Life...

We just had our fourth baby and life is well, full and great... Hope to get some sermons out soon but it may be a bit. I would love to hear about some of your favorites as of late... Leave them in the comment section and why you like it... Thanks for being a part of asermonaday.com!

Speaking at a camp this week

I am speaking at a camp this week, thus no sermons this week... I would appreciate your prayers!

Thanks!
Steve

Louie Giglio - Alive Pt. 2

This is part two of his talk from yesterday... The next step after the human body and it is a fitting finale in his two part series.

Click here for video!

Louie Giglio - Alive Pt. 1

You will have to watch this to get it free, but it is worth the time... An amazing look at the human body which proves that we are fearfully and wonderfully made as only Louie can tell it!

Click here for the video!

Frances Chan - Power

A different way to look at power, but Frances talks about the power that we have in God to overcome sin and death. It is a pretty empowering message. I don't think you will want to miss it. There are lot of great messages to listen to, but this one will stick for a while, and you'll find yourself emailing this to friends.

Click here for the link!

Mark Driscoll - Creation: God Makes

This a good comprehensive talk on creation. It covers not only all the angles, but it also deals with how to argue nicely as Christians. It is a perfect start for the theme this week on the Power of God!

Enjoy here!

A week off...

I am taking a week off because of a family reunion and a wedding that I am officiating... Tune in next week for some more sermons. Just so you know, I love it when people comment about different topics they would like to see or recommend sermons that affected them...

Thanks for being a part of the community to better know and live God's Word!

