Your Podcast is Not Your Pastor

-------

A good reminder HERE from Trevin Wax. 

HT: Jared Wilson

-------

Dealing with New Christians

-------

Let us settle it in our minds that grace must have a beginning in every believer's heart; we have no right to say that a person has no grace just because it does not come to full ripeness at once. We do not expect a child to do the work of a grown man, though he may one day if he lives long enough. Just so, we must not expect a new Christian to show the faith, love, and knowledge of an old soldier of the cross. He may become a mighty champion of the truth by and by. But at first we must give him time. There is great need of wisdom in dealing with all young disciples.

Kindness, patience, and gentleness are of the first importance. We must not try to pour in the new wine too quickly or it will run over. We must take them by the hand and lead them gently on. We must beware of frightening or hurrying them or pressing them too fast. If they have only gotten hold of the main principles of the gospel, let us not set them down as godless because of a few lesser matters. We must bear with weakness and infirmity, and not expect to find ripe Christian experience in those who are only babes in Christ.

- J. C. Ryle


HT: Mack T

-------

Beholding the Glory of Christ

-------

“If we regularly beheld the glory of Christ our Christian walk with God would become more sweet and pleasant, our spiritual light and strength would grow daily stronger and our lives would more gloriously represent the glory of Christ. Death would be most welcome to us.”

— John Owen, The Glory of Christ, (Carlisle, Pa.: Banner of Truth, 1994), 21


HT: Of First Importance

-------

The Subtle Snare of Anonymous Criticism

-------

A good reminder of why anonymous criticism should be avoided among the family of God.

Jared Wilson elaborates:

For the laymen out there, "some people are upset/concerned" is maddening. Use it only when anonymity is absolutely necessary, as it will cripple your pastor's confidence. "Some people" might as well be "all people." Because if we don't know who's mad, we are ill at ease with everyone. It leads us to be timid, suspicious, distrusting. (eg. Can we tell this person about our fears and struggles, or is this person the one who thinks I'm doing a terrible job?) There are times when vulnerable people lack the confidence to bring concerns directly, but most other times the biblical mandate to take an offense to someone directly, not to someone anonymously through someone else, is more necessary. 

I learned a good line from Andy Stanley in his "Life Rules" series: "Never say something about someone you wouldn't say to them." I'd add this rule of thumb: If you can let an offense go, do it. If you can't, take it to the offender, not to others.

------- 

No Running From our Odoriferousness

-------

Yes, it's Friday. And yes, this is the first and last time I will use "odoriferousness" in a post.

Jack Miller describing one of the reasons why Jesus is such a wonderful Savior:

He is life from the dead. When the tomb was opened, the smell of Lazarus' sin and death came forth. The Lord must have felt like running away, since He hates evil in all its forms. But He stayed there. 

He does not run from us in our state of decay and smelliness. I tell you, when Jesus deals with us He does not pretend that we are lovely and odorless, but it is in the midst of our smelly death that Jesus draws near with tears and power and love and called the dead and rotting into new life. . . . 

I know of no one else who can help the heart in its deepest needs, who can comfort the soul.

HT: Dane Ortlund

-------

Baby Jesus Isn't Safe

-------

Christmas Eve I saw a stable, low and very bare,
A little child in a manger.
The oxen knew Him, had Him in their care,
To men He was a stranger,
The safety of the world was lying there,
And the world's danger.

-- Mary Elizabeth Coleridge, "The Stable"

HT: Jared Wilson

-------

Grace is a Person

-------

Sinclair Ferguson:

[R]emember that there isn’t a thing, a substance, or a “quasi-substance” called “grace.” All there is is the person of the Lord Jesus — “Christ clothed in the gospel,” as Calvin loved to put it. Grace is the grace of Jesus. If I can highlight the thought here: there is no “thing” that Jesus takes from Himself and then, as it were, hands over to me. There is only Jesus Himself.

HT: Jared Wilson

-------

How Not to Ruin a Perfectly Good Preaching Ministry

-------

A MUST-HEAR message from Ryan Fullerton. Not just for pastors!

(The audio-only version can be found HERE.)

-------