Billy Graham: The Movie
Billy: The Early years is coming out this Fall. It looks good.
If you haven't read it, I recommend the autobiography of Billy Graham, "Just As I Am."
"The practice of debating and discussing Christian doctrines with other Christians who are theologically orthodox but with whom there are matters of genuine theological disagreement."
Billy: The Early years is coming out this Fall. It looks good.
If you haven't read it, I recommend the autobiography of Billy Graham, "Just As I Am."
Posted by Joe Gordon at 10:26 AM 0 comments
Here's a great article from 9Marks about discontentment with the church.
Posted by Joe Gordon at 4:32 PM 0 comments
Verse: "But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked..." (Deuteronomy 32:15)
Commentary: Sometimes our prosperity leads to rebellion.
Resolution: Always be thankful for my hardships knowing that they lead me back to the sublime presence of God.
Posted by Joe Gordon at 4:52 PM 0 comments
We started a new series at somanorth called "Revolution." It's based off of the revolutionary teachings of Jesus found in the Sermon on the Mount.
Randy Walters, Steve Eriksson, and I will be preaching through most of the Sermon on the Mount. We'll only be skipping the passages that I just preaching on. For instance, I spoke on lust last January so we'll skip that passage and move directly to Jesus teaching on divorce.
I hope you can make it!
Posted by Joe Gordon at 3:37 AM 0 comments
What is pragmatism?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines pragmatism as "the approach that assesses the truth of meaning of theories or beliefs in terms of success of their practical application." In other words, if it works, then it's right.
As you can probably guess, a pragmatist is in danger of ruining their life because they base their reality on what works rather than what is true or good or right.
This is why God warns against pragmatism in the Bible.
In 2 Chroncles 28 we learn that King Ahaz has his back against a wall. So he decides to sacrifice to a false gods since they seem to have helped others. Ahaz literally says in verse 23, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.”
Unfortunately, what is right must never be determined by what seems to work; Hence the rest of verse 23, "but they were the ruin of him and of all Israel."
Why am I blogging about pragmatism? It's because I hear it all of the time!
It usually sounds like this...
"I normally wouldn't have done it. But since it worked, it must have been God's will."
"I figured since it worked for
We must never determing our values by what works. Rather, we must determine our values by God's Word. Else, we will find ourselves in ruin for straying from His revealed will.
Posted by Joe Gordon at 3:17 AM 0 comments
In my opinion, this is the best study Bible that has ever been published.
Here are some sample pages...
Posted by Joe Gordon at 3:53 AM 0 comments
I'm finding it hard to upload my sermon manuscripts onto this blog. (Oy vey!) If your interested in hearing them, I recommend our podcast at somanorth.com.
Posted by Joe Gordon at 3:47 AM 0 comments
Here's a New York Times aricle/video on the crackdown on russian protestantism.
This is exactly what the early church was experiencing under the Roman Empire. Early Romans saw the church as a mysterious religious sect known for their odd displays of religious affections. For instance, the Lord's Supper was misunderstood as cannibalism.
How did the early church overcome these stereotypes?
Answer: Good behavior.
This is the reason Paul and Peter continuously plead with early Christians to make a good name for themselves. (For instance,See Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:12-18) They knew that in order to overcome these crazy stereotypes Christians must prove to outsiders that they are actually model citizens.
Application: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "...aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one."
Posted by Joe Gordon at 3:29 AM 0 comments
Elderly woman leads her car-jacker to Christ....
"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (1 Peter 2:21-25)
Posted by Joe Gordon at 12:22 PM 0 comments
A powerful video from our nations most powerful prophet... (runtime is less than 3 minutes)
Posted by Joe Gordon at 2:08 PM 0 comments
Shai Linne just dropped a new album called "Atonement" that's worth checking out at Amazon or iTunes. It's a jazz flavored rap with sermon excerpts weaved into his lyrics. If that's not novel enough, Shai's lyrics were greatly influenced by John Piper and C.J. Mahaney; thus, making his album as Christ-centered as they come. It's good listening for tea houses and the like.
Here's an excerpt of some of his lyrics from the track "The Gospel":
"...I get on the mic and speak of man's inability/
to get up to god on his own and cats aint feelin me/
man cheated on God like Bill did to Hillary..."
WHOA!
Posted by Joe Gordon at 11:51 AM 0 comments
Labels: Music
I hope beyond hope this ends up in my local theater....
Posted by Joe Gordon at 9:53 AM 0 comments
I'm sorry that I've been absent from my blog for awhile. I broke the #1 rule to successful blog publishing - Don't stop blogging!
Anyway, these last two months have been crazy. (See engagement picture below.)
From here on out I will be blogging my sermon manuscripts as well as links to the audio. I hope that proves edifying to the people at somanorth.
Posted by Joe Gordon at 9:43 AM 1 comments