From One Degree to Another

Phil Auxier's Blog

Connect

Weekend Recap – Haters Gonna Hate

by

My 8/21/16AM sermon at Crestview Bible Church is now online.  This sermon continued our series out of the Gospel of John, focusing in on John 11:55-12:19.  I was intrigued by the sinister motives that emerged in this section that kept people from following Jesus.  Things like religious zeal, love of money, being threatened, and jealous envy can easily distract us from Jesus.  I summarized this in the title of the sermon: Haters Gonna Hate.  I hope it encourages you.

Gospel Friday – Believe?

by

rezandlife-believe

I’m still amazed at the passage we studied this past Sunday, Jesus being the Resurrection and the Life.  But, it’s not enough that He’s who He is.  What’s your response to this?  Do you believe this?

Today, if you are clinging to Jesus alone by faith, then death has no hold on you.  In fact, because of Jesus you know life now and will know life for eternity.  Place your faith in Jesus.

Gospel Eldership

by

gospel_eldershipI’m being helped and want to recommend the book Gospel Eldership by Bob Thune to you.  Having worked through rewriting bylaws nearly 12 years ago and continuing to look for material that serves our Elders well, I’ve continue to look for resources that help us.  I love the vision found in this book.  So, here are some quick things I enjoy and am helped by in this:

  1. Everything is rooted in Gospel realities.  Whether it’s character qualifications or the work that an Elder is to do, many of us are very aware of how we don’t measure up to this high calling.  Thune takes us to Gospel truth and this is encouraging.
  2. The outline is simple.  The book lays out as character and work.  So, there are few helpful chapters on what an elder is to BE, followed by what an elder is to DO.  I like the simplicity of the approach.
  3. The book comes with many exercises designed to get groups talking.  One of the exercises requires that you speak with your spouse about an item and they have to sign that the conversation took place.  Many times, thinking about things like this can become an “out-there” discussion.  But, these exercises keep the learning in our hearts.
  4. It’s easy used with a group.  I’m using it to meet with a small group of men and talk about the elder’s life and work.  The book is helpful.
  5. There’s a chapter on “Mission.”  I’m preparing to write on this in another post, but much of ministry builds into maintenance type work.  But, Elders have to be relentlessly focused on mission.  This curriculum includes this in the elder’s work.  This is helpful to me, challenging, and a healthy vision for the future work of the church.

So, for these reasons, among others, I’m happy to recommend Gospel Eldership to you.

 

Weekend Preview – Hate, Hearts

by

heartexposureThis coming Sunday, I’m preaching John 11:55-12:19 and calling the sermon Haters Gonna Hate.  There are all kinds of sinister motives revealed in this passage.  I think the way this will most help us is revealing all the motives that lie in our hearts, keeping us from following Jesus the way He deserves.

There are things like misguided passions, love of money, the world’s resistance, and jealousy that cloud what a pure following of Jesus might look like.

So, would you pray that God would search you and know your heart, try you and know your thoughts, to see if there is any wicked way in you, and lead you in the way everlasting.  We’re headed here this Sunday.

Psalm 23 Recap

by

We are wrapping up 6 weeks of memorizing Psalm 23 at Crestview this week.  My hope is that some people have chosen to try to memorize that (some for the first time).  Memorization of passages of Scripture like this is helpful because 1) it promotes meditation, 2) encourages us to not sin against God, 3) will be with us to comfort or convict, and 4) allows us to access God’s Word on demand.

We encouraged memorizing this using Stuart Townend’s song, The Lord’s My Shepherd.

The super-talented Elizabeth Wood also created a print for free download.

Psalm+23

Finally, we’re all probably aware of how Psalm 23 encourages us in the here and now as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  Elyse Fitzpatrick drew my attention (in her new book Home) to how this relates to a more eternal perspective.  Consider how she directs us to think of Psalm 23:1-3:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want [there, in the age to come]

He makes me lie down in green pastures [in the New Jerusalem]

He leads me beside still waters [of the River of the Water of Life]

He restores my soul [feeding me from the Tree of Life]

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake [so that I will worship him forever].

(accessed the Kindle edition, locations 2261-2266)

I hope you’ve enjoyed our work in Psalm 23.

 

Gospel Friday – But God…

by

butGod

This coming Sunday, we’ll be thinking about someone who was dead…but God.

Today, if you’re trusting in Jesus, you were dead…

But God, rich in mercy, with great love, even when we were dead, made us alive together with Christ.

Pray Him today for His awakening work of grace in your life.

Political Zeal and Biblical Revival

by

donttreadonme

On my study leave last week, I was digging into Iain Murray’s Revival and Revivalism.  In the chapter chronicling the history of revival entitled Glory In Virginia, these two concepts leapt out at me:

“There seem to have been no areas where there was general revival during the years of the War of Independence, from 1775 to 1783.  In most of the country there was evident spiritual decline as political and military events dominated public attention” (p.74)

And, then a little further toward the end of the chapter:

“As we see in the time of Edwards, Whitfield, and Davies, one mark of an outpouring of the Spirit of God is the presence of a stronger catholicity of spirit among believers.  Only when churches put adherence to Christ first can the world begin to recognize the real identity of those who bear his name” (p.88)

Get it?  If we really want God to move in these days, the answer isn’t getting our person in the White House and laboring with all our might to that end.  No.  It’s, to use the words of Murray, adhering to Christ alone and being consumed with Him, not military or political prowess, that brings the revival so many of us long for.  I’m not calling you to disengage.  I’m pleading with you to engage and make Christ supreme in your affections.  And, may God bring revival again in these days.

Weekend Preview – Lazarus

by

lazarus

This coming Sunday (Lord willing), we’ll continue our study in the Gospel of John at Crestview.  In particular, I’ll be preaching on John 11:1-54 and the revelation of Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life through the healing of Lazarus.

Some thoughts:

  1. I’m reminded of Tony Evans who said, “If Jesus hadn’t said Lazarus, come forth, all the dead would have come forth.”
  2. Carman.  Lazarus Come Forth.

 

Or, 3. if Carman is too much, here’s Greater Vision with their Southern Gospel hit, My Name is Lazarus.

Hope you enjoy these and come ready to see Jesus’s glory revealed in this amazing healing.

Retreat to Plan

by

Last week, I was freed up from my responsibilities at home (thanks, Meg 🙂 to get away and consider life, ministry, and long-term direction.  I know it comes as a surprise to some of you, but making plans for an organization like a local church doesn’t come by simple planning or simply getting strategic goals lined up with direction.  For me, I need lots of time unhurried to pray, think, reflect, and seek God.  While I’m perfectly happy to chart a course for a local church, this overestimates my ability to my (and the church’s) peril.

Jesus, in John 15, said that He’s the vine, we are the branches.  If we abide in Him and He abides in us, we will bear much fruit, for apart from Him, WE CAN DO NOTHING.  Get that?  It’s not about me, the Elders, or even what our local body believes we can do.  Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.  And, His plans for the church comes as we abide in Him.  His plans for the church emerge as we consistently abide in Him.

So, I’ve been blessed with this time to plan.  What emerged out this?  Well, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I need to preaching on and what book I need to spend time preaching.  I considered where we are as a church and how that lines up with the Master’s plan for His church.  I’m stirred to action to see what needs to happen before the end of the year or even in the coming year.  And, in light of all this, I realized that apart from Him I can do nothing.

I say all this to encourage you.  Are you abiding in Jesus?  This is where fruitfulness begins.  Whether you’re a pastor or someone charting a course for this next season of your life and work, begin with abiding in Jesus.  Fruitfulness and enablement will happen through this season — at least that’s what Jesus says.