The Root of Mueller's Faith and Ministry

John Piper speaking of George Mueller:

And when he is about to lose a piece of property that he wants for the next orphan house, he says, “If the Lord were to take this piece of land from me, it would be only for the purpose of giving me a still better one; for our Heavenly Father never takes any earthly thing from His children except He means to give them something better instead.”[1] This is what I mean by confidence in God's sovereign goodness. This is the root of Mueller's faith and ministry.

[1] George Mueller, A Narrative of Some of the Lord's Dealing with George Muller, Written by Himself, Jehovah Magnified. Addresses by George Muller Complete and Unabridged, 2 vols. (Muskegon, Mich.: Dust and Ashes, 2003), 1:505.

(Complete Lecture)

A Peddler of God's Word

Found this in my morning Bible reading:

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:15-17

Oh, how I want to be that fragrance—an aroma to those who do not know Christ. Still, I am just a pilgrim wearily making my way to the Celestial City. May God give me the grace to show others the way…

Technology Fast

"Ask yourself when the last time was that you went an entire day without the tools of information technology."

"After drinking from the firehose of information a day without info tech will seem like a year long drought. But by unplugging the god of Technology you might just find something new in the pause — a still small voice sharing the information that truly matters."

Check out the whole conclusion here.

Wisdom From Coach

First of all, those who know me recognize that I love Michigan Wolverine football. And most who know I love Michigan Wolverine football also know that I am not too keen on Lloyd Carr. But maybe I’m too harsh on the old man. Yes, Michigan struggled at the beginning of this year, but how you start is never as important as how you finish. During a press conference a week ago he was asked if he learned anything about himself from the first half of this year. In response, Carr said, "No, not really. I think no matter what profession you're in or what you're doing, you're always learning, because if you're not learning, if you aren't getting better, you're regressing.” I thought, “Hmm…that was good.”

I find this concept rings true in my spiritual life. Paul says we are to forget past failures (and successes) and press toward the mark (Phil. 3:14). If I am not pressing on and growing in Christ, then I find myself “regressing” in my daily walk. Putting off my Bible reading for school, fun, or sleep is more than standing still. It is falling back (even if I feel ok). So this just reminded me how important it is to forget past failures and press on. Do not neglect spiritual disciplines. Grow up in Christ.

Also: Interesting Post Concerning Singleness

Worshipped or Used

"Casual religion has serious consequences. Religious hypocrisy is altogether deplorable....Within us is the tendency to center all thinking and concerns in the self, the propensity to give attention only to things that seem to offer immediate yield or gratification, and the inability to rest, relax, or be satisfied unless we are constantly stimulated or perpetually entertained."

- Stuart McAllister

"Rather than understanding God as the meaning in all things, he becomes the means by which we gain some things. Rather than a God to be worshiped, he becomes a god to be used."

- A.J. Conyers