope with the very stressful realities of military life, and especially frequent deployments. What a fantastic display of unity in the body of Christ as Rocky people, young and old, selflessly served these newly arrived families to our community! 268 kids from 150 families were served with great love on Friday night, all day on Saturday, and Sunday morning. Rynette and I served in the three and four years old room and were greatly blessed and burdened-- blessed to share in this unique mission with so many of our church family, and burdened for the families of the 7th Group. Having recently moved from Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, and still experiencing the stresses of moving, many of them will deploy by the end of the year to fight the ongoing war on terror. So their challenges and needs are obvious.
Why did we do this? Why did dozens of our people invest hundreds and hundreds of hours on a holiday weekend to care for Army kids? Why did we disrupt the flow of our Sunday morning schedule on campus to go to Sandestin? Here is why: For the glory of God! His Word in 1 Peter 2:12 says, "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles (unbelievers) honorable, so that...they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." Also, in Matthew 5:14-16, these words from Jesus: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." So we didn't do it for our own sakes, or even for the reputation of RBBC. We did it for God's glory!
I thank all who gave their time, energy and resources to provide for this mission of loving care in the name of Jesus! And Chaplain Mike Smith is deeply grateful, too! He tells me that the responses of the families were overwhelming those of amazement and gratitude for the care provided their kids. They could not get over that Rocky people were not being paid for the work.
Please pray for growth of friendships that were begun; for 7th kids who are struggling to adjust to the their recent move; for 7th Group marriages; and for watering and cultivating of gospel seeds planted in children and adults. Yes, the green light was given to speak the gospel during Sunday morning meetings! Thank God! And pray for "Remember, Honor, Hope 9.11" on Sept. 11 at 5:30pm. Chaplain Smith is praying expectantly that many of the 7th Group will attend this special gathering; let's pray along with him.
And dear Rocky family, please be on the alert on Sunday and during the coming weeks. Some 7th Group families may be visiting our church, and some will not have church backgrounds. Let us be ready to welcome all of them (and all visitors!) in Jesus' name!
I am grateful to God for all of you!
Pastor Carey
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Mark Wilke Preaching on Sept. 4
Mark Wilke will be preaching at Rocky Bayou Baptist Church on Sunday morning, September 4. For those who don't know Mark, he is an elder of our church who is currently on sabbatical leave, meaning he does not attend elders' meetings regularly, but still actively ministers among us with single adults and Spanish-speaking people. Mark is called to pastoral ministry and works at Eglin Air Force Base while he awaits the Lord's leading. He has earned a Bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies from Grace University and an M.A. in Leadership from Luther Rice Seminary, having pursued this training while working full time!
Please prepare for Sunday morning's ministry of the Word by reading Acts 17:16-21, the text that Mark will open to us. And pray for God's help to Mark and yourself.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
carey@rockybayoubaptist.org has shared: Don’t Neglect the Horizontal Dimension of Singing and Worship
| Worth reading... | |
| Don’t Neglect the Horizontal Dimension of Singing and Worship Source: thegospelcoalition.org Justin Taylor|12:00 pm CT Godward vertical worship—in preaching, prayer, singing, communion—is our ultimate aim when the church gathers together. But we should not neglect the horizontal dimension of worship. With singing, for example, we are not only singing to God (in adoration and confession and thanksgiving and petition) but we are simultaneously supposed to sing to one another (in encouragement and edification, correction and instruction). For example, Paul says in Ephesians 5:18-19 that we... | |
| carey@rockybayoubaptist.org sent this using ShareThis. | |
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Called To Wrestle
As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ we are called to wrestle. It is part of the discipleship package!
On Thursday morning I saw a few minutes of unedited video taken by Mike and Libby Wild of the Wano people, and in one segment we saw a Wano man (before he was converted) fighting with his wives in the Wilds' front yard. It was quite a scrap and, at one point, they were sort of wrestling! That set me to thinking about the subject of fighting or wrestling, and I recalled Ephesians 6.
There in verses 10--20, the apostle Paul gives instructions for spiritual fighting and his assumption is that there will be battles to be waged against dark powers, waged "in the strength of [the Lord's] might" while wearing His armor (vs. 10-11). Then in verse 12: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
So we are called to be wrestlers with strong foes, but not nearly as strong as our God who provides us his mighty strength and armor! We are called to wrestle! As I write this for Going Deeper at 10:57 A.M. on August 25, I am greatly helped by the Scripture of Ephesians 6 as I wrestle.
Join me in wrestling, for the glory of God and the advance of the gospel of Christ!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
RBBC, Please Prepare for August 28th
Jesus spoke these words: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14).