Steve

Joel Harris - We must be constant worshippers

Let’s be honest… nowadays, when someone mentions worship, most people think of music. You know, that time in the church service when everyone sings. Lots of Christian recording artists make “worship projects” with hit singles on them.
However, if we search God’s Word faithfully and look to mature Christians who possess wise insight, we will quickly see that worship is much more than songs. Worship is what we were created for, it’s what we’ll spend eternity doing, and it encompasses our hearts as well as our actions.
“Worship - whether an inner act of the heart, or an outward act of the body, or of the congregation collectively - is a magnifying of God. That is, it is an act that shows how magnificent He is. It is an act that reveals or expresses how great and glorious He is. Worship is all about consciously reflecting the worth or value of God.” - John Piper, Desiring God Ministries
From the beginning, worship has been an important aspect of the Rebelution. In the broadest sense, since everything we do as Christians is worship, all the hard things, both big and small, should be attempted for God’s glory. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
But in the more narrow sense, Rebelutionaries, including the Harris family, have always been passionate about singing God’s praise. We love worship as it’s defined by the Psalmist, “Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!” (Psalm 96:2-3)
Before The Rebelution, There Was Worship
In the summer of 2000, long before blogs, books and conference tours, Alex and Brett played keyboard and congas for a worship band that I formed in high school. They’ve been active members of the worship team at our church, and now as they head off to college on the East Coast, younger sister Sarah and younger brothers Isaac and James are stepping up to take their place.
Worship has always played a key role at the Rebelution conferences. From our very first conference in 2006, in Sacramento, CA, I‘ve led worship on my own or with a band accompanying me. We don’t include worship because teens like music. We don’t make room for it merely to bring variety to the day. We do it because it just wouldn’t seem right without it.
The reason Alex and Brett write blog posts and books, the reason our family travels across the country holding conferences, the reason the Rebelution even exists, is for the praise and glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But here’s the problem… because we are all prideful, sinful human beings, it’s very easy to lose sight of that.
We are far too quick to become focused on ourselves, focused on our accomplishments, focused on the task at hand, but forgetting the very reason for it all. That’s why it’s so important to open the day, and each session throughout the day, with singing. And that’s why it’s important for Rebelutionaries to be constant worshipers. It helps us keep the focus where it belongs.
Low Expectations in Worship
It also matters what we sing. It’s been established that our ungodly culture has low expectations for young people. But when it comes to worship, even the Christian community has low expectations for us. Worship songs targeted for kids, tweens, teens and young adults, have dumbed down the lyrical content because they think we’re too dumb to understand anything harder.
Sadly, in far too many cases this assumption is correct. Young people who don’t study their Bibles faithfully, who don’t read hard books, and who can’t sit through “grown-up” sermons, probably can’t comprehend the profound truths found in timeless hymns like And Can It Be That I Should Gain, or Rock of Ages.
Rebelutionaries, on the other hand, must not allow their worship to be dictated by low expectations, even if those expectations come from within the church. We should embrace songs that unpack rich doctrines like justification, atonement, sanctification, and assurance. We should love the old hymns, not for their cutting edge musical style, but for the wisdom and insight of godly Christians who penned those words centuries ago but were sinners who loved their Savior, just like us.
Why Not Just, Jesus Loves Me?
I realize this can seem counterintuitive. Wouldn’t the easiest and most efficient approach be to use simple songs which express love for God, or celebrate His love for us? Remember our motto, “do hard things”? It applies to this area as well.
When we exert ourselves, when we do the hard work of wrapping our mind around the glorious, profound, life-transforming truths of the Gospel, then the things we comprehend with our minds can spark deep affections in our hearts. We can tap into a joy in God, an amazement at sovereign grace, and a passion for His glory that would never have been possible under a diet of “worship lite”.
In the book Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin writes that “each of us has a battle raging within us over what we love most–God or something else.” He’s right. Worship is crucial, because every day there is a battle raging for our hearts. The enemy wants us to find our joy in the pleasures of sin and the distractions of this world. It’s vital that we fight back, for God makes it clear in His Word that if He doesn’t have our hearts, our outward service is wasted energy (Matthew 15:8-9).
We must fight for joy in God using the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. One way we do that is through songs which drive biblical truth deep into our hearts, so we can draw upon it in the midst of the fray. If the words are faithful and God-centered, they will provide fuel for our faith. And if the music is skillfully crafted, it will move our souls and ignite new passion for the cause.
Worship Challenges for Rebelutionaries
So, here are a few challenges for you Rebelutionary worshipers:
1. Sing. Start each day out with a song. Don’t be so dependent on CDs or data projectors. Learn the lyrics of songs by heart so you can sing as you get dressed, sing in the shower, sing in the car.
2. Expand your music-listening horizons. Most of you are probably familiar with artists like Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, and Passion. They have put out a lot of great stuff, but I encourage you to branch out. A lot of songwriters are writing theologically sound, doctrinally rich modern-day hymns, or giving old forgotten hymns another lease on life by composing new music.
Sovereign Grace Music
Come Weary Saints
Valley of Vision
Songs for the Cross-Centered Life
Upward: The Bob Kauflin Hymns Project
Worship God Live
Keith & Kristyn Getty
In Christ Alone
Indelible Grace Music
Beams of Heaven
Wake Thy Slumbering Children
3. Engage in your local church. If you don’t play an instrument, learn to play guitar, piano or something else useful. If you can carry a tune, volunteer to sing. Be a positive influence in the place God has you right now. Get a copy of Bob Kauflin’s outstanding book, Worship Matters, and after you’ve finished reading it, loan it to your pastor or worship leader (or both)!
4. Do the hard work of writing excellent worship songs. We need more of what my dad calls “poet-theologians” — like Isaac Watts, Fanny Crosby, and Charles Wesley. If you need help, consult Paul Baloche’s comprehensive worship songwriting handbook, God Songs. If you can’t come up with any ideas, use the lyrics to some old public domain hymn. Don’t have access to a hymnal? Check out Cyber Hymnal.
. . . do all to the glory of God.

Bob Kauflin - Corporate Worship as Pastoral Care

My friend, Pete Williamson, posted this a couple of months ago, but seeing it fit the week, I wanted to bring it back...

Bob Kauflin is someone that I've been exposed to more recently through listening to Sovereign Grace material. Bob was at one point a member of the a capella group GLAD and has now been involved in pastoral ministry at several SGM churches. Most recently, he is the Director of Worship Development at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD (where Josh Harris pastors). I've found Bob's combination of experiences as a professional musician and a pastor really helpful in thinking through what worship - especially at the congregational level - should be about and look like.

Today's audio comes from a seminar Bob taught at SGM's Worship '06 conference.

