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Johnny Long - Recovering
Pharisee, author and
teacher of Grace4Life
Pharisee, author and
teacher of Grace4Life
GnomeSane Productions © Copyright 2009
by John Wade Long, Jr. - All Rights Reserved
Masthead photo: Mwnt, Wales above the
Irish Sea
Yahoo! Web Hosting
by John Wade Long, Jr. - All Rights Reserved
Masthead photo: Mwnt, Wales above the
Irish Sea
Yahoo! Web Hosting
| IN MEMORIAM |
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| TWO Grace4Life courses are underway: 1. All Souls Clubhouse Church 141 Cleveland St. London W1T MAP | PHOTO TUESDAYS 7:30-9:30 p.m. 2. The Office of Association of Grace Baptists 7 Arlington Way, London EC1R 1XA - just .2 miles from Angel tube station THURSDAYS 7-9 p.m. MAP LATE JOINER? Why not pop in on one of the lessons and get a tast of what G4L is all about. You will be welcomed! Ring Johnny for details! 0794-660-3158 ______________ WANT a Grace4Life course in your area in the winter of 2010? Ring or e-mail me and we'll work on arranging a time, place and schedule. johnwadelong@gmail.com 0208-868-9975 ______________ NOTICE Good news - the Grace4Life course is available free of charge!We only ask that you take the course first. Contact us for details. Image © 2008 John W. Long, Jr. The houses of Parliament and the London eye. 28 November 2008 _____________ |
Welcome!
Come in, poke around, and listen to "the music of the
Gospel."
_____________________________________________________
Grace4Life - Christianity Rediscovered
What is Grace4lLife? G4L is a ministry of spiritual mentoring
that leads us to a deeper appreciation of and reliance on God's love
for us in the Gospel. Thus energised by grace, we joyfully give our lives
in word and deed ministry to see the Kingly reign of Jesus come in our
hearts, homes, churches and world.
_____________________________________
StraightTalk .....
TOWARD A SPIRITUAL PARADIGM SHIFT
Where do we get the power to change and help others change - deeply
change - from the inside out - not just "rearrange the furniture" on the
surface of our lives? Power. Now there's the rub.
The church in our day needs to get hold of the Apostle Paul's "spiritual
mechanics." Paul makes it clear that what powers spiritual growth is the
Gospel--we keep believing in Jesus, looking to Jesus the way we did at the
beginning of our Christian life (Col.2:6). Paul called the Galatians "foolish"
because they moved away from a focus on Jesus' work for them and began
to rely on their attempts to please God by their law-keeping. Put simply,
they were Christians who had "forgotten" the Gospel! (Gal.3:1-5)
As one who traveled that sorry road in ministry for twenty-five years,
flogging myself and others with endless reminders of our obligations
(without seeing much change) I can tell you, it's pure misery for both the
flogger and floggees. But there is good news: There's another way.
JESUS REDUCED all of obedience to two simple commands: Love God with
all your heart; love your neighbour as you love yourself." "On these two," he
added, "hang all the law and the prophets." (Matt. 22:34ff) That's a rather
astounding thought: love, and you fulfill the whole law! Paul said precisely
the same thing. (Gal. 5:6 and Rom.13:8-10)
I know what it is to have all the right doctrine but fail miserably at loving
others well - where Jesus says the rubber meets the road: "All the Law and
the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matt.22:40). Even now,
my sinful nature urges me to use rather than love God and others. Some
years ago, had you suggested that my Christian life might have needed a
little tweaking here and there, I might have agreed - reluctantly - "since
you said 'a little tweaking'". I was to frightened to take an honest deeper
look my heart and admit that what I needed was a whole new life - a radical
paradigm shift concerning what it meant to be "in Christ" and what it meant
to be holy. When you have 20 minutes to spare, read my sad-happy
novelette, "The Gospel Lost & Found" on the ABOUT US link.
One thing is sure, I am an expert at living the Christian life wrongly. After
all, if you practise anything for a quarter-Century, you get terribly good at it.
