RayBaumann

The history of the American gospel and the history of wheat go hand in hand. Wheat has been a staple food throughout history and is one of the world’s most important food crops. It would be hard to overstate its value in the world. Enormous changes in people’s lives occurred due to the growing of wheat. People began growing their own food and no longer needed to wander in search of their next meal. Wheat could be stored for long periods of time. Permanent settlements were established because wheat provided people with a stable food supply and eventually enough wheat was grown to feed people from other lands. Once there was extra wheat available, trade between various cultures developed.

However, in our rapid success of processing and refining we made a big mistake. We tinkered with this prominent food source so we could attain a longer shelf life. Like wheat, we have tinkered with the gospel by taking away the essential elements of sin and repentance. It is much like taking the bran and germ from wheat leaving it with almost zero nutritional value. The remnants of this gospel provide longer pew life from attendees and while it may look the same, it is spiritually empty. Read more…

Keeping our pride under wraps is a constant battle.  Our culture doesn’t help us much either since its driven by big egos and fame. Our spiritual effectiveness is based on our understanding of how radically depraved we really are and our realization of a NEED for a Savior.  Pride seems to be at the root of every sin. Pride says to everyone “look at me” or “look what I have done.”  The ugliness of pride can only be restrained through battling everyday through prayer and the study of the Word of God.  But I also find that reading these puritan prayers put me in my place also. :)  Read the following:

Holy Lord, I have sinned times without number,
and been guilty of pride and unbelief,
of failure to find Thy mind in Thy Word,
of neglect to seek Thee in my daily life.
My transgressions and short-comings
present me with a list of accusations,
but I bless Thee that they will not stand against me,
for all have been laid on Christ.
Go on to subdue my corruptions,
and grant me grace to live above them.
Let not the passions of the flesh nor lustings of the mind
bring my spirit into subjection,
but do Thou rule over me in liberty and power. Read more…

I’ll first Define my terms before sharing a great piece by Thomas Brooks.

Money Grubber-a preacher that always preaches a extended sermon during the offering and the words “press down shaken together” are used in every other sentence.

Fluff Cake-will never mention Hell, Sin, or Repentance

Panty Waist- Cares more about their appearance  than properly dissecting the sermon text. (if they use a text)

If you have your own….share them in the comments….

7 Characteristics of False Teachers
by Thomas Brooks   (1608-1680)

That Satan labours might and main, by false teachers, which are his messengers and ambassadors, to deceive, delude, and for ever undo the precious souls of men (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Eph. 4:14; 2 Tim. 3:4-6; Titus 1:11,12; 2 Peter 2:18,19): “I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err” (Jer. 23:13). “The prophets make my people to err” (Micah 3:5). They seduce them, and carry them out of the right way into by-paths and blind thickets of error, blasphemy, and wickedness, where they are lost forever. “Beware of false prophets, for they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Mat. 7:15). These lick and suck the blood of souls: “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision” (Phil. 3:2). These kiss and kill; these cry, Peace, peace, till souls fall into everlasting flames, &c., Proverbs 7.

Now, the best way to deliver poor souls from being deluded and destroyed by these messengers of Satan is, to discover them in their colors, that so, being known, poor souls may shun them, and fly from them as from hell itself.

Now you may know them by these characters following: Read more…

Will you share the Gospel today?

On Sunday I stumbled in to my normal Sunday school class about 5 minutes late.  I scanned the room to find my wife so I could sit next to her but she was nowhere to be found.  After ten seconds of thought it hit me.  O no I’m in the wrong class!  My wife and I decided to start the marriage class and she was in there without me.  So I rush down the hall to find my wife and there she was all by herself …oops.  Well I got there to hear a great testimony of how God had restored a broken marriage.  My wife and I both agree you can always improve your marriage.  So we are looking forward to this class and the interaction with other couples……… here is the handout from the first class.

Ten Myths of Marriage

1.    Marriage means living happily ever after, just like in the fairy tales
2.    Marriage means your spouse can read your mind
3.    Marriage is for my happiness- it is all about me
4.    Marriage could only work if my spouse would change
5.    Marriage will get better and easier with children
6.    Marriage roles are viewed the same by both husband and wife
7.    Marriage is easy when you marry the right person
8.    Marriage is held together by love
9.    Marriage makes you whole or complete
10.  Marriage could survive without God

True love is sacrificial, focused on giving not getting.  Love is a decision, not a feeling. It is selfless.

These make for great conversation.  What myths could be added?