tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22140295383859119742024-03-14T00:11:33.912+00:00Above Every Name"...God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comBlogger507125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-45816258005284904422014-03-31T15:10:00.002+01:002014-03-31T15:10:52.607+01:00"But Now..."<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://images.all-free-download.com/images/graphiclarge/speech_bubble_117736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.all-free-download.com/images/graphiclarge/speech_bubble_117736.jpg" height="270" width="320" /></a>At the heart of
what we do in speaking about Jesus, is to call people to
turn from serving dead idols, and to trust in the living Lord Jesus that they
might have real life.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are three encouragements from the end of Pauls sermon
in Athens to equip us to speak the gospel to our unbelieving friends. You’ll
find it in Acts 17:30-31.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>1) Speak Boldly<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“…but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”
(v30)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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This passage begins with a command. God commands everyone
everywhere to repent. He calls them to turn from their rebellious ways and to
submit to His rule in Jesus. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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If we understand this we can speak boldly and urge our
non-Christian friends, family and co-workers to ‘do a u-turn’. The God who
alone has all authority demands repentance of every single human being,
therefore we can speak boldly as we calling people to repent and believe in the
Lord Jesus.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>2) Speak Urgently<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“For he has set a day when he will judge the world with
justice by the man he has appointed.” (v31)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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The passage continues with a reason. This is the reason God
commands all people to repent. The next big date in God’s diary is that day
when all must stand before Jesus as judge. It will be a day of infinite joy for
those who have trusted in Jesus, but a day of infinite terror for those who
have continued to rebel against His rule. On that day it will be too late to
repent. Every day is a day closer to that day. Therefore, we must have a ring
of urgency as we speak.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>3) Speak Confidently<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“He has given proof of this to all men by raising him
from the dead.” (v31)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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The passage finishes with proof. Here is Gods proof that
there will indeed be a judgment day: He has raised the judge from the dead.
Jesus has been raised from the dead, and so shall all people shall be raised to
stand before Him as judge. Some will go to everlasting joy in His presence and
some to everlasting pain. That day <u>will</u> come. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As we speak and call people to repent in light of that
coming day, we can do so with full confidence. Why? We have a historical and
public proof from God that judgment day is coming.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Jesus has been raised. Therefore, let us speak the gospel
boldly, urgently and confidently as we wait for His coming.</div>
Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-3669987311950499592014-02-27T09:31:00.001+00:002014-02-27T09:31:40.386+00:00Embracing Weakness<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 16.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2zRVtmAoc7o/TGUuX83Ds4I/AAAAAAAAAE8/wcox5RWiPN8/s1600/wells-broken_pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2zRVtmAoc7o/TGUuX83Ds4I/AAAAAAAAAE8/wcox5RWiPN8/s1600/wells-broken_pot.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">About four years ago I came across a quote that has
not stopped ringing in my ears to this day. Charles Spurgeon once told his
students: "I dare say the greatest earthly blessing that God can give to
any of us is health, <i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">with the exception of sickness</span></i><span style="font-size: small;">”.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 16.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Spurgeon knew what it was to suffer. These words
were spoken from experience. His wife was an invalid for most of their
marriage, from the age of 35 he suffered almost constant and intense pain from
gout, rheumatism and Bright’s disease, and battled with recurring depression
from the age of 24. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 16.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet, Spurgeon knew and was convinced that the
storms which battered him were the messengers of a gracious God, sent for his
good. He said: “I am afraid that all the grace that I have got of my
comfortable and easy times and happy hours, might almost lie on a penny. But
the good that I have received from my sorrows, and pains, and griefs, is
altogether incalculable ... Affliction is the best bit of furniture in my house.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why good can come from God
sending us painful afflictions?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are many reasons He does
this. Here is one big reason: It humbles us. It brings us to our senses and
makes us inescapably aware of our weakness. This is the purpose of Paul’s thorn
in the flesh: “…a thorn was given me in the flesh…to keep me from being too
elated.” (2 Corinthians 12:7). It keeps him humble. He cannot escape his
weakness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When we feel our weakness it
grows us in dependence on God’s grace (“My grace is sufficient for you…” –
verse 9), and it puts His power on public display (“…for my power is made
perfect in weakness” - verse 9). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the most effective
