What you should preach always and evermore

"Of all I wish to say this is the sum; my brethren, preach Christ, always and evermore. He is the whole gospel. His person, offices, and work must be our one great, all-comprehending theme. The world needs still to be told of its Saviour, and of the way to reach him. Justification by faith should be far more than it is the daily testimony of Protestant pulpits; and if with this master-truth there should be more generally associated the other great doctrines of grace, the better for our churches and our age."

From Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students (Chapter 5: “Sermons — Their Matter”).

Reducing God to a Vending Machine

"I’m coming to realize that life is art. There are no formulas, no dot-to-dot paintings that we can follow to guarantee a beautiful life. No heresy has been more sin inspired than belief in formulas: do this and God will bless, in this way. Formulas put us in control and reduce God to a vending machine. Everything that’s wrong with me loves that idea." - Larry Crabb, Real Church, p. 103

My friend Charlie and I are reading through this book together right now. I am so thankful that he (and Larry) are in my life to challenge me as a follower of Jesus and as a leader in the church to view life, especially my relationship with Jesus Christ, as art.

Be Yourself

Often we want to be somewhere other than where we are, or even to be someone other than who we are. We tend to compare ourselves constantly with others and wonder why we are not as rich, as intelligent, as simple, as generous, or as saintly as they are. Such comparisons make us feel guilty, ashamed, or jealous. It is very important to realize that our vocation is hidden in where we are and who we are. We are unique human beings, each with a call to realize in life what nobody else can, and to realize it in the concrete context of the here and now.

We will never find our vocations by trying to figure out whether we are better or worse than others. We are good enough to do what we are called to do. Be yourself!

- Henri Nouwen

Do all the good you can in 2010

"Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can." John Wesley words are very thought provoking for me as I look into the remaining days that 2010 will bring.

The way we make all progress in the kingdom

We never "get beyond the gospel" in our Christian life to something more "advanced." The gospel is not the first "step" in a "stairway" of truths, rather, it is more like the "hub" in a "wheel" of truth. The gospel is not just the A-B-C's but the A to Z of Christianity. The gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the kingdom, but the way we make all progress in the kingdom.

- Tim Keller, The Centrality of the Gospel

Family Verses For 2010

Psalm 33:20-22

" 20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you."

Julie and I are so excited to take the truth from these verses and weave them into the life of our family in 2010.