Next Sunday, August 28, will be a delightful day of rejoicing in God's grace as we celebrate this-- that the Wano people, a tribal people group of Papua Indonesia, has been reached with the great gospel of Christ! We will praise God for His deep love for the peoples of the world, thank Him for being faithful to His promise, and pray for the Wano-- their growth and perseverance in faith, the development of Wano leaders as as a church is established, the conversion of more Wano people, and for Mike and Libby Wild and their teammates in missions. And we will consider Psalm 67 together, too. Please prepare for Sunday by reading and meditating on this Psalm.
"Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you."
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Rocky Family: Prepare for August 21
On Sunday, August 21, the sermon text will be Acts 17:10-15. I encourage you to prepare for Sunday by reading and meditating on this great passage. Like those of Berea, let us "receive the word with all eagerness". Eagerness, a great word and a great response to the greatest Book!
What In The World Is Happening?
Charles Spurgeon preached these words in his sermon, "The World on Fire", on August 3, 1873. Apt today for those who have ears-- At certain points it has seemed to the Most High to be imperatively necessary to send great calamities upon mankind lest pride, oppression, and profanity should cause society utterly to rot."
"The fall of dynasties, the overthrow of empires, devastating wars, and dire famines have been necessities of God's moral government, bits in men's mouths, bridles for their arrogance, checks to their licentiousness. The Lord is slow to smite the wicked, for his tender mercy is great, and he delights not in the sufferings of men, and therefore he keeps arrows in his quiver, and hangs up his bow; but, alas, men take advantage of his love to grow grossly sinful, and to blaspheme his name."
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Paul and the Slave-Girl
Why was Paul annoyed with the slave-girl in Acts 16:18? When I preached from this text on August 7 I asked for help in answering this question, and I posted one response yesterday. Here is another fine answer from a Rocky member:
"Could it be that it was because Christ Himself forbid the demons to proclaim Him Lord... 'Just then there was a man in the synagogue who had an evil spirit in him. He shouted, 'Jesus of Nazareth! What do you want with us? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are-- God's Holy One!' Jesus commanded the evil spirit, 'Be quiet! Come out of the man!' (Mark 3:11-12)"
"What they said was true, but it was not their place to say, as they were servants and messengers of the Father of Lies. He (Christ and also Paul) probably did not want the truth coming from those that spread lies, as this would distort it. And everyone knew that this girl was demon possessed, or at least, they considered her 'crazy', so if they heard the truth from her mouth, they probably would not view it as being the truth and thus dismiss it, or even deny it. It could also be that he was tired of having someone in his face (or ears) for so long... most of us would too!"
I thank both these RBBC members for their thoughtful consideration of the Word!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Paul and the Tormented Slave-Girl
Last Sunday I asked this question (following is an approximation of my words): "Why was Paul annoyed with the slave-girl who followed him and his team around, crying out, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.'" I said I wasn't sure of the answer and invited listeners to help me with it.
Following our gathered worship time a member of our church gave a possible answer. She said it was because the woman, being influenced by an evil spirit, spoke mockingly and derisively of God and His way of salvation. Hers was far from a desire to glorify and honor God and His Son. So, of course, Paul was annoyed and saw to it that she stopped! I think this is an excellent thought and I commend it to you and thank our dear sister in Christ for her thoughtful consideration of God's Word. Do others have thoughts to share?
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Communion On Sunday
Dear Rocky Family,
On Sunday, morning, August 7, 2011, we will have the deep privilege of sharing in communion together. I encourage you to begin preparing for it now by reading and reflecting on 1 Corinthians 11:17-32. Communion-- when we eat and drink in remembrance of our Lord, and we are reminded that Christ and His cross are at the center and that He is the Gospel. Communion-- when we share in it properly, the gospel of Christ is driven deeply into our souls. Communion-- we remember and rejoice because "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Communion-- come to the Lord's Table.
I will be preaching from Acts 16:16-40, "Midnight Worship in a Philippian Jail". This is the passage that records the conversion of the jailer in Philippi who had charge of Paul and Silas. I'm wondering, "What was this man like?" How do you imagine him to be?
Please pray for our gathered worship time on Sunday. I need it and so do you and all who come.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Thank You for Praying
Thanks to you who have been praying for us and for our parents during our vacation. It was very, very good to be with Rynette's parents on their ranch in Montana and with mine in Sioux Falls, SD. And it was a great blessing to have all our kids with us, too!
Will you please continue to pray for our parents? Thank you.
