Rick Ianniello

fruit of godliness

2008-08-20T19:36:00.000-04:00

Pleasing God is not a means to our personal godliness, it is the fruit of our godliness for it is the fruit of trust. We will never please God through our efforts to become godly. Rather, we will only please God - and become godly - when we trust God. ~ Thrall, McNicol, and Lynch; TrueFaced See also: Genesis 4.4-5; the issue wasn't Cain's offering, it was the motive within him. 1 Samuel 13.5-

what rick thinks

2008-08-20T16:28:00.001-04:00

He didn't say but I imagine Rick Warren would have given himself a "B" for his work in the Saddleback Summit with McCain and Obama. I give him an "A". Well done from my perspective. Here's a brief interview with Warren on how he thinks he did. How would you size up the Saddleback Civil Forum in light of the goals you'd laid out for it going in? It accomplished what I wanted to accomplish, and

train song

2008-08-20T10:50:00.001-04:00

Josh Garrels Train Song ... wow! Train Song Shame on you, shame on me Lord He took all that shame and pain, and set men free And I've got that fire on the mountain Fire in my soul It's been a long time coming, long time And I'm ready to go I'm stepping out the door Doing what feels right Following my Lord, through the darkest night And when the path gets narrow I'll follow Him And when the

how about that holy spirit

2008-08-20T10:45:00.000-04:00

Chris Larson posted this simple piece on the work of the Holy Spirit. In the beginning Active and present at creation, hovering over the unordered conditions (Gen. 1:2)In the Old Testament The origin of supernatural abilities (Gen. 41:38)The giver of artistic skill (Ex. 31:2-5)The source of power and strength (Judg. 3:9, 10)The inspiration of prophecy (1 Sam. 19:20, 23)The equipper of God's

trusting is pleasing

2008-08-20T09:16:00.002-04:00

To trust God is to please Him. If our motive it to please Him, we will never please Him enough and we not learn to trust Him either. Trying to please leads to striving. It leans on our own effort and ability. But in trusting God we learn that He is pleased with us. That then results in right values and actions. Pleasing God is a by-product of trusting Him. The path of being motivated by pleasing

rick warren evil ... and more

2008-08-20T08:47:00.000-04:00

Bob Hyatt already exposed him [sarcasm] as a cheat while many others have found him to be a crook, a heretic, the antichrist, etc.. People simply love to hate Rick Warren. Rephrase - "Christians" simply love to find error in others. They remind me of the first servant in Mt 18.21ff who failed to allow the forgiveness offered him to effect a change in his heart and in turn effect a change in his

more politics

2008-08-19T17:42:00.001-04:00

In case you are one of the two or three that missed this ... Rick Warren: "When does a baby in the womb receive full human rights'... " Obama: "... whether you're looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity ... is above my pay grade." From First Things: Dr. Hymie Gordon (Mayo Clinic): “By all criteria of modern molecular

i'm out of sync

2008-08-19T17:21:00.000-04:00

I know I'm out of sync with a group or a viewpoint when I see something that is supposed to be a positive but I take as more negative reinforcement. PS - The Matthew 25 Network should not be confused with Matthew 25 Ministries. The latter helps the world's needy while the former supports public officials who in their view support social change (hmmm). HT:BH And speaking of politics, I heard

church exposed

2008-08-19T17:12:00.001-04:00

Here's some really good investigative reporting ... seriously, although a spoof, it was all too real. HT:DW Technorati Tags: ecclesiology, humor

change

2008-08-17T21:47:00.001-04:00

Our message this morning a la Matt Massey. In Jesus, change is immediate and positionally complete, i.e., justification.The experience of change is a process, i.e., sanctification.This process is beautiful, fantastic, and miserable.True change requires change ... duh ... true internal change effects an external change which in turn bears fruit consistent with the internal (new) nature.

rick warren exposed

2008-08-17T21:36:00.001-04:00

Leave it to Bob Hyatt to find the real problem with Rick Warren. With all of the scrutiny and accusations, it's surprising no one else spotted it but then Bob has always had a keen eye and perceptive spirit. Here it is, Rick Warren caught cheating!

