tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post4803465291341057076..comments2024-03-10T10:40:32.319-07:00Comments on Pyromaniacs: February 11: the most pivotal day in my life (Biblical lessons to learn [requested classic re-post])Phil Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00649092052031518426noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-27474662859413140832009-08-07T06:52:08.097-07:002009-08-07T06:52:08.097-07:00"This does not serve to commend our degrading...<i>"This does not serve to commend our degrading the Gospel by adding our human follies. Nor does it rule out Biblical assessment of evangelistic methods and contents."</i><br /><br />My thoughts exactly. We should always strive to be biblical whenever possible.<br /><br /><i>"But it does serve to humble us appropriately, and counsel grace towards others who preach Christ through different means, because it serves to exalt our gracious, saving God."</i><br /><br />Ouch...there is some definite conviction for me there. Thanks for the admonishment to rejoice always that the Gospel is being preached and Christ is being exalted instead of me.<br /><br />"Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice." ~Philippians 1:15-18Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11228370249206051476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-83953953531573017932009-08-06T12:10:16.411-07:002009-08-06T12:10:16.411-07:00Brilliant series, Dan.Brilliant series, Dan.Herding Grasshoppershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15668974245505544238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-47844395794949268402009-08-06T11:50:58.149-07:002009-08-06T11:50:58.149-07:00So - the Spirit, Word, conscience, conviction, sal...So - the Spirit, Word, conscience, conviction, salvation in Jesus Christ. Sounds just like Jesus describes the ministry of the Spirit in the Gospel of John! <br /><br />Thank you for wonderfully describing the "freshness" for you. I concur and you explained your "voice" well. And He was so powerful for you and He sounded so personal that it seemed - "AS IF" IT WERE UNMEDIATED - as if it was the first time it had ever happened and was direct! <br /><br />Exactly - to His brand new creation - DJP - via Word and Spirit! And for all who call upon Him in salvation! To this the posts bear witness! I say - let's get really "missional" and bear personal witness to the truth of the gospel and the power of the gospel!!! <br /><br />Dan - Great post and careful thoughts. Testimonies are great!!!<br /><br />My personal thanks to all at team Pyro. I know of many who read all posts on site and don't necessarily comment. And I think I can say for them that God is using all of you mightily. To teach and be careful and Biblical and "think out loud" in both posts and interaction in comments can be so very very meaningful!David Sheldonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06073661660373716305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-54644847518810530542009-08-06T11:00:48.351-07:002009-08-06T11:00:48.351-07:00"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden ..."Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."Nash Equilibriumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06528684112014026512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-9695693854538919882009-08-06T09:55:10.276-07:002009-08-06T09:55:10.276-07:00Charles Spurgeon tells that correct doctrine is on...Charles Spurgeon tells that correct doctrine is only one small part of our soul-winning arsenal. Much prayer, seeking after righteousness and holiness, and a deep love for the lost are also things that should be present in our lives. I would hate to think that soul-winning is only for the theologian or the pastor. <br /><br />great post!Carlo Provenciohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05169941376497162845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-352537068571114812009-08-06T08:42:21.134-07:002009-08-06T08:42:21.134-07:00What a great primer on personal evangelism.
