This morning I awoke to some pretty bad news on the work front. As everyone knows unless you are a monk, we are experiencing some very tumultuous times. It seems as though we are greeted everyday with continued violence and financial upheaval on a global basis. Just this morning I awoke to a couple of emails that underscored this upheaval and really began to push me down the familiar road of concern and worry.
As I was getting ready, I began to realize that I needed to take my burdens to the Lord because He promises to bear the believer’s burdens. I began to pray to Him about the situations that we are faced with at work as well as my own anxieties. I prayed that He would bring comfort to me during this time and that I would trust Him to have a plan that will ultimately bring Him glory and would be to my own good.
I trust Him with all my heart; but I can sometimes be a practical atheist meaning that I live my life without fully trusting in His promises.
After I finished getting ready, I took some time to read the Scriptures. Just the day before I had used Psalm 34:16 to admonish my son to use kind words when dealing with his siblings. My interest was peaked. I decided to spend my morning exploring this Psalm to see what other riches I may find. Incredibly, I found the following verses:
Psalm 34:4-8 (NASB)
I sought the Lord and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
I hope you will join me in tasting a seeing that the Lord is good. He is good all the time; but His splendor is even more glorious when things seem to be imploding around us!
Brandon
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Shepherd's Conference 2009 Session III
Our time at Shepherds’ Conference has been great so far. The men here are amazing. They spur me on to greater heights. I only wish that I could be worthy of even tying these men’s boots. It is incredible to hear how God has used the men here to impact this world for the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. If only God uses me in even a small way compared to these men!
I watch John MacArthur who says that he is living heaven on earth. It is incredible to hear about his family. He comes from a long line of faithfulness that extends to his grandchildren. I only hope that my life will in some small way compare to him.
John MacArthur is now speaking about his life at Grace Church. He is talking about his desire to find out what the New Testament has to say about the church. He tells us that this desire galvanized his preaching ministry. He says that he started preaching about lordship salvation, the true Christian, and the glory of God…he hasn’t stop preaching about these things in forty years. John MacArthur says that his ministry is guided by the following truths…essential foundations for the church:
I. The Absolute Authority of Scripture
a. We all come under the Authority of the Word of God
i. 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Corinthians 2:16, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 4:2-3
II. The Church is the Congregation of Worshippers
a. As Christians, we are worshippers of the true and living God! The Father is seeking true worshippers. Transcendent worship comes from deep understanding!
III. Doctrinal Clarity
a. Clarity translates into conviction. The things that people understand will be believed and loved.
IV. Spiritual Discernment
a. It is absolutely critical that the Body of Christ have Spiritual Discernment
i. 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Acts 17
V. The Church is to Pursue Holiness
a. This is not a popular notion in the church. This concept is not to be mixed up with legalism. Legalism is a false paradigm of sanctification and does not lead to true holiness.
i. Matthew 18…church discipline
VI. Godly Leaders
a. There is a need to develop godly leaders. Someone has to produce godly men as leaders. There needs to be a plurality of men who teach and lead as under-shepherds of Christ!
i. 2 Timothy 2:2
VII. Discipleship
a. People need to be faithfully taught!
VIII. Unity
a. The church is to marked by Love (1 Corinthians 1:10)
b. The one another’s of the new testament are to practiced
IX. Marked by Faithful Prayer
a. The church needs to be a group of prayer warriors!
X. Marked by Sacrificial Giving
a. People need to be taught which leads to sacrificial giving!
XI. Marked by Evangelism
a. We are here on the earth to evangelize! Evangelism is the whole purpose of the church!
I watch John MacArthur who says that he is living heaven on earth. It is incredible to hear about his family. He comes from a long line of faithfulness that extends to his grandchildren. I only hope that my life will in some small way compare to him.
