Joni Eareckskon Tada has cancer

The news came today that Joni Eareckson Tada has breast cancer. Read her inspiring article here.

The Fear of Man vs God

I have read the book this blog post is about and it "eat my lunch." When i say this post today, I knew I had to re-post it for you so you can be more aware of this book. This post was first posted here by Justin Taylor.

“The fear of man lays a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.”
Proverbs 29:25

“Fear of man is such a part of our human fabric that we should check for pulse if someone denies it.”

—Ed Welch, When People Are Big and God Is Small.

In order to fear God not man, here are the steps Welch sets forth in his book:

Step 1: Recognize that the fear of man is a major theme both in the Bible and in your own life.

Step 2: Identify where your fear of man has been intensified by people in your past.

Step 3: Identify where your fear of man has been intensified by the assumptions of the world.

Step 4: Understand and grow in the fear of the Lord. The person who fears God will fear nothing else.

Step 5: Examine where your desires have been too big. When we fear people, people are big, our desires are even bigger, and God is small.

Step 6: Rejoice that God has covered your shame, protected you from danger, and accepted you. He has filled you with love.

Step 7: Need other people less, love other people more. Out of obedience to Christ, and as a response to his love toward you, pursue others in love.

You can read chapter 1 of the book online for free.

Sermon Notes from Sunday, June 20, 2010

Here are the sermon notes from this past Sunday, June 20 on the message "The Call of God" from Romans 8:29-30 and the third in the series of messages "The Links of Salvation." Click here.

The best and worse days in light of God's grace

Jerry Bridges is a wonderful author that I have read after for many years and have heard one-or-two messages via my Ipod. In fact, one of those messages have stuck with me for several years when he said (at the age of about 80 now) that "he needed the gospel as much today as he did the day he first believed." WOW.

Any way.. from his book The Discipline of Grace is this word about the self-righteous and the guilt-ridden he writes:

Pharisee-type believers unconsciously think they have earned God’s blessing through their behavior. Guilt-laden believers are quite sure they have forfeited God’s blessing through their lack of discipline or their disobedience. Both have forgotten the meaning of grace because they have moved away from the gospel and have slipped into a performance relationship with God…Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.

Connection Singers

Connection Singers

Wednesday, June 16

6:30

CrossRoads Baptist Church

The Connection Singers is an audition-based Jr. High school thru college age ensemble based out of Tuscumbia, AL. All of the students are from Alabama on this year's team. This is a branch of Connection For The Lord Ministries, a non-profit organization in existence since 1989. It happens to be young people doing the singing and ministering but in no way does it mean that our services/concerts are exclusively for youth. We try to bridge the gap between generations. There will be something for everyone.

Love offering will be received.

Sermon Notes from Sunday, June 6, 2010

Here are the sermon notes from today's message "The Predestination of God" from Romans 8:29-30. Click here

No peaceful backslider exists....

As I posted yesterday, I have been doing much reading and linked the following about the "Perseverance and Assurance of the Saints." It was written in Kenneth D. Keathley's article in a book Whosoever Will.

"The genuinely saved person hungers and thirsts for righteousness, even when he is struggling with temptation or even if he stumbles into sin. In fact, I am not as concerned about the destiny of those who struggle as I am about those who do not care enough to struggle. Indifference is more of a red flag than weakness.

The absence of a desire for the things of God clearly indicates a serious spiritual problem, and a continued indifference can possibly mean that the person professing faith has never been genuinely converted. God is infinitely more dedicated to our salvation that we are, and He will not fail to finish that which He has begun. If a believer engages in willful disobedience or deliberate indifference, our heavenly Father promises him decisive and appropriate action. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit ensures that no peaceful backslider exists." (pages 186-187).

Baptists - Calvinist? Arminian?

In my recent studies and readings for this new series of messages "Links of Salvation" from Romans 8:29-30, I ran across this very interesting statement. Dr. Leo Garrett was long-term professor of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. When I was at New Orleans Baptist Seminary April 29, I go to hear him lecture. He is now in his 80's.

The statement was in regard to whether Baptists are Calvinist or Arminian. David L. Allen was writing the article (who is at Southwestern now) and he quoted Dr. Garrett by saying, "The majority of Baptists have always been "Calminians."

I like that.

Sermon Notes from Sunday, May 30, 2010

Here are the sermon notes from this past Sunday, May 30, 2010 in the first message of the series "Links of Salvation" called "The Foreknowledge of God" from Romans 8:29-30. Click here