Did You Just Compare John Piper to Joel Osteen? [Text Messaging]

I appreciate this question, texted to me during my sermon today.

In making my point on Psalm 1:1-2, that we are to be people of the Word, I did mention Joel Osteen and John Piper (and I think I threw Charles Stanley in there as well).

Here's the text:

1:1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

The point was this:
We are to delight in the Law of the Lord. We are to meditate on it day and night.

The primary source of our devotion and study is to be the Word of God.
Not Bible Study Handbooks, though they are helpful.
Not Small Group studies, though they are helpful.
Not Sermons from preachers (here's where I mentioned Piper, Osteen, and Stanley.)

I appreciate the question, because it could be intimated from the way I made my point that I consider the three men on the same 'level.'

I certainly try to obey the 'Steve Brown' rule and pick heroes who are dead... they are less prone to embarass you. I've found Piper to be a great inspiration, and thoughtful commentator, and a deep thinker. But... He's not the Word, and he would, I am sure, point us away from his own messages and encourage us to read the word.

I like Charles Stanley. Almost everyChristian knows who he is, and has listened to In Touch on the radio, or seen him on TV. He's everywhere. I like Piper's preaching style more, but he is a good man, with a good heart. But... He's not the Word, and he would, I am sure, point us away from his own messages and encourage us to read the word.

I've never heard a whole sermon by Joel Osteen, and I don't know the guy. I look at his church and the sinful voice inside of me says, "He can't be bringing the gospel with a church that big..." but I don't know. I do think some of his prosperity theology is dangerous (the idea that God wants you to be healthy and wealthy, and you can claim that in Christ), but like I've said, I don't know his teaching well enough to speak out about it. But... He's not the word, and while I don't know if he would point us away from his own messages and encourage us to read the word, I hope he would.

We're called to embrace Jesus. We are called to embrace His Word. Let's read the book first and foremost.

thanks for the question!

Get Your Nose in the Book [Bible Reading]

Psalm 1 says that God blesses the man who steers clear of the was of the wicked and swerves into His Word, meditating on it day and night.

In the spirit of opening up the possibilities for your own devotional bible reading, I wanted to share some resources that might help you develop the habit of reading God's Word.

We are called to be workmen who are devoted to the Word, accurately handling it so that we will not be ashamed. A primary way we accomplish this is to READ God's Word. We must be in it if we expect to KNOW it and OBEY it.

Ask yourself:

• Do you have a plan to read God's Word?
• Have you set a time to read God's Word?
• Have you set a place to read God's Word?

If not, and if you're anything like me, then you won't! Let me encourage you to invest the time... take 20 minutes before basketball starts this afternoon, and find a place. Put your bible there. Put a pad and pen there. Make sure there is a light if you are going to be reading in the morning... and then plan to be there to read. Here are some plans to get you started:

• I appreciate the list of plans assembled at this website. Which one is the right one? I'd say any one which gets you into the Word. New to the bible? Check out this one. Never read through the bible? How about this one. Looking for something new? Stories you've never read? Right here. Eager to spend some time with Jesus? Right here.
  

• We're counting down the days until we celebrate the Lord's Resurrection. Why not read the Gospel accounts of His final week? Some members of our church are going to be studying this in their small group... they might find the harmonized accounts of Jesus final week (which i put together in 2006) helpful for study. Jesus Final Week

• Another plan I am experimenting with allows you to read as much as you want per day, as long as you read the whole section in a week. This is a mighty goal, not for the faint of heart. More details on how to use this plan are here. Weekly "Chunks" Plan

• For years I've used Robert M'Cheyne's plan, but it can be a merciless taskmaster if you allow yourself to feel the guilt of missed readings. The plan has you read in four places each day, and takes you through the whole bible in one year. I like it because it challenges me to read all over the place. Preaching and reading on this plan allows a pastor to make 'mad connections' as he reads through the Bible. It all fits together... if we read it, we'll see it. The author himself describes how to use it here.

• I am once again using my own bible reading plan, connected with another that lets me read through the NT twice in one year. Figuring this out is pretty easy. This plan gets you through the NT twice, with all the other readings. I ran this off, cut it nice and small, and am planning on ignoring columns 1 and 2 and reading from column 3. I also print one of these off and stuff it in the front of my bible. It's not really patented or trademarked. I just wrote that to be funny... I cross off the chapters as I read them, and so I know which areas of the Bible I am neglecting.
  

Finally: Read. Read some more. Pray and ask God to help you understand what you are reading. My pastoral mentor used to say that "a man makes time for what is important to him..." If God is your treasure, then you should express that with your time in a solid commitment to be in His Word. May we all be devoted to His "law", so we will stand in joy and awe before Him on that last day.

What We Owe To Those We Disagree With [Theology Reader]

Enjoying this brilliant article by Roger Nicole. There is some theological "rough sledding", but if you assume the gentleness and wisdom of what he is saying in those parts, there is much wisdom here.

There are three major questions that we must ask; and I would like to emphasize very strongly that, in my judgment, we need to ask them precisely in the right order: (1) What do I owe the person who differs from me? (2) What can I learn from the person who differs from me? (3) How can I cope with the person who differs from me?

Many have put on blue or grey and taken sides in blogging wars, in theological, political, and intellectual circles. No matter what side you are on, there is water for your soul here. Drink deep and grow.

http://www.founders.org/journal/fj33/article3.html

He Decides What It All Means.

A good friend just emailed me this video. This might scare some, but it fills me with a great sense of expectation. Knowledge is increasing, communication is increasing, and while that might mean uncertainty and market volatility, it means that the ability to communicate the Gospel in new and creative ways in increasing. We have greater ability to take a stand for the Gospel of Jesus Christ now than ever before. We have greater ability to communicate with clarity and humility.

We ought to embrace technology, embrace humility, and communicate with passion and conviction, for the sake of those who have yet to hear, yet to decide, yet to believe.

After all, all things are created by Him, and for Him, and through Him. He decides what it all means... he should get the glory. Let's us the future for what it is for: Him.