After posting last night about the need be more intentional about listening to God, I wanted to pass along something that I read yesterday on J.D. Greear’s blog that I need to be reminded of again and again and again! He shared three things that he prays each morning to “center” on the Gospel. Wow, these are good!!

• “God, because I am in Christ I know there is nothing I can do today that would make You love me any more than You do right now, and there’s nothing I have done that makes You love me any less.” As Martin Luther noted, the human heart is hardwired to default into works-righteousness (my acceptance and worth is based on how well I perform). This sentence helps me grasp the free, complete grace I have in Christ. According to John 17, God loves me now as much as He loves Jesus. Wow. The idea that I can add to or take away from His love, then, is absurd.

• “God, Your presence and approval is all I need to have joy today.” This sentence helps war against my natural proclivity to idolatry. As John Calvin said, the human heart is an idol factory. We turn almost everything good into an idol, looking to it for happiness rather than God Himself. This sentence helps me remember that I don’t need worldly praise, monetary blessing, success, or even “happiness” to have joy.

• “God, everything the Gospel tells me about Your intentions for my life is TRUE.” In the Gospel, God shows me that His intentions for me are blessing not cursing, hope not despair, resurrection not death. This completely charges me up to into the day. I realize that God’s intentions for me, my family, and my ministry are good beyond even my wildest imaginations. The sky is literally the limit (Psalm 103) on the power and salvation He wants to work in and through me.

It’s been great having all our chicks back in the nest for a couple of weeks! We all drove down to Virginia Beach to celebrate Christmas with my brother and his wife last week. My Dad was also able to drive down. It was a blast as always. The weather was amazing for December! In fact, we actually went down to the beach on Christmas Day. (Laurie opted for nap on the couch in the quiet house while we were gone.)

It was nice to be able to get away for a few days. I laugh almost non-stop whenever Turk and I spend any amount of time together. Between his antics and me constantly teasing my sister-in-law, everybody ends up with an evening of free entertainment. It was time rich in what matters most – relationships.

Along with laughing and eating and relaxing, I also did some reading. A good friend gave me as a Christmas present, John Eldredge’s newest book, Walking with God. I’m about 75 pages in and really enjoying it. Here’s an especially good snippet to whet your appetite:

We are invited to become followers of Jesus.
-----Not just believers. Followers. There is a difference.
-----Follower assumes that someone else is doing the leading. As in “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. . . . He goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:3-4). The Bible invites us to an intimacy with God that will lead us to the life we are meant to live If we will follow him.

-----“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; / I will counsel you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8). God promises to guide us in the details of our lives. In fact, the psalm continues, “Do not be like the horse or the mule, / which have no understanding / but must be controlled by bit and bridle / or they will not come to you” (vs. 9)

-----What would it be like to yield to Christ in the details of our lives? What would it be like to follow his counsel and instruction in all the small decisions that add up to the life we find ourselves living? It would be . . . amazing. (Walking With God, p. 28-29).

Good stuff! I’m looking forward to savoring the rest of it. In fact, it’s become a timely reminder about my most precious relationship. This is the time of year where there’s lots of talk about Jesus being the Reason for the Season, as well as the need for us to keep Christ in CHRISTmas. Yes, He is and we do. But personally. . . I need less talk and more listening. . . less talk and more following.

“Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really.”

I have two books beside my bed that I haven’t yet started to read (you can see what I am currently reading in the side bar), but I already know what my next book purchase is going to be. John Piper blogged about a book he recently read:

Dripping sweat on the paperback's pages, I speed-walked and read for one hour and twenty minutes holding this book in my hand so that I could finish it before my routine was over. That was two weeks ago. Since then I have been trying to figure out how to describe the way it has affected me. It’s mainly because of the Dad, Jeremiah Land.

I am talking about Leif Enger’s first novel, Peace Like a River. Abraham said I should read it. If my sons tell me to read a thing, I do—at least so far.

I fear saying something trite. I read one reviewer who said, “heartwarming.” Like a rifle bullet in the head, it’s heartwarming. The heart needs something bigger and deeper than warming. And this book helps.

You can read Piper’s entire review here. Here’s his conclusion:

What do I make of it? Wrong question.

What is it making of me?

More alive to everything true, I hope. More steady in the wind. More hopeful. Less anxious. Eager for Christ to show up.

Yes. This is a recommendation. Ask for it for Christmas.

