freedom

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You know that Galatians 5:1 verse? "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free"..? 


What does that even mean? I realised today that I've never really investigated it, so I started scoping around on blueletterbible.com and came across this brilliant explanation by John Piper. Have a read:


"The text begins with a clear and refreshing statement of Christ's will for our lives. Sometimes we get bogged down in a quandary about God's will. And often we worry about decisions which are simply not a great issue with God (where to go to school, what job to take, where to live, etc.). We need to orient our lives on the clear statements of Scripture regarding God's will. And here is one: "For freedom Christ has set us free." Christ's will for you is that you enjoy freedom. Where you go to school, what job you do, where you live, etc., are not nearly so crucial as whether you stand fast in freedom. If they were, the Bible would have commanded those things as clearly as it here commands freedom. But it doesn't. So your enjoyment of freedom is much more important to God than many of the day-to-day decisions that fill us with so much concern. A good test of your priorities in life would be whether you are just as concerned about the command to enjoy your freedom as you are about other pressing decisions in your life. Do you exercise as much diligence in prayer and study to stand fast in freedom as you do to decide about home, job, school, marriage partner? It is a clear and unqualified command: "Stand fast and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." This is the will of God for you: your freedom. Uncompromising, unrelenting, indomitable freedom. For this Christ died. For this he rose. For this he sent his Spirit. There is nothing he wills with more intensity under the glory of his own name than this: your freedom. That's my message today."


Wow.
Dan.


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renewal

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One of my favourite websites is Phil Pringle's devotional blog, meditations - check it out, read it, subscribe to it, write it on your hand, whatever!

One article he had this week about renewal spoke to me profoundly. Thought I'd post it here for you all to read as well - enjoy!

Love dan.

surrender

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Short article today, just a thought. 


I was challenged by a point Richard Green made this week in a staff meeting, about what faith is and what faith isn't.

abide

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At this present moment, I'm sitting on my thinking couch. I love my thinking couch. It's where I think. 

integrity

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Good day! Get ready to be challenged about your integrity.

the faces of love

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Greetings all! Yesterday I went to Joseph Prince's church here in Singapore, New Creation - two weeks before that I was visiting numerous churches in Papua New Guinea, and for the week in between these trips I was home for one Sunday at C3 Ryde. What was the common theme amongst these churches? Well, Jesus, yes, is the obvious one, but what has been standing out so distinctly for me lately is the love that these people have for one another. 

trust

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What do you trust? It's a question i've been grappling with a lot lately. It usually springs to mind at the dawn of some great challenge, where the end is very much hidden from my sight - exams for instance, or finances, or whatever other road bumps I might meet.

flow

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Today Pastor Richard preached a timely message on the river of life, and how to have it flowing through you. If for nothing else, I knew I needed to write it here for posterity's sake, because I for one found it extremely helpful (though I hope you will too).

fruit

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I want my ministry to be fruitful! Don't you? It's something I wish for and desire with every act of service I do in the house of God - and it would be hard to wish otherwise. I imagine there's not a single person serving God who doesn't want to see their ministry bear great fruit, in fact. So why is it, then, that some ministries are wildly fruitful, some less so, and some bear no fruit at all?

"A Handbook of Enemy Strategies" true spiritual warfare

I don't usually use other people's work, however I read this and was blown away by its simplicity, depth, and practicality. It's written by John Piper, one of my personal heroes who have encouraged me tremendously. This is especially for all those of you out there who have ever been interested in the concept of "Spiritual Warfare". THIS is TRUE spiritual warfare, and the way we fight it is through prayer, learning God's word (so that we will not sin against him), vigilance, zeal, and most importantly love.