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Gospel Friday – Christ Suffered For You

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I love how 1 Peter draws out our hearts and shows us what Christ was up to in sufferings.  We read: “[22] He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. [23] When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. [24] He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. [25] For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”(1 Peter 2:22-25 ESV)

Today, you may be going through suffering yourself. Look to Jesus. And find comfort in your suffering Savior.


New Music I’ve Enjoyed…

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Some new projects I’ve enjoyed in recent days are:

Lauren Chandler’s Steadfast Love single.

This goes along with her new book.  The great people that surround her musically make this an excellent song to engage.

Passion’s Salvation’s Tide Is Rising

Here’s a video from the title track…Passion’s music rarely disappoints.


Breakaway Ministries’ Lift Him High 

From Breakaway Ministries, meeting on the campus of Texas A & M.  Jeff Johnson and band have pulled together some amazing songs to help you exalt Jesus.

Pastors: Trailblazers Into Suffering (and the Gospel)

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I am helped consistently by good friends around me both in and out of pastoral ministry.  They refine and help me in many ways.  There’s a groaning to pastoral ministry that is difficult for those who aren’t in it to see.  Each week there are countless behind the scenes things that are happening in the lives of people and pastors are often caught up in this work (especially in the smaller to mid-size churches where a great number of pastors serve).

I was thinking last week about suffering and some situations that people I know are dealing with.  It was over lunch with one of my elders and it had to do with somberly thinking about people, their situations and sufferings.  I don’t wish ill or suffering upon any in the body I’m privileged to serve, but I consistently try to think and prepare myself for the suffering that may come.  If tragedy would strike a family, for instance, they need a pastor who isn’t crushed by this, but one who is sorrowful, yet rejoicing.  So, there’s a discipline to this.

You could say that pastors who serve well in those moments have prepared themselves for those moments.  God’s grace is sufficient for all kinds of situations.  What this means, practically, is working through some of these things emotionally when things don’t appear to be going “bad.”  This is the heaviness or burden that some pastors feel.  So, here it is principle form: pastors are to be trailblazers into suffering.  We work through the emotions, hurt, and raw reality that may very well come in the hard situations.  By doing this, we’ve already been there and done that (emotionally, at least).

One passage that helped me was thinking of Daniel’s three friends when confronted by the prospects of the fiery furnace.  They said, God can deliver, but if we die, even then God will give deliverance.  So, no matter the situation, pastors are holding on to Gospel realities throughout.  God may very well deliver–that will be to His glory and for His fame.  He may choose not to deliver.  Situations will inevitably end in death.  The cancers may not heal.  But, even then, pastors hold out a deeper reality: even in this, God is delivering.

Because Jesus conquered death, pronounced, “It is finished,” and then actually defeated it by rising from the dead, we can offer real, deep, abiding and lasting hope no matter what situations we encounter.  So, be a trailblazer into suffering, because there you’ll find rich Gospel realities that stand up to whatever situations we face.

Weekend Preview – God’s Character and the Gospel

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This coming Lord’s Day (1/24/16), we are privileged to have Kole Farney serving in the pulpit.  Here’s some background on Kole:

Kole Farney is a writer, speaker and assistant to Jim Elliff. He enjoys preaching and teaching the Bible to all ages. He is originally from Sterling, KS, and grew up on a farm with plenty of sunshine and sprawling wheat fields. Kole is interested in how the Bible fits together and how different books of the Bible serve the greater narrative of Scripture.

In 2009 Kole graduated with a degree in Agricultural Communications from Kansas State University and went on to graduate with a Masters of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2013. In addition to ministry with CCW, Kole serves as the pastor of one of six home congregations that make up Christ Fellowship of Kansas City.

Kole is married with 2 children.
I asked Kole what he would be preaching on and he said it would be from Isaiah 43 on God’s character or Romans 15 and the implications of the Gospel on church life.  In prepping for Sunday, then, it may be very helpful for you to connect with these passages and see how God might lead us.  Hope you have a great week.

Weekend Recap – Believer’s Benefits (1)

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My 1/17/16AM sermon, Believer’s Benefits (1) from 1 John 5:13-17, is now online.  This sermon was the first of a brief 2 part sermon set that highlight the difference that believing in Jesus Christ makes in the life of those who believe.  This sermon was grouped together because both of my points had to do with confidence: confidence for eternal life and boldness in our prayers.  So, I hope this sermon encourages you in relationship: the relationship you have with God your Father through Jesus Christ, His Son.

Solitude

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Today, as you read this, I’m enjoying some silence and solitude at a cabin here in Hutchinson.  I’m blessed to have good friends.  When I secured this location, he told me, “Now there’s no wifi there.”  I said, “Terrific! That’s exactly what I’m looking for.”  

There’s a rhythm to life that God established back in creation.  After creating the world, on the 6th day, He rested.  I’ve noticed over the past few years in ministry (and a family with young kids), but finding times of spiritual retreat are difficult.  I spoke with some leaders at Crestview about this and consulted with Meg and my hope is that this year, I will be able to spend some time once a month doing some good soul work.
So, what is a time of silence and solitude about?  I found Bob Thune’s post helpful (and I’ve been helped immensely by Don Whitney’s chapter in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life).  Bob writes that this is a time to: 1) Look Inward, 2) Look Upward, 3) Look Backward, and 4) Look Forward.  The inward component gets at spiritual diagnosis of my own heart, the best I can.  The upward component reminds me it’s about God, not me.  Backward traces God’s hand in recent days while Forward hints at where I’m headed, if God wills.  
I plan to do some meditation mapping, review some questions from Whitney (these), tips from Buzzard, and Driscoll.  Whitney also has a helpful suggested schedule for four consecutive hours of silence and solitude.  
Now, having read all that, will you pray that God would use this time to restore my soul?  Thanks for reading. 

Weekend Preview – This Coming Sunday, 1/17/16

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This coming Sunday, 1/17, we will be working our way through 1 John 5:13-17.  Many writers believe that in these final verses of 1 John, as a way of offering a conclusion to the book as a whole, John is rehearsing some of the big themes he’s been after through the book.  So, what would you expect to be there?  

Also, this coming Sunday evening, we will have our church’s Men and Boys Chili Supper, so if you’d like to join us for a good time around good food, plan to be there at 6PM Sunday night. 

Weekend Recap – Testimony To Life

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My 1/10/16AM sermon tried to unpack the clear Testimony To Life found in 1 John 5:6-12.  What we see in this passage is a clear statement of who Jesus Christ is, implications for what that means and a demand to respond accordingly (specifically to believe).  Lest you think this is only for those who don’t believe in Christianity, 1 John 5:13 rings out a call that these things were written to those who believe so that they may know that they have eternal life.  I hope this sermon serves you well.  There were also small group questions developed on this passage to help you engage it.

Gospel Friday: If God Marked Iniquity, Who Could Stand?

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Been thinking about some great truth today from Psalm 130:3-4 —

[3] If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?[4] But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.


If God marked iniquities, not one of us could stand before Him. We would all have a guilty verdict upon us. But, with Him there is forgiveness and, as a result, we stand in awe of Him. Praise Him today, for the glorious Gospel realities of forgiveness that are yours in Jesus Christ.