"Faith speaks in an entirely different manner..."

(From Of First Importance)

“The man who has faith is the man who is no longer looking at himself, and no longer looking to himself. He no longer looks at anything he once was. He does not look at what he is now. He does not [even] look at what he hopes to be as the result of his own efforts. He looks entirely to the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work, and he rests on that alone. He has ceased to say, ‘Ah yes, I have committed terrible sins but I have done this and that…’ He stops saying that. If he goes on saying that, he has not got faith… Faith speaks in an entirely different manner and makes a man say, ‘Yes, I have sinned grievously, I have lived a life of sin… yet I know that I am a child of God because I am not resting on any righteousness of my own; my righteousness is in Jesus Christ, and God has put that to my account.’”

- D. M. Lloyd-Jones, quoted by Timothy Keller in The Message of Romans (Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2003), 59.

Finally Alive

So I had this idea that I would get my blog breathing by posting my reading notes as I make my way through a new book called Finally Alive. However, a man much smarter than me (and who apparently reads at incredible speed) has already done this. Oh well, now I'll just have to start with another book...

Check out Justin Childers' blog if you are interested in the full summary posts he wrote, they're really great and helpful summaries, I have copied his last one here below:

"I must say that the last chapter of Finally Alive is the most helpful to me. After explaining the nature of the new birth for 14 chapters, Piper asks, "How can we help others be born again?" It is basically a chapter on personal evangelism.

His short answer is: "Tell them the good news of Christ from a heart of love and life of service."

After making clear that only God can open blind eyes, Piper writes (pp. 180-181):

"Don't stop because you can't do this. Of course you can't. Only God can open the eyes of the blind (2 Cor. 4:6). But the fact that you can't make electricity or create light never stops you from flipping light switches. The fact that you can't create fire in cylinders never stops you from turning the car key. The fact that you can't create cell tissue never stops you from eating your meals. So don't let the fact that you can't cause the new bith stop you from telling the gospel. That is how people are born again--through the living and abiding word, the good news of Jesus Christ."

He then gives 10 encouragements for speaking the gospel:

1. Know this: God uses clay pots.
2. Get resources to share.
3. Know that God may use many influences.
4. Be a lavish giver.
5. Find people interesting.
6. Invite people to church.
7. Fill the city with gospel teaching.
8. Use your giftings.
9. Read books on evangelism (see the particular books he recommends here).
10. Pray for boldness.

"If you feel average or below average in your fitness to share the gospel treasure, you are closer to the truth than someone who feels powerful and wise and self-sufficient."

Be the example

An excerpt from Matt Chandler's message given at the Desiring God Pastor's Conference this week:

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)

I learned this one the hard way. Two years ago, this was probably one of the most heartbreaking things in my years of ministry. I was at lunch with some people that had just gotten back from a missions trip in India.

I was listening to different people and was hearing a story. There were two buses that took our crew and another crew to get out to a place. Our crew decided to tell the best joke they’ve ever heard. When they pull up, the other group gets out and there’s tears running down their face.

It disturbed me. I couldn’t let it go. I didn’t know what to do with it. Why, on the way out to do missions, are people who are covenant members of The Village doing knock-knock jokes when the people in the other van are calling out for mercy to God?

One morning I was reading the Bible and journaling my thoughts. I had a surly professor in college who I loved and hated. He had an extreme, high expectation of you. He said, “Five years in, what’s wrong with your church is wrong with you.” I don’t know if he’s right, but the Holy Spirit said, “Remember?” I laid on the floor and sobbed because my witty, sarcastic humor had been embedded into The Village so much that on the way out to such a dark, spiritual destination, we’re doing knock-knock jokes. It devastated me. I constantly pray that God would protect the people of The Village from me.

Be the example in word, in deed, in purity, in love, in prayer. Be the example.

(HT: Fighter)

Finally Alive

Practical advice for evangelism from John Piper's forthcoming book, Finally Alive:

"Be encouraged that simply finding people interesting and caring about them is a beautiful pathway into their heart. Evangelism gets a bad reputation when we are not really interested in people and don't seem to care about them. People really are interesting. Every person you talk to is an amazing creation of God with a thousand interesting experiences.... Very few people are interested in others. If you really find their story interesting, and care about them, they may open up to you and want to hear your story—Christ's story. (p. 185)"