Podcast appearances and mentions of david powlison

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“We have many good reasons to be afraid. But we have better reasons not to be.”~David Powlison, Christian author and counselorSERMON PASSAGEHebrews 2:6-9 (ESV)6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him,   or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;   you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

We continue our Meet a Member series this week by sitting down for a conversation with Nicholas Coker! You can check out his work at https://www.nicholascoker.com/ JM's Album Of The Week (Nicholas' Pick): Disasterpeace - FEZ (Original Game Soundtrack) Bradford's Book Club (Nicholas' Picks): Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness by David Powlison, Redwall by Brian Jaques  

This episode of 15:14 is the audio from David Powlison's address at the 2016 Biblical Counseling Global Summit: Better Together. His message was entitled, “Christ-Centered Counsel: Redeems and Reconciles Relationships.”    SPONSOR:  To learn more about this undergraduate degree in biblical counseling at Boyce College, go to BoyceCollege.com/1514.    ONE WORD ONE WORLD CONFERENCE 2025: To learn more and register for the One Word One World Conference presented by the Biblical Counseling Coalition go to: biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/global-summit   Support 15:14 – A Podcast of the Biblical Counseling Coalition today at biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/donate.

Pastor John Tucker and his wife Jane share comfort for those who have walked the painful road of sexual abuse by tactfully answering the following questions: Of all kinds of sin in this world, why is sexual abuse so devastating to the victim? For someone who has been abused, how do they know if it is something they still need to work through with a biblical counselor? What are wrong ways people deal with shame, and what is God's prescription for how to move forward to healing? How can someone move forward in hope and trust into a future relationship, not protecting what happened in the past in this future situation? For those who feel that they have “baggage” or are tarnished in some way, how can they place their identity in Christ instead of a past event? And if you're the friend of someone who has walked through abuse, how can you effectively come alongside and help bear that burden with them?  Website: smilingatthefuturepodcast.com Email: smilingatthefuturepodcast@gmail.com  Support The Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://donorbox.org/smiling-at-2024⁠⁠⁠ Recommended Resources:  “Treasure in the Ashes” by Maria Brookins  “Trusting God” by Jerry Bridges “God's Battle Plan for the Mind” by David Saxton “Making all Things New” by David Powlison  “Instruments in the Redeemers Hands” by Paul David Tripp 

David Powlison created the tongue-in-cheek “Anti-Psalm 23,” which begins, “I'm on my own. No one looks out for me or protects me. I experience a continual sense of need. Nothing's quite right” But there is something so much better available to us, if we would only go at the Shepherd's pace. In the second sermon of our series on the famous Psalm 23 we hear about what God has to say about how we use our time.    ABOUT THIS SERIES: This 4-part series examines Psalm 23. In a world filled with ever-changing and increasingly troubling headlines, the hope of God's comfort and sustaining care is a balm for weary souls. The believer can rest in the gentle care and grace of the Good Shepherd, the one who walks with them and provides for them—mind, body, and soul—in the present and in the days to come.   ABOUT THE FOUNDRY: The Foundry is an independent, non-denominational church in Burke, VA with the mission of "guiding people to forge a lifelong reliance on God".  Find out more at TheFoundryChurch.com

Everyone worships, but not everyone worships the One who is most worthy. It's easy to think of idolatry and false worship as something done by pagans outside of the church but Jesus has His most staunch warnings against idolatry that can happen inside religious communities. Join us today as we explore Romans 1 and Matthew 15 with some help from David Powlison.

Ascultați podcast-ul ”Pași spre viață”, o emisiune dialog cu Cristina Olariu și pastorul Ghiță Mocan.

On this episode of This vs. That, we talk with with Mark Vroegop about the concepts of frustration and anger. We explore how these emotions are often intertwined, and how they can be both righteous and unrighteous. Mark shares his experiences at College Park Church in Indianapolis and also provides a glimpse into his personal life. We examine the complexities of these emotions in the context of our faith and our responses to a world marked by sin and brokenness. We also discuss the balance of asking questions from a place of suffering versus a place of demand. Finally, we contemplate how dealing with these emotions requires strong theological foundations and faith. Resources Mentioned "Good and Angry" by David Powlison "Respectable Sins" by Jerry Bridges "Future Grace" by John Piper "Waiting on God" by Andrew Murray "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment" by Jeremiah Burroughs "How Does Sanctification Work?" by David Powlison ----- We're thrilled to announce an exciting event held in partnership between Anchored Hope and Fieldstone Counseling. On June 21st of this year, we'll be hosting an exclusive lunch at the Gospel Coalition Women's Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, featuring two of our dear friends, Michael Keller and Ed Welch. Michael and Ed will be sharing their unique perspectives on navigating the challenges that we face, both at home, in our relationships, and in the world with the wisdom of Christ. I hope that you'll make plans to join us at this event. Space is limited, so please register as soon as possible. All registrants will receive a boxed lunch, access to the event, as well as a complimentary book from P&R Publishing. For more information or to register, visit: ⁠⁠events.anchoredhope.co⁠⁠ ----- This vs. That is a podcast of Anchored Hope. Anchored Hope provides practical help to those hurting by anchoring their hope in Jesus and helping others gain a better understanding of his promises. We offer reputable, biblical counsel to those suffering or experiencing difficult seasons. Our counselors are highly trained and bring a vast experience in addressing the various issues of life. To meet with a counselor, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠anchoredhope.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and schedule an appointment today.

In this part one of two episodes, Deacon Eric sits down with Dr. Brett Salkeld to discuss three non-fiction, non-theological books that changed his life. This week; Good and Angry by David Powlison and Hold me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson. Show Snippet: "The big feelers among us who express those things. People can't handle them and they need to know that, it's okay to be that kind of person. They still need to figure out how to manage themselves in different situations, but you're actually more equipped to manage yourself well if you're not just ashamed of being the kind of person you are." Good and Angry by David Powlison Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson

Sometimes Scripture feels dry, distant, or impersonal. How do we apply Scripture in these times? How do we take hold of a cup of cold water when we are most thirsty? Listen as Alasdair Groves discusses what it looks like to bring Scripture to bear on our sufferings and struggles, using several examples from his own life. Related resources: Shaking Off Some Lifelessness with the Psalms | Blog post by Ed Welch https://www.ccef.org/shaking-off-some-lifelessness-with-the-psalms How Do You Personally Engage with Scripture? | Podcast episode by Alasdair Groves & Mike Emlet https://www.ccef.org/podcast/how-do-you-personally-engage-with-scripture Take Heart: Daily Devotions to Deepen Your Faith | Book by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/book/take-heart-daily-devotions-to-deepen-your-faith

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“Tell the young, tell the poor, tell the aged, tell the ignorant, tell the sick, tell the dying — tell them all about Christ. Tell them of His power, and tell them of His love; tell them of His doings, and tell them of His feelings; tell them what He has done for the chief of sinners; tell them what He is willing to do until the last day of time; tell it to them over and over again. Never be tired of speaking of Christ. Say to them broadly and fully, freely and unconditionally, unreservedly and undoubtingly, ‘Come unto Christ, as the penitent thief did; come unto Christ, and you shall be saved.'”~J.C. Ryle “Unless we're very intentional about meditating on these truths [that show God's love], they slip from our thoughts like misty dreams that evaporate in the morning light. That's why Luther said we must ‘take heed then, to embrace...the love and kindness of God...[and to] daily exercise [our] faith therein, entertain no doubt of God's love and kindness.'”~Elyse M. Fitzpatrick “In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more and nothing I have done that makes You love me less.”~J.D. Greear “[N]obody can produce new evidence of your depravity that will make God change his mind. For God justified you with (so to speak) his eyes open. He knew the worst about you at the time when he accepted you for Jesus' sake; and the verdict which he passed then was, and is, final.”~J.I. Packer “Jesus does not divide the world into the moral ‘good guys' and the immoral ‘bad guys'. He shows us that everyone is dedicated to a project of self-salvation, to using God and others in order to get power and control for themselves. We are just going about it in different ways.”~Tim Keller “Don't ever degenerate into giving advice unconnected to the good news of Jesus crucified, alive, present, at work and returning.”~David Powlison “This life is not godliness, but growth in godliness; not health, but healing; not being, but becoming; not rest, but exercise. We are not now what we shall be, but we are on the way; the process is not yet finished, but it has begun; this is not the goal, but it is road; at present all does not gleam and glitter, but everything is being purified.”~Martin LutherSERMON PASSAGEGalatians 3:1-6 (ESV)Galatians 2 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Galatians 3 1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Pastor Nathan Hobert continues a vision series through Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Resources: PNTC: Ephesians, O'brien, New Bible Commentary, "Standing Firm" Book, David Powlison.

Is there more to sin than bad behavior? If we follow our behavior down into our emotions, drives, and desires, we discover that sin is far deeper than the external manifestations. The root issue is idolatry in our hearts. In this episode, Cole and Terry discuss David Powlison's article, "Idols of the Heart and Vanity Fair," and the implications for dealing with sin in our lives and giving spiritual direction to others. 

In this special episode, Tony Reinke interviews David Powlison about self-hate among Christians.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3279340/advertisement

In this special episode, Tony Reinke interviews David Powlison about self-hate among Christians.

En esta clase continuaremos viendo sobre la medicación y el dolor emocional. Si bien las emociones no son un problema en sí mismas, ya que sería un problema que no funcionaran (pero sí funcionan gracias a Dios) nos duele a veces, porque Dios las puso con ese propósito, para que nos duela y hagamos algo al respecto. Las emociones son como un motivador. Hace unos años atrás, el director de un ministerio de Consejería Bíblica (CCEF) llamado David Powlison escribió en una revista teológica un articulo de tres páginas pidiendo por favor a todos los teólogos, estudiosos de la Biblia y consejeros cristianos que investiguen más teológicamente las emociones porque había demasiado poco escrito sobre eso, y sería muy importante estudiar más sobre las emociones humanas desde el punto de vista bíblico teológico. Y sí es un tema muy importante el asunto de las emociones y está relacionado con todas las áreas de nuestra vida. Quizás porque no hay tanta claridad bíblica sobre las emociones es que la alternativa médica secular ha invadido tanto la vida de las personas, incluso dentro de las iglesias. __________________________ Subiermos todas las clases dictadas No se otorgan certificados Esta no es una materia de IDEAR Expositores __________________________ Si esta clase ha sido de bendición para tu vida y querés estudiar la Biblia de manera más seria y profunda, te invitamos a visitar nuestro seminario online “IDEAR Expositores” en https://idearexpositores.com.