tools God has used grow me in Christian maturity is a chronic stomach problem. It
has been painful at times. It has not been enjoyable. Yet it has done me a
great good. It has humbled me. He has not taken it away. I carry around with me
a constant reminder that I need daily to depend upon Him. Again and again it teaches
me that I am weak but He is strong. All the glory must go to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don’t
be ashamed of your weakness. Don’t be too quick to wish that God would take
away that painful thorn in the flesh. It may be that it is precisely
this affliction that is making you a much more effective instrument in His
hands. The most powerful instruments in
God’s armoury are the weakest. He uses broken tools to display His master
craftmanship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let us embrace our weakness. Delight in the
privilege of being taught to depend upon His grace. Rejoice in the opportunity
to put His magnificent strength on public display. A humble Christian is a
powerful weapon in God’s hands. </span></span>Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-89439718101458867792014-01-22T11:50:00.000+00:002014-01-22T12:00:11.909+00:00It Starts with the Heart<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dZzT03dsG1I/Ut-wTRMYj_I/AAAAAAAAAbM/4D6Ba3BMgy8/s1600/heart-health-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dZzT03dsG1I/Ut-wTRMYj_I/AAAAAAAAAbM/4D6Ba3BMgy8/s1600/heart-health-1.jpg" height="198" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am quite confident that I am not the only one who finds
talking about Jesus with non-Christians hard. I cannot be the only one who has
sighed to themselves after an awkward conversation, “I wish I could be better at
talking to people about Jesus. The words just don’t seem to come naturally to
me.”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What is the solution? I could swat up on an outline of the
gospel. I could spend time practicing clever answers to questions people ask.
These are helpful and useful things to do. However, we need to start further back and deeper in than this. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We need to start with the heart.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We need to start here because our words flow out of our
hearts. Jesus tells the Pharisees that “…out of the overflow of the heart the
mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) The Pharisees have been spreading some nasty
rumours about Jesus. They claim that He works by the power of the devil (verse
24). Jesus tells them that the reason they say such evil things is because
their hearts are evil. They are like a diseased apple tree that will only
produce rotten apples. The fruit of their mouths shows up the rot in their
hearts.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What is in my heart will eventually bubble out through my
lips. This means that what my heart delights in most, my lips speak about most.
If my heart is in love with sport, then I am going to spend most of my time talking
excitedly about the latest football scores. If I have a heart that is in love
with something other than Jesus, then I’m going to struggle to speak naturally
and excitedly about Him. However, if my heart is a heart that is beating with
delight in the Lord Jesus, then this will bubble out through excited lips.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This means that when I want to get better at talking to my
friend about Jesus, the first place I need to work on is my heart. I need to
grow my heart in enjoying the truth of the gospel, and allow it to be shaped by
the gospel. I need to take the truth of the Gospel and work it deep into the
soil of my heart. As we do this we will slowly find the fruit of natural and
excited gospel conversations begin to grow.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are some practical pointers to doing this heart work:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) Pray, pray, pray. God is the heart surgeon. Changing our
hearts from idol loving hearts to Jesus loving hearts is the work of His
Spirit. Cry to Him to do this work because we cannot do it.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) Feast yourself on the Word of God. The Bible is the
surgical scalpel that God uses to do this heart work. It alone goes deep into
the heart. The more deeply we soak ourselves in the Word, the more our hearts
will be growing to delight in Jesus, and the more naturally we will speak about
Him</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) Encourage one another regularly with Bible truth. God has
given us one another as fellow labourers in this work.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, I need to warn you. Heart work is hard work. It’s a daily
slog. Keep at it, because it is the best type of work.</span></div>
Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-82889119509394437132014-01-07T11:24:00.001+00:002014-01-07T11:24:19.173+00:00A Short History of Student Missions<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/82571012" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-57867771891203884382013-12-04T11:58:00.002+00:002013-12-04T11:58:59.387+00:00The Calvinist<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="212" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/80146031" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-91727988853561413142013-10-22T14:37:00.002+01:002013-10-22T14:37:52.304+01:00Watch Me!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mH6_5-bn4Jw?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-36266952724077291782013-06-06T07:55:00.002+01:002013-06-06T07:55:33.183+01:00There Are Worse Things Than Dying<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333332; font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/12/43/3124367_f430e441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/12/43/3124367_f430e441.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A helpful thought from Don Carson to put things into perspective:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333332; font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I do not know how many times I have sung the words, “O let me never, never / Outlive my love for Thee,” but I mean them.</span></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333332; font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I would rather die than end up unfaithful to my wife; I would rather die than deny by a profligate life what I have taught in my books; I would rather die than deny or disown the gospel.</span></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333332; font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">God knows there are many things in my past of which I am deeply ashamed; I would not want such shame to multiply and bring dishonor to Christ in years to come.</span></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333332; font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There are worse things than dying.</span></blockquote>
