"The most effective method of evangelism is organizing the laity of the church to do the work of evangelism. The clergyman is not to do the work alone. He is to be like the foreman in a shop, or the coach of a team. The actual work is to be done primarily by the laity." Billy Graham
"Why the Berlin Congress?", World Congress on Evangelism, Berlin, 1966
Satan - Billy Graham
"To Jesus and the apostles Satan was very real. He was called "the prince of this world," "the god of this age," and "the prince of the power of the air." The names used concerning him indicate something of his character and strategy. He was called "deceiver," "liar," "murderer," "accuser," "tempter," "destroyer," and many other such names. The Apostle Paul said he wanted to visit the church of Thessalonica "but Satan hindered us" (I Thessalonians 2:18). Thus the evangelist and the work of evangelism is opposed on every hand by tremendous spiritual forces."
"Satan's greatest strategy is deception. His most successful strategy has been to get modern theologians to deny his existence...If we ignore the existence of Satan or our ignorance of his devices, then we fall into his clever trap. However, we have the glorious promise that: 'Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.'"
Billy Graham
"Why the Berlin Congress?", World Congress on Evangelism, Berlin, 1966
"Satan's greatest strategy is deception. His most successful strategy has been to get modern theologians to deny his existence...If we ignore the existence of Satan or our ignorance of his devices, then we fall into his clever trap. However, we have the glorious promise that: 'Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.'"
Billy Graham
"Why the Berlin Congress?", World Congress on Evangelism, Berlin, 1966
The Feast That Never Ends (Exodus 13:3-10)
The Feast That Never Ends (Exodus 13:3-10) from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
The Feast That Never Ends (Exodus 13:3-10)
Northside Baptist Church (Elizabethtown, KY)
November 21, 2010
AUDIO ONLY
“Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” John 6:27
“And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had made them joyful…” Ezra 6:22a
1. _____________ your deliverer
“You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth.” Exodus 13:8-9
2. _____________ in God’s strong hand
“for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place.” Exodus 13:3
3. _____________the leaven
“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” Luke 12:1
“Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened.” 1 Corinthians 5:6-7
4. _____________ the Bread
“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” Luke 22:19
“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died… the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6:48-51
"What does a pastor do?" - John MacArthur
"So what does a pastor do? ...He makes the following commitments. I will warn my people of error. I will devote myself to the study of Scripture. I will avoid the influence of unholy teaching that sucks out my conviction. I will discipline myself in godliness. I will work hard. I will teach with divine authority. I will endeavor to be a model of spiritual virtue. I will maintain a thoroughly Biblical ministry. I will employ my spiritual gift and not neglect it. I will be passionate about this privileged work. I will let all see my growth in grace and persevere with endurance to complete the task that God gives me" John MacArthur in '12 Marks of Excellent Pastoral Ministry' (1 Timothy 4:6-16)
1 Timothy 4:6-16 (ESV) "6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers."
1 Timothy 4:6-16 (ESV) "6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers."
Quote - George Mueller
"God's plan is that there shall be none of self and all of Christ. The very people who are doing the most for God in saving souls, in mission work, in the care of orphans, are those who are working on short supplies of strength, of money, of talents, or advantages and are kept in a position of living by faith and taking from God, day by day, both physical and spiritual supplies." George Mueller
FOCUS: Not the event…the relationship. (Exodus 12:1-14)
FOCUS: Not the event…the relationship. (Exodus 12:1-14) from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
FOCUS: Not the event…the relationship.
(Exodus 12:1-14)
@ Magnolia Baptist Church (Magnolia, KY) on Novermber 14, 2010
AUDIO ONLY
1. We must FOCUS on our ________God, not the _____ situations.
Exodus 12:2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.
ISRAEL: Slavery vs. A God who is faithful.
John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.”
US: Slaves to Sin vs. A God who loved us first.
John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
1 John 4:10 “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
2.We must FOCUS on the promise ____________, not on the __________ circumstances.
ISRAEL: The Exodus vs. A God who keeps His promises
US: Slaves to Righteousness vs. A God Who Saves
Romans 6:17-18 “17But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”
Romans 10:13 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful”
3. We must FOCUS on the source of _______, not the unknown _______.
Exodus 12:25 “And when you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service.”
