Wednesday 25 February 2009

John Piper on the Good News of the Gospel!

"The gospel is a message about the good things that are now true about us as the achievement of the cross is applied to us in Christ - that God is only merciful to us now instead of wrathful (propitation); that we are counted righteous in Christ now (justification); that we are freed from the guilt and power of sin (redemption); that we are positionally and progressively made holy (sanctification) - all of which summons us to open these glorious realities for our people week after week with thorough exposition of texts".

John Piper - "Preaching the Cross" - Crossway Books, Illinois (2007) - (p115).

R C Sproul on Imputed Righteousness

"Imputation is more than central; it's essential to the New Testament gospel. Friends, I beg you never to negotiate the concept of the imputed righteousness of Christ. That's the article upon which we stand and fall because without His righteousness all we have to offer God is filthy rags ... The righteousness by which we are justified is an alien righteousness - a foreign righteousness. If this expression is unclear to you, know that Luther also described justification as a righteousness that is outside of us, apart from us.

The only righteousness that will justify us is the righteousness of Christ. We are naked and helpless without the cloak of His righteousness covering us. We are foul in God's sight until He imputes to us the righteousness of Christ".

R C Sproul - "Preaching the Cross" - Crossway Books, Illinois (2007) - (p97-98).

Al Mohler on Defining Expository Preaching

"I define expository preaching as that mode of Christian preaching which takes as it's central purpose the presentation and application of the text of the Bible. All other issues and concerns are subordinated to the central task of presenting the biblical text. As the Word of God, the text of Scripture has the right to establish both the substance and the structure of the sermon. Genuine exposition takes place when the preacher sets forth the meaning and message of the biblical text and makes clear how the Word of God establishes the identity and worldview of the church as the people of God".

Al Mohler - "Preaching the Cross" - Crossway Books, Illinois (2oo7) - (p66).

Mark Dever on John Piper

"While too many of us are saying a lot of things quickly and running onto the next, John stops and stands and stares at God's Word. Sometimes he stares at something that seems so obvious but he keeps staring until it begins to expand and fill the horizon of his sight. It becomes rich and detailed and lucious and intricate and full and demanding and hope-giving and life-affirming and sin-denying and sacrifice-requiring - and adjective adding".

Mark Dever - "Preaching the Cross" - Crossway Books, Illinois (2007) - (p15).

Monday 23 February 2009

Terry Virgo on Effective Prayer

"Kings have power downward and priests have power upward prevailing with God. It is through our priestly prayer ministry that we reign with Christ. Without a powerful priestly ministry, ruling is mere ambition. The priority is to reach God, then people – not the reverse".

Terry Virgo - "What a Calvinist can learn from Finney" - Terry Virgo's Blog - Monday, February 23rd, 2009 at 11:24 am.

Sunday 22 February 2009

John Piper on Sin's Promise

"The power of sin comes from it's promise of pleasure and God means it to be defeated by a superior promise".

John Piper - "A God-Entranced Vision of All Things: Why We Need Jonathan Edwards 300 Years Later" - Session 1 - "A God-Entrance Vision of all Things" Conference - Desiring God - 2003.

B M Palmer on the Best Form of Conversion

"The best way to reach the unregenerate is to show them the happiness of the Christian".

B M Palmer - cited by Iain Murray in "Speaker Interviews - Session 1" - from "A God-Entranced Vision of All Things" Conference - Desiring God Ministries - 2003.

Wednesday 18 February 2009

Rob Rufus on Defining "A Righteous Man"

"What is a righteous man? A righteous man in the New Covenant is someone that believes that the nature of God is to bless you".

Rob Rufus - "Established in the Gift of Righteousness - Part 3" - "The Law is Not Based on Faith" - City Church International Hong Kong - Sunday 18th January 2009.

Tuesday 10 February 2009

Rob Rufus on the Glorious Church!

"There is coming a Church around the world that will not just come out of slavery but will go into promised inheritance and possess the land at this age".

Rob Rufus - "The Grace-Hating Spirit – Part 2” - City Church International, Hong Kong - 25th August 2004