Friday, March 31, 2006

No Book, Quotes

Hey all, I have been thinking that my recommended book of the week post is going to become an every other week thing. I decided that if I keep recommending so many books you all will get overwhelmed and stop paying attention because you'll be thinking "I haven't read the last 800 books you've recommended, and you keep giving me new ones." So for now I will do that every two weeks. So instead, I decided to post a bunch of great quotes from the saints who have gone before us.

"Rest assured, if you are a child of God, you must pass through the fire. Fear not, but rather rejoice that such fruitful times are in store for you, for in them you will be weaned from earth and will qualify to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light: you will be delivered from clinging to the present and made to long for those eternal things which are so soon to be revealed to you."
Charles Spurgeon

"I have thought that I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God and returning from God; just hovering over the great gulf, till a few moments hence I am no more seen. I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing, the way to heaven—how to land save on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way: for this very end he came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price give me the Book of God! I have it. Here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri [a man of one book]."
John Wesley

"When thou prayest, rather let thy heart be without words than thy words be without heart."
John Bunyan

"Only one life, it'll soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last." - C. T. Studd

"The enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams. But God is the ocean. Therefore it becomes us to spend this life only as a journey toward heaven, as it becomes us to make the seeking of our highest end and proper good, the whole work of our lives; to which we should subordinate all other concerns of life. Why should we labour for, or set our hearts on, anything else, but that which is our proper end, and true happiness?"
Jonathan Edwards

"The more we grow in grace, the more shall we flourish in glory. Though every vessel of glory shall be full, yet some vessels hold more."
THOMAS WATSON

Quotes taken from http://www.puritansermons.com/prev2.htm and
http://www.epm.org/articles/quotes_archive.html

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Update from Last Two Saturdays

Hey all, Rebekah has given us the following update of what has been going on at the last two Saturday prayer meetings.

Prayer update from March 18 and March 25:

We spent the majority of our time on March 18 praying for the group at St. Johns and St. Bens. There are particular challenges that an organization can face on campuses that are religiously affiliated. We want to have a positive, God-glorifying relationship with the St. Johns/ St. Bens community and administration. We prayed specifically for humility and wisdom as we interact with people on these campuses. We prayed also that the students in our group would be strengthened in their faith and not discouraged by difficult circumstances that they may encounter.

On March 25 we prayed for a variety of concerns… for the student leadership retreats this spring, for activities happening on the different campuses, and other things as well. We spent some time praying for the concerns of some of the individuals present at prayer, since it’s important that we continually support and encourage one another.

Monday, March 27, 2006

What Do You Hunger For?

Hey all. Our brother Charlie is here blessing us with this post on what the Lord has been showing him lately about fasting. These ideas are right at the heart of Prepare Ministries. Enjoy this highly recommended post!

Fasting for the Bridegroom

“And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast’” (Matthew 9:15).

“Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, ‘I will not eat until I have said what I have to say’” (Genesis 24:33).

We are in a period of anticipation and longing for the bridegroom Jesus to return for his bride the church. As I prepared a message on fasting a few weeks ago the Holy Spirit brought to my attention these passages from Matthew and Genesis 24 that as a pair speak about the importance of fasting. Genesis 24 is very significant to the vision of Prepare Ministries and it holds layer upon layer of symbolic meaning. However, I intend to limit this blog to the issue of fasting.

First a few words about Matthew 9:15. Jesus is responding to a question brought to him by the disciples of John the Baptist. They ask him why his disciples do not fast as themselves and the Pharisees. In typical fashion Jesus gives an indirect answer that veils a deeper truth, which can be known by those who have eyes to see. As we view his answer in light of the entire Bible we see that he is speaking prophetically about his ascension to heaven and then his return for the greatest wedding feast of all time.

Now let’s take a look at Genesis 24. This is an account of actual events in the story of God’s chosen people, but like so many other passages it has symbolic meaning as well which speaks to us in the present. Abraham has sent his servant to find a bride for his son Isaac. Through his sovereignty, God has made known to the servant the woman who will be a bride for Isaac (vv. 1-32). At this point it seems like a done deal. God has spoken, Rebekah has accepted the proposal, and arrangements are being made with the father and family. It will happen.

