John Piper recently penned the following short meditation on how Romans 12:16 might apply to his daughter and others like her.

If a twelve-year-old makes A’s in school and generally makes wise choices, how would you help her apply this verse to herself?

Never be wise in your own sight. (Romans 12:16)

You might say:

1. It means that you gladly admit that all true wisdom is from God. It is his, and not finally ours.
2. It means that you recognize that any sense of superiority comes from comparing yourself only with your inferiors. But the most important person to compare yourself with is God, and he is infinitely wiser than you. Not only that, there are a lot of people in the world wiser than you.
3. It means that you feel humbled by the fact that you are a sinner deserving of God’s wrath, and that you are amazed at the grace that gives you eternal life. This humility and amazement swallows up a sense of pride.
4. It means that you do not count yourself worthy of being served, but rather “empty yourself” and become obedient and serve others, both the wise and the foolish.
5. It means that you are mainly not thinking about yourself at all but taken up with how admirable Jesus is and how wonderful his works are and how interesting and needy others are.

Abraham Piper has an interesting blog that I have just started reading. It is especially interesting in that every post is 22 words or less. Here is one I enjoyed.

Understanding teenage rebellion only as sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll implies that the goal is celibacy, sobriety, and employment. It’s not.

It’s Jesus.

Last week I came across a blog post by Justin Childers on his blog CROSS-eyed on praying for those who preach.  Good stuff.

In most of Paul’s letters, he included a record of exactly what he prayed for the churches or individuals he was writing to. His prayers are rich with insights into the character of God and Paul’s own love for the churches. However, Paul did not just pray for his readers. He often asked them to pray specifically for him. For example, at the end of Ephesians, he asks the church to pray that he would be given boldness that he might preach the gospel (Eph. 6:19-20). In Colossians, Paul requests prayer for his ability to make the gospel clear when he preaches it (Col. 4:3-4).

Prayer is essential to the fruitfulness of preaching. God has ordained that prayer be one of the means by which He accomplishes His purposes through preaching. Once, Charles Spurgeon (The Prince of Preachers) was asked about his obvious success in preaching. He simply replied, “My people pray for me.” What a profound insight from a man who knew that he was not alone behind that pulpit. He was confident that God was with him because his congregation was laboring in prayer for him and with him.

Christians, how often do you pray for your pastors who preach the Word of God to you? How devoted in prayer are you for the work of preaching? The health of the church is dependent on a man of God standing with an open Bible and declaring the glory of Christ’s person and work. The success of the sermon depends upon the sovereign work of God to open our hearts to hear and apply His Word. Thus, we must plead with God for His blessing on the preacher and on the message he preaches.

Here are a few suggestions of what to pray for those who preach:
1. During the week, pray for God to reveal the burden of the text to him.
2. During the week, pray that God would grip the preacher’s heart with His glory revealed in the text.
3. On Sunday morning, pray that God would free him from distractions.
4. On Sunday morning, pray that he would proclaim the truth boldly and clearly.
5. On Sunday morning, pray for God to powerfully speak through him.
6. On Sunday morning, pray that Christ would be treasured by all gathered.

Think of the effect on your own heart of praying for those who preach. When we plead with God to do these things, we will wake on Sunday with an anticipation of what He is going to say to us as we hear His Word. All glory for successful preaching should ultimately go to Jesus Christ, who purchased all good things on the cross. However, pray in such a way that your pastor will be able to say, “My people pray for me” when he senses the help of God to proclaim the gospel.

A concluding word to parents: What an impact it would make on your children to hear their father and mother regularly praying by name for their pastors.

Stephen Altrogge over at The Blazing Center posted the following reflection last week on Psalm 31:19 and the goodness of God.

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! Psalm 31:19

My life is a story of God’s goodness. Sit down, grab a cup of java, and let me tell you a little bit about it.

I was born into a Christian home where I heard the gospel all the time. That’s goodness. I could have been born into a Mecca-loving Muslim family in Turkey and never heard the gospel. Jesus Christ drew me to himself when I was six years old, and I was given the classic Christian-home bathtub-baptism. More goodness. By drawing me to himself when I was little, God spared me many years of enslavement to sin.

I may have become a Christian at age six, but I still did some seriously wicked (in the bad sense) sinning as a kid. When I was thirteen years old I woke up in the middle of the night, terrified of the consequences of my sin. I made some major changes after that horrible night. That was God being good to me. He could have let me wander in my sin, but he loves me, and so he convicted me.

