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Paul Tripp on Parenting

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On Sunday AMs, I’m teaching Paul Tripp’s Getting To the Heart of Parenting (75% off at WTS Books for a season). Yesterday, Tripp posted an article on parenting entitled The Joyful Impossibility. He mentions 2 things he learned one evening that changed the experience of parenting for him:

1. I faced the fact that I had no ability whatsoever to change my children.
2. I faced the fact that in order to be a tool of grace, I desperately needed grace myself.

Read the article and be reminded of these things yourself.

Prayer and the Gospel

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Great word from Tim Keller on prayer and the Gospel:

One of the most basic things that the gospel does is change prayer from mere petition to fellowship and the praise of his glory. Galatians 4:6-7 teaches us that when we believe the gospel, we not only become God’s children legally, but we receive the Spirit in order to experience our sonship. The Spirit leads us to call out passionately to God as our tender and loving Father. The Spirit calls out ‘Abba’ (4:7). In the very next verse Paul refers to this experience as “knowing God” (4:8). We do not just know and believe that God is holy and loving, but we actually experience contact with his holiness and his love in personal communion with him.

I don’t know if your prayer life reflects this reality or not, but may you look to the Gospel again and find that God loves you in spite of who you are. Run to Him as your Father.

Weekend Recap – Prayer, Following and Missions

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Yesterday AM’s sermon, Wordy Prayer, from Jesus’ words on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:7-8) is now online. Basically, I understand Jesus encouraging us to not get too hung up on the content or linguistical make-up of the prayers. Many were encouraged that I formed a new word during the sermon “cakeness”. At any rate, hopefully the sermon helps people to go hard after the Father Himself in prayer.

In the evening, we continued our work through Thabiti’s What Is a Healthy Church Member? (IX Marks). My group had great discussion on chapter 9: a church member is a humble follower.

Finally, our weekend at Crestview included a visit from missionaries we support in Brazil. The Bacheller Family visited us and updated on their current ministry. We enjoyed good fellowship with them for the entire weekend and many in our church had the privilege of hosting them for a meal. Thanks to all in the church who made this a possibility.

Gospel Centered…

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Here’s a helpful post from Tim Challies answering the question:

I was hoping for some guidance on something. I am looking for books about being ‘Gospel-Centered.’ I know that is a buzzword nowadays and it is really intriguing to me. I am a long-time Christian, but am new to this Gospel-Centered idea. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jesus and Scripture and the Gospel, but I’ve never really heard or really understand the Gospel-Centered.

. Check out the post to read what he wrote about living Gospel-Centered.

Passion 2011

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If you haven’t logged in and checked out the Passion 2011 conference live, you must. Here’s the link:

Passion 2011 Live

You listen to talks by Louie Giglio, Francis Chan, Andy Stanley, Beth Moore and others. Enjoy.

Weekend Recap – Hypocritical Prayer

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Yesterday’s sermon, Hypocritical Prayer, from Matthew 6:5-6 is now online. This sermon helped kick off our Week of Prayer. As a church, our elders have devoted a week to turn and look to God, expressing our dependence on Him. This sermon also started a series of about 7 sermons on Jesus’ words on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, so it was a great day.

The sermon showed the rewards of hypocritical prayer and the rewards of secret prayer. What was staggering to me is that God promises that when we go to Him in secret prayer He will be there. He will reward. I hope you can listen to this and find the confidence to go to Him in prayer.