Pease don’t think that I am suggesting we stop enjoying life and take vows of poverty. But I am going to be taking a close look at my pleasures to see if there might be any that are silently "choking" me to death!
Showing posts with label john piper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label john piper. Show all posts
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Don’t Choke
“You are a stumbling block to me; you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's” (Matt. 16:23). Those are questionably the most severe words Jesus ever spoke to one of the Disciples. It certainly makes me wonder if I take this warning against earthly interests seriously enough. The difficulty, of course, is that earthly interests don’t seem sinful. On another occasion, Jesus called them the “pleasures of life,” warning that they choke out the Word of God so it cannot bear fruit in your life (Luke 8:14).
In his book “A Hunger for God,” John Piper says the greatest obstacle to our hunger for God is “not a poison apple; it’s apple pie.” It’s true. We tend to dismiss the peril of pleasures. I think one of the main impediments to taking care of our heart may be the time we spend taking care of our body, house, yard, and car. But it is only when these simple pleasures of life replace our love, time, devotion, and appetite for God that they put us at risk of setting our mind on man's interests. John Piper describes these pleasures of life as an “idolatry that is scarcely recognizable.” Harsh words!
Pease don’t think that I am suggesting we stop enjoying life and take vows of poverty. But I am going to be taking a close look at my pleasures to see if there might be any that are silently "choking" me to death!
Pease don’t think that I am suggesting we stop enjoying life and take vows of poverty. But I am going to be taking a close look at my pleasures to see if there might be any that are silently "choking" me to death!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
How Does God Measure Success?
In the 11th chapter of Hebrews we find the Old Testament “hall of fame” for men and women of great faith, from Abel to Abraham, from David to all the prophets. This inventory of great ones includes a group of unnamed who were tortured, persecuted, beaten, thrown into prison, destitute, wandering in deserts, living in caves and holes in the ground, having died without receiving the promise (11:36-39). These unnamed heroes of faith reveal how God measures success.
They gained approval through their faith, without which they could not have pleased God. (11: 6,39)
God is honored when His children want nothing but to please Him, when they are satisfied with Him alone. in John Piper’s words, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him."
God is pleased when you are content with what you have, sometimes testing your contentment by withholding “things.” He is pleased when he sees you doing your work as unto Him, whether or not you receive that promotion or salary increase. God is pleased when you have peace about your finances, in spite of losses in your portfolio.
The heroes of faith of the Old Testament believed that God is [enough] and knowing Him and pleasing Him was the only reward they sought. (11:6)
Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him boast about this: that he understands and knows Me. (Jeremiah 9:23–24)
They gained approval through their faith, without which they could not have pleased God. (11: 6,39)
God is honored when His children want nothing but to please Him, when they are satisfied with Him alone. in John Piper’s words, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him."
God is pleased when you are content with what you have, sometimes testing your contentment by withholding “things.” He is pleased when he sees you doing your work as unto Him, whether or not you receive that promotion or salary increase. God is pleased when you have peace about your finances, in spite of losses in your portfolio.
The heroes of faith of the Old Testament believed that God is [enough] and knowing Him and pleasing Him was the only reward they sought. (11:6)
Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him boast about this: that he understands and knows Me. (Jeremiah 9:23–24)
Monday, June 8, 2009
Watch Out for Attacks from the Devil
For some time I have had a sense of urgency and concern for the Church’s need to understand the “dying to live” principles. The bible clearly tells that Satan's attacks will increase in the last days (Revelation 12:12). And I am persuaded that only those who know their ‘position’ in Christ will be able to stand against these demonic assaults.
This last week, I received this confirming word by David Wilkerson's (Times Square Church in New York) bi-weekly teaching. (I have grown to trust David’s maturity and prophetic insights over the last 25 years.) Here is what he says: In the last few years, I have had a growing sense that the suffering and afflictions of God’s elect today are beyond anything endured in the history of Christ’s church.
David Wilkerson is referring not to circumstances as much as Satan’s attack on believers—individually and corporately.
Almost two decades ago, John Piper wrote these words: How can a sense of urgency and vigilance and passion and zeal become part of the Christian ethos today?...The crying need for the last decade of this millennium is a global wartime mentality among all the pastors and churches and believers of the Christian church.
“Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.... Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour” (1 Peter 4:12; 1 Peter 5:8).
This last week, I received this confirming word by David Wilkerson's (Times Square Church in New York) bi-weekly teaching. (I have grown to trust David’s maturity and prophetic insights over the last 25 years.) Here is what he says: In the last few years, I have had a growing sense that the suffering and afflictions of God’s elect today are beyond anything endured in the history of Christ’s church.
David Wilkerson is referring not to circumstances as much as Satan’s attack on believers—individually and corporately.
Almost two decades ago, John Piper wrote these words: How can a sense of urgency and vigilance and passion and zeal become part of the Christian ethos today?...The crying need for the last decade of this millennium is a global wartime mentality among all the pastors and churches and believers of the Christian church.
“Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.... Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour” (1 Peter 4:12; 1 Peter 5:8).
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