Merry Christmas, all! Not Only Christmas Day Lord, this is my prayer Not only on Christmas Day But until I see You face to face May I live my life this way: Just like the baby Jesus I ever hope to be, Resting in Your loving arms Trusting in Your sovereignty. And like the growing Christ child In wisdom daily learning, May I ever seek to know You With my mind and spirit yearning. Like the Son so faithful Let me follow in Your light, Meek and bold, humble and strong Not afraid to face the night. Nor cowardly to suffer And stand for truth alone, Knowing that Your kingdom Awaits my going home. Not...

Yesterday I fielded questions from a group of about 15 sixth and seventh grade girls, middle schoolers attending our church. We had just finished a teaching on Matthew 5:27-32. We discussed lust and adultery, marriage and divorce. (In an age-appropriate way for 11-14 year olds.) We talked much through the awful complexities (against God’s design) of divorce, and the wake of collateral damage that comes with it. A number of the kids are experiencing the fallout of a broken home: divorced, estranged or separated parents. John, one of our leaders shared how 40 years ago his parents divorced,...

Download an e-book (PDF) version of Fight Clubs: Gospel-Centered Discipleship by pastor Jonathan Dodson. I’ve mentioned it before, and am eager to dig in myself. (Note: this isn’t a book built for just one person. You won’t be able to “fight” alone. So, send the link to a friend, read it together and fight for one another, together, through the Gospel.) Here’s the table of contents of Fight Clubs: Introduction 1. Why Fight?: The Call to Fight 2. Fighting for the Church: The Failure of Accountability 3. How to Fight: Motivations for Discipleship 4. Fighting with...

Last weekend I preached on David’s pre-king life — before he was famous or had done anything “great” for God. He had started to do “small” things for God, when no one was looking. As a young man he received a promise from God, that he would become King in Israel. Yet, it took more than a decade before he would sit as King over the nation. When we consider the madness, disobedience and bad character of the current king, Saul, we sense David is clearly the better man. Why the delay? God was done with Saul, but didn’t install David for another decade. David not...

I’m very excited to soon see a finalized e-book version of Fight Club: Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan Dodson. Jonathan is Lead Pastor of Austin City Life in Austin, Texas. His gospel-centered emphases are water for my soul, always pointing past himself to the One who is our only Hope. A couple years ago I ran across his writings/articles on Boundless and was hooked. Fight Club looks to be a synthesis of both seeing our true enemies, and Gospel-motivated tactics. There are three simple rules for the fight clubs: Know your sin Fight your sin (together) Trust the Savior The church...

From the DWYL podcast: SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Wow. Don’t Waste Your Life.", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2009/07/05/wow-dont-waste-your-life/" });

Last time I pointed out there may be three Gospel-distorting approaches to change (proving ourselves to God, to others, and to ourselves). We distort God’s grace when we think we can earn it, that others opinions matter more than God’s, or having a higher or lower view of ourselves than is true (Rom. 12:3). The root problem is that we see the source of our solution as in us. It’s not. It’s in Christ, who is God come to live and die in our place. When He is our motivation, and what He did becomes the basis of what we do , then life begins to make sense, and we will be transformed...

There are a number of "churchy" ways to try to change one’s self. Like church attendance, volunteering, etc. — but these are often not rooted in the one key thing: desiring to know God and serve Him as King. In general, there may be three Gospel-distorting approaches to change: Proving ourselves to God Proving ourselves to others Proving ourselves to ourselves These are not in keeping with our new identity in Jesus. I’ve been continually challenged to move past this nonsense as I slowly read How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp, as well as look forward...

Yesterday I shared a bit of our story — and realize their are so many gaps I left out. Since this really isn’t about us , but rather about Christ and His worth, those gaps will have to be like the cracks in a clay pot that reveals the excellency and worth of the object inside ( 2 Cor. 4 ). Please look past us and see the beauty of God. Here are the top five lessons I (think I) have learned over this past 50 month journey and beyond. All are interconnected: People are more important that what they do. Personalizing it: I am not what I do . That is, my identity is rooted in...

"… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ( 1 Thess. 5:18 ) What is God’s will for my life? That has always been one of most frequent questions I’ve heard, and asked. How can I know what He wants me to do, who He designed me to be? God’s will is multi-faceted, yet He is strangely easy to please, as our caring heavenly Father. He has given some specific instructions as to what His will for us is. Trusting wholly in His Son is His direct command for all of us ( Acts 17:30; 1 John 5:13 ). Abstaining...