Conferences are a great opportunity to sin

"Conferences are a great opportunity to sin." So says my good friend Steve Casey. And he is right. They are an opportunity to let sins grow in the dark. Cynicism, pride, jealousy, ingratitude, grumbling, and hard heartedness all have occasion to grow in the solitude of our own reflections.

Then there are sins that germinate and flourish out in the open. Some will be the maturing of those private sins that were never repented of. Unkind words, harsh criticisms of other, the bearing of false witness, and so on.

Thankfully conferences are a great opportunity to know that God is able to make all grace abound to us, and to rejoice in the riches of his grace and kindness expressed to us in Christ. They are also an opportunity to speak kind words to build others up, as good stewards of God's varied grace, and with the strength that God supplies.

These are weighty matters to ponder before setting off to a conference.

Pray for the Banner of Truth Ministers Conference to be held in Leicester next week.

• Pray that the Lord will meet with us through his Word and that we will be good hearers, like this:

Q. 160. What is required of those that hear the word preached?

A. It is required of those that hear the word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence, preparation, and prayer; examine what they hear by the Scriptures; receive the truth with faith, love, meekness, and readiness of mind, as the Word of God; meditate, and confer of it; hide it in their hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives.

• Pray that we will have a fresh realisation that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ.

• Pray that men will seek to be encouraged in the Lord whose work they have been called to.

• Pray that men will return to their work refreshed by the gospel, with a renewed sense of the gravity and urgency of preaching Christ crucified.

• Pray that we will not lose sight of Christ in the ministry.