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Unless The Lord…

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I was reflecting and praying through Psalm 127.  Maybe you could join me in praying these things.  This might be a pastor’s heart for their local church reflected through the lens of Psalm 127…

[1] Unless the LORD builds the church, any kind of service in her is in vain.

Unless the LORD watches over the church, her leaders stay awake in vain.

[2] Early morning devotions or late night ministry meetings are vain, too, like eating anxiety about ministry stuff for dinner;

for when God is building and watching the church, He gives His people sleep.

[3] Behold, new converts are a heritage from the LORD,

the fruit of the church’s witness a reward.

[4] Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are new converts in the life of the church.

[5] Blessed is the church who fills their quiver with them!

That church shall not be put to shame when she speaks with the world about her impact.

So, God, build your church by using her witness.  You build the church.  You watch over her.  You care for her.  You add to her as you see fit.  And, let local churches know the exhilaration and life that comes through seeing the Gospel change people among them.  For your glory, Amen. 

Weekend Review – Sufferings of Jesus

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My 11/6/16AM sermon, Betrayed, Tried, Denied from John 18:1-27 is now online.  This sermon began our pointing to the end of John’s Gospel in what is known as the Passion Narrative.  The Latin word for suffering is where we get our English word “passion” so theologians have used this term to describe the events of Jesus’s suffering.  Specifically, this passage shows Jesus being betrayed by one of His disciples, being arrested and tried by the high priest, and being denied by one who promised he’d die for Him.  So, the sufferings of Jesus were many as His hour had come and He willingly endured these for sinners like you and me, for the Father’s glory and out of love for us.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

Are You Abandoned to Jesus and His Mission?

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After emphasizing how the Great Commission (you know, that call to make disciples from Jesus Himself in Matthew 28:18-20) is not just for the 11 disciples, but is really the basic agenda for any disciple and how being a disciple means being a disciple-maker, I was convicted by this quote from The Trellis and the Vine:

The radicalism of this demand often feels a world away from the ordinariness of our normal Christian habits and customs.  We go to church, where we sing a few songs, try to concentrate on the prayers, and hear a sermon.  We chat to people afterwards, and then go home for a normal week of work or study or whatever it is that we do, in time to come again next week.  We might read our Bible and pray during the week.  We may even attend a small group.  But would someone observing from outside say, “Look: there is someone who has abandoned his life to Jesus Christ and His mission?” (p.43)

This might be a question you need to consider (like I have).  What would it look like for you to be abandoned to Jesus and His mission.  You’re not exempt from being a disciple-maker if you follow Him.  You either obey that or disobey.  Maybe it’s time for repentance to begin in those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus.

Gospel Friday – Nothing Can Separate Us

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ro8_38-39

Hear these encouraging words from Romans 8…

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 ESV)

Get it?  As a believer, who is in Christ Jesus our Lord, you are secure and loved, regardless of what you may be facing in these short days you have on the earth.  So, be encouraged in His love today.

Weekend Preview – Jesus Must Suffer

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This coming Sunday, Lord willing, we’ll continue our study of John’s Gospel, focusing in on John 18:1-27.  Jesus asked Peter in the midst of the happenings of this chapter “Shall I not drink the cup that Father has for me?”  And, this chapter is humbling and encouraging as we see Jesus suffer for sinners like us.  He drank the cup of the Father’s wrath dry.  And, specifically, this passage shows Jesus suffer in His betrayal, arrest and trial, as well as being denied by one who promised loyalty.  Plan to join us and see  Jesus.

Helper & Keeper

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psalm-121

I spent some time today meditating on one of the Psalms of the Day (a method I learned from Don Whitney where you take today’s date, the 1st, and add 30 4 times, to get 5 Psalms of the Day for each day of the month to use.  So, today’s Psalms of the Day were: 1, 31, 61, 91, and 121.) in this case Psalm 121.  This is a passage our body has memorized together in the past.  And, it’s an encouraging revealing of God:

He’s our Helper

AND, He never sleeps

He’s our Keeper

AND, He will be forever.

This intersected nicely with the Valley of Vision prayer “Victory” which ended by saying:

When thou art absent all sorrows are here,

When thou art present all blessings are mine.

Today, you may not be aware of your need for help, so you might bow your knee before your Maker and consider what this self-reliance might reveal.  For the rest of us, though, we come clinging to Him.  And, as this Psalm (and prayer) suggests, we can rely on Him to help.

Would you pray that God’s help would come to me in these days?

Confession for Lord’s Supper

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Each time we come to the Lord’s Supper table as a congregation, we try to confess our faith using a profession of faith.  I found this one from Coram Deo Church and we used it this past Sunday (they call it Profession 18).  Listen to how it showcases Jesus as prophet, priest, and king.  Definitely appropriate words as we come to celebrate the work of the Son.

We confess and affirm together
that Jesus Christ is the
cornerstone of our faith.
He is our chief prophet and teacher
who perfectly reveals to us
the will of God.
He is our only high priest
who has set us free from
Satan, sin, and death
by the one sacrifice of his body.
And He is our eternal King who governs us by his Word and Spirit,
and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom he has won for us.
We hope in Jesus alone,
And confidently await His return,
When every knee will bow,
in heaven, and on earth,
and under the earth,
And every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
To the glory of God the Father.

Weekend Recap – High Priestly Prayer

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My 10/30/16AM sermon, Jesus Prays from John 17:1-26, is now online.  The sermon bridged Jesus loving His followers in the Upper Room with the Passion narrative.  And, apart from the amazing insight we get from eavesdropping on Jesus praying to His Father, Jesus prayed so that His followers (and us) are moved with confidence.  I hope the sermon encourages you.

Gospel Friday – Hint: It’s Jesus

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We probably have the clearest statement of what the good news is in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

1cor15_3-4

How is this good news?  Well, it’s because it was for our sins.  Therefore, today, for every look at your sins, take a look at Christ.  He’s died for them, was buried, and rose again, so they are no longer THE definitive power in you.  Look to Him.

Weekend Preview – Jesus, Our Great High Priest

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This coming Sunday at Crestview, we’ll continue our study of the Gospel of John, focusing in on John 17, where Jesus prays for an entire chapter: John 17:1-26.  We also get to come to the Lord’s Supper table together and encourage one another.  I hope you join us and consider the great way we’re encouraged in this life because Jesus prays for us.