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Gospel Friday – Do You Really Need The Gospel?

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Every Friday I try to post something related to Gospel centrality.  And, I was thinking this AM about how little I really “feel” my need of the Gospel.  Sure, press me objectively and I realize that as a sinner, I am separated from God and without hope apart from Christ.  But, subjectively, I thought I did pretty well this morning on my own.  And, this is a particularly frightening thing to me. 

You see the reality is that I am a sinner.  In preparation for Sunday’s sermon on Hebrews 4:12-13, it was intriguing to see the way God’s Word is so effective at cutting through the surface to the real, substantial issues of the heart.  Furthermore, God’s Word will render us guilty as we stand before God someday.  I need to be one who enters God’s rest not because I pulled my bootstraps up and finally got with the program.  I need to enter God’s rest by ceasing from my works (Hebrews 4:10).  Therefore, today, in those moments you don’t feel your need of the Gospel, take a moment, pause, and consider your soul.  The reality is that you need the Gospel far more than you let on…

Three For Thursday – Some Links I’ve Recently Found Helpful…

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ESV, the Bible translation our church uses,recently had a post on how to they are capitalizing on the digital craze. If you have an e-reader, they offer the Bible free there and have apps for Android, IPhone and IPad.

If you would like to read some great encouragement for children’s ministry, our elders have been greatly helped by Yancey Arrington’s Gospel Centered Curriculum for Children.

Related to that, this Fall, we are heading a bit of a different direction on Wednesday nights with our children and will be using a new curriculum called God’s Story. One feature I especially appreciate is what they call the Emmaus Moment each week, so that no matter where you are in the Bible, you can relate that back to Jesus (much like Jesus did on the Emmaus Road with His disciples). We’re excited about the Gospel-centrality that may emerge in the lives of children through this.

Thoughts on Affirmation in Marriage…

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…from Sam Crabtree, ala the Biblical Counseling Coalition blog:

BCC: “What does affirmation practically look like in a marriage? Parenting?”

SC: “Spot any aspect of Christlikeness in your family member—honesty, patience, diligence, creativity, endurance, faithfulness (there are easily dozens of such commendable qualities)—and then say something like, ‘God is developing the beautiful quality of (hospitality, generosity, orderliness, etc.) in you. I want to be like you as you are becoming like God in that way.’ It’s that simple. But such brief conversations inject immeasurable freshness and encouragement into relationships, while God gets praised for being the Source of such good things.”

So…are you using your words to draw attention to Christ in your family? Good thought, indeed.

Weekend Preview – Word, Rest, Today, Etc…

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Now that we are through the July 4th weekend, we will return, Lord-willing, this coming Lord’s Day to working through the book of Hebrews, specifically dealing with Hebrews 4:12-13, possibly one of the most familiar verses in the book of Hebrews.

It wasn’t until I was studying this fresh again for this sermon, that I think I finally realized the importance of these two verses in context. Sure, we’ve used these verses (especially in Bible church contexts) to justify (rightly!) the centrality of God’s Word. However, the writer of Hebrews isn’t writing to give a mere apologetic for the importance of the Scriptures. He’s writing to help us persevere in the Gospel.

Remember 4:12-13 comes at the conclusion of the entirety of chapters 3 and 4. What we saw in those chapters was the need to not be like the children of Israel, disbelieving God’s good promises and failing to enter His rest, failing to have a faith that persevered when tested. Thus, the writer of Hebrews urged us to hold onto the confidence we had at the first. He urged us to not let go of the Gospel and to hold onto Jesus as the core foundation of our faith.

In this sense, then, He reminds us “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” God is able to discern whether or not we are listening to the clear message He has spoken firmly and finally in His Son. This is the call of Hebrews 4. It has far-reaching ramifications and applications. Today, then, if you hear His voice, don’t harden your heart, but believe. His Word will expose your heart, therefore, cling to Jesus as your hope.

Weekend Recap – On Sin

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Yesterday’s sermon, On Sin, from Hebrews 3:12-13 is now online. In that sermon, I tried to unfold how having believing hearts nurtured in the Gospel equip us to be aware of sin’s schemes and fight it together in community.

We had an amazing morning of worship, too. I’m really grateful for the musicians and singers who use their gifts to bless us week in and week out.

Weekend Recap – Vacation…

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Well, it’s the Monday AM of our vacation. We had a great weekend worshipping at Grace Church of Ovilla. Sunday afternoon, we headed to the Dallas World Aquarium. Then, for supper, ate downtown at the Spaghetti Warehouse.

Back home at Crestview, we were served by Mickey Zimmerman from Grace Baptist in Manhattan. I was excited about his sermon on justification from Romans 3. Will get that on the web as soon as I return.

At any rate, being on vacation reminded me that it is a time to guard our hearts. I remember John Piper saying in a sermon (out of Hebrews on drifting) that “Vacation is a dangerous time for John Piper.” He was suggesting this was due to the fact that he wasn’t in the Word as consistently and was out of the normal loops of accountability with the people of the church. I feel this, too, in my soul. So, I continue to fight sin so that even on vacation, I can live to glorify and enjoy God.

Hope you had a great weekend and experienced the Lord’s favor in corporate worship.