Wrong Reasons to Love the Church

Do you love the church? Romans 12:10 tells Christians to "Love one another with brotherly affection."

The affection and love we're to have for fellow-Christians is to be based on the work of Jesus Christ for us. It's not about elitism, it's not because Christians are better than anyone else, it certainly isn't because Christians are necessarily more lovable. We love the church because we love the Savior who redeemed the church.

Acts 20:28 tells us that Jesus purchased the church with his own blood. Is this what your love for the church is based on? If it's anything less, it won't last long.

Don't love the church because of what it does for you. Because sooner or later it won't do enough.

Don't love the church because of a leader. Because human leaders are fallible and will let you down.

Don't love the church because of a program or a building or activities. Because all those things get old.

Don't love the church because of a certain group of friends. Because friendships change and people move.

Love the church because of who shed his blood to obtain the church. Love the church because of who the church belongs to. Love the church because of who the church worships. Love the church because you love Jesus Christ and his glory. Love the church because Jesus is worthy and faithful and true. Love the church because Jesus loves the church.


Excerpted from the sermon "We Are Here to Love the Church." - posted at www.joshharris.com

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" Eph. 5:25

Edited and posted by john d.

Irresistible Grace - Our Encouragement

John Newton in a letter to Rev. Thomas Jones (October 20, 1767): “As to myself, if I were not a Calvinist, I think I should have no more hope of success in preaching to men, than to horses or cows.”

Posted by Kevin DeYoung – 1/23/10 - http://thegospelcoalition.org

re-posted by john d

For Your Consideration ....

Are we becoming "theological eggheads"
ignoring the gospel needs of our community?

In other words,

Are we "educated" beyond our profession and practice?





" . . . .if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. "

posted by john d.

Signs - and Wonder

No Parking? I can park here I've got important business and besides I'll only be a few minutes. Speed Limit 55? - means nothing, I'm in a hurry. No Passing Zone? I can pass as long as I can make it. No Smoking area....are you kidding, I have my rights.

I have noticed the inability of a lot of people to follow directions posted on signs.

It appears that those who ignore signs might feel that they apply to everyone else and not to them specifically. They must feel exempt, or special, or beyond the authority of the sign. In other words, they will be autonomous. I .... me.....my.....above everyone else.

"This sign must be for someone else, certainly it is not meant for me."

"Why should I have to obey this sign?"

"I don't agree with this sign, therefore I don't have to obey it."

This attitude is another indicator of sin exhibited by our self-love...our selfishness. Is it any different than Satan's challenge to Eve to question God's authority - and by extension all authority outside of ourselves?

We theoretically agree with Hebrews 13: 17 which requires us to "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves..." but tend to ignore 1 Peter 2:13,14 which commands us to "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors...."

Is this lack of respect for authority as evidenced by our disregarding signs and promoting "self" the result of our pagan culture affecting the Christian or does the Christian's attitude of self-love contribute to it's cause?

posted by john d.

Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year

Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. “Consider your ways!” (Haggai 1:5) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them.

Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It’s so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we’re going and where we should be going. The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God.

1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

The value of many of these questions is not in their profundity, but in the simple fact that they bring an issue or commitment into focus.

So let’s evaluate our lives, make plans and goals, and live this new year with biblical diligence, remembering that, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage” (Proverbs 21:5). But in all things let’s also remember our dependence on our King who said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

by Don S. Whitney

posted by john d.

New Year Resolutions

How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? No, I won’t let you forget. What? You forgot what they were? Did you write them down? See if you can find the paper. No don’t be discouraged. Today is the beginning of the rest of your life. Take 5 quiet minutes and make several resolutions. Then we’ll take stock at the end of June. Like Paul said: “Forgetting those (failures) that lie behind, and pressing ahead to the goal, I pursue…” Let’s be a pursuing people.

Joshua 7 is a chapter on how to deal with failures of the past. Achan disobeyed God and kept some booty he wasn’t supposed to. So Israel is defeated in their next battle. Joshua is crushed. He rips his shirt open, throws himself on the ground and wails before God. God comes in an amazingly matter-of-fact manner, and simply says: “Get up; why are you on the ground? Israel has sinned. That is why they got beat. Get up and get rid of the sin” (vv.10-13).

OK then, let’s not go around bemoaning all our failures. Get up. Repent. Get the sin out. And let’s be on our way to Ai: “Do not fear or be dismayed…I have given into your hand the King of Ai” (8:1). Renew the New Year’s covenant or make a new one. Write it down. Paste it on your bathroom mirror. Set a limit to it. And be sure to add this contingency clause: “If I fail, I will not mope around in despair. I will encourage my heart in God’s mercy, repent and start up again.” Future life is too precious. The possibilities of joyful service are too great to let yourself be paralyzed by the past.

Adapted from “New Year's Resolutions? Oops”, by John Piper, March 24, 1981

posted by john d.

Happy New Year

1922 New Year Card




from my family collection.

posted by john d.