Thank...What a great primer on personal evangelism.<br /><br />Thanks especially for the reminder about actually embodying the love we proclaim, especially when it's really, <i>really</i> hard.<br /><br />And also for the reminder that God really can and does save people that <i>hate</i> Him. We've got a lot of those kind in our life and it's tempting to give up.<br /><br />God doesn't - neither can we!Rachael Starkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10781158372237369417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-7386123002136847012009-08-06T07:17:34.712-07:002009-08-06T07:17:34.712-07:00"Dude—you said you heard a voice? ...No. I th..."Dude—you said you heard a voice? ...No. I think it was a result of God the Holy Spirit working in my mind to convict me of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11). I think the "voice" was my own conscience, but it was the distillation and the culmination of what God had already been impressing on me by an agonizing process that took months and months. It was the focused application of what I'd already seen from the Gospels, laid on my own wretched heart and the destruction of my false foundation. It was nothing like prophetic revelation, which is direct and unmediated."<br /><br />I am glad I am not the only one that had this experience. I remember thinking in the seat while listening to the preacher and believing while being filled with doubts. I remember asking in my mind "What about that ridiculous flood story?" To which the "voice" said, "Put your doubts aside for the moment and the answers will come."<br /><br />Looking back, this may have been logically or reasonably foolish. But the answer did come in the most "accidental" way.<br /><br />I had truly believed, yet I struggled for answers with many doubts. Because real answers were out there and finally were found, I have only become a stronger Christian.<br /><br />There were no local Christians that would or could answer my real questions. Yet God was pleased to save me through weak preaching. I saw my sin. I saw my need for Christ. Even that I only came to see with more clarity as time went on. As one who slipped up the hand and prayed the sinners prayer in a Pentecostal church, I definitely did not fit the Reformed mold. Yet here I am today standing firmly in the Reformed camp by God's grace smiling with internal applause as I read your post.<br /><br />God BlessHoward Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07131678953403450197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-903920044355147132009-08-06T07:15:36.996-07:002009-08-06T07:15:36.996-07:00Dan,
"But NONE of those things made an impac...Dan,<br /><br /><i>"But NONE of those things made an impact on me, because GOD was using the truth in them to save me."</i><br /><br />That's it exactly and biblically.<br /><br />Regarding hearing "A Voice", you explained it well.<br /><br />By 1976 I had heard the Gospel many times to no apparent avail.<br /><br />Late one night in my office, unhappy and empty, I re-read a plaque my sister had bought me. <br /><br />It was a quotation from the Eastern Mysticism you-are-sorta-god blasphemous book, <i>Jonathan Livingston Seagull</i>.<br /><br />It read, "It's good to be a seeker, but sooner or later you need to be a finder."<br /><br />I literally asked the empty room, "Yeah, sure, but what is there to find?"<br /><br />And, to quote you, Dan, "It was as if a voice came back," and witnessed to my heart, "It's that Jesus that everybody has been telling you about."<br /><br />And my heart was opened to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I never looked back.<br /><br />Dan, I really appreciate you (re)sharing your story.Terry Rayburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00888533194435826837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-34016774303035665192009-08-06T07:05:30.370-07:002009-08-06T07:05:30.370-07:00Amen! I experienced a very slow conversion: growin...Amen! I experienced a very slow conversion: growing up in a moderately-liberal church, innoculated to what I thought was Christianity, rejecting it, coming to my wit's end, going to a Christian gathering just to find girls, and it goes on. Looking back, I am amazed that God could love me, that Christ could stoop down to save me, particularly and effectually. I do thank God's human means for bringing me to understand the Gospel, but I thank mostly the Holy Spirit. I say that had God passed me over and left me to my own free will, I would have stood deservingly condemned. What a kind and loving God to override our stubborn rebellion and to give us new hearts, to take away our sins, to clothe us in the perfect righteousness of the Son, to adopt us as sons and heirs of His glorious Kingdom. On a small side note, the L in TULIP is LOVE - effectual and particular LOVE. Yes, it's limited, but that's not the real point. It's actual love - NOT possible love. Christ did die for us, to actually take away our sins.<br /><br />Anyway, good post!Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13720480260474724627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-20625926551213833982009-08-06T06:01:59.769-07:002009-08-06T06:01:59.769-07:00"But it does serve to humble us appropriately..."But it does serve to humble us appropriately, and counsel grace towards others who preach Christ through different means, because it serves to exalt our gracious, saving God."<br /><br />Thanks, Dan. A fine sentiment after a powerful testimony.James Scott Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07641370124346172648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-14265692718095192332009-08-06T02:17:30.998-07:002009-08-06T02:17:30.998-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.James Scott Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07641370124346172648noreply@blogger.com