A Great Bible

We recommend the YouVersion app at Windham Baptist Church. I’ve been using this on my phone and iPad for a long time, maybe you should, too.

Not to worry – it’s free.

A Life of Gospel Intentionality

Question: Instead of obsessing about changing the world, what if we just gave ourselves to living in glad obedience to Jesus in the trenches of an ordinary life?

Matt Kruse is a pastor outside of Boston. He’s also a pretty wise guy. 

Now, a pastor is not supposed to write a post like this. He’s supposed to inspire his people by calling them to superhuman feats, and to be part of a supernatural church where tens of thousands of people gather weekly and hundreds of people place their trust in Jesus on a weekly basis. 

But Matt wants to beg an important question – what does Jesus want from you? 

Read the rest of Matt’s article and find a great challenge and maybe some relief for your soul.

http://www.sevenmileroad.org/40-and-content/ 

Four Lies About Introverts

Here’s a helpful article written for the introverts. I know our culture fawns over extroverts, so for many of us (and I do mean US) this leaves us wondering if God can use us.

The lie I’m most tempted to believe is that the way God has wired me is incompatible with the life he’s called me to live. The logical conclusion of this lie is that joy and contentment aren’t possible—and that constant frustration is inevitable.

Aime Patrick has unpacked “Four Lies About Introverts” – you should read it, too. Even if you are not an introvert.

Prayer for Boston

Below is a healing and hopeful prayer by my friend and fellow New England Pastor, Brandon Levering.

Gracious Father,

Today we’re faced with the painful reminder that we still live in a fallen world.

Today the earth gave way as an explosion tore apart the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Yet this was no natural chaos; this was an act of evil, intent on wounding and terrorizing the people of this city and her guests, while the rest of the world was watching.

We call it ‘terrorism’ because that is what it seeks to do—strike terror and fear into our hearts. God, we confess, sometimes it works. We are afraid. We fear for our safety. We fear losing our loved ones. We fear the loss of life as we know it.

Yet there is one thing on earth that no bomb can shake, and no terror can overcome: your presence. “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Because you are with your people, we need not be afraid. Though the waters roar and the nations rage, you are a refuge and fortress to your people. Though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, those who take shelter in your presence will not be moved. Though this world may take away from us everything we hold precious, even our lives, it cannot take us away from you. You are our refuge and strength, our very present help in trouble.

As our city quakes from the effects of sin in this world—the evil, the violence, the injuries and loss of life, we pray that your holy and healing presence would be made known.

We pray for the victims of this tragedy. We pray for healing for the wounded, and comfort for the bereaved. We pray for loved ones sitting in waiting rooms or watching the news at home. May hearts and eyes turn to you at this time, as you make your power and presence known by your Spirit in the face of Jesus Christ.

We pray for those who have come to the aid of the victims—the police officers, the bystanders, the response teams and medical personnel. We pray for the doctors and nurses administering care late into the night. We thank you for their courage, on a day when our Commonwealth celebrates the heroism of the patriots of the Revolutionary War. We pray that you would be with them to guide them in their care and treatment.

We pray for churches in Boston, that together we would be light for this city. As you dwell in a special way among your people, may your people be to this city an expression of your compassion, care, and shelter for those who are scared and hurting in this city. May Jesus be on display in our words and deeds—he who wept at the death of his beloved friend, who in his own death took on himself the evil and sorrow of this world, mixed with his Father’s holy anger against our evil rebellion, yet conquered death and brought new life when he rose from the grave.

And we’re reminded that our hope rests in another city—a city that cannot be shaken.

So we look forward to the day when we will rest and rejoice in your glorious presence in that heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, as it comes down from heaven in your new creation.

We look forward to a day when you will make wars and violence cease to the ends of the earth. When all wrongs will be brought to justice, and your peace will triumph over all.

We look forward to a day when all will recognize your rightful rule over creation, when your enemies will be put under your feet, and your name will be exalted to the ends of the earth.

