Discipleship Doesn't Have to be Difficult

This past Tuesday I was able to begin what I hope will be a long journey of helping one of my members as he seeks to pursue Christ. I found that what we did together was unbelievably simply, yet unbelievably rewarding for both of us. Often times it seems we try to find the right program, or the right angle, or the right something else, but it doesn't have to be that difficult. In fact, it went so well that I have invited another man in our church who also has agreed to meet with us. My hope is that maybe we'll invite one more, but I would like to stop there. After a season together I hope they will be better prepared and equipped to do the same thing with other men (and even especially their wives!).

So what did we do? We met at a local restaurant for breakfast. No, that's not all we did, but that is where it started. We met there, had breakfast together, and talked. It was a chance for me to get to know what was going on in his life and for him to know more of mine as well. As we finished up our meal together we opened up our Bibles to Galatians. We read the first 4 verses and stopped. Together we started making observations about the text. This was not a time to figure out what it means. We just made our way slowly through the text making observations. Then we began discussing what it meant. I didn't prepare before we came, so it wasn't an in-depth, trying to know it all, discussion. Finally, we talked about how it ought to affect our lives.

That was it! It was simple. And yet, it proved to be one of the most helpful times I've had with a brother in Christ. In fact, it changed my day. I had a great day thinking through what he and I had discussed that morning. That evening, his wife told me how much it had benefitted him. I take that to mean he went home and talked with her about it. How awesome is that! Immediately he began to talk about what the Lord was doing in his life with his wife.

I am humbled. This little time spent with a man over the Bible proved to be far more productive than I would have guessed. I'm looking forward to what may come out of this for the both of us! Discipleship doesn't have to be hard. This was easy, enjoyable, and seems to have potential for great benefits immediately and in the future.

Books that Just Arrived

Which one of these books should I read first?

Radical Together by David Platt

The Gospel Commission by Michael Horton

Note to Self by Joe Thorn

Tempted and Tried by Russell Moore

Biblical Theology by Michael Lawrence

Which Camp are YOU in?

Luke 8:37 - Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.

Luke 8:40 - Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.

Which camp are you in? Do you want Jesus to leave or are you eagerly waiting for him?

Shortcomings

I have had The Valley of Vision for several years and have enjoyed it thoroughly. Last week I linked to a post by Joe Thorn, where he laid out a schedule for using this book to help his prayer life. Over the past week I've accepted the challenge (if you'd call it that) to try to put this into practice. It has already helped tremendously in my own life. I have already seen a great increase in my discipline of prayer. Of course, I have a long way to go, but I would certainly recommend this plan. If you do not use this plan, please think about how you will have a plan that will enable you to grow closer to Christ Jesus through prayer.

The prayer I read for this morning is called Shortcomings. It's excellent. Below is a section of the prayer that I will think about for some time:

I fall short of thy glory every day by spending hours unprofitably, by thinking that the things I do are good, when they are not done to thy end, nor spring from the rules of thy Word.

I have often times stated that we can do 'good' things that will actually condemn us because they are not done for the glory of God. However, reading this sentence makes me think it's inaccurate to call them 'good' if they are not done for His glory.

Sunday Sermons

My two sermons from today are online now. I honestly must say I was extremely excited about preaching both sermons today. It seemed to be a great week with the Lord leading up to today. You can here them by clicking on the following links:

AM - Luke 8:22-25 - Jesus is Sovereign in the Storm

PM - Luke 8:26-39 - Demonic Healing and the Glory of God

The Marvelous Truth of Salvation

J.C. Ryle, commenting on the healing of the Gerasene demonic in Luke 8:26-39:

One thing, however, must not be forgotten. Striking and miraculous as this cure was, it is not really more wonderful than every instance of a definite conversion to God. Marvelous as the change was which appeared in the demoniac's condition when healed, it is not any more marvelous than the change which passes over every individual who is born again and turned from the power of Satan to God. Never is a person in his right mind until he is converted, or in his right place until he sits by faith at the feet of Jesus, or correctly dressed until he has put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you ever considered what real conversion to God is? It is nothing but the miraculous release of a captive, the miraculous restoration of a man to his right mind, the miraculous deliverance of a soul from the Devil.

Francis Chan: Hell: We Can't afford to get it Wrong

Happy Anniversary

Today marks our eleventh anniversary as husband and wife. It has been an amazing, and often times challenging, 11 years. By God's grace, the challenges have been faced together, not at one another. By God's grace we have two children with us, we've moved to FL, and we're still going strong. By God's grace He took two sinful people and drew them to Himself and forever changed them. By God's grace my wife and I are no longer two, but are one flesh. I still carry this picture in my Bible. My wife is unbelievably kind, gracious, caring, encouraging, strong, hardworking, loving, strengthening, and a thousand other wonderful things. Thank you, Shannon, for 11 wonderful years of rejoicing in God's grace together as husband and wife. I pray we have many, many more.

The Gerasene Demonic and Us

As I continue to preach through the gospel of Luke with Cypress Lake Baptist Church, I am amazed at the number of ways my life is impacted. My hope is that our church would know more of Biblical Jesus so we can trust in Him and His work on our behalf. Just recently I added Philip Ryken's Commentary Set to my collection, and I am very thankful already. In preparing for Sunday Evening's message from Luke 8:26-39 I read this quote about the demon possessed man:

The man that Jesus met was in nearly the worst condition that anyone could imagine. He was naked, lonely, violent, and insane; he was walking naked among the dead. Yet even for all his misery, we can see ourselves in his situation, because sin has similar effects on all of us. It exposes us naked in our guilt. It alienates us from one another, leaving us lonely and alone. It makes us violent, at least in our attitudes, if not in our actions. Spiritually speaking, we walk among the dead. Thus the madman in the graveyard shows the wretchedness of our condition outside of Christ.

I can relate to this on so many levels. Apart from Christ I am certainly here. Thanks be to God who has cleansed me through the blood of His Son, Jesus.

Reasons to Trust God in Every Rough and Stormy Gale

In preparing for Sunday morning's sermon for Cypress Lake Baptist Church, I read the following three truths that Philip Graham Ryken gives in his commentary on Luke (particularly Luke 8:22-25) for why we ought to trust God in every rough and stormy gale:

1. Even the storms of life are under his sovereign control

2. Jesus has set the perfect example

3. Jesus is with us in the boat

I can't wait to preach this text this Sunday morning! God-willing we'll post the audio here sometime Sunday afternoon if you'd like to hear more.