Randy Alcorn - Living as if Heaven were your home

I loved this honest, heartfelt, biblical sermon from Randy Alcorn. He shared his story, he talked about Heaven and he really encouraged me. This is a must listen from a man who has spent his life studying and living for eternity. Here is the link!

Frances Chan - Holiness

This sermon by Frances Chan is sober and difficult to both preach and for many to hear. He takes the holiness of God to the very personal level and deals with sexual immorality. It is heartfelt and honest. Click here to listen!

Coming is a Conference near you...

I typed out a list of the upcoming conferences for the 2008-09 year... There sure are a lot of conferences, and I didn't get nearly all of them. It is amazing how many conferences there are in America and how much money are spent at them... I think conferences are important, but I just wonder what would happen if every pastor who went to a conference would agree to teach one in a third world country where the pastors can't afford conferences let alone Bibles...

September 22-24

Northwest Pastor’s Conference-Calvary Chapel

Warm Beach Camp, Stanwood, Washington

September 11 – 12

Bible Conference for Pastors

First Pres Church, Columbia SC

September 26-28

Desiring God National Conference

Minnesota

September 29-October 2

Hume Lake Pastor’s Conference

Hume, CA

October 6-7, 2008

Expositors Conference

Mobile, Alabama

October 6-9

Hume Lake Pastor’s Conference

Hume, CA

October 8-10

Catalyst

Atlanta, GA

October 20-23

Ligonier Ministries Pastor Conference

Lake Mary, Fl.

November 6-7

John 3:16

Woodstock, Georgia

November 13-15

Lead Now

Dallas, TX

November 17-20

Preach the Word

Riverside, California

February 2-4

Desiring God Pastor’s Conference

Minnesota, MN

February 6-10, 2009
Jacksonville Pastors Conference

Jacksonville, Florida

February 10-13, 2009
National Pastors Convention
San Diego

February 19-20, 2009

Creative Pastors Conference

Grapevine, TX

April 6-8, 2009

Sovereign Grace Pastor’s Conference

Gaithersburg, Maryland

March 2-4, 2009

Refresh Pastor’s Conference

Pigeon Forge, TN

March 4-8, 2009

Shepherd’s Conference

Sun Valley, California

May 6-9

Regent College Pastor’s Conference

Vancouver B.C.

May 11-13

Basics – Alistair Begg

Parkside Church, Cleveland, Ohio

May 18-21, 2009

Moody Pastor’s Conference

Chicago, Illinois

May 26-28, 2009

Banner of Truth Conference

Grantham, Penn

C.J. Mahaney - The Holiness of God

I listened to this sermon because of what my friend, Adrian Warnock wrote on his blog...

Here are his words: If you are an avid C. J. Mahaney listener, you may well have heard of a series of talks he did many years ago on people in the Bible who God killed. In which case, I've got a real treat in store for you! But first, let me set the context.

I would like to share with you a few sermons over the coming weeks or months that have impacted me so much that I still remember them. I am convinced that the gentle "drip drip" effect of being continually exposed to good teaching over many years is as important as the moments of great impact and decision. But, by the nature of things, we don't remember those sermons!

Some messages do consciously shape us, however, creating a moment of transaction between us and God. Often we remember how we felt when we heard them as if it were yesterday, even years afterwards. This is one such talk. I would love to hear from others about sermons they remember as having transformed them in a similar way.

To set the scene, I was still a young boy. I had somehow persuaded my parents to let me go into the adults' meeting in a tent at Downs Bible Week, an early Newfrontiers conference.

Mahaney was a phenomenon even back then. He was funny, engaging, easy to understand, and truly passionate. He was speaking about the holiness of God, and by honing in on the people God killed, certainly got my attention. This was a side of God I hadn't really given much attention to.

This talk was very well received. In fact, you could have cut the air with a knife that night because of the sense of the presence of God in the room. It was one of the very few times in my life when I caught something of the smell of revival. That night I experienced for the first time a sense of the weighty presence of God in all his holiness that both attracted and terrified me. I knew then that this was what a revival would feel like. If I had known how seldom I would experience the same sensation in the ensuing years, I would not have wanted to leave that tent. Sometimes today I cry out to God that he would reveal himself in such a way again. When we pray for revival, I'm not entirely sure we know what we are praying for.

