Carl Trueman has some thought provoking stuff on towing the denominational line in his posts 'How churches lose the plot' pts 1, 2 & 3. Especially 2. find them at this link
http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2010/11/
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Acceptance
I'm really quite upset at the lack of acceptance of others I've experienced in recent days!
We're all either stronger or weaker brothers and sisters and so Paul says in Romans 15 'Accept one another then, just as Christ accepted you'.
We judge so easily... looking down on others is such a reflex action! And its devastating to the body of Christ! I pray for myself and these others that God will make acceptance our first reflex. Only in that context can useful pastoral care happen anyway!
2 things.
1. I need to accept these people
2. I want to preach a series at the start of 2011 on the glory of grace.
We're all either stronger or weaker brothers and sisters and so Paul says in Romans 15 'Accept one another then, just as Christ accepted you'.
We judge so easily... looking down on others is such a reflex action! And its devastating to the body of Christ! I pray for myself and these others that God will make acceptance our first reflex. Only in that context can useful pastoral care happen anyway!
2 things.
1. I need to accept these people
2. I want to preach a series at the start of 2011 on the glory of grace.
preaching on parenting (2)
Well, I preached on parenting... and in so doing... my emotions sneaked up and mugged me in front of everyone in the church...
I cried as i thought about my desires for my dear children... and my parenting practice. I didn't intend to cry, in fact I can't stand it when it happens because everyone feels so awkward don't they... but there it is...
...and all i can say is that it was absolutely for real.
It matters. but one of the most helpful thoughts i had was this: God hasn't stopped parenting, and he won't stop parenting. My parenting doesn't negate his. That's good to know.
I cried as i thought about my desires for my dear children... and my parenting practice. I didn't intend to cry, in fact I can't stand it when it happens because everyone feels so awkward don't they... but there it is...
...and all i can say is that it was absolutely for real.
It matters. but one of the most helpful thoughts i had was this: God hasn't stopped parenting, and he won't stop parenting. My parenting doesn't negate his. That's good to know.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
preaching on parenting
I'm preaching through a series entitled 'crucial relationships' and this week I'm looking at parenting! ...talk about bite off more than you can chew!
In looking at Ephesians 6v4... 'Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord' ...i couldn't help but reflect that it can seem that my children can seem most exasperated at those times when i'm trying to train and instruct them in the Lord!
Perhaps training and instructing them in the Lord actually exasperates them because it so often seems different from how our family operates most of the time. ...point being Eph 6v4 isn't merely talking about sitting down with the Bible and reading and praying with your kids - it is that - but much more than that also - living the gospel in family life.
I'm feeling pretty humble at the moment.
In looking at Ephesians 6v4... 'Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord' ...i couldn't help but reflect that it can seem that my children can seem most exasperated at those times when i'm trying to train and instruct them in the Lord!
Perhaps training and instructing them in the Lord actually exasperates them because it so often seems different from how our family operates most of the time. ...point being Eph 6v4 isn't merely talking about sitting down with the Bible and reading and praying with your kids - it is that - but much more than that also - living the gospel in family life.
I'm feeling pretty humble at the moment.
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