Christ in Me

By: Morgan Martin        

Daily worries. Anxiety over decisions. Future plans. Life changes. I struggle with all of these thoughts more frequently than I would like to admit to myself. Yesterday, I was so encouraged with this verse.

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live... If this is true, it isn't about what I want for my life, or what will make ME happy. It isn't what I have planned out for my life that matters anymore. It is about Christ living IN me. I am now living a life by faith in God. I need to daily surrender my plans and my goals, and daily surrender to HIM. He will direct all those things and lead me in a way that He will be most glorified. I have no idea where that way will lead or what that road will look like, but I don't have to know that. I know Him. And that is all I need.

Do You Fear The Lord?

By: Erin Pearce        

One morning recently, I was reading Genesis 22. (Stop and read it if you have time.) This is the story of the sacrifice of Isaac. I was confronted with questions of my own heart that I'll share with you. 

Notice that we see God asking something of Abraham in verse 2 - "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."  Can you imagine? Sacrificing your only son? Abraham had waited 100 years for this son. And now God was asking him to give his son up. 

And do you know what Abraham did? "So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac" (22:3).  His obedience was immediate. He got up and left EARLY the next morning. 

How could he do this? I think it is fair to say that Abraham feared the Lord. That he knew that "every good and perfect gift was from above" (James 1:17). He was not entitled to anything, but only to fear the Lord and obey Him. 

Obviously, Abraham was not perfect - he sinned like all of us. But we can certainly learn some things from him. So be honest with yourself here: What are you holding onto that you think is yours? Do you acknowledge that everything you have is from God? Would you be willing to give it up immediately in obedience to the Lord? Do you fear the Lord above all else? I encourage you to meditate on Genesis 22 today and let these questions sit with you. 

The Character of a Leader

By: John Ottley      

I got an email from Jerry today.  Jerry’s a dear friend and fellow minister in Portland, OR.  I’ve stayed in his home, walked his neighborhood with him and eaten his wife’s healthy, excellent food.

Jerry has an opportunity to travel to Southern Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe to help train pastors and their wives.  His host wants him to talk about the character and servant heart of a leader.  Jerry wondered if I had any ideas or would suggest any resources.

I did have some ideas and did suggest some resources...

YOU in Christ are the resource!  Your strongest message is what God has done in and through YOU.  What have YOU learned about character and a servant heart?  How has God taught you this?  (He's probably used affliction and difficulty.)

A GREAT book to help you reflect on what God has taught you is The Making of A Leader by J. Robert Clinton (NavPress 1988).  While I was looking for a new "job" I had time to read it again.  I reflected on my experience in serving Christ.  An abundance of memories and lessons bubbled up!

I'd recommend you take a section of Scripture and use your exposition as the foundation for your talks.  The Gospel of Mark (Jesus as the greatest example of character and servant leadership).   Nehemiah.  2 Corinthians (Paul's example).  Or something from the Pastoral Epistles... The good thing about this is that you will be modeling a reliance on Christ and the Scriptures.

You have a great opportunity here to teach a biblical view of the Christian life, namely, a daily reliance on Christ (not self).   Our character and ministry (aka, our sanctification) flows out of our justification.  We live the Christian life by faith in Christ and NOT merely by being good or trying harder (John 15).

Theologically our character comes from our union with Christ.  God adopted us in Christ.  We’re sanctified in Christ (God the Father transforms us into the image of His Son through the power of the Spirit as we meditate on His Word.)  A major thrust of Paul's teaching is "indicative then imperative" or, in other words, "Be who God has made you in Christ."  Colossians 3:1-4,  2 Peter 1:3-15, Galatians 5, etc.

What have you learned about the character and servant heart of a leader?  Let me know and I’ll pass it on to my friend, Jerry.  Who knows?  Maybe a Botswanan pastor’s wife will benefit from what you’ve learned!

Political Theft

By: Johnathan Todd        

Since we are in a Presidential election year, I wanted to stimulate an observation. Often, we (not just politicians) are guilty of robbing God of his due through a variety of phrases which direct attention to the ingenuity or ability of Americans to prosper and endure.

God’s word directs our attention to the ingenuity and ability of God to prosper and endure:

Deuteronomy 8:17-18

Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

So, let’s not get caught up in thinking that we are more intelligent than others or that our ability is superior to others. Rather, let us continually give thanks to God who provides everything we have and are… even the very breath just exhaled.