In this episode, Bobby Bosler shares what God is teaching him about how to deal with wrong you see in others. Often, we either react in the flesh to wrong or we choose to ignore it, but neither approach truly helps the issue. Learn how to respond with mercy, which of necessity involves getting into the right kind of trouble.In this episode, Bobby references the article "The Constructive Displeasure of Mercy" by David Powlison. The article can be purchased as a PDF here for $5: https://www.ccef.org/jbc_article/the-constructive-displeasure-of-mercy/, or the entire journal issue containing the article can be purchased for Logos Bible Software for $3 here: https://www.logos.com/product/160025/the-journal-of-biblical-counseling-volume-24-number-4-fall-2006.If you've been encouraged by this podcast and would like to receive each episode delivered to your device, please subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts Also, please take the time to give us a five-star rating and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the Thee Generation for others.For more faith inspiring resources and information about joining Thee Generation, please visit theegeneration.org.

“It is hard to speak to the Lord about your sufferings and to lament and to honestly go to him and say, ‘Lord, this is hurting in my heart, on my soul.' We rarely step into relationship in that way, and it's a struggle. It's a challenge, and it's a good, right, excellent challenge to come to him as the one who really does care.”   What is self-pity, and how should we view it? How can we turn our self-pity into godly lament that engages honestly with the Lord? Listen as Alasdair Groves discusses self-pity and considers what to do when we or others are struggling with it.   Related resources: How Precisely Can I Sort Out My Emotions? Part 4 | Blog post by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/how-precisely-can-i-sort-out-my-emotions-part-4-5/ The Poison of Self-Pity | Journal article by William P. Farley https://www.ccef.org/jbc_article/the-poison-of-self-pity/

In this episode Caleb discusses the topic of biblical counseling with Matt Haste (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) associate professor of biblical spirituality and biblical counseling at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. This conversation addresses questions like: What is biblical counseling? How does biblical counseling relate to discipleship in the local church? Does every church member, in a sense, have the responsibility to provide biblical counseling to others in need? How do the "one another" commands and "household codes" apply to biblical counseling? When should a pastor or professional get involved in counseling situations? What role do members, pastors, and professional counselors play in more complex situations? And more! Recommend Resources: Biblical Counseling Coalition: https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/ Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation: https://www.ccef.org/ David Powlison: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001JOTTKS/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=db60d702-4e99-4bbc-a177-d85883973f93 Edward Welch: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001H6QS02/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=df5207a0-5010-4345-a574-0ba0a49b28fe&store_ref=ap_rdr&ref_=ap_rdr Jeremy Pierre: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01CUP5OOE/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=8b5a4e4f-89ba-44f6-bba8-a7a11c75cbb9&store_ref=ap_rdr&ref_=ap_rdr Check out biblical counseling degree programs at SBTS: https://www.sbts.edu/

Alasdair Groves speaks with Collin Hansen about his new book, Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation, and the influences on Tim Keller, which included CCEF and David Powlison. Collin Hansen is the vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics.   Mentioned in the podcast: "Idols of the Heart and 'Vanity Fair'" | Journal article by David Powlison. Read it here for free: https://www.ccef.org/idols-heart-and-vanity-fair/

When we think about the state of the church today, the negatives often come to mind. While there is much to be grieved about and much change that needs to take place, there is much to be encouraged by when you look at how God is working through local churches around the world. Listen as Alasdair Groves considers some of the reasons not to give up on the church.   "The church has been through a thousand seasons where it's torn itself apart over the ages. But grace is always the center. God's love is always the center that draws his people back together. Let your eyes look for the ways where truth and hope and love and kindness and fellowship are gifts to you through your brothers and sisters, from Jesus himself."   Related resource: How Is the Church Doing at Caring for One Another? | Video by Ed Welch https://www.ccef.org/video/how-is-the-church-doing-at-caring-for-one-another/ The Local Church Is THE Place for Biblical Counseling | Blog post by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/local-church-place-biblical-counseling/

Show Open: Molly's discombobulated, 4yo woes.3:53 Titus makes breakfast sausage and our recipe/process.7:48: Breakfast sandwich eggs differences.9:25: Telegram group and show updates.11:00: One pot pasta dinner from last night.13:02: Nifty facts about pasta.14:10: Chicken update, ideas about feeding them, fertilizer.17:28: SNL references, casts, Chris Farley died at the age JR and Molly are now.21:25: Judo complications with one of our girls, character development, taking's seasons off.28:13 Molly shocks J.R. by watching someone else's kids!32:06: Conversations with our girls about friendships- mankind is built for relationship with other human beings.35:15: The challenge of being in relationship with others while recognizing that what we need is God -satisfaction in God alone.39:15: God using seasons of relationships to shape our hearts and open our eyes to other outsiders and changing our perspective.42:09: How to communicate these concepts to our kids.44:45 JR responds with a few thoughts.47:55: A David Powlison quote to close the show.Too Busy to Flush Telegram GroupGet $10 in Bitcoin! (Gemini App)Pique Tea - Referral Link (Website)49:33: Comments about Josh Butler's article removed article from TGC.54:23: Comments on the Chris Rock special comments on stuff that's worth ingesting.56:43: JR voices Playstation's new VR game, Zenith as the villain.

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What does it mean to “get over something”? After enduring a difficult situation, how do we know if we've processed it wisely? Listen as Alasdair Groves discusses some steps we can consider as we grieve and heal. Check out our free resource included with this podcast! Use the code “podcast” at checkout to receive your free article. “‘I'll Never Get Over It': Help for the Aggrieved” by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/shop/product/ill-never-get-help-aggrieved/

If Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, you could call these few weeks after Christmas the most *introspective* time of the year. This is a time when we can resolve to live with greater faith and purpose. And this should include our investing. We'll talk about that today with Jason Myhre. Jason Myhre is the executive director of the Eventide Center for Faith Investing, an educational initiative of Eventide Asset Management, and an underwriter of this program. The Bible tells us that the mercies of the Lord are new *every* morning (that's Lamentations 3:22-23). And if they're new every morning, how much more are the mercies of the Lord new with each new year we're granted life? On today's program, Myhre shares his own personal reflection and goal-setting exercise for us today. He says January is a great time for some personal assessment and goal-setting. ASSESSMENT AND GOAL-SETTING If you've ever done one of these new year assessments, you'll know that many of tools out there encourage us to break life down into different categories for reflection our finances, a category; our faith or spirituality, another category; our work goals; our family life; our health; fitness; recreation; hobbies; etc. Breaking things down like this into separate categories can be helpful in isolating parts of our lives for closer assessment and reflection, but it can also create divisions between our faith and parts of our lives, which are not really separate. For example, assessing our finances separate from our faith can lead us to miss the way in which financial decisions have very real moral and spiritual dimensions to them. Something I know Faith and Finance is all about. Faith should really be the lens through which we consider each area of our lives. And it's important to consider investing in this way. If we were to ask you to make a personal assessment of how well you think you're doing with your investing, where does your mind go? Most people's minds would go to things like, Am I saving *enough* for retirement?' That's the question that we're bombarded with in education on investing today. And we all feel behind and bad about it. Now, this is not a bad question to ask. And it can prompt spiritual reflection. Good stewardship after all involves planning, sacrifice, and diligence. And so that kind of question is not totally misguided. But still, there are other deeper, more incisive questions to consider. But even when we ask spiritual questions about our investments, sometimes we can still stay at the macro level. For example, if We were to ask you to do a spiritual assessment of your investing life, what would that bring to mind? For a lot of people, it would bring to mind questions about our vision for retirement whether we've bought too much into the mirage of the American dream of comfort and indulgence, and leisure. VALUES INVESTING It's also important to think about how our investments align with our values. Ben Nicka, one of the contributing authors at the Eventide Center for Faith amp; Investing, offers this investing examination: First, write down all your investments your stock investments, bonds, cash, or whatever and the rough percentage you have allocated to each. Next to each category, add a sentence detailing the rationale for the composition of your investments. For purposes of illustration, we'll share Ben Nicka's responses (with permission). Here is the list with corresponding rationales. ● Cash. 20%. Held at Synchrony Bank, which is convenient and pays high-interest rates. The 20% allocation is high but reflects skepticism about the markets and savings for a down payment. ● Stocks. 40%. Held primarily in low-fee index funds from The Vanguard Group. The rationale here is that index funds have generally shown to outperform most actively managed mutual funds on an after-fees, long-term, risk-adjusted basis. They are recommended for the average investor' by many investing experts, including Warren Buffet. ● Bonds. 20%. Held in mutual funds again managed by Vanguard. This allocation, perhaps high for Ben's age, again reflects his skepticism about the markets. ● And finally, a cash balance pension. 20%. Ben is very fortunate to have such a benefit at this employer. He has no knowledge or way to know how this pension is invested. What should be clear from Ben's investment illustration is the logic of his investments is clearly toward risk and return factors. But now, make a second list. On the second list, write down all your philanthropic investments, including the rationale, just like before with your investments. Again, we will offer Ben's own list, for illustration. ● Local church. 70% of giving. Ben says his local church plays an irreplaceable role in his family's and other families' lives and he is proud of his local church. ● The disadvantaged and unfortunate. 23% of giving. Here he gives to Open Hands Legal Services, which provides free legal representation in New York City, a city he has connections to, and pushes back on those using the law to abuse and exploit the needy. Also in this category is Jericho Ministries and Community Emergency Service, in Minneapolis, another city he's connected to, which provides goods and services to those in need, materially and spiritually. ● Another category. Giving to practical theology. 7%. This goes to Christian Counseling Education Foundation, which funds intellectual work and counseling in Philadelphia, and supported the work of one of Ben's favorite thinkers, Dr. David Powlison. ● And finally, a few miscellaneous gifts from bonus and tax returns. Which go to A House on Beekman, which serves children and families in South Bronx and a Christian formation center at the University of Minnesota called Anselm House. Now the introspective question is this. What do you notice when comparing the two lists and corresponding motives? It's clearly a very different thought process for each list. For Ben's philanthropic investments, he has a very detailed understanding of the activities of each organization he supports, and morally approves of, even boasts (in a good way I think) of their work, which he believes contributes to societal flourishing and justice. And if these organizations turned from their core convictions and commitments to serve, Ben conveyed that he would cease his investments. Now contrast that to his investments in stocks and bonds, etc. There he has no knowledge of the companies he is supporting, much less their activities. Why not? Because to invest in index funds is a passive approach to investing: he has handed over the ability to direct his investments to specific companies in favor of portfolios that track the broader markets more generally. Ben notes that his approach to equity and bond investing is also morally passive in that it entails simple indifference to the moral quality of the work performed by the companies he supports. His investment strategy considers only risk, return, and convenience. Notably, if he leaves his funds so invested until he retires, he will have supported the work of these unknown companies for nearly 50 years(!) without truly knowing or engaging with the inherent good or otherwise of their products and services or how they impact their customers, employees, suppliers, communities, or the environment reflecting simple indifference to the flourishing and justice (or their opposite) created and sustained by his investment. Again, these are his assessments. Ben's cash position invested in Synchrony Bank, boasts it is the largest provider of private label credit cards in the United States and that it also helps consumers finance clothing, jewelry, motorhomes, hobbies, and furniture. His cash holdings are being used for credit card and general consumer finance. Ben's personal conviction is that most credit card lending is morally reprehensible and along with nearly all consumer finance encourages unnecessary consumption. He was ignorant of the work his money at Synchrony was doing when he opened the account. However, when he did this assessment exercise, Ben noted that given the ease of discovering how his funds were being used, there is an air of moral culpability to his choice here. Hopefully this exercise reveals to us the difference between the way we choose our investments and the way we give our money to charitable causes. While it's appropriate and essential to consider risk and return for our investing decisions, the exercise also highlights a common blindspot with investing today. Namely that we often fail to consider the ways in which our investing has very real moral and spiritual dimensions. So, this assessment should lead us to ask ourselves, In this new year, how can my investing choices be guided more by my faith?' The goal of such an exercise is to get us to consider the ways in which our investing dollars are having an impact in the lives of our neighbors and the world, for better or for worse, through the specific businesses we support through our investments. And to desire to move our investing toward companies whose products and practices honor God and serve our neighbors and creation. You can get a copy of this investing worksheet exercise at faithandinvesting.com/faithfi. And you'll also find many other resources there for bringing your faith to your investing. On today's program, Rob also answers listener questions: ● How do you go about investing in a way that aligns with Christian values? ● How can you receive the Social Security benefits of a deceased spouse? RESOURCES MENTIONED: ● Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them to askrob@faithfi.com. Also, visit our website at faithfi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community, and even download the free FaithFi app. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