</div>
Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-68083198029543809442013-05-22T14:29:00.002+01:002013-05-22T14:29:18.240+01:00A Case For Marriage<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zaRK-0W5HQI?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-81224023296264302392013-04-16T08:26:00.004+01:002013-04-16T08:26:44.856+01:00Weakness is the Way<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/59436976?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-90805189420589367452013-02-28T18:11:00.002+00:002013-02-28T18:11:42.792+00:00Keep Going<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.eucharisticfamilyrosary.com/uploads/images/Persevere_in_Prayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.eucharisticfamilyrosary.com/uploads/images/Persevere_in_Prayer.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Some great words from Jonathan Edwards to encourage us to keep going in prayer:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It is very apparent from the Word of God that he often tries the faith and patience of his people, when they are crying to him for some great and important mercy, by withholding the mercy sought for a season; and not only so, but at first he may cause an increase of dark appearances. And yet he, without fail, at last prospers those who continue urgently in prayer with all perseverance and ‘will not let him go except he blesses.’</span></blockquote>
</div>
Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-36758813910703664212013-02-27T08:44:00.002+00:002013-02-27T08:44:57.694+00:00Jellyfish Christianity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.hdwallpapers.in/walls/electric_jellyfish-normal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.hdwallpapers.in/walls/electric_jellyfish-normal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Over 100 years ago J.C. Ryle wrote of an epidemic that was destroying the churches of his day. It is something that he called 'Jellyfish Christianity'. Sadly, his description could easily have been written in the 21st century. Listen to how he describes jellyfish Christianity :</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">[Dislike of dogma] is an epidemic which is just now doing great harm, and specially among young people. It produces what I must venture to call a “jelly-fish” Christianity in the land: that is, a Christianity without bone, or muscle, or power. A jelly-fish is a pretty and graceful object when it floats in the sea, contracting and expanding like a little, delicate, transparent umbrella. Yet the same jelly-fish, when cast on the shore, is a mere helpless lump, without capacity for movement, self-defense, or self-preservation. Alas! It is a vivid type of much of the religion of this day, of which the leading principle is, “No dogma, no distinct tenets, no positive doctrine.” </span></blockquote>
</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have hundreds of “jelly-fish” clergymen, who seem not to have a single bone in their body of divinity. They have not definite opinions; they belong to no school or party; they are so afraid of “extreme views” that they have no views at all.</span></blockquote>
</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have thousands of “jelly-fish” sermons preached every year, sermons without an edge, or a point, or a corner, smooth as billiard balls, awakening no sinner, and edifying no saint.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have Legions of “jelly-fish” young men annually turned out from our Universities, armed with a few scraps of second-hand philosophy, who think it a mark of cleverness and intellect to have no decided opinions about anything in religion, and to be utterly unable to make up their minds as to what is Christian truth. They live apparently in a state of suspense, like Mohamet’s fabled coffin, hanging between heaven and earth and last.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Worst of all, we have myriads of “jelly-fish” worshippers—respectable church-going people, who have no distinct and definite views about any point in theology. They cannot discern things that differ, any more than color-blind people can distinguish colors. They think everybody is right and nobody wrong, everything is true and nothing is false, all sermons are good and none are bad, every clergyman is sound and no clergyman is unsound. They are “tossed to and fro, like children, by every wind of doctrine”; often carried away by any new excitement and sensational movement; ever ready for new things, because they have no firm grasp on the old; and utterly unable to “render a reason of the hope that is in them.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Never was it so important for laymen to hold systematic views of truth, and for ordained ministers to “enunciate dogma” very clearly and distinctly in their teaching.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Therefore, let us be challenged afresh to ensure that our 'body of divinity' has a strong backbone.</span></div>
Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-49177171579260294682013-01-23T11:06:00.001+00:002013-01-23T11:06:24.701+00:00Don't Go Down to Egypt!<br />