God-dependent Witnesses
The sermon text for Sunday is Acts 16:11-24, including these words: "One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul" (verse 14). I love these great, big, encouraging words! The human heart is closed, dark, deceived, and hard, and the Lord opens, enlightens, infuses with truth, and softens the heart! The Lord saves! One application of the coming sermon = Let us be God-centered, God-dependent, God-seeking witnesses for Christ and His gospel, and let us ask Him to open hearts as we speak forth the good news.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Follow Me on Twitter
I find that I am blogging less these days, not intentionally. If you wish, please follow my postings on Twitter-- accessible via the church website. While away on vacation I won't be blogging and probably will do little tweeting ( I think that's the right "verb"!).
The Blessing of Vacation
I praise God for His kindnesses to me through the local Body of Christ, Rocky Bayou Baptist Church, including that of vacation time! Our whole family will be together as we visit Rynette's and my parents "up north", July 4--18. Please pray for safety in travel, rest, and sweet, memorable, God-honoring family times together. Please pray especially for our pastors, Carey Dean and Travis Cook, as our staff is "short" for a while. And Rynette and I ask you to pray for our parents as they live with challenges of growing older, including frail health and diminishing strength. Please pray that they will experience the daily help and assurance of our glorious God of Deuteronomy 33:26-27! "There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in His majesty. The eternal God is your your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms." And pray this promise from Isaiah 46:3-4 over them, too. "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am He, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and I will save." Also, please pray that God will grant us insights about how we may best encourage and honor our parents in these days. We are blessed by you and thank you!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Team Hot Wheels - The Yellow Driver
Men, You Don't Have to Be A Soldier to Write to Your Wife and Children
http://takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com/2011/06/team-hot-wheels-yellow-drivers-world.html
http://takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com/2011/06/team-hot-wheels-yellow-drivers-world.html
What Spirit-Led Means
At Rocky one way we express our aim(s) is with these expressions: God -centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-led, Truth-driven. The following words from Charles Spurgeon express very well what these words mean:
"If there be this day any power in the church of God, it is because the Holy Spirit is in the midst of her. If she is able to work any spiritual miracles, it is through the might of his indwelling. If there be any light in her instruction, if there be any life in her ministry, if thee be any glory gotten to God, if there be any good wrought among the sons of men, it is entirely because the Holy Spirit is still with her."
"The entire weight of influence of the church as a whole and every Christian in particular, cometh from the abiding presence of the sacred Paraclete. And brethren, we shall do well to treat the Holy Spirit as we would have treated Christ had he been yet among us. Our Lord's disciples told him of their troubles; we must trust the Comforter with ours. Whenever they felt that they were barbed by the adversary, they fell back upon their Leader's power; so must we call in the aid of the Holy Spirit. When they needed guidance they sought direction from Jesus; we also must seek and abide by the Spirit's leadings. When, knowing what to do, they felt themselves weak for the accomplishment of it, they waited upon upon their master for strength, and so must we upon the Spirit of all grace."
"Treat the Holy Spirit with the love and tender respect which are due the Savior, and the Spirit of God will deal with you as the Son of God did with his disciples."
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
36 Years of Gracious Blessings!
Beyond description I am a blessed man! Thirty six years ago today Rynette Bartel married me at Bethel Mennonite Church, two miles from the ranch where she grew up near Wolf Point, MT. By choosing me she chose the good, hard life of pastoral ministry and she is a wonderfully wise ministry partner She is an incomparable woman and one of deep, growing faith. She is gentle and kind in challenging me to keep my eyes on Jesus. By God's grace we are growing in covenant love and we love being married!