I could keep going, with stories of marriage, and babies, and sweet encounters with God. The point is, God has been so good to me in the past. Has God been good to you? Can you trace the lines of his goodness in the past?

But the story doesn’t stop there. According to Psalm 31:19, I’ve got a future full of God’s goodness ahead of me.

And it’s not just a mediocre, sometimes-there, tiny stream of goodness. No, as a Christian, I’ve got a future that’s full of God’s abundant, overflowing goodness. Each day, for the next week, and year, and decade, I will experience God’s goodness. Will I experience hardship? Yes. Will I endure painful trials. Without a doubt. But all of these experiences will be sweetened by the goodness of God. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know it will be good.

If you’re a Christan, this 100%, Bible-certified truth applies to you. Do you believe it? Do you believe that because you are in Christ, and God’s child, that you have a future full of abundant goodness? Do you believe that tomorrow as you go to work, or change diapers, or write term papers, you will experience the goodness and kindness of God?

Right now you’re under God’s goodness, whether you feel it or not. Let’s thank him for it. Let’s rejoice in the abundant, unending goodness that we have to look forward to.

What about you? What’s your story of God’s goodness?

Last week Eric Simmons posted on the New Attitude blog a quote from puritan Thomas Watson and some thoughts about applying it to our lives.  After the men’s retreat this last weekend I know this is something I am thinking about.  Enjoy.

“We glorify God when we give God the glory for all that we do. We glorify God when we sacrifice the praise and glory of all to God…So when we have done anything praiseworthy we must hide ourselves under the veil of humility and transfer the glory of all we have done to God.”

I have meditated on this often and the question I keep asking is ok I know God I am supposed to do this, but how?

Have you ever thought about that? How do you TRANSFER glory to God? We cant send it to him, its not as though he is lacking glory anyway–God is infinite in his glory, he lacks nothing.

So how do we do this? Simple. We just acknowledge to him in private the glory and credit of all that just happened.

Did you do well on a test or a presentation at work? Great, but private who gets credit for that in your mind? Was it your work, your gifting, your personality or intellect?  Yes you worked hard, but was it you?  Nope.

God gave you breath. God gave you a brain that works. God gave you thoughts, he gave you creativity, he gave you words. He gave you teachers to teach you, he gave you parents to hone your skills. The list goes on and on.

It really stinks when we take credit for stuff. I do it all the time to my shame. That is why I love Watson’s encouragement. It is very helpful.

Let us hide under a veil of humility and transfer the glory to God.

Pay attention and remember that when things go well and there seems to be fruitfulness from your work stop and just pray a simple prayer like this: Lord, I acknowledge that all that went well is because of the fact that you gave me the ability and the opportunity. So I praise you and worship you for the joy of being a part of what your doing.

In the last couple of weeks Justin Buzzard has posted several quotes from one of my favorite books- Paul Tripp’s “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands.” Here are a couple of them.

“We must not offer people a system of redemption, a set of insights and principles. We offer people a Redeemer.”

-Paul David Tripp, Instruments In The Redeemer’s Hands, p. 8

“The sad fact is that many of us are simply not biblical in the way we use the Bible! Being biblical does not mean merely quoting words from within its pages. Being truly biblical means that my counsel reflects what the entire Bible is about. The Bible is a narrative, a story of redemption, and its chief character is Jesus Christ.”

-Paul David Tripp, Instruments In The Redeemer’s Hands, p. 27

This weekend will be our first ever men’s retreat here at ASGF.

I wanted to encourage all of us- those going and those not- to be praying for the men this weekend (actually, many of the wives would probably appreciate prayer as well). Pray that God would work in us to make us humble men, strong men- gospel embracing, gospel saturated, and gospel sent men.

By the way- if you aren’t signed up and still want to go let us know- there are still a couple of spots left.  Contact myself or Jarrett Vincent.

Last week Erik Raymond at the Irish Calvinist blog wrote a letter to fellow Christians.  He explained his reasoning in this way-

I have enjoyed the friendship of many dear folks in the last 10 or so years I have been a Christian. However, my soul has especially enjoyed the friendship of the many believers who have intentionally aimed to serve me in their conversations and relationships.