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What is it that grows a church? Here's Spurgeon's answer:</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Are you afraid that preaching the gospel will not win souls? Are you despondent as to success in God’s way? Is this why you pine for clever oratory? Is this why you must have music, and architecture, and flowers and millinery? After all, is it by might and power, and not by the Spirit of God? It is even so in the opinion of many.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Brethren beloved, there are many things which I might allow to other worshippers which I have denied myself in conducting the worship of this congregation. I have long worked out before your very eyes the experiment of the unaided attractiveness of the gospel of Jesus. Our service is severely plain. No man ever comes hither to gratify his eye with art, or his ear with music. I have set before you, these many years, nothing but Christ crucified, and the simplicity of the gospel; yet where will you find such a crowd as this gathered together this morning? Where will you find such a multitude as this meeting Sabbath after Sabbath, for five-and-thirty years? I have shown you nothing but the cross, the cross without flowers of oratory, the cross without diamonds of ecclesiastical rank, the cross without the buttress of boastful science. It is abundantly sufficient to attract men first to itself, and afterwards to eternal life!</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In this house we have proved successfully, these many years, this great truth, that the gospel plainly preached will gain an audience, convert sinners, and build up and sustain a church. We beseech the people of God to mark that there is no need to try doubtful expedients and questionable methods. God will save by the gospel still: only let it be the gospel in its purity. This grand old sword will cleave a man’s chine [i.e., spine], and split a rock in halves.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">How is it that it does so little of its old conquering work? I will tell you. Do you see the scabbard of artistic work, so wonderfully elaborated? Full many keep the sword in this scabbard, and therefore its edge never gets to its work. Pull off that scabbard. Fling that fine sheath to Hades, and then see how, in the Lord’s hands, that glorious two-handed sword will mow down fields of men as mowers level the grass with their scythes.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is no need to go down to Egypt for help. To invite the devil to help Christ is shameful. Please God, we shall see prosperity yet, when the church of God is resolved never to seek it except in God’s own way.</span><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Charles Haddon Spurgeon<br />Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 1888, vol. 34, p. 563</span></i></blockquote>
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Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-68423647714451940312013-01-22T20:01:00.001+00:002013-01-22T20:01:13.841+00:00Tuesday Teaching| The Honesty of Sorrow (Psalm 51)Here is the third sermon in a series of five sermons in the penitential Psalms with Christopher Ash. This week we are in Psalm 51 where we see <em>The Honesty of Sorrow</em>.<br />
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You can listen to the sermon by clicking <a href="http://www.emmanuelwimbledon.org.uk/Media/Player.aspx?media_id=79141&file_id=87811">here</a>.Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-19739485821389145292013-01-15T11:23:00.002+00:002013-01-15T11:23:23.356+00:00Tuesday Teaching| The Weight of Sorrow (Psalm 38)We come to the second in this five part series in the 'penitential' Psalms with Christopher Ash, learning what it means to say sorry the Bible way.<br />
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This week we're in Psalm 38 where we see <em>The Weight of Sorrow. </em>You can listen to the sermon by clicking <a href="http://www.emmanuelwimbledon.org.uk/Media/Player.aspx?media_id=79138&file_id=87808">here</a>.Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-77888316410656094252013-01-12T15:54:00.003+00:002013-01-12T15:54:40.487+00:00Why Preach?<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/files/2012/12/christopher_ash-300x160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/files/2012/12/christopher_ash-300x160.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Christopher Ash has written a great piece for the Gospel Coalition on the importance of preaching. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In it he has a particular challenge to the preacher:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But here's the rub: to be a faithful preacher I need to be gripped, humbled, and transformed by the word of Christ. Moses's successors (the prophets) were not cold functionaries who merely expounded the written Torah; they were men in whom the covenant word burned because they walked in close fellowship with the covenant God (e.g. "Your words were found, and I ate them," Jer 15:16). In the same way, those who expound the apostolic word of Jesus must be those in whom these words burn, who are being humbled and transformed by these words.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And a great reminder for the hearer of the fact that...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As a believer, I don't just need to hear the word of God; I need to hear it taught and pressed home to me by a pastor who knows and loves me. There is no substitute. His skills may be surpassed by more famous preachers; but they do not know and love me, and he does.</span></blockquote>
You can read the whole article by clicking <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/01/10/poor-little-talkative-christianity-why-preach/">here</a>.<br />
Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-32457784488110912622013-01-09T09:33:00.001+00:002013-01-09T09:33:06.769+00:00The Gospel in One Minute<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K6wcW3ZTrm8?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-43496761916021598482013-01-08T10:34:00.000+00:002013-01-08T10:34:45.487+00:00Tuesday Teaching| The Safety of Sorrow (Psalm 32)Over the next few Tuesdays I shall be posting a series of sermons by Christopher Ash on the Psalms. This series looks at five of the 'penitential' Psalms, showing us what it means to say "sorry" the Bible way. Christopher has called this five part series <i>Sorry: the Hardest Word. </i><br />