We had a great day today! We were able to share some very positive news in our congregational meeting regarding the budget, and the fellowship meal was tons of fun. I kicked off a short, two-week series that I’ve entitled Joy to the World, from Luke 2. We camped out on verse 14, digging into the implications of what it means that we have our Father’s pleasure. Here’s the video we showed at the end of the message:

Just what the doctor ordered this fine Friday morning.

Amen, amen and amen!!!

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. I Thess. 2:3-4

Kudos to our dedicated team of tiling volunteers who finished up the new multi-purpose room over the weekend! The room has been a work in progress for several months. A wall was taken down, a new header was constructed, the old carpet was pulled up and hauled off. The walls had to be prepped and painted. . . there’s been a whopping amount of work accomplished!

We’ve had a lot of people help, and I’m sure I’d miss somebody if I tried to list everybody by name. But I do want to send out kudos to Chris and Kim Williams for overseeing the tiling project - thank you! I know you put a “full day” of work in following our morning service a week ago, and you were willing to come back out this past Sunday and Monday nights to finish the job. Thanks for going above and beyond! And heartfelt thanks to everybody who has helped with the renovation.

We’re going to break the new room in right – “Christ Church style” – with a fellowship meal this Sunday! It’s going to be great! The meal will get started right after the brief meeting to update everybody about the budget. I’m going to be kicking off a two-week series I’m calling “Joy to the World!” out of Luke 2. I can’t wait! I realize it’s a familiar passage to most, but it’s so important that we don’t just read the story and miss the message of Christmas!

Who can you bring with you this Sunday?

Perry Noble is the lead pastor of New Spring Church in Anderson, SC. I keep up with his blog on a regular basis because he’s an authentic leader who consistently has something insightful to share. Today’s post was outstanding: KISSING TOILETS

Check out this funny description of the difference between men’s and women’s brains by Pastor Mark Gungor.

I finally got my hands on a copy of The Shack (thanks Roger!). I read the majority of it in my tree stand while deer hunting a couple of weeks ago. It wasn’t on my “must read” book list, but several people had ask me about it, and it’s extremely popular (still number one on the New York Times Best Seller List), so I decided to read it. I’m glad I did. I really enjoyed it.

It’s definitely a page turner with a very gripping story line. In fact, as a parent, it was tough to read at times (but I won’t tell you why and spoil it for those who haven’t yet read it). In a nutshell, it’s a story about God’s love, and it wrestles with the timeless question, “Where is God in a world filled with unspeakable pain?” I’ve always marveled at the fact that God has revealed Himself as our “Abba, Father.” This book put feet on that marvelous truth. The story helped awaken in me a much deeper appreciation for the amazing love our Father has for us. I would spontaneously stop reading periodically just to pray and thank God for His goodness!

But having told you what I liked about the book, I also think it’s important to share my concerns. I’ve been recommending the book with the caution to not read it as a systematic theology. Not everyone agrees. In fact, one reviewer recommends “putting up the doctrine gun for the duration of this book, and letting the story entertain and explore.” I humbly disagree. I think it is very important to read this, or any other book with discernment. Would that every Christian joyfully want to become a Berean.

To help you do that, I would recommend Scott Lindsey’s excellent review.

Driscoll: Mac +Logos = KO

I’ve heard some really good things about Logos Bible software, but I absolutely love the Bible software I use from Accordance. It’s the only full-featured Bible study program designed specifically for the Mac. It has become an indispensable tool for both sermon and lesson preparation, as well as my personal study and reflection. Here’s a short list of some of the features. If you’re into the Mac and Bible study, it’s definitely worth considering.

But if Logos enables Mark Driscoll to transition to the Mac - hey, I say, “Go for it!” Speaking of Driscoll, everything he’s done (preaching, teaching, etc.) for the past 5 or 6 years at least, is available free online in the MEDIA LIBRARY on the Mars Hill Church website. It’s not limited to Mark’s stuff, you have access to all kinds of great resources: sermons, music, conference messages, special teaching seminars and more. It is a tremendous resource!

A companion site (that is sponsored by Mars Hill) that also has a wealth of study resources is The Resurgence. Their mission is to resource multiple generations to live for Jesus so that they can effectively reach their cities with the Gospel by staying culturally accessible and Biblically faithful. And best of all, due to the incredible generosity of Mars Hill Church, they endeavor to make these resources available, free of charge, to anyone interested in becoming a student of the Word. Awesome!