ISRAEL: The Promised Land vs. The God Who Leads and Restores
Exodus 14:13,14 “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today…The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Exodus 16:8 “your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord”
US: Heaven vs. The Passover Lamb
1 Corinthians 5:7b,8 “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
Luke 22:43 “And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Revelation 21:22-23 “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.”
-Creation vs. The Creator
-Deliverance vs. The Deliverer
-Redemption vs. The Redeemer
-Saving vs. The Savior
-Provision vs. The Provider
-Health vs. The Healer
-Life vs. The Life-giver
-Crucifixion vs. The Crucified One
-Resurrection vs. The Resurrected One
Heb 9:22 “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
Quote - David Lowes Watson
“North American congregations urgently need an inversion of their religious self-preoccupation and ecclesial self-indulgence… we find ourselves spending more time talking about evangelism than doing it – a sure sign of self-preoccupation” - David Lowes Watson
Quote - Martin Luther
"This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners, for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ's, and Christ's righteousness is not Christ's, but ours." Martin Luther
International Missions Funding - Southern Baptists
Southern Baptists voluntarily contribute money from their churches through the Cooperative Program in order to fund missions across their state, nation, and world. Oftentimes the majority of the money remains within their state convention with the remainder being sent forward to various SBC entities. Thankfully many state conventions are currently voting to send more funds forward towards the SBC for national and international missions fundting.
The International Missions Board shares a resource HERE that allows you to see how much CP funds your state retains and how the SBC entities split the remainder.
How much does it cost to support a missionary?
• $43,845.86 a year
• $3,653.82 a month
• $843.19 a week
• $120.13 a day
• $5.01 an hour
• $.08 a minute
The Marks of New Life in Christ - Charles Spurgeon
"As this God-begotten spiritual life in men is a mystery, we shall speak to more practical effect if we dwell upon the signs following and accompanying it, for these are the things at which we must aim. ...conviction of sin...a simple faith in Jesus Christ...unfeigned repentance of sin...a real change of life...true prayer...a willingness to obey the Lord...A soul-winner can do nothing without God. He must cast himself on the Invisible, or be a laughing-stock to the devil, who regards with utter disdain all who think to subdue human nature with mere words and arguments."
Charles Spurgeon in The Soul Winner (19-24)
Charles Spurgeon in The Soul Winner (19-24)
Free Audiobook Download - Christianaudio.com
This month's free audiobook download from Christianaudio.com is John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life, helping you to consider and fulfill God's plan for your life!
Free Downloads on christianaudio - Audiobooks, MP3, M4B, iPhone Apps, Free Downloads!
Free Downloads on christianaudio - Audiobooks, MP3, M4B, iPhone Apps, Free Downloads!
Bible Verses - Marriage Roles - Husband & Wife
I think this is a helpful (not comprehensive) list of some of the Biblical roles of husbands and wives and the corresponding Scriptures.
There is a temptation for someone to use these against your spouse...but the Biblical guidance is to test yourself in your own role.
Matthew 7:3-4 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?"
How does the Bible describe the wife’s role in marriage?
There is a temptation for someone to use these against your spouse...but the Biblical guidance is to test yourself in your own role.
Matthew 7:3-4 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?"
How does the Bible describe the wife’s role in marriage?
