The Resurrection and the Life

by Don Merritt

John 11:1-44

This is a famous story about the miracle that Jesus performs in raising Lazarus from the tomb, but it is much more than that.  Jesus will reveal much about His own death and the hope that we will have as a result.  It probably begins in Perea where Jesus went after the last attempt to stone him, and opens with the news that His dear friend Lazarus was near death.  Jesus’ reaction seems surprising, since one might expect Him to rush off to help, but He delays instead…

Jesus announces to His disciples that it’s time to get on to Judea.  Assuming that He means to return to the temple to resume his teaching, the disciples voice the concern that His safety would be in question.  Jesus uses the metaphor of day and night to tell them that it is still safe for Him to go, but the implication is that the time is short.  Then He tells them that they will be going to see about their friend Lazarus and corrects the misunderstanding about him being “asleep” for Lazarus is dead.  Good old Thomas is optimistic as always…

Verses 17-22 set the stage for the miracle:  Lazarus has been in the tomb four days, Martha comes out to meet Jesus on His way, and there were many people in town who had come because of the death and funeral who would be witnesses for what would happen.  Martha, upon meeting Jesus both scolds and demonstrates great faith.  Whether or not her faith extended to raising her brother from the grave is a matter of interpretation, but she was certainly disappointed that He hadn’t intervened in the illness, which is a thought many of us have had at one time or another…

Continue: https://lifereference.wordpress.com/2020/06/30/the-resurrection-and-the-life-3/

The Cost of Following Christ

A Broadcast with John MacArthur

The gospel is not a message of self-fulfillment, but one of self-denial. Today, John MacArthur challenges us to count the cost of faithfully following after Jesus Christ.

LISTEN NOW

Think You Don’t Need A Church To Know Jesus? Think Again

https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/think-you-dont-need-a-church-to-know-jesus-think-again/https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/think-you-dont-need-a-church-to-know-jesus-think-again/

Tips on Loving God With All Our Heart, Soul, and Mind

https://chab123.wordpress.com/2020/06/25/tips-on-loving-god-with-all-our-heart-soul-and-mind/

Groaning, Waiting, Hoping – How to Live in a Fallen, Fragile World

Jon Bloom:

A late verdant spring is at this moment giving way to a lush early summer in Minnesota, the state where I have sojourned these nearly 55 years. Walking outside on a fair morning, when the brilliant new variegated greens of the trees and grasses are bursting with life, when a gorgeous spectrum of colorful, fragrant blossoms waves in the gentle breeze and seems to silently sing for joy, when the deep blues of our abundant rivers and lakes quiet frenetic thoughts, and everything is awash in the golden light of a blazing star ascending in a sky-field of azure, one can almost wonder if Eden has returned.

Almost. Then a police vehicle speeds by me, followed soon by a blaring ambulance. Then beneath the bridge I see the decaying body of a songbird whose voice so recently added more beauty to our urban avian choir. Then I pass by burned-out, boarded-up buildings that testify to the great pain and anger that just days ago surged through our streets after a man was needlessly killed under the knee of an officer of the peace. Then I read of another priceless life lost to a global pandemic, adding to the terrible death toll of hundreds of thousands and to the millions of living hearts broken. And then I read of the global economic crises driving hundreds of millions to desperate places.

The stories keep coming. Another child subjected to the nightmare of sexual abuse, the impending demise of the Great Barrier Reef, the slaughter of 92 soldiers at the hands of armed religious zealots in central Africa. I don’t wish to read more. Eden has not returned.

Looking at this sun-drenched spring morning world, I delight in its glory and the glory of the One who created it. But woven into this sublime beauty is sorrowful gore. The world labors under a profound and horrible brokenness. I hear its groaning and groan with it to the One who created it. But there is hope in this groaning, for the world’s Creator is also its Redeemer, and he has promised that something greater than Eden is coming.

NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE

Why is this world so profoundly and horribly broken? And why do we intuitively and deeply feel it should not be this way? The fact that mankind can’t help but ask both questions is revealing.

Continue: https://pjcockrell.wordpress.com/2020/06/24/groaning-waiting-hoping-how-to-live-in-a-fallen-fragile-world/

Simple Leadership Statements that Have Challenged Me, Part 2

https://chucklawless.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1f66ea30867c3c2882f0eae77&id=b91e42e2f2&e=e8a5edc6f6

Live like you believe in God

 

Perhaps one of the most stimulating and deep thinkers in the world today is Jordan Peterson. These two video clips come from one of his most challenging full length videos ever. It is part of a playlist with two other videos on his belief in God. I embed the playlist at the end of this post.

