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?If you hook the hope of your heart to the people around you, you will always be disappointed. No one is able to be your personal messiah.

You should be thankful for the people whom God places in your life. You should love them dearly. You should treat them with honor and respect. You should do all you can to maintain the unity and peace of your relationships with them. You should be willing to give to and serve them. You should be open to them as they speak into your life. You should recognize that you were designed to live in loving community with others like them. But you cannot look to them to provide for you what only God can provide.
There are many, many Christian relationships that are hurtful, painful, and marked by conflict and disappointment because the people in those relationships are placing a burden on those relationships that no human relationship can bear.
No person can be the source of your identity.
No one can be the basis of your happiness.
No individual can give you a reason to get up in the morning and continue.
No loved one can be the carrier of[?]?

Excerpt From: Paul David Tripp. ?New Morning Mercies.? Crossway. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/p-8l4.l

Father’s Day has different implications for many. Our heart is that fathers step up and be the dad God has called you to be!

Follow this great campaign this Father’s Day: Watch here

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLgIecL1IdY[/youtube]

This is a clip from a sermon by Matt Chandler, entitled “The Shepherd and his unregenerate sheep” at a Desiring God Conference. I doctored the clip a little bit to show to our youth group one of these days. Enjoy!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrrwqweVwdo[/youtube]

Knox Bishop was diagnosed with pediatric cancer in 2014. His family stayed strong through the battled and is on a quest to share their story in hopes of raising awareness for childhood cancer. They have partnered with Hyundai Hope On Wheels in sharing just one wish… to end childhood cancer. Learn more about the amazing kids and moms who have joined Hope On Wheels during its 17th year in the fight to #EndChildhoodCancer at http://www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org/.

Notes from ?New Morning Mercies? by Paul David Tripp

April 12, 2015
If God is your Father, the Son is your Savior, and the Spirit is your indwelling Helper, you have hope no matter what you?re facing.

Who in the world do you think you are? I?m serious. Who do you think you are? You and I are always assigning to ourselves some kind of identity. And the things that you and I do are shaped by the identity that we have given ourselves. So it?s important to acknowledge that God has not just forgiven you (and that is a wonderful thing), but he has also given you a brand-new identity. If you?re God?s child, you are now a son or daughter of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. You are in the family of the Savior, who is your friend and brother. You are the temple where the Spirit of God now lives. Yes, it really is true?you?ve been given a radically new identity.
The problem, sadly, is that many of us live in a constant, or at least a rather regular, state of identity amnesia. We forget who we are, and when we do, we begin to give way to doubt, fear, and timidity[?]

All Excerpts From
New Morning Mercies
Paul David Tripp
Category: Christianity

Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs Interview on Divorce and RE-marriage hosted by Hope Fellowship in Frisco, Texas?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8wS2qwyzbc[/youtube]

Matt Chandler – “A Man’s Purpose” from A Beautiful Design series starting September 7, 2014

Attention all men. Listen to Matt Chandler,? The Village Church, as he unpacks three sermons to the men in the latest series called A Beautiful Design.

#1 – WATCH HERE – “Man’s Purpose”

#2 – WATCH HERE – “Man’s Hurdles” by Beau Hughes

#3 – WATCH HERE – ” Man’s Redemption”

Ladies, stay tuned for the sermons to you!

Steve Farrar with Jeff Scruggs – Interview

Watch interview here: Steve and Jeff

Go to Stevefarrar.com for more amazing interviews with men.

Boyd Baily – A Fruitful Family

A Fruitful Family

?Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.? Psalm 128:1?4

The fruit from a family who fears the Lord is tasty and delicious. However, this type of fruit does not happen immediately but is cultivated over time. A fruitful wife sets the tone for the home. By God?s grace she weeds out criticism and replaces it with creativity. The home is her ?pride and joy.? It is a reflection of her, as it is her nest.

A home to the wife is like an office to the husband. Things need to be just right, or she feels violated. Indeed, be grateful for a conscientious wife who wants to express herself through the home. The fruit of a clean, decorated, and ordered home is calming. It provides an environment of stability and frees family members to focus on each other and people. A husband is free[?]?

Excerpt From: Bailey, Boyd. ?Seeking Daily the Heart of God Volume II.? iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Paul David Tripp – Invading Love from Wednesday’s Word

INVADING LOVE

Last week we studied Psalm 42 and reflected on what it means to be spiritually dehydrated: those times when your soul is cast down, exhausted, and seemingly separated from the presence of God. Over the next three weeks, we’ll revisit that passage and find instruction for our soul during these difficult seasons.

Instead of studying the entire Psalm, we’ll dissect the three elements found in verse 8: ?By day the Lord commands his steadfast love / and at night his song is with me / a prayer to the God of my life.? (Psalm 42:8)

One of the most important things to do in moments of dehydration is remember the quality of God?s love. Notice how the Psalmist describes it – ?The Lord commands his steadfast love.?

When you?re feeling spiritually depressed, it?s very tempting to think that God has changed. Maybe he?s not as intimate as he claims; perhaps his promises have varied; could it be that he doesn?t actually love me?

