From One Degree to Another

Phil Auxier's Blog

Connect

Gospel Friday – Faith and Abraham

by

There’s amazing news throughout the Bible.  And, one of the lines we could travel would be the see how God worked through His Word to show us the amazing salvation we enjoy.  God promised Abraham that in him, all the nations of the world would be blessed.  And, today, those of us who believe are blessed because we have the same kind of faith that Abraham had: he believed God and God counted him as righteous.

Today, rest in Christ and bank all your hope in Him.  And you will be among the blessed.

Weekend Preview – India Connections this Sunday

by

As I write, we’re very close to wrapping up our 2017 Vacation Bible School.  We’ve had an amazing week with many people serving, looking beyond themselves, and working for the service of others.  We are planning on gathering for worship this coming Sunday.

At 9AM, Luke will be giving a formal report of some of the work God’s been up to in India.  Our children will be exploring God’s global work during Tide Travelers.

At 10:15AM, we’ll have corporate worship, taking the Lord’s Supper together.  Vivek will be preaching Galatians 3:10-14 and helping give us assurance from God’s Word.

We’ll enjoy a Noon Meal together and then have some prayer time for our India connections.

I hope you’ll join us this coming Sunday, 6/25.

Some Chick-Fil-A Hacks

by

Learned a new one today, so thought I’d share a few things that help me…

  1. Chick-Fil-A sauce.  If you’re not dipping your fries (or anything else) in this delicious goodness, then today’s the day to begin.
  2. The Chick-Fil-A app.  I scan this every purchase.  They give you free stuff for signing up and continue to offer you goodies (when you purchase, when a new product is released, etc.).
  3. Ice Cream.  Yes, I have young kids. Today, I learned that if you don’t want the book they include in the kid’s meals, you can exchange it for a free ice cream.
  4. Free Breakfast.  The local Chick-Fil-A (and others I’m aware of) offer a free breakfast sandwich per customer one day a week.  I learn about these deals by “liking” our local store’s Facebook page.

Those are just a few that I like.  What do you know about that I don’t?  Please share.

Book Review – Tony Reinke’s 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You

by

I loved Tony Reinke’s latest book 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You.  I suppose I should give a caveat or two.  I loved the content and really everything about this book, but it was very convicting.  Some quick things I would point out:

  • This book includes a theology of technology.  Now this might not readily appeal to you.  But, knowing how what we believe about God and how that relates to technology is an invaluable help to those who want to follow Christ and live in this day and age.
  • The book’s title suggests something obvious (and easily ignored): your phone is changing you. When thinking about an elder or deacon when it comes to money I’ve often asked, do you master your money? or does your money master you?  In today’s day and age, we must come to terms with this: do you master your phone/technology?  or does your phone/technology master you?  And, I think this book is a good starting point to gaze on our hearts when it comes to these questions.
  • My favorite part of the book was a middle section called “Calling All Artists.”  This section helped frame some categories and ways of thinking for those of us who are working in content creation.  There were warnings, cautions, and even probing questions dealing with how we wield digital words in ways that honor God. I needed this section and continue to think about it often.
  • Tony’s writing style will serve you well.  How could I put it?  He’s the right mix of technical information (on a subject like technology in this case) and practicality.  He takes it to places that help you think through what it might mean for you.  And, on the other hand, many readers will probably want him to go further or lighter than he did.  It’s a delicate balance that I feel he’s successfully achieved: the right amount of technical content fused with Biblical, God-consumed, heart-wrenching application.
  • The vision of this book, to take our use of phones out for a spin and consider how this activity might help or hinder our love of God and neighbor, is achieved.  I love reading books that don’t major on minors.  And, Tony is consumed with the majors (loving God and neighbor) to such a degree that the reader is nurtured to green pastures of living.  There’s such practicality dripping on every page too, like questions to ask before you tweet something or interacting with whether or not we confornt sin online.
  • Recently, I’ve encouraged those who want to nurture hearts that are fixed on things above and not on earthly things (Colossians 3:1-4) to think through their use of phones/technology and recommended this as a tool.  We underestimate the influence these things have on us to our detriment.  Like Tony, I’m not necessarily recommending that you ditch your phone.  However, we have some sort of belief or way of thinking about these techonological benefits we enjoy.

So, I’d recommend this book to you.  For the sake of your soul, your family, and your future, please consider these things.  You can take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  As Tony said at the end, “our greatest need in the digital age is to behold the glory of the unseen Christ in the faint blue glow of our pixelated Bibles, by faith” (p.210).  So, may God grant this.

(Tony has also posted some additional feature articles related to the book’s content, so check those out.)

Book Review – ESV Devotional Psalter

by

This past Spring, Crossway released the Devotional Psalter.  I love reading the Psalms everyday.  In seminary, Don Whitney taught me a method of finding the Psalms of the Day (take today’s date and add 30 to it 4x to find the Psalms of the Day, today’s Psalms of the Day would be 19, 49, 79, 109, and 139).  Then, I would take one of those Psalms and read it, using it as a springboard for prayer and helping my heart prepare for the day.

The layout of the text in this volume is splended.  Nice margins, spacing, and typeface help the reader feel like they are a part of something that is special, which is certainly the case when we’re in the Psalms.

But, the reality is that sometimes I’m reading along and the light doesn’t come on very quickly.  While the devotional psalter has an amazing text layout, it also includes a brief devotion to help foster devotional insights, often with a view toward Christ.  Time and again as I’ve used this recently, I’ve been helped by these short content pieces.  Here’s an example of what this looks like on the page:

I was also helped by the video intro from Dane Ortlund:

 

I’d encourage you to grab the Devotional Psalter, especially for your devotions, as a way to warm the affections of your heart around truths that point to Christ and draw you out to worship the One who made you.