"She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life." (Prov. 31:1-12)
I love you, Rynette, and I rise with our children to call you blessed. (Prov. 31:28) "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." (Prov. 31:29) You are "a woman who fears the LORD" and I praise you! (Prov. 31:30)
Monday, June 6, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Pray for Afghan Christians
In Afghanistan there are 48,000 mosques and no church buildings-- and several hundred followers of Christ.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Fear God and Give Him Glory
| Glory of God: The Weight of Glory Source: thegospelcoalition.org Revelation 14:6-7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory…” (v. 7) Starting next week, we’ll look at fourteen specific examples of how we can glorify God in all of life. | |
From A Chaplain
| Memorial Day: Remembering the Fallen and Remembering Christ Source: thegospelcoalition.org A letter from Navy Chaplain Barrett Craig, currently serving the Marines in Okinawa, Japan, to his home church of Clifton Baptist in Louisville | |
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tragedy of Death Before Birth
We need reminders like this one so that we will pray! For every 100 live births in Washington D.C. there are 265 abortions! O God, have mercy!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Thank God for Carey and Amy Dean and Their Children
Five years ago God gave Rocky Bayou Baptist wonderful gifts-- the Dean family! On Sunday, May 22, our church blessed the Lord for His goodness by honoring His Word, "Remember your leaders..." (Hebrews 13:7). It was a splendid morning because I think the church's Shepherd was pleased with the manner in which our church family honored and encouraged Carey and Amy and their kids. Please join me in continuing to thank the Deans for their ministry among us! Carey, thank you for being a Worship Pastor Plus, a Persevering Pastor, a Praying Pastor, and a Passionate Pastor!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Pyromaniacs : Open Letter to a Military Family
Carey Olson has sent you a link to a blog:
Thank You, Military Families
Blog: Pyromaniacs
Post: Open Letter to a Military Family
Link: http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2011/05/open-letter-to-military-family.html
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Thank You, Military Families
Blog: Pyromaniacs
Post: Open Letter to a Military Family
Link: http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2011/05/open-letter-to-military-family.html
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Thursday, May 12, 2011
Do I Practice Risk-Averse Faith?
Please go to desiringgod.org and watch/listen to a very brief piece posted (on May 12) on the blog about "Risk-Averse Christianity. It goes well with the recent sermon mini-series about suffering and joy and it greatly challenges me. You, too, may be challenged to really trust God and see what He can do. Pastor Carey
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
JOIN ME IN THANKING GOD
Please join me in thanking God for Chris Quinlan! Having blessed our church family for ten years of faithful service on our staff, Chris followed the Lord's leading and began a new job this week. Pray for him as he learns and for our staff as we adjust to this change.
Pastor Carey
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Enjoy This! Superb!
| That's My King! Source: thegospelcoalition.org Kevin DeYoung|10:31 am CT You've probably seen it already, but some sermons never get old. Goose bumps were made for this. |  |
Thursday, April 21, 2011
What If Our Church Was Outlawed?
"If This is What God Intended, So Be It" — The Persecuted Church in China
The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:18
read moreWednesday, April 20, 2011
The Date of Jesus’ Crucifixion
| The Date of Jesus' Crucifixion Source: thegospelcoalition.org (The article linked above contains a dead hyperlink. The link below points to the intended essay.) |
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
I love Spurgeon! Lord, Grant us grace to preach the good old doctrine!
Blog: Pyromaniacs
Post: The Right Kind of Zeal
Post: The Right Kind of Zeal
Identifying Ravenous Wolves in Sheep's Clothing: MacArthur is posting a series.
Rob Bell: a Brother to Embrace, or a Wolf to Avoid?
The Nature of Sin and Its Impact on Our Relationships-- This is important to grasp!
What Sin Desires
By Tim Challies
Created 04/18/2011
There was a time when God walked and talked with the people he created. This must have been an amazing experience for Adam and Eve. But alas, it was a short-lived experience. One evening God came to the garden for his evening stroll and Adam and the woman were nowhere to be found. They had heard the sound of him and they had been terrified. They heard that sound and instead of rushing to him they ran away from him. Clutching fig leaves to themselves, they got among the thickest trees and hid away, trying to get away from God. Their joy had turned to terror, their anticipation to dread.
Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
As a child there were days when I looked forward to my father coming home. He would have been away on a business trip and I knew he would have something for me—a new toy or something good to eat. "Dad's home!" And I'd rush out and hug him and get whisker burn as he rubbed my cheeks with his stubbly face. Then he'd pull something out of his pocket and give it to me. That is a great memory of days long past.
And then there were days when I was terrified when dad came home. Those were the days I had sinned against my mother and she had sent me to my room; she had banished me. "You go to your room and wait until your father gets home!" I remember lying in bed and trying desperately to fall asleep, hoping dad would have pity on his poor, sweet sleeping child. I remember hiding in the closet one time, shrinking to the back of the closet and hiding, knowing that I deserved to be punished for lying to my mother yet again. This is what we do when we sin, when we are afraid of the consequence of our sin. This is what Adam did.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Don't Waste Your Cancer
Recently on Facebook Brenda Corder wrote something like this: I am determined to not waste my cancer! Let us pray that God will pour out grace and strength on her to that end, and let us pray for relief from pain and His healing power in her life. (Radiation and chemo begin for Brenda soon.) Also, there is a fine booklet available entitled "Dont' Waste Your Cancer" at desiringgod.org in the Resources section.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
No Cheap Salvation, quoted from Charles Spurgeon
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. . . not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the priceless blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 1 Peter 1:18-19 "How do you mean to live? With these precious things about you, do you intend to live like a beggar? I mean, will you be sinful, low, groveling, worldly? Oh, rise to your rank, and as you are so ennobled, walk as becomes saints! Is Jesus Christ precious to you? Then serve Him with your best, give Him your precious things, give Him your lives, give Him your substance, give Him all that you have. Do not give the Redeemer your odds and ends, such as you can afford to give without knowing it. Say, 'He died to give me Himself. I will give Him myself in return.' . . . Go and live like those who are rich to all the intents of bliss, and let your cheerful, your godly, your self-denying example be a protest to the unbelieving sons of men that you know the preciousness of Christ." Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Treasury of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, 1950), IV:393. No cheap salvation is a post from: Ray Ortlund |
Desperate for God?
