Lockdown church service at home

With national lockdown in its second week here in South Africa, we are unable to gather with the saints.

We are 5 in our home. Together with myself, there is my wife, my daughter (25), my son (23), and my mother-in-law.

We sat together and prayed, and then afterwards we watched a sermon by John Piper, called "Seven Reasons We Must Pursue Supreme Satisfaction in God."

Specifically, in a time such as ours with the COVID-19 disease sweeping across the world, having killed over 65,000 and infected more than 1,200,000 people already, we look at life with new eyes.

That is why I felt that this sermon of John Piper's was perfect for the occasion. We as humans have the tendency of finding satisfaction in all kinds of earthly endeavours, things that have pushed Christ down the ladder a rung or ten. Things like money, entertainment, sport, prestige, etc. But, right now, no matter who you are or your position in life, SARS-CoV-2 attacks indiscriminately, ignoring who you are.

It is for this reason we must seek our complete pleasure in Christ, and Christ alone!

This isn't always easy. On Friday in an online meeting with the rest of our company, our MD informed us that since the company group wants to be known as a people's company, that people are our greatest asset, the board has decided that in order to make sure that people aren't laid off due to COVID-19 and the lockdown, that everyone in the group will have to take a 20% pay cut for at least 2 months. Obviously, we do not want anyone laid off in the group because of this situation. As a company in the group, we unanimously agreed that it is a better idea than laying off people across the group. With budgets already stretched to the max, this is not an easy one to take; but, it is a necessary step! It is in times like these that we learn where our pleasures are. Are they found in things, or in Christ!

Where do you find satisfaction?

This sermon of Piper's can be found on the Desiring God website with the video and text.

When the call comes, what else can you do?

Drafted: Why Chris Norman Said No to the NFL from Desiring God on Vimeo.

Wolves in our midst

When Jesus spoke of those who would shepherd the flock, He did not mean CEO, or endless leadership seminars. He certainly did not mean that pastors should become like a chairman of the board, running the church like a business. No, he meant what He said. Pastors are to feed and serve the flock, not lord it over them. Anyway, Phil Johnson preached on pastors as shepherds at the 2013 Shepherds Conference. Definitely worth listening to and taking it to heart.

General Session 2 - Phil Johnson from Grace Community Church on Vimeo.

[Video] Sorting out the will of God

Here is a YouTube playlist of 8 teachings on Decision making and the will of God. This series was done by Geoff Volker and Paul Honeycutt at In-Depth Studies (IDS). The 8th video was done by Geoff Volker..

Creating a reading culture in your church

I am not talking here of novels and “The Idiots Guide to Spirituality” type books. Neither am I talking about the typical devotional book either. No, I am talking of solid doctrinal books, good theology. Books that differentiate between what we believe and what the world believes. Books that teach us what Christians truly believe and why they believe it!

Anyway, here is Mark Dever, telling us how to start creating a reading culture in our churches.

An exhortation for pastors not to waste their pulpits

Preaching is not done when someone stands behind a pulpit and says some spiritual platitudes, even though those words do not contradict the Bible. Preaching is not done when someone reads a verse from the Bible and then carries on with all kinds of cute stories to make the point he wants to make. Preaching happens when someone takes the Word of God, the Scriptures, and in his preaching saturates his people with God’s Word by expounding the Scriptures, knowing full-well, that he is dealing with the WORD OF GOD, not just a clever text! The same God who SPOKE the universe into existence, also gave us the Bible. Treat it with a holy respect in preaching, as if God is standing right there beside you giving you the words to speak, knowing that you cannot fool around with His Word!

Listen to John Piper’s exhortation...

Did this false prophetess not know who she called onto the stage?

In the video below, Todd Friel of Wretched, gives commentary on a video in which this woman (Muldoon), a false prophetess, calls out a man (Scott Rodriguez) from the audience, who is also a pastor. In her “prophecy” over this man she tells him that he is a man of God and that he seeks to go deeper with God and that “God has called you by His Holy Spirit”, and one generality after the next, blah, blah, blah!

Now remember, she called him out with a supposed word from God. Therefore, as the great prophetess with a hotline to God, she also should’ve known what was going to come next! Please watch the video before going further...

 

[VIDEO] A thorn in the flesh gets a whole new meaning. Loving Christ for all He’s worth

I wonder what the Word-of-Faith false teachers will say about this?

[VIDEO] Dr. Al Mohler speaks the truth on homosexuality and the Bible on CNN

[VIDEO] The Mom Song, for Mother’s Day!

[VIDEO] Joel Osteen is dangerous

Related to my previous post on Joel Osteen, and his terrible a-discernment concerning the Mormon faith, here is a video by Todd Friel on this situation.

[VIDEO] Why I love Jesus but reject Islam

Apologist James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries and Christian rapper Ivey Conerly collaborated to make available the following video on Youtube. It is definitely worth watching and listening!

Why Christians need to study theology

Studying theology is important on many levels. First, we study theology to get to know God better. Studying the Bible forms in us the truth about God. The Scriptures give us clear objective truth about God. We also study theology to be able to stand against false doctrine and heresies.

But, be that as it may, watch the next video to see in just over 2 minutes why studying theology is important.

DugDownDeep_Carnahan.mov from Covenant Life Church on Vimeo.

HT: Todd Braye

Martin Luther on a Manic Monday (Reformation Day)

It is very appropriate to have the Bangles song, Manic Monday, conscripted towards highlighting Reformation Day today in song. 494 years ago today, on 31 October 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 these on the Wittenburg church door, which set the Reformation into full motion. It is worth thinking about The Reformation today, even if only to remember how God brought back the truth of His gospel, to a dying church! You can visit The Gospel Coalition for some Resources for Reformation Day

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Why stories of trips to heaven do not line up with the Bible

How much do you study your Bible?

Three requests to worship leaders, worship styles and family Sundays

HT: Thabiti Anyabwile

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How to become a hip Christian

HT: Tim Challies

What we will be watching tonight

Ester from 3Ci on Vimeo.
Die vervaardigers van Houtkruis Die Musical en AfriFrans bied aan ’n nuwe Afrikaanse Gospel musiekspel: Ester.

Ester vertel hoe die geloof en vernuftigheid van een jong vrou ’n hele nasie van uitwissing red. Met indrukwekkende dekor, pragtige periode kostumering en Afrikaanse musiek besiel met Arabiese klanke, gaan Ester die hoogtepunt wees op die Suid-Afrikaanse verhoog hierdie jaar.

Ester is the Afrikaans musical, based on the providential story of Esther in the Bible, written by a husband and wife team from our church. The members of our church booked out the show for tonight, and we are all very excited! It is at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria and starts at 20:00. The show will be on stage until 2 October 2011, and tickets may be purchased at CompuTicket.

When worship is all about yourself

May this video be a lesson for us all today!

HT: A. Blake White