What is anger? Can anger be good? How can tell if I'm sinfully angry? Does God get angry? Pastor Matt answers all these questions and more as he and good pal Nathan continue our Understanding Emotions series.   Books mentioned: Good and Angry by David Powlison. Broken Down House by David Tripp.

Brad Brown is officially back this week! Two weeks ago, his wife Jordan gave birth to their daughter so Brad shares experiences from his first two weeks of Fatherhood. We also answer two emails from the email corridor! Make sure to email midweek@shadesvalley.org!   JM's Album Of The Week: beabadoobee - Beatopia Bradford's Book Club: Take Heart: Daily Devotions to Deepen Your Faith by David Powlison

Host Brian Salter, lead pastor at LMPC, is joined today by Caroline Scruggs, Women's Discipleship Director at LMPC. Together, they discuss a question that was submitted to Pillar and Ground podcast: How do we dwell in the house of the LORD to gaze upon his beauty? (Psalm 27:4)Resources mentioned in this episode:Bible Reading Plans - many options on a list from Ligonier MinistriesThe Bible Project - videos, podcast, app - exploring the Bible and theology - great for all agesMusic:The Corner Room - Scripture set to musicPoor Bishop Hooper - Psalms set to musicSeeds Family Worship - Scripture memory songs for kidsSlugs & Bugs - resources to share with children about life walking with JesusG.T. & the Halo Express -  100 Scriptures put to song (for kids)Books:Every Moment Holy (volumes 1 & 2) - mobile app also availableAuthors: John Piper, David Powlison, Ed WelchLMPC Resources:Prayer Resources"Further Up, Further In" - sermon discussion questions available each weekSpecial Guest: Caroline ScruggsHost: Brian SalterProducer: Ben WingardMusic arranged by David Henry and performed by David Henry and Hannah Lutz.To contact Pillar and Ground or to submit a question that you would like to hear addressed on a future episode, please email podcast@lmpc.org. 

“We do grieve, but we don't grieve without hope. Our grief is a hopeful grief. The losses we sustain and experience in this life are hope-filled because of Jesus, because we have a hope that transcends death itself. We have a God who is redeeming all of creation.”In the first episode of season 3, Alasdair Groves talks about how grief is not something to run from, be ashamed of, or try to get rid of, but grief is an invitation to worship God as the giver of every good gift.   Related resources: “Grief Undone: Walking through Grief alongside the Spirit” | Conference audio by Libby Groves https://www.ccef.org/shop/product/grief-undone-walking-grief-alongside-spirit/ “Is It Right to Feel Grief for What is Grievous?” | Blog post by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/it-right-feel-grief-what-grievous-part-2-5/ “What do I do when I can't seem to get over my grief?” | Video by Alasdair Groves https://www.ccef.org/video/what-do-i-do-when-i-cant-seem-to-get-over-my-grief/

RESOURCES:ESV Study Bible; The Gospel According to Mark by James R Edwards; The Cross of Christ by John R.W. Stott; Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament by Mark L. Strauss; On the Road with Saint Augustine by James K.A. Smith; Preaching For the Rest of Us by Robby Gallaty and Steven Smith; The God who goes Before You by Michael S. Wilder and Timothy Paul Jones; bibleoutlines.com; blueletterbible.org; ‘Pray Beyond the Sick List' article by David Powlison

1. Understanding mental disorder diagnoses. 2. Understanding the stigma surrounding mental illness. 3. The dangers of mental disorder diagnoses. 4. Finding confidence in the truths of Scripture You can find David Powlison's article here.

"Anything that presses us forward towards each other with a desire to know the Lord and know his people and know how to love better is going to be helpful. Better to be thinking and reflecting more rather than less if you're doing it with love and humility and the desire for wisdom.” How do we think biblically about personality tests? Are they helpful, harmful, or potentially both? Does Scripture have anything to say about personality? In this episode, Alasdair Groves discusses these questions and more.   Related resources: “Personality Tests” podcast episode by Ed Welch: https://www.ccef.org/podcast/personality-tests/ “What does temperament have to do with biblical counseling?” video by David Powlison: https://www.ccef.org/video/what-does-temperament-have-do-biblical-counseling/ “Psychological Tests: Are You For or Against?” blog post by Ed Welch: https://www.ccef.org/psychological-tests-are-you-or-against/ “Describe a Person Well and You Win that Person” blog post by Ed Welch: https://www.ccef.org/describe-person-well-and-you-win-person/    

What is conversion therapy and how do we think biblically about it? How do we engage with and offer the hope found in Christ to those struggling with same-sex attraction, transgenderism, and other LGBTQ+ issues? How do we navigate our role as disciplers in a world where the definition of “counselor” is increasingly broad? In this episode, Alasdair Groves discusses these questions and more through the lens of a biblical counselor.   With the release of this podcast, we are offering Mike Emlet's conference talk for free for a limited time! Just apply the coupon code "podcast" at checkout. “The Silence is Deafening: Understanding and Welcoming Those with Same-Sex Attraction” conference talk by Mike Emlet: https://www.ccef.org/shop/product/the-silence-is-deafening-understanding-and-welcoming-those-with-same-sex-attraction/   Check out other CCEF resources on these topics: “Gender Identity” podcast episode by David Powlison and Alasdair Groves: https://www.ccef.org/podcast/gender-identity/ “When Your Child Says ‘I'm Gay'” conference talk by Michael Gembola: https://www.ccef.org/shop/product/child-says-im-gay/ “Five Ministry Prioriites for those Struggling with Same-Sex Attraction” JBC article by Mike Emlet: https://www.ccef.org/shop/product/five-ministry-priorities-struggling-sex-attraction/ “A Recent Question I Was Asked About Homosexuality” blog by Ed Welch: https://www.ccef.org/question-i-was-recently-asked-about-homosexuality/

Hilary Morgan Ferrer, founder of Mama Bear Apologetics and author of Mama Bear Apologetics Guide to Sexuality, joins us today. Hilary shares her story of feeling called by God at a young age and her involvement in apologetics. She has a heart for equipping moms to guide their children as they wrestle with questions about Christianity and for encouraging women to study and get involved in the field of apologetics. In part two of our conversation with Hilary, we dive into discussing her book on sexuality.    Hilary Morgan Ferrer Show Notes – Part Two:  Mama Bear Apologetics  Mama Bear Apologetics Podcast  Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies by Hilary Morgan Ferrer  Mama Bear Apologetics Guide to Sexuality: Empowering Your Kids to Understand and Live Out God's Design by Hilary Morgan Ferrer  Strong Women Podcast 28. Living Faithfully with Dottie McDowell  Strong Women Podcast 9. Sexual Discipleship with Dr. Juli Slattery  Strong Women Podcast 84. What is the Purpose of Sex? with Dr. Juli Slattery - Part One  Strong Women Podcast 85. What is the Purpose of Sex? with Dr. Juli Slattery - Part Two  Strong Women Podcast 31. Our Bodies Proclaim the Gospel with Christopher West  Sex and the Supremacy of Christ by by John Piper, Justin Taylor, Ben Patterson, David Powlison, & R. Albert Mohler Jr.  Our Bodies Tell God's Story by Christopher West  The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman  Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain  A Practical Guide to Culture by Brett Kunkle and John Stonestreet  Ready Player One by Ernest Cline  Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis  Cold Case Christianity by Jim Wallace  Love Thy Body by Nancy Pearcey  Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier  Unprotected: A Campus Psychiatrist Reveals How Political Correctness in Her Profession Endangers Every Student by Miriam Grossman  Live Not by Lies by Rod Dreher  Cynical Theories by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay  Them Before Us by Katy Faust and Stacy Manning  Tactics by Greg Koukl  Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky  Overhauling Straight America article by Marshall Kirk and Erastes Pill  Join Strong Women on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/strongwomencc  Erin and her husband, Brett, run Maven which “exists to help the next generation know truth, pursue goodness, and create beauty, all for the cause of Christ.” Check out more about Maven here: https://maventruth.com/   The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what's happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women 

