The gospel is different than any other religion or worldview out there. How so? “Religion” says, “I obey, therefore I’m accepted.” That is, when I morally or spiritually perform well, God will bless me and reward me with a good life and even heaven. The “gospel” says, “I’m accepted through the life and death of…
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Humility goes a long way in nurturing us to a state of contentment. It is pride that stirs the waters until the foam of discontentment is unmistakably present. Today we’ll think about one sign of each. Sign of Discontentment: complaining The malcontent is ever complaining of one’s condition. Rather than deploying the calming power of…
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So far we’ve discovered contentment doesn’t come naturally, but is something that is learned. We have to work at it. We’ve also thought about the relationship between discontentment and pride. Whenever there is discontentment, there is an underlying belief that my station in life should be different than what God has ordained for me. In…
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There’s always a reason for our discontentment. Some situation we wish were different. But peel away the layers and what do you find? Lesson two: a discontented person is a proud person. How so? If you believe in a sovereign and providential God who sanctions even the minutest events (Matt. 10:29), then your situation is precisely the…
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“…I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” – Philippians 4:11 Contentment. It’s a pearl of inestimable value. Yet it often feels like like a desert mirage – looming, but never within reach. I’m going to begin a series of blogs on the topic and today we begin with the apostle…
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I am prone to melancholy. I’m not sure why. It’s just one of my struggles. I guess that’s one of the reasons I so easily identify with another preacher who struggled with it as well. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a pastor in England from the 1930’s-1960’s. When I read his book Spiritual Depression, I was both…
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We’ve been looking at the topic of emotions. We’ve been doing so because emotions possess a tremendous influence on our spiritual maturity. Over the years, I’ve become convinced one of the reasons it’s possible for people to attend solid Bible-teaching churches, but not make much progress in maturity, is the issue of emotional maturity. I…
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Emotional immaturity is a barrier to overall spiritual health. This notion needs to be pondered and ultimately accepted if Christians are going to make progress in “living a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Eph. 4:1). Last time we looked at two unhealthy emotional approaches to avoid: disregarding emotions and granting emotions sovereignty….
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One question often discussed among pastors is this: how can people attend solid Bible-teaching churches and not seem to make much progress in their growth as Christians? I’ve been mulling that one for a decade. I think an answer that deserves repeated attention is simple: emotions. Emotional immaturity is a barrier to overall spiritual health. So…
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“Just believe.” How often has a well-meaning Christian said that? “Don’t overthink it, just believe.” I find that statement simplistic. Which is why the Christmas story is so encouraging. In the Christmas story, we have one of the most famous Christians admitting the math doesn’t add up. When the angel appeared to Mary to let…
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