I'm reading David Platt's little book, Radical. Here is a quote that calls us to self-examination: "Think about it. Would you say that your life is marked right now by desperation for the Spirit of God? Would you say that the church you are a part of is characterized by this sense of desperation?"
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
On Proper Fear-- Fear is good for us!
| Fear and the Last Judgment Source: thegospelcoalition.org In the excerpt below, Peter Hitchins (Christopher's brother) explains how God used an artistic interpretation of the Last Judgment to bring him to faith. |  |
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Jonathan Edwards on Heaven
| Heaven Is a World of Love Source: thegospelcoalition.org Most people know Jonathan Edwards as the guy who preached hellfire and brimstone sermons like "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." But fewer realize that the pastor from Northampton, Massachusetts also preached sermons like this one, called "Heaven is a World of Love. |
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Hell and Heaven: I've been thinking a lot about heaven and hell lately because of Rob Bell's challenge to the historic, orthodox, Biblical teaching about them. I was greatly struck with the awfulness of rejecting Christ as I prepared and preached fro
| In the link, meat from Jonathan Edwards on heaven and hell. Today is the anniversary of this great servant of Christ's death in 1758. | |
| Jonathan Edwards on Heaven and Hell Source: thegospelcoalition.org | |
Monday, March 21, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
fyi...
| Panel at Southern Seminary on Thursday Source: thegospelcoalition.org On Thursday, from 2:30-4:00 PM (Eastern), Southern Seminary will be livestreaming, a panel discussion on Rob Bell's Love Wins. |  |
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Popular Pastor, Rob Bell, Cuts and Pastes the Bible: Dr. Mohler's article is a must-read!
We Have Seen All This Before: Rob Bell and the (Re)Emergence of Liberal Theology
In this new book, Rob Bell takes his stand with those who have tried to rescue Christianity from itself. This is a massive tragedy by any measure.
read moreTuesday, March 15, 2011
Do I Thirst for the Living God? I pray that I do and will!
A Panting Prayer
By Tim
Here's a prayer from Scotty Smith, one that really helped me this morning. In it Scotty looks at Psalm 42, where a deer pants for water, and asks God to help us long for him the way David did. As he says, "Thirst will not be denied. We'll do almost anything to satisfy our thirst."
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42:1-2
Loving Jesus, there's no craving more demanding than thirst. It's neither patient nor polite. When we get thirsty, we're usually quick to slake its unrelenting demand, one way or another. Thirst will not be denied. We'll do almost anything to satisfy our thirst.
Because this is true, we join the Psalmist in crying out, "Jesus, intensify our thirst for you. Keep us panting like the deer which pants after streams of water—the unpolluted, undistilled, never-ending brooks of your bounty.
Quickly drain the broken-cisterns of our own making. Don't let us be even momentarily satisfied with any other beverage than the draft you draw, the potion you pour, the life-giving libation you alone can give.
If we take up King David's lament, "When can I go and meet with God?", you answer back, without delay, "Right now, my beloved, do not wait. If you're thirsty, come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:38)
If we should say, "But Jesus, where can we find you?" You answer back even quicker, "Not in the Law; not in your strivings; not in your labors; not in your earnestness; not in your self-loathing's; not in your vain promises, but only in the gospel. Come and fall into the rivers of my love. Stand under the cascading waterfalls of my grace. Open your heart wide to my supply and I will over-fill you with everything you need and more than you want."
Even so and evermore, Jesus, school us well in pant-theology. Fill us afresh than we might be a people to the praise of your glory and grace. So very Amen, we pray, in your all glorious and all generous name.
