Twinkle, twinkle little star

The little star would be our planet Earth.  You’ll see why in this video which reminds you and me that “no, you are not the center of the universe (HT: Challies)

Let God’s love draw you near

“Let God’s love daily engage your mind by devout meditations on it so that the affections of your heart may be drawn out to Him. When cast down in spirit, or in sore straits, plead His love in prayer, assured that it cannot deny anything good for you. Make God’s wondrous love to you the incentive of your obedience to Him—gratitude requires nothing less.”–A. W. Pink

How will you do this today?  Perhaps write out and meditate on some verses that speak of God’s love toward you as a child of God.

Not a Christian? Explore here.

Posts du jour 12.15.09

I preached the last few Sundays on justification and the imputed righteousness of Christ to those who by faith trust Christ.  Some people think this is a pretty small issue.  But I agree with Dr. James White who articulates the importance of imputed righteousness so well.

In the hustle and bustle of Christmas, tis easy to be like the fellow travelers all around Bethlehem as they went about their business and missed the birth of Jesus.  Oh, that we could be more like Mary who “treasured and pondered” these things in her heart!  Here’s a prayer by Pastor Scotty Smith that helps us do that.

Crosstalk highlights a few cases where Christians charged with hate speech in Canada and England have been exonerated.  With recent legislation in America however it is only a matter of time before some of us might face similar litigation.

40 years of MacArthur messages on your iphone/ipod touch

Wow! Here’s the announcement from Grace to You:

As you might imagine, people have often asked us, “When will Grace to You content be available for the iPhone/iPod Touch?” How about right now?

Thanks to the generosity and hard work of the capable team at Subsplash, we’re thrilled to unveil the official Grace to You Application for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

When you download this FREE App, you carry forty years of John MacArthur’s Bible teaching in your pocket.  That’s thousands of hours of in-depth Bible teaching instantly available at the touch of a fingertip. Here are the specifics:

1. The Sermons section keeps you current with John MacArthur’s most recent preaching, gives you access to the entire archive of audio sermons, and allows you to select from the growing archive of video sermons.

2. The Devotions section provides four devotionals, updated daily—Drawing Near, The MacArthur Daily Bible, Strength for Today, and Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1.

3. The Broadcasts section keeps you tuned in to Grace to You’s worldwide daily radio and weekly television broadcasts.

Are you serving?

“The world estimates your importance by how many people are serving YOU. God estimates your importance by how many people YOU are serving”–Trevin Wax

Convicting!

Ask yourself today, “Who am I serving today? How many people am I serving?  How am I serving others?  Am I serving others intentionally?”

Scripture so beautifully brings it home.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. [Galatians 5:13,ESV]

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. [1 Peter 4:8-11,ESV]

How do you serve others? Please feel free to share.

HT: Here I Blog

Mixing it up: Christianity, New Age, and Eastern mysticism

Fascinating article in USA Today about the changing scene in religion in America. We need to know our mission field.  And we need to understand what people mean by “spiritual” and other terms being thrown around today:

By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY

Going to church this Sunday? Look around.

The chances are that one in five of the people there find “spiritual energy” in mountains or trees, and one in six believe in the “evil eye,” that certain people can cast curses with a look — beliefs your Christian pastor doesn’t preach.

In a Catholic church? Chances are that one in five members believe in reincarnation in a way never taught in catechism class — that you’ll be reborn in this world again and again.

Going to church this Sunday? Look around.

The chances are that one in five of the people there find “spiritual energy” in mountains or trees, and one in six believe in the “evil eye,” that certain people can cast curses with a look — beliefs your Christian pastor doesn’t preach.

In a Catholic church? Chances are that one in five members believe in reincarnation in a way never taught in catechism class — that you’ll be reborn in this world again and again.

Elements of Eastern faiths and New Age thinking have been widely adopted by 65% of U.S. adults, including many who call themselves Protestants and Catholics, according to a survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released Wednesday.

Syncretism — mashing up contradictory beliefs like Catholic rocker Madonna’s devotion to a Kabbalah-light version of Jewish mysticism — appears on the rise.

And, according to the survey’s other major finding, devotion to one clear faith is fading.

Of the 72% of Americans who attend religious services at least once a year (excluding holidays, weddings and funerals), 35% say they attend in multiple places, often hop-scotching across denominations.

They are like President Obama, who currently has no home church. He has worshiped at a Baptist church, an Episcopal one, and the non-denominational chapel at Camp David.

“Mixing and matching practices and beliefs is as much the norm as it is the exception,” Pew’s Alan Cooperman says. “Are they grazing, sampling, just curious? We really don’t know.”

There’s a whole lot more right here.

Abundant cause for trust and patience

“Here then is abundant cause for trust and patience under Divine affliction. Christ was beloved of the Father, yet He was not exempted from poverty, disgrace, and persecution. He hungered and thirsted. Thus, it was not incompatible with God’s love for Christ when He permitted men to spit upon and smite Him. Then let no Christian call into question God’s love when he is brought under painful afflictions and trials. God did not enrich Christ on earth with temporal prosperity, for “He had not where to lay His head.” But He did give Him the Spirit “without measure” (John 3:34). Learn then that spiritual blessings are the principal gifts of Divine love. How blessed to know that when the world hates us, God loves us!”

–Arthur Pink, The Attributes of God

Are you tempted to call into question God’s love when you experience loss, trial, or affliction?  Will you draw on God’s abundant love in Christ today?

Good news, not good therapy

“The heart of most religions is good advice, good techniques, good programs, good ideas, and good support systems. These drive us deeper into ourselves, to find our inner light, inner goodness, inner voice, or inner resources.

Nothing new can be found inside of us. There is no inner rescuer deep in my soul; I just hear echoes of my own voice telling me all sorts of crazy things to numb my sense of fear, anxiety, and boredom, the origins of which I cannot truly identify.

But the heart of Christianity is Good News. It comes not as a task for us to fulfill, a mission for us to accomplish, a game plan for us to follow with the help of life coaches, but as a report that someone else has already fulfilled, accomplished, followed, and achieved everything for us.”

—Michael Horton, The Gospel-Driven Life

How do you view the gospel?  Do you understand that it is the only way to God?  Do you understand that it is not only for salvation, but for all of life?

Questions about the gospel? Click here.

(HT: First Importance)

Posts du jour 12.13.09

1. John MacArthur’s post on the Unholy Trinity is a must read!  High octane, no-holds-bar, vintage MacArthur on the prosperity gospel. If you only have time to read one post today read this one!
2. Do you feel information overload?  This graph explains why. (HT: Challies)
3. Want to pray more effectively for your wife?  For your husband?  Here’s a great resource.
4. Looking for a good devotional book to supplement (not replace) your daily Bible reading in 2010?  Here are some suggestions.  Order soon or put it on your Christmas list quickly for someone who asks you, “What do you want for Christmas?

7 responses to God’s love

From Pink’s The Attributes of God:

• Be more careful in our obedience (Psalm 36:7)
• Strengthen our faith
• Stimulates greater worship (Psalm 63:3)
• A cordial to the depressed (Psalm 119:76)
• Our plea in prayer (Psalm 119:159)
• Our appeal when we sin against God (Psalm 51:1)
• Our petition every evening–”Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love” (Psalm 143:8)

In what way do you need God’s love to more deeply impact your life?

Do you think you need God?  Click here.