Verse 33, “Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, ‘I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.’” Even as the finishing touches were being put in place the servant did not lose focus on the task at hand. He was given an important responsibility and he was determined to see it through without compromise. Because of his devotion to his master he abstained from food until every detail was taken care of and his task of finding a bride for his master’s son was complete.

Coinciding with Jesus’ words about fasting when the Bridegroom is not with us, I believe this is a mandate to fast until Jesus does come to be reunited with us, his bride. Fasting must be a regular part of our lives as we wait in longing expectation of our Bridegroom Jesus. So I challenge you to begin, or continue, to implement fasting into your life as an act of worship and to hasten the coming of Jesus.

Later in Genesis 24 we read, “he and the men who were with him ate and drank…(v.54)”, and this is an encouragement that there is a time of feasting that will come. Now we fast, but there is a day coming when we will rejoice with feasting. Revelation 19:6-8 gives us a picture of that day.

“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for he marriage of he Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’ – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

Friday, March 24, 2006

Book o' da Week

Hey all. This week's recommended book is Speaking of Jesus. This is written by J. Mack Stiles and is a great exhortation and practical help for evangelism. This book is really helping me to see that I really can share my faith with both friends and strangers in practical and powerful ways. The book gives good place to the sovereignty of God in evangelism along with many stories and practical helps that I think will be a great help and encouragement to all who pick up this book.
May God give you grace as you seek to share the gospel of His glorious grace through Jesus Christ!

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

"SERVANTHOOD--A KEY TO REVELATION"

Hey all...here is a word that came to Bob Jones. I think he received it through a dream. Anyways I thought it was a very good exhortation. I got this from the Elijah List website.

OBTAINING UNDERSTANDING

In one of these prophetic encounters, I was allowed to observe several young men on the campus of a well-known seminary. They were all dressed formally in a suit and tie. They marched single file across the campus with briefcases in hand headed for an evening class. As they continued in their procession, they all began to chant in unison, "We are going to get understanding...we are going to get understanding...we are going to get understanding."

I carefully watched as they one-by-one marched to and entered one of the educational facilities on the campus. Suddenly, the last young man in the procession stopped before entering the building and knelt to pick up a gum wrapper from the otherwise perfectly manicured campus lawn. As he did, my attention was drawn to the stars brightly twinkling in the evening sky behind him. While this scene was unfolding I heard these words..... "THIS IS THE ONE WHO HAS UNDERSTANDING BEFORE HEAVEN."

A SERVANT'S HEART

It seemed important to note that those who were marching intently with the purpose of "obtaining understanding" about God were indifferently walking over the gum wrapper, and its obvious intrusion on the beautiful lawn. While in pursuit of an intellectual understanding about God, they missed the heart of God and His divine attributes. As the scriptures point out:

"Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:26-28)

Although education is clearly an important endeavor, this experience pointedly illustrated that it was the issues of the heart that were most important. The servant's heart perfectly displayed in the life of Christ was also evident in the young man who knowingly considered others by performing this seemingly menial task. The Lord demonstrated His approval upon this young man and his heart of servanthood as one who truly had understanding in His eyes. The glimmering stars provided a seal of Heavens endorsement as one who brightly shines in the midst of darkness.

(Philippians 2:3-4) "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."

GAINING TRUE UNDERSTANDING

There is an important link between acts of serving others and gaining spiritual understanding and revelation that we must lay hold of in this generation. When Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, the Bible points out....

"When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but THE SERVANTS KNEW who had drawn the water) the master of the feast called the bridegroom." (John 2:9)

The ones who were serving actually had more understanding and insight into this notable miracle and the One who performed it, than those who were "masters" over the wedding.

(Amos 3:7) declares: "Surely the Lord GOD does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets."

Here again we discover a distinct connection between receiving revelation from God and being a servant. We often hear more about being a prophet than we do about being a servant, but they are inseparable. We see again the alliance between the two in the greatest revelation of all......