Source URL: http://www.challies.com/quotes/a-panting-prayer
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Astonished
> Acts 13:12 is so striking! Let us turn it into prayer, shall we? "Lord, please grant that all of us at RBBC will share the gospel of Christ with others. And then, for your glory and the sake of Jesus Christ, may we witness this kind of thing happen-- "Then the proconsul (neighbor, friend, fellow employee or student, relative) believed...for he was astonished a the teaching of the Lord."
Monday, February 28, 2011
An Important Article for Understanding the Surge Toward Same-Sex Marriage
How Did this Happen? Why Same-Sex Marriage Makes Sense to So Many
Same-sex marriage is not an idea that emerged from a vacuum. The project of normalizing homosexuality has deep roots and ideological momentum.
read moreFriday, February 25, 2011
Parents: Engage Your Kids About Sermons
8 Tips for Talking to Your Kids about the Sermon
Source: thegospelcoalition.org
Joe Holland, : Let me introduce you to the most important rule when talking to your kids about the sermon: They retain more than you think they do. The second most important rule is like it: They understand more than you think they do. In the interest of these two truths I'm writing this brief guide on how to talk to your kids about a sermon. Read the whole thing, . HT: Trevin Wax,
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The Definition and Design of Marriage is God's: Please read and pray over Dr. Mohler's article.
A Milestone in the Betrayal of Marriage
The President has made his decision. The Attorney General has now made his announcement. Mark your calendars for yesterday. That day now represents a tragic milestone in the betrayal of marriage.
read moreWednesday, February 23, 2011
Worship and Witness: Ruminations After Last Sunday's Sermon
In the course of my sermon on Feb. 20, near the end, I said something like this (it was not in my notes and I've not listened to get an exact quote): "I-Pads...who gives a rip...people all around us are under God's wrath and need Christ!" Here is what's behind that outburst...
It is not that I-Pads and other electronic tools are bad in and of themselves. Many of these "gadgets" are useful and, yes, cool and fascinating. But they are not worthy of our worship! They are not! Stay with me please...
Here is the danger of I-Pads or sports or cooking or home decor or movies or travel or politics or computer games or other attention-grabbing things. They can be so attractive and fascinating that we find ourselves mentally and even emotionally preoccupied and passionate about them. We worship what (who) we are attracted to, fascinated by,and passionate about, and we talk about (witness) what (who) we worship. Witness flows out of worship.
And true witness flows out of true worship.
All around us there are people who are under God's wrath, spiritually sick, blind and dead, who need to know about the Lord Jesus Christ because He is the gospel! Let's check the pulse of our life of witnessing: Does Christ (or electronics, football, the Oscars, the economy) come up in your conversations often? Let us take time to stir up love for Him, and fascination and passion for Him! Let us abide in the Vine (John 15), nurture our lives in Him by the Scriptures, and seek Him in prayer! Let us remind one another of how stunning God's mercy and grace to us in Christ is! When we are together for gathered worship or ABF or Bible study or LIFE groups or meetings or ministries or meals, let us encourage each other by speaking about Jesus! Let us pray together for lost people, for incoming military personnel and their families, for opportunities to share Christ, and for growing fascination with Him! This coming Sunday, let us all encourage someone with words like this: "Isn't our Lord Jesus great?" Or take someone aside and pray for expansive hearts for Christ's glory and your lives of witness. How does that sound to you?
"O Lord, please work in me so that my attraction to you grows, my fascination with you intensifies, and my passion for you multiplies because you are great, and "in you all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell..." (Col. 1:19). Help me to worship you truly and to bear witness to your greatness and power to give life and save those who are lost. Give me courage to speak of you with conviction and faith. For your great name's sake, and my joy in you, Amen."
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Pray for Our Brother, Said Musa
| Pray for Sayed Musa: Afghan Christian Set to Be Hanged within Days? Source: thegospelcoalition.org The Daily Mall , and others are reporting on Said (or Sayed) Musa. Musa, 45, has been held for eight months in a Kabul prison... |  |
Fight Facebook Addiction with the Sword of God's Word
| Smartphone Apps: Fighting Fire with Fire Source: thegospelcoalition.org John Piper, : Why should we think of the Facebook app threatening the Bible app? Why not the Bible app threatening the Facebook app... |  |
Be Vigilant and Pray
The explosive Arab nations; Christchurch, New Zealand;
Matthew 24:6-8, "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of birth pains."
