Faith Bible Blog

Information and Reflections for the FBC Family

June 20, 2007
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Posts: 303

DG National Conference

Knowing that some of you may be able to go, this year’s Desiring God National Conference looks quite good!  Here’s their announcement.

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Conference Registration Is Open

Registration
is open for our 2007 national conference. The title is, "Stand: A Call for the
Endurance of the Saints." Our theme verse is Revelation 14:12: "Here is a call
for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and
their faith in Jesus."

John Piper writes in his invitation:

Our hope is that God would use this conference as one small means to make
rugged endurance in the hard path of obedience a beautiful and longed-for virtue
among our vacillating generation. Younger people today think of changing,
leaving, shifting, moving, modifying, and swapping in order to enhance
life—almost anything but enduring. People quit. They move. They change their
minds. A long, hard, steady, hold-the-course obedience is a rare and wonderful
thing.

Speakers:

  • John MacArthur
  • Jerry Bridges
  • Randy Alcorn
  • Helen Roseveare
  • John Piper

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June 12, 2007
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Posts: 303

Quiet Times

{mosimage}Without intending to diminish the value and benefit of regular daily time in God’s Word, have you ever stopped to consider what a recent phenomenon this is??  Today, we often judge our spiritual intimacy with God by how long and how focused our BIble time was that morning.  In the greater history of the church, this is not a normal or typical measurement.

Do you we benefit from having God’s Word available in our homes and coffee shops?  Absolutely!  We live on it.  BUT the luxury of having your own copy of the Bible AND having the ability to read it (literacy) is a fairly recent opportunity.  Through the last few thousand years, the majority of God’s people only had access to the full Bible when they assembled together.  This is why we see a heightened emphasis in Scripture on the public reading of the Bible when we assemble together.

What a time we live in!  To much is given, much shall be required (Lk 12:48).

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June 5, 2007
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Posts: 303

Food around the World

{mosimage}Justin Taylor’s blog pointed me to an interesting photo essay from the book Hungry Planet  (hosted by Time Magazine). It shows what various families around the world eat in an average week.

Thankfully, Germany beat the U.S. for most amount of money that goes towards food.  The pictures are interesting, provoking, occassionally guilt-producing and should provoke a sense of thankfulness in your heart towards God for where you live and the abundant provision you have.  I found myself so intrigued that I kept hoping the next one wouldn’t be the last!  Check it out

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May 28, 2007
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Posts: 303

Have you heard ‘the Secret’?

{mosimage}Today’s guest poster is Erick Cobb.

I want to make sure you know what the book "The
Secret" is all about.  Many people you know have probably read
it.
 
Don Whitney has reviewed it here:  http://biblicalspirituality.org/secret.html
 
But if you have no time for that, just read these two quotes from The
Secret (you don’t need to read the whole book):
 
You are God in a physical body. You are Spirit in the flesh. You
are Eternal Life expressing itself as You. You are a cosmic being. You are all
power. You are all wisdom. You are all intelligence. You are perfection. You are
magnificence. You are the creator, and you are creating the creation of You on
this planet (p. 164).

The earth turns on its orbit for You. The oceans ebb and
flow for You. The birds sing for You. The sun rises and it sets for You. The
stars come out for You. Every beautiful thing you see, every wondrous thing you
experience, is all there for You. Take a look around. None of it can exist,
without You. No matter who you thought you were, now you know the Truth of Who
You Really Are. You are the master of the Universe. You are the heir to the
kingdom. You are the perfection of Life. And now you know The Secret (p. 183).

What are the fans of The Secret really looking for?  How is the Gospel the
solution to their quest?  How would you show the errors of The Secret in a way
that respected them and pointed them to the real Jesus of the Gospel?
 
Give them real hope,
 Erick.

 

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May 22, 2007
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Posts: 303

Gospel vs. Religion

As I prepared for ‘Living in the Gospel’ last week, I saw how easily I can slip into a ‘religion’ mindset whereby God’s approval hinges on my own obedience.  Tim Keller writes…

{styleboxjp width=600px,color=orange,textcolor=white}"Disbelief in the gospel of grace, of course, keeps the unconverted from God. But a lack of deep belief in the gospel is also the main cause of spiritual deadness, fear and pride in Christians, because our hearts continue to act on the basis of ‘I obey, therefore I am accepted.’"{/styleboxjp}

A consistent sight of the gospel makes us humbly recognize our TOTAL need for Christ’s righteousness, so that we DEEPLY feel God’s grace in our own lives and have GREAT compassion and mercy on others.

For you visual learners, here’s a screenshot of a slide from the class that compares the differences.

 

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