Having spent so long enmeshed in the Galatian trap, I'm eminently qualified
to help others struggling in it.
There are two particularly dangerous heresies threatening our faith
these days: 1. waffling on the matter of the inspiration and authority of the
Bible, and 2. mucking about with the historic post-Reformation under-
standing of justification by faith alone. But, among those who are "right,"
having avoided those errors, there is an insidious and debilitating loss of
confidence in what Francis Schaeffer called "the present value of the blood
of Jesus Christ for our lives." We have been inundated with a modern
revision of the old Galatian heresy, and it is literally eating the heart out
of our Evangelical churches. [See the Schaeffer excerpt in SAMPLE LESSON
BITS link.]
The Grace4Life ministry desires to call the Church, pastors and people,
back to the Gospel as the power for living the Christian life.
TO THIS END, we offer study courses and materials aimed at training us
how to live and minister on a grace foundation.
If you're skeptical, you're wise. But, before you run off, take a minute or
two to read the TESTIMONIALS of pastors, missionaries and laypeople
whose lives and ministries have benefited. Thank you!
__________________________________
Come in, poke around, and listen to "the music of the
Gospel."
_____________________________________________________
Grace4Life - Christianity Rediscovered
What is Grace4lLife? G4L is a ministry of spiritual mentoring
that leads us to a deeper appreciation of and reliance on God's love
for us in the Gospel. Thus energised by grace, we joyfully give our lives
in word and deed ministry to see the Kingly reign of Jesus come in our
hearts, homes, churches and world.
_____________________________________
StraightTalk .....
TOWARD A SPIRITUAL PARADIGM SHIFT
Where do we get the power to change and help others change - deeply
change - from the inside out - not just "rearrange the furniture" on the
surface of our lives? Power. Now there's the rub.
The church in our day needs to get hold of the Apostle Paul's "spiritual
mechanics." Paul makes it clear that what powers spiritual growth is the
Gospel--we keep believing in Jesus, looking to Jesus the way we did at the
beginning of our Christian life (Col.2:6). Paul called the Galatians "foolish"
because they moved away from a focus on Jesus' work for them and began
to rely on their attempts to please God by their law-keeping. Put simply,
they were Christians who had "forgotten" the Gospel! (Gal.3:1-5)
As one who traveled that sorry road in ministry for twenty-five years,
flogging myself and others with endless reminders of our obligations
(without seeing much change) I can tell you, it's pure misery for both the
flogger and floggees. But there is good news: There's another way.
JESUS REDUCED all of obedience to two simple commands: Love God with
all your heart; love your neighbour as you love yourself." "On these two," he
added, "hang all the law and the prophets." (Matt. 22:34ff) That's a rather
astounding thought: love, and you fulfill the whole law! Paul said precisely
the same thing. (Gal. 5:6 and Rom.13:8-10)
I know what it is to have all the right doctrine but fail miserably at loving
others well - where Jesus says the rubber meets the road: "All the Law and
the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matt.22:40). Even now,
my sinful nature urges me to use rather than love God and others. Some
years ago, had you suggested that my Christian life might have needed a
little tweaking here and there, I might have agreed - reluctantly - "since
you said 'a little tweaking'". I was to frightened to take an honest deeper
look my heart and admit that what I needed was a whole new life - a radical
paradigm shift concerning what it meant to be "in Christ" and what it meant
to be holy. When you have 20 minutes to spare, read my sad-happy
novelette, "The Gospel Lost & Found" on the ABOUT US link.
One thing is sure, I am an expert at living the Christian life wrongly. After
all, if you practise anything for a quarter-Century, you get terribly good at it.
Having spent so long enmeshed in the Galatian trap, I'm eminently qualified
to help others struggling in it.
There are two particularly dangerous heresies threatening our faith
these days: 1. waffling on the matter of the inspiration and authority of the
Bible, and 2. mucking about with the historic post-Reformation under-
standing of justification by faith alone. But, among those who are "right,"
having avoided those errors, there is an insidious and debilitating loss of
confidence in what Francis Schaeffer called "the present value of the blood
of Jesus Christ for our lives." We have been inundated with a modern
revision of the old Galatian heresy, and it is literally eating the heart out
of our Evangelical churches. [See the Schaeffer excerpt in SAMPLE LESSON
BITS link.]
