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I was informed last night that people couldn't post comments on this blog ... I wondered why there weren't any! I have hopefully changed the settings so comments can be left. Please be courteous in your comments and note that I will delete all comments left anonymously and anything that is offensive or unhelpful.

Making every heart beat count

In Acts 17:24-25 we read;


The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (Acts 17:24-25)

This is part of the Apostle Paul's sermon to pagan philosophers.

The thing is this verse tells us that God gives me my life and breath. I take that to mean that, at the very least, God makes my heart beat and puts breath in my lungs. Every heartbeat, every breath is a gift from God to me.

The question is what am I going to do with each heartbeat God gives to me?

I could use 8400 of them to watch a 2 hour film that has scenes in it which dishonour God. (Assuming my heart beat is about 70 beats/minute). Or I could use 13 of them for 15 seconds of angry out burst at a motorist, made in God's image, who has just cut me up at the lights. And then use another 700 beats as I complain about him for the next 10 minutes to my family. Of course, because I'm angry, my heart will be beating faster and so I will be using far more of these precious gifts from God for things that don't bring him glory.

The other alternative is to seek, by God's grace, to use every heartbeat for the glory of God. I could spend 8400 of them meditating on God as he is revealed in scripture and standing in awe of him. I could use 700 beats to tell my family how awesome God is. I could use 13 of them to make a kind comment to a member at church. I could use 2100 of them to write a blog post encouraging people to use their heartbeats for the glory of God!

Whatever we do with these precious heartbeats from God we need to make everyone of them count for his glory. That's why he gives them.

Encouraging one another

Psalm 91 is a song which praises God for his protection of those who come to shelter in him. The ultimate divine protection we have is to shelter in Christ for salvation from God's judgement, which is coming against all sin.

For those who have experienced this great salvation, this divine protection what are they to do? Psalm 91 shows us that we are to encourage others to come under this shelter.

Verse 2 says; 'I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust." That's the personal testimony of someone who has found Christ to be their saviour from sin.

Notice what he then does. Verse 3. 'Surely He will save YOU ...' This man not only testifies to his own salvation but he encourages others to trust in the Lord for salvation.

Here is a man who uses his personal experience of the Lord's salvation to encourage others to trust God.

This principle doesn't just apply to salvation from sin. Every time we experience the Lord's deliverance and help we can turn it around to personal testimony and encouragement to trust. Paul writing to the church at Corinth says;


Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Put Strong Pillars Under Your Case for the Unbelieving Poor

The following post by Piper shows his commitment to proper exegesis as well as being a motivation to care for the poor who don't know Jesus

Put Strong Pillars Under Your Case for the Unbelieving Poor

Provoking teenagers to anger

The following is from John Piper.

Children, including teenagers, should treat their parents with respect (Ephesians 6:2). But it cuts both ways. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger” (Ephesians 6:4). Of course children can get angry for no good reason. But the point is: Don’t give them a good reason. That would include things like treating them rudely in front of others. C. S. Lewis gives good counsel:

We hear a great deal about the rudeness of the rising generation. I am an oldster myself and might be expected to take the oldsters' side, but in fact I have been far more impressed by the bad manners of parents to children than by those of children to parents.

Who has not been the embarrassed guest at family meals where the father or mother treated their grown-up offspring with an incivility which, offered to any other young people, would simply have terminated the acquaintance?

Dogmatic assertions on matters which the children understand and their elders don't, ruthless interruptions, flat contradictions, ridicule of things the young take seriously — sometimes of their religion — insulting references to their friends, all provide an easy answer to the question, "Why are they always out? Why do they like every house better than their home?" Who does not prefer civility to barbarism? (C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves, 42).

Holiday Blues

Just back from three weeks holiday and trying to get back into working mode again.

Why Preacher's Apprentice?

Why did I name my blog 'The Preachers Apprentice'?

When I started in the ministry six years ago only one local minister contacted me and took me under his wing. I am sure the others would have if I had gone to them but this one took the initiative. He helped me during those early years of ministry. It was like having a Ministerial Apprenticeship and as his blog was called 'Who's That Preacher' I hit on 'The Preacher's Apprentice'.

Thanks Gary for your friendship and support over the last six years.