1 John 5:4 “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.”
He who truly believes in Christ, overcomes the world.
A true believer is not ruled by the world’s standard of right or wrong, of truth or error. He is independent of the world’s opinions. He cares little for the world’s praise. He is not moved by the world’s blame. He does not seek for the world’s pleasures. He is not ambitious of the world’s rewards.
He looks at the things unseen. He sees an invisible Savior, a coming judgment, and a crown of glory which never fades away. The sight of these objects makes him think comparatively little of this glittering world.
Where the world reigns in the heart, there is no saving faith. A man who is habitually conformed to the world, has not right to regard himself as a believer!
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On October 31, 1517, a young monk named Martin Luther nailed ninety-five theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany. He addressed the abuses of the sale of indulgences and this event proved to provide the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation. In an era when the Gospel had been eclipsed by a system of human merit, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and the other magisterial reformers proclaimed to the people of God that we are declared righteous in the sight of the Lord through faith alone in the person and work of Christ Jesus.
At Ligonier Ministries, we are celebrating Reformation Week (Oct. 27-Nov.2) by offering a genuine leather Reformation Study Bible (ESV) for a donation of any amount. Retailing at $69.99, this is the study Bible for the next generation of reformers.
I love this time of year. The fall colors, the beat of a marching band, the sounds of college football. Even if you are not a college football fan, the following ESPN story will warm your heart.
And just for fun along the family theme here is an artist/songwriter, Andrew Peterson, that I have really begun to enjoy lately.
This is not a political blog and I have no intent on it becoming one. My intent is not to set one party against the other, but to put forth some helpful article that will cause us as Christians to think biblically about what is going on and what is at stake.
As Americans politics play into our lives and religion. We have rights and responsibilities. John Piper wrote a helpful article that I believe will challenge us to exercise our right to vote and help us as Christians to keep this upcoming election in perspective with God’s Word.
Voting is like marrying and crying and laughing and buying. We should do it, but only as if we were not doing it. That’s because “the present form of this world is passing away” and, in God’s eyes, “the time has grown very short.” Here’s the way Paul puts it:
The appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)
It is important that we, as Christians, do not forget about the moral issues at stake in the upcoming election. Randy Alcorn has a thought provoking article on whether or not Abortion should still be an issue Christians keep as a priority when voting.
Every Christian should take these teachings seriously. Is the unborn an innocent human being? If you claim to be prolife in the historical meaning of the word, then your answer is yes. Is abortion the shedding of innocent blood, the taking of human life created in the image of God? If you say you are prolife, your answer must be yes. (Please do not redefine the meaning of the word prolife and say “I’m prolife” if you’re really not.)
So, is the candidate’s stand on the issue of shedding innocent blood important enough to disqualify him as a candidate? Yes. While a single issue can’t qualify a candidate, it can disqualify him.
He also links a video that is graphic but is helpful in understanding how much life is in an unborn baby and how many are being destroyed/killed.
I have mentioned this sermon several times from the pulpit and once here, but just want to make a clean link for the people of Edgewood so they can find it easily and listen to it:
Why am I surprised that God knows exactly what I need and never fails to give it just at that moment when I need it most?
Do not grow weary in welldoing. In doing what you know is right and good you may become the ordinary means by which God brings excatly what someone else needs at that moment when they need it most.
Over the next few weeks I hope to write a few articles on lessons I have been learning about who Christ is and what his earthly ministry was like. With the great economic crisis going on around us my thoughts have been drawn to biblical principles and philosophies dealing with our money. So I will begin there.
Most approaches to finance, even those of leading Christian financial gurus, are not the full biblical perspective on finance, nor do they match Christ’s. It is not that what they say is all wrong or has not biblical basis, or even that it will not help, but rather that it leaves one too focused, and often wrongly focused, on money and finance. Some of them may be great help for individuals in certain areas of finance, such as getting one out of debt, or learning to use a budget. However, we must be careful to then go back to scripture and incorporate a holistic biblical approach. Christ did not come to earth teaching the American dream, nor did he live it. Christ did not own a home, make great earthly investments, have wonderful strategies to help with taxes, or have 2 months salary set aside (I am not suggesting we be unwise in these areas). Money was not what he lived for or gave himself to be greatly concerned about. He lived dependent, not self reliant. Chiefly, he was dependent upon his Father in heaven, but secondarily he was dependent upon his followers.
The reason even many Christian financial advisers do not give the whole picture is because Jesus approach to money does not market well: Your money is not yours, 10% is to be given to God. Don’t give God the 10% at the end, but your first fruits. The other 90% is still God’s, but he wants you to use it. Don’t use it to lay up treasures here on earth, use it to be generous, to bring God glory! The amazing thing is, the more you know of Christ, the more you will desire to live this way as a response to grace.
Tim Keller calls a true biblical view of economics and finance one that demonstrates “unreasonable and unaccountable generosity.” His sermon “Grace and Money” may be the best sermon I have ever heard on a biblical view of finance. Please listen to it carefully. It very well may be life altering for many, even those that have thought they have been following “biblical” financial advice. It is a timely message in light of our financial crisis. If we can but learn to look at money this way, our Christian response will be a light to the world during this time.
If right now you are in a situation where you are being asked to wait, or you are in a situation where it seems like God is turning down your prayers, you are lacking some information. Jesus will always give you what you would have prayed for if you knew everything He knows.
For those that read blogs and use the internet frequently, RSS feeds are great to keep up on what is new. I have mentioned it before, but I am a big fan of Google Reader for managing my RSS feeds. It is a great time saver. The ESV Bible now has RSS feeds for a variety of daily bible reading plans. There are also feeds for Verse of the day and weekly memorization verses.
against the other, but to put forth some helpful article that will cause us as Christians to think biblically about what is going on and what is at stake.
perspective on finance, nor do they match Christ’s. It is not that what they say is all wrong or has not biblical basis, or even that it will not help, but rather that it leaves one too focused, and often wrongly focused, on money and finance. Some of them may be great help for individuals in certain areas of finance, such as getting one out of debt, or learning to use a budget. However, we must be careful to then go back to scripture and incorporate a holistic biblical approach. Christ did not come to earth teaching the American dream, nor did he live it. Christ did not own a home, make great earthly investments, have wonderful strategies to help with taxes, or have 2 months salary set aside (I am not suggesting we be unwise in these areas). Money was not what he lived for or gave himself to be greatly concerned about. He lived dependent, not self reliant. Chiefly, he was dependent upon his Father in heaven, but secondarily he was dependent upon his followers.
If right now you are in a situation where you are being asked to wait, or you are in a situation where it seems like God is turning down your prayers, you are lacking some information. Jesus will always give you what you would have prayed for if you knew everything He knows.
For those that read blogs and use the internet frequently,