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Gospel Friday – You Are Free

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I loved this thought from the March 5 devotional from Jack Miller (in Saving Grace: Daily Devotions from Jack Miller) –

Christ has set us free from the chains of the law. But we have the tendency to create new circumcisions—new rules, new duties. We become burdened with obligations. Are you trying to fulfill your obligations by heading back to slavery, back to Mount Sinai, back to that place of no mercy? Remember it is all or nothing. If you put yourself under obligation to one part of the law, then you are responsible for keeping the whole law. You can’t have justification by faith in Jesus Christ plus something else. You might think that you believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone, but think about the obligations you are burdened by. Think about how you unconsciously live as if the fulfillment of your Christian responsibilities earns you God’s favor. Almost anything can become a new circumcision: your approach to tithing, your Christian duties, an orderly home, and the list goes on. Think about what drives you. Do you live under the law at Mount Sinai or have you joined the celebration of the justified on Mount Zion? Remember, for the believer, the judgment day has come and gone. God has set you free to be his own dear child!

Miller, C. John. Saving Grace: Daily Devotions from Jack Miller (p. 65). New Growth Press. Kindle Edition.

Pray – You’re Welcomed In

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Ray Ortlund of Immanuel Nashville wrapped up a recent sermon on prayer in this way:

Centuries ago a man named John Bunyan – he wrote a classic called The Pilgrim’s Progress – wrote a book about how sincerely Jesus welcomes us in, as we pray.  I’ve taken something from Bunyan’s book and adapted it to us today, to help us get past our reservations and pray. In fact, you are going to announce this gospel to me, answering my objections to prayer. But I am guessing you can identify with every objection I raise here:

Leader: I have strong reasons not to pray.

All: But Jesus says, “I will never cast you out.”

Leader: I am a serious sinner.

All: But Jesus says, “I will never cast you out.”

Leader: I’ve been sinning for 69 years.

All: But Jesus says, “I will never cast you out.”

Leader: My heart can be as hard as stone.

All: But Jesus says, “I will never cast you out.”

Leader: With every step forward, I take another step back.

All: But Jesus says, “I will never cast you out.”

Leader: Sometimes, the way I act, I might as well be serving Satan.

All: But Jesus says, “I will never cast you out.”

Leader: I sin when I even know better.

All: But Jesus says, “I will never cast you out.”

Leader: I might respond to your mercy with more sin.

All: But Jesus says, “I will never cast you out.”

Leader: I have nothing to offer but my failure and mess.

All: But Jesus says, “I will never cast you out.”

Leader: Okay, Lord. Count me in, if you will never cast me out!

All: We all say, “He will never cast us out!”

 

Jesus will never cast us out. Can we lay down our excuses and together, at the throne of grace, make prayer the center of Immanuel Church here in 2019?

Early January 2019 Recap

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I’ve enjoyed a great start to 2019 by being helped by fellow elders at Crestview.

On Sunday, January 6, Tom Dixon preached on Prayer: Simple, Difficult, Complex to kick off Crestview’s 2019 Week of Prayer.  This past year was one of pretty amazing growth for Tom in this area.  I asked him to share this with the congregation and there were many points of help he gave.  We spent a good part of the week coming together in prayer.

On Sunday, January 13, Bob Guthrie preached on being With the Word in the Word.  Simply put, Bob was sharing wisdom with the body about how having a daily quiet time is helpful for our long term growth.

I know many at Crestview have communicated with me about how meaningful these talks were.  I hope they’re encouraging to you, too.

Advent 2018 Recap

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As we turn our attention to the New Year, I wanted to do a post to wrap up what we studied as a church in the most recent Advent season.  Beginning November 25, I did a short series looking at Luke 1-2.  The theme was Possible With God.  Here are links to all the sermons:

November 25 – Humility: Possible with God

December 2 – Maturity: Possible with God

December 9 – Jesus’ Birth: Possible with God

December 16 – Forever King: Possible with God

December 23 – Good News: Possible with God

 

On Decmeber 30, I did a sermon Reviewing 2018, which summarized all the sermons I’ve done in 2018.   I hope you enjoy these sermons and they help kindle a desire to pursue God in 2019.  Blessings.

How Great Thou Art – Christmas Edition

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Many of us love the hymn How Great Thou Art.  For this year’s advent season, I wrote an additional verse to include.  I’ll include it where I think it would fit best in the original…

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the *worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the *rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:

Refrain:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art! How great thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

My addional verse:

Consider this: that God the Son eternal,
Came down to earth, becoming man for all,
Angels announced and shepherds marveled greatly,
Our God with us, good news of peace entralls.

And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then *I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, My God, how great thou art!


I hope you enjoy and are helped to magnify our Great God with this addition.

Weekend Recap – Forever King

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I had a quick opportunity to wrap yesterday’s amazing children’s program at Crestview.  In this short talk, entitled Forever King: Possible with God, I tried to show how the storyline of the Bible points to Jesus being a King forever.  It’s only 7 minutes long, but I hope it helps you make sense of how your Bible fits together.

But, the real highlight was our 2018 Children’s Program.  Here’s the livestream for you to enjoy.

 

Weekend Recap – Maturity and Jesus’ Birth

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My 12/9/18AM sermon, Jesus’ Birth: Possible with God from Luke 2:1-7, is now online.  The Advent series is With God All Things Are Possible.  This series is digging into Luke 1-2.  (By the way, I didn’t post last week’s sermon — Maturity: Possible with God, which looked at Zechariah’s maturity from Luke 1.  Feel free to check that sermon out, as well.)   We tend to easily forget that God made Jesus’ birth possible.  In this sermon, I’m hoping to provoke belief and worship through this familiar story.  I hope it encourages you.

Weekend Recap – New Series, Humility

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You may well know that I love Christmas over all other holidays.  Most of my year is buiding in excitement for Advent being here.  On Sunday, November 25, we launched a new series at Crestview Bible Church.  For Advent this year, I’m plowing through Luke 1-2 and considering all the events that were possible with God.

The first sermon from Luke 1:36-56 was Humility: Possible with God.  We looked at Mary’s visiting her cousin Elizabeth and her song of praise (popularly known as The Magnificat).  I hope this sermon and this series encourages you.

Wrap of Ecclesiastes 2018 Series

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This past Sunday, 11/18, I wrapped up a short 6 week series on the book of Ecclesiastes:

10/7 – Our Toil Under the Sun – Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

10/14 – Investigating Your Toil – Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:26

10/21 – God’s Wisdom for Time and Life – Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:16

10/28 – God’s Sovereignty and Life Under the Sun – Ecclesiastes 5:1-7:29

11/11 – Fearing God With Joy – Ecclesiastes 8:1-9:18

11/18 – The End of the Matter – Ecclesiastes 10:1-12:14

Many spoke of how this series affected them.  It was quite a challenge to condense the content to this short of a time frame, but it was enjoyable  I hope you were able to take advantage of these sermons.

Weekend Recap – Fearing God With Joy

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We’re nearing the end of our short 2018 series on Ecclesiastes at Crestview Bible Church.  This series has been challenging to preach.  Digesting 12 chapters of Biblical truth into 6 sermons is challenging.  But, it’s been a fruitful study for our body.  My sermon from 11/11/18 Fear God with Joy (Ecclesiastes 8:1-9:18) is now online.  This sermon offered up some incentives to live life fearing God with joy.  I hope it encourages you.