So one thing true for all of us is that we live within days that have a start and an end.  Seasons start and end (thank God); weeks start and end; and days start and end — and I'm convinced that the way we start and end each day matters. Again, this is not about whether we do this (we all do this) what matters is how we do this — how we start and end each day. And this morning's passage in Galatians Chapter 2, I think helps us.  Because this passage is all about getting “the truth of the gospel” crystal clear. The first thing Paul does here in verses 15–16 is he explains the truth of the gospel; and then in the few verses that follow he shows us how the truth of the gospel reorients everything about our lives. And so for the sermon today, this is what we're looking at. There are two parts: Gospel Explanation (verses 15–16) Gospel Reorientation (verses 19–21) Before we get started, let's ask again for God's help: Father in heaven, we are gathered here now, with your Word open before us, and all your saints together ask, by the power of your Spirit, speak to us and show us the glory of your Son. We ask in his name, amen.  Part One: Gospel Explanation (verses 15–16) So we're going to pick up in verse 15, but in terms of where we are in the Book of Galatians, this week just continues what we saw last week when our brother Paul confronted our brother Peter in Antioch.  For the Galatians and Us If you look at your Bible you'll see that back in verse 14 that there are quote marks around the sentence that Paul said to Peter. Paul said to Peter (or Cephas) in verse 14: [Quote]: If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews? … Now in some English translations, the quote marks end there at verse 14, but I think Paul's actual quote continues through verse 21. So we're gonna pick up in verse 15 today, but just know that this is part of what Paul started in verse 14. Paul is saying all this to Peter — although Paul also means to be saying this to the Galatians. Okay, don't think that just because this is what Paul said to Peter, that he's merely transcribing it here, rather he's saying what he said to Peter for the Galatians' benefit. Paul is telling the Galatians — and us — what he said to Peter for our sake. Back to the Confrontation And what Paul is saying, again, goes back to last week: It's that a person is saved not by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Faith in Jesus alone, plus nothing else is how we are saved.  Because remember there's a controversy going on here: There were some “false brothers” — or some “troublers” — who had been telling the Christians in Galatia that in order to really be saved, in order to really be part of the people of God, faith in Jesus was not enough, but you also had to keep Jewish law.  The false teachers were saying: Yes, trust in Jesus, but also, for the men, you need to get circumcised like Jewish men, and you need to abide by Jewish dietary laws and so forth.  They said that: faith in Jesus is important and necessary, but you also have to do these other things. They were teaching a “Jesus plus something else” heresy.  And the apostles struck this down.  The apostles, together in Jerusalem, in verses 1–10, they were united in their rejection of this false teaching. The apostles confirmed the truth of the gospel, that Gentiles don't have to become like Jewish people in order to be saved because you are saved by faith in Jesus alone plus nothing else.  And it's because Peter's behavior suggested something different, that Paul confronts him. Verse 14:  Peter, you're Jewish and live like a Gentile [which means he lives like he's not bound to Jewish law.] And therefore, don't force Gentiles to live like their Jewish. And Paul's going to expand what he means here in verses 15 and 16. Focusing on Verses 15–16 These two verses are one long, amazing sentence, and I'm gonna read the whole thing first, and then we'll slow down and look at each part. Verse 15, Paul is continuing here what he's saying to Peter … he says: Peter, we ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet knowing that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.  Okay — have any of you ever read a book or had a class on public speaking? [Okay, you'll get this.] There's an old adage in public speaking advice that goes: “Tell them what you will say, say it, tell them what you said.” [Anybody heard that?] That whole idea is basically what Paul is doing here. It feels like he's being super redundant, but let's slow down and look at the pieces, and I think there are three things we need to see in order to track with Paul. [The first is that …] 1. We need to understand the justification metaphor.   Now last week and so far today I've been using the word “saved.” We are saved by faith in Jesus plus nothing else. And that's a good Bible word. Paul uses that word in other places, but you'll see the word that Paul uses here is “justified.”  Now to be “saved” or “justified” mean the same thing — they're getting at the same idea — but they are different metaphors or images. To be “saved” means you're trapped in a house that's on fire, so somebody runs in, takes you, and brings you out. They rescue you. They save you. We get that. Well to be justified is a law-court metaphor. Did anybody in here used to watch Judge Judy or any court TV?  I think we all can probably imagine a court room.  There's always at least a judge and a defendant, and the judge issues a verdict on the defendant, who is a person with charges against them. The climatic moment of a court-room is when the judge pronounces the defendant either guilty or not guilty. Or you could say: either guilty or justified.  To be “justified” means to be declared “in the right.” To be justified is to be declared righteous — and theologically, for God to justify us it means that God is the Ultimate Judge and we're in his court with charges against us and he declares that we are righteous. For God to justify us means that he says we are right with him.  That's what Paul is talking about here. This is about: how can we be right with God? 2. The answer to how we can be right with God is the same answer for everybody. In verse 15, Paul starts with the common ground of his and Peter's Jewishness. Paul and Peter were both by nature, by birth, ethnically Jewish. Which means they were not “Gentile sinners.”  Remember, in the ancient world, within the Jewish mindset, there were just two categories of people: There was Jewish people and was everyone else — and everyone else was called the “nations,” or “Gentiles,” or a lot of times just simply “sinners.” The word “Gentile” and “sinner” were interchangeable. And Paul is saying:  Hey, Peter, we know that we're Jewish. We know that we're in this category of people (not that category of people), but we also we know that being in this category is not what makes us right with God. It's not by works of the law. Now when Paul says “works of the law” he means any and every kind of Old Testament law-keeping. This is what makes a Jewish person a good Jewish person. And Paul says, We know that's not what justifies us. And in fact, law-keeping, works-doing is not what justifies anybody.  Skip to the last sentence of verse 16 (right before verse 17) and notice Paul repeats, “because by works of the law no one will be justified.” Well, when Paul says this, he's actually quoting from Psalm 143, verse 2, when David prays to Yahweh: Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous [or justified] before you. And the “no one” is put strongly here. It means no human flesh. No humankind. Paul gets this from the Old Testament because the evidence is there: being Jewish does not make you right before God. Keeping Mosaic law doesn't do it. Sacrifices and offerings and all the most genuine acts of religious devotion does not do it. But everybody, Jewish and Gentile, can only be right with God the same way: not by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ,  That's what the apostles have confirmed; Paul and Peter have agreed: All peoples have in common their need for Jesus … and Paul and Peter, our brothers, this is something they knew firsthand.  3. Paul and Peter have embraced the necessity and sufficiency of faith in Jesus. This is really Paul's point in verse 16. It's not just that Paul and Peter shared the same conviction about faith in Jesus, but it's that they have acted on that conviction by they themselves putting their faith in Jesus and not their works.  One fascinating thing about this passage is that Paul stays away from theoretical and he gets practical and personal.  Look at how practical he gets here. We can see this in the language. In the Greek, the noun for “faith” and the verb for “believe” are the same words. We have words like this in English too. For example, take the word “trust.”  “Trust” is a noun and a verb with the same meaning. And this is a small thing, but I think hearing the sameness of the words in verse 16 will help bring this together for us. So I'm gonna put verse 16 in a paraphrase and I'm gonna use the word “trust”  — because I want you to hear the sameness in English. Paul says: Peter, because we know that even Jewish people like us are not justified by works but through trust in Jesus, we have trusted in Jesus. Because we know we can only be right with God by trusting Jesus, we trust Jesus.  See! Paul is saying: Look, we don't merely affirm this; we don't merely agree with this; but we are banking everything on this truth. Our background does not matter.  And we know that Paul, from his other letters like Philippians, he was a fantastic law-keeper. Paul was an outstanding Jewish religious person. And he said none of that matters.  Hey, Peter, look! All of our eggs are in the faith-in-Jesus basket.  Which means that faith in Jesus is not just necessary for justification, but it's also sufficient. And those are the two words that I think are central to Paul's explanation of the gospel here. It's the two words necessity and sufficiency. Faith in Jesus is necessary and sufficient for justification. In other words, contra the false teachers: what goes for everyone, Jewish and Gentile, is that faith in Jesus is not just needed to be justified, but faith in Jesus is enough to be justified.  And that changes everything. And Paul knows it.  Which is why Paul now goes from explaining the truth of the gospel to showing how it reorients everything about how we live.  And this is Part Two of the sermon. We're going from Gospel Explanation to Gospel Reorientation, and what I wanna do here is a little bit different. Part Two: Gospel Reorientation (verses 17–21) My hope is to make what Paul is saying here very practical for us. So we're gonna work through verses 17–21, but I'm going to summarize what Paul is saying in the form of three resolutions in the first-person. And I'm saying these as resolutions partly because I've been reading Jonathan Edwards and he loved some resolutions; but also, as resolutions in the first-person, these are things that I want you to take and embrace for yourself.  These resolutions are truths (and opportunities) that I want you to remind yourself all the time. Put these on your fridge or in your car or wherever. These are practical things to take with us. Make sense? Okay here's the first: #1. Resolved, I can do nothing to contribute to my justification because God gets the glory, not me. Look at verse 17. In verse 17 Paul is answering an accusation from the false teachers. Remember in the Jewish mindset, there are two categories of people: Jewish and then Gentile/sinner. [Right? Got it?] Okay, so track with me: the false teachers were saying that if you listen to Paul and embrace that you're justified by faith in Jesus alone so that you stop the works of the law, to stop the works of the law is to no longer be Jewish, but it's to be like a Gentile sinner.  So they're saying that when Jewish people believe the gospel that Paul preaches it actually moves them from the Jewish category to the sinner category, and therefore Jesus is just making more sinners in the world. That was their thinking.  And Paul says No, first, your whole dichotomy is wrong. We're all sinners.  And in fact, now, Pauls says, if I go back to relying on the works of the law for my justification, that's actually what makes me to sin.  See, Paul turns the tables! Faith in Jesus is not what moves us into “the category of sinner,” but now it's that, because we have believed in Jesus, WE SIN if we go back to relying on the law. That's verse 18, and then 21. In verse 21, Paul understands that if he has contributed to his justification in any way, it nullifies the graces of God. It empties the grace of God of its power.  And this is something for us to nail down and get clear in our hearts. The question is: Did GOD save me or did God help ME save myself? Like, did God bring me 90% of the way, but then the last 10% is my part? Or is it 99% faith in Jesus, and the last 1% is my law-keeping?  Well, Paul would say that if that's the case — even if it's 99 and 1 — that invalidates God's grace altogether (Paul will say more about this in Chapter 5, but it's already clear in verse 21). If we could be justified in any way by the law, it means the death of Jesus was pointless. Because it would mean that Jesus's death was not enough to save you. Basically this would make the gospel of Jesus not a gift, but a coupon.  Okay, so Melissa and I, by God's grace, we've been married for 15 years, and over the years, for Christmas and birthdays and anniversaries, I've been able to get her some really good gifts, I think. But also in that stretch of time I've gotten her some not-so-good gifts. You live, you learn. And so, for some of you younger guys, you can just take this as marriage advice: giving someone a coupon as a gift is not a gift.  Any of you ever seen a person unwrap a coupon? See, I've been there. At one point you thought this was a good idea, until you see it being unwrapped and you're like, Oh … Now it might have been a good try. It could be a decent head-start. Because that's all a coupon can be.  Look, we need to know that the death and resurrection of Jesus was not a coupon. When the Son of God was slain for you, when nails were driven through his hands and feet, and the wrath of God that you deserved was poured out on him; when Jesus died in your place, he died to save you all the way AS A GIFT — which is what faith represents as the empty-handed embrace of that gift.  If we come to the cross of Jesus and we think that it only partially saves us, if we think that we still gotta do this part on our own — if we make the cross a coupon — it actually makes the death of Jesus pointless and it dishonors him. I hope that you can see here that what's at stake is the glory of God.  If we have contributed anything to our justification it means that we should get credit for it. It would mean that God does not get all the glory, but we some too. Even if it's just 1%. It would mean that we get glory too. I mean, can you imagine meeting Jesus one day, and standing before him face to face, and saying to him, I'm here because we worked together …? And yet every time here and now that we act like our performance or our works contributes to our justification, we are acting like we will say that to Jesus one day. You're in a fantasy land.  God gets all the glory. Hey! Hey. He gets it all.  God has determined that in the gospel, in every way, he is the only one who saves us so that he is the only one who gets the glory. And even our faith as the empty-handed receiving of Jesus, that too is not our own doing, but it is the gift of God so that no one may boast (see Ephesians 2:8–9). We contribute nothing! Faith in Jesus alone is sufficient and we need to get that clear: Resolved, I can do nothing to contribute to my justification because God gets the glory, not me. Here's the second resolution: #2. Resolved, to love others freely and fearlessly. Now Paul doesn't address love head on in this passage like he'll do later, but I bring it up now because this answers a common objection to justification by faith. It's that: if we're justified by faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone, what is there left for us do? If we're not on the hook to contribute to our justification, what does that mean for the activity of the Christian life right now? Well, it means that we love others and we love them freely. One helpful way this has been explained, going back to the Reformers in the 16th century, is that we're justified by faith alone, but faith is never alone — in that, faith is productive and active. Martin Luther called it fides viva — “living faith.” The faith in Jesus that alone justifies us becomes a power plant of righteous energy expressed through love, and the love is expressed freely because it's not what I must do in order to be saved, but it's what I get to do because I am saved. Our love is not driven by compulsion, but it flows from freedom. To get more practical here, in the next 12 hours we all are going to come upon opportunities to love others. And when you encounter that opportunity, and you're trying to decide whether you should step into it or not, just know that you are not being asked to justify yourself; it is not a demand with your eternal soul at stake; but it really is an opportunity where your love might Flow, Freely, from the Fact that you are justified by faith in Jesus alone. We can love freely, but also fearlessly. … I think one of the biggest hurdles to loving others is not distraction or indifference, but it's the fear of how it will be received. We fear repercussions — like what if this person doesn't receive this act of love? What if somehow this goes sideways and it backfires on me? Or, here in America, what if I get criticized?  Criticism from others — disapproval, disparagement — that fear, I think, is one of our main barriers to love. Basically, it's the risk that others might think badly of you. And just want you to know that the answer to that risk is justification by faith in Jesus alone.  Because justification by faith in Jesus alone means that we believe the worst and best thing that someone could say about us has already been said.  This is an insight from the late David Powlison (and I mentioned it to our men last week). It's that at the cross the worst thing that could be said about you was said, by Jesus: it's that you are so sinful, you are so guilty, you are so incompetent to save yourself that it requires the death of the Son of God — nothing worse could be said about us, right?  But also, nothing better could be said about us. Because it's not just that you're so sinful that Jesus had to die, but it's that you're so loved that Jesus willingly died. You are loved by Jesus. You are loved by Jesus so much that he gave himself for you. What could there ever be said about you that is better than that? See, Christian … the worst and best things have already been said about you, by Jesus, and if we really believe that, it means we are … untouchable. It means that we look at people and think (or say):  Your potential scorn cannot touch me because of the gospel. So, I will love you fearlessly as an effect my justification by faith.  Resolved, to love others freely and fearlessly.  And finally, … #3. Resolved, to live not I, but Christ in me. First, verse 19: For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.  This is the fundamental reorientation. The way I used to live, enslaved to the law as my hope for righteous, that's over. It's dead to me. I'm dead to it, so that I might be alive to God. Now what does that mean? How's that look? This is verse 20.  And I've tried to save the best for last here in verse 20. And many of you might know this verse, and I just wanna stop for a minute to say that I'm amazed I get to preach this to you. The very fact that I get to stand here right now and say this is because it's true. Hear the word of Lord, Galatians 2:20,  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Do you see it? I'm alive right now. I'm living right now. Christian, you're living right now. But it's not us, it is Christ living in us.  This activity — all this that we do here, in our skin and bones, this life — it is lived by faith in Jesus. Our lives are the empty-handed receiving of Jesus's power. Don't think “I'm living for Jesus!” Jesus lives in you and through you.  Do you know what is pulsing through my veins right now? You can call it blood, OR you can call it grace! I'm not kidding you. Right now, in this moment, Jesus Christ, the Son of God is living in me. He's living in you. Because it's Jesus, the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I mentioned earlier that in this passage Paul stays away from theoretical, but he's practical and personal. And well, here is the personal part. Which doesn't mean sentimental. This is a fact, man. Paul is stating the fact of Jesus's love for him, which is seen in that Jesus gave himself for Paul. Paul says he loved me! He died for me! And Paul knows that Peter can say the same thing. And he know that you, Christian, you can say the same thing — you must say the same thing. Everyday.  Because everyday has a start and end, and the way you start and end matters, and there is not a better way to start and end your day than to remember that Jesus loves you and that he died for you, and that the life that you're living now — this waking life, this resting life — it is Jesus alive in you. Resolved, to live, not I, but Christ in me. And that's what brings us to this Table. The Table Because at this Table, as we take the bread and cup, we remember and demonstrate our union with Jesus by faith. We are saying that indeed, all of my hope is in Jesus. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. If that's your confession, your hope, if you trust in Jesus, let's eat and drink together. His body is the true bread. His blood is the true drink.