And we pray in the meantime that we would rest in you. Give us the grace to be still, to cease striving amid our helplessness, with the knowledge that you are God. You are our help. You will be exalted as God. Your kingdom will triumph in the end. Your name will be exalted in all the earth.

Be present with us now. And come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Find Brandon’s Blog HERE.

Dragons and Monsters and The Gosnell Trial

Dragons and monsters are real.

That’s what I first thought when I read about the Gosnell Infanticide and Murder Trial yesterday. I wept, scared and enraged by such brutality and darkness and horror. How soon we in comfortable, plush America forget about the dragons and monsters that have been devouring God’s image bearers for decades and centuries and millenia!! We pretend they don’t exist, but deep down we know. And now, one more has been revealed. One day they will all be put under the feet of the Prince of Peace. But oh, may justice come even sooner and swiftly!

Please read these articles at the Gospel Coalition. And may we be the hands and feet and voice of Jesus to bring justice and an end to this slaughter now.

8 Reasons for the Media Blackout on Kermit Gosnell

9 Things You Should Know About the Gosnell Infanticide and Murder Trial

Worship as Protest

“Them’s fighting words!”

Have you ever thought of the words we sing and pray and preach as “fighting words?” Well you and I should! Worship is always involves saying YES to one god and NO to another. And TRUE worship is always about saying YES to the infinitely glorious Triune God and NO to every false god that our hearts and culture are busy making and promoting.

Think through this quote and prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the idolatries that are seducing your loyalties away from worshiping God through Christ.

Worship breaks down our misdirected loyalties even as it builds up our deepest loyalty to God. Every act of praise is a strong act of negation as well as affirmation. Every time we sing praise to the triune God, we are asserting our opposition to anything that would attempt to stand in God’s place. Every hymn of praise is a little anti-idolatry campaign, as Walter Brueggemann explains: “The affirmation of Yahweh always contains a polemic against someone else. . . It may be that the [exiles] will sing such innocuous-sounding phrases as ‘Glory to God in the highest,’ or ‘Praise God from whom all blessings flow.’ Even those familiar phrases are polemical, however, and stake out new territory for the God now about to be aroused to new caring.” When we sing “Praise God from whom all blessings flow” we are also saying “Down with the gods from whom no blessings flow.”

–John Witvliet Our Inestimable Privilege: Full, Conscious, Participation in Worship

One way to trace where our hearts are worshiping is to follow where our “if only’s” take us.

• If only I had a better job?
• If only I were beautiful/handsome?
• If only I were out of the house?
• If only I were married to a better spouse?
• If only I weren’t so sick?
• If only I….

Do see where your heart and our culture tempt us to find blessing and security and meaning apart from God through Christ? What false gods do you need to protest against and say “Down with you! You offer nothing but slavery and death and fleeting pleasure!” Worship is war. Worship is work. May we learn to praise God not just on Sunday but everyday.

All our hopes were buried in the grave

On this Good Friday, may you look to the cross and truly weep, but weep with with the hope of Easter soon coming.

There was a day we held our breath
And felt the sting of bitter death
When all our hopes were buried in the grave
Our eyes awake, our hearts were torn
Between our faith and what we knew
Before our King was buried in the grave

And grace was in the tension
Of everything we’ve lost
Standing empty handed
Shattered by the cross

All we have, all we had
Was a promise like a thread
Holding us, keeping us
Oh from fraying at the edge

All we knew, all we knew
Was You said You’d come again
You’d rise up from the dead

There was a day we looked for proof
That you had risen from the tomb
And all our doubts began to roll away

We touched the scars upon your hands
You kept Your word, oh Son of Man
You buried death by taking on the grave

You came here to save us
‘Cause everything was lost
No longer empty handed
Clinging to the cross

All we have, all we had
Was a promise like a thread
Holding us, keeping us
Oh from fraying at the edge

All we knew, all we knew
Was You said You’d come again
You’d rise up from the dead

It is well, it is done…

All we have, all we had
Is a promise like a thread
Holding us, keeping us
Oh from fraying at the edge

All we know, all we know
Is You said You’d come again
You rose up from the dead