luther on grace and works

2008-08-17T21:33:00.001-04:00

Grace cannot stand it when we want to give something to God or establish merit or pay him with our works. This is the greatest of blasphemies and idolatries and is nothing less than the denial and even ridicule of God. ~ Martin Luther, Luther’s Works HT:JF

to please or to trust

2008-08-17T09:41:00.000-04:00

All of us face significant choices nearly every day. We may not always realize we are making them or the enormity of the effect the choice will have on the balance of our life but we make them nonetheless. One such choice that is made on-going is choosing between the motives of pleasing God or to trusting God. Choosing our motives wisely is like a watershed point, a seemingly small difference at

new identity

2008-08-17T07:23:00.001-04:00

Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! ~ Galatians 6.15 MSG Pleasing is not a means to our personal godliness, it is the fruit of our godliness for it is the fruit of trust. We will never please God through our efforts to become godly.

repentance

2008-08-17T07:17:00.001-04:00

“Repentance has nothing to do with what man has done. Rather it is man’s coming undone in respect to all human righteousness, followed by his going outside himself in faith to Christ alone for salvation.” ~ C. John Miller, Repentance and 21st Century Man HT:FE

deeds

2008-08-16T23:57:00.001-04:00

While must have the proper heart regenerated by the Holy Spirit, our actions or better yet, the resulting fruit, are the tell. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ~ Mt 7.15-16 "What I said on Sunday wasn't nearly as important as what I

saints

2008-08-16T23:46:00.001-04:00

"We are "saints, not saved sinners who should now 'buck-up and be better'." ~ Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, John Lynch; TrueFaced

love is not enough

2008-08-16T16:37:00.001-04:00

Faith comes by hearing the clear message of the Gospel. Jared Wilson writes: The danger within the new church movements, even as we seek to be the gospel in healing, comforting, clothing, and feeding, is that we practically confuse our good works for the gospel of Christ's good work. ... If we divorce the sharp edge of the gospel -- the scandalous message of sin and grace -- from our missional

perfect preacher?

2008-08-14T22:16:00.001-04:00

Peter Cockrell posted this with an exclamation mark in the title. I opted for a question mark. Either way, the list is interesting. I don't know much about some of these guys but I value what I know about many of them. If you were added to this list, what would the characteristic be? I love this. Colin Adams has a great list of things to work toward as a preacher. …the exegetical carefulness of

go wayne grudem

2008-08-14T11:15:00.001-04:00

Ok, ok ... I'm busted ... I'm a Wayne Grudem fan. I don't know these guys but I relate to them ... Why this man is thematic, he’s charismatic, he’s systematic, Why he’s Wayne Grudem! (Wayne Grudem) He did not author Scripture but provides a clearer picture - Oh Yeah! (Keep reading whoa keep reading) Wayne may not be Jesus but he writes mean exegesis- Oh Yeah! (I’ll buy a copy, I’ll kill to

leonard ravenhill

2008-08-14T09:21:00.001-04:00

I recently tumbled onto these quotes of Leonard Ravenhill. I remember reading his stuff via Keith Green "back in the day". I forgot how feisty he was ... but accurate nonetheless. [Concerning one of the new "movements" in the church that was causing a stir among Christians:] "There's also a stir when the circus comes to town."[Concerning the fixation that today's church has with numbers, with

not to be outdone ...

2008-08-14T07:27:00.001-04:00

John McCain, not wanting to be out done by Barack Obama, takes a look at pro-abortion running mate ... urgh. Technorati Tags: abortion, politics

piper on lakeland

2008-08-14T02:50:00.000-04:00

As usual, John Piper can be counted on for sober-minded, God-glorifying counsel. Here he speaks on the recent developments regarding Todd Bentley and the Lakeland revival. I like his thinking. My personal note before quoting Piper, I saw many issues with the goings on down there and would never have recommended to someone to participate. At the same time, I saw a lot of sin in the hearts of those

study notes

2008-08-14T02:32:00.001-04:00

I can really identify with Gorden Cheng's nervousness in regard to the ESV Study Bible. It's not about the ESV part, it's about study Bibles in general, or better said, how many people choose to use them. Interest because, well, it’s interesting. Nervousness because Study Bibles, no matter how terrific they are, are the bane of every Bible study leader’s life. When you ask “What does the text

i don't like mccain but ...

2008-08-14T02:28:00.001-04:00

Contrary to popular belief, not all evangelicals love everything about everyone labeling themselves Republican. For me, I find little to like about John McCain. On the other hand, Life with Obama (or death as it were) is not something I can get my mind wrapped around. Technorati Tags: abortion, politics