In a world where information is at our fingertips and there seems to be an 'expert' around every corner, where do we turn when things go wrong? How do we find help for our anxieties, fears, and struggles? Is it really a good enough answer to say, "Read your Bible more?" Check out "The Pastor as Counselor" by David Powlison

Esta es la segunda de dos partes donde David Powlison analiza 4 hilos que se entrelazan en el Salmo 119. El primero tiene que ver con afirmaciones acerca de Dios. El segundo aborda las luchas de una persona (internas y externas). El tercero reconoce los gritos de honesta necesidad. Finalmente el cuarto, denoa las expresiones de convicción y deleite. APOYA NUESTRO MINISTERIO EN PATREON https://www.patreon.com/alesura Instagram https://www.instagram.com/alesura/ y https://www.instagram.com/stefanfelizkent Twitter: www.twitter.com/alesura

Esta es la primera de dos partes donde David Powlison analiza 4 hilos que se entrelazan en el Salmo 119. El primero tiene que ver con afirmaciones acerca de Dios. El segundo aborda las luchas de una persona (internas y externas). El tercero reconoce los gritos de honesta necesidad. Finalmente el cuarto, denoa las expresiones de convicción y deleite. APOYA NUESTRO MINISTERIO EN PATREON https://www.patreon.com/alesura Instagram https://www.instagram.com/alesura/ y https://www.instagram.com/stefanfelizkent Twitter: www.twitter.com/alesura

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION “To rejoice is a command, yes, but there is all the difference in the world between rejoicing and being happy. You cannot make yourself happy, but you can make yourself rejoice, in the sense that you will always rejoice in the Lord. Happiness is something within ourselves, rejoicing is ‘in the Lord'. Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?” ~Martin Lloyd-Jones, 20th Century preacher and author of a classic of pastoral care, Spiritual Depression “Our self help culture is preoccupied with ‘self-talk', with your inner-monologue. Does what you say cheer you up or tear you down? Are you consciously self-affirming or obsessively self-critical?...But [God's Word] gets you out of the monologue business entirely. It gets you about the business of a living dialogue with the person whose opinion finally matters.” ~David Powlison, Pastoral theologian and author with CCEF (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation) “Causeless depression cannot be reasoned with, nor can David's harp charm it away by sweet discoursings. As well fight with the mist as with this shapeless, undefinable, yet all-beclouding hopelessness. I note that some whom I greatly love and esteem, who are, in my judgment, among the very choicest of God's people, nevertheless, travel most of the way to heaven by night. No sin is necessarily connected with sorrow of heart, for Jesus Christ our Lord once said, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.' There was no sin in Him, and consequently none in His deep depression.” ~Charles H. Spurgeon, 19th Century English preacher and longterm struggler with depression [Notes from a senior demon to an apprentice tempter in the novel, The Screwtape Letters] “Do not be deceived...Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.” “Not that I am (I think) in much danger of ceasing to believe in God. The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about him. The conclusion I dread is not ‘So there's no God after all,' but ‘So this is what God's really like. Deceive yourself no longer.'” ~C. S. Lewis, 20th century Oxford professor and author (his works include Narnia and Mere Christianity) SERMON PASSAGE Psalm 88 (NIV) 1 LORD, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you. 2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. 3 I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. 4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. 5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care. 6 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. 7 Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. 8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape; 9 my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, LORD, every day; I spread out my hands to you. 10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do their spirits rise up and praise you? 11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? 12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion? 13 But I cry to you for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14 Why, LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me? 15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death; I have borne your terrors and am in despair. 16 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me. 17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me. 18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor— darkness is my closest friend.

Finalizamos el artículo de David Powlison

Have you ever tried talking to someone who casts reason aside in favor of caps locks and CoNdEsCeNdInG texts? Perhaps you're that person and could use a little help? In this episode Justin and Jesse tackle the topic of emotionalism and reinforce the idea that emotions can be indicative, but not determinative. Well, what are you waiting for? Have at it!RESOURCES & LINKSMama Bear Apologetics now has both a book and a study guide for groups. We heartily recommend both.A fantastic book on anger is Good & Angry by David Powlison. Winston Smith and Alasdair Groves wrote another great book called Untangling EmotionsNew Growth Press has these short little devotionals on Anger, Sorrow, and Anxiety that we've found to be very helpful.