The Grace4Life ministry desires to call the Church, pastors and people,
back to the Gospel as the power for living the Christian life.
TO THIS END, we offer study courses and materials aimed at training us
how to live and minister on a grace foundation.
If you're skeptical, you're wise. But, before you run off, take a minute or
two to read the TESTIMONIALS of pastors, missionaries and laypeople
whose lives and ministries have benefited. Thank you!
__________________________________
A WELCOME from me
to you:
PASTORS, PARENTS,
DISCIPLERS...
Do you have a tool in your kit that
can both change your heart and the
hearts of those God has entrusted to
your care?
Spiritually speaking, if you feel like you
have "hit a wall", we have some good
news for you. The key to deep and
ongoing spiritual growth is for us to
believe the Gospel! What?
True, that sounds simplistic, but rest
assured, we are not into spiritual
gimmickry or easy answers. No quick
fixes are on offer here.
What we do offer is a ministry and
ministry tools to help you rediscover
the power of the Gospel to change you
and those to whom God has called you
to minister.
So, come on in, grab a cuppa and
explore the site. Feel free to print out
and study the excerpts in the SAMPLE
LESSON BITS link, and, if you find your
heart "strangely warmed" and hungry
for more, do get in touch.
His servant & yours, Johnny
P.S. If you have a few spare minutes,
click the ABOUT US link in the sidebar
and read our tragic- happy tale - THE
GOSPEL LOST & FOUND.
_________________________
to you:
PASTORS, PARENTS,
DISCIPLERS...
Do you have a tool in your kit that
can both change your heart and the
hearts of those God has entrusted to
your care?
Spiritually speaking, if you feel like you
have "hit a wall", we have some good
news for you. The key to deep and
ongoing spiritual growth is for us to
believe the Gospel! What?
True, that sounds simplistic, but rest
assured, we are not into spiritual
gimmickry or easy answers. No quick
fixes are on offer here.
What we do offer is a ministry and
ministry tools to help you rediscover
the power of the Gospel to change you
and those to whom God has called you
to minister.
So, come on in, grab a cuppa and
explore the site. Feel free to print out
and study the excerpts in the SAMPLE
LESSON BITS link, and, if you find your
heart "strangely warmed" and hungry
for more, do get in touch.
His servant & yours, Johnny
P.S. If you have a few spare minutes,
click the ABOUT US link in the sidebar
and read our tragic- happy tale - THE
GOSPEL LOST & FOUND.
_________________________
ARE YOU STUCK on the
treadmill of repeatedly
telling people to do
what they already know
they should be doing
but aren't doing?
treadmill of repeatedly
telling people to do
what they already know
they should be doing
but aren't doing?
©
Grace4Life - Christianity Rediscovered
UK Copyright Service
Reg.No. 295640
UK Copyright Service
Reg.No. 295640
Rev. James Leonard Long, Sr. - 23/09/1945 - 08/03/2010
Jimmy - twice my brother - after the flesh and through the blood
of Jesus Christ. He was a great lover of God, warm lover of
people, faithful pastor and faithful friend. I am often so keen on
telling Jesus what I want I forget to focus on what He wants:
"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me
where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given
me because you loved me before the creation of the world."
- John 17:24 [ CLICK FOR MUSIC ]
Jimmy - twice my brother - after the flesh and through the blood
of Jesus Christ. He was a great lover of God, warm lover of
people, faithful pastor and faithful friend. I am often so keen on
telling Jesus what I want I forget to focus on what He wants:
"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me
where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given
me because you loved me before the creation of the world."
- John 17:24 [ CLICK FOR MUSIC ]
| CANCELLATION NOTICE NO Grace4Life meetings on Tuesday and Thursday evenings this week. We will resume next week - Tuesday 16th & Thursday 18th March. Thanks for your understanding. |