Josh Etter (@joshetter) is the Director of Communications at Desiring God. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife, Kate.
Why does God keep Satan around? One reason is so that we'll experience the joy of "participating in the triumph."
Listen to Pastor John talk about the connection between spiritual warfare and prayer in this 22-minute devotional from a missions prayer meeting in 1999.
Stream or download the talk.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones:
'Take no thought for the morrow,' means 'Do not be guilty of anxious thoughts about the morrow'. It does not mean that you do not take any thought at all, otherwise the farmer would not plough and harrow and sow. He is looking to the future, but he does not spend the whole of his time wondering and worrying about the end results of his work. No, he takes reasonable thought and then he leaves it.
Here again the whole question is where to draw the line. Thinking is right up to a point, but if you go beyond that point it becomes worry and anxiety and it paralyzes and cripples. In other words, although it is very right to think about the future, it is very wrong to be cont…
Theology Refresh is a new podcast for pastors hosted by David Mathis, executive assistant to John Piper since 2006 and editor or contributer to a number of books, including recent release, Don't Call It a Comeback.
The aim of the podcast, in David's words, "is to sharpen and refresh spiritual leaders on key aspects of theology that are useful for everyday Christian ministry."
David's first interview is with Francis Chan on the doctrine of God's sovereignty.
Download or stream the interview.
[Subscribe to Theology Refresh through iTunes.]
Pastor John from 1988:
I have in mind at least five things—five ways to make God known through your secular job and all of them are important. When one of them is missing, the witness to the truth of Christ suffers.
1. The excellence of the products or services you render in your job shows the excellence and greatness of God.
2. The standards of integrity you follow at your job show the integrity and holiness of God.
3. The love you show to people in your job shows the love of God.
4. The stewardship of the money you make from your job shows the value of God compared to other things.
5. The verbal testimony you give to the reality of Christ shows the doorway to all these things in your li…
Pastor John from 1981:
There are six things in the word of Joab that I think should characterize every effort at team ministry in the church.
1. Humility
First of all, humility. "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me." Joab was a mighty warrior, but not so foolish as to think himself wholly self-sufficient. "Abishai, my brother, I might be inadequate for the task today." And he was not ashamed to ask for help. Humility willingly acknowledges its own finitude and need. It is open to be helped, and it is open to being taught, and it does not resent good advice or counsel.
2. Diversification
The second characteristic of team ministry illustrated by Joab is diversificat…
Pastor John from 2008:
The difference between an entertainment-oriented preacher and a Bible-oriented preacher is the manifest connection of the preacher’s words to the Bible as what authorizes what he says.
The entertainment-oriented preacher seems to be at ease talking about many things that are not drawn out of the Bible. In his message, he seems to enjoy more talking about other things than what the Bible teaches. His words seem to have a self-standing worth as interesting or fun. They are entertaining. But they don’t give the impression that this man stands as the representative of God before God’s people to deliver God’s message.
The Bible-oriented preacher, on the other hand, does …
J. C. Ryle writes:
- If we love a person, we like to think about him. We do not need to be reminded of him. We do not forget his name or his appearance or his character or his opinions or his tastes or his position or his occupation... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
- If we love a person, we like to hear about him. We find a pleasure in listening to those who speak of him. We feel an interest in any report which others make of him... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
- If we love a person, we like to read about him. What intense pleasure a letter from an absent husband gives to a wife, or a letter from an absent son to his mother... Well, it i…
On June 14 at the 2011 Southern Baptist Convention, Pastor John sat down with David Platt for a 20 minute conversation about local discipleship, world missions and the Bible:
We're excited to have David join us at our 2011 National Conference, "Finish the Mission: For the Joy of All Peoples." Friendly reminder that if you are planning on attending the conference to register before July 29 for the early-bird rate of $145 per person (save $40).
Watch, listen, or download the interview.
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Pastor John from December 28, 1981:
“For me to live is Christ!” But very specifically that must mean: “For me to live is Christ’s mission.” “As the Father has sent me,” Jesus said, “so send I you.”
In 1982 my life must be Christ, and that means, “Christ for others.” If I am not Christ for others, I am not Christ at all. If I can really say, “It is not I who lives, but Christ who lives in me,” then I must live for others. There is only one kind of Christ who lives, and that is the Christ for others. If he is alive in me, he will be alive for others. I am hungry. I am thirsty to let this Christ go from our midst. Christ the Tiger. Christ, the all-night pray-er. Christ the seeking shepherd. …
Pastor John from 1981:
First, a woman who fears the Lord is not anxious about the future. Look at verse 25. I love this line, and I praise all you women who are like this: "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come." Satan dangles in front of her the specter of tomorrow's troubles, but she glances up at the almighty God at her right hand (her magnificent German Shepherd!) and laughs at Satan's folly.
Second, the woman who fears the Lord has practical wisdom. Verse 26, "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." We've been taught from grade school on that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10),…
