Get Back Up!

“For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.” -Proverbs 24:16 NASB

This verse of Scripture is especially encouraging to me this week. Christians are not perfect but they are being perfected! The Bible teaches that though a righteous man falls “seven times” or falls completely, he gets back up. God does not reject you after you fall one time, two times, or even three times. He accepts you every time you get back up through repentance of sin.

God is gracious to sinners! Even saved sinners-"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8&9)

The key to God’s forgiveness is our confession. Not confession to a priest, but to the Lord. Not saying a rote formula but agreeing with God from the heart that what we have done is wrong. If we do this, “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” Not only this, but he will “cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Praise the Lord for His great mercy to us. Even after we have been saved, we are still being saved. Not only have we repented, but we are still repenting. Daily we are dying to our old way of life and being renewed in our mind.

God is good and gracious-His love for us extends to us even when we fail Him. I love Him because He first loved me. He loved me when I was lost and wretched and He loves me when I fail to be what He is by grace creating me to be!

Have you fallen? Get back up.

Have you fallen more than once? Get back up!

Have you fallen completely? GET BACK UP.

Get back up today oh man of God! He will set your feet upon a rock.

(Image originally from http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldofoddy/270565446/)

When Men Fail to Lead Churches Become Museums!

9/11 Tribute Song

For a Free-Will Study on Salvation Check This Out!

For Those of You Wanting to Learn Hebrew

At this point in my seminary studies I am beginning to study Hebrew and this video helps to make learning the aleph bet (the first and second letters of the Hebrew alphabet) easier.

Darrin Patrick on Preaching

Darrin Patrick - Gospel-Centered Preaching - Romans 1:14-17 from Southeastern Seminary on Vimeo.

"Contextualization"

What has been on my heart recently is our need as the church to contextualize. Instead of writing something about it, which many better men than me have done, I posted this video by Mark Driscoll (whom many love and others hate). Please watch this and give it some real thought? God Bless.

9/11

With all of the recent controvery surrounding the possible construction of a mosque two blocks from the site of the 9/11 terror attacks I thought it would be good to post my tribute song to the victims of September 11th 2001.

Reading the Bible

In an effort to truly understand the message of the Bible (the Bible is in fact a unified message from God. Old and New Testaments explain His unfolding revelation to man of Himself) I plan to read through the Bible this summer in addition to my summer class and other independent academic pursuits. I will either be using the ESV or NIV this time and then plan to use the second version to do it again in a year or so. Do you have an understanding of the overall message of Scripture? Check out ESV.org or BibleGateway.com for free online audio Bibles to help you read through the Bible.

Book Review: "Planting Missional Churches"

In his book “Planting Missional Churches,” Dr. Ed Stetzer gives church planters a seminal work on church planting in a practical and yet detailed how-to format. There is no wonder why this book has received such high praise from such church planters as Steve Sjorgen, Mark Driscoll, and David Putnam. Stetzer covers material from “The Basics of Church Planting” all the way to “Churches Planting Churches,” which is the reproduction stage, in chapter twenty-eight. He also covers almost everything else in between. The best part is that this book is from a successful church planter, not a theoretician.

“Missional” is the key word in chapter one. In fact, it is the main idea throughout the book. Dr. Stetzer states on page one, “Establishing a missional church means that you plant a church that’s part of the culture you’re seeking to reach.” He further states what is so often overlooked by spectators of church planting, “The goal of church planting is to reach people .” The author points out the clear need for new churches in North America and the fact that those who do this work need not have formal training.

Chapter two discusses the need for “Developing a Missional Mind-set for North America,” as is indicated in the title. Dr. Stetzer points out the need for theologically sound churches, not just a replication of methods that have been successful in church planting in the past. He writes that we do not need new churches because they are trendy but because they are “fresh expressions of the unchanging gospel .” Stetzer further points out that there is a difference between contextualization and compromise and he explains the difference. In fact, he says that new churches are needed because many already-existing congregations are unwilling to contextualize and thus reach people where they are at. New churches are needed to reach people outside of the cultural context of those churches not willing to take the risk of meeting people in a way that engages them.

In chapter three we are shown the “Biblical Basis of Church Planting.” The Book of Acts is set forth as a Biblical pattern for church planting. The Lucan account of the Great Commission is also addressed as a biblical authority for evangelizing unbelievers.

For more, don't be cheap...go buy the book. You won't regret it!