Three Share Thoughts from Na

From Beth Riley:

What are the idols in your life? Or "in the pursuit of something, do you sin to get it or sin when you don't get it"? (Todd Murray, he wasn't at the conference :)) In defining idolatry John Calvin stated that the evil in our desire usually doesn't lie in what we want but that we want it to much. Thinking through my daily pursuits I am convicted of the time I spend pursuing pleasure. Pleasure such as being "comfortable", feelings of happiness, getting my way, receiving other people's good opinion ... Whether or not these "sins" are viewed "as bad as" the world or not, the motivation is still the same, namely the pursuit, or idolatry, of SELF. We should call it the "S-word".

Mahaney gave four ways to identify idolatry:

1. through scripture

2. through the Holy Spirit

3. through the church-example: blue strip on his cargo shorts (listen to the sermon for a good laugh)

4. circumstances-what is your response if you don't attain your pursuit?

Mahaney also gave the hard reality of idols in your life, namely that they NEVER deliver. They ALWAYS disappoint. Pure joy cannot be derived from idols, or anything created but can be found only from shifting focus from created things to the Creator. Applying this is hard. I see so much sin that I have been blind to. I see just how much like the world I am in my thinking. But, I am encouraged to be able to struggle and strive to become more like Christ. This is just one of the truths from the conference. I encourage you to listen to the sermons and plan to go next year for the Word taught WILL reveal sin, encourage your heart, and build relationships between the body.

~a debtor to mercy alone

Beth Riley

From Sarah Ross:

Here are my thoughts on the conference. It was Amazing. It completely opened my eyes to so many things. My walk with Christ is so much Stronger and I was able to see sin in my life I was totally oblivious to. It was a true blessing to be able to hear Awesome sermons from such Christ like men. I was able to build friendships and add on to those I already had. I have a clearer understanding of what discernment is and means. One verse that stuck out to me is 1st Corinthians 10:13-14, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry."

My action point that everyone could pray for is that I need to be an imitator of God.

From Peter Witkowski:

Spiritual discernment is often something we foolishly believe we possess or it is something we do not realize we lack. Falling into the later category, I ventured into the NA conference believing that my heart would only be warmed by a fleeting emotional high, facilitated by exciting music and passionate pleas from the portable pulpit. I left 4 days later truly convicted, challenged, and encouraged by the Holy Spirit. Through the sermons of Piper, C.J. and the other speakers, I saw that my spiritual growth was being stunted by my “own affections” (2 Cor. 6:12b). I was relying upon my heart to guide my spiritual life, being one of the many who spent less than 8 minutes a day in scripture and who often saw their horizons darkened by the despair of sin. This conviction has caused me to spend more time each day reading and studying the word so that I may live more fully for Christ. I also know that God is not pleased by obedience designed as a repayment for Grace. During these past days, I have been applying the teaching I heard by checking my heart to see if my spiritual desire is being replaced by cold, methodical studies.

The music was also resonated with my soul. The songs were all scripturally based and seemed to readily express the repentance and joy that was flowing through my heart. The music presented a rare blend of superb theology and contemporary music. I left with several CD’s.

In short, I would encourage people to go next year because NA is one of the few Biblically based conferences that are designed to equip people of all ages for their life in the real world. The environment is rightfully charged with emotion, because the conference is about making much of grace and more importantly, making much of God. I encourage all to go to the New Attitude website and download the sermons for free.

Cheers,
Peter Witkowski