If we believe the Bible, we should remember that God is always near; Psalm 34:18 says, ?The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.? We should also recall that God?s promises never change – ?For I the Lord do not change? (Malachi 3:6) and “There is no variation or shadow due to change [with the Father].” (James 1:17)

Of course, don?t forget Psalm 118 when we consider his love: ?Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, ?His steadfast love endures forever.? Let the house of Aaron say, ?His steadfast love endures forever.? Let those who fear the LORD say, ?His steadfast love endures forever.?? (Psalm 118:1-4, emphasis mine)

All throughout Scripture, we have hundreds of reminders that God is always near; we have hundreds of reminders that God is unchanging; we have hundreds of reminders that his love is steadfast. Could it be that in times of spiritual dehydration, you have simply forgotten or neglected to remind yourself of the quality of God?s love?

The other thing to remember is the nature of God’s love. Notice the image that the Psalmist uses: ?The Lord commands His steadfast love.? It?s a military metaphor. Not only is the love of God constant and always near, but the God of love will invade your life by his grace.

Invasion doesn?t seem like a great term, considering all the negative results of human warfare. But in this case, it?s actually a beautiful description. You see, your loving Father is not content to sit back and let you work this thing called faith out on your own.

God has, and will continue, to invade your life with his love. He’s always marching towards you with his love, even when you?re spiritually dehydrated and exhausted. The great captain of love and the great general of mercy will fight for you, every step of the way.

So the next time you’re feeling cast down, exhausted and dehydrated, remember who loves you and how he loves you. His love is steadfast, intimate, and always fighting for the welfare of your soul.

By the way, if you haven’t yet picked up a copy of my latest book New Morning Mercies, I’m extending a discount until Friday. Learn how to get your copy of this 365-day devotional by clicking here…

God bless

Paul David Tripp

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

When was the last time you felt spiritually dehydrated?

How have you doubted the presence, promises, and love of God?

If there are hundreds of reminder verses in the Bible, why is it so easy to forget the presence, promises, and love of God?

How has God invaded your life, and how does God fight on your behalf today?

How can you use these truths to comfort others struggling with spiritual dehydration and depression?

“A Deep Yearning” | Matt Chandler

Many of us have a deep yearning for many things in our lives, but do you have a deep yearning for Jesus?

Listen here as Matt Chandler , lead pastor of Teaching at The Village Church in the Dallas, Texas unpacks “A Deep Yearning” teaching from the Old Testament book of Habakkuk 3.

” I think as believers in Christ, the call is to do both, to both be captivated by what our God can do but also to be captivated by who our God is. I think we excel at one and we stink at the other.” Matt

“Sometimes it’s Better to Say Nothing” | Paul David Tripp

“When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable” (Proverbs 10:19, NASB). Paul David Tripp, author of the book “War of Words,” reveals a correlation between the quantity and quality of words, explaining that we can serve Jesus in our silence.”

Watch this 3 minute video here

[youtube]http://youtu.be/IrRnvnPQtXM[/youtube]

“Women of the Word”? by Jen Wilkin | CBMW

Studying the Bible is hard work. But Jen Wilkin is adamant that women are up for the task. In fact, in her excellent new book, Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds, she challenges women living in an age of swipes and clicks, to study God?s word with Purpose, Perspective, Patience, Process, Prayer. With these five P?s, she guides women to take the radical step of taking time and effort to study the Bible.

Read rest of article here

A LIFESTYLE OF SERIOUSNESS (4th of 4 in series)

This is the fourth and final devotional from Hebrews 10:19-31. If you?ve missed any in the past, you can always catch up at www.PaulTripp.com/Wednesday.

?For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins [?] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.? (Hebrews 10:26-31)

I don?t have the space to unpack all these verses, but it?s crucial that we see how sin is talked about in this passage. Sin is not described as a breaking of some abstract law; sin is presented as a direct affront to the Triune God.

Look at the words used in these verses: ?trampled underfoot the Son of God? [?] ?profaned the blood of the covenant? [?] ?outraged the Spirit of grace.? That?s serious language.

We live in a culture that doesn?t take sin seriously anymore. We call it ?powerful advertising? ? we ignore, minimize, laugh at, and sometimes even praise what God calls sin. We?ve fallen into the trap of thinking that sin isn?t so bad after all.

Brothers and sisters, we need to take sin incredibly seriously. Yes, the penalty for sin has been paid, but you can still be a Christian and ruin your life because you don?t take seriously the consequences of your sin.

Galatians 6:7 says, ?Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.? There is a direct correlation between the choices of your heart and the quality of your life.

Perhaps even more importantly, you can?t celebrate the beauty of the gospel until you recognize the ugliness of sin. Jesus becomes so much more precious when you realize just what He has rescued you from.

I would encourage you today – take seriously the consequence of your actions, and take seriously the ugly nature of your sin. Your life and your Savior grow in beauty as you do.

God bless

Paul David Tripp

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

Why might a law feel “easier” to break if its abstract instead of personal?

How does our culture ignore, minimize, laugh at or praise sin?

How did you ignore, minimize, laugh at or praise sin this past week?

How have you seen a direct correlation between the choices of your heart and the quality of your life?

How does Jesus become more precious as you take sin more seriously?

Louie Giglio on the Giant of Rejection (Goliath Series #4)

Listen here

Louie Giglio at Passion City Church in Atlanta, GA is in the middle of an incredible series called the Goliath Series. We all have “Goliath’s” in our lives. Check out the first sermon in the series here! Paul David Tripp has offers a great “lifestyle” series on his weekly newsletter (read here), and Boyd Bailey writes incredible devotionals to encourage and challenge us.

Louie Giglio:

Watch

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

A Lifestyle of Action by Paul David Tripp