Gospel Diagnostics

David Fairchild posts twenty questions to help us think through what our hearts are really treasuring.  He writes:

It [is] the loving responsibility for each of us to run gospel diagnostics to determine whether or not what motivates our heart and lives is “in step” with the gospel (Gal. 2:14).

Here are twenty gospel questions to ask ourselves:

(1) What is my greatest nightmare? What do I worry about most?

(2) What, if I failed or lost it, would cause me to feel that I did not even want to live? What keeps me going?


(3) What do I rely on to comfort myself when things go bad or get difficult?

(4) What do I think about most easily? Where does my mind go to when I am free? What preoccupies me?

(5) What prayer, unanswered, would make me seriously think about turning away from God?

(6) What makes me feel the most self-worth? What am I the proudest of?

(
7) What do I really want and expect out of life? What would really make me happy?

(8) What position of authority do I desire to give me a sense of power?

(
9) Whose opinion of me do I hold so dear that if lost I would be undone?

(10) What type of financial loss or gain would change my sense of security?

(11) What one criticism would cause me to respond in anger (wife, children, work, ministry, family, friends, etc.)? What am I most touchy about when brought to my attention?

(12) If I had ______________, then I’d be truly happy and feel as if my life has meaning and value.

(
13) If I lost ______________, I would be undone.


(14) I’m impatient because I’m ____________.

(15) I’m critical because I’m _____________.

(16) I’m angry because I’m _____________.


(17) I’m unhappy because I’m ____________.

(18) I’m in despair because I’m ____________.

(19) I have hope because I’m ___________.

(20) I feel worthy because I’m ___________.

These are only a few questions to help us be truthful with ourselves about the gospel. There is no benefit answering these questions with the “right” answers at the expense of the “true” answers (how we really feel and think).

You can read the whole article from which this list is taken here.

Wonder Demands Humility

Thomas Dubay: "Wonder at reality demands the humility to sit at the foot of a dandelion.  The proud are so full of themselves that there is little room to marvel at anything else."

Three Views on the Lord's Supper

Specifically in view in these three posts is, how frequently should we take the Lord's Supper?  This is a question I have given some thought to, but probably not enough. 

I'd love to know what you readers think with regard to this question.  Leave a comment and let me know...

Your Life is a Billboard

From Soma Communities' Gospel DNA:

You see, all of life is worship. We are ALWAYS worshipping. Everything we do is an affirmation of who or what we are looking to for significance, security, approval, etc.

The reality is that your life is like a billboard…you are advertising the thing that is most important to you. “This is what I value! This is what saves me!” That constant advertisement, “here’s what I’m all about!” is worship. All of life is worship.

So what are you worshiping this week?

Corporate Worship

Paul Tripp:

Corporate worship is a regular gracious reminder that it's not about you. You've been born into a life that is a celebration of another.

Happy Sunday!

Diagnose Your Idols

From David Clarkson, via Kenny Stokes:

1. What do you most highly value?
2. What do you think about by default?
3. What is your highest goal?
4. To what or whom are you most committed?
5. Who or what do you love the most?
6. Who or what do you trust or depend upon the most?
7. Who or what do you fear the most?
8. Who or what do you hope in and hope for most?
9. Who or what do you desire the most? Or, what desire makes you most angry or makes you despair when it is not satisfied?
10. Who or what do you most delight in or hold as your greatest joy and treasure?
11. Who or what captures your greatest zeal?
12. To whom or for what are you most thankful?
13. For whom or what great purpose do you work?

True, and Hypocritical, Joy

Jonathan Edwards:

“This is . . .the difference between the joy of the hypocrite, and the joy of the true saint. The [hypocrite] rejoices in himself; self is the first foundation of his joy: the [true saint] rejoices in God. . . . True saints have their minds, in the first place, inexpressibly pleased and delighted with the sweet ideas of the glorious and amiable nature of the things of God. And this is the spring of all their delights, and the cream of all their pleasures. . . But the dependence of the affections of hypocrites is in a contrary order: they first rejoice. . . that they are made so much of by God; and then on that ground, he seems in a sort, lovely to them. They are pleased in the highest degree, in hearing how much God and Christ make of them. So that their joy is really a joy in themselves, and not in God.”

Joyful Insignificance

I was excited to see this ad (click ad to enlarge) featured in a guest post on Justin Taylor's blog. I had heard John Piper preach about this once, and was curious to see the ad but hadn't been able to find it:

Glorifying God

John Piper:

Glorifying God means showing by your actions and attitudes that God is glorious to you—that he is valuable, precious, desirable, satisfying. And the greatest way to show that someone satisfies your heart is to keep on rejoicing in them when all other supports for your satisfaction are falling away. When you keep rejoicing in God in the midst of suffering, it shows that God, and not other things, is the great source of your joy.

Is this Fair?

In the song You are Holy, the guys sing this:

I will sing to
And worship
The King who is worthy
I will love Him, adore Him
And I will bow down before Him
I will sing to and worship the King who is worthy
I will love Him, adore him
I will bow down before Him

While we're singing that, the girls get to sing this:

He is Lord of Lords
He is King of Kings
He is mighty God
Lord of everything

He's Emmanuel
He's the great "I AM"
He's my Prince of Peace
Who is the Lamb

He's the living God
He's my saving grace
He will reign forever
He is ancient of days

He's the Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End
He's my Savior, Messiah, Redeemer, and friend

Where is the justice in this? They get to sing about the greatness of God, and I get to sing about me? I think next time we sing this song, I'm just going to be bold and sing the ladies' part. Is that a lack of submission to church authority?