Judging by the heavy sense of conviction in the room, many of us were totally undone that night. I know that for me, I would never be able to treat God as flippantly or irreverently again. That night kindled in me a healthy respect for God which has never left me. The Bible both commands us to fear God, and then tells us not to be afraid of him. Or, as Newton puts it:

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved.
One of my most enduring memories of that evening all those years ago was speaking to a member of our church who, with eyes brimming with tears, said that they felt they had just begun their Christian life all over again—if that were possible. There were many who felt the same way, wondering if they had ever been a Christian up until that point.

So, if are intrigued like I was when I read this from a guy I really respect like Adrian, I believe you will find it worth your time to listen!

Here is the link! I loved the sermon and I think you will love it!

Mark Driscoll - Worship: God Transforms

This is a great sermon to kick off this week about the worship that transforms a believer. Pastor Mark really gets to the heart of the issue about what worship is and then makes it incredibly applicable. Powerful, insightful, convicting and encouraging... This is the 11th part of their Doctrine Matters series. Here is the link to the video!

Terry Virgo - Grace

Grace. We all have specialties and I think this is his. And though we have already done three days on grace, it is good to put this here because it is it is geared towards teens and they are only 15 minute talks. So, perhaps this will be helpful for you!

Grace, Part I
Grace Part II
Grace, Part III
Grace, Part IV

Terry Virgo - Gideon, part I and II

This two part talk on Gideon is insighful and helpful. I think you will appreciate his insight on this man and how practical his life is for ours. Check out part 1 here and part 2 here!

Enjoy!

Terry Virgo - Grace, part III - Free to Serve

Here is the last of his grace talks... You will want to finish this series as his thought on dead works is pretty insightful. Click here for the talk.

Terry Virgo - Grace, Part II - Free Indeed

Here is part two of three of his grace series. Good stuff found here!

Terry Virgo - Grace, part I

This is a three part series on grace that is excellent. Terry has a unique style, part story-teller, part expositor and part human analyzer which enables him to speak with great authority and compassion and to make you see things in scripture which you wouldn't have normally thought about. So, enjoy the listen!

Terry Virgo - A Leader's Prayer Life

I have decided to spend a week introducing you to Terry Virgo. Here is some information about him.

Terry is based at Church of Christ the King, Brighton, UK and is the founder of Newfrontiers, a worldwide family of churches together on a mission to establish the kingdom of God by restoring the church, making disciples, training leaders and planting churches. He and his team serve nearly 500 churches worldwide.

A well-known Bible teacher, Terry speaks at conferences internationally and hosts the annual Together on a Mission conference in the UK, which draws thousands of delegates from around the world.

Terry has written several books, including No Well-Worn Paths , which is his biography and the story of NewFrontiers.

I was encouraged to listen to him by a friend Adrian Warnock who knows him well and is a part of one of his churches. I am so glad I did. This talk on prayer was revolutionary for me as one who not only understands how to teach about prayer but also loves to pray. He invites on into his world and the real focus of prayer, which is glorifying God. Don't let the reformed/charismatic labels scare you a way this week. He is the real deal. Here is the link to this talk!

Voddie Baucham - The Value of a Family

Voddie has had the most significant life changing impact on me in term of family than I think anyone else in terms of a speaker. He has literally changed our lives in some very practical, real ways. And I can't say enough about him if you want fresh, powerful, life-altering ways on raising kids and viewing the family. I have given you the link to his home page. You can purchase the websites off his link for only $1.99 which I believe will be an amazing investment or I am sure you can find them elsewhere on the web, but with not as good a recording. Plus, you need to pick up his book! Great Stuff!!!

Click Here for links!

John Piper- Marriage Is Meant for Making Children...Disciples of Jesus, Part 2

I listened to this sermon quite awhile ago and it has stayed with me many days. I looked back at the sermon and I remembered most of it. That doesn't happen often to me, so I am confident that the sermon is profound and deep and penetrating, especially for the fathers who struggle with anger as I have in my life. I hope it encourages you as it did me.

Here is the link!