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants-- things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John." (Revelation 1:1)

This great unveiling of the Lord Jesus intended for His SERVANTS, delivered through His SERVANT John. It has been said that the "chief service of a prophet is not to rebuke sin, nor instruct in virtue, it is to give the world a radiant idea of God." (John Watson). When are we showing the world what God is like more than when we serve?

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Book of the Week

Hey all, it's almost the end of the week! So I'll hurry and and get this blog posted for the millions of people waiting to hear what my recommended book of the week is.
For this week it is The Gospel According to Jesus.
This is an excellent book by John MacArthur. It addresses some great and important questions like the following: Does the gospel we are preaching in America today sound like the same gospel that Jesus preached? Did Jesus preach the gospel in such a way that left room for someone to receive Him as Savior and not as Lord? Did Jesus preach the gospel in such a way that people can be saved but not be His disciple? Is the gospel Jesus preached any different from the gospel preached by Paul, Peter or other New Testament writers?
For anyone desiring to read this, I would highly recommend getting the most updated version of the book because Pastor MacArthur added some sections after the first printing of the book that are excellent.
May God enlighten your hearts to see His glory as you seek to know Him more!

Friday, March 17, 2006

Why Just by Faith?

Just a short meditation on why God designed our justification, our being declared righteous, to be accomplished by means of faith alone.
1. So that all boasting would be eliminated.
Romans 3:27-28 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
God, in His infinite wisdom, designed such a salvation that there would be no grounds for pride in those whom He saves. He desired for those whom He would save to be a humble, meek people. He desired that we would be trophies that display the glory of His grace (Eph 1:6). He desired that our only boast would be "in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Gal 6:14) Oh that I could get this deep in my heart and never boast in anything I've done!

2. So that it would be by grace.
Romans 4:16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
God chose faith because it was the perfect complement to grace. Salvation from the hand of God is an unfathomable gift that we have not merited in any way. We have only merited condemnation. In God's perfect plan, the one thing that could perfectly connect us to God's undeserved favor was faith. Faith connects us to grace in such a way as to eliminate boasting from us and to make the promise "guaranteed" to those who have faith like Abraham.

3. So that God would glory for doing what only God can do.
Romans 4:18-22 In hope he (Abraham) believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness."
When we believe God to do things that are absolutely impossible to do unless God Himself does it, then God gets glory. When things are not possible for man to accomplish, and they are contrary to the laws of nature, and yet we will believe God to do such things because we see that He is powerful and trustworthy, then God gets glory. When we believe God is able to justify us through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus, to pardon all our sins and declare us righteous through His Son Jesus, when we believe God can take our dead bodies and raise them up again on the last day, and we believe that when He does that He can cause them to be glorified bodies that are free from sin and death and able to dwell in His awesome presence; then we are believing Him for things that are absolutely impossible by any law of nature and any strength of man. Therefore, when we believe this way, God is glorified in our faith.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Prayer Updating it up again

From Prayer on Saturday 3/11...
Right away we prayed for Charlie, as he is on his spring break mission trip with the Students Today, Leaders Forever group. We asked God to give him much wisdom and grace to develop relationships, and to be bold at the proper times with the gospel. Please keep him in prayer throughout the week as he is on this trip. Following that, we prayed from a passage that God has continually been bringing before Gary as of late. It is from Hosea 6:
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

This led us to spend some time meditating and praying on God's patterns for rain in Israel, which is also His pattern for our lives in our walk with Him. In the same way that He provided the former and and the latter rains to His people in Israel (See also Joel 2:23), also He pours out His blessings to us in a similar pattern as we follow Him. Here is a statement from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on these rains:
The summer months are practically rainless, with very few clouds appearing in the sky. From May 1 to the middle of October one can be sure of no rain; “The winter is past; the rain is over” (Son_2:11), so many sleep on the roofs of the houses or in tents of leaves and branches in the fields and vineyards throughout the summer. The continuous hot droughts make the people appreciate the springs and fountains of fresh running water and the cool shade of rock and tree.
The rainy season from October to May may be divided into three parts, the former, the winter, and the latter rains, and they are often referred to under these names in the Old Testament.
The “former rains” are the showers of October and the first part of November. They soften the parched ground so that the winter grain may be sown before the heavy continuous rains set in. The main bulk of the rain falls in the months of December, January and February. Although in these months the rains are frequent and heavy, a dark, foggy day is seldom seen. The “latter rains” of April are the most highly appreciated, because they ripen the fruit and stay the drought of summer. They were considered a special blessing: Yahweh “will come ... as the latter rain that watereth the earth” (Hos_6:3); “They opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain” (Job_29:23); and as a reason for worshipping Yahweh who sent them, “Let us now fear Yahweh our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in its season” (Jer_5:24).
The rain storms always come from the sea with a west or southwest wind. The east wind is a hot wind and the “north wind driveth away rain” (Pro_25:23, the King James Version). “Fair weather cometh out of the north” (Job_37:22, the King James Version).