Magnifying Christ

You may have seen this post from Chris Brauns, as it seems to be making the rounds at some of the blogs I frequent. But in case you missed it:

Here is a summer science project. Do this one at your own risk.

Choose an afternoon when the summer sun is burning down, get a magnifying glass and a pile of some dry combustible material. Dried leaves will work just fine. Gun powder will be more exciting.

Put the burning material down on the sidewalk and then use the magnifying glass to focus a beam of sunlight onto the material. You will be amazed at how quickly smoke begins to curl away. My boys and I do this and we think it great. Jamie rolls her eyes.

You know: the magnifying glass does not provide any power of its own. It serves only to direct the power of the sun. But, when it does, it brings light to a burning focus and things ignite.

That is what the local church is supposed to do. By itself, the church, God’s people, do not offer any power. But, a church is like a magnifying glass that God uses to focus and direct His power. Paul says in Ephesians 3:10 that God is pleased to make declaration of Himself both to people and the Heavenly realms by means of the church.

Maybe in your life, the presence of Christ does not seem powerful. You keep waiting for change and power to ignite in your life but it’s just not happening. If that is the case, then try another experiment this summer. Look for a church that centers on the Lord Jesus and His Word. Put yourself right underneath the magnifying glass on a warm Sunday and wait for Spirit and Truth to ignite in your heart.

The only qualification I'd make is in the last sentence, which gives the impression that connecting to the church is something that happens only on Sunday. I trust the author doesn't really mean it that way, but that's sort of how it reads. Church is not a building we go to once a week; it is the gathering of God's people, sharing their lives together in word and witness.

If we want change and power to ignite our lives for Christ, attending a meeting on Sunday is a good start. But it's the community of Christ that is God's display people to the world, not just the Sunday worship service.

The Awe Factor

I think some of you have seen this before, but this video gives these figures a different perspective:

Tozer on True Worship

"If you will not worship God seven days a week, you do not worship Him one day a week."

Magnifying God with a Saxophone

I love it when this guy (the guy on the right, that is) leads worship on Sunday mornings at my church. But, in a different kind of way, God's glory is also magnified when he does this:



Maybe in the resurrection I will be able to play the sax. That would be pretty sweet!

The Bible is Precious

From Joseph Randall on the DG blog:

I have a friend, Katie, who serves in Malawi, Africa. She was able to distribute Bibles to a village there, and when they received these Bibles, they ecstatically broke out in thanks, praise, and dance over their new possession of God's Word! See for yourself:



I think I have at least 10 different Bibles in my house. Yet I cannot remember the last time my lips poured forth praise and my tongue sang because I possess the very words of God in the Scriptures,

Forgive me, Lord. Help me to treasure Your words more than silver and gold.

Magnificent Obsession

I haven't heard this song from Steven Curtis Chapman in some time, but Michelle broke out the Declaration CD the other day and I was reminded of how much I love it:



Lord, You know how much
I want to know so much
In the way of answers and explanations
I have cried and prayed
And still I seem to stay
In the middle of life's complications
All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I'm chasing down the wind
But now it's brought me back to You
And I can see again

This is everything I want
This is everything I need
I want this to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus
Be my magnificent obsession

So capture my heart again
Take me to depths I've never been
Into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy
Return me to the cross
And let me be completely lost
In the wonder of the love
That You've shown me
Cut through these chains that tie me down to so many lesser things
Let all my dreams fall to the ground
Until this one remains

You are everything I want
You are everything I need
Lord, You are all my heart desires
You are everything to me

You are everything I want
You are everything I need
I want You to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You
I want it all to be for You

The Known Universe

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3).

The Thrill of Victory

If a comeback victory in a baseball game elicits this kind of jubilant exhilaration, imagine the euphoria when the Son of God comes back to complete His triumph over all His enemies, including death itself.

That is going to be one amazing celebration! Celebrations like the one in South Philly last night give a certain kind of experiential foretaste to the kinds of images we see in the closing chapters of the Bible. By all means, I enjoy the foretaste; but I don't want to be so captured by it that I'm not most gripped with the thrill of Christ's victory of sin, Satan, death and hell.

Hopefully we'll get another foretaste tomorrow night!

All I have is Christ

This song written by Devon Kauflin was sung a few times at Worship God 09, and has been on my mind since:

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will.
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose.
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.

Check out the video for a performance of the song from a Next conference last year:

All I Have Is Christ from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

Biblical Worship

I have told my church on many occasions that I love singing with them. Yesterday was another reminder of that. Singing the praises of our great God and Savior with these brothers and sisters is one of my greatest joys.

But singing is not the only aspect of a biblical worship experience. In addition to singing, here are some biblical exhortations that could inform our practice in worship:

"Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!" (Psalm 95:6)

"Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!" (Psalm 134:2)

"Clap your hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with loud songs of joy!" (Psalm 47:1)

"Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!" (Psalm 33:1)

"Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!" (Psalm 149:3)

"Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!" (Psalm 33:8)

All these exhortations are made to people who did not yet know the riches of God's love revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Christ. So those of us living on this side of the cross and empty tomb have far more reason to worship than these Old Testament saints.

If the Holy Spirit truly is inhabiting our corporate worship each Sunday morning, should we be seeing more of these manifestations of joy and passion on a regular basis? If we should, why aren't we?

I hope the answer is not that we've established an unwritten rule that you are allowed to clap and raise your hands during times of singing, but if you do anything else you're a little too weird for our liking. If that is so (and as I said, I hope it's not), may these verses be used to inform our thinking about these things.