John MacArthur is now speaking about his life at Grace Church. He is talking about his desire to find out what the New Testament has to say about the church. He tells us that this desire galvanized his preaching ministry. He says that he started preaching about lordship salvation, the true Christian, and the glory of God…he hasn’t stop preaching about these things in forty years. John MacArthur says that his ministry is guided by the following truths…essential foundations for the church:
I. The Absolute Authority of Scripture
a. We all come under the Authority of the Word of God
i. 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Corinthians 2:16, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 4:2-3
II. The Church is the Congregation of Worshippers
a. As Christians, we are worshippers of the true and living God! The Father is seeking true worshippers. Transcendent worship comes from deep understanding!
III. Doctrinal Clarity
a. Clarity translates into conviction. The things that people understand will be believed and loved.
IV. Spiritual Discernment
a. It is absolutely critical that the Body of Christ have Spiritual Discernment
i. 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Acts 17
V. The Church is to Pursue Holiness
a. This is not a popular notion in the church. This concept is not to be mixed up with legalism. Legalism is a false paradigm of sanctification and does not lead to true holiness.
i. Matthew 18…church discipline
VI. Godly Leaders
a. There is a need to develop godly leaders. Someone has to produce godly men as leaders. There needs to be a plurality of men who teach and lead as under-shepherds of Christ!
i. 2 Timothy 2:2
VII. Discipleship
a. People need to be faithfully taught!
VIII. Unity
a. The church is to marked by Love (1 Corinthians 1:10)
b. The one another’s of the new testament are to practiced
IX. Marked by Faithful Prayer
a. The church needs to be a group of prayer warriors!
X. Marked by Sacrificial Giving
a. People need to be taught which leads to sacrificial giving!
XI. Marked by Evangelism
a. We are here on the earth to evangelize! Evangelism is the whole purpose of the church!
Shepherd's Conference 2009 Seminar I
The conference opened to the thunderous singing of 4000 men. It was an incredible time as usual.
John MacArthur opened the conference in the Word this morning. It was an amazing time as he exhorted us to look at Genesis one as foundational to Scripture. He said that our attitude toward Genesis one and what we believe about creation signals what we believe about the rest of the Bible. If we deny Genesis one then where do we stop denying the truth of Scripture.
He gave us three words to hang our hats on:
I. Fidelity: Either we believe Scripture or we don't!
II. Simplicity: It is simple; God created everything for His glory!
III. Priority: God's priority is redemption!
He went on to admonish us about the "green movement". He pointed out that man sinned and God cursed creation. We cannot save this world for it is passing away and God has said that He will destroy it when it has fulfilled its purpose. We are to be good stewards and work to subdue the Earth. He said that the most advanced societies are the ones who have learned how to subdue the Earth. If we don't subdue the earth then it will kill us. The ones who suffer the most in this movement are the very poor.
John MacArthur opened the conference in the Word this morning. It was an amazing time as he exhorted us to look at Genesis one as foundational to Scripture. He said that our attitude toward Genesis one and what we believe about creation signals what we believe about the rest of the Bible. If we deny Genesis one then where do we stop denying the truth of Scripture.
He gave us three words to hang our hats on:
I. Fidelity: Either we believe Scripture or we don't!
II. Simplicity: It is simple; God created everything for His glory!
III. Priority: God's priority is redemption!
He went on to admonish us about the "green movement". He pointed out that man sinned and God cursed creation. We cannot save this world for it is passing away and God has said that He will destroy it when it has fulfilled its purpose. We are to be good stewards and work to subdue the Earth. He said that the most advanced societies are the ones who have learned how to subdue the Earth. If we don't subdue the earth then it will kill us. The ones who suffer the most in this movement are the very poor.
Shepherd's Conference 2009 Session I
This is the big day! We are here at the Shepherds’ Conference. I am waiting for the first session to begin. The men are around me in fellowship some getting caught up with old friends and others getting to know new friends.
For the past few years, I have used this time to recharge my spiritual batteries. This conference seems to fall at just the right time for that. Many challenges and snares have been laid over the years; so this conference allows me to focus on what is important in my life: my Lord, my family, and the Body of Christ. This year is no different. I have felt at a low ebb in my spiritual walk. I have been strong, but in need of strengthening. I am maturing; yet in need of further maturity.
