You might be radical for Christ if...

If you find yourself talking to the Lord Jesus more than to your family

If you find yourself wanting to read your Bible instead of watching television

If your Bibles must be replaced in less than a year due to pages separating from the spine

If you’ve muted a Thanksgiving football game because it’s interfering with your family discussion of Ephesians 1

If your children never ask you “Where are we going?” on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night

If you purchased an MP3 player with the sole purpose of downloading sermons

If you have adjusted the default passage setting at www.biblegateway.org

If your preacher says to turn to Obadiah and you do not use the index

If you think a 50-minute sermon is too short

If you start applauding and shouting "AMEN" when the pastor says for the next 3 months he will be in Romans 9

If you see 6:37 on a digital clock and think of the Lord Jesus’ words in John

Yeah, you just might be a radical Christian!

Understanding what "God-centered" means

John Piper writes:

At Bethlehem Baptist Church and at Desiring God we use the term "God-centered" a lot. Here is one simple way to tell what we mean and test yourself to see if you are God-centered.

The psalmist describes the motivation of God in saving sinners like this:

Both we and our fathers have sinned... Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. (Psalms 106:6, 8)

God was motivated to rescue them and us from our sin and its penalty "for his name's sake." What does "for his name's sake" mean? It means "that he might make known his mighty power."

What we mean when we say God is "God-centered" is that he acts like that. He saves for the sake of his name. He saves to make known his own power.

And what we mean when we say we are God-centered (or desire to be) is that we like to have it that way. It satisfies us to have God save us for God's sake. We are happy that this is the way it is. We get pleasure in seeing it and savoring it.

We like to talk about God doing it that way.

May the "FARCE" be with you

Something to think about...

"Christianity in America today is a circus... and I don't know where it's running but I see a lot of clowns leading it."
- Paul Washer

Quote for the day

"I don't need to be a prophet or a son of a prophet to know what your God is, I only have to watch your life. When Jesus Christ is just something you do at the beginning of the week, but yet throughout your life you are a practical atheist, I know who your God is and it is not the one who is the One true God. When you have just enough Christianity to make you moral and comfortable in the south, I know who your God is. If I could look into your mind to see what occupies your mind I will know what your God is." - Paul Washer

When preaching goes bad

This video is a disturbing trend in the church that Barack Obama has attended for over 20 years. Apparently the preacher is a friend of the church and one who has spoken on many occasions. Jesus said "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." I am not political and this blog is not political. But there comes a time, where one has to look at the candidates and their close associations, and what that may indicate about the candidates attitudes, beliefs, values and feelings. As these things continue to unfold may we be in prayer that God would give discernment to each of us in our voting in the November election.

Quote for the day

The mediatorial righteousness of Christ will answer to all the fears, doubts, and objections of your souls.

How shall I look up to God? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I find acceptance with God? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I die? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I stand before the judgment seat? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ.

Your sure and only way under all temptations, fears, conflicts, doubts, and disputes, is by faith to remember Christ, and the sufferings of Christ, as your mediator and surety, and say, ‘O Christ! you are my sin—in being made sin for me; and you are my curse—in being made a curse for me. Or rather, I am your sin—and you are my righteousness; I am your curse—and you are my blessing; I am your death—and you are my life; I am the wrath of God to you—and you are the love of God to me; I am your hell—and you are my heaven.’

- Thomas Brooks, A Cabinet of Choice Jewels

New Attitude 2008 Conference

Here are the messages available for download from the recent New Attitude 2008 Conference. I have listened to John Piper's message on "fighting the fight of faith" which I would highly recommend. To go to these messages simply click on this LINK.

Theological word for the day

Soteriology [soe-teer’-ee-aw’-luh-jee] - (Greek soterion, “salvation” or “deliverance” + Greek -logia, “speaking”)

It is the study of the doctrine of salvation. In Christian systematic theology it is used to refer to the study of how the life and death of Christ effectually brings people to salvation. In the broader context of salvation, the idea is essentially synonymous with the concept of redemption and includes a past, present, and future sense.

Quote for the day

"Conviction of sin is a state of the mind and heart when the individual takes sides with God against himself."
-Paris Reidhead, Getting Evangelicals Saved