Follow The Light

Thank you, Larry, for writing these great articles...

2010-03-18T09:57:32.000-05:00

Thank you, Larry, for writing these great articles! Anna and I love them very much! Will gladly follow you... :-) GBY

Love the way your mind works. You'd make a great c...

2010-03-13T10:02:18.000-06:00

Love the way your mind works. You'd make a great case study. Love the article. I wonder what all Jesus actually did know, and had to hold back, to maintain His relational humanity among society. Wow.

HALLELUJAH !!!!!!! SMILES

2010-03-03T11:16:27.000-06:00

HALLELUJAH !!!!!!! SMILES

You touched on one of the most difficult areas of ...

2010-02-18T19:26:08.471-06:00

You touched on one of the most difficult areas of my early ministry: trusting God to work in the lives of others, and understanding my place in His work. Can't say I have it all worked out yet... but I'm learning. Thanks my brother.

I particularly like the comment, "But what we don'...

2010-02-18T17:08:34.104-06:00

I particularly like the comment, "But what we don't have ... is the authority to judge the condition and behavior of our brothers and sisters in Christ concerning their relationship ... to the Lord and His Church. Jesus reserves this jurisdiction for Himself...." I can discern how their actions will help or hinder my relationship with Christ if exercised in me, but with such grace knowing God's dealing with them may be different than His current dealing with me. It goes back to allowing God to be God in me and sovereignly in others. We have to lose control over others and trust them to Christ and His leading, knowing He is able to get His work done better than us.

Sorry for the long dialogue. You post is alive in me. Thanks again for your faithfulness to stir your readers' minds toward the things of God. He is so worthy. He uses you and I am personally grateful. Keep pressing forward.

We each have full jurisdiction over self, which co...

2010-02-17T13:00:22.212-06:00

We each have full jurisdiction over self, which comes with the responsibility to judge oneself righteously. I address the standard of that judgment in my post A Remedy For Self-righteousness. Then there is a sort of common right to judge given to all of us in the form of lawful and/or common responsibilities. For example, I must judge those who care for my child, and take appropriate action based on that judgment. Our action based on this common judgment is limited to one or more of the following: withdrawal, verbally confront/instruct/encourage, overlook (endure), intervene to ensure safety, evangelize, and/or notify the proper authority. Each of these actions has certain limits and prohibitions given in Scripture and law. We also have jurisdiction in certain “offices” we may hold: citizen, parent, spouse, party to a contract, employer, etc. Past this common jurisdiction another person's life is none of our business.

But what we don't have, except to the extent given by Christ, is the authority to judge the condition and behavior of our brothers and sisters in Christ concerning their relationship with, and personal obligations to the Lord and His Church. Jesus reserves this jurisdiction for Himself and those to whom He has extended limited authority in these matters.

Habitually observing the behavior of others, especially critically, can harm our relationships. It will inevitably come out in our discussions with others (even if we don't use names). These disclosures identify us as critical observers, and will cause people to distance themselves from us. We Christians are already stereotyped as critical observers. There is a difference between critical and caring observation. We should observe others so that we may do them good.

This is a huge subject, but I hope this response helps. Thanks for the comment, my friend, I deeply value your input.

It seems that there is a fine line between discern...

2010-02-17T09:57:45.823-06:00

It seems that there is a fine line between discerning (judging) sin and discerning (judging) the motives of men. The indwelt Holy Spirit gives me a spiritual awakening to what does and does not please God. "But he that is spiritual judgeth (discerns) all things, yet he himself is judged of no man" (1 Corinthians 2:15). In theory the two, exclusively, are easy to legislate in my own life. As to sin, by God, I know. As to others, trust He'll reveal it to them. It's always perplexed me, though, when the two overlap ... the knowledge of sin and the life of another believer. To what extent do I take liberty (or jurisdiction) to discern their situation, if for no other reason than for application in my life? Interested in your thoughts. Always enjoy your articles.

Highlighting those words seems to bring out the gr...

2010-02-16T09:01:44.834-06:00

Highlighting those words seems to bring out the great distance between the two ways of life. Thanks Jaycee.

I like the contrast between "decay" and "without e...

2010-02-16T08:44:31.262-06:00

I like the contrast between "decay" and "without end", and "self" and "others."

Thanks.

This is definitely so true. That's why I choose no...

2010-02-09T13:17:18.719-06:00

This is definitely so true. That's why I choose not to have "Religion" but "Christianity." When there's religion, there's a tendency to cloak our true feelings. But with Jesus, all we have to do is run straight into His arms and bare it all.

Great post.

Excellent post and writing style. Bookmarked.

2010-02-03T17:21:47.013-06:00

Excellent post and writing style. Bookmarked.