C.J. Mahaney - Cross Centered Parenting

C.J. on parenting. Not much more I need to say. Humble, full of grace, and encouraging. You can't go wrong. Here is the link!

Gregg Harris - As for me and my house

If you are a parent like me (I was just interupted by my four year old telling me at 9:28pm, "I can't go to sleep") you understand the demand and the guilt and the joy and pressure and the prayers that go into being a mommy and a daddy. Well, this week is for you. And I am going to start it off with a great talk by Gregg Harris at Bethleham Baptist (John Piper's church). You might know the last name better with a Josh in front of it (think I kissed Dating goodbye) or an Alex and Brett (Do Hard Things), but Gregg is pretty good in his own right. Actually, he is really insightful and listening to him and reading the Do Hard Things book, you get to see how and where these kids come from. It is by grace and a lot of hard work that parents get to see the fruit that they have seen. So, listen in, and stay especially for the end as he builds a foundation and then shows the fruit at the end. Intentional, grace-filled and solid. Here is the link for his blog!
And here is the message...

Don't Waste your Life - The series...

Josh Harris and C.J. and that great church in Maryland put together a topical series covering a wide variety of messages that talks about how to not waste your life...

At this link you will find 9 great talks, such as Don't waste your sports, vote, humor, kids, ambition, mind and suffering... Don't miss out! There are some great talks here!

While we get where we are going - Steve Allen

I preached this message at Crossroads Bible Church where I was youth pastor for seven years. It is what I ended up calling a "preachimony" as it was a testimony and challenge of my time in Zambia. After spending nine months in Zambia, I was challenged by the immense poverty, spiritual struggles and my own fears and inhibitions. I hope you are encouraged by the challenge that challenge me and may we all live lives that aren't wasted. Check out the link here.

Lessons from Uganda - Francis Chan

I love this talk by Francis Chan. It is his reflections on his ministry trip to Uganda but quickly progresses into an amazing challenge to live a life life Africa is real. It is a great, challenging message which I especially appreciate having spent the last 9 months in Zambia. Check it out here!

I also wanted to plug his new book, Crazy Love. I just finished it and I loved it. It could be titled, "Don't Waste your Life as well" I recommend it highly.

Staying Focused on the Task - Francis Chan

This talk given at a Cal Poly is a great addition to this week of "Don't Waste your Life!" It is classic Francis Chan in its passion, humor, great stories and illustrations. It is challenging for any age!

Check out this great talk!

They love us, they love us not.

This sermon by my good friend Jayson Turner is a challenging, convicting sermon. It comes from from John 15:18-25 (ESV) which is all about how being a Christian isn't popular in this world. He not only talks about the early church, he also spends time talking about the church today and then the end is brilliant. It is as good as it gets when it comes to challenging us not to not waste our life here on earth. Click here to be challenged!

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

Don't Waste your Life - John Piper

The theme this week is based off of the great title by John Piper, "Don't Waste your Life!" Since then John Piper and the crew at Desiring God ministries have printed books, set up a website at www.dontwasteyourlife.com and he has spoke all around the world with this theme. So, what better sermon to start with than "Don't Waste your Life" by John Piper! (The sermon is at the website, Don't Waste your Life.)

Andy Stanley - The Will of God

Back in the day, TV shows used to be like once a week. You would have to wait a week to watch the next show. Not now, well, if you don't mind being behind a year or more at at time. You can get a season at a time, and if it is one of those shows that leaves you with a hanger of suspense, you say, "I will just watch and see what happens" and then before you know it, boom, it's 2:00am. Or so I have heard that is happens that way...

Anyway, the beauty of listening to sermons a series behind is you can have all of them at your fingertips, and this series on the will of God is something you don't want to miss... Simple and yet brilliant, he meets everyone at heart level. He builds on each lesson and especially, if you are needing to know God's will on a subject, this will be a great listen for you.

The only place you will find this series is on Itunes podcast - North Point Ministries: Andy Stanley... The title is: Discovering God's Will.

It will be worth the effort!