In this episode we discuss the subject of whether or not the Bible addresses issues like trauma, raising teenagers, and unemployment. Resources cited in this episode include: David Powlison, How Does Sanctification Work? David Henderson, Culture Shift: Communicating God's Truth to Our Changing World How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Fee and Stuart

Kelly and Gus have a conversation on emotions, exploring what they are, where they're from, and how they help us pursue Christ.  See these other helpful resources mentioned at the end of the episode: Untangling Emotions, Alasdair Groves and Winston Smith True Feelings, Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Mahaney Running Scared, Ed Welch Good and Angry, David Powlison

REFLECTION QUOTES“Too often our practical view of sanctification, discipleship, and counseling takes the short view…We love gazelles. Graceful leaps make for a great testimony to God's wonderworking power. And we like steady and predictable. It seems to vindicate our efforts at making the Christian life work in a businesslike manner. But, in fact, there's no formula, no secret, no technique, no program, and no truth that guarantees the speed, distance, or time frame. On the day you die, you'll still be somewhere in the middle, but further along. When we lengthen the battle, we realize that our business is the direction. God manages to work His wonderworking glory in and through all of the above scenarios!”~David Powlison“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”~A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”~Psalm 42:5“God says, ‘Here is one, if he could be rid of this lust I should never hear of him more; let him wrestle with this, or he is lost.' Astonishing! God ordains to leave a lust with me till I become the sort of warrior who will still seek his aid when this victory is won. God knows when we can bear the triumphs of his grace.”~John Owen, Overcoming Sin and Temptation“Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problem of yesterday, etc…Now this man's treatment [in Psalm 42] was this; instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself, ‘Why art thou cast down, O my soul?' he asks. His soul had been repressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says: ‘Self, listen for a moment, I will speak to you'. Do you know what I mean? If you do not, you have but little experience. The main art in the matter of spiritual living is to know how to handle yourself. You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself…”~Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and CuresSERMON PASSAGEPsalm 42 and 43 (NIV)Psalm 421 As the deer pants for streams of water,so my soul pants for you, my God.2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.When can I go and meet with God?3 My tears have been my food day and night,while people say to me all day long,“Where is your God?”4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul:how I used to go to the house of Godunder the protection of the Mighty Onewith shouts of joy and praiseamong the festive throng.5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?Why so disturbed within me?Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,my Savior and my God.6 My soul is downcast within me;therefore I will remember youfrom the land of the Jordan,the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;all your waves and breakers have swept over me.8 By day the Lord directs his love,at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.9 I say to God my Rock,“Why have you forgotten me?Why must I go about mourning,Oppressed by the enemy?”10 My bones suffer mortal agonyas my foes taunt me,saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?Why so disturbed within me?Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,my Savior and my God.Psalm 431 Vindicate me, my God, and plead my causeagainst an unfaithful nation.Rescue me from those who aredeceitful and wicked.2 You are God my stronghold.Why have you rejected me?Why must I go about mourning,oppressed by the enemy?3 Send me your light and your faithful care,let them lead me;let them bring me to your holy mountain,to the place where you dwell.4 Then I will go to the altar of God,to God, my joy and my delight.I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?Why so disturbed within me?Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,my Savior and my God.

