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 moreMonday, February 28, 2011
Friday, 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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