Today's Devotions

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Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • Conformed to His Image +

    Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation by Kenneth Boa This is one of the best books I have ever Read More
  • Paradigm Shift by Randy Russell +

    Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds; then you will know the Read More
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kell(the following is from Collin Hansen's blog at the Gospel Coalition: http://intelmin.org/2012/08/collin-hansen-when-we-suffer-when-to-disobey/)

Peter and the other apostles set the example: when told by authorities they could not testify to the risen and ascended Christ, they responded, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). So we know that Christians must not obey authorities when their command directly contradicts God and his revealed Word. This is the basis for Christian civil disobedience.

From there, however, things get complicated and personal. As Albert Mohler describes in this substantive new video (audio link below), we Christians living in the West can now envision a time when we ask for God's protection from our authorities. Earlier this year The Falls Church in Virginia, led by long-time rector John Yates, lost their meeting facility, assets, and parsonage in a decisive court judgment after years of fighting to leave a denomination where many have stopped preaching the gospel. Tim Keller sketches the scene in New York City, where many elected officials shook church leaders with hostile opposition to the "invasion" of evangelical worship in public schools.

No doubt, our culture is changing. Christians are no longer respected or understood as we once were, Yates observes. But watch to the end of this video (audio), when Yates calls on Christians to focus on what's important, reject superficial faith, and identify with our truly persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. Indeed, when we suffer loss and opposition for our faith, we can rejoice as believers counted worthy of suffering for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41). Hear the words of James, who told us, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (James 1:2-3). If you suffer, Yates says, maybe you really are a Christian after all.

http://tgc-audio.s3.amazonaws.com/podcast/When%20We%20Suffer,%20When%20to%20Disobey.mp3

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

  • River of Love

    There's a river of love that runs through all timeBut there's a river of grief that floods through our livesIt Read More
  • I Am Nothing

    I stutter when I tryTo speak the language of lifeI want to shout out loudBut I just cry insideSometimes it Read More
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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
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