I agree with Greg and Marian. Thanks, Pastor!

2010-01-27T09:51:43.113-06:00

I agree with Greg and Marian. Thanks, Pastor!

This year at Temple we are doing "Operation Transf...

2010-01-21T05:41:15.542-06:00

This year at Temple we are doing "Operation Transformation" based on Ro 12:2. Having a great time watching Holy Spirit transform our lives as we yield to His perfect and perfecting plan.
Pray that things are going well with you. Keep up the good work.
Darrell Horsley

Thanks for the question Charles, Replacement Theol...

2010-01-18T20:21:16.463-06:00

Thanks for the question Charles,
Replacement Theology is such a huge conglomerate of varying ideas and doctrines concerning the church and Israel that it would be impossible to answer properly here, and to even touch it briefly I must use more technical language. (My apology to my readers)
I am a Baptist in ecclesiology (more landmark than reformed), which separates me from the protestant & catholic notions of supersessionism. I see some (note "some") value in both punitive and economic supersessionism, but only in the context of historic Baptist ecclesiology and the future restoration of Israel in some grace based, messianic centered, governmental form. I have nothing in common with anti-Semitic supersessionism, and its associated postmillennialism.
I believe the church form of government replaced the existing modified mosaic form of government during Jesus' earthly ministry. I do not believe messianic Israel, under the Abrahamic Covenant, was, or will ever be, replaced as a people in their special relationship with God. I remain solidly in historic pre-millennialism. Hope this helps. I also lightly addressed this subject in my post: Has God Cast Away Israel? Oh... and now that you've pointed this out I see some weaknesses in our statement that will probably be modified in the near future. This is a glitch in our attempt to be less technical in our confession. Thanks again.

Larry, I noticed in your doctrinal statement that ...

2010-01-18T17:24:12.967-06:00

Larry, I noticed in your doctrinal statement that you believe the church replaced Israel. Does this mean you hold to what is commonly called Replacement Theology? If so have you abandoned historic pre-millenialism? Not being troublesome just curious.

Grace is a wonderful relationship. Glad to hear yo...

2010-01-14T15:37:31.800-06:00

Grace is a wonderful relationship. Glad to hear your son is preaching.

My son preached a message last night on prayer bei...

2010-01-14T11:44:15.305-06:00

My son preached a message last night on prayer being before a throne of grace that was quite encouraging. Your post reminded me much of what he said.

Thanks for finding a way to encapsulate important ...

2010-01-14T09:39:55.056-06:00

Thanks for finding a way to encapsulate important thoughts. It is so refreshing compared to politics, where writers love to "hear" themselves "talk."

Reading this was a great way to start my morning. ...

2010-01-13T05:12:37.363-06:00

Reading this was a great way to start my morning. Thank you

Thank you.

2010-01-11T11:57:28.845-06:00

Thank you.

Excellent list!! Thanks. Lord bless you always.

2010-01-07T12:42:22.200-06:00

Excellent list!! Thanks. Lord bless you always.

This is wonderful. Thank you.

2010-01-06T12:12:13.341-06:00

This is wonderful. Thank you.

Praise be His name!

2010-01-05T09:18:22.231-06:00

Praise be His name!

Very Good,Larry, This was the sole intent of Jes...

2009-12-29T06:25:43.153-06:00

Very Good,Larry,
This was the sole intent of Jesus' Sermon on he mount... He openly accuse the most "rightous" and "Spiritual" figures of his time as being "Unworthy" and "Helpless" to change their behavioral condition...And presented them with the law (God's Behavioral Standard)in it's completeness... (Matt 5:48) Be ye therefore "Perfect"... (as pefect in all things including perfection of the mind as God is perfect)... This leaves christans without power to ever change on a behavoral level to meet God's standard... our only hope, then is found in Jesus who is as perfect as God and has made himself a sacrifice for all who beleive... Without Jesus no hope exists...
Pat

Having not read anything on "white knuckle sanctif...

2009-12-28T16:27:17.771-06:00

Having not read anything on "white knuckle sanctification" it is difficult to run a comparative. But many sanctification schemes focus on bringing self under control in some way, and that control becomes the motive and end in itself. (an endless task) This tends to move the attention to oneself as an attempt is made to modify some behavior to become more "spiritual" or "holy" in God's sight. In many of these schemes a person may be identified as "sanctified" when they overcome various "sins and shortcomings". Much of this is simply self-centered religion.
True sanctification will always focus our attention away from self to God and His work. We will then tend to battle those things which make us inefficient in His work, which put's God and His work as the motive for our battle with self. I addressed this in my blog posts: Walking In The Light Is Not Complicated; Thou Shalt Not Is Not Enough; and Waiting For Sunrise. A person who is walking in the light will have little time for self.