5. Biblical Uses:
The Psalmist recognizes that the “showers that water the earth” (Psa_72:6) are among the choicest blessings from the hand of Yahweh: “The early rain covereth it with blessings” (Psa_84:6). The severest punishment of Yahweh was to withhold the rain, as in the time of Ahab and Elijah, when the usual rain did not fall for three years (1 Ki 17); “the anger of Yahweh be kindled against you, and he shut up the heavens, so that there shall be no rain, and the land shall not yield its fruit; and ye perish quickly” (Deu_11:17). Too much rain is also a punishment, as witness the flood (Gen_7:4) and the plague of rain and hail (Ezr_10:9). Sending of rain was a reward for worship and obedience: “Yahweh will open unto thee his good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain of thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thy hand” (Deu_28:12). Yahweh controls the elements and commands the rain: “He made a decree for the rain” (Job_28:26); “For he saith to the snow, Fall thou on the earth; likewise to the shower of rain” (Job_37:6).

So we see both that the natural rain was absolutely essential to the survival of God's people, and that it is symbolic for God's spiritual blessings to His children. Gary spoke of how we will see these patterns in our lives over and over. We have a time of great blessings, inspiration, vision, and joy in the Lord. We are ready to go out and accomplish all that God has called us and truly believe that it will happen because we are in a time of fresh faith and joy in the Lord. Then come the summer months of our lives, and the rain seems to stop and we are walking things out in the heat of the sun.
During this time God is refining us and purifying us so that we will become more humble and steadfast in Him. This season may even be like Hosea 6:1 cited above, the time when God is tearing us so that He might heal us. When God deals with the sin in our lives, and corrects us that we may have fuller life in Him. It is the bruising that comes from the Father in infinite wisdom and mercy towards us who belong to Him. We really have to perservere in this time, and even though we still have fellowship and love flowing between us and God, it is not as real and tangible as it was during the season of rain. After God takes us through this dry season, He then will send the rains again. They will refresh us and encourage us, and even bring to fruition many of the things we had to perservere in during the dry months. So let this encourage us who are in the dry season right now. Let this time be used of God to bring about much humility, purity, and steadfastness in us! And let us look for and wait for the rains to come again from a God who is Faithful and True! And we prayed that God would give those who need it this time of refreshing, and that He would be pouring out another season of rain upon Prepare Ministries for the good of the souls of the college students and for His glory.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Okay, I Decided

I figure since there are 52 weeks in a year that there will be plenty of time to think of all the great books out there to recommend. This put me at ease to go ahead and pick a book to recommend. So I'm going with Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. This is a wonderful read, and fitting for both a believer looking for passion to walk in a manner worthy of the Kingdom of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, and for an unbeliever who may be searching out how they can make their life count for a purpose that is real and lasting. This book is wonderful, challenging, and I trust will drive anyone who reads it to their knees in fervent prayer for God to give them grace to not waste their life. Here is an excerpt from the opening preface of the book: taken from the online edition of Don't Waste Your Life at http://www.desiringgod.org/media/pdf/books_dwyl/dwyl_ch1-2.pdf

If you are a Christian, you are not your own. Christ has bought you at the price of his own death. You now belong doubly to God: He made you, and he bought you. That means your life is not your own. It is God’s. Therefore, the Bible says, “Glorify God in your body.” God made you for this. He bought you for this. This is the meaning of your life.

