ADAM RAMSEY.ORG

Drive Conference 2012 remix

2012-02-06T11:20:00.000+10:00

Nobody does white-boy rap like the boys at Elevation.
Nobody.

Looking forward to an awesome few days at our State Pastors Conference this week!

www.adamramsey.org

My boy...Ezra Keller Ramsey

2012-01-30T17:31:00.014+10:00

Kristina and I are VERY very excited to announce the birth of our 3rd child,

Ezra Keller Ramsey!

His name means "Helper & Companion of the Lord."

And this boy is a BOY!

11lbs 1oz...and Kristina (commonly mistaken as Superwoman) gave birth to this chunky unit all naturally, no pain-killers, in 2 hours, via water-birth.

His thighs side-by-side, look like two sumo's in a phone booth!
Tank.

Ezra Keller is named after two of our heroes; Ezra and Dr Timothy Keller.

Ezra was a powerful preacher & teacher who helped Nehemiah rebuild the wall & open the Scriptures to God's people.

One of our prayers for our boy is found in Ezra 7:9-10, where it says,
"...for the good hand of his God was on him. ¹⁰ For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes..."

Timothy Keller is a pastor & author, who has an incredible gift of communicating the deep things of God, in a simple & beautiful way. Some of his recent works include King's Cross, The Prodigal God, The Reason for God, and The Meaning of Marriage...all of which have unmistakably shaped the way Kristina and I treasure life, ministry, and above all...Jesus.

Thankyou Jesus for another healthy, strong son...he belongs to You, we are so blessed.

www.adamramsey.org

Why you should buy "The Jesus Storybook Bible"...whether you're a parent of not

2012-01-25T18:50:00.010+10:00

I have a confession to make.

One of my favourite books I've read over the past few years...is a children's Bible. You heard me.
This book is LEGIT.
So much so, that I literally read it cover-to-cover in one sitting...I just could not put it down! In the Ramsey household, it has become a nightly event that I enjoy just as much as our kids.

The book is called The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones.

What separates this from every other children's Bible, is that it goes beyond just descriptive events or a story with a moral to it. In this Bible, every story points to Jesus.
Every. Single. One.

Like a faithful preacher, it connects both Old Testament and New Testament to the person and work of Jesus Christ...and like the front cover states; every story whispers His name.

It's engaging, fresh...plus the first person the author credits is "Dr Timothy Keller, whose teaching informs every story and from whom I have liberally borrowed..."
(so you know it just went to another level of awesome...!)

So if you're a parent of young children, you need to buy The Jesus Storybook Bible.
And if you're not a parent OR a young child, you should still buy The Jesus Storybook Bible.

I've included the introduction chapter below; it's a brilliant, short read of what the Scriptures are REALLY all about......

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God wrote, "I love you" -- he wrote it in the sky, and on the earth, and under the sea. He wrote his message everywhere! Because God created everything in his world to reflect him like a mirror -- to show us what he is like, to help us know him, to make our hearts sing.

The way a kitten chases her tail. The way red poppies grow wild. The way a dolphin swims.

And God put it into words too, and wrote it in a book called "the Bible."

Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should and shouldn't do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn't mainly about you and what you should be doing. It's about God and what he has done.

Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it, but (as you'll soon find out) most of the people in the Bible aren't heroes at all. They make some big mistakes (sometimes on purpose). They get afraid and run away. At times they are downright mean.

No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne -- everything -- to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about this Story is -- it's true.

There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle -- the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

And this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day -- but wait. Our Story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning...

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www.adamramsey.org

Spurgeon on "Getting our Perspective Right"

2012-01-24T08:02:00.003+10:00

If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, for you are worse than he thinks you to be.
If he charges you falsely on some point, yet be satisfied, for if he knew you better he might change the accusation, and you would be no gainer by the correction.
If you have your moral portrait painted and it is ugly, be satisfied, for it only needs a few blacker touches, and it would be still nearer the truth.

(Charles Spurgeon)

The deeper we understand this...
...the more beautiful God's grace in Jesus Christ becomes...
...and the more explosive our worship becomes.

www.adamramsey.org

Do you come to the Bible as a Treasure-Hunter or a Tourist?

2012-01-10T14:35:00.006+10:00

Your love for God grows, to the degree your knowledge of Him deepens.

If the above statement is true, then one of our highest priorities in life should be understanding what God has revealed about Himself through His Word, the Bible. Because the bottom line is this: you and I cannot cherish something or someone, that we do not know.

There are basically two ways we can approach God's Word: as Treasure-Hunters...or Tourists.

Treasure-hunters dig deep until they find something beautiful.
Tourists stay on the familiar paths because they don't like breaking a sweat.

Treasure-hunters seek earnestly.
Tourists wander aimlessly.

Treasure-hunters have a plan, which keeps them on track.
Tourists usually end up getting lost, because they're unfamiliar with the landscape.

Treasure-hunters come home with great riches.
Tourists come home with a couple of vague memories.

The difference? Being intentional.

Proverbs 2:1-5 tells us,
¹ My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
² making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
³ yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
⁴ if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
⁵ then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.