Free Books from Piper and Packer

By: Johnny Coggin      

Two great, free book opportunities to check out:

1) John Piper is giving away free PDF copies of his new book, Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian. Considering our city's racial woes and history, this book would be excellent food for thought, as Piper connects the gospel to the issue of racism and the need for racial harmony, providing much autobiography along the way. (You can also buy a hard copy here.)

2) J.I. Packer's classic, Knowing God, is available as a free audiobook download through the end of January. It's a classic for a reason, folks.  Get it now, before the offer ends! (Or buy a hard copy here.)

Was I Really That Bad of a Father?

By: Dr. Jimmy Young        

In light of John Rosemond’s visit to our church, I want to throw in my two cents' worth on parenting.  Believe me, John Rosemond is the expert.  I’ve learned more from him than any other single expert on this subject of parenting.  That makes me the learner, and not the teacher.  

But I was struck with something the other day in my time with God in His Word.  It was Psalm 3.  If you will look at it, there is an introductory line before you get to verse one.  It tells you a bit about what was going on in David’s life that evoked this psalm.  The event is a rather ugly one: One of his sons was leading a coup to overthrow his father, and, in addition, had gathered a small army to hunt down his dad and execute him.  Dad - David - was on the run… from his son.  A son?  Yeah, a son!  One which was raised and fed and nurtured and trained and provided for by this dad, that he was now hunting like a wild animal.  

As I read that, I wondered if David did not feel a bit of what many of us have felt: Boy, was I really that bad of a father?  I mean, what wrong did I commit that made my child so angry with me?  

I guess there’s a lot of ways this blog could now go, but all I wanted to do is remind you of the John Rosemond conference, and tell you that your value and worth as a human does not depend on your parenting skills.  Some real biblical heroes, like David, wrestled with some of the same stuff we do.  Comforting, huh?

Rivers of Comfort

By: Erin Pearce        

I think something I long for more than anything is peace. And that doesn't mean I want to be still and quiet all the time. It means, no matter what is going on, I just long to have that calmness of spirit. The other day I was reading a prayer in The Valley of Vision titled "Need of Jesus" and this is what i came across:

"Be my good shepherd to lead me into the green pastures of thy Word, and cause me to lie down beside the rivers of its comforts. Fill me with peace, that no disquieting worldly gales may ruffle the calm surface of my soul."

I feel like several things happened. I was encouraged because the times I am most at peace are when I am filling my soul with the truths of Scripture, the "rivers of comfort" as the Puritans say. But I also realized how undisciplined and selfish I am as I run around like a chicken with my head cut off most of the time. I am so thankful to be held in the palms of my Lord's hands, that are full of grace and mercy when I fail so many times. May we all strive to find this "calm surface of the soul in the rivers of comfort in the Word."

Better Described Than Defined

By: Kim Killebrew      

I can’t believe it’s 2012. It’s strange that we’ve made it well past the turn of a century, even a millenium. I honestly remember the prediction that the world was going to end in 1988, when all I cared about was graduating from the eighth grade. No one knows what this year will look like, but there is one thing I do know. I will continue to be surprised by the slow and careful revelation of God’s plan for us. There will be joy and struggle mixed with periods of waiting. There will be good news, bad news, accomplishments, and failures. We will make plans and goals that come to fruition. We will make plans that will be thwarted by new circumstances.

The other day I picked up the book, Holding Onto Hope by Nancy Guthrie. I was deeply moved as she told bits of her story. She is all too painfully familiar with the unexpected. She has lost not only one, but two children to a metabolic disorder called Zellweger Syndrome.

I loved what she had to say about the fear of God:

“What does it mean to fear God? It certainly goes beyond simply being afraid of God. It is a profound sense of reverential awe toward God. But really it is even more than that. The fear of God is better described than defined. It is displayed in a person’s character and conduct. A person who recognizes God’s authority over every area of his life. He has a desire to obey God’s clear commands in Scripture. He recognizes his complete dependence upon God for everything he has and everything he is. He approaches every aspect of life with an aim to glorify God. And when life deals him a blow, his fear of God is revealed more completely.”

Although I don’t make a habit of making resolutions for the new year, I do pray that my fear of the Lord will be increased and sharpened in the days ahead. May life’s blows reveal a humble servant who serves and fears a great and mighty God.