Jeff Purswell - The Power: Understanding and Experiencing the Holy Spirit

I really, really appreciated this talk from Jeff Purswell. Jeff has served as the Dean of the Pastors College of Sovereign Grace Ministries since 1998. He is also a pastor at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where he serves on the teaching team and provides theological support to the pastoral team. Humble, authentic, powerful and encouraging... He spoke this message to a New Attitudes Conference and I think really gave a great balance to the charismatic/conservative issues. More than just that, it gave me so really good insights into the Holy Spirit. This is a good one. Click here for the link!

Aron Osborne - Making Room for the Holy Spirit

I really appreciated this humble, personal exploration of gifts by Aron Osborne. I had never heard him before, but got his download from the Sovereign Grace store. He gave this talk at a SG conference in 2005. He serves as the Senior Pastor of Grace Community Church in Souderton, PA. Whatever your belief of the gifts on what is spiritual or not or whether they are for this day and age or not, I think you will find he presents his arugment in a fair, humble, engaging way. Click here for the link!

Mark Driscoll - Spiritual Gifts

Mark Driscoll spent six weeks covering spiritual gifts during his 1st Corinthians series.

If you are interested in any of these, here is the link!
Go to this link and sermons/books of the bible/1st Corinthians

Enjoy!

Spiritual Gifts - C.J. Mahaney

I thought it would be interesting a spend a week looking at spiritual gifts. And who better to kick off a week than C.J. who has been one of the key leaders in joining a reformed doctrine with a charismatic bent. It is a great overview of 1st Corinithians and weaves together many essential doctrines and understandings... Just to hear the pastor introduce CJ at the beginning is worth the listen. And I think CJ is probably my favorite pastor to listen to pray.

Enjoy! Click here for link!

Religion doesn't save...

I got sick this week and it threw off my schedule, hence I didn't finish the week of sermons...

I really encourage you to listen to the rest of the week of Mark Driscoll's sermons found here and check out the q&a live... Insightful and funny...

See ya next week!

Mark Driscoll - Dating

As a former youth pastor and a father of three daughters (maybe four?), I am always up for another talk on dating. I wasn't really prepared for such a great talk on dating. Personal, thorough, insightful and funny, man, he really has a gift for taking a huge (and not really biblical) idea of dating and make it practical for so many. A good listen.

Click here for the link!

Mark Driscoll - Grace

You really need to listen to this sermon on grace. That is it. Brilliant, engaging, scholarly, funny, insightful, meaningful. A great overview as only Mark can pull off! I think this is the one to listen of all this series...


Check the link here!

Mark Driscoll - Religion Saves and nine misconceptions.

Mark Driscoll is in the news a lot lately, and I am not one that normally likes to ride a wave, but I couldn't help take a week and spotlight his sermons that he did titled, "Religion saves and other misconceptions!" He basically took a poll and these were the top nine asked questions. Everything from sex to predestination, Mark is a master at taking a huge topic, boiling it down to both challenge believers and lead unbelievers to Christ. He also did a question/answer segment at the end of the last sermon that is amazing. God has gifted Mark with an almost photographic memory and a insane ability to read and discern and teach for us. So, we might as well take advantage of it. Despite what puts some off, he may well be looked back in years to come as a Spurgeon of our age... He has been blessed to be a blessing... So listen in and be blessed! The first one for this week is the regulative principle. This was suprisingly the #1 asked question. Mark does a great job talking through the whole topic! Here is the link!

Taking a week off...

I am taking a week off this week since I will be in a remote village for three days this week and celebrating my 10th anniversary on the 4th...

Have a good week!

Francis Chan - Holy Spirit, Part 5

I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed this series by Francis Chan... It is a bit like watching a tv series when you bought the whole season. You can just listen back to back to back and glean, and be encouraged and challenged... He inspires me to love Jesus... Enjoy!

Click here to love God more!

Francis Chan - Holy Spirit, Part 4

More of the good same... Hear some great stuff about their church as well!!!

Click here!

Francis Chan - Holy Spirit, Part III

More of the same encouragement, challenge and illumination...
Bring it!

Click here for the link!

Francis Chan - Holy Spirit, part II

I love how Francis Chan comes across as a pastor and preacher. He expresses humility, he is continually learning and he uses amazing illustrations. As he continues through this Holy Spirit series, I really think he is hitting on some amazing insights that you know are not just being preached, but also lived. Enjoy this talk!