The Human Heart is a Perpetual Idol Factory So turn in your Bibles 1 Corinthians 10, we continue our study in this marvelous book, looking this morning at verses 14 through 22. In the year 2011, I was on a mission trip to Nepal, a fulfillment of a lot of dreams I had from early in my Christian life, I always had a heart for Nepal. Prayed for an unreached people group in Nepal for 10 years. And then the door opened, there was an opportunity for me to go on a mission trip. And we were there in the capital city of Kathmandu and we were at a restaurant, kind of open air restaurant waiting for lunch, and I heard the repetitive tap-tap-tap of hammer on metal. I thought we were near an auto body shop because I also saw the bluish glow of an acetylene torch. And as I mentioned those sites and sounds, the missionary that we are with says it's not an auto body shop, that's an idol factory. It's a Buddhist kingdom there, that mountainous kingdom, and there are statues of Buddha everywhere. They are manufactured continually. There's a big trade in idols there in Kathmandu. And it was hard to believe and it was actually kind of hard to keep eating my meal as we continued to hear the sounds of these idols being fashioned. But as I look back on that experience, I think about another thing that I read once and it was written by John Calvin in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, 16th century reformer in Geneva, said this very famously, "The human heart is a perpetual idol factory." The human heart is a perpetual idol factory. Now, we don't eat our meals near idol factories, hearing the tap-tap-tap of hammer on metal or other sounds of that kind of physical construction of our idols. Our very hearts are fashioning, continually fashioning the idols that are bringing us spiritual torment. We're making them ourselves. As we come this morning to 1 Corinthians 10:14-22, we're coming to as clear a command as you're gonna find in the New Testament on this matter. Flee idolatry, flee idolatry. I fear that many of us Americans think, "Well that's obsolete, we don't have to worry about that. At least in this culture, we don't make metal or stone or wood idols and bow down to them." That whole process seems as alien to us as Kathmandu itself, perhaps. So we think, perhaps that we're exempt from this command, but we're not. The idols of our hearts are tormenting us far more than we think they are. My desire, my prayer, as you just heard a moment ago and been praying, is that God would open the eyes of our hearts to see the idols that are troubling us. This has always been an issue with the human race. Therefore, the first two of the 10 Commandments have to do with this issue. Exodus 20:2-5, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above, or in the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God." God knew very well that He made us to worship Him. He made us for worship, we were crafted in our minds and hearts to worship. And if we do not worship the true God in the true way, in the biblical way, we will most certainly be guilty of false worship. We will worship an idol. We're not going to worship nothing. We will worship a God substitute if we do not worship the true God. Now, like I said, our idols are not generally made of wood, iron, bronze, marble, stone, gold or silver, shaped into some symbolic statue before which we bow. I saw that in Japan and their Shinto religion and I saw people going to shrines and clapping to get the deity's attention before they would pray. I've seen that in India, their idols, their statues, gods and goddesses by the thousands in Mumbai and Pune. And I've seen them with my own eyes in some of the most grotesque shapes you can imagine with all kinds of history behind it. I've seen all that. But we have idols and they torment us, they tempt us. Whatever dominates your mind, whatever engrosses the very core of your being, if it's not the triune God, if it's not the Father, Son, and the Spirit, it is a created thing. It is an idol. What you live for. What you cannot live without. That's what we're dealing with. In this sermon we're going to come face-to-face with the essential reason, frankly, why all of us engage in habitual sin. Behind all habitual sin is some idol somewhere. Now, if you look in the Old Testament, again and again when the godly kings and rulers and prophets would expose idolatry, they went on some wrecking expedition like Josiah, he was a wrecking ball. And God has been in the business of just toppling idols, just destroying them. Think about Dagon, remember when the Ark of the Covenant went into the Philistine land and was put in the temple to show the triumph of Dagon over the God of the Israelites, and how that statue fell down, and they thought it had just been toppled and it just needed some better hardware. Just nail it down a little bit better. And then the next day, it was basically broken to pieces. But why was the ark even there? It's because the Israelites worshipped the ark, thinking that if the ark was there, they wouldn't lose the battle. And so, even some Orthodox expressions of faith can become an idol if we worship what we think is the true God in a false way. Idolatry. I. The Urgent Command: Flee from Idolatry! (vs. 14) So we need to come face-to-face with this and take this seriously. And look right away at the urgent command, verse 14, "Therefore dear friends, flee from idolatry." Flee from idolatry. So now we need to understand the context, 1 Corinthians 8-10 is dealing with one main topic: Meat sacrificed to idols. The Apostle Paul had come to Corinth, a dark place, a pagan place, a wicked place, preached the gospel. He preached Christ and Him crucified. Some people were rescued out of the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of the beloved Son, and they forsook their idolatry, they forsook their pagan worship practices, became the Church of Jesus Christ there in Corinth. The Context Now, in 1 Corinthians 8, Paul addresses the talk of meat sacrificed to idols by addressing those that are stronger, more orthodox in their doctrine or further along in sanctification, who are flaunting their freedoms and just eating meat sacrificed to idols. And in so doing they were wounding the new consciences, the consciences of the relatively new converted people. And Paul is saying effectively in 1 Corinthians 8, don't do that. Love limits liberty. Yes, you have the freedom to eat but if your eating is causing a brother or sister to stumble, don't do it. Then in Chapter 9, he gives himself as an example. He says effectively, like he was going to say, "Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ." My example is I don't live for myself. Like take the issue of money. I could have gotten money for ministry, but I didn't do it, I didn't use that right, that privilege, so that I could preach the Gospel free of charge. And then just generally in my ministry, my ministry to the Greeks and to the Jews alike, I assess the situation and whatever is best for those people, Jew or Greek, I'm going to do, when it comes to amoral preferences. When it comes to food or clothing or mannerisms, I'm going to become a Jew to win the Jews. I'm going to become a Gentile to win the Gentiles. Again, not talking about immoral things but amoral preferences, I'm going to put my preferences behind me, I'm going to "become all things to all people so that by all possible means, I might save some." So I'll eat whatever they serve me, I will wear whatever clothes, I will take on mannerisms, I will become the missionary, I will do what I have to do to fit into their culture and win them. But then at the end of Chapter 9, I think he turns a corner. So, if you just remove the chapter divisions and just see the whole thing as an unfolding, I think he turns a corner when he talks about himself and he talks about running a race, and he says only those people that go into strict discipline win the race. They're the only ones. And so concerning myself, "I beat my body and I make it my slave, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified from the prize, for I don't want you to be ignorant" about the history of the Jews, and he goes right on into how the Jewish nation as a whole were rescued out of bondage, they were rescued out of slavery and they followed the pillar of cloud and they followed and went into the Red Sea and they were baptized, Paul says, into the Red Sea and they followed and they drank from the spiritual rock, and the rock was Christ. And so they're experiencing all of the trappings of that early version of Christianity effectively, but most of them never made it in the promised land. Their bodies were scattered all over the desert. So then if you go back to 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul says, "I'm worried about myself, I'm worried about my heart, I'm worried about idolatry." But Paul, you're an Orthodox Jew. Have you not read the history of idolatry in the Jewish nation? How the same combination of meat and sex and false gods and goddesses was extremely effective in destroying generation after generation of my forebearers? It wasn't just that first generation that fell into idolatry, and they did. And Paul talks about that very, very plainly. Look at verse 6 through 11, Chapter 10, "Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did." So that first generation of those that were rescued under Moses, they set their hearts on evil things, "Do not be idolaters as some of them were. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry. We should not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in one day, 23,000 of them died. We should not test the Lord as some of them did and they were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did, and they were killed by the destroying angel. Now, these things happened to them as examples, and they were written down as warnings for us on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come." So we read all those Old Testament stories about what idolatry did to the Jewish nation, all of the prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Elijah and Elisha that just railed against idolatry. And we who live in the 21st century American context, we think we're exempt, we don't have to worry about idolatry. Paul was worried about it, but, Paul, look at you, you're a holy man, you're a preacher of the Gospel. I know, but I have to walk by that temple grounds, I have to smell that meat, I have to see those temple prostitutes, I have to walk by that and don't think that I don't know that the seeds of my own destruction are in my own heart. And Paul writes about it, doesn't he? Romans 7, "For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." So Paul's saying there's a battle going on inside me. The Spirit wars against the flesh, the flesh against the Spirit. Galatians 5, that's going on inside me, Paul's saying. And so I beat my body and I make it my slave, so I won't be disqualified. And you Corinthians, you need to do the same. You may be one of the stronger ones, you may be one of the more mature ones but you're still under temptation. Look what he said, verse 12-13: "If you think you are standing firm, you better take heed lest you fall. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man." This is going on all over the world, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life, same menu, Satan is enticing you with these sins. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man, but God is faithful, He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but when you are tempted, he will also provide a way of escape so you can stand up under it." So that's the context. The Command: Run! So now let's look at the command, verse 14, "Therefore my dear friends, flee from my idolatry." Therefore, in light of all that I've been saying... Paul's epistles are very logical. He builds in arguments, he says in light of all of this, flee, flee from idolatry. And he says, "My dear friends," he uses a sweet tone with them, he loves them, they are his dear children. They have many guides and many teachers but they only had one spiritual father and in the gospel, he became their father by planting that church. He says he loves them and he calls them there his dear friends. They're beloved to him. Now, here's the simple verb, flee. Run for your lives. Run. It fits what he just said about temptation. God will... He's faithful. He won't allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but with the temptation will make what? A way of escape. What are you supposed to do with it? Take it. Run, get out the door, survive it, spiritually survive the temptation. Satan is going to spread a net for your feet. He's going to concoct a situation. It's a booby trap, it's on the path, get around it, get away from it, get out of it, go past it, so that you don't fall into what he has done, the trap he has set, flee. Now, Jesus said in the Lord's Prayer, "Lead us not into temptation," so don't be a fool and intentionally tempt yourself. You've fallen in certain areas and sinned before, don't set that up and do it again. So God, deliver us from the evil one. That's a better translation. We're used to deliver us from evil but it's literally deliver us from the evil one. Satan is intelligent, he is crafting temptation, so Lord, lead us not into temptation. Now, some temptations will seize you. They'll come upon you like an armed bandit back in the days of highway robbery. They seize you, they come upon you, and Jesus said, temptations are inevitable, they're going to come. Now woe to the one through whom they come, but they're going to come. In that situation, you need to fight, you need to stand firm by running. It's a weird image, isn't it? Stand by running. So in other words, you're still filled with the Spirit, you're still holy, you got past the moment, you got past the temptation, still walking with Jesus. Flee. That's what he's calling you to do. What is Idolatry? Now, the idolatry he's talking about here is that organized system of pagan religion, been worked out for centuries, and so they had a shrine, a temple, and they had offerings that were being offered, animals sacrificed to the gods and goddesses, and they would cook the meat and the priests would eat some of it, just like the Levitical priests, they had extra meat that would be sold in the meat market, we'll get to that, God willing, next week. So they have all this meat going on, it's just a carnival, that's literally what a carnival is, it's where flesh is being cooked. And the Corinthian Christians had to walk by this place, they knew it well, there was no way to get around it, they just had to walk by it to get to their homes or get to where they worked or different things they had to do in the city. And there it was, and they could smell it, and then they could see the temple of the shrine prostitutes, male and female. Maybe they knew some of those people by name, they knew them by name, and so he said, Look, that whole thing, the practice of bowing down... Like remember Daniel 3, when there was some kind of music, some weird kind of cacophonous music. Then everyone had to fall down and bow down to the golden statute. Daniel Chapter 3. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they wouldn't bow down. So there's this organized system of pagan religion. Flee that. Don't take part in that, but idolatry is much bigger than that. So what is idolatry? One writer gives this definition, worshipping anything other than the true God in the true way. I think it's a good definition. For me, probably the most significant biblical definition comes in Romans 1:25. You could turn and look there if you want, it's a key verse, Romans 1:25, or you can just listen, Romans 1:25 says, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served created things more than the Creator, who is forever praised. Amen." So there it is. To worship and serve a created thing, a creature, more than the Creator who is forever praised, that's idolatry. Any created thing that seizes our souls. Another clue comes in Colossians 3, where Paul calls greed idolatry. Says the same thing in Ephesians. A greedy person is an idolater. Now, the simplest way to think about greed is money. If you're just living for money, you're an idolater. So the Wall Street investor or the CEO of a startup company and all they think about all day long is their business and how to make money and market share and all that. That's idolatry. That's idolatry. It's seizing their mind and their heart. But so is someone that's addicted to Internet pornography, that person's an idolater. Or to hobbies, or other forms of pleasure, movies, Netflix, that kind of thing. What about smartphones? Someone asked me, "Do you think there's any chance that a smartphone could be an idol?" I was at an airport recently, and I looked around, took a kind of a simple poll of human beings sitting within eyesight of me. 90% of them were on smartphones. 90%. I'm like, "Wow. What has Steve Jobs wrought?" Now here we are, and we almost can't get through a day... And I've seen it, the infiltration into my own mind, to my own habits. I was at a conference and I was sitting there, and I was listening and it was marginally interesting. And then it wasn't so interesting. And so I'm reaching for my phone, and I'm checking my emails and I'm doing some stuff. Well, here's the thing with the smartphone, it's two things. They both begin with T. It's tool and toy. And the thing are just woven together. And I go from tool to toy and back to tool again. And I think, "Oh, I'm working. I'm being productive." I am sometimes. But the fact is it is an idol. And I proved it because of my behavior. I started to be like an addict. I'm like, "I'm not going to. All right. I'm not going to touch it." And then my hand, it just start to move. And I'd, "Stop it. Don't look. You don't need it. No one cares where you are and no one is texting you or emailing you. Forget it. And besides which, you're here to listen. So learn and listen and do that." It was amazing what I had to do. I was ready to go across the room and hand it to a friend for like the next half hour just so I could focus. Well, all humor aside, the fact of the matter is indications of an idol. When you can't live without something. We humans were made to worship and serve. Now, the key thing then is created thing, I get it. Anything that is not the Triune God in this universe, in the spiritual realm or the physical realm, is a creature. That's the two great categories of being or essence there is in the world. There's God and everything else. Everything else is creature. Anything in that category that you put above God... Now here's where you have to understand what does it mean to worship and serve? We'll get to that. But it has to do with what consumes your mind and your emotions, your affections, the direction of your life, your stewardship decisions. We'll get to all that. And Paul's command is to flee. II. Reason #1: Christian Worship is Intimate Sharing with Christ (vs. 15-18) Then he gives some reasons. Reason number one, Christian worship is intimate sharing with Christ. Let's look at verse 15-17. "I speak as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." So he's talking here about Christian worship. Now he begins by reasoning with us. Paul is a very reasonable teacher of the Gospel. He reasons things out. There's a lot of logic in Paul's epistles. Now, all true religion begins with the mind. It begins with how you think. Paul's got to win the battle of the mind, the transformation of the mind by the Spirit, through the Word of God. That's how our religion changes. As you think differently, you'll live differently. So he says, "I speak as to sensible people." I'm speaking to reasonable people. Idolatry makes us fools. There's an essential foolishness to idolatry. As Romans 1:22-23 says, "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images." There's an essential foolishness, I believe Satan is mocking the human race by getting us to bow down before these kinds of statues, made to look like mortal man and animals and birds and reptiles. Look what he can make us do. Don't think that the Indian people and the people of Kathmandu and the people of Japan are idiots. But when they are worshipping idols, Satan has made them fools. He's made them foolish. And so also with us, with our idolatry. There's an essential foolishness to us. The Holy Spirit has come to rescue us from foolishness. Christ has become for us wisdom from God. He is our wisdom. He makes us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. So Paul urges them to think in verse 15, to reason it out. "I'm speaking to sensible people. Judge this for yourself." Then he goes to the essence of worship. And you may not know this. You may have underestimated this. Worship is a spiritual union with a deity. There's a fellowship we share with an invisible spiritual being. An intimate sharing with the deity. There is a mystical union. That's true of either true worship of the Triune God by the Holy Spirit, or it's true of pagan worship. There is a mystical union that's going on in worship. That's what Paul is saying here. When we worship Christ, we are intimately spiritually connected with Him. When pagans worship idols, they're intimately spiritually connected with the idol. Don't underestimate that intimate spiritual connection that's going on. The Spiritual Intimacy of the Lord’s Supper Look at the example he gives, the spiritual intimacy of the Lord's Supper, verse 16-17. "Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." So Paul reaches for a central or main element of Christian worship, the Lord's Supper. Now he's going to talk in much more detail about it in Chapter 11. We'll get to that. You're very familiar with those verses. We'll get to that. But now, he just briefly reaches for the Lord's Supper. And he's talking about that. And he says, "Behind the actual elements of bread and wine, there's a spiritual reality." And I'm going to talk about this in Chapter 11, but this is the essence of my view of the Lord's Supper. The bread is just bread, and the juice is just juice. But there is a spiritual reality through the Holy Spirit behind it that I yearn to tap into every time we participate in the Lord's Supper. It's not a bare memorial. It's not some empty ritual. For me, I expect to eat and drink spiritually in Christ, through the Spirit. I think you should too. But he's saying that is, I think, a proper view of the Lord's Supper. The spiritual union we have. Look at the word that he uses. A participation. The Greek word is Koinonia. It is a sharing, a sharing in the blood of Christ. It's a Koinonia, a sharing together in the body of Christ. It's the same thing that he said, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life…" And so he says plainly, "If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection." There's a spiritual mystical union between us and Jesus. That's what he's saying. So that's the first example. III. Reason #2: Pagan Worship is Intimate Sharing with Demons (vs. 19-20) Then he gives the second example of Jewish sacrifice. Look at verse 18. "Consider the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?" Now, the animal sacrificial system Paul knew was obsolete by then, but he's looking back at Jewish history. When the animal sacrifices were offered in a right way through the Spirit, there was a participation of the people together with the altar. Let me give a good example of this. And that's the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Remember that? And do you remember how that was essentially a sacrifice? Two altars, two animals sacrificed, and then they were crying out for Baal. And the one that answered with fire from heaven, "No, let Him be. He's the true God." And we know that Baal never answered. But then Elijah pours water on the thing, so like it's drenched in water. And then he prays a simple prayer, and then fire falls from heaven and consumes the sacrifice. Everything is just consumed. What happened to the people at that moment? They all fell down and said, "The Lord, He is God." The Lord, He is God. It was really like a spiritual fire fell from heaven to their hearts and God was turning the idolatrous people of Israel back to worship Him and love Him. So that is a participation in the actual sacrifice. There was a physical fire on the altar, there was a spiritual fire that came in their hearts. That's what Paul means in verse 18. Then he goes to a second and deeper thing. And this is something perhaps you didn't know. But behind every false religious system, there is a demonic reality, a demonic presence. Look what he says in verses 19 and 20. "Do I mean then that the sacrifice offered to an idol is anything or an idol is anything? No. But the sacrifice of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons." So there is actually a real spiritual presence in all false worship. There is a demonic reality behind it. Now, Paul has to address the earlier basic teaching that we got in Chapter 8, Verse 4. "We know that an idol is nothing and that meat offered is just meat." Yeah well that's not the complete truth. An idol, a physical idol is just physical stuff. There's nothing there. But behind it is a demon. So, Zeus, Aphrodite, Venus, Hermes, Apollo, they don't exist. But there are demons that impersonate gods and goddesses, so to deceive people and lead them into false worship. It's demonic. Now, this is taught in the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy 32, The Song of Moses. Amazing, prophetic. It was a prediction before the Jews ever entered the Promised Land. Let me tell you what's going to happen to you in the future. I'm going to teach you a song. Songs are easy to remember. So he says ahead of time what's going to happen. This is Deuteronomy 32:15-18. "Israel made God jealous with their foreign gods and angered Him with their detestable idols." This is Deuteronomy 32 verse 17. "They sacrifice to demons, which are not God. Gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear. You deserted the rock who fathered you, you forgot the God who gave you birth." And you worship demons. Well, he said this ahead of time. This is exactly what they were going to go into the Promised Land and do. When they worshipped Baal, and Moloch, and Ashtoreth and all that. They weren't real, but the demons behind them were. I believe all false... This teaches effectively, all false religions in the world have a demonic origin. Think about Acts 19. Remember the Shrine or the Temple of Artemis of the Ephesians, remember that? Do you know the origin of that was something supernatural? It was an image of the goddess that fell from heaven. And you're like, "Well it's nothing. It was a meteorite." It's like the face of a goddess on a tortilla or something like that, and they see there it is, and it gets framed and put up. Or I don't know what it was, but there was something supernatural that fell. And they built a whole world-famous temple around it. I think this is an indication of the supernatural origin of false worship, false religion. Islam, I believe, is the same way. In the year 610 AD, Muhammad went into a cave and had an overpowering encounter with the supernatural being who he later identified as the angel Gabriel. And this powerful being seized him physically and shook him and basically effectively beat him up. And in the end, after a number of encounters, commanded him to recite. That's where the word Koran came from, and that's where the Koran had its origin in that supernatural encounter with, he believes, an angel of light. But we know from 2 Corinthians that even Satan can masquerade as an angel of light. Well what about Mormonism? Joseph Smith, the originator of that false religion, that false cult, had an encounter with an angel called Moroni. And he told him that there were these gold plates in a hill Cumorah in upstate New York and reciting from that gave us, gave the world the Book of Mormon. I think it's quite possible that there was a real supernatural encounter between a demon and Joseph Smith. And I think that this is true of all false cults and false world religion, religious system. All of them. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Shintoism. All of it. All of these false religious systems from this text, I would say, have demonic origin. There's a supernatural power behind them. IV. Reason #3: Idolatry Provokes the Lord to Jealousy (vs. 21-22) Reason number three, verse 21-22. Idolatry provokes the Lord to jealousy. Verse 21-22, "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too. You cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than He?" God will not share His bride with another. He is jealous still. His name is jealousy still. There's an exclusive love He has for the hearts of His people and He will not share you with demons and He will not share you with idols. Deuteronomy 32:21 says, "They made me jealous by what is no God, they angered me with their worthless idols." And then he says very powerfully, "Are we stronger than He?" Like the black preacher said years ago, "Your arm is too short to box with God." You don't want to take God on. You don't want to make Him jealous. For jealousy burns like a fire in the heart of the lover. And He will be jealous over us. The Spirit that He put to live in us is jealous over us, Peter says or James says. And so He will not share us with idols. V. Our 21st Century Applications Alright, so what about our 21st century applications? Well, it's easy to excuse ourselves in it. We're Western scientific materialists. We believe in the god of the gaps. And so, where there are gaps in scientific knowledge, we ascribe it to a deity. But once we study meteorology, we know where lightning comes from and thunder. And so, we don't worship the Thunder god anymore. You see, that's the way we think. Therefore we have a very materialistic, non-spiritual view of the world. And we think we actually don't think much about angels and demons. We don't think much as much as we should about Satan and the spiritual dimensions to what we do. So we're easy to say like, we're not the Aztecs or the Incas of the Mayans or whatever. We don't bow down like that. It's like, Yeah, well, we have our idols. Tim Keller calls them functional saviors. And if we think we're exempt, look at the final verse of 1 John 5:21, "Dear children, keep yourselves from idols." It's like the last thing John wanted to say in that epistle. This is an issue for us New Testament people. So we should not say, "I thank you God that I have no idols." That's not the way to go here on this topic. Instead, we should say as we frequently do Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, Oh God, and know my heart. Show me if there's any offensive way in me." Behind the offensive way in us is an idol. Show me what the idol looks like in my life, in my heart. David Powlison put it this way. "The most basic question which God continually poses to each human heart: Has something or someone besides Jesus Christ taken the title to your heart's trust, preoccupation, loyalty, service, fear, and delight?" Trust, what you trust in. Preoccupation, what's in your mind. Loyalty, what you're loyal to, what you're fighting for. Service, what you get out energetically and serve. Fear and delight. What you fear losing, what you delight in having. Has something other than Jesus taken the title to those things? Anything more fundamental than God to our happiness, our sense of wellbeing, our definition of success. Tim Keller has done an excellent, excellent work on this. And I would commend his writings on idolatry. He says this. "Why do we ever fail to love or keep promises or live unselfishly? Of course, the general answer is because we're weak and sinful. But the specific answer is, there's always something besides Jesus Christ that we feel that we must have to be happy, and that is more important to our hearts than God, and that is enslaving the heart through inordinate desires." For example, we would not lie unless we first made something else, namely human approval, reputation, power over others, financial advantage, more important and valuable to us than Jesus. There's always an idol at the core of it. It could be money or possessions, it could be power, it could be physical pleasure. It could be food or alcohol, it could be some habit pattern or some hobby or interest. Could be a person, a specific person. We can make an idol of any created thing. So what Tim Keller does is he says, "How can I find them?" He looks at four things. First, look at your imagination. Look at your imagination. "Your religion", he says, "is what you do with your solitude." So what do you do when you're alone? What do you think about? What do you imagine? Where does your mind go? A single daydream doesn't prove an idol. But if you're just again and again fantasizing and thinking about something, and it's not Christ, it's not God, that's indication of an idol. Secondly, look at your money. What do you spend your money on? I would expand it to time and energy. Those three, time, energy, money. What do you spend yourself on? If it's not Christ, if it's not the advancement of the kingdom, relief for the poor, the ministry of the church, which the Lord tells us to give to cheerfully and sacrificially, if it's something else and you're just again and again and again spending yourself and your resources on that, there's likelihood an idol. Where your money is, there your heart will be also. Thirdly, "what about unanswered prayers and disappointment," says Tim Keller, "How do you react when you don't get you what you want in life?" If you have a reaction that is unbiblical to disappointments and unanswered prayer, there's likelihood an idol behind that. And then fourth, what about your uncontrollable emotions? What makes you enraged? Carnally angry. What makes you over-the-top happy that's not connected to Jesus? Uncontrollable emotions. Look at your anger. Is there some root idol here, where I have to have this, I have to have my way in this thing or I'm going to get angry. Those four things. Imagination, money, disappointments, and strong emotions indicate idols. What to do about it? Well, here's who I want to speak to: All of you, but especially those of you who came in here outside of Christ, you're not Christians. But the answer is the same for all of us. Jesus Christ is an idol destroyer. He will destroy your idols by putting Himself and all of His glory and beauty and power in its place. He will make a whip and clean your heart out through the Holy Spirit. Maybe this sermon is kind of like that whip, that Jesus wants to get in your heart and clean you out. And He wants to put Himself and all of His glory and His beauty and His majesty in its place. Remember, idols are what we follow when Jesus isn't enough. So that Jesus would be enough, Jesus came to die on the cross for all of your idolatry, all the ways you've sinned with idols. He came to take all that wrath on Himself and die. So give Him all of your burdens. Idols are burdens, they're heavy. I mean, think about precious metals. They're heavy. Alright? The idols of Babylon had to be put in an ox cart and the ox could barely drag them. They're heavy. So give your idols to Jesus. Give your sins to Him and let Him and His death on the cross be the substitute and the Savior for you and nothing else. Close with me in prayer.

