Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
MahattanDeclaration.org
I INVITE ANYONE WHO MAY VISIT THIS PAGE TO GO TO Mahattan Declaration.org and check out this DECLARARTION: A CALL OF CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE.
A promotion of Christian faith and practice. http://www.manhattandeclaration.org
Roger Willmore
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Martyrs' Memorial, Oxford, England
Today is November 26, 2009, Thanksgiving Day! I have paused several times throughout the day to give thanks to God for His blessings upon my life. He has been good to me. He has provided for me beyond my expectations.
Today I am thankful for the great saints of God who have gone before me, and us, who paid the ulitmate price that we might have the rights, and the freedom to worship and serve Him.
The photo is of Oxford Martyrs' memorial in Oxford, England where three Anglican Bishops were burned at the stake under Queen Mary in the 1550's for their faith and their message.
Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer all died for their belief in Jesus Christ and His Word. Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley were executed on October 16, 1555. It is said that Latimer spoke to his friend Ridley and said, "Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out."
Thomas Cranmer had previously recanted his Protestant teachings, both signing and saying from his pulpit that he recanted and was in full accord with the Queen. But Queen Mary was not convinced of his sincerity and sentenced him to die. When Cranmer was burned at the stake on March 21, 1556, he thrust his right hand into the flames first until it burned away, proclaiming: "I have sinned, in that I signed with my hand what I did not believe in my heart."
When I see such courage for the Faith I wonder ....where are these men (and women) today? Are there those in the 21st century chruch in the West who are willing to pay any price for the advancement of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
I am concerned that we are so self absorbed and entertainment and pleasure oriented that our thoughts are rarely on sacrifice.
Where is the younger generation in the Western Church? I am afraid they have learned to push buttons to increase the volume and dress in worldly fashion and seek that which makes them "feel good", but who know very little about the true costs of discipleship.
Today, may we remember that some paid the ultimate price for their faith.
We Give thanks to God.
Soli Deo Gloria
I still remember how I felt when I was at the monument!!!!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
JAPAN KESWICK CONVENTION, Speakers and Council Members, 2008
One of the great joys of my preaching ministry was the opportunity to preach in a series of Keswick Conventions in Japan. I preached in Osaka, Kyoto, Hakone and Tokyo.
I am standing in the center and to my left is Jonathan Lamb, Keswick speaker and current chairman of the English Keswick in Keswick England. Jonathan is a wonderful preacher. He is also associated with Langham Ministries...a contiunation of John R. W. Stott's ministry on a global scale.
The Keswick theme is: All One In Christ Jesus!
My Friend and Mentor, Dr. Stephen F. Olford
I was very blessed in the providence of God to know Stephen F. Olford. I first heard him when I was sixteen and I first met him when I was seventeen. For more than 35 years, until his death in August 2004, he was a significant instrument in the hands of God in teaching, mentoring and shaping my life. I am indebted to God for the life of Stephen Olford and for his friendship.There is no direction in my study room to which I can turn without seeing evidence of Dr. Olford's life. Hanging on my wall, over my desk, is beautiful verse, a dupicate of the one that hung in Dr. Olford's study. It contains a saying by the Scottish preacher, Robert Murray McCheyne: "Oh God, make me as holy as a saved sinner can be.", taken form I Peter 1:16.
The line that I think of most often is the sentence from a letter to Stephen Olford from his father, a line that became a turning point in his life. "Only one life, 'Twill soon be past, Only what is done for Christ will last."
I encourage younger pastors to find an older man of God who has walked with God and attach yourself to him, spend time with him and learn from him.
I was blessed to have known Stephen F. Olford
Preparing For The Lord's Day
What do you do to prepare for Sunday and your time of fellowship with the people of God and your worship of God? Are you intentional in your preparation?
I direct these thoughts to myself first and foremost. Certainly the pastor should be prepared for worship and preaching and ministry. But so should the members of the congregation. The question is sometimes asked: Does good listening make good preaching or does good preaching make good listening? The answer is: Both! However, when the people in the congregation come to church with a sense of anticipation of what God is going to do and say it makes a big difference.
For me preparation for Sunday includes the routine study and prayer of a pastor, but it also includes guarding Saturday and being careful with the use of my time and energy. I generally seclude myself to my study by Saturday afternoon and do not engage in social events or anything that requires time, or physical and emotional energy. I do this in order to assure that I am rested and alert for the Lord's Day as much as possible.
I encourage you, fellow Christian, to think seriously about preparation for worship. Worship is not controlled by a switch that is turned on at 10:30 on Sunday morning and is turned off at 12:05 on Sunday afternoon. How we worship God Monday through Saturday has a direct affect on how we worship Him on Sunday!
Soli Deo Gloria,
BR
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