This conference brings many positives to me and my spiritual walk; but there are some negatives. I can walk in the flesh when it comes to planning and coordination. Also, I can struggle with feelings of anxiety because of the responsibilities back home. This time is always an odd mix of the flesh and the spirit for me (Romans 7).
As for this year, I would like to step out of my comfort zone this year and get to know more people. I seem to struggle with feelings of inferiority; but I know it is only sin! I have repented of this sin and hope to begin to overcome it practically.
The first session is about to start!!!!
For the past few years, I have used this time to recharge my spiritual batteries. This conference seems to fall at just the right time for that. Many challenges and snares have been laid over the years; so this conference allows me to focus on what is important in my life: my Lord, my family, and the Body of Christ. This year is no different. I have felt at a low ebb in my spiritual walk. I have been strong, but in need of strengthening. I am maturing; yet in need of further maturity.
This conference brings many positives to me and my spiritual walk; but there are some negatives. I can walk in the flesh when it comes to planning and coordination. Also, I can struggle with feelings of anxiety because of the responsibilities back home. This time is always an odd mix of the flesh and the spirit for me (Romans 7).
As for this year, I would like to step out of my comfort zone this year and get to know more people. I seem to struggle with feelings of inferiority; but I know it is only sin! I have repented of this sin and hope to begin to overcome it practically.
The first session is about to start!!!!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Shepherd's Conference 2009
Every year for the past seven years, I have been coming to the Shepherd’s Conference at Grace Community Church in Southern California. I can remember my first conference when I was but a baby in Christ. I kept looking around and saw all these men who had dedicated their lives to Christ in a special way as a pastor and I was in awe of them. I could never be like them. I really didn’t know how to fellowship with them; because I was not like them. I was a sinful man in the midst of these wonderful servants and saints!
I have to say that my time would have been more difficult; but for the first time all the men gathered together! It was incredible! All these men loved and worshipped the Maker. This was true worship; I have to admit that I didn’t know what that meant completely. We sang hymns, some of which I had never heard, and the voices of 4000 men was sweet and deafening at the same time. To top it all off, I experienced true Christian service for the first time as the entire campus came alive with wonderful saints whose only desire was to show the love of Christ in their service to the men in attendance. It was an incredible time for me.
The books were incredible! I will never forget the first time the publishers showed up to give away books. I was dumbfounded…the generosity that was shown was beyond my wildest imagination. This kind of thing never happened in my sinful world!
Over the years, I have grown as a Christian; but my awe has not gone away. Tomorrow, I will be there again. I will again hear those 4000 sweet baritone voices ringing through the massive room as they sing unto their Lord. I will again be able to experience the sweetness of Christ in service. Even better, I will be able to truly enjoy fellowship in Christ with other men.
You know…it is not as if I have grown so much as I realized that the man that first visited this conference was in need of a Savior along with the other 3999 men singing and worshipping with me! I was just like them after all!
I will endeavor to post everyday while I am here to give a sense of my heart while attending the conference this year.
I have to say that my time would have been more difficult; but for the first time all the men gathered together! It was incredible! All these men loved and worshipped the Maker. This was true worship; I have to admit that I didn’t know what that meant completely. We sang hymns, some of which I had never heard, and the voices of 4000 men was sweet and deafening at the same time. To top it all off, I experienced true Christian service for the first time as the entire campus came alive with wonderful saints whose only desire was to show the love of Christ in their service to the men in attendance. It was an incredible time for me.
The books were incredible! I will never forget the first time the publishers showed up to give away books. I was dumbfounded…the generosity that was shown was beyond my wildest imagination. This kind of thing never happened in my sinful world!
Over the years, I have grown as a Christian; but my awe has not gone away. Tomorrow, I will be there again. I will again hear those 4000 sweet baritone voices ringing through the massive room as they sing unto their Lord. I will again be able to experience the sweetness of Christ in service. Even better, I will be able to truly enjoy fellowship in Christ with other men.
You know…it is not as if I have grown so much as I realized that the man that first visited this conference was in need of a Savior along with the other 3999 men singing and worshipping with me! I was just like them after all!
I will endeavor to post everyday while I am here to give a sense of my heart while attending the conference this year.
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