 

Paul Tripp on Father’s Day 2017

by

I love the consistent Biblical counsel of Paul Tripp.  Yesterday, he posted a video and communicated this encouraging message.  I hope it encourages you.

My dad did a great job of imparting some everyday skills, but he didn’t prepare me for the weightier things of life. I would characterize that as relationship with God and relationships with people.

I think one of the best ways to prepare your son or daughter for life is to help them as early as possible to be enthralled with the stunning glory and grace of God. Talk about God all the time; blow their mind with the glory of God.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities. If you’re building something, stop and talk about the grain of wood. Talk about how beautiful wood is, and how that beauty came out of the mind of God. If you’re nailing something, talk about the force of a hammer and all the physics that goes on there that came out of the mind of God.

If you’re fishing, remind your child of how different a trout looks from a bass. Tell them that that came out of the mind of God. As you’re watching the sun set, talk about the God who rules the day and the night.

This is the Father’s world. This is God’s world; this world is meant to point to him. Your son and daughter may not see Him; there’s a good possibility that they won’t. But the more your child is enthralled with God, the more likely they will be to give themselves to Him.

What could be more important than that?

Then there’s the second great command – love of others.

Human relationships are hard; love is hard. But listen, love is hard not because I’m surrounded by creepy people. Love is hard because of what’s inside of my heart. I’m judgmental. I’m critical. I’m unforgiving. I’m proud. I’m competitive. I’m greedy. I’m envious. All of those are anti-social instincts.

I wish I had a dad who said to me, “Son, you’re going to be leaving this home, you’re going to be building relationships, and the greatest danger to those relationships is you. There are some things inside of you that God desires to help you with, that God sent His Son to rescue you from. And the more you face those, the more you’ll become a person of love, and the more you become a person of love, the more you’ll live a life of blessing.”

I never had those conversations with my father. Oh, I learned a lot of helpful skills. But in many ways, I didn’t know myself, and I wasn’t filled with the awe of God, in the way that would have so much better prepared me for life.

Weekend Recap – Faith Beats Law

by

Was privileged to enjoy my friend Luke filling the pulpit for me on Sunday, 6/18.  He preached in our church’s Galatians series out of Galatians 3:1-9.  The sermon was entitled Faith Beats Law.  The big idea was unpacking two conclusive arguments for why faith beats law-keeping as a way to find salvation.  It was a refreshing sermon and delivered with Luke’s wit and zeal.  I hope you take advantage of the free audio and enjoy.

Weekend Preview – Father’s Day / VBS

by

We’re making plans right now for the big day we have planned at Crestview on Sunday, June 18 (that’s tomorrow).  It’s Father’s Day.  And, if you’re a father reading this, how about leading out in serving your family these next 24 hours rather than looking for appreciation (but I digress).  For Father’s Day at Crestview, we’ll be having a baby dedication.

During Sunday School, Vivek Jones will be teaching adults and students using the Habits of the Heart book, teaching 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 on lifework.

During Worship, on top of the baby dedication, Luke will be preaching Galatians 3:1-9 on another installment of how faith is preferrable to law-keeping.

In the evening, we’ll begin VBS (6:30pm-8:30pm).  Register here.  We’re looking forward to having an opportunity to serve families and children.

Looking forward to a big day.

Gospel Friday – United To Christ

by

It’s Friday.  Slow down.  Breathe deep.  And think of this: if you believe in Jesus, then it’s not you living today but Christ living in you.  So, as my friend Jared Wilson says, let’s pray that Jesus would be big in us.  Christ lives in you.

On Sharing My Faith

by

I recently went door to door helping others hear about Jesus.  I grew up in a tradition that placed this as one of the highest of Christian virtues, but for the past few years had neglected this practice for a variety of reasons.  I know all the criticisms of this: people won’t listen, this is outdated, you’re wasting your time, relationships should be the priority.  But, I went (thanks to the prodding of a good friend).  Here’s a few things I learned:

  1. There are people who will listen.  I just went to one city block and spent an hour and a half.  While there were many who didn’t want any part of what we were about, there were four people who listened, gave us an opportunity to pray for/with them, and invested their time.  That was encouraging.
  2. All people in my town don’t go to church.  It seems shocking because so much of the culture of where I live is rooted in hard-working, moralistic, and doing good to one another.  But, there were people who didn’t have any connection to church and, in deeper ways, didn’t know much of the life that could be there’s because of Jesus.
  3. This practice helped fire my prayer and my worship.  My desperation for God to work and be with me increased.  My love for God in the Sunday morning gathering was affected.  The air was crisper, the fellowship deeper, the singing more glorious, all because I took and opportunity to share what God’s done in my life.
  4. This exercise encouraged people in my body.  I got comments like “that’s inspiring” and “can you teach me how to do this.”  It was a reminder that local church practices of leadership engage others.  How I live matters in the life of the people God’s entrusted to me.  In fact, God’s wired it to work that way.  Pastors who are just pastors in name only are not only not living up to their calling, but they’re failing to give people direction for living.  I recognize my weakness to live what I believe before and with the people now more than ever.

So, I know this may create more questions than it provides answers.  If you’re wondering what I shared it was simply this: the good news for all the world is that even though we’ve messed everything up (and continue to), God has remedied the mess of this world by sending His Son to live the perfect life we can’t, die in the place of sinners, rise so that they can be right with Him, and live.  Now, by banking all of our hopes and dreams in Jesus, we can really live and glorify God with our lives.  I hope this short post encourages you to engage your faith for the good of others.