I am not certain that I will be making any resolutions for 2010. When I make them I always intend to keep them, but often fall far short. Is that the case with you? Someone once said, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Not sure who said it, but it is a quote worth pondering prior to making those resolutions.
May God be glorified with our lives in 2010. Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Happy Christmas
I usually say, "Merry Christmas." That is the way most of us in the US express our holiday greeting. The other day I was changing the marquee in front of our church. The display says, "A Merry Christmas starts with Christ." Someone mentioned to me that "merry" refers to drinking and parties and that the proper expression is "Happy Christmas." Of course that is primarily a British form of the holiday greeting. I suppose my friend may have a point. Nonetheless, I still say it the regular way.
But, the point of our church marquee is the same (rambling) point of this post. There will be no meaningful Christmas - happy, merry or otherwise - without Christ as the center of it all.
I hope you have a wonderful, Christ-centered, happy Christmas!
Clearly Articulating the Gospel
Recently I was asked to write out the gospel. While this seems fairly straight forward, I'm not sure I did a very good job. Its not that I don't know the gospel. It just seems that I battle against the use of canned phrases that are filled with so much "Christianese." I think I included all the main points about God and man and Jesus. Yet, even after a few edits, I was not completely happy with my final product.
Then, while reading A. W. Tozer's Man the Dwelling Place of God, I read the following paragraph. It seems to be a very concise explanation of the way of salvation. Take a look:
"Salvation comes not by 'accepting the finished work' or 'deciding for Christ.' It comes by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, the whole, living, victorious Lord who, as God and man, fought our fight and won it, accepted our debts as His own and paid it, took our sins and died under them and rose again to set us free. This is the true Christ, and nothing less will do."
That is a pretty clear articulation of the Good News.
.
Then, while reading A. W. Tozer's Man the Dwelling Place of God, I read the following paragraph. It seems to be a very concise explanation of the way of salvation. Take a look:
"Salvation comes not by 'accepting the finished work' or 'deciding for Christ.' It comes by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, the whole, living, victorious Lord who, as God and man, fought our fight and won it, accepted our debts as His own and paid it, took our sins and died under them and rose again to set us free. This is the true Christ, and nothing less will do."
That is a pretty clear articulation of the Good News.
.
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