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This week we are in Psalm 32, where we see <i>The Safety of Sorrow. </i>You can listen to the sermon by clicking <a href="http://www.emmanuelwimbledon.org.uk/Media/Player.aspx?media_id=79135&file_id=87805">here</a>.Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-91118889001694589292013-01-07T12:37:00.002+00:002013-01-07T12:37:17.552+00:00How Not to Read Your Bible in 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Over at the Gospel Coalition Matt Smethurst has written a helpful article on how not to read your Bible in 2013. Well worth reading, especially if you have just undertaken a new plan for personal Bible reading for a new year.</div>
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You can read the article by clicking <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/12/30/how-not-to-read-your-bible-in-2013/">here</a>.</div>
Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-35340804478494316202013-01-04T14:14:00.001+00:002013-01-04T14:14:20.266+00:00Killing Sin<a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/ligonier-public-media/blog/blog-post-images/Mortify-Sin-2_620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/ligonier-public-media/blog/blog-post-images/Mortify-Sin-2_620.jpg" width="320" /></a>John Owen once said, "Be killing sin or it will be killing you." One of the battles at the heart of the Christian life is the battle to put sin to death. Sinclair Ferguson has written a very helpful little article, where he focuses on Colossians 3:1-17 and draws out a number of lessons on how we ought to go about mortifying sin (that is, how we put sin to death).<br />
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One of the points he makes is that, in the fight against sin, dying to sin does not happen in isolation to living to righteousness. That is, we do not simply stop doing sinful things. No, we must instead replace sinful attitudes and behaviours with Christ-like attitudes and behaviours. Ferguson says:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">The </span><em style="border: 0px; display: inline; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">negative </em><span style="line-height: 30px;">task of putting sin to death will not be accomplished in isolation from the </span><em style="border: 0px; display: inline; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">positive </em><span style="line-height: 30px;">call of the Gospel to “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 3:14</span><span style="line-height: 30px;">. Paul spells this out in Colossians 3:12-17.</span><span style="line-height: 30px;"> Sweeping the house clean simply leaves us open to a further invasion of sin. But when we understand the “glorious exchange” principle of the Gospel of grace, then we will begin to make some real advance in holiness. As sinful desires and habits are not only </span><em style="border: 0px; display: inline; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">rejected</em><span style="line-height: 30px;">, but </span><em style="border: 0px; display: inline; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">exchanged</em><span style="line-height: 30px;"> for Christ-like graces (3:12) and actions (3:13); as we are clothed in Christ’s character and His graces are held together by love (v. 14), not only in our private life but also in the church fellowship (vv. 12–16), Christ’s name and glory are manifested and exalted in and among us (3:17).</span></span></blockquote>
The whole article is well worth reading, you can read it by clicking <a href="http://www.ligonier.org/blog/how-mortify-sin/">here</a>.Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-72404325885932719612012-12-21T15:32:00.002+00:002012-12-21T15:34:15.762+00:00Teaching LukeI've been spending my time this week getting to grips with the big picture of Luke's Gospel. As I've been doing so I've come across these videos from William Taylor, Rector of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate in London. William gives some helpful thoughts on how to understand Luke on his own terms and how to begin thinking about preaching or teaching the Gospel. Well worth a watch.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/49584210" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="400"></iframe>Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-34526283539164987572012-12-11T21:00:00.001+00:002012-12-11T21:00:19.495+00:00Come Thou Long Expected Jesus<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VLcTLCCpI5A?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-13322427716680773642012-12-11T20:54:00.002+00:002012-12-11T20:54:22.496+00:00Tuesday Teaching| When I Don't Desire God (3)We come to the third and final talk in John Piper's series on how to fight for joy in God. You can listen by clicking <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/how-to-fight-for-joy-session-3">here</a>.Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-51784273558807613772012-12-06T09:06:00.001+00:002012-12-06T09:06:23.769+00:00Anti Santy Ranty<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Dpu3v5uxZTY?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-50924534802086556592012-12-04T09:01:00.002+00:002012-12-04T09:01:29.224+00:00Tuesday Teaching| When I Don't Desire God (2)Here's part two of John Piper's series 'When I don't desire God', which looks at how we battle for joy in Him.<br />
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You can listen by clicking <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/how-to-fight-for-joy-session-2">here</a>.Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2214029538385911974.post-64975179783562733052012-11-21T09:22:00.000+00:002012-11-21T09:22:28.278+00:00Judgment, Salvation, the Living and the Dead<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/waI2o-rV5N0?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br />Simon Donohoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12802671032032023667noreply@blogger.com