More “Instant Conviction”

If you think you have a heart for God, here’s a great “stop and think” video.

The Fire

There is more truth in this short video than sitting through a months worth of sermons in most churches.

Are You Full?

“God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves.” D.L. Moody

Godly Knowledge

“There is no such thing as genuine knowledge of God that does not show itself in obedience to His Word and will.  The person who wants to know God but who has no heart to obey Him will never enter the sacred courts where God reveals Himself to the soul of man.  God does not give divine knowledge to those who have no desire to glorify Him.”

Sinclair Ferguson A Heart for God, 1987, p. 10, by permission Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA.

Remember

“Let Christians remember, that in a season of revival as well as in a season of coldness, the evidence of piety is to be sought in the fruits of the Spirit. And let sinners remember that no degree of attendance or means, no degree of fervor, can be substituted for repentance of sin and faith in the Savior.”

William Sprague 

The Rush To Relevance Is The Road To Ruin

 

By Paul Proctor
July 22, 2009
NewsWithViews.com

“I’d love to know who sold Christians and clergy the bogus notion that the church somehow needs to be more “relevant” to the culture in order to win it for Christ. You can hardly escape the word in Christian circles today. It’s absolutely everywhere believers are, and is used incessantly alongside other trendy terms like “connect,” “passion,” “purpose,” “awesome” and “tolerance” – flying out the mouths of church leaders as if it were some sacred biblical principle that should be worn like a phylactery on our foreheads and proclaimed from the rooftops lest we forget and, Heaven forbid, be a contrast to the culture in which we live.

The word “relevant” is not even in the Bible – except in one so-called bible version and verse – if you can bear to call The Message a Bible. But, the amazing irony of its brief appearance there, is that it points out perfectly why Christians should avoid being relevant:”

“Don’t be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.” – Matthew 7:6 continue reading

Relativism

“Relativism says this: “truth is what you perceive it to be, and what is true for you may be false for somebody else.” In our present society, you’re perfectly free to believe whatever you like, but the one thing you may not do is to deny its antithesis. You can say, “I believe that this is true.” But you cannot say with impunity that that which opposes it is false. We have a whole generation of Christians who have been brainwashed by the spirit of relativism so they’re completely hesitant to say, “I deny that error over there.” We don’t have heresy trials anymore because, in relativism, there is no such thing as heresy.”

R.C. Sproul
Feed My Sheep, ed. Don Kistler, Soli Deo Gloria Ministries, 2002, p. 144.

Something to Think About

“Sin Follows”
By Joseph Alleine

“Oh, better were it for you to die in a jail, in a ditch, in a dungeon, than to die in your sins. If death, as it will take away all your comforts, would take away all your sins too, it were some mitigation; but your sins will follow you when your friends leave you, and all your worldly enjoyments shake hands with you. Your sins will not die with you as a prisoner’s other debts will; but they will go to judgement with you there to be your accusers; and they will go to hell with you there to be your tormentors.”

The Few

Something to Think About

Genuine repentance will make itself evident by its deeds and attitudes (Lk. 3:8; Ac. 26:20). The repentant person will:

1. Freely acknowledge his sin (1 Jn. 1:9; Pro. 28:13a).

2. Cease the activity for which he was disciplined or at least seek help if it’s a case of life dominating patterns (Pro. 28:13b; Gal. 6:1f; Jam. 5:19-20).

3. Make restitution and/or ask for forgiveness from those hurt as it is applicable (Phil. 18-19; Matt. 5:23-24).

4. He/she will demonstrate a genuine change of heart, a real concern and godly sorrow over his actions, not in order to be forgiven, but because of the harm caused to the glory of God and the hurt caused others (2 Cor. 7:8-11; Ps. 51:17).

5. He/she will begin to manifest the fruit of the Spirit and a concern for the things of Christ (Gal. 5:22f).

 J. Hampton Keathley III Church Discipline, www.bible.org, Copyright ©1996-2005, All rights reserved.