I just uploaded the sermon from July 4, Entrusting Ourselves into God's Care from Psalm 16. Listen to it, download it, or subscribe to the podcast in the audio player in the right sidebar. 1. When we entrust ourselves into God’s care, our security is in God instead of our circumstances (v. 5). 2. When we entrust ourselves into God’s care, we trust God to work out our circumstances (vv. 5-6). 3. When we entrust ourselves into God’s care, he will lead us in the right way (v. 7). 4. When we entrust ourselves into God’s care, we can live with joy (v. 9, 11). 5. When we entrust ourselves into God’s care, we will be resurrected to eternal life (10-11).
Second Edition of Making Friends for Christ Available!
Here is the description of the book printed on the back cover:
"This is not a gimmick. It is not the next modern evangelism strategy for you or your church to use for a while and then discard when the next one comes along. It is not about pretending to be friends with people to fulfill a hidden conversion agenda.
"Making Friends for Christ is an exploration of loving others the way that Jesus loved us, intentionally, relationally, and sacrificially. The people all around us want to be loved. They need a friend who will listen to them and care for them. And that is just what Jesus wants us to do. As we live in love and truth, his light shines into people’s lives so that they may know Love Himself.
"Making Friends for Christ is a guide for learning how to be a real friend. It offers practical, everyday ideas for touching the people God has already put into your life. You will learn how to be a good listener, overcome common barriers, and invest in relationships. You can turn your home into a place of ministry and effectively tell how Christ has changed your life. You can learn to pray in faith for your friends and family and join with other believers for support and encouragement.
"This second edition of Making Friends for Christ is revised and enlarged for the challenges of the Twenty-First Century evangelism.
"Wayne McDill teaches Communication and Bible Exposition in Wake Forest, North Carolina at Southeastern Seminary. He has also taught courses in Evangelism, Church Planting, and Pastoral Leadership. He is author of seven books, including the first edition of Making Friends for Christ, along with books on preaching and personal Christian growth."
You can order the book from Amazon HERE.
Would You Prefer to Fight for the Truth?
"I for my part would prefer to be deceived in a good many things rather than to fight for the truth in so great a universal tumult" - Desiderius Erasmus, one of the greatest biblical scholars of the 16th century, commenting on the work of Martin Luther.
Learning to Have a Love Agenda
God has recently been showing me deeper ways I can learn to love and encourage others. I want to be more patient, kind, encouraging, affectionate, and gentle—especially with my family. I have been asking the Lord for wisdom to understand why I am finding this so difficult. I think I have identified one important part of it. One problem is my agenda. When I have an agenda and people get in the way of it, I am frustrated. When I have an agenda, I simply do not see or have the energy to love people. And I am talking about a task oriented agenda. If my agenda were loving people, that would be produce a difference result altogether. For example, when the children do not do a job correctly, my agenda determines my response. If my agenda is the task itself, then I am frustrated and ungentle. But if my agenda is to relate to, love, build up, and train my children, then I will gently instruct and encourage them.
It seems that I am a fundamentally task oriented person. The physical and practical task, whatever it may be at the moment, must be secondary. People are always first. Love is always first. “Whatever you do, let it be done in love” (1 Cor 16:14).
"Hope is not simply wishful thinking; it is a fruit of the Spirit born of the spiritual discipline of remembering." - Gary A. Haugen, Just Courage, 80
"We don't believe something by merely saying we believe it, or even when we believe that we believe it. We believe something when we act as if it were true." - Dallas Willard
Defeat the Devil . . . Be a Mom
On Mother's Day I taught on the interesting relationship between being a mother and the spiritual war against Satan and the testimony of the church (Titus 2:4-5; 1 Tim 2:8-15; 5:9-16). There were two basic principles we discussed. The first, which is particularly despicable to our culture, is this: In general, God intends for women to be mothers. This is the assumption of Scripture, especially the passages in view. Excepted, of course, are those that God calls to be single and those who are not able to have children. The second principle is this: When women live out their role as mothers, they are less vulnerable to the attacks of Satan. There is also in this message a lengthy discussion on modesty from 1 Tim 2:9-10. You can listen to it in the audio player on the right side bar.
Are You "In the Ministry"?
The American church has professionalized and glorified ministry. So much so that it is no longer seen as the responsibility of us regular believers. What does the Bible say about ministry? I have uploaded the next part in the series on Doing the Work of the Lord from 1 Corinthians 16:5-18. You can listen to it in the Teaching Audio player on the right side bar.