- Helpmate (Genesis 2:18)
- Loving and gracious submission to the leadership of her husband (Ephesians 5:22, Colossians 3:18)
- Not strive or resist the leadership of her husband (Genesis 3:16, 1 Peter 3:1)
- Respect her husband (Ephesians 5:33)
- Diligent worker, whether at home or in the worklplace (Proverbs 31)
- Hospitable towards others and generous towards poor (Proverbs 31)
- Cares for children and household (Proverb 31)
- Meet sexual needs of husband (1 Corinthians 7)
- Be beautiful on the inside (1 Peter 3:4)
- Spiritual leader ( 1 Corinthians 11:3) towards glorifying God and unity with each other (one flesh)
- Not dictatorial or harsh (Colossians 3:19)
- Leading in a sacrificial way the way Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:23)
- Provide - feed and care (Ephesians 5:29, Genesis 3:17-19)
- Protect - love their wives as their own bodies (Ephesians 5:28, 1 Peter 3:7)
- Praise your wife (Proverbs 31:28)
- Meet sexual needs of wife (1 Corinthians 7)
- Be considerate and respect your wife (1 Peter 3:7)
Quote - John MacArthur
"If we are truly born of God, we have a faith that cannot fail to overcome the world (1 John 5:4). We may sin (1 John 2:1) - we will sin- but the process of sanctification can never stall completely. God is at work in us (Phil. 2:13), and He will continue to perfect us until the day of Christ (Phil 1:6; 1 Thess. 5:23-24)." The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur (p. 33)
Why We Should Memorize Scripture - John Piper
I love this short video of John Piper's reasons to memorize Scripture. It is a helpful reminder and an encouragement for us all to be more diligent in this task!
Memorizing Scripture....
Memorizing Scripture....
- makes meditation possible at times when you can't be reading the Bible and meditation is the pathway to deeper understanding.
- strengthens my faith because faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God and that happens when I am hearing the Word in my head.
- shapes the way I view the world by conforming my mind to God's viewpoint on everything.
- makes God's Word more readily accessible in overcoming temptation to sin because God's warnings and promises are the way we conquer the deceitful lies of the devil.
- guards my mind, making it easier to detect error and the world is filled with error because the god of this worldis a liar.
- enables me to hit the devil in the face with a force he cannot resist to protect myself and my family from his assaults.
- provides the strongest and sweetest words for ministering to others in need
- provides the matrix for fellowship with Jesus because He talks to me through His Word and nowhere else.
Carnal Christianity - B.B. Warfield's Response to Lewis Sperry Chafer
"'It is a grievous error to teach that a true believer in Christ can stop short in 'carnality.'"
"[Lewis Sperry] Chafer's characterization of the carnal man actually 'assigns to the lower class [of Christians] practically all the marks of the unregenerate man.'"
"He who believes in Jesus Christ is under grace, and his whole course, in its process and in its issue alike, is determined by grace, and therefore, having been predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son, he is surely being conformed to that image, God Himself seeing to it that he is not only called and justified but also glorified. You may find Christians at every stage of this process, for it is a process through which all must pass; but you will find none who will not in God's own good time and way pass through every stage of it. There are not two kinds of Christians, although there are Christians at every conceivable stage of advancement..."
quoted from B.B. Warfield's "Review of Chafer" (p.326-327) in Christ the Lord: The Reformation and Lordship Salvation Edited by Michael S.Horton (p.161-162)
"[Lewis Sperry] Chafer's characterization of the carnal man actually 'assigns to the lower class [of Christians] practically all the marks of the unregenerate man.'"
"He who believes in Jesus Christ is under grace, and his whole course, in its process and in its issue alike, is determined by grace, and therefore, having been predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son, he is surely being conformed to that image, God Himself seeing to it that he is not only called and justified but also glorified. You may find Christians at every stage of this process, for it is a process through which all must pass; but you will find none who will not in God's own good time and way pass through every stage of it. There are not two kinds of Christians, although there are Christians at every conceivable stage of advancement..."
quoted from B.B. Warfield's "Review of Chafer" (p.326-327) in Christ the Lord: The Reformation and Lordship Salvation Edited by Michael S.Horton (p.161-162)
Quote - Jerry Bridges
"It is time for us Christians to face up to our responsibility for holiness. Too often we say we are 'defeated' by this or that sin. No, we are not defeated; we are simply disobedient! It might be well if we stopped using the terms 'victory' and 'defeat' to describe our progress in holiness. Rather we should use the terms 'obedience' and 'disobedience.' When I say I am defeated by some sin, I am unconsciously slipping out from under my responsibility. I am saying something outside me has defeated me. But when I say I am disobedient, that places the responsibility for sin squarely on me..." -The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges (p.84-85)
Missions Statistic
This is a sad and discouraging statistic, but motivates me towards mobilizing our churches towards greater faithfulness, integrity, and sacrificial giving....
