Volume 1 | Issue 6

Thursday Thoughts 1

 

 

 

Volume 1 | Issue 6 – May 21, 2015

Pastor Steve shares these links to stimulate some Thursday Thoughts…

The Sweeter Center – It is not uncommon to hear someone say of Christianity: “I tried that whole Christian thing and it just didn’t work for me.” Clearly, they missed the heart of Christianity, for to taste of the Lord and His grace is a pleasure like no other: effective unto eternal life. Similarly, many Christians live on the edge of fellowship with their church – – in so doing they miss the much sweeter center. Charles Spurgeon illustrates: “Now, just round the border of religion, along the outer hedge, there are some very sour apples, of conviction, self-denial, humiliation, and self-despair, planted on purpose to keep off hypocrites and mere professors; but in the midst of the garden are luscious fruits, mellow to the taste, and sweet as nectar. The central position in religion is the sweetest. The nearer to God the sweeter the joy.” You can read the rest HERE – – and take the time to move to the center!

Telling the Believer from the Unbeliever – if Christianity is grounded in what we believe, not in what we do, then how do you distinguish a Believer from an Unbeliever? R.C. Sproul offers some insight: “Unbelievers are more than capable of living visibly righteous lives. And believers not only still battle against sin, they often lose the battles in public and spectacular ways. Which is why I would suggest that the best distinguishing mark isn’t that believers sin less, though that certainly may be the case, but that believers repent more. We are the repentant.” You should read the rest HERE.

Wanted: A Teaching Church – Daniel Hyde, at Ligonier Ministries, writes of the importance of a Teaching Church; he has 4 Key Points: 1. It is led by an equipped minister, 2. It provides ample time for teaching, 3. It understands teaching not merely as informing but as equipping, 4. A teaching church is committed to being a learning church. You can read the rest HERE.

 

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