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Category Archives: Tullian Tchividjian

A Prayer for Our Dry Bones

October 11th – The following is taken from the book “Everyday Prayers: 365 To A Gospel-Centered Faith” by Scotty Smith and Tullian Tchividjian.

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” (Ezek. 37: 1–6)

Gracious heavenly Father, I’ve always prayed that I’d get to experience one significant revival before you choose to take me to the revival of all revivals, heaven itself. I renew that prayer today, and I’m going to be quite specific. For the glory of Jesus alone, I ask you to demonstrate the truth, beauty, and power of the gospel by pouring out the Holy Spirit on our church family in a most tangible and transforming way. My hope is in knowing that you are a far more generous God than we are a desperate people, and we are desperate. We need what you alone can give, Father. Make yourself unmistakably known as the Lord in our midst. Prophesy the gospel to our dry, scattered bones. Drench our drought with the dew of heaven. Breathe your life-giving breath into our empty lungs. Reattach brothers and sisters to one another as one body, for we are in great relational distress. The only “skin” we need is the covering you’ve already given us—the righteousness of Jesus. May our glorious standing in grace humble us, quiet our racing hearts, bridle our wagging tongues, and send us to our faces before you, prostrate and repentant. You are a God who gives grace to the humble, but also one who resists and knows the proud from afar. Have mercy on us; have mercy on me. I cannot imagine a better story to be a part of than for our repentance and transformation to become far more notorious than our sin and brokenness. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. I pray in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name. Amen.

Heart Corruptions

19 Mar

In the news today I read something very sad. It seems that Tullian Tchvidjian, grandson of Billy Graham, has again been fired from a church. This time from his new church, Willow Creek in Winter Springs, Florida. The firing stems from another unconfessed act of adultery against God. Please read the article here. Please be in prayer for Tullian, his family and the members of the two churches now involved in this sorrowful mess of sin.

After reading the article details it reminds me of a Puritan devotion from “The Valley Vision” book of Puritan prayers and devotions. IT helps to explain what the bible refers to as our “deceitful heart” (Jeremiah 17:9). I would recommend reading this and praying it each morning.

Heart Corruptions

O God, may Thy Spirit speak in me that I may speak to thee. I have no merit, let the merit of Jesus stand for me. I am undeserving, but I look to Thy tender mercy. I am full of infirmities, wants, sin; Thou art full of grace.

I confess my sin, my frequent sin, my wilful sin; all my powers of body and soul are defiled: a fountain of pollution is deep within my nature. There are chambers of foul images within my being; I have gone from one odious room to another, walked in a no-man’s-land of dangerous imaginations, pried into the secrets of my fallen nature.

I am utterly ashamed that I am what I am in myself; I have no green shoot in me nor fruit, but thorns and thistles; I am a fading leaf that the wind drives away; I live bare and barren as a winter tree, unprofitable, fit to be hewn down and burnt. Lord, dost Thou have mercy on me?

Thou hast struck a heavy blow at my pride, at the false god of self, and I lie in pieces before Thee. But Thou hast given me another master and lord, Thy Son, Jesus, and now my heart is turned towards holiness, my life speeds as an arrow from a bow towards complete obedience to Thee. Help me in all my doings to put down sin and to humble pride. Save me from the love of the world and the pride of life, from everything that is natural to fallen man, and let Christ’s nature be seen in me day by day. Grant me grace to bear Thy will without repining, and delight to be not only chiselled, squared, or fashioned, but separated from the old rock where I have been embedded so long, and lifted from the quarry to the upper air, where I may be built in Christ for ever.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Discovering my variable to the eternal equation of the gospel

02 Jan

Happy New Year everyone!! It is my prayer that the gospel impacts your life and the lives of your friends and family this year. Now for the equation mentioned in the title.

Late last year I began reading the Tullian Tchividjian book “Jesus + Nothing = Everything“. I am almost done with it, and I can tell you, without question, it is ranks among the top books that have greatly impacted my life. Pastor Tullian begins by taking the equation and working it backward. By the time you get to the “Nothing” part of the equation Tullian has asked the reader twice to consider what that variable “Nothing” is for you. Here is a quote from the book:

So let me ask you once more, as you get quiet and still: Deep within you, where is that restlessness, that agitation, that impatience, that anxiety? Why is it there? What is it you’re missing, and you’re trying to fill the gap? (Jesus + Nothing = Everything (p. 44). Good News Publishers/Crossway Books. Kindle Edition)

Taking the authors advice, I prayerfully considered the “Nothing”. According to Tullian, Jesus wants us to make the connection of the “Nothingness” with idolatry. What am I trying to add to this eternal equation?

After much prayerful consideration I believe God has lead me to the answer of my nothing variable. In my life I have put way to much focus on the acknowledgement from those friends and family members around me. It didn’t take me long to uncover the source of what consistently causes me restlessness, agitation, impatience, and anxiety. Desiring acknowledgement is definitely a human trait. Most of us wish to be acknowledged. It hurts when you put yourself out there by taking the initiative to vocalize, or author (blogging?) an opinion, statement, or truth. When you don’t receive the acknowledgement you have built some expectations over, it is painful. But, I believe, when it becomes like the things described by Pastor Tullian, especially to the extent of it becoming that variable to the equation like mine:

Jesus + Acknowledement from men = Everything

This is idolatry.

Idolatry is trying to build our identity on something besides God. An idol is anything that’s usurping the proper place of God in our lives. An idol is anything or anyone that you conclude, in your heart, you must have in order for your life to be meaningful, valuable, secure, exciting, or free. (Jesus + Nothing = Everything (p. 40). Good News Publishers/Crossway Books. Kindle Edition)

So as I continue to read this influential book with this eye opening revelation, I can read with with full knowledge of this sin in an effort with the Holy Spirit to take it head-on in the trenches. With the strength provided (Phil. 2:13) I will be able to knock this sin back for a 25 yard loss. (Sorry, it’s College Bowl Game Day) Lord willing it can get knocked out of the game completely.

More to come.

Soli Deo Gloria!!