Frances Chan - The Holy Spirit, Part 1

This week we are going to be listening to the passionate, powerful, spirit-infused words of Frances Chan speaking about the Holy Spirit. If you have ever wondered if their was supposed to be more to the Holy Spirit in your life than you are living, I think you will find great encouragement this week. Frances Chan is the pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley. Of course I was encouraged by his words, but even more by just the way he comes across in his messages as a pastor and shepherd. He is speaking as if there were a few good friends in his church. He communicates warmth, care and joy. I think you will be encouraged this week as I have been already and will be continually! Click here for the link!

Passion Week - The Cry from the Cross - C.J. Mahaney

I don't need to say much about this sermon... C.J. on the Cross. Listen and be blessed.

Click Here!

Passion Week - The Intensity of Christ’s Love and the Intentionality of His Death - John Piper

The Intensity of Christ’s Love and the Intentionality of His Death

Download:

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By John Piper March 19, 2008

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The love of Christ for us in his dying was as conscious as his suffering was intentional. “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). If he was intentional in laying down his life, it was for us. It was love. “When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13:1). Every step on the Calvary road meant, “I love you.”

Therefore, to feel the love of Christ in the laying down of his life, it helps to see how utterly intentional it was. Consider these five ways of seeing Christ’s intentionality in dying for us.

First, look at what Jesus said just after that violent moment when Peter tried to cleave the skull of the servant, but only cut off his ear.

Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” (Matthew 26:52-54)

It is one thing to say that the details of Jesus’ death were predicted in the Old Testament. But it is much more to say that Jesus himself was making his choices precisely to see to it that the Scriptures would be fulfilled.

That is what Jesus said he was doing in Matthew 26:54. “I could escape this misery, but how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” I am not choosing to take the way out that I could take because I know the Scriptures. I know what must take place. It is my choice to fulfill all that is predicted of me in the Word of God.

A second way this intentionality is seen is in the repeated expressions to go to Jerusalem—into the very jaws of the lion.

Taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” (Mark 10:32-34)

Jesus had one all-controlling goal: to die according the Scriptures. He knew when the time was near and set his face like flint: “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).

A third way that we see the intentionality of Jesus to suffer for us is in the words he spoke in the mouth of Isaiah the prophet:

I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. (Isaiah 50:6)

I have to work hard in my imagination to keep before me what iron will this required. Humans recoil from suffering. We recoil a hundred times more from suffering that is caused by unjust, ugly, sniveling, low-down, arrogant people. At every moment of pain and indignity, Jesus chose not to do what would have been immediately just. He gave his back to the smiter. He gave his cheek to slapping. He gave his beard to plucking. He offered his face to spitting. And he was doing it for the very ones causing the pain.

A fourth way we see the intentionality of Jesus’ suffering is in the way Peter explains how this was possible. He said, “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

The way Jesus handled the injustice of it all was not by saying, “Injustice doesn’t matter,” but by entrusting his cause to “him who judges justly.” God would see that justice is done. That was not Jesus’ calling at Calvary. (Nor is it our highest calling now. “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord, Romans 12:19.)

The fifth and perhaps the clearest statement that Jesus makes about his own intentionality to die is in John 10:17-18:

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.

Jesus’ point in these words is that he is acting completely voluntarily. He is under no constraint from any mere human. Circumstances have not overtaken him. He is not being swept along in the injustice of the moment. He is in control.

Therefore, when John says, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16), we should feel the intensity of his love for us to the degree that we see his intentionality to suffer and die. I pray that you will feel it profoundly. And may that profound experience of being loved by Christ have this effect on you:

The love of Christ controls us . . . . He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

Passion Week - Pastoral Success and the Cross of Christ - Kent Hughes

This may seem a strange pick for passion week since it is mostly about the myth of pastoral success but it has everything to do with passion week. His last ten minutes of his talk explain the success of the failure of the cross and everything before it talks about true success. This is a must hear for any pastor or leader or really anyone who struggles with the success syndrome which is pretty much everyone. Kent Hughes is pastor at College church and you hear lot more about his life in this message.

