daddy4ms

Who is your favorite author?  There are many great authors out there.  I will be sharing over the next several months authors who have helped me grow in grace and the gospel.  I will try and include images of some of my favorite books by them. These will be shared in alphabetical order. Author: Matt Chandler

Over the last four months, I have been reading several books.  And over the last few weeks, I finished three of those books: Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray Rejoicing in Christ by Mike Reeves You Are Free by Rebekah Lyons Here are some quotes from each: justification is the act of God's free grace...We do not justify ourselves...Justification is not any religious exercise...Justify is to declare to be righteous. justification must be one that will take care of past sin as well as provide for the future...Only a perfect righteousness can provide the basis for a complete, perfect and irreversible justification. Adoption is concerned with the fatherhood of God in relation to men. Sanctification is specifically the work of this indwelling and directing Holy Spirit...we do not sanctify ourselves. It is God who sanctifies. Specifically it is the Holy Spirit who is the agent of sanctification. Nothing is more central or basis than union and communion wi...

Today, my message at Hesston MB was based on Ephesians 1:7-10. Here are my notes: Introduction:   A question that often starts a conversation when people first meet is, where are you from? Talk with the person beside you and discuss why we ask this. We think this helps us know better who the person is. I have placed a map of where I am from. You will notice that I include multiple locations.   Why?   Because each of these places I am from, has shaped who I am. So, I have titled the message this morning “Live From, Not For” and that is based on a quote I share often with my kids and others, “Live from your identity in Christ, not for it today.” Background: Paul writes this to the church in Ephesus. Before Paul tells us what we should do as followers, he reminds us who we are. Ephesians 1-3 focus on our position in Christ while Ephesians 4-6 focus on our practice as those in Christ. We are told who we are in Christ no matter what we think, what others think, or wha...

In 2016, I chose the word "gospel" to focus on and read verses related to this word.  I have finished this study and I am starting my words for 2017 "in Christ" a few months early.  Each week, I will post 1 verse that includes the phrase "in Christ". I look forward to growing in understanding of what it means to be "in Christ." 21  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus , 25  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26  It was to show his righteous...

The following quotes are from the book, Sacred Bond by Brown and Keele.  They come from a chapter on the covenant of grace.  Be reminded that we have a God who is in relationship with us. In other words, in both the Old Testament and New Testament the way in which God saves sinners is always the same: by his grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone. God's promise is not on the basis of our obedience, but on the basis of Christ's obedience. It was works for Christ so that it is grace for us. The covenant of grace, on the other hand, is based on God's promise to save sinners. Reconciliation between God and humans would be made through a new covenant, since the original covenant of works was violated and broken. Genesis 3:15 is not only a prophecy of the coming Christ but the Mother Promise of the whole covenant of grace from which the rest of the Scriptures unfold. The essence of the covenant of grace is summarized in ...

Today's New Book Friday is by Jared Stump.  I first read a devotional by Jared called Power of 21 Days which was about our identity in Christ.  I look forward to reading this new book by him.    

3 P's about our relationships: Perspective, Past, Purpose Perspective-how you read the Bible matters.  Picture-Life, Loss, Love, Life (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration) I had put all my trust in my righteousness. How do you repent of being good? Is this a problem for me to solve?  I need someone constantly reminding me that "it is finished." It's not about how well we do. We need a gospel lens. How do we view our past? Where does evil want to trip you up? Betrayal, powerlessness, abandonment We want to be affirmed and validated.  All of us will seek approval from someone. Who will it be? Redemption keeps affecting us. Satan meant it for evil; God will redeem it for good. If you don't know what this means for your life, stop what you are doing. We need to allow time and space for the Holy Spirit to move in our relationships rather than trying to "fix" things.

I am continuing to read Recovering Redemption by Matt Chandler and Michael Snetzer.  It is a great read and I am only through three chapters.  Here are a few thoughts from Chandler and Snetzer from C hapters 2-3: Are you trying to tip the scales in your favor?  Are you hoping and working so that your good outweighs your bad?  Chandler says this, "Those scales don't exist. There are no scales. You're either completely justified by the blood of Jesus Christ, or you're not justified at all." "And if you're trying to treat the "one thing" in your life by (1) trying harder, (2) using others, (3) escaping, or (4) upping your religious quotient--or any combination of these--all you're really doing is just mowing over the weeds."  "The beauty of Christ's gospel is the great "unless" of life." "So if you struggle with being able to run hard after the Lord because you feel so unworthy, so unclean, so unsteady...

