Means Of Grace

You know, over the last couple of weeks I have not been able to shake off one phrase and that phrase is ‘Means Of Grace’.  This phrase traditionally means prayer, The Word, Communion and Baptism.  However, what has been playing on my mind is the realisation that these things, in particular prayer, The Word and  Communion are the “MEANS” God uses to pour His grace in to our lives.  If I am running on empty or grumpy or don’t want to serve my family or church family, is it perhaps that I am not using the means of Grace?  Although this might seem obvious to some, what I have found helpful about all this is how I now approach The Word, prayer and The Lord’s Table, no longer as something I want to do as it is a good thing to do or any other reason for that matter, but so that I might partake and open the door to God’s Grace in my life!!  As always, John Piper says it better than me:

God has given us means of grace. If we do not use them to their fullest advantage, our complaints against him will not stick. If we don’t eat, we starve. If we don’t drink, we get dehydrated. If we don’t exercise a muscle, it atrophies. If we don’t breathe, we suffocate. And just as there are physical means of life, there spiritual are means of grace.

So I hope that like myself, the Holy Spirit might ignite a new vision within you, that you might approach these “Means Of Grace” as the very things that help you breath Spiritually.

Tim Keller on Preaching

I have just read an excellent entry over at Adrian Warnock’s Blog.  Tim Keller has been with them recently and shared some thoughts on preaching that are profound, simple to understand yet very challenging. 

Check out the full thing here

Tim also mentions to check out an article he did in the Christianity Today magazine called “The Gospel In All It’s Forms”  again, definitely worth a read!

Hope those of you that preach/teach will find this useful.

Blessings

Jim

5 Reasons To Study Theology

Hi folks,

yes it has been a while since my last post, however, I am hoping to pick this back up again now!  My 1st post back is to highlight 5 reasons to study theology.  Hope you find these interesting, I found them via Tim Challies’ Blog.

 

1. You’re a theologian already…
   Why do you need to study theology?  Because theology isn’t something only a Professor of Theology has–we all believe something about God and therefore are theologians in our own right.  However, what needs to be asked is whether what you believe is correct, and the study of theology can help answer that question.
2. Your love for Jesus is intrinsically linked with your knowledge of His Word…
   Why do you need to study theology?  Because Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)  I heard someone remark that a certain Christian may not have been that great theologically, but that was okay because they really loved Jesus.  However, Jesus says that if we love Him, we will obey what He commands.  How can we obey Him if we don’t go to His Word to rightly know His commands?
3. Your doctrine will determine how you live…
   Why do you need to study theology?  Because what you believe (your doctrine) will determine how you live (your practice).  This can be seen in everyday life.  If you believe something to be poisonous, you simply won’t drink it.  Similarly, your beliefs about God and His Word determine how you live day to day.  For example if you believe God only speaks through His Word then you will study it diligently, however if you believe God speaks through impressions and the like, then you’ll listen for that still small voice.  The aforementioned example drastically changes how a person goes about determining God’s will for their lives, and illustrates why you need to study theology.
4. Your affections will determine what you study…
   Why do you need to study theology?  Because what your affections are placed upon will determine what you spend your time studying.  If your hobby is photography you will want to study the subject to know how to improve your photographs and to increase your love and appreciation for that pass-time.  Likewise, if you’re a Christian and your primary affection is upon God, why would you not want to study His Word to increase your love and appreciation for Him and His gospel?
5. Your humility depends on it…
   Why do you need to study theology?  Because without studying theology it is possible that you will think too highly of yourself, and not high enough of God.  It is true that knowledge puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1), however the Scriptures rightly understood and applied, will give you, for example, the knowledge of man’s utter depravity and wretchedness before God, and also of God’s magnificence, holiness, sovereignty and grace, which can only serve to send a true convert to his knees in humility.

Digging Deeper - 800 Attending!

Check out this link to some info on a church in the states that started with a small group of people who started out to study theology together using grudem's systematic theology, and now to date, 800 members have been  and done the same thing!

Wow, Plains Evangelical has  started something great me thinks!  just 785 members to go!


Koinonia: Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology read by 800 members of one church

Martin Luther on Worship

As Cited by Bob Kauflin at the recent Desiring God Conference:

    When man's natural musical ability is whetted and polished to the extent that it becomes an art, then do we note with great surprise the great and perfect wisdom of God in music, which is, after all, His product and His gift; we marvel when we hear music in which one voice sings a simple melody, while three, four, or five other voices play and trip lustily around the voice that sings its simple melody and adorn this simple melody wonderfully with artistic musical effects, thus reminding us of a heavenly dance, where all meet in a spirit of friendliness, caress and embrace. A person who gives this some thought and yet does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs.

(Martin Luther, 1538, in his foreword to a collection of chorale motets)