Godward Thoughts

Could you ever contemplate a pastor sending his latest converts off to another church or organization to have then discipled, grounded, and matured in the faith? Your response to that notion would surely be, “Never! That’s unthinkable … ridiculous!” Why is it, then, that pastors who (rightfully) see the discipling of new believers to be one of their primary duties will send those from their congregation whom God has called into the ministry to someone else for training — often to a place far away, and often with results that are less than satisfactory? Read more »

There are many good fonts out there that can help prevent all of your publications from looking the same.

1. Apparatus SIL

The Apparatus SIL fonts were designed to provide most of the symbols needed to reproduce the textual apparatus found in major editions of Greek and Hebrew biblical texts. The font family consists of 4 weights: Regular, Italic, Bold and Bold Italic. It was designed for optimum clarity and compactness when printed at small point sizes.

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Okay, I don’t really know the answer. But that’s why I’m taking this challenge. Over the next several weeks I am taking a 31 day (weekdays only) challenge to improve my blogging.

Why would I want to do that?

Good question. Mainly, I want to improve my writing skills. The discipline of writing regularly will help me. I also want to improve my communication skills. Tragically, it isn’t one of my strong suits; yet, I am eager to improve.

How will I improve? Read more »

Many today reject the church as vital or even necessary for Christians. There are multitudes of people who consider TV, books, magazines, devotionals, or podcasts as their “church.” Is it possible to have a vibrant spiritual life and successfully nurture our relationship with God apart from a local church? Is it just tradition that tells us we much be a part of one? Is it possible to move closer to God and farther away from the church? Are there lots of alternatives to the church when it comes to our spiritual growth?

The answer to all of those questions, according to Scripture, is a resounding no! Far from being one of many options for the Christian, the church is the primary means through which God accomplishes His plan in the world. It is His instrument to evangelize the world and to sanctify those who are born into His family. Therefore God expects a commitment to the church from everyone who claims to know Him.

Key Verse:
1 Timothy 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” Read more »

God willing, I’m finishing a sermon series on Nehemiah tomorrow morning. The following is from Warren Wiersbe summarizing the leadership qualities of Nehemiah.

1. He knew he was called of God

Before you quickly move into a place of ministry, be sure God has called you and equipped you for the job. You may not think you can do it, and others may have their doubts; but if God calls you, have no fear: He will see you through.

2. He depended on prayer

The Book of Nehemiah starts and ends with prayer. And in between, Nehemiah oftens sends up quick prayers to heaven and asks for God’s help. “Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers,” said Phillips Brooks. “Pray for powers equal to your tasks.” One mark of true spiritual leaders is their honest acknowledgment of their own inadequacy and their humble trust in the power of God.

3. He had vision and saw the greatness of the work

No matter what God has called you to do, it’s a great work because it’s part of the building of His church; and that’s the greatest work in the world. If you lose the greatness of a vision, you will begin to cut corners in your work, stop making sacrifices, and start looking for something else to challenge you. Nehemiah realized that what he was doing was far bigger than simply repairing gates and rebuilding walls. He was serving the Lord God of heaven and getting the holy city ready for the coming of the Messiah! Read more »