I went to a new coffee shop this morning. In conversing with the sales associate behind the counter, she made the statement, "coffee is my passion."
It got me thinking. What is the passion of our heart and life? The "passion" of Jesus was to do the will of His Father. The will of His Father was to go to a cross and die in the place of sinners to appease the wrath that we deserve. Luke tells us that Jesus "steadfastly set his face" toward Jerusalem. He knew what awaited him there, he knew what pain & suffering he would experience there...yet, it was still his passion...to do the will of the Father..."for the joy set before Him, he endured the cross despising the shame and has now sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high."
What is our passion...are we passionate about the will of the Father?
What is that thing that holds sway over our heart's desires? What is that thing that drives us & motivates us?
Maybe a better question this morning is not "what", but "who" holds sway over our heart's desires?
"In Christ alone, my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song..."
God bless you today as you serve Jesus, the supreme & ultimate treasure...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
On the blogs for 3/6/2010
Here are some good reads for the weekend: (I warn you, some are very challenging today)
Are you a fundamentalist? (in the bad sense)
Are SBC leaders in denial about the health of our convention?
Particular Redemption (even if you don't believe this, it is interesting)
Getting out of a spiritual funk (thought these were good encouragement)
Don't Waste Your Pulpit (great reminder)
Leadership and Solitude (something I need to listen to)
Protecting Your Pastor (if you are a lay person reading this, please read carefully)
How to smoke out a Calvinist Pastor (this was very interesting and telling)
Enjoy!
Are you a fundamentalist? (in the bad sense)
Are SBC leaders in denial about the health of our convention?
Particular Redemption (even if you don't believe this, it is interesting)
Getting out of a spiritual funk (thought these were good encouragement)
Don't Waste Your Pulpit (great reminder)
Leadership and Solitude (something I need to listen to)
Protecting Your Pastor (if you are a lay person reading this, please read carefully)
How to smoke out a Calvinist Pastor (this was very interesting and telling)
Enjoy!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Transitions
Today is the official last day serving with the great people of Juniper Springs Baptist Church--at least in a formal capacity. We will all be serving together for the kingdom--just in different places.
We will be making the transition to Thomasville, NC this afternoon and tomorrow.
God has been so good to us over the last almost 6 years. It has truly been a blessing to serve with JSBC. I believe we have all grown in our walks with Jesus. What a joy and delight!
We will surely miss our friends (I count all of the members & regular attenders my friends)--yeah, I know, not too many pastors can say that, but I truly believe I can. God is so good.
It is time for a new assignment. May God grant us all grace to walk by faith into the future he has planned for us.
JSBC family, as you read this, I am praying for you.
Ephesians 1:15-23
We will be making the transition to Thomasville, NC this afternoon and tomorrow.
God has been so good to us over the last almost 6 years. It has truly been a blessing to serve with JSBC. I believe we have all grown in our walks with Jesus. What a joy and delight!
We will surely miss our friends (I count all of the members & regular attenders my friends)--yeah, I know, not too many pastors can say that, but I truly believe I can. God is so good.
It is time for a new assignment. May God grant us all grace to walk by faith into the future he has planned for us.
JSBC family, as you read this, I am praying for you.
Ephesians 1:15-23
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sovereign Grace
Just read the following by Spurgeon:
"You must be born again."
Do not think Christians are made by education; they are made by creation. You may wash a corpse as long as you please, and that corpse could be clean, but you cannot wash life into it!
You may deck it in flowers, and robe it in scarlet and fine linen, but you cannot make it live! The vital spark must come from above! Regeneration is not of the will of man, nor of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but by the power and energy of the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God alone!
See then, the ruin of nature and the freeness of grace! Void and dark, a chaos given up to be covered withnblackness and darkness forever, and, while as yet it is unseeking God, the light arises, and the promise is fulfilled, "I am found of them that sought me not; I said, behold me! behold me! to a people that were not a people."
While we were lying in our blood, filthily polluted, defiled, he passed by, and he said in the sovereignty of his love, "Live!" and we do live. The whole must be traced to sovereign grace! From this sacred well of discriminating distinguishing grace we must draw water this morning, and we must pour it out, saying, "Oh Lord, I will praise your name, for the first origin of my light was your sovereign purpose, and nothing in me."
Excerpt from Spurgeon’s sermon,"Light, Natural and Spiritual" No. 660.
"You must be born again."
Do not think Christians are made by education; they are made by creation. You may wash a corpse as long as you please, and that corpse could be clean, but you cannot wash life into it!
You may deck it in flowers, and robe it in scarlet and fine linen, but you cannot make it live! The vital spark must come from above! Regeneration is not of the will of man, nor of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but by the power and energy of the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God alone!
See then, the ruin of nature and the freeness of grace! Void and dark, a chaos given up to be covered withnblackness and darkness forever, and, while as yet it is unseeking God, the light arises, and the promise is fulfilled, "I am found of them that sought me not; I said, behold me! behold me! to a people that were not a people."
While we were lying in our blood, filthily polluted, defiled, he passed by, and he said in the sovereignty of his love, "Live!" and we do live. The whole must be traced to sovereign grace! From this sacred well of discriminating distinguishing grace we must draw water this morning, and we must pour it out, saying, "Oh Lord, I will praise your name, for the first origin of my light was your sovereign purpose, and nothing in me."
Excerpt from Spurgeon’s sermon,"Light, Natural and Spiritual" No. 660.
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