REFLECTION QUOTES “[God] comes for you, in the flesh, in Christ, into suffering, on your behalf. He does not offer advice and perspective from afar; he steps into your significant suffering. He will see you through, and work with you the whole way. He will carry you even in extremis. This reality changes the questions that rise up from your heart. That inward-turning ‘why me?' quiets down, lifts its eyes, and begins to look around. You turn outward and new, wonderful questions form. Why you? Why you? Why would you enter this world of evils? Why would you go through loss, weakness, hardship, sorrow, and death? Why would you do this for me, of all people?” ~David Powlison (1949-2019), Author and Former Director of CCEF “For the Church has not beauty but what the Bride-groom gives her; he does not find, but makes her, lovely.” ~C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), British writer and theologian “The man who is not afraid to admit everything that he sees to be wrong with himself, and yet recognizes that he may be the object of God's love precisely because of his shortcomings, can begin to be sincere. His sincerity is based on confidence, not in his own illusions about himself, but in the endless, unfailing mercy of God.” ~ Thomas Merton (1915-1968), American Trappist monk, writer, and social activist “This is the goal of all Christian community: they meet one another as bringers of the message of salvation… their fellowship is founded solely upon Jesus Christ and this ‘alien righteousness'” “Human love constructs its own image of the other person, of what he is and what he should become. It takes the life of the other person into its own hands. Spiritual love recognizes the true image of the other person which he has received from Jesus Christ; the image that Jesus Christ himself embodied and would stamp upon all men.” ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), German Theologian and Nazi Dissident “Run, John, run, the law demands, but gives us neither feet nor hands, Far better news the gospel brings: It bids us fly and gives us wings.” ~Attributed to John Bunyan (1628-1688), Pastor and Author of The Pilgrim's Progress SERMON PASSAGE Titus 3:1-7 (NASB) 1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Resources: David Powlison | A Tribute https://biblicalcounseling.com/david-powlison-a-tribute/

We're getting group therapy today so we called on the best of the best: David Powlison, Director of Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation, Senior Editor of the Journal of Biblical Counseling, and beloved counseling professor at Westminster Theological Seminary. We are delighted Todd is finally getting the help he needs, but we do have some other ground to cover. What is Biblical Counseling exactly and how important is it to the health of our Church? Is scripture sufficient for counseling? At the close of today's session, everyone's happy and David's take on Todd is as we feared: he's beyond help.We're giving away several copies of David Powlison's book "Good & Angry" courtesy of New Growth Press, be sure to enter for your chance to win.

In this special episode, Tony Reinke interviews David Powlison about self-hate among Christians.