"How I Wish the Homosexuality Debate Would Go"

Here is an article by Trevin Wax illustrating how he wishes a pastor would respond to the issue of homosexuality if interviewed about it on TV.  It provides some good food for thought and illustrates ways that we can individually respond to friends and acquaintances about this issue.

Five Principles of Fruitful Ministry

Last night, at Bible study, we looked at 2 Timothy 1:1-7.  In this introduction, Paul is writing from a prison cell in Rome to his young son in the faith, Timothy.  He is writing to strengthen Timothy in his resolve to minister the gospel faithfully.  In this greeting, we saw five principles for having a fruitful ministry (based on how Paul ministered to Timothy and how he called Timothy to action). These apply to us all since every Christian is called to minister to one another and to share the gospel.

1. You must base your ministry on the authority of God’s Word. Paul had apostolic authority.  We have the Word of God from the Apostles (v. 1).
2. You must minister according to the “promise of life…in Christ Jesus” – the gospel message is what we are passing on.  The promise of life for those who trust in Jesus (v. 1).
3. You must minister in the context of discipleship relationships.  Paul was a spiritual father to Timothy- instructing him and living out a godly example (see 2 Tim. 1:13, 2:1-2, 3:10).  We should all look for a "Paul" and "Timothy" in our life (v. 2)
4. You must pray constantly for those you are ministering to.  God is the one we depend on in ministry. (v. 3)
5. You must fan into flame the gift of God.  Paul called Timothy to exercise the gifts God had given him (v. 6).

We realize ultimately all the fruit in ministry is produced and sustained by God, yet we have a job to do.  Let’s be faithful and fruitful servants of God.

"Mormonism, Democracy, and the Urgent Need for Evangelical Thinking"

Here is an article by Al Mohler on the subject of whether Mormonism is Christian and whether a Christian should ever consider voting for a Mormon.  The main points are: 1. Mormonism, by its own claims, is not the same as evangelical Christianity, 2. We should expect that most people will vote for candidates who come closest to their own worldview.  We should realize this will involve religious and moral convictions.  Read the whole thing...there are a lot more details.

In case you want to know more about Mormonism, here is a helpful article by Kevin DeYoung: Mormonism 101.

Thinking on Your Feet Requires Preparation

The title sounds like a bit of an contradiction doesn't it?  Thinking on your feet implies that you are not taking time to prepare.  If you wish that you could thinking and speak on your feet (whether defending the faith, counseling someone, or just thinking on your feet in general) this Charles Spurgeon quote is good to reflect on.  I think it emphasizes the hard work and careful thinking and studying which must be a way of life if we are to become good at thinking on our feet.  It seems that good, extemporaneous thinking is the product of training one's mind on a daily basis.  Oftentimes we just want the fruit of hard work, but not the work it takes to get it.  May we be encouraged to pursue good thinking in all areas of our life.

You will not be able to extemporize good thinking unless you have been in the habit of thinking and feeding your mind with abundant and nourishing food. Work hard at every available moment. Store your minds very richly, and then, like merchants with crowded warehouses, you will have goods ready for your customers, and having arranged your good things upon the shelves of your mind, you will be able to hand them down at any time without the laborious process of going to market, sorting, folding, and preparing. . . .  Take it as a rule without exception, that to be able to overflow spontaneously you must be full.

Reflecting on the Sermon: 10/9/11

We have finished the first 11 chapters of Romans.  So much doctrine which has now set the foundation for the practical out-workings in chapters 12 and following. 

In verses 28-36 of Romans 11, Rod showed four stages of God's sovereign guidance of history.  First, a time of Gentile disobedience.  Then a time of Jewish disobedience.  Then a time of mercy to the Gentiles (where we are living now).  Finally, a time of mercy for the Jews (once the full number of the Gentiles has come in).  The bottom line in all of this is that no one (Jew or Gentile) can boast because God planned it all and did it all. 

In light of all the wonderful truths of God's sovereignty and mercy, Paul breaks into a doxology extolling God's greatness.  It boggles the mind to reflect on the knowledge and wisdom of God.  Does pondering these great truths bring you to praise God in awe? 

One part I really enjoyed is when he discussed how all this talk about sovereignty doesn't make us fatalists.  Fate says all that is must be.  Providence (or God's sovereign working of all the details of life) comes from God, and God is wise and ordains everything with a purpose.  Fate has no purpose.  God has great ends or goals in mind.

"Fifty Fruits of Pride"- A Helpful Tool for Growth

Pride, by its very nature, is a self-deceptive sin.  It is often hard to recognize it one's own life because it blinds us to its existence.  Sometimes we recognize that we are sinning by  being prideful in general, but don't stop and think about the specific manifestations of this sin in our lives.  Without this recognition it is harder to battle the sin and temptation towards it effectively.  Here is a helpful list of "Fifty Fruits of Pride."  Don't be too prideful to examine yourself in this area.

Continue to Pray for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

Pray for this Iranian pastor and his family.  May God give him grace to be faithful in the face of possible death and grant him deliverance from death.  This from Voice of the Martyrs.

After being ordered by the Iranian Supreme Court to review the apostasy charge against Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, the 11th branch of the Gilan Provincial Court has confirmed his conviction and again ordered him to recant his faith in Jesus Christ. On Monday, Sept. 26, the court ruled that because Pastor Youcef has Muslim ancestors, his faith in Christ makes him an apostate from Islam. When the judges asked Pastor Youcef to “repent,” he replied, “Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?” The judges said, “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.” Pastor Youcef then replied, “I can not.” Pastor Youcef will be brought before the court two more times, on Sept. 27 and 28, and ordered to recant his Christian faith. Sources in Iran report that although they have been told the case will return to the Supreme Court, they fear that the lower court may act on a law that would allow them to carry out Pastor Youcef’s execution. Please pray that God might turn the hearts of the Iranian judges in Pastor Youcef’s favor, and pray for his family.

Here is another article about how the mainstream media is not covering the story.