Here's a couple of ways we can intentionally engage God's Word:

1. GET A PLACE
If your life is anything like mine, it is far too easy to get interrupted & distracted. Find a quiet place, turn off your phone, stop checking your Facebook...and regularly come before the face of God.

2. GET A PLAN
Drifting off course is never intentional...it's a lack of being intentional.
So instead of just opening up your Bible and hoping for the best, get a plan!

Personally I use the McCheyne reading plan, which over the course of a year involves reading 4 chapters a day, and takes you through the New Testament & Psalms twice, and the Old Testament once. You can download the McCheyne reading plan in .pdf format, by clicking here.

Alternatively, search on your iPhone for "Bible Reading Plan" and download the free app that looks like this:

YouVersion also have a huge variety of online Reading Plans that are worth checking out, by clicking here.

As you embark into a new year, don't just settle for visiting the parts of Scripture you already like...dig deep and let your heart expand with love as you behold the majesty of God in all of Scripture.

The prince of preachers, Charles Spurgeon, sums it up best when he says,

“This volume is the writing of the living God. Each letter was penned with an Almighty finger. Each word in it dropped from the everlasting lips; each sentence was dictated by the Holy Spirit.

Albeit that Moses was employed to write his histories with his fiery pen, God guided that pen. It may be that David touched his harp and let sweet psalms of melody drop from his fingers, but God moved his hands over the living strings of his golden harp.

It may be that Solomon sang songs of love or gave forth words of consummate wisdom, but God directed his lips and made the preacher eloquent. If I follow the thundering Nahum when his horses plow the waters or Habakkuk when he sees the tents of Cushan in affliction, if I read Malachi, when the earth is burning like an oven, if I turn to the smooth page of John, who tells of love, or the rugged, fiery chapters of Peter, who speaks of the fire devouring God’s enemies, if I turn to Jude, who launches forth rebukes upon the foes of God;

Everywhere I find God speaking. It is God’s voice, not man’s. The words are God’s words, the words of the Eternal, the Invisible, the Almighty, the Jehovah of this earth. The Bible is saying “I am the book of God. Man, read me. I am God’s writing. Open my leaf, for God penned me. Read it, for He is my author, and you will see Him visible and manifest everywhere.”

Your love for God will expand, as your knowledge of Him deepens.

www.adamramsey.org

Two Guaranteed Ideas to Paralyze Young People in your Church

2012-01-09T13:02:00.001+10:00

They're messy, opinionated, and always planning expensive events. With lives that seem to revolve around Facebook, drama, and Facebook-dramas, these hormonal creatures seem to create more work than everyone else combined. We are, of course, talking about high school students (though you'd get extra points for guessing "Women's Ministry" and a gold star for being Spirit-led).

So if you are a Lead Pastor who want a nice, tidy church, or a youth leader who would like to relax a little, here's a couple of practical tips to invert the Great Commission into the Great Suggestion, and paralyze the next generation.

Suggestion #1: Entertain instead of Empower

Making disciples is so first-century. Nowadays, it's about making and retaining consumers! Don't challenge them, wrap them up in a cozy Snuggie of entertainment! Try to avoid giving them any real responsibility. Remember, they're only young, and might make a mess of things with all their innovative ideas and passionate energy.

Why bother with Ephesians 4 and equipping our young people to missionally scatter, when that would just create more young people fired up about the greatest cause in the world! The last thing your church needs is more Spirit-filled missionaries following Jesus into whatever sector of society God leads them. Babysit them with entertainment, instead of empower them with responsibility. This way, even if you do end up with a larger crowd (for a season), they will be primarily spectators rather than Cross-carriers, and at least you'll be able to tweet some sweet head-counts. Keep the focus on 'getting' instead of 'going' to ensure that their Christianity never leaves the auditorium.

Suggestion #2: Preach Moralism instead of Gospel

Rather than being like Paul, who preached that old-school Gospel "that is the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16), try preaching more like Phil. That is, Dr Phil. Not so much the actual person of Dr Phil, who has inspiring charisma and an amazing mustache (you should emulate both of these, unless of course you are a woman, in which case please only aspire to the first)...but replicate the "here is 5 steps you must do to save yourself" message of modern self-help.

Practically, this means don't connect the commands of God to the Cross of Christ. Stay right away from the sin-destroying, affection-transforming message of grace. When it comes to obtaining God's love, focus instead on raising the moral standard in your church by telling young people what they must do, in addition to what Jesus has done. This will successfully breed a culture where they will either feel condemned and leave; or so morally superior to the rest of their generation, that they isolate themselves from culture instead of entering into it like Jesus.

Show them Jesus

All sarcasm aside: to mobilize this generation, you can try and amaze them with your sweet set-ups, epic games, attractive people, and funny jokes (all of which are good in themselves). Or you can amaze them with God. His love, His majesty, and His mission. Ultimately, our young people need us to show them that the greatest cause to live for, the greatest joy to be known, and the greatest need of their generation...is still Jesus.

And when we remind our young people of the Gospel: that God loves them, died for them, and has already won the war...we free them from the striving of religion and empower them with grace-driven responsibility to fight for their generation.

Seeing that, is worth any mess.