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Joy and Pain in the Christian Life
October 28th, 2011 ||
Posted by Allen Duty
I came across this quote from Tim Hansel the other day. I trust that it will be fodder for thought and prayer for you — especially on a Friday.
“Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional. We cannot avoid pain, but we can avoid joy. God has given us such immense freedom that he will allow us to be as miserable as we want to be. I know some people who spend their entire lives practicing being unhappy, diligently pursuing joylessness. They get more mileage from having people feel sorry for them than from choosing to live out their lives in the context of joy. Joy is simple (not to be confused with easy). At any moment in life we have at least two options, and one of them is to choose an attitude of gratitude, a posture of grace, a commitment to joy” (featured in Moreau, Corwin, McGee, Introducing World Missions: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Survey, 180).
Are you a miserable Christian or a joyful Christian? If you are miserable, what does repentance look like for you knowing that the fruit of the Spirit is joy, and Jesus died so that our joy might be complete? If you are joyful, does your joy stem from Jesus and His finished work on your behalf, or from your love for the world?
Sign-up for Elements Classes — it’s not too late!
October 26th, 2011 ||
Posted by Allen Duty
Our Fall 2011 Elements Classes begin in less than one week! If you haven’t heard, we are offering five 3-week courses beginning next Tuesday, November 1st: Dating, Marriage, Missional Living, Gospel, and Finance. Every one of them will be powerful and helpful for you whether you have been walking with Jesus for many years, you are a new Christian, or you are simply exploring the claims of Jesus and the teachings of the Bible.
You can sign-up for the classes by clicking here. You will find a full description of each class as well as information about books and childcare. We hope that you can join us next Tuesday, November 1st as we kick-off our Fall 2011 Elements Classes!
Reflecting on Exodus 4:1–17
October 24th, 2011 ||
Posted by Allen Duty
For the past three weeks, we’ve been learning how we are to deal with our doubts . We learned that the answer isn’t to have more self-confidence, but rather greater faith in God and His Word. We learned that the answer isn’t to be more self-aware, but to be more aware of who God is and what He has spoken to us. We learned that the answer isn’t to try to provide a solution, but to trust in God and His provision for us.
But today, you will still face doubts. If you’ve bought into any kind of a silver-bullet theory of change, this will be very upsetting to you. Many Christians think that our main problem is a lack of knowledge, a lack of information. But keep in mind that Moses didn’t lack information. For example, God told him clearly, “And they [the people of Israel] will listen to your voice” (Ex. 3:18a). But Moses countered with, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice” (Ex. 4:1a). Moses’ problem wasn’t a lack of information; it was his unbelieving heart. A simple study, a three-week series, even an intensive discipleship effort won’t cure you of your doubts.
Contrary to what you’ll hear in songs and movies, it’s a bad idea to be true to your heart (perhaps especially when 90s boy bands tell you that’s a good idea). Our hearts are continually telling us to doubt God and His Word and to put confidence in ourselves and what we think or feel. We must fight what seems natural and normal and instead decide to trust God and His Word — even when that seems counter intuitive. The battle begins again today as we seek to walk by faith and not by sight. What will it look like for you to walk by faith today and in the days ahead?
“Dealing with Doubt: Part III” Tonight at 5pm
October 23rd, 2011 ||
Posted by Allen Duty
Join us this evening at 5pm as we finish up our first mini-series (“Dealing with Doubt”) in our yearlong study of Exodus. In this third and final installment, we will cover Exodus 4:1–17 and watch Moses’ doubts grow even more pronounced. Thankfully for Moses (and for us), God deals with him graciously and provides for him in his weakness. That’s exactly why we don’t have to worry when we doubt — because God graciously responds to our doubt by revealing Himself and His Word and by providing for us in our weaknesses. We hope to see you tonight at 5pm!