This is a message about God’s purposes in the recession. Byrecession I don’t have any sophisticated definition in mind. I just mean various financial setbacks like business slowdown, decreasing profits, massive layoffs and joblessness, the bursting of the housing bubble, thousands of foreclosures, personal and business bankruptcies, bank failures, investment company collapses, the loss of retirement funds, and the social ills and unrest that go with the downturn.
God is sovereign over these things, he foresees them all, he causes or permits them all, and when he causes or permits something, he does so with purpose and design.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)
The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.” (Psalms 33:10)
[The Lord] declares the end from the beginning . . . saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” (Isaiah 46:10)
So none of the recessionary events has surprised the Lord. His purposes and designs are being fulfilled according to plan. And what I want to do is draw your attention to some of those purposes. READ MORE
The following is an edited transcript of the audio.
If at the end of your life you could say one thing to the next generation of church leaders, what might it be?
This is risky, because I know how it could be misused by people who don’t like me anyway. But I think I’m going to say to them on my death bed, “Make the Bible the supreme intellectual and emotional authority in your life, for the sake of magnifying Christ in the fullness of his person and his work, so that generation after generation preserves the foundation and the capstone of the glory of God in Christ, and the grace that is the apex of that glory.”
Originally posted December 10, 2009 | By: Noel Piper @ DesiringGod …All Rights remain property of them.
Advent is a time of looking back, remembering the faithful people who were waiting for the salvation God had promised, as 1 Peter 1:10-12 tells us.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
Then the very next verses continue by turning our eyes forward in Advent, looking toward the return of Jesus. READ MORE
One of the things I have struggled with is the memorization of scripture. There are parts I have down that I can recall and even ‘sections’ I know to point to when speaking about a specific topic, but overall I am lacking in my ability to call scripture exactly when needed. If you’d like to [...]
Sin so often seeks to do two things—express itself and excuse itself. Here’s an example: we’ve heard those stories in which an unbelieving or disobedient husband makes life miserable for his Christian wife. We’ve also heard the world’s counsel to those women—“You deserve better than this! Leave the bum! God doesn’t expect you to submit to him! Take the kids […]
The issue of authority and submission in the home—especially wives submitting to their husbands—is not appealing to our fallen culture. The world responds with ridicule, resistance and even rejection. Of course we expect those kinds of reactions from people hostile to divine authority; but what happens when the church falls prey to that mindset? […]
What makes a family work? Is it authority—a firm-ruling father who keeps the peace? Activity—weekly date nights and regular family outings? Availability—members who make time for one another? According to Scripture, a key ingredient for a successful family is submission. Society scoffs at the very mention of the word, but God places submission at the top of […]
After God created the first couple and brought them together in the first marriage ceremony, there was perfect harmony, fellowship, and joy. Adam had a wife to fellowship with; the two of them exercised dominion together. Eve had her husband to protect, provide, and care for her. All was well in Eden, for the moment . . . […]
No sane Christian questions the origin of the family. The Bible lays it out before us in unambiguous terms. God created the family—period. But why? God answered that question in the Old Testament long before any New Testament writers took up their pen. To get the divine perspective on the family, we have to go back, way back, to the very beginning. […]
Where do you turn when your family is in trouble? Some confide in a friend; others call a marriage “expert,” like a pastor or counselor. Many people in the world consult a psychologist, only to come away with theories and five-step plans; or more commonly, they call a psychiatrist and get themselves a prescription. God’s Word has a lot to say about the famil […]
Dobson and Beck form an alliance, Beck says - http://ht.ly/2ydXC //Seriously? Is it April 1st? 2010/09/01
@korevec not a developer...a designer @mooreplusone - love to help. I love ur site, wish I could take it w/ me when Im out. Check @subsplash 2010/09/01
RT @jwmoss: @TheCity plans for an iPhone app? time table? // +1 I hear that...you guys need an app stat. Only company slower is @dailymile 2010/09/01
@Tedashii that's awesome bro - our first is 6 months and it's incredible to see them develop. #evolutionfail Praise God for His gifts :) 2010/09/01
RT @reachrecords: Check out the Rehab "Idols" video. Its almost time to check in! http://bit.ly/bz2BaE // You don't have to sell me @lecrae 2010/09/01
RT @PastorMark: A good perspective on Beck’s Mormon moralism God & country inanity that naïve evangelicals are sadly supporting http://o ... 2010/09/01
@lecrae you can't drop a single like that and make us wait till the END of september. Praise God brother - Passing it around the office.. 2010/08/31
RT @jaredcwilson: A graceless Calvinist is like Baum's man of tin: squeaky and heartless // well said. 2010/08/31
This is a message about God’s purposes in the recession. Byrecession I don’t have any sophisticated definition in mind. I just mean various financial setbacks like business slowdown, decreasing profits, massive layoffs and joblessness, the bursting of the housing bubble, thousands of foreclosures, personal and business bankruptcies, bank failures, investment company collapses, the loss of retirement funds, and the social ills and unrest that go with the downturn.
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