When asked a question Peterson will often answer “I have spent years thinking about that”. Not for him a trite careless answer.

He is at the forefront of nothing less than a revolution of thinking which is appealing to many believers and non believers alike.

He has digested ancient philosophical and theological writings, as well as 20th century psycho-analytic thinkers, psychological research, and is a fierce critic of our inspid modern culture which seems intent on destroying itself.

It is no accident that after Neitche declared “God is dead” we had the most deadly century ever when man killed more other men than had ever been done before. The 20th century stands as a testimony of what man is capable of when he no longer believes in God.

Peterson says we should act as if we believe in God.

Read the rest: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/adrianwarnock/2020/06/live-like-you-believe-in-god-jordan-peterson/

A Call to Holiness

Matthew 28:18–20

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

These are uneasy times. The unrest is hitting all-time highs it seems. Today’s presenting scripture has been called the the Great Commission. It is often seen as the marching orders for the Christian church. We are called to go and make disciples of or for Jesus Christ (whichever makes the most sense to you – lol). We are called to do this in good times and in not so good times. It might even be more needed during tough times.

In the early years of the Methodist movement – making disciples – followers of Christ – seemed to be the main focus. Revivals and Camp Meetings were all the rage and altar calls were common place in Methodist worship – as pastors challenged parishioners to be transformed after the likeness of Christ. I typically have an altar call each week to challenge those in attendance to faith – or to a deeper faith – or simply to pray about something that has been a challenge for them. Does your pastor invite you to the altar to pray? If not – you might ask them why not.

Early Methodists were called to holiness – they were part of the holiness movement in the United States for instance. We were taught to study the Word of God (the Bible) and to strive to live our lives after what it taught. We were even encouraged to avoid some of the ills of our society. The way it was explained to me (as a third generation Methodist pastor) – Methodists were encouraged to abstain from alcohol – from playing cards – from dancing – even from playing pool. The reason – again as it was explained to me – was because these social activities were often associated with bars and night clubs – with gambling and behavior and places that were not appropriate for folks striving to follow after Christ. We were encouraged to avoid even the appearance of evil or sin (we actually called behavior contrary to God’s will – sin – some don’t like to even say that word).  We were encouraged to keep Sunday set aside for the Lord. In my home growing up – Sunday was a day for worship and Sunday School in the morning – a family lunch – a nap time – youth group – and worship in the evening. Sunday was a day set aside for being with God and with other Christians. How do you spend your Sunday?

The Person of the Holy Spirit

by James Williams

There is great confusion today regarding the person of the Holy Spirit. Things done under the guise of the Spirit are oftentimes mere sensationalism and emotional manipulation. On the other hand, there is often such a reaction to these extremes that many believers end up ignoring the biblical teaching on the Spirit altogether.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones (MLJ) recognized and lamented both extremes in his day. MLJ was a proponent for biblical doctrine and was a major influence in the rise of interest in theological study, but he noticed a trend toward “dry intellectualism.” To combat this, he emphasized an experiential view of the Holy Spirit that he believed was taught in Scripture and was needed in the Christian life. He recognized that teaching on the Holy Spirit was often either neglected or exaggerated: “The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is neglected because people are so afraid of the spurious, the false and exaggerated that they avoid it altogether” (5).

To correct this, MLJ devotes volume II of “Great Doctrines of the Bible” to a balanced and biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit. We’ll examine each chapter separately, but today we’ll focus on chapter 1, “The Person of the Holy Spirit.”

Biblical Names for the Holy Spirit

Continue reading: http://growingingrace.blog/2020/06/22/the-person-of-the-holy-spirit/

We are all in this together, so always be kinder than necessary. What goes around comes around. No one has ever made themselves strong by showing how small someone else is. Everyone you meet is learning something, is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something. Know this. And be extra kind today.

In other words, don’t just preach online.

Actually do the difficult things, too.

Be compassionate in whatever way you can.

Be a beacon of hope to people you pass on the street.

Embody what you preach.

Many of the kindest gestures you’ll ever make, and the most important things you’ll ever do, won’t come easy and will never be seen publicly.

Comment at: https://el2.convertkit-mail.com/c/8kuwx0ldwuohk3wpgtl/48hvheh2dm37vv/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWFyY2FuZGFuZ2VsLmNvbS8yMDIwLzA2LzIyLzctZGlmZmljdWx0LXRoaW5ncy15b3Utc2hvdWxkLXN0YXJ0LWRvaW5nLWZvci10aGUtcGVvcGxlLWFyb3VuZC15b3Uv