Today, I read Chapter 1 from Recovering Redemption by Matt Chandler and Michael Snetzer.  To say it was good would be an understatement.  It tied in well with part of the message I preached a few weeks ago about Jesus being angry and weeping at the effect sin has had our world, relationships, and even death itself. I have a feeling this blog will be filled with quotes and thoughts from this book for weeks to come.  I only read one chapter and might have wore out a highlighter in the process. Here are a few quotes that spoke to me: "Because if you're looking at this world--and at yourself--and you're convinced neither one of them is the way they're supposed to be, then you're being given an important piece of bad news...In order for good news to be good--like the gospel is good--it must invade bad spaces." (Speaking of creation in Genesis 1-2) "Nothing is their world was dead or dying around them. Nothing was ominous or unsafe. Nothing was leaking...

As I shared via a picture yesterday, I am reading three books right now.  They are Deep & Wide by Andy Stanley, Charis by Preston Sprinkle, and Recovering Redemption by Matt Chandler. Here are quotes from each: Deep & Wide In other words, churches shouldn't do anything that makes it unnecessarily difficult for people who are turning to God. So we have never approached spiritual formation as a cognitive exercise. We have a much more holistic approach. Charis The Old Testament is a kaleidoscope of grace. And this book will admire its beauty. Genesis, Exodus, even Judges and Kings--they're all greedy to be read by tired Christians seeking rest. Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea--all singularly fixated upon God's stubborn grace. The Old Testament is one thick, adventurous narrative of God's reckless love toward unlovable people. Grace. Charis. But biblical grace--or charis , as you'll see--doesnt' like to settle down.   Recovering Redemption It's...

After about a month, I am back at my favorite reading location. Here is what I am reading right now. Check back later for quotes and thoughts!

In Crash the Chatterbox, Steven Furtick discusses in Section 3 the differences between condemnation and conviction.  Here are a few quotes to help you know whether the voice you hear is Satan or the Holy Spirit: Satan's main job isn't temptation. It's accusation...When the two work in tandem, the one-two punch they deliver can paralyze even the strongest saints. In other words, I needed to acknowledge the substance of my sin. But then I needed to allow the Holy Spirit to take my guilt to a redemptive place. The Enemy may have a word. But he doesn't have the last word. Would have. Could have. Should have. This is the language of condemnation underscored by the passivity of regret. A believer who is equally convinced of these two realities--sin is serious, but Christ is enough--is the Enemy's worst nightmare. Condemnation's greatest talent is imitation. Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit. Condemnation is the Enemy's best impersonation of th...

I usually don't give up anything or add something during Lent.  However, I have the last two years chosen a book that will help me reflect on Jesus' death on the cross.  This year, I am reading Scandalous by D. A. Carson.  Here are some quotes from my reading last week: No, the hardest truth to get across to this generation is what the Bible says about sin. All people without distinction are both condemned and savable. . . The cross is not only the demonstration of God's love; it is the demonstration of God's justice.  Go to the cross. It is where wrath and mercy meet. Holiness and peace kiss each other. The climax of redemptive history is the cross.     

Joshua 1:8-Meditate on it day and night.  "Sound a lion makes when it consumes it prey."  We need to consume God's Word. Nobody wants to hear stories that are still in process.  We are not exempt from worthless storylines.   There's nothing you can do to take yourself out of the game. Principles apply to all storylines no matter how dark. God's storyline-Reconciliation, Redemption, Restoration, Rescue, Repair Conflict is like cancer.  It eats away at relationships. Sulhah -covenantal table of reconciliation-person who was hurt takes initiative and offers something to say "I no longer hold this against you."  Examples of Suhlah from Genesis to Revelation:       Jacob & Laban       Joseph & Brothers       Father & Prodigal Son       Peter & Jesus       Revelation 3:20       Jesus & Lord's Supper Not defined by what I have done, but instead freed up to...