"Less than 6% of global Christian giving goes to support world missions, with outreach, evangelism, and translation work among non-Christians attracting the least money. 'The average church member donating his $2.75 a week, gives out of this only $0.15 to support Christian foreign missions.' In fact, the annual total amount of church money embezzled is $16 billion, more than the $15 billion spent on foreign missions.'"
The Great Commission: Evangelicals and the History of World Missions edited by Martin Klauber & Scott Manetsch (p.127)
May we be people who demonstrate by our giving and spending that we care more about the unsaved than we do about ourselves.
"Less than 6% of global Christian giving goes to support world missions, with outreach, evangelism, and translation work among non-Christians attracting the least money. 'The average church member donating his $2.75 a week, gives out of this only $0.15 to support Christian foreign missions.' In fact, the annual total amount of church money embezzled is $16 billion, more than the $15 billion spent on foreign missions.'"
The Great Commission: Evangelicals and the History of World Missions edited by Martin Klauber & Scott Manetsch (p.127)
May we be people who demonstrate by our giving and spending that we care more about the unsaved than we do about ourselves.
John Piper - Suffering, God, & Life's Purpose
Here is a short but helpful interview with John Piper at the Third Lausanne Conference on World Evangelization going on in Cape Town, South Africa. In this interview he addresses the connections between:
Psalm 16:11 "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
John 15:8,11 "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples...I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."
- Evangelism (alleviating eternal suffering) & Social Action (alleviating temporal suffering)
- Theology (thinking about God) & Doxology (affections about God)
- Purpose of Life & Idolatrous Joys
Psalm 16:11 "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
John 15:8,11 "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples...I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."
Peacemaking - Apology and Confession
Peacemaker Ministries shares great wisdom (with some humor!) at their blog post today on apology and confession...
I love the 7 A's of Confession...helpful, challenging, and best of all...biblical!
"As God opens your eyes to see how you have sinned against others, he simultaneously offers you a way to find freedom from your past wrongs. It is called confession. Many people have never experienced this freedom because they have never learned how to confess their wrongs honestly and unconditionally. Instead, they use words like these: "I'm sorry if I hurt you." "Let's just forget the past." "I suppose I could have done a better job." "I guess it's not all your fault." These token statements rarely trigger genuine forgiveness and reconciliation. If you really want to make peace, ask God to help you breathe grace by humbly and thoroughly admitting your wrongs. One way to do this is to use the Seven A's."
1.Address everyone involved (All those whom you affected)
2.Avoid if, but, and maybe (Do not try to excuse your wrongs)
3.Admit specifically (Both attitudes and actions)
4.Acknowledge the hurt (Express sorrow for hurting someone)
5.Accept the consequences (Such as making restitution)
6.Alter your behavior (Change your attitudes and actions)
7.Ask for forgiveness
"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? [4 ] Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? [5 ] You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:3-5 ESV)
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9 ] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(1 John 1:8-9 ESV)
"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." (Proverbs 28:13 ESV)
May we be men and women of God who confess and forsake our sins!
I love the 7 A's of Confession...helpful, challenging, and best of all...biblical!
"As God opens your eyes to see how you have sinned against others, he simultaneously offers you a way to find freedom from your past wrongs. It is called confession. Many people have never experienced this freedom because they have never learned how to confess their wrongs honestly and unconditionally. Instead, they use words like these: "I'm sorry if I hurt you." "Let's just forget the past." "I suppose I could have done a better job." "I guess it's not all your fault." These token statements rarely trigger genuine forgiveness and reconciliation. If you really want to make peace, ask God to help you breathe grace by humbly and thoroughly admitting your wrongs. One way to do this is to use the Seven A's."
1.Address everyone involved (All those whom you affected)
2.Avoid if, but, and maybe (Do not try to excuse your wrongs)
3.Admit specifically (Both attitudes and actions)
4.Acknowledge the hurt (Express sorrow for hurting someone)
5.Accept the consequences (Such as making restitution)
6.Alter your behavior (Change your attitudes and actions)
7.Ask for forgiveness
"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? [4 ] Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? [5 ] You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:3-5 ESV)
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9 ] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(1 John 1:8-9 ESV)
"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." (Proverbs 28:13 ESV)
May we be men and women of God who confess and forsake our sins!
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