5 Reasons to Urge ALL to Repent and Believe - Ken Askew

Five reasons why we must urge all men to repent and believe the gospel:

1. Because all men are ignorant (Acts 17:30). People craft a god of their own imagination when they remain in ignorance. “What qualifies a man to hear the gospel? Is he breathing? (laughter)”

2. Because God himself commands all men everywhere to repent. This is what the Spirit of God does through his preacher; “repent and believe the gospel.” God’s commands are not meant to be considered. God’s commandments are meant to be obeyed. It is the sinner’s responsibility to repent, repent, repent! It is appropriate to command people to repent.

3. Because all men will one day face the judgment of God (Acts 17:31). The standard of God’s judgment will be the righteousness of Christ. Yet we have all fallen short of that perfection. No man can attain the standard on his own. Assurances of these truths are contained in Christ’s resurrection (Acts 17:32). This nation needs faithful preachers to stand up and proclaim these truths.

4. Because, thanks be to God, some will repent and believe (Acts 17:32-34). To see someone cling to Jesus, to come to saving faith, makes the trials of ministry worthwhile. “God’s sovereign plan is to save some by preaching the gospel to all.”

5. Because this is our calling. God calls us to proclaim the gospel to all people. This is our life, our calling, our sacred duty. This ought to be our passion, to urge all men to repent and believe the gospel.

Conclusion: Congregational call to all to repent, and believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Truth Matters articles are available online at www.truthmatters.us. Comments may be sent to kenaskew@me.com.

What Billy Graham Would Do Differently - John Piper

Billy Graham was just interviewed. Here is what he said to the question,

If you could, would you go back and do anything differently?

Yes, of course. I'd spend more time at home with my family, and I'd study more and preach less. I wouldn't have taken so many speaking engagements, including some of the things I did over the years that I probably didn't really need to do—weddings and funerals and building dedications, things like that. Whenever I counsel someone who feels called to be an evangelist, I always urge them to guard their time and not feel like they have to do everything.

I also would have steered clear of politics. I'm grateful for the opportunities God gave me to minister to people in high places; people in power have spiritual and personal needs like everyone else, and often they have no one to talk to. But looking back I know I sometimes crossed the line, and I wouldn't do that now.

It seems to me these are wise words for pastors. “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” (2 Timothy 2:4). And there are even “military” acts one can do too many of. Focus on the main things and work with all your might.

Qualified While Unqualified

Here is the audio for the sermon I preached this past Sunday, January 16, 2011, entitled "Qualified While Unqualified". The text for this sermon comes from Colossians 1:12-14, and the purpose of this sermon is to focus our hearts on giving thanks to God for qualifying us for an eternal inheritance, even while we were unqualified and even disqualified from it of ourselves. God qualifies us for this eternal inheritance by delivering us from the power of darkness and transferring us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. The basis for this qualification, deliverance and transference, is Jesus Christ and Him alone. By His perfect life and substitutionary death on the cross, absorbing the wrath of God for our sins, God is able to declare us righteous in His sight and is able to adopt us as sons. We must be careful to not think that our works or anything that we can do will qualify us. These acts are by grace alone, and they are received by the empty hands of faith alone.

How The Gospel Can Transform Marriages - Between Two Worlds

This is an article I came across on Justin Taylor's blog, "Between Two Worlds". Very encouraging and insightful to read.

How the Gospel Can Transform a Marriage

Gary and Betsy Ricuchi, Love That Lasts: When Marriage Meets Grace (Crossway, 2006), pp. 22-23:

• Because of the gospel, Christians have become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, in our marriage, our past does not define us, confine us, or determine our future.
• Because of the gospel, we are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7). Therefore we can live free of all guilt and condemnation for every sin, and we can trust that God, in his mercy, will be gracious to us.
• Because of the gospel, we can forgive, just as Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32). Nothing done against us compares to our sin against God. Therefore all offenses, hostility, and bitterness between Christians can be completely forgiven and removed.
• Because of the gospel, we are accepted by God (Romans 15:7). Therefore we are not dependent on a spouse for who we are or what we need.
• Because of the gospel, sin’s ruling power over us is broken (Romans 6:6, 14). Therefore we can truly obey all that God calls us to do in our marriage, regardless of any circumstance or situation.
• Because of the gospel, we have access to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16). Therefore we can at any time take any need in our marriage to the One who can do all things.
• Because of the gospel, we have hope (Romans 5:1-4). Therefore we can endure any marital difficulty, hardship, or suffering, with the assurance that God is working all to our greatest good (Romans 8:28).
• Because of the gospel, Christ dwells in us by his Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14). Therefore we are confident that God is always with us and is always at work in our marriage, even when progress is imperceptible (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
• Because of the gospel, we have power to fight and overcome remaining sin, which continues to dwell and war within us (Romans 7:19-21, 24-25; Galatians 5:16-17). This indwelling enemy represents the essence of what is called the doctrine of sin.

These are just a few of the ways the gospel can transform a marriage. Sometimes it’s not easy to live in the reality of these truths. But it is always possible—and not because of our strength or determination, but because of God’s empowering and enabling grace.

I'm starting my Bible in a Year program and I pray by God's grace that I finish. Question: What presuppositions and/or assumptions must one have about God and the Bible before reading it to get to understand the TRUE GOD!

I’m actually beginning my Bible Reading in a Year plan too, and so far it’s going well. I think that an important assumption to make or a few important assumptions to make are 1) Remember that God is completely Sovereign and that all things in His Word are for His Glory. Colossians 1:15-18 states “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” If we approach scripture with this perspective in mind, then we will see that all things from genealologies, to sinful trees to parting seas and resurrected believers were created for His glory. Everything that God does in creation and redemption all throughout scripture in the most glorious miracles to sovereignly working mankind’s heinous sins for good, is for His glory. Demons don’t disrupt His plans and sinful man cannot thwart His purposes. The true God of the Bible always accomplishes what He intends. 2) Identify His attributes and stare them squarely in the face when you encounter them in scripture. Upon seeing His holiness, justice, mercy, goodness, and love, let these attributes grip you and cause you to bow down before Him as Moses did before the burning bush. Let scripture interpret scripture and let God be God. 3) Don’t rule out incomprehensibility. When it comes to the trinity, Divine Sovereignty and human responsibility, things such as election, predestination, examples of the wrath of God, be comfortable in knowing that a loving and holy God is behind these wonderful things that sometimes our human minds cannot fully comprehend.

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What's one of the most influential books in your life?

The knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer is one of the books that caused me to radically change my view about who God is. Highly Recommended

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