I am speaking of those dear saints who have made it their practice to come to a meeting, a phone conversation, a meal, an email, or wherever, and instead of just talking about ‘stuff’ they have spoken to me of our Savior, of his cross, of the gospel’s power, of the Scripture’s truthfulness, of God’s character, etc. These dear saints are gusts of gospel breeze into my sails. They are friends indeed.

In light of the immense need for encouragement and the infinite value of Christ himself, here is a charge to fellow believers…

Here is the actual letter- enjoy and consider yourself encouraged and exhorted.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,I need you. I need you to help me. I need you to live your life in such a way that it intends to draw my attention to the glory and greatness of our God. I beg you not to sleep in tomorrow morning but instead to get up and read your Bible. Discover afresh the beauty of God in the sacred text. Dwell upon his faithfulness to his own promises. Muse upon his glorious gift of grace in the salvation of sinners like you and me. Write the Word of God upon your own heart so that it produces reverence for God.

Also, I urge you to spend time on your knees in prayer. And whatever you do, don’t fall asleep, don’t let your mind wander; don’t stop praying until you start praying. Drive yourself into humble submission before the great and infinite reservoir of grace that you might find help in your neediness.

As you leave and go about your day, please preach the glories of the gospel to yourself. Tell yourself afresh of the glorious gift of grace, the Lord Jesus Christ, that incarnation of holiness and love; hear again the words of John the Baptist, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1.29) Watch him obey the Law in your place, see his perfection in both speech and in deed. Hear him say afresh, “I always do what is pleasing to my Father” (John 8.29). Watch him march resolutely to the cross to purchase our redemption. See him pray for his executioners, evangelize his fellow cross-bearers, gasp for breath, commission his disciple, proclaim it is finished, and then give up his life. See him here and marvel. But don’t stop here! Run with the disciples to the tomb and stoop with them and see, see ‘the linen cloths by themselves’ and you too come away ‘marveling at what had happened’ (Luke 24.12). Rejoice at the reality of the living Savior who has given his life to vindicate the glory of God and rescue a people for himself.

Now as you leave, sing the doctrinal praise along with Paul “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1.3ff) in tune with Peter with “joy inexpressible” (1 Pet. 1.8).

And now believer, come and talk to a Christian like me and tell me something. Tell me something eternal (Ps. 92.8)! Give me something for my soul (Matt. 4.4)! Tell me what impresses you about Christ (Matt. 8.27)! Tell me of the gospel’s power (Rom. 1.16)! Tell me of Christ’s success as a high priest (Heb. 7.27)! Tell me of his impending return (Matt. 24.30)! Tell me of the divine purpose in trials (Jam 1.3-5)! Tell me the perseverance of the saints (Jude 24)! Tell me of the ultimate success of the church (Matt. 16.18)! Tell me God’s gracious work in your life (2 Cor. 3.18)! Tell me of the purity and power of the word of God (Ps. 19.7ff)! Tell me of how you are praying for me (Col. 1.9ff)! Please…I need you to do this. My heart needs to hear continually of why Christ is so great (2 Pet. 1.12). So please Christian, don’t forget to tell me. Please…be a good friend (Heb. 3.13ff). And by the grace of God, I will return the favor to you.

Your brother in the fellowship of the Lord Jesus Christ,

Erik Raymond

Tony Payne from Matthias Media recently wrote an article on one-to-one ministry. Take some time to read the highlights below and consider how God might be calling you to ministry to another believer.

Yet of course there is another level to Christian ministry that is equally important, though it is often neglected: personal or one-to-one ministry. While both large public meetings and small groups do provide teaching and encouragement that is applicable to each individual, they cannot possibly be as effective as one individual meeting with another. Here the word of God can be applied to the unique situation of each person; topics can be addressed according to each person’s stage of Christian growth; the gospel can be shared personally with someone who is not yet Christian; and prayer can be focused on the individual’s concerns and needs as they relate to God’s kingdom.

In many churches, however, effective, purposeful one-to-one ministry is either non-existent, or, at best, haphazard. It is usually regarded as being the domain of the minister. Yet, as we shall see below, one-to-one ministry is something that every Christian can be involved in. It requires no ordination, no examination, no qualification and no invitation. It can be done anywhere, anytime with anyone. And it is one of the most profound mechanisms for spiritual growth that exists. (more…)