If you are not yet a Christian, that is what Jesus Christ offers:
doubly belonging to God, and being able to do what you were made for. That may not sound exciting. Glorifying God may mean nothing to you. That’s why I tell my story in the first two chapters, called “Created for Joy.” It was not always plain to me that pursuing God’s glory would be virtually the same as pursing my joy. Now I see that millions of people waste their lives because they think these paths are two and not one.

There is a warning. The path of God-exalting joy will cost you your life. Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” In other words, it is better to lose your life than to waste it. If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full. This is not a book about how to avoid a wounded life, but how to avoid a wasted life. Some of you will die in the service of Christ. That will not be a tragedy. Treasuring life above Christ is a tragedy.


Great Books

So, I have not yet decided what the recommended book of the week is yet for this week. So as I ponder this, here is a recommended reading list from Desiring God.
http://www.desiringgod.org/library/theological_qa/reading_study/
The last three links on this page are filled with great recommendations.

Monday, March 06, 2006

Prayer Time on Sat 3/4

Hey all, Charlie and Rebekah have written the following blog to keep us up to date on how they felt God's Spirit was leading them in prayer this past Saturday...

We began with praying that God would cultivate a desire in students to pray, even to step out into some more radical things along the lines of prayer and fasting. We prayed that students would be activated and have power and boldness.

We prayed for Gustavus for a lot of the time. It seems that God is doing something special and powerful there. We prayed specifically for the prayer that students have felt led into, and that there would be fresh passion for the Lord, even revival on that campus.

We prayed also for the connection between Gustavus and Mankato; that what God is doing at Gustavus would spill over into Mankato and begin a powerful move of God there. We felt that the Mankato group would be led into more intentional prayer and fasting and that would open things up in a new way for the group and for the campus.

It seems that a theme lately is a call to radical prayer on college campuses throughout the country. To find out some exciting prayer initiatives check out the following links…

www.facedown40.com 40 days of prayer and fasting with Harvard as a flashpoint that is currently taking place. A challenge to participate in prayer and fasting.

www.campustransformation.com coordinated semester long 24/7 prayer, plus great articles and resources! In the “resources” section I highly recommend the ABC News video featuring the Justice House of Prayer and Lou Engle, also an article titled “On Prayer and Revival” by J. Edwin Orr.

Friday, March 03, 2006

Recommended Book of the Week

Okay, so after some refllecting, I realized it would make much more sense to have a recommended book each week rather than a recommended author. So here we go: This week's book is Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. This has been one of the best books I have ever read to stir up in me the desire to draw nearer to God. Not only does it stir up this desire, but Tozer gives practical examples of how to truly know and delight in the everlasting, glorious God of the universe. Here's a sample from the first chapter of the book:

"The moment the Spirit has quickened us to life in regeneration our whole being senses its kinship to God and leaps up in joyous recognition. That is the heavenly birth without which we cannot see the Kingdom of God. It is, however, not an end but an inception, for now begins the glorious pursuit, the heart's happy exploration of the infinite riches of the Godhead. That is where we begin, I say, but where we stop no man has yet discovered, for there is in the awful and mysterious depths of the Triune God neither limit nor end.
    Shoreless Ocean, who can sound Thee?
    Thine own eternity is round Thee,
    Majesty divine!
To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily- satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart. St. Bernard stated this holy paradox in a musical quatrain that will be instantly understood by every worshipping soul:
    We taste Thee, O Thou Living Bread,
    And long to feast upon Thee still:
    We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead
    And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.
come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking. Moses used the fact that he knew God as an argument for knowing Him better. `Now, therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight'; and from there he rose to make the daring request, `I beseech thee, show me thy glory.' God was frankly pleased by this display of ardour, and the next day called Moses into the mount, and there in solemn procession made all His glory pass before him.

David's life was a torrent of spiritual desire, and his psalms ring with the cry of the seeker and the glad shout oft he finder. Paul confessed the mainspring of his life to be his burning desire after Christ. `That I may know Him,' was the goal of his heart, and to this he sacrificed everything. `Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may win Christ' (Phil 3:8)."

Quote pulled from online book found at www3.calvarychapel.com/library/Tozer-AW/PursuitOfGod/01.htm