Episode 77
Reading with Pastor Matt
On the Mortification of Sin by John Owen
Chapter 10 Part 1
Episode 77
Reading with Pastor Matt
On the Mortification of Sin by John Owen
Chapter 10 Part 1
Tomorrow's sermon is from Luke 15:11-32. I cannot help but have this song in my head during my preparation:
Episode 76
Reading with Pastor Matt
On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
Chapter 9 Part 3
Episode 75
Reading with Pastor Matt
On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
Chapter 9 Part 2
Episode 74
Reading with Pastor Matt
On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
Chapter 9 Part 1
Episode 73
Reading with Pastor Matt
On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
Chapter 8 Part 2
Last month my podcast reached a new all-time record for the number of plays. I hit 201 plays in the last 30 days!
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“I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with. . . . The Scotch catechism says that man’s chief end is ‘to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ But we shall then know that these are the same thing. Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.”
― C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms
Episode 72
Reading with Pastor Matt
On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
Chapter 8 Part 1
Episode 71 - Don't be a Lone Ranger Christian
(Any resemblance to actual people that might occur in this post is purely coincidental and speaks more to the prevalence of this issue and not to my desire to point anyone out.)
There is something new that is plaguing Christian communities. Ok, well... maybe it isn't new, I don't really know, but it is new to me. Actually, now that I think about it, it might not even be new to me, but it is definitely something that is now demonstrating itself in a newly exaggerated state. It is sort of like when an artist draws a caricature of a person: The artist will exaggerate any feature that is slightly noticeable in order to create the caricature. This is what is happening in our Christian Communities - we always had lone-ranger Christians, but it has never been as apparent or as grotesque as it is today.
Before I proceed, allow me to outline the format of this post. I'll begin by defining the title I've created: The Lone Ranger Christian. After that, I would like to describe the three contributing factors that I believe have exaggerated the noticeable characteristics of The Lone Ranger Christian, creating its current caricature. Finally, I will attempt to, in as brief a way as possible, share a couple of Biblical insights that I hope will battle this issue and strengthen the Church.
Episode 68 - Listen Here:
For those that do not know:
My name is Matt Harmless. I am in my 23rd year as a math teacher. All but one of my first nine years of teaching were in the private Christian School setting. The rest of my career has been in public education (with the last seven years at Danville High School in Danville, IL). I have also been a pastor at Edgewood Church in Danville since the summer of 2009. I share this information for those that might be new here, but also as an introduction to today's post.
I am going to discuss two aspects of my job, but not my teaching job... my pastoral job. I may take some time to talk about aspects of being a teacher in another post, but I wanted to make some specific points about my job as a pastor. More specifically, I wanted to discuss two things that Paul the Apostle mentions in his letter to Titus.
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Image via Google Search |
In Matthew 13:24–30, Jesus tells us this parable:
[24] He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, [25] but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. [26] So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. [27] And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ [28] He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ [29] But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. [30] Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” (Matthew 13:24–30 ESV)
I would like to begin this post by sharing some information. If you haven't already heard, the City of Danville voted an ordinance into place that could potentially affect an abortion clinic from relocating to Danville from Indiana. Here are a few of the news articles:
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Image Via WAND TV |
Listen to this letter with the actual audio clips from the April 25th meeting.
Here is the statement that I planned on reading tonight at the city council meeting:
"As a theologian, I am firmly convinced that God hates abortion and will judge it thoroughly."
Listen Here:
I attended my first City of Danville City Council meeting last night. The reason why I attended was because of an Abortion Clinic that is attempting to come to the City of Danville.
Here is the WAND-TV News on this council meeting.
Here is the FOX Illinois News on this council meeting.
Here is the WCIA-TV News on this council meeting.
Here is the Commercial News on this council meeting.
Here is the Vermilion County First News on this council meeting.
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image via VCF News |
The ACLU has sent a letter to the City of Danville Illinois, warning them ... hmm... how do I say this? It is warning Danville that they can't stop the legal murder of babies.
Read the Article from the Commercial News here.
Read the Letter from the ACLU here.
All of the unborn / unwanted of Danville would thank you... but they won't have the opportunity.
For the record. If you are out there and you read this and you are considering an abortion: if you will carry that baby to term, my wife and I would gladly adopt that child. You can read my other thoughts on abortion here.
This post will also serve as Episode 55 of my Podcast. You can listen to it here:
I'm going to warn you in advance. This is going to be a long post. It is going to be long, not because I have a lot to say, but because the little I have to say will require a thick scriptural delivery system. It will also require a few additional words, because the world we live in has no mercy for succinct statements, unless they are in agreement with the world. I will then pepper in some additional words, in an attempt of honesty and transparency, to show that my motivation is love -- love for people, love for God, love for his word, and a love for the Church. I will attempt all of these words while offering a semi-exposition of 1 Timothy 1:3–20, with a practical emphasis on an event that happened at a church in my community.
Darrel Bock on Luke 14:26 -
"Jesus spares no one who claims to have a disciples commitment. The desire to come to Jesus is a good one, but it is not to be considered casually."
Commentary on Luke Volume 2, Baker Exegetical Commentary by Darrell Bock
Listen Here:
I know a few people who are preppers. (I'm assuming that you know what this word means.)
I am not allowed to mention their names (the preppers) or to even allude to where they might live. I have been extensively warned by my prepper friends that this information should not be shared even under the pain of death because when the apocalypse hits, they don't want anyone to know that they have prepared. If the preppers I know were the sort that spent time on the internet looking at things other than survival gear and food buckets, they would probably be annoyed that I have even mentioned that I know preppers. I want to take a moment to assure my prepper friends that I will stand firm when I am being interrogated. I will not give away the location of their prep work. I promise you that nobody will know where you keep your chickens.
To read or listen to the previous entries in this series:
In the Old Testament, when the children of Israel were camped around Mount Sinai, their leader, Moses, was on the top of the mountain, receiving instructions from God, including, but not limited to, the Ten Commandments. While up there, Moses asked the Lord if he could see the Lord. Specifically, he said, "Please, show me your glory." (Exodus 33:18 ESV).
She had all of his love.But what does this really say?What is “all” and what is loved?Could it be explained in any possible way?
Dearest Charity,
I love you more.I love you more than Diet Dew.I love you more, I really do.I love you more than TV shows.I love you more, I hope you knows.I love you more than sugar cream pie.I love you more, you know that I...do love you more than free days off.I love you more, please don't scoffat the corny way I love you more.Cause I love you more and more and more.