Here is the link!

Passion Week - The Risen Christ - Adrian Warnock

I was inspired by this message. Adrian is a global blogger at adrianwarnock.com, a doctor and a father of 5 who also preaches and is part of the leadership at his church. This message about the risen Christ is something quite different than what I expected and yet it gave me a vision for what I want to become. It has stuck with me this past day, as Adrian is almost like a poet with his words as he paints a picture of what it means to worship Christ. A great message for this week. Enjoy!

Here is the link!

Passion Week - Power of the Cross - Alistair Begg

Following the theme of Passion Week, this talk given at the Resurgence conference by Pastor Begg provides great insight into the power of the cross in ministry and in life. I was very encouraged as it brings us back to the basics that the Cross is everything in our Christian life. He combines humor with touching stories, a must listen for passion week!

Here is the link

PASSION WEEK - What the Resurrection means to Christianity and to Christians - Jeff Bucknam

You may never have heard of Jeff Bucknam, but you have now... When he becomes famous, you can say that you heard it here first. Well, he would probably hit me for that, one because he lives to make Jesus famous and two, he is one of my best buddies so he would literally hit me. Jeff and I go way back, so I know that he lives what he preaches. He preached and taught in New Zealand for a bunch of years and now is the young adult pastor at Northview Church in Abbotsford, Canada.

This is as good a talk on the resurrection that I think you will ever hear!


Check it out here and prepare to be blessed! (The link is video only... You can see his pretty face there!)

And you will see on this you tube clip, he also has a sense of humor. Check out this remake of the office called the Church Office...

Resurgence Conference now available

It has been a while since I have posted. I guess the name should be a sermon every other month. But, the internet is working better here in Zambia and I have been listening to some great sermons lately. But, before we go back to a more regular routine, I thought I would let you know about a whole bunch of sermons on both video and audio that are now available that should cover me for awhile! The group at Resurgence had a conference a few weeks ago and it was broadcast live on the web. I stayed up some late night watching Mark Driscoll and some others. I have been waiting for the videos to be released so I could watch them all, and alas, they are finally available... Though I can't at this moment recommend which ones to watch, I had a bunch of buddies from my hometown in Seattle who were at the conference... One pastor buddy told me that C.J. Mahaney was amazing. He brought my friend to tears. Another friend said that Matt Chandler was money. Another guy said he was really encouraged by John Piper's 2nd talk. So there you have it! I watched Driscoll's first talk on putting preachers in their place which was phenomenal as you expect from Driscoll. I didn't see on there Mark's Q and A which was so good or the Q and A with Piper, Driscoll and Chandler. I hope they put them up there...

Anyway, here is the link!


Happy watching and/or listening!

Worshipper or critic?

Well, it isn't quite the leading title of a sermon a day, but a sermon a week is what it will probably be for a while while I am here in Zambia . But I heard a great sermon last night by a guy who you may never have heard of, but you will someday, soon, like now.

Jayson Turner is an amazing preacher, a father of five girls and he has been through his share of trials and fire to get to where he is and to be who he is. He has also had the greatest impact on me a friend can have over the past 20years that we have been best 0f buddies. So, yeah, maybe I am little bit biased, but you can hear for yourself... This sermon is on worship, the account of the woman who anoints Jesus with perfume. Listen for an insightful telling of this familiar story that will both bless and convict you and reveal if you are a worshipper or a critic...

Here is the link!

I am coming back...

My cousin in the states is sending over a dvd full of ton of sermons, and so I should be able to resume this site in some capacity. Until then, can I encourage you to buy this sermons series. My friend Calin Popa sent me this 12 CD sermon series called the Pineapple Story. Wow, talk about life changing... I wouldn't recommend this if I didn't covet this for everyone to listen to... It cost $26 dollars but it will reap riches to come... This amazing missionary story teller is funny, touching, convicting, and encouraging... He talks about surrendering your rights to God which is the story of the Pineapples. It is worth it just for that. Than I just finished one on rejoicing. You have to buy this!!! It will change your life!!! It is great for the whole family. This might be the most important sermon series you have ever heard. Here is the link!!

Let me know if you take me up on this!!!