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Desiring God: Willing God's Will As a Way of Knowing Christ's Word
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/willing-gods-will-as-a-way-of-knowing-christs-word
Please post this sermon:
Agrippa Was Into Self-Exaltation in A Deep and Deadly Way: Let Us Ask God to Give Us Minds, Hearts and Wills to Love God's Glory Above All! (Listening to John Piper's sermon from John 7 on Feb. 13 will bless you. I urge you to take up the applications he pleads for.)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Wisdom for Spiritual Warfare from Jim Elliot
"I think the devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds...Satan is quite aware of the power of silence." -- Jim Elliot
And I (Pastor Carey) was reminded of Psalm 46:10-- "Be still and know that I am God."
Christ is the Gospel!
The Many and the Few
By Tim Challies
This weekend I spent a little bit of time reflecting on a couple of seemingly random books: Michael Horton's Christless Christianity and Rick Warren's The Purpose of Christmas. But they're not random—they are in many ways books that approach an issue from opposite directions.
Throughout his book, Horton emphasizes the importance and transcendence of the gospel message—the pure, undefiled simplicity of the gospel. Warren, on the other hand, obscures that message with talk of purpose and rash generalizations about the nature of a person's relationship with God (though, thankfully, the heart of the gospel message is present despite that obscurity). Over the past couple of days I've found myself pondering the gospel message over and over again and asking myself why it is that this message is so unpopular even in Christian churches and among Christian authors. Why would an author or a pastor seek to soften the message?
I guess there is no great mystery here. Unbelievers hate the gospel message because it insists that things are true about them that they simply do not wish to believe. It insists things are true that they are unable to believe. The gospel message tells us that we are sinners. Many people are able to accept this information; only an incredibly dishonest and delusional person could pretend that he has done no wrong. The gospel message tells us that ultimately we have not sinned against others or against ourselves, but against God. This is more difficult to digest. Few of us care to think that we have sinned against the Creator of the world. The gospel goes on to tell us that our sin against God has offended him and filled him with wrath against us. Fewer people still are able to digest and accept this information. Few people are able to believe that God is justified in his wrath towards those who transgress his laws. But the gospel reaches its ultimate offense when it tells us that we are utterly unable to do anything about all of this. None of our deeds, however noble and good, are able to make the least dent in the debt we owe to God. Furthermore, none of us would pursue any kind of reconciliation with God were it not for his prior action in our hearts. We are, in our heart of hearts, God-haters. Without God's grace we are helpless and hopeless.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
A Helpful, Brief Article About God's Will: May it move you to worship!
A helpful, brief article about God's will: May it move you to worship!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
One More Point from "A Surprise Answer to Prayer"
Dear Rocky Family,
I long for this, that more and more we would delight ourselves in being people of desperate prayer and intercession because God is pleased to work on our behalf when we wait upon Him (Isaiah 64:4)! Last Sunday morning, in my sermon from Acts 11:19-30, I said that the church's reaction to life-and-death circumstances (James martyred and Peter in Peter awaiting execution) was EARNEST PRAYER.
For the sake of time I did not say this: By all means let us be a church who prays during dire times for us, but let us DO ALL OF LIFE BY PRAYER. Two reasons for this: 1. Because at any given time around the globe, life and death realities are happening among the body of Christ (for example, the persecuted church) with whom we are one in Jesus, and because at any given time loved ones in our fellowship are facing hard, deep struggles like cancer and broken hearts, and because we are all engaged in kingdom living for which we need God's power; and 2. Because we cannot do anything apart from Him (John 15:5). As branches in the Vine, who is Christ, prayer connects us to Him and the vitality of His life in us.
The Lord calls us to this praying life? Are we there yet?
Thursday, February 3, 2011
May We Care about All Suffering, Especially Eternal Suffering!
Please read and pray over these words from John Piper's sermon, asking God to impact you and RBBC with urgency for suffering people.
http://takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com/2011/02/piper-care-about-all-suffering-now.html
http://takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com/2011/02/piper-care-about-all-suffering-now.html
"Read, Grieve, Act"-- This article is another followup to Jan. 23rd sermon.
Southern President R. Albert Mohler Jr. interacts with an article in Ms. Magazine in his Thursday blog post, "Moral Collapse at Ms. Magazine — Sex-Selection Abortion as a 'Problem'." Mohler points out the inconsistencies of the brashly pro-choice magazine's apparent distress concerning the large number of girls aborted in India, amounting to gender-selection infanticide. He writes:
The article points with hope to a campaign led by the government. "Save the Girl Child" is an effort to "save girls." How? By addressing the morality of abortion? Of course not. Instead, the campaign will include fashion shows, special birthday cards for girls, doctors who will argue against sex-selection abortions, and "government schemes offering cash incentives to families to raise girls."
Read the full article in Dr. Mohler's blog.
How To Pray for Egypt
| How to Pray for Egypt Today: An Insider's Report Source: thegospelcoalition.org Ramez Atallah serves as general secretary of the Bible Society of Egypt. Asking for ongoing prayers, he sent this report today when internet access was restored to the nation in turmoil. |  |
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
To Grow in Sanctification and Holiness, Focus on Jesus!
| As we at RBBC focus on going hard after Jesus as worshipers, Word people, one another people, witnesses, and waiting (praying) people! This article contains a great, encouraging truth-- "take ten looks at Christ." | |
| The Gospel Key to Pursuing Personal Holiness Source: thegospelcoalition.org | |
Reflecting on Sunday Night’s Convocation
Thank you to all who participated in the Sunday evening Convocation, Concert of Prayer and Commitment Time on January 30. In reflecting on the precious time I was reminded of a book I have heard a lot about entitled Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, by Dr. David Platt, the pastor of Brook Hills Church in Birmingham, AL. (I have not yet read the entire book but Rynette and I heard David preach at the SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL last summer, and I greatly appreciated his handling of the Scriptures and his passion for the Lord Jesus.)
The message of David’s book is not new—The Lord Jesus calls His disciples to all-out commitment to Him. His burden is that many American Christians have absorbed a diluted gospel message and His plea to the church is plain: “I implore you to consider the urgent need before us to forsake the American dream now in favor of radical abandonment to the person and person of Christ.”
By its very nature, biblical discipleship is radical and in a sense it is unfortunate that Pastor Platt had to use the word “radical” to call believers back to obeying Christ’s call on our lives. May the Holy Spirit move in our churches so that “radical” discipleship is not seen as strange or odd or abnormal. Rather, may we embrace “radical” obedience to the Lord as normal—and not only normal but joyful! I say “joyful” because Jesus said it: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:10-11)
Now let me tie this back to the January 30 Convocation, a time when we focused on what the Lord calls to be about as His people. There are five “callings” for disciples of which we were reminded and I asked that each of us reflect, seek the Lord and make commitments to Him regarding each one. May it be that each of us will pursue our joy in Jesus so that “radical” commitment to Him will become more and more “normal”, for the glory of God, the exaltation of Christ’s name, the spread of the gospel, and the love and growth of our church!
Here are the five callings we zeroed in on:
- You and I are called to be worshippers (Heb. 10:19-25; Rom. 12:1-2). How are we doing in gathered worship and whole life (24/7) worship? Suggested commitments: Intentionally draw near to God in worship gatherings; prepare to worship; pray for worship times in our church; offer yourself and everything about your life to Him in worship, daily.
- You and I are called to be Word of God people (Deut. 32:46-47; Col. 3:16-17). How are we doing? Do we know the Word and cherish it? Growing in it? Living on it? What commitments can you make to grow in the knowledge of God’s Word?
- You and I are called to be “one another” people who love other (1 John 4:7-12) . How are we doing? Are we too busy to be involved meaningfully in the lives of others, believers and non-believers? Suggested commitments: Join an ABF, LIFE group, or Bible study; get involved on a ministry team; deliberately move toward people you don’t know at worship services; include someone in your “household of faith”.
- You and I are called to be witnesses for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:6-8). How are we doing? Are we intentionally representing and speaking for Christ with lost people? Are we building bridges into their lives, showing them care and interest? Possible commitments: Pray for your Romans 10:1 list of five lost people; watch for and take up opportunities to meet and invite new military personnel to our church; take courage; invite at least one person or family to RBBC every two months; get involved in “Three Crosses”, our all-church Resurrection outreach and celebration.
- You and I are called to be those who pray and wait on the Lord (Isaiah 64:1-4; 40:28-32). How are we doing? Do you pray with others? Spouse? Family? Are you regularly praying for our church and with others in our church? Suggested commitments: Begin praying together with others; ask God to grant healthy desperation (John 15:5); ask God for great big things that only He can do.
A Caution about Sancitifcation
As we take to heart refreshment in obedience to Jesus Christ, let us take care that we not fall into thinking that somehow our salvation is by grace alone through Christ along by faith alone, but our obedience and sanctification are all up to us. Not true! Philippians 2:12-13 is so important! “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
And here is a helpful quote from Dr. Sinclair Ferguson: “…We must never separate the benefits (regeneration, justification, sanctification) from the Benefactor (Jesus Christ).”
So let us keep looking to Jesus, loving Jesus, magnifying Jesus, and following Jesus because He is our salvation and God is at work in us!
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