MICHAEL SPOTTS:.

I posted highlights from John & Lura’s wedding.

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:08:32 -0800

I posted highlights from John & Lura’s wedding.

Sex change therapy for five year olds? It’s real and...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:55:13 -0800

Sex change therapy for five year olds? It’s real and it’s happening. Heavy stuff.

"Faith knows God is in our corner even in rounds where we feel ourselves taking a beating; that..."

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:22:15 -0800

“Faith knows God is in our corner even in rounds where we feel ourselves taking a beating; that Christ declares our victory before the bell has even rung.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.org

"Faith sees God’s hand over every step of our spiritual race, including any missteps."

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:21:29 -0800

“Faith sees God’s hand over every step of our spiritual race, including any missteps.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.org

"The next time you feel hopeless and helpless in your war with sin, remember that Jesus Christ is on..."

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:15:09 -0800

“The next time you feel hopeless and helpless in your war with sin, remember that Jesus Christ is on your side, and His Spirit will never forsake His post within you.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.org

Getting Up After We Sin

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:14:02 -0800

Getting Up After We Sin:

New article on struggling with sin. Excerpt: “The next time you feel hopeless and helpless in your war with sin, remember that Jesus Christ is on your side, and His Spirit will never forsake His post within you.”

Taken with instagram

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:04:00 -0800

Taken with instagram

"Paul told the saints at Ephesus to put on the “helmet of salvation.” This was to say, an assured..."

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:37:27 -0800

“Paul told the saints at Ephesus to put on the “helmet of salvation.” This was to say, an assured faith in Jesus Christ is essential for the believer’s battle with this world. Hope that is grounded on the promises of God is the armor best-suited to protect the mind as we push onward, upward, against so many opposing ideas and temptations.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.com

"There is more treachery in doubting the grace of God to restore a sinner than there is in the sin..."

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:10:30 -0800

“There is more treachery in doubting the grace of God to restore a sinner than there is in the sin itself, by which he fell.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.com

"After a Christian sins, he may collapse into a paralysis of guilt and despair. What he ought to do..."

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:57:00 -0800

“After a Christian sins, he may collapse into a paralysis of guilt and despair. What he ought to do instead is trust God for mercy, resolve again to live by the Spirit’s power, and keep moving forward. Imagine a soldier stumbling over a trip-wire in a battle; instead of continuing to fight, he just lays there sobbing, “my commander must hate me! I am a failure!” The commander yells back at him, amid the noise of bullets whirring past, “I knew you were weak on your own beforehand, that is why I am with you! Now get up and fight for me and your brothers! You are no good on the ground—stand up, man! Fight!””

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.com

"Christianity affirms humanity to the extent that delicacies of daily life, as playing in the rain or..."

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:35:00 -0800

“Christianity affirms humanity to the extent that delicacies of daily life, as playing in the rain or enjoying good food and drink, become valid expressions of faith when done in a spirit of grateful trust toward our Father.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.com

Why Do We Highly Value the Opinions of Famous People?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:04:00 -0800

It is an alchemy of the modern age, that the cult of celebrity is so able to transform the limited proficiency of entertainers into a presumption of all-around expertise, one which the public too often accepts for gold. Men and women whose vocal cords vibrate nicely are somehow assumed to also possess definitive knowledge on every subject they might pontificate upon; their views on government, environment, and spirituality are held above the conclusions of professional historians, scientists, and ministers. The magic of celebrity makes every Bono a de facto Plato; his opinions are revered as godlike revelation. Homer’s proverbial warning not to heed the voice of sirens remains as true as ever. Therefore do as Odysseus: fill your ears with wax whenever you hear celebrities spouting their ideas with disproportioned authority, or else risk being enchanted by fame into acknowledging an otherwise unqualified perspective.

Taken with instagram

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:28:00 -0800

Taken with instagram

"The worldly wicked prefer pleasures in the present at the expense of future blessedness. They will..."

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:29:00 -0800

“The worldly wicked prefer pleasures in the present at the expense of future blessedness. They will awake in the life to come with no inheritance stored up, but only judgment and wrath.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.com
Regarding Psalms 17:13-14, “Deliver my soul from the wicked…men of the world whose portion in this life.”

"Every unbeliever is possessed, not of demons, but of his own corruptions and perverse will; and this..."

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:11:57 -0800

“Every unbeliever is possessed, not of demons, but of his own corruptions and perverse will; and this is far more insidious, for self-possession binds harder than a demon, yet incites less alarm and fewer prayers for deliverance. To confide in self is to be held fast by the devil’s devil, pride.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.com

Taken with instagram

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:55:00 -0800

Taken with instagram

"What person in his right mind abstains from visiting a generous king, much less his own loving..."

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:08:23 -0800

“What person in his right mind abstains from visiting a generous king, much less his own loving Father, dear brother, best companion, spiritual spouse, and perfect comforter? Truly, prayer is no dry duty, but is to visit friends in high places who favor you, family with arms eagerly opened with love for you.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.com

Good and Bad Seminaries

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:56:00 -0800

“Every one must live filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18), never attempting to do the work of the ministry in the strength of the flesh. A seminary, accordingly, should be a spiritual greenhouse, nurturing personal spiritual vitality, prayer and wisdom in it’s students. That may sound obvious; yet far too many students testify that a seminary career is a difficult spiritual trial. I have heard of seminaries in which a devotional attitude is lacking, or the Bible is treated merely as an academic resource, where prayer life suffers, in which love for the Lord’s church wanes. Such schools are a wilderness, not a greenhouse; they wither the plant of faith, from root to branch. Avoid such places like the plague.”

— Dr. John R. Sittema, Called to Preach: Pondering God’s Commission for Your Life, 24-25.

"‘Command me to come’… so Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water.”..."

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:10:34 -0800

““‘Command me to come’… so Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water.” (Matt 14:28-29) Nothing is impossible if the Lord wills it. Peter acted in faith, believing what God commands of his disciples, he is able to fulfill through them. We are not capable in ourselves to abstain from all sin and serve God acceptably; it is more unnatural than walking on water! However, knowing it is Christ who commands our obedience, we should step out in faith, believing on Him to overcome our deficiencies and work miracles of godliness through us. And when we feel ourselves sinking, cry with Peter, “God, save me!””

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.com

"A minister of Christ is called to be a physician of souls. He is expected to detect and diagnose..."

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:58:00 -0800

“A minister of Christ is called to be a physician of souls. He is expected to detect and diagnose spiritual illness; apply truth to counteract poisonous errors; prescribe exercises to heal and strengthen; adjust diets of thought to supplement infirmity; and always with the kind hand of a comforter and assured skill of an expert. Precious lives are in his care, not merely physical, but immortal; his service to them shall touch eternity. To assume such duties without due preparation is therefore nothing less than to embark on a career of impious fraud and ministerial malpractice, for which one will give an account.”

- Michael Spotts:. www.michaelspotts.com
Regarding James 3:1, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” God willing, I hope to attend seminary for the next half-decade while being discipled by my local elders. I want this